ESPNcricinfo has learned that USA, Namibia and Netherlands are the other teams in the India-Pakistan group
Nagraj Gollapudi24-Nov-2025India and Pakistan will play each other in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup on February 15 in Colombo as per the tournament schedule that will be unveiled by the ICC in Mumbai on Tuesday.The marquee contest – the first time the two teams are meeting since three heated contests at the 2025 Asia Cup – will be played at the R Premadasa Stadium and is India’s third group match. ESPNcricinfo has learned India and Pakistan have been grouped along with USA, Netherlands and Namibia.India play their first group match against USA in Mumbai on February 7, the opening day of the T20 World Cup. They then take on Namibia in Delhi on February 12, followed by Pakistan, and their final group game is against the Netherlands in Ahmedabad on February 18. There will be three matches a day during the group stage of the tournament.The 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup from February 7 to March 8 is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, with Pakistan playing all their games in Colombo or Kandy. The format is the same as the previous tournament in 2024 in the USA and West Indies, where the 20 teams were divided into five groups of four. The top two teams from each of the four groups progress to a Super Eight phase, where they will be further divided into two groups of four each. The top two teams in each of the two Super Eights groups will qualify for the semi-finals, which will be followed by the final.Related
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If India progress from the group stage, their three Super Eight matches will be in Ahmedabad, Chennai and Kolkata. If they make the final four, their semi-final will be in Mumbai. It is understood the ICC has shortlisted Colombo or Kolkata as the other semi-final venue depending on whether Sri Lanka and Pakistan qualify. The final will be played in Ahmedabad, unless Pakistan qualify in which case it is likely to be in Colombo.Apart from hosts India and Sri Lanka, the other 18 teams participating in the T20 World Cup are Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, United States of America, West Indies, New Zealand, Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, Italy, Netherlands, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Oman and UAEIndia are the defending champions, having beaten South Africa in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados.
The trade is likely to be an all-cash deal worth INR 10 crore
Nagraj Gollapudi14-Nov-202511:57
Is time running out for Mayank Yadav at LSG?
In another deal involving a high-profile India player, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have agreed to trade Mohammed Shami to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).ESPNcricinfo has learned that it is likely to be an all-cash deal, with LSG paying SRH INR 10 crore (US$1.12 million approx.), the price Shami was bought for at the IPL 2025 mega auction.It is understood that both franchises have agreed in principle on the trade, pending Shami’s consent. The IPL has set 3pm on November 15 as the deadline for the franchises to submit the list of players they want to release from their 2025 squads.Related
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Shami, 35, has not regained his spot in the India team since he played the Champions Trophy final in March. While he has been playing for Bengal in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, Shami admitted he was going through a “difficult phase” after he was not picked for the home Test series against West Indies in October and the ongoing two-Test series against South Africa.He was not considered for the five-Test tour of England as well this summer, immediately after he had a poor IPL season. Shami played only nine of SRH’s 14 matches and took six wickets at an average of 56.16 with an economy rate of 11.23. His economy in Hyderabad, SRH’s home venue, rose to 12.35; he also conceded 75 runs in a wicketless game there against Punjab Kings – the second-most expensive spell in IPL history.SRH had bought Shami for INR 10 crore at the auction ahead of IPL 2025 after he had made a strong impact in the powerplay during his stint at Gujarat Titans (2022-24). In IPL 2022 and 2023, he took 28 wickets in the first six overs; the next best in that phase was Trent Boult (20) and Mohammed Siraj (15). He missed IPL 2024 with injury, and his powerplay performance in IPL 2025 was woeful: five wickets in nine innings with an economy of 10.3.Mohammed Shami will team up with Bharat Arun at LSG•BCCI
With Shami struggling with his fitness, rhythm and speeds, the question about whether SRH would keep him for IPL 2026 or not had come up. It is understood the franchise’s think tank, led by head coach Daniel Vettori, had been deliberating the decision until the trade offer from LSG came this week.At LSG, Shami is set to rejoin forces with former India bowling coach Bharat Arun, who is the head of talent development at the franchise. Arun had played an important role in India developing one of the most successful bowling units of the last decade when he worked closely with the group comprising Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj.It’s likely that Shami’s addition could be linked to the fitness of LSG’s Indian fast bowlers Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan. All three are currently in rehab from various injuries and not playing domestic cricket. Mayank had surgery in June to deal with a lower back injury; Mohsin is recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament tear he suffered in December while playing for Uttar Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy; Avesh is recovering from a cartilage issue in his right knee.The Shami deal is the second big-player trade in the past week. The first involved Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, who agreed to swap Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran with Sanju Samson. Like with that trade, this one also requires SRH, LSG and the player to complete the necessary paperwork before it gets ratified by the IPL. Both teams have been contacted for a response.
West Ham United are now working on a January signing to replace Max Kilman, who has been “nowhere near good enough this season”.
West Ham have struggled from a defensive point of view so far this season, having shipped 25 Premier League goals, the second-highest of any side, behind only Wolverhampton Wanderers, who have taken just two points from their opening 12 games.
Although results have been much-improved in recent weeks, with the Hammers taking seven points from their last three games, they have been unable to fix their defensive issues, failing to keep a clean sheet in their last nine Premier League games.
Even in the 3-2 victory against Burnley earlier this month, Nuno’s side looked shaky at the back, with Alphonse Areola making an error leading to a goal, before Kilman went on to give away a penalty in the 2-2 draw at AFC Bournemouth last time out.
It appears as though the 28-year-old’s latest mistake may be the final straw for the Irons, with a replacement now wanted in the January transfer window…
West Ham working on January move for Max Kilman replacement
In an interview with Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown has now confirmed West Ham are looking to improve their centre-back options this winter, saying: “West Ham would like to upgrade on Max Kilman,
“They’ve assessed that he isn’t good enough for where they want to be, so the next step is identifying somebody who they can bring in to improve.
“They will already be aware of some who might be available and working to find out about others.
“Kilman, though, is definitely somebody who they think they can improve upon because his performances have been nowhere near good enough this season.
“In that game against Bournemouth, first of all he gave away the penalty, and then it was his mistake which led to the second goal as well.”
Wayne Rooney has since suggested the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man was lucky to avoid being sent off too, saying: “It’s a penalty, and it has to be a red card, he’s six yards out. It’s a clear goal-scoring opportunity, so it baffles me that it isn’t a red card”
It is no surprise the Hammers are looking to bring in a new centre-back, given that the Englishman has struggled at times this season, failing to win any of the three duels he contested in the victory against Burnley.
Reporter Joshua Mbu also took to X to single the centre-back out for criticism for his performance against the Clarets.
The former Wolverhampton Wanderers man is one of West Ham’s highest earners, raking in £100k-a-week, and given that he hasn’t earned those high wages so far this season, it may be worth cashing in this January.
West Ham looking to reignite talks to sign Ligue 1 defender amid Max Kilman uncertainty West Ham looking to "reignite" talks for 23-year-old they were once "close to signing"
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side will be busy in January.
Manchester United are on a better run of form than ever before under Ruben Amorim. They have now gone unbeaten in their last five games, a momentum that they will be looking to keep up ahead of what is set to be another busy festive period.
They will lose some players next month, though, with AFCON set to start just before Christmas. Bryan Mbeumo, who has been one of Amorim’s best players, will be representing Cameroon, and Noussair Mazraoui will be playing for Morocco, who host the competition.
However, perhaps the biggest loss for United will be Ivory Coast international Amad.
Why Amad will be the biggest loss during AFCON
It has not been easy for every member of United’s squad to find a place they fit into Amorim’s infamous 3-4-2-1 system. Yet, for Amad, that has been at right wing-back, a role in which he has gelled nicely.
The former Atalanta academy star has become a pivotal player on that right flank for Amorim. His electric ability going forward has been important, and his hard-working nature defensively is something which seemingly makes him a real favourite of the United manager on the right.
This term, the 23-year-old has made all but three of his ten Premier League appearances at right wing-back. Amad has grabbed two assists and a goal whilst playing that role, with the pick of the bunch surely the pass which set Mbeumo up to give the Red Devils an early lead at Anfield last month.
As to why Amad might be viewed as the biggest loss during AFCON, well, United don’t really have anyone else who can play that role like him.
If you take the Ivorian out of the equation, Diogo Dalot and Mazraoui, both full-backs, are the only viable options. The latter, of course, will be away on international duty himself.
So, Amorim may be forced to turn to the academy to help solve this particular issue.
United’s in-house Amad replacement
The academy has so often been the answer to United’s problems. Think back to Marcus Rashford’s debut for the club, when the then 18-year-old was drafted into the Europa League side at the last minute.
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
He scored twice on debut, did the same again against Arsenal a few days later, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Well, the person who could step into Amad’s shoes when he is on national team duty is Shea Lacey. The youngster is also a right-winger by trade, a position in which he has shone for their academy this season.
In nine games across all competitions for the Red Devils’ youth sides, Lacey has scored three times and assisted a further two. He averages a goal involvement every 101 minutes, mainly operating as a right-winger.
The Liverpool-born forward has always been a highly-rated player. He has shone for several years in a United shirt, notably “beating Lamine Yamal” to the player of the competition award in a junior tournament, as per GOAL’s Richard Martin.
One reason why the youngster could excel as a right wing-back is his crossing ability. Look at this pass he played for Gabriele Biancheri a few weeks back.
Operating from wide on the right, he’s able to move inside and loft a perfect cross into the path of the Wales youth striker, who scored a lovely goal.
Lacey has impressed against senior sides in the EFL Trophy this term, too. The 18-year-old has put up some impressive numbers, averaging one key pass and completing 1.7 dribbles per 90 minutes.
Goals and assists
0.6
2
Key passes
1
3
Dribbles completed
1.7
5
Tackles
2.4
7
Losing Amad will be a blow to United, especially if this upturn in form continues. However, in Lacey, they might have a ready-made wing-back replacement, who, like Amad, will offer plenty going forward.
It could be seen as a risk to play the teenager in a new role, but if Amorim wants to keep in line with the DNA of the club, it might be something he is willing to do.
New Casemiro: INEOS have signed a "beast" who can end Ugarte's Man Utd stay
Manchester United need greater depth in the middle of the park.
Despite spending big in the summer, Liverpool are now reportedly considering a “mystery” deal to sign an attacking target ahead of Tottenham Hotspur, led by new co-sporting director Fabio Paratici.
What's going wrong at Liverpool?
In one summer, Liverpool signed one of the best strikers in the world, one of the best midfielders in the world, arguably the best left-back in the Premier League last season and a Bayer Leverkusen invincible. The champions swept up in ruthless fashion, breaking their transfer record twice in the process, and looked destined to dominate.
The prophecy hasn’t quite been fulfilled, however. Just eight games in and Arne Slot finds himself in the most difficult period of his Liverpool career with the pressure increasing to turn around a dire run of form. After spending to improve even further, the Reds look a shadow of the Premier League champions that they became last season.
So what’s going wrong at Anfield? The summer was supposed to set them up for a title defence, but it set them up for a system change and an incredibly tough teething period.
Isak, forced to regain sharpness after striking until he got his Newcastle United exit, is yet to get a Premier League goal. Wirtz is struggling for domestic starts, Frimpong has never been Slot’s first choice and Milos Kerkez is being asked to play an inverted role that simply matches his weakness rather than his several strengths going forward.
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Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah has scored just one goal from open play in the league and has been uncharacteristically poor in possession. Simply put, all the trademarks of Liverpool’s success in Slot’s debut season have disappeared from the Reds’ performances.
No longer stubborn, no longer in control of games and more open than ever under Slot, those at Anfield have already turned their focus towards the January transfer window.
Liverpool now considering January move for Semenyo
As reported by Mark Douglas of the i Paper, Liverpool are now considering a move to sign Antoine Semenyo in January by triggering his “mystery” release clause. Sporting director Richard Hughes is a big admirer of the winger and is seemingly looking to fend off competition from Tottenham Hotspur for his signature, who are hoping to make him their first big arrival under new co-sporting directors Paratici and Johan Lange.
Alas, the deal won’t come cheap. Reports are claiming that Bournemouth value Semenyo at as much as £75m ahead of the winter window, although it is anyone’s guess what number is actually in his release clause, a clause that may well have been drawn up by none other than former Cherries chief Hughes.
PL stats 25/26
Semenyo
Salah
Minutes
720
713
Goals
6
2
Assists
3
2
Key Passes
10
15
It should come as no surprise that Semenyo is the name on the Reds’ radar amid Salah’s current struggles. The Egyptian will also leave to take part in AFCON at the end of December, whilst the Bournemouth winger will stay put after Gana failed to qualify. If there was ever an ideal time to welcome him into the side, it is in Salah’s absence.
Dubbed “unique” by former Liverpool player Jamie Redknapp, Semenyo remains one to watch as he continues to take the Premier League by storm.
MI New York finished fourth on the league table, while Washington Freedom topped the table and will now play Texas Super Kings in Qualifier 1
ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2025
Glenn Maxwell picked up three wickets inside the first eight overs•Sportzpics for MLC
With a spot in the MLC 2025 playoffs assured – though as the fourth-placed team, well behind the top three – MI New York gave a bunch of their bench-warmers a go, and found little to take with them into the business end of the tournament.Opposite them, Washington Freedom played like the dominant team they have been all tournament, putting in a clinical performance to run out victors, and get to the top of the table, where they stayed after Los Angeles Knight Riders beat San Francisco Unicorns in the late match of the day.In low-scoring Lauderhill, MINY won the toss and opted to bat after a spell of rain, which shortened the game to 18 overs per side, and were 20 for 2 quickly as Glenn Maxwell and Jack Edwards struck. The powerplay (five overs) score of 33 for 2 wasn’t great, and it kept getting worse, with Kunwarjeet Singh, on MLC debut, holding one end up but the scoreboard moving a bit too slowly.Kunwarjeet Singh scored 33 off 30 balls on MLC debut•Sportzpics for MLC
Kunwarjeet fell first ball of the 11th over for 33 off 30 balls, with MINY now 66 for 5, and they couldn’t even double their score from there, finishing on 112 for 8, with the lower-order batters failing to score at a healthy strike rate. Maxwell added two more wickets to his tally to make it back-to-back three-fors, which later earned him back-to-back Player-of-the-Match awards as well as Freedom went past the target in 15 overs.The chase was as clinical as the bowling was. Mitchell Owen, who has now scored 25 runs in four innings after a blazing start to the tournament, and Rachin Ravindra, who has also failed to have much of an impact on the tournament, fell early, but Andries Gous and Mark Chapman took a firm grip on the game with their third-wicket partnership.Gous, who had moved quickly from the time he got in, top-scored with 46 not out in 34 balls, and took Freedom home in the company of Glenn Phillips, with Chapman falling in the 11th over for 27 off 18 balls.MINY are in the Eliminator now, and with just three wins from ten games, will have their task cut out against Unicorns, while Freedom take on Texas Super Kings in Qualifier 1.
Liverpool have much to sort out over the coming weeks.
It’s perhaps a measure of the club’s reputation and the expectation that comes with their football that three defeats in succession have been met with such hysteria from outside and dismay from within.
But Liverpool sit just one point behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, and Arne Slot demonstrated last season, when he led the Reds to the title, his ability to overcome obstacles and create a formidable system.
But after such heavy expenditure, the scrutiny is on the Anfield side.
The players will no doubt have been remonstrated for their error-strewn performances, a consistent problem throughout the campaign, but there’s no question the system needs oiling besides.
Defence, in particular, has been a pressure point for the outfit this season, and all is not right within Virgil van Dijk’s domain.
The state of play in Liverpool's defence
All is not right. Imbalanced and bereft of confidence at the back, Liverpool are littering their displays with mistakes. At the epicentre is Ibrahima Konate, who is out of contract at the end of the campaign and wanted by Real Madrid. The France international’s performances have led Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher to brand him as “absolutely shocking”.
And Van Dijk is not infallible. The legendary Dutchman turned 34 this summer, and while he has still been monstrous as Liverpool’s captain and defensive leader, against Chelsea, he flattered to deceive, with GOAL writing of his faults during both of the Blues’ goals and giving him a 4/10 match rating.
Leoni’s long-term injury is a cruel one; after FSG failed in their late-window bid to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, Liverpool’s centre-half options were already limited, and the young Italian might have earned his fair share of chances to impress.
Now, Slot’s central defensive line is somewhat threadbare, and the rumour mill is already churning, with Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck emerging as a target. However, Sky Germany have since put a dampener on that budding saga, with Bayern Munich’s interest building.
While there’s an anticipation lingering over Liverpool’s interest in Guehi, who becomes a free agent at the end of the season, many feel January reinforcements are needed if the squad are to compete for silverware across the different shoots.
Well, Liverpool might actually have an academy star, gunning for a first-team spot at Anfield, with the quality and confidence to play a part at the senior level this season.
The Liverpool teen who can fix Konate & Leoni blow
Last season, Slot showed he was willing to promote youth at Liverpool when unleashing teenage defender Amara Nallo in the Champions League. But Nallo suffered a nightmarish senior bow, sent off during that defeat to PSV Eindhoven.
Nallo hasn’t featured since, but in Wellity Lucky, Liverpool might find another up-and-coming talent who could earn his keep in Slot’s system this season.
Lucky, 19, is a core member of Rob Page’s U21 set-up, and he has captained the team once already this season. No doubt, the youth has looked at Jarell Quansah’s own ascension from the Reds academy and believes he can emulate his countryman, now playing for Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.
Born in Spain, Lucky has been capped for England U16s but remains open to either nationality as his career progresses. He left Real Zaragoza’s youth academy aged 13 and signed for Liverpool, since featuring 27 times for the U18s and 28 times for the U21s.
Journalist Bence Bocsak has already singled out the “highly-rated” prospect for praise, commenting that he is “composed on the ball” and boasted the highest pass completion of any Liverpool U21 player last season.
It was only this summer that the rising star was awarded a new three-year contract with the club, and the expectation is that he will earn a chance at getting some minutes at the highest level with a continuation of hard work and promising performances.
It was only this week that Lucky stood out for the U21s in their 2-0 EFL Trophy defeat to Crewe Alexandra. Lose though they did, he produced an impressive performance at the back, and Slot may well have taken note.
Wellity Lucky vs Crewe
Stats
#
Minutes played
90′
Touches
111
Accurate passes
88/94 (94%)
Possession lost
7x
Chances created
1
Dribbles
2/2
Recoveries
6
Tackles won
3/4
Interceptions
2
Clearances
2
Duels won
6/6
Data via Sofascore
It’s particularly interesting to note Lucky won all six of his contested ground duels, underscoring his natural composure and timing. Moreover, that crisp possessional play was on full show, with 94% of his passes completed against the League Two opponents.
This all points toward a potential future in Slot’s senior set-up. Liverpool may well be reaching a point at which left-field solutions are required to see the club through to the end of the campaign, and Jurgen Klopp’s success with the aforementioned Quansah emphasises the gains that can be found in adding a youth talent to the ranks when alternative, senior options have been exhausted.
With Konate sent home early from international duty with France this month after sustaining a slight injury issue during the loss at Chelsea the other week, Joe Gomez may be called upon for the forthcoming Premier League meeting with Manchester United.
Gomez is a seasoned professional, but what about the bench? Might Lucky find himself taking a seat among his senior peers? Certainly, it would be a steep risk to throw him right in at the deep end, but the teenager’s underlying data and the noise around his name suggest he might just provide the depth and quality required over the campaign – and maybe beyond.
Their answer to Semenyo: Liverpool have a future "best winger in the world"
Liverpool have so much talent within Arne Slot’s squad.
Manchester United’s midfield department has fallen way below the standards expected from the fanbase during recent seasons – undoubtedly contributing to their lowly Premier League standing in 2024/25.
Ruben Amorim, who’s been in the role since November last year, still has yet to find the perfect combination between the two midfielders in his 3-4-2-1 system.
Club captain Bruno Fernandes is almost certain to operate in one of the aforementioned roles after Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha were brought into Old Trafford during the summer.
Casemiro has been the player to feature alongside him so far this campaign, but questions are undoubtedly being asked about his long-term future given the Brazilian turns 34 in February.
Manuel Ugarte is another option currently at the manager’s disposal, but he evidently wanted further reinforcements given their activity in the summer transfer window.
Why Man Utd wanted to sign Baleba this summer
During the summer transfer window, United made their move to land Carlos Baleba from Brighton & Hove Albion in an attempt to bolster the midfield department.
The Red Devils even entered talks with the player and his representatives over a move to join the club, but the £100m asking price proved to be a huge stumbling block.
A lot was made about the move for the 21-year-old, but why did Amorim desperately want the youngster?
He made 34 appearances in the Premier League last season, scoring three times, including a phenomenal long-range strike against West Ham United back in April.
However, his underlying stats highlight how impressive he was out of possession, subsequently winning 1.6 tackles per 90 – undoubtedly providing the ball-winning presence the side have lacked.
Baleba also came out on top in 6.7 duels per 90, also making 6.6 recoveries per 90, showcasing his phenomenal ability without the ball at his feet on the South Coast.
Missing out on such a talent will have been a bitter blow for the Red Devils’ ambitions in 2025/26, but Amorim may be forced to rely upon one player already plying his trade in Manchester.
The United star who’s a bigger talent than Baleba
The last few months under Amorim have been unsuccessful to say the least, with the 40-year-old only achieving a 40% win percentage over the last 10 months at the helm.
His 3-4-2-1 system requires a very specific type of player – especially in the midfield department – with a deeper option needed alongside the attacking Fernandes at the heart of the side.
Ugarte would appear the best fit, but his lack of form has led to cause for concern – especially after the hierarchy forked out £50m for his signature last summer.
Kobbie Mainoo has struggled to cement his place under the former Sporting CP boss, only starting 19 league games to date and often having to resort to minutes off the substitutes’ bench.
A future “£100m-plus footballer” in the words of United writer Alex Turk, the youngster is adored by many at Old Trafford after his rapid rise to stardom, becoming a key member of the side under Erik ten Hag in the 2023/24 campaign.
However, his lack of action has led to the player himself voicing his displeasure at his lack of action, even requesting a loan move away from his boyhood club in the recent window.
No move materialised away from Old Trafford, with the Englishman deserving of the opportunity to start on a regular basis – hopefully replicating the numbers he produced last season and helping the Red Devils rise up the table.
When comparing his figures to those of Baleba from 2024/25, Mainoo managed to outperform him in key areas – showcasing the quality he possesses despite his tender age.
Mainoo, who’s been labelled “exceptional” by journalist Phil Brown, won more tackles per 90 (1.6) whilst also achieving a better tackle success rate (61%).
How Mainoo & Baleba compared in the PL (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)
Mainoo
Baleba
Games played
25
34
Minutes played
1651
2661
Pass accuracy
87%
86%
Key passes made
0.8
0.7
Tackles won
1.6
1.5
% of tackles won
61%
60%
Take-ons completed
1.3
1.1
Carries into opposition box
0.6
0.1
Stats via FBref
Such figures showcase that the youngster is actually a better ball-winner than Baleba, with the decision to keep hold of him this summer a blessing in disguise if he can replicate such numbers.
He also dominated in possession, completing more of the passes he attempted (87%) and completing more take-ons per 90 (1.3) – which could allow him to progress the play and provide the new additions ahead of him with key chances in the final third.
There’s no denying Baleba would’ve offered another excellent option at the heart of Amorim’s side, but ultimately, his £100m asking price was way out of range given the previous business conducted.
As for Mainoo, he’s more than deserving of a run in the first-team to regain his starting position, with Amorim desperately needing to utilise the youngster in their hunt for success.
Ten Hag sold Man Utd's "young Giggs" for just £15m, now he's like Mbeumo
Manchester United made a huge mistake in allowing one talented star to leave under Erik ten Hag.
The Premier League has issued a statement after Sunderland were denied a penalty in the first half against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday. Trai Hume went down inside the United box following a challenge from Benjamin Sesko and the referee pointed to the spot. However, after VAR checked the incident, the on-field official reversed his decision.
Hume went down but Sunderland denied penalty
The incident happened towards the end of the first half when a ball was sent towards Hume inside the penalty area. Sesko attempted to block Hume but the Sunderland star immediately went down on the ground. On-field referee Stuart Atwell initially pointed to the spot, but after a VAR check the decision was reversed.
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Premier League release statement
After VAR overturned the penalty call, the Premier League released a statement to clarify the VAR's decision, as it read: "After VAR review, the referee overturned the original decision of penalty to Sunderland."
Referee announcement: “After review, there is no foul by the Manchester United player. He does not make contact with the head of the attacker. As the ball is out of play when the decision was made, the final decision is corner kick."
Sesko scored in consecutive matches
After a slow start to life at Old Trafford since completing his big-money move to the Premier League in the summer transfer window, Sesko finally got off the mark during the club's 3-1 defeat at Brentford. The Slovenian forward has now scored his second goal for United in back-to-back matches as he also found the back of the net to hand United a 2-0 lead over Sunderland. Mason Mount had earlier opened the scoring for the Red Devils.
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Sesko hopes to find form for Slovenia
Along with his poor form in club football, Sesko also struggled to score goals for Slovenia in their last five international matches. After scoring back-to-back games for United, he will now hope to replicate a similar form for his national team when they face Kosovo and Switzerland in the World Cup qualifiers later this month.
Two teams who have dished out many classics face off with several subplots to look out for – as long as rain stays away
Alagappan Muthu21-Mar-20252:50
The Varun + Narine spin test awaits Kohli
Big pictureFor the first time since they played the first game of the IPL Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru will start the season. Something special was born that night, 17 years ago. A thirst trap.A thousand games have come and gone and the fans just can’t get enough. Grounds fill up quicker than an international match (Eden’s been sold out). The trophy’s been taken on tour. Players’ arrivals are being clipped out like movie trailers. Virat Kohli charms 29.1 million souls just by bouncing a ball on his bat. The only thing that has grown as rapidly as the IPL is the people’s appetite for its singular brand of superstars and mayhem.KKR and RCB have had some thrilling encounters. There was a one-run victory just last year. And they’ve propelled this league, and by extension T20 cricket, forward in various ways. Sunil Narine taught the value of opening batters not valuing their wicket. AB de Villiers pointed out that runs can be scored behind the wicket with the same consistency as those in front of it. Andre Russell has been conducting experiments to see if he can hit a ball into outer space for some time now.Related
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All we have to do is just sit back and watch. (And hope the rain stays away.)Next three fixturesKKR go on a trip to Guwahati and Mumbai to face Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians before returning home to host Sunrisers Hyderabad.RCB have a five-day gap before their second game against Chennai Super Kings. Then they go up against Gujarat Titans. That’s a lot of high-quality spin for their batters to deal with to begin the season. But once they’re through, they’ll find themselves at the Wankhede and there’s always runs to be had there.New loyaltiesPhil Salt was KKR’s second-highest run-scorer in 2024 and he made those 435 runs at a strike rate of 182. His proclivity to hit the boundary first and ask questions later was an important point of difference for a side that scored its runs quicker than anybody else. Salt’s gifts are with RCB now.1:12
Cricinformed: Patidar, a menace for spinners
Team news & likely XIIsKKR might not mind losing one half of the opening combination that worked so well last time around considering they were able to bring in a former IPL winner in Quinton de Kock to take over. They will want him to improve on his record at Eden Gardens though (65 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 112). Spencer Johnson or Anrich Nortje will step in for Mitchell Starc, whom the franchise has let go.Kolkata Knight Riders (probable): 1 Sunil Narine, 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Ajinkya Rahane (capt) 4 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 5 Venkatesh Iyer, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Ramandeep Singh, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Varun Chakaravarthy, 11 Spencer Johnson/Anrich Nortje, 12 Vaibhav AroraRCB have armed themselves with a long batting line-up, which should give them the tools they need to take all the risks they want even against a good bowling attack like KKR. However, their new spinner Suyash Sharma could be a doubt to face his former franchise as he is returning from a long rehab following a groin injury.Royal Challengers Bengaluru (probable): 1 Phil Salt, 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 7 Tim David, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Yash Dayal, 12 Swapnil Singh/Mohit Rathee/Rasikh SalamBig questionHave RCB made the right choice in elevating Rajat Patidar to the captaincy? They are yet to win an IPL title and the pressure of that now falls squarely on the shoulders of a man who is a fringe player for India and who only came into the franchise in 2021. The people who know him best, though, suggest he will be more than up for the challenge.In the spotlight: Rinku Singh and Virat KohliIndia have reached new levels of T20 batting since winning the world title. They almost made 300 once, an innings that ended with Rinku Singh sending the last ball for six. He was overlooked for the World Cup but has played 18 of 20 matches since. The IPL was the tournament that put Rinku on the map. What has he got cooking this season?Until IPL 2024, Virat Kohli tended to play out Varun Chakravarthy and Narine and look for his runs elsewhere. But last year, he decided to take them down. His strike rate against the two KKR mystery spinners went up from 98.56 to 166.66. Although it was only a small sample size (18 balls in one match), it signalled a change in Kohli’s outlook. He was willing to take more risks. Will that continue this time around too?1:59
Cricinformed: What makes Narine a six-hitting machine?
Key stats Varun and Narine’s eight overs will likely define the outcome of this game. Their strengths – Varun is a wicket-taker, he had a strike rate of 14.2 last season, and Narine is the banker, he gave away only 6.7 runs an over – line up against an RCB weakness. Five of their top seven, barring Patidar and Jitesh Sharma, have a strike rate below 140 against spin in T20 cricket since 2024. In Liam Livingstone (107) and Tim David’s (106) cases, it’s barely a run a ball. Since top-scoring for KKR in IPL 2024, Narine is averaging 9.05 as a batter across 20 innings with a highest score of 38. Will that prompt a change in the batting order? It’s unlikely, but they do have options. Ajinkya Rahane, their new captain, for example, enjoys batting in the powerplay. Patidar’s elevation to RCB captaincy is based on the value he brought to the team as a middle-overs (7-16) hitter. He scored over 300 runs in this phase last year, at a strike rate of 180.68. His strike rate against spin was even higher (197.24). Although RCB have lost Mohammed Siraj, they’ve brought in the IPL’s highest wicket-taker in the powerplay – Bhuvneshwar Kumar with 71. They also have Josh Hazlewood, who has done well in every phase of play in this tournament (14 wickets at an economy rate of 7.4 in the powerplay, eight at 7.7 in the middle and 13 at 10 in the death).Pitch & conditionsIPL 2024 set a new benchmark for run-scoring and Eden Gardens played a part in that. The conditions there were so conducive to batting that there were six totals of 200 or more, including a successful chase of 262. But putting a dampener on all that fun is a poor weather forecast for the game on Saturday. A steady drizzle on Friday evening brought about an early end to the team’s practice session. The practice began as scheduled at 5pm, but rain set in around 6pm, cutting short the prep.