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West Ham United have come forward to sign an “outstanding” striker, who is now likely to leave his club in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Hammers set sights on striker after Forest defeat

Graham Potter would have been hoping the 2-0 victory over Manchester United would give his side the platform to have a strong end to the Premier League season, but his side fell to yet another defeat on Sunday afternoon, with Nottingham Forest prevailing 2-1 at the London Stadium.

Jarrod Bowen, who has been one of the only bright sparks for the Hammers this season, was once again on the scoresheet, netting his 12th Premier League goal of the campaign, with the England international featuring as a striker.

Bowen’s output this season indicates he could be capable of remaining the first-choice centre-forward in the 2025-26 campaign, rather than moving back out wide, with Potter currently short on options in that area of the pitch.

However, with Michail Antonio now 35-years-old and Niclas Fullkrug failing to make an impact in his debut Premier League campaign, it could be wise to bring in another striker this summer, and a forward with top-level experience has now entered the frame.

According to a report from Italy (via Sport Witness), West Ham have now come forward to sign AS Roma striker Tammy Abraham, who is set to leave the Italian side permanently this summer, upon returning from his loan with AC Milan.

A deal will not be easy, however, with Abraham setting his sights on a move to a ‘top-tier club’, despite his recent struggles, and there are doubts over whether he would be tempted by a move to the London Stadium.

West Ham now racing to sign £84m striker who's been "blowing teams away"

The Hammers have set their sights on a striker, who is also being targeted by Arsenal and Aston Villa.

ByDominic Lund May 18, 2025 "Outstanding" Abraham could reignite career at West Ham

In truth, the 27-year-old is unlikely to be in a position to be too picky about his next club, given that he has hardly set the world alight in the Serie A this season, picking up just three goals and five assists throughout the campaign.

The Englishman could get his career back on track by moving back to his native country, however, and a move to the London Stadium could be a good fit for all parties, with Potter currently lacking options in the striker department.

Despite his recent struggles, the “outstanding” former Chelsea man also has a lot of experience at the top level, having made 22 appearances in the Champions League, winning the competition during his time with the Blues.

As such, Abraham, who cost AS Roma £34m back in 2021, could be a solid signing for West Ham this summer, should he be willing to change his stance and move to a club of the Hammers’ stature.

It’s been a pretty miserable season for Manchester City, given their own sky-high expectations, but it could still end with silverware.

On Sunday, the Citizens reached a third successive FA Cup Final, courtesy of a rather comfortable 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, in which Rico Lewis broke the deadlock after less than 100 seconds, before Joško Gvardiol’s towering header sealed the deal.

After the match, when asked if winning the FA Cup and finishing third would constitute a successful season, Pep Guardiola adamantly exclaimed “nope”, adding “this season has not been good… we are a thousand million points behind Liverpool”.

Guardiola also stated that both he and the club need to make the right decisions to ensure that next season is better, so could the arrival of one of the most sought-after teenagers in world football help reinvigorate and re-energise this team?

Kevin De Bruyne's Manchester City farewell

Since confirming that he will leave Manchester City this summer, Kevin De Bruyne’s performances have been mixed.

First, he scored this sumptuous free-kick against Crystal Palace that sparked a turnaround, with the Citizens 2-0 down at that point, before fighting back to prevail 5-2.

A week later, however, the Belgian’s performance against Everton at Goodison was widely criticised, with Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News stating that he failed to ‘make the decisive breakthrough’ and that his passing actually ‘got worse as the game went on’.

Then, to the surprise of many, De Bruyne was an unused substitute for Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final win at Wembley, despite having started the previous four Premier League fixtures.

So, it appears as though Guardiola is phasing out a player he himself described as “one of the best” midfielders to ever grace the Premier League, because do Man City have their eyes set on a 17-year-old De Bruyne replacement?

Pep Guardiola's dream De Bruyne replacement

According to a report from Spain, Manchester City ‘are seriously considering… making a considerable offer’ to sign River Plate attacker Franco Mastantuono.

The report claims that Guardiola is ‘in love’ with this 17-year-old talent, as he ‘would fit perfectly’ into this Man City team, although another prior report from the same source believes Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain also have a ‘firm’ interest.

So who is Mastantuono, and why are so many top European clubs chasing his signature?

Why Man City want to sign Mastantuono

Well, let’s take a look at the teenager’s career statistics to date.

Copa Libertadores

10

477

1

Zero

Primera División

33

1,617

4

5

Copa Argentina

2

142

2

Zero

Copa de la Liga

9

288

Zero

Zero

Supercopa Internacional

1

66

Zero

Zero

Total

55

2,590

7

5

As the table outlines, Mastantuono is still very inexperienced, which isn’t too surprising considering he’s just 17 years old, but he has been earning rave reviews.

As noted by Graham Ruthven in the Soccer Dispatch, Mastantuono wrote his name into River Plate folklore by scoring this stunning free-kick during Sunday’s 2-1 Superclásico victory over Boca Juniors at the Monumental.

Meantime, Guillem Balague believes he will be the next Argentine ‘sensation’, while Ben Mattinson of Breaking the Lines labels him a ‘skilled artist’, praising his ‘elegance​​​​​​​’ and ‘fearlessness to take on players’.

River Plate board member Stefano Di Carlo​​​​​​​ has confirmed that they intend to keep Mastantuono at the club ‘for the remainder of 2025’, with la Banda set to compete at the Club World Cup this summer, drawn alongside Urawa Red Diamonds, Monterrey and Inter Milan, possibly hoping impressive performances will increase his value.

However, Fabrizio Romano reports that he has a release clause of €41m (around £35m), suggesting clubs should act fast.

From a Man City perspective, Mattinson​​​​​​​ believes Mastantuono​​​​​​​ has “shades of De Bruyne” given his “elite potential” as a chance creator, showing that the recently dethroned Premier League champions should go all out to secure his signature, even if they would be forced to wait a few months for him to actually arrive.

The teenager could then represent the perfect successor to the veteran Belgian at the Etihad.

Man City can forget De Bruyne & Gibbs-White by unleashing 17-year-old star

Man City could save a fortune this summer by unleashing academy sensation

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 22, 2025

Top five: find out who the fastest to the landmark are

Abhimanyu Bose29-Mar-2025Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Shubman Gill has become the second-quickest to 1000 IPL runs at a single venue, reaching the milestone in his second game at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in IPL 2025. He got there in just 20 innings. It came up during the fourth over of GT’s second game of the season, against Mumbai Indians (MI). Here’s a list of the five fastest batters to 1000 runs at a single venue in the IPL.

Chris Gayle, Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru – 19 innings

A part of the holy trinity of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batting line-up along with Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle left his mark on the Bengaluru faithful by hitting bowlers all around and out of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Gayle took just 19 innings to get past the 1000-run mark at the venue, and finished with 1561 runs at an average of 41.07 and strike rate of 159.93.Chris Gayle kept racking up the runs in Bengaluru•BCCIGayle also struck three centuries in Bengaluru, including the 175 not out against Pune Warriors in 2013, which remains the highest individual score in a men’s T20. Gayle got to the 1000-run mark one game after that fabled knock as he hit a 53-ball 77 in a defeat against Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab).

Shubman Gill, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad – 20 innings

Brought in as one of the four pre-auction picks GT were offered when they were introduced as a new franchise in 2022, Gill became the face of their batting line-up quickly, taking to his new home ground like a duck to water. Gill averages an incredible 60.23 in Ahmedabad with a strike rate of 160.25 after his 27-ball 38 against MI.Shubman Gill made himself at home in Ahmedabad quickly•BCCITwo years ago, Gill was nearly unstoppable at this venue, scoring 572 of his 890 runs there, with two centuries including his career-best 129, also against MI, in their Qualifier 2 match.

David Warner, Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium – 22 innings

David Warner’s love affair with Hyderabad is a storied one, and despite the unpleasant ending with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), he truly made it his home away from home. In his first IPL game at the Rajiv Gandhi Internation Stadium, Warner was a visiting batter, for Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Daredevils), and he hammered an unbeaten 109 against the now defunct Deccan Chargers. He never looked back.David Warner really loved batting in Hyderabad•BCCIWarner racked up 1623 runs at an average of 64.92 and strike rate of 160.53 in Hyderabad, hitting three centuries along the way. He crossed 1000 runs at the stadium during his 59-ball 126 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2017.

Shaun Marsh, IS Bindra Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali – 26 innings

The first winner of the Orange Cap, Shaun Marsh made the most of his home venue, scoring 1064 runs at a strike rate of 130.23. He averaged 44.33 in Mohali, where he scored 289 of the 616 runs that saw him top the scoring chart in IPL 2008.Shaun Marsh celebrates a fifty that also saw him go past 1000 runs in Mohali•BCCIUnlike the three players above him on the list, Marsh got the majority of his runs from No. 3. He went past the 1000-run mark in his penultimate innings in Mohali, a 43-ball 58 against Gujarat Lions in IPL 2017.

Suryakumar Yadav, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai – 31 innings

Suryakumar Yadav is widely recognised as one of the best T20 batters in the world, and it was after his move to MI from KKR that he really started to take off.Suryakumar Yadav truly came into the spotlight for Mumbai Indians•BCCISuryakumar has 1083 runs at Wankhede Stadium, 1034 of those coming for MI, with two centuries. He has struck at 162.12 at MI’s home, despite the team not playing there for two seasons during his prime owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.In MI’s penultimate home game in IPL 2024, Suryakumar struck an unbeaten 102 against SRH, going past 1000 runs at the ground in the process.

It is the end of an era for Celtic and Brendan Rodgers after a string of disappointing results across all competitions led to the manager tendering his resignation this week.

The Hoops did beat Sturm Graz in the Europa League last week, to their credit, but they have also lost three of their last five matches, including their last two in the Scottish Premiership.

Dane Murray scored an own goal and conceded a penalty in a rare start against league-leaders Hearts on Sunday, taking their opponents eight points clear at the top of the table.

The Hoops are in a position they do not often find themselves in, chasing the team at the top of the table, and Rodgers has decided that he is not the man to take the club forward.

Celtic have already confirmed that incredibly experienced manager Martin O’Neill will lead the team in the interim period until a permanent head coach can be unveiled.

The former Hoops boss will have some big calls to make for the team selection against Falkirk, with Arne Engels one of the players whose future at the club is in some doubt because of his performances.

Why Arne Engels' future at Celtic may be in doubt

The Scottish giants broke their transfer record to sign the Belgium international from Augsburg for a fee of £11m in the summer of 2024 to bolster their options in the middle of the park.

For a 21-year-old playing in Scotland for the first time, with the pressure of his transfer fee, a return of ten goals and 13 assists in 52 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, was an impressive haul.

Unfortunately, Engels has failed to kick on in the current Scottish Premiership campaign, as he has only been named in the starting line-up in four of his eight appearances.

xG

0.42

Top 33%

Goals

0

Bottom 3%

xA

0.48

Top 49%

Assists

0

Bottom 3%

Duels won

16

Bottom 31%

Duel success rate

29%

Bottom 4%

Interceptions

2

Bottom 18%

As you can see in the table above, the Belgian central midfielder has failed to provide much quality in possession, whilst he has struggled badly off the ball in midfield.

His dismal form in the Premiership, and lack of starts, may put his future up in the air ahead of the January transfer window, because he is an £11m asset who will not increase in value if his performances are poor.

However, there were positive signs against Sturm Graz last week. He assisted the winning goal, as shown in the clip above, and ended the game with five key passes and three ‘big chances’ created, per Sofascore.

That performance was a step in the right direction for Engels and shows that he can still deliver quality in the middle of the park for the Hoops, which is why O’Neill should not drop him from the XI.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, one player who should be instantly ditched by the interim manager, though, is Reo Hatate, whose performance levels have dropped significantly this season.

Why Reo Hatate should be dropped

Like Engels, the Japan international was an influential figure in the middle of the park for the Hoops in the 2024/25 campaign with his attacking contributions.

Hatate scored ten goals and created 14 ‘big chances’ in 37 appearances in the Scottish Premiership last season, which shows that he provided a regular threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Bhoys.

The Japanese star was even linked with a move to Serie A side Udinese off the back of his impressive performances for the club, but he remained at Parkhead until the close of the summer transfer window.

Unfortunately, Hatate has one goal and no assists in 13 appearances in all competitions so far this season, and was recenty criticised by a former Celtic manager in the win over Sturm Graz.

Speaking on TNT Sports’ coverage of the game, Neil Lennon was unimpressed by the midfielder, saying that his play on the ball was “so sloppy” throughout the first half.

Minutes

90

60

Key passes

3

1

Assists

0

0

Possession lost

16x

5x

Ground duels won

1/5

0/1

Aerial duels won

0/1

1/3

Tackles won

0

0

As you can see in the table above, Hatate gave the ball away 16 times against the Austrian outfit, whilst also losing five of his six duels, before going on to lose 75% of his duels against Hearts on Sunday.

The Japan international has, now, scored one goal and failed to provide any assists, with just 0.7 key passes per game, across seven starts in the Premiership this season, on top of his struggles in duels.

With Luke McCowan and Paulo Bernardo both waiting in the wings, and Lennon criticising his play on the ball last week, it looks like Hatate is finished in midfield unless his performances drastically improve.

Engels, at least, showed signs of life with his impressive display against Sturm Graz, creating as many ‘big chances’ (three) as Hatate has managed all season in all competitions (three), per Sofascore.

Whilst it remains to be seen who the next permanent manager of the club will be, it also remains to be seen whether or not Hatate has much of a future left in Glasgow, if his performances do not improve.

Unlike Engels, he is not currently showing signs of revival and that could mean that a transfer is considered in January, particularly given the interest from Udinese in the summer, as it may be the best option for all parties involved if Hatate cannot recapture his best form.

Liverpool are preparing a club-record offer to sign Vitinha in January, with Paris Saint-Germain’s stance on letting one of their star players leave now clear.

FSG broke the bank to make a number of big signings during the summer transfer window too, but it would be fair to say a number of them haven’t exactly hit the ground running, with Alexander Isak yet to reach the heights he did at Newcastle United.

Indeed, it has been a slow start for the Swedish striker, who has just one goal to his name in eight matches in all competitions, while he has also missed the last four matches due to injury, with Arne Slot providing an update prior to Real Madrid.

Slot said: “He definitely is not starting on Sunday, but maybe he can be in the squad. But he is still not training with the team so we have to wait and see.”

Florian Wirtz has also flattered to deceive, with the German attacking midfielder yet to register a goal or an assist in the Premier League, calling Slot’s summer recruitment policy into question.

Liverpool preparing club-record offer for Vitinha

However, the Liverpool manager remains keen on adding proven top-level players to his ranks, with a report from Spain revealing a club-record €150m (£132m) offer for PSG star Vitinha is being prepared for the January transfer window.

The Reds are putting in work to become serious contenders for the midfielder’s signature, having identified the need to strengthen their options in the engine room, but it could be difficult to get a deal over the line.

The Portuguese maestro is under contact at the French club until 2029, which puts them in a strong negotiating position, and they currently remain determined to retain his services, although a substantial offer could be tempting.

FSG clearly mean business, given that a monumental bid is being prepared, and the Reds could be getting their hands on a top midfielder, considering the 25-year-old has been one of PSG’s key players for quite some time, receiving very high praise from Luis Enrique.

Paul Scholes has also named the 33-time Portugal international among his top five midfielders in the world, ahead of Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo, with the Manchester United legend saying: “Vitihna at PSG is brilliant, he is amazing.”

Last season was arguably the former FC Porto man’s best to date, playing a major role in PSG’s Champions League triumph by featuring in 17 matches and providing two goals and two assists.

Vitinha could be a statement signing for Liverpool, but it could be very difficult to prise the defensive midfielder away from PSG, given his importance to Enrique.

Liverpool planning bids for Camavinga and Bastoni Related FSG in overdrive as Liverpool to bid over £120m for Camavinga and Bastoni

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Posts 1 BySean Markus Clifford Nov 4, 2025

If you ignore his underwhelming display on Sunday, it has largely been a positive start to life at Arsenal for Eberechi Eze.

Despite it taking him a little while to get up to speed with what Mikel Arteta wants from him, the former Crystal Palace star has already amassed five goals and four assists for the team in 18 games.

Moreover, he’s already etched his name into the club’s history books by scoring an unreal hat-trick in the North London Derby, the first anyone has scored since 1978.

Appearances

18

Starts

14

Minutes

1216′

Goals

5

Assists

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.5

Minutes per Goal Involvement

135.11′

Points per Game

2.50

So, fans should be delighted about reports linking Arsenal with someone who could be the club’s future Eze.

Arsenal target their future Eze

With the transfer window reopening next month, Arsenal have once again begun being linked with a host of talented players.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, Nottingham Forest’s £79m Murillo has been touted for a move to the Emirates, as has his £120m teammate Elliot Anderson.

Yet, as talented and potentially game-changing as the two Forest men are, neither one could be described as Eze-like, nor a long-term heir to him, unlike Holger Quintero.

Yes, according to a recent ESPN report, Arsenal are looking to sign the highly rated teenage talent.

In fact, the report has revealed that the club have already agreed a deal in principle for the midfielder and his twin brother, Edwin Quintero.

The two 16-year-olds are said to be in London at the moment to iron out the final details of the move, with an official announcement to come at a later date.

They will then move to the Emirates in August 2027, when they are both 18, due to rules around foreign-born youngsters.

Holger Quintero is unlikely to make an impact on the team for some time, but based on what those in the know say about him, he could prove to be Arsenal’s next Eze.

Why Holger Quintero will be Arsenal's next Eze

Now, the first thing to say is that given Eze is still just 27 and in fine form, there is little chance of Quintero coming in to replace him.

However, five or six years from now, when the former is ageing out, the latter could be the ideal player to step in and add creativity to the midfield.

At least it sounds like that is the case based on what those in the know are saying, like Ben Mattinson.

The Como scout has described the 16-year-old as a “skilful attacking midfielder with 1v1 prowess to take on players,” which sounds an awful lot like the former Palace star.

Moreover, he highlights that, in addition to his close control, the teenager also has an “excellent weight of pass” and is a “decisive creator with a killer final ball.”

That combination of being a direct threat while also creating ample opportunities for teammates is just like the Englishman at his best.

It’s not just Mattinson raving about the young phenom, though, as U23 scout Antonio Mango has described him as someone who is blessed with “high technical & intellect qualities” and is “effective in all thirds of the pitch.”

Finally, if that still isn’t enough, respected talent scout Jacek Kulig has been bold enough to describe the midfielder as “one of the most exciting U17s in South America.”

Ultimately, while it is too early in his career, Quintero looks like an exceptional superstar in the making, and his combination of incredible close control and game-breaking passing means he could be the perfect long-term heir to Eze.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 1, 2025

Bangladesh’s tour of India to play a series of three ODIs and three T20Is in December has been “postponed”.A BCB spokesperson confirmed the news to ESPNcricinfo on Tuesday, saying that the board has received a letter from the BCCI saying that the white-ball series will be scheduled at a later date.No specific reason has been given for the postponement but it is understood that the prevailing political tensions between India and Bangladesh was a key factor.The series, a part of the ICC’s future tours programme, was meant to be India’s last set of games before the start of the next edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) and the only series between their triumphant ODI World Cup campaign and the WPL. The matches were expected to be played in Kolkata and Cuttack, with the ODIs kicking off the new cycle of the Women’s ODI Championship for both sides.Earlier this year, India men’s white-ball tour of Bangladesh, originally slotted for August 2025, was pushed to September 2026.”This decision has been reached following discussions between the two boards, taking into account the international cricketing commitments and scheduling convenience of both teams,” the BCCI had said in a statement at the time. “The BCB looks forward to welcoming India in September 2026 for this eagerly anticipated series. Revised dates and fixtures for the tour will be announced in due course.”

India’s total of 358 didn’t turn out to be a dew-proof one, with SA going past the target with four balls remaining

Deivarayan Muthu03-Dec-20254:14

Takeaways: Markram and SA’s middle order ace record chase

Virat Kohli eased to his second successive century and Ruturaj Gaikwad hit his first in ODIs as India piled up 358 for 5 in front of 60,000-odd spectators, in the second ODI in Raipur. That total, however, didn’t turn out to be a dew-proof one, with South Africa going past the target to silence the packed crowd and set up a decider in Visakhapatnam.Aiden Markram, who led South Africa’s chase with his first hundred in an ODI chase, Matthew Breetzke and Dewald Brevis upstaged Kohli and Gaikwad, with some help from dewy conditions. It was the joint-highest successful chase against India in men’s ODIs and South Africa’s third-highest overall in the format.When Brevis holed out for 54 off 34 balls, after raising his maiden ODI fifty, South Africa were still ahead, needing 70 off 57 balls with six wickets in hand. The visitors then suddenly fell behind when they lost Breetzke and Marco Jansen in successive overs. By the time Jansen holed out to long-off, South Africa required 37 off 33 balls with four wickets in hand. Tony de Zorzi hobbling off the field with a potential hamstring injury after 45 overs added another twist to the chase. He joined Nandre Burger, who had hurt his own hamstring and left the field earlier in the first innings.Related

• Ruturaj Gaikwad: 'I was pretty much confident' of batting at No. 4

• When South Africa and India went off the scale

• Belief surges for South Africa as Markram makes amends in style

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• Burger and de Zorzi pick up injuries during Raipur ODI

It boiled down to South Africa needing 27 off 30 balls. Corbin Bosch’s attacking enterprise and Keshav Maharaj’s calmness got the job done for them, leaving India wondering what might have been.India had to contend with multiple mishaps in the field, including Yashasvi Jaiwal dropping Markram on 53. Jaiswal got into an awkward side-on position, let the ball slip through his hands and tip over the rope for six. Markram then cranked up the tempo, launching Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja for sixes. He proceeded to bring up his hundred off 88 balls. On a day where three centuries were scored, Markram’s proved to be the match-winning one.India were up against it even before the first ball was bowled. Their wretched luck at the toss continued – they lost their 20th straight toss in ODI cricket – and Rahul made his displeasure known by throwing his head back.Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad thrilled the Raipur crowd•AFP/Getty Images

After they were asked to bat first, India moved to 40 for 0 in the fifth over, with 13 of those runs coming via wides. Burger and Lungi Ngidi, who had replaced Ottniel Baartman, found swing with the new ball, but struggled to control it. Burger, though, tightened up to have Rohit Sharma nicking behind for 14 off eight balls. Then, in the tenth over, Jansen bounced Jaiswal out for 22. Jansen then greeted Gaikwad with a nastier head-high lifter. Gaikwad took his eyes off the ball, threw his hands up in defence, and managed to glove it over the keeper for four.Gaikwad then found his groove with a brace of paddle-sweeps off Maharaj. Kohli was already set at the other end, having opened his account with a pulled six off Ngidi. He then dashed out of the crease and whacked a four straight past Bosch, leaving Gaikwad ducking for cover. When Markram pitched one too full and outside off, Kohli flat-batted him through covers.Gaikwad matched Kohli shot for shot. He pumped Maharaj over his head after stepping out and shovelled Bosch through midwicket, having even Kohli excited at the other end. He zoomed from 50 to 100 in just 25 balls. It was his 18th List A ton and first as a non-opener. Picked ahead of natural middle-order batters like Rishabh Pant and Tilak Varma, Gaikwad showcased his versatility.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

After Jansen dismissed Gaikwad for 105, ending a 195-run partnership for the third wicket, Kohli went on to bring up back-to-back hundreds. It was the 11th instance of Kohli achieving the feat, easily the most by any batter in ODIs. Ngidi then stopped Kohli’s innings on 102 in the 40th over. When Washington Sundar was run-out, India slipped to 289 for 5, but Rahul took charge of the innings in the end overs to take India past 350. He combined power with invention to remain unbeaten on 66 off 43 balls. Jadeja wasn’t as fluent, managing an unbeaten 24 off 27 balls.Unlike South Africa’s quicks, India’s were largely on target with the new ball. Arshdeep Singh got one to nip away from Quinton de Kock and had him miscuing a hoick to mid-on in the fifth over for 8 off 11 balls. Harshit Rana threatened both the edges of Markram from various lengths, but the batter managed to see off the new ball and laid a strong foundation for South Africa’s chase. Temba Bavuma kept him good company in a 101-run stand for the second wicket before the South Africa captain was bounced out by Prasidh Krishna.Markram countered India’s spinners, including Kuldeep Yadav, before Rana bested him with a slower offcutter into the pitch. Breetzke and Brevis then forged a powerful partnership, pushing South Africa closer to the target. Breetzke extended his golden run in ODIs, with his seventh 50-plus score in 11 innings. Though both Breetzke and Brevis were part of a late wobble, Bosch stayed cool with Maharaj to seal South Africa’s win with four balls to spare.

The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Seattle Mariners 6-5 on Tuesday night. Mariners manager Dan Wilson missed most of the game after he was ejected in the top of the third inning, but at least he provided a very enjoyable moment for the broadcasters before he headed for the showers.

Aaron Goldsmith and Angie Mentink were calling the game on Root Sports Northwest when the acoustics in George M. Steinbrenner Field allowed home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez to hear people in the dugout complaining about his strike zone.

After calling a rather high strike on Cole Young he turned to the dugout and tossed Dominic Canzone who he had called a high strike on the previous inning. After Canzone was tossed, manager Dan Wilson jogged out to get an explanation and ended up getting ejected as well.

Goldsmith pointed out that Wilson had been ejected with former Mariners manager Lou Piniella in the stands, which made Mentink laugh. When the broadcast then showed Piniella waving both arms to show his displeasure with the ejection both broadcasters cracked up.

Piniella was ejected 28 times during his 10 seasons as the Mariners manager. He finished his career with 64 ejections which has him tied for 14th all-time. He is 16th all-time with 3,548 games managed. Obviously, he knows a bad call when he sees one.

India are expecting their T20I captain to be back for the Asia Cup in September

Shashank Kishore04-Aug-2025Suryakumar Yadav, the India T20I captain, had his first batting session at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru late last week following a surgery for sports hernia in Germany in July.Suryakumar is currently under the supervision of BCCI’s medical staff as he recovers from surgery on his lower right abdomen. His workload will be increased progressively over the next few weeks and he’s believed to be on track for the Asia Cup beginning on September 9 in UAE.ESPNcricinfo understands his rehabilitation was planned with a likely return for the T20I leg of the Bangladesh tour in late August – a series that was deferred to 2026.Suryakumar’s most recent outing was for Triumph Knights Mumbai North East in the Mumbai T20 League in June, soon after the completion of IPL 2025. He hit 122 runs in four innings. He was also in consideration to be named in the West Zone squad for Duleep Trophy but will probably miss that tournament.India’s squad is likely to fly to the UAE in the first week of September for the Asia Cup, and West Zone don’t play until September 4 after being given a direct entry to the semi-finals. As part of his build-up to the tournament, Suryakumar might play a few practice matches and undergo simulation exercises organised by the CoE in the final week of his rehab.The Asia Cup marks the start of India’s runway to next year’s T20 World Cup, which they co-host with Sri Lanka. If he plays, it will be Suryakumar’s first multi-nation tournament as T20I captain since taking over the leadership in the shortest format from Rohit Sharma following their T20 World Cup win in 2024.