Category Uncategorized

Are Manchester United back on track? It’s probably premature to make such a conclusive claim, but then we can’t help but notice the hint of success now that Ruben Amorim has strung together a five-match unbeaten run in the Premier League.

It was refreshing to see the Portuguese coach speak candidly after the recent draw at Tottenham Hotspur, though. Amorim understands that, while progress has been made in recent months, there is so much work still to be plied.

While the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have reshaped the Red Devil frontline for the better, there’s no question that issues remain in the centre of the field, even with Casemiro resurgent and the skipper, Bruno Fernandes, in fine form.

Man Utd's search for a midfielder

INEOS and the Manchester United recruitment team have accepted that the midfield requires something of a rebuild, with Bruno and Casemiro into their 30s and Kobbie Mainoo out of sorts.

One of the pleasing changes of recent months has been a focus on adding Premier League-proven quality. Mbeumo and Cunha stand as testaments to this. Now, the same logic must be applied in the centre.

There are a number of possibilities, the most noisy of which centres on England star Elliot Anderson, though Nottingham Forest have placed a prohibitive £100m price tag on their prized star’s name.

United are ready to spend in 2026, though, and could instead make a move for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, having profiled the Cameroonian talent last summer.

According to GIVEMESPORT and Fabrizio Romano, Old Trafford Director of Football Jason Wilcox has held positive discussions with the young midfielder; however, it looks like Brighton have doubled down on their £115m valuation.

Crucially, Baleba is “very keen” on leaping at the chance to sign for Amorim’s outfit, and so a deal could certainly be pulled off next year.

Why Man Utd want Carlos Baleba

Man United have needed a mobile centre-midfielder for a while, and in Baleba, they might just land the perfect player.

The Brighton star is into his third season in the Premier League, and though he hasn’t been at his best since the summer, this is likely because of the fallout from United’s failed attempt to bring him away from Fabian Hurzeler’s outfit in August.

Hailed by analyst Joao Miguel as being a “transition monster” who “eats hectares of space for lunch”, the 5 foot 11 star would dovetail right into the way Amorim wants to play, perhaps even more so than Anderson, who is firmly rooted in Forest’s counter-pressing brand of football.

Anderson might be more mobile and energetic in his game, but Baleba’s mix of tough-tackling defending and ball-playing quality makes him the perfect alternative, and one who could even come to surpass the England man.

For all the gains United have made in recent months, they are still an imperfect outfit. Too easy to catch on the break and lacking physicality, xGA data reveals Amorim’s side to be among the most statistically porous in the division.

Burnley

22

23.4

Nott’m Forest

20

16.6

Man United

18

16.4

West Ham

23

16.3

Wolves

25

16.0

Baleba’s strength and ground-covering presence would ease this problem and then some, adding the fresh legs needed to keep Bruno on his A-game. This positive chain would ripple through to the forwards, who are already showing such promise.

Anderson is emerging as a talented midfielder, and either would be a credit to the Man United project. However, Baleba’s desire to move to Manchester, the club’s comprehensive profiling of his style and his powerful and athletic approach could see him emerge as the pick of the bunch.

The new Ronaldo: Man Utd preparing British-record bid for £200m superstar

Manchester United are looking to make further attacking investments after this summer’s spending.

2 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 17, 2025

The experienced allrounder helped West Indies break their losing streak in the format with a superb performance with the bat and ball in the second T20I against Pakistan

Vishal Dikshit03-Aug-2025

West Indies had nothing going for them coming into this second T20I on a balmy evening in Lauderhill. They had won just two of their last 19 completed T20Is, which included the forgettable 5-0 loss to Australia at home. They had put down multiple catches in the first T20I. Rovman Powell joined Brandon King, Evin Lewis and Shimron Hetmyer on the injury list, Andre Russell and Nicholas Pooran had recently said their goodbyes, and the three-match series was on the line.If not for a comprehensive team effort, West Indies were looking for something, a semblance of a spark, any individual brilliance to turn things around amid the mounting pressure in the build-up to the T20 World Cup next year. It came, the individual brilliance, and from one of the oldest members in the squad.At the age of 33, a body that has been through the rigours of 12 years of international cricket as a pace-bowling allrounder, participation in nine T20 leagues around the world and a shoulder rehab not too long ago among other injuries, Jason Holder became West Indies’ highest wicket-taker in the format, took stunning figures of 4 for 19, pouched two sharp catches, and hit the winning runs when West Indies had lost all their batting steam and needed three to win off one.Related

Cricket West Indies works on roadmap with 'about a hundred things to improve'

Road to 2026 World Cup begins as big guns assemble for T20I leg

Rovman Powell ruled out of T20I series against Pakistan with wrist injury

Holder's 4 for 19 and last-ball heroics keep series alive

What was Holder going to remember the most from this day? “Just getting over the line, to be honest,” he said on being named the Player of the Match. “As I said before, it’s been a tough couple of weeks for us. We just needed a win. We brought it down to the very end, unfortunately. But fortunately, we still got over the line.”The most pressure-cooker situation of those must have been when he got the strike back against Shaheen Shah Afridi in the last over of the chase with six to get from three balls. Holder had Shamar Joseph at the other end, and still, inexplicably, took a single when he couldn’t put away a low full toss. Shamar, for his part, gave the strike back and it all came down to Holder to hit four runs off the last ball to keep the series alive. He shuffled away to off, Afridi bowled the full delivery well wide of him outside off and the wide signal eased Holder’s nerves a little. Next delivery, Holder covered the stumps and this time when Afridi aimed for the stumps, Holder swiped it away behind square for four.The ball had barely left the 30-yard circle and you could hear Holder’s shriek of celebration on the stump mic before the camera turned to him with his arms aloft, accompanied by a roar of celebration. Holder explained what their chasing strategy was when he was batting with Romario Shepherd and they needed 36 from 18.”I told Romario when we were batting, we needed at least four sixes with the scenario that was posed to us. We got three. We fell probably one short, but we still got over the line. That was our target. Just keeping wickets in hand, obviously, but still trying to hit our strong areas and find the boundary.Jason Holder’s last-ball heroics took West Indies over the line•AFP/Getty Images

“We are powerful players and we know we can find the boundary. But credit to the Pakistani bowlers as well. I thought they bowled really well.”Earlier in the day, Holder had also given West Indies an early lift that also pegged him higher in the record books. Sharing the new ball with Akeal Hosein, Holder struck with his sixth ball when he had the in-form Saim Ayub edge behind and it took him level with the T20 legend Dwayne Bravo on the list of most wickets for West Indies in T20Is. On his third ball after what he later called “just a statistic,” Holder had Sahibzada Farhan, the other opener, slicing to deep point for 3. Even when he wasn’t bowling, the ball found it hard to stay away from Holder.When Mohammad Haris went across the line against Hosein in the next over and failed to get the distance for a six, Holder ran back from mid-on, as much as he could, and stretched his long arms with his bucket hands to grab the ball in the nick of time. Pakistan were now three down early and Holder had played a hand in each of those wickets. But Pakistan were not done yet, and hardly did they know that neither was Holder.Captain Salman Agha and their young basher Hasan Nawaz had put together a quick stand of 60 in just over six overs to power Pakistan past 100, when Holder was brought back. Hasan had just pumped three consecutive sixes in the 15th over, but Holder, who had shown his wares in the middle and death overs in the PSL a few months ago, got Hasan in a tangle, completed the return catch and followed it with his fourth wicket in his last over.”I love playing for West Indies, to be honest,” Holder said. “One of my things is to leave West Indies cricket better than they came and found it. I still think there’s a lot of work to be done. We haven’t done justice to our potential over the last couple of weeks, maybe the last couple of years. We’ve had a fair bit of criticism, which at times is warranted, but we know that winning can be a lot better. We’ve just got to put it together more often than not.”I think [lack of] consistency has definitely plagued us, but we’ve seen that over the years that we can do it. For me, it’s just to have that burning desire to make a change, to make a difference. So I keep putting in my best effort when I get a chance with the West Indies.”

While he has made some mistakes, Mikel Arteta has got an awful lot right during his time in the Arsenal dugout.

The Spaniard has overseen a complete overhaul of the squad, instilled a new philosophy, and turned them from a fallen giant into serial challengers for both the Premier League and the Champions League.

However, there were plenty of moments early on in his managerial career when it felt like he was hanging onto the job by his fingertips, including a period in which Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe practically saved him.

Since then, the former has established himself as the club’s talisman, while the latter has fallen away and been sold to Fulham. Interestingly, there is a player in Arteta’s current squad who once felt like the next Saka but could now be closer to becoming the next Smith Rowe.

How Smith Rowe and Saka save Arteta

Even though the club were coming off their 14th FA Cup triumph, the start of the 20/21 season was nothing short of disastrous for Arsenal.

The North Londoners actually won their two opening games, against Fulham and West Ham United and even picked up a third win of the campaign in their fourth match.

However, the losses started coming thick and fast, and from the 8th of November to Boxing Day, the team didn’t win a single league game.

So, when Chelsea rocked up at the Emirates on Boxing Day, Arteta decided to roll the dice and start Smith Rowe in the ten, a decision that instantly paid off as the Gunners came out 3-1 winners and the youngster provided the assist for Saka’s goal.

From that point, results started to improve, and the two Hale Enders were crucial to that, with the midfielder racking up a tally of four goals and seven assists and the winger doing even better with seven goals and seven assists.

The duo continued to impress the following season, with Smith Rowe producing 13 goal involvements and the mercurial number seven producing 19.

However, a combination of injuries and the squad being strengthened around him saw the Croydon-born gem slowly lose his place in the side over the next two seasons.

Finally, after making just 14 appearances in the 22/23 season and then 19 the year after that, the Hale Ender was sold to Fulham for around £34m, while Saka went on to become arguably the team’s best player.

Interestingly, or perhaps unfortunately, there is currently a potential star in the making in Arteta’s squad today who at one point looked destined to follow in Saka’s footsteps, but might now be more likely to become the next Smith Rowe.

The Arsenal gem who could become the next Smith Rowe

It would be fair to say that, as seasons go, last year wasn’t a particularly enjoyable one for Arsenal fans.

Chalkboard

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

The club looked miles off in the title race and were beset with injuries to key players, only this time they didn’t have the squad depth they do today.

However, there were at least a few bright spots from the campaign, notably the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri.

The youngster had long been a prospect fans were excited about; he became the youngest player in the Premier League, after all.

Yet, it was the injuries to Martin Odegaard and specifically Saka that meant he ended up getting far more first-team minutes than supporters were expecting, and to say he made the most of the opportunity would be an understatement.

Appearances

37

Minutes

1378′

Goals

9

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

Minutes per Goal Involvement

125.27′

For example, the often “unplayable” dynamo, as dubbed by Jack Wilshere, scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes.

In other words, the Hale End phenom averaged a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes, which helps to justify Joe Cole’s claim that “he’s the most exciting footballer in England and maybe Europe.”

It was these numbers, plus the moments of brilliance on the ball and his time out wide, that led many to see him as someone who could and probably would follow in the steps of Saka and become a key part of the squad in the coming years.

However, fast-forward to today, and it would be fair to describe his situation as more akin to Smith Rowe’s in his final seasons at the club.

For example, as things stand, the teenager has made just ten appearances for the first team, totalling 427 minutes.

Moreover, he’s started just three games all season, two of which came in the League Cup and another in the club’s Champions League clash with Slavia Prague.

Worryingly, the Enfield-born gem has also only scored one goal and, like the Croydon-born star before him, has seen fresh competition arrive in the shape of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke.

Appearances

10

Minutes

427′

Goals

1

Assists

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.1

Minutes per Goal Involvement

427′

However, it is still early in the season, and while it’s clear that the manager isn’t as keen to pick the Hale Ender as he was last year, there is still plenty of time for things to change.

Therefore, so long as Nwaneri does get more game time across the rest of the campaign, he could still follow in Saka’s footsteps, but if he doesn’t, he could be another Smith Rowe.

Their new Ozil: Arsenal ramp up move to sign £88m "generational talent"

The incredible talent could be a real game-changer for Arsenal and become Arteta’s own Mesut Ozil.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes 3 days ago

West Ham United’s return to Premier League football didn’t entirely go to plan on Saturday afternoon.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side looked on course to win their third game on the bounce when Callum Wilson made it 2-0 against Bournemouth in the 35th minute. However, the Cherries fought back, and thanks to a penalty and a goal from Enes Unal, came away with a point.

With that said, in the context of the season at large, it’s still a good point for the Hammers, especially as they had to make do without dynamic Crysencio Summerville and Lucas Paqueta.

Unfortunately, the Dutchman won’t be fit for the Liverpool game, but Nuno might have the perfect solution, one that involves dropping Luis Guilherme.

Guilherme's game vs Bournemouth

Now, the first thing to say is that Guilherme is still a promising talent and someone who could develop into a real star for West Ham.

Chalkboard

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

However, what is equally true is that he failed to make a case for why he should be in the starting lineup in place of the injured Summerville next time out.

The young Brazilian wasn’t terrible on Saturday, but he was almost entirely ineffective, looking unable to create chances for his teammates or get himself into positions where chances could be supplied to him.

Moreover, the 19-year-old still looks as slight as ever and lacks any real power or pace, which are two traits becoming increasingly important for attackers in the Premier League.

Unsurprisingly, the manager decided to take him off at the break, which only made his dire statistics even more pitiful.

Minutes

45′

Expected Goals

0.00

Expected Assists

0.01

Shots

0

Passes

10

Touches

21

Lost Possession

9

Dribbles (Successful)

3 (1)

Ground Duels (Won)

8 (1)

Dribbled Past

1

In his 45 minutes of inaction, the Brazilian registered an expected assists figure of 0.01, failed to take a single shot, took just 21 touches, failed in 66% of his dribbles, lost the ball nine times, completed ten passes, was dribbled past and lost seven of eight duels.

In short, Guilherme proved he cannot come in for Summerville again, so Nuno has to bring in one of the club’s most exciting prospects instead.

West Ham's Summerville solution

The player Nuno should bring into the squad to replace Guilherme and help solve the blow of Summerville’s injury is George Earthy.

Now, that might sound bold, and perhaps it is, but the academy gem has long been talked about as one of the club’s next stars, and his time at youth level and out on loan suggests as much.

For example, in 60 appearances for the u18s, totalling 4804 minutes, he scored 25 goals and provided 18 assists, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.39 games, or every 111.72 minutes.

Then, during his time with the u21s, he scored 18 goals and provided 14 assists in 55 appearances, totalling 3618 minutes, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.71 games, or every 113.06 minutes.

In other words, the Havering-born gem is a dual threat: a goalscorer and a creator.

Appearances

60

55

Minutes

4804′

3618′

Goals

25

18

Assists

18

14

Goal Involvements per Match

0.71

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

111.72′

113.06′

Moreover, with 40 appearances for Bristol City last season, during which he was named young player of the year, he has plenty of genuine first-team experience under his belt already.

With all of that said, the “priceless” youngster, as dubbed by coach Steve Potts, is primarily an attacking midfielder, and so it would make sense to play him there against Liverpool, which means the man who’d actually outright replace Guilherme is actually Paqueta.

Yes, the Brazilian is also primarily a central player, but has made 36 club appearances on the left-hand side in his career, as well as six for the Brazilian national team.

Anyway, having the former Lyon gem further forward could help make the team more dangerous in attack, while also allowing the 21-year-old to get up to speed in a more familiar position.

Ultimately, it is not ideal, but Guilherme made it clear against Bournemouth that he cannot start games at the moment. Therefore, bringing the incredibly talented Earthy into the middle and allowing Paqueta to play on the left could be the answer to Summerville’s absence – at least for now.

West Ham dealt Jarrod Bowen blow as Nuno faces fresh concern about star winger

The England international is their most crucial man by some distance.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 21, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur have submitted an official bid for Ferran Torres, with Barcelona chiefs now in a debate over whether to sell the forward.

Spurs’ interest in a new forward may stem from the fact they have struggled in front of goal at times this season, perhaps partially due to Dominic Solanke’s absence, recording an xG of just 0.10 across the entire match in the 1-0 defeat against Chelsea earlier this month.

Not only that, but it would be fair to say some of the summer signings haven’t hit the ground running, with Randal Kolo Muani failing to find the back of the net in his opening eight matches across all competitions.

Pundit Johan Derksen has also been very critical of Xavi Simons, saying: “That Simons, he is physically incompetent. In England, they are all skilled on the ball and can all play football, but you also need physical strength.

“Tijjani Reijnders has that, and so do the guys at Liverpool, but Simons is getting lost in the onslaught. Simply because he is physically incompetent.”

Although it is still early days for Simons and Kolo Muani, it is no surprise Thomas Frank & co want to bring in a new forward this January, and they have now made an official approach for a La Liga star.

Tottenham submit offer for Ferran Torres

According to a report from Spain, Tottenham have now submitted an official offer for Barcelona star Torres, with club chiefs now debating whether to cash-in, given that they could do with generating funds, in light of their financial situation.

Spurs’ proposal amounts to €65m (£57m), which is tempting, but there are hints that the north Londoners may even be willing to offer more, as they are ‘determined’ to get a deal done, even if the La Liga club reject the opening offer.

Barca are yet to make a decision about the Spaniard’s future, but if they do end up being willing to sanction a departure, the 25-year-old could be a statement signing for Frank’s side.

Having initially struggled to make an impact at the Camp Nou, the former Manchester City man has developed year-on-year to become an important player, chipping in with seven goals in all competitions already this season.

Ferran Torres’ goal record by season

La Liga appearances

Goals

2021-22

18

4

2022-23

33

4

2023-24

29

7

2024-25

27

10

2025-26

11

5

Should he continue scoring at the current rate, the Spain international, who has been lauded as “world-class” by Xavi, is on course to have his best season yet, so it is understandable that Barcelona are hesitant about cashing-in.

However, should Tottenham be able to get a deal done, Torres could be the ideal addition to Frank’s squad, not least because the manager’s current options are struggling, with Mathys Tel on just two goals in all competitions this term.

Update on Tottenham's pursuit of Antoine Semenyo Tottenham given Semenyo update with sources convinced forward 'will be through the door'

The Lilywhites could sign an attacker in January.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 13, 2025

The center midfielder, who was a mainstay for the USMNT during the 2022 World Cup, is in danger of missing out on the 2026 tournament on home soil. Could a new manager at Atalanta change his fortunes?

On Aug. 26, Yunus Musah made it clear that he had big plans for the 2025-26 season at AC Milan.

"The nearest goals and achievement for me are winning trophies here at Milan," he told ESPN. "This season we have the possibility to win three trophies [Serie A, Coppa Italia, Italian Supercoppa]. I'd love to win all three of them. And also then go to the national team and win more trophies as well."

That all sounded good. There was confidence, gusto, the idea that Musah believed that all of those things were possible Milan and the USMNT. A week later, he was holding up an Atalanta shirt, grinning, after agreeing to a year-long loan to Milan's direct rivals. Just over two months after that, he is out of the U.S. squad after barely playing for his new club. 

It is impossible to speculate on the minutea here. But some things are true. The first is that Musah has played just under 300 minutes of football this season. He has also played for two different club managers and is about to play for a third after Atalanta sacked Ivan Juric on Monday. And, according to insights offered by U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino, it is playing time, not injury, that has seen him dropped from the U.S. squad. Piece it all together, and this looks like a footballer who made one of those rare, truly poor decisions in his career. His move may have come late, but the destination was also frightfully ill-judged, with Musah now stuck in a spot where he is unlikely to play more, and without a steady parent club to return to. 

Getty ImagesAllegri didn't rate him

The state of tension between Musah and Allegri was perhaps a bit overblown. But the eye test certainly didn't help. There were, in fact, two significant incidents in the game between Milan and Lecce that suggested that something was up. The first came in the second half, when the American was on the ground after being on the receiving end of a hefty challenge. Allegri didn't "kick" him, per se, but there was, to be sure, contact between the manager's foot and Musah's body. 

Later in the game, Allegri berated him for trying to take a throw in quickly with his side leading 2-0 in stoppage time. Musah dropped the ball and looked away without even looking at his coach. It must be acknowledged here that managers and players are allowed to disagree. Allegri, too, isn't exactly the most fun guy. He is a strict disciplinarian who plays intense, testy football. He was famously denied a job in the Premier League when he outlined his playing style: "I don't have one." 

Allegri also made it abundantly clear to Milan's hierarchy that he wanted a center midfielder who could offer a little more control in his side. The solution? Veteran Frenchman Adrien Rabiot, one of Allegri's favorites at Juventus, and a regular for Didier Deschamps in the French National Team. The reality was that Musah was always going to be a bit frozen out. 

AdvertisementAFPDecision to join Atalanta

And so it proved. Things accelerated rapidly on Musah's move. There had been some scattered talk for a few weeks that his long term future might not lie with the , but the pace at which his loan move was tracked through was remarkable. All of the reporting all summer suggested that Musah was set to be an important player for Milan. But then, on Aug. 27 – less than a week before the transfer deadline – Serie A transfer guru Matteo Moretto reported that a move to Atalanta was gaining traction. The club was reportedly prepared to pay €25 million for his services. Eventually, the two sides agreed on a loan with a club option to buy. 

But it was an odd call, all said. There were, admittedly, some things to like about playing for Atalanta. They needed a little midfield depth. They play attacking football. They are in the Champions League this season. There seemed to be plenty of minutes to go around, then. 

Tactically, too, the fit was intriguing. Atalanta play a 3-4-2-1, with two disciplined, defensive center midfielders and proper runners on the wing. Musah, at his best, is an energetic, box-to-box No. 8. But he can also play on the right or left. He even admitted, after playing well in a 4-3-3 for the USMNT, that he could play on the wing if needed.

"It's more of a position where you're supposed to be that guy that takes the risks, you're supposed to be that guy that takes on a man and creates [scoring] chances," Musah said. "So ultimately, when the coach tells you to play free, then it gives you even more of a chance to do those things."

Getty Images SportNeeding a position

Musah's versatility, in a way, cannot be questioned. But it might have also held him back a bit. In Milan in the 2023-24 campaign, he played nine different positions. But 42 percent of his minutes came in central midfield, where he was genuinely excellent for spells. The rest? Well, there was some time spent out wide, a bit as a defensive midfielder, and even as a right winger. But the point was, largely, he was a center mid doing center mid things. 

The year after, Milan changed managers, and thereby removed the role that Musah had excelled in. Under Paolo Fonseca, he operated mostly as a right attacking midfielder. The Portuguese did not set up in a system that offered his preferred position. And even if he finished the campaign with 1,600 minutes under his belt and 19 Serie A starts, Musah didn't quite offer a sense of specialization that he needed. 

And Atalanta have, in a way, capitalized on that. Musah has perhaps a similar problem to Weston McKennie in that he can do a little bit of everything – but is caught in a system that doesn't truly excel in his greatest area. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPA nightmare of a start to the season

The result is a limited role. It was always, perhaps, going to be tough to crack the XI. In Ederson and veteran midfielder Mario Pasalic – a similar profile of player to Musah – they have two established center midfielders. Davide Zappacosta is a mainstay out wide. Raoul Bellanova has impressed on the other wing. Musah isn't a good fit in either of the No. 10 positions. 

So, yes, the tactical fit is an awkward one. But what is perhaps even more surprising is just how few minutes he might get. Ederson is a star midfielder who plays nearly every minute. But Pasalic is aging. Zappacosta, too, could do with a rest here and there. Rotational minutes may not be ideal, but even they should still be attainable – especially for a player of Musah's potential. Instead, Musah has played just six times in Serie A, totaling 145 minutes. His one start came not for Atalanta, but Milan – where he played all 90 minutes against Lecce. He has only played five of Atalanta's last 10 games, despite being fit and available for all of them. 

His performances, meanwhile, have been agreeable. It is admittedly hard to make much of an impact when minutes are sparse. But Musah assisted in the Champions League, and his efforts when on the pitch cannot be questioned. His dribbling and ball-carrying stats are as strong as ever, too.

Rahane, Sarfaraz and Suryakumar’s efforts go in vain; Shami picks up 4 for 13 against Services

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-2025

Samson, Sharafuddeen and Asif propel Kerala

Sanju Samson, Sharafuddeen and KM Asif were the stars as Kerala handed Mumbai their first loss of the season, beating them by 15 runs in Lucknow.Samson, who is back to opening the innings this season, laid the platform with 46 off 28 balls. Vishnu Vinod struggled in the middle and managed only 43 not out off 40 balls, but Sharafuddeen’s unbeaten 35 off 15 took the side to 178 for 5.Sharafuddeen then removed Ayush Mhatre in the first over of the chase but Ajinkya Rahane (32 off 18) and Sarfaraz Khan (52 off 40) kept Mumbai going. By the time Sarfaraz got out, Mumbai needed 80 from eight overs. Suryakumar Yadav brought it down to 31 required from three. But Asif’s three wickets – including Suryakumar’s for 32 off 25 – in the 18th over derailed Mumbai. They needed 18 from the final over with two wickets in hand. Asif took only four balls to wrap up the innings and complete his five-for.File photo: Ayush Badoni had a solid outing with both bat and ball•PTI

Badoni seals Delhi’s win over Karnataka

Ayush Badoni’s 35-ball 53 and 4 for 12, backed up by Priyansh Arya and Tejasvi Dahiya’s fifties, helped Delhi get the better of Karnataka by 45 runs in a high-scoring Group D contest in Ahmedabad. Batting first, Delhi thumped 232 for 3 in their 20 overs. Devdutt Padikkal then hit a 38-ball 62 while R Smaran struck 72 off 38 balls, but with little support from the others, Karnataka were bowled out for 187 in 19.3 overs.Delhi lost opener Yash Dhull in the second over to Vidyadhar Patil but Arya and Badoni forged a 110-run stand in 9.2 overs for the second wicket. Arya struck six sixes and two fours in his 33-ball 62 while Badoni hit four fours and two sixes.When both batters fell within two overs of each other, Karnataka may have sniffed a chance of a comeback, but Dahiya and Nitish Rana gave them none. They added 105 runs for the fifth wicket in just 41 balls. Dahiya hit five sixes and three fours in an unbeaten 19-ball 53 while Rana remained 46 not out.Karnataka lost wickets regularly in the chase. BR Sharath fell in the opening over to Ishant Sharma, while Mayank Agarwal was removed by Digvesh Rathi inside the powerplay. Rathi also picked up Karun Nair as Karnataka slipped to 48 for 3 in seven overs. Smaran and Padikkal gave Karnataka hope with a 76-run stand for the fourth wicket, but once Padikkal fell to Ishant, the end was nigh.Badoni then wrecked the Karnataka middle order, picking up four wickets in two overs. Prince Yadav closed the innings with two wickets, giving Delhi crucial points after their loss against Tripura.File photo: Raj Limbani picked up 3 for 5 in 2.1 overs•ICC/Getty Images

Limbani, Sheth star as Baroda crush Gujarat

Fast bowler Raj Limbani picked up 3 for 5 in 2.1 overs and allrounder Atit Sheth 2 for 14 in three as Baroda crushed Gujarat by eight wickets in Hyderabad. Hardik Pandya also had a decent outing a day after being named in India’s T20I squad to face South Africa, picking up 1 for 16 in four overs, which included a maiden, and scoring 10 off six from No. 3 in the small chase.The match, originally scheduled to take place at the Gymkhana Ground, was relocated to the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium. “Fan turnout, enquiries, and crowd movement exceeded our projections by a huge margin, “a senior organising official told PTI. “To ensure safety and smooth match operations, we decided to shift the match to the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium.”Sent in, Urvil Patel and Aarya Desai added 29 runs for the opening wicket, but it all went downhill thereafter for Gujarat. Hardik removed Urvil for 7 with Desai falling the very next ball to Limbani. Dhrushant Soni was run out, Rasikh Salam removed Saurav Chauhan, and Krunal Pandya too picked up a wicket. Sheth then picked up two lower-order wickets before Limbani had Hemang Patel caught and bowled as Gujarat were bowled out in 14.1 overs.Shashwat Rawat and Vishnu Solanki were quick in the chase, adding 55 runs in just five overs. Hardik struck two fours in his innings, while Rawat remained unbeaten on 30 off 19 to seal Baroda’s chase in 6.4 overs. Legspinner Ravi Bishnoi was the only Gujarat bowler to take a wicket, returning 2 for 26 in 1.4 overs.File photo: Mohammed Shami was named the Player of the Match•Garima Agarwal/CAB

Shami, Akash Deep headline Bengal’s win

Mohammed Shami picked up his second-best T20 haul of 4 for 13 in 3.2 overs, while Akash Deep returned 3 for 27 as Bengal defeated Services by seven wickets in Hyderabad. Sent in, Services were bowled out for 165 in 18.2 overs. Abishek Porel and Abhimanyu Easwaran then struck quick fifties as Bengal got over the line in 15.1 overs.Shami got Gaurav Kochar with the first ball of the game before dismissing Ravi Chauhan for a nine-ball 26 in the third. Akash Deep then got into the act, removing Nitin Tanwar inside the powerplay. Mohit Ahlawat and Vineet Dhankhar added 67 for the fourth wicket but both fell in back-to-back overs. Akash Deep then picked up Pulkit Narang and Sandeep Nishad before Shami ended the innings, adding two more wickets to his tally.Bengal lost opener Karan Lal in the second over, but Porel and Easwaran kept the chase going with a 93-run stand in 50 balls. Porel struck eight fours and two sixes in his 56 off 29 balls, while Easwaran scored 58 off 37. Yuvraj Keswani (36* off 19) and Akash Deep (14* off five) ensured Bengal got over the line with 29 balls to spare.R Sai Kishore steered TN’s innings with a half-century•TNPL/TNCA

Sai Kishore, Jagadeesan wipe Tripura out