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South Africa’s captain wants to “play on the front foot” to once and for all stamp his team’s authority in the Test format

Firdose Moonda21-Nov-20251:57

Philander: SA batters have to ‘tighten up a bit’

Temba Bavuma and Shukri Conrad have already been where no other South African team have before – a WTC final victory, an undefeated streak as captain for Bavuma and a ten-Test unbeaten run for Conrad as coach. Now, they want to go one step further.Though South Africa have won a series in India before – 25 years ago – and a draw in Guwahati will be enough to achieve that for a second time, they have never won three Tests in a row in Asia. In itself, that may be nothing more than good pub quiz trivia but what it would do in underlining South Africa’s championship status is massive.If that sounds like all South Africa talk about is justification, it may be, but it comes against the backdrop of the conversation that was had before they lifted the mace at Lord’s. Things were said. True things like South Africa not playing either England or Australia in the cycle, and only faced India at home. Silly things like they weren’t properly tested in the subcontinent because Bangladesh (and this was said about South Africa not by them) don’t really count. South Africa always said those things didn’t bother them but they noticed them enough to be fuelled by them, and that shows.Related

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South Africa validated themselves after winning the mace by squaring a series in tough conditions in Pakistan, and doing it without regular captain Bavuma, and then taking the series lead against India in Kolkata. Imagine what a series win over India, who South Africa suffered two of their worst defeats to in 2015 and 2019, would say about this side?They know it would substantially elevate this group’s status and are looking forward to the opportunity to add a few more lines to what has been a near-perfect script over the last 24 months.”The mood is buoyant amongst the boys,” Bavuma said at the pre-match conference in Guwahati. “We’re excited to try and replicate our performance from the first Test. We’re also excited to be a part of the first Test here in Guwahati. Looking at where the series is at and the whole narrative around it, we’re looking forward to it being an exciting and thrilling game.”If South Africa win – and depending on what happens in Perth and then across the next month in the Ashes – they could also end up near the top of the WTC 2025-27 table, which is a position they will hold until they next play a Test in October 2026. While it’s far too early in the cycle to be concerned about where teams are, as defending champions, it’s far more palatable to be close to the summit than not.Temba Bavuma and Shukri Conrad hug after the Kolkata Test•AFP/Getty ImagesSpeaking of The Ashes, it’s impossible not to compare the hype and frenzy of what is going on between Australia and England to the contest between the much younger but equally intense rivalry between India and South Africa, and similarly impossible not to wish the latter had the length of the former.That this series is limited to two matches is a consequence of a Future Tours Programme (FTP) that was decided more than three years ago, when South Africa were not as desirable an opposition. That South Africa have only played two-Test series since early 2023 is a consequence of that same FTP, when Cricket South Africa (CSA) needed to be financially savvy as they neared bankruptcy, which translated to hosting fewer Tests, especially against loss-making opposition. (Sidenote: they also only hosted India, a profit-making side, for two Tests in 2023-24 but made even more money through white-ball matches against them and so, opted for more of those, including four T20Is in 2024).All that will change slightly next year when South Africa host England and Australia for three Tests each. For now, this two-match series is all they have and naturally, an Indian media that also wants more asked Bavuma about it. While Bavuma stressed that he has no say in the schedule, he provided a typically thoughtful answer.”Every player that has had the opportunity to interact with the media and that has that question (of whether they want to play more Tests) put in front of them, has voiced out their frustration,” Bavuma said. “It would be nice for a 3-4 match series against a formidable team like India. And I think it’s just good for the fans when people get to see good cricket, get to see one team dominating and then the other. As players, all we can do is what we’ve been trying to do out on the field: keep playing good cricket. I think that will attract the top nations to play a lot more cricket against us.”

“Our mindset is not on protecting the lead that we have. We want to play on the front foot, and we will continue to do so. Whatever opportunities are there within the game, we’ll look to be ruthless and take them”Temba Bavuma

And he confirmed what many of us suspect. “We woke up this morning to watch the Ashes and with a bit of jealousy, knowing that they’ve got five Tests. Hopefully, not too far in the future, but more in the near future, we’ll go back to playing four Tests against India. Whether here in India, or back home in South Africa.”The last four Test series between India and South Africa was in 2015, and South Africa lost 3-0. They have only played three other four-Test series since, all against England and lost them all.None of that will be on their mind when they line up to play India on Saturday. The sides are as evenly matched as they come: South Africa without Kagiso Rabada again, the leader of their attack, and India, without their leader, Shubman Gill, and both sides know as much about what to expect from the venue as the other.With no Tests played in Guwahati, though India have home advantage, they don’t have any more experience in Tests here than South Africa.The one thing both know is that given the time of year and how far east the city is, darkness comes early and play could be curtailed. Bavuma was even asked if that may help his side drag things out to a draw – nevermind that South Africa haven’t drawn in 13 Tests – and he made it clear that South Africa came to get a job done and they want to finish it.”Our mindset is not on protecting the lead that we have. We want to play on the front foot, and we will continue to do so. In terms of the game, we’ll play what’s in front of us,” Bavuma said. “We understand that light does become an issue but we don’t want to go in there with that defensive mindset.”Whatever opportunities are there within the game, we’ll look to be ruthless and take them. If there’s an opportunity for it to be 2-0, then so be it.”

O.K. everybody—exhale.

The longest game in World Series history is finally over (we double-checked, just to be sure).

After 18 long, grueling, tension-filled innings, the Dodgers scraped and clawed their way to a 6–5 win over the Blue Jays to take a 2–1 lead in the series, with first baseman Freddie Freeman delivering the decisive blow with a walk-off home run.

Freeman, last year’s World Series MVP thanks in part to his historic walk-off grand slam in Game 1, once again played hero in a game nobody who saw it will forget anytime soon.

“To have this happen again a year later, to hit another walk-off, it’s kind of amazing and crazy,” Freeman said afterwards. “I’m just glad we won.”

Monday’s Game 3 tied the mark set by the Dodgers and Red Sox in Game 3 of the 2018 World Series, which Los Angeles also won on a walk-off homer. 

But long before that conclusion, there were what felt like dozens of near-misses, almost-walk-offs and botched opportunities. The two teams combined to leave 37 runners on base. They went 4-for-26 with runners in scoring position. And there were six runners thrown out on the base paths.

Just accounting for the nine extra innings, one team nearly took the lead in at least half a dozen different ways. Here are all the moments that almost provided an “early” ending to an unforgettable Game 3.

Top of the 10th: Davis Schneider gets cut down at home

On a night marked by questionable base running, the Dodgers got extra innings off to an appropriate start by executing a textbook relay from right field to home. Teoscar Hernández made a perfect feed to Tommy Edman, who threw to Will Smith in plenty of time to nab Schneider.

Smith actually got the tag down well before Schneider arrived at home, but was able to gather himself and apply the tag before Schneider got his hand in.

Top of the 12th: Blue Jays leave ‘em loaded

Toronto threatened to take control in the 12th without ever getting the ball out of the infield. Alejandro Kirk walked to lead things off, followed by a failed sacrifice bunt attempt by Myles Straw. Kirk advanced to second on a groundout by Ernie Clement, then Andrés Giménez was intentionally walked to send Schneider to the plate. Schneider then hit a slow roller to Muncy, who opted to try for a force out at third, but the ball arrived too late.

That prompted Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to bring in Clayton Kershaw out of the bullpen, who, after running the count full, got Nathan Lukes to ground out to end the threat.

For Kershaw, who’s retiring at the end of this series, it was the first time in his career he’d ever pitched in extra innings.

Bottom of the 13th: Freddie Freeman nearly does it again

Before we get to Freeman, first, allow us to set the stage. Edman led the inning off with a double, then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. That drew the Blue Jays’ infield in and left Alex Call with an opportunity to end the game with a sacrifice fly. Instead, he popped up to shortstop.

As Toronto did four times on Monday, the team opted to intentionally walk Shohei Ohtani, then did the same to Mookie Betts to load the bases for Freeman. Freeman, who hit the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history in Game 1 of last year’s Fall Classic, nearly gave those at Dodger Stadium another one, driving a ball out to the warning track in center field a few feet short of the wall.

“I was just really trying to hit a single there,” Freeman said of the at-bat. “Get a base hit and move on, get this game over with three hours ago.”

Instead, the game pressed on. According to Statcast, the ball had a 103.9 mph exit velocity and a .600 expected batting average. Instead of history, it was simply a loud out.

Bottom of the 14th: Will Smith comes close

If Freeman’s fly out got people on their feet, Smith’s made them fall out of their chairs.

I mean, just look at this bat drop.

Statcast’s tale of the tape: a 101.5 mph exit velocity and a distance of 383 feet. It would have been a home run in exactly one MLB ballpark (Wrigley Field). 

Bottom of the 14th: Max Muncy’s foul ball

This one might not have been all close, but it certainly got the fans off their feet in a hurry.

Had that ball been fair, it would have been a fitting end given Muncy’s role in the longest World Series game of all time. That was Game 3 of the 2018 Fall Classic, when the Dodgers beat the Red Sox, 3–2, in 18 innings thanks to Muncy’s walk-off blast.

Bottom of the 16th: Teoscar Hernández nearly strikes again

By the 16th inning, the charm of a never-ending baseball game seemed to have worn off. There were far more visible empty seats than anyone would have expected in a World Series game, a product of it being nearly midnight and the thought of escaping the Dodger Stadium parking lot surely looming large in the minds of thousands of fans.

Hernández, who opened the scoring in this game with a solo homer in the second inning what felt like 12 days ago, almost brought things to an official end with an opposite field shot that—stop me if you’ve heard this before—died at the warning track.

The fans who’d left early got more time to scamper home to their TVs to watch the ending. The fans still in attendance were sentenced to more baseball.

Bottom of the 17th: Mookie just misses

Betts, who watched Ohtani walk five times on the night, had a chance to call game in the 17th. After roping a ball just foul down the left field line, he ran the count full against Brendon Little, the last man standing in the Toronto bullpen. Instead, he popped up to first base to leave the winning run on second base.

Top of the 18th: Will Klein becomes Houdini

If you hadn’t heard of Klein prior to Game 3, you’d be forgiven. The 25-year-old had made just 14 appearances for the Dodgers during the regular season, spending most of the year in the minors. He was left off Los Angeles’s roster for the first three rounds of the playoffs. And on Monday night, he found himself as the Dodgers’ last bullpen arm standing.

Roberts had used nine relief pitchers before going with Klein for the top of the 15th inning. He proceeded to fire four scoreless innings, throwing 72 pitches (his previous high this season at any level was 45). After walking two batters and allowing them to advance to second and third on a wild pitch, Klein struck out Tyler Heineman to end the threat.

At that point, Game 2 starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto—who threw 105 pitches in a complete game Saturday—was warming up in the bullpen, sending this game careening dangerously close to even more chaos. As it turned out, he would not be needed.

Bottom of the 18th: Freddie Freeman delivers the sequel

On the game’s 609th pitch, Freeman decided enough was enough. He parked a 3–2 sinker from Little over the wall in center field, adding yet another historic October moment in a Hall of Fame career full of them.

Given all the times it seemed like Game 3 was certain to end, and then didn’t, there was an element to the evening that felt like we were being tested, or pranked, or punished, or perhaps all three simultaneously. In the end, though, we were treated to one of the best baseball games of all time, all those teased endings merely laying the groundwork for a final scene straight out of a movie script.

Pakistan, meanwhile, are growing comfortable in Colombo conditions and hoping to challenge New Zealand

Madushka Balasuriya17-Oct-20251:08

Omaima: ‘The main challenge is playing the new ball’

Neither New Zealand nor Pakistan have had an ideal World Cup. The former is on three points after four games with just a solitary win, while Pakistan’s sole point has come courtesy a washout against England.That match, for all intents and purposes, should have been firmly locked under the wins column for Pakistan, but such has been the weather in Colombo that any result has been firmly at the behest of the weather gods.”I’ve been around this a long time and there’s lots of things you can’t control, and weather’s one of those. It’s just something that we’ve got to roll with,” New Zealand head coach Ben Sawyer said ahead of Saturday’s match against Pakistan.Related

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New Zealand look to stay in semi-final hunt against winless Pakistan

Rains have been forecast throughout the day for Saturday as well, but for Sawyer, the preparations remain the same with the past few days also allowing some time for reflection on their washed-out game against Sri Lanka.”I thought we bowled really well,” Sawyer said. “It was a target that we thought we could chase. We just didn’t get the chance to do that. So practised really hard the last couple of days and yeah, ready to go for Pakistan tomorrow.”For Pakistan too, the weather has proved an unwelcome guest, bringing their victory charge against England to an abrupt end. It was the first time this tournament that they had managed to produce a complete performance with the ball, and before rain ended play they were looking quite comfortable with the bat as well – an area they had struggled with in the lead-up to the game.”The pitches are supporting the bowlers, especially spinners. Our spin department and fast bowling department are also doing great,” Pakistan opening batter Omaima Sohail said. “But we need to step up in our batting.”Pakistan’s improvement is not something that has evaded Sawyer and New Zealand, who are acutely aware of what they are capable of.”Their top order is, they made it look like light work of maybe chasing down that total the other night,” he said. “So, they’ve been impressive. They’ve really challenged a couple of weeks or two of the top nations. So, been impressed in particular with their bowling.”2:14

Sawyer: ‘We’ve got to be really wary of the Pakistan attack’

One reason for this uptick has been their increasing familiarity with the conditions in Colombo, where batting hasn’t been the easiest. This will be just New Zealand’s second game at the Khettarama this World Cup, though the rains ensured they were unable to bat against Sri Lanka.”We played here four matches, so now we know what the situations and what the pitch acts [like],” Sohail said. “So, we know what to do in upcoming matches. We will do better hopefully.”For New Zealand their focus will be on trying to put up more complete performances. Their batting has been bolstered almost solely by runs from Sophie Devine and Brooke Halliday, who have struck 260 and 142 runs respectively over their four matches. Sawyer however is confident that the rest of the team will come good sooner rather than later.”They’ve [Devine and Halliday] looked great and to me, I know it might sound a bit silly, but it’s really exciting,” Sawyer said. “Yeah, we have had probably two batters do the bulk of the work for us at the moment, so if we can get three or four firing at once, I think we can post some huge scores.”It’s a long tournament; it goes for a month. I think we’ve already been on the road a month, as every other team has, and you’re going to have people firing at different times and hopefully we’ve got some that are really going to fire towards the back end. So I’ve got no doubt those runs are coming.”

Como winger Assane Diao is in line to be called up to the Senegal national team for the Africa Cup of Nations, but Cesc Fabregas wants him to stay at the Serie A side for the time being. The 20-year-old has been limited to just four appearances in the Italian top-flight this season, sparking the coach to claim his involvement at AFCON is "illogical".

Injury problems at the root of Fabregas' decision

Diao moved to Italy in January after spending a season and a half at La Liga side Real Betis and quickly established himself as a crucial member of Fabregas' squad, securing eight goals and an assist in 15 Serie A appearances last season. In April, however, he suffered a broken foot and missed out on their last five Serie A fixtures of the campaign as well as the initial stages of the 2025-26 season. Diao made a comeback in late October, where he played 45 minutes against Parma. The Senegalese winger was slowly reintegrating him back into the lineup, but was called up to the Senegal team this month. Despite having an adductor issue, he participated in two training sessions for the African side, only to get further injured and return to Italy.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFabregas finds Diao's national team call-up illogical

The 20-year-old has a hamstring injury, which will keep him out for a few games. Although Fabregas has mentioned his probable return date, he does not want the winger to return to the Senegal camp, with his major concern being the player's fitness ahead of the competition's December 21 kick off.  

"I don't want to send him to the African Cup of Nations? For me it's illogical," he said. "He's been out for seven months, he's played three games, now he's going to the national team, he'll get injured and be out again. Then maybe he'll go back to Senegal. In the player's mind, you have to do things right. For me, it doesn't make sense. They won't care, but we want what's best for the player. He shouldn't go. He went to training camp with Senegal with a minor adductor problem and did two training sessions. Then he got injured and came back here. We'll try to get him back with Inter, but it's more likely that we'll have him back with Roma."

Fabregas wants to face Torino with 'great attention'

Como sit eighth in the Serie A table after 11 games, having lost just one match so far. They are up against a Torino side sitting four points and places below them on Monday, and a win would see them leapfrog Juventus into sixth.

"You always have to approach every match at your best. If you think it's going to be difficult mentally, then it definitely will be," Fabregas said as his side prepare to take on a side on a six-game unbeaten run. "We have to win it with our own game, with what we have to offer. But we need to be more ambitious and get more points than we currently have. We had lots of chances to make it 2-0 against Cremonese, the penalty in Naples, and three or four chances to score in Cagliari. We need to manage it better, without losing our defensive stability. Torino are a team that play 5-3-2, with experienced defenders. [Kristjan] Asllani scored and comes from Inter, he's a great player. You know [Cesare] Casadei, he comes from Chelsea. Che Adams is an international player, [Cyril] Ngonge is a difference-maker for his team, he won the league with Napoli and I really like him. They are a well-organised team, and [Marco] Baroni is a great manager. The atmosphere, the stadium and the fans are also strong. We must go there with great enthusiasm, even if after the international break we must approach the match with great caution."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Como?

Como will have three crucial fixtures after the Torino game, which might also shape their objectives for the rest of the campaign. On November 28, they'll welcome Sassuolo, and will later travel to the San Siro to face Inter on December 6. Post that, they'll meet Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma in yet another away game on December 15. 

The region has a rich cricketing history, and has produced the likes of Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain. The BCB’s recognition is long overdue

Mohammad Isam12-Aug-2025The BCB’s decision to include Mymensingh as a first-class team is long-awaited reward for a region where cricket has thrived for more than a century. It was regarded as the cradle of the game in undivided Bengal, as cricket clubs were formed there as far back as in 1898. First-class recognition brings renewed hope to Mymensingh, which has produced a large number of international cricketers in the last four decades.Mahmudullah, the former Bangladesh Test and T20I captain, is the biggest name to come out of the region. He spent his formative years in Mymensingh, before playing age-group and league cricket in Dhaka. Mahmudullah, whose 430 international matches across formats is currently the third-highest for Bangladesh, often returns to Mymensingh, where he has his ancestral home.The region was rich in cricketing heritage much before Mahmudullah was born. Mymensingh Mohammedan Club (1898) and Pandit Para Club (1910) are some of the oldest clubs from undivided Bengal. (landowners) would patronise these clubs, with healthy participation among the general population. After Bangladesh’s independence, Mymensingh’s left-arm spinner Ramchand Goala became a popular name in the Dhaka league, churning out overs even into his early 50s.Related

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Harunur Rashid, the feisty opener, was the first from Mymensingh to make his ODI debut for Bangladesh, in 1988. Pace bowler Saiful Islam and allrounder Sanuar Hossain, who were in Bangladesh’s 1997 ICC Trophy-winning side, were among the bigger names who played cricket in Mymensingh in the 1980s and 1990s. More recently, the region has produced the batter Mosaddek Hossain.It was curious that the BCB held back first-class status from Mymensingh despite this rich tradition. The government had made Mymensingh Bangladesh’s eighth administrative division in 2015. Rangpur began playing the National Cricket League (NCL), Bangladesh’s domestic first-class competition, from the 2011-12 season, less than two years after the government made it the country’s seventh division.Mymensingh’s sports organisers requested the BCB for a team on numerous occasions in the last ten years, but to no avail. Earlier this year, Md Mokhtar Ahmed, Mymensingh’s divisional commissioner, the highest-ranking government official in the region, wrote a letter to the BCB in this regard. The decision from the BCB came on August 9 during a board meeting in Dhaka. Akram Khan, the BCB’s tournament committee chairman, welcomed Mymensingh into the first-class fold.”They really deserve it,” Akram told ESPNcricinfo. “Firstly, they are a division for ten years. So if Rajshahi, Chittagong and Barisal can play NCL, why can’t Mymensingh? They also have cricketing heritage. They have a sporting culture that goes back to many, many years. I played with [the former India player] Raman Lamba in Mymensingh in the 1990s. They always had good cricketers, including, Belayet Hossain and Goala, who played in Mymensingh the 1970s. They continued to produce plenty of cricketers for Bangladesh too.”Could Mahmudullah turn out for his hometown team? Sanuar Hossain certainly hopes so•ICC via Getty ImagesAkram said Mymensingh has a strong base of homegrown players already.”I think they will be able to form a good first-class team. Look, the selectors have often sent players to Barisal as Barisal have struggled to make their [own] first-class team. I am sure that Mymensingh or any other first-class team will get that help [as well]. In any case, Dhaka Division and Dhaka Metropolis used to split players from the Dhaka region. So I am sure the same arrangement [for splitting players] would be made for Dhaka Division and Mymensingh.”Mymensingh native Sanuar, who played nine Tests and 27 ODIs, was delighted with the BCB’s decision. Sanuar is a senior figure in Mymensingh cricket, organising T20 tournaments in the region whenever he finds time away from his busy schedule as a flight steward.”It is a huge achievement for Mymensingh,” Sanuar said. “It was long overdue, given the region’s cricketing heritage and also if you consider that we have been a division for almost ten years.”

“We have two very good facilities in Mymensingh that can be developed. Now, with the first-class team, we will have more impetus to develop quickly.”Former Bangladesh batter Sanuar Hossain

Sanuar felt first-class status would help Mymensingh improve its facilities. Mymensingh does have a stadium, but cricket is mainly played at the historic Circuit House ground, which is surrounded by all the club houses. The Brahmaputra river is quite close to the ground, making it a local attraction.”I think after an inspection last year, they found out that facilities were not up to the mark,” Sanuar said. “We have two very good facilities in Mymensingh that can be developed. Now, with the first-class team, we will have more impetus to develop quickly.”Sanuar was also confident Mymensingh could form a good first-class team with mostly homegrown players, and hoped Mahmudullah could turn out for them.”We have a number of established cricketers from Mymensingh. It is our advantage,” Sanuar said. “Many are already playing for Dhaka Division or Dhaka Metropolis. I want Riyad [Mahmudullah] to play at least the first season for Mymensigh. He has been our biggest source of pride over the years. I am sure he would love to play for his home team. Mymensingh will become more organised with Riyad in the team.”Mymensingh can pick players from the Jamalpur, Mymensingh, Netrokona and Sherpur districts, with the BCB allowing players not belonging to that particular region to play in the NCL.Dhaka Division beat Dhaka Metropolis to win the 2023-24 NCL title. Now the city will only have one team•BCBTo include Mymensingh, the BCB has decided to discontinue the Dhaka Metropolis team to ensure there remained an even number of teams in the NCL. Dhaka Metropolis’ last tournament will be the NCL T20s next month. The team started participating in the NCL from 2011-12, when Rangpur became a first-class team – that decision too was made to ensure an even number of participating teams.In theory, players born and based in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital city, would be playing for Metropolis, while the Dhaka Division team would be made up of players from Dhaka’s 16 other districts. This was the case for much of Dhaka Metropolis’ time in the first-class scene, but the selectors found it increasingly hard to pick a team with just players from the capital.For all its size and might, Dhaka hasn’t produced too many top cricketers in recent decades. Taskin Ahmed and Saif Hassan are the only cricketers of note to emerge from the city in the last 15 years. The rest have mostly come from the outskirts or other districts. Dhaka Metropolis have won and lost 23 matches each out of 87 matches in the NCL. They have never been champions of the NCL.Meanwhile, Mymensingh, who will replace Dhaka Metropolis, are quietly confident they can make a fist of their long-awaited opportunity. The prolonged monsoon has kept cricket away, but once the weather clears, expect the Circuit House ground to be packed with hopefuls. Cricket has a long tradition here, and this latest chapter could be the most exciting one yet.

As he has done so often in his already-impressive MLB career, Shohei Ohtani achieved a feat no other baseball player has accomplished. Ohtani, who made his seventh start of the season on Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals, pitched four innings for the first time in 2025, striking out eight batters while allowing no walks and just one earned run. At the dish, Ohtani belted a two-run homer to give himself some run support in the bottom of the third inning.

Since RBI became an official statistic in 1920, Ohtani is the only MLB player to hit a homer, strike out eight-plus hitters, drive in more runs than he allowed and draw more walks than he allowed, according to OptaSTATS. For good measure, Ohtani's third inning homer was also the 1000th hit of his career. In other words, he was quite busy.

The kicker? The Dodgers lost 5-3.

Ohtani, speaking to reporters through his interpreter Will Ireton after the game, expressed his belief that he could have done more to help the Dodgers win, particularly at the plate.

"A really close game throughout," Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. "I think it would have been a huge win for us if we were able to flip the script. I could have done better with the quality of at-bats in the middle part of the game."

It's hard to believe that Ohtani could have done more, given just how much he accomplished on the field. But the mindset is admirable nonetheless. He did go on to acknowledge that it was a big day for him "personally", noting he was pleased to pitch through the fourth inning for the first time this season.

But it's clear that he would have been more pleased had the Dodgers managed to earn a win. And wins are becoming even more paramount for Los Angeles, which holds just a two-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the National League West.

Jordi Alba has rubbished comparisons between Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, claiming that Barcelona’s all-time leading goalscorer “has no rival”. Teenage wonderkid Yamal has been thrust into an obvious debate ever since he stepped out of the La Masia academy system. He has become a global superstar in his own right, but there will never be another Messi.

Messi vs Yamal: La Masia graduates always being compared

Alba, who spent many happy years alongside the iconic Argentine at Camp Nou and is now a club colleague of the all-time great at MLS side Inter Miami, has always considered Messi to be the best in the business.

Yamal, at 18 years of age, is showing signs that he could tread a similar path. Records have tumbled around the youngster on the back of making his senior debut at just 15. As a left-footed forward that glides past opponents and boasts an unerring eye for goal, he was always going to be likened to Messi.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALNobody like Messi! Alba steers clear of Yamal debate

Alba is, however, eager to steer clear of that discussion. He told when naming three other Barca stars that deserve the same amount of credit as Yamal: “I think he's a great player, but there are others at Barca, like Pedri, Gavi, [Frenkie] de Jong. And I'm leaving out many. I think comparing him to Leo… there's no comparison, but that's because Leo has no rival.”

Alba is preparing to sever professional ties with Messi. While the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has committed to a new three-year contract at Inter Miami, his close friend has decided to retire at the end of the 2025 MLS Cup play-offs.

Explaining that decision, 36-year-old full-back Alba said: "Honestly, physically I could have lasted another year or two. But because of how I've felt, especially at the beginning of the season, and because of the new projects that are coming up…

“It's a well-considered decision, and I'm very clear about it. I'll miss football, but I'm happy with what I've been able to achieve. I still enjoy the matches, but the day-to-day grind and traveling every week is harder. The enthusiasm you have at 20 years old fades. When you have a family, it shows.”

Retirement calls: Will Suarez follow Alba & Busquets?

Sergio Busquets is heading into the same direction, as he prepares to hang up his boots, with Alba adding on his fellow former Barcelona legend: “His retirement? Obviously, these decisions are very personal. We've talked about the situation we were in during the year. It's a decision for each of us. I'm lucky to share a team and a friendship with him; our families also get along very well. We live very close to each other in the same residential area.”

Luis Suarez is another ex-Barca star that is yet to decide what the immediate future holds for him. The Uruguayan striker has struggled with knee problems in recent times, but continues to score goals ahead of turning 39 in January.

Alba added on Suarez potentially playing on alongside Messi: “There he is, the guy. I don't know if he has a contract for years, but it's everyone's own decision. It's not just about changing teams anymore, it's about quitting football, what you've done your whole life. I'll be sad, but it hasn't been hard for me. I've accepted it and I'm taking it calmly.”

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Getty/GOALMSN reformed: Will Neymar reunite with Messi & Suarez?

It has been suggested that Messi and Suarez could see their fabled ‘MSN’ strike force with Neymar reformed in 2026. That is because the Brazilian superstar is running down his contract at Santos and heading towards free agency.

Any move to Florida would generate plenty of interest, with some headlines being stolen away from Yamal in Europe. The teenage wonderkid does, however, appear to be destined for greatness himself – with some suggesting that he could go on to eclipse Messi’s record-shattering haul of Ballons d’Or. Yamal finished second in the 2025 Golden Ball vote, behind Ousmane Dembele, but has time very much on his side – unlike Alba and Busquets.

The tall fast bowler picked up 9 for 112 to spearhead Zimbabwe to a rare Test match victory

Mohammad Isam23-Apr-2025Blessing Muzarabani was always going to hit the pitch hard. He has the height advantage, and he had already used it well to take six wickets in the match. Could he do the same on the fourth day of a Test match in Bangladesh?He wasn’t supposed to get a lot of purchase out of his method. The straw-coloured surface should have become benign by then. That is how pitches in Sylhet have behaved in the last few years, particularly if you consider how the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka Test match played out last year. The ball on this fourth day was also 57 overs old. The bowler in question had to be a little tired, this being his fifth or sixth spell in the match.Second ball, Muzarabani bumped one into Najmul Hossain Shanto. The left-hander, on 60 off 104, rolled his wrists over the ball to try and keep the pull down, but it didn’t work. The bounce coupled with the angle of the ball going across him was too much. Muzarabani’s eyes lit up when the ball took the top edge, and his celebration knew no bounds when Victor Nyauchi took a tumbling catch diving forward at fine leg.Related

'It was my fault ' – Shanto takes blame for Sylhet defeat

Zimbabwe seal Sylhet thriller to complete first away Test win since 2021

Zimbabwe had got rid of Bangladesh’s batting lynchpin at an ideal time. They had done a similar thing in the first innings when they got Shanto just as Bangladesh were turning a corner. This time, Zimbabwe struck before Bangladesh could even sit down properly in the dressing room.”Getting Shanto out as early as that in the first over was great for us,” the captain Craig Ervine said. “We wanted to get early wickets. I thought the way Blessing started was outstanding. He gave us the opportunity to put the squeeze on [even though] Jaker Ali played a really good role at the bottom end.”Blessing was our strike bowler in this Test match. I was giving him short bursts. I thought Richie [Ngarava] and Vicky [Nyauchi] had important roles holding the attack. Welly [Masakadza] and [Wessly Madhevere] bowled well too. In between those spells, it was important not to leak too many runs. When Blessing came back and bowled in the majority of his spells, he caused a lot of problems.”Muzarabani’s five-wicket haul came soon afterwards, when he had Mehidy Hasan Miraz caught at gully. Mehidy was always batting half expecting a bouncer, and half hoping for a full ball. He was caught between the two, and the bat came down late. Brian Bennett took the catch.

“The change room is going to be nervous. We are not familiar being in these sorts of positions, chasing in the fourth innings. It was more nerves of wanting to get over the line, wanting the win more than anything else”Craig Ervine on the tense finale

Bangladesh lost three wickets in the first 5.3 overs of the day. Jaker struck the ball around for a while, but he was simply delaying the inevitable, batting with the Bangladesh tail. When he was starting to look a bit too comfortable, Ervine brought back Muzarabani for one last burst.Again, the tall fast bowler took just two balls to do his job. Jaker couldn’t quite hit him over midwicket, with Nick Welch settling under a catch at the boundary. Muzarabani’s prophecy of trying to keep Bangladesh below a 200-run lead came true, thanks to him.Ervine said he rated Muzarabani highly, as he has now impressed with both the red and the white ball. He is slowly making an impact in some of the T20 leagues too, having played in the ILT20, the CPL, the PSL and the T20 Blast.”I think he [Muzarabani] would be up there,” Ervine said. “He has the experience through red ball and playing various leagues. He has the mindset. He has shown his ability. I am really excited to see where he goes in his career in all formats.”Blessing Muzarabani picked up 9 for 112 in the Sylhet Test•AFP/Getty ImagesMuzarabani took 7 for 58 against Ireland in Zimbabwe’s previous Test in February this year. He also took 6 for 95 in the match before that, against Afghanistan. Both were in defeats but this time, his combined tally of 9 for 112 got the team over the line.There was chatter during Zimbabwe’s stumble in their chase of 174 whether Muzarabani may have to come out to hit the winning runs. Luckily for them, Ngarava and Madhevere completed the three-wicket win.”The change room is going to be nervous. We are not familiar being in these sorts of positions, chasing in the fourth innings,” Ervine said. “It was more nerves of wanting to get over the line, wanting the win more than anything else.”Whether or not Zimbabwe get a pitch that responds to fast bowling in Chattogram next week, they have shown enough pluck here in Sylhet. They got in trouble a few times, but fought hard to get back into the game. Muzarabani epitomised this mindset. He bowled superb up front, and had plenty left in the tank for those crucial second and third spells. That’s where Bangladesh lost the Test.

The NWSL has seen remarkable growth in its second season on ESPN platforms, with viewership reaching record levels. According to Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel, the league’s average viewership for the 2025 regular season rose 61 percent compared to the previous year, while Spanish-language broadcasts grew by an impressive 109 percent from the 2024 average audience.

Getty Images SportRecord-breaking audience numbers

The 17-match schedule broadcast across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, Disney+, and ESPN Deportes averaged 228,000 viewers (P2+), a sharp increase from 141,000 during the 2024 season – the NWSL’s inaugural year on ESPN.

This surge reflects the broader rise in women’s sports viewership across ESPN platforms, joining record-setting audiences for both the WNBA and NCAA Women’s Basketball. The league’s partnership with presenting sponsor Ally has further bolstered its media presence, ensuring consistent visibility across multiple broadcast and streaming outlets.

AdvertisementESPN expands playoff coverage

The 2025 NWSL Playoffs kicked off with expanded coverage on November 7, highlighted by a special edition of , ESPN’s weekly studio show dedicated to professional women’s soccer.

Hosted by Cristina Alexander and featuring expert analysis from former USWNT defender Ali Krieger, the program included an exclusive one-on-one interview with Portland Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultrie as she prepared for her club’s quarterfinal clash against the San Diego Wave.

ImagnQuarterfinal matchups showcased league's competitiveness

The 2025 NWSL quarterfinals concluded with four teams advancing to the semifinals and several closely contested matches highlighting the league’s parity. Top-seeded Kansas City Current (21-3-2) were eliminated in a major upset by No. 8 seed NJ/NY Gotham FC (9-8-9), marking the first time in league history that an eighth seed has won a playoff match.

Three of the four quarterfinal games were decided by a single goal or required extra time, with only one ending in a two-goal margin. The results underscored the competitiveness across the league and set the stage for an evenly matched semifinal round in the race for the 2025 NWSL Championship.

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Viewership growth reflects momentum

The surge in NWSL viewership comes during a transformative period for women’s sports broadcasting, driven by ESPN’s expanded investment and dedicated programming. With playoff audiences typically surpassing regular-season figures, ESPN expects strong postseason numbers leading up to the 2025 NWSL Championship on Nov. 23.

Bangladesh coasted home in just 13.1 overs, achieving their third-quickest T20I chase

Abhimanyu Bose01-Sep-2025Bangladesh surged to a 2-0 lead in their three-match series against Netherlands with another comfortable win in the second T20I in Sylhet. Netherlands’ batting failed once again, failing to punish the hosts for some sloppy fielding, and seven of their batters were dismissed for single-digit scores as they slumped to 103 all out.Nasum Ahmed, who replaced Rishad Hossain for this game, finished with three wickets, while Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman continued their wicket-taking form with two apiece.Tanzid Hasan then hit an unbeaten half-century as Bangladesh romped to victory in 13.1 overs, making it their third-quickest chase in T20Is (where overs weren’t reduced).Nasum deals early double-blowEven though Max O’Dowd flicked the first ball for a boundary, it was a cagey start for Netherlands, including a missed run-out chance when Mahedi Hasan failed to collect a throw cleanly at the non-striker’s end in the first over with Vikramjit Singh short of his crease.Nasum’s introduction in the third over brought Bangladesh their first breakthrough, and then another.It was more poor execution of shots than the quality of bowling that brought about the wickets, as O’Dowd skied a half-tracker to mid-on and Teja Nidamanuru miscued a cut off another short ball to short third to give Nasum two in two.Vikramjit kept the boundaries coming, cover-driving Mahedi and sweeping Nasum fine before punching the left-arm spinner through point.But he tried to ramp a slower ball from Taskin in the sixth over, got cramped for room, and ended up spooning a catch to short third.Bangladesh sloppy in the fieldTaskin could have had his second off the next ball when Shariz Ahmad skied the ball attempting a swipe across the line but Tanzim Hasan Sakib, who had taken a good catch off the previous delivery, slipped at deep third and spilled the chance.Bangladesh’s sloppiness in the field continued next over, when they failed to capitalise on a mix-up: Towhid Hridoy first tried to run to the stumps from extra-cover, with the ball, and then sent an underarm throw off-target.But Netherlands couldn’t capitalize as Scott Edwards failed to clear mid-on in the ninth over, with Parvez Hossain Emon taking a good catch running back to give Mustafizur his first wicket.Where Bangladesh let simpler chances go, Saif Hassan produced a moment of brilliance to leave Netherlands five down in the tenth over. He dived to his right to stop a flick from Shariz, leaving non-striker Noah Croes, who had set off for a single before turning back, short of his ground with a direct hit.Taskin Ahmed was among the wickets again•BCBDutt resists, but bowlers have final sayFive became six next ball as a Tanzim bouncer cramped Shariz, who could only glove it behind down the leg side.Sikander Zulfiqar, brought into the XI to bolster Netherlands’ batting, made just two before Mustafizur hit the top of his off stump for his second wicket of the evening.Taskin and Nasum then added to their tallies before Aryan Dutt hauled Netherlands past 100, hitting the only six of the innings off Taskin in the process. But he bottom-edged Mahedi onto his stumps as he tried to go for another big shot, ending Netherlands’ innings on 103 with 2.3 overs left unused.Dutt top-scored with 30 and was one of only three Netherlands batters to record double-digit scores.Emon navigates tricky powerplayBangladesh openers rode their luck in the first couple of overs, with Emon top-edging a reverse-sweep over the keeper and missing out on a conventional sweep.But they enjoyed pace on the ball, with both Emon and Tanzid launching medium-pacer Kyle Klein over mid-off for boundaries.Emon was given out lbw off Paul van Meekeren, but he survived upon reviewing and responded by whipping him behind square leg for four and launching him down the ground for Bangladesh’s first six.However, Klein struck in the final over of the powerplay as Emon lost shape trying to hit a length ball down the ground and ended up edging behind.Tanzid, Litton finish the jobEmon’s wicket came during a spell of 15 balls without a boundary, and Litton broke it with a reverse-sweep behind point off Daniel Doram.When O’Dowd was introduced in the ninth over, Tanzid welcomed him with a six down the ground. In the next over, Tanzid tried to go down the ground again off Doram and was given a life with O’Dowd spilling the chance at long-on.Tanzid slogged O’Dowd over midwicket for a four and a six in his next over, the 12th of the innings, and brought up his half-century off 39 balls in the 13th. The rest of the chase was a formality, and Tanzid sealed the win with a slap down the ground.