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Ireland have not played a Test since July 2019

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Feb-2021No Irish first-class cricket will be played for a second consecutive season, after Cricket Ireland announced a revamped inter-provincial structure for 2021.The Inter-Provincial Championship, the Irish domestic multi-day competition, has had first-class status since the 2017 season, paving the way for Ireland to become a full member of the ICC, but the tournament was not staged last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and will not be held in 2021 as Ireland focus their efforts on limited-overs cricket.Ireland have not played a Test match since July 2019, when they threatened to cause an upset against England at Lord’s, and are not due to play another until December, when they have a one-off fixture scheduled against Sri Lanka. Their ‘A’ side, the Ireland Wolves, will play a four-day game in Bangladesh later this month, but further red-ball development opportunities will continue to be limited.”With regards to the red-ball format, with no summer Test scheduled in 2021, Cricket Ireland has prioritised white-ball cricket due to there being three white-ball World Cups over the next three years,” a statement said. “However, [we] will be exploring ways to reintroduce the Inter-Provincial Championship when both the pandemic and consequential financial situation permits.”After Leinster Lightning’s domination of the inter-provincial tournaments since their introduction in 2013, Cricket Ireland has overhauled the domestic system to maximise the possibility of “best v best” competition.Previously, talent has been concentrated in Leinster to the extent that players on the fringes of the national set-up have struggled to make their XI, while the other teams – North West Warriors, Northern Knights and, in T20, Munster Reds – have not competed at the same standard.Under the new system, Graham Ford and Andrew White – the national team’s head coach and chair of selectors respectively – will be involved in selecting core squads, rather than provincial union coaches and selectors. “The selectors will adopt a selection policy that, as far as possible, balances the need to strength the tournament via best v best against ensuring the strength of provincial union identity,” the statement said.Related

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A new loan system will also be introduced in 2021 to make squads more flexible, while the Munster Reds will also compete in the 50-over competition, though their coaching hub will be based in Dublin with guidance from Cricket Ireland.The 50-over competition will be played in a double-round-robin series, with each team playing six games in total, while the T20 tournament will be played as a series of three-day festivals. The season will run from May to September, and a new emerging team competition will also be staged.”It is widely acknowledged that more cricket is needed and there is a burning desire for more rounds of both white-ball formats to be played, as well as eventually returning to red-ball three- or four-day first class cricket,” said Richard Holdsworth, Cricket Ireland’s high performance director.”This is an exciting day for domestic representative cricket across Ireland, as we start to move forward with some substantial reforms to the men’s game. A viable and sustainable inter-provincial structure feeding talent into the international set-up is crucial for the competitiveness of our senior side on the world stage.””The ‘best v best’ philosophy seeks to ensure we don’t have a host of talented players sitting on the sidelines, and that they are getting proper competitive cricket. Balancing this with the need to maintain a sense of regional identity was an important piece of these improvements – and will be one of the main components of ensuring that regional coaches are working closely with national coaches.”Ireland are due to play men’s international fixtures against Pakistan, South Africa and Zimbabwe in their home 2021 season, as well as a three-match World Cup Super League series in the Netherlands. They were beaten 3-0 by Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi this month, having drawn 1-1 with the UAE immediately before.

Manchester United have now made a U-turn and made contact with Casemiro’s agent over a new contract, and the midfielder’s stance on signing a new deal has been revealed.

Kobbie Mainoo has been unable to get a look-in as of late, with Ruben Amorim predominantly opting to give the former Real Madrid man the nod in central midfield, alongside Bruno Fernandes, who has been utilised in a deeper role this season.

Consequently, it is now looking increasingly likely that Mainoo will depart in the January transfer window, with the youngster potentially in line to follow Scott McTominay to Napoli, despite the fact Amorim wants to keep hold of him.

With the central midfielder’s place in the World Cup squad at stake, it is understandable that he is looking to receive more game time ahead of the summer, but Amorim is in a tricky position, given that Casemiro has been indispensable this term.

Recently, the 33-year-old has even been compared to United icon Nemanja Vidic, and it has subsequently emerged that he could be rewarded with a new contract as a result of his fine form, despite widespread reports suggesting United have been hesitant to offer him fresh terms.

Casemiro's stance on signing new contract at Man Utd revealed

According to a report from United In Focus, Man United have now performed a U-turn and contacted the midfielder’s agent about a contract extension, with transfer expert Graeme Bailey revealing Amorim’s stance on one of his star players signing a new deal.

Bailey said: “I’m told Amorim would be open to him staying, and if Casemiro is ready to take a drop in salary and work with United on a deal, it is not inconceivable that he stays.”

Not only is the manager open to keeping hold of the veteran midfielder, but the player himself is also personally receptive to the idea of remaining at Old Trafford, and positive talks have already been held.

The ex-Real Madrid star has certainly turned a corner since Jamie Carragher infamously told him he was finished at the top level and to move to Saudi Arabia or the MLS.

Indeed, the 80-time Brazil international has only missed one Premier League match this season, which was due to suspension, amassing three goals and one assist in his opening ten matches.

Of course, the five-time Champions League winner is more well-known for his stellar defensive attributes, and his ability to win back possession has been on display regularly over the past year, averaging 4.09 tackles per 90, which places the maestro in the top 1% of midfielders.

Consequently, it would make sense to offer Casemiro a new deal, but it would have to be at reduced wages, given his age, with the central midfielder currently the highest-earning player in the squad.

Man Utd's highest earners have been named and ranked Weekly wages: Manchester United FC 2025/26 highest-paid players

We at Football FanCast have gathered all the information on exactly how much the wages of each player is at Manchester United.

ByLuke Randall Sep 4, 2025

Also: was Travis Head’s 154 not out the highest score by an Australian in an ODI in England?

Steven Lynch24-Sep-2024Was Travis Head’s 154 not out the highest score by an Australian in an ODI in England? asked Michael Carpenter from Australia
That superb innings from Travis Head in the first one-day international at Trent Bridge last week was the highest ODI score by an Australian against England in England, beating Shane Watson’s 143 in Southampton in 2013.But there has been one higher score for Australia in all ODIs in England: David Warner hammered 166 against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge during the 2019 World Cup. The only score higher than Head’s for Australia against England in any ODI is 161 not out, by Watson again, in Melbourne in 2011.Marnus Labuschagne had a remarkable all-round game in the first ODI against England – a fifty, three wickets and four catches. Has anyone done this before? asked Kevin Wilson from Scotland
Marnus Labuschagne saw Australia to victory at Trent Bridge with 77 not out, having earlier taken three wickets and four catches in England’s innings.Two others have added a half-century to three wickets and three catches in the same ODI: Australia’s Greg Matthews, against New Zealand in Auckland in 1986, and Jacques Kallis of South Africa, against West Indies in Centurion in 1999.It’s been achieved in women’s ODIs only by Suzie Bates, for New Zealand against England in Taunton in 2007.Marnus Labuschagne is the only player to score a half-century, take three wickets and four catches in an ODI•AFPIn a recent CPL match, Roshon Primus bowled an over that lasted 13 balls. Was that a T20 record? asked Chris Dowden from Grenada
The ESPNcricinfo database only has ball-by-ball details for about 63% of all T20 matches, but we have unearthed two cases of overs lasting 14 deliveries: by Bhutan’s Thinley Jamtsho against Maldives in Kirtipur (Nepal) in 2019 – the first over of the innings, it contained eight wides – and by Mongolia’s captain Luwsanzundui Erdenebulgan against Japan in Sano (Japan) in 2024. The first over of the match included six wides and two no-balls – and a wicket. In all, Mongolia sent down 21 wides and three no-balls, and were later dismissed for 12.The recent 13-ball over by Roshon Primus came in his only over for Antigua & Barbuda Falcons in their CPL match against Barbados Royals in Bridgetown last week. It was the 12th over of the innings and cost 23: there were four wides and three no-balls – and a wicket, when Quinton de Kock gloved a catch behind.The only other 13-ball over we can find was by Tangeni Lungameni for Namibia v Kenya in East London in 2018. It was his first over, and included seven wides – but he recovered well, sending down no more wides and finishing with 1 for 28 in his four overs.Ravichandran Ashwin has now scored six Test centuries, all from No. 8 or lower, I believe. Is this a record? asked Kiran Mehta from India
Although R Ashwin does now have six Test centuries, following his match-turning effort in the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai last week, only four of them came from No. 8 – he scored two while up at No. 6: 113 in Antigua and 118 in St Lucia during India’s series in the West Indies in 2016.Ashwin has scored four centuries from No. 8, which puts him level with Daniel Vettori of New Zealand, and one ahead of the Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal. Vettori scored his first hundred from No. 9. He leads the way with five Test centuries from No. 8 or lower in the order.Was Keacy Carty the first Test cricketer to emerge from Sint Maarten? asked Darrell Walcott from Barbados
The small Caribbean island of Sint Maarten, a constituent country of the Netherlands, is probably best known for its scary airport, whose runway adjoins the beach, meaning that incoming planes appear to be worryingly close to the sea before skimming over anxious holidaymakers. But you’re right, it does now have another claim to fame: batter Keacy Carty, who was born there in 1997, made his Test debut against South Africa in Port-of-Spain in August. In the second innings he batted briefly with Mikyle Louis, the first West Indian Test cricketer from the island of St Kitts.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

30 clubs have won the Europa League since its inception as the UEFA Cup in 1971.

The competition has given an opportunity to those unable to shine in the Champions League to succeed in Europe, with the likes of Atalanta and Villarreal winning their first European trophies in recent years.

But who are the usual suspects when it comes to Europa League glory? As of 2025, 14 teams have won the tournament on multiple occasions. Here, we have listed them all, from least to most successful.

Rank

Club

Times won

Last win

Sevilla

2023

Tottenham Hotspur

2025

Atletico Madrid

2018

Liverpool

2001

Inter

1998

Juventus

1993

Frankfurt

2022

Chelsea

2019

Porto

2011

Feyenoord

2002

Parma

1999

IFK Goteborg

1987

Real Madrid

1986

Borussia Monchengladbach

1979

14 Borussia Monchengladbach 2 titles (1975, 1979)

Borussia Monchengladbach were the most dominant force in German football in the 1970s, winning the Bundesliga title five times. During that period, they also won the UEFA Cup twice, first in 1975 and then in 1979.

Monchengladbach made the final in 1973 and 1980, but lost to Liverpool and Eintracht Frankfurt respectively.

Former Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes was one of the heroes in 1975, scoring two goals in the second-leg final win over Dutch side Twente.

13 Real Madrid 2 titles (1985, 1986)

Real Madrid are the most dominant club in Champions League history, having won European football’s elite club competition a record 15 times.

They’ve also won the UEFA Cup twice, recording back-to-back wins in 1985 and 1986. In 1985, Los Blancos beat Hungarian side Videoton in the final, while the following year, they got the better of German side Koln. Attacker Emilio Butragueno was among those to play in both triumphs.

Given their success in Europe’s premier competition, Madrid last competed in the UEFA Cup back in the 1994/95 season.

12 IFK Goteborg 2 titles (1982, 1987)

IFK Goteborg remain the only Swedish team in history to have ever won a major European title, having scooped the UEFA Cup in 1982 and 1987. Goteborg beat Hamburg in the final in 1982 under the guidance of Sven-Goran Eriksson, before repeating their feat against Dundee United in 1987.

Striker Stefan Pettersson was on the scoresheet against Dundee United, and when he scored again in the 1992 final – this time for Ajax against Torino – he became the first player in UEFA Cup history to score in multiple finals.

11 Parma 2 titles (1995, 1999)

During the peak of their powers in the 1990s, Parma never won the Italian Serie A, but they did manage to win the Coppa Italia and UEFA Cup twice each during that decade.

Their first UEFA Cup victory came in 1995 when they beat domestic rivals Juventus. Their second came four years later when they beat Marseille after the arrival of a host of would-be and established superstars like Hernan Crespo, Juan Sebastian Veron, Fabio Cannavaro, Lilian Thuram and Enrico Chiesa, scoring some great goals along the way.

10 Feyenoord 2 titles (1974, 2002)

Feyenoord first clinched the UEFA Cup in 1974 when they beat Tottenham Hotspur in the final.

Nearly three decades later in 2002, they won the competition for a second time by beating Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a thrilling affair on home soil at De Kuip. No Dutch club has won a major European competition since.

9 Porto 2 titles (2003, 2011)

In 2002, Jose Mourinho took charge of Porto after barely a season of managing at the top level under his belt.

His limited experience proved not to matter, as in his first season in charge at the Estadio do Dragao, he guided the club to their first-ever UEFA Cup. The following year, he left to join Chelsea.

In 2011, this time under the guidance of Andre Villas-Boas, Porto again won the competition, beating Braga in the final in Dublin. A month later, Villas-Boas left for Chelsea.

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ByBarney Lane Dec 2, 2024 8 Chelsea 2 titles (2013, 2019)

Speaking of Chelsea, like Porto, the Blues have also won the Europa League twice. The first time was in 2013 when they were managed by Rafael Benitez, beating Porto rivals Benfica in the final.

The second time was in 2019 under Maurizio Sarri, when they thumped Arsenal 4-1 in Baku thanks to a brace from Eden Hazard and goals from Olivier Giroud and Pedro.

7 Eintracht Frankfurt 2 titles (1980, 2022)

Eintracht Frankfurt’s two triumphs in European football’s second-tier competition were separated by a whopping 42 years.

The German club first won the title when it was the UEFA Cup in 1980, and then for a second time in 2022. In the 2022 final, Frankfurt beat Scottish club Rangers on penalties after a 1-1 draw, with Colombian Rafael Santos Borre scoring the winning spot-kick.

6 Juventus 3 titles (1977, 1990, 1993)

Juventus are one of only four clubs to have won the UEFA Cup on three occasions.

The Old Lady first scooped the title in 1977, before winning it in 1990 and 1993. In 1993, Juventus thrashed Borussia Dortmund 6-1 across a two-legged final thanks to three goals from Dino Baggio, two from Roberto Baggio and one from Andreas Moller.

However, Dortmund got revenge four years later in the Champions League final when they beat Juve 3-1 with Moller in their team, with the German having moved between the two clubs in 1994.

5 Inter 3 titles (1991, 1994, 1998)

Inter didn’t win a single domestic trophy in the 1990s, but they did win the UEFA Cup three times.

The 1998 final is best remembered for Ronaldo’s masterclass performance, which saw him run Lazio’s Alessandro Nesta ragged and score Inter’s third in an utterly dominant 3-0 win.

Reflecting on Ronaldo’s performance, Nesta later said: “I have watched that game on video so many times since then, trying to work out what I did wrong. We lost 3-0, but I don’t think now it was my fault. Ronaldo was simply unstoppable.”

A pundit has claimed that one member of the Tottenham Hotspur squad won’t be happy with the treatment he’s had from some supporters, and it could be “bugging him” behind-the-scenes at Hotspur Way.

Tottenham face Bournemouth after disappointing 1-1 draw against Fulham

Ange Postecoglou cut a frustrated figure on the touchline after his side dropped points at home to mid-table Fulham over the weekend, with their disappointing 1-1 draw following up their very impressive 4-0 win away to Premier League champions Man City.

New target: Spurs now want to sign £25m defender for Postecoglou in January

He would help fix a major problem area in north London.

ByBen Browning Dec 2, 2024

This has been a reoccurring theme of Spurs’ season so far – wins against elite opposition overshadowed by poor results against teams they’re favourites to beat – with Postecoglou gifting both Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town their first victories of 2024/2025.

Alongside those poor outings, the Lilywhites beat Man United 3-0 at Old Trafford, knocked City out of the Carabao Cup, demolished London rivals West Ham and beat top four rivals Aston Villa 4-1.

Bournemouth vs Tottenham

December 5

Tottenham vs Chelsea

December 8

Southampton vs Tottenham

December 15

Tottenham vs Liverpool

December 22

Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham

December 26

Tottenham are blowing very hot and cold, with Postecoglou not helped by a plethora of injuries to key players, including number one goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and a domestic ban for mainstay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur.

Spurs take on Bournemouth next week, off the back of this questionable run, but one very bright spark of their season so far has been Wales international winger Brennan Johnson.

The £70,000-per-week forward has scored 10 goals in all competitions, standing out as one of their star players, after he was forced to delete his social media accounts due to abuse from a section of critics online.

Johnson’s bagged seven goals in his last nine league games, whilst also playing a major role in their Europa League campaign with three goals in five matches against Ferencvaros, Qarabag and Roma.

He’s a real Postecoglou success story, and it is safe to say that the £47 million signing is proving all of his doubters wrong with some prolific performances on the field. Johnson is also impressing for Wales at international level, and right now, the sky appears the limit for Spurs’ rejuvenated 23-year-old.

Pundit claims Brennan Johnson remains unhappy with Tottenham fans

However, speaking to Tottenham News, pundit and former Spurs scout Bryan King says that Johnson could still be unhappy with a section of Tottenham fans for the abuse he received online – specifically after what he spotted the winger do against Fulham.

“We saw Johnson’s reaction when he scored,” King said.

“He is obviously still not happy with Tottenham fans and comments that have been made about him on social media because he didn’t exactly go into a jubilant celebration when he scored. He made sure people knew how he felt about the way he has been treated by the supporters.

“I thought he had moved past that. However, it still seems to be bugging him.”

Johnson has a chance to prove his worth yet again when Spurs take on Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Thursday, and he could continue to be a key talking point campaign.

Wrexham captain James McClean was allegedly involved in an altercation with a fan after the Red Dragon's controversial 1-0 win over Stockport.

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McClean exchanged words with Stockport fan near tunnelBelligerent fan removed from Racecourse Ground after throwing punchJay Rodriguez scores first goal for WrexhamFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

An angry away fan appeared to engage McClean by the tunnel at half-time. The other party was eventually removed by stewards and police after the fan allegedly aimed a punch at the former Republic of Ireland star. Wrexham and North Wales Police have yet to comment on the incident, per the Mirror.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The incident could do little to sour the mood around the Racecourse Ground on Saturday. Wrexham shot back up into an automatic promotion sport after Jay Rodriguez scored his first goal for the club. The veteran striker's poor penalty was initially saved by Corey Addai, but the ex-Burnley man recovered to scuff the rebound between the onrushing keeper's legs. The penalty was awarded after McClean's header across goal struck defender Ibby Touray's arm.

WHAT DAVE CHALLINOR SAID

Stockport manager Dave Challinor heavily criticised the decision. He said: "I am not going to get myself into trouble by saying what I truly believe.

"It’s not cost us three points because we weren’t good enough to score, but it has cost us point because it was a really, really poor decision."

DID YOU KNOW?

Saturday's latest 1-0 win was Wrexham's 12th victory by that scoreline in the 2024/25 season. Rodriguez's first goal for the Red Dragons came in his tenth appearance for the club.

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jan-2016Martin Guptill, however, was in his zone•AFPHe found support from the ever-consistent Kane Williamson•Getty ImagesTheir 122-run partnership ended when Williamson was caught behind via a deflection off the glove, for 61•Getty ImagesRoss Taylor then joined Guptill and pulled New Zealand further ahead•Getty ImagesGuptill went on to bring up his hundred off 107 balls•Getty ImagesLuke Ronchi and Mitchell Santner provided the finishing touches as New Zealand set Sri Lanka 295•Getty ImagesMatt Henry made early strikes and reduced Sri Lanka to 33 for 3 in the chase•Associated PressAngelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal, though, put their side back on track•Associated PressChandimal was removed for 50 and Thisara Perera followed for 17…•Getty Images…but Mathews, aided by Milinda Siriwardana, pushed on to keep the chase alive•Getty ImagesHenry then came back to pick up the key wicket of Mathews to douse the chase. The visitors eventually fell short by 36 runs•Associated PressThe quick finished with 5 for 40 as New Zealand took the series 3-1•Getty Images

Adam Zampa also collected three wickets, before Steven Smith batted in T20 mode to finish off the match in less than 43 overs

Andrew McGlashan30-Aug-2022Australia raced to an eight-wicket victory in Townsville as the second ODI lasted less than 43 overs after Mitchell Starc had blown Zimbabwe’s top order away to leave him on 199 wickets, and the visitors dismantled for 96.On a pitch that offered considerable help to the fast bowlers, Starc claimed 3 for 15 in his first five-over spell, and would have become the fastest to 200 wickets had Glenn Maxwell held a sharp chance at backward point offered by Luke Jongwe late in the innings. However, he still has two matches in hand to beat Saqlain Mushtaq’s mark of 104 games.Richard Ngarava struck twice in his second over of the defence, including the wicket of Australia captain Aaron Finch for another low score, but the home side needed just 14.4 overs, with Steven Smith playing the “free” T20 mode he spoke about the day before the match as he finished unbeaten in the 40s again.After a few early wides, Starc found the target with a pinpoint yorker to remove Innocent Kaia and then swung one back into Wessly Madhevere to remove the top-scorer from the previous match for a duck. His third wicket was not quite a classic though, as Tadiwanashe Marumani flicked a ball off his pads straight to square legAt the other end, Josh Hazlewood and been miserly with the new ball, and found significant movement off the seam to cause a host of problems which continued when he changed ends to replace Starc. Briefly, he was put under pressure when Sikandar Raza, who had been on 7 off 33 balls until then, pulled him through midwicket and then drove the next ball over long-off for a spectacular six.But two deliveries later, he top-edged a short delivery to deep square leg to remove one of Zimbabwe’s best hope of making it a contest. Speaking the day before the game, coach David Houghton had said he wanted his side to stitch together runs throughout the order, having had various parts of it perform in different matches; but this would not be the day for it.Steven Smith finished unbeaten in the 40s again•Getty ImagesBatters continued to struggle to find the balance between attack and defence, as captain Regis Chakabva followed a couple of handsome shots down the ground by picking out mid-off against Ashton Agar, who had been recalled in place of the injured Mitchell Marsh.Cameron Green, who took a five-wicket haul in the opening match, was the sixth bowler used, but it only took him three deliveries to make an impression with a lifting ball which found Tony Munyonga’s outside edge.Sean Williams, back in the side after an elbow injury kept him out on Sunday, tried to hold the innings together but got a thick edge to short third. That was the first of three quick wickets for Adam Zampa, who helped wrap things up in the 28th over.There appeared to be a Snicko failure when Brad Evans reviewed his lbw, but replays suggested he hadn’t hit it anyway.In the run chase, David Warner was in the mood to get things done quickly but carved down to deep third where Brad Evans held an excellent catch running in. Two balls later, Finch fenced outside off stump and was held at the second attempt by Raza at first slip to once again leave the focus on the captain’s form.There were a few uneasy moments for Smith and Alex Carey as the ball continued to move for the seamers, but the target was quickly hunted down. Smith played one of the shots of the day when he carved a six over deep point and continued to pepper the boundary, but couldn’t take advantage of a free hit from what became the last ball of the game to reach fifty, as it scuttled for four byes.Those attending the final match of the series on Saturday will hope for a better contest, which may require Australia to bat first if they win the toss.

India chase down the target of 100 with 38 balls to spare to improve their net run rate

S Sudarshanan31-Jul-2022India strengthened their dominance over Pakistan in women’s cricket, inflicting a tenth defeat over their neighbours in twelve T20 internationals with an eight-wicket win during their Commonwealth Games clash at Edgbaston on Sunday.In a game that began 55 minutes late owing to on-and-off drizzle and was reduced to 18 overs per side, Pakistan were bowled out for 99 after they opted to bat. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma then made short work of the chase with a 61-run opening partnership to help India pick up their first win in the competition.The victory with 38 balls to spare helped India improve their net run rate to 1.17 from -0.56 after their loss against Australia, while Pakistan’s slid to -1.77 from -0.75, inching them ever so close to an early exit.The gallop to the victory
Chasing 100, Mandhana and Shafali got going against Anam Amin’s spin. Mandhana slinked down the track to smash Amin over mid-on for a six before hitting a full toss past mid-on for four. Mandhana then followed up with three fours in Diana Baig’s next over.Shafali hit Amin for a four and a six in her next over as India raced to 41 in four overs. When the left-right combo took 16 off the last over of the powerplay, bowled by Fatima Sana, they had galloped to 52 for no loss – their seventh fifty-plus partnership in 31 innings.Tuba Hassan was welcomed with a four each by Mandhana and Shafali before the latter feathered an edge to the wicketkeeper. An over later, Mandhana charged to hit Hassan straight over her head to bring up her 15th T20I half-century.Even though Pakistan dismissed S Meghana, Mandhana took India home in the 12th over. She finished unbeaten on 63, her best score in the format against Pakistan and her third fifty-plus score in T20Is in England.Pakistan’s base goes waste
Pakistan’s start with the bat was shaky. Renuka Singh, fresh from a four-wicket haul in the opening game against Australia, began with a maiden over that had Muneeba Ali in a tangle. At the other end, Meghna Singh managed to catch the outside edge of Iram Javed’s poking blade to jolt Pakistan early.But Bismah Maroof and Muneeba steadied the innings with a fifty-run stand for the second wicket. Muneeba was the aggressor, scoring back-to-back fours off Renuka before hitting Meghna for a four – via a top edge – and a majestic six over deep midwicket. Using singles to keep the scorecard moving, Muneeba and Maroof’s scoring pace increased and their alliance got to fifty in just 40 balls. And then it was stalled.Rana turns it around
Sneh Rana had been rested from India’s tour of Sri Lanka in late June and she used the time to work on her fitness at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. She was not picked for the game against Australia but came back into the XI against Pakistan, replacing Rajeshwari Gayakwad.After a quiet first over in which she had both the left-hand batters in a tangle, Rana first trapped Maroof lbw – the Pakistan captain wasted a review too – and a couple of deliveries later, she deceived a set Muneeba with flight and dip to have her caught and bowled. Pakistan were 51 for 3 after nine overs.Ayesha Naseem came in at No. 5 in the absence of Nida Dar, who missed the match with a concussion, and showed a glimpse of why she is highly rated. Using her quick hands, she pulled a length ball from Radha Yadav through midwicket for four. But her attempt at hitting Renuka over cow corner was caught by Jemimah Rodrigues running in from the deep.Radha and Shafali’s spin then managed to keep the rest of the batting quiet as Pakistan lost their last five wickets for three runs in just eight balls to fold for 99.It was never going to be enough.

Some fans have claimed that Mohamed Salah's chances of winning the Ballon d'Or this year are "dead" after Liverpool's exit from the Champions League.

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Fans says Salah's Ballon d'Or hopes overLiverpool exit Champions League at the hands of PSGRaphina billed as new favourite for Golden BallFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Salah, who has had a stellar outing with Liverpool in the 2024-25 campaign so far, was being considered as one of the frontrunners to win the Ballon d'Or in 2025 until Liverpool's Champions League round of 16 second-leg fixture against Paris Saint-Germain. As the French champions progressed to the quarter-finals after beating the Reds 4-1 on penalties at Anfield on Tuesday, many fans claimed that Salah's hopes of winning the Golden Ball are now over. Salah was seen breaking down in tears after the defeat, and some social media users attempted to rub salt in his wounds.

AdvertisementWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

On X, reacting to photos of the emotionally-drained Liverpool star, a fan named Juje Punter wrote: "Balon d'or hopes are dead now. That's his pain. The best chance he possibly got. Soon to be Raphina's award."

Barca Spaces posted: "No Ballon d’Or for him. It’s Raphinha’s."

An X handle named DesmundOris wrote: "He knows his chances of getting the Ballon D’Or just got slimmer. The fear of Raphinha is real."

MOOD-Football posted: "Salah gave everything this season, but football is cruel. From Ballon d'Or frontrunner to crashing out early, this one hurts deep."

Imran Rafiq sympathised with the Egyptian star as he wrote: "Mo Salah has had an outstanding season, but Liverpool's loss to PSG yesterday likely ended his Ballon d'Or chances. This Liverpool side relies heavily on him. He’s bailed them out countless times this season, but yesterday just wasn’t his night."

AFPTHE BIGGER PICTURE

On the day Salah failed to deliver for his team, Barcelona winger Raphinha once again starred for his club with a brace as they thrashed Benfica 3-1 in ther second leg of their tie to progress to the quarter-finals 4-1 on aggregate. The Brazilian is now the top scorer in the Champions League with 11 goals to his name. He has also scored 13 goals in La Liga, which makes him the fourth-highest scorer in Spain. As Raphinha continues with his incredible form, he has now emerged as a serious contender to bag his maiden Ballon d'Or in France later this year.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MOHAMED SALAH?

Salah will now dust himself off before trying to bag his first trophy of the season for his club on Sunday as Liverpool lock horns against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final.