After a spectacular display of fireworks lit up the start of the final of the inaugural Pakistan Super League in Dubai, Dwayne Smith produced the cricketing equivalent of it, firing Islamabad United to the title
ESPNcricinfo staff23-Feb-2016 Scorecard and ball-by-ball details2:24
‘PSL can help Pakistani youngsters’ – Misbah
After a spectacular display of fireworks lit up the start of the final of the inaugural Pakistan Super League in Dubai, Dwayne Smith produced the cricketing equivalent of it, firing Islamabad United to the title. He struck 73 off 51 balls, 52 of them through boundaries. Smith’s effort came after Quetta Gladiators had put up a challenging 174 with fluent half-centuries from Ahmed Shehzad and Kumar Sangakkara. Islamabad captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who had termed the PSL almost like a “World Cup” at the toss, sealed the victory with a flick past midwicket and sparked off wild celebrations.Smith, who had struggled to get the ball off the square during his 37-ball 19 in the third qualifier against Peshawar Zalmi, got into his shot-making stride right away on Tuesday night, cracking fours off his second and third balls. He then followed it up with a brace of fours in the next over, off spinner Nathan McCullum, who was bowling for the first time in the tournament. Nathan managed to bowl PSL’s only centurion Sharjeel Khan, who had been added to Pakistan’s World T20 and Asia Cup squads, for only 12, but Smith continued his slap-happy strokeplay and raised a fifty off 32 balls.Smith was dismissed when he sent a top-edge to Kevin Pietersen to backward point in the 16th over, but Brad Haddin, whose knock was a more measured one, remained unbeaten on 61 off 39 balls, his third fifty of the tournament. Islamabad ultimately won emphatically with six wickets and eight balls to spare.They had begun on a positive note as well with fast bowler Mohammad Irfan striking in the first over to dismiss opener Bismillah Khan for a duck. Pietersen, playing his third T20 final this season after the Ram Slam and Big Bash League, promised much before holing out to deep square leg for 18; Asif Ali completing an excellent catch. Sangakkara and Shehzad then married power and timing in an 87-run partnership, highlighted by Sangakkara’s extra-cover drive for six off Mohammad Sami, for the third wicket. The pair ensured that Quetta motored past 100 by the 13th over.Sangakkara, however, was caught by Imran Khalid at long-on off Russell for 55, in the 15th over. Sangakkara’s exit set in motion a flurry of wickets as Quetta lost four wickets in four overs at the death. Anwar Ali swung wildly and connected a six before he became Russell’s third victim. It meant that Russell went past Wahab Riaz to finish as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 16 scalps. Grant Elliott lifted the last ball of the innings for a six but Quetta’s joy was short-lived.
West Ham all but sealed their spot in the Europa Conference League quarter-finals as they eased to a 2-0 win against AEK Larnaca in Cyprus.
Two goals from the much-lamented Michail Antonio eased the pressure on David Moyes following last weekend’s embarrassing defeat against Brighton, although his side were always expected to win against the Cypriot minnows.
While Antonio impressed on his return to the side, contributing two impressive finishes on Thursday evening, it was arguably Said Benrahma who was Moyes’ star performer against Larnaca.
How did Benrahma perform versus Larnaca?
As per Sofascore, the Algeria international would earn an impressive 8.2/10 rating for his performance, which was the best of any player to feature in the game from both sides.
The former Brentford man was instrumental in the Hammers’ opener, as he sent Larnaca’s right back to the shops before whipping in a delightful cross, which Antonio simply had to steer home.
This was just one of two big chances that the 27-year-old would create on Thursday, with Antonio missing a chance for his hat-trick when he hit the post in the second half.
Benrahma looked extremely assured in possession and dangerous every time he received the ball, completing 24 of his 27 attempted passes with an 89% success rate, which is an improvement on his 84.6% average in the Premier League so far this season.
The wide man, who touched the ball on 42 occasions, played two key passes, registered three shots and completed four dribbles in total, which again is a significant improvement on the 1.4 key passes, 1.9 shots and 1.5 dribbles he has averaged in the top flight.
It was something of a surprise when Moyes decided to take him off just after the hour mark, as he also contributed in defence, winning six of his seven duels on the night and completing two tackles, which again is impressive given he has managed just 0.7 tackles per game in the Premier League.
This wasn’t the first time that the Algerian winger has impressed in Europe, as he also earned a huge amount of praise from Joe Cole last season after a strong performance against Genk.
Cole said on BT Sport (via Read West Ham): Tonight at times he was unplayable. Fantastic, that’s how good he is, as soon as he saw the defender and squared him up, he knew he was in control of the situation. The finish was exquisite.”
West Ham fans will be hoping that the decision to sub Benrahma was simply to rest him ahead of Sunday’s big fixture against Aston Villa, where a defeat will surely spell the end for Moyes at the London Stadium.
On Wednesday, the 31-year-old slugger agreed to a five-year, $155 million deal with the Orioles, ending his time with the Mets, who selected him with the 64th pick in the 2016 MLB draft.
Alonso played seven seasons in New York, and in that time, he made five All-Star teams and set the franchise record for home runs (264). The hulking first baseman also became a fan favorite, earning the nickname “Polar Bear” and entrenched himself as the face of the franchise.
Now he’s headed to Baltimore to join a loaded lineup that will be among the best in baseball on paper. The move is fairly shocking, as most believed the Mets and Alonso would reach a deal. But after a bruising contract fight with the team last offseason, the relationship may have been damaged.
After a lengthy negotiation, Alonso agreed to a two-year, $54 million deal with an opt-out after 2025. He exercised that option in October and went in search of a longer, more lucrative deal. It didn’t take long to find it.
Mets fans and the baseball world reacted to the shocking news on social media. We’ve put some of the best reactions below.
Pete Alonso’s career numbers
Alonso was in a much better negotiating position this offseason after putting up excellent numbers in 2025. He slashed .272/.347/.524, with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs. His wRC+ of 141 approached a career-high, and he produced 3.6 fWAR. His OPS (.871) represented almost a 100-point jump from 2024 (.788). He won his first Silver Slugger thanks to his bounce back campaign.
While he’s a subpar defender at first base, Alonso’s bat has never been in question. He carries a career wRC+ of 132 and has been above 120 in each of his seven MLB seasons. He boasts a career slash line of .253/.341/.516, with 264 home runs, and 712 RBIs. The 2024 campaign was the only time his OPS dipped below .800 for a full seasons.
Alonso is also remarkably durable. He has never missed more than 10 games in a season and has played in 1,008 of a possible 1,032 games during his seven-year career. He has played in all 162 games in each of the past two seasons.
The Orioles are adding a durable, consistent slugger to what was already a loaded lineup. It’s also worth noting that if you overlay Alonso’s hitting performance from 2025 at Camden Yards, his home run total would jump.
When West Ham United appointed David Moyes for a second spell in December 2019, it was met with mixed response from supporters, with some waxing over the suitability of a manager who knows the club and can orchestrate an exit from relegation danger, and others scratching their heads.
Many thought his arrival was somewhat regressive, a wariness in ambition and a failure to act with conviction and propel the club into the upper end of the Premier League.
He had previously led the Hammers for a short stint and departed upon the expiry of his contract after just six months in charge, but his return catalysed a club seeking a return to prominence, and he has now orchestrated illustrious success unseen in east London for many decades.
Indeed, after successfully preserving the Hammers' top-flight status with improved form in the latter phase of the 2019/20 campaign, Moyes has since led his team to successive European campaigns, making shrewd signings and developing a rock-solid collective understanding of the system and individual roles on the pitch.
Despite struggling in the Premier League last season, West Ham triumphed in the Europa Conference League and brought home the first slice of major silverware since 1980, when the club won the FA Cup.
And now, a successful summer transfer window has rekindled the verve in its entirety, with three wins from the opening five matches of the league season setting the club in good stead for a shot at landing a European spot once again.
That's despite the departure of Declan Rice to Arsenal in July, with the Irons' club-record sale, as formidable as he is, proving to have been a stunning piece of business after rising through the youth ranks.
When did West Ham sign Declan Rice?
At age 14, Rice was released from Chelsea's prestigious Cobham academy, and after a brief trial period with Fulham, it was West Ham who decided to nurture the precocious youngster's talents in 2013, guiding him through his formative years with a belief that he could one day break into the senior set-up.
And that he did. Rice signed his first professional contract at 16 years old and proclaimed himself a "leader", oozing age-belying confidence in his future at the highest level.
Big words? Maybe. But Rice was bang on the money and always knew that his blend of application and natural talent would serve him well as he ascended the ranks, and after making his competitive debut in May 2018 in an away win in the English top-flight over Burnley, handed by Moyes during the Scotsman's first stint at the outfit, interestingly, he swiftly asserted himself as one of English football's most promising talents.
Football Transfers has documented the player's meteoric rise over the years, with Rice quickly moving from an unknown commodity to a £13m-rated prodigy in 2020, having started all 38 fixtures across the 2019/20 league campaign and even captained the side on multiple occasions, still just a teenager.
How much is Declan Rice worth now?
Hailed a "force of nature" by journalist Rob Blanchette, the understanding of the calibre of midfielder that Moyes had on his hands was crystalising, and as his imperious performances showed no sign of waning, he started to attract attention from some of the juggernauts.
They all wanted a piece. Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United all held a vested interest in 2021, and while West Ham held on to their man for as long as possible, it was actually Arsenal who convinced the player to make the cross-London move in July 2023, completing a British record £105m transfer, albeit this was trumped less than one month on as Chelsea signed Moises Caicedo for £115m.
This remarkable, lucrative departure for a player who had made 245 appearances and played a central role in an impressive rise to prominence must go down as a tremendous piece of business.
Having been rated at just £13m only three years before, Rice's value flew up by 708% over that period, and while it stings to see him ply his trade elsewhere, the summer acquisitions look to have been made with a clear vision, and West Ham have retained their overall quality as a club capable of competing for Europe domestically and for titles while on the continental stage itself.
Why is Declan Rice worth that much?
Interestingly praised as a “very good finisher” by former West Ham teammate Thomas Soucek, Rice boasts a multi-functional midfield skill set and one that prompted Arsenal to part with such a staggering sum of money for his services.
Indeed, Rice has only played five times in the Premier League for the Gunners but has already bagged his maiden goal at the most crucial of moments, bundling in from close range to give the Emirates Stadium side the lead in the dying embers of a thrilling 3-1 win against Manchester United.
To summarise his all-round skillset, as per FBref, the 45-cap England international ranks among the top 21% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 16% for pass completion, the top 17% for progressive passes, the top 14% for progressive carries and the top 6% for interceptions per 90.
The £240k-per-week phenom had also been previously heralded while on West Ham's books for his “monster” – as dubbed by ESPN’s David Cartlidge – presence in the centre, and without his rise to the fore under Moyes' wing, it's more than a little unlikely that the outfit's exploits over recent years would have been quite so emphatic.
It's not long into life without Rice at West Ham, but the early signs hint at great promise for Moyes' outfit; while the Englishman was the fulcrum in the middle, immensely talented and all-encompassing, the moves made on the summer transfer market tantalises further riches for West Ham.
The club return to Europa League competition this week, and despite defeat against Pep Guardiola's City last time out, three wins and a draw from the opening five Premier League matches is as good a start as Irons fans could have hoped for.
Rice will eternally remain a beloved figure in east London, with his qualities integral to the illustrious success of recent years, and while his departure this summer was a poignant moment, the club hit the jackpot in cashing in for a staggering sum and effectively replacing him with a talented clutch of exciting new additions.
Glasgow Rangers have been linked with a managerial move for Yokohama F. Marinos' Kevin Muscat, and a reliable journalist has since revealed the chances of him moving to the Scottish Premiership.
What is Kevin Muscat's CV like?
A former professional defender, Muscat began his coaching career as assistant at Melbourne Victory before being handed the main job himself, then he later went on to become technical director and boss at Sint-Truiden, though left that role following his appointment at Yokohama in July 2021, as per Transfermarkt.
However, the 50-year-old’s contract is set to expire in January 2024 and he is yet to put pen to paper on fresh terms, meaning that as it stands, he’s set to leave unless given the opportunity to extend his stay, and this seems to have alerted chiefs at Ibrox according to some reports.
The Light Blues had allegedly been in contact with their target’s camp to discuss the possibility of him taking over from Michael Beale should the hierarchy decide to part ways with their current coach, with the Aussie Scout claiming:
"Understand that Yokohama FM manager and ex-Socceroo Kevin Muscat is considered by Rangers as a candidate to replace Michael Beale were Beale to leave the club. Contact is believed to have been made with associates of Muscat. Muscat won the J-League with Yokohama FM last season."
Are Rangers appointing Kevin Muscat?
Taking to X, however, The Daily Record's Andy Newport was quick to shut down claims that Rangers were considering a swoop for Muscat with his own updatem confirming that the rumours that have emerged are seemingly fake… at least for now.
"Sources at Rangers say no truth in this whatsoever."
Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale.
Rangers dismissing the noise that they are thinking about getting rid of Beale clearly shows that they still have faith in him, but should they for any reason have a change of heart regarding his position in the near future, Muscat could be a perfect candidate to succeed him in the dugout north of the border.
At Yokohama, the manager has taken charge of 98 games, and from that, has recorded 57 victories, 17 draws and 24 defeats, meaning that he’s taken 188 points from a possible 294 whilst averaging 1.92 points per match in a more balanced league than the Premiership, via Transfermarkt.
The Crawley-born talent, whose preferred formation is a 4-3-3 defensive set-up, also has the silverware as proof of his success having secured three trophies since the start of his coaching career, the first being the Australian Champion at Melbourne and more recently being crowned Japanese Champion and Japanese Super Cup winner at the Nissan Stadium.
Therefore, Muscat knowing what it takes to compete and be successful, not to mention that he spent a year at the club during his playing days from 2002-2003, so he's no stranger to what is required to achieve in Glasgow, and with the uncertainty surrounding his contract situation, this could be one to keep a close eye on if a change at the helm were to happen.
England Lions 171 for 3 (Hain 54*, Davies 48) beat West Indies A 166 (Chase 67, Parkinson 4-26) ScorecardEngland Lions achieved a consolation seven-wicket win at the end of their disappointing tour of the Caribbean, thanks to an unbeaten 50 from Sam Hain against West Indies A in Antigua.Once again, the Lions had to overcome a batting slump, as they lost three wickets for four runs, but Hain and Sam Northeast came together to put on 80, to take their side home at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.Matt Parkinson, the Lancashire legspinner, was the pick of the Lions bowlers, taking four wickets, while Richard Gleeson and Sam Curran took two apiece with the new ball.Roston Chase’s 67 had helped the hosts set 166, but once Alex Davies and Nick Gubbins put on 87 for the first wicket, the match was firmly in the Lions’ grasp.After West Indies won the toss and chose to bat, they were quickly reduced to 28 for 3, with Kieran Powell hooking Gleeson to fine leg before Jermaine Blackwood holed out to third man.Curran then bowled Devon Thomas for 5 to keep up the pressure, and though Chase found support in a fifty-run stand with Jahmar Hamilton, Parkinson returned to mop up the tail.The Lions started their response positively, with Gubbins and Davies both latching on to any loose deliveries from the Windies bowlers.Gubbins eventually pulled a Cornwall half-tracker straight to Blackwood on the boundary before Davies miscued an attempted ramp off Reifer, and when Jennings was trapped lbw by Cornwall for a duck, the pressure was beginning to build.However, Hain and Northeast carried the Lions over the line to record their first win in any of the unofficial internationals on this tour, following a clean sweep for West Indies A in the Test series.
The South African is set to join the team in a coaching role although Daniel Vettori will remain part of the management group
Nagraj Gollapudi19-Dec-2017Former South Africa batsman and India coach Gary Kirsten is likely to return to the IPL in a coaching role at Royal Challengers Bangalore. Although the franchise has not yet made the news public, Kirsten will handle the coaching responsibilities although a defined role is yet to be established. Daniel Vettori, who has been head coach in the past, will remain part of the management group.Kirsten’s first coaching stint in the IPL lasted all of two years, ending after Delhi Daredevils removed him as their head coach in 2015. Kirsten had signed a three-year contract with Daredevils in 2014, but the franchise ended terms with him following two seasons in which they finished eighth and seventh on the points table. Numbers-wise, Kirsten’s IPL coaching record was far from flattering: Daredevils won only seven out of 28 matches, with 20 defeats across the two seasons.Despite suffering that dent on his CV, Kirsten has managed to stay afloat. This week he makes his debut in the Big Bash League as the coach of Hobart Hurricanes. Kirsten was shortlisted for the job by the former Tasmanian and Australian pair of Ricky Ponting and David Boon, as the Hurricanes needed a replacement for Damien Wright, who had parted ways with the team after a second-from-bottom finish in the 2016-17 BBL.Despite his struggles in the T20 format, Kirsten’s reputation as a coach remains strong. He is one of the few coaches to have taken two teams to the top of the ICC Test ranking – India in 2009 and South Africa in 2012.Vettori took over as Royal Challengers’ head coach before the 2014 IPL, which the team finished in seventh place. In 2015 they finished third in the league stage and lost the second Qualifier to Chennai Super Kings. The next year, led by Virat Kohli, Royal Challengers marched into the final with phenomenal performances in the league stage but they ended runners-up to Sunrisers Hyderabad. This was followed by a poor 2017 season, which they ended at the bottom of the table with only three wins from 14 matches, with Kohli sitting out the initial part of the season to recuperate from a shoulder injury.Along with Kohli, Royal Challengers are expected to retain South Africa batsman AB de Villiers and could be tempted to use the right-to-match card for India legspinner Yuzuvendra Chahal and possibly the West Indies batsman Chris Gayle.
Cheslea boss, Mauricio Pochettino, admitted that his full-back, Malo Gusto, was perhaps lucky to remain on the field after a challenge on Willian.
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Gusto escaped red for challenge on Willian
Chelsea won 1-0 thanks to Palmer penalty
Chelsea climb to eighth above Man Utd and Newcastle
WHAT HAPPENED?
With the score still at 0-0, Gusto reached to challenge Willian but caught the former Chelsea winger's ankle in what appeared a rash tackle. Chelsea would go on to score just 10 minutes later and win the game 1-0. Fulham will feel aggrieved the card Gusto received was yellow and not red, and Pochettino shared his thoughts on the incident after the game.
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WHAT POCHETTINO SAID
Pochettino told t: "It was a challenge, a difficult one for the referees and VAR. We've already suffered some sending offs for actions like this. I'm not going to say nothing, I accept and understand that it was maybe a red card. I don't want to say too much because I've not seen all the angles. That is football though, sometimes it is for you and sometimes it isn't."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Chelsea's victory takes them up to eighth in the Premier League, leapfrogging Manchester United and Newcastle. Although the sides around them have games in hand, the Blues boss will be pleased to see his side reestablishing themselves higher up the table after a dismal 2023.
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WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?
The Blues have work to do in the second leg of the Carabao Cup following a shock 1-0 defeat to Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium. They host Boro on January 23.
Michael Rippon coupled his three-for with an unbeaten half-century•Peter Della Penna
An unbroken fifth-wicket century stand, set up by fifties from Peter Borren and Michael Rippon, helped Netherlands cruise to a six-wicket victory at Buffalo Park, with seven balls remaining, after Kenya were restricted to 226 for 7 in their 50 overs.While Borren, the Netherlands captain, had gone wicketless in the two economical overs he sent down, his returns with the bat were more impressive as he notched up his 12th List A half-century, clobbering eight fours en route to his 98-ball 86. Batting at No. 4, he took charge of the chase after the top three batsmen fell for scores in the twenties, with only 85 runs on the board. He put on 129 runs with Rippon, who added a 74-ball 56 not out to his bowling figures of 3 for 30.Kenya’s troubles with the bat started early as they lost both their openers within seven overs of their innings for only 18 runs. Batting at No. 3, 22-year old Dhiren Gondaria, who amassed 53 off 60 balls, subsequently led a part of restoration work through an 81-run stand with captain Rakep Patel (29) at a steady rate of 5.40. The latter’s dismissal in the 22nd over, however, led to Kenya losing 3 for 18 in nearly nine overs, all three wickets falling to Rippon. Collins Obuya and Nelson Odhiambo arrested the slump, adding 95 runs for the sixth wicket. Nelson’s 39 abetted Obuya’s 77-ball 72 – peppered with two fours and four sixes – and shepherded Kenya past 200. Kenya were also buoyed by a late surge that saw them amass 51 runs in the last four overs.Rippon’s left arm wristspin was ably complemented by medium-pacer Timm van der Gugten, whose two timely wickets – opener Alex Obanda and Nelson – further dented Kenya’s chances of posting a score in excess of 250.
Laura Forde, the wife of Wrexham star Anthony, has revealed how Ryan Reynolds helped her to escape the “living nightmare” that engulfed her family.
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Laura Forde diagnosed with brain tumourTold see may only have a matter of months to liveReynolds helped to get a second opinionWHAT HAPPENED?
Within days of welcoming son Paddy into the world, Laura Forde was informed that she had an inoperable brain tumour after going for a routine MRI scan. It was claimed that the tumour was malignant and that she may only have a matter of months to live. Wrexham co-owner Reynolds then helped Forde and his partner to get a second opinion, with another neurosurgeon delivering a more optimistic assessment following another biopsy – with it revealed six weeks later that the tumour was in fact benign and the initial diagnosis had been wrong.
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Laura Forde has told the of an emotional and scary period for all concerned: “We said then we didn't want to know how long. Paddy was four weeks old and I am being told basically that I may not see my son turn a year old. No word of a lie, I was planning my funeral as I was doing those night feeds. I was crying silently. It was a really low time. A living nightmare. It was a very low time. In the first few months after giving birth, a woman is severely all over the place hormonally, not to mind getting this landed on me. Emotionally, it was just a roller coaster. I was initially in shock and disbelief. I was in such a vulnerable place that I felt I should be happier about this. But I had just been through the worst seven weeks imaginable with my newborn baby. I have PTSD as a result. I am going to counselling. I am not ashamed to say that.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The Fordes saw their story covered on the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary series, with Anthony adding his voice to those singing the praise of Reynolds and his fellow co-chairman Rob McElhenney – who have committed fully to helping the local community on and off the field. Forde said: “They are such normal people and there is not a chance that they would do this for publicity. They don't need it. I remember saying to Ryan 'I can't thank you enough' and he said, 'People have helped me too.'”
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Forde took a much-needed break following his wife’s initial diagnosis, but returned to action in time to play an important role in Wrexham’s National League title-winning campaign. He has remained a regular in Phil Parkinson’s plans this season as the Red Dragons take aim at securing promotion into League One.