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Jasprit Bumrah’s brilliance made up for Indian errors, while providing a reminder that he cannot do it all on his own

Sidharth Monga22-Jun-20252:53

Aaron: ‘Jasprit Bumrah as good, if not better than Wasim Akram’

India will hopefully learn lessons of relentlessness in Test cricket from the experience of this match. By the time they have to play without Jasprit Bumrah, likely the third Test at Lord’s, they will hope to put up a much more efficient performance in all three departments of the game. Until then, though, they have Bumrah to keep them alive. Even though they really did test his patience with their catching and the areas that the third and fourth seamers bowled.Without Bumrah, the mistakes made by India on the last two days – with bat, ball and in the field – would have played them out of the match. It will be a rotten feeling in the change room given Bumrah is not going to be available for all the Tests. That shouldn’t keep anyone from relishing another masterclass of seam and swing bowling.Not just in the India side, Bumrah has been streets ahead of everyone on show in this Test. For somebody who must have a bit of self-preservation on his mind, Bumrah was the sharpest in pace: consistently the fastest bowler on display despite having to bowl slower balls on this relatively unyielding pitch and also among the three fastest deliveries in the first two innings of the match.Related

• Bumrah: 'I will keep trying to take India forward'

• One short but no picnic for India: How Brook's onslaught changed the Test

• Brook 99 and Bumrah five-for set up one-innings thrash

• Bumrah draws level with Kapil; Brook gets lucky again

At the same time, Bumrah was also the best line-and-length bowler: bowling 53.33% of his deliveries in the 6-8m zone. Nobody else hit the 50% mark. It is as if magically he knows what lengths to bowl. Not that it needs a scientist to tell you that 6-8m is the best length to bowl on most pitches, but more so at Headingley, which is not a hit-the-deck surface.While we can make it sound simple that Test cricket is all about hitting good lengths at good pace, not everyone can do that so effortlessly. Only Mohammed Siraj and Chris Woakes came close to Bumrah’s accuracy in this Test. Neither of them did so immediately. Landing the ball is the basic skill. Moving it is what makes it threatening. The combination produces chances. Bumrah created 44 false shots. Only Siraj did more, but he also bowled more.Then there is the build-up to wickets because you can’t just keep bowling good ball after good ball, especially in what seemed essentially like a 2.5-man attack. More so when you need to watch how much you bowl. The Zak Crawley wicket at the end of the first over of the innings was the most beautiful. That was the widest Bumrah went in that over, about a couple of feet wider than the previous ball, but bowled an outswinger that moved 2.394 degrees. As it is, Bumrah has the widest average release of the bowlers in this match, which makes you play at more deliveries than you should, but this, released wider, was wicked. On top of the swing, it seamed away 1.583 degrees, making Crawley’s closed bat face look silly.

“You understand that you can’t really sit down and cry. You have to move forward with the game. So that’s what I look to do. Not to take it too far in my head and try and quickly forget it, because all of them are also new to the game, first time over here, sometimes the ball is difficult to sight”Jasprit Bumran on the dropped catches

The Ben Duckett played-on was the result of over after over of good bowling. It is what Bumrah calls money in the bank for all the good balls that don’t go to hand. Like the one he bowled to Ollie Pope early: even more wicked than the one that got Crawley, released from wider, swinging and seaming away, but also kicking at him.Just before he faced what turned out to be the last ball of his innings, Joe Root asked Pope if the 46-over-old ball was tailing. A little, he was told. Usually such lateral movement is used to swing the ball in. Bumrah flipped the darker side outside, and Root – possibly conscious of the tail – committed to playing it. This ball didn’t swing at all, Root had it tracked, but it seamed away half-a-degree to take the edge.Mark Wood, whom we would ideally have on the field rather than in the media box, just casually dropped a wonderful line on Sky Sports when Bumrah misfielded on day two. “He’s human,” Wood said. “I knew it.” Further signs of being human were on display when he bowled successive no-balls deep into the second day – one of them a wicket ball – and an indifferent spell with the second new ball.Bumrah admitted to not being used to bowling up or down the hill. He said that when you are tired, it can push you ahead of yourself. On the third morning, he was mindful to not let that happen. He maintained his pace when running downhill, and bowled no no-balls on day three.Jasprit Bumrah celebrates his fifth wicket•Getty ImagesStill, Bumrah couldn’t do anything about the fielding errors. In all, three catches went down off his bowling. All three batters hurt India. Famously, with the 2019 IPL final on a knife’s edge, Bumrah went and consoled Quinton de Kock after he let through four byes off a regulation take. Here, he displayed frustration ever so slightly.”Yeah, just for a second, but you know, you understand that you can’t really sit down and cry,” Bumrah said. “You have to move forward with the game. So that’s what I look to do. Not to take it too far in my head and try and quickly forget it, because all of them are also new to the game, first time over here, sometimes the ball is difficult to sight. And nobody is dropping the catches purposely. Everybody’s trying really hard. It does happen. So I don’t want to create a scene or put more pressure on the fielder that, you know, I’m angry, I’m kicking the box, or I’m doing something.”Scenes can be created with the ball in hand as well. Having bowled just four overs with the second new ball, often slipping down leg, Bumrah came back to end the late charge of Woakes with a full ball. Immediately he dropped back to good length, and bowled Josh Tongue.Just in the nick of time, Bumrah had completed a five-for to give India a slender lead. It is quite something to announce beforehand that you will be playing only a certain number of matches and then go out and inflict maximum damage in those matches.Bumrah was asked if it made these three matches more urgent for him. He replied that adding extra importance to these matches would mean extra baggage. “That’s very difficult to carry,” he said. Given the carry job he has been doing of late, are you sure, Jasprit?

With RR needing 18 from 12 balls, Hazlewood conceded only one in the penultimate over and also took two wickets

Ashish Pant25-Apr-20252:12

What makes Hazlewood a much-improved T20 bowler?

Being at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is an experience. When things are going the home side Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) way, one needs to strain his ear to listen to the person next to him inside a soundproof room. When it’s not, the silence can get disconcerting.On Thursday, at the end of the 18th over, the Chinnaswamy Stadium got really quiet. The 30,000-strong crowd had just witnessed their star bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar being thrashed for 22 runs by Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) Dhruv Jurel and Shubham Dubey. The RCB chants weren’t ringing around the ground anymore, there were no flags waving. With 18 needed off 12 balls, this was now RR’s game to lose. Were RCB about to go down at home for a fourth straight time? Surely nine an over at the Chinnaswamy is a cakewalk.Enter Josh Hazlewood. A solitary run off the 19th over, two wickets, and RR did not know what hit them. It was a classic case of sticking to the plan: hard lengths mixed with the occasional yorker and change of pace. And just like that, Hazlegod (that’s what the RCB faithful call him) had flipped the narrative again, and the crowd found its voice… big time.Related

• RCB finally get the 'monkey off their back' as RR go nowhere

• Kohli and Hazlewood break RCB's home duck

• Kohli: 'Applied ourselves well after three average games at home'

• Parag: We didn't show enough intent against the spinners

Hazlewood has always been a frugal powerplay bowler, and it’s no different in the IPL. His high release points, because of which he generates the extra bounce, coupled with the subtle movement off the deck have often been a nightmare for batters. In IPL 2025, he has also been a death-bowling sensation.Entering the tournament, Hazlewood had bowled 141 balls in the death since the first time he played in the league in 2020. Off those, he picked up 13 wickets at an economy of 10.00. This season, he’s already bowled 59 balls in the death and picked up six wickets. Only Matheesha Pathirana (seven) has more wickets than him, while his economy of 8.23 is the third-best for any bowler with a minimum of five overs in the death.What’s crucial is that Hazlewood seems to have gotten a hang of the Chinnaswamy surface. He had a tough beginning here, going for a combined 83 runs in 6.5 overs in the first two games against Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals. But the rain-shortened game against Punjab Kings, where he almost broke open the game, helped him find a template.ESPNcricinfo LtdAgainst RR, 17 of the 24 deliveries that he bowled were short of a good length, which fetched him wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer and Jofra Archer. It wasn’t the easiest of starts for him here as well, with Jaiswal laying into him (26 off 11 balls), but Hazlewood stuck to that hard-length plan and hit the jackpot.”It’s just sticking to your strengths,” Hazlewood said after his four-wicket burst gave RCB their first win at home. “The bounce here has been quite steep throughout the whole tournament so far and that hard length was still hard to hit, so I was just about mixing it up with, you know, the odd yorker, the odd bouncer, change of pace, so the normal stuff, but it’s just the order in which you apply those balls.”I think for that six to eight metres [length], the strike rate was about 100. If you can hang around there more often than not, bring the batsman forward, without bowling the half-volley, I think that’s the way forward for us.”

“From 18 in the last two overs, it is very much in the batters’ favour and they should win the game from there. I think that almost relieves you a little bit”Josh Hazlewood

But what about the pressure when he is bowling to two set batters with the required rate only at nine an over? “I think it almost takes the pressure off to a degree,” Hazlewood said. “From 18 in the last two overs, it is very much in the batters’ favour and they should win the game from there. I think that almost relieves you a little bit.”[If] you have 25 or 27 to play with, then the pressure is on the bowling team. I felt that I could [be] nice and relaxed, stick to my strengths on this wicket. It was a hard ball to hit that back of a length and then mix it up with the odd yorker. So [I was] happy to execute that and sort of get monkey off the back of that first win at home.”While Hazlewood’s one-run 19th over will remain the talking point, his 17th over was equally important. With RR needing 46 off the last four overs, with six wickets in hand, he got the key wicket of Hetmyer and conceded just six. Those two overs, which went for just seven, softened the impact Bhuvneshwar’s 22-run over created.1:53

Are RCB looking good for the playoffs now?

“I think both those overs showed the class of the guy,” RCB head coach Andy Flower said after the game. “He’s a class operator and he’s a world-class bowler. He is great under pressure in any format of the game, he thinks clearly and he’s got great skill. I know he’s known for his heavy length bowling but he’s got some great all-round skills.”He mixes in those yorkers, wide yorkers, slower balls and he seems to know what type of ball to bowl at the right time. So it’s great having a guy like him in our side, in our squad and part of a very strong three-pronged attack.”Minutes after the dust had settled on the contest, and the players were congratulating each other, the cameras panned to Virat Kohli. There was a sheepish smile on his face as he jogged towards Hazlewood with childlike enthusiasm and then picked him up with the bowler breaking into a wide grin.Out of the 16 wickets Hazlewood has picked this season, 13 have come in the second innings with RCB defending a score. Not all these wickets have come in a winning cause, but in Hazlewood, RCB know they have a rare bowler who can be destructive in the powerplay and the death. Can he be the ticket to their maiden IPL trophy?

Raza scored 151 runs and took a wicket in two ODIs against Sri Lanka

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Sep-2025Zimbabwe allrounder Sikandar Raza is the new No. 1 allrounder in the ICC’s ODI rankings, achieving the feat for the first time. He had scored 92 and an unbeaten 59 in the two-match series against Sri Lanka in Harare, and also picked up a wicket. He went past Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi, who are now second and third, respectively.There’s a new No. 1 among ODI bowlers too. South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj has broken the deadlock at the top with Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana, claiming the No. 1 position outright. Maharaj moved up after taking 4 for 22 in a big win in the first ODI against England in Leeds.

Full rankings tables

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• Click here for the player rankings

Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka, named Player of the Series against Zimbabwe after topping the charts with 198 runs, has climbed seven places to 13th among ODI batters. Janith Liyanage is up 13 places to 29th, while Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams has risen three places to 47th.In the T20I rankings, Afghanistan batters Ibrahim Zadran (up 12 spots to 20th) and Sediqullah Atal (up a remarkable 346 places to 127th) have risen following back-to-back wins against UAE and Pakistan in the ongoing tri-series.Others to improve in the T20I rankings are Pakistan’s Hasan Nawaz (joint-31st) among batters, while Sufiyan Muqeem (22nd), Shaheen Shah Afridi (26th) and Mohammad Nawaz (43rd) made strides among bowlers.

Liverpool aren’t doing so well this season. Last year’s indomitable air is a far cry from the tepid and toothless performances of the new campaign, with five defeats inflicted on Arne Slot’s side from six recent Premier League matches.

There is no way to sugarcoat it: that is so far below Anfield’s expectations that it beggars belief. Slot was so pained last season by that sole home defeat to Nottingham Forest, so frustrated by that stain on his copybook, even against the backdrop of a title-winning campaign.

But so many losses have become the norm for Liverpool this season, whose title defence is in tatters and whose focus is currently on establishing enough form and focus to recover a place in the Premier League’s top four.

Slot has got a lot to chew on before the November international break winds up and Liverpool host Forest in the top flight, a game they simply cannot afford to lose – again.

Aside from the lack of intensity and physicality in key areas and fragilities in defence, Liverpool’s widths have been well out of sorts this season, and this is something that needs fixing quickly.

Liverpool's struggles out wide

Mohamed Salah’s startling drop-off this season has been among the biggest concerns for Liverpool, but the Egyptian King has done it all before, and he will surely recover his potency in front of goal before his £400k-per-week contract expires in 2027.

More concerning, perhaps, is the form of Florian Wirtz, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m this summer but has yet to prove FSG have got bang for their buck.

The 22-year-old is clearly an incredible talent, but it hasn’t happened so far, with Liverpool’s wider tactical imbalances making it difficult for the playmaker to find a secure place in Slot’s line-up, flitting between the left flank and a creative berth from the centre.

Likewise, Cody Gakpo has struggled to impress. The left-sided forward has four goals and three assists across all competitions this term, but he’s lacked nuance in his expression.

It’s proving a tough ask for Slot to find a solution that will synergise this struggling frontline and restore Liverpool to their former level.

However, one Redman has enjoyed quite the impressive display for his nation in a World Cup qualifier this week, and in a position which could reshape his role at Liverpool over the coming months.

Slot may have his left wing solution

So much has gone wrong at Liverpool this season, but the form of Hugo Ekitike since joining from Eintracht Frankfurt for an initial £69m this summer cannot be counted among the negatives.

Ekitike is a striker, and was signed as such, but he played out on the left wing for France on Thursday evening as Didier Deschamps’ side defeated Ukraine 4-0 in their penultimate World Cup qualifier, with reporter Bence Bocsak praising his “very impressive” effort, having earlier noted that the star’s slickness and skill on the ball “reminds me of Bobby Firmino”.

Could it be that Liverpool have their left wing solution right here? This is hardly revelatory, but the dynamic forward has proved he has what it takes to produce a show-stopping performance from out wide here, and there’s a case to be made that he offers more than Gakpo does when in the role.

Indeed, were Ekitike to play from the left with regularity, it would only impede Gakpo in his hopes of stringing many minutes together across the season and beyond, especially as he will be competing with Wirtz.

But the one-time PSG prospect’s display demonstrated his potential in the position, a menace throughout after coming off the bench in the first half due to an injury to Bradley Barcola.

It was a spectacular goal, the 23-year-old collecting and driving forward from inside his own half, skating past defenders and entering the danger area before playing a neat connection with Kylian Mbappe and then striking true.

Ekitike might not have enjoyed much success by way of passing, but he demonstrated how effective he can be with limited opportunities in possession. Not only accurate when carrying the ball forward, but he was fierce in the duel and clinical besides.

This economical approach showed something that has been lacking on Merseyside this season: an ability to make chances count even when presented intermittently.

That is, of course, barring one Liverpool forward. Ekitike. The Les Bleus star has scored six goals and posted an assist since joining the club this summer.

Development is never linear for those entering the Premier League from overseas, but the way in which Ekitike has slipped into life in Liverpool is remarkable, given the circumstances around the club right now.

Should Slot take note of the striker’s performance against Ukraine and begin to hand him more chances out wide, it could help Isak settle in after his record-breaking summer move while easing the fears that Isak and Ekitke cannot cohabit in Liverpool’s starting line-up.

Slot has already followed this train of thought, suggesting several weeks ago that Ekitike’s technical and physical qualities make him apt for a prolific role on the flank, and now it can be put into practice, albeit at Gakpo’s expense.

Without question, Liverpool’s head coach will have been attentive to Ekitike’s performance on the world stage, perhaps more inclined forward to trial Ekitike in a wider role going forward, thus opening the door to a partnership with Isak and a new dimension that could help restore the side’s attacking strength.

If this proves an effective and long-term solution, it may well come at the expense of Gakpo’s stay at Liverpool for the long run, but, as the opening months of the campaign have told us, it is crucial that Slot identifies a way of playing that matches the incredible amount of quality teeming across Anfield.

The new Diaz: FSG enter race to sign "world-class" £79m star for Liverpool

Liverpool’s forwards have flattered to deceive this season, and plans are being drawn.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 13, 2025

Real Madrid's iconic Bernabeu stadium is gearing up to host its first-ever NFL match as Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders are set to lock horns in the Spanish capital on Sunday. The event marks a major step in the NFL's expansion into Europe as the Bernabeu follows in the footsteps of Wembley Stadium, which first held an NFL encounter in 2007.

• Real Madrid set to host NFL game after €1.6b makeover

  The Bernabeu underwent a major transformation earlier this decade as the club spent a whopping €1.6 billion (£1.4b/$1.8b) to add new features to the venue, including a retractable roof, retractable pitch and lots of new commercial space, as well as VIP and hospitality facilities. Ahead of the NFL clash between Miami Dolphins and Washington Commanders, Madrid shared a glimpse of the transformation.

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• Why is Real Madrid hosting NFL match?

  Following the massive spending to upgrade the venue, Madrid now plans to maximise their revenue from the new facilities. The club get paid for renting their stadium to the NFL, while they also get a small share of the ticket sales.

  From the NFL's point of view, this is another step to increase the game's popularity internationally. This is the final NFL game that will be hosted outside the United States of America. Earlier NFL had hosted matches in Sao Paulo, Dublin, London (which hosted three games) and Berlin.

  For the Dolphins, Miami has 66 percent Spanish-speaking residents and thus, culturally, it made sense to play a match at the Spanish capital. Dolphins' vice president of international development, Felipe Formiga told : "A fantastic opportunity to grow the sport and do so in a city that has so many similarities to Miami."

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  NFL game sparked tensions between Real Madrid and Atletico

  While Los Blancos hoped that the entire event would revolve around Bernabeu and the club, their city rivals, Atletico Madrid, silently struck a deal with the Dolphins to host them at their Metropolitano Stadium throughout the week, building up to the game. The NFL side reached Atletico's set-up earlier this week and then trained at their facilities, taking advantage of the international break. Several representatives of Atletico, including manager Diego Simeone, went to meet the Dolphins squad and the Argentine manager even gifted a jersey to the NFL coach. 

  Madrid chief Florentino Perez's camp made every effort to block the arrangement, but he strong relationship between Atletico and the Dolphins prevailed.

Yusei Kikuchi started the Los Angeles Angels game against the Texas Rangers on Monday night. Kikuchi pitched five innings, giving up four runs on six hits. When he left the game after the fifth inning, his team trailed, but came back to win 6-5.

Not bad considering how things started for Kikuchi. Sam Haggerty, leading off for the Rangers, hit the ball back to Kikuchi on a 3-2 count in the first at-bat of the game. Kikuchi did not field the ball cleanly and chased after it, tripping over the mound in the process. Kikuchi tumbled and ended up on his knees, sitting feet away from the ball while Haggerty stood safely on second.

The next batter to come up, Corey Saeger, also took Kikuchi to a full count before he hit a two-run home run.

That's about as rough of a start as you can have. Two batters, 14 pitches, one home run, two earned runs, one embarassing fall. Going five full innings was downright heroic considering that start.

Inter have joined Manchester United in the race for Karim Adeyemi, with the Borussia Dortmund winger leaning toward a move away from Germany next summer. His camp has already held early talks with both clubs, signalling a growing market for the 23-year-old. With contract renewal far from likely and tensions rising at BVB, Adeyemi’s future is now one of Europe’s most intriguing storylines.

• Adeyemi’s future drifts away from Dortmund

  Speculation around Adeyemi’s next step has intensified after fresh reports indicated the Dortmund forward is “far from” considering a contract extension. The 23-year-old’s deal runs until 2027, but figures close to the player suggest he is leaning strongly toward a move in the summer, even if BVB have not yet been formally informed of his intentions. United have already held early contact with Adeyemi’s representatives, with super-agent Jorge Mendes, who recently orchestrated moves for Leny Yoro and Manuel Ugarte to Old Trafford, now central to discussions. According to , Inter have also entered the scene, with initial communication taking place as the Serie A giants monitor his situation and map out potential scenarios for 2026.

  The growing interest comes at a time when the forward has faced both on-field struggles and off-field complications, creating a sense of uncertainty around his long-term prospects at BVB. This rising tension naturally widens the lens on what his next career chapter might look like.

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  Adeyemi in a slump amid off-field troubles

  Adeyemi has neither scored nor assisted since late September, a stark contrast to the bright early-season form that once re-established him as a key figure under Niko Kovac. In recent weeks, tensions have bubbled over publicly. During BVB’s 1-0 win against Koln, he threw a water bottle toward the bench after being substituted, leading Kovac to respond sharply: “I think that's unnecessary. It's okay that he can be angry sometimes, but that's unnecessary, he's an adult.”

  The strained dynamic flared up again during the 1-1 draw with Hamburg, where the pair argued after Kovac substituted him in the 66th minute. These moments paint a picture of a player battling for composure as form dips and pressure grows. Off the pitch, the €450,000 fine for illegal possession of weapons added an unexpected layer to his year. Adeyemi addressed the incident publicly, calling it: “A huge mistake… one that I deeply regret, that cost me a lot, and that I remorse deeply.”

  BVB and the German Football Association (DFB) imposed additional community service, with sporting director Lars Ricken stressing the club’s stance: “We took the matter very seriously. However, it should also be taken into account that he had to pay an expensive fine, no one was harmed and the player is still not considered to have a criminal record."

  This combination of sporting frustration and personal turbulence has made Adeyemi’s situation one of the more complex transfer stories heading into the summer window.

• Mendes working on Adeyemi's future

  Behind the scenes, Mendes is believed to be shaping the German international's next move, leveraging his strong network in England and Italy. United’s long-term need for wide players and Inter’s evolving transfer vision for 2026 both position Adeyemi as a strategic target rather than just an opportunistic one. The legal issue, stemming from what Adeyemi described as ordering an online “mystery box” that unexpectedly contained restricted items initially raised questions about club interest. Yet early indications suggest that neither United nor Inter view it as a deal-breaker, especially given the player's transparency and the swift completion of sanctions.

  His community service commitment and willingness to publicly explain the situation have helped stabilise his image in the eyes of potential suitors. This rehabilitated narrative now plays into a broader storyline: a talented winger whose Dortmund chapter appears to be winding down as new doors open.

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  Summer window battle looms

  All signs point toward a decisive summer for Adeyemi. Inter and United are expected to intensify discussions once the season ends, while Die Borussen wait for formal communication before planning their next steps. With no extension in sight, BVB may be forced into a strategic sale rather than risk a depreciating asset over the next two years.

  Adeyemi’s immediate goal will be to break his scoring drought and repair ties with Kovac as Dortmund push through the second half of the season. But with rising transfer noise, increasingly public tension, and strong interest from two European giants, the stage is already set for a major battle for his signature. His next defining chapter appears to be approaching and Europe’s biggest clubs will be watching closely.

The current international break came at the worst time for West Ham United.

After weeks of poor performances, Nuno Espírito Santo had finally got a tune out of the East Londoners.

First, they blew away a talented Newcastle United side 3-1, and then a week later picked up another three points by beating Burnley 3-2.

These back-to-back Premier League wins have given the fanbase genuine reasons to be optimistic, as they were not lucky victories, but hard-fought and thoroughly deserved.

It finally feels like Nuno has his feet under the table at the London Stadium, and as a result, fears of a possible relegation are starting to dissipate.

However, the Premier League can be unforgiving, so West Ham must maintain their upward trajectory and the board need to back the manager in the winter window. If they do, this could be Nuno’s dream lineup at the end of January.

1

GK – Alphonse Areola

While it would have been a surprise at the start of the season, it should come as no surprise now that, keeping his place between the sticks is Alphonse Areola.

Unlike the Dane signed to replace him in the summer, the Frenchman has been pretty reliable since coming back into the team, and while he might not be the long-term answer, he’s more than good enough to spend another season in goal for the Hammers.

After all, he’s already made 108 appearances for the club, what’s another 27?

2

RB – Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Keeping his place at right-back, so long as he’s fit, is Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Now, Kyle Walker-Peters has done reasonably well since joining the club in the summer, but at his best, the former Manchester United ace is a more competent defender and has become more adept at getting forward over the last few years.

He was also the club’s Hammer of the Year just last season.

3

CB – Axel Disasi

Now, moving on to the first new face in the team, and before the pitchforks and torches come out, Axel Disasi, who has previously been touted for a £25m move to the London Stadium, could be an excellent signing for the Hammers.

Yes, he has failed to establish himself at Chelsea, but before that, he was one of Ligue 1’s best centre-backs and was even compared to Virgil van Dijk by respected talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Moreover, under a manager like Nuno, who doesn’t like to leave his defenders isolated, the Frenchman might be able to rediscover some of the form that first earned him his move to the Premier League.

4

CB – Charlie Cresswell

Alongside Disasi is the second signing: Charlie Cresswell.

He might not be a familiar name to English fans at the moment, but he certainly will be in a few years from now, as not only is he doing incredibly well for Toulouse in Ligue 1, but he was also a key part of the England u21 side that won the Euros this summer.

Described as a “proper leader at the back” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the former Leeds United gem has also been described as being a bit “like a Thiago Silva” by European football expert Andy Brassell, who highlighted the fact that he “got real smarts about him.”

Unsurprisingly, the 23-year-old is gaining plenty of attention at the moment, and while it won’t be easy to sign him, reports suggest the Hammers could get the job done for around £15m.

5

LB – El Hadji Malick Diouf

Back to a familiar face and keeping his place at left-back is, of course, El Hadji Malick Diouf.

The all-action full-back joined the Hammers from Slavia Prague in the summer, and while he can be a little frustrating defensively, he is unreal when it comes to the offensive side of the game.

For example, he has already racked up three assists in just 12 appearances, and really could have more if his teammates were able to finish better earlier in the campaign.

6

CM – Freddie Potts

Moving into the middle of the park and onto someone who has to now be one of the first names on the team sheet: Freddie Potts.

The academy graduate was finally handed his first competitive start for West Ham against Newcastle United, and to say he delivered would be a massive understatement.

He put in a man-of-the-match performance that saw him cover practically every blade of grass, snuff out Toon attacks and kickstart ones for his own side.

It was more of the same a week later against Burnley, and while it is still early on, it feels like the Hammers have themselves a future superstar in Potts.

7

CM – Mateus Fernandes

There are a few options Nuno could go with for the position alongside Potts, but based on the last two games, it really has to be Mateus Fernandes.The Portuguese midfielder had a bit of a slow start to life in East London following his £40m move from Southampton in the summer, but over the last few weeks, he has started showing the fans just what he can do.Capable of helping out with the defensive side of the game, but just as able to play defence-splitting”KDB-type passes,”in the words of Mattinson, the 21-year-old could be a real game-changer for the Hammers as the season goes on.

8

CAM – Lucas Paqueta

To nobody’s surprise, Lucas Paqueta keeps his place as the most advanced of the midfielders.

Despite talk around his future, the former Lyon ace has looked back to his best in recent games and scored his fourth goal of the campaign against Newcastle.

He might be frustrating at times, but West Ham are undeniably a weaker team without him in it.

9

RW – Jarrod Bowen

The sky is blue, the grass is green, and Jarrod Bowen starts for West Ham United.

The former Hull City star is the club’s talisman, the most beloved player to wear the shirt in a very long time, and, most importantly, a sensational goalscoring, game-changing winger.

Despite the team’s poor form last season, the Englishman was still able to rack up an incredible tally of 14 goals and ten assists in 36 appearances across all competitions, totalling 3148 minutes.

That came out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.5 games, or every 131.16 minutes.

So far this year, the 28-year-old has already scored three goals and provided two assists in just 12 games, and now that the team seem to have turned a corner, he’ll probably become even more productive.

10

ST – Lucas Stassin

The final signing in the team is Saint-Étienne’s Belgian goal machine, Lucas Stassin.

According to one report, the Hammers might be able to sign the 20-year-old for a fee of €30m, which is about £27m, and while that is a lot, it would almost certainly be worth it.

For example, despite being so young, he racked up an impressive tally of 14 goals and eight assists in just 34 appearances last year, and has already produced seven goal involvements in 13 games this year.

That sort of return would make him an instant upgrade on the still useful but injury-prone Callum Wilson and the ideal replacement for Niclas Füllkrug, who has made it clear he wants out in January.

Kumble, Warne and Duminy have all been pushed a peg down after the MI captain’s efforts in Lucknow

Abhimanyu Bose04-Apr-20251:39

‘Pandya clearly at the peak of his game’

Hardik Pandya – 5 for 36 vs LSG, 2025

Hardik had bowled 96 times in the IPL and the best he had ever returned was 3 for 17. In Lucknow on Friday in the IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), he kept producing wickets even as his team-mates went for big runs courtesy Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram. Hardik brought himself on as the sixth bowler in the ninth over and immediately got the big wicket of the in-form Nicholas Pooran with a slower bouncer. In his next over, an offcutter saw the struggling Rishabh Pant spoon the ball towards mid-off where Corbin Bosch took a good catch. Hardik then came back to bowl at the death and removed the well-set Markram before dismissing David Miller and Akash Deep off consecutive deliveries in the final over to register his first five-for in his 290th T20 match.But his efforts, which also included an unbeaten knock of 28 off 16 deliveries, went in vain as LSG defended their total of 203, restricting MI to 191 for 5.

Anil Kumble – 4 for 16 vs Deccan Chargers, 2009

Opening the bowling for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2009 final in Johannesburg, Anil Kumble set the tone by knocking over Adam Gilchrist in the first over. He went on to dismiss Andrew Symonds, Rohit Sharma and Venugopal Rao to restrict Deccan Chargers to 143. RCB fell short by six runs in the chase as Chargers won the title, but Kumble held the record for best figures for a captain in the IPL until it was broken by Hardik.

Anil Kumble – 4 for 16 vs Deccan Chargers, 2010

No, this isn’t a copy-pasting error. A year on from the 2009 final, RCB and Chargers met in the third-place playoff match at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. Kumble opened the bowling again, and dismissed Gilchrist in the first over again. This time RCB bowled their opponents out for 82, with Kumble returning 4 for 16 from 3.3 overs. Rahul Dravid and Kevin Pietersen ensured a successful chase.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

JP Duminy – 4 for 17 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2015

JP Duminy came close to breaking Kumble’s record in IPL 2015 as he ran through the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) top order to help Delhi Capitals (DC, then Delhi Daredevils) secure a four-run win while defending 168. Duminy broke a 50-run opening stand and dismissed both openers David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan in the space of three balls. He then dismissed a well-set Ravi Bopara and Eoin Morgan, two wickets in three balls again, to round off an all-round performance, having also hit a half-century in DC’s innings.

Shane Warne – 4 for 21 vs Deccan Chargers, 2010

After Rajasthan Royals (RR) were bowled out for 159 in Nagpur, Chargers looked favourites in the chase. Enter Shane Warne, who sparked a middle-order collapse and inspired a two-run win, with Rohit’s 44-ball 73 not enough for Chargers. Warne bagged the wickets of Anirudh Singh, Dwayne Smith, Azhar Bilakhia and Ryan Harris, none of whom could get to double-figures.

The Rockies are having a tough year.

That is an understatement.

The Rockies are having one of the toughest years in baseball history. Even that might be gentle, but we’ll go with it for now. With 48 games left to play, Colorado sits with a record of 30–84 on the season, 54 games below .500. They are 35.5 games behind the Dodgers for first place in the NL West, and 23.5 games behind the Diamondbacks for second-to-last place in the NL West.

They stand alone as the worst team in baseball, with the Chicago White Sox 12 games above them.

While it’s obviously been a struggle all season for the Rockies, they continue to find innovative ways to dig deeper into the depths of baseball despair even into August, as their recent sweep at the hands of the Blue Jays showed.

Colorado dropped three straight games against Toronto by scores of 15–1, 10–4, and 20–1, despite holding leads in the first inning in two of the three contests.

But the sweep wasn’t just any old blowout—it was a historic one. The Blue Jays set franchise records for both runs (45) and hits (63) in a three-game series, and their 63 hits are the most of any team in a three-game series since at least 1901, per MLB.

“It’s a really good team that puts the ball in play a ton. That’s what they do,” Rockies interim manager Warren Schaeffer said after the series was mercifully over. “It’s why they’re on top of the American League. So you’ve got to tip your hat to them, and we’ve got to make better pitches.”

It’s a simple bit of advice, but there’s really not much else you can say after such an epic beatdown.

For what it’s worth, not every run and hit the Blue Jays secured came against a Rockies squad that was playing for the win. Colorado was trailing by just 11 runs (woof) heading into the ninth inning on Wednesday night, and let catcher Austin Nola take the mound in relief to finish the game. He gave up eight runs including two homers before he was finally able to get out of the inning.

Last year’s White Sox currently hold the record for worst 162-game MLB campaign with a 41–121 record. While the Rockies are currently on pace to finish just ahead of that mark, their performance against the Blue Jays shows that this team is plenty capable of making some more demoralizing history.