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Leeds United are now reportedly prioritising a deal to sign a South American defender ahead of Italian giants Juventus in the January transfer window.

Leeds still plotting Farke replacement despite Chelsea win

The Premier League is a harsh world, isn’t it? The pressure was increasing on Daniel Farke ahead of the Chelsea game, but you wouldn’t have known it after his side swept past Chelsea in a stunning 3-1 victory.

Reports in the build-up to the game claimed the German had to avoid defeat against the Blues and Liverpool this weekend to ensure that his job remains safe. It seemed an impossible task. Chelsea had just pushed Premier League leaders Arsenal all the way with 10 men and Liverpool, even in a difficult moment, remain the champions.

Come Wednesday night, however, there were no complaints from Farke. Instead, there was tactical genius. His 5-3-2 sytem physically outmatched Chelsea and Leeds, against the odds, secured a stunning 3-1 victory at Elland Road.

It would now be easy to assume that Farke’s job is safe. Yet, according to the BBC’s Sami Mokbel, those at Elland Road are still preparing for the worst-case scenario.

The reporter revealed: “Sources have told BBC Sport that the process of identifying potential candidates to replace Farke has begun. It is not unusual practice for clubs to plot a succession plan for their managerial position regardless of the incumbent’s job security.

“But Leeds’ poor form, which left them in the relegation zone before Wednesday’s win, has placed significant pressure on Farke – serving to amplify the club’s movement towards pinpointing possible successors to the German.”

It would be a ruthless decision by the 49ers, but that may not be the only change on the way. With the January transfer window approaching, Leeds have already set their sights on Real Betis star Natan.

Leeds prioritising Natan deal

According to reports in Spain, Leeds are now prioritising a deal to sign Natan from Real Betis in the January transfer window. The Brazilian defender is valued at around €40m (£35m) by the Spanish club and has also attracted the interest of Serie A giants Juventus.

Related Leeds star was looking "bang average" this season, now he's undroppable

This Leeds star has shone in their last two games

Posts ByJoe Nuttall Dec 5, 2025

It’s clear to see why both Leeds and Juventus have set their sights on the 24-year-old. He’s enjoyed an impressive start to the current campaign and could now secure a move, be it in the new year or next summer.

League stats 25/26

Joe Rodon

Natan

Minutes

1,260

1,260

Ball Recoveries

41

50

Tackles Won

10

3

Successful Aerial Duels

41

42

Statistically speaking, Natan would have no trouble getting into Farke’s best side. Compared to Joe Rodon, the South American has thrived out of possession and particularly impressed in the air.

The big question that remains is whether Leeds will be willing to splash out £35m for his signature. Their record signing still sits at £35.5m for Georginio Rutter and it would take some doing to break that as early as the January transfer window.

Best signing since Raphinha: Leeds star is one of "the best" players in PL

A half-century from Phoebe Litchfield trumped Sarah Glenn’s four-for to secure a win for Sydney Thunder over Brisbane Heat. Set 154 to chase, Heat never looked in contention to chase the target – they were reduced to 10 for 3, then 30 for 4, inside the first half of their innings.To add to Heat’s troubles, Chinelle Henry retired hurt on 10 after she was hit on the jaw by a Shabnim Ismail bouncer. Annie O’Neil provided some late impetus to the chase, scoring 33 off 21. She was caught off the last ball of the innings, giving Georgia Voll her second wicket and Thunder a 23-run win.Heat’s loss keeps them at the bottom of the table, having earned just one point – from an abandoned game – this year.Earlier in the evening, Thunder were victims of a collapse themselves: they were reduced to 33 for 4 right after the powerplay, and 93 for 6 by the 13th over. It was only thanks to Litchfield’s rear-guard effort – she hit eight fours and one six during her 43-ball stay at the crease – that Thunder recovered. She fell in the 17th over, after which, a boundary-laden 26 not out off 19 from Em Arlott took them past the 150-run mark.Heat’s Glenn took three of Thunder’s first four wickets, and finished with figures of 4 for 18 from her four overs. However, she ended up on the losing side.

Defending champions Sylhet Division drew their NCL opening round match against debutant side Mymensingh Division. Although it was a drawn game, there were plenty of personal milestones, including Rakibul Hasan taking a nine-wicket haul in the first innings.At the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Mymensingh got off to a rousing start batting first. Maiden centuries from Ariful Islam and No. 8 Abu Hider, who remained unbeaten on 107, powered them to 401. Ariful’s 101 rescued Mymensingh from a bad start, after they slipped to 21 for 3 in the first half hour. Ariful added 127 runs with the veteran Abdul Mazid, who made 65.Later, Hider added 76 runs for the eighth wicket with Shohidul Islam, and another 51 runs with Rakibul, before reaching his century. Hider struck ten fours and six sixes in his 105-ball stay.Sylhet replied in style, with opener Shykat Ali slamming a career-best 175. He struck 19 fours and eight sixes, although he found little support from the Sylhet top and middle-order. This was also the game in which Mushfiqur Rahim returned to the Sylhet side after 17 years.Shykat eventually found help from No 10 Ebadot Hossain, who made his maiden first-class half-century. The pair added 148 runs, a ninth-wicket partnership record for Sylhet.While Sylhet was piling up the runs, left-arm spinner Rakibul became only the fourth bowler in Bangladesh’s first-class history to take nine wickets in an innings. He had figures of 9 for 168 from his 55.3 overs.Mymensingh replied with 272 for 9 with half-centuries from Mohammad Naim and Ariful, while the veteran Nabil Samad took four wickets for Sylhet.Khulna Division beat Barishal Division by seven wickets at the Khulna Stadium in a match marred by the death of Hasan Ahmed, the Barishal physio. Hasan suffered a heart attack at the stadium and died on the way to the hospital.Rangpur’s Naeem Islam became the second Bangladesh batter to cross 11,000 first-class runs•Associated Press

Khulna made 313 all out with fifties from captain Ziaur Rahman, who captained the side in place of the injured Mohammad Mithun, and Sheikh Parvez Jibon.Barishal were bowled out for 126 with Afif Hossain taking a six-wicket haul, that included a hat-trick when he removed the last three Barishal wickets. Barishal were not much better following on, this time bowled out for 224.Khulna struck the required 38 runs on the third day, losing just three wickets.Dhaka Division opened their NCL campaign with a drawn game against Rangpur Division. Batting first, Dhaka banked on Marshall Ayub’s 27th first-class ton to reach 221. Marshall struck 13 fours in his 161-ball stay as the rest crumbled around him.Rangpur replied well, scoring 358. Veteran batter Naeem Islam struck an unbeaten 137, his 34th first-class century. Naeem became the second Bangladeshi batter to cross the 11,000-run mark during this innings. Tushar Imran was the first to cross the milestone.Dhaka replied with 333 all out, with Jishan Alam scoring 97. Ashiqur Rahman Shibli also made a half-century. Rangpur ended the game on 115 for 6 on the final day, chasing 197.Yasir Ali and Mahmudul Hasan scored centuries for Chattogram•BCB

Chattogram Division got off to a solid start when they beat home side Rajshahi Division by 112 runs.Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Yasir Ali struck centuries to help Chattogram reach 401 runs in the first innings. Rajshahi were bowled out for 196 in reply, with left-arm spinner Hasan Murad taking 6 for 39.Chattogram replied with 277 for 9 declared, with Yasir missing out on twin tons by eight runs.Despite three half-centuries from Pritom Kumar, SM Meherob and Shakhir Hossain, Rajshahi fell way short of the fourth-innings chase, getting bowled out for 370. Murad added three wickets to take his match tally to nine wickets.

The ICC has finally decided to suspend USA Cricket (USAC), in the process hitting the reset button as it attempts to overhaul the leadership and governance structure of the sport in a key market. The decision was taken by the ICC Board after a virtual meeting on Tuesday. USAC’s suspension will not impact the national team’s participation in the T20 World Cup starting in February in India and Sri Lanka or the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.The suspension comes just over two months after the ICC, at its annual general meeting in July, had granted USAC three months to hold “free and fair elections” and carry out “comprehensive” governance reforms. At the time, the ICC reiterated that USAC would continue to remain “on notice”, as it has been since July 2024. The ICC Board also warned USAC that it reserved the right to take any action it deemed fit based on the progress of reforms.Eventually, on Tuesday evening, the ICC suspended USAC with “immediate effect” and temporarily took over “management and administration of USA national teams.”Related

• Boards set to discuss India-Pakistan fallout during ICC quarterly meeting

• USA Cricket directors ask ICC to investigate organisation's collapse

• USA Cricket calls ICC suspension 'one of the most difficult moments' in its history

• USA cricket crisis worsens as USAC files for bankruptcy

• ACE takes USA Cricket to court as power struggle intensifies

“The decision, taken by the ICC Board during its meeting earlier, was based on USA Cricket’s repeated and continued breaches of its obligations as an ICC Member under the ICC’s Constitution,” an ICC press release said. “These include, but are not limited to, the failure to implement a functional governance structure, lack of progress toward achieving National Governing Body status with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), and significant actions that have caused reputational damage to cricket in the United States and around the world.”The suspension does not have an immediate impact on cricket being part of the LA 2028 Games. The ICC clarified that USA teams will still be able to participate in ICC events as well as make preparations for the Olympics. Calling it “unfortunate but necessary” the ICC said it was forced to take such extreme action to “protect the long-term interests of the game and the ICC’s top priority remains ensuring that the athletes and the sport itself are not impacted due to the suspension.”During the time USAC had been put on notice, the ICC had been working with it to draw a “roadmap” and facilitate its securing national governing body (NGB) status from the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). This is mandatory for all sports that were added to LA28 Games. As hosts, USA are expected to be one of the six teams to contest for medals in both men’s and women’s categories.That roadmap, which comprises six steps, was drawn by the ICC’s Normalisation Committee, headed by chairman Jay Shah. Prior to that, the committee met USAC top brass Venu Pisike (chairman) and Johnathan Atkeison (CEO) twice – first in April virtually and then in person in June. The roadmap called for USAC to start an organisational revamp by bringing in three new independent directors to replace the incumbents on the Board. Following that the USAC Board would step down and prompt fresh elections. At this point USAC would apply for NGB status.Simultaneously, the ICC also said a comprehensive review and reform of the USA Cricket Constitution “shall be undertaken” in close consultation with the Independent Directors and relevant ICC stakeholders. With USAC unable to meet these terms, it was suspended.USAC was being considered for suspension at the ICC’s AGM in July and only managed its three-month reprieve by making “commitments” to the ICC Board to meet the criteria required for membership.”When USAC was notified of the AGM’s decision,” the ICC press release said, “it was specifically advised in writing that, along with fulfilling the commitments it made to the Board and taking immediate steps in that respect, it must (i) not do/omit to do anything that might jeopardise cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics, and (ii) not do anything (by act or omission) that brings cricket or the ICC into disrepute or is contrary to the best interests of cricket or the ICC.”For USAC to lift its suspension, it will need to follow procedure that the Normalisation Committee, in coordination with the ICC management, will outline and which “will include demonstrable and specific changes to USA Cricket’s governance structure, operations and overall status in the Cricket ecosystem. The normalisation committee will also monitor USA Cricket’s progress and provide consultatory support.”The ICC remains committed to supporting the growth of cricket in the United States, protect the sporting ecosystem and its constituents, namely the athletes and bolstering its march towards a more significant role on the global stage.”

Inter Miami will be without Luis Suarez for Saturday’s decisive Game 3 against Nashville SC after MLS denied the striker’s suspension appeal. Head coach Javier Mascherano confirmed the decision on Friday, noting Suarez had sought to overturn the one-match ban ahead of the series finale, with a semifinal berth on the line.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  'We were told the club couldn’t do it'

  The suspension MLS handed to Luis Suárez, a one-match ban, followed after he kicked Honduran player Andy Najar. Mascherano revealed the league was quick in denying the striker's appeal. 

  “The player appealed the sanction because in this case, we were told the club couldn’t do it," Mascherano said. "He appealed using the club’s resources, but within a few hours, the request was denied.”

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  'There will be a war'

  Inter Miami will now aim to advance without their leading striker, and defender Maximiliano Falcón stated that tomorrow’s match will be more than just a game for the rest of the team. 

   “We know it’s going to be a heated game, where there will be a war," he said. "We’ll try to implement our style, but also fight and win every duel because games are also decided there.”

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Training updates

  In Friday’s session – the team’s last before facing Nashville SC – Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul trained alongside their teammates, so their availability for tomorrow is not in doubt. Suárez also trained with the group, despite being unavailable to play. David Ruiz continued working separately and is unlikely to feature tomorrow. Allen Obando is available and could be an option off the bench.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  What comes next?

  The winner between Inter Miami and Nashville will face the victor of Cincinnati vs. Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Our reporters pick their key takeaways from the 2025 tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Nov-20252:47

Moonda: ‘India’s World Cup win worthy of being turned into a movie’

There’s a new world orderMove over Australia, it’s India’s time. Don’t pretend you didn’t hear, or even utter a groan every time Australia were mentioned during this tournament: “Ugh, not them again!” Until… last Thursday night in Navi Mumbai when Harmanpreet Kaur and her team declared they’d had enough, this was their house and the Australians were just renting it on a short-term lease.Evicting them in the semi-final proved both harder and easier than expected. It took the innings of a lifetime from Jemimah Rodrigues to seal India’s place in the title match. Australia were culpable too, their bowlers struggling to cut through a batting line-up that had found its mojo and their fielders struck by a rare case of the fumbles (interspersed with some outright brilliance).As if to highlight what that victory meant, an emotional Harmanpreet gave way to a more familiar, business-like one for the final. The way she nonchalantly tossed the ball up to herself and caught it at the end of Sunday’s comfortable win over South Africa then stalked around calmly marshalling her team for celebrations gave an air of “job done”.For the first time, there is a team other than Australia, England or New Zealand on the trophy. Can India add their name alongside those three and West Indies on the T20 version next year? – The India team lifts a long-awaited World Cup trophy•ICC/Getty ImagesSouth Africa, your time will comeSouth Africa have made three successive women’s finals – two at the T20 World Cup and now their first at an ODI tournament – and these achievements are part of the bigger picture across their whole cricketing ecosystem. South Africa are the only country to make the knockouts of every tournament across men’s, women’s and under-19 cricket since February 2023, and they’ve also made six finals. Their conversion rate, though, is cause for concern with only one trophy (the World Test Championship mace) in the cabinet.Still, for a women’s set-up that only professionalised a dozen years ago and who are under a coach that has only been in charge for ten months, this was an unexpectedly good result. It showed depth and development from players who will form the core of their future: from Nadine de Klerk’s coming of age finishes with the bat to Nonkululeko Mlaba ending as their leading wicket-taker for a second successive tournament. In the ever-resilient spirit of a nation that backs itself to go again, South Africa will know the best is yet to come. Closing the gapThis World Cup hinted at a shifting balance in the women’s game. If India’s win over Australia in the semi-final signalled a new era, Bangladesh and Pakistan’s spirited campaigns underlined how quickly the gap is closing. Bangladesh pushed South Africa deep into the final overs, and nearly stunned England. Pakistan, meanwhile, had Australia struggling with the bat before Beth Mooney’s rescue act and looked set to topple England before rain intervened.These sides impressed with their disciplined bowling attacks – Bangladesh’s spinners and Pakistan’s seamers often dictating terms – but their batting still lacks the consistency and composure needed to finish games against top-tier opposition. Stronger infrastructure and sustained investment will be central to their rise. Add to that India’s World Cup triumph, which could well be the spark that drives these subcontinent teams to believe they too can dominate in the future. – Related

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For Mithali, for Goswami, for Chopra: a World Cup win years in the making

Power-hitters and left-arm spinners flourish; catching continues to be sloppy

Record World Cup tally takes Wolvaardt past Mandhana to No. 1 in ODI rankings

First the wickets, then the runsThis World Cup started with a few collapses and the trend spread across to the flatter pitches, which were mostly rolled out in Indore and Vishakhapatnam early on. Guwahati and Colombo, meanwhile, saw lower scores as the tracks were slower and had more purchase for the spinners. The first 21 games of this tournament featured only three 300-plus scores before Navi Mumbai came into the picture, where the average total batting first in the league stage was 271, while Guwahati had the lowest of 186.By the time it was curtains for this World Cup, the 133 sixes smashed were the most in a single edition, going past the 111 in 2017 and well ahead of the 52 in 2022. As another sign of the game progressing towards bigger scores overall, this World Cup also had an average scoring rate of 5.14, again comfortably the highest in an edition, overtaking 4.69 in 2017. – Smriti Mandhana gets plenty of support from the home crowd•ICC/Getty ImagesThe Navi Mumbai buzzDY Patil Stadium attracts some genuine women’s cricket fans – the Bucket Hat Cult, a group of young people who enhance the cricket-watching experience from the stands in India’s matches with their customised chants for each player, being a prime example. India’s semi-final against Australia (34,651) and final against South Africa (39,555) were well-attended there, but so were some of the league games: India vs Bangladesh (25,965, a record for a league game in any Women’s World Cup, ODI or T20I) and India vs New Zealand (25,166, the previous record).In Guwahati and Indore, the spectators probably did not know what to expect, given the lack of women’s internationals and WPL games there. Holding the World Cup in these cities was, in part, to spread the game, and due to the unavailability of some regular grounds like the M Chinnaswamy (not in use since the stampede earlier this year), Chepauk (relaying the outfield) and Eden Gardens (renovation). The monsoon would have been a threat to earlier league games being staged at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.The Navi Mumbai leg showed how regular exposure to a product generates enough buzz to develop interest, which can be capitalised on at a World Cup. A lesson would be to build on India’s victory and schedule more matches at tier II and tier III venues, instead of directly using them at a showpiece event. – Sophie Devine celebrates a wicket with Suzie Bates•ICC/Getty ImagesWhere to for New Zealand?As holders of the T20 World Cup and with a farewell to their long-serving captain Sophie Devine at her last ODI World Cup, New Zealand had plenty to inspire them but still failed to ignite the event. They put on a series of middling performances, with only one win in the end, and though rain affected their tournament adversely, they will be concerned with the lack of contributions from their younger players. Devine was their leading run-scorer and Lea Tahuhu their best bowler, which leaves the question of where their next generation will come from and how quickly they can make the step up.Similarly West Indies, who were absent at this event after failing to qualify, will wonder how they can find their way back. With Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh improving, an eight-team field leaves little room for the Caribbean team unless there are major improvements, so it’s just as well the 2029 edition will include ten teams. There are no guarantees, however, and their challenge, like that of the subcontinental teams mentioned, is the lack of financial support their women’s cricket receives. Add to that the complicated logistics of arranging training camps and monitoring the domestic game across different islands and their task is enormous. –

Former England batter joins third county of career after leaving Yorkshire by mutual consent

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Nov-2025Dawid Malan, the former England batter, will play for Gloucestershire in the Vitality Blast in 2026 and 2027, after joining the club on a two-year deal.Malan, 38, was last week released by Yorkshire by mutual consent, having captained the side in 2025 and finished as the club’s leading run-scorer in the Blast in both 2023 and 2024. Previously he had represented Middlesex for 13 seasons until 2019, where he helped win the title in 2008.Malan retired from England duty after the ODI World Cup in India in 2023. However, in the course of his international career, he scored eight hundreds across all three formats, and rose to become the No.1-ranked T20I player in the world, as well as the fastest player in history to reach 1,000 T20I runs, achieving the milestone in just 24 innings.He played a role in England’s T20 World Cup victory in Australia in 2022, but missed the final through injury, and featured on each of England’s last two Ashes tours, making 140 at Perth in the 2017-18 campaign. He remains an influential performer on the T20 franchise circuit, having won the Bangladesh Premier League with Fortune Barishal earlier this year, and he is currently playing in Nepal.Gloucestershire won the T20 Blast in 2024, and with Malan having previously worked with Jon Lewis, the new director of cricket, and Mark Alleyne, the head coach, during his time with England, he was looking forward to getting started with his new club.”Gloucestershire are a team with real ambition to challenge for the T20 Blast next season, and I am pleased and excited to be joining the club,” Malan said.Related

Dawid Malan, England's former No.1-ranked T20I batter, retires from international cricket

Jonny Bairstow appointed Yorkshire captain for County Championship

Malan stays on a roll as Yorkshire beat Notts

Dawid Malan departs Yorkshire by mutual consent

“You only have to speak to Jon Lewis and Mark Alleyne to understand the scale of their ambition. They are putting together a strong squad, and I am eager to contribute.””I have worked with both of them in the England set-up – they are positive, professional people – and it will be great to join them and the players, and to help Gloucestershire challenge for titles.”Lewis, who took up his new role earlier this year after parting ways with the England women’s team, said: “Players of this calibre are rarely available in the domestic game, so when we became aware that Dawid might be available to come to Bristol, we moved quickly because we knew he’d be a fantastic addition to our T20 squad.””I know Dawid well from my time with the England Men’s team and I’m confident he’ll be a great fit for our dressing room. He’s a good person, an excellent professional and someone who will be brilliant to have around the place.””His record speaks for itself. He was the leading T20 run-scorer for Yorkshire in the North Group last year and, as many supporters will know, has previously been the world’s number one-ranked T20 batter. Bringing someone with that level of quality, experience and global pedigree into our Vitality Blast squad is a huge coup for Gloucestershire.””We’re excited to see him play a major role in what we hope will be a successful season at the Seat Unique Stadium.”

Three players from CSK make it. Find out who else is there on the list

Omkar Mankame28-May-20252:36

Moody: Brevis and Noor will be central to CSK’s plans next season

Ayush Mhatre (CSK)

After going unsold at the auction, Brevis returned to the league as an injury replacement for Gurjapneet Singh. The 22-year-old was part of the MI set-up in 2022 and 2024 and had played a key role in MI Cape Town’s (MICT) maiden SA20 win earlier this year, scoring 38 off 18 balls in the final.At CSK, Brevis made the most of his opportunities. He scored at least 32 in five of his six innings, with the only exception being a first-ball duck against RCB, where he failed to review an lbw decision. His impact can best be illustrated by the fact that he struck 17 sixes during his stint – the second most by a CSK batter this season.Urvil Patel struck at 212.50 this season•BCCI

Urvil Patel (CSK)

The timing of the IPL 2025 mega auction – held before the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25 – meant teams missed out on some of the in-form domestic players. One of them was Gujarat’s Urvil, who topped the sixes charts, with 29 in six innings and also holds the record for the joint second-fastest T20 century.Drafted in as a replacement for Vansh Bedi, Urvil made an immediate impression, dispatching the second ball he faced in the IPL for a six. His 31 off 11 balls helped set up CSK’s first successful 180-plus chase in over six years. He featured in just three innings – one of which ended in a two-ball duck – but he showed glimpses of the aggressive style that could make him a key power-hitter in the seasons to come.2:53

Kumble: Dubey beating batters with pace, not just turn

Harsh Dubey (SRH)

Despite an early exit from the IPL, SRH may have unearthed a long-term prospect in Dubey. The 22-year-old left-arm spinner impressed in his first two appearances, with figures of 1 for 44 and 1 for 20, before delivering a standout performance in SRH’s final match of the season – returning 3 for 34 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). His dismissal of Andre Russell, who walked off even before the umpire raised the finger, was the highlight of his spell.SRH had backed Zeeshan Ansari as their frontline spinner after Adam Zampa’s injury, but Dubey’s performances suggest he could push for a more prominent role next season.Corbin Bosch contributed with the bat, ball and in the field for Mumbai Indians•BCCI

Corbin Bosch (MI)

Picked as a replacement for fellow South African Lizaad Williams, Bosch joined MI after playing a key role in MICT’s SA20 title run, where he finished as their joint-third-highest wicket-taker.Bosch featured in only three matches this IPL season but made useful contributions. With the bat, he chipped in with 20 off ten balls and 27 off 22 – both timely efforts in tight situations. With the ball, his most economical performance came against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), when he returned 1 for 26 in four overs.Shardul Thakur picked 13 wickets in ten innings for LSG•AFP/Getty Images

Shardul Thakur (LSG)

After eight consecutive IPL seasons, Shardul went unsold at the 2025 auction. He was preparing for a county stint with Essex when LSG called him up as a replacement for the injured Mohsin Khan.Shardul made an immediate impact, taking six wickets in his first two games, including a match-winning 4 for 34 against SRH. However, he couldn’t sustain that form and was left out of the XI – or XII – in subsequent matches.Mustafizur Rahman reminded the IPL of his worth•BCCI

Mustafizur Rahman (DC)

Delhi Capitals (DC) signed Mustafizur as a replacement for Jake Fraser-McGurk once IPL 2025 resumed post suspension. His best performance came in DC’s final league game against PBKS in Jaipur, where he dismissed Priyansh Arya, Shashank Singh, and Marco Jansen.However, since he was brought in as a temporary replacement, Mustafizur will not be eligible for retention by DC ahead of IPL 2026, in line with the revised replacement regulations.

How RCB silenced the crowd at a ground and against a team they’ve historically struggled

Alagappan Muthu29-Mar-20251:32

Rapid Fire Review: Is this RCB’s season?

For a little while on Friday, Josh Hazlewood held all the power and he had the good sense to use it indiscriminately. He produced two wickets and nine dots with his first 12 balls.For a little while, a little earlier, Rajat Patidar held all the power and he had the good sense to use it indiscriminately. He gave up all of his stumps to one of India’s best spin bowlers and did not care one bit. He had lined up Ravindra Jadeja. He felt in no danger whatsoever. That inside out cover drive went to the boundary like it was racing to meet an appointment.For a little while, a little later, Virat Kohli held all the power and he had the good sense to use it indiscriminately. He was walking over to his mark at long-on and a whole host of people – many of them wearing yellow – were going crazy for him. When he looked up, waved, touched his heart and raised his hand in a thumbs up, a crowd that is famously partisan started chanting his name.Related

• Patidar, bowlers lead RCB to first win over CSK in Chennai since 2008

• Stats – RCB end 17-year Chennai jinx against CSK

• Gaikwad: 'Happy we didn't lose by a big margin'

• Fleming: 'No home advantage at Chepauk'

• Hazlewood: 'This is probably the freshest I've been in a long time'

All of this happened at a ground and against a team that Royal Challengers Bengaluru have historically struggled. But by the end of the night, they conquered both the place and the opposition. They recorded the biggest win, in terms of runs, by a visiting team against Chennai Super Kings at MA Chidambaram stadium.Fast bowlers have had to stomach all manner of evils as T20 cricket has progressed, to the point that they have been forced to admit that for their own survival they had to give up the very thing that makes them so special. Their speed. Their ego. Their gravitational pull.The new ball, though, reminds them that they matter. And Hazlewood is so good with it. Seven of his 16 wickets at the 2023 ODI World Cup were the result of his work within the first 10 overs, including a peak performance in the semi-final where his first spell – 6-1-12-2 – left South Africa – a side that scored over 400 earlier in the tournament – at 28 for 4. By then, he was pushing through on adrenaline. At the start of this IPL, he said he was feeling fresh. In Chennai, he was pure fire. His dismissal of Ruturaj Gaikwad left CSK at 8 for 2 chasing 198. The entire ground was drowning in silence. Kohli, and one billion people, slumped the last time an Australian fast bowler did that. Here he (literally), and eight million people (figuratively), leapt on top of Hazlewood and took a piggy back ride.Josh Hazlewood gave RCB a cracking start with the ball•Associated PressThe war cry that always goes up at the Chinnaswamy stadium had found its way across the border. “Arr-Cee-Bee! Arr-Cee-Bee.” The enemy had breached the gates. Chepauk had fallen. And the worse was to come. When DRS revealed the spike on Deepak Hooda’s edge, several pockets of RCB fans celebrated it with not screams or claps but with something deeply synonymous with the CSK fan base – whistles.RCB have waited for 17 years to win against this team in this place and they were very aware of it.”Yeah, it was actually at breakfast,” Phil Salt, their newest member, said at the post-match press conference. “Some sort of an article came up on my phone, and it was all the things that have happened since RCB beat CSK here. [We had] a pretty light-hearted conversation. There wasn’t too much in it. But yeah, it’s a good win.”To beat the champions in their home ground, and then come here, which is a very, very tough place to come and get a win, we’re really happy with the fact that we’re sitting two games, four points, obviously with a boost in the net run rate as well. But we’re very aware of how good a side CSK are, especially at home, so we’re pleased.”It is not easy to spot a captain’s influence on a T20 game. But it is possible to spot what it does to their own game. In Patidar’s case, the extra responsibility is bringing the best out of him. In three previous matches at Chepauk, he had made only nine runs. He made nearly six times as many from just tonight – though did have the benefit of being dropped on 17.Patidar’s presence through much of the RCB innings prevented R Ashwin and Jadeja from finishing their full quota of overs. They bowled just five, and were taken for 59 runs. The dressing room was in awe of their leader.”I think he’s brilliant in all areas, if I’m being honest with you,” Salt said, “I think the batting is right up there with the best around. I’ve not seen anybody hit spin the way that he can. Obviously, he rode his luck a little bit tonight, but that’s the game. You get that in patches.”And then you come to his captaincy, and he’s a cool head and very calm under pressure. He’s got very good cricket brain. He thinks about the game very deeply. As I’ve already said, the way that he spun the bowlers around tonight to make sure that we’re keeping the pressure on at all times. There’s not much more you can ask for. There’s a reason he’s got a [Player] of the Match trophy as well.”RCB had done such a number on CSK at Chepauk that when the living embodiment of both this place and this team finally made his way out at No. 9, he took strike with a slip and short leg crowding him. At the end of the match, his coach felt compelled to get up close and personal with the pitch, a member of the ground staff in tow. Stephen Fleming’s next stop was the press conference. He left it in a huff with echoes of “Arr-Cee-Bee! Arr-Cee-Bee!” still ringing in the air.

Dawid Malan, Zak Crawley set hosts on way to 193 for 5, the highest score of the men’s tournament since 2023

ECB Media15-Aug-2025Northern Superchargers 193 for 5 (Malan 58, Crawley 45) beat Birmingham Phoenix 157 for 9 (Bethell 48, Livingstone 46*, Potts 3-26, Lawes 2-23, Rashid 2-26, Duffy 2-31) by 36 runsAn absorbing game in front of a capacity Leeds crowd finally went the way of Harry Brook’s Superchargers, who claimed top spot outright in the men’s Hundred following another scintillating batting performance against Birmingham Phoenix.In pursuit of the Superchargers’ 193 for 5 – the highest score in the men’s tournament since the 2023 season – a magnificent partnership of 80 in just 42 balls between Phoenix’s Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell briefly threatened to upset the odds, but the brilliance of Adil Rashid, who removed Bethell caught-and-bowled with 87 still needed from 38 balls, ultimately swung the momentum back to the home team.Livingstone kept swinging after Bethell’s departure but Rashid’s guile was too much for the Phoenix hitters. In a game dominated by the bat, on a flat pitch with a lightning fast outfield, it was the great legspinner who once again proved to be the difference, outfoxing Livingstone with his 17th delivery to settle the contest.The Phoenix top order again failed to fire, with three wickets falling in the powerplay – two of them to the excellent Matthew Potts, who finished up with three. Phoenix now face an uphill task to qualify for the latter stages of the competition.With the bat, the Superchargers’ superb top four were yet again irrepressible. Zak Crawley and Dawid Malan continued their fruitful opening partnership, adding 67 in 31 balls – Crawley was particularly savage on anything wide, racking up six fours and two sixes in his 23-ball stay – before Michael Pepper and then Brook took centre stage.Brook opened his account with an outrageous scoop for six off his first ball, and finished with 31 from just 14 deliveries as the home side added 40 in the last 20 balls.With three wins in four, Andrew Flintoff’s team are emerging as one of the teams to beat in this year’s tournament.Rashid, named the Meerkat Match Hero, said: “I thought we played exceptionally well. We put a great score on the board, which allowed us bowlers to go out there and attack to take wickets. We’ve got world class players all the way through and great firepower in the middle order.”I know their batters are going to come hard at me, so I need to be unpredictable and mix it up. It’s useful for me because I’ve bowled to a lot of these boys in the nets, so I know their strengths and weaknesses as well, which all plays a part. You’re always learning every day, and hopefully I’ll keep learning until the day comes when I hang up the boots.”