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Game 7 of the World Series unfolded in truly epic fashion on Saturday night and it resulted in an absolutely gut-wrenching loss by the Blue Jays to the Dodgers. Thanks to a Will Smith home run in the top of the 11th and a clutch double play in the bottom of the frame Los Angeles won its third Fall Classic in the last six years to officially establish a dynasty. Toronto, meanwhile, has a very long offseason of painful reflection ahead after coming close to its first championship in over 30 years.

It was as brutal a loss as you’ll ever see in sports and Sportsnet broadcaster Caleb Joseph was not happy about it. Appearing on the Canadian broadcast after the game, Joseph did not hesitate to declare he believed the better team did not win the series, even dropping a curse word on television as he memorialized the best Blue Jays season in decades.

“There were a lot of wet eyes and I don’t blame them for that,” Joseph said as he described the scene at Rogers Centre following the defeat. “It’s going to sound like sour grapes, and I don’t really give a s—, but I think the better team did not win this series. I think the Blue Jays are the better team. I feel like they played baseball a certain way, it was infectious, it grabbed the attention of the fans, and it’s disheartening to see that the better team did not win. That’s not to take anything away from the Dodgers, but the Blue Jays, they did so many things correct, so many things right.”

Joseph did spend the 2020 season with the organization and has followed their postseason run with Sportsnet. So the strong emotions are perhaps not a surprise.

But it ultimately doesn’t matter who was the “better team” in the way Joseph is talking about. The Dodgers won four out of seven games and thus they are the victor. The Blue Jays had their chances but couldn’t take advantage. Through that lens, the better team was from Los Angeles, and another World Series trophy belongs to the franchise as a result.

Joseph’s comments undoubtedly resonated with the Canadian audience who have loyally watched Sportsnet throughout this run. But no amount of lamenting who was the better team changes the outcome: the Blue Jays lost. The Dodgers won. And that’s how it'll be remembered forever.

Barcelona sporting director Deco has moved to calm fresh speculation around Hansi Flick’s long-term future after a turbulent start to the season raised questions over whether the German would remain in charge beyond 2025–26. Deco insisted the coach is “very happy” at the club while acknowledging that Barca is a “tough” environment where emotions and pressure can overwhelm even elite managers.

Flick's future questioned after early season struggles

Barcelona’s inconsistent early-season form sparked renewed debate over Flick’s long-term position at Camp Nou despite the German signing a contract extension in May to remain at the club until the summer of 2027. Flick’s first campaign brought historic success with a domestic treble, but a series of lacklustre performances and damaging defeats in his second season quickly changed the public mood and prompted scrutiny of his ability to maintain momentum. Amid these concerns, Deco publicly downplayed the crisis narrative, stressing that the internal view of Flick remains supportive and that no discussions have taken place regarding an early departure.

The speculation intensified following footage of a tense moment between Flick and winger Raphinha after the Alaves match, which many interpreted as a sign of underlying tension inside the squad. Those suggestions were later dismissed by Flick himself, who reiterated that the incident had been misunderstood and that frustrations on the touchline reflected competitive pressure rather than deeper conflict. As Barcelona began finding form again in late November and early December, chatter around Flick’s future softened, but Deco’s comments reintroduced the issue into the wider discourse.

Deco’s remarks came during a period in which Barcelona’s results improved and several injured players returned, easing some of the anxiety around Flick’s tactical approach and his management of squad depth. The sporting director suggested that fluctuations in public opinion are simply part of the job at a club where scrutiny is constant and where even minor dips can cause headlines.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesDeco plays down questions about Flick's Barcelona future

Flick had already addressed speculation about his future earlier in the season with a passionate reaffirmation of his commitment to Barcelona, saying: “I really love this club. I love Barcelona. I love the people here, it’s amazing. I really give my best for this club and this is what I want. I live for the club.” The comments were delivered during a period of intense criticism and demonstrated his determination to remain focused despite questions over performance.

Deco echoed that sentiment by referencing Flick’s emotional investment, explaining: “He’s always said he’s very happy here. But we know Barcelona is a tough club. Everything is news here. He’s a very emotional person and sometimes he can’t control it all.”

Getty ImagesWhat raised doubts over Flick's hyper-aggressive Barcelona plans?

The uncertainty surrounding Flick stems largely from Barcelona’s uneven performances against elite opponents and their struggles in the Champions League league phase, where heavy defeats to sides like Chelsea raised concerns about tactical vulnerabilities. Domestically, however, the team sits top of La Liga, boasting the strongest attacking record in the division and securing important wins against Atletico Madrid, Real Betis and Alaves. These mixed signals have made it difficult to gauge whether Barcelona are on the brink of resurgence or merely benefitting from favourable league fixtures.

Flick’s tactical identity – a high, aggressive defensive line coupled with rapid vertical transitions – has produced thrilling attacking football but left the team exposed in high-stakes matches. Injuries to key midfielders such as Pedri and Frenkie de Jong have complicated this further, forcing the manager to rely on makeshift solutions and higher-risk structures. The gradual return of those players has stabilised performances, allowing Barcelona to look more like the side that triumphed domestically last season.

Barcelona’s leadership believes that many of the early issues were situational rather than systemic, rooted in injuries, form dips and general adaptation to Flick’s intense style. With the squad returning to health and Flick showing flexibility in improving lineup selections, optimism inside the club has risen sharply.

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Success will still be necessary to secure Flick's job for next season…

Barcelona’s immediate goal is to maintain their position at the top of La Liga while navigating the final fixtures of the Champions League league phase, where Flick will be judged on whether his side can avoid further setbacks. The club expects improved consistency as key players return, giving Flick a more complete squad to fully implement his preferred structure. Looking ahead, Barcelona’s hierarchy appears committed to supporting Flick through the remainder of the season and into 2026–27, with Deco’s message reaffirming that the German is seen as central to the club’s long-term project.

The trade is likely to be an all-cash deal worth INR 10 crore

Nagraj Gollapudi14-Nov-202511:57

Is time running out for Mayank Yadav at LSG?

In another deal involving a high-profile India player, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have agreed to trade Mohammed Shami to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).ESPNcricinfo has learned that it is likely to be an all-cash deal, with LSG paying SRH INR 10 crore (US$1.12 million approx.), the price Shami was bought for at the IPL 2025 mega auction.It is understood that both franchises have agreed in principle on the trade, pending Shami’s consent. The IPL has set 3pm on November 15 as the deadline for the franchises to submit the list of players they want to release from their 2025 squads.Related

LSG set to retain Mayank but will release Bishnoi, Miller, Akash Deep

Williamson joins LSG as strategic advisor

Shami: 'My rhythm is back to where it used to be'

Abhishek Nayar appointed KKR head coach

RR to trade Samson to CSK for Jadeja and Curran

Shami, 35, has not regained his spot in the India team since he played the Champions Trophy final in March. While he has been playing for Bengal in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, Shami admitted he was going through a “difficult phase” after he was not picked for the home Test series against West Indies in October and the ongoing two-Test series against South Africa.He was not considered for the five-Test tour of England as well this summer, immediately after he had a poor IPL season. Shami played only nine of SRH’s 14 matches and took six wickets at an average of 56.16 with an economy rate of 11.23. His economy in Hyderabad, SRH’s home venue, rose to 12.35; he also conceded 75 runs in a wicketless game there against Punjab Kings – the second-most expensive spell in IPL history.SRH had bought Shami for INR 10 crore at the auction ahead of IPL 2025 after he had made a strong impact in the powerplay during his stint at Gujarat Titans (2022-24). In IPL 2022 and 2023, he took 28 wickets in the first six overs; the next best in that phase was Trent Boult (20) and Mohammed Siraj (15). He missed IPL 2024 with injury, and his powerplay performance in IPL 2025 was woeful: five wickets in nine innings with an economy of 10.3.Mohammed Shami will team up with Bharat Arun at LSG•BCCIWith Shami struggling with his fitness, rhythm and speeds, the question about whether SRH would keep him for IPL 2026 or not had come up. It is understood the franchise’s think tank, led by head coach Daniel Vettori, had been deliberating the decision until the trade offer from LSG came this week.At LSG, Shami is set to rejoin forces with former India bowling coach Bharat Arun, who is the head of talent development at the franchise. Arun had played an important role in India developing one of the most successful bowling units of the last decade when he worked closely with the group comprising Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj.It’s likely that Shami’s addition could be linked to the fitness of LSG’s Indian fast bowlers Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan. All three are currently in rehab from various injuries and not playing domestic cricket. Mayank had surgery in June to deal with a lower back injury; Mohsin is recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament tear he suffered in December while playing for Uttar Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy; Avesh is recovering from a cartilage issue in his right knee.The Shami deal is the second big-player trade in the past week. The first involved Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, who agreed to swap Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran with Sanju Samson. Like with that trade, this one also requires SRH, LSG and the player to complete the necessary paperwork before it gets ratified by the IPL. Both teams have been contacted for a response.

Phil Foden spared Manchester City's blushes as he struck late to snatch a 3-2 win after his side had chucked away a two-goal advantage at half-time. Foden scored in the very first and last minutes of the game, rescuing all three points for Pep Guardiola's side which could prove vital at the end of the season. Josko Gvardiol bundled in a second goal in a dominant first half from the hosts.

But everything changed after the break as relegation-threatened Leeds put up a fight for their under-pressure boss Daniel Farke. They produced a spirited comeback and even believed in victory themselves but Foden diminished that, deciding the game with a brilliant finish from outside the area in the first of the 10 minutes of additional time. 

The England forward scored the fastest Premier League goal of the season to give City the lead after 59 seconds, firing in first time after a cross from Matheus Nunes. The midfielder was denied a second goal by a brave block from James Justin, who threw himself in front of the ball from close range, and then by a super save from Lucas Perri. 

Leeds could only resist the City dominance for so long, though, and the second eventually arrived from a corner, Gvardiol sliding in to stab home following Nico O'Reilly's knockdown, helped by some abject goalkeeping from Perri.

City had the bit between their teeth and pushed for a third before half-time but to no avail, with Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders having shots blocked and Perri repelling a strike from Nico Gonzalez, while O'Reilly headed wide.

Leeds came out for the second half with a double substitution and a totally different mindset and they immediately pegged City back. They fired out a warning minutes after the restart when Donnarumma patted a free-kick away only for it to land at the feet of Ethan Ampadu, with Reijnders making the block. One minute later Dominic Calvert-Lewin halved the deficit, losing the ball on the turn then snaffling it back off Nunes to strike. City's nerves began to set in and Leeds then won a penalty when Gvardiol rushed into a tackle on Calvert-Lewin and sent him flying.

Donnarumma guessed right to parry Nmecha's penalty but the rebound fell straight back to the German forward for him to tap in the leveller. The Etihad fell silent but when Foden buried the ball in the bottom corner after dribbling across the outside of the box, the stadium erupted and secured a valuable three points for Guardiola and his troops.

GOAL rates Man City's players from the Etihad Stadium…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Gianluigi Donnarumma (5/10):

After a placid first half he didn't transmit much confidence under pressure. Flapped at a free-kick, did the hard part saving the penalty but sent the ball to the worst place possible.

Matheus Nunes (4/10):

His bright forward play which led to the lightning-quick opening goal was cancelled out by his clumsy defending gifting Calvert-Lewin the goal that made Leeds believe. His botched clearance gave Leeds possession again and then after tackling Calvert-Lewin he surrendered the ball to him.

Ruben Dias (5/10):

Had a flawless first-half display but couldn't show the necessary leadership when Leeds grew in confidence.

Josko Gvardiol (4/10):

Like Nunes, his poor defending undid his good work in doubling the lead. Couldn't communicate with Nunes for the first goal and then produced an awful tackle for the penalty.

Nico O'Reilly (6/10):

A strong physical display, showing his hunger by attacking Perri from the corner and setting up Gvardiol. 

AdvertisementAFPMidfield

Bernardo Silva (5/10):

Didn't really put his usual stamp on the game.

Nico Gonzalez (6/10):

Dominated the first half, barely giving Leeds any glimpses behind him. Struggled to adapt to the visitors' changes.

Tijjani Reijnders (6/10):

Contributed his share in defence and attack although was the first to come off when Guardiola wanted a reaction.

Getty Images SportAttack

Phil Foden (9/10):

Dangerous and decisive from start to finish. Could have had a hat-trick in the first half and when everyone else had lost belief he grabbed the game by the scruff of its neck and won it.

Erling Haaland (5/10):

Failed to score for the third game in a row, barely getting a chance in front of goal. He obediently did his defensive work, though, and was a useful presence nullifying Leeds' ariel threat.

Jeremy Doku (5/10):

Couldn't do his useful damage and struggled to prise Leeds' defence open down his left flank.

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Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Rayan Cherki (6/10):

Gave City a bit more guile going forward and gave the ball to Foden for the crucial strike.

Omar Marmoush (N/A):

Saw a header saved by Perri one minute after coming on.

John Stones (N/A):

Brought on in the 95th minute to run the clock down.

Pep Guardiola (6/10):

A very strange game for the coach to digest, pure dominance followed by a loss of composure and belief. To his credit, his changes helped swing the game back in City's favour, even though he owes Foden a massive pat on the back for digging him out of the hole.

Mitchell Starc has been included for the ODIs against India but Glenn Maxwell remains sidelined from the T20Is with his wrist injury

Andrew McGlashan07-Oct-20254:12

Was replacing Rohit as captain the right call?

Marnus Labuschagne has been dropped from Australia’s ODI squad to face India with his Queensland team-mate Matt Renshaw in line for a debut in the format.Labuschagne’s omission is not a huge surprise as he has a top score of 47 in his last ten ODI innings. He may not have featured against South Africa in August had Matt Short, who is included in this squad, not been ruled out with a side strain. A benefit of his omission is that he can continue to push for a Test recall in the Sheffield Shield, having started the season with 160 against Tasmania.Renshaw’s call-up comes off the back of an impressive run in List A cricket, which included a century for Australia A against Sri Lanka in Darwin during the winter. While he is currently opening in red-ball cricket – and could be an outside contender for the Ashes – he has flourished largely as a No. 3 and No. 4 in the 50-over game. Since November 2021, he has averaged 48.68 with six of his seven career centuries, and has also developed into a very effective middle-order T20 batter.He was previously included in an ODI squad to face Pakistan in 2022 but didn’t get a game.ESPNcricinfo LtdMitchell Starc, who hasn’t played ODIs since last November, has also been included in what is a full-strength squad from the players available. Alex Carey will miss the opening game of the series in Perth so he can play the second round of Sheffield Shield for South Australia, having missed the first match after his call-up to the T20I squad in New Zealand.Fellow wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis has recovered from the calf strain that kept him out of that series and is part of both the ODIs and T20Is. The initial squad for the T20Is is only for the first two games of the series with some management of multi-format players likely to happen for the final three games for those involved in the Ashes.Glenn Maxwell remains unavailable for the T20Is due to the broken wrist he suffered ahead of the New Zealand series.Cameron Green has been included for the ODIs but won’t feature in the T20Is as he prepares to face England, and will likely play more Shield games for Western Australia.Matt Renshaw has impressed in white-ball cricket over the last few seasons•Getty Images”We have named a squad for the ODI series and first two games of the T20 series as there will be some management through the back end of the series as individuals prepare for the summer through Sheffield Shield cricket,” chair of selectors George Bailey said. “The majority of the T20 squad will remain together as it’s an important period in the build towards the World Cup next year, however we are trying to strike a balance to ensure we simultaneously prepare certain individuals for the Test series ahead.”Allrounder Cooper Connolly, who took 5 for 22 against South Africa in Mackay, retained his place in the ODI squad. He has enjoyed a productive tour of India with Australia A, making two half-centuries in the three-match one-day series.Mitchell Owen also has a chance to make an ODI debut having been ruled out of the South Africa series after a concussion.Mitchell Starc will play his first ODIs in nearly a year•Getty ImagesNathan Ellis returned to the T20I squad after missing the New Zealand tour for the birth of his first child. There is no room for Sean Abbott in the ODI group but he has kept his T20 spot.The ODIs against India will take place in Perth (October 19), Adelaide (October 23) and Sydney (October 25). The first two T20Is are in Canberra (October 29) and Melbourne (October 31) before the final three matches in early November.Australia ODI squad vs IndiaMitchell Marsh (capt), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey (wk), Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Mitchell Owen, Matt Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc, Adam ZampaAustralia T20I squad vs India (first two matches) Mitchell Marsh (capt), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

Seamers do the needful against Warwickshire, as Surrey collapse opens door to points victory

ECB Reporters Network24-Sep-2025Warwickshire 258 (Mousley 74, Barnard 48, Young 48, Hutton 4-46, Abbas 3-33) vs Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire are within 300 runs of securing the Rothesay County Championship crown after bowling out Warwickshire for 258 on day one at Trent Bridge.Needing to secure a maximum of 10 points from the final round of matches to lift the title for the first time since 2010 after their victory over holders Surrey last week, Nottinghamshire fulfilled their first requirement by taking all three bowling bonus points, led by Brett Hutton’s four for 46 and Mohammad Abbas’s three for 33.And Surrey’s failure to take any of the five batting bonus points potentially up for grabs in their match against Hampshire at Southampton, means they require just two more in this match to be certain of becoming champions.Put simply, if they can muster anything above 300 with the bat within 110 overs in their first innings, the title will be theirs even were they to lose this match and Surrey win theirs.They might have been on the field in pursuit of those runs already if Dan Mousley had not defied difficult batting conditions by scoring 74 after driving Warwickshire recovery from 127 for five.Mousley shared a 117-run sixth-wicket partnership with Ed Barnard, who exactly matched Will Young earlier in making 48 from 104 deliveries. Warwickshire, who began the day in fourth place, are keen at least to overtake Somerset and finish third.After choosing not to bat first, Nottinghamshire presumably would have hoped to send Warwickshire to lunch in a more precarious position than 70 for one. As it was, in an opening session limited to 25 overs after a wholly unforecast stoppage for rain, the visitors lost only Alex Davies, who was leg before to the 10th ball of the match as Hutton found some early movement through the air.Not that it was for want of trying by the Nottinghamshire attack. Abbas, returning from a minor back issue, bowled seven overs that on another day might have generated two or three wickets. Young and Rob Yates played and missed several times and edged other deliveries past the slips. Both executed some good shots, to be fair to them.More rain delayed the afternoon session by 50 minutes. It began with another early wicket, Yates well held at second slip by Freddie McCann in Abbas’s second over.Abbas has taken the place vacated by Josh Tongue, ordered to rest up by England after his match-winning performance against Surrey last week, which illustrates the depth of Nottinghamshire’s bowling resources. Their other centrally-contracted fast bowler, Olly Stone, though he missed the first tranche of matches through injury, will complete the season having not appeared in the Championship side.Though the sky cleared, batting remained a challenge, although patience and some nifty footwork appeared to be paying off for Young. Having saved himself on 35, managing to kick the ball away a delivery from Dillon Pennington squirmed under his bat towards the stumps, he was nearing a half-century against his former county.But then he unexpectedly wafted at a ball from Hutton outside off stump and paid the price. With Surrey already dismissed by Hampshire for just 147, a first bowling point for Nottinghamshire was enthusiastically applauded by the home crowd, fully aware that the requirement to take the title was already down to just four more points.Two more wickets before tea reduced Warwickshire to 127 for five. Sam Hain, pushing forward, and Zen Malik were caught behind in consecutive overs, the latter off a ball from Lyndon James that moved late to find the edge of his defensive bat.The middle session thus belonged to Nottinghamshire, yet Mousley and Barnard resisted and then fought back in the final session, Mousley becoming more confident and aggressive as the partnership grew, accelerating to a half-century from 62 balls, which he celebrated by going down the pitch to hit James back over his head for six.In the final half-hour, though, the pendulum swung back to Nottinghamshire, left-arm spinner Liam Patterson-White claiming the second bowling point with a caught-and-bowled to remove Barnard before Abbas, bowling fast and straight with second new ball in hand, dismissed Michael Booth and Ethan Bamber in consecutive deliveries.Hutton wrapped things up by bowling Tazeem Ali before Mousley holed out to long off, leaving Nottinghamshire within touching distance of the prize.

And does Varun Chakravarthy have the best bowling figures in a losing cause in T20Is?

Steven Lynch05-Feb-2025Sri Lanka used only four bowlers in Australia’s huge total in the first Test. Was this a record? asked Aditya Agarwal from India
Australia’s first innings in Galle last week reached 654 for 6 before Steve Smith declared. You’re right that Sri Lanka used only four bowlers, who sent down 154 overs between them.It was not only the highest Test total in which only four men bowled – previously Australia’s 528 against India in Adelaide in 1981 – but also the highest in all first-class cricket. That mark was previously 533, by South Africa in an unofficial Test against an Australian XI in Port Elizabeth early in 1987.There have been two Test innings longer than 154 overs to feature only four bowlers. In Rawalpindi in 1997, Pakistan used only four in 167.5 overs as South Africa made 402. But the most deliveries came in Sydney in 1951, when England used only four bowlers in 129 eight-ball overs – equivalent to 172 of six balls – as Australia reached 426. One of those England bowlers, Denis Compton, sent down only six overs – but Alec Bedser delivered 43, John Warr 36 and 40-year-old Freddie Brown 44.Three of Sri Lanka’s bowlers last week conceded more than 180 runs: this has happened only once before in a Test innings, in Sri Lanka’s own record total of 952 for 6 declared against India in Colombo in 1997. The bowlers then were Rajesh Chauhan (1 for 276), Anil Kumble (1 for 223) and Nilesh Kulkarni (1 for 195 on debut; his wicket came from the first ball he bowled).Gudakesh Motie top-scored in the match as West Indies beat Pakistan last week. How often has the highest individual innings in a Test come from a No. 9? asked Shane Chintamani from Guyana
It turns out that Gudakesh Motie, who made 55 in the second innings of West Indies’ dramatic series-squaring victory over Pakistan in Multan last week, was only the tenth man to make the highest individual score in a Test match from as low as No. 9 in the order.The list includes Reggie Duff, a batter who usually opened but who went in at No. 10 on his debut for Australia against England in Melbourne in 1902, and scored 104.The other No. 9s who top-scored in an entire Test were Clem Hill (160) for Australia against England in Adelaide in 1908 (he usually batted much higher, but had been ill), Ian Johnson (73) for Australia vs India in Madras in 1956, Asif Iqbal (146) for Pakistan vs England at The Oval in August 1967, Warren Lees (89) for New Zealand vs Sri Lanka in Christchurch in 1983, Wasim Akram (66) for Pakistan vs West Indies in Faisalabad in 1986, Fanie de Villiers (67 not out) for South Africa vs India in Ahmedabad in 1996, Brett Lee (62 not out) for Australia vs West Indies in Brisbane in 2000, and Shaun Pollock (111) for South Africa vs Sri Lanka in Centurion in 2001.Was Usman Khawaja the oldest man to score a maiden Test double-century? asked Emil Chandran from Australia
When he reached his double-century against Sri Lanka in Galle last week, Usman Khawaja was 38 years 43 days old. He was the 12th man to score a Test double-century after turning 38: Don Bradman of Australia and India’s Vinoo Mankad both made two.The oldest man to score a Test double-century remains the South African opener Eric Rowan, who was 42 when he made 236 – his first and only double – against England at Headingley in 1951. Jack Hobbs was 41 when he scored 211 (also rather surprisingly, his maiden Test double-century) for England vs South Africa at Lord’s in 1924. Another Englishman, Patsy Hendren, reached his maiden Test double-century on his 41st birthday, against West Indies in Port-of-Spain in 1930. Graham Gooch of England and South Africa’s Dudley Nourse both also scored Test doubles after their 40th birthdays. Mankad and England’s Andy Sandham were also older than Khawaja when they reached their maiden Test 200s. For the list, click here (note that the ages given are at the start of the match in question).Varun Chakravarthy is the only bowler to have taken two five-fors in losing causes in T20Is•BCCIVarun Chakravarthy took a five-for in a T20 international against England the other day and lost – and it was the second time he’d done that. What are the best T20I figures by someone who ended up losing? asked Lakshmi Narayanan from India
The Indian legspinner Varun Chakravarthy took 5 for 24 in the second T20I against England in Rajkot last week, but he still finished on the losing side, as he did when he claimed 5 for 17 in Gqeberha last November.In all there are 28 instances of a bowler taking five or more wickets in a losing cause in a men’s T20Is, and Chakravarty is the only one to have done it twice. The best figures in a defeat are 6 for 12, by the Hong Kong seamer Nasrulla Rana against Papua New Guinea in Kuala Lumpur in 2023; Chakravarty’s 5 for 17 are the best figures in vain in a match between two Test-playing nations.There were 53 men’s Test matches in 2024. Was this a record? asked Andrew McKenzie from England
The number of men’s Tests in 2024 has been exceeded only twice before: there were 55 in 2001, and 54 in 2002. What’s noticeable is that there were 12 draws in 2001, and eight in 2002, but only three last year. The last time there were as few as three draws was 2020, when Covid meant there were only 22 Test matches all year.For the list, click here. Note that this is worked out by the start date, which means a few Tests which straddle the new year are not credited to the second year. This does not affect any of the top 25 or so entries, except 2013 and 2014 – one Test started on December 30 and continued into January 2014 (so arguably the totals for those years should be 43.5 and 41.5).Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Fans from across the footballing world have slammed Erling Haaland after the Manchester City forward fluffed his lines from the penalty spot in a top-of-the-table clash against Liverpool at the Etihad. With the scores level at 0-0 after 13 minutes, the Norwegian goal machine had his tame effort saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili, low to the goalkeeper's left.

Haaland blows chance to open scoring

Jeremy Doku earned the penalty for City when, capitalising on a mix-up between Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley, he raced onto a ricochet and went through on goal. The tricky Belgian winger then attempted to go around the Georgian in the Liverpool net, but had his trailing foot collide with Liverpool goalkeeper's knee and fell to the floor. The Reds' players were unhappy, but could have little complaints following their own mistake. Fortunately for Mamardashvili, he had a chance to make up for his blunder.

Few would have expected Haaland, who has netted 13 times in 10 Premier League games already this season, to miss the chance to convert a golden opportunity from 12 yards, but his effort was not hit with enough venom to truly test the big shot-stopper. Compared with his record against other Premier League sides, Haaland has had a trickier time in front of goal against Liverpool and it could have felt like it was yet another disappointing day against the Reds for the goal machine.

AdvertisementFans in disbelief at Haaland miss

The fans could not believe Haaland did not open the scoring with the penalty. @boivannie posted on X, saying: "Haaland misses a penalty? Arsenal didn’t score from set pieces yesterday? Is the world ending??"

At times this season, Haaland has felt almost unstoppable, and few sides have managed to contain the forward whose goalscoring ability appears almost alien at times.

With that miss, @the_rishji said: "Finally, he is a human." Meanwhile, @Bagwell_jrr went a bit further, adding: "Haaland has lost his credibility."

@romsmister18 noticed Haaland has been struggling from the spot. "He missed 3 of the last 5. What is happening to him?"

Manchester United fan @OnlyUnitedx saw the funny side of the City man blowing the chance to score. They posted: "Vote Haaland For Miss Penalty Of The Year 2025."

The humour would only last so long though, with Haaland quick to right his earlier wrong.

Normality is resumed shortly after

Haaland would, of course, have the last laugh. City continued to press for the all-important opening goal and 16 minutes later, right-back Matheus Nunes found himself in acres of space down the Liverpool left and was able to curl a cross to the back-post. The Portuguese international found his target, with Haaland towering above Konate to head a stunning, looping header over the stricken Liverpool goalkeeper and into the back of the net. The goal marked Haaland's 31st in 31 games against the Premier League's so-called 'Big Six' and once again demonstrated why you can never write off the giant forward when he is in this kind of form.

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Getty Images SportCity take advantage of weak Liverpool

Despite their disappointing start, City would double their advantage over the Reds on the brink of half-time. Piling the pressure on the visitors with corner after corner, City took one short, working it to Nico Gonzalez, whose low effort was deflected wickedly off of Virgil van Dijk’s right leg and beyond Mamardashvili, who was left diving in the wrong direction.

With a victory, City can close the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal to just four points. The Gunners squandered three points late on against Sunderland on Saturday and will be watching nervously over their shoulder at Pep Guardiola’s side who, with Haaland in imperious form, will be eating up ground with any dropped points.

The international break follows this round of fixtures and City’s momentum will be put on temporary hold. When Guardiola’s team return, they have a tricky trip to St. James’ Park to take on a struggling Newcastle United and will be keeping an eye on the North London Derby as the Gunners host Spurs.

Manchester City are said to be preparing for Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Junior, but rivals Manchester United are also among the clubs battling to sign him from the Spanish giants.

The Brazilian is one of the best wingers in world football currently, becoming a superstar at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Carlo Ancelotti heaping praise on him during their time working together.

“Right now, I think he is the most decisive player in the world. Everything he does is a dribble away from a defender, an assist or a goal, and he does it for the full 90 minutes – he just never stops.”

His current situation at Madrid isn’t necessarily the happiest, however, and journalist Guillem Balague has explained why there is some friction with Xabi Alonso.

“The manager has insisted Vinicius will not finish every game, that he needs to rest more, and Rodrygo will challenge him for a place on the left side of the attack. Xabi Alonso’s stance is rooted in authority and planning. Vini Jr, used to being indulged, has found it hard to adapt.”

Man City preparing offer for Vinicius

Now, a report from Spain claims that Manchester City are preparing a bid for Vinicius, with Premier League rivals United and Chelsea also in the mix to sign him.

There is apparently “no apparent intention to renew” his current contract, with Pep Guardiola’s side waiting to pounce and complete a stunning piece of business. He reportedly “doesn’t feel valued as he expected” at the Bernabeu, leading to “mounting tensions” emerging.

It goes without saying that the idea of Vinicius in a City shirt is an incredible prospect, given his status as one of the best footballers on the planet.

The 25-year-old possesses remarkable natural talent and skill, but most importantly, he backs that up with strong end product, bagging 64 goals and 44 assists in 217 appearances for Madrid.

Vinicius has also netted eight times for Brazil, and will likely be one of the star attractions at next summer’s World Cup, with former England international Owen Hargreaves lauding him last year.

“His finishing is crazy. His decision-making in front of goal is amazing. He looked very angry in the second half. I don’t know what Carlo [Ancelotti] said to him, but if he plays like that, he’s definitely unstoppable. We saw those clips there – four or five bodies around him, and they can’t even deal with him.”

Erling Haaland's Man City "escape route" as striker's opinion about Real Madrid shared

This would be a disaster.

ByHenry Jackson Nov 1, 2025

If City were able to pair Vinicius with Haaland in their attack, it would make for stunning viewing, and he has the ability to be a future Etihad great if a move does materialise.

Pep can make Haaland even better by unleashing Man City's "proper maverick"

The Baltimore Orioles have been one of Major League Baseball's most disappointing teams during the 2025 season, and appear prepared to sell as the trade deadline approaches. One of those pieces likely to move is veteran starting pitcher Charlie Morton.

While he has struggled at times this season, Morton has a ton of playoff experience, having won World Series titles with the Astros in 2017 and Braves in 2021. Given his age and the fact that he's a pure rental, he shouldn't be wildly expensive at the deadline, despite there not being a ton of starting pitching available.

In 21 appearances (15 starts) this season, Morton is 5-8 with a 5.58 ERA, a 1.56 WHIP and 92 strikeouts in 88 2/3 innings. But he has improved lately. In his last 12 appearances he's 5-1 with a 3.47 ERA, a 3.30 FIP, a 1.26 WHIP and 64 strikeouts in 57 innings.

What follows is a look at four teams who could be interested in the 41-year-old.

New York Yankees

While the Yankees' primary need is a third baseman, they could use another arm. Max Fried and Carlos Rodon are solid atop the team's rotation, but after that things get a little murky. As a whole, the team's starters rank seventh in baseball in ERA (3.74), and Clarke Schmidt was having an excellent season before suffering an elbow injury that will require Tommy John surgery. Luis Gil is on his way back, but with Gerrit Cole also out for the year, adding a reliable starter with postseason experience would be huge.

San Diego Padres

The Padres could use upgrades at catcher and in the outfield, but they're another team that might need a low-cost arm. Yu Darvish has finally returned to the mound, but projected ace Michael King hasn't pitched since May 18 as he deals with a nerve issue in his shoulder. He might be on his way back, but no one knows how long that will take.

The current group of starters ranks 11th in ERA leaguewide (3.91). This is another team that could use an insurance arm like Morton.

Houston Astros

Like the previous two teams, the Astros have solid starters, but are missing the rotational depth they might need to win a World Series. Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez have been outstanding this year, but four potential starters have dealt with injures. Spencer Arrighetti is on his way back from a thumb injury and Cristian Javier is attempting to return from Tommy John surgery. Meanwhile, Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski have both undergone Tommy John surgery as well.

As a group, Houston's starters rank 10th in MLB with a 3.84 ERA, but there's almost no room for error. Plus, both sides of the potential deal are already well familiar with one another—a reunion with Morton makes a lot of sense.

New York Mets

The Mets' rotation actually looks solid right now, with Sean Manaea finally back on the mound and Kodai Senga and David Peterson both dealing. But there is a problem edging its way over the horizon, and that's Clay Holmes' innings total. The first-year starting pitcher has tossed 108 2/3 innings, which is 38 2/3 more than his previous career-high. The 32-year-old former closer could start to hit a wall if he continues at this rate. He's been solid this season (8-5, 3.48 ERA), but also had a 5.66 ERA in four July starts.

Adding Morton and giving Holmes and the rest of the rotation a bit of a cushion could be huge for the Mets down the stretch.