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Playing her first international game since October 2022, the allrounder played a match-winning hand in a rain-curtailed contest

Srinidhi Ramanujam01-May-2024There’s an air of confidence around D Hemalatha of late. The allrounder had had to wait for more than 18 months before stepping into international cricket again. But when she finally got the opportunity to do that on Tuesday, against Bangladesh in the rain-hit second T20I, she ensured she made a case for herself with a blistering 41 not out off 24 balls. It came in an India innings of 47 for 1 in a curtailed chase lasting just 5.2 overs.It feels like a long time ago when Hemalatha made her T20I debut as a 23-year-old in 2018, at the T20 World Cup (then called the World T20) in the Caribbean. For someone who had shown so much potential at the domestic level for Tamil Nadu and Railways, Hemalatha had found it hard to translate it into runs in international cricket. Before her comeback game, she had played 15 T20Is and had scored a total of just 90 runs, shuttling between No.3 and 7 in the batting line-up with the highest score of 20.Related

• How Radha Yadav levelled up her game with a 'smiling face'

• Asha, Sajana earn maiden call-ups for Bangladesh series

• Renuka Singh finds her mojo ahead of T20 World Cup

• Radha and Hemalatha seal victory in rain-hit game

In those 15 games, she had come in at No.3 only twice, in 2022, and notched up 10 off 15 and 9 off 10 against England. This was a time when Yastika Bhatia and Jemimah Rodrigues were not part of India’s squad. In this series against Bangladesh, with Rodrigues out with a back niggle, the left-handed Yastika was India’s first-choice No.3. Yastika top-scored for India with 36 in the series-opener but had to miss the second game with a niggle. That’s when the stars aligned for Hemalatha.”Feeling great, playing for India and giving some contribution from my side,” Hemalatha would say after taking away the Player-of-the-Match award.At 29, she forced her way back into the India squad on the back of impressive performances in the domestic circuit and the WPL. In the senior women’s T20 trophy in October, Hemalatha scored 199 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 130.06 while batting at No.4 for Railways. This included an unbeaten 98 off 61 against Jharkhand, including 11 fours and five sixes. Her ability to negotiate spin and score quickly was on display for Gujarat Giants in WPL 2024 as well. After playing four matches in the middle order, the Chennai-born allrounder was promoted to No.3 against Mumbai Indians. The result: 74 off 40 at a strike rate of 185.A promotion to No. 3 during the WPL brought Hemalatha a 40-ball 74 against Mumbai Indians•BCCIIt was this big-hitting ability that took India over the line in Sylhet to go 2-0 up in the five-match series. After India had bowled Bangladesh out for 119 in overcast conditions, Hemalatha was out on the field for the third ball of the chase with Shafali Verma caught behind for 0. She scored four off her first seven balls, before dancing down the track and lofting offspinner Sultana Khartun high over the cow corner fence, bringing up the first six of the match. She then struck three fours off seamer Marufa Akther and left-arm pacer Fariha Trisna – a drive through backward point, a powerful cut, and a lofted shot straight over the bowler’s head.This was before she muscled left-arm spinner Nahida Akhter for a six over long-on and a four through the covers. Marufa came back to bowl the final over of the powerplay, and off the last ball before it started raining again, Hemalatha pierced the gap between extra cover and mid-off with a pleasing drive. In all, she hit five fours and two sixes.India were 19 runs ahead on the DLS calculations when the match was abandoned. At the post-match press conference, Hemalatha – usually a person of few words in media interactions – revealed that she was practising with the new ball at the WPL and that had given her the confidence to bat in the top order for India.”It’s really amazing. It always feels amazing when you are playing for your country,” she said. “In the domestic [circuit], I used to play at No. 4 and 5 in the [batting] order. When I came to GG [Gujarat Giants], I was playing at No.3. For that, I started playing with the new ball in WPL, and it has worked for me here also because I was confident playing against the new ball. We were planning to play just according to our strengths, it was a run-a-ball game, 120 was chaseable. We didn’t plan that much.”Rain might have robbed Hemalatha of a big innings, but it was a day to remember, nonetheless. Whether India persist with her when Yastika returns to full fitness is something to look at. But if she keeps firing like this when the management throws opportunities at her, and with four months to go for the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, India will have a happy headache fitting in Rodrigues, Yastika and Hemalatha.

Where Sri Lanka trusted Jayasuriya and Mendis to win the game for them, Pakistan always kept chopping and changing

Danyal Rasool28-Jul-2022It was almost exactly midway through this second Test, midway through the third innings, that Sri Lanka decisively pulled away from Pakistan. The 40th over had just been sent down by Yasir Shah. A poor one, with two loose balls put away by Dhananjaya de Silva, who was then in single digits; he would finish up in three figures. Five wickets down, two new batters at the crease and the skies darkening, Sri Lanka’s lead looked particularly vulnerable.Babar Azam had five spin options at his disposal, and Yasir’s ordinary over was more an aberration than anything else; he’d been fairly solid in his preceding seven, and also removed Oshada Fernando early on. Agha Salman at the other end was operating with impressive consistency, landing the ball in the danger area more frequently than perhaps any other Pakistan bowler; one drifting, non-turning offbreak had taken Angelo Mathews’ outside edge just before tea. Babar, however, opted for a change from that end.He didn’t bring on a fast bowler, or any of the other five spinners. Suddenly, there was the Pakistan captain, cap off and ball in hand, against two new batters who could barely believe their luck. Hindsight, foresight, and indeed sight at that moment could all tell you what was about to unfold and yet, seemingly oblivious to the magnitude of the moment, Babar began to bowl.Related

• Jayasuriya: 'I gave my everything to play for Sri Lanka'

• Stats – Jayasuriya's record-breaking start, Babar's fourth-innings form

• Jayasuriya, Mendis run through Pakistan as Sri Lanka level series

• Babar rises to No. 3 on Test batters' table

Across a wretched over, Sri Lanka were presented 10 runs on a golden platter, with the pressure release palpable across the Galle Fort ramparts. Babar took himself off, but the spark for that embryonic stand had been lit; de Silva and Karunaratne added 126 runs for the sixth wicket, stomping on any final hopes Pakistan had nurtured for another dramatic fourth-innings heist.To say Sri Lanka’s win represented justice being done would be something of an understatement; it is perhaps a travesty the hosts were ever made to sweat on a win in a contest they grasped by the scruff of the neck from the first session. Sri Lanka’s approach to this second Test demonstrated a clarity of strategy wholly absent from Pakistan’s game from day one, something Mohammad Nawaz admitted to when expressing frustration with Pakistan’s first-innings bowling plans.Sri Lanka had a multitude of spin options to choose from, too, but Karunaratne and Dhananjaya, who stood in for him for large swathes of the Test match, would not allow themselves to get lost in the maze of choice. Identifying Prabath Jayasuriya and Ramesh Mendis as their key spinners, Sri Lanka let them operate for extended lengths in each innings, backing them to stick to Plan A even while Pakistan built up frustrating partnerships. Today, as time ran out and rain and bad light both threatened to play spoilsport, Dhananjaya would not panic in the face of a seemingly impermeable Babar-Rizwan partnership that saw Pakistan sitting pretty at 176 for 2 in 53 overs.Pakistan lost eight wickets for 85 runs in the final innings•AFP/Getty ImagesAside from seven overs from Dunith Wellalage, Ramesh and Jayasuriya were nigh on the only game in town. From the 50th onwards, no other bowler sent down a single over, the entire 8 for 85 collapse scripted by that most traditional of combinations: a left-arm orthodox spinner and a right-arm offspinner operating in tandem with the confidence of their captain and a patience that stemmed from trusting the process they had followed to the point of muscle memory.”Patience” was a word Babar continued to return to in the post-match press conference. He ascribed a lack of it to his batters, and praised Jayasuriya for possessing it in spades. “Even if he gets hit for a boundary, he doesn’t deviate from his length,” Babar said.Pakistan may not currently possess the spin bowling quality that always feels like it’s bursting at the seams in Sri Lanka, but the part a captain plays in enabling them to put their best foot forward is difficult to overstate. According to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-tracking figures, nearly half of Jayasuriya’s deliveries on the final day – 52 off 114 – landed full on the stumps, rather than the safer shorter length wider outside off stump. He would concede a run-a-ball operating that line and length, but continued to work away on that tactic.It was responsible for three of his four wickets on the day, including the match-defining ones of Babar and Rizwan. Babar’s struggles against Jayasuriya in an otherwise excellent innings were also laid bare, with the batter not in control of 33.3% of all deliveries the left-armer bowled. Ramesh, too, was more productive when he operated along the fuller line that gave batters the opportunity to score runs, three of the four wickets he took falling that way.The notion that Karunaratne, who has exactly as many wickets at Test level as Babar, would have even considered bringing himself on for an over for whatever reason bordered on risible, and Dhananjaya – a far more accomplished bowler than either – only sent down two overs in the final innings; yet Pakistan have often felt chained to their bowling choices rather than feeling liberated by them. The longest any two of their spinners operated in tandem all Test amounted to 17 overs, and never once did a Pakistan spinner lay siege to an end, as Sri Lanka so successfully did.It might have to do with the quality of the personnel, but as a theme across his captaincy, Babar’s ideas on management of spin resources have felt strategically light. In Karachi, Pakistan had asphyxiated the Australian middle order around tea on the first day, allowing just 16 runs in 13 overs. Instead of keeping that pressure on, the next 26 overs were bowled by the ineffectual Sajid Khan, Nauman Ali, Azhar Ali and, of course, Babar himself. Australia did not lose a single wicket during that spell, and went on to amass 556.It’s much easier when you have Jayasuriya and Ramesh in this kind of form at your disposal. But Karunaratne, and Sri Lanka, know exactly what to do with them, while Babar, and Pakistan, have much of their figuring out ahead of them.

They spent countless hours together as kids learning “correct cricket” and they brought all of it on Tuesday

Shashank Kishore in Rajkot10-Mar-2020As kids, Cheteshwar Pujara and Arpit Vasavada spent countless hours in each other’s houses at Railways Colony in Rajkot. When not summoned to do homework, they’d train together, wanting to out-do each other with the bat. Arvind, Pujara senior, wanted them to channel their cricketing pursuits better and would have them alternate at the nets. Then over countless meals, he would drill into them the need to play “correct cricket” and to prove themselves on tough wickets outside Rajkot.On Tuesday, Vasavada and Pujara exhibited those very virtues that were ingrained in them as young players wanting to make a name in Saurashtra. And in doing so, Saurashtra took another step closer to their Ranji Trophy dream, after three failed attempts.Sure this final wasn’t being played outside Rajkot – regarded widely as a wicket by casual cricket observers in the country – but Arvind, a keen watcher from the stands, would’ve been delighted because this was far from a typical Khanderi surface they grew up on. This could’ve well been a surface in Kalyani or Karnail Singh Stadium in Delhi, one that needed both batsmen to dig in and exhibit substance over style. And they did.Pujara and Vasavada are the artisans of this team. There is a reason why the batting revolves around them. The more flamboyant artists were back in the pavilion. Sheldon Jackson looked a dream, but flattered to deceive. Vishwaraj Jadeja set himself up and was bowled through the gate. Such dismissals can potentially cause doubts for batsmen at the other end.Vasavada soaked it all from the non-striker’s end on Monday, even as Pujara battled throat infection, dizziness and fever. Pujara didn’t come out for pre-match warm-ups and the usual batting routines on Tuesday to preserve his energies. But when it was time for him to use them, he did it the way he knows best. Bengal’s fast bowlers kept trying to land the punches. Pujara had one answer: block.Short ball on the body: block. Left-arm over from outside leg: pad away. Left-arm spin from around the wicket: step-out-smother. Bouncer from around the stumps: duck and weave. He had answers to all questions the bowlers tried to ask of him. The approach comes out of years of training and knowledge of the surface, where batsmen, especially those from outside, can be worn down by demons they can’t see. In all fairness, conditions were tough and runs came in a trickle in the morning. It needed batsmen to fight and these two were prepared for the hard grind without the worry of being made to look ugly.They came together at a crucial time on Tuesday morning, with Saurashtra resuming on a dicey 206 for 5. A few quick wickets and Bengal’s hopes of restricting them below 300 would’ve been a real possibility. The onus was on them to see off the first hour at least. They added 25 in the first 15 overs of play, Pujara on occasions having mild discomfort against Shahbaz Ahmed’s left-arm spin. Once, he was even referred to the TV umpire for an lbw decision but survived because of his intent to try and get to the pitch of the ball, which got him outside the nine-feet mark. And while the impact was in line, he was too far down the pitch.Vasavada, at the other end, was equally watchful. Playing behind the line, rising with the bounce, weaving away from short balls, and resisting the temptation to sweep, a shot he plays very well. Most knocks of his generally has a good portion of runs square of the wicket through the sweep shot. But this was different. His determination to not play it as often seemingly evident.From time to time, Pujara kept walking up to him in between overs, sometimes in between deliveries, at the first sign of him trying to do something outside the manual. But these instances were few in a dogged effort. The mantra was clear: ‘There are no points for grace. Time and runs are our currency’.There was a poignant moment when Vasavada got to his century, though. Vasavada was consumed by emotion as he roared towards the dressing room, whipped off his helmet and waved his bat animatedly. Pujara had started to run towards him to give a big hug but stopped, held himself back and allowed Vasavada to let his emotions flow. And once he regained his composure, Pujara walked up to him and gave him a quiet hug and handshake. It was the hug that validated Arvind’s “tough runs outside Rajkot” philosophy.All along, Pujara was hardly been deterred at his own scoring rate. There was not even an inkling of that word ‘intent’ being heard from any corner. He didn’t get to his fifty until his 191st delivery, when he put away a long hop to the point boundary with all his might. It was sane batting, dour batting but a masterclass in putting mind over all else.Then a release shot came off his 200th ball, a length delivery that had him take a big stride forward and disdainfully crash on the up for four through cover point. But such luxuries of letting instincts take over were very limited, and the beauty of his knock lay in his self-restraint, like Vasavada, fully aware that while he wasn’t a 100%, he couldn’t afford to not give anything but 100% for his team. In four innings in the final, Pujara had a best of 27. This was his space, his home and he wasn’t going to pass another chance.The partnership was worth 142; but its value far greater than many stands they’ve had on flatter wickets. Pujara only made 66, off 237 balls. Vasavada 106, before being stumped. But as stumps approached and shadows lengthened in Rajkot, they had more than done their bit to give Saurashtra a real shot at history.On Holi, it wasn’t quite a colourful batting display you’d expect from an Indian mainstay, but the bloodymindedness to get the job done showed his steely resolve and how much the old virtues of occupying the crease and bail the team out meant to him.

The MLB 2025 All-Star rosters were officially released on Sunday ahead of the game on Tuesday, July 15.

While there are plenty of players who will be returning to the All-Star Game after receiving multiple bids in their careers, there are many players who will be making their All-Star debuts this summer. There's been quite a few standout stars in MLB this season already, like Cal Raleigh and Pete Crow-Armstrong to name two examples. And, they will now get to show off their talents on a national stage.

In total, 18 MLB stars were named to their first All-Star Game this year. Here's a breakdown of all those players, including which ones are rookies this season.

American League First-Time All-Stars

National League First-Time All-Stars

Rookies Named to All-Star Game

There's only two rookies who were named to the All-Star rosters this year: Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson and Chicago White Sox pitcher Shane Smith.

Wilson was called up right after the All-Star break last summer, so this is his first full season with the team. He is the first fan-elected rookie shortstop to earn the All-Star starting bid in MLB history—pretty impressive. In 84 games so far this season, he's averaging .335/.377/.468 with nine home runs and 42 RBIs.

Smith's pitched in 17 games this season, posting a 3-7 record in that span. He's etched a 4.20 ERA over 83.2 innings pitched. He's thrown 76 strikes and given up 74 hits.

Cristiano Ronaldo versus Lionel Messi in the 2026 World Cup final would likely become a “retirement match” for two all-time greats, admits Pedro Mendes. A couple of GOATs are preparing for another shot at global glory, with Messi having already added that prize to his collection with Argentina. The end is approaching for both, and it could be that they enjoy the “perfect finish” next summer.

GOATs at 2026 World Cup: Will Ronaldo face Messi?

Messi is yet to confirm that he will be gracing next summer’s finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico, but the expectation is that the Inter Miami superstar will captain his country in their title defence.

Ronaldo has suggested that the 2026 finals will be his last, but the evergreen 40-year-old is being tipped to play on for some time yet. Fans in every corner of the planet would love to see CR7 lock horns with eternal rival Messi on the grandest of stages.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALLast dance: Could Ronaldo meet Messi in World Cup final?

Ex-Portugal international Mendes – speaking to BOYLE Sports, who offer the latest football betting – has said of that potentially happening: “It's always a big occasion. Every time there's a Ronaldo vs Messi match, it's always a big occasion. We were fortunate enough to see those amazing players, but I think they were unlucky to be in the same generation. If they played at different times, they would both be considered the best of all time in their respective generations without question. But again, there's always that debate, who was the best? Messi or Ronaldo?

“So every time there's a game between them, it's a big occasion. And it'll be great every time you see it. I hope Messi plays, because Messi on the pitch is always a joy to watch as a football fan, not just as a Portuguese fan, but as a football fan. I hope he goes. Portugal and Argentina in the final would be good. It could be the retirement match for one of them.”

Evergreen Ronaldo: How long with CR7 play for?

Mendes is among those that believe Ronaldo can play for as long as he wants, with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner still a talismanic presence for club and country. Mendes added: “As long as Cristiano is fit and ready to play, he should play. It just brings something, even if he's not involved a lot of the time, he's always a worry for the other team. He has that killer instinct, that killer touch inside the box. When the ball bounces to him, he can score at any time, at any minute. So I think if he's fit, he should start. Every single day.

“I think in Portugal, maybe 90% of the Portuguese people want Cristiano Ronaldo to start. But there's always that 10%, you know, there's always that 10%. But I think, again, as I said, if he drops him for some reason, it must be a physical reason. If he's fit, I think he should play. And I think Roberto Martinez will play him all the time.”

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GettyRonaldo targets: Individual targets being chased down

Ronaldo, who is now plying his club trade in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr, appears to still have individual targets to chase down. Mendes sees those keeping a personal fire burning, but a World Cup triumph could convince the evergreen frontman to bow out.

Mendes said: “I don't know what's happening in his head and if he wants to play on. But if in his head the word retirement is there, I think winning the World Cup will be the perfect finish for him.

“The 1,000 goals? That's the thing. He may go on for one or two more years. In Saudi, he may score them. But again, if we don't win it, maybe he'll stay a couple more years to chase that record, that 1,000 goal. But if we win it, I think it'll be a massive doubt in his head if it's enough or if he'll go for the 1,000 goal. So let's see.”

It has been suggested that Ronaldo, who is now tied to terms in the Middle East through to 2027, will prolong his record-shattering career long enough that he gets to line up alongside eldest son Cristiano Jr – who is part of Al-Nassr’s academy system and has already made his international bow with Portugal at youth level.

Lamine Yamal scored one and set up another as Barcelona came from behind to defeat Alaves 3-1 to rise to the top of La Liga on Saturday afternoon. Hansi Flick’s side bounced back from their Champions League defeat against Chelsea in midweek with a tight victory which saw them claim top spot ahead of Real Madrid’s trip to Girona on Sunday evening.

In just their second match back at the renovated Camp Nou, Barcelona found themselves 1-0 down inside the first minute when midfielder Marc Casado fluffed his clearance from a corner before keeping onside Alaves’ Pablo Ibanez, who tapped home from close range. However, the hosts were level when Yamal found the back of the net from Raphinha’s excellent cutback, before the Brazil star soon set up Dani Olmo to make it 2-1 in what was an end-to-end first half.

Dominating possession without creating too many chances in a stop-start second half, Barcelona soon turned to substitute Pedri, who made his return from a leg injury sustained in October's Clasico defeat against Real. And the 23-year-old quickly made his influence count, teeing up Yamal who almost found the top left corner with an ambitious effort from distance.

Performing admirably while camped in their own half, Alaves had a couple of rare opportunities to make it 2-2 when striker Lucas Boye’s low effort forced an important block from Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi, before goalkeeper Joan Garcia made a super stop to deny substitute Jon Guridi. However, the Blaugrana made Eduardo Coudet's visitors’ pay late on when Olmo played a lovely give-and-go with Yamal before slotting home his second of the game.

With the comeback victory wrapped up, Flick's men moved two points clear of fierce rivals Real ahead of their game against 18th-placed Girona on Sunday.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from Camp Nou…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Joan Garcia (7/10):

On the deck and in all sorts of trouble, the shot-stopper made an incredible recovery save as he rose to deny Alaves' Jonny Otto in the first half. The Spaniard then thwarted midfielder Guridi late on.

Eric Garcia (5/10):

The utility man found it difficult to contain Alaves winger Abderrahman Rebbach in the first half, before being replaced by Jules Kounde after the break.

Pau Cubarsi (7/10):

In a cool and composed performance, the youngster made a crucial interception as Alaves' Boye went close to making it 2-2 in the dying stages.

Gerard Martin (6/10):

Playing out of position at centre-back, the defender recovered from a shaky start by recording the pre-assist for Olmo's first-half effort.

Alejandro Balde (7/10):

Marauding forward at every opportunity, the influential left-back slipped in Raphinha in the lead up to Yamal's equaliser.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Marc Bernal (5/10):

Looking to impress after struggling for minutes following his return from injury, the midfielder was quiet before being replaced at the interval.

Marc Casado (5/10):

The midfielder was at fault for Alaves' goal, failing to clear the corner before keeping midfielder Ibanez onside. He grew into the game, however, showing good composure on the ball.

Dani Olmo (8/10):

Operating as the No. 10, the midfielder crashed the box to convert Raphinha's lovely cross and complete Barcelona's first-half turnaround. And the Spain international made it 3-1 late on, sending the ball beyond Alaves goalkeeper and captain Antonio Sivera.

Getty Images SportAttack

Lamine Yamal (8/10):

Dribbling past Alaves left-back Victor Parada time and time again, the winger made it 1-1 with a tidy finish but he should have scored moments later, hitting the post after rounding Alaves' Sivera. In the final moments of the game, the wonderkid helped Barcelona wrap up the victory as he teed up Olmo with a crisp through ball.

Robert Lewandowski (6/10):

While goalscoring opportunities were few and far between, the striker was neat and tidy with his hold-up play, offering a platform for the likes of Yamal and Raphinha.

Raphinha (8/10):

In what was a terrific performance from the stand-in captain, the forward provided the two crosses which led to Yamal and Olmo's first-half goals. He then had a great chance to score himself but he was thwarted by Sivera one-on-one.

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Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Jules Kounde (6/10):

Brought on at half-time for Eric Garcia, the France international almost registered an assist but Olmo was unable to convert from his dangerous cross.

Andreas Christensen (N/A):

A late substitute, the centre-back was unable to make enough of an impact.

Pedri (7/10):

In his first appearance since last month's Clasico, the midfielder showed no signs of rustiness, setting up Yamal who went close with a long-range effort.

Ferran Torres (6/10):

A second-half substitute, the former Manchester City man received little service despite Barcelona controlling possession.

Marcus Rashford (6/10):

Replacing Marc Bernal for the second half, the forward was fairly lively, twisting and teasing his way past Alaves' Otto.

Hansi Flick (6/10):

With the scoreline tight, the German was proactive with his substitutions, watching on as Pedri impressed following his return from injury.

Sri Lanka are on the brink of elimination in the Asia Cup after sliding to their second successive defeat

Madushka Balasuriya23-Sep-20251:39

What went wrong for Sri Lanka’s batters?

An unbroken stand of 58 off 41 between Hussain Talat and Mohammad Nawaz saved Pakistan’s blushes as they stumbled their way through a middling chase to eventually come away with a five-wicket win against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi.Having been set a target of 134, on a ground where the average winning total batting first was 183, Pakistan collapsed from 43 for 0 in five overs to 57 for 4 in the ninth over. Not long after it was 80 for 5 in the 12th over, but Talat and Nawaz got the job done for Pakistan without any further scares.Related

Abrarcadabra – the spell that left Sri Lanka stupefied

Talat: Middle-order batting the hardest job in T20s

Asalanka: Sri Lanka have to 'get combinations right'

Talat finished on 32* off 30, while Nawaz struck 38* off 24, while for Sri Lanka the wickets were spread between Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera.Talat had earlier made his initial impact with the ball, in a double-wicket over, removing both Charith Asalanka and Dasun Shanaka. It had followed a powerplay that saw Shaheen Shah Afridi pick up two wickets in the powerplay – he would end with three in total – as Sri Lanka lost their top three for the addition of 53 in the first six overs.From that point on Pakistan strangled Sri Lanka’s innings, as they only mustered 63 runs across the final ten overs. Kamindu Mendis’ 50 off 44 was the lone bright spot in an otherwise forgettable innings.The result means that Sri Lanka have lost two games, and are now dependent on Bangladesh beating India to keep their hopes of making the final alive.1:26

Aaron: Pakistan using three pacers up top made the difference

Afridi’s early impactPakistan got the best of the bowling conditions when the won the toss and elected to bowl, but it still needed to be utilised. Both Shaheen Shah Afridi and Faheem Ashraf found big movement early on, but that did not deter the Sri Lankan batters.Kusal Mendis clipped one in the air to short midwicket first ball, but Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera both found the boundary. Afridi then accounted for Nissanka as well, with the opener edging behind an attempted heave down the ground – one he had executed efficiently just a ball prior.Kusal Perera fell in the final over of the powerplay, miscuing one off Haris Rauf to mid-on. Sri Lanka had 53 runs in the powerplay, but Pakistan kept chipping away.2:09

Chopra: Talat holding one end up was important

Talat sets up the middle-overs squeezeDespite the loss of three wickets, Sri Lanka were still looking to attack – presumably reading that conditions were more than adequate for batting. However the two dismissals as a result of this approach, perhaps bordering on reckless at points, greatly reduced Sri Lanka’s ability to post a competitive total.The first was from Asalanka, who was batting well during his 19-ball 20, but ended up top-edging a short-arm pull to deep square leg. A ball later Dasun Shanaka nicked behind. Both those wickets came in Talat’s first over, and he went onto finish with 2 for 18 in his three overs.Sri Lanka’s scoring slowed to a trickle after that point, as they scored just 34 runs between overs six and 16. During this period Abrar Ahmed trotted through four overs, giving away just eight runs while picking up the wicket of Wanindu Hasaranga.ESPNcricinfo LtdTalat and Nawaz finish it offSahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman seemingly broke the chase with a 45-run opening stand, but when Theekshana picked up both batters in the final over of the powerplay – the latter courtesy an outstanding one-handed grab at mid-off by Hasaranga – Sri Lanka felt they had a sniff.Two Hasaranga overs later though and Pakistan had lost two more, and suddenly Sri Lanka were well and truly in it.A 23-run stand between Talat and Mohammad Haris briefly brought back some control of proceedings for Pakistan, but when Chameera burst one through Haris to peg back the middle stump, Pakistan still needed 54 more with half their side back in the dugout.Thankfully for them, Talat and Nawaz navigated the chase shrewdly, taking minimal risks to take the game deep. It was only in the death overs that they opened up, with Nawaz looking to take on Hasaranga and then finally Chameera. A trio of sixes off the latter brought the game to a rapid close.

Lunch England started the third day with a slight upper hand, but by lunch were in deep trouble. They have often struggled to dislodge Yashasvi Jaiswal, but it was India’s nightwatch Akash Deep who threatened to take the game away from them. His 66 was the highest score of his professional career, and his stand with Jaiswal was the biggest partnership of the match.Deep faced just two balls on the second evening before bad light prompted an early close, and sensed an opportunity to chance his arm. He dragged the third ball of the day – from Jacob Bethell, allowing Gus Atkinson to change ends – over mid-on for four, then flashed hard against the seamers.England could have dismissed him twice in as many balls. They were convinced that Josh Tongue had trapped him lbw on 21, only for Ahsan Raza’s not-out decision to be upheld via umpire’s call, and then had him edging to Zak Crawley at third slip. But Crawley put down his second – and England’s fourth – catch of the innings, and Akash Deep ploughed on.He had a fair slice of good fortune, but also played some outrageous shots. He rocked back to uppercut as though mirroring Jaiswal – who seemed happy to assume an unusual role as second fiddle – and punched the air in delight on reaching 50 by hauling Atkinson away through the leg side. The Indian balcony stood to applaud; Gautam Gambhir even cracked a rare smile.Akash Deep finally fell for 66 shortly before lunch, a leading edge ballooning up to Atkinson at point to give Jamie Overton his first wicket of the match, but England were rattled. Their attack, bowling for the third day in a row, looked toothless, and the absence of the injured Chris Woakes leaves them one bowler down. It could be a long afternoon.

Warwickshire 184 (Smith 68, Webster 57, Shahzad 6-42) and 396 for 5 (Malik 142, Webster 100*, Mousley 69) beat Worcestershire 333 (Brookes 140, D’Oliveira 57) and 243 (Brookes 87, Roderick 50) by five wicketsWarwickshire pulled off the third biggest run-chase in their history to record a sensational five-wicket Rothesay County Championship victory over Worcestershire at Edgbaston.Second best for the first three days, on the fourth, Warwickshire chased down a target of 393, reaching 396 for five thanks to Zen Malik (142 from 222 balls), Beau Webster (100 not out, 166), Dan Mousley (69, 107) and Kai Smith (48 not out, 40). As the sun came out for the first time in the match and batting conditions eased, they delivered a remarkable recovery from 12 for two the previous evening.Malik unfurled a high-class career-best while Australian all-rounder Webster, in control from his first ball faced, was just as pivotal to the triumph. It was a real heartbreaker for Worcestershire as a victory which would have galvanised their survival fight turned into a defeat which shunts them to the brink of Division Two.Twenty-three days earlier at Southampton, Worcestershire needed to take seven Hampshire wickets on the last day and took only one. This time they need to take eight and found just three. That inability to close out winning positions will almost certainly cost them their First Division status.Warwickshire resumed on the final morning on 55 for two and, to their delight, the thick cloud that sat over Edgbaston for the first three days had departed. Batting was much at its easiest all game and Mousley and Malik applied themselves diligently to deny the visitors early impetus from a wicket.Mousley, recalled to the championship side due to Sam Hain’s paternity leave, reached 50 from 89 balls and a long overdue maiden championship century beckoned when he reverse-swept Bertie Foreman to short third man.Malik chugged on with immaculate concentration while Webster restrained his attacking instincts to launch another productive partnership. When Malik struck Foreman for ten in two balls to take the total halfway to the target, the home crowd’s thoughts started to turn towards an unlikely win.Malik reached his second first-class century (156 balls) with a six over the well-peppered short Hollies-side boundary. Webster followed to his half-century from 103 balls and Warwickshire went into tea on 267 for three, needing 126 from 35 overs.Malik skied Ethan Brookes to long on but left with his side firmly on course for victory. Ed Barnard edged Tom Taylor behind in the first over with the new ball, but Smith joined Webster to work the ball astutely around the big field to add an unbroken 84 in 11.2 overs.The unlikeliest of victories ultimately arrived with great comfort with 82 balls to spare, and Warwickshire’s exhilaration was as great as Worcestershire’s desolation.

The latest round of action across Europe's 'Big Five' leagues has predictably produced a plethora of talking points, with Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid all in fine form. The Gunners are six points clear at the top of the Premier League after scoring yet another set-piece goal, and keeping another clean sheet, in their 2-0 victory at Burnley. Meanwhile, both Bayern and Real have five-point leads in Germany and Spain, respectively, after comfortable wins over the weekend.

Paris Saint-Germain are only two ahead of Marseille in France but it would take a brave man to bet against Luis Enrique's men retaining their title. However, Italian champions Napoli have a serious Scudetto fight on their hands. Antonio Conte's men were held to a 0-0 draw by Cesc Fabregas' impressive Como side on Saturday and that allowed Inter and AC Milan to draw to within a point of the Partenopei at the summit of the standings.

So, who were the big winners and losers of the weekend's action? GOAL breaks it all down below…

Getty Images SportWINNER: Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah's 250th goal for Liverpool was one of the easiest he's ever scored, with Emiliano Martinez presenting the Egyptian with both the ball and an unguarded net. However, it was still a hugely significant strike for both Salah and his side, as it arrived at a time of great difficulty for both. Having lost six of their previous seven games in all competitions, Liverpool desperately needed a win over Aston Villa on Saturday – so scoring first was huge for the home side.

Salah, of course, had netted in his previous outing, against Brentford, and his spectacular finish in London was far more impressive than his open goal on Merseyside. However, the Egyptian's overall display at the Gtech Community Stadium had been atrocious. At Anfield, he looked far more like his old self – and that's what pleased the under-pressure Arne Slot most of all.

"If you score 250 goals, it's already unbelievable – let alone for one club. You don't see this that much in football anymore," the Dutchman said in his post-match press conference. "But I think apart from the goal he scored tonight, he had a very good performance. Because when we had to play long, we played mainly long towards him and he could hold the ball, so because of that the rest of the team could come to him and we could keep playing.

"And what I also liked was that he didn't only do his offensive work really well, but he helped the team out defensively as well."

The challenge now, of course, is for Salah to prove that he's well and truly back when Liverpool face Real Madrid and Manchester City in the coming days…

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLOSER: Paulo Dybala

Gian Piero Gasperini rightly pointed out that there were plenty of positives for Roma to take out of their performance in Sunday's 1-0 loss at AC Milan. The visitors had squandered the opportunity to go top of Serie A, but they had played well for the most part, with even Rossoneri coach Massimiliano Allegri admitting that Roma had been the better side before Strahinja Pavlovic turned in Rafal Leao's cut-back just before the break. Unfortunately for Roma, though, the game couldn't have finished in a more negative fashion.

The Giallorossi had been awarded a penalty with just 10 minutes remaining at San Siro – which felt like a guaranteed goal, as Paulo Dybala had scored all 18 of his previous spot-kicks for the club he joined from Juventus in 2022. Dybala didn't just miss, though, he also hurt himself in the process – much like Kevin De Bruyne for Napoli a couple of weeks ago. 

It's not yet known how long Dybala will be out of action, but Gasperini doesn't expect to see the gifted but injury-prone attacker back in action before the next international break. "This is the biggest loss of the night," Gasperini admitted in his post-match interview with .

Getty Images SportWINNER: Madrid's dynamic duo

Real Madrid's freescoring French forward Kylian Mbappe was quick to dismiss comparisons with the great Cristiano Ronaldo after taking his tally for the current campaign to a ridiculous 18 goals in 14 appearances in all competitions with a brace in Saturday's 4-0 rout of Valencia.

"Everyone knows that Cristiano is the reference in Madrid, the number one," Mbappe said of his childhood idol. "I've been here for a year-and-a-half and he was here for nine years. I can't compare myself to what he did; my path is different."

It's clear, though, that Mbappe is already well on his way to achieving a similar level of reverence at Santiago Bernabeu. Last season's European Golden Shoe winner has taken his game to another level since the summer arrival of Xabi Alonso as coach, and the really exciting thing for Los Blancos is that the fit-again Jude Bellingham is also thriving under the new boss.

The Englishman backed up an outstanding performance in the Clasico with another stellar display against Valencia, which he capped with a sublime strike from the edge of the area to make it three goals in his last three games for Madrid. This could have easily been a season of transition at the Bernabeu but, with Mbappe and Bellingham in this kind of form, Alonso's Liga leaders actually look capable of sweeping all before them.

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Getty Images SportLOSER: Vinicius Jr

Of course, it's not all sunshine and roses in the Spanish capital right now, as Vinicius Jr continues to cut a frustrated figure. The Brazilian's latest hissy fit, after being taken off in El Clasico, dominated the headlines in the lead-up to the Valencia game, but Alonso attempted to draw a line under the matter in his pre-match press conference and said that there was no need to punish Vinicius for his petulance. Consequently, Vinicius – who publicly apologised to everyone but Alonso for his on-field outburst against Barcelona – retained his place in the starting line-up on Saturday.

He began brightly, too, causing Valencia all sorts of problems down the left flank. However, when Madrid won their second penalty of the evening shortly before half-time – Mbappe had converted their first – Vinicius wasted the chance to register his first goal involvement since October 4, with his weak spot-kick easily saved by Julen Agirrezabala. Unsurprisingly, his influence on the game waned thereafter, before being once again replaced by Rodrygo with 12 minutes to go.

Thankfully, there was no classless show of insolence on this occasion, but the onus very much remains on Vinicius to prove himself as important to this Madrid team as he clearly thinks he is, because if he doesn't, he’s going to have to get used to being subbed on a regular basis.