分类： sports

In a dramatic Premier League showdown at Etihad Stadium, Phil Foden delivered a masterclass performance that secured Manchester City’s crucial 3-2 victory over Leeds United on Saturday. The English midfielder netted twice, including a spectacular stoppage-time winner, demonstrating his growing importance to the squad as star striker Erling Haaland extends his goalless streak to three consecutive matches.

Manager Pep Guardiola lavished praise on the 25-year-old phenomenon, describing him as ‘a gift’ to manage and highlighting his extraordinary development since joining the club as a teenager. ‘This season has been the Phil we met a long, long time ago,’ Guardiola reflected. ‘When he arrived at 16, 17 years old at the training sessions, it was, ‘Oh my God, what a player.”

The victory comes at a critical juncture for City, who suffered recent defeats against Newcastle United and Bayer Leverkusen despite Haaland’s league-leading 14 goals this season. Guardiola emphasized Foden’s tactical flexibility and winning mentality as key differentiators: ‘Some players when the situation is uncomfortable, they make a step back. Phil is completely the opposite. He says, ‘Give me the ball because I want to dribble, I want to score, I want to win the game.”

Foden’s resurgence has earned him a recall to the England national team for the first time since March, with both Guardiola and England manager Thomas Tuchel agreeing that his optimal position lies centrally behind the striker. ‘A guy who has this sense of goal has to be close to the ball,’ Guardiola affirmed, acknowledging Foden’s evolving role as a creative and scoring threat.

The performance signals a potential strategic shift for City, suggesting reduced dependency on Haaland’s scoring prowess as Foden continues to demonstrate his capacity to deliver decisive moments in high-pressure situations.

In the inaugural match of the three-game ODI series held in Ranchi, South Africa’s interim captain Aiden Markram won the crucial toss and elected to field first against India on Sunday. This decision marks India’s 19th consecutive lost toss in international cricket.

South Africa’s strategy appears influenced by anticipated dew conditions later in the evening, which typically favor chasing teams in day-night matches. The Proteas have implemented significant roster changes, resting regular captain Temba Bavuma and left-arm spinner Keshav Mahraj following their recent 2-0 Test series victory against the same opponents.

India, under the leadership of stand-in captain Lokesh Rahul due to Shubman Gill’s injury, fields a formidable lineup including white-ball specialists Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. The home team has opted for a balanced bowling attack featuring three spinners—Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Kuldeep Yadav—complemented by pace bowlers Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, and debutant Harshit Rana.

South Africa’s playing XI features only one specialist spinner, Prenelan Subrayen, supported by four seamers in what appears to be a strategy to challenge India’s powerful batting lineup. Both teams have made calculated selections aiming to gain early advantage in the limited-overs contest.

In a significant shift for international T20 cricket, former South African captain Faf du Plessis has announced his departure from the Indian Premier League after fourteen consecutive seasons. The veteran batsman revealed through social media that he will not participate in the upcoming IPL 2026 auction, instead opting to join the Pakistan Super League for the forthcoming season.

Du Plessis, who has been an integral part of the IPL since its early years, expressed profound gratitude for his extensive career in the Indian tournament. Having represented four franchises—Chennai Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiants, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and most recently Delhi Capitals—the 41-year-old cricketer acknowledged the transformative impact of his IPL journey on both his professional and personal development.

The decision comes after a comparatively challenging final season with Delhi Capitals, where du Plessis managed 202 runs across nine matches with an average of 22.44. Despite this, his overall IPL legacy remains impressive: 154 matches, 4,773 runs at an average of 35.10, and a strike rate of 135.79, highlighted by two championship victories with Chennai Super Kings in 2018 and 2021.

In his emotional Instagram statement, du Plessis emphasized that this move represents neither retirement nor permanent departure from Indian cricket, but rather an intentional pursuit of fresh competitive stimulation. The Pakistani league offers him unprecedented opportunities to experience new cricketing environments, engage with different playing styles, and contribute to the growing prestige of PSL.

The 2026 IPL auction, scheduled for December 16 in Abu Dhabi, will proceed as a single-day mini-auction without the participation of one of the league’s most recognizable international stars. This development marks a notable moment in the evolving landscape of global T20 leagues, demonstrating increased player mobility between major tournaments.

Pakistan secured a commanding six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the T20I tri-series final on Saturday at Rawalpindi Stadium, showcasing exceptional bowling prowess that dismantled their opponents’ batting lineup. The match concluded with eight balls remaining as Pakistan comfortably chased down a modest target of 115 runs.

The bowling attack, led by Mohammad Nawaz (3-17) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-18), proved devastatingly effective. Sri Lanka, after being sent in to bat, collapsed dramatically from a promising position of 84-1 to a meager 114 all out in 19.1 overs. This spectacular collapse saw nine wickets fall for just 30 runs, highlighting Pakistan’s relentless bowling pressure.

Opener Kamil Mishara provided the lone resistance for Sri Lanka with a solid 59 off 47 balls, including four sixes and two boundaries. His 64-run partnership with Kusal Mendis (14) established what appeared to be a foundation for a competitive total. However, once both batsmen departed within three overs of each other, Sri Lanka’s innings unraveled completely against Pakistan’s disciplined attack.

In response, Pakistan’s chase was anchored by solid contributions throughout their lineup. Openers Saim Ayub (36) and Sahibzada Farhan (23) established a 46-run partnership in the first eight overs, providing crucial momentum. Despite losing captain Salman Agha (14) and Fakhar Zaman (3) in quick succession, Babar Azam’s unbeaten 37 ensured a smooth victory without further complications.

Pakistan captain Salman Agha praised his team’s comprehensive performance, noting: ‘This has been a very good two months for us, we won against South Africa and now against Sri Lanka.’ Meanwhile, Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka acknowledged his team’s shortcomings: ‘We couldn’t build on a good platform because Pakistan bowled very well. We need to fine-tune our game ahead of the next series and the World Cup.’

The tri-series, which also included Zimbabwe who finished bottom after losing three of their four matches, serves as crucial preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup scheduled for February-March next year, to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

The Abu Dhabi T10 tournament witnessed dramatic developments on Saturday as two crucial matches determined the finalists lineup. In Qualifier 1, the Aspin Stallions secured their place in the championship final with a commanding seven-wicket victory over Quetta Qavalry at Zayed Cricket Stadium.

The Stallions’ triumph was orchestrated by West Indies powerhouse Sherfane Rutherford, who delivered a spectacular unbeaten 66 runs from just 22 deliveries. His explosive innings, featuring six boundaries and six maximums, marked his first half-century of the tournament and propelled his team to chase down Quetta’s total of 102 with seven balls remaining.

Despite early trouble at 13-2, Rutherford’s crucial 64-run partnership with captain Rahmanullah Gurbaz (19) stabilized the innings. The match reached its climax when Rutherford unleashed a devastating assault, scoring 22 runs from four consecutive balls against pace bowler Khuzaima Tanveer to seal the victory.

Earlier, Quetta’s batting lineup struggled against the Stallions’ bowling attack, particularly Karim Janat (2/9) and Binura Fernando (2/14), who restricted them to 102-6 despite several batters making promising starts.

In the Eliminator match, UAE Bulls kept their championship hopes alive with a dominant 47-run win against Ajman Titans. The Bulls posted the tournament’s highest total this season—162-3—fueled by Phil Salt’s 59 (26 balls), Tim David’s rapid 40 (13 balls), and Rovman Powell’s unbeaten 32 (10 balls). Their collective six-hitting exhibition overwhelmed the Titans.

Although Ajman’s openers Alex Hales (35) and Aneurin Donald (37) mounted a strong 68-run partnership in 5.1 overs, UAE pace bowler Junaid Siddique turned the tide by dismissing both Hales and Rilee Rossouw in successive deliveries during the sixth over. The Titans eventually collapsed to 115-4, eliminating them from contention.

The stage is now set for Sunday’s decisive Qualifier 2 between UAE Bulls and Quetta Qavalry at 3:30 PM, with the winner advancing to face Stallions in the championship final at 5:45 PM on the same ground.

Pakistan’s spin trio orchestrated a dramatic collapse of Sri Lanka’s batting lineup, securing a comprehensive six-wicket victory in the T20 tri-series final on Saturday in Rawalpindi. After winning the toss and electing to field, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha watched his bowlers dismantle the visitors, who lost eight wickets for a mere 16 runs before being bowled out for 114 in 19.1 overs.

The spin partnership of Mohammad Nawaz (3-17), Abrar Ahmed (2-18), and part-time spinner Saim Ayub (1-17) proved devastating despite Sri Lanka’s promising start at 81-1 at the halfway mark. Left-handed opener Kamil Mishara provided the lone resistance with a 47-ball 59, showcasing his potential for next year’s T20 World Cup with a 64-run partnership with Kusal Mendis (14).

Pakistan’s chase was clinical, reaching 118-4 with eight balls to spare. Openers Saim Ayub (36) and Sahibzada Farhan (23) established a solid 46-run foundation before captain Babar Azam sealed the victory with an unbeaten 37 off 34 balls. Azam also excelled in the field, taking two spectacular catches that turned the match’s momentum.

Sri Lanka, who entered the final with consecutive wins over Zimbabwe and Pakistan, completely unraveled against quality spin bowling, managing just one six during the 12 overs of slow bowling. The collapse began when Azam took a spectacular overhead catch at long-off to dismiss Mendis in the 11th over, triggering a catastrophic batting failure.

Nawaz finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 10 scalps, while Shaheen Shah Afridi contributed with 3-18 in his return spell to clean up the tail. Despite late wickets from Pavan Rathnayake (2-11), Pakistan’s victory was never in serious doubt as Azam guided his team to the target with ease.