All posts by h716a5.icu

Lionesses star Alex Greenwood has put pen to paper on a new contract at Manchester City. The 32-year-old has signed an extension that will keep her at the club until 2027 and says she has "unfinished business" with the Cityzens. Greenwood was into the final year of her existing deal but has now committed her future to the club after a strong start to the new WSL campaign.

Man City handed Greenwood boost

Greenwood's new contract is a big boost to Manchester City as she is a key player for club and country. The City captain has played 152 games for the club since joining from Lyon in 2020, winning the Women's FA Cup and the League Cup in that time. Greenwood was also part of the Lionesses' Euro 2025-winning squad, starting all of England's six matches in the tournament in Switzerland, and picking up her second European Championship title.

AdvertisementGreenwood thrilled with new contract

She told the club's media: "I’m really happy to stay here, it’s the club I love and the club I want to be successful at and I’m really happy to be here for another two more [years]. Personally, I have so much unfinished business to be done, and I love this football club. It feels like home to me now and I feel this is where I belong and am meant to be.

"I’m really excited for what’s to come.  I’m excited by the players, the new manager. And the start has been really positive, but I know there’s still so much more to come from this team. I would love nothing more than to lift more silverware at this football club."

Therese Sjogran, Manchester City’s Director of Football, said: "We’re absolutely delighted that Alex has signed a new deal with the club. It’s difficult to put into words how important she is on and off the pitch, and I know my respect and admiration for her as a player and person is shared by everyone at City. We’re excited by the direction this team is going in this season and beyond, and Alex is central to those ambition."

City leading the way in 2025-26

Manchester City have enjoyed a strong start to the new Women's Super League season and currently sit in top spot after eight games played, one point clear of defending champions Chelsea. Greenwood is yet to win the WSL in her career but admits she's gunning for the title this year.

She told the club's media: "As much as I’ve played for lots of years and I’ve experienced so much in my career, I’m still learning too as a captain and as a player. I’m someone who will always look at myself first before I give advice to anyone else. I think the group is exciting and that’s another reason why I’m so happy to stay here. We’ve got so much potential and the young players coming through are so exciting and they keep you on your toes to say the least.

"I really don’t believe we can’t not do it and that’s why I want to be here. I want to do it because I think the club deserves it.The team deserves it, but there’s one thing deserving it and another doing it and I do genuinely believe we can do that.  I’m so positive about this team. We have short-term and long-term goals as a team, I do individually. For me personally, I’ll be lying if I didn’t say I really want to win the league with this club."

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Getty Images SportGreenwood sidelined through injury

Greenwood is currently sidelined through injury after picking up a problem during City's win over West Ham. Manager Andrée Jeglertz has said the Lionesses star will miss "a number of weeks" in what is a blow to the WSL leaders.

Manchester City are due to play neighbours Manchester United next in the WSL and then face a trip to Nottingham Forest in the League Cup. The Cityzens then see out 2025 with league matches against Leicester and Aston Villa.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank should be using the international break to come up with a new approach to matches after a difficult run of form across all competitions.

The Lilywhites have won one of their last four matches and only two of their last seven games in all competitions, the latest of which was a 2-2 draw with Manchester City in the Premier League.

Tottenham are fifth in the Premier League, with five wins and just three losses in 11 matches, which is a respectable position to be in at this point in the season under a new head coach.

However, the underlying data behind their results suggests that they may slide down the table as the campaign progresses unless they are able to improve their performances.

Shots on target

38

14th

Non-penalty xG

11.0

15th

xG

11.0

15th

xGA

15.2

14th

xGD

-4.2

17th

xGD per 90

-0.38

17th

As you can see in the table above, Spurs are consistently allowing the opposition to create more high-quality chances than they create for themselves, which is not a good combination.

Frank needs to find a way to add more creativity to his squad, which is why Brennan Johnson may not have much of a long-term future as a starter in North London.

Why Spurs need to move on from Brennan Johnson

Tottenham have already had value for money from the £47.5m that they paid Nottingham Forest to sign the winger in 2023, because he scored the winning goal in the Europa League final last season. That goal, alone, made the deal to bring him to the club worth it.

The Wales international has scored 27 goals in all competitions for Spurs since his move from the Tricky Trees, per Sofascore, which shows that he has offered a fairly reliable threat as a goalscorer.

However, his all-round play as a winger has left a lot to be desired and he may need to be removed from the starting line-up, or the squad in general, in order to build a team that provides more creativity week-in-week-out.

xAG

0.10

Bottom 18%

Assists

0.12

Bottom 37%

Progressive passes

2.94

Bottom 39%

Progressive carries

2.84

Bottom 33%

Successful take-ons

0.79

Bottom 22%

Passes into the final third

1.03

Bottom 20%

Key passes

0.79

Bottom 9%

As you can see in the table above, Johnson ranked among the worst wingers in the Premier League last season when it came to creating chances and progressing play with the ball at his feet.

This season, meanwhile, the Welshman has 0.25 xA and has averaged 0.4 key passes per game across 11 appearances in the top-flight, per Sofascore, which shows that he has not improved on last season’s struggles.

Spurs eyeing move to sign LaLiga winger

Now, the Europa League champions are reportedly looking at a move for a new signing who could leave Johnson on borrowed time if he arrives in North London.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur are ‘eager’ to seal a deal to sign Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo when the January transfer window opens for business.

The report claims that the Lilywhites want to add a centre-forward and a wide player to their squad to bolster their options in the final third ahead of the second half of the season, with the Japan international lined up for the latter role.

It adds that Kubo has a £52m release clause in his contract with the Spanish side, which would allow Spurs to activate that and skip negotiations over a transfer fee in January.

Football Insider also reveals that their interest in the Japanese star comes amid Everton’s desire to keep hold of their other wide target Iliman N’Diaye, as the Toffees have no intention of letting the Senegal international depart in the next transfer window.

Why Spurs should sign Takefusa Kubo

Spurs should sign the 24-year-old attacker in the January transfer window because his arrival at the club could leave Brennan Johnson on borrowed time.

The former Barcelona and Real Madrid youngster was once dubbed the ‘Japanese Messi’ by ESPN, possibly as he is another diminutive left-footed right winger who excels as a dribbler and a creator in LaLiga.

Dribbling and creating chances, as aforementioned, are two things that Johnson has struggled badly with since the start of last season in the Premier League, which is why Spurs need to find an upgrade on him.

You could look at Kubo’s statistics and question whether or not he is very creative, because he only has four assists for Real Sociedad in all competitions since the start of last season.

However, the Messi-esque winger’s underlying numbers for the Spanish side over the past year suggest that his lack of assists is down to poor finishing from his teammates.

xAG

0.17

Top 10%

Assists

0.07

Bottom 45%

Progressive passes

3.66

Bottom 22%

Progressive carries

4.60

Top 1%

Successful take-ons

2.58

Top 1%

Touches in attacking penalty area

4.81

Top 1%

Key passes

1.78

Top 10%

Passes into the penalty area

1.43

Top 9%

As you can see in the table above, Kubo ranks highly in a host of creative and dribbling metrics in the last 365 days, certainly living up to the billing that legendary Barcelona figure Xavi gave him of being “world-class.”

The Japan international created a whopping nine ‘big chances’ in LaLiga last season, for example, but was not rewarded with a single assist for his efforts in the final third, per Sofascore.

Kubo is doing all the right things by consistently taking his team up the pitch and creating high-quality chances, and the assists could follow if he comes to Spurs to play with the likes of Richarlison and Mathys Tel, which would then leave Johnson on borrowed time.

With Mohammed Kudus and Wilson Odobert already at the club, the signing of the Real Sociedad winger could mean that the Wales international finds game time hard to come by, due to his struggles in possession, which appear to be holding Spurs back as an attacking force.

Frank must sell £55k-per-week Spurs flop who was looking "like Dembele"

Tottenham Hotspur must now look to offload one player who has failed to deliver in North London.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 16, 2025

That could make Johnson consider his long-term future in North London if a move to sign Kubo leaves him limited to a role off the bench most weeks.

Cole Palmer has suffered another unfortunate injury setback, in a serious blow to Chelsea’s plans, with the England international fracturing his toe following an "accident at home". The 23-year-old playmaker has made just four appearances this season, as he struggles for fitness, and has now been ruled out of the Blues’ next three fixtures across all competitions.

Injury frustration: Chelsea star Palmer ruled out again

Palmer has not figured for Chelsea since being forced out of a dramatic 2-1 defeat at Manchester United on September 20. He has been unable to represent club or country since then, with a groin problem being nursed.

He was nearing the end of his recovery from that ailment, with Enzo Maresca looking forward to welcoming a talismanic presence back into his plans. An incident that could not have been predicted, or prevented, has now forced Palmer onto the treatment table once more.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesRevealed: Chelsea games that Palmer will miss

Maresca has revealed that Palmer will be unavailable for Chelsea’s Premier League trip to Burnley on Saturday, their Champions League home date with La Liga giants Barcelona on Tuesday and a derby date with London rivals Arsenal on November 30.

Delivering an update on Palmer and the untimely knock that he has picked up, Blues boss Maresca said: "He is probably not available for tomorrow, for sure. Barcelona for sure. Arsenal for sure. Unfortunately, he had an accident at home two days ago.

"He hit his toe. But it’s nothing important. But for sure he’s not back in the next week. The only thing we know is he’s not available for this week and next week.

"He was very close, with the groin. He was back with us almost. Then he had this small problem. The last time I saw him was yesterday. Was he limping? No, not too much. We don't know it's fractured. The only thing we know he is not available for this week and next week."

Maresca added on losing Palmer in the most unfortunate of manners: "I wake up many times in the night to go to the toilet, I hit my head and leg and everything. It can happen."

England recall: Palmer eager to make up for lost time

Palmer is reported to have spent his enforced break working hard in the gym, allowing his overall physique and fitness to be improved. He is said to have been "bulking up", while remaining a regular in the stands for Chelsea games. He has observed training sessions while working on an individual programme.

It is claimed that Palmer is “determined to make up for lost time with his country” after seeing England wrap up qualification for the 2026 World Cup without him. Maresca expects the talented No.10 to earn an immediate recall once in contention to do so.

He added: "For me personally, Cole is one of our best players. No doubt that he can play in any international team. It’s [England head coach] Thomas [Tuchel’s] decision."

One former Chelsea and England star that is looking forward to seeing Palmer return to action is Joe Cole. The Premier League title winner considers a talismanic figure at Stamford Bridge to be crucial to Maresca’s cause.

He told ahead of seeing Palmer’s reintegration into the Chelsea squad delayed: "He can elevate them, and his return will give the lads a boost. What I will say is that the players who stepped up in his absence have been superb. They have spread the goals around the team, and the performances have been great. If you played against Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Cole Palmer in the 10 role, it’s as good as anything in world football."

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GettyChelsea fixtures: When Palmer could return

Palmer has endured a frustrating time since helping Chelsea to glory at the 2025 Club World Cup – a tournament that saw him awarded the Golden Ball. The former PFA Young Player of the Year has been restricted to just 145 minutes of Premier League football this term.

If he is ready to return after the Blues’ next three games, then it could be that he plays some part in a Premier League clash with Leeds at Elland Road on December 3 – although no risks will be taken on his fitness.

Limited play increases prospect of draw, but champions have a shot at pushing for victory

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay10-Sep-2025Only 21.1 overs were possible on day three at the Kia Oval but title favourites Surrey still used that time profitably to score 95 more second-innings runs and boost their chances of being able to force championship victory against Warwickshire.Dodging the showers in the afternoon, in two mini-sessions, allowed Ben Foakes and Dan Lawrence to add an unbroken 57 for the third wicket as Surrey reached 276 for two – and a lead of 274 to take into the Division One game’s final day.Foakes batted beautifully for 41 not out from 66 balls, with six fours, while Lawrence drove Ethan Bamber majestically over extra cover for six and also struck three fours in an unbeaten 36-ball 29.Earlier, in nine overs’ play before the first rain of the day arrived at 11.09am, Ollie Pope went quickly from his overnight 56 to 78, from 103 balls, before being bowled off an inside edge as he gave Michael Booth’s fast-medium the charge and tried to hit him over mid off.Pope had included a six and eight fours in an impressive knock that did much to provide Surrey with much-needed second innings impetus.Surrey, nine points ahead of nearest challengers Nottinghamshire at the start of the match, are seeking a fourth successive Rothesay County Championship title and – particularly if Notts can chase a fourth innings target of 136 to beat Worcestershire at New Road – will feel they also need to win this match.On 181 for one overnight, after taking control of the contest on day two after Warwickshire had replied with 248 to Surrey’s own first innings 246, Rory Burns’s side saw Dom Sibley retire hurt on his overnight score of 64 due to a recurring groin injury.Foakes and Pope added 38 runs in the day’s first 39-minute session, and Lawrence had only faced three balls following Pope’s dismissal when bad weather intervened and prevented any more play until 1.50pm.Nine runs were then scored in four overs, with rain causing another seven-minute delay before a further 8.1 overs were bowled in which Foakes and Lawrence plundered 48 ahead of a 2.49pm downpour.The hard-working Oval groundstaff did twice try to get play on again when the rain eased off for two separate spells, but then yet more rain swept in from the West to force an abandonment of the day’s play at 5.25pm. On the final day, weather permitting, Surrey will surely be looking for 50 or so more quick runs before declaring and trying to bowl Warwickshire out a second time.

Kylian Mbappe made more history on Wednesday night as he took just seven minutes to bag a Champions League hat-trick against Olympiacos. The Greek side had taken a shock lead against Xabi Alonso's side with a brilliant team goal, but were left stunned as Mbappe netted three times in just seven minutes to put Los Blancos firmly in control of the tie.

Mbappe the hat-trick hero for Real Madrid

Mbappe has been in stunning form this season for Real Madrid but had headed into the match without a goal in his last three games for Alonso's side. However, the France international was quick to end that particular drought, equalising for the visitors after 22 minutes of the match. Mbappe headed home his second two minutes later to put Real Madrid in front and then had his third before the half-hour mark. Arda Guler's ball over the top found the Frenchman in acres of space, and he confidently despatched a low shot past goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis to ensure he'll be taking home another match ball for his collection.

AdvertisementHat-trick is second fastest in the Champions League

Mbappe's hat-trick is the second fastest the Champions League has ever seen. The Frenchman's three goals were clocked at six minutes and 42 seconds, just behind Mohamed Salah's treble against Rangers for Liverpool in 2022. Salah was marginally quicker with his hat-trick timed at six minutes and 13 seconds.

However, the Real Madrid superstar does now have more hat-tricks away from home than any other player in the history of the Champions League. Wednesday's treble was the fourth time he had scored three goals in a game in an away fixture.

Mbappe to win another Golden Shoe?

Mbappe won the Golden Shoe last season, beating off competition from Viktor Gyokeres and Salah after netting 31 times in his debut campaign for Real Madrid following his blockbuster move from Paris Saint-Germain. The France star will be hoping to win the prestigious prize again and is certainly in good shape currently. Mbappe has 13 goals in 13 La Liga outings for Real Madrid this season and his hat-trick against Olympiacos takes his tally to eight in five Champions League appearances.

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Getty Images SportReal Madrid up against Girona next

Real Madrid will return to Spain after their trip to Greece and will aim to get their title challenge back on track after dropping points against Elche last time out. Alonso's side are back in action on Sunday against Girona at Montilivi, with Mbappe likely to take some stopping as he heads into the game in red-hot form.

Leeds United return to action in the Premier League this weekend after the international break with a clash against Aston Villa at Elland Road on Sunday.

The Whites have lost their last two matches in the top-flight, conceding six goals in the process, and their most recent outing was a 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest before the break.

Whilst this shows that there needs to be improvement on the defensive side of the game, Daniel Farke also needs to find a way to get more out of his players at the top end of the pitch.

The Championship champions have only scored 11 goals in their 11 Premier League games so far this season, with several members of the squad underperforming in front of goal.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

2.89

1

-1.89

Jayden Bogle

0.88

0

-0.88

Brenden Aaronson

1.79

1

-0.79

Joel Piroe

0.73

0

-0.73

Pascal Struijk

0.65

0

-0.65

Dan James

0.47

0

-0.47

Jack Harrison

0.41

0

-0.41

As you can see in the table above, too many of the team’s top attackers have underperformed against their xG in the top-flight, which shows that Farke does not have many reliable finishers.

With the January transfer window around five weeks away from opening for business, the Whites may already be starting to think about what they could do to improve their attack.

Why Leeds need to sign a winger in January

The West Yorkshire-based outfit need to go out and sign another wide option in the January window to bolster their options on the flank, because they have not had enough productivity in those positions this season.

As aforementioned, the Whites have only scored 11 times in 11 Premier League games, which shows that goalscoring is a clear area for improvement, and their lack of goals from wide players has been one of the causes of that particular struggle.

Noah Okafor

8

2 + 0

Brenden Aaronson

11

1 + 1

Dan James

8

0 + 0

Jack Harrison

10

0 + 0

Wilfried Gnonto

4

0 + 0

As you can see in the table above, Noah Okafor is the only winger in the squad who has scored more than one league goal for the club this season, despite December being just over a week away.

The Switzerland international, who scored goals against Wolves and Spurs, has been the only wide attacker who has carried a fairly consistent threat at the top end of the pitch.

Farke will surely be frustrated with the lack of output from the majority of his wide options, which is why the club need to go out and splash the cash on a new option in those two positions at the turn of the year.

Leeds backed to sign Premier League forward

On that very topic, a former scout has backed the Premier League strugglers to sign one of their former players when the January transfer window opens for business.

Former Tottenham scout Bryan King has suggested that a move to Elland Road could be on the cards for Manor Solomon if Spurs decide to recall him from his loan spell with Villarreal.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Speaking to MOTLeedsNews, King said: “If he (Solomon) isn’t going to stay at Villarreal, then I could certainly see him being sold in January. He definitely won’t get a game for Tottenham, there’s three or four people in front of him in his position.

“He did well at Leeds; he was a key part of their team that got promoted. I would have thought he’d be a very good option for Leeds. They haven’t exactly set the Premier League alight, and it looks as though they need more options.”

If Solomon, who has only started one LaLiga match with Villarreal, does get recalled in January, Leeds should pursue a deal to bring the forward back to West Yorkshire.

Why Leeds should sign Manor Solomon

The Whites should push to land another deal for the Israel international because he could arrive at Elland Road in the winter window as a huge upgrade on Brenden Aaronson.

As aforementioned, the USA international has produced one goal and one assist in the Premier League so far this season, as the first-choice right wing option, due to the change in formation that took away his favoured number ten role.

Solomon, meanwhile, has one goal and one assist in LaLiga, despite playing just four matches, and delivered three assists in his one appearance in the Copa del Rey, per Sofascore.

On top of providing more quality for Villarreal than Aaronson has for Leeds in all competitions this season, the right-footed winger also outperformed the American in the Championship last season.

The former Fulham attacker, of course, spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Elland Road from Spurs and caught the eye with his consistent performances at the top end of the pitch.

Appearances

46

39

xG

11.43

8.15

Goals

9

10

Minutes per goal

396

261

Big chances created

9

21

Key passes per game

1.6

1.7

xA

6.05

10.30

Assists

2

12

As you can see in the table above, the Spurs loanee offered significantly more to the team at the top end of the pitch than Aaronson did in the second tier last term, with more goals from less xG and more than twice as many ‘big chances’ created.

Solomon, who was hailed by former Leeds boss Neil Redfearn for being an “unplayable” star who is “like tackling smoke” for defenders, has proven that he can excel in front of goal in a Farke team, even more so than the USA international.

The Villarreal forward also has experience in the Premier League, with Fulham and Spurs, which means that it would not be a culture shock for him to be thrown into the division in the second half of the campaign.

Raphinha repeat: 49ers keen on signing "generational" £79m star for Leeds

Leeds United are lining up a January swoop for a star who could be as exciting a signing as Raphinha once was.

ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

Therefore, Leeds should explore the possibility of a reunion with Solomon because he could be an ideal signing to upgrade on Aaronson on the wing in the January window.

Naman Dhir is Jitesh Sharma’s deputy, while the squad also includes Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Priyansh Arya, Ramandeep Singh, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Suryansh Shedge, Abishek Porel and others

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Nov-2025Jitesh Sharma has been named captain of the India A squad for the upcoming Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Rising Stars Asia Cup, earlier the Emerging Teams tournament, to be played in Doha from November 14 to 23. Naman Dhir has been appointed his deputyThe selectors have also included 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi in the squad, which explains his absence from the four-team Under-19 Challenger Trophy. Over the years, that tournament has been used as a key marker by the junior national selection panel to finalise their squad for next year’s Under-19 World Cup – for which Suryavanshi appears to be a certainty.The 15-member squad, picked by Ajit Agarkar and his senior men’s selection panel, comprises some stellar IPL performers, most notably Punjab Kings and Delhi Premier League (DPL) star Priyansh Arya.ACC Rising Stars tournament schedule

Nov 14 – Oman vs Pak; Ind vs UAE
Nov 15 – Ban vs HK; Afg vs SL
Nov 16 – Oman vs UAE; Ind vs Pak
Nov 17 – HK vs SL; Afg vs Ban
Nov 18 – Pak vs UAE; Ind vs Oman
Nov 19 – Afg vs HK; Ban vs SL
Nov 21 – Semi-finals: A1 vs B2; B1 vs A2
Nov 23 – Final

In his maiden IPL campaign in 2025, Arya struck 475 runs at a strike rate of 179.24 – the third-best in terms of runs for the franchise behind Shreyas Iyer and Prabhsimran Singh. Last week, Arya was handed a first-class debut by Delhi in the Ranji Trophy.The other key state and IPL performers include Abishek Porel, currently captaining Bengal in Abhimanyu Easwaran’s absence, and Harsh Dubey, who has been a regular feature across various India A squads over the past few months.The fast bowlers include Gurjapneet Singh, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yudhvir Singh and Yash Thakur – all of whom are part of BCCI’s targeted pool of fast bowlers. Ramandeep Singh and Suryansh Shedge are the seam-bowling allrounders.Pakistan A and Oman will kick off the tournament, with the showpiece India A vs Pakistan A match slotted for November 16. The teams are divided into two groups: Group A has Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka, while Group B has India, Oman, Pakistan and UAE.This will be the first cricketing exchange between the men’s teams of India and Pakistan since the senior Asia Cup in September, though the senior women’s teams faced off at the ODI World Cup earlier this month.When the men played the Asia Cup, there were no handshakes or any other form of greetings between the players of the two countries, and it ended with India, the tournament champions, leaving Dubai without the trophy.It emerged that they had decided not to receive the trophy from the ACC chief, Mohsin Naqvi, who also happens to be PCB chairman and the country’s interior minister.India A squad for Rising Stars Asia Cup T20 tournamentPriyansh Arya, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Nehal Wadhera, Naman Dhir (vice-capt), Suryansh Shedge, Jitesh Sharma (capt, wk), Ramandeep Singh, Harsh Dubey, Ashutosh Sharma, Yash Thakur, Gurjapneet Singh, Vijay Kumar Vyshak, Yudhvir Singh, Abishek Porel (wk), Suyash Sharma

He made just 21 appearances in the IPL but, in one of those, he was the player that got Sunrisers Hyderabad their first and only IPL title

Matt Roller22-May-20255:23

There are messages on social media saying, can you make yourself available for the IPL for whoever is facing RCB?’

“It’s one of those things where if you know, you know,” says Ben Cutting, with the smile of a man who is a relative unknown at home but a cult hero for millions overseas. For all his success in domestic cricket, and his eight caps for Australia, Cutting knows that his cricketing career will be remembered for one night: May 29, 2016.It was the night that he silenced the Chinnaswamy Stadium, and brought Sunrisers Hyderabad their first – and still only – IPL title with one of the great all-round performances: 39 not out off 15 balls with the bat, then two vital wickets with the ball. “The time has flown,” he says. “Even at the time, I realised that was probably going to be the highlight of my career.”It was also the night that he ensured Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the IPL’s perennial underachievers, remained trophy-less. “For some reason, this year, social media has blown up far more,” Cutting says. “I think because the longer the years drag on and RCB still haven’t won, the more important that [night] becomes for the Hyderabadis.”That Cutting even played in the final was something of a surprise: he had made a solitary appearance across his first three IPL seasons, and Sunrisers coach Tom Moody made clear early on that he was back-up for Moises Henriques in 2016. It took quiet seasons under two international captains – Kane Williamson and Eoin Morgan – for him to win a chance in the middle order.Related

Cutting sends one flying over the roof

The Chinnaswamy becomes Cutting's slogging canvas

“I got my first [2016] opportunity in Mohali against Kings XI Punjab and performed well there: I finished the game with the bat with Yuvraj Singh,” Cutting recalls. “Unfortunately I got quite sick after that, so I missed two games. But as soon as I was well again, they got me back into the side and I obviously finished the season strongly with bat and ball.”After two knockout wins, Cutting arrived in Bengaluru feeling invincible. “I rocked up that night to Chinnaswamy on the team bus and I was so relaxed – which I really shouldn’t have been, looking back, given the stage that was set. Deep down, I knew that if I got an opportunity, I could hit the ball out of the park there… My mindset was 100% the catalyst for results.”Cutting’s 39 not out was his highest score of the 2016 season in the four matches he played•BCCICutting walked out to bat at 147 for 4 after 16 overs; after Yuvraj picked out extra cover and a mix-up with Naman Ojha, that was 158 for 6 seven balls later. But he single-handedly took Sunrisers to 208 by taking down his compatriot Shane Watson at the death, including one 117-metre six that cleared the roof of the stand at deep midwicket.”I knew that he was bowling close to 140 [kph] and some quick bowling like that on that sort of wicket was going to suit my game to a tee,” Cutting says. “I just wish it wasn’t against Watto! I love the bloke. He was a hero of mine coming through the ranks. I still feel guilty about seeing it unfold like that against someone that I looked up to – and still do – as a hero on the field.”I also knew that if I got in, the wicket was so true and the boundary is small enough that if I got enough of the cricket ball, it was going to travel. Chinnaswamy, especially that year, was very similar to the faster, bouncier wickets here in Australia – like the Gabba, like Perth – where ball comes onto bat, and the ball can fly. In most games, 200 wasn’t enough there.”It looked like it would not be enough that night, either: RCB were 112 for 0 after ten overs, with Virat Kohli playing second fiddle to Chris Gayle. But Cutting led the fightback with the ball: using the variations he had developed on the sidelines, he had Kohli dropped at short third, then had Gayle caught in the same spot off the following ball.Cutting picked up the two crucial wickets of Chris Gayle and KL Rahul•AFP”An over earlier, I’d missed my yorker and disappeared out of the park – as everyone did that night – so I started going wide and slow, on the wide line,” Cutting says. “It’s done to death now – everyone does it – but back in 2016, it wasn’t really a done thing. I’d played a lot against Gayle, and I knew if I could hang it out wide to him, he’d still try to drag me leg-side.”I had to set him up for that by bowling on-pace, and that night was probably one of the quicker games I bowled in: looking back at the gun, it was around 145 [kph]. It makes that change-up a lot more effective, particularly if you can get it right out wide and make them reach for it. David Warner [Sunrisers’ captain] was really good at giving freedom back to the bowler.”Cutting returned to bowl KL Rahul with an offcutter in his final over, finishing with 2 for 35 from his four overs as RCB’s chase fell apart. “One of the young fellas was running drinks with about an over to go and said, ‘If we win this, you’re going to be Man of the Match. It hadn’t crossed my mind until then, and it probably didn’t really sink in until after the game.”He still has his player-of-the-match trophy at home in Queensland, but another souvenir never left the ground. “I grabbed a stump, pulled it out of the ground, ran straight off the field and put it in my kitbag,” Cutting recalls. “Then I was straight back out there celebrating… When I got back to my bag, the IPL staff had gone through it and rifled it!”Sunrisers’ celebrations started in the changing rooms and continued deep into the night at the ITC hotel. “Looking back, I just wish I’d had more photos during the celebrations with the trophy,” Cutting says. “I’ve got one blurry one of myself and [assistant coach] Murali [Muthiah Muralidaran], but I really wish that I would’ve had more with that special trophy.”Despite Cutting’s performance, he found himself back on the bench for most of the following year. Across eight IPL seasons for five franchises, he made only 21 appearances in total. “I was never the first-string player, so my mindset was to cover every base for that one game that may or may not come, and make sure that I’m ready for it. That’s exactly how it played out [in 2016].”Shane Watson came in for the most punishment, Cutting taking him for 33 of his 39 runs•BCCICutting is now in the final stages of his playing career, rendered unable to bowl by a series of serious spinal injuries, and most recently spotted in the International Masters League. He is transitioning into a second career in real estate, and the name of the business he runs – Golconda Property Group – is a nod to an ancient fort on the outskirts of Hyderabad.”There’s certainly many people in Australia that I come across every week that will say something [about the name],” Cutting says. “I’ve got a development site nearby: the same bus driver drives past every day – I think he’s from Hyderabad – and always says g’day. For the general public, it’s just one of those things. It comes with the job, I guess, of playing freelance and being overseas.”The IPL dominates for two months in India, but time zones mean that it hardly makes a splash in Australia: on the east coast, 7.30pm IST fixtures start at midnight. “Those that follow cricket know full well what the IPL is all about,” Cutting says. “For everyone else, it’s life as usual because it’s footy season here: there’s three codes [AFL, rugby league and rugby union] to compete with.”Cutting himself will never forget that night in Bengaluru – not least with daily reminders on social media. “If I load up my private messages on Instagram now, there’ll be 150 every day saying, ‘Can you make yourself available for the IPL as a replacement player?’ for any team that’s coming up against RCB,” he says, laughing.”What was achieved that night… It’s essentially one of the biggest sporting events in the world. To play for Australia was always a lifetime goal of mine, and I’m still disappointed I didn’t get to play Test cricket. But that IPL final, for me, still ranks higher than everything else.”

If the Dodgers want to repeat as World Series champions, they'll have to cobble together 54 more outs against a Blue Jays lineup that has become the toast of Canada a year after hitting .241 collectively.

That starts Friday in Game 6, with both bullpens still feeling the distant aftershocks of Los Angeles's 18-inning Game 3 win. It'll be all hands on deck for a Dodgers team on the brink of extinction, but one notable arm will be absent.

Designated hitter and pitcher Shohei Ohtani is not available to throw for the Dodgers Friday if needed, manager Dave Roberts said via Fox shortly before Game 6 Friday. Ohtani, the losing pitcher in Game 4 (his first loss since August), be available Saturday in the event of a Game 7.

One pitcher that is available Friday for Los Angeles: Tyler Glasnow, who started and took no decision in Game 3.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who has gone the distance each of his last two starts, will toe the rubber for the Dodgers Friday. Toronto will start two-time All-Star Kevin Gausman.

This is the first time in four seasons that the final of the Women’s Premier League will not be played on a weekend

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Nov-2025The 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) will have its final on a weekday (Thursday, February 5), and not over the weekend, for the first time, and feature two double-headers, both on Saturdays, after kicking off on January 9.The 28-day-long tournament will be played across two venues: Navi Mumbai, where India won the ODI World Cup in early November beating South Africa in the final, and Vadodara. The first 11 matches, including the two double-headers, will be played at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium, and the remaining 11 matches, including the eliminator on February 3 and the final will be played at Vadodara’s Kotambi Stadium.The dates and venues were confirmed by the WPL’s chairman, Jayesh George, on Thursday, the day of the WPL auction. All games bar the earlier fixture on the double-header days will be evening affairs.The week of the final is a busy one for multi-team competitions, with the men’s Under-19 World Cup finishing the day after the WPL final, on February 6, and the men’s T20 World Cup starting the following day, on February 7.ESPNcricinfo LtdApart from having a weekday final, this is the first time the WPL will be played in the January-February window. The first three seasons were played in February-March just before the start of the IPL. This will also be the first time the WPL will not clash with major international fixtures.Mumbai Indians (MI) are the defending champions of the WPL and have won two titles in three editions so far, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) the other past winners. Delhi Capitals (DC) have been runners-up in all three seasons. The other two teams, Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz, have never made the title round.Ten days after the WPL ends, India will start an all-format tour of Australia, playing three T20Is, three ODIs and a Test from February 15 to March 9.WPL 2026 schedule
Jan 9: Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Jan 10: UP Warriorz vs Gujarat Giants
Jan 10: Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals
Jan 11: Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Giants
Jan 12: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs UP Warriorz
Jan 13: Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants
Jan 14: UP Warriorz vs Delhi Capitals
Jan 15: Mumbai Indians vs UP Warriorz
Jan 16: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Giants
Jan 17: UP Warriorz vs Mumbai Indians
Jan 17: Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Jan 19: Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Jan 20: Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians
Jan 22: Gujarat Giants vs UP Warriorz
Jan 24: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals
Jan 26: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians
Jan 27: Gujarat Giants vs Delhi Capitals
Jan 29: UP Warriorz vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Jan 30: Gujarat Giants vs Mumbai Indians
Feb 1: Delhi Capitals vs UP Warriorz
Feb 3: Eliminator
Feb 5: Final