Hurricanes have stamped themselves genuine BBL title contenders with a fifth straight win courtesy of a brutal unbeaten 68 from Tim David

AAP10-Jan-2025Tim David fired for the second time in as many matches to steer Hobart Hurricanes to a convincing win over Sydney Thunder and top spot on the BBL table.Hurricanes ran down Thunder’s 164 for 6 at Ninja Stadium on Friday night with 19 balls to spare, with David finishing unbeaten on 68 from 38 balls.David, elevated to No. 5 after Ben McDermott suffered hamstring soreness while fielding, came to life in the two-over power surge, hitting 26 from six balls. David iced the win with a six off Wes Agar, his sixth six of the match.The 28-year-old played an almost identical hand in Hurricanes’ win over Adelaide Strikers in their previous match with an unbeaten 62 from 28 deliveries.Hurricanes have won five matches in a row to stamp themselves as genuine title contenders with three games remaining before the finals. They have missed the finals in the past two seasons and are one of two teams yet to lift the BBL silverware.They overcame an injury scare in the field when skipper Nathan Ellis crashed head-first into an advertising board in the 15th over when diving trying to stop a boundary. He was assessed by medical staff and remarkably returned to the field soon afterwards and continued to bowl.Thunder drop from first to third on the ladder with four wins from eight games. Earlier, David Warner top scored for them with an unbeaten 88 off 66 balls in an innings that took time to get going.Thunder didn’t hit a boundary until the fifth over and grafted to 85 for 3 after 13. But they picked up the pace towards the back end, with Sam Billings contributing 28 from 15 balls.Warner, who snapped his bat early on, looked more comfortable the longer he went and took the long handle to Ellis in a final over that went for 17 runs.Young gun Sam Konstas failed to fire for Thunder after a whirlwind two Tests against India and was out for 4 from nine balls, gloving a short ball from Riley Meredith.Openers Mitchell Owen and Matthew Wade got Hurricanes off to a flying start in the chase with the latter hitting George Garton out of the ground.Hurricanes lost three wickets to keep Thunder somewhat in the hunt before David and Chris Jordan steered them home.

Manchester United’s summer rebuild continues at pace as they search for the final pieces to complement Ruben Amorim’s evolving side.

Having already spent in excess of £200m on Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Šeško, United have shown clear intent to strengthen in attack.

Yet despite the influx of firepower, questions remain over midfield balance – particularly in terms of athleticism, ball progression and controlling matches against top opposition.

Amorim has made no secret of his desire for an additional central midfielder capable of dictating tempo while also providing physicality.

Amorim's midfielder of choice

Brighton’s Carlos Baleba was initially earmarked as the prime candidate, but with the Seagulls demanding £100m, United have turned to other options.

Sevilla’s Lucien Agoumé is also on the radar, but the most intriguing development concerns a young English midfielder whose calmness and intelligence on the ball has already drawn comparisons with Michael Carrick.

That comparison is telling. Carrick was never the most dynamic in terms of pace or power, but his ability to anticipate danger, dictate tempo and distribute with precision underpinned Manchester United’s dominance during his time at Old Trafford.

Amorim’s side currently lack that kind of conductor, and the search to fill the role has led them towards one of the Premier League’s most exciting emerging talents.

According to reports, via the Daily Mirror, Manchester United are among a host of clubs interested in signing Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton.

The 21-year-old has made a rapid rise since leaving Blackburn Rovers and has quickly established himself as a key figure at Selhurst Park.

Wharton’s composure in possession and ability to dictate rhythm have earned him plaudits from across the game.

Palace content creator HLTCO recently described him as a “truly special talent,” while his mature displays have already secured him three England caps and a place in Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad.

Transfer Focus

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

After losing Eberechi Eze in a £60m deal to Arsenal, any move for Wharton is expected to cost £100m.

Manchester United are not alone in their pursuit. Real Madrid, Manchester City and Liverpool are also tracking his progress, a reflection of the scale of his potential.

The competition means this would be a complex transfer to complete – particularly for a club still finding its feet under Amorim.

Wharton's profile and the Carrick comparison

What makes Wharton so appealing to Manchester United is not only his technical quality but also the style of player he represents.

Unlike the archetypal modern holding midfielder defined by athleticism and pressing intensity, Wharton operates with intelligence, positional awareness and an assured passing range.

That profile naturally recalls Carrick, who joined United in 2006 and went on to form a formidable midfield partnership with Paul Scholes.

Carrick’s value lay in his vision, distribution and ability to anticipate play rather than raw physicality.

He dictated matches through composure and passing variety, and Wharton is beginning to show signs of a similar profile.

Statistically, the Palace man already ranks impressively among his positional peers.

According to FBref, last season he was in the 91st percentile compared to positionally similar players for both key passes (1.78 per 90) and progressive passes (7.31 per 90), while also hitting the 93rd percentile for shot-creating actions (4.03 per 90).

His defensive contribution is equally notable, with 96th-percentile numbers for ball recoveries (6.97 per 90) and 93rd percentile for completed challenges against dribblers (3.00 per 90).

These figures highlight his ability to influence matches at both ends of the pitch.

Matches Played

20

Starts

16

Assists

2

Progressive Carries

14

Progressive Passes

107

Pass Completion Rate

75.6%

Recycling possession, breaking up attacks, and advancing the ball into dangerous areas.

It is this blend of composure and progression that makes him stand out in a Premier League environment where many holding midfielders are primarily destructive.

The challenge for United would be extracting Wharton from Palace at a fee that reflects both his current impact and potential ceiling.

With Eze already gone and Wharton tied to a long contract, Palace will feel under no pressure to sell unless an extraordinary offer is made.

That said, the parallels with Carrick are significant. When Sir Alex Ferguson sanctioned the £18m deal to bring Carrick from West Ham nearly two decades ago, many questioned the outlay. In hindsight, it proved one of his most important transfers.

United’s recent midfield struggles underline why a player of Wharton’s profile could be transformative.

Amorim’s side ended last season in 15th place and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham, a campaign that exposed both a lack of control in possession and an over-reliance on moments of individual brilliance.

While Cunha, Mbeumo and Šeško should add cutting edge, without balance in midfield their contributions may be undermined.

Wharton is not a guarantee of success, nor would he single-handedly fix United’s issues. But his intelligence, progressive passing and reading of the game make him a rare commodity, and one who could grow into the type of midfield fulcrum United have lacked since Carrick’s retirement.

Whether they can persuade Palace to part with him remains to be seen.

For now, though, Wharton has already done enough to make Old Trafford dream of a midfield once again built on control and composure.

Better signing than Baleba: "Phenomenal" star now wants to join Man Utd

Manchester United could make an even better signing than Carlos Baleba by landing this star.

ByDan Emery Aug 25, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

A nova janela europeia de transferências, que se abre a partir do próximo mês, promete ser movimentada no São Paulo. O LANCE! apurou com fontes da cúpula do futebol tricolor que o mais novo alvo do Velho Continente atende pelo nome de Rodrigo Nestor. E o destino poderá ser o futebol turco.

O interessado no jovem camisa 11 são-paulino é o Galatasaray. Representantes do clube procuraram o clube do Morumbi para saber por quanto poderia acontecer o negócio. Ouviram que o mínimo exigido é de R$ 80 milhões (aproximadamente 15 milhões de euros). E que haja a manutenção de parte dos direitos federativos.

RelacionadasSão PauloDorival aproveita vitória nos pênaltis do São Paulo para enaltecer Rafael: ‘Pegou uma bola que garantiu a nossa classificação’São Paulo02/06/2023São PauloDorival descarta fragilidade emocional no São Paulo em sufoco contra o SportSão Paulo02/06/2023São PauloOvacionado pela torcida em classificação do São Paulo, Rafael fala sobre ‘honra’ e diz: ‘Cada dia no CT eu faço meu melhor’São Paulo02/06/2023

+ ATUAÇÕES: Rafael é herói e salva o São Paulo de vexame e classifica a equipe na Copa do Brasil

Não é o primeiro jogador do São Paulo a ser sondado por turcos. Em fevereiro, o clube recusou uma oferta de 3,5 milhões de euros (cerca de R$ 19,4 milhões) do Besikitas pelo lateral-esquerdo Welington. A proposta foi tratada como ‘uma piada’ nos corredores do Morumbi.

Conforme o L! revelou, o Tricolor tem sondagens por mais duas revelações suas por parte de europeus. O volante Pablo Maia é desejado por clubes ingleses, enquanto o lateral-direito Nathan pode ir parar em Portugal.

O São Paulo, inclusive, já recusou uma proposta do Fulham por Maia no final do ano passado que alcançou 8 milhões de euros (cerca de R$ 43,1 milhões). O estafe do jogador queria o negócio, mas o Tricolor recusou, otimista de que poderia conseguir seu objetivo com vendas das promessas de Cotia (SP): sempre dois dígitos, pelo menos. Ou 12 milhões de euros (cerca de R$ 64,7 milhões) no caso de Pablo Maia.

Muito tem se falado de Beraldo, mas o plano do Tricolor é o de recusar investidas pelo zagueiro de 19 anos, que ganhará aumento nos próximos dias. O plano dos dirigentes é de mantê-lo por mais dois anos pelo menos no plantel. Tempo suficiente para que valorize ainda mais. E, claro, o clube do Morumbi consiga comprar parte dos direitos federativos que ainda pertencem ao XV de Piracicaba, onde ele deu os primeiros passos no futebol.

O Conselho Deliberativo do São Paulo aprovou, em dezembro do ano passado, a previsão orçamentária do clube para 2023. E no principal item de receitas, a negociação de atletas, ficou estabelecido o valor de R$ 135 milhões como meta a ser cumprida. O problema é que, com o fechamento da primeira janela europeia ’em branco’ para o Tricolor, a ‘correria’ para atingir o número ficou para o meio de 2023, entre junho e agosto. 

+ Todos os jogos do Brasileirão você encontra no Prime Video. Assine já e acompanhe o seu time do coração!

+ Clique aqui e veja como apostar no Brasileirão

+ Confira os jogos e classificação resultados do Brasileirão-23 na tabela do LANCE!

حقق منتخب إنجلترا الفوز ودياً ضد منتخب ويلز بثلاثية نظيفة، في إطار استعدادات منتخب الأسود الثلاثة لتصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لمسابقة كأس العالم 2026.

وجاء الهدف الأول لمنتخب إنجلترا عن طريق مورجان روجرز في الدقيقة الثالثة من أحداث الشوط الأول.

وأضاف أولي واتكينز الهدف الثاني لمنتخب إنجلترا في الدقيقة 11، وأحرز بوكايو ساكا الهدف الثالث في الدقيقة 20.

ودخل توماس توخيل مدرب منتخب إنجلترا اللقاء بتشكيل مكون من: بيكفورد، سبينس، جويهي، ستونز، كونسا، رايس، أندرسون، جوردون، روجرز، ساكا، واتكينز.

أقرأ أيضاً.. إنفانتينو: كأس العالم قد يقام في الشتاء.. والعالم يجب أن يكون سعيداً بوقف إطلاق النار في غزة

وأشرك توماس توخيل مدرب منتخب إنجلترا كل من مايلز لويس سكيلي وجوردان هندرسون وماركوس راشفورد ومورجان جيبس واين وروبن لوفتس تشيك وجارود بوين من دكة البدلاء.

وكان المنتخب الإنجليزي الطرف الأفضل في اللقاء، وحقق نسبة استحواذ تصل إلى 67%، وسدد 17 تسديدة منها 5 تسديدات على المرمى بشكل أفضل من ويلز.

ويستعد منتخب إنجلترا للقاء لاتفيا يوم الثلاثاء المقبل في تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.

England Under-19 91 for 5 (Mayes 51) beat South Africa Under-19 87 (Minto 3-15) by five wicketsA dominant bowling performance from England Men U19s paved the way for a comfortable five-wicket win over South Africa Men U19s in the opening Youth ODI at Cape Town.New-ball duo Harry Moore and James Minto did the damage up top taking five wickets between them as the hosts were skittled for just 87.Opener Ben Mayes then broke the back of the chase with 51 from 48 balls while debutant captain Archie Vaughan added 26 as the Young Lions reach their target in 18.3 overs.Moore and Minto immediately got to work after the hosts opted to bat and subsided to 33 for six.The tone was set for an impressive Lions display in the field when Joe Moores held a sharp catch at backward point when Adnaan Lagadien arrowed a backfoot drive off Derbyshire right-armer Moore.Durham left-armer Minto had already had opener Shaylen Pillay caught by wicketkeeper Thomas Rew on his way to figures of innings-best three for 15.Spinners Taz Ali and Farhan Ali ensured the wickets continued to tumble before Worcestershire’s Jack Home – one of three debutants alongside Vaughan and Aaryan Sawant – ended the innings.Home first had Enathi Kitshini caught at backward point by Moores before pulling off a direct hit at the non-striker’s end to run out Nqobani Mokoena.Mayes and Vaughan then combined in a 64-run stand for the second wicket to ensure there were no jitters for the Young Lions. Mayes took the lead role, reaching his half-century from 45 balls, and despite some late wickets the tourists were always on course for a comfortable win.The Lions can secure the three-match Youth ODI series on Sunday when the second match is also played at Western Province CC in Cape Town.

Lamine Yamal will not be available for the Champions League opener against Newcastle on Thursday, much to the dismay of head coach Hansi Flick. A war of words broke out between the German and the Spanish FA after he criticised the Spanish national team for not looking after Yamal. However, on the bright side, Frenkie de Jong has been named in the matchday squad.

No Yamal, more problems for Barca

Barcelona announced their squad list for the Champions League opener against Newcastle on Thursday. One glaring absence from the squad was Yamal, who has been sidelined due to an injury to his pubic bone which he suffered on international duty with Spain.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFlick blasts Spanish FA

Ahead of last weekend's La Liga encounter against Valencia, head coach Flick couldn't control his emotions and accused the Spanish national team of not being cautious with Yamal. "Lamine Yamal will not be available. He went with the national team in pain and did not train. They gave him painkillers to play," Flick said. "They had at least a three-goal lead in every match, and he played 73 minutes and 79, and between matches he couldn't train. That is not taking care of the player. I am very sad about this."

However, Flick's words were met with a firm response from the Spanish football federation (RFEF), who reportedly claimed that they had received no information regarding a potential injury from the Catalans.

On Tuesday, reports from Spain indicated that Yamal received a spinal injection to numb the pain experienced by the youngster in the sacroiliac area. Yamal has effectively been ruled out for the rest of September, with reporting that Barca are hoping for the 18-year-old to return for the mega clash against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on October 1.

Boost for Barca upon De Jong's return

De Jong suffered an injury while on international duty with Netherlands and was subsequently sidelined with gluteal discomfort, forcing him to miss the game against Valencia. After a couple of training sessions away from the team, it appears that De Jong is fit enough to contribute in some capacity against the Magpies on Thursday, if not start the match.

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AFPYamal and Barca extra cautious with recovery

Yamal will not be available for this weekend's La Liga encounter against Getafe and next week's visit to newly-promoted Real Oviedo. It is also likely that he will miss next Sunday's clash against Real Sociedad. In the meantime, Yamal is currently receiving daily physiotherapy sessions, alongside personalised strengthening exercises and targeted treatments aimed at accelerating his recovery. 

However, Barcelona remain firm in their stance: no risks will be taken. On the other hand, the club is working to mend its relationship with the RFEF. Sporting director Deco is scheduled to meet with RFEF technical director Aitor Karanka to discuss and clarify communication protocols regarding player fitness.

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano welcomed a bounceback 3-1 win over the Seattle Sounders after back-to-back shutout defeats, with Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba each producing a goal and an assist while Rodrigo De Paul impressed. Still, Mascherano admitted the squad lacks depth amid absences and missed signings, calling the last seven games ‘finals.’

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Mascherano admits his squad lacks depth but vows to fight

  Inter Miami entered Tuesday’s clash carrying the weight of two heavy 3-0 defeats – one in the Leagues Cup final against the Sounders and another against Charlotte. This time, though, Mascherano’s men delivered a strong response in a 3-1 victory over Seattle. Despite the win, the Argentine coach admitted his roster is thin after summer departures and missed signings before the trade deadline. The team is also missing star striker Luis Suarez, who will finish a three-game suspension after Miami face D.C. United on Sept. 20. 

  “We have many absences right now, and of course, I’d love more resources and depth. But I’m the coach, and I will go to the end with the players I have,” said Mascherano in his postgame press conference. “We have seven finals left, and we want to win all seven.”

Advertisement

• Pushing for the top spot

  Although Philadelphia Union remain eight points clear at the top, Inter Miami still hold three games in hand, leaving them with a real chance of climbing to first place. 

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Night of goals at Chase Stadium

  Messi led the attack alongside Tadeo Allende on the right and Jordi Alba, deployed unusually high on the left. The Spaniard opened the scoring in the 12th minute after linking up with Messi. The Argentine nearly doubled the lead later but hit the post on a one-on-one. He made up for it in the 40th minute, slotting home Alba’s low cross for his 20th MLS goal of the season.

  Shortly after the restart, Ian Fray sealed the result with a powerful header. Seattle grabbed a late consolation through Mexican midfielder Obed Vargas, but the game had already been decided.

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  More reactions

  Mascherano highlighted his team's unwavering confidence during its recent slump. 

  “We couldn’t go crazy either. We knew that, above all, we needed to get back to winning. We needed to collect points. And we need to keep collecting points,” Mascherano said. “Nobody likes to be in this position, even if we have three games in hand compared to our rivals, because I truly believe the team doesn’t deserve it.”

Mumbai Indians took a step closer to making the playoffs for a third year in succession, having triggered a UPW slide

S Sudarshanan06-Mar-2025

Mumbai Indians (MI) mounted a fine comeback with the ball to set up a win that put them a step closer to making the playoffs for a third year in succession and pushed UP Warriorz (UPW) to the brink of exit from WPL 2025. Led by a five-wicket haul from Amelia Kerr, MI picked up nine wickets for 76 runs to restrict UPW to 150 for 9 and chased that down with six wickets and nine balls to spare.UPW were off to their best start in the competition thanks to Georgia Voll’s half-century in just her second WPL match. After being bowled for a duck on debut, she hit 55 off 33 balls to lay a strong platform. But UPW couldn’t capitalise, going from 74 for 0 to 125 for 7. The MI spinners combined to pick up eight of the nine wickets UPW lost.Harmanpreet fined 10% of her match fees

MI captain Harmanpreet Kaur was reprimanded and fined 10% of her match fees for Level 1 offence under Article 2.8, which relates to showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during a match. Harmanpreet had got into an argument with the umpires when MI were penalised for slow over rate.

In reply, Hayley Matthews struck her second half-century of the season and was involved in a 92-run second-wicket partnership with Nat Sciver-Brunt that all but sealed the win. It was Matthews’ second fifty in as many games this season against UPW, the 46-ball 68 in Lucknow following up her 50-ball 59 in Bengaluru last week.The win took MI up to second on the points table with eight points and a net run-rate of 0.267 after six outings. Their next game is against Gujarat Giants, who are third currently with six points in six matches with an NRR of 0.357.Pace-off from MIShabnim Ismail bowled the fastest ball recorded in women’s cricket history last year. Sciver-Brunt is capable of swinging the ball around in the early 110kphs. Going by the first WPL game at the Ekana Stadium, there was enough help for the fast bowlers with the new ball. Yet, the MI fast-bowling duo bowled offcutters on a red-soil surface. Ismail tried to soften Voll up with a one-two trick early on but quickly switched to taking pace off. Sciver-Brunt’s cutters proved tough to get away too, initially.Georgia Voll and Grace Harris had a big opening stand•BCCI

A refreshing start ft. Harris and VollUPW opted for a third opening pair in their seventh game at WPL 2025, with former Brisbane Heat team-mates Grace Harris and Voll striding out. The first ball of the match, from Ismail, caught Harris by surprise. It reared up from short-of-a-good length outside off and hit her high on the blade. That left Voll expecting the bouncer again, but Ismail slipped a few full ones in to keep the batter thinking. But Voll soon got the measure of the bowler as well as the surface and she hit three fours in the five balls she faced after getting off the mark.Voll was the aggressor, but it was Harris who ended the powerplay with back-to-back fours off left-arm spinner Parunika Sisodia, whom MI had brought in for Jintimani Kalita. And so UPW ended the powerplay on 50 without loss. It was the best start for UPW this season. Voll took just 29 balls to bring up a fine half-century soon after.The familiar batting collapseVoll greeted Kerr with three fours and then hit one more off Matthews in the next over. A misjudgment by Ismail at long-on saw Harris hit her only six. But a bouncer from Matthews, one she often uses to surprise the batters, got the better of Harris, who top-edged her pull to short fine-leg. Kiran Navgire, at No. 3, went for an ungainly hack, charging at Kerr, to fall for a second-ball duck. Sciver-Brunt delivered the decisive blow when Voll went for the scoop and missed.From there, UPW struggled to get momentum with only Deepti Sharma holding one end up. All of Vrinda Dinesh, Chinelle Henry, Shweta Sehrawat and Uma Chetry fell trying to hit out against spin. Deepti hit just the two fours in her 25-ball 27 as UPW scored just 61 in their last ten overs.Hayley Matthews established her dominance over UP Warriorz•BCCI

Matthews, Sciver-Brunt get the job doneMI are the most successful chasing team in the WPL and the 151-run target was unlikely to pose a major challenge. But they had a concern at the top of the order – Yastika Bhatia had tallied 38 runs in six innings before Thursday. So they pushed Kerr up to open with Matthews and the move did not pay dividends. After hitting a couple of fours, Kerr mis-swatted a back-of-a-length ball from Henry to mid-on.Matthews and Sciver-Brunt then joined forces and sped up the scoring with dew also coming to their aid. Deepti was seen using the towel to wipe the ball inside the powerplay. Kranti Goud began well and extracted enough swing, much like Henry had earlier, resulting in Matthews playing and missing a few. But a 16-run Gouher Sultana over set MI on their way.The duel between Caribbean mates Henry and Matthews was one of the highlights of the phase: Henry got one to rear up at her West Indies captain and had a few friendly words to say, only for Matthews to walk down the track to a short ball and send it sailing into the deep-midwicket stands and grin in response.MI lost three reasonably quick wickets at the doorstep of victory but Bhatia, in at No. 6, hit a couple of fours off the offspin of Voll and Deepti to seal the deal. And so, two games into their “home leg” in Lucknow, UPW have two comprehensive defeats to show.

Who’s playing

Mumbai Indians (MI) vs Gujarat Giants (GG)
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, 7.30pm IST

What to expect: Top spot up for grabs

RCB’s loss to UP Warriorz on Saturday night may have smoothened the passage into the playoffs for both MI and GG, but there’s still an extra edge to this contest as the top spot is still not booked.Giants have to win to entertain thoughts of finishing at No. 1. Mumbai have a game in hand and can get there even if they lose on Monday, but it would then mean a three-way tie should they beat RCB. They would want to avoid this logjam, having been in a similar position last year and then going down to RCB in the Eliminator.Related

• The rise and roar of Kashvee Gautam

• Mooney confident Gujarat Giants can challenge for WPL playoffs

GG are on a bull run, having won more games (three) over the past week than they did all of last season. But there’s one thing they haven’t done yet: beat MI, who have a 5-0 record against them in the tournament’s short history. If that wasn’t pressure enough, they now face the challenge of playing Harmanpreet Kaur’s MI in Mumbai, at the Brabourne Stadium, where they are yet to lose a single game.They have been the most explosive side in the middle-overs, courtesy Ash Gardner and new (old) signing Deandra Dottin. But MI have the best economy (6.6 runs an over) and average (17.9) in this phase. This battle will form the crux of the contest.The return to form of Harleen Deol, instrumental in GG’s stunning chase of 178 the other night against Delhi Capitals, bodes well. Kashvee Gautam’s all-round prowess and Beth Mooney’s unshackling at the top make them look more dangerous.MI look equally strong but have changed their batting combinations because of Yastika Bhatia’s prolonged lean run. In their previous game, Amelia Kerr was promoted to open with Hayley Mathews. It remains to be seen if this will be their plan at the back end too. If it is, it could mean a bigger batting responsibility for S Sajana and Amanjot Kaur in the middle order.Yastika Bhatia has been in poor batting form•WPL

Form guide

Mumbai Indians WLWWW
Gujarat Giants WWWLL

Team News

D Hemalatha’s poor run at the top of the order may force a change for GG. Simran Shaikh, who plays for Mumbai in domestic cricket, could get a look-in to inject some lower-order firepower.Gujarat Giants (probable): 1 Beth Mooney (wk), 2 Phoebe Lichfield, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Ash Gardner (capt), 5 Deandra Dottin, 6 Simran Shaikh, 7 Kashvee Gautam, 8 Bharti Fulmali, 9 Tanuja Kanwar, 10 Meghna Singh, 11 Priya MishraMumbai have no reason to tinker with their XI.Mumbai Indians (probable): 1 Hayley Matthews, 2 Amelia Kerr, 3 Nat Sciver-Brunt, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Amanjot Kaur, 6 Yastika Bhatia (wk), 7 G Kamalini, 8 S Sajana, 9 Sanskriti Gupta, 9 10 Shabnim Ismail, 11 Parunika SisodiaKashvee Gautam has been a revelation this season•BCCI

Players to watch: Hayley Matthews and Kashvee Gautam

Hayley Matthews started poorly – not having crossed 20 in her first three games – but is slowly beginning to show the sparks of positivity she brings to her batting, especially up front in the powerplay, where she has made two half-centuries in her last three innings. Matthews’ return to form prevents more headaches at the top of the order for the Mumbai team management, especially with Bhatia struggling.Seam-bowling allrounders offer the kind of balance Harmanpreet Kaur has been yearning for as India captain. With Pooja Vastrakar suffering from a stress fracture, Kashvee Gautam’s performances with bat and ball for GG might have put her in national contention in a World Cup year. She’s easily one of the breakout stars of WPL 2025, and is leading the wickets’ chart for GG at this stage. Can she help them make their maiden final?

Stats that matter

• Nat Sciver-Brunt, the season’s second-highest run-getter, loves playing at Brabourne Stadium, having scored 196 runs and got out only once in four outings at this venue in the WPL.
• GG have the most wickets (13) among all teams in the powerplay this season.
• Gardner’s 17 sixes are the most by a batter this season. There is no MI batter in the top five.
• MI’s economy of 8.6 is the highest in the powerplay this season. They have also picked up the joint-highest wickets (9) in this phase.

Tottenham Hotspur are now in talks to sign a “world-class” £43m star, who is ready to fly into London to complete a move.

Spurs looking to sign forward before 7pm deadline

As we enter the final hours of the summer transfer window, Tottenham remain keen on signing a new forward, having failed to bring in a like-for-like replacement for Son Heung-min, with Manchester City’s Savinho remaining at the Etihad Stadium.

Taking to X, Fabrizio Romano revealed that Paris Saint-Germain’s Randal Kolo Muani, who can play at both centre-forward and on the wing, has now emerged as an option for Thomas Frank’s side.

However, Spurs are also ramping up their interest in a different forward of a similar mould, with a report from The Boot Room revealing they have now entered talks over a deal for wantaway Atalanta star Ademola Lookman.

The Italian club are looking to receive £43m for Lookman, and they could be willing to accept an initial loan deal, which would include an obligation to buy, with transfer expert Graeme Bailey adding: “Lookman has emerged as an option for Tottenham, not dissimilar to their Xavi Simons deal. They were in the right place at the right time.

“I am told Lookman is keen, Tottenham are keen, and this has a chance ahead of Monday’s 7pm deadline.”

Promisingly, with the Atalanta forward keen on a move to N17, he is now ready to fly to London to complete the deal.

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Much like Kolo-Muani, the Nigeria international is able to play at both striker and on the wing, making him a versatile option for Frank, and the 27-year-old has maintained a fantastic record in front of goal during his time with Atalanta.

Season

Serie A appearances

Goal contributions

2022-23

31

21

2023-24

31

19

2024-25

31

20

Not only has the London-born forward impressed in the Serie A, but he memorably caught the eye in the 2024 Europa League final, scoring a hat-trick to secure a 3-0 victory for his side over a Bayer Leverkusen side that won the Bundesliga undefeated.

Courtesy of the hat-trick against the at-the-time German champions, the Atalanta star scooped up a prestigious award and received very high praise from the BBC’s John Bennett.

Lookman would clearly be a top-quality addition to Tottenham’s squad, and a £43m fee seems reasonable, given the level of his performances in the Serie A and Europa League.