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Celtic’s generally positive results in pre-season continue.

On Wednesday night, Brendan Rodgers’ side beat Primeira Liga champions Sporting CP 2-0 at Estádio Algarve, with Reo Hatate breaking the deadlock from the penalty spot, before substitute Luke McCowan came off the bench to secure victory.

That makes it three wins out of four in pre-season, after the Hoops enjoyed victories over both Queen’s Park and then Cork City, the sole blot on their copybook so far a 3-2 defeat to Estrela da Amadora last weekend, albeit that was played behind-closed-doors.

Now, ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Newcastle United at Parkhead, the 10,000 Geordies who are making the 139-mile journey north to Glasgow will ensure there is a great atmosphere at that one, but will Celtic have made an exciting new signing by then?

Celtic seeking to add attacking talent

Following the aforementioned mid-week victory over Sporting, Rodgers confirmed that adding attacking reinforcements to his squad is the priority in this window, stating “we’ve lost a lot of goals, so we need to replace that”.

This comes after Nicolas Kühn joined Como for a reported fee of £16.5m earlier this month, while the Celts are also still searching for a Kyōgo Furuhashi replacement, after he was sold in January.

While the Hoops have already snapped up Swedish talent, Benjamin Nygren, they are now set to complete the signing of striker Shin Yamada for £1.2m, as noted by Graeme Young of the Daily Record,

The 25-year-old, who helped Japan win the EAFF E-1 Football Championship earlier this week, said goodbye to supporters of his current club Kawasaki Frontale, with the Sky Blue and Black confirming he will now finalise a move to a ‘foreign club’.

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

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So, will he prove to be Celtic’s next Japanese sensation?

How Shin Yamada will improve Celtic

Upon his arrival, following the prior capture of Nygren, Yamada will become the ninth Japanese player in Celtic’s history.

Celtic’s Japanese players

Players

Celtic career

Celtic appearances

Shunsuke Nakamura

2005-09

159

Kōki Mizuno

2008-09

12

Tomoki Iwata

2022-24

42

Yūki Kobayashi

2023

7

Yosuke Ideguchi

2022

6

Kyōgo Furuhashi

2021-2025

165

Reo Hatate

2022-present

142

Daizen Maeda

2022-present

158

All information courtesy of Transfermarkt

As the table outlines, he will be following in the footsteps of a few modern-day Celtic greats, linking up with new teammates Hatate and Daizen Maeda.

Yamada began his senior football career at college side Toin University of Yokohama, before moving to J League side Kawasaki Frontale three years ago, bagging 32 goals in 121 appearances for the club, most notably helping them reach a first-ever AFC Champions League Final back in April.

Data scientist Ryo Nakagawara labels Yamada a “fantastic” talent, as well as describing him as a ‘natural finisher’, praising his ‘excellent movement’ and ‘quick acceleration’, assertions that are supported by his statistics in the J League last season.

Shin Yamada 2024 J League statistics

Statistics

Yamada

J League rank

Goals

19

3rd

Goals per 90

0.85

1st

Goals + assists per 90

0.98

1st

Shots

80

12th

Shots on target

37

5th

Shots on target %

46.3%

10th

Big chances missed

14

8th

Statistics courtesy of FBref.com and SofaScore

As outlined, Yamada was prolific in the J League last season, made all the more impressive by the fact that his team finished eighth, closer to relegation than champions Vissel Kōbe.

Meantime, according to Global Football Rankings, the J League is the 23rd strongest division in the world, a whopping 20 places above the Scottish Premiership.

Now though, the question remains, will he be a better starting centre-forward option than the current occupant of this position, Adam Idah?

The Republic of Ireland international’s performance against Sporting on Wednesday night was widely criticised, with Rodgers himself stating that the striker “needs to come alive”, calling for him to “have authority in the box”, intimating he is open to an alternative solution.

Shin Yamada vs Adam Idah comparison

Statistics

Yamada 2024

Idah 24/25

Minutes

2,012

2,168

Goals

19

16

Assists

3

0

Shots

80

88

Shots on target %

46.3%

48.9%

Big chances missed

14

19

Big chances created

6

6

Average Sofascore rating

7.06

6.93

Statistics courtesy of FBref.com and SofaScore

As the table outlines, during the timeframes included, Yamada comes out on top for the majority of metrics.

The Japanese striker scored more goals, registered more assists and missed fewer big chances than the Irishman, while doing so for a side who are exponentially less dominant relative to their competition.

Thus, if Idah continues to flatter to deceive, all available evidence suggests the incoming Yamada deserves the opportunity to stake a claim for the starting nine number spot.

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Posts ByDominic Lund Jul 16, 2025

Middlesex 319 for 5 (Stoneman 83, Fernandes 83, Broad 3-65) beat Northamptonshire 317 for 9 (Shaw 76, Miller 73, Zaib 58, Hollman 3-49) by five wicketsMark Stoneman and Nathan Fernandes shared a stand of 128 to get Middlesex’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign up and running with victory over Northamptonshire Steelbacks at Radlett.The left-handed duo were joint top-scorers for the home side with 83 apiece before Martin Andersson (35 not out from 23 balls) and Jack Davies (31 not out from 17) completed the job with 11 deliveries to spare.Gus Miller struck a career-best 73 from 68 for the Steelbacks, with Prithvi Shaw and Saif Zaib also scoring half-centuries before Justin Broad hammered an unbeaten 38 from just 20 at the back end of the innings, enabling his side to post 317 for nine.But, although Broad took three for 65, including two wickets in as many balls, it was not enough for the visitors – who now slip behind Middlesex at the foot of Group A after three consecutive defeats.Having won the toss and chosen to bat, the Steelbacks suffered early setbacks as both Emilio Gay and Ricardo Vasconcelos perished to edges behind off pacy left-armer Noah Cornwell (two for 54).Shaw was soon into his stride, however, overcoming the often unpredictable bounce to slam a series of boundaries and pulled Ishaan Kaushal for the first six of the game as he sped to his half-century from 33 deliveries.The India international (76 from 58) shared a partnership of 77 with George Bartlett, only for the pair to depart in successive overs – each repeating strokes they had previously been fortunate to get away with and enabling Josh de Caires to take his tally of catches to three.De Caires soon snapped up a fourth when Lewis McManus drove Henry Brookes to mid-off, but Northamptonshire’s sixth-wicket pair rebuilt steadily, with Miller the more aggressive as he struck the ball cleanly and powerfully.Having advanced beyond 50, Miller slog-swept Luke Hollman over the fence before cutting him to backward point later in the over, while Zaib – having taken an hour to find the boundary – also began to accelerate.Although Zaib holed out for 58, Broad’s late flurry lifted the Steelbacks well above the 300 mark, with the final over from Brookes disappearing for 22.Middlesex began their reply briskly, with Joe Cracknell cutting and pulling to good effect and he and De Caires passed 50 during the eighth over before the latter was pinned in front for Miller’s maiden career wicket.Cracknell (49 from 52) seemed to become bogged down as he neared what would have been his second half-century in as many games and feathered one behind off Broad, who then knocked back Sam Robson’s off stump with his next delivery.At 90 for three, Middlesex needed a substantial partnership and Stoneman took charge of his alliance with Fernandes, dominating the strike and pulling Raphy Weatherall crisply to the fence to reach his half-century at a run a ball.While Stoneman found the boundary with regularity, the required rate escalated above eight an over and Middlesex hopes were dented when the captain chopped on to Broad with 100 still needed.But Fernandes picked up the baton, launching Zaib for three consecutive fours before he was caught in the deep and Davies slammed 20 off Broad’s final over before clipping Weatherall for another boundary to wrap up the win.

It feels like it’s going to be a hectic summer for Tottenham Hotspur this year.

The Europa League champions sacked Ange Postecoglou on Friday afternoon due to his horrific Premier League record, and while it’s not been confirmed by the club, Thomas Frank looks set to replace him.

Despite the talent in the squad, the Danish manager will have a lot to do to ensure their domestic campaign is more of a success next season, and the best way for Daniel Levy and Co to help him with that is by bringing in the right players in the coming weeks and months.

One of those players linked with a move to the club has been Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, but recent reports have now touted another wide talent for a move to Spurs, someone who could be the perfect alternative.

Tottenham's interest in Semenyo

Spurs have been linked with a host of talented players in recent weeks, from Crystal Palace’s Eberchi Eze to Brentford’s in-demand Bryan Mbeumo, but earlier this week, Semenyo became one of the latest Premier League stars to be touted for a move to N17.

It’s not hard to see why the Lilywhites might be interested in the Cherries star, as even though he’s playing for a mid-table side, the Ghana international was able to rack up an impressive tally of 13 goals and seven assists in 42 appearances.

However, with his price tag potentially being as high as £70m and interest from other Premier League sides like Arsenal and Liverpool, this might be a transfer both too expensive and too challenging to get over the line, in which case, Levy and Co might be after an alternative, like Dorgeles Nene.

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

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Yes, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Spurs are now one of several top-flight teams now ‘considering a move’ for the RB Salzburg gem this summer.

Alongside the North Londoners, the report has revealed that Lazio, Fiorentina, Freiburg and Bayer Leverkusen are all interested in the 22-year-old dynamo who has been seriously impressive in Austria this season.

Moreover, while the competition might be a problem, the fee shouldn’t be, as the report claims that an offer of up to £21m should be enough to tempt Salzburg to sell.

Nene might not be a well-known name or sound like a particularly inspiring signing, but should Semenyo be out of reach, the youngster would certainly be worth bringing in for Spurs.

Why Nene would be a good signing for Spurs

So then, in a market where there are countless wide talents available, why would Nene be a good signing for Spurs?

Well, first and arguably most importantly, his output this season was seriously impressive and made more so by the fact he was primarily playing off the wings.

For example, in 46 appearances, totalling 3043 minutes, the “terrifying” threat, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, was able to score 15 goals and provide nine assists for the Austrian outfit.

Nene vs Semenyo 24/25

Player

Nene

Semenyo

Appearances

46

42

Minutes

3043′

3562′

Goals

15

13

Assists

9

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.52

0.47

Minutes per Goal Involvements

126.79′

178.10′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.91 games, or every 126.79 minutes, which is better than Semenyo’s average of one every 2.1 games or every 178.1 minutes.

Secondly, with him still being just 22 and not turning 23 until December, there is so much room for growth and development, as according to research carried out by The Athletic, wide players do not hit their peak until 26.

Finally, even though the Kayes-born dynamo is primarily a left-winger, he’s just as capable of playing down the middle or off the right, which would give Frank so much more tactical flexibility next season.

Ultimately, Semenyo will understandably be many Spurs fan’s first choice here, but if he’s unattainable, then Nene would be an excellent alternative, although with a price tag of £21m, why not try to sign both?

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 10, 2025

Leeds United will re-enter the Premier League relieved that they won’t have to sell a load of their stars like last summer.

Indeed, there was a mass exodus away from West Yorkshire after the Whites’ heartbreaking playoff final defeat in the Championship, resulting in Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville, and Georginio Rutter all upping and leaving for the luxuries of a new top-flight team.

These notable departures thankfully didn’t derail Daniel Farke’s men on their way to lifting the second-tier title. Still, Leeds could be about to finally land an exciting Rutter replacement this summer.

After all, since the Frenchman’s farewell, Leeds have had to make do with some lacklustre performers in the number ten role.

Leeds in the race to sign Championship star

Farke won’t feel too confident in relying on Brenden Aaronson to come good in the Premier League, considering the American attacker has struggled at the daunting level before, scoring one goal and registering only three assists during the doomed 2022/23 campaign.

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

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Therefore, it’s no shock to see Leeds be linked with this entertaining number ten, with The Irish Sun now reporting that the newly promoted side have joined the intense race to snap up Middlesbrough ace Finn Azaz.

AFC Bournemouth and Crystal Palace are also named as interested onlookers, meaning Leeds’ quest to win the Irishman’s services could be tough.

But, if Farke and Co. are serious about improving their already electric attacking output ahead of Premier League football returning to Elland Road, winning the £20m-rated midfielder’s services will be deemed a top priority, particularly if he is capable of being the figure to finally fill Rutter’s void.

Why Azaz can finally replace Rutter

It might well be bizarre to say that Leeds still feel a need to replace Rutter, considering the Whites stormed to the second-tier title with 95 goals bagged.

But, whilst Aaronson would chip in with a respectable tally of nine strikes and two assists on the way to promotion being resoundingly won, the 24-year-old blows far too hot and cold compared to the regular brilliance of the ex-Whites number 24.

Rutter, despite promotion falling to the wayside towards the close of the disappointing 2023/24 season, would still manage to collect a mammoth eight goals and 16 assists in league action.

Staggeringly, Azaz would only find himself one short of eclipsing this hefty total this campaign just gone for Michael Carrick’s own failed promotion hopefuls.

Azaz’s ability to drive forward and carve teams open from the number ten spot for Boro is eerily similar to the much-loved 23-year-old during his Elland Road prime.

The hope will just be that the 6-foot-1 star can make the transition to the Premier League look smooth, but having never been given a fair opportunity at his former employers Aston Villa, he will be chomping at the bit to succeed if he’s given the call by Farke’s men.

Azaz’s league numbers (24/25) vs Rutter’s (23/24)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Azaz

Rutter

Games played

45

45

Goals scored

12

6

Assists

11

15

Shots*

2.7

2.7

Touches*

48.7

46.6

Accurate passes*

23.3 (74%)

15.1 (69%)

Key passes*

2.0

1.9

Big chances missed

5

17

Big chances created

10

22

Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the table above, the similarities just keep stacking up, with Farke more prepared to take a risk on his potential new £20m buy in the knowledge that Rutter moved up and acclimatised to his new surroundings swimmingly, with eight goal contributions next to his name from 28 Premier League appearances in 2024/25.

The Boro star is the “whole package” – as he’s been labelled by his current boss Carrick – and could well feel he’s now outgrown the Championship. Indeed, a sparkling 11 goals and ten assists also came his way in league action during the 2023/24 campaign, alongside nearly matching Rutter at the Riverside Stadium recently.

Therefore, ahead of their Premier League voyage taking off, taking a risk on EFL superstar Azaz to come good might well see the West Yorkshire titans win themselves Rutter 2.0.

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Posts 1 ByDan Emery May 29, 2025

Celtic clinched the Scottish Premiership title for the fourth season running on Saturday when they smashed Dundee United 5-0 at Tannadice Park.

The Hoops only needed one point to make it official, but, of course, they did it in style with a five-star display away from Parkhead to win the division yet again.

Brendan Rodgers will surely be delighted with his side’s performance on the afternoon, and may be particularly pleased with Adam Idah’s contribution to the win off the bench.

Why Adam Idah has won his place in the team

The Ireland international was taken out of the starting line-up for this match, despite scoring against St. Johnstone in the SFA Cup semi-final last weekend, but did not have to wait too long to get his chance.

Jota limped off the pitch towards the end of the first half and that provided the former Norwich City centre-forward with an opportunity to prove Rodgers wrong, after being dropped.

Idah, motivated to show that he belongs in the starting XI, made it 4-0 and scored his first of the match just two minutes into the second half, as he peeled away from Emmanuel Adegboyega to nod the ball into the bottom corner.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The Irishman then made a terrific run across his former Norwich teammate to slot the ball into the bottom corner of the near post, making it 5-0.

Idah has, now, won his place in the XI, particularly if Jota’s injury keeps him out of the next match, ahead of the clash with Rangers next time out, because he came on and made a big impact in the final third.

He is not the only Ireland international who has made himself undroppable, though, as central defender Liam Scales put in an excellent showing.

Why Liam Scales is undroppable

The left-footed central defender has started the last three matches in all competitions, and the last two Premiership games, and has proven that he deserves to keep his place in the side.

Scales played a part in the opening goal for Celtic with his header at the back post that forced Ryan Strain to deflect the ball into the roof of his own net.

It was his play out of possession, however, that was most impressive. The Ireland international was not dribbled past a single time in the 90 minutes, and won eight of his 14 duels – dominating the Dundee United attackers on the deck and in the air.

He was up against Sam Dalby, who has scored 14 league goals this season, and limited the impressive marksman to zero shots and ten duels lost.

Minutes

90

90

Sofascore rating

7.8

8.0

Clearances

5

6

Interventions

1

1

Tackles

0

3

Duels won

7/11

8/14

Pass accuracy

95%

94%

Passes completed

144

103

As you can see in the table above, Scales has caught the eye in his last two Premiership appearances for the Scottish giants, against Kilmarnock and Dundee United.

The left-footed ace, who earned an 8/10 Sofascore rating on Saturday, has been incredibly reliable on the ball, completing 95% and 94% of his passes in those matches, which means that he provides a composed presence in possession to progress the play for the Hoops.

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ByDan Emery Apr 22, 2025

Therefore, Scales should be considered as undroppable as Idah, despite having Auston Trusty pushing him for his place on the bench, ahead of the clash with Rangers next time out.

There was no question of the significance this innings had for his England career

Matt Roller21-Jun-2025

Ollie Pope’s ton led England’s strong response•Getty Images

Ollie Pope has celebrated eight previous Test hundreds but never with such fervour. Pope scampered through for a single after inside-edging Jasprit Bumrah to the leg side, roaring “come on!” with fists clenched, and then punched the air with the jab of a welterweight boxer. There was no question of the significance this innings had for his England career.Marquee Test series demand substance over style, and Pope showed his mettle; this was not a chanceless hundred, with two significant let-offs, but it was a timely one under huge pressure. He looked drained – mentally, physically, emotionally – as he walked off unbeaten at the close, after spending a single over off the field across the first two days’ play.Athletes try to ignore the “outside noise” created by the media but only deafness could have blocked out the scrutiny on Pope. Jacob Bethell’s emergence as a potential superstar left his place at No. 3 under genuine pressure, and an unusually sparse schedule – with no Tests for five months at the start of this year – left him powerless to respond to speculation.Related

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Even his 171 against Zimbabwe last month was easily discounted, not least after Ben Stokes created an inadvertent media storm. England are at the start of a defining ten-Test run against India and Australia; Pope had reached 50 only twice in his previous 35 innings against those opponents, his 196 in Hyderabad resembling a freak outlier.But this was vital supporting evidence. “He probably couldn’t walk out in tougher conditions, with Jasprit running down the hill with the lights on,” Ben Duckett said. Pope flicked his first ball, from Mohammed Siraj, off his pads for four; so often a nervous starter, he had a calm poise when punishing width off India’s seamers.Pope scored heavily – 48 of his round 100 – behind square on the off side, thanks to the steep bounce that Headingley offers and occasional fortunate moments: a Bumrah misfield at deep point, and two chancy steers through gaps in the slip cordon. His best shot – a perfectly placed pull off Prasidh Krishna over leg gully which beat long leg to his right – took him to 90.Ollie Pope played some delectable drives•Getty ImagesHe also had an umpiring decision and a drop to thank. When Pope had 34, Chris Gaffaney turned down an lbw appeal from Siraj; if he had given it out, it would not have been overturned; when he had 60, Yashasvi Jaiswal put him down at third slip off the relentless Bumrah, whose first few spells of the series were irresistible.Yet, those reprieves are merely details in Pope’s bigger picture. Stokes has consistently reassured him of his place over the past month and Duckett insisted there was never any doubt in the dressing room that Pope would bat at No. 3, but his response to reaching three figures confirmed the extent to which he had felt Bethell breathing down his neck.”The way Popey’s dealt with it has been superb and just sums up and proves why he’s England’s No. 3,” Duckett said. “Scoring a hundred against that attack, coming out in the first over at 4 for 1, you could just see it in the way that he celebrated. It didn’t just mean a lot to him; it meant a huge amount in the dressing room as well.”It is almost inevitable that Bethell will win another chance in England’s batting line-up before long. Cricket obsesses over selection debates more than any other sport, but injuries and other absences have invariably deprived England of at least one member of their first-choice top seven for at least one Test in seven of their last eight Test series.2:22

Duckett: Bumrah the best in the world

But Pope ensured on Saturday that he will not be left out any time soon; it is the sign of a strong batting line-up that a player of Bethell’s evident quality cannot get into the side. Pope has bought himself the rest of the summer at No. 3 and must now prove he is a far better, hungrier player than a Test average in the mid-30s might suggest; aged 27, he should be approaching his prime.It was Pope’s tempo that was most impressive: his early boundaries in partnership with Duckett prompted Shubman Gill to set defensive fields to stem the flow of runs, at one stage five boundary-riders to Ravindra Jadeja. With the field spread, Pope slipped down a gear: his second fifty (61 balls) was quicker than his first (65) but contained only five fours compared to eight.That manipulation of oppositions’ plans has been a central tenet of England’s aggression with the bat over the last three years: Duckett has embodied their strategy, going hard against the new ball and then milking singles when captains feel forced to react, and Pope’s release shot – a dab past gully – built on the same premise.Pope’s challenge now is to back his century up, and to dispel the notion that he is a feast-or-famine player; he spoke before the series about his desire to emulate Joe Root by scoring “hundred, hundred, hundred” and proving his consistency. But such thoughts can wait for next week, as he basks in the satisfaction of his most determined innings yet.

Injury sidelined her, but after a few technical adjustments and a lot of hard work – including against East Bengal’s men – she just keeps on striking for Mumbai Indians

S Sudarshanan09-Mar-20236:22

Are Mumbai Indians making the WPL boring?

“Bowler wicket [I am a bowler, so I am here to pick up wickets].”The confidence in Saika Ishaque’s voice was unmistakable as she put on the purple cap, having become the highest wicket-taker in the WPL with two strikes against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Monday. On Thursday, she stretched her lead at the top with three more wickets against Delhi Capitals, sending them on their way to 105 all out. Capitals headed into what was a clash between two unbeaten sides with back-to-back 200-plus totals. But they were undone by the brilliance of Ishaque, who’s taken a rough path to the glitz and glamour of the WPL.Ishaque comes from a humble background in Park Circus, a neighbourhood in south Kolkata. She was introduced to the sport by her father, who passed away 15 years ago. She did the hard yards at the Under-19 and Under-23 levels for Bengal before playing for the senior side. But a shoulder injury in 2018 pegged her back for a couple of years and the road forward was tough.Ishaque struggled to pick up wickets on her return and was then left out of the Bengal side. Low on confidence, she was introduced to former Bengal left-arm spin allrounder Shibsagar Singh in 2021, and he helped her make technical adjustments. Watching some footage of her, Shibsagar observed that Ishaque was bowling very full and not letting the ball turn enough.”I saw that she is talented and there is something different about her, and made her understand what her issue is,” Shibsagar told ESPNcricinfo. “I asked her to pull her length back a touch, that allowed the ball to deviate, rather than bowling it full and not letting it turn. I also told her to not try for wickets but concentrate on bowling in the right way.”I told her to focus on bowling one ball at a time and not think of the entire over or other stuff. Her mindset slowly began changing. Her earlier focus was on wanting to pick X wickets in Y overs.”Former India allrounder Rumeli Dhar, who also captained Ishaque at Bengal, loved the gusty, fighting character that Ishaque was in the side. Bowling to batters who attack was something she particularly revelled in.

“[Ever since her comeback from injury] she knows where she should land the ball to get it to spin and trouble the batter.”Rumeli Dhar, who was Ishaque’s captain at Bengal

“When I was the captain, there were a couple of instances where I have asked her if she would be able to pick up a tough wicket and she upfront used to say yes and did it too,” Dhar said. “She is [naughty] but she is fun-loving. She knows to have fun and also knows how to make people laugh.”[Ever since her comeback] she knows where she should land the ball to get it to spin and trouble the batter. She has learnt how to respond to captains’ and coaches’ calls of bowling in specific areas and situations. She has a lot of control with her bowling.”Capitals would learn of it the hard way.Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma, easily one of the most dangerous opening pairs in the WPL, had a 162-run stand in Capitals’ opening game and then put up a half-century partnership against UP Warriorz heading into the game against Mumbai. Ishaque, though, struck the first blow off her sixth ball, having Shafali play around a flighted delivery that was slanted into the stumps to bowl her. Capitals were briefly buoyed by a fifty-run stand between Lanning and Jemimah Rodrigues – going from 31 for 3 to 81 for 3 – but then Ishaque was at it again.Brought back in the 13th over for her third, Ishaque again attacked the stumps and just fired it in a touch, only for Rodrigues to go back and miss her cut and be bowled. The left-arm spinner then struck a telling blow on the last ball by floating one up outside off and enticing Lanning to charge down and take the aerial route only for her to hit it to extra cover.Saika Ishaque is congratulated after an early strike•BCCIThis all came after a four-wicket haul against Gujarat Giants at DY Patil Stadium to set up her team in the WPL curtain-raiser. While it was captain Harmanpreet Kaur who stole the show with her scintillating fifty, Ishaque’s exploits made sure everyone took note of her too.And so far, of her nine wickets in the WPL, seven have been either bowled or lbw.Ahead of the WPL, Shibsagar took Ishaque to the East Bengal club to train with male cricketers. He specifically asked them to attack her in a bid to prepare her for the WPL, and he liked what he saw.”She is (intelligent). Never afraid to bowl the tough overs – she will bowl two overs in the powerplay and then also want to bowl at the death,” Shibsagar said. “Any bowler can get hit but she is always confident of picking up wickets.”The WPL, it is expected, will be a means to unearth uncapped talents and fast track them into the national set-up. Given Ishaque’s WPL performances have come at a time when India’s incumbent left-arm spinners Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Radha Yadav are struggling for consistency and penetration, Ishaque could well be on this path.

Stats highlights from North Sound, where Sri Lanka and West Indies played out a second straight draw

Sampath Bandarupalli03-Apr-20210-0 Scoreline of the Test series between West Indies and Sri Lanka, the first Test series in nearly six years to end in a 0-0 draw. The two-match Test series between Bangladesh and South Africa in 2015 was the last to end with a 0-0 scoreline. Only 309.1 overs of play took place during that series played during the monsoon season.Related

Dimuth Karunaratne, Oshada Fernando fifties ensure series ends at 0-0

813 Minutes batted by Kraigg Brathwaite in the second Test against Sri Lanka, the most in a Test for West Indies. Brathwaite’s first-innings century came across 514 minutes, while his 85 in the second essay lasted 299 minutes. Brathwaite faced 507 balls in this match, the joint-most by a West Indian in a Test match since Brian Lara’s 400* off 582 balls against England in 2004.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1 Number of centuries for Brathwaite in nine Tests as a captain. Brathwaite had only two fifties across 16 Test innings while leading the West Indies before the second match. The 126-run knock is also his first century in 38 Test innings.4 Player-of-the-Series awards for specialist Sri Lankan pacers in Test cricket, including Suranga Lakmal against West Indies. Chaminda Vaas won it twice while Nuwan Kulasekara, against Pakistan in 2009, was the last to get the award.ESPNcricinfo Ltd4 Test matches played by West Indies in 2021; two against Bangladesh (2-0) and two versus Sri Lanka (0-0). It is the first instance for West Indies since 2013 where they went three or more successive Tests without a defeat.2 Century partnerships for Dimuth Karunaratne and Lahiru Thirimanne in the fourth innings, the most by a pair for Sri Lanka in Tests. Only one opening pair has more than two century stands in the fourth innings in Test history – four by Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes.ESPNcricinfo Ltd8 Series of two-plus Tests where both teams fielded the same 11 players in all matches, before the West Indies vs Sri Lanka series. Seven of the previous eight series were two-match Test series, while the three-match series between England and India in 2007 was the other.

The Mets and their $341 million payroll are one step closer to the postseason. But there's still a long way to go.

Behind a three-hit game from Brandon Nimmo and homers by Francisco Lindor and Brett Baty, New York defeated the Cubs 8-5 on Thursday night at Wrigley Field. The win improved the Mets' record to 82-77, good for a one-game lead over the Reds and a two-game cushion over the Diamondbacks in the NL wild-card race.

Before the win Thursday at the "Friendly Confines," Fangraphs gave the Mets a 64.5% chance to make the playoffs. Those odds increased to 78.1% after the win.

While the Mets control their own destiny, they can't be sitting comfortably heading into the final weekend of the regular season. Due to their intradivision record, the Mets would lose tiebreakers to both the Diamondbacks and Reds if they finish the 162-game schedule with the same record.

The Reds kept their playoff hopes alive Thursday, defeating the Pirates 2-1 thanks to Noelvi Marte's heroic home-run robbery in the ninth inning. Arizona lost its second straight game, an 8-0 defeat at the hands of the Dodgers.

The Mets close out their season this weekend with a three-game series against the Marlins, who were just officially eliminated from the playoffs on Thursday. The Reds, meanwhile, will battle the Brewers at American Family Field, and the Diamondbacks visit the Padres.

Unlike the American League, there isn't much drama heading into the final weekend of NL play aside from the final wild-card spot. The Brewers, Phillies and Dodgers have all clinched their respective divisions, and the Cubs and Padres have secured a spot in October with wild-card spots.

Here's how everything is looking in the National League heading into Friday's slate of games:

National League Playoff PictureNL DIVISION LEADERS

TEAM

RECORD

Milwaukee Brewers (NL Central; clinched)

96-63

Philadelphia Phillies (NL East; clinched)

94-65

Los Angeles Dodgers (NL West; clinched)

90-69

NL WILD CARD

TEAM

RECORD

GB

Chicago Cubs (clinched)

89-69

+7.5

San Diego Padres (clinched)

87-72

+5

New York Mets

82-77

—

—

—

—

Cincinnati Reds

81-78

1

Arizona Diamondbacks

80-79

2

India A finish second in their group, and will meet the topper of Group A in the semi-final

Himanshu Agrawal18-Nov-2025It was a must-win game for both India A and Oman. Only one of them could fill in the remaining semi-final slot from Group B in the Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament. After being asked to bat first in Doha on Tuesday, Oman started with 52 runs in the powerplay. But just 83 more in the remaining 14 overs meant India A had to chase only 136, which they did comfortably as Harsh Dubey repaid their faith after being promoted to No. 4.Dubey finished on a patient 53*, his maiden T20 fifty. He took 44 balls to score those runs, but made up after a slow start. With just eight runs off his first 14 balls, he bashed 45 in his next 30 deliveries. Dubey broke the shackles by pulling Samay Shrivastava in the ninth over for his only six, but it was the sweep shot which he kept using to maximum effect.Dubey added 66 for the fourth wicket with Nehal Wadhera, who fell with just two more runs required to win. The target, though, could have been much higher had Dubey (1 for 30), who was the Player of the Match, and Suyash Sharma (2 for 12) not slowed Oman down with the ball. Their four overs after the powerplay fetched just 19 runs on a slow pitch where the ball gripped and turned.Oman’s captain Hammad Mirza had thumped 32 runs in 16 balls out of the 37 that were scored in the first four overs. No other Oman batter found the going so smooth, though. Wasim Ali scored 54* in 45 deliveries as he held one end up, even as India A also used part-time spinner Naman Dhir, whose two overs got him 1 for 5.As a result of the win, India A finish second in their group, and will meet the topper of Group A in the semi-final.