Match abandoned without a ball bowledSri Lanka vs NepalSri Lanka and Nepal came to Lauderhill searching for their first wins, hoping to put their T20 World Cup 2024 on track. However, incessant rain, heavy enough to trigger flash-flood alerts for local residents, left both teams splitting one point apiece. That means Sri Lanka are almost certainly out of Super Eight contention while Nepal’s chances of qualification also take a hit. South Africa, currently Group D toppers, were confirmed a place in the Super Eight.For Sri Lanka to now qualify, they first need the Bangladesh vs Netherlands fixture on June 13 in Kingstown to be a washout, then they need to defeat Netherlands in their last group game on June 16. They also need South Africa to beat Nepal by a big margin on June 14, and then for Nepal to beat Bangladesh by a small margin on June 16.
Nepal could still qualify if they manage big wins against South Africa and Bangladesh in their last two games, and if Netherlands don’t win both their remaining matches.However, the Lauderhill weather now puts upcoming games at the venue under the scanner. The venue is set to host three Group A games – USA vs Ireland on June 14, Canada vs India on June 15 and Ireland vs Pakistan on June 16 with rain forecast through the week.
After agonising rain delay, defending champions overcome early stumble against Namibia
Valkerie Baynes15-Jun-20241:46
Do England have the bowling attack to win the World Cup?
Watching rain fall doesn’t sound like a nail-biting pastime but for England the hours waiting to start their final group match of this T20 World Cup, against Namibia, were gripping. England’s eventual victory, by 41 runs in a match reduced to 10 overs per side in Antigua on Saturday, was pure relief for the defending champions.No result other than a win would have kept England in contention for the Super Eight phase but they had to get on the park for that. After the toss was delayed by three hours – won by Namibia, who chose to bowl first – they finally had the chance to control their own destiny, to a point. The equation was simple. England had to beat Namibia and then wait to see whether Australia defeated Scotland – which they duly did, though not without a struggle – to ensure England joined the Australians in progressing from Group B.Showers before the scheduled start returned to Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in the form of a torrential downpour just as it looked like the covers would be lifted. England had to hold onto hope of a reduced-overs match despite the rain appearing to have set in. Eventually, play began at 4pm local time, reduced to 11 overs per side, which became 10 when rain intervened once more, albeit briefly, with England 82 for 3 after eight overs.Harry Brook’s unbeaten 47 off 20 balls and Jonny Bairstow’s 31 off 18 steadied them from a perilous 13 for 2, the pair sharing a 56-run stand for the third wicket to help lift their side to 122 for 5. With Namibia chasing a DLS-adjusted target of 126, England’s bowlers didn’t allow them to score fast enough and secured a comfortable victory, after a torturous wait.Namibia’s dream, England’s nightmareDavid Wiese conceded just a solitary run from the first over on an understandably tacky wicket, testing England openers Jos Buttler and Phil Salt by varying his lines and lengths. Then Ruben Trumpelmann removed Buttler for a four-ball duck with a wonderful inswinger that crashed into leg stump with the second ball of the next over in a dream start for Namibia. It wasn’t until 10 balls into the match that England scored their first boundary, which became two when Salt lofted wider deliveries from Trumpelmann for four down the ground and over deep third. When Wiese returned for a second over on the trot, he had Salt caught behind off an excellent knuckle ball, delivered slow outside off stump and finding a thick edge to put England in trouble at 13 for 2 inside three overs.Bairstow unleashedLeft-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz came into the attack in the fourth over and in for some Bairstow treatment, reverse-swept for four and muscled over long-on for six next ball. Bairstow skied Gerhard Erasmus’s third ball back over his head and, to England’s relief, the ball plugged in a gap between an advancing long-off, long-on and the bowler running back. He crashed the next through the leg side for four. Brook chimed in with a powerful six over deep midwicket off Jack Brassell and sent the next through point for four to bring up England’s fifty off 34 balls. When Erasmus returned, Bairstow immediately nailed a six over midwicket.Bairstow survived a run-out chance on 31 and hadn’t added to his score when he top-edged an attempted cut off Scholtz towards short cover, where keeper Zane Green collected. Bairstow’s 18-ball knock was his first foray into double figures in three innings at this tournament and his highest score at a T20 World Cup, setting a solid platform after England’s shaky start before more rain arrived to halt play.Brook in on the actAfter such a long wait to learn whether they would get to play again, England’s innings was further reduced to 10 overs when rain caused another 10-minute stoppage, by which time Brook and Moeen Ali were left with twelve balls to set an imposing target. They took 19 runs off Brassell in the penultimate over, 18 of them to Brook, who finished with 4,6,4 to take England past the 100 mark. Moeen fell for 16 off six balls but Liam Livingstone blasted the first two balls he faced from Trumpelmann for six before he was run out on the last ball of the innings and left the field clutching his side in some discomfort. Ben Duckett’s appearance as substitute fielder in his place raised further concerns over Livingstone’s fitness.Davin makes way for WieseReece Topley conceded only two runs off the opening over of Namibia’s pursuit, one of them a front-foot no-ball on the first delivery of the innings. England’s bowlers were keeping a lid on Namibia’s scoring and, needing 83 more off the last four overs, Nikolaas Davin retired out on 18 off 16, the first player to do so at an ICC event, making way for the vastly experienced Wiese. He clubbed the first ball he faced – off Sam Curran, making his first appearance at this World Cup – for four through backward point. Wiese proceeded to smash back-to-back sixes off Adil Rashid over long-off and deep midwicket then pierced the covers for four.But they needed 55 off the last two overs and Michael van Lingen holed out to Brook off Chris Jordan, brought into the side for Mark Wood on the strength of his death bowling, on the final ball of the ninth. When Jofra Archer removed Wiese, again via a Brook catch in the deep in the final over, the 39-year-old walked off amid handshakes from several England players, a fitting international farewell in his last game for Namibia, the nation he transferred his allegiance to in 2021 after 26 matches for South Africa.
And with that, the Premier League is done and dusted for another year. Arsenal, the division’s second place side, ended things with a win but the real work starts now for new sporting director Andrea Berta.
Mikel Arteta declared post-game on Sunday that work for the new season would commence quickly.
Where do they need to strengthen?
It’s pretty obvious unless you have been living under a rock.
For the first time since the 1923/24 season, yes, over 100 years ago, Arsenal failed to find a player who scored double figures in a league season.
Injuries have no doubt led to this but so has the club’s poor recruitment over the last 18 months.
A new striker and potentially also a winger simply has to be sourced this summer.
Arsenal’s transfer plans post-season
It’s set to be out with the old and in with the new this summer for the Gunners.
Kieran Tierney scored on his final outing for the Gunners at Southampton but it may not have been just his final outing.
Indeed, Raheem Sterling will head back to his parent club while Thomas Partey and Jorginho see their contracts expire in a few weeks time.
Leandro Trossard – linked with Saudi last January – could sign a new deal at the Emirates Stadium this summer, but that is unlikely to have an impact on whether or not they sign a new forward.
For that central berth, the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko seem the most likely of candidates but there’s also the potential for a new winger to arrive in the shape of Real Madrid star, Rodrygo.
The Brazilian isn’t the only wide player on their shortlist with reports in recent weeks suggesting that Arsenal have been working on a deal for Rafael Leao.
The Milan star is also wanted by Bayern Munich this summer but there’s has been a new development in Arsenal’s chase.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
That’s according to French publication, Foot Mercato, who suggested over the weekend that while the Portuguese winger is on the club’s ‘shortlist’, Berta actually had a phone call with the player in the last two weeks.
The purpose of that call was to tell Leao that there is definite interest in him from the Gunners.
Arsenal don’t have an endless supply of cash this summer, and with other areas needing to be improved, they will have to spend wisely. Thus, a reported £145m release clause is unlikely to be met too well by the club’s recruitment team.
How Rafael Leao compares to Rodrygo
Speaking last week ahead of the game with Southampton, Arteta was actually asked about the prospect of signing Rodrygo from Real Madrid.
While he didn’t explicitly reveal that Arsenal were interested, he was slightly more open to the prospect of discussing transfers than he was a week or two ago, stating: “If you want to win titles, you have to be the best in the market. The teams that win have the best players.”
Well, speaking of the best players, who would be the better option here?
AC Milan's RafaelLeaoreacts
Rodrygo is an electrifying talent and there is a belief that if he moved away from the Bernabeu and was the main man, he’d be a genuinely scary proposition. After all, this is a player who has scored 50 goals since the beginning of the 2022/23 season.
In comparison, Leao – who’s actually been compared to a young Thierry Henry for his play style on the left flank – has scored 43 times in the same time frame.
So, with fewer goals, why is the Portuguese more exciting?
Leao vs Rodrygo since 2022/23
Stat (per 90 mins)
Leao
Rodrygo
Goals
0.40
0.34
Assists
0.31
0.24
Shot on target %
36.0%
36.3%
Key passes
2.06
1.91
Progressive passes
4.12
3.76
Shot-creating actions
4.60
4.71
Successful take-ons
2.64
2.56
Progressive carries
5.20
5.63
Stats via FBRef.
A genuine speedster, the Milan forward has notably been described by the Athletic’s Alex Barker as “one of the best dribblers in the world”, the numbers certainly showcase that.
He ranks within the top 5% of wingers in Europe’s top five leagues this season for successful take ons per 90 minutes with 2.84. In contrast, Rodrygo only ranks among the best 23% with 2.08 per 90 mins in 2024/25.
Evidently both very capable dribblers, over the last three seasons it’s the Milan superstar who comes out on top in most areas, most importantly producing more end product (goals and assists) every 90 minutes.
Leao isn’t just a dribbler and a goalscorer, but he’s also capable of providing assists, delivering more key passes and progressive passes than Madrid’s wing sensation.
AC Milan's RafaelLeaocelebrates scoring their first goal
It’s likely the latter would be a cheaper acquisition but based on the numbers it’s the Portugal international who looks like the more exciting talent.
Combine that with comparisons to Henry and you have a genuine world beater here capable of getting Arsenal fans off their seats again.
It’s safe to say they’ve lacked that star quality and X factor on too many occasions this season.
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The incredible talent is going to be a superstar for Arsenal.
Chelsea are now eyeing a summer move for a “composed” defender, with manager Enzo Maresca believed to be a keen admirer, according to a report.
Blues eyeing centre-back amid latest Disasi update
Axel Disasi has spent the second half of the season on loan at Aston Villa, and it looks as though the 27-year-old could be heading for a permanent exit at the end of the season, with the Villans now opening talks over a summer deal.
Maresca’s side have been faring well in their pursuit of the Champions League without Disasi, and they are now just one win away from securing qualification for Europe’s elite competition next season, with the crucial trip to Nottingham Forest pencilled in for next weekend.
As such, it could make sense to sanction the Frenchman’s departure, but Maresca may be keen on bringing in a top-level replacement, should his side return to the Champions League, with FA Cup-winning captain Marc Guehi among the potential targets.
Crystal Palace's Joel Ward and MarcGuehicelebrate with the trophy after winning the FA Cup
After leading his Crystal Palace side to FA Cup glory, Guehi is likely to have no shortage of interest this summer, but the 24-year-old is not the only English centre-back of interest to the west Londoners.
According to The Telegraph’s John Percy, Chelsea are now interested in signing Leicester City defender Ben Nelson, who caught the eye with his impressive performances for Oxford United in the Championship last season.
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The Blues have been keen on Nelson for quite some time, having also considered a move back in the January transfer window, and their interest seems like it stems from their manager, with Maresca believed to be an admirer.
The Italian has previously described his former player as “ideal”, while also adding: “He’s quick. He can play right or left – it’s perfect.”
"Composed" Nelson destined for the top
Not only is Maresca a big fan of the Leicester ace, but he also impressed teammate Peter Kioso during his time with the U’s, with the fellow defender saying: “Nels has come in and done what he’s needed to do. Credit to him, he’s still a young lad and I feel like he’ll go to the very top in football, just from his mentality and how he reads the game, and how composed he is.”
Player
Current club
Potential cost
Marc Guehi
Crystal Palace
£60m
Antonio Rudiger
Real Madrid
Unknown
David Hancko
Feyenoord
£42m
Ousmane Diomande
Sporting CP
£68m
The 21-year-old missed large parts of the campaign with injury problems, but he remained a key player when fit, making 17 appearances for Oxford in the Championship, featuring at centre-back on every occasion.
Having put in some solid performances in the second tier at a young age, the £5k-a-week defender may soon be ready to make the step-up to the Premier League, but Chelsea should also make sure to bring in a more experienced centre-back, having identified a number of targets.
Looking towards the summer transfer window, Aston Villa have now reportedly joined the race to sign a 15-goal striker alongside a number of their Premier League rivals.
Aston Villa's UCL hopes still alive
With two Premier League games remaining, Aston Villa still have some hope of qualifying for the Champions League. They need Chelsea, Newcastle United or Manchester City to slip up, but must do their own job to stand a chance.
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Aston Villa could sign an ideal player for Nypan this summer
ByRoss Kilvington May 9, 2025
They did their bit on Saturday night after seeing off Bournemouth away from home, winning 1-0 thanks to Ollie Watkins’ strike and some heroic defending, despite a late red card for Jacob Ramsey.
Victory at Bournemouth means that Villa have put the pressure firmly on rivals Nottingham Forest, while they are now poised to pounce following Man City’s draw at Southampton and ahead of Chelsea’s trip to Newcastle.
By qualifying for the Champions League, Villa would instantly ease any financial concerns and be in a position to compete for some of Europe’s most interesting talents in the transfer market once again. And that could yet see a Champions League finalist make his way to the Midlands.
Aston Villa join Goncalo Ramos race
According to CaughtOffside, Aston Villa have now joined the hectic race to sign Goncalo Ramos from Paris Saint-Germain this summer. The forward is reportedly open to leaving the French champions in a bid to gain a starting role elsewhere.
Sparking interest from Villa, Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle among others, the Portugal international, who shares an agent with Marco Asensio, isn’t exactly short on suitors.
Amid recent rumours that Chelsea and others are interested in signing Ollie Watkins this summer, Ramos could emerge as an ideal option for those at Villa Park.
Even without consistent starts at PSG, the 23-year-old has showcased his quality by scoring an impressive 15 goals in all competitions following their Champions League semi-final victory over Arsenal in midweek.
After an “outrageous” start to his Portugal career, according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Ramos will be desperate to take his international form to club level on a more consistent basis this summer – something that Aston Villa could yet offer him.
Manchester United are now working on a deal to hijack Newcastle United and sign a £25 million ace this summer, according to a new report.
Man Utd stepping up transfer plans as horror form continues
The Red Devils have all eyes on the Europa League, as that competition is all that is left for United in terms of bringing some sort of success to this dismal campaign. Given how bad the season has gone for United, this summer is huge in terms of moving forward under Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese knows how big of a job this is, and to make it slightly easier, he is going to want his own types of players at the club.
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Manchester United may have uncovered their next Casemiro.
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It already appears that INEOS are trying to get ahead of the game and make some expensive purchases. According to a report from Africa Foot, per Sports Witness, United have already begun working on a deal to sign Jonas Adjetey from Swiss side FC Basel. The centre-back is only 21 years old, and the Premier League side believe he is “one of Europe’s most promising defenders”.
It doesn’t stop there for United, as INEOS are now willing to make a £70 million offer to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa. The Englishman has been outstanding for the Midlands side this season, and his performances have now made him a ‘top target’ for United, and they are looking to do everything they can to secure an agreement.
Man Utd and INEOS now looking to hijack Newcastle move for Luis Henrique
The arrivals at Old Trafford are not expected to stop there, as according to TBR Football, Man United are now keeping an eye on Marseille’s Luis Henrique ahead of making a move in the summer transfer window.
Olympique de Marseille'sLuisHenriquescores their third goal
The report states that United are already doing work on a potential deal for the Brazilian but face stiff competition, as Newcastle United have opened talks to sign Henrique. Nottingham Forest are also very keen on a potential transfer, and Serie A champions Inter Milan have been public about their interest in the attacker.
Despite the heavy interest, United and INEOS have still opted to join the race, as they are keen to bolster their options for Amorim ahead of next season. The 23-year-old, who can play on either the left or right-hand side of the attack, is seen as a player who could possibly play in the right wing-back spot at United under Amorim, despite the Magpies wanting him as a winger, where he has played this term.
Luis Henrique’s 24/25 Ligue 1 stats
Apps
29
Starts
26
Goals
7
Goal conversion rate
26%
Assists
5
Big chances created
9
Key passes per game
1.7
Tackles per game
0.5
Successful dribbles per game
1.6 (58%)
Henrique is under contract in France until the summer of 2028, and it’s been reported that it could cost as much as £25 million to get him out of France, as Marseille may need to sell the player to balance their books. His potential arrival would bring a goal threat to United’s right-hand side, as he’s netted seven goals in Ligue 1 this season.
Sai Sudharsan’s remarkable season, and one to forget for Rashid Khan also feature
Sampath Bandarupalli30-May-20251:29
Two lives for Rohit ‘unlocked the freedom’
228 for 5 – Mumbai Indians’ (MI) total on Friday is the second-highest in the IPL playoffs (or knockouts), behind only the 233 for 3 posted by Gujarat Titans (GT) against MI in 2023.4 – Totals in the IPL for MI higher than their 228 in the Eliminator. Three of those four totals came in the 2024 season. MI’s 228 is also their third-highest while batting first in the IPL.7038 – Runs scored by Rohit Sharma in the IPL. He is the second batter to complete 7000 IPL runs, after Virat Kohli, who leads with 8618 runs.Related
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302 – Sixes hit by Rohit in the IPL. He is only the second batter to hit 300-plus sixes in the league, after Chris Gayle (357). Two-fifty-one of those sixes by Rohit have been for MI, while the remaining 51 were for Deccan Chargers. Only Kohli (291 for RCB) has more sixes for one team in the IPL.759 – Runs scored by B Sai Sudharsan in IPL 2025, the fifth-highest by a batter in an edition of the IPL. Only Shubman Gill (890 in 2023) has scored more runs for GT in an IPL season than Sai Sudharsan.11.45 – Run rate of the opening partnership between Jonny Bairstow and Rohit, who added 84 in 7.2 overs. It is the second-fastest in terms of run rate for a 50-plus opening stand in the IPL playoffs (or knockouts), behind 11.80 by Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler’s 61 off 5.1 overs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in 2022.Rohit Sharma and Jonny Bairstow gave MI the perfect start•BCCI18-0 – MI continue their winning streak of defending targets of 200 or more in the IPL. In all T20s, they have a 19-0 record while defending 200-plus targets, which is also a record.436 – Runs scored by GT and MI on Friday in New Chandigarh. It is the highest aggregate for an IPL match in the playoffs (or knockouts), surpassing the 428 by Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2014.33 – Sixes Rashid Khan conceded in IPL 2025, the most by any bowler in one edition of the IPL, going past the 31 conceded by Mohammed Siraj in 2022. The 33 sixes conceded by Rashid are also the joint-highest by a bowler in a men’s T20 tournament, alongside Dwayne Bravo in CPL 2018 (where ball-by-ball data is available).
Cold swims and close family, complemented by a happy dressing room on the same page, have seen 36-year old Sean Williams hit a purple patch
Firdose Moonda23-Jun-2023With midday temperatures in the upper 20s, Zimbabwe in June is no-one’s idea of winter. But when Sean Williams gets into the swimming pool at 6am each morning, that’s the season he experiences, all year round.”A lot of people don’t like the cold but once you get in it and you’ve done it for a while, it’s almost something you can’t do without,” Williams told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s basically about learning not to fight the situation. If you fight the cold water, you are going to feel the cold. But if you keep still, concentrate on your breathing and just relax and take it easy, you can be there for a while.”This has been Williams’ approach to life over the last 18 months, a period of time in which he lost his father Ray to cancer and welcomed his second daughter, Rylee-Rae (named in honour of her grandfather) into the world. The juxtaposition of these two life-altering events made Williams realise the importance of persistence in moments when things get tough. “Quite often I will get agitated and frustrated and a situation will get the better of me. Learning how to breathe and control and just be calm is something I have been practicing quite a bit of,” he said.Related
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As it happens, the ability to show staying power is what Zimbabwe’s coach Dave Houghton identified as the main thing for Williams to focus on ahead of the Qualifiers. Houghton called Williams “the most talented” batter in his squad because of the ease at which he gets starts but also the one who could then play a rash stroke and be dismissed. So far, not so.Williams scored what was then the fastest hundred for Zimbabwe, off 70 balls, in their chase of 291 against Nepal in their tournament opener last Sunday and followed it up with 91 in their third-highest successful chase of all time, against Netherlands. He still doesn’t waste time when he gets to the crease: he was 15 off 13 balls against Nepal and 17 off 10 against Netherlands, but he picks his shots with more precision.”We are trying to be a lot more positive and a lot less reckless. There’s quite a big difference between the two,” Williams said.The proof is in the game plans. Against Nepal, he watched offspinner Rohit Paudel’s flight before he judged that he could take it on; against Netherlands, he worked left-arm spinner Clayton Floyd around before going for the big shot. In both instances, he could rely on a middle and lower order that are in form, equally unafraid and have been empowered to handle tricky match situations.”Sometimes, previously, we were told what to do. Now, we’ve been taught how to think for ourselves and make decisions. We don’t have to send a message out onto the field anymore because the guys are seeing for themselves what to do,” Williams said.That’s all part of a culture of change that has come under Houghton, who has championed a more mature style of player management. “There’s a lot of thought that goes in and measured decisions made for the players around family time or taking a break,” Williams said. “For example, Sikandar Raza had come back from the IPL and management said you’re important to us so you should go home for a few days before the qualifiers. We’d rather see you not tired because you are valuable. That makes a huge difference.”Sean Williams walks out with his daughter, Charlotte, ahead of his 150th ODI game•ICC/Getty ImagesAnd it paid off. Against Netherlands, Raza broke the record Williams set in the previous game and smashed a century off 54 balls. Was Williams, who was dismissed for 91 off 58 balls, a little annoyed that Raza had broken his record? “No, not at all.””I had an opportunity to do it myself and if I had, Raza might not have had the opportunity to do so. The biggest thing for me at the end of the day is all as we are winning.”For now, Zimbabwe are doing exactly that. With two big wins from their opening two games, they are all but into the Super Sixes. Three teams from each group advances and carries the points and the net run-rate from the teams who progress with them from the first round.That makes Zimbabwe’s match against West Indies on Saturday vitally important. The winner of that game will likely take the most points into the next stage, where they are highly likely to face a clinical Sri Lankan side, a plucky Scotland team – who Zimbabwe tied with in the 2018 edition – and one of Oman, Ireland or the UAE and Williams is wary of them all.”Every team in the tournament has got a very good squad but those you have to watch out for are the ones who have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I find those teams dangerous,” he said.Williams has first hand experience of what teams like that can do. He was part of the XI that lost to UAE five years ago and that slip up cost them their World Cup place. After that heartbreak, reaching the World Cup this time would be both a balm and a boon for this Zimbabwean side.It would show they have properly moved on from the team they were five years ago and the World Cup participation fee is substantial, especially for players living through some of the worst hyperinflation in the world. But Williams will not allow himself to look that far ahead right now.”We can’t do that,” he said. “We’re focusing on our environment right now. It’s relaxed, which gives us freedom to play but that freedom also gives you responsibility – that responsibility of being professional, doing the right things and staying in the moment. If we can continue doing the things we are doing now well, and improve in certain areas, we can do well in this tournament.”For Williams, the memories he has made so far at this competition could well be career-defining. His century came in his 150th ODI with his mom Patricia, his wife Chantelle and his daughters Charlotte and Rylee-Rae in attendance. “It was just wow. One hell of a day. The perfect day,” he said.It was also Father’s Day and he dedicated the hundred to Ray, and celebrated it with his children. “It went from being an emotional day to a happy day and if there was one day of cricket I will remember, it will be that one,” he said. “Having my kids here has been helpful for me because I am not on my phone as much. I am trying to spend more time with them and they take me away from things I don’t need to worry about. They help me to stay in the moment.”Them, and the cold water, has got Williams, who is now 36, thinking about the cricketing legacy he’d want to leave behind. “I’d like to leave the Zimbabwe Cricket shirt in a better place than what I found it. And that’s something you can’t do alone. We are all contributing, and learning and growing along the way.”
83 tells a classic underdog story and tries to make myths out of memory
Nishi Narayanan28-Dec-2021It has been nearly 40 years since India’s first World Cup title. That must feel like ancient history to fans who came of age this century, who have been spoilt by three world titles and the rise of a team that not only wins but dominates abroad. For those viewers, watching the movie is probably like looking into a bizarre parallel universe, where no one gives their side a chance in hell.I was born not long after India won the World Cup, so in a way it’s a chapter of history for me too, like studying about the Mauryas or the Mughals. Every time a World Cup comes along, I go back to India’s first title, looking up scorecards and players’ accounts of the event, often as part of my work at ESPNcricinfo. If you ask me what I thought about it, I’d probably say something like: India’s victory changed the course of the game itself. Maybe not entirely incorrect but certainly a reductive opinion.Still, while watching the film, which chronicles all eight of India’s matches at the World Cup, it struck me: this journey was so incredible, it could easily have been dreamed up by a scriptwriter, one with a fondness for high drama. Even if you ignore all the times India’s underdog status is waved in your face like a giant flag and underscored by inspirational music, it’s hard not to wonder: how did they do it?Related
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Tunbridge Wells: hallowed ground (2008)
India, whose only win in World Cups till then had come against a cobbled together East Africa side in 1975, were grouped with Australia, world champions West Indies, and Zimbabwe, in the tournament, scheduled to play each team twice before the semis. They opened with an unexpected win against West Indies and beat Zimbabwe, but were thrashed by Australia and (quite literally) bloodied by West Indies. Under pressure to win their fifth match, against Zimbabwe once again (a “do and die” as Kapil Dev, played by Ranveer Singh, says in the movie), they slipped to 17 for 5 before… if Ron Howard heard this pitch, he’d be dreaming of another Oscar already.When film-makers adapt books, like the series, or , or the Harry Potter ones, they take and transform what till then has only resided in the fan’s imagination. Recreating a real-life event, especially one as popular as a sporting tournament, must be trickier. The retelling is always going to be a visually paler version of the original, and there is no payoff to build towards because the outcome is already known – often by a larger number of people than have read a book, in the case of novel-to-screen adaptations.Tense times in the pavilion•Getty ImagesWhile a movie like , which has some similar odds-stacked-against-them themes, could get away with amateurish-looking cricket because its Indian protagonists are meant to be novices and their English opponents aren’t pros either, the suspension of disbelief is harder in . It’s a bit jarring to watch a bowler complete his action, the ball land on the pitch, and then whoosh past the batter as three separate shots. The longer-range shots are more watchable than the close ones, but at no point can you slip into believing you’re watching a cricket match as opposed to a film.The film-makers probably understood that showcasing an elite level of the game would be beyond them. It feels like they instead chose to use cricket as a tool to tell a classic underdog story, focusing more on the little character moments than the big action.If you have watched YouTube videos of various 1983 squad reunions over the years, you’ll be familiar with many of those little moments we see in the film: Kapil’s team meetings in his idiosyncratic English (“Cheeka, you hit; Sunny, you bat; Yashpal, you are a lion; Kiri, you have to keep”). Kris Srikkanth talking about how many of them had seen the World Cup as just a stopover on the way to a holiday in New York. Sandeep Patil’s role as the team’s entertainment director – “the night captain”. (In a nice touch, Patil’s son, Chirag, plays his father in the film, and Mali Marshall is cast as his dad, Malcolm.)Players disagree with the authenticity of each other’s recollections in these videos, but over time, many stories have solidified into narratives – like Srikkanth saying all the players thought Kapil was mad to suggest India could win the World Cup, and how that showed you the depth of his self-belief. And now, with the film, those memories will probably ascend to the level of myth, where many fans will struggle to believe it could have happened any other way.Among the most legendary of the milestones before the win is Kapil’s 175 not out at Tunbridge Wells, made all the more captivating here because it largely resides in the imagination of fans – the BBC didn’t telecast the game*. The scorecard itself tells a pretty incredible story. India went from 9 for 4, when Kapil walked in, to 17 for 5 and 78 for 7, before getting all the way to 266 for 8. The script chooses to gloss over the fact that Zimbabwe, playing their first World Cup, would have been considered underdogs in this contest, focusing instead on the emotions of those experiencing Kapil’s innings.Yash and Kiri have a moment: Jatin Sarna (left) plays Yashpal Sharma, and Sahil Khattar wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani•Getty ImagesMight the re-enactment replace parts of what you have conjured up of the 175 in your mind’s eye? Did Potter fans feel the same way when they saw Daniel Radcliffe in the role for the first time? And would that be aggravating?I thought it was going to be, but although I was wary of being emotionally manipulated by the histrionics, I got a fleeting sensation of what Kapil’s innings would have meant to those who watched it that day at the ground, and that appealed to me. If even a second-grade imitation could move me all these years later, how special must the original have been.It’s the peeks inside the dressing room, the camaraderie between the players, that delighted both the cricket fan and the movie fan in me. The charming detail of team manager PR Man Singh, blocked by the tall Ravi Shastri, leaning to his left to be visible in the squad’s photo, and the camera cutting to the actual photo. Yashpal Sharma and Kirti Azad panicking when Lala Amarnath calls on the phone looking for his son, Jimmy. Kapil getting annoyed with his wife (played by Deepika Padukone) for demanding extra tickets to the final for their acquaintances but gently acquiescing to Sunil Gavaskar’s request for the same.I began to imagine listening to such anecdotes from today’s cricketers – jokes between Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant; Mohammed Siraj clowning around in the dressing room and Jasprit Bumrah secretly feeling jealous of all the attention he’s getting; Cheteshwar Pujara pretending he’s dreaming about cricket when he was really dreaming about lunch. Which obviously made me wonder: which modern Indian series would translate well into a movie? Desert Storm in Sharjah? The 2000-01 Australia series? The 2007 T20 World Cup? It might be recency bias, but none of those seem to offer emotional highs and lows quite like the 2020-21 tour to Australia does- a hostile setting, countless misfortunes, protagonists who are bruised but not beaten, and a climactic will-they-won’t-they ending. That’s going to be my elevator pitch, if anyone’s interested. Working title: .How closely must a sports movie be linked to the real event to appeal to you? What sort of cinematic license are you willing to give the film-makers? Like life, sport can often be random and disorderly while it happens and later arranged by us into slick little stories that make sense. is like that, a neat little tale of no-hopers triumphing against the odds – fiction and reality bleeding into each other even in the minds of those who lived through it. That doesn’t take away from what Kapil and Co achieved, but it makes it harder to tell the story any other way.*December 28, 2021, 7.32 GMT: A previous version of the article stated that no television footage of the match exists because of a strike at the BBC. This has been changed
The New York Yankees’ path back to the World Series is as subtle as a six-ton wrecking ball. They are going to hit as many balls into the air as possible. They take an average of 69 swings per game. If two of them produce fly balls that go over the fence they win about 70 percent of the time.
It is that simple. The finer points of their game matter little. Like no other team in baseball except perhaps the Los Angeles Dodgers, their brothers in playing Airborne Baseball, the Yankees are leaning heavily into hitting the bottom third of the baseball to launch fly balls.
Up and down its lineup, New York has adopted swing changes and attack angles to get the ball in the air. They are doing so at such a preposterous rate that our traditional measurements of what makes a good October team—such as avoiding strikeouts and hitting with runners in scoring position—are meaningless. In fact, these 2025 Yankees are way worse at strikeouts and RISP than the 2024 Yankees—and that is by design.
The highlights:
The Yankees hit 59 home runs in August. Only the 2019 Yankees ever hit more in the month. Thirty-two teams have hit 50 homers in August. The Yankees did it with the fewest hits (227).
Most Home Runs in August, All Time
HR
Hits
Pct.
1. 2019 Yankees
74
292
25.3%
2. 2025 Yankees
59
227
26%
2. 2023 Phillies
59
267
22.1%
2. 2019 Twins
59
284
20.8%
The Yankees have the biggest increase in fly ball rate (+3.9%) in MLB, the greatest average bat speed (73.1 mph), the second biggest increase in launch angle (+2.7%, behind only the White Sox) and the highest fly ball rate other than the Dodgers.
The four teams who hit the most fly balls (Dodgers: 31%; Yankees: 30.6%; Cubs: 29.8%; Tigers: 29.3%) are all in playoff position, led by the Dodgers, who lead MLB in fly ball rate for a fifth straight year:
The team that is last in fly balls? That’s the team with the best record in baseball, the Milwaukee Brewers (22.8%). They zig while everyone else zags.
The Yankees have increased their reliance on hitting the ball in the air, as an incredible 13-game stretch to close out last month showed; they hit 38 home runs compared to 30 ground ball hits and 118 fly balls compared to 117 ground balls over that span.
Why and how are the Yankees leaning into this style of hitting? Here are some of the underlying reasons.
1. The Yankees sacrifice contact for power.
It sounds heretical, but RISP and strikeouts are overrated in today’s hitting world. RISP often is misused. The industry has devalued batting average and yet it still gets used in RISP. Move a runner over from second base with no outs or get someone in from third base with less than two outs on a fly ball and neither helps RISP batting average.
When the Yankees led the world in home runs in August, they were 17th in RISP (.253), 20th in batting average (.221) and 26th in strikeouts (263). And they were 16–12.
New York is far worse this season than last at making contact and RISP, which sounds like a problem but it’s not. It’s a tradeoff they make willingly to hit that magic threshold of two home runs per game.
Yankees Year-to-Year Comparison
K% (Rank)
RISP (Rank)
HR/G (Rank)
2024
21.2% (9)
.261 (10)
1.46 (1)
2025
22.9% (20)
.248 (17)
1.70 (1)
2. It’s all about the second home run.
Being a one-path-to-victory team is risky. If their opponent keeps them in the park, the Yankees are in trouble. This breakdown defines how important the home run is to New York.
Yankees’ Record by HR Hit
Games
W-L
Pct.
1 or fewer
75 (T-1 w/ Dodgers)
33–42
.440
2 or more
62 (T-1 w/ Dodgers)
43–19
.694
3. The Yankees are swinging up on the ball much more than last year.
Yankees hitting coach James Rowson and assistants Casey Dykes and Pat Roessler are masters at teaching controlled aggressiveness: Limit chase, but when you get a pitch in your zone don’t hesitate to put your “A” swing on it. And this year, that “A” swing includes a mechanical emphasis to bring the barrel to the baseball on an upward track.
Here is how much the Yankees’ offensive approach has changed:
Yankees Hitting Profile Comparison
Fly ball% (Rank)
Launch angle (Rank)
2024
26.7% (16)
12.7° (26)
2025
30.6% (2)
15.4° (5)
4. Yankee player acquisition and development are influenced by fly ball hitting.
Three of the five players with the biggest increase in fly ball rate this year are Yankees, two of whom were acquired last year or this year.
Player
Increase in fly ball rate
1. Corbin Carroll, D-Backs
+11.6%
2. Jazz Chisholm, Yankees
+11.3%
3. Anthony Volpe, Yankees
+9.1%
4. Lars Nootbaar, Cardinals
+8.2%
5. Ryan McMahon, Yankees
+7.6%
That’s not all. Austin Wells (+5.7%), Paul Goldschmidt (+3.2), Jose Caballero (+2.5) and Cody Bellinger (+1.8%) all have boosted their fly ball rates this year. That gives the Yankees .
VERDUCCI: How Former Top Yankees Prospect Anthony Volpe Became Unplayable
Bellinger started hitting fly balls as soon as he joined the Yankees in spring training. He moved closer to the plate—back where he was in 2019—and emphasized getting the ball in the air to the pull side, a skill he had lost. Now he is hitting more fly balls than ever in his career (36.7%).
Aaron Judge made his swing change in 2022, the year he hit 62 home runs, to get the ball in the air more. He has been a model of consistency since then in terms of keeping the ball off the ground using a 15° attack angle, well above the average of 10°, which you can see every time he takes a practice swing.
Over the past three years, Judge has grounded out to the right side of the infield just four times (not including topped balls in front of the plate fielded by the pitcher or catcher). He has not grounded out to first base since Sept. 21, 2022.
5. Jazz Chisholm is a good example of how the Yankees tailor swings to get the ball airborne.
Before he was traded to the Yankees, Chisholm was a ground ball hitter. Now he is an extreme fly ball hitter who, like Bellinger, is hitting a career-high rate of fly balls (36.3%, well above MLB average of 24%).
How did the Yankees do this? They changed the path of his barrel to the ball.
We can measure that path change with Statcast. Chisholm has increased both his attack angle and attack direction.
Think of attack angle as a vertical gauge—how far the barrel works in an upward plane to meet the ball. You can see in the measurements below that Chisholm is swinging in a more upward path to the pitch—much steeper than the MLB average of 10°.
Think of attack direction as a horizontal gauge. Chisholm made a major adjustment with his attack direction. Last year he was at 2°, which is the MLB average. He was a neutral hitter in terms of where he hit the ball. But this year his bat is moving much more in a path toward the right side of the field—hitting the ball out front. It is the path of a pull hitter.
Chisholm has hit a career-high 26 home runs. Here is what the changes look like in terms of data:
Chisholm Swing Metrics
Attack Angle
Attack Direction
MPH
SLG
2024
14°
2°
72
.436
2025
16°
5°
74
.487
And here is what the changes visually look like. He is dropping the barrel lower as it enters the hitting zone so that he can swing up more on the ball. He is trying to catch the bottom third of the baseball and to hit it more out front of the plate, the better to generate pull-side balls in the air.
These are two nearly identical pitches: fastballs from a righthander down and middle. The one from last season is a ground ball single up the middle. The one from this season is a pull-side home run.
MLB
I highlighted the angle of his bat so you can see his descent angle is less steep this year, allowing him to work his barrel more underneath the baseball (greater attack angle).
The contact point pictures are somewhat similar, but the greater attack direction means he is catching the ball more in front and staying connected through contact, which you can see with how his hands and arms remain closer to his body.
6. Giancarlo Stanton jumped aboard the airborne baseball train.
Giancarlo Stanton hits a home run as he approaches the ball from underneath with his bat. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Yes, even a 35-year-old, five-time All-Star with 446 career home runs has joined the fly ball party. Stanton always has hit the ball as hard as just about anybody in baseball. But he deployed such a flat swing he hit too many ground balls for a guy with so much power. Until last year, he hit balls on the ground at a rate greater than the major league average.
Those days are over. It’s only a 55-game sample, but Stanton is slugging at a rate (.624) topped only by his 2019 MVP season. He is hitting a career-low rate of ground balls (32.7%) and a career-high rate of fly balls (29.2%).
How is that possible at age 35? Like Chisholm, Stanton has learned to drop the barrel lower behind him and bring it to the hitting zone in a sharper upward angle. He is hitting the bottom third of the baseball more often—and when you do that with the highest average exit velocity in the sport, look out.
Stanton Swing Metrics
EV
Attack Angle
Launch Angle
2024
81.0
9°
14.7°
2025
80.5
11°
18.2° (career high)
MLB Average
72.0
10°
12.4°
Those are the data. Now here is a visual to see how Stanton has changed his setup to get more underneath the baseball. Both pitches are splitters from Kevin Gausman. The one last year is a foul ball. The one this year is a home run.
MLB
Stanton has closed his stance farther. This year you can see the entire 7 of the 27 on his back. At foot strike/ball release, the stride foot is closer to the plate. And Stanton is in a more erect posture, which is more common among tall power hitters to create more leverage.
7. Trent Grisham and Ben Rice are having career years by … you guessed it,
Grisham hasn’t changed his swing. He hunts fastballs in the zone and is more apt to put a home run swing on it when he gets it. He has talked about how playing with Judge and Stanton has encouraged him to take more big swings, depending on count and situation. Grisham has reached career highs in pulling the ball and pulling the ball in the air while hitting a career-low rate of balls to the opposite field. And here is what every scouting report says about him: He devours fastballs.
Grisham by pitch type, 2025
BA
SLG
Fastballs
.289
.557
Non-fastballs
.188
.389
Rice has almost the same profile: a pull-side, fly ball hitter who hunts fastballs:
Rice by pitch type, 2025
BA
SLG
Fastballs
.275
.520
Non-fastballs
.207
.441
Like or not, traditionalist or not, the Yankees do have a path to win the World Series by relying on getting the ball in the air and over the fence. What’s to stop them? An age-old antidote: a well-executed pitching plan.
Three of the five teams that have best limited the Yankees’ slugging this year are in playoff position and on their immediate schedule horizon: the Astros, Tigers and Red Sox. The Yankees begin a huge get-ready-for-October stretch Tuesday in Houston with the first of 12 straight games against the Astros, Blue Jays, Tigers and Red Sox.
The teams that have throttled the Yankees’ power have done so primarily by not feeding them four-seam fastballs and by boosting their off-speed use. The Yankees slug .497 against four-seamers, the best in the past two seasons except Arizona this year. The five teams who have pitched the Yankees the toughest all threw the Yankees fewer four-seamers than they usually see.
Meanwhile, except for Boston, they showed the Yankees more off-speed stuff than they normally see.
Lowest SLG Allowed to 2025 Yankees
SLG
Four-Seam%
Off-speed%
1. Astros
.250
25.0%
16.9%
2. Tigers
.263
28.9%
18.1%
3. Angels
.329
24.0%
19.2%
4. Rangers
.373
22.6%
18.0%
5. Red Sox
.380
24.4%
12.1%
NYY Average
.456
30.2%
14.9%
Yes, there is likely to be a game here or there where the Yankees don’t get a single with a man on second or strike out with a man on third and it costs them. It’s not to say the finer points of baseball are not important . Hey, all you need to do is go back to Game 5 of the World Series last year. The Yankees hit three home runs. They had been 16–2 in World Series games when they hit three homers, including 5–0 at home.
And they lost because they kicked the ball around on defense.
The Yankees bank on the finer points mattering less if they can hit the ball in the air and out of the park. The Brewers, who hit the ball on the ground, run and defend, have more ways to win. The Yankees choose the more narrow but easier path. To repeat the basic math: The Yankees take 69 swings per game. If two are home runs, they win 70% of the time. That’s why they swing up on the baseball.
The Yankees are the greatest show above earth. Can they be stopped? Of course. All you must do is keep them in the park.