New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has become the second bowler in T20Is and the first at a men’s T20 World Cup to bowl four maiden overs in a spell.On Monday, he finished with magical figures of 4-4-0-3 against Papua New Guinea in New Zealand’s last group-stage match in the T20 World Cup 2024. It’s also New Zealand’s last match in the tournament, as they were knocked out following losses to Afghanistan and West Indies.The only other bowler to have achieved the feat is Canada’s Saad Bin Zafar, who finished with 4-4-0-2 against Panama in a T20 World Cup Americas Region Qualifier match in Coolidge in 2021.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Coming on to bowl in the fifth over after New Zealand opted to field in Tarouba after a rain delay, Ferguson had PNG captain Assad Vala caught at first slip off the very first ball he bowled. He kept the new batter, Sese Bau, quiet for the rest of the over, and came back in the seventh over to do the same, bowling six dots to Bau.He returned to bowl the 12th over and struck on the second ball, pinning Charles Amini in front for 17 with a length ball that stayed low – it was given not out, but was confirmed to be hitting the stumps after a review. Ferguson then got his third and final wicket off the second ball of his last over, the 14th of the innings, getting Chad Soper to edge one on to his stumps for 1. PNG got two runs off that over but those were leg-byes.”Obviously a tough wicket to bat on, so nice from my point of view to get on a wicket like that,” Ferguson, the Player of the Match, said on the official broadcast after the game. “There was some swing, which was nice today too.”The match started after a spell of rain, following which New Zealand restricted PNG to 78 in 19.4 overs.
Leeds United are already making significant moves in the transfer market as the brand-new Premier League season kicking off in August edges ever closer.
It’s less than two months now until the Whites get their daunting top-flight season underway with a Monday night affair against David Moyes’ Everton, with both Lukas Nmecha and Jaka Bijol – who have joined from Wolfsburg and Udinese respectively – desperate to be in Daniel Farke’s starting lineup when the Toffees come to Elland Road.
They’re unlikely to be the only fresh signings competing for a starting spot, however, with a new central midfielder clearly a priority based on the latest rumours filtering out of West Yorkshire.
Leeds make approach for £13m star
As per a report from Foot en France, Leeds have now made an approach to land Stade Brestois star Madhi Camara this summer, as their ongoing pursuit of a central midfielder drags on.
Indeed, it had previously been reported that the Whites were also chasing after another midfield ace from Ligue 1 in the form of Habib Diarra, with an alleged £24m bid even being made.
Mahdi Camara for Stade Brest.
Now, however, their attention could shift towards attempting to land Camara instead, with fellow promoted outfit Sunderland also keen on snapping up the 26-year-old at Farke and Co.’s expense.
With the report ending on the fact that Leeds might be able to win the Brest number 45 for around the £13m mark, securing Camara’s signature might well be deemed as an even better purchase to make than solely going after the more expensive Senegal international, before you consider delving deeper into their comparative statistics.
Why Camara would be a better signing than Diarra
With Joe Rothwell heading back to AFC Bournemouth this summer, Leeds do look slightly depleted in the middle of the park, which is where Camara might come to the rescue.
After all, the 26-year-old will feel he’s earned his stripes enough in the top French division now to be a success story in the Premier League, with 182 appearances under his belt in Ligue 1 for both Brest and Saint-Etienne. On the contrary, Diarra has just 94 clashes next to his name.
In addition to his wealth of top-flight experience in France, Camara also has the boost of amassing ten Champions League clashes on the books of Éric Roy’s men, with a goal even coming the 5-foot-10 ace’s way in the illustrious competition this season when facing off against RB Salzburg.
Farke would surely love the “all-action” nature of Camara – as he was once labelled by football analyst Ben Mattinson – if he were to arrive on English shores shortly, with his ability to pick up 26 goal contributions in total for Brest, which beats out Diarra’s own Strasbourg total by five, backed up by a second side to his wide-ranging game that can also offer up plenty of grit and determination when needed.
Total shots
1.58
0.96
Shot-creating actions
2.33
2.18
Attempted passes
38.23
37.42
Pass completion %
84.9%
83.0%
Successful take-ons
1.02
0.50
Tackles
2.46
0.84
Interceptions
1.12
0.50
Blocks
1.50
0.84
Away from trumping his 21-year-old counterpart in terms of shots averaged and shot-creating actions managed over the last year, the table above also shows off that attritional side to Camara’s game that might well have caught Farke’s eye, with more tackles, interceptions, and blocks also won in favour of the £13m midfielder.
Hailed further by Mattinson as possessing a “nice all-round midfielder profile”, this might well be a smart signing for Leeds to make if a battle against the drop is on the menu, away from gambling on Diarra to come good at a far steeper price tag.
The Whites have shown they’re ready to splash the cash, having forked out £15m on Bijol’s services, with Camara perhaps the next notable pick-up from Europe that can help Leeds stave off relegation.
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Birmingham City are currently putting plans in place to attack the Championship after they were promoted as champions of League One with 111 points.
The Blues wrapped up their 111-point league title success with a 2-1 win against Cambridge United away from home on the final day of the season earlier this month.
Chris Davies and his staff, working alongside the owners, will now be working towards the goal of building a squad that can compete for promotion to the Premier League.
Ipswich Town, albeit they have been relegated from the top-flight this term, have already shown that it is possible to do back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League.
Davies may have to be incredibly ruthless with who he decides should and should not come along for the ride in the Championship, after his players helped him to an incredible season in League One.
One star whose suitability for the second tier is still in question is experienced centre-forward Alfie May, who has just enjoyed a fantastic year in the third tier.
Why Alfie May could be dropped as a starter
The 31-year-old attacker started 27 matches in League One in the 2024/25 campaign, but the step up to the Championship could see him reduced to a cameo role off the bench, or even in need of looking elsewhere for game time.
May turns 32 this summer and has not played a minute of Championship football in his career, playing in League Two or League One throughout his entire professional career to date.
The English centre-forward joined Birmingham from Charlton on a permanent deal in the summer transfer window last year and enjoyed an impressive debut season at St. Andrew’s.
Appearances
44
Goals
16
Big chances missed
13
Big chances created
7
Assists
8
Ground duel success rate
43%
Aerial duel success rate
10%
As you can see in the table above, May racked up 24 goals and assists combined in 44 appearances in League One, and scored more goals than he missed ‘big chances’, which shows that the forward was an effective finisher at the top end of the pitch.
However, his lack of strength in duels, particularly in the air, may be why Championship teams have not taken a chance on him in the past, and why Birmingham could drop him as a starter heading into next season.
The Blues could swoop to sign an upgrade on him in the upcoming summer transfer window, as they have been linked with an interest in an international forward.
Birmingham eyeing deal for Serie A striker
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Birmingham City are eyeing up a deal to sign Che Adams from Serie A side Torino ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
The Scotland international signed for the Italian club on a free transfer from Southampton last summer, and the Blues are now hoping to tempt him back to England.
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Speaking to EFL Analysis, the journalist said: “I think Che Adams is one who’s on Birmingham’s list. He does tick the boxes. Obviously, he’s been there before. Knows the club. Obviously be very expensive in the Championship. We know that. So let’s see how that one goes. But yeah, they do want another striker.
“I’m not sure how much he wants to drop to Championship. I don’t really think he’s that keen on dropping to the Championship, but there are options there. If it’s a long-term thing for Birmingham, I do think that’s an option for him certainly.”
Torino'sCheAdams
These comments from Bailey suggest that it will be a difficult deal to do for the striker, who is valued at £13m by FootballTransfers, for financial and footballing reasons.
However, it could be a fantastic signing for Davies and his staff if the club are able to thrash out a transfer that would bring Adams back for a second spell at Birmingham.
Why Che Adams would be an upgrade on Alfie May
The Blues could secure a big upgrade on the aforementioned Alfie May by signing the experienced centre-forward from Torino in the summer transfer window because of his proven quality at Championship level.
Adams has been there and done it in the second tier, including in a Birmingham City shirt, and has scored goals at an even higher level in the Premier League and in the Serie A.
The 28-year-old star, who manager Paolo Vanoli described as the “perfect player”, has scored nine goals in the Italian top-flight this season, and scored 25 times in the Premier League for Southampton earlier in his career.
These statistics show that Adams has already proven himself at a much higher level than the Championship, whilst May is yet to prove himself above League One.
The Torino striker has also proven his quality in the second tier in England in his last two seasons at that level with Southampton and with Birmingham back in the 2018/19 campaign.
Appearances
46
40
Starts
43
25
Goals
22
16
Big chances missed
11
11
Big chances created
6
7
Assists
4
4
As you can see in the table above, Adams proved that he can find the back of the net on a regular basis, without missing many ‘big chances’ in the Championship in those two seasons, scoring as many or more goals than May did in League One this term.
This shows that Adams has the potential to deliver even more quality in the second tier than May did in the third tier of English football, which is why he could come in as a big upgrade on the current Birmingham star.
The Torino ace has also won 36% of his aerial duels in the Serie A this term, and won 38% of them in the Championship for Southampton last season, which suggests that he could provide more physicality in the number nine role than May.
It is now down to the club to wrap up an “expensive” deal for the forward and for Davies and his staff to convince the forward to make the drop back down to the second tier with the hope that he buys into a long-term project.
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Chelsea are now preparing a £60m swoop for an “insane” forward, who has put in some very impressive performances in the Champions League this season, according to a report.
Blues set sights on new striker
With Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku struggling in front of goal since the turn of the year, it has become apparent that Enzo Maresca will need to bring in a new striker in the summer transfer window, and a number of targets have been identified.
Talks have been opened over a deal for Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres, and there is a feeling the Blues could be willing to fork out a fee of £65m for the Sweden international, although they will face competition from Premier League rivals Arsenal and Newcastle United.
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Given Gyokeres’ huge price tag, however, it could be wise to consider alternative options, and it has recently emerged that Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap is set to be available for just £30m this summer, should his side be relegated from the Premier League.
Delap has been extremely impressive in front of goal in the Premier League this season, but according to a report from Spain, Chelsea have now set their sights on one of this season’s Champions League revelations, namely Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy.
The west Londoners are preparing a €70m (£60m) offer for Guirassy’s services, given that the striker has shone in the Champions League this season, most recently scoring a hat-trick against FC Barcelona in the quarter-final.
Serie A giants Juventus and Napoli are also interested in signing the Borussia Dortmund star, but Stamford Bridge is said to be his most likely destination this summer, with Maresca looking to bring in a striker who guarantees goals, amid concerns over Jackson.
"Insane" Guirassy could be huge upgrade on Jackson
Despite some promising signs near the start of the season, Jackson has been largely ineffective in front of goal this season, while Guirassy has been extremely impressive in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League throughout the campaign.
The Guinea international has amassed a remarkable 36 goal contributions in 40 appearances in all competitions, having been particularly prolific in front of goal in Europe, prior to his side’s exit at the hands of Barcelona earlier this week.
Competition
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Bundesliga
25
15
3
Champions League
14
13
5
U23 football scout Antonio Mango has lauded the France-born striker as “insane” in the past, and his performances this season suggest he deserves to be playing in the Champions League next season, which is now extremely unlikely to be the case at Dortmund.
As such, it seems likely that a move to Stamford Bridge could appeal to Guirassy this summer, should the Blues manage to qualify for the Champions League, which underlines the importance of Chelsea having a strong end to the campaign.
Mandhana and Rawal break records with their 233-run opening-wicket stand as India top 400 for the first time in ODIs, on their way to their biggest win
Sampath Bandarupalli15-Jan-2025304 Runs – India’s margin of victory against Ireland in Rajkot on Wednesday, their biggest win in women’s ODIs, bettering a 249-run win against Ireland in 2017. It is also the seventh-biggest win by runs for any team in women’s ODIs.*435 for 5 – India’s total – the first instance of India breaching the 400-run mark in ODIs. Their previous highest was 371 for 5 in the previous match on Sunday.ESPNcricinfo Ltd3 – Number of totals in women’s ODIs, higher than India’s 435 for 5. All three are by New Zealand. Australia are the only other team with a 400-plus total in women’s ODIs. Four of the six 400-plus totals have come against Ireland.70 – Number of balls Smriti Mandhana took to complete her century, the fastest for India in women’s ODIs. Harmanpreet Kaur’s 87-ball century against South Africa last year was the previous quickest.3 – India batters with a 150-plus score in women’s ODIs, including Pratika Rawal’s 154 on Wednesday. Deepti Sharma’s 188 against Ireland and Harmanpreet’s 171* against Australia, both in 2017, were the first two.8.73 – Scoring rate for the partnership between Mandhana and Rawal, the second-highest for 200-plus runs in women’s ODIs (where data is available). The highest is 8.89 by Amelia Kerr and Leigh Kasperek, who added 295 off 199 balls for the third wicket in 2018, also against Ireland.ESPNcricinfo Ltd233 – Mandhana and Rawal’s partnership is the third-highest for India in women’s ODIs. Deepti Sharma and Punam Raut’s 320 in 2017 and the unbeaten 258 by Reshma Gandhi and Mithali Raj in 1999, both against Ireland for the first wicket, are ahead.57 – Boundaries hit by the India batters on Wednesday – 48 fours and nine sixes. These are the third-highest number of boundaries hit by any team in a women’s ODI, behind New Zealand’s 71 and 59 in consecutive matches against Ireland in 2018.2 – Previous instances of both India openers scoring hundreds in a women’s ODI – Raj and Gandhi did it against Ireland in 1999, while Deepti and Raut replicated it in 2017, also against Ireland.Mandhana and Rawal recorded the 13th instance of both openers scoring hundreds in a women’s ODI innings, of which six have come against Ireland.ESPNcricinfo Ltd7 – Sixes by Mandhana in her 135-run knock, the joint-most by an India batter in a women’s ODI. Harmanpreet also hit seven sixes during her 171* against Australia in 2017.India hit nine sixes in their innings, the most they have in a women’s ODI, going past the eight they hit against South Africa in Bengaluru in 2024.10 – ODI hundreds for Mandhana – the joint-third most by a woman. Meg Lanning (15) and Suzie Bates (13) are ahead, while Tammy Beaumont also has ten ODI tons.Four of Mandhana’s ten hundreds have come in India putting her top of this list, ahead of Charlotte Edwards, Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur.444 – Runs scored by Rawal in six ODI innings so far. These are the most runs scored by any batter in their first six innings in women’s ODIs, bettering Charlotte Edwards (434). Only Janneman Malan (483) scored more in the first six ODI innings (across men and women) than Rawal.459 – Partnership runs between Mandhana and Rawal in this series – the most by any pair in a bilateral series in women’s ODIs, surpassing the 412 runs by Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry against West Indies in 2014.4 – Pairs with successive 150-plus stands in women’s ODIs, including Mandhana and Rawal. Denise Emerson and Jill Kennare for Australia in 1985, Rachael Haynes and Alyssa Healy for Australia in the 2022 World Cup, and Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu and Nilakshika Silva are the others.Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal smashed a number of records along the way•BCCI13 – Instances of India blanking their opponent in a series of three or more matches in women’s ODIs. They have now gone past England, who whitewashed their opponents 12 times. Australia are well ahead of the chasing pack with 33 such series wins.1046 – Runs aggregated by India in the series – the second-most by any team in a three-match women’s ODI series, behind 1349 by New Zealand against Ireland in 2018.3 – India are only the third team with 350-plus totals in successive women’s ODIs. New Zealand had 400-plus totals in all three matches against Ireland in 2018, while England had consecutive 350-plus totals in the 2016 home series against Pakistan.*
The wicketkeeper-batter scores his maiden Test hundred at a venue where he had impressed Rahul Dravid in 2016
Mohammad Isam06-Apr-2023In his first match at the Shere Bangla National Stadium seven years ago, Lorcan Tucker caught Rahul Dravid’s attention. He made 57 in a losing cause against India at the 2016 Under-19 World Cup. Quite impressed, Dravid asked around who the kid was, and why he wasn’t already playing for Ireland’s senior team. Tucker would make his international debut later that year, but his international career, like most of his current Ireland team-mates, was only white-ball cricket.Tucker had played a combined 87 ODIs and T20Is before the Dhaka Test. He is part of the Ireland generation who is mainly focused on white-ball cricket. Tucker played the last of his 14 first-class matches two years ago. But on Thursday, when Ireland really needed their middle order to stand up, he became the country’s second centurion after Kevin O’Brien, and the sixth wicketkeeper overall to do so on debut.”It was a brilliant day,” Tucker said. “It was our first Test in Bangladesh. I didn’t think it would happen today but it is special for me and the team. It is obviously pretty special. It wasn’t something that I thought would happen today. We were under a lot of pressure. We tried to take it ball-by-ball and bat for as long as we could. It was very special to get a personal reward.”Related
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Throughout the innings Tucker was trying to understand how a Test innings works. He figured out that batting out time isn’t a bad thing, as opposed to in T20s where one is supposed to go after every ball.”You are trying to get into a space where you think you can bat for long periods. We are not quite used to the tempo [of Test cricket]. We haven’t played that much multi-day cricket. So just trying to slow down, and not be afraid of dot balls, a maiden or a series of maidens in a row. Just trying to get into the mindset of things happening slowly. I know the temperature is hot but to get into that mindset, you have to forget about the weather.”We were recognising there were different tempos in the innings. You can go up and down in gears. It is not like T20s where you are always trying to go as fast as you can. I think last night was a great example of a period where all you had to do was get through. The runs didn’t matter.”Lorcan Tucker pulls one away during his innings•AFP/Getty ImagesThere were times, however, when the T20 player in Tucker came to the fore. He charged at the spinners from time to time, and even went after the fast bowlers. His charging flicks and pulls off Khaled Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain stood out. In fact, Tucker scored at a strike rate of 100 against the fast bowlers.Against spin, he took his time, facing 81 dots and scoring at 52.21. But he never allowed Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz to settle down.”Bangladeshi spinners are very accurate,” he said. “It felt like it was going to be hard to score more than two or three runs an over against them. I thought there was an opportunity to score against the seamers with the field up.”When the moment came for him to reach his century, Tucker drove Taijul expansively through the covers. He said that he isn’t an excitable person, but felt that it was an enjoyable day for the team.”I don’t like to be too high or too low. I try to be consistent the whole time with cricket and life. It was a great day, so trying to enjoy for what it is.”The general consensus among the group is that we really enjoyed the last few days. We are so used to ODIs and T20 cricket, which is so much faster. It is a completely different mindset. The last T20 was excellent as well. Today we came back from a really tough position. We are proud as a team. We have had some tough days on this tour so far.”Tucker comes from a family of cricketers. His father, Barry Tucker, is the president of Dublin’s Pembroke Cricket Club. The Tucker senior played for the club back in the day, and his sons Lorcan, Fiachra and Donncha are all from this club. Donncha, a left-arm spinner, is currently touring South Africa with the Ireland Under-19, while Fiachra played alongside Lorcan at the 2016 Under-19 World Cup.Tucker was always regarded as a talented cricketer but he had never scored a hundred at international level. On Thursday, he changed that, against a strong spin attack after coming in at 51 for 5. And at a venue where his talent was first spotted all those years ago.
MS Dhoni’s men lost five wickets in the powerplay and all but crashed out of the playoffs
Saurabh Somani23-Oct-20202:38
Will Sam Curran be a key part of the Chennai Super Kings revamp?
IPL 2020 began with these two teams. Mumbai Indians were everyone’s favourites, and then the Chennai Super Kings, like they do, upended the script. Since then, there’s been a reversion to the mean. Mumbai haven’t lost a single match in regular time: six wins in eight games, one defeat in a Super Over, one defeat in a double Super Over. The Super Kings are the opposite: two wins in their next nine games, qualification hopes hanging by a thread – a thread that needs other results to go their way too. It’s going to take 37 minutes to kill all those possibilities.7.30pm Trent Boult to Ruturaj Gaikwad. Boult is on target. Gaikwad is one of three changes for the Super Kings as they look for the “spark” that MS Dhoni said was missing. It’s an important game for him, because he’s getting a chance at the top of the order, where he’s got all his runs for India A. He looked slightly unsure in the middle order, thrown into the deep end in an unfamiliar role in the most competitive, intense T20 tournament in the world.Boult brings the first ball in, but then starts bending it away. Beaten, beaten, defensive push into the offside. Take your time Ruturaj, this could be your chance.7.34pm It was the set-up. Three balls away, next one curving in. Gaikwad is late. The ball has hit pad. Has it taken an inside edge? Is it going down leg? Boult is pleading for an lbw. The umpire doesn’t listen. Kieron Pollard does. Boult and Pollard are on the money and Gaikwad’s day is over. Ambati Rayudu comes in and has to deal with a ‘perfume ball’ – so called because you can smell it under your nose – first up.ALSO READ: Dhoni: Next three games ‘preparation for next year’7.37pmOh hello, what do we have here? Jasprit Bumrah has taken the new ball just once for Mumbai in this IPL, against the Rajasthan Royals. He got Steven Smith out in the first over then. Pollard, leading in place of an injured Rohit Sharma, has decided to go to Bumrah due to what happened in Boult’s first over.”Jasprit, we weren’t thinking about using with the new ball but after that over from Trent and getting that early wicket… you know Rayudu has batted well against us the last couple of times and over the last couple of years. So we just decided to go for him, and it worked for us,” Pollard will say after the match.”We were thinking of having Trent open the bowling and maybe go either Nathan (Coulter-Nile) or a spinner. But, seeing a couple of balls swing and getting that early wicket, having Rayudu come in. I just thought of using our most experienced bowler and one of our better bowlers against their main batsman.”Rayudu won the Super Kings the opening match of IPL 2020 with 71 off 48. He has a couple of 40s too, one in 2018 and one in 2019.7.39pm It takes two minutes and two short balls from Bumrah to prove Pollard’s hunch spectacularly right. The first one is back of a length, the second is banged in harder. It starts to home in just below Rayudu’s left shoulder like a heat-seeking missile. It gets too big, too fast, and is too good for him. There’s nowhere near enough room to pull, but Rayudu’s committed to the shot. The ball is committed to tangling him up into a top-edge that floats into Quinton de Kock’s gloves.Pollard and Bumrah exchange smiles while he’s walking back to bowl the next thunderbolt. The plan has worked. Not just the plan to bowl Bumrah first up, but to target Rayudu with the short stuff.The new man is N Jagadeesan. Can he show the spark Dhoni wanted? Not tonight. You feel for him and Gaikwad. They’ve put in the hard yards in domestic cricket. They’ve got their opportunity on the big stage. But they’re up against a pair of bowlers who are too hot to handle for most batsmen. Jagadeesan’s swishing at his first ball, feet not moving – they’ve not had time to move yet, to get the rhythm going yet – and it’s an outside edge to first slip.Another day, another failure with the bat for MS Dhoni•BCCI7.47pm The Super Kings are under the pump but they have the two men best suited for a rebuilding job in Faf du Plessis and Dhoni. Both like to take their time. Both are capable of big hits later. Both have the evenness of temperament to ride out the storm.
But not tonight. Not tonight.It’s an uncharacteristic du Plessis stroke. It’s a characteristic Boult strike. He’s been doing it regularly for Mumbai upfront. Bowling coach and countryman Shane Bond will say Boult had promised “he was going to peak for this game”. Some peak. Swinging full and across du Plessis, whose normally sure footwork has gone AWOL. Maybe it’s the wickets. Maybe it’s the reality of the Super Kings’ season. Maybe it’s the bowling. Or all three. A waft and another catch behind.The Super Kings have lost more wickets than they have runs on the board: 3 for 4.The dugout looks more shocked than glum. Even in the midst of their worst season ever, they hadn’t quite expected their worst start ever to a game.”We’re pretty stunned really… It was tough watching,” coach Stephen Fleming will say after the match. He’ll repeat ‘it was tough’ three times in the same answer.7.59pm It’s only an 18-run partnership but after what went before, the fifth-wicket stand between Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja is starting to feel like hope for the Super Kings. Bumrah’s second over has been negotiated. Krunal Pandya replaced Boult. There could yet be a rearguard.Turns out, Boult has not been taken off, he’s merely switching ends. Jadeja’s been in good ball-striking form this tournament. A counter-attack against Boult incoming? Not quite. Jadeja steps down the track, goes for the flat-batted pull. It only comes off the toe-end and into midwicket’s hands.The Super Kings are wrecked. They’re 21 for 5 inside the powerplay. All the power and the play has been enforced by Mumbai’s bowlers.8.07pm
The one glimmer of hope is the captain. Dhoni has just hit Rahul Chahar for a straight six, right out of his 2011 playbook. Maybe he can salvage something?No he can’t.The next ball’s tossed up wider outside off, and Dhoni’s going hard at this too. But it’s not in his hitting arc. It’s, in fact, in his edging arc. Caught behind. It’s 30 for 6 and the dream is officially done for the Super Kings.”It does hurt,” Dhoni will say after the game. “I think all the players are hurting.”
****
Mathematically, the Super Kings retain a ghost of a chance to make the playoffs. Practically, a spotless record of qualifying 10 times in 10 seasons is over. It doesn’t take 37 minutes for a legacy to crumble. But these 37 minutes provided the hammer-blow soundtrack to one of the great records in the IPL ending.
The hit by pitch has become so common—and dangerous—that twice last week benches cleared on hits by pitches that were . Even accidental plunkings are putting hitters in a fighting mood.
The Padres and Dodgers confronted each other Thursday after Fernando Tatis Jr. was hit by a 27-year-old pitcher making his major league debut in a 5–0 game. San Diego manager Mike Shildt touched off the bench-clearing episode when he stormed out of the dugout toward Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts.
“Intentional, unintentional, the fact of the matter is I took exception to it,” said Shildt after watching Tatis get hit for a fourth time in seven games by the Dodgers. He’s been hit once in all other games.
The next night, the Angels and Astros went at it after Angels shortstop Zach Neto took exception to getting hit by a Hunter Brown sinker for the second time .
“I know he’s not trying to hit me,” Neto said, “but it’s definitely frustrating.”
Since spring training, Chris Taylor (hand), Sean Murphy (rib), Thairo Estrada (wrist), Andrew Benintendi (hand), Jake Cronenworth (ribs), Paul DeJong (nose), Joc Pederson (hand) and Luke Keaschall (forearm) all suffered broken bones on pitches. Stars such as Corbin Carroll, Bryce Harper and Christian Yelich were fortunate to avoid major injuries on scary hits by pitches.
What’s going on with hits by pitches? Are hitters getting too sensitive? Is this the price for pitchers getting rushed to the big leagues? Are injuries forcing pitchers into the big leagues when they don’t belong there?
It’s time to set aside the myths and sloppy narratives. Let’s examine the facts of the hit by pitch epidemic to find out what’s going on.
1. Hitting has never been more dangerous than these past eight seasons.
The eight seasons with the highest rates of hit by pitches since 1901 are, in order, 2020, 2023, 2021, 2024, 2022, 2019, 2025, 2018. Notice a trend? In 117 seasons from 1901 to 2017, the hit by pitch rate never reached 0.8 per game (both teams combined). Now it has done so eight straight years. (That’s also before and after the sticky stuff crackdown.)
Hits by pitches have become so common and dangerous, it is rare to see a player go to the plate without some kind of armor on their hands, wrists, arm or elbow.
2. The biggest factor in the rise of hits by pitches is the rise of pitch-shaping.
The trend toward lab-grown pitches (tweak their shape and spin) has overtaken pure velocity as the guiding force of pitching. Most pitchers now want to move the ball to both glove side and arm side. That has given rise to more same-side sinkers (i.e., right-on-right two-seamers running in) and off-side cutters (i.e., right-on-left cutters).
Of the 914 hits by pitches this year through Saturday, more have been caused by sinkers and cutters than any other type of pitch. More telling, the rate of HBP from sinkers and cutters is much higher compared to their overall use. Nothing else is close. Sinkers and cutters account for only 23.4% of pitches but 34.2% of HBPs.
2025 HBP by pitch type
Pitch type
No. of pitches
% HBP
% of Pitches
Difference
Sinkers/Cutters
310
34.2
23.4
+10.8
Breaking
281
30.7
31
-0.3
Four-seamers
239
26.1
31.6
-5.5
Off-speed
73
8
13.8
-5.8
“I don’t think [pitchers] pitch in as much as they used to,” says Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, the dean of active managers who is in his 28th season. “So, they don’t quite have that command for that pitch. And a lot of it is elevated in, too. You pitch on that top rail, in with the sinker that gets away from you a little bit, you’re gonna hit somebody. Those are the scary ones.”
3. The youngest pitchers are not the worst culprits.
Pitchers 25 and under hit batters at a 7% lower rate than pitchers 26 to 30 years old.
Hit by Pitch rate by age of pitcher, 2025
Age
Plate appearances per HBP
25 and under
95.6
26-30
88.5
31-35
105.2
36+
105.3
4. That said, there is a general correlation between age and control.
Pitching control metrics by age, 2025
Age
PA per HBP
BB percentage
30 and under
90.2
8.8%
31+
105.2
8.2%
5. Hitters share the blame.
Brown yelled back at Neto that standing close to the plate and “diving” into a pitch puts a hitter in harm’s way. He is not wrong.
Here are the two right-on-right sinkers from Brown that hit Neto:
MLB
Those pitches are only 6½ inches off the inside corner of the strike zone, about the width of two baseballs. Neto’s feet are close to the plate and his hands are above the plate as he starts to bring the barrel around.
Where does a hitter look for the baseball? Here’s a clue: Combine that prevalence with the widespread adoption of body armor and you have hitters dismissing the pitch in.
“I don’t think they’re even concerned about it,” Bochy says. “When these hitters are going to game plan, a lot of times they’re looking out over the plate. There's no fear.
“Guys pitched in more than I think what they do now. And these [hitters], they’re just diving. I mean, we have some guys doing it, too. You saw Josh Jung break his wrist [last year]. Guys used to turn or move [away]. But now they’re going right into the pitch. Some guys just have a hard time turning out of the way versus getting their hands going there a little bit.
“You’ve got these pitchers now throwing so hard with that ball running in or that cutter … that cutter is a big pitch and it’s hitting a lot of these guys because they’re committing and then they’re just going right into it.”
6. Randy Arozarena of the Seattle Mariners is the best example of the collision of these pitching and hitting changes.
Arozarena leads the majors in hit by pitches with 13 (tied with Ty France). One pitch clipped his hand and 11 have hit his elbow guard. Six of them have come on right-on-right sinkers.
He has been hit 84 times in his career. Seventy-five of those HBPs (89%) have been above the waist and below the shoulder—mostly off his elbow guard.
Since he first came up in 2019, Arozarena has moved closer to the plate and learned how to keep his protected front elbow in the path of the pitch rather than avoiding it. Here are pitches off his elbow guard over the years where you can see he moved closer to the plate with his feet and, thus, his elbow:
MLB
7. Tatis was hit by pure misfires from Lou Trivino and Jack Little.
Those pitches were 24.5 and 15 inches off the inside corner of the plate, respectively.
MLB
Shildt overreacted because he doesn’t want to lose his impact hitter to a broken bone caused by bad pitching. Intent didn’t matter. Major league hitters expect major league pitchers to have major league command. Sometimes pitches get away.
Like many modern hitters, Tatis starts with an open stance and steps into the baseball. Over his career, he has been hit 18 times by pitches from righthanders; eight of them on sinkers.
Said a rival manager, “Tatis, you have to pitch him in. I know they’re tired of him getting hit. But, hell, what’s your option? Keep throwing him away and give up damage? Or try to get him out? I don't think anybody was trying to hit him, but he gets hit a lot.”
8. The HBPs of Shohei Ohtani by San Diego, both after Tatis was hit, looked intentional.
Randy Vásquez hit Ohtani in the thigh with a four-seamer on Tuesday, after just missing him with the previous pitch, also a four-seamer. It was only the third lefthanded hitter Vásquez hit in his career with a four-seamer, the first time on a pitch that high.
Two days later, Robert Suarez also hit Ohtani with a fastball. Suarez has thrown 831 four-seam fastballs to lefthanded hitters. The one to Ohtani was the farthest inside of all of them.
Suarez has hit only three lefthanded batters with his fastball in his career. The other two occurred in his rookie season, three years ago.
The count was 3–0. It happened in the bottom of the inning just after Little pegged Tatis.
Cool cat that he is, Ohtani shrugged, took first base without complaint and waved to his teammates the equivalent of, “Let’s move on; nothing to see here.”
MLB deemed it intentional and suspended Suarez three games. Suarez denied it was intentional.
9. Injuries and analytics-based game management have put hundreds more pitchers in the big leagues who about a decade ago would still be in the minor leagues honing their craft.
Just short of halfway through this season, MLB teams already have used more pitchers than in the 141 entire seasons between 1874 and 2014.
The 19th century, I get. But just think about this when you want to understand how fast the game has changed: teams have used more pitchers less than halfway through this season (709) than they did the entire season just 11 years ago (692).
Jurgen Klopp has reportedly emerged as a potential successor to Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid after the club’s disastrous 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo. The German, who stepped away from frontline management after leaving Liverpool and now works as Red Bull’s global head of football, is reportedly one of two names under consideration to replace Alonso as Real Madrid weigh their options in what has rapidly become a full-blown crisis.
Bernabeu hierarchy convene for emergency talks
Madrid’s loss on Sunday night, compounded by two red cards and fury in the stands, has triggered alarm among the club’s leadership. Having taken just six points from a possible 15 in their last five La Liga games, the Spanish giants, who were five points clear at the summit after beating Barcelona in late October, now sit four points behind their eternal rivals.
According to, Real Madrid officials convened an emergency meeting after the match, one that reportedly stretched until 1 am. The club’s hierarchy was split: some urged immediate dismissal, while others argued for granting Alonso one final opportunity to steady the team during Wednesday’s crucial Champions League fixture against Manchester City. What is becoming increasingly clear, however, is that patience is scarce inside the Bernabeu. Senior figures are troubled by what they see as a weakening connection between Alonso and key members of the dressing room. While club officials do not place all the blame on the 44-year-old, there is growing dissatisfaction with both the team’s performances and what one insider described as a confused identity on the pitch.
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Klopp’s name resurfaces as Madrid assess options
Though Klopp has repeatedly stated he is no longer interested in full-time coaching, his name has resurfaced in Madrid circles. Some within the club view him as the type of commanding figure capable of re-establishing authority in a fractured squad. His decision to join Red Bull in January drew stinging criticism, with many highlighting the contradiction between his past critiques of multi-club ownership models and his new position within one. It has been widely reported that his contract contains an escape clause allowing him to apply for the German national team role if it becomes available. But whether similar provisions exist for club jobs, such as Real Madrid, is unknown. One source close to Klopp told that he is "happy" in his current role, though few believe the door to a major European job is ever truly closed.
Zidane and Arbeloa also under consideration
Club favourites Alvaro Arbeloa and Zinedine Zidane are also admired by the Madrid hierarchy. Arbeloa, who oversees Real Madrid Castilla, fits the profile of a young coach steeped in the club’s culture. Zidane, meanwhile, maintains enormous affection from Florentino Perez after winning three consecutive Champions League titles. However, reports in France indicate he remains committed to pursuing the national team job should it become vacant. Madrid turned to Zidane for a second time in similar circumstances in 2019 after the short-lived reigns of Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari. Yet this time, his availability, and more importantly, his willingness to be back at the Bernabeu dugout, is far from assured.
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Crucial UCL night awaits at the Bernabeu
Wednesday’s continental tie against City now carries immense weight for Alonso’s future, one that may determine whether Madrid make a managerial change before the winter break. All eyes will be on the crowd. The reception Alonso and his players receive could speak volumes about how much faith remains in this project. It's wait-and-watch time for the Real Madrid board.
Neymar is being backed to reunite with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami as the Brazilian remains a “huge name” around the world and a notable coup for MLS. As things stand, the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain playmaker is running down his contract at Santos. Brad Friedel has told GOAL why a deal for the Samba superstar makes sense for those in North America.
Injury questions: Is Neymar fit enough for MLS move?
Neymar has endured more frustration on the injury front since returning to his homeland, with ACL damage previously leading to the eventual termination of his contract at Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. The 33-year-old is currently playing through pain in a shock relegation battle.
It remains to be seen whether any lasting damage is suffered, with the ultimate goal being to represent Brazil at next summer’s World Cup finals. A change of scenery at club level may have been taken in by then, with the talented forward preparing to hit free agency.
AdvertisementGettyCommercial value vs sporting sense: Do Neymar numbers add up?
There have been suggestions that David Beckham and Co could look to reform the fabled ‘MSN’ attacking unit in Miami, with Neymar set to be presented with the chance to link up with ex-Barca team-mates Messi and Luis Suarez.
Quizzed on whether such a deal would make as much sense from a sporting perspective as it does a commercial one, ex-USMNT and MLS star Friedel – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “You have to look at it this way in the US. It has been documented recently, with the change in Apple TV, I don’t think that has gone as swimmingly as they had hoped. The subscription amounts, the numbers for that MLS package, aren’t at a level so they are changing, I think they announced, next year. I think they are trying a lot of things to get the notoriety of the league and the viewership up.
“I understand it. What makes leagues tick is the revenue machine of media rights – that’s why the Premier League is such a machine. Right now in the US, it doesn’t cover salary caps. It’s a single entity venture. Let’s say Inter Miami makes money but Houston loses, everyone has to share in the loss around the league.
“If Neymar is fit, then I think it works, I really do because he’s still a huge name in certain parts of the US. The trouble is if he’s not fit and he’s injured a lot, then it becomes a negative media-driven reality. I can understand arguments on both sides for sure.
“I would assume, and these are smart guys, it would be a tiered contract based on performances and being fit. Having spent some time in Miami, before Messi came you wouldn’t have really known that Miami had a team. From the time that he came, there are pink and black shirts everywhere. If Neymar came, it would add to that.
“I can understand what they are trying to do. You have to look at it carefully because it’s a tough one due to his injury record. But he has that special talent that can really excite some American fans. He can do some special things. I would probably be 55 for it and 45 against.”
Risk and reward: Why Neymar appeals to MLS market
Friedel previously told GOAL of the risks involved in making a play for Neymar: “I think it would be a risk on anyone’s behalf; I think it just depends on how you would structure the contract. You also have to weigh the pros and cons – when you sign legends of the game like Neymar, you also have to take into account the commercial opportunities that go with it, and it coincides nearly every time with the salary and wage packet that you are going to give.
“You are going to make a substantial amount of money off the field when you bring someone like that in. I think there is probably more of a sporting risk than a commercial risk – or equally so if he does get injured. But if he doesn’t get injured, the risk becomes his age and the injuries he has had, and whether he can be that player [they need].
“The plus side is, it is a league that is a step down from where he is playing. Lionel Messi is the greatest of all time, but he can play many more years in MLS. It is a league that will allow players to do that, so I think Inter Miami need to weigh the pros and cons of what they can earn off the field and try to get it correct.
“If they can structure the contract correctly, then it limits the risk. Having Neymar alongside Messi again – I am not sure. We will wait and see, but the league needs to do something commercially.”
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Neymar has previously spoken of his desire to work with Messi again, having enjoyed considerable success alongside the Argentine GOAT at Barcelona and during a testing spell in France with PSG.
He has not figured for Brazil since suffering a serious knee injury in October 2023 and may need a fresh start, alongside some familiar faces, in order to recapture peak form and convince Selecao boss Carlo Ancelotti of his worth.