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Under DeSilva holdings, the franchise will be known as Dambulla Sixers

Andrew Fidel Fernando05-Jun-2024

The Lanka Premier League’s Dambulla franchise has new ownership – an engineering consulting firm called Sequoia Consultants based in Los Angeles.Sri Lanka Cricket announced this news about two weeks after the board was forced to terminate the previous ownership of the Dambulla franchise, because one of the co-owners – Tamim Rahman – was arrested by Sri Lanka police under the Prevention of Offences Related to Sports Act.SLC said this new franchise will be run by a local company named DeSilva Holdings, “which was specifically set up for this purpose”. The owner of DeSilva Holdings, Priyanga de Silva, is in turn a majority shareholder of Sequoia, and had played domestic cricket in Sri Lanka, according to the release.Related

LPL terminates contract with Dambulla Thunders

Under DeSilva holdings, the franchise will be known as Dambulla Sixers, having previously been Dambulla Viiking, Dambulla Giants, and Dambulla Aura – the ownership having changed repeatedly since the tournament’s first season in 2020.”My desire to get engaged in cricket, especially cricket in Sri Lanka, prompted me to purchase the Dambulla Sixers team,” said De Silva. “I have seen LPL grow as a league during the last four years, which is commendable for a small country like ours. I am excited to be a part of this growth and be able to contribute to the development of cricket in our country,” he added.The new ownership takes charge with a little over three weeks to go, before the tournament’s scheduled start, on July 1. Matches will be played in Pallekele, Dambulla, and Colombo.

Ask Arsenal fans what it is they need this summer, and the most common answer you’ll get is a striker.

No players hit double digits for Premier League goals in Mikel Arteta’s squad this season, whereas Arne Slot had three players manage the feat, with Mohamed Salah racking up an unreal 29.

Such an evident weakness in the squad has seen the club linked with a host of incredible strikers over the last few months, and while Alexander Isak is undoubtedly at the top of most supporters’ wishlists, his supposed £150m price tag now looks secure as ever following Newcastle United’s qualification for the Champions League on Sunday.

However, while the Swede may be out of reach, recent reports have linked the Gunners with another exciting centre-forward who has won comparisons to him, a centre-forward who’d be a significant Kai Havertz upgrade.

Arsenal's striker search

While it might not always feel like it, there are quite a few strikers who could be on the market this summer, and plenty of them have been touted for moves to Arsenal, such as Viktor Gyokeres and Joao Pedro.

Transfer Focus

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

The former has long been linked with the Gunners and could finally be available for close to £63m in the coming weeks, which might just be a steal considering he’s racked up a sublime haul of 54 goals and 13 assists in 52 games for Sporting CP this season.

On the other hand, Pedro might be a harder transfer to justify, as while his tally of ten goals and seven assists in 30 games is impressive, his supposed £100m price tag feels exorbitant.

Fortunately, another striker has now been linked with the North Londoners, someone compared to the incredible Isak: Nick Woltemade.

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of a handful of clubs incredibly keen on the German forward.

The report claims that Arsenal and Serie A champions Napoli have already made contact with VfB regarding the talented goalscorer, while the likes of Atlético Madrid and West Ham United are currently keeping tabs on the situation.

On top of getting ahead of the competition, the North Londoners would have to stump up around €50m to secure the 23-year-old’s signature, which is about £42m.

It might not be the big-name signing some fans want, but on top of the comparisons to Newcastle’s superstar striker, Woltemade would be an upgrade on Havertz.

How Woltemade compares to Isak & Havertz

Before we take a look at how Woltemade stacks up against Havertz, the man he could replace at Arsenal, it’s worth examining this comparison to Isak and where it has come from.

In this instance, it stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, before creating a list of the ten most comparable players.

By doing this, it has been concluded that the Swedish international is the second most similar forward to the German across the last 365 days.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.70

0.70

Progressive Passes

2.89

2.88

Shots on Target

1.28

1.34

Switches

0.11

0.10

Goal-Creating Actions

0.55

0.46

Successful Take-Ons %

43.7%

46.2%

The best way to see how this is worked out is by taking a look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including but not limited to non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots on target, switches, progressive passes, goal-taking actions and more, all per 90.

With his similarities to the Toon star cleared up, how does he stack up against the Gunners’ number 29?

Well, when it comes to their raw output, which is ultimately what matters most for a striker, it is the “exceptional” Stuttgart star, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, who comes out on top.

For example, in 33 appearances, totalling 2039 minutes this term, the Bremen-born poacher scored 17 goals and provided three assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.65 games, or every 101.95 minutes.

In contrast, the former Chelsea ace has scored 15 goals and provided five assists in 36 appearances, totalling 2809 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.8 games, or every 140.45 minutes.

Ultimately, Havertz could still be an incredibly useful player next season, but as things stand, Woltemade looks to the superior striker, and therefore, Arsenal should do what they can to sign him this summer.

Arteta has struck gold on Arsenal star who's worth millions more than Wirtz

Arsenal will need to be wary of Florian Wirtz next season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 27, 2025

Fulham have submitted a “very important” bid for a 24-year-old goalkeeper ahead of this summer, according to a claim made by the player’s agent.

Doubts over Marco Silva's future as Fulham prepare for summer window

Marco Silva will know the importance of freshening up his squad in the summer transfer window, in order to take them up another level and look to secure a European finish in 2025/26. It isn’t definite that he will still be in charge of the Cottagers when the new campaign arrives, however, amid rumours of him going to Tottenham or the Middle East.

Tony Khan has spoken glowingly about his manager, perhaps hoping to convince the Portuguese to stay put: “Marco is a huge, huge asset to Fulham Football Club. He is such an amazing person and he is so important to the football club. Marco has a great relationship with my father and myself, and we really love Marco and we want him to stay at Fulham Football Club forever.”

Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl has been linked with replacing Silva, with the 36-year-old German highly thought of as an exciting young coach, and increasingly likely to leave the Owls in the near future. Southampton also thought to be keen on appointing him, though, following their doomed Premier League campaign.

Fulham make "very important" offer for Paraguayan goalkeeper

Now, a new transfer rumour has emerged, with Fulham tabling a “very important” offer for San Lorenzo goalkeeper Orlando Gill, according to his agent, Mariano Zelaya: “Bologna and Genoa are interested. There’s also a very important offer from the Premier League [Fulham], and there’s also an offer from Brazilian football.”

Gill is a relative unknown to the average football fan, plying his trade in Argentina and still awaiting his first cap for Paraguay at international level. The 24-year-old is a good ‘keeper, though, with Leeds United strongly linked with a move for the 6 foot 5 stopper, as they look to boost their squad ahead of their return to the Premier League.

There is no guarantee that Fulham or the Whites will be able to get their man, however, with Zelaya stressing that he may not leave San Lorenzo this summer:

“What I always tell Orlando is to take it slow. He’s at a big club, which gave him the opportunity and visibility. I want him to stay until the end of the year because he’s fighting to be part of the national team. Where a player builds his career is crucial. You have to be very careful where he plays and with which manager. If a player tells me ‘I want to make history with the national team,’ then the responsibility is huge. Today, Orlando has San Lorenzo and his national team on his mind. We’ll work through our options slowly.”

Fulham make move to sign 28 y/o midfielder who could be available for £0

Fulham are looking to beat Premier League opposition to sign a player on a free transfer.

ByBrett Worthington May 8, 2025

If a move to Craven Cottage does materialise, the Paraguayan could prove to be a strong backup option to Bernd Leno, who has started all 36 league games this season.

Daniel Farke had a daunting task before him when picking up the pieces from Leeds United’s promotion near-miss during the 2023/24 season, with the likes of Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter all leaving Elland Road behind for good.

Losing all these exceptional talents in quickfire succession hasn’t quite derailed the Whites’ promotion mission this time around thankfully, as the West Yorkshire outfit aim to just keep picking up the wins to see a top two spot be officially clinched come May.

Then, it will all be about tinkering here and there to transform Leeds into a Premier League capable side, with one transfer rumour already giving fans a sneak peek as to what business they might conduct.

Leeds interested in new midfielder

As per Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, the promotion-chasers are already monitoring Borussia Mönchengladbach captain Julian Weigl ahead of a potential summer swoop.

Farke did momentarily manage Weigl when he was Gladbach coach – with that good working relationship highlighted by Plettenberg – but any move getting off the ground rests on Leeds sealing promotion back up to the top-flight.

Initial contact has occurred between the two parties surrounding the £5.1m-rated star, but Leeds might not need to go after another face in the middle of the park after all, considering they already have this past import from Germany on their books who is worth more than Weigl.

The Leeds hero who's worth more than Weigl

Whilst Farke did have to deal with that worrying mass exodus last summer, he did also manage to welcome in a number of stunning buys, with loan sensation Manor Solomon up to a bumper eight goals and nine assists this season in the league action.

But, it could be argued that the pick of the bunch from the summer buys looking back now was former Fortuna Dusseldorf ace Ao Tanaka, who has been consistently top-notch for his new employers since an understated £2.9m switch occurred.

Indeed, the Japan international has instantly managed to fit into his new surroundings, with this audacious back-heel effort against Sheffield Wednesday back in January one of four strikes he’s managed to bag under Farke’s wing.

With 72.6 touches amassed on average per league clash too, it could be argued that the “unbelievable” 26-year-old – as he was lauded by his manager after a breakneck start to life in England – has become somewhat of a heartbeat for the title hopefuls since his arrival, culminating in his once humble £2.9m valuation shooting up.

Stat – per 90 mins*

Tanaka

Games played

39

Games started

33

Minutes averaged*

77 mins

Goals scored

4

Assists

2

Touches*

72.6

Accurate passes*

53.8 (90%)

Ball recoveries*

5.0

Total duels won*

4.6

Value when joining

£2.9m

Value now

£6.8m

As per Transfermarkt, Tanaka’s value now stands at a far heftier £6.8m, meaning the 32-time Japan international is worth around £1.7m more than the Gladbach target and deservedly so based on his sparkling Championship numbers above.

With Farke also able to call upon the likes of Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev in the holding midfield ranks, there might not be that much of a thirst to land Weigl moving forward, especially if Tanaka – who has further been donned “exceptional” by Opta statman Jonny Cooper – takes to the potential challenge of the Premier League swimmingly.

Whilst the Whites will have to presumably spend big on occasion in the top-flight to secure their safety, Farke and Co will want to stray away from spending for spending’s sake, with a more shrewd approach in the market paying off when Tanaka entered through the door.

Grayson let "outstanding" GK leave Leeds, now he's better than Meslier

Leeds United would love to reverse time to bring back this excellent shot-stopper.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 15, 2025

Playing for 10 teams in seven franchise tournaments over the last three years has taught the allrounder all about embracing uncertainty

Ekanth10-Dec-20251:25

Neesham: ‘You just go tournament by tournament and hope to perform’

“Win this tournament, and then go to India and win the T20 World Cup, and then probably go home for a bit.”These are James Neesham’s objectives over the next 12 months. Notice that there are no personal goals. As a globetrotting freelancer, he’s happy to divorce results from his performances.”I don’t really do goals like that [specifically] for a season,” Neesham tells ESPNcricinfo in a media interaction organised by Dubai Capitals. “I could play seven games, I could play one game; we could win the whole thing, we could come last, all the possibilities are on the table. But it’s about tackling each day as it comes, try and put on performances. If that ends up [with you] scoring 300 runs in a season, then that’s fantastic. If it’s less than that, then it’s just something you’ve had to deal with.Related

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• Pooran declines stumping, Holden retires out – big drama at ILT20

“You just go tournament by tournament and hope to perform. Not having the security of a format means you have to be beholden to your performance a little bit more. Look, as professional athletes, everyone’s used to having to rely on themselves, be self-sufficient, and perform. So, it’s nothing too worrying.”Since declining a national contract with New Zealand Cricket [NZC] in September 2022, Neesham has been a constant presence in the global T20 circuit. He has played for 10 teams in seven competitions as well as 45 T20Is for New Zealand.Going freelance has helped Neesham open up his schedule during New Zealand’s home summer•Sanka Vidanagama/AFP via Getty ImagesLooking back, Neesham feels he is doing what he wanted to when he gave up his contract, and opening up his schedule during the New Zealand summer to play around the world.”The main thought process behind that decision was being able to play in the SA20 during our home summer,” Neesham says, “which you obviously can’t do if you’re contracted. I got three years with Pretoria Capitals, which was a very enjoyable stint for me, and now here at the ILT20, being able to play against the best players in the world in our home summer. That was the goal.”Twenty-seven of Neesham’s 115 games in this period have come for Pretoria Capitals and Dubai Capitals, franchises owned by the GMR group. He enjoys the familiarity and continuity that this provides.”I go way back with GMR to play[ing] in the IPL in 2014 for Delhi Daredevils [now Delhi Capitals]. It’s always nice to have the continuity of the same management and coaching staff to keep things familiar. With the schedule being different, not being able to play all of the SA20 this year, ILT20 became the preferable option. I’m very happy to come here and continue my relationship with the Capitals in a different [tournament].”Given the nature of the freelancer’s schedule, it can be a challenge to remain match-ready as and when the call to play comes. It makes keeping fit a priority, but Neesham is realistic about what’s in his control.”Injuries are part of the game,” he says. “No one is fully fit all the time. For myself, at 35, I have enough experience to know how to prepare myself physically for tournaments, and the thing with cricket these days is that there’s no real off-season. You’re pretty much playing year-round, so you can stay conditioned for cricket. Then it normally holds you in pretty good stead going from tournament to tournament.”

The left-arm spinner stopped being picked by India in 2014. Now she is back at the highest level, playing in the WPL

S Sudarshanan17-Feb-2024Gouher Sultana is on the verge of playing top-level cricket after a decade away.The left-arm spinner last played for India in 2014. She was dropped after the Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh that year, where India merely managed to secure qualification for the 2016 tournament. From her debut in May 2008 till her last ODI, she was the fifth-most prolific spinner in the format. In fact, in each of her last two ODI outings – against Sri Lanka – she returned four-wicket hauls.She was 26 then.It was not how Gouher wanted her career to end, so she focused on plying her trade in domestic cricket. She played for Hyderabad, Puducherry, Railways and Bengal. There were some compelling performances along the way, like when she was the joint-third leading wicket-taker in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy in 2019-20. Not that those showings put her in the reckoning for selection for India, or for the Women’s T20 Challenge – the exhibition tournament that preceded the Women’s Premier League and was played for four seasons.In sport, we applaud the new, but it can also often be a country for the old. Selectors, especially in women’s cricket, scoff at age, but birth certificates don’t reflect what athletes feel within. That has been especially true of Gouher, and her desire to stay in the game and her relentlessness bore fruit in December 2023, when UP Warriorz raised the paddle to take her on board for WPL 2024. “I was not convinced that I was finished,” she says.At close to 36 years, she now has another opportunity in top-flight cricket, and is one of only two Indians in the competition – Harmanpreet Kaur is the other – to have made their international debuts before 2010.”Even when I was about to give up, I was like, ‘No, this shouldn’t be the end. I want to end it the way I want it'”•Gouher Sultana”There was absolutely no communication [from the selectors],” she says of how her time in international cricket came to an end. “That’s how it is done here; it is the system. When someone is dropped, they are not told what is wrong, or what areas need to be improved, and things like that. Because I got those wickets in my last [ODI] series, I felt that couldn’t be the end to my career.”There were times when I thought of quitting – seasons I didn’t do well, my mental health was affected. But then even when I was about to give up, I was like, ‘No, this shouldn’t be the end. I want to end it the way I want it.’ It was not to prove anything to anybody, but I enjoyed playing and I still enjoy playing. That’s the primary reason I am still here.”The domestic circuit can make for an uphill trek for those who are close to the senior side; it is tougher when you are not even on the periphery. As the years ticked by, Gouher knew she had to be at the top of her game to make the cut.”If I am playing, I don’t want to be a burden to the team,” she says. “I don’t want people to think that it is okay to have me because I have represented India in the past and am a senior player. If I am playing for a team, I want to contribute to winning and want to be one of the best players. When that doesn’t happen – and when I stop contributing to the team’s success or growth – that is the time I will quit.”The culture in India is that you are considered ‘old for sport’ even when you are 26 or 27. Once you are dropped, nobody is looking back and getting you back in. After 30, you put on weight. I did not want to give anyone a chance to talk about my fitness.”The face of the sport has changed since the time she was an India international. The average scoring rate in T20Is that Full Members played in the seven years between 2008 and 2014 was 5.80. Since January 2015, it is at 6.57. The spotlight on the women’s game has increased manifold. Keeping up with the pace did take its toll on Gouher.Gouher dismisses Urooj Mumtaz of Pakistan off her own bowling in the 2009 T20 World Cup•Richard Heathcote/Getty Images”There were a lot of self-doubts even before WPL came up, and that affected my mental health,” she says. “There were a few years in which I was not able to land the ball where I wanted to. It was not because of lack of practice. It was because I put myself under unnecessary pressure – to make a comeback and play at a higher level.”In 2019 I was playing for Bengal for the first time, and they were the champions of the Senior Women’s One Day Trophy the year before. I did well in the T20 trophy for the team and we went to the knockouts, where we playing Baroda in the quarter-final. That was a televised game, and I was playing one after a very long gap. I was like, ‘Okay people are going to watch. Now that I have done well in the league stage, this is the time I want to show and prove people wrong and perform.'”A couple of tough years followed. That was when Nooshin Al Khadeer, India’s head coach when the side won the first Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup, intervened. Gouher looked up to Al Khadeer, a former team-mate at India and then Railways, who insisted that she try speaking to a psychologist. “I was not very open about it because people don’t understand,” Gouher says. “And I was anyway not playing at the highest level at that time. I was like, ‘I don’t know if they will be interested in talking to me’ but [the psychologist] was kind enough.”Al Khadeer herself provided valuable inputs. “Noosh has always helped me in my career in every stage,” Gouher says. “I have had a lot of conversations with her, and she has always helped me with practice sessions or [work on] the kind of mindset I have. We still talk about how cricket is evolving. I try to take experience from her and put in the hard work required.”That’s when things got a bit better. I then started focusing on my process and not on the results. Since last year I have been much, much better, in terms of mental aspect, and even my practice sessions have been way better. I think my performance also got better.”Gouher’s ten wickets in the domestic T20s last year were the joint most for Bengal, with Sukanya Parida. She returned to play for Hyderabad this season and took eight wickets in the T20s, the second most for them. “Even if you take the last five seasons, this has been one of the best seasons in terms of the ball coming out of my hands,” she says. “The ball is in control. For a bowler, that is the best thing you can have.”Gouher says that her career and mental health took a turn for the better after she spoke to a psychologist. “Even my practice sessions have been way better,” she says•Gouher SultanaThe teams for the Women’s T20 Challenge used to be picked by the national selectors, unlike the WPL, where it is done by auction. Gouher found no takers in the inaugural season, and so putting her name up for the auction for 2024 felt like more of a gamble, but it was one she wanted to take. In the auction she drew no bids in the first round but Warriorz chose her at base price for their final pick.She was on the morning shift at her day job with the Indian Railways and kept an eye on the auction while at work. “After no one picked me in the first round, I was like, ‘Okay it won’t happen,'” she laughs. “Honestly, I was not expecting [to be picked] but since you have registered, you watch, and somewhere you hope. I wasn’t expecting especially UP Warriorz, because they already had two left-arm spinners [Sophie Ecclestone and Rajeshwari Gayakwad]. Other teams at least had a vacancy in that department.”I switched it off and went shopping. I was not feeling okay with all the anticipation. Then I got a call from Warriorz and did not know how to react. I was nervous and excited at the same time. Slowly it sunk in that I will be part of WPL 2024.”Despite the challenges she faced in her own career at various stages, Gouher’s desire to help other cricketers develop has been a constant. A fine reader of the game, she has offered tactical inputs and insights into technique to team-mates and others. In fact, she says wanting to do that was one of the driving forces behind her return to Hyderabad ahead of the 2023-24 season.She began her career with the side in 2006-07 and played most of her domestic cricket for them. Her performances there got her an India call-up, and she finished among the top three wicket-takers in the Senior Women’s One Day Trophy in 2010-11 and 2011-12, and fourth in 2008-09.”After 30, you put on weight. I did not want to give anyone a chance to talk about my fitness”•Gouher Sultana”I want to make this team grow back again and be like how it was when we used to play,” she says. “There were a lot of occasions when we were in the top three or four for quite a lot of seasons. There are a lot of young and talented cricketers in Hyderabad. I want to help these cricketers grow.”Gouher credits her mother, who she says has been her pillar, for this characteristic. “She has taught me at every step of life that before yourself, try and help others, and it will come back to you. If I can help others and it helps them even 1%, that makes me happy. Irrespective of how I was doing, I wanted to help young cricketers as much as I could, pass on knowledge and experience I had.At Warriorz she will play alongside Gayakwad, who at 32 is no more a first choice in white-ball cricket for India. In fact, it was Gayakwad’s rise back in 2014 that helped India move on from Gouher.”We haven’t played a lot of cricket together but we have a bonding,” Gouher says. “Whenever we meet, playing against each other also, we have always greeted each other well. She has done a lot of good work for the country. She has contributed to India’s success more than me. If I can learn a thing or two from her and Sophie Ecclestone, it would be great to add to my armoury.”And so, Gouher is back, almost ten years since she last played international cricket. She is wiser and has unfinished business. All these years she has worked in the trenches, away from the world’s glare. Now every ball that comes out of her hand will be watched by hundreds of thousands, and be analysed by plenty. And she will have a shot at writing her destiny and getting the closure she desires.

In our first batch of report cards for 2021: New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Ireland, and women’s cricket

29-Dec-2021New Zealandby Deivarayan Muthu
It was a banner year for New Zealand. After becoming the No. 1 ODI team, they won the inaugural World Test Championship final and then reached their first T20 World Cup final.They won each of the three ODIs they played in 2021 despite the injury-enforced absence of regular captain Kane Williamson. In some major changes, BJ Watling retired from Test cricket and Ross Taylor was dropped from the T20I set-up. A number players, though, emerged from the fringes and played vital roles for the side across formats, including Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Will Young, Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra.Like Williamson, Lockie Ferguson, their premier fast bowler in white-ball cricket, was unavailable at various points because of injury, but New Zealand still found a way to succeed thanks to their enviable depth. Their second-string T20I side even tested a full-strength Bangladesh away.Once New Zealand returned to full strength, they adapted smartly to conditions in the UAE and progressed to the T20 World Cup final from a group that included Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. The final, however, didn’t go according to plan, nor did the India tour that followed immediately.High point
New Zealand emerged winners of the inaugural WTC, two years after losing the ODI World Cup . It was quite fitting that the old firm of Williamson and Taylor sealed victory in fiendishly difficult conditions for batting in Southampton after Kyle Jamieson, the newbie in the attack, set it up beautifully with his swing, seam, and bounce.Low point
While left-arm fingerspinner Ajaz Patel made history by becoming only the third bowler to bag all ten wickets in a Test innings, in Mumbai, the rest of the line-up fell away so badly that New Zealand’s ten-match unbeaten streak was snapped. They began the year as the top-ranked Test side and slipped to No. 2 by the end of it after losing 1-0 in India.Results
Tests: P6 W3 L1 D2
ODIs: P3 W3 L0
T20Is: P23 W13 L10Pakistan had an unbeaten run in the T20 World Cup till Australia stopped them short in the semis•Michael Steele/ICC/Getty ImagesPakistanby Danyal Rasool
Pakistan cricket truly put its followers through the wringer of stratospheric highs and sub-zero depths in 2021. The bottom line will tell you this side, led by Babar Azam, won a lot more than they lost, and look like a team reinvigorated.T20I success headlined the narrative, with home and away wins over South Africa, a delightfully dominant T20 World Cup campaign, and a clean sweep of West Indies to finish the year. A home Test series win over South Africa was perhaps the red-ball highlight, a heartening point being Hasan Ali’s return to form in Tests. After Shaheen Afridi, Hasan has the most Test wickets for Pakistan this year. Pakistan are currently sitting pretty in the top two of the World Test Championship table.All wasn’t rosy, though. A third-string England side clean-swept Pakistan in an ODI series in July, and Zimbabwe embarrassingly skittled them for 99 in a chase of 119.In an administrative shake-up, Ehsan Mani and Wasim Khan were replaced as chairman and CEO by Ramiz Raja and Faisal Hasnain, in what still feels like a makeshift, experimental set-up. Head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis, too, departed in somewhat contentious circumstances, and are yet to be replaced full-time.Most devastatingly of all, the year showed the “;Western bloc”, as Ramiz put it, remains far from convinced Pakistan is a safe place to visit. First, New Zealand withdrew from a series minutes before the start of the first game, citing unspecified security concerns, before England plunged the knife in further by refusing to repay Pakistan’s favour of a tour in uncertain Covid times in 2020, pulling out of their men’s and women’s tours.High point
A ten-wicket thumping of India in the sides’ opening match at the T20 World Cup. Pakistan marched to the semi-finals unbeaten, where…Low point
… they ran into another of their old foes, Australia, who kept intact their hold over Pakistan in ICC knockout events, sealing a sensational heist with six balls to spare.Results
Tests: P9 W7 L2
ODIs: P6 W2 L4
T20Is: P29 W20 L6 NR3Dimuth Karunaratne’s 244 against Bangladesh was the highest individual Test score of the year•AFP/Getty ImagesSri LankaBy Andrew Fidel Fernando
If you’re an optimist, 2021was a year of regeneration for Sri Lanka’s top men’s team. In T20Is, the year saw the full blossoming of Wanindu Hasaranga – currently the top T20I bowler in the world – the re-emergence of fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera, and the arrival of top-order batter Charith Asalanka. In Tests, Pathum Nissanka made a relatively smooth transition to batting at the top level; left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama, and offspinning allrounder Ramesh Mendis began with promise; and the senior batters moved up a gear too. Dimuth Karunaratne can perhaps now be regarded one of the best openers of his era (however thin that field may be), and Lahiru Thirimanne and Dhananjaya de Silva also averaged more than 50 for the year.But here’s the pessimists’ view: many of these gains are fragile. Although the rise of fresh talent was heartening, Sri Lanka’s win-loss record in the limited-overs formats, particularly ODIs, remains woeful. This though they have increasingly become a side against whom top sides rest their front-line players. They turned heads in the T20 World Cup, sure, but didn’t make a serious semi-finals charge. And for all the experience in that Test top order, it produced some of the most tragicomic collapses of the year.Sri Lanka head into 2022 without coaching staff, with SLC’s technical advisory committee, headed by Aravinda de Silva, seemingly intent on installing new coaches. Will the new set-up be able to build on 2021’s gains?High point
The victories over Bangladesh and West Indies in the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup, plus competitive outings against South Africa and England.Low point
The unfathomably meek collapses against England, in the Test series in January.Results
Tests: P9 W3 L3 D3
ODIs: P15 W4 L10 NR1
T20Is: P20 W8 L12None of West Indies’ T20 heavyweights stepped up at the T20 World Cup and the team crashed out early•ICC via GettyWest Indiesby Nagraj Gollapudi
Hope and despair. The West Indies fan knows these two contrasting emotions better than anybody.The year started full of hope, when the debutant pair of Kyle Mayers and Nkrumah Bonner stitched together a record partnership to mow down a large target set by Bangladesh and help West Indies to a 2-0 win – their first overseas series win since late 2017. By June the excitement had evaporated as West Indies were blanked out 2-0 by South Africa in a home Test series. The Test team would finish the year with another 2-0 defeat, this time in Sri Lanka.Their fortunes were similar in white-ball cricket. In April, Kieron Pollard’s team shook Australia with a 4-1 T20I series win at home. On September 9, former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum warned in a tweet that West Indies, the defending champions, had a “seriously strong squad” for the T20 World Cup in the UAE. But the team came a cropper, crashing out of the tournament in the group phase. All the big names, including Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell and Nicholas Pooran failed spectacularly. Pollard conceded it was the “end of a generation”.High point
In February in Chattogram, Mayers and Bonner’s fourth-wicket stand of 210 runs helped a second-string West Indies side surpass a record 395-run target against Bangladesh. It was the fifth-highest chase in Test cricket history. Their 4-1 defeat of Australia in T20Is in July was their first limited-overs series win against Australia at home since 1995.Low point
Fifty five. The third-lowest total in men’s T20 World Cups, and the score Pollard’s team was skittled for against England in the 2021 edition in Dubai.Results
Tests: P10 W3 L5 D2
ODIs: P9 W4 L5
T20Is: P25 W9 L13 NR3Oval Invincibles, led by South Africa captain Dane van Niekerk, were the inaugural champions of the Women’s Hundred•Getty ImagesWomenby Annesha Ghosh
It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.Women’s cricket oscillated between extremes in 2021. The inaugural Hundred was the headline act. Breaking new ground in the UK, the success of the women’s competition surpassed that of its men’s counterpart, reaching new audiences and belatedly forcing a review of the female competitors’ pay.In Australia, the WBBL got a record crowd for its final, and a record overall broadcast audience, which vindicated Cricket Australia’s decision to make every game available on television for the first time in the competition’s seven-year history. The tournament featured its largest Indian contingent, although it was the South Africans who played starring roles in the knockouts, like they did in the Hundred.Australia’s world-record unbeaten streak in ODIs was finally snapped at 26 in September by India in a record chase, two days after they went down in the thriller of the year.India’s wild swings in fortune weren’t all on the field. Runners-up at the 2020 T20 World Cup, they suffered a full year of inactivity and waited over 14 months to lay their hands on the prize money from the tournament. Then, having not played Tests for seven years, they suddenly had two scheduled for 2021, including their first pink-ball Test, which inspired hopes that more teams beyond England and Australia would embrace the multi-format structure in bilaterals.The ICC, for its part, granted Test and ODI status to women’s teams of all Full Member countries and pledged to place the women’s game at the centre of its global growth strategy.Standout individual feats included Sophia Dunkley becoming the first black woman to play Test cricket for England, West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor becoming the youngest to make 8000 international runs, India captain Mithali Raj reaching the top of the run charts in the women’s international game, Ireland’s Amy Hunter breaking the record for the youngest player to make a senior international century, and Australia allrounder Ellyse Perry becoming the first woman to the double of 5000 runs and 300 wickets.Towards the close of the year, the game lost one of its pioneers, former England allrounder Eileen Ash, who died at 110.High point
The ICC replaced the word “batsman” with the gender-neutral “batter” in all its playing conditions, during the men’s T20 World Cup in October-November. The move, described by the governing body as a “natural and overdue evolution” in the sport, followed the MCC’s amendments regarding the term in the Laws of Cricket, aimed at recognising cricket as “a game for all”.Low point
The cancellation of the ODI World Cup Qualifier in November-December. Sri Lanka had played no cricket between March 2020 and the qualifying event, and it cost them dearly after team standings came into play to determine the final three entrants to the 2022 World Cup. Thailand, meanwhile, got a raw deal despite being a frontrunner for a top-five finish in the qualifier, which would have ensured their inclusion in the next Women’s ODI Championship cycle.Ireland made an early exit from the T20 World Cup after losing two of three games, against Namibia and Sri Lanka•Karim Sahib/AFP/Getty ImagesIrelandby Peter Della Penna
After a mostly charmed decade in the 2010s, the start of the 2020s has not been too kind to Ireland. Though they gained Test status in 2017, they have not played a match in the format since 2019, leaving many people within the Irish set-up wondering when another will happen.They did not exactly cover themselves in glory in the limited-overs formats in 2021. The year started off with Ireland losing an ODI to the UAE, and later in January, losing 3-0 in ODIs against Afghanistan. That result was not entirely surprising considering Ireland’s historic woes against Afghanistan ever since Rashid Khan made his debut. However, losing two out of three Super League ODIs to Netherlands in Utrecht in July was a jarring result. They bounced back somewhat to claim 15 out of a possible 30 points (ten from a win and five for a no result) in each of their home ODI series later in the summer against South Africa and Zimbabwe.Ireland’s T20I form was arguably worse. In a case of near déjà vu, they lost two of three T20Is to the UAE in the weeks prior to the start of the T20 World Cup. So losing two out of three in the opening round – to Sri Lanka and Namibia – should not have been altogether shocking. Despite the gradual expansion of the second-round format from Super Eights, to Super 10s and currently Super 12s, Ireland have not advanced to the second round of the T20 World Cup since 2009. In the recriminations that followed, head coach Graham Ford resigned, bringing an end to a tenure that started in 2017.High point
Beating South Africa for the first time ever in ODIs: a century by captain Andy Balbirnie propelled Ireland to a 43-run win in Malahide on July 13.Low point
Stumbling badly against Namibia in a win-or-go home encounter on the final day of Group A play in Sharjah to bow out of the T20 World Cup before the second phase had begun.Results
ODIs: P14 W4 L8 NR2
T20Is: P14 W5 L9Stats current as of December 18, 2021More in our look back at 2021

When Paul Skenes pitches, it’s hard not to want to get in on the action.  If you’re looking for creative ways to bet on the Pirates/Brewers today check out these options at DraftKings. One of them will settle early, and the other could be a long sweat.  

Let’s have some fun!  All bets from DraftKings

MLB Best Bets Today

• Pirates vs. Brewers NRFI (-120)
• Neither team to score 5 or more runs (+155)

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Milwaukee Brewers NRFI (-120)

Rookie phenom Paul Skenes gets the start for the Pirates today, and besides punching batters out at a rate of nearly 12 per nine, in ten MLB starts, he has allowed a run in the first inning only three times.   On average, the Brewers are scoring .37 runs per first inning this season.  

On the other side of this game is Aaron Civale.  Civale is certainly hittable, however, he has only allowed four first inning runs in 17 starts.  For their part, the Pirates are scoring an average of just .36 runs per first inning this season, and have not scored a first inning run in their last three contests.  

Neither team to score 5 or more runs (+155)

This one is a little more daring, but I like the payout here.  Paul Skenes has an ERA of just 2.12 this season and he has been going deep into games. That should limit the exposure to the weak Pirates bullpen, which helps our wager.  For the season, the Brewers are averaging 4.79 runs per game.  The ballpark won’t do us a lot of favors, but we are going to trust Skenes to carry us. 

The Pirates have averaged just 4.19  runs per game during the day, and overall they are averaging 4.20 runs per game this season. Yes, Civale is hittable, but the Brewers can go to their excellent bullpen if they need to make a move to keep the run total low.   

With DraftKings setting the total at 8, that means we also have to take the under for our logic to play out.  An UNDER bet on the total pays -112.

Nic Maddinson’s return to elite cricket could come in the Big Bash after the former Test batter re-signed with the Sydney Thunder.Thunder announced a new one-season deal for Maddinson on Tuesday, with general manager Trent Copeland backing the 33-year-old to return to the field this summer.Related

• Afridi arrives to raise the heat for Brisbane: 'That's why I'm here'

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Maddinson last played top-flight cricket in March with New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield, before he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He finished nine weeks of chemotherapy treatment in July, after it was discovered the cancer had spread to his abdominal lymph nodes and lung.Subsequent scans showed the treatment was successful, with Maddinson back training and playing four games for Eastern Suburbs in Sydney this summer.”I’m really happy to be staying with Thunder,” Maddinson said. “There’s been a few setbacks for myself lately, but I’ve had amazing support from my friends, family and the club.”Now I’m just keen to lock in, get the season started and hopefully help the boys go one better than last year.”Maddinson played three Tests for Australia in 2016, while the last of his six T20s for his country came in 2018. He began his BBL career with Sydney Sixers, before moving to Victoria and joining Melbourne Stars in 2018-19 and Renegades in 2021-22.Left-handed Maddinson returned back to NSW last summer, while also signing a deal to play for Thunder. But he was unable to run out for the club, after a hand injury ruled him out of the competition.”We are pleased to have Maddo re-sign with us at Sydney Thunder,” Copeland said. “I know how eager he was to play in front of the Thunder Nation before his injury, and I know that eagerness has doubled since then. We’re backing Maddo to make a real impact this season, both at the crease and through his leadership around the team.”

Manchester United’s draw against West Ham United yesterday once again highlighted the struggles faced by the side during Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Old Trafford.

Diogo Dalot’s strike looked as though the Red Devils would secure all three points for the second time in a week, but their inability to defend set pieces ultimately cost them all three points.

Soungoutou Magassa’s effort was enough to secure the visitors a point, with Amorim left frustrated by his side’s lack of killer instinct to put the game to bed in the second half.

The result leaves United in eighth place in the Premier League, just two points off fourth, but the season could already look a whole lot different had the side managed to once again hold on for the win.

Numerous players failed to deliver during the meeting at Old Trafford, which could see the manager make some needed changes ahead of their next outing over the weekend.

United’s poor performers against West Ham last night

During the draw against Nuno Espírito Santo’s side, Luke Shaw was once again handed a start in the Premier League, now taking his run of starts to 14 in a row.

However, it was yet another performance to forget for the Englishman, with the centre-back struggling to deal with the threat posed by opposition forward Jarrod Bowen.

Shaw was dribbled past twice, lost 75% of the ground duels he entered, whilst also committing three fouls – showcasing his inability to stop his compatriot from impressing.

At the other end of the pitch, Bryan Mbeumo also struggled to continue his fine recent form in the Premier League, as the Cameroonian once again failed to find the back of the net.

Like Shaw, he struggled in his duels against the Hammers at Old Trafford, as seen by his measly tally of 100% aerials lost out of the five battles in which he entered.

He also failed to complete any of the crosses he attempted, whilst only placing one of his shots on target, subsequently being unable to provide the added threat needed in attacking areas.

The Man Utd star who needs to be dropped after West Ham

After failing to win for an eighth time in the league this campaign, Amorim will certainly need to find a winning formula quickly if he is to be a success as United manager.

He’s massively come under fire over recent months for his lack of success in the role, no doubt down to his reluctance to move away from his 3-4-2-1 system in key moments.

At 1-1 last night, he had the opportunity to bring Kobbie Mainoo onto the pitch in an attempt to secure victory, but it was his conservative substitutions which led to the draw.

The 40-year-old simply laughed in his post-match interview when one journalist suggested that the Englishman should have been brought on to push for the win.

Such a move wasn’t the only questionable decision made by Amorim last night, with the manager deciding to utilise Ayden Heaven at centre-back alongside Shaw and Noussair Mazraoui.

The youngster was handed his first league start of the campaign, but it was a decision that massively backfired, given his struggles at the Theatre of Dreams last night.

He featured for 45 minutes during the contest, before being replaced at the break after picking up a yellow card for a rash tackle on Bowen during the closing stages of the half.

The 19-year-old lost 100% of the duels he entered, whether that being on the ground or in the air, whilst committing two separate fouls, which no doubt led to his booking.

Heaven was also only able to complete a measly tally of six passes out of a possible ten, with none of his long balls being completed – showcasing his struggles in possession.

His struggles were compounded by his lack of involvement during the first half, only achieving a tally of 17 touches of the ball – with goalkeeper Senne Lammens having more, as seen by his tally of 29.

After such a performance, the manager must surely look to more senior options to fill the void, when his Red Devils side face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night.

Leny Yoro was brought on to replace the Englishman at the break, with the manager needing to select the Frenchman next time around to help the side return to winning ways.

18x ball lost: Amorim must ruthlessly bench overhyped 5/10 Man Utd man

This Man Utd ace struggled in their 1-1 draw at home to West Ham

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 5, 2025