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Not for the first time in recent weeks, Wilfried Zaha has found himself in the headlines for the wrong reasons, having received a red card for Charlotte FC in the MLS.

Zaha hits back at Jean-Philippe Mateta

One of life’s guarantees is that Zaha will have his say in an argument and Jean-Philippe Mateta recently found that out the hard way. The Crystal Palace striker initially name-dropped his former teammate when revealing that he used to mock him for his France ambitions at a time when he couldn’t even get a start at Selhurst Park.

As it turns out, it’s Mateta who’s had the last laugh. The forward is now one of the best in the Premier League and recently scored his first goal for France to silence any remaining doubters, but clearly hasn’t forgotten Zaha’s mockery.

The Charlotte winger sees things slightly differently, however. Hitting back at Mateta, Zaha said: “I’m sorry but my head’s on fire. I’ve got to clear up this Mateta situation because he doesn’t want to and this just shows me that…see the times when I was playing at Crystal Palace and all these people were watching me and it’s clear they weren’t happy for me because I never made anyone feel like s***.”

Since the public row, in which the winger reaffirmed he never meant to offend and merely thought he was joking amongst friends, Mateta has scored a hat-trick for Palace and Zaha has seemingly taken his fury to the pitch.

Zaha hits out at Jesus Bueno

If talent was the conversation, then Zaha would be one of the leading topics. He has been one of the best players in the MLS all season – scoring 10 goals and assisting another six as Charlotte reached the playoffs in style – but he remains ill-tempered.

It’s temper which has flared all throughout his career and something that was on show for all to see against Philadelphia in the MLS in his most recent outing as he hit out against Jesus Bueno in shocking fashion.

Philadelphia Union reporter Jose Roberto Nunez took aim at Zaha after the incident, slamming his “unnecessary red card” in a game which was effectively over, which will now see him miss Charlotte’s first of their best of three series against New York City in the MLS Cup.

From Mateta’s accusation to seeing red in the MLS, to say it’s been a couple of weeks to forget for Zaha would be an understatement.

Micky van de Van scored a stunning solo goal for Tottenham in their Champions League clash with FC Copenhagen, but a couple of his club colleagues have snubbed the Dutchman when naming the best strike that they have ever seen. Another effort recorded in European competition, by Portuguese GOAT Cristiano Ronaldo, gets the nod from a few of those in north London.

Van de Van scored stunning solo goal against Copenhagen

Van de Van illuminated the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when facing Danish opposition as he charged almost the full length of the pitch before hitting the back of the net. The Netherlands international is famed for his pace and running power.

Those qualities were on full display as he muscled his way down the middle of the field, shrugging off opponents as he went, and crashed the ball home to put Spurs three goals to the good on the night – with Thomas Frank’s side eventually running out 4-0 winners despite having Brennan Johnson sent off.

AdvertisementBest goal seen live? Spurs stars make their choice

Unsurprisingly, Van de Van’s solo masterpiece has been the subject of much discussion at Tottenham’s training ground. For many of those watching on, from the pitch and the stands, said strike is the greatest that they have ever seen.

Not everybody falls into that category, though, with there plenty of current Spurs stars that are happy to cast their mind a little further back in order to find the pick of the goals that they have witnessed live.

Wales international Johnson went for a goal registered for his boyhood club Nottingham Forest – a spectacular free-kick from Lewis McGugan – while sticking with the Reds theme, Djed Spence picked his own effort scored against QPR during a loan spell at the City Ground.

Archie Gray also offered a nod to former employers, as he plumped for Patrick Bamford’s stunning volley for Leeds in an FA Cup clash with Peterborough, and Xavi Simons went for Lionel Messi’s iconic effort for Barcelona against Bayern Munich in the Champions League – as he left Jerome Boateng chasing shadows.

Brazilian forward Richarlison went for a legendary overhead kick from Ronaldo, as did CR7’s fellow Portuguese Joao Palhinha. That acrobatic goal was recorded for Real Madrid during a European outing against Juventus in April 2018.

Plenty of Van de Ven’s current team-mates were happy to side with him in the best goal debate, including Pedro Porro, Pape Matar Sarr, Wilson Odobert, Radu Dragusin, Kevin Danso, Mohammed Kudus and Kota Takai. The man himself went for a goal from Max Arnold for Wolfsburg against Mainz.

What was going through Van de Ven's mind?

Van de Van told Spurs’ official media channels of his stunner against Copenhagen and what was going through his mind as he raced towards goal: "I get the ball in our own box, and every time I saw a little gap of space in front of me, and I started dribbling, I was like, hey, every time I can get a bit more. I know when I get my speed and acceleration it's difficult to catch up sometimes, and then in one way I was like, hey, I'm through. I was like, ‘I'm going all the way now’, just try to score.

"When I came through, to be honest, in my head I was like, ‘I know my strike is quite good, my left inside foot is quite strong’ but, at this point, you just say in your head, ‘I need to score this one, man’.

"Another team-mate was next to me, I don't know who it was, and I know their centre-back was in the middle, and of course at one point he needs to make a decision. I was like, ‘nah, I keep going all the way now’ and just try to shoot a short corner. To be honest, I haven't seen it go in. I just heard everyone celebrating, I just knew I had to score."

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GettyMan Utd & north London derby: Tottenham fixtures

Spurs will be back in Premier League action on Saturday when playing host to Manchester United. They will return after the latest international break with a derby date against north London rivals Arsenal on November 23.

Sahibzada Farhan’s 63 finished Pakistan’s tour with an improved batting performance

Mohammad Isam24-Jul-2025Pakistan ended their Bangladesh tour with a 74-run win in the third T20I in Dhaka. They bowled out the home side for 104 runs, after posting 178 for 7, a marked improvement from the last two games when their batting hardly stood up.Sahibzada Farhan, who took Fakhar Zaman’s place, top scored with 63 off 41, with 54 runs coming from boundaries. He provided Pakistan with a blistering start, after which Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Nawaz struck quick runs to take them to the highest total at the Shere Bangla National Stadium since 2021.Later it was newcomer Salman Mirza, the left-arm quick, who blew through Bangladesh’s top-order, as the home side slipped to 34 for 6. Bangladesh’s batting was in sharp contrast to that of Pakistan who finally got their groove upon being sent to bat first.Farhan blitzkrieg in MirpurFarhan got Pakistan off to a flyer that lasted beyond the powerplay. He clattered Mahedi Hasan for a six in the third ball of the match, before sweetly flicking Shoriful Islam in the next over. Farhan laid into Taskin Ahmed in the sixth over, that went for 15, including a beautiful straight six.Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub put on 82 for the first wicket•AFP/Getty ImagesMehidy Hasan wasn’t spared either. Farhan smacked him for two sixes in the seventh over, one straight and slogged over midwicket. He finished the over by reaching his fifty, the second of Farhan’s career. Saim Ayub got into the act a little later, but soon after striking his first six, he fell to Nasum Ahmed. It broke the 82-run opening stand.Haris can’t cash in on luckFarhan fell for 63 in the twelfth over, having struck five sixes and six fours in his 41-ball stay. There was hope that Farhan’s start would help the rest of the Pakistan’s batters. However, Mohammad Haris couldn’t quite capitalize despite getting three lives in his short time at the crease. Litton Das missed a difficult stumping chance in the tenth over, before Nasum dropped Haris at fine-leg. He also survived a lbw decision, before Taskin removed him with a catch at deep third. Haris finished with 5 off 14 balls.The Nawazes’ fine finishHasan Nawaz slammed three sixes in his 17-ball stay, one of them a slice over cover, but Mahedi’s tumbling catch from mid-off stopped him on 33. Hussain Talat then fell cheaply, before Mohammad Nawaz creamed two sixes and as many fours, in his 16-ball 27. Both his sixes came off Mohammad Saifuddin, one struck over deep square-leg, and the next one the cover boundary.Mirza cuts through top orderPakistan’s first wicket was slightly fortuitous, but all credit goes to Mirza. Tanzid swished at a wide delivery outside off-stump, but wicketkeeper Haris didn’t appeal. Mirza insisted he heard something, which convinced Pakistan captain Salman Agha. A healthy deviation was spotted upon review.Faheem Ashraf then struck twice in his next two overs, first removing Litton for 8, before Mehidy holed out to mid-on for 9. Mirza then bowled two superb deliveries in the fifth over to reduce Bangladesh to 25 for 5. Both times, he got the ball to cut through Jaker Ali and Mahedi and rattle their stumps.Saifuddin doesn’t get supportSalman bowled Shamim Hossain with one that spun into the left-hander, as Shamim tried to play back. Mohammad Naim holed out to a simple catch at mid-off.Saifuddin’s 34-ball 35 took Bangladesh past their lowest total of 70 and while Nos 9 to 11 all got boundaries, they didn’t hold on for long. Talat removed Nasum for 9. Hasan Nawaz took a fine catch running in from backward square leg to remove Taskin Ahmed, before Saifuddin struck couple of sixes off Ahmed Daniyal. Shoriful was the last man to go with Abbas Afridi taking a superb catch at long-on.

Monday's doubleheader between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves, makeup games as a result of a poorly-handled situation that now determines the playoff fates of the two squads—and the Arizona Diamondbacks—was already a strange situation.

But, thanks to a request from MLB, the ending of the second game of the twin bill could look even stranger.

Speaking to reporters on Monday ahead of the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that MLB requested the club that wins the first game of the doubleheader hold off on any celebrations until after the second game.

"No, we won't," Mendoza said when asked if the Mets would celebrate after the first game if they win—and thus clinch a playoff berth.

"This is more from MLB, so celebrations will take part after Game 2."

As ESPN's Buster Olney noted, Mendoza even went on to joke that the teams should give each other one "giant hug" on the field.

If one of the Mets or Braves wins both games of the doubleheader, then the victorious club will head to the postseason along with the Diamondbacks, and the loser will head home for the winter. Should the Mets and Braves split the twin bill, they will both be postseason-bound.

In that second scenario, a real possibility because the team that wins the first game has little incentive to win the second with the playoffs beginning Tuesday, both teams could technically celebrate on the field at the same time.

Should that happen, it will undoubtedly be one of the most bizarre things any baseball fan has ever seen.

Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen lashed out at being constantly asked about his fitness as the Denmark international claimed that he has been fit all season. After spending the majority of the 2024-25 campaign on the sidelines due to serious concerns, Christensen has managed to accumulate just 342 minutes on the in the 10 matches he has played for the Catalan giants this season.

Christensen's injury crisis

Until the 2024-25 season, Christensen was a key member of the Barcelona starting lineup, however, an Achilles tendon injury and muscle issues forced him to remain sidelined for the majority of the last campaign.  In the current campaign, the Danish defender has fallen down the pecking order behind Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi and Ronald Araujo under Hansi Flick. He was ruled out for four games due to gastroenteritis but has otherwise been available for the Spanish champions.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportChristensen frustrated with fitness queries

Speaking to reporters, the 29-year-old said: "Before last season, there were hardly any questions about my fitness. But since then, there have been many. Now I'm back in competition, without getting injured. In fact, apart from illnesses I've been fit all season. So it's annoying, but I have to accept it. I'll keep my head held high and play, as I always have, except when I've been sick."

He further claimed that he constantly keeps track of whatever is said about him in the media, as the centre-back added: "I think it's more difficult if you're a player and you follow a lot of news. But since I don't use social media and I almost never read the news in Denmark, luckily I don't see them. So for me it's not that difficult. But I imagine it must be incredibly stimulating and at the same time totally exhausting. Luckily, I don't mind staying out of it."

Ex-Chelsea defender wants new Barcelona deal

Speaking to earlier this month, Christensen admitted that Barcelona had not yet approached him about an extension, as he said: "No, not really. I don't think so. I think we're in a good situation, and there's not really anything that can change anything I do in my everyday life. Of course, you want to have it in place and know what's happening. But it's not something that changes our mood during the days, or something we talk about 

"Of course, we have desires, we all do, but it's not something I think about in my everyday life. I try to do what I can do on the pitch, and hopefully that's enough for me to stay there." Christensen also admitted that his agent will remain involved over future decisions. If there is something that needs to be done, he will, of course, do it. Of course, I would like to know what is happening, but I would rather focus on what I can do, and that is to do what I can do."

He added: "Oh, no, I have no idea. Not yet. I'm just choosing to focus on being part of the team and playing as much as I possibly can. Hopefully that's how it ends up, but I'll have to take it as it comes, right now. Not at all. No plan B."

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Getty Images SportWill Barcelona offer a new deal to Christensen?

As of now, there has been no indication that the Spanish champions would offer Christensen a new contract and with his limited role in the current campaign, it is possible that Barcelona could let him leave for free at the end of the season. Last month, Barca sporting director Deco had told : "We’re taking Andreas step by step. He had a spectacular first year. Then injuries have affected him quite a bit. We’ll see how he does this season and we’ll talk. He’s a great player. We don’t have to renew all the players in October either."

Flick's men will be back in action after the international break on November 22 when they take on Athletic Club in a La Liga fixture at home. 

Opener hits unbeaten 72 off 40 balls to keep Rockets winless

ECB Media10-Aug-2025Eighteen-year-old Davina Perrin continued her impressive domestic form with a sparkling 42-ball 70 to overpower Trent Rockets in The Hundred.It was Perrin’s first half-century in The Hundred, and the second-highest score by a female English player uncapped at international level. More importantly for Perrin and Northern Superchargers, it took them to the top of the table with two wins from two.”I had a conversation with one of the coaches before and he said: ‘What are you going to do when you go out?’ And I was like: ‘have fun,'” Perrin said. “It was a pretty decent deck, it was coming onto the bat nicely, so it allowed me to lean into it and just try and play strong shots. It’s nice to do it front of so many people and on a decent ground, so happy days.”It was a dominant performance from the team in purple, who were on top straight away and rarely let their foot off the gas, save some customary excellence from Trent Rockets skipper Ash Gardner.The Superchargers had Rockets at 5 for 3 after 18 balls and right up against it, Gardner did her thing to fight back with a 32-ball 61 but it was essentially a lone hand and her side’s eventual total of 128 felt light at a sun-dappled Trent Bridge.Ash Gardner forces one away through the off side•Warren Little/Getty ImagesPerrin dominated the opening partnership of 62 with Alice Davidson-Richards and entertained the crowd throughout, with strong shots all around the wicket and even a one-handed scoop. Phoebe Litchfield matched her stroke for stroke with her 10-ball 22 and Annabel Sutherland finished things off in a fittingly creative way, reverse-sweeping through the off-side.It was a performance of great promise from the Superchargers who will feel they’re laying down a marker, for Rockets the need to get a win on the board is getting ever greater.

A new Southampton manager update has been shared from St Mary’s regarding a full-time move for interim boss Tonda Eckert.

Eckert responds to permanent Southampton job rumours

The Saints made the perfect start to life without Will Still in the week, defeating Queens Park Rangers 2-1 at Loftus Road.

Eckert was the man in charge of Southampton following Still’s exit, with second half goals from Jay Robinson and Leo Scienza lifting them above rivals Portsmouth.

The 3-4-2-1 caretaker is once again set to be on the touchline this weekend prior to the international break as St Mary’s play host to bottom side Sheffield Wednesday. Talking ahead of the game, Eckert was asked if he fancied the Southampton job on a permanent basis, to which he said:

“Look, the answer is very easy on this one. My job is to prepare the game today in the best way possible. My job is to prepare the game on Saturday (8th November) in the best way possible. That’s what all my focus is on. It’s going to be three very important days until Saturday. Then we can all take a breath.

“I think the only thing I can do is give energy and give a structure, and prepare them in the best way possible. We’re going to do the same thing for Saturday and hopefully confirm [the improvement] and then we’ll go into a break and go again.”

Now, a new update has emerged regarding Southampton’s position over Eckert.

How Southampton feel about full-time Tonda Eckert move

According to Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas, Southampton now “consider Eckert a potential candidate for the full-time job” following his winning start in temporary charge.

The 32-year-old’s coaching career has mainly been as an assistant, helping some iconic names such as Patrick Vieira at Genoa and Miroslav Klose at Bayern Munich’s U17 side.

His experience in England came during 18 months as an assistant at Barnsley, with Eckert taking charge of Southampton’s U21s in the summer.

1.FC Koln U17

Assistant manager

2013-2016

RB Salzburg YL

Assistant manager

2016-2017

RB Leipzig YL

Assistant manager

2017-2019

FC Bayern U17

Assistant manager

2019-2020

Barnsley

Assistant manager

2020-2022

Genoa

Assistant manager

2022-2025

Saints gem Moses Sesay has been impressed under Eckert, saying he is an “experienced” coach who “demands a lot” in training and is “big on detail”.

“I’ve enjoyed working with him. I took some time to get a good connection with him, because he was new, but I really like him. He’s a good coach. He’s very experienced. He demands a lot from us in training, but I like that as a player. He knows what he wants, which is good.

“Comparing Calum McFarlane (former under-21s boss) with Tonda, I think Cal was maybe a little bit more technical, but there hasn’t been much of a difference.

“Tonda is big on detail. He’s a very good coach. We’ve had good results since he came in and went a few games unbeaten. It’s been good under him.”

Positive words indeed, and if Eckert makes it two from two on Saturday, his stock could continue to rise.

Their own Lampard: "Very intelligent" coach now wants the Southampton job

Like father like son.

The New York Yankees made a splash on the trade market Tuesday when they acquired Chicago Cubs outfielder and first baseman Cody Bellinger plus $5 million in cash in exchange for pitcher Cody Poteet.

Cody won't be the first Bellinger to don the Yankee pinstripes. His father, Clay Bellinger, played for the Yankees from 1999 to '01, appearing in 181 total games for New York.

Clay played four seasons in the MLB, which includes a brief stint with the Anahem Angels after his time in the Bronx.

After Cody was dealt to the Yankees on Tuesday, the MLB posted a clip of Clay's first home run in the big leagues.

Clay hit a shot to left field and proceeded to circle the bases to a standing ovation from fans at the old Yankee Stadium.

Now, in just a few short months, Clay will get to walk down memory lane as he watches his son play in the same uniform. He wore No. 35 for the Yankees, a number which isn't retired and is currently available. Cody wore No. 35 in his first six seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers but wore No. 24 in his two seasons with the Cubs. We'll see if he picks up his dad's old jersey once he hits the Bronx.

The 's Sarah Langs posted that Clay and Cody Bellinger will be the fourth father-son duo to both wear the Yankee pinstripes.

The Yankees trade for Cody comes after the team missed out on the Juan Soto sweepstakes after he signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the crosstown rival New York Mets.

According to  Bob Nightengale, Bellinger will play center field for the Yankees, sliding American League MVP Aaron Judge over to right.

Borussia Dortmund summer signing Fabio Silva is already weighing up a shock January exit after struggling for minutes under Niko Kovac, with the Portugal international frustrated by his peripheral role and worried about missing out on the 2026 World Cup. The former Wolves forward has played just over 100 minutes in the Bundesliga, prompting talk of a rapid departure.

Silva already eyeing exit from Dortmund after summer move

Silva’s move from Wolves to Borussia Dortmund was supposed to be the moment his career finally stabilised after four loan spells across Europe. The Bundesliga club paid over €20 million (£17.5m) for the Portugal international and handed him a long-term deal until 2030, signalling belief in his long-term potential. But after an injury flagged up during his medical and a slow integration into Kovac’s plans, the early signs have not been encouraging.

The 23-year-old has managed nine appearances in total but has barely featured meaningfully, with those outings amounting to around 100 minutes across the season. His cameos have often been late substitutions, including a two-minute appearance in a 3-3 draw with Stuttgart that reportedly left him disappointed. Given Wolves’ own struggles up front, it has even been noted that Silva might have played more minutes had he remained in the Premier League.

With ambitions of making Portugal’s World Cup squad next year, Silva has grown increasingly concerned by his lack of opportunities. Sky Germany report that he is already considering a “lightning-fast exit” in January despite only joining Dortmund in late August. No formal discussions with club management have taken place so far, but Silva’s camp are believed to be exploring options as frustration rises.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSilva's has lacked continuity throughout his career…

Silva’s desire to leave stems from a wider pattern in his career, as he has struggled to find the right environment to develop. After joining Wolves in 2020 as one of Europe’s top teenage prospects, he never settled into the rhythm required to justify his £35 million fee. Loans to Anderlecht, PSV, Rangers and Las Palmas followed, with only his spell in Spain offering the promise of a long-term breakthrough. Even then, negotiations to secure him full-time in La Liga collapsed when demands from his camp reportedly put off several interested clubs.

Dortmund appeared to represent a turning point: a club famous for nurturing young talent and giving forwards the stage to explode. But his arrival coincided with competition in an already crowded attack, limiting his chances even when fully fit. Kovac has publicly praised Silva’s attitude, acknowledging: “Overall, I'm very satisfied with Fabio. However, we have many quality players up front… I hope we'll see more of him in the near future.” Despite this reassurance, matchday decisions have continued to cast doubt over Silva’s place in the hierarchy.

There is also the international dimension. Silva made his senior Portugal debut last year and received praise from national team coach Roberto Martinez, who recently suggested Silva could push for a World Cup place with strong club form; however, since then, Silva has not returned to the squad.

Silva's stop-start career at Borussia Dortmund

Silva's struggles have been compounded by how little of Dortmund’s football has flowed through him. The Portuguese forward has just one goal to his name, a substitute strike in a 4-2 win over Copenhagen in the DFB-Pokal, and his limited appearances have made it impossible for him to build chemistry with his new teammates. His first weeks in Germany were further disrupted by an injury detected during his medical, slowing his integration and making early momentum difficult to capture.

This has created a familiar scenario for Silva, after leaving Porto at 18, he moved through multiple leagues and playing styles, each demanding different physical and tactical adaptations. Spain appeared his most natural fit, with Las Palmas utilising his link-up play and movement effectively, but no permanent offer materialised due to protracted negotiations.

Dortmund, while appealing on paper, has so far become another stopgap rather than the stable foundation he needed. The Bundesliga club’s depth in attack and their reliance on more established forwards has left Silva on the fringes.

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Getty Images SportSilva and his World Cup pipe dream

A loan move in January appears increasingly likely unless Dortmund can offer a clear path to more regular minutes. With interest sure to come from clubs in Spain, where Silva thrived last season, and possibly Portugal, the striker may have several feasible routes out. His long-term contract gives Dortmund control, but accommodating his desire for meaningful minutes may be the only solution to prevent further unrest.

However, despite his heart aching for World Cup 2026 action, the chances of making Martinez's Portugal squad are highly unlikely unless Silva reaches world-class levels or Portugal suffer an unprecedented injury crisis.

Bangladesh will hope to create an upset after beating Sri Lanka in their first Super Four game

Sidharth Monga23-Sep-20254:47

Chopra: India lives in Bangladesh’s head rent free

Big picture: Can Bangladesh challenge India?Even though they haven’t been close games, the tension during the two India-Pakistan matches has made players do and say things they otherwise wouldn’t. One of them is based on facts but lacks professional humility. After beating Pakistan once again, India captain Suryakumar Yadav invoked a dominant head-to-head in recent years in order to call for an end to the term “rivalry” for these contests.There is good reason to believe Suryakumar, or any India captain, would not have said what can be interpreted as arrogant had it not been Pakistan and the current relations between the two countries. For where is a rivalry for India in recent times? Since the start of 2024, India have won 32 and lost three matches of T20I cricket.The sheer talent, now coupled with the appropriate intent, has turned India into perhaps the most formidable T20I side ever assembled. Add to it the slowness of the Dubai pitches, and India are able to experiment with just one frontline quick and getting him to bowl three overs in the powerplay.Related

Jasprit Bumrah doing 'exceptionally tough job' at Asia Cup

Bangladesh ready to 'ride the hype' in high-stakes India clash

Fizz at the finish: Mustafizur Rahman is on a roll, but can he keep India quiet?

Bangladesh solve the middle-overs riddle

Suryakumar: India vs Pakistan isn't a rivalry anymore

Those who market the sport will not be too thrilled at such numbers because the biggest draw in sport is the possibility. If there is any consolation, though, one of the three defeats India have suffered in these two years has come against Zimbabwe.Bangladesh will go in believing they can cause an upset. They have just done that to the leaders of their group in the first round, Sri Lanka. They did so using the slowness of the conditions with Mahedi Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman combining for figures of 8-0-45-5. The reward is massive. If they can somehow beat India, Bangladesh will be a good shout to enter the final. Can they do the unthinkable, beat India for the first time since 2019, repair their 16-1 head to head, and somehow initiate a rivalry?Form guideIndia WWWWW (last five T20Is, most recent first)
Bangladesh WWLWWIn the spotlight: Sanju Samson and Mustafizur RahmanAnother experiment that India are able to work on is Sanju Samson in the middle order. Clearly, the team management seems to have decided that Samson is too good a player to be sitting out, so they are trying to create a place for him in the side now that the top order is packed with Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar and Tilak Varma. The one innings he has played there is no sample size to draw any conclusions, but there were signs he wasn’t quite at home when starting against an older ball. So eyes will be on him whenever he gets a chance to bat.4:20

Chopra: India need to give Samson a long rope

One of the challenges for Samson and the rest of the middle order will be the canny bowling of Mustafizur Rahman, who becomes double dangerous on slower pitches. He showed that against Sri Lanka with figures of 4-0-20-3. An encore could give Bangladesh a strong chance against India.Team news: No changes expected for IndiaIn the first round, India experimented with their combination only once their progress to the Super Four was confirmed. So don’t expect any changes to their first-choice XI, which they returned to against Pakistan.India (probable): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 5 Sanju Samson (wk), 6 Shivam Dube, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Varun ChakravarthyCaptain Litton Das complained of a back strain during training two days before the match, but he should be okay to play. The one change Bangladesh are pondering is Tanzim Hasan for Shoriful Islam, who travelled for 49 runs against Sri Lanka.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Saif Hassan, 2 Tanzid Hasan, 3 Litton Das (capt. & wk), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Shamim Hossain, 6 Jaker Ali, 7 Mahedi Hasan, 8 Nasum Ahmed, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Tanzim Hasan, 11 Mustafizur RahmanPitch and conditionsAs expected, the pitches have been slow, making it difficult to score quickly in the middle overs. Expect more of the same in the extreme heat of Dubai.Stats and trivia With the wicket of Fakhar Zaman, Hardik Pandya went past Yuzvendra Chahal to become India’s second-highest wicket-taker in T20I cricket, now only three behind Arshdeep Singh’s 100. Mustafizur is tied with Shakib Al Hasan as the most prolific wicket-taker for Bangladesh. When he does go past Shakib, he will become only the fourth bowler in T20Is to reach 150 wickets.