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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.

India opening batter Pratika Rawal has been fined 10% of her match fee and handed one demerit point for “avoidable physical contact” during the first ODI against England on Tuesday, which India won by four wickets.Two separate incidents took place during India’s chase, which came in for scrutiny by the match officials.The first was when Rawal played a ball off Lauren Filer in the 18th over and went across for a single. While approaching the non-striker’s end, she made contact with the bowler. Then, in the next over, after being bowled by Sophie Ecclestone for a 51-ball 36, Rawal made contact with Ecclestone on her way back to the dressing room.Related

• Deepti digs deep to deliver India's four-wicket win

Rawal pleaded guilty to the Level 1 breach of the ICC’s code of conduct, which relates to “inappropriate and deliberate physical contact between players in the course of play”.”It [the collision with Filer] was not intentional; I was just running in my way,” Rawal said ahead of the second ODI at Lord’s*. “And the shoulder barge thing was also not deliberate. I don’t think there is [need to have] any reaction to it or [make] any fuss about it.”While she was in the middle, Rawal stitched together partnerships of 48 with Smriti Mandhana for the first wicket and 46 with Harleen Deol for the second wicket, setting up the chase of 259, which India completed comfortably thanks to a 90-run stand between Jemimah Rodrigues (48) and Deepti Sharma (62*) for the fifth wicket.England, meanwhile, were fined 5% of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate. They were found to be one over short of the target in the time allotted for completing their overs, though they didn’t have to bowl all 50, India getting over the line with ten balls in hand.England and India will meet each other for the second ODI on Saturday, at Lord’s, before the last game of the tour, the third ODI in Chester-le-Street on Tuesday. India had earlier won the T20I series 3-2.* 1300 GMT Updated with Rawal’s qoute

“Maybe a little bit of experience in that middle order today might have helped us out,” Ricky Ponting says of the IPL 2025 final defeat to RCB

Sidharth Monga04-Jun-20252:06

Aaron: Iyer ‘one of the best captains in the IPL’

The most remarkable thing about Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) run to the IPL 2025 final was that they did so with hardly any international experience in their batting. Shreyas Iyer was the only capped Indian batter they had and even he is out of favour in two of the three international formats right now. Josh Inglis, who can perhaps consider himself an Australia regular now, played only 11 out of 17 matches. Glenn Maxwell played seven. Marcus Stoinis batted too low.Throughout the season, this merry band of inexperienced and shackle-free Indian batters kept taking the game on even if it meant getting bowled out for 111 and 101. This approach came off even when they found themselves down at 34 for 3 against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on one occasion.In the final, though, probably for the first time all season, PBKS blinked. In overs three and four, they didn’t try to make the play and found themselves at 32 for 0, only one more than their lowest four-over score all tournament. That brace of 31s was 31 because they had lost three wickets in the first four overs in those matches.Related

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Kohli and RCB are finally IPL champions

Here, in the big final, PBKS’ inexperienced openers were playing in a way that wasn’t true to their game. Part of it was not because it was the final. It was actually smart, their coach Ricky Ponting said later. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) bowled Josh Hazlewood in the first three overs for only the fourth time this IPL. The openers probably decided RCB were looking for an early wicket. They also recognised that Hazlewood had done against them in previous matches, and were circumspect.It was the over after, bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, that Ponting felt could have been attacked. Just four runs came off that over as the openers, Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, played to the merit of the ball instead of playing their natural attacking game. “You know, when you have a really good defensive over, it’s really important that the next one you go after and try and capitalise on,” Ponting said. “And we weren’t able to do that in the fourth over of that powerplay.”After that, PBKS were always chasing the game against RCB’s well-rounded attack. Asked if this circumspection was a reaction to their 101 all out against the same team in Qualifier 1, Ponting said, “I would like to think not because one thing I’ve told this group is always taking the game forward, always seeing the positive result and the way that we go about it, and not thinking about the negative result that might happen if you get out.”One thing as a batsman in this game, you can’t be worried about getting out. If you’re worried about getting out, you can’t play the game well.”It just made Phil Salt’s catch of Arya much more significant – he ran about 20 yards to his right and along the boundary, took the catch, lobbed the ball up before stepping out, and came back in to complete the catch.Ricky Ponting: “I think I talked at the first press conference I had with Shreyas about becoming a daring, dynamic, and different team”•Getty Images

Even if it was the lack of experience that might have cost PBKS the final, Ponting promised similarly competitive and aggressive cricket from his players, who will be more experienced come next season. “I can’t speak highly enough for what those young boys have done through the tournament,” Ponting said. “I think I talked at the first press conference I had with Shreyas about becoming a daring, dynamic, and different team.”On the back of that, what Prabh and Priyansh and [Nehal] Wadhera and these sort of guys were able to do, there’s probably enough been said through the media over the last couple of months. The way that we’ve been able to play our cricket, it’s been highly entertaining. For a coach to be able to sit back and say that about a team gives me a lot of satisfaction.”You can probably look at it tonight and say, ‘was it probably a little bit of inexperience that cost us?’ Maybe a little bit of experience in that middle order today might have helped us out, but what I know is that we’re going to have these younger guys around this team for a long time and I think they’re going to win us a lot of games going forward.”Ponting did feel, though, that PBKS let this one slip after keeping RCB down to 190. “We’ve got it right for most of the year,” Ponting said. “It was only a couple of days ago that we were here celebrating one of our great wins for the season to get into the final, and today we probably feel that we’ve let one slip, but as I said, with this group being as young as it is, we’ll be back bigger and stronger next season.”

Journalist Beren Cross has provided a significant injury update regarding an influential Leeds United player, ahead of their Premier League clash with Burnley.

Farke expecting "tight" Burnley-Leeds clash

The Whites head to Turf Moor on Saturday afternoon knowing that the result could ultimately prove key in the relegation battle come May.

Speaking to the media ahead of the weekend action, Leeds manager Daniel Farke said he is expecting a “tight” battle away to the Clarets.

“I want to be there with a good performance. So, again, Burnley, what they have done in the last season is fantastic. Also a good start, especially performance-wise, to the season and I expect a pretty, pretty tight and competitive game. Out of these four games until the next international break, we want again to win as many points as possible.

“I would judge it as a difficult period because we have three away games, just one home game and we take it step by step. So right now we are just focused and concentrated on this Burnley game and to give ourselves a chance with a top performance again to win points.”

Farke will want as many players fit as possible for Saturday’s game, and it looks as though he could have a key man back in the fold, following a new update from Thorp Arch.

Farke could unleash Leeds' best English talent since Rio Ferdinand

Leeds fans can get excited about another rising English starlet at Elland Road.

1 ByJoe Nuttall Oct 17, 2025 Stunning Leeds injury update shared

Writing on X, Cross claimed that Leeds winger Dan James is making “immense progress” in his injury recovery and “would befive weeks ahead of schedule” if he features against Burnley. Farke said in his pre-match press conference that there is a chance he makes the squad at Turf Moor.

“Very positive and good news was Daniel James because he is a bit ahead of schedule in his rehab, so a compliment also to our medical department, our rehab coaches. He was even involved already, I would say, in major parts of team training during this week but he is definitely not in contention for the starting line-up.”

Having James back would feel like a massive shot in the arm for Leeds, with one of their record signings such an important figure with his blistering pace and improved end product, even though he is still searching for his first Premier League goal of the season.

The £75,000-a-week ace has the match-winning ability to decide what promises to be a close game away to Burnley, and even if he comes on as an impact substitute, simply having him in the squad will give the Whites a better chance of victory.

Whilst Spain did manage to return to their European throne last summer and are among the favourites to win the 2026 World Cup, it’ll take some doing to match the dominance that they enjoyed in the 2000s.

As Barcelona and Real Madrid battled it out for the club throne, it was Spain who benefitted on the international stage. Stars such as Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique put their rivalries aside to put the very best to the sword and leave several countries in their wake. It was the era of the El Clasico at its best from September to May, but collective Spanish dominance from then onwards.

With Vincente Del Bosque in charge, the Spaniards defeated the Netherlands in last-gasp fashion to win the World Cup in the 2010 World Cup. They then thrashed Italy two years later to win Euro 2012 in their second-consecutive European Championship win after victory in 2008. And it was in that 2012 game that Xavi particularly starred.

The Barcelona legend was often at the centre of the beauty that was Spain’s side at their peak. He was their controller – the conductor of a side so capable of ending summers with the perfect crescendo – and without him, there may have been no World Cup and there may have been no European Championships. He was that influential.

Yet, even one of the best midfielders of all time had no choice but to admit that another star man is the most talented player in Spain’s history. Simply put, as good as Xavi was, another star stands tall as the best that the country has ever seen.

Xavi: Iniesta is Spain's "most talented" player ever

From Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi to Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol, Barcelona enjoyed some incredible combinations during their best years, but perhaps none as perfect as Xavi and Andres Iniesta. The Spanish duo were untouchable when together with Sergio Busquets and all three took that invincibility to the international stage.

As good as all three were, however, Xavi only had one answer when selecting Spain’s “most talented” player in history – claiming that Iniesta is the country’s true standout.

Whether the likes of Lamine Yamal eventually overtake Iniesta’s legacy is a debate for another time. Of course, if he does intend to do so, then he’ll need to find a way to beat the former midfielder’s iconic winning goal against the Netherlands in 2010. Over to you, Lamine.

شارك نجم فريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، في التدريبات الاستعدادية اليوم الجمعة قبل مباراة الأسبوع المقبل ضد خصمه مانشستر يونايتد، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويستضيف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة ليفربول ومانشستر يونايتد، في قمة منافسات الجولة الثامنة من الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26.

وفقد ليفربول صدارة الدوري الإنجليزي بعدما خسر أمام تشيلسي بهدفين لهدف في الجولة السابعة، في حين فاز آرسنال على وست هام بهدفين دون رد.

ويسعى ليفربول إلى مصالحة جماهيره، ليس فقط بسبب الخسارة أمام تشيلسي، ولكن كونه تعرض للهزيمة في 3 مباريات متتالية في مختلف المسابقات، حيث سقط أمام كريستال بالاس وجالطة سراي، بخلاف البلوز.

اقرأ أيضًا | مستشهدًا بـ محمد صلاح.. سلوت يرد على انتقادات أداء فلوريان فيرتز مع ليفربول

وأجرى لاعبو ليفربول تدريبات استعدادية اليوم الجمعة من أجل مباراة الأحد ضد مانشستر يونايتد، بعد عودة كافة اللاعبين من معسكراتهم الدولية بعد انتهاء فترة توقف شهر أكتوبر.

وظهر محمد صلاح في تدريبات ليفربول، استعدادًا لخصمه المفضل مانشستر يونايتد، حيث بدا في حالة جيدة للغاية وسجل هدفًا رائعًا حسبما نُشر عبر الحساب الرسمي للنادي.

On target at the @AXA Training Centre 🎯 #Ad pic.twitter.com/UvqozWlVZH — Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 17, 2025

ويأمل محمد صلاح استعادة مستواه بعدما تعرض لبعض الانتقادات مؤخرًا حيث لم يسجل إلا هدفين في الموسم الحالي من الدوري الإنجليزي، أحدهما من ضربة جزاء.

ويُعد مانشستر يونايتد الخصم المفضل لـ محمد صلاح حيث ساهم في 19 هدفًا أمامهم، بواقع 13 هدفًا و6 أسيست.

It has not been easy for Everton to find a suitable replacement for Anthony Gordon. The former Toffees star was once the jewel in the crown on the Blue side of Merseyside, but after forcing through a move to Newcastle United in January 2023 for £45m, he burnt the bridges he’d built.

However, Gordon’s time at Goodison Park was a fruitful one, where he showed great promise before his move to the North East. He scored seven times and assisted eight in 78 appearances for his boyhood club, after properly breaking into the first team in 2019/20.

It took the Toffees a while to find a marquee replacement on the left wing, but in Jack Grealish, they may have landed on the perfect player.

Grealish’s stunning start at Everton

After falling out of favour at Manchester City in the last 12 months or so, it was time for Grealish to depart the club for pastures anew. His start to life at the Hill Dickinson Stadium has been simply exceptional.

The England international has only made four appearances in that famous Blue shirt, but you can already see the sort of impact he will have on the club. He’s assisted four goals already, with two each in Premier League games against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brighton and Hove Albion.

Grealish played a huge part in the first competitive goal at the Toffees’ new stadium, when he set up Iliman Ndiaye to score against the Seagulls. It was a smart piece of skill from the new Everton number 18, who managed to create space for himself and whip in a pinpoint cross.

The reaction to Grealish’s start as an Everton player has been nothing but positive. Manager David Moyes said the forward is “he’s better than I thought he was”, highlighting the real impact Grealish has made already.

It is fair to say that the England international is finally proving to be the perfect replacement for Gordon after over two years. Yet, the Toffees may have sold someone long before, who is playing like both forwards.

Alex Iwobi is now shining away from Everton

So, with Gordon now plying his trade up in the North East, and Grealish enjoying his new lease of life on Merseyside, it seems like that issue is in the past. Yet, Toffees fans may look back on a player who could have slotted into their attack and wish they’d kept him.

Described as a “world-class” operator with the ball at his feet by Statman Dave, Alex Iwobi, once of Everton, is now thriving in West London for Fulham. The versatile attacker has shone under Marco Silva, just as he once did in that famous Blue shirt.

In total, the Nigerian international played 140 times for Everton, operating on both wings and as a number ten. He contributed to nine goals and 17 assists, with his final campaign on Merseyside yielding ten Premier League goal involvements.

Since his £22m move to Craven Cottage in 2023, the versatile attacker has played 81 times for the club. In that time, he’s bagged 15 goals and assisted nine, and produced an impressive 15 goals and assists last season.

The former Arsenal academy star was putting up similar numbers to Grealish and Gordon in 2024/25, while operating in that left channel, with the latter duo noted to be statistically similar players to him in the Premier League, as per FBref.

For example, Iwobi averaged 6.44 progressive passes each game. In comparison, Grealish averaged 6.5 progressive passes and Gordon far less, with just 3.63 per 90 minutes. There are several other standout numbers, too.

Goals and assists

0.45

0.25

0.41

Progressive passes

6.44

6.5

3.63

Goal-creating actions

0.48

0.25

0.44

Carries into final third

3.17

2.88

3.3

Ball recoveries

4.23

3.25

3.59

Last term’s efforts were certainly impressive from Iwobi, who has seemingly gone from strength to strength after his move back to London. It seems like, with those stats, the former Arsenal academy star could have been a key player under Moyes.

Although life at the Hill Dickinson Stadium is good for the moment, perhaps Toffees fans wish they had never lost a talent like Iwobi, who could have been a vital part of the side.

Silva sold "world-class" Everton star, now he's worth more than Grealish

Everton must rue letting this top star go, who is now worth more than new Toffees ace Jack Grealish.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 2, 2025

Harry Kane is chasing down a goal-scoring record set by Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland as he continues to make more history with Bayern Munich. The England captain was in fine form on Saturday as he scored a hat-trick in the Bavarian side's 4-1 win over Hoffenheim. This was Kane's ninth hat-trick since moving to Germany in 2023.

• Kane rewrites Bundesliga history with latest goals

  With a hat-trick against Hoffenheim on Saturday, Kane reached 70 goals in the Bundesliga for Bayern Munich in just 67 appearances, which is the quickest any footballer has reached the 70-goal mark in the league's history.

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• Getty
  

  Kane aiming to break Ronaldo & Haaland's record

  Kane has now scored 98 goals for Bayern in 103 appearances across all competitions. He will be the quickest player to reach the 100-goal mark in a top-five European League if he nets a brace against Werder Bremen next Friday. Right now, that record is jointly held by Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland, who achieved the feat in 105 matches for Real Madrid and Manchester City respectively.

• German media offer apology to Kane

  The English forward has received an apology from a German journalist, who had questioned Bayern's decision to pay €100m to Tottenham for a striker entering his thirties. The journalist took back his words and praised Kane's strict discipline and work ethic.

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• AFP
  

  Neymar's Champions League record also in sight

  After facing Werder Bremen on Friday, Vincent Kompany's side will travel to Cyprus for their Champions League fixture against Pafos. If he scores a brace there, Kane will overtake Neymar's Champions League goals tally of 43.

Alisha Lehmann has scored her first goal for Como Women, allowing her iconic fishing celebration to be broken out. The Swiss took on a new challenge in Italy over the summer after severing ties with Serie A champions Juventus. She is up and running with her new employers, with the tricky forward all smiles after opening her account with a slightly fortuitous strike.

• New challenge: Why Lehmann left Turin

  Lehmann is embracing the project in Como on and off the field, as they look to break down barriers. She has been helping to do that throughout her career after becoming one of the most recognisable players in the women’s game.

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• Watch Lehmann score first Como goal

• Swiss star hoping for more regular game time

  She was able to savour tangible success with Juve last season, as they secured a domestic double, but was never a guaranteed starter for the Turin giants. More regular game time will be enjoyed with Como.

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• Slice of luck for Lehmann in Como goal

  Lehmann has been making an immediate impact in new surroundings, with her latest outing seeing her hit the back of the net. Said effort was aided by a considerable deflection, which took the ball away from the goalkeeper.

Rutherford and Motie put on a WI record ninth-wicket stand but it was in vain

Andrew Fidel Fernando23-Oct-2024

Sherfane Rutherford and Gudakesh Motie put on a record-breaking 119-run ninth-wicket stand, before Motie and Alzarri Joseph struck once apiece inside the powerplay. Aside from these stretches of dominance though, Sri Lanka ran away with the game.Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, and Asitha Fernando had sent West Indies crashing to 58 for 8, before that ninth-wicket resistance came. Then, after the loss of two early wickets, Sri Lanka recovered through a 62-run partnership between Sadeera Samarawickrama and Nishan Madushka, before the in-form Charith Asalanka came in to produce a fluent half-century, and take Sri Lanka to a substantial victory, and another series victory under his fledgling captaincy.Though the pitch for this 44-over match – drizzle had delayed the start by two hours – was exceedingly spin friendly (it was the same track used for Sunday’s game), 190 was always going to be a challenge to defend. Where Sri Lanka’s spinners were able to be consistently menacing, often getting significant turn even off faster deliveries, West Indies’ slow bowlers did not quite have the same impact.Motie was their best slow bowler, conceding only 18 from his nine overs, and taking the wicket of Kusal Mendis. But legspinner Hayden Walsh was underwhelming, guilty of pitching far too short and being picked off – he went for 41 runs off his five overs. Roston Chase was also only moderately effective. In fact it was seamer Alzarri Joseph who collected the innings’ best figures of 2 for 30.Although Hasaranga would go on to get more wickets, it was Theekshana who was the best of Sri Lanka’s slow bowlers, and Theekshana who set the collapse in motion with a gorgeous offbreak that beat the outside of left-hander Alick Athanaze’s bat and clip off stump. The offbreak turned big on this surface, and he threatened both right-handers and left-handers with it, going to the carrom ball only occasionally. The lines Theekshana bowled were mostly impeccable.Later, a big offbreak would sneak between Keacy Carty’s bat and pad and rattle his stumps as well, before a slider beat the wild reverse-swipe that Walsh attempted off Theekshana in the 15th over. He collected figures of 3 for 25 off nine overs.Hasaranga’s googlies were doing their usual damage, with Chase suckered in by one that was flighted beautifully. Hasaranga had to work less hard for the wickets of Romario Shepherd, and Alzarri Joseph, who didn’t fancy picking him. He’d take the final wicket of the innings too, getting Jayden Seales caught and bowled, and took home the game’s best figures of 4 for 40.Sherfane Rutherford and Gudakesh Motie put on a record 119 runs for the ninth wicket•AFP/Getty Images

Fernando’s 3 for 35 was especially impressive on a track that did not favour him. He dismissed Brandon King with a surprise bouncer that King played at too early, before bowling Shai Hope with a slightly back of a length delivery that the batter dragged on to his stumps. That he broke the big Rutherford-Motie stand was also significant, even if the wicket of Rutherford came off a low full toss.In fact, Rutherford had been struggling terribly before Motie joined him at the crease in the 16th over and provided the early impetus for their partnership. The No. 10 struck important boundaries, off Hasaranga especially, and by the end of the 25th over had 35 runs to Rutherford’s 33, though Rutherford had been there longer and faced more balls.This is the point at which Rutherford began to attack however, having earlier seemed bewildered by every spinner Sri Lanka employed against him. There were suddenly sixes down the ground and on the legside from Rutherford – one hoick over deep square leg off Asalanka’s bowling taking him to his half century, off 57 balls. He continued to hit out until he was caught on the deep square leg boundary in the 35th over, having hit four sixes and seven fours. His 80 off 82 was the highest score in the game.Later, after Samarawickrama and Madushka – both of whom made 38 – had lifted Sri Lanka out of immediate danger, Asalanka’s entry into the game sent them smoothly off towards the five-wicket victory that would eventuate with 34 balls remaining.The hallmark of a good Asalanka innings is his early boundary-striking ability, and so it was here – spotting a full delivery outside off from the opposition’s best seamer second ball, Asalanka creamed it through point for four. In Joseph’s next over, Asalanka crashed him through square leg and drilled him through cover for two more fours, having also slog-swept Roston Chase for a boundary in between. In a flash he was on 20 off 14.Though the tempo slowed, he got to his half century off the 48th ball he faced, and went on to shepherd Sri Lanka home, remaining not out on 62 off 61 balls.