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The fastest fifties in IPL history, featuring some of the world’s mightiest hitters

ESPNcricinfo staff03-May-20251:12

Chawla: Very little margin for error against Shepherd

Yashasvi Jaiswal (13 balls) Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2023

Yashasvi Jaiswal, 21, ripped up the IPL record books, slamming the league’s fastest half-century, off 13 balls. He made a two-paced pitch look like a belter to reignite their IPL campaign. Surprisingly, KKR captain Nitish Rana gave himself the new ball and the move backfired, with Jaiswal hitting 26 runs off the opening over. The other Rana – Harshit – wasn’t spared either as Jaiswal chopped the fast bowler behind point and flat-batted him down the ground for fours. Jaiswal also laid into Shardul Thakur and brought up his half-century inside three overs. Jaiswal threatened to convert it into a hundred, but the target wasn’t big enough. Eventually, Royals hunted down 150 with nine wickets and almost seven overs to spare.

Romario Shepherd (14 balls) Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings, IPL 2025

At the start of the 19th over, RCB were 159 for 5, having slumped alarmingly following quick fifties from openers Jacob Bethell and Virat Kohli. They had scored just 45 in their previous seven overs, for the loss of four wickets, but proceeded to score an astonishing 54 off their last two overs, setting a new IPL record for most runs across the 19th and 20th overs. Romario Shepherd faced all but one of the last 12 legal balls and hammered six sixes and two fours off Khaleel Ahmed and Matheesha Pathirana, en route to an unbeaten 53 off just 14 balls.BCCI

Pat Cummins (14 balls), Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians, IPL 2022

Chasing 162, KKR slipped to 83 for 4 in 12 overs on a challenging Pune pitch. Pat Cummins, though, came in at No.6 and hoicked the second ball he faced for six. In the next over, Cummins took Jasprit Bumrah for a six and a four to raise KKR’s hopes. He then smashed Daniel Sams for 6,4,6,6, 2 (nb), 4,6 to zoom to 56 off 15 balls and seal victory for his side.BCCI

KL Rahul (14 balls), Kings XI Punjab vs Delhi Daredevils, IPL 2018

For nearly four seasons, the record for the fastest fifty in the IPL stood at 15 balls, before KL Rahul went berserk with a flurry of boundaries on his debut for Kings XI Punjab. A fortunate top-edged six off Trent Boult kicked things off, before he unveiled an array of exquisite cover drives and pulls off Mohammad Shami’s first over. At 27 off nine balls, the fastest fifty seemed some way away, until he smashed Amit Mishra’s undisciplined first over for 24 runs to eclipse the previous mark by a single ball. He soon got out trying to whip Boult through the legside, only to be caught at short third man off the leading edge. By then, though, he had taken his place at the very top of a list of the IPL’s elite hitters.BCCI

Sunil Narine (15 balls), Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, IPL 2017

After their destructive opener Chris Lynn injured his shoulder early in the 2017 season, Kolkata Knight Riders experimented with Sunil Narine as a pinch-hitting opener. He got them off to some quick starts and showed enough ability to retain his position as an opener when Lynn returned. Chasing 159 in Bengaluru, Lynn and Narine decided they wanted to try and finish the game inside 10 overs. Both went ballistic, but it was Narine who raced Lynn to a 50. He went after fellow Trinidadian Samuel Badree, hitting him for three sixes in a row, before smashing three fours in a row off S Aravind. When he lofted seamer S Aravind into the stands beyond long-on, Narine equalled the record for the fastest half-century in the IPL.Yusuf Pathan struck the fastest IPL fifty•BCCI

Yusuf Pathan (15 balls), Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, IPL 2014

Yusuf Pathan’s innings came in his side’s final league game, in which they had to chase 161 in 15.2 overs to get two shots at qualifying for the final. After being dropped twice early on in his innings, Yusuf made the most of it, mowing Dale Steyn for 26 runs in an over, ensuring Knight Riders closed out the chase in just 14.2 overs.Associated Press

Nicholas Pooran (15 balls), Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, IPL 2023

Chasing a mammoth 213 against Royal Challengers, Pooran came in with Super Giants still needing 114 from 56 balls. From 10 off five deliveries at one stage, Pooran ended with a 19-ball 62; seven of those deliveries were dispatched for six, while four went for fours. He reached his half-century off just 15 deliveries, mercilessly going after every bowler. By the time he was dismissed, Super Giants needed just 24 off 18, and would end up edging a one-wicket win.Associated Press

Jake Fraser-McGurk (15 balls), Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, IPL 2024

Jake Fraser-McGurk made a mark early in his maiden IPL season, smashing a 15-ball fifty in just his third match, although in a losing cause. Chasing a mammoth 267 against SRH, Fraser-McGurk tried to do his bit at No. 3. After starting with two dot balls, he struck four fours in the next six balls before smashing three sixes against Washington Sundar. He handed the same treatment to Mayank Markande as well, to reach the half-century off 15 balls, and eventually finished on 65 off 18, an innings studded with seven sixes and five fours.AFP/Getty Images

Jake Fraser-McGurk (15 balls), Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians, IPL 2024

Fraser-McGurk matched his feat seven days later, against MI, and this time batting first to haul his team to 257. Opening the batting in a day game, Fraser-McGurk started took on Mark Wood off the first ball of the game. After carting Wood around the park in a 19-run over, Fraser-McGurk also struck a six and four off Jasprit Bumrah in the second over, which went for 18. He brought up his fifty by dispatching Piyush Chawla over long-on for six, followed by a four, before tearing into Hardik Pandya in a 20-run over full of boundaries down the ground. He eventually fell for a stunning 84 off 27, holing out off Chawla, after setting things up nicely for the middle order.

And who is the oldest man to debut for Pakistan in Tests?

Steven Lynch28-Oct-2025The Afghanistan seamer Ziaur Rahman took 7 for 97 in the first innings of his Test debut. Where does this stand overall for debut performances? asked Len Harrison from England

Ziaur Rahman’s figures of 7 for 97 against Zimbabwe in Harare last week are the best on debut for Afghanistan, beating Amir Hamza’s 5 for 74 against West Indies in Lucknow in 2019. Nijat Masood took 5 for 79 on his debut, against Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2023.Ziaur, whose only previous international was a T20I against Ireland more than six years previously, was the 24th man to take seven or more wickets in an innings on Test debut (there have been 26 instances, as Bob Massie and Narendra Hirwani took two lots of eight in their first match). The best figures of all by a player in his first Test are 8 for 43, by Albert Trott for Australia against England in Adelaide in 1895. There have also been three instances in women’s Tests.All seven of Ziaur’s victims were bowled or lbw: he’s the first to take seven wickets in an innings on Test debut without any help from a fielder. The Pakistan pair of Mohammad Nazir (7 for 99 against New Zealand in Karachi in 1969) and Mohammad Zahid (7 for 66 against New Zealand in Rawalpindi late in 1996) both had six, plus one to a catch by a fielder. The only previous players to take an unassisted five-for on Test debut were the old England pair of Douglas Carr (5 for 146 in his only Test, against Australia at The Oval in 1909) and Wally Hammond (5 for 36 against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1927), and Pakistan’s Shahid Nazir, with 5 for 53 against Zimbabwe in Sheikhupura in 1996.When did Zimbabwe last win a Test by an innings? asked Tinashe Ndlovu from Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s big win over Afghanistan in Harare last week was their 15th win in all Tests – they have played 129 now – but only the third by an innings. The first of those was by an innings and 64 runs over Pakistan in Harare in 1995, and they also beat Bangladesh by an innings and 32 in Bulawayo in 2001.Last week’s win was Zimbabwe’s second in six months, but their first at home for more than 12 years, since they beat Pakistan by 24 runs in Harare in 2013.Asif Afridi is the third-oldest player to debut for Pakistan in men’s Tests•AFP/Getty ImagesWhat was the most overs bowled by spinners in an ODI before West Indies used them for all 50 against Bangladesh recently? asked Jason Jandu from England

You’re right that the West Indian spinners bowled all 50 overs in last week’s ODI against Bangladesh in Mirpur: Akeal Hosein (who only arrived in Dhaka a few hours earlier), Roston Chase, Khary Pierre, Gudakesh Motie and Alick Athanaze all delivered their full allocation of ten overs. It worked – just – as West Indies won in a Super Over after a tie.Before this there had been three ODI innings which contained 44 overs from spinners, all of them by Sri Lanka: against West Indies in Port-of-Spain in 1996, New Zealand in Colombo in 1998, and Australia in Dambulla in 2004.Two Indians scored centuries in their Women’s World Cup match against New Zealand last week. Has this happened before in a World Cup match? asked Milind Ekanth from India

India’s openers Pratika Rawal (122) and Smriti Mandhana (109) both scored centuries in an imposing total of 340 for 3 against New Zealand in Navi Mumbai last week. This was the ninth occasion a Women’s World Cup innings had contained two centuries. Mandhana was also involved in the previous instance, against West Indies in Hamilton (New Zealand) in 2022, when she scored 123 and Harmanpreet Kaur 109.Asif Afridi made his Test debut last week aged 38. Is he the oldest to win a first cap for Pakistan? asked Akhtar Nasir from Pakistan

Slow left-armer Asif Afridi was born on Christmas Day in 1986, so was around 38 years ten months old when he made his Test debut last week against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.Two players made their debuts for Pakistan when older, both in the 1950s. Offspinner Miran Bakhsh was 47 years 284 days old when he played against India in Lahore in 1955, and legspinner Amir Elahi was 45 days past his 44th birthday against India in Delhi in October 1952. That was Pakistan’s inaugural Test match: Elahi had previously played one Test for India, aged 39 in 1947-48.The next oldest debutant for Pakistan was seamer Tabish Khan, who was 36 years 146 days old when he won his only cap, against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2021. For the list of the oldest debutants from all countries, click here.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Manchester United have endured a superb upturn in form over the last couple of weeks, with the squad now finally reaping the rewards of the faith shown in the manager.

Ruben Amorim was a man under pressure a couple of months ago, especially after the Red Devils endured yet another dismal start to a Premier League campaign.

The 40-year-old has since led the first-team squad to five games unbeaten in England’s top-flight – a run which is undoubtedly the best during his 12-month spell at Old Trafford.

Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur showcased their ability to bounce back from losing positions – something which may have been difficult in 2024/25.

There’s little disputing that the club are certainly on the up under Amorim’s guidance, but his side could be further improved during the upcoming January transfer window.

Man Utd’s hunt for new additions in January

Over the last couple of weeks, United have been one of the sides touted with a move to land Palmeiras centre forward Vitor Roque after his impressive form in 2025.

The Brazilian youngster has scored 16 times in his 30 league appearances this calendar year, currently sitting as the division’s second top scorer at present.

His form has led to links to the Red Devils, but it would be yet another expensive addition, with the Serie A outfit currently demanding a fee in the region of £42m for his signature.

In terms of big-money additions, the Red Devils have also been touted with another move for Elliot Anderson after his incredible rise at Nottingham Forest this campaign.

According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, United have already made contact with the Reds over a deal for the central midfielder, who’s also become an England international regular in recent months.

However, the journalist has also confirmed that any deal would set the hierarchy back upwards of £100m-£120m this January – a deal that would break the club record fee paid for Paul Pogba back in 2016.

Why Anderson would finally get Sesko firing

During their £200m spending spree in the summer, the United hierarchy forked out a fee in the region of £74m for the signature of Benjamin Sesko from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.

Given the magnitude of such a fee, real expectations were placed on the Slovenian to provide the goods and lead the line for Amorim’s men in 2025/26.

However, his time at Old Trafford to date has been a huge disappointment, with the 22-year-old only finding the net twice in his first 11 Premier League outings for the Red Devils.

Sesko is currently four games without a goal in England’s top-flight, even being dropped to the substitutes bench and limited to just half an hour in the draw against Spurs.

He will no doubt need time to settle into life in England’s top-flight, but he could be aided in his attempts for success at Old Trafford should the board secure the services of Anderson this winter.

It would no doubt be a mammoth investment if they were to land the 23-year-old, but such a move would provide Sesko with the ammunition he needs to thrive in front of goal.

Anderson, who’s been dubbed “sensational” by Matt Forde, has completed 1.3 take-ons per 90 – ranking him in the top 3% of all midfielders in the division at present.

The aforementioned tally showcases his ability to get the ball into attacking areas, which could provide the forwards ahead of him with the chances they need to impress.

He’s also 8.6 passes into the final third per 90 – with such a tally the highest of any player in the Premier League this season, highlighting his talents with the ball at his feet.

Other figures, such as 8.8 progressive passes and 1.4 key passes per 90, further demonstrate his talents at finding a teammate – with such numbers perfectly falling into the hands of Sesko.

The prospect of Anderson linking up with Bruno Fernandes is truly an exciting one, with the United fans potentially blessed with one of the best duos in the league.

If the youngster can replicate such numbers, there’s no reason why he can’t help Sesko finally kickstart his career in England – even if a deal would cost the hierarchy a club-record fee.

Man Utd "monster" is fast becoming their new Vidic and it's not De Ligt

Ruben Amorim may have uncovered Manchester United’s new Nemanja Vidic.

1

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 11, 2025

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim recently revealed that captain Bruno Fernandes will have to be rotated and rested when they are back in Europe in the future.

When asked about resting the skipper, the manager said: “In the future, yes, is something that Bruno needs to understand. If you want to win every game that you are a part, with European games, is going to have to rotate. So good question, just for Bruno to put in his head, that maybe next year he’s going to be in rotation in the team.”

On top of that, there has also been speculation over the Portugal international’s long-term future at Old Trafford, amid links with a move away from the club in the upcoming transfer windows.

The latest on Bruno Fernandes' future at Manchester United

Last month, it was reported that the former Sporting star has a release clause in his contract with the Red Devils, which can only be activated by teams outside of England.

It was claimed that the release clause in his deal stands at £56.68m, for any team outside of this country, but it remains to be seen if there are any clubs willing to pay that.

The attacking midfielder turned down a move to Saudi Arabia, with Al Hilal, in the summer and revealed that money is not the driving force for his career, as he has not achieved everything that he wants to at Old Trafford, which also casts doubt over whether or not the United star would even want to move on.

Whether it is because Amorim has rested or rotated him, or if it is because he moves on from the club, United will be looking for the next man to wear the armband when Bruno is not on the pitch.

Harry Maguire, Tom Heaton, Diogo Dalot, Lisandro Martinez, and Noussair Mazraoui were named in the leadership group alongside Bruno in the summer, whilst Matthijs de Ligt has captained Ajax in the past, but there is another star who is looking like the manager’s new captain.

The Man United star who could be the next captain

Defensive midfielder Casemiro has led by example on the pitch in the Premier League this season and is showing that he has the attributes required to be Manchester United’s captain.

Whilst some may point to de Ligt, with his captaincy at other clubs, as a potential successor or stand-in for Bruno, Casemiro has the edge over him because of what he has achieved in the game.

The Brazil international, who has been hailed as a “monster” by Statman Dave, won five Champions League trophies and three LaLiga titles during his time with Real Madrid, per Transfermarkt, and he has been capped 81 times by his country.

Casemiro has started nine of his ten appearances in the Premier League this season, per Sofascore, and produced three goals and one assist from central midfield, whilst also offering defensive protection in front of the backline.

As you can see in the table above, the experienced Brazilian ranks highly among his positional peers in a host of key defensive metrics, which speaks to the quality that he provides for the Red Devils.

The 33-year-old star is coming towards the latter stages of his career, but that may be what makes him ideally suited to captain the club in Bruno’s absence, whether that comes through further rotations of the team or a move elsewhere.

Casemiro has an exceptional career behind him that commands respect from his teammates, he is a regular starter, and his performances this season have been superb.

These are the ingredients of a captain. Someone who others will surely listen to in the dressing room and will set an example on the pitch with his behaviour and performances.

Man Utd hold discussions to sign "unique" teen sensation ahead of Real Madrid

The Red Devils are looking to get one over the Spanish giants.

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 15, 2025

Therefore, Casemiro is currently looking like he could be Amorim’s new captain, if Bruno is rotated or leaves the club, instead of de Ligt, who does not have the same career and standing in the game behind him.

The India men’s and women’s teams are currently playing international cricket without a team sponsor

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Sep-2025Apollo Tyres has replaced Dream 11 as the lead sponsor of the Indian cricket teams, the BCCI announced on Tuesday.The board’s new sponsorship deal with Apollo is for two and a half years and will run until March 2028. It is worth Rs 579 crore (US$ 65.7 million approx), according to a PTI report.”The new partnership, secured after a rigorous bidding process, represents a substantial increase in sponsorship value, signifying the immense and growing commercial appeal of Indian cricket,” the BCCI said in a statement.The BCCI needed a new lead team sponsor after the Indian government passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025 in August banning real-money gaming, which was Dream 11’s core business, forcing them to withdraw from their contract.The men’s team is currently playing the Asia Cup in the UAE without a sponsor and so is the women’s team in their ongoing bilateral ODI series against Australia.Dream11 had a US$ 44 million (INR 358 crore approx.) deal with the BCCI for the period 2023 to 2026 before they pulled out. On September 2, the BCCI began the process to secure a new sponsor by releasing an invitation for expression of interest for the lead sponsorship rights and the deadline to submit a bid was September 16. The BCCI had specified that alcohol brands, betting or gambling services, cryptocurrency, online money gaming, tobacco brands, or any product or service likely to “offend public morals such as, including but not limited to, pornography” were not eligible to submit a bid to become the team sponsor.

Nacho Monreal has joined a growing list of ex-Arsenal stars who have come out in defence of former team-mate Mesut Ozil, claiming he was unfairly scapegoated for his work ethic. Ozil joined the Gunners from Real Madrid in 2013 for a then-club record fee of £42.5 million and was heralded as a player who could usher in a new era at the Emirates Stadium. However, the German World Cup winner was regularly called out for supposedly acting lazily on the pitch.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Ozil's hot-and-cold tendencies at Arsenal

  Ozil spent eight years on the books at Arsenal, contributing 77 assists and 44 goals in 254 appearances. He arrived in north London as a genuine footballing superstar after impressing in a three-season stint for Madrid, though went down as one of the Premier League's most polarising players. Despite being an outrageously gifted technician and one of the world's leading playmakers, Ozil was derided for his languid body language.

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• Oxlade-Chamberlain reignites old debate

  During an appearance on Ben Foster's Fozcast podcast, Oxlade-Chamberlain, who played alongside Ozil for four seasons before joining Liverpool, claimed the German received unwarranted pelters for his performances.

  Oxlade-Chamberlain said: "Mesut was fun to play with and there was definitely an element with Mesut that was like, mad respect for him.

  "That aura that he brings, it was always like, 'I want to do a one-two with Mesut here'. Or I'd try and find him and he'd appreciate anything really good.

  "By the way, the conception of Mesut being lazy, absolute nonsense. Like, that fella would run 11.5k every game off the ball. Runs in behind.

  "People just see, if he gives it away, is he going to start sprinting? That wasn't part of his game but the amount of running he did off the ball and people were saying he's lazy, I'm like, just look at the stats. You got no clue how much running he does off the ball."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Monreal defends 'favourite player' Ozil

  In an interview with GOAL, in association with BetMGM, Monreal backed up Oxlade-Chamberlain's testimony of Ozil and even went as far as calling the No.10 his 'favourite player'.

  "I completely agree with Alex," Monreal said. "In my opinion, in my time as an Arsenal player, I think Mesut was one of the best players, my favourite player, probably the most technical player.

  "People expected a bit more from him, but in my opinion, every time he played for Arsenal, he played well. He scored a lot of goals, made very many assists, he always tried to help the team.

  "I don't know why people say that [Ozil is lazy]. I have great memories of Mesut."

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• Ozil's decline and unceremonious Arsenal exit

  Though Ozil helped win three FA Cups under legendary manager Arsene Wenger, he was not a favourite of the Frenchman's successors, Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta, and was left out of their Premier League squad for the 2020-21 campaign.

  "Upon signing my new contract in 2018, I pledged my loyalty and allegiance to the club that I love, Arsenal, and it saddens me that this has not been reciprocated," Ozil wrote on Twitter. "I've always tried to remain positive from week to week that there's maybe a chance to get back in the squad soon again. That's why I kept silent so far.

  "Before the coronavirus break I was really happy with my development under our new coach Mikel Arteta – we've been on a positive way and I would say my performances were on a really good level. But then things changed, again, and I was no longer allowed to play football for Arsenal. No matter what, I will keep fighting for my chance and not let my eighth season at Arsenal end like this."

  His contract at the Emirates Stadium was terminated in January 2021 in order to facilitate a free transfer to boyhood club Fenerbahce. Ozil made 37 appearances for Fener in all competitions before heading to neighbours Istanbul Basaksehir for the 2022-23 season, though played only seven times before deciding to bring the curtain down on his career due to persistent injury struggles.

Neither a new-ball spell from Jasprit Bumrah nor a confrontation with Virat Kohli could faze the young debutant

Alex Malcolm26-Dec-20241:51

Manjrekar explains how Konstas took down Bumrah

A star is born. No ordinary star either. It was a supernova that exploded onto the global stage with 65 balls of the most electric batting ever seen on Boxing Day.Sam Konstas has arrived and made his name. Nineteen-year-olds aren’t supposed to do what he did. They’re definitely not supposed to do what he did to Jasprit Bumrah.He is the fourth-youngest Australian to make his Test debut, and he scored the third-fastest half-century on debut by an Australian and the fastest by an opener.Related

• Konstas taking on Bumrah 'no surprise' to his coach Tahmid Islam

• Will Sam Konstas be the David Warner Australia are missing?

• Konstas on taking on Bumrah: 'That's the beauty of being young and a bit naive'

• Konstas' debut, Bumrah's riposte highlight Boxing Day

• Konstas looks 19, behaves 30, and is unfazed about a Test debut at the MCG

But it was what he did to Bumrah that was the most extraordinary. He toyed with the man who has tormented Australia in this series and took the most runs off him in one spell of any Test batter to have ever faced him.The man Konstas replaced, Nathan McSweeney, scored 15 off 66 balls with four dismissals against Bumrah in three Test matches. Usman Khawaja had scored 4 for 27 in 70 balls and Marnus Labuschange had 2 for 13 in 70 balls in the same games.Konstas smashed an unbeaten 34 off 33 off Bumrah, including 18 in an over. Bumrah has never conceded more in a Test over. Konstas hit him for two sixes. Only Jos Buttler has done that before and he wasn’t opening the batting on debut. And no batter had hit him for six in Test cricket since January 2021.”I’ll look to keep targeting him,” Konstas told the Fox Cricket broadcast when interviewed on the flying mic at the first drinks break. “Hopefully he might come back on.”Mohammed Siraj sledged Konstas. The kid charged against Siraj and slapped him through point for a boundary next ball and gave it right back to him, revving the crowd up with a hand gesture shortly after. Virat Kohli deliberately walked into Konstas’ line when he had his head down and bumped shoulders with him before telling the kid to “watch where he’s going”. Konstas stood his ground and gave it right back to India’s cricketing king.When asked about the exchange, Konstas said, “Whatever [happens] on the field stays on the field.”One former Australian player suggested privately that Konstas might be the most fearless of any Australian debutant in the history of Test cricket.Sam Konstas used the ramp to counter Jasprit Bumrah•Getty ImagesAll the credit in the world must go to Konstas for the show he put on to put Australia in a commanding position at lunch on the opening day. He did need a lot of luck, but it came because of some extraordinary bravery.Some credit though must also go to Australia’s selectors. They agonised over dropping McSweeney. But they concluded that while he was good enough for Test cricket, and good enough to be selected again, he was not putting any pressure on any of India’s bowlers, especially Bumrah.Chair of selectors George Bailey said they wanted to “throw a different look” at Bumrah and India, and Konstas was that different look.The decision looks like an act of genius now. But after 21 balls it did not. He looked instead like a deer in the headlights. Another poor Australian domestic batter sent to the gallows to be Bumrah’s next victim in front of 87,242 people.Bumrah beat him four times in the first over. Two balls into the next over, he got off the mark with a flick behind square from the first straight delivery. The roar of relief from the crowd showed how invested they were in the young man not being humiliated.Bumrah went back to bending outswingers away from him outside off stump. Then, in his 11th ball in Test cricket, Konstas tried to reverse scoop Bumrah and missed. The gasp from the crowd was the audio version of “WTF”. The replay on the big screen drew nervous laughter from the crowd. The same nervous laughter Khawaja had initially at the other end.He tried another forward defence next ball and was beaten again. Three balls into Bumrah’s next over he tried another reverse scoop and missed. Now the crowd was really murmuring. Phones pinged with messages flying. “WTF is this kid doing? Didn’t know Joe Root was batting for Australia.”Konstas finally got to the other end, courtesy of Khawaja. He charged against Siraj and missed with a wild swipe. He charged again and swatted across the line through the leg side for three runs and earned a death stare from Siraj.Konstas was on 5 off 21 balls and Australia were 12 for 0 after six overs. There was no evidence at this point he was going to do any better than McSweeney had against Bumrah, which would serve only to confirm the theory that there wasn’t a single Australian citizen capable of handling him.Sam Konstas got his fifty off 52 balls•Getty ImagesHow wrong that theory was. Konstas instead proved the theory that if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.Off the first ball of Bumrah’s fourth over the game changed. Konstas shuffled outside off and scooped him over a very fine leg to a mighty roar that was only dulled slightly because landed inches short of going for six.The next shot was even more amazing. He switched hands and reverse scooped Bumrah for six. The audacity was breathtaking. Three balls later he did it again for another boundary. Bumrah went for 14 from the over.To try the shot twice, fail twice, and then try again twice and pull it off twice is evidence of a player who has complete faith in his own ability.There was scant evidence of Konstas playing this shot previously in first-class although he is capable of it in the short forms. He had done it once in the Prime Minister’s XI game off Akash Deep with success. But the score was 50 for 2 in the 14th over of a 50-over game.He is understood to have tried it in his last Sheffield Shield innings of 88 against Western Australia, which made veteran coach Greg Shipperd anxious.He barely practiced it in the nets in the lead in to his Test debut. During Australia’s first optional session on Monday, he reverse scooped one throwdown from Marnus Labuschagne. On Tuesday, he was tormented by Scott Boland and Sean Abbott while trying to defend. He got out to the latter several times but never once tried to reverse scoop him.But this is what makes Konstas unique. Having been mentored by former Australian allrounder and opener Shane Watson, Konstas has a specific mental routine. One of the mental concepts Watson teaches is for players to tap into their “gut feel”. If they feel an option is the right one in the moment, based on their preparation, then instinctively they should take that option and not fear the consequences.Bumrah’s relentless accuracy made the shot an option in the moment, just like Rishabh Pant had done to Scott Boland in Adelaide, and just as England’s Bazballers do to line-and-length bowlers on a regular basis.Konstas was asked at drinks whether he had planned that shot prior to the game and the answer was no.”When the ball was coming down,” he said.It changed the whole complexion of the game. Rohit Sharma relented and moved third slip to deep third. Konstas nicked a ball shortly after that might have been caught by third slip but no one was there.In Bumrah’s sixth and final over of his first spell, Konstas delivered an astonishing assault as the impeccable lines and lengths became scattergun. The scoops were no longer needed. He moved outside leg and thumped him straight of mid-off for four. He pulled one through midwicket for two. He then launched a length ball over long-on for six before carving a low full toss behind point for four. The last ball of the over was lofted over mid-off without timing for two.Bumrah had conceded 18 in the over and 38 in his six-over spell and was pulled from the attack. Konstas was 45 off 44, having scored 40 from his last 23 balls.He raced to 50 in 52, and received an enormous ovation, before unfurling another audacious shot, running at Siraj and clubbing a short ball over midwicket.He finally ran aground trying to defend against Ravindra Jadeja. He was nearly pinned lbw in Jadeja’s second over. Umpire Michael Gough gave him not out and it was umpire’s call on hitting leg. In Jadeja’s third over Gough raised his finger as it was smashing leg stump.Konstas got a standing ovation for 60 off 65 and then wandered back out of the rooms to casually sign autographs and take selfies with the fans near the race.Aside from the Konstas-mania that will undoubtedly ensue, the flow-on effects of his audacious batting for Australia’s team were clear for the world to see. Khawaja, under virtually no pressure at the other end, cruised to his first half-century in 12 innings. The opening partnership yielded 89 in 19.2 overs, the highest opening stand Australia had produced in over 12 months and the highest against India in a Test match since 2018.What was clear too, when Bumrah returned for his second and third spells either side of lunch, was that Konstas’ innings was a complete outlier. Normal service resumed. Khawaja and Labuschagne struggled to score despite Australia’s imposing position. Bumrah bowled three maidens in five overs, conceding just five runs. But the threat of the new ball had gone. Edges fell well short of the cordon. India looked rattled and perplexed.The afterglow of Konstas’ supernova looks spectacular for Australia, in both the short and the long term.

The Houston Astros are set for a reunion with longtime shortstop Carlos Correa after they agreed to a trade with the Minnesota Twins to bring him back ahead of Thursday's trade deadline.

Correa is set to take over at third base in Houston to replace the injured Isaac Paredes, who will miss the rest of the season. The 30-year-old initially left the team after the 2021 season and spent the last four years in Minnesota, but will now to the place where his MLB career started.

Speaking with MLB.com, Correa explained why he opted to waive his no-trade clause for a homecoming with the Astros. He said that the current trajectory of the Twins, who don't figure to be contenders any time soon, wasn't a direction that aligned with what he wanted for his career, so the two sides agreed to find a trade.

"I let them know there was only one team I would allow that to happen," Correa said, via Brian McTaggart.

Correa played the first seven years of his career for the Astros, making two All-Star Games and winning the World Series in 2017. He's under contract through the 2028 season, making an average of $33.3 million per season, though the Twins are expected to take on some of his salary as part of the trade.

With the Astros making some big moves at the deadline, they brought back a franchise favorite in Correa, who made clear there was no other team he'd have been willing to be traded to.

Mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar part of ODI squad but has been demoted to reserves in the T20I side

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Sep-2025Left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi and allrounders Gulbadin Naib and Karim Janat have been left out of Afghanistan’s squads for the upcoming white-ball series against Bangladesh in the UAE.Bashir Ahmad, the tall left-arm seamer, has made both the white-ball squads as a like-for-like replacement for Farooqi. Bashir, 20, is uncapped in international cricket and has 14 T20s so far, taking 12 wickets at an economy rate of 9.06. Top-order batter Wafiullah Tarakhil is the other new face – the 18-year-old has been picked only for the T20Is.In the recent Shpageeza Cricket League, Tarakhil emerged as the third-highest scorer, with 298 runs in nine innings at an average of 37.25 and strike rate of 155.20.Seamer Abdullah Ahmadzai, meanwhile returned to the main T20I side. Both Ahmadzai and Tarakhil were among the reserves for the Asia Cup, where Afghanistan failed to make it out of the league phase.Mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar is part of the main ODI side, but has been named as a reserve player for the T20Is along with batter Rahmat Shah.”After a long six-month break from international cricket following the ICC Champions Trophy, we are now entering a packed season with many T20I games scheduled,” ACB CEO Naseeb Khan said in a statement. “This provides the team with an incredible opportunity to prepare for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup next year.”The performances in the Asia Cup 2025 were not as expected, but ups and downs are part of the game. As always, we remain hopeful that AfghanAtalan will bounce back strongly and make our nation proud in the upcoming events.”Despite the absence of Ghazanfar for the T20Is, Afghanistan have plenty of spin depth in the form of captain Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi.Nangeyalia Kharote has been included in Afghanistan’s ODI squad•ICC/Getty Images

Hashmatullah Shahidi will continue to lead the ODI team, which is also similarly spin-heavy. Rashid, Nabi, Ghazanfar and Nangeyalia Kharote could prove effective in Abu Dhabi as well. Bilal Sami and Faridoon Dawoodzai were named as reserves for the ODIs.Sharjah will host the three T20Is on October 2, 3 and 5 before the teams shift to Abu Dhabi for the three-match T20I series, which will run from October 8 to October 14. This white-ball series will complete the second part of what was originally supposed to be an all-format engagement in July 2024, comprising two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is. The schedule was initially revised to include only white-ball matches, but that series, due to be played in Greater Noida, was postponed with weather conditions and Bangladesh’s packed schedule in mind. The teams played the three-match ODI leg of the tour in November 2024, with Afghanistan winning 2-1.Afghanistan had lost their most recent international fixture against Bangladesh – a T20I in the Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi – by eight runs.

Afghanistan T20I squad

Rashid Khan (capt), Ibrahim Zadran (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mohamamad Ishaq (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Wafiullah Tarakhil, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Bashir Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Abdullah Ahmadzai.Reserves: AM Ghazanfar and Rahmat Shah

Afghanistan ODI squad

Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah (vice-capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharote, AM Ghazanfar, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Bashir Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem SafiReserves: Bilal Sami and Faridoon Dawoodzai