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Tottenham Hotspur have now submitted an enquiry to sign FC Barcelona defender Eric Garcia, with Thomas Frank personally an admirer.

Spurs lost their second game on the bounce on Saturday afternoon, succumbing to a 1-0 defeat at home against Chelsea, and the overall performance was extremely disappointing, recording an xG of just 0.10, their lowest total on record.

They would’ve lost by a greater margin too, if it hadn’t been for Guglielmo Vicario, with the goalkeeper putting in a top display, making seven saves from inside the box and preventing 2.17 goals.

Frank came out to defend two of his players after the match, saying: “We have Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence who are doing everything they can. They perform very well so far this season and everyone is frustrated.”

Van de Ven has been particularly impressive, most notably scoring a brace in the 3-0 victory against Everton last month, but the manager is now looking to sign a new centre-back.

Tottenham make enquiry to sign Eric Garcia

According to a report from Spain, Tottenham have been enquiring about a deal for Garcia for the past few months, with Frank viewing the defender as perfect for his system, given that he is able to play the ball out from the back.

Chelsea are also in the race for the Spaniard, but he is now set to put pen to paper on a new contract with Barcelona to extend his stay beyond 2026, which is news that has come as a shock for the interested Premier League clubs.

With the 24-year-old committed to his boyhood club, Spurs will have to move on to alternative options ahead of the January transfer window.

The north Londoners will no doubt be very disappointed to have seemingly missed out on the centre-back, given that Frank is personally an admirer, while he has also received very high praise from Xavi in the past.

The former Barcelona manager said: “Eric is extraordinary. I value him a lot, he is important to us. He plays in a very complicated position because, at Barca, a centre-back is always exposed. But he is a role model in the dressing room and we value him a lot.”

Tottenham have "one of the most exciting" teenage centre-backs

The 19-time Spain international has also performed very well over the past year, showcasing his passing, tackling and even goal-scoring ability on a regular basis.

Statistic

Average per 90

Non-penalty goals

0.19 (99th percentile)

Passes attempted

83.24 (97th percentile)

Progressive passes

6.99 (98th percentile)

Tackles

2.16 (91st percentile)

A move for Garcia may well be off the cards, but other exciting options remain on the shortlist, with it emerging they are now serious contenders to sign Lazio defender Mario Gila in January, while they already have a highly-rated young centre-back they could call upon.

Bigger talent than VDV: Spurs have "one of the most exciting teenage CBs"

Tottenham Hotspur already have a top-level player on their hands despite Micky Van de Ven’s recent form.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 29, 2025

The National Museum of Australia has acquired the cap, one of just 11 worn by Bradman known to exist

AAP29-Aug-2025A cap worn by Sir Donald Bradman during the 1946-47 Ashes series has been bought by the National Museum of Australia for AU$438,500 (approx US$286,700).The baggy green was acquired by the Canberra museum with the federal government contributing half the cost.Bradman wore the cap when he captained Australia in the 1946-47 series, which was the first to be played against England after World War II.Australia won the five-Test series 3-0 lighting a fuse for the 1948 ‘Invincibles’ tour, where the Aussies went unbeaten in England.Arts Minister Tony Burke said purchasing the cap safeguards an important piece of national history for future generations.”You’d be hard-pressed to meet an Australian that hasn’t heard of the great Donald Bradman, arguably the greatest cricketer of all time,” he said.”Now to have one of his iconic baggy greens in the National Museum of Australia means visitors will have the opportunity to get up close and connect with our sporting and cultural history.”The cap is just one of 11 of Bradman’s baggy greens known to exist. A second features in the Australian Sports Museum, while the location of the other nine remains private.National Museum director Katherine McMahon welcomed the iconic cap into the museum collection’s fold.”Sir Donald’s baggy green marks the life of Australia’s most celebrated batsman and reflects a time when sporting heroes gave Australians hope, following the heartbreak and hardship of the Second World War,” she said.”We are delighted this national treasure has found a home here at the National Museum of Australia for all Australians to enjoy.”The cap sits alongside other Bradman memorabilia in the museum’s most recently opened Landmarks gallery, which features pieces from defining moments in our nation’s history.

“If I don’t get a chance in PBKS, then MI or CSK are good options. I like both those teams very much,” Jitesh says of the IPL mega auction

Rajan Raj06-Nov-2024Jitesh Sharma could well have been the next big thing for India in T20I cricket, till IPL 2024, where there was little sign of the exhilarating run-scorer from the two previous seasons. From the outside, it feels like he has slipped down the pecking order, though the T20Is in South Africa give him a chance to recover lost ground.Part of the problem for his dry run, he says, is that he had “started thinking too far ahead” after IPL 2023 and his international debut and was “thinking of the [2024] T20 World Cup team”. He has course-corrected but, as he says, there were other reasons for his turn in fortunes too.”I know I play very high-risk cricket. There are a lot of risks in my shot selection,” Jitesh told ESPNcricinfo. “My batting number also kept changing… though that is not that important in T20 cricket. However, apart from all this, I had started thinking too far ahead. About IPL 2024, and the T20 World Cup team. Before that, I never used to think that far ahead. I used to think about one match at a time, and now I have started doing that again.”Related

India call up Ramandeep, Vyshak, Dayal for SA T20I tour

Rinku and Jitesh in a race to be India's World Cup finisher

Jitesh took his time coming into prominence, but when he did, after prolific back-to-back IPL seasons for Punjab Kings in 2022 (234 runs at a strike rate of 163.64) and 2023 (309 runs at a strike rate of 156.06), he made it count. He was in the India T20I side for the tour of Sri Lanka, and though he didn’t get a game there, he did at the Asian Games in Hangzhou and then in bilateral series at home against Australia and Afghanistan, and away against South Africa.Then came that period when he got ahead of himself, as he put it, and IPL 2024 came and went without much from his bat. All Punjab Kings, who finished ninth on the table, got from their vice-captain was 187 runs in 12 innings, and the strike rate had dipped to 131.69. He isn’t wrong about his batting position – he went out everywhere from Nos. 4, 5, 6 and even 7.”In T20s, as a batsman, you cannot say you will play only at four or five or whatever. You can assume that in a match, if there is a very good partnership between the openers and they bat for 16 overs, then the next batsman to come will definitely be a finisher,” Jitesh said. “In T20s, the overs remaining are more important than a batsman’s batting position. If wickets fall in the third, fourth or fifth over itself, then you go with the normal order. But if wickets fall late, then you go with the finisher.”However, I can definitely say this about myself, or any batsman, that if I know after how many overs I have to go to bat and I am given good clarity about my role, then it is better.”In the seven T20I innings he did play, between October 2023 and January 2024, Jitesh scored quickly, at 147.05, but aggregated just 100 runs. He understands that he didn’t do enough when he got his chance.

“I am looking forward to doing well in the longer format of the game as well. I know that if I am used with good strategy in this format, I can perform. If I get a chance in the middle order or lower-middle order, perhaps I can prove useful”Jitesh Sharma

“A lot has changed since joining the Indian team,” Jitesh said. “I’m trying to be more calm than before. By watching the senior players of the team, I always try to learn how to keep myself calm. Now I feel more humble and grounded than before. I am taking each of my practice sessions more seriously than before. In the end, there is no substitute for hard work, and that applies to everyone. Whatever you try to achieve, hard work is the only way that will take you forward.”Maybe I have made it to the Indian team, maybe one of my dreams has come true, but it is very important to stay grounded. Making a place in the team is a different thing but to remain in the team, three things are very important: stay humble, stay grounded, and work harder than ever.”There was no Jitesh in the India squad for the T20 World Cup 2024, but he came back soon after, for the T20I series against Bangladesh. But he did not get a game. The way the team management treated Sanju Samson, though, has given him confidence.”It feels good to see the way the team has backed him [Samson],” Jitesh said. Samson scored 29 and 10 in the first two T20Is, and then hit 111 in 47 balls in the final game, to perhaps buy himself a long rope in the T20I line-up. “The message from Gauti sir [Gautam Gambhir, the head coach] and Surya [Suryakumar Yadav, the T20I captain] is quite clear. They tell us clearly what they expect from any player in the team.”If a player is being backed today, then it is certain that in the future, when my chance comes, I will also be backed in the same way.”Jitesh Sharma wouldn’t mind being part of CSK or MI if he got the chance, he said•BCCI… and there is an IPL auction to think aboutJitesh would very likely have been one of the players retained by Punjab Kings if the mega auction had come a year before. After IPL 2024, though, he has been offloaded – which is not to say the franchise won’t want to get him back – with Punjab Kings retaining only Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh from their previous roster.Again, though, Jitesh isn’t looking too far ahead.”It is a mega auction, so nothing can be said,” he said. “A player must be ready to go to any team. But if I don’t get a chance in PBKS, then MI [Mumbai Indians] or CSK [Chennai Super Kings] are good options. I like both those teams very much.”After his impressive run in 2022 and 2023, Jitesh was made vice-captain in 2024, and led in a couple of matches too. He wouldn’t mind giving it another go if he is asked to.”I like this kind of responsibility very much,” he said. “I have always loved captaincy and am always ready for it. I feel like when I have this pressure on me, I am able to read the match better. If I get this opportunity, I am completely ready for it.”A T20I specialist’s red-ball ambitionsFor someone who made his first-class debut in 2015, just 18 games in the format suggests a lack of quality against the red ball.He has played just one game in either of the last two Ranji Trophy seasons for Vidarbha, with a 69 against Gujarat in January 2023 his best effort in these. It was a great effort, to be fair. The top score for his team in the second innings in a match they went on to win by just 18 runs. Opportunities have been scarce, though, and it’s not because he hasn’t been available. When it comes to the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy or the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, he has been more of a regular for Vidarbha.”Like every season, this season is also very important for me. If I get a chance, I will definitely try my best to prove my worth in the Ranji Trophy also,” he said. “I am looking forward to doing well in the longer format of the game as well. I know that if I am used with good strategy in this format, I can perform. If I get a chance in the middle order or lower-middle order, perhaps I can prove useful.”

Head coach Rob Walter keeps tabs from New Zealand as contenders make their cases

Firdose Moonda13-Jan-2025Spectators at all six SA20 venues have had the opportunity to watch the action first-hand in this opening week, with all the teams playing at least once at their home grounds. Four of the six were sell-outs, and the other two rain-affected but well-attended anyway, so it’s fair to say anyone who has the inclination to watch a game and is close enough to be able to do so, will. But even some of those who are not anywhere near the tournament are tuning in, including South Africa’s white-ball coach Rob Walter, who lives in New Zealand.On Monday, Walter admitted to waking up in the early hours to watch “all games live”, and he would have had a particular interest in the evening fixture between MICT and Paarl Royals at Newlands. Five of the 15 players he named in his Champions Trophy squad were in action, as well as three who narrowly missed out on selection. Just about all of them gave Walter something to think about.Top of his mind would have been Lungi Ngidi, who was named in the national squad despite not playing any internationals this summer and is on the comeback from a groin injury. At 5.30am, Walter may not have been best pleased to see Ngidi bowl well below his usual pace (in the low 120s, not the high 130s) and concede 25 runs in first two overs. But his coffee may have gone down a little easier when Ngidi deceived George Linde with a very slow ball (at 114kph) and then pushed it up to 133kph. Ngidi finished with figures of 1 for 43 in four overs and has conceded 85 runs in eight overs in the two matches he has played so far. There’s some reason to be concerned.Related

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Coetzee ruled out of SA20 but CSA still hopeful

Coach Walter after home whitewash: SA will 'shine through' in Champions Trophy

Invincible Rickelton gives his international cred a shot in the arm

How South Africa's Test team became the sum of its exceptional parts

On Saturday at Boland Park, the absence of pace in the surface may have contributed to Ngidi’s strategy to send down slower balls. It was also his first game in three months, so any assessment of him on that day will be lenient. Two days later, on a quicker surface, Ngidi might have been expected to have some zip back, even if his speciality is the offcutter. His first two overs were laboured, and he offered too much width. Even when he changed ends and took the wicket, Ngidi never looked like a constant threat, especially not in the way Kagiso Rabada later did.After an intense summer of Test cricket and with only one match off to recover, Rabada has barely missed a beat. After taking 2 for 10 against Joburg Super Kings at the weekend (which included bowling Jonny Bairstow with a legcutter as the rain that ended the match came down), Rabada took 2 for 0 in his first two overs at Newlands.HIs first wicket was a gift as Joe Root played straight into short fine leg’s hands but the rest of the over was pace-perfect. Rabada bowled fast and full and Sam Hain could not get him away. He took pace off and Lhuan-dre Pretorius went hard but could only get it as far as deep third. Rabada closed out a second over without conceding a run and became the first bowler in the tournament to deliver back-to-back maidens in the Powerplay.Reeza Hendricks impressed with the bat, although South Africa may have moved on•SportzpicsGeorge Linde, who, as a spin-bowling allrounder, may have had an outside chance at a Champions Trophy spot, had Mitch van Buuren and David Miller caught on the boundary in successive overs. Linde’s 3 for 15 is his SA20 best and comes a month after he made his national comeback, against Pakistan. He also outshone Bjorn Fortuin, the other left-armer who could have claimed a place in the national squad, and continues to impress with the new ball. Fortuin took 1 for 24 today but, despite an ability to keep things tight, South Africa decided they did not need another spinner at the Champions Trophy.Instead, they’ve loaded the squad with batters and Walter will be watching to see where the runs come from, especially in the top order. Since Quinton de Kock’s ODI retirement at the 2023 World Cup, South Africa have not settled on an opening partner for Temba Bavuma. For the Champions Trophy, Tony de Zorzi, who does not have an SA20 deal, will likely start but Ryan Rickelton is another option. His previous innings, also at Newlands, resulted in a career-best 259 in the second Test against Pakistan. This time, in his return from a hamstring strain, he managed a run-a-ball 8.A third option would have been Reeza Hendricks but the ODI squad seem to have moved past him, even though he served up a reminder of what they might be missing. He top-scored with 59 in an innings laced with wristy flicks and powerful cuts to prove he is still a presence at the top of the order. But, at 35, it’s unlikely Hendricks will find his way back. Instead, South Africa may soon look to Lhuan-dre Pretorius. The left-hander announced himself with 97 on debut on Saturday and kept going at Newlands. He scooped Trent Boult for six, slammed Rashid Khan for back-to-back fours through deep backward square and ramped him for four more and got the Royals out of the blocks in double time. His hard-hitting was cut short by a bowler who outsmarted him, but he will learn. Oh, and did we mention he keeps wicket as well? One person who knows all that is Walter.

A renovated Santiago Bernabeu has played host to the first-ever NFL match played at the stadium, helping to elevate its status to a multi-purpose stadium and, Impressed with the revamped stadium, UEFA are reportedly planning to host a Champions League final at the Bernabeu in the near future.

First NFL game in Spain

A revamped Santiago Bernabeu hosted an NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders on Sunday. The game, which the Dolphins won 16-13, saw a huge turnout from locals as well as from fans abroad. As per a report from Defensa Central, the governing body of European football, UEFA, were surprised by the stadium's transformation. Despite having a not-so-healthy relationship with the club in recent times, UEFA did not shy away from admiring Real Madrid's innovative new-look stadium. They have also indicated a potential Champions League final taking place at the iconic stadium; however, nothing has been made official yet. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportPerez's plan is successful

Back in 2023, Florentino Perez had pointed out how the renovation would pan out, explaining: "The investment in technology has been increased in all the areas of the Bernabéu Tour. The Museum will be much bigger and the spaces have been modified to make them more attractive. The traditional Tour has been extended with 2 new routes. The turf maintenance lighting has also been changed from fixed to variable spectrum, which allows the full range of natural light colours to be used, and this is the first time it has been used anywhere in the world with spectacular results. The increase in investment has also been allocated to improving the gastronomic services of the bars, which will represent a qualitative leap in the offer to members and fans. All this involves an enormous effort in the development of infrastructures, which, in addition to providing a better gastronomic experience, will serve to optimise the generation of income through this activity. In order to address all these additional investments and expenses, we have decided to finance ourselves on a long-term basis to avoid having to impact the activity and the club's outstanding balance sheet in the short term. The budget for these new investments is €370 million. Thanks to the financial solvency that Real Madrid enjoys, this will allow us to obtain financing under very favourable conditions, as we have obtained an A-rating, equivalent to that of the Kingdom of Spain."

Barriers which can prevent a Champions League final at the stadium

There is only one barrier that might prevent the stadium from hosting a Champions League final, and that is the club's will. In order to get hosting rights, the club will need to submit a bid, and as per the report, Los Blancos are in no mood to do so. Moreover, they are looking at this project to be one that generates a huge revenue. As per Defensa Central, this NFL game generated more than €80 million once ticket sales apart from other commercial activities and hospitality in the city. 

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Getty Images SportWhen do Real Madrid again play at the Bernabeu?

Real Madrid have taken a major step in the reformation of the stadium, and that is to remove the name of Santiago from it. From now on, the iconic venue will be known as only Bernabeu and necessary changes will also be made to the logo, as per Diario AS. The stadium was named after legendary Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid player Santiago Bernabeu de Yeste in 1955. Notably, Bernabeu also performed the duties of a club president for Los Blancos. With the change in name, the legacy is not expected to diminish. But Madrid are currently not playing any home fixtures, with a return scheduled for December 7, when they take on Celta Vigo in the Spanish top flight. 

Rahul Dravid parted ways as head coach after IPL 2025, having chosen not to take up broader position at RR

Nagraj Gollapudi25-Sep-2025Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara will return to Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a lead role to helm the coaching staff after the exit of Rahul Dravid as head coach recently. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Sangakkara, who has been RR’s Director of Cricket since 2021, is firming up the position with the franchise, even as he has already informally started planning for the 2026 season.Since he joined RR in 2021, Sangakkara doubled up as the head coach, and, under his watch, the Sanju Samson-led franchise made the playoffs twice in four seasons. In 2022, RR reached the final for the first time since they won the IPL in the inaugural season in 2008, but lost to Gujarat Titans. After finishing fifth in 2023, RR reached the playoffs the following season, when they lost in Qualifier 2. Dravid, who was RR’s captain in 2012 and 2013, and then mentor in 2014 and 2015, was hired as head coach by the franchise immediately after he won the 2024 T20 World Cup as India’s head coach.Although Dravid had signed a multi-year contract, his stint was short-lived, as he parted ways with RR recently. In a media statement issued in August, RR said that based on a structural review of the franchise post the 2025 season, where they secured just four wins in 14 matches, Dravid was “offered a broader position” but he had “chosen not to take”.Related

Samson asks to be released by RR ahead of IPL 2026 auction

Head coach Dravid parts ways with RR after just one season

The biggest priority for Sangakkara will be sorting RR’s captaincy after Samson asked the franchise to release him after the 2025 season. It is understood Samson, 30, told the franchise that he wanted a change and hence be released. Suffering a side strain early during the 2025 season, Samson played only nine matches, and had to endure the disappointment of watching RR end ninth on the points table despite being in the winning position several times.Samson, who is the most experienced player in RR’s ranks, was among the six players retained ahead of the 2025 mega auction at a price tag of INR 18 crore (USD 2.14 million approx.).While RR did cast the net with several franchises offering Samson as a trade in player swap, they have not been successful. Officially, RR have not made any comment on releasing Samson. The IPL retention deadline normally is end of November, but franchises are still waiting for a firm date.It is also learned RR will retain former India batter Vikram Rathour as the assistant coach, and that former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond is likely to continue as the bowling coach. While Bond moved to RR from Mumbai Indians in 2024, Rathour, who had been assistant coach with India under Ravi Shastri and Dravid, joined ahead of 2025. It is understood that the pair of Trevor Penney and Siddhartha Lahiri, who were part of Sangakkara’s support staff at RR previously, is also set to return.

Manchester City are now leading the race to sign Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, amid a major new update on the forward’s future at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Man City’s interest in upgrading their forward line comes amid an overreliance on Erling Haaland, with the Norwegian striker their only player to have scored more than one Premier League goal so far this season.

The 25-year-old has been in incredible form, having already scored 14 league goals, but the lack of contributions from elsewhere raises concern about how Pep Guardiola’s side will be able to cope if their talisman suffers an injury.

Jeremy Doku put in a top performance against Liverpool, scoring the third in the 3-0 rout, while Phil Foden is showing signs he may be rediscovering his best form, having amassed seven goal contributions in 14 matches in all competitions.

However, in order to strengthen his side’s Premier League title push, Guardiola remains keen on adding another forward to his ranks, and there has been a positive development in the pursuit of a Real Madrid star.

Man City now leading race for Rodrygo

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Man City are now frontrunners in the race for Rodrygo’s signature, with it emerging the Brazilian’s future at the Santiago Bernabeu is now in major doubt, and he is on the brink of leaving in the January transfer window.

The 24-year-old has been unable to force his way into Xabi Alonso’s plans, given that Madrid have a breadth of top-quality options in attacking areas, and a winter move could now be on the cards.

Guardiola views the former Santos man as ideal, given his versatility, and City are ready to trigger a deal, which could amount to €60m – €80m (£53m – £70m).

Hailed as “world-class” by legendary midfielder Luka Modric, the 35-time Brazil international has been a reliable source of goals and assists right across his career, impressing at Santos from a very young age before going on to play a major role in Real Madrid’s success.

Club

Rodrygo’s combined goals and assists

Santos (80 apps)

25

Real Madrid (283 apps)

121

Although the Osasco-born forward has predominantly featured as a winger throughout his career to date, scout Ben Mattinson has suggested he could be better-suited to playing in a central role, given his dribbling and shooting ability.

As such, should Haaland pick up an injury, Rodrygo could be a solid replacement, while the Real Madrid man’s experience playing out wide means he should also be able to challenge the likes of Doku and Rayan Cherki for a starting spot.

Rodrygo has been named as one of the best wingers in the world The Best 15 Wingers in World Football Ranked (2025)

Who is the best wide man in world football right now?

ByCharlie Smith Nov 28, 2025

The New York Yankees are in a state free fall, with the latest low coming Monday night against the Texas Rangers when they gave up a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth and then surrendered a game-winning home run in the bottom of the 10th. That was their fourth straight loss and drops them into a tie for the final wild-card spot in the AL.

While a lot of talk after the game rightfully focused on the collapse of their bullpen in the final two innings, an error earlier in the game by starting pitcher Max Fried perfectly summed up why this team is currently in the mess that it finds itself in.

With one out and the bases loaded in the second inning, Fried found himself with a 2–2 count against Corey Seager. Instead of attacking the hitter and trying to get out of the jam, Fried tried to pick off the runner at second base. His throw, however, ended up going into center field, which allowed Jonah Heim to walk in from third base to give the Rangers a 4–3 lead.

Here's how that played out:

The Yankees have hurt themselves with lots of errors during their recent struggles and that one by Fried might be the most mind-boggling of them all. Why concern yourself at all with the runner on second in that situation?

The Yankees will look to stop their skid Tuesday night when they face the Rangers again. This team is giving off all the bad vibes, and nothing showed that more than that costly mistake by Fried.

Bangladesh fought hard through the game, but missed chances under pressure as de Klerk sealed another chase

Andrew Miller13-Oct-20253:33

Review: SA find ways to win under pressure

South Africa 235 for 7 (Tryon 62, Kapp 56, de Klerk 37*, Nahida 2-44) beat Bangladesh 232 for 6 (Shorna 51*, Sharmin 50, Mlaba 2-42) by three wickets For the second match running, Nadine de Klerk produced the crucial winning hand – an unbeaten 37 from 29 balls, albeit with several huge slices of late luck – as South Africa outmuscled a spirited Bangladesh to seal a thriller by three wickets and with three balls to spare in Visakhapatnam.The final result mirrored their previous win over India on this same ground on Thursday, but the manner in which it was secured was significantly less assured. Against a potent attack led by Nahida Akter and Ritu Moni, Chloe Tryon produced a priceless knock of 62 from 69 balls, with Marizanne Kapp also chipping in with a hard-fought fifty. However, the final difference between the teams came down to Bangladesh’s fielding under pressure with a succession of crucial chances going down in the fraught final overs.The most crucial of those came with just ten runs needed from eight balls. De Klerk miscued a drive off Rabeya Khan to long-off where Shorna Akter, 18 years old and fresh from a breakthrough innings of her own, looked set to seal a match that she deserved to make her own. Instead, the chance slapped off her palms to the turf, and with eight still needed in the final over, de Klerk capitalized with a four and a decisive six in three balls.Bangladesh were crestfallen at the conclusion, and little wonder. After winning the toss in an overcast Visakhapatnam, their captain Nigar Sultana had chosen to stare their shortcomings in the face by batting first despite a previous tournament highest total of 178, rightly assessing that a score on the board of any description was the best means to give her bowlers “a chance”, as she had put it at the toss.And so it came to pass, though perhaps not in the manner that many would have predicted. South Africa created few out-and-out chances in their bowling display, as each of Bangladesh’s top four reached at least 25. Sharmin Akhter anchored the innings with 50 from 77 balls. But for the first 30 overs of the innings, South Africa scarcely needed to make breakthroughs, such was the safety-first attitude of a batting line-up that conceded 126 dot-balls, or more than four per over, across that period of the innings.By degrees, however, Bangladesh turned South Africa’s lack of penetration to their advantage, and when Nigar holed out to cover to bring Shorna to the crease at 150 for 3 with 9.5 overs of the innings remaining, the stage was set for a transformative onslaught.Shorna Akter and Ritu Moni shared a 37-run stand off just 18 balls•Getty ImagesShorna cracked three fours and three sixes, each of them over long-on, in her 34-ball fifty, the fastest by a Bangladeshi in women’s ODIs. It was hitting with power and purpose, unrecognizable from the defensive fare that had preceded it. She was joined in her up-tempo approach by Moni, who lashed each of her first three balls for four off a previously parsimonious Kapp, to seal a flying finish with 19 not out from eight balls, as 37 runs came from the final three overs.A target of 233 was probably 60 runs more than South Africa had been bargaining for after Bangladesh’s moribund start, and their anxieties were heightened in the second over of their chase. With five ODI centuries in 2025, Tazmin Brits is arguably the in-form batter in all of 50-over international cricket, yet now she registered back-to-back ducks – and back-to-back caught-and-bowleds – after meeting her first ball with a tentative back-foot push that Nahida grabbed in front of her face.Brits’ latest dismissal wasn’t quite as spectacular as Kranti Gaud’s one-hander in last week’s India contest, but it needed to be held all the same … as Rabeya went on to demonstrate three overs later. This time, Laura Wolvaardt – on 11 – pushed through the line off the back foot, but Rabeya couldn’t close her hands around on a near-identical chance off her fourth ball.It looked like being an innings-turning let-off. Anneke Bosch got herself up and running with a brace of boundaries before Wolvaardt punished Rabeya with back-to-back fours square of the wicket, and as the pair pushed through to a 55-run stand inside the first 15 overs, the chase seemed to be entirely under control.Then, however, calamity struck out of the blue. On 30, Wolvaardt nudged the legspinner Fahima Khatun off her pads but failed to commit fully to a potential second run. Fargana Hoque tracked the ball down at midwicket, and as the batters hesitated mid-pitch, an accurate return to the keeper left South Africa’s skipper stranded.Rabeya Khan celebrates after bowling a ripper•ICC/Getty ImagesBosch thumped her next ball through the covers to hint that all was still well. But one ball later, she too was gone, caught on the edge of the ring by Sobhana Mostary for 28, as she failed to connect with an ambitious launch through the line.At 62 for 3, and with two new batters yet to face a ball, a big rebuild was required. Instead, Annerie Dercksen and Kapp managed two scrambled singles in their next 17 balls, before the former was extracted by the ball of the match, and arguably the tournament to date – an inch-perfect legbreak from Rabaya that drifted in and gripped just enough to kiss the outside edge of the off stump, and leave Dercksen utterly bamboozled as she turned to the square leg umpire to determine whether she was out.Four overs later, Sinalo Jafta also lost the top of her off stump, although there were no such doubts about her dismissal, as Fahima skidded a high-kicking topspinner through her back-foot push, like a latter-day Anil Kumble.At 78 for 5, South Africa had lost 4 for 20 in 44 balls, and their challenge was in tatters. It could have been even worse when Kapp, on 15, climbed across a short ball from Shorna and under-edged a tough half-chance that the keeper Nigar couldn’t gather.Chloe Tryon did not let the momentum slip for South Africa•Getty ImagesMarufa Akter returned to the attack in the 27th over, but her extra pace was much more to South Africa’s liking, as Tryon cuffed a brace of cuts through point – the first of them being her side’s first boundary for 43 balls. Though Bangladesh quickly reverted to spin, that 12-run over had just loosened the shackles a fraction, and Kapp’s subsequent sweep for four off Fahima brought up a fifty stand for the sixth wicket from a relatively brisk 62 balls.Speaking at the toss, Wolvaardt had said she’d be happy to chase given the likelihood that dew would be a factor at the back end of the second innings, and sure enough there was a lengthy break at the final drinks break to run a rope around the outfield. Nevertheless, the spinners held their threatening full lengths, stretching the required rate past 7.5 per over until Kapp seized on a rare full-toss from Shorna to club the first six of the innings over long-on and bring up a 67-ball fifty.She was unable to push on, however. With 71 required from the final ten overs, Kapp stepped into a drive off Nahida, and picked out Shorna, who coolly made amends, ten metres in from the rope at long-off.Bangladesh celebrated wildly as South Africa’s mainstay departed for 56, but after de Klerk had announced herself with an immaculate second-ball sweep for four, Tryon set about ripping the contest back towards her team, although not without a big slice of luck. On 40, she found an under-edge off Moni that raced through the keeper’s legs for four. Then on 46, she wound into a slog-sweep to deep midwicket, but the substitute Sumaiya Akter ran through the chance without laying a hand on it.Tryon then cashed in with a huge leg-side six to make it 16 in the over, but once again, Bangladesh found a means to battle back – this time via a sharp shy from Moni at backward point, which caught Tryon inches short to send her on her way for 62 from 69.With the run-rate nudging eight an over, Masabata Klaas brought up the 200 with a streaky single to mid-off, which would also have been run-out had Fahima’s shy found its target. De Klerk then walked across her stumps to hoist a priceless boundary through backward square, and when Fahima served up an untimely front-foot no-ball, she stepped back to lift the resulting free hit over the covers.Even then the anxieties weren’t done. With 11 still required, de Klerk top-edged a full-toss into the gap at square leg – and nearly ran herself out in the confusion – but two balls later, she received the decisive let-off. A miscued slap to long-off, where Shorna was waiting to complete the heroics she had begun. The chance went begging, and so too did Bangladesh’s hopes. For South Africa, however, their wild campaign marches on, with three wins in a row, and one foot firmly planted in the semi-final standings.

The fallout from Liverpool's terrible performance in the 4-1 defeat by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League has seen defender Ibrahima Konate singled out for additional criticism. The Frenchman has responded by issuing a heartfelt message to fans. Konate was at fault for PSV’s third goal, and the calls for manager Arne Slot to be sacked are growing louder by the day.

Konate under-fire over high-profile mistakes

Konate has endured a dreadful start to the season, consistently underperforming and to blame for a number of dreadful errors amid the Reds’ defensive struggles. Pundits and fans alike have slammed his form, with Kop hero Jamie Carragher describing his positional play as "all over the place". 

The defender has been involved in several key errors, including a recent "dreadful" mistake that led directly to PSV’s third in the Champions League clash at Anfield, and he was substituted early in the recent 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest. The growing consensus is that his individual performances are a major factor in Liverpool's poor results. In 12 Premier League games with Konate on the pitch the Reds have conceded 17 goals, contributing to an alarming rate of a goal conceded every 58 minutes. His struggles are compounded by ongoing contract uncertainty and a string of injuries that have hampered his rhythm this season.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKonate: 'We know we need to improve'

The France international said on Instagram: "We have to take this moment on the chest. Criticism is part of football, and we’ll fight back every time and come through this storm. In these moments, the fans matter most. The ones who stand with us in the good times and the bad – the ones who sing for us even in the difficult moments! Your voice and your support mean everything to us. We know we need to improve and we’ll keep fighting for you. Always."

Carragher makes 'sack' claim

Anfield legend Carragher was caught bemoaning Slot’s decision to continue picking Konate during the heavy defeat by PSV, claiming the decision was a sackable offence. 

Carragher said: "Honest to god, I've had enough of them. That Konate, I mean, that's a sackable offence for the manager for f******g keep picking him. He should be sacked for that."

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Getty Images SportSelection headache for boss Slot

Konate’s place in Liverpool’s starting XI to face West Ham on Sunday is anything but secure and Joe Gomez is a fit and ready-made replacement on the bench, should Slot decide to ring the changes. Andy Robertson was also deployed at centre-back in the clash with Crystal Palace earlier this season. 

But Slot has remained tight-lipped on whether he will make wholesale changes for the match, saying: "Everyone trains with us every single day, and they can prove themselves in that moment. It's always a balance. There was a period where I lost, and I made a few changes and people complained that I made too many changes. Of course, I consider but I can not tell you the end decision of what I've considered for Sunday." Anything other than a victory for Slot on Sunday will pile even more pressure on the beleaguered boss ahead of a midweek visit from Sunderland in the Premier League.

And when pressed on what he can change to arrest the dreadful run of results, Slot added: "That's not so easy to say. It's normal to reflect on a game with decisions you have made. Maybe you do it a little bit more if you lose. In the end, it's about doing what this club is about. Keep fighting no matter how difficult it is. It would be nice if we rewarded ourselves in the moments we play well. People are focused on the parts we don't play well but there are large parts where we do play well."