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Suffering from stomach cramps, the India captain gave the first standalone Women’s World T20 what it needed in its very first match

Melinda Farrell in Guyana10-Nov-2018It was a pleasant summer Saturday evening at North Sydney Oval and a decent crowd had filtered in to watch the Sydney Thunder host the Melbourne Stars in the Women’s Big Bash League. In its second season, the tournament was fast gaining traction.Set 148 for victory, the Thunder had lost their first two wickets for 60 runs. Making her debut in the WBBL – the first Indian to play in an overseas T20 league – Harmanpreet Kaur walked to the crease. Only serious fans of women’s cricket in Australia knew who she was. The WBBL was raising the profile of female players but Harmanpreet wasn’t even the most famous Indian player – Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami were surely more recognisable.Still, It was Harmanpreet walking out to the middle and taking guard. And it was Harmanpreet who produced the shot that stunned the world. With impeccable timing and strength that belied her slender frame, she gracefully met a Gemma Triscari ball on one knee and launched a lofted drive over the deep extra cover boundary. Triscari burst into incredulous laughter. Commentators flew into raptures. Anyone who followed women’s cricket was agog. Sure, sixes were becoming more common in the women’s game, but were more often the result of a slog sweep in region of deep midwicket. Women just didn’t hit sixes like that.Harmanpreet scored an unbeaten 28-ball 47. It wasn’t quite enough. The Thunder fell short by six runs. The Stars’ Emma Inglis won the Player-of-the-Match award. None of those things are particularly memorable. But those who saw that shot don’t forget it.

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In the sweltering Georgetown heat, Lea Tahuhu was bowling fast. Really fast. She had sent both of India’s openers back to the dugout: Taniya Bhatia beaten by pace and seam, deflecting the ball off her pads onto the stumps and Smriti Mandhana flat-batting a pull that looked sure to be six but was snaffled brilliantly by Hayley Jenson at the midwicket boundary. New Zealand were jubilant, even more so when Dayalan Hemalatha was caught off after making a brief but sparky debut.India wobbling at 40 for 3. That was as good as it got for New Zealand.Harmanpreet Kaur eyes the leg side•International Cricket Council

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Harmanpreet has many hashtagable nicknames: the #Harmonster, the #Harmanator #HarmanpreetPhwoar #KaurBlimey. All convey in their own way the open-mouthed joy that comes with watching her at her unfettered best. Some call her Harman for short, but her team-mates call her Harry. Perhaps it should be preceded by ‘Dirty’; it would be fitting if she muttered to hapless bowlers, “You’ve gotta ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?” before firing balls at targets in the stands.But here in Georgetown her pistols were holstered by nerves early on. They weren’t helped by the fact that she hadn’t quite felt right on the morning before the match. The first 13 balls she faced netted just five runs. On the 14th, she jettisoned the jitters and charged down the pitch to Jess Watkin, belting the ball into the stand beyond midwicket. On the last delivery of the over she attacked again, but didn’t quite middle it. Not that it mattered; another six, this time over long-off.After running two in the following over, Harmanpreet turned and dropped to the ground. As she lay on her back holding her mid-riff while the physio ran on to the ground and Jemimah Rodrigues looked on with concern, the concerned muttering flittered around the stadium. Harmanpreet didn’t train the day before the match and there was talk of possible back problems.But the not-quite-right feeling had developed into stomach cramps which could hardly be helped by the hot and sticky humidity. Harmanpreet realised that running twos was not helping, so she did what only the best and most confident players can do. She told Rodrigues to give her the strike whenever possible and she would make sure she didn’t have to run between the wickets so often.What followed was a monstrous display of timing and power hitting. There were delicate dabs, too, and canny finesse as she carved through the New Zealand field with all the accuracy of a teppanyaki chef dicing tuna.New Zealand had chosen a bowling attack they thought suited a Providence pitch that was expected to be low and slow, but actually offered decent pace and bounce. Harmanpreet treated both pace and spin with disdain. According to Cricviz, she averaged a lazy 9.75 runs per over against pace and a crushing 13.20 against spin.Helping her was the fact that Rodrigues was holding up her end of the bargain by finding the boundary regularly and saving her captain’s legs or, rather, stomach. When her fine innings ended on a 45-ball 59 with a stumping, Harmanpreet had the ball on a string. The slog-sweeps, the pulls and, of course, those rockets over extra cover where women were never supposed to be so strong. It was an innings that called to mind her demolishing of Australia – a breathtaking unbeaten 171 that propelled India into the World Cup final last year.When she brought up her century in the final over she barely celebrated, a quick hug of Veda Krishnamurthy, a briefly raised bat to the dressing room and the crowd, many of them schoolchildren who will undoubtedly remember this day.And two balls later it was over, an edge behind leaving her total to stand at 103 off 51 balls. The New Zealand players, knowing they had an Everest to climb, offered up applause as Harmanpreet walked off, greeted by a standing ovation from her team-mates.This is the first standalone Women’s World T20. The tournament needed a marquee moment and it got one in the opening game, thanks to pistol-packing Harry.As the other Harry might say: “Did she fire six shots or only five? Well, to tell you the truth in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself.”

If Champions League football is secured at the City Ground for next season, it could be a very busy summer, and plans are already being put in place as Nottingham Forest are eyeing a move for a “sensational” £20m player, according to a recent report.

Update on Morgan Gibbs-White’s Nottingham Forest future

It has been an outstanding season for the Reds, and at the heart of that success has been midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, who has not only been an excellent captain but has produced moments of quality that have helped Forest remain in the race for a Champions League place.

Club in contact with Nottingham Forest "monster" who has uncertain future

He’s found minutes hard to come by this season.

ByBarney Lane Mar 17, 2025

The 25-year-old, who has five goals and seven assists in 25 Premier League games, has gained admirers from top teams in England given his performances this campaign, but according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Forest are going to “do everything they can” to keep hold of Gibbs-White this summer.

Manchester United and Liverpool have been mentioned as teams interested in the midfielder and will hope they have the resources to lure him to their clubs. However, if the Reds do secure Champions League football this season, then O’Rourke states that the Midlands side would be well-placed to retain their best players for next season.

Gibbs-White has just earned a call-up to the England squad, despite missing out initially, and Forest will be hoping that his international recognition doesn’t mean it will become harder for them to keep hold of their star player.

Nottingham Forest eyeing move for "sensational" £20m star

As the Reds and owner Evangelos Marinakis plan to keep hold of Gibbs-White, they are looking at players who could form a good partnership with the Englishman in the middle of the pitch, and according to TEAMtalk, Nottingham Forest and Marinakis are eyeing a move for Sunderland’s Jobe Bellingham ahead of the summer transfer window.

The report states that Forest are among the four Premier League teams who are all watching and tracking the young midfielder, with Manchester United, Brentford, and Brighton also keen on Bellingham. All four clubs would be interested in a deal should the Black Cats fail to seal promotion to the Premier League.

The 19-year-old, who has been labelled “sensational” by journalist Josh Bunting, would be interested in a move, as he is looking to play at the highest level. Meanwhile, the Black Cats are not interested in negotiating any deal for the midfielder, and they will demand a high fee for the player, with it being previously reported that they want £20 million. Bellingham is under contract until 2028, meaning the Black Cats do hold the power when it comes to negotiating a transfer.

Apps

34

Starts

34

Goals

4

xG

2.61

Shots per game

1.4

Assists

3

xAG

2.24

Touches per game

56.3

Big chances created

4

Key passes per game

1.3

Bellingham’s potential arrival at the City Ground would see him provide competition for the likes of Elliot Anderson, Danilo, Nicolas Dominguez, and Ryan Yates. But given how highly he is rated and obviously how well his brother Jude has done, Bellingham could be a starter wherever he moves to, as he will want to continue developing his career.

He returned the best-ever figures for an Ireland player in ODIs following which an impressive performance by Campher with the bat guided them home

Ashish Pant15-Dec-2023

Josh Little picked career-best figures of 6 for 36•Zimbabwe Cricket

Josh Little returned the best-ever figures for an Ireland player in ODIs to help his team claim a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe with a four-wicket win.Little blew away the Zimbabwe top-order with four wickets – including three in an over – reducing the hosts to 19 for 4. Ryan Burl, Clive Madande and Wellington Masakadza all held fort for a bit as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 166 in 42.5 overs with Little claiming 6 for 36 in 10 overs. In reply, Curtis Campher struck a 71-ball 66 as Ireland completed a win in 40.1 overs.Sikandar Raza elected to bat under blue skies, but was in for a rude awakening. Tinashe Kamunhukamwe struck two fours off Mark Adair but failed to keep a Little short-of-a-length ball down pulling to George Dockrell who took a good catch diving forward. Two balls later Miton Shumba poked at an away-swinger only to offer Lorcan Tucker a simple catch behind the stumps. Little struck for the third time in the fourth over when Joylord Gumbie’s tough stay at the crease ended with him bottom-edging an in-decker back onto his stumps.Zimbabwe were reduced to 16 for 3 after four overs and Little added to their miseries by taking out their captain Raza the next over, who also chopped a length ball onto his off stump.Burl and Madande then staged a brief revival. The duo added 45 off 74 balls for the fifth wicket with Madande being the aggressor scoring a 42-ball 33. He did get a life on 5 when Harry Tector dropped a tough chance at backward point but grew in confidence. His innings was ended by Andy McBrine with deep midwicket moving excellently to his left.Brandon Mavuta came and went as Zimbabwe were reduced to 70 for 6 in 22 overs. But Burl and Masakadza stemmed the collapse through a 63-run stand for the seventh wicket.Masakadza came in and whacked Little for two fours before clobbering McBrine into the stands over deep midwicket. Burl, too, having been circumspect till then broke the shackles by depositing Graham Hume over mid-on.Tector then broke the promising stand by taking out Burl before Little came back to complete his first five-wicket haul in ODIs by removing Masakadza and then cleaned up Ngarava for 1. Mark Adair closed out the Zimbabwe innings in the 43rd over. Burl, who was ruffled by a Little short-ball in the 10th over was concussed out of the game and replaced by Tony Munyonga in the second innings.Lorcan Tucker and Curtis Campher put up a 43-run stand•Zimbabwe Cricket

The surface was not a belter for batters and Andy Balbirnie found that out straightaway when he saw his off pole take a walk first ball courtesy of a Richard Ngarava away-swinger. Paul Stirling got off the mark with a crisp drive but Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani kept things tight. Stirling was dropped by the keeper on 13 but failed to cash in, getting castled by Muzarabani soon after. Ireland could only manage 29 for 2 after the first powerplay with the two frontline seamers bowling unchanged.The first-change bowler Tanaka Chivanga, however, failed to keep up the pressure. He leaked 15 runs off his first over with Campher taking him for three successive fours. Muzarabani then went four two fours in his next as Ireland kept chugging away.Tector and Campher added 52 for the third wicket before the former was bowled by a peach of a legbreak by Mavuta. Campher, though made sure to keep going and found an ally in Lorcan Tucker.The two pushed Ireland closer to the target when rain interrupted play with the visitors on 101 for 3 after 25, needing 66 off 25 overs. Campher hobbled off into the changeroom holding his side at the rain break but made it back into the middle once play resumed.No overs were lost but Zimbabwe did strike a couple of blows to cause a few flutters in the Irish camp. Campher reached his fifty off 58 balls and then struck a couple of fours. But Mavuta soon had him clean bowled when he missed a sweep to a full-length ball. Muzarabani then saw the back of Tucker for 28 as he finished with excellent figures of 10-2-23-2.Adair and Dockrell, however, kept their composure adding 34 for the sixth wicket. Dockrell fell when just a run was needed for victory before Adair closed the game with a ramp over the wicketkeeper’s head.

An “incredible” Liverpool player who featured against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday night could still exit Anfield before the February 3rd transfer deadline, according to a report.

Reds finish top of the Champions League

Despite failing to win for the first time in the Champions League this season, the Reds finished top of the league phase after collecting a very impressive 21 points in eight games.

Arne Slot’s side now advance straight to the round of 16, standing them in good stead to win Europe’s elite competition for the seventh time, and they will be pleased to avoid having to play an additional two games in the play-off round.

With the Premier League title-hopefuls still competing on all fronts, they can now turn their attention back to their pursuit of domestic glory, with everything also still to play for in the league and both cup competitions.

Liverpool make enquiry over "outrageous" £20m star who's wanted by Man Utd

The midfielder’s agents are keen to secure him a move to a new club.

By
Dominic Lund

Jan 29, 2025

Having already secured their place in the round of 16 prior to yesterday’s fixture, Slot handed minutes to some lesser-used players, with Tyler Morton coming on in the second half, appearing for the first time since the FA Cup tie against Accrington Stanley.

Morton has struggled for game time this season, and The Mirror report the 22-year-old could still exit Anfield before the transfer window comes to an end, after recently admitting he has found it difficult not being in the team.

Slot is now set to make a decision on the midfielder’s future, most likely partially based on what he saw on Wednesday night, with a move elsewhere on the cards prior to the February 3rd deadline.

Liverpool’s upcoming fixtures	Date
AFC Bournemouth (a)	February 1st
Tottenham Hotspur (h)	February 6th
Plymouth Argyle (a)	February 9th
Everton (a)	February 12th
Wolverhampton Wanderers (h)	February 16th

Another loan move could suit Morton

The Wallasey-born midfielder has spent a lot of time out on loan in the past, enjoying impressive spells with Blackburn Rovers and Hull City, where he solidified his place as an important part of the team.

However, it was always going to be a difficult task for the central midfielder to force his way into starting contention at Liverpool, and there is unlikely to be an increase in game time on the horizon.

With the Reds performing at such a high level both domestically and in Europe, Slot is unlikely to want to make too many changes to his side, meaning the Englishman may not be handed many more opportunities.

Having expressed how difficult it is to not be regularly involved, another loan move until the end of the season could suit Morton, at which point his contract is set to expire, and the club can re-assess his future.

Considering the Liverpool academy graduate has been lauded as “incredible” in the past, it is clear he possesses a lot of potential, but he is not going to develop if he doesn’t receive consistent game time.

The 24-year-old is preparing for Sunday's FA Cup final after a remarkable rise to becoming the best defender on the planet

Naomi Girma’s unveiling as a Chelsea player was different to most, befitting of her status as the most expensive transfer in the history of the women’s game. It was at Stamford Bridge, ahead of a huge London derby against Arsenal, that fans learned of the 24-year-old’s arrival, with her walking out to rapturous applause as she waved to the adoring supporters of her new club. It’s a moment that Girma, with her beaming smile, appeared to relish. However, it also probably felt a little bit strange for someone who, in the words of one former team-mate, has “never really made it about her”.

Kennedy Wesley, who played alongside Girma at Stanford University and the San Diego Wave, can’t help but be amused when she thinks about all the attention her friend is getting at the moment. “Obviously, she's the best defender in the world, but if you were to ask her about that or tell her that yourself, she would respond in the most humble way possible,” she tells GOAL. “Like, that she still has so much room to improve, she has her team-mates and coaches and everyone else to thank. I feel like she's never going to claim the status that we all view her as [holding] and that's one of the things that I love most about her, that she carries herself with a humility and grace that is just unmatched for someone with her stature.”

Speak to anyone who knows Girma and they will say similar things. It’s part of what has made her an exceptional team-mate throughout her career to date, while giving her the determination to hit even greater heights. It’s also helped her on a journey that, though arduous at times, has already taken her to world-class status and made her the first million dollar player in the women’s game.

Getty ImagesStrong foundations

It’s not hard to find people to talk to about Girma. She’s made such a positive mark in the places she has been throughout her career to date that it’s incredibly easy to get people on the phone to chat all about her. “I could talk about Nay all day,” Wesley laughs, after taking time out of her own day to talk about their time together in San Diego and, before that, at Stanford.

Paul Ratcliffe, head coach of the latter’s women’s soccer program since 2003, noticed this impact during the centre-back’s four-year stint at college. When he would meet with his players and speak to them about how they were settling in, three or four would pick out Girma as their best friend on the whole team. “That's the kind of connection she has with her team-mates,” he tells GOAL. “They all adored her.”

It's something he cites as a “testament” to Girma herself, but also to her family. Born in the Bay Area of California, her father founded Maleda Soccer Club, centred around the region’s Ethiopian community. “There is a church and people would gather there, but there wasn't any other gathering other than holidays, I guess, so it was kind of an easy way for everyone to stay in touch and for the kids to just get active,” Girma told GOAL previously. “It was a really good community bonding thing and it still happens now. My dad isn't as involved because me and my brother are in our 20s, but the kids still get together and play, and I think it's just great for everyone.”

It's no surprise that Girma, who started playing soccer at Maleda, has been stood in such good stead by a family that creates and contributes to this sort of community space. “They're hard working people, they're caring, they're intelligent,” Ratcliffe says, remembering his first impressions of the whole family. “For me, one of Naomi's strengths is her character, her overall character. She's just a great human being. Obviously, it's a testament to Naomi and how she wants to be, but it definitely starts with the family.”

AdvertisementGetty ImagesAlmighty rise

Those personal traits would help mark Girma out as a true leader as her growth as a player really took off. Aged 13, she was playing in national-team camps and, aged 15, she’d committed to Stanford, one of the best programs in the country for college soccer but also, in a nod to her off-pitch talents, an academic powerhouse. Maya Doms started at Stanford the year after Girma and, knowing she was going there, watched all the Cardinals’ games. “Even though she was a freshman, she was one of the key players,” Doms remembers of her future team-mate. “I guess I sort of idolised her even before going there.”

By the time her sophomore year rolled around, Girma was the team captain, a relatively unheard of feat. In her first season with that armband, she would lead Stanford to a national title. Unsurprisingly, when her time at college came to a close, the defender was selected by the San Diego Wave as the first overall pick in the NWSL Draft.

“Sometimes the younger players take a while to get going in the league, but you could just tell right away with Nay, especially when we had the pre-season games, I felt like she was an international player,” Emily van Egmond, the 158-time Australia international who was Girma’s roommate in San Diego, tells GOAL. “I didn't even feel like she was a rookie. She came out and she just had that presence about her already, and she just fit straight in. I remember sitting with some of the girls and we were just saying, 'Nay, we can't even classify you as a rookie. You're like a veteran!'”

Within a few weeks, Girma’s debut for the U.S. women’s national team would follow, kickstarting a year that would end in her being crowned Rookie of the Year, Defender of the Year and being named to the NWSL Best XI, having helped the Wave become the first expansion team to reach the post-season. Under the tutelage of former England defender Casey Stoney, Girma thrived in San Diego and helped the team win two major titles before departing at the start of 2025. That success has translated to the international stage, too, with her an incredible performer in the USWNT’s Olympic triumph last summer.

Getty ImagesNot without setbacks

That, though, is to make Girma’s rise sound simple; it has certainly not been. One of the first big setbacks came right after the high of that national title in 2019, when the defender tore her ACL. It’s a dreadful injury to sustain, the type which players can take months to feel like themselves again after, even once they’ve returned to action. Girma’s attitude throughout the recovery, though, was remarkable.

“Not only was she able to carry herself in such a strong way through her own rehab, but she also was able to still be the leader and the team-mate and the captain that she was at the time to the rest of us that were playing,” Wesley remembers. “She had such a positive impact, even from the sidelines.”

“She was there with us at every practice, every game,” Doms adds. “It almost felt like she wasn't injured, because she was still kind of, in a way, coaching us, giving us pointers as a team and just sharing her wisdom. It didn't really feel like she was injured. Maybe the results reflected that! We obviously missed her vision and her security as a defender on the field, but her involvement with the team never really went away, even though she was injured for that long.”

Girma’s discipline in her recovery wowed those around her, too. “I feel like it was the fastest year I had ever seen for her to recover,” Ratcliffe recalls. “Her dedication to all of her rehab and getting back to full strength was tremendous, and it shows your character when you go through adversity like that. In my eyes, Naomi has the highest level of character.”

Example on and off the pitch

That adversity, however, was nothing in comparison to the tragic news that came just a few weeks before Girma’s first season in the NWSL. On March 1, 2022, Katie Meyer, Girma’s best friend and college team-mate, died by suicide. Meyer was an incredibly popular person, as showcased by the outpouring of love in the wake of her death.

“The truest friend I ever had,” Girma wrote on . “The most unapologetic, positive, caring person in the world. The first person to be open and talk about her feelings. The first person you’d turn to when you needed to talk about yours. And the last person you’d think would take her own life.”

That Girma would go on to have the incredible season she did shortly after that news broke is almost unfathomable. But more inspiring is the work she has been doing to continue Meyer’s legacy and help young people who are struggling with depression, anxiety and more.

Along with international team-mates Sofia Huerta and Sophia Wilson, the latter of whom was part of the same incredible Stanford team, and partnered with Common Goal, Girma helped launch a mental health initiative on the eve of the 2023 Women’s World Cup. “Through this project, Katie’s spirit, her warmth, and her legacy will live on. We will make sure of that,” she wrote.

Tara Norris, Amelia Kerr share five wickets as Spirit strangle home side for first win

Matt Roller15-Aug-2023London Spirit clinched their first win of the season to leave their rivals Oval Invincibles’ bid for a three-peat in tatters, battling back from 53 for 6 and 87 for 9 to defend 118. The back-to-back champions are three points behind third-placed Northern Superchargers, and need not only to win their last two games but to hope other results go their way.Invincibles were in control of the game after taking early wickets. Suzie Bates – captaining for the rest of the season with Dane van Niekerk sidelined – used Marizanne Kapp aggressively: she bowled 15 of the first 20 balls, and 20 of the first 35.And she struck twice early, bowling Niamh Holland and taking a return catch off Heather Knight, and when she completed her allocation, Spirit were 37 for 4 after 35 balls. Spinners Mady Villiers and Sophia Smale strangled Spirit through the middle and when the ninth wicket fell, Spirit were 87 for 9 with 22 balls left in the innings.But Tara Norris and Lauren Filer, Spirit’s No. 10 and 11, ensured that they not only avoided being bowled out, but had a total to defend. In the final set of five balls, Filer hit Alice Capsey for a straight six and a four through mid-off, breaking the record for the highest 10th-wicket stand in the women’s Hundred (31*) in the process.Filer was an unlikely source of runs. She has one senior half-century for Western Storm but admitted afterwards: “I don’t like batting.” She said: “I feel like I’m a ‘go big or go home’ type of batter, but I’ve obviously had to work technically on it as well. Tara has to take credit as well. The first eight or nine balls, I couldn’t find the middle but in that last set of five, I found it.”And Invincibles never got going in the chase. It took until the 20th ball for them to hit a boundary, by which time Lauren Winfield-Hill had holed out to deep midwicket, and Capsey’s cameo of 11 off 6 balls was not the innings they required, with van Niekerk’s absence leaving them light on batting.Bates struggled to time the ball, hitting a solitary boundary in her anchoring innings of 24 off 34, and while Kapp showed her more intent in hitting Filer back over her head for consecutive boundaries, she was the only batter to adjust to the demands of a slow pitch.Sophia Smale picked up two cheap wickets•PA Photos/Getty Images

After Bates sliced Charlie Dean to short third, shortly after the strategic timeout, Kapp had a life: she spooned Norris’ slower ball up towards the edge of the ring, but Knight dropped a tough chance over her shoulder, running back from cover-point. Paige Scholfield fell three balls later, holing out to long-on.Kapp had another life on 28 when Richa Ghosh dropped an under-edge and failed to gather for a stumping chance, but skied a catch behind two balls later. Invincibles were well beaten, eventually bowled out off the final ball of the innings when Amelia Kerr held a blinding return catch to finish with 3 for 16.”We’re ecstatic,” Filer said. “We’ve had rain every game and it’s been up and down. We just needed to come the other side of the river! It’s one of those things. We’ve got a few tough games coming up but we’ve take this going forwards.” Spirit are mathematically still in contention, but need to win their final three games.For Invincibles, van Nierkerk’s absence proved too much to overcome. “It’s a massive hole to fill – she’s such a good batter, as well as a leader,” Smale said. “But I don’t think we should be relying on Dane: we’ve got some really good domestic players in that middle order that have stepped up really well. It’s obviously massive to lose her.”They need to beat Southern Brave in Southampton on Saturday but their title defence looks all but over.

An Afghanistan women’s cricket team, consisting of refugees who now live in Australia, will play a game in Melbourne in January, the first time they have been able to come together as a group since leaving their country following the Taliban takeover.The T20 match between an Afghanistan Women’s XI and a Cricket Without Borders XI will take place on January 30 at Junction Oval ahead of the opening day of the floodlit Women’s Ashes Test at the MCG.The players involved fled Afghanistan in 2021 when the Taliban came into power and now live in Canberra and Melbourne. Many play for local cricket clubs but have not been able to form themselves into a representative team.The Australian government has been involved in helping set up the match.”Many people across cricket and the community have come together to provide support for members of the Afghanistan women’s team since their relocation to Australia and this match will be a celebration of that work,” Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley said.”I’m delighted that their ambition to play together will be achieved in this exhibition match which will be a wonderful addition to the many events around the Day/Night Women’s Ashes Test.”Earlier this year, 17 of the players who were contracted to the Afghanistan Cricket Board in 2020 prior to the Taliban takeover wrote to the ICC asking for assistance in setting up a refugee team in Australia.”Our goals in having a refugee team are to develop and showcase our talent, give hope to the women remaining in Afghanistan, and to draw attention to the challenges women of Afghanistan face,” the letter said. “Like the Afghanistan men’s team, we aim to compete at the highest levels. We want to recruit and train girls and women who love cricket to show the world the talent of Afghan women, and to demonstrate the great victories they can achieve if given a chance through the leadership and financial support of the ICC.”On Tuesday, CA announced a partnership with UNICEF Australia as part of the foundation’s “Until Every Girl Can Play” campaign aimed at gender equality.

Watson says the 19-year old’s adaptability to different conditions and India’s plans would be a “good test of his evolution”

Andrew McGlashan02-Jan-20252:11

Clarke: ‘Freakish’ debut for Konstas

Sam Konstas’ mentor Shane Watson has admitted the 19-year-old’s audacious start to Test cricket took even him by surprise, both in terms of the strokeplay and the way he carried himself in the field and with the crowd.Konstas scored 60 off 65 balls on the opening morning at the MCG, regularly scooping Jasprit Bumrah, and had a run-in with Virat Kohli who was fined for a shoulder barge. Later in the game he embraced the crowd when fielding on the boundary and was a vocal presence under the helmet, clearly getting under the skin of Yashasvi Jaiswal during the second innings.”I understood what his game plan was, what plan A was anyway,” Watson said as part of the ICC Champions Trophy tour at the SCG. “So when plan B sort of kicked in quite quickly, within a couple of overs, that was a little surprising. But the one thing that we’ve always talked about is trusting his gut.”Related

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Akash Deep and Marsh out of Sydney showdown

SCG axe leaves Mitchell Marsh's Test career at crossroads

While Watson was aware of the range of strokes Konstas had in his locker, even if showing them so early in Test was unexpected, he admitted the character shown in the field was not something he had seen before.”My experience of dealing and working with Sam has been a very quiet, reserved personality,” he said. “[He’s] a very deep thinker and certainly not an extrovert. But obviously what we saw in the Test match is that he absolutely is a showman. And he certainly rose to the occasion, as in he wasn’t overawed.”I know through my experience of debuting…you just put a lot of pressure on yourself because it’s your dream to be able to represent your country, wear the baggy green. But for Sam, it’s superhuman in a way that he sort of just didn’t have any of that at all. You can see it wasn’t put on. That’s just obviously who he is. And again, I hadn’t seen that side of him. It just shows that he’s built for this stage where most people it takes a bit of time to warm up to sort of get into that. Whereas Sam, he obviously just thrives on that.”Konstas has continued to enjoy the trappings of being a Test cricketer since arriving with the squad in Sydney, having photographs with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his fiancée Jodie Haydon during the annual New Year’s Day gathering at Kirribilli House. He also spent time chatting with Kohli, who his brothers took the opportunity to get a photograph with.Albanese joked about his role in Konstas’ rapid rise to the Test side after the century he scored against the Indians in Canberra. “Of course, he got his break in the Prime Minister’s XI [game],” Albanese said. “I’m claiming some of the credit, which is about my only contribution to national cricket.”Shane Watson on Konstas: ‘He’s certainly got all the gears and all the skills to be able to make adjustments’•Getty Images

On Friday, Konstas will become the youngest Australia men’s player to feature in a Test at his home ground of the SCG followed by the prospect of two Tests in vastly different conditions in Sri Lanka. India had already adjusted their tactics by the second innings in Melbourne where Konstas was kept quiet before being bowled by an inducker from Bumrah.”Look it’s going to be a different challenge for him now,” Watson said. “Because he’s shown what his plan B is. And we already saw in that second innings the field positions certainly changed. It’s going to be a good test of his evolution. To be able to continue to work through how he can take the game on against the best bowlers in the world. But he’s certainly got all the gears and all the skills to be able to make those adjustments quickly.”He is technically very correct and waits for loose balls. But he’s also got the other gears to be able to hit the ball down the ground. But when they do have third man fine and fine leg fine, the ramp shot is probably out. But you know what? I thought the ramp shot wasn’t going to come out in the first couple of overs, and it did. Sam will just trust what he feels and go with it. And that’s something very special that he taps into.”Australia captain Pat Cummins said there had been no instructions given to Konstas about how to go about his innings and believed he would be able to adjust to different scenarios.”Think he showed how adaptable he can be,” Cummins said. “That takes a lot of skill first of all, but we always encourage our players just to read the moment, play it how they see fit. For Sam he sensed the moment was to attack and put pressure back on the bowlers and he did that, it might be different this week; it might be ‘I’m going to play a slow game and kind of score runs that way’. Our message is always just to back yourself, have really clear plans and back your decision making.”

Crystal Palace have now made an ambitious approach to sign a “rapid” £40m star, who is being targeted by some of the Premier League’s top clubs, according to a report.

Palace's transfer plans taking shape amid Europa League uncertainty

Palace’s decision to reject Tottenham Hotspur’s £70m bid for Marc Guehi in the January transfer window ultimately paid dividends, given that the captain went on to play a key role in the FA Cup triumph against Manchester City.

However, the Eagles will always be well aware that a replacement may be needed this summer, given that Guehi’s contract expires next summer, and Premier League rivals Newcastle United are now believed to be close to completing a deal.

In theory, Selhurst Park should be an attractive destination this summer, given that Europa League football should be on offer next season, although it is still up in the air whether Oliver Glasner’s side will even be able to take part in the competition.

Indeed, amid issues around multi-club ownership, UEFA may remove Crystal Palace from the competition, although they are willing to do whatever it takes to participate.

It remains to be seen whether Palace are allowed to take part, but should they embark on a European adventure, they may need to bring in a top-quality replacement for Guehi, and they have now made an approach for Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande.

That is according to a report from The Daily Mail, which states an enquiry has been lodged over the centre-back, who is being targeted as a direct heir to Guehi, and is thought to be valued at £40m.

Diomande could be viewed as an ambitious target, however, considering 2025-26 Champions League participants Chelsea and Newcastle United have also expressed an interest.

Crystal Palace now keen to hijack 21 y/o gem who's the 'next Upamecano'

The Eagles could get one over on their rivals.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 7, 2025

Diomande could be real coup for Palace

Zach Lowy has been left enamoured with the Sporting defender in the past, describing him as “physically imposing” and “rapid”, before going on to claim the 21-year-old “has everything it takes to become one of the best center backs in football.”

As such, if the Eagles were able to win the race for the defender, it would be a real coup, and he could be a fantastic replacement for Guehi, who now appears to be heading to St. James’ Park.

Not only is the Ivorian impressive from a defensive point of view, but he also offers an attacking threat, while regularly displaying his ability in possession of the ball over the past year.

Statistic	Average per 90
Non-penalty goals	0.07 (81st percentile)
Passes attempted	75.76 (96th percentile)
Pass completion %	93.5% (99th percentile)

Should Palace manage to win UEFA round and secure their place in the Europa League, a move to Crystal Palace could appeal to Diomande, but they will have to bank on the likes of Chelsea and Newcastle pursuing other targets.

Already closing in on Bryan Mbeumo, Manchester United have now reportedly submitted an opening offer to the representatives of an ex-Manchester City defender who is desperate for a move this summer.

Man Utd closing in on Mbeumo as INEOS ramp up summer plans

Despite finishing closer to the relegation zone than any European place and compiling their misery by suffering defeat in the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United remain an attractive club. Already, their name has carried enough weight to lure Matheus Cunha to the club and it looks as though Mbeumo is set to follow suit.

Recent reports even suggested that those at Old Trafford are ready to offer the Brentford star a stunning contract worth as much as £13m-a-year to complete a move to Manchester United this summer. If there was a collective belief that the Red Devils were entering this summer with financial limits, then that has already been put to bed somewhat.

INEOS may not be done there, either. They will be well aware that two arrivals won’t do the trick for Ruben Amorim’s side. The former Sporting Club boss needs an overhaul, not just Cunha and Mbeumo. The attacking duo represent the perfect start, however.

INEOS readying strategic £25m bid to sign "unique" Ligue 1 ace for Man Utd

He could join Cunha at Old Trafford.

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By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 6, 2025

With that said, Sir Jim Ratcliffe could yet set his sights on defensive additions now that United’s attack is about to be handed the injection of talent that it so desperately needed. And if that does prove to be the case, then Manchester United may even reportedly seal a deal to sign a former Manchester City star.

Man Utd open talks to sign Laporte

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United have now opened talks to sign Aymeric Laporte, making a bid to the defender’s representatives. The centre-back is reportedly desperate to leave Saudi Arabia for European football once again and has been public with his complaints about life at Al-Nassr in the past – sparking exit rumours.

As ever, though, the deal won’t come cheap. Al-Nassr are reportedly keen to recoup the €27m (£23m) that they initially paid out to secure Laporte’s signature in 2023, whilst the defender himself reportedly earns as much as €15m-a-year (£13m-a-year) at the Saudi club.

Whether Manchester United deem that price affordable remains to be seen. However, in terms of quality and experience, Laporte would certainly offer Amorim a much-needed upgrade within his backline. The Spaniard played a huge role in Manchester City’s historic treble in the 2022/23 campaign and could now come back to haunt the Citizens, years after signing for what was then their club record of £57m.

Described as “incredible” by Pep Guardiola in 2022, Laporte could yet return to the Premier League and earn similar praise at the home of his former club’s biggest rivals. The move would be full of controversy, there’s no doubt about that. But it would also hand Manchester United an instant upgrade.