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The EFL can be a rich hunting ground for exciting talents if you’re a Director of Football at the head of a Premier League outfit looking for shrewd ways to strengthen.

Angus Kinnear, who will leave Leeds United and take Kevin Thelwell’s seat at Everton this summer, knows the myriad prospects across the Championship and will no doubt target a few stars this summer.

In fact, TEAMtalk revealed last week that second-tier Player of the Season Gustavo Hamer and Sunderland’s Dan Neil are both on Everton’s radar, with relegated Leicester star Wilfried Ndidi an option too.

However, Kinnear knows his stuff, and might have already recommended a shrewd purchase who could make a real difference on Merseyside next year.

Everton chasing Championship star

As per Football Insider, Everton have joined West Ham United in the race to sign Burnley centre-midfielder Josh Brownhill, a leading architect behind Scott Parker’s side’s promotion to the Premier League this season.

He’s out of contract this summer, and it’s understood that presently the Clarets have not convinced the 29-year-old into reaching a decision on his future but are ready to open talks pertaining to an extension.

With Celtic also keen, Everton will need to work fast if they want to seal his signature in the coming weeks. However, given that he’s been placed on the shortlist, their interest seems concrete.

What Josh Brownhill would bring to Everton

Burnley’s captain would be a brilliant, under-the-radar kind of signing for Everton. The leadership and experience he would instil (he has 111 Premier League appearances) are elements that Moyes is desperate to stir into his squad.

It’s something the Merseysiders achieved only a few years ago by signing James Tarkowski, who had just been relegated with Burnley and joined at the end of his contract in July 2022.

Hailed as an ‘incredible leader’ by Dyche, Tarkowski has been a solid, no-nonsense defender but also a galvanising presence, barking and baying at his teammates as he upholds strong defensive virtues.

Now, Brownhill could be the next version, walking the same path at a similar point in his career as a free agent.

TFG would be addressing a glaring issue in an astute fashion, as the former owners did three years ago. Everton conceded 66 top-flight goals during the 2021/22 season, and they have bettered that tally across the three years since, shipping 43 goals this year with three games remaining.

Fans eagerly await news of a talented striker to restore the attacking incisiveness, but Brownhill’s industriousness and creativity would be a great way to fortify the ranks.

While Burnley have earned renown for their steely defending this season, they have also been effective and economical in attack, with Brownhill blending an art for well-timed goalscoring with a fundamental playmaking quality.

Indeed, the midfielder has scored 18 goals and laid on six assists across his 42 league outings this term, as per Sofascore, creating eight big chances and averaging 1.2 key passes per game.

Ranking among the top 1% of Championship midfielders this season for goal involvements, his influence is illustrated further, something that could have a marked impact on an Everton side who won’t want to be overreliant on a new striker, whose success in hitting the ground running will be an anxious thing.

Given that the relegated trio are the only Premier League sides to have been outscored by Everton, it’s clear that a deep-lying goalscorer of Brownhill’s ilk could be the dimension-adding star Moyes needs.

Reuniting with Tarkowski in an Everton team looking to reach heights that haven’t been seen for several interminable years, Brownhill could prove a real difference-maker.

He might not have become the “superstar” that pundit Lee Johnson predicted he would shape into back in 2019, but Brownhill is a fiercely underrated player and would slot right into Moyes’ Everton midfield.

An amazing Rooney repeat: Everton open to signing "world-class" PL star

Everton are at an important juncture as they prepare to reinforce David Moyes’ squad this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 6, 2025

Arsenal are now in the race to sign a “spectacular” £85m forward who’s been likened to Gabriel Martinelli, but there is set to be competition for his signature from their Premier League rivals, according to a report.

Gunners set sights on new winger

With the summer transfer window edging ever closer, it is becoming clear that Mikel Arteta is keen to bolster his attacking options this summer, and a top-level striker is believed to be of particular interest.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres and Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku are all on the shortlist, with the latter player also capable of playing out wide, which is another area in which Arteta is looking to strengthen.

The Gunners have set their sights on two wingers who have been impressing in La Liga this season, namely Barcelona’s Raphinha and Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams, but there has now been a suggestion they may also take a risk on an up-and-coming Serie A star.

Related Talks held: Arsenal open negotiations to sign "amazing" 20 y/o wonderkid

The Gunners have set their sights on a defender, who they have followed for years.

Posts ByDominic Lund Apr 27, 2025

According to a report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are now in the race to sign Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz, but a deal will not be cheap, as the Serie A side are looking to hold out for a fee of €100m (£85m), given their determination to keep hold of the youngster.

There may also be fierce competition for Yildiz’s signature, with Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea also being named as potential suitors, which could make it difficult to get a deal over the line.

The 19-year-old is touted as a potential replacement for Gabriel Martinelli, given the Brazilian’s inconsistent form this season, and there are signs the Juventus starlet could be a like-for-like replacement.

"Spectacular" Yildiz compared to Martinelli

Martinelli may have been inconsistent this season, but the winger has still put in some top-quality performances, recently scoring in the Gunners’ 2-1 victory over Real Madrid to progress to the semi-finals of the Champions League.

As such, it is a good sign that Yildiz has been compared to the 23-year-old by football scout Ben Mattinson, who said: “See a lot of similarities between Yıldız & Martinelli, not entirely the same but their finishing and dribbling style is similar.”

The Turkey international is enjoying an impressive campaign with Juventus, picking up eight goals and five assists, and he has previously received high praise from football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who lauded the starlet’s “high on-the-ball bravery to make spectacular solo runs”.

Yildiz clearly has a very bright future ahead of him, but there are doubts over whether his performances up to this point justify a £85m outlay, and with the youngster contracted until 2029, it may be very difficult to prise him away from Juventus.

Also on our list of ten: captain fantastic Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep boss-both-ends-of-the-innings Singh, and one Fraser-McGurk who offers a glimpse into the heady future of T20 batting

Nagraj Gollapudi21-Nov-202412:15

Pant? Rahul? Which Indian player will get the big bucks at the auction?

Rishabh Pant

Set 2: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore (USD ($ 237,000 approx.)On the morning of deadline day, Delhi Capitals were unable to close negotiations with their captain Rishabh Pant, who opted to head to the auction instead. Fans and experts alike believe he could be one of the most expensive players at this auction, crossing the INR 20-crore mark.Related

• Don't rule out a 25-crore buy at the IPL 2025 mega auction

• Who should MI and CSK right-to-match?

• IPL 2025 auction – Full list of 577 players

• Who will RCB and LSG use their right-to-match options on?

• Who should DC and GT use right-to-match options for?

Why is Pant that valuable? Measured purely in terms of his T20 numbers, Pant doesn’t stand out. Counted among the most dangerous batters in Test cricket already, Pant, who is 27, has won just eight Player-of-the-Match awards in his 111-match IPL career which started in 2016.But Pant has always made us expect something special or freakish, that’s his X-factor. Also, alongside DC, several franchises – Royal Challengers Bangalore, Punjab Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, Kolkata Knight Riders – are on the lookout for a captain. Pant doubles up as a wicketkeeper-batter, too, a skillset many teams have a vacancy for. DC have the option of buying him back via the right-to-match card (RTM). A top India player, a leadership option, a growing brand, and, importantly, a fan favourite – there is a lot that can drive Pant’s bids to escalate quickly.Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer are captaincy options for teams•BCCI

Shreyas Iyer

Set 1: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore ($ 237,000 approx.)Like Pant, Shreyas Iyer is a frontrunner to fill the captaincy role available at several franchises including KKR, whom he led to the IPL title last season. Shreyas was bought by KKR at the 2022 mega auction, the franchise staving off rival bids from four others (RCB, DC, LSG, GT) to secure his services for INR 12.25 crore. They appointed him captain straightaway. After missing the 2023 season with a back injury, Shreyas took charge last season and worked successfully with the leadership group led by current India coach Gautam Gambhir.While KKR were open to retaining him, Shreyas opted to head to auction; their talks failed over money. Having retained six players, KKR don’t have a RTM to buy Shreyas back. They will still keep the option of buying him back with a modest purse (INR 51 crore) open, but Shreyas the captain is also an attractive option for PBKS – who have the strongest purse going into the auction (INR 110.5 crore) – as well as DC (purse: INR 55 crore) and LSG (purse: INR 69 crore).Shreyas the batter is also a bankable option in the middle overs, and there are teams who will eye him for that role too.

Mitchell Starc

Set 1: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore ($ 237,000 approx.)Last time around, the multiple-World-Cup winner breezed past the record bid of INR 20.50 crore that SRH had minutes earlier made for Pat Cummins, making him momentarily the most expensive player bought at any IPL auction. KKR had broken the bank for Starc, spending 80% of their purse (INR 24.75 crore out of 32.7) on him.Quiet during the league phase, Starc burst through SRH in the two matches that mattered: Qualifier 1 and the final. On both occasions, Starc hurt their top order with fiery spells of fast bowling which included the early wickets of the red-hot form players Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. Starc was the Player of the Match in both games.With his varied skills, Starc is equally impactful in the powerplay and death overs, the crucial phases where matches are predominantly won and lost in T20s. After the 2024 IPL final, Starc, who will be 35 next January, said that he would be focusing on franchise cricket in the last leg of his career – this means whoever signs him could see him as a three-year player.With his experience, teams will also look at Starc as a bowling leader and a mentor. No surprises then, if Starc ends up adding another million or two to his wallet.KL Rahul has had six 500-plus years in the IPL•BCCI

KL Rahul

Set 2: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore ($ 237,000 approx.)Since IPL 2018, KL Rahul has scored 500-plus runs in six seasons. The one time he didn’t, in 2023, he had missed the second half of LSG’s campaign having injured his quadricep. In comparison, Virat Kohli and David Warner, bonafide IPL legends, have had seven 500-plus aggregates though they started much earlier than Rahul. Despite the constant chatter around the manner of his batting and strike rate specifically, Rahul has stuck to his strengths and shown enough signs of improvement during his three-season stint at LSG.He opted to leave LSG, who are highly unlikely to trigger the RTM option for him. Rahul has dropped hints that he would be happy heading to RCB, where his IPL journey started in 2013. RCB are on the lookout for a captain and Rahul could be seen as a long-term leadership option. RCB also need a keeper-batter, a position Dinesh Karthik performed from 2022-24 before retiring last year.There are also several other teams that need an experienced top-order Indian batter-cum-wicketkeeper, which means Rahul could be in for a significant bid.

Jos Buttler

Set 1: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore ($ 237,000 approx.)Since the 2022 IPL season, among top-order batters, Jos Buttler is the fourth-highest run-maker with a strike rate of nearly 145. In the same period, Buttler is also the fourth-highest six-hitter (71). Buttler can both create pressure with the bat and release pressure by hitting the ball into areas not many others can, especially thanks to his dextrous wrist work.Buttler, who is 34, has had recent struggles with his calf but showed his batting powers have not diminished with a brutal 83 in his second T20I on return for England against West Indies, playing at No. 3. At Rajasthan Royals, where he played since 2018, Buttler played mainly as an opener.A T20-World Cup-winning captain, Buttler offers teams the leadership option too.

Arshdeep Singh

Set 1: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore (US $ 237,000 approx.)From IPL 2022 to 2024, only Bhuvneshwar Kumar (64) and T Natarajan (61) delivered more yorkers than Arshdeep (50) in the death overs. The yorker is a key weapon for a fast bowler in the final overs, with batters looking to hit boundaries every single delivery. Despite such pressure, Arshdeep has an economy rate of 5.76 for his yorkers – that is only slightly higher than Jasprit Bumrah’s 5.38 for his 49 yorkers.In the death overs in these seasons, Arshdeep has 28 wickets, which is the second-most after Harshal Patel (50). Arshdeep has also been effective in the powerplay, where his 24 wickets are the fourth-most since IPL 2022.On top of this ability to bowl at the start and the close of an innings, Arshdeep has proven himself to be a matchwinner at the international level – think back to the recent T20I series in South Africa.Arshdeep Singh has been impressive in the death overs•BCCI

Liam Livingstone

Set 2: Marquee. Base price: INR 2 crore (US $ 237,000 approx.)Even in the noisy world of T20, some bats make a distinct noise. One of them belongs to England’s batting allrounder Liam Livingstone, who can bludgeon the ball hard and far. And usually, he will flex his muscle in the second half of the innings: in the last three IPL seasons, Livingstone’s strike rate of 191.66 (575 runs in 21 innings) is behind only India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav (193.85, with 789 runs in 26 innings). Third on this list is Heinrich Klaasen at 182.40 (757 runs in 24 innings).Livingstone also has the unique ability to switch between wrist- and fingerspin in the same over: he can bowl legbreaks or dart in sliders based on the match-up. Because of those factors, he earned INR 11.5 crore at the 2022 mega auction despite his bid coming on the second day. In 2025, it will be the first time Livingstone will be a part of the marquee set at an IPL auction. A power-hitting allrounder is always a popular buy in the IPL, and with PBKS having a RTM option and a strong purse, Livingstone’s price could once again escalate quickly.

Ishan Kishan

Set 5: Wicketkeeper (1). Base price: INR 2 crore (US $ 237,000 approx.)At the previous mega auction, in 2022, India’s wicketkeeper-batter Kishan was the most expensive buy with Mumbai Indians paying INR 15.25 crore ($2.033 million approx.) for him. Four teams were keen on him (skillset: left-hand opening batter-cum-wicketkeeper). PBKS got things started, followed by GT, and eventually MI sealed it after a stiff bidding contest with SRH.Kishan’s returns that season were poor, but in the last two years he has shown vast improvement – especially in the powerplay. In 2023, when MI made the playoffs, Kishan struck at a strike rate of nearly 145 (scoring 333 runs in 15 innings). In 2024, where MI finished bottom of the table, Kishan’s strike rate in the powerplay was over 161 (239 runs in 13 innings). Across the last two IPL seasons, Kishan is the third-highest run-maker in the powerplay (572 runs in 28 innings), and his strike rate of 151.32 is ninth highest.A left-hand opening batter is something several teams would desire. Add wicketkeeping to that, and the fact that he has age on his side (Kishan is 26), and you know you could have another bidding war coming up.

Phil Salt

Set 5: Wicketkeeper (1). Base price: INR 2 crore ($ 237,000 approx.)Sunil Narine was the undisputed MVP last season, but the KKR great would acknowledge much of his batting success was owed to his opening partner Phil Salt, who displayed some blistering stroke play.Since 2022, only Travis Head has a higher strike rate than Salt in the first six overs in T20s (min. 1000 runs), although Head has played far fewer matches. In 131 innings, Salt has scored 2450 runs at a strike rate of 163.77.Salt’s strength is dealing in boundaries, virtually every ball. In IPL 2024, Salt’s balls-per-boundary count was 2.61 (in 15 innings). Only Jake Fraser-McGurk, the young Australian who opened for DC, had a better count at 2.04, though he batted in just nine innings. Salt was also second in the balls-per-six count at 8.77, behind Fraser-McGurk’s phenomenal 5.05.Salt has shown his electric starts can contribute to a title-winning run. Moreover, he is now a regular wicketkeeper for England.Jake Fraser-McGurk sparkled in his first IPL season in 2024•Getty Images

Jake Fraser-McGurk

Set 3: Batter (1). Base price: INR 2 crore (US $ 237,000 approx.)This might seem like an outrageous pick. But outrageous is also the apt word for Fraser-McGurk’s batting in IPL 2024, his maiden season. With a baseball batter’s stance, Fraser-McGurk, 22, blasted bowlers of all kinds and provided powerful starts to DC in the powerplay. Owner of the fastest century in List A cricket – which he reached in 29 balls, two fewer than AB de Villiers against West Indies – Fraser-McGurk announced himself in the IPL by smashing 15-ball half-centuries twice.One came against MI, on a sweltering day in Delhi, when he went on to score 84 off 27. This included hitting Jasprit Bumrah for a six first ball, followed by a four and then another four off the final delivery of that over, making it the most expensive by Bumrah (18 runs).He remains a batter still being moulded, but Fraser-McGurk has already showcased, in his small sample size, the fast evolution of T20 batting – especially T20 powerplay batting. Dating back to IPL 2022, Fraser-McGurk has the best balls-per-boundary (2.04) and best balls-per-six (5.95) count in the first six overs. His strike rate of 250.94 is the highest for any batter to have played two or more overs in the powerplay last season.He struggled for form in white-ball cricket after the IPL, but recently showed he still has what it takes by carting Shaheen Afridi – again, showing the guts to take on the best of the best – for 18 runs in an over in a T20I.With franchises on the lookout for batters who can provide electric starts, Fraser-McGurk has the potential to earn some good money.

The former South Africa captain talks about why he chose to get into the uncomfortable parts of his career in his newly released autobiography

Firdose Moonda30-Oct-20229:06

‘When you lose, it feels like your heart is being ripped out of your chest’

Faf du Plessis did not want to write a book about cricket. He wanted to tell stories about relationships, using sport as the page and his time as a professional player as the ink.His autobiography, , was released this week, and, given its genre, you’d expect it to be personal, but there’s a different intensity about this narrative. Written through parts of lockdown, it borders on invasive as du Plessis mines through his past to reveal parts of him that most others in his place would rather keep secret. He writes about being an insensitive partner, a jealous friend and an insecure adult, and presents sides of himself that many of us – familiar only with the image-conscious man who might chiefly care about the picture on the front cover – may not have come across before.Related

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Ernest Hemingway wrote that there was nothing more to writing than to “sit down at a typewriter and bleed”. Du Plessis feels that’s what he did with his book.”I opened myself up completely,” he tells ESPNcricinfo on the eve of the book’s launch, which he is “nervous but excited” about. “And this book was not about saying I am right. I’m not saying I’m right. In fact, I’m saying the opposite. I’m saying I’m weak, or I did things wrong and I learned from that.”Most of the book is a chronological retelling of his career but not through scorecards or match reports. He tells tale and is willing to own the consequences.”The purpose of the book is that every story that I write in it has some sort of impact on the relationships in my life. Most importantly, the through line, right through the book is leadership. So even sometimes when a story seems like it’s about someone, it’s actually not really about someone; it’s how I experienced it in my perspective.”Tell that to the many recognisable names in the book, the many leaders (by title or not) that du Plessis understands could feel “offended or attacked” by some of the things he wrote.

“I thought I understood what it meant like captaining a diverse team but obviously I didn’t. If you’re intentional about improving as a leader, then you’ll pick up on those small things that you’re not getting right”

Mark Boucher is the most obvious candidate and ESPNcricinfo understands he is less than thrilled with revelations in the book of the breakdown in their relationship that led to du Plessis’ Test retirement.Du Plessis insists he can separate Boucher as coach to Boucher as his coach at a particular time in his career. “I speak about what a good cricket coach he is and I think he was the right guy to be appointed as coach back then. I still believe to this day, from where I’m sitting now and not playing for the Proteas, that he’s the right guy for the job because he’s a fantastic cricket coach.”From a leadership point of view, I thought we were a little different. People think that the relationship between myself and Bouch is a bad relationship, but it’s not. I just explained the things that I struggled with as a person. I struggled to connect with him in the way a captain should do with a coach and then also struggled to do so as a player.”Graeme Smith is another leader du Plessis shines the light on, forensically detailing messages he’d sent to Smith, then South Africa’s director of cricket, as they tried to thrash out a plan that would keep du Plessis playing T20 cricket after his Test retirement. According to du Plessis, Smith often didn’t reply quickly enough, which led him to seek opportunities in T20 leagues, meaning he was unavailable for South African fixtures that he needed to play to be considered for national selection.Du Plessis says he could feel himself being frozen out despite his best efforts to stay in the system. “I tried my everything to make sure that I could get there but then it just felt like everything was just working like this,” he says, gesturing with his hands moving in opposite directions. “I could feel it slipping away from my fingers.”At the time, du Plessis was resentful but he has since moved on and maintains Smith was one of his biggest teachers. “I mentioned Graeme probably more than anyone in terms of how good he was as a captain and what I learned from him.”Cricket South Africa is another party that could feel aggrieved by how it comes across in the book after du Plessis critiqued the board’s lack of soft skills and pointed out the times it had let the players down – and there were many.On his relationship with former coach Mark Boucher: “People think it is a bad relationship, but it’s not. I just explained the things that I struggled with as a person”•Stu Forster/Getty ImagesThe 2015 World Cup semi-final was marred by selection interference, which affected du Plessis deeply. “That was a hard experience. I talked about the emotion I went through in that World Cup: feeling like it’s there for us to get and then you lose, and it feels like your heart gets ripped out of your chest.”It’s the hurt of the World Cup, but then it’s also just this one thing. Why did that happen? Why was that something that we as a team had to get sidetracked by, from having 100% focus on the game? We were still focused, but it was 10% less, and in international cricket that 10% is a huge difference.”In the book, du Plessis speculates that the damage done by the administrators that day could have led to Kyle Abbott choosing a Kolpak deal and to some decisions then-captain AB de Villiers made later in his career when his availability for the national team became sporadic.De Villiers was always going to be a major part of the du Plessis story. Their friendship started as school boys, blossomed as young internationals, and then suffered when their paths diverged. Du Plessis was among those who decided against accepting the already retired de Villiers’ 11th-hour request to play the 2019 World Cup.”The whole journey with AB is such a big story and such a cool story. We grew up together, as mates and competitors. And then it’s about moving through it, maturing and becoming his biggest fan. There’s a lot of value that people take from that story because a lot of people would experience similar things.”I will always be disappointed that we didn’t get to play more towards the end because he was still so hot in terms of his batting. The whole process of not having him around towards the end was tough as a captain because he’s such an incredible cricketer. But also as a friend, I enjoyed having him there with me. Those were our best times – we were playing for South Africa together as two kids that had a dream of playing for South Africa together. It was a really hard thing for me to go through, more so as a friend than as a captain.”

“I said, ‘we don’t see colour’ because that’s my perspective as a white guy. In South Africa, you mean well when you say that, but it offends other people. I didn’t get that initially. I thought I did the right thing and I said the right thing”

But de Villiers is not the only high-profile sportsperson with whom du Plessis forged a friendship. JP Duminy was one of his bible study partners, and he has often been spotted hanging out with Siya Kolisi, the first black captain of South Africa’s national rugby team. South Africa is a country where friendships across the racial divide, especially among well-known people (scan through the Instagram accounts of some popular South Africans if you’d like some proof) remain rare. Race history was a subject in which du Plessis had his biggest learning.The most difficult challenge of du Plessis’ time as South Africa’s captain came at the start of 2020 when Temba Bavuma, the current white-ball captain and the only black African batter in the team, was dropped from the Test side. Du Plessis, who was also out of form then, was asked why he and other white batters had survived the chop when Bavuma hadn’t. He dead-batted the racial question with the line, “We don’t see colour,” which sparked a storm that hung over him all summer.”In my eyes, I protected Temba that day,” he says. “I said, ‘we don’t see colour’ because that’s my perspective as a white guy. In South Africa, you mean well when you say that, but it offends other people. I didn’t get that initially. I thought I did the right thing and I said the right thing.”Du Plessis contacted Bavuma to try to understand the implications of his statement and later realised he had much more work to do on the topic.”I realised this is obviously something that I don’t get. I need to listen and let other people speak and explain exactly what’s going on. In order for me to represent South Africa and captain the South African cricket team, this is something I need to do better. I thought I understood what it meant like captaining a diverse team but obviously I didn’t and that’s the beautiful thing about growing and self-growth – if you’re intentional about improving as a leader, then you’ll pick up on those small things that you’re not getting right.”Not everyone involved in South African cricket went through the same reflective process and the issue did not die down. When the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement resurged after the custodial killing of George Floyd at the hands of a policeman in the United States, it was expected that in cricket, the South African national team would be at the forefront of the solidarity movement. But while several other teams were kneeling on the field as a gesture to stand against racism, South Africa did not present a united stance.Du Plessis on his relationship with AB de Villiers: “We were playing for South Africa as two kids that had a dream of playing for South Africa together”•Associated PressBy then, du Plessis was gone, but he understood what his former team-mates – especially those from white backgrounds – were grappling with. They faced pressure from their communities not to show support for BLM without also discussing issues like farm murders even as the majority of South Africans, people of colour, wanted to see the team show solidarity with their struggles.”It was really tough because I knew it was going to be like walking over burning coals,” du Plessis says. “I was like, but this is the right thing to do in the terms of the Proteas. The Proteas need this. You won’t be able to please everyone.”Still, du Plessis had sympathy for all sides and especially for the team at last year’s T20 World Cup, where they received a board directive to take a knee or else… (Quinton de Kock chose not to and withdrew himself from the match against West Indies.) “It was something different – people have to understand that it’s an impossible situation to put cricket players in.”Du Plessis had himself hoped to play the back-to-back 2021 and 2022 T20 World Cups, but poor communication and rigid policies (CSA currently only issues all-format contracts, for example) meant he had to put that dream aside and instead move on to T20 leagues. He holds no bitterness, he says. “I’m the biggest Protea fan. I’m a supporter, just like anyone else.”But could he be more than that? A consultant in future? A coach? Du Plessis is not thinking that far. “I’m still planning to play cricket for the next two years or so. I’m a very purpose-driven person. If I feel purpose, I feel really connected to things. Now I feel like I’ve got purpose with the different leagues around the world. And I’m excited to see what lies ahead.”

That Miandad six, Saleem Malik’s miracle, Hrishikesh Kanitkar’s moment of glory, and more magic moments from one of the world’s great sporting rivalries

Shamya Dasgupta08-Apr-2020Sharjah, March 1985, Four Nations Cup

India had just beaten Pakistan comfortably in the final of the Benson & Hedges World Championship of Cricket in Australia, and one-day cricket was beginning to replace Test cricket as the most popular format. That’s when we got this magical low-scoring contest – with a match aggregate of 212 runs – in a tournament also featuring Australia and England, held in a shiny new part of the world. Imran Khan took 6 for 14 to bowl India out for just 125, but then Kapil Dev and the mesmerising L Sivaramakrishnan ripped through Pakistan, who lost their last four wickets for two runs to finish with 87. It left us stunned….Sharjah, April 1986, Austral-Asia Cup, final

… till we got Javed Miandad and that six! India and Pakistan met in the the final of a five-team tournament that also featured Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Both sides scored at nearly five an over – a big deal then – with India getting half-centuries from K Srikkanth, Sunil Gavaskar and Dilip Vengsarkar. Pakistan faltered in the chase but were steadied by Javed Miandad, who made a run-a-ball century despite wickets falling around him. He brought down the equation to a boundary needed off the last ball with one wicket in hand. Chetan Sharma looked to bowl a yorker, which turned into a low full-toss that Miandad hit for six over midwicket. Miandad was already a hero. This audacious innings made him an icon, and not only for Pakistan fans.Calcutta, February 1987, bilateral series

Not to take anything away from what Miandad achieved in Sharjah, but the defining ODI innings of the ’80s for me came from Saleem Malik in a game I watched from the stands at Eden Gardens. Back then you just didn’t see batsmen score 72 runs at a strike rate of 200. Pakistan were chasing 239 in 40 overs. Malik came in at 161 for 5 and seemed to smash every single ball exactly where he wanted to. At 174 for 6, when Imran Khan fell, we started celebrating in the stands. Malik scythed us down to size with his 11 fours and a six. For me, it’s still the greatest ODI innings ever.Venkatesh Prasad’s dismissal of Aamer Sohail in the 1996 World Cup quarter-final has become an iconic India-Pakistan moment•Getty ImagesHyderabad, March 1987, bilateral series

Those were the days when a Pakistan team could spend two months playing in India. And the days when the third ODI of a series could be played over a month after the second with three Tests filling the space in between. Pakistan had already won the first two games of the six-match series by the time the two teams met in Hyderabad. Abdul Qadir faced the last ball with Pakistan needing two to win. But after completing the first run, thus tying the scores, he attempted an impossible second and was run out. His dismissal meant Pakistan had lost seven wickets compared to India’s six, which, according to the rules for that series, gave India the win. Pakistan eventually won the series 5-1.Bangalore, March 1996, World Cup, quarter-final

India and Pakistan have faced off in all but one World Cup since 1992, but none of them have really been classic contests. Of the lot, this one from 1996 was the most dramatic. There was Ajay Jadeja’s exhilarating attack against Waqar Younis and the Aamer Sohail v Venkatesh Prasad face-off. It certainly was eventful and, for a while, looked like it could go either way.Chennai, May 1997, Independence Cup

It wasn’t really much of a contest, not after Saeed Anwar’s record-setting 194, but this match remains memorable because of that innings. Anwar was the dasher-who-didn’t feel-like-one and the double-century was definitely on. What a shame that he didn’t get it when, with more than three overs left in the innings, he was caught off the top edge sweeping Sachin Tendulkar, who would go on to get that record just under 13 years later.Shahid Afridi’s late hitting took Pakistan to a one-wicket win in a 2014 Asia Cup match against India•AFP Dhaka, January 1998, Independence Cup, 3rd final

I pick this one over India’s win in Karachi a few months earlier because of the occasion (the decider of the Independence Cup), the drama in fading light, the record (at the time the highest ODI chase), some outstanding innings, and Hrishikesh Kanitkar’s moment of glory in the end. It had looked like Anwar and Ijaz Ahmed had batted India out of the contest, but Sourav Ganguly fought back with a century and a 179-run stand with Robin Singh, and Kanitkar sealed it with a four off the penultimate ball.Karachi, March 2004, bilateral series

This was the first match of a historic tour and it suitably set the tone for what would be a riveting series. Close to 700 runs were scored in all; Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid played top knocks; Inzamam-ul-Haq got a century in the chase; and some really special bowling from Zaheer Khan, L Balaji and Ashish Nehra at the death stopped Pakistan just short.Dhaka, March 2014, Asia Cup

This was edge-of-the-seat stuff. India put 245 on the board and then applied the choke. Mohammad Hafeez led a professorial fightback, planned and calculated, but it needed Shahid Afridi to strut out and start biffing it around to give Pakistan the advantage. They needed ten off the last over and two typical Afridi sixes, off R Ashwin, sealed the deal.The Oval, 2017, Champions Trophy, final

This one will be fresh in the memory, of course. Was it a great game? No, it was one-sided. Why was it memorable then? Firstly, because it was the Champions Trophy final and Pakistan won it despite all pre-match logic favouring India, who had dominated Pakistan in the opening game of the tournament and only lost to them twice* before in a major ICC event. More than that, though, it was memorable because of Mohammad Amir. Fakhar Zaman’s century had set up a challenging chase for India, even with their mighty batting line-up. But Amir left no room for doubt in one dizzying spell that accounted for Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan. It was a masterful display against a top-notch top order. One of the best you’ll ever see.*04:18 GMT, April 9, 2020: It was incorrectly stated that India had only lost once to Pakistan in a major ICC event before the 2017 Champions Trophy. This has been corrected.

The Champions Trophy may be too soon but a succession plan is needed for India’s biggest stars

Nagraj Gollapudi11-Jan-20252:51

What next for Rohit and Kohli in Test cricket?

Demoralising Test series defeats at home against New Zealand and in Australia have shaken Indian cricket to the extent that the selectors, the team’s think tank led by head coach Gautam Gambhir, and the BCCI are confronted with questions they would have ideally discussed only after the 2025 Champions Trophy ended in early March.ESPNcricinfo has learned that the selectors and Gambhir will meet on January 11 to review the Australia tour, but inevitably, the question of the future will hang prominently, and that would include the immediate future: when does the reset button for India’s ODI team get activated?Which would bring them to a conversation about the two biggest players in Indian cricket: Virat Kohli and the Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma.The Rohit-Kohli questionBefore the Border-Gavaskar Trophy it would have been sacrilegious to even countenance not having Kohli and Rohit in the ODI squad. They were the top run-scorers in the 2023 ODI World Cup and instrumental in India’s unbeaten run to the final. They were also crucial to the title win at the 2024 T20 World Cup in June last year, with Kohli even buying into the attacking batting ideology championed by Rohit and the head coach Rahul Dravid.Since then, though, both batters have struggled. Rohit also admitted to captaincy errors that contributed to India’s 3-0 defeat against New Zealand. However, it is the manner of their prolonged batting failures in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy combined with their age (Rohit is 37, Kohli 36) that has put them under the scanner now.The questions confronting the decision makers in Indian cricket would be these: should they finish the cycle with the template that took them to final of the 2023 ODI World Cup, or should they take into account recent events and make a fresh start at the Champions Trophy itself?The answers are not straightforward.When Gambhir took charge as head coach last August, he was asked before his first assignment (the ODI series in Sri Lanka) about how much quality cricket was left, according to him, in Rohit and in Kohli. He said he expected both players to be “motivated enough” for the Australia tour as well as the Champions Trophy. He even hoped they could play the 2027 ODI World Cup if they remained fit and emphasised that both of them merited a place because they could still contribute to wins. However, after the 3-1 loss in Australia where Kohli averaged 23.75 and Rohit 6.2, Gambhir said it was “up to them” to decide their future.Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli bring vast experience to the team in big tournaments•ICC via Getty ImagesWhile fresh conversations will be had about their future in Test cricket, in the roadmap drawn up last year by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel, Rohit and Kohli were part of the plan for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Both are part of India’s top three, which also includes Shubman Gill who formed a successful opening partnership with Rohit in the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, the resounding success of Yashasvi Jaiswal in Test and T20 cricket makes him a viable top-order batter in ODIs too, according to some in the Indian think tank. They believe Jaiswal, who is uncapped in ODIs, provides the left-hand option and can develop into an all-format player like Gill.But while Jaiswal could be included in the ODI squad as a third opener, who could he replace in the team? The Rohit-Gill opening partnership has been extremely successful – their average of 72.16 is the best among opening pairs with a minimum cut off of 25 innings. Rohit has struggled in Test cricket since September but he was India’s highest run-scorer in their previous ODI series in Sri Lanka in August, when he made 58, 64 and 35 on challenging pitches. Kohli’s scores in Sri Lanka were lean – 24, 14 and 20 – but ODI is his best format. Without them, India’s batting line-up looks bereft of experience.Instead of taking a hasty decision, the selectors and Gambhir could follow the route taken ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup, when there was intrigue over whether Kohli would fit into the XI. The decision makers including Rohit, Dravid and selectors agreed his experience was vital in big tournaments. It is understood they had a chat with Kohli to ensure he bought into the way India wanted to bat in T20 cricket.The BCCI could use a similar process of dialogue to determine the futures of Kohli and Rohit in ODI and Test cricket. Also, it is important that Gambhir and Agarkar have a clear vision and are on the same page before they sit down with the two players. Unless they believe Kohli and Rohit’s motivation levels have been wavering, it would be a brave call to drop either of them before the Champions Trophy.Is Shubman Gill the right ODI captain for India after Rohit Sharma?•Getty ImagesWho is the next ODI captain?It is a question India might have to find an answer for after the Champions Trophy, and not before. Rohit has shaped the brand of cricket India have played since he replaced Kohli as the all-format captain. He’s also actively worked with the selectors to identify and develop players he believed could deliver results.The selectors had shortlisted Gill as a leader in the making and appointed him vice-captain of the ODI and T20I squads that toured Sri Lanka last August. Based on feedback received from the Indian dressing room, Agarkar said Gill had shown “decent leadership qualities” and had the potential to grow.However, Gill also had a poor tour of Australia where he was dropped for the fourth Test in Melbourne amid growing concerns about his runs in overseas Test matches. The time may not be right for a promotion right away.Multi-skilled players vs specialistsIndia’s selectors and Gambhir have been keen to pick players who have more than just one skill – but may not qualify as genuine allrounders – in the ODI and T20I squads. In Sri Lanka last august, India played Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag and Shivam Dube. Tilak Varma, who bowls part-time offspin, was also drafted into the ODI squad after the 2023 World Cup.Tilak and Parag, in their early 20s, have the selectors’ backing because of their aggressive attitude, ability to float in the middle order, their agile fielding, and ability to bowl spin. They will compete for a spot with specialist batters like Shreyas Iyer, who played an important role in the middle order during the 2023 ODI World Cup along with KL Rahul. There is bound to be debate on who could play in the middle order while also providing bowling options to balance the XI.Indian cricket is at a fork in the road. One school of thought is to stick to the tried and tested route for the short-term. Another is to chart a new path right away, arguing that the 2023 ODI World Cup was 14 months ago and there is a need to plan ahead and develop players for the next 2027 ODI World Cup. The question is to what extent the process begins – if at all – before the 2025 Champions Trophy.

India’s new Test captain and vice-captain face intense scrutiny before their first assignment. Here’s how they can hush the doubters

Sidharth Monga19-Jun-20253:18

Gill: ‘Can’t win a Test without taking 20 wickets’

Aura is arguably the most abused term in sports discourse in recent times. If you know what I mean, you have seen videos mocking Shubman Gill’s slightly high-pitched voice chirping from behind the wicket. In comparison to Virat Kohli’s supposedly more manly and aggressive sledging, that is. You may have seen videos of Gill goofing around with his friend Ishan Kishan, and worried about the aura, or lack thereof. You may have scoffed at the PRINCE on his bat, and felt he hasn’t earned it yet.What of his deputy Rishabh Pant then? Babysitter for the opposition captain during a heated series, singer of Spiderman, Spiderman into the stump mic, somebody who can be called “stupid, stupid, stupid” on air in an age when commentators have been sacked for saying far less about his predecessors. Where is the fear? Without the fear, where is the aura?Related

• Rishabh Pant moves to his own beat

• Buttler: Gill's captaincy 'a mix of Kohli and Rohit'

• Pant relishes 'senior' tag but also focuses on 'individual' game

• Gill says India will go all out to take 20 wickets: 'You could maybe see four proper bowlers'

• Tendulkar confident Gill will do 'something special', predicts 3-1 series win for India

Temba Bavuma wasn’t supposed to possess aura. Over one week at Lord’s, Bavuma has not just acquired aura but has graduated to the next level. He has “drip” now.Imagine if the internet had discovered the term aura last year, when New Zealand visited India. They would have just laughed and refused to let them play and go on to win 3-0, the first time anyone had beaten India in India in a Test series since 2012. Forget aura, New Zealand didn’t even have Kane Williamson. What chance did they stand against RoKo, the King and the Hitman?Before they became the King and the Hitman, of course, those two players were widely derided as a disrespectful punk and “Nohit”. Gill is now at a similar stage of his career to Kohli’s when Test captaincy first happened to him. Kohli was 26 and coming off a horror tour of England that made observers doubt if he would ever fulfil his potential. He averaged 39.46 before his first Test as captain. He still had six hundreds in 29 Tests, suggesting that the potential was there. Gill, 25, has played 32 Tests, scored five hundreds, and averages 35.05 in a more bowler-friendly era. Like Kohli then, he has had two seasons as an IPL captain and has established himself as an ODI virtuoso.Gill’s numbers at the start of his Test captaincy aren’t dissimilar to Kohli’s at the same stage of his career•ESPNcricinfo LtdThere is a blueprint in place, but it is not easy to start captaining a high-profile team such as India when there is still some doubt around your Test batting. Gill started off beautifully in Australia in 2020-21, but currently averages 25.7 in 11 Tests outside Asia and the West Indies, with no century. In his last series, he missed one Test with injury and was dropped from the XI in another. On two of the most difficult surfaces in the series, in Adelaide and Sydney, he scored 31, 28, 20 and 13.For somebody who has forever been the next big thing, these are not ideal returns. The scrutiny will only grow more intense. It will be in the back of Gill’s mind as he gets to play the entirety of a long series in these countries for the first time in his career. The fight and the competitiveness you need to succeed at this level were never in doubt in Kohli’s case, which is perhaps what those getting nostalgic miss in Gill’s demeanour.But not everyone shows fight in the same way. It was a different time in Indian cricket when Kohli took over. The team had been whitewashed on their last tour of Australia. In their last 17 Tests outside Asia and the West Indies, they had won one and lost 13. That time called for a kicker and screamer.This is a different Indian team in a different time: more used to away success, with more streamlined channels for talent to come through. Gill and Pant are talking about love and care in the dressing room, and the need to make players feel validated and secure.Outside that, Gill just needs to assert himself and walk his pre-game talk of going all out for 20 wickets. It needs conviction from him and Pant. Their coach may not be as in tune with their convictions as the two previous ones were with those of the two previous captains.India’s new Test captain and vice-captain have begun their tenures speaking of love and care in the dressing room, and the need to make players feel validated and secure•Bipin PatelThe right to have convictions, though, comes from runs. The real decision-makers are less anxious about Gill’s handling of the bowlers or the aura discourse than they are about how quickly he can pile on the hundreds and cast the doubters away. This has always been the way. Batters are generally made captains because bowlers – like Jasprit Bumrah now – are not usually available for every Test. And only runs give batters the authority to run the team the way they want. That Gill is a special batter is not in doubt; he just needs the runs now.Batting in Tests is a fickle pursuit reliant on many variables. You can be at your best and prepare your best, but sometimes you just don’t have the luck. That said, this year is a great chance for Gill. Bazball-era pitches are flatter than English pitches used to be before Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes got together. Only Chris Woakes in England’s frontline pace attack at Leeds has played more than five Tests. Even though Bumrah will be available for only three Tests, India have the bowling that can match England if not outdo them.The England batters will look to put India under pressure in the field right away. Gill and Pant – and Bumrah when he plays – will have to react on their feet much more than leadership groups usually have to in Test cricket when they have good attacks.There are so many things to look forward to as India start a new era; aura is not one of them. What Gill and Pant’s plan to take 20 wickets is, as is how they respond to England’s flashing blades, and how well they bat in what could be the best batting conditions India have faced in England in a decade.This is not to suggest there should be any special allowance for the new leadership. There will be scrutiny on them of course. How they deal with it will define their era. Or if they have an era. If they can take care of their own batting, select well, and respond well to Bazball, the aura will take care of itself.

Perhaps the most bizarre ceremonial first pitch in MLB history was thrown at the Rogers Centre on Thursday ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays game against the San Diego Padres.

A group of five people wearing bright green cricket costumes took to the field before the game and proceeded to huddle up at the pitchers mound. They then emerged from their huddle, rather majestically, and created a path for one of the crickets, who rose up and threw out the ceremonial first pitch to pitcher Eric Lauer, who was serving as the ceremonial catcher.

Video of the unique ceremonial first pitch is below:

The crickets did their thing out there, and the first pitch wasn't half bad either.

Those confused about why Toronto enlisted the group of cricket-costumed individuals to throw out the first pitch are certainly not alone. It turns out, it was part of a collaboration with Cirque du Soleil, the acrobatic circus which tours across Canada and is bringing its bug-themed event called OVO to the city.

Marseille’s injury crisis has deepened ahead of their must-win Champions League clash with Newcastle, as defender Nayef Aguerd has been ruled out with a persistent pubalgia issue and Facundo Medina has suffered a fresh ankle relapse. With Amine Gouiri and Hamed Traore also long-term absentees, Roberto De Zerbi faces a mounting selection puzzle at the worst possible moment.

• De Zerbi faces defensive setback before Newcastle

  Marseille enter midweek's Champions League showdown with Newcastle already under pressure, and their challenges have only grown. The club confirmed that Aguerd will miss the match due to ongoing pubalgia discomfort, ending hopes of a late return. The Moroccan defender, who also sat out the 5-1 win over Nice, has been battling groin pain for several weeks and the medical staff has insisted on rest, especially with the Africa Cup of Nations less than a month away.  

  Aguerd’s absence stretches the defensive resources at a critical moment, as Marseille chase their first meaningful momentum in Europe. Despite travelling to join the Moroccan national team earlier this month, he was quickly withdrawn from consideration for their friendly fixtures and told he needs at least two weeks of recovery. The defender privately admitted he could no longer play through the pain, prompting caution from both club and country.

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  Medina’s relapse adds to Marseille injury woes

  Compounding Marseille’s concerns is another setback for Medina. The Argentine centre-back, already sidelined for nearly two months with a right ankle sprain, has suffered a relapse in his recovery and will not return before January.

  De Zerbi explained the situation bluntly: “Medina has had a relapse. He should be out for another month. He is difficult to replace, both because of his character and his physical attributes.”

  Medina’s injury troubles have haunted him since the start of the season, having hurt his other ankle in August and delaying his debut for the club until mid-September. His leadership, aggression, and ability to carry the ball out of defence have been crucial traits—traits Marseille must now replace as they enter their busiest period of the campaign.

  With both Aguerd and Medina sidelined, De Zerbi may be forced to rely heavily on Benjamin Pavard, CJ Egan-Riley, and Leonardo Balerdi, a rotation far from ideal given the stakes of the upcoming match.

• Greenwood and Weah switching role amid injuries

  Beyond the immediate defensive concerns, Marseille continue to miss two important attacking profiles, Amine Gouiri and Hamed Junior Traore.

  Gouiri, out since early October, is recovering from surgery on a dislocated right shoulder—an injury worsened during international duty with Algeria. His rehabilitation at Aspetar is progressing, but he is not expected back until January 2026. His absence has deprived Marseille of a versatile forward capable of linking play and unlocking defences, a role that has been difficult to replace consistently.

  Traore’s situation is equally troubling. The Ivorian has been out since September with a persistent thigh injury, and despite attempts to resume light training, the pain has not subsided. De Zerbi recently admitted that “things are not progressing well”, and the club has already reassigned a physiotherapist involved in his initial rehabilitation due to mishandling the recovery process.

  Given the injury problems affecting key forwards like Gouiri and Traore, De Zerbi is navigating this challenging period by relying more on players like Timothy Weah and Mason Greenwood, rotating roles and adjusting formations accordingly. De Zerbi values Weah’s versatility, which helps mitigate the impact of injuries by plugging gaps on the right side either as a winger or wing-back. This adaptability has been critical for Marseille maintaining attacking threat and squad balance amidst absences.

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  Stade Velodrome awaits Newcastle

  Despite the adversity, Marseille showed against Nice that they possess the firepower and collective strength to deliver big performances. But the Champions League brings a different level of intensity and without key figures, De Zerbi must once again turn to tactical adaptability and squad depth. Despite the adversity, Marseille showed against Nice that they possess the firepower and collective strength to deliver big performances. But the Champions League brings a different level of intensity—and without key figures, De Zerbi must once again turn to tactical adaptability and squad depth. 

Knowing when it’s time to go is a valuable trait, and if Pakistan were in any doubt their time in the Caribbean was up, West Indies quashed them and sent the visitors out of town with a comprehensive trouncing.Jayden Seales’ six-wicket haul – the joint second-best figures by a West Indian in men’s ODI cricket – and an unbeaten hundred from Shai Hope put Pakistan to the sword in each innings. It was more than enough to secure West Indies’ first ODI series win over Pakistan in 34 years with their biggest ever win over Pakistan, scything through them for 92 having set them 295 to win.It was a 15.2-over passage of play straddling both innings which lay at the heart of West Indies’ dominance, a stunning inversion of a script Pakistan thought they had been writing all along. West Indies struggled to get going on what looked a tricky pitch to negotiate against the slower bowlers, with Mohammad Rizwan greedily getting through as many of their part-time fifth bowling options as possible.West Indies appeared to have sacrificed an ambitious innings total in exchange for conservatism that at least preserved their wickets, but as a result, they hadn’t yet crossed 200 by the start of the 44th over. It took one ball to change that, a smeared six from Hope off the first ball from Mohammad Nawaz bringing up that milestone. A second six off the next delivery emphasised his intent, and Pakistan watched frozen as West Indies shuffled themselves off the canvas and began landing body blows Pakistan one after the other.Shai Hope remained unbeaten after making his 18th ODI ton•AFP/Getty Images

Rizwan immediately turned to Abrar Ahmed, so effective through the middle of the innings that he’d conceded just five off his first six overs. But West Indies’ captain had redlined his game, turbocharging to a gear Pakistan believed he wasn’t capable of achieving on this surface. He would bleed a further 18 off the mystery spinner, with Justin Greaves bursting into life from the other end, flaying Hasan Ali for as many. Naseem Shah, trying his best to land the kind of reverse swinging yorkers that had put paid to Roston Chase earlier, could not escape Hope’s wrath as he bore down on three figures, getting there with a crunching cover drive that put him third on the all time West Indian ODI centuries list.That was just the start of a 21-run over, and by the time he caressed Hasan Ali over backward point off the final ball of the innings, 100 had come off the final seven. As Pakistan walked off dejected muttering amongst themselves, it was hard to escape the feeling this was about as poor a passage of play as they could endure.And yet, Seales spent the next 8.2 overs disabusing them of that notion. For the third time in the series, the right-arm quick exploited the angle moving away to Saim Ayub, who nicked off in the first over. His fellow opener, Abdullah Shafique, would also leave without troubling the scorers, trying to whack Seales over mid-on, but couldn’t take into account the heavy ball he was bowling, ballooning it to Gudakesh Motie stationed perfectly in position.Jayden Seales finished with a career-best six-for•AFP/Getty Images

But it was the third of his six which will serve as the jewel in the crown. Rizwan can be tricky to settle on a length to for all his fidgetiness, and as he took a step out, he determined the fourth-stump line on a hard length was safe to leave on both counts. As he shouldered arms, he would have heard the mildest clink behind him, like ice-cubes tinkling in a glass. The ball had seamed back in and kissed the off bail without even touching the stumps; it could not have been dislodged more clinically if someone picked it up and set it on the ground.A punch-drunk Pakistan were already dreaming up wild scenarios for how this match could turn, and it’s safe to say they all involved Babar Azam. Babar, though, was a mere plot-point to Seales’ perfect day as he trapped him in front with the batter still in single figures to leave Pakistan reeling at 23 for 4.It was those 92 balls that defined the game. Pakistan may have started well, but it barely feels like it matters now. The cracks and weaknesses were apparent even then, when Rizwan turned to Hussain Talat for his first deliveries in international cricket after the first powerplay saw them constrict West Indies, only for Evin Lewis to pick him up for two sixes and break the shackles. Abrar was so accurate and menacing he often appeared on the verge of running through West Indies early, and the hosts spent much of the innings batting at a glacial pace well under four runs per over. It did not matter now.Mohammad Rizwan looks back after Jayden Seales’ sorcery dislodged the bails•AFP/Getty Images

Neither did whatever happened after that fourth Pakistan wicket fell. Salman Agha and Hasan Nawaz had little ambition beyond stealing a few singles each over, even if that made the ultimately Herculean task even more insurmountable as the asking rate spiked. That Pakistan had stripped their side of full-time bowlers for superficial batting depth hardly seemed to matter. They knew they were never getting there anyway, and when the spin of Motie and Chase accounted for them in quick succession, West Indies could see the finish line.To do the honours, they handed that baton to none other than Seales, who blew past Naseem and Hasan Ali before Abrar jogged through for a single that was never on. Chase effected a direct hit, that sharpness depriving Seales the opportunity to bag the best ever bowling figures in men’s ODIs by a West Indian. For all of the young speedster’s brilliance, the fact Pakistan ensured they had a final say in their own downfall felt somewhat apt.