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On the eve of Game 1 of the World Series between the Dodgers and Blue Jays, Los Angeles pitcher Alex Vesia is away from his team.

"It's with a heavy heart that we share that Alex Vesia is away from the team as he and his wife Kayla navigate a deeply personal family matter," the Dodgers announced Thursday afternoon. "The entire Dodgers organization is sending our thoughts to the Vesia family, and we will provide an update at a later date."

On Friday, manager Dave Roberts told reporters via Sonja Chen of MLB.com that Vesia would likely miss the entire World Series.

Vesia, a 29-year-old native of Alpine, Calif., has spent five years with Los Angeles after playing for the Marlins as a rookie in 2020.

In 2025, Vesia pitched in 68 games. He has appeared in seven games this postseason, including the final two games of the National League Championship Series against the Brewers.

The Dodgers are seeking their second straight World Series title; no Major League Baseball team has done that since the Yankees won three straight from 1998 to 2000.

Chelsea hold concrete interest in signing a “spectacular” Barcelona star, with Enzo Maresca personally keen, and they could now be willing to submit an opening offer.

Blues keen to bolster options amid slow start to the season

After clinching Champions League qualification in the 2024-25 campaign, there was an expectation for the Blues to kick on this season, but it has been a slow start, having taken just eight points from their opening six games.

Most recently, Maresca’s side came up short in a 3-1 home defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion, which has led to speculation aboutthe manager’s future, with talkSPORT’s Tony Cascarino suggesting the Italian may find it difficult to hold onto his job long-term.

One of the only bright sparks against the Seagulls was Enzo Fernandez, with the Argentinian getting on the scoresheet, while Moises Caicedo was also solid, winning eight of the 12 duels he contested and making three tackles.

However, according to a report from Spain, Chelsea still remain keen on bolstering their options in midfield, holding concrete interest in signing Barcelona’s Marc Casado, and they may even be willing to submit a €40m (£35m) bid for his services.

Maresca is personally keen on signing Casado, having identified the need to bring in a new central midfielder, and there are indications that the Spanish club could be open to a sale in the January transfer window.

Barca, given their well-documented financial issues, need to free up wages, but the midfielder has previously expressed his desire to fight for his place, so it remains to be seen whether he is open to a departure.

As bad as Chalobah: 4/10 Chelsea gem showed he’s not ready for PL start yet

Chelsea suffered a 3-1 loss at home to Brighton and this player failed to step up.

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By
Joe Nuttall

Sep 27, 2025

"Spectacular" Casado may need to leave Barca this winter

Given the La Liga champions’ squad is so stocked with talent, the Spaniard has received inconsistent game time this season, although he has impressed when given the opportunity, picking up an assist in the emphatic 6-0 victory over Valencia.

Sergio Busquets was also left very impressed with the young midfielder during the 2024-25 campaign, calling him “spectacular” last November.

The 22-year-old has featured in the majority of Barca’s La Liga matches this season, but given his talent, that is not enough, so it would make sense to move to a new club this winter.

Signing a new goalkeeper should be Maresca’s number one priority, given the start Robert Sanchez has made to the season, most recently getting sent off in the 2-1 defeat against Manchester United.

However, should Chelsea decide to sign a new central midfielder, Casado has the ability to be a success at Stamford Bridge, and a fee in the region of £35m feels fair, given his age.

When the Australia captain picked a third straight five-for, a quick end to Pakistan’s innings was on the cards, but No. 9 Jamal had other ideas

Andrew McGlashan03-Jan-20242:50

Is Aamer Jamal the find of the tour for Pakistan?

New year, same Pat Cummins. When Australia’s captain removed Hasan Ali to complete his third consecutive five-wicket haul, it looked like being a job well done for the home side on the opening day in Sydney. They had, through Cummins of course, halted Pakistan’s jaunty recovery between Mohammad Rizwan and Agha Salman, and needed just one wicket to finish things off.However, that wicket took a long time to come. One-hundred-and-thirty-three balls to be precise as Aamer Jamal stood in their way on the ground where, in 2016-17, he sat in the stands watching Pakistan while living and working near Sydney, plying his trade in grade cricket as he looked for a way to develop and prove himself.By the time he lofted Nathan Lyon to long-on, he and Mir Hamza had added 86 runs for the final wicket. Jamal farmed the strike, took on the short ball and attacked Lyon at nearly a run-a-ball to lift Pakistan’s total to 313. It wasn’t quite unimaginable riches, but a far sight better than it appeared at 47 for 4 and 96 for 5. The odds on Marnus Labuschagne having a bowl earlier in the day had looked slim. Jamal, who had gone for an extra net session at the lunch break, walked back to an ovation from the SCG crowd and the admiration of his team-mates.Related

• For Aamer Jamal, dark alleys will always lead to high streets

• Jamal's 82 saves Pakistan after another Cummins five-for

• 'A real shocker': Wasim and Waqar slam Afridi's Sydney omission

• Rizwan atones for his mistake in Melbourne

“It was very emotional,” he said. “But you have to control your emotions and feelings. I can’t be happier than this. When I was first named in the Test squad, I had said that whether I score a single run or ten runs, it should contribute to the Pakistan team’s success. And I’m just glad that that has happened today.”Cricket is my passion. When passion becomes your profession you start enjoying it. You don’t get stressed by it. You want to live in the moment, whether I’m batting or bowling. I have struggled a lot. I’ve got nothing easily or quickly. I never gave up. Now every stage means a lot to me. It means the world to me.”Australia may well bat far past Pakistan’s total, but for the fifth day in a row in the Test series, the visitors have ensured there is a contest. When both Pakistan openers, Abdullah Shafique and debutant Saim Ayub departed for ducks in the first two overs and Babar Azam was again worked over by Cummins, that had looked unlikely.The Australia captain is about as close as you can get to the perfect fast bowler. On , Michael Vaughan made a big call about where Cummins would eventually sit among Australian cricketers, when asked who he would pick between him and Dennis Lillee.”I saw a bit of DK on screen but I think Pat Cummins in time, don’t think he’s ever going to surpass Sir Don [Bradman], [but] I think Cummins is going to end up being Australia’s greatest cricketer after Sir Don,” Vaughan said.Four days after completing his ten-wicket haul in Melbourne, Cummins was quickly into his work when he unfurled a wicked inswinger to pin Babar lbw after the former Pakistan captain had hinted at a return to form with a handful of exquisite drives. But he has attracted some terrific deliveries in this series, and today was another.Aamer Jamal celebrates his maiden Test fifty•Getty ImagesThen there was a working over for Saud Shakeel, whose first experience of the pace and bounce in Australia has been a difficult one, and after a blow on the shoulder, he edged from around the wicket. It looked like Pakistan could be rolled, particularly when captain Shan Masood prodded Mitchell Marsh to slip shortly after a no-ball reprieve off the same dismissal.Rizwan and Salman forged a fightback with the sort of positive batting that would have delighted Masood. So who returned to the attack to break the stand? Of course, it was Cummins. As he did often at the MCG. A short ball to Rizwan, the type that had previously been hooked into the stands, was top-edged to fine leg. Cummins celebrated with arms aloft.With the final-wicket stand growing, Cummins brought himself back again but this time his Midas touch wasn’t there. In a three-over spell with a softening old ball, No. 11 Hamza managed to see out 12 of his 18 deliveries. With Jamal moving into the 80s by taking consecutive boundaries off Lyon, thoughts of an extraordinary century loomed into view.That was not to be, but even the timing of Jamal’s dismissal brought an element of the dramatic to the end of the day. It left time for one over at Australia. Lyon sprinted off and was seen padded up. Was there going to be an opening nightwatcher? Then, for certainly the penultimate, and maybe the last time, David Warner and Usman Khawaja strode out together. They hugged before crossing the rope. Pakistan formed a guard of honour.There was no Shaheen Shah Afridi to take the first over, and it turned out to not even be a fast bowler. Offspinner Sajid Khan marked out his run. Warner carved the first ball away through the off side. Four deliveries later he defends and the ball bounces agonisingly over the stumps. “Heart-in-mouth stuff there, that last over,” Ricky Ponting said.So the stage was set. Warner will walk out again on Thursday morning. Given his storied career, it would be no surprise if he puts on a show. But Pakistan will have their own ideas about that, and if the last few days of the series are any guide, they will not allow him to have it his own way.

Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal has offered his advice to teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, as the 18-year-old continues to adapt to the demands of fame since his rapid rise to prominence with Barcelona. Nadal advised Yamal to surround himself with the right people who genuinely want the best for him, warning him that fame can "make you unhappy" if you do not take the right path.

• Nadal warns Yamal against the dangers of fame and success

  Nadal’s words of advice come amidst an ongoing shift where Yamal’s role for Barcelona and Spain is changing, from a storied teenage prodigy to a pair of young shoulders on which a lot of pressure is increasingly being placed.

  Since turning 18 over the summer, a shift in Yamal’s public perception has begun to emerge, too – as speculation over lavish parties and public relationships with the likes of Argentine singer Nicki Nicole have begun to surface.

  The fact that Yamal has spent a large portion of the 2025-26 season so far out with an injury in his groin area has not helped matters, but he has returned strongly from the set-back. His record of six goals and eight assists in just 12 matches in all competitions reflects the scary reality that he is only getting better. But, nevertheless, the impacts of fame must be managed, as Nadal has advised.

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  'It's important for him' – Nadal's words to Yamal

  Nadal told : "He should surround himself with people who truly support him and who are smart enough to listen to what successful people prefer to ignore. He should surround himself with people who genuinely want his happiness, and he should know how to listen to them, which isn’t always easy when you are such a famous personality, in the spotlight. It’s important for him, given his young age.

  "He needs to surround himself with people who will be beneficial to him, whether it’s his family or a team. Everyone’s reality is different, and everyone has their own mindset and personality. There are many paths to success, but the way you handle it and live with it over the years can make you a balanced and happy person, or on the contrary, success can make you unhappy, because fame eventually ends up consuming you."

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  Former teenage prodigy Nadal advises Yamal on steps to take

  Amidst the ongoing growth of Yamal’s profile both on and off the pitch, Nadal’s words of advice reflect the fact that he must continue to let his football do the talking and surround himself with the right influences in his life outside of the game.

  Tennis great Nadal himself rose to sporting fame at a young age, having turned professional at 14, and won his first French Open just days after his 19th birthday to ascend to No.2 in the world.

  His words therefore offer great weight to the situation in which Yamal finds himself, as the Barca star aims to reach the very top of the footballing world himself.

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• Yamal's injury drama ahead of Chelsea clash

  Barcelona visit Chelsea in a crunch Champions League clash on Tuesday night, and Yamal will hope to be fully fit to take part in the encounter.

  Recent reports detailed an intense recovery plan by Barca to have him ready for the match, having missed the international break with Spain. But Yamal returned to action last time out and played a full 90 against Athletic Club in La Liga, bagging two assists for Ferran Torres in a 4-0 victory, and so he is expected to be fully fit to face the Blues.

  But club-versus-country drama was created over the international break, as Spanish football authorities claimed they were kept in the dark about treatment which meant Yamal would need to pull out of international duty.

  They said in a statement: "The medical services of the Royal Spanish Football Federation wish to express their surprise and concern upon learning, at 13:47 on Monday 10 November – the day the national team's official training camp began – that Lamine Yamal had undergone an invasive radiofrequency procedure earlier that same morning to treat discomfort in his pubic area.

  "This procedure was carried out without prior communication to the national team's medical staff, who only became aware of the details through a report received at 22:40 last night, in which a medical recommendation of 7-10 days of rest was indicated.

  "In light of this situation, and with the player's health, safety, and well-being as the top priority, the Royal Spanish Football Federation has decided to release the player from the current squad."

Pakistan’s attack bowled plenty of dots at the Chinnaswamy, but it was the ones that went for four and six that set the tone

Osman Samiuddin20-Oct-20232:06

Pujara: Babar succumbed to pressure

The first over of the match, bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi, was a good over. It was not the great over that we have come to expect from Afridi but it was a good over. He forced Pakistan to take a slightly ludicrous review off the first ball and tried to push for another very optimistic one off the fourth, but otherwise it went well. He wasn’t straining too hard for that full-length ball that he hasn’t been able to nail right of late. He showed signs he was willing to mix his length and off five balls he conceded just one run.Off one though, the fifth ball of the over, he went a little too full. It shaped in a touch as well. No matter. This is the Chinnaswamy. The boundaries here are served Size Extra Small. The pitch is true. There may only have been four ODIs at the stadium in the last 10 years but we’ve all seen the IPL. We all know the feats of white-ball batting magic that are written here. Also, facing up was Mitch Marsh and there is no cleaner hitter of a cricket ball right now. With minimum fuss, he launched a six straight down the ground.It was a very Mitch Marsh shot. The over read: four dots, one slight error, one maximum. In not quite the way Pakistan would have wanted, the tone was set for most of the rest of this innings.Related

• The price of being Babar Azam

• Warner still the GOAT-to option for Australia at World Cups

• Warner and Marsh secure two vital points for Australia

• Stats – Warner and Marsh's record stand in a six-hitting blitz

• From sickbed to match-winner – Cummins and Stoinis laud Zampa

Hasan Ali bowled eight dot balls in his first two overs. He began his second over from round the wicket though with such a floaty leg-stump half-volley it would’ve been rude had David Warner turned down the invite to scoop it over fine leg for six. He ended the over with a wide length ball that Marsh crunched through point. In between there were three dot balls.Iftikhar Ahmed, called up far earlier than he might have been expecting and turning out to be a far better part-time option than anyone expected, bowled a decent eighth over. Good lengths, nice darts, some dots. Apart from the third ball which was a tiny bit short, a teensy bit wide, and bam, meet Warner’s cut shot. He may be cuddlier now but that cut shot is still mean as hell.Usama Mir came on for the 11th over and bowled a decent one. Mixed the flight, mixed the pace a little, got some turn, bowled three dot balls. He also bowled one that was a tiny bit short, a teensy bit wide and bam, meet the Warner cut. Again. It’s still mean as hell.This pattern would repeat itself time and time again in the first 35 overs of the Australia innings. Lots of dot balls, lots of boundary balls. Instinctively this feels like a very Pakistani malaise, especially of this attack: good enough bowlers to bowl good balls, but not enough of them for long enough. In Bengaluru though, this pattern formed in record-breaking extremis: Australia’s total was the highest made by a team (since we began our ball-by-ball records in 2002) where 50% or more of the balls they faced were dot balls. Pakistan bowled 152 dot balls. But, they also conceded 10 sixes in the first 25 overs, the most they’ve conceded in the first half of an ODI innings. Two games ago, against Sri Lanka, Pakistan bowled 144 dot balls – 47.8% – and still conceded 345.Shaheen Shah Afridi had to shoulder the burden again•ICC via Getty ImagesIt’s difficult to be too harsh on the bowling especially on a ground that is always very harsh on bowlers. Pakistan were playing here for the first time. They had clocked the smaller dimensions in training. They knew it would be tough. Their fast bowlers worked on hitting the right lengths in training, ideally somewhere around back of a good length and at the stumps always.By all accounts those sessions went well, but in the heat of a World Cup game, it didn’t translate. We’re talking a fairly tiny area of this pitch you can hit and not be taken for runs off. And even then the line must be super tight: width is a sin, too straight a folly. In those first 20 overs, where much of the game was shaped, though Pakistan tried they didn’t hit that spot often enough and the margins were cruel. When they hit back of a length (as recorded by our ball-by-ball data), they conceded at a strike rate of 84.61; when they hit length, they went at nearly 140. It’s not a massive difference in terms of feet, but the costs of missing it is significant.”We knew this ground is famous for a boundary festival,” Pakistan’s bowling coach Morne Morkel said later. “Upfront we leaked some soft boundaries – that was one of our key discussion points, to keep hitting the deck and keep the stumps in play. We know in India any bit of width you can throw your hands through the line. That was one area we lacked.”If they hit or forced some good shots, we can live with that. But we couldn’t string enough balls on the stumps, that’s the learning we will take, the improvements we need to make. Those are the small margins. They will hit your good balls for four, but can we eliminate our bad balls and bowl less percentage of bad balls especially upfront?”The one man – well, boy really – who was bringing that control this year, who was hitting the right lengths for the pitches he bowled on more consistently is, of course, not here. A number of sides are dealing with the absence of big names in this tournament, so Pakistan are hardly alone in that misfortune, nor can they afford to dwell on it.But the loss of Naseem Shah, in a side where depth and the readiness of that depth has always felt thin and stretched, hits doubly on days like this. It has put a greater burden on Afridi (who at least confirmed here he can carry it) and asked Hasan and Haris Rauf to bowl outside their comfort zones.”Naseem Shah is a quality bowler and if you look at his stats, the consistency he gave us with the new ball upfront was amazing,” Morkel conceded. “The partnership he formed with Shaheen was fantastic. It’s meant slightly new roles for Hasan Ali and Haris Rauf with the new ball in the powerplay.”If you look at their stats, they are guys used to bowling outside the powerplay. They’re learning, they’re trying their heart out, but Naseem obviously is a big loss.”In the final reckoning, Pakistan’s comeback in the field and then the chase until fairly deep into the game should provide some solace. This was – as Mir dropped an early, crucial, all-time dolly, as Rauf conceded 24 in his first over, as Warner took full toll of the chance, as Marsh celebrated his birthday with a hundred (he hit an Ashes hundred this summer for his brother Shaun’s birthday too) – shaping up to be one of those operatically bad Pakistan days. In the end it was bad in just an underwhelming kind of way.Except a bad day at a World Cup is a bad day no matter the scale and Pakistan cannot afford too many more now.

Manchester United have faced managerial uncertainty recently and Fabrizio Romano has delivered an update on developments that could follow at Old Trafford.

Manchester United pressure on Ruben Amorim eases a little

Supporters of Manchester United will be the first to tell you that this season hasn’t all been plain sailing so far. However, Ruben Amorim looks to have bought himself more time after helping to deliver a competent 2-0 victory over Sunderland.

After some turbulent results, the Red Devils rounded off the international break with a display that showed signs of recovery, alongside some excellent performances, notably from Senne Lammens. Optimism will now start to flow ahead of the Premier League return.

ESPN FC pundit Steve Nicol took time to praise Amorim’s side for their ‘comfortable’ performance, claiming that the win was the first match in a long time where nobody would’ve been able to ask any questions of Manchester United.

He stated: “I bet you, Amorim wishes every Saturday could be like this. I can’t remember the last time we watched Manchester United, home or away, where there wasn’t at some stage, some sort of drama, whether it’s giving a lead away, or whether it’s a comeback or or whether it’s just rubbish.

“I mean, for the first time ever I can remember in recent memory, there’s nothing to say about this Man United side. It was comfortable. As soon as Mount scored, they never looked in any danger.”

Nevertheless, consistency needs to be the focus for Manchester United after the break; otherwise, there will be a return of familiar rumours linking other managers to Amorim’s role at the club.

Speaking of which, Romano has now delivered an update on one man who could be a candidate to succeed the former Sporting boss if he does end up being relieved of his duties.

Romano: Man Utd are on good speaking terms with Gareth Southgate

Communicating on his YouTube channel, Romano confirmed that Manchester United hold an excellent relationship with Gareth Southgate, though he conceded that they are heading into the international break feeling far more comfortable with Amorim at the helm after Saturday’s triumph.

He said: “Man Utd were not going to sack Amorim even if Man Utd were going to lose the game against Sunderland. Even in that case, he was not going to be fired. That was the plan of Man Utd unless completely crazy things happened, like losing, I don’t know, 3 or 4 or 5-0. But, for example, losing the game, I don’t know, 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, something like that – Amorim was not going to be fired.

“I spent basically the last 10 days telling you that Gareth Southgate was in the media, but there was never a concrete negotiation between Man Utd and Southgate or his representatives. There is a very good relationship between Southgate and INEOS, but never a negotiation. And Man United wanted to show their support to Amorim.”

Amorim was always likely to gain an extended crack of the whip off the back of a victory. Still, Southgate would be an astute plan B option should results begin to head south over the coming months.

The 55-year-old retained a 59.8% win ratio in charge of England and has previously been labelled “ruthless” by John Stones. On the flip side, the main concern over him taking over at Old Trafford would be the fact he hasn’t managed in the Premier League since 2009.

Middlesbrough fans will remember him well for stabilising the club in the top flight. Nevertheless, managing Manchester United is an entirely different kettle of fish, an honour Amorim seems set to retain for now.

Folarin Balogun scored a crucial goal to put the United States Men’s National Team ahead 2-1 against Paraguay during the November 2025 international window. The strike was Balogun’s third goal in his last four appearances, with Gio Reyna creating the chance moments after ending his own scoring drought with the USMNT’s opener – his first goal since March 2024.

• GOAL
  

  USMNT’s aggressiveness

  The goal originated from Diego Luna’s aggressive pressing, which forced Paraguay into a turnover deep in their own half. Luna’s pressure allowed the USMNT to regain possession in a dangerous area, setting the stage for a swift counterattack. Reyna picked up the ball from Balogun’s hold-up play and attempted a cutback pass. Although the initial pass was blocked, it deflected back to Balogun, who quickly slashed a left-footed shot into the net.

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  Balogun’s scoring form

  Balogun’s goal reinforces his growing importance to the USMNT attack. With three goals in his last four appearances, the Monaco forward continues to show reliable scoring form at the international level. His link-up with players like Reyna also underscores the expanding attacking options for Mauricio Pochettino ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

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  USMNT builds momentum

  The goal against Paraguay and their subsequent 2-1 win reflects the USMNT’s growing confidence and attacking dynamism under Pochettino’s guidance. They will face Uruguay next on Nov. 18 in their final international game of the calendar year.

“We will continue exploring a window for organising the age-group tournaments post the IPL 2021,” secretary Jay Shah said

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Mar-2021A fresh surge in the number of Covid-19 cases around the country has led to the BCCI suspending the proposed 50-over inter-state Vinoo Mankad Trophy for Under-19 men at least till the end of IPL 2021, which is scheduled to get over on May 30.”While our endeavour was to get in as many matches as was practicable across different age groups in the season, prevailing circumstances have now forced us to suspend all age-group tournaments,” Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary, said in an email sent to the various state associations on Tuesday. “This is on account of the fact that active COVID cases are on the rise and organising tournaments requires intercity travel, strict quarantine measures and the creation and maintenance of bio-secure bubbles for the participants. Moreover, the situation is presently not conducive in some states.”Related

• M Siddharth, R Sai Kishore carry TN to Mushtaq Ali Trophy title

• From 'total chaos', Mumbai become Mumbai again

• IPL 2021 to kick off on April 9; will be played across six cities

On January 30 this year, the BCCI had announced its plans of hosting the domestic 50-over competitions for men, women and Under-19 men despite the Covid-19 situation. The men’s national T20 tournament, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, was nearing completion at the time.That meant no Ranji Trophy for the first time since its inception in 1934-35, and, along with a number of other cancelled tournaments, no Cooch Behar Trophy for the Under-19 men or any of the boys’ Under-16 or Under-23 competitions. Similarly, there would be no age-group tournaments for women cricketers either.The postponement of these tournaments assumes greater significance than usual because there is the next edition of the men’s Under-19 World Cup scheduled for 2022 in the West Indies, and also the inaugural women’s Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh tentatively slotted for later this year too.”Considering the fact that the 10th and 12th Board Examinations are also around the corner across India, it is prudent that our young athletes have the opportunity to prepare and focus on these crucial examinations. Furthermore, our players’ health, safety and well-being are our primary concern,” Shah wrote. “I assure you that we will continue exploring a window for organising the age-group tournaments post the IPL 2021.”The BCCI had earlier asked the state associations to give their suggestions on the domestic calendar, which has had to be curtailed in a major way because of the pandemic and could only start in January this year.The 2020 edition of the IPL was held in the UAE, with the four-match Women’s T20 Challenge held alongside the playoffs of the men’s event, and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy was played across seven centres in India in January. That was followed by the all-format series between India and England – currently in progress – and the men’s 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, which ended on March 14. The women’s 50-over competition is currently on (final on April 4) and the 2021 edition of the IPL is slated to take place in India – only in Chennai, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata – between April 9 and May 30.

ESPNcricinfo has learned that USA, Namibia and Netherlands are the other teams in the India-Pakistan group

Nagraj Gollapudi24-Nov-2025India and Pakistan will play each other in the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup on February 15 in Colombo as per the tournament schedule that will be unveiled by the ICC in Mumbai on Tuesday.The marquee contest – the first time the two teams are meeting since three heated contests at the 2025 Asia Cup – will be played at the R Premadasa Stadium and is India’s third group match. ESPNcricinfo has learned India and Pakistan have been grouped along with USA, Netherlands and Namibia.India play their first group match against USA in Mumbai on February 7, the opening day of the T20 World Cup. They then take on Namibia in Delhi on February 12, followed by Pakistan, and their final group game is against the Netherlands in Ahmedabad on February 18. There will be three matches a day during the group stage of the tournament.The 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup from February 7 to March 8 is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, with Pakistan playing all their games in Colombo or Kandy. The format is the same as the previous tournament in 2024 in the USA and West Indies, where the 20 teams were divided into five groups of four. The top two teams from each of the four groups progress to a Super Eight phase, where they will be further divided into two groups of four each. The top two teams in each of the two Super Eights groups will qualify for the semi-finals, which will be followed by the final.Related

• T20 World Cup: India grouped with Pakistan, England with West Indies

• Italy's long road to T20 World Cup qualification

• 2026 Men's T20 World Cup likely from February 7 to March 8

• ICC shortlists venues for 2026 T20 World Cup

If India progress from the group stage, their three Super Eight matches will be in Ahmedabad, Chennai and Kolkata. If they make the final four, their semi-final will be in Mumbai. It is understood the ICC has shortlisted Colombo or Kolkata as the other semi-final venue depending on whether Sri Lanka and Pakistan qualify. The final will be played in Ahmedabad, unless Pakistan qualify in which case it is likely to be in Colombo.Apart from hosts India and Sri Lanka, the other 18 teams participating in the T20 World Cup are Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, United States of America, West Indies, New Zealand, Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, Italy, Netherlands, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Nepal, Oman and UAEIndia are the defending champions, having beaten South Africa in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados.

And which batter has collected the most ducks in the tournament’s history?

Steven Lynch03-Oct-2023England had scored 227 by the 25th over of their recent match against Ireland. What’s the highest score for that point of an ODI innings? asked Peter Fairfax from England

You’re talking about the third match of the recent series, in Bristol, which sadly was rained off with England looking set for a monster total after reaching 280 for 4 in 31 overs.After 25 overs, England had amassed 227 for 3. We know of only three higher scores at that stage of a one-day international: West Indies had 236 for 4 against England in Grenada in 2018-19 (England still won), Sri Lanka 233 for 0 against England at Headingley in 2006, and South Africa 229 for 2 against Australia in the 872-run match in Johannesburg in 2005-06.After 30 overs in Bristol, England had scored 272 for 3, a number exceeded only in the matches mentioned above in Johannesburg (South Africa 279 for 2) and Headingley (Sri Lanka 278 for 0). The highest known at the 40-over mark is England’s 356 for 3 against Australia at Trent Bridge in 2018; South Africa scored 353 for 3 against Netherlands in St Kitts during the 2007 World Cup (this match was reduced to 40 overs a side).I should point out that there are many matches for which we don’t have ball-by-ball details, so can’t pinpoint the score after a certain number of overs. But a lot of the missing ones are old games, from when huge totals were less common, so it’s unlikely – but not impossible – that there are any additions to the above list.Who has scored the most runs in a single World Cup? asked Pranab Mukherjee from India

This list is still led by Sachin Tendulkar, who piled up 673 runs in the 2003 World Cup. Matthew Hayden came close with 659 at the next one, in 2007. Three men topped 600 at the most recent World Cup, in England in 2019 – Rohit Sharma scored 648, with a record five centuries, David Warner 647, and Shakib Al Hasan 606.There are ten further instances of a batter scoring 500 or more runs in a single World Cup.Just to keep the bowlers happy, the record for a single World Cup tournament is 27 wickets, by Mitchell Starc in 2019; he passed the record of another Australian, Glenn McGrath, who took 26 in 2007. For that list, click here.Is it right that Graeme Hick was the last man to score 1000 runs in May? asked Dave Friston from England

It’s not quite right, if you stick to the exact wording of the question. Graeme Hick is the last man to score 1000 first-class runs in an English season before the end of May in 1988, but 410 of his runs came in April. The only men to score 1000 or more entirely in May are WG Grace in 1895, when he was 46, Wally Hammond in 1927, and the Lancashire left-hander Charlie Hallows in 1928.Apart from Hick, the following also reached 1000 before the end of May, with some of the runs coming in April: Tom Hayward in 1900, Don Bradman in both 1930 and 1938, Bill Edrich in 1938, and Glenn Turner in 1973.Nathan Astle shares the record for the most World Cup ducks, five, with Pakistan’s Ijaz Ahmed•Matthew Ashton/EMPICS/Getty ImagesWhich batter has collected the most ducks in the World Cup? asked Jamie Robertson from England

Two men lead the way in this mournful list with five ducks in World Cup matches: Nathan Astle of New Zealand, and Pakistan’s Ijaz Ahmed. Astle did make two World Cup hundreds, while Ijaz ended up with a winner’s medal in 1992, so it wasn’t all bad news for them.Seven men have collected four World Cup ducks, including England’s 2019 Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan (two of his ducks came for Ireland in 2007). One of the others with four, the West Indian Keith Arthurton, bagged three of his during a horror stretch in the 1996 tournament, in which his scores were 1, 0, 0, 1 and 0.She might not thank us for pointing it out, but actually a woman leads the way overall. Denmark’s Susanne Neilsen had only 11 innings in World Cups, but she was out for nought in six of them. Five other women have collected five ducks in World Cup matches.What’s the highest run-aggregate in a one-day international in which both sides lost all ten wickets? asked Varun Reddy Sevva from India

This question came about when you spotted that the website’s list of the highest run-aggregates in ODIs, which goes down to 650, did not include any matches in which both sides lost ten wickets. But the highest in which 20 wickets went down just misses that list: there were 642 runs in a 2016-17 match in Greater Noida, when Afghanistan were all out for 338 off the last ball of their innings, and Ireland replied with 304 in 47.3 overs.The World Cup record was set in Taunton in 2019, when Australia (307) beat Pakistan (266) in a match of 573 runs and 20 wickets. The record in all List A cricket is 699 runs, in the Ford Trophy game between Auckland (356) and Canterbury (343) at Eden Park in 2012-13.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions