St James’ Park proved to be a fortress once more for Newcastle United on Saturday evening when Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City travelled to Tyneside.

This season so far in the Premier League, the Magpies are yet to win away from home, with three draws and defeats depressingly next to their name. At home, though, it’s a much different story, with four league wins collected with confidence, which now includes a 2-1 triumph over the Citizens.

Harvey Barnes was the difference maker on the day with two well-taken efforts under pressure, with this being the first time Newcastle have got the better of their opponents from Manchester since a slim 1-0 success in the EFL Cup back in 2023.

On that day, it was Alexander Isak who would break the deadlock, and while the sting of his departure to Liverpool was certainly felt in the immediate aftermath of his exit, Eddie Howe’s Toon aren’t dwelling too much on him no longer being around now, with the 47-year-old boss no doubt pleased with the attacking display on show from Barnes and many others.

How Newcastle downed Manchester City

Howe was beaming from ear to ear at the full-time whistle, as he finally got a career win over Guardiola in league action.

He would also be over the moon for the aforementioned Barnes, with the 27-year-old winger repaying his manager’s faith in him when being handed a fifth Premier League start of the season, as his first effort was stylishly placed home, before the vital second goal was somehow bundled into the back of the net.

Nick Woltemade would have felt aggrieved that he couldn’t get on the scoresheet, though, with four efforts passing him by. Still, with four Premier League efforts next to his name this season, away from drawing blanks up against Gianluigi Donnarumma, he has filled the void left behind by Isak expertly.

Both Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes also stood out during the 2-1 victory, as Guimaraes assisted Barnes’ first breakaway strike, while his Italian teammate won six duels and three tackles as a combative counterpart.

Yet, there was one star who stood out throughout who could now be labelled boldly as Howe’s next Isak, even with Woltemade at his disposal, for how influential he’s become in such a short space of time.

Howe's new Isak-esque figure

Of course, while the £125m sale is now struggling to settle at Anfield, he was a consistent top performer on Tyneside when he was still donning the famous black and white stripes.

Indeed, a deadly 62 strikes were tallied up by the lethal Scandinavian during his 102-game stay at St James’ Park, with Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher even hailing him as the “best striker in the Premier League” off the back of such potent form.

He immediately hit the ground running in England, too, with two goals from his first three league appearances for the Toon, with Malick Thiaw also making the transition from European football to English shores look easy, making him a strong candidate to be considered Howe’s next most influential player, much like Isak was.

With an 86% pass accuracy averaged across his eight Premier League games to date, and a commanding 4.6 duels won on average, some have even hailed the German as a “top five centre-back in the league this season”, with Isak also in the same esteemed conversations as a top five forward in the division.

Thiaw vs City
Minutes played	90
Goals scored	0
Assists	0
Touches	36
Accurate passes	20/25 (80%)
Tackles won	1/1
Last man tackles	1
Interceptions	1
Clearances	7
Blocked shots	1
Ball recoveries	6
Total duels won	2/4
Stats by Sofascore

Thiaw has only enhanced his reputation for being an influential member of Howe’s first team with his commanding showing against Guardiola’s visitors, with 14-goal hero Erling Haaland completely negated by the former AC Milan defender, who restricted him to just 23 touches of the ball and two shots on target.

NUFCBlog hailed the performance as “outstanding” against “the best striker on the planet” as Thiaw even impressively stood his ground one-on-one with the frightening Norwegian early in the second half, before a last-ditch intervention saw a chance go rarely astray for the number nine.

On top of that moment of ice-cold maturity, Thiaw would also bow out from the 2-1 win with seven clearances and six ball recoveries amassed, as City found it very difficult all night long to break down the Toon’s resilient back line.

The hope will just be that Thiaw gets better with more time in the Premier League, like Isak, who transformed into a £125m-calibre beast.

Although this time around, Howe will also pray he doesn’t have to give up the 6-foot-4 defender to the likes of Liverpool or any other suitor, as Thiaw becomes the manager’s most crucial player.

Last season, that was reserved for Isak. This season, it’s reserved for their new towering centre-half.

9/10 Newcastle duo look even more important than Bruno G & Tonali

These two players stood out in Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Man City

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 23, 2025

There were worrying scenes inside the Emirates as hundreds of Bayern Munich fans clashed with police and stewards ahead of the Champions League clash with Arsenal. The unrest appeared to be contained in the seated area of the away end ahead of kick-off and hadn’t spilled over into the home sections of Arsenal’s north London home.

High alert ahead of high-profile clash

Hundreds of Bayern fans were spotted marching around Highbury Fields, escorted by Metropolitan Police, chanting and brandishing lit flares ahead of the match, but there were no reports of violence with home fans. In the build-up to the match Met Police announced they had a "robust policing plan" in place to ensure the safety and security of all attendees. This standard procedure for major events involves close collaboration with club security and a visible police presence to manage crowds and address potential incidents. Authorities also urged all fans, both home and any Bayern supporters who have travelled without tickets, to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious to security staff. 

AdvertisementWorrying scenes at the Emirates

Ahead of kick-off there appeared to be pockets of disturbances in the way end. 

Bayern fans have previous

The Bavarian giants were slapped with a ban, blocking their fans from attending the away leg of last season’s Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal in April last year. The sanction was imposed by UEFA after supporters threw fireworks and objects onto the pitch during an away match at Lazio in February of 2024. 

Bayern had been on a two-year probation with a suspended one-match away ban following a similar pyrotechnics incident during their group stage match at Copenhagen in October 2023. The repeat offense at Lazio triggered the implementation of the ban. The club accepted the punishment and chose not to appeal, with CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen stating that the deliberate throwing of pyrotechnics directly endangered bystanders and was an explicit violation of their probation conditions.

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Getty Images SportMassive match at the Emirates

Arsenal secured a significant 3-1 victory over Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium. The win ended Bayern's season-long unbeaten run and sent the Gunners to the top of the group standings. Jurrien Timber opened the scoring for the hosts in the 22nd minute with a header from a corner, but Bayern's 17-year-old talent Lennart Karl quickly equalized in the 33rd minute with a well-taken volley after a pass from former Gunner Serge Gnabry. The second half saw Mikel Arteta’s side dominate, with substitutes making the difference. Noni Madueke restored the lead in the 69th minute, tapping in a low cross, before Gabriel Martinelli sealed the 3-1 win with a decisive counter-attack finish in the 76th minute.

Rain has followed New Zealand from Colombo to Navi Mumbai, compounding their problems, while India, after three successive defeats, are running out of opportunities as well

Sruthi Ravindranath22-Oct-20254:02

Preview: A knockout game for New Zealand

Big picture – Time and chances running outThe pressure on India is higher than ever. Three successive losses in matches they could have won, mounting criticism, and five games in, they are still tinkering with combinations. But they now return to Navi Mumbai, a venue many in the squad know well through T20Is and the WPL, needing just a win against New Zealand to reach the semi-finals.New Zealand haven’t had it easy either. Their last two matches were washed out, and qualification now requires them to win both remaining games, against India and England. It’s a tougher ask, but not beyond a side that just celebrated the first anniversary of their T20 World Cup win, where they beat India in the opening match. They have won 34 out of the 57 ODIs against India, including six of their last nine encounters since 2022.Related

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Their campaign this time started with heavy defeats to Australia and South Africa, before they bounced back against Bangladesh. But they remain over-reliant on Sophie Devine with the bat, and their thin spin attack – with just Amelia Kerr and Eden Carson – has had limited impact on slower pitches.India, on the other hand, have had different contributors in every game but haven’t settled on a clear first-choice XI. After four matches with five bowlers, they dropped Jemimah Rodrigues to play an extra bowler against England. The move did seem to work as England were kept to 288 for 8 after a strong start, but India’s batting faltered under pressure in the chase, which has been a familiar story. They will want to address that.The weather could, however, have a say. Devine called the washouts in Colombo “frustrating”, and the forecast for Thursday isn’t encouraging either. Rain hit Navi Mumbai for over two hours in the evening two days before the match, cancelling India’s training session. A washout, however, would favour India, considering New Zealand have a tougher opponent in England to face in their last game, and just haven’t been able to get any sort of momentum going.More than anything else, Sophie Devine will want New Zealand to get a full game to show what they have got•ICC/Getty ImagesForm guideIndia LLLWW
New Zealand WLLWWIn the spotlight – Kranti Gaud and New Zealand’s openersAfter a promising start to the tournament, India’s young pacer Kranti Gaud has hit a bit of a bump. Her early spells, full of discipline and pinpoint yorkers, have been impressive, but her death bowling has come under the scanner. Against South Africa, she opened with a tidy 1 for 19 in five overs, only to concede 40 off her final four. She went wicketless in the last two games, conceding 73 runs off nine overs against Australia and 46 off eight against England. On a Navi Mumbai surface expected to be more batter-friendly, Gaud will need to recalibrate quickly if India are to keep New Zealand quiet.New Zealand are still waiting for their openers to turn up. Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer have endured a poor run – their partnership average of 10.66 is the second-worst among all teams this tournament. Bates followed two ducks with a 29 (run out) against Bangladesh, while Plimmer has managed just 35 runs across three games, struggling for fluency throughout. A more batting-friendly pitch probably awaits them at the DY Patil Stadium, where they will hope to give their side a strong start.Renuka Singh did well against England, but will she have to make way for Jemimah Rodrigues?•Getty ImagesTeam newsWill India revert to five bowlers for the crucial fixture? While their bowlers pulled things back well in the last ten overs against England, India might think they need the experience of Rodrigues at No. 5.India (possible): 1 Smriti Mandhana, 2 Pratika Rawal, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Richa Ghosh (wk), 6 Amanjot Kaur, 7 Sneh Rana, 8 Deepti Sharma, 9 Renuka Singh/Jemimah Rodrigues, 10 Kranti Gaud, 11 Shree CharaniNew Zealand had kept their senior pacer Lea Tahuhu out tactically in the match against Sri Lanka, but brought her back in for the Pakistan game. They are likely to stay with the same XI.New Zealand (possible): 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine (capt), 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Isabella Gaze (wk), 8 Jess Kerr, 9 Rosemary Mair, 10 Eden Carson, 11 Lea TahuhuPitch and conditionsWhile the Navi Mumbai pitch didn’t seem to offer much for bowlers in the last match, Sri Lanka could post only 202 after opting to bat against Bangladesh. Chamari Athapaththu had said that there was some dew in the second half. There has been some unseasonal rain in Mumbai, and an interruption is likely on Thursday too. It’s expected to be hazy in the afternoon, with a chance of rain in the evening.Stats and trivia India have their poorest win-loss ratio for any team in ODI World Cups against New Zealand Bates is 67 runs away from becoming the second-leading run-scorer in ODIs. She needs 75 runs to complete 6000 runs in the format. Tahuhu will be playing her 200th international match. India have played eight T20Is at the DY Patil Stadium, winning four including one in a Super Over against Australia.

When is the India vs Pakistan game? What’s the format? Who are the players to watch? And a lot more…

Abhijato Sensarma05-Sep-2025

Isn’t the Asia Cup sometime soon?

Indeed, and that’s why we’re here. The 17th edition of the Asia Cup starts on September 9 and ends on September 28. The tournament will be played in the UAE, with matches in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. All games start at 6.30pm UAE time, with one double-header day when the two matches start at 4pm and 6.30pm UAE time.

Why is the Asia Cup in the UAE this time?

India were the official hosts of the tournament, but because of their strained political relations with Pakistan, neither team plays in the other’s country now. If India had hosted the tournament, the matches involving Pakistan would have had to be played at a neutral venue, like India’s games were in the UAE when Pakistan hosted the 2025 Champions Trophy. So while the BCCI remains the official host, the matches will be played in the UAE this time.

Tell me more about the Asia Cup…

The first Asia Cup was played in 1984, between India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The tournament is only nine years younger than the ODI World Cup. It was set up as a way of promoting goodwill between the participating countries and then became progressively bigger as more Asian countries developed strong teams. It was initially a stop-and-start presence in the international calendar, but has been played every alternate year since 2008, except for the interruption in 2020 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.India are the defending champions. Mohammed Siraj ran through Sri Lanka with a six-for in the 2023 Asia Cup final in Colombo and they chased down the target of 51 in just 6.1 overs. It was India’s eighth Asia Cup title, making them the most successful team in the tournament. Sri Lanka are the second-most-successful team with six Asia Cup wins.Related

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• Will fifth time be the charm for Hong Kong?

So the Asia Cup is an ODI tournament?

It began as an ODI tournament, but over the last decade it has switched between the ODI and the T20I formats, depending on whether the upcoming World Cup is an ODI or T20I tournament. The previous Asia Cup in 2023 was an ODI tournament because it was held a few months before the 2023 ODI World Cup. This Asia Cup is a T20I tournament ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next February.

India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are the participating teams?

Not just them. For the first time, there are eight teams in the Asia Cup. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan qualified directly for the tournament, and they are joined by the top three teams – UAE, Oman and Hong Kong – from the 2024 ACC Men’s Premier Cup, which is the top-tier tournament for associate countries in Asia.Salman Agha’s Pakistan will have a new-look top order at the Asia Cup•AFP/Getty Images

Why didn’t Nepal make it?

They came up short in the 2024 ACC Men’s Premier Cup. They topped their group but lost to UAE in the semi-finals, and then to Hong Kong in the third-place playoff in a last-over finish. Hong Kong qualified for the Asia Cup and Nepal, despite their rise in recent years, will sit this tournament out.

What’s the format of this Asia Cup?

The eight teams have been split up: India, Oman, Pakistan and UAE are in Group A, while Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka are in Group B, and each team will play the others in their group once. The top two from each group will qualify for the Super Four round, where they will all play each other again. The top two from the Super Four will play the final on September 28 in Dubai.

India and Pakistan are playing each other?

Yes, but there was some uncertainty around the fixture due to cross-border tensions earlier this year until the Indian government clarified its stance on playing Pakistan recently: India will not play bilateral cricket against Pakistan but will play them in multi-nation events like the Asia Cup and ICC tournaments.Their group A game is on September 14, Sunday, in Dubai. If both teams qualify for the Super Four stage, they will play each other a second time. And then there’s the possibility of an India-Pakistan final too; they have never played an Asia Cup final against each other before, though.Bangladesh recently beat Sri Lanka in a T20I series•Getty Images

What else is there to look forward to in this Asia Cup?

Plenty. Pakistan have a new-look top order, with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan still out of the side after a period of diminishing returns (and strike rates).Bangladesh recently beat Sri Lanka in a hard-fought bilateral T20I series.India have picked a full-strength squad for the first time since winning the 2024 T20 World Cup, but questions remain over the balance of their best XI.Hong Kong – who take on Afghanistan in the tournament opener – have a new captain, Yasim Murtaza, and a new coach, former Sri Lanka international Kaushal Silva.Afghanistan are gunning for their first major title after they had their best finish at a global event at the 2024 World Cup, where they got to the semi-finals.Oman will also be playing their first major tournament since a payment dispute with their board, in the aftermath of the same World Cup.India vs Pakistan is the biggest fixture, of course, but there has been a lot of needle in games featuring Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka over the years. No one can be certain where the flashpoints of this year’s tournament might be.Will Afghanistan’s AM Ghazanfar be a hit in T20 internationals?•ACB

Any exciting new players in the Asia Cup?

There is a significant pool of expected debutants and fresh-faced internationals at the Asia Cup. The most high profile among the second lot would be Abhishek Sharma, who already has two T20I centuries and scores at a strike rate of 193.84, but is only 24 and has played just 17 matches for India. This will be his first major tournament since his ascent to being first-choice India opener, and a litmus test too – how will he perform under serious pressure?Afghanistan’s 19-year-old mystery spinner, AM Ghazanfar, has just made his T20I debut after impressing with two five-wicket hauls in 11 ODIs. He is also becoming a regular on the T20 franchise circuit.Pakistan left-arm quick Salman Mirza is 31 and has made a name for himself recently. After an impressive PSL season with Lahore Qalandars, he debuted in the series against Bangladesh and picked up seven wickets at an economy of 5.21.UAE captain and opener Muhammad Waseem is by far their best batter and a prominent name in the T20 franchise circuit. He has a strike rate of 155.73 in T20Is* but he will be entering the Asia Cup without much experience in big tournaments. It remains to be seen if he doubles down on his aggressive batting.Hong Kong’s 34-year-old captain Murtaza has played T20Is for three years but will be captaining the side for the first time. A bowling allrounder, he has taken 70 wickets with a tidy economy of 6.33.

So, a lot of entertainment to look forward to?

Of course. In T20 cricket, even relatively lower-ranked teams have a fair chance of challenging the stronger teams. And, in recent years, the Asia Cup has produced some memorable matches.In their first appearance at the tournament, Afghanistan beat Sri Lanka by 91 runs in 2014. Four years later, they tied an ODI against India. Hong Kong almost chased down 286 against India after a 174-run opening stand in the 2018 edition. While major shocks have not been too frequent, matches like these prove the quality of cricket has been high and the competition fierce.Sri Lanka won the last T20I edition of the Asia Cup – played in 2022 – against the odds after facing Pakistan in the final, underlining the close gap between top teams. In short, plenty of excitement awaits with no results guaranteed. And we’ll be covering every moment on ESPNcricinfo, so stay tuned.

Watching Tottenham Hotspur’s 4-1 defeat to their bitter rivals in the Premier League on Sunday made it clear where Thomas Frank’s priorities need to be moving forward.

Whilst you could look at that loss and suggest that they need to improve defensively, which would be a fair comment after they conceded four goals, it is in possession where they really need to improve.

xG

11.0

17th

Non-penalty xG

11.0

16th

Progressive passes

413

12th

Shots

110

19th

Shots on target

40

15th

Average shot distance

15.6 yards

17th

As you can see in the table above, Spurs are one of the worst teams in the Premier League at progressing play with passes, creating shooting opportunities, and creating high-quality chances.

The Lilywhites ended the match against Arsenal with three shots on goal and 0.07 xG, per Sofascore, with their goal coming from Richarlison’s stunning long-range lob over David Raya.

Tottenham’s struggles at the top end of the pitch explain why the club are reportedly considering a move to sign Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo.

The Ghana international has a £65m release clause that can be activated at the start of the January transfer window, and Spurs are one of the teams vying for his signature.

How Antoine Semenyo could solve Tottenham's attacking problems

Whilst a lot of Tottenham’s problems could come down to coaching issues, with how players are asked to play, the team selections, and the patterns that are or are not coached in training, having a top talent in the final third can make up for some coaching problems.

Semenyo is the kind of forward who can create things for himself with his incredible speed, power, ball control, and ability in front of goal when he gets near the opposition’s box.

The former Bristol City striker’s goal against Liverpool at Anfield earlier this season is the perfect example of the kind of quality that he could bring to North London in the second half of the campaign.

With Tottenham’s lack of progressive passing and high-quality chances this season, having a player who has runs and goals like that in his locker would be invaluable for Frank.

That strike against Liverpool was also not a flash in the pan for the versatile attacker, who can play out wide or through the middle, because he has been in impressive form in the Premier League this term.

xG

4.58

Top 1%

Goals

6

Top 1%

Shots

23

Top 10%

Shots on target

14

Top 1%

Assists

3

Top 6%

Successful dribbles

21

Top 5%

Touches in the opposition’s box

45

Top 12%

As you can see in the table above, Semenyo has been one of the most productive wingers in the division for Bournemouth this season, with more goals than any other winger in the league.

These statistics, and the nature of his goal against Liverpool in particular, suggest that signing the Cherries star would go a long way to solving some of the attacking issues that Frank’s side have.

Therefore, Spurs should push hard to win the race for his services by activating his release clause at the start of the January transfer window and trying their hardest to convince him that a move to North London is the best next step in his career.

£65m, though, would make him the club’s joint-record signing alongside Dominic Solanke, who also came from Bournemouth, so it would take a big financial commitment from the Lilywhites.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

In order to make a move for the 25-year-old star viable, sporting director Fabio Paratici should look to ruthlessly sell some of the club’s current players to fund a transfer for Semenyo.

One of the sellable assets who should be cashed in on by Paratici to create funds for a swoop for the Cherries sensation in January is right-back Pedro Porro.

Why Spurs should sell Pedro Porro

Ahead of the summer transfer window, CaughtOffside reported that the Spain international was attracting interest from Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City.

It was claimed that Spurs were not interested in selling the full-back at the time, which was in May, but that they would have changed their tune if an offer of around £57m came across their desk.

Whilst Porro ultimately remained in North London, that report in the summer shows that there are some top clubs across Europe who would be interested in him if he became available, although it remains to be seen if any of them would pay the £57m price tag.

The Spaniard attracted interest from those teams after a return of four goals and nine assists in 51 appearances in all competitions for Spurs in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, but his form this season has left a lot to be desired.

Polish journalist Michał Okoński described his crosses into the box as a “disaster” earlier this month, and it is hard to disagree with that assessment when you consider that he has lost possession 222 times and delivered one assist in 12 Premier League games, per Sofascore.

Appearances

33

12

Possession lost per game

17.5

18.5

Key passes per game

1.7

1.2

Big chances created

10

2

Assists

6

1

Pass accuracy

76%

73%

Cross accuracy

31%

17%

As you can see in the table above, the Spain international’s use of the ball has regressed since the end of the 2024/25 campaign. He is currently giving the ball away more frequently whilst creating less for his team.

Porro has been far too wasteful with the ball at his feet at right-back for Tottenham. That is evident in his regressing creative stats, but it is also evident in that he has made four errors leading to shots for the opposition in the Premier League, twice as many as he made in 33 matches last season.

As well as his struggles on the ball, the former Sporting star has gone from averaging 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game last season in the Premier League to averaging just 1.7 per match in the current campaign, per Sofascore.

These statistics show that Porro has regressed in and out of possession at right-back for the Lilywhites, which is why it could be the right time for Paratici to cash in on him in January, amid interest from City, Barcelona, and Bayern, to avoid his value dwindling if his form does not improve.

Fewer touches than Vicario: Frank must drop 3/10 Spurs dud after Arsenal

Thomas Frank has numerous glaring errors he needs to address at Tottenham Hotspur after the Arsenal defeat.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 24, 2025

Whilst it remains to be seen how much teams would be willing to pay for him, any fee in the region of the quoted £57m would go a long way to funding a deal for Semenyo, who has a £65m release clause.

Suzie Bates is set to become the first woman to play 350 international games on Monday, when she faces South Africa in Indore in the 2025 women’s ODI World Cup.She has the chance to celebrate the landmark with fellow New Zealand stalwart and captain Sophie Devine, who will feature in her 300th international match on Monday.Bates had made her debut in an ODI against India in 2006 aged 19, just a few months before a 17-year-old Devine made her first appearance for the White Ferns on their tour of Australia. At the time, Bates was also an elite basketball player – she even represented New Zealand at the 2008 Beijing Olympics before switching her focus to cricket.Related

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Bates said that she and Devine will put those milestones on the back burner for now, and that the focus is on their crucial World Cup fixture against South Africa after they had lost their opening game to Australia on October 1.”Yeah, there’s probably a little bit of embarrassment from both of us,” Bates said at her press conference on the eve of New Zealand’s clash against South Africa. “We just feel that when we celebrate these milestones, it’s just because we’re getting old. But yeah, it’s one of those things that maybe in the moment, you probably take for granted, and it’s a World Cup game, and we don’t want to get too carried away with that milestone.”But I know after the game, Sophie and I will sit and reminisce on how far we’ve come, not only as players together throughout this career, but as a team. I just think there’s been so much growth in New Zealand women’s cricket and those younger players coming through. So, yeah, we’ll be really proud. But in the morning, I think we’ll just be trying to get on with the cricket. And it’s something [in] ten years’ time when we’re both not playing, we might have a cup of coffee and think how cool it was to do it in Indore in India.”Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates – New Zealand’s two superstars•ICC/Getty Images

Devine had kicked off New Zealand’s campaign with a run-a-ball 112 – her ninth ODI hundred – but it was not enough to stop the Australia juggernaut on Wednesday. Despite the opening defeat, Craig McMillan, New Zealand’s assistant coach, was pleased with Devine’s form.”Well, I think the thing about whenever Sophie Devine’s at the crease, the game is never over,” McMillan said on Friday. “I think Australia felt that as well because she’s so powerful, can hit boundaries, and even though we were needing to go at nine or ten an over… for quite a while we were actually doing that, and she was the key to that. It was a class, a great way to start the tournament, really. She’s really put a stamp on this tournament right from the start, and that’s what you want from your captain, from your leader, and the other girls will follow her.”Devine will retire from ODI cricket at the conclusion of the ongoing World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, but will remain available for T20Is under a casual playing agreement with New Zealand Cricket [NZC]. Bates, who has had a front-row seat to Devine’s rise, delivered a glowing appraisal of her all-around ability and suggested that Devine is irreplaceable.”You’re not ever going to be able to replace Sophie Devine,” Bates said. “I think she’s changed the game through her power with the bat. I know every opposition fears the way she plays the game, and we haven’t had many players like that from New Zealand who can take the game away from an opposition.”And then with the ball, everyone talks about her batting, but the way she competes with the ball and the fact that she’s captain, it’s just going to be impossible to replace her. And I’m really glad that it’s just 50-over cricket that she’s talked about stepping away from. It probably feels right with the World Cup being four years away, but there’s plenty of 20-over cricket for her to contribute. And there’s going to be no other Sophie Devine that New Zealand cricket [will] produce. It’s going to be hard to find an allrounder as explosive as her in world cricket”Rosemary Mair bowled and batted on the eve of the match against South Africa•ICC via Getty Images

‘Still a little bit of work to do for Mair’

Seamer Rosemary Mair, who had missed New Zealand’s first match of the competition against Australia, with a side strain, is recovering well, according to McMillan. Bates also suggested that Mair is “getting close to full fitness,” but she is unlikely to be rushed back into action against South Africa on Monday.”She’s going well,” McMillan said on Friday. “Would have been nice for her to get a few more overs in tonight, that was the plan, but she’ll probably bowl tomorrow. She’s coming along nicely. There’s still a little bit of work to do, so not sure how she’ll be for the next match, but she’s not far off, and she’s certainly progressed a lot over the last week, which is encouraging to see.”

Australia have been inconsistent in ODIs since the last World Cup and are missing some key players for this series

Tristan Lavalette18-Oct-2025

Seeing them well: Mitchell Marsh has been in fantastic form in recent months•Getty Images

Garbed in Australia’s bright new yellow ODI kit, as he leads the team on their first steps towards a title defence at the 2027 World Cup in the absence of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Marsh could not avoid a question he has started to be increasingly asked.Given his outstanding form in white-ball cricket, and injury concerns mounting for the Australia Test team, is Marsh starting to think about the possibility of an unlikely Ashes call-up?”I’ve got tickets to day one and two. Haven’t asked the wife yet, so that’s about as much thought as I’ve given it,” a smirking Marsh said to reporters in his trademark style of completely playing down his chances of resurrecting a Test career that looked over after he was dropped last summer.Related

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While it was a humorous way to end the press conference on the eve of Australia’s three-match ODI series against India, it did underline that the Ashes is hovering over basically everything in Australian cricket right now.It has overshadowed the build-up of this series, no mean feat given India’s heft in the sport. While these ODIs and T20Is against India are widely viewed as the entrée ahead of the Ashes, they do have longer-term implications given that there are World Cups in each format over the next couple of years.We’re at the halfway mark in the ODI World Cup cycle, meaning it’s time for teams to start strategising. Australia are in transition in the 50-over format, with several unknowns over their batting order after the retirements of Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis.Australia’s batting-order has been weakened further with Josh Inglis, Alex Carey and Cameron Green not playing in the first ODI in Perth. While Carey is currently on Shield duties, Inglis is on the sidelines due a nagging calf injury and Green has been pulled out of the series after suffering a side strain.The developments, of course, have Ashes implications. “He’s okay, it’s on the very, very minor end. It’s a cautious take on it but he’s all good,” Marsh said of his WA team-mate Green.This series is an important opportunity for Matt Short after a run of injuries•AFP/Getty Images

It does mean Australia have an opportunity to experiment with batter Matt Renshaw and batting allrounder Mitchell Owen set to make their ODI debuts, while Josh Philippe will take the gloves and play his first ODI in more than four years.After his recent hot run of form at the domestic level, Marnus Labuschagne has been recalled as Green’s replacement but won’t play in the first ODI even though he is making the long journey to Perth to link up with the group.”Across the board in our white-ball teams over the last 12 month, we’ve seen a lot of guys get opportunities, so it always brings excitement to those guys,” Marsh said. “We just have to be really clear on their role and they will enjoy playing cricket for Australia.”A golden opportunity is likely to be presented to Matt Short, who has been on the verge of Australia’s white-ball sides but inconsistencies and, of late, injuries have proven hurdles.Short has thrived at the top of the order in domestic white-ball cricket, but will likely have to settle at No. 3 with Marsh and Head having established such a dynamic opening partnership.”We know he opens for Victoria and Strikers and in T20 cricket around the world,” Marsh said of Short, who has opened the batting in 11 of his 13 ODI innings. “But we see no difference opening the batting and No.3. We’re comfortable with him batting there.”After missing the South Africa series with concussion, Mitch Owen will get a chance in ODIs•AFP/Getty Images

Australia’s form has been patchy since their 2023 World Cup triumph, having most recently lost to South Africa 2-1 in northern Queensland in August, a time of year where little attention is on cricket.There will be considerably more spotlight on this India series and it feels very much like Australia will now start ramping things up in cricket’s middle format.Australia will face a tough test against top-ranked India, similarly in transition under new captain Shubman Gill but still boasting Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.”Had the privilege of playing against them quite a lot over the journey,” Marsh said of Kohli and Rohit. “They’re obviously legends of the game, Virat is the greatest chaser ever in this format. I think you can see by the ticket sales that a lot of people want to come and watch them.”More than 50,000 fans are expected at Optus Stadium, a nod to the pulling power of India but also indicative of Ashes fever in the air in a city that will host the first Test in just five weeks.”To see the stadium packed out against India, it’s going to be a great experience for our group,” Marsh said. “I believe it’s going to be a high scoring affair, but getting through the first 10 overs for both teams will be a challenge and maybe where the game’s won and lost.”

Another week, and there are another three initiates of the 100-mph club. Zach “Big Sugar” Maxwell, 24, of the Reds, made his debut at 275 pounds and with an average fastball velocity of 100.7 mph. Joel Peguero, 28, averaged 101.1 mph for the Giants, and Bubba Chandler, 22, twice hit 100 mph in his debut for the Pirates.

You might think such big-arm pitchers were can’t-miss amateurs. But the universe of 100-mph throwers has expanded so far that Maxwell was a sixth-round pick, Peguero is pitching for his fifth organization in 10 years after signing his first pro contract and Chandler was a third-round pick.

With 20% of the season left to play, already we’ve seen more pitchers hit 100 mph (76) than in any complete season in baseball history (the record was 64 in 2022 and ’23).

This is the first generation of pitchers who have grown up under Velocity Inc., a catchall to describe the growth business of leveraging technology to teach velocity throughout the amateur market (colleges, private coaches, throwing labs, etc).

Compared to the same date of previous seasons, the number of pitchers who have hit 100 mph in the major leagues is up 38% from last year and from 2019, the last full season before the velocity revolution began on the other side of the COVID-19-impacted campaign.

From 2008 to ’19, the 100-mph club held relatively steady, with gradual increases. But you can see the classic “hockey stick” growth pattern since ’21, including the huge spike this year:

With so many high-octane throwers, it might be easy to dismiss Chandler as just another player who pitches at 100 mph. Didn’t we just see Chase Burns light up the radar gun for the Reds? He also posted a 5.24 ERA before landing on the IL with a flexor tendon strain. (Burns is set to resume throwing this week.)

Chandler is different. He has the best starting-pitcher arm to come along since his Pittsburgh teammate Paul Skenes, who made his debut last season. Chandler made his entry out of the bullpen, but make no mistake, he’s a true starter. Pirates GM Ben Cherington said Chandler “could earn” starts in “September or whenever.” He should be in the rotation now. Keep him on his routine (83 of his 89 games in the minors were as a starter) and let him learn the major league prep work when you know you’re facing a lineup in five or six days.

What makes Chandler special is that you don’t see starting pitchers with a fastball like his. It is elite in terms of velocity and induced vertical break, a fancy way of measuring how well a fastball fights gravity with its spin. A high IVB, or vert, means the baseball doesn’t drop as much as the hitter expects.

Chandler is one of only nine pitchers with a four-seam fastball that averages 98-plus mph with 17-plus inches of vert. Burns is the only other starting pitcher in that group.

What makes Chandler even more frightening for hitters is that he has the second-lowest release point of those elite-velocity, elite-vert pitchers. Chandler is 6' 3" but uses his legs so well and has such a low arm slot that his vert is even more troublesome for hitters. His Vertical Attack Angle is nasty—low release to a high point in the zone with elite carry. Burns, who is also 6' 3", throws from a high, over-the-top slot that is 7 1/3 inches higher than Chandler’s slot, which can create more stress on the shoulder. 

Here are the most elite fastballs in MLB as measured by velocity and vert. I added the vertical release point so you can see how Chandler comes at it from a different angle.

Four-Seam fastballs 98-plus MPH with 17-plus inch induced vertical break

	V.Rel.	mph	IVB
1. Jeremiah Estrada, Padres	5.94	98.0	19.8
2. Trevor Megill, Brewers	6.52	99.0	19.0
3. Aroldis Chapman, Red Sox	6.19	98.5	18.6
4. Mason Montgomery, Rays	5.84	98.7	18.5
5. Ryne Stanek, Mets	6.55	98.5	18.4
6. Robert Suárez, Padres	6.24	98.5	18.3
7. Chase Burns, Reds*	6.50	98.4	18.1
8. Ryan Helsley, Mets	6.16	99.4	17.6
9. Bubba Chandler, Pirates*	5.89	98.4	17.1
MLB Average	5.82	94.5	15.8

*Starting pitchers

Like Skenes and Jacob deGrom, one of his pitching models, Chandler was a two-way player and terrific athlete (he switch-hits and is ambidextrous enough to have played first base and pitched one inning in high school left-handed) who only recently took to pitching full-time. He threw 92 mph as a high school junior, after which he chased velocity by packing on pounds as a senior. It paid off. He sat at 95 mph and touched 98 mph.

Chandler lasted until the third round in 2021 because he appeared headed to Clemson to play quarterback. The Pirates gave him $3 million to sign, a massive sum for a third-rounder, in part because they saved slot money on No. 1 pick, catcher Henry Davis. Chandler hit .186 in his first two pro seasons before giving up the idea of being the next Shohei Ohtani.

A generation ago, coaches harangued young pitchers to. With his athleticism, elite velocity and low arm slot, Chandler is a proxy for state of the art pitching—though he didn’t get there by being a pitcher-only since 10 years old, a mistake made by many in the velocity generation.

Pitchers are throwing harder and from a lower release point. As we saw with 100-mph throwers, the numbers below held relatively steady until 2021, when the effects of Velocity Inc. really kicked in:

MLB four-seam fastballs

Year	V.Rel.	mph
2016	6.08	93.2
2017	5.96	93.2
2018	5.90	93.1
2019	5.94	93.4
2020	5.89	93.4
2021	5.92	93.7
2022	5.87	93.9
2023	5.83	94.2
2024	5.82	94.3
2025	5.82	94.5

Pitching evolves. It always has and always will. Some pitchers accelerate the evolution because they do something so well and so unique that others want to copy them. In the wild-card era, five pitchers stand out as the biggest influencers. In order of how they changed the game:

Pitcher	Innovation
Greg Maddux	Comeback two-seamer; stretching strike zone horizontally.
Pedro Martínez	Three put-away pitches (fastball, curve, change).
Roy Halladay	Carving an X with movement on both sides of the plate (cutter/sinker combo).
Jacob deGrom	93-mph sliders and 99-mph fastballs.
Paul Skenes	Seven pitches between 83-98 mph that cut, run, sink and ride.

Skenes is the primo influencer now because, layered atop velocity and a low arm slot, he shapes a menu of pitches to exploit hitters’ weaknesses, whether they are right-handed or left-handed. In his most recent start, for example, Skenes threw seven pitches (two fastballs, two off-speed, three breaking) at 15 different mph increments from 80 to 100 mph. He has Martínez’s multi-pitch intellect, Halladay’s command and deGrom’s velocity and arm slot.

It’s too much to ask Chandler to be the next great pitching influencer. But in one, narrow way, he and Burns are signaling what’s next: athletic starting pitchers with high-velocity, high-spin fastballs that once belonged almost exclusively to closers. More will follow.

We're officially in the final month of MLB’s regular season, with most teams having fewer than 25 games left to play. There is no division leader with a double-digit game cushion, five of the six divisions featuring a maximum of a six-game gap and three with a three-game maximum. September should bring lots of excitement down to the final weekend, so we prompted some of SI’s MLB writers to reflect on what’s transpired so far this season and what may lie ahead.

1. Which team are you most confident about penciling in for a World Series berth?

Tom Verducci: Los Angeles Dodgers. They can look almost bored at times. They have not been a good team on the road (33–33), against lefties (19–20) or the past two months (22–27). But they know how to play October baseball: swing-and-miss starting pitchers, home run hitters and a deep bullpen. Under manager Dave Roberts, they have won four of the past eight NL pennants and posted a .560 winning percentage in the playoffs. Respect the pedigree.

Stephanie Apstein: They had a terrible July and a mediocre August, but the Dodgers feel like they're about to get hot and stay hot. This is what they do: look sort of disappointing down the stretch, then get all their injured guys back and start beating the snot out of teams. With Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow back, they have six legitimate starting pitchers, and the bullpen is beginning to look dangerous again. Once Max Muncy and Tommy Edman return, they should be at close to full strength, and their full strength is better than anyone else's.

Ryan Phillips: I know it's boring to say this, but the Dodgers. They're getting healthy at the right time, Mookie Betts is starting to turn it on and Shohei Ohtani is improving on the mound. If Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow can round into form, L.A.'s bullpen will be the team's only concern. 

2. Which team currently in a playoff position is most susceptible to a September collapse?

TV: Seattle Mariners. They batted .228 in August. They have the third-most strikeouts in the majors and the most among contenders. Entering this week, they were 2–9 in their last two Eastern trips with more traps ahead at Tampa Bay and Atlanta—then lost their first game against the Rays on Monday. And they are too reliant on Cal Raleigh continuing his magical season while his OPS declined a third straight month in August. The Mariners are 31–10 when Raleigh homers but 42–55 when he doesn’t go yard.

SA: I don't think they'll actually play their way out of the postseason, but the New York Yankees are hard to watch these days, even when they're beating up on the likes of the Nationals and White Sox. They have gotten the worst catcher production in the sport. Shortstop Anthony Volpe has as many errors (7) as walks since the All-Star break, and his .210 batting average is second-worst in baseball among qualified hitters. And the bullpen ERA since the break has been 4.60. 

RP: The New York Mets, simply because they've collapsed several times already this year. There is no reason they should be as inconsistent as they have been. At one point, they lost 10 of 11 in June and 14 of 16 during a stretch of July and August. They have also lost three of their last five. Are we sure their four-game cushion over the Reds will hold? 

3. Who's an underrated awards contender deserving of more recognition?

TV: The American League Cy Young Race is more than a two-pitcher race. Tarik Skubal has a slight lead over Garrett Crochet, but don’t forget about Hunter Brown. With a 1.72 ERA in his past six starts, he is surging into September. Here is how they rank in various league categories:

Skubal

Crochet

Brown

ERA

1

3

2

ERA-

1

2

3

Strikeouts

1

2

3

Innings

1

2

7

FIP

1

2

3

WHIP

1

7

5

K:BB

1

4

6

WPA

5

1

8

Quality Starts

2

2

2

SA: No one cares because AL MVP is a two-man race between Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh, and the Royals are probably going to miss the playoffs, but it's very possible that the best season in the AL this year is going to belong to Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. He's 25, he's the best defensive shortstop in the game by most measures and he's the only player in baseball with at least 30 doubles and 25 stolen bases—and he actually has 41 doubles and 34 stolen bases. I'm just saying, don't forget about him.

RP: Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal have been runaway favorites to win the Cy Young in both leagues for three months, but Phillies lefty Cristopher Sanchez has quietly caught up with Skenes in Baseball Reference’s version of WAR (6.4), putting them in a tie for second in all of baseball trailing only Aaron Judge. While he's unlikely to overtake Skenes, he deserves consideration. In 27 starts, he is 11–5 with a 2.66 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 181 strikeouts against 41 walks in 169 1/3 innings. With Zack Wheeler out, he'll enter October as Philadelphia's No. 1 starter. 

4. What's surprised you the most about the regular season so far?

TV: For the first time in 20 years, the strikeout rate has declined four a second straight season—and for the fourth time in the past five full seasons. The changes are incremental, but baseball has put the brakes on the runaway strikeout from 2006-19, when it went up 14 straight years. The level of strikeouts per game this year is the lowest it’s been since 2017.

SA: Atlanta's complete ineptitude. The Orioles have been terrible, too, but at least they're getting bad seasons from basically all their good players. Atlanta has scored the 15th most runs in the sport—that's not championship-caliber, but it won't usually put you in position for a top-five draft pick, either. Unfortunately you also have to pitch half the time, and they do that worse than almost anyone else. (It doesn't help that they have an entire good starting rotation on the injured list.) It's just been a bummer of a season for a young team that should be in its prime.

RP: How wide open the World Series picture is. Before the season, most believed the Dodgers, Phillies, Mets and Braves would battle for the NL, while the Yankees and Orioles had tons of buzz in the AL. Fast forward to September, and the Brewers and Tigers are the best teams in baseball, the Dodgers are barely ahead of the Padres in the NL West, and the Yankees and Mets are fighting for playoff spots—with the Braves long out of contention. Every team currently occupying a playoff spot is a legitimate threat to take home the title. It's been years since we could say that. 

5. Make a bold prediction for September.

TV: Paul Skenes of the Pirates will break the no-hitter drought. The last no-hitter was Sept. 4, 2024, when three Cubs pitchers no-hit the Pirates. The last season without a no-no was 2005. Skenes was pulled with a no-hitter last year once after six innings and once after seven. The governors are off.

SA: The Mets will win the NL East. The Phillies have had a rough few weeks, between the news that Zack Wheeler, probably the best pitcher in baseball, is out for months as he recovers from thoracic outlet surgery, and the fact that they keep losing to worse teams; meanwhile, New York swept Philly last week and called up two hot young pitching prospects.

RP: The Mariners will overtake the Astros to win the AL West. Houston just won 8 of 17 during a stretch with 14 games against the Rockies, Orioles and Angels. Their September schedule gets considerably more difficult, while the Mariners have the sixth-easiest remaining slate. That will help Seattle to its first division title since 2001.

MatériaMais Notícias

Tão logo demitiu o técnico Léo Condé, o Vitória já tem alinhado quem deseja colocar para assumir o cargo de comandante da equipe rubro-negra. Nesta tarde, o GE revelou que o clube baiano fez proposta para contratar Thiago Carpini, técnico que deixou o São Paulo há quase um mês, quando foi demitido após derrota para o Flamengo no Brasileirão.

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A boa do Lance!Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

As melhores e mais variadas ofertas para o Brasileirão estão no Lance! Betting! Abra já a sua conta!

Campeão da Série B de 2023, o Vitória subiu com grande expectativa da torcida, o título do campeonato baiano conquistado após sete anos de jejum, aumentou o sentimento. Na final, o rubro-negro derrotou o arquirival Bahia em grande estilo ao aplicar uma virada de cinema no primeiro confronto no Barradão e depois consagrou o título com um empate na Fonte Nova. No entanto, a expectativa se tornou decepção muito rapidamente.

Com 5 jogos disputados no Brasileirão, o rubro-negro somou apenas um ponto. Foram quatro derrotas sofridas e apenas um empate, resultados que colocam a equipe na zona de rebaixamento do campeonato brasileiro, na 18ª colocação.

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A má fase e o péssimo futebol apresentados pela equipe foram suficientes para derrubar o técnico Léo Condé. Agora, o Vitória quer o técnico Thiago Carpini, que apresentou grande potencial ao levar a equipe do Água Santa para a final do campeonato paulista do ano passado e fez bom trabalho no Juventude.

Quem é Thiago Carpini?Nome:Thiago Carpini BarbosaData de Nascimento: 16/07/1984Local: Valinhos-SPComo técnico:Guarani, Oeste, Inter de Limeira, Santo André, Ferroviária, Água Santa, Juventude e São Paulo.