Pakistan’s captain Fatima Sana and India’s bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi did not dwell on the tensions between the countries ahead of Sunday’s fixture

Andrew Fidel Fernando04-Oct-2025A day out from what will likely be one of the most-followed matches of this Women’s World Cup, both teams are insisting they are focused on the cricket. Pakistan captain Fatima Sana appeared to suggest that as far as Pakistan are concerned, India are a team like any other. She also spoke briefly about the good relations these teams have enjoyed in the past.India bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi said, meanwhile, that in a big tournament “the area of focus is only cricket”. There have been no indications on whether the India players would decline to shake the hands of the Pakistan players on Sunday, as the men’s team had done during the recent Asia Cup, although BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia did not rule out the possibility in an interview this week. Both teams also requested that questions at the pre-match press conference be constrained to the cricket.Sana did, however, speak briefly on the camaraderie between the players in past tournaments. At the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand, for instance, several India players were seen interacting with then-Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof’s six-month old daughter, as players comforted the toddler on their shoulder, in what was one of the most heartwarming moments of that tournament.Related

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Political tensions between the nations have worsened substantially since then. India’s male players were previously seen interacting with Pakistan players at earlier Asia Cups but refrained from doing so during the most recent edition, which ended last week.”We have great relationships with all other teams, and we try and keep good relations with everyone,” Sana said a day ahead of the match against India. “We’ll try to do everything within the spirit of the game.”Those pictures in the past with everyone mingling with each other around Bismah’s daughter – those scenes look good and everyone enjoys seeing that. But, of course, our focus has to be on what we’re here for – to play.”Both teams were keen to stress that they were doing their best to ignore the politics of this moment. “We’re like a family of 20-22 people here,” Sana said of the Pakistan team environment. “We don’t really worry about what’s going on outside our bubble. We get to hear about things happening external to cricket, but we focus on our game. The World Cup is something every player waits for, so we just want to focus on the thing we’ve come here for.”Salvi’s comments on the eve of the match echoed that sentiment. “The area of focus is cricket,” he said. “We want our girls to bring that ‘A’ game to the day. We want them to take it just as a game, because the World Cup is a long campaign. It’s a long campaign – there will be a lot of games coming up.”

Jurgen Klopp has already delivered his verdict on completing a return to Liverpool, who endured yet another disastrous afternoon in the Premier League as Nottingham Forest secured a dominant victory.

It’s hard to believe that the Reds were Premier League champions in May, and impressive ones at that. Arne Slot arrived and quickly conquered to shock the rest of English football. It looked like Michael Edwards had performed another act of recruitment genius, but now uncomfortable questions are beginning to emerge.

Liverpool have lost five of their last eight games and now sit in the bottom-half after 12 league games, all but ending their title defence before January has even arrived. After breaking their transfer record twice to welcome Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, it is a run of form that no one saw coming.

It’s now up to Slot to prove his credentials in a crisis. Victory over Real Madrid and Aston Villa proved that there is still plenty of quality in this Liverpool side, it’s just a question of when that quality will be on show.

Just how long Slot will have to turn things around is also a big question. Liverpool have never rushed managerial decisions and Slot has much more credit in the bank than others have done in the past, but the current run of results needs to end – especially if they come at Anfield.

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The Reds know all about his quality.

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With the pressure building, Liverpool are set to play host to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday. Defeat there would certainly do further damage to the credit that Slot banked last season and perhaps send a timely reminder about Klopp’s answer about if he’d ever make a shock return.

Klopp's seven-word answer when asked if he was returning to Liverpool

Just before leaving the club, Klopp was asked if he’d ever make a return to the Anfield dugout if Liverpool needed him.

At the time and certainly for the entirety of last season, it was simply a throw-away answer and one that looked unlikely to rear its head again. Now, however, those at Anfield could do with their iconic manager’s energy more than ever.

They won’t and shouldn’t panic about Slot’s current run, but Liverpool should ensure that the Dutchman channels his very own version of Klopp. When Klopp’s sides were up against it, he had that unique ability to pull off what many still deem miracles to this day. He turned doubters to believers to champions. Slot must now remind his very own champions just who they are in similar fashion.

Meanwhile, if the manager’s run continues then Edwards could yet turn back towards one of the best managers in the club’s history for a stunning second stint.

£280,000-a-week Liverpool star slammed for "anonymous" Nottingham Forest display

Also includes the ball used, team and venue details, and more on the first WTC final to not feature India

Vishal Dikshit09-Jun-20256:55

Philander: ‘SA will put up massive fight against favourites Australia’

What exactly is this WTC final?

It’s the game deciding the winner of biggest title in Test cricket. The ICC started the World Test Championship (WTC) in 2019 that would run on a two-year cycle with nine teams competing in a league. At the end of the cycle, the top two teams on the points table face off in the final to get their hands on the ICC mace.

So which two teams are playing this time?

The defending champions Australia and South Africa, who will play their maiden WTC final. South Africa topped the table for the 2023-25 WTC cycle by winning their last seven Tests on the bounce that helped them overtake at least four other teams.Related

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• Bat down, hunger up: Smith ready for Lord's after American reset

Australia are the current title-holders, having thrashed two-time finalists India in the 2023 final at The Oval. Australia had won by a massive margin of 209 runs with centuries from Steven Smith and Travis Head in the first innings, before their bowling attack restricted India to sub-300 totals in each innings. Head was named the Player of the Match, just a few months before he repeated the feat against the same opponent in the ODI World Cup final in November 2023 in India.

When and where is the WTC final 2025?

After Southampton in 2021 and The Oval in 2023, the 2025 final is set to be played at the historic venue Lord’s, June 11 onwards. It’s for the third time in a row that the venue has turned out to be a neutral ground for the finalists, as the first WTC final was played between New Zealand and India. The 2025 WTC final will start at 10:30am local time, which is 09:30am GMT.Temba Bavuma and Pat Cummins with the Test mace ahead of the WTC final•ICC via Getty Images

Who are the captains of the finalists and what do the squads look like?

Pat Cummins will lead Australia whereas Temba Bavuma will captain South Africa.There is a lot of intrigue around who will open with Usman Khawaja for Australia. The 19-year-old Sam Konstas was named in the side, but he was left out in Sri Lanka earlier this year. The other option is to open with Marnus Labuschagne, which seems like the likeliest option right now, with Cameron Green set to slot in at No. 3 as a batter only. The bowling attack looks more straightforward with Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon all set to start, with Scott Boland also in the side, and Matt Kuhnemann as Lyon’s cover.Australia squad: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, Matt Kuhnemann. Travelling reserve: Brendan DoggettSouth Africa also named a familiar-looking side featuring senior players such as Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada, Aiden Markram and Keshav Maharaj. Rabada recently returned after completing a one-month suspension for failing a drug test, after which he played in the IPL in India and then the four-day tour game against Zimbabwe in Arundel. Rabada will lead a six-man pace pack at the WTC final which includes Lungi Ngidi, who has not featured in Tests since August last year. There was, however, no place for Gerald Coetzee, who was ruled out of the home summer with an injury, 19-year-old left-arm seamer Kwena Maphaka, Anrich Nortje and Nandre Burger. The two spinners in their squad are Maharaj and allrounder Senuran Muthusamy.South Africa squad: Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma (capt), David Bedingham, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy

What is the prize money for the WTC winners?

The prize money for the 2025 winners has more than doubled compared to the last two editions, from US$ 1.6 million to $3.6 million. The 2025 runners-up will take home $2.1 million this time, compared to $800,000 in the last two editions. While announcing the increase in prize money last month, the ICC had stated in a release it was their effort “to prioritize Test cricket.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

What happens if the Test is drawn, tied or abandoned?

In any of those scenarios, Australia and South Africa will have to share the WTC trophy. However, to reduce the possibility of a draw, the match has a reserve day in place.

So will they use the reserve day if there’s no clear winner in five days?

That’s not quite it. The sixth day after the match starts – June 16 – has been kept as a reserve day. It will be used only if time has been lost to bad weather across the five days and they are unable to make up for it in those five days, and no result has been reached by the end of the fifth day.This was the case in the 2021 final when the first day’s play had been washed out in Southampton and the reserve day was used to cover for the time that had been lost. There were bad light and rain interruptions on other days, too.

So tell us now what’s the weather forecast like?

The first day is likely to be a little overcast but there is some rain forecast on the second day, June 12. The three days after that should be a lot better to play with sunny conditions and some clouds thrown in.

What ball will they play with in the final?

As was the case in the last two finals, it will be the Dukes ball again, which is used primarily in England, Ireland and the West Indies for Test cricket. Australia and South Africa both are used to playing with the Kookaburra at home.

Where can we watch the WTC final

There are different international broadcast partners who will bring the live coverage and the highlights to you. Here’s the list:India: Star Sports & Jiostar
Australia: Amazon Prime Video
South Africa: SuperSport TV
UK: Sky Sports Cricket
USA & Canada: Willow TV and Willow TV app
Caribbean & South America: ESPN Caribbean and ESPN Play Caribbean
New Zealand: Sky Sport Network
Middle East & North Africa: TSM via Nagorik TV, e&
Pakistan: PTV and Ten Sports
Afghanistan: Ariana Television
Sri Lanka: Maharaja TV
Singapore: StarHub
Malaysia: Astro
Hong Kong: PCCW
Pacific Islands: PNG Digicel
Rest of the World: ICC.tv

Liverpool have now reportedly held concrete talks to sign Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth, as they look to the January transfer window in an attempt to solve their problems.

The Reds are in a crisis, that can no longer be denied. Defeat against Nottingham Forest at Anfield on Saturday slammed home just how much trouble Arne Slot’s side find themselves in. Their crown has evaporated, their dominance has subsided and they sit in the bottom half after 12 games in the Premier League.

Liverpool legend and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher had his say on the Reds’ problems on Monday Night Football, saying that he would like to see Mohamed Salah come out and speak for the side.

“A year ago this weekend, Mo Salah wasn’t shy in coming out and speaking about his own situation, about the club not offering him a contract.

“I only ever hear Salah speak when he gets man of the match or he needs a new contract. I would like to see Salah come out as one of the leaders, one the legends of Liverpool, come out and speak for the team. It shouldn’t always be the captain.”

The Egyptian, however, may decide to let his football do the talking as Liverpool desperately look to get back on track against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday night.

The Champions League has often handed the Premier League champions some much-needed reprieve this season, with victory over Real Madrid the best win of their season last time out.

Now, the visit of PSV presents Slot’s side with a similar opportunity to turn results around, before squaring off against West Ham United this weekend.

"I'm told" – Romano shares what Slot thinks about his own Liverpool future

Arne Slot is under pressure at Liverpool and Fabrizio Romano has delivered a telling update on his future.

1

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Nov 24, 2025

Meanwhile, in the middle of their dismal period of form, Liverpool have reportedly been getting to work off the pitch on much-needed reinforcements.

Liverpool now "seriously working" on Semenyo deal

As reported by Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool are now “seriously working” on a deal to sign Semenyo from Bournemouth in the January transfer window.

Despite suggestions he has chosen to join Manchester United, those at Anfield have reportedly held “concrete talks” in pursuit of the winger, who has a release clause worth around €70m (£62m).

There is plenty of competition, but Liverpool should go all out to land Semenyo in January. They’ve missed the direct ability that Luis Diaz provided them – the ability that draws fouls, breaks low blocks down and evades an opposition press. Semenyo, however, can offer them exactly that.

The Bournemouth star has enjoyed 10 more successful take-ons than Salah so far this season and has earned high praise from ex-Liverpool man Jamie Redknapp as a result. The Sky Sports pundit described Semenyo as “unique” earlier in the campaign.

Who is to blame for Isak's form at Liverpool?

Also, some numbers on India’s left-hand batting dominance and KL Rahul’s role

Sampath Bandarupalli27-Jul-20252:09

Manjrekar: ‘Warriors’ keep sprouting for India when needed

2 – Number of Tests involving England ending in draws since Brendon McCullum became their head coach. This was the 40th Test under McCullum. The other draw was against Australia in 2023, also at Old Trafford.ESPNcricinfo Ltd7 – Number of 350-plus totals for India in the four Test so far, the most for a team in a Test series. The previous best was six, by Australia, who have done it three times in the Ashes, in 1920-21, 1948, and 1989.This series is also the first instance of India crossing 300 on seven occasions in a series. Eight is the record.0 – Instances of a team winning a Test match at Old Trafford after choosing to bowl first. Teams electing to bowl first here have lost three of the 12, while nine ended in draws.The latest result continued India’s winless run at Old Trafford, where they have played ten matches, the most by them at a venue without a win.ESPNcricinfo Ltd4 – Number of hundreds for Shubman Gill in the series, the joint-highest by an India batter in a series. Sunil Gavaskar had four hundreds against West Indies in 1971 and 1978-79, while Virat Kohli also scored four on the 2014-15 tour of Australia.Gill is also only the third captain with four hundreds in a Test series, following Don Bradman against India in 1947-48 and Gavaskar against West Indies in 1978-79.Gill’s four hundreds are also the joint-highest in a series in England. Bradman (in 1930) is the only other visiting batter with four hundreds in a series in England.ESPNcricinfo Ltd722 – Runs scored by Gill in this series. Only Gavaskar has scored more runs in a Test series for India – 774 in 1970 and 732 in 1978-79; both against West Indies.188 – The partnership between Gill and KL Rahul is by far the highest third-wicket stand in Test cricket history after being two-down for zero. The previous highest was 105 by Mohinder Amarnath and GR Viswanath against Australia in Melbourne in 1977.Gill and Rahul batted 417 balls together during their partnership. It is the longest Test partnership for India in England since 1998.9 – 50-plus scores for Ravindra Jadeja in Tests in England, all while batting at No. 6 or lower, the joint-highest by a visiting player alongside Garry Sobers. Jadeja and Sobers are also the only visiting players with 1000-plus runs from No. 6 or lower in England.Jadeja also has 34 wickets in England. Only two visiting players have taken more wickets while scoring 1000-plus runs in a country: Wilfred Rhodes (1032 runs and 42 wickets in Australia) and Sobers (1820 runs and 62 wickets in England).511 – Runs aggregated by Rahul in this series so far. He is the first visiting opener to score 500-plus runs in a Test series since Graeme Smith’s 714 in 2003. Only Gavaskar among India openers (542 in 1979) has scored more than Rahul in a series in England.Four India batters have aggregated 400-plus runs in this series – Gill, Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Jadeja, the first such instance for them. The previous series in which four (or more) batters scored 400-plus runs for a team was in 1993 – six Australia batters did it in the Ashes that year.4 – Instances of India knocking off a 300-plus first-innings deficit to draw a Test match. The highest is 368 against England – also at Old Trafford in 1936 – while they overhauled 334 against Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad and 314 against New Zealand in Napier, both in 2009.3 – Century-makers in the second innings for India at Old Trafford – Gill, Jadeja and Washington. It is the first instance of three batters scoring hundreds for India in the second innings of a Test match.Ravindra Jadeja celebrates his well-deserved century•Getty Images1 – Five left-hand India batters – Yashasvi Jaiswal, B Sai Sudharsan and Pant in the first innings, while Washington Sundar and Jadeja in the second innings – had 50-plus scores in the Old Trafford Test. Only once before have five left-hand batters scored at least 50 for a team in a Test.Seven left-hand batters got at least 50 runs at Old Trafford, including Ben Duckett and Ben Stokes, the most for a Test match.A total of 12 batters got past 50 across both teams. This is the joint-second-highest, behind the 13 by South Africa and England in Durban in 1939.Seven of them at Old Trafford were by India batters, the joint-most for them in a Test match. Only Pakistan (eight vs India in 2006 in Karachi) had more players with 50-plus scores.5 – Number of sessions where India batted 20-plus overs without losing a wicket at Old Trafford. Since the start of 2014, only one team has had as many wicketless sessions in a Test match – six by Pakistan against Australia in 2022 in Rawalpindi. No other team have been as strong in more than three sessions in a Test match in this period.ESPNcricinfo Ltd12 – Batters who have scored a century in this series. Australia’s tour of the West Indies in 1955 is the only other series to feature 12 century-makers.A total of 18 centuries have been scored in this series so far, the third-highest in a Test series. Eleven have come from India, the joint-highest for them in a Test series, alongside the 1978-79 home series against West Indies.

Coach played key role in developing Stokes as a teenager, along with other future England stars

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-2025

Durham’s academy has helped to produce some of the best young talents in the country•Getty Images

John Windows, the long-standing director of Durham Men’s academy, is stepping down from his role for health reasons, after a 27-year stint in which he helped to develop the careers of a range of the club’s greatest players, including Ben Stokes, Mark Wood and Liam Plunkett.Windows, 49, started out as a batter in Durham’s second XI, but with the club still relatively new to the first-class scene, the focus on developing home-grown players became a means to fast-track the team’s long-term viability. He became an academy coach in 1999, under the leadership of Geoff Cook, and progressed to the role of academy Director in 2007.On his watch, the academy became one of the most prolific pathways for young talent in the country. Steve Harmison, Paul Collingwood and Graham Onions were among the first graduates to forge successful international careers, while more recent successes include Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts and Ben McKinney, the former England Under-19 captain.Windows himself was instrumental in recruiting Stokes as a raw 17-year-old, utilising the strong relationships that he had helped to build with neighbouring counties, including Cumbria, where Stokes’ family had lived after arriving from New Zealand in 2003.In a statement, however, he revealed that a recent medical diagnosis had left him needing to step away from his hands-on role at the academy. He will remain involved with the club in a mentorship capacity.”It is with great sadness and regret that I am having to stand down from my role as men’s academy director,” Windows said. “I have enjoyed every day of my coaching career at Durham, it has been a privilege to work with such a great club and contribute to its success.”Unfortunately, I no longer have the physical capacity to support our young talent. The role is multi-faceted but to do it successfully I have always felt you need to be active on the shop floor as well as working strategically behind the scenes.”Stepping back from a full-time role will give me more time to recharge my batteries and look after myself. I feel this is essential if I am going to maintain any sort of ‘normal life’.”Marcus North, Durham’s director of cricket, said: “John has decided that now is the right time to step away from his role as men’s academy director, due to his ongoing medical condition.”Over the course of nearly 30 years with the club, John has played an extraordinary role in shaping the journeys of hundreds of young cricketers, many of whom have become professional and international players.”His vision, passion, dedication, and care for developing players have left a lasting mark on our pathway and on the club as a whole.”Although he will no longer be leading the academy, we are delighted that John will continue to be part of the club and share the wisdom and experience that have inspired so many.”I would like to personally thank John for everything he has given to the club, and for the remarkable commitment and energy he has put into making our men’s academy the best in the country, a legacy that will live strong for future generations.”

كشفت تقارير صحفية عن إمكانية رحيل أحد لاعبي فريق برشلونة الإسباني، خلال سوق الانتقالات الشتوي في شهر يناير المقبل، بسبب منافسات كأس العالم 2026.

وتقام بطولة كأس العالم 2026 في شهر يونيو المقبل، حيث تستضيفها الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، كندا، والمكسيك، في ملف مشترك.

ويسعى اللاعبون للمشاركة باستمرار وانتظام مع أنديتهم، لإثبات جدارتهم بالتواجد في قوائم منتخبات بلادهم، من أجل حلم المشاركة في المونديال.

وذكرت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية نقلاً عن “سبورت بيلد” الألمانية، أن حارس مرمى برشلونة، مارك تير شتيجن قد يغادر صفوف الفريق خلال انتقالات يناير.

تير شتيجن يغيب عن المشاركة مع برشلونة منذ أشهر بسبب الإصابة، وقد خضع لجراحة في الظهر ويواصل اللاعب تعافيه استعدادًا للعودة للعب بصورة طبيعية.

ويشير التقرير إلى أن تير شتيجن من المقرر أن يحصل على التصريح الطبي لمباراة برشلونة ضد أوساسونا، والمقرر خوضها يوم السبت المقبل.

ورغم عودته الوشيكة، من المرجح أن يواجه تير شتيجن صعوبة في الحصول على دقائق لعب كافية، خاصة وأن المدرب هانز فليك أكد أن خوان جارسيا هو الحارس الأساسي للفريق.

اقرأ أيضًا | كوبي: أزمة خطيرة.. لاعب برشلونة قد لا يلعب مرة أخرى مع الفريق

ومن أجل ضمان التواجد مع منتخب ألمانيا في المونديال، قد يتجه تير شتيجن للرحيل في انتقالات يناير، للحصول على فرص كافية للمشاركة مع أحد الأندية.

وتشير المصادر إلى أن أندية تركية مهتمة بالتعاقد مع حارس مرمى برشلونة، على الرغم من عدم تقديم أي عروض حتى الآن.

يذكر التقرير أيضًا أن الوضع الشخصي لتير شتيجن، والتواجد مع طفليه، يُمثل عاملاً حاسماً في تحديد مستقبله.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Allianz Parque completa dez anos nesta temporada, e o Palmeiras busca encerrar uma dívida de R$ 160 milhões com a WTorre, construtora e administradora do estádio do Verdão.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão

Tanto Palmeiras quanto WTorre vem conversando para a construtora receber a dívida em breve, uma parte à vista e o outro restante de maneira parcelada.

+ Acredita que o Verdão vai ser campeão da Libertadores? Então se liga na odd a longo prazo: 5.00!

A WTorre sabe da importância dos jogos para o Allianz Parque, tanto que trabalha em conjunto com o Palmeiras toda temporada para que o Verdão saia o menos possível da Pompéia.

continua após a publicidade

Porém, o planejamento de eventos do Allianz Parque sempre depende da colaboração da Conmebol, CBF e FPF na organização de seus respectivos campeonatos.

O planejamento de shows para este ano foi feito para que o Palmeiras fosse menos atrapalhado justamente no segundo semestre, que sempre é o período mais decisivo da temporada.

continua após a publicidade

A ideia da WTorre é de que o Verdão perca de cinco a seis jogos por ano no Allianz Parque, mas que todo jogo decisivo seja feito no estádio, nem que seja com o palco bloqueando o Gol Norte.

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários de todos os jogos do Brasileirão

O próximo jogo do Palmeiras no Allianz Parque está marcado para quinta-feira (30), quando o Verdão encara o San Lorenzo, pela Libertadores, no jogo que marca a despedida de Endrick.

Tudo sobre

Allianz ParquePalmeiras

TORONTO — Remember, Shohei Ohtani wanted to remain an Angel. Freddie Freeman all but begged to stay in Atlanta. Mookie Betts thought he would spend his entire career in Boston. 

Max Muncy was released by the A’s. Tommy Edman was traded while on the injured list. Blake Snell was available to anyone on the open market—twice. 

And it’s the who are ruining baseball?

Sure, the money helps. The team that is headed to its second straight World Series, and fifth in the last nine years, with a chance to win three in that span, boasts, at $329 million, the highest payroll in the sport. After winning the World Series last season, they added $450 million worth of new players. Their local TV deal pays them $334 million a year, and this year they launched a paid fan club in Japan, with membership tiers ranging up to $500 per person. 

But the No. 2 Mets ($323 million) didn’t make the playoffs. The No. 3 Yankees ($288 million) were bounced in the American League Division Series. And 48% of that TV money and 97% of that fan club money goes into revenue sharing, so everyone else is benefiting from it, too. 

Meanwhile, the Dodgers have given out only three of the top 30 most lucrative deals, and so far all three look worth it: $700 million over 10 years for Ohtani (and that is an unusual case, because 97% of the money is deferred, so the contract functions as a credit card), $365 million over 12 years for Betts and $325 million over 10 years for Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Ohtani is the biggest star in sports. Betts is a three-time World Series champion, twice for the Dodgers, an eight-time All-Star and a finalist for this year’s National League Gold Glove at shortstop—a position he never played professionally before last season. Yamamoto is their ace and just threw a shutout in the National League Championship Series. 

Mostly the Dodgers excel at evaluating players, and then they excel at developing them. And then, once they’ve done all that, they excel at keeping them. 

Angels owner Arte Moreno, incredibly, reportedly balked at the deal structure Ohtani offered. Atlanta GM Alex Anthopoulos didn’t want to give Freeman the sixth year he sought. Red Sox owner John Henry—estimated net worth: $5.7 billion—wasn’t interested in coughing up the $350 million or so it would take to lock up the franchise’s best homegrown young player since Ted Williams. Those were all mistakes of evaluation. 

Muncy had a good eye in Oakland but no power and no defensive home. The Dodgers adjusted his swing and played him everywhere. Now he’s perhaps their fourth most important hitter. Anthony Banda had a 5.69 ERA in parts of seven seasons all across the league. The Dodgers fixed his slider and told him to ditch his changeup. Now he’s a key left-handed fireman. Roki Sasaki came to L.A. in part because he had lost fastball velocity in Japan and wasn’t sure why. After a dreadful start to the season, the Dodgers told him to flex his back leg. Now he throws 100 mph again and gets nearly every crucial late-game out. That’s development. 

And as for keeping players, they’re turning them away. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman says he gets so many calls every winter that he could fill more than one roster—and that number only increases as the team continues its success. 

“In 2015, our goal was to create a destination,” he says. “Somewhere our players don’t want to leave and other players are looking longingly that they want to be. It’s fragile, and it’s something that you have to continue to get better at every year, but that is the thing I’m most proud of—the inroads we’ve made on that front.”

Right fielder Teoscar Hernández, who signed a one-year prove-it deal with the Dodgers before 2024, all but begged to come back. Yamamoto essentially told other teams to stop offering him more money; he wanted to be in L.A. Relievers Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates took less money for a better shot at a ring. Across the league, players perk up when they hear the Dodgers are asking about them; they know they’re about to get a lot better, and, as outfielder Alex Call put it shortly after he was dealt from the Nationals at the deadline: “I’m going to the World Series!”

The Phillies’ Bryce Harper had it right. “Only losers complain about what they’re doing,” he said this spring.

And that’s because they’re doing it the proper way. Betts turned himself into a Gold Glove–caliber shortstop by sheer force of will—and thousands of ground balls. Freeman, a 36-year-old father of three who has made almost $300 million, plays every day and scolds anyone who doesn’t. Clayton Kershaw treats February bullpens like World Series games. 

“You can come early at Dodger Stadium or when we’re on the road, and watch our star players out here early, taking ground balls out in the field, doing everything to try to help them gain some edge for that night,” says Friedman. “And you can look across the field, and the team we’re playing—their players are not out.”

They’re not ruining baseball. This is what baseball is supposed to look like.

Chelsea are weighing up the possibility of an early January move for one ‘magnificent’ forward with an agreement already in place for his arrival next year.

Liam Delap succumbs to another Chelsea injury blow

Liam Delap’s Chelsea career has descended into frustrating misfortune following another significant injury setback.

The 22-year-old suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder during Saturday’s goalless draw at Bournemouth, leaving the field in obvious discomfort after landing awkwardly following a challenge with Marcos Senesi.

Medical staff immediately applied a makeshift sling before Delap trudged directly towards the tunnel, his arm immobilised to prevent further damage.

Enzo Maresca then delivered a concerning post-match update that confirmed initial fears.

Reports suggest Delap faces approximately six to eight weeks sidelined, which comes as another devastating blow for the young forward after he was previously out of action for weeks with a hamstring injury.

Chelsea signed Delap from relegated Ipswich in June, beating the likes of Man United and Newcastle to his signature after an impressive maiden Premier League season.

The Winchester-born striker finished as Ipswich’s leading scorer with twelve goals across thirty-seven appearances last term, accounting for thirty-three percent of their total output despite their eventual drop to the Championship.

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Delap also earned a PFA Young Player of the Year nomination and convinced Maresca – who previously managed Delap during his tenure overseeing Man City’s Elite Development Squad – that he represented an ideal target man.

However, the Englishman has since struggled to establish himself at Stamford Bridge, managing just sporadic appearances whilst failing to register a single Premier League goal for his new employers.

Chelsea’s Strikers

Player

Pedro

Guiu

Delap

Games

18

8

11

Minutes

1377′

280′

453′

Goals

4

1

1

Assists

3

1

0

All Stats via Transfermarkt

His only Chelsea strike this season arrived against Barcelona in the Champions League, providing brief optimism before this latest injury.

Marc Guiu replaced Delap against Bournemouth but was rusty throughout, highlighting Chelsea’s lack of alternative options, and it has led to suggestions that Strasbourg striker Emanuel Emegha could arrive earlier than anticipated.

Chelsea weigh early January move for Emanuel Emegha

According to TEAMtalk and journalist Graeme Bailey, Chelsea chiefs are evaluating whether to bring forward Emegha’s arrival from their sister club following Delap’s injury blow.

The Blues confirmed a deal worth around £22 million several months ago, that was scheduled to deliver Emegha to Stamford Bridge in the summer.

However, Delap’s absence has prompted internal discussions about accelerating that timeline to January.

Strasbourg initially resisted any mid-season departure for their captain, but circumstances have shifted considerably.

Argentine forward Joaquin Panichelli has emerged as Liam Rosenior’s first-choice striker, demonstrating excellent form which suggests the Ligue 1 side could accommodate Emegha’s premature exit.

The 22-year-old Netherlands international stands at a towering 6 foot 5 and recently earned his maiden senior caps for his country, establishing himself as one of France’s most promising attacking talents.

Should Chelsea trigger the January switch, they would also likely compensate Strasbourg by funding an immediate replacement through BlueCo’s multi-club network.

Emegha, who’s been called ‘magnificent’ by critics, scored 14 French top flight goals last season and ended the campaign as one of Ligue 1’s top scorers.

He’s also bagged seven goals across 11 appearances in all competitions this season, so he’s a man bang on form right now regardless of Panichelli’s rise.