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USWNT star Sophia Smith collected a bizarre red card while on NWSL duty, with the Portland Thorns forward shown a second yellow for hiding the ball.

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Tight contest settled from the spotSmith converted from 12 yardsWill now have to serve a suspensionWHAT HAPPENED?

The 23-year-old netted what proved to be the only goal of the game in a keenly-fought clash with the North Carolina Courage. She held her nerve in the 79th minute when converting from the penalty spot. In the final minute of the 90, Smith was cautioned for time wasting.

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Her game-delaying tactics were not done there, though, and she would go on to see red. Smith was substituted in the seventh-minute of stoppage-time – which appeared to bring her contest to a close. There was, however, to be even later drama.

DID YOU KNOW?

In the 102nd minute, the ball rolled off the pitch and into the Thorns dugout. Smith quickly conjured up a plan to take more seconds off the clock, as she grabbed the ball and pushed it under her seat. She had a mischievous smile on her face throughout, but the match referee did not see the funny side and cautioned the United States international once again.

Seamer Lahiru Madushanka also did not a find a place in Sri Lanka’s finalised 18-man squad

Madushka Balasuriya24-Jul-2019Niroshan Dickwella, Danushka Gunathilaka, Lakshan Sandakan, Lahiru Madushanka and Amila Aponso have missed the cut, as Sri Lanka announced their finalised squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Bangladesh which starts on July 26.As such there will be five changes to the squad that travelled to England for the World Cup, with Shehan Jayasuriya, Wanindu Hasaranga, Akila Dananjaya and Lahiru Kumara all coming in. Dasun Shanaka, meanwhile, is set to play from the second ODI onwards as a replacement for the retiring Lasith Malinga.ALSO READ: Malinga to retire from ODIs after first match of Bangladesh seriesOf the newcomers, Jayasuriya, Kumara and Hasaranga all stand a good chance of being included in the side for the first ODI. Jayasuriya, who is also a part-time offspinner, impressed in the warm-up game with a gritty fifty, legspin-bowling-allrounder Hasaranga had a wicket to go with an impressive 28-run cameo, and pacer Lahiru Kumara was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers in largely unhelpful bowling conditions.Dananjaya, being the only specialist spinner in the squad, will almost certainly feature.Among those who missed out, Dickwella, who was out for three-ball duck in the warm-up, and Gunathilaka, who squandered an impressive start, will rue a missed opportunity to get back into the first-team fold. Slow left-armer Aponso meanwhile had gone wicketless in the warm up game.Both Sandakan and Madushanka, though, can count themselves a touch more unfortunate. Despite being named in the original 22-man squad, Sandakan wasn’t even named in warm-up side, while Madushanka, who has impressed with the emerging team and was name-checked by captain Dimuth Karunaratne earlier this week, was available to play but featured neither as a bowler nor batsman.Sri Lanka’s finalised squad for Bangladesh ODIs: Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Kusal Perera, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Akila Dananjaya, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Pradeep, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana.

It was a frustrating evening for Luciano Spalletti as an insipid Italy were held to goalless stalemate by Turkey.

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Turkey eked out a 0-0 draw against ItalyUnimpressive display by Spalletti's menReigning champions looked nervy ahead of Euro 2024Getty ImagesTELL ME MORE

Italy looked uninspiring, dull and flat against a tame Turkey side on Tuesday evening at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara in Bologna. The reigning European champions lacked creativity and were slow off the blocks as the visitors looked content to sit back and wait for the occasional counter. Chances came at a premium and both teams created very little in attack until the final minute of first-half stoppage time.

Baris Yilmaz was allowed a free header by Italy's defence but the striker could not keep his attempt on target. Seconds later, the Azzurri got their first significant chance of the game when Bryan Cristante rose highest to get his head to a Lorenzo Pellegrini corner but his effort crashed against the woodwork.

Luciano Spalletti made two changes at half-time as he introduced Mattia Zaccagni and Andrea Cambiaso to replace Riccardo Orsolini and Federico Chiesa. Arsenal star, Jorginho, who put in a decent shift at midfield, was hooked just after the hour mark as Nicolo Fagioli made his way onto the pitch. Things started to open up in the final 10 minutes, as both sides decided to throw caution to the wind, but a lack of clinical finishing did not help their cause.

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Bryan Cristante was a bright spot in Italy's midfield. The 29-year-old defensive midfielder kept the midfield ticking along with Jorginho and, after the Gunners star was taken off, he further got the opportunity to express himself in the centre of the park. The Roma star could have got on the score sheet as well with some little luck but was denied by the post.

GettyTHE BIG LOSER

Luciano Spalletti will be a concerned manager after the insipid showing against Turkey. Despite enjoying the bulk of the possession, they had very few ideas about what to do going forwards and Turkey's defence was hardly tested. Expectations may not be high heading to Germany and this lacklustre performance will do little to change perceptions.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

Italy will return to action against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 9 in another preparatory friendly before their Euro 2024 campaign opener against Albania on June 15. Whereas, Turkey will play against Poland on June 10 before facing Georgia on June 18 in the European Championship.

Our writers debate Emma Hayes' first USWNT roster, with big names brought back into the fold

Emma Hayes' tenure as coach of the USWNT is officially underway. The former Chelsea boss worked wonders in London, but now faces a different kind of challenge on the international stage. After a disappointing World Cup showing in 2023, the USWNT will look to push back to the top of global soccer in Paris this summer at the Olympic Games.

And it all starts next month.

Hayes has picked her first roster, and there are plenty of talking points. Alex Morgan is in the fold, but Lynn Williams didn't make the cut, while Ashley Sanchez sits out, too. However, does any of that matter? This is the strongest roster the U.S. have ever bolstered, but still… there's questions over whether or not the ex-Blue will be a success stateside, on Morgan's role in this team and the June camp roster.

Piece it all together, and it adds up to an intriguing start for the new manager, who will have to battle the sky-high expectations of the most difficult job in women's soccer.

To break it all down, GOAL has enlisted global women's soccer writer Amee Ruszkai, as well as the usual cast of GOAL US writers, in the latest edition of… .

GettyPoint blank: Will Emma Hayes be a successful USWNT boss?

Amee Ruszkai: Yes. She’s a proven winner, she knows what it takes to cope with pressure and she represents a healthy balance between someone who is a breath of fresh air but who still understands all things USWNT, having spent several years at the start of her coaching journey in the United States. Hayes has spoken about how, after an exhausting season with Chelsea, this new role and the Olympics can reenergize and reinvigorate her, too, which all sounds really positive.

Ryan Tolmich: Maybe not initially. Hayes has been given a tough, tough task here. Preparing a group for the Olympics on just a few weeks' notice is almost impossible, even for a coach at Hayes' level. The U.S. will need things to bounce their way if they want gold in Paris. If they don't win in all? That's fine, too. This summer is just the start for Hayes, who is tasked with rebuilding the program from the ground up. It'll take time for us to see the fruits of that – if there are any fruits to be had – but Hayes' resume tells you not to bet against her when she's given the tools to create something special.

Jacob Schneider: Considering she’s coming from Chelsea, London’s football club, the answer is yes … Alright, jokes aside, Hayes will be an immediate hit with the U.S.

Anyone who has followed the Blues appreciates her tactics, and has witnessed the brilliance she plans out for her players on the pitch. She’s a sensational manager on the touchline and that it will transition over with the USWNT.

The record clearly speaks for itself: five FA Cups, seven WSL titles, two League Cups, one community shield and multiple brilliant European competition runs. She knows how to coach at the highest level and she’s a proven winner, which is exactly what the USWNT needs right now.

AdvertisementGettyWho has the most to prove this June camp?

AR: US Soccer and Lily Yohannes. She’s undecided on her future and while the federation and team won’t want to pressure her into an answer, as it’s her own to make in her own time, it will certainly want her to choose the USWNT (over the Netherlands).

Proving to Yohannes that the U.S. is the place to be is key and Hayes finally coming in will surely help, especially with her track record of developing young players. The U.S. has a lot of young talent coming through but — having seen what she’s done on the big stage in Europe at 16 years old — Yohannes is special so it’d be a huge boost to have her represent the USWNT.

RT: Casey Murphy feels like the answer here. With Alyssa Naeher out, at least for now, Murphy looks to be the USWNT's No. 1 goalkeeper in this camp. For a while, it looked like Naeher was going to hold on to be the Olympic starter, giving her one last tournament in a USNWT shirt. Her injury, though, makes that less clear. Can Murphy do enough to seize the No. 1 shirt? The USWNT will hope so, even if it just leads to a more interesting competition should Naeher return.

JS: It’s Alex Morgan, right? That assumes she’s healthy, of course, as Morgan has missed considerable time with an ankle injury. The USWNT has an insane amount of attacking players to work with, and Sophia Smith is in absolutely ridiculous form at the moment. It's also notable that Cat Macario and Hayes have a relationship from their time at Chelsea – odds are that chemistry doesn’t just up and vanish.

Morgan is the most experienced attacker of the lot for the USWNT, but there are more in-form and healthy players ahead of her. She needs this camp to prove to Hayes that she is still the starting striker for this team, and that she is the best choice to lead the line in Paris.

USA Today ImagesWho is the biggest snub from the USWNT roster?

AR: Lynn Williams. She offers so much to any team, in and out of possession, and she’s in great form right now. The other side of the coin, of course, is that the forward areas are just so competitive, so while it’s the biggest snub, it's also not a total shock that she’s missed out. That's just how it goes with the USWNT's attacking pool at the moment.

RT: Generally, this roster feels about right. There are a few surprises, such as newcomers Sam Staab and Hal Hershfelt but, overall, the heavy hitters are all here.

Outside of the injury absences, there's one missing player that sticks out: Olivia Moultrie. She's on the training squad, so she's involved, but won't be playing in these games. That's disappointing given how well she played in her USWNT chances.

A spot was there for her, too, given the inclusions of Hershfelt and 16-year-old starlet Yohannes. All three are longshots for the Olympics at this point, to be fair, but it would have been nice to see Moultire get much-needed minutes this camp.

JS: Going to make a case for Williams and you’re going to agree with me, alright? She recently became the NWSL’s all-time leading goalscorer, and has been in relatively good form this season. She has three goals in six appearances after starting the season on the sideline. She started the semifinal and final for the USWNT in the CONCACAF W Gold Cup in March, and turned in two very good performances.

She brings something that Morgan can’t: pace. Williams is deviously fast, and can also slot out wide, if needed. Beyond Smith, the striker options aren’t players who you can bring on to spring a blistering counter off the bench late if you need a goal. Williams can do that, and more. It feels a bit cruel to not see her with this group after her performances for club and country of late.

GettyWith a plethora of attacking options, who are the starting front-three?

AR: Smith in the 9 with Jaedyn Shaw and Trinity Rodman either side of her. Mallory Swanson has shown great things recently and can really press to start, and what Morgan brings to the table as a pure 9 is always top quality – something that will suit certain games and moments in the Olympics. However, Rodman, Smith and Shaw feels so strong. As for Macario, she might be at her best in the 10, so it will be interesting to see how Hayes uses her.
RT: This is the million-dollar question, isn't it? There are plenty of ways you can go, and the good news is that any and all of them might be right.

Assuming the U.S. plays a 4-2-3-1 with Shaw as the attacking midfielder, go with a front three of Rodman, Smith and Swanson. That trio is dynamite, with each player having the ability to open up a game at a moment's notice.

Will Hayes go with those three? Too soon to tell. There are plenty of combinations that could work. But the Rodman-Smith-Swanson trio feels like the most dynamic one on offer for the U.S.

JS: This attack is being built around Smith. She is the future of the USWNT, period. That said, the US should be playing her centrally and not placing her on the wing, like both Twila Kilgore and Vlatko Andonovski did in previous months.

Choosing who to play out wide and at the 10 is where things get difficult, but that’s all part of what makes this group so exciting. There are so many good options. On the left Swanson, and on the right will be Rodman with Rose Lavelle at the 10. It feels awful to not have Shaw in the XI, but the thought process is how to get the most out of Smith – and this group is the best supporting cast for that task.

Sri Lanka’s former coach still believes they have it in them to make an impact this World Cup

Alan Gardner in Bristol07-Jun-2019Sri Lanka should move Angelo Mathews up the order and get back to playing their cricket on “the front foot”, according to former coach Paul Farbrace. After a washout in their match against Pakistan at Bristol, Sri Lanka find themselves sitting third on the table – for 24 hours or so, at least – with three points from three games, and Farbrace suggested they still had the capability to make an impact on the World Cup.After some eyebrow-raising selection decisions, like the ones to leave out Dinesh Chandimal and Niroshan Dickwella, and name Dimuth Karunaratne as captain despite not playing an ODI since 2015, Sri Lanka stumbled badly in their opening match, a ten-wicket hammering by New Zealand. Although they recovered to beat Afghanistan, the batting proved fallible again, collapsing from 144 for 1 to 201 all out; coming in at No. 5, Mathews lasted just two balls.As well as tweaking the line-up, Farbrace, who led Sri Lanka to the World T20 title in 2014 and was also assistant coach between 2007 and 2009, said the team needed to channel the spirit that had previously made the small island nation such a resilient performer at major tournaments.”I watched the game in Cardiff last Saturday against New Zealand and the thing that disappointed me the most about that was that it was a very un-Sri Lankan performance, they weren’t on the front foot, they weren’t taking the game to the opposition,” he told ESPNcricinfo.”I always think of the Sri Lanka team as a team that take the game to the oppositions, that play smart cricket, they’re streetfighters, they’re wise and they always get the best out of situations. I thought in that game they were a little bit timid, a little bit taking a backward step and I’d just like to see them take the game on. They’ve got so many exciting talented players in that team, and I’d like to see them take the game on a little bit.

“We realistically know that we’re not one of the strongest sides in the competition but that doesn’t mean that we can’t reach the semi-finals if we get our performances right at times when other people don’t quite hit their straps.”Sri Lanka’s batting coach Jon Lewis

“I’d like to see Angelo up the order at four, and I think they have got the capability and the skill to win games in this tournament. I don’t like hearing people talk about the fact they are going to finish bottom of the table, and they’re not a great team. They’ve got a lot of skill in there and I think it’s time to show that and take opposition on.”Most Sri Lankan supporters I’ve spoken to say, ‘we just want to see the boys play, we want to see them give something.’ The way that they lost that first game in Cardiff was disappointing because they are better than that. I’m not being critical, I would just love to see them go and play. It’s easy to say, sitting the other side of the boundary, but that’s what they’re about. That’s what inspires people.”Although Sri Lanka had some success in moving Kusal Perera up to open in their second game – his 78 proved vital in setting a competitive total – Farbrace suggested that they might be better served by sticking with Lahiru Thirimanne alongside Karunaratne at the top of the order. This he felt will also put the onus on Mathews, who has so far struggled on his return to the ODI side after being dropping over fitness issues in 2018.”It doesn’t matter who’s in the XI, it doesn’t matter who’s been left behind in Sri Lanka,” Farbrace said. “In my view, there’s a couple of players who should be here: Dickwella, Chandimal, should definitely be in this team without a shadow of a doubt. But the lads that are here have the chance to do something.”I would bat Angelo at No. 4. You can keep him away from the new ball down the order, but the best players should face the most amount of balls. So put him at No. 4, I would move Kusal Perera to No. 5-6, give him a floating role – have Dimuth and Thirimanne opening and then move Kusal down. And allow him to play his natural game. If you’ve got a good, solid start at the top from Thirimanne, who is a fantastic player, Dimuth, who are fantastic players – let them give you a good solid start and then let’s use the next 30 overs after that to cash in and score some runs.”Sri Lanka’s batting coach, Jon Lewis, speaking before the Pakistan game, suggested that the management had a similar plan in mind, owing to the “strong Test feel” about squad – Karunaratne won his recall after success leading the Test side in South Africa. However, he admitted: “We haven’t been perfect at setting the foundation yet.”Lewis was also hopeful that Sri Lanka would confound some of their critics as the tournament went on, possibly even remaining in contention for the knockouts if results went their way. Escaping with a point against a Pakistan side coming off the back of beating England – and who were clearly more eager to get on to the field in Bristol – thanks to the rain could yet constitute a vital slice of luck.”It’s hard to say for sure what you need to do to reach that semi-final,” he said. “It’s quite likely that the weather will have an impact on some people’s games – and if some people are lucky, that might have an impact on how far as you go as a team. We realistically know that we’re not one of the strongest sides in the competition but that doesn’t mean that we can’t reach the semi-finals if we get our performances right at times when other people don’t quite hit their straps and maybe the weather comes in at the right time for us once or twice.”

All the buzz about that incredible dismissal

ESPNcricinfo staff30-May-2019Ben Stokes:”I was actually in the wrong position. I made a relatively straightforward catch into a hard one. It would have been a regulation catch if I was in the right place. It is one of those that sticks or doesn’t. We do train hard.”Was it better than the one in the 2015 Ashes? Nah. That one was against the Aussies. So that one ranks higher.”The crowd’s reaction behind me was pretty awesome. I just tried to take that in as much as I could. I bowled the next over and Morgs had to come to me and ask if everything was all right, if my heart rate had gone down. Things like that catch do get you fizzed up. I didn’t really know quite how to react to be honest, I just tried to take it in. The crowd today were phenomenal. It’s the best thing about having a home World Cup.”Eoin Morgan:”We see a lot of him in training do stuff like that all the time. You just shake your head because it doesn’t happen every day.”He misjudged it at the start. He ran in, stopped and then I thought it was going to be way over his head. The next leap in that direction … unbelievable.”I’ve only seen a catch like that made before by AB De Villiers in a game in Bangalore.”

"I’m going to take my clothes off and run up and down the street naked with England winners in a minute, it was just that big a win."

Beware, people of London – @Swannyg66 is getting carried away! #ENGvSA #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/59SvDuPqOu

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) May 30, 2019

Moeen Ali:”He ran in for no reason. He screwed it up! [smiles] I’d have just stood there and it would have gone straight in my hands!”We see him do that in practice all the time. He’s always got a great chance of catching those. He’s a big part of this team.”Faf du Plessis:”It was as good as it gets.”Nasser Hussain: (on TV commentary)”No way! No, no way! You cannot do that, Ben Stokes. That is remarkable. That is one of the greatest catches of all time!”

Amazing how “boundary riding” has become fielding focus in the modern game – only time @hershybru and I ever left the inner ring was to chase the ball down en route to the rope!!!! https://t.co/lKBmJHOUT3

— Jonty Rhodes (@JontyRhodes8) May 30, 2019

Hey Jonty Have You Seen Stokesy catch another Jonty2019 Pull Of 2019 ……

— Bhanu Chander (Gunnu) (@evry1ns4me) May 30, 2019

Andrew Miller: (ESPNcricinfo ball-by-ball commentary)”Ben Stokes, that is absolute fifth! Absolutely leathered through deep midwicket … and Stokes somehow launched himself horizontally towards the rope, timing his jump like a mortar from its tube, and clinging onto a certain six, in his outstretched, reverse-cupped, right hand! My God, that is an utter, utter worldy! If Alisson got a mitt to a screamer like that in Madrid on Saturday and tipped it over the bar, we would be talking about it for years…”

Champions Chelsea and runners-up Manchester City dominate our standings, but others at lesser-heralded clubs also impressed

And so another Women's Super League campaign has come to a close, with Chelsea one again reigning supreme to claim a fifth-successive league title. Manchester City did brilliantly to push the Blues to the final day, though a dramatic defeat to Arsenal on the penultimate weekend of the season cost them in the end.

There were storylines elsewhere, though, particularly with Liverpool pipping Manchester United, who won the FA Cup this year and challenged for the WSL title last term, to fourth spot. It was a brilliant campaign for the Reds, who only returned to the top flight last season.

A couple of other teams outside the top three could lay claim to being home to one of the division's best players this past season too, with there some brilliant, if underrated, performers across the whole league. Here are GOAL's WSL Player of the Year rankings…

Getty Images15Hannah Hampton (Chelsea)

That Hannah Hampton only assumed control of goalkeeping duties at Chelsea in mid-December but still makes this list is telling of the high level she performed at from that point. The England international had to wait for that club debut after joining from Aston Villa in the summer, but as the old saying goes, patience is a virtue, and she reaped the rewards.

No one kept more clean sheets than Hampton after her debut, a feat made all the more impressive by the ever-changing cast in Chelsea's defence due to injuries. Of goalkeepers who made more than five appearances in that time, Man City's Khiara Keating was the only one to boast a higher save percentage, too.

Had Hampton played more games this past season, she’d certainly be higher up this list, but to sneak in from half a year’s work is impressive enough.

AdvertisementGetty Images14Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal)

It's been an up-and-down season in the WSL for Arsenal, who have pulled off some fantastic individual results against the big teams around them, beating all of Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United, but struggled for consistency across the whole campaign on their way to another third-placed finish. That lack of consistency certainly doesn't apply to their best player this season though – Lotte Wubben-Moy.

In the absence of Leah Williamson, and with Amanda Ilestedt missing due to her pregnancy, Wubben-Moy has been a rock in the heart of defence for the Gunners and brought stability to the table when they've needed it. So often when a centre-back partner has needed that calming presence alongside them, she has been that.

"I think she's really developed this season in almost all aspects of her game," head coach Jonas Eidevall said. "She's improved her playing position. She's improved her duels. She's improved her leadership on the pitch." It's not gone unnoticed by England boss Sarina Wiegman either, who has given the 25-year-old more opportunities with the Lionesses in recent months.

Getty13Lauren Hemp (Man City)

Man City fans could breathe a sigh of relief when, amid rumours of interest from Barcelona, the club announced last month that Lauren Hemp had signed a new three-year contract. “I want to take my game to the next level and I feel like I’m capable of doing that here,” she said, towards the end of a season in which she has indeed shown new dimensions to her already exhilarating game.

Hemp has never registered more direct goal involvements in a WSL campaign than this past year, her 11 goals and eight assists helping City maintain a title challenge to the final day. She played her part on both sides of the ball, too, with few wingers in the game possessing as much defensive discipline and desire as the 23-year-old.

Getty12Sjoeke Nusken (Chelsea)

Another summer signing who came up big for Chelsea this season was Sjoeke Nusken – and she did so in no fewer than five different positions. Whether alternating between holding, box-to-box and attacking midfield roles, filling in at centre-back or operating in a false nine role, the Germany international was remarkably consistent despite the demands on her being otherwise.

Though largely seen as a defensive player on her arrival in London, Nusken showcased her footballing IQ with her movement in the final third and those slightly surprising attacking instincts saw her end the WSL season with eight goals and three assists, making her one of five Chelsea players to hit double figures for direct goal involvements.

Amit Mishra and Kagiso Rabada lead a strong performance with the ball after fifties from Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer

The Report by Mohammad Isam28-Apr-2019Delhi Capitals vaulted to the top of the IPL points table with a 16-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore at home, the win putting them in the playoffs for the first time since 2012. They had star performers all around, starting with half-centuries from Shikhar Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer, then a good finishing job from Sherfane Rutherford and Axar Patel, and finally a clinical bowling performance led by Amit Mishra and Kagiso Rabada.Mishra took two wickets in the crucial 13th over, and Rabada was excellent in the death overs – not to forget Ishant Sharma’s four-run 19th over – to leave Royal Challengers with no chance of pulling out a fourth successive win in their late-season resurgence.Dhawan, Iyer set a strong platform
Dhawan and Iyer struck fifties, lasting exactly 37 balls each. They struck seven fours and five sixes between them, as they added 68 runs for the second wicket that put Capitals in a position to push towards a big total. Dhawan mostly got his boundaries on the on-side, apart from hitting a four and a six through the covers and long-off. All five of Iyer’s boundaries – the two fours and three sixes – came through midwicket, while he found plenty of ones and twos on the leg-side too.Late charge gives Capitals a winning total
But once Dhawan and Iyer fell within three overs of each other, Capitals slowed down significantly. In between their dismissals in the 13th and 16th overs, Rishabh Pant also fell for seven off as many balls, which left the rest of the batting with a lot to do to get close to the 200-run mark. Colin Ingram fell for 11 too, to make it tougher, but Rutherford and Axar added 46 runs in the last 3.1 overs to get them to a score that eventually proved good enough. Rutherford struck three sixes and a four in his unbeaten 13-ball 28, while Patel struck three fours in his unbeaten 16.Rishabh Pant pulls off a stunning catch•BCCICapitals fielders back up their bowlersRahul Tewatia, fielding as a substitute, dropped Shivam Dube at a crucial juncture in the game, in the ninth over. That was, however, just one blip in an outstanding catching performance from the Capitals players on the day.The first was from Axar, who plucked Parthiv’s crunched cut out of thin air at point in the sixth over. Rutherford then took a straightforward – though hard-hit – catch off a Kohli pull at the deep soon after, but the real stunners were to follow. Axar again, away at deep midwicket, made good ground, caught the ball, and did a neat skip to avoid the boards to send AB de Villiers back, and Shikhar Dhawan pulled off a cool, running catch for Dube’s dismissal.The what-a-catch moments, though, belonged to Pant. First, when he hared away towards square-leg and threw in the dive to just about pouch Heinrich Klaasen. And then, in the penultimate over, when he dived and flung out his right hand to grab the chance off Gurkeerat Singh’s flash.Kohli & Co. lose their way
Parthiv Patel once again provided Royal Challengers with a fast start, hitting seven fours and a six in his 20-ball 39, as he added 63 with Virat Kohli in the opening stand. But once Axar caught Parthiv smartly at point off Rabada, Royal Challengers slowly slipped downwards.Kohli and AB de Villiers both fell to catches in the deep trying to pull half-trackers from Axar and Rutherford respectively, before Heinrich Klaasen, playing only his second IPL game of the season, was brilliantly caught by Pant in the 13th over. After Klaasen’s attempted scoop hit his helmet and lobbed away from the wicketkeeper, Pant ran hard to his left and dived to complete the catch at full stretch. Shivam Dube’s departure later in the same over added to Royal Challengers’ woes, as the equation went up to 77 from seven.No late surge as Rabada and Ishant shine
Gurkeerat Singh hitting Ishant for two fours and a six in the 17th over certainly gave Royal Challengers some hope, with the equation down from 52 off 24 to a very gettable 36 from 18. But Rabada conceded just six runs in the following over and Ishant, desperate to have another go and prove a point, then went for four in the penultimate over, before Rabada shut down the chase with another efficient final over in which he gave away just nine runs.

Manchester United have made a transfer decision on forgotten star Donny van de Beek, with a move away from the Premier League set to be completed.

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Dutch star moved to England in 2020Struggled for regular game timeWill be sold ahead of final year on contractWHAT HAPPENED?

Netherlands international Van de Beek moved to Old Trafford for £35 million ($44m) in 2020 but has found game time hard to come by throughout his association with the Red Devils – taking in just 62 appearances. He has spent time on loan at Everton and Eintracht Frankfurt, but no permanent deal has been done with either.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT AGENT SAID

Van de Beek will be due back in England over the summer, but his representative has confirmed that another switch will be sanctioned. Guido Albers has told of taking on a completely new challenge: “For me it is a very nice moment in his career to pick it up again. We said together, 'back to basics'. He's lost that a bit in recent years. He is hungry and eager to please. I came to an agreement with Frankfurt for him. Frankfurt still had an option until June 30, which they will not exercise. Officially he is now going back to Manchester United and I am now in discussions with him. Donny does not want to stay in the Premier League, also because United do not want that. That is not a good choice for him.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

While ruling out a move to another English club, Albers says Van de Beek will not be returning to his roots either. He added on what the future could hold: “He needs to return to a club that plays good football. In any case, he will not return to Ajax. My preference was to look in Spain, Italy or France. If I could get him in Spain or Italy that would be fantastic, at a club where he will play as a No.10 like he played at Ajax. You see that the Dutch are successful in a certain way in Spanish or Italian football. He was very close to a transfer to Real Sociedad last summer. That was cancelled at the last minute because Erik ten Hag wanted to keep him until the last minute. Then he ended up at Frankfurt.”

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR VAN DE BEEK?

Van de Beek is approaching the final 12 months of his contract with United, making it imperative that they find a buyer this summer while still being in a position to demand a fee. The creative midfielder is now 27 years of age, so needs a club that will allow him to get a once promising career back on track.

Sunrisers Hyderabad might have the same number of points as their opponents, but have looked a far better team

The Preview by Vishal Dikshit03-Apr-20193:27

Agarkar: Delhi Capitals’ top three need to perform better

Big pictureEven though Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad have the same number of points – four – to their names right now, they have had considerably different journeys to earn them. Apart from the fact that Sunrisers have played one match fewer, Delhi have somehow managed to lose their nerves in the last two matches, not an ailment Sunrisers have shown symptoms of.Delhi were cruising in their chases against both Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab before slipping. Kagiso Rabada saved them in the Super Over against Knight Riders, but against Kings XI, there was no coming back as they lost seven wickets for just eight runs.Form guide (most recent matches first)

Delhi: Lost to Kings XI by 14 runs, beat Knight Riders in the Super Over, lost to Super Kings by six wickets
Sunrisers: beat Royal Challengers by 118 runs, beat Royals by five wickets, lost to Knight Riders by six wickets

They can’t afford to make such mistakes again, especially against a team that’s been among the best in the last few seasons.Sunrisers’ bowlers must be desperate to have a go and get their act back together, especially in the death overs, seeing the way Delhi have batted at the end recently. Their top-order batsmen, of course, are likely to tear into any bowling attack that errs even marginally.Sunrisers’ death bowling wasn’t tested against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday, and it’s one area, along with their middle order, that Delhi would want to target. Yusuf Pathan has faced 22 balls this IPL and Manish Pandey nine. That means only one thing for Delhi: get quick wickets.Having already lost two of their four matches, this is a good chance for Delhi to win at home before they travel for three away matches within the next ten days. The Delhi track has see-sawed so far, giving first-innings scores of 147 and 185, and might continue to be low and slow on Thursday.SportzpicsIn the newsDavid Warner had taken a blow on his hand while taking a sharp catch at extra cover to dismiss Virat Kohli on Sunday. But he is now “100%” for Thursday, and while Jonny Bairstow showed signs of discomfort during his century, perhaps because of cramps in the Hyderabad heat, he is also fit.Previous meetingWhen Sunrisers met Delhi Daredevils last in May 2018, they had chased down 188 with ease, ending a Rishabh Pant century in vain. Delhi man Shikhar Dhawan was with Sunrisers then and had scored an unbeaten 92 off 50 balls.Likely XIsDelhi Capitals: 1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Colin Ingram, 6 Chris Morris, 7 Hanuma Vihari, 8 Axar Patel, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10, Avesh Khan, 11 Sandeep LamichhaneSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 2 David Warner, 3 Vijay Shankar, 4 Yusuf Pathan, 5 Manish Pandey, 6 Deepak Hooda, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar (capt), 10 Sandeep Sharma, 11 Siddarth KaulStrategy punt Even though Mohammad Nabi opened the bowling against Royal Challengers and took 4 for 11, it might be a good idea to hold him back until Pant and Colin Ingram walk out to bat, to turn the ball away from the left-handers. His economy rate in the middle overs (7-15) is better than in Powerplays anyway: 5.30 compared to 6.10. The home side may want to open with legspin – Lamichhane – against Bairstow if the pitch is slow and low, as expected. Bairstow has been dismissed by legspinners all three times this IPL and averages 23 against them in all T20s since 2015. Sunrisers might not want to give Bhuvneshwar more than an over in the death, especially if they bowl first, given his poor recent form. His quota could be given to Rashid Khan, who has gone at 8.20 per over in the last five overs in the IPL since 2015, better than Bhuvneshwar’s 9.50 and Sandeep Sharma’s 10.Stats that matter You’re set for a spectacular scrap no matter who bats first on Thursday. Opener Prithvi Shaw has scored only five runs off Bhuvneshwar’s 12 balls overall in T20s, although with no dismissals. On the other hand, Warner has struck Rabada for only 16 off 14 balls, being dismissed once. Only two batsmen had got the better of Rashid in the last IPL: Chris Gayle and Suresh Raina. Pant, another left-hander, will take confidence from that and his own record against Rashid in the IPL: 45 runs off 30 balls and only one dismissal. To add to that, Pant averages a whopping 62.80 and strikes at 162 against Sunrisers. Pandey will have to find a way to score against the left-arm spin of Axar Patel, if he is fielded. Pandey has scored 23 runs off 39 balls against Axar over the years, while being dismissed twice. He hasn’t scored particularly quickly against left-arm spin in the IPL since 2015 anyway, with a scoring rate of 116.20. What home advantage? Sunrisers’ IPL record in Delhi reads: five wins in seven games, winning 71.40% of the matches.