Cristiano Ronaldo was seen consoling an emotional Portugal mascot ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Armenia. One little boy, overwhelmed by the gravity of the occasion, broke into tears as he realised he was walking beside his idol.
Ronaldo consoled emotional young mascot
Went on to score against Armenia
Goal extends his international scoring record
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Ronaldo, visibly moved, leaned down to console the child, offering words of comfort and a reassuring touch. The clip went viral, hailed as another example of the Portuguese legend’s softer side.
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Once the whistle blew, the emotional prelude gave way to business. Portugal tore into Armenia with ruthless efficiency, racing into a 3-0 lead inside the first half-hour. Ronaldo, of course, added his name to the scoresheet, extending his staggering international tally to 139 goals in 222 appearances. The Al-Nassr striker’s sharp finish reminded everyone that, even at 40 years old, he remains one of the deadliest forwards on the planet.
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WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?
At 41 by the time next summer’s World Cup arrives, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner knows this could be his final bow on the grandest stage of all. The idea of one last tournament, and possibly facing Lionel Messi for a historic sixth World Cup appearance, adds yet another layer of intrigue to his enduring career. Should both icons play in 2026, they would become the first footballers in history to feature at six separate World Cups, a record that may never be matched.
Hampshire quick focussed on vindicating his fast-tracked England selection after maiden international wickets
Cameron Ponsonby03-Nov-2024
John Turner claimed Brandon King as his maiden international wicket•Getty Images
“I’ve seen a few things on Twitter asking if I exist,” jokes John Turner. Five England squads and 15 months after his first call-up, he finally earned his debut in Antigua this week.A first appearance came on Thursday and a first wicket arrived on Saturday, when Brandon King’s flashing drive was brilliantly caught by Jordan Cox at backward point.”It’s nice to have been involved in the last few months, but now to get that opportunity to actually play is really exciting,” explains Turner. “To get your first wicket is really cool and is probably a moment I’ll never forget.”One of the founding members of England’s ‘pace project’, Turner was plucked from obscurity last year when he went from professional debut for Hampshire to an England call-up in 70 days. The ECB have since doubled-down on their punt by handing Turner another 12-month development contract.”I think the whole ‘pace project’, as they call it, is really exciting,” Turner said. “There’s quite a lot of us that’s in and around. I think just being in and around the squads is really exciting to try and put my name in the hat for a spot on the Test team, or the T20 team. I think I’m still very raw, I’m very young and still have a lot to learn.”Turner’s two outings so far have been a qualified success. On debut, he beat King and Evin Lewis regularly without reward, while in his second appearance he dismissed both within his first seven balls. In both instances, you looked at the scoreboard and were surprised to see he’d conceded his runs at 5.2 an over and then 7 an over. But a couple of pulled sixes on each occasion will do that.Handed his cap by Jofra Archer, the Bajan-born quick announced to the world that Turner was the best player of PIG, the football-based headers and volleys warm-up game England play, in the squad. This was a lie. Turner is bottom of the pile.Which, if anything, is a relief. A better hockey player than cricketer growing up, Turner completed his degree in economics and finance at Exeter University over the summer which he had been studying for full-time. A year ago, if you walked through the team hotel of this same tour, chances are you’d have seen Turner with his head buried in his books and a laptop with a coffee on the go.Turner removed Evin Lewis for his second wicket•Getty Images
“I’m obviously not planning on using it right now,” Turner commented. “But I think I’ll probably end up doing a masters at some stage in the next few years, just to add to my CV and keep ticking over.”During this year’s Hundred, Turner finished a match for Trent Rockets in Birmingham on a Monday night, drove back to Exeter where he arrived at 2:30am, sat his exam at 9:30am, and then drove back to Nottingham the next day for the Rockets next match. He passed.One of the first picks of this England generation to be selected on attributes as opposed to a proven body of work, Turner appreciates the benefits and also the slightly awkward nature of leapfrogging those who have been putting in the hard yards for years.”It’s obviously really exciting that someone sees something in you,” he says. “Probably before you see it yourself.”Cricket is a stats game, but you need those attributes to prove yourself or be successful at the top level. And whether I’ve got that, or whether some other guys, younger guys, have got that, no one really knows until you’re put in this environment and either succeed or you fail.”You see guys doing really well in county cricket, and not necessarily getting opportunities in the national setup. And you feel for them, it’s tough grinding away and almost you’re not tall enough or not big enough, and you’re being labelled as that’s why you’re not going to succeed. But on the flip side, I’m fortunate enough to be benefiting from this and, hopefully, just make the most of it and take whatever opportunity I’m given.”Turner’s pace, he admits, has been down this tour and is something he’s looking to address.”It’s one of my biggest attributes but I feel like I’ve been down on that in the last few games. I reckon I’ve been low 80s when I prefer to be high 80s. I know in The Hundred I was high 80s with one or two in the 90s.”So I know I can get there. It’s just, what am I not doing and I need to figure that out and put that into practice and hopefully get up there.”But then again, it’s something to improve on and then just trying to hit the deck hard and make life uncomfortable for the batter. Use whatever the surface has to offer – so whether that’s going to nip around, or stay low, pop up – just trying to take advantage of that. [I want to] be really attacking and try and be that point of difference.”
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe isn’t rushing into anything this summer. The Englishman is desperate to enhance his squad during the transfer window, but he won’t be making signings for the sake of it.
With Champions League football gracing St James’ Park next term, bringing in some high-quality players will be crucial to their ambitions of going far in the competition.
Newcastle United manager EddieHowebefore the match
There are several key areas in which Howe wishes to improve, notably his attack. Will he be able to sign his top targets this summer?
Newcastle's search for new signings
One area the Toon are desperate to strengthen is the attacking department. As such, a bid of around £45m was submitted to Nottingham Forest for winger Anthony Elanga.
This was swiftly rejected, but it shows the direction that Howe is looking to take. It remains unclear whether another bid will be made for the Swedish winger in the coming days.
Signing a new goalkeeper is also on Howe’s wish list and it appears as though the club are closing in on a deal to sign James Trafford.
“Newcastle are closing in on James Trafford deal, final details being sorted, said Fabrizio Romano on X.
“Agreement almost done with Burnley and then it will be here we go. Newcastle are planning to get the deal done very soon.”
James Trafford for Burnley.
Burnley value the player at £40m, and Trafford could turn out to be a better signing than Elanga.
Why James Trafford could be a better signing than Elanga
Last season, Newcastle scored 92 goals across their 48 matches in all competitions, which works out as just shy of two goals a game.
In comparison, they also conceded 58 goals in the same number of games, which is 1.2 goals conceded per match.
Given the statistics, surely the need to improve their defence is far greater than signing a winger, especially when Howe can call upon the likes of Jacob Murphy, who enjoyed his best year in Toon colours, England international Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes. Depth is no doubt important, of course, but a new forward is hardly a priority.
Metric
Trafford
Pope
Dubravka
Games
45
28
10
Goals conceded
16
35
12
Goals conceded per game
0.4
1.3
1.2
Accurate passes per game
24.1
13.8
21.1
Saves per game
2
3.1
2.9
Balls recovered per game
7.6
8.6
7.9
Last season, Trafford was excellent for Burnley as they finished second in the Championship.
Remarkably, he conceded just 0.4 goals per outing in the second tier, while succeeding with 100% of his run outs per game and making two saves per match – a success rate of 85% – for Burnley.
England's Jarell Quansah,JamesTraffordand Taylor Harwood-Bellis line up before the match
Overall, Trafford only conceded 16 goals from 45 matches, a truly stunning record, and there is no doubt he would improve Howe’s backline considerably.
The 22-year-old hasn’t even hit his peak yet, but he certainly isn’t short of confidence, dubbing himself “world-class” a few months ago.
Widely believed to be the next England number one, Trafford could fast-track his way into this position by securing a move to Newcastle. Evidently, his potential is huge, even bigger than Elanga’s, scoring just six times last term. On that evidence, the Swede isn’t going to improve the Magpies significantly.
Trafford may have played just 28 Premier League games during his embryonic career so far, but the youngster is heading straight for the very top and would undeniably make an instant impact at St James’.
If Howe can get this deal wrapped up as soon as possible, hopefully, it will be the catalyst for more new signings.
Never mind a better signing than Elanga, Trafford might turn out to be the best signing of the summer for Howe.
He's better than Joao Pedro: Newcastle battling to sign "elite" £85m star
Tottenham Hotspur are set to tackle the summer transfer market following the confirmed arrival of Thomas Frank as Ange Postecoglou’s replacement in the dugout.
Tottenham announce as Thomas Frank as their new manager
Spurs were repeatedly linked with Frank after chairman Daniel Levy made the tough decision to sack Postecoglou, with the Australian helping to end their 17-year wait for a major trophy but also guiding them to 22 Premier League defeats last season.
Tottenham may be offered "quick" £26m defender in Radu Dragusin swap deal
Spurs apparently agreed a deal for him in January.
2
By
Emilio Galantini
Jun 13, 2025
On Thursday evening, Frank was officially unveiled as the Lilywhites’ fifth manager since 2019, after Spurs triggered his £10 million release clause and reached an agreement on his backroom staff.
“Thomas has extensive experience in English football having joined Brentford in 2016 – since becoming one of the longest-serving current managers in the Premier League,” a club statement said.
Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025
Average match rating
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
“During his time at Brentford he transformed the Club, moving them up from the Championship to an established Premier League side, consistently and significantly outperforming expectations for an extended period of time.
“In Thomas we are appointing one of the most progressive and innovative head coaches within the game. He has a proven track record in player and squad development, and we look forward to him leading the team as we prepare for the season ahead.”
On paper, Frank is arguably a perfect for the north Londoners, having worked wonders with limited resources at Brentford whilst also operating under a data-driven recruitment model.
However, the Dane also has zero experience managing a team of this magnitude, nor does he boast any silverware or Champions League know-how, yet he is the man who is about to lead Tottenham into Europe’s most prestigious competition next term.
If Frank is to become a success at Spurs, Levy will need to back him in the transfer market, and this summer is set to be another crucial one.
Frank’s side are reportedly trying to hijack Man United’s move for Bryan Mbeumo, but that is not all.
The 51-year-old has already recommended Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze to Tottenham, according to GiveMeSport, and it is now reported that he’s also a fan of Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White.
Thomas Frank "pushing" Tottenham to move for Morgan Gibbs-White
That is according to journalist Sebastien Vidal, who claims that Frank is “pushing” for Tottenham to sign Gibbs-White in a “statement” move.
The England international, despite this report that a £51 million deal is possible, is likely to cost far more. Nuno EspÃrito Santo’s side have him under contract for another two years, with other reports claiming Forest could demand as much as £100 million for him this summer.
Gibbs-White was a superstar player for Forest during their unlikely push for Champions League football last season, bagging seven goals and 10 assists in all competitions, so Spurs will have to seriously dig deep into their pockets to get them talking.
Sunderland have now “done work” to hijack Leeds United’s move for a “brilliant” midfielder, transfer correspondent Graeme Bailey has revealed.
Black Cats vying to sign midfielder after Bellingham departure
After sealing a move to Borussia Dortmund, Jobe Bellingham has now penned a heart-felt goodbye to the supporters, saying: “Your support, on so many occasions, has completely blown me away, especially in the times of adversity, which we pulled through together.”
Regis Le Bris is now left with the difficult task of finding a replacement for the 19-year-old, who provided four goals and three assists for the Black Cats in a season that will forever be remembered, having achieved promotion back to the Premier League.
Having been promoted alongside Leeds United, Le Bris is likely to be shopping in the same talent pool as the Yorkshire side this summer, with both clubs now battling it out to sign West Ham United’s Vladimir Coufal on a free transfer.
Not only that, but the Black Cats have now started to take steps towards hijacking Leeds’ move for a midfielder, namely Strasbourg’s Habib Diarra, with some reports suggesting Daniel Farke’s side have already submitted a £22m bid for his services.
In an interview with The Boot Room, Bailey denies the reports of an offer being made, but confirms that Sunderland have now joined the race for Diarra’s signature, saying: “Leeds are looking at him. They like him and have enquired and held talks with his camp – however, we can confirm no bid yet.
“He had a very good season and a number of Premier League clubs have looked at him. Sunderland, Fulham, Bournemouth – all have done work on him… they are all clearly watching him (vs England) too!”
"Brilliant" Diarra starred in Senegal's triumph over England
The recent international break was far from ideal for Thomas Tuchel, stumbling to a 1-0 victory over Andorra before losing 3-1 against Senegal at the City Ground, where the Strasbourg midfielder put in a quality performance to help his side secure the win.
The 21-year-old scored the second goal in his side’s surprise victory, while also displaying his ability in possession of the ball by maintaining a 88% pass-success rate throughout the match, with Senegal going on to become the first-ever African nation to defeat England.
Football scout Ben Mattinson has also praised the Senegal international for his passing ability in the past, amongst other things.
As such, it is exciting news that Sunderland are now “doing work” on a deal for Diarra, and having sold Bellingham for £32m, they should have ample funds to secure his signature.
Manchester City are set to be in the market to bolster their squad when the summer transfer window officially opens for business in the coming months.
The Cityzens dropped points once again in the Premier League as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Southampton, who had 11 points in the top-flight heading into the game.
Pep Guardiola’s side have already missed out on the Premier League title, though, and that may be why the club are eager to bring in fresh recruits, with a fresh report detailing their interest in a Serie A star.
Manchester City make Serie A star a serious target
According to The Telegraph, Manchester City are interested in a deal to sign Tijjani Reijnders from Italian giants Milan in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The report claims that the Cityzens have made the Netherlands international a ‘serious’ target to come in and bolster their options in the middle of the park, as they aim to revitalise the squad.
It also reveals that Milan would want a club-record fee for the central midfielder, which means that it will be in excess of the £57m they once raked in from Real Madrid for Brazilian icon Kaka.
Manchester City should, now, splash the cash to sign the Dutch talent because he could come in as a big upgrade on Ilkay Gundogan in the middle of the park.
Why Reijnders would be a better option than Gundogan
Guardiola swooped to bring the German midfielder back to The Etihad, after a one-year stint at Barcelona, last summer, and it has been a difficult season for the veteran, who has failed to live up to the standards he set in his first spell at the club.
Gundogan had hit double figures for goals in each of his last three seasons at City, combining for 38 goals, but has only produced two goals and five assists in 47 matches in all competitions upon his return.
Reijnders, meanwhile, has racked up 15 goals in 51 matches for Milan in all competitions this season, including three goals in ten outings in the Champions League.
He has provided a regular goal threat from the middle of the park for the Serie A giants, whilst Gundogan is heading into the final two matches of the league campaign without a goal to his name in the Premier League.
Appearances
35
31
xG
6.42
2.74
Goals
10
0
Big chances missed
3
6
Big chances created
7
3
Assists
4
5
As you can see in the table above, Reijnder has scored ten more goals, despite missing half as many ‘big chances’, and has created more ‘big chances’ for his teammates in midfield.
These statistics suggest that the 26-year-old star, whose performances were described as “insane” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has the attacking quality to be miles better than Gundogan for City by offering a consistent threat at the top end of the pitch.
Girona'sYangelHerrerain action with AC Milan's Tijani Reijnders
The Milan star has also won 63% of his ground duels, compared to Gundogan’s 48%, and could also offer more to the Cityzens out of possession as a strong midfield presence by winning a higher percentage of his battles with opposition midfielders to regain or retain the ball.
It is now down to City to strike a deal with the Italian team because Reijnders appears to have the quality to be miles better than the German midfielder for Guardiola next season and beyond.
Instant Marmoush upgrade: Man City targeting "world class" £85m star
Leeds United are back in action once again this evening as they prepare to travel to Oxford United in the Championship for the first of their two Easter matches.
The Whites play after Sheffield United face Cardiff City earlier in the day and this means that they could go eight points clear of third place with a win, if results go their way.
Leeds United manager DanielFarkeapplauds fans
Daniel Farke has already shown that he is willing to make bold selection decisions ahead of big games, having already played a blinder by dropping Illan Meslier recently.
Why Illan Meslier was dropped by Leeds
The French dud was dropped by the German head coach after making two crucial mistakes in the 2-2 draw with Swansea at Elland Road at the end of last month, dropping a cross onto Harry Darling for the first goal and being beaten too easily for the second strike.
Meslier conceded 2.73 more goals than expected and made three errors that directly led to goals in the Championship before finally being taken out of the team in favour of Karl Darlow.
The English shot-stopper has prevented 0.56 xG in his three appearances since he came into the XI, without making a single error, and provided a solid presence between the sticks.
His ability to claim crosses and take danger out of situations has been appreciated by the fan base, as shown by the post from reporter Beren Cross above.
Farke could, now, repeat the trick he played by dropping Meslier by dropping another regular starter in Joel Piroe, whose performances have dipped of late.
Why Joel Piroe should be dropped
The Dutch centre-forward started the 2-1 win over Preston North End and came off the pitch without a goal or an assist to show for his efforts for the eighth game running.
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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Piroe started all eight of those matches, returning zero goals and zero assists, and has only scored one goal in his last ten starts in the Championship for Leeds.
The left-footed forward was described as “anonymous” by reporter James Marshment in February, and that is one of the issues with his performances for the Whites because the striker does not offer enough in his general play without goals to go with it.
24/25 Championship
Joel Piroe
Appearances
42
xG
15.06
Goals
15
Key passes per game
0.8
Pass accuracy
77%
Ground duel success rate
33%
Aerial duel success rate
18%
Dribble success rate
31%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Piroe is regularly dominated by Championship defenders in duels on the ground and in the air, whilst he does not excel as a passer, creator, or dribbler in possession.
This means that the former Swansea City attacker has been a lightweight in the Whites starting XI in the past eight matches as a starter, because of his poor all-round displays as well as his lack of impact in the final third.
Therefore, Farke could repeat his Meslier trick by ruthlessly ditching Piroe from the team to unleash Patrick Bamford, who recently came off the bench to win six of his nine duels against Middlesbrough.
The English number nine could provide more physicality at the top end of the pitch, as the Dutchman has been too easy for defenders to play against, as Leeds look to get their Premier League promotion over the line in the coming days.
Farke already his next Rutter in Leeds "weapon" who's shining out on loan
Daniel Farke may have his next Georginio Rutter in this Leeds star who is out on loan.
Ian Chappell05-May-2024Over the years I’ve learnt that for every upside in an idea – no matter how good – it’s guaranteed there’ll also be a downside.Consequently there’s some disillusionment with the growing amount of six-hitting involved in the T20 game and particularly in the highly successful IPL tournament.Big hitting has dramatically increased. At the present pace IPL 2024 will comfortably set the record for the number of sixes clouted in a match. The big-hitting spree was highlighted by England seamer and Punjab Kings captain Sam Curran, who said after his team’s high scoring victory over Kolkata Knight Riders: “Cricket is turning into baseball isn’t it?”Related
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How many sixes need to be hit before they lose their magic?
It's too many runs, somebody make it stop
There are many reasons offered for the massive increase in six-hitting; among them improved bats, short boundaries and evening dew. Curran also highlighted the current players’ training methods, explaining “they can hit balls for a long time” as another reason for the improvement.The current training regime highlights how batting is now more of a power game as distinct from the artistry of the past. While training is an acknowledged part of professional cricket, it’s worth investigating the exponential growth in six-hitting.The IPL tournament plays a particularly important role.The popularity of the IPL is ingrained and as Curran says: “I’m sure everyone wants to keep seeing sixes.”There’s no doubt the younger generation, bred on big hitting and high scoring in T20 cricket, embrace the IPL. Then there’s the older generation, who have grown up with batting artistry and quality bowling spells and are often bewildered by segments of the modern game.Those are facts of life. As the IPL (and other administrations) consider the bottom line critical, then big hitting and thrilling chases, while they continue to draw large crowds, will remain as attractions of the game.
As a young man I enjoyed playing both cricket and baseball. If I’m not going to face many deliveries in a short version of cricket but field a lot, then the game loses a lot of its attraction
Nevertheless a cricket dilemma could occur if the T20 spectacle became wearisome. If an administration decided to further shorten the game this would severely test player loyalty. If players aren’t experiencing much cricket other than being in the field a lot, then a large contract can only conceal so much dissatisfaction. Apart from throwing the ball back, there’s not much fielding involved when it’s raining sixes.The increased growth in shorter forms of the game is allied to the exorbitant cost of running first-class competitions. Strong first-class competitions are crucial to developing Test cricketers and hence the current five-day game favours India, Australia and England but is under immense strain.Then there’s the financial return from the media for a cricket board. The shorter forms of the game bring far greater financial rewards than a first-class competition, so guess which route a board, strapped for cash, is going to take.India, with its huge spending power rules cricket, therefore other countries tend to follow their example. Hence the growth in T20 leagues in other countries mirrors the IPL success.In many ways one of cricket’s perceived blunders is turning out to be a blessing in disguise for administrators. They could never have envisioned the vast power they were conceding but IPL auctions have provided massive financial rewards for players.However, the administrators are now almost assured of player loyalty, as they are not going to revolt against the short length of a game when they are being well rewarded.As a young man I enjoyed playing both cricket and baseball. If I’m not going to face many deliveries in a short version of cricket but field a lot, then the game loses a lot of its attraction. If that were the case I’d prefer to play baseball, where fielding is integral and at least I’d bat a few times. In the short version of cricket I would often feel I hadn’t earned my beer at the end of the game.That is the opinion of someone from the older generation. However that thinking ignores the enormous preference a modern administration places on market trends and financial returns rather than a player’s wishes.
Bangladesh batter urges younger players to raise the bar after he became the first from the country to hit 5000 Test runs
Mohammad Isam18-May-2022When the moment finally arrived for Mushfiqur Rahim, he actually withdrew from the shot. It had been an absorbing first hour of play in steaming Chattogram, where the heat was over 40 degrees. The wait was for Mushfiqur to score 15 runs to become Bangladesh’s first cricketer to reach 5000 Test runs. There was the odd quip about how Tamim Iqbal could overtake him. Tamim had retired hurt on 133 after cramping up on the second afternoon, and he was padded up to bat next.But after facing 47 balls, an Asitha Fernando delivery shaved Mushfiqur’s gloves to go past the wicketkeeper. While he was completing the two runs, the big screen on the western side announced what had just happened. Mushfiqur’s celebration was mostly muted, raising his bat just once.A milestone of 5000 runs stopped mattering a long time ago, but Bangladesh’s Test cricket is only 20 years old. So in this Test nation’s context, this goes down in history as one of Bangladesh’s seminal achievements. Mushfiqur, the 81-Test veteran, is very much aware of the significance of the moment. At the end of the day, he passed on the figurative baton to young Mahmudul Hasan Joy, a promising opener playing in his fifth game.Related
Mushfiqur and co give Bangladesh tiny advantage
Mushfiqur becomes first Bangladesh batter to reach 5000 Test runs
“We were cutting the celebratory cake in the dressing room just now and I fed a piece to Joy,” Mushfiqur said. “I told him, you are the youngest batsman now. I hope you will score 10000 runs, and feed the next guy in line. Hopefully the younger players can double up on what we will leave behind. It is a great feeling to become the first Bangladeshi to reach 5000 Test runs. I am sure I won’t be the last one. There’ll be a lot of capable players among us who can reach 8000 or 10000 runs.”At a more immediate level, Mushfiqur beat Tamim to the 5000-run mark despite being behind him on the second day. But Tamim cramping up on 133 sent him to the dressing room on the second afternoon. Reaching 4981, Tamim was poised to be the first to the milestone. Instead, he clapped from the dressing room on the third morning, padded up. Mushfiqur was magnanimous in his praise for Tamim, reminding everyone of how they kept beating each other in getting Bangladesh’s highest Test score.
“Records are meant to be broken. I was so happy when Tamim broke my highest individual score. He told me then that within next two or three years, I will end up breaking his record again”Mushfiqur on how he and Tamim push each other to their best
“He congratulated me. He knew he was close. He knows these things. He joked that he couldn’t get there, I did. I feel happier when a brother, team-mate or a friend achieves something.”Records are meant to be broken. I was so happy when Tamim broke my highest individual score. He told me then that within next two or three years, I will end up breaking his record again. It is a healthy competition, and this is how we as team-mates help each other.”Tamim and Mushfiqur have exchanged the position as Bangladesh’s leading Test scorer various times over the years. Tamim had overtaken Habibul Bashar in 2015, before Mushfiqur surpassed Tamim in February 2020. However, Tamim regained his place in April last year. Mushfiqur returned to the top in November, before Tamim’s 133 got him ahead in this game.These two go back a long way, to age-group camp days in BKSP, the revered sporting institute where Mushfiqur was a student, and Tamim an outsider. They have played 330 international matches together, played under each other and generally been through a lot together in the last 15 years.They are a bit like the Sri Lankan pair of Arjuna Ranatunga and Aravinda de Silva, who played 322 matches together from their earliest days as a Test team. de Silva beat Ranatunga to the 5000-run mark by two years but both are considered the pioneers of Sri Lankan cricket. Mushfiqur and Tamim have the same recognition, as pioneers.Mushfiqur Rahim performs the sajda after completing his century•AFP/Getty ImagesBut unlike the Sri Lankan legends, Tamim and Mushfiqur’s work is not over. Even 15 years into playing together, Bangladesh needed them in the first Test after twin batting disasters in South Africa. Tamim was part of a 162-run opening stand – Bangladesh’s first in five years – but when he had to leave the middle due to cramps, Mushfiqur had to stick around. His 165-run fourth wicket stand with Litton Das took Bangladesh out of trouble. It turned out to be the first time that Bangladesh had two 150-plus partnerships in a Test innings.”It was a bit hot. Our team goal was to get as close as possible to their score. We couldn’t take a big enough lead but that’s due to their fast bowlers who bowled well on this wicket. I am happy that we batted well, after fielding for two days,” Mushfiqur said.Sri Lanka is Mushfiqur’s most viable opponent, as he is one of two Bangladeshi batters to score more than 1000 Test runs against them. But Mushfiqur said that Sri Lanka’s attitude of preying on a batter’s patience makes them a unique attack.”Generally, it is not that easy to score runs against Sri Lanka. Over the years they have had two quality bowlers in their attack. Even now. They don’t set over-attacking fields like England or Australia. They want you to make a mistake while attacking.”Sri Lanka try to play with your patience. They dry up the runs, forcing you to make a mistake. I think there’s always the extra challenge of tiring them out, by playing a long innings and putting together partnerships.”This was Mushfiqur’s first Test hundred in more than two years, and the first against Sri Lanka since 2013. He has scored just four half-centuries in his last ten Tests, averaging 32.43, and there have even been questions about his place in the T20I side since November.Mushfiqur, who was issued a show-cause notice by the BCB for criticising the selectors last year, was more restrained when asked about his future following this landmark.”(What is being said about me) is not desirable for a player. Only in Bangladesh, you will get compared to Bradman when you score a century, but then when you don’t score runs, you feel like digging a hole for yourself.”I am one of the senior players so we are not going to be around for long. But this is becoming a culture, so the younger players need the support. If I have to spend so much time tackling these things off the field, our on-field duties get affected.”Mushfiqur was asked if considers himself lucky to be the first to two important milestones. He is Bangladesh’s first to 5000 runs ahead of Tamim, who was close to the mark. He was also Bangladesh’s first to a double-hundred when Mohammad Ashraful, in the same innings in Galle in 2013, was out for 190 when Mushfiqur was on 157.Mushfiqur quoted the Quran to say that Allah looks after him, before walking off from the stage. “I don’t think it is luck. Look at my forehead. When I go to practice, most of you are sleeping in the morning. Allah looks over me. That’s all.”
The year 2026 is a big one for the United States, which turns 250 on July 4—and Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber seems set to celebrate America's semiquincentennial in style.
Schwarber will play for the United States in the World Baseball Classic, USA Baseball announced Tuesday morning—shortly before news broke that he had re-upped with Philadelphia for five years and $150 million.
The 32-year-old also competed in the 2023 event, slashing .214/.450/.643 with two home runs and four RBIs for the American silver medalists. In 2025, Schwarber led the National League with 56 home runs—the second time in four years he's led the Senior Circuit in the category.
Joining Schwarber on the team are Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson, Dodgers catcher Will Smith (a '23 alum), and Brewers second baseman Brice Turang (an accomplished player on the United States's under-15 team).
The Americans are scheduled to open WBC play on March 6 against Brazil.