Big picture – 3-0 beckons for Afghanistan

Afghanistan will be eyeing their first ODI series whitewash against Bangladesh when they play the third and final ODI of the series in Abu Dhabi.They stormed Bangladesh in the second game, bowling them out for just 109 defending a modest 190. Given how the confidence of the two teams have gone in opposite directions in this series, Bangladesh turning things around might not be on the cards. For Afghanistan, it is about fixing their batting a bit, while allowing their best bowlers to express themselves as they have so far.They took down Bangladesh swiftly on Saturday. Azmatullah Omarzai took three of the first four wickets to fall, Tanzid Hasan and Saif Hassan fell trying to manufacture shots. Najmul Hossain Shanto was run out. Rashid Khan then ran through the middle and lower order with his accuracy, Towhid Hridoy and Nurul Hasan attempting slogs and missing. Nangeyalia Kharote had Jaker Ali’s number in the middle of Rashid’s burst of wickets.Related

• Bangladesh must 'play the ball, not the bowler' – Mushtaq

The bowlers had to do what they did since the batters hadn’t. Afghanistan struggled through the middle overs but Ibrahim Zadran made sure they hung around till the 45th over. Zadran struck just four boundaries in his 140-ball stay, underlining the importance of rotating the strike on the slow Abu Dhabi pitches. Despite the middle order hardly contributing, the likes of Kharote and AM Ghazanfar kept Zadran company.Compared to how Afghanistan have had several contributors, Bangladesh are finding it tough to locate even one or two. The batting frailties – they had scored 221 in the first ODI, which was knocked off with five wickets in hand – have weighed heavy on their overall approach.Afghanistan’s 190 was the lowest total batting first in 55 matches in Abu Dhabi. Bangladesh’s inability to chase down the small total was due to a misfiring top order, and how the middle-order batters surrendered to Rashid: “I think we have to sometimes play the ball, not the bowler,” Mushtaq Ahmed, their spin-bowling coach, said of the approach.Bangladesh’s bowling and fielding, however, have been good. They have tried to match Afghanistan’s spinners, while the pace attack has definitely bowled better than their counterparts. The bowlers have given the batters a chance. The batters, however, have not responded as expected.

Form guide

Afghanistan WWWLW
Bangladesh LLLWLIbrahim Zadran is the key man in the Afghanistan batting order•Afghanistan Cricket Board

In the spotlight – Ibrahim Zadran and Mehidy Hasan Miraz

Ibrahim Zadran is Afghanistan’s batting mainstay. He complements Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s aggression at the top, and then drops anchor for the middle-order batters, and if he continues to bat long enough, acts as the perfect foil for the big-hitting allrounders. Zadran’s strength lies in his adaptability, particularly between conditions. He also has the hunger for the big scores, as was evident in his 177 against England in the Champions Trophy this year. Zadran will once again be the key batter as Afghanistan look to make it 3-0 on Tuesday.Bangladesh’s captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz hasn’t been able to lift his team out of the funk. He is new to the job, but Mehidy is an established member of the ODI setup. There’s little question about his own ability to make half-centuries or take wickets, but that hasn’t translated into Bangladesh victories. He has an under-performing batting line-up, which has been the case for far too long. The onus is on him to change things around.

Team news – Rasooli to replace Rahmat

Rahmat Shah’s injury has opened the door for Darwish Rasooli to enter the middle order. They could also give an opportunity to seamers Abdollah Ahmadzai or Bilal Sami in place of the wicketless Bashir Ahmad.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Sediqullah Atal, 4 Darwish Rasooli, 5 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 6 Azmatullah Omarzai, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 AM Ghazanfar, 10 Nangeyalia Kharote, 11 Abdollah Ahmadzai/Bilal SamiMohammad Naim and Shamim Hossain could give a break to Tanzid Hasan and the out-of-form Jaker. Nahid Rana could also get a game.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tanzid Hasan /Mohammad Naim, 2 Saif Hassan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), 6 Nurul Hasan (wk), 7 Jaker Ali/Shamim Hossain, 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Tanzim Hasan/Nahid Rana, 10 Tanvir Islam, 11 Mustafizur Rahman

Pitch and conditions – slow pitches make batting a grind

The generally sluggish nature of the Zayed Stadium pitches have meant that both sets of batters have struggled to find boundaries in the middle overs. The weather continues to be sizzling hot.

Stats and trivia: Rashid puzzle for Bangladesh

• Rashid now has six five-wicket hauls in ODIs, the second-highest for a legspinner behind Shahid Afridi, who has nine.
• Bangladesh’s 109 in the second ODI is their lowest score against Afghanistan. They couldn’t chase down 191 after Afghanistan made 190, the lowest score batting first in Abu Dhabi.
• Rashid has now dismissed Hridoy four times in ODIs, equal with Mushfiqur Rahim, as his most frequent Bangladeshi victim.

The New York Yankees delivered a heartwarming surprise to starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt ahead of Thursday's game against the Texas Rangers.

Unbeknownst to Schmidt, the Yankees invited his father, U.S. Marine Corps Colonel Dwight Schmidt, to throw out the game's ceremonial first pitch. Dwight, who was in New York City for Fleet Week, surprised his son at Yankee Stadium and the two exchanged a big embrace before Clarke got the opportunity to catch the first pitch from his father.

Have a look at the wholesome moment below:

Not a bad first pitch from Dwight either.

Schmidt had a big grin on his face after catching the ceremonial first pitch from his father, and the two exchanged another hug and posed for pictures with some other service members.

Meredith Marakovits, clubhouse reporter for the YES Network, provided some additional background information on the game's broadcast, saying, "Clarke credits his dad Dwight for his mental toughness. [Dwight] was deployed in Afghanistan twice, he was flying F-18 aircrafts… and Michael [Kay], he even flew the Yankees charter a couple times…" she said.

A heartwarming gesture from the Yankees organization.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced that their next bobblehead giveaway will pay tribute to a civic icon.

On July 19 against the Chicago White Sox, the Pirates will give out a bobblehead depicting late rapper Mac Miller. Pittsburgh unveiled the bobblehead—which depicts Miller in a "412" jersey, saluting the city's area code—Thursday morning.

Miller died in 2018 at the age of 26 of an accidental drug overdose, which cut short the career of one of Pittsburgh's greatest musical talents.

A native of the city's Point Breeze neighborhood, Miller churned out a series of early rap hits that established him as a favorite of college-age millennials in the early 2010s. He went on to gradually broaden his sound, and the last album he released in his lifetime——was nominated for the Best Rap Album Grammy.

Miller has been back in the news this year due to the Jan. 17 release of , his second posthumous album. The record received warm reviews and peaked at No. 3 in the United States.

The rapper was a fan of the Pirates, and the team held a moment of silence in his honor when he died.

Tottenham are looking to get back to winning ways against Fulham tonight with Thomas Frank handed a key selection decision ahead of the Premier League clash.

Tottenham face Fulham after back-to-back defeats

Spurs face a crucial test when Fulham visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Frank desperate for a response following Wednesday’s devastating 5-3 Champions League defeat to PSG.

The Parc des Princes encounter saw Spurs’ unbeaten European run spectacularly ended despite twice taking the lead, with Vitinha’s sensational hat-trick ultimately proving the difference.

The result leaves Tottenham fifteenth in the Champions League standings, significantly increasing pressure on Frank to arrest their recent slide.

The Lilywhites have won just one of their last five games in all competitions, a 4-0 rout of Danish minnows FC Copenhagen, with London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal recently putting them to the sword.

Dominic Solanke’s continued absence through injury compounds Tottenham’s attacking concerns. The striker has been out since undergoing ankle surgery earlier in the season, managing just 47 minutes of football all campaign.

His unavailability places enormous responsibility on Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison to provide a consistent goalscoring threat, though Frank has suggested that the former will be given the nod against Fulham after his breathtaking PSG performance.

The Frenchman donned a mask for his fractured jaw, scoring a brace and providing an assist against his parent club, with Frank confirming that Kolo Muani is fit enough to start this evening.

However, one man who won’t be taking part is star defender Cristian Romero.

Tottenham "liability" left Thomas Frank "raging"

The Argentine endured an evening to forget away to PSG, with talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook branding him a “liability” that would have left Frank “raging”.

Romero is set to miss tonight’s clash with Fulham through suspension, meaning that Kevin Danso is more than likely set to partner Micky van de Ven at the heart of Frank’s defence.

This could be enough to get the job done against a Fulham side who are firm candidates for relegation after a lacklustre start to 2025/2026, but Frank will be wary that Marco Silva’s men have won two of their last three Premier League games.

Even after Romero’s disasterclass at PSG, the 27-year-old remains a key figurehead for Spurs and partners van de Ven to devastating effect at times.

Ange Postecoglou always had a much better time as Spurs boss when both men were available to play his high line, but Danso has proved that he can do a solid job when called upon.

Gabriel Agbonlahor has criticised Thomas Frank and a Tottenham Hotspur star in the wake of the 2-1 defeat against Fulham on Saturday afternoon.

Frank under major pressure after Fulham defeat

Spurs remain without a Premier League win on home soil since defeating Burnley 3-0 on the opening day of the season, following the 2-1 loss against the Cottagers at the weekend, which saw Frank’s fall down to 12th place, having now lost as many games as they’ve won.

The Dane is under major pressure after the latest setback, with it being revealed that former Barcelona manager Xavi is now under serious consideration as a replacement, and a move could be made if there is not an improvement in results by the end of this month.

Thomas Frank’s Tottenham record

Games

21

Wins

8

Draws

5

Losses

8

Points per game

1.38

That said, some of the blame has to lie with the players, according to Agbonlahor, who recently said live on talkSPORT that Frank’s men need to start stepping up to the plate, and the pundit was particularly unimpressed with the start Xavi Simons has made to life in north London.

The former Aston Villa striker said: “A lot’s got to change, Jeff. Players have got to start turning up. Xavi Simons has got to come to the table and start performing.

“You never know what Spurs’ starting team is going to be. Looks very confused doesn’t he? Sometimes it’s five-at-the-back, then it looks like it’s a diamond, then now it’s Bergvall off the left.”

Simons needs to step up sooner rather than later

Of course, any player in their debut Premier League season should be given time to adapt, but Simons needs to start showing signs of improvement very soon, given that he is yet to score for Tottenham, and has registered just two assists in 15 matches in all competitions.

The Dutchman was benched against Fulham, but didn’t make much of an impact after replacing Richarlison on the hour mark, failing to register a single key pass or create a big chance.

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Some Spurs players are also already starting to have doubts about Frank, as they believe the 52-year-old makes too many changes to his attack and focuses on the opposition too much, and the manager will need to start improving results quickly before he loses the dressing room entirely.

It is still early days for the former Brentford boss, but things certainly haven’t worked out so far, with £52m summer signing Simons flattering to deceive, and things don’t get any easier, with Spurs set to travel to St. James’ Park to take on an in-form Newcastle United side on Tuesday night.

Tottenham Hotspur fell to an embarrassing 4-1 defeat against bitter North London rivals Arsenal this afternoon, with the result heaping more pressure on Thomas Frank.

The Dane’s side came into the encounter unbeaten away from home in the Premier League, but such a record has been wiped out after the demolition job at the Emirates.

He switched to a 5-2-2-1 system against Mikel Arteta’s men, but it quickly backfired, with the Lilywhites already three goals down after just 47 minutes of the clash.

Former transfer target Eberechi Eze netted a hat-trick in the humbling defeat, further rubbing salt into Spurs’ wounds after their failure to land his signature in the summer.

Numerous players also failed to rise to the occasion across the capital, with the manager desperately needing to drop numerous players from his first team squad in the weeks ahead.

The Spurs players who massively struggled against Arsenal

Despite not scoring since the middle of September, Frank decided to stick with Richarlison at the top end of the pitch against Arsenal, with the Brazilian finally ending his goal drought despite the loss.

His 50-yard strike wasn’t enough to gloss over his struggles in North London, as the 28-year-old registered the least amount of touches of any player with his total of just 24.

He was dominated aerially, losing 100% of his battles at the Emirates, with the former Everton man unable to offer the hold-up play needed to release some of the pressure placed on the Lilywhites.

Djed Spence was given the responsibility of starting at right wing-back, but the England international struggled to match the huge expectations he’s set for himself in recent months.

He featured for 78 minutes before being withdrawn, but his substitution was warranted after completing none of his attempted dribbles, whilst also failing to find a teammate with any of his crosses.

Neither of the aforementioned players managed to rise to the occasion this afternoon, which could put their starting positions at risk ahead of the Champions League clash with PSG.

The Spurs player who’s now looking “non-league” level

There is little denying that today’s performance from Spurs was one of the worst of the Frank era, with the manager needing to take huge responsibility for the defeat.

His decision to switch to a back five will no doubt have contributed to their inability to create opportunities in the final third, resulting in a total xG created of just 0.07.

The withdrawal of Kevin Danso at the break no doubt signalled that he made the wrong decision to start with such a negative system against their bitter rivals.

However, it wasn’t the only decision that proved to be the wrong one, with the Dane deciding to start the clash with Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur as a double pivot at the heart of the side.

The pair have previously showcased that they can’t play progressively alongside one another, further highlighting the negative approach taken by the manager in North London.

Bentancur has constantly come under scrutiny for his lack of positive impact, something which has become apparent once again after the clash against Arsenal.

The Uruguayan international featured for 66 minutes but failed to prevent the onslaught from Arteta’s men – resulting in 100% duels lost and the player picking up a yellow card.

Minutes played

66

Touches

26

Passes completed

16

Passes into final third

0

Duels lost

100%

Tackles won

0

Dribbled past

2

Fouls committed

1

He also failed to win any of the tackles he entered, whilst being dribbled past twice and unable to provide the ball-winning presence Frank would have craved with the double pivot.

Other figures, such as 26 touches of the ball and zero passes into the final third, also demonstrate his lack of quality when in possession, resulting in some hugely vocal criticism of his display.

After his dismal showing at the Emirates, one content creator labelled Bentancur as a “non-league” footballer, further showcasing his dismal form for the Lilywhites.

As a result, the manager desperately needs to exclude the Uruguayan international from his first-team plans, with it being clearly evident he’s not at the level required for success.

His continued struggles make the decision to extend his contract in North London an even more baffling one, with other options desperately needing to be utilised after the embarrassing Derby Day loss.

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Over the years, Manchester United have become known for their impressive young talents, with many of whom cementing their place within the first-team squad.

From players breaking through the academy to big-money additions, the Red Devils faithful have been truly blessed and have had the chance to experience numerous elite-level talents.

At present, Ruben Amorim has massively utilised Leny Yoro, after the Frenchman joined the club in a mammoth £52m deal last summer despite being just 18.

However, his importance to the manager simply cannot be overstated, with the 20-year-old featuring in every single Premier League game of the 2025/26 campaign.

The same can’t be said for every youngster currently in the first-team at Old Trafford, especially with one talent who is seemingly out of favour at present.

The future of Kobbie Mainoo at Man Utd

Just a couple of years ago, Kobbie Mainoo was one of, if not the most important player within the Manchester United first-team squad, but he’s endured a huge decline in recent seasons.

He made his breakthrough in the 2023/24 campaign, scoring vital goals against Manchester City in the FA Cup final and even netting a worldie against bitter rivals Liverpool.

Such form enabled him to secure a place at Euro 2024 with the England squad, subsequently featuring in all but two matches during the competition.

However, Amorim’s arrival at Old Trafford last November has seen a huge drop in his first-team minutes, with the manager evidently not a fan of the 20-year-old.

In 2025/26 alone, Mainoo has failed to make a single league start, subsequently being restricted to just eight appearances – totalling just 170 minutes to date.

As a result, a permanent exit has been mooted for the academy graduate, with Italian side Napoli just one of the clubs reportedly interested in a deal ahead of January.

Amorim spoke in the summer, stating that he didn’t want the player to depart Old Trafford, but given the lack of change in his first-team action, it could lead to a move this window.

The United player who has shades of Pogba & could end Mainoo’s stay

Paul Pogba is another youngster who managed to make the jump into the United first-team ranks, with the midfielder joining from Le Havre at the tender age of 17.

However, his career at Old Trafford wasn’t straightforward, with the Frenchman even leaving on a free transfer before re-joining in a club-record deal back in the summer of 2016.

He managed to rack up a total of 233 appearances during his two separate spells at the Theatre of Dreams, often catching the eye with his ball-striking ability from distance.

However, his spell was marred with attitude and fitness issues, which ultimately led to yet another free transfer departure – subsequently moving back to Juventus in 2022.

Regardless of the issues behind the scenes, he gave the supporters countless moments to remember, with the Frenchman being one of the most technically gifted players to wear the shirt.

In the present day, Amorim may have landed his own version of Pogba, with a deal for teenager Cristian Orozco completed ahead of the January window.

It’s been reported in the last couple of days, that the Red Devils have paid a fee in the region of $1m (£750k) for the 17-year-old from boyhood side Fortaleza.

He may be seen as a player for the future, but there’s no reason why he can’t be catapulted into the first team in the near future, which could end Mainoo’s stay at Old Trafford.

Orozco’s stats in the early stages of his career reflect his talents, with the Colombian’s move handing the fanbase another reason to be excited about a new addition.

The youngster, who’s been dubbed “generational” by one Colombian analyst, starred at the U17 World Cup over the last couple of months, which has no doubt led to his transfer to join United.

He won the Man of the Match award against El Salvador, subsequently registering two shots on target despite operating as a holding midfielder in front of the back four.

Minutes played

90

Touches

107

Pass accuracy

75%

Passes completed

63

Tackles made

2

Duels won

9

Recoveries made

9

Dribbles completed

2

Orozco also completed 67 passes at an accuracy rate of 75%, whilst also completing two dribbles within his total of 107 touches during the 0-0 stalemate.

His tally of nine duels won, nine recoveries and two tackles made further highlights his all-round quality, with the midfielder undoubtedly having a huge future at Old Trafford.

He will replicate Pogba in moving to the club as a 17-year-old, with many fans hoping he can match the levels produced by the Frenchman during his own spell at the club.

However, should Orozco continue on his current development path, there’s no reason why he can’t become a key member of Amorim’s squad – potentially ending Mainoo’s stay with his boyhood club.

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أعرب الهولندي ريان جرافنبيرخ، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول عن استيائه بعد خسارة الريدز أمام بي إس في آيندهوفن ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

واستضاف ليفربول نظيره آيندهوفن، مساء الأربعاء، في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا، على ملعب آنفيلد”.

وخسر ليفربول بقيادة مدربه آرني سلوت برباعية مقابل هدف أمام آيندهوفن في مفاجأة كبيرة للغاية حدثت بين لاعبي الريدز ووسط جماهيرهم، والتي تعتبر أول هزيمة أوروبية على آنفيلد هذا الموسم.

وقال جرافنبيرخ، في تصريحات عبر الموقع الرسمي لناديه: “نحن غاضبون جدًا من خسارتنا، أعتقد أننا لم نلعب بشكل سيء في الشوط الأول بل خلقنا العديد من الفرص أما في الشوط الثاني، فقد سارت الأمور بشكل سيء للغاية”.

اقرأ أيضًا | كاراجر: أريد من محمد صلاح شيئا مهما من أجل جماهير ليفربول

وأكمل: “تأخرنا بهدف مبكر، ثم رأيتم رد فعلنا في الشوط الأول أعتقد أننا قدمنا ​​أداءً جيدًا بعد ذلك، لعبنا كرة قدم رائعة وخلقنا العديد من الفرص، من الصعب وصف الوضع، نحن ببساطة في وضع سيء الآن”.

وأردف: “أعتقد أننا نستقبل أهدافًا بسهولة، هذه مشكلتنا الآن وأعتقد أن فريقا مثلنا عليه أن يقوم بتحسين أدائه الدفاعي وأن يدافع بشكل أفضل، نعلم أننا فريقٌ قوي ونمتلك إمكانيات جيدة لكن كل شيء يُعيقنا، الوضع صعب للغاية حاليًا لكن علينا أن نتكاتف وننطلق من هنا”.

وأتم: “أعتقد أننا لا نملك الزخم الكافي حاليًا، كما قلت كل شيء لا يسير في طريقنا الآن حتى المواجهات الثنائية، وفرص الفوز المتساوية، الأمر صعب حقًا لكن كما قلت، علينا أن نتكاتف وننطلق من هناك، وأنا متأكد من أننا سنجد مخرجًا”.

For the first time in a long time, there is a lot to be excited about for West Ham United fans.

After a dreadful start to the season, which saw them become one of the early favourites to go down, Nuno Espírito Santo has got them back on track.

The East Londoners picked up just their second Premier League win of the season against Newcastle United, and then got their third on Saturday, against Burnley.

On top of the uptick in form, fans have finally got to see Freddie Potts from the start, and he has been sensational in the middle of the park, although his brilliant form could signal the beginning of the end for another West Ham star.

What makes Potts so special

West Ham have a proud history of producing top-quality players from their academy, such as Declan Rice, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole, and there is every chance that Potts could be another.

Now, that is certainly a lot to say about someone who has only just made his second competitive start for the club, but as his last performance made very clear, he is a special midfield talent.

For example, against both Newcastle and Burnley, the Barking-born put in quintessential all-action midfield performances.

One moment, he was fulfilling his defensive duties perfectly, and then the next, he was helping to initiate an attack, either through his exceptional range of passing or by carrying the ball through the centre of the park.

With his recent performances, it’s easy to see why respected analyst Ben Mattinson described the academy gem as someone who is “so smooth on the half-turn and composed under pressure.”

In addition to raw ability and mentality, the West Ham supporter also has considerable experience.

For example, he spent last season on loan with Portsmouth in the Championship, where he made 38 appearances, and the season before that in League One with Wycombe Wanderers, where he made 43 appearances nd was named the Player of the Season.

Season

23/24

24/25

Team

Wycombe

Portsmouth

Appearances

43

38

Goals

2

1

Assists

3

4

In all, it looks like Potts is going to become one of West Ham’s most important players this season, but in doing so, he could force one of the club’s signings of the decade to move on.

The West Ham player who could be replaced by Potts

There are a few West Ham players who could see their places in the team threatened by the emergence of Potts this season, such as Andrew Irving and Guido Rodriguez.

Chalkboard

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

However, while they might succeed elsewhere, it would be fair to say both of them have been disappointments in East London, which is not the case for Tomáš Souček.

The Czech international might not be anywhere near his best anymore, but when you take into account the totality of his achievements in Claret and Blue, it would be hard not to describe him as one of the club’s best signings this decade.

He initially joined the Hammers from Salvia Praha just over five years ago, and since then has made 254 appearances, in which he’s scored 44 goals and provided 13 assists.

More importantly, though, he was a crucial part of the side that won the Conference League in 2023, making nine appearances in the competition that season, totalling 507 appearances.

There can be no denying the fact that the 30-year-old has given everything during his time at the club and will undoubtedly go down as an icon for it.

However, with his contract expiring in a year and a half, and Potts emerging as a potential game-changer in the middle of the park, the Brod-born titan’s time in East London might be coming to an end.

Ultimately, Souček has been an incredible signing for West Ham, but Potts may eventually be one of the reasons his time with the club comes to an end.

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Past history counts for little, says coach Ratnayake, as co-hosts return to action after two-week hiatus

Madushka Balasuriya10-Oct-20251:26

‘Sri Lanka are excited about the big stage’

It’s been a longer wait than most for Sri Lanka between their first and second games this World Cup. Since playing the tournament opener on September 30, a wash-out against Australia means their match against England on Saturday comes after a near two-week gap. So unsurprisingly, they are a side that’s itching to get back out in the middle.Against England though they’ll be up against a side they’ve beaten just once in WODIs in 18 attempts. But for coach Rumesh Ratnayake, dwelling on such records makes little sense.”The last meeting will be tomorrow,” said Ratnayake on the eve of the game. “So those are the things which we will encourage them with just before the match. But in our preparation we talk of the present, and we talk of the present team and where they are and what we can do.”What our strengths will be against them, and where we are going to bowl – if it is bowling – at a particular batter at what stage. So we have broken it into three stages, that’s just an example. And even in our batting, I think what we want most is patience and discipline.””That’s what we lacked maybe against India, not deliberate, but it needs more focus so that it could be established.”Coming into this game, Sri Lanka have had a fair bit of time to ponder on that defeat to India. Having had the hosts reeling on 124 for 6, they let the game slip. But even so, a chase of a target a shade under 250 should not have been beyond them.After that game skipper Chamari Athapaththu had not held back in her assessment of her side’s shortcomings, calling on her batters to shoulder more responsibility going forward. And in the build-up to this game, plans surrounding their batting have featured heavily.Related

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Powerplay podcast: Bangladesh let England off the hook

“In our batting, the girls are really up to it and wanting to do well,” Ratnayake said. “That’s a huge plus because they know it’s a big stage. Sometimes we need to bring it down and say it’s just another match. But they are excited about this big stage. To capitalise on that, to maximise on that, they need to have runs on the scoreboard. They are aware of that. They are also aware that somebody, at least one or two, should bat till the end.”One of the more prevalent themes across this tournament, particularly for matches played in Colombo, has been a tendency for batting to get easier as the innings has gone on. This has left a lopsided run-scoring burden on lower order batters towards the end of an innings. For Sri Lanka, who lack any real batting prowess beyond the top seven, Ratnayake feels they will need at least one batter to take it deep to ensure they effectively exploit conditions at the tail-end of the innings.”We actually spoke about this in detail, about how those coming lower down the order – even below number seven – need to score more. Our main responsibility, is that top seven needs to score the most runs. We’re addressing it differently, because even in the last game no one scored even 50 – not that 50 would have been enough.”We’ve spoken about how you need to bat deep – at least one of the top six needs to hang around. It’s because none of those batters hung around that we were unable to chase down India’s score.”What we have learned from the spinning wickets is about those who have scored runs. Like [Beth] Mooney. Her batting discipline, her focus, and the ability to do what was needed in those situations. So we need to learn from that.”The extra preparation time leading up to this game has also allowed the Sri Lankans to extensively analyse this England side, weaning through their strengths and weaknesses and how exactly to make use of any advantages they might have over such an experienced outfit.”England is a very experienced side, even though they don’t have left-handers they are quite well equipped, so we understand their strengths, we know what they’re strong at and we’ve seen them do it all so to speak, and we believe that we are ready to sort of counter-attack that and do the best we can in the best way we could.”With our coaches, we scrutinised every batter of the English team – not just their top seven, we analysed their top nine. But the time for observing is over, now we need to take ownership of the situation, and go out there and perform.”