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Four players originally selected are absent meaning there is uncertainty for the ODI World Cup champions as they prepare to head to Pakistan

Andrew McGlashan11-Feb-2025

Big Picture: Australia hit by injury, retirement; SL not at the partyAustralia’s four-day victory in Galle gave them an extra 24 hours before flicking into one-day mode as they enter a brief period of preparation for the Champions Trophy 2025. Originally there was just going to be a single ODI in Colombo but a second was squeezed in which will basically be the team’s warm-ups before heading to Pakistan.Injuries to Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Marsh along with the surprise retirement of Marcus Stoinis means there is a bit of a patched-up feel to the Australia squad although a familiar core of the 2023 World Cup-winning team remains with the likes of Travis Head, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa around.Related

Stoinis makes shock decision to retire from ODIs, out of Champions Trophy

Cummins and Hazlewood ruled out of Champions Trophy

Sri Lanka leave out Chamindu Wickramasinghe for two-ODI series against Australia

Six players have been added to the originally selected group: Jake-Fraser McGurk, Cooper Connolly, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Spencer Johnson and Tanveer Sangha. It is likely they will all get at least one of the two matches in Sri Lanka as some of those who played both Tests are given a short break. Smith appears set to take the captaincy.It appears likely that Head and Matt Short will form the first-choice opening partnership although Fraser-McGurk could make a late entry. He and Short struggled in the home series against Pakistan in November. Another point of interest is whether Alex Carey finds himself a place in the middle order.Sri Lanka missed out on the Champions Trophy due to their poor ODI World Cup so these matches have little immediate context although they can have half an eye on the road to 2027. They have, however, played the most matches in the format since the previous World Cup (21), notching 13 wins in that time including five series victories. Ironically, they are probably as attuned to the one-day format as anyone.Form guideSri Lanka WLLWW
Australia LLWWLAustralia’s depth will be tested due to injury•Associated Press

In the spotlight: Dunith Wellalage and Matt ShortIt was during Australia’s previous visit to Sri Lanka in 2022 that Dunith Wellalage burst onto the international scene with nine wickets in five matches. He only played a bit-part role in the 2023 World Cup but either side of that tournament claimed five-wicket hauls against India in the Asia Cup and last year’s ODI series. He has also shown his prowess with the bat with a top score of 67 not out in a tied match against India. Clearly a key part of Sri Lanka’s future.Matt Short couldn’t quite take his opportunity at the top of the order against Pakistan but the absence of Mitchell Marsh means he’s likely to find a spot in the first choice XI. His 109 off 54 balls for Adelaide Strikers against Brisbane Heat in the BBL was a reminder of what he can bring against the white ball. His offspin is another handy string to his bow and he’s an excellent fielder.Mitchell Starc could be rested for the ODIs•Getty Images

Team news: Starc likely to restGiven the odd nature of this series and the short turnaround, it’s tricky to know what each side will do. It was announced on Wednesday that Mitchell Starc had withdrawn from the Champions Trophy and was also unavailable for these two ODIs.Australia squad: Travis Head, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Glenn Maxwell, Cooper Connolly, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Spencer Johnson, Tanveer SanghaSri Lanka squad: Charith Asalanka, Nishan Madushka, Nuwanidu Fernando, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Janith Liyanage, Kamindu Mendis, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Eshan Malinga, Mohamed Shiraz, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Dunith WellalagePitch and conditionsThe R Premadasa Stadium has not staged a day ODI since 2014 so statistics are not that relevant although in recent times, matches at the venue have been on the lower-scoring side. The forecast is for warm and sunny days.Stats and trivia Glenn Maxwell needs 50 runs for 4000 in ODIs and Alex Carey needs 22 for 2000
Wanindu Hasaranga needs five wickets for 100 in ODIs
Overall, Sri Lanka have a 35-64 win/loss record against Australia

U.S. international Max Arfsten has reportedly extended his contract with MLS side Columbus Crew, ending speculation over the near future for the wingback. Arfsten was linked with a move away from Columbus, with Middlesbrough reportedly being the most interested club. Now the Crew secure a player whose stock is rising under USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino.

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  Staying in Ohio

  An invaluable member of the Crew, Arfsten has also become a rising player in the USMNT setup. He received his first cap under Pochettino in January and played in 12 matches overall in 2025. 

  The Crew reportedly ensured that they'll retain a homegrown player who has a good chance of making next year's World Cup roster. Arfsten is also in the midst of another banner year for the club, having four goals and six assists in 26 games.

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  A growing trend

  The U.S. Gold Cup roster featured 15 MLS players, reflecting a growing trend of U.S. internationals choosing to extend their futures in the league or return after stints abroad. 

  Goalkeeper Matt Turner rejoined the New England Revolution on loan, while Paxten Aaronson signed with the Colorado Rapids after a season at Utrecht. Homegrown talents such as Matt Freese and now Max Arfsten have also opted for new deals with their MLS clubs instead of testing the waters in Europe.

• Growing USMNT influence

  According to U.S. Soccer Players, there are 86 players with at least one U.S. cap in MLS. 

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  Big matches ahead for the Crew

  The Crew, uncharacteristically, find themselves scrapping to stay in the playoff chase after being one of the Eastern Conference's perennial contenders under manager Wilfried Nancy. They sit eighth in the conference and have a pivotal match against No. 9 team, the Chicago Fire, on Saturday. 

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Dispensado do São Paulo na sexta-feira (28), o meia-atacante Pedrinho divulgou nota no início da madrugada deste sábado (29), assinada em conjunto com seu advogado, Daniel Leon Bialski, criticando o clube do Morumbi pela decisão. O texto ainda pontua a versão do jogador para a acusação de que teria agredido a ex-namorada, uma influenciadora digital de 20 anos, no final de fevereiro. O caso é investigado pela Polícia Civil paulista e o ex-camisa 12 tricolor alegou ser inocente.

Na tarde de sexta, o São Paulo divulgou nota oficializando o fim do empréstimo de Pedrinho junto ao Lokomotiv, da Rússia, em razão do vazamento de imagens de um aplicativo de mensagens por celular onde o jogador ofende e supostamente ameaça a ex-namorada. O acordo entre tricolores e o time europeu ia até o final do ano.

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Em sua versão, Pedrinho alega que existia medida judicial favorável a ele que impedia a divulgação das mensagens e o permitia voltar a atuar pelo Tricolor. O meia-atacante ainda definiu como ‘incompreensível’ a decisão do clube.

– Infelizmente, a rescisão contratual foi baseada em criminoso vazamento seletivo de antigas e editadas mensagens, que desobedeceu a medida judicial existente a meu favor. Aguardava, como aguardarei, o arquivamento da caluniosa acusação contra mim lançada – diz o texto.

– Reitero, mais uma vez, respeitando os limites do segredo de justiça imposto ao caso, que não agredi ninguém, mas, sim, fui agredido, o que, no meu entendimento, me torna apto a exercer minha profissão – completa o posicionamento de Pedrinho.

A medida judicial favorável ao jogador foi revelada no último dia 17, quando Henrique Gomes, o Baby, presidente da Torcida Independente, principal organizada do clube, divulgou manifesto pedindo a utilização do jogador.

Desde que o caso veio à tona, Pedrinho e São Paulo decidiram que o ideal era não mais utilizá-lo nas partidas. Chegou-se a anunciar seu afastamento, mas o jogador vinha trabalhando normalmente no cotidiano do CT da Barra Funda, participando inclusive dos jogos-treinos comandados pelo então técnico Rogério Ceni na inter-temporada. Ele, inclusive, chegou a ser inscrito para a disputa da Copa Sul-Americana.

Dirigentes do clube alegaram na ocasião que faltava amparo jurídico para separá-lo do elenco. E que aguardariam o desfecho das negociações para tomar uma decisão mais concreta.

– Desde o dia 3 de março, em comum acordo, eu e o clube entendemos que era melhor demonstrar que, em realidade, fui vitima, o que, recentemente, se concretizou com o deferimento das medidas protetivas a meu favor. Eu vinha treinando normalmente com o elenco principal. Inclusive, realizei todas as atividades de hoje, junto com os meus companheiros – aponta Pedrinho em sua nota.

– Nunca deixei de cumprir minhas obrigações e sempre exerci, com profissionalismo e alto rendimento, meu contrato, aguardando o momento de ser relacionado, novamente, para as partidas – completa.

O texto foi publicado também nas redes sociais de Pedrinho e jogadores do elenco demonstraram solidariedade curtindo a mensagem, entre eles Arboleda, Jandrei e David, pelo menos até a publicação desta reportagem.

O LANCE! apurou que o caso Pedrinho vinha sendo tratado internamente pelo novo técnico são-paulino, Dorival Júnior, com a diretoria. Em conversas com líderes do plantel, o comandante teria ouvido pedidos pelo retorno do meia-atacante. Mas foi orientado pelos cartolas a esquecer o ex-camisa 12 de seus planos.

O caso segue investigado pela 4ª Delegacia de Defesa da Mulher, da Zona Norte de São Paulo (SP), onde a ocorrência foi registrada como violência doméstica, ameaça, injúria e lesão corporal. Segundo a polícia, a vítima ‘apresentava sinais de lesões, que foram fotografadas e anexadas ao inquérito policial. Além disso, ela representou criminalmente contra o autor.’

Primeiro reforço do São Paulo para 2023, Pedrinho chegou ao clube ainda no ano passado. Atuou ao todo em dez partida, duas delas como titular, marcando três gols.

With Liverpool approaching their return to competitive action under unprecedented circumstances, Arne Slot will take pride in what his side has managed to do in the transfer window up until this point.

Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez, among others, will add considerable strength on top of a squad that managed to claim Premier League glory in his debut campaign.

Nevertheless, there is more to come at Anfield, and Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is the dream target for Liverpool, even if they are more likely to turn their attention towards Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike due to financial demands relating to the former.

Speaking of Ekitike, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the France Under-21 international wants to come to England in light of interest from the Reds, albeit there are also clubs around Europe and in Saudi Arabia circling.

He stated: “There is movement on Hugo Ekitike, with interest from Saudi, but the priority of the player remains England. And with Newcastle interested in Hugo Ekitike, there is still interest also from more clubs. Because clubs like Liverpool, Chelsea have been calling for the player for weeks, since June, for example, being informed on the situation of Hugo Ekitike.”

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Moving away from the search for attacking prowess, Liverpool could also move for Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez, solidifying the thought that they could look to strengthen the engine room.

Recent developments could point them in that direction, but not in the way supporters would expect, given previous events this window.

Liverpool could be offered Arda Guler in exchange for Alexis Mac Allister

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool could be offered Real Madrid star Arda Guler as the La Liga giants look to sign Alexis Mac Allister, and it is claimed the Argentina international may be tempted by the prospect of working with former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso.

However, the 26-year-old hasn’t shown any major signs of wanting to change clubs and is said to be ‘happy’ in England, though Los Blancos may throw Turkish sensation Guler into the mix to try and bring down the cost of any potential deal with the Reds valuing their star at £86m.

Alexis Mac Allister in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

49

Goals

7

Assists

6

Arda Guler in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

49

Goals

6

Assists

11

Intriguingly, Guler, who has previously been labelled “tremendous” by Carlo Ancelotti, has outperformed £150,000 per week earner Mac Allister in the field of goal contributions, certifying that he would be able to replicate his creative influence at Anfield.

However, the latter is someone who Arne Slot believes holds a unique standing in the football world, so it is hard to envisage the Dutchman entertaining any notion of a sale under any circumstances.

New Zealand batter fell for 92 just eight balls into the final morning, before Jayasuriya bagged five in the second innings

Madushka Balasuriya23-Sep-2024Sri Lanka didn’t need long on the final morning in Galle to wrap things up, taking just 15 minutes to grab the final two New Zealand wickets and secure a 63-run win in the first Test. The result means Sri Lanka go 1-0 up in the two-match series, while also leapfrogging New Zealand up to third place in the World Test Championship (WTC) points table.Prabath Jayasuriya was at the forefront of Sri Lanka’s charge, finishing with figures of 5 for 68 – his eighth five-wicket haul, and his seventh in Galle. He ended with match figures of 9 for 204, taking home the Player-of-the-Match award.After having fought so hard the previous day, Rachin Ravindra lasted just eight deliveries into the first session of the final morning as Jayasuriya trapped him in front with an arm ball for 92 off 168 balls. Coming around the wicket, Jayasuriya tossed one up on leg as Ravindra was caught in the crease playing down the wrong line. He reviewed, but once it was confirmed to be pitching in line, there would be no saving him.And any lingering hopes of a famous rearguard were then swiftly quashed, as Will O’Rourke kept out just five deliveries before the sixth slipped past his forward defence and on to off stump to hand Jayasuriya his fifth wicket of the innings.O’Rourke wouldn’t quite be satisfied with how the game ended after an impressive showing in the game as he finished with eight wickets to his name – the second-most across the Test, and the same as Ajaz Patel.In terms of how this result impacts the WTC, it keeps Sri Lanka’s outside hopes of a berth in the final alive. But for New Zealand, it makes their task considerably tougher, with an away series against India and a home series England coming up in the next few months.There will be no time to dwell on this result for either team, with just a two-day break before the second Test gets underway on Thursday – also in Galle.

Still on the hunt for an Andre Onana upgrade, Manchester United have now reportedly submitted an opening offer worth £13m to sign a Champions League-winning shot-stopper.

Man Utd's goalkeeper search still ongoing

Having already reinforced their attacking options with the arrival of Matheus Cunha and with negotiations ongoing to sign Bryan Mbeumo, Manchester United have turned their focus towards their goalkeeper department.

Onana’s position as Old Trafford’s No.1 has seemed at risk since his debut season and the former Inter Milan man could finally be forced to relinquish his role if United get their wish this summer.

To that end, a number of names have been mentioned as potential options, with the most prominent of which being Emiliano Martinez.

The World Cup winner reportedly prefers a move to Manchester United over Barcelona and could be on his way out of Aston Villa amid their PSR concerns this month.

Meanwhile, what would help speed things up in the goalkeeper department is if AS Monaco complete their move to sign Onana. The Ligue 1 side are reportedly interested in signing the Cameroon international in an unexpected move this summer.

By showing Onana the door, it would almost be a guarantee that Manchester United will welcome another goalkeeper this summer. It would just be a matter of who. As much as Aston Villa will be concerned about their PSR situation, they’ll no doubt be desperate to avoid selling one of Unai Emery’s star players to a Premier League rival this summer and that may leave INEOS scrambling for other options.

If the Villans successfully fend off any interest from United, then the Red Devils could yet reportedly welcome a two-time Champions League winner in the coming months.

Man Utd submit first Andriy Lunin bid

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United submitted a bid worth €15m (£13m) to sign Andriy Lunin from Real Madrid but have since had that offer rejected by the Spanish giants. A deal is still there to be made, however, even if the Red Devils must increase their offer.

Having rejected the £13m offer, Real Madrid are reportedly demanding around €25m (£21m) to sell Lunin this summer in what should be seen as an affordable price for those at Old Trafford to match.

Whilst the Ukraine international deserves credit for how he stepped up for Thibaut Courtois at times last season, there remain question marks over his ability to become a permanent No.1 elsewhere.

It is Lunin’s ability on the ball that stands out rather than his shot-stopping skills according to Ben Mattinson, however. The analyst was full of praise for the Madrid man, dubbing his ball-playing ability “great” albeit whilst also describing the goalkeeper as a “top shot stopper”.

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1

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Although the jury is still out on Lunin, it’s clear that United must replace Onana this summer and doing so by signing a two-time Champions League winner could be the way to do exactly that.

Manchester City are looking ahead to another season of Champions League football next campaign and could now aim to beat rivals Manchester United to a talented midfield addition, according to a report.

Man City looking to challenge for Premier League title in 25/26

Pep Guardiola will be more aware than anyone that his side need to improve on what ended as a trophyless season just gone. However, they will have a chance to bounce back swiftly at the Club World Cup next month.

Chelsea and Manchester City provide Premier League representation at the United States-based tournament, which could carry a bounty worth nearly £100 million for the competition winners.

Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has promised an aggressive recruitment drive will be underway at the Etihad Stadium following a first campaign without silverware since 2017, serving as a warning to top-flight competitors.

He stated: “It’s a lot of lessons learned. I can assure you, this club will do everything possible to come back to the standards that we know we all can achieve.”

Talks have been held over a deal that could see Wolverhampton Wanderers left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri move to Manchester City, with the Algeria international high on their left-back shortlist heading into the window.

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The Blues are now stepping up their pursuit of a midfielder, with the deal “almost done” on the player’s side.

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Dominic Lund

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In addition, AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders could be a Citizen before the Club World Cup, indicating the priority is to bring through a swift stream of arrivals to replace outgoing figures such as Kevin De Bruyne before the competition begins.

Now, Manchester City have set their sights on beating Manchester United to another operator in the engine room as they aim to go from strength to strength.

Man City making £42m offer to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson

According to reports in Italy via Sport Witness, Manchester City are offering around £42 million for Atalanta midfielder Ederson, and he is said to be at the top of Guardiola’s summer shortlist.

Hugo Viana has been assigned the specific task of bringing the Brazil international to the Etihad Stadium, while the Serie A outfit have reportedly lined up Celtic’s Arne Engels as a replacement should a deal go through.

Manchester United have been in the race to sign Ederson and have made contact over a swoop for the midfielder, who has also been linked with reigning Premier League champions Liverpool in recent weeks.

Labelled “powerful” by Tiago Nunes, the 24-year-old won 161 tackles over the course of the campaign on league duty, lending credence to his reputation as a dogged operator in the engine room.

With Rodri back and Mateo Kovacic also capable of playing in a holding role, it remains to be seen where Ederson would fit in at Manchester City if a deal were to come to fruition in the summer window, but it looks as if it will be one to watch.

Reliable journalist Paul Joyce has claimed that Everton are interested in sealing a stunning move for a “special” attacking player this summer.

Moyes eyeing big future at Everton

After some grim seasons of late, which have included several relegation battles in the Premier League, there is a feeling of positivity with the Toffees, not least because David Moyes has returned as manager, easily steering them to safety ahead of the move to their new stadium.

The Scot has been forceful about how he is expecting a better future at Everton with him in charge, with the hope being that funds will be made available for important transfer business.

“I think more the feeling [is] that there might be a club which is ­coming back together. Signs that before there was a real break-up, of a sort of love affair with the supporters, the ­players, the club, the owners. So we’re all trying to get back. We’re obviously all looking forward to it. If we can take what we had today to the new stadium, it’ll be something.”

New signings are needed in various areas of the pitch for Everton, not least in attack, with goals coming at a premium at times this season, with 41 goals scored in 37 games. Now, a shock rumour has emerged regarding a potential attacking signing for the Merseysiders.

Everton keen on "special" Liverpool player

According to the reliable Joyce of The Times, Everton “hold an interest” in Liverpool winger Ben Doak, seeing him as an option to bring in this summer.

The 19-year-old has spent this season on loan at Championship side Middlesbrough, with the Reds unable to give him regular playing time, and a permanent move away from Anfield could now be on the cards.

The idea of Everton signing Doak is a mouthwatering prospect, not only because of the stunning nature of taking him from rivals Liverpool, but also due to his long-term potential.

The teenage winger is already a six-cap Scotland international, and he was enjoying a fruitful time loan at Middlesbrough before injury struck in January, bagging 10 goal contributions (three goals and seven assists) in the Championship.

Doak also caught the eye of Jurgen Klopp during their time together at Liverpool, with the German clearly a big admirer of the Scot, saying: “Special boy. Really confident, has something nobody else delivers, really; this kind of dribbling, this kind of straight-forward bravery, all these kinds of things.”

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Forgetting the Liverpool connection, Doak is a hugely exciting footballer who could reach great heights with his pace and unpredictability in the coming years, and while the Reds may be hesitant to sell to their rivals, Everton should look to strike a deal.

Manchester City are racing a number of other Premier League sides for an “insane” midfielder, whose club are now demanding €60m (£51m) for his services, according to a report.

City set sights on new midfielders

Pep Guardiola is expected to continue the rebuild of his squad this summer, given their drop-off in the Premier League, although they still have a good chance to make a success of the campaign by winning the FA Cup and qualifying for the Champions League.

One area in which Guardiola is keen to strengthen is midfield, with Kevin De Bruyne set to leave at the end of the season, and the Blues are preparing to make a super offer for River Plate attacking midfielder Franco Mastantuono.

There may also be a desire to overhaul the central midfield options, given that Ilkay Gundogan is in the twilight years of his career at 34, while Mateo Kovacic is set to turn 31 in just a few days’ time.

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The Blues have received a boost in their pursuit of a defender, who they are expected to make a move for this summer.

ByDominic Lund Apr 29, 2025

Galatasaray’s Gabriel Sara has recently emerged as a surprise target, with the Blues making contact over a deal for the Brazilian, and they also have their eye on a Bundesliga star.

That is according to a report from Germany (via Sport Witness), which states Man City are now racing a number of their Premier League rivals for Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Hugo Larsson.

A deal for Larsson will be on the relatively expensive side, however, with the report stating that Frankfurt are set to hold out for a fee of €60m (£51m) for his services.

Frankfurt are keen to keep hold of the Swedish maestro, but it may be difficult to turn down a big offer from one of the Premier League’s top clubs, with Arsenal and Liverpool also in the race for his signature.

"Insane" Larsson compared to Gundogan

Football scout Ben Mattinson has compared the 20-year-old to Gundogan, claiming he is “similar” to the German midfielder due to his ability to make late runs into the box and score goals.

Scoring goals is clearly the Sweden international’s forte, given that he ranks in the 90th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, but there are signs that he is a well-rounded midfielder.

Mattinson claims the youngster has “insane running power & stamina”, while also singling him out for praise due to his ability to win back possession.

With Gundogan now in the latter stages of his career, Guardiola may be keen on bringing in a like-for-like replacement, and there are plenty of signs that Larsson could be exactly that.

Like every IPL season, this one too had players grabbing their opportunities and making a name

Ashish Pant27-May-2024Phil SaltPhil Salt went unsold at the auction and might not even have been part of IPL 2024 had Jason Roy not pulled out of his Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) gig. Along with Sunil Narine at the top, Salt was responsible for getting KKR off to blazing starts. He hit 296 of his 435 runs inside the powerplay, at a strike rate of 185.00. His approach didn’t change much in the middle overs, where he struck at 175.94. Salt finished the season as KKR’s second-highest run-getter and played a critical role in taking them to the playoffs as the top team in the league stage.Mayank Yadav left a lasting impression despite playing just four games in the season•BCCIMayank YadavAfter playing just four matches across two seasons for Mumbai Indians (MI), 23-year-old Tristan Stubbs was picked up by Delhi Capitals (DC) at the auction and became their designated finisher straightaway. Stubbs was DC’s second-highest run-getter in IPL 2024, smashing 378 at a strike rate of 190.90 while averaging 54.00.Related

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Jake Fraser-McGurk, the ideal T20 batter

A top-order whirlwind India has never seen before

The newest version of the 360-degree player, Stubbs found runs in all corners of the ground, and with power. He was as brutal on the pull or slog sweep as on the cover drive or reverse and as proficient against pace (strike rate of 198.30) as against spin (180.00).Stubbs finished with a death-overs strike rate of 297.33 – the highest for any batter with a minimum of 100 runs in an IPL season. Between overs 17 and 20, Stubbs faced a total of 75 balls, of which only two were dots.Harshit Rana excelled with the ball in all phases•Associated PressHarshit RanaRarely has a youngster made an impact on an IPL season as quickly as Jake Fraser-McGurk did this year. The 22-year-old was picked by DC two weeks into the season as a replacement for Lungi Ngidi, and he swiftly turned all eyes towards him. He faced all of 141 balls this season and still finished as DC’s third-highest run-getter with 330 runs at a barely believable strike rate of 234.04.Fraser-McGurk struck four fifties: two off 15 balls, one off 19, and his slowest coming off 31 balls – that was on IPL debut. He finished with a powerplay strike rate of 250.94, the highest for any batter to have played two overs or more in the phase.A staggering 296 of Fraser-McGurk’s 330 runs came in boundaries (32 fours and 28 sixes). “If I get ones and twos, it’s only either because I’ve mis-hit it or maybe it’s the last ball of the over,” he said after his 27-ball 84 against MI. A boundary percentage of 89.70 is solid proof of that.Shashank Singh helped Punjab Kings achieve the highest successful chase in a men’s T20•BCCIShashank Singh”Shashank Singh” had left Punjab Kings confused at the auction, but there were not doubts about his abilities once he got going in IPL 2024. One of the few bright sparks for PBKS, Shashank finished the season as their highest run-getter with 354 runs in 14 games, striking at 164.65. He first showed his finishing skills against Gujarat Titans with an unbeaten 29-ball 61 before threatening to pull off another win against SRH five days later with a 46 not out off 25 balls, only to see his team fall short by two runs. Shashank’s finishing act of a 28-ball 68 not out against KKR was key to PBKS overhauling the highest-ever T20 target of 262.Travis Head was unstoppable in the powerplay in the league stage this season•AFP/Getty ImagesTravis HeadIt’s unusual to see someone who has been in the international circuit for eight years and has scored centuries in the WTC final and the ODI World Cup final on this list. But such has been Travis Head’s IPL graph that 2024 was the first year where he truly broke through in this competition.Before this, Head played two seasons in 2016 and 2017 with meagre returns. This year, along with Abhishek Sharma, he revolutionised powerplay batting. The highest run-getter for SRH, Head struck 567 runs this season at 191.55. Of these, 402 came in the first six overs at a strike rate of 208.29. No other batter scored more runs than Head in the phase and he didn’t even start the season for SRH.Head holds the record for three of the four fastest fifties by an SRH batter, while his century against RCB off 39 balls was the fourth-fastest in IPL history.Some shots might not have been textbook, but Abishek Porel was extremely effective for Capitals•BCCIAbishek PorelAbishek Porel came in as an Impact Sub at No. 9 in DC’s first match of the season and scored an unbeaten 32 off ten balls. Since then, the 21-year-old became a regular in the DC set-up and made the most of the opportunities at the top of the order, even keeping Prithvi Shaw out of the team. Porel ended the season with two fifties in his last three innings – a 65 off 36 balls against RR and 58 off 33 balls against Lucknow Super Giants, both coming in winning causes. In all, Porel scored 327 runs in 12 innings, at an average of 32.70 and strike rate of 159.51, finishing as DC’s fourth-highest run-scorer.Nitish Kumar Reddy has impressed with his ability as well as athleticism•BCCINitish Kumar ReddyNitish Reddy is only 21, but has shown enough proof of how good an all-round player he can be. In just his second innings of the season, he scored a crucial 37-ball 64 against PBKS, a game that SRH won by a narrow two-run margin. He also played a key role in SRH’s one-run win in a group game against RR at home, scoring 76 not out off 42 balls in the first innings. In all, Reddy recorded 303 runs in 11 innings, averaging 33.66 and striking at 142.92. He also picked up three wickets with his medium pace.The other thing on Reddy’s side is that he is a terrific outfielder and supremely fit. In a video posted on the SRH social handles, he was seen racing against Glenn Phillips, and came up short only by a whisker.