Prasidh Krishna, left, is greeted by captain Shubman Gill after his five-wicket haul during the third and final ODI cricket match between India and Afghanistan, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. (PTI Photo)

TimesofIndia.com in Chennai: One of India’s biggest concerns in the lead-up to the 2027 ODI World Cup has been their inability to consistently strike in the middle overs. Between overs 20 and 35, when teams often look to consolidate before launching in the death overs, breakthroughs have come only in patches.The trend has been evident across recent bilateral series. Against Australia, India managed just four wickets in the phase across three matches, while New Zealand exposed the issue further, with India going wicketless in the middle overs in the Rajkot and Indore ODIs, which they eventually lost. South Africa offered a brighter picture as Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna combined for nine wickets across three games.The Afghanistan series continued the mixed returns. India picked up five wickets in the rain-shortened Dharamsala ODI and another five in Lucknow, but managed only one middle-over wicket in Chennai despite dominating the contest.Interestingly, with the team management seeming to lose confidence in left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who has been India’s genuine wicket-taker in the middle overs, Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill will need to find a solution.Captain Gill believes the answer lies in India’s tall fast bowlers: Gurnoor Brar, Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana, who he thinks are capable of creating opportunities even when conditions offer little assistance.“Honestly, the combination and the kind of bowlers that we are trying to play are part of what we’re building. We want to create as many opportunities as we can,” Gill told reporters after India sealed a 3-0 win over Afghanistan.“In that middle phase, we’ve seen that once the ball gets a little older on a good wicket, with only four fielders outside the circle, batting becomes much easier. That’s why we’re trying to play bowlers like Prasidh and Harshit. They are tall, fast bowlers who offer us something different.“At the same time, it’s important to give someone like Nitish Kumar Reddy enough overs in the middle, even if we know there might be better options for those conditions who can get us wickets. It’s important for players like him to gain confidence going into the World Cup,” added Gill.Gill said India’s young fast bowlers are being trained to adapt quickly to different surfaces by identifying the ideal length as early as possible. On red-soil wickets, he wants them to bowl fuller, while black-soil pitches demand slightly shorter lengths.The emphasis, he said, is on consistently hitting the top-of-off-stump, around the fourth-stump area – the toughest line for batters to score from. India also wants its pacers to use their natural bounce to keep creating wicket-taking opportunities, even if it occasionally results in extra runs.“It’s about assessing the wicket. Different wickets demand different lengths. On a wicket like this, you have to bowl a little fuller, while on a black-soil wicket, you might have to bowl slightly shorter. As a bowling unit, what we’re trying to do is assess the conditions as early as possible and consistently hit that top-of-off-stump, full-stump area because that’s the hardest ball to score off,” he said.“At the same time, we want to keep using the bounce. It gives batters scoring opportunities as well, but it also creates chances for us to take wickets.”Gill looked pretty pleased with the Indian pace quartet’s performance in this series. It was the debut series for the likes of Gurnoor Brar and Prince Yadav, and the captain felt it was an encouraging sign.

“It’s very encouraging. These are great signs for Indian cricket that we can keep producing fast bowlers who consistently bowl at 140-plus,” said Gill, who was adjudged Player of the Series.“We have a good bunch of tall fast bowlers who can hit the right areas and still create opportunities with the old ball, even when there’s not much help from the wicket or the conditions.”Among the tall fast bowlers, Gurnoor Brar was probably the find of the series. The six-foot-five pacer picked up seven wickets in three games, bowled at rapid pace and extracted good bounce from the surface. But Gill feels Brar has a lot to learn going forward and is hopeful that the 26-year-old pacer will only grow in confidence from here.“I think he ticked most of the boxes. There are some things that only come with experience, and hopefully he’ll keep growing as a bowler.“If I have to be really critical, he did concede a few runs and was a little inconsistent at times. But he’s young, playing his first series at the highest level, and he’s bowling quick. He has all the qualities we want in a young, tall fast bowler, and with experience he’s only going to get better,” said Gill.Prasidh Krishna, another tall fast bowler, blew away Afghanistan on a pitch with some pace and bounce in Chennai, producing a sensational bowling display to claim his maiden ODI five-for.“What he brings to the table is that we saw there was good bounce in the wicket early on and the ball was doing a bit,” said Gill while praising his Gujarat Titans teammate.“If he keeps hitting those areas consistently, he can create a lot of opportunities for us as a bowler. If he continues doing that, it’ll be great for the team.”Gill said India are keeping their fast-bowling plans flexible rather than assigning fixed roles. With Jasprit Bumrah expected to return for the England tour, he indicated that Bumrah could take the new ball, while Prasidh Krishna is equally capable of doing so if required.“It’s about being flexible. There isn’t one fixed role,” Gill said.The captain added that the management is encouraging bowlers to adapt to different combinations and bowl with maximum intensity.“We’re trying different combinations, and we encourage our bowlers to give everything regardless of whether they’re bowling with the new ball or as first change,” he said.“We’ve spoken about giving bowlers like Prasidh and Gurnoor shorter spells of three or four overs and asking them to bowl their hearts out and bowl as fast as they can.”Whether the experiment ultimately succeeds will only become clear closer to the World Cup, but India’s direction is evident. Instead of relying solely on wrist spin for middle-over breakthroughs, the management is investing in a battery of tall fast bowlers who can extract bounce, hit the deck hard and force mistakes even on placid surfaces. If Gurnoor Brar, Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana continue to develop, India could head to the World Cup with a very different blueprint for the middle overs.

The goalkeeper was in incredible form, producing a performance that will be remembered for years to come

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Jun 20, 2026

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Alex Eala prepares to serve. —AFP

Alex Eala went on another giant-slaying run, this time in the Berlin Open in Germany, and even as her star continues to rise in the international tennis world, there is one thing that remains constant.

The 21-year-old Filipino sensation never takes for granted the opportunities she gets to play against the best in the world.

The world No. 35, a wildcard in the tournament, defeated World No. 8 Elina Svitolina, 6-3, 6-4, to reach the final four and she immediately paid tribute to her foe.

Major upset

“Elina is a huge fighter, and I’ve seen it many times,” Eala said in her on-court interview after the match on Friday, Berlin time. “I’ve been watching her since I was a kid, so to be able to compete with her today is such an honor, and I really admire her. She’s a mother, and I find her to act with such elegance and strength, and I’m really lucky to have had this match today.”

At press time, Eala was battling eighth seed Linda Noskova, who defeated Spanish wildcard Paula Badosa 6-1, 6-3 earlier on Friday.

Before her quarterfinal victory against Svitolina, Eala created the tournament’s biggest shock, as she upset world number two Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals on Thursday, a win that came at the heels of her triumph over Queen’s Club champion Donna Vekic in the first round.

And as expected, Eala did not just pay tribute to her opponent but took note of what those opportunities to share the court with the top stars of her sport meant to her.

Nothing new

“She’s the one to beat, so I’m happy to have been able to share the court with her again,” she said.

“I am a little foggy right now,” Eala said in her on-court interview. “I’m still shaking, and I was shaking on match point, too. But I’m really happy with today, of course. It could have gone either way. I think there were really tight moments in both sets, and she’s an amazing player.”

Bundling out the top seeds of women’s tennis is nothing new to Eala, who began her rise to tennis stardom as she ripped through top-10 opponents in last year’s Miami Open.

Since then, she has been one of the most sought-after athletes in the tennis world, with her matches always packing venues worldwide. —INQUIRER SPORTS STAFF 

After the second round of group-stage matches, Group E became the second group at the 2026 FIFA World Cup to produce a confirmed qualifier for the knockout stage, as Germany booked their place in the Round of 32 with a dramatic late victory over Ivory Coast in the early hours of Sunday.

Julian Nagelsmann’s side followed up their emphatic 7-1 win over Curaçao with a hard-fought 2-1 comeback victory against Ivory Coast, moving to six points from two matches and guaranteeing progression.

Germany already through

Germany have become the first team from Group E to secure a place in the knockout rounds. Back-to-back victories have taken them to six points, meaning neither Ivory Coast, Ecuador nor Curaçao can push them out of the top two positions.

The Germans are now focused on finishing top of the group, which could provide a more favourable Round of 32 draw.

How Germany can win Group E

Germany will officially secure first place if:

• 
  Ecuador lose to Curaçao, or
• 
  Ecuador draw with Curaçao

In either of those scenarios, Ecuador would no longer be capable of overtaking Germany.

Ivory Coast remain in control of second place

Despite their defeat to Germany, Ivory Coast still hold a strong position in the race for qualification.

The Africans sit on three points and know that victory over Curaçao in their final match would likely secure progression regardless of what happens elsewhere.

A draw could also leave them in a favourable position, particularly with the expanded tournament allowing several third-placed teams to advance.

Can Ivory Coast still win the group? No.

Germany’s victory over Ivory Coast gives the Germans the head-to-head advantage, meaning Ivory Coast can no longer finish above Germany if both teams end level on points.

Ecuador still alive

Ecuador’s tournament remains very much alive despite losing their opener.

A win against Curaçao would move them to three points and set up a decisive final-day showdown against Germany.

Should Ecuador beat Germany in that final fixture, they could potentially finish level on six points with the Germans and move above them thanks to the head-to-head tiebreaker.

That is why Germany have not officially secured first place yet.

Curaçao fighting to stay alive

Curaçao suffered the heaviest defeat in the group so far when they lost 7-1 to Germany.

However, the Caribbean side still have a route to qualification.

A win against Ecuador would move them onto three points and keep their hopes alive heading into the final match against Ivory Coast.

Anything less than victory, however, would leave them facing elimination.

Why the head-to-head rule matters?

One of the biggest changes at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is the use of head-to-head records before overall goal difference.

If teams finish level on points, FIFA applies the following tiebreakers:

Step 1: Head-to-head criteria

Points earned between tied teams

Goal difference in those matches

Goals scored in those matches

Step 2: Overall group performance

Goal difference

Goals scored

Fair-play record

Step 3 

FIFA World Ranking

This rule is particularly important in Group E because Ecuador could still leapfrog Germany despite Germany’s superior goal difference if Ecuador beat them on the final matchday and both teams finish level on points.

Group E outlook

Germany have already achieved their primary objective by reaching the Round of 32, but the race behind them remains open.

Ivory Coast currently occupy the second automatic qualification spot, while Ecuador and Curaçao still have opportunities to force their way back into contention.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi‘s India A will be in action on Sunday as they take on Sri Lanka A in the final of the Tri-Nation Series at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. When the two sides met earlier this week during the round-robin phase, Sooryavanshi was involved in a heated on-field altercation with Sri Lanka’s Vishen Halambage after India A lost a thrilling match via a Super Over. Speaking ahead of the final, India A captain Tilak Varma backed the 15-year-old prodigy to continue playing with freedom, playing down scrutiny over his temperament in the ongoing series.

“I’ve told him to keep playing his natural game, enjoy and not take pressure. At his age, this is the time to learn and express himself. Whatever he has achieved so far has come from playing positively. There’s no reason to change that,” Tilak told Sportstar.

Tilak expressed confidence that Sooryavanshi would come good in the final, urging the 15-year-old to trust his natural game.

“As captain, I told him I’m always there if he needs anything. Just keep learning, keep enjoying the game and trust your strengths. So, we are backing him and hoping that he comes good in the final. And, if he gets going, we all know what he’s capable of doing. I hope he keeps going in the final,” he added.

Tilak has been named vice-captain for India’s upcoming T20I series against Ireland and England, which will mark Sooryavanshi’s first tour with the senior national team.

The dynamic southpaw, however, admitted that transitioning from the junior level to the senior setup will be the real test for the 15-year-old prodigy.

“It will definitely be challenging for him when he makes that transition to the senior men’s team. He’s come from U-19 cricket, had a fantastic IPL and is now representing a senior side. But he’s extremely talented. If he gets going, he can finish games on his own. The most important thing for someone like him is backing. Young players need freedom,” explained Tilak.

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Casemiro played every minute as Brazil beat Haiti but media from his home country weren’t impressed with his World Cup 2026 performance

Casemiro has been lambasted by several Brazilian football pundits after the ex-Manchester United star’s World Cup 2026 performance against Haiti. Brazil put their opponents to the sword 3-0 in Philadelphia.

Having been held in their opening game against Morocco, Carlo Ancelotti’s squad endeavoured to bounce back against Haiti and did just that. A brace from Matheus Cunha and a Vinicius Junior strike ensured they climbed to the top of Group C.

Casemiro was particularly disappointing against Morocco and was substituted at half-time. But in Brazil’s latest clash, he partnered with Bruno Guimaraes in the midfield once again as a holding enforcer, kept a clean sheet and played every second of the game.

However, while some media outlets in Brazil were more fair-minded about his performance, one publication’s writers have issued a scathing evaluation of the former United man.

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O Globo asked its panel of columnists and correspondents to write comments on who played well for Brazil against Haiti and which stars played poorly.

Eight were asked and when it came to poor performances, five opted to single out Casemiro, who left Old Trafford after the expiration of his contract this month. The first wrote: “He struggled even against a much weaker opponent and stood out in midfield, which featured Guimaraes and [Lucas] Paqueta who played well.”

A second said: “He hasn’t found his form in the competition yet. He seems lost, below his usual level.” Whilst another admitted: “It’s impressive how nervousness is coming from someone where experience was expected. Both performances so far are worrying. He could lose his place, which he only holds because of Ancelotti’s confidence in him.”

“Luckily, it was Haiti. When pressured, he couldn’t hold up,” claimed a fourth, as a fifth penned: “He couldn’t even defend well or organise the build-up play.”

Other publications did not share this view, as Casemiro finished the match with the most duels won for his side, the most tackles and the most fouls won.

Speaking after the opening fixture against Morocco, manager Ancelotti justified removing Casemiro at half-time, claiming that this was just the beginning of their World Cup tilt.

“They are good players. I think I made the right choices and I won’t accept any criticism of individual players,” he said. “If there is any criticism, it concerns the whole team.

“You can’t expect the team to be perfect from the start; you don’t win the World Cup in the first match. My confidence in the players is absolute. In football, everything doesn’t go perfectly. This is just the beginning of the journey.

“I think the team was a bit anxious at the beginning. Nerves were on edge. But the team fought until the last minute, that’s the positive aspect. It’s quite clear that we need to improve.”

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Ieuan Davies joined the likes of Mason Jones and Conor McGregror as he captured the Cage Warriors lightweight title with a stunning submission over Omiel Brown in Manchester.

Davies locked in a rear-naked choke submission, taking just 61 seconds to secure the victory.

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The 28-year-old has a perfect record of eight wins and no losses, with six of those wins coming by submission.

The Wrexham-born fighter fights out of Blackledge MMA in Leigh, Wigan.

Brown, 25, moves to 13 wins and four losses following the bout.

US Open, round three leaderboard

Leader: -7 W Clark (US); -1 S Scheffler (US), S Theegala (US), T Kim (Kor), S Stevens (US)

Selected: Level X Schauffele (US); +1 T Fleetwood (Eng), C Morikawa (US), M Fitzpatrick (Eng); +2 A Fitzpatrick (Eng); +3 R McIlroy (NI), J Parry (Eng), A Rai (Eng); +4 J Rose (Eng), T Hatton (Eng); +7 R MacIntyre (Sco)

In a third round that saw challengers rise but ultimately fall away, Wyndham Clark stood firm to position himself as the overwhelming favourite to win a second US Open title.

Not only did the American fail to budge from the top of the pile, the 32-year-old extended his lead from four to six strokes as he looks to become the first wire-to-wire winner of the tournament since Martin Kaymer in 2014.

Clark delivered a masterclass in scrambling at Shinnecock Hills before signing for a level-par 70 that gives him a commanding advantage heading into Sunday’s final round.

Sahith Theegala, Tom Kim and Sam Stevens are among a quartet at one under but ominously for Clark, so too is Scottie Scheffler, who arguably represents the biggest danger to him repeating his triumph at the Los Angeles Country Club, in 2023.

A shot further back and all but out of contention are Americans Sam Burns and Xander Schauffele, while Collin Morikawa and England’s Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick are at one over.

But it is the presence of world number one Scheffler that will concern Clark the most, even if there has only been one occasion since the first Masters in 1934 that a six-shot lead has been overturned in the final round of a major championship – when Greg Norman faded and Nick Faldo claimed his third Masters title in 1996.

“I feel good. I have got more and more comfortable every time I have got in these positions,” said Clark.

“Scottie is the best player in the world, and he’s probably going to play really good. He always does, but it’s nice to have a six-shot lead on him.

“I’m just going to keep approaching it the same way. If I go through my process and hit the shots I know I can hit, I like my chances.”