By Dane Miller, SuperWest Sports
Sports
Six notable performances in Flames’ pre-season opener
CALGARY — There aren’t many better ways to serve notice you feel ready for an NHL roster spot than by scoring twice and ringing a beauty off the post.
Aydar Suniev took a big step towards showing he may soon be capable of helping fill the team’s scoring void with a pair of pre-season finishes Sunday night that had the 20-year-old Russian grinning.
“I was working on my shot all summer and I’m glad it’s paying off,” said Suniev, following a 4-2 loss to open the Flames pre-season schedule at the Dome.
“Felt great. Too bad we lost.”
Suniev also happened to score the Flames only goal in last week’s prospects game.
“Three goals so far and he’s scored all three, so good on him,” said coach Ryan Huska.
“He can shoot a puck, and when he has opportunities it’s nice to see him have success.
“Every year that Suni has come back there’s been a lot of growth in his game. That’s what we’re excited about. He’s maturing both mentally and, for sure, physically as well.”
Selected in the third round of the 2023 draft after scoring 45 goals and 90 points in 50 games with the Penticton Vees, the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder with the world-class shot offers plenty of hope for an organization desperately in search of goal scorers.
Suniev cut Seattle’s 2-0 lead in half by converting a nifty feed from Sam Honzek in the slot to beat Philipp Grubauer with a quick release along the ice. He stepped across the blue line and rifled a shot in off Nikke Kokko’s glove to tie the game 2-2 with 10 minutes left.
Suniev spent two years at UMass-Amherst before spending last season with the Wranglers, where the bulk of his 16 goals came in the second half as the team put an emphasis on helping him learn the defensive side of the game.
A look at a few other notable performances:
The best player on the ice all night was a youngster who made a big splash in camp two autumns ago when the 2023 first-rounder led the pre-season in scoring, earning an opening-night gig in the bigs. Injuries ruined that season for him, and last season wasn’t much better, as he missed the last five months due to shoulder surgery.
But on this night he was involved at both ends of the ice, forcing turnovers, creating chances and eventually setting up Suniev’s first with a brilliant interception and feed.
The two seemed to have good chemistry when on the ice together, giving fans plenty of hope that the roster spot he’s been penciled in for due to Jonathan Huberdeau’s injury will likely be well-earned.
“He was back like he hadn’t missed a year,” said Huska of the 6-foot-4, 186-pound lefty, who opened the night with a big hit that should give him confidence his shoulder woes are behind him.
“He brings an element to our team we don’t have a lot of — he’s got size, but he’s also got some real speed. And when he’s on the ice he’s noticeable not just for his ability to forecheck and put pressure on the opponents, but tonight he made some really good plays with the puck.”
Parekh appeared to pick up right where he left off late last season with a confident stride and approach that had him wheeling all around the offensive zone, making great passes and attempting plenty of shots as he moved in from the point.
By night’s end he had 10 shot attempts, but only one got through.
Paired with Yan Kuznetsov all night, he also ran the first power-play unit where he had a particularly impressive 4-on-3 in which he, Suniev, Matvei Gridin and Rory Kerins snapped it around in impressive fashion before Suniev rang his shot off the post.
Parekh’s engagement level was high, as he took exception to a late shove from Nathan Villeneuve and responded with several shoves, prompting an official to break them up.
The man they call Brew ran the second PP unit and looked comfortable in a young group.
Some may have been surprised when he started camp in the second group, behind players like Joel Hanley and Brayden Pachal, but the coach said that had more to do with the fact it makes no sense to keep nine defenders in the first bunch.
“The goal is to play in the NHL every single day,” said the 21-year-old, who played 34 games with the Flames last year and 34 with the Wranglers.
“Obviously playing a little bit last year was good to see how everyone prepares and goes about things, and then obviously the feedback of what I need to work on in the summer was good.”
He worked on his skating, and Huska said he’s noticed the difference.
Just a few days after re-signing on a one-year deal with the team as an RFA, the 23-year-old made an early splash with a big hit on defenceman Ville Ottavainen along the boards. The officials didn’t like it, and kicked him out of the game with an elbowing major, but not before Seattle’s John Hayden got a chance to try offering up a little payback with a fight that ended without consequence.
Too bad he only lasted five minutes, as the winger acquired from the Rangers last season for Jacob Battaglia had the best early scoring chance when he took a great feed from Honzek and was denied by the crossbar.
“For the short time he was in the game, he had an impact,” said Huska.
“It’s too bad that he got tossed out because he was very noticeable — he drew a penalty, had a chance off the crossbar and had a big hit.”
As the only player in camp on a professional tryout, the 28-year-old son of former Flame Michael Nylander has just two games to show he’s worthy of being offered a contract.
On a team that will be desperately searching to find more goals this year, the thought was that Nylander might be able to help the team’s power play, as he’d scored 23 and 34 goals his last two years in the AHL.
You can certainly see the skill and shiftiness, but it’s hard to imagine this limited look would entice the team to eat up a roster spot otherwise destined for youngsters in the organization.
Nylander – Kerins – Gridin
Honzek – Jones – Hunt
Stromgren – Gross – Basha
Othmann – Castagna – Suniev
Hanley – Pachal
Kuznetsov – Parekh
Wiebe – Brzustewicz
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The season is one-fourth of the way over.
That’s enough data points to rework the metrics.
The Big Ten has not lived up to its hype. Oregon has underperformed. USC has underperformed. And even Ohio State lost to Texas.
The following Non-Conference Records Against Power 4 Teams, as compiled by On3’s Brett McMurphy, are illuminating:
- SEC: 10-2
- Big 12: 5-7
- ACC: 6-9
- Big Ten: 4-9
- Mountain West: 0-7
- Pac-12: 0-11
Not to be the bearer of bad news, but these numbers are jet fuel for ESPN’s SEC propaganda machine.
Yet, what these results really underline are the Big Ten’s struggles and the Pac-12/MWC cannibalism that harmed both conferences.
So, with all that in mind, there’s a new pecking order out West this week. Here’s My Power Ranking for Week 4.
1. BYU (1-0, 3-0) ▲1
BYU dominated Colorado State. The margin of victory was appropriate for a Power 4 program over a Group of 6 foe.
The Cougars have emerged as the dominant power out West this season.
Already in the Playoff discussion, securing the Big 12’s auto-bid is the clearest path.
Yet, a single defeat could derail the entire resume.
2. Utah (0-0, 3-0) ▲1
The Utes look like one of the top teams in the country.
Devon Dampier runs Morgan Scalley’s offense efficiently, and the defense is stout.
The shutout of Utah State proved that Utah is a favorite to win the Big 12.
There is a reason for optimism in Salt Lake City. A playoff appearance is becoming more likely.
3. USC (1-0, 4-0) ▼2
USC played itself out of the top spot.
The Trojans were supposed to dominate Rutgers. Instead, the game magnified the team’s flaws.
It might be easy to attribute the result to the cross-country travel. But that’s a cop out.
The outlook on SC has turned from optimistic to questionable.
4. UCLA (1-0, 3-0) ◄►
Bob Chesney has one of the country’s top rushing offenses. Teams that run the ball effectively can control games.
But the defense gave up too many points to Purdue. The offense shouldn’t need to score 50-plus to win a Conference game.
Even so, the Bruins are 3-0 for the first time since 2023 and are 1-0 in the Big Ten for the first time in program history.
5. Oregon (0-0, 2-1) ◄►
The Ducks responded to the embarrassing defeat against Oklahoma State.
The 84-to-0 win was a step in the right direction. But further blowout victories are needed to restore their reputation.
Oregon is now oddly tied to the performance of the Cowboys in the Big 12.
That loss in Stillwater will follow UO until the end of the season.
6. Boise State (0-0, 2-1) ◄►
A win is a win.
The margin of victory over South Dakota was closer than expected. But the result doesn’t change anything.
Boise State remains in contention to make the Playoff.
The Broncos can’t afford any defeats in Pac-12 play and are dependent on Oregon’s performance in the Big Ten.
7. Washington (0-0, 3-0) ◄►
The comparative results for Washington are not good.
The close victory over Utah State looks terrible compared to Utah’s 33-to-0 win.
Realistically, the Dawgs are nowhere close to a Playoff-caliber team. This Husky squad could struggle in the Big Ten.
Buckle up, it’s about to get ugly in Seattle.
8. Arizona (0-1, 2-1) ◄►
The Wildcats did not start the game well and did not finish the game well.
The final score may look appropriate, but the ugly 1st Quarter was concerning.
Arizona is 0-3 against the spread this season. That’s the definition of underperforming.
Still, playmakers are starting to emerge from the receiving corps after the injury to Gio Richardson.
9. Arizona State (1-0, 2-1) ◄►
Call it a mulligan and move on. Arizona State should have handled Kansas more comfortably.
But it was a game played on a soccer field in a foreign country. In the rain. Don’t read too much into it.
Still, Cutter Boley’s performances are coming under more scrutiny.
It’s no wonder it took Kenny Dillingham so long to name him the starter in fall camp.
10. New Mexico (0-0, 2-1) ◄►
New Mexico gained respect against Oklahoma. The game was much closer than anyone was expecting.
The close result shows the strength of UNM’s program under Jason Eck.
But with success comes attention. Many power programs will be interested in hiring Eck for next season.
Enjoy it while you can, Lobos.
Miller covers College Basketball and College Football as well as Formula 1 racing as a Senior Writer and Assistant Editor for SuperWest Sports.
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Despite a win over the Texas Rangers on Sunday, the Toronto Blue Jays will end the day in the same position that they began in.
The Blue Jays improved to 77-79 with their victory in Arlington, but remain three games behind the Chicago White Sox in the American League wild-card picture after the Southsiders’ win over the Detroit Tigers.
In addition to Chicago’s triumph at home to close its series against Detroit, the Cleveland Guardians held serve in its position atop the AL Central with a their fifth straight win.
Texas, meanwhile, stayed in the AL West lead, thanks to the Houston Astros’ loss to the NL East-champion Atlanta Braves.
With six games to go before the end of the regular season, Toronto’s playoff hopes have firmly entered long shot territory.
Here’s a look at the standings after Sunday’s action:
Toronto: at Baltimore, 6:35 p.m., Sportsnet, Sportsnet+
Cleveland: Off
Texas: Off
Chicago White Sox: Off
Houston: Off
Baltimore: vs. Blue Jays, 6:35 p.m., Sportsnet, Sportsnet+
ARLINGTON, Texas — Toronto leadoff hitter Brett Bateman reached base and scored three times, twice knocked in by Nathan Lukes, and the Blue Jays beat the AL West-leading Texas Rangers 7-2 on Sunday to avoid a series sweep in the matchup of playoff hopefuls.
Bateman walked twice against Texas starter Jacob deGrom (11-10), scoring on a sacrifice fly by Lukes in the first and a go-ahead RBI single by Kazuma Okamota in the fifth. Bateman had a leadoff double to ignite a four-run seventh, scoring on a single by Lukes.
With six games remaining, the Rangers (78-78) kept a one-game lead in the AL West after Houston (77-79) lost 4-2 at home to NL East champion Atlanta. The Astros own the division tiebreaker.
Spencer Arrighetti (9-9), the second of seven Blue Jays pitchers, got the win despite giving up the only Texas runs over his two innings.
CLEVELAND — Gavin Williams threw seven shutout innings, Jo Adell had an RBI infield single and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Athletics 1-0 Sunday to remain atop the AL Central.
Steven Kwan added three hits for Cleveland, which posted its seventh series sweep of the season and third at home.
The Guardians (81-75) are 1 1/2 games in front of the Chicago White Sox. They finish the season on the road with series against Boston and Kansas City.
Williams (14-8) gave up three hits and struck out nine to move into the major-league lead with 244 strikeouts. He has one more than Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski. Toronto’s Dylan Cease is in third with 239. It is the 13th time in 31 starts this season that the right-hander has had at least nine strikeouts.
Cade Smith worked 1 1/3 innings for his 39th save in 44 opportunities.
CHICAGO — Sam Antonacci had a two-run double in a three-run fourth inning and the Chicago White Sox kept pace in the AL Central and eliminated the Detroit Tigers from playoff contention with a rain-soaked 8-1 victory Sunday.
The White Sox remained a game behind the Cleveland Guardians in the division and hold a three-game lead over the Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays for the third wild card.
The start was delayed 3 hours, 50 minutes by rain and most of the game was played in a swirling mist.
Davis Martin threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings for the White Sox, striking out six, allowing three hits and walking three. He failed to record a win for his 15th straight appearance dating to June 10.
Huascar Brazoban (6-2), activated from the injured list earlier Sunday, pitched a scoreless sixth for the victory.
Trevor Richards pitched two innings for the 205th White Sox relief outing of 1 1/3 innings or more, a major league record.
BALTIMORE — William Contreras homered, and the Milwaukee Brewers earned their franchise-record 98th victory by beating the Baltimore Orioles 3-0 on Sunday night to complete a three-game sweep.
Cooper Pratt drove in two for Milwaukee (98-58), which owns the best record in the majors and surpassed the 97 victories it had last season. The Brewers have already clinched their fourth consecutive NL Central title.
The Orioles managed four hits and were shut out for the second consecutive game. Baltimore fell five games behind the Chicago White Sox for the AL’s third wild card and has six games remaining.
Milwaukee starter Jacob Misiorowski yielded a hit and struck out four in three innings in a planned abbreviated outing. The right-hander, who leads the majors in ERA (1.86) and strikeouts (247), moved into second place on the Brewers’ single-season strikeouts list. Ben Sheets had 264 in 2004.
HOUSTON — Mike Yastrzemski hit a three-run homer during a four-run sixth inning and the Atlanta Braves clinched the NL East title for the seventh time in nine years with a 4-2 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Ozzie Albies tied it at one with an RBI single before Yastrzemski’s homer to right off Bryan King (3-6).
After finishing 76-86 and missing the playoffs last season, Atlanta bounced back this year under first-year manager Walt Weiss. The Braves are 92-64 and have won at least 90 games for the fifth time in the last eight seasons.
The Astros’ playoff hopes took a hit after being swept by the Braves. Houston, which has lost seven of its last nine games, trails the Rangers by a game in the AL West, but the Astros own the tiebreaker. The Rangers lost 7-2 to Toronto on Sunday.
DIAMONDBACKS 8, YANKEES 4
PHOENIX (AP) — Nolan Arenado hit his third grand slam of the season top help the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the New York Yankees 8-4 on Sunday.
Arenado connected off reliever Brent Headrick (7-4) in the fifth inning. The Diamondbacks loaded the bases against Yankee starter Will Warren when Headrick entered. He struck out Geraldo Perdomo for the second out but walked Corbin Carroll to force in a run before Arenado homered on a 2-1 pitch. He tied Houston’s Yordan Alvarez for the major league lead this season, and it was Arenado’s ninth career slam.
The Diamondbacks had their MLB-best 47th comeback win of the season and kept pace with Philadelphia in the chase for the National League’s final wild-card berth, but trail the Phillies by four games with six to play.
New York still has a slim chance to win the American League East, but must win out and get help. The Yankees open a four-game series Tuesday against the division-leading Rays in New York.
Perdomo had a run-scoring single in the first and an RBI triple in the seventh.
LOS ANGELES — Kiké Hernández hit a go-ahead RBI double in the seventh inning, Emmet Sheehan did not give up a run in 5 1/3 innings, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants 3-1 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.
Hernández jumped on the first pitch he saw from Sam Hentges (1-7), driving in Max Muncy to put the Dodgers ahead 2-1. Muncy pushed an insurance run across with a single in the eighth.
Kris Bubic (4-2) pitched 2/3 of an inning for the win, and Tanner Scott handled the ninth inning for his 23rd save.
Sheehan made the most of a bullpen game to strengthen his credentials for making the Dodgers’ postseason roster as a long reliever. He had nine strikeouts against one hit and one walk after taking over from Jack Dreyer in the second inning.
Matt Wilkinson allowed three hits and no walks while striking out six in five scoreless innings, but the Giants’ bullpen buckled. The 23-year-old left-hander was acquired as part of the trade that sent catcher Patrick Bailey to Cleveland in May.
DENVER — Rookie Kade Anderson tossed seven shutout innings, Dominic Canzone drove in two runs, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Colorado Rockies 2-1 on Sunday to stave off elimination from playoff contention.
Anderson (2-2), in the longest of his six starts since making his major league debut Aug. 22 at the Chicago Cubs, followed his worst outing with his best. He gave up three hits, struck out a career-high seven and didn’t walk a batter.
His performance kept Seattle’s slim postseason hopes alive. The Mariners (73-83) gained a game on Texas in the AL West and avoided, temporarily, being eliminated from the AL wild-card race.
Mariners closer Andrés Muñoz left the game after walking TJ Rumfield with one out in the ninth. Muñoz bent over flexing his right arm after missing on a 98 m.p.h. fastball, bringing out the trainer. Manager Dan Wilson said Munoz’s issue was with his right knee He was replaced by Eduard Bazardo, who got the final two outs around a walk for his first save.
SAN DIEGO — Jake Cronenworth hit a pair of two-run homers and drove in five runs for the San Diego Padres, who beat the Miami Marlins 7-3 on Sunday to move closer to clinching their third straight post-season berth.
Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his 25th homer for the Padres, who won for the 13th time in 14 games and swept the Marlins for the second time this season.
San Diego reduced its magic number to two for earning a wild-card spot.
The Padres and Cubs remain tied at 87-69 for the top wild-card spot with six games to go, although Chicago holds the tiebreaker. Philadelphia stayed one game back.
NEW YORK — Cristopher Sánchez earned his major league-leading 18th win Sunday, leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a 7-2 victory over the New York Mets.
The Phillies (86-70), who salvaged a split of the four-game series, entered Sunday in the third National League wild-card spot, one game behind the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres and four games clear of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Sánchez surrendered six hits — including Bo Bichette’s sixth-inning homer — and struck out six over 6 1/3 innings as he snapped a tie with the Boston Red Sox’s Sonny Gray for the big league lead in wins.
The last Phillies pitcher to lead the majors in wins was Steve Carlton with 23 in 1982.
Justin Crawford had a three-run triple and Luis Arraez finished with two RBIs. Alec Bohm and Trea Turner each had run-scoring hits. Kyle Schwarber tied a career high with four walks.
Rookie Jonah Tong (2-2) gave up four runs and struck out five in 4 2/3 innings for the last-place Mets, who finished 36-45 at home — their worst record at Citi Field since the 2013 team went 33-48.
PITTSBURGH — Rafael Flores Jr. hit the go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning to help Pittsburgh to a win over Kansas City and complete a series sweep.
After Ryan O’Hearn led off with a single to center, Flores sent a slider from Nate Pearson (2-3) into the left-field bleachers for his 10th homer this season.
Pittsburgh rallied with a two-run homer in the eighth for a second straight day. Brandon Lowe had his 33rd of the season in a 6-5 win Saturday.
Carmen Mlodzinki (8-7) got the win. He allowed two runs and three hits in three innings. The reliever gave up a pinch-hit, two-run home run to Vinnie Pasquantino that gave Kansas City a 3-2 lead with two outs in the seventh.
Mason Montgomery earned his 16th save. He retired the first two batters in the ninth before Luke Maile hit a double and took third on a fielding error by Jake Mangum. Montgomery got Isaac Collins to fly out to right to strand Maile.
The Royals went ahead 1-0 in the first inning with three straight singles off Lake Bachar. Bobby Witt Jr. beat out a groundball to second baseman Lowe. He moved to third on a single to right from Jac Caglianone and scored when Perez shot one through the middle of the infield.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Griffin Jax tossed five shutout innings and the Tampa Bay crept closer to the AL East title with a victory over Boston.
The Rays will have an opportunity to clinch the franchise’s fifth division title during Tuesday’s doubleheader at the New York Yankees.
Boston would have clinched a playoff spot with a victory. The Red Sox, who were 32-46 and 15 1/2 games back in the AL East on June 24, have since gone 52-25. They could still wrap up a spot Sunday with a Houston loss.
Jax (8-10) allowed three singles and worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning by striking out Roman Anthony. Cole Sulser, Brody Hopkins and Steven Matz each pitched an inning of scoreless relief.
Boston’s Trevor Story spoiled the shutout in the ninth with a one-out home run off right-hander Ty Johnson.
The Rays scored four first-inning runs off left-hander Patrick Sandoval (1-7). Jonny DeLuca smashed a two-run, bases-loaded double down the left-field line and Chandler Simpson followed with a two-run single. Sandoval began the inning by walking Yandy Diaz and Ryan Vilade, then surrendering a single to Junior Caminero.
CINCINNATI — Pete Crow-Armstrong hit his 45th home run as Chicago moved closer to clinching a post-season berth with a victory over Cincinnati.
Chicago (87-69) reduced its magic number to one and could wrap up a berth if the Diamondbacks lose to the Yankees later Sunday.
The Cubs began the day tied with the Padres and one game ahead of the Phillies for the top NL wild-card spot which would earn them home-field advantage in the wild-card round. The Cubs own the tiebreakers over the Diamondbacks, Padres, and Phillies.
Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman left Sunday’s game in the fourth inning after being struck in the face by a foul ball off the bat of Michael Busch while standing near the on-deck circle.
Cubs left-hander David Peterson (9-8) allowed a run on three hits in seven innings with one walk and seven strikeouts.
The Cubs loaded the bases with one out in the third. Ian Happ singled in a run and Nico Hoerner walked to force in another to extend Chicago’s lead to 3-0. Pedro Ramirez’s two-run single made the score 5-0.
Reds right-hander Rhett Lowder (6-12) allowed five earned runs on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
ST. LOUIS — Iván Herrera hit a pair of home runs, and Leo Bernal also homered as St. Louis scored three runs in the eighth inning to come from behind and beat Washington.
Bernal hit his fifth homer of the season off Yovanny Cruz (0-2) after Erik Tolman walked Jordan Walker with two outs in the eighth inning.
Herrera hit his second homer of the game and 18th of the season to tie the game at 3-all after hitting a solo shot in the first inning.
It was Herrera’s third career multi-homer game and second this season after going deep twice on June 13 at Minnesota.
Luis Gastelum (5-3) pitched a scoreless eighth inning for St. Louis, and Riley O’Brien pitched a perfect ninth to earn his National League-leading 38th save.
Cardinals starter Quinn Mathews allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks in a career-high seven innings.
Jake Irvin allowed two runs on three hits and had eight strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings for the Nationals.
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“Loving the heels” – Ishan Kishan’s hilarious remark on Abhishek Sharma’s footwear ahead of Asian Games 2026 [Picture]
Team India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan made a cheeky remark about opener Abhishek Sharma’s footwear. He posted a picture of Abhishek wearing a pair of traditional Japanese slippers as the side arrived in Tokyo ahead of the Asian Games 2026.
In the photograph posted by Kishan, the swashbuckling batter can be seen posing at a restaurant in a white shirt and blue trousers. He wore slippers with a slight heel on the sole.
Reacting to Abhishek’s choice of footwear, Kishan wrote:
“Loving the heels bro.”
India are set to take on Japan in a one-off T20I at Sano International Cricket Ground on Tuesday, September 22. It will be the first-ever senior men’s international match between the two nations.
The Men in Blue will then commence their quest for gold at the Asian Games 2026. India have directly qualified for the quarterfinals. They are among the four seeded teams with Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
“No one hits as hard even in a video game” – Aakash Chopra’s massive praise for Abhishek Sharma after AFG vs IND 2026 T20Is
Abhishek Sharma was the Player of the Series in India’s 3-0 T20I series clean sweep over Afghanistan. His carnage was among the biggest talking points of the third fixture as he slammed a 30-ball century.
It was the fastest T20I ton by a batter from a Full Member nation. The southpaw finished with 108 runs off 34 balls. Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra reserved huge praise for Abhishek following the explosive knock.
The cricketer-turned-commentator said in his YouTube video:
“What a player, man! No one hits as hard even in a video game as this guy does when he gets going. When he starts hitting, he absolutely tears the bowling apart. He made the fastest T20 century against a Test-playing nation, and then celebrated like this as well. The Kotla ground isn’t particularly big anyway, but he just kept hitting sixes one after another. He was absolutely stellar and stunning.”
Abhishek Sharma was the leading run-scorer of the series, amassing 229 runs across three innings at a strike rate of 269.41.
Edited by Aditya Suketu Desai
Team India landed in Tokyo ahead of the upcoming Asian Games 2026. The Men in Blue will also square off against hosts Japan in a historic one-off T20I at Sano International Cricket Ground on Tuesday, September 22.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) posted a video on social media, giving fans a glimpse of the team’s arrival. A few fans were spotted cheering Team India at the airport, and some of them also clicked pictures with the cricketers.
The video ended with wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan speaking a few words in Japanese. Watch the clip here:
India will defend their gold medal at the Asian Games 2026. They will begin their campaign in the quarterfinals at Korogi Sports Park on September 28. Shreyas Iyer will continue leading the side, with Tilak Varma serving as his deputy. The side will face the runners-up of Group A, consisting of Afghanistan, Nepal, and Japan.
“Get used to the conditions” – Shreyas Iyer opens up on India’s Asian Games 2026 campaign
India captain Shreyas Iyer remarked that the team will look to get used to the conditions in Japan. He pointed out that they have not played any cricket in the country, and the one-off T20I against the hosts will set the ball rolling for the Asian Games 2026.
Iyer said in a video posted by the BCCI on social media:
“Regarding the Asian Games, this is going to be my first time. So, I am looking forward to going there and firstly to get used to the conditions because we have never been there before. So, having a set of ideas about how the wickets are over there, it’s going to be a combination of everything and the most important aspect is that again we gel along as a team, and this series is definitely a great momentum towards Asian Games.”
India will go into the Asian Games following a clinical 3-0 T20I series whitewash over Afghanistan.
Edited by Aditya Suketu Desai
Pierce underwent offseason surgery on the same lower leg
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1 min read
The Indianapolis Colts will be without their most important wide receiver for the remainder of Sunday night’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Alec Pierce left the game late in the first quarter with a heel injury which he appeared to sustain while making a break on a route downfield. The Colts officially ruled him out. ESPN is reporting that X-rays were negative and Pierce will be further evaluated on Monday.
Pierce ran downfield and cut right toward the sideline, and he lost his footing while changing directions. He stood back up, continued his route and pulled up in obvious pain. Chiefs cornerback Nohl Williams was in coverage but did not appear to make meaningful contact with Pierce when the injury occurred.
The Colts’ entire medical staff surrounded Pierce on the sideline and helped him into the medical tent. He was unable to put any weight on his left leg as he entered the tent. After nearly 10 minutes of examination, the staff carted Pierce into the locker room to conduct X-rays.
The injury is particularly concerning given Pierce’s recent history. He underwent surgery on his left ankle in the offseason, and the recovery process made him unavailable for most team activities until practice leading up to Week 1. He was a limited participant in practice at the start of the season and is only now approaching full speed.
Pierce secured one catch for 11 yards on his lone target in the first quarter. In his absence, Josh Downs figures to be elevated to the No. 1 role while late-offseason addition Keenan Allen could also see an uptick in targets. Tight end Tyler Warren was active early and scored the game’s first touchdown, so he also projects as a larger part of Indianapolis’ game plan with Pierce unavailable.
Pierce is among the NFL’s most lethal big-play threats. He led the league each of the last two years in yards per reception, and he caught four passes for 61 yards in Week 1.
There is now a three-week international break with no Premier League games until 10 October.
We are five matches into the league season and there is a long way to go in the campaign, but which teams have impressed so far and who have disappointed?
You can have your say in the comments at the bottom of the page.
Arsenal: Solid start to their title defence until they were ripped apart by Brighton having survived a penalty scare at Sunderland. 7
Aston Villa: Signs they are beginning to move in the right direction after losing so many key players during the transfer window. 6
Bournemouth: If games lasted 80 minutes the Cherries would be near the top of the table. Need to cut out conceding so late. 6
Brentford: Demolished Spurs and Chelsea without fuss during a highly impressive unbeaten start. Can they keep it up and challenge for Europe? 8
Brighton: Kings of entertainment after hitting 16 goals in five top-flight games, including three against champions Arsenal. A joy to watch. 9
Chelsea: After a strong start under Xabi Alonso, the Blues have lost two of their past three – and were picked apart by Brentford. Are they really moving in the right direction? 6
Coventry City: You could hear the sighs of relief in the away end at Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Will Frank Lampard’s side kick on after that win? 6
Crystal Palace: Room for improvement after one win and three defeats. 5
Everton: Despite a transfer window to forget, David Moyes has made the Toffees hard to beat. 6
Fulham: Decent draws against Liverpool and Manchester United but need a win. Ipswich (away) followed by Hull (home), Coventry (away) and Crystal Palace (home) offer hope when they return from the international break. 5
Hull City: To have eight points from a tough opening five fixtures is an excellent return, including beating Manchester United and drawing with Aston Villa and Chelsea. 8
Ipswich Town: Defensively vulnerable but two late winners, against Sunderland and Crystal Palace, have earned them six points and shown their fighting spirit. 5
Leeds United: Fifth in the league, unbeaten and with the joint-best defensive record. They showed what they are capable of with a superb 4-1 win over Newcastle. 7
Liverpool: Unbeaten but have been far from their best. Three clean sheets in their past three games, but more is expected from Andoni Iraola’s side. 6
Manchester City: Five league games, five victories. Managed to win at Manchester United despite going down to 10 men midway through the first half. With Erling Haaland already top scorer, City fans will expect a real push to win the league. 9
Manchester United: Disappointing performances to lose at Hull and draw at a Fulham side who were bottom of the league. Their only win so far came against Ipswich and they were denied a victory at Everton by a late equaliser. 4
Newcastle United: A mixed bag under new manager Matthias Jaissle. They impressed in a draw against Liverpool, won comfortably at Tottenham, but were also terrible in a loss at Leeds, although they responded well to beat Hull. 6
Nottingham Forest: Their best results have come away, drawing at Liverpool and winning at Aston Villa. But their home form will be a huge worry – yet to score a goal and with only one point from three matches at the City Ground. 5
Sunderland: After coming seventh in 2025-26, Sunderland fans will have wanted a better start to this season. The Black Cats gave good accounts of themselves against Arsenal and Manchester City, but lost both matches. 5
Tottenham Hotspur: After spending more than £300m in the summer, Spurs have been poor, failing to score in their opening four league matches. Supporters will be demanding an instant improvement after the international break. 2
In the final week of the regular season, you have to take any two-start possibility with an enormous grain of salt
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1 min read
What, no italics? That’s right, I’m abandoning the usual boilerplate intro for this final edition of the two-start pitcher rankings to issue a grave warning …
Don’t count on any of these guys actually making two starts.
They appear to be in line to — and some indeed will — but the second start would come on the final day of the season. With no tomorrow, a team can throw caution to the wind and pretty much use whomever it wants. I’m not saying it’ll start someone on short rest, but a bullpen game or a spot starter? Why not?
And actually, I think the pitchers most in danger of losing their second start are the ones on the teams with a tomorrow — i.e., the ones resetting their rotation for the playoffs. If they’ve already secured their spot prior to the final day of the season and one of their top hurlers is scheduled to go, they’ll almost assuredly opt for someone else.
To reiterate, you should be skeptical of any pitcher listed here actually making two starts, but especially Zack Wheeler, Max Fried and Kevin Gausman. Maybe Cristian Javier, Nick Martinez and Robbie Ray as well. You’re probably going to ask about Payton Tolle because you’re likely to see two baseball indicators next to his name on your lineup page, signaling two starts, but I’m so confident he won’t actually make that second start that I’ve left him out of these rankings altogether. Of course, you’ll probably still want to use him with one start because he’s that good.
That should the litmus test. If you wouldn’t be comfortable getting just one start from any of these pitchers, you’re better off not using him at all. For now, though, here’s how the two-start pitcher slate stacks up for Fantasy Week 27 (Sept. 21-27). All information is up to date as of late Sunday.
Better left for points leagues
Everyone knows Week 1 can be a liar. We’ve witnessed enough hot starts and rapid cooldowns over the years to take early results with a grain of salt.
Week 2 doesn’t always tell us the whole story, either.
But something tells us that when it comes to these Kansas City Chiefs, we should probably believe them.
Six days after their ground-pounding win over Denver last Monday, Kansas City made another grand statement on the prime-time stage with Sunday night’s 33-30 overtime victory against the Indianapolis Colts. It was the kind of win that makes it hard not to lean all the way into hyperbole — about Kenneth Walker’s franchise-altering presence to give this team the run game it so desperately needed; about Patrick Mahomes’ vintage performance and Travis Kelce turning back the clock; about the defence coming up clutch and Andy Reid’s masterful clock management; and about the mental games this team can play on the coach manning the opposite sideline, knowing better than to leave his opponent with so much time on the clock but being unable to stop it.
Sunday night’s classic contest delivered all of it. Mahomes completed 32 of 47 passes for 382 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and one commanding game-winning drive to tee up Harrison Butker for the walk-off winner. Walker ran 24 times for 117 yards, then added 61 more on six catches. Kelce caught nine passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. (That Kansas City, at 2-0, now sits atop the AFC West alongside… the Raiders?… is a whole other kind of statement, thanks to Vegas’s victory over the Chargers earlier Sunday. Wild stuff!)
The Chiefs, of course, weren’t the only team making grand proclamations on the field Sunday night. Though the Colts came out on the losing end, we can confidently say this is a team that’s better than their 0-2 record. After a dismal start to the season, Daniel Jones & Co. were a worthy opponent that simply couldn’t take advantage of a lucky call in OT that overturned what looked like a sure Laquon Treadwell fumble to close out the match. Jonathan Taylor was the story of this Colts performance, piling up 92 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries and catching four passes for another 40 yards on top of that. Unfortunately, so too is the loss of Alex Pierce to injury.
Overall, this one was a chess match, a barnburner, and a perfect way to cap an eventful day of football.
Here are some of our other takeaways from Week 2:
After quiet season-opener, Ja’Marr Chase puts on a show
After barely registering on the Week 1 stat sheet, catching just two passes for 12 yards in Cincinnati’s season-opening victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Ja’Marr Chase made up for lost time in Week 2.
His toe-tapping touchdown catch in the second quarter was nothing short of spectacular. The play saw Chase get out of a tangle with Texans defender Derek Stingley Jr., tracking the ball and twisting his body to snatch it just inside the goal line for 32 yards and the first score of the game.
Chase followed up those acrobatics with a second touchdown catch in the third quarter to give the Bengals a 14-point lead in what was an eventual 20-6 victory. That he wasn’t even the Bengals’ leader in receiving yards feels like a win within this win — while Chase collected seven catches for 75 yards and two TDs, teammate Tee Higgins led the squad in targets (10) and yards (95). Together, the duo made all the difference against a tough Houston defence that sacked Joe Burrow a whopping five times.
Waddle makes a splash in Broncos’ win over Jaguars
Like Chase in Cincinnati, Jaylen Waddle started slow in Denver with a very quiet Week 1 performance. That changed in Week 2. The former Dolphin caught eight passes for 138 yards, including a 49-yard grab to put Denver at first and goal at Jacksonville’s one-yard line in the second quarter.
But that’s when the Broncos’ red-zone issues showed up. Despite the optimal field position, the Broncos couldn’t cash in on Waddle’s setup, instead settling for a field goal after an impressive goal-line stand by Jacksonville. On their next trip to the red zone, Bo Nix was picked off in the end zone for a touchback. Their first opportunity to score in the second half also saw them settle for three.
Maybe Nix was just waiting for the fourth quarter to roll around, just like old times. Down a touchdown entering the final frame, things finally clicked, with the Broncos outscoring Jacksonville 14-0 in the fourth quarter thanks to some clutch plays from Waddle as well as a timely surge from rookie running back Jonah Coleman. Was this a lucky break against an offence that cooled off too soon, or a sign of good things to come for Denver? With a date against the Rams next Sunday night, something tells us we’ll find out soon.
Falcons’ QB situation is a real mess
We thought things looked messy in training camp as the Atlanta Falcons weighed options and health reports between Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa…
Well, turns out, those were the good old days. Because two weeks into the season, the team has already rolled out QB4. With both Penix and Tagovailoa sidelined with injuries, the club was forced to open the season with third-stringer Cooper Rush as the starter. After a rough outing last week against the Steelers, Rush got absolutely crushed by the Carolina Panthers on Sunday — the same Panthers defence that allowed 59 points against the Bears just a week ago. Rush registered just 10 completions for 86 yards, with two interceptions, a sack, and a passer rating of 32.6. With the game already way out of hand, fourth-stringer Jack Strand added insult to injury when he took to the field in the third quarter. His first pass was a pick-six, with Carolina putting the exclamation point on their 34-3 victory.
All eyes were on the Falcons’ sidelines as frustrations flared. All that elite pass-catching talent, with no one to feed them, is a storyline that’s been around too long in Atlanta. But is help on the way? According to NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter, Penix could make his season debut against the Packers this Thursday. Fingers crossed.
Heartbreak hits early as Bears lose Williams, Commanders lose Daniels to injury
After opening the campaign on the highest of highs with their 59-point statement-maker of a season-opener last week, the Chicago Bears’ offence fell flat against the Minnesota Vikings’ hard-hitting defence on Sunday. But the 9-3 loss on a rainy afternoon at home was the least of their problems, as evidenced by Caleb Williams being carted down the tunnel in obvious distress in the fourth quarter.
The nature of the injury, suffered during a scramble play, and Williams’ immediate reaction as he lay on the field had worst-case scenarios playing out, but there might be hope as the injury was later deemed to be to his hamstring, with further testing to come. Whatever the diagnosis, it puts Chicago’s season in jeopardy almost right out of the gates.
While the Washington Commanders entered the 2026 season with different expectations than the Bears, they find themselves in a similar boat as they, too, had to watch their own QB1 carted off in Week 2. Jayden Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow midway through Washington’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys. (A word of warning, the video replay is not for the faint of heart — just ask Tom Brady, who let out an expletive on live TV upon seeing it.)
Daniels missed more than half of last season with various ailments, including a dislocated left elbow, making Sunday’s misplay an all-too-familiar scene for Commanders fans and immediately putting Washington in a déjà vu situation with Marcus Mariota back at the helm of what could be another lost season without their franchise guy.
Patriots bounce back, but did Maye?
After the way his season-opener ended against Seattle, Drake Maye needed a bounce back in Week 2. And while his team secured a convincing 20-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday… Maye’s performance still left something to be desired. Maye completed 14 of 22 passes against a tough Steelers defence, but was sacked three times and threw an interception that exposed the same kind of issues he had against Seattle in Week 1. Early in the third quarter, Maye underthrew Hunter Henry and was easily picked off by Patrick Queen. It was the kind of reckless play we rarely saw from Maye last season, but that has already shown up plenty in just two weeks of play this year. While Maye also showed off what made him a clear MVP runner-up last year, with a 63-yard bomb to Romeo Doubs, it’s the pick that stands out despite New England’s win.
The Patriots’ defence stepped up, as did the run game with TreVeyon Henderson back in the fold, but with a tough slate coming up — the Jaguars in Week 3, followed by the Bills — Maye’s decision-making will be under much scrutiny in the weeks to come.
Pulis, who managed Stoke for 10 years in two different spells, added: “When I was at Stoke, I would drive home to the south coast after a game on the Saturday.
“It could take me three hours or more, but it was precious time because I could spend much of it on the phone and it is when I would start my preparation for our next match.
“My chairman Peter Coates would always speak to me then if we lost. If we’d won, he never bothered, knowing I wouldn’t need comforting.
“Win or lose, however, I would always ring my assistants, David Kemp and Gerry Francis, and we would discuss the game in finer detail – away from the stadium to give us a different perspective.
“Then I would contact my chief scout, who would have been at our next opponent’s game, for a quick run-down of what he had seen – their shape, patterns, strength, weaknesses and any injuries.
“By the time I arrived home, whatever our result, I would have my dinner on a tray in front of the TV while watching a recording of our opponent’s last game, which I could get downloaded.
“Sunday was about spending all day with the family, but then either late on Sunday night or early on Monday morning I would be back up the motorway, with a clear view of what I believed was needed for our next game.
“There are so many people in football who will tell you the same – that by jumping in the car, being by yourself and then picking the people you want to speak to, with no interference and no other phones going, you can just concentrate on what you want to. Whereas if you are in your office, you have got this and that going on.
“You might be involved in a really serious debate and then your chairman says he wants to speak to you – then you have to change all of that and go and find out what he wants.
“Whereas when you are in that car and you are by yourself, you have got time to think about everything. I always valued that time and thought it was really important – so it was more beneficial to me as an individual to live away from the club.”
He added: “Having my family on the south coast didn’t stop me from understanding what the DNA of Stoke City Football Club was. I got to know the area and the fans, and I wanted to give them a team they could identify with.
“Wherever I worked, I never felt I wasn’t doing the job I was being paid to do – I always wanted my club to feel like a family.
“I always wanted everyone to feel as though they were part of the family – and the main thing was that everyone pulled and pushed in the right direction.”
Nigeria’s Falconets have been knocked out of the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after losing 1-0 to Colombia in their quarter-final match in Łódź, Poland, on Sunday.
The defeat ended Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals and continuing their search for a first-ever U-20 Women’s World Cup title.
The Falconets started the game strongly and controlled much of the first half. Nigeria had 64 per cent possession and created seven attempts, with two on target, but they could not find the breakthrough.
Janet Akekoromowei remained a threat after the break, but her three attempts failed to beat the Colombian goalkeeper.
Nigeria’s task became harder in the 74th minute when Kafayat Mafisere was shown a red card following a tackle, leaving the Falconets with 10 players.
Colombia took advantage of the numerical advantage and began to create more opportunities as the game moved towards the final minutes.
Just when the match looked set to go into extra time, Colombia scored the decisive goal in the 92nd minute.
Valerin Loboa received a through pass from midfield before sending a low shot past Nigeria goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma to give Colombia a 1-0 lead.
The Falconets had little time to respond, and the match ended 1-0.
Nigeria had entered the quarter-final with confidence after a 3-0 victory over England in the round of 16, but their World Cup journey has now come to an end.
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