The upcoming tour of West Indies, which starts a new WTC cycle, could prove a line in the sand

Andrew McGlashan14-Jun-20252:00

Hayden: ‘Defensive Cummins missed a trick’

As a rule, Australia don’t lose ICC finals. Only once in ten deciders since 1996, when Sri Lanka famously overcame them in another seismic result, had they fallen short – the 2010 T20 World Cup against England in Barbados. Therefore, the defeat in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s is significant and likely to lead to the first stages of regenerating the side for the next cycle when the squad reaches the West Indies.Australia were favourites coming into the final against South Africa – although not perhaps by as big a margin as some perceptions – and also lost from a position of strength: 102 runs ahead on the second day with ten wickets in hand, before losing 7 for 45 as they were unable to navigate the South Africa quicks as the clouds came over. Australia didn’t earn the right to have more batting under sunshine on Friday, the third day of the Test. That had followed being 67 for 4 in the first innings, which ended with a collapse of 5 for 20.Australia played some excellent cricket to reach the WTC final, prevailing in numerous tight situations along the way over the two years, and they do not suddenly need a complete rebuild. It does not need a national enquiry, but it does warrant some introspection.Related

• Australia's new-look batting order 'prepared for anything'

• 'Good enough to play that role' – Voges backs Inglis as top-four Test batter

• Australia's batting issues: questions surround Khawaja, Labuschagne, Konstas and Green

• Markram delivers WTC glory to end SA's history of heartbreak

• Smith avoids surgery, faces race to be fit for West Indies Tests

The biggest questions heading into the game were around the top three. Though the selectors were clear on the fact that this was being treated as a one-off occasion, and that decisions made here did not have to link to what’s to come, Australia leave Lord’s arguably less clear of a path forward than before.”We always knew this was going to be a one-off – it’s pretty specific conditions over here,” captain Pat Cummins said after the defeat. “Losing the toss on day one and being sent into bat is never going to be easy for the top three. I think there are probably quite a few people in the line-up that kind of wish they could have done a little bit more. The top three was an obvious one in this game.”It’s not to say that had Australia managed to defend 282, the key issues wouldn’t have been addressed, but there is often a reluctance to change a winning team. Although there remains uncertainty over the strength of the bowling attack which England will be able to bring to Australia later in the year, coach Andrew McDonald has already acknowledged that the hosts will need a settled opening pair by then. Now the tour of the West Indies, which begins on June 25, could prove a line in the sand.”I don’t particularly know why, but it does feel like a little bit of a fresh start,” Cummins said, “Fast forward a couple of years, you start maybe thinking about who’s going to win. Hopefully we make the final, who’s going to win that, and maybe do we want to get some games into them?2:11

Should Khawaja’s pattern of dismissals worry Australia?

“Do we feel like now’s the right time to change, or do you hold with the team that got us to the final? We’ve got a couple of weeks before the first Test of the West Indies, so we’ll sit down and have a bit of a think after we digest this game. For me, I think a new WTC cycle in some ways does feel like a bit of a reset.”The clearest option with a view to the next generation is Sam Konstas, who hasn’t featured since his first two Tests against India. It’s hypothetical to ponder how he would have fared at Lord’s – and there’s no guarantee he’ll be the immediate answer after just 17 first-class matches – but even before Steven Smith’s nastily dislocated finger, it was difficult to see how he wouldn’t get an opportunity in Barbados. Josh Inglis is another who will to be given serious consideration.The immediate change is unlikely to be dramatic, or, beyond Konstas, especially youthful. Inglis, should he get a chance, is 30; the reserve quicks are 36-year-old Scott Boland and 31-year-old Brendan Doggett, although they will be key if the selectors decide the time is right for more rotation of the big three quicks to keep them fresh. However, the overall next WTC cycle could see a more significant remaking of the team.”In white-ball series, a lot of the time you build on four-year cycles around World Cups for ODIs,” Cummins said. “I think maybe it’s an opportunity in a Test match to do something similar. Everyone gets thrown back into the conversation, and it’s a little bit of a reset for that first half.”The biggest questions heading into the WTC final were around Australia’s top three•PA Photos/Getty ImagesQuestions may also be asked of Australia’s build-up where they opted for centre-wicket and nets. It’s worth noting they did the same in 2023, when they beat India in the final. South Africa hoped to have four days of cricket against Zimbabweans, but rain reduced that to one.There was no clear pattern to draw between how players prepared and their output at Lord’s: Usman Khawaja hadn’t played since March and struggled, Cameron Green churned out runs for Gloucestershire and failed twice, and Smith had three months without batting and made 66 in tricky conditions in the first innings.”I thought we got it spot on,” Cummins said. “I think the weather helped us out as well in that lead-in. I thought the fast bowlers, particularly, from the medical staff as well – they did fantastically well to make sure everyone was firing all cylinders from basically ball one.”It remains a fantastic bowling attack, but this time that wasn’t enough. They were excellent on the fourth morning, but when South Africa began the final day requiring another 69 runs to win, it would have needed something extraordinary for Cummins to continue his winning run in ICC finals.Now it all starts again, and events over the last four days at Lord’s have meant it will be an intriguing time for Australia’s Test team.

حسم التعادل السلبي نتيجة مباراة الاتحاد السكندري ونظيره المصري البورسعيدي، في إطار منافسات دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس الرابطة المصرية. 

وواجه الاتحاد السكندري فريق المصري البورسعيدي، في الساعة الخامسة من مساء اليوم، على ملعب “هيئة قناة السويس”. 

طالع.. اتحاد الكرة يٌعلن حكم مبارة الأهلي وإنبي في كأس الرابطة

ويقع فريق الاتحاد السكندري في المجموعة الثالثة في مجموعات كأس الرابطة رفقة الزمالك وكهرباء الإسماعيلية والمصري البورسعيدي وحرس الحدود وزد إف سي وسموحة. 

وبهذه النتيجة رفع فريق الاتحاد السكندري رصيده إلى نقطة وحيدة في المركز الخامس في جدول ترتيب المجموعة، بين رفع فريق المصري البورسعيدي رصيده إلى نقطة وحيدة في المركز الرابع. 

The Blue Jays are one game away from winning the 2025 World Series after beating the Dodgers in Game 5 on Wednesday night.

Following a brutal loss in Game 3's marathon thriller, Toronto quickly rebounded with a win in Game 4 to even up the series at two games apiece. Heading into Game 5, each team knew that the result could heavily tip the scales in one side's favor—as Dodgers minority owner Magic Johnson so astutely put it before first pitch.

On Wednesday, the Blue Jays played spoiler for the second straight time during the Dodgers' homestand with rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage's historic start and Toronto's big-time bats helping to secure a pivotal 6-1 win, and now they stand on the precipice of their first World Series title since 1993. Meanwhile, the Dodgers are teetering on the brink of elimination, their first taste of do-or-die baseball since the 2024 NLDS.

If history is any indication, the odds are very much in Toronto's favor.

In a best-of-seven series tied 2-2, the winner of Game 5 has won the series 46 of 68 times (67.6%), according to MLB's Sarah Langs.

In series which have a 2-3-2 format (like this one), teams who take a 3-2 lead by winning Game 5 on the road before returning home for Game 6 and 7 have gone on to to win the series 20 of 27 times (74.1%).

The Last Time Winner of Game 5 Clinched the World Series

The last two World Series were decided in five games, so they don't apply in this situation. In the 2022 Fall Classic between the Astros and Phillies, with the series tied 2-2, the Astros took Game 5 in Philadelphia before going on to clinch the title two days later at home in Game 6's 4-1 win.

With Game 6 at Rogers Centre on Friday night, the Blue Jays own the clear advantage and will also get to hear their home fans cheering them on in the same building they won their repeat championship in '93. Facing a Dodgers team that doesn't seem to have any answers at the plate this series, the Blue Jays will have sole control of their destiny.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider is really happy. Not just for himself, but for his team and the country he now calls home. After the Blue Jays beat the Mariners to win the American League Championship Series and advance to their first World Series in more than 30-years, Schneider was interviewed by Sportsnet's Hazel Mae, who for the second straight night found herself in an iconic Toronto television moment.

On Sunday she was interviewing Vladimir Guererro Jr. when Sportsnet did a sweet 360-degree shot to soak in the atmosphere after a win in Game 6. Tonight it was just holding the microphone so Schneider could drop a couple F-bombs after a win in Game 7.

"This f—ing unbelievable for me," said Schneider. "This is my 24th year with this organization and I f—ing love it here. These fans, this country, you deserve all of this. It's not about me. It's about every single one that's behind me and I couldn't be happier to represent this team."

Schneider was drafted by the Tigers in 2001, but didn't sign and was then drafted by the Blue Jays in 2002. He spent five years in the Blue Jays' farm system before he retired and started coaching. He worked his way up through the ranks until he got to Toronto in 2019. By 2022 he was named interim manager and now he's led them to their first World Series since he was a kid in New Jersey.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras não saiu do 0 a 0 contra o San Lorenzo, na noite desta quinta-feira (30), no Allianz Parque. Por fim, sobrou a irritação da torcida palmeirense, que não poupou críticas ao trabalho de Abel Ferreira. Confira!

continua após a publicidade

Tudo sobre

LibertadoresPalmeirasStar +

Jasprit Bumrah was rested while Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya continue to recover from their injuries

Shashank Kishore23-Nov-20253:52

Rishabh Pant vs Tilak Varma for Shreyas Iyer’s middle-order spot

India batter KL Rahul will captain the side in the three ODIs against South Africa starting on November 30. Rahul steps in with regular captain Shubman Gill still recovering from the neck injury he suffered during the first Test in Kolkata earlier this month.Rishabh Pant was back in ODI mix as the second wicketkeeper, having last played the format in August 2024. Jasprit Bumrah was rested having featured in all four home Tests this season, the T20 Asia Cup as well as the ODIs in Australia over the past two months. Shreyas Iyer too wasn’t in the squad as he continues to recover from a lacerated spleen.With Shreyas unavailable, a middle-order spot opened up for Tilak Varma, the left-hand batter, who featured in a recent one-day series against South Africa A in Rajkot.ESPNcricinfo LtdTilak has so far played four ODIs with modest returns, but has established himself as a regular in the T20I set-up. He could compete with Pant for a spot in the middle order that also has Virat Kohli, Rahul as well as Ravindra Jadeja, who was rested for the Australia ODIs. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar are the other allrounders in the mix. There was no spot for Axar Patel.In Gill’s absence, Yashasvi Jaiswal is expected to open the batting with Rohit Sharma. Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was in sparkling form for India A during the one-dayers against South Africa A is the reserve opener. Gaikwad, who last played in an ODI two years ago, made scores of 117, 68* and 25 during India A’s 2-1 series win.Mohammed Siraj has been rested, presumably to manage his workloads after he featured in each of the four home Tests, with Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana as the frontline pace bowlers. The squad also comprises Dhruv Jurel as the back-up middle order batter.Hardik Pandya, meanwhile, is undergoing the final phase of his rehab for a quadriceps injury at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. He has been named in Baroda’s squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s that start on November 26, and could play the first three rounds of matches before the selectors take a call on him for the T20I series against South Africa. Hardik, who was part of the Champions Trophy wining squad in March, missed India’s previous ODI assignment due to the injury he picked up during September’s Asia Cup.The three ODIs against South Africa will be played on November 30 in Ranchi, December 3 in Raipur and on December 6 in Visakhapatnam.India’s ODI squad for South Africa seriesRohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul (capt & wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Dhruv Jurel

A man has pleaded guilty to stalking Liverpool star Marie Hobinger after sending her inappropriate and sexualised messages. Mangal Dalal, from London, sent the midfielder a string of messages via Instagram, which included his mobile number and postcode, as well as asking her to visit him. The 42-year-old was also charged with stalking as a result of the electronic communications between January and February this year.

Liverpool star fears for her safety

According to the Crime Prosecution Service, Dalal sent messages to Hobinger between January 27 and February 16, 2025. The messages were 'often sexually explicit,' and he also implied he would come to football games to see her. The Austrian became 'increasingly concerned' and blocked him on the social media platform before telling her club. Despite that, the Hyde Park Gardens resident travelled to the Reds' clash at Manchester City's Joie Stadium on February 16, where the 24-year-old played the whole game. A safety officer travelled to the match, which City won 4-0, and after they discovered that Dalal was waiting for her pitchside, action was taken, with the Westminster local later being questioned by police. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportAccused pleads guilty

The report adds that when he was questioned by police, Dalal owned up to what he had done but said he was mentally unwell at the time. The CPS authorised a charge of stalking and last Thursday (December 4), he plead guilty at Liverpool Magistrates' Court. He will be sentenced on January 20, 2026, at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

'Dalal’s behaviour was criminal'

At the magistrates' court, senior crown prosecutor Sarah McInerney said Dalal treated Hobinger "as an object" he could use to "air his fantasies". She added that his actions were "totally inappropriate" and his behaviour was "criminal".

She told the court: "Marie Hobinger is a talented professional sportswoman at the top of her game. Mangal Dalal targeted her and treated her as an object that he could use to air his fantasies. His messaging was intense, continual, and totally inappropriate. It had a serious impact on the player who was simply trying to play to the best of her ability in a sport and team that she loves. Dalal’s behaviour was criminal and will not be tolerated in a fair and equal society. We would like to thank Ms Hobinger and Liverpool FC for their help in bringing Dalal to justice."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Hobinger?

The former FC Zurich player, who joined Liverpool in 2023 and has since gone on to play 59 times for the Women's Super League side, is currently out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. She has been doing her rehab since sustaining the setback in October. 

As South Africa’s most experienced specialist batter, his role is multi-fold in the two-Test series. It’s a challenge he’s up to take on

Firdose Moonda13-Nov-20252:04

Bangar: South Africa’s spin-bowling allrounders will be critical

Temba Bavuma had played only four Tests before he first batted in one in India, as the least experienced specialist batter of a side that was already defeated. He opened the batting, which he told ESPNcricinfo today was, “the best thing that could have happened because batting in the middle order was quite tough,” but back then, he called it “the toughest piece of batting I’ve had to do in my life.”If only he knew how much tougher it was going to get.Fast-forward a decade and Bavuma has realised that “Test cricket doesn’t get any easier.” He lists the 2018 sandpapergate series against Australia, when he had just returned from a broken hand, as “quite tough having not played any cricket,” and the 2019 series in India, which South Africa lost 3-0, as “also quite tough,” but arguably his toughest Test knock was most recent one. In the World Test Championship final, chasing the highest score at Lord’s against Australia, Bavuma was nursing a hamstring injury and scored the most important 66 runs of his career.Related

• Colossal task awaits SA's eight newcomers in India

• Eden Gardens conditions could weaponise quicks

• Smith: 'Crucial for South Africa to start well' in India

• The World Test Champions begin their toughest test

Interestingly, 66 is also Bavuma’s highest first-class score in the subcontinent, for South Africa A in 2015, where he has only batted 22 times. That innings came a few months before the Test series. This time, Bavuma has been in India before most of his team-mates, again playing for an A side as he makes his return to the longest format. After a first-ball duck against India A, he scored 59 last week in South Africa A’s successful chase of 417. More importantly, he familiarised himself with his subcontinent gameplan after missing South Africa’s series in both Bangladesh last year and Pakistan this year through injury.”Having come off a long layoff from Test cricket, it was just about getting back on the field, proving my fitness to myself and everyone around and spending some time at the crease,” Bavuma said at the pre-match press conference. “I think that was important – to try to make whatever adjustments that I need to with conditions here in the subcontinent. I spent a lot of time on my feet in the field and it was a good exercise.”

“He’s our best player. It’s as simple as that. If you take the last two years maybe, he’s been one of the best players in the world.”SA head coach Conrad on Bavuma

It was also an opportunity to remind himself of what lies ahead. Bavuma is now the most experienced specialist batter in a side that knows success far better than its opposite. South Africa, at full strength, have not lost a series under Bavuma (the 2024 makeshift squad that lost in New Zealand did not include him, nor any of those on this tour). And his stocks continue to rise.”Whenever we go into a series, there’s a lot more of an expectation for us as a team to uphold the world champion status,” Bavuma said. “From a confidence point of view, it’s a case of us kind of walking proudly with that badge, being known as the champions. We have a lovely opportunity now coming up against India in their own conditions. It’s a great opportunity for us to kind of stamp ourselves with that label.”While Bavuma said “not much” can trump winning the WTC, “second to that would be winning in India.” Not England. Not Australia. But India, because, “we haven’t been able to do it for the longest time.”Temba Bavuma checked out the Eden Gardens pitch•Associated PressSouth Africa last won a Test in India in 2010, when none of the current crop were involved in international cricket. They have been on two tours of India since with humbling results as they lost 3-0 on each occasion. They last won a series there in 2000, when Tristan Stubbs and Marco Jansen were not even born. “The longest time” seems a reasonable description, especially considering India’s formidable home record. Never mind South Africa, no team beat them in a home series for a dozen years between England winning in 2012 and New Zealand’s victory last year. That’s 18 successive home series wins for India which puts into perspective the scale of the task. “We understand the magnitude of the challenge,” Bavuma said. “For some of us, there have been moments of hurt having come from India. We know what it’s about. We look forward to the challenge.”Bavuma knows that better than most. His most recent Indian heartbreak is fresher than anyone else’s and didn’t involve Tests. It came at the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he captained South Africa to the semi-finals but was the only batter in the top five who did not score a century and played with an injured hamstring in the knockouts. The memes were cruel and included images of Bavuma seeming to fall asleep in the pre-tournament captain’s presser when the camera angle had just caught him awkwardly looking at his hand and being pushed in a wheelchair by the batters who were scoring runs. The experience could either have turned him away from leadership entirely or made him stronger and it seems to have done the latter.”It wasn’t the greatest of World Cups for me from a batting point of view, so I could understand why the criticism would have come but that’s probably more from a player point of view,” he said. “From a captaincy point of view, it always felt as if it’s a process of discovery. You’re always kind of learning a little bit more about yourself. You start off with maybe an understanding as to how you want to go about things but then as time goes by, as things happen, you work with different coaches, that generally comes into your whole idea. Now, I’m a lot more comfortable in my own skin. There’s no case of having to prove to myself, prove to the players or prove to people back home that I’m deserving of the title. The results that we’ve achieved speak for themselves. The type of reaction that I get from the players, also speaks for itself. The criticism, all of that, that’s not going to go away. For as long as you’re in these types of positions, the magnifying glass is always going to be on you. That’s just something that you have to accept. I just try to take it day by day and to enjoy it.”In the South Africa changing room, Bavuma is undisputedly regarded with the utmost respect. “He’s our best player. It’s as simple as that,” South Africa’s coach Shukri Conrad said. “If you take the last two years maybe, he’s been one of the best players in the world.”Bavuma scored 59 in South Africa A’s win over India A in the outskirts of Bengaluru last week•PTI Since February 2023, which is when Conrad took over the Test side, of batters who have scored more than 500 runs in Tests, Bavuma’s average is 56.93, the sixth-highest.Amongst the South African public, the perception of Bavuma has changed from seeing him as a bit-part player to someone who tried hard but couldn’t convert scores into centuries to being regarded as crucial to the operation and that’s largely because of his role in winning the mace. “I feel like there’s been a major shift in mindset towards the Proteas and towards cricket,” Bavuma said. “There’s been a lot more appreciation and love that’s been shown towards the team, but also to individuals within the team. For myself, probably a lot more, appreciation for my presence within the team.”And globally? That’s still to be determined, and Bavuma knows it. He is eyeing at least another two years in the game, both as ODI captain with a home World Cup to prepare for and as Test captain in the current cycle, which is where he believes this team will really be measured. “We have our own goals,” he said. “We know we want to do it as a team, and we know at what point we want to start measuring ourselves. We know that after two years, we can’t consider that a proper legacy. Winning the Test Championship was big in a lot of ways but we’d like to see ourselves after four years. We will continue doing what we set out to do two years ago.”By then, Bavuma will be 37, would have played international cricket for 13 years and will likely be on the cusp of retirement. He probably won’t play another Test series in India between now and then which makes this one crucial to his place in cricket’s pantheon.

Winter is here, and Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank knows he is staring down the barrel of a gun as he looks to find form and consistency after a tough start to his tenure.

That may be an understatement. Spurs have lost three on the trot, and Saturday’s home defeat against Fulham in the Premier League means the 3-0 victory over Burnley in August remains an outlier in regard to three points down N17 this season.

The fans are frustrated, no doubt about that. And they have a right to be. Tottenham have lacked sparkle in their attacking play this season, though Frank will feel that injuries to Dominic Solanke, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski have put him on the back foot.

Much has been made of the Londoners’ creativity (or lack thereof), but it’s also clear that the Lewis Family need to authorise the signing of a centre-forward.

Why Spurs need a striker

Harry Kane and Heung-min Son have both left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in recent years, and the superstars have not really been replaced with elite options.

Mathys Tel is young and talented, but he is also raw. Solanke is a proven Premier League star, but his entire stint in north London has been blighted by setbacks. Richarlison is in fine form, but probably not the long-term solution at number nine.

What Frank and the fanbase need is an up-and-coming superstar to spearhead this next era at the club.

That’s why Samu Agwehowa has been earmarked. According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham have joined the race for the 21-year-old Porto striker after his convincing performances in Portugal.

The Spanish international has a €100m (about £88m) release clause in his contract, though Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange would be certain to lodge an offer far south of that daunting figure.

What Samu would bring to north London

Richarlison is a curious striker. He is capable of so much, and yet he performs to his full capacity with consistent inconsistency.

Richarlison’s Tottenham Career (Prem)

Season

Apps

Goals + Assists

25/26

13

5 + 2

24/25

14

4 + 1

23/24

28

11 + 4

22/23

27

1 + 4

Stats via Transfermarkt

Injuries have not helped the Brazil international, but it’s clear that he is not Kane. That said, Richarlison has been in moderately good form this season, essential in providing an outlet as Solanke founders in the infirmary.

But in Samu, Frank would land a goalscorer who has the potential to be “one of the best strikers in Europe”, according to journalist Zach Lowy, so powerful and potent in the final third.

Joining Porto from Atletico Madrid in 2024, Samu has chalked up 37 goals and four assists across just 62 appearances, including ten from 17 outings in all competitions this season.

He ranks among the top 8% of forwards in the Primeira Liga for progressive carries and the top 3% for successful take-ons, emphasising not only his pace but his control and force when on the ball and driving forward.

His athleticism and natural poaching instinct earn him a certain likeness to Richarlison, but given his age and the consistency of goalscoring, Samu might actually prove an upgrade on the South American.

Take, for example, his Europa League performances this year, winning 57% of his duels and averaging a tackle per game, as per Sofascore.

Combativeness forms a key part of Richarlison’s toolbox, and if Spurs are to upgrade on the 28-year-old, who has actually been linked with a move away from the club of late, they will want to sign someone who can emulate him while building up a skillset that transcends what Spurs have hosted in recent years.

Samu is all that and more, and he would be a fantastic signing for a Tottenham team in need of a new talisman.

Related Spurs star who was one of "the best" in the country is now as bad as Porro

Some of Tottenham’s star players have let Thomas Frank down this season.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Dec 2, 2025

Chameera held his nerve at the death to deny Salman the ability to hit the winning runs

Danyal RasoolUpdated on 27-Nov-2025

Dushmantha Chameera held his nerve in a clutch final over to ensure Sri Lanka did not throw away a win they had spent the rest of the evening working for. He conceded three runs in the final over, building on a magnificent opening spell to deny Pakistan victory by six runs in a 184-run chase.The stakes were higher for Sri Lanka than they were for Pakistan, with a victory required for a place in the final, or it would be Zimbabwe playing that game on Saturday. And Sri Lanka played with a hunger they have rediscovered since they finally won a game on Pakistan soil on Tuesday. Kusal Mendis and Kamil Mishara’s 36-ball 66-run stand got them off to a flier, with Mishara ending up with 76 off 48 balls, and cameos lower down the order got them to 184.Right from the outset, Chameera hampered Pakistan with three top-order wickets in his first two overs. The chase looked as good as dead after the loss of the first four, with 43 runs on the board, but captain Salman Ali Agha’s unbeaten half-century kept Pakistan fighting on until the bitter end.A 56-run stand between Salman and Usman Khan brought Pakistan back into contention, and Mohammad Nawaz brought Pakistan right to the brink. The hosts were favourites when a six over cover reduced the equation to 10 in the final over, but Chameera got a wicket, nailed his Yorkers and squeezed Pakistan out.Mendis, Mishara nail the early oversEarlier in the evening, Pakistan strangled Sri Lanka in the first three overs. It started with a beautiful delivery Salman Mirza kissing Pathum Nissanka’s off bail. But when Faheem Ashraf was thrown the ball for the fourth over, Kusal Mendis picked his moment. Three boundaries saw helped him plunder 16, and Mohammad Wasim disappeared for 15 more when he replaced Ashraf for the powerplay’s final over.Even the spreading of the field struggled to contain Mendis and Mishara. When Nawaz came to bowl in the eighth over, Mendis cut him for four before Kamil Mishara slapped him for six. A late flurry put Sri Lanka on course to a match-defending total.Salman stakes a T20I caseSalman has played every single Pakistan game this year, but has never convinced as a T20 batter. Today, finding himself in the sort of situation where what was required of him closely matched his best attributes, the Pakistan captain got stuck in. He began sedately, as he tends to do, but then worked himself into touch and took the game deep. Through the middle overs, his ability to play spin was on full display as the boundaries came regularly enough and the runs kept ticking over.When Sri Lanka turned to pace, Salman kept the pressure up, picking up 10 off Dasun Shanaka, smashing Eshan Malinga for six to keep Pakistan on track. Increasingly, by the end, Sri Lanka’s ability to starve Salman of the strike would prove crucial to holding Pakistan at bay; the final three overs, Salman was at the non-striker’s end for all but five balls, with his unbeaten heroics going in vain.Chameera guts PakistanPakistan felt they had built up a steady opening stand with Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan setting up a platform in the powerplay in the first three overs. It was from that point onwards that Sri Lanka had cut loose in their innings, and the home openers were positioning themselves to do the same.But then, along came fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera. His extra pace beat Farhan for timing and forced him into dinking one straight to cover. The big wicket came two balls later, when a touch of inconsistent bounce had the ball strike Babar Azam below the knee roll, sending him back for a second duck in four innings. Another two balls later, a length delivery grew big on Fakhar Zaman, who skied it straight to midwicket. Pakistan had suddenly lost four wickets in ten balls, and following the end of the over, Chameera’s figures read 2-0-3-3.After conceding 14 in his third over when Pakistan were on the charge, Sri Lanka’s hopes of victory were slipping away. Pakistan needed ten to win with Agha still set. Chameera rolled his fingers over two length balls to start off and allowed just three in the first three balls, but it was the killer yorkers that followed which sealed the deal. Three deliveries that landed on the batters’ toes got rid of Ashraf, and did not leak a single run to spark celebrations in the Sri Lankan camp.