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Tournament finishes as the most watched at venues and on TV and digital platforms

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2023The 2023 men’s ODI World Cup in India has broken records for in-stadium attendance and broadcast viewership, according to the ICC and its broadcast partners Disney Star.The ICC said a total of 1,250,307 spectators watched the 48 games at the grounds in India, surpassing the previous record of 1,016,420 spectators during the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The 2019 World Cup in England stands third with 752,000 spectators.Disney Star said linear television viewership in India crossed more than half a billion with 518 million tuning in for the World Cup across the six weeks of the tournament. Total consumption on TV was 422 billion minutes, making it the biggest World Cup ever, according to Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data in India.The World Cup final between India and Australia was watched by 300 million people, with a peak concurrency of 130 million, making it the most-watched cricket match on TV according to Disney Star.The final also broke digital viewership records, with Disney+ Hotstar recording a high of 59 million concurrent viewers, the most for any live sports event.

A round-up of the Abu Dhabi T10 matches on December 7, 2023

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-2023Impactful cameos from Dasun Shanaka and Kusal Mendis boosted Bangla Tigers to a huge total of 126 paving the way for a 27-run win against Chennai Braves. The victory sealed a playoff spot for Tigers, who will face Deccan Gladiators in the eliminator on Friday.Charith Asalanka slammed a half-century in response, but only two batters reached double figures for Braves, with Asalanka smashing 55 out of their total of 99 during the run chase.At 61 for 5 in the eighth over, they had little chance of eclipsing Tigers, who were shown the way by Shanaka’s 34 off 15 balls, and Mendis’ 32 from 15. They combined to add 55 for the fourth wicket after Tigers were 44 for 3, but it was Benny Howell’s defining contribution that made a difference. He faced three balls, two of which went for sixes and the other for four, ending unbeaten on 16.Tigers’ win made them No. 4 on the points table, behind third-placed Deccan Gladiators only on net run rate.Team Abu Dhabi finally signed off the tournament with a win, as their last-ball victory also dashed Delhi Bulls’ hopes of making the playoffs.Chasing 98, Abu Dhabi got off to a flyer as Kyle Mayers and Tom Banton added 52 in just 4.2 overs, with Mayers doing the bulk of the scoring, including four sixes off an over from Richard Gleeson. Banton came off retired hurt, but such was Mayers’ carnage, that Abu Dhabi had the chase fully in control. With just six needed off the last over, the win seemed to be a formality, but UAE pacer Wasim Akram conceded just three runs off the first four deliveries, and most importantly, dismissed the red-hot Mayers for a 30-ball 61. The game went down to the final ball, with Abu Dhabi needing two runs to end their losing streak, and Colin Ingram would do the needful, flicking a low full-toss off the legs for four.Bulls, who needed a win to qualify for the playoffs, had earlier made 97 for 3, on the back of a 71-run stand for the third wicket between Adam Lyth and their captain Rovman Powell. While Powell was dismissed for a 20-ball 31, Lyth remained unbeaten on 39, smashing smashing two fours and three sixes, though it ultimately came in a losing cause.In a dress rehearsal for Friday’s qualifier featuring the top two teams, Samp Army eased to a six-wicket win against New York strikers and sealed the No.1 spot on the table.Strikers, batting first, failed to put together any meaningful partnerships, as Bas de Leede (3 for 13), Jake Lintott (2 for 16) and Qais Ahmad (2 for 12) struck at regular intervals to peg the team back. Niroshan Dickwella, with 18, was the team’s top scorer, as Strikers managed just four fours and two sixes in their entire innings, being bowled out for 70.Samp Army were rocked in the chase by the early dismissals of Ibrahim Zadran for a duck, and Monank Patel for 4, but Dewald Brevis wrested the advantage with an unbeaten 18-ball 31. Strikers kept chipping away, but Brevis and Moeen Ali eventually finished the chase at a canter by taking 24 runs off an over from Odean Smith, to win with 18 deliveries remaining.

The U.S international could be the latest American to move to the Championship ahead of a push for a 2026 World Cup roster spot

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George Campbell linked with West Brom transferCenter back has one cap with USMNTDefender has made 116 senior appearances in MLSGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowWHAT HAPPENED?

CF Montreal defender George Campbell is reportedly on the verge of signing for English Championship side West Bromwich Albion, according to

Campbell, 24, has one cap with the U.S. men's national team and has been a key player for both CF Montreal and Atlanta United in recent years.

Signed as a Homegrown by Atlanta in 2020, he played in 36 matches for the before being traded to CF MTL in 2023. For the Canadian side, he made 70 appearances in MLS action and was recently held off the Matchday squad in a 1-1 draw with Orlando City ahead of his reported move.

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Campbell will join fellow American Daryl Dike at West Brom if the deal gets over the line, while the Championship itself will feature many high-profile Americans next season, including both Damion Downs and Haji Wright.

Campbell's lone international appearance with the U.S. came this past January, when Mauricio Pochettino called him up for the January camp. He started and played 88 minutes in a 3-1 victory over Venezuela. He is a player to watch in the race for a roster spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup team.

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Campbell was reportedly gauging interest from Championship side Bristol City earlier on in the window as well, but Albion have won the race for his signature per the report.

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CF Montreal takes on the Philadelphia Union in MLS action Wednesday evening. West Brom, meanwhile, are in preseason mode with their 2025-26 campaign beginning on Saturday, Aug. 9 against Blackburn Rovers.

Manchester United's new signing Matheus Cunha announced the birth of his second child with wife Gabi just hours before the Red Devils leave travel to the U.S. for their pre-season tour. United are heading to America on Tuesday and are scheduled to play three friendly matches against West Ham, Bournemouth and Everton. They were held to a goalless draw by Leeds in their first pre-season game in Sweden. 

Cunha announces birth of his second childShared photos of baby girl Liz on social mediaMan Utd to travel to the U.S. on TuesdayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

On Monday, Cunha announced the birth of his second child, Liz, along with his wife Gabriela. The United forward shared heartwarming photographs of baby Liz from the hospital, as the couple was also accompanied by their son Levi.

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The Instagram post from the Brazilian read: "Hello world I’m Liz. And we are 4 now. I am very blessed to have you. Thanks God for everything."

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Cunha, who made his debut for the Red Devils in a friendly match against Leeds United last week in Stockholm, will travel to the U.S. for the club's pre-season tour, but it is not clear when he will join the rest of the squad after the birth of his daughter.

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Ruben Amorim's side will kick off the highly anticipated U.S. pre-season tour at MetLife Stadium on July 26, as they take on West Ham.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman omitted for series against UAE following ACB sanctions, after trio had requested to be released from central contracts for 2024

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Dec-2023Fast bowlers Naveen-ul-Haq and Fazalhaq Farooqi have made it to the Afghanistan squad for the three-match T20I series against UAE, but spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman did not feature in the list. The trio had been sanctioned by the board earlier this week after expressing a desire to be left out of the central contracts list for 2024.The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) had said then that the players were being pulled up for “prioritising their personal interests over playing for Afghanistan”, with the fallout including no no-objection certificates (NOCs) being issued to the trio to play in overseas T20 leagues for the next two years, and a revoking of any NOCs they currently possess. The ACB also said it “would assess and determine the involvement of these players in [international] events as necessary”.Now, the board said, they had “approached the ACB and demonstrated a strong desire to represent their country again”. In a statement announcing the squad, the ACB said it “acknowledged and praised their eagerness to collaborate closely with the [board]”, but the investigation into the matter that the board had ordered would go ahead.”The ACB directed the relevant committee assigned to the matter to conduct a comprehensive investigation and urged them to communicate their findings and proposed solutions to the board after thoroughly assessing the players’ requests,” the statement said.T20I captain Rashid Khan, who had recently undergone back surgery, missed out on the UAE series, with Ibrahim Zadran standing in for him. Rashid, though, travelled with the squad as a reserve.Mujeeb is currently with Melbourne Renegades at the BBL, helping them to them their first win of the season on Friday, the same day as the first Afghanistan vs UAE T20I in Sharjah.Renegades had said after the ACB sanctions that Mujeeb would remain at the BBL for the rest of the season. “The Melbourne Renegades are aware of the matter between Mujeeb Ur Rahman and the Afghanistan Cricket Board,” the Renegades statement had said. “The club has received no communication that Mujeeb’s availability for the BBL could change from original plans. Mujeeb remains available for the Melbourne Renegades… Mujeeb is a world-class player and a popular member of the squad, and the club will continue to support him for the rest of the BBL season.”Mujeeb, regular on the T20 circuit, was recently picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders at the IPL auction for USD 241,000. Naveen is with Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, and Farooqi, retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad, recently featured in the Abu Dhabi T10 competition. All three players also featured for Afghanistan at the 2023 World Cup.Afghanistan’s squad for T20Is vs UAE: Ibrahim Zadran (capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Hazratullah Zazai, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Darwish Rasooli, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Azmaullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem and Qais Ahmad
Reserves: Rashid Khan, Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai, Ikram Alikhil and Gulbadin Naib

The visitors leveled the ODI series at 1-1 with a superb performance in Sydney

Andrew McGlashan07-Feb-2024Marizanne Kapp produced a magnificent all-round display to inspire South Africa to their first ODI victory over Australia, at the 17th attempt, and keep them alive in both the one-day and multi-format series.Kapp was forced to retire hurt in Adelaide where South Africa were comprehensively beaten, and admitted to having some doubts as to whether she could play at North Sydney Oval, but been assured by the medical staff turned the tables on the home side. Her 75 off 87 balls, of which 48 came in boundaries, was the centrepiece of South Africa’s batting display and was complemented by useful contributions from Anneke Bosch and Chloe Tryon.She then tore through Australia’s top order and finished with 3 for 12. Under lights, and on a surface freshened by steady drizzle that fell for much of the afternoon, Australia’s batting was then blown away in a manner rarely seen as they sank to 71 for 8.Kapp had Alyssa Healy caught behind driving and produced a wicked inswinger to snake past Beth Mooney’s inside edge. She then trapped Phoebe Litchfield lbw to leave Australia 34 for 3 while Ashleigh Gardner was carrying a hamstring injury sustained in the field.An unwell Ellyse Perry batted at No. 5 and could only manage 2 before edging a drive to second slip to give debutant Ayanda Hlubi a memorable maiden ODI wicket. It was a rare occasion where Australia’s deep batting order did not have an answer as Hlubi, Eliz-mari Marx and Nadine de Klerk cut through the middle order.Gardner, who came out at No. 8, and Kim Garth stopped Australia’s collapse and built a record ninth-wicket stand of women’s ODI which, briefly, conjured thoughts of a remarkable turnaround before Gardner edged Marx behind.It was only the second time since March 2009 that Australia had a lost a home ODI chasing.Marizanne Kapp scored her third half-century on the trot across formats•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesAustralia were far from at their best in the field with a total of five dropped chances, including Kapp on 37 and 45 – the latter a regulation low edge to Healy. Only one partnership – between Bosch and Tazmin Brits – passed fifty but there were five middle-order efforts of between 31 and 46 which kept South Africa moving.Australia had made the ideal start by removing the key wicket of Laura Wolvaardt when she edged Megan Schutt to slip for a duck. There was nearly a second wicket in the opening over but Mooney couldn’t quite haul in an edge from Bosch who was then dropped on 1 by Perry at long leg.South Africa were cautious through the powerplay, reaching 32 for 1 after 10 overs, and at one stage during the early stages Australia had four slips. But the visitors started to move through the gears, with a helping hand from the fielding, although when Sune Luus was well caught at long-on by Sutherland they were an uncertain 117 for 4.Kapp, however, found important partners in de Klerk and Tryon, bringing up her fifty from 62 balls after a second rain delay. She was frustrated at finding cover off a Schutt full toss in the 42nd over, but Tryon ensured a strong finish by taking 18 off the penultimate over.There was a curious incident towards the end of South Africa’s innings when Australia were unable to review an lbw appeal against Tryon, on 15 at the time, because the big screen had already shown a replay.

Florian Wirtz scored his first goal for Liverpool since completing a £116 million ($156m) British record transfer from Bayer Leverkusen this summer. He opened the scoring for the Reds in a comfortable 3-1 victory over J1 League side Yokohama F Marinos in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday. Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha were the other scorers for the English side.

Wirtz scores his maiden Liverpool goalLiverpool beat Yokohama F Marinos 3-1Reds next face Athletic Club in twin friendliesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Trailing by a goal early in the second half against Yokohama, Curtis Jones made a run from the right side. The midfielder entered the penalty area and exchanged a quick one-two with Mohamed Salah, before Wirtz found himself in a comfortable shooting range. The German sensation swept the ball into the far corner with a perfectly executed first-time shot to open his Liverpool goal account, and Arne Slot's side went on to win 3-1 at the Nissan Stadium.

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Doubts were cast over Wednesday's pre-season friendly in Yokohama after a tsunami alert was issued in Hawaii, the United States and Japan following an earthquake with an 8.8 magnitude that hit Russia's east coast. The match, however, was given the green light to go ahead as public transportation was functioning normally in the city.

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Arne Slot's side will now head back to the UK as they are scheduled to play back-to-back friendly matches against Athletic Club at Anfield on August 4.

Left-armers do the damage as last year’s finalists comfortably beaten with three overs to spare

ECB Reporters Network30-May-2024David Payne and Matt Taylor claimed four wickets apiece as Gloucestershire opened their Vitality Blast account with an impressive five-wicket victory over Essex at the Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol.Making his first appearance of the season, Payne took three wickets with the new ball and then removed dangerman Daniel Sams to finish with 4 for 24, while Taylor eclipsed the tail to return career-best T20 figures of 4 for 22 from four overs and restrict last season’s beaten finalists to 141 for 9.Jordan Cox top-scored with 48 and dominated a stand of 64 in 6.5 overs for the fourth wicket with Paul Walter, who contributed 43, but the failure of seven batsmen to reach double figures fatally undermined the innings after Essex had been put in.Gloucestershire made relatively light work of chasing a modest target, James Bracey posting 49 from 30 balls and dominating a stand of 83 in seven overs with Cameron Bancroft, who weighed in with 32 as the home side took control. Ben Charlesworth finished unbeaten on 22 as Gloucestershire wrapped up victory beneath the Bristol floodlights with 18 balls to spare.Gloucestershire’s decision to insert last season’s runners-up was fully justified when Payne claimed wickets with his second and third deliveries, having Dean Elgar held at short third man and then producing a magnificent in-swinger to uproot Michael Pepper’s middle stump as the visitors stumbled out of the starting blocks.His dander up, the veteran left-arm seamer struck again in his next over, Adam Rossington pushing half forward to a ball that left him and offering a routine catch behind as Essex further subsided to 11 for 3. A wicket maiden meant Payne boasted figures of 3 for 6 from two overs.Cox fought fire with fire, hoisting Matt Taylor over the long-off boundary for the first six of the innings and then repeating the feat at the expense of Marchant de Lange, while Walter greeted the advent of Beau Webster with an off-driven four as the fourth wicket pair staged a recovery, Essex advancing to 49 for 3 at the end of the powerplay.In the absence of the injured Tom Smith, Graeme van Buuren was required to take pace off and keep things tight during the middle overs, and the slow left armer almost removed Cox on 46, putting down a sharp chance off his own bowling. But there was no escape for Cox, who attempted to drive de Lange and skied a catch to mid-off in the next over, the former Kent batsman departing for a 27-ball 48 that included four fours and three sixes with the score on 75 in the tenth.Webster, van Buuren and de Lange more or less cut off the supply of boundaries during the middle overs and Walter, under pressure to up the tempo, attempted to pull the returning Matt Taylor and top-edged a catch behind, departing the scene for a 30-ball 43. He had accrued five fours and a six and, at 110 for 5 in the 15th over, the innings was sorely in need of acceleration.Heavily dependent upon talismanic Australian all-rounder Sams, Essex were dealt a further blow when their overseas chipped Payne to short extra having contributed just nine with the score on 119 in the 16th. Matt Taylor then accounted for Matt Critchley, caught and bowled for 16, Luc Benkenstein and Simon Harmer in the penultimate over as Essex faltered badly at the death.Needing to make early in-roads, Essex removed Miles Hammond in the first over, Harmer taking a superb diving catch at slip off the bowling of Sams. But new batsman Bracey quickly redressed the balance, harvesting a six and a four from successive Aaron Beard deliveries and then producing an outrageous reverse scoop to claim another maximum, this time at the expense of Sams, as the powerplay yielded 64 and the second wicket alliance realised 50 in 28 balls.With the rate now down to a run a ball and nine wickets still in hand, Gloucestershire’s batsmen were not obliged to take undue risk. But Bracey was clearly in a hurry, the 27-year-old left-hander helping himself to three fours and four sixes to put the visitors firmly on the back foot.Bancroft had scored a useful 32 from 18 deliveries with six fours when Benkenstein bowled the Australian via a big inside edge to afford Essex hope. Beard then had Bracey held on the deep mid-wicket boundary in the next over and Jack Taylor succumbed to Critchley’s leg breaks for seven as Gloucestershire slipped to 100 for 4 in the twelfth.Thereafter, Webster and Charlesworth matched one another blow for blow in a partnership of 35 for the fifth wicket as Gloucestershire overhauled their target with a minimum of fuss to afford their short format campaign lift-off in front of an appreciative Bristol audience.

Lothar Matthaus tore Bayern Munich apart for their recruitment strategy following Joao Palhinha's departure just one year after signing him.

Matthaus takes swipe at his former sideQuestioned Bayern's thinking behind signing PalhinhaIsn't pleased with the club's handling of youth playersFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The legendary former Bayern midfielder slammed the club for the handling of Palhinha, who departed just one year after arriving at the Allianz Arena. Labelling the transfer "unnecessary and superfluous", the ex-Germany international was dismissive of the club's recruitment strategy and called into the question the lack of involvement of young players in first-team dynamics, asserting that "you can't always do everything right".

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Last summer, Palhinha arrived on a €51 million (£44m/$59m) deal from Fulham that excluded potential add-ons. However, he was not counted upon by head coach Vincent Kompany. Despite reiterating his desire to fight for his place in Bavaria, the Portuguese international returned to the Premier League by joining Spurs on a one-year loan, with an option to buy him for £26m (€23m/$27m).

WHAT LOTHAR MATTHAUS SAID

Matthaus expressed his thoughts on Bayern's transfer strategy in a column for . He wrote: "Thanks to Joao Palhinha's loan to Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich got away with just one and a half black eyes.

"Thomas Tuchel desperately wanted Palhinha, but Vincent Kompany didn't rely on him. Looking back at the history of the transfer, he was ultimately unnecessary and superfluous.

"Bayern has four or five players who can play in that position. They didn't do a lot of homework and paid a lot of money for a player who barely played in Munich.

"You can't always do everything right. But Palhinha wasn't the only bad investment; [Bryan] Zaragoza, [Bouna] Sarr, and [Sacha] Boey, who came from Galatasaray for €30 million, also cost a lot of money. All of them, however, had little to no playing time."

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Die Roten will reunite with Palhinha on Thursday, August 7, when they take on Tottenham Hotspur in a summer friendly. They are also slated to take on Grasshopper Club Zurich on August 12, followed by their first competitive game of the season, the DFL-Supercup against Stuttgart, on August 16.

The Frenchman, formerly of Al-Ahli and Newcastle, will sign a four-year deal with Las Águilas

América paid $12 million to Al AhliWill be presented during América vs QuerétaroLas Águilas are not in their best formFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱@ClubAméricaWHAT HAPPENED?

Club América’s high-profile signing, Allan Saint-Maximin, has officially arrived in Mexico to join on a four-year deal. The French winger landed at Mexico City International Airport on Friday, where around 200 fans gathered to welcome him, reflecting the excitement surrounding a player with extensive European experience.

Speaking to reporters upon his arrival, the 28-year-old expressed his gratitude.

“Happy to be in Mexico, thank you to the fans for this welcome," he said. 

Saint-Maximin joins from Saudi side Al Ahli, adding star power to an América squad that has struggled to find consistency in 2025.

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Saint-Maximin’s arrival has sparked hope among some fans, while others remain cautious, questioning the level of performance he can deliver. The attacking midfielder joins from Saudi side Al Ahli in a deal worth around $12 million. 

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At 28, Saint-Maximin has already built a globetrotting career and is now on the verge of joining Mexico’s Club América. The Frenchman spent four seasons in England with Newcastle United, making 124 appearances and scoring 13 goals. His résumé also includes a stint in Turkish football with Fenerbahçe, time in Saudi Arabia with Al Ahli, and his early years in France, where he made his professional debut with Saint-Étienne.

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After securing a historic three-peat, Las Águilas have stumbled at times this year, though they remain unbeaten heading into their Apertura 2025 Matchday 4 clash against Querétaro, where the club is set to officially present their new signing to supporters.