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Manchester United have been boosted by the news that key centre-back Lisandro Martinez has returned to full training after a long injury absence.

After a concerning start to the season, things really feel like they are falling into place for the Red Devils, following three wins in a row in the Premier League, including memorable victory away to rivals and champions Liverpool.

Ruben Amorim has overcome a hugely testing period and now feels like the right man to take United forward, and having as many players available as possible can only be a good thing, with one game a week this season and no European football helping in that respect.

One player who Amorim has had to do without for many months is Martinez, with the Argentina World Cup winner not featuring since damaging knee ligaments at the beginning of February, in a cruel blow for the defender.

The 27-year-old is arguably United’s strongest centre-back, so not having him available for such an extended period of time has been far from ideal, but ahead of the trip to Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon, some great news has emerged regarding his fitness.

Martinez to return to Man Utd action in November

Taking to X on Thursday, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Martinez is now back in training for Manchester United, aiming for a return on the pitch in November.

This is fantastic news for anyone of a United persuasion, with Martinez’s tenacity, quality and winning mentality such a loss over the past eight months or so. It has also left Amorim delighted, with the manager saying: “It’s really good. He gives use that edge in every training session, that is also really good for us.”

The Argentine is a hugely popular figure at Old Trafford, playing with so much passion, and Casemiro has heaped praise on him as a character.

“Licha is on the final straight. He is a soldier who works so hard. He is always in the gym working hard. He is a machine that works so hard. He is one of those players that loves to work hard. It is a pleasure to have him here, he works so much. We arrived [today] at 9am and it is now 4pm and he continues working.”

Where Lisandro Martinez ranks among Man Utd's highest-earning players

It is clearly going to take Martinez some time to get back to his very best, given the severity of his injury, but assuming he makes a full recovery and returns as the player of old eventually, he can continue to be a huge player for United for years to come.

Man Utd now targeting Angelo Stiller as Jason Wilcox personal involvement revealed

Man United are looking to strengthen in the middle of the park, and Stiller has now emerged as a target.

ByDominic Lund Oct 31, 2025

He is tailor-made to thrive in Amorim’s back three, bringing the ball out with quality and purpose, and he even has the characteristics to potentially be a future captain of the Red Devils if Bruno Fernandes moves on before him, endearing himself to the fans with his love for the club.

Uncapped Hampshire fast bowler in XI for opening game of series at Headingley

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Sep-2025

Sonny Baker, the Hampshire fast bowler, will make his international debut in the first match of England’s ODI series with South Africa at Headingley on Tuesday.Baker, 22, has only played 11 List A games but caught the eye during the Hundred, where he took nine wickets in seven appearances for Manchester Originals. Capable of pushing the speed gun up to 90mph/145kph, he impressed with the Lions over the winter and was handed an England development contract earlier this year.He will be joined in England’s pace attack by Jofra Archer, playing his first ODI since the Champions Trophy, and Brydon Carse. Harry Brook captains the XI in his second series since taking charge, while Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett will continue to bed in their opening partnership.Related

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Sonny Baker awarded England Men's development contract

Sonny Baker wins first England call-up, Jacob Bethell to captain in Ireland

Baker, Tongue and Buttler seal victory for Originals

Brook said that England were “excited to see where he goes” after Baker’s performances in the Hundred, noting in particular his duels with Kane Williamson, David Warner, Steven Smith and Jonny Bairstow while playing for Originals.”He’s been awesome in the Hundred,” Brook said. “We’ve seen him bowl at some of the best batters in the world and he had them on toast, so it’s been really good to see. He bowls at high pace and he can swing it both ways with exceptional death skills as well. To have him in the team and for him to be opening up tomorrow is awesome. I think there’s quite a lot of people excited to see where he goes.”There have been a few moments. The spells he bowled to Williamson and Warner and then Smith and Bairstow, all four are world-class batters in the shorter format and he was all over them. He bowled with high pace and high skill. He was awesome to watch this year and everyone was talking about him.”On the day that Jamie Overton shelved first-class cricket, Brook agreed that Baker could potentially force himself into the equation for the Ashes: “I don’t select the red-ball side, but yeah, he’s obviously done really well this summer and we’ll see how he goes tomorrow. He’s bowling at high pace with a lot of skill, and it looks like he has quite a lot about him as well.”England XI for 1st ODI: 1 Jamie Smith, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Joe Root, 4 Harry Brook (capt), 5 Jos Buttler (wk), 6 Jacob Bethell, 7 Will Jacks, 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Sonny Baker

Mexico have revealed the jersey they’ll wear at the 2026 World Cup, marking a return to the traditional green that fans have long associated with El Tri. Inspired by the nation’s cultural roots, the kit features subtle Aztec motifs and will debut on Nov. 15 against Uruguay in Torreón – months before Mexico open the tournament on home soil.

@MiSeleccionMXBack to tradition

After experimenting with darker and alternative tones in recent years, and Adidas have unveiled a home kit that brings back one of the country’s most recognizable colors while paying homage to Mexican heritage.

The jersey features the brand’s signature three stripes across the shoulders, an embossed holographic crest, and a central pattern inspired by the Piedra del Sol – a nod to the design worn during the 1998 World Cup in France. Red and white details on the collar and sleeves complete the classic look, while the phrase “Somos México” is printed on the back of the neck.

Advertisement@MiSeleccionMXConnecting with Mexican culture and pride

“Every design starts from the idea of connection – with the people, with culture, with pride,” said Rafael Pereira, Adidas’ sports marketing director, in an interview with . “We wanted a shirt that feels iconic, that makes Mexicans proud of their identity.”

Mexico will debut the new uniform on Nov. 15 in a friendly against Uruguay in Torreón, Coahuila, before wearing it again four days later against Paraguay – closing out their 2025 calendar ahead of the World Cup.

@MiSeleccionMXDebut date set

The full kit includes white shorts and red socks with green and white accents, evoking memories of Mexico’s classic World Cup look. Fans, however, are already divided on social media – many have praised the design’s cultural tribute, while others expected something bolder for a host nation’s kit.

The fan version of the home jersey will retail for $107, while the authentic “player” edition will cost $161. Long-sleeve and goalkeeper versions will range from $107–172.

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@MiSeleccionMXMexico gears up for opening day

Mexico are set to open the 2026 World Cup on June 11 at Estadio Banorte in Mexico City, where the team is expected to take the field in their new green uniform – a symbolic moment marking both a return to tradition and a celebration of national identity.

The Oman captain on his journey back from injury and his aspirations at the Asia Cup

Shashank Kishore11-Sep-2025Jatinder Singh nearly retired in June 2024. He was suffering from sciatic nerve compression in the spinal cord and the pain was so much worse than the disappointment of not making the Oman squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup.The flare-ups were so bad that even bending down was a battle. Walking was measured and slow. Playing cricket seemed impossible in these circumstances.”I remember sitting with my wife and telling her that maybe it was time to retire,” Jatinder, now 36 and Oman’s captain at the Asia Cup, tells ESPNcricinfo. “I didn’t want to be a burden on the team anymore. I felt like I was holding them back.”His wife, Ramandeep Kaur, did not let him quit.”She told me, ‘For the number of years you’ve given to cricket, this injury is just a small blip. You can’t let this one setback define you. Push through it. Once you find your rhythm again, you’ll be unstoppable.'” Her words gave him new direction. Instead of retiring hastily, Jatinder decided to make a comeback.Related

• Oman's Sufyan Mehmood is living his dream after defying his family

• First-timers Oman face in-form Pakistan

• Oman Cricket agrees to clear players' dues from T20 World Cup

• Can first-timers Oman spring a surprise in Group A?

His journey of recovery took him to India. Through his team-mate Suraj Kumar, he found Dr Gaurav Sharma – a sports-science specialist with IPL franchise Gujarat Titans. But what Jatinder thought would be a quick, month-long recovery turned into a painstaking 105-day rehabilitation process in Chandigarh.”When Gaurav saw me, he told me it was not a short-term thing,” Jatinder says. “It was posture-related, and we needed to work on strengthening the smaller muscles so that the shooting pain would not come back.”Jatinder Singh was considering retiring in 2024•ICC/Getty ImagesJatinder stayed in the suburb of Kharar and travelled to the clinic in Chandigarh for treatment. Evenings were spent in sessions with strength and conditioning coach Jitendra Billa near the Mohali stadium. He was dedicated to this routine for three months.”It was exhausting, physically and mentally. But help came from all sides,” he says with gratitude.Former India fast bowler Aavishkar Salvi, who was Oman’s bowling consultant at the time, arranged for Jatinder to stay closer to the clinic. “Salvi bhai spoke to Baltej Singh [Punjab fast bowler], who offered me his vacant apartment for three months.”After nearly eight weeks, when he could resume light training, Jatinder rang Salvi again. “This time, he connected me to Punjab cricketer Jassinder Singh, who helped organise nets and a throw-down specialist for me to be able to resume batting.”For the first time in months, he felt good about playing cricket.”It was still hard mentally,” he says. “When you’ve been through an injury, your mind replays the pain, and you fear it happening again. But with every net session, every treatment, every day at the gym, I started feeling stronger. That fear slowly went away.”By the end of September last year, Jatinder was back. In October, he was appointed Oman’s captain for the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup. It felt like a blessing after all the pain he had endured.”I never played cricket with the aim of becoming captain,” he says. “My only passion was to play the game. So, for me, this was part of god’s plan. I’m just grateful.””Gratitude” is a word Jatinder often uses while he tells his story, which started on cement pitches and mud grounds in 2011, when most of Oman’s players had full-time jobs and could train only in the evening.Jatinder Singh began playing cricket while working a full-time job•Peter Della PennaThe turning point came when Sri Lankan great Duleep Mendis took over as Oman’s coach in 2014, bringing with him semi-professionalism, part-time contracts, and a culture of discipline. Soon enough, Oman had positive results – they won the ACC Cup in 2015 and secured entry to the T20 World Cup Qualifiers in Ireland and Scotland.”We trained and played in 50-degree heat at home and then had to play in near-freezing conditions abroad,” Jatinder says with a smile. The hard work paid off when they beat Ireland at the 2016 T20 World Cup in India.”That’s one of our golden moments,” Jatinder says. “The other big moment was climbing from Division 5 up the ladder and securing ODI status in 2018. And then of course, hosting matches at the T20 World Cup in 2021, along with UAE.”I’ve seen cricket change in our country. From days when we had no facilities, to today, when we have facilities par with some of the best in the world. What we need are opportunities to improve.”Jatinder works in the administration department of a private company – Khimji & Ramdas, which is owned by the family of Pankaj Khimji, the top boss of Oman Cricket. His days are carefully planned: fitness sessions in the morning, nets in the afternoon, office work, and more training in the evening.”It’s busy, but it keeps me disciplined,” he says.That discipline is being tested again as Oman prepare for their biggest challenge – their first Asia Cup. The team recently completed a D20 domestic tournament in Al-Amerat, providing some match practice before facing Asia’s best.”For us, this Asia Cup is like a World Cup,” Jatinder says. “It’s a chance to rub shoulders with the giants, to see how they think and prepare.”I know Tilak Varma and Abhishek Sharma from the ACC Emerging Cup in Oman last year. We had some great conversations. Abhishek gave us valuable advice about training and told us to back ourselves as a talented group.”Jatinder Singh had moved to Oman at the age of 10•ICC/Getty ImagesOman’s squad is a mix of players from India and Pakistan and is coached by a talismanic Sri Lankan in Mendis. Their bond, he says, is unshakable despite a few tumultuous months, when several regular players were dropped in the wake of a contract crisis that rocked the team.”For all of us, Oman is the top priority,” Jatinder says. “Our team is like a family. We joke around, spend time together, and no one takes anything personally. Most of us live close by in a radius of 25km in Muscat, so we train and socialise together all the time. It makes a big difference.”Family has always been the anchor for Jatinder ever since he moved to Oman as a 10-year-old. His father worked in the Royal Oman Police for decades, rising through the ranks to retire as head of the carpentry department in 2022.”He wasn’t a cricket person at first,” Jatinder says with a laugh. “But now he follows every match and even calls me with advice sometimes.”I’m grateful to every person who helped me, my wife especially. My coaches, my team-mates, even friends who encouraged me when I felt low. Each of them has played a part in this journey. Now, I just want to keep going, to keep making Oman proud.”

Australia 248 for 4 (Gardner 104*, Sutherland 98*) beat England 244 for 9 (Beaumont 78, Sutherland 3-60) by six wicketsIndomitable Australia were at it again, this time with an unbroken 180-run stand between Annabel Sutherland and Ash Gardner which dug them out of early trouble and put them back into top spot on the World Cup table with a six-wicket win against England.It almost feels misguided to use the word “trouble” when it comes to an Australian side packed with so many gifted allrounders and boasting such depth that someone, anyone, in their XI can always get the job done.On Wednesday in Indore, where Australia lurched to 24 for 3 then 68 for 4, it was Sutherland and Gardner, who proved so dominant in their pursuit of 245 that they inadvertently turned the closing stages into a battle over who would reach a century first.Gardner did it, rocking back with intent to steer a Lauren Bell delivery to the boundary through deep third. She’d romped there from 69 balls, yet three dot balls followed to give Sutherland the strike, with four runs needed for victory and five for her ton.Sutherland attempted a six off Sophie Ecclestone and miscued high over cover where Heather Knight spilled the chance. Though she got back on strike with a two, a subsequent single left her at the non-striker’s end on 98, with Gardner hitting the winning boundary as Australia cruised to victory with 57 balls to spare.Both had played their part with the ball too in restricting England to 244 for 9. Sutherland claimed three wickets and Gardner two while legspinner Alana King was instrumental in smothering England through the middle overs with a miserly eight-over spell. She yielded just 13 runs while claiming the big wicket of Nat Sciver-Brunt for just 7. King finished with 1 for 20 from 10.Tammy Beaumont found form with the bat but, without her half-century and a late charge by seventh-wicket pair Alice Capsey and Charlie Dean, England would have been worse off than defending a total that still looked sub-par against a side as strong as Australia.Australia celebrate the DRS review that sent Heather Knight on her way•Getty Images

So it proved as Australia – missing injured captain, wicketkeeper and in-form batter Alyssa Healy – consigned England to their first defeat of the tournament.After a best score of 32 from five innings at this World Cup, Beaumont stood up for England with 78, sharing a 55-run opening stand with Amy Jones. Capsey was the only member of England’s struggling middle-order to make a significant contribution with 38 off 32 balls, while Dean provided another helpful cameo from No.8, this time worth 26 from 27 as the pair put on 61 runs together.It looked briefly like their efforts might have been good enough when new-ball duo Lauren Bell and Linsey Smith sent Australia reeling.Bell’s third ball was a gem which moved away from left-hander Phoebe Litchfield, whizzed past the outside edge and took out off stump. It was the first time in 33 ODI innings that Litchfield had been dismissed in the first over.Healy pursed her lips and shook her head in the dug-out as she watched a replay of her batting replacement, Georgia Voll, bottom-edging a slog-sweep off Smith onto off stump, losing her balance and toppling onto the ground into a backward somersault to complete the indignity.Smith claimed her second with a simple return catch off Ellyse Perry’s leading edge as she backed away from a shorter delivery, while stand-in skipper Beth Mooney was left chewing her top lip after she spooned Sophie Ecclestone to midwicket, where Sciver-Brunt took a sharp catch dive-rolling to her left.Sutherland looked scratchy early in her rescue mission but she settled into a rhythm, moving into the 40s with a powerful slog-sweep off Smith and clearing the covers off Dean for four to bring up her fifty. She then skipped down the pitch to Bell and steered another boundary expertly between extra cover and mid-off.Linsey Smith struck in her second over as Georgia Voll played on•ICC/Getty Images

Gardner raised her half-century with a glorious pulled four off Sciver-Brunt but didn’t stop there, adding two more straight away, a carbon copy of the first followed by a lofted drive down the ground.From there the Australian duo made their task look easy, Gardner becoming particularly aggressive with three consecutive fours off Capsey and three more off Ecclestone’s ninth over to move ahead of Sutherland.Earlier, Kim Garth, who replaced fellow seamer Darcie Brown in the Australian side, and Megan Schutt were wayward with their lines and lengths and the England openers capitalised. England reached 55 for 0 in eight overs, which was already their highest powerplay total of the tournament.But Sutherland’s introduction to the attack delivered instant rewards with a wicket maiden as she plucked out Jones, playing inside the line of a perfect ball on the top of off stump, and when Garth closed out the powerplay with her own maiden to Beaumont, Australia’s mid-innings fightback was underway.After a wise Australia review removed Knight, lbw to Sophie Molineux, King backed up the excellent economy of her player-of-the-match performance against Bangladesh and was rewarded with the wicket of Sciver-Brunt, lured down the pitch and skewing the ball to Sutherland at mid-off.King extracted prolific turn and bounce, her initial spell coinciding with a period between the 20th and 30th overs in which England added just 26 runs. Australia, by contrast, would rack up 77 for 0 in the same spell of their reply.A cool-headed catch by Voll, playing her first World Cup match, removed Beaumont. Feeling the need to pick up England’s tempo, Beaumont took on Sutherland’s slower ball as Voll ran backwards at long-on, parried the ball back into play as she toppled over the boundary rope, and stepped calmly back inside to complete the catch.It was a back-of-the-hand slower ball from Sutherland which extended Emma Lamb’s wretched tournament when she was bowled off her pads for 7, and after struggling for rhythm in her 22 from 48 balls, Sophia Dunkley misread a Gardner delivery, advancing and heaving towards the leg side as the ball spun past the outside edge. Mooney whipped off the bails as she tried in vain to make her ground.Capsey defied her lean run at No. 7 with back-to-back fours off Sutherland, taking her past her previous best of 20 for this tournament. But when she was pinned on the pad by Molineux and Dean chipped Gardner to cover two balls later, Australia wrested back control.

Holder not only anchored Patriots’ innings with an unbeaten fifty but also delivered a match-winning final over

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Sep-2025St Kitts and Nevis Patriots kept their playoffs hopes alive by pulling off a narrow one-run victory over Barbados Royals, who have been knocked out of the race in CPL 2025. Captain Jason Holder played a starring role, not only anchoring Patriots’ innings with an unbeaten fifty but also delivering a match-winning final over with the ball, in which he defended 13 runs.Patriots sit fifth on the points table with eight points and all their matches done. Guyana Amazon Warriors are fourth with eight points and if they win either of their next two matches, they will secure the last playoffs spot, with St Lucia Kings, Trinbago Knight Riders and Antigua and Barbuda Falcons already through.While there were handy contributions from several players, Holder’s all-round performance was the key to Patriots’ success. His 53 not out guided them to 150 for 7, with Patriots recovering from 62 for 4 at the end of ten overs. This was after Mohammad Rizwan’s 39 off 36 helped Patriots get off to a modest start. Holder, along with Navin Bidaisee (30 off 23), accelerated in the latter stages as the pair added 74 runs off 46 balls for the sixth wicket, including 34 runs off the last three overs.Holder’s leadership was also evident in the bowling attack, where he claimed two crucial wickets in the death. His most dramatic contribution came in the final over, with Royals needing 14 runs to win. Rassie van der Dussen started the over with a six over long-on to bring the equation down to eight off five. Holder kept his composure and, with the equation down to two needed off the last ball, bowled a perfect yorker to trap Daniel Sams lbw, sealing a thrilling victory for Patriots.Earlier, Royals had made a strong start, with opener Brandon King (29 off 22) laying a good foundation for the chase. They raced to 44 for 1 by the end of powerplay. However, the middle overs proved costly as the top order struggled to accelerate. Patriots’ bowlers capitalised, with Waqar Salamkheil striking first with the wicket of King and Naseem Shah removing Kadeem Alleyne in the eighth over. Quinton de Kock was caught and bowled by Bidaisee in the following over and despite a dropped catch from Rizwan, Royals’ chase started to lose momentum.Van der Dussen fought valiantly, keeping Royals in the hunt with a quickfire 37 off 27 balls, but it wasn’t enough in the end. For Patriots, Salamkheil and Bidaisee also picked up two wickets apiece.

Giancarlo Stanton's latest strikeout was a big one, as it put him in an exclusive club.

In the bottom of the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night, the New York Yankees' designated hitter fell behind 1-2 against reliever Garrett Cleavinger. Then, Stanton swung and missed at an 86 mph slider to record his first strikeout of the game. It was also the 2,000th of his career.

With that swing and miss, Stanton became the eighth player in Major League Baseball history to record 2,000 strikeouts as a hitter. The others are Reggie Jackson (2,597), Jim Thome (2,548), Adam Dunn (2,379), Sammy Sosa (2,306), Alex Rodriguez (2,287), Miguel Cabrera (2,105) and Andres Galarraga (2,003).

That's some fairly lofty company. Jackson and Thome are Hall of Famers, while Cabrera will be in when he's eligible. If not for performance-enhancing drug scandals, Sosa and Rodriguez would be in as well. Only Dunn and Galarraga aren't Hall of Fame-level players.

While it's a dubious club to enter, Stanton is in some pretty great company.

Entering Wednesday night's action, the 35-year-old is slashing .275/.351/.510, with seven home runs and 20 RBIs in 30 games played. Injuries to both of his elbows have cost Stanton most of this season.

Ravindra Jadeja has said that he isn’t surprised by his non-selection for India’s upcoming ODI series in Australia and that the communication from the team management has been smooth. Jadeja, who will turn 37 this December, had retired from T20Is after winning the World Cup last year, but has ambitions of playing in the 2027 ODI World Cup.”[Selection] is not in my hands. I want to play, for sure,” Jadeja said at his press conference after the second day’s play against West Indies in the Delhi Test. “[At the] end of the day, team management, selectors, coach and captain have their thoughts and they will have their reasons for not selecting me for this series. They have talked to me, it was not a surprise for me after the squad was announced.Related

• Kohli and Rohit selected in India's ODI squad for Australia

“It is a good thing that they communicated the reason behind my omission. I am happy about that. But whenever I get a chance next, I will try and do what I have done all these years. If I get a chance in the World Cup and there are many ODIs before and if I do well there, it will be a good thing for Indian cricket. Winning a World Cup is everyone’s dream. We had narrowly missed out the last time, the next time we will try and make up for it.2:56

Jadeja: ‘I don’t think about captaincy and vice-captaincy anymore’

Jadeja’s omission was among five changes from the ODI squad that had won the Champions Trophy in the UAE in March. After announcing the squads, Ajit Agarkar, India’s chief selector, however, suggested that Jadeja is still part of their future plans in ODI cricket.”With regards to Jaddu [Jadeja], I mean look, at the moment to take two left-arm spinners to Australia is not possible. He is clearly in the scheme of things with how good he is, but there will be some competition for places,” Agarkar said at the time. “Of course he was there in the Champions Trophy squad, because we took those extra spinners with the conditions there [in UAE].”At the moment we could only carry one and get some balance in the team with Washy [Washington Sundar] and Kuldeep there as well. I don’t think we are going to need more than that in Australia. It’s a short series, you can’t accommodate everyone and unfortunately at the moment he is missing out, but it’s nothing more than that.”Jadeja has played 204 ODIs so far, taking 231 wickets to go with 2806 runs. In his most recent ODI assignment, the Champions Trophy, he came away with five wickets in five innings at an economy rate of 4.35.India will play three ODIs in Australia on October 19, 23 and 25, followed by five T20Is between October 29 and November 8.

Charles and David also contributed with the bat to hand Patriots their third loss in four games

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Aug-2025

Roston Chase’s fifty formed the backbone of the St Lucia Kings’ innings•CPL T20/Getty Images

After a washout in their opening game, St Lucia Kings beat St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by three runs in a last-ball thriller in Basseterre to register their first win of CPL 2025. This was Patriots’ third loss in four games.After being sent in, Kings rode on the half-centuries of Johnson Charles and Roston Chase and a 23-ball 46 from Tim David to post 200 for 8. Patriots started well in their chase but had lost three wickets by the end of the powerplay. It became 66 for 4 after nine overs. At that point, ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster gave Patriots a 5.32% chance of winning.Jason Holder kept them in the game singlehandedly, striking a 29-ball 63. After he fell, Navin Bidaisee took over and brought it down to four needed off the final delivery. David Wiese bowled a slot ball; Bidaisee swung towards long-off but could not clear David. Apart from scoring a 38-ball 61, Chase also picked up 2 for 27 from four overs and was named the Player of the Match.Earlier, Kings were 21 for 2 after three overs before Charles and Chase injected momentum into the innings by adding 50 off 26 balls for the third wicket. After Charles fell, Chase and David carried on. Chase hit Dominic Drakes for three fours in an over and, later, David smashed Holder for three sixes in his one over.Jason Holder’s valiant knock could not bring a win for Patriots•CPL T20/Getty Images

They added 80 off 50 but after they both departed, the incoming batters could not keep the momentum going and managed just 21 from the last three overs.Andre Fletcher and Kyle Mayers gave Patriots a start of 43 in 4.2 overs. But once Wiese broke that stand with Mayers’ wicket, Patriots’ chase got derailed. Khary Pierre, who had opened the bowling, removed Fletcher and Mikyle Louis in the next over to make it 49 for 3 after the powerplay. Chase dropped a tough return catch of Rilee Rossouw. It did not prove costly as Chase dismissed him in his next over. Holder came and hit Tabraiz Shamsi for 4, 6, 6 off successive balls in the tenth over to take the side to 84 for 4 at the halfway stage.Holder kept hitting and brought up his fifty with his fifth six, off Wiese and off just 23 balls. He added 77 off 40 balls for the fifth wicket with Bidaisee, in which the latter’s contribution was 9 off 11.Once Holder fell, Bidaisee opened up and dispatched Shamsi for 4, 4, 6. He hit a six in each of the next four overs and got to his fifty in 35 balls. But he could not take Patriots over the line.

A former team-mate of Lionel Messi has revealed how much he would love to join the Argentina icon at Inter Miami. The World Cup winner has recently extended his stay with the MLS side, penning a new contract at the club that will run through to the end of the 2028 MLS season. Messi will be 41 when his contract expires, meaning this could be the final club of his incredible career.

Messi starring in MLS with Miami

Messi is continuing to play a starring role for Inter Miami and is currently eyeing his third piece of silverware with the club. The former Barcelona star has already won the Leagues Cup and the Supporters Shield during his time with David Beckham's club and will face the Vancouver Whitecaps next for the MLS Cup on 6 December. Saturday's game will be Inter Miami's first MLS Cup final appearance and offers Messi the chance to add yet another trophy to his extensive cabinet.

AdvertisementAFPEx-Messi team-mate opens door to MLS move

Ahead of the game, Messi's former Argentina team-mate Darío Benedetto has been talking about his future. The 35-year-old, who left Newell's Old Boys in October, is on the verge of retirement but admits he could be tempted to reconsider, particularly if Messi comes calling. "If he calls me to play for Inter Miami, I'll go by bicycle!" he told ESPN.

A move may be unlikely, but Benedetto is still hoping to finish his career on a high. He added: "I got fed up with certain bad habits that football has taken on today. Troubles, business dealings, it doesn't matter… But I'll always love it, because I'm very grateful to football. I can't believe the career I've had… Now I'm almost retired. But I've decided, through therapy, to extend it a little longer and retire on a high note.

"I'm going to lean towards clubs that don't have any problems, because the last few years I've spent my time complaining. I want to enjoy playing football," he added, "I would have liked to retire at Boca, but it didn't happen. My best form was in 2016. And I always watch it on TV."

Messi staying at Miami

As for Messi, he now looks set to stay at Miami potentially until he hangs up his boots after penning a three-year extension in October. The World Cup winner said: “It makes me really happy to stay here and to continue with this project that, besides being a dream, has become a beautiful reality – playing in this stadium, at Miami Freedom Park. Since I arrived in Miami, I’ve been very happy, so I’m truly glad to keep going here.”

Yet Messi has also admitted that he still longs to return home to Barcelona and plans to go back to the city with his family in the future. He told Sport: "I really want to go back there, we miss Barcelona a lot. My wife and I, the kids, are constantly talking about Barcelona and the idea of moving back. We have our house there, everything, so that's what we want. I'm really looking forward to going back to the stadium when it's finished because since I left for Paris, I haven't been back to Camp Nou, and then they moved to Montjuic.”

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Getty/GOALMessi vs Muller up next

Messi is now preparing for Saturday's clash in a game which will see the Inter Miami talisman come up against former Bayern and Germany star Thomas Muller. The forward joined Vancouver Whitecaps in the summer after his contract with Bayern ended and is now set for yet another match-up with Messi.

"It's not about Messi against Thomas Müller," Muller told reporters. "It's Miami against the Whitecaps. Maybe they rely a little bit more on him than we do on me, because we are such a good group."

The two superstars have previously met 10 times, with Messi ending up on the winning side only three times.