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“The main thing is we want to play these [top-ranked] teams more often,” says Scotland’s Priyanaz Chatterji after the crushing loss

Valkerie Baynes09-Oct-2024South Africa have stomped one foot into the women’s T20 World Cup semi-finals with their crushing victory over Scotland in Dubai on Wednesday.Needing a net run-rate boost to leapfrog West Indies into second place, South Africa went one better – for now – with their 80-run win after bowling Scotland out for 86 taking their NRR to 1.527. That’s ahead of an undefeated England, who beat South Africa on Monday and have a game in hand. South Africa have one more group game, against Bangladesh on Saturday.South Africa signalled their intentions through openers Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits, the batting stars of their ten-wicket victory over West Indies in their first match, and then Marizanne Kapp. All three posted quick scores in the 40s to take their side to the highest total of the tournament so far, 166 for 5.Related

• Kapp sets the tone before bowlers combine in SA's NRR-boosting win over Scotland

• Fast, accurate, relentless Mlaba is determined to be No. 1

Their bowling performance, led by Nonkululeko Mlaba’s 3 for 12, made this as brutal a dismantling of a side as it can get.Wolvaardt’s charge down the pitch to muscle Olivia Bell down the ground for six in the fourth over was evidence enough as she and Brits thundered their way to 60 without loss, the best powerplay of the tournament so far.”It’s always tricky games, games like today, but we knew we had to be at our best,” Kapp said after the game. “That has been the message throughout this tournament, that powerplay, to try and be a bit more attacking. Today I think our openers started us off brilliantly.”Brits’ merciless heave over long-on off Katherine Fraser in the ninth over strengthened South Africa’s case and Kapp went about picking off six boundaries en route a 24-ball 43.But Nadine de Klerk’s fierce bellow of “come on!” as she pinged the top of Priyanaz Chatterji’s middle stump to reduce Scotland to five down for just 39 runs said it all: South Africa meant business.They held their catches – some soft, some difficult, like Sune Luus’ graceful dive to her left to catch Lorna Jack-Brown off her own bowling – and didn’t let up.

“Looking to the lead-up to this World Cup, she’s not been at her best, and she knows that. Then she gets to the World Cup and somehow finds her best. So it’s good signs for us”Marizanne Kapp on Nonkululeko Mlaba

De Klerk’s celebration for her second wicket was more controlled, but the dismissal no less spectacular, Mlaba launching herself forward at short third to grasp Abtahah Maqsood’s leading edge and grinning broadly as she lifted her head from the turf, the match won.Mlaba had set up the victory over West Indies with a career-best 4 for 29 and she now threatens Kapp’s nine wickets in the previous T20 World Cup as leading wicket-taker for South Africa at a single edition of the tournament. Mlaba has eight wickets so far – equal to the retired Shabnim Ismail in 2023 – at an average of 7.87 and economy rate of 5.25.It follows a difficult time between World Cups for Mlaba, who during that time had only taken 14 wickets from 19 matches at an average of 38.40.”Looking to the lead-up to this World Cup, she’s not been at her best, and she knows that. Then she gets to the World Cup and somehow finds her best,” Kapp said. “So it’s good signs for us. Hopefully she can continue like that for the next couple of games. But very proud of her to turn things around so quickly.”

Scotland want fixtures against higher-ranked teams

Scotland’s batting card made for sorry reading with only two players reaching double-figures and no one passing Fraser’s 14.While Chatterji remained upbeat, saying Scotland continued to learn from the experiences, having gone through qualifying to get here, she also highlighted the need for those opportunities to come outside of major tournaments.”It’s tough but we’re a resilient group and that’s part of cricket, it’s part of high-performance sport,” Chatterji said. “The best teams go away and they learn and they move forward and you take what you can. But for sure, it’s disappointing to lose and it’s always disappointing to lose and a heavy defeat like that isn’t much fun, but I thought they played very well.Katherine Fraser top-scored in the chase for Scotland with 14•ICC/Getty Images”The main thing is we want to play these teams more often. I think South Africa is the highest-ranked team we’ve ever played, so it would be awesome to get some fixtures lined up against the higher-ranked teams and if we can get these back-to-back fixtures, we’ll learn and develop a lot and progress for sure.”Scotland are still a semi-professional team and when comparing their set-up to those of South Africa and Australia, whose resources blow South Africa’s out of the water, the disparity is stark.”There’s quite a few gaps,” Chatterji said. “It’s pretty hard being an Associate country and I guess it’s a double-whammy being an Associate and a women’s team. That being said, if you look at the overall budgets between the different countries it’s very, very different especially comparing between Associate and Full-Member nations, so we do what we can.”But when we’re away, we don’t make any excuses. There’s really important conversations to be had about overall structures, fixtures and how there can be more support from, whether it’s the governing bodies or the ICC, and how you make that happen to grow the game. But again, the biggest thing for us is just we need to play more and probably more at a higher level.”

Lionel Messi and Argentina have been told that they were “lucky” to savour World Cup glory at Qatar 2022. All-time great Messi completed his medal collection at that event, as he inspired the Albiceleste to a global title. Wesley Sneijder has suggested that the South Americans were fortunate to claim that crown, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal considered to have a better chance of landing the same prize in 2026.

• Will Messi & Ronaldo grace the 2026 World Cup?

  The countdown is on to another meeting of the best players on the planet. FIFA’s flagship event is preparing to head to the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer – with 48 teams taking part in an expanded format.

  The expectation is that Messi and Ronaldo will form part of that gathering. CR7 has stated that he expects his sixth World Cup to be his last, as he will be 41 by the time that the tournament gets underway, but has been showing no sign of slowing down with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.

  Messi is yet to confirm that he will form part of Argentina’s title defence, with the 38-year-old now plying his club trade in MLS for Inter Miami. Many are tipping him to make Lionel Scaloni’s squad, with a 200th international cap in the process of being chased down.

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  Got lucky: Why Sneijder is backing Ronaldo over Messi

  Messi has already reached the pinnacle of world football, having got his hands on the trophy that he coveted most in 2022, with the all-time great caring little what the likes of Sneijder think about his glorious achievement.

  The ex-Netherlands and Real Madrid playmaker has, however, told when turning the clock backwards and forwards: “Portugal have a very strong team. For me, they are one of the favourites so then I would say Cristiano Ronaldo has the stronger chance of winning the next World Cup compared to Lionel Messi. It was a great World Cup for Argentina in Qatar but they were a bit lucky as well. I think overall Portugal is a better team.”

• Should Messi have eight Ballons d'Or? Sneijder thinks not

  This is not the first time that Sneijder has questioned Messi’s claims to the most prestigious of honours. The Dutchman helped Jose Mourinho’s legendary Inter side to a Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League treble in 2010 and believes those exploits should have earned him a Golden Ball.

  Sneijder has previously said: “It was a little unfair that I was not crowned with the 2010 Ballon d'Or and Messi won it. Although I'm not the guy who cries about that: the Ballon d'Or is an individual award, and what I prefer is to win collective trophies. If I had to choose between the Champions League and the Ballon d'Or, I would choose the Champions League that I won. I am very happy with that title.”

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  GOAT targets: Messi & Ronaldo tipped to reach 1,000 goals

  Sneijder has seen Messi move on to eight Ballons d’Or, while Ronaldo has five in his collection. They are both still going strong, with there individual targets for them to chase down.

  Ronaldo has made no secret of the fact that he wants to reach 1,000 career goals, with Messi also being backed to hit four figures in that department before history-making boots are hung up for the final time.

  Sneijder has said: “I think that's the next goal for both of them, 100%. Cristiano won’t stop before reaching the thousand goals. Messi has signed another two year deal. He will definitely reach one thousand goals as well.

  “It's nice that we are still talking about this rivalry with one in MLS and the other in Saudi. They are two big stars and now they’re chasing a different goal of reaching 1,000 goals. Amazing. Maybe we see about counting their assists to find out who can get to 2,000 first.”

  Ronaldo has committed to a contact at Al-Nassr that is set to keep him into the Middle East until the summer of 2027. Messi, meanwhile, has agreed fresh terms with Inter Miami through the 2028 MLS season.

Cheteshwar Pujara finishes a stellar Test career with 103 games in which he scored 7195 runs at an average of 43.60

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Aug-2025Cheteshwar Pujara has retired from “all forms of Indian cricket” effective immediately. Pujara, 37, last played for India in June 2023 in the WTC final against Australia, and made the announcement on Sunday on his social media handles.”Wearing the Indian jersey, singing the anthem, and trying my best each time I stepped on the field – it’s impossible to put into words what it truly meant,” Pujara wrote. “But as they say, all good things must come to an end, and with immense gratitude I have decided to retire from all forms of Indian cricket.”Thank you for all the love and support!”Even though Pujara hasn’t played Tests in over two years, he joins the list of top India players who have retired from the format in the last year, starting with R Ashwin in December 2024, and Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma earlier this year before the tour of England.