Archive October 2, 2025

Colombo hosted the ICC Women’s World Cup.

Pakistan 129 (38.3 overs): Shamim 23 (39), Shorna 3-5

Bangladesh 131-3 (31.1 overs): Jhilik 54* (77), Baig 1-14

Seven wickets later, Bangladesh won.

In a Women’s World Cup debutant Rubya Haider Jhilik hit a debut fifty as Bangladesh defeated Pakistan by seven wickets in the final match.

After Pakistan chose to bat, Seamer Marufa Akter set the tone with two unbeaten wickets in the opening over.

After losing star batter Sidra Ameen to the first ball of her match, Pakistan succumbed to her in 38.3 overs to fall to 129 all out.

Before skipper Nigar Sultana Joty arrived, Bangladesh made a nervy start to their chase, going 35-2 from 12 overs.

In a 62-run partnership that ended the game for Pakistan, she showed some intent, and Jhilik followed, taking over as the chief aggressor.

Jhilik finished unbeaten on 54 balls from 77 deliveries before half-century with 64 balls, just after Joty was dismissed.

With 18.5 overs to spare, Sobhana Mostary’s task was to get Bangladesh over the line, scoring 24 not out, all in boundaries, to complete the task.

You can win a 100-over game in the first over, according to cricketing wisdom, but you can lose it in a lot of other ways.

With Omaima Sohail and Ameen, two of their top three having gone for golden ducks thanks to Marufa Akter’s new-ball genius, that is certainly how Pakistan will view it.

The 20-year-old hooped straight to Omaima’s middle and leg with just her fifth delivery, which made a superb swinging delivery that beat her.

She was at it once more next ball. The stumps were slightly wider this time, but Ameen’s inside edge provided some assistance by making the same prodigious swing back into the right-hander once more.

“How Marufa bowled in the powerplay, she stole the show!” Joe responded following the game.

She is “very young, but she is very mature, and she is very knowledgeable about her role.” She was incredible despite the fact that everyone was very supportive of her.

Given Ameen’s form, it appeared shock to Pakistan for her first one-day international since February 2019.

The significance of Ameen’s wicket for Bangladesh was significant with her previous four innings’ scores of 121 not out, 122, 50 not out, and 37 not out.

Marufa’s impact diminished as a result, but Bangladesh spinners were prepared to play their part.

With the exception of left-armer Nahida Akter and leg-spinner Shorna Akter, both six bowlers used claimed at least one wicket.

Eva Lys, the reigning champion, won the China Open semi-final in straight sets against Coco Gauff.

The three-time world champion defeated her German foe 6-3, 6-4, in an hour and 28 minutes.

In the opening set, Gaff, a two-time Grand Slam champion, converted three of her four break point opportunities.

She’s a tough opponent and she hit some incredible shots on the run, but I tried my hardest to play aggressive and good tennis, Gauff said, who is third overall.

“I think it was crucial to maintain my confidence in my game.” When I had the lead, I only made one passive point in the final game before playing some good tennis again.

The 21-year-old had a remarkable 79% first serve percentage throughout the match despite having a difficult time with her serve this season.

Guaff is currently the most highly ranked player in the world after winning the French Open earlier this year.

In the final four, she will face American compatriot Amanda Anisimova.

A decision on whether to scrap the Premier League’s controversial profit and sustainability rules (PSR) and adopt an “alternative system” is “coming up”, says chief executive Richard Masters.

The current regulations, introduced in 2015-16 to prevent clubs from overspending, allow losses of £105m over a three-year reporting cycle.

However, they have been criticised by several top-flight teams for limiting their ability to invest.

BBC Sport has been told a decision on any changes is likely to be made at a meeting in November.

In February clubs chose to continue with PSR for the current season.

However a squad cost ratio (SCR) system of financial control was adopted by the Premier League on a shadowing, non-binding basis.

SCR is similar to Uefa’s existing financial rules and allows clubs to spend up to a percentage of their total revenues on squad-related costs.

Nine of the league’s 20 clubs already have to comply with Uefa’s SCR as a result of qualifying for Europe. Both Chelsea and Aston Villa were fined by Uefa in July for breaching the rules.

Asked about SCR at the Leaders sports conference in London, Masters said: “We are talking to our clubs about an alternative system. That’s not to say we don’t think the PSR system works.”

He added: “It’s about closer alignment with European regulation, which is squad cost ratio, which is a revenue test. In Uefa, it’s now set at 70%. Our system will be 85% because we always want our clubs to have the ability to invest.

Premier League clubs Everton and Nottingham Forest were docked points in the 2023-24 season for breaching PSR.

In 2023, Aston Villa’s co-owner Nassef Sawiris said the regulations “do not make sense” and protected the biggest clubs, while he was considering legal action against the rules.

Having been forced to offload players to comply with the regulations, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has also been critical of PSR, saying it incentivises clubs to sell academy products.

“The PSR is a look-back profitability test and has its own strengths and weaknesses. No system will be perfect,” said Masters.

“We have to keep these things balanced and continue the conversation with our clubs, and that’s an important decision, so we should take the time to get it right. But that decision is coming up.”

The Premier League is also trialling another model known as ‘top to bottom anchoring’ (TBA) which effectively caps the amount any club can spend as a multiple of the income earned by the league’s bottom side.

BBC Sport has been told the new rules – if adopted – could also include TBA, and would come into force at the start of next season.

A decision on whether to scrap the Premier League’s controversial profit and sustainability rules (PSR) and adopt an “alternative system” is “coming up”, says chief executive Richard Masters.

The current regulations, introduced in 2015-16 to prevent clubs from overspending, allow losses of £105m over a three-year reporting cycle.

However, they have been criticised by several top-flight teams for limiting their ability to invest.

BBC Sport has been told a decision on any changes is likely to be made at a meeting in November.

In February clubs chose to continue with PSR for the current season.

However a squad cost ratio (SCR) system of financial control was adopted by the Premier League on a shadowing, non-binding basis.

SCR is similar to Uefa’s existing financial rules and allows clubs to spend up to a percentage of their total revenues on squad-related costs.

Nine of the league’s 20 clubs already have to comply with Uefa’s SCR as a result of qualifying for Europe. Both Chelsea and Aston Villa were fined by Uefa in July for breaching the rules.

Asked about SCR at the Leaders sports conference in London, Masters said: “We are talking to our clubs about an alternative system. That’s not to say we don’t think the PSR system works.”

He added: “It’s about closer alignment with European regulation, which is squad cost ratio, which is a revenue test. In Uefa, it’s now set at 70%. Our system will be 85% because we always want our clubs to have the ability to invest.

Premier League clubs Everton and Nottingham Forest were docked points in the 2023-24 season for breaching PSR.

In 2023, Aston Villa’s co-owner Nassef Sawiris said the regulations “do not make sense” and protected the biggest clubs, while he was considering legal action against the rules.

Having been forced to offload players to comply with the regulations, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has also been critical of PSR, saying it incentivises clubs to sell academy products.

“The PSR is a look-back profitability test and has its own strengths and weaknesses. No system will be perfect,” said Masters.

“We have to keep these things balanced and continue the conversation with our clubs, and that’s an important decision, so we should take the time to get it right. But that decision is coming up.”

The Premier League is also trialling another model known as ‘top to bottom anchoring’ (TBA) which effectively caps the amount any club can spend as a multiple of the income earned by the league’s bottom side.

BBC Sport has been told the new rules – if adopted – could also include TBA, and would come into force at the start of next season.