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Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe committed two defensive errors during the team's 7-5 win over the Rays on Tuesday. Volpe has now made 15 errors this season, which is tied for the most in MLB.

Though Volpe's home run and two hits were crucial in the Yankees' win, he gave the Rays another chance with a poor throw to first base during the ninth inning. The 2023 Gold Glove winner has not played up to his previous defensive standard, and been a key part of the Yankees' overall struggles this season, a major concern as the team looks to return to the World Series in October.

Despite Volpe's woes, Yankees manager Aaron Boone is not planning to bench Volpe or sit him as a mental reset.

"Clearly, he's gone through some struggles here and in some key moments not made some plays," Boone said Wednesday. "I think Anthony's super tough, and I think he's wired for this. We think of slumps or struggles more offensively, it happens with even really good players on that side of the ball."

Boone continued, "My message to him is, 'You're really good at this.' And that's reality. He's a Gold Glove player, he makes plays that people can't make. He's a playmaker out there. He's made some mistakes on some balls that he needs to nail down, but it happens to guys at different points of their career. I believe his mental toughness and his wiring will get him through this, and we'lI all work right there with him to get through it too. I believe his best days are in front of him this year and beyond."

Volpe remains determined as well to turn around his performance defensively. “I’ve never really experienced something like this,” Volpe said Tuesday. “But I’ve got really good guys around me. I know what I’m capable of. It’s obviously frustrating, but it’s not discouraging. I know the standard I have for myself. I’m going to keep pushing until I prove it to myself every day."

And which visiting bowler has taken the most Test wickets at one single ground?

Steven Lynch23-Sep-2025I was sorry to hear of the death of John Jameson. In the 1971 Oval Test he was run-out in both innings, how often has this happened? asked James Hamilton from England

John Jameson, who died last week, was a hard-hitting top-order batter for Warwickshire, who also played four Tests for England. In the second of those, against India at The Oval in August 1971, he was run-out in both innings. He’d made 82 in the first, which remained his highest Test score, before failing to beat Ajit Wadekar’s return to wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer, and added 16 in the second before bowler Bhagwath Chandrasekhar deflected a Brian Luckhurst straight-drive into the stumps with non-striker Jameson stranded.Jameson was – and still is – the only England player to be run-out in both innings of a Test. There have been 26 such instances in all: it happened to Australian team-mates Ian Healy and Mark Taylor twice. It has also happened 11 times in women’s Tests.Jameson had also been run-out in the second innings of his debut, at Old Trafford a fortnight earlier. He remains the only man to be run-out in three successive Test innings: Zimbabwe’s Guy Whittall had three consecutive run-out dismissals in 1997 and 1998, but that sequence was interrupted by an innings of 203 not out. Three women have been run out three times in a row in Tests: Betty Wilson of Australia in 1948-49, New Zealand’s Debbie Hockley in 1984, and Jill Kennare of Australia in 1984-85.In Test matches, which team has the highest team total if you add up each player’s career average, and then their highest score? asked William Lee from South Africa

To answer the second part first, the highest theoretical total if everyone in a particular team equalled their highest Test score would be 2367, by the World XI in the one and only “Super Series” Test against Australia in Sydney in October 2005. That side included Brian Lara (highest score 400 not out), Inzamam-ul-Haq (329), Virender Sehwag (319), Graeme Smith (277) and Rahul Dravid (270). It didn’t do them much good, as Australia won by 210 runs!The highest by a national XI would be 2231 by Sri Lanka against Australia in Galle in March 2004. That side included Mahela Jayawardene (374), Sanath Jayasuriya (340), Kumar Sangakkara (319) and Marvan Atapattu (249).The Australian team that beat England in Don Bradman’s final Test, at The Oval in August 1948, had a combined average of 450.46 if you add up their end-of-career figures. This is obviously helped by Bradman’s own 99.94! The largely similar Australian team that defeated India in Adelaide earlier in 1948 had an aggregate average of 448.15. Next comes the West Indian team against England in Port-of-Spain in February 1948, with a combined average of 445.55. That side included the unfortunate opener Andy Ganteaume, who scored a century in his only Test innings so finished with an average of 112.New Zealand’s Ajaz Patel has taken 25 Test wickets at the Wankhede Stadium – is this the most by a visiting bowler on any ground? asked Karan Singh Rathod from India

The New Zealand slow left-armer Ajaz Patel has taken 25 wickets in just two Tests at Bombay’s Wankhede Stadium, including his 10 for 119 in an innings against India there in December 2021.He’s a little way down the list of most wickets on a ground by visiting bowlers, although those above him played more Tests. Three men have taken 35 wickets on a single Test ground away from home: the 19th-century England seamer George Lohmann in four Tests in Sydney, another English bowling genius in Sydney Barnes took 35 in five matches in Melbourne, while the Australian offspinner Nathan Lyon has so far taken 35 in six Tests in Galle.This excludes wickets taken in Tests on neutral grounds: Yasir Shah took 55 wickets in Dubai and 46 in Abu Dhabi in what were designated as home Tests for Pakistan, while Saeed Ajmal picked up 37 in Dubai.Nathan Lyon has 35 wickets in six Tests in Galle, the most for any visiting bowler this century at one venue (not including neutral grounds)•AFPWarwickshire made 190 in the T20 Blast quarter-final without a single six. Was this the highest T20 innings not to feature a single six? asked Dave Henbery from England

You’re right that the total of 190 for 6 by Warwickshire (or Birmingham Bears as I think we’re supposed to call them) against Somerset in the Vitality Blast quarter-final in Taunton earlier this month did not contain a single six. We managed to unearth one higher total from the very first season of T20 cricket, also against Somerset: Glamorgan’s 193 for 7 in Cardiff in June 2003 had no sixes either. We don’t have ball-by-ball details for all T20 matches, but I’d be surprised if there is a higher total without a six.The Bears no doubt wished they’d managed to hit a couple over the ropes, as Somerset ended up winning that quarter-final in the last over, and went on to win the competition, beating Hampshire in an exciting final at Edgbaston a few days ago.Chris Martin is aptly described in his ESPNcricinfo bio as “hard-working with the ball and outrageously feeble with the bat”. He finished with 110 more Test wickets than runs: is this the highest such difference? asked Siddiqui Saleem from the United States

The short answer is yes: the New Zealand seamer Chris Martin finished his 71-Test career with 233 wickets and just 123 runs, a difference of 110. In all he was out 52 times (he also had 52 not-outs), which included 36 ducks – only Courtney Walsh (43) and Stuart Broad (39), who played many more Tests, bagged more ducks in Tests. Martin was also dismissed for a pair on seven occasions, easily the Test record.Martin took the run-difference record from India’s Bhagwath Chandrasekhar, who in 58 Tests amassed 242 wickets and 167 runs, or minus 75. Two other bowlers who took 100 Test wickets ended up with fewer runs than wickets: Bruce Reid of Australia had 113 wickets and 93 runs, while India’s Pragyan Ojha ended up with 113 and 89.Brett Schultz of South Africa took 37 wickets but made only nine runs, while Australia’s mystery spinner Jack Iverson took 21 Test wickets but made only three runs. Pride of place perhaps has to go to the Pakistan seamer Aizaz Cheema, who played seven Tests for Pakistan in 2011 and 2012, and took 20 wickets – but managed just a solitary run with the bat. (Actually he had five innings, and was never dismissed.)Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Leeds United travel away from West Yorkshire and Elland Road to face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League this afternoon.

The Whites are looking to win back-to-back matches in the Premier League for the first time this season, after they beat West Ham United in their last outing.

Daniel Farke’s side won, thanks to goals from Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon, and Anton Stach did not play a single minute of the match at Elland Road.

Why Leeds should unleash Anton Stach

Despite beating the Hammers, Leeds can improve on their performance from last time out because they failed to put the game out of sight for the away side, which led to a nervy ending when they pulled a goal back.

After Rodon’s goal, the Whites did not create a single chance that was worth more than 0.14 xG, per Sofascore, and they allowed West Ham to get back into the game, albeit they were able to hang on for all three points.

Stach, who did not get on the pitch, has proven that he can provide a threat at the top end of the pitch from a midfield position, with one goal, 1.8 key passes per game, and two ‘big chances’ created in eight appearances, per Sofascore.

The summer signing from Hoffenheim has shown that he can be a difference-maker with his individual quality, which could help Leeds to capitalise on a shaky Brighton defence that has conceded 15 goals in the Premier League.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

In order to bring Stach into the starting line-up, though, Farke would have to ruthlessly ditch Ao Tanaka, whose performances he has recently defended.

Why Leeds should drop Ao Tanaka

After the win over West Ham, the Japan international stated that he is “not good enough at the moment” and that he will be using these experiences to improve as a player.

Asked about Tanaka’s honest admission, Farke said: “He had a really good start to the season with us. I didn’t expect him to be man of the match [vs West Ham], being in his first match after injury back in the starting line up, but I think he was quite solid and showed a really, really good performance.”

In spite of his defence of the central midfielder’s comments and performance, the German head coach should drop the midfield maestro from the XI because Stach may be able to offer more quality against Brighton.

As you can see in the table above, Tanaka has struggled to influence games in the Premier League this season, as he has offered little in the final third whilst being dominated by opposition players physically.

The Japanese midfielder is seemingly still adjusting to the step up from the Championship, which is understandable, but Stach has shown that he can make an impact offensively and hold his own defensively in his eight starts in the division.

Given Brighton’s defensive struggles this season, conceding 15 goals in nine games, it could be the right time to bring the German central midfielder back into the starting line-up to give the Whites the best chance of causing their defence problems.

Aaronson 2.0: Phil Hay saw no way back for Leeds flop, now he's "ruthless"

This Leeds United star was the original Brenden Aaronson at Elland Road.

By
Dan Emery

Oct 30, 2025

Therefore, Farke should ruthlessly drop Tanaka from the XI, despite his defence of the midfielder’s display against West Ham, because it may improve the team’s chances of winning this afternoon, given the context of the opposition.

Ross Barkley has revealed his struggles with alcohol and also opened up on Frank Lampard's punishment after a night out before a match during his Chelsea stint. He was once tipped to be English football’s next big superstar as he showed promise in his early days that drew comparisons to the greats. However, he never quite reached his potential, and behind the scenes, he was battling problems with drinking.

• A young star lost in the glare of fame

  The Everton academy graduate rose to stardom in his teens. Moving to Chelsea was supposed to be the next great chapter. Instead, it became the stage where his discipline and his decisions began to unravel. Barkley has now admitted that alcohol became a damaging escape during his time at Stamford Bridge.

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  How Lampard handled an Barkley

  In an interview with Barkley revealed: "A few times I went out, and if you drink too much, you do things you regret. I’d go out and have too much to drink, and then it would get back to the club."

  The turning point came one Sunday night in Liverpool. Barkley went out drinking before a Wednesday match. It was supposed to be a harmless night out until footage surfaced and images were splashed across the tabloids. Chelsea manager Frank Lampard knew the temptations of youth better than most and responded with a mix of empathy and authority.

  "One time, I went out on a Sunday in Liverpool and we had a game on a Wednesday. I got videoed, and then it was in the paper," Barkley revealed.

  "We (Chelsea) had an away game in France (against Lille) and Frank Lampard was the manager. He couldn’t really say too much to me, other than learn from it and pick and choose when the right time is to do it, because he knew what it was like as a young lad. But the punishment was that I travelled with the team, but I wasn’t on the bench. I had to watch the game on the coach. It was hard to take. That was one occasion that has probably created a perception."

  The incident in Liverpool wasn’t the last time Barkley’s name made unwanted headlines. In 2019, while he was recovering from injury, the footballer was filmed dancing shirtless in a Dubai nightclub during the international break. Although permission for leave had been granted, the optics were bad, and Barkley was once again at the centre of unwanted scrutiny.

  "He showed a moment of a lack of professionalism as far as I’m concerned," Lampard said on that occasion. "And it’s not something that I want to be a pure dictator on and come down hard because I also understand that all my players are humans and have lives and I don’t police every moment of their life.

  "So I don’t think it’s a terrible thing that he’s done but all Ross needs to do now, he’s had an injury and he’s still kind of carrying the injury – he still gets a bit of pain on shooting – so he just has to work his way back in. In terms of the fitness thing, he trained well and I certainly don’t hold anything against my players. I like Ross, he’s firmly one of my players and I think it was something he needs to show all his reactions on the pitch."

• When Barkley sought help

  Barkley confessed that his confidence often wavered during his early years in football, and he had to resort to professional help.

  "You’ve got to self-reflect," said the midfielder. "You make mistakes. It’s good to speak to people and learn from mistakes and understand that throughout life, there are going to be challenges. Sometimes people struggle with their mental health; it’s good to talk to people. I’ve spoken to people, and it’s helped me. I’ve spoken to a sports psychologist. I’ve had therapy throughout my career and it’s beneficial. In football, you can lose your confidence. I’ve lost my confidence when I was younger. Now I’m 31, I look back and wish my approach back then was the same now."

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  A changed man and a father

  Barkley is now back at Aston Villa for a second spell and is busy rebuilding his confidence under Unai Emery. Boozy nights are a thing of the past, and fatherhood has given him perspective. 

  "I’m a dad now; I’ve got more responsibilities," he said. "I’ve got maybe four, five, six or seven years left in football, so I want to make the most of that. I haven’t drunk since the summer. I’m planning on going without alcohol throughout (the rest of) my career. It has created situations I don’t really want happening anymore."

  Emery has mostly used him as a substitute, but he scored in his latest outing against Bournemouth. As games come thick and fast in the festive season, Barkley will be hoping to carve out a bigger role in the Aston Villa setup.

The New York Mets have landed another bat for the homestretch of the season, as the franchise has traded for Baltimore Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins, according to a report from Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

In return, the Mets sent three prospects back to the Orioles, including reliever Chandler Marsh, corner infielder Anthony Nunez and reliever Raimon Gomez.

Mullins has spent his entire eight-year career in Baltimore. He is slashing .229/.305/.433 this season with 15 home runs, 49 RBI and 14 stolen bases.

Mullins will be under contract with the Mets through the rest of the season before hitting free agency this winter.

Clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan supporters had marred a game between the two sides in Sharjah in 2022

Danyal Rasool28-Aug-2025Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan urged fans to avoid a repeat of the ugly scenes that marred Pakistan and Afghanistan’s clash in Sharjah in 2022, saying that cricket brought “people and nations together”. Sharjah will host the opening game of the tri-series between the two sides.The end of the see-sawing game, which Pakistan won by one wicket in the final over, was followed by clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan supporters in the stands, leading to the PCB writing to the ICC in protest, with then-PCB chairman Ramiz Raja calling it “hooliganism”. Several Afghanistan fans were detained by the Sharjah police following the incident. However, no arrests were made.Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have politically soured further since. But this time around, there is heightened awareness about the potential for flashpoints. There are separate sections at the stadium for Pakistan and Afghanistan supporters, and greater alertness to nip potential crowd trouble in the bud.Related

• Afghanistan bring back former Ireland allrounder John Mooney as fielding coach

• Afghanistan pick 16 of 17 Asia Cup squad members for UAE tri-series

• Pakistan, Afghanistan, UAE gear up for Asia Cup rehearsal

It is, however, not the first time supporters of the sides will be separated in the general stands; that was also the case in 2023 when they played a bilateral series against each other. There are sizeable diaspora populations of both nations in the UAE, particularly Sharjah, and fixtures between the two sides have been historically well attended in the country.”[My] message to everyone who comes and watches the games in the stadium is that cricket brings unity,” Rashid said. “It brings people and nations together. It sends a peaceful message. This game is all about enjoyment. We play this game to enjoy ourselves and give entertainment to the crowd and the fans. It’s just a game of cricket. I ask people to come, enjoy themselves, support their respective teams and enjoy every moment of the game.”Rashid also believed the format, as well as the short nature of the tri-series, meant assigning a favourites tag to any side was difficult. “No team is favourite, especially in T20Is. You have to play good cricket. One or two players can totally change the game. Everyone will be trying to deliver their best performances.”Pakistan play back to back games, taking on UAE on Saturday following their contest against Afghanistan on Friday. The final, after two rounds of fixtures, is on 7 September.

Smarts? Check. Innovation? Check. Banter? Yes sir. It was all so familiar that it took until he brought up three figures for the reality of his arduous comeback to sink in

Alagappan Muthu21-Sep-2024This was a really chill day in Chennai. Literally – some people had come in wearing winter caps – and figuratively.India were already 308 runs ahead. Bangladesh didn’t exactly see the point of being active participants in this Test anymore. In a weird way, it made sense. This game was deep in declaration territory. Might as well preserve their bowlers for the next one. Or maybe they were worried about the over rate. In any case, under overcast skies, after early-morning rain, on a fast-bowling pitch (though there wasn’t as much movement as earlier), Mehidy Hasan Miraz delivered twice as many overs as any of his team-mates in the morning session of day three. The spread-out fields added to the batters’ sense of comfort. They were walking singles.Related

• Rishabh Pant, and a Test return 629 days in the making

• Gill, Pant and Ashwin boss day three at Chepauk

After a point, Rishabh Pant couldn’t take it anymore. “,” he cried out, beseeching Bangladesh to make a change. “. One fielder here. Midwicket.” He’s been out of Test cricket for two years. He must have missed it a lot. Enough that on the third day of his comeback, he started playing not just for his team but the opposition as well.A Pant century is never short of highlights and this one was no different. There were so many scoop shots, and a crowd that is used to the culture of repeat viewings – you need to schedule some soul searching if you’re a Chennaite and you’ve watched a major movie just once – really appreciated that. There was also a straight six which he only managed by letting his bottom hand go off the bat. He played that once in the IPL three years ago, against Chennai Super Kings in Dubai, and Matthew Hayden on commentary dispelled the notion that the ball clearing the boundary was a fluke.He has all the party tricks, but he can do soft hands too•AFP/Getty Images”He’s nowhere near that. Now if he had two hands on his bat, that wouldn’t have gone half-way to the boundary. But he actually gets the extension through his hands which carries the bat out in front of him, and therefore he gets the distance towards the short side of the ground, granted, but what a shot!”Pant’s scoops have the same counterintuitive quality about them. He is perfectly happy to stay in line with the ball. Other players – like Jos Buttler for example – make an effort to get outside of it because the biggest thing preventing them from accessing that gap at fine leg is their own body. Pant just bends his torso away at the last instant and clearly that’s more than enough. He has an instinctive understanding of shot-making mechanics and that knowledge seems to be expanding.When he made 39 on the first day of the Chepauk Test, and the conditions were considerably harder to bat in, Pant thrived by playing the ball with really soft hands. It is easy to forget – because of his inextricable association with all things outlandish (like making his name as a babysitter first, batter later) – that he has this skill too. At the Gabba in 2021, he was content with just one boundary off his first 48 balls. He had a reason to bat that way. A Test match was on the line. Here, there were no big-picture constraints. He was 30 off 65 because he was being thorough. It is possible he might be growing out of his impulse-driven strokeplay phase.Why two hands when one will do?•BCCIThe fun that followed – Pant scored 19 off his first 39 balls against spin, then 64 off his last 48 – kept the crowd on their feet, and Shubman Gill on his toes. They had to celebrate a lot of boundaries and each time Pant seemed to insist on a routine. Two punches of the glove and, simultaneously, two taps of the bat. It resembled the secret handshake between Troy and Abed, from the hit series Community, and looked pretty cool but…”I was telling him to not to [do that],” Gill said, “Because I’m playing with a bat that I played the England series [with]. My bat is quite old actually. And he was hitting my bat so hard, I was telling him you know, I’m trying to save my bat. And if he didn’t middle it while in the middle, he would say no let’s do it again. I was like, bro, calm down.”There’s a chance that India have discovered a fun new partnership to follow with one of their old ones watching on with great interest. Rohit Sharma was sat in the dressing room, waiting for it. Virat Kohli had hit the nets at lunch, but he made sure to be back for it. Pant brought “it” with an effortless push to long-off. He only needed one more for his century. Gill thought he’d settle for that and soak in the moment. But Pant insisted on the second. Then he walked off to the side just a little. He must have had so many complicated feelings. Maybe his mind even went to that night on December 30, 2022. To come back from that, alive, is a lot to take in. To be good enough to play cricket again is a lot to take in. To score a hundred in his first Test back?Those two or three seconds just before he raised his bat, when the reality of what he’d done set in on Pant, might be one of the only known stretches of time in which he has ever looked overwhelmed.

Middlesex stutter to 189 for 8 on truncated day at Emirates Old Trafford

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay16-Sep-2025Middlesex 189 for 8 (De Caires 52, Geddes 52, Bailey 4-60) vs Lancashire Tom Bailey took four wickets to ensure Lancashire reduced Middlesex’s already slim promotion hopes still further on a rain-affected second day of the Rothesay County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford.After the first day of the game had been wiped out by rain, only 44 overs’ play was possible between the heavy showers on the second but the visitors ended a long and mostly sunlit evening session on 189 for 8 after Ben Geddes had been dismissed for 52 four overs before the close and Seb Morgan had fallen lbw to Bailey’s last ball of a truncated day.Having been asked to bat first in bowler-friendly conditions, the visitors were also indebted to opener Josh De Caires, who made 52 runs, many of them against the new ball at a time when the players were regularly forced off the field by rain.The match began at noon but barely 20 minutes’ play was possible before a heavy shower forced the players off again. In that time, however, Middlesex lost two wickets in five overs, Sam Robson being caught at second slip by Keaton Jennings off Bailey for 9, and the left-handed Luke Hollman being taken at first slip by Michael Jones for a four-ball nought when James Anderson slanted a ball across him and induced the edge.Two balls later – and probably to Hollman’s intense irritation – more showers blew in on the westerly wind and prevented play resuming for over two hours. An early lunch was taken and Middlesex resumed their innings on 13 for 2.On the bright side, the visitors then added 48 runs in six overs, De Caires hitting three successive fours off Tom Aspinwall and the visitors bringing up their fifty in the tenth over. However, only seven more balls were possible, though, before yet more heavy rain arrived from the direction of the Party Stand with Middlesex on 61 for 2.Play resumed at four o’clock and Middlesex immediately lost two wickets to successive deliveries from Aspinwall. Having put on 54 with de Caires, Leus du Plooy was caught behind for 22 when attempting to drive and Ryan Higgins departed first ball when he appeared surprised by Aspinwall’s pace and edged a catch to Jones at first slip.Geddes joined de Caires and the pair put on another 54 runs during the course of which the Middlesex opener was dropped by Bailey off his own bowling when on 46. De Caires reached his fifty off 65 balls when he nicked Bailey past third slip and to the boundary but the opener was caught behind for 52 three balls later when driving ambitiously at the same bowler.Josh Bohannon was introduced into the attack from the Statham End and struck with his first ball when he bowled Joe Cracknell for 6. By the close, however, Middlesex had recovered to near parity in the conditions with Geddes having reached his 50 off 80 balls with five fours and three sixes, all of the latter having been whacked over the short boundary on the Party Stand side of the ground.Nine balls after reaching that personal landmark, Geddes nicked Bailey high to Jennings’ left at second slip and the former Lancashire skipper took a fine two-handed catch. At the close, Zafar Gohar was 16 not out. Bailey finished the day with figures of 4 for 60 and Aspinwall with 2 for 48.

Longtime relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel is signing with the Astros, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported on Thursday. He will be signed to their major league team.

Kimbrel started off the 2025 season on the Braves' minor league teams of the Double-A Columbus Clingstones and the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers. He was called up to the majors for one game in June and appeared in one inning before being designated for assignment.

Shortly after in June, he signed a minor league contract with the Rangers. He played for the Triple-A Round Rock and was released on Thursday. He posted a 3.86 ERA in 28 innings there.

Kimbrel is a nine-time All-Star reliever, with his most recent nod coming in 2023 with the Phillies. The Astros will mark the ninth MLB team Kimbrel's played for in his 16-year career.

Kimbrel struggled last season with the Orioles, posting a 5.33 ERA across 57 game appearances. He threw 73 strikeouts across 52.1 innings pitched.

The former India wicketkeeper-batter was unveiled as a replacement player, a day before the ILT20’s first player auction

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Sep-2025Sharjah Warriorz have signed former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik for the upcoming season of the ILT20 in the UAE. Warriorz unveiled Karthik as a replacement for Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis, ahead of the league’s first player auction on October 1.At Warriorz, Karthik, 40, will reunite with the big-hitting Tim David with whom he had won IPL 2025 though as a batting coach and mentor at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).”I am very excited to be joining the Sharjah Warriorz team for the DP World ILT20 tournament,” Karthik said in a statement. “I know they are a young team, aspiring to do some special things, and I am happy to be here. Sharjah is also one of those iconic stadiums one always wants to play at. And to be a part of the franchise Sharjah Warriorz, makes a dream come true.”Related

• R Ashwin goes unsold in inaugural ILT20 player auction

• ILT20 games in future seasons could be held in Saudi Arabia

• Will Ashwin be the most expensive buy at inaugural ILT20 auction?

• ILT20: Powell, Ghazanfar retained; Hales, Livingstone among new signings

Warriorz head coach JP Duminy welcomed Karthik into their set-up. “Dinesh Karthik is one of the most experienced hands and an incredibly innovative mind when it comes to T20 cricket, and I am chuffed to have him in our corner,” Duminy said. “The whole world has seen what he is capable of with the bat, and his explosive batting, dynamic personality, and immense experience will surely benefit the younger players significantly during the course of the tournament. I look forward to working with him closely.”This will be Karthik’s fourth stint as a player in franchise cricket outside of the IPL after being part of Bangla Tigers in the 2024 Abu Dhabi T10, Southern Superstars in the 2024 Legends League, and Paarl Royals in the 2025 SA20. Karthik forayed into the global franchise circuit after retiring from Indian and international cricket in June 2024.Dinesh Karthik represented Paarl Royals in the 2025 SA20•SA20

Karthik brings with him a wealth of T20 experience: he has played 412 matches so far, scoring 7537 runs at an average of 27.01 and strike rate of 136.66. In the IPL, he played for six teams, which included leading Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He also was among the fittest players in the IPL, having missed just two matches across 17 seasons.In the upcoming season of the ILT20, Karthik could play with or against R Ashwin, his former India and Tamil Nadu team-mate. Ashwin has entered the ILT20 auction with the highest base price – the only player at the auction with a base price in six figures.With LPL 2025 set to clash with the ILT20, Mendis has pulled out along with allrounder Dasun Shanaka, who was earlier retained by defending champions Dubai Capitals.