Manchester United players (Jordan Pettitt/PA via AP)

Joshua Zirkzee scored his first Premier League goal in nearly a year, while Mason Mount secured the winning goal as Manchester United defeated Crystal Palace 2-1 on Sunday.Ruben Amorim’s team initially fell behind when Jean-Philippe Mateta scored a first-half penalty at Selhurst Park. However, Zirkzee and Mount’s second-half goals helped United secure their first victory in four matches.United overcame their slow start with Zirkzee’s first Premier League goal since his strike against Everton in December 2024. The Dutch striker had experienced a 24-game goalless streak in the league, raising questions about his £36 million transfer from Bologna in 2024.Zirkzee, aged 24, had not found the net in his previous eight appearances since April. Mount, who has faced injury setbacks since joining from Chelsea, celebrated only his second goal of the season.This victory marked United’s first win since October, providing relief for Amorim after their recent loss to 10-man Everton at Old Trafford. The win was particularly significant as it ended Palace’s unbeaten home record in the Premier League, which had stood since February 15.“There are no excuses” for United’s struggling start to the season, Amorim had stated earlier in the week.Casemiro nearly gave United an early lead within the first minute when a long throw created confusion in Palace’s defense, but Dean Henderson saved his close-range shot.Mateta missed an opportunity at the other end, failing to score after getting past Leny Yoro with only goalkeeper Senne Lammens to beat. Lammens then made saves from Daichi Kamada’s low shot and helped defend against Yeremy Pino’s attempt.Palace took the lead in the 36th minute through a penalty. Yoro fouled Mateta, who initially scored but had his goal disallowed for a double-touch violation.A new rule implemented this season allows successful penalties with accidental double-touches to be retaken. This rule clarification followed Julian Alvarez’s disallowed penalty for Atletico Madrid against Real Madrid last season.Mateta successfully converted his second attempt past Lammens. Zirkzee, who had been quiet in the first half, equalized in the 54th minute with a remarkable shot from a difficult angle after receiving Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick.Shortly after scoring, Zirkzee almost contributed to an own goal when he deflected the ball toward his own net, but it was cleared to safety.Mount put United ahead in the 63rd minute, scoring from a free-kick assist by Fernandes. His low shot went under the Palace wall and past Henderson from 20 yards out.

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) holds the trophy as Inter Miami players celebrate winning an MLS Eastern Conference final (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano showered praise on Lionel Messi, calling him “extraordinary”, after the Argentine icon guided the club into their maiden MLS Cup final with a commanding 5-1 victory over New York City FC on Saturday. Miami’s charge to the championship match was led by a brilliant Tadeo Allende hat-trick, while Mateo Silvetti and Telasco Segovia also found the net in a dominant performance at Fort Lauderdale. Messi, 38, didn’t score on the night, but produced a moment of pure class when he set up Silvetti for Miami’s third goal. That assist came just as New York were closing in on an equaliser and effectively put the contest to bed. Mascherano, who previously shared the pitch with Messi for Barcelona and Argentina, said his star man continues to redefine what is possible. “Leo has spoiled us with the extraordinary,” Mascherano said. “He is unique, someone we won’t see again. Maybe people expected a goal today, but he brought calmness with that third goal. Only he can spot that pass. It basically ended the match.” Miami will now welcome either San Diego FC or the Vancouver Whitecaps, who face off later on Saturday, in next weekend’s MLS Cup final. The team enters the title clash in peak form, having smashed FC Cincinnati 4-0 in the previous round and now dismantling New York with similar ruthlessness. Allende was at the centre of Miami’s attacking storm once again. The 26-year-old struck first in the 14th minute after beating the offside trap, then doubled the lead with an outstanding header shortly after. New York responded through Justin Haak’s headed effort in the 37th minute and almost levelled when Julian Fernandez drew a superb save from Rocco Rios Novo in the 66th minute. That moment proved pivotal. Miami instantly countered, with Rodrigo De Paul and Jordi Alba combining before Messi threaded a perfectly weighted pass to Silvetti, who fired home for 3-1. Segovia made it 4-1 in the 83rd minute, and Allende completed his hat-trick a minute later, setting off huge celebrations. Mascherano credited the squad for turning around a season that once looked in disarray. “The players deserve the praise. They understood the direction we needed to take,” he said. “We grew stronger together and reached this stage with a real sense of unity. Everyone pulls in the same direction, and who starts doesn’t matter. The strength of this group is unshakeable.”

Rohit Sharma of India (Photo by Ayush Kumar/Getty Images)

Rohit Sharma is closing in on yet another monumental milestone as India prepare to face South Africa in the opening ODI in Ranchi on Sunday. The Ex-Indian skipper, long regarded as one of the finest white-ball openers of his generation, is now just a few big hits away from owning one of ODI cricket’s most prized records. Rohit needs only three more sixes to become the most lethal six-hitter in the history of One Day Internationals. At present, he is perched at 349 sixes, just two shy of Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi’s long-standing record of 351. Once Rohit launches his 352nd six, he will move past Afridi and officially take control of the top position on the all-time list. With the form he displayed in the recent ODI series against Australia, it may only be a matter of a few deliveries before the record is rewritten.Most Sixes in ODIs

Rohit’s growing list of achievements, however, doesn’t end there. The India captain is also inches away from etching his name into another prestigious chapter of world cricket. Having amassed 19,902 international runs across formats, Rohit is all set to become only the fourth Indian batter to breach the 20,000-run barrier. He needs just 98 more runs to join Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid in an exclusive club of Indian greats. His tally currently stands at 4,301 Test runs, 11,370 ODI runs and 4,231 runs in T20Is, accumulated across 502 international appearances. Tendulkar leads the all-time global chart with 34,357 runs, followed by Kohli (27,673) and Dravid (24,064). After stepping away from T20Is following the 2024 World Cup and retiring from Test cricket earlier this year, Rohit now represents India exclusively in ODIs. He returns to action against the Proteas with strong momentum behind him, thanks to his match-winning unbeaten 121 in Sydney that saved India from a whitewash against Australia. Virat Kohli, who has also transitioned into an ODI-only role, will reunite with Rohit for the Ranchi clash. With India reeling from a 0-2 Test defeat in South Africa, the senior duo will carry enormous responsibility as the team looks to regain stability and control in the 50-over format.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (ANI)

Ranchi: Following the 0-2 loss in the just-concluded Test series, India are looking to push the restart button. And what better way than to bank on two of the stalwarts of the ODI format, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, as the hosts aim for a turnaround in fortunes. India stand-in skipper KL Rahul feels the freshness and experience of the senior pros will be more than helpful in this situation. “Taking singles is as important as hitting boundaries in ODI cricket and in Test cricket, maybe not as much in the T20 format. That’s something Virat has done so well over his career, and it’s something that we have looked at Virat and tried to learn,” Rahul said when asked about Kohli putting a lot of importance on singles at the nets on Friday.

“Even in the dressing room, we all talked to him and Rohit about how we can get better as batsmen, and how we can rotate the strike a lot more. “He’s obviously the master at doing that in ODI cricket. We are really happy that he is back in the dressing room. He is very excited to be here and play these games,” added Rahul. Apart from Kohli and Rohit, veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is likely to add value to the squad. “He’s done the job time and again. I’m happy to have him back again with the ODI team. He missed out on the Australia series, but he was key in us winning the Champions Trophy with bat and ball and in the field. He is someone who can do everything. I think it’s great to have players that have experience, have done it time and again,” said Rahul. Quinton will make a grand impact for us: SA batting coach Hoping to continue their recent form in Tests, South Africa batting coach Ashwell Prince said on Saturday they need to improve in “clutch moments”. Accepting Kohli and Rohit’s impact on the game, the former Proteas batter said they are focusing on the damage the duo can cause to the hosts. However, he was quick to add that De Kock could have a similar impact for the Proteas. “He’s massive. Just like Rohit and Virat strengthen India, Quinny has a similar effect for us,” Prince said. “His experience and the quality he showed in Pakistan boosts the dressing room,” he added.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will play their first home game since February when they step up vs South Africa in the first ODI. (AP)

When competitive appearances become few and far between, every outing becomes an event. The airport arrivals. Hotel departures. Out-and-about visuals. The doomscrolling on social media gets a different vibe with choicest, peppy songs in the background. Immediately, nostalgia brings a smile to the face while many, including yours truly, look for cues in the body language.That is what seeing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma does to you now. The omnipresent figures of Indian cricket up until 12 months ago barely went off the screen earlier considering the amount of cricket they played. Retirements from T20Is and Tests has changed all that.

As much as this is a challenge for the fans to come to terms with, it is possibly even more difficult for Rohit (38) and Virat (37) to navigate with the reduced game time. For players accustomed to non-stop cricket, playing just a handful of ODIs presents a unique challenge. Dealing with the ageing body, preventing rustiness from creeping into their game, shutting out the outside noise and readjusting their focus to lock on the 2027 ODI World Cup target.Both have already mentioned about having a crack at the multi-nation event in South Africa and their recent actions are clearly pointing in that direction. Rohit has undergone a tremendous transformation; not only has he lost over 10 kgs, but he has also overhauled his lifestyle. From portion control to intense focus on workouts, the former India captain has never had such a razor-sharp focus on fitness. The time off not only allowed him to reboot but also put his body through a continuous boot camp.“Dubey ji” has become a regular feature in his social media uploads but it’s not just for laughs. Amit Dubey is a seasoned physiotherapist who works with the Mumbai Indians and has spent a lot of time with Rohit in the last few months. He even travelled with the 38-year-old to Ranchi (for the first ODI against South Africa on November 30).

Rohit Sharma has trimmed over 10kgs and shifted focus to his fitness since retiring from Tests and T20Is.

Rohit is not leaving anything to chance. No matter what the world says, even he, by now, would have figured that as long as the bat is firing and the body remains in shape, the World Cup dream is alive. Batting sessions at Centre of Excellence, the Azad Maidan and indoor nets keep the batting in check while the barbells and weights take care of the rest.It hasn’t been any different for Virat. Yes, the time zone is different because he is with his family in London when not playing for the country and even there he has ensured to keep the rust away. For a cricketer who revolutionised fitness in the country, there was not an iota of doubt about him remaining in shape, even at 37, and that has been the case. For Virat, it was never about cricket and fitness. A champion of the format, he has cracked the chanceless template for the ODI game in the last few years and has elevated the consistency to even higher levels.The only worry with the former captain was whether he would still have the desire to continue playing for almost two years. The desire to embrace the relentless grind for one last dance in South Africa.

Virat Kohli last played for India in the ODI series against Australia this month. (Image via X/@BCCI)

The Australia series was his first appearance for India after the Champions Trophy and that is where even the dressing room got the vibe that ‘King is not going anywhere.’ He didn’t have good outings in the first two ODIs but rolled back the years with that chanceless stand with Rohit in the final ODI. The series was lost but RoKo reminded everyone of their class in the format and why they are still up for the challenge.But it isn’t going to be just about cricket and fitness going forward. Both Rohit and Virat would need to shut off outside noise, deal with the selection committee, and secure the backing of the coaching set-up and the BCCI. It sounds foolish that players of this repute, stature and talent need to worry about these things in a format which they have bossed for over a decade but the recent events would have made them a bit more vigilant.ALSO READ | Why Agarkar, Gambhir are to blame for home Test debaclesRohit’s unceremonious exit as ODI skipper and the non-committal tone in statements made by chief selector Ajit Agarkar and coach Gautam Gambhir would have ensured the two legends keep their guard up at all times.Almost every press conference attended by Agarkar has included a RoKo question but has not produced an assuring response. The same has been the case with Gambhir as the duo has maintained that the World Cup is still more than two years away.“They are part of the squad at the moment in Australia. They are incredible players, but it is not the forum to harp on about individual players. Two years from now, it is difficult to say what the situation will be. Who knows, there can be younger players who will take the spot. Both are great players, and they will not be put to the test in every match. Once they start playing, we will assess the situation. It is about winning trophies, not just runs. It is not like if they score three hundreds in the Australia series, they will play the World Cup in 2027. We have to take the situation into consideration,” Agarkar had said at the NDTV World Summit 2025.

“Look, 50-over World Cup is still two-and-a-half years away, and I think it is very important to stay in the present,” Gambhir had echoed similar views in a press conference after India beat West Indies 2-0 in their Test series.“That is very important. Obviously, they are quality players, they are coming back, their experience is going to be a handful in Australia as well. Hopefully, those two guys will have a successful tour, and more importantly, as a team, we will have a successful series.”There are strong murmurs that the decision-makers are waiting for a slip-up by Rohit or Virat – whether it’s a dip in form or fitness concerns. It is reliably learnt that chief selector Agarkar has assured he will act tough if they don’t play in the domestic circuit after the South Africa ODIs. While Rohit is likely to turn up for Mumbai, it is understood that Virat plans to play some Vijay Hazare Trophy games for Delhi in Bengaluru.

Indian cricket team on the eve of the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi. (IANS)

Before that, though, Virat is likely to fly back to London after the culmination of the three ODIs vs South Africa but could well link-up with the Delhi team in Bengaluru. There hasn’t been any communication with the DDCA in this regard but India’s No.3 had more or less sorted his schedule for the rest of the year in Australia itself. There could be an alteration to this plan according to the team’s schedule for the New Zealand ODIs, starting January 11, but Virat could turn up for a few games of VHT, starting December 24.The noise will continue. Statements will continue to be made but the three-ODI series starting Sunday gives the fans an opportunity to enjoy the event, which snowballs into a spectacle on matchday.The number of Instagram Reels will exponentially increase, different tracks will be tried but the thumb will not give up when the scrolling continues. In the chaos that Indian cricket continues to be, Rohit and Virat remain the much-needed calm.Over to the 2027 World Cup now: 22 months to go…