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ALYTUS/VILNIUS (Lithuania) – Shiloh Kalenga had double reason to celebrate Sweden winning the FIBA U18 Women’s EuroBasket 2025, Division B by taking home the honor as Most Valuable Player.

Kalenga headlined the All-Star Five which also included Clara Bielefeld from finalists Germany, Lena Bilic and Lea Vukic from third-placed finishers Croatia and Lithuania’s Gabija Galvanauskaite.

MVP: Shiloh Kalenga – Sweden

Shiloh Kalenga stepped up biggest when it counted most as she scored 29 points to go with 7 rebounds and 3 assists in Sweden’s win over Germany in the Final. The power forward had poured in 19 points in the Semi-Finals. For the tournament, Kalenga averaged 12.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks.

Clara Bielefeld – Germany

Clara Bielefeld was an all-around weapon throughout the tournament as she showed in the Final. Even though she was limited to just 3 points against Sweden, she still contributed 17 rebounds, 13 assists, 3 steals and 4 blocks. For the tournament, Bielefeld averaged 8.9 points, 10.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists.

Lena Bilic – Croatia

Lena Bilic led the tournament in scoring with 23.6 points per game, including 41 points in the Third Place Game. Bilic did it all for the promoted side, also picking up 6.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2.9 steals and 1.4 blocks.

Lea Vukic – Croatia

Lea Vukic also played a massive role in Croatia getting third place with 22.9 points – ranked second in the tournament – to go along with 11.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals. The power forward tallied 25 points, 13 rebounds and 6 asists in Croatia’s Third Place Game win over Lithuania.

Gabija Galvanauskaite – Lithuania

Gabija Galvanauskaite did all she could but hosts Lithuania came up just short of earning promotion, losing to Croatia in the Third Place Game. The small forward had 17 points and 18 rebounds in the loss to the Balkan side. For the tournament, Galvanauskaite averaged 14.0 points, 13.1 rebounds – ranked second in the event, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks.

FIBA

Here are the Fantasy Cricket Predictions and Betting Tips for Zimbabwe T20I Tri Series 2025, 1st Match – Zimbabwe vs South Africa on the 14th of July at the Harare Sports Club, Harare.

Points Table

1st Match – Zimbabwe vs South Africa (Harare Sports Club, Harare)

Ground Stats:

All of the games will be played at the Harare Sports Club.

Average total batting first for T20I’s – 151

Average total batting second for T20I’s – 133

Current Form Zimbabwe:

Zimbabwe are currently placed at the 12th position on ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings with a rating of 200.

Zimbabwe have named a powerful squad for the T20 Tri Series. They are led by Sikandar Raza and plenty of match winners like Richard Ngarava, Clive Madande, Blessing Muzarabani and Brian Bennett are taking part in the series.

Although Zimbabwe wouldn’t start as favorites, they still have enough firepower to upset the visiting teams on their day.

Players to look out for:

1. Sikandar Raza – He is the foremost hope for Zimbabwe in the T20I Series. Raza can play according to the situation and he will be playing a major role for his team both with bat and the ball.

2. Blessing Muzarabani – He is in the form of his life with the ball in hand. Muzarabani is capable of providing early breakthroughs for his team and he is expected to be the highest wicket taker for Zimbabwe in the upcoming matches.

Current Form South Africa:

South Africa are currently placed at the 5th position on ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings with a rating of 245.

South Africa are led by Rassie van der Dussen and they have plenty of youngsters in their squad including Rubin Hermann and Nqaba Peter, who don’t have much experience in the International arena.

However, South Africa also have power hitters in their team like Reeza Hendricks, Dewald Brevis and Lhuan-dre Pretorius. They must have adapted well to the conditions in Zimbabwe with their exposure in the Test Series.

South Africa will start as favorites to win the series.

Players to look out for:

1. Lhuan-dre Pretorius – Based on his current from not just in domestic circuit but also in the recently concluded Test Series against Zimbabwe, Pretorius should be the first choice opener for South Africa. If he gets going in the series, South Africa will simply be unstoppable.

2. Lungi Ngidi – He has plenty of experience bowling in the T20I format. Ngidi has plenty of variations in his bowling arsenal and he is expected to be amongst the wickets in the upcoming matches.

Batting Stats T20I

Let’s have a look at the squads:

South Africa

Rassie van der Dussen (C), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Reeza Hendricks, Rubin Hermann, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dré Pretorius, Andile Simelane

Zimbabwe

Sikandar Raza (c), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tinotenda Maposa, Wellington Masakadza, Vincent Masekesa, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Tafadzwa Tsiga

Match Prediction – Zimbabwe v South Africa

Cricket Betting Tips and Match Predictions* – PrePlay

Who will win the toss? –  Zimbabwe

Who will win?–  Zimbabwe

Top Batter (Runs Scored) – Brian Bennett (Zimbabwe), Dewald Brevis (South Africa)

Top Bowler (Wickets taken) – Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe), Lungi Ngidi (South Africa)

Most Sixes – Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe), Dewald Brevis (South Africa)

Player of the Match– Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe)

Team Scores Batting first – Zimbabwe 155+, South Africa 150+

Match Handicap : Zimbabwe

Live Cricket Streaming Zimbabwe T20I Tri Series 2025: The live cricket streaming page which enables you to watch live cricket – Geo-restrictions apply

*NB these predictions may be changed nearer the start of the match once the final starting teams have been announced and we will be running ‘In-Play’ features, so stay tuned.

© Cricket World 2025

The first rendition of “Oh, his name is Diogo” came 20 minutes before kick-off and, 20 minutes into Liverpool’s first game since the tragic deaths of Diogo Jota and André Silva, the entire crowd at Preston’s Deepdale stadium stood to honour their memory. Mohamed Salah was visibly moved by the ovation for his club’s “Forever 20”. It was the aftermath of a poignant and important afternoon for Liverpool that left the deepest impression, however.

For seven minutes after the pre‑season friendly, staged 10 days after the brothers were killed in a car accident in north‑western Spain, Liverpool fans in the Bill Shankly Stand sang Jota’s name on repeat. And for those seven minutes Liverpool’s players, coaches and backroom staff stood facing their fans and clapped in unison with the tribute. The connection and the release, if only brief and only temporary, vindicated Liverpool’s decision to get back to work and play.

Deepdale delivered thoughtful tributes throughout Liverpool’s 3-1 win. Preston’s captain, Ben Whiteman, walked out alone before kick-off carrying a wreath he laid in front of the away fans, while You’ll Never Walk Alone was sung beautifully and an image of Jota and Silva from their Porto days filled the giant screen.

Understandably, Liverpool did not conduct any pre- or post-match interviews but Arne Slot spoke movingly to the club’s in-house media before the game. The head coach spoke of finding comfort in the fact that Jota “in the last month of his life, he was a champion in everything” – with Liverpool, Portugal and his young family, having married Rute Cardoso 11 days before his death. Slot added that the support Liverpool have received not only from their own fans but from Everton, from around the country and across the world meant that “to represent this club in this city now even means more to me and to my wife than it did before”.

Slot’s take on the friendly itself was powerful. His message could also apply to what lies ahead for Liverpool in what is certain to be the most trying of seasons. Should Jota’s grieving teammates retain their Premier League title it will rank as a truly extraordinary achievement, along with a fitting and emotional tribute. And if they don’t, well, it will not really matter.

“Nothing seems to be important if we think of what has happened,” said Slot. “But we are a football club and we need to train and we need to play again, if we want it or not. What I’ve said to the players, I can say it here as well. It’s very difficult to find the right words because we constantly debate what is appropriate. What is appropriate in our actions? What is appropriate [for] what we have to say? Can we train again? Can we laugh again? Can we be angry if there’s a wrong decision?

“I’ve said to them, maybe the best thing for us to do is handle this situation like Jota was. And what I meant with that is that Jota was always himself, it didn’t matter if he was talking to me, to his teammates, to the staff, he was always himself. So let us try to be ourselves as well. So, if we want to laugh we laugh; if we want to cry we’re going to cry. If they want to train they can train, if they don’t want to train they can not train. But be yourself, don’t think you have to be different than your emotions tell you.”

Salah’s reaction to the 20th minute ovation for Jota, putting his hands to his face and shaking his head as the crowd rose around him, reinforced Slot’s point. So too did Darwin Núñez’s response to scoring Liverpool’s second goal. Having capitalised on a weak back-pass to round Preston’s goalkeeper, Daniel Iversen, the Uruguay international re-enacted two of Jota’s goal celebrations – the “Baby Shark” he performed for his children after scoring against Everton and the “gamer” celebration that has now become a tribute to him from footballers all over the world. Cody Gakpo also did the shark celebration after completing Liverpool’s win.

The goal meant much more to Núñez than it would in normal circumstances and he pointed to the heavens after his Jota‑inspired celebrations. It was a small cathartic moment in keeping with the entire occasion for Liverpool.

A thrilling end to the fascinatingly balanced third Test is in prospect after a fine fightback from the home team

Fired-up England have reduced India to 4-58, chasing 193 for victory in a highly-charged final session on day four as a gripping third Test at Lord’s headed for a tense finale.

England fast bowler Jofra Archer dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal for nought, Brydon Carse removed Karun Nair and Shubman Gill, and captain Ben Stokes bowled nightwatchman Akash Deep in the final over on Sunday to set up a thrilling last day.

Indian opener KL Rahul remained unbeaten on 33 and the touring side need another 135 with six wickets standing to go 2-1 up in the series after they had dominated the morning session at the home of cricket to move into a strong position.

“The last hour’s viewing, our guys running in really well, there was an edge out there and it shows how important Test cricket is and creates a great spectacle for everyone to be involved in,” England batting coach Marcus Trescothick said.

With the pitch offering more assistance to the bowlers and variable bounce, England tried to bat positively but Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook all fell cheaply.

Duckett played an audacious ramp shot to the boundary but two balls later he attempted to pull Mohammed Siraj through the leg side and was easily caught by Jasprit Bumrah at mid-on to depart for 12.

Siraj roared at Duckett as he walked back to the pavilion as the tension between the teams that flared up late on Saturday continued to simmer.

Pope never looked comfortable and was trapped lbw by Siraj for four after India successfully reviewed the umpire’s initial decision of not out.

Crawley, on 22, played a loose drive at Nitish Kumar Reddy and the ball flew straight to gully where Jaiswal took a simple catch.

Brook ramped Deep for consecutive fours before driving him over long-off for six, but the fast bowler quickly exacted revenge when he bowled the right-hander for 23 as he attempted a rash sweep to a straight full-pitched delivery.

Joe Root, who scored 104 in the first innings, shared a patient partnership of 67 with Stokes to revive England hopes before he was bowled behind his legs by Washington Sundar for 40.

The spinner also bowled in-form Jamie Smith for eight to reduce the hosts to 6-175 at tea, before India wrapped up the innings early in the final session.

Stokes was bowled by Washington for 33 attempting a big hit, and Bumrah bowled Carse with a rapid yorker for one before clipping the top of Chris Woakes’s off stump to dismiss him for 10.

Washington completed excellent figures of 4-22 when he took the final wicket of Shoaib Bashir to dismiss England for 192.

In reply, Jaiswal skied Archer to wicketkeeper Smith with a wild swipe to give England early hope.

Carse trapped Nair lbw for 14 and Gill fell the same way for six. Deep survived two huge appeals before he was bowled by Stokes for one to the delight of the majority of the Lord’s crowd.