Lionel Messi scored two second-half goals 4 minutes apart after a first-half assist, and Inter Miami cruised to a 3-1 victory over Atlanta United.

Neither team scored until Germán Berterame used assists from Messi and Luis Suárez in the final minute of the first half on Saturday (October 17, 2026) night to score his ninth goal in his first 26 MLS appearances.

Messi tied Los Angeles FC’s Son Heung-min for the league lead with his 15th assist, becoming the first player in league history with at least 15 helpers in three consecutive seasons.

Messi added his league-leading 24th and 25th goals in the 56th and 60th minutes for a 3-0 advantage. Berterame assisted on both scores and Suárez snagged one on Messi’ second goal.

Messi won the Golden Boot Award last season with 29 goals. He and Josef Martínez are the only players in league history to score at least 25 times in a regular season twice. Messi’s 40 goal contributions are nine shy of Carlos Vela’s record set in 2019 with Los Angeles FC, and the Miami legend has four matches remaining to break it.

Berterame has eight assists and Suárez notched his career-high 11th.

Dayne St. Clair had two saves and lost his bid for a clean sheet when Fafà Picault scored on a penalty kick in the 89th minute.

Lucas Hoyos saved two shots for Atlanta United, which played Inter Miami to a 2-2 draw on the road to start September.

If there is one thing R. Ashwin knows all too well, it is the challenge of finding a place in the XI overseas, where conditions favour fast bowlers.

Having played in just one Test across two tours of New Zealand, India’s second-highest wicket-taker in the format is no stranger to that predicament. As the Men in Blue prepare for another tour, Ashwin believes Kuldeep Yadav could face a similar selection dilemma in the T20Is, with Varun Chakaravarthy likely to be preferred again.

The 40-year-old feels the left-arm wrist spinner has been “treated unfairly” by the current think-tank. “Kuldeep hasn’t been the go-to man ever since this management has come to picking squads, and I think it’s quite unfortunate,” Ashwin said during a virtual media interaction.

Referring to Kuldeep’s exploits in India’s recent series against the West Indies, he said: “With so much dew, and when you know the conditions are against the bowler, to pin it upon one bowler who’s produced results over the years is really unfair.”

While Varun is returning from injury and is yet to regain his best form and fitness, Ashwin expects him to be the preferred one. “I think Varun will get the nod ahead of Kuldeep once again,” he said.

“It’ll be interesting to watch how he comes back from his injury, and side strains aren’t easy for a spinner. I wish him the best and I hope both of them get opportunities to explore their skill in that part of the world,” he added.

For Kuldeep, however, the challenge may not be so much about adapting to New Zealand conditions as getting the opportunity to bowl in them.

On India’s batting approach, Ashwin opined the Black Caps could challenge the visitors by preparing more demanding surfaces.

“If I were New Zealand, I would give slightly challenging pitches to India. But unfortunately, I am not,” he said, adding that he expects the white-ball leg to be high-scoring.

(Watch India’s tour of New Zealand live and exclusive on Sony Sports and LIV starting October 22).

Angkrish Raghuvanshi returns to the Mumbai squad on the back of scores of 201 and 203 at the under-23 level, having recovered from the finger injury that required surgery during the Indian Premier League.

The wicketkeeper-batter missed Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy opener with Yashasvi Jaiswal available. As Mumbai prepares to face Himachal Pradesh from Sunday, Raghuvanshi will look to build on his recent form.

He scored 422 runs in 13 matches for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, finishing as the franchise’s highest run-getter for the second successive season with over 300 runs.

The injury forced him away from cricket, but coach Abhishek Nayar helped him stay connected to the game. “My happy place is when I’m out there on the ground playing or when I’m in the nets batting. Even when I was injured, I was thinking about when I’m going to be back. What are the things I can improve on? What are the things I can do? Those things are driving me,” he told The Hindu.

Nayar kept him engaged through drills that allowed him to work around the injury. “I could still run, I could still focus on visualising my cricket and that’s how I got through it,” Raghuvanshi said.

The break also gave him time with his family, away from the demands of the cricket calendar. With just four first-class appearances since his debut two years ago, Raghuvanshi knows opportunities matter. “I think the injury gave me a bit of clarity. I was just happy to be back there, batting,” he said.

Ryan Williams and Mihailo Perovic netted either side of half-time as Bengaluru FC earned the bragging rights with a 2-0 triumph over southern rival Chennaiyin FC in an Indian Super League match at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday.

It was BFC’s (six points from two matches) second successive victory while CFC (one point from two games) awaits its maiden win of the season.

The fluid Bengaluru frontline proved too hot to handle for the Chennaiyin defence. The host could have opened the scoring around the 10-minute mark, but Perovic hit straight at goalkeeper Mohammad Nawaz after being picked out by Williams.

But Pep Munoz’s side managed to open its account in the 24th minute. Perovic, stationed on the right wing, sent a teasing delivery towards the left, from where Borja Martinez produced a shot at goal. While Nawaz saved the initial attempt, an alert Williams was in the right position at the right time to pounce on the rebound.

BFC doubled the lead in the early stages of the second period. Nawaz and the rest of the CFC defensive unit failed to deal with a Borja cross from the left and were duly punished by Perovic, who had an empty net to ripple. Substitute Sunil Chhetri could have put the icing on the cake with a late goal, but Nawaz delivered a sharp save to deny the talismanic forward.

As for CFC, it struggled to dominate and asked plenty from its striker Ramon Tanque, the Brazilian often having to drop deep to initiate attacks.

The results: Bengaluru FC 2 (Ryan Williams 24, Mihailo Perovic 52) bt Chennaiyin FC 0. At Pune: Inter Kashi FC 1 (Thoi Singh 89) drew with Odisha FC 1 (Pratik Chaudhari 56-og).

West Indies cricket is in choppy waters.

Its players are set to bear the brunt of the financial crisis after having learnt that there would be a 25% reduction in retainer fees. But even such a grim situation has not dampened the spirit of veteran Kemar Roach, who is still troubling batters with his pace-bowling prowess in Tests.

“From things I have seen and heard in the media, these are dark times. But as players, we have to focus on what we can focus on, which is our performances. For me, it is all about pride,” Roach, a member of the West Indies red-ball contingent training at the Super Kings Academy here, told The Hindu on Saturday.

“I have always relished performing for the West Indies. We have such a rich cricket history… being part of history, it is what you live for. When I step on the field, I do not think about money… I think about how I can affect a game positively and get a win. At the end of the day, you have to be loyal to the sport that gave you a lot,” added Roach, the owner of 304 Test wickets.

He, however, admitted that the drastic measures taken by Cricket West Indies were a “worrying sign” for the willow game back home. Among the changes is the suspension of the regional men’s 50-over and women’s T20 tournaments.

“The Board needs to reassure the younger generation that there is a future for them. You have to find a way to keep them interested and motivated. Talking about money, we have to feed our families and improve our lives,” he said.

Come what may, the 38-year-old will keep going as long as his body allows him to. “I will give my all until then.” That is his app‘Roach’.

Mumbai will look to maintain its momentum in the Ranji Trophy when it faces Himachal Pradesh at the Luhnu Cricket Ground from Sunday, having opened its campaign with a bonus-point victory over Chandigarh inside three days.

Himachal returns home after losing to Haryana, but familiar surroundings may offer little comfort. It has not played a First Class match at the picturesque venue in 25 years, and its relatively inexperienced bowling attack faces a formidable challenge.

Meanwhile, Mumbai will be without Ayush Mhatre — ruled out for four to six weeks with a right hamstring tear — and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who leaves for India-A’s New Zealand tour ahead of the two-Test series.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Suryansh Shedge have joined the squad. Raghuvanshi, fresh from consecutive double-centuries in the under-23 Col. C.K. Nayudu Trophy, is likely to partner Divyaansh Saxena at the top. Shedge provides another option to a middle-order featuring Sarfaraz Khan, Musheer Khan and captain Siddhesh Lad.

Mumbai’s bowling attack will be led by Tushar Deshpande, who claimed seven wickets, including a hat-trick in the first innings, against Chandigarh. With Shardul Thakur still unfit, Mohit Avasthi and Sylvester D’Souza will also share the pace duties while experienced spinners Tanush Kotian and Shams Mulani provide depth.

The surface is expected to assist seamers in the cooler morning conditions before becoming more favourable for batting under the afternoon sun. Himachal’s bowlers will need early breakthroughs to prevent Mumbai’s batters from settling in.

Captain Pukhraj Mann and the seasoned Nehal Wadhera will shoulder much of the batting responsibility as the host seeks a stronger showing.

Akash Vasisth will be high on confidence after scoring a century against Haryana. Himachal must now find a way to challenge a formidable Mumbai side at a home ground that feels almost new to its players.

Tamil Nadu head coach V. Yo Mahesh urged his players to be more ruthless ahead of the team’s second Ranji Trophy fixture against Uttarakhand here on Saturday.

“I think one important aspect is for us to be — once you have settled — ruthless. It’s not a question of talent, potential, or skill. Everything is in place. It’s just about how hungry we are,” said Yo Mahesh.

“One area that I have been very straightforward with the team about is to change our attitude when it comes to how we play. It’s important that we go there, be strong, and be tough, regardless of who the opponent is or what the situation is.”

On the learnings from the first game, the former TN player highlighted the bowling unit’s performance, especially the quicks, as heartening.

“We need to have little patience with the bowling department. But I see it as a great start. Out of the 10 wickets that fell in the first innings, the fast bowlers took 7. Fast bowlers are very critical for the Ranji Trophy. D. Deepesh had a great debut and showed he has an X-factor,” he added.

On the batters failing to convert starts, Yo Mahesh admitted the seniors have to take the onus. “I think it is important that the top order, one has to bat long for sure. If they are settled, they have to stay until the end, until we cross the line. It has been made crystal clear to them, and I am sure they will definitely do it in the coming games,” he said.

In a competitive tournament like the Ranji Trophy, the key to a successful run is to maximise the home advantage. It is what Tamil Nadu will aim to do as it returns to the familiar confines of the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium to take on Uttarakhand in the second round of the Ranji Trophy (Elite Group-D) clash, starting here on Sunday.

TN last played at Chepauk in 2024 against Karnataka, and the two sides dished out a humdinger that went down to the wire on the last day. Chasing 355, the home team came within 17 runs of overhauling the target in the fourth innings before the contest ended in a stalemate. The host needs to take inspiration from that encounter and deliver an improved performance.

The team’s season got off to a bad start in Jaipur, where a poor batting effort on the third morning cost it the first-innings lead, forcing it to settle for a solitary point. After restricting Rajasthan to 363, R. Sai Kishore’s men squandered a solid platform, slumping from 203 for four to 274 all out. While three frontline batters made half-centuries, none of them converted their starts into a big one, and this is something that needs to be addressed.

A couple of changes are bound to follow after B. Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar left for India-A duties. R. Vimal Khumar might slot in as an opening partner to N. Jagadeesan, while S. Ajith Ram could also get a look-in, considering the red-soil surface will assist the tweakers as the game progresses.

Uttarakhand, in contrast, enters this game brimming with confidence after taking the first-innings lead over Railways in the previous encounter. The northern team, which made the semifinals last year, has a well-rounded squad with enough variety in its bowling attack to make this an even contest.

West Indies skipper Shai Hope opted to bowl against India in the rain-truncated fifth and deciding T20 in Bengaluru on Saturday (October 17, 2026).

The match has been reduced to nine overs per side after two hours were lost to rain and a wet outfield.

West Indies named an unchanged side from the fourth T20, while India made two changes, bringing in Shivam Dube and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in place of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Mayank Yadav.

Teams:

India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (w), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Naman Dhir, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Prince Yadav, Arshdeep Singh.

West Indies: Shai Hope (w/c), Jewel Andrew, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Roston Chase, Keemo Paul, Shamar Springer, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph.

Punjab’s batting reinforcements will be the headline acts as it hopes to secure a victory against Chhattisgarh in the second round of the Ranji Trophy, starting Sunday, at the New PCA Stadium here.

India captain Shubman Gill was the lone Test regular to opt out of the opening round but returns for the second fixture, hoping to hit his strides before departing for New Zealand. Prabhsimran Singh is through with his India-A assignments and adds to Punjab’s batting riches.

Gill must be surfing the high of scoring the fastest double century in ODIs, but will have his task cut on his Ranji return. He managed 0 & 14 the last time he turned up for the State, and averages 30 since BCCI mandated Test regulars to feature in domestic First Class games.

Cherished as their presence might be, Punjab’s batting will hardly be at the mercy of their runs.

A young batting core rose to the occasion against Assam with Vihaan Malhotra, Emanjot Singh Chahal, and Salil Arora all slamming centuries and securing a first-innings lead.

The concerns over Punjab’s hastily put together bowling were dispelled by its late attempt to snatch a victory, where it claimed six wickets in two sessions on a flat track.

Punjab will recognise the chance to assert itself on Chhattisgarh, which could gather just one point from its opening game against Saurashtra.

It was a top-order misfire that prevented Chhattisgarh from overhauling a first-innings total of 392. Captain Anuj Tiwary and the middle-order put up a fight, but Chhattisgarh will have more to show for if Amandeep Khare and Ayush Pandey, who recently returned from an India-A outing, stand for longer.

Its new imports Sandeep Warrier and Dharmendra Jadeja are yet to live up to their billing, although the latter did grant cricket fans a keepsake by nabbing his namesake and former teammate, Ravindra Jadeja, in the last match.