Bayern Munich cruise past Osnabruck 4-1 to reach DFB Cup second round

Osnabrück [Germany], September 3 (ANI): Bayern Munich overcame an early setback to beat VfL Osnabrück 4-1 and book their place in the second round of the DFB Cup. sport-tr.bet

Robin Meibner gave Osnabrück a surprise early lead, but Harry Kane restored parity for Bayern before Tom Bischof put the visitors ahead midway through the first half.

Michael Olise extended Bayern’s advantage after the break before Kane converted a late penalty to complete his brace and seal a comfortable victory for Vincent Kompany’s side.

Osnabrück started brightly as Meibner received a long ball and fired a powerful effort from distance past Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig.

Bayern controlled possession and created pressure but found it difficult to break through the hosts’ organised defence. The visitors eventually equalised when Osnabruck failed to clear a cross, allowing Kane to finish from close range.

Bayern Munich then turned the game around shortly afterwards. Luis Diaz’s effort was saved, but Bischof reacted quickly to the rebound and found the net to give Bayern a 2-1 lead at half-time.

The Bundesliga champions continued to dominate after the restart, although clear chances remained limited. Osnabrück goalkeeper Jonas Krumrey denied efforts from Olise and Ismael Saibari as Bayern looked to put the game beyond doubt.

Olise eventually made it 3-1 when he was set up by Lennart Karl and lifted the ball over Krumrey.

Bayern Munich sealed the victory in the closing stages after Aleksandar Pavlovic was brought down inside the box. Kane stepped up to take the resulting penalty and calmly converted to complete his brace.

Substitute Konrad Laimer came close to adding another, but his effort was saved as Bayern comfortably progressed to the next round.

Bayern Munich will return to Bundesliga action on Saturday when they travel to face Schalke. They will also know the identity of their next cup opponents on the same day. (ANI)

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India will need to sort out their batting frailties for a more complete performance when they face Hong Kong in their second match of the Women's T20 Asia Cup here on Thursday. The seven-time champions, who won four Asia Cup titles in the ODI format and three in the T20 format, survived some anxious moments after a batting collapse in the second half of the first innings in their opening match against Thailand.

Sitting pretty at 101 for two after 10 overs, India were looking good for a 200-plus total but lost seven wickets for just 29 runs to finish at 159. Although it did not affect the outcome of the match as India comfortably defeated Thailand by 94 runs, the collapse left them with a lot to ponder, as against a top team, it could prove costly.

However, Hong Kong being a minnow team, India will have more leeway to iron out their issues ahead of bigger battles, including against Pakistan in their last Group A game. For India, Shafali Verma shone brightly with a quick-fire 64, while Deepti Sharma too proved her mettle, taking three wickets without conceding a run to emerge as the highest wicket-taker in women's T20Is.

But Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal, who was included in place of the injured Jemimah Rodrigues, will hope to convert their starts and give a better account of themselves. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur too will want to get back among the runs to address questions over her form and future in the shortest format.

After the Asia Cup, India will head into the Asian Games in Japan and will need to be at their absolute best before that, especially after a disappointing T20 World Cup campaign. Hong Kong, on the other hand, suffered a narrow six-run defeat to Thailand in the tournament opener. Chasing 121, they fell just short at 114 for seven.

However, their bowling unit showed incredible grit, particularly pacer Marina Lamplough, who recorded stunning figures of 4/11. If Hong Kong are to put up a fight, Marina will have to find a way to keep India's explosive top order in check. Kary Chan is another experienced all-rounder who showed intent with a quick-fire 28 off 20 balls in the first match and will need to anchor the middle order.

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Delhi Capitals (DC) wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul could leave the franchise ahead of the IPL 2027 season after a reported disagreement with the team management. According to Sports Tak, discussions are underway over a possible trade that the wicketkeeper batter could move to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

Both teams missed out on the IPL 2026 playoffs, with Delhi Capitals finishing sixth with 14 points and Kolkata Knight Riders seventh with 13 points. Delhi’s recent acquisition of Rishabh Pant from Lucknow Super Giants has also changed the squad’s dynamics, raising questions over Rahul’s role ahead of the next season.

KL Rahul’s Reported Clash With Delhi Capitals Sparks KKR Trade Talks

According to Sports Tak, KL Rahul had a reported clash with the Delhi Capitals management during the IPL 2026 season. Journalist Nitin Srivastav said the disagreement was even bigger than Rahul’s much-publicised incident with Lucknow Super Giants in 2024.

The situation comes after Delhi Capitals traded for Rishabh Pant from Lucknow Super Giants. Pant is also a wicketkeeper-batter, which could affect Rahul’s role in the team. Rahul wants clarity over his position and is keen to continue as both an opener and wicketkeeper.

Journalist Rahul Rawat also reported that talks between KL Rahul and Kolkata Knight Riders are already underway. However, it remains to be seen whether Delhi Capitals will agree to a trade ahead of the IPL 2027 season.

Talks between KKR and KL Rahul are on according to Rahul Rawat(sportstak)

Vc- sportstak pic.twitter.com/sD2vISV22P

— KKR Vibe (@KnightsVibe) September 2, 2026

🚨KL Rahul had a clash at Delhi Capitals.

-KL Rahul had a clash at Delhi Capitals that is even bigger than the LSG incident.

- [Nitin Srivastav/Sports Tak] pic.twitter.com/KvGIuLe49v

— Indian Cricket 🏏 (@Indiancric1cm) September 2, 2026

KL Rahul Remains a Major Trade Target For Kolkata Knight Riders

KL Rahul enjoyed an excellent IPL 2026 season with Delhi Capitals. He scored 593 runs in 14 matches at an average of 45.62 and a strike rate of 174.41. The right-handed batter finished at fourth on the Orange Cap leaderboard.

Rahul smashed an unbeaten 152 off 67 balls against Punjab Kings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. It became the highest individual score by an Indian batter in IPL history.

Delhi had initially bought Rahul for INR 14 crore ahead of the 2025 season and retained him for IPL 2026. After using him in different roles during his first season, captain Axar Patel and the team management used Rahul as an opener and wicketkeeper throughout the 2026 campaign.

KL Rahul Can Fill Multiple Gaps for KKR

Kolkata Knight Riders could see Rahul as a solution to several gaps in their squad. KKR are without an experienced Indian leader following Ajinkya Rahane’s retirement. Rinku Singh remains an option for the future, but Rahul brings considerable IPL captaincy experience.

Rahul can also strengthen KKR’s top order after the team struggled to find consistency during IPL 2026. The Karnataka-born cricketer can provide stability without slowing down the scoring rate.

His wicketkeeping ability could be another major advantage for KKR. By signing an Indian wicketkeeper-batter who can open the innings, the franchise could use its overseas slots for other specialists, including fast bowlers or power-hitters.

Rahul also has a strong professional relationship with KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar, which could further support a potential move. It will be interesting to see whether Delhi Capitals are willing to let Rahul go ahead of the IPL 2027 mini-auction.

Also read: “Hookah pee ke aa raha hoon” - MS Dhoni’s comment to Rishabh Pant goes viral

Dubai [UAE], September 2 (ANI): India women’s cricket team bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi has heaped praise on young spinner Sree Charani, describing her as an “exceptional talent" ahead of India’s second match of the ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 against Hong Kong, China Women, scheduled for Thursday.

Charani, the no. 1-ranked bowler in the ICC T20I rankings, played a key role in India’s emphatic 94-run victory over Thailand Women in their tournament opener on Sunday. The young spinner returned impressive figures of 2/10 in three overs as India bowled Thailand out for just 65 while defending a target of 160.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Salvi praised Charani as an exceptional talent, highlighting her strong impact on the team, focus on the basics and eagerness to learn. He also lauded her approach in training, where she consistently challenges herself in different match situations.

“I think she is an exceptional talent. She has created an impact from day one that she has stepped into the Indian women’s cricket team. And one year down the line, you see where she has reached in the rankings as well. I think she is someone who focusses majorly on her basics while she is practising in the nets. And every day there is some of the other things she wants to learn. And if you see the practise sessions, if you are following that, if you are covering that, you will see every single time that she comes into the nets, she challenges herself to different, different situations. And tries to, you know, express herself in the nets also," he said.

In their tournament opener, India posted 159/9, powered by Shafali Verma’s explosive 64 off 36 balls. India bowled Thailand out for just 65 in 16.1 overs.

India’s bowlers dominated from the outset, with Deepti Sharma taking 3/0 in 1.1 overs, Nandni Sharma claiming 3/18 and Charani returning 2/10. Thailand’s Nannapat Koncharoenkai offered some resistance with 41 off 48 balls, but the rest of the batting line-up struggled.

Earlier, Shafali smashed eight fours and three sixes to anchor India’s innings. She received support from Pratika Rawal, who scored 22 on her T20I debut, before Thailand fought back with regular wickets. Suleeporn Laomi was their best bowler with 3/26.

The match also marked Deepti Sharma’s 150th T20I appearance, making her only the third Indian player after Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana to reach the milestone.

India will look to maintain their winning momentum as they next face Hong Kong, China Women on September 3. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

Pakistan cricket has struggled with ongoing coaching instability, marked by numerous changes and management reshuffles since September 2021. The Pakistan Cricket Board has tried various structures and roles for senior management, leading to short-lived appointments of prominent figures like Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten. This unpredictable pattern underscores a long-standing challenge within the sport, raising questions about the team's direction and consistency.