Best Full back in football is a very tricky question as football today has seen a lot of changes with new rules and styles coming in. Attacking and defending qualities together are now more in demand for the game and with more detailed tactics and strategies coming into the game, the need for variables has to increase. Today's full backs in football have adopted this rationale and have started playing beyond the orthodox football with forward playing and with many assists and goals in their names too.

We are getting to see emerging stars from full-back positions who contribute highly to the victory of their respective teams and this list acknowledges the top 5 fullbacks in today's time who are very important assets of their teams.

5: Joao Cancelo: Manchester City

When Manchester City bought Cancelo for 60 million pounds from Juventus many thought that it was a heavy risk taken but Cancelo proved them wrong. Although he struggled a bit in his first season, he has outdone himself in the last two seasons for his Man City team. He is a perfect Pep Guardiola type player mainly known for his speed, dribbling skills, creativity and crossing ability playing like a midfielder or a winger any time needed. Cancelo this season too is Man. City's best creative players even from the full-back position. He can play right-back, and left-back along with executing all his defensive duties.

4: Reece James – Chelsea FC

James is an absolutely brilliant player with enormous control, strength and pace that makes him a great defender as well as an attacker. When attacking he has superb speed and he can also strike a ball very cleanly for direct goals. He is very versatile as he can play in midfield, center back, right back and even in the right wing-back. If we see beyond his statistics which are very commendable, James being one of the full-backs with the greatest eminence in the Premier League has great impact and deserves to be on our list. 

3: Andrew Robertson – Liverpool

The Scottish Liverpool icon under Jurgen Klopp became integral to the team. He is a tough player who can make hard tackles, is pro at fast runs and puts in crosses engaging in link-up play. He is basically never stopping till the full 90 minutes. Robertson has been one of the best-left backs in the world for the past 5 years and has won both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League with the Reds. His performance has been impactful enough to make him Liverpool's one of the most important players on whom the team can rely for goals and assists whenever needed.

2: Achraf Hakimi – Paris Saint-Germain 

With his transfer to PSG last summer, the Moroccan international has developed remarkably, claiming a place for himself at Europe's top clubs. Before that Hakimi has played for Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, and Inter Milan. He can play both as a right full-back and a wing-back. His acceleration, awareness and quick touches while dribbling are excellent and while defending his tackles are accurate along with his aggressive style. Hakimi is making an impact with his recent performances and with his defensive and offensive tactical setups he is thriving to become a complete player in himself demonstrating his talent and abilities thoroughly.

Hakimi missed PSG's second leg game of the Champions League round of 16 against his ex-club Real Madrid as part of the Champions League on March 9 due to a thigh injury. 

Honourable Mention: Kyle Walker - Manchester City

Walker's best days might be behind him but in his prime, there was no one better than him. On his day he could run a 100m sprint in probably only 11 seconds and no one will be surprised because he is a beast in his pace. Walker is famously known for his powerful runs, his defending tactics, along with all skills like crossing and assisting too and now that he is older his experience is gold.

1. Best Full Back in Football: Trent Alexander Arnold – Liverpool

Trent is one of the best-attacking full-backs in world football. He occupies attacking spaces like a winger or a midfielder. Trent is known for his right footwork so he has amazing long-range passes and crosses along with excellent free-kick-taking ability. Some even say that he is the best England had since David Beckham.

He is continuously thriving because of his various skills like long-range passing, switch hits, link-up plays, and intersecting runs along with his exclusive work rate. Trent is getting better and better with his work with top-notch quality and Gary Neville has even commented on Trent saying, "He is David Beckham and Kevin de Bryne at right back." He is an extremely precious asset to the team with his non-stop contribution to it.

That completes our list of the best full-back in football in 2022. For more lists and stats, follow Sportz Point.

Premier League, also known as English Premier League, is a top-tier football league in England. This league consists of 20 teams in a league system with a relegation and promotion system to/from the English Championship. Each team plays 38 matches with every other 19 at home and away. The seasons generally start in August and run till May. This premier league is the most-watched sports league globally and is broadcast in over 200 territories with an average number of viewers of 4.7 billion.

The top 4 finishers of every year qualify directly for the UEFA Champions League. Also, the Premier League is the most valuable sports league in the world with a valuation of 4 billion pounds. This league also has a direct effect on the economy of England. Different regions have different clubs with private ownership. The prize money for the winning team is 125 million pounds. Along with this winning amount, TV/ broadcast money also gets added. And the rest of the sponsorship money is equally distributed among the other 19 clubs.

Read also- Most Bundesliga titles till 2023

Who has won the most Premier League titles?

Out of all the 20 teams, 7 teams have successfully won the Premier League title. However, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Tottenham are considered the 'Big Six' in the Premier League. Unfortunately, Tottenham haven't lifted any major title in their history but still, they go toe to toe with every club and take part in the title race.

Most Premier League titles won by the 'Big Six'

Most Premier League Titles

7. Liverpool FC - 1 title

The Anfield Giants are one of the most popular English Clubs. Midfield maestros Steven Gerrard and William Shankly were a few of the legends that the club produced. However, Liverpool had to wait for 30 years for their first-ever Premier League title. The club won the Premier League once in 2019-20 under German tactician Jurgen Klopp. Mohamed Salah was one of the star performers for the Reds in that season. Meanwhile, the club has been one of the 22 members of the Premier League since 1992.

6. Leicester City - 1 title

In the 2015-16 Premier League season, Leicester City won the title in the Premier League. They were considered to be an underdog before but they overcame the rough phase and won the Premier League title in the club's 132-year history. Striker Jamie Vardy broke the record for consecutive games with a goal in the Premier League (11). Meanwhile, Riyad Mahrez became both the first African and Algerian player to be the recipient of the PFA Players' Player of the Year.

Also Read: Football Facts: Son-Father Football Pair Who Played For Same Club

5. Blackburn Rovers - 1 title

The club that became a founding member of the Premier League in 1992 is Blackburn Rovers. They won the Premier League a long time ago in the 1994-95 season. However, they were relegated in the 1998–99 season, becoming one of the 42 teams that were relegated as the Premier League champions. Right after 2 seasons, they were promoted again in the 2000-01 season but they were relegated yet once again, and that too in the same season. Unfortunately, they have not returned to the Premier League since then.

4. Arsenal FC - 3 titles

The London Giants Arsenal are one of the most famous football clubs on planet earth. They have won the title 3 times in the years- 1997-98, 2001-02, and 2003-04. They were the first club to create Premier League history of maintaining a 38-game unbeaten streak to win the title in 2003-04. In domestic football, Arsenal has won 13 league titles, a record 14 FA Cups, two League Cups, and 17 FA Community Shields but they haven't won a single European title yet.

Read Also: Pep Guardiola: 7th coach to reach Champions League final with two different clubs

3. Chelsea FC - 5 titles

Another London club Chelsea is on this list and there is no doubt why they are the best London Club in the Premier League. They won the title 5 times in the years - 2004-05, 2005-06, 2009-10, 2014-15, and 2016-17. The Blues won their first Premier League title under the 'Special one' Jose Mourinho who completely changed the face of this London Club alongside Roman Abramovich who was the Chelsea owner at that time. They have also won the Champions League 2 times alongside 2 Europa League. 

2. Manchester City - 7 titles

Manchester City, the Blue side of Manchester are the reigning champions of England and Europe. This team have won the title 7 times in the years - 2011-12, 2013-14, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23. They are the second Club after Manchester United to complete the three pit in the Premier League and win the European treble. The club has won nine league titles, seven FA Cups, eight League Cups, six FA Community Shields, one UEFA Champions League, one European Cup Winners' Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, and one FIFA Club World Cup.

1. Manchester United - 13 titles

The team with the most Premier League Titles is Manchester United, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester. They are the most successful team in the English Premier League and also the most famous English Club on the Entire Planet Earth. Liverpool have more Champions League titles than United but the Red Devils have fans from all around the world. They were the first English club to ever win the European treble and that remained a record until Manchester City finally matched it in the 2022-23 season. Manchester United won the titles in 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11, and 2012-13. They have also won the most number of trophies in England and that happened because of the Scottish manager Sir Alex Ferguson. He managed Manchester United from 1986 to 2013. Sir Alex is widely regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time and has won more trophies than any other manager in the history of football

Which team are you supporting in the Premier League 2023-24 season? Let us know in the comments below.

In the Indian Premier League, there is not only a rain of runs but also a flurry of wickets. In the world's most popular league, while the batsmen have scored mountains of runs, the bowlers have also taken heaps of wickets. 

In Match 42 of IPL 2025, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru claimed their first home win, defeating the Rajasthan Royals by 11 runs. Josh Hazlewood starred with 4/33 in four overs. With this, he also reached 50 IPL wickets in just 36 matches, the joint-fourth 50 IPL wickets among pacers.

Also Read: IPL Facts: Most Fifty Plus Scores in T20s

In this article, we will be discussing about the fastest 50 IPL wickets among pacers.

Fastest 50 IPL Wickets Among Pacers

5. Mitchell McClenaghan | 36

Mitchell McClenaghan, the former Kiwi bowler is the joint-fourth fastest pacer to 50 IPL wickets, having taken just 36 matches. He achieved the feat during the 2016 season while playing for MI against the Delhi Capitals, returning with figures of 2/37.

Overall, he claimed 71 wickets in 56 matches at an average of 25.39, including a four-wicket haul with best figures of 4/21.

4. Josh Hazlewood | 36*

As mentioned, the RCB pacer is now the joint-fourth fastest to 50 IPL wickets, reaching the mark in just 36 matches. His milestone wicket came against RR, when he dismissed Shimron Hetmyer for 11, his third wicket of the match.

With this performance, Hazlewood now has 16 wickets in nine matches this season and 51 wickets overall in his 36-match IPL career.

3. Khaleel Ahmed | 35

Khaleel Ahmed ranks third on this list, reaching 50 IPL wickets in 35 matches. He achieved the milestone in 2023, dismissing Nicholas Pooran while playing for Dehli Capitals against Lucknow Super Giants.

Notably, he is the fastest Indian bowler to do so, having broken Amit Mishra's 37-match record. Playing for CSK this season, Ahmed has raced to 85 wickets in 65 matches.

2. Lasith Malinga | 33

Former Sri Lankan veteran bowler Lasith Malinga is in third place in terms of taking fastest 50 IPL Wickets among pacers, having bagged 50 IPL wickets in 33 matches. Malinga achieved the feat with a stunning 5/13 against Delhi Capitals in the fourth match of IPL 2011.

A one-franchise man, Malinga played his entire IPL career with Mumbai Indians, finishing with 170 wickets in 122 matches at an average of 19.79, including six four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul.

Also Read: Most Dot Balls Bowled in IPL History: No one is catching Bhuvi

1. Kagiso Rabada | 27

Kagiso Rabada is the fastest pacer to reach 50 IPL wickets, doing so in just 27 matches, surpassing Lasith Malinga's longstanding record of 33 matches. He achieved this milestone in 2019 against Chennai Super Kings, dismissing Faf du Plessis in the 15th over while playing for Delhi Capitals.

Debuting in 2017, Rabada now owns 119 wickets in 82 IPL matches, including six four-wicket hauls.

East Bengal scored 409/9 in the first inning against arch-rival Mohun Bagan A.C. with the help of a stunning unbeaten ton from Sandipan Das on Day 2 of the C.A.B. First Division Championship semifinal. In the second semi-final, Bhowanipur have nearly thrown Kalighat away by scoring a mammoth 617/6 in the first inning as Vivek Singh scored 129 from 166 balls for them. 

East Bengal in slight favour after day 2 of Kolkata derby

The second day of the Kolkata derby in the C.A.B. First Division Championship semi-final saw many ups and downs throughout the entire day. East Bengal, who were at 310/6, were depending on former U-19 World Cup winner Sandipan Das to take them over 400. Shreyan Chakraborty did his part by building a 59-run partnership for the 7th wicket. 

But, after Shreyan's dismissal (30 off 64), all-rounders Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal and Kanishk Seth could not add much to the total. But Sandipan made sure he faced most of the deliveries and strikes at a blistering pace. The right-handed middle-order batter not only reached his hundred but also made sure that East Bengal gave Mohun Bagan a steep total to chase down in the second inning. 

East Bengal finished on 409/9 as Sandipan remained unbeaten on 108 off 236 balls. 

Suraj gave East Bengal the perfect start

In the second inning, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Bengal's highest wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season, made sure the Red and Gold brigade got the perfect start. The right-handed pacer removed Shantanu in the first ball of the inning and looked lethal from the word go. 

Mohun Bagan were put under tremendous pressure after captain Sudip Kumar Gharami was also dismissed by Kanishk Seth for just 8. Kanishk, East Bengal's player of the match in the quarter-final, went through the defences of Bengal's white-ball captain and cleaned up his stumps. 

Vikas Singh then trapped Avilin Ghosh in front of the wicket just for 1. Avilin was Mohun Bagan's Cricketer of the Year last season and saved many games for them in this kind of situation. But, Vikas proved to be too good for him. 

Read Also | Exclusive Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal: "Jumping out" from tough times to become Bengal's star of the season

At 29/3, Mohun Bagan looked nearly out of the game, but Ranjot Singh Khaira, centurion from the quarter-final, tried to build a partnership with Suvankar Bal. But Shreyan Chakraborty went through his defence with his left-arm spin to send him back to the dressing room after a good-looking 45 off 68 balls. 

Gitansh Khera was also cleaned up by Vikas Singh on 19. Suvankar Bal, meanwhile, completed his well-paced fifty and is the lone batter at the crease for Mohun Bagan at the end of Day 2. Though Mohun Bagan's tail is totally capable of hitting the ball long, at 146/5, Mohun Bagan's fate will be decided on Suvankar Bal's bat on the final day of the match. 

Mohun Bagan now require 264 runs in 522 balls, while East Bengal need five wickets to qualify for the final.

Read Also |

Bhowanipur cruising, Anustup fighting a battle for Kalighat

In the second semi-final at the J.U. 2nd Campus Ground in Salt Lake, Bhowanipur cruised to a mammoth 617/6 in the first inning after Vivek Singh became the third centurion from the defending champion after Abhimanyu Easwaran and Shakir Habib Gandhi scored centuries on Day 1. 

Vivek, who now plays for the Railways team in Indian domestic cricket, showcased his power and skill to ease to his hundred. Vivek was eventually stumped out by Arun Chaprana on 129 from 166 balls. Meanwhile, experienced Arindam Ghosh added 52 while Aaamir Gani added a quick 32 off 34 balls to take Bhowanipur's total to 617 in the first inning. 

Anustup's ton kept Kalighat in the game

Ravi Kumar, the left-arm pacer, continued the momentum for Bhowanipur by dismissing Shreyansh Ghosh in the first over. But, ever dependable Anustup Majumdar and Koushik Ghosh made sure Kalighat didn't leave without a fight. 

Koushik and Anustup added 127 runs for the second wicket. However, Koushik would be disappointed not to get a big score as he was caught behind by Ravi Kumar, who was the pick of the bowlers on Day 2. 

Read Also | Bengal Cricket Exclusive: Inspired by Anustup Majumdar's journey, Sumanta Gupta wants to achieve bigger things for Bengal

But, as they say, great players know when to put their hands up and show the path to the entire team. Bengal and Kalighat captain Anustup Majumdar raced to another ton in his club career to give some fight to Bhowanipur's huge total.

At the end of the day, Anustup is unbeaten on 107 off 127 balls while Subham Chatterjee, the double centurion from the pre-quarter final, is with him on 23 off 40 balls. Kalighat finished day 2 at 188/2 and need 430 runs in 552 balls to complete a historical chase.

RCB star batter Virat Kohli has passed Chris Gayle with the second most fifty plus scores in T20s. Kohli achieved this milestone during the IPL 2025 match against Rajasthan Royals at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. He came into the game tallying 110-fifties and struck another beautiful half-century with the bat-off just 32 balls, enabling his side to a grand start. Now at 111 fifty-plus scores, Kohli trails only David Warner, who scores a total of 117.

Let's take a look at the batters who have scored the most fifty plus scores in T20s.

Also Read: Top 5 game-changing factors that could send MI to IPL 2025 Playoffs

Most Fifty Plus Scores in T20s

4. Babar Azam | 102

Babar Azam is known as a model of consistency in T20 cricket. The brilliant right-hander has scored over 11,000 runs in his T20 career, including 91 fifties and 11 centuries, and has scored fifty plus runs a total of 102 times.

This remarkable record puts him fourth in the all-time list of most fifty plus scores in T20s, which shows his dominance and reliability in the shortest format for Pakistan in international cricket and other franchises around the world.

3. Chris Gayle | 110

The Universe Boss, Chris Gayle, is one of the prominent names to have scored the most 50+ scores in the shortest format of cricket. Arguably the first global superstar of this format, Gayle's explosive batting has made a splash in many T20 games over the years.

With a record 22 T20 centuries and 88 fifties, his record of scoring 110 fifty plus scores ranks third in T20 cricket history.

2. Virat Kohli | 111

Virat Kohli, the reigning king of the cricket world, is now second in terms of all-time T20 fifty-plus scores after another brilliant half-century in the IPL 2025 match against Rajasthan Royals. With 111 fifty plus scores, Kohli continues to be the epitome of consistency.

From taking Team India to the T20 World Cup for years to being the heartbeat of RCB, Kohli has always performed well. Now that he is in the twilight of his career, the world is eagerly waiting to see what magic is still left in Kohli.

Also Read: IPL Facts: Fewest Innings to Reach 5000 IPL Runs

1. David Warner | 117

David Warner tops the list of fifty plus scores in T20 cricket. He has 117 fifty plus scores in T20 cricket. Warner also scored most half centuries in T20 cricket, smashing 109 fifties. The explosive left-hander from Australia has been the epitome of consistency right from his early T20 days.

Warner is always hungry for runs, whether representing Australia or leading Sunrisers Hyderabad. He’s still going strong across various leagues, and we can expect him to add even more to this record.

After enduring a tough stretch since IPL 2024, Mumbai Indians (MI) appear to have rediscovered their rhythm just when it matters most in IPL 2025. The five-time champions had a shaky start to the season, suffering early defeats, but they’ve begun to show why they’re one of the most successful franchises in league history. Having seen both glory and failure over the years, MI has mastered the art of staying composed under pressure and responding with tactical precision.

Climbing from the bottom of the table to 4th place with four consecutive wins, MI’s resurgence has been both timely and impressive. In this article, we break down the key reasons behind their comeback.

Mentality

Mumbai Indians management is well known for its methodical game style on the field. From structuring the playing eleven to utilising bowlers according to conditions, MI has mastered all these things. After a cruising victory against arch-rival Chennai Super Kings (CSK), MI batting coach Kieron Pollard revealed that they planned to use Jasprit Bumrah with the new ball against SRH and wanted to use Deepak Chahar against CSK. 

Read Also | IPL 2025: Where's What each team need to do to qualify for the playoffs

Return of Bumrah 

Best in the business — and the numbers prove it! 📊

Jasprit Bumrah has the BEST economy rate (6.91) among pacers with 300+ T20 wickets!
Deadly, disciplined, and damn near unplayable. 🐐#BumrahBoss #T20King #jaspritbumrah #LasithMalinga #T20Legend #LSGvsMI pic.twitter.com/lOYEHaJXL1

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) April 23, 2025

Jasprit Bumrah’s absence in the early matches due to injury was a major setback for the Mumbai Indians, but his return has proven to be a turning point in their campaign.

Once he regained his rhythm, Bumrah quickly reminded everyone of his match-winning abilities with impactful spells. His bowling performances have been crucial — he returned figures of 0/29 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), followed by a tight 1/21 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), and a vital 2/25 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

All-rounder skipper 

Mumbai Indians’ captain, Hardik Pandya, has been in exceptional form this season, contributing with both bat and ball. In just five innings, he has scored 104 runs at an outstanding strike rate of 170, demonstrating his explosive batting capabilities.

In addition to his batting prowess, Pandya has claimed 11 wickets, placing him firmly in the race for the Purple Cap. His all-around performances have been crucial in tight encounters, where his timely contributions with both bat and ball have helped Mumbai stay competitive.

Pandya’s ability to turn matches with his dynamic skills has proven his worth as a match-winner. His leadership, coupled with his brilliance, has been a key factor in Mumbai's success this season, and he continues to be a vital player for the team as they push for a playoff spot in IPL 2025.

Read Also | IPL Facts: Most Man of the Match Awards in IPL History

Vintage Rohit 

Rohit Sharma is steadily regaining his form, with his brilliant knock of 76* off 46 balls being exactly what the Mumbai Indians required to lay a solid foundation at the top of their batting order. This innings highlighted his ability to anchor the innings and build partnerships, something MI has relied on for success.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sportz Point Cricket (@sportzpointcricket)

Alongside him, Ryan Rickelton has shown encouraging signs of being able to deliver match-winning performances. His promising starts indicate that he could be the explosive partner Rohit needs at the top. Together, the opening duo holds the potential to dominate any bowling attack, creating a strong platform for MI's middle order to capitalise on.

If both Rohit and Rickelton continue in this form, they can prove to be a formidable force in the tournament, taking on some of the toughest bowling lineups in IPL 2025. This partnership could be a game-changer for MI as they aim for the playoffs.

Swashbuckling Suryakumar 

Suryakumar Yadav has regained his confidence and form in the middle order, showcasing his trademark 360° hitting abilities. The Mumbai Indians' star batter has been crucial in stabilising the innings and accelerating when needed. His match-winning knock of an unbeaten 68* off just 30 balls against Chennai Super Kings stands out as his best performance of IPL 2025 so far.

Read Also | BCCI Central Contract 2025: Talking points from BCCI's contract announcement

Suryakumar's ability to adapt to various situations and play innovative shots has been pivotal in MI's resurgence. His aggressive batting style has been a game-changer, helping the team set strong totals and chase challenging targets.

With his current form, he remains a key player for MI as they push for a spot in the playoffs. If he continues this momentum, Suryakumar's contributions could be the driving force behind the Mumbai Indians' successful campaign this season.