The purpose of this study is to provide clarity on the formulation of short-selling scenarios, facilitating informed decision-making and strong market strategies. Our study addresses a significant gap in the literature on short selling by providing a comprehensive bibliometric review of research in areas such as the integration of short selling with the emerging concept of cryptocurrency, the role of information asymmetry in short-selling activities, market fluctuations and market indifference. In identifying these areas, the paper maps the current state of the literature and provides new directions for further research. We analyze the current status of publications on short selling to identify research patterns and themes that can contribute to the development of a more efficient, transparent and reliable financial system. We use a bibliometric approach along with news analysis to study 209 Scopus-indexed articles published prior to May 2024. Software such as VOSVIEWER, BIBLIOSHINY by R and the science mapping analysis tool (SCIMAT) is used to identify clusters, themes and the strength of connections between short selling and its variables as well as to provide a news analysis. Our findings reveal four thematic clusters: investment dynamics, investment strategies, optimization strategies and investment efficiency. Internal and external links between the themes are identified through thematic mapping, and cluster network strength is revealed through cluster mapping. This study suggests future directions and provides scope for alternative approaches in the context of short selling, by including unexplored research themes on which future studies could be based.