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Big picture: Teams tuning up ahead of World Cup

Two-and-a-half months out from the Men’s T20 World Cup, it’s time to get serious. There are squads that need finalising, strategies that need trialing, and players that need tuning into the rhythm and tempo of T20 cricket.For Pakistan, this tri-series series is a chance to build on some T20 advances this year. They have won 17 T20Is to the 12 they’ve lost in 2025. That run includes making it to the final of the Asia Cup, and beating South Africa 2-1 in their most-recent T20I series. Under the leadership of Salman Agha, the batting has had a little more purpose, even if it is the bowling that has tended to win Pakistan games.In that series against South Africa, for example, the bowlers had restricted the visitors to feeble scores twice. Still, the chases were largely smooth, and Pakistan’s two victories were comfortable. The generally-preferred strategy seems to be to put the opposition in, and try to blow them away cheaply.Related

• SL call up Vijayakanth Viyaskanth as cover for injured Hasaranga

• Injured Muzarabani out of tri-series, Nyamhuri named replacement

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have not been having an especially good time in this format either. Longstanding firepower issues in the batting order persist, although this is less apparent when Pathum Nissanka fires at the top of the order. They are also trying to figure out their combinations – frequently seeming either a bowler or batter short against top opposition.Ahead of a home World Cup, Sri Lanka are desperate to find a working formula. Dasun Shanaka being named acting captain of the side after Charith Asalanka was withdrawn due to illness suggests the selectors want him locked in, in the lower order, at least until the end of the World Cup. And Wanindu Hasaranga’s decent batting form will also help add some depth, provided Hasaranga recovers for the tri-series. Sri Lanka have drafted in legspinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth as cover on the eve of the tournament, but hope Hasaranga recovers to feature in the competition.Zimbabwe haven’t had quite so hot a year. But at least, unlike for the 2024 World Cup, they have bossed the Africa qualifier, and earned themselves a spot in the big show. And it was in that qualifier – played entirely in Harare – that they made their most impressive run of 2025, picking up five successive victories, including in the final against Namibia, who have also qualified for the World Cup.Zimbabwe recently beat Sri Lanka in a T20I•Zimbabwe Cricket

Pakistan and Sri Lanka will likely pose a much sterner challenge than the lower-ranked teams Zimbabwe played in Harare, though, and they are just coming off a 3-0 loss to Afghanistan. They have, however, also beaten Sri Lanka in a T20I recently; Sri Lanka lost the second T20I in a three-match series in Zimbabwe in September.Although the tri-series between Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka was originally scheduled to move to Lahore after two matches in Rawalpindi, security concerns following last week’s bombing in Islamabad has prompted a change. The tournament will be played entirely in Rawalpindi now.

Form guide

Pakistan: WWLLW
Sri Lanka: LLLWW
Zimbabwe: LLLWW

In the spotlight: Babar, Nissanka, and Bennett

Is Babar Azam back? There have been recent signs he is returning to a fuller version of himself, particularly when, on Friday, he struck his first international ton since 2023 even if that was in ODIs. Having been dropped from the T20I side for most of this year, Babar also struck a match-winning 68 off 47 balls against South Africa in Lahore less than three weeks ago. If he can have a successful tri-series, Pakistan will feel a much more menacing unit.Pathum Nissanka got a T20I hundred against India in September•AFP/Getty Images

Sri Lanka may already be over-reliant on Pathum Nissanka, their most improved white-ball batter of the past three years, and owner of a T20I hundred (against India no less), in September. His first week in Pakistan could have gone better. Nissanka got three starts in the ODIs, but could not even breach 30. On what are expected to be flatter tracks in Rawalpindi, he will likely come good at some point. Sri Lanka’s batting feels like a transformed unit on the days in which Nissanka scores heavily.Zimabwe’s run through the T20 World Cup qualifier had partly been fuelled by the form of their opening batters, and Brian Bennett in particular. Bennett crashed 314 runs at a strike rate of 181.50, making three fifties and a hundred in the space of five innings. At age 22, he has never played in Pakistan, but perhaps the greater challenge will be to counter attacks which will now, given his recent success, have spent much more time analysing his game, and devising plans against him.

Pitch and conditions

As we’re heading into winter, expect cold nights in Rawalpindi, where evening temperatures are forecast to drop into the low teens at times. This generally means fielding errors. The surface is expected to be batting friendly, though there is frequently something for the seamers there.

Squads

Pakistan made a late change to their squad, releasing Hasan Nawaz and bringing Fakhar Zaman, who was in excellent ODI form, in.Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (capt), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), Usman TariqFakhar Zaman replaced Hasan Nawaz in Pakistan’s squad•AFP/Getty Images

With Hasaranga’s hamstring tightness a concern, after he sustained a minor hamstring strain in the second ODI against Pakistan, Viyaskanth could get a look-in. Captain Charith Asalanka and Asitha Fernando are returning home due to illness. Top-order batter Pavan Rathnayake has now been brought into the T20I squad. Rathnayake made his international debut in the third ODI of the Pakistan tour.Sri Lanka: Dasun Shanaka (capt.), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Kamil Mishara, Dasun Shanaka (vice-capt), Kamindu Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranaga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Eshan MalingaZimbabwe’s one change to the squad that played Afghanistan at home is to add a seamer. The is helpfully named Newman Nyamhuri, who’s a 19-year-old left-arm quick. He’s yet to play an international, and is in the squad because one of their senior bowlers, Blessing Muzarabani, is ruled out with a back injury.Zimbabwe: Sikandar Raza (capt), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer, Bradley Evans, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa, Wellington Masakadza, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Brendan TaylorSince October 2022, Zimbabwe and Pakistan have won two games apiece against each other•ICC via Getty Images

Stats and trivia

• Zimbabwe have played five T20Is in Pakistan – most recently in 2020 – and have lost all five.
• Zimbabwe have a decent recent record against Pakistan, however. Since October 2022, these teams have faced each other four times and won two apiece.
• Although he has been playing T20Is only since 2021, Nissanka is Sri Lanka’s second-highest run-scorer in the format, with 2211 runs from 73 innings. Kusal Perera, who sits at the top, and is part of Sri Lanka’s squad for this tri-series, is only 65 runs ahead of Nissanka.
  

It’s been a great week for Chelsea, and an even better one for Estevao.

Enzo Maresca handed the Brazilian a start in the club’s Champions League game against Barcelona, his third on the bounce in the competition, and to say he shone would be an understatement.

The Catalan side couldn’t live with him, and thanks to some brilliant close control, he was rewarded with a goal early in the second half.

The teenage sensation looks destined to be a world-beater, so fans should be excited about reports linking Chelsea with a striker who’d be a dream teammate for him.

Chelsea target a dream signing for Estevao

While he has been billed as one of the next big talents for over a year now, nobody would have expected Estevao to have had the start to the season he has.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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Across all competitions so far, the youngster has made 17 appearances, totalling 740 minutes, in which he has scored five goals and provided one assist.

Moreover, three of those goals have come in the UCL, while his only Premier League goal came against Liverpool.

In other words, the Franca-born gem has already proven that he’s more than capable of performing in the biggest games for the Blues, and that might explain why the club are now targeting a striker who’d be a dream teammate for him.

At least that is according to a recent report from Spain, which has claimed Chelsea are interested in Samu Aghehowa.

In fact, the report has revealed that the West Londoners are plotting to swoop for a couple of promising young stars in January, one of whom is the Porto star.

However, the Blues are not the only ones keen on the Spaniard, with reports from earlier this week linking Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur with a £79m move.

In all, it could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Samu’s immense ability and potential, it’s one Chelsea should fight for, especially as he’d be a dream teammate for Estevao.

Why Samu would be a dream signing for Estevao

The first reason, and the most crucial reason Samu would be an excellent signing for Estevao and Chelsea overall, is that he’s a proven and reliable output machine.

For example, across all competitions last season, the Spanish international made 45 appearances, totalling 3400 minutes, in which he scored 27 goals and provided three assists.

In other words, he averaged a goal involvement every 1.5 games, or every 113.33 minutes, which is all the more impressive given that it was his first campaign in Portugal.

Fortunately, that level of output does not look like an outlier, as so far this season, the Melilla-born monster has been even more dangerous.

For example, in 15 appearances, totalling 885 minutes, he has scored nine goals and provided one assist, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.5 games, or more impressivley, every 88.5 minutes, which is a rate of return that lends to journalist Zach Lowy’s description of him as “one of the best STs in Europe.”

Samu’s recent form

Season

24/25

25/26

Appearances

45

15

Minutes

3,400′

885′

Goals

27

9

Assists

3

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.66

0.43

Minutes per Goal Involvement

113.33′

115.57′

Points per Game

1.67

2.53

Stats via Sofascore

Now, on top of utterly bossing it in Portugal, the 6 foot 4 titan has also got some decent experience in a top-five league, as he spent the 23/24 season on loan with Deportivo Alavés, where he made 34 appearances in La Liga, totalling 1924 minutes, in which he scored eight goals and provided one assist.

Finally, on top of being someone who could help bolster Estevao’s assist tally with his impressive finishing, the four-capped international is still relatively young at just 21 years old.

This means that he could develop alongside the Brazilian and, over the coming years, create a potentially game-changing partnership with him.

Ultimately, given his ability and potential, Chelsea should do what they can to sign Samu in January, as he’d make the team far more dangerous and could be a perfect teammate for Estevao.

Related Shades of Estevao: Chelsea have another "left-footed magician" out on loan

Chelsea and Enzo Maresca could have another Estevao-type talent on their hands next season.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 27, 2025

Liverpool are now one of just a handful of clubs with the opportunity to land one of Europe’s best strikers at a bargain release clause in 2026, according to reports.

Liverpool set sights on Luis Enrique

It has undoubtedly been the worst week of Arne Slot’s Liverpool tenure. The Reds were battered by Nottingham Forest and then swept aside by PSV Eindhoven in midweek, conceding seven goals in two games at Anfield. There’s no longer the away day excuse for the Dutchman, who has seen Liverpool’s fortress set ablaze in the space of a week.

After nine defeats in 12 games in all competitions, serious questions are being asked about Slot’s position for the first time since his arrival and there’s only so much credit that a Premier League title can bring.

According to recent reports, whilst Slot does still have the backing of Anfield chiefs, they are at least eyeing potential replacements if they do decide to show the former Feyenoord man the door.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Luis Enrique is reportedly on Liverpool’s list of candidates to replace Slot in what would be a statement move. The former Barcelona manager has transformed PSG into the best side in the world and would be the most sought-after coach if he left the French club.

It would also represent where Liverpool find themselves these days. When they last sacked a manager it was Brendan Rodgers and they needed someone willing to oversee a long-term project in Jurgen Klopp. Now, they should set their sights on an instant winner if this is to be it for Slot.

Related New Konate transfer twist as Real Madrid make final decision on Liverpool star

The Spanish giants have informed the Reds.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Nov 28, 2025

That said, the Dutchman still has time to turn things around and could use the 2026 transfer windows to do exactly that – potentially using a Serhou Guirassy opportunity in the process.

Sky Sports reporter confirms Liverpool's Guirassy opportunity

As reported by Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool now have a rare opportunity to sign Guirassy for just €50 (£44m) next summer. The Borussia Dortmund man has a release clause set at that price for seven clubs, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal all joining Liverpool on an exclusive list.

At 29 years old, Guirassy has been somewhat of a late bloomer, but he has blossomed into one of the best strikers that European football has to offer. With nine goals in 17 games in all competitions so far this season, he’s outscored Hugo Ekitike and could quickly get Mohamed Salah firing again.

Dubbed “world-class” by Dortmund boss Niko Kovac, Guirassy is undeniably one to watch in the summer.

Best signing since Szoboszlai: Liverpool lead race for "world-class" talent

Real Madrid’s teen sensation Franco Mastantuono has weighed into the GOAT debate and risked the wrath of the Bernabeu faithful by claiming former Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi deserves that title, not Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi and Ronaldo have traded titles and accolades at the world’s biggest clubs and at international tournaments for years, but Mastantuono believes his Argentina colleague has the edge as the finest player in history.

Injured star in fitness battle

A serious groin injury has halted Mastantuono’s promising start for Los Blancos, putting the teenage sensation's season on hold. The 18-year-old attacking midfielder arrived from River Plate in August for a record £40 million ($52.4m). After a brilliant pre-season and a few sparkling appearances, including becoming the youngest-ever Champions League starter for Madrid, his campaign has now come to an abrupt halt. 

Before his injury, the Argentina international had carved out a role under manager Xabi Alonso, showcasing his creative talent and ability to play between the lines. However, some critics in the Spanish media have questioned his influence in recent matches and his defensive effort, a far cry from the unstoppable form he displayed at River Plate. Now, with a long road to recovery ahead, the pressure is on the young Argentine to regain fitness and reclaim his momentum. With the recent return and excellent form of star Jude Bellingham, Mastantuono will face fierce competition for playing time upon his return, making his comeback one of the most anticipated storylines of the second half of the season. 

While continuing his recovery, Mastantuono has decided to offer his opinion on who is the greatest player of all time. 

AdvertisementAFP'He leaves you speechless every time he gets the ball'

The Real Madrid wonderkid told when asked to pick between Messi and Ronaldo: "I'm a Real Madrid fan and I'm at the biggest club in the world, but the best and greatest player in the world is Messi, and that will always be the case until he retires. I play with him on the national team and he's incredible. He leaves you speechless every time he gets the ball. He's admirable. It's amazing that he continues to surprise us teammates. I've played with many high-quality players, but being with him is a daily learning experience. I'm grateful for how he's always treated me. He's helped me a lot."

Ronaldo's Madrid career

Mastantuono's comments may not go down well with the Real faithful given Ronaldo's standing as a Bernabeu icon. The Portuguese striker scored 450 goals in 438 appearances for Madrid between 2009 and 2018 to become the club's all-time top scorer.

His incredible performances upfront inspired Real to four Champions League crowns and two La Liga titles, among a host of other trophies. Ronaldo eventually left the Spanish capital to join Juventus in a €100 million deal, and now plies his trade in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr.

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Getty Images SportMessi's number is up!

In September, Mastantuono created history with the Argentine national team as the Los Blancos youngster wore the iconic No. 10 for the Albiceleste in the absence of Inter Miami superstar Messi. In doing so, the teenager became the youngest player in Argentina history to don the legendary number. He did it aged 18 years and 23 days, surpassing Diego Maradona. On being given the honour, Mastantuono said: "It's the best thing that's ever happened to me. I didn't expect it. I didn't know I was going to wear it. It surprised me. Sharing the field with Leo and seeing how Messi represents it makes me really want to wear it. Nobody will ever be like him, but it's an honor to be able to wear a number that he wore for so long."

If Phil Foden were able to replicate his strike rate for Manchester City when he put on an England shirt, then he would be keeping company with team-mate Bukayo Saka and Paul Scholes in the top 40 of the Three Lions' all-time goal-scorers. Instead, one has to scroll through the archives, past players whose photos are in black and white or even from an era when there was no photography to find him on the list.

Foden, who has just four goals to show from his 45 caps, is all the way down in joint-140th, alongside ex-Liverpool winger Nicky Barmby, who played half as many games as him, and below defenders such as Tony Adams, Stuart Pearce and Gary Cahill (on five goals each). When it comes to goals per match, he ranks 409th, which is in stark contrast to the 104 goals and 64 assists he has produced in 333 matches for City.

The midfielder has not scored for England since in the friendly win over Scotland in September 2023 while Foden's last competitive goal came against Wales at the 2022 World Cup. Before then, his only strikes for his country were a brace against Iceland in a behind-closed-doors Nations League match in the coronavirus days of 2020. He has contributed nine assists, although only one of them has come since the last World Cup.

Foden is far from alone in shining much more brightly for his club than his country, but the drop-off when he swaps the light blue of City for the white of England is far more pronounced than any other player of his stature. And it is worth examining once more as he prepares to make his first appearance for England in eight months in their final two 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania.

• Getty Images
  

  'No-brainer'

  Foden's failure to fire for England has been an unsolved conundrum for most of the five years since he made his senior debut for the Three Lions, although it was a problem that Thomas Tuchel could conveniently forget about for the last six months or so. Foden asked to not be selected for the June fixtures against Andorra and Senegal as he was suffering from burnout at the back end of last season while he was injured for the September World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia.

  He was returning to his usual self ahead of the October camp, but Tuchel opted against recalling him for the matches with Wales and Latvia as he wanted to capitalise on the good vibes of the previous camp, leading him to also discard Jude Bellingham in his most eye-catching squad list yet. But with Bellingham playing regularly for Real Madrid again after recovering from his shoulder surgery and Foden in unstoppable form for a resurgent City, the coach could no longer ignore the sound of the banging on his office door and recalled both players last Friday.

  "Big names, big personalities, big, big talents," said Tuchel upon announcing his squad. "It’s excellent to see that both of them are in rhythm, both of them are in form, in shape, both contributing goals in important wins for their teams. It was a no-brainer. We will have central roles for both of them to bring out the very best. The contribution to their clubs lately was immense. They play regularly and a big part for City and Real. We are delighted they are in shape and in form."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Not dovetailing with Bellingham

  And yet, both players returning to the squad at the same time means Tuchel is forced to confront the same problem Gareth Southgate faced: How to fit these two outstanding individuals into the same starting XI when they both want to play in similar areas and stamp their style on the play. 

  As England crawled their way to the Euro 2024 final by playing uninspiring football and sneaking through each match via a combination of extra-time, penalty shootouts and stoppage-time goals, many pundits and fans were wondering whether Southgate would have been better off dropping one of Bellingham or Foden rather than play them together in all seven matches. And with Bellingham having scored twice, including his overhead kick which ensured England avoided a humiliating last-16 defeat to Slovakia, many were pointing at Foden to be left out.

  Foden was predominantly deployed on the left of England's 4-2-3-1 formation during the tournament, though he also fell flat playing as a No.10 alongside Bellingham in a rejigged 3-4-3 against Switzerland. After that game, Foden's dismal statistics went viral as it was revealed he had no shots on target, hadn't created a chance and had lost the ball on 19 occasions. 

• AFP
  

  Position frustration

  Months later, Foden appeared to blame Southgate for playing him in a position he had ceased to play for City, even if it was the one where he first shone between 2019 and 2023.

  "I feel frustrated I didn’t get out what I wanted to get out of it," he told the in January 2025. "The position I was put in on the left was very difficult to influence the game. Coming off last season being the best player in the Premier League and playing centre midfield, I do feel the position was quite difficult to get used to."

  It is also worth mentioning that Foden had to leave the England camp during the Euros to attend the birth of his third child, returning in a flash to ensure he did not miss any matches. Leaving his family so soon after such a big event and not being able to see his newborns first weeks in the world first-hand could not have been easy.

  In Tuchel's first game in charge against Albania, Foden was deployed on the right of the attack behind Harry Kane, with Bellingham again playing as No.10. However, a few days later against Latvia, Foden was dropped to the bench and subsequently brought on to replace Bellingham in the second half. The change worked a treat, too, as Foden set up Eberechi Eze's goal to round off the 3-0 win.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  'Not a winger'

  After bringing them both back in for this week's games, Tuchel wasted little time in outlining where he saw the Foden and Bellingham playing: "Jude comes back as a No.10. That is his best position. One of his key strengths is to score from this position. Phil, where he played lately for City, was where I see him the strongest. He is close to the opponents' box. The main thing with Phil is he gets a role in the central part of the pitch. I don’t see him as a winger. He will contribute as a nine and a half, a 10 and a half, very fluid."

  The main thing for Tuchel, though, is to make sure he does not make the same mistake as Southgate and see both Foden and Bellingham as un-droppable, or the same error that both Sven-Goran-Eriksson and Fabio Capello made when they attempted to crowbar Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard into the same midfield. The fact that Tuchel left both players out of his previous squad is encouraging in that sense, although it is one thing to drop a star name for a World Cup qualifier and another to do so at a major tournament.

Chelsea are now believed to be at the front of the queue to sign a Liverpool transfer target in January, and one who Man United have also rated very highly in the past.

Chelsea prepare for Leeds United battle after 1-1 Arsenal draw

Chelsea travel to Elland Road on Wednesday evening seeking to build momentum after their hard-fought 1-1 draw against Premier League leaders Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, where Enzo Maresca’s side demonstrated remarkable resilience despite playing almost an hour with 10 men.

The Blues dominated proceedings during the opening half-hour before Moises Caicedo’s reckless studs-up challenge on Mikel Merino resulted in a straight red card following VAR intervention.

The Ecuadorian midfielder’s dismissal represented Chelsea’s fourth sending-off across just thirteen league fixtures this season – twice as many as any other Premier League side.

Chelsea responded defiantly, though.

Trevoh Chalobah glanced home Reece James’ near-post corner to open the scoring just after halftime, rewarding the hosts’ dogged display, but Arsenal eventually equalised through Merino’s header before the hour mark.

It was a promising display overall from Chelsea, who are still firmly in the title race and must now come away from Yorkshire with all three points to keep pressure on Mikel Arteta’s side.

Daniel Farke’s relegation-threatened side have endured difficult recent form, collecting just three points from their last five league games.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are having to watch their injury situation closely, with Dario Essugo suffering a setback and Maresca carefully easing Cole Palmer back into the team following his return from a groin problem.

Away from the pitch, Chelsea have been tipped to potentially sign a new centre-back in January, and RB Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba is emerging as a prime contender.

Chelsea favourites to sign Castello Lukeba in January

That is according to CaughtOffside, who report that Chelsea are leading the winter chase to sign him next month, ahead of Liverpool, who are also keen on a move for the Frenchman.

Lukeba, who’s started nearly every game as a mainstay for Leipzig this season, is currently their best-performing player in the Bundesliga behind David Raum, going by average match rating per 90 (WhoScored).

The 22-year-old’s deal includes a release clause which will drop to around £70 million in the summer, but CaughtOffside state that Leipzig could be willing to sell Lukeba to Chelsea for much less at £53 million.

Lukeba, interestingly, was highly recommended to Man United by an unnamed recruitment chief in 2023, according to Football Insider, who told the Red Devils that he’s a ‘generational’ talent.

Chelsea will be without Levi Colwill until midway through next year after the Cobham graduate’s ACL injury in pre-season, but Chalobah and Wesley Fofana seriously impressed against Arsenal.

Some believe the pair might be one of England’s best centre-back pairings right now, so the need for another defender is nowhere near as critical as it was back in October.

In any case, Maresca publicly demanded another centre-half in the summer, so it could still be one worth monitoring.

The shy left-arm spinner who never wants to stop bowling in the nets has risen swiftly to become an important player for Delhi Capitals and India

Shashank Kishore08-Jul-2025Lisa Keightley, the former Australia batter and current assistant coach of Delhi Capitals, perhaps best captures N Shree Charani’s relentless drive in a viral Instagram reel from WPL 2025.Charani asks “Lisa ma’am” to let her bowl one more ball at the nets. Then, Keightley says: “You watch. She’ll come back, and she’ll go, Lisa, one more, one more ball. Does it for about 20 minutes.”Related

Harmanpreet embraces 'happy headache' with India's depth on the rise

India lift their fielding to the next level in bid to 'dominate no matter what'

This reel has regained traction in recent weeks, since Charani’s impressive T20I debut against England late June, when she picked up 4 for 12 – the best figures by an Indian debutant. In the two matches that followed, she has picked up four more wickets.At 20, Charani has already proven her ability to bowl across different phases of the game, a skill she’s honed over the past few years under the guidance of Andhra head coach Srinivas Reddy. The turning point came in 2022, when she was left out of India’s Under-19 World Cup squad, a snub that lit the fire within.Ananya Upendran, the former Hyderabad Women captain and now a lead scout at DC, remembers being captivated watching a teenaged Charani bowl during the T20 Challenger Trophy in October 2022, a few months prior to the inaugural Under-19 World Cup.N Shree Charani picked up four wickets on her T20I debut•Andy Kearns/Getty Images”To me, she was the most impressive bowler in that tournament,” Upendran tells ESPNcricinfo. “She had a smooth, high-arm action, great control, and was one of the quicker spinners on display. The pitches in Goa were quite slow, but because she bowled faster through the air, batters couldn’t just sit back and play her.”They were forced to come forward. That gave her a real edge. I was actually quite surprised she didn’t make the U-19 World Cup squad. What stood out to me was her natural control and understanding of length, even if she was still figuring out how to vary her pace. Physically, she was tall and strong, which helped her generate that pace through the air.”Charani’s spin attributes took shape in gully cricket, where she’d bowl left-arm fast. To succeed in tennis ball-cricket, you need to be quick through the air. She carried forward this quality when she gravitated towards spin bowling.”Even early on, her biggest strength was control, but equally impressive was her temperament,” Upendran explains. “And she’s brought that same level-headedness into the WPL as well. What really struck me was that she wasn’t at all overawed by the occasion. She was quietly confident in her skills, just going about her job.”In March this year, soon after making her WPL debut for Delhi Capitals, Charani had felt the India dream was just a “long-term goal.” Yet, a month later, she received her ODI cap from Sneh Rana in Sri Lanka. And two months on, Charani had earned her maiden T20I cap.”Charani is a quick learner,” says India Women bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi.Charani struck key blows on debut to Delhi Capitals’ delight during the WPL•BCCICharani prides herself on being fearless. Much of her early confidence has come from strong leadership around her. At matches or training during the WPL, she leaned on the calm assurance of Meg Lanning, whom she says “spoon-feeds” her exactly what’s needed.Charani’s use of the word “spoon-feeds” to describe Lanning’s guidance is almost childlike in its honesty. It’s not a word that comes from rehearsed soundbites. It’s clear she’s still getting used to the big stage.The support has extended beyond the field, too; Keightley has had a big influence. “In the pre-season camp in Pune, I was bowling at one pace, doing what I know,” Charani said on the DC podcast. “Lisa ma’am told me what I can do if someone’s going hard on me. She used to guide me for each and every ball. Her inputs were very helpful.”There’s a quiet resilience to Charani typical of youngsters coming up the ranks from nondescript centres. All she’s had growing up was sound backing from the family, and her own steely resolve of wanting to prove she was no less talented than kids around her.”From childhood, I played with my uncle, brother, dad and sister,” she said. “Whenever our friends near the colony played, I used to join. I played many sports – kho kho, badminton, athletics – but cricket was a constant.”In 2018-19, Charani’s [maternal uncle], who had grown up playing cricket in Hyderabad, persuaded her parents to send her for cricket trials. There, she caught the eyes of the age-group coaches. Reddy, in particular, was amazed at her athleticism – a byproduct of Charani being a promising track-and-field athlete – and fielding.”Batting and bowling came secondary; when someone fields like that, it stands out in age-group cricket especially,” Reddy says. “The speed across the outfield, her cutting of angles – it was very impressive. If I have to be brutally honest, it was her fielding, not bowling, that stood out initially. But over the past few years, she has really developed her game.”Today it’s impossible to take the ball away from her,” Reddy says, reiterating Keightley’s observation. “She’ll be the first to start bowling and the last to stop. And even after the nets are over, she’ll keep doing some spot bowling.”When Charani received her WPL cap from Jess Jonassen, she wasn’t nervous, but clear-headed and focused. “I always think about bowling to my strengths,” she said, recalling that debut game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. “That day, I stuck to that.”Shree Charani has shown a quiet resilience during her journey to the top•Getty ImagesHer first wicket was of Ellyse Perry. “I didn’t plan on getting her out,” she said sheepishly. “If I do small mistakes, she’ll pick it and hit me. So I just stuck to what Meg [Lanning] followed.”The WPL call came on the back of a strong showing at the Under-23 level, during the 2023-24 season, where Charani took a four-wicket haul and back-to-back five-for. The matches had a number of scouts in attendance, among them those from Mumbai Indians and DC. It was no surprise DC and Mi tussled to sign her; she was eventually signed for INR 55 lakh.”Charani was very quiet when she first came into the setup, and I think a big part of that was the language barrier – she wasn’t very comfortable or fluent in English at the time,” Upendran says. “But even then, you could see how eager she was to learn. At every training session, she would make an effort to talk to the senior bowlers, even if it was just a few words.”That’s one of the great things about the Capitals environment – you’ve got people like Jess Jonassen, Annabel Sutherland and Meg Lanning, who are always willing to help younger players. Even if the younger ones are hesitant to approach them, the seniors often take the initiative themselves. That kind of culture really helped Charani.”The bond she developed with Keightley – Lisa ma’am – was particularly special. Initially, their conversations were minimal – Keightley would ask questions and Charani would just nod or respond in monosyllables. By the end of the season, they were inseparable.”She’s naturally shy, so the language barrier made it harder for her to open up. But once she felt accepted and the team recognised how talented she was, her confidence really blossomed,” Upendran says. “The group helped too – players like Jemimah [Rodrigues], [V Sneha] Deepthi, Radha [Yadav] and Shikha [Pandey] were all incredibly welcoming, and that made a big difference.

While she may still be learning the language of interviews and post-match commitments, with the ball in hand there’s fluency in most things she’s done.

“As for her training habits, she absolutely loves to bowl. You could ask her, ‘Are you done?’ and she’d always say, ‘One more ball.’ Over time, with Lisa’s help, she also learned how to manage her workload better, understanding when to stop, how much was enough to feel ready. But she always wanted to end a session with a good delivery, because that’s the feeling she wanted to carry forward.”Charani’s rise comes at a crucial juncture, with two World Cups to be played in a span of 12 months. While she may still be learning the language of interviews and post-match commitments, with the ball in hand there’s fluency in most things she’s done. And the cricket world is beginning to take note.

Ngarava’s maiden Test five-wicket haul handed the hosts their first innings win since 2001

Sreshth Shah22-Oct-2025It took Zimbabwe less than three hours on the third day to claim their first home Test win since 2013, their first innings win since 2001 and their biggest Test win. Richard Ngarava was the star, where in overcast conditions he took his first five-wicket haul in Tests. His movement through the air and off the pitch never looked exaggerated, but it was relentless enough to break the game open and leave Zimbabwe with a win by an innings and 73 runs against a listless Afghanistan batting unit.The day began with Zimbabwe’s Test squad lining up for a group photo, a clear suggestion they were keen to finish the contest on Wednesday itself. And they started with a surprise by giving the ball to Tanaka Chivanga ahead of Blessing Muzarabani.It turned out to be a good decision as Chivanga’s third over of the morning saw Rahmanullah Gurbaz flicking one down the leg side, and Tafadzwa Tsiga, alert behind the stumps, did the rest. Three overs later, Ngarava produced almost the same dismissal when Ibrahim Zadran, who had reached 42 with measured strokes, flicked another ball going down leg, and Tsiga took his second of the morning.Hashmatullah Shahidi lasted briefly. A full delivery from Ngarava drew a hard-handed push that went to Craig Ervine at slip. Bahir Shah and Afsar Zazai then gave the innings some momentum. Bahir found six boundaries but his counter-attack ended after Muzarabani cramped him with a short ball. The fend popped up and Ben Curran swooped in from short leg. Zazai followed soon after, easing a half-hearted drive to backward point to end the morning session at 127 for 6.The sun broke through after lunch but offered little relief to Afghanistan. Chivanga thought he had Ismat Alam caught, only for a front-foot no-ball to intervene. Ngarava corrected it soon after with a length ball outside off that induced a cut from Alam. Tsiga flung himself to his right and pulled off a one-handed catch that drew gasps even from the slips. Two overs later Sharafuddin Ashraf edged to second slip, giving Ngarava his fifth.Muzarabani, quiet through much of the innings, finished it off with precision. First he flattened Khalil Gurbaz’s leg stump, then beat Ziaur Rahman with a yorker that split middle stump. Those wickets gave him six for the match and ended a game Zimbabwe had controlled from the second hour of the first day.Ibrahim Zadran top-scored for Afghanistan with 42•Zimbabwe Cricket

Ngarava’s five, Chivanga’s pace, and Muzarabani’s closing spell combined for a win that was both rare and easily earned. Curran’s day-two performance of 121, which earned him a Player-of-the-Match award, and Sikandar Raza’s 65 were the other highlights of their comfortable win.After the game, Zimbabwe captain Ervine said a win in their final Test match of the year was satisfying.”I’m ecstatic. A lot of credit to the boys for fighting and winning to end a tough year of Test cricket,” Ervine said. “The way we started, in the first hour of day one wasn’t good, but the way the boys pulled things back was excellent. Then with the bat, Curran’s innings – full of composure and discipline – was outstanding.”The wicket offered something throughout, so the boys did well to put on some good partnerships. The boys have learnt with the Test cricket they’ve played in the last six-seven months to find their game. Brad [Evans] with the five-for in the first innings and Richie [Ngarava] stepped up in the second innings. TK [Chivanga] was superb and Bless [Muzarabani] was unlucky not to take a few more wickets.”Shahidi, the Afghanistan captain, rued the batting collapse on the first day when Afghanistan slid from 77 for 1 to 127 all out.”They played really good cricket, it was supporting the fast bowlers,” Shahidi said. “Ball was seaming around but overall, we didn’t play good cricket. We started the Test well with 80 for 1 [77 for 1] in the first innings, but that collapse let us down. I feel the lack of our Test-playing experience cost us since we kept losing back-to-back wickets. In Test cricket, winning the first day is very important.”The two teams now meet for the three-match T20I series starting October 29.

The five T20Is were the only home series for the South Africa men’s team this summer

Firdose Moonda24-Sep-2025South Africa may be forced to shorten their only men’s international home series this summer – against West Indies – for both teams to get to the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka on time. South Africa are scheduled to host West Indies for five T20Is between January 27 and February 6, but as reported by ESPNcricinfo last week, the T20 World Cup is set to be played between February 7 and March 8.On August 28, the ICC sent participating teams a Member Information Pack, with information regarding warm-up matches. The document, seen by ESPNcricinfo, states that the ICC’s support period – the time in which teams are expected to arrive in the host countries and play non-obligatory warm-up games – starts on January 31. That has moved up from February 3, while CSA had drawn up their home fixtures with the understanding that South Africa would have enough time to travel to the T20 World Cup.It is not mandatory for countries to spend the entire support period in the host venue, but the ICC asked participating countries to list by September 5 how many warm-up matches they want to play, with options ranging between none to a maximum of two. Only if a country opts for two matches, will the support period become one week prior to the tournament opener. CSA are currently in discussions with CWI to see when West Indies want to arrive in the subcontinent and how many matches they want to play there. If teams opt for no warm-up games, the mandatory support period is four days prior to the first match on February 7. If a team opts for one warm-up then the support period will five to six days prior to the tournament opener.The warm-up information is significant only because it allows the ICC to confirm an arrival date for each team.Even if West Indies do not want to play any T20 World Cup warm-up matches, CSA will still have to cull at least two of the five T20Is; the last two games are on February 3 and 6. The fixtures cannot be played any earlier with the SA20 ending on January 25. CSA is currently deciding which venues should host the matches against West Indies – at present, the venues are likely to be Paarl, Newlands, Buffalo Park in East London, Centurion and Johannesburg.

CSA always planned on having a less-crowded summer this year to prepare their venues for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Currently, drop-in pitches are in development around the country

England and Sri Lanka narrowly escape this problem; their three-T20I series in Sri Lanka will be played between January 30 and February 3. They also have the benefit of being in one of the host nations at the time.South Africa do not have any other men’s international fixtures at home this season, in part because their all-format tour of India ends on December 19, which left no space for matches before the original window of the SA20 in the first week of January. The SA20 has now been moved into the festive period and will start on December 26.However, the league is not the only reason for the lack of men’s international fixtures. CSA always planned on having a less-crowded summer this year to prepare their venues for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Currently, drop-in pitches are in development around the country. Next season, South Africa play ten home Tests (eight men’s and two women’s), including three-match series against Australia and England.

It’s safe to say it has been a topsy-turvy few weeks for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta.

A few weeks ago, the Gunners had played out an unbeaten week against Spurs, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.

Well, it would appear that the intense period has rather taken it out of them. The Gunners did beat Brentford but a defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday, their first loss in 18 games, has raised questions.

Arteta’s squad may be full of depth but any team would struggle with the number of injuries they have suffered this season.

Sadly, that trend is only continuing ahead of their Champions League clash with Club Brugge on Wednesday night.

The latest injury news from Arsenal

Arsenal headed to Villa Park last weekend without a number of key players. Kai Havertz was absent once again, while William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes were both unfit to play.

Arteta stressed over a week ago that Saliba’s injury was only a ‘matter of days’ but he is still missing from the squad ahead of Arsenal’s encounter with Brugge in midweek.

Given the club’s defensive frailties against Villa a few days ago, another missed match for Saliba is a hefty blow. Arsenal need to return to form and without their two defensive warriors, they are struggling.

Also missing from the squad to face Brugge will be Leandro Trossard. The Belgian has been one of Arsenal’s key men this term, scoring six goals and supplying five assists in 17 matches. It’s a huge blow, really. He’s been a clutch player for a long time but he’s been in the form of his life throughout 2025/26. Dare we say it, he may well be the club’s most important forward right now.

The Belgian returned to the squad following a small injury against Villa and did score, although he has now suffered another setback.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta said: “Obviously when you are missing players, you are loading other players and there is a consequence to that, and it’s a really dangerous circle.

“You have to separate the kind of injuries. Some of them have been long-term, and some have been acute injuries. It’s something that we are constantly looking at. We have played a lot of games with a lot of players missing and that puts a lot of stress, and then you get more injuries.”

While setbacks for Trossard and Saliba are key blows, it’s also disappointing that Max Dowman has picked up a longer-term problem. The teenager was likely set to feature in the remaining league games of the Champions League but is unlikely to be seen again in 2025.

Most injuries in the PL this season

Club

# of injuries

1. Leeds

28

2. Arsenal

26

2= Aston Villa

26

4. Crystal Palace

25

5. Chelsea

23

Commenting on that blow, the manager stated, “When you play in the position that he plays, when you play the manner that he plays, it was going to happen, and it has happened.

“It’s not ideal. He picked up weeks, it could have been worse, and we learn from that and now use this time to continue to improve in his education, in everything that is related to professional football, his habits, the way he needs to develop his physicality as well and the understanding of the game.”

That blow has, at least, allowed the club to replace Dowman with Gabriel Jesus in their Champions League squad. He could be in line to feature for the first time in nearly a year following an ACL injury.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs Brugge

With Saliba, Gabriel and summer signing Cristian Mosquera all missing through injury, the backline likely picks itself with Ben White featuring at right-back alongside a centre-back pairing of Jurrien Timber and Piero Hincapie.

Riccardo Calafiori is suspended for Arsenal’s clash with Wolves at the weekend and thus, Arteta may use this as an opportunity to get minutes into the legs of Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back.

In midfield, Declan Rice will be missing with illness. Martin Zubimendi is also due a rest, meaning we could see a midfield three of Christian Norgaard, Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze.

In the forward line, Viktor Gyokeres could start for the first time since returning from injury, playing ahead of Mikel Merino. He is likely to be flanked by Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli with Bukayo Saka handed a rest. Expect to see him feature from the bench.

Ethan Nwaneri and Kepa Arrizabalaga are set to be in contention for rare starts but it feels more likely that they will be among the subs again.

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