Former captain could have been forgiven for wishing he’d been in Ahmedabad, but he was fully present at the Kia Oval

Matt Roller04-Jun-2025″That’s up in the air,” boomed the unmistakable Ravi Shastri. “Straight down the throat of the man at square leg!” Shastri’s voice echoed around The Oval, where the IPL final beamed live on the big screens. Designed to keep fans entertained during a rain delay, it only emphasised the contrast with a dead-rubber ODI in soggy south London.England’s players sat in the dressing room, with three IPL returnees among them. When the BCCI announced revised dates for the play-offs following the league’s brief suspension, the ECB opted against extending the No-Objection Certificates for players involved in England’s ODI squad. For Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks and Jos Buttler, that meant an early return home.In Ahmedabad, Romario Shepherd was padded up in the dugout. Shepherd, centrally contracted by CWI, was named in West Indies’ squad for the series but had his NOC extended by a board on a weaker standing than the ECB. So too did Sherfane Rutherford, who top-scored in his only innings of the series as if to remind West Indies what they had missed when he was in India.Related

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There was never much chance of Bethell or Jacks defying the ECB’s directive but for Buttler, the clash must have stung. He has become an IPL great across 10 seasons in the league, but has only once been involved in the play-offs, in 2022 with Rajasthan Royals. He was a champion in 2017 with Mumbai Indians, but watched the final from his sofa after being brought home by the ECB.Buttler’s Gujarat Titans were not involved in the final, but could easily have been if he had stayed for the duration. They were beaten in the Eliminator last week, falling short in the sort of steep run-chase in which Buttler has often thrived: with him at No. 3 throughout the play-offs, they could have locked horns with RCB on Tuesday night.Instead, Buttler was pulled home for an ODI series notable only for being his first back in the ranks after three years as captain. His successor, Harry Brook, revealed it had been Buttler’s idea to use Lime bikes to beat the gridlocked London traffic to reach The Oval; in India, whole cities are shut down if that is what it takes to get IPL teams from their hotels to a stadium.Jos Buttler and Harry Brook savour England’s 3-0 series win•ECB/Getty ImagesYet as Buttler walked off grinning alongside Brook, after a cameo of 41 not out off 20 balls secured a seven-wicket rout, it felt like a significant moment for England’s white-ball teams. Here was a new England captain being supported fully by his predecessor, whose availability was proof that he remains committed to a format from which he could easily have walked away.Buttler has largely left Brook to his own devices as captain, having returned to keeping wicket, though has offered support when prompted. “He’s letting me do it my own way, and then I’ve gone over to him a few times,” Brook said. “Having him behind the stumps with that wealth of experience, it’s easy to just go up to him and chat, and see what his thoughts are.”In truth, his biggest role in supporting Brook will be with the bat, in the same way that Joe Root’s relentless run-scoring in Test cricket has helped Ben Stokes far more than his tactical insight. Buttler knows as much: when he resigned in February, he cited a desire to “follow Joe Root’s lead” when addressing his own international future.”He almost goes until he wants to retire,” Brook said, acknowledging that Buttler’s achievements as a double World Cup-winner allow him to set his own deadlines as an England player. “He is very well known for being one of the best – if not the best – white-ball players in the world. To see him go out there and crunch the ball as he did tonight was thrilling.”It is easy to risk overstating the pull of the IPL: after all, playing for England is no great sacrifice. Buttler’s earning potential in India (his Titans deal is worth Rs 15.75 crore, around £1.4m) owes no small part to his international success, while his lucrative central contract has seen the ECB pay him handsomely for a decade.That is to say nothing of the prestige that international sport retains, even bilateral series that are largely devoid of context. Buttler would surely not have bothered with this series were he not set on reaching the 2027 50-over World Cup in South Africa, the same tournament that has prompted Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to cling onto ODIs while quitting other formats.But the stark reality is that this England team needs Buttler more than he needs them, as he heads into a later phase of his international career. His innings on Tuesday night – and a shimmying scoop for six off Alzarri Joseph in particular – hinted at a man liberated by his resignation, and one whose mere presence at The Oval was a statement of his intent.

The Premier League is back after a third international break in as many months. Typically, this would be a moment of great excitement for Liverpool, but recent results have laced the build-up to the next phase of action with anxiety.

But Arne Slot’s side are a distance short of emulating last season’s smooth-sailing Premier League champions. Well adrift of first-placed Arsenal after losing five of six top-flight fixtures, there can be no doubting that this is a crisis for the Reds.

But Liverpool have weathered storms before, and it certainly feels like a matter of when, not if, Liverpool will click together after a summer of sweeping change.

Slot has played down chatter of a winter bid for a centre-back. Giovanni Leoni was signed for around £27m this summer, but the former Parma defender is out for the campaign after suffering an ACL injury on his debut. Liverpool missed out on Marc Guehi on transfer deadline day.

Liverpool do appear set to complete some winter business, though, with rumours regarding Antoine Semenyo’s future at Bournemouth gathering speed.

Liverpool planning for winter business

It has been confirmed by the powers that be on the transfer scene that Liverpool are interested in Semenyo, whose £65m release clause with the Cherries becomes active during the January transfer market.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed FSG’s vested interest, but Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are among the suitors too.

This would be a significant deal for the Reds, who failed to seal a direct Luis Diaz replacement this summer, but sporting director Richard Hughes’ eye falls over more than one position, with another Premier League sensation earmarked ahead of 2026.

Indeed, according to a recent report from The Times, Liverpool have entered the race for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, though they face stiff competition from Manchester United and Newcastle United.

The Tricky Trees don’t want to part with their prized player, though Evangelos Marinakis concedes that keeping him for the long run will prove difficult. Therefore, he has been listed at £100m.

Why FSG want to sign Elliot Anderson

Liverpool have a robust crop of midfield players, but Anderson’s complete and combative style suggests he might be the missing link in an engine room lacking its typical efficiency.

Forged in Newcastle’s academy, Anderson was sold to Forest in 2024 as Eddie Howe sought to ease his side’s financial worries. It would have been a rueful transfer for the 23-year-old, though he has only gone from strength to strength since the switch, and now he is a fully-fledged England international, regarded as one of the finest midfielders in his homeland.

Instrumental for Forest since the start of last season, Anderson really is the full package, strong in the duel, utterly tireless and a developing playmaker, his range of passing growing by the month.

In fact, Anderson is among the best across a number of statistical metrics this season. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of Premier League midfielders for passes attempted, progressive passes and ball recoveries, the top 5% for shot-creating actions, the top 3% for successful take-ons, and the top 7% for crosses completed per 90. Quite the jack of all trades.

He’s an all-rounder, alright, a real force in the middle of the park. In this, he is an echo of Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, and one who is far outstripping the Argentine at the moment – and that’s not up for debate, sadly.

Premier League 25/26 – Anderson vs Mac Allister
Stats (*per game)	Anderson	Mac Allister
Matches (starts)	11 (11)	10 (9)
Goals	1	0
Assists	1	2
Touches*	94.4	45.1
Accurate passes*	62.1 (87%)	30.3 (86%)
Chances created*	1.4	0.9
Dribbles*	1.3	0.0
Ball recoveries*	8.4	2.9
Tackles + interceptions*	3.5	1.6
Duels (won)*	7.5 (55%)	2.5 (45%)
Data via Sofascore

The sum of Liverpool’s plight this season is greater than its individual parts, but it is hardly helping that Slot’s trusted midfield lieutenant is flattering to deceive.

While adding Semenyo to the ranks would be a positive move for Slot’s side, you have to wonder whether Liverpool need to complete such a deal. After all, the reason behind opting against a direct Diaz replacement was to ensure Rio Ngumoha has a clear pathway to consistent first-team minutes.

With Cody Gakpo also in the mix, it feels like a deal for Semenyo could run counter to that previously outlined ambition. Of course, Mohamed Salah is not getting any younger, and Semenyo is equally as dangerous on the right as he is coming off the left flank, but Semenyo would struggle to displace the Egyptian legend from the outset, and Salah is contracted to Anfield until the end of next season.

A lot for Hughes and Slot to ponder. With the need for a central defender also intense, Liverpool may struggle to pull off deals for all of these aforementioned players.

They might have to be savvy about it, and while Anderson would be the most expensive of the lot, he would also mark the most impactful addition, described as a “superstar in the making” by journalist Louis Wheeldon, with the potential to become a leading man in the Premier League over the next decade.

Diaz 2.0: Liverpool prepare £88m bid to sign "the best player in the world"

Liverpool have lacked balance and sharpness in the final third this season.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 21, 2025

There has now been a major injury update on West Ham United star Crysencio Summerville ahead of the Premier League fixture against Liverpool this Sunday.

West Ham had to make do without the winger for the trip to AFC Bournemouth at the weekend, with Nuno’s side taking a point at the Vitality Stadium, although they will be frustrated they were unable to take more from the game.

The Hammers raced into a 2-0 lead against the Cherries, courtesy of a Callum Wilson brace before half-time, but Bournemouth fought back to earn a point, with Marcus Tavernier and Enes Unal getting on the scoresheet.

With Leeds United falling to a 2-1 defeat at home against Aston Villa, the Irons remain outside the relegation zone on goal difference, but they will need all the help they can get in the coming weeks, as there are some tricky fixtures on the horizon.

West Ham United’s upcoming fixtures

Date

Liverpool (h)

November 30th

Manchester United (a)

December 4th

Brighton & Hove Albion (a)

December 7th

Aston Villa (h)

December 14th

Manchester City (a)

December 20th

Injury update on West Ham's Crysencio Summerville ahead of Liverpool

As reported by The Standard, Nuno has now been handed a boost heading into this weekend’s fixture against Liverpool, with Summerville expected to return to training this week, having seemingly made strides towards recovering from a calf strain.

The 24-year-old is set to be in contention for the game against Arne Slot’s side, which will be welcome news for West Ham, given that Niclas Fullkrug is out due to a thigh issue, and they are keen not to overuse Wilson, despite the striker bagging a brace last time out.

Former Leeds United U23 manager Andrew Taylor has waxed lyrical about the Dutchman in the past, saying: “Everything going forward he’s fantastic at, but he doesn’t just stop there, he does the defensive work as well, he works really hard.”

Since moving to the London Stadium, however, the Rotterdam-born winger’s progress has been hampered by a number of injuries, having spent large parts of the 2024-25 campaign on the sidelines due to a hamstring issue.

That said, the former Leeds man has exhibited some promising signs this season, having already registered two assists in the Premier League, albeit both came in the 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest at the end of August.

Summerville still retains the backing of Nuno, however, who said last month: “I think he can be really important. Against Brentford, he started really well and, in terms of distance, in terms of work rate, it was a good 90 minutes for him.

“So we expect, as time goes by, to elevate his fitness, because to produce all of the actions he has to be on his top level.

The West Ham boss will be hoping for a similar performance this weekend, with his side taking on Liverpool at a good time, given that they have lost six of their last seven Premier League games.

West Ham could bring in academy star if Crysencio Summerville isn't fit in time for Liverpool Forget Guilherme: Nuno can fix Summerville blow with West Ham academy star

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1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 25, 2025

With Rangers currently fourth in the Scottish Premiership and rock-bottom of the gigantic Europa League table, they need wins and fast.

On Saturday, Danny Röhl’s side will go in search of a fourth successive league victory when last-placed Livingston visit Ibrox.

This is followed by a European clash with Braga and, considering the Gers are currently pointless halfway through the league phase, they really could do with a victory over the Archbishops from Northern Portugal.

However, potentially dealing with something of a defensive injury crisis ahead of Saturday’s game, how could Röhl combat his new injury problems?

Rangers' defensive injury crisis

The news any club supporter and indeed manager fears during an international break is reports that their players may have suffered an injury while away with their countries, but this may be exactly the reality Rangers are facing.

First, ahead of Scotland’s historic World Cup qualifying victory over Denmark at Hampden on Tuesday, mere minutes before kick-off, centre-back John Souttar withdrew from the starting lineup after suffering an injury during the warm-up.

The extent of the injury is currently unknown, but it is always a concern when it comes to Souttar, considering he has ruptured both anterior cruciate ligaments in the past.

This season though, he has been a near-ever-present in Rangers’ back line, starting 23 of the Gers’ 24 matches, rested against Alloa, as well as ten of Scotland’s last 11 competitive fixtures prior to Tuesday night.

Later that day, in the middle of the night UK time, further bad news emerged given that Derek Cornelius was withdrawn just 33 minutes into Canada’s 2-0 friendly victory over Venezuela in Fort Lauderdale.

Since arriving on loan from Marseille, the 27-year-old has cemented himself as a key figure, especially since Röhl has switched to a back three, given the scarcity of alternative centre-back options.

Similar to Souttar, it is not yet publicly known if Cornelius will be available for the weekend, but this has to be a concern.

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Nevertheless, given bottom of the table Livingston are the visitors to Ibrox, neither should be risked if not 100% fit, hence why Röhl should entrust his forgotten “colossus” with a start.

How Rangers can solve their defensive injury problems

Of Rangers’ 13 new recruits during the summer, Emmanuel Fernandez is often forgotten and overlooked by supporters.

The 6 foot 4 central defender arrived from Peterborough United in July, having bounced around the lower division in England, representing non-league clubs including Sheppey United and Spalding United.

This move north of the border was supposed to be the 24-year-old’s big breakthrough, but he’s so far been more of a lesser-spotted species than an integral figure.

Fernandez scored on debut against Alloa Athletic, starting at St Mirren the following weekend, but has seen just one minute of action since 24 August, introduced late during the last-gasp, hard-fought victory over Hibernian at Easter Road, an unused substitute on 11 occasions.

This is despite the fact that the Englishman boasted impressive statistics in EFL League One last season, as the table below documents.

Fernandez 2024/25 stats

Stats (* = per 90)

Fernandez

League 1 rank

Goals

5

2nd

Tackles *

1.24

63rd

Interceptions *

0.91

46th

Clearances *

6.83

19th

Passing accuracy %

85.35%

20th

Passes *

65.93

5th

Aerial duels won *

4

27th

Aerial duels won %

62.24

25th

Ground duels won *

2.87

35th

Note: rankings are defenders only.

Stats via SofaScore

These performances for Posh last season led to Peterborough Chairman Darragh MacAnthony describing the central defender as a “colossus”, also noting that he is a “gentle giant” as well as a “great organiser and talker”.

His most spectacular moment came when he scored an astonishing long-range goal against Exeter City.

Also worth highlighting is that, according to Global Football Rankings, EFL League One is the 41st strongest division in the world, just eight places below the Scottish Premiership, suggesting Fernandez would be more than good enough to start, particularly against Livingston at home.

With fixtures coming thick and fast, and a must-win European match against Braga right around the corner, Röhl surely cannot risk either Souttar or Cornelius exacerbating their injury issues, emphasising that he has to trust Fernandez to start as the middle man in his back three at the weekend.

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Posts ByBen Gray Nov 14, 2025

Chelsea's fine form under Enzo Maresca continued with a blockbuster win over Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday. The Blues turned on the style against their Spanish rivals, coming away 3-0 winners, thanks to an own goal from Jules Kounde, a wonderful Estevao strike and Liam Delap's first goal at Stamford Bridge. But the Premier League side could have had six or seven, such was their dominance under the lights in the capital.

The home side saw two goals ruled out for offside inside the first 25 minutes, with Enzo Fernandez twice having his celebrations cut short thanks to first a Wesley Fofana handball and then the offside flag. In fact, the Blues almost saw themselves go behind after a rare Barca attack in the early stages, as some slick play from Lamine Yamal saw the La Masia wonderkid slip Ferran Torres through, only for the former Manchester City man to fire agonisingly wide of Robert Sanchez's goal.

Just over 20 minutes later, the visitors were punished. It was third time lucky for Maresca's men, who were finally allowed to celebrate with the Stamford Bridge faithful after Marc Cucurella – who was brilliant across the night – beat the high line of Barcelona and delivered a low cross into the six-yard box. After a scrappy few seconds that saw Pedro Neto attempt a backheel into the net, the ball bounced off Jules Kounde and in, giving Chelsea a deserved lead.

With their backs now against the wall, Barca's misery was further compounded after captain Ronald Araujo was sent off just before half-time. A silly yellow card for dissent towards the referee was followed by a reckless tackle on Cucurella, giving the official no choice but to dismiss the Uruguay international.

With Chelsea in full control, it was plain sailing for most of the second half. The moment of the night came from the highly-rated Estevao, who weaved in and out of the Barcelona defence before blasting an effort into the roof of the net with his weaker right foot. It was another clear sign of the talent he possesses, outshining Yamal when the moment mattered most.

The pain did not stop there for Flick's side, who saw their defence breached for a third time before the final whistle. This time it was Delap who struck, firing home low from Fernandez's pass to put a seal on the game that was never really a contest.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Stamford Bridge…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Robert Sanchez (7/10):

  Another solid outing. He dealt with a few dangerous balls in behind his defenders but was barely stretched across the night. 

  Reece James (8/10):

  His extended period without picking up an injury is paying off in a big way. The Chelsea captain led by example as usual, even clipping in a fabulous ball in behind for Estevao's goal.

  Wesley Fofana (6/10):

  Looked comfortable on an evening where he had little to do.

  Trevoh Chalobah (7/10):

  Let out a few roars for the crowd across the night after making a number of crunching tackles. Dealt with the threat of Lewandowski incredibly well and looked determined to keep a clean sheet. Job done!

  Marc Cucurella (9/10):

  Locked up his international team-mate Yamal with ease, and proved once again why he is one of the best defenders in Europe.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Midfield

  Malo Gusto (7/10):

  Hounded down the Barca players from midfield and swept up everything not already covered by Caicedo. Replaced by Andrey Santos at half-time.

  Moises Caicedo (9/10):

  Another impeccable performance from the Blues' star midfielder. Every 30 seconds, Caicedo would pop up with a crucial tackle and keep Chelsea on the front foot. Relentless for every second he was on the pitch.

  Enzo Fernandez (8/10):

  Pulled the strings in a slightly more advanced role and could have had two goals of his own, were it not for marginal calls. Instead, the Argentine had to settle for a delightful assist, which he put on a plate for Delap.

• Getty Images
  

  Attack

  Estevao (8/10):

  The young Brazilian proved there is substance behind the comparisons between himself and Yamal. His magic moment in the second half stole the show, putting the home side in the driving seat and adding another fantastic goal to his growing Chelsea collection.

  Pedro Neto (6/10):

  He was less effective on the ball than his team-mates, but made plenty of piercing runs in behind the Barcelona backline. Had one big chance in the first half that he blazed over and another from a driving run in the second.

  Alejandro Garnacho (4/10):

  It was a quiet evening for the summer signing from Manchester United. Aside from a blocked shot in the opening 45, Garnacho was ineffective and subsequently hooked before the 60-minute mark.

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• Getty/GOAL
  

  Subs & Manager

  Andrey Santos (6/10):

  Was introduced at half-time and covered plenty of ground, albeit the midfielder rarely got his foot on the ball and opted to do the dirty work alongside Caicedo and Fernandez.

  Liam Delap (7/10):

  Came on and ran riot, bulldozing his way into dangerous positions and eventually being rewarded with his first goal at Stamford Bridge to put the game to bed at 3-0.

  Jamie Gittens (6/10):

  Looked sharp in the minutes he was given and gave Kounde a run for his money, albeit his legs were much fresher than the Frenchman's.

  Tyrique George (N/A):

  Introduced for the final few minutes in place of the outstanding Estevao.

  Josh Acheampong (N/A):

  Came on for captain Reece James, who received a standing ovation from the Chelsea faithful.

  Enzo Maresca (9/10):

  The head coach got his tactics spot on and completely outcoached Flick in the opposite dugout. The quick passing and runs in behind paid off, even if his players were still caught offside a number of times. Deserves a huge amount of credit for the win.

Sean Dyche has now personally requested the signing of a “fantastic” Istanbul Basaksehir defender Jerome Opoku at Nottingham Forest, and his current club may be tempted to cash-in.

Reinforcements may be needed in the January transfer window, given that Forest are looking like they could be involved in a relegation battle this season, although there has been an uptick in results since Dyche arrived just under a month ago.

The 54-year-old has made a solid start in the Premier League, collecting four points from his opening three games in charge and signing off before the international break with a 3-1 win against fellow strugglers Leeds United, which could be an important result come May.

The former Everton boss has experience in relegation battles, having managed to guide the Toffees to safety in the 2022-23 campaign, while also stabilising Burnley in the Premier League, so Evangelos Marinakis should have full trust in his manager as we approach the January transfer window.

Sean Dyche requests signing of Jerome Opoku

Given Dyche’s impressive start, Marinakis may be willing to back him this winter, and the Nottingham Forest boss has now personally requested the signing of Istanbul Basaksehir defender Opoku, according to a report from Africa Foot (via Sport Witness).

The 27-year-old has attracted the attention of a number of Premier League clubs as of late, with Everton making an offer in January, while Fulham are also in the race, so the Tricky Trees may have to fend off competition from elsewhere to secure his signature.

Such is the level of interest in the centre-back, he could become ‘one of the hottest topics’ of the upcoming window, and the Turkish club may be tempted to cash-in, given that his current contract is set to expire in 2027.

The Basaksehir defender hasn’t played in England since a spell at Plymouth Argyle in the 2020-21 campaign, at which point he received plaudits from manager Ryan Lowe, who described the 6 foot 5 colossus as “fantastic”.

Since then, the Ghana international has gone on to establish himself as an important player for Basaksehir, making 14 appearances in all competitions this season and helping his side keep clean sheets in three of their last four matches.

Opoku is yet to prove himself in one of Europe’s top leagues, meaning it would be a risk for Nottingham Forest to make a move, but Dyche knows what it takes to avoid relegation from the top flight, so if the manager wants to make the Basaksehir star his first signing, Marinakis should back him.

Nottingham Forest make contact to sign midfielder Dyche called "terrific"

His two wickets on the opening day slowed down Pakistan’s progress and helped South Africa go to stumps after an “even day”

Danyal Rasool20-Oct-2025

Maharaj took two wickets to set Pakistan back on the opening day•AFP/Getty Images

It may not have seemed that way when Pakistan were 146 for one, but by stumps, South Africa had clawed back enough into the Test for Keshav Maharaj to call it an even day. The left-arm spinner – who did not play the first Test owing to a groin injury – began South Africa’s comeback when he dismissed crowd favourite Babar Azam early on in his innings. In the final session, Maharaj struck once more when he drew Shan Masood into a sweep, which he could only drag to Marco Jansen at square leg. By the end, there was time for Kagiso Rabada to snag a fifth wicket, forcing Pakistan to see off the final half hour cautiously. They finished on 259 for five.”I think it was an even day,” he said. “We managed to control their run rate. When the ball gets softer – which happens quite quickly because the wicket’s quite hard, we managed to just go to old-fashioned Test cricket… I felt if we got one more wicket at night, we’d probably have had a little bit of an upper hand.”Related

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First day in Pindi = first day in Lahore

South Africa, Pakistan share opening-day honours after Masood 87

The first two sessions were shaping up to tell a different story, using the same, frustrating script for the visitors. Having lost the toss and being inserted to field once more, they were sloppy, putting down five catches – just as they had on the first day in Lahore. Abdullah Shafique was the primary beneficiary, with South Africa spurning three opportunities to dismiss him. Earlier, Marco Jansen had nipped one in that Shafique left. The ball had kissed the off stump, only for the bails to be left undisturbed.”As a collective we know how important catches are, not just in the subcontinent. No one means to drop catches; it was nice to see the guys bounce back and take the catches that they did. Bit frustrating but no one means to drop chances.”Simon Harmer bowled 23 overs of spin to complement Maharaj•AFP/Getty Images

The fielding tide for South Africa began to turn when Tony de Zorzi took an excellent catch, which sent Babar on his way. South Africa have placed a lot of faith in their leading offspinner; he bowled 31 overs – the most for any bowler on a day this series. Harmer bowled 23 further overs of spin, but Senuran Muthuswamy, the leading wicket-taker in Lahore, sent down just four.Maharaj, who said he regretted being unable to play in Lahore, called the decision to use Muthuswamy more sparingly “tactical”. “We saw that the wicket didn’t play like Lahore and we felt like we just wanted to try and restrict the Pakistani batters. I don’t think there was an issue. Sen came back nicely with the second spell that he bowled.”In the end, Pakistan scored 54 fewer runs than they did on day one in Lahore, with South Africa drying up the runs, giving the final session a slightly different tinge to the first day they had during the first Test. They will be further encouraged by the knowledge that Pakistan have a collapse in them, something Masood highlighted following the first Test. In the first Test, Pakistan lost their last five for 16 in the first innings, and their last six for 17 in the two innings. One more wicket, and South Africa will know there are opportunities to run through the lower order.”Tomorrow’s an important day,” Maharaj said. The first sessions in the series so far have been quite action-packed. “Hopefully, we can make inroads tomorrow morning. The main thing is to try bowling as many dot balls as we can. We saw for a period of time when we did do it, that it brought us a little bit of reward, and we created opportunities. I think it’s important we start really well tomorrow. Hopefully we can get Saud and Agha early in the morning and open up an end with the lower-order batters. But it’s about just trying to bowl our best balls for long periods of time.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O Vasco da Gama enfrenta o Fluminense nesta quinta-feira (10), às 20h (de Brasília), no Maracanã, pelo primeiro jogo da semifinal da Copa do Brasil. O confronto será transmitido ao vivo na SporTV, na TV fechada, e no Premiere, no pay-per-view, e na Prime Video (streaming).

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O Vasco da Gama chega para a partida a primeira partida da semfinal em um momento conturbado. A equipe venceu apenas um dos últimos oito jogos. A equipe concluiu sua participação no Brasileirão no último final de semana, quando o treinador Fernando Diniz optou por utilizar um time alternativo contra o Atlético-MG e acabou goleado por 5 a 0.

Na Copa do Brasil, a equipe segue invicta. Ao todo, são três vitórias e cinco empates na competição. O Gigante da Colina iniciou sua trajetória vencendo União Rondonópolis e Nova Iguaçu (ainda em partidas únicas) e, depois, superou Operário-PR, CSA e Botafogo em jogos de ida e volta.

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Para o confronto, o Cruzmaltino terá o desfalque do lateral-esquerdo Lucas Piton, que sofreu uma lesão no joelho na partida contra o Mirassol. Com isso, Puma Rodríguez, que é lateral-direito de origem, mas já jogou invertido neste ano, será o titular no confronto.

Ao contrário do Vasco, o Fluminense vive seu melhor momento após o Mundial de Clubes. A equipe comandada por Luis Zubeldía está em uma sequência de sete jogos sem perder (cinco vitórias e dois empates). Na última rodada do Brasileirão, o treinador optou por escalar o time titular e venceu o Bahia por 2 a 0, no Maracanã.

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Nesta edição da Copa do Brasil, o Tricolor foi derrotado em apenas uma oportunidade. No primeiro jogo das quartas de final contra o Bahia, na Arena Fonte Nova, o clube baiano venceu por 1 a 0. No total foram oito jogos (seis vitórias, um empate e uma derrota).

Assim como o Vasco, o Fluminense tem um desfalque de peso para a primeira partida. O atacante Canobbio está suspeso e fora da primeira partida da semfinal. Para a vaga, Soteldo, que participou de três gols nos últimos três jogos do Tricolor, deve ser o substituto.

VASCO X FLUMINENSE
COPA DO BRASIL – SEMIFINAL – IDA
📆 Data e horário: quinta-feira, 11 de dezembro de 2025, às 20h (de Brasília);
📍 Local: Maracanã;
📺 Onde assistir: Premiere, SportTV e Amazon Prime.
🟨 Árbitro: Raphael Claus (SP);
🚩 Assistentes: Danilo Ricardo Simon Manis (SP) e Alex Ang Ribeiro (SP);
🖥️ VAR: Daniel Nobre Bins (RS).

VASCO (Técnico: Fernando Diniz)

Léo Jardim; Paulo Henrique, Carlos Cuesta, Robert Renan e Puma Rodríguez; Thiago Mendes, Barros e Coutinho; Andrés Gómez, Nuno Moreira e Rayan.

FLUMINENSE (Técnico: Luis Zubeldía)

Fábio; Samuel, Thiago Silva, Freytes e Renê; Martinelli, Nonato (Hércules) e Acosta; Soteldo, Serna e Everaldo

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FluminenseFutebol NacionalOnde assistirVasco

تمكن منتخب تونس من تحقيق الفوز على قطر، في إطار منافسات دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العرب.

وواجه منتخب تونس نظيره القطري، في السابعة مساء بتوقيت القاهرة، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة من دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس العرب.

ويقع منتخب تونس في المجموعة الأولى في كأس العرب، رفقة منتخبات قطر وسوريا وفلسطين. 

طالع.. ترتيب المجموعة الأولى من كأس العرب 2025 

وحقق منتخب تونس الفوز على قطر، بثلاثية نظيفة، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما اليوم الأحد. 

تقدم منتخب تونس بالهدف الأول في مرمى قطر، في الدقيقة 16 من عمر الشوط الأول، عن طريق محمد علي بن رمضان لاعب الأهلي. 

وفي الدقيقة 62 من عمر الشوط الثاني، عزز منتخب تونس تقدمه بالهدف الثاني في مرمى قطر عن طريق اللاعب ياسين مرياح، قبل أن يضيف محمد علي بن رمضان ثالث أهداف تونس في الدقيقة 94 من عمر المباراة. 

وبهذه النتيجة رفع منتخب تونس رصيده إلى 4 نقاط في المركز الثالث في جدول ترتيب المجموعة، بينما تجمد رصيد قطر عند نقطة وحيدة في المركز الأخير. 

وبتلك النتيجة تأكد خروج تونس وقطر من بطولة كأس العرب، بينما تأهلت سوريا وفلسطين إلى دور الثمانية من البطولة.  أهداف مباراة تونس وقطر في كأس العرب  

 

 

 

India have not yet received the Asia Cup trophy after refusing to accept it from Mohsin Naqvi during the presentation ceremony following the final on September 28

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2025BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia is hopeful of a resolution with PCB and Asian Cricket Concil (ACC) chairman Mohsin Naqvi over the Asia Cup trophy dispute after the “ice has been broken” between the two boards during the recent ICC meeting in Dubai.”I was a part of both the informal and formal meeting of the ICC. PCB chairperson Mohsin Naqvi was also present. During the course of a formal meeting, it was not on agenda but ICC facilitated a meeting between myself and the PCB chief separately in the presence of a senior ICC office-bearer and another senior official,” Saikia told PTI. “It was really good to start the process of negotiation.”Both sides will work out something to solve the issue at the earliest. The ice has been broken now, so various options will be worked out. There will be options from the other side as well and we will also give options on how to settle this issue and come to an amicable solution.”Related

Rauf gets two-match ban; Suryakumar, Bumrah sanctioned after Asia Cup drama

India refuse to accept Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi

India have not yet received the Asia Cup trophy after beating Pakistan in the final on September 28. There was a standoff at the presentation ceremony with India refusing to accept the trophy from Naqvi, the ACC and PCB chair who is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister, following the cross-border skirmish between the two countries in the wake of the terror attack in Pahalgam in April.India and Pakistan played each other three times during the Asia Cup – in the group stage, the Super Fours, and the final – with all the fixtures fraught with tension that began with India’s decision not to shake hands with the Pakistan players in their first meeting on September 14. The matches were ill-tempered with Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan all receiving penalties of varying severity from the ICC for their comments or on-field actions.After the final, the presentation ceremony was delayed by more than 90 minutes while Naqvi remained insistent that he be the person handing over the trophy to India, who did not budge from their stance. Eventually the trophy was taken away from the stage and the team has not received it to date.