Aitana Bonmati has been forced to withdraw from the Spain squad after she suffered a fractured fibula in a training session. The Barcelona star could miss a number of months of football in a massive blow for both her club and national team. The three-time Ballon d'Or winner has already returned to Catalonia to begin her recovery with the Blaugrana.
England’s focus may be elsewhere at end of long season, but for hosts, this is the be-all-and-end-all
Andrew Miller16-Sep-2025
Jacob Bethell and Paul Stirling pose with the series trophy at Malahide Cricket Club•Getty Images
Big picture: Big-ticket visit, but small beer for visitorsIt’s a state of affairs that sums up the imbalances of international cricket. England and Ireland are about to play their first-ever bilateral game of T20 cricket – even though the format has consumed the sport in the course of the past two decades – at a moment in the respective itineraries of the two nations that could scarcely be more polarized.On the one hand, there’s the visitors England, girding their loins for one final push after an exhausting home season comprising a five-Test series against India, while already casting their eyes forward to the single biggest date on their 2025 calendar: November 21, and the start of their legacy-defining Ashes campaign.Despite the notable pick of Jacob Bethell as captain, they’ve arrived in Dublin with something close to their first-choice XI, or at least the version that took the field with such stunning success in their most recently completed match, against South Africa at Old Trafford last week.Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett were scarcely missed while Phil Salt and Jos Buttler were blazing England towards that record 304 for 2, but they remain in mothballs alongside the regular captain Harry Brook and Jofra Archer – each of whom, with as much respect as can be mustered in such circumstances, has bigger fish to fry in the coming months. As indeed has the head coach, Brendon McCullum, who has already flown home to New Zealand.And then, there’s the hosts Ireland – for the most part exiles in their own land, given how rarely they are able to attract the quality of opposition that justifies the outlay required to accommodate them. This three-match series is their biggest ticket since India popped over for three T20Is in August 2023 (one of which was abandoned).Sure enough, Malahide has rolled out its temporary stands (at considerable expense) to take the ground’s capacity to around 4,000 for these three games. Happily, Friday and Sunday are already sold out, while Wednesday’s series opener should be at least 80% full, with tickets still available. Given that last year’s visit by Australia was canned on the grounds that even those broadcast rights couldn’t have covered Cricket Ireland’s costs, their financial tightrope is real and terrifying.For both teams, however, this series remains a key staging post for a significant and looming peak. England’s thoughts will have to turn to the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka almost before they’ve completed their Ashes comedown, and such are the reasons why experimentation for this leg has been relatively limited, even if the conditions in Malahide will be as far removed from those in the subcontinent in February as can be imagined.For Ireland, however, that focus will be nothing less than full-bore. So much of their raison d’etre revolves around ICC events, from the long and anxious qualification bids that precede them, to the crucial exposure and funding that their moments on the big stage provide. But here, in a slender weather-threatened five-day window, that stage has at long last come back to their own shores.Form guideIreland LLWLL (last five T20Is, most recent first)
England WLWWWIn the spotlight: Jordan Cox and Ross AdairAll he ever seems to get are scraps from the table, but to Jordan Cox’s immense credit, he has not yet been consumed by frustration at an international career that simply cannot stick a landing. The false starts have been numerous – most gallingly the broken thumb that robbed him of three guaranteed Tests in New Zealand last winter – while his two previous T20I appearances, against Australia last year, were – just like this potential recall – tacked onto the end of a long international summer. But his belated call-up to the squad is entirely on merit, after his MVP displays for Oval Invincibles in the Hundred. Given half a chance, he is still hungry to make the most of it.At the age of 31, and having parked his previous career in rugby union, Ross Adair is a significant bolter for this winter’s T20 World Cup. His last-but-one international innings was a storming knock of 100 from 58 balls as Ireland beat South Africa in Abu Dhabi this time last year, and as he told ESPNcricinfo this week, the explosive nature of T20 cricket means there are plenty of transferrable skills from his previous incarnation as a winger.Team news: Calitz, Baker in line for debutsIreland could hand a maiden cap to Ben Calitz, the 23-year-old Canada-born batter, with Paul Stirling, their captain, saying they were “crying out” for a left-hander in their middle order. Their bowling stocks have taken a hit with Josh Little and Mark Adair both absent for this series – Little has played just once for Middlesex in two months as he nurses a side injury. Matthew Humphreys is set to lead the attack once more, after impressing in his only outing against West Indies in June.Ireland: (possible) 1 Paul Stirling (capt), 2 Ross Adair, 3 Harry Tector, 4 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 5 Ben Calitz, 6 George Dockrell, 7 Curtis Campher, 8 Barry McCarthy, 9 Graham Hume, 10 Matthew Humphreys, 11 Craig Young.Sonny Baker seems in line for a maiden T20I outing, and ideally a less brutal return to England colours, after being launched for 76 runs on his wicketless ODI debut against South Africa earlier this month. Cox is the obvious replacement for Brook in the middle-order, with England likely to persevere with their spin-heavy attack in preparation for the T20 World Cup.England: (possible) 1 Phil Salt, 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Jacob Bethell (capt), 4 Jordan Cox, 5 Sam Curran, 6 Tom Banton, 7 Will Jacks, 8 Liam Dawson, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Luke Wood, 11 Sonny Baker.Pitch and conditionsDublin in early autumn is unlikely to be the sort of batting paradise that England encountered in that Old Trafford contest. Stirling predicted conditions would be as “alien” to those at next year’s World Cup as you could imagine: “September in Ireland is going to be green, it’s going to nip a little bit, and it’s going to be slightly slow.” The weather for Wednesday is mostly set to be clear, though torrential overnight rain is anticipated, which may well influence the decisions at the toss.Stats and trivia England and Ireland have played only twice before in the T20I format – at the T20 World Cups in 2010 (then the World T20) and 2022. Ireland memorably won the second of those at the MCG and might well have won the first but for a washout. England, remarkably, recovered from those set-backs to claim the title on each occasion. At 21 years and 329 days, Jacob Bethell is set to become the youngest captain in England’s history, beating the mark currently held by Monty Bowden, who was 23 and 144 days when he led England against South Africa at Cape Town on the Test tour of 1888-89.Quotes”It was fantastic viewing… Hopefully it’ll be a bit different than Old Trafford, where the pitch didn’t seem to be doing much. Coming here, it might be a bit slower, it might do a bit more, and hopefully we can catch a team off-guard that way if things go our way – maybe win the toss and go from there.”
“I’ve played with Paul Stirling myself, and I’ve seen how destructive he is at the other end. He’ll be someone we’ll be looking to target early and try to get him walking back into the sheds.”
Ireland spinner was suspended from bowling earlier this year after her action was found to be illegal
ESPNcricinfo staff06-Aug-2025
Aimee Maguire has played 11 ODIs and nine T20Is for Ireland•BCCI
Ireland left-arm spinner Aimee Maguire has been cleared to resume bowling in international cricket with immediate effect.Maguire, 18, was suspended from bowling earlier this year after being reported during the first ODI against India in Rajkot on January 10. Her action was deemed suspect under the ICC’s Illegal Bowling Regulations.Maguire has since remodelled her action and subsequently underwent an independent re-assessment at an ICC-accredited testing centre where she was cleared.”An independent assessment of Maguire’s remodelled bowling action at an ICC accredited testing centre concluded that the amount of elbow extension was within the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted under the ICC Illegal Bowling Regulations,” an ICC release said.Maguire made her ODI and T20I debut against West Indies in July 2023. She has so far played 11 ODIs, where she has picked 16 wickets, with best bowling figures of 5 for 19 against England last year. Maguire has also played nine T20Is, where she has nine wickets at an economy rate of 7.20.The 18-year-old is not part of the Ireland squad that faces Pakistan in a three-match T20I series, which begins in Dublin on Wednesday.
Manchester City have hit some extraordinary heights under Pep Guardiola’s tutelage. The Spanish coach will go down as one of the greatest managers in the history of the game, and his Citizen side have written themselves into the English and European history books.
Last season, City fell off a proverbial cliff, their four-in-a-row domination of the Premier League coming to an end. They rallied, but it was a campaign to forget about, and many felt that it marked the end of Pep’s illustrious tenure.
But he’s not done yet, rebounding emphatically after signing a two-year contract extension last November. And Guardiola isn’t the only one who is resurgent at the Etihad, with this optimistic new season coinciding with the tentative resurgence of Phil Foden.
There’s no denying it: Foden fell by the wayside last season. But he’s picked himself back up. The Three Lions superstar still has gears to shift through before he recalls his finest form, but this is an essential comeback, should City hope to reclaim their Premier League title and ensure the peerless Erling Haaland has a strong complementary force in the final third.
He hasn’t found prolific form yet this season, but the 25-year-old is undoubtedly producing more polished and cultured results, having been placed deeper to influence and dictate play.
He has been more convincing in the duel and is seeing more of the ball on average. There is also a clear tactical maturity, Pep’s teachings seeping into Foden’s brain. He might not be the headline stealer at this stage, but Foden is unquestionably operating at a higher level, and City’s wider system are feeling the benefits.
|
Phil Foden’s Premier League Improvements |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (*per game) |
24/25 |
25/26 |
|
Matches (starts) |
28 (20) |
9 (8) |
|
Goals |
7 |
1 |
|
Assists |
2 |
1 |
|
Touches* |
43.5 |
59.4 |
|
Accurate passes* |
27.0 (89%) |
39.7 (89%) |
|
Chances created* |
1.5 |
2.3 |
|
Dribbles* |
0.5 |
0.7 |
|
Ball recoveries* |
2.2 |
4.1 |
|
Tackles + interceptions* |
0.8 |
1.3 |
|
Duels (won)* |
2.3 (45%) |
3.1 (54%) |
|
Data via Sofascore |
||
Foden is one of the best in the Premier League, and he is on his way to reminding everyone of that fact. However, he’s not the only member of City’s squad doing such a thing right now, with his younger countryman emerging as the latest starboy fashioned under Guardiola’s wing.
Manchester City’s academy is a thing to behold. Truly, the dominant Premier League force have welcomed some of the country’s most exciting talents to the scene, and the likes of Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers are among those plying their trade elsewhere, such is the bloated nature of the club’s youth scene.
But City learn from their mistakes, and when Chelsea came calling for Nico O’Reilly in January, they were flat-out rebuffed in their advances, despite The Athletic’s David Ornstein confirming the interest was very much genuine.
This time last year, the 20-year-old was on the fringes of Guardiola’s outfit. Now, he is emerging as the first-choice left-back for club and country.
He impressed for the Three Lions after making his debut last week, playing 90 minutes against Serbia and then Albania, keeping clean sheets on both counts. As per Sofascore, he lost only one duel across those two clashes, recovering eight balls and completing 92% and 93% of his passes.
Already, he has nailed down a prominent position in City’s first team. Naturally a centre-midfielder, the boss has repeated hisown spectacular trick and redefined his technically sound up-and-comer into a dynamic, inverted full-back. O’Reilly has started seven of the last eight Premier League matches, defending resiliently and getting forward and arcing inward to create overloads and help service Haaland.
Continuing to look at it from a wider scope, the 6 foot 4 star ranks among the top 16% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for passes attempted, the top 9% for progressive carries and touches in the attacking box, and the top 6% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.
He’s only going to get better, and given the high regard he is held in by Guardiola and for the Three Lions under Thomas Tuchel, there’s little question that City have found their latest superstar in the making.
It is important, typically, not to overburden up-and-coming prospects. But O’Reilly is different, so cultured and convincing across the various phases of play.
One Man City content creator was left speechless after the club’s recent win over Liverpool, hailing O’Reilly as “our best academy graduate since Phil Foden”.
That might just be the case. Even Roy Keane agrees. The Manchester United legend remarked that the versatile defender “could surprise everybody” by securing a starting berth at the 2026 World Cup next year. Clearly, this is a player becoming one of the best in the Premier League, if not the world.
Perfect for Haaland: Man City can sign Foden 2.0 in "Ballon d'Or level" star
Another Phil Foden-esque talent could elevate Man City’s final third quality even more
By
Joe Nuttall
Nov 20, 2025
Leeds United are “keeping tabs” on two first team reinforcements for the January transfer window, including a midfield target who’s been likened to Sergio Busquets.
Farke "very, very pleased" with impressive Leeds win
The Whites picked up three vital points in the Premier League on Friday night, winning 2-0 at home to West Ham after racing into an early lead. Leeds manager Daniel Farke was delighted with what he saw from his team at Elland Road, as their encouraging start to life back in the top flight continues.
“We started very aggressively, very bravely, with passion. We wanted to win this game. Very spirited, deserved to be in the lead for 2-0. But also there, you could feel a little bit that it was a bit wild sometimes against the ball and with the ball. I think we had games where we had a way better structure and way more control and way more dominance during the season.
“But it was just the reason, it was just this difficult training week for us. Yes, in the second half, I think we started way better in terms of control and our organisation against the ball. Had much control, missed a bit to score the third goal and the last 20 minutes you could then really see again what a difficult week we had.
“Of course, a nervous last four minutes to bring it over the line this time but nevertheless, the prize is three points.“It is always like you have to dig in to win the momentum back. This is what we did today and for that, I am very, very pleased.”
The Whites look like they will be in a comfortable albeit not totally secure position come January, allowing the 49ers and Farke to plan for the furture with two long-term additions to the squad in mind.
Leeds eyeing two signings including Europa League midfielder
Speaking to Football Insider, journalist Pete O’Rourke claimed that Leeds are “keeping tabs” on Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder Issouf Sissokho ahead of a possible move in Januay, and they will also look to bring in an exciting addition to their forward ranks by signing a new winger.
“It’s an interesting link this one, I don’t think there’s a lot that know about Sissokho really. He’s been playing in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv. He’s played in Champions League qualifiers, the Europa League as well. So he’s got a decent European pedigree.
“I think obviously, like you’ve said, maybe people are surprised that Leeds are in the market for midfielders because I think their midfielder has been okay this season. They’ve got [Ethan] Ampadu in there, and summer signing Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff who have definitely made a big impact in that midfield.
“Maybe Sissokho is an option that’s come up to Leeds and could be good value for money in that respect. He’s got 18 months left on his contract. As I said, Leeds are obviously keeping tabs on him. So let’s see if they follow up and firm up their interest.”
Sissokho could be a shrewd addition for Leeds midway through the season, despite not being a household name fans will know.
Better than Rodon: Leeds star who won 100% tackles is already undroppable
This Leeds United star should be undroppable after outshining Joe Rodon against West Ham.
1 ByDan Emery Oct 25, 2025
The 23-year-old has an incredible 96.2% pass completion rate in the Europa League this season, showing his brilliance on the ball, and he has also averaged 2.3 tackles per game, highlighting his effectiveness out of possession, too.
Sissokho has even been compared to Busquets in the way he reads game and gets his team on the front foot, which is about as big a compliment as any midfielder can be paid, and Leeds should be looking at him as an excellent option to bring in.
O’Rourke suggests the arrival of a winger will also be “key to their chances of Premier League survival”, with Daniel James suffering a stop-start campaign so far due to injuries.
Despite Corbin Bosch’s best efforts, South Africa fell short of the 350-run target by 17 runs
Sidharth Monga30-Nov-20254:46
Takeaways – Kohli in comfort zone; Jansen, Kuldeep and Rana sparkle
Virat Kohli added to his world record of most ODI hundreds, Rohit Sharma brought up the world record for most ODI sixes, and a Sunday full house on a pleasant evening in Ranchi enjoyed watching India beat South Africa in a close first ODI of the three-match series. Kohli and Rohit turned back the clock in a 136-run partnership, Kohli went on long enough to hit seven sixes, and the fast bowlers inflicted just enough damage before the pitch eased out in the dew under the lights.The toss disadvantage that India had to overcome – having lost a 19th consecutive one in ODIs – was huge. During the afternoon, the old ball proved to be difficult to hit, resulting in a slowdown after the start Kohli and Rohit gave India. In the night, the pitch became dramatically easier to bat on.Related
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In the end, India needed every last bit of that start of 161 in 21.2 overs and the two wickets in the first over that Harshit Rana bowled with the new ball. Even after being 11 for 3, this is how South Africa’s next three partnerships went: 66 in 10.2 overs, 60 in 6.4 and 97 in 11.1. Marco Jansen and Matthew Breetzke scored 70s, Dewald Brevis and Tony de Zorzi 30s, and the target came down to 123 from 17 overs when Kuldeep Yadav got the wickets of Jansen and Bretzkee in the same over to ease India’s breath.South Africa still refused to go away with Corbin Bosch’s 67 bringing them to needing 19 off 10, but with only the last man for company, Borch found himself handcuffed against Arshdeep Singh’s yorkers. It was especially heartbreaking for Bosch after he had bowled overs 46, 48 and 50 for just 21 runs to keep India down to 349.This ODI followed the grammar of ODI cricket in recent years in India. The new ball does nothing in the afternoon, but you can cleverly offset it with the pitch’s slowness when the balls go soft. Under lights there is a small window of movement with the new ball, which you need to maximise, because once the dew sets in, batting gets easier on every count.Kuldeep Yadav celebrates after getting rid of Tony de Zorzi•BCCI
Kohli and Rohit respected the need to maximise the new ball themselves when the early wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal brought them together. For the first time when batting first in his career, Kohli hit two sixes in the first 10 overs, both off-drives that not long ago he might have kept down. Rohit, who is generally used to quicker starts, hit successive slog-swept sixes off offspinner Pernemal Subrayen to catch up with Kohli in no time.Rohit’s third six, a pull off Jansen moments after bringing up his fifty, took him past Shahid Afridi’s world-record tally of 351. It was also India’s eighth, the most they have hit in the first 20 overs of an innings. The next short ball from Jansen stayed low, trapping Rohit in front.Kohli, now 72 off 61, five sixes to his name, was deprived of strike as the next two batters struggled to come to terms with the slowness of the pitch. Ruturaj Gaikwad scored 8 off 14, Washington Sundar 13 off 19, and they also dominated the strike. Kohli had to grit his teeth and get through this period. He kept picking up singles with ease, but the period from Rohit’s dismissal to Kohli’s hundred brought India just 72 runs in 16.3 overs.When he brought up the hundred, Kohli broke into an emotional celebration. This was his first hundred since February; while he plays only one format, there is scrutiny around his and Rohit’s future. And now, Kohli went into a renewed assault, hitting two more sixes and scoring 35 off the next 17 balls. KL Rahul, who fought through the initial period, took India’s six tally to 16 and the score to 349.Rana immediately showed why the selectors and the team management show so much faith in him. In the second over of the innings, he swung the ball both ways and also found seam both ways to take the wickets of Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock for ducks. Rickelton lost the top of middle with the ball swinging away and nipping back. Away swing and away seam were enough to take de Kock’s outside edge. Aiden Markram, captaining in the absence of the resting Temba Bavuma, looked to manufacture a cut off Arshdeep at the start of the fifth over but edged through to Rahul.Marco Jansen struck several meaty blows•Associated Press
By now the ball had stopped moving, the pitch had begun to skid, and the outfield had become moist only to become damp pretty soon. Everything played into the batters’ hands, leaving you wondering what a massacre it would have been but for those three early wickets.Kuldeep got de Zorzi lbw for 39 off 35, clever bowling from Rana contained a marauding Brevis for 39 off 28, and still Jansen and Breetzke proceeded to give India a right scare. After de Zorzi’s dismissal, Breetzke took upon the role of taking singles and watching the damage other batters did. What damage Jansen did in his 39-ball 70, the fastest fifty by a South Africa batter in India and the second-fastest against India.The dew got so heavy India had to forget about spinners for a while. Washington bowled only three overs. It was after having run through the fast bowlers that Rahul went back to Kuldeep, who, as wristspinners can sometimes do, drew the toe end from Jansen on a long hop. In the same over, Breetzke holed out to long-on, perhaps having got too close to the pitch of the ball.Incredibly, South Africa still refused to go away. Bosch kept South Africa interested with his maiden fifty, but never had the support left to pull off this heist. Arshdeep’s wicket-maiden in the 47th over seemed to have sealed the game, but Bosch still kept gasping. In the end, it probably came down to the two full tosses he missed from Prasidh Krishna in the 46th over.
Things are quickly going from bad to worse for Chelsea at the moment.
It was just a couple of weeks ago that Enzo Maresca’s side demolished Barcelona and drew with Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Yet, their defeat at the hands of Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday night was their second loss in three games and the third match in a row they were expected to win.
It really was a night to forget for Chelsea, and one that should see the manager make more than a few changes ahead of the weekend.
Unfortunately for Maresca, there were plenty of Chelsea players who looked way off the pace in Bergamo on Tuesday night, with Enzo Fernández being particularly poor.
The Argentine international was tasked with playing in the ten again, and while he has had more than a few games in which he’s looked a threat there this season, this was not one of them.
On the ball, the former Benfica star was consistently making the wrong decisions, and off of it, he looked so lethargic that one analyst asked if “someone put weights in Enzo’s boots?”
|
Fernández’s game |
|
|---|---|
|
Minutes |
67′ |
|
Expected Goals |
0.01 |
|
Goals |
0 |
|
Expected Assists |
0.42 |
|
Assists |
0 |
|
Key Passes |
1 |
|
Crosses (Accurate) |
1 (0) |
|
Passes (Accurate) |
24/33 (73%) |
|
Lost Possession |
15 |
|
Dribbles |
0 |
|
Duels (Won) |
10 (3) |
|
All Stats via Sofascore |
|
By the time he was taken off in the 67th minute, he had completed just 24 of his 33 attempted passes, which is nowhere near good enough for someone in his position.
Moving a little deeper, it was also an uncharacteristically poor performance from the club’s record signing, Moises Caicedo.
Due to his three-match ban only applying to the Premier League, the manager decided to bring the Ecuadorian international back into the team, but he looked way off the pace.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion gem didn’t make a game-costing mistake, but he also felt like more of a passenger, failing to play a single key pass, losing the ball eight times, not taking a shot, committing two fouls and losing four ground duels.
Finally, Wesley Fofana and Robert Sanchez were also disappointing on the night.
The former seemed to completely lose Gianluca Scamacca for the hosts’ equalising goal, and then the former should have done better for Charles De Ketelaere’s winning strike.
Now, all these players were poor, but there is an argument for them keeping their places in the team for the game on the weekend, which cannot be said for the next player.
Jamie Gittens was supposed to be a technically impressive, dynamic attacker who’d come in and make a real impact out wide for Chelsea, but so far, he’s been anything but.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Now, there is still time for him to come good in West London, but Tuesday night was another disappointing display from the former Borussia Dortmund star.
Maresca gave the Englishman plenty of game time, but he just couldn’t make an impact on the game, with or without the ball.
In fact, his one notable moment in the match was a shot in the second half that was comfortably saved. Other than that, he was utterly anonymous.
That might sound harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by football.london’s Bobby Vincent, who gave the 21-year-old a 5/10 match rating at full-time and wrote that he ‘drifted out of the game.’
|
Gittens’ game |
|
|---|---|
|
Minutes |
94′ |
|
Expected Goals |
0.03 |
|
Goals |
0 |
|
Expected Assists |
0.23 |
|
Assists |
0 |
|
Key Passes |
1 |
|
Crosses (Accurate) |
1 (0) |
|
Passes (Accurate) |
16/18 (89%) |
|
Lost Possession |
9 |
|
Dribbles (Successful) |
4 (2) |
|
Duels (Won) |
10 (3) |
|
All Stats via Sofascore |
|
Unsurprisingly, the winger’s statistics more than back up such an appraisal.
For example, in his 94 minutes of action, the Reading-born ace registered a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.26, played a single key pass, took 33 touches – 21 fewer than Sanchez -, lost the ball nine times, lost seven of his ten duels and failed in 50% of his dribbles.
If this were a one-off, just a bad day at the office for the Englishman, then there would be an argument to keep him in the team to get back on his feet at the weekend.
However, the summer signing has had more poor performances than good so far this season, and therefore, Maresca should drop him from the lineup ahead of the Everton game.
Watch out Delap: Chelsea set sights on "one of Europe's most in-form CFs"
The free-scoring forward could spell the end of Liam Delap at Chelsea.
By
Jack Salveson Holmes
3 days ago
Pakistan and Oman will kick off the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) Rising Stars T20 tournament in Doha, Qatar, on November 14, with the showpiece India vs Pakistan match slotted for November 16. On Friday, the organisers announced the two groups: Group A has Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka, while Group B has India, Oman, Pakistan and UAE.The tournament, earlier known as the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup, will be played in the T20 format and pit the ‘A’ teams of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The three Associate teams, Hong Kong, Oman and UAE, will field their main teams. Two games will be played each day from November 14 to November 19, before the semi-finals are played on November 21 and the final on November 23.This will be the first cricketing exchange between the men’s teams of India and Pakistan since the senior Asia Cup in September, though the senior women’s teams faced off at the ODI World Cup earlier this month.
Nov 14 – Oman vs Pak; Ind vs UAE
Nov 15 – Ban vs HK; Afg vs SL
Nov 16 – Oman vs UAE; Ind vs Pak
Nov 17 – HK vs SL; Afg vs Ban
Nov 18 – Pak vs UAE; Ind vs Oman
Nov 19 – Afg vs HK; Ban vs SL
Nov 21 – Semi-finals: A1 vs B2; B1 vs A2
Nov 23 – Final
When the men played the Asia Cup, there were no handshakes or any other form of greetings between the players of the two countries, and it ended with India, the tournament champions, leaving Dubai without the trophy. It emerged that they had decided not to receive the trophy from the ACC chief, Mohsin Naqvi, who is also a parliamentarian in Pakistan and the chairman of the PCB. An ACC official removed the trophy from the dais after a long delay once it became clear that the victors would not be coming up to collect it.The Emerging Teams tournament began in 2013 and has had six editions so far, having started as an Under-23s tournament before being switched to a competition featuring ‘A’ teams. Pakistan and Sri Lanka have won it twice each, while India and Afghanistan have won it once apiece – Afghanistan won the last edition, in 2024 in Oman, beating Sri Lanka in the final by seven wickets.
From “the next Dhoni” to a 13-year-old wonderkid, here are eight exciting players set to make their IPL debuts
Shashank Kishore and Deivarayan Muthu20-Mar-2025
A motorcycle accident denied him an opportunity to break into the IPL last year, but he’s back again, this time with Mumbai Indians who signed him for INR 65 lakh, staving off competition from Chennai Super Kings. Minz has played fewer than ten representative T20s so far, but MI are excited about his raw power, having tracked him during their development camps in the UK and the DY Patil tournament in Mumbai. Dubbed as Jharkhand’s Chris Gayle and “the next Dhoni”, Minz can generate incredible bat speed and even play the helicopter shot. Could this hard-hitting, left-handed, wicketkeeper-batter be the next gem from MI’s scouting network?Vaibhav Suryavanshi is 13 years old but is already turning heads•Associated Press
At just 13, Vaibhav Suryavanshi has made waves by becoming the youngest Indian to earn an IPL contract (INR 1.1 crore with Rajasthan Royals). A left-handed top-order batter, he impressed with a record-breaking 58-ball century, the fastest by an Indian in youth Tests, against Australia U-19s. Suryavanshi also scored two half-centuries in the U-19 Asia Cup and boasts an unbeaten triple-century in an U-19 tournament in Bihar.Suryansh Shedge had a breakout Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy season•Punjab Kings
A key contributor to Mumbai’s Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 title, Shedge was bought by Punjab Kings for his base price of INR 30 lakh. He scored 131 runs at a strike rate of 252, the highest for anyone facing 20 or more balls.Related
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His crucial knocks included an unbeaten 12-ball 36 in the quarter-final against Vidarbha and another unbeaten 15-ball 36 in the final against Madhya Pradesh. Additionally, he took eight wickets in nine innings with his seam-ups. Although he is yet to play an IPL game, this will be Shedge’s second stint in the tournament, after having previously been a late replacement for Jaydev Unadkat at Lucknow Super Giants in 2023.Ryan Rickelton prepares for his first IPL season•Mumbai Indians
A South African wicketkeeper-batter will likely open along with Rohit Sharma for MI in the IPL. Sounds familiar? During their title-winning campaigns in 2019 and 2020, Quinton de Kock was a powerful presence at the top of the order. MI tried to get de Kock back for this IPL too, but Kolkata Knight Riders outbid them, so they picked Ryan Rickelton, a younger, taller version of de Kock.MI’s investment in Rickelton’s big hitting paid off earlier this year when he had helped deliver a maiden SA20 title for MI Cape Town. He had a chart-topping strike rate of 177.41 in the powerplay and showed that he could explosive outside of that phase of play as well. Rickelton had also clattered a 63-ball century for Seattle Orcas in the Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA last year. Can he crack the IPL too?Priyansh Arya at Punjab Kings’ pre-season camp ahead of IPL 2025•Punjab Kings
A left-handed opener, Arya gained widespread recognition for hitting six sixes in an over during a Delhi Premier League match, finishing with 120 off 50 balls. He also put on a partnership of 286 with Ayush Badoni. Arya topped the DPL run charts with 608 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 199. His impressive form continued in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he scored 325 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 177, including a century against Uttar Pradesh just before being bought by Punjab Kings for INR 3.4 crore at the IPL mega auction.Corbin Bosch won the SA20 title with MI Cape Town•SA20
Eshan Malinga’s action isn’t as slingy as Lasith Malinga’s, but he operates in the death too. At the time of the auction, Eshan was one of the two uncapped overseas players to be picked along with New Zealand’s Bevon Jacobs. Soon after SRH acquired him for INR 1.2 crore, Eshan made his ODI debut for Sri Lanka and SA20 debut for Paarl Royals.Eshan had first emerged on Sri Lanka’s radar in 2019 after winning a nationwide fast-bowling contest where he clocked 141kph. While Eshan doesn’t hit 140kph as consistently these days, he swings the new ball and bowls accurate yorkers at the death. He floored Mohammad Haris with an inch-perfect yorker in the Emerging Asia Cup semi-final in Al Amerat in October last year. Eshan then attended an IPL trial with Rajasthan Royals, but SRH eventually outbid them. He could be a fourth overseas option for SRH, perhaps in place of Adam Zampa, when conditions favour pace.Vipraj Nigam has played with IPL winner Rinku Singh in the UPT20 league•PTI
At 20, Vipraj Nigam has had a rapid rise in senior cricket and was picked up by Delhi Capitals in the auction. A legspinner inspired by Rashid Khan, Nigam is known for his airspeed and the bite he gets on helpful surfaces. He gained attention in the UPT20 League with Lucknow Falcons, taking 20 wickets in 11 innings at a strike rate of 11.15 and an economy of 7.45. His strong performances led to a senior debut for Uttar Pradesh in the 2024-25 season, and he also showcased his lower-order hitting, scoring an unbeaten 27 off 8 balls to help UP reach the Syed Mushtaq Ali quarter-finals.
Thomas Frank enjoyed a rip-roaring start to life as manager of Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs looked a great deal more organised, shipping just four goals in their first six Premier League games and keeping five clean sheets in their first seven fixtures across all competitions.
Yet, despite maintaining their clean sheet against Everton a week ago, there is a sense that Frank still hasn’t got the fans on side.
They have kept a clean sheet in only two of their last eight games and have won just two of those encounters too.
While a more trigger-happy Daniel Levy may no longer be chairman, the pressure is still on Frank to improve.
The way in which the Lilywhites lost to Chelsea on Saturday, tasting a 1-0 defeat, was alarming.
The hosts only managed an expected goals tally (xG) of just 0.10, they gave the ball away on countless occasions and were subsequently booed off the pitch at the full-time whistle after making a mess of a late free-kick.
Guglielmo Vicario decided to take it short, much to the dismay of the home support and indeed Jamie Carragher who simply said: “You have been awful today Spurs”.
So, why are things going wrong?
Spurs' biggest underperformers against Chelsea
Despite his bizarre set-piece late in the fray, the only player in white to come away with any credit was that man Vicario.
Without him, the scoreline would have been far worse as he made a whopping eight saves, denying a combined xG of 2.17.
He was made to work hard due to the efforts of the players in front of him, notably the defence.
Both Xavi Simons and Micky van de Ven combined in dismal fashion to give the ball away in the build-up to Joao Pedro’s goal.
The likes of Pedro Porro and Kevin Danso did not cover themselves in glory either. Porro notably gave the ball away in the first half which led to a Pedro chance, while Danso was also given a rough time by the Brazilian. It was no surprise to see Cristian Romero come on for him in the 60th minute as the centre-back made his return from injury.
Danso has had a few encouraging displays of late but this was not one of them, notably allowing Chelsea’s main man in attack to get past him easily towards the end of the opening 45 minutes.
In attack Spurs were dry. The defence didn’t do their bit but those in front of them failed to ever relieve the pressure.
They did not create a single big chance and had just 15 touches in the opposition’s box. For context, Enzo Maresca’s men managed 36.
Chalkboard
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It was a tale of woe for many of the club’s summer signings. Randal Kolo Muani cut an isolated figure up top but not much of the blame can be handed to the French loanee who was starved of service.
That fell at the door of Mohammed Kudus, who despite completing 96% of his passes, failed to create a goalscoring opportunity and failed with all six of his crosses.
Perhaps the biggest concern, however, was the display of marquee arrival Simons.
Spurs' biggest concern after Chelsea
Frank will have been hoping for a straightforward first transfer window at Spurs but it’s safe to say he did not get that.
With Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison out long-term with injuries, the club’s hierarchy knew they needed to bring in more creativity. They tried extremely hard to do so.
For all the world it looked as though they were going to sign Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest.
A secret release clause was allegedly activated only for Forest owner, Evangelos Marinakis, to threaten legal action against the north Londoners. Gibbs-White ultimately stayed at the City Ground and signed a new contract in the process.
Spurs moved on to Eberechi Eze but were again fruitless in their efforts. The England playmaker looked set to sign, a deal had been agreed with Crystal Palace only for Arsenal to gazump their rivals at the 11th hour.
An injury to Kai Havertz meant that the Gunners needed more cover in their attack and there was only going to be one ending once Eze’s boyhood club came to the table.
As a consequence, Frank and Co turned their attentions to Simons. Before arriving in England, the 22-year-old was seen as one of the most sparkling jewels on the continent.
Once of La Masia, Barcelona’s famed academy, Simons has long been highly thought of and had made a living off scoring and assisting goals regularly.
In his two seasons with RB Leipzig in Germany, the creative midfielder scored 22 goals and supplied 24 assists in 78 matches. At Spurs, however, that ability to influence games has waned.
Like another Bundesliga import in the shape of Florian Wirtz, he looks lightweight in the Premier League and has really struggled to get going. The Dutchman has a solitary assist and no goals to show for his efforts from 12 contests to date.
Simons’ worst performance to date arguably came in that 1-0 loss to Chelsea, so much so that he was substituted on and back off.
Minutes played
66
Touches
55
Unsuccessful touches
4
Possession lost
14x
Accurate passes
25/29 (86%)
Key passes
0
Accurate crosses
0/2
Shots
0
Successful dribbles
2/3
Tackles
2
Interceptions
0
Duels won
9/17
Dribbled past
3x
The Netherlands international initially wasn’t pencilled in to start but after young Lucas Bergvall suffered a first-half injury on just seven minutes, Spurs’ big-money summer signing was introduced to the action.
His influence on proceedings was near non-existent. Football.London reporter Alasdair Gold handed the midfielder a dismal 3/10 rating post-game, aptly summing up his performance by writing: ‘Other than a couple of nice touches the Dutchman was a passenger against the team he was linked with all summer.’
Simons gave the ball away on several occasions, 14 in total, and never really looked like providing a much-needed spark. He didn’t have a single shot and didn’t provide a key pass either.
His display was summed up abysmally when he was asked to defend. The former Leipzig man sold Van de Ven short in the build-up to the goal and was shown a late yellow for a desperate lunge on Alejandro Garnacho in the second period.
For a player who cost £51.8m in the summer, more is expected. At the moment, he’s heading into the Richarlison and Tanguy Ndombele categories.
Ndombele was another talented midfielder when he joined. The Frenchman had bags of talent but failed to ever extract it.
As the Daily Mail’s Dan Ripley put it in September 2020, he was a signing that should have ‘at the very least cemented Tottenham Hotspur’s place inside the top four for another season.’
It was a signing that, after reaching the Champions League final, really excited Spurs fans.
The parallels with Simons are strikingly scary. Spurs’ big addition after getting to a European final and indeed winning the competition, the Dutchman is here to take Frank’s side up a level, just as Ndombele was supposed to do six years ago.
However, for whatever reason, he’s simply failed to do that. Like Ndombele, he’s enduring a nightmare first campaign in English football and it’s difficult to see him extracting his full potential anytime soon.
He is yet to play a full 90 minutes for his new club and hasn’t lasted past the 78th-minute mark in any game he’s played in.
Frank may well be struggling to get a tune out of the Netherlands star but he’s going to have to if Spurs are to cement themselves as genuine top four contenders.
Sadly at the moment, Simons is becoming another Ndombele. He’s a talented midfield player and was deserving of his price tag at the time. Unfortunately, he is not deserving of it right now.