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Runners-up of last year’s T20 World Cup have had to reboot with impetus on data a part of it

Shashank Kishore03-Oct-2024Laura Wolvaardt was an epitome of calm. On captains’ day in Dubai, she was unmoved by the commotion that’s not unusual during pre-tournament media drills, sitting in a quiet corner and soaking in the magnitude of what she’s likely to experience over the coming three weeks.The calmness remained through some intense questions on pay parity, the game’s administration, the weight of expectation and captaincy. The only ever time she hesitated was when asked to sit on a camel for the grand photo shoot.Over the past week, Wolvaardt has spent considerable time in the team room – with South Africa’s coaches, pouring over various data points, plans and strategies around spin and powerplay scoring among other things. Beyond the team’s meeting room, there has been plenty of media commitments. All of this packed around two intense practice games.Related

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• October 4 at T20 World Cup: SA face WI in potential quarter-final; dew to play big role in India vs NZ

• 'It can be tough to do both skills full out' but Kapp will do it for South Africa

• Women's cricket is the ideal playground for swing

• England the heavyweights in Group B, but don't count out SA just yet

“At the last World Cup, I remember speaking to her [then captain Sune Luus] and she said that it was a lot of extra stuff that she had to do off field; I never really believed her, but I’ve seen it first-hand now,” Wolvaardt said. “It’s been a lot this week. A lot of interviews and appearances and a lot less free time than I’m used to heading into a competition.”But yeah, I think it comes with the job. It’s just going to be a very busy two or three weeks and if I can give it all my focus in these three weeks, then I can have some time off after that. So it’s all good. It’s good to have other senior players around me as well to help integrate coaching staff and management too. So, I’m not all alone in the meetings, it’s been good to have the support.”Earlier this year, South Africa’s long-standing coach Hilton Moreeng stepped away after 11 years in the role. Dillon du Preez, the former Free State fast bowler, is now steering the ship. For the first time, the team also has full-time batting and fielding coaches. This has obviously meant a slight reboot in terms of methods, which, coupled with Wolvaardt being a first-time captain at a World Cup, has meant slightly longer hours of planning.”Yeah, it’s obviously a bit different now,” Wolvaardt said about the change in coaching setup. “I think most players have never played under anyone besides Hilton. But Dillon, who has over, has been with us [in the system] for four or five years [as Moreeng’s assistant]. So he still kind of knows how things were.

“I think our domestic setup at home isn’t quite at the level yet where you can sort of just seamlessly make the transition into the national side. So, I think wherever we get the chance in a series, we need to try and play youngsters.”Laura Wolvaardt

“And we’ve actually got a batting coach and a fielding coach now this season for the first time officially as well. So, everything just feels really well organised at the moment. And it’s been great just getting a lot of information from a lot of different coaches. So it’s been good. We usually just had a coach and assistant. Even just to have the extra hands in training, just to have specific groups doing specific things, has been awesome.”Du Preez has impressed upon CSA to bring a software partner on board, to help facilitate easy access to data to help with the planning. This data has helped identify areas to improve on and, coupled with fresh ideas on the coaching front, has helped the team go in the direction they’ve wanted to take; a number a players last year expressed a desire to CSA for change on the coaching front, which eventually played a role in Moreeng’s exit. One of the ideas has been Luus turning to offspin (from her current legspin) in a bid to manage herself better and stave off injuries that have hampered her over the years. And it has fitted organically into the team’s plans.”I think it’s good. I think even better than expected with Sune’s offspin coming out really nicely,” Wolvaardt said. “I think that’s sort of been something that we’ve been lacking in the past two years, an offspinner that’s sort of in the side regularly.”And just to have that offspinner in the top four or five, it just gives us that different dynamic if there’s left-handers [in the opposition], just helps a bit with match-ups, because previously we’ve sort of just had the two left-armers and makes it difficult if there’s two left-handers in, for example. So yeah, it’s nice to have that option.”I know she’s been working very closely with Paul Adams who’s come on board a couple of months ago. They’ve been working pretty closely, and they’ve been doing a lot of real technical sessions. And yeah, I think, obviously, she’s been a spinner her whole life, so the switch shouldn’t be too big. I think she understands angles and game-plans and stuff like that. So yeah, it’s been a really good addition.”Another aspect to South Africa’s planning was to integrate talented players from their age-group setups and give them exposure on senior tours. For this World Cup, they handpicked legspinner Seshnie Naidu and seamer Ayanda Hlubi straight out of the Under-19s; the pair played the inaugural women’s Under-19 World Cup last year and both of them were part of the senior team’s recent Pakistan tour.The captains of the ten teams at the T20 World Cup strike a pose – with Laura Wolvaardt on her camel off to the left•ICC/Getty Images”I think obviously there’s nothing that sort of beats international experience,” Wolvaardt said. “I think our domestic setup at home isn’t quite at the level yet where you can sort of just seamlessly make the transition into the national side. So, I think wherever we get the chance in a series, we need to try and play youngsters because at home the level at domestic cricket is not quite where it should be yet. But it’s definitely being worked on.”They’ve introduced new contracts, but it’ll take a year or two before it gets to where it needs to be. So yeah, just giving them exposure, giving them a feel for conditions, for what it’s like playing international cricket. I think the more that we can do that, the better. I think we’ve given a lot of opportunity to youngsters this past season, which has been really good for our development.”Ringing in a shift in mindset and plans have of course led to a few mistakes and, as a result, losses. However, since taking over the captaincy, Wolvaardt’s own form and numbers have skyrocketed.In 19 T20Is since taking over the captaincy, she’s made 686 runs in 17 innings at an average of 45.73 and a strike rate of 127. This is a marked improvement from her previous numbers: average 30.82 across 49 innings with a strike rate of 109.”I just don’t think about my batting as much [after taking over the captaincy], which is a good thing,” Wolvaardt laughed. “I tend to be a bit of an over-thinker in my hotel room. So I think it [captaincy] just distracted me a bit on the field and sort of made me think about the game in a different way. I think more about bowling plans and conditions and that sort of thing.”On Thursday, against West Indies, and beyond that, Wolvaardt and South Africa will hope all the work that has gone into their reboot will bear fruit. They’re in Dubai and Sharjah with added expectations, having finished runners-up at the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup. It may seem like all this adds up to big pressure but, in Wolvaardt, South Africa have a calm leader capable of riding out the storm.

Shamas tore her left quadriceps muscle during a practice session in Karachi

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Aug-2025Sadaf Shamas has been ruled out of Pakistan’s T20I series in Ireland after tearing her left quadriceps muscle during a practice session in Karachi. Opening batter Shawaal Zulfiqar will replace her in the squad.Zulfiqar, who has played three ODIs and seven T20Is, was among the 24 players who were part of the skills camp in Karachi last month. She will join the Ireland-bound squad on August 3.Zulfiqar’s last T20I was in December 2023, after which she was out of action with a shoulder injury. She made a comeback earlier this year for the Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifier in Lahore. She played two games and scored eight runs.The 15-member squad will be led by Fatima Sana and includes 20-year-old batter Eyman Fatima, who was rewarded for her success in the National T20 tournament.The series against Ireland starts on August 6. All three T20Is will be played in Belfast.

Pakistan squad for Ireland T20Is

Fatima Sana (capt), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sandhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Tuba Hassan, Waheeda Akhtar

Fast bowler hopes to prove fitness in good time for first Test at Perth in November

Vithushan Ehantharajah27-Aug-2025England fast bowler Mark Wood is set to make his competitive return to action for Durham in the County Championship next month as he steps up his rehabilitation from knee surgery ahead of this winter’s Ashes.Wood has been out of action for the last six months following an operation to his left knee to repair medial ligament damage that was exacerbated during the Champions Trophy. Though a success, the initial recovery time of four months proved to be optimistic, with Wood missing the entirety of England’s Test series against India, having initially earmarked the fifth Test at the Kia Oval for a return. The 35-year-old had been with the squad during that series but suffered a minor setback while training at Lord’s ahead of the third Test, which required fluid to be drained from his left knee, delaying his return. He was then pencilled in to feature in England’s white-ball fixtures in September, against South Africa and Ireland, but was subsequently left out of those squads.Related

• Woakes ruled out of Oval Test and is doubt for Ashes after shoulder injury

• Wood targeting fifth India Test for potential comeback

• Mark Wood ruled out for four months after knee surgery

Durham are currently battling relegation, sitting ninth in Division One after promotion last season. Their destiny remains in their hands with the last three rounds against other teams fighting the drop, against Essex (September 8), Worcestershire (September 15) who are adrift at the bottom, and Yorkshire (September 24).Wood’s availability is an undoubted boost for the county, but his participation in their run-in will be limited. It is unlikely he will turn out for the Essex fixture but is on course to face Worcestershire at Chester-le-Street. Any appearance against Yorkshire will depend on how his left knee holds up after what will be his first red-ball match since the first Test against Sri Lanka last August. His previous appearance for Durham came in the County Championship back in May 2021.”I’m hoping to play for Durham as there are a couple of games in September – so I’ll try and play one or two of those,” Wood told the Stick to Cricket podcast.Wood and Ben Stokes discuss tactics•Ben Radford/AllSport UK Ltd

“The injury is alright. It was fifty-fifty whether I was going to make the India Test but I was bowling at Lord’s and then, the next day, my knee swelled up again so I had it drained and since then it’s just been about taking things easy looking ahead to the winter.”England are keen not to push Wood too hard. Despite his long injury history, he remains one of the fastest bowlers in the world. He was the best visiting bowler on show for the previous 2021-22 Ashes campaign, taking 17 wickets at 26.64. In the 2023 home summer, he dropped in for the last three Tests against Australia and bagged 14 dismissals at 20.21. England were 2-0 down upon his arrival and went on to square the series.It was Wood who has pushed for game time before the season ends, a plea he made to England head coach Brendon McCullum, having grown weary of the monotony of bowling in nets.”I’ve been well looked after and very cautious, that’s the way that it’s been. I value it as they’ve (the ECB) got this end-game where they want me to get to Australia.”But I said to Baz McCullum, I can’t just bowl to a net for four months, I’ll go insane. There’s a bowling camp in Loughborough in a tent – getting acclimatised there ready for Perth – then I’ll go over to Perth early with a couple of bowlers. We’ll arrive about a week early to prepare and get acclimatised.”Wood’s mooted return is a boost to England’s pace bowling stocks ahead of the Ashes, which are as close to full capacity as they have been this summer.Jofra Archer’s reappearance in Test cricket against India ended a three-year absence, which has subsequently been built upon for Southern Brave in The Hundred. Olly Stone, who was sidelined after his own knee surgery, turned out twice for London Spirit. Josh Tongue has been the standout bowler of the competition, with 14 dismissals.Brydon Carse was rested for this season’s edition, while Gus Atkinson made a single appearance for Oval Invincibles before playing for Surrey in the One Day Cup on Tuesday. The emergence of Sonny Baker also adds an extra quick to the Ashes mix.Chris Woakes remains a doubt with the dislocated left shoulder he sustained in the fifth India Test. The allrounder has opted against surgery for a regimented rehabilitation programme which gives him the best chance of making the tour, which begins at Perth’s Optus Stadium on November 21.

It has been revealed that Manchester United opted to target Benjamin Sesko over Viktor Gyokeres in the summer, as the Red Devils believed that the young Slovenian was better suited to their project and style of play based on data. Sesko has had a slow start to life in the Premier League, but the club retain faith that the 22-year-old has a bright future at Old Trafford and is a big part of the club's future under Ruben Amorim.

• United choose to pursue Sesko over Gyokeres, reports reveal

  According to reports by The Mirror, United considered the signings of both Sesko and Gyokeres, but decided to prioritise the former as the ideal centrepiece to their new-look attack under Amorim. 

  The former RB Leipzig striker has only scored twice for the Red Devils thus far and has found himself in and out of the side following his £74million ($96.8m) move, but the club remain patient with the highly rated young forward. 

  Reports continue that Sesko’s running stats were crucial in his signing, as per The Times. Mike Sansoni joined the club as director of data in the summer following 11 years with the Mercedes Formula 1 team, and has led the new focus on data across the Red Devils’ recruitment process.

  Sansoni works closely with Director of Football Jason Wilcox and is leading an initiative for the club to become a “fully data-driven club which will lead to success on and off the pitch”, using his extensive range of data on tens of thousands of players. This data led to the marquee signing of Sesko, who will hope to prove the club right in Red over the coming months. 

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• Getty
  

  Slow start for Sesko at Old Trafford after big-money move

  Sesko’s two Premier League goals so far this season have come in defeat at Brentford and the victory at home to Sunderland at Old Trafford, which marked the beginning of United’s three-game winning streak which included a historic 2-1 win at Anfield.

  The 22-year-old struck 39 goals in two impressive seasons with Leipzig, scoring 13 times in the Bundesliga last term and four in the Champions League. He is still developing into his role at United and will hope that his strong data-led profile leads to strong results on the pitch with his new employers – though he is currently out injured.  

  Gyokeres, meanwhile, has scored four times in the Premier League for leaders Arsenal and six times overall, following his £63.4m ($83m) move from Sporting Lisbon, where he was prolific under Amorim and drew inevitable links as a result. 

• 'I'm relaxed' – Amorim backs new signing

  Amorim said on Sesko's adaptation period: "I'm relaxed, he's not relaxed. I understand how things are in football and he's going to struggle. That is normal. He has no experience here.

  "Ben is a young kid, a control freak. He wants to control everything – and he's not going to control everything. He has more potential than I was thinking [but] we need to understand how he likes to play and also to put in our ideas.

  "I'm quite relaxed with that. He is going to be our striker for the long term but he's going to have these struggles and these bumps during the ride. That is a normal thing in football."  

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• Getty
  

  Sesko set for period on the sidelines

  Sesko could be out for three weeks following a knee injury sustained against Tottenham Hotspur prior to the international break. He will hope to regain his goalscoring boots on his return, which could come after Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo have departed for the Africa Cup of Nations.

  United face Everton on Monday at Old Trafford, knowing that victory could see them regain their place in the top six of the Premier League. There will be a tribute to the late Mani of the Stone Roses prior to kick-off, after the massive Red Devils fan passed away aged 63 on Thursday.

  The tribute will create a powerful atmosphere prior to kick-off in a match which could continue United’s strong recent run of form, amidst a five-match unbeaten streak which has seen Amorim win the Premier League’s Manager of the Month for October.   

When the Red Sox and Yankees played their most famous playoff series in 2003 and '04, Boston pitcher Connelly Early was one and two years old. New York pitcher Cam Schlittler, senior citizen, was two and three.

A generation later, both teams are electing to trust these youngsters with their playoff lives. Early, 23, will start against Schlittler, 24, in Game 3 of the American League wild-card series Thursday—making them the second pair of rookies to start against each other in a winner-take-all playoff game.

As Sarah Langs of MLB wrote on social media, the first rookie duo to oppose each other in that scenario were Braves pitcher Ian Anderson and Dodgers pitcher Dustin May in the 2020 National League championship series. Neither pitcher took a decision, but Los Angeles won the game 4–3 and went on to win the World Series.

Early's assignment is particularly shocking, as the Virginia product debuted in the major leagues on Sept. 9. Schlittler, who posted a 2.96 ERA in 73 innings this season, was one of the most productive rookie pitchers in baseball.

The winner of Thursday's showdown will advance to the ALDS to meet the East Division champion Blue Jays.

Pakistan captain also wants to improve her batting ahead of the T20 World Cup, even as she looks up to her coaches’ experience of playing in the UAE

Firdose Moonda03-Oct-2024Fatima Sana has given up and , and taken up weight training. She is now in the process of trying to elevate herself to elite-athlete status, especially now that she carries the extra responsibility of captaining her national side. Sana was named Pakistan captain in August, to add to her all-round role as the premier seamer and a middle-order batter, and understands it will take careful management to perform all three tasks with success.”I have to just be conscious about my diet and workload, and training. When I was young, I used to eat everything, but now everything has changed,” Sana told ESPNcricinfo. “I’ve shifted totally to eating salads and grills. Hopefully, if I try to manage my workload and the diet, it will help me play as best I can. I want to be able to play at my best in bowling, batting and fielding.”Sana was first introduced to the lifestyle habits of sportspeople when she was involved in the Fairbreak Invitational tournament in 2022, where she played with the likes of Heather Knight, Laura Wolvaardt and Deandra Dottin. Then, she told journalists that she noticed differences between the way the Pakistan women’s team approached their overall health and wellness, and how players from countries with more developed women’s cricketing structures did the same.Related

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“We also work on our fitness, but their level is different from ours – maybe due to cultural differences,” she had said at the time. “They take care of their diet, and I saw it during this league.”Ever since, among Sana’s social media pictures are shots of her in the gym, working on her strength, which she believes will give her career longevity. Sana has played representative cricket since she was 13, international cricket since she was 17, and among Pakistan’s seam bowlers, is already their second-highest wicket-taker in ODIs, and third-highest in T20Is. Currently, she is working on getting faster in order to be more of a threat.”My speeds are between 110 or 115 [kph] at the moment. I want to be quicker, but skilful as well,” she said, making sure to add that her small stature and height of around five feet are not a hindrance. “Shabnim Ismail is also small, and she bowled the fastest ball as well. I don’t have an excuse, and in fact, I have a proper example.”

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But Sana is also hoping to go where Ismail didn’t: up the batting charts. “My first job is bowling, but you may have seen that the Pakistan team is struggling in the middle order. So I have to improve my batting as well.”And she has. On Pakistan’s tour to New Zealand last year, Sana scored an unbeaten 90 while batting at No. 5 in the second ODI, an innings which announced her as more than just a bowler.”After that series, everyone knew that I am also an allrounder,” she said. “I didn’t really perform in batting before that. Even if people thought I was a good batter before, I didn’t show that. After that innings, everyone saw that I can survive in pressure situations, that I can bat and I can bat long as well.”Sana’s challenge as a batter is to provide Pakistan with some impetus after Muneeba Ali, their most consistent player in the top order, as she needs support from lower down. Former captain Nida Dar provides experience in the middle order, and though she has not produced a score above 30 since last September, her strike rate of 101.76 is the highest in the Pakistan side. That is a statistic Sana wants to change.”What we’ve seen is that we struggle with power-hitting,” she said. “My coach has told me that I can hit long. So I will probably be the one doing a lot of power-hitting.”That was evident in Pakistan’s most recent T20I series, against South Africa in Multan. Sana was the leading run-scorer with 101 runs from two innings, had the highest strike rate of 157.81, and hit three sixes, the joint-most in the series.”I will probably be the one doing a lot of power-hitting” – Fatima Sana ahead of the T20 World Cup•ICC/Getty ImagesSana was also leading Pakistan for the first time, and found herself as the only seamer in the opening game. Given Pakistan’s spin-heavy squad, she may find herself in that position again – especially at the T20 World Cup, where dry, slow pitches are expected to greet the teams. Most of the participating sides have no experience playing in the UAE, apart from Scotland and Sri Lanka, who were at the qualifying tournament earlier in the year.Sharjah last hosted women’s T20Is in 2017, while Dubai has only seen one series – between UAE and Namibia – played there, in 2023. Sana apart, Aliya Riaz and Diana Baig from Pakistan were also there at the Fairbreak tournament, which also held in the UAE, but Pakistan’s real advantage may come from the support staff.”Our coaches played here,” Sana said. “Our bowling coach Junaid Khan and our spin coach Abdur Rehman played here. So they will share the experience with all of the team.”Junaid played nine Tests, 20 ODIs and two T20Is in the UAE from 2011-19, when Pakistan were using the country as a home base, while Rehman played eight Tests, eight ODIs and a T20I there. That may give Pakistan a unique perspective compared to their competitors, and Sana will welcome any edge they can get. “We know that our group is the death group, but still we will try our best,” she said.Pakistan are in Group A with Australia, India, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, and they have to go back to 2016 for the last time they had beaten any of these opponents at a T20 World Cup. In that edition of the tournament, Pakistan beat India and Bangladesh. Since then, they have only beaten Ireland and West Indies across the T20 and ODI World Cups, and have only won one match in the last three tournaments.

“Cricket is becoming more common among women in Pakistan. Parents are starting to accept that girls can play… We see a lot of young girls playing in different sports, and this will help us grow as a nation”Fatima Sana and her side are looking to create depth in their country

It’s those kinds of numbers that have prompted so much change – including the new staff, appointed in January, and Sana’s elevation to captaincy, which, at 22, seems like it has come quite early. Her leadership experience includes three tournaments in charge of Karachi women – the domestic T20 tournaments in 2022-23 and 2023-24, and a one-day cup in 2023. They had won both T20 tournaments, and she was able to learn from one of the best.”Bismah Maroof was in my team for those three seasons, so I really enjoyed the captaincy with her around,” she said.Maroof retired from international cricket this April to end a pioneering 18-year career, in which she also became a mother, and travelled with her baby, also named Fatima, on tour. As Pakistan move on from Maroof, they are also looking to create depth, and grow the professionalism of their game, and that is what Sana hopes can be her legacy.”Cricket is becoming more common among women in Pakistan. Parents are starting to accept that girls can play, and that type [of thing],” she said. “[But] we are still far from the mentality that all parents think their daughters can play – and it is difficult – but things are changing. We see a lot of young girls playing in different sports, and this will help us grow as a nation.”

There’s a real sense of optimism building at Arsenal Football Club that this year could finally be their year, with Mikel Arteta’s men the current pace setters in the Premier League.

The Gunners sit top of England’s top flight after the first ten outings of 2025/26, only losing once and currently enjoying a nine-game winning run across all competitions.

Saturday’s victory over Burnley was their eighth of the league campaign, keeping their fourth successive league clean sheet – now only conceding three goals in the Premier League.

Their summer dealings have no doubt aided their success in recent weeks, with Arteta now having a squad full of incredible talent, but more importantly, strength in depth.

One of the players already at the Emirates before the summer transfer window has since seen a decline in performance levels despite the added quality around him in North London.

Bukayo Saka’s decline in form at Arsenal in 2025/26

Over the last couple of years, winger Bukayo Saka has firmly been Arsenal’s star man, with the Englishman often tasked with providing the goods within the final third.

Whilst he suffered a serious hamstring injury last campaign, the 24-year-old still managed to achieve a total of 25 combined goals and assists in his 37 appearances across all competitions.

However, this season is yet to ignite for the Hale End academy graduate, with Saka currently unable to reach the high standards that he’s set for himself at the Emirates.

In his first eight league outings in 2025/26, the England international has only registered two goals and has yet been able to register any assists at present.

His recent performance against Burnley saw the forward blank once again, which has seen his goalless run extend to three games in England’s top-flight.

Saka was also able to register just 34 touches of the ball during his 90-minute performance – a tally that was the lowest of any player from either side at Turf Moor.

He also failed to complete a single dribble or create any chances, further highlighting his lack of impact within the final third despite the Gunners securing a 2-0 triumph.

The Arsenal player who’s now becoming Arteta’s best player

There’s no denying Saka will return to his best form in the coming months, but his recent lack of impact has seen numerous other Arsenal players take the headlines.

Declan Rice has been hugely influential from set pieces, often being the man to provide the goods from dead-ball situations – as seen by his tally of three assists so far this campaign.

However, the 26-year-old turned goalscorer against the Clarets on Saturday afternoon, adding to his tally and netting his second Premier League goal this term.

Viktor Gyokeres and David Raya have both had impacts at opposite ends of the pitch, as seen by their respective tallies of four goals and seven clean sheets to date.

Whilst both the aforementioned trio have all made a positive impact of late, none have quite matched the levels produced by centre-back Gabriel, who has been a real dominant force at both ends.

The Brazilian centre-back, who joined from Lille in 2020, would no doubt have been signed to provide defensive quality, but he’s now making a name for himself in the final third.

The 27-year-old has already achieved a staggering total of five combined goals and assists in his first 15 outings in 2025/26, with his latest coming against Burnley this weekend.

He rose highest at the back post from Rice’s corner, before nodding the ball across the face of goal and into the path of Gyokeres, who tapped in from close range.

However, Gabriel, is the main man. He has also dominated at the back – subsequently playing a key role in the club’s tally of seven league clean sheets during the early months of 2025/26.

He made 11 defensive contributions, which included nine clearances and one tackle and an interception made, further highlighting his ability without the ball at his feet.

The Brazilian also completed 93% of the passes he attempted, whilst also registering a total of 72 touches – numbers which make him the perfect modern-day centre-back.

His ability to be outstanding at the back, coupled with his tremendous goalscoring threat, has made him one of the most well-rounded talents in world football at present.

If the Gunners are to end their two-decade wait for a Premier League title, Gabriel will likely be a key component to any of their success – especially if he can maintain his current form. As Jamie Carragher put it, he’s now the frontrunner to be named PFA Player of the Year & he’s now “the most influential player in the Premier League.”

As for Saka, his lack of form will no doubt be a concern, but if he can return to his own incredible heights, the club’s chance of claiming title glory in May will no doubt increase tenfold.

Forget Gabriel: Arsenal "monster" is now the best player in the league

Gabriel put in another titanic performance as Arsenal defeated Burnley 2-0.

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By
Matt Dawson

Nov 1, 2025

Samson was scratchy at No. 3, Harshit was erratic with the ball, but India’s middle-order batters, largely unused so far at the Asia Cup, got crucial time in the middle

Shashank Kishore20-Sep-20252:07

Jaffer: Wasn’t a fluent innings from Samson

As Hardik Pandya stopped himself a quarter of an inch before the advertising triangles at fine leg to complete a stunning catch to dismiss Oman’s Aamir Kaleem, fielding coach T Dilip was full of fist-pumping joy in the dugout.He had followed the trajectory of the ball like a hawk, silently hoping that hours of the innovative catching drills that had challenged fielders to be goalkeepers (even Superman at times), would lead to a something spectacular. Sat next to him, the usually stoic Gautam Gambhir had been frantically chewing his nails until then. The first two balls of the 18th over, bowled by Harshit Rana, had been picked away for boundaries, and the equation was down from 48 off 18 balls to 40 off 16.Even then, you felt this was India’s match to lose. But with their least experienced bowler pitted against a 43-year-old journeyman cricketer revelling in the spotlight, the coaches’ restlessness spoke of the tension that had been bubbling. Oman eventually finished 21 short, but the contest offered India more than just a ‘W’ and two points.Related

• The ovation that made Aamir Kaleem's long journey worth it

• Arshdeep becomes first India bowler to reach 100 T20I wickets

• India go into Super Four unbeaten despite Oman's fight

For the first time in three games, India had the luxury of batting 20 overs, on a sluggish surface with ground dimensions far bigger than in Dubai, where they will play out the rest of their Asia Cup campaign.It also stretched them on the field, with Suryakumar Yadav employing as many as eight bowling options – although he wouldn’t have imagined having to make up for Axar Patel’s overs at any point: Axar bowled just one over and was off the field for the last five-and-a-bit overs after hitting his head on the turf while attempting a catch.That they were able to get such a workout in a setting where the focus was, for a change, entirely on the cricket, helped tick a few boxes. If a workout before the Super Four is what they had hoped for, they certainly got it.India’s middle-order batters, who had twiddled their thumbs in the first two games because they had polished off their chases of 58 and 128 in a combined 20.2 overs for a combined loss of four wickets, got a decent hit, even though none of them could set the stage alight.3:04

What are the challenges of India’s fluid batting order?

Every batter, barring Suryakumar who delayed his entry until the overs ran out, got time in the middle.Suryakumar didn’t bat because Arshdeep Singh, padded up and itching for a hit, leaned in to his captain and declared he was going next when the seventh wicket fell. And then Kuldeep Yadav went in. India finished eight down and Suryakumar had a “DNB” against his name. He revealed with his trademark humour later that it wasn’t a request from Arshdeep but an instruction, one that had the potential to be viewed under a microscope had India been upset. Luckily, though, they were saved that.The only aspect India didn’t experiment with in the batting was their locked-in opening pair of Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma. This is in line with what they have emphasised through the tournament: the need for the rest of the batters, from No. 3-8, to be flexible, while the openers remain set.For once, though, India deviated from their set left-right policy. This gave Sanju Samson an opportunity at No. 3 after Gill was out early. Samson was scratchy at best, but batted long enough to carve out a half-century.Tilak Varma played a number of adventurous shots•AFP/Getty ImagesHe was helped to a large extent by Abhishek, whose great strength has been to keep bowlers second guessing. When he advances to fast-bowlers, he has an array of options. Like the slice over point, the lofted hit over the covers, or the swat over mid-on – shots he exhibited to similar deliveries off Mohammed Nadeem in the fifth over.This helped Samson ease in after he had struggled for any kind of fluency, pottering to 1 off 7 before finally breaking the shackles when he received a leg-stump half-volley that he flicked for six. That should have flicked a switch, but it didn’t, underpinning the fact that nothing matches time in the middle, even if you look a million dollars in the nets.Tilak Varma showed he can adapt lower down the order if required, hitting 29 off 18 balls. Axar flexed his batting muscle against spin, even as Hardik and Shivam Dube missed out. Hardik was the unluckier of the two, as he was run out to a deflection off the bowler’s hand at the non-striker’s end.Then with the ball, Arshdeep bent the new ball and got it to hold its line, but Harshit was erratic. Kuldeep was his usual self – befuddling batters even as two other wreckers-in-chief, Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy, ran drinks.2:20

Abhinav Mukund: This is how Abhishek should always bat

But the revealing aspect of India’s workout was giving the new ball to Hardik despite having two frontline pacers – perhaps a sign that, like with the batting, they were focused on continuity looking at the bigger picture.The match itself was one of those exercises where India’s follies were looked at indulgently, until it got too close for comfort.In the Asia Cup circles around the UAE, the running joke ahead of Friday’s game was whether India’s commute from their Dubai hotel to the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi would end up lasting longer than the match itself. The India vs UAE game had wrapped up in barely two hours, and a repeat was anticipated had Oman batted first.But in pushing India right till the end, Oman not only enhanced their own credentials, but also injected some interest into a tournament that had been drifting from one controversy to another while seeing more than its fair share of one-sided contests.For India, it was the closest thing to a dress rehearsal before the Super Four: it was imperfect in parts, yet valuable in every way ahead of round two against Pakistan on Sunday.

Manchester City star Rayan Cherki has been warned by a former France manager that he has "no chance" of playing at the 2026 World Cup in North America. After a memorable campaign with Lyon last season, Cherki broke into the France national team and he is now being picked regularly by Didier Deschamps, having made a positive first impression at City after his summer transfer from the Groupama Stadium.

• Cherki establishing himself as a key City star

  Cherki struggled with a thigh injury at the start of the 2025-26 campaign, but has started to feature regularly in Pep Guardiola's team since recovering. 

  He has appeared in nine matches across all competitions for the Cityzens, registering three goals and as many assists. Cherki is slowly establishing himself as a key member of the City squad and is building an understanding with Erling Haaland, having set up both of the Norwegian's goals against Bournemouth in the Premier League earlier this month.

  Guardiola is extremely pleased with Cherki's progress, as he told reporters: "Rayan is one of the most talented players I have ever seen in my career. His talent… he is top. The question is how he settles and how he needs to read actions. He started well at the Club World Cup but then had a few weeks off. I have the feeling most of the time when the ball comes to him, the situation is better. But not all the time you have to do exceptional things – just play football. He has something. He is a player who doesn't feel pressure. He is like a street player. He wants the ball when he doesn't have it. But he is here a short time – he needs a little bit of time because in football you learn to play with your mates. But these types of players are intelligent. They see everything."

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  Mbappe hails Cherki as 'special talent'

  France captain and Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe has also heaped praise on the 22-year-old: "He's a special talent. I think he has a gift, which he's making the most of. It's an innate, spectacular talent. He's integrated very well into the group and into Manchester City, which isn't easy. I hope he continues like this. He's started well with us. Now he has the opportunity to return, and I hope he's as good as he was at Manchester City."

• Domenech not convinced

  However, there is one person who is still not convinced by Cherki's talent. Former France manager Raymond Domenech has warned the City star that he won't make it to Deschamps' 2026 World Cup squad. 

  Speaking to , Domenech said: "(Maghnes) Akliouche, (Michael) Olise, and (Christopher) Nkunku are his direct competition… he has no chance. Everything depends on what he does at Manchester City, if they go far, if he plays a few games, comes on at the end of some games, a little 15 minutes here and there."

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  'I'm not a stats guy'

  Cherki recently shared what he brings to the City team, while describing himself as an 'old school footballer'. "I’m not a stats guy. I think that you can see that in the way that I play football," he said to TF1. "I’m an old-school footballer, and the ‘old-school’ didn’t look at stats. I know that nowadays, that element is very important."

  He also dismissed comparisons with a City legend, adding: "I'm not Kevin De Bruyne, he is the legend. I'm here to help the team and to write my own story. I hope to win all the time with the team. When I spoke with Pep, he wanted me – he was very, very clear. Pep told me, 'when you have the ball, you are free', which is very good for me because it's my first quality to help the team."

“Leave the football before the football leaves you.” That was the sentence Jamie Carragher reserved for a certain Manchester United player by the name of Casemiro back in May 2024.

It’s safe to say that the Brazilian, once a football legend, a serial winner at Real Madrid, had seen his powers wane.

He was making countless mistakes, looked like he was running through treacle and was the shadow of a player who had featured on 336 occasions for Madrid.

18 months on and Casemiro looks like a legandary player again. He may not be capable of featuring for a period of 90 minutes but the 2025/26 campaign has arguably been his best since moving to Old Trafford.

The 33-year-old is making a huge impact, notably scoring on three occasions and registering an assist. He’s finally come good in United colours.

However, the fact that he can’t last 90 minutes is the problem. His backup in the shape of Manuel Ugarte continues to struggle.

Why it's time for Ugarte to leave Man Utd

In the summer of 2024, INEOS spent a great deal on bringing the bullish Uruguayan to Old Trafford, as much as £42m.

He was seen as the heir to Casemiro, someone who could fix their lack of energy and tenacity in the middle of the park.

The big Brazilian was floundering and the more minute Ugarte was here to fix the problem. Yet, he has been more of a hindrance, particularly as Casemiro has returned to form.

So far this term, the midfield veteran has only completed one 90 minutes in the Premier League and in a bid to see out the game, Ruben Amorim has usually tried to rely on Ugarte. However, the South American has been anything but reliable.

With the 24-year-old out of the team, the Red Devils have scored 15 goals at a rate of twice per 90 and have conceded eight times, once per 90 minutes.

However, with Ugarte in the team, Amorim’s side have scored just four times, 1.3 per 90 minutes and have shipped ten goals, a whopping 3.2 per 90.

The data is clear; United are a poorer side when the big-money midfielder is in the team. While he has come on and helped his teammates to victories over Chelsea, Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton, he has also come on and been a hindrance.

When he entered the action at the weekend in the 2-2 draw with Spurs, it was 1-0 to United at the time. In the 3-1 defeat to Brentford, he came on at 2-1. During the 1-1 draw with Fulham, Amorim’s charges were leading 1-0 when Ugarte was brought off the bench. To make matters worse, he also started the 3-0 loss to rivals Manchester City.

So, why do things go so wrong when he’s on the field? Well, his inability to break up the play and anticipate what happens on the field is a huge issue. That was seen during the draw with Spurs on Saturday when Ugarte simply let Wilson Odobert breeze past him in the build-up to Mathys Tel’s equaliser.

With Kobbie Mainoo on the bench, it does beg the question, why Ugarte? While the Uruguay international is the more traditional holding midfielder, they need more energy and legs when Casemiro heads to the bench. Mainoo would bring that in abundance.

Saying that, the academy graduate isn’t the only Ugarte solution up Amorim’s sleeve. Another future superstar at Carrington is getting ready to make an impact.

Man United's surprise Ugarte replacement

Cutting their losses on the former PSG player would be disastrous from a business point of view but it really does feel as though United need a refresh in midfield.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Casemiro has made great improvements this term but he is not getting any younger and if INEOS are planning to spend big in the future then it must be in a central area.

Players like Brighton superstar Carlos Baleba and Nottingham Forest’s Geordie midfielder, Elliot Anderson, have both been linked with a move. They would be fabulous signings too.

Yet, a ready-made solution could present itself at Carrington. In the form of 19-year-old Sekou Kone, United may well have already signed their dream replacement for Ugarte.

Kone arrived at Man United in the summer of 2024. He was not a marquee arrival, far from it. There was very little fanfare for a teenager who had signed in a £1m deal from Malian side Guidars FC.

An exciting midfield player, the youngster had attracted the attention of United scouts during Mali’s run to the semi-finals of the U17 World Cup in 2023. Since then, he has failed to earn any senior game time under Amorim but he looks like a mighty fine prospect.

Kone featured on 14 occasions for the U21s last season but his prospects of football in 2025/26 have so far been dampened by a fractured eye socket. He has played just one match in the opening exchanges of the ongoing campaign but he is now back in training and first-team training at that. Amorim has already shelved plans of a loan spell, such is the potential in this young midfield player.

So, what’s he all about? Well, a defensive midfielder by trade, he is “uber composed on the ball and so press resistant” in the words of Como scout, Ben Mattinson.

Mattinson continued: “He’s got a tight turn radius and rides challenges well when carrying the ball.” On that evidence, he certainly sounds more promising than Ugarte.

He possesses an exciting ball-winning prowess and has an enormous physical ceiling that Mattinson suggests “is something Manchester United need more of in order for Amorim’s man-to-man press to work effectively.”

On that evidence, it’s hardly a surprise that fellow scout, Antonio Mango, has explained that Kone has “the skillset to be a beast under Amorim.”

This is a player who doesn’t just look capable of ending Ugarte’s career at Old Trafford, but potentially also Casemiro’s.