Scott McTominay delivered yet another commanding Champions League performance as Napoli beat Qarabag 2-0. But beyond the goal, the dominance, and another Man of the Match award, the midfielder turned the spotlight toward Napoli’s unsung behind-the-scenes heroes, further showing why his influence under Antonio Conte goes far beyond the pitch.

McTominay shifts focus to 'hidden heroes' as Napoli beat Qarabag

Napoli secured a vital 2-0 Champions League win over Qarabag on Tuesday keeping their play-off hopes alive. McTominay was at the heart of it all, breaking the deadlock in the 65th minute with a goal directly from a corner before forcing Marko Jankovic’s own goal with a sharp swivelling volley seven minutes later. Napoli controlled possession, registered 17 shots and delivered when it mattered, all in the charged atmosphere of the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium on the fifth anniversary of the legend’s passing.

McTominay’s leadership once again defined the night, earning him the Man of the Match award. Yet, instead of celebrating himself, he closed the evening with a remarkable gesture. In a brief but heartfelt note on Instagram, he dedicated his MVP display to Napoli’s kitmen-the hidden heroes, as he called them-who make the club function quietly and tirelessly in the background.

Advertisement‘The Real MVPs’ behind Napoli’s success

In his post-match message on Instagram, the Scottish midfielder shared a locker-room picture with Napoli’s kit staff and wrote: “Champions League nights. True MVPs always.”

Injured compatriot Billy Gilmour left a blue heart, while supporters called him “Prince Scott.” Even Napoli legend Dries Mertens applauded the gesture.

The midfielder's seamless Neapolitanisation, both culturally and professionally, has become one of the club’s most celebrated success stories since his arrival.

McTominay pushed back to central role amid injury crisis

This season has demanded versatility from McTominay, and injuries to key midfielders have pushed him back into a role he knows well. With Kevin De Bruyne sidelined for up to four months following a biceps femoris tear and Zambo Anguissa also out with a high-grade hamstring lesion, Napoli’s midfield has been stretched.

As a result, the ex-Manchester United player has returned to his preferred central midfield position, taking on deeper responsibilities beside Stanislav Lobotka. The shift has meant fewer forays into the box compared to last season’s advanced role, but the Scotsman has adapted without complaint, balancing defensive duties, pressing triggers, and tempo control while still contributing goals and assists.

His ability to thrive in multiple systems, a 3-5-2, a 3-4-3, or a narrow three-man midfield—has reinforced why coach Conte trusts him so deeply. Even amid tactical reshuffling, McTominay continues to be one of Napoli’s most consistent performers, already contributing five goals this season across competitions.

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AFPHow Conte will navigate the games ahead?

Since joining from United in 2024, McTominay has grown into a central pillar of Conte’s project. His first season culminated in a Serie A MVP award, a league title, and decisive goals that cemented his role as a clutch performer. With more than 2,700 minutes played last year, he has become one of Conte’s most trusted lieutenants who values him for his discipline, work rate, aerial power and an uncanny ability to arrive in the box at the perfect moment.

In the current campaign, Conte will depend heavily on McTominay to stabilise the midfield, maintain control, and continue contributing offensively. The upcoming fixture list, Roma away on November 30, followed by Cagliari, Juventus, and a decisive Champions League tie against Benfica, will define Napoli’s campaign ahead. 

South Africa got onto the points table while New Zealand slumped to their second straight loss in Indore

Shashank Kishore06-Oct-2025

Tazmin Brits walked back to a rousing ovation in Indore•ICC/Getty Images

Tazmin Brits is having a year like no other. Her fifth hundred in 2025 – the most-ever by a woman in a calendar year – studded South Africa’s dominance as they got onto the points table with a crushing six-wicket win over New Zealand, who slumped to their second straight loss in Indore.Four nights after being bundled out for the second-lowest score in World Cups, South Africa showed authority and intent in chasing down 232 in 40.5 overs. This somewhat helped cover up for a massive net run rate dent from their embarrassing loss to England in Guwahati.That South Africa had only these many to chase was largely thanks to left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, whose 4 for 40 triggered an alarming slide after Sophie Devine and Brook Halliday threatened a jailbreak. After the pair had added a quickfire 86 for the fourth-wicket, New Zealand were coasting at 187 for 3 in 38 overs when Mlaba made big dents.Related

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Halliday contributed 45 off 37 in a terrific exhibition of sweeps and reverse-sweeps, before falling to one hit too many when she top-edged a slog-sweep off Mlaba at the start of the 39th. During her stay, she briefly gave South Africa the shivers, like she had in last year’s T20 World Cup final in Dubai.South Africa hit back quickly after Halliday’s dismissal, with Mlaba next sending back Maddy Green to an ill-advised reverse sweep as she picked out backward point. Amid the collapse, Devine held out hope for New Zealand, like she’d done in hitting a valiant 112 against Australia in their opener.Nonkululeko Mlaba opened the floodgates with Brooke Halliday’s wicket•Getty Images

Devine helped shift gears after Georgia Plimmer struggled to hit the ball off the square in a painstaking 31 off 68 balls. Devine was largely measured, taking 66 deliveries to bring up a half-century, her 17th in ODIs, before shifting gears, as she fed off Halliday’s form and enterprise.Halliday and Devine raised their half-century stand off just 41 deliveries, and New Zealand looked set for a lift-off. But Devine’s dismissal for 85, attempting to work a full delivery into the leg side, had a deflating effect. Ayabonga Khaka then cleaned up the lower order, as New Zealand lost 7 for 44 to be bowled out for 231, leaving 13 deliveries unused.All told, it was an innings of contrasting fortunes. New Zealand played themselves into a hole, consuming as many as 72 dots in the first 15 overs to leave the middle order with too much to do, after Suzie Bates fell for a second straight duck off the first ball of the match and Melie Kerr for 22. Then Devine and Halliday bailed them out, but in having a terrible back 10, New Zealand undid all the good work through the middle overs.To make a fist of the target, New Zealand needed early wickets, and they had one when Laura Wolvaardt, who plucked a stunner to end New Zealand’s innings, was out lbw playing around her front pad to Jess Kerr. But that was as much joy as they were to derive over the next two hours as Brits put on an exhibition, with Sune Luus for company.Tazmin Brits and Sune Luus left New Zealand without hope in the chase•Getty Images

Brits’ was a high-tempo innings full of stunning shots, and it included a thrilling takedown of Melie Kerr early in the innings to offset any threat South Africa had. Having begun the innings steadily, Brits went into overdrive after the 10-over mark, at one point hitting five boundaries in nine deliveries, en route to a 44-ball half-century, her fastest in ODIs.Brits equally punished Eden Carson, the offspinner, muscling a six to bring up the 100 partnership off 111 deliveries. Brits’ use of her feet to negate any turn and bludgeon spinners repeatedly down the ground made for thrilling viewing. And while she was flying, Luus was fighting for survival.Unlike Brits, Luus struggled for timing, but the reward for all that tenacity for a fight was a half-century that she raised off 76 balls. Brits’ counter-attack gave her the rare luxury of finding her feet as the ball spun and jumped, merely underlining how ridiculously easy Brits had made batting look.Brits fell soon after getting to her century, bowled attempting to pull a skiddy length ball off Lea Tahuhu to leave South Africa briefly wobbly, as they lost two more wickets in an attempt to raze down the runs. But even through that, the result was a foregone conclusion.Luus raised the winning runs with a lofted hit over extra cover, finishing unbeaten on 81 to ensure South Africa ride a wave of confidence when they meet hosts and table-toppers India come Thursday in Vizag. New Zealand will hope for a change of luck when they travel to Guwahati to play Bangladesh the following day.

If Bashir has been the poster boy for the “attributes over averages” approach, Dawson has been the unwitting figure-head for the vocal opposition

Vithushan Ehantharajah16-Jul-20251:30

Ehantharajah expects Dawson to shine for England

On Monday evening, as the dust settled on their 22-run win over India, the England Test side gathered in the home dressing room at Lord’s.As is custom, players and staff took turns to speak. Coaches usually go first, then players if they feel compelled to do so. This time, more of the latter stood up to say their piece.The common theme throughout the speeches was Shoaib Bashir. His dismissal of Mohammed Siraj to take England to a 2-1 series lead was used a springboard to talk about his bravery after breaking his left pinkie finger in India’s first innings.Related

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Though only confirmed officially at the end of the match, it was clear soon after Bashir was struck by a powerful return drive from Ravindra Jadeja that he was out of the series. But Bashir soldiered on, batting in India’s second innings to put on seven with Jofra Archer in the final stand, facing Jasprit Bumrah for five of his nine deliveries. Then, having convinced Ben Stokes to use him on the final day, fielded valiantly with just his right hand during his three- and 2.5-over spells, hidden in the field but occasionally in play around the boundary.Shoaib Bashir bowled with a heavily strapped left hand in the second innings at Lord’s•Getty ImagesBashir is a popular member of the dressing room, the youthful exuberance he brings as a 21-year old still carrying a sense of “how cool is playing Test cricket?” a reminder to the rest how lucky they are to do what they do. The words of his teammates were as much a reflection of his standing, bravery and the heavy sympathy that, for now, his journey is over.”It would be remiss to not mention Bash, the person who’s broken his hand.” said Joe Root, when running the rule over the intense five days.”The way he put his body on the line, he went out there and fielded with a broken hand. And took the winning wicket. For a 21-year-old lad to go out there with his whole career ahead of him, going in and watching him bat last night. There’s no better motivation for the rest of the blokes to put everything they could into the day. And for him to be, I guess, big enough and brave enough to do that, it shows what it means to everyone.”There are obviously personal accolades that you can achieve throughout your Test career. But when you put the team first like that, I think that’s a really special thing. I think that’s the biggest honour for anyone within our group. To see such a young lad do that for the rest of the crew.”Shoaib Bashir is engulfed by team-mates after he picked up the last wicket at Lord’s•Getty ImagesSince debuting in India at the start of 2024, Bashir has almost become a bit of a mascot for the team, and not in the pejorative sense. While his 68 Test dismissals have come at 39.00, his strike rate of 61.7 is the eighth highest among English spinners, sandwiched between Graeme Swann (60.1) and Moeen Ali (61.8).Though there remains doubt as to whether he is the right spinner for this team, internally, the desire to “hot house” his talent has been aligned with cordoning off the greenhouse from any stones. Stokes, Brendon McCullum or assistant coach Jeetan Patel’s, who oversees Bashir’s development, defend Bashir staunchly.The same was afforded to Jack Leach, even when he was dropped at the start of the 2024 season for Bashir. After Bashir had bowled England to victory over West Indies at Trent Bridge that summer, Stokes made a note of calling Leach to reassert his admiration for the left-arm spinner, who went on to make the tour of Pakistan later that year.Shoaib Bashir’s other wicket al Lord’s apart from Mohammed Siraj was KL Rahul•Getty ImagesThere is an understanding among the management group that English spinners need unequivocal support to thrive. Long stints and malleable tactics on the field, or arm around the shoulder and phone calls off it, even when they’re not involved. Of all the disciplines, spin requires a more holistic approach.The result of this is other spinners beyond the team look upon England treat their ilk with a great deal of respect, and a hint of FOMO. Perhaps even a tinge of jealously in the case of Bashir – plucked out of near-obscurity and remains something of a non-entity on the domestic scene, with his departure from Somerset imminent.The feeling among established domestic players is the Test side is a bit of a closed shop. But, like Hamleys, there are few better shops to be locked in.Which brings us neatly onto Liam Dawson. With 371 first-class wickets and 18 centuries – along with being an exceptional fielder – the left-arm spinner is undoubtedly the standout candidate in his craft. His absence up until his call-up for the fourth Test to replace Bashir has been a regular point of contention.If Bashir has been the poster boy for the “attributes over averages” approach, Dawson has been the unwitting figure-head for the vocal opposition. Since the 2023 season, Dawson has 124 dismissals, with last year’s 54 alongside 956 runs at 59.75 earning enough support from his domestic peers to win the men’s PCA player of the year award. Even this summer, his 21 at 40.04 have been with an economy rate of just 2.55.Liam Dawson is back in the Test side after eight years, thanks to strong all-round performances in County cricket•Getty ImagesDawson’s relationship with the current decision makers has not been smooth. Having turned down a call-up to a 2023 tour of Bangladesh for the PSL, he was informed he would be in England’s ODI World Cup squad, only to find himself omitted altogether. At that season’s PCA awards do, he revealed accepting a call-up for the India Test series in the New Year would not be straightforward given a clash with a lucrative SA20 stint with Sunrisers Eastern Cape.It did not come, with Bashir, Leach, Lancashire’s Tom Hartley and Leicestershire leg spinner Rehan Ahmed picked ahead of him. That in turn led to a frank admission to ESPNcricinfo at the start of the 2024 domestic season that he was “probably not” keen to play Test cricket again. Having made the last of his three caps in 2017, it was now “completely off the radar”.And yet here we are, with Dawson now leapfrogging the centrally contracted duo of Leach and Rehan. A starting berth at Manchester looks odds on given Stokes’ penchant for a spinner; only once in 39 Tests since he and McCullum joined forces at the start of the 2022 summer has an England team not featured a spinner – Root aside – in their XI.You wonder if some guarantee was made to Dawson considering he has stated publicly he has no intention of carrying drinks at the age of 35. What is clear is his international return under McCullum last month, taking 4 for 20 in the first of the three-match T20I series against West Indies, has worked both ways. Not only did it underline his quality to those he has spurned before, but it confirmed to Dawson there was a way back in.It is worth remembering the absurd situation around Dawson’s last two Test caps. Against South Africa, Root and then-head coach Trevor Bayliss galaxy-brained picking him expressly in the role of “first spinner”, a status they felt took the pressure off Moeen, who was *actually* first choice. When Moeen took 10 at Lord’s and then four in the next Test at Headingley, Dawson had served his purpose, and was discarded like a pair of training wheels.Eight years on, more grizzled, more experienced and certainly more sceptical, Dawson at least knows he will be backed outright. His previous experience of Test cricket will be a far cry from the environment he comes into. And though more will be expected of him than Bashir, he will be afforded all the same support and perceived luxuries to thrive.

INEOS splashed the cash in the summer transfer window to provide Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim with more quality at both ends of the pitch.

Senne Lammens was brought in from Royal Antwerp, to replace Andre Onana, and has prevented 1.51 xG across five appearances in the Premier League so far this season, per Sofascore.

£62.5m was also spent on the signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Brazil international scored his first goal for the club last month in the 4-2 win against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Bryan Mbeumo has arguably been the most successful addition to the squad. Since his £71m move from Brentford, the left-footed star has scored five goals and provided one assist in 11 Premier League games for the Red Devils.

Whilst Cunha and Mbeumo both arrived from other English clubs as known quantities, the club were also willing to splash the cash on more of a gamble, with Benjamin Sesko.

The Red Devils spent £66.4m to sign the Slovenia international from RB Leipzig in the summer to replace Rasmus Hojlund, and he has had a mixed start to life at Old Trafford.

Why Man Utd need to sign another centre-forward

Sesko has scored two goals in 11 appearances in the Premier League since his big-money move from Germany, and both of those goals came in his first seven outings.

The 22-year-old marksman scored his first goal for the club against Brentford in September, before netting his second goal against Sunderland in a 2-0 win at Old Trafford.

Sesko scored 13 goals in 33 matches in the Bundesliga in the 2024/25 campaign for Leipzig, per Sofascore, so it was always going to be a tough ask for the striker to hit the ground running as a goal machine in the Premier League.

The Slovenian forward, as shown in the graphic above, has missed more ‘big chances’ than he has managed goals scored, which suggests that he needs to improve his efficiency in front of goal if he wants to be the main number nine for Amorim.

Minutes

90

30

Shots

3

0

Goals

0

0

Key passes

0

0

Big chances created

0

0

Ground duels won

0/0

0/7

Aerial duels won

0/3

2/2

As you can see in the table above, Sesko struggled in his last two appearances for United before the international break, losing the majority of his physical duels without offering any significant threat in the final third.

The former Leipzig star’s mixed start to his career at Old Trafford may explain why the club are reportedly looking to add another player in his position in the winter market.

Man Utd chasing deal for another Bundesliga striker

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United are one of a number of clubs chasing a deal to sign Borussia Dortmund centre-forward Serhou

Guirassy.

The report claims that he has a release clause in his contract with the German side that will allow him to be sold for a fee of roughly £44m to a ‘select group of elite clubs’ in the January transfer window.

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It adds that Arsenal, Manchester United, and PSG are all in the race to sign the Guinea international, but it remains unclear if any of those three teams fall into the group of clubs that can activate that release clause.

CaughtOffside reports that the Red Devils are ones to watch in the race to land the Bundesliga centre-forward because Amorim wants more experienced options in his frontline.

Sesko, 22, is still in the early stages of his development and Guirassy could be viewed as an experienced number nine who could offer a huge upgrade in the immediate term.

Why Man Utd should sign Serhou Guirassy

At the age of 29, the Dortmund centre-forward would arrive at Old Trafford as the experienced striker that Amorim wants to bolster his squad with, as he would be ready to come in and make an instant impact.

It can sometimes be the case with young players that they have the technical qualities and potential to be an incredible player in the future, but they do not have a tight grasp of the nuances that come with delivering consistently at the top level.

Guirassy, being 29 and having been around the block, has tightened up his game and is focused on output, scoring and assisting goals, which is reflected in his statistics compared to Sesko’s over the past 365 days.

His statistics when it comes to scoring goals and creating goals are far more impressive than the young Slovenian’s, which is understandable given the difference in experience between the two players.

The Dortmund striker was even described by German legend Lothar Matthaus as “one of the best strikers in Europe” back in March, which speaks to how much he has impressed in German football.

Appearances

30

33

Goals

21

13

Minutes per goal

124

185

Big chances missed

21

10

Conversion rate

23%

19%

Big chances created

7

5

Assists

2

5

As you can see in the table above, the United transfer target scored eight more goals than Sesko in the Bundesliga during the 2024/25 campaign, despite playing three fewer matches.

The experienced centre-forward has also scored seven goals in 15 appearances in all competitions during the current season, per Sofascore, whilst the Red Devils marksman has only scored twice since his move from Leipzig.

Therefore, United could immediately improve their starting line-up by bringing the Dortmund striker in to be a huge upgrade on Sesko, given that their respective performances over the past 18 months suggest that he would offer significantly more as a goalscorer.

Forget Anderson: Man Utd in talks to sign "world's most underrated footballer"

Manchester United appear to making huge moves in their pursuit for a new midfielder in January.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 20, 2025

This is why INEOS should push to beat Arsenal and PSG to the signing of the Bundesliga star to add more goals to the team for the second half of the season, whilst also providing Sesko with an experienced mentor to help him improve in the long term.

Edgbaston six-for just reward for Mohammed Siraj, who assumed seniority in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence

Sidharth Monga04-Jul-2025

Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj have a chat before the third day’s play•AFP via Getty Images

A quirky, curious statistic kept assuming bigger proportion through the third day’s play at Edgbaston. Especially when Mohammed Siraj began taking wickets with the second new ball to go with his double-strike in his first over of the day.Here are the numbers. Mohammed Siraj has played 23 Tests with Jasprit Bumrah, and averages 33.82 in them. His average in 15 matches without Bumrah now reads 25.20. Siraj has played nine Tests with Mohammed Shami; he averages 34.96 in them. He has played six Tests with both Bumrah and Shami, and he averages 33.05 in them. In the 12 matches that Siraj has played with neither Bumrah nor Shami in them, Siraj averages 22.27.When put that way to Siraj in a spot interview with no time to reflect on it, Siraj said he loves the responsibility. But it is what it is: an oddity. Unless Siraj himself tells you when he plays with Bumrah he bowls for Bumrah. Until then it’s all pop psychology.Related

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When Siraj is the third bowler, you can probably look for some causation, in that you don’t get the new ball, you bowl more with a softer ball, and possibly have to play a containing role. When you are the second quick, you probably don’t get an end of your choice, you are just as attacking as when you are the first.A non-quirky fact is that Siraj is a fine fast bowler with good control, an outswinger that can at times go missing, a wobble-seam ball, and a big heart. He has been bowling well since the start of the Australia tour, but hasn’t really had the luck to get him wickets.Cricket is a messy sport. At Headingley, outside that first spell when he struggled running uphill for three overs, Siraj bowled roughly as many good balls as Bumrah, roughly at the same pace, drew roughly a similar percentage of false shots, but had nothing to show for it.Mohammed Siraj leads India off the field•Getty ImagesOf course Siraj is no Bumrah. That’s why he said he only believes in Jassi , resulting in memes where Bumrah was shown saying “I only believe on Miyan .” Still he was far from ordinary in Australia, but took 20 wickets at an average of 31.15 in a seam-dominated series. If this keeps happening for long, even the most empathetic of observers start pointing at your career average: 31.83 at the start of this series.The beauty of this messy sport is that when everybody has been worried about Bumrah’s absence, on comes Siraj, starts as the second bowler behind Akash Deep with both the new balls, makes no causal change to the way he bowls and ends with a six-for. His lengths didn’t become more attacking or shorter, he extracted much less seam, and he swung the ball as much as he did in Leeds.The one change he made, though, was move his lines straighter, which you can afford to do when the pitch is slower and lower. From 47.5% balls in the channel in Leeds, his channel deliveries came down to 42.9%. His straight lines went up from 22.5% to 33.8%. These, though, are fine changes that bowlers regularly make to adjust to different pitches and match situations.1:53

What worked for Siraj and Akash Deep?

Siraj himself is no stranger to the quirks of fate in cricket. “I have been waiting for a year for a five-for,” he told Jio Hotstar. “I was getting stuck at four. I was bowling well but not getting wickets. This is a very special moment. Especially because I had only four-fors in England.”It is just that bit extra special because of the kind of lifeless pitch it has come on. The pitch has only got slower during the Test with no seam movement. There have been long periods, especially after the ball ages past 30 overs, when it is hard to see where the next wicket will come from. In such conditions, Siraj was just fire with the new ball. As was Akash Deep.Despite bowling the fewest overs among fast bowlers – not counting Prasidh Krishna because he bowled a spell full of bouncers – Siraj attacked the stumps most often, projected to hit the stumps 28 times. He got three wickets in those balls. In just 26 false shots, he got six wickets. At Headingley, he got two in 69. Control data might not be gospel, but this is stark.Siraj knows it. He lives with these quirks of the game. That’s why he can keep running in with the same spirit after a run of barren Tests. He will do the same in the second innings. Have some patience if he doesn’t get same results.

Pakistan lost their last five wickets for just 17 runs during a dramatic collapse

Danyal Rasool21-Oct-2025Sometimes, when Test cricket is played well, it can be slightly dull and the pair of Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs made no apologies for prioritising good cricket over entertaining cricket for the second half of the day. South Africa were much better placed going into the third day than they have been at any time this series, 148 runs short of Pakistan’s first innings 333 with six wickets still in hand. That they were not further adrift came thanks to a heroic shift early in the morning from Keshav Maharaj, who took all five Pakistani wickets to top up his two overnight, inducing a 17-run collapse for Pakistan’s bottom half.It might have been all so different if Pakistan – usually so trigger-happy when bringing the third umpire into the game – had done so in the 26th over. Asif Afridi had pushed de Zorzi, batting on 5, onto the back foot as the ball flicked him just above the knee roll. Short leg held onto it and Pakistan, distracted by an appeal for the catch, failed to consider lbw might be a more plausible shout. Down to just one review, they passed it up only for HawkEye to show three reds.It was a rare chance either de Zorzi or Stubbs offered as they settled into the tedium of steady accumulation, aware that one wicket could bring a surge from Pakistan that might wash away their challenge entirely. The first eight overs post-tea brought just 17 runs, but time wasn’t a factor in the game at the moment. The pair waited patiently to earn their right to score runs, and had the humility to opt for survival when good deliveries shut down scoring options, eventually adding 113 runs for the third wicket.Related

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Maharaj: 'Old-fashioned Test cricket' helped us claw back

First day in Pindi = first day in Lahore

From time to time, Pakistan offered the odd poor delivery, gifts both accepted with alacrity. A waist-high full toss from Sajid was dispatched away for four, while Noman darted one in that de Zorzi slapped over long-on after dancing down the track. Both used their feet superbly to neutralise and unsettle the spinners, and it was a ploy that, for the most part, Pakistan appeared to lack clear responses to. When Stubbs misjudged and came down too far on a rare occasion, he smacked the ball straight back at Sajid, who was defeated by the pace of the ball. Soon after, de Zorzi made amends, skipping out of his crease to Sajid. He lifted the ball over his head for a six that took him to fifty. The milestones were being ticked off now. Two balls earlier, Stubbs had got there, and in the following over, the 100-run partnership – South Africa’s first this series – was brought up.It was in the final half hour that Pakistan dragged it back far enough to prevent South Africa unequivocally laying claim to the day. The 38-year-old debutant Asif Afridi didn’t exactly look Pakistan’s most threatening bowler for the most part, but hit a spot that caused the ball to dive, trapping de Zorzi halfway up the shin. This time, Pakistan made sure to review. South Africa required a vulnerable Dewald Brevis to stick it out until the end, but Asif broke through once more. This time, it was a lovely conventional orthodox left-armer’s delivery which got him the wicket. Salman Agha at first slip made no mistake pouncing on the edge.Pakistan’s penchant for collapses had continued at breakneck speed in the morning, with South Africa removing Pakistan’s last five for 17 runs to dismiss them for 333. Maharaj, who had earlier called the first session in this series the “moving session”, did most of the moving himself, taking all five of the morning’s wickets for a seven-wicket haul.Pakistan will content themselves with the fact that Agha and Saud Shakeel put on 57 brisk runs in the morning to continue their sixth-wicket stand. They were in complete control during the first hour, milking the spinners while picking up the occasional boundary. Kagiso Rabada’s opening spell was seen off without damage. Until Maharaj began his rampage, there were no visible signs of discomfort against him either. In the over before the first wicket fell, Shakeel had scored eight runs off him as Pakistan moved their score past 300.Tristan Stubbs and Tony de Zorzi added 113 runs for the third wicket•Associated PressBut things unravelled quickly – within 18 Maharaj deliveries, to be precise. An arm-ball slid onto Agha, who played for the turn and found himself trapped in front. The following Maharaj over, Shakeel softly guided one into the palms of first slip, with South Africa making no mistakes in the field. Shaheen Shah Afridi’s attempted wafts over midwicket were meat and drink for the spinner, who guided one through the gate to rattle his stumps. Maharaj would need just four more balls to dispense with Sajid and Asif.Pakistan’s early threat with the ball came all down to Shaheen. In the first Test, he found ways to be effective with the old reversing ball, but in the first half hour here, it was the new ball in his hand that proved to be a menace. Aiden Markram was worked over in his second over after lunch, surviving an lbw review and nearly nicking off. But Shaheen’s reward came against Ryan Rickelton in the over that followed, finding seam movement to kiss the outside edge and Mohammad Rizwan to take a straightforward catch.After that six-over burst, Pakistan turned to spin, and both sides settled into a steady grind. There were streaks of dot deliveries, the monotony broken occasionally by a dance down the ground to loft spin over the top. It proved a largely successful plan on a pitch that hasn’t yet opened up to spinners, but as lunch neared and Pakistan turned to Sajid, Markram tried his luck once too often.Sajid delivered the wicket ball with a bit of flight outside off, and Markram’s drag over long-on didn’t have the power he was targeting. Shan Masood had stationed Shakeel about eight yards on from the boundary, who barely had to move to gratefully pouch it.It was a rare shot of irresponsibility from a South African side that has struck an excellent balance between run-scoring and survival. In the end, thanks to Stubbs and de Zorzi, they found a way to do both today.

Bangladesh hope their spinners can test the tournament hosts in their last league game

Sruthi Ravindranath25-Oct-20254:21

Preview: Can Bangladesh upset India?

Big picture – India look to gather momentumIndia will walk into this fixture with a sense of relief and renewed confidence. Having already secured a place in the semi-finals, the pressure has shifted from qualification to maintaining momentum. After three games where things seemed to go awry, they finally hit top gear against New Zealand, led by a commanding performance from their batters.It’s not just that. The match will be played in Navi Mumbai – the venue for both India’s semi-final and the final – a ground India know well and one where they appear to have found their ideal template. After several games of tinkering with combinations, they seemed to get it right against New Zealand, reverting to five-bowler setup, leaving allrounder Amanjot Kaur out. The move to promote the returning Jemimah Rodrigues to No. 3 also paid off, and that could open the door for further experimentation against Bangladesh.India’s bowlers backed the batters up with precision. The seamers struck early, and the rest of the attack ensured New Zealand never recovered, forcing errors and maintaining pressure throughout.Related

A big-hitter in a small world – new-age Shorna turns heads

The middle order was not tested but with knockout games approaching, time in the middle for those players could be invaluable. India have batted first in five matches so far and chased only once – losing that game to England by four runs – so they may also be tempted to test themselves in a chase, should they win the toss, to round out their preparation.For Bangladesh, this is a chance to upset one of the tournament favourites and prove they belong on this stage. They’ve run stronger sides close in at least three games and have relied on their disciplined bowling attack, their biggest strength all tournament. There have been flashes of resistance with the bat, and if they can sustain those longer, they have a chance of stretching India.Form guideIndia WLLLW
Bangladesh LLLLLIn the spotlight – Renuka Singh and Bangladesh’s legspinnersIndia will look once again to Renuka Singh for early breakthroughs. Against New Zealand, she delivered exactly that. Having missed the matches against Australia and South Africa, and gone wicketless in her two previous outings, Renuka rediscovered her rhythm in Navi Mumbai. Exploiting the early movement on offer, she teamed up with Kranti Gaud to keep New Zealand in check, not conceding a single boundary in the first six overs. Her efforts were rewarded with the wickets of Georgia Plimmer and Sophie Devine, both undone by sharp in-duckers. She finished with figures of 2 for 25 from her six overs – a spell that set the tone for India’s dominance.Rabeya Khan and Shorna Akter will be key to Bangladesh’s hopes•BCB

Can Bangladesh’s legspinning duo of Rabeya Khan and Shorna Akter trouble India’s batters? The pair injected energy and control into their attack against Sri Lanka, bowling tirelessly in the Navi Mumbai heat. Their discipline through the middle overs stifled scoring opportunities and built pressure. Rabeya provided the key breakthrough, removing the dangerous Chamari Athapaththu and halting Sri Lanka’s momentum, while Shorna struck twice, dismissing Hasini Perera and Nilakshika Silva, to help restrict the opposition to just 202.Team newsRicha Ghosh copped a blow to her left hand while keeping against New Zealand and was off the field during much of their chase, with Uma Chetry taking the gloves. On the eve of the Bangladesh game, bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi said Ghosh was “fine and the S&C team is taking care of it,” but India were “still discussing” her availability. India went back to their five-bowler strategy in the match against New Zealand, leaving allrounder Amanjot out, and they are likely to persist with that winning combination.India (probable): 1 Smriti Mandhana, 2 Pratika Rawal, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Jemimah Rodrigues, 6 Richa Ghosh (wk), 7 Deepti Sharma, 8 Sneh Rana, 9 Renuka Singh, 10 Kranti Gaud, 11 Shree Charani.Sharmin Akter walked off battling cramps during Bangladesh’s chase against Sri Lanka but came back to bat in the final over. There are no injury concerns in the side.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Fargana Hoque, 2 Rubya Haider, 3 Sharmin Akhter, 4 Nigar Sultana (capt & wk), 5 Sobhana Mostary, 6 Ritu Moni, 7 Shorna Akter, 8 Nahida Akter, 9 Rabeya Khan, 10 Nishita Akter, 11 Marufa Akter.Pitch and conditionsThe pitch remained covered on the eve of the game with rain in the air. There’s rain forecast for Sunday evening as well. The surface has generally aided batting, while fast bowlers have tended to get early movement.Stats that matter Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal have 1557 partnership runs between them across 20 innings in 2025, the second-most by any pair in ODIs in a calendar year. Only Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly are ahead, with 1635 runs in 29 innings in 1998. Kranti Gaud has 22 wickets in 13 ODIs so far. These are the most by an India bowler in her debut year in Women’s ODIs and only three overall have taken more – Charmaine Mason (25 in 1997), Aimee Watkins (23 in 2002) and Lyn Fullston (23 in 1982). Bangladesh’s bowlers have an economy rate of 4.54 in this World Cup, the same as England’s.

It was a cameo that perhaps summed up Benjamin Sesko’s Manchester United career so far.

Introduced on the hour mark against Tottenham Hotspur, the Slovenian striker looked lively up against the likes of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, having twice got in behind the home backline late on.

Twice, the £74m signing was threaded through by fellow substitute Mason Mount, although – having scored just two goals for the club to date – he perhaps unsurprisingly failed to convert those promising openings.

These certainly weren’t gilt-edged, must score chances – with Van de Ven producing a stunning recovery challenge to deny the ex-RB Leipzig’s man second attempt – yet a striker in confident mood would likely have fared better.

To then add insult to injury, quite literally, Sesko sustained an injury issue in the midst of that sight of goal, subsequently forcing the visitors to see out proceedings with just ten men, as he hobbled down the touchline.

Fears mounted over the potential severity of that setback, and while the prognosis isn’t as worrying as first feared, it’s no doubt far from ideal.

How long Sesko will be sidelined for

The sight of Sesko being withdrawn late on in north London will have undoubtedly been an unwelcome one for Ruben Amorim, with the Portuguese coach already facing a notable upheaval in the forward line in the near future.

Indeed, both Amad and Bryan Mbeumo – alongside Noussair Mazraoui – are set to head to AFCON when the competition kicks off on 21 December, potentially ruling out the dynamic duo out of a string of games heading across the festive period and into the New Year.

Having allowed the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Antony to depart over the summer, Amorim isn’t exactly blessed with attacking depth as it is, ensuring a further blow is far from ideal.

As reported by The Athletic, Sesko, thankfully, won’t be sidelined for a lengthy period, with it looking likely that the 22-year-old will only be absent for three to five weeks, thus perhaps limiting the need to acquire a suitable replacement or back-up in injury.

That said, United – who return to action against Everton on Monday – are heading into a typically hectic period in the Premier League calendar, with a string of games in the pipeline between now and the end of the year.

Man Utd fixtures – rest of 2025

Date

Opponent

24/11/2025

Everton (H)

30/11/2025

Palace (A)

04/12/2025

West Ham (H)

08/12/2025

Wolves (A)

15/12/2025

Bournemouth (H)

21/12/2025

Villa (A)

26/12/2025

Newcastle (H)

30/12/2025

Wolves (H)

Whether Sesko will be back fit and firing in time to feature again in 2025 remains to be seen, with attention now turning to just how Amorim can replace him – starting against the Toffees next week.

Man Utd's answer to Zlatan could replace Sesko

The most likely solution, of course, would be for the aforementioned Mount to return as part of the attacking trio, with Matheus Cunha – who led the line against Spurs – again nudged into a number nine berth.

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That being said, the Brazilian wasn’t exactly at his scintillating best against Thomas Frank’s side, losing possession 13 times from just 35 touches, as per Sofascore, amid a rare poor performance, having looked far more effective as one of the number tens against Brighton – the game in which he scored his first goal for the club.

With that in mind – and with 17-year-old Chido Obi still yet to be seen at first-team level this season – the chance may finally come for Joshua Zirkzee to re-establish a starting role for himself, having been a bystander to proceedings in 2025/26 to date.

As explored over the weekend, United’s “modern-day Berbatov” is running out of time at Old Trafford on current evidence, featuring for just 90 minutes in total across league and cup, while yet to start a Premier League game in the new season.

That limited role has come following an injury-hit summer for the Dutchman, although it has been telling that Amorim has typically turned to Cunha to lead the line when opting to take Sesko out of the firing line, with Zirkzee swiftly sliding down the pecking order.

Something of a cult figure at United now, after fighting his way back from being jeered off against Newcastle United last year, the 24-year-old does at least deserve an opportunity to impress once again, with there certainly still a player in there somewhere.

Seven goals in 54 games for the club to date doesn’t exactly make for great reading, although his quality was no doubt evident during his stint at Bologna, having ended 2023/24 as Serie A’s Young Player of the Year.

It was that form in Italian football which even led to “comparisons to Zlatan Ibrahimovic” – as noted by analyst Ben Mattinson – with the one-time Bayern Munich man described as “just like” the enigmatic Swede as he is an “insane athlete”.

The great ‘Ibra’ enjoyed a short but sweet stint at the Theatre of Dreams, netting 28 goals in all competitions in his solitary full season under Jose Mourinho, having swiftly cemented talismanic status as the club’s marquee number nine.

Zirkzee, evidently, is of different character and experience, but like Ibrahimovic, at 6 foot 4 he is still a real focal point when leading the line, ensuring he might be the best fit to try and replace Sesko at the top end of the pitch.

While a self-described ‘nine and a half’, Zirkzee’s route to game time does appear to be as a number nine in this side, with there still an intrigue to see what he can conjure up with the likes of Cunha and Mbeumo working off him.

As a man who netted twice in a 4-0 thrashing of Everton at Old Trafford last season, the £105k-per-week marksman could be the difference maker again this time around.

Related Man Utd's "future £100m" star is already their own version of Adam Wharton

Manchester United must ensure this young midfielder has a pathway to superstardom.

Posts 3 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 18, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras pode garantir nesta quarta-feira (15) a primeira colocação do F da Copa Libertadores. A equipe comandada por Abel Ferreira necessita de apenas um empate contra o Independiente del Valle, do Equador, para garantir a liderança de sua chave e, consequentemente, a classificação às oitavas de final da competição continental.

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➡️ Avanti! Aposte R$100 e leve R$317 no Lance! Betting para ambos marcam e vitória do Palmeiras sobre o Del Valle

➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão

Suspenso na derrota para o Athletico pelo Brasileirão, Murilo volta a estar à disposição da comissão técnica e deve formar a dupla de zaga ao lado de Gustavo Gómez.

O trio de ataque do Verdão será formado por Endrick e Estevão, crias das categorias de base de clube, e Lázaro, que ganhou espaço na equipe de Abel Ferreira após um início instável e participou – como reserva ou titular – das últimas nove partidas do time na temporada.

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A escalação do Palmeiras apresenta apenas duas dúvidas. Com um trauma no olho direito, Aníbal Moreno está fora do jogo desta noite. Richard Ríos aparece como o favorito para assumir a vaga no meio-campo. Gabriel Menino, titular na última partida do Verdão, também é opção. Na lateral-direita, Mayke deve iniciar o duelo, mas tem a sombra de Marcos Rocha, que completou recentemente 300 jogos pelo clube.

Portanto, a provável escalação do Palmeiras tem: Weverton, Mayke (Marcos Rocha), Gustavo Gómez, Murilo e Piquerez; Zé Rafael, Richard Ríos (Gabriel Menino) e Raphael Veiga; Lázaro, Estêvão e Endrick.

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O Palmeiras encara o Independiente del Valle nesta quarta-feira (15), às 21h30 (de Brasília), no Allianz Parque, pela quinta rodada da Copa Libertadores. Além da vaga antecipada à próxima fase, o Verdão também luta pela melhor classificação geral na fase de grupos.

Tudo sobre

escalaçãoFutebol NacionalLibertadoresPalmeirasSTARPLUS

While the Blue Jays starting pitcher in Game 4 is still up in the air, Aaron Boone and the Yankees immediately knew that Cam Schlittler, the 24-year old rookie, would be on the mound Thursday. Schlittler, who made his MLB debut back in July, had a tremendous postseason debut against the Red Sox last week so he's really making a name for himself early in his career.

One person who doesn't seem thrilled about Schlittler's name is FS1's David Ortiz. During the postgame show following New York's Game 3 win over the Blue Jays, Ortiz challenged Kevin Burkhardt, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter to say his name and then revealed a surprising historical comparison that you rarely hear on baseball programming.

"Sound like Hitler," said Ortiz before laughing. "Cam I'm going Cam. I'm going Cam. Don't want to get in trouble."

His co-hosts all had varying reactions. Burkhardt insisted he stick to "Cam," while Rodriguez cracked up with Big Papi and Jeter just looked like wanted to leave.

Either way, it's probably best that Ortiz keeps things on a first name basis for FS1's coverage of Game 4.