Craig Ervine, the designated Zimbabwe captain, has been ruled out of the ODI series against Sri Lanka after sustaining a calf injury on the eve of the first match, played at Harare Sports Club on Friday. In his absence, Sean Williams will lead Zimbabwe.The injury took place on Thursday, and an MRI scan confirmed that Ervine had suffered a Grade II strain in his left calf as well as a chronic and resolving Grade I strain in his right calf.Ervine, 40, is one of Zimbabwe’s more experienced players and a key member of the batting unit. He has missed some cricket in recent years, often because of injury, but the most recent absence, in a Test against Ireland in February 2025, was to be with his wife for the birth of their child. Williams, too, had missed that Test with a back injury, but both of them returned to the squad for the Test series in Bangladesh at home in April-May. His last ODI appearance was in that series against Ireland.Ervine’s absence, while a blow for Zimbabwe, comes at a time when Brendan Taylor, one of the country’s best batters of the last decade, makes his comeback to the format as part of his return to international cricket after a three-year ban for corruption-related offences. It’s been Taylor’s best format over the years, one where he has scored 11 centuries in 203 innings over the years.Ervine has played 128 ODIs in his 15-year-long international career, scoring 3600 runs at an average of 33.02 with four centuries and 23 half-centuries, including a best of 130 not out, against New Zealand in Harare back in 2015.
Manchester City have opened talks to sign a “sensational” Bayern Munich player, with the German club now “really worried” about his future.
Man City's unbeaten run comes to an end at Aston Villa
Man City’s nine-game undefeated streak in all competitions was brought to a halt on Sunday afternoon, suffering a 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa at Villa Park, with Matty Cash’s first-half strike proving to be the difference between the two sides.
Despite the loss, Pep Guardiola suggested he was happy with his side’s performance, while also insisting it is too early to be overly concerned about the Premier League title race, saying: “I don’t know how many teams can come here and play the way we played, with the courage, possession and chances.
“We have to be stable with that. And after that, to deal with games better.
“But I don’t live in October and November thinking, ‘Oh what is going to happen if we don’t win the Premier League’, so it’s game by game now.”
However, having suffered three defeats already this season, which leaves the Blues six points behind Arsenal in the table, there are clear indications Guardiola may need to strengthen his squad in order to turn them back into title contenders.
According to a report from The Boot Room, Man City have this month held discussions about signing Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano, amid the uncertainty surrounding his future at the Bundesliga club.
Upamecano is yet to extend his contract at the Allianz Arena, which means he is currently set to be available on a free transfer next summer, and that is a concern for Bayern.
Scouts sent: Man City show interest in breakout star who'd cost near £70m
The Citizens believe they have the financial clamour to complete a deal.
BySean Markus Clifford Oct 26, 2025
Transfer expert Graeme Bailey adds: “Speaking to sources at a couple of Premier League clubs, they actually believe Upamecano is more likely to stay than leave, but I can tell you Bayern are really worried that Upamecano will have offers presented to him in early 2026 if an agreement with Bayern is not reached.”
"Sensational" Upamecano could be solid addition to Pep's backline
Pep has stuck with the experienced duo of John Stones and Ruben Dias at centre-back in recent weeks, with the former managing to put his injury problems behind him, while the manager also has Nathan Ake, Josko Gvardiol and Abdukodir Khusanov to call upon.
As such, it is debatable whether it is necessary to bring in another centre-back, but the Bayern star certainly has the ability required to succeed at the Etihad Stadium, having received very high praise from journalist Muhammad Butt in the past.
Every player in a Guardiola system must be comfortable in possession of the ball, and the 27-year-old fits the bill in that regard, averaging a pass-completion rate of 93.5% per 90 over the past year, placing him in the 96th percentile, compared to other centre-backs.
Upamecano could be the ideal addition to Man City’s defence, and the £168k-a-week star potentially being available on a free transfer makes signing him an even more attractive proposition.
Just when Manchester City were starting to build some momentum, it all came crashing down.
On Sunday afternoon, debuting their raindrop kit, well there was an air of pathetic fallacy, with Aston Villa finding a leak in Pep Guardiola’s defence early on, enough to secure a 1-0 win, this the Citizens’ third successive defeat at Villa Park, something that last happened in 1966.
Before this, the Sky Blues had been unbeaten in nine matches across all competitions, collecting 13 points out of a possible 15 in the Premier League, leading to many suggesting they were bona fide title challengers again.
Now though, they’ve slipped down to fifth, six points adrift leaders Arsenal, facing second-placed Bournemouth next Sunday, before Liverpool visit the Etihad a week later.
With these huge games on the horizon, which player, who contributed very little at Villa Park, should be cast aside by Guardiola?
Erling Haaland's scoring streak comes to an end
Already this season, Erling Braut Håland has scored 11 goals in the Premier League and four in the Champions League, thereby responsible for more than 65% of all goals Manchester City have managed across the two competitions.
Prior to Sunday’s visit to Villa Park, the goalbot had scored in 12 consecutive appearances for club and country, netting 22 times across these outings, including finding the target in six successive Premier League games.
Of course, that record is 11, set a decade ago by Jamie Vardy, with some suggesting that could soon be under threat, but Håland’s streak is over.
Nevertheless, at his current scoring rate, he is still currently on course to score 46 goals in the Premier League this season, which would smash his own record of 36 set in 2022/23, while he is four away from becoming the 35th member of the competition’s 100 club.
So, while Håland remains simply undroppable and usually unstoppable for Guardiola, one of his teammates underlined why he certainly no longer is in the Midlands on Sunday.
The Manchester City stalwart who struggled at Villa Park
A fair few Manchester City players came in for some scathing criticism following this weekend’s defeat.
Tijjani Reijnders struggled to imitate Rodri as the lone number six, while Savinho, following his sparkling display in mid-week, was labelled ‘largely poor’.
However, it was Bernardo Silva who underwhelmed the most.
The Portuguese international has made more appearances for Guardiola than any other player during his illustrious coaching career (419), but Sunday was certainly not one of his best, as the table below documents.
Bernardo stats vs Aston Villa
Stats
Silva
Match rank
Shots
0
17th
Attempted dribbles
0
18th
Accurate passes
15
20th
Big chances created
1
1st
Key passes
1
2nd
Interceptions
1
11th
Tackles
0
17th
Duels contested
3
25th
Duels won
1
24th
Touches
24
23rd
Stats via SofaScore
The table does not make good reading for Silva, attempting zero dribbles and tackles, winning only one of the three duels he contested, while registering only 24 touches, a mere five more than Gianluigi Donnarumma and three fewer than Jadon Sancho, who came off the bench for the Villans.
In fairness to the captain, he did create one of Manchester City’s two clear opportunities on the day, playing Håland in-behind shortly after Aston Villa’s opener, but he uncharacteristically tamely rolled it straight at Emi Martínez.
Silva was awarded a 4/10 rating by Goal, who stated that ‘his influence waned’ following ‘a bright start’, with the 31-year-old ‘unable to impose himself on proceedings’, thereby swiftly substituted on the hour mark with the team in need of a spark.
The midfielder himself admitted that the Citizens “were really bad defensively,” adding “our pressing was really bad…. it felt like we arrived late… to every duel”.
On the flip side, as recently as Tuesday night, Silva had reiterated his worth to this team by heading home the second against Villarreal in a 2-0 Champions League victory at Estadio de la Cerámica.
Now though, with serious competition for those attacking midfield positions, every performance is under the microscope.
Jérémy Doku as well as fit again duo Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki came off the bench on Sunday, with Phil Foden, Oscar Bobb and Savinho having all started; that’s quite the array of options.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
It will be interesting to see who Guardiola deploys for Wednesday night’s EFL Cup trip to Swansea but, with games against Bournemouth, Borussia Dortmund and then Liverpool to come thereafter, Silva’s display in Birmingham could mean he is watching those key clashes from the substitutes bench.
Worse than Reijnders: Pep must drop Man City star who lost possession 18x
Manchester City fell to their first Premier League defeat since August away at Aston Villa.
We’ve known for more than a year that Kyle Tucker would be the prize free agent this offseason. Now it’s time for him to find a new home.
Tucker spent the 2025 season with the Cubs after they swung a huge deal to land him from the Astros last December. It was pretty much understood from the jump that his time in Chicago would be short, as the Cubs have no plans to ink him to the kind of contract he’ll surely land on the open market.
The 28-year-old four-time All-Star missed a chunk of the season while dealing with a calf injury and a small fracture in his right hand. That certainly impacted his numbers. In 136 games, he slashed .266/.377/.464, with 22 home runs, 73 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases. His wRC+ of 136 was good, but also his lowest mark since 2022, and he produced 4.5 fWAR. He has only played in 214 games over the past two seasons, but remained mostly healthy for the prior three years.
When Juan Soto got $765 million from the Mets, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. landed $500 million from the Blue Jays, Tucker had to be thrilled. He’s likely in line for a 10-plus year deal in the $400 million range that will likely pay him at least $35 million a year, and potentially more.
Here’s a look at four potential landing spots for Tucker in free agency.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Most MLB fans are going to hate this, but it’s the fit that makes the most sense. While the Dodgers are undoubtedly a juggernaut, their biggest offensive weakness was in the outfield during the 2025 campaign. L.A.’s left fielders combined to produce -2.4 WAR, led by Michael Conforto’s brutal season (-0.7). Teoscar Hernandez (1.5) also had an average campaign after signing a big contract in the offseason, while Any Pages (3.8) broke out before falling apart in the postseason. Adding Tucker would allow the Dodgers to shift Hernandez to left field, where he belongs, and shore up the only weak spot in the team’s lineup. And, let’s be real, they won’t have an issue affording his massive deal.
San Francisco Giants
The Giants have been looking to add a top left-handed bat for years. They got one by trading for Rafael Devers, but the team’s offense collapsed after that addition before finding some footing late in the season. Still, San Francisco finished 22nd in OPS (.697), 25th in batting average (.235) and 19th in home runs (173). The Giants have about $137 million committed to players for 2026, giving them plenty of room to bring in Tucker, and he’d fit perfectly in right field immediately. A lineup that includes Tucker, Devers, Willy Adames, Matt Chapman, and Bryce Eldridge would pack a ton of punch and potentially be good enough to challenge the Dodgers in the NL West.
New York Yankees
Cody Bellinger opted out of his contract, and Trent Grisham is hitting free agency, which means the Yankees will lose 63 home runs from their outfield. Over the past few years, they’ve missed on adding the top bats available, most notably in losing out on Juan Soto and having to watch him walk across town to the Mets. Tucker’s left-handed swing would do damage at Yankee Stadium’s short porch. In 16 games as a visiting player, he has four home runs, but only a .698 OPS and a 98 wRC+. I feel safe in saying that wouldn’t hold long-term. He’s a fit now and in the long run as a star to pair with Aaron Judge.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies face the prospect of losing Kyle Schwarber in free agency, and there’s a chance they will entertain trading Bryce Harper. If either happens, they’ll need a left-handed bat to replace them. Enter Tucker, who fills a huge need at the plate and in the field. Philadelphia’s outfielders struggled in 2025, as none of them produced more than 1.7 WAR, and Nick Castellanos finished underwater at -1.0. Schwarber, Harper, and Trea Turner played at or near their expected levels, but the rest of the offense dragged behind. More punch is needed, even if they keep their two biggest bats. Tucker’s presence would make everyone better.
Ashley Cole has lifted the lid on the dramatic crossroads that shaped his career, revealing he felt “underappreciated” at Arsenal and even had opportunities to join European superclubs before ultimately choosing Chelsea. The former England defender admitted both Real Madrid and Barcelona were serious options, but personal circumstances drove his eventual west London switch.
Barcelona and Real Madrid wanted Cole
Cole has reflected on the turbulent final months of his Arsenal career, explaining how frustration over contract talks played a major role in his decision to pursue a move away from the club. As negotiations stalled and the left-back felt increasingly undervalued, he became open to opportunities abroad, with both Real Madrid and Barcelona showing interest. However, despite preparing for a potential move overseas, his eventual decision to remain in London set the stage for his now-famous transfer to Chelsea.
During this period, Cole found himself caught between career ambition and personal stability, especially after marrying Cheryl Cole, which made a relocation abroad less appealing. As interest from Spain cooled and his dissatisfaction at Arsenal deepened, his representatives received an unexpected call from Chelsea, an option that ultimately changed the trajectory of his career. A year and a half after initial issues surfaced, Cole completed his move to Stamford Bridge in a £5 million deal involving William Gallas going the other way.
His transfer became one of the most controversial in Premier League history, but also one of the most successful in hindsight, as Cole went on to establish himself as one of Chelsea’s greatest modern defenders. Winning multiple domestic and European titles, he cemented a legacy that arguably surpassed his achievements at Arsenal. Yet the origins of his move remain rooted in a personal feeling of being undervalued, a sentiment he still openly discusses today.
Advertisement
Getty Images Sport
Cole felt 'underappreciated' at Arsenal
Cole explained the emotional aspects behind his decision, saying: "I felt a bit underappreciated and undervalued. So that's where my head and heart was at. I was like, 'You've taken my love away' and it didn't need to be like that." He admitted he initially planned to leave Arsenal for Europe, with major clubs ready to act.
Reflecting on the interest from abroad, he said: "From what I was told and heard, I was going to Real Madrid. I was having conversations with agents because at that point I could pre-sign for a team abroad. So, it was Madrid and kind of Barcelona. I don't know how deep it was." But personal developments changed his priorities.
Cole continued: "Things changed, I got married, and didn't actually want to leave the country in the end. Then, around a year and a half later, I remember sitting in my box with my agent and him calling me outside and going, 'You're never going to believe who this is, it's Chelsea.' So I was like, okay!" He added that Chelsea offered him "maybe five or six grand more" than what Arsenal were paying.
Cole opens up on the failure of England's Golden Generation
Cole went on to enjoy immense success at Chelsea, winning the Premier League, four FA Cups, the Champions League and Europa League during an eight-year spell in which he made 337 appearances. He became widely regarded as one of the greatest left-backs of his generation and a cornerstone of Chelsea’s European triumphs. His trophy haul at Stamford Bridge eclipsed his achievements at Arsenal, despite having been part of the legendary Invincibles side.
On the international stage, however, Cole admitted that England’s so-called “golden generation” never found the right balance. He described the difficulties of fitting elite talents into one system, saying players were not always willing to sacrifice their preferred roles for the team. Cole highlighted the challenges of combining the traits of Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and others, arguing their strengths did not naturally complement one another.
He reflected on how the team lacked cohesion despite the presence of world-class individuals, ultimately limiting their success at major tournaments. He said: "Reflecting now and where I am now, you know working with the England seniors now and seeing what they have compared to what we had, you think now that our team just didn't work.
"To get all of those players on the pitch – the three midfielders for example – and all the top players on the pitch together, I don't think it works and we can't all be what we are for our clubs.
"So Paul Scholes cannot be Paul Scholes with Steven Gerrard in the team, because Stevie G cannot be Stevie G with Paul Scholes, Lampard can't be the Frank Lampard for Chelsea with those two in the team.
"So were the players open enough to sacrifice themselves? People need to be more selfless and I don't think we were. Scholes wanted to hit his Man United diagonals, so did (David) Becks, Stevie G wanted to drive and push us up the pitch. Us defenders wanted to get forward."
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images Sport
Helping the next generation with England
Cole’s comments reignite a longstanding debate about his Arsenal exit and the choices that shaped his career, especially given how close he came to leaving England altogether. His account may prompt renewed reflection from supporters on both sides of the London divide, as well as fresh discussion about the so-called 'Golden Generation' and its shortcomings. As Cole continues to work within England’s coaching setup, his experiences—both domestic and international—are likely to inform the next era of national-team development.
Everton are set to step up their interest in Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee, with the Toffees’ interest in Arsenal front man Gabriel Jesus hitting a dead end.
The Toffees have shown plenty of signs of promise so far this season, albeit whilst remaining inconsistent. Their 2-0 victory over Fulham on Saturday represented their first Premier League win in three games and first clean sheet in eight games, but David Moyes reiterated that he wants everyone to “keep believing” at Everton.
The experienced manager told reporters: “Look, we’ve wanted to try to become a much better footballing team and the players we’ve brought in have helped us to do that.
“We don’t want to lose what we’ve had – desire, heart, commitment – but I think we had to try to find a way of getting a little bit better at certain things and I think we have to build. Look, I trust the owners will help us in all the windows as we go forward and we’ll try to make things better as we go along.
“We need to get people believing in Everton like we do, like the supporters here do, and what we want us to be in the future. To do that we need to keep picking up the wins and attracting top players like Kiernan and Jack Grealish and players of that ilk. We need to keep attracting that level of players to come to the Club.”
What was apparent against Fulham, however, was just how much Everton’s forwards are still struggling. Whether it’s been Beto or one of their most expensive signings, Thierno Barry, the Toffees just haven’t been able to get their strikers firing and something needs to change.
Friekdin are already reportedly looking at potential solutions and have now reportedly made their position on signing Zirkzee clear.
Everton make Joshua Zirkzee position clear ahead of January
As reported by Sky Sports’ Rob Dorsett, Zirkzee is now “high up” on Everton’s shortlist and those in Merseyside could make their move if the Man United striker becomes available in January. Ivan Toney is the second name in contention, with Arsenal set to refuse offers for Jesus.
0 minutes all season: "Generational" Everton star could be Branthwaite 2.0
David Moyes must consider unleashing this talented Everton youngster in the coming weeks.
ByAngus Sinclair Nov 7, 2025
The Dutchman has made just five appearances all season and is yet to start a single Premier League game. This follows the arrivals of Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha as well as his own disappointing debut campaign last time out.
But is Zirkzee the answer to Everton’s problem? They’ve already revived the best version of Jack Grealish on loan from Manchester City and now there’s a chance they could get the same opportunity with Zirkzee.
Praised as “amazing with his back to goal” by Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski last season, the Man United man is still just 24 years old and has plenty of time to find his feet elsewhere in the Premier League.
Everton hatch striker plan as Moyes moves for star with 18 goals this season
Aside from the continuous number of injuries they’ve had to deal with, it’s starting to feel like everything is falling into place for Arsenal this season.
Mikel Arteta’s side have pretty much perfected the art of set-pieces, have become near enough impossible to score against, and as a result, are sitting atop the Premier League table.
Moreover, while there is still a level to go for many of the attacking players, many of those who underwhelmed last year are starting to look back to their best.
This includes one of Arteta’s signings, who has even been compared to the iconic Santi Cazorla – and no, it’s not Martin Zubimendi.
Santi Cazorla's Arsenal career
Cazorla joined Arsenal for a fee of just £16m from Spanish outfit Malaga in the summer of 2012, and it did not take him long at all to make an impact at the club.
The mercurial midfielder put in a man-of-the-match performance against Sunderland in what was his debut for the North Londoners, and ended up finishing that first campaign with a tally of 12 goals and 14 assists in 49 games.
By the time he left the Gunners in August 2018, he did so with an impressive haul of 29 goals and 45 assists in just 180 appearances, but it wasn’t the output that made him such a firm fan favourite, but the way in which he played the game.
When fit, the 40-year-old magician was seemingly able to do it all, from playing outrageous balls from one side of the pitch to the other, to driving with the ball and beating opposition defenders with ease.
At times, the two-footed wizard was the embodiment of what Wenger wanted his teams to do on the pitch, someone who was capable of winning games with some incredible skill, but doing so while also entertaining the paying fans.
There are really countless examples of the Spaniard doing something remarkable in the famous red and white, but perhaps the most iconic and impactful was his free-kick in the 2014 FA Cup final, which kick-started the club’s comeback.
Had he managed to keep fit, there is no telling what Cazorla could have accomplished at Arsenal, and while the club have not quite had a player like him since, there is someone in the current squad who has been compared to the Emirates icon.
The Arsenal star compared to Cazorla
Now, the first player many of you might think of here is Zubimendi. After all, he is a Spanish midfielder with a great range of passing and the ability to use both feet when needed.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
However, in this instance, the comparison to the former Arsenal star comes from another former Gunners’ great, Kevin Campbell, and concerns Leandro Trossard.
Yes, when speaking back in 2023, Campbell was full of praise for the Belgian, saying that while “they don’t play in the same spot”, he could “see the comparison because he has such quick feet like Santi did.”
He went on to compare the way in which the former Brighton & Hove Albion gem is also able to “see things quickly and Santi saw things quickly.”
Another similarity the 30-year-old shares with the Spaniard, aside from wearing the number 19, is his impressive ability to use both feet without much trouble at all.
You can see this during games, and then on top of that, his former coach at Genk once told Sky Sports that the dynamic left-winger is indeed “right-footed and left-footed.”
Finally, while there are still plenty of other differences between the pair, one more key point of overlap is the Maasmechelen-born gem’s ability to make something happen, generally by finishing a chance most would consider too difficult.
After all, that is why Arteta has referred to him as a “little magician” and Ian Wright made the bold claim that he’s the Gunners’ “best finisher.”
Ultimately, Trossard is not the same player Cazorla was at Arsenal, but from his two-footedness to his technical class and ability to make things happen, he certainly shares a great deal in common with the Spaniard.
Arteta must boldly bench Saka & unleash Arsenal's "phenomenal" talent
Mikel Arteta must be bold ahead of Arsenal’s League Cup clash and drop Saka.
Danny Rohl has now personally ordered the Rangers board make three new signings in the January transfer window, with the manager’s top transfer priority named.
Rohl is off to a solid start in the Scottish Premiership, recording victories in his opening two matches as manager, which means he already has more league wins to his name than Russell Martin, who left the Gers in nothing short of a terrible position.
Indeed, as a result of Martin’s awful start, the Teddy Bears have a lot of ground to make up if they are going to be serious contenders for the league title, with Hearts currently setting the pace at the top, opening up a 14-point lead.
As bad as the former Southampton boss was, the players must also take their share of the blame, however, and the Heart & Hand Podcast recently singled out a number of first-team stars for heavy criticism.
Consequently, the new manager may feel the need to strengthen his squad this winter, and his number one priority has now been revealed…
Rohl orders Rangers board to make three January signings
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Rohl has now ordered the Rangers board to make three signings in the January transfer window, with the club’s hierarchy ready to back their manager.
Top of the list is a ‘commanding’ new centre-back, given that doubts remain over Nasser Djiga, Clinton Nsiala, Emmanuel Fernandes, John Souttar and Derek Cornelius.
However, signing a new centre-back is not the only task on the agenda, with the 36-year-old making it clear he wants to bring in an energetic midfielder and a prolific striker.
It is clear to see why bolstering the backline is of the utmost importance, with the Gers looking shocking from a defensive point of view on multiple occasions this season, the most recent example of which being the display against SK Brann last month.
That result, in particular, will have underlined the size of the task at hand to Rohl, with James Tavernier being left disgusted by the performance.
Having also conceded nine goals across two legs against Club Brugge, the Gers should undoubtedly sign a new centre-back this winter, but a new striker wouldn’t go amiss either.
Tavenier is the only Rangers player to have scored more than two Scottish Premiership goals this season, despite being a right-back, highlighting the scale of the issues at both ends of the pitch.
Rangers urged to drop Youssef Chermiti ahead of AS Roma clash As bad as Aasgaard: Rohl must drop Rangers flop who was "so poor"
Danny Rohl must drop this Rangers flop who was as bad as Thelo Aasgaard at Hampden Park.
No result India claimed a 2-1 series victory over Australia in an anti-climax after the fifth and final T20I was abandoned due to heavy rain and thunderstorms in Brisbane.After being sent in to bat, there had been intrigue over how India’s top-order would fare on a Gabba surface with plenty of bounce and carry. But with their nemesis Josh Hazlewood in Ashes prep mode and again not in the line-up, Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill plundered 52 runs before play came to a halt after 4.5 overs.Abhishek did have luck having been dropped twice, but Gill was in sweet touch as he smacked 29 off 16 balls.The series ended the same way it began after rain ruined the opening T20I in Canberra. Australia dominated game two in front of 82,000 fans at the MCG, largely thanks to a rampant Hazlewood but India ultimately prevailed in the series after their spinners gained a stranglehold on slower surfaces in Hobart and the Gold Coast.The India T20I squad with the series trophy in Brisbane•Matt Roberts/CA/Getty Images
India will head home well pleased ahead of their T20 World Cup title defence on home soil.”The way everyone chipped in every game, it was a complete team effort with the bat, ball and in the field,” India captain Suryakumar Yadav said.”I saw what happened with the women’s team winning the World Cup in India, having unbelievable support. When you play at home there is pressure but at the same there is a lot of excitement.”In their final hit-out in the format before the T20 World Cup, Australia’s aggressive batting approach against high-quality spin attacks has come under scrutiny although recriminations are unlikely amid Ashes hysteria.”I don’t think I can remember the last time we had so many rain interruptions,” Australia captain Mitchell Marsh said. “I think there are a lot of learnings to take forward, a lot of positives. The flexibility of our group and the squad that we’re trying to build in a World Cup year has been amazing.”Earlier, a grinning Marsh once again won the toss but his mood soon soured after the start India’s openers got.There was no settling in for left-arm quick Ben Dwarshuis as Abhishek bludgeoned a trademark boundary over mid-off on the fourth delivery of the match.He tried to repeat the dose on the next ball only to miscue high into the air where Glenn Maxwell nestled under having trudged back from mid-off. A resigned Abhishek had already begun walking off only for the unthinkable to happen, with Maxwell spilling a straightforward catch.While Abhishek lived dangerously, Gill was in sublime touch as he stroked four boundaries off Dwarshuis’ second over with the best being a gorgeous cover drive. Gill was in the type of commanding form that had eluded him during a tough tour – which started with an ODI series defeat in his captaincy debut in the format – and he looked determined to finish on a high.Abhishek, on 11, received another life when he was dropped by Dwarshuis who ran in from fine-leg before compounding Nathan Ellis’ misery by smashing him over midwicket for six.Typical for Brisbane this time for year, bad weather loomed large and the players went off due to lightning before heavy rain cascaded onto the ground in a major disappointment for the sold-out crowd.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has now made a major decision on Pedri’s fitness ahead of the Champions League clash against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this Tuesday.
The Blues will be looking to return to winning ways in the Champions League on Tuesday, having been unable to overcome Qarabag last time out, drawing 2-2 away at the Azerbaijani side, but they should be heading into the game with renewed confidence.
Enzo Maresca’s side have put together a good run in the Premier League, winning their last three matches without conceding, most recently securing a 2-0 win at Burnley courtesy of goals from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez.
Maresca was particularly happy with his side’s defensive showing, saying after the game: “The way we competed I am very happy.
“To come here and not concede is very difficult. It’s normal to concede something. But overall they only had one real chance. During the game they didn’t have any big chances and during the game we had loads of chances.”
However, the manager will be well-aware that Tuesday’s opposition will be much tougher, and the west Londoners have now been handed a boost heading into the Champions League encounter…
Hansi Flick set to leave Pedri out against Chelsea
According to reports from Spain (via Sport Witness), Pedri is now unlikely to travel to London ahead of Tuesday’s game, as Flick and his coaching staff believe it is not worth risking the midfielder, who suffered a hamstring injury near the end of October.
The 22-year-old is now a serious doubt for the trip to Stamford Bridge, having missed training on Sunday, which will be welcome news for Maresca & co, who need every advantage they can get heading into the game against the reigning La Liga champions.
Lauded as “amazing” by journalist Muhammad Butt, the Barcelona star has been absolutely integral for Barcelona over the past year, regularly displaying his ability to dictate games, set-up chances for his teammates, and drive the ball forward.
Pedri’s key statistics
Average per 90 (past year)
Assists
0.17 (80th percentile)
Passes attempted
91.85 (98th percentile)
Progressive carries
3.42 (99th percentile)
Successful take-ons
1.40 (97th percentile)
That said, the La Liga side are likely to be just as fearful of Chelsea’s midfield, with Fernandez scoring his fifth goal of the season against Burnley at the weekend, while Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp has waxed lyrical about Moises Caicedo this season.
As such, Chelsea should no doubt fancy their chances heading into Tuesday’s game, taking on Barca in a competitive game for the first time since a 3-0 defeat at Camp Nou back in 2018.
Moises Caicedo and Pedri have been named among the best midfielders in the world The Best 15 Midfielders in World Football Ranked (2025)
Some of the best players in the world do their stuff in the middle of the park, but who’s number one?