Eighteen years and 206 days. It was a long wait. Entire careers started and ended in the time between India’s previous ODI victory at home against Australia in 2007 and the 102-run triumph in New Chandigarh on Wednesday.The final margin may make the win seem easy but it took spirited bowling from India following Smriti Mandhana’s century to draw level at 1-1 in the three-match series. Riding on Mandhana’s 12th ODI ton, India posted 292, a total that seemed lower than what they should have got. In response, India’s seamers stifled the top order and the spinners put pressure on the middle to hand Australia their biggest ODI defeat. All this after being thrashed in the opening match at the same venue.

Australia fined for slow over rate

Australia have been fined 10% of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate against India in the second ODI on Wednesday in New Chandigarh. Australia were ruled two overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration.

Match referee GS Lakshmi imposed the sanction on the visiting team in accordance with Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. According to the code of conduct, players are fined 5% of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time. Australia captain Alyssa Healy pled guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.

Australia wanted to “get out in the heat and acclimatise,” said their captain Alyssa Healy after asking India to bat on a flat track. India’s innings was Mandhana or bust. She hit a six off her eighth ball, won an unfavourable match-up against Ashleigh Gardner, and made use of the first powerplay to race to a 45-ball fifty. With India a batter short after Jemimah Rodrigues was ruled out of the series with viral fever, Mandhana never let the tempo drop.With Shafali Verma no longer in India’s ODI plans, Mandhana has taken on the role of aggressor and got to her century off just 77 balls, the second quickest for India. Only Meg Lanning (15) and Suzie Bates (13) have more hundreds than Mandhana. Her presence in the middle meant Australia couldn’t use their legspinners to full effect. Georgia Wareham went for 29 in her first two overs, with India’s vice-captain hitting her for three fours and two sixes, while Alana King was only introduced in the 34th, the over after Mandhana fell.While Mandhana thrived, the other India batters struggled. Pratika Rawal couldn’t find a way around Australia’s tactics and 20 off her 32 balls were dots. Harleen Deol did not score a run off 17 of her first 19 balls. Deepti Sharma made 40 off 53 but hit just two fours. Darcie Brown picked up three wickets, having found her rhythm towards the end of the innings.Kranti Goud removed Alyssa Healy early•Getty Images

Australia were tasked with achieving their highest chase in ODIs and fast bowler Renuka Singh, playing her first international following a stress injury last year, took only six balls to strike. Georgia Voll, who had come in because Phoebe Litchfield was rested for a minor quad strain, bagged a five-ball duck in her first international match in India. Soon, Kranti Goud dismissed Healy for the second time in two games. After the first powerplay, Australia were 25 for 2, their lowest 10-over powerplay total since the 2017 World Cup.Ellyse Perry kept Australia on track with Beth Mooney and then Annabel Sutherland. India dropped a few catches: Richa Ghosh failed to hold on to a tough leg-side chance after Perry attempted a paddle, Deol dropped a miscue from Mooney after running in from long-off, and Radha dropped Sutherland off her own bowling. Perry and Mooney added 50 off 73 balls before Perry and Sutherland put on 46 off 45 balls.India also had an injury scare when Renuka walked off clutching her left calf. She bowled a spell of six consecutive overs at the start of the chase and was brought back after a five-over break. While Renuka came back on to the field a few overs later, she did not bowl anymore.It was Sneh Rana who deceived Mooney with a wider line – with Arundhati Reddy, in for Rodrigues, taking a running catch – and then Radha dealt the chase a severe blow by dismissing Perry caught and bowled. When Reddy ended Sutherland’s aggressive innings, India sensed a win, which was sealed by Deepti taking two wickets in two overs. She had Gardner and Tahlia McGrath caught in the outfield to all but shut out Australia.There was no coming back from there and Goud bowled Wareham and had Megan Schutt caught and bowled to complete a memorable win.

Daniel Farke – already relegated from the Premier League in the past – was under intense pressure heading into the new season at Leeds United due to his prior top-flight record, although this time was going to be different. Right?

While the 2025/26 campaign is only 11 games old, the worry will be that the German coach is slipping back into old habits, with the Elland Road side currently just two points above the drop zone.

That position is perhaps to be expected for a newly-promoted outfit, although with the Whites currently on a run of four losses from their last five league outings, the mood is unsurprisingly beginning to sour.

Nothing drastic is expected to happen over the next few weeks, even with the international break providing the perfect time to separate, although there is a sense that the ex-Norwich City man is now on borrowed time.

With Aston Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool all visiting Elland Road across the next five fixtures, with trips to Manchester City and Brentford to come, it is crunch time for those in Yorkshire.

Will Farke survive the test? If not, just who could replace him?

Daniel Farke's overall Premier League record

It may not be too bold to suggest that the 49-year-old has been a dead man walking since the summer, with reports emerging that the 49ers’ ownership were considering replacing the promotion-winning coach, even despite the success of guiding Leeds back into the top-flight at the second attempt.

A year prior, for comparison, rivals Manchester United had almost publicly sought out a replacement for Erik ten Hag, albeit while ultimately deciding to back the Dutchman following his FA Cup heroics. Just two months into the new season, however, the former Ajax boss was relieved of his post.

The doubts over Farke following last term no doubt stemmed from his dire previous record in the Premier League, with his first taste of England’s top tier ending in Norwich finishing rock-bottom in 2019/20.

Having stayed on to oversee the attempt to swiftly bounce back, he was then sacked just 11 games into the 2021/22 campaign, having failed to win any of the first ten league games of the season.

At the time of his dismissal from Carrow Road, Farke’s record in the Premier League stood at 49 games played, eight draws, six wins and a remarkable 35 losses, having shipped 101 goals in that time with a points per game ratio of just 0.53.

Games

60

Wins

9

Draws

10

Losses

41

Goals scored

41

Goals conceded

121

Points

37

Points per game

0.62

With three wins, two draws and six losses in the first 11 games of 2025/26, there is little to suggest that the one-time Borussia Monchengladbach boss is faring much better, with Leeds facing a very real threat of a swift return to the second tier.

Rightly or wrongly, Farke was given the chance to prove himself again in the Premier League, although that show of faith may well have backfired.

Does a successor need to be found?

How Leeds can swiftly upgrade on Farke

Appointing a new manager, particularly mid-season, is such a delicate act to get right, with notable names such as Carlos Corberan and Ange Postecoglou among those who could potentially come back onto the 49ers’ radar.

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Prior speculation has also suggested that Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior could also be in the equation, if Leeds are to make a change, with the ex-Hull City manager currently doing a fine job in France.

Described as “one of the best coaches ever” by pundit Clinton Morrison, Rosenior has taken the BlueCo-owned side to new heights in 2025/26 thus far, with the Ligue 1 outfit currently fourth in the table and just five points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain.

Unlike Farke’s dismal record so far this term, the Englishman’s 12 league games have yielded seven wins, four losses and a solitary draw, following on from a season in which his side finished seventh in 2024/25 to claim a Conference League spot.

What makes that progression even more remarkable is that the average age of Rosenior’s squad at Strasbourg is just 22.6, as per Transfermarkt, albeit with his starting lineup regularly dipping even below that average.

Of course, Ligue 1 provides a different test to the Premier League, although the one-time Brighton man’s attack-minded, progressive style of play is bearing fruit, with his side scoring 24 times already from their 12 league games this term.

For contrast, Farke’s struggling squad have scored just ten times in their 11 Premier League outings – the joint-second worst record in the division.

A man who once lauded Leeds hero Marcelo Bielsa as a “genius” amid his fine work at Elland Road, Rosenior could be another wildcard option to try and follow in the Argentine’s footsteps.

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ByKelan Sarson Nov 13, 2025

خسر الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي آرسنال مباراته أمام نظيره أستون فيلا في اللقاء الذي جمعهما عصر اليوم، السبت، ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وواجه آرسنال نظيره أستون فيلا اليوم، السبت، في إطار منافسات الجولة الخامسة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “بريميرليج”، على ملعب “فيلا بارك”.

وانتهت المباراة بين آرسنال وأستون فيلا بهزيمة الجانرز بنتيجة 2/1 ليصعد فيلا إلى وصافة جدول ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي. 

بتلك النتيجة، لازال آرسنال في صدارة جدول ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 33 نقطة، مبتعدًا بثلاث نقاط عن أستون فيلا الذي صعد إلى وصافة الجدول بعد فوزه اليوم برصيد 30 نقطة.

وافتتح أهداف اللقاء اللاعب كاش، لصالح أستون فيلا في الدقيقة 36 بالشوط الأول بعدما استقبل عرضية متقنة من زميله وسدد الكرة بقوة بين قدمي الحارس الإسباني رايا.

اقرأ أيضًا | إيزاك: لا أحتاج لأحد لتقييم مستواي مع ليفربول.. ونركز على تحقيق الانتصارات

وأحرز هدف التعادل لصالح آرسنال الدولي البلجيكي تروسارد في الدقيقة 52 بعدما استقبل عرضية أرضية من زميله ساكا وسددها تروسارد في المرمى الخالي من حارس أستون فيلا.

وأضاف بوينديا الهدف الثاني القاتل لصالح أستون فيلا في الدقيقة 95 من وقت المباراة بعد ارتباك داخل منطقة الجزاء حيث سدد لاعب فيلا الكرة في مرمى الحارس رايا ليكتب ثلاث نقاط ثمينة لصالح رجال أوناي إيمري.

وسدد رجال أرتيتا 14 تسديدة على مرمى الحارس إيميليانو مارتينيز، بينهم 8 بين القائمين والعارضة، فيما سدد أستون فيلا 10 تسديدات منهم 4 على المرمى.

واستحوذ الجانرز على الكرة بنسبة 54% فيما استحوذ فريق أستون فيلا على الكرة بنسبة 46%. أهداف مباراة آرسنال وأستون فيلا في الدوري الإنجليزي

Taylor Ward is lucky he has attentive teammates.

The Los Angeles Angels outfielder ran headfirst into the left field wall while attempting to chase down a fly ball off the bat of Houston Astros second baseman Ramon Urias in the bottom of the eighth inning. Ward missed the ball, but got a face-ful of the wall and fell to the field in a heap.

He eventually got up and signaled to the Angels' bullpen that he needed help, and the team's relievers responded, rushing out to check on him and provided a towel to soak up the blood running down his face.

Video is below.

That is a scary scene.

The outfield at Daikin Park can be difficult to navigate due to its intricate angles.

Ward left the game and was replaced in left field by Luis Rengifo, who moved from second base, with Christian Moore taking over that spot.

Despite Ward's absence, the Angels won the game 3-0. Hopefully, he winds up being OK.

No result Nilakshika Silva struck the fastest fifty at this World Cup to boost a flagging Sri Lankan innings, after it looked like they were in danger of squandering their best start with the bat all tournament. It proved to be in vain, as rain washed out the game after the completion of the first innings. The result leaves them and New Zealand sharing one point apiece.Silva’s knock perfectly complemented a half-century from Chamari Athapaththu and meant that, having opted to bat first in Colombo, Sri Lanka managed to post a very competitive 258 for 6.There were also meaningful contributions from Vishmi Gunaratne and Hasini Perera, but it was Silva’s timely intervention that meant Sri Lanka managed 80 runs in the final 10 overs – a significant uptick for a side that has averaged a scoring rate under five during that period. In the end, she ended with 55 off 28, including seven boundaries and the solitary six of the innings.Sophie Devine was the pick of the bowlers, picking up three wickets – including the prize scalp of Athapaththu – but also proved expensive, going for 54 in her nine overs. There were also wickets for Bree Illing – who had replaced Lea Tahuhu in the XI – and Rosemary Mair.New Zealand were let down by their fielding, with several chances being missed out on over the course of the Lankan innings. The first miss was inside the first powerplay, where Athapaththu got a faint nick through to the keeper when on 12, but one that was not picked up by either the umpire or any of the New Zealand fielders, aside from keeper Izzy Gaze, who made a lone appeal. With the Lankan skipper going on to score a 20th W-ODI fifty, it proved to be a rather costly error in judgment.Vishmi Gunaratne and Chamari Athapaththu gave Sri Lanka a strong start•AFP/Getty Images

Sri Lanka’s innings was boosted by a host of similar missed chances and fortunate reprieves.Gunaratne was on a pained 19 off 45 when she was trapped lbw by Amelia Kerr, but with six seconds left on the clock she was convinced by Athapaththu to take the review. As it transpired, there was a just the smallest murmur on Ultra Edge to indicate that there had been some bat on the ball.Gunaratne received further lifelines across her innings. Amelia first got only fingertips on a low drive back from Gunaratne, which burst through her hands. Suzie Bates spilled a gilt-edged chance at mid-on a short while after that, also off Amelia.That period of fortune for Sri Lanka culminated with Athapaththu shanking one to deep point to hole you, but Sri Lanka kept ticking along thanks to lady luck. Several times, direct hit opportunities went begging as Sri Lanka sought tight singles, while the New Zealand outfielders were guilty of some costly misfields.Gaze, meanwhile, missed a stumping opportunity as well as a tough caught-behind chance, while Perera was fortunate not to be given lbw when she missed a pull on a Mair slower delivery. It struck her in the midriff, but replays showed the delivery was so slow that it would have dipped on to the stumps. No review was taken despite an appeal.Despite these fortunate instances, Sri Lanka’s batting was perhaps more conservative than usual, likely owing to their poor record through this tournament. Here they lost just two wickets leading up to the 40th but their scoring rate was still under five an over. By the time they felt safe enough to up the ante, they lost three wickets in the span of a couple of overs.From 183 for 2 they found themselves 198 for 5, but despite the fall of wickets, Silva was unbowed as she singlehandedly raised the rate of scoring, culminating in a trio of boundaries in a 16-run final over as Sri Lanka head to the break with the momentum. In the end, the rain made sure of an unsatisfactory conclusion.

Aston Villa have now made contact to sign Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Garcia on loan in the January transfer window, but there could be competition from a plethora of rival Premier League clubs.

Villa’s interest in signing Garcia is nothing new, with claims they had even submitted an offer and wanted to get a deal over the line as quickly as possible, amid a lack of game time for the forward at Real Madrid.

The 21-year-old has appeared for just 96 minutes in La Liga this season, which will be a concern, given that he is now at an age where receiving consistent game time is important, otherwise his development could be hampered.

The Villans’ interest in signing a new forward also comes amid Evann Guessand making a slow start to life in the Premier League, having failed to register a goal or an assist, meaning Unai Emery may need a fresh injection of quality this winter if his side are going to push for the European places.

Aston Villa make contact to sign Gonzalo Garcia on loan

According to a report from Football Insider, Aston Villa have now made contact to sign Real Madrid forward Garcia on loan in the January transfer window, having registered their interest, but the Spanish heavyweights are yet to come to a final decision on his future.

Xabi Alonso’s side have concerns about a lack of depth in attack, meaning it could be worth keeping the Madrid-born starlet as a back-up option, especially considering Endrick is also set to go out on loan this winter.

Should the La Liga side sanction a departure, there may be stiff competition for the youngster’s signature, with Brighton & Hove Albion, Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers also being named as potential suitors by journalist Pete O’Rourke.

Although the young Spaniard has been unable to force his way into Alonso’s plans in La Liga, he certainly made a name for himself at the Club World Cup in the summer, receiving high praise from scout Jacek Kulig.

Not only that, but the centre-forward has also impressed at international level for Spain U21s, scoring in each of his last three matches, while also captaining his side during two of his five international caps.

With Ollie Watkins arguably not the player he once was, having scored just one Premier League goal this term, Aston Villa could do with bringing in a young striker with high potential, and Garcia has proven he could be a future star.

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ByDominic Lund Nov 19, 2025

Eddie Howe has finally got the better of Pep Guardiola now in a Premier League environment.

At the 19th time of asking, Howe managed to get one over on the highly successful Manchester City manager, as Newcastle United romped back into top-flight action with a 2-1 win at St James’ Park.

Newcastle were good value for the win, too, as Harvey Barnes chipped in with a double to steer the Toon to another memorable victory on their own patch.

How Harvey Barnes downed Manchester City

The former Leicester City winger is now up to six goals for the season in all competitions, despite his appearance against Guardiola’s men only being his fifth Premier League start of the campaign.

With a brace under his belt, though, he’s surely a shoo-in for more starts as the congested winter fixture schedule hits. Journalist Henry Winter simply described his display as “clinical” when powering two quickfire efforts past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Barnes would manage to put away those two efforts confidently, with just four shots registered in total. But, away from stylishly getting the better of the new City number one with his opener, the 27-year-old also managed to win three duels and attempt three mazy dribbles as a constant livewire.

The only worry will be whether Barnes can stay fit to keep up this electric form, with three Premier League goals now next to his name from limited starts. Across the last three seasons on Tyneside, he has missed a concerning 38 games via injury.

Thankfully, though, Newcastle have a rising star in their ranks who could go on to be a bigger talent than the Toon winger.

Newcastle's 18-year-old Barnes replacement

Howe has shown frequently throughout his time as Newcastle boss to date that he is willing to chuck a starlet into the first team picture if they’re deemed ready for the challenge of senior action.

Indeed, Lewis Miley first made his senior debut under Howe when he was just 17 years of age, while another budding homegrown prodigy in Sean Neave, occupied a space on the bench against City, all while still being a wide-eyed 18-year-old prospect.

Could Seung Soo-Park be the next to bridge the gap between the U21s and the first team?

The future certainly looks bright for the South Korean attacker, who excelled for Suwon Bluewings back in his native Korea at just 17 years of age, becoming the youngest ever player in the history of Korean league football.

One goal and three assists came his way from 28 appearances for Suwon, with Barnes reduced to playing all the way down in League One at around the same age with Milton Keynes Dons, out on loan from then parent side Leicester City.

Park has even been described as a “similar [player] to Mbappe” by Asian football expert John Duerden for his frightening speed when bombing forward, which was seen in the summer when Park was handed opportunities in pre-season, with three dribbles successfully completed up against Espanyol.

With two duels won against Tottenham Hotspur in another pre-season test, it might not be the wildest suggestion in the world to state that Park could be gifted some senior minutes in the bread and butter of the Premier League soon, with the Korean sensation hailed for showing a “maturity beyond his years” by academy coach Steven Harper when first joining.

Gordon

13

4 + 1

Elanga

18

0 + 1

Barnes

18

6 + 2

Of course, the ex-Suwon winger does have both Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga in his way, too, down the left-hand side, but if he can manage to live up to all his early hype, he should be able to surpass those in front of him down the line.

Indeed, Elanga is yet to get up and running with zero goals for the season. Moreover, Barnes is also prone to a hit-and-miss performance in Newcastle black and white, having only managed five goals during the entire 2023/24 season.

For the time being, Howe will rely on Barnes, who is thankfully in a purple patch right now.

Yet, in the long term, don’t discount Park leapfrogging the Englishman, with a stunning Mbappe-style talent potentially on Howe’s hands.

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ByJoe Nuttall Nov 23, 2025

Marc Cucurella has helped Estevao along massively since the teenager arrived at Chelsea, contributing to his explosion of form. The Blues agreed a deal with Brazilian side Palmeiras to sign the youngster last year but he was unable to move to Stamford Bridge until after his 18th birthday back in April. Estevao has since made a huge impact in west London, quickly established as a fan favourite.

Estevao was instrumental as Chelsea downed Barca

Estevao scored his fifth Chelsea goal of the season in midweek as the Blues eased to a 3-0 home win over Barcelona in the Champions League. Chelsea went ahead midway through the first half through a Jules Kounde own goal following some good work from Marc Cucurella down the right.

The Brazil international doubled Chelsea's advantage 10 minutes after the break before Liam Delap confirmed the home triumph over Barcelona, who were reduced to 10 men shortly before the interval after Ronald Araujo received his marching orders. Estevao rightly received praise for his showing on the right flank against the Blaugrana, but it was Cucurella who was named Player of the Match in the Stamford Bridge success.

The Spanish left-back was instrumental in minimising compatriot Lamine Yamal's impact down the Barcelona right. Yamal managed just one shot and created only two chances before he was replaced by Dani Olmo with 10 minutes to play.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportCucurella told Estevao to 'put shin pads on' to prepare for Yamal showdown

And Estevao faces off against Cucurella in training, which the notes the Spaniard "takes serisously" despite being one of the biggest jokers in the squad. When the youngster's one-vs-one battle in training is often tougher than actual games, it is incredibly helpful.

It meant that the Brazilian came in for the same treatment that Yamal was on the receiving end of in the capital on Tuesday night. Cucurella even joked that he'd use Estevao in the days beforehand as practise for Chelsea's game against Barcelona as the defender geared up to face Yamal at Stamford Bridge.

While Cucurella insisted that Chelsea's game against Barcelona was "not Yamal vs Cucurella, it's Chelsea vs Barcelona", the Blues star finally relented. When asked about his preparation in training for his battle against Yamal, Cucurella said: "I told Estevao to put shin pads on this week because I’m going to be practising on him."

Cucurella made good on his word to stop Yamal by any means necessary, making five tackles and committing four fouls on the way to Chelsea's 3-0 win. Estevao, meanwhile, created three chances and completed two dribbles to go with his goal a the Brazilian winger tormented Barcelona left-back Alejandro Balde.

Cucurella set for another tough task on Sunday

Cucurella can expect another tough test on Sunday afternoon when Chelsea host league leaders Arsenal. Six points separate the pair at the top of the table with the Gunners looking to land a first Premier League title in over 20 years having finished second in each of the last three league seasons.

And the Spaniard is set to face off against Bukayo Saka on home turf to round weekend's Premier League action. And ahead of the game, Blues boss Enzo Maresca lavished praise upon Cucurella, stating that "the more players you have like Marc, the better it is".

"It is the focus and attention he has for 95 minutes," Maresca said of Cucurella ahead of Sunday's London derby. "For defenders you can be good for 94 minutes and then you can drop the attention for one minute and concede something."

The Italian boss then jokingly added: "The good thing about Marc is that for 95 minutes he is always focused – apart from Tottenham away [last season] when we conceded two goals in two minutes because of him! Overall, Marc has always been top, and he is always thinking how he can defend better."

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Getty Images SportMaresca praise for Cucurella ahead of Arsenal showdown

Maresca also praised Cucurella's impact for the club both on and off the pitch. A number of Chelsea stars have commented that the former Brighton man is a big personality in the dressing room, a quality that has impressed Maresca.

"He is the biggest joker, for sure, one of the characters inside the building, and he has the capacity to switch from laughing and joking to being serious," the Italian added. "I want all the players to have that mentality. The more players you have like Marc, the better it is."

Chelsea can close the gap to Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table to three points with a win over the Gunners this weekend. The Blues, though, have drawn their last two home games against their London rivals, and have failed to win their last six home league meetings with Arsenal, losing three times.

In an attempt to get one over on their rivals, Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keeping close tabs on Ajax youngster Jorthy Mokio, who’s already been a given a guarantee by Manchester United.

The Lilywhites have set their sights on getting back into the Premier League’s top six and much more in the coming years. The departure of Daniel Levy was completed with that ambition in mind and this weekend’s North London derby against Arsenal hands Thomas Frank the perfect opportunity to prove that he’s the right man for the job.

An unexpected victory over Arsenal, who sit top of the Premier League, would see Tottenham move to within five points of their rivals to continue what has been a solid start.

Speaking to reporters ahead of Sunday’s clash, Frank shared how excited he is to take charge of the fixture for the first time in the Premier League, saying: “Super excited. Of course, before I stepped into the club, of course, I knew about the north London derby, but it’s when you are in it, you sense it and feel that this is important.

“You feel it from the fans, you feel it from the staff members, the players, the people that have been working here for years. This is the big one.

“I always say the next game is the most important game and we always have that, but I’m very, very, very aware there are two games in a year that are even more important – and this is the first of them. We are ready, we are up for it, we are looking forward to it and we will do everything we can to win.”

It’s not just Arsenal that Spurs are looking to get one over on, however. Away from the pitch, they could also beat Man United to the signature of rising star Mokio.

Tottenham keeping close tabs on Jorthy Mokio

According to Caught Offside, Tottenham are now keeping close tabs on Mokio, who is looking to leave Ajax in 2026. The 17-year-old has also attracted the interest of Man United, who are already reportedly preparing a project which will offer him a guarantee of game time.

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The Red Devils are currently the reported favourites to sign the defensive midfielder, but Tottenham’s presence at least gives them a fighting chance to land the latest Ajax sensation.

A well-connected source told Caught Offside: “Manchester United are leading the chase for Jorthy Mokio. They are already working on a project that could offer Mokio guaranteed minutes and a clear development path.”

Dubbed “special” by scout Jacek Kulig, Mokio has already got his name in the history books at Ajax and could now be on his way to the Premier League to make his mark once again.

Spurs have their own Saka & he's "one of the biggest talents in Europe"

One year and two presidents since the Awami League government fell, the board still has many issues to address

Mohammad Isam15-Aug-2025When the Awami League government fell on August 5, 2024, there was hope that Bangladesh would finally undergo widespread and comprehensive reform. Or at least those public-facing institutions with public-facing problems would. Like the BCB, the richest sports body in the country. General consensus was that it hadn’t lived up to its wealth or its potential.Two weeks after deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country, one of her favourites, Nazmul Hassan, was no longer the BCB president. Hassan fled the country, as did several BCB directors with close links to him and the Awami League government. Faruque Ahmed, Hassan’s replacement, lasted nine months, before being replaced by Aminul Islam in June this year. Both are former Bangladesh captains, hand-picked by the sports ministry to run the BCB. Faruque’s exit was acrimonious. Aminul is trying to make the best of a limited timeframe as board chief.The next board elections are to be held by October 9, but there is still no proper clarity over the candidates. The chance for serious reform, through much needed constitutional amendments, is all but over. Earlier this year, a constitutional reform committee, mandated to diversify the composition of the board directors, stopped working after the Dhaka club representatives protested against one of their proposals: currently, the BCB constitution allows for 12 board directors from Dhaka-based clubs alone, while the rest of the country, represented by eight divisions and 64 districts, only has ten directors; the committee wanted to rectify this inequality. Now the polls will be held with the existing constitution in use.BCB has also given up on investigating the Hassan-era controversies and scandals. The board’s anti-corruption department is finishing an investigation into a Dhaka Premier League incident, while an independent commission appointed to look into corruption allegations in the BPL is about to submit its report. The country’s anti-corruption commission is investigating broader allegations of financial misappropriation and unfair practices in the BCB under Hassan. The BCB itself hasn’t launched any investigation on Hassan or anyone from his board. The ACC’s inquiry could be just the tip of the iceberg.Elections based on the existing constitution means the next board will be lumbered with the same issues of previous eras. The board will continue to be heavily dominated by the Dhaka clubs, with little say for the rest of the country. In some ways, this lopsided governance structure is emblematic of the BCB’s strange little world. It is what runs cricket in Bangladesh, and many feel that because of it, political influence will continue unabated in the running of cricket.

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In 2013, a five-member bench of Bangladesh’s Supreme Court ruled in favour of holding that year’s BCB elections on its amended constitution. The BCB and the National Sports Council (NSC) were in favour of two crucial amendments: that the BCB president would be voted to power by the directors and not the board’s general body, and that the NSC could appoint three directors (as opposed to one previously). These were meant to be aligned with the ICC’s Woolf Report recommendation in 2011, pushing back against government interference in boards, though the NSC quota was anything but.Hassan made history as the BCB’s first elected president in 2013, though he did, of course, come in via the NSC quota.Nazmul Hassan was always happy to talk to the media•BCBWhen Hassan fled in 2024, the same quota became the trapdoor through which Faruque was made president. And the NSC used the same process to remove Faruque in May this year when he fell out with the government body. Aminul replaced him as the NSC’s representative in the BCB, before the directors elected him as the president.Two months on from taking charge, an interim stint he likened to a T20 innings, Aminul spoke about the surprise offer to become the board chief, and his big plans for reform. An experienced administrator, Aminul is implementing a code called the “triple century”, based on 100% trust, 100% reach (through the country rather than just the pockets), and 100% performance.”I came to Dhaka to attend my nephew’s wedding, and then I became the board president,” Aminul, who otherwise lives in Melbourne, told ESPNcricinfo. “I left a permanent job as the country comes first for me. I began a charter called the ‘triple century’. I want to decentralise cricket. I want to make BCB into a world-class organisation. The country’s best HR firm has already started working on structuring the BCB.”Already, the former Bangladesh captain and their first Test centurion has impressed with his administrative skills. He has questions for every department. Aminul has also engaged a top HR firm to audit the board’s practices. He has also stayed clear of the limelight, hardly engaging with anything other than strictly business. It is a break from AHM Mustafa Kamal or Hasan who spent most of their time talking to the camera. Faruque too didn’t show much proclivity towards atoning BCB’s administrative woes. All of this has reportedly made Aminul one of the BCB president candidates at the elections. He has reiterated that the elections will take place on time, but feels he is at a disadvantage.”I don’t have the ability or [financial] scope to participate in the elections. I don’t represent a [Dhaka] club, neither do I come from a district body. I can only become the board president if the new body of directors [voted through the election] vote me [into power],” he said. “I don’t, however, want to get into a competitive situation. A person has to be qualified to become a BCB president. I think I have the qualifications, having been a cricketer, administrator and coach, but I don’t know if I am the candidate or not.”Faruque was also hoping for a go in the elections, although it is understood that he has stepped back. The name of Tamim Iqbal, the former Bangladesh captain, is also doing the rounds as a possible candidate.The most interesting name is that of Syed Ashraful Huq, the former BCB general secretary who has also served as the Asian Cricket Council’s chief executive in the past. Ashraful is regarded as one of the most influential figures in Bangladesh cricket, the man who formulated the plan for Bangladesh’s Full Member status at the ICC. Although Ashraful hasn’t been in the board since 2000, he was with the ACC till 2014 and has expressed an interest in becoming the next board president.Faruque Ahmed had a short stint as BCB president•BCBThere is concern, however, that the BCB elections might be a bit premature, given that the country’s general elections are scheduled for February 2026. What if, for example, the newly elected government is not politically aligned with the new BCB president and directors? What chance does that board administration have in that situation?Former BCB director Sirajuddin Alamgir feels that constitutional reform would have reduced political influence and that the current system will simply ensure the status quo. The districts and divisions will choose their councillors (members/voters) who have local political backing, rather than experienced organisers – that’s the way the BCB is structurally formed, with deep ties between the board and the government of the time.”We were hopeful that there would be amendments in the constitution, because otherwise it will be old wine in a new bottle,” Alamgir said. “The current system will continue to ignore authentic sports organisers from around the country. Representation from districts and divisions will be dictated by those in power. This keeps the cricket structure weak.”Bangladesh’s cricket needs new blood. It needs new ideas from the new generation. There has to be a radical change in how cricket is run in the country.”

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Alamgir and others like him want to see radical change because of how poorly the BCB was run over the last 15 years and how politicised it was. Hassan was an Awami League member of parliament throughout his tenure as BCB president, and was made the country’s sports minister in 2024. It was a highly conflicted arrangement, being a sports federation head (as the BCB chief) and the sports minister at the same time. He was his own boss.Shakib Al Hasan, an influential figure in Bangladesh cricket, was an Awami League MP•Getty ImagesBCB directors were all either Awami League MPs or relatives of prime minister Hasina or other party leaders. Shakib Al Hasan and Mashrafe Mortaza were Awami League MPs too. This is how entrenched the BCB was with the Awami League. It made Hassan the undisputed king of cricket, and the BCB an unusually powerful body.All of this power, however, was sucked out on August 5 when Hasina fled the country. The Awami League government was overthrown by a student-led revolution, with an interim government taking charge.It was also the end of BCB’s unchecked power. Once Hassan and 14 directors fled, the board headquarters became so chaotic that the sports ministry had to intervene. They handed their two BCB directors’ quotas to Faruque and Nazmul Abedeen Fahim. Fahim, a renowned coach and former BCB employee, became the cricket operations head.”They left a damaged cricketing culture,” Fahim told ESPNcricinfo. “The BCB is far removed from fairness, spirit and integrity. It has hurt our overall cricket. We can develop infrastructure in three or four years, but we have to pay the price for the loss of culture. Infrastructure is in a pitiful state. We can’t provide our national teams with a tenth of the facilities that other countries can. We roam around Dhaka, Sylhet and Chittagong looking for good conditions for training camps. The women’s team is now training in BKSP [near Dhaka] where training is off for two days when it rains.”So entrenched was the BCB with the Awami League that they would ignore good facilities to support their politics. They didn’t use the stadium in Bogra as it is the birthplace of Ziaur Rahman, the founder of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the Awami League’s main political rival. Bogra hosted six international matches in 2006.”Rather than developing infrastructure, we have wasted facilities in Fatullah, Bogra and Khulna,” Fahim said. “We are trying to revive these stadiums. We are building a few new facilities.”Fahim also has a dim view about Hassan’s famous boast about the BCB’s reserves of BDT 1200 crore, which had revealed the BCB’s misplaced priorities. “Instead of being proud of having a big account in the bank, we should have boasted about having 50 grounds, 20 indoor facilities and 100 bowling machines around the country. These would have helped the players.”For the record, the BCB doesn’t own a single stadium.

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When Aminul became board president, matters were so bad that he said the situation was akin to have been hit by an earthquake.”After an earthquake, you first try to find the surface under your feet. You face barriers everywhere you move. When I became the BCB president, everything was new to me. Nothing was working properly,” he said. “At the same time, [former English Premier League footballer] Hamza Chowdhury came to play for Bangladesh. Sports fans started saying that they are done with cricket. That cricket is dead. We didn’t get a broadcaster for the Zimbabwe Tests. A cricket board has governance and an organogram. A manager has people working under him in each department. Nothing was working. I didn’t know how many people worked under me.”It reflected on the field. In Aminul’s first two months in charge, Bangladesh were beaten by Sri Lanka in a Test and an ODI series, but won the T20I series. They beat Pakistan 2-1 at home, too, in a T20I series. They had begun the year by losing eight out of ten matches across formats.Bangladesh’s men’s team had a poor start to 2025, but recently won T20I series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan•AFP/Getty ImagesBut of late, despite the up-and-down results, Fahim said he had noticed better dynamics within the team, including between the captain, the coach and the selectors. Importantly, he said, a more relaxed relationship between the board and the players had helped. That was always an issue when Hassan, who was notorious for getting involved in dressing-room issues and even selection, was around.”It is not visible but the Bangladesh team is ,” Fahim said. “The environment within the dressing room is such that you couldn’t tell that there are players with three different levels of experience. The captain treats everyone equally.”There’s great understanding between the players and the coaches. Between the coach and captain. Among the coaches also. I think the biggest change is the relationship between the selector, coach and captain. There’s harmony among this trio. There’s respect for each other.”The board doesn’t force them into accountability on a daily basis. We are with them through thick and thin. The cricket side of things is now the most important aspect. They are starting to pay less attention to what’s being said. Of course, this is a gradual process.”It’s only natural that what goes on in the BCB will influence the team on the field. The men’s team performances are as much a national mood indicator in Bangladesh as they are a reflection of the cricket board’s functioning. There’s hope that the October elections will bring a little more stability in the board, and therefore in the country’s cricket. How long the stability lasts, and how much it changes the bigger picture, though, remain in doubt.