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India will eye a series win and may not want to tinker much with their XI after a close match

Sidharth Monga02-Dec-2025

India came within a couple of connected full tosses of possibly losing the first ODI•AFP/Getty Images

Big picture – Raipur’s second ODI everThere is a reason why ODIs are a format after India’s heart. Why, at a time when ODIs fight for relevance outside the World Cup, do Indians still sell out stadiums to watch their team in action? It doesn’t demand as much devotion as Tests do, but still provides enough time and certainty for their heroes to showcase their skill and fitness. And when two of the greatest of all time, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, find the form they did during the first ODI between against South Africa, it’s all the more reason for a three-match series to be frenzied.While ODIs are less reliant on luck than T20Is, the first ODI was also an example of how much heavy lifting the side losing the toss has to do. Despite all the pedigree they have, India came within a couple of connected full tosses of possibly losing to a side that has been chopping and changing, and has played 37 players in this year alone.Ranchi was India’s experience and skill coming up against the conditions and the incredible hitting depth in the South Africa line-up. You’d expect the same for the rest of the series if India keep losing tosses – they have now lost 19 in a row – but the only ODI Raipur has ever hosted was a bit of a dream for seam bowlers, who bowled New Zealand out for 108 in early 2023.Related

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SA find reason for ODI optimism despite top-order tangles

It happened to be the match immediately after one that mirrored this series’ Ranchi ODI. Asked to bat first back then, India rode on Shubman Gill’s double-century to post 349 for 8 – exactly what India got against South Africa in Ranchi – and had New Zealand reeling at 131 for 6, but the lower order gave India a scare once the dew came in, getting to within 12 runs of the score.This time, you’d hope Raipur gives us a closer contest than the Ranchi thriller. Not least because if India are on the dealing end of a one-sided game, the series will then have to feature a dead-rubber in Visakhapatnam.Form guideIndia: WWLLW
South Africa: LLWLLIn the spotlight: Harshit Rana and Nandre BurgerIndia had only a brief window of movement in Ranchi before the dew turned bowling into a nightmare. But Harshit Rana took two wickets in that small window to put India ahead. He has now shown that not only can he be effective in hitting the pitch hard with the old ball, but also with the new ball. Rana’s next challenge might be taking the new ball in the afternoon, when it tends to do little.Unlucky to not be a regular part of the Test set-up just yet, Nandre Burger took on that challenge in the afternoon in Ranchi, and came out with credit. He bowled at consistent high pace, and found a way to challenge the batters. If Burger can find a way to do even better, he will be a theme in the rest of the series.Team news: Bavuma, Maharaj should be backIndia will not want to be fickle with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Washington Sundar at Nos. 4 and 5, respectively. Now that they have started the series with them there, one match against a soft ball shouldn’t be enough to push the two players out.India (probable): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Ruturaj Gaikwad/Rishabh Pant, 5 KL Rahul (capt, wk), 6 Washington Sundar, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Harshit Rana, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Prasidh KrishnaTemba Bavuma should be back after resting in the first ODI•ICC/Getty Images

South Africa rested regular captain Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj for the first ODI, but they were both quite active. Bavuma spoke to the players during drinks breaks, and Maharaj served as a substitute fielder for a while. So they should come right back in. Maharaj is an easier swap for Prenelan Subrayen, while Bavuma should replace one out of Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton, both of whom scored ducks in Ranchi.South Africa (probable): 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Quinton de Kock/Ryan Rickelton (wk), 3 Temba Bavuma (capt), 4 Matthew Breetzke, 5 Tony de Zorzi, 6 Dewald Brevis, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Corbin Bosch, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Nandre Burger, 11 Ottneil BaartmanPitch and conditionsThe India vs New Zealand match from 2023 remains Raipur’s only day-night List A game, so there isn’t much history to go by. But the endeavour generally is to not produce a pitch too loaded in favour of the bowlers. So that 108 all out of nearly three years ago will likely be an aberration more than the trend. The weather promises to be pleasant for cricket, with temperatures not likely to go higher than 27 degrees celcius or lower than 14.Stats and trivia Rohit Sharma now holds the record for most ODI sixes: 352. The 681 runs scored in Ranchi was the highest aggregate for an India-South Africa contest.

The Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2025 will be held from November 27 to December 23. Now in its sixth edition, the tournament will take place across three venues – Colombo, Kandy and Dambulla.This will be the fourth time in six years that the LPL is scheduled for the November-December window rather than its preferred July-August slot. The last two seasons took place during July and August, however this year, with the 2026 T20 World Cup set to begin in February, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) felt the later window better suited their needs.”The idea to conduct the LPL during this time frame is aimed at aligning the tournament with the ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2026,” LPL tournament director Samantha Dodanwela said.ESPNcricinfo also learnt that talks are underway to incorporate a sixth team into the tournament. The first five editions saw five teams representing Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Dambulla and Jaffna compete.”Potential owners for a sixth team are currently being vetted,” Dodanwela confirmed.The inclusion of a sixth team has long been discussed, though SLC’s cautious approach to introducing new ownership might be understandable. The LPL has struggled with long-term franchise ownership over the years.Earlier this year, Jaffna Kings – formerly the longest-standing franchise, having joined in the tournament’s second edition – and Colombo Strikers were terminated by SLC for “failure to uphold contractual obligations.” As a result, the LPL currently has no franchise owners with a history stretching back beyond 2024. New owners for both the Jaffna and Colombo teams are yet to be announced.Dodanwela also elaborated on SLC’s desire to curate more batting-friendly surfaces, with a view to better prepare players for the kind of wickets they are likely to play on during the T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.”We were quite happy with the wickets during the last edition, particularly in Dambulla and Kandy,” Dodanwela noted. “We saw lots of high scores and even some centuries during that portion of the tournament. It was only in Colombo where batting was a little harder.”Backing up Dodanwela’s assessment is the fact that the pitches at the R Premadasa Stadium are currently in the process of being relaid. Several national players, such as Charith Asalanka and Dhananjaya de Silva, also recently voiced the need for more batting-friendly surfaces.

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Pedro Martins está no Vasco há mais de um mês e foi apresentado junto ao técnico Álvaro Pacheco, na véspera do clássico contra o Flamengo. O diretor executivo de futebol contou sobre a sua linha de trabalho e deu uma forte declaração afirmando que “não vai vender sonhos, mas sim ajudar a construí-los”. Confira abaixo.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Vasco

Eu estou aqui para desenvolver o projeto de futebol do clube. Não quero a chave do clube, não quero ser o dono do Vasco. Fui contratado por um clube que tinha dono e que tinha uma diretriz esportiva. Hoje o clube tem um presidente, que também tem uma diretriz. Vamos trabalhar dentro disso. O que é importante: não vamos ao mercado fazer algo que o Vasco não pode executar. Se isso é autonomia, eu não sei. Mas só vamos fazer o que o clube puder pagar. Temos que parar tudo e pensar no futuro dessa instituição

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afirmou Pedro Martins

– Desde o início, falando com o Lúcio e com a 777, eles queriam um diretor que ajudasse a construir saídas para o projeto de futebol. O que significa isso na prática? É desenvolver uma linha orientadora para a formação do elenco, contribuir no desenvolvimento do perfil do jogador que o Vasco vai formar, qual vai ser a estratégia que o Vasco vai adotar no mercado. Quando a gente fala de diretor de futebol, é isso. É uma visão muito mais ampla para ajudar na construção de um norte para o projeto de futebol do clube, não só pensando na janela, mas no futuro do Vasco. Um dos pontos que foi passado é que o Vasco pensou muito no imediato e deixou de pensar no seu futuro. Com relação a isso, acho que a gente estava bem alinhado. A minha felicidade é que o Pedrinho pensa da mesma maneira, a gente está 100% alinhado. Que não seja só vender o almoço para pagar a janta. Temos que começar a pensar num futuro para colocar o Vasco de novo entre os protagonistas.

– Para fazer isso, não é só dinheiro. Se não tiver uma lógica bem estabelecida, você pode ter um caminhão de dinheiro que vai gastar errado. A torcida normalmente está interessada num grande nome. Mas se a gente começar a tomar uma decisão popular sem respeitar a sustentabilidade financeira do clube, o clube quebra. Eu não estou aqui para dar notícia boa, estou para dar a notícia que é possível. Não estou aqui para vender sonho, estou aqui para ajudar a construir o sonho. Alguém precisa plantar, estou aqui para isso.

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Como as decisões no futebol do Vascao Vasco são tomadas hoje? Pedro Martins disse:

– Hoje é sentar numa mesa Pedro Martins, Álvaro Pacheco, Pedrinho e Lúcio e tomar a melhor decisão para o Vasco.

🎙️ MAIS RESPOSTAS DE PEDRO MARTINS:

PHILIPPE COUTINHO
– Falando em transferências, parte desse diagnóstico do que era o Vasco foi na análise financeira, para sabermos o que fazer na janela. Uma das grandes compreensões que temos é que o Vasco tem um orçamento limitado, o clube não está com cofres cheios. Isso leva diretamente ao fato de o Coutinho querer estar aqui. A briga do Coutinho não é financeira, não vamos ao mercado para oferecer mais dinheiro pelo Coutinho. Estamos fazendo uma conversa com alguém que quer estar no Vasco, que optou por isso. A opção dele não está atrelada de investimento, mas, sim à capacidade de entendimento do que é o projeto do Vasco hoje e a importância que ele tem nesse cenário. É por aí que as conversas caminham.

GARY MEDEL
– Até o momento o clube não recebeu nenhuma proposta de saída de jogadores, até porque tem uma distância para a janela. Quando acontecer, vamos avaliar caso a caso, sentar com os jogadores, com o Álvaro e entender se essa saída pode fazer sentido, se pode fazer bem para o jogador. Isso vai ser uma construção com toda equipe técnica e com os próprios jogadores.

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RELAÇÃO COM PEDRINHO
– Desde a decisão judicial, o Pedrinho foi muito cuidadoso para fazer algumas ligações importantes. Ele fez uma ligação com o Lúcio para alinhar os detalhes e construir essa entrada dele no aspecto operacional. E ele me liga para uma conversa no mesmo nível, para entender o planejamento, o que a gente estava pensando, quais os movimentos. Ele está muito preocupado com o ambiente no CT, como o CT está sendo impactado com isso. E todas as conversas foram muito positivas, está todo mundo pensando no bem do Vasco. Eu tenho visto com muito otimismo a entrada dele. Não foi uma entrada abrupta, muito pelo contrário. Foi muito suave, tranquila e pacífica.

– Todas as conversas não foram de mudança de planejamento, mas de continuidade e de fortalecimento de tudo que está sendo feito. Hoje teve conversa com os atletas. Desde então a gente tem trocado muita ideia, eu tenho visto muita sinergia tanto no pensamento dele, no pensamento do Lúcio… Se dá para resumir em uma frase, acho que a gente está muito unido e trabalhando em prol do Vasco.

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O Palmeiras volta a enfrentar o Criciúma após dez anos e com direito a tabu em jogo. O duelo válido pela sétima rodada do Brasileirão acontece neste domingo (2), às 16h, no gramado do Heriberto Hülse. O Verdão não sabe o que é perder para este adversário desde 1997, quando o resultado foi 1 a 0 no antigo Estádio Palestra Itália.

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

As melhores e mais variadas ofertas para o Brasileirão estão no Lance! Betting! Abra já a sua conta!

De lá para cá, as equipes se enfrentaram outras seis vezes, com direito a cinco vitórias do Palmeiras e um empate. Além disso, foram 11 gols marcados pelo Verdão neste período e seis sofridos.

No total, foram 11 confrontos entre Palmeiras e Criciúma na história, com sete vitórias palmeirenses, dois empates e duas derrotas. Na última vez em que as equipes se enfrentaram, pelo Brasileirão de 2014, o time paulista venceu por 1 a 0, com gol de Cristaldo, no Pacaembu.

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O time comandado por Abel Ferreira busca sua terceira vitória neste Brasileirão. Com apenas oito pontos em seis jogos, o time precisa vencer para saltar na tabela de classificação e colar no G6.

Este será o primeiro jogo da equipe após a despedida de Endrick, e o treinador já “quebra a cabeça” para ver quem ficará com a vaga da joia palmeirense, que vai para o Real Madrid. Sem Flaco López, suspenso, Rony, Lázaro, Luis Guilherme e Rômulo brigam por vaga no ataque ao lado de Estêvão.

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Gilkes (99), Patterson (73) and Green (38*) took NSW to 288, before Green and Sangha shared eight wickets

AAP20-Sep-2025NSW wicketkeeper Matthew Gilkes had been run out for 99 but spinners Tanveer Sangha and Chris Green wreaked havoc in a crushing 131-run One-Day Cup win over defending champions South Australia in Sydney.Gilkes (99 off 107 balls) was run out by a direct hit from Jason Sangha in the 44th over after pushing for a quick single in his quest to bring up his century in Saturday’s clash at Cricket Central.Despite that heartbreak, the bulk of the damage had already been done, with Gilkes and Kurtis Patterson (73 off 84 balls) having combined for a 140-run stand earlier in the innings as NSW posted a competitive 288 for 7.Green added a handy 38 not out off 19 balls in a blistering late cameo that featured three sixes and three fours.In reply, South Australia were skittled for 157 in 36.3 overs after being torn to shreds by legspinner Sangha (4 for 35) and offspinner Green (4 for 25), securing NSW the bonus-point win.The Redbacks were well placed in their run chase at 84 for 1 after 15 overs following a solid knock from opener Mackenzie Harvey (60 off 55 balls). But Sangha’s first wicket, the scalp of Daniel Drew, sparked a collapse of 7 for 30 as the run chase ended limply.Sangha followed up the dismissal of Drew by snaring dangerman Alex Carey for 8. And by the time Green snared a sharp caught-and-bowled chance to send Harvey packing, and then Sangha dismissed Jake Lehmann for a duck, South Australia had slumped to 100 for 6, and it was effectively game over.

Smith made a big play for the role last season but it remains uncertain if he’ll do it against India

Alex Malcolm17-Sep-20242:39

‘I’ll bat anywhere the team wants me to’ – Steven Smith

It’s the major debate in Australian cricket: will Steven Smith be Usman Khawaja’s opening partner for the Border-Gavaskar Test series against India in two months?Australia’s exit from the T20 World Cup in the Super Eight phase did not gain much traction back home, nor has there been a fervent following of the current white-ball tour of the UK for insights on the future direction of the T20I side or hints on how the ODI World Cup-winning side will look without the retired David Warner ahead of the Champions Trophy next year. There is still eight ODIs and three T20Is before Australia play Test cricket again.Related

• Green in doubt for India series with surgery on the table

• 'He can be successful as an opener' – Watson thinks Smith should stay put

• Travis Head is not the answer to Australia's Test opening problem

• Australia sweat on Green as selection for India becomes complicated

• Cameron Green out of remainder of England ODIs with back injury

But such is the nature of how Australians follow the men’s team, the long-term replacement for Warner in the Test side is of significant interest. Smith’s four-match run as an opener has been roundly picked apart. Team-mates, former players, commentators, columnists and fans have, with the exception of the odd voice, said he should be moved back to No. 4 despite Smith being the one who requested to open in the first place.Smith’s move allowed Cameron Green to return to the side at No. 4 and he responded with a match-winning 174 not out against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in March. Smith, however, endured a difficult tour of New Zealand as an opener. Having made 91 not out in his fourth innings in the role against the West Indies in January, proof in his own words that he could succeed in the role, he returned scores of 31, 0, 11 and 9 in Wellington and Christchurch on pitches that were very helpful for new-ball bowlers.Steven Smith made 91 against West Indies but had a lean time in New Zealand•Getty ImagesHis comments on the opening position since have been noteworthy. Back in January, he spoke about a desire to open to give himself a fresh challenge late in his career and suggested that he was in for the long haul. Since then, he hasn’t explicitly backtracked, but he did publicly note Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne’s comments about their preference for him to return to No. 4. Khawaja was particularly pointed this week in doing Smith’s bidding.”He’ll just probably never say it, so I’ll say it for him,” Khawaja told . “Opening is a very important spot … I still think we have the best Test player of my era in the side, in Steve Smith, and his best spot has been No. 4. I feel like the best balance for our team is Labuschagne three, Smith four.”It puts Australia’s selectors in a bind. Coach Andrew McDonald said on last week that no decision had been made and discussions were ongoing, although he reinforced that, barring injury, the incumbent top six from the New Zealand series would remain as the top six for the first Test against India. There will likely be an indication of the plans when the multi-format players are available for Shield cricket next month.So, if it’s not Smith who opens alongside Khawaja, which it still could be, then who is it?Marnus Labuschagne’s moving up one spot could be an option•Getty Images

Marnus Labuschagne

This represents the simplest and least disruptive option to the current status quo, although it doesn’t get Smith back to No. 4. Labuschagne and Smith could simply swap positions in the order. Labuschagne has opened 15 times in first-class cricket including as recently as May this year when he made 111 for Glamorgan against Middlesex. He has as much experience opening in first-class cricket as Smith, Green, Travis Head, and Mitchell Marsh combined, with Green and Marsh having never done it.Labuschagne only averages 34.86 opening in first-class cricket but he has scored two centuries, including one at the WACA back in 2016 when he was still trying to establish himself as a first-class player. He’s also walked out to bat eight times in Test cricket with his team yet to score and countless other times in the opening overs.Smith has eight Test centuries batting at No. 3 and averages 67.07 in that spot, higher than his 61.50 at No. 4, but he has not batted there since 2017. Part of Smith’s desire to open was driven by the fact he had become frustrated by waiting too long to bat at No. 4 and first drop could be a comfortable halfway house for him. It would also mean that Green, Head and Marsh stay in their preferred spots at Nos. 4, 5 and 6.But moving Labuschagne up from No. 3, where he has 11 Test centuries and averages 51.78, to open only to get Smith back to No. 3 might not appease the masses let alone Smith, Labuschagne and Khawaja.Giving Cameron Green a chance to settle in the middle order would appear the preferred outcome•Getty Images

Cameron Green

There was a brief period prior to Warner’s retirement when there was a very real possibility that Green could open the batting. Green was preparing for it, spending time with batting coach Michael Di Venuto facing the new ball during Warner’s final Test in Sydney when the allrounder was running the drinks. The selectors were seriously weighing up the option in their desire to pick their best six batters and add a sixth bowling option. Green was only spared the monumental task when Smith put his hand up.Moving him to open just two Tests after he made a career-defining 174 not out at No. 4 in Wellington seems an undesirable option. Former Australia allrounder Shane Watson said earlier this year that Green had the skill to do it, with Watson having done it successfully as an allrounder. But captain Pat Cummins is already bracing for his two allrounders in Green and Marsh to have heavier bowling workloads in an intense and condensed five-match series against India.Asking Green to add the opening role to his heavy portfolio would limit his bowling availability. Green is also on record stating that No. 4 is his preferred position, having dominated in that role for Western Australia, saying he feels a lot more comfortable there than he does at No. 6.Could Travis Head carry is blazing strokeplay to the top of the order?•Getty Images

Travis Head

Khawaja has nominated Head as the best option to partner him and allow Smith to move back to No. 4. It is a theory that is gaining legs publicly, particularly given Head’s white-ball wizardry at the top of the order and that he has opened the batting in Test cricket in India. But Australia’s selectors made it very clear at the time that it was a horses for courses move to allow Head to try and get his side off to a rollicking start in conditions where the new ball rarely shifts sideways and there is very little extra bounce.Head’s mediocre record starting against spin in the subcontinent was also a factor. He was shifted back to No. 5 the moment Australia left India and immediately pounded 163 in the World Test Championship final against the same opposition. Head could well open the batting in Sri Lanka later in the summer, but the selectors clearly prefer his counterattacking brilliance at No. 5 in home conditions.Head was asked last summer about potentially opening ahead of Warner’s farewell and said his preference was to remain at No. 5 in Australian conditions, although it is unknown whether his stance has shifted.It is understandable how Head has become a viable candidate in many people’s eyes given his dominance at the top of the order in limited-overs cricket over the last 12 months. But it needs to be remembered that’s Warner’s ability to translate a devastating limited-overs opening record into becoming Australia’s most prolific Test opener in history made him a unicorn in Australian cricket. Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist were outstanding ODI openers but remained counterattacking middle-order players in Test cricket for good reason.There is one global example that could give Australia’s selectors pause to consider Head as a full-time opener. India’s Rohit Sharma started his first-class and Test career as a middle-order player while being a powerhouse at the top in white-ball cricket. Now he has carved out an excellent Test record as an opener in all conditions. Moving Head would allow Smith to move back to No. 4 and Green can slot in at No. 5 where he also has an outstanding first-class record.Mitchell Marsh’s counterattacking has been key at No. 6•AFP/Getty Images

Mitchell Marsh

The case against both Green and Head also applies to Marsh. The West Australian has also made it very clear he would not be comfortable moving to the top of the order after taking so long to find his happy place at No. 6. He was Australia’s most consistent Test batter last summer and rescued the side time and again with bold counterattacking innings coming in at four-down.He has also been explicit in saying that his technique is not suited to batting any higher in the order, let alone against the opposition’s best fast bowlers with a brand-new ball in seaming and bouncing conditions. Marsh’s record in Shield cricket is testament to that where he remarkably averages just 29.98 for WA across 95 innings and has never batted higher than No. 5.Like Green his bowling will be important across the summer, but his body is more fragile than Green’s and will need even more management and rest. It is for that reason he could potentially not bowl a ball on Australia’s 11-game white-ball tour of the UK.Like Head, Marsh’s form against the new ball in white-ball cricket has led to calls to use him at the top of order in Test cricket to accommodate Smith moving back down. Marsh would do anything for the team and would give it his best shot if he was asked to do it, but it is unlikely the selectors would put him in that position given they are getting career-best form out of him.

Mitchell Starc can take some of the credit as Shaheen Shah Afridi arrives in Australia as part of a star-studded Pakistan contingent to lead Brisbane Heat’s depleted attack in the BBL.Afridi, the towering left-arm quick, is a hardened three-format international at just 25, and was taken with the first pick by Heat in June’s draft. A season-ending injury to Spencer Johnson and Michael Neser’s Test duties mean Johan Botha’s side will be leaning heavily on the man who recently took over as Pakistan’s ODI captain.”They [Johnson and Neser] are experienced bowlers for this team and I hope I play my role, that’s why I’m here,” Afridi said on Wednesday. “In all three [disciplines]… fielding, and if I need, chipping in batting as well, I’ll give my best. It’s not a small league and [is] well-renowned as the best league and… the best cricket with the best players.”Related

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Afridi will line up against Melbourne Renegades on his BBL debut on Monday, and will be pitted against the man he replaced as Pakistan’s white-ball skipper, Mohammad Rizwan.Babar Azam (Sydney Sixers), Hasan Ali (Adelaide Strikers), Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars) and Shadab Khan (Sydney Thunder) will also feature in the tournament, which begins on Sunday.”First game against Rizzy… a world-quality player. And Babar’s here as well,” Afridi said. “They know me, I know them. Hopefully we play some good cricket here. And we’re really hopeful we get the Pakistani support, and the Asian community as a whole.”Afridi has taken 126 wickets and gone for less than eight runs an over in 96 T20Is, while his Test average (27) and strike rate (52) are up there among the best in the current game.Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are among the many Pakistan players in the BBL this year•AFP/Getty Images

Starc’s 414th Test wicket at the Gabba last week saw him overtake Afridi’s compatriot Wasim Akram as the most lethal left-arm fast bowler in Test history.”The greats are always great,” Afridi said of Akram, but also talked about the exposure to Starc, ten years his senior, on his first international tour as a 16-year-old, which he said had played a huge part in his own story.Afridi, whose older brother Riaz had already played Test cricket for Pakistan, was plucked from the country’s popular tape-ball circuit for a development tour of Australia, and played Test cricket himself barely three years later.”He [Starc] is a legend and last time when we chatted, I told him I watched his 2015 [World Cup] bowling spell and that’s why I bowled fuller to the batsman,” Afridi said. “I can say he’s a role model for any youngster… he’s been the best for Australia for many years.”

Celtic are back in action in the Europa League on Thursday as they travel to Denmark to take on FC Midtjylland in their latest match in the League Phase.

It will be Martin O’Neill’s first venture into Europe since he took over as interim head coach after Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation at the start of last week.

With the Scottish giants still looking for a permanent successor to Rodgers, who won two Scottish Premiership titles in two seasons back at the club, O’Neill will be in the dugout again on Thursday.

The 73-year-old manager won his first two games in interim charge against Falkirk and Rangers, sealing a place in the League Cup final with a win at Hampden Park on Sunday,

Two wins from two games as the interim manager means that O’Neill has provided the board with a chance to take their time to find a long-term successor to Rodgers.

The latest on Martin O'Neill's future at Celtic

There has been speculation that the experienced head coach, who is in his second spell in the dugout at Parkhead, could stay on in the position beyond the upcoming international break.

O’Neill, who won three Premiership titles in his first stint at the club, is a safe pair of hands who could keep the seat warm until the next manager comes in with the summer transfer window ahead of them next year.

When asked if he would be open to extending his stay at Parkhead, the Northern Irishman said: “The very obvious answer would be yes, I would do. But I genuinely don’t know what to expect.

“When I saw the games they had and then the international break, I thought they’ll have a couple of weeks to think about it. I haven’t even spoken to him since that. In a perverse sort of way I’ve enjoyed the two games – but not a lot.”

Football Insider reported at the end of last month that O’Neill could take the job until the end of the season if his spell as the interim is a success, which suggests that the next two matches against Midtjylland and Kilmarnock could be pivotal.

Midtjylland

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Kilmarnock

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St Mirren

Premiership

Feyenoord

Europa League

Hibernian

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Dundee

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Hearts

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Roma

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League Cup final

The Hoops have nine more games left to play, including the next two matches before the international break, before the League Cup final clash with St Mirren at Hampden Park.

However, it currently remains to be seen whether or not O’Neill will get the chance to lead the team out at Hampden for a second time, after winning the semi-final there on Sunday.

Whilst O’Neill’s short-term future at Parkhead remains up in the air, there is work going on behind the scenes to identify the long-term successor to Rodgers.

Celtic are making moves for Belgian head coach

According to Voetbal Nieuws, as relayed by Sport Witness, Celtic are interested in a deal to bring Club Brugge tactician Nicky Hayen to Glasgow.

The report claims that the Hoops are eyeing up the Belgian head coach as a potential option to replace Rodgers, and that they are making moves behind the scenes to make it happen.

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It adds that Hayen has a release clause in his contract with Club Brugge, which would make negotiations slightly easier for Celtic, but it does not reveal how much that clause is worth.

The outlet also relays comments from the Club Brugge boss when he was asked about interest from the Scottish giants. He said: “I haven’t thought about that for a second. I have someone who looks after my interests and who also knows exactly when to inform me. That’s not on the agenda yet.”

It was a fairly coy response from Hayen, who did not suggest that he would not be interested in the move, and the Hoops must, now, press ahead with a deal for his services.

Why Celtic should appoint Nicky Hayen

On face value, the Scottish giants should appoint the 43-year-old head coach because he has shown that he can win trophies as a manager.

Hayen, who one analyst on social media has described as “tactically unbeatable”, has won three trophies, including a Pro League title, in less than 100 matches in charge.

On top of his credentials as a winner, the Club Brugge boss could be the perfect appointment to develop players at Celtic, who have a rich history of developing and selling talent, including the likes of Matt O’Riley, Jeremie Frimpong, and Virgil van Dijk.

Hayen’s impressive work with Brugge forward Christos Tzolis suggests that he has the coaching skills to make Sebastian Tounekti a superstar at Parkhead.

Tzolis was signed by the Belgian giants for a fee of around £5.7m in the summer of 2024, after a spell of three goals in 30 games with Norwich in England, per Transfemarkt.

The Greek international racked up 21 goals and 16 assists in 56 appearances in all competitions on the left of Hayen’s 4-2-3-1 formation in the 2024/25 campaign, which attracted interest from the Premier League.

Crystal Palace had an offer of £26m turned down for the winger, who was valued at £35m by Brugge, which shows that his value has soared by millions under the Belgian coach.

xG

1.33

Top 35%

Goals

1

Bottom 48%

xA

1.41

Top 12%

Chances created

15

Top 7%

Cross accuracy

37.5%

Top 19%

Assists

0

Bottom 3%

Successful dribbles

11

Top 21%

As you can see in the table above, Tounekti has shown signs of promise in the Premiership for Celtic since his £5m move from Hammarby in the summer, but he needs to add consistency to his end product if he wants to be a superstar.

The Tunisia international, who has scored two goals for the club so far, has been exciting to watch with his dribbling skills and direct play, and Hayen could help him to take the next step in his career.

Club Brugge’s head coach helped Tzolis to add consistency to his play in the final third, leading to goals and assists on a regular basis from the former Norwich man, and he could do the same with Tounekti, who plays in the same position.

Therefore, Celtic could turn their Tunisian winger into a superstar by appointing Hayen to help with his development for the Hoops.

Their own Klopp: Celtic can replace O'Neill with "kamikaze" 4-3-3 manager

Celtic could find their own version of Jurgen Klopp by hiring this reported managerial target.

ByDan Emery Nov 5, 2025

تأهل منتخب المغرب إلى دور ربع النهائي في بطولة كاس العرب 2025، المقامة حاليًا في قطر، بعدما حقق الفوز على السعودية اليوم الإثنين.

وتواجه منتخب المغرب مع السعودية، في إطار منافسات الجولة الثالثة والأخيرة من عمر مباريات دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس العرب.

وحقق منتخب المغرب الفوز بنتيجة 1-0، وسجل الهدف لاعبه كريم البركاوي في الدقيقة 11، ليخطف لـ أسود الأطلس 3 نقاط غالية وثمينة تؤهله إلى دور الـ 8 من بطولة كأس العرب. هدف فوز منتخب المغرب على السعودية اليوم في كأس العرب 2025

وشهدت المباراة إهدار لاعب منتخب السعودية عبد الله الحمدان، ركلة جزاء في الدقيقة 69 من عمر اللقاء. ركلة الجزاء المهدرة لـ السعودية أمام المغرب في كأس العرب 2025

طالع | ترتيب مجموعة المغرب والسعودية في كأس العرب 2025

وكان منتخب المغرب يتنافس على بطاقة التأهل الثانية مع منتخب عمان، بعدما كان منتخب السعودية حسم التأهل من الجولة الثانية.

وبذلك، يتأهل منتخبا المغرب والسعودية إلى دور ربع النهائي من بطولة كأس العرب، ليلتحقا بمنتخبات العراق وسوريا وفلسطين والأردن. ترتيب المجموع الثانية من بطولة كأس العرب 2025 بعد نهاية دور المجموعات

1- المغرب، 7 نقاط.

2- السعودية، 6 نقاط.

3- عمان، 4 نقاط.

4- جزر القمر، بدون نقاط.

The World Series will return to Toronto after the Blue Jays won Game 4 on Tuesday night 6–2 to even the series vs. the Dodgers 2–2.

While the Blue Jays have been in Los Angeles the past two days, Toronto fans still packed Rogers Centre with thousands of fans sitting in the stadium for watch parties. And those fans in Toronto were definitely happier on Tuesday night with the win rather than on Monday night after the nearly seven-hour, 18-inning long Game 3 that resulted in a Dodgers win.

Videos captured the Rogers Centre on Tuesday night after the Blue Jays recorded the final out in the bottom of the ninth. It's safe to say the stadium went absolutely nuts. Take a look of the 30,000 fans erupting in cheers as their team secured the Game 4 victory.

It'll be electric to see what the Rogers Centre is like come Friday when the series returns to Toronto for Game 6. In the meantime, the Blue Jays still have one more game in Los Angeles on Wednesday night.