Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has said he thinks Piero Hincapie should have been dismissed for a challenge on Trevoh Chalobah during Sunday's Premier League draw at Stamford Bridge. The Bayer Leverkusen loanee's elbow struck the England international under the eye, just minutes after Blues midfielder Moises Caicedo was shown a straight red for his late challenge on Mikel Merino.

Hincapie let off following VAR check

Hincapie and Chalobah came together while competing for a header. The Ecuadorian defender entered the challenge with a raised arm, striking the 25-year-old under the eye with his elbow. Chalobah received treatment on the pitch immediately, with a large contusion on his cheekbone almost immediately visible on the broadcast. Hinacpie was shown a yellow card by on-field referee Anthony Taylor, with the incident checked by the VAR. 

Hincapie was adjudged to have had his eyes on the ball and not Chalobah, meaning the challenge was ruled to be reckless rather than dangerous or with excessive force, remaining a yellow card. 

Maresca took exception to the decision in his post-match press conference, suggesting the decision should have been upgraded to a red. The Italian admitted that while Caicedo was correctly dismissed for his tackle – a challenge that Merino described as "horrible" – he lamented inconsistencies against his side. Maresca referenced a decision not to dismiss Rodrigo Bentancur in a recent Premier League clash with Tottenham as a further example of his side's poor luck with the referees in the 2025-26 season. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMaresca: We struggle to understand refs' decisions

The Blues boss was asked to comment on post-match quotes by his captain Reece James, who suggested Hincapie should have been shown a red for the challenge. Maresca replied: “I think Reece is right. But they (officials) decide. I just said there, he asked me about Moises’ red card. It’s a red card, but why was Bentancur’s against Reece not a red card when we were at Spurs away? So us, as a manager, we struggle to understand why they judge in a different way.

“Moises’ is a red card, yes. Bentancur’s is a red card, yes. Why don’t they give him a red card? It’s just that we struggle to understand. The reality is that it’s a red card. But why do they judge it differently?

“And the Trevoh one, I asked the referee, he said to me that it was not an elbow. So, this is what they said. (He had a) black eye, with ice at half-time. But they judge in different way.”

Maresca proud of Chelsea players

Despite taking the blow, Chalobah was able to open the scoring for the Blues, in a massive London derby with implications for the title race. Following Caicedo's departure, it appeared the Blues were about to miss their chance to push their inter-city rivals for the Premier League crown. Chelsea took the lead shortly after the break, though, as Chalobah rose at the front post to glance James' in-swinging corner beyond David Raya in the Arsenal net. 

However, the west London club were unable to press home on their advantage, with Merino heading home a Bukayo Saka cross on the hour mark. 

Despite losing their lead, Maresca was proud of his side. He said: "The effort of the players (is what I’m most proud of). Arsenal, they are top of the Premier League, top of the Champions League, best defenders in the Premier League, probably best defenders in the Champions League. So, in this moment, they are the best team. And I think 11 vs 11, we were better than them. Then, with 10 players again, the dynamic changed. So, the effort from the players has been outstanding."

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AFPWhat comes next?

The point keeps Chelsea six points adrift of Arsenal in their pursuit of the title. The Blues travel to Leeds on Wednesday, before heading down to the South Coast to take on Bournemouth on December 6. 

Wolverhampton Wanderers have now registered their interest in signing Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Garcia on loan in the January transfer window, alongside a whole host of rival Premier League clubs.

Fosun would’ve been hoping Rob Edwards could breathe new life into a Wolves side that have massively disappointed so far this season, but the manager was on the receiving end of a defeat in his first match in charge, with Crystal Palace emerging as 2-0 winners at Molineux on Saturday.

Edwards’ side actually looked better from an attacking point of view, recording an xG of 1.79, compared to 1.27 from the Eagles, but they were unable to take their chances, with both Jhon Arias and Ladislav Krejci squandering big opportunities.

Things are looking bleak for the Old Gold, who are still searching for their first win of the Premier League season, and now sit nine points from safety, given that they have the worst attacking and defensive records in the top flight, scoring seven and conceding 27.

As such, if the Wanderers are to stand any chance of avoiding the drop, they may need to make major improvements at both ends of the pitch in the upcoming transfer window, and they have now made an approach for a new centre-forward.

Wolves make approach to sign Gonzalo Garcia on loan

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, in a report for Football Insider, Wolves are one of a number of clubs in the race for Real Madrid forward Garcia this January, although it remains to be seen whether they will be willing to sanction a departure.

The Spanish side are concerned about a lack of attacking depth, which means they may not be willing to let the 21-year-old leave, despite several English sides queuing up to get a deal done, with O’Rourke saying: “If Real Madrid are willing to loan him out, I’m sure it’s more than just Leeds will be interested in him. I believe Brighton, Villa and Wolves have all registered interest.

“A lot will depend on Real Madrid. If there’s any injuries to their forwards then it might mean there’s no chance that Garcia goes out and loan.”

Hailed as a “goal machine” in the media, the youngster clearly has a lot of potential, having starred for Madrid at the Club World Cup in the summer, bagging four goals and an assist in six outings out in the USA.

Wolves are in dire need of a fresh injection of quality in attack, having failed to score in four out of their last five Premier League games, with Jorgen Strand Larsen failing to impress, finding the back of the net just once in 10 top-flight outings.

As such, a move for Garcia would make sense, but it will be strange if the Real Madrid ace is willing to move to a club in huge danger of relegation, given that there is likely to be plenty of other options on the table.

Wolves prioritising move for ex-Man City target as Edwards' first signing Wolves now prioritising move for ex-Man City target as Edwards' first signing

The Midlands side are ready to back their new manager.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 22, 2025

They used one of their three trump cards and had almost everything with their four experienced batters go right for them

Sidharth Monga24-Jun-20254:09

Gambhir: We had opportunities on all five days

India’s big guns have all fired. Rishabh Pant has scored two creative centuries, the openers have each hit a classy one in each innings, the captain has notched up a regal one, their gun bowler has exhausted one of the three Tests he is going to play and has delivered a five-for. And yet they are down 1-0. They have lost the unlosable Test.Let’s get the obvious out of the way. Their last four aggregated nine runs in both innings put together, becoming parts of collapses of 7 for 41 and 6 for 31 in pretty flat conditions. They dropped more catches than any team in a Test in England in the last 20 years. Their third and fourth fast bowlers provided them neither control nor penetration. They could have batted England out on the second day; they didn’t. They could have secured a huge lead had they held their catches; they didn’t. They could have batted England out again on the fourth day; they didn’t.It was a proper baptism by fire for captain Shubman Gill, having to lead a transitioning bowling unit on one of the more idiosyncratic grounds of the world against a side that might not have the quality of some of India’s recent opponents but are intimidating frontrunners. A new slips cordon had to come to terms with fielding about a foot or two below the pitch level, bowlers needed to quickly adjust to running in up and down the slope, and their mistakes with the bat forced them to defend more than they could attack on a notoriously difficult-to-defend ground with pitches running all the way to the boundary. He also has to deal with his lead bowler playing only three Tests.Related

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However, Gill will need to lay down the law here. It wasn’t long ago that the India tail used to dig in and fight for whatever runs they could claw out. On their last trip to England, India got the lead because of the runs the lower order scored. It’s not that Nos. 8 to 11 aggregated only nine runs in two innings. Dismissals can happen. Even to specialist batters. It was more the nature of the dismissals. They batted like millionaires without getting a feel for the conditions despite having a proper batter at the other end. They played Shardul Thakur precisely to provide them batting depth, but he was out playing expansive drives eighth ball and 12th balls.Gill just needs to imagine what would have happened if the tail had displayed such a casual attitude when Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma was captain. Once, leave alone twice, in the same match. Gill will soon learn it is nice to have a great atmosphere and respect in the dressing room, but there needs to be some fear of the leaders as well.The lower-order flop is not the only reason why India lost the unlosable Test but it was a symptom of general drops in intensity that a captain needs to watch out against. Test cricket is more about playing good cricket for longer periods of time than flashes of brilliance. This is why an attack of four good fast bowlers is better than one world-beater, one good bowler and two bowling ordinarily. You need fitness, intensity, and ruthlessness to be up six hours a day, each day for five days, or however long it takes.3:26

Harmison: Not sure India believed they could get Duckett out

On the final day, when finally none of the big guns fired, India didn’t seem to have a plan on how to put together a consistent set of overs. Jasprit Bumrah should be allowed to have a day on which he is not bowling an unplayable delivery every over. The bowling choices need to be made based not just on numbers that day. Mohammed Siraj, the best bowler on display on the final day, wasn’t bowled from overs 42 to 80, a period of not just 39 overs but also two rain breaks. Ravindra Jadeja took a little too long to shift his line wider, into the rough, to challenge Ben Duckett’s reverse-sweeps. At one point Ben Duckett punched Jadeja towards mid-off, and he looked up to see there wasn’t one. Not short, not wide, not deep. Just no mid-off at all.In a Test that you make only one or two such mistakes, they can have only a trivial impact on the eventual outcome, but all these things add up.This was also collectively India’s worst fielding performance in a long time. Thakur misfielded because he slipped, but took forever to get back up and retrieve the ball. As Rishabh Pant could be heard saying on the stumps mic, “It is okay to misfield, but you need to recover.” It should have come from Gill. If you zoomed-out a little and looked at the whole field as events unfolded during the final day, it was hard to tell if Gill was in charge. At various times, Pant and KL Rahul set the fields and talked to the bowlers.1:59

Why were Indian seamers ineffective on day 5?

The most important job for Gill and Gautam Gambhir will be to lift the team after they have lost a Test in which they used one of the three trump cards given to them and had almost everything with their four experienced batters go right for them. As has been said in this space before, Gill’s real test will be if he plays Thakur as the bowling allrounder and it doesn’t work out. The ideal response will be to double down on the need to take 20 wickets and bring in a proper bowler – possibly Kuldeep Yadav – but their collapses have given them every reason to be conservative.A captaincy debut which started like a dream for Gill has ended up being a nightmare. This was only his sixth first-class match as captain. He needs to be cut some slack, but this is a job that comes with a lot of prestige and also responsibility. He has no option but to learn quickly on the job. There is no magic potion that can maintain the love and care but still instil fear and accountability.This is not to say the players are not hurting for this loss. They are hurting more than anyone on the outside can. They will all have to dust themselves off and do the good things again but also make sure their intensity doesn’t drop. The England bowling attack can be taken down. They just need their bowlers to be in the good areas more often than at Headingley, and then be switched on in the field.If there is any consolation, it has been done before. Kohli’s first Test as captain is remembered for his brilliant twin hundreds, but even that game featured ordinary selections and lower-order disasters. In his first series as the full-time captain, Kohli lost what seemed like the unlosable Test in Galle to start off with. You can quibble with other things, but it is hard to remember drops in intensity in the side after that.

Tottenham Hotspur endured their most embarrassing defeat of the campaign to date yesterday, but doing so against bitter rivals Arsenal at the Emirates.

Thomas Frank’s men suffered a 4-1 loss at the hands of Mikel Arteta’s side, with former transfer target Eberechi Eze netting a hat-trick during the one-sided contest.

Richarlison’s phenomenal long-range effort was overshadowed by the result, with the Dane having a huge task on his hands to prevent such a result from occurring in the near future.

Such a result was the Lilywhites’ first away defeat of the Premier League campaign, but the nature of the North London Derby will be the biggest concern to the supporters.

Numerous players also failed to make a positive impression against the Gunners, which could see their places in the starting eleven be at huge risk in the upcoming fixtures.

Spurs’ poor performers against Arsenal yesterday

Attacker Mohammed Kudus was missing for the last couple of Spurs outings through injury, but the Ghanaian was recalled to the starting eleven for the North London Derby.

However, the 25-year-old struggled to make the desired impact at the Emirates, with his performance one that ultimately failed to impress the fanbase.

He featured for 78 minutes of the contest and was only able to register 30 touches of the ball and ultimately was unable to notch a single effort on David Raya’s goal.

Kudus’ lack of impact will no doubt have been aided by the struggles of the midfield two, with Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur operating at the base of Frank’s side.

The pair were far too ineffective during the defeat to Arteta’s men, subsequently only registering a single pass into the final third between them during the embarrassing display.

The Uruguayan international also lost 100% of the duels he entered against the Gunners, often being dominated by the opposition and being unable to have the desired impact on proceedings.

The Spurs star who had fewer touches than Vicario against Arsenal

Spurs’ display against Arsenal was nothing short of a disgrace, with Frank’s decision to switch to a back five massively restricting the side within forward areas of the pitch.

The defeat against the Gunners has now extended the Lilywhites’ dismal run away from home in such a fixture, with the club now only winning one away game out of their last 33 in the NLD.

Frank’s men only achieved a total xG of 0.07 during the 90 minutes at the Emirates, with Richarlison’s long-ranger goal just one of two shots on target during the contest.

The defensive setup led to the toothless showing yesterday, with the manager needing to take huge responsibility for making such a significant call in a vital clash.

He did hand Wilson Odobert the chance to impress from the off at the Emirates, but like many of his teammates, the Frenchman failed to deliver during the defeat.

The 20-year-old featured for a total of 66 minutes against the Gunners, but he only managed to achieve a total of 23 touches in the process – the lowest of any Lilywhites attacker.

His subsequent tally was lower than that of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, with the Italian racking up a total of 57 as he tried to prevent the onslaught from the hosts.

As for Odobert, his lack of quality within the final third was evident by his underlying figures, which further showcase his inability to impress during his rare league start.

The Frenchman failed to complete any of his two attempted crosses, whilst also failing to register a single effort on Raya’s goal – subsequently being unable to cause the opposition any trouble at all.

Minutes played

66

Touches

23

Passes completed

7

Crosses completed

0

Shots taken

0

Possession lost

9x

Aerials won

0

Match rating

3/10

Other numbers, such as zero aerials won and nine times possession lost, further highlight his struggles in North London, with the manager potentially wanting to drop the youngster after such a showing.

As a result of his lack of positive impact, Odobert was handed a measly 3/10 match rating by Football London’s Alasdair Gold – topping off a dismal afternoon for the attacker.

His lightweight nature ultimately wasn’t suitable for the Derby Day clash with Arsenal, subsequently highlighting another glaring error made by Frank at the Emirates.

Frank desperately needs to learn from such a selection mistake in the games ahead, otherwise, he could seriously find himself struggling to maintain his position as manager of Spurs.

Spurs flop who looks "non-league" level must never start for Frank again

Tottenham Hotspur fell to a humbling 4-1 defeat against Arsenal in the North Lodnon Derby this evening.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 23, 2025

The former Australia allrounder was the franchise’s head coach in the first three seasons of the MLC

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Oct-2025

Shane Watson, the former Australia allrounder, has parted ways with the San Francisco Unicorns after a three-year stint as head coach of the Major League Cricket (MLC) franchise.The Unicorns have not announced Watson’s successor yet. “In an effort to strengthen the Unicorns’ long-term strategy, the organization is shifting to a year-round coaching model,” the franchise said in a statement. “Watson’s ongoing commentary commitments and the rapid growth of his acclaimed performance coaching brand, BEON Performance, prevent him from taking on a full-time role with the Unicorns.”Under Watson, the Unicorns finished fifth out of six teams in the inaugural edition of the MLC in 2023 before reaching the playoffs in both 2024 and 2025; their best finish came in 2024 when they lost the final to Washington Freedom.”It has been a true privilege to lead the San Francisco Unicorns over the last three seasons,” Watson said. “I’m proud of what we accomplished, and am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with world-class stars and incredible young talent in Major League Cricket, which continues to be an exciting new frontier for the sport.”Apart from the Unicorns stint, Watson has also coached in other franchise leagues; he was assistant coach of Delhi Capitals in the 2022 and 2023 seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and head coach of Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 2024.”Shane was the natural choice to be our first Head Coach, and he played a key role in building the Unicorns from the ground up,” Unicorns CEO David White said. “We are eternally grateful for Shane’s dedication across his three seasons in charge, and the Unicorns wish him every success in his future endeavors.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now in advanced talks to sign Independiente’s Patrik Mercado, with a deal for the midfielder, who is in line to become Rob Edwards’ first signing, almost done.

Wolves are looking to sign a new midfielder amid the uncertainty surrounding Joao Gomes’ future at Molineux, with it recently emerging the 24-year-old would be willing to make a move to Old Trafford.

The Old Gold really would be gambling with their Premier League status if they sanctioned Gomes’ departure next month, but they are already very much up against it, having taken just two points from their opening 11 matches.

Edwards will be looking to oversee a major turnaround, starting this weekend against Crystal Palace, and if the new manager is able to get his side within touching distance of 17th place by January, a few new additions could help propel them to safety.

Wolves now in advanced talks to sign Patrik Mercado

According to a report from El Diario (via Sport Witness), Wolves are now in advanced talks to sign Independiente midfielder Mercado, having emerged as frontrunners in the race for his signature, and the deal is almost done.

As such, the 22-year-old is in line to become Edwards’ first signing at Molineux, and the deal is likely to be relatively inexpensive, with a €5.96m (£5m) fee being touted.

Sevilla and a number of unnamed Portuguese clubs are also in the race for the maestro, but it is looking like he could be heading to Wolves, even though the Ecuadorian would be a risky signing, amid their struggles at the wrong end of the table.

The versatile midfielder, who is capable of playing in defensive and attacking midfield roles, is yet to prove himself outside his home country, and may take more time than Edwards’ side have available to adjust to life in the Premier League.

That’s not to say the Tena-born ace isn’t a future star, having remained a regular source of goals and assists for Independiente across the 2025 campaign, chipping in with 18 goal contributions.

Patrik Mercado’s attacking record in 2025

Appearances

Goal contributions

Liga Pro Serie A

28

11

Liga Pro Championship Round

4

2

Copa Sudamericana

7

4

Copa Libertadores

6

1

Given that a deal for Mercado would be relatively cheap, a deal is still worth pursuing, but having failed to win a single league game so far this season, Wolves may need to bring in more established players to stand any chance of avoiding relegation.

Wolves want deal for "world-class" Real Madrid player done quickly Related Wolves offer for "world-class" Real Madrid player, want deal done quickly

The Old Gold have submitted an offer for a new forward, who could be available for a bargain fee.

Posts ByDominic Lund Nov 16, 2025

Mikel Arteta declared himself “extremely proud” after Arsenal produced a commanding 3-1 victory over Bayern Munich, ending years of frustration against the German champions and extending their perfect Champions League record. The Gunners boss hailed his squad’s depth, attitude, and belief following a statement win that underlined their growing status as one of Europe’s most complete teams.

• Arsenal thrash Bayern in 3-1 UCL win

  Arsenal delivered a superb all-round performance at the Emirates Stadium, beating Bayern Munich 3–1 to maintain their flawless Champions League campaign. The Gunners went ahead through Jurrien Timber’s header from a Bukayo Saka corner before the Bavarians equalised via 17-year-old Lennart Karl after a well-worked passing sequence carved open the Arsenal defence. In the second half, Arsenal overwhelmed the Bundesliga side with intensity and precision, with substitutes Riccardo Calafiori, Noni Madueke, and Gabriel Martinelli all playing decisive roles in sealing the victory.

  Their second-half dominance came after sustained pressure on Manuel Neuer, as Arsenal’s midfield duo of Declan Rice and Mikel Merino repeatedly tested the veteran goalkeeper. Bayern’s resistance finally crumbled when Calafiori intercepted Dayot Upamecano’s misplaced pass and set up Madueke for a composed finish that restored Arsenal’s advantage. Minutes later, Neuer’s misjudged sprint off his line allowed Martinelli to collect Eberechi Eze’s long pass, skip past the stranded goalkeeper, and confidently roll the ball into an empty net.

  The win marked Arsenal’s first against Bayern in a decade and confirmed their status as the only team in the Champions League with a 100% record after five matches. Harry Kane endured a frustrating return to north London, unable to influence the game as Arsenal’s back line kept him tightly contained throughout. With this victory, Arsenal climbed to the top of the Champions League standings and reaffirmed their position as one of Europe’s most in-form teams.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Arteta 'extremely proud' of Arsenal squad

  Reflecting on the victory, Arteta began with unfiltered joy: “Well, I'm extremely proud to what I've seen tonight. I think, we've seen a team that, in my opinion, playing against the best team in Europe has behaved with a real presence, authority, determination, and belief, and that's what I wanted. You need some huge performance individually. We certainly had that. We took our moments, and I think overall, we just have to win the game.” His summary highlighted not only the collective strength on display but the individual excellence that fueled the win.

  Arteta was also asked about the impact of his substitutes, all three of whom contributed to the decisive goals. He replied: “Yes. I mean, everybody's ready. Whether it's a starter and a finisher, the impact that the boys are having is tremendous because we have dealt with a lot of injuries, this season already. But, the fact that everybody's raising the level is hiding a lot of those issues, and I'm very pleased because, everybody's important. We're gonna need them, and I'm happy that the ones that even given the chance, they're constantly taking it.” The manager emphasised the importance of trust and readiness across his squad.

  Asked whether Arsenal should now be seen as Champions League favourites, Arteta remained grounded but ambitious. He said: “What I'm really pleased with my players is that we do what we have to do, which is try to be better every single day, perform at the highest level consistently, and win a lot of games, and we need to continue to that.”

• Arsenal now unbeaten in 16 games, go top of UCL league table

  Arsenal’s triumph was significant not only for its quality but for the psychological storyline behind it. Bayern Munich had been a recurring tormentor in Arsenal’s European past, often inflicting heavy defeats that created a mental barrier for supporters and players alike. By outplaying Bayern in every department, Arsenal demonstrated the evolution of their identity under Arteta — a side with authority, courage, and a clear plan honed through years of development.

  Inter’s slip against Atletico Madrid made Arsenal the only team left with a perfect record in the competition, enhancing both their confidence and their seeding prospects. The win also extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 16 matches, adding fuel to discussions about whether this could become a defining year for the club. Arteta may resist the label of Champions League favourite, but results like this inevitably reshape the external narrative.

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  Arsenal suffer Trossard injury but welcome Odegaard back

  Arsenal will now look to secure top spot in the Champions League league-phase table, a finish that would give them a more favourable knockout route and further reward their blistering start. The fitness of Leandro Trossard will be monitored closely, while Martin Odegaard’s return provides a timely boost as the fixtures continue to pile up. With momentum on their side, Arteta will aim to sustain the team’s rhythm while managing rotation to keep the squad fresh.

  Speaking about Trossard and Odegaard, Arteta concluded by saying: “With Leo, he felt something. We didn't wanna take any risk. I don't know the extent of that injury or if it's an injury. And Martin, yeah, is our captain. Great to have him back in the team and contributing. So he's welcome.”

South Africa are already in the semi-finals but Pakistan, despite not winning a game so far, are still in contention for a spot in the last four

Andrew Fidel Fernando20-Oct-20252:48

High-flying South Africa take on deflated Pakistan

Big picture – Can Pakistan find some batting firepower?

South Africa have already booked a semi-final spot. Despite not having won a match so far in the tournament, Pakistan still have a slim chance of sneaking into the knockouts, provided they win their last two matches by huge margins and other results also go their way. With no teams ruled out of contention just yet (at least until Monday’s Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka match finishes), there is plenty on the line in every game. This tournament has now arrived at its pointy end.Pakistan’s bowlers will perhaps still be buoyed by their most recent performance. Fatima Sana and Co. struck early and then repeatedly against England, restricting one of the better batting units in the tournament to a low score that Pakistan looked likely to chase down, before a second spell of rains washed the rest of that match out. As had been the case in that game, the rains that have held sway in Colombo will likely envenom seamers, who may get the ball to move appreciably off a slightly moist deck. Often, teams prefer to bat first at the Khettarama – a venue that is notoriously tricky for chasing sides, especially under lights. But at this time of year, bowling first is an advantage too.Related

• Road to the semis: Five teams in contention for one spot

• Bangladesh, Pakistan and SL fall behind in the power game

In fact, Pakistan’s batters were on the receiving end of some good seam bowling in Saturday’s match against New Zealand, when they had been 92 for 5 in an already rain-reduced innings, before more rains ended that match. South Africa have experienced seamers like Masabata Klaas and Marizanne Kapp in their XI. Although they haven’t quite lit this World Cup up so far, both bowlers are very capable of bowling themselves into better rhythm on a helpful deck.The tougher the surface is to bat on, however, the more Pakistan will feel they can compete. As batting is by a distance the weaker of their two main discipline, a low-scoring match would suit them best. In fact, it had been a low-scoring game in which Pakistan last took South Africa down, roughly a month ago in Lahore.South Africa’s batting, which, as Sri Lanka found out on Friday, is led off by one of the best opening combinations going, is looking in increasingly good shape. They appear to have left the embarrassment of being blown away for 69 in their tournament opener well and truly behind them.1:15

Sekhukhune: ‘We want to keep ticking all the boxes’

Form guide

Pakistan: LLLLW
South Africa WWWWL

In the spotlight – Fatima Sana and Nonkululeko Mlaba

Pakistan captain Fatima Sana has been putting together an excellent World Cup, with nine wickets at an average of 16 so far. Almost 15% of her overs have also been maidens (she has bowled more maidens than any other bowler in this tournament). Against England, her last outing with the ball, Sana bowled some vicious inseaming deliveries, presenting a beautiful wobble-seam, and extracting substantial movement to send balls shooting between right-hand batters’ bats and pads. Both South Africa’s opening batters are right-hand batters. Expect Sana to repeat that same mode of attack against them.Although in T20Is Nonkululeko Mlaba has been a force for some time, this World Cup may be remembered as the tournament in which she stepped up her ODI bowling. She is by a huge distance South Africa’s most penetrative bowler of the tournament, having claimed 11 wickets at an average of 15.18, with an economy rate of 4.63. Pakistan’s batters will know that even if they survive the seamers, they have one of the world’s smartest spinners to counter later in the innings.

Pitch and conditions: Can the rain please stop?

I think we can call it now – the northeast monsoon appears to have properly arrived in Colombo, which makes a match uninterrupted by rain even less likely. There will likely be juice in the pitch for the seamers, but it is a rare match at the Khettarama where the ball does not take significant turn as well.0:58

Nawaz: ‘We are not being able to build momentum with the bat’

Team news: Pakistan might strengthen their batting

Pakistan will search for ways to add muscle to their fragile batting order. Could Eyman Fatima or Sadaf Shamas make it back into the XI as they search for better combinations?Pakistan (possible): 1 Omaima Sohail, 2 Muneeba Ali, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Aliya Riaz, 5 Natalia Pervaiz, 6 Eyman Fatima/Rameen Shamim, 7 Fatima Sana (capt), 8 Sidra Nawaz (wk), 9 Diana Baig, 10 Nashra Sandhu, 10 Sadia IqbalSouth Africa will likely keep their XI as it is.South Africa (possible): 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Sune Luus, 4 Marizanne Kapp, 5 Annerie Dercksen, 6 Chloe Tryon, 7 Nadine de Klerk, 8 Karabo Meso (wk), 9 Nondumiso Shangase, 10 Masabata Klaas, 11 Nonkululeko Mlaba

Stats and trivia

• Sana has played more ODIs (ten) against South Africa than any other team. But she has a poor record against this opposition, having claimed only six wickets at an average of 62.83.
  
• Before this tournament, Mlaba had bowled in 12 matches in Asia, and claimed 18 wickets at an average of 31.44. Her bowling average in Asia is now 25.27, and her strike rate is down to 29.3. This is more than twice as good as her numbers at home (average 51.18, SR 71.4).
  
• Since 2020, these teams have played each other ten times. Pakistan have won two of those games, both at home. South Africa have won the other eight.

Jake Weatherald’s last bid to push for the opening Ashes Test was undone by a brilliant Fergus O’Neill delivery after centuries to Campbell Kellaway and Marcus Harris put Victoria in the driving seat at stumps on day three against Tasmania at the Junction Oval.For the second time in the match, Tasmania’s openers were forced to negotiate a short new-ball burst before the close after a long day in the field. For the second time in the match, Weatherald was undone by a superb delivery with O’Neill pitching on middle and nipping away to catch Weatherald’s outside edge. Will Sutherland held the low juggling chance at first slip.Related

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It left Weatherald with scores 0 and 12 in the match, after three half-centuries in his first four innings of the summer, ahead of the first Test squad being picked next week. It also left Tasmania at 28 for 1 needing a further 327 to win on the final day.Victoria set the visitors 355 on the back of an excellent 195-run partnership between Kellaway and Harris. Kellaway, 22, continued his rise to becoming one of the best domestic openers in Australia over the last 12 months with a third Shield century in 18 innings since moving to the top of the order for Victoria 11 months ago.Since the start of the 2021-22 Shield season, only Test opener Usman Khawaja averages more in Shield cricket as an opener than Kellaway’s 46.11, with Cameron Bancroft (42.37), Weatherald (40.51) and Daniel Hughes (38.20) the only others to average above 35.”I think my game is pretty well set up to play against the new ball,” Kellaway said after play. “I like to try and bat for a long period of time, so I like having that role of being the guy to try and anchor for the side.”Harris posted his 33rd first-class century, his eighth at the Junction Oval, but his first at No. 6 having slid down the order after experiencing some back tightness prior to batting on the third morning.Marcus Harris celebrated his eighth century at the Junction Oval•Getty Images

“It’s probably just got a bit worse in the last week, just wear and tear and old age,” Harris said. “I think it’s dad back. Hanging onto the kids too much.”The pair came together with Victoria struggling at 91 for 4, leading by 115 with only six wickets in hand, after Tasmania’s bowlers threatened to break the game open in the morning session.Nightwatcher Mitchell Perry edged Gabe Bell to second slip for the first breakthrough of the morning. Peter Handscomb battled to 3 off 20 balls before Riley Meredith exposed his defence. Handscomb showed all three stumps batting outside leg and got an outside edge to a ball that would have missed leg stump and nicked it into the top of off.Ollie Peake then nicked a beauty from Brad Hope which angled in and seamed away to leave Victoria struggling. But Kellaway and Harris then put together a chance-less stand to rip the game away from the visitors.Kellaway was impressive throughout, remaining disciplined in the face of some excellent bowling. He absorbed pressure and then pounced when the bowlers strayed, striking 16 fours and two sixes in his 268-ball knock.”I thought he batted brilliantly today,” Harris said. “Tricky little half an hour last night, and started really well today. He works really hard on his game.”And then I think you saw the shots he can play once he’s in. He’s got good game. He’s played well on one-day cricket. He’s a good package.”Harris meantime thrived in a different role in the middle-order having spent so much of his career grinding against the new ball.”I’ve done it a fair bit in one-day cricket,” Harris said. “I’ve done it a bit in county cricket. I’ve enjoyed it a little bit.”After Kellaway and Harris set the game up, O’Neill and Perry put Tasmania’s top three under enormous pressure with some high-class new ball bowling. Weatherald tried to be positive but was undone by an outstanding delivery. O’Neill was unlucky not have more, beating the bat several times and even hitting the stumps when Tim Ward pulled out of a delivery very late, but it was ruled a dead ball.Perry was equally unlucky at the other, beating the bat three consecutive times at one stage. But Ward and Caleb Jewell survived to set up a fascinating chase on the final day

The Lahore Qalandars batter played for the franchise as an emerging player, but his registration appears to have contravened the PSL’s own rules

Danyal Rasool10-Jun-2025What is the emerging category?Since the start of the PSL in 2016, the league developed a category to propel talented young players into the spotlight. Each side was required to field at least one in every game; current rules stipulate each franchise must have at least two in their squad.What classifies a player as an emerging cricketer?This is somewhat loosely defined, and, as a result, poorly understood; more than one franchise ESPNcricinfo spoke to said they were unclear on the eligibility. Basically, players need to be under 23, and should not have played in the Pakistan national team. More recently, the PCB made an exception for players discovered under their talent hunt programmes, such as the Lahore Qalandars Player Development Programme, which, in certain cases, permits players over the age of 23 to be registered as emerging players.Mohammad Naeem raised three half-centuries during the season•PCBDid those exceptions apply to Naeem?That’s what everyone believed. Naeem was Qalandars’ emerging player in the line-up for all but one game. Qalandars have said they picked Naeem through their player development programme, and invested in him over the years. Since he was registered under the talent hunt discovery programme, he was exempt from the age requirement. Naeem is 26.However, according to the players draft guide from 2017 – the most recent edition that is publicly available – any player to have played competitive domestic cricket becomes ineligible to be registered as an emerging player. At the time, the rules excluded anyone who played Under-19 cricket, too, which Naeem did in 2017. His profile on the PCB’s official website lists him as having played for the FATA Region U-19s.In 2023, before making his PSL debut, he also played senior competitive domestic cricket with regional side FATA.How was he registered as an emerging player, then?This is at the heart of the controversy. When ESPNcricinfo reached out to the PSL, they sent a document insisting Naeem was correctly registered as an emerging player. It said that Qalandars “nominated and protected Mohammad Naeem prior to his debut in competitive domestic cricket in December 2023”. It went on to say that the rules allowed for him to be “protected until the next draft cycle” and that no other franchises raised any concerns at the time.Related

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The rules mentioned by the PSL’s statement to ESPNcricinfo do not appear in any official document publicly available that concerns the rules governing emerging players. ESPNcricinfo could not find any official update to the draft guide in 2017, which is notable since the PSL’s statement referenced rules governing talent hunt discovery programmes over the past five years.A copy of the playing conditions from 2023 on the PCB’s website does not detail what constitutes an emerging player, and does not mention the talent hunt discovery programme.What do the other franchises think?Multiple franchises that ESPNcricinfo reached out to said they were not aware of this stipulation. Nearly all believed that Naeem’s inclusion under the emerging rules – as they understood them – was a mistake. Karachi Kings nominated and protected fast bowler Fasih Ali, and were under the impression he would lose his emerging status if he went on to play competitive domestic cricket over the next years, as Naeem did.The PSL’s statement mentioned three times that none of the franchises objected at the time of Naeem’s registration. Every franchise ESPNcricinfo spoke to accepted this, though more than one pointed out the obligation upon the PSL to enforce its own rules did not hinge on objections from the franchises.Did Naeem’s performances significantly help Qalandars?Demonstrably so. Naeem was the eighth-highest run-scorer of the tournament with 314 runs including three half-centuries. None of the seven who scored more matched his strike rate of 162.69.What happens now?Well, nothing. Other franchises told ESPNcricinfo they wished to put this behind them and move on, but hoped that the rules would be more clearly spelled out in future. There is no indication of any wrongdoing by Qalandars, given the PSL accepted the franchise’s registration of Naeem as an emerging player. Naeem will no longer be able to be registered as an emerging player in the PSL’s next edition.