Other talking points from Australia’s contracts list included Mitchell Marsh’s future, the overlooked white-ball players and the fast-bowling depth

Andrew McGlashan and Alex Malcolm01-Apr-2025Sam Konstas may have to wait beyond June’s World Test Championship final to earn back his spot in the Australia side with selectors prepared to pick a team very specific to winning the one-off match against South Africa in relatively early-season English conditions.Konstas was handed a first central contract on Tuesday after making his debut against India late last year where he shot to prominence with his 60 off 65 balls at the MCG. He did not feature in the following series against Sri Lanka, with selectors using Travis Head as a horses-for-courses opening option, and there is no certainty he will return at the top of the order against South Africa at Lord’s although the contract indicates selectors view him as someone likely to feature prominently over the next 12 months.Related

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• Green nears return ahead of World Test Championship final selection race

• Konstas, Kuhnemann handed CA deals, Connolly overlooked

There will be a selection squeeze on positions with Cameron Green likely to be available as a batter, Josh Inglis having made a century on debut in Sri Lanka and Beau Webster, who was also handed his first contract, having slotted in well a No. 6.Head is expected to return to No. 5 in England, so if it isn’t Konstas, there will be a vacancy at the top of the order.”The way we’ve sort of viewed the World Test Championships we’ve been involved in is that they are one-off games,” chair of selectors George Bailey said. “They’re quite specific to that, obviously in England in those conditions. So, the way we frame that and potentially look at how we structure up that team may be different to the West Indies tour.”We’ve got Cam Green returning and hopefully that continues to track well. Along with Sam we’ve also seen Beau Webster, Josh Inglis perform really well when they’ve had opportunities as well. So, we’ll work through that over the coming months.”After making headlines for a wild innings against Victoria at the SCG on his return from Sri Lanka, where he fell sweeping Scott Boland in the third over, Konstas made two half-centuries to finish the Sheffield Shield season.

Marsh given Test lifeline but bowling future in doubt

Mitchell Marsh faces a big period as Australia’s T20I captain•AFP/Getty ImagesMitchell Marsh has been offered hope that his Test career isn’t over after he lost his place in January although there are doubts about how much bowling he will do across formats in the future.Marsh was dropped after making 73 runs in seven innings against India and then missed the Champions Trophy with a back injury. He has returned in the IPL, making 72 and 52 for Lucknow Super Giants, where the impact sub rule has meant he hasn’t yet needed to field. He remains Australia’s T20I captain ahead of next year’s World Cup in India and Sri Lanka with 19 bilateral T20 games on the schedule before that.”It’s an ongoing conversation as to where bowling may or may not fit into his international cricket going forward,” Bailey said. “I still think he can play an incredibly important role in setting that [T20] team up and hopefully leading that team to some success in the T20 World Cup.”I think he’s got plenty of one-day cricket left in him as well. I don’t necessarily think that his red-ball career is over as well. I still think there’s an incredibly exciting skill set there with the bat, the way he can rip a game open. If you look ahead to a team like England and the way they play their cricket and the way they seem to be framing up their team, I think he’s got a skill set there that could be helpful as well.”

White-ball opportunities loom for those who missed out

The likes of Spencer Johnson could earn upgrades given the volume of T20 cricket•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesThere were only a handful of true white-ball specialists in the contract list despite the heavy T20 presence in the next 12 months as well as up-to nine ODI matches as they build towards the 2027 World Cup, with a clear priority placed on Test cricket even though Australia only has two series in the contract period.Bailey said the likes of Sean Abbott, Aaron Hardie and Cooper Connolly were unlucky to miss out and would likely get opportunities to play during the year. Jake Fraser-McGurk, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David and Spencer Johnson all qualified for contract upgrades last year through playing more than six limited-overs internationals each while Ben Dwarshuis fell one game shy.All those players could well earn upgrades again before the end of this calendar year given Australia play five T20Is in the Caribbean on the back of four Tests, with several of the three-format players who are also playing in the IPL almost certain be rested. There is also a five-match T20I series against India in early November just prior to the Ashes where those same Test players may be rested even though there is a bigger gap on the schedule next season.”I think anytime we’ve had a T20 World Cup, and those big years of bunches of games, we’ve used a broad range of players,” Bailey said. “I envisage it’ll probably be similar this year.”Just depending where a few guys are in terms of their prep for Test cricket there’s every reason to think that there will be opportunities for plenty of players who may be just outside this contract list.”

Morris and Richardson remain long-term investments

Lance Morris showed encouraging form this season as he was carefully managed•Getty ImagesThere were eyebrows raised when Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson were centrally contracted last year after injury woes. They have been contracted again despite Morris playing just one ODI for the year and Richardson having just one first-class match for the summer in which he injured his shoulder while high-fiving a team-mate.Morris finished the season by resting from the last Shield game, amid a strong run of form, as he continued to be carefully managed. Richardson will spend the winter rehabbing from a third surgery on his troubled shoulder.But Bailey said the pair remain in Australia’s long-term Test plans and a central contract means they can be carefully managed by CA’s high-performance staff.”It’s no secret that the Test bowling group will undergo a little bit of transition, I think, over the next period,” Bailey said. “When we’ve seen them at their best and getting an extended run at red-ball cricket they have pretty exciting skill sets.”But they’ve both had very different setbacks and some challenges along the way. I think getting your body right to be robust enough to be a consistent candidate for Test cricket is a challenge.”But we’re invested in that journey. When they are up and going, we like what they can provide. That journey is ongoing, and hopefully both of them can be in the mix for Test positions come this summer.”

Liverpool splashed the big bucks and then some over the summer, hopeful of retaining their Premier League title in style.

However, the majority of the whopping £415m spent now looks as if it has gone down the drain, with both Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak remaining goalless, despite costing a combined £225m to bring to Anfield.

Arne Slot thankfully has the January transfer window coming into view now to try and turn around his side’s lacklustre campaign, with Liverpool all the way down in eighth position at the moment, as Manchester United are even ahead of the Reds on goal difference.

Liverpool planning to spend big again

You would think that the Merseyside giants might be more cautious in the transfer department after such a wild summer spending spree.

However, reports suggest that the underwhelming reigning champions could go all out to try and win Michael Olise from Bayern Munich for an astronomical £177m fee.

Moreover, one of the best players in the top-flight this term in the shape of Antoine Semenyo is reportedly also on their radar as they try to upgrade on an attack that looks short on confidence, even with Mohamed Salah starting week in, week out.

On top of flashy recruits being rumoured to join the Anfield ranks in attack, an update from Liverpool-based writer DaveOCKOP has also revealed that the Reds are holding initial talks with Crystal Palace over midfield star Adam Wharton.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It is stated that the move is more likely for the summer of 2026 than the upcoming January window, but never say never when it comes to Liverpool’s ambition in this department, with it also being revealed back in September that the English international’s preference – if he were to leave the Eagles behind – was a switch to Slot and Co.

Having just made his first start for the Three Lions during this international break, the sky really does appear to be the limit for Wharton currently, with a mammoth £100m price tag also above his head.

How Wharton can become Slot's own Gerrard

As Slot looks to reshape his midfield in 2026, he could find a new beating heart at the centre of his team in the form of Wharton, much like a certain Steven Gerrard was back in the day.

By the close of his distinguished career at the very top, Gerrard was showered with some immense praise, with Gabriel Agbonlahor notably once describing him as the best midfielder in Premier League history, even ahead of Kevin De Bruyne.

Indeed, away from bagging a stunning 186 goals and picking up 155 assists for his boyhood club, the well-rounded servant also closed out his long-standing career on Merseyside with a Champions League title.

As Liverpool’s website affectionately put it when Gerrard hung up his boots, the Englishman was a revered “gladiator” for his boyhood side.

Of course, it would be crazy to expect Wharton to be as impactful from minute one of his own Anfield journey, but in time, he could be Gerrard 2.0, displaying a similar level of composure and ball manipulation from midfield.

Games played

16

20

9

Goals scored

0

0

0

Assists

3

2

0

Touches*

49.6

45.7

43.9

Accurate passes*

28.5 (81%)

26.7 (79%)

25.2 (78%)

Key passes*

1.3

1.3

1.6

Big chances created

5

5

5

Tackles*

3.0

1.7

1.3

Ball recoveries*

4.8

5.1

4.0

Total duels won*

4.9

3.2

3.2

The data above displays Wharton’s similar well-roundedness from the middle of the park, which is very much like the Liverpool great, with the 21-year-old only getting better with time, as he becomes more and more used to the demands of the Premier League.

Unfortunately, he hasn’t quite uncovered a goalscoring mojo in the top-flight yet, like Gerrard, but with the likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai next to him if he takes on this huge Anfield opportunity, there is a possibility that he enhances his varied game to that next level.

Hailed as a “genius” at a very early age at Blackburn Rovers by ex-boss Tony Mowbray, and now an “incredible” star by former Selhurst Park teammate Eberechi Eze, it does feel as if a big move soon awaits Wharton.

If all clicks into place for the 21-year-old at Liverpool, he might well be the second coming of Gerrard; a powerful English midfield technician who has all of the tools to be a Three Lions mainstay for years to come.

It will take some big bucks to land his services, but if Slot can win a new legend in the process, it’s a bold investment that’s definitely worth making.

New Trent: Liverpool star is "one of the most underrated players in England"

Slot could find a shrewd solution to Liverpool’s problems in this talent.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 17, 2025

تحددت أسماء الوفد المصري المقرر حضوه لمراسم قرعة بطولة كأس العالم 2026، التي تقام في العاصمة الأمريكية واشنطن.

ومن المقرر أن تجرى قرعة كأس العالم 2026، يوم الجمعة الموافق 5 من شهر ديسمبر الحالي، لتحديد مجموعات المونديال.

وستقام بطولة كأس العالم 2026، بمشاركة 48 منتخباً، وستستضيفها كل من كندا والمكسيك والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، خلال الفترة من 11 يونيو وحتى 19 يوليو 2026.

وأعلن الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”، عن تصنيف المنتخبات المشاركة في بطولة كأس العالم 2026، وجاء منتخب مصر بالتصنيف الثالث، بين 48 منتخبًا مشاركًا.

طالع | يتجنب مواجهة 16 منتخبًا.. مجموعة مصر المحتملة في كأس العالم 2026 بعد إعلان التصنيف

وعلم بطولات أن الوفد المصري المقرر حضوه قرعة كأس العالم 2026، يضم خالد الدرندلي نائب رئيس الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، والتوأم حسام وإبراهيم حسن مدرب ومدرب منتخب مصر.

ويستعد منتخب مصر في الوقت الحالي، لبدء معسكره الختامي، استعدادًا للمشاركة في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025، بالمغرب والذي سينطلق 21 ديسمبر الجاري.

MatériaMais Notícias

A torcida do Palmeiras ficou na bronca com Abel Ferreira por escalar Raphael Veiga como titular na partida contra o Independiente del Valle, pela terceira rodada da fase de grupos da Libertadores.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasAdministradora do estádio do Palmeiras se posiciona contra torcedor que cuspiu em TitePalmeiras24/04/2024PalmeirasKendry Páez ou Endrick? Palmeiras x Del Valle reserva duelo de joias pela LibertadoresPalmeiras24/04/2024NotíciasSecador nas alturas! Com R$50, você pode ganhar R$286 se Flamengo e Palmeiras forem derrotados na altitude!Notícias24/04/2024

➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta!

Após o empate no Allianz Parque com o Flamengo, Abel Ferreira admitiu a necessidade em dar um descanso a Raphael Veiga, porém destacou o poder de decisão do camisa 23 para mantê-lo no time titular.

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

A torcida do Palmeiras esperava ver Rômulo na vaga de Veiga contra o Independiente del Valle, mas Abel optou por manter o camisa 23 no time e não relacionou o reforço contratado junto ao Novorizontino.

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Com a partida em Quito, Raphael Veiga completou o 12º jogo consecutivo sendo titular pelo Palmeiras. A comissão técnica do Verdão irá avaliar o condicionamento do meia para o Choque-Rei de segunda-feira (29), contra o São Paulo, pelo Brasileirão.

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários dos jogos do Brasileirão

Diante do Del Valle, ele completou 50 partidas de Libertadores pelo Verdão, alcançando a 43ª posição no ranking de atletas com mais partidas pelo clube na história, igualando Zé Rafael, com 288, e a 6ª colocação no século.

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Veiga também está a um gol de pênalti de igualar Evair no topo da lista de artilheiros de penalidades máximas em tempo regulamentar desde 1990.

Tudo sobre

Abel FerreiraLibertadoresPalmeirasRaphael Veiga

The Boston Red Sox received some unfortunate news on Sunday morning as they continue their push for an AL wild card spot.

According to manager Alex Cora, rookie infielder Marcelo Mayer will undergo surgery on his injured right wrist. He'll miss the remainder of the 2025 season and is expected to be ready for spring training.

Mayer was placed on the injured list at the end of July after spraining his wrist, but there was optimism that he could return this season. He received an anti-inflammatory shot at the beginning of August to "get him back," but it unfortunately didn't go as planned. He'll now go under the knife. The recovery timetable is expected to be three months.

The Red Sox selected Mayer with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 MLB draft. He was promoted to the big leagues at the end of May and through 44 games, slashed .228/.272/.402 with four home runs and 10 RBIs.

Mason Miller is bringing the heat in the MLB playoffs.

On Wednesday, during Game 2 of the Padres' wild-card series against the Chicago Cubs, Miller was incredible and made some history in the process.

Miller pitched 1 1/3 innings and struck out the first five batters he faced before hitting Michael Busch's back foot with a wayward slider. One of his strikeout victims was Cubs catcher Carson Kelly, and it was ridiculous.

After Kelly fouled off two pitches, Miller threw a 104.5 mph fastball that was perfectly placed on the low-outside corner of the strike zone. Kelly could only watch it go past as home plate umpire Cory Blaser rang him up.

Video is below.

You can't throw a pitch any better than that.

Sarah Langs chimed in to note that the 104.5 mph fastball was the fastest pitch thrown in the postseason during the pitch tracking era, which began in 2008. It was the fourth-fastest pitch in the regular season or postseason during that time.

What makes Miller so impressive is that despite that incredible fastball, many think his slider is actually his best pitch. Through two games in the postseason, Miller has faced nine batters and struck out eight of them. He hasn't allowed a hit or a walk, just the HBP on Busch.

He's living up to the hype.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now plotting a January bid for a “prolific” new striker, who has caught the eye in the Champions League this season.

Wolves looking to sign striker to boost survival chances

Wolves could barely have made a worse start to the Premier League season, having collected just two points from their first 12 matches, and they have now lost their last five games on the spin, failing to score in four of those outings.

Hwang Hee-chan, Tolu Arokodare and Jorgen Strand Larsen have scored just two league goals between them this term, with the latter looking like a shadow of his former self, having netted 14 times in the 2024-25 campaign, in what was a very encouraging debut season at Molineux.

Arokodare has insisted the players still believe they can avoid relegation, saying: “It’s a long season, 12 games have gone, we haven’t get the results we wanted but we can’t hold onto that. We have to focus on the next ones. There is the belief – we cannot lose hope now. We cannot doubt ourselves.”

However, Rob Edwards’ side clearly need some inspiration from somewhere, given that they are already nine points from safety, and they have now joined the race for a new striker ahead of the January transfer window.

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Wolves are now plotting a January bid for Union Saint-Gilloise striker Promise David, although there could be competition for his signature, with West Ham United and Leeds United also keen.

West Ham are currently leading the race for the striker, who is set to be available for a relatively low fee, with Union Saint-Gilloise willing to listen to offers of around £17.5m, despite the fact he still has four years remaining on his contract.

A January transfer battle is now on the cards, with Edwards’ side looking to sign a physical striker to complement Hwang, and there are signs he could have what it takes to propel the Old Gold to safety…

"Prolific" David could be difference-maker in the relegation battle

Hailed as “prolific” by scout Jacek Kulig, the 24-year-old enjoyed a fantastic 2024-25 campaign, chipping in with a combined 29 goals and assists in all competitions, and he has since gone on to make a solid start to the current season.

Indeed, the Canadian has put in some eye-catching performances this term, most notably in the Champions League, scoring in his side’s 3-1 victory against PSV Eindhoven and recent 1-0 win at Galatasaray.

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Posts ByDominic Lund Nov 26, 2025

Having proven himself at the highest level, David could make all the difference in Wolves’ battle to avoid the drop, and the fact Fosun are planning a January move is a very encouraging sign.

Manchester United are keen to strengthen their attacking ranks under Ruben Amorim and could now be set to raid South America for a bristling talent dubbed the next Neymar Jr.

Man Utd prepare to address squad issues in mid-season window

The Red Devils find themselves in the middle of the Premier League pack heading into a hectic run of fixtures between now and the New Year, which will offer Amorim some insight regarding where he needs to add steel to help his side continue their recent improvement.

Ultimately, setbacks are part of football, and Monday’s defeat against Everton will sting for the Manchester United support, especially given the difficulty their side had in breaking down the low block David Moyes deployed at Old Trafford.

Delivering an honest assessment of what needs to change going forward, Matthijs De Ligt urged his teammates to bounce back against Crystal Palace on Sunday and show improved urgency in South London.

He stated: “Overall, just a really bad performance. The next game, obviously, is really important now. We have to bounce back from this performance. We had some good performances over the last couple of weeks, and now we had a bad one.

“Now, it’s for us to come back, to stay together and to make clear what has to be better. We lacked maybe the urgency to score the goals, to create the chances – and then you know against a team like Everton, who drop back and are really strong in the air, it’s going to be quite difficult. That basically sums up the night.”

Man Utd to "complete" move and sign "the next Casemiro" in coming days

The Red Devils are now ready to open their transfer chequebook.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Nov 28, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers pair Andre and Joao Gomes have been identified by Manchester United as January targets. Casemiro’s potential contract expiry has led Amorim down the path of searching for a midfielder, and it is clear he is making inroads on that front.

Conversely, the Red Devils are now said to be leading the race for a talent who could become one of South America’s brightest stars in the next few years.

Man Utd leading race to sign Santos star Robinho Jr

According to reports in Spain, Man Utd are leading the race to sign Santos prodigy Robinho Jr, and they have made contact with his entourage over bringing the 17-year-old winger to Old Trafford.

Compared to Neymar by peers in his homeland, he is a recognisable name as the son of former Manchester City and Real Madrid star Robinho, and he may be allowed to leave his current club due to their financial situation.

Santos are unlikely to let the winger go for a modest fee, albeit Manchester United have been tracking his progress for months and see a unique opportunity to develop his talent in England.

This is something that the Brazilian giants are willing to seriously evaluate as they look to bring funds into the club, especially given they are at risk of relegation, potentially creating a scenario where everyone is a winner.

The captain delivered a masterclass in control and accountability, standing tall amid the team’s various tactical tangles

Sidharth Monga02-Jul-20251:52

Aaron: A statement knock from Gill

There is a disturbing trend among these young batters of late: getting out in non-traditional manners with little jeopardy around. So Shubman Gill had to lead by example at Edgbaston.The three India innings so far have been enough to bring to mind memories of the Hyderabad Test against England in 2023-24. Ollie Pope enjoyed luck, all right, but India also missed batting them out in the first innings by getting out in ways that teams don’t plan dismissals. Yashasvi Jaiswal caught and bowled trying to hit a four, on 80; Rohit Sharma and Gill out in the 20s trying to hit sixes; KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer caught at deep midwicket on 86 and 35.Go back to Headingley. Three of the five centuries ended in unforced errors. India again failed to bat England out. Story same: young batters get into dominating positions, but get out in non-traditional manners with little jeopardy. In the lead-up to this Test, Gill didn’t blame others. He singled himself out for getting out the way he did when there were more runs to be had.Related

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Not every century has to be a test by conditions. Sometimes you have to overcome the test by match state, by opposition plans, by the state your own career is in, by the responsibility you have as captain and the scrutiny that comes with it.The opposition plans have been apparent. England have been bowling straighter at him, trying to work with the incoming ball that has been getting him out. Among specialist batters in this series, only Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope have faced a higher percentage of balls ending up on the stumps line from right-arm, over-the-wicket pace. Even from Leeds to Birmingham, the plans have changed: only 22.4% at the stumps line in Leeds, 33.5% here.Gill was equal to it, scoring 33 runs on the flick and nine on the on-drive. In all, he scored 61 runs on the on side. Among 84 balls that he sent into the leg side, Gill played false shots to only four.This was perhaps a regulation adjustment for him on a slow flat pitch, but India had dug themselves a hole when it comes to the state of the match. Two of the five wickets had fallen to unforced errors. There was a “here we go again” feel to the scorecard.Add to it the general chaos around India’s position in the series. Having lost the unloseable Test in Leeds, they seemed confused with their selection for the Test amid the confusion around which of the three matches Jasprit Bumrah should play. It wasn’t the baptism the young captain would have wanted in only his seventh first-class match as captain.So, amid all that, Gill dug in, living the words he spoke before the Test. Gears kept shifting throughout. He scored just four off the first 26, got to 50 in 125, and when the new ball was approaching he pulled out two sweeps in one Joe Root over to get the hundred. By the time he reached his century, according to ESPNcricinfo control numbers, he had played only 12 false shots in 199 balls. One of the lowest rate of false shots in any hundred in England since 2006.Shubman Gill lets out a roar after reaching his century•PA Images/GettyGill has an unusually high control percentage across his career. It is clear he is a batter with rare ability, but what really got him approval from the decision-makers in Indian cricket was the way he could bat in different ways at different tempos, specifically during the home series against England after India lost Hyderabad.There is no “natural game” he hides behind. He is an old-fashioned, even-tempered batter. His dogged century in the second innings in Visakhapatnam and his unbeaten fifty in the chase in Ranchi – his only boundaries came in the last over of the match – were evidence of that.Going out there and doing what you want others to do is a good way of earning the respect of your team-mates. “He has been amazing the way he has been batting,” Jaiswal said at the end of the day. “Incredible to see him bat. And as a captain also he has been amazing. He has been clear in what he wants to do.”By recent experience, though, Gill will know his job is only half done. The match state has merely been salvaged. He has two allrounders to bat with to make sure they get close to batting England out of the Test. Day two calls for just as much leadership from Gill as day one did.

Afghanistan’s approach with bat and ball bore the same hallmark – a start so strong that Zimbabwe were put on the back-foot immediately. Their top order batted with purpose, their bowlers produced a five-wicket powerplay, and the result was a comprehensive win in the first T20I in Harare.Ibrahim Zadran’s measured fifty set up a strong total of 180 and allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai had a hand in both halves of the match – first providing late runs with the bat, then striking in the powerplay. Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s guile completed the job as Zimbabwe tapped out long before a chase could take shape. Afghanistan, with their 1-0 lead, have now completed their 17th win in 19 T20Is against Zimbabwe.For the hosts, the five wickets they lost inside six overs was the most they have lost in the powerplay. Sikandar Raza’s 3 for 20 and Tinotenda Maposa’s 15-ball 32 from No. 9 were their only positives. The two teams meet again on October 31 for the second game of the three-match series.

A blazing start, a brief stutter

Afghanistan scored only six runs from the first eleven balls, but not for lack of intent. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim kept advancing down the pitch, determined to play off the front foot even as Zimbabwe’s seamers banged it in short.The boundaries eventually flowed – four in five balls, in fact – across the second and third overs to change the momentum. Ibrahim drilled Blessing Muzarabani through midwicket, while Gurbaz cut Richard Ngarava twice over backward point and then drove him through cover. From there, charging the seamers became routine and the pair raced away to 63 without loss by the end of the powerplay. The fifth over from Brad Evans went for 16, with Gurbaz hitting him for six straight down and twice cutting over the infield.Gurbaz eventually fell in the eighth over when he sliced Sikandar Raza to cover for 39 off 25. Ibrahim carried on briskly, and two fours off Ryan Burl in the 11th over brought up Afghanistan’s hundred and his 31-ball half-century. But Raza removed Ibrahim and Darwish Rasooli off successive balls at the start of the 12th over, leaving them 101 for 3 and at risk of losing steam.

Afghanistan wrest back momentum

A single-run, double-wicket over from Raza had pegged Afghanistan back. For the next 20 deliveries, they went without a boundary. Sediqullah Atal finally broke the drought by pulling Maposa’s short ball for six in the 15th over, but his innings ended soon after while attempting another shot across the line. Cramped by Muzarabani, he picked out deep backward square for 25. Muzarabani struck again off the next ball, jagging one back to trap Mohammad Nabi for a duck, and suddenly Afghanistan were 130 for 5 with only four overs left.Omarzai and Shahidullah though – the latter playing his first white-ball international since 2023 – arrested the collapse. Shahidullah made 22 not out off 13 balls, collecting four boundaries by using the pace on offer smartly, while Omarzai’s 27 off 21 ensured the tail wasn’t exposed. Their 32-run partnership came in just 18 balls, and Rashid Khan lifted the final ball of the innings over long-on for six to take Afghanistan to a score of 180 that looked commanding again. The last four overs went for 50.

Mujeeb’s magic, Zimbabwe’s descent

There was a possibility of an exciting chase when Brian Bennett opened with three fours in the first over off Omarzai. But that brief flourish was all Zimbabwe had to show for their powerplay. They unravelled after that.Mujeeb, a regular bowler with the new ball, struck off his second delivery in the second over. Tadiwanashe Marumani was lbw for a two-ball duck, and the next ball – a disguised carrom ball – dismissed Brendan Taylor for a golden duck as he sliced high towards the wicketkeeper.Omarzai, who had gone for 15 in his opening over, hit back in his second by removing Raza and Ryan Burl, who was Zimbabwe’s third duck in the top five. Bennett, the lone bright spot with 24 off 13, fell in the fifth over when Omarzai dug one in short and forced a mis-hit to mid-on.The game had only one result possible from there on. Abdollah Ahmadzai rattled Tony Munyonga’s stumps with a seam-up delivery and later scored a direct-hit to remove Tashinga Musekiwa. Maposa and Evans showed some resistance with a half-century stand. Maposa was the aggressor, hammering 32 off his first 14 balls, as they handled Rashid smartly and capitalised on Shahidullah’s pace-on offerings.The finish, fittingly, came from Mujeeb. Evans chipped a return catch back to him, and Maposa top-edged another carrom ball for a simple take. Those were Mujeeb’s third and fourth wickets and Ahmadzai picked up his second wicket by shattering No. 11 Muzarabani’s stumps.