A rapid powerplay meant the Afghanistan batters were never troubled during their chase of 126

Alagappan Muthu31-Oct-2025

Afghanistan cruised to a series victory over Zimbabwe, with Ibrahim Zadran backing up a disciplined bowling performance with a half-century of his own. Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Abdollah Ahmadzai and Rashid Khan had limited the hosts to 125 all out in Harare, setting up a straight-forward chase.Mujeeb stiflesZimbabwe tried to do the right thing. Their batters realised the importance of getting set. They attempted to regroup when wickets fell. There was no collapse this time, but there was no redemption either.Opener Dion Myers looked to be doing well against Mujeeb, only to sweep him straight to short fine. He was aiming to clear the fielder because there was no one in the deep. Good plan. Bad execution.Brendan Taylor was less adventurous, perhaps wanting to make amends for a low-percentage shot that led to a first-ball dismissal on Wednesday. But Mujeeb kept building pressure. It was the last over of the powerplay. Zimbabwe were 34 for 2, having only hit three boundaries. Trying to exploit the field restrictions before they ran out, Taylor was caught at mid-off, trying to hit the bowler over his head.Zimbabwe had the best of intentions. It didn’t stop them backfiring.Abdollah the enforcerThe pitch was slightly on the slower side – except whenever Abdollah came on to bowl. The 22-year-old fast bowler is all hustle and bustle, hitting the deck and troubling batters with bounce. Ryan Burl, who was in the middle of patching things up with his captain Sikandar Raza, fell trying to swat one of Abdollah’s well-directed short balls off his face. Zimbabwe slipped to 57 for 4. They couldn’t score more than a run a ball in seven of the first 10 overs.Sikander Raza held Zimbabwe’s innings together•Zimbabwe Cricket

Raza’s resistanceRaza tried to do his best to shepherd the innings forward. He came in during the fifth over and showed that run-scoring was still possible, hitting two fours off his first two balls – though both of them were overpitched and allowed him the freedom of his super fast hands. His best shot was an inside out, one-bounce four over extra cover, against a yorker gone wrong from Abdollah.All this happened while the Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan was tending to an injury to his right hand in the field. He had only bowled one over till then. When he picked the ball back up in the 17th, he knocked over Raza, which left the score at 104 for 6, and then ran through the tail. Zimbabwe’s highest partnership was just 24 runs.Ibrahim anchors the chaseAfghanistan ransacked nine boundaries in the powerplay, three times as many as their opposition. Some of that was good strokeplay. The rest of it was just Zimbabwe offering what every batter wants on a sluggish pitch – width and the chance to get under the ball.Ibrahim Zadran helped himself to back-to-back T20I fifties, though this one was a little more hard work. Afghanistan went 43 balls without a boundary after the powerplay but they’d done enough damage while the field was up, scoring 54 of the required 126.Questions remain over Afghanistan’s middle order. Sediqullah Atal – who had turned his right ankle while fielding and required attention – and Darwish Rasooli combined to score just 25 runs in 32 balls through the middle overs.

Legspinner Tanveer Sangha has been called into Australia’s squad for the T20Is against India with Adam Zampa unavailable for the start of the series due to personal reasons.Zampa’s wife Harriet is expecting their second child. He missed the first ODI in Perth due to travel distances involved before featuring in Adelaide, where he was Player of the Match, and Sydney. He is Australia’s leading wicket-taker in men’s T20Is.Sangha, 23, who plays for Sydney Thunder in the BBL, has seven T20I caps but has not played since 2023. He took 4 for 31 on his debut against South Africa.He took seven wickets in the three one-day matches for Australia A against India A on the recent tour and is currently the leading wicket-taker in the One-Day Cup with 10 wickets in four matches for New South Wales.If conditions warrant, Sangha could form a twin spin attack with left-armer Matt Kuhnemann.Australia have various moving parts in their T20I squad with multi-format players at various stages of their Ashes preparation. Josh Hazlewood will drop out after the first two matches in Canberra and Sydney while Sean Abbott will exit after the third game in Hobart.Mahli Beardman, the 20-year Western Australia and Perth Scorchers quick, who has yet to play a first-class match could make his T20I debut later in the series when he joins the squad from the third game onwards.

Erling Haaland and Pep Guardiola were involved in a tense exchange after Manchester City's dramatic 3-2 win over Leeds United. Phil Foden scored right at the start and the end of the game to secure City all three points but Haaland had an off day for the hosts. And at the full-time whistle, his manager appeared to be trying to console the dejected striker at the Etihad.

• Man City hold on for 'wild' win

  City looked to be cruising to a comfortable victory on Saturday when Foden gave the home side a first-minute lead before Josko Gvardiol doubled their advantage. Second-half goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha set up a dramatic finale, before Foden grabbed the winner in stoppage-time. After the contest, the England international admitted he had not been in many games like that, with the 25-year-old also stressing they are not out of this Premier League title race.

  "It's up there as one of the wildest games. We had full control in the first half. They changed their system in the second half and we couldn't get going," he said. "It was a frustrating half. But when there was a short break the manager got us together and we adapted to their formation. We had a few half chances and finally I've found a bit of space and found the bottom of the net. There are still things we can improve. We're delighted with the result. The title race is never straightforward. There's always ups and downs and periods where you can't seem to get going and we've had that. The belief and togetherness came through at the end. Hopefully that's the case today that we can kick on from here. But you never know what to expect. I was so hungry today to play and prove to myself I could still score goals. I missed a few chances against Newcastle and wanted to put it right."

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• Haaland consoled by Guardiola

  While City got the crucial three points, this was the third game in a row where Haaland hasn't scored for the club, albeit he is still the league's top scorer (14) by far. As fans filtered out of the stadium, the Norwegian international cut a frustrated figure, prompting Guardiola to try and console him. 

• Guardiola backs Haaland

  The former Borussia Dortmund man is still waiting for his 100th City goal. However, Guardiola knows it will not be long before he reaches that milestone.

  "He will do it. He will do it in the next game," Guardiola said with a smile. "Just we talk about rest. He has a huge body. Minutes, minutes, in that moment you’re fresh. Rest [is] not just the legs [pointing to his head]. It's not like Phil [Foden] or Jeremy [Doku], they can rest. Erling is a big man. We need him so much."

  The former Bayern Munich manager admitted this game was a "struggle" for his side, but gave credit to Leeds for how they improved in the second half. He also heaped praise on Foden for his brace, with the playmaker returning to something near his best form.

  "After Daniel [Farke] changed shape, long balls to Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha running behind, it was always a struggle. That emotion is part of the football. We had the chances and at the end finally we found our goal," he added. "It's not the first time we saw that. A thousand, thousand, million times he’s [Foden] done it. The quality, shooting, strong. Like his goal against West Ham to win the Premier League. Phil has to be around the box. Shoot or pass. His finishing is so quick. Phil is doing a really good season."

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  What comes next for Haaland's Man City?

  City, who are up to second in the Premier League, will hope they can build on this victory when they travel to Fulham on Tuesday night. Guardiola's side were beaten by Newcastle United last weekend and then fell to a shock defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in midweek, so this Leeds win comes at the right time. Incidentally, not many would be surprised if Haaland ends this mini dry spell next time out.

يستعد فريق مانشستر سيتي، بقيادة المدرب بيب جوارديولا، لخوض مباراة مساء يوم السبت في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وذلك ضد نظيره ليدز يونايتد.

ويستضيف ملعب “الاتحاد” مباراة مانشستر سيتي وليدز يونايتد في الجولة الثالثة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26.

ويحتل مانشستر سيتي المركز الثالث في جدول الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 22 نقطة، في حين أن ليدز يونايتد لديه 11 نقطة حيث يتواجد في المركز الثامن عشر.

ويسعى مانشستر سيتي إلى تحقيق فوز في مباراة اليوم بعدما خسر في الجولة الماضية من الدوري الإنجليزي ضد نيوكاسل يونايتد بهدفين لهدف، كما خسر في دوري أبطال أوروبا بثنائية نظيفة أمام باير ليفركوزن. موعد مباراة مانشستر سيتي وليدز يونايتد اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 6 بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة مانشستر سيتي وليدز يونايتد اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 3. معلق مباراة مانشستر سيتي وليدز يونايتد اليوم في الدوري الإنجليزي

سيعلق علي محمد علي، على أحداث مباراة اليوم.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا

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.

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 22, 2025

A New York Mets' ball boy wasn't having the best night during his team's win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday, as cameras caught his embarrassing gaffe that has since gone viral on social media.

In the bottom of fifth inning, Mets' Jared Young fouled off a fastball from Nats pitcher Jake Irvin, and the ball bounced off the boards and back onto the field. The Mets ball boy chased after it onto the grass, but on the way he lost his balance and tumbled forward before appearing to totally face-plant on the field.

Following that unfortunate moment, Mets gameday host Mike Janela reported some good news: Mets' closer Edwin Diaz apparently checked on the ball boy after his slip-up to make sure he was okay and in good spirits.

"I can report that after the next half inning, Edwin Diaz came out from the bullpen to check on and laugh a lot with the ball boy here. The Mets vibes remain pristine," Janela wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

All class from Diaz.

In part due to Diaz's small gesture, the ball boy can walk away from the hapless incident with his head held high. The Mets went on to win 5-0 in the second game of their series against the Nats.

Equipment has long had a history of causing controversy in professional sports when sanctioned and unsanctioned adjustments are made.

New basketballs were a point of contention for the NBA in 2006 (the league reverted to its previous ball in a matter of months). Deflated footballs had their moment in the NFL and helmets are an ongoing dilemma. But a continuous storyline always seems to be the ball for MLB.

Sometimes it's how players—pitchers, mainly—manipulate them. A "sticky stuff" scandal took over the league for a brief moment at the start of the 2021 season. This year, the raw baseballs are playing far differently than in years past, impacting the flight of batted balls specifically.

A piece from published Friday morning went into findings on how baseballs are flying differently this year, with an increased drag coefficient leading to fly balls coming up four feet short on equivalent hard hits compared to years prior. The coefficient adjusts for situational variants like weather and altitude.

MLB has acknowledged it, saying, "There has been no change to the manufacturing, storage or handling of baseballs this year, and all baseballs remain within specifications.”

The report went on to say that a working theory in the league office is a possible difference in seam width or height. Balls are hand-stitched, leaving room for possible imperfections and variance ball-to-ball, but as the report points out, "… something appears to be happening at scale: On all but four individual days this year, there has been more drag on the ball than last season’s average."

It could explain, in part, some of the seeming no-doubters we've seen that have stayed in the park for fly-outs. At the same time, some of the biggest sluggers are still able to put baseballs places we've never seen them before off the bat.

West Ham United have now submitted an offer of around £20m for a “natural goalscorer”, with Nuno personally a big fan.

West Ham targeting new striker with Fullkrug heading for exit

It has recently been revealed that Niclas Fullkrug is heading for the exit door this winter, having struggled to find the back of the net consistently since arriving from Borussia Dortmund, scoring just three goals in 28 appearances for West Ham.

Callum Wilson has been the man leading the line as of late, and the Englishman has impressed, bagging a brace in the 2-2 draw against AFC Bournemouth, but there are also question marks over his long-term future at the London Stadium.

Given that Wilson is set to turn 34 in February, and his contract expires at the end of the season, it would be a shrewd move to bring in a younger striker, and the Hammers are desperate to sign at least one new centre-forward in the upcoming window.

That is according to a report from Hammers News, which states West Ham have failed with an opening bid of £20m for Al-Hilal striker Marcos Leonardo, with the Saudi Pro League side adamant they won’t sanction a departure.

However, the Irons may return to the negotiating table with another offer, such is their determination to get a deal done, with Nuno personally a big fan of the Brazilian, who was linked with a move to Nottingham Forest during the manager’s time in charge there.

Nuno has made bringing in a new striker the number one priority for the January transfer window, and if the Hammers were able to get a deal for the 22-year-old done, they would be signing a player in red-hot form.

West Ham and Tottenham get Ivan Toney response after holding discussions

The Al-Ahli striker is fielding enquiries ahead of January.

By
Emilio Galantini

Nov 29, 2025

"Natural goalscorer" Leonardo on fire in Saudi Arabia

Indeed, the Al-Hilal star has been fantastic since the Club World Cup in the summer, scoring four goals in five matches in the new-look competition, and he has since impressed considerably domestically too.

The former Santos man also earned high praise from scout Jacek Kulig courtesy of very impressive attacking numbers during his time in Brazil.

With Fullkrug heading for the exit door, West Ham undoubtedly need to bring in a new striker this winter, and Leonardo could be capable of leading the line for Nuno’s side for years to come.

Things are looking up for Chelsea.

Despite a couple of poor results earlier in the season, Enzo Maresca’s side are second in the Premier League, with a chance to cut Arsenal’s lead to just three points on Sunday.

Then on Tuesday night, they showed the continent just how dangerous they are by beating Spanish champions Barcelona 3-0.

One of the stars of that game, and of Chelsea’s season, was Estevao, and so fans should be excited about reports linking them to someone who could be seen as the original version of the wonderkid.

Chelsea target the original Estevao

The transfer window is still over a month away from opening, but that has not stopped Chelsea from being linked with a host of potentially game-changing signings.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, Nottingham Forest’s man-mountain Murillo has been touted for a £79m move to Stamford Bridge, as has Athletic Bilbao’s £62m Nico Williams.

However, as talented as those two are, neither one can accurately be described as the original Estevao, unlike Vinícius Júnior.

Yes, according to a recent report from Football Insider, Chelsea are one of a couple of teams interested in signing the Real Madrid superstar.

In fact, the report goes further, revealing that should the Brazilian be up for sale in the summer, the Blues will be one of the frontrunners for his signature, alongside Manchester City.

However, the report has confirmed that, even though he’d have just a year left on his deal, Los Blancos would demand a fee of around £80m.

Even so, Vini Jr is a genuinely world-class player and someone Chelsea should be happy to break the bank on, especially as he’s the original Estevao.

Why Vini Jr is the original Estevao

Now, when it comes to the similarities between Vini Jr and Estevao, there are a few that are quite obvious and somewhat surface-level.

For example, they’re both exciting wide players, they’re both Brazilian, and now they’ve both played for the national team.

However, what makes the Madrid star the original version of the Chelsea star is how they were both spoken about prior to their big-money moves to Europe.

The Blues ace, for example, was labelled a “future Ballon d’Or winner” by respected analyst Ben Mattinson a few months before his deal was agreed.

Likewise, when the 25-year-old arrived in Spain over seven years ago, president Florentino Perez said: “He’s a player who is already considered one of the great hopes of Brazilian and world football.

In short, the West Londoners’ new prospect looks to be following in the footsteps of the former Flamengo ace, and they’ll certainly hope he continues.

After all, despite having a slow start to life in the Spanish capital, the São Gonçalo-born monster has now amassed 340 appearances for the biggest club in the world, during which he has scored 111 goals and provided 89 assists.

Appearances

340

Starts

267

Minutes

24,291′

Goals

111

Assists

92

Points per Game

2.15

Moreover, he’s helped the club win everything there is to win in the game, including two Champions Leagues, three La Ligas and one Copa del Rey.

Finally, he also has some sensational underlying numbers to his name, with FBref ranking him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries, the top 3% for successful take-ons, the top 6% for shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, with all that in mind, it’s hard to disagree with Ronaldo’s assertion that Vini Jr is “the best player in the world,” and therefore, Chelsea should be doing all they can to sign him next year, especially as he could help Estevao’s development.

Chelsea have already signed another exciting star who's "just like Estevao"

Chelsea have already signed another youngster who could become another Estevao for Enzo Maresca.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 26, 2025

Manchester United have now been told that a £50m offer for an “all action” midfielder will be accepted in the January transfer window.

Man Utd determined to sign central midfielder amid Casemiro update

Casemiro has emerged as one of Ruben Amorim’s key players this season, with the only Premier League game the Brazilian has missed being due to suspension, and Fabrizio Romano has now confirmed that talks over a new contract are now underway.

The transfer expert said: “So now the desire is from Man Utd obviously to continue with Casemiro, but on different conditions.

“So the salary he has right now is a salary Manchester United don’t want to pay in the future. Not because of unhappiness with the player, but because they want to change the salary structure.”

Given that the Brazilian rakes in a whopping £350k-a-week, it is no surprise United are keen to reduce his salary, and it would also be savvy to bring in a long-term replacement for the former Real Madrid man, considering he is set to turn 34 in February.

As such, Man United have recently identified Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Joao Gomes as a target, and there has now been a development in their pursuit of the midfielder, having been told that a £50m offer would be accepted in January.

That is according to a report from Football Insider, which reveals Man United are determined to bring in a new central midfielder, having missed out on their key summer targets, and they could launch a move for Gomes when the upcoming transfer window opens.

Wolves are hesitant to sanction a departure, which is why they are demanding £50m, although the 24-year-old would still be far more affordable than Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, who would both cost over £100m.

"All action" Gomes could be viable Casemiro heir

Much like his compatriot, the Wolves star excels at winning back possession, having averaged 3.34 tackles per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 96th percentile when compared to other midfielders.

Scout Ben Mattinson has also confirmed he rates the Brazilian highly, describing him as an “all action” midfielder, a “dog of a ball winner” and an “excellent box crasher”, while also praising the central midfielder’s physicality.

The 10-time Brazil international is also now very experienced in the Premier League, having made 104 appearances in the competition for Wolves, during which time he has amassed seven goals and four assists.

Their new Pogba: INEOS "would love" to sign £100m + star for Man Utd

Manchester United appear to be making strides in a deal to land a top-level player for Ruben Amorim’s squad.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 26, 2025

Gomes has proven he deserves a chance to prove himself at a bigger club, and Man United should definitely capitalise on Wolves being bottom of the table by trying to lure him away in the January transfer window.