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The new RCB captain’s coaches and team-mates are confident in his ability to be an effective leader in the IPL

Shashank Kishore21-Mar-20251:12

What makes Patidar a menace for spinners?

Chandrakant Pandit, currently coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders, regards working with Rajat Patidar as one of the highlights of his coaching career. The duo has played a key role in Madhya Pradesh’s rise as a dominant force in Indian domestic cricket since 2021. Their bond strengthened in late 2024, when Pandit, MP’s director of cricket, appointed Patidar as T20 captain for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Patidar repaid the trust by leading MP to the final.Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s head coach Andy Flower and director Mo Bobat closely observed Patidar during that campaign, assessing his decision-making and leadership. Impressed, they flew to Ahmedabad in January to discuss their observations with Virat Kohli, who, while preparing for the third India-England ODI ahead of the Champions Trophy, gave his full backing to Patidar.Last month, RCB officially named him captain for the 2025 IPL.Related

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Rajat Patidar appointed new RCB captain for IPL 2025

Patidar’s childhood coach, former India batter Amay Khurasiya, was thrilled at the development. Coaching Kerala ahead of a crucial Ranji Trophy semi-final against Gujarat, Khurasiya took time off to call Patidar, who he’d seen evolve from an aspiring fast bowler who tore his ACL as a 20-year-old to one of the state’s batting stalwarts.”He has never been enamoured by positions or power,” Khurasiya tells ESPNcricinfo. “He was obviously happy, but it didn’t seem like he was overwhelmed by euphoria. He had the same poise about him that I saw all those years ago. Even as a youngster, he’d always speak of wanting to help someone less privileged than him, even though his own journey had been rocky.”When Patidar was a struggling cricketer in MP – he had a difficult time breaking into any of the age-group teams – it was Khurasiya who took him under his wings to work on his batting technique.”Not once have I heard him complain about luck or fate – no ‘kismat kharaab hai [I have no luck]’ or any of that negativity,” Khurasiya says. “He was always clear: he’ll do what it takes. If the result goes his way, he’ll accept it. If it doesn’t, he’ll find something else to be good at. That mindset from very early on made him compartmentalise cricket and life. He’ll be an empathetic leader. Not a boss. And it stems from having seen failure and rejection in his early days.”Patidar has been among the top three run-scorers for RCB in 2022 and 2024; he sat out the 2023 season injured•BCCIAnand Rajan, former MP seamer and domestic coach, has witnessed Patidar’s growth first-hand. They worked together as captain and coach at Malwa Panthers in the Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) last year. Rajan, with coaching stints at MP, Uttarakhand, and Puducherry, has also seen MP’s rise from a middling side to a domestic powerhouse, which mirrors Patidar’s journey from the periphery of the state setup to a senior player.”He doesn’t speak a lot, but his reading of the game is top notch,” Rajan says. “[He only ] gives his inputs if needed; he won’t speak just to be seen contributing to a team meeting. When he says something, people strain to hear him because he’s that soft-spoken – but the impact his words have on a group is immense.”The duration of the MPL was very short (each team played just four league games) to build long-lasting relationships. But you could see Rajat’s qualities even there. He could have gotten out in the most wretched manner possible, but if a younger player came up to him, he’d be the first to sit with him and chat, give him time and make him feel better. No one felt awkward going up to Rajat to talk.”Jalaj Saxena, a domestic stalwart, remembers Patidar’s clarity as a youngster vividly, even though it’s been eight years since they played together.In 2024, Patidar led Madhya Pradesh to their first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final since the 2010-11 season•PTI “It was his Ranji Trophy debut, against Baroda [in 2015-16] and we [MP] had conceded a lead. But Rajat was clear he would look to dominate spin from the get-go, because he felt that was the only way to put the pressure back. He scored an outstanding century, and we set them a target we easily defended. That innings earned the respect of the entire team.”Patidar’s career soared after joining RCB in 2021. He became a household name in 2022 after smashing a century against Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator – the first by an Indian uncapped player in the playoffs – despite entering the season as an injury replacement. Mike Hesson, RCB’s director of cricket, knew then that the franchise had a player for the long haul.”He was always confident in his own skills without having to tell anyone about it,” Hesson says. “You could tell by the way he moved around the group. He would stand behind the nets watching others bat. Just watching, learning and listening and occasionally asking questions, but generally he was trying to align how his game might fit with theirs or picking up parts of everybody’s game. He was inquisitive.”Patidar’s introverted nature, Hesson says, wasn’t a deterrent.”When he spoke, he was always very clear. He’d have actually thought about what he was going to say before he said it. You could tell he processed it. It wasn’t like he would just speak, and the conversation would evolve. He would actually have something insightful to say or a question that you knew that he’d thought about before he asked it.Former captain Virat Kohli has thrown his weight behind Patidar, and sees him leading RCB for the long term•BCCI”He also has a very good sense of humour. That is a nice trait to have in an environment that’s pretty high pressure. And it’s quite subtle. It’s not the in-your-face type of humour; he’s a clever guy who thinks about what he says. I’m sure he will continue that with his leadership style.”Rajat always had a really nice balance between, ‘Hey, I’ll do my work’ and ‘Now I can offer my inputs in my own way to others.’ When he’d stand behind the nets and watch, people batting wouldn’t hesitate to turn back and ask him, and Rajat always had answers, not just to help players but for his own game as well. He was always there and willing. And I think that’s the trait you always like.”Patidar’s ability to offer solutions, stay composed, and build trust makes him a leader who leads with empathy and clarity. If he can handle the pressure of RCB’s passionate fan base and their elusive IPL title, he’ll move closer to fulfilling Kohli’s recent prediction that “he’ll lead for many years to come”.

Manchester United made it three wins out of three in the Premier League on Saturday when they beat Brighton & Hove Albion 4-2 at Old Trafford.

Bryan Mbeumo, who joined from Brentford in the summer, scored twice, whilst Casemiro and Matheus Cunha also got on the scoresheet in front of the home fans.

Bruno Fernandes, as shown in the clip above, played a crucial role in the fourth goal with his brilliant dummy, but his influence in the final third is beginning to wane.

Why Bruno Fernandes's influence is waning

The Portugal international has hit double figures for both goals and assists in all five of his full seasons at Old Trafford to date, per Sofascore, which speaks to the consistent impact that he has had at the top end of the pitch.

However, Bruno only has two goals and one assist in ten appearances in all competitions so far this term, scoring two goals from 4.29 xG in the Premier League, per Sofascore, which shows that his influence is waning.

Do not get it twisted, the 31-year-old star is still an influential player who can produce moments of magic for United, but the arrivals of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko mean that he does not need to carry the team on his back anymore.

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He still has two years left on his contract and only turned 31 last month, which means that he does still have plenty of gas left in the tank, but there is another player at United who may have Bruno’s captaincy in his sights, Matthijs de Ligt.

Why Matthijs de Ligt is a future Man Utd captain

The Netherlands international is five years younger than Bruno and may have more of a long-term future at Old Trafford, which could see him eventually snatch the captaincy if he continues to shine at the back.

After the 4-2 win over Brighton, content creator Liam Canning described his performance as “monstrous”, stating that he has “been United’s best player this season” and that the defender is “a future captain in the making” for the Red Devils.

It is hard to argue with that assessment from Canning after watching the former Bayern Munich and Juventus centre-back strut his stuff against Brighton on Saturday.

Vs Brighton

Matthijs de Ligt

Minutes

90

Interceptions

1

Clearances

6

Blocks

1

Ball recoveries

5

Aerial duel success rate

100% (2/2)

Pass accuracy

91%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, De Ligt was ‘monstrous’ at the back for Ruben Amorim by winning 100% of his aerial duels and making several important defensive interventions.

This season, per Sofascore, the United defender has won 61% of his duels across nine starts in the Premier League. This shows that he has provided a dominant defensive force at the heart of Amorim’s back three.

Rio Ferdinand recently claimed that the Dutchman should be “the first name on the teamsheet”, which is usually reserved for the captain and main star of the team, and that is high praise coming from a player who won Premier League titles whilst playing in the same position.

De Ligt, of course, has also shown that he is a leader. He was the youngest captain in the knockout stage of the Champions League when he played for Ajax in the quarter-finals at the age of 19, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he can be a leader and a captain.

Therefore, Bruno may need to watch out as his powers seem to be waning whilst De Ligt’s stock is rising and he potentially has more years left ahead of him than the Portugal international to lead the club forward as captain, should Amorim decide that he is suitable for that role.

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Posts ByDan Emery Oct 27, 2025

Australia’s stand-in captain said that a pink-ball Test is ‘just a completely different game’

Matt Roller30-Nov-2025

Steven Smith looks set to emulate former West Indies batter Shivnarine Chanderpaul by wearing ‘eye blacks’ on his cheeks during the second Ashes Test at the Gabba. He trialled the anti-glare strips while batting in the nets during Australia’s floodlit training session on Sunday evening ahead of Thursday’s day-night, pink-ball fixture in Brisbane.Smith has played 13 of Australia’s 14 previous pink-ball Tests but has not taken to the format in the same way as red-ball cricket: he has only scored one hundred in 24 innings in day-night Tests, averaging 37.04. His record in daytime Tests is far superior, with 35 centuries in 190 innings and an average of 58.31.”The pink ball in general is just a completely different game,” Smith had said during Australia’s most recent day-night Test match, a 176-run win over West Indies in Jamaica in July. “Personally, I find it quite tricky just picking the ball up at certain times of the day and things like that, and the way it behaves is completely different to a red one.”I think people like the spectacle. But as a player, particularly as a batter, it’s very challenging. The game can so quickly, and things change really quickly, which you probably don’t get so much with a red ball. But yeah, people like watching it, I suppose, so I guess it’s here to stay.”Related

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The ‘eye blacks’ – small, black, adhesive strips worn on the cheekbone – that Smith wore in training are commonplace in several American sports, and are designed to reduce the glare from floodlights by absorbing the light that would otherwise reflect off the skin.Chanderpaul is the most prominent cricketer to have used them previously. “I always used it whenever it was very glary,” he told in a 2018 interview. “I stick them on and it does help take 60-70 percent of the glare off my eyes, and that was good for me.”Alastair Cook, who played three day-night Tests for England, has identified focusing on the pink ball’s black seam as the biggest challenge for batters due to glare. “When the floodlights shine off the pink leather, it distracts from focusing on the black seam – and if you can’t see the seam as a batsman, you’re in big trouble,” Cook wrote in his column.”Whatever type of cricket you are playing, the seam is your clue as to how the ball will behave… At least you have a chance with a red ball. If it’s a pink one under lights, it’s nigh-on impossible to pick up the seam and, therefore, decide with confidence which way the ball might move.”Smith’s innovation came on the same day that Joe Root questioned whether the Ashes should feature a pink-ball Test, comments which Travis Head dismissed.Australia lead the five-Test series 1-0 after beating England inside two days in Perth.

Afghanistan recorded their 17th win in 19 T20Is against Zimbabwe

Sreshth Shah29-Oct-2025

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 stutterAfghanistan 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 momentumA 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 descentThere 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.

Matt Renshaw put his name back in the Ashes discussion with an unbeaten century, Marnus Labuschagne pushed his case for a Test return with an unbeaten half-century, and Usman Khawaja tuned up with a half-century of his own as Queensland’s top three dominated Tasmania at Allan Border Field.After another Ashes hopeful Michael Neser took four wickets for Queensland to bowl Tasmania out for 379 before lunch on day two, Queensland’s top three made a case to be Australia’s top three for Perth piling up 248 for 1 to leave the home side just 131 runs behind Tasmania with nine wickets in hand.Renshaw, who has averaged 34 and 29 respectively in each of the last two Sheffield Shield seasons, cruised to his 24th first-class century to remind the selectors of his quality having tried to ignore the noise surrounding Australia’s openers in the Ashes.”It’s hard – you have to get rid of a lot of things, external noise, off your phone and stuff but I just want to try and go out there [and play],” Renshaw said post-play. “I know that when I’m doing my job for Queensland, opening the batting well, we’re generally winning games.”I had a good opportunity to get in this afternoon. It felt like it was going to be a good batting wicket for us. There were some tough periods, but a really good position for the team now.”There’s a lot of noise that people can and can’t deliver, but I just want to go out there and have fun and play like it. If you told 12-year-old Matt that he was going to score a Sheffield Shield hundred, he’d be pretty pumped.”He shared a 137-run stand with Khawaja, who made a fluent 69 in his first innings since the third Test against the West Indies back in July.After Khawaja fell, gloving an attempted pull shot through to keeper Jake Doran off Kieran Elliott from around the wicket, Labuschagne walked in and picked up where Khawaja had left out. He took a while to get off the mark before striking six boundaries and a six in his 80-ball unbeaten 54.Renshaw and Labuschagne added 111 late in the day and neither looked under any pressure. Earlier, Renshaw and Khawaja had to fight through a challenging new-ball spell from Jackson Bird but thereafter they looked untroubled as the sideways movement disappeared on the true batting surface under the Brisbane sun.Renshaw struck 14 fours and a six while Khawaja found the boundary 10 times. Khawaja would be disappointed to fall in the manner that he did with a big score on offer. Labuschagne showcased some of the technical improvements he had made over the winter but Tasmania’s tired attack that does not feature any real pace was in no position to test him.In the morning, Neser had picked up two of the last four wickets to help bowl Tasmania out having added only 80 to their overnight total. He had Nikhil Chaudhary caught behind for 14 and then produced another outstanding caught and bowled to dismiss Elliott. An offcutter caught the inside edge onto pad and it ballooned into the on side, Neser changed direction in his follow through and dived full stretch to take the catch having already plucked a stunning one-handed return to dismiss Jake Weatherald on day one.Doran made a valuable 66 before he was bowled by Mitchell Swepson and Bird contributed 25, 20 of which came in boundaries.

And so Tottenham Hotspur put the brakes on their campaign for the third time this season, having played out a frenzied draw with Manchester United in the Premier League.

And so Tottenham sit fifth in the standings, 18 points from 11 matches and eight points behind table-topping rivals Arsenal. Thomas Frank will be frustrated with the manner of this side’s dropped points last weekend, Matthijs de Ligt nodding home right before the final whistle after Richarlison had struck moments before and wheeled away in topless celebration.

How to dissect the details of Spurs’ season? Improvements have been made since Frank replaced Ange Postecoglou after that Europa League triumph last season, a strange repulsion between the continental elation and the sour taste of a 17th-place finish in the Premier League.

But Tottenham lack confidence and coherence and quality in the final third. To dare is to do. Are Tottenham doing enough? That is one of the biggest contentions of the campaign so far, and Frank simply has to find a formula to his side’s offensive struggles as the season heads into the wintry midpoint.

How Frank can fix Spurs' attacking problems

Tottenham have found a way to secure a greater number of points under Frank than they typically managed under his predecessor. However, more goals and created chances are needed if the Londoners are to hit the heights anticipated.

But this is a long-term project, and overnight success was never going to be on the cards. What Frank can do, though, is consider ditching Richarlison, even though the Brazilian scored with a deft header against United at the weekend.

We would be remiss not to acknowledge the cameo of Mathys Tel at the weekend, too. The young striker spun and scored after replacing Xavi Simons off the bench. It started the comeback that ultimately didn’t cement itself, but demonstrated the potential of a versatile forward whose talents could yet be fashioned into something special and suitable for life at the peak of the Premier League.

Dominic Solanke continues to languish in the infirmary, a frustration that has undoubtedly had an adverse effect on Frank’s start at the helm. Had the former Bournemouth striker been fit and in the form of his previous chapter across these past few months, Tottenham would have had a focal outlet from which to channel creativity.

It’s been an issue for the strikers, though, and there’s one man in particular whose campaign has been sent into a spin, even though some have acknowledged he has a bit of Jermaine Defoe about him.

Spurs' "Defoe-esque" star is becoming a big problem

Defoe was a proper Premier League striker. Something of a journeyman, he was always prolific and scored 143 goals across 363 matches in a Lilywhite shirt.

Tottenham

363

143 (31)

West Ham

104

40 (4)

Sunderland

100

37 (3)

Rangers

74

32 (10)

Bournemouth

64

23 (2)

Portsmouth

36

18 (5)

Toronto

21

12 (3)

Quick feet, attacking smarts and a natural-born instinct in front of goal made him a force to be reckoned with.

And now, some feel Spurs have found a similar profile in Randal Kolo Muani. Indeed, presenter Ben Bowman hailed Kolo Muani for his “Defoe-esque” attacking play after the weekend match.

In August, Kolo Muani joined Tottenham on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, but he has struggled for fitness across his opening months in England, left waiting until midway through October for his Premier League debut, and has yet to score or assist in four matches since.

Disaster has struck once again, with the 26-year-old having fractured his jaw during the draw against the Red Devils. Now he is set to see a specialist to ascertain the severity of the setback.

Given the nature of Spurs’ attacking problems, with the injuries, yet again, piling up, it’s fair to say that Kolo Muani is presenting quite the conundrum to Frank’s desk, with this being a “strong, fast and powerful” centre-forward, as said by one analyst, endowed with all he needs to succeed in the Premier League, yet one whose time in England may be short-lived and unsuccessful on the grass.

His time in the French capital was somewhat turbulent, having failed to nail down his presence after transferring from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023 for a whopping £76m fee. However, a short loan spell with Juventus last season led to ten goals and three assists from only 22 appearances.

Linking this back to the aforementioned Tel, Kolo Muani’s second injury of his Spurs stint could provide the Frenchman with the chance to nail down a regular starting berth.

Couple that with Solanke’s much-anticipated return and the wonders that could work on creating a more solid and dynamic attacking spread, Kolo Muani may be a striker on borrowed time as he struggles to acclimatise before the end of the season, when he will surely close the door on his loan stay down N17 without a sharp upswing in fortunes that look unlikely to materialise at this stage.

Tottenham have some issues, to be sure, but they have also shown themselves to have what it takes to make incremental improvements this season and beyond.

With Kolo Muani now sidelined once again, however, Frank’s scope at number nine has been narrowed. How big a blow will this prove to be? Whatever the verdict, the Les Bleus star is becoming a problem for the London-based outfit.

Spurs flop who's been "swallowed in the PL" must be dropped for Odobert

Thomas Frank can unleash Wilson Odobert by ruthlessly dropping this Spurs flop.

2 ByDan Emery Nov 10, 2025

Pakistan’s spinners were the difference between the two sides as they derailed the West Indies chase of 179

Danyal Rasool01-Aug-2025

In a game which wasn’t as close as the final scorecard would suggest, Pakistan’s spinners were the difference between the two sides as they derailed the West Indies chase of 179 in the middle overs to ease to a 14-run victory in the first T20I in Lauderhill.That target was put up thanks to a brisk half-century from Saim Ayub up top and contributions through the order. West Indies’ bowling had the discipline to never truly let the batters cut loose on a surface that rewarded pace off the ball, but the flow of runs remained steady, if not explosive. Pakistan backloading some of their power hitters would come in handy when Jason Holder trapped Ayub in front for 57; cameos from Hasan Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf, as well as a six off the only ball Mohammad Haris faced helped Pakistan fetch 58 off their last 31 balls.West Indies knew it was chaseable and batted like it up front. But there was an uneasy fragility to that line-up in the face of a multitude of Pakistan spinners, as well as a standout bowling performance from Shaheen Shah Afridi, the standout Pakistan seamer on the day. It left the hosts with too few overs to target as the asking rate climbed, and too few wickets to play with as Mohammad Nawaz, Sufiyan Muqeem and Ayub wreaked havoc.WI last 19 T20Is•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Holder reminded his side how easy big hitting can sometimes be with a blistering late attack as he helped himself to an unbeaten 30 off 12 with four sixes. It ensured West Indies finished strongly with 38 runs in the final two overs, but of all the things it threatened to do, changing the outcome at that stage wasn’t one of them.Ayub sets himself apartAsked to bat first, each of Pakistan’s top-order batters chipped in, but the runs never came at the dynamic strike rate Pakistan have repeatedly promised they would. Sahibzada Farhan was trapped in front early by Shamar Joseph, who would also account for Fakhar Zaman after a stodgy 24-ball 28. Five of the top six saw their innings conclude with strike rates between 110 and 133.33. And this would have been a problem, but for Ayub.For the first 25 balls of his innings, he found himself ambling along at the same pace as his team-mates. However, Ayub burst into life with a boundary off the final ball of the ninth over, and for a tiny, match-turning window, the fog lifted for him. Romario Shepherd was smashed for four in the following over, before two sixes in a 20-run Jediah Blades over flew Ayub past 50. His last 28 runs came in 13 balls, and by this time, Pakistan’s run rate was well above nine.That, when thrown the ball for a couple of overs, picking up a wicket in each was merely the icing on the cake.Saim Ayub scored a quick half-century•Associated Press

The platform, and its dismantlingFor all of Pakistan’s late surge, a chase of 179 wasn’t near insurmountable, and West Indies would set about demonstrating that in a mature powerplay that balanced intent with calculated risk-taking. The hosts showed deference to Afridi, content to see off his two powerplay overs for five runs, but pounced on the others. Pakistan tried to sneak in a cheeky second over of the innings from Nawaz, only to watch it go for 11, while Johnson Charles took another ten off Haris Rauf’s first.But even without wickets falling, Pakistan began to rein West Indies in. Before the powerplay had ended, Rauf sneaked in an over for just seven, and as the field spread out, West Indies’ scoring ability nosedived in the face of some superbly accurate lines from Nawaz and Muqeem. The eight overs following the end of the powerplay produced just 37 runs and yielded four wickets, gutting West Indies before the final launch.Nawaz’s triple strike guts the hostsWest Indies had begun to fall behind the asking rate following the powerplay, and that pressure brought a glut of wickets in dramatic fashion in Nawaz’s final over. Accurate without being menacing, until then, Nawaz provided Pakistan their first breakthrough by breaking West Indies’ 72-run opening stand when debutant Jewel Andrew holed out to long-off. Johnson Charles appeared to have cleared cow corner two balls later with an on-side heave, only for a brilliant effort on the boundary from Shaheen Afridi to parry it back and save his side four runs.Things got better for Pakistan when Charles top-edged the very next ball to the wicketkeeper, before West Indies slid further into the mire as Gudakesh Motie biffed one to deep midwicket. Nawaz, once famously termed a “match-winner” by Babar Azam, had indeed lived up to Babar’s estimation on this occasion.

He may be far from Pakistan’s poster boy, but his consistency with both bat and ball is helping them play the kind of cricket they want to

Danyal Rasool13-Sep-20258:26

Wahab: Haris Rauf has to come back against India

This story begins, as any story about Mohammad Nawaz, in an MCG dressing room, head in hands as he tries to hold back tears. Babar Azam isn’t prone to giving rousing speeches, but he sees the sensitivity of the moment, and rises to it. He modulates the emotional temperature of the room perfectly, aware that, in front of rolling in-house PCB cameras, any attempts to be excessively rousing may come off as a loss of control.”Koi masla nai hai, [It’s not the end of the world],” the Pakistan captain begins, voice steady, pitch level. “We need to work together as a team.” He then turns to Nawaz, who moments earlier just bowled the final over of that pulsating contest against India, failing to defend 16 as a match Pakistan had controlled slipped out of their hands.”And especially you, Nawaz,” Babar says to the man who cannot take his eyes off the floor. He switches to Punjabi, using both men’s mother tongue to further cement their collective solidarity, “you’re my match-winner, and I’ll always have faith in you, come what may. Keep your head up.”Related

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It was particularly cruel on Nawaz, who had been forced into a situation that wasn’t his to manage. He was bowling the final over when Pakistan had banked on pace to have finished the job by then. There was a no-ball for height that arguably wasn’t the correct call, and a free hit that knocked back a stump only to then trickle away for three.Just weeks earlier, Nawaz had produced a remarkable all-round performance against India in the Asia Cup in Dubai. He had doubled up as the game’s most economical bowler and the most destructive batter, sealing a classic win that would go on secure Pakistan’s berth in the final. It was that kind of showing that led Babar to declare him a match-winner, and yet, it had been wiped from memory, replaced by that chaotic over in Melbourne. Sunday will be the first time he faces India since that heartbreak.Mohammad Nawaz after the chaotic final over against India at the MCG•Getty ImagesThe one thing Babar couldn’t relate to – at the time, anyway – was being left out of the side. Pakistan have not always viewed Nawaz as a matchwinner in that same vein over his career, ever since he lit up the first game in PSL history, where he took 4-13 and was unbeaten with the bat for Quetta Gladiators. That is evident in when he has played; he has batted every position from 3 to 9. At four, where his numbers are strongest and where he first batted in that Asia Cup win over India, he would be sent in just twice more, and never again. With the ball, Pakistan have used him during the Powerplay, where he has bowled about a third of his T20I deliveries, and boasts a better economy rate than in any other phase of the innings.But more telling is how often Pakistan have not used him at all. In the 162 T20Is they’ve played since his debut up until July this year – when Nawaz returned once more after 18 months in the wilderness – he had taken part in just 60. It seems Nawaz can be deployed, with ball and bat, whenever Pakistan want, or, as about two-thirds of the games during his career attest, not deployed whatsoever.2:08

Samiuddin: Hesson clear with his plans for Pakistan

It is what makes this most recent resurgence hard to view as anything more than transitory, but his impact for Pakistan over the last 12 T20Is has been phenomenal. Called up for the spin-heavy conditions of Bangladesh in July, Nawaz is holding together this fragile strategy Pakistan have adopted under Mike Hesson, where specialist fast-bowling heft is sacrificed at the altar of piecemeal lower-order batting contributions.A hat-trick during a five-for against Afghanistan, and significant runs accrued over the past month in the UAE at a strike rate just under 140 have propelled Nawaz to perhaps the single most important player in this Pakistan set-up. Hesson on Thursday called him “the best T20I bowler in the world right now” and the numbers agree; no Full Member player has more T20I wickets this year (21), and no one that has bowled at least 200 deliveries has bettered his economy rate of 6.47.This is the kind of cricketer Nawaz was meant to become when he offered Pakistan a snapshot in that first PSL game. A decade on, Pakistan, and perhaps Nawaz himself, may finally have begun to work out what kind of cricketer he is. Though similar flashes in the past have proven false dawns, he has perhaps never played cricket as well, or as consistently, as he has in this latest edition of a cricketer whose reinventions are becoming impossible to keep track of.In one sense, Nawaz cannot really be called a match-winner. Not in the conventional sense of the word. He isn’t, and won’t ever be, Pakistan’s best spinner, and isn’t, and won’t ever be, their best batter, or their most explosive. But on any given day, he could fit either of those descriptions, and that, in T20I cricket, wins you matches. Matches of the sort Nawaz has been winning for Pakistan of late, and that Nawaz won when he last played India at the Asia Cup three years ago.

Everton are in the race to sign James Ward-Prowse from West Ham in January, with the midfielder “almost certain” to leave the London Stadium in the new year.

Ward-Prowse has enjoyed an impressive career, spending many years at Southampton and being renowned for being one of the best set-piece specialists in Premier League history.

Ward-Prowse has struggled to be a regular for West Ham this season however, and with his current deal expiring in the summer of 2027, the Hammers are set to listen to offers for him in January.

“There’s no way he’s getting back into the plans at West Ham. Nuno just doesn’t want him in the team; he is not open to the idea of this turning around,” reported Dean Jones earlier this month, claiming a move is “almost certain”.

“I don’t see any possibility that West Ham try to stop him from leaving. I think they will treat him with respect and allow him the chance to move.”

Everton are the team most strongly linked with the 11-cap England international, and now a new update has emerged regarding a possible move for the 31-year-old.

Everton ready to offer Ward-Prowse exit route

Speaking to Football Insider, former scout Mick Brown talked up Everton’s interest in Ward-Prowse due to his connection with David Moyes, confirming the Blues are “willing” to offer him a fresh start.

At 31, Ward-Prowse is now in the autumn of his career, so Everton wouldn’t be signing him as a long-term prospect with lots of sell-on value.

That said, he could be a shrewd signing in terms of his experience and enduring quality, not necessarily being a key starter but adding depth to the Blues’ squad at a relatively low cost given his contract situation.

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The fact that Moyes knows him well can only be a positive – he wouldn’t want him if he didn’t value him as a player and a character – so the positives outweigh the negatives.

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Will Arsenal have any of their injured attackers back?

Ahead of Sunday’s North London derby, as well as star centre-back Gabriel, Gooners fear that as many as six forward players could remain on the sidelines.

Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Noni Madueke have all been out long-term, with Gabriel Martinelli, Viktor Gyökeres and Martin Ødegaard joining them in the treatment room more recently.

So, if none are back, Mikel Arteta remains very short of forward options, which isn’t ideal considering games against Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Chelsea are up next, meaning Mikel Merino could once again be thrust into the emergency centre-forward role.

With Ødegaard out, the Spaniard will have Eberechi Eze behind him, although the England international will need to improve upon his recent displays.

He did find the net for Thomas Tuchel’s side last week but hasn’t had much to cheer about in recent weeks beyond that.

Eberechi Eze's start to life at Arsenal

Eze’s move from Crystal Palace is the most excited the Arsenal fan base have been about a signing since Mesut Özil’s deadline day move from Real Madrid in 2013.

That’s not just because he is such an enthralling player, but the fact that he appeared destined to join Spurs, before a last-minute U-turn.

His presentation on the pitch prior to the first home game of the season against Leeds was genuinely a spine-tingling moment, but now the dust has settled, the discussion is around Eze’s performances.

Many suggested the England international had been signed to play on the left wing but, in the absence of Ødegaard, he has started the last eight Premier League and Champions League games in a more central role.

Well, so far, Eze has scored two goals and registered three assists, lashing in a spectacular scissor-kick against, who else, former club Crystal Palace in a 1-0 victory last month.

Nevertheless, supporters would like to see a little bit more end-product from their high-profile new addition, considering all the numerous absentees, aiming to add to his tally against Tottenham on Sunday; should he manage it, the roof might just come off.

Considering all their sidelined stars, determined not to allow another campaign to be derailed by injuries, could Andrea Berta and Arteta enter the transfer market in January, which opens in just 42 days, and attempt to bring “one of the best wingers in the world” to North London?

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According to reports over recent days, Arsenal are willing to spend as much as £80m to sign Real Madrid winger Rodrygo, with further claims stipulating that Arsenal, Spurs and Manchester City have registered official offers for the player.

The 24-year-old has started just three times for los Blancos this season, included in Xabi Alonso’s lineup for just one of the last ten La Liga games, yet to score this season.

Despite this, Rodrygo did start both of Brazil’s friendlies during the international break, these against Senegal in North London and Tunisia in Lille, still very much trusted by Seleção boss Carlo Ancelotti, but could he push for a January move away from the Bernabéu to increase his chances of featuring prominently at the World Cup?

Thus, other reports in Spain claim that President Florentino Pérez would sanction a sale in January should a Premier League club bid £70m or more.

So would the winger be worth such heavy investment? Let’s compare his statistics last season to Eze to help answer that question.

Appearances

54

43

Minutes

3,453

3,303

Goals

14

14

Assists

11

11

Big chances missed

6

8

Shooting accuracy

53%

48%

Chances created per 90

2.3

2

Big chances created

9

11

Dribbles success %

58%

51.9%

Possession lost per 90

12.5

15.2

Touches per 90

67.1

54.9

As the table documents, the duo’s statistics were remarkably similar last season; the Brazilian played only 150 more minutes across all competitions, with Rodrygo and Eze both scoring 14 goals and registering exactly 11 assists apiece.

When looking at the underlying numbers though is where the difference is made apparent, with the Brazilian coming out on top when it comes to chances created, dribbling and touches per 90.

Spencer Mossman labels him “one of the best wingers in the world”, while Real Madrid teammate Jude Bellingham asserted that Rodrygo is “the most gifted player in the squad”, adding that he is “underrated” and “does a lot for the team”, something Arteta would certainly appreciate.

Thus, it is clear that Rodrygo and Eze are very different players, with the Englishman more of a chance creator, while the Brazilian is a direct winger who boasts blistering pace and the ability to take on and glide past defenders.

Right now, particularly with Martinelli, Madueke and Gyökeres in the treatment room, the Gunners would certainly benefit from adding someone with Rodrygo’s talent, skillset and quality, so could he be the final piece in the jigsaw as they chase that elusive first Premier League title for 22 years?

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