أعرب الهولندي ريان جرافنبيرخ، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول عن استيائه بعد خسارة الريدز أمام بي إس في آيندهوفن ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.
واستضاف ليفربول نظيره آيندهوفن، مساء الأربعاء، في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا، على ملعب آنفيلد”.
وخسر ليفربول بقيادة مدربه آرني سلوت برباعية مقابل هدف أمام آيندهوفن في مفاجأة كبيرة للغاية حدثت بين لاعبي الريدز ووسط جماهيرهم، والتي تعتبر أول هزيمة أوروبية على آنفيلد هذا الموسم.
وقال جرافنبيرخ، في تصريحات عبر الموقع الرسمي لناديه: “نحن غاضبون جدًا من خسارتنا، أعتقد أننا لم نلعب بشكل سيء في الشوط الأول بل خلقنا العديد من الفرص أما في الشوط الثاني، فقد سارت الأمور بشكل سيء للغاية”.
اقرأ أيضًا | كاراجر: أريد من محمد صلاح شيئا مهما من أجل جماهير ليفربول
وأكمل: “تأخرنا بهدف مبكر، ثم رأيتم رد فعلنا في الشوط الأول أعتقد أننا قدمنا أداءً جيدًا بعد ذلك، لعبنا كرة قدم رائعة وخلقنا العديد من الفرص، من الصعب وصف الوضع، نحن ببساطة في وضع سيء الآن”.
وأردف: “أعتقد أننا نستقبل أهدافًا بسهولة، هذه مشكلتنا الآن وأعتقد أن فريقا مثلنا عليه أن يقوم بتحسين أدائه الدفاعي وأن يدافع بشكل أفضل، نعلم أننا فريقٌ قوي ونمتلك إمكانيات جيدة لكن كل شيء يُعيقنا، الوضع صعب للغاية حاليًا لكن علينا أن نتكاتف وننطلق من هنا”.
وأتم: “أعتقد أننا لا نملك الزخم الكافي حاليًا، كما قلت كل شيء لا يسير في طريقنا الآن حتى المواجهات الثنائية، وفرص الفوز المتساوية، الأمر صعب حقًا لكن كما قلت، علينا أن نتكاتف وننطلق من هناك، وأنا متأكد من أننا سنجد مخرجًا”.
Liverpool have taken decisive action in the wake of Mohamed Salah’s shock outburst against the club, with the Egyptian superstar set to be left out of the Reds’ Champions League squad for the trip to Inter. The Premier League title holders are due to face Italian opposition at San Siro on Tuesday, and will do so without their leading goal-scorer from the last eight seasons.
Why has Salah been dropped by Liverpool?
Salah has been named among the substitutes in Liverpool’s last three fixtures. He stepped off the bench in a home draw with Sunderland, but saw no game time as the Reds headed out on the road to West Ham and Leeds.
It was in the wake of the trip to Elland Road, which delivered a dramatic 3-3 draw and more points dropped for Arne Slot’s side, that Salah opted to speak out and air his grievances in public. He accused his current employers of throwing him under the bus, believing he has become a scapegoat for the struggles being endured as a collective, and admitted to having no working relationship with his current head coach.
He said: "I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season. Now I'm sitting on the bench and I don't know why. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That's how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame." Salah added on his dealings with Slot: "I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don't have any relationship. I don't know why, but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn't want me in the club."
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Who made the decision to exclude Salah from Champions League squad?
Plenty of criticism has come Salah’s way in the wake of his explosive comments, with many accusing the 33-year-old of allowing ego to get the better of him. He has suggested that past achievements should almost guarantee him a regular role with Liverpool.
The two-time Premier League champion has, however, seen it made clear to him that everybody – regardless of their standing at Anfield – must earn their place in the team. Salah will be left to reflect on that stance when his team-mates line up against Inter. is reporting that the decision to leave Salah out of the Reds’ travelling party was made “by the board and Arne Slot”.
Authority undermined: Why Slot had to make an example of Salah
Dutch tactician Slot was under pressure to make an example of Salah, with it vital that he does not allow his authority to be undermined by one frustrated individual. He has responded to calls for action to be taken.
The Egypt international did, however, take part in Liverpool’s training session on Monday. The Reds were put through their places ahead of boarding a plane to Italy. Salah will be left watching on from afar as his colleagues seek to deliver a positive response to the surprising 4-1 reversal they suffered at the hands of PSV in the club’s last European outing.
While Salah is likely to be forced to sit out a crunch clash with Inter, claims that his exclusion is not considered to represent “disciplinary action” by those working behind the scenes on Merseyside.
Instead the “step is viewed in isolation, rather than having a bearing on Salah’s possible selection going forward – including for Saturday’s Premier League game at home to Brighton & Hove Albion”. A home date with the Seagulls will be Liverpool’s last before Salah heads off on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Egypt.
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January transfer: Liverpool's stance on Salah exit talk
Salah has said, after accusing some of trying to force him out of Anfield, that he intends to bid farewell to Liverpool fans against Brighton. According to , the Reds are expecting him back.
They are said to “remain fully committed to Salah and his contract, which runs through until 2027, while maintaining that the current situation is temporary and can still be turned around”. Despite future rumours being sparked, Liverpool are “not currently planning for the forward’s exit, nor making plans to use the January transfer window for possible replacements”.
Renshaw finished unbeaten on 114 while Labuschagne is 54 not out after Khawaja made 69 as Queensland reached 248 for 1 at stumps replying to Tasmania’s 379
Alex Malcolm05-Oct-2025Matt 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.
Can Rob Edwards save Wolverhampton Wanderers from relegation?
During the international break, the 42-year-old controversially left Middlesbrough, currently second in the EFL Championship, to take over the reins at Molineux, returning to the club for whom he made 111 appearances as a player, but he has a massive task on his hands.
Wolves currently have just two points on the board after 11 matches, no side in Premier League history has ever survived from this position, losing four on the spin ahead of Crystal Palace’s visit to the Black Country on Saturday afternoon.
The Old Gold’s eight-year stay in the top-flight is under serious threat, so if Edwards harbours any realistic hopes of leading Wolves to a great escape, he must surely unleash a new-look forward line in attack.
Jørgen Strand Larsen's downturn in form
Last season, his first after arriving from Celta Vigo, only nine players scored more Premier League goals than Jørgen Strand Larsen’s tally of 14, an impressive figure considering Wolves finished 16th.
This saw Newcastle make multiple bids to sign the 25-year-old, the highest of which was £55m, despite the fact he had cost the Old Gold only €30m (around £26m).
Wolves rejected all of these bids, with Strand Larsen instead signing a new five-year contract, but now they desperately need him to rediscover his best form.
So far this season, the striker has just three goals to his name, bagging a Carabao Cup double against West Ham in August, while his only goal in the Premier League thus far was a penalty during the infamous 3-2 home defeat at the hands of Burnley that ultimately cost Vítor Pereira his job.
Strand Larsen did find the target last Sunday as Norway crushed Italy 4-1 at San Siro, officially confirming his country’s place at next summer’s World Cup, so will be hoping to take confidence from that back into his club form.
Nevertheless, Wolves could be doing more to get the best out of their number nine, underlined by the fact that Strand Larsen’s shots and shot on target per 90 statistics have significantly decreased this season, so could partnering him alongside a “huge talent” be the solution?
Rob Edwards must unleash Wolves' next Jimenez
Wolves only made five senior summer signings, all of whom have had varying degrees of little impact, namely Fer López, Jhon Arias, David Møller Wolfe and Jackson Tchatchoua.
The last of the additions, arriving on deadline day, was striker Tolu Arokodare, joining from Genk for £24m, and he is possibly the most exciting of the quintet, even if the Wolves faithful have seen very little from him thus far.
The 24-year-old has taken an unusual route to the Premier League, beginning his senior career at Latvian club Valmiera, scoring 22 goals in just 34 appearances, hence why Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout described him as “simply too good” for the Virslīga, currently ranked the 36th best league in Europe.
After a brief and unsuccessful stint at Köln, scoring no goals for die Geißböcke, Arokodare rediscovered his mojo at Amiens, netting 21 times across two seasons for the Ligue 2 side, earning a move to Genk, scoring on 41 occasions for the Smurfs.
Of these goals, 21 came in last season’s Jupiler Pro League, which Global Football Rankings believes to be the sixth-strongest league in the world, and the Nigerian international’s statistics make for impressive reading.
Tolu Arokodare 2024/25 Belgian league statistics
Stats
Arokodare
League rank
Goals
21
1st
Goals inside the box
21
1st
Headed goals
3
3rd
Expected goals
28.53
1st
Shots
158
1st
Shots per 90
4.9
1st
Shots on target
52
2nd
Big chances missed
34
1st
Assists
5
17th
Big chances created
7
32nd
Key passes
32
52nd
Shot-creating actions
77
16th
Goal-creating actions
9
13th
Aerial duels won
156
3rd
Touches in the box
217
1st
Stats via FBref and SofaScore
The table makes for interesting reading, emphasising the fact that Arokodare is a penalty box presence, considering all 21 of his goals came inside the area, while also ranking first for shots, shots per 90 and touches in the opposition area.
Meantime, he is also excellent in the air, scoring three headers while also ending up third for aerial duels won, behind only Daan Heymans and Aurélien Scheidler; the former joined Genk to replace Arokodare, while the latter moved to Royal Charleroi to replace the former.
The statistic though that leaps off the page most is the fact that Arokodare missed 34 Opta-defined big chances.
For comparison, the leaders in this metric across other European leagues last season were Ollie Watkins in the Premier League (27), Kylian Mbappé in La Liga (29), Serhou Guirassy in the Bundesliga (21) and Roberto Piccoli in Serie A (26), so no one came close to the Nigerian’s 34, which shows he is often in the right position, albeit is regularly an erratic finisher.
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Despite this, Arokodare is still highly rated, with journalist Graeme Bailey labelling him a “huge talent”, while the aforementioned Kulig notes that “physicality, heading and link-up play” are his primary assets.
This all sounds rather reminiscent of Wolves’ best striker of their current stint in the Premier League, Raúl Jiménez, who is the club’s all-time leading scorer in the competition with 40.
After bouncing around Club América, Atlético Madrid and Benfica, the Mexican really flourished at Molineux, very much considered to be one of the best centre-forwards in the division prior to suffering a horrific fractured skull in November 2020.
Arokodare certainly possesses all the raw attributes to be as good as Jiménez, so now is the time for him to prove this.
Well, Wolves supporters have been treated to a mere amuse-bouche of what their new striker could offer so far, scoring in EFL Cup ties against Everton and Chelsea, starting only once in the Premier League thus far, not doing so in any of Wolves’ last six.
So, pairing him with Strand Larsen would certainly give opposition defences something to think about, with the duo possessing similar but also complementary skillsets.
With Palace captain Marc Guéhi a doubt due to a foot injury, surely Wolves’ best hope of claiming a first win of the season is to deploy the two strikers together.
£55m spent & Hackney signs: Dream Wolves XI Edwards can build in January
This is the dream Wolves starting line-up that Rob Edwards could build in the January window.
Both UAE and Oman know this is their best chance at getting points on board in the Asia Cup
Andrew Fidel Fernando14-Sep-20255:35
UAE vs Oman, a precursor to EAP Qualifier
Big picture: Contest of evenly matched teamsUp until the end of 2022, these teams had played four T20Is against each other. Ever. In the last three years, though, these teams have played five times, and been fairly evenly matched – UAE winning three times, Oman twice. They had met in the final of the ACC Men’s Premier Cup, which is the feeder tournament for the Asia Cup. On that occasion, a 56-ball 100* from UAE captain Muhammad Waseem had put UAE’s total well out of Oman’s reach. But earlier in the tournament, Oman had handed out a crushing defeat to UAE.They arrive at this encounter licking wounds. UAE arguably had the more traumatic opening encounter, having been shot out for 57 by India before the target was chased down in 4.3 overs. Oman’s brush with Pakistan saw them 67 all out chasing 161. There is the distant possibility that either – or both – of these teams can cause upsets in their last group match. But more than likely, this match is their best chance of getting some points up on the table, on the biggest stage either team will play on this year.In fact, for both teams, it is an opportunity to break losing streaks. UAE have been much more active in T20I cricket this year, but have now lost six matches on the jump – that sequence having been kickstarted by Uganda, who beat them in late July. Oman also have a six-match losing streak going all the way back to December last year. In that time, they have lost to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and USA (three times). Both teams will by now be desperate for a T20I win, but it’s been a much longer wait for Oman.Form guideUAE LLLLL Oman LLLLLOman will turn to Jatinder Singh to deliver with the bat•Peter Della Penna
In the spotlight: Jatinder Singh and Haider AliOman captain and opening batter Jatinder Singh was undone by an excellent carrom ball against Pakistan, but of all Oman’s batters, he’s the only one with some semblance of recent form going in to this match. In February, he had hit two fifties against USA at home, his 136 runs in that series coming at a strike rate of 147.82.Almost equally unable to impose himself on UAE’s opening game was left-arm spinner Haider Ali, who bowled the first over in a no-hope defence against India, and conceded ten runs. Nevertheless, he has been far and away UAE’s best bowler this year, taking 22 wickets in 14 matches with an economy rate of 5.54. Having made his debut only this year, Haider has never played Oman.Pitch and conditionsThe Abu Dhabi pitch tends to be batting-friendly, though occasionally it will have something for the slower bowlers as well. Rain is not forecast.Team newsDespite the big loss, Oman will likely field the same XI.Oman (possible): 1 Aamir Kaleem, 2 Jatinder Singh (capt), 3 Hammad Mirza, 4 Mohammad Nadeem, 5 Sufyan Mehmood, 6 Vinayak Shukla (wk), 7 Zikria Islam, 8 Shah Faisal, 9 Shakeel Ahmed, 10 Hassnain Shah, 11 Samay ShrivastavaIn the pre-match press conference, UAE didn’t hint at any changes.UAE (possible): 1 Alishan Sharafu, 2 Muhammad Waseem (capt), 3 Muhammad Zohaib, 4 Rahul Chopra (wk), 5 Asif Khan, 6 Harshit Kaushik, 7 Dhruv Parashar, 8 Simranjeet Singh, 9 Haider Ali, 10 Junaid Siddique, 11 Muhammad RohidStats and trivia Haider Ali’s record in the UAE is not quite as good as his overall record. On home decks, he has nine wickets from eight matches, with an economy rate of 6.13. In matches between these teams played in the UAE, the hosts have won twice, including the most recent encounter, in December last year. In five T20I against UAE so far, Jatinder Singh has a high score of 26, and a strike rate of 96.29.Quotes”Our calibre is much better than what we showed in the first game, and we will show that tomorrow.”
The squad includes 10 players from last year’s campaign, including Sediqullah Atal, AM Ghazanfar and Qais Ahmad
ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-2025Darwish Rasooli will once again lead Afghanistan A team at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Rising Stars Asia Cup, previously the Emerging Teams tournament, to be played in Doha from November 14 to 23. The squad includes 10 players from last year’s tournament, which Afghanistan won, including Sediqullah Atal, AM Ghazanfar and Qais Ahmad.Atal will have fond memories of the tournament, having scored a half-century in the final to beat Sri Lanka A last year. He is a regular presence in the Afghanistan senior team as well, with 22 T20Is, 12 ODIs and one Test to his name.Abdollah Ahmadzai, who made his T20I debut in September and was part of all three games in the recent T20I series against Zimbabwe, will lead the Afghanistan A fast bowling attack.ACC Rising Stars tournament schedule
Nov 14 – Oman vs Pak; Ind vs UAE Nov 15 – Ban vs HK; Afg vs SL Nov 16 – Oman vs UAE; Ind vs Pak Nov 17 – HK vs SL; Afg vs Ban Nov 18 – Pak vs UAE; Ind vs Oman Nov 19 – Afg vs HK; Ban vs SL Nov 21 – Semi-finals: A1 vs B2; B1 vs A2 Nov 23 – Final
Mystery spinner Ghazanfar, 19, came through as a bright prospect and has played all formats for Afghanistan since his debut last year. But he was left out of the T20I squad against Bangladesh in September after average returns. Qais, meanwhile, last played for the Afghanistan national side in 2024. The likes of Bilal Sami, Zubaid Akbari, Mohammad Ishaq and Nangeyalia Kharote, who have all played for the senior side, also feature in this squad.Afghanistan A have been placed in Pool B, alongside Sri Lanka A, Bangladesh A and Hong Kong. Their campaign will begin on November 15 against Sri Lanka A, followed by matches against Bangladesh A on November 17 and Hong Kong on November 19.Afghanistan A squad:Darwish Rasooli (capt), Sediqullah Atal (vice-capt), Noor Rahman (wk), Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Zubaid Akbari, Imran Mir, Rahmanullah Zadran, Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai, Nangeyalia Kharote, Farmanullah Safi, Qais Ahmad, AM Ghazanfar, Bilal Sami, Abdollah Ahmadzai and Faridoon Dawoodzai. Reserves: Wafiullah Tarakhil, Sediqullah Pacha, Yama Arab
Bowling for the first time since the Old Trafford Test, having put fitness concerns behind him, the fast bowler looked on the road back to his best rhythm
Srinidhi Ramanujam05-Sep-2025Every few minutes, a flight takes off from the airport just beyond the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) ground on the outskirts of Bengaluru. There’s a steady hum in the background, easy to tune out, and constant enough to notice if you’re paying attention. On the field, Anshul Kamboj’s bowling had a similar feel: there was an unhurried, deliberate rhythm to it, as he returned to action far from the spotlight that had briefly found him in England.After a challenging Test debut in Manchester in July, when he toiled for 18 overs for a solitary wicket, this Duleep Trophy semi-final for North Zone (NZ) against South Zone (SZ) marked a quieter, more controlled step forward.”I’m just trying to get into rhythm, focus on the present, and push myself without thinking too far ahead,” Kamboj had told ESPNcricinfo after the first day’s play. After missing NZ’s quarter-final due to a fitness concern, acknowledged that two weeks off from bowling had made this match just as much about rebuilding his body as it was about performance.Related
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“I felt really good this morning,” he said, reflecting on his first competitive match since the Test debut. “It’s been a month since I’ve played, so I’m just trying to get into the rhythm of playing a match again. I’m trying to push myself without thinking too much about what’s ahead, [and] just focusing on the present.”For Kamboj, the pre-season preparation is “just a matter of intensity”. It isn’t something that simply turns up on match day – it must be cultivated in the days leading up to it. That intensity was evident in his opening spells on the first and second days against SZ, when he steamed in with pace. His actions were sharp, and his focus clear.”For a fast bowler, loading [the body] during the off-season is crucial for the long season ahead,” Kamboj said. “You can’t train too much during the season; it’s about maintaining yourself. If you load your body well in the off-season, it helps you sustain performance over time.Anshul Kamboj picked up just the solitary wicket in 18 overs on Test debut in Manchester•Getty Images”When in competition, you focus more on refining your skills since you can’t train heavily. But in the off-season, you can build up gradually [by] working on both fitness and skills. The key is not to rest [for] too long, but to keep your body fit through shorter, focused training sessions. If you’re prepared in the off-season, you’ll just need to maintain it during the season, making it easier to perform consistently.”On Thursday, the first day of the Duleep match, Kamboj bowled a seven-over spell and almost had a wicket, forcing N Jagadeesan, on 9 at the time, to nick a length ball to the keeper only to be no-balled for overstepping. It turned out to be a costly mistake, as Jagadeesan went on to score 197 and pushed SZ’s total to 536. Kamboj, however, got on the wickets column soon after, getting Devdutt Padikkal caught behind just as tea approached.On day two, with 15 overs already under his belt, Kamboj’s workload was lighter, with spinners Nishant Sindhu and Mayank Dagar shouldering most of the responsibility, with Sindhu picking up a five-wicket haul. Kamboj still set the tone early on, however, running in hard, hitting the deck, and getting Mohammad Azharrudden caught at first slip with his second ball of the day.Kamboj, who finished with 2 for 67 in 24 overs, underscored the role of mental fitness in sustaining match intensity.”If you maintain the intensity of the match in practice, it puts a lot of pressure on the mind,” he said. “If you’re mentally fit, you can sustain that intensity in practice. But if you’re not, it becomes very difficult, and you might give up halfway. It’s about pushing yourself extra, even when it feels tough, because that’s how you build long-term results.”Last season, Kamboj was the highest wicket-taker in the Duleep Trophy. That followed a haul of 34 wickets in six matches for Haryana in the Ranji Trophy. These performances fast-tracked his road to that India cap.Now, after that difficult Test debut, the selectors were at the CoE, watching him closely. As the new season progresses, Kamboj will hope his preparation, both mental and physical, will enable him to keep putting up these performances of quiet control.
The former captain acknowledges his life priorities have shifted as he prepares to play for his country for the first time since March
ESPNcricinfo staff24-Oct-2025Kane Williamson says he remains committed to playing for New Zealand, and has half an eye on the next ODI World Cup in 2027, but acknowledges that his life priorities have shifted as he prepares to play for his country for the first time since the Champions Trophy final in March.Williamson, 35, was not considered for last week’s three-match T20I series against England, as he was recovering from an unspecified medical issue. However, he is back with the squad for the ODI leg of England’s visit, which gets underway at Mount Maunganui on Sunday.”It’s nice to be back amongst the group,” Williamson told NZC, after linking up with a squad that is now coached by Rob Walter, following Gary Stead’s departure in the off-season. “There’s been quite a bit of change since the last time I was here, so it’s nice to meet the new coach and some new players as well. And I’m looking forward to the start of the series.”Williamson spent much of New Zealand’s winter in England, on an extended contract with Hundred-franchise London Spirit that included a multi-format stint with Middlesex. As one of a group of senior players on a casual contract with NZC, he missed New Zealand’s tour of Zimbabwe in order to fulfil that deal, and also made himself unavailable for this month’s early-season T20Is against Australia.However, Williamson reiterated his commitment to international cricket, while also acknowledging that his involvement with New Zealand’s squads could not simply be a case of him doing all the picking and choosing.”It’s just an ongoing communication with New Zealand Cricket and with Rob, and I’m grateful for that,” he said. “It’s a lot about the balance, with family and time away, but also the delicate balance of being a part of this team that I’ve really loved and enjoyed for such a long period of time.Kane Williamson spent much of New Zealand’s winter in England•Getty Images”Your life situation changes, as mine has, and I’m incredibly grateful as well for that,” he added. “With three young children, the balance between where you spend your time and [who] give your attention [to] is really important to me. Still being able to play for New Zealand, and play the sport that I love at the highest level, is great, but the balance is the most important thing for me.”I still love the game. I still have a strong desire to get better and train hard, and offer whatever I can for the team. It’s been a huge part of my life for 15-plus years, we’ve been through a lot as a group, and a number of transitions. But I’ve just loved playing with a bunch of people that are really committed to each other, and to the team.”New Zealand’s run to the Champions Trophy final was a continuation of their strong showing in ICC events during Williamson’s career. When asked what ambitions he still harboured, he acknowledged the 2027 ODI World Cup – scheduled for Southern Africa in 24 months’ time – remained “at the back of my mind”.”There’s always other things,” he added. “Test cricket is pretty dear to me as well. So it’s a little bit about what I want, and little bit more about what the team wants, and where it’s going, and what we’re buying into.”We’ll keep those lines of communication open to make sure that we’re focused and clear on what it looks like,” he added. “I’m respectful of the fact that this is a team and a special place, and that they’re always trying to build towards something. For me, in this phase of my career, if I’m there and able to add to it, then brilliant.”
Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has plenty to stew on after his side were beaten 3-1 in the semi-final of the League Cup at Hampden Park on Sunday.
It was a valiant effort from the Light Blues, though, as they played the majority of the game with ten men after Thelo Aasgaard’s red card in the first half for a challenge on Anthony Ralston.
Given the circumstances, the fact that Rangers took the game to extra time is a credit to Rohl and the work that his coaching team have done to make the side harder to play against.
Of course, the German tactician has also won both of his Scottish Premiership matches in charge of the club since he came in to replace Russell Martin, which has provided supporters with a slither of hope for the rest of the season.
There is plenty of work left to do, though, if the Light Blues want to enjoy a successful end to the 2025/26 campaign, as Rohl needs to get more out of the current group of players, at least until the January transfer window.
One player the manager needs to work with to improve his performance is winger Djeidi Gassama, whom he worked with at Sheffield Wednesday.
Why Djeidi Gassama needs to improve his Rangers performances
The French forward arrived at Ibrox from the Owls in a £2.2m deal during the summer transfer window to bolster then-manager Martin’s options at the top end of the pitch.
Gassama made an electric start to life in Glasgow with a return of four goals in six Champions League qualifiers, per Transfermarkt, for the Scottish giants.
Unfortunately, the left-sided attacker has only scored one goal in 15 appearances in every other competition combined so far this season, with no goals in ten appearances in the Premiership.
Gassama has failed to provide consistency in his end product after that exciting start to his career in Glasgow, with just one goal and one assist in his last ten appearances.
Djeidi Gassama’s last 10 appearances
Opponent
Goals
Assists
Celtic
0
0
Hibernian
0
0
Kilmarnock
0
0
Brann
0
0
Dundee United
0
1
Falkirk
0
0
Sturm Graz
1
0
Livingston
0
0
Genk
0
0
Hibernian
0
0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Frenchman has rarely contributed at the top end of the pitch in recent months, which is why he needs to step up under Rohl and prove that he deserves to be a regular starter.
His inconsistency in the final third should not be a huge surprise, though, as he ended the 2024/25 campaign with eight goals and one assist in 47 games for Sheffield Wednesday in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.
With this in mind, it remains to be seen whether or not Gassama will be able to find that consistency as a scorer and a creator of goals, or if he will have those issues with his game throughout his Rangers career.
Meanwhile, there is another winger in the club’s ranks who has the potential to be an even bigger talent than Gassama at the top end of the pitch.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Mikey Moore has not set the world alight since his move on loan from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window, but his form at youth level suggests that there is much more to come from him.
Why Mikey Moore can be a bigger talent than Djeidi Gassama
The 18-year-old forward has provided no goals and two assists in 15 appearances in all competitions for Rangers, per Transfermarkt, which is far from an impressive return.
However, it is worth taking into account that this is Moore’s first-ever loan move and first taste of regular first-team football, and he was dropped into an incredibly difficult situation during Martin’s tenure.
Rangers were a struggling team playing in front of a frustrated crowd at Ibrox more often than not, given a run of five wins in 17 matches, and that cannot have been an easy environment for an 18-year-old forward to come into.
It is, therefore, understandable, with the benefit of hindsight, why Moore did not hit the ground running and provide goals and assists straight away.
He has shown some signs of promise since Martin’s departure. After four goals in two matches for England’s U19s during the October international break, Moore provided an assist for James Tavernier in the 2-2 draw with Dundee United.
The English forward also showed some great moments off the bench against Celtic on Sunday, driving Rangers up the pitch with his impressive ball-carrying skills. Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar even described his cameo as “terrific”.
Mikey Moore’s career (U18, U21, and first-team)
Position (appearances)
Goals
Assists
Left wing (19)
4
6
Attacking midfield (9)
6
4
Centre-forward (7)
11
4
Right wing (10)
1
0
Left midfield (1)
0
1
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, Moore’s most productive performances as an attacking force have come in central positions as a number ten or as a centre-forward, but he has mainly played on the wing for the Light Blues.
The England youth international delivered 19 goals and 13 assists in 24 games for Spurs at U18 level, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he does have the potential to provide consistency in the final third when at his best and playing in the right areas.
As you can see in the clip above, Moore pressed well from a central position to create a chance for himself, which he then finished brilliantly.
This suggests that Rohl could get the best out of the young attacker by deploying him in a central role, allowing him to use his ball-carrying and pressing skills to impact games in the middle of the park.
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His form at youth level in central positions then suggests that Moore could be an even bigger talent than Gassama for Rangers because of his consistency, with goals and assists, in the final third, which the Frenchman has struggled with.
India impressively defended what had initially seemed a slightly light total on the Gold Coast
Andrew McGlashan06-Nov-2025
Axar Patel used angles to take his wickets and then to celebrate them•Getty Images
Led by their spinners and a vital pair of inroads from Shivam Dube, India impressively defended what had initially seemed a slightly light total to take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the T20I series on a Gold Coast surface that both sides agreed had shades of the subcontinent about it.From 121 for 2 after 14 overs, India were only able to post 167 largely due to the key breakthroughs provided by Adam Zampa, back in the side after the birth of his second child, and late-overs brilliance of Nathan Ellis.But Australia shed wickets at regular intervals in the first stage of their chase before collapsing in a heap to lose 7 for 28. Axar Patel conceded just 20 off his four overs, including 12 dot balls, while Dube claimed the key wicket of Tim David. Varun Chakravarthy’s final delivery of the evening all but sealed the contest when Glenn Maxwell, returning from his broken wrist, completely failed to pick a googly.The result left a large proportion of the 20,470 crowd delighted and meant that the best Australia could hope for is a share of the series in the final game at the Gabba on Saturday.Shivam Dube took over with his seemingly magical wicket-taking ability•Cricket Australia/Getty Images
Axar ties up Australia
Axar only had a limited role with the ball in the first three matches of the series; India didn’t bowl in Canberra, he wasn’t used at the MCG, then he returned 0 for 35 in Hobart. Here, however, he came to the fore, as his darting left-arm spin proved very difficult to combat.Matthew Short, back in his favoured opening role but one he has conceded is probably not realistic to have at the T20 World Cup, had dominated the early stages of the chase before falling lbw sweeping at Axar when India successfully reviewed the not out decision. Axar then defeated Josh Inglis, a player who looked rusty after a period on the sidelines, when he charged down the pitch.
Dube at the double
As in the previous match, Mitchell Marsh had not had a huge amount of strike early in the chase but was starting to move through the gears. Dube dropped a slower delivery in short, it was very much in Marsh’s wheelhouse, and the pull went flat towards deep square leg where Arshdeep Singh took an excellent running catch around the boundary. However, Dube’s big moment was to come.David launched him for a huge six over long-on – it wasn’t far from striking the overhanging roof – but Dube’s revenge only took one delivery. Banging the ball in short, David was hurried into a pull and top edged into the covers.When Josh Philippe spliced to short midwicket two overs later it was another game that needed Maxwell to salvage it but having not batted in the middle since mid-September, that was always a tall order. The dominance of the visiting spinners was perhaps a little warning to Australia ahead of the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka early next year where the types of surfaces on offer could vary.Josh Inglis claims a catch off Tilak Varma•Getty Images
Zampa back with a bang
Abhishek Sharma had been dropped second ball of the match by Xavier Bartlett, a running chance at deep point where he may have been distracted by another fielder, and when Abhishek deposited Zampa’s second ball of the series straight down the ground for six India were a healthy 56 for 0 in the seventh over. However, two balls later Zampa evened the ledger when Abhishek tried to repeat the stroke against a googly and was safely held at long-on by David.Zampa was then held back until the second half of the innings and it threatened to be a rough night. In the 13th over Suryakumar took him for two sixes over deep midwicket as the India captain looked set to kick start a late surge for his team. However, Suryakumar picked out David in the deep – who held on his with fingertips – and when Zampa returned for his final over in the 17th of the innings he had an impact.Tilak Varma gloved a sweep which popped up for Inglis to gather, then three balls later Australia successfully reviewed for an lbw against Jitesh Sharma when he missed a sweep.
Ellis shines again
It is nothing unusual for Ellis to impress in this format, but this was another outstanding display of his T20 skills. The final figures of 4-0-21-3 were made even more noteworthy by the fact his first four deliveries cost 10 as Shubman Gill took him on the powerplay. That meant his 21 deliveries cost just 11, and he bowled three of the last nine overs.His first wicket ended Dube’s experimental innings at No. 3 when he played across a slightly slower delivery. Then at the start of the 15th over he finished Gill’s rather laboured stay, although which grew in value as the night wore on, with a back-of-the-hand slower ball. He closed out with the 19th over, homing in outside off with wide yorkers and changes of pace. Occasionally he got a little too wide and was called, but none of the batters could get him away. In the end, however, as the pitch continued to slow up, India still had more than enough.