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The ODI World Cup is just two years away, but for England, a significantly more imminent challenge dominates

Andrew Miller25-Oct-2025Big picture: Context or continuity?The great gathering continues apace. First it was Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell and Brydon Carse – with Zak Crawley lurking on the fringes to soak up the vibes and sort the tee-off times. Then, by degrees, other key combatants have flown in, with New Zealand performing the role of an Orwellian airstrip, anchored ominously off the East Coast of Australia.Gus Atkinson has been in New Zealand for a week; Mark Wood and Josh Tongue arrived on Thursday, also in non-playing capacities. Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Jamie Smith are all in line for their first hits of the winter in this week’s ODIs, and Jofra Archer – at some stage – his first bowl. For yes, in theory, a bilateral series between England and New Zealand is about to get underway. In practice, the Ashes phoney-war-by-proxy is about to be ramped up another notch or three.The early-season conditions didn’t allow many conclusions to be drawn from 61.4 overs of T20I action, but there was purpose to the three matches just gone – coming as they do just months before the next T20 World Cup. When it comes to ODI cricket, however, it’s harder to pretend that it’s a massive priority for either team right now.Kane Williamson’s return provides the local intrigue and, as many of New Zealand’s players have been saying in recent days, the chance to play a Big Three opponent offers a degree of context in its own right. But let’s face it, if we thought Bethell’s 39 runs from 25 balls in the T20Is offered Ashes pointers, it’s nothing compared to the frenzied hot takes that Root and co. could find themselves generating this week.Of course, the spring rains may continue to dampen everyone’s enthusiasm. But England’s main focus across the past fortnight has very much been on mental preparation. There are longer-term issues that need to be addressed with the next ODI World Cup now two years away, and for the seam bowlers in particular, there’s a real opportunity to lay down a few markers. But overall, the squad’s relaxed vibe has befitted a laid-back location, and a sense that this week is a consequences-free chance to get some game-time and continue to build towards significantly more intense challenges.This was, after all, one of the rationales for McCullum taking on the white-ball coaching role back at start of the year. The unification of philosophies across squads means there are no competing agendas pulling the players one way or the other – just a collective sense of purpose at the start of a seminal winter, and a recognition that some big pictures are significantly bigger than others.Form guideNew Zealand WWWLW (last five ODIs, most recent first)
England WLLWWIn the spotlight: Ben Duckett and Kane WilliamsonIt’s not so long ago that Ben Duckett was being touted as the most complete all-formats batter in the world. But then, the very fact of his ubiquity became too much of a burden. After an exhausting Test series against India, a grim run of form in the Hundred contributed to his absence from the T20Is against South Africa in which Jos Buttler and Phil Salt laid an insurmountable claim to the openers’ roles, and by the end of the ODI leg he was visibly shot to bits. Now he’s back after some much-needed R&R – newly married and hopefully rested up. Mount Maunganui and Perth are worlds apart, of course. But England will need him to rediscover that dynamism across formats as the Ashes draw nigh.Kane Williamson will turn out for New Zealand for the first time since the Champions Trophy final in March•ICC via Getty ImagesKane Williamson is not the most demonstrative of blokes at the best of times. But he knows a career inflection point when he sees one. It’s been nearly eight months since his last match for New Zealand – their loss to India in the Champions Trophy final – and, at the age of 35, he’s conscious of the march of time, as he returns to a set-up with a new coach in Rob Walter, and with the next ODI World Cup still a full two years away. With a young family to consider, and lucrative offers such as this year’s London Spirit/Middlesex tie-in very much on the table for the autumn of his career, these three games may go some way to determining his continued hunger after 15 years as a Black Cap.Team newsKyle Jamieson has been ruled out of the series after suffering stiffness in his side, but New Zealand welcome back a core of senior players who have not featured in the ODI set-up since the Champions Trophy – the captain Santner, Tom Latham and Williamson among them.New Zealand (possible): 1 Will Young, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Rachin Ravindra, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Tom Latham (wk), 7 Michael Bracewell, 8 Mitchell Santner (capt), 9 Zak Foulkes, 10 Jacob Duffy, 11 Matt Henry.Smith, Duckett and Root return to action for the first time this winter, with one eye very much on the first Test at Perth in less than a month’s time. Sam Curran will get a chance to cement his allrounder role, while Luke Wood could get a run in the side with England’s 50-overs seam attack still very much a work in progress. Jofra Archer is fit but unavailable for the first match, as England look to manage his workload ahead of the Ashes. Will Jacks is still absent with a finger injury.England (possible): 1 Jamie Smith, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Joe Root, 4 Jacob Bethell, 5 Harry Brook (capt), 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Sam Curran, 8 Jamie Overton/Sonny Baker, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Luke Wood.Pitch and conditionsThe weather warnings that wrecked the Auckland T20I have abated, although the strong winds remain a factor. The ground record is New Zealand’s hefty 371 for 7 against Sri Lanka in 2019, so if the conditions permit, runs will surely flow.Stats and trivia New Zealand have played 11 ODIs at Bay Oval since 2014, winning six – including each of their last three – and losing five. However, England won these teams’ only previous meeting at the venue, by six wickets in 2018, despite a certain Mitchell Santner producing the day’s stand-out innings, 63 not out from 52 balls. Adil Rashid, who also played in that fixture, needs three more wickets to overtake Darren Gough (234) as England’s second-most prolific ODI bowler behind James Anderson (269).

Abject. It is, painfully, an accurate way of summing up Liverpool’s form this season. The Premier League champions will not retain their belt, not like this, not with such deep tactical cracks and incoherent players and non-existent belief in Arne Slot’s plan.

The most concerning part of the recent 3-0 defeat in Manchester against Pep Guardiola’s resurgent outfit is that Liverpool were outplayed across the park. Be it physical, mental or tactical metrics, Manchester City shone, and the Reds were blinded by their opponent’s superiority.

Jeremy Doku stood out, darting this way and that, scoring a stunning goal in the second half after breaking away from Ibrahima Konate. The Belgian winger completed seven of eight dribble attempts and created three chances, as per Sofascore.

Liverpool have got so many problems, and the recent wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid provided only the veneer of a revival as City hit the Merseside club with a sobering reality check.

Among Slot’s biggest concerns is the enduring slump of Mohamed Salah. For so many years, the Egyptian has been an unstoppable force for Liverpool, but, aged 33 and at the front of a sinking ship, he is struggling to recover more than a flicker of his former greatness.

Mohamed Salah is becoming a problem

Will we see the best of Salah in a Liverpool shirt again? There’s every chance that the right winger expended incredible amounts of mental and physical energy driving his club to the league title last season, and across all competitions, he scored 34 goals and supplied 23 assists.

Almost three months into the new campaign, Slot’s second in the dugout, Salah has recorded eight goal involvements, but his general play and the accuracy of his shooting have paled in comparison to the many years behind him. Salah is not himself.

This is a worry, to be sure. Not just because Liverpool are playing without their talisman in his groove, but because Slot has shown a hesitance toward unleashing Federico Chiesa right from the start of last season, and that doesn’t look like it’s going to change any time soon.

How much longer can it go on like this? Man City reduced Liverpool’s superstar to half-chances and a role within the defensive press. How many times has Salah picked Pep apart? How often has he been the leading light against this arch-rival of modern times?

Premier League

19

9 (6)

Champions League

2

2 (1)

Community Shield

2

1 (1)

FA Cup

2

0 (0)

Carabao Cup

1

1 (0)

There is, of course, the caveat to all this that Salah would be far better placed in a system of greater fluency. This has been anything but the case for the Anfield side this season.

But Father Time is not on the Premier League legend’s side, and, having penned a new two-year extension worth £400k per week in April, Salah has around 18 months to show that FSG have received more than bang for their buck one final time.

But there’s a very real possibility that Salah is past his prime, and that Liverpool need to find a successor.

An onerous task if ever there was one. However, Liverpool actually have a Kirkby prospect who has what it takes to swipe the icon’s shirt.

The Liverpool teen who can take Salah's #11

Slot needs to find a solution to Liverpool’s current woes, but let’s all take a breather, just for a moment. Liverpool have so much talent. Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz will come good. But, more excitingly, there’s a wealth of teenage talent soon to be at Slot’s disposal, with one prospect a cut above the rest.

Rio Ngumoha knew he was headed to the upper crust of the Premier League, and a youth system that has shown itself since Jurgen Klopp came along to be a hothouse for those immensely gifted young stars.

Chelsea’s loss was Liverpool’s gain. Ngumoha was poached from Cobham in 2024 and made his professional debut against Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup midway through his maiden year on Merseyside.

A left-sided winger with incredible speed and dribbling, the 17-year-old Ngumoha has the potential to become a superstar at Liverpool, with his physical, athletic and fierce playing style offering shades of that man Doku, Anfield villain last weekend.

You could say Ngumoha is preternaturally talented. After all, journalist Kieran Gill is among those to have singled him out as a “generational talent”, and he certainly illustrated his potential with an incredible strike on his Premier League debut, netting the winner against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park in August.

Since then, he has featured sporadically for the Redmen, playing seven games in all competitions but only starting in the Carabao Cup, among that youthful group who were brushed aside by Crystal Palace last month.

Ngumoha’s time will come. He is so fast, so sure of himself when on the ball. He is among the youngest goalscorers in Premier League history, and that goal is sure to be the first of many.

1

James Vaughan

16 yrs, 8 months, 27 days

2

James Milner

16 yrs, 11 months, 22 days

3

Wayne Rooney

16 yrs, 11 months, 25 days

4

Rio Ngumoha

16 yrs, 11 months, 26 days

5

Cesc Fabregas

17 yrs, 3 months, 21 days

Time must be afforded to one so young. Take Doku. Criticised often at Man City for being endowed with such ferocity and fleet-footedness, but lacking end product and elite decision-making.

Doku is only 23, and his performance against Slot’s beleaguered lot last weekend was the display of a winger reaching new levels of maturity and technical understanding.

Ngumoha will only get better and better as the years go on, and while he can contribute this season, these foundational years could see him bloom at the end of next term, when Salah supposedly leaves, and he could take his shirt, stepping up as Liverpool’s new wide talisman.

Can Nghumoha reach those heights, take that #11 from Salah himself? You’ll have to stay tuned. But Ngumoha will make it easy to do that. Watching him play football is a treat, and he has the capacity to not just emulate a stylistic peer like Doku but become one of the very best in world football.

More than Wirtz: £36m Liverpool star is becoming a "serious issue" for Slot

Liverpool were condemned to a fifth defeat in six Premier League matches at the Etihad.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 10, 2025

After back-to-back wins at The Oval and in Galle, they are third. They have tough assignments ahead but will now know those games are not unwinnable, mainly thanks to their versatile bowling

Andrew Fidel Fernando23-Sep-2024In July last year Sri Lanka began their World Test Championship cycle, and the start could barely have been more disheartening. In Galle, they ran into a Saud Shakeel double-hundred, losing by four wickets. At the SSC next up, they fell over meekly twice, though in one of those innings they had had to contend with some furious Naseem Shah reverse-swing.Fourteen months on, they are third on the WTC table, their 63-run victory in Galle over New Zealand taking them to a 50% win rate in this cycle, out of eight matches played.Where that Pakistan series had been played under the leadership of Dimuth Karunaratne, who was desperate to give up the captaincy at the time (and only captained that series because the selectors convinced him to keep going), Dhananjaya de Silva appears to have brought fresh energy to the role.Related

• SL, NZ seek to make most of Galle conditions and prevent another collapse

• Sri Lanka look to ride on hot streak to stay in the fray for WTC final

• Sri Lanka call up uncapped offspinner Nishan Peiris for second New Zealand Test

• Report: Jayasuriya wraps up victory, SL leapfrog NZ on WTC table

In 2024, they’ve won twice in Bangladesh – no mean feat these days – produced their best Test win in years at The Oval, and now have made a winning return to their own shores. They have five Tests to go in this cycle – one more, starting on Thursday in Galle, then a two-Test tour to South Africa at the end of November and start of December, plus two home Tests next year against Australia.These are all difficult assignments, but there is hope now that they are not unwinnable matches. Primarily, this is down to the depth and versatility Sri Lanka now possess on the bowling front. At The Oval, in a Test that began less than three weeks ago, a quartet of fast bowlers delivered a resounding win in seaming conditions. On a surface that was exceedingly dry even by Galle’s standards, their lead spinner Prabath Jayasuriya – not needed for The Oval – claimed nine wickets and delivered another match-winning second-innings spell.”The bowling unit has been very successful. In England they did justice to all the bowling plans we gave them. And then we came to Galle and we were probably the underprepared side. New Zealand had been in India and training for these conditions.”But Prabath adapts very quickly – that’s one of his big positives. He had a different role in England, where he was the holding bowler. Here he is back to taking wickets.”Getty ImagesWhen their second spinner Ramesh Mendis lacked for control in Galle, de Silva himself took the ball and claimed three wickets through the match, even opening the bowling on day five, when New Zealand could still have snuck through to victory.And although, from his demeanour, it would be easy to assume de Silva is a soft touch, he has an edge to him as a leader too, as this answer shows:”Ramesh Mendis occasionally bowled well, but he didn’t bowl as well as I expected – I think that’s fair of me to say. So this is why I had to take the ball. I know what my skills are and what the team needs. I had to apply them at that time. When we play in Sri Lanka I think the team gets a bit out of my bowling. So I tried to support Prabath as best as I could. I took wickets when they were coming, and tried to do the holding job at other times.”So far as captain, de Silva has batted better than his average, and now contributed meaningfully to a victory with the ball. Nothing on a cricket field has ever really seemed to phase him – leadership may be no different.Which is all to say that their results this year – four wins and two losses (plus a win against Afghanistan that was not part of the WTC programme), have given them an outside chance of charting a path to the final at Lord’s in June 2025. They will go into the second Test in Galle with serious confidence, but will not be overawed by what looms for them in South Africa, either – having won at Kingsmead and St George’s Park when they last played at those venues in 2019. If anything, their seam attack is stronger now than then. (Though – and it is worth putting this disclaimer on every sentence discussing Lankan seam bowling – they have to stay fit.)

So far as captain, de Silva has batted better than his average, and now contributed meaningfully to a victory with the ball. Nothing on a cricket field has ever really seemed to phase him – leadership may be no different.

Sri Lanka have had an easier Test Championship cycle this time: they have not had to play India or Australia away from home, which are the two toughest tours in cricket. Still, having been a modest Test team for almost a decade, even if one capable of delivering shock victories, and now have a chance to build on back-to-back wins achieved in dramatically different conditions.And it is their bowlers, primarily, who have brought them this far.

كشفت تقارير إعلامية اليوم الخميس، عن وجود تطورات جديدة متعلقة بمستقبل موهبة نادي ريال مدريد وحقيقة انتقاله إلى الدوري الألماني الممتاز خلال الفترة المقبلة.

ويرتبط عدد من اللاعبين بالرحيل عن صفوف ريال مدريد خلال فترة الميركاتو الشتوي المقبل في يناير، في ظل عدم مشاركتهم بشكل منتظم مع النادي الإسباني.

ويأتي على رأس هؤلاء اللاعبين جونزالو جارسيا، موهبة ريال مدريد الشابة، والذي يعتبر من أهم اللاعبين الشباب في إسبانيا خلال الفترة الأخيرة.

ويلعب جارسيا في مركز المهاجم الصريح بجانب الجناحين الأيمن والأيسر، وقدم أوراق اعتماده مع ريال مدريد خلال مسابقة كأس العالم للأندية الأخيرة في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

تقرأ أيضًا.. لاعب ريال مدريد المصاب يزف نبأً سعيدًا بعد الهزيمة أمام مانشستر سيتي

وذكر صحفي شبكة “سكاي سبورتس” فلوريان بليتينبيرج، أن جارسيا مطلوب بالفعل في الدوري الألماني، حيث يرغب شتوتجارت في ضم اللاعب البالغ من العمر 21 عامًا خلال فترة الميركاتو الشتوي المقبل.

وأضاف بليتينبيرج في حديثه، أن شتوتجارت يحلم بضم جارسيا، حيث يعتبر اللاعب الشاب حلمًا بالنسبة للنادي الألماني وقد جرت بالفعل مفاوضات لضمه، لكن الصفقة تبدو صعبة للغاية.

وأوضح بليتينبيرج، أن جارسيا على الأرجح مستمر مع ريال مدريد، ويرتبط بعقد مع الفريق الملكي إلى نهاية موسم 2030 المقبل.

وشارك جارسيا بشكل أساسي خلال لقاء ريال مدريد ومانشستر سيتي يوم أمس الأربعاء في دوري أبطال أوروبا بدلًا من كيليان مبابي المصاب، حيث انتهت هذه المباراة بخسارة الميرنجي 2-1.

Ryan Reynolds, Rob Mac and Wrexham have been warned off a shock swoop for England international Raheem Sterling. The Premier League title winner currently finds himself stuck in the infamous ‘bomb squad’ at Chelsea. A January move is expected to be agreed, as Sterling gets his career back on track, with it being suggested that he could head to the Championship.

• Bomb squad: Sterling frozen out by Maresca at Chelsea

  Sterling has spent his entire career to date in the top tier, having stepped out of Liverpool’s academy system and completed a move to Manchester City in 2015. He won four top-flight crowns while working with Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.

  He returned to his roots in the English capital when joining Chelsea in 2022, but has found the going tough at Stamford Bridge. After spending last season on loan at Arsenal, the 30-year-old winger has now been frozen out by Enzo Maresca in west London.

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  Sterling to Wrexham: Does move make sense?

  Sterling opted not to force through a transfer over the summer, but needs to make a fresh start early in 2026. Dean Saunders has suggested that ambitious Hollywood co-owners in Wales could look to make a play for another marquee signing.

  The former Wrexham boss – speaking to BOYLE Sports who offer the latest football betting – has said: “Raheem Sterling to Wrexham? Why not? You might see some big players that have watched the documentary and they think, ‘I'll have a bit of that. I'd love to play for them, Wrexham.’ You might get somebody like Raheem Sterling saying that.

  “I can't get my head around his situation. What's going on? He’s not over the hill. He's a very good player. Having said that, the Championship's not easy to play in. I've managed in the Championship and sometimes Premier League players come down and play in it and they can't believe what's going on. We're playing all the time and every game's a battle. Millwall away on a Tuesday night. When the ball's up in the air all night, some of them find it difficult.”

• Wrexham warned off approach for Sterling

  While Saunders believes Sterling could be a shrewd addition for the Red Dragons, becoming another star on ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ in the process, EFL pundit Lee Hendrie is not so sure.

  He has told : “I’d probably disagree with Deano on that, I don’t think he’d be a fit that would be right for Wrexham. Particularly, the way they play, I’m not sure Raheem would be the one, unless they had him and played him as a bit of a luxury role where he could play off the front and be that luxury attacking player. I’m not sure that they’d play that way, and counter for that, I think they are looking for promotion.

  “Could he fit into a Championship side? Yeah, I don’t see why not, maybe you could see him at an Ipswich or maybe a Boro or somewhere like that. I still think he could offer something in the Premier League, I really do.

  “Even if you’re looking at the lower end of the Premier League, I think he has got ability, it’s whether he wants to take that on and take that drop, that’s the other question. I think it takes some finances to take him into the Championship because I’m sure there will be lots of offers for him to go abroad and elsewhere. I could see that not being a fit for him at Wrexham.”

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  Transfer records: Reynolds and Mac continue to spend big

  Wrexham acquired plenty of Premier League pedigree during the summer of 2025, as Reynolds and Mac oversaw a record-breaking spend of more than £30 million ($40m). They drafted in the likes of Conor Coady, Lewis O’Brien, Kieffer Moore, Callum Doyle and Nathan Broadhead.

  More movement at SToK Racecourse is expected in upcoming transfer windows, as the Red Dragons push for promotion into the top tier, but it appears unlikely that a bid for Sterling will be lodged – leading the 82-cap England star to explore alternative options.

Former England batter Dawid Malan says he is looking for a “fresh challenge” after being released by Yorkshire following six seasons with the club.Malan, 38, came through at Middlesex before joining Yorkshire in 2020. He captained the club in the Blast last season, but despite leading the way with 365 runs at a strike rate of 156.65, could not prevent them from finishing second-bottom in the North Group.During his time at Headingley, Malan was Yorkshire’s second-leading run-scorer in T20, with 1642. He also scored 2014 runs at 54.43 in first-class cricket.”I have enjoyed six happy and successful seasons with Yorkshire, but feel now is the right time for the club to make a fresh start,” Malan said. “I am grateful to the general manager of cricket Gavin Hamilton and head coach Anthony McGrath for allowing me to seek a new challenge elsewhere.”Malan, who last played for England at the 2023 ODI World Cup, has extensive experience of the global T20 circuit, featuring in the PSL, BPL, SA20 and, most recently, the Nepal Premier League.He has also started to explore a media career, commentating on BBC radio during the summer.Hamilton said: “Dawid has been a consistent run-scorer across all formats, and will always be welcome at Headingley. We thank him for his very significant contribution in recent seasons, and we wish him well for the future.”

Kylian Mbappe made more history on Wednesday night as he took just seven minutes to bag a Champions League hat-trick against Olympiacos. The Greek side had taken a shock lead against Xabi Alonso's side with a brilliant team goal, but were left stunned as Mbappe netted three times in just seven minutes to put Los Blancos firmly in control of the tie.

• Mbappe the hat-trick hero for Real Madrid

  Mbappe has been in stunning form this season for Real Madrid but had headed into the match without a goal in his last three games for Alonso's side. However, the France international was quick to end that particular drought, equalising for the visitors after 22 minutes of the match. Mbappe headed home his second two minutes later to put Real Madrid in front and then had his third before the half-hour mark. Arda Guler's ball over the top found the Frenchman in acres of space, and he confidently despatched a low shot past goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis to ensure he'll be taking home another match ball for his collection.

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• Hat-trick is second fastest in the Champions League

  Mbappe's hat-trick is the second fastest the Champions League has ever seen. The Frenchman's three goals were clocked at six minutes and 42 seconds, just behind Mohamed Salah's treble against Rangers for Liverpool in 2022. Salah was marginally quicker with his hat-trick timed at six minutes and 13 seconds.

  However, the Real Madrid superstar does now have more hat-tricks away from home than any other player in the history of the Champions League. Wednesday's treble was the fourth time he had scored three goals in a game in an away fixture.

• Mbappe to win another Golden Shoe?

  Mbappe won the Golden Shoe last season, beating off competition from Viktor Gyokeres and Salah after netting 31 times in his debut campaign for Real Madrid following his blockbuster move from Paris Saint-Germain. The France star will be hoping to win the prestigious prize again and is certainly in good shape currently. Mbappe has 13 goals in 13 La Liga outings for Real Madrid this season and his hat-trick against Olympiacos takes his tally to eight in five Champions League appearances.

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  Real Madrid up against Girona next

  Real Madrid will return to Spain after their trip to Greece and will aim to get their title challenge back on track after dropping points against Elche last time out. Alonso's side are back in action on Sunday against Girona at Montilivi, with Mbappe likely to take some stopping as he heads into the game in red-hot form.

The match referee at the centre of the handshake row has been entrusted with the Super Fours game on Sunday

Shashank Kishore20-Sep-2025Andy Pycroft, who was at the centre of the handshake row when India and Pakistan met on September 14 at the Asia Cup, will be the match referee for the Super Fours fixture between the two teams in Dubai on Sunday as well.The PCB had sought Pycroft’s “immediate removal” after he had requested the captains Salman Agha and Suryakumar Yadav not to shake hands during the toss of the September 14 game. Pycroft stayed, and the row spilled over into Pakistan’s next game, against UAE. After they cancelled a pre-match press conference, Pakistan didn’t arrive on schedule for the match, which had to be pushed back by an hour, as they conducted backroom talks with the ICC.It wasn’t until a late meeting between Pycroft and the Pakistan team management just prior to toss – which snowballed into another controversy – that Pakistan agreed to take the field.Related

India, Pakistan will look to put off-field issues aside in Super Fours clash

Six wickets, no runs: The myth and math of Saim Ayub

Pakistan cancel pre-match press conference before India game

Suryakumar's mantra before Pakistan game: 'Close your room, switch off your phone and sleep'

Pycroft givenbarely any notice ahead of handshake-gate

It is in this backdrop that India and Pakistan square off again at the Dubai International Stadium, and Suryakumar made it clear that his team’s focus was on the game and nothing else.”I feel our preparations have been really good leading into the tournament. And we had three good games also,” Suryakumar said on Saturday. “So we are actually focusing on what we can do best. We want to follow all the good habits, which we’ve been doing in the last two-three games. And we’ll take it one game at a time.”But yeah, it doesn’t give us an edge because we played them once and we had a good game. Of course, it will be a good game. We’ll have to start well from scratch. And whoever plays well will win the game.”Having wrapped up their group fixture against Oman on Friday night and having travelled back to Dubai in the wee hours, India will have an optional training session on Saturday. Pakistan, meanwhile, are slated to have a full training session at the ICC Academy in the lead up to Sunday’s match.

Craig Ervine to lead Zimbabwe’s 16-member squad for their first ODIs since February

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Aug-2025Wicketkeeper-batter Brendan Taylor is set to make his ODI comeback for Zimbabwe in the upcoming series against Sri Lanka after completing his ban for breaching the ICC’s anti-corruption code. He had made his international comeback earlier this month, in the second Test against New Zealand in Bulawayo, and his previous ODI appearance was against Ireland in September 2021.Zimbabwe have named a 16-member squad led by Craig Ervine for the two ODIs in Harare on August 29 and 31. The teams also play three T20Is in Harare on September 3, 6 and 7.”We are delighted to welcome Brendan back into the fold,” Zimbabwe convener of selectors David Mutendera said in a statement. “His experience and quality are invaluable, especially in pressure situations, and his presence will no doubt lift the dressing room.”Zimbabwe have not played ODIs since the series against Ireland in February. Clive Madande, Tony Munyonga, Brad Evans and uncapped seamer Ernest Masuku are the new additions to the squad.”This squad has been selected to give us the best chance against a strong Sri Lankan side,” Mutendera said. “We have combined proven match-winners with players who are hungry to make their mark, and that mix of experience and energy will be crucial as we transition from red-ball cricket to the fast pace of ODIs.”Zimbabwe’s recent results have been poor. Since June, they have been beaten heavily in two home Tests against South Africa, lost all their games in a T20I tri-series against South Africa and New Zealand, and suffered heavy defeats in two home Tests against New Zealand.”We’ve just come off a tough red-ball series and now it’s about adjusting to the tempo and intensity of one-day cricket,” Zimbabwe’s head coach Justin Sammons said. “Clarity in roles will be key – each player must understand exactly what’s required. Get that right, and I believe we can compete strongly against a very disciplined Sri Lankan outfit.”

Zimbabwe squad for ODI series against Sri Lanka

Craig Ervine (capt), Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Ben Curran, Brad Evans, Trevor Gwandu, Wessly Madhevere, Clive Madande, Ernest Masuku, Tony Munyonga, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Sikandar Raza, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams.

Steven Smith projected a sense of calm sitting in front of a huge media throng as Australia’s captain on the eve of a home Ashes series.He’s been there and done this many times before. But this is a little different. That Smith was sitting there as the stand-in captain was not plan A for Australia.That they are playing without two of their big three fast bowlers, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, in a home Test for the first time since 2022 was definitely not plan B.That they have picked two players, Brendan Doggett and Jake Weatherald, to debut in the same Test for the first time since 2019, and a seventh different opening partner for Usman Khawaja in 16 Tests, was not even plan C.Australia are unsettled and vulnerable. But while there is a popular belief, at least externally, that England must win in Perth to have any chance in the series, there is no sense that Australia feel Perth is make or break. The lessons of last year’s loss to India in Perth before winning the series 3-1 are fresh in their minds.”I think you want to try and win the first Test match and get yourself ahead of the game, I suppose, or the series,” Smith said on Thursday. “But I think either way we look at last summer, we lost the first Test match and we were able to claw the series back.”We’ve got a lot of belief in that change room, if the result doesn’t go our way this week, that we can turn it around. We saw it last year. So ideally, we play well this week, and we’ve got potentially Patty on the table next game. Josh, I don’t know, but I think we’ll see how this week pans out.”Steven Smith: There’s always so many words said before the [Ashes] series•Getty Images

Australia have learnt some clear lessons from 12 months ago. Despite their public protestations after copping a shellacking from India in Perth that caused a firestorm of criticism from home fans, they knew internally they had been undercooked going into that series.Related

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Every member of the squad bar Khawaja played the most recent Sheffield Shield round to prepare for the opening Test, something that didn’t happen last year. Every member of the chosen XI bar Travis Head and Mitchell Starc have played at least two first-class games in the last month, which again was not the case last summer. Perth golf courses have been frequented this week, but quantifiably less often than in the training period last year.The hype has been unprecedented. On another scale to last year, even with the inflation that India can bring. But for Smith, entering his ninth Ashes series as a player and his fifth on home soil, it has felt like par for the course.”It’s pretty standard,” Smith said. “I’ve been involved in a few now, and there’s always so many words said before the series. But for us, I think it’s about just ignoring the outside noise, concentrating on our processes, what we do well as a team and trusting and backing that throughout. It’s exciting that we’re starting tomorrow. Everyone’s been raring to go for the last few days of training and even before that.”Australia have maintained their own bubble. There were no leaks to the media of the initial Ashes squad. There was no leaks of the XI until Thursday morning, which was a pretty good achievement given the binary nature of the choices the selectors had.Even the public pontifications on how Bazball will fare in Australia have been left to ex-players, the media and the punters. Australia’s current players have consistently spoken kindly this week about the quality of England’s team and the brand of cricket they play.There were moments in the 2023 Ashes in England when Australia did look “rattled” in the field as England’s Bazballers swung momentum violently at times as only they can.The proof will be in the pudding, but Smith certainly portrayed a sense that Bazball is not “in their heads” as the Barmy Army’s song suggests.”I think it’s just playing the tempo of the game that needs to be played at each certain time,” Smith said. “I’ve no doubt throughout this series, there’s going to be periods of the game where a few of their batters get off and they score some runs quickly. And for us, it might be about being a little bit defensive in those moments. And then finding the moments where we can attack a bit more and just playing the game, really, that’s in front of us, and not letting it drift too far before we implement the plans that need to be played at that certain time. I guess that’s as simple as I can put it right now.”There are as many unknowns about Australia as there are about England ahead of this series. But it is clear Australia are not gripping the steering wheel tight in Perth. The result will be the result. Reinforcements are almost certain to come soon given how good Cummins looks in the nets.It might be the calm before the storm. But even if the storm comes, an understrength Australia appear prepared for it.