Pant and Rahul took India’s tally of centuries to five in the Headingley Test

Sampath Bandarupalli23-Jun-20252 – Wicketkeepers with centuries in both innings of a Test match. Rishabh Pant became the second in the club when he scored 118 against England on the fourth day of the Headingley Test after scoring 134 in the first innings. Andy Flower was the first – he scored 141 and 199* for Zimbabwe against South Africa in Harare in 2001.Pant became the first India batter to score hundreds in both innings of a Test in England. He is only the ninth visiting batter to do so and the first since Steven Smith in 2019.5 – Hundreds for India in the Headingley Test – Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Pant in the first innings, and KL Rahul and Pant in the second. It’s the first time India have had five centuries in a Test.It’s happened five times previously, with only Australia having scored five hundreds in an away Test – in Jamaica in 1955.ESPNcricinfo Ltd252 – Runs scored by Pant at Headingley, the most by an India wicketkeeper in a Test, surpassing Budhi Kunderan’s 230 against England in Chennai in 1964. Pant’s tally of 252 is also the fourth-highest for a wicketkeeper in a Test; the three performances ahead of Pant are all by Flower.8 – Pant’s Test hundreds. Only Adam Gilchrist (17) and Flower (12) have more Test centuries while playing as a wicketkeeper. England’s Les Ames also has eight.3 – Hundreds for Rahul in England – the most by an India opener in Tests in England. He’s ahead of Vijay Merchant, Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid, who made two each.4 – Test hundreds for Pant in England, the most for a wicketkeeper, alongside Alec Stewart and Matt Prior. His four Test centuries in England are also the most for a visiting wicketkeeper in a country.9 – Sixes by Pant at Headingley, the joint-most by any batter in a Test in England. Andrew Flintoff and Ben Stokes also hit nine against Australia in Birmingham in 2005 and at Lord’s in 2023, respectively.

Memories of Watson abound as Australia’s allrounder holds the key to team balance

Alex Malcolm18-Nov-20252:26

Will Australia hand Jake Weatherald his Test debut in Perth?

It is easy to think of Cameron Green as the baby of Australia’s team. In relative terms he is, given he is the only squad member under 30 and a full four years younger than the second youngest player in “Dad’s Army”.But he’s no longer a baby in professional cricket. He’s 26, a full five years into his Test career, and eight-and-a-half years into his first-class career.Eighteen months ago, Steven Smith volunteered to open the batting to settle Green at No.4 after David Warner’s retirement and he delivered with what appeared to be a career-shaping 174 not out in Wellington to win a Test for Australia. He has batted at No.4 only twice since.In June, Pat Cummins declared that Green could be Australia’s long-term No.3 after returning from injury as a specialist batter for the WTC final. It appeared to be a poisoned chalice, having batted there once prior in first-class cricket.After two tough Tests on two tough pitches, he was arguably Australia’s best batter in their most recent Tests in Grenada and Jamaica with match-defining scores of 26, 52, 46 and 42 in two more low-scoring Tests.But three days out from Australia’s next Test, the first against England at home in the most anticipated Ashes in his lifetime, Green does not know where he will bat despite being the unwitting kingmaker in Australia’s XI, given he is finally available to bowl again.”No, not yet. I think the people in charge met last night,” Green said on Tuesday. “I’ll probably get told later today. Whichever way they go, I think we’ve got a really great squad, a lot of great combinations to go with. So I’m pretty easy either way.”It appears highly likely that Green will be sent back to No.6, with Marnus Labuschagne reinstated at No.3 and Jake Weatherald making his Test debut as Usman Khawaja’s seventh opening partner in Australia’s last 16 Tests.Green was asked how he felt about bouncing around the order and where he might settle long-term.”I think I’m just so grateful that they see me as someone who could do all those positions,” Green said. “I’ve moved around quite a bit in the Test team especially. But I think it’s probably how good the coaching staff is that they make you feel really secure, regardless of where you’re playing, and regardless if you get moved around.Any more questions? Cameron Green speaks ahead of his home Test•Getty Images”I’m very fortunate that they think that way about me, but happy to bat anywhere.”While Green is secure, Beau Webster is not. That Webster could be squeezed out of the XI, having done very little wrong in the No.6 role as the allrounder across his seven Tests to date will not sit well at all with Australian fans.Green is saddled with the burden of being the golden boy, for whom all must be accommodated. That is making him unpopular with home fans, much in the same way Shane Watson was during his career.There are eerie similarities. Highly gifted, with incredible physical attributes and a stunning Sheffield Shield record from a young age. But neither have quite lived up to the expectation to date, in part because of injury interruptions, in part because it’s been a struggle to find the best way to deploy their talents.But the similarities end when you dig into their records. Watson after 32 Tests was averaging 38.12 with the bat with two centuries, having hit a career high watermark of 42.11 during the 2010-11 Ashes when he was in the middle of his successful run as a Test opener. He also averaged a career low of 28.01 with the ball with three five-wicket hauls.Green also has two centuries but averages 34.02 with the bat and 35.31 with the ball. Webster’s numbers of 34.63 and 23.25 only enrage those Green skeptics further. Green hasn’t helped himself. His Test batting record overseas, when most Australia fans are asleep, is better than both Travis Head and Labuschagne. But his record at home, when most casual Australian fans watch, is poor. He has also hardly played. This week will be just his second Test on his home ground at Perth Stadium, and he didn’t get a bat in his first.Related

• Doggett awaits his day as Perth Test debut looms into view

• Weatherald embracing Ashes challenge whether or not debut call comes

• 'Absolutely rapid' Wood pushes for first Test selection after injury scare

• Will this Ashes be the making of Bazball 2.0?

• England's Ashes squad have pace in abundance, but do they have the miles?

But Green and Webster are apples and oranges. No active Australian player averages more than Green’s 52.47 in Sheffield Shield cricket (20 innings minimum), including Smith. Last week, Webster nibbled eight South Australian batters out on a green seamer in Hobart but missed out with the bat in both innings, while Green sent down 16 overs of 140kph thunderbolts on a good pitch in Perth without any signs of issues with his surgically repaired back. He also crunched 94 against a Queensland attack that had five bowlers with international wickets to their name.Green’s ceiling as a player is something even the 200cm Webster could never reach. But it is time he raised his floor in Test cricket. Green is both a victim and a beneficiary of insane expectations, just as Watson was. There is an argument too that he hasn’t been set up for long-term success by the selectors through a variety of different circumstances.But he is pivotal to Australia’s success, both in the immediate term but also with the looming transition, not just as an allrounder, but as the best batter under the age of 30 in Australia.Green’s prospective move back to No.6 presents an opportunity. It is a spot he has previously said he hasn’t enjoyed due to the long waits, having had all his first-class success at Nos. 4 and 5.But like Smith’s move to the top and then back to No.4, Green’s time at Nos. 3-4 provides perspective of how much easier batting can be further down the order. It is understood the team hierarchy would like him to bring the same intent he has shown recently in T20I and ODI cricket to his Test batting. Green believes he can learn from his previous life at No.6.”Certainly,” Green said. “I think that’s the beauty of a bit of experience. I think [the coaches] have gone through that, seeing what worked, what didn’t, and if there’s a different way that they might want me to approach the game.”While Watson regressed in the latter stages of his Test career to finish with respectable averages of 35.19 and 33.68. Ben Stokes, England’s talisman and captain, is feted despite a career record that is only marginally better at 35.69 and 31.64.Green is about to hit his peak years as a cricketer. This Ashes looms as a key launching pad if he is to somehow meet the lofty expectations.

The 19-year-old Afghanistan mystery spinner has already made a splash in all three formats since his international debut in 2024, and he’s got the confidence to take on the world

Nagraj Gollapudi15-Sep-2025It was July 2022. The Shpageeza League, Afghanistan’s domestic T20 tournament was being played at the Kabul Cricket stadium. At around 1am in the morning one day, AM Ghazanfar got a call from Atta Mohammad, one of his older brothers, who asked Ghazanfar to be ready to report to the stadium the next day to join the Mis Ainak Knights squad.Ghazanfar was a net bowler for Knights at the time. The team was looking to replace former Pakistan left-arm fast bowler Mir Hamza, who had gone back home. During a nets session, the captain, Asghar Afghan, impressed with Ghazanfar’s bowling, asked if he could bowl with the new ball. Barely 16 then, Ghazanfar said yes, leading to the late-night call-up.The next morning, though, the security at the ground would not allow Ghazanfar to enter as he was not authorised for access. Eventually Knights’ manager secured him entry. Ghazanfar, upon coming in, noticed the team were in a huddle. “I was late and I was worried about what Asghar Afghan would say to me,” Ghazanfar says with a smile on a Zoom chat recorded a day after he made his T20I debut, against Pakistan, during the tri-series between Pakistan, Afghanistan and the UAE earlier this month.Related

Trott: Afghanistan 'not shy about achieving new things or breaking new ground'

Bangladesh in need of a handout against buoyant Afghanistan

Bangladesh lose 8 for 23 as Ghazanfar spins Afghanistan to victory

ESPNcricinfo Awards 2024 Men's debutant nominees: Seven sensations

Afghanistan bring in Ghazanfar to strengthen spin department for Asia Cup

Ghazanfar changed quickly into Knights gear and joined the team. His nerves vanished soon when Afghan told him he was playing. “Uff, ! I was under pressure, but I was proud at the same time,” Ghazanfar says. “My confidence level was high and I told myself I could manage myself and everything else quickly. I told myself, this is your day, this is your opportunity.”He misremembers being Player of the Match on his debut in the Shpageeza league, against Boost Defenders; he took one wicket in his four overs in a four-run win for Defenders. It was in Knights’ next match, against Hindukush Stars, where he took four wickets inside the powerplay, of which three came in the sixth over, that he won the award for his 4 for 15. “The game changed everything for me and my cricket,” he says.

****

Last year was eventful for Ghazanfar. He made his debut for Afghanistan in ODIs, against Ireland in March 2024. In November, he became the third-youngest bowler to take a six-wicket haul in ODIs, after only Waqar Younis and Rashid Khan, when he picked up 6 for 26 against Bangladesh. He followed that up with another five-for against Zimbabwe in December, putting him on another list with those two bowling greats – as only the third bowler in men’s cricket to take more than one five-for before turning 19.Ghazanfar picked up four wickets in his debut Test, against Zimbabwe in December 2024•Zimbabwe CricketEarlier that month Ghazanfar played four matches in three days, shuttling through the UAE, featuring in both the Under-19 Asia Cup in Dubai and the AD T10 in Abu Dhabi. In the last week of the year, he made his Test debut – also his first first-class match – stepping in for Rashid Khan, who missed the first Test, in Bulawayo, due to back and hamstring issues.As Afghanistan prepped for the match, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan’s Test captain, checked in with Ghazanfar about whether he was ready to play a Test, considering he had never played red-ball cricket. “He said, ‘You can do it, seriously?’ I said, ‘Yes, I can,'” Ghazanfar said. Later, alone in his room, Ghazanfar stayed up late to strategise and get himself mentally ready for the big game.He speaks about an inner confidence that has allowed him to handle his and others’ expectations across the three formats. “My mind is such that red-ball, white-ball doesn’t matter. The target is to bowl wicket to wicket. My match starts once the batsman engages with me face to face. I will not think this is white-ball, this is red-ball, this is T10. I like to plan and engage with the batsman’s plans.”Bowling in the Test, on a flat deck, was not easy. “They made such a wicket that two or three of their batters went to sleep on it,” Ghazanfar laughs. “Both Hashmat Shahidi and Rahmat Shah also scored double-centuries. The wicket was flat and the ground was heavy, but I got four wickets still.”

****

Ghazanfar comes from Zurmat district in Paktia province in eastern Afghanistan. The youngest of ten children, he started playing tennis-ball cricket around 2019. His parents live in Zurmat, while a few of his brothers run the family business, which is spread between Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan.At 13, when he joined the Saleem Karwan Cricket Academy in Kabul, he did everything: opened the batting, bowled fast, bowled spin. His coach at the academy, Roze Khan Zurmetai, suggested he stuck to spin bowling. It was a major turning point. In about three months, Ghazanfar says, he ended up being the highest wicket-taker in the U-16 age group in Afghanistan (though records are unavailable to verify the statistic). “Before that, while I had the skills, I did not know exactly how to use them. But the coach said my skill lies in bowling spin and I should stick to that. I focused on that, worked hard, and with the grace of God, got the results.”Ghazanfar’s many variations make it exceptionally tricky for a batter to read a delivery out of the hand•Emirates Cricket BoardGhazanfar’s bowling run-up comprises nine steps, starting with a hop and skip, and he runs through the crease to deliver with a fastish arm action, in the Rashid or Mujeeb Ur Rahman mould. Batters have found it hard to read his stock ball and his variations out of his hand.Ghazanfar was lured by the magic of the wrong’un early on. “I started bowling the googly and the carrom ball but the googly was my strength. But as I started to train and bowl a lot, I started trialling backspin and offspin with the carrom ball and googly. Slowly, slowly, I started improving with practice.”The offbreak, arm ball and flipper are his other variations. Ghazanfar credits his fast-tracked growth to former Afghanistan fast bowler Dawlat Ahmadzai, who he says helped developed his spin craft and with the mental aspect of the game.Ahmadzai, who has mentored several young Afghan talents, including Rashid, as well as the current opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, was head coach at the Mohammad Mirza Katawazai Cricket Centre in Kabul in 2022 when Ghazanfar’s brother Atta approached him, keen for him to look at his younger brother. “When I spoke to Ghazanfar for the first time, he told me he had started as a fast bowler,” Ahmadzai, who is currently head coach of East Bay Blazers in Minor League Cricket in the USA, and a former chairman of selectors for Afghanistan, says. “I asked him to bowl in the nets. Then I looked at his hands and felt he had the fingers meant for a good spin bowler. The middle finger on his bowling hand is strong and long and is the key driver of his variations. He also is tall and has strong shoulders.”Ahmadzai worked on Ghazanfar for nearly a year, from the basics of his run-up and action to teaching him the importance of backspin, helping him read cues from batters and telling him how to confound them. “He improved my skills a lot, teaching me how I can utilise my skills and when, and the kind of things I always need to pay attention to during my training and during the match,” Ghazanfar says.

****

As a fingerspinner with multiple variations, Ghazanfar has quickly edged out the competition, including some of Afghanistan’s other mystery spinners, to earn places in prominent T20 leagues. He grabbed headlines during the IPL 2025 mega auction, when five-time champions Mumbai Indians bought him for Rs 4.8 crore (US$570,000 approximately). However, he did not feature in the tournament because of a back injury – a lumbar fracture that took several months to heal – that had its origins in the marathon spells he bowled in the Zimbabwe Test.Since 2022, Ghazanfar has been picked in several franchise leagues, including the IPL, LPL, CPL, ILT20, Abu Dhabi T10 and The T20 Blast•Abu Dhabi T10He travelled to India, though and spent time with the Mumbai Indians squad. MI’s scouts had been tracking him for a while by then. “In 2023 I was playing for Afghanistan U-19 in the UAE. Rahul [former India left-arm spinner Rahul Sanghvi, a long-serving senior MI official and scout] wanted me to attend trials at the ICC Cricket Academy. I did well, and they told me they would look at me at least as a back-up bowler during the 2024 season. I was very happy because to play the IPL is every youngster’s [wish]”He could not get a visa as a net bowler for MI, but he did end up going to the 2024 IPL after Kolkata Knight Riders picked him up as a replacement for Mujeeb, who was injured. “I was waiting to get picked as a net bowler but instead I got picked by a team. I couldn’t have been more happy,” Ghazanfar says.He didn’t get a game for KKR that season, but says the experience made him a better cricketer and also got him a good pay packet at the 2025 auction. KKR won the 2024 IPL, so Ghazanfar came back home that year with a medal, but he says his learnings trumped that. He spoke to spin greats like Sunil Narine and R Ashwin that season. “Having been there for big matches, including the IPL final, I saw up close how players were dealing with pressure. That was very significant for me,” he says.Gautam Gambhir, who returned as KKR mentor in 2024. “He gave me a lot of support. He said, ‘Your future is bright.’ [He said] that I should focus on my batting, which will come handy in the long run. He would stand behind me during my bowling at training and offer tips. He also said he would ensure KKR got me back for the 2025 season.”The franchise did bid hard for Ghazanfar but pulled out at the Rs 4.6-crore mark. “My kismet was with Mumbai,” he says with a smile. He expects to be retained by Mumbai for the 2026 season but still has fond memories of celebrating his 19th birthday with the franchise. “Tilak Varma ” [Tilak Varma did me especially dirty] Ghazanfar laughs, running a hand across his face to mimic how the Mumbai and India batter smeared cake all over it.Tilak was already acquainted with Ghazanfar, having played against him in the semi-final of the Emerging Teams Asia Cup in October 2024. Tilak was leading India A, who lost that match by 20 runs. Ghazanfar played a role in that defeat, getting the India opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh out cheaply.

Manchester United have made a series of exciting signings recently to try and breed a new era at Old Trafford, and they could now look to sign a rising star from within England.

Truthfully, the last decade has seen the Red Devils’ stock and reputation fall as they look to return to the elite of English football. Still, additions such as Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko have shown a sense of ambition under Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Even with the need for a new midfielder at Manchester United clear amid uncertainty over Casemiro’s future, boss Ruben Amorim has indicated he is keen to get more out of Manuel Ugarte in the meantime following his move from Paris Saint-Germain last summer.

He said before his side’s clash with Everton: “You can sense a lot of very good players come here, and sometimes they struggle. He is struggling at the moment but it is our job to try to help and help him to feel like I felt when he was a Sporting player. But it is a different world. He needs to adapt, and he needs to improve, especially in training.”

Several targets have been linked to replace veteran Casemiro, with the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Joao Gomes and Atletico Madrid midfielder Connor Gallagher on their list.

Amorim will continue to build over the coming months and is likely to get time to implement his vision, albeit further signings will be necessary to make his formation a bona fide success as his squad continue to evolve.

Now, he may have an alternative England international firmly on his radar as Manchester United look to restore themselves among the Champions League slots at a minimum this term.

Man Utd set to bid for Elliot Anderson

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United are set to bid for Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson as they up the ante in pursuit of a Casemiro replacement, with a move for the Englishman backed by both Jason Wilcox and Amorim himself.

The latter is unlikely to see his contract renewed at Old Trafford, and steps could now be taken to sign the Tricky Trees man, a move that may cost between £80 and £100 million.

Elliot Anderson’s Premier League campaign (Fotmob)

Appearances

12

Goals

1

Assists

1

Chances created

18

Successful passes

714

Successful crosses

16

Once January comes around, Manchester United could offer a package at around the £60 million mark, albeit that is unlikely to be enough to land Anderson in the face of his magnificent form at the City Ground.

Nevertheless, the former Newcastle United man, labelled “elite” by Thomas Tuchel, is open to joining a big six club and could be someone the club now values as a realistic target more than Brighton & Hove Albion star Carlos Baleba.

Man Utd now make approach to sign exciting gem who shone at U17 World Cup

The Red Devils are now keen to secure his signature before some high-profile suitors.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 23, 2025

For now, speculation will continue to mount over Anderson’s future, but the pursuit may be one to keep an eye on as Amorim looks to lead Manchester United to silverware in the coming years.

Out-of-favour Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford reportedly wants to leave the club, just five months after returning to the Etihad Stadium. The 23-year-old played a crucial role in helping Burnley earn promotion to the Premier League last season, but he has struggled to gain regular minutes following his summer switch to Pep Guardiola’s side.

Trafford helped Burnley keep 30 clean sheets in special 2024-25

Trafford emerged as one of England’s brightest prospects after helping Burnley secure promotion from the Championship in 2024-25. Featuring in all but one league game, the Cumbrian ‘keeper helped the Clarets record 30 clean sheets in the last campaign – a joint all-time English league record with Port Vale in 1953-54.

Scott Parker’s side conceded just 16 league goals in 46 games with Trafford between the sticks, amassing 100 points as the Lancashire outfit finished second behind Leeds United, who finished top thanks to their superior goal difference. Daniel Farke’s men scored a whopping 95 league goals last term, with Burnley netting 69.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFormer England U21 goalkeeper was close to joining Newcastle

Following his heroics for Burnley, Trafford was close to joining Newcastle United in the summer as Eddie Howe’s side looked to strengthen their goalkeeping department following last season’s Carabao Cup success.

However, City used a matching rights clause which allowed them to pip the Magpies to the signing of Trafford, having developed the former England Under-21 shot-stopper before selling him to Burnley in 2023.

Trafford loses starting berth to Italy shot-stopper Donnarumma

But after starting City’s first three Premier League games against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton and Hove Albion, Trafford has since lost his place in the starting XI to Gianluigi Donnarumma. 

Donnarumma joined Guardiola’s side from European champions Paris Saint-Germain after losing his own starting berth to Lucas Chevalier – a summer arrival from Ligue 1 side Lille. 

The Italy international has since made 14 appearances in all competitions for 10-time league champions City, with Trafford being forced to watch on from the substitutes bench. The former Bolton Wanderers ace has been used in the cup competitions, starting the Carabao Cup victories over Huddersfield Town and Swansea City.

Trafford’s last appearance came in City’s 2-0 reverse against Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League last Tuesday, in a match which saw manager Guardiola make 10 changes to his starting lineup.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportReport claims 23-year-old wants exit to keep World Cup hopes alive

And now according to the Trafford is reportedly plotting a departure when the January transfer window opens next month. The report claims Newcastle are expected to show their interest in doing a deal with City, who may also lose fellow goalkeeper Stefan Ortega. 

Once a reliable No. 2, the 32-year-old has slipped down the City pecking order following the summer arrivals of Trafford, Donnarumma and Marcus Bettinelli, who joined from Chelsea.

The report concludes by claiming Trafford is worried about losing his place in the England squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with manager Thomas Tuchel having stressed the importance of playing regularly in order to make the plane for North America next summer.

Video footage has shown that Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo probably deserved to collect the first red card of his international career after swinging an elbow in the direction of Ireland defender Dara O’Shea during a 2026 World Cup qualifier in Dublin. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner was also caught on camera goading rival players and fans with a ‘crying’ gesture.

First red for Ronaldo: Sent off when winning 226th cap

On the occasion of his 226th cap, Ronaldo saw his evening cut short during a frustrating outing at the Aviva Stadium. The all-time great has spent 22 years representing his country with pride, but must now serve his first suspension.

Pent-up anger got the better of Ronaldo during a meeting with Irish opposition. Two goals from Troy Parrott had Portugal trailing at the interval of that contest and just past the hour mark, Roberto Martinez’s side were reduced to 10 men.

AdvertisementWatch Ronaldo see red as he elbows Ireland defender O'Shea

@diana_elena88

Ronaldo's red card #CristianoRonaldo #CR7 #Ronaldo #PortugalFootball #IrelandVsPortugal

♬ original sound – Cassie 🇿🇼

Good boy: Ronaldo unable to deliver on pre-match promise

Having suggested to those around him – on the field and in the stands – that they should “cry more”, Ronaldo suddenly lost his cool. He had vowed in the build-up to the game that he would be a “good boy”, with the plan being to turn a deaf ear to any abuse that was aimed in his direction.

He was unable to deliver on that promise after interacting with the crowd and tangling with rival defenders. One of those, Ipswich star O’Shea, wound Ronaldo up to the point that he lashed out. The incident in question was not spotted by the match officials, but led to a red being brandished following a VAR review.

Ronaldo could have few complaints, as he clearly swung his right arm into the back of O’Shea – who was quick to tumble to the turf. The eyes of Irish supporters were smiling as they gave the Portuguese GOAT an unsympathetic send off as he trudged towards the tunnel and back to the dressing room.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Portugal reaction: Martinez's take on red card incident

Portugal boss Martinez suggested afterwards that Ronaldo had been treated a little harshly, with pre-match comments from Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson regarding the 40-year-old’s influence on referees potentially impacting a big decision in the heat of competitive action.

Martinez said: “The red card is just a captain that has never been sent off before in 226 games – I think that just deserves credit – and today, I thought it was a bit harsh because he cares about the team.

“He was 60 minutes or 58 minutes in the box being grabbed, being pulled, being pushed and obviously when he tries to get away from the defender. I think the action looks worse than what it actually is, I don't think it's an elbow, I think it's a full body, but from where the camera is, it looks like an elbow. But we accept it.

“The only thing that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth is at the press conference yesterday, your coach was talking about the aspect of the referees being influenced, and then a big centre-half falls on the floor so dramatically at the turn of Cristiano's body.”

Gulf Giants, the ILT20 franchise, have appointed Jonathan Trott as head coach and Shane Bond as bowling coach for the upcoming season. They replace Andy Flower and Ottis Gibson, respectively.Apart from being Afghanistan’s head coach, Trott was also the head coach of Pretoria Capitals in SA20 and was replaced by Sourav Ganguly there. Bond’s recent stints have been with Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and with Paarl Royals in SA20.”The Gulf Giants have quickly become one of the ILT20’s most successful teams,” Trott said in a statement. “My goal is to empower players to excel and help shape a championship-winning squad through the first-ever ILT20 auction.”Related

• Jonathan Trott to step down as Afghanistan head coach after 2026 T20 World Cup

• Pretoria Capitals name Ganguly head coach, Pollock assistant coach in SA20

The ILT20 auction will be held on September 30 in Dubai for the fourth season which is set to run from December 2, 2025 to January 4, 2026.”The team’s ambition is clear,” Bond said. “I’m excited to sharpen our bowling attack and make a decisive impact this season.”Giants have also added Andrew Puttick as batting coach, Jim Troughton as fielding coach and Nick Lee as fitness coach.Their squad currently includes James Vince, Aayan Khan, Mark Adair, Blessing Muzarabani and Gerhard Erasmus as their retained players. Their new signings are Moeen Ali, Azmatullah Omarzai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Giants had won the inaugural edition of ILT20 in 2023, were eliminated in Qualifier 2 in 2024, and finished second from bottom earlier this year.