يشهد اليوم السبت الموافق 6-12-2025، برنامجًا كرويًا ثريًا بالقمم والمواجهات المنتظرة على المستويين العربي والعالمي، حيث تتجه الأنظار إلى عدة بطولات تتنافس فيها المنتخبات والأندية، وتبرز مباريات كأس العرب والدوريين المصري والإنجليزي في صدارة أحداث اليوم.

وتتجه الأنظار عربيًا إلى مواجهة منتخب مصر الثاني أمام منتخب الإمارات ضمن الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات ببطولة كأس العرب، في مباراة يسعى خلالها الفراعنة لتعويض تعادل الجولة الافتتاحية أمام الكويت وتعزيز فرص التأهل من المجموعة الثالثة التي تضم أيضًا الأردن والكويت، ويأمل المنتخب المصري في تحسين ترتيبه الحالي، بينما يبحث المنتخب الإماراتي عن أول نقاطه في البطولة بعد خسارته الماضية.

وفي بطولة كأس العرب أيضًا، يخوض منتخب الجزائر مواجهة مهمة أمام البحرين على ملعب خليفة الدولي، ضمن الجولة الثانية للمجموعة التي يعتلي صدارتها منتخب العراق، ويسعى المنتخب محاربو الصحراء لتعويض تعادله السلبي مع السودان، بينما يحاول البحرين العودة بعد خسارته في الجولة الأولى في مواجهة ستكون مفتوحة على كل الاحتمالات.

وعلى الصعيد المحلي، يستعد فريق بيراميدز لمواجهة بتروجيت في لقاء مؤجل من الجولة العاشرة من الدوري المصري الممتاز. ويطمح السماوي، صاحب المركز الثاني، لمواصلة الضغط على صدارة الترتيب، في حين يسعى بتروجيت لاستعادة توازنه والتقدم من مركزه التاسع. وتأتي المباراة بعد انتصار بيراميدز الأخير على كهرباء الإسماعيلية، مما يمنح الفريق دفعة معنوية كبيرة قبل مواجهة اليوم.

وفي الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، يدخل ليفربول مواجهة مهمة أمام ليدز يونايتد على ملعب “إيلاند رود”، ضمن الجولة الخامسة عشرة من الموسم، ويبحث الريدز عن العودة للانتصارات بعد التعادل المخيب أمام سندرلاند، بينما يتمسك ليدز بأمل تحسين وضعه في جدول الترتيب والابتعاد عن مناطق الخطر. وتُعد المباراة إحدى أبرز مواجهات اليوم في إنجلترا.

كما يشهد اليوم مواجهة قوية لمانشستر سيتي أمام سندرلاند على ملعب “الاتحاد”، حيث يسعى فريق بيب جوارديولا لمواصلة سلسلة الانتصارات والاقتراب أكثر من آرسنال في سباق القمة، ويأتي السيتي إلى المباراة بروح عالية بعد الانتصار في آخر جولتين، بينما يطمح سندرلاند في الخروج بنتيجة إيجابية تعزز موقعه في جدول الترتيب.

طالع أيضًا | مدرب بلجيكا عن مواجهة مصر في كأس العالم 2026: اللعب أمام محمد صلاح أمر رائع مواعيد مباريات اليوم السبت 6-12-2025 والقنوات الناقلةمواعيد مباريات الدوري المصري اليوم

بتروجت ضد بيراميدز، الساعة 8 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 9 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “on sport 1”. مواعيد مباريات كأس العرب اليوم

الكويت ضد الأردن، الساعة 1 ظهرًا بتوقيت مصر، 2 ظهرًا بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر عبر قنوات بي إن سبورتس HD المفتوحة، بالإضافة إلى قناة الكأس، أبوظبي الرياضية، ودبي الرياضية وإم بي سي مصر 2.

البحرين ضد الجزائر، الساعة 3:30 عصرًا بتوقيت مصر، 4:30 عصرًا بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قنوات بي إن سبورتس HD المفتوحة، بالإضافة إلى قناة الكأس، أبوظبي الرياضية، ودبي الرياضية وإم بي سي مصر 2.

السودان ضد العراق، الساعة 6 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 7 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قنوات بي إن سبورتس HD المفتوحة، بالإضافة إلى قناة الكأس، أبوظبي الرياضية، ودبي الرياضية وإم بي سي مصر 2.

الإمارات ضد مصر، الساعة 8:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 9:30 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قنوات بي إن سبورتس HD المفتوحة، بالإضافة إلى قناة الكأس 1، أبوظبي الرياضية، ودبي الرياضية وإم بي سي مصر 2. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإنجليزي اليوم

أستون فيلا ضد آرسنال، الساعة 2:30 ظهرًا بتوقيت مصر، 3:30 عصرًا بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 1”.

بورنموث ضد تشيلسي، الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 6 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 2”.

إيفرتون ضد نوتنجهام فوريست، الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 6 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 3”.

مانشستر سيتي ضد سندرلاند، الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 6 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 1”.

نيوكاسل يونايتد ضد بيرنلي، الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 6 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 4”.

توتنهام هوتسبير ضد برينتفورد، الساعة 5 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 6 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 5”.

ليدز يونايتد ضد ليفربول، الساعة 7:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 8:30 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 1”. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإسباني اليوم

فياريال ضد خيتافي، الساعة 3 عصرًا بتوقيت مصر، 4 عصرًا بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 6”.

ديبورتيفو ألافيس ضد ريال سوسيداد، الساعة 5:15 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 6:15 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 6”.

ريال بيتيس ضد برشلونة، الساعة 7:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 8:30 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 2”.

أتلتيك بيلباو ضد أتلتيكو مدريد، الساعة 10 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 11 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN Sports HD 3”. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإيطالي اليوم

ساسولو ضد فيورنتينا، الساعة 4 عصرًا بتوقيت مصر، 5 عصرًا بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر “starzplay”.

إنتر ميلان ضد كومو، الساعة 7 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 8 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر “starzplay”.

فيرونا ضد أتالانتا، الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 10:45 مساءً بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر “starzplay”.

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

The Australia fast bowler has been a colossal cricketer, marrying longevity with success across all three formats

Andrew McGlashan09-Jul-20251:08

Watch: Starc stars from around the wicket

Think of Mitchell Starc and one thing probably comes into your mind: the booming inswinger, thundering into either the batter’s pads, toes or stumps. But to reach 100 Tests, the club Starc will join at Sabina Park this week, as only the second Australian fast bowler ever, you must have much more than one calling card, even if it’s as destructive as Starc’s can be.There is every chance the Jamaica Test turns into a double milestone for Starc: he is five wickets away from 400. Given his record in pink-ball matches – 74 wickets at 18.14 – few would bet against him, but even if he needs to wait a bit longer for the wickets, he will be just the eighth fast bowler to complete the 100 Test/400 wicket double.Starc, who until 14 was a wicketkeeper, has been a colossal cricketer, marrying longevity with success across all three formats. It was the ODI game where he initially secured a legacy, removing Brendon McCullum in the opening over of the 2015 World Cup final at the MCG, and for a time it was possible to ponder how his Test career would be viewed, but the word great can sit comfortably alongside him. Where does he stand in an all-time Australia fast bowler’s list? If Dennis Lillee and Glenn McGrath jostle for the top two, a case can easily be made to be among the top five.Related

'Might be a few things going on' as Sabina Park makes pink-ball debut

'It makes me feel old' – Starc reflects on journey to 100 Tests

Ashes Slashes: Broad gives 'muddled' Australia top three the thumbs down

Australia's Awesome Foursome among the best in Test history

From Galle to Lord's: Starc's ten greatest Test performances

“It’s an incredible achievement,” coach Andrew McDonald said. “You think of the surfaces we play on in Australia, they’re firm, they’re hard, they take their toll. There’s a reason why there’s only two that have ever done it for Australia. His resilience, his planning, his preparation… and he’s sacrificed a fair bit along the way as well.”You look to some of the IPLs that he’s missed to get his body right to play for Australia. He’s put a lot of work into it. I’m really proud of him and he’s getting his great reward for what he’s given up and the way he’s gone about it. All the plaudits that are coming his way this week he deserves.”Having made his Test debut in 2011 against New Zealand (McCullum was his first wicket), Starc has previously spoken about 2015 being the period when he started to feel he belonged in the format. He has maintained outstanding consistency with his average not rising above 30 since 2016.That was the year he produced a prolific series in Sri Lanka with 24 wickets at 15.16, albeit where Australia lost 3-0. One of his most influential displays also came on the subcontinent. It won’t sit among his biggest hauls, but the 4 for 33 he took against Pakistan in Lahore in 2022 broke the game open and set up Australia’s historic series win.Mitchell Starc is set to become only the second Australian fast bowler to play 100 Tests•AFP/Getty ImagesThere have been some periods of struggle, however, notably a couple of series against India in 2018-19 and 2020-21, while he only played one match of the 2019 Ashes in England when he was not considered an ideal fit for the Dukes ball. It’s worth noting that the Test he played at Old Trafford, he helped secure victory to retain the Ashes. Oddly, he was left out of the next match at The Oval as Australia got too cute with their selections. He was also omitted for the opening match of the 2023 Ashes but went on to be the series leading wicket-taker and would be named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year for his efforts.The evolution of Starc’s Test bowling in recent years has been significant. He has been a leading adopter of the “wobble seam” delivery, which has given him more wicket-taking options. He retains the lethal inswinger, but has a full set of tools at his disposal and when the ball reverses, there remain few better at taking advantage.”As a younger bowler, it was all about speed and swing and getting the ball full,” McDonald said. “If you look at the evolution of Mitchell Starc, it’s his ability to hold line and length now. He can do any role you want. He’s still got those full swinging deliveries, which we really encourage at the right time but he’s able to hold length and control the scoreboard.”I don’t know how he’ll age in terms of what he’s been able to do across three formats, but I’d say arguably he’s our best 50-over bowler that we’ve had in terms of his impact on games. You add that with 100 Test matches, 65 T20s and the impact he’s had there. It’s an incredible record.”Mitchell Starc goes into the day-night Test against West Indies with 74 pink-ball wickets at 18.14•Getty ImagesStarc was termed “soft” early in his career by Shane Warne, who often remained one of his more vocal critics. For a while, he took notice of a lot of what was said about him, although latterly he has become confident enough in himself not to be affected. Ahead of the 2021-22 Ashes, his place in the team was questioned. He responded by removing Rory Burns with the first delivery of the series and since then has 140 wickets at 27.07. Two other times he has struck with the opening delivery of a Test, and on 20 occasions in the first over. It’s not just a white-ball trick.Against India last season, with Australia under immense pressure after their drubbing in Perth, he righted the ship with a career-best 6 for 48 in Adelaide. This year, he is averaging 20.86.Since the start of the 2021-22 Ashes, he has bowled more overs than any quick in the world (currently 1.3 ahead of captain Pat Cummins) with only Prabath Jayasuriya and Nathan Lyon ahead of him. In Jamaica, he will bowl his 19,000th Test delivery. His fitness record stands out, but he has regularly bowled through the pain barrier: a broken finger against South Africa at the MCG in 2022, groin problems in the 2023 Ashes and a troublesome ankle at the backend of last season’s India series, after which he went on to play as the lone specialist quick bowler in Sri Lanka.It has been noted in recent days how, at the age of 35, his speeds are not dropping. “I can’t fathom playing 100 games and keeping that kind of [145kph] speed,” Cummins said. “He’s just a warrior. Turns up every week and wants to play no matter what.”How much longer he goes remains to be seen, but completing this new World Test Championship [WTC] cycle certainly seems realistic. Then, perhaps, one last dart at winning an Ashes in England? But regardless of when Starc calls time, at what feels like a critical juncture in the game’s history it is not outlandish to suggest there may not be another player – and almost certainly not an express quick – to have a career quite like his.

What must it be like to bowl fast in Tests for a non-Big Three nation? Just ask Asitha and Vishwa

Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Jun-2025If you are a seam bowler specialising in Tests, and hail from a non Big-Three nation, as Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando do, you are charting one of the most difficult and least-rewarding courses in international cricket.Most difficult, because fast bowlers must put their own bodies on the altar of this sport in far more profound ways than batters, spinners, or even wicketkeepers. With every delivery there is the steaming in from dozens of metres away, the ridiculous force that goes through the front leg at the point of delivery, the shoulders, spines, obliques, groins, glutes, calves, feet, all being required to contribute some power to the occasion, and a follow-through that must be navigated safely. If any one of these sectors of your body is even slightly injured, it incapacitates a seam bowler more than similar injuries do for batters or spinners.Related

• How captain Dhananjaya is turning Sri Lanka into an image of himself

• Nissanka 146*, Chandimal 93 put Sri Lanka in control

• Dinusha, seamers make it Sri Lanka's day in rain-hit Colombo

Let’s take Lahiru Kumara as one example. He was the highest wicket-taker against Bangladesh in the away Test series last year, claiming 11 dismissals at an average of 12.63. The man had not played a single international since his last Test in early February, but had played most of a season of domestic cricket since then, and had been in good shape to make an impact on this home series against Bangladesh. But a week out, he busted a hamstring while fielding at training, and was ruled out of the series. He doesn’t get picked in many international white-ball XIs, so this injury will be taking a pretty serious playing opportunity out of his hands. And with a further 11 months before the next Sri Lanka Test is to be played, he has to show substantial willpower to stay in the game till then.(Side note: Lankan seam-bowling hamstrings in the last two decades have had artists’ temperaments. They are capable of jaw-dropping wonders like Dhammika Prasad’s spell on the fourth evening at Headingley, or Lasith Malinga’s rip-snorters. But if hamstrings had ears or lovers, Lankan fast bowling hamstrings are the type that would cut off their own appendages, or fall apart completely after a break up. They are sublime as part of a creative flow state, but absolutely never to be relied upon.)Asitha Fernando toiled hard on a surface not suited to his style•Sri Lanka CricketLeast-rewarding because, three league stints in a year (they don’t even really have to be the fancy leagues) will probably net you more money, for way less work. Plus, you know, the promotional dinners, and the parties. Non Big-Three Test cricket tends not to have a lot of parties. Why train your body to bowl 15-20 overs a day, when you can focus on being at peak performance for four?Matheesha Pathirana, as another example, is very likely the fastest bowler Sri Lanka has ever produced. But at this stage, seems unlikely to ever to play a Test. Chennai Super Kings’ scouts got to him before the Sri Lankan cricket system really had, and CSK have genuinely played a role in developing that talent, and have essentially called dibs. Not to put too fine a point on it, but if at the end of his career, Pathirana is remembered most for his IPL exploits, he will probably have earned more money by several orders of magnitude than he would if his career ends with Sri Lanka performances being the highlight.So pretty soon, it starts to feel like bowling 15-20 overs a day in Test cricket is like getting a several-year loan to buy a reliable Toyota for your family, only for some Crypto kid to pull up next to you at the colour-light in their fully paid-for Bugatti.Cricket slavishly follows the money now, rather than any other kind of value, and yet the likes of Asitha and Vishwa are still out here doing Test cricket justice by bringing everything they have to it. Asitha has bowling figures like 0 for 110, and 0 for 77 on his record, and yet somehow his work has never felt like “toil”. The word implies a physical limpness that Asitha has simply not allowed to enter his cricketing consciousness.Vishwa Fernando struck twice on the first day•Sri Lanka CricketHe may be a limited bowler in terms of height, pace, and skill, but to watch him operate in Tests is to watch naked and more-or-less relentless ambition. He took 2 for 43 on day one, on an SSC track not especially suited to his bowling (it was a bit slow for a seamer who tends to skid it on). He had had Anamul Haque dropped before he eventually took that wicket in his second over. Late in the day, he got one to pitch on a length, seam away, and hit the top of Nayeem Hasan’s off stump. He was pumped. But then he usually is.Vishwa, meanwhile, has always had the more laidback temperament. His mode of operation has been swing and seam, and he wiled his way through day one, less physically domineering than Asitha, but no less relentless, no less intense in the challenges he poses to batters. He moved it a little into the left-handers early on, but the seam movement had disappeared by the time a ball in the channel drew Najmul Hossain Shanto’s outside edge. Vishwa, a less-than-six-feet medium-pace bowler, will point to the bouncer he bowled the previous ball as a perfect set-up delivery to the wicket-taking one. You could doubt that explanation, but there’s no doubting figures of 2 for 35 off 16 overs – that economy rate being 2.18. There is almost no scorecard in the world in which those are not good figures.Sri Lankan Test seam bowling doesn’t necessarily have so rich a tradition, only three of their quicks (Chaminda Vaas, Malinga, and Suranga Lakmal) have ever taken more than 100 Test wickets. But as Test cricket appears to be winding down in several of its markets, it feels like Asitha and Vishwa are now partakers of a separate, global club of Test bowlers, who have trained their bodies to bowl 15-20 overs a day, and find themselves less valued than bowlers who send down only four.In this group, there are players such as Chris Martin, who took 233 Test wickets for New Zealand and was taking university courses (presumably to broaden job opportunities) well into his 30s, while sharing a dressing room with the likes of Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor – each IPL millionaires. Others like Kemar Roach, owner of one of the most vicious inswingers in world cricket, has watched other careers take off into the T20 league stratosphere, while his remained moored to a middling West Indies Test side. Mohammad Abbas, Neil Wagner, Ebadot Hossain, Vernon Philander, Blessing Muzarabani – all these bowlers belong to this genre.Chris Martin leads a pack of Test fast bowlers who are valued lesser than T20 ones•Associated PressFor many in the non Big-Three sphere, it has begun to feel as if the publicity gained from “Saving Test Cricket” has become more profitable than the saving of Test cricket. This is why Bazball is able to equate the health of this format to scoring at between 4 and 4.5 per over, for example, while England has not hosted Bangladesh in the last 14 years, or Zimbabwe in more than 20 until the current summer. Australia have, in previous administrative eras, been hesitant tourists to South Asia. India’s modern top players play roughly half their Tests against the other Big Three teams. Jasprit Bumrah has played 59% of his 46 Tests against Australia and England.Still, what is happening at the SSC is Test cricket too, at least under current definitions. And increasingly Test cricket feels like a concept divorced from merit. Two of the three World Test Championship winners are sides with ailing Test programmes. Cricket has no serious will to fix that.The likes of Asitha and Vishwa will never have the chance to develop their Test-bowling skills as much as bowlers from nations that have stronger cricketing economies do. These are the margins of Test cricket that are most at-risk. If Asitha and Vishwa don’t make it, then who is going to inspire the next generation of Lankan red-ball bowlers?But at least in 2025, these two are still here, still putting their bodies through the seam-bowling rigours, and still taking important wickets. Test cricket is lucky to still have them.

India have dominated all of their 11 ODIs against Pakistan so far

Andrew Fidel Fernando04-Oct-2025Big pictureThe last time these teams met at an ODI World Cup, India won. They tend to. If you are new to the women’s version of this “rivalry”, the headline is that however big the gap is between India and Pakistan’s men’s teams, it has tended to be bigger here. Pakistan have never beaten India in 11 ODIs. They haven’t got close. India have always won by at least 80 runs or five wickets.But the last time these teams met at an ODI World Cup, something else happened that seems of greater relevance to this moment. After the match (India’s win was by 107 runs, by the way), a group of India players were seen playing with and delighting in the six-month-old daughter of Bismah Maroof, Pakistan’s then-captain, who had the infant on her shoulder. It was an uncomplicated moment of shared humanity and joy, the women cooing to the baby and trying gently to draw from her a reaction, while her mother continued to comfort her. Whatever the politics surrounding Sunday’s match, it should not be forgotten that these are athletes who have enjoyed moments of connection, and treated each other with dignity, in the past.Both teams say they are focused on the cricket ahead of this match (there has been no confirmation whether the Indian team will shake hands with the Pakistan players, though), and on a purely cricketing front, Pakistan have a lot of work to do to make a match of this. Their first problem is their batting. They were bowled out for 129 by Bangladesh on Thursday. They do have batters in form – Sidra Amin and Muneeba Ali have been especially good over the last few months. But Pakistan batters don’t have a history of batting consistently against top-quality bowling, which is what India possess.Related

The little big hit! Bismah Maroof's daughter steals the show after intense India-Pakistan contest

Will India shake hands with Pakistan? 'No change in last week,' says Saikia

'Focus is only cricket' – India, Pakistan on mood ahead of the game

India, meanwhile, will be pleased with the start they have made in this tournament, though they will also hope their top order can fire. Against Sri Lanka, it was the lower-order batting of Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma that lifted them to a winning total. Their bowling looked in good order in the defence too, with Sneh Rana, Shree Charani and Deepti finding frequent wickets through the middle overs. They also have the advantage of knowing this venue well – India played a tri-series in Colombo earlier this year.Form guideIndia WLWLW (last five ODIs, most recent first)
Pakistan LWLLWIn the spotlight: Sneh Rana and Sidra AminOffspinner Sneh Rana took to the Khettarama surface almost immediately, taking 3 for 31 in her first ODI at the venue. In four matches since, she has built up quite the record at this ground, taking 15 wickets at an average of 14.00 here, becoming Player of the Tournament in that tri-series in May. She has also made a strong start to this World Cup, taking 2 for 32 against Sri Lanka, having also contributed 28 not out with the bat.The last time these two teams met at an ODI World Cup•PCBPakistan’s best chance of making a good score is for Sidra Amin to find some runs. Just in the last three weeks, she had hit 121 not out, 122 and a 50 not out against a good South Africa attack. She was bowled first ball on Thursday, but that was more down to the quality of Marufa Akter’s delivery than through any major failing of Amin. She is not the most aggressive batter around, but this year, she has been the rock that Pakistan build their innings around.Team newsIndia may not see a need to change their winning XI.India (probable): 1 Pratika Rawal, 2 Smriti Mandhana, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Jemimah Rodrigues, 6 Deepti Sharma, 7 Richa Ghosh (wk), 8 Amanjot Kaur, 9 Sneh Rana, 10 Kranti Goud, 11 Shree CharaniPakistan will think about bringing Eyman Fatima into the side to strengthen their batting. Legspinner Syeda Aroob Shah may also be considered, as she offers some batting as well.Pakistan (probable): 1 Muneeba Ali, 2 Omaima Sohail, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Aliya Riaz, 5 Natalia Pervaiz, 6 Fatima Sana (capt), 7 Rameen Shamim, 8 Diana Baig, 9 Sidra Nawaz (wk), 10 Nashra Sandhu, 11 Sadia IqbalSidra Amin has been in great form but has struggled in Sri Lanka over the years•PCBPitch and conditionsIt looks like the northeast monsoon has hit Colombo; the city is starting to get day-long rains. Saturday’s match between Australia and Sri Lanka was rained out without the toss taking place (this could be a neat way to avoid the handshake question). In the match that did see some play, on Thursday, the seamers from both Pakistan and Bangladesh got movement in the air and off the surface. With the rain around, there is bound to be moisture in the square.Stats and trivia Although Pakistan’s top run-scorer this year, Amin has an awful record in Sri Lanka. Having played five innings on the island, she has a total of 24 runs here. Her duck on Thursday was her second in Sri Lanka. This has been the richest year for Rana, with 23 of her 52 ODI wickets having come in 2025. Although this stadium is their home for the World Cup, Pakistan women had never played an ODI at Khettarama before Thursday.Quotes”Deepti, Sneh Rana and Shree Charani are a very good combination, where there is a lot of experience also. There is youth as well. They’ve been playing together since the last three-four series, and the combination is really working well for us. Also, they all are very hardworking girls. Most games also, in my interactions with them, they want to improve. What they want to improve and how they want to improve are the questions around which these three are working around. They’re very hungry to go out there and give their best for the country.”
“Support from our senior players is very important for me. They help me out when I make mistakes. Sidra Amin, Diana Baig, Aliya Riaz – they make sure we are tight-knit as a group, and any mistake that one of us makes, we do our best to cover it up or compensate for it. There is great team unity. As captain, it is a challenge leading a group at such a young age, but the support from my team makes it easy.”

Do Arsenal lack attacking firepower?

The arrival of Viktor Gyökeres this summer was supposed to end the Gunners’ search for a centre-forward but, so far, the Swede has scored just four Premier League goals, with supporters yet to be truly convinced by their new number nine.

The Swede, as well as Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Ødegaard, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are all likely to remain sidelined ahead of Sunday’s North London derby, meaning Mikel Merino will continue as the makeshift centre-forward.

So, could Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta address this issue in January by targeting “one of the best strikers in Europe”?

Arsenal searching for more attacking firepower

The January transfer window is often a quiet one for Arsenal, albeit they have pulled off some memorable winter signings down the years.

Nacho Monreal, Theo Walcott, Emmanuel Adebayor, Leandro Trossard and Andrey Arshavin all arrived in various Januarys, as did current club captain Ødegaard, albeit the most exciting mid-season addition surely remains Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who joined from Borussia Dortmund for £56m in January 2018.

So now, in a deal that would be very reminiscent, reports in Spain claim that Arsenal are ‘seriously considering’ a January move for another Dortmund centre-forward, this time Serhou Guirassy.

They claim that the Guinea international has a €50m release clause (around £44m) in his contract, making him an attractive proposition for any potential suitors, including Arsenal.

Transfer Focus

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

Former national team head coach Kaba Diawara is the only Guinean to ever feature for Arsenal, scoring zero goals in 14 appearances in 1999, infamously hitting the woodwork with pretty much every shot he took, so Guirassy would certainly surpass that legacy, should he swap North Rhine-Westphalia for North London.

How Serhou Guirassy would repeat Aubameyang's success

When Aubameyang joined Arsenal, he was 28 years old and had just scored 141 goals in 213 appearances for Borussia Dortmund, winning the previous season’s DFB-Pokal, scoring the winning penalty against Eintracht Frankfurt in the final at Olympiastadion.

Once at Arsenal, the Gabonese international netted 92 times in 163 outings, sharing the Premier League golden boot in 2018/19, while only five players have ever scored more goals for the Gunners in the competition.

For those wondering, this quintet are: Thierry Henry, Ian Wright, Robin van Persie, Dennis Bergkamp and Olivier Giroud.

Now 36, Aubameyang is proving that goal-scoring instincts never fade, having netted six times for Olympique de Marseille already this season, most recently breaking the deadlock during Friday night’s 5-1 demolition of Nice, having also scored when les Phocéens crushed Ajax 4-0 at Stade Vélodrome in the Champions League in September.

So, with Gyökers earning mixed reviews, Arsenal might just lack a striker with that killer instinct, but could that be Guirassy?

Well, let’s compare his and Aubameyang’s time at Borussia Dortmund to see if he would be able to replicate the ex-Gunners star’s career?

Guirassy 24/25 vs Aubameyang 16/17
Stats	Guirassy	Aubameyang
Appearances	50	46
Minutes	4,244	3,959
Goals	38	40
UCL Goals	13	7
Assists	9	5
Shots per 90	2.9	3.4
Shots on target per 90	1.8	2.2
Shot accuracy %	60.54%	63.11%
Big chances missed	31	32
% of touches in the box	15.9%	20.5%
Stats via Transfermarkt, SofaScore & Squawka

As the table documents, Guirassy’s form last season is remarkably similar to that of Aubameyang during his final campaign with die Schwarzgelben.

​​​​​​​

The current Dortmund centre-forward scored two fewer goals than peak Aubameyang, albeit he did net 13 times in last season’s Champions League, thereby picking up the competition’s golden boot.

Other numbers that are similar are the pair’s shots per 90, shooting accuracy and the percentage of their touches that come in the opposition’s penalty area, while the duo both missed more than 30 Opta-defined big chances, which, statistically speaking, is a lot!

Nevertheless, Guirassy’s form at Westfalenstadion​​​​​​​ led to Germany’s all-time record appearance holder Lothar Matthäus asserting that he has become “one of the best strikers in Europe”, underlining how highly rated he is by regular Bundesliga observers.

Thus, should Guirassy arrive at Arsenal in January, he would undeniably have a massive impact, one that could fire Arteta’s team to that elusive first Premier League title in 22 years.

Rice & Merino hybrid: Berta now exploring Arsenal move for £70m "monster"

Declan Rice & Mikel Merino remain two of Arsenal’s most important players, so is Andrea Berta now targeting a monster hybrid of of the two worth £70m?

By
Ben Gray

Nov 21, 2025

Nuno Espirito Santo is now reportedly ready to launch his first transfer move in charge of West Ham United to sign Bristol City’s set-piece specialist Scott Twine.

The Hammers could certainly do with a busy January transfer window. Whilst results have improved recently, their 2-2 draw against Bournemouth in a game that they led 2-0 exposed their problems once again.

After watching on as his side let go of their 2-0 lead gained through Callum Wilson’s goals, Nuno told reporters: “It’s a very tough place to come. The first half was us – we took advantage of the straight ball, of the second ball, we managed the tempo of the game, we managed to control Bournemouth, and we achieved a good lead.

“In the second half, Bournemouth did exactly the same that we did [in the first]. They managed better the circumstances of the game, we couldn’t go out, they put us against the ropes, they engaged five players in the last line.

“The boys were organised but were missing the pass to go out of pressure, to really hurt them with space, under tough circumstances. But the positive is that I think the team was resilient, was organised, was compact and was really committed.”

After the dramatic draw, West Ham have at least escaped the dropzone, albeit only on goal difference. With the visit of Liverpool up next, they’ll be hoping to compile the champions’ recent misery and escape the relegation zone in the process.

It goes without saying that the January transfer window would be a lot easier if West Ham were approaching it without the bottom three in mind. It would hand Nuno the perfect opportunity to welcome first-choice reinforcements and potentially take the Hammers onwards and upwards.

On that front, the former Nottingham Forest manager already has certain additions in mind, according to reports.

West Ham and Nuno ready to launch Scott Twine move

According to Sports Boom, Nuno is now ready to launch West Ham’s move to sign Twine from Bristol City in the January transfer window. The set-piece specialist would be an instant upgrade on James Ward-Prowse, who has been frozen out by Nuno, and would cost West Ham just £8m.

Minutes

1,244

958

Goals

6

3

Progressive Passes

41

71

Ball Recoveries

52

53

Although it is in a league below the Premier League, Twine has shown plenty of promise compared to Lucas Paqueta this season. Based on those numbers, £8m could quickly turn into a bargain for the London club.

Whether Bristol City allow one of their key men to leave so easily remains to be seen, however. Robins manager Gerhard Struber recently praised his midfielder – telling reporters: “Scott (has) outstanding technical power with his monster leg.

Forget Guilherme: Nuno can fix Summerville blow with West Ham academy star

Nuno might already have the perfect solution to West Ham’s Summerville problem.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 25, 2025

“It helped us to score in this way but I like his energy at the moment – his work ethic on the field to invest everything. You do not see it that often that players on this level work really hard against the ball but this was the key – players with high technical level were involved in our defensive pressing moments.”

West Ham now make enquiry to sign Champions League CF with eight goals in 25/26

South Africa are 51 for 2 and need to pull off the second-highest successful chase in Pakistan to win the Lahore Test

Firdose Moonda14-Oct-2025Pakistan are eight wickets away from ending South Africa’s ten-match winning streak in Test cricket after asking them to complete the highest successful chase in Lahore and second-highest in Pakistan. A target of 277 looks far away with the visitors 51 for 2 at stumps on the third day.In a match that has played to script, Pakistan won the toss, batted first, took a 109-run innings lead and scored quickly in their second go to leave South Africa in a battle for survival. Spinners have been the key protagonists, led by Senuran Muthusamy who finished with career-best match figures of 11 for 174, including a second five-for. Muthusamy’s haul is the fourth-best by a South African spinner but that is unlikely to be enough to help them win the game.Instead, it is Noman Ali who will take the headlines after picking up his fifth successive Test five-for earlier in the day and, adding to that haul, two second-innings wickets as well to set Pakistan on their way.The day began with South Africa’s first innings still standing. There were four wickets left and Sajid Khan took one of them when Muthusamy edged him to slip, where Salman Agha claimed a sharp catch.With the score 228 for 7, Tony de Zorzi had a decision to make. He was 81 overnight. A swing across the line for four against Sajid and a strike over long-off for six against Noman made it clear what his plans were going to be. De Zorzi reverse-swept Noman for a single to bring up a hard-fought hundred, which was the second of his Test career and second in the subcontinent.Tony de Zorzi brought up his second Test century•Getty Images

With the second new ball looming, de Zorzi sought to be as aggressive as possible but it was his undoing. He advanced on Noman and swung hard but only got the ball as far as Shaheen Shah Afridi on the long-on boundary to give Noman a five-for. South Africa made it to the second new ball, Pakistan took it and gave it to their spinners, and it took Noman eight balls to strike. Prenalen Subrayen tried to defend but got an edge and Agha was in action again to take another good catch at slip. Noman finished with 6 for 112.With a first innings lead of 109, Pakistan could afford early losses and risky strokeplay. Imam-ul-Haq was the first to fall when he shimmied down the pitch to drive Simon Harmer through the offside but he missed the ball as it turned away from him and was stumped for 0.Kagiso Rabada caused significant problems in a superb new-ball spell. He found Abdullah Shafique’s edge three times but the ball went for four on each occasion and also beat Shan Masood with a peach that just missed off stump. The pressure Rabada created brought rewards at the other end. Harmer got a second when Masood was stuck on the back foot trying to cut a delivery that angled in and hit on the pad. Babar Azam survived an lbw review before lunch off Rabada when he was hit high on the back leg and Markram was convinced to send it upstairs. The ball would have bounced over the stumps.Babar continued to live dangerously after the break. He top-edged a sweep off Harmer but it went over leg slip. Shafique hit Muthusamy high over mid-off but Wiaan Mulder couldn’t take the catch over his left shoulder. Eventually, Babar settled down and was willing to show a little more patience than his peers.He scored just nine runs off the first 26 balls he faced and was getting his eye in when he watched Shafique hand Muthusamy a thigh-high caught and bowled dismissal. In Muthusamy’s next over, Babar came down the pitch to hit him through mid-on and assert his authority.Senuran Muthusamy finished with the fourth-best match figures by a South African spinner•Getty Images

Saud Shakeel, on a pair, survived a South African review for lbw off Muthusamy as UltraEdge picked up an under-edge but had to wait seven balls before he scored. He swept Muthusamy behind square for his first runs of the match. Pakistan grew more aggressive as Babar hit Muthusamy over his head, past midwicket and through third for a trio of boundaries in the same over to enter the forties.The adoring home crowd were denied a Babar fifty when Rabada got one to nip back into him and hit his back pad. He was given out lbw and reviewed, unsuccessfully. Then, just before tea, Shakeel tried to clear midwicket but hit the ball to Tristan Stubbs at deep square leg to leave Pakistan 150 for 5.Things happened quickly after the break as Pakistan lost their next five wickets for 17 runs in an overall collapse of 7 for 48 from Babar’s dismissal. Mohammad Rizwan was bowled by Harmer, who ripped one in between the bat-pad gap. Afridi was promoted to No. 8 and reverse-swept Muthusamy to backward point and then Muthusamy picked up his tenth when he bowled Agha with a tossed-up delivery that beat his swipe.Any delight South Africa took from a strong bowling performance was soon eclipsed by the dread of how their own line-up would fare in the second innings. Noman soon provided the answer. Markram, frustrated with his 3 off 10, cleared his front leg to try and hoick Noman leg side but missed and was bowled. Then, Mulder, for the second time in the game, played a poor stroke, albeit that this was more of a non-shot. He shaped to cut, backed out and edged Noman to slip and Agha’s safe hands made no mistake.Ryan Rickelton and de Zorzi saw out the day but not without some nervy moments. Rickelton was on 26 when he jabbed Noman to Shafique at short leg but the ball was hit quickly and Shafique could not hold on. De Zorzi survived an lbw shout in the penultimate over after he moved well outside off stump and Pakistan considered reviewing against Rickelton off the last ball but he too had made sure to get outside the line of the stumps.

Tottenham are looking to get back to winning ways against Fulham tonight with Thomas Frank handed a key selection decision ahead of the Premier League clash.

Tottenham face Fulham after back-to-back defeats

Spurs face a crucial test when Fulham visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Frank desperate for a response following Wednesday’s devastating 5-3 Champions League defeat to PSG.

The Parc des Princes encounter saw Spurs’ unbeaten European run spectacularly ended despite twice taking the lead, with Vitinha’s sensational hat-trick ultimately proving the difference.

The result leaves Tottenham fifteenth in the Champions League standings, significantly increasing pressure on Frank to arrest their recent slide.

The Lilywhites have won just one of their last five games in all competitions, a 4-0 rout of Danish minnows FC Copenhagen, with London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal recently putting them to the sword.

xG

11.0

17th

Non-penalty xG

11.0

16th

Progressive passes

413

12th

Shots

110

19th

Shots on target

40

15th

Average shot distance

15.6 yards

17th

Dominic Solanke’s continued absence through injury compounds Tottenham’s attacking concerns. The striker has been out since undergoing ankle surgery earlier in the season, managing just 47 minutes of football all campaign.

His unavailability places enormous responsibility on Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison to provide a consistent goalscoring threat, though Frank has suggested that the former will be given the nod against Fulham after his breathtaking PSG performance.

The Frenchman donned a mask for his fractured jaw, scoring a brace and providing an assist against his parent club, with Frank confirming that Kolo Muani is fit enough to start this evening.

However, one man who won’t be taking part is star defender Cristian Romero.

Tottenham "liability" left Thomas Frank "raging"

The Argentine endured an evening to forget away to PSG, with talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook branding him a “liability” that would have left Frank “raging”.

Romero is set to miss tonight’s clash with Fulham through suspension, meaning that Kevin Danso is more than likely set to partner Micky van de Ven at the heart of Frank’s defence.

This could be enough to get the job done against a Fulham side who are firm candidates for relegation after a lacklustre start to 2025/2026, but Frank will be wary that Marco Silva’s men have won two of their last three Premier League games.

Even after Romero’s disasterclass at PSG, the 27-year-old remains a key figurehead for Spurs and partners van de Ven to devastating effect at times.

Ange Postecoglou always had a much better time as Spurs boss when both men were available to play his high line, but Danso has proved that he can do a solid job when called upon.

Peter Handscomb reminded Test selectors of his talents, scoring another Sheffield Shield century against South Australia.After the Victoria captain top scored with 103 on Monday at Adelaide Oval and declared seven runs behind the home side, a crucial sixth-wicket stand rescued the day for SA.Related

• Fergus O'Neill averages 20 with the ball, but can he play Test cricket?

• Run out thwarts Harris after promising half-century

• 'Stripped back' Labuschagne takes leap towards Ashes recall with 160

Daniel Drew (42 not out) and Harry Nielsen (41 not out) took SA from a precarious 82 for 5 to 169 for 5 at stumps, a lead of 176 going into the last day.Resuming on 38 with the score 167 for 3, Handscomb anchored the Victorian innings on day three. In reply to SA’s 350, they were in trouble at 199 for 6 before Handscomb combined with Fergus O’Neill for a seventh-wicket stand of 125.Spinner Lloyd Pope had O’Neill caught-and-bowled for 64 and Pope dismissed Handscomb, caught by Jordan Buckingham in the deep for the eighth wicket.Handscomb, whose most recent Test was in March 2023, faced 180 balls and hit seven fours and two sixes. Half of his 18 Shield tons have been against SA.SA steadily lost early wickets in their second innings. After a duck on the opening day, No.3 and Test hopeful Nathan McSweeney was dismissed for 6 when he edged a pull against David Moody.Opener Henry Hunt and Jake Lehmann starred with centuries in SA’s first innings. But when impressive Victorian left-arm spinner Doug Warren dismissed them in successive overs – Hunt top-edging a sweep and Lehmann bowled through the gate on the drive – the home side was five down for not nearly enough.That brought together Drew and Nielsen, who grew in confidence as they batted through to stumps.

Both teams suffered heavy defeats in their opening games of the World Cup

Srinidhi Ramanujam05-Oct-20252:24

A case for Annerie Dercksen’s return?

Big picture – Who will bounce back?New Zealand and South Africa meet for the first time since they contested the 2024 T20 World Cup final in October last year, under rather different circumstances. Both teams began their Women’s World Cup campaigns with heavy defeats and there’s little to choose between them as they face off in Indore on Monday.New Zealand’s 89-run defeat to Australia laid bare familiar concerns with the bat; they crumbled in a chase of 327 despite a century from Sophie Devine. Since the start of 2024, they have lost ten of 15 ODIs – a result of their inconsistency with both bat and ball. To add to their challenges, they entered this World Cup without playing a single ODI in the six months leading up to it.While there have been individual performances, the batting unit will be eager to click collectively. New Zealand have scored 250-plus only twice since 2024. In the bowling department, they have a mix of youth and experience with Lea Tahuhu, the Kerr sisters – Jess and Amelia – along with Bree Illing and Eden Carson, forming a unit capable of making a difference.South Africa had a disastrous start against England in Guwahati, where they were bowled out for 69. They will look for a reset in Indore. They remain a top-heavy side, with Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, and Marizanne Kapp scoring the bulk of their runs. But their last two ODI defeats – including a 115 all out against Pakistan – have been due to severe batting collapses. A third in a row will be difficult to come back from in this tournament.Form guideNew Zealand LWWLL (last five completed matches)
South Africa LLWWWSophie Devine made a hundred against Australia•Getty Images

In the spotlight – Brits and BatesTazmin Brits has hit peak form in 2025. In ten ODIs this year, she has scored four centuries and one half-century, averaging 81 at a strike rate of 93.91. Known for her power game, Brits has made noticeable improvements against spin. With the in-form Laura Wolvaardt at the other end, the pair forms a strong right-hand opening combination capable of dictating terms. If they get going, South Africa could get the platform they’ve lacked in recent ODIs.Suzie Bates will make her 350th international appearance for New Zealand on Monday – a landmark in the women’s game. The veteran remains a key presence in a top order featuring Georgia Plimmer and Amelia Kerr. Although she fell for a duck against Australia, Bates has scored three half-centuries in her last seven ODI innings. As New Zealand aim for their first win of the tournament, Bates will be eager to mark the occasion with a defining innings.Team newsSouth Africa may reconsider their XI after leaving out allrounder Annerie Dercksen – one of four batters to make a century for them since the start of 2024 – for Anneke Bosch, who has neither been a regular nor scored a fifty since December 2023.South Africa:1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Sune Luus, 4 Marizanne Kapp, 5 Anneke Bosch/Annerie Dercksen, 6 Sinalo Jafta (wk), 7 Chloe Tryon, 8 Nadine de Klerk, 9 Masabata Klaas, 10 Ayabonga Khaka, 11 Nonkululeko MlabaLeft-arm spinner Flora Devonshire was ruled out of the World Cup with an injury to her bowling hand and seamer Hannah Rowe was named her replacement. However, New Zealand are unlikely to change the side for their second match in Indore.New Zealand: 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine (capt), 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Isabella Graze (wk), 8 Jess Kerr, 9 Lea Tahuhu, 10 Eden Carson, 11 Bree IllingPitch and conditionsIndore rolled out a flat track for the opening game and Australia piled on 326 batting first. A different surface will be used for the second match, but weather could be a factor. It rained heavily the day after the first game there and conditions are expected to be overcast with hazy sunshine. As Suzie Bates put it, “It’s all about who adapts the best tomorrow because it is a different wicket, and it can play differently.”Stats and trivia Suzie Bates, the third highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs, is 104 short of 6000 Marizanne Kapp is two away from breaking into the top five wicket-takers in women’s ODIs. She has 169 scalps from 154 matches.Wolvaardt and Brits have scored nine ODI hundreds between them since 2024.New Zealand have not scored a 300 in ODIs since the start of 2024.Quotes”Yeah, I think it’s a huge advantage. It’s not only playing in the same conditions, but not having to travel after that game.”
“For us as a batting unit is to just literally just knuckle down and just bat. Don’t think too much about the outcome. Just take it one ball at a time.”