Brian Bennett and JJ Smit were the heroes for Zimbabwe and Namibia, respectively, in Harare

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Oct-2025Zimbabwe joined Namibia in the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup after they eased past Kenya in the second semi-final of the ICC’s Africa qualifiers in Harare. South Africa are the third African team in the World Cup, having qualified directly. Earlier in the day, Namibia had qualified after beating Tanzania in their semi-final contest without much fuss at the same venue.After the bowlers restricted Kenya to 122 for 6, Zimbabwe aced the chase in 15 overs with seven wickets to spare. Openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani smashed 70 together in the first six overs – only three times have Zimbabwe hit more runs in the powerplay in T20Is where ESPNcricinfo has data. Vraj Patel ended the partnership in the next over when he removed Bennett for 51 off 25 balls. Bennett’s innings featured eight fours and a six, including a sequence of 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 in the fourth over, bowled by Lucas Oluoch. He is currently the highest scorer in the tournament, with 299 runs in four innings at an average of 74.75 and a strike rate of 184.56.Vraj also got rid of Marumani for 39 off 27 balls in the 11th over, but by then Zimbabwe had reached 100. Captain Sikandar Raza fell for 10 off 18 balls, but Ryan Burl and Tony Munyonga got the job done for Zimbabwe without any further setbacks. Brendan Taylor, who had cracked 123 off 54 balls against Botswana in Zimbabwe’s 170-run win last week, was not needed with the bat.Zimbabwe’s bowlers had set up the win, with Blessing Muzarabani leading the line with figures of 4-0-19-2. Rakep Patel was the only Kenya batter to cross 20. He scored 65 off 47 balls before falling to Richard Ngarava, who finished with 1 for 31.File photo – JJ Smit was the best batter and best bowler on show for Namibia•AFP/Getty Images
As for Namibia, this will be their fourth appearance at the men’s T20 World Cup. They had also taken part in the editions in 2021 (Super 12s), 2022 (group stage) and 2024 (group stage).On Thursday, Namibia were asked to bat by Tanzania captain Kassim Nassoro, and put up a strong 174 for 6, familiar hands Gerhard Erasmus, the captain, and JJ Smit hitting fifties to help their cause.It hadn’t started so well for Namibia, with four wickets – Jan Frylinck, Malan Kruger, Louren Steenkamp and Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton – falling within the powerplay. But Erasmus and Smit got together at that point and scored quickly to snatch the momentum away from Tanzania. Erasmus scored 55 in 41 balls with six fours, while Smit hit 61 not out in 43 balls with one four and four sixes.That gave Namibia the runs they needed, and Smit was back in action, this time with the ball, to hurt the Tanzania top order. He picked up the first two wickets to fall, those of Arun Yadav and Dhrumit Mehta, off consecutive balls in the sixth over, and later removed Mukesh Suthar to finish with 3 for 16. Ben Shikongo was the other main wicket-taker for Namibia, returning 3 for 21.There were pockets of resistance from Tanzania, but nothing effective enough to change the course of the match as they finished 63 runs short despite batting out their overs.

Nitish Kumar Reddy complained of back stiffness which has impacted his recovery and mobility; Shivam Dube is in the XI for the first T20I

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Oct-2025

Fast-bowling allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy’s return to action has been set back by neck spasms, which has “impacted his recovery and mobility”, according to a BCCI update on Wednesday morning.Reddy, 22, had sustained a left quadriceps injury during the second ODI against Australia on October 23. He missed the following ODI in Sydney, which India won by nine wickets to cut down the series margin to 2-1.India are already without their premier allrounder Hardik Pandya, who is recovering from a quadriceps injury of his own. Without Hardik, India have looked unbalanced, but the good news for them is that Shivam Dube, the other seam-bowling allrounder in the touring party, is fit and was picked in the XI for the first T20I in Canberra after being sidelined from the opening round of the Ranji Trophy with back stiffness.Reddy has had a difficult time with injuries, especially this year. In July, he had been ruled out of the fourth and fifth Tests in England with a knee injury. He had suffered the injury while training in the gym before hurting his quadriceps in Australia.He has played 15 internationals for India so far, since making his debut in the Perth Test in November 2024.In the first T20I in Canberra, India picked three spinners in Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel, sticking to their successful template from the Asia Cup, which they won in late September.

Having struggled for years to meet everyone’s expectations, the India opener has found a way to forget them and trust his instincts instead

Sidharth Monga28-Jun-2025KL Rahul has flummoxed not just observers on the outside but those within the India team as well.Former captain Rohit Sharma wanted to get the best out of Rahul, and entrusted the job to Abhishek Nayar, one of the assistant coaches with the national side when Gautam Gambhir took over as head coach.”When I first picked up that role, I remember I had a conversation with Rohit, and he said that one of the things he was really keen on me doing was working with KL and bringing out a more aggressive outlook to how KL played the game, and bringing the best out of him. Because he believed strongly that KL would play a major role in the Champions Trophy, World Cup and everything going forward including the BGT [Border-Gavaskar Trophy] and the Tests in England,” Nayar, who was removed from the position after a BCCI review following the 3-1 series loss in Australia, tells ESPNcricinfo.As luck would have it, Rahul started the BGT almost on notice. At the start of the home series against New Zealand that preceded the Australia tour, Rahul was out tickling one down the leg side in the first innings, on a rare green seamer in Bengaluru. Then he saw Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant bat aggressively in the second innings, before he himself got out to a peach with the second new ball as India collapsed. He didn’t play the next two Tests.Related

• Can Rahul close gap between his stats and his ceiling?

• Bumrah returns to nets, bowls full tilt during India's optional training session

• 'Back to enjoying my cricket, not thinking about taking it deep'

• BCCI terminates India assistant coach Nayar's contract

• Rahul rides overdue luck to set India up with statement century

“I think that was sort of the inception [of our relationship],” Nayar says. “Australia was going to be critical for him because it was almost like what if you didn’t get runs there, then where is his career going? Because he was out of the T20 [squad]. Then this could also very well have been his last series.”I told him, ‘listen, we’ve got 15 days to prepare before we go to Australia, and take those ten days there, we have got almost month to prepare – what do you want to do? How do you want to approach this? What is your mindset?'”He spoke about what he’s been doing and what worked for him in the past. And then I had a certain thought process, which was very different from his. Over hours and hours of conversation and trying to make him understand where I came from, eventually I got him to a place where he sort of trusted me to do certain things with him in regards to how he practises, in regards to trusting certain changes in his tactics, in regards to his stance, where he stands in the crease, what guard he takes.”Rahul and Nayar began to prepare for the Australia tour even as the New Zealand series was on. They would go to the nets before the start of a day’s play and would stay back after it did. With Rohit away on paternity leave at the start of the Australia tour, Rahul, who had batted in the middle order through most of 2024, had the chance to return to his familiar role of opening the batting in Perth.”A coach has to be lucky,” Nayar says. “How lucky that in his first game in Australia he got runs in the second innings and in the first also he got a start. That gave him a bit of believability. There are times when the glue just sticks. That was the moment the glue stuck. He really enjoyed that knock. He told me, listen, I feel like I am just watching and playing. It’s music to me now, playing the sport.”The pressure of expectations, Nayar says, was burdening Rahul, and dulling his instincts•Getty ImagesWhat was the enigma, though? Why could India never consistently get the best out of Rahul? Why had he been, at least in Tests, a player of great innings rather than a great player?”There is outside noise, there are expectations that one has from oneself, expectations that somehow over the years people and yourself, you infuse into your mind,” Nayar says. “So you start thinking this is what you need to do, and this is what you need to achieve, and people keep talking about your potential and your talent, and you keep adding more pressure saying that because everyone thinks I’m talented and because I have the potential, I need to live up to it, and those expectations sometimes weigh on you your shoulders, and those expectations sometimes really pull you down in a lot of ways and don’t let you be you. That was something that I think was one of those things that was holding him back.”It takes the fun out of the game. This doesn’t let you play the kind of cricket you want to play, and more than anything it kills your instinct completely. So it makes you a very predetermined player, devoid of natural flow.”Nayar won’t give out the “secret sauce”, the changes he and Rahul made to how he trains. “All I can tell you is, the way I’ve always tried to handle things is to first try and address the skill, and then use skill as a medium to address the mind,” Nayar says. “That’s as much as I can tell you in terms of details. It’s about using practice to give his mind reassurance with the plan that we have, and what he needs to do to execute it. And then adding a lot of tactical nuances to that so that it gives him a slight edge when he’s batting. So his focus is totally on following and executing those tactical adjustments and nuances rather than focusing on the result of it.”While happy with the way he was batting, Rahul still didn’t deliver that breakout series in Australia. His highest series aggregate remains 393, which he made at home against Australia in 2016-17. Rahul followed up the Perth show with an 84 at the Gabba but returned from the tour with no century. “I remember we met someone, and he jokingly said, coach, you need to teach me how to score hundreds,” Nayar says. “And we were laughing in banter. I was like, dude, sometimes hundreds are just luck.”I have this belief system that if it’s meant to be, it will be. If it’s not, it’s just not the time. I always believed that he was doing all the right things, and it was just not converting. The pitches in that series, bar MCG, had a lot of grass. I remember telling him you need to understand this part of the sport as well. We want to score hundreds, we want to do things, but sometimes when you score 270 in a series, you need to be happy about it. And not think about what if I scored 350 or what if I scored 400.”I’m not saying be satisfied, but you also have to acknowledge the fact that you were not part of the Test team very recently, and you come to Australia back in a position that that you weren’t batting in, and you still managed to hold onto that position at end of it. So it just says that you know you accomplished something, we achieved something, now it’s taking the next step to achieve something more. Sometimes you need to wait, you need to be patient for good things to happen. Sometimes players forget that that good thing is just around the corner. If you can just hold on a little longer, just be a little more grateful for what you have, good things will happen. Just one of those very philosophical conversations.”While Rahul was out of the T20I set-up and working on rebuilding his Test career, the one constant was ODIs, where he brought a rare mix of serviceable wicketkeeping and a calm, experienced head in the middle order, the toughest place to bat in limited-overs cricket. However, Nayar saw an improvement even there. He points to the six he hit off Mitchell Santner in a tense Champions Trophy final, off the eighth ball of his innings and against the opposition’s best bowler for those conditions.”Watching the game as part of the support staff, I remember watching him and saying damn, this is really working. Because that start was very against his nature. It was not a shot that he would play when batting on [3]. That’s a shot he would play when he was batting 35 or 40. That is a small moment in my head when I said, damn, we are thinking right, he’s moving in the right direction.”What allowed Rahul to play that shot at that moment?”If someone gets out playing a reverse-sweep, it is a bad shot,” Nayar says. “If someone gets out defending, it’s a good ball. But it doesn’t matter in the score book. It’s still out. So my coaching outlook is not so much what shot he played or what he should have done this ball. That’s not how I think. I have always wanted players to think that if this is the right shot to play, you play it. It doesn’t matter whether it’s going to look bad.”If someone is coming in and bowling hard length, and if we have practised enough to open the front leg and hit the ball over covers, you do it. The world may perceive it however they want to, but they don’t know the journey, they don’t know the plan, they don’t know what you have prepared for. As long as we know what we’re doing, and we have prepared for it and not just talked about it in the room, I am okay with it and you should be okay with it.'[Batting] is more about problem-solving, about how you can watch the ball without thinking too much’•AFP/Getty Images”There is no right time to play a shot. There is a shot, you play it. Now the backstory of the shot, no one knows. That only you and me know so let’s not expect others to understand it. No one knows the work you are putting in. No one knows the hours of planning that go into understanding why I’m going to play the shot or why I am doing this, that’s for us to understand. We have to be okay with the fact that if it doesn’t work out, people are going to criticise, people are going to ask questions, people are going to point fingers. That’s the world. It is fine.”That’s where the freedom comes from. All these I don’t believe in: stop thinking too much, no pressure, just watch the ball, play with freedom. I always think can you go have fun. For me it is more about problem-solving, about how you can watch the ball without thinking too much, how you can go and play in a pressure situation but look like there is no pressure, how you can accept that responsibility as a cricketer but still figure out a way to overcome it by looking responsible but being irresponsible.”Even though the BCCI let go of Nayar just before the IPL, Rahul stuck with him in personal capacity. During the IPL, Rahul showed he was no longer the man who believed strike-rates were overrated. He gave a “big shoutout to Abhishek Nayar”, with whom he had spent “hours and hours in Bombay”.Rahul is enjoying his cricket much more now. He has started this England tour with a bang even though India ended up losing the first Test. As a senior batter, Rahul will have to lead the charge in lifting the other batters to once more put India in positions from where they can dominate. In the process, if he can give himself a 400-plus or 500-plus series, he will have done his bit.

Liverpool are now one of just a handful of clubs with the opportunity to land one of Europe’s best strikers at a bargain release clause in 2026, according to reports.

Liverpool set sights on Luis Enrique

It has undoubtedly been the worst week of Arne Slot’s Liverpool tenure. The Reds were battered by Nottingham Forest and then swept aside by PSV Eindhoven in midweek, conceding seven goals in two games at Anfield. There’s no longer the away day excuse for the Dutchman, who has seen Liverpool’s fortress set ablaze in the space of a week.

After nine defeats in 12 games in all competitions, serious questions are being asked about Slot’s position for the first time since his arrival and there’s only so much credit that a Premier League title can bring.

According to recent reports, whilst Slot does still have the backing of Anfield chiefs, they are at least eyeing potential replacements if they do decide to show the former Feyenoord man the door.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Luis Enrique is reportedly on Liverpool’s list of candidates to replace Slot in what would be a statement move. The former Barcelona manager has transformed PSG into the best side in the world and would be the most sought-after coach if he left the French club.

It would also represent where Liverpool find themselves these days. When they last sacked a manager it was Brendan Rodgers and they needed someone willing to oversee a long-term project in Jurgen Klopp. Now, they should set their sights on an instant winner if this is to be it for Slot.

New Konate transfer twist as Real Madrid make final decision on Liverpool star

The Spanish giants have informed the Reds.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 28, 2025

That said, the Dutchman still has time to turn things around and could use the 2026 transfer windows to do exactly that – potentially using a Serhou Guirassy opportunity in the process.

Sky Sports reporter confirms Liverpool's Guirassy opportunity

As reported by Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool now have a rare opportunity to sign Guirassy for just €50 (£44m) next summer. The Borussia Dortmund man has a release clause set at that price for seven clubs, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal all joining Liverpool on an exclusive list.

At 29 years old, Guirassy has been somewhat of a late bloomer, but he has blossomed into one of the best strikers that European football has to offer. With nine goals in 17 games in all competitions so far this season, he’s outscored Hugo Ekitike and could quickly get Mohamed Salah firing again.

Dubbed “world-class” by Dortmund boss Niko Kovac, Guirassy is undeniably one to watch in the summer.

Best signing since Szoboszlai: Liverpool lead race for "world-class" talent

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola provided an update on Rodri's condition as he revealed the club's cautious plan for the Ballon d'Or winner's latest injury return. The Spanish midfielder spent almost the entire 2024-25 season on the sidelines after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in September 2024. He returned to action towards the end of the season and appeared in a few matches in the current campaign before picking up a fresh injury.

• Rodri's fitness a concern for Man City

  Rodri suffered a devastating ACL injury in September 2024 that prevented him from forming part of a Premier League title defence at the Etihad Stadium – with that crown eventually being surrendered to Liverpool. More minor knocks were picked up when competing at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. 

  City have always been aware of the need to handle Rodri with care, with the hope being that he could play his way towards full sharpness. Another setback was suffered, though, when lining up against Brentford last month. The 29-year-old midfielder was forced out of that contest inside the opening 20 minutes due to his persistent knee injury.

  Rodri's absence has impacted the Cityzens' performance on the field. It was only after the Spaniard's injury last season that City lost form and momentum and were nearly out of the Premier League title race by the start of 2025. This season, City have started on a bright note but with Rodri featuring sparingly, their performances have been inconsistent. 

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• Getty Images
  

  Guardiola provides update on Rodri

  Ahead of the club's upcoming Champions League fixture against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday, manager Guardiola provided an update on Rodri's situation as he said: “Everybody is fit except Kova and Rodri. Not long [for Rodri]. Not sure but not long. In the process and timing on when he will be back. We will wait a little more to make sure he is fine.”

• City's receive setback in title race after Newcastle loss

  City were finally showing some consistency after winning four matches in a row across all competitions and were back in the title race alongside Arsenal as they were only four points behind the Gunners the latest round of fixturef However, Guardiola's side suffered an unexpected 2-1 loss against the Magpies and have now dropped to the third position in the Premier League thanks to wins for Chelsea and Arsenal.

  Analysing the game after the loss, Guardiola told Live: "Tight game. Entertaining game. They had chances. We had chances. In the end they scored one more goal. Two or three chances that he [Haaland] always have because he is the best. And yeah, go to the next. Two or three chances that he always have because he is the best. And yeah, go to the next. The second half we started rally well and had the momentum, we were arriving and finding players in the positions. But after we scored a goal, they scored a goal. After it was more difficult because [Sven] Botman was in the pitch, the defence was deep, so yes more difficult." 

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  Is Guardiola frustrated with Man City's performances?

  Guardiola completely lost his cool after his side's 2-1 loss on Saturday, as the Spanish coach was first seen getting into a very animated chat with Bruno Guimaraes, with both individuals looking testy at times. The 54-year-old also appeared to argue with a cameraman as he struggled to keep his cool. When questioned on the matter, he later said: "No questions, everything is fine. I said how good he [Bruno] is [but that conversation] is for private situations. Everything is fine."

  He even issued an apology to the cameraman while speaking to reporters, as he added: "I apologise. I feel embarrassed, ashamed when I see it. I don’t like it. I apologised after one second to the cameraman. I am who I am. After 1,000 games I’m not a perfect person, I make huge mistakes. It’s not about that. What is for sure, I defend any team and my club, that’s for sure. The reason why is I want to defend my team and my club."

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank is reportedly facing a significant blow to his January transfer plans after news about a top winger target.

While the January transfer window is set to become a major topic of discussion soon, all attention is currently centered around this weekend’s North London derby clash against Premier League leaders Arsenal.

The statistics paint a pretty bleak picture for Frank’s side, with as many as 11 players either set to miss the clash through injury or are doubts at the very least.

Tottenham absentee list

Problem

Estimated return date (subject to change)

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

29/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Mohammed Kudus

Knock

23/11/2025

Randal Kolo Muani

Jaw

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

23/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

23/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf/Shin/Heel

23/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

Arsenal prolonged their unbeaten run against Tottenham to six matches in January this year, having also done the double over Spurs in 2023. The Lilywhites have also failed to chalk up a single victory against their fiercest rivals in three years, with their last win coming at the end of the 2021/2022 season under Antonio Conte.

Harry Kane’s brace and a goal from Son Heung-min handed Spurs a statement 3-0 victory on their run to qualify for the Champions League that year, but that remains their only triumph over Arsenal in their last nine meetings.

While the Emirates Stadium is a notoriously challenging hunting ground for Tottenham, having failed to win there in the top flight since 2011, Frank could actually be relieved this clash will be played out on enemy turf.

Frank’s side have lost three Premier League matches on home soil already this season, and their record at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium over the last 12 months has been abysmal with just four victories to show from 20 home league games.

They haven’t won at home at all in the league since their 3-1 win over newly-promoted Burnley on the opening weekend, leaving them second bottom of the home form table but sitting pretty atop of the away form standings (Footy Stats).

Tottenham will be handed some encouragement by Sunderland’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal just prior to the international break, but it is safe to say they’re up against it on Sunday, with there still being plenty of work to do on Frank’s squad as the Lewis family look to usher in a post-Daniel Levy era.

According to reports, Spurs are in the market for another winger this winter after missing out on Savinho in the summer, with Ademola Lookman believed to be on their radar as one potential signing.

Frank facing 'big blow' at Tottenham after news on Ademola Lookman

The Atalanta winger appeared to be exit bound last summer and even submitted a transfer request, but an exit failed to materialise. Tottenham were repeatedly linked with the Nigerian at the end of the last window, and those links have remained ahead of January.

Lookman bagged 20 goals in all competitions last season and took home 2024’s African Player of the Year award following his stunning performance in the Europa League final that year, which both won Atalanta the tournament and ended Bayer Leverkusen’s historic unbeaten run.

The 28-year-old, who is also out of contract in under two years, would undoubtedly be a superb signing for Spurs and one who can play in many different attacking positions, including as a striker.

However, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke for Football Insider, Frank faces a ‘big blow’ in his pursuit of Lookman, as it is now believed that new Atalanta boss Raffaele Palladino could now convince the player to remain in Italy.

Also, if Spurs were to lodge a bid for Lookman in January, Atalanta would demand a minimum of £50 million to consider selling, despite the player’s contract length.

All of this makes the prospect of a winter transfer to N17 looking more and more difficult for the ‘world-class’ forward, but there are alternatives.

Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo is apparently tempted by the prospect of a move to Tottenham amid Real Sociedad’s dismal start to 25/26, and he has a release clause in his contract, which means Spurs could bypass club talks and go directly to the player.

The shape that defines this Test series is a sphere, and it comes in various forms

Alan Gardner16-Jul-2025There’s nothing the Light Roller likes more than panto season – especially when it arrives during the height of the English Test summer. England versus India began with lots of apparent bonhomie between the teams – most international players are IPL frat bros, one way or another, these days – so the introduction of a little niggle, the grit in the Lord’s oyster, was timely.Nobody threw any jellybeans, which is a pity, but there was lots of finger-pointing, verbal battles and crowd involvement as both sides sought an extra edge. We often talk about the “theatre” of Test cricket, which is presumed to mean heroic exploits, epic plotlines and grandiloquent stanzas of play. But it’s also worth getting in the popcorn when players start prancing around like they’re putting on at the Bedford Corn Exchange.The first shouts of “He’s behind you!” might have begun with England’s cute ploy of bringing the keeper up to the stumps in order to stop the Shubman Gill run machine in its tracks. But Gill then assumed centre stage during a fractious mini-mini-session at the end of day three, yelling at Zak Crawley to “grow some f***ing balls” and then miming for an impact substitute (back to the IPL again) when the England opener opted for the blatant time-wasting tactic of calling on the physio after a ball hit the middle of his bat.Related

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India unhappy with replacement ball as Dukes loses shape too soon again

Perhaps, given the problems with the Dukes balls in this series, Gill was just trying to come up with a practical solution. Of all the England players, Crawley most looks like a member of the landowning class who might be able to dedicate farming resource to cultivating some sort of new-age alternative to cork and leather.Okay, so it’s more likely he was talking about cojones, certainly giving the accompanying hand gestures. And while Lord’s might be an improbable venue to stage a royal rumble – even with Alex Carey’s underhand/underarm antics to stir things up – there was an air of WWE to proceedings as Mohammed Siraj played to his “heel” status, copping a fine for his efforts, and Washington Sundar baited all and sundry with some ballsy chat of his own.To cap it all off, England tore up the saintly playbook they have adhered to under Brendon McCullum in order to generate a last-day atmosphere that harked back to the time when men were men and teams bowled 100 overs in a day. Then, when the dust settled, there were handshakes and hugs, solemn gestures of respect and brotherly love between combatants. Which is fine, so long as they go back to the Punch and Judy stuff when the series resumes at Old Trafford next week.Wiaan Mulder: not yet a legend•Zimbabwe Cricket

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“New balls, please!” It’s been Wimbledon fortnight, but nowhere has the demand for a replacement batch of projectiles been louder than at Test matches in England. The Dukes ball, as mentioned, apparently goes soft quicker than a millennial faced with an awkward social situation, and needs to be changed more often than Gen Z change their pronouns. Is this because the cricket balls of today can’t withstand a little corporal punishment? Are the cows of Brexit Britain no longer the leathery leaders in their field? Maybe it’s another symptom of the inexorable decline of Western liberal values? Answers on a postcard to the ECB.`

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Of all the things we were not expecting to write about this month, the question of whether Wiaan Mulder should have backed himself to go on and break Brian Lara’s record for the highest individual score in Test history would be right at the top of the list (or maybe, after some time to consider over lunch, fifth). Mulder said afterwards that he felt “Lara keeping the record is exactly the way it should be”, clearly fully aware of the pelters he would have received had he gone on past 400 in what was a Test in name only, and effectively South Africa B against an under-strength Zimbabwe. As an aside, Mulder revealed that it was Shukri Conrad who advised: “Listen, let the legends keep the really big scores.” Never mind what the public thinks of him, perhaps Mulder should be more worried about how highly he’s rated by his own coach.

Curtis Jones said it best. However, it’s probably best to glaze over the exact details of the Liverpool star’s post-match thoughts, his team having been wrecked at Anfield by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.

But Liverpool are in the lurch, and this has formed into a crisis of unimaginable depths for Arne Slot, who believes he has the backing of FSG and the board, but with each miserable defeat is cashing in more credit from the bank of his Premier League title success last season.

Liverpool have lost their past three matches by an aggregate score of 10-1. Since the November international break, Anfield has hosted Nottingham Forest and now PSV, and the Reds have been turned over both times.

So deep is this malaise that Liverpool are beginning to become a team not just struggling to identify tactical answers but lacking any conviction or confidence in their performance. In many ways, they are victims of their own self-combustion.

And Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are, sadly, representations of that.

Liverpool's deteriorating defence

Across Liverpool’s past three matches in all competitions – three defeats – they have recorded an xG score of 6.59; their opponents have combined for a 5.39 total. As already mentioned, the aggregate score stands at 10-1 to the opposition.

As the boss, Slot has to shoulder the blame. However, he must be dumbfounded by the manner of Liverpool’s defending, the absence of coherence. There is an inability to perform the basics of football that has rattled this cage too hard.

Konate is a perfect example of this, with the French centre-back so shorn of belief that mistakes are becoming a part of his daily routine.

When Liverpool concede, Konate is at the heart of it. And Liverpool are conceding in droves.

But the typically unflappable Van Dijk is deteriorating too. He inexplicably shot his hand into the air like a curious schoolchild in the early stages against PSV, and that sealed a spot kick for the visitors. Moments into the game. Converted. Set-piece concession. Again.

He might be 34, but the skipper remains one of the best defenders in the world. Still, his leadership skills have been swept from under his feet, so disjointed is this Liverpool backline.

VAN DIJK KONATE GRAPHIC

Slot needs to fix this mess, and no mistake. But Liverpool’s problem stretch far wider than just the inconsistencies of centre-backs. Where to begin? Where is the end of this remarkable rut?

The boss was brought in for his cool-headedness and tactical ingenuity. But that’s not been on show this season, and the repeated hammering of two stars into a combination that just isn’t working is an illustration of this bitter situation.

Slot cannot start them together again.

Slot must never start Liverpool duo together again

Liverpool have so many tactical imbalances. It is quite incredible how Slot’s side have regressed so deeply after cantering to the Premier League title last term.

But this is the club’s reality, and Slot needs to prove he can find the answers, else his tenure will be cut painfully, regrettably, short.

To spark positive change, the Netherlands tactician has to end this partnership of Milos Kerkez and Cody Gakpo down the left flank. There is no harmony on show between the left-back and winger.

Kerkez is fast, and, when he’s firing on all cylinders, furious. Analyst Sam McGuire observed that “a potential break is nullified by our own players” when the Hungarian threw himself down the line, only for those around him to remain rooted to their spots.

Sure, Kerkez, who joined Liverpool from Bournemouth for £40m this summer, is showing himself to be unintuitive defensively. But awareness and understanding can be worked on, and such flaws have been exacerbated by the squad’s wider issues.

Gakpo is a seasoned Liverpool star now, having joined from PSV in a deal rising to £45m in January 2023. He needs to play with more conviction and more maturity. He also needs to connect with Kerkez and help this young and talented left-back grow into his skin.

Twice Kerkez and Gakpo have started together in the Champions League, and twice Liverpool have been beaten, first at Galatasaray, a miserable evening, and then this week, at Anfield against PSV.

It is unfair to heap all the criticism on these. The sum of Liverpool’s downfall is greater than its individual parts. Against Manchester City earlier this month, Slot lumped them on together with just over half an hour on the clock; they were already three goals down.

But they aren’t working together, not one bit. You can see why Liverpool are so interested in completing a winter deal for the electric Antoine Semenyo, Kerkez’s former teammate at the Vitality Stadium.

The 22-year-old was part of the PFA Premier League Team of the Year last season. He was immense at Bournemouth. But that player has not been found at Anfield this season, with content creator Mark Goldbridge remarking that he has been “such a bad signing” for the champions.

In fairness to Kerkez, he is being shoehorned into a role that does not suit him. It is hard to believe that he, a ferocious touchline full-back, moved to Merseyside on the premise of being utilised in a build-up-focused role.

Journalist Henry Winter said after the match that it’s “pointless writing him off”, and that he “shines most when overlapping a left winger who reads his movement”.

This is not Gakpo. Though the Dutch forward probably receives undue criticism at times, he is not an uncoded winger, given artistic license to roam and do as he pleases – to an extent. No, Gakpo is quite limited in what he does, but he does it well, and that offered a nice counterpoint to Luis Diaz last season, both forwards notching 25 goal involvements across all competitions for league-winning Liverpool.

With four goals and three assists this term, Gakpo isn’t providing the clinical output needed, and Kerkez’s woes behind him are certainly factoring into this tough equation.

The fact of the matter is Liverpool are in a mess of a situation, and Slot’s tenure teeters on the edge of a precipice.

The Dutch coach has just a handful of games to save his Liverpool tenure, and if he continues to persist with this Kerkez-Gakpo combination, he will only be writing his own dismissal note.

Slot must drop 3/10 Liverpool flop who was just as bad as Konate vs PSV

Arne Slot must now axe this Liverpool flop after he put in an extremely poor display at Anfield against PSV Eindhoven.

1

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 27, 2025

Life before VAR was different. When goals would fly in undissected and celebrations could go on uninterrupted. That was a life without the need for weekly referee shows and the dreaded wait for the finest offside calls, but it is ultimately the reality of modern-day Premier League football.

Alas, what if it wasn’t? What if VAR didn’t exist? And the Premier League was forced to rely on the timing of the linesman’s flag and the whistle of the referee and referee only?

Stat site quawka have played out that scenario and put together the Premier League table without VAR errors this season.

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The ‘errors’ are voted by Squawka followers in polls based on the most controversial VAR calls every week and the latest standings have now been revealed.

Note: The standings have been compiled on the basis that penalties which should have been awarded would have been converted.

20 Wolverhampton Wanderers: +/- 0 places

Unfortunately for Wolverhampton Wanderers fans, not even a life without VAR errors would be enough to stop their current rot. The Midlands side are yet to have an error go against them, but have actually had one go in their favour.

With or without VAR, Rob Edwards’ side sit rock bottom on two points and without a single win in the first 12 games of the Premier League season. Whether it comes courtesy of refereeing decisions or on their own merit, Wolves desperately need three points from somewhere.

19 Leeds United: -1 place

With one error going their way, Leeds United should be among the few sides grateful for VAR in the Premier League this season. The Whites would be two points worse off without it and one position lower than where they currently find themselves.

Defeat at the hands of Aston Villa left Daniel Farke’s men in the dropzone last time out and those at Elland Road now have the task of keeping their composure in a desperate attempt to survive at the first time of asking.

18 Burnley: +1 place

Although they’ve had one error go against them and none in their favour, Burnley’s point total wouldn’t change without VAR. The Clarets would remain on 10 points, but in 18th rather than 19th. That shows just how tight the relegation scrap is down at the bottom and the difficulty of the task on Scott Parker’s hands.

The Burnley boss will at least be hoping to have more VAR calls go in his side’s favour in the coming months.

17 West Ham United: +/- 0 places

Like Burnley, West Ham United’s point total wouldn’t change if VAR wasn’t around. The Hammers would still sit just outside the dropzone on 11 points, despite having one VAR error in their favour.

Nuno Espirito Santo has so far done an impressive job to steer those at the London Stadium in the right direction, but will be well aware that there’s still plenty to do, with or without the help of VAR.

16 Nottingham Forest: +/- 0 places

At their third attempt this season, it seems as though Nottingham Forest have got their managerial appointment right. Sean Dyche mirrored Nuno’s achievement from last season by winning at Anfield, but did so in far better style – thrashing the Reds 3-0 in shocking fashion.

It was in that game that the Tricky Trees had a VAR error go against them, when Igor Jesus’ goal was controversially disallowed for handball just before the break. It wasn’t enough to stop Forest, however, whose points and position have not been affected by the technology.

15 Brentford: -1 place

Having had two VAR errors go in their favour and two go against them, it’s been a busy season for the technology at Brentford. As it turns out, the Bees would rather have the video assistant available, given that they’d have lost a point without it and drop down to 15th.

It has been a solid start for Keith Andrews, who is proving doubters wrong every week, but he will be well aware that every point matters in the Premier League.

14 Fulham: +1 place

If anyone has reason to complain about VAR this season, it is Fulham. The West London side would move up one place in the Premier League and would have collected an extra two points without the technology this season.

Marco Silva’s men have had one error go their way and three go against them – the worst difference in the Premier League. As they look to push on from early relegation concerns, the Cottagers will be desperate for that to change.

13 Newcastle United: +1 place

Just like Fulham, Newcastle United would be two points better off without VAR and would be sat in 13th, rather than 14th. Of course, it still wouldn’t be enough to hide how poor Eddie Howe’s side have been at times in the current campaign, but life without the technology would have at least taken them closer to European places.

Howe is unlikely to look for excuses, however, and will be aware that the Magpies simply must kick on before they are down and out in the race for Champions League qualification. They’ve had two errors go their way and three against them.

12 Liverpool: +/- 0 places

Liverpool can’t even fall back on VAR controversy to hide just how disastrous their title defence is going. The Reds would still sit on just 18 points after 12 games without the technology.

That said, no team in the Premier League has had more VAR errors go against them than the four that Liverpool have. Whilst Arne Slot’s side simply haven’t been good enough, they could certainly do with a tad more luck when it comes to the officiating.

11 Bournemouth: -3 places

Without VAR, Bournemouth would be one point worse off and sit 11th rather than eighth — highlighting just how tight much of the Premier League table is after 12 games. The Cherries have largely impressed in the current campaign, but have had the fortune of enjoying two VAR errors in their favour and none against them.

Just one point adrift of the Champions League places, Andoni Iraola could yet Bournemouth to greater heights than ever before in the Premier League.

Big picture – India look to gather momentum

India will walk into this fixture with a sense of relief and renewed confidence. Having already secured a place in the semi-finals, the pressure has shifted from qualification to maintaining momentum. After three games where things seemed to go awry, they finally hit top gear against New Zealand, led by a commanding performance from their batters.It’s not just that. The match will be played in Navi Mumbai – the venue for both India’s semi-final and the final – a ground India know well and one where they appear to have found their ideal template. After several games of tinkering with combinations, they seemed to get it right against New Zealand, reverting to five-bowler setup, leaving allrounder Amanjot Kaur out. The move to promote the returning Jemimah Rodrigues to No. 3 also paid off, and that could open the door for further experimentation against Bangladesh.India’s bowlers backed the batters up with precision. The seamers struck early, and the rest of the attack ensured New Zealand never recovered, forcing errors and maintaining pressure throughout.Related

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The middle order was not tested but with knockout games approaching, time in the middle for those players could be invaluable. India have batted first in five matches so far and chased only once – losing that game to England by four runs – so they may also be tempted to test themselves in a chase, should they win the toss, to round out their preparation.For Bangladesh, this is a chance to upset one of the tournament favourites and prove they belong on this stage. They’ve run stronger sides close in at least three games and have relied on their disciplined bowling attack, their biggest strength all tournament. There have been flashes of resistance with the bat, and if they can sustain those longer, they have a chance of stretching India.

Form guide

India WLLLW
Bangladesh LLLLL

In the spotlight – Renuka Singh and Bangladesh’s legspinners

India will look once again to Renuka Singh for early breakthroughs. Against New Zealand, she delivered exactly that. Having missed the matches against Australia and South Africa, and gone wicketless in her two previous outings, Renuka rediscovered her rhythm in Navi Mumbai. Exploiting the early movement on offer, she teamed up with Kranti Gaud to keep New Zealand in check, not conceding a single boundary in the first six overs. Her efforts were rewarded with the wickets of Georgia Plimmer and Sophie Devine, both undone by sharp in-duckers. She finished with figures of 2 for 25 from her six overs – a spell that set the tone for India’s dominance.Rabeya Khan and Shorna Akter will be key to Bangladesh’s hopes•BCB

Can Bangladesh’s legspinning duo of Rabeya Khan and Shorna Akter trouble India’s batters? The pair injected energy and control into their attack against Sri Lanka, bowling tirelessly in the Navi Mumbai heat. Their discipline through the middle overs stifled scoring opportunities and built pressure. Rabeya provided the key breakthrough, removing the dangerous Chamari Athapaththu and halting Sri Lanka’s momentum, while Shorna struck twice, dismissing Hasini Perera and Nilakshika Silva, to help restrict the opposition to just 202.

Team news

Richa Ghosh copped a blow to her left hand while keeping against New Zealand and was off the field during much of their chase, with Uma Chetry taking the gloves. On the eve of the Bangladesh game, bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi said Ghosh was “fine and the S&C team is taking care of it,” but India were “still discussing” her availability. India went back to their five-bowler strategy in the match against New Zealand, leaving allrounder Amanjot out, and they are likely to persist with that winning combination.India (probable): 1 Smriti Mandhana, 2 Pratika Rawal, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Jemimah Rodrigues, 6 Richa Ghosh (wk), 7 Deepti Sharma, 8 Sneh Rana, 9 Renuka Singh, 10 Kranti Gaud, 11 Shree Charani.Sharmin Akter walked off battling cramps during Bangladesh’s chase against Sri Lanka but came back to bat in the final over. There are no injury concerns in the side.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Fargana Hoque, 2 Rubya Haider, 3 Sharmin Akhter, 4 Nigar Sultana (capt & wk), 5 Sobhana Mostary, 6 Ritu Moni, 7 Shorna Akter, 8 Nahida Akter, 9 Rabeya Khan, 10 Nishita Akter, 11 Marufa Akter.

Pitch and conditions

The pitch remained covered on the eve of the game with rain in the air. There’s rain forecast for Sunday evening as well. The surface has generally aided batting, while fast bowlers have tended to get early movement.

Stats that matter

• Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal have 1557 partnership runs between them across 20 innings in 2025, the second-most by any pair in ODIs in a calendar year. Only Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly are ahead, with 1635 runs in 29 innings in 1998.
• Kranti Gaud has 22 wickets in 13 ODIs so far. These are the most by an India bowler in her debut year in Women’s ODIs and only three overall have taken more – Charmaine Mason (25 in 1997), Aimee Watkins (23 in 2002) and Lyn Fullston (23 in 1982).
• Bangladesh’s bowlers have an economy rate of 4.54 in this World Cup, the same as England’s.