Gabriel Agbonlahor has criticised Thomas Frank and a Tottenham Hotspur star in the wake of the 2-1 defeat against Fulham on Saturday afternoon.

Frank under major pressure after Fulham defeat

Spurs remain without a Premier League win on home soil since defeating Burnley 3-0 on the opening day of the season, following the 2-1 loss against the Cottagers at the weekend, which saw Frank’s fall down to 12th place, having now lost as many games as they’ve won.

The Dane is under major pressure after the latest setback, with it being revealed that former Barcelona manager Xavi is now under serious consideration as a replacement, and a move could be made if there is not an improvement in results by the end of this month.

Games

21

Wins

8

Draws

5

Losses

8

Points per game

1.38

That said, some of the blame has to lie with the players, according to Agbonlahor, who recently said live on talkSPORT that Frank’s men need to start stepping up to the plate, and the pundit was particularly unimpressed with the start Xavi Simons has made to life in north London.

The former Aston Villa striker said: “A lot’s got to change, Jeff. Players have got to start turning up. Xavi Simons has got to come to the table and start performing.

“You never know what Spurs’ starting team is going to be. Looks very confused doesn’t he? Sometimes it’s five-at-the-back, then it looks like it’s a diamond, then now it’s Bergvall off the left.”

Simons needs to step up sooner rather than later

Of course, any player in their debut Premier League season should be given time to adapt, but Simons needs to start showing signs of improvement very soon, given that he is yet to score for Tottenham, and has registered just two assists in 15 matches in all competitions.

The Dutchman was benched against Fulham, but didn’t make much of an impact after replacing Richarlison on the hour mark, failing to register a single key pass or create a big chance.

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Some Spurs players are also already starting to have doubts about Frank, as they believe the 52-year-old makes too many changes to his attack and focuses on the opposition too much, and the manager will need to start improving results quickly before he loses the dressing room entirely.

It is still early days for the former Brentford boss, but things certainly haven’t worked out so far, with £52m summer signing Simons flattering to deceive, and things don’t get any easier, with Spurs set to travel to St. James’ Park to take on an in-form Newcastle United side on Tuesday night.

India prioritised recovery – both physical and mental – ahead of their Women’s World Cup final match against South Africa on Sunday

Vishal Dikshit01-Nov-20251:50

Chopra: India winning the World Cup will change women’s cricket landscape

Harmanpreet Kaur sat down for the pre-match press conference at the DY Patil Stadium, her face seemingly devoid of any emotion. There was only a simmering fire.She had cried uncontrollably after India sealed a high-octane victory over Australia in the semi-final. That was only two nights ago. Two nights to digest the high of beating serial World Cup winners. Two nights to come to terms with the fact the job isn’t quite done.”Well, the semi-final was a very high-pressure game and very intense,” Harmanpreet said on the eve of the final against South Africa. “After that, recovery was something which we all paid more attention to because the fresher we are, mentally, for the final, the better it will be.”Because we have been working hard for so many years and we have been batting day and night, whenever our batters camped or there were team camps. So, skill-wise we know we have done a lot and now it’s only about keeping ourselves fresh for tomorrow and recovery is something which we all talk about, and everybody is really taking that thing very seriously and hopefully tomorrow we will feel even fresher for the main game.India will be playing their third ODI World Cup final. South Africa, just their first.”Keeping yourself balanced and focused is something which is the key,” Harmanpreet said. “We are having those sessions where we have been talking about how we can be more focused and more balanced and at the same time keeping ourselves relaxed because this is the biggest stage and biggest opportunity for us, playing in home conditions and that also final match.2:27

WWC final – Can India come down from their high in time?

“But I think the most important thing is that we have to enjoy this because there is nothing bigger than this in our life as a cricketer and as a captain. So our focus is to enjoy this moment and keep taking small targets which we have to achieve as a team rather than thinking bigger targets because you can achieve bigger targets if you achieve the small targets.”Harmanpreet is into her fifth World Cup now, but this is her first as captain. India have arrived at the final after a topsy-turvy league stage that saw them win only three of their seven games. She was clear “there’s no bigger motivation than a World Cup final” to up their game.Related

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“We know pretty well how it feels after losing [a World Cup final],” she said. “We’re really looking forward to the feeling of winning a final. Hopefully it’s going to be a special day for us tomorrow. We’ve worked really hard, and now it’s about getting everything together tomorrow.”India’s road to the semis looked wobbly right from the start. They began with collapses against Sri Lanka and Pakistan but turned things around to win both games. They lost all the matches they played against higher-ranked teams – South Africa, Australia and England – and it was only when they arrived in Navi Mumbai, a ground where they have had lots of success, that things picked back up.”We weren’t shaken up even once in the team because of those three big losses,” Harmanpreet said. “Even after that, everyone was together and everyone was talking about how to reach the final. We had a positive mindset which really helped us that we’re here now. When you have such a positive mindset and everyone feels from within to perform for the country…”We were definitely talking about where to improve but at the same time there was a common goal, there was the awareness that it’s a long process and there would be ups and downs, wins and losses. At the end of the day, what matters is we’re here in the final. So we used to think how to move forward after those losses, how to improve, be there for each other.”2:43

WWC final: Harmanpreet and Tryon will be key players

India have looked far more convincing over their last three matches, including a washout against Bangladesh. The XI seems more balanced, with six bowling options, bigger contributions from the bat, and all of it culminating in another historic victory against forever favourites Australia. That night ended with plenty of tears, from Jemimah Rodrigues on the field and Harmanpreet in the dugout as she hugged whoever came her way, crying into their arms.”I think I’m a very emotional person, and I cry a lot,” Harmanpreet said with a smile. “So it’s not like I cry only after losing. I have cried a lot after winning too, maybe yesterday you have seen me on television. But my team-mates have seen me in the dressing room many times – on small occasions also, whenever we have done well. I am the first person to cry.”As a player, these moments are very important. To beat a team like Australia, which is a big team and has always done well on the world stage. It’s not an easy thing to perform and be mentally strong in front of them. But I think overcoming that hurdle was something very special to all of us. I always tell my team that you don’t need to control your emotions. If you feel like crying, cry. At the same time, just keep enjoying. I think there is no bigger achievement or thing for us. Tomorrow is a special day and we will go with the same mindset.”There is a sell-out crowd expected for the final on Sunday.”The entire team is charged up, we’re there for each other and praying for each other,” Harmanpreet said. “That shows how close this team is and how ready we are for this match. Now it’s only giving your best, all the strategies and plans have been taking shape for the last two years. We had been planning for a home World Cup, what kind of conditions we’d get, so know it’s only about giving your 100%.”

كشفت تقارير صحفية تطورات الدولي البرازيلي فينيسيوس جونيور، من تجديد عقده مع الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد خلال الفترة المقبلة.

وكانت الشكوك تحوم حول استمرار فينيسيوس مع ريال مدريد وكثرت الأنباء عن رحيله الصيف المقبل، خاصةً وأنه عند بدء الحديث عن تجديد عقده بعد كأس العالم للأندية باءت كل المفاوضات بالفشل.

كان فينيسيوس يرغب في أن يكون الأعلى أجرًا في الفريق أو على الأقل يتساوى مع الدولي الفرنسي كيليان مبابي، وهذا ما رفضته إدارة ريال مدريد.

وينتهي عقد فينيسيوس جونيور مع ريال مدريد في 30 يونيو 2027، ويتقاضى حاليًا أجرًا يُقدر حوالي 15 مليون يورو في الموسم الواحد.

اقرأ أيضًا | مبابي مهاجمًا أحد الصحفيين: لا يوجد هذا الشيء في ريال مدريد

ويحصل لاعب باريس سان جيرمان السابق على 15 مليون يورو صافيًا بموجب عقده، بالإضافة إلى مكافأة توقيع سنوية قدرها 8 ملايين يورو صافية من موسم 2024-2025 حتى 30 يونيو 2029، بإجمالي 23 مليون يورو صافيًا، و46 مليون يورو إجماليًا.

لكن وفقًا لمصادر لصحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية فقد يجدد فينيسيوس جونيور عقده مع ريال مدريد خلال الأشهر القليلة المقبلة بعدما وافق على تخفيض مطالبه المالية.

يأتي هذا الخبر بعد فوز ريال مدريد الصعب على أولمبياكوس بنتيجة 4/3 في دوري أبطال أوروبا، على أرض اليونان وهو ما لم يحدث منذ خمسينيات القرن الماضي.

هدف إدارة ريال مدريد الآن إتمام هذه الاتفاقية الجديدة خلال الأشهر المقبلة، لكن ولأن كل شيء وارد حدوثه في كرة القدم، في حال عدم التوصل إلى اتفاق، يحق للاعب التفاوض بحرية مع ناد آخر بدءًا من 1 يناير 2027.

Arsenal and Mikel Arteta have been handed a major injury update on club captain Martin Odegaard ahead of their clash with Tottenham on Sunday.

The Gunners welcome their fierce to the Emirates Stadium for the 198th edition of the North London derby, but Arteta faces perhaps his most challenging selection dilemma of the season after news that Gabriel Maglhaes could be out for at least a month with a thigh injury.

The Premier League leaders enter this weekend’s face-off sitting four points clear at the summit, maintaining their position despite a recent 2-2 draw at Sunderland that ended their remarkable 10-match winning streak across all competitions.

That minor setback pales in comparison to losing Gabriel, who’s been both the cornerstone of their water-tight backline and a major threat from set pieces all season.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Initial medical assessments suggest the Brazilian centre-back could miss anywhere from one to two months of action, potentially sidelining him until mid-January.

Gabriel’s absence creates a massive void at the heart of Arsenal’s defence, with the 27-year-old having been instrumental in the north Londoners conceding just five goals across their opening eleven league matches.

Arteta breathed a sigh of relief when Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Riccardo Calafiori is able to play against Tottenham after his own injury scare, but the Spaniard will still be forced to deploy an unfamiliar centre-back pairing of Cristhian Mosquera or Piero Hincapie alongside William Saliba.

Arsenal’s attacking contingent also faces uncertainty heading into the derby.

Viktor Gyökeres remains doubtful with a hamstring problem he sustained against Burnley, whilst there’s ambiguity surrounding Gabriel Martinelli’s fitness after missing recent games with a muscle issue.

Kai Havertz’s situation looks particularly concerning after Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann confirmed the midfielder suffered a minor relapse in his recovery from a knee injury, potentially delaying his return until nearer the end of 2025.

Noni Madueke appears most likely to return from the injured quintet, reportedly having come close to making the squad for Sunderland before medical staff opted for caution.

Odegaard’s fitness adds yet another layer of intrigue.

Norway manager Stale Solbakken suggested the midfielder remains “some distance away” from returning, yet Odegaard himself offered more optimism — stating his injury is “starting to look better.”

Of course, neither of these statements offer clarity about his Spurs involvement, but insider HandOfArsenal has some very good news on that front.

Martin Odegaard in contention to play Tottenham after Arsenal update

According to the reliable Emirates Stadium source, there is a ‘possibility’ that Odegaard will be available to play against Tottenham this Sunday — giving Arteta some real encouragement that he could be about to welcome his chief creator back into the fold.

Odegaard’s return would alleviate the creative burden currently shouldered by Bukayo Saka.

As so many attackers deal with fitness issues, Saka has been forced to carry much of Arsenal’s responsibility going forward, so the boost of Odegaard’s potential presence cannot be overstated following what has been a stop-start, injury-ridden 2025 for the player.

The psychological boost of having their captain available once again could undoubtedly be huge as well.

In a match where Arsenal will field an unfamiliar defensive partnership and potentially be without several key attackers, Odegaard’s return would provide some much-needed stability.

The 26-year-old hasn’t played since coming off against West Ham in October, having only just returned from a shoulder problem, so he’ll be dying to take to the field once more in one of Arsenal’s biggest games of the season.

While Daniel Farke is taking a lot of heat at the moment surrounding his incapabilities as a Premier League manager, the Leeds United players he keeps selecting also need to take their fair share of the blame for what is currently occurring.

Against Aston Villa last time out, Elland Road regulars such as Pascal Struijk and Joe Rodon didn’t cover themselves in glory whatsoever, with the Dutchman – in particular – looking weak physically, when winning just three of his eight attempted duels.

Moreover, Sean Longstaff, who stunned earlier on in the season with a goal and assist against AFC Bournemouth, looked noticeably flat up against the likes of Youri Tielemans for the energetic away side, leading to him giving possession away a costly 13 times.

Farke also has a part to play here, considering he works with the camp week in week out in trying to pick wins up, with the German clearly unable to inspire his team to get out of their rotten slump.

Still, he wouldn’t have foreseen how poor a start Lucas Perri would have made to life in England, as the Brazilian consistently looks uncomfortable in the Premier League.

Perri's poor start at Leeds

Leeds’ arrival back in the top-flight would have been met with equal levels of excitement and trepidation from the die-hard Elland Road fanbase.

Indeed, supporters would have been understandably over the moon that their beloved side had finally jumped back up to the big time.

But, they would have been worried immediately about their goalkeeper situation up a division, with an error-prone Illan Meslier cast to one side during the promotion run-in.

Unfortunately, despite splashing out £13.9m on his services this summer, the aforementioned Perri hasn’t looked like a steady pair of gloves whatsoever since joining, with a disastrous eight goals already given up in November alone.

The ex-Lyon stopper received plenty of pelters after the Villa defeat, too, when he remained frozen to his spot for Morgan Rogers to hammer home this delightful free-kick effort.

Ex-Leeds player Jon Newsome has even gone as far as to label Perri a complete “waste of funds”, and it could be argued he’s been a complete waste of time and energy, as well, considering his steep price tag, and his billing as a top-flight capable ‘keeper that would make Meslier a worry of the past.

Yet, despite all the abuse that has come his way, he isn’t the biggest waste of time in Farke’s camp currently.

Leeds have a bigger waste than Perri

At least in Perri’s case, he doesn’t have much competition breathing down his neck, with Farke surely extremely hesitant to chuck in Meslier to a relegation dog-fight, alongside another reserve figure in Karl Darlow.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Therefore, the hope will be that the South American can play his way out of this mess, having started his choppy Leeds career with a promising clean sheet against Newcastle United.

On the contrary, Sebastiaan Bornauw already looks resigned to a place on the periphery, owing to recurring injury issues troubling him in West Yorkshire, and the likes of Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk and Jaka Bijol being other options Farke can call upon in the heart of defence.

For a modest £5.1m fee, Leeds would have been hoping that they’d hit the jackpot with the assured Belgian, who had 140 Bundesliga appearances under his belt, before making the switch to England, with former Wolfsburg sporting director Marcel Schäfer previously hailing the former German top-flight titan as a consistently “strong” presence for his team.

Across those 140 games, Bornauw would help himself to a stable, if slightly unspectacular, 27 clean sheets, meaning he would have been viewed as a handy utility signing, too, when the deal was arranged, as Leeds prepared to use their full squad to beat the drop.

Instead, he has largely been injury-ridden since swapping Germany for West Yorkshire, with just one forgettable appearance coming his way so far in the EFL Cup versus Sheffield Wednesday.

For as much as Perri has largely been calamitous, at least he has made his presence known. Whereas Bornauw looks to already be burning a significant hole in Leeds’ wage bill, for how little action he has thrown himself into, with Leeds-based content creator Lewis Deighton rightly calling the unfolding situation out as “absolutely laughable”.

Amazingly, his £45k-per-week pay packet means he is earning more than the aforementioned Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu – who earn a lesser £40k-per-week salary each – despite both figures continuing to be ever-presents in the Farke regime.

It’s very clear how much Leeds dropped the ball this summer with unconvincing signings, as the under-pressure German now potentially pays the ultimate price with his job.

Leeds now plotting January move for "outstanding" £17.5m Champions League striker

The Whites are looking to bring in a new centre-forward this winter.

ByDominic Lund Nov 27, 2025

Andre Cury, the agent of Chelsea wonderkid Willian Estevao, has hinted at a future transfer to Barcelona for the Brazilian forward less than 24 hours after the 18-year-old scored in a brilliant win over Hansi Flick's side in the Champions League. The Blues crushed the Catalan giants 3-0 at Stamford Bridge, with Estevao playing a starring role and outshining Lamine Yamal on the night.

• Estevao stars as Chelsea crush Barca

  Estevao has been loving life in the Champions League with Chelsea in his debut campaign in England. The teenager scored a brilliant goal to help crush Barcelona on Tuesday night, becoming the second-youngest player, after Kylian Mbappe, to score in each of his first three Champions League starts in the process. Speaking after the game, Estevao admitted it had been a special night. 

  He told the club's media: "I don’t really have the words to sum up how I’m feeling right now. It was the perfect night and I’m grateful to God for making everything happen for me. The goal was all very quick; it happened before I knew it. I saw the space, wiggled my way through and scored. It was definitely the most special moment in my career and I hope I keep scoring more in the years ahead. I’m so happy, also because my family were here watching as well.

  "From the moment I arrived at Chelsea, I have felt a connection with the fans. I’m just so happy I can score for them and I hope there are many more. I am enjoying things very much because football is the thing I love to do the most. Playing football will never be a burden for me because it makes me happy."

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  How Barcelona missed out on Estevao

  Estevao's agent has now spoken out about the youngster's fondness for Barca, revealing that his client held many rounds of talks with the Catalan giants about a move before he signed for Chelsea. Cury told : "We talked to Barca about Estevao in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. We went to the offices to offer the player because I believed that he would have a great future in world football. Barca is not financially healthy and of course it is not possible to carry out an operation. It's sad, but football is like that. The people in Barca's technical staff always approved the signing of Estevao, but Deco was tied up because the club's finances didn’t allow it."

  The Brazilian youngster has previously admitted that his biggest dream in football is to play for Barcelona after growing up watching the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez in action. Cury went on to add that even though Estevao had missed out on his dream move to Barcelona, he is still very fond of the club: "Estevao has a five-year contract and is enjoying his time at Chelsea. But he has a special affection for Barcelona."

• Estevao and Yamal tipped to be the new Messi and Ronaldo

  Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca had some huge praise for Estevao after the match. He told : "As Raphinha said, probably in the next 10, 15 years, Estevao and Lamine Yamal are probably going to be the next Messi and Ronaldo. But for both, they are 18. They need to enjoy, try to improve every day. This the most important thing for them.

  "The goal Estevao scored reminded me of the one he scored against us in the Club World Cup. It's very similar, the same action. He needs to relax. He needs to enjoy his football, he needs to play football. Him and Lamine [Yamal] are such young boys at 18, if you start to talk about Ronaldo and Messi, that's too much pressure for young boys like them. They need to arrive at the training ground happy for sessions, but when you start to compare them with those two, it's too much for them."

  Estevao's agent also feels that Estevao and Yamal could feature together in the same team, despite both players preferring to play off the right flank. He added: "Think about the duo Neymar and Messi, it's better than just having Messi or just having Neymar."

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  Chelsea face another huge clash next

  Chelsea now head into another huge clash as they face Arsenal in a top-of-the-table Premier League showdown on Sunday at Stamford Bridge. The Blues will go into the game in great spirits after a thumping win over Flick's side and know that victory over the Gunners will cut the gap to the league leaders to just three points.

MatériaMais Notícias

Anderson Barros, diretor de futebol do Palmeiras, telefonou nesta segunda-feira (22) para Bruno Spindel, diretor de futebol do Flamengo, pedindo desculpas pela cusparada sofrida por Tite durante o empate entre as equipes no Allianz Parque, pela terceira rodada do Brasileirão. A informação é da ESPN.

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➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta!

Durante entrevista coletiva, Tite cobrou mais respeito no futebol após ser alvo de uma cusparada por um torcedor do Palmeiras. O treinador do Flamengo alegou que precisou limpar a cabeça em razão durante a partida.

– Deixa eu fazer uma observação. A minha atividade como técnico, eu sei que ela é bastante exposta, e eu tenho que aguentar todas as ofensas que vão de fora possíveis. E não é da torcida do Palmeiras. Elas são de algumas pessoas que talvez não tenham a condição de saber que tem um monte de criançada que dá para educar. As ofensas são do jogo, mas cusparada é muito feio, cara. Eu ter que limpar minha cabeça e minha roupa é feio, cara – afirmou Tite.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! Flamengo no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Rubro-Negro

O Palmeiras está analisando imagens das câmeras de segurança do Allianz Parque para identificar o torcedor que realizou a cusparada. Caso ele seja associado ao Avanti, será banido do programa de sócio-torcedor.

A diretoria alviverde afirmou ao Flamengo que só tomou conhecimento da cusparada após a partida, e caso fosse notificado antes, trabalharia para levar o torcedor ao Jecrim (Juizado Especial Criminal) do Allianz Parque.

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➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários dos jogos do Brasileirão

O Palmeiras entende que o episódio envolvendo Tite e o Flamengo é “inaceitável” e “incompatível com os valores da atual gestão”.

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Bosch scored an unbeaten 30 and picked up two wickets but was unable to deny Pakistan a comfortable win

Danyal Rasool01-Nov-2025

Finally, Pakistan’s crowd got what they wanted. Babar Azam struck an imperious 68 off 47 balls to take charge of a flagging Pakistani chase of 140, helping them ultimately cruise to the finish line with four wickets and one over to spare. It was his 37th T20I half-century overall, and his first since May 2024, helping Pakistan seal the series 2-1 against South Africa.The game appeared far from certain despite a relatively modest chase after Saim Ayub holed out softly for a six-ball duck. Corbin Bosch was Pakistan’s usual tormentor with a tight pair of overs, with George Linde also typically miserly as the visitors began to squeeze. Sahibzada Farhan and Salman Agha both struggled for touch early, and by the eighth over, the asking rate was beginning to approach eight.Babar, however, found a way to keep easing the pressure, recording nine fours through the innings, including three with the sweep. Busy running between the wickets in the interim turned the partnership with Agha into an ultimately match-winning one. The pair fell just short of the finish line within five runs of each other but by then, they had put together 76 in 52 balls.It promised to be much more straightforward when Shaheen Shah Afridi burst through the defences of Quinton de Kock and Lhuan-dre Pretorius in an electric first over. South Africa rebuilt with a workmanlike rearguard from Reeza Hendricks, supported by cameos from Dewald Brevis and Donovan Ferriera. Faheem Ashraf struck through the middle to leave them wobbling at 95 for 7, but Bosch chipped in with an unbeaten 30 off 23 to leave himself, as well as his team-mates, something to bowl at. Babar ensured it would not quite be enough.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Shaheen’s opening over maniaThat Shaheen will pick up a wicket in his opening over is almost so regular as to be mundane. But how about two, and possibly three?Utilising the swing that vaporises within a few overs of the innings, Shaheen got one to nip back into de Kock, whose tentative push only saw him deflect it off the inside edge onto his stumps. Shaheen would soon turn a successful opening over into an epic. Pretorius clipped one off the pads first up, only to pick out short fine leg perfectly, with debutant Usman Tariq completing a straightforward catch.And still the drama wouldn’t end. A lovely delivery two balls later cut Dewald Brevis in half, seaming back in and crashing into his knee. Shaheen wouldn’t appeal, and the umpire didn’t need one, raising his finger immediately. It was only on review that DRS, somewhat surprisingly, showed it bouncing well over and denied the left-arm quick a third wicket in an incredible start that set the tone for Pakistan; they would keep South Africa to 22 in the powerplay, their third-lowest in T20I history.South Africa target NawazMohammad Nawaz has enjoyed some of the form of his career since he was reintroduced into the T20I side earlier this year. On Saturday, his introduction to the attack right after the powerplay came at a position of strength. But Brevis, who showed sparks of his devastating ability in the middle overs of the first T20I, smacked him over the sightscreen off his third ball, signing off the over with another one over midwicket.Nawaz did snare Matthew Breetzke in his second over, but when he came back for his third, South African captain Ferreira was primed. Two sixes and a four saw him blown out of the attack for good as the visitors began to get their innings on track. The five overs immediately after the powerplay produced 55, with Nawaz’s three leaking 38. It laid the foundations for a defendable total.Usman Tariq took two wickets on debut•Getty Images

Babar bedlam at GaddafiThroughout this series, crowds in Islamabad and Lahore have cheered when the fall of a wicket brought Babar in to bat, and streamed out of grounds the moment he got out. In the decider, at the Gaddafi, there was no ungluing them from their seats. Ayub fell early, whipping the crowd into an excitement as Babar ambled up to the crease. Pakistan’s supporters have deluded themselves for a while now, thinking this might just be the innings that brings him back to his stratospheric height, often in vain. He began inconspicuously enough; it wasn’t until the ninth ball that he found his first boundary.Babar began to do things differently. He swept – you read that right – Linde over fine leg for his third boundary, and the glimpses of an innings began to sketch themselves into existence. Farhan, and later Agha, struggled to make much of a dent in the strike rate, and so, in the sort of chase Babar is generally built for, he took control.Time and again, he would punish South Africa for missing their lines and found sumptuous timing along the way. Like the top of a ketchup bottle finally being unscrewed, he denuded the match of its jeopardy with three successive boundaries off Ottniel Baartman, the third bringing up a 36-ball half-century.Bosch had kept Pakistan to just six runs in his first two overs, but Babar caressed him for a boundary over mid-on before lashing one past cover for four more. A crowd that tends to clear out upon Babar’s dismissal was rooted as he got each of his 68 runs, only clearing out after a rare, poorly placed jab found deep square leg.

Birmingham Phoenix have appointed Shane Bond as their new men’s head coach on a two-year deal. Bond, the former New Zealand fast bowler, will replace his compatriot Daniel Vettori, who is set to join the newly-rebranded Sunrisers Leeds as Andrew Flintoff’s successor.Bond is a highly-rated coach within the franchise world who has worked as an IPL bowling coach for the last decade, with both Mumbai Indians (2015-22) and Rajasthan Royals (since 2023). He has also previously worked as a head coach, with experience at Paarl Royals in the SA20 and Sydney Thunder in the BBL.His appointment marks the first major change at Phoenix under their new ownership model, with the franchise now run jointly by Warwickshire and the American investment firm Knighthead Capital, which also owns Birmingham City Football Club.James Thomas, who joined Warwickshire from Manchester City as performance director in June, has emerged as a key figure at Phoenix and ran the recruitment process for a new coach after Vettori’s departure.”We’re thrilled to appoint Shane as head coach,” Thomas said. “His elite coaching experience, proven success in global franchise leagues, and passion for player development will be a major asset.”Throughout a competitive selection process, his vision, tactical insight, and ability to build high-performing environments really stood out. He understands the demands of modern franchise cricket and what it takes to perform at the highest level.”Bond had a brief stint as an overseas player at Warwickshire in 2002, taking 12 wickets in four appearances, and said that he has a “strong connection to the club and the city of Birmingham” as a result.”I know what it means to walk out onto the Edgbaston pitch and represent the people in the stands,” Bond said. “I want to instil that into our players and create an environment which breeds success… I want my team to play a fearless, exciting brand of cricket which ultimately delivers success for the Birmingham Phoenix.”Bond’s appointment extends Phoenix’s New Zealand connection, with Vettori signing Trent Boult, Adam Milne and Tim Southee as his three overseas players last season. It remains to be seen whether any of them will return for 2026, with teams only permitted to make a maximum of four signings and retentions before the inaugural auction in March.There has already been significant movement among men’s Hundred coaches as new investors make their mark on the tournament: Andy Flower has joined London Spirit from Trent Rockets, Tom Moody has left Oval Invincibles for a global role with Lucknow Super Giants (including the Manchester franchise) and Flintoff has left Sunrisers after turning down a new contract.Vettori is expected to be confirmed as Flintoff’s replacement in the coming days, while former Hampshire coach Adi Birrell is set to take charge of Sunrisers’ women after coaching Southern Brave men in 2025.

Rafael Devers rocked the boat with the Boston Red Sox when he publicly criticized the club's front office for asking him to play first base in the aftermath of teammate Triston Casas's season-ending injury. In Boston's eyes, Devers, a third baseman by trade who was already forced out of his natural position after the signing of Alex Bregman, wouldn't have to strain hard to learn the tricks of the trade to shift to the other corner of the diamond. In Devers's eyes, it's just another unreasonable ask by a front office that already pushed one undesirable change on him this spring.

Red Sox owner John Henry, joined by chief baseball officer Crag Breslow and president Sam Kennedy, met with the disgruntled slugger on Friday afternoon, resulting in an "honest conversation about what we value as an organization and what we believe is important to the Boston Red Sox," per Breslow.

That doesn't exactly sound like the trio sang "Kumbaya" together, but it does at least sound like the sort of productive conversation that could get things moving in the right direction. Nevertheless, the mere fact that there was even a meeting tells us the Red Sox are taking Devers's comments, a rare public rebuke of an organization's chief decision-maker, seriously enough to get the team owner involved.

Add in a report that some players on the Red Sox are reportedly displeased with Devers's behavior and it paints the picture of a pretty precarious situation. Before we move into speculative waters, let's be clear about one thing: the Red Sox very likely won't trade Devers, who in January of 2023 signed a 10-year, $313.5 million contract, cementing his status as the face of the franchise.

But given how much things have unraveled in just a few short months, it's not entirely inconceivable to imagine a scenario where the Red Sox seek to trade Devers to clear a potential lingering clubhouse issue, augment an already robust farm system and decrease salary commitments. And that's the fine line where we'll operate in this fun exercise.

There seem to be three potential primary landing spots that make the most sense, as well as a few notable long shots. Any team targeting Devers must be close enough to contention to warrant making such a trade and have the resources to take on the 28-year-old’s gargantuan contract, which costs roughly $28 million annually through 2033. A good farm system is a plus—while it’s unclear how much prospect capital it’d take to obtain Devers considering the mega deal he’d come with, one imagines Boston would have to acquire some solid talent to part ways with their offensive cornerstone. Oh, and the trade partner would have to have a place for Devers to play, be it at third base or as designated hitter. (Don't you dare say first base!)

So, with that criteria in mind, let's dive into some potential destinations.

Chicago Cubs

Farm system rank: 8th
Position available for Devers: 3B, DH
2025 payroll: $193,203,383

The Cubs' farm system is armed with the type of young, MLB-ready talent that would make the Red Sox salivate. And would you look at that, the Cubs just so happen to have an opening at third base, where the incumbent Jon Berti and his .644 OPS currently reside after prospect Matt Shaw badly struggled there early on.

While the Cubs' willingness to take on a contract as large as Devers's is up for debate, it would be the mother-of-all insurance policies should National League MVP candidate and free-agent-to-be Kyle Tucker depart this winter. Adding Devers, a three-time All-Star who owns a career .854 OPS, to a powerful Cubs lineup would be a fascinating gambit by Chicago's front office. The Cubs are leading the NL Central and could very well contend for the club's first pennant since 2016.

Philadelphia Phillies

Farm system rank: 17th
Positions available for Devers: 3B?
2025 payroll: $282,625,817

The Phillies' farm system doesn't boast the same volume of talent as the Cubs’, but Philadelphia does possess the kind of young pitchers (No. 1 prospect Andrew Painter, No. 5 prospect Moisés Chace, No. 8 prospect Mick Abel) that would entice the Red Sox. And there's no doubting the Phillies' status as contenders—they're just three years removed from reaching the World Series and two years removed from reaching the NLCS. They could, however, use a spark to reverse their trend of exiting the postseason earlier with each passing year, and Phillies owner John Middleton isn’t afraid to spend his fortune.

The only roadblock? Alec Bohm, a 2024 All-Star, currently mans third base for the Phillies. But would that stop Philadelphia from swinging for the fences with a Devers trade, especially considering Bohm’s slow start and below-average power stroke? And how fun would it be seeing Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski coordinating a blockbuster trade with one of the teams he used to run?