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Three-cap Australian opener signs all-format deal for 2026 summer

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Oct-2025Northamptonshire coach Darren Lehmann has made a statement signing by luring Australia’s Nathan McSweeney to Wantage Road for the 2026 season. The deal covers all formats and the club expect McSweeney to be available “for the whole season” barring an international recall.Lehmann joined Northants last summer and took them to T20 Blast Finals Day for the first time since 2016, though they finished second-bottom of Division Two in the County Championship and won only once in the One-Day Cup. He signed an extension mid-season which means his contract now runs until the end of 2027, and has started to strengthen his squad for next year.Lehmann was an assistant coach when McSweeney captained Brisbane Heat to the BBL title in 2023-24, and presented him with his baggy green cap when he made his Test debut against India last year. McSweeney was harshly dropped after only three caps – four of his five dismissals were to an in-form Jasprit Bumrah – but has not featured for Australia since.McSweeney previously worked with Lehmann at Brisbane Heat•Cricket Australia via Getty ImagesAs a result, he should be available throughout the English summer. He will play alongside his South Australia team-mate Harry Conway for the first half of the Championship season, with Yuzvendra Chahal set to take over from Conway for the second half of the Championship and the One-Day Cup. Allrounder Louis Kimber has also joined from Leicestershire.”When the chance came up to sign with Northamptonshire, it was an easy decision,” McSweeney said. “The club has a strong culture and some quality players, and working with Boof again made it even more appealing. I’m eager to get over there, settle in, and help the team win games.”Lehmann said: “Nathan McSweeney is a brilliant player who has so much talent and potential. He’s a classy individual who will hopefully provide us with some stability in that top order. We can’t wait for him to arrive and hit the ground running.”

Mikel Arteta has built a squad full to bursting with world-class talent at Arsenal.

However, when it comes to picking the club’s most important player, their talisman, it’s impossible to ignore Bukayo Saka.

The Hale End superstar is still just 24years old and has already amassed a staggering tally of 76 goals and 71 assists in 277 games for the club.

So, fans should be excited about reports linking Arsenal to an up-and-coming talent who has been compared to Saka.

Arsenal target the next Saka

There is over a month to go until the transfer window actually opens, but that hasn’t stopped Arsenal from being linked with a plethora of exciting talents.

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

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Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, for example, has been touted for a £120m move to the Emirates, as has Crystal Palace’s equally exciting Adam Wharton.

However, as talented as the two midfielders are, neither one can really be compared to Saka, unlike Jean-Mattéo Bahoya.

Yes, according to a report from Germany, Arsenal are one of a few teams interested in the Eintracht Frankfurt gem.

However, on top of beating the competition, the Gunners would have to stump up a fee of around €80m, which is about £71m, to get their man.

That is a lot of money to spend on a young talent, but given Bahoya’s ability and potential, it might well be worth it for Arsenal, especially as he’s been compared to Saka.

Why Arsenal should sign Bahoya

So, first and foremost, the comparison between Bahoya and Arsenal’s talismanic number seven comes from analyst Spencer Mossman, who described him as being “like a younger Bukayo Saka.”

That might sound like a bold thing to say, because it is, but it does make sense.

For example, on top of being an “excellent wide area creator” who is “on a continuous upward trajectory”, he’s more than happy to track back and “do the dirty work.”

That ability to influence proceedings at the sharp end of the pitch, while also willing to do the less glamorous things, was one of the reasons Saka quickly became an essential part of the first team.

Another reason the young Frenchman is such an exciting prospect is that, in the words of Mossman, “he’s able to get quality crosses away with both feet.”

This means that he’d not only be able to cover for the Hale Ender on the right but also play on the left, in turn pushing the likes of Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli to step up their games.

Finally, despite still being just 20 years old, Mossman has highlighted the winger’s physicality as a key strength, claiming that he’s like an “Olympic-level athlete.”

Bahoya’s Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.67

Top 1%

% of Dribblers Tackled

61.8%

Top 2%

Passes Blocked

1.54

Top 2%

Tackles

2.36

Top 3%

Dribblers Tackled

1.08

Top 3%

Blocks

1.64

Top 4%

Tkl+Int

2.77

Top 6%

% of Aerials Won

54.1%

Top 6%

Goals/Shot on Target

0.50

Top 7%

Tackles (Def 3rd)

0.82

Top 8%

Successful Take-On %

52.1%

Top 8%

Aerials Won

1.03

Top 15%

All Stats via FBref

Finally, on top of passing the eye test, the former Angers gem has also got some brilliant underlying numbers to his name this season.

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles in the attacking third, the top 4% for blocks, the top 7% for goals per shot on target, the top 2% for successful take-on percentage and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, even though it wouldn’t be a cheap transfer to get over the line, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Bahoya, as he could be another Saka in the making.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 21, 2025

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl certainly likes a challenge. To go from the situation at Sheffield Wednesday to taking on a team that had a disastrous spell under Russell Martin takes some guts.

The Light Blues had a dismal start to the season under their former manager, who won one match in the Scottish Premiership, but things are already starting to turn around.

Rangers won five of the 17 matches that Martin was in the dugout for before they decided to part ways with him last month after a 1-1 draw with Falkirk in the Premiership.

Rohl has provided the Gers with an instant lift in the league. He has won all three of his matches in the top-flight, most recently with a 3-0 win over Dundee before the international break.

The former Sheffield Wednesday boss has, though, lost both of his Europa League games in charge, to Brann and Roma, which is a reminder that there is plenty of work that needs to be done.

Too many of the summer signings made by Martin and Kevin Thelwell have either flopped or have been too inconsistent, and there may be some decisions to make in January.

The summer signings who should be let go by Rangers in January

The new owners provided Thelwell with the backing to build a squad with the intention of competing for trophies in the 2025/26 campaign, but it did not go to plan under the previous coaching staff.

As you can see in the graphic above, the likes of Youssef Chermiti, Bojan Miovski, Joe Rothwell, and Mikey Moore came through the door to bolster the club’s options across the pitch.

Rothwell is one player whose future may be in doubt heading into January. At the age of 30, he was surely brought in to make an instant impact, but the central midfielder has only featured in two of Rohl’s six games and failed to make the matchday squad in the last two, per Sofascore.

Emmanuel Fernandez is another summer signing who may be on the move in January, as the young centre-back has only made three appearances in all competitions. A loan move away from Ibrox to play regular game time could be the best decision for his short-term future, if he is not going to get increased game time at Ibrox.

The former Peterborough man may not be the only centre-back who departs Glasgow when the January transfer window opens, though, as the manager should also send Nasser Djiga back to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Nasser Djiga’s last 10 matchday squad appearances for Rangers
Opposition	Minutes
Dundee	8
Roma	90
Celtic	102
Hibernian	90
Kilmarnock	0
Brann	76
Dundee United	0
Falkirk	90
Sturm Graz	0
Livingston	0
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Burkina Faso international has been in and out of the team in recent months, under Martin, Stevie Smith, and Rohl, without being able to nail down a place in the starting XI.

Wolves presumably sent Djiga to Ibrox to play regular football and develop as a player, but he has not done enough with his chances on the pitch to prove that the manager should make him a first-choice option.

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

The Premier League loanee has failed to convince with his performances for the Light Blues, and Rohl could end his Ibrox career by unleashing James Tavernier in a rarely-seen role on a regular basis.

Why Rangers should part ways with Nasser Djiga in January

The Light Blues should look to cancel Djiga’s loan deal in the January transfer window because he has not been a reliable performer for the Scottish giants so far this season.

Heart & Hand podcast creator David Edgar described him as “rotten” and Four Lads Had A Dream claimed that he “genuinely looks lost” during the loss to Celtic in the semi-final of the League Cup earlier this month.

Back in August, Rangers icon Ally McCoist said that Djiga broke “every rule as a centre-back in the planet” when he failed to usher the ball back to Jack Butland against Club Brugge in a Champions League qualifier, which turned out to be a costly mistake.

This shows that fan media and pundits alike have been left unconvinced by his showings at centre-back on the pitch, whilst his lack of consistent game time suggests that his multiple managers have also been unconvinced.

Whilst the January transfer window could be utilised to sign a new centre-back to replace Djiga, Rohl could end the defender’s Ibrox career by playing Tavernier as a centre-back.

With Max Aarons at the club on loan from Bournemouth, Rangers have another right-back option who can fill in and allow the captain to play as a right-sided centre-back, which would negate any need for Djiga to continue his loan beyond January.

James Tavernier’s positional flexibility at Rangers
Position	Appearances	G + A
Right-back	502	132 + 139
Right midfield	10	2 + 3
Centre-back	7	0 + 2
Defensive midfield	3	0 + 1
Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Tavernier has rarely played at centre-back for the Gers, with just seven appearances, but he does have some experience in that role.

The English full-back played as a right-sided centre-back in the 3-1 win over Kilmarnock and the 2-0 defeat to Roma, although both of those outings were as part of a back four.

It would be interesting to see how he fares as a right-sided centre-back in a back four for Rangers under Rohl, as he has won 52% of his aerial duels in the Premiership this season, per Sofascore, which suggests that he could hold his own in aerial battles in the heart of the defence.

Unleashing the captain in that new role in a back four, with John Souttar and Derek Cornelius also available for selection, would allow the manager to ruthlessly ditch Djiga and end his underwhelming loan in January.

Rangers now monitoring boyhood Celtic fan who's withdrawn from Scotland squad

The Gers know all about his quality.

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Nov 12, 2025

Now, though, it is down to the German head coach to decide whether or not to experiment with this tactical change in order to end Djiga’s time with the Gers.

Manchester City are now leading the race to sign a “generational talent”, having moved ahead of Premier League rivals Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United.

Man City looking to improve attack amid Haaland overreliance

There have been suggestions that Man City have been too overreliant on Erling Haaland so far this season, with the Norwegian way out in front as the top goalscorer in the Premier League, having already found the back of the net 11 times.

No other City player has scored more than one goal in the top flight, which is likely to be a concern for Pep Guardiola, with some of his other attacking options still learning on the job and yet to realise their true potential.

One such player is Savinho, with Guardiola saying: “Savio is a top player who can play both sides and he feels comfortable on both sides. I said last season, being [in your] first Premier League season, it’s not easy to play a lot of minutes.

“Just the moment to make the steps to be a decisive player and add goals and assists, especially goals he will be a top-class player. Top class. He needs to make that step.”

Jeremy Doku has also been inconsistent, registering two assists in the 3-0 victory over Man United but failing to make much of an impact in other matches, and the Blues are now looking to sign a new winger.

That is according to a report from The Boot Room, which states Man City have now moved into pole position in the race to sign Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga, having overtaken Man United, Newcastle and Chelsea.

City are now preparing a fresh approach to sign Monga, who has been a long-term target, with the 16-year-old putting himself in the shop window after emerging as a first-team regular for Leicester this season.

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Posts BySean Markus Clifford Oct 26, 2025

The Foxes are powerless to stop the teenager from leaving, as he is unable to sign a professional deal until he turns 17 in June.

"Generational talent" Monga could be future star

Lauded as a “generational talent” by journalist Graeme Bailey in the aforementioned report, it is a testament to just how talented the youngster is that he has already forced his way into first-team contention at Leicester.

The starlet has already made 11 appearances in the Championship this season, picking up his first professional goal in a 2-1 defeat against Preston North End back in August.

Scout Jacek Kulig clearly believes the five-time England U19 international has a big future ahead too, describing him as “one of the most exciting U-17 talents in England.”

Given his age, Monga may be some way off challenging for a starting spot at a club like Man City, but he certainly looks like a top prospect, so it is exciting news they have moved into pole position in the race for his signature.

Jonny Bairstow has signed a new three-year contract that will see him continue as Yorkshire’s captain in the County Championship but possibly miss the first two months of next season to play in the IPL.Bairstow’s two-year central contract only expired at the end of the 2025 season, more than a year after his most recent England appearance, and he has committed his long-term future to his boyhood club. At 36, he has resisted the temptation to become a T20 specialist and instead will continue to lead Yorkshire in the Championship after his appointment as captain this year.However, Bairstow could miss the first block of fixtures next year if selected in the IPL auction. Under the league’s regulations, he is not available for retention by Mumbai Indians after scores of 47 and 38 in his two appearances as a late replacement this year, but ESPNcricinfo has learned that he plans to enter the auction for 2026, which is expected to be held next month.Yorkshire finished seventh in Division One of the Championship last year and second-bottom of the North Group in the T20 Blast, though did reach the semi-finals of the Metro Bank Cup with a young side.Gavin Hamilton, their director of cricket, said he was “absolutely delighted” that Bairstow had committed to a long-term contract. “Jonny remains one of the best batters in the English game, capable of changing a game single-handedly, and we are very lucky to have him in our side,” he said.Bairstow has been at Headingley this week for pre-season fitness testing but will spend much of his winter playing overseas, with contracts lined up with MI Emirates in the ILT20 and Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20.”I’m delighted to have signed a contract extension and am looking forward to playing my part in what is a hugely exciting period for Yorkshire,” Bairstow said. “Having come through the age-groups and spent all of my career here, it was the only real choice for me, and I’ll continue to wear the White Rose with pride over the next three years.”Leading the side in the Championship this year was a real honour, and I can’t wait to get back out there in 2026. The performances we put in, particularly in the second half of the campaign, were very encouraging and I am confident that we have got a group of players that can challenge the very best teams over the next few years.”

Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness says he “assumes” Harry Kane will see out the remainder of his contract with the club, despite having the option to trigger an early exit in January. The England captain continues to be linked with La Liga giants Barcelona after revealing he is yet to open talks over an extension to his current deal, which expires in 2027.

Kane has been in stunning form for Bayern and England in 2025

Kane has been in remarkable form for both Bayern and England in 2025. The 32-year-old has scored 24 goals in just 20 games in all competitions for the Bundesliga heavyweights, who are currently eight points clear of second-placed RB Leipzig at the top of the table.

The former Tottenham striker also played a key role in helping England qualify for the 2026 World Cup, scoring eight goals in as many qualifying games as the Three Lions topped Group K with a 100 per cent record. In their final competitive fixture before next summer’s showpiece in Canada, Mexico and the United States, Kane scored both goals as Thomas Tuchel’s side defeated Albania 2-0 on 16 November.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportEngland captain is yet to enter contract discussions with Bayern

However, while Kane continues to sparkle on the pitch, speculation is swirling regarding his long-term future. In an interview with German newspaper earlier this month, the forward confirmed he is yet to start negotiations with Bayern over a contract renewal with the club.

“I haven't had any contact with anyone, nobody has contacted me,” said Kane. “I feel very comfortable in the current situation, even though we haven't yet discussed my situation with Bayern.

“There's no rush. I'm really happy in Munich. You can see that in the way I'm playing. If there's contact, then we'll see. But I'm not thinking about the new season yet. First up is the World Cup in the summer. And it's very unlikely that anything will change after this season.”

Getty Images SportBayern chief Eberl recently issued cryptic update on striker's future

On the back of Kane’s comments, Bayern director of sport Max Eberl issued a cryptic update on the attacker’s future following the club’s last-gasp 3-1 league win over St. Pauli on Saturday.

Speaking to after the final whistle, Eberl said: “Harry knows exactly what he wants and we have plans for him. We would like to continue. We can very, very well imagine that, but we will basically discuss everything with Harry.”

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Getty Images NewsClub legend Hoeness believes Kane wants to remain in Germany

However, club legend Hoeness – who was part of the iconic Bayern side that lifted numerous honours in the 1970s including three consecutive European Cups in 1974, 1975 and 1976 – has since issued a more bullish update on the situation.

Confirming Kane holds the option to trigger a release clause before the end of January which would allow him to leave next summer for just £56.7 million (€65m/$76m), Hoeness told “We assume that he will definitely fulfil his contract until 2027.

“And if it were up to us, and I've heard he wants it too, then he will extend. His family feels very comfortable. In Munich, you can still go about your business in peace. Harry Kane only ever worked with bodyguards at home (in London, when playing for Tottenham). You don't necessarily need that kind of life.”

Inter have been dealt a severe blow after learning that Denzel Dumfries' injury is more severe than the Italian club had initially expected. The loss of the Netherlands international comes as a severe blow for coach Christian Chivu in the wake of his side's 1-0 defeat to AC Milan in Serie A on Sunday.

Dumfries injured on Netherlands duty

Dumfries started the game against Lazio on November 10, which was played just before the November international break. However, after 56 minutes of action, he had to be taken off after he sustained an ankle injury. He then joined the Netherlands national team camp days later, but had to sit out the 1-1 draw against Poland and 4-0 win against Lithuania that booked Oranje a place in next year's World Cup. After retuning to Italy, Dumfries was ruled out of Sunday's defeat to their San Siro rivals.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDumfries' injury extent is higher than expected

According to , it might take him a significant period of time to nurse Dumfries' ankle and allow him to return to the training pitch. This week, his injury status will be assessed and it is believed that he will be out until late December. This means he'll miss Serie A games against Pisa and Como, as well as Champions League fixtures against Atletico Madrid and Liverpool, among others. Entrusted by Chivu with the right-wing-back role, Dumfries' impact was immense, whether it be on the defensive front or the offensive third, as he scored a consolation goal against Udinese in the second game of the Serie A campaign. 

Chivu seeking solutions

Against Milan in the derby, Chivu was forced to use Carlos Augusto, a left-footed left-back, on the right side as he placed Luis Henrique on the bench. Inter lost the game 1-0, with Christian Pulisic scoring the decisive goal. It is the third time Augusto has been used in that position this season, having also replaced Dumfries in the role when he came off against Lazio. Henrique could be called in to fill the position while Dumfries is out should Chivu prefer to have a natural right-footed player on that side.

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AFPWhat comes next for Inter?

Inter have a tough fixture ahead of them midweek, where they will face Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid in Spain. While they have just two days to prepare, including travel, the game offers a great opportunity for them to secure the pole position in the Champions League. They sit level on points with Bayern Munich and Arsenal at the top of the table, though the German and English sides have a slightly better goal difference.

And who is the youngest Test centurion?

Steven Lynch13-May-2025Romario Shepherd came in in the 18th over in a recent IPL match and reached 50. Was this a record? asked Dirhan Ahmed from India

Playing for the Royal Challengers against Chennai Super Kings in Bengaluru last week, the Guyanese allrounder Romario Shepherd came to the crease to face the fifth ball of the 18th over – and hurtled to 53 from just 14 balls. Only one quicker half-century has been recorded in the IPL, by Yashasvi Jaiswal in 13 for Rajasthan Royals against the Knight Riders in Kolkata in May 2023.Shepherd broke the IPL record for the latest start to a half-century in an innings, previously 14.3 overs by Naman Dhir (62 not out) for Mumbai Indians against Lucknow Super Giants at the Wankhede Stadium in May 2024. Dhir’s final partner in that innings was… Romario Shepherd. For more details of Shepherd’s onslaught, click here.Shepherd’s late-arrival fifty has been bettered in a T20 international: against Mongolia at the Asian Games in Hangzou in September 2023, Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee came in after a wicket fell to the first ball of the 19th over, but finished with 52 not out from ten balls, eight of which he hit for six.Ishan Kishan took four catches for Sunrisers the other day. Was this a record for the IPL? asked Mahesh Bhasin from India

Sunrisers’ wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan took four catches – three of them off Pat Cummins – in the no-result game against Delhi Capitals in Hyderabad last week. This was the 26th instance of a keeper making four dismissals in an IPL innings – but there’s one case of five, by Kumar Sangakkara for Deccan Chargers against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Hyderabad in April 2011.There are also 12 instances of an outfielder taking four catches in an IPL innings, and two cases of five: by Mohammad Nabi for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi in October 2021, and Daryl Mitchell for the Super Kings against Sunrisers in Chennai in April 2024.Apparently there’s a great-grandson of a former England captain playing county cricket at the moment. Is it Ben Compton? asked Derek Wilson from England

It’s not Kent’s Ben Compton, as the old England great Denis Compton never captained in a Test. (And Ben is Denis’s grandson, not great-grandson.) The player you’re asking about is actually Harry Came, a batter who made his debut for Hampshire in 2019 (unusually, as a concussion substitute), and moved to Derbyshire two years later. He scored two first-class hundreds in 2023, and has had a useful start to the current season, scoring 83 against Gloucestershire in Derbyshire’s first Championship match, and 73 against Middlesex at the end of April.Came is the great-grandson of the legspinner Walter Robins, who played for Middlesex and captained England in three of his 19 Tests before the Second World War. Robins’ daughter Penelope married Kenneth Came in 1958.Mohammad Ashraful is the youngest Test centurion, scoring his debut hundred at 17 years and 63 days•AFPMushfiqur Rahim was stumped by a substitute in a recent ODI. Has this ever happened before? asked Peter McDonald from England

Mushfiqur Rahim of Bangladesh was stumped by Afghanistan’s Ikram Alikhil – subbing for the injured Rahmanullah Gurbaz – during a one-day international in Sharjah in November 2024. There’s only one previous instance of this in ODIs, and the same Afghanistan double act was involved: Philippe Boissevain of the Netherlands was stumped by Alikhil, subbing for Gurbaz, in Doha in January 2022.There have been no instances of stumped by a substitute in T20Is, but three in Tests: South Africa’s captain Tip Snooke (by Neville Tufnell, on for Herbert Strudwick) against England in Durban in January 1910; Pervez Sajjad (by Bevan Congdon, on for Artie Dick) for Pakistan vs New Zealand in Lahore in April 1965; and Tom Latham (by Srikar Bharat, on for Wriddhiman Saha) for New Zealand vs India in Kanpur in November 2021.Who’s the youngest cricketer to score a hundred in a Test? asked Aahan Bojanui from India

The youngest man to score a Test century is Mohammad Ashraful, in the second innings of his debut for Bangladesh against Sri Lanka in Colombo in September 2001. Going by the date of birth ESPNcricinfo have for him (July 7, 1984), Ashraful would have been 17 years 63 days old at the time – but some sources give the date as September 9, 1984, which would mean he achieved the feat the day before his 17th birthday.Next on the list is Mushtaq Mohammad, who was 17 years 82 days old when he reached his hundred for Pakistan against India in Delhi in February 1961. Sachin Tendulkar of India and Zimbabwe’s Hamilton Masakadza also scored Test centuries before turning 18.For the full list of the youngest Test centurions, click here (note that the ages shown are at the start of the match in question).The youngest to score a century in a women’s Test is Sri Lanka’s Chamani Seneviratna, who was 19 years 156 days old when she scored 105 not out against Pakistan in Colombo in April 1998: this is still Sri Lanka’s one and only official women’s Test match.And there’s an update to last week’s question about Mehidy Hasan Miraz scoring 88 runs and taking five wickets on the same day in a Test:Thanks to his feat against Zimbabwe in Chattogram last month, Mehidy Hasan does hold the men’s record for most runs on a day in a Test on which he also took five wickets – but Chris Gayle ran him close, with 82 and five wickets for West Indies against England at Edgbaston in August 2004.The others to have scored at least 50 runs and taken five or more wickets on the same day are Jimmy Sinclair (6 for 26, then 59 of his eventual 106) for South Africa vs England in Cape Town in April 1899, Dilruwan Perera (five wickets spread over two innings, in between which he scored 64) for Sri Lanka vs Australia in Galle in August 2016, Shakib al Hasan (five wickets and 54) for Bangladesh vs West Indies in Kingston in July 2018, and Wes Hall (50 not out and five wickets to reduce India to 30 for 5) for West Indies in Port-of-Spain in April 1962.Two women also achieved the feat in Tests. England’s Myrtle Maclagan took 7 for 10 and then scored 72 on the first day of the inaugural women’s Test, against Australia in Brisbane in December 1934, while Enid Bakewell took 5 for 56 and then scored 66 not out on the third day of England’s Test against New Zealand in Christchurch in March 1969; she’d scored 114 on the second day.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions02.02GMT, May 7, 2025: This answer said “three” previously. The first instance, featuring John Trumble and Billy Barnes, was added on.

His century, after 83 innings and 807 days, shows why Pakistan cricket refuses to move on from him

Danyal Rasool15-Nov-2025Above all, it was the authenticity. At a moment when all around him struggled to capture the moment, Babar Azam simply wanted to live it. Waqar Younis, on commentary, tried to come up with something lyrical to say. Ultimately, he only managed “here we go” as Pramod Madushan ran in, and then “there we go”, when Babar pulled him in front of square to bring up his 20th hundred. ESPNcricinfo’s own ball-by-ball strained for effect as it tried to sum up the magnitude of the event. Fans at the ground, and at home on TV, and on social media, had their phones out, looking for the shot that would surely go viral.The man himself cantered to the other end, his beaming smile shining through his helmet. When he removed it, there was no exaggerated celebration for the cameras, no feigned nonchalance. It was a relieved smile when the helmet came off. He glanced to the skies, he looked down at the floor, and then, he fell to his knees, his face out of the shot. At that moment, he was falling in love with cricket once more.Tellingly he had not, until now, raised his bat to acknowledge the crowd. The sport that has bestowed him with a level of individual fame and popularity perhaps not seen for a cricketer in this country since the days of Imran Khan has, of late, also felt like the chain that shackled him. For now, however, the moment was about him, as well as the uncomplicated joy of batting – a joy that first got him into this position of sport as a vocation, long before everything else about it became so very complicated.Related

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Babar ends 83-innings wait

Babar: 'You work out who your true allies are'

It was also just a reminder of how genuine Babar can be, in an age where sportspeople have even the semblance of a personality media-trained out of them. Babar had no contrived soundbites at the post-match presentations, and then the press conference, which stars tend to reserve for their comebacks. In fact, there really wasn’t anything beyond the banal at all.He was at the business end of criticism for similar banality during his stint as captain so often. On Pakistan’s bad days, he didn’t have much to say, and on the good ones, there wasn’t much to say at all. He hasn’t done much press in the years since, but as he stood in front of the mic after his century, the years appeared to melt away: he thanked God, he was happy to be back among the runs, and he was grateful to his supporters. He ignored his critics, and he wanted to win matches for his team. What more was there to say?The relief is palpable on his face after Babar Azam completes his century after a long wait•AFP/Getty ImagesPerhaps nothing to say for Babar, but his fans and detractors alike haven’t exactly kept silent. We are all now beholden to a social media algorithm, and there is no name in Pakistan cricket that whirs it into gear as much as Babar’s. Whether he is captain or not. Whether he scores runs or not. Whether he’s even playing or not. After all, this is a man who – in a surreal period around late summer 2024 – saw the positioning of the big toe on his left foot become a focus of almost comical scrutiny as a potential explanation for his loss of form.Over the best part of the last three years, when all Babar may have wanted was just a little bit of space – to go away and be forgotten about for a little while – the asphyxiating attention only squeezed tighter. Fans and media alike kept him on display like an exotic animal at a tawdry petting zoo. Those who once prematurely anointed him as “King Babar” had, by now, turned it into something of a meme.But for all the toxicity in Pakistan cricket and the ferocity of its critics, legitimate and otherwise, they never stood a chance against his tsunami of supporters. At the depths of his nadir, stadiums across Pakistan – and indeed wherever its diaspora exists – would pack themselves to watch him bat, however fleeting his innings might be. In the Cape Town Test earlier this year, after he scored 81 and came to do press, the Pakistan team bus’s departure was delayed because Babar’s supporters tried to mob him, hoping for an autograph, a selfie, or indeed just a couple of words. Similar scenes have played out in Melbourne, London, and even New York.

Perhaps disconcertingly for the rest of the team, the fall of Pakistan’s first wicket has begun to be cheered loudly, simply because it brings Babar to the crease. The streaming out of supporters from stadiums whenever he gets out is a throwback to the days of Shahid Afridi, when one man’s performance was often the spectacle within the spectacle.

Perhaps disconcertingly for the rest of the team, the fall of Pakistan’s first wicket has begun to be cheered loudly, simply because it brings Babar to the crease. The streaming out of supporters from stadiums whenever he gets out is a throwback to the days of Shahid Afridi, when one man’s performance was often the spectacle within the spectacle.It was no different on Friday, with Rawalpindi Stadium never fuller than in the chilly evening when Saim Ayub fell in the tenth over. Babar’s knock began like any other innings – with a few solid shots, a brief scare here and there. It may have ended with a whimper very early on, as plenty of his 83 century-less knocks have over the past couple of years. Like when, after scratching five runs off his first 14 balls, he mistimed the 15th one almost straight back to Madushan. Or when he played a pull off a long hop and found short midwicket, who couldn’t quite cling on.It would also be a superb feat of narrative chicanery to suggest anything was written in the stars. The last two years have been littered by “predictions” from fans who are certain the next innings is the one Babar finally breaks his drought in, when every cover drive and every time he ticks up beyond 20 is a harbinger of something special. But things began to get serious when, instead of those prophecies, a tense silence emerged. On this site’s ball-by-ball commentaries, any references what he was approaching were angrily hushed by his supporters, afraid the mere mention of it would render it a mirage.Babar Azam was with Mohammad Rizwan when he broke his drought•AFP/Getty ImagesBut as the temperatures dipped into single digits and the spectators huddled together, for comfort as much as for warmth, Babar showed no signs of the mental or technical fragilities that have tripped him up so often in the recent past.If he needed further reassurance of the good old times, of course it was his mate Mohammad Rizwan at the other end: soon, the two were guiding Pakistan in a chase together, just as they used to do. It was Rizwan who took care of the asking rate, knocking off the runs and taking the pressure off his long-time T20 opening partner.In the press conference, when asked what he thought when the critics had piled on, he simply said, “I ignored them.” The arc of the rest of his innings itself might have demanded a scare here, a chance there; in truth, Babar similarly gave it nothing. His knock was becoming a routine march to three figures, and as he began to approach it, the tension seemed to ease instead of mount. He had, after all, been here before. More often, in fact than any Pakistan batter in the history of ODI cricket.The 90s were when he looked at his most comfortable, reserving the shot of the innings to take him to 97: a glorious drive past mid-off, in all its vintage Babar splendour. Often criticised for slowing down ahead of a personal milestone, he took just nine balls to get from 90 to his hundred – a milestone he seemed to greet like an old friend, rather than one he has been a stranger to for the better part of three years.As he brought up his century, his old friend Rizwan raised his arms aloft in delight, as if he’d been the one to just get to a milestone. In the years in between, these men have been appointed captain and then dumped at different times, somewhat unceremoniously in both cases. Bonds are never more brittle than they are with Pakistan’s cricketing stars locked in a power struggle, but Babar and Rizwan are too experienced to let those trivialities get in the way of a moment like that.Once he’d picked himself up off his knees, Babar raised his bat and gloves to the shivering huddle still within the cosy little ground as midnight approached. And then, he embraced Rizwan, the man he’d have wanted by his side for such a moment when, or in the darker moments as he might have wondered, if, it arrived. A journalist later on found himself in tears when he asked Babar about his return to form, with nearly the entire press pack – his fiercest critics among them – mobbing him for a group photograph after it was all done.No matter how hard the critics, or at times even those within the PCB, might try and move on, Pindi last night proved that there is still, in Pakistan cricket, nothing quite like Babar Azam. And when, in times when there is little uncomplicated joy to be found in Pakistan, he can deliver it like he did last night, you can begin to see why his supporters – and the man himself – refuse to move on and go away.

More than half the squad have played some competitive cricket over since the end of last season

Andrew McGlashan28-May-20252:00

Decoding Mitchell Starc’s wobble seam delivery

The Australia squad for the World Test Championship final convenes in the UK this week for a team-building camp before training ramps ahead of facing South Africa at Lord’s on June 11. Coach Andrew McDonald termed the recent period a “muddled mess” with a mixture of players at home, featuring in the IPL either side of its suspension and playing county cricket but was confident in how the side would be able to prepare once they are all together. Here’s a round-up of what those selected have been up to over the last couple of months.

Usman Khawaja

After the controversial end to the season amid the fallout with Queensland cricket boss Joe Dawes over Sheffield Shield availability it’s been a period at home for Khawaja as he enters what might be the final stretch of his international career. The end of the Ashes next season, which concludes at the SCG, could be the stepping off point. In the WTC final his experience will be vital given the uncertainty over who will partner him at the top of the order.

Sam Konstas

Konstas had been keen for a county deal to further his cricket education but an opening didn’t transpire so he, too, has prepared at home with sessions at Cricket Central in Sydney and at the Brisbane-based camps where McDonald revealed he had been working on some technical tweaks. It will be fascinating to watch how the next couple of months play out for Konstas after the high-octane start to his career against India. The reported that he had self-funded an extra session in Brisbane after being invited up by Nathan Lyon.Related

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Marnus Labuschagne

The key figure in Australia’s selection debate. Has time run out for Labuschagne after two lean years in Test cricket? His two-match stint with Glamorgan was unconvincing with scores of 0, 4 and 23. But in his favour is the experience he has of playing in England, although should he retain his place in the XI it looks increasingly likely he would be handed a new role as opener.

Steven Smith

Smith has spent time in New York, a favourite destination of his and somewhere he owns property, where he has regularly posted on social media of various runs around the city and gym sessions ahead of joining his team-mates in the UK. With over 10,000 Test runs the management are content to allow Smith to tailor his own preparation and he will no doubt switch on to some intense net sessions when the squad begins training. As ever with Smith there is intrigue around how much longer his career will go but his recent run-scoring suggests the hunger remains.Travis Head has had another season at the IPL•Associated Press

Travis Head

Head has been among the contingent at the IPL and while he couldn’t match the highs of last season he still produced the occasional dazzling display as he made 374 runs with a strike-rate of 162.60. He signed off with 76 off 40 balls in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) massive 278 for 3, having overcome a bout of Covid, and now the transition begins to Test mode. Head played the decisive innings two years ago with a thrilling 163 off 174 balls against India at The Oval.

Cameron Green

Things could hardly have gone much better for Green on his return from the back surgery that kept him out for the whole of the last home season. Three centuries in nine innings for Gloucestershire, including tons in his last two outings, has left him primed for a return to the Test side even though he won’t be a bowling option until the Ashes later in the year. Last time he played Tests, against New Zealand in early 2024, he batted at No. 4 where he made a superb unbeaten 174 in Wellington. Where he fits in this time is intriguing.

Beau Webster

Webster, who impressed on his Test debut against India, has had a four-game spell with Warwickshire where he has chipped in without setting things alight. He made 85 in his first innings but did not pass fifty again while claiming 10 wickets at 27.80. Whether he retains his place at Lord’s appears likely to come down to conditions and how important the selectors view overs from a fifth bowler.Cameron Green will be one of Australia’s most in-form players heading into the final•Getty Images

Alex Carey

Carey finished last season in some of the best form of his life having made a century in Sri Lanka, runs at the Champions Trophy and two hundreds to end the Shield season, the second of them central to South Australia’s historic title victory. Since then he has been at home and has used the camps in Brisbane this month to tune up for the final.

Josh Inglis

Inglis has been with Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the IPL where he had to bide his time on the bench but has since played eight matches – making 197 runs at a strike-rate of 164.16 – either side of the tournament’s suspension with his latest innings being a superb 73 off 42 balls. He was a slightly late returnee but will be available for the playoffs meaning he will join the squad in the UK when PBKS’ campaign comes to an end. Despite a century on Test debut in Sri Lanka he will likely be carrying drinks at Lord’s.

Pat Cummins

Cummins completed the entire season for SRH as they failed to make the playoffs. He finished as their joint-leading wicket-taker with 16 at 28.12 having not played since the final Test against India due to paternity leave and an ankle problem he had nursed through the summer. Behind the scenes he has been working on increasing his loads with an eye on a return to red-ball cricket at Lord’s and the next couple of weeks will be vital in ensuring he can peak against South Africa.Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, along with Josh Hazlewood, have been involved in the IPL•Associated Press

Mitchell Starc

Starc did not return to the IPL with Delhi Capitals meaning his tournament ended with 14 wickets at 26.14. His economy rate was high at 10.16 but he produced a couple of starring performances including a career-best 5 for 35. Having remained in Australia, Starc joined the home-based players in Brisbane last week which meant his focused WTC preparation started a little ahead of schedule.

Nathan Lyon

Another of those based at home, Lyon has been bowling at the training camps having recovered from a hip injury he carried for most of the home summer after initially picking it up early in the India series. It was a nastier injury than was initially indicated and a build-up of fluid needed draining to ensure he could get through the Sri Lanka tour, but feedback from the last few weeks is that he is in excellent shape heading to England.

Josh Hazlewood

After spending a period back in Australia rehabbing a shoulder niggle, Hazlewood has returned for the IPL playoffs with Royal Challengers Bengaluru aiming to cap what had been an outstanding season before the interruption. Hazlewood, who had an injury-hit home season, has so far taken 18 wickets at 17.27 with an economy of 8.44 and often found success with his Test-match length. Barring any further injury setbacks he will likely keep Scott Boland out of the XI at Lord’s.Scott Boland appears likely to miss out at Lord’s, but Australia know he will deliver if needed•Getty Images

Scott Boland

Speaking of Boland, he’s the ultimate super sub for Australia should anything happen to the big three. He managed a knee niggle through the closing stages of the season and opted against finding a small window for a county stint. Two years ago he was impressive against India in the final but may have to watch from the sidelines this time.

Matt Kuhnemann

It was a rollercoaster latter part to the season for Kuhnemann who starred in Sri Lanka and then had his action reported. He was cleared by ICC testing and after a period of the off-season at home has squeezed in a one-game outing for Glamorgan which proved very productive with a career-best 6 for 53. He won’t feature at Lord’s barring injury to Lyon but could play a role in the Caribbean.

Brendan Doggett

Doggett is the traveling reserve for the WTC final so will only be called into the 15 should injury strike. He has had a three-game stint with Durham which brought nine wickets at 33.44. An impressive home season has seen him leapfrog Sean Abbott in the pecking order.