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Pakistan captain Salman Agha critical of India’s behaviour during the Asia Cup

Danyal Rasool28-Sep-20253:23

‘Clueless batting from Pakistan’

Pakistan captain Salman Agha has criticised India for what he called their “disappointing” behaviour during the Asia Cup.”What India have done this tournament is very disappointing,” Agha said at the press conference after the final. “They’re not disrespecting us by not shaking hands, they’re disrespecting cricket. Good teams don’t do what they did today [refusing to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi]. We went to pose with the trophy on our own because we wanted to fulfil our obligations. We stood there and took our medals. I don’t want to use harsh words but they’ve been very disrespectful.”After Pakistan lost the Asia Cup final to India in the last over in Dubai on Sunday, there was more than a 90-minute delay before the presentation ceremony began, but India refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who is the ACC president and PCB chairman, and also the interior minister of Pakistan.Related

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It was the culmination of a series of incidents where India have looked to limit any contact with Pakistan players or officials during the tournament.Agha said he did not have an issue with India captain Suryakumar Yadav. He claimed that if it had been up to Suryakumar, he would have shaken hands with Agha before the tosses at the three matches the teams have played against each other.”He shook hands with me in private at the start of the tournament,” Agha said. “Both at the pre-tournament press conference and when we met in the referee’s meeting. But when they’re out in the world in front of the cameras, they don’t shake our hands. I’m sure he’s following the instructions he’s been given, but if it was up to him, he’d shake hands with me.”Suryakumar Yadav pretends to carry the trophy he didn’t accept•AFP/Getty ImagesReiterating his position before the final, Agha said he did not believe there was a precedent in cricket for a team refusing handshakes, saying it was “detrimental” to the spirit of cricket. The manner in which the post-final presentation unfolded, with India holding up an imaginary trophy, was “a consequence of everything they had done before”.”This is the first time I’ve ever seen this happen,” Agha said. “Whatever happened in this tournament was very bad, and I hope it stops at some stage because it’s bad for cricket. Everything that happened today was a consequence of all that happened [before]. Of course, the ACC president will give the trophy to the winners – if you won’t take the trophy from him, how will you get it?”As with the previous two India-Pakistan matches in this tournament, there were no handshakes at the toss at the final or following the game, and the teams stood apart in their huddles while waiting for the presentation ceremony to begin. Agha said all that had taken place had not set a good example to those following the game in either India or Pakistan, but placed the blame squarely on the opposition.”I’m not just a Pakistan captain, I’m a cricket fan,” Agha said. “If a kid is watching in India or Pakistan, we’re not sending them a good message. People think of us as role models, but if we’re behaving like this, we’re not inspiring them. What happened shouldn’t have happened, but you should ask the people [India] responsible for this rather than me.”

Juan Soto signed the biggest contract in sports history this offseason and the process to get there was anything but straightforward.

In December, Soto inked a 15-year, $765 million with the New York Mets. That came after a long courting process that began with the crosstown Yankees as his preferred destination. Now we know how the 26-year-old superstar went about picking the Mets.

Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci released an article about the Mets and Soto on Tuesday and it goes in-depth on how the franchise lured its new slugger to Queens and how he went about deciding to sign there. Soto wasn't making his decision alone, as his father and mother combined with him to create what agent Scott Boras called the Supreme Court of Soto.

From Verducci's piece:

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been given a boost in their pursuit of a new goalkeeper, amid claims of an offer being made by Fosun.

Wolves’ search for new goalkeeper after Sa and Johnstone struggles

No club has conceded more Premier League goals than the Old Gold this season, with both Sam Johnstone and Jose Sa being used by former manager Vitor Pereira.

In the 11 top flight fixtures to date, Johnstone has made seven appearances, conceding 14 goals, whereas Sa has turned out four times, letting in 11 goals.

New manager Rob Edwards will have a decision to make ahead of his first game in charge against Crystal Palace on Saturday, but looking further down the line, it looks as if he is after a new first choice shot-stopper.

Two names have been mentioned since Edwards arrived from Middlesbrough, one of which is Manchester City’s James Trafford.

Down the pecking order just months after returning to the Etihad from Burnley, Wolves are one of numerous clubs keen on signing the £30m Englishman.

City are open to a loan with an obligation to buy or a permanent exit in the New Year, with one Wolves insider telling TEAMtalk: “We need a keeper who can grow with the team. Trafford fits the profile perfectly.”

An enquiry has even been made by the Old Gold, although Trafford has his eyes on a move to Newcastle in 2026.

Meanwhile, Lazio’s Christos Mandas is another option for Wolves and Fosun as they look for a new ‘keeper, with Wolves ‘offering an initial loan deal with an option to buy’ for the Greece international which could be worth up to £8m.

Now, a new update has emerged regarding Mandas’ future, which looks likely to be away from Lazio if he gets his wish.

Wolves given boost in pursuit of Christos Mandas

According to a report from La Lazio Siamo Noi, Mandas is becoming a man in demand and has actually asked to leave Lazio in 2026.

La Liga side Getafe are in the race for the shot-stopper, alongside Wolves and their Premier League rivals West Ham and Bournemouth.

Mandas is expected to leave in search of more game time as he is yet to make an appearance in 2025/26 after featuring 18 times last season, nine of which came in the Europa League.

His agent Diego Tavano heaped praise on Mandas last year, calling him a “strong” and “great player”.

“Mandas is a strong player who had several suitors in Italy. Lazio were the fastest to act and he believed it was the right choice. Initially, the club considered sending him back to OFI Crete on loan, but then Sarri decided to keep him. He is a great player who has now established himself and I’m happy because it was not easy to fit in – he has been great this season.”

Wolves could be the club to offer him regular first-team football given Johnstone and Sa’s struggles and the fact Trafford doesn’t fancy a move to the Midlands.

Wolves now in advanced talks to sign maestro who could be Edwards' first signing

The allrounder will be reassessed ahead of next week’s one-day game then the second round of the Shield

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-2025Australia allrounder Beau Webster has been ruled out of Tasmania’s opening Sheffield Shield match of the season against Queensland after picking up an ankle injury although it is not considered to be a major concern.Webster will be reassessed ahead of the One-Day Cup match against Queensland on Thursday. The second round of the Shield, where Tasmania will face Western Australia in Hobart, starts on October 15.Related

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Webster had earmarked playing all four of Tasmania’s Shield matches ahead of the start of the Ashes. Although he has made an excellent start to his Test career with four half-centuries in seven matches in tricky batting conditions there is talk he could be under pressure for his place when England arrive.Cameron Green is expected to be back on unrestricted bowling duty by then and, depending on which players stake a claim for top-order positions, there is a scenario where Green is moved back down the order although he has also been endorsed as a long-term candidate for No. 3.If Green is retained in that position, where he finished strongly against West Indies, there is a good chance he and Webster can continue to feature in the same XI.”It’s one thing that’s coming up a lot is obviously Greeney’s back bowling and I’ve got my chance, I suppose, through him being a batter only,” Webster told ESPNcricinfo ahead of the season. “He was an allrounder for Australia for years before that along with Mitch [Marsh] and, when I answer the question, I’d love to see both of us in the team. If you’re scoring runs in the top six batters for Australia if you can bowl it’s a bonus.”Absolutely I’d love to play in a team with Greeney. He’s a fantastic batter. I really hope he bangs it out of the park at the top of the order and I can stay at No. 6 and we can both contribute with the ball and in the field and win games for Australia.”Webster started his domestic season with five wickets in two One-Day Cup games and 81 off 95 balls in the second match against Victoria.

Neymar has sensationally defied injury advice at Santos to help edge them closer to safety in the Brazilian top-flight. With the threat of relegation hanging over the club, Neymar has decided that he will play through pain in order to aid the collective cause. He was at his talismanic best when netting a hat-trick against Juventude – securing his first match ball in over three years.

Medical advice: Why Neymar is ignoring doctors

Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, who returned to his roots in January after seeing a lucrative contract at Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal torn up, has been dragged into a basement battle this season. He is determined to ensure that Santos do not slip through a trapdoor in 2025.

Neymar has, however, found peak form and fitness hard to come by of late. Untimely knocks have seen him spend far too much time on the treatment table. He should be back there at present, with a knee problem being nursed.

Doctors have advised the 33-year-old to take in another enforced break, but he has chosen to ignore those pleas. Neymar is putting his body on the line in a bid to keep Santos in the top tier. They took a huge step towards hitting that target when seeing off Juventude.

AdvertisementFirst hat-trick since 2022: Neymar dazzles for Santos

Neymar inspired them to three points in that contest, with a 17-minute spell determining the outcome of that fixture. Santos saw their talismanic No.10 break the deadlock in the 56th minute. He grabbed his second of the game in the 65th, before completing his hat-trick from the penalty spot eight minutes later. Neymar was substituted with seven minutes left on the clock.

He had done more than enough by that point, with a vital victory being secured. Neymar has figured in Santos’ last two games while working on a conservative treatment programme that is helping to keep him on the field.

According to , Neymar will require arthroscopic surgery at the end of the season, as a meniscus injury in his left knee is addressed. He is having to winch his way through matches at the moment.

Those efforts were rewarded against Juventude, with Neymar registering his first hat-trick since April 2022. Said treble was recorded for Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain during a meeting with Clermont.

Relegation battle: One game left for Neymar & Santos

Santos are now two points clear of the relegation zone with only one fixture left to take in. Said outing will see Neymar and Co face third-placed Cruzeiro on Sunday, with that contest taking place on home soil at Vila Belmiro.

After that match, Neymar has some important decisions to make. It appears although an operation will have to be taken in, which could impact calls on his future. His contract at Santos is running down to free agency.

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Getty ImagesFuture calls: MLS transfer & 2026 World Cup

A fresh start in 2026 has been mooted, with Neymar seeing a reunion with former Barcelona team-mates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez speculated on. It has been suggested that the fabled ‘MSN’ strike force could be reformed in MLS at Inter Miami.

Such a switch may appeal to Neymar as he looks to find the form that will allow him to nail down a place in Carlo Ancelotti’s plans for the 2026 World Cup. He has not figured for his country since suffering ACL damage in October 2023.

Ancelotti has left the door open for a modern day great to earn a place in his squad, with the Italian tactician saying: “Neymar is on the list of players who could be at the World Cup. Now he has six months to make the final list. We just have to observe him and other players so as not to make mistakes in the final list.”

The enigmatic playmaker has earned 128 caps for his country, scoring 79 goals. He has made no secret of the fact that he wants to take in one more shot at global glory – with Brazil looking to lift the World Cup for the first time since 2002.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have announced that their next bobblehead giveaway will pay tribute to a civic icon.

On July 19 against the Chicago White Sox, the Pirates will give out a bobblehead depicting late rapper Mac Miller. Pittsburgh unveiled the bobblehead—which depicts Miller in a "412" jersey, saluting the city's area code—Thursday morning.

Miller died in 2018 at the age of 26 of an accidental drug overdose, which cut short the career of one of Pittsburgh's greatest musical talents.

A native of the city's Point Breeze neighborhood, Miller churned out a series of early rap hits that established him as a favorite of college-age millennials in the early 2010s. He went on to gradually broaden his sound, and the last album he released in his lifetime——was nominated for the Best Rap Album Grammy.

Miller has been back in the news this year due to the Jan. 17 release of , his second posthumous album. The record received warm reviews and peaked at No. 3 in the United States.

The rapper was a fan of the Pirates, and the team held a moment of silence in his honor when he died.

Manchester United have been in tremendous form over the last couple of months, only losing one of their last nine outings across all competitions in 2025/26.

Some of their good form will no doubt be down to the impacts of Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo, with both players massively starring in the Premier League under Ruben Amorim.

The former of the pair has already netted six goals and one assist in England’s top-flight, with his tally of goals the highest of any player in the first-team squad.

As for the Ivorian, he’s netted one goal and two assists to date, often offering the Red Devils a real creative presence down the right-hand side from a wing-back role.

However, the manager will be unable to rely upon either of the aforementioned pair for the next few weeks, with both of the players set to link up with their respective nations for the competition.

The games Mbeumo & Amad could miss at AFCON

The African Cup of Nations is a tournament that has caused constant disruption for many clubs over the years, with United set to suffer with the upcoming competition.

The competition is set to last from the 21st of December until the 18th of January, which could see Mbeumo and Amad miss up to seven games should both teams reach the final.

Amorim stated in his press conference yesterday that he’s unsure if either of the two will be available to play against Bournemouth on Monday – which could take their games missed tally to eight.

During the competition, United have six Premier League matches to contend with, whilst also facing Brighton & Hove Albion in the third round of the FA Cup.

The biggest game that the manager will have to deal with their absence is the clash with local rivals Manchester City on the 17th of January, but both could be back should they suffer a group stage exit.

The competition’s group stage will conclude on the 31st of December, which will certainly see the pair miss matches against Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Wolves.

However, the first opportunity to have the player back would come on the 4th of January, which could see the pair star in the clash with Leeds United at Elland Road.

The player who could solve the Amad and Mbeumo issue

In the 2025/26 campaign to date, the pairing of Amad and Mbeumo have frequently featured together down the right-hand side and have formed an excellent partnership with one another.

Their tally of 10 combined goals and assists to date is 38% of the team’s total to date, which highlights the issue Amorim has on his hands to replace the aforementioned duo.

Players like Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo, and Joshua Zirkzee will no doubt be chomping at the bit to force themselves into the starting eleven, but Amorim could decide to delve into the market.

Even though the window is yet to open, the Red Devils have already been linked with a whole host of players – including Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo.

The Ghanaian international has thrived in the Premier League this campaign, already netting six times and registering three assists in his first 14 games.

Unlike Mbeuno and Amad, he won’t be going to AFCON this year, which presents a perfect opportunity for Amorim’s side to make a move for his signature.

It’s been reported that he has a £65m release clause which becomes active on the 1st of January, but can only be triggered for a ten-day period at the start of the window.

United should be all over such a move, with the Cherries star, who’s been dubbed “the best winger in the country” by Chris Waddle, having the tools needed to fill the void at Old Trafford.

He’s already registered 1.4 shots on target per 90 this campaign, with such a tally ranking him in the top 4% of all players in the division – subsequently offering the goal threat that will be missed by Mbeumo.

Games played

14

Goals & assists

9

Shot on target accuracy

52%

Progressive carries

3.5

Progressive passes

3.7

Take-ons completed

1.5

Take-on success

53%

Crosses completed

1.7

Aerials won

2.3

Semenyo has also created 1.3 chances per 90 this campaign, whilst completing 1.5 successful dribbles per 90 – numbers which could allow him to fill Amad’s void.

The forward is capable of operating in a number ten or wing-back role if needed, something which could make him extremely useful to Amorim over the next few weeks.

He’s become one of the most sought-after talents in the division, with the hierarchy needing to move swiftly to complete a deal and hand the manager the assets needed to soften the blow created by AFCON.

Man Utd gem could be "the world's best", but he's becoming the new Mainoo

Manchester United have one star in their ranks who could suffer the same fate as Kobbie Mainoo.

ByEthan Lamb 3 days ago

Kookaburra had been used instead of the Dukes in selected rounds of the County Championship

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Nov-2025The controversial trial which saw the Kookaburra ball used for some rounds of the County Championship season has been scrapped after three seasons.The ECB first proposed the trial as part of Andrew Strauss’ high-performance review three years ago in the hope that using the Kookaburra ball – rather than the Dukes – would encourage the development of spinners and bowlers with “extreme skills”. The pilot initially lasted two rounds of games in the 2023 season, and was criticised by county coaches.Rob Key, the ECB’s managing director of men’s cricket, was a strong advocate for the Kookaburra ball and convinced the counties to expand the trial to four rounds for the 2024 season. Surrey’s Alec Stewart described that as “the worst decision ever” but Key doubled down, saying it had produced “some bloody good cricket” after 17 of the first 18 fixtures ended in draws.Related

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The Kookaburra was used for four further rounds in 2025 but again produced a high proportion of draws, epitomised by Surrey piling on a club-record 820 for 9 declared against Durham at The Oval.It led directors of cricket from the 18 counties to make clear their wish to scrap the trial at a meeting last month, and the decision to revert to using the Dukes ball throughout the 2026 season was confirmed at a meeting of the Cricket Advisory Group – a sub-committee of the ECB Professional Game Committee – earlier this week.Key and the ECB have taken a more hands-off approach to county cricket in recent years, and made a point of leaving discussion over proposed fixture restructures to the clubs earlier this summer. The counties failed to come to an agreement over the future of the Championship, but did agree to a small cut in the number of T20 Blast fixtures for 2026.

The Gunners have come agonisingly close to landing the Premier League in the last three years and Manchester United legend Patrice Evra has pointed the finger of blame at the fans for boasting about winning the title too early in the season. The Gunners have finished second three times on the bounce, but the fans have been starting to crow again with boss Mikel Arteta’s side at the top of the table, and Evra has a message for them.

Can Gunners ditch 'also-rans' smear?

It’s been a story of what might have been for Arsenal over the previous three seasons, mounting strong Premier League title challenges but ultimately finishing as runners-up on each occasion under Arteta. In the 2022-23 season, Arsenal held a substantial lead for much of the campaign, but a late dip in form allowed Man City to overtake them and lose the title by five points. The 2023-24 season saw an even closer title race, going down to the final day. Arsenal amassed 89 points, their second-highest ever Premier League tally, but still finished second, a mere two points behind champions City. And most recently, the 2024-25 season saw another second-place finish, this time behind Liverpool, who secured the title by a margin of ten points after Arsenal could only manage 74 points. This makes Arsenal the first team to finish as runners-up three seasons in a row in the Premier League era.  

And while the Gunners have sat at the top of the table for the vast majority of this season, their lead has been significantly reduced after dropping points in recent matches to Sunderland, Chelsea and Aston Villa and Evra has issued a word of warning for the fans. 

AdvertisementAFPEvra: 'They need to chill'

United legend Evra told Stake: "I don't know if Arsenal can handle the pressure. I always loved Arteta as a player and I know he’s a great manager. But at the end of the day, Arsenal fans are the problem. They are the ones every time saying, 'this year we're going to win'. They need to chill. It’s the same when England fans say 'it’s coming home'."  

He added: "They just have to chill, to not be too noisy because that's why they get that banter and this backlash because they’ll say they are the best team in the world and better than this team and so on. But we never know, if they bottle the league again this year, imagine them winning the Champions League? Anything can happen with Arsenal. But I just feel like the winning mindset is missing at Arsenal."

Scholes joins list of Arsenal doubters

Another Old Trafford hero, Paul Scholes, believes Arsenal’s title bid will falter once again unless Arteta finds a way to improve his team's record in the Premier League’s biggest fixtures. Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes said: "Until they start winning big games they’ve got no chance of winning the league," he said. "They lost to Liverpool, they couldn’t beat Man City at home when they were struggling. Aston Villa are a good team, don’t get me wrong, but Arsenal just can’t win big games. They couldn’t beat Chelsea after they went down to ten men. If you’re going to win the league you’ve got to start winning some big games, you’ve got to beat your rivals, and they can’t do it. Historically Man City always get better after January. They were in the Club World Cup so they didn’t really have a pre-season."  

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Getty Images SportGunners face Wolves test 

Arsenal are in action in Europe on Wednesday evening, away in Belgium to face Club Brugge, but will be hoping to get back to winning ways at the weekend with a Premier League clash against bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers. And it’s a good time to be playing Wolves, who remain winless in all 15 Premier League games this season, with only QPR in 2012-13  with 16 games and Sheffield United in 2020-21 with an incredible 17 games having longer runs from the start of a campaign.   

Shohei Ohtani is one-of-one. Not just because he is the only player in MLB history to have ever hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in one season. Not just because he's the first guy to regularly hit and pitch since Babe Ruth.

He also appears to be a very nice and present player. Earlier this season umpires told us that Ohtani is the only player in baseball who says hello every single time he comes to the plate. On Tuesday night he showed a whole new level of concern for the home plate umpire.

First, Ohtani, coming off an 0-for-10 streak, made sure to clean some rogue dirt off the plate after a pitch in the dirt made a mess of home plate. Then a couple pitches later he fouled a ball off the inside of home plate umpire Alan Porter's knee. Ohtani immediately checked on him.

And then he hit a baseball very far.

Ohtani is now tied with Aaron Judge with 30 home runs, just three behind Cal Raleigh. Judge and Raleigh both still trail Ohtani in kind gestures.