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Jos Buttler, meanwhile, says England’s players are “very saddened” by the situation in Afghanistan

Danyal Rasool25-Feb-20251:56

Shahidi and Buttler discuss women’s rights situation in Afghanistan

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi has voiced his support for Afghanistan’s women to play cricket, but reiterated that the situation was something “we cannot control”. Speaking ahead of Afghanistan’s training session before they face England in Lahore in the Champions Trophy on Wednesday, Shahidi said the focus for his side remained on what happened “inside the ground”.”Everyone likes to see everyone play,” Shahidi said. “When it comes to politics and those things which we cannot control, we are only cricket players, we can control things in the ground.”The issue was thrust into sharper focus because of who Afghanistan are playing. In the weeks building up to this game, more than 160 politicians in the UK called on the ECB to boycott the fixture against Afghanistan in protest against the Taliban government refusing to allow women to play cricket in the country. The UK prime minister Keir Starmer called on the ICC to “enforce their own rules”, but the ECB ultimately rejected calls to boycott the fixture.Related

• Five-year agreement makes Abu Dhabi Afghanistan cricket's 'second home'

• Human Rights Watch asks ICC to suspend Afghanistan's membership

• Should Buttler promote himself from No. 6 in England's batting order?

• England, Afghanistan put politics aside with tournament on the line

• ECB: No Afghanistan boycott despite 'gender apartheid'

Shahidi, though, stressed that his focus, and that of the men’s team, remained on their upcoming fixture. “We are sportspersons. We control what we can do inside the ground and we can’t worry about what’s happening out of the ground. We play hard, we work hard, we have good net sessions. So that’s what we’re thinking of.”His somewhat guarded statement of support lined up with other high-profile Afghan cricketers who have spoken up in support of women’s rights in Afghanistan. Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi were most outspoken late last year when they reacted to women being banned from training as doctors.Jos Buttler, England’s captain, said that his team was “very saddened” by the situation faced by women and girls in Afghanistan, which the ECB has described as “gender apartheid” when confirming earlier this month that the game will go ahead .”I’ve taken a lot of advice from lots of experts,” Buttler said. “Credit to Rob Key and the ECB. They have been very good at supporting me and all the players, and giving us information and education around this, and making it an ECB decision.”We’re very saddened at the plight of women and girls in Afghanistan at the moment, and the struggles they are facing. But we hope that the game tomorrow can be a source of hope and enjoyment in what is obviously a tough time at the moment. We’re very excited about the match. Sport has a great power to unite people and give hope, and that’s what we hope this game will do.”Shahidi: “We play hard, we work hard, we have good net sessions. So that’s what we’re thinking of”•ICC/Getty Images

Earlier on Tuesday, Afghanistan head coach and former England batter Jonathan Trott told the BBC that the men’s cricketers knew what was happening was “not correct”.”These guys are brave,” he said. “They know the difference between right and wrong. It is a real tricky situation for them. They know who they are playing for and representing. We work hard to bring joy to the country and the guys are passionate, brave and proud of being able to do that, but knowing full well that there are things that are not correct.”The game between Afghanistan and England is virtually a knockout game, with defeat for either side leaving them on the brink of exit. Afghanistan lost their opening game to South Africa, while England were defeated by Australia. Shahidi acknowledged chasing totals was not Afghanistan’s most obvious route to victory, but also suggested the pitch in Karachi did not assist spin bowling at all.”When we bat first, that gives us more of a chance,” he said. “But at the same time, we beat teams in the last World Cup also, batting second. But in the South Africa game, I think that the wicket was little bit more supportive for fast bowling and when our spinners were bowling, there was no support for them. I didn’t even see one ball turning.”We didn’t play well, especially in batting we didn’t start well. At the same time, it’s not an excuse but the world knows that we have good spinners. I didn’t see any support there, but hopefully we have some support in tomorrow’s game for our spinners.”The last time these two sides played in an ODI, Afghanistan beat England by 69 runs in Delhi at the 2023 World Cup, when their spinners shared eight wickets.2.15pm GMT – This story was updated to include Jos Buttler’s quotes.

Rain is forecast for the lead up to the start of play and there could be intermittent showers thereafter too

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jun-2025Weather could have a say in what has shaped up as a blockbuster finish to the Headingley Test between England and India. The early-morning forecast for Leeds is of showers in the lead up to 11am local time (3.30pm IST) start and intermittent showers through the day thereafter, which, if it does come true, could mean a stop-start flow to the day.The game is tantalisingly poised after the two teams finished on an even keel after the first-innings exchanges, India first scoring 471 and England replying with 465, just six runs between them. India have since scored 364 in their second innings, leaving England a target of 371, of which they have shaved off 21 with a day to go. And 350 runs don’t seem too many in 90 overs for a team known to score quickly, come rain or shine.”[We will] just go for the win. That’s the clear message in the changing room,” Josh Tongue, who cleaned up India’s tail in the second innings for figures of 3 for 72, said after the fourth day. “It’s just [about] being as positive as we can. They’re going to bowl well at times tomorrow. It’s just crucial we soak up that bit of pressure and reapply it. I don’t see why we can’t chase that down.”All of which, in what promises to be overcast conditions at Headingley, will likely bring Jasprit Bumrah & Co into play in a big way.”There’s definitely going to be a result,” KL Rahul, century-maker in India’s second innings, said. “That’s what England have said very openly, and their style of cricket suggests that as well. It gives us a good opportunity to pick up ten wickets. We know how they’re going to come out and bat on day five.”The wicket today was a very tricky wicket: I spent a lot of time batting there and I didn’t feel set at all at any given stage. The wicket’s taken a beating, and tomorrow might break even more… We know their style of cricket, so [we’ll] try to keep that in the back of our heads and try to see what lines and lengths we can bowl and how we can get them out.”

Farooq Nazar, the fan in question, refused to cover his Pakistan shirt during the fourth England vs India Test and was “asked to leave the stadium” by security officials

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Aug-2025Lancashire have apologised for an incident at the Old Trafford Test between England and India where a fan was ejected from the ground after he refused to cover his Pakistan team t-shirt.Farooq Nazar, the fan in question, posted a video on social media documenting the sequence of events, which started with a request from a member of the security staff that he cover the shirt, a replica of Pakistan’s traditional green limited-overs kit.The security guard, who identified himself as working for Lancashire, said he had been sent by “control” to ask for the shirt to be covered. Nazar refused. He was subsequently escorted away by police officers and, according to a statement from Lancashire, “asked to leave the stadium by stewards and police officers due to unacceptable behaviour directed towards the stewarding team”.In the days since – the incident took place on the last day, a Sunday, of the Test – the club conducted an internal review and apologised for “any upset and offence caused which was not intended and will review its procedures for handling similar situations in the future”.Lancashire, however, explained that a separate incident at the ground between a set of Indian and Pakistani fans on the Saturday of the Test influenced their handling of the situation with Nazar.”Firstly, we wish to make it clear that there was no intention to remove the individual simply for wearing a Pakistan cricket shirt,” the club said in a statement. “The approach taken was informed by an incident on Saturday, during which a group of supporters waved a Pakistan national flag, leading to tensions with nearby Indian fans. In that case, our stewards were able to de-escalate the situation by respectfully asking the individuals to put the flag away, which they did without hesitation.”In light of this context, our team adopted a precautionary, safety-first approach on Sunday. A stand supervisor politely asked the individual to cover his shirt in the interest of his own safety and to avoid any potential escalation. Despite several courteous requests from the supervisor and the response team, the individual repeatedly declined to comply.”Earlier, the ECB CEO Richard Gould had said Nazar was known to the ECB from previous years.”There may well be a context [to what happened] and I know the ground is looking at that, and we’ve also referred it along to the Cricket Regulator to make sure that they’re aware,” Gould said.Relations between India and Pakistan, have been at a low following a brief military skirmish between the two countries in May. Those tensions have filtered into relations between the BCCI and PCB; the two sides have not played a bilateral series since 2012-13 and no Test cricket since 2007-08. Their participation in ICC events hosted by either country has also recently become an issue, with a neutral venue added in to stage their games as part of a hybrid solution to the issue.Earlier this week, an India veterans team refused to play their Pakistan counterparts in two games – including the semi-final, which they forfeited – of a legends tournament in Birmingham.

Charli Knott joins as replacement, with no Indian players left in the tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jul-2025Deepti Sharma clinched London Spirit’s maiden Hundred title with a straight six in the final at Lord’s last year but has pulled out of the 2025 season to manage her workload.Deepti, the Indian allrounder, is in England for India’s ongoing tour and has had a busy recent schedule, balancing international commitments and franchise leagues. With a 50-over World Cup on home soil looming later this year, she has opted to withdraw from her £36,000 contract in order to give herself a short break.She has been replaced by Charli Knott, the Australian allrounder, and Spirit’s squad will look significantly different this year. Charlie Dean will deputise as captain for the injured Heather Knight, while Meg Lanning has been replaced by Grace Harris and Chris Liddle has taken over from Ashley Noffke as head coach.Deepti’s withdrawal means that there are no Indian players under contract in the Hundred this year. The BCCI does not grant active men’s players No-Objection Certificates to play in overseas leagues, while the women’s players who have previously been involved either went undrafted or were unavailable due to workload concerns.Elsewhere, Trent Rockets have confirmed that Ash Gardner will captain them this season. ESPNcricinfo revealed last month that Nat Sciver-Brunt had stepped down from the role to ease her own workload after taking on the England captaincy, and Gardner said it was “an honour” to take over from her.Related

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• Wyatt-Hodge 65 tops Knott 74* as Surrey win on last ball

• Eoin Morgan appointed to London Spirit board of directors

• Sciver-Brunt stands down as Trent Rockets captain

In the men’s Hundred, David Willey will take over from Lewis Gregory as Rockets captain, after Gregory was released and signed by Manchester Originals. Willey has spent the last two years playing for Welsh Fire but was a £200,000 signing at the draft and has short-form captaincy experience with Northamptonshire, Yorkshire and Northern Superchargers.Each Hundred team will add four ‘wildcard’ players – two men’s, two women’s – to their squad next week, making signings based on performances in the T20 Blast. Birmingham Phoenix have secured an injury replacement ahead of the wildcard draft, with Nottinghamshire’s Freddie McCann replacing Derbyshire seamer Harry Moore, who has a back stress fracture.The Hundred will run from August 5-31 and is being viewed as a transitional season before the ECB hands operational responsibility for the eight teams over to their host counties and new private investors ahead of the 2026 edition.

Rookie batter Tommy Boorman compiles match-winning 38 as hosts hold their nerve

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay10-Aug-2025Rookie batter Tommy Boorman compiled a superb match-winning innings of 38 not out under intense pressure to carry Gloucestershire to an impressive three-wicket victory over Leicestershire in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.Making only his third List-A appearance, Boorman struck two fours and two sixes and staged an unbroken eighth-wicket stand of 35 in 18 balls with Craig Miles, who helped himself to a brace of sixes in making 18 not out as Gloucestershire reached their victory target of 286 with nine balls to spare.Gloucestershire appeared to be cruising when James Bracey compiled an eye-catching 96 from 106 balls and staged an opening stand of 105 with Cameron Bancroft, who contributed 40. But seamer Alex Green turned the tide back in Leicestershire’s favour, taking 5-52, dismissing both openers and dangermen Ben Charlesworth and Jack Taylor to set up a tense finale.

Peter Handscomb could count himself unlucky to finish on the losing side, Leicestershire’s skipper raising a brilliant 107 from 125 balls with nine fours and a six and sharing in a substantial partnership of 115 for the fifth wicket with Ben Cox, who contributed a run-a-ball 61, as the Foxes recovered from 76 for 4 to post 285 for 7.Liam Trevaskis produced a hard-hitting 30 not out as the visitors added 61 runs in the final five overs, but Gloucestershire seamer Josh Shaw excelled with the new ball, returning figures of 3 for 40 to keep last season’s beaten semi-finalists in check.Gloucestershire’s decision to bowl first was justified when Shaw claimed 3 for 20 with the new ball to reduce the Foxes to 22 for 3. The Yorkshireman bowled Rishi Patel between bat and pad without scoring, had Sol Budinger held at deep third via a top-edged cut and then had Lewis Hill caught at the wicket in the act of cutting, at which point he had dismantled Leicestershire’s top order in the space of 15 deliveries from the Ashley Down Road end.Having mustered just three boundaries in the powerplay, the visitors were under duress in the face of variable bounce on a slow pitch. But Shan Masood and Handscomb effected a partial recovery, staging an important alliance of 54 in 13.3 overs. The fourth-wicket partnership was beginning to flourish when Ben Charlesworth made a breakthrough with his first ball, persuading Pakistan Test captain Masood to top-edge a pull shot to deep fine leg and depart for 35 with the score 76 for 4 in the 19th.That was as good as it got for Gloucestershire. New batter Cox looked to disrupt the home side’s smooth progress from the outset, clearing the rope behind square for the first six of the innings when Matt Taylor dropped short as the Foxes reached halfway on 113 for 4.The batters managed to get on top for the first time against spinners Ollie Price and Jack Taylor, Handscomb and Cox combining excellent running between the wickets and clever placement in raising a 50 partnership from 57 balls. Averaging a half-century every four innings in List-A cricket, Handscomb went to his 42nd fifty from 76 balls, while Cox attained the same landmark via 45 deliveries with five fours and a six.Gloucestershire needed a wicket and Akhter obliged, bowling Cox to terminate a partnership that had revitalised Leicestershire. Cox had scored a run-a-ball 61 and helped establish a platform from which the visitors could launch a late assault.Matt Taylor removed Ian Holland cheaply, but there was no shifting Handscomb, the Australian going to his ninth List-A hundred by launching Akhter over long-off for six. He received staunch support from Liam Trevaskis with a quickfire unbeaten 30 from 22 deliveries in a valuable seventh-wicket alliance of 51 in 35 balls as the Foxes smashed 61 runs in the final five overs.Gloucestershire openers Bracey and Bancroft were initially circumspect in the face of the new-ball threat. But Bracey soon warmed to his task, greeting Tom Scriven with a pick-up for six over midwicket and a pull for four next ball as the home side advanced to 47 without loss at the end of 10 overs. So dominant was Bracey, that Bancroft contributed just seven runs to the 50 partnership.Bracey went to an authoritative half-century from 58 deliveries, reaching that landmark with his ninth four, causing Handscomb to turn to spin. The opening partnership had realised three figures before the Foxes made the breakthrough they so desperately needed, Bancroft edging a catch behind off Chris Wright in the 20th over.Ollie Price proved adept at rotating the strike thereafter and Gloucestershire were well-placed on 134 for 1 at the halfway stage, requiring a further 152 at 6.1 an over. These two posted a 50 partnership from 65 balls, but Price fell for 29, hitting Green straight to Handscomb at midwicket.Green then struck a telling blow, having Bracey held at deep square leg, at which point Gloucestershire still needed 108 to win with two new batters at the crease. Charlesworth hit a quickfire 19, only to succumb to a leg-side strangle as Green made another important intervention.Sensing an opportunity, Leicestershire kept up the pressure and Trevaskis dismissed Joe Phillips for 14 to further reduce the home side, still 61 short of their target with nine overs remaining.Boorman helped himself to a six and a four off Holland, but Gloucestershire’s task was made harder when Green accounted for Jack Taylor and Akhter with successive deliveries in the 46th over.Miles hit a straight six off Green and Boorman repeated the feat off Trevaskis as the eighth wicket pair held their nerve. Miles hit the winning six in the penultimate over.

Nurul Hasan makes an ODI comeback following his match-winning cameo in the first T20I against Afghanistan

Mohammad Isam03-Oct-2025Bangladesh have picked batter Saif Hassan in an ODI squad for the first time, and also recalled Nurul Hasan after two years, for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi.Hassan had returned to the T20I squad against Netherlands in August and impressed with his performances, especially in the Asia Cup where he made 61 and 69 in the Super Four matches against Sri Lanka and India. Nurul made a match-winning 23 not out off 13 balls to rescue Bangladesh in the first T20I against Afghanistan. Both batters are consistent performers in the domestic List-A competitions.Litton Das missed out on ODI selection as he continues to recover from the side strain he sustained during the Asia Cup. It had kept him out of the ongoing T20Is against Afghanistan too. The Bangladesh selectors dropped Parvez Hossain Emon from the ODI squad that played Afghanistan in July.A couple of Bangladesh players have also had visa issues. Mohammad Naim, who was picked in the ODI squad, is still in Dhaka because he hasn’t got his UAE visa yet. Soumya Sarkar, who is in the T20I squad for the ongoing series, has also been unable to travel to Sharjah; he is not part of the ODI squad, though. ODI captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Hasan Mahmud, Tanvir Islam and Nahid Rana will travel to the UAE on Friday to join the rest of the squad.Bangladesh play Afghanistan in the second and third T20Is on October 3 and 5 in Sharjah, followed by the ODIs in Abu Dhabi on October 8, 11 and 14.

Bangladesh squad for ODIs vs Afghanistan

Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), Tanzid Hasan, Mohammad Naim, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana

Pretoria Capitals have a revamped squad and support staff for the upcoming SA20 season

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Dec-2025Keshav Maharaj has been appointed Pretoria Capitals (PC) captain for the upcoming season of the SA20 league, replacing Rilee Rossouw. He was captain of Durban Super Giants until last season,”Maharaj brings a wealth of international pedigree across formats, along with a proven track record of guiding teams with composure, clarity and intent,” Capitals said in a statement on Friday. “Having captained South Africa in white-ball cricket and served as a senior figure within the national setup for several years, Maharaj’s leadership experience, tactical understanding and consistency make him an invaluable addition in this role. His presence strengthens the balance and direction of the Pretoria Capitals squad as the team heads into the new season.”Capitals have a revamped set-up this season, with Sourav Ganguly, the former India captain, taking over as head coach. Ganguly replaced Jonathan Trott and will be assisted by former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock.Related

• How the SA20 squads stack up after the auction

The franchise went into the auction in September with the biggest purse – 32.5 million Rand (US$1.85 million approx.) – and also the most slots to fill: 16. They splurged on Dewald Brevis, breaking the SA20 pay record by bidding 16.5 million Rand (US$945,000 approx.) on the batter.Maharaj was one of their big buys at the auction, where they also acquired Lungi Ngidi, Lizaad Williams, Craig Overton, Saqib Mahmood and Codi Yusuf, among others. Andre Russell, who recently retired as a player from the IPL before signing on as Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) power coach, was acquired as a wild card, while Will Jacks and Sherfane Rutherford were their pre-auction signings.Capitals have had an up and down time in the SA20 so far: they finished the first season at the top of the table in the group stage, before losing to Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the final. In the two seasons since then – in 2023-24 and 2024-25 – they have had more middling results, finishing fifth both times and failing to qualify for the playoffs.The 2025-26 season of the SA20 begins on December 26 with a contest between MI Cape Town and Durban’s Super Giants. Capitals begin their season the following day with a fixture against Joburg Super Kings. The final will be played on January 25, 2026.

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According to The Sun, Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino turned down the chance to sign Barcelona attacker Malcom before Thursday’s transfer deadline.

Malcom joined Barcelona from Bordeaux last summer, but the 21-year-old has only made six La Liga appearances this term and managed just two goals for the club.

According to The Sun, Tottenham had the opportunity to sign Malcom this month, but Pochettino  turned down the move.

Spurs came from behind to beat Watford in the Premier League on Wednesday night, but it has been a difficult few weeks for the club after suffering elimination from the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

And with Harry Kane and Dele Alli on the sidelines until at least March, it is somewhat of a surprise that the Spurs boss snubbed the chance to sign a player who was arguably the most exciting young forward in Europe last season.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Tottenham fans can be seen below:

Playmaker FC Exclusive: “Wolves absolutely spanked you” – Jermaine Jenas gives damning verdict of Arsenal’s season. Check out the video below…

A late goal against Newcastle helped Tottenham stay in the Premier League title race last weekend.

Son Heung-Min capitalised on Martin Dubravka’s error in the 83rd minute to score the only goal of the game against the Magpies and hand Mauricio Pochettino a massive three points. Just like against Fulham and Watford, Tottenham’s persistence paid off late on and kept the pressure on the league leaders. Their refusal to draw is remarkable and victory means Spurs set a Premier League record of 29 matches in a row without drawing.

Considering Spurs haven’t signed a single player in the last two transfer windows, their progress this season has been magnificent. Pochettino’s men remain in the title race and could take advantage of both Liverpool and Manchester City dropping points in recent weeks. Even if they fall short, the building blocks are in place for another strong campaign next year.

One man who could help take them to the next level is Bournemouth sensation – David Brooks. Valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, the Welshman burst on to the scene at Sheffield United last season – impressing in the derby against Sheffield Wednesday on his debut. His fantastic showings did not go unnoticed with Bournemouth paying £10m to prise him to the Vitality Stadium in the summer.

Brooks has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water and has been brilliant during his 22 appearances so far. The 21-year-old has netted six goals and registered four assists for his team-mates, highlighting the threat he poses in the final third of the field. Still developing and improving, Brooks has been tipped for a move to one of the Premier League top four in the near future.

Pochettino has a reputation for giving youth a chance and could be the perfect mentor for the Wales international in the summer.

Tottenham fans, thoughts?

Manchester City have been linked with Aaron Wan-Bissaka according to the Sun, and he would be perfect for Guardiola’s champions.

The 21-year-old has been a revelation at right-back for Crystal Palace this season, demonstrating his high work rate and quality at both ends of his flank. The youngster has all the traits of a typical Guardiola full back. Fast, high energy, good delivery and calm on the ball.

City have Danilo and Kyle Walker down that side at the moment and neither have impressed massively. Walker, of course, played a large part in City’s title triumph last season, but his passing is often wayward and his final ball into the box, is poor. Danilo is just simply inconsistent.

Full-backs are key in Guardiola’s system because they either tuck inside, flooding the midfield and creating space for the wingers, or, when used as wing backs, fly down the touchline and pepper balls into the box to set up tap-ins.

Benjamin Mendy is a prime example of the perfect full-back for these tactics, but annoyingly for City, he’s been injured for most of the one and a half seasons he’s been at the Etihad Stadium. Wan-Bissaka could be the man to carry out those duties on the opposite side, causing havoc for opposition fullbacks and even central midfielders.

Being so young is also a major positive for Guardiola who is looking to set City up an era of dominance in England and on the continent. Younger players are far easier to mould to a system than more developed players who some could say are stuck in their ways. The fact he’s English also helps City meet the home-grown quota for Champions League and Premier League squad sizes.

If City can land Wan-Bissaka in the summer, it would be a great investment for the future and also provide Guardiola with a right-back capable of carrying out Guardiola’s plans better than Kyle Walker is doing.

Do you think Wan-Bissaka should join City?