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Tottenham Hotspur will feel hard done by after salvaging a draw against Newcastle United on Tuesday evening, having come unstuck after Anthony Gordon dispatched a controversially won penalty for the home side.

There’s a case to be made that Rodrigo Bentancur had infringed play in the box, but the tussle was waged between two players – one of whom was the 6 foot 7 Dan Burn – and there’s also a case to be made that Bentancur was pulled to the floor by the Newcastle defender.

Even as Cristian Romero’s brace rescued his side, Thomas Frank will know the pressure valve has not been released, and he still has much to prove if he is to cement his managerial berth in north London.

Frank's struggles at the Spurs helm

Tottenham have been something of a mixed bag in the Premier League this season. Their home performance woes have spilt from last year into the current term, with the defeat to Fulham meaning three have been lost on the bounce in the top flight.

Tactically, Tottenham are not creating enough. James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are sidelined, have been since the summer, but this is no excuse for the stunted playmaking quality that has been on show. Spurs’ players are not maximising their own skillsets.

Frank is a more pragmatic manager than Ange Postecoglou before him, but his Brentford side still produced clinical and concise attacking play.

Man City

2nd

26.7

Chelsea

4th

24.0

Arsenal

1st

23.5

Crystal Palace

5th

22.7

Liverpool

8th

22.2

(18) Tottenham

11th

12.6

Now, much has been left to be desired in his Lilywhites team, and ENIC Group could be forced into cutting off their new manager and replacing him with a summer target.

Indeed, Daniel Levy (remember him?) interviewed Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, as per TalkSPORT, who confirm that he has his sights set on a move up the ladder, albeit with a preference to see out the season.

Given the depth of Tottenham’s interest, this could be a deal revisited. And anyway, it’s not like the Spanish tactician has done anything to deter suitors this year.

Why Iraola is a better stylistic fit

Iraola is a young manager, but he has taken to the Premier League with ease, inculcating his aggressive, attack-focused football at the Vitality Stadium and recording Bournemouth’s highest-ever points total (56) last year.

He has transformed Bournemouth from a band of hard-batting, relegation-contending troops to an easy-on-the-eye attacking force, so intense and energetic. The fact he boasts a superior points-per-game record to Frank in the Premier League only adds fuel to the argument.

It’s a style of football that feels tailor-made for a club like Spurs. To dare is to do, after all, and one of the biggest criticisms of Frank’s tactics has been a pragmatism and lack of creative ambition.

The Spaniard has even been generously named “the best coach in the Premier League” by journalist James Horncastle for his impact on the south coast, and though the Cherries are struggling for form right now, with four losses from five outings, there’s little question that he has laid out his credentials at the top.

Talented players like Xavi Simons are struggling. Tottenham are in a rut. Could Iraola provide the solution? His ability to adapt – evidenced after a summer exodus – could also play favourably into a north London outfit who have undergone a fair amount of chopping and changing in recent years.

It is not yet time for ENIC chiefs to push for a managerial change, but Frank will know that he will soon be on borrowed time if unable to prove that his tactical vision is slowly taking root at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Should push come to shove, Iraola may well prove the perfect replacement, his self-defined “rock and roll” brand of football aligning with Spurs’ free-flowing identity.

The new Son: Spurs prepared to pay £65m to sign "world-class" talent

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to fork out a hefty sum to land a new attacker for Thomas Frank.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 3, 2025

Bo Bichette is on the open market for the first time in his career, and it seems he’s attracting plenty of interest in the early stages of free agency.

There had been some speculation that the Blue Jays shortstop may fare better at a different infield position in free agency, but early indications are that he’s still garnering a lot of interest as a shortstop.

According to MLB insider Jon Morosi, the bulk of the interest in Bichette thus far this offseason has been with the intention of utilizing him at shortstop. However, Morosi also noted that teams with an established shortstop already on the roster have expressed interest in bringing Bichette on board at second base or even third base.

Although Bichette had a solid season at the plate in 2025, he struggled defensively. He ranked dead last among qualified shortstops in terms of outs above average at -13, and he had one of the weaker arms at the position, too.

Moving him to second base would potentially be a better fit for his arm, though there are seemingly still teams who are eyeing him at shortstop.

Bichette missed much of the postseason with a knee injury, but when he returned to the field for the World Series, he was inserted at second base instead of his usual spot at shortstop. Bichette hadn’t played second base since 2019 when he was still in the minor leagues, but he performed well defensively in the Fall Classic.

In 2025, Bichette slashed .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs. His .840 OPS was his best since 2020. He’s in the market for a long-term deal, and it seems his subpar defense at shortstop isn’t dissuading potential suitors thus far into the free agency period.

Harmanpreet Kaur was “very happy” with India notching up their second straight win at the 2025 ODI women’s World Cup. But Sunday’s 88-run win over Pakistan in Colombo, one that she described as an “important game for all of us”, wasn’t without its fair share of flutters.Like in their opening game against Sri Lanka, India’s lower-order rescued them to set up a total they managed to defend courtesy of their spinners. For much of their batting innings, India struggled for momentum. They slumped to 203 for 7 at one point, and were in danger of being bowled out until Richa Ghosh’s unbeaten 35 off 20 lifted them to 247.”To be honest, it wasn’t an easy pitch to bat,” Harmanpreet said. “We just wanted to bat longer and see how many runs we can get. When we played here in the tri-series [in May], the pitches were different. But with the rain over the last two days, there was a bit of a hold on the pitch. The key was to keep wickets in the end so that we could execute.”Related

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That’s exactly what Ghosh did to give India the end-overs momentum. The other key contributor was fast bowler Kranti Goud, who made the early breakthroughs before Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana got among the wickets with Pakistan batters miscuing big hits in succession with the asking rate mounting.Goud, 22, was named Player of the Match for her 3 for 20, which included the wickets of Sadaf Shamas and Aliya Riyaz inside the first ten overs to set Pakistan back.For Goud, it was a return to where it all began for her in May this year when she was handed her ODI debut during the tri-series, on the back of a sensational showing in last year’s domestic one-day final, where she picked up four wickets in four balls, including that of Ghosh to help MP clinch the title.Goud bowled with pace, got the new ball to dart around and in general troubled batters with her zip off the pitch. “Kranti bowled really well,” Harmanpreet acknowledged. “Renuka [Singh] was helping her from the other end, to get breakthroughs for us.”Kranti Goud was named player of the match for her 3 for 20•Associated Press

India let themselves down on the field, dropping four catches, including three off Sidra Amin, the top-scorer of Pakistan’s innings. Their ground fielding, too, was patchy, a concern that is slowly beginning to creep up on them.”We let ourselves down on the field, we got so many chances which we unfortunately dropped, but in the end, when you win, you feel happy.”India now play their next two games – against South Africa (October 9) and Australia (October 12) – in Visakhapatnam. For now, Harmanpreet wants the team to soak in the winning feeling and reflect on a job well done before they refocus.”There are a lot of areas to work on but right now I’m happy that we won this game,” Harmanpreet said. “We just want to go with that momentum. We go back to India now, where we know how the pitches will play. Let’s see what is the best combination that we can come up with and how we can improve day by day.”

Sans Naseem and Afridi, Pakistan’s pace attack failed to inspire on a surface where elite quicks will get wickets

Danyal Rasool04-Jan-2025It would not strictly be true to say no Pakistan bowler delivered a single ball over 140kph today. The broadcasters have recorded it as such, and it’s certainly a fact South Africa did not have to face a single delivery which challenged them at that pace. However, it probably wasn’t just Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, whose high pace was so potent it produced three wickets in under nine overs, who cranked it up to 140kph today.When tea had been taken and Pakistan were resting indoors, having been ground into the dust under a blistering Newlands sun, Naseem Shah was on a practice pitch a few strips over from the real thing, new ball in hand. There was no speed gun to monitor him, but it didn’t take one to know no Pakistan bowler who actually started this Test matched that speed. The action was regular, the follow-through earnest, the shape on the ball exquisite. One delivery landed on a length, moved late at speed and knocked back the solitary stump at the other end. Even if there was a batter stood there, it might have been tricky keeping that out.For a bowler who’s officially out with back stiffness and chest congestion, Naseem – who has also been out there as substitute fielder and helped Saim Ayub onto a stretcher yesterday – wouldn’t exactly have been a liability to this attack.Related

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But this is not an individual selection gripe. Naseem was, after all, part of the side for the first Test, and while he sent down a long, impressive spell in South Africa’s first innings, he never truly came close to matching Rabada or Jansen’s threat. As Shan Masood has said in the past, Pakistan don’t often take 20 wickets, and though they managed 18 in Centurion, it didn’t quite get them over the line.At the same time, though, when Pakistan selected this attack, it is difficult to imagine they truly believed they had a realistic shot of 20 wickets on this surface. For clarity, Pakistan were remarkably open about the tradeoffs they had to assess before naming a squad, which they waited right to the morning of the Test to do. Any XI they named, spinner or not, Naseem or not, will likely have found wicket-taking hard inserted in to bowl for two hot sunny days.And, in truth, each of Pakistan’s four seamers did what they had been asked to do. They bowled hard lengths; it was the most common delivery for every one of the four bowlers by some distance. They resisted the temptation to pitch it up, as they might have done in Pakistan. They picked up two early wickets with the new ball, and another one with the second new ball. South Africa may have taken them to the cleaners once the scorecard had soared into silly numbers by the afternoon of the second day, but it was a product of the lack of pressure and a flatness of the wicket rather than a drop in Pakistan’s efforts or quality. And Pakistan continued to take it seriously to the last, at no point did we see them go through the run order for who else could bowl; one over from Kamran Ghulam aside, every over was bowled by a specialist quick or their assigned spinner, Salman Agha.Pointing all that out doesn’t add to the mystery of how an under-scrutiny South African top six ended up with 615; it strips away the veneer, leaving you looking directly at the answer. A Pakistan attack that lacks high pace on a pitch that doesn’t offer the bowlers assistance will not get on top of an international batting line-up, no matter how well they might do whatever they can do. Much like expecting to win a marathon when you can’t afford running shoes, Pakistan found themselves compromised in fundamental non-negotiable ways, and no change in extraneous reality could have compensated for that.Shaheen Afridi, arguably Pakistan’s best bowler in the ODI series last month, was not selected for the Tests and allowed to go off to play the Bangladesh Premier League; he has played two games in Mirpur in the past week. Naseem, as we saw, couldn’t quite make the cut for this Test, and there are no other bowlers at high pace, in this squad or indeed in all of Pakistan, who the selection committee truly feel comfortable throwing into a Test match. There may very well be merit to that position, but it meant Pakistan had a bad hand, and South Africa were aware of it. What followed for over the last two days was merely an inevitable consequence of it all.Perhaps that was more instructively obvious in the 21 overs South Africa bowled than the more than 141 Pakistan did. The pitch was just as flat when Rabada and Jansen bowled but you might have been fooled over ten overs of high-class, high pace bowling. Pakistan had to battle to keep them at bay every delivery, without success; they were 20 for three on a surface where, just yesterday, South Africa were 307 for three at one point.But when Wiaan Mulder, operating around the high 120s, and debutant Kwena Maphaka, not quite at Rabada and Jansen’s level, entered the attack, this Newlands strip reverted to its bashful, docile self of the last two days. Babar Azam had done well to dig in, and for the last half hour, he and Mohammad Rizwan had little trouble keeping South Africa out, or scoring runs at a decent clip.But on a surface where elite, fast bowlers will get you out, South Africa have at least two of them, and Pakistan none. With Pakistan still 552 runs behind, this Test match hasn’t exactly kept its cards hidden.

West Ham United manager Nuno has now commented on the ownership protest, which took place after the 3-1 victory against Newcastle United on Sunday.

West Ham picked up just their second Premier League victory of the season at the weekend, defeating Newcastle at the London Stadium, courtesy of a long-range Lucas Paqueta strike and a Sven Botman own-goal, before Tomas Soucek put the game beyond doubt in injury time.

Nuno managed to get his first win on the board despite a backdrop of discontent, with supporters planning a sit-in protest against the board, having reached the end of their tether with David Sullivan and Karren Brady.

The players seemed unaffected by the off-field issues, however, with Alfie Potts, who had a goal disallowed for a marginal offside in the second half, praising his teammates after the match, saying: “We all fought for the shirt, and we came away with three points, which I think was deserved.”

“I feel like everyone today showed that we’ve got the character and the challenge to come back from positions that we have been in the past, and we can win games, especially against teams like Newcastle who attack really well.”

Nuno directly asked about West Ham fans' protest

The West Ham manager was directly asked about what he thought of the supporters’ protest on Sunday, and he took the time to praise the Hammers faithful, saying: “I think the fans saw something in the team today and this is what we want, this is how we should look at the situation.

“How can we as a team, show to our fans that we want to fight, we want to change [the] situation.

“We want to make things tough for our opponents. We want to change our game, we want to improve our game. The fans [we] cannot thank them enough.”

Of course, the 51-year-old can’t directly criticise the ownership, especially considering some of his recent experiences, with the former Nottingham Forest manager being dismissed after admitting his relationship with Evangelos Marinakis had deteriorated.

However, Nuno’s assessment that the supporters were buoyed on by an encouraging performance is certainly accurate, with the Irons showing signs they are more than capable of getting out of relegation trouble.

West Ham were more than deserving of their victory, as despite the visitors dominating most of the possession, they failed to create any big chances in the match, while the hosts crafted two.

Nuno will be hoping his side can now start to build momentum, with an early six-pointer at home against Burnley pencilled in for next Saturday.

West Ham player ratings as Nuno secures first victory West Ham player ratings v Newcastle United as Nuno secures first victory

The Hammers returned to winning ways with a 3-1 win against Newcastle this afternoon.

ByDominic Lund Nov 2, 2025

MS Dhoni has said the return of Ruturaj Gaikwad will bolster Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) batting in IPL 2026.Gaikwad was ruled out of IPL 2025 after playing five games with an elbow injury. Dhoni took over the CSK captaincy but could not turn the team’s fortunes around; they finished at the bottom with just four wins from 14 matches, struggling to put together consistent batting efforts.”We are slightly worried about our batting order,” Dhoni said at an event in Chennai. “But I think our batting order is quite sorted out now. Rutu (Gaikwad) will be coming back. He got injured. But he will be coming back. So, we are quite sorted now.”Related

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Dhoni said the team will try to further strengthen the unit at the mini-auction later this year. “I won’t say we [CSK] slacked off [in IPL 2025],” he said. “But there were certain holes that we needed to plug in. A small auction is coming in December. Some loopholes are there, and we will try to plug those in.”Gaikwad’s last competitive outing remains CSK’s match against Punjab Kings at Mullanpur on April 8. He had a county deal with Yorkshire but withdrew citing personal reasons. He has been named in the West Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy 2025-26, beginning later this month.MS Dhoni wants CSK to use the mini-auction to plug the holes•BCCI

Dhoni admitted CSK were below-par over the last two seasons, and said it was important for the team to identify the areas of concern.”Yes, the last couple of years have not been good for us,” Dhoni said. “We have not been up to the mark. But what is important is for you to see the learnings. Yes, you had a bad season. But what went wrong? And that was the question for us last year also.”We were like, ‘okay, there are some shortcomings’. But first we needed to exactly figure out what were the shortcomings and then look at solutions. I feel more often than not we have been able to figure out what exactly went wrong. In sports, you know you can have a very good time and at the same time there will be periods when you won’t be performing well. In CSK, more often than not, we are on the higher side.”So, we do talk about the processes. But at the same time we do want the result to come to our side. Last year it wasn’t there. But looking ahead, we will try to sort out most of the things, and we will hopefully be at our best.”Dhoni started his journey with CSK in 2008 and has led them to five IPL titles. He said his journey with franchise and the city has played an important part in his personal growth.”It’s a very long relationship that we have had and it started much before the start of IPL … 2005 was the time when I made my Test debut which happened to be in Chennai. So, it started from that point of time. And yes, CSK helped in a big way because all of a sudden I’m spending 45-50 days here.”So, I feel the relationship over the years has grown. It helped me improve as a person. It helped me improve as a cricketer. So, CSK just happened. I think it’s good for Chennai. So, today it’s good for me also. Nowadays when we go and say CSK, it’s not a brand only in India, but when we go to Australia, South Africa, or any of the cricket playing nations.”

“I want to ensure there are one or two players who can fill my gap when I have left the dressing room”

Mohammad Isam20-Nov-2025Mushfiqur Rahim feels his 20-plus years of experience in international cricket helped prepare him for the expectations, pressure and hype around his 100th Test match. Mushfiqur became the eleventh cricketer to score a century in their 100th Test, particularly important in the way he dragged the team out of trouble on the first morning.Mushfiqur put together two century stands, 107 for the fourth wicket with Mominul Haque and 108 for the fifth wicket with Litton Das, but he had to endure a nervous evening on Wednesday as he was unbeaten on 99 overnight. His on-field performance wasn’t much of a surprise given that he was in good form in Bangladesh’s previous Test series in June. Mushfiqur said that he is still pinching himself for becoming the first cricketer from Bangladesh to reach the 100-Test milestone.”I can’t believe that someone from Bangladesh has played a hundred Tests, so it’s really a huge achievement,” Mushfiqur said. “It is a proud moment for any player. So obviously I am happy that I could be that person. There’s more responsibility on me. I want to give back for as long as I am playing for Bangladesh, and I want to ensure there are one or two players who can fill my gap when I have left the dressing room.”I think 100 is a huge number, so I have learned many things while getting there. I have tried to gather experience and learned how to stay calm. To be honest, I really want to thank the BCB for what they planned on the first morning. It really feels great and I really felt honoured. I think this type of recognition can work as an inspiration for cricketers. It is important for them to dream that they want to play 100 Tests.”Related

• Mushfiqur, Litton, bowlers put Bangladesh on top

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Mushfiqur said that he was eyeing up a big hundred in the first innings, an aspect of his career that has become more frequent in the last five years.”I tried to reach the milestone last evening since these things are not easy. They could have bowled one more over but I understand it is a tactical thing. I think we would have done the same thing if we were the fielding side.”At the same time, I wanted to score a big hundred, rather than just getting to the mark. I tried to motivate myself that I want to score 60 or 70 more runs, not just the one run. I wanted to bat till Litton got to his century. I couldn’t do it, but Miraz batted well after that,” he said.This has been a week of reflections in Bangladesh cricket. Many of Mushfiqur’s former team-mates and coaches have paid tribute to his career. It was also necessary to listen to what Mushfiqur had to say about his milestone, especially given the high value he places on Test cricket.”I told the team huddle on the first day that the team always comes first. Mushfiqur Rahim is because of Bangladesh. I think I am like a drop in the ocean. Bangladesh comes first, and a win in this Test match will be my biggest gift whether I score or not,” he said.Mushfiqur Rahim walks out to bat in his 100th Test•BCB

Mushfiqur, who grew up in the northern town of Bogra before enrolling in BKSP, the country’s biggest sports institute, said that he would dedicate the century in his 100th Test to his grandparents.”I want to dedicate the century to my paternal and maternal grandparents. They were my biggest fans when they were alive. They told me shortly before they died that they want to live a little longer to watch me play. I think very rarely do anyone get such grandparents. Their blessings have brought me this far.”Mushfiqur said that he is looking forward to Bangladesh’s next Test assignment: the two-match series against Pakistan at home in April, but didn’t reveal too much about his long-term future.”I think there’s a four-month break, after which we will play against Pakistan. Nothing more than that. I know I have to keep improving. I want to play as long as the team and team management wants me to play, and I know if the team wants me to continue, I will continue to play.”

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl is only a few weeks away from having the chance to make changes to his playing squad for the first time since he joined the club.

The German boss arrived after the summer transfer window, which was spearheaded by Russell Martin and Kevin Thelwell, which means that he does not have any of his own signings.

Whilst the former Sheffield Wednesday boss will want to make some signings of his own to bolster the squad, Rohl may also want to move some of the current players on in the January transfer window.

The Rangers players who should be let go in January

There are several current first-team duds who should be moved on ahead of the second half of the season because they do not look like key players for the new manager.

Chalkboard

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

Clinton Nsiala, for example, is yet to play a single minute of football in the 2025/26 campaign, per Transfermarkt, and has only made the matchday squad on four occasions.

With John Souttar, Derek Cornelius, Nasser Djiga, and Emmanuel Fernandez ahead of him in the pecking order when fit, an exit in January could be the best move for his career.

Rabbi Matondo, per Transfermarkt, is another player who has not played a single minute of action this season and has not made any matchday squads, which suggests that he may be free to find a new club in January if he is not part of the manager’s plans.

Finally, Kieran Dowell should also be moved on in the winter amid reported interest from English Championship side Hull City, who are looking to sign him on loan.

Why Kieran Dowell should never play a minute under Danny Rohl

The English attacking midfielder, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Birmingham, played 384 minutes across six appearances in July and August under Martin and failed to score any goals before picking up an injury.

He was even described as “non-existent” by Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar in the 2-0 win over Panathinaikos in July, as he failed to create a single chance in 75 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore.

Now back fit, having played for the U19s with Dujon Sterling last month, Dowell has not been involved in a single matchday squad for Rohl, per Sofascore, which suggests that he is not in the manager’s thoughts for the first-team.

With Hull said to be interested in signing him, Rangers appear to have the opportunity to move him on from Ibrox on loan for the second half of the season, before his contract expires in the summer, per Transfermarkt.

The Light Blues would, therefore, be allowing him to leave on a free transfer after his loan spell at Hull ends, which would give the Tigers a chance to assess whether or not they want to sign him permanently ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

On top of having that option, Dowell should also not play a single minute for Rohl between now and January because Lyall Cameron would be a better player to bring in if the manager wants to change his attacking midfielder.

Appearances

12

33

Goals

0

9

Conversion rate

0%

17%

Key passes per game

0.7

1.6

Big chances created

3

6

Assists

0

5

The Scottish starlet, as shown in the table above, appears far more likely to make an impact in the Scottish Premiership as an attacking midfielder, after a return of 15 goal contributions last season.

Cameron, however, has been an unused substitute in seven of the last eight games in all competitions, and in all of the last four, per Transfermarkt, which shows how difficult it is to get a place in the team under the German head coach.

Therefore, given how far down the pecking order he is, it is hard to see a situation where Dowell ends up playing any minutes on the pitch for Rangers before he has the chance to join Hull on loan at the start of next month.

This is why the former Norwich City playmaker, who has registered zero goals and one assist in six games this season, should never play for Rohl, and why he should be allowed to leave on loan in January before being released on a free transfer next summer.

Bid already submitted: Rangers could sign a "very pacy" Gassama replacement

Rangers could replace Djeidi Gassama on the wing by signing this reported target in the January window.

ByDan Emery 3 days ago

The left-footed flop has only provided two goals and three assists in 38 appearances for Rangers, per Transfermarkt, since his move from the Canaries in 2023, which illustrates how little he has contributed as an attacking force on the pitch in his time at Ibrox.

Bangladesh, who swept Afghanistan 3-0 in the T20I series, will go into the ODI series high on confidence

Mohammad Isam07-Oct-2025

Saif Hassan’s ODI debut is a much-anticipated event in Bangladesh cricket•Getty Images

Big picture: a rare ODI face-off after deluge of T20IsBangladesh and Afghanistan will have to fight the same adversary in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday: rustiness.Afghanistan last played an ODI eight months ago, in the 2025 Champions Trophy, and even that game was washed out, so they have played just two ODIs this year. Bangladesh have played six, but the last one was in July. Not as bad as their opponents, of course, but they have lost four of these games and won just one.This irregularity in playing ODIs affects how the XIs are chosen.Afghanistan have dropped Fazalhaq Farooqi, Gulbadin Naib and Noor Ahmad based on their Asia Cup – in the T20 format – performance. Hashmatullah Shahidi continues to lead, with Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal forming the batting core.Azmatullah Omarzai is their ODI star with bat and ball, so he will have to shoulder a significant workload. Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi will lead the bowling attack, alongside newcomers like Bashir Ahmad and Abdollah Ahmadzai, who made their T20I debuts earlier this week.Related

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Bangladesh, meanwhile, have a squad that’s based on their big-picture plan for the 2027 ODI World Cup. It means Mehidy Hasan Miraz continues as captain, with Najmul Hossain Shanto back in the picture. There will be hope that some of the batters bring their T20I form into the ODI arena. Tanzid Hasan and Saif Hassan looked good in the recent 3-0 win against Afghanistan and will be relied upon.The battle will be between Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain and Nurul Hasan for the three middle-order spots. Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman will lead the bowling attack, while it will be interesting to see whether Rishad Hossain and Tanvir Islam are both picked in the XI or not.Bangladesh would like to ride on the momentum of the T20I series sweep, while Afghanistan must get out of their five-match losing streak across formats. It is likely to be a closely fought series, but the rustiness could mean a lot of errors – in the planning and in the field – as they go adjusting to the format.Form guideAfghanistan WLWWW
Bangladesh LWLLLRashid Khan will depend a lot on Azmatullah Omarzai in either innings•Associated Press

In the spotlight: Azmatullah Omarzai and Saif HassanAzmatullah Omarzai has scored 896 runs and taken 31 wickets in the last two years in ODIs. No wonder he is currently No. 2 in the allrounders rankings. Omarzai will bat in the lower-middle order to provide cushion as well the finishing touches, and also play as the second seamer. He was one of the few to show good form in the T20Is against Bangladesh, although he would be disappointed with the way he got out in the third game in Sharjah, a wild swing that ended in a top edge that was taken by the backward point fielder.Saif Hassan will be the most anticipated ODI debutant for Bangladesh in a long time. His scintillating form in T20Is in the last two months has forced the selectors to bring him into an ODI set-up that’s crying out for a fresh approach. Saif’s attacking shots are great to watch, but as he showed in the third T20I on Sunday, he can also be clever: he played out a maiden over from Rashid Khan knowing it was the legspinner’s last and went on to score an unbeaten 38-ball 64 to take Bangladesh home.Darwish Rasooli is likely to get into the playing XI•AFP/Getty Images

Team news: middle-order changes in the offingDarwish Rasooli is likely to get into the XI while either Nangeyalia Kharote and AM Ghazanfar is expected to join the attack. Bashir could make his ODI debut.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Sediqullah Atal, 4 Rahmat Shah, 5 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 6 Darwish Rasooli, 7 Azmatullah Omarzai, 8 Mohammad Nabi, 9 Rashid Khan, 10 Nangeyalia Kharote, 11 Bashir AhmadSaif is likely to open the innings with Tanzid, while Nurul will fight for a place with Hridoy. Mohammad Naim has not reached UAE yet due to visa issues. Parvez Hossain has been added to the ODI squad as a back-up batter. Nurul Hasan is likely to keep wicket in the first ODI.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Saif Hassan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), 6 Nurul Hasan (wk), 7 Jaker Ali, 8 Tanzim Hasan Sakib, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Tanvir Islam, 11 Mustafizur RahmanNurul Hasan will have to fight for his spot•AFP/Getty Images

Pitch and conditions: bat first, win the game?The side batting first has won four out of the last five day-night ODIs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium. The average score batting first in these matches is 274. The forecast in Abu Dhabi is of extreme heat, with some breeze expected in the evening.Stats and trivia Afghanistan and Bangladesh are tied 2-2 in the bilateral series stakes, although it’s the latter that leads 11-8 overall Nabi is the only survivor of the first ODI between Bangladesh and Afghanistan, held in 2014 in Fatullah Tanvir Islam’s five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in Bangladesh’s previous ODI series was the first five-for by a Bangladeshi spinner in two-and-a-half years.

Legendary former Real Madrid centre-forward Karim Benzema, who spent the dressing room with Los Blancos head coach Xabi Alonso for five seasons between 2009 and 2014, revealed that he likes the "style of play" implemented by the Spanish manager. Alonso succeeded the iconic Carlo Ancelotti in the dugout at the end of last season and has got off to a good start.

• 'Xabi-ball' in full motion at Real Madrid

  It has been an intriguing start to Alonso's life as Real Madrid head coach. Appointed at the end of last season, the former World Cup-winning midfielder's first assignment was participating in the Club World Cup with a half-fit squad. Madrid reached the semi-finals, where they were handed a brutal reality check at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain. 

  Then, following a shortened pre-season, Alonso's troops got the 2025-26 season off to a splendid start. They won the first six games of the La Liga season, before being demolished by their neighbouring rivals Atletico Madrid 5-2 at the Metropolitano in September. That defeat would only turn out to be a small blip, as Madrid won the next seven games on the trot, including a brilliant win over Barcelona at the Bernabeu last month. 

  While they have failed to win their last two games across all competitions, this Madrid team under Alonso has proved that they have a higher floor then they did in the calamitous 2024-25 season, during which they failed to win major silverware. The likes of Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler have become pillars of the squad, with the France captain off to a blazing start after scoring 18 goals in 16 games. 

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  Benzema likes Alonso's Real Madrid

  Speaking in an interview with , Benzema was asked if he saw the potential in Alonso to become a coach when they shared the dressing room. In response, Real Madrid's second-highest goal scorer of all time responded: "I remember when we played together, and it's the same now as a coach. Pressure, vertical passing… It's a style of play I like. He's only been there for six months, and he's doing an excellent job. He needs to be given time."

  Moreover, he defended Alonso and the club from the recent criticism, following a drop in form. "I like this Real Madrid team," he added. "There's a lot of talk about it now, but it's always like this. If they draw or lose, it's a crisis. They go from being the best team in the world to questioning the coach, this player or that player… It's normal because they're the best team in the world. But I like this team."

• Alonso under immense scrutiny

  Last week, Ancelotti gave his verdict on Alonso, whom he coached at Bayern Munich. “I can’t give him any advice. I watch all the Madrid matches because I want to see how the Brazilians are doing and I see the team is doing very well," the Italian told . "They have won almost all the matches, but unfortunately in football you can’t always win. Sometimes you have to draw. One thing I learned at Real Madrid is that a draw here is the prelude to a crisis. No jokes. You have to get used to that. We already know that the main evaluation of a coach is the results, and so far the results have been spectacular. Leading the league and among the top eight in the Champions League. What more can we ask of Xabi? I see a solid team, especially in defense, and very effective upfront. Mbappe is doing very well and [Jude] Bellingham is back. I think Xabi can succeed without any problem."

  The media have been quick to jump on the “crisis” narrative following the goalless draw away to Rayo Vallecano before the international break – a result that came on the heels of a 1–0 Champions League defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. This scrutiny persists despite a 2–1 El Clasico victory over Barcelona last month, a three-point lead at the top of the La Liga table after 12 rounds, and a strong position to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals. Even so, Alonso has not escaped criticism. The former Bayer Leverkusen coach has seen his tactics and man-management questioned, with reports suggesting that the dressing room does not hold a unanimous view of his methods.

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  Does Benzema imagine a career in coaching?

  In the same interview with , Benzema, who will turn 38 next month, reflected on whether he sees coaching as a real possibility once he retires. "I don't know. I have friends who are already involved in coaching and they're always talking to me about it, but it's difficult," he admitted. "Being a footballer or a coach seems different, but it's the same pressure. It's complicated."

  The Frenchman, whose contract with Al-Ittihad expires next summer, has claimed that he sees himself playing for another two years.