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In the absence of Nortje, Coetzee has bossed the middle overs in this WC and has offered SA batting depth at No.8

Deivarayan Muthu31-Oct-20231:36

What does Coetzee bring to South Africa’s bowling line-up?

He has a scary aura about him. He tirelessly hurls the ball in at speeds north of 145kph. He often gets it to skid even faster off the pitch and has batters contorting into awkward positions. He has demons dancing in his eyes and veins popping out of his forehead when he celebrates. Dale Steyn used to do that, remember? His headband only adds to that aura.At 23, Gerald Coetzee is the highest wicket-taker among fast bowlers in the middle overs, in his first-ever World Cup. This is also his first senior tour of India, but he has exceeded expectations, bagging ten wickets in five matches between overs 11 and 40. The next best during this phase has only eight wickets, despite having played one match more than Coetzee. Overall, only Adam Zampa (13) and Mitchell Santner (11) have more wickets than Coetzee during this phase.Coetzee might not have played had Anrich Nortje or Sisanda Magala been fit and available for selection. During this World Cup, South Africa have also had to deal with niggles to Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. But Coetzee has seized his chance and announced himself with breakout performances. His middle-over scalps include Jos Buttler, Harry Brook, Sadeera Samarawickrama and Mohammad Rizwan.Related

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The takedown of Rizwan – and the softening up of Pakistan captain Babar Azam – in Chennai highlighted the potent point of difference that Coetzee brings to South Africa’s attack, regardless of conditions. After having Rizwan hopping, Coetzee got one to take off like a rocket from a short of a length and had him top-edging it behind. He gave Rizwan no time to hook or sway his upper body out of the way. In the same over, Coetzee banged a bouncer into Babar’s armpit and rendered him powerless.In the middle overs, only Mark Wood, Lockie Ferguson, Haris Rauf, and Paul van Meekeren have bowled more short or short-of-a-good length deliveries than Coetzee in this World Cup, according to ESPNcricinfo’s logs, but they have lacked Coetzee’s ability to strike repeatedly. He does tend to be expensive – no other fast bowler has given more runs via boundaries than him in this World Cup – but Coetzee hasn’t veered away from his attacking approach.Former South Africa allrounder Albie Morkel, who has worked with Coetzee at Jo’burg Super Kings in the SA20 and Texas Super Kings in the MLC, is particularly impressed with that approach to fast bowling.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”If you look at Gerald, the intensity he bowls with, it’s very high,” Morkel tells ESPNcricinfo. “He obviously trains hard like most bowlers but the intensity he brings to the attack in those periods…he’s trying to take wickets and he bowls a lot of short balls. He’s trying to intimidate the batsmen and it seems to be working. If you have that wicket-taking mindset like him – even if he goes for runs, he still sticks to his guns and tries to take wickets. I think that’s making him successful.”A lot of other bowlers…if you go for runs early in your over or early in your spell, you tend to sort of take your foot off the gas and rather protect the runs and not have that mindset of taking wickets. So, I think he’s got that ability to look past runs and maybe that’s his job in the team – he’s there to take wickets, even if he leaks [runs]. But I think he will also get better as his career develops. He can hit those good areas more consistently and still have that attacking mindset.”Morkel recalls a SA20 game at the Wanderers in February, when Coetzee offered up two sixes off his first two balls to Paarl Royals’ Buttler but then bounced back to have the batter’s leg stump cartwheeling third ball. The bash-through-the-line Wanderers pitch and its smaller boundaries can fluster most bowlers. But Coetzee isn’t most bowlers. That’s why he was one of JSK’s direct signings ahead of the inaugural SA20 auction.”We got rained out that game, but I think Jos hit him for a six and a six,” Morkel recounts. “And then Gerald bowled him. That’s the point I’m trying to make. Many bowlers – I can probably speak for myself as well – when a batsman tries to take you down, your mindset plays the biggest role. If you can still be aggressive and try to get the guy out, that’s a much better space to be in rather than to just try and defend the over.”When batters play like that, they will give opportunities. But if you bowl easier balls on a fuller length – that’s what the batters want…but Gerald isn’t that type of a guy. He’d rather try and get you out. Bowling in India in the World Cup has so far been tough – the wickets are great, there have been high scores, and the fields are generally smaller than what you get in Australia or whatever, so as a bowler, if you take your foot off the gas, it can be a long day for you. Gerald seems to have that knack of keeping on coming at you, which is a great skill and attribute to have.”What’s not to like about Gerald Coetzee•AFP/Getty ImagesWhile being aggressive is Coetzee’s default response to batters, he has also been working on his defensive skills in order to become a more versatile bowler. For instance in the MLC, he was open to bowling from around the wicket and knocked Aaron Finch over with a slower dipper from that angle.”That’s an area where improvement is needed – the variations,” Morkel says. “He has that nice slower ball – the cutter that he rolls across the ball – which actually dips quite nicely and that’s how he got Finch out in that game. I think if he can perfect that – I’m not being too critical – but sometimes the ball ends up as a full-toss, which is then an easy hit for the batter.”If you can perfect that ball with a good bouncer, those are good weapons to have. That’s something we’ve worked on and that’s something he wants to do. To bowl in the death to top batters these days, it’s not easy. So, as a bowler, you have to want to do that job. He’s one of those guys who will grow into that role pretty nicely and he will become a full package then. Bowling pace at the death with variations – there’re not many guys who can do that.”Coetzee is also capable of doing some damage with the bat lower down the order. In a List A match against Sri Lanka A in Pallekele earlier this year, he had top-scored for South Africa A with 77 off 89 balls after having come in at 42 for 7 against an attack that included Dilshan Madushanka, Dunith Wellalage and Lakshan Sandakan. Morkel feels that Coetzee has enough potential to become a bowling allrounder in the future.”Batting is something Gerald works very hard on,” Morkel says. “I believe that he can become a proper No. 8 and win games with power-hitting but also play the ball around the park. I’ve worked a little bit with him on the batting with JSK and also at the MLC. There’re still technical things he needs to get a hold of, but from a talent point of view, I believe he can be a proper package.”That version of Coetzee will be even more scary.

Filled with gore, intrigue and major plot twists, no way is it going to underwhelm like a certain other epic fantasy show

Alan Gardner15-Feb-2022Come on, let’s admit it. We were all looking forward to the bloody end-of-season finale. Sure, they have become a little formulaic – but an England Ashes tour down under wouldn’t be an England Ashes tour down under without rows, recriminations and a round of sackings to finish off the narrative.What we hadn’t bargained for was the ECB attempting to ramp up their ailing franchise by bringing in previous showrunner Andrew “Director’s Cut” Strauss, who not only wrote out a number of minor characters – Ashley Giles, Chris Silverwood, Dom Bess – but then went for the jugular, -style, by killing off two much-loved protagonists with barely a line of dialogue for preamble.Strauss doubtless had his successful reboot of the much derided white-ball set-up in mind, though it remains to be seen whether audiences will react in the same way to his signature move. And he has left himself room to script a return for both James Anderson and Stuart Broad should things not go to plan – if the critics continue to weigh in, say, or Joe Root discovers that going to the West Indies without England’s two all-time leading wicket-takers wasn’t such a smart move after all.Clearly an overhaul was needed after the much hyped but sadly one-sided battle scene, filmed on location in Australia, in which Root’s men were unceremoniously mauled by a Dothraki horde (led by Pat Cummins in a loin cloth and some heavy eye make-up). With England’s Test ratings falling, and uncertainty about whether Root could cling to power, Strauss acted quickly by commissioning a dollop of off-field drama to distract from the underlying structural failings.Related

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Root remains on the Any-Old-Iron Throne for now, while Tom Harrison continues to lurk in the shadows – despite displaying all the popular touch of Cersei Lannister. Plot development for Strauss’ next instalment is a closely guarded secret, but rumours have suggested a number of potential twists, from Broad being brought back from the dead by the mystical ministrations of the Red-Ball Witch to a climactic assault on Lord’s by the Night King (played by the guy who runs the Hundred’s Twitter account) and his unholy following (women, children, people who refuse to wear ties).Winter isn’t so much coming for the ECB as already set in, and the fight to unite the Seven Kingdoms/18 first-class counties could drag on for several more seasons – or at least till Kevin Pietersen arrives on the back of a giant dragon to raze the lot.Anyway, here’s hoping that Strauss is given a big CGI budget and a free hand. After all, to borrow another saying from TV land, English cricket jumped the shark a long time ago.

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If you love someone, set them free. Alternatively, if you love someone, make them engage in regular 360-degree evaluations, dig into grievances about their man-management skills, look at the victorious Ashes and T20 World Cup campaigns they’ve slaved over and say, “Thanks, champ! How would you like a six-month contract extension?” Justin Langer’s entanglement with the Australia men’s team always had a star-crossed aspect to it. After resigning, he apologised if he had come across as “too intense”; Langer was, in the words of old Bill Shakespeare, “one that loved not wisely, but too well”. As for the players’ side, Cummins put it succinctly: “I don’t think he should be surprised.” At least now Langer, who had spent months away from home, will be able to return to the bosom of the people who really matter – his former baggy-green team-mates, who know the meaning of true mateship ever after.

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For some traditionalists, the annual sight of IPL owners paddling themselves silly in a banqueting hall while indiscriminately splashing the cash is pretty much the confirmation of end times (well, they’ll be right one day). But never mind the ostentatious affront to decency that is the IPL auction – the Light Roller has discovered something far worse.Last week Ben Stokes tweeted: “Just jumped on the NFT bandwagon.” A few days later, having changed his profile picture to that of small, pixellated monkey wearing a cap, he added: “Can’t believe that @ASAC_NFT have made me a Honorary Ape,crazy man thanks to all the team.” If all that makes no sense whatsoever, then give yourself a pat on the back. NFTs – or Non-Fungible Tokens – are the new celebrity grift, you see; and while footballers have been attempting to coin it for a while, it seems cricket too is to be subjected to the blockchain babble of digital pseudo-art. Do not expect it to end well.

Chelsea dropped points for the second game in a row, suffering a disappointing 3-1 defeat away to Leeds United at Elland Road. The Blues put in a lacklustre performance in a tough environment, and never really managed to get into the game.

It was a poor start for Enzo Maresca’s side, who went 1-0 down inside the first six minutes after a fast start from the Whites. It was slack defending from a corner, with Jaka Bijol making a darting run from the edge of the penalty box and heading home at the near post.

The home side doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time. It was yet more questionable defending from the West Londoners, who let Ao Tanaka have acres of space just outside the area. The Japanese international unleashed a vicious shot which nestled into the back of the net.

Chelsea did pull a goal back, with just 50 minutes on the clock. Pedro Neto managed to shake off his marker and pull to the back post, firing home Jamie Gittens’ cross.

It was all in vain, though, after a defensive error with 18 minutes to go meant Leeds scored a third and sealed the win.

It was a disappointing night for Chelsea, with some particularly worrying performances across the board.

Chelsea’s worst performers vs. Leeds

There were some notable bad showings from a few of Maresca’s men against Leeds. One of those came from Tosin Adarabioyo. It was his error which led to Leeds’ third goal and all but secured the three points for the West Yorkshire side.

The former Fulham man received the ball inside the penalty area and took a heavy touch before playing a five-yard pass back to Robert Sanchez.

It was a frustrating lack of awareness from the Chelsea number four, who put his goalkeeper under pressure from the Leeds press.

Another member of the Chelsea side who struggled was centre-forward Liam Delap. It was a night where the Blues’ number nine seemed isolated. Aside from a snapshot in the second half, which he fired over the crossbar, he did little to trouble the Leeds defence.

One person who was critical of Delap’s performance at Elland Road was Goal journalist Tom Ritchie. He gave the English striker a 4/10 for his efforts, and described him as a ‘bystander’ during the first half.

Those two Chelsea stars were not the only players to struggle on Wednesday night, though.

Maresca could boldly bench £180k-per-week Chelsea star

It was a night to forget for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez. The Argentine, who captained the Blues at Elland Road, struggled to get any sort of control in midfield.

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Perhaps that coincided with the fact that his usual partner in the centre of the park, Moises Caicedo, was suspended.

Chelsea’s number eight was arguably at fault for Tanaka’s goal. He was dispossessed in midfield, facing his own goal, with the ball breaking loose, a situation Leeds capitalised on.

This weighed into the 3/10 rating he got from Ritchie, who said he ‘looked rattled at times’. Indeed, Fernandez’s stats from the game show how much of a tough night it was.

Normally, so good on the ball, the £180k-per-week asset only had a pass accuracy of 77% in the Whites’ half, losing the ball 21 times. He also failed to complete a dribble or a tackle.

Fernandez stats vs Leeds

Stat

Number

Touches

106

Opposition half pass accuracy

77%

Number of times ball lost

21

Unsuccessful touches

5

Ground duels won

1/4

Tackles

0

Dribbles

0

Stats from Sofascore

After a showing like that, it will be interesting to see if Maresca keeps Fernandez in the starting lineup for their next game against Bournemouth this Saturday. He certainly struggled without Caicedo next to him, and Reece James inverting from right-back.

There are options at his disposal, too. Cole Palmer is now back from injury and played 30 minutes at Elland Road on Wednesday. Whether or not he can play from the start remains to be seen, but he could slot into the side.

Alternatively, James could be brought back into the starting XI and operate in midfield, as he has done this season to a good degree of success.

Fernandez’s performance at Elland Road was disappointing, and it would not be a surprise if he dropped out of the side, especially with options at Maresca’s disposal.

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Aston Villa could make a move for an “excellent” striker in 2026, amid Ollie Watkins’ struggles to make an impact.

Villa lay down marker with victory over Arsenal

Villa secured their seventh win on the spin in all competitions on Saturday, courtesy of a 2-1 victory against Premier League leaders Arsenal, which came in dramatic fashion, with Emiliano Buendia firing home a late winner to send Villa Park into raptures.

Unai Emery was delighted with the result, despite also making it clear his side must keep their feet on the ground, saying: “Today we must be happy, the supporters, Aston Villa fans and ourselves because we did the job we needed.

“Of course, we got three points and we are, in the Premier League, the most difficult league in the world, more or less, now feeling strong and feeling comfortable.

“But this is a race for 38 matches and we are on 15.”

It is difficult not to get too carried away, with the Villans now just three points behind Arsenal, but Watkins may need to get back to his best if Emery’s side are going to make a serious push for the Premier League title.

The Englishman has scored just three goals in 15 league outings, and Aston Villa are now lining up a move for a new striker in 2026, with a report from Tuttosport (via FC Inter News) revealing they could launch an attack to sign Bologna’s Santiago Castro next summer.

Nottingham Forest are also in the race for the centre-forward, and a deal could be on the expensive side, with the Italian club potentially set to demand €40m – €50m (£35m – £44m) for his services.

Ideally, Bologna would like to keep hold of the 21-year-old, and they are planning to offer him a bumper new contract in the coming weeks, in order to ward off the interest from elsewhere.

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Donyell Malen has proven himself as a solid option at striker this season, scoring seven goals in all competitions, but Villa may still have room to bring in another centre-forward, given that the Dutchman regularly features out wide.

Castro has proven he could be a viable target with some of his displays this season too, having scored five goals in all competitions, two more than Watkins, while he also showcased his ability to create chances last term, leading to high praise from scout Jacek Kulig.

The Argentinian hasn’t been prolific since moving to Bologna, chipping in with 16 goals and 10 assists in 71 outings, but he is still very young, having only turned 21 in September, and Villa should continue to monitor his performances between now and next summer.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now reportedly prioritising a deal to sign Lazio goalkeeper Christos Mandas, who is now available at a cut-price ahead of the January transfer window.

It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks for those in the Midlands. After sacking Vitor Pereira, Wolves went on the hunt for a new manager and landed on Rob Edwards, who controversially left Middlesbrough to take the vacant position. He’s since claimed that no other job would have lured him away from Riverside and he now has the chance to keep his dream club afloat in the Premier League.

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Speaking to reporters after arriving, Edwards said: “It feels amazing to be back. I’m really proud. I’m genuinely proud and I’ve told all the staff and players that. I won’t lie about it, it has been an aim of mine since I first got the under-18’s job here 11 years ago. It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do.

“But this was something that I’ve wanted to do for a long, long time, and I didn’t know if this job would ever come up again for me. The opportunity might never, ever come up for me to be the head coach of this club. I didn’t want to look back in 10, 15, 20 years, and think I turned down a chance to manage Wolves in the Premier League.

“I didn’t want to regret that, so here I am. I know the size and the scale of the task, but I’m really enthused by it, I’m excited by it, and this week has been really enjoyable. But now the games start, so let’s see.”

He will be well aware that the task on his hands is far from easy, but Wolves are seemingly willing to back their new manager when the January transfer window arrives – starting with a new shot-stopper.

Wolves prioritising Christos Mandas move

As reported by Ben Jacobs for GiveMeSport, Wolves are now prioritising a move for Mandas in January as they search for a new goalkeeper. The shot-stopper is open to a move away from the Serie A club after going from the No.1 under Maurizio Sarri to without a league appearance all season under Marcos Baroni.

Unlike in the summer, Wolves also have the chance to land a bargain deal. When those in the Midlands previously set their sights on Mandas, they were quoted a £22m fee. Now, as Lazio look to climb out of their financial struggles, he’s set to be available for a maximum of £12m when January arrives.

Described as “reactive” by his agent, Diego Tavano, Mandas arguably needs Wolves just as much as they need him. The one-time Manchester City target would provide Edwards with an instant upgrade on Jose Sa, who is 32 years old and struggling for consistency.

At 24, there’s also every chance that Mandas rediscovers his best form by leaving Lazio. The Italians sit mid-table in Serie A and the goalkeeper still hasn’t been able to win back his starting place.

Wolves now want to sign £20m set-piece specialist compared to Declan Rice

For Kuldeep Yadav, rhythm is everything. It’s what aids his drift, helps develop a loop to deceive batters in the air, and gives him confidence to sequence his deliveries better.However, he says, rhythm only comes with time in the middle, something he didn’t have a lot of through the course of an entire Test series in England, because the team opted for batting depth.”In England, obviously, looking at the conditions and the combination of the team, I didn’t get a place in the XI,” he said ahead of India’s final group match against Oman in Abu Dhabi in the Asia Cup. “But it was a very good time for me to work on myself, to improve my fitness and to give more volume to bowling, because it is very important.”Instead of sitting and sulking, Kuldeep developed his own pattern to training, and analysed his game, and picked out certain markers for when his time would come.Related

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“As a player, you learn a lot when you don’t play,” he said. “When the team reacts to certain situations, you can judge from the outside. You have a lot of ideas when you are in this situation, as to how to react and how you can bowl. I got a lot of ideas from there.”The communication [when he didn’t play] from Gauti [head coach Gautam Gambhir] was very clear. He was very straightforward. When you don’t play, it is very easy to blame someone. To take it constructively and improve is tough. There are two ways and players choose according to themselves.”But it is very important that you keep working hard. The game is such that you have good and bad days. If you are not playing, you have time to improve on your own and become a better player when you get the chance.”Kuldeep Yadav did not get to play in England•Getty Images

Kuldeep’s opportunity came soon after, in the form of a Duleep Trophy game in August. The scorecard will show no wickets next to his name, but for Kuldeep, those 32 overs meant so much more.”It was very important for me to bowl there,” he said. “Bowling in nets and bowling in a match are very different. Obviously, you want to play after a long time. You want to perform well. But I didn’t have that much in my mind. I focused on my strength and tried to bowl in good areas.”Now, he feels that sense of rhythm has returned fully at the Asia Cup, where he has picked up seven wickets in two games, against UAE and Pakistan, across 37 deliveries.”Actually, my rhythm is set now,” he said. “I don’t have a problem with that. I think it is important to use small angles for bowlers. As a wristspinner, I always think about my release point, my finish, whether the body is transferring [weight forward] or not.”When you don’t play, these things run in your mind. But obviously, with the help of video analysis, you get an idea of how you are bowling. I think my rhythm is good now. In the beginning, when I changed [in 2022, he worked on a straighter run-up and went through the crease faster], it took time. But now I am used to it.”The rhythm and confidence tie in nicely to his spin chemistry with Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel in India’s T20I set-up, with all three having different roles.”Everyone knows their job and my job is to take wickets in the middle overs,” Kuldeep said. “Axar, obviously, we have seen him bowling in the powerplay and he did the controlling job for us. Between me, Varun and Axar, we are very experienced in the T20 format and understand our roles very well.”Giving a lot of inputs really helped me, or anyone who is bowling in the middle. Whether it is Axar or Varun or me, whoever bowls first assesses the conditions and then suggests something. So it’s a good combination and we are very happy with that.”Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav ran through Pakistan’s middle order•AFP/Getty Images

While Kuldeep’s rhythm has given him a fresh verve on the field, he also consciously tries to find a balance off the field, something he believes helps him find a release, especially when he is not playing. That balance has come through football.”If you follow other sports, you get to know how it feels when a team is performing really well,” he said. “You see the bench strength of their team. They have some unbeatable bench strength and when you focus on them, they are not getting enough time -15 minutes, 20 minutes – but they are so good, they can start in any game.”You see other teams, especially the big ones, and how they play against smaller teams – the communication, the decision-making, how quickly it all happens. You hardly have enough time to react.”Obviously, I play cricket on the field, that’s my job. After that, I enjoy football. There are so many games, you just watch and enjoy. In any sport, you admire how they play, especially in team games. The communication, the connection between players, how they lift each other – that’s the most important thing.”

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was an unexpected addition to the lineup for Game 1 of the NLDS against the San Diego Padres after spraining his ankle in late September, which created pessimism from the Dodgers that he would be able to play. His prospects for seeing playing time are complicated further since Shohei Ohtani, recovering from UCL surgery, occupies the designated hitter role for the Dodgers full-time.

Nevertheless, Freeman started Game 1 and had a productive 2-for-5 outing. He admitted after the game that he would be a true day-to-day for the foreseeable future, but for someone seemingly hobbled, he did well. Perhaps most surprising, Freeman stole a base on the sprained ankle.

Given the risk of being thrown out or worse, injured further, it might seem ill-advised to even attempt such a move given the ailment, which the Padres are surely aware of, but Freeman had a noble reason for doing so that he explained in a postgame interview with Ken Rosenthal:

"If I can't play the game the right way then I shouldn't be out there," Freeman said, matter of factly. He let out a hearty laugh when asked about the stolen base, as if to say he, himself, was surprised he was able to do it. "I think I got lucky," he said.

It might be trickier to steal a bag the rest of the series for Freeman, who will probably be kept more honest after he showed he's willing to run, hurt ankle or not.

The PCB said it had made the changes in the hopes of “increased competitiveness”

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2025

The PCB has overhauled its domestic structure yet again, featuring a slimmed down Quaid-e-Azam trophy (QeA) with just eight regional teams in it, and culling the much-trumpeted Champions Cup tournaments from the calendar after just one season. Separate tournaments – the President’s Trophy and Cup – remain for departmental sides, long a feature of the Pakistan domestic circuit.One of the biggest potential consequences of cutting down the QeA Trophy from a bloated 18 teams last season to just eight this coming one is that it might not ultimately feature a team from Karachi – the country’s biggest city and economic capital – in the country’s premier first-class event. Both Karachi Blues and Karachi Whites will play in the non-first class Hanif Mohammad Trophy – one rung below the QeA – based on their finishing positions in last year’s QeA Trophy.At that stage, however, none of the teams were aware that the tournament would be revamped in such a manner whereby, effectively, 12 teams would stand relegated. That tournament will start the domestic season from 15 August and the top-two sides will qualify to play in the QeA Trophy, which would be the route available to a Karachi side to make it through.Though the status has changed somewhat in recent decades, Karachi has long been a domestic powerhouse, both in terms of trophies won and as a provider of talent. It will not be a change that goes down well with the city’s cricket fraternity.The PCB said it had made the changes in the hopes of “increased competitiveness”. The tournament will now be played on a single-league basis, with 29 matches from September 22 to November 7. All the matches will be played at four venues across Islamabad and Rawalpindi, though the PCB did not say why it had restricted the event to the twin cities.In keeping with the spirt of paring back the calendar, the board has also quietly dropped the Champions Cup series of events. Introduced last season with much publicity and considerable cost, it was pitched as a premier event in each of the game’s three formats, featuring five teams and, in theory, the country’s best players. A 50-over version was held, as was a T20 event, but the first-class tournament never took place. The tournaments were supposed to bridge the gap between domestic cricket and international cricket, identified by the board as a problem. Those events are now gone, not even finding a mention in the press release.A 10-team National T20 Cup remains on the calendar, but it comes with a qualifying stage – “to further enhance competitiveness” according to the board – preceding it, with another 10 teams involved. The top two will go through to the Super 10 stage, which will be played in Faisalabad in from March 1 to 12, 2026.”We are pleased to unveil a domestic structure that places merit, opportunity and competitiveness at its core,” PCB’s chief operating officer Sumair Ahmed Syed said in a statement. “The 2025-26 season has been designed to provide a clear pathway for teams and players to progress based on performance, not reputation.”Introducing a qualifier for both the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and the National T20 ensures that every match in our domestic calendar carries significant weight. This not only raises the standard of competition but also fosters a high-performance culture across all formats.”The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will now feature the most in-form and deserving teams, while the Hanif Mohammad Trophy gives 12 regions a meaningful chance to stake their claim. Similarly, the Super 10 format of the National T20 is a step towards creating more high-intensity, quality cricket.”Domestic cricket in Pakistan has undergone structural or format changes nearly every season since the QeA Trophy was first played in 1953-54.

Aston Villa are in desperate need of creative inspiration and now find themselves in negotiations to sign an experienced playmaker in a lucrative free transfer deal next year.

Aston Villa continue to struggle after draw with Sunderland

Every Premier League point is valuable in the context of a season, though Aston Villa supporters will be feeling a familiar sense of frustration after their side surrendered a narrow lead to draw against ten-man Sunderland last weekend.

The Villans are in the bottom three and have yet to find a winning formula under Unai Emery, albeit they did finally break their goal drought courtesy of a sweet strike from Matty Cash to open the scoring.

Making his thoughts clear post-match, Unai Emery claimed his side need to rediscover their ‘identity’ and called on Harvey Elliott and his backline to be more decisive in their actions.

He stated: “We have to recover our identity. I am not frustrated with the result, but disappointed and frustrated about how we are playing. We are not feeling comfortable with our style. We have to try to recover our personality and confidence to play like we are training.

“Some players need to adapt, for example, Harvey Elliott was getting the ball and passing behind the defence without options. He needs to understand that he has the skills to play more passes and then do the pass behind or outside with better options. We were lazy sometimes defensively. Lazy. For example, the goal we conceded, we were lazy. Maybe it’s because we didn’t play in our style.”

While Jadon Sancho is still yet to make an impact in the West Midlands, there is a creative void within Emery’s side that Aston Villa struggled to address during the summer.

Now, the Villans may have identified a cost-effective solution in a move that is bound to excite supporters at Villa Park.

Aston Villa in negotiations to sign Julian Brandt

According to CaughtOffside, Aston Villa are in negotiations to sign Borussia Dortmund attacking midfielder Julian Brandt, who could arrive either on a cut-price deal in January or a free transfer next summer.

Capped 48 times by Germany, the 29-year-old has scored once in five appearances across all competitions this term and is yet to agree on an extension at the Bundesliga giants as he seeks a lucrative contract, attracting further interest from Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.

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Fitting the brief as a versatile star capable of playing centrally or on either flank, Brandt has created three chances this term in the Bundesliga, per Fotmob, and he has also maintained a pass accuracy rate of 86.2%.

Experience and taking ownership are two qualities that Emery could use to lift his struggling side, though it remains to be seen if the Spaniard can convince Brandt to commit his future to the West Midlands-based outfit.

Despite finishing 15th in the Premier League last season, judgment was withheld on Ruben Amorim’s tenure as Manchester United manager after taking the reins midway through the 2024/25 campaign.

The 40-year-old was subsequently handed £200m worth of funds to improve the first-team squad and help the club rise up the table after a dismal year last time around.

However, it’s safe to say pressure has continued to mount on the manager’s shoulders, especially after falling to a 3-1 defeat against Brentford on Saturday afternoon.

Such a result was the Red Devils’ ninth Premier League defeat in their last 15 outings, highlighting the issues currently facing the side at present and in the near future.

Despite the latest slump in form, the board still continue to back Amorim, a decision which could raise eyebrows given the failure to right the wrongs of last campaign.

His decision-making in the role has certainly been called into question as of late, with his constant selection of one first-team member, one that has baffled many supporters of the club.

Luke Shaw’s lack of form at Man Utd in 2025/26

After a torrid run of injuries over the last couple of seasons, defender Luke Shaw has enjoyed an injury-free run in the first-team squad in the opening stages of 2025/26.

The 30-year-old has started every single game in England’s top-flight to date, but that’s not to say he’s met the standards expected of a United defender in the Premier League.

He’s operated on the left-hand side of Amorim’s back three, but has come under fire for his lack of impact – rightfully so given the poor figures he’s produced over recent weeks.

The Englishman has only ranked in the 16th percentile for duels won, whilst ranking in the 82nd percentile for fouls committed – often struggling to contain the opposition’s attackers.

Shaw has only ranked in the 31st percentile for passes completed, often hitting possession away and being just as ineffective with the ball as he is without.

The injuries have ultimately taken their toll on his career, with the defender no way near the level of an English top-flight side, with Amorim needing to take action and drop him from his side.

However, he’s not alone in struggling to make a positive impact, with one other first-team member also enduring an extremely below par start to the 2025/26 season.

The United player who’s becoming a “problem” in 2025/26

Seven points from the first six games of 2025/26 is a hugely disappointing return for United, especially given the huge spending during the summer transfer window.

Benjamin Sesko scored his first goal for the club in the recent defeat against Brentford, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to catapult the Red Devils to a third league win of the season.

Bryan Mbeumo blanked against his former employers, but the Cameroonian international has already netted twice for the club after his £71m transfer in the summer.

However, despite the heavy spending, alarm bells are still ringing out at Old Trafford, with the manager still not getting the best out of his current crop of players.

Bruno Fernandes was a shining light last campaign, notching 37 combined goals and assists in all competitions – often saving the side in numerous key moments.

The Portuguese international, who’s the current club captain, has since had to take up a new role after the summer spending spree – subsequently dropping into a deeper midfield role.

While he’s previously operated in such a position, it’s now become his permanent role in the side, but one that has yet to have a desired effect in the early stages of the new season.

The 30-year-old has failed to match his heights from 2024/25, scoring twice to date, but ultimately costing the side in key moments – in a complete switch from his success last time around.

Bruno has already missed two spot kicks in the Premier League this campaign, with his latest against the Bees undoubtedly costing them the opportunity to walk away from the clash with at least a point.

Away from his spot kick failures, he’s been unable to dominate in the centre of the park, often being overrun in such an area – once again showcasing the failure to land a new ball-winning option during the off-season.

The 30-year-old’s lack of impact has led to analyst Adam Clery labelling the captain as a “problem” with the summer additions certainly contributing to his recent demise.

Bruno Fernandes – stats against Brentford

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

90

Touches

81

Passes completed

54

Ground duels won

3

Possession lost

18x

Long balls completed

5

Key passes

1

Penalties missed

1

Stats via SofaScore

It’s clear that Bruno is a player who possesses a lot of talent, but his attitude and lack of leadership at the heart of the side has undoubtedly added to the poor form once more.

Amorim desperately needs to get a grip on the situation to prevent the club spiralling out of control – which could even lead to the former Sporting CP boss losing his job.

Nearly a year into the job, it’s clear the 40-year-old still doesn’t know his best central midfield partnership, but it’s clear Bruno needs to be taken out of such a position in the coming matches.

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