Key numbers from Henry’s stunning 23-ball 62 that lifted UP Warriorz from 89 for 6 to 177, before Grace Harris’ hat-trick got the job done

Deep Gadhia22-Feb-202518 – Balls taken by Chinelle Henry to get to her fifty, the joint-fewest in the WPL alongside Sophia Dunkley, who also took 18 balls to score her only WPL half-century against RCB at Brabourne in 2023.62 – Henry’s score of 62 is the highest while batting at No. 8 or below in Women’s T20s. The previous highest was an unbeaten 57 by Jersey’s Grace Wetherall against Germany in 2023.It is also the highest score by a batter batting at No. 6 or below in the WPL.Related

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3 – Grace Harris became the third bowler to take a hat-trick in the WPL, after her Warriorz captain Deepti Sharma in 2024 against the same opposition, and Mumbai Indians’ Issy Wong against Warriorz in 2023.8 – Sixes hit by Henry in her 23-ball knock of 62, the most in a single innings in the WPL, alongside Sophie Devine – Devine had done it en route to 99 against Gujarat Giants at the Brabourne in 2023 – and Ashleigh Gardner – Gardner did it during her 79 in this season’s opener at Vadodara.ESPNcricinfo Ltd269.56 – Henry’s strike rate is the third-highest for a batter scoring a half-century in the WPL. Devine’s 275 and Shafali Verma’s 271.42, both against Giants in the inaugural season in 2023, take the top two spots.57 – Runs added by Henry and Sophie Ecclestone for the eighth wicket – the second-most in this tournament for the eighth wicket or lower after the 70 added by Ecclestone and Grace Harris against Giants in 2023.67 – Runs scored by the UP Warriorz in the death overs (overs 17-20), the second-most by a team in the WPL, bettered only by their own 68 against Giants in 2023.21 years, 195 days – Kranti Goud became the second-youngest player to take a four-wicket haul in the WPL after Wong, who dismantled Warriorz in the Eliminator in 2023.3 – Players who have taken four-wicket hauls in this match in Jess Jonassen, Goud and Harris – the most four-fors in a WPL match. No other match had more than one player with a four-for, in 52 matches previously played in the tournament.

In less than an hour’s play on an epic 25th morning, England and India’s series touched rare heights

Vithushan Ehantharajah04-Aug-20255:16

Harmison: Siraj never looked like running out of steam

56 minutes of hell. 56 minutes of heaven.56 minutes of the wildest ride of your goddamn life. 56 minutes that will change you forever.It is enough time to move from the northern-most part of the Victoria Line to its lower reaches, brush shoulders as you walk up the escalator of Vauxhall Station and turn into the Harleyford Road to see the Kia Oval on the horizon. Enough time to find yourself a whole new world.Enough time to believe in new heroes. Enough time to laud old ones. Enough time to have your heart broken. Enough time to count yourself lucky that Test cricket, handed down by older generations more than it is ever picked up by newer ones, was handed to you.Related

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Support role no more, Mohammed Siraj you're a hero

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Siraj goes on and on and on, tired but undeterred

Enough time, on this rare occasion, to pick it up as a new convert. Because there would have been some in this pocket of south London who will have experienced Test cricket for the first time on Monday. Firstly, welcome. Usually, it lasts longer than this. And no, you will never see anything like this again.The very existence of List A and T20 cricket – and yes, the Hundred, which begins on Tuesday – comes from the idea that the longest format is too long, too convoluted, too inconvenient to really grab you. Who knew all it takes was a small taste of the hard stuff to grab you by the throat and stir your soul.This was 100% proof, undiluted, unhinged Test cricket. All you needed was a shot of 56 minutes. No human body, not even those reared on it, including those out there providing the action, could have dealt with much more.Day five at the Kia Oval was sold out well before this match threatened to spill over from Sunday’s longer-form chaos. The gripping finale of the third Test, on the other side of the river at Lord’s, had resulted in Surrey selling over 5000 day five tickets in 24 hours. Eventually, 17,545 punters had what, unbeknownst to them, would prove to be the most golden of tickets.At only £25 a pop for adults (20 for members) and £1 for kids, it was a sound investment given that refunds would be given if the day saw no play. Rarely has just 8.5 overs felt like a steal.The Indian team celebrates their Oval win•Associated PressSuch pricing usually brings a different kind of crowd to the first four days – especially at Lord’s – but, down at The Oval, the mix of English and Indian fans was as it had been throughout the match already. The state of the game, however, created a more feverish atmosphere, making this bowl ground feel taller and deeper, and even more self-contained. For 56 minutes, there was no outside world, for the outside world was every bit as transfixed with what was going on in here. Even the construction on the new apartment blocks in the old Gasholders ground to a halt.The clamour as the players entered the field was louder than it had been all match. The English roars when Jamie Overton pulled the first ball for four were more guttural. The Indian jubilation when victory was sealed in Mohammed Siraj’s 186th over of the series came crashing back and forth like Atlantic-sized waves in a goldfish bowl.The overnight break helped add to the tumult, even amid the fury of Sunday’s hastily called stumps, though an extra night’s sleep brought anything but. A new day’s new opportunity was now riddled with even more jeopardy.How on earth did 35 more runs turn into the impossible job when 301 of the 374 had been cleared with such ease? Since when has getting through a tail that includes a man with only one functioning arm come replete with truly eternal legacy-making rewards and, thus, incomprehensible pressure?There were simpler questions, too. Who wanted it? And the one we were all asking ourselves – who could bear it?Gus Atkinson loses his off stump as India seal their narrowest Test win•Getty ImagesA familiar trope of Test cricket is that, at its best, it is a universal force. Happening to people, beyond their control and comprehension.But that does a disservice to the protagonists. To Joe Root and Harry Brook, who dragged this fourth innings into legendary territory. And, finally, Siraj, who had bowled on 18 of the 25 days of these five Tests, sending down 50 or more balls on 12 of them. And his 1122nd delivery (including extra balls), sent down with as much vigour as the previous 1121, was his fifth-fastest of them all at 89mph/143kph. And the one that will live forever.Moments like these always give you heroes. But they also give you kindred spirits. Those you are drawn to as much for their heroics as their fallibility.Akash Deep, face down in the green beyond the boundary at midwicket, palms still stinging from Gus Atkinson’s heave to cow, wondering if he’d be to blame for an impending loss. Dhruv Jurel wanting that same turf to swallow him as Siraj and Shubman Gill berated him for missing the stumps with an underarm that would have sealed the match. His shot at immortality scuttled a yard past the striker’s stumps.1:15

Monga: India’s series was all about Mohammed Siraj

Atkinson crestfallen, one hit away from a tie that would have given England the series win, doubled over, smelling the earth where his off stump used to be. A lionhearted Chris Woakes, dislocated left shoulder strapped to his torso, secured by a sleeveless jumper, arm guard on his “wrong” side with a view to batting southpaw.Even umpire Ahsan Raza, assuming the role of good Samaritan, helping the infirm Woakes readjust himself after sprinting the bye Jurel failed to prevent, a moment that left his left arm loose despite all the binding.And hey, let’s hear it for the Dukes ball. Pilloried for the last seven weeks but thriving in its final 85.1 overs of the English Test summer.Was 2-2 a fair result? On balance, yes. But England’s failure to punch their card for a hat-trick of 370-plus chases against India should be regarded as a misstep from 301 for 3 and 332 for 4.That only enhances India’s feat in squaring the series, even if they will depart a long tour with issues of their own. Selection decisions remain inconsistent, and their batting needs to take cues from their bowling when it comes to getting a grip of sessions that are turning against them.1:50

Miller: Bazball’s legacy in danger without wins

With the best will in the world, who cares about any of that right now? As both sets of players reflected on how such a hard-fought series could reach such a climax, they would do well to appreciate how lucky they were, too.Test cricket has been going on for almost 150 years, and we were still treated to a one-of-a-kind finish. And perhaps more importantly, at a time when other Test-playing nations are unwelcome and unable to participate in series that allow such fairytales, both sides should count themselves lucky. Lucky to play regularly in a format that can lift you to higher plains. Lucky to afford to do it.As it happens, Monday was the 20-year anniversary of the start of the 2005 Edgbaston Test between England and Australia. A Test that, ultimately, defines an Ashes series regarded as the greatest ever.That two-run victory was England’s slimmest margin. Here in 2025, India bagged theirs, by six. Maybe the universe is up to something.Many have wondered throughout these five Tests if the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy could rival 2005’s offerings. In these 56 minutes, it did.

They are the first opening pair from England with a 500-plus aggregate in a Test series since Strauss and Cook in the 2010-11 Ashes

Sampath Bandarupalli01-Aug-20251:58

Bangar on Crawley-Duckett: Haven’t seen batting of that quality

7224 – Runs scored by Joe Root in Tests in England. His tally is the second-highest for any batter in a single country, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s 7216 in India, and only behind Ricky Ponting’s 7578 in Australia.Root has scored 2006 runs against India at home so far. He is only the second batter to aggregate 2000-plus Test runs against a single opposition at home after Don Bradman, who had scored 2354 runs against England.8 – Number of 50-plus stands between Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett in Tests against India, the joint-highest by an opening pair, alongside Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes. Crawley and Duckett have 984 runs in 18 innings against India, only behind Greenidge-Haynes, who had 1325 runs in 30 partnerships.Related

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7.16 – The run rate during Crawley and Duckett’s 92-run partnership, which came in 12.5 overs. It is the second-highest run rate for a 50-plus opening stand against India in men’s Tests. .The highest is 7.18 by Shahid Afridi and Yasir Hameed, who added 91 in 12.4 overs in Bengaluru in 2005. Four of the top 15 fastest 50-plus opening stands against India have been by the Crawley and Duckett pair.539 – Partnership runs between Crawley and Duckett in this series so far. They are the first opening pair to aggregate 500-plus runs in a Test series since David Warner and Joe Burns’ 547 against New Zealand in 2015. They are also the first opening pair from England with a 500-plus aggregate in a Test series since Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook in the 2010-11 Ashes.48 – Runs scored in boundaries by Crawley at the time of reaching his half-century. It is the joint-second-highest runs scored in boundaries while completing a half-century in men’s Tests (Since 2002). Only Tim Southee scored more, with 50, on debut against England in 2008.Harry Brook falls over after nailing a jaw-dropping slog sweep•Getty ImagesCrawley’s 64-run knock featured 56 boundary runs, a percentage of 87.50. It is the third-highest boundary percentage in a 50-plus score for England in men’s Tests, behind only Andrew Flintoff’s 88.89% (48 out of 54) against New Zealand in 2004 and 88% by Chris Woakes (44 out of 50) against India in 2021.6 – Bowlers to take a four-plus wicket haul for India in this series, with Prasidh Krishna the latest. Only once have more bowlers had a higher tally in a Test series for India – seven against Pakistan at home in 1960-61, while six bowlers did so against West Indies in 1974-75 and also in the 2018 tour of England.1066 – Balls that KL Rahul faced in this series against England, the second-highest by an India opener in a Test series in England, behind Sunil Gavaskar’s 1199 on the 1979 tour. Only six visiting players have faced more balls than Rahul’s tally in this series while opening the batting in a series in England.Rahul’s 532 runs are the most for any opener in a Test series in England in nearly 22 years and the second-highest for India behind Gavaskar’s 542 in 1979.

Initially known largely as a finisher, twice this year Gardner has forged outstanding centuries with Australia in trouble

Vishal Dikshit02-Oct-20253:43

Australia’s batting depth comes to the fore

There’s always some sort of inevitability and invincibility about this Australia side, especially in ODIs. That they are the favourites to lift this World Cup, too. That they will be hard to match on most days. That they will come out all guns blazing with the bat. And such is the enviable depth in their batting line-up that someone or the other will step up for a rescue act, if their backs are against the wall.The last of those shone the brightest in their opening World Cup fixture against New Zealand in the form of a counter-attacking century from Ashleigh Gardner. While an Australian fighting back for her team was rather predictable, the way it was played was still a stunning vindication of Gardner’s, and the team’s, belief in the opening match of a major tournament.A Gardner ODI century at No. 6 to salvage Australia’s ship from troubled waters of 128 for 5 against one of their top rivals also rolled out with a sense of déjà vu. She had scored her maiden ODI century in a similar situation earlier this year, against England in the Ashes, when Australia were 59 for 4 in the third ODI in Hobart, where Australia had opted to bat – just like in Indore – before suffering an early stutter.Related

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Against New Zealand on Wednesday, Gardner was still fresh to the middle when Australia lost their fifth wicket in the 22nd over on a flat pitch, looking far from in a position to put up a big total. Three of those five Australia had lost when they tried to fetch boundaries or counterattack and all ended up handing out catches in the 30-yard circle. One of the biggest comforts of the one-day format is there is opportunity to rebuild after an early wobble before it’s time to take off again in the end overs.But that’s where Australia’s approach shone through from Gardner, who wasn’t interested in consolidating. She knew she had the comfort of the depth in Australia’s line-up – with allrounder Kim Garth slotted at No. 9 – she was aware that anything under 300 wouldn’t be enough on a flat deck, and she never took her foot off the pedal.Gardner reeled off a boundary against each of Lea Tahuhu and Amelia Kerr within the first eight balls she faced, initially without taking much risk. Her idea, she said after the game, was to keep the scoreboard going and even if the field was spread out, all she had to do was find the gaps to reach the short boundaries with the help of the quick outfield.When Bree Illing returned for her second spell, Gardner danced down the pitch against the left-arm quick to muscle the ball over mid-on for four. The fall of previous wickets while trying to take the aerial route was not going to bog her down, she knew her task was to score runs, and quickly. When it turned out to be a no-ball, Gardner smacked the free hit again on the leg side for four more. And she was off.Ashleigh Gardner did not take a backward step despite Australia’s tricky position•Associated Press”I was just trying to hit the boundary riders hard, run really hard with my partner and just be really clear in my thinking,” Gardner said at the press conference. “I guess that’s what I was able to do today which is why I was just so clear in where I wanted to score. And I was just really proactive with taking positive options because if I go into my shell, that’s probably when I won’t bat the best. So for me it’s sticking to my strengths. Yes, the scoreboard was saying something, but I was trying to take that out of it.”Soon Gardner was in the 40s and even though a sixth wicket fell at the other end – Tahlia McGrath chipping to midwicket – Gardner had ensured Australia were going at run a ball after 32 overs. With 18 overs to go and just four wickets left, would she now be more watchful?Two balls later, she shimmied down the track for her first six that took her to fifty off 43 balls. Gardner was looking incredibly hard to get out now, and she pushed the run rate to 6.30 by the 40th over even though a seventh wicket had gone down. A bit of unnecessary risk and Australia ran the danger of being bowled out for an under-par score.But what was a par score on a ground where no women’s internationals had been played before and on a fresh pitch for the first match of this season? When both teams had trained at the day before, they knew it was going to be a belter, so Gardner thought they had to keep going.’When I’m clear and I’m not thinking too much, I think that’s when I play my best innings’•Getty Images”I always knew that we probably needed around the 320,” Gardner said. “I think it was maybe eight overs to go when I was batting with Kim Garth, and I said we ideally need about 310-320 here minimum. I guess as you saw there today, once you kind of got set, you can really flourish from there, and once you had the pace of the wicket, that really helped as well.”I think when people got in trouble, it was a little bit two-paced at times and they probably were just second-guessing themselves rather than just having that clarity and I guess the shot decisions that they wanted to make. For me, it was obviously being able to do that and just being really clear in my mind because when I’m clear and I’m not thinking too much, I think that’s when I play my best innings.”And the best part of her innings came towards the end when she took just 34 balls to race from 50 to 100 by finding the boundaries more regularly and brought up a magnificent 77-ball century with the first of back-to-back fours off the now-tired New Zealand bowlers.For New Zealand, Gardner’s blitz might have brought back memories of the 2022 World Cup game in Wellington when she had walked out at 214 for 5 with five overs to go, and smashed an unbeaten 48 off just 18 balls, striking at 266.67 to set up a match-winning total of 269.But the difference in the Gardner of early 2022 and late 2025 is that then she was primarily a finisher, having faced more than 50 deliveries in an ODI just once. Having had to bat for longer durations and in more demanding situations in the last 18 months, especially in Hobart earlier this year with her 102 off 117 balls, Gardner has shown she is not just a finisher, but a more mature batter who can build an innings and then give it a finisher’s garnish.

Lack of fixtures against top opposition and almost no experience in T20 leagues has hindered the development of batters in these teams

Sruthi Ravindranath19-Oct-2025Bangladesh had England under pressure at 78 for 5.Pakistan had Australia struggling at 115 for 8, and had tied England down to 133 for 9.Sri Lanka had India six down for just 124.The three teams at the bottom of the women’s World Cup points table – Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – have shown they can test stronger sides with the ball. They have also shown that their batting is not good enough to win them matches against the bigger teams.This tournament hasn’t been a run fest: there have been only two first-innings scores of 300-plus, both on flat pitches in Indore and Visakhapatnam. But even when conditions have favoured batting, those three South Asian teams haven’t been able to capitalise.Related

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Against Australia in Visakhapatnam, Bangladesh stumbled to 198 for 9 before losing by ten wickets inside 25 overs. Against South Africa, Bangladesh were crawling until Shorna Akter fired them to 232, which ultimately proved inadequate.These three sides have the lowest batting averages at this World Cup. Pakistan are at the bottom with 13.55, followed by Bangladesh (19.92) and Sri Lanka (20.27). Between the previous World Cup in 2022 and this one, they had occupied the bottom three spots in batting averages among the eight teams in this tournament.

What’s holding them back?

Their limited exposure against high-quality opposition has often been highlighted as a reason their batting hasn’t developed. Bangladesh’s World Cup opener against England was only their second ODI against them. Sri Lanka hadn’t faced Australia in the format since 2019, and their fixture in this World Cup was washed out.Nilakshika Silva has been promising for Sri Lanka•Getty Images”This is a stage where we show our capabilities, so teams like England and Australia show interest in playing against us,” Nigar Sultana, Bangladesh captain, had said before the match against England.”Our girls are playing very few matches with those who are ranked top four in the world,” Bangladesh allrounder Rumana Ahmed told ESPNcricinfo. “So the fewer the number of matches they play against such teams, the less competitive matches they play, the lower their confidence will be.”Rumana isn’t at the World Cup squad this time, but she has been watching closely. She sees a team performing beyond expectations. “Yes, we lost by a very small margin [against England and South Africa] due to some inexperience. But they barely got to play enough international matches before the tournament. The way they are playing without that preparation is truly impressive. It is really good to see some batters who are batting very confidently, like Sobhana [Mostary], Supta [Sharmin Akhter], Shorna [Akter]. If the middle order had scored a few more runs, maybe our team could have put up a better fight against bigger teams.”The inexperience Rumana refers to is not just in terms of technique but also when it comes to handling pressure, with Bangladesh’s fielding costing them multiple times. There were several misfields and three dropped chances against South Africa. Sri Lanka, too, dropped Nat Sciver-Brunt on 3 before she scored a match-winning 117.0:58

Nawaz: ‘We are not being able to build momentum with the bat’

“Those subcontinent sides [Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka], I think their strengths have been with the ball,” Nasser Hussain, a commentator at the World Cup, said at a JioStar event. “Sometimes they’ve not been backed up in the field. But I do think the batting is where the improvement needs to come, if we’re going to get an upset in this World Cup. I think if there’s one area that could be improved on, it’s the power-hitting. You look at the stats of power-hitting sixes from Bangladesh and Pakistan, to a degree Sri Lanka, I think that is an area which could improve.”Sometimes it’s just a physical thing – like they have to use their wrists a bit more, they have to sweep, slog sweep, reverse sweep. With their bowling and their spinners, and Marufa [Akter] for Bangladesh, they will challenge any side, but not when you’re only getting [totals of] 150, 160, 170, because the other nations, as we saw with Bangladesh [against Australia] will stroll past that.”Power-hitting has emerged as a key skill with the rise of franchise leagues, most recently with three seasons of the WPL in India. Since 2023, India’s ODI run rate has climbed to 5.69 from the 4.47 they scored at between 2015 and 2020. Their boundary percentage has also gone up, from 41.15% in 2023 to over 52% in 2025. India also play top-tier sides regularly unlike the rest of the subcontinent teams.With this not being a high-scoring World Cup, the number of dot balls has also come in focus. Bangladesh (69.28%), Pakistan (68.85%) and Sri Lanka (60.58%) have the highest dot-ball percentages while batting. Unlike India, players from these teams barely have any presence in overseas leagues. Chamari Athapaththu remains the sole representative from Sri Lanka – and the only active player from these three nations – to have featured in the WBBL and the WPL (though players from Pakistan can’t play in the WPL). Sri Lanka have seen flashes of range-hitting from her and Nilakshika Silva but they remain the exceptions.

“With Pakistan, they had the likes of Bismah Maroof, Javeria Khan and Nida Dar until a while ago, who used to play key roles for them. The players they have now used to play supporting roles for them”Former India batter Thirush Kamini

Rumana believes power-hitting needs training beyond the nets, and the lack of it once again comes down to the exposure these teams (don’t) get.”It’s very difficult to develop it just by practising. You need to use such shots tactically too,” Rumana says. “This means that you have to be involved in T20 or T10 leagues across the globe. If I take good teams like India and Australia, their development has been from the WPL and Women’s Big Bash [League]. If something like Women’s BPL [Bangladesh premier League] had been there in Bangladesh, maybe the power-hitting of the women’s team would have improved.”While slow pitches for domestic cricket at home have helped develop spinners, it has hindered batting progress. The Bangladesh men’s white-ball game began to evolve after a shift away from spin-friendly pitches. The BPL played a role in improving range-hitting.Sri Lanka head coach Rumesh Ratnayake acknowledged the need to assess domestic pitches, while also expressing concern over his batters’ inability to convert starts. “I think that’s a long-term goal of looking into the domestic level,” he said. “But when you’re here, we were well prepared for this. It’s a bit disappointing as a coach when [starts] don’t go into the 50s and to the big hundreds. The girls are aware of it. It’s a matter of how we should be putting it to them and it’s very important that we are very sensitive in putting it across so that they’ll be encouraged and not discouraged.”1:24

Fahima Khatun: We’ve lost games, but gained a lot of positives

Still, there has been some progress. In this World Cup, Sri Lanka have crossed 200 twice, while Bangladesh have once. However, Pakistan’s highest total is 159, with Sidra Amin their only player to score a fifty.”Sri Lanka’s average score used to be less than 200 at one point but now it’s improved,” Thirush Kamini, former India batter, said. “That’s what we should be seeing here – though the improvement is taking time, it’s still there, and we need to give them a little bit more time and exposure to be on par with the other teams.”These three teams have experienced spin departments. They have not changed their bowling much but that can’t be said of the batting. Their spinners have been leading wicket-takers for several years now. With Pakistan, they had the likes of Bismah Maroof, Javeria Khan and Nida Dar until a while ago who used to play key roles for them. The players they have now used to play supporting roles for them. Suddenly when you have your main players retired and have come out of the system, the pressure is on those who played the supporting roles before.”Bangladesh are set to face India, Australia, England, South Africa and New Zealand across formats in the current FTP cycle, with Sri Lanka and Pakistan also scheduled to play several top sides. These series present crucial opportunities for growth, particularly with the bat, for these sides before the next World Cup.

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank hauled Randal Kolo Muani off midway through their 2-2 draw with Man United in the Premier League last weekend, and it has since been revealed that the summer signing injured his jaw against the Red Devils.

It then emerged that the problem was actually worse than first feared (Fabrice Hawkins), even forcing Kolo Muani to drop out of France’s World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Azerbaijan this month with Lens forward Florian Thauvin replacing him.

This, of course, sparked worry among the Lilywhites fanbase — but reports have since indicated that, while he could be set for a spell out, the striker doesn’t require surgery in what is a real boost for Frank.

Kolo Muani, who was signed from PSG on a straight loan as one of ex-chairman Daniel Levy’s final recruits for Spurs, missed five games with a dead leg soon after his arrival at N17 and had only just returned to full fitness.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

29/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Mohammed Kudus

Knock

23/11/2025

Randal Kolo Muani

Jaw

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

23/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

23/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf/Shin/Heel

23/11/2025

Cristian Romero

Other

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via Premier Injuries

The 26-year-old was starting to impress as well, with Frank calling Kolo Muani “such a handful” up front for Tottenham against FC Copenhagen in the Champions League — a match where he really should’ve scored a brace — but the forward did manage to set up Wilson Odobert after a brilliant piece of skill to bring the ball down from a lofty height.

Still waiting on his first goal for the north Londoners, Kolo Muani’s return to the treatment table is a sore one to take for the player especially, and it remains to be seen how long he’ll be out for.

The former Juventus and Eintracht Frankfurt star could be forced to wear a mask to protect his jaw upon his return to the field, but if that comes too soon for the North London derby on November 23, The Athletic reports that Frank could call upon a young star to fill Kolo Muani’s void.

Tottenham poised to hand Dane Scarlett chance after Randal Kolo Muani injury

As per the reliable news outlet, Tottenham could hand Scarlett minutes in light of Kolo Muani’s injury, with the 21-year-old having just returned from a groin problem himself.

Scarlett, despite proving himself useful during the club’s injury crisis under Ange Postecoglou last season, has played just 10 minutes in the first-team this campaign and yet to make a single Premier League appearance for Frank.

The Englishman was linked with a late summer exit from Spurs as the youngster, who was once likened to Marcus Rashford by José Mourinho, attempts to kickstart his senior career.

Now, The Athletic claim that Scarlett could be handed a chance to impress for Tottenham after Kolo Muani’s latest issue, and given the complaints surrounding Richarlison, it is an opportunity the forward will be eager to grasp with both hands.

It feels like Scarlett has been patiently waiting for a major breakthrough in the team for years, but time is running out to live up to the hype as his contract also expires in under two years.

Big picture

There may not have been handshakes in Pakistan’s most recent game at the Asia Cup, but in the one coming up, there will certainly be a goodbye.One of the two teams – either UAE or two-time champions Pakistan – will be eliminated on Wednesday. Both sides beat Oman comfortably and lost to India heavily, making their fixture in Dubai a knockout game: the winner joins India in the Super Four, while the loser exits.Pakistan are favoured to win, having beaten UAE twice over the past fortnight, during the recent tri-series in Sharjah. However, there were moments in both those games where UAE appeared to have the upper hand, and it was their inability to sustain these sparks that separated the Associate team from the Full Member one.Pakistan have also had consistency issues. Against India on Sunday, they had what their coach Mike Hesson called a bad day. But there is a suspicion that Pakistan might have become flat-track bullies. They have racked up wins against inferior opposition over the past few months, but were outmatched against India from the first ball. Questions have intensified since about whether their positive results against weaker oppositions reflect an uptick in quality, or are just a reflection of their kind schedule.Either way, Pakistan should have enough skill and power to defeat UAE. Their slower bowlers might be what separates the two sides: Pakistan have played two wristspinners, as well as Saim Ayub and Mohammad Nawaz, in each of their previous two fixtures, as well as the final of the recent tri-series. The good news for them is they appear to have settled on an eleven that should see the job through with little fuss.Related

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• 'Confidence, backing is needed for any player' – Haris

• Hesson: We were a bit frenzied against India

The UAE, meanwhile, have seen their stature grow in the past few games. A poor showing against India aside, they ran both Pakistan and Afghanistan close in the tri-series. They defeated Oman, racking up a significantly higher total than Pakistan managed against the same opposition. Their slightly wayward bowling attack will need some quick fine-tuning ahead of their final group fixture, but they would have taken a one-match shootout against a bruised Pakistan at the start of this tournament.UAE’s top-heavy batting order is the key to their success. Captain Muhammad Waseem has settled into a good run of form, scoring a 54-ball 69 against Oman. Since Muhammad Zohaib has been replaced by Alishan Sharafu at the top of the order, Waseem has not needed to play the quick-scoring role alone. Sharafu also scored a half-century in his 88-run opening stand with Waseem against Oman, while Asif Khan’s promotion up to number three of late rounds out their menacing top order.The UAE, too, will need their spinners to be pitch perfect. Haider Ali is the spin pack’s obvious leader and he demonstrated during his spell of 2 for 22 on Monday. Waseem has also talked up right-arm offspinner Dhruv Parashar’s ability.For the UAE, this upcoming encounter is their biggest game of the year so far, and they will feel they have the tools to spring this Asia Cup’s most dramatic surprise.Muhammad Waseem is crucial to UAE’s chances•Ryan Lim/AFP/Getty Images

Form guide

Pakistan: LWWWL   UAE: WLLLL

In the spotlight

There are days when Fakhar Zaman is impossible to rein in. Though they are less frequent than they used to be, he had one of those the last time these sides faced each other. Stuck at 80 for 5, Pakistan needed someone to take them through the second half of their innings, and Zaman delivered, smashing an unbeaten 77 off 44.Zaman has had an interesting couple of months with the T20I side. While deemed to have suffered a loss in form, he has found a way to contribute just about every time through high-impact cameos. He has scored 17 or more in eight of his last nine innings, even if seven of those ended between 17 and 28. Though his match-winning potential remains alive, UAE will sense his vulnerability at the top of the order.Asif Khan announced himself to the wider cricketing public when he blew Pakistan’s spinners away at the end of August, smashing six fours and six sixes en route to his 35-ball 77. Since then, however, he has not been able to use his unquestionable power with the bat. His 40 against Afghanistan in a dead rubber was the only other meaningful knock he has played since, with the other four innings producing a combined 12 runs. In a side that lacks power outside the top three, UAE cannot afford to have one out of form for a game of this magnitude.Fakhar Zaman has had starts but not many big scores recently•Associated Press

Team news

Hesson made clear the defeat to India was not a personnel issue. Pakistan have played the same XI in each of the past three games, and changes are unlikely.Pakistan (possible): 1 Sahibzada Farhan, 2 Saim Ayub 3 Fakhar Zaman 4 Salman Ali Agha (capt) 5 Hasan Nawaz 6 Mohammad Haris (wk) 7 Mohammad Nawaz 8 Faheem Ashraf 9 Shaheen Afridi 10 Sufiyan Muqeem 11 Abrar AhmedUAE also have a settled XI that produced a clinical win over Oman on Monday. Expect them to give the same combination one more crack at glory.UAE (possible): 1 Alishan Sharafu, 2 Muhammad Waseem (capt), 3 Muhammad Zohaib, 4 Asif Khan, 5 Harshit Kaushik, 6 Rahul Chopra (wk), 7 Dhruv Parashar, 8 Haider Ali, 9 Muhammad Rohid Khan, 10 Muhammad Jawadullah, 11 Junaid Siddique

Pitch and conditions

There are no signs of the hot and humid weather abating in the UAE. The pitch is expected to continue offering plenty of assistance to the slower bowlers.

Stats and trivia

• Pakistan have lost six matches across the men’s T20 Asia Cups – the second most defeats for any team in the tournament, with only Hong Kong losing more. Across all formats of the Asia Cup, Pakistan’s 26 defeats are also the second most, surpassed only by Bangladesh’s 44.
• UAE captain Muhammad Waseem brought up 3000 T20I runs on Monday, more than any current Pakistan player. Fakhar Zaman, who has 2144, is the only Pakistani in the side with more than 1000.

Tottenham Hotspur is a club that has so often been home to numerous elite-level attackers, many of whom have captured the hearts of supporters in the process.

Harry Kane will remain as the Lilywhites’ best-ever goalscorer, with his remarkable figures during his decade-long stint in North London backing up such claims.

The Englishman scored 280 times in his 435 appearances for the club, subsequently breaking the late Jimmy Greaves’ long-standing goalscoring record.

He also formed a deadly partnership with Heung-min Son during his time in the first team, with the duo linking up together on 47 occasions – the most of any pairing in Premier League history.

However, current boss Thomas Frank has been unable to rely upon either of the stars after taking the reins during the off-season, after both were sold in the last handful of years.

Numerous other teams currently boast players of similar characteristics, which has often seen them produce the goods on a consistent basis against them in the Premier League.

The pain Bukayo Saka has inflicted on Spurs in the PL

The North London derby is one of the first dates all Spurs fans look for in the calendar every year, with such a fixture having huge importance in terms of bragging rights.

Winger Bukayo Saka has been a player the Lilywhites supporters have certainly envied over the last few years, with the Englishman often producing the goods against the Lilywhites.

He’s helped Mikel Arteta’s side claim numerous victories in the clashes between the two sides in recent years, subsequently inflicting pain on the Lilywhites faithful as a result.

After his debut for the Gunners five years ago, he’s racked up 10 appearances against Spurs, even finding the back of the net in 50% of the matches he’s featured in.

From solo efforts, as seen in the clash back in April 2024, to assists for Gabriel in the meeting at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – Saka has constantly proved to be a nuisance.

Given the levels he’s achieved in the Premier League over the last couple of years, the Lilywhites faithful will no doubt have wished that they had a player of his calibre in their ranks.

The Spurs star who could be their answer to Saka

In the present day, Spurs boss Frank does have numerous attacking options at his disposal, but many have failed to meet the expectations in 2025/26 to date.

Brennan Johnson has fallen down the pecking order after the Dane’s arrival, subsequently only starting five of the club’s 11 league outings in the Premier League this season.

The Welshman has only registered two goals, but has failed to match the levels he produced last season, which saw him find the net on 18 occasions across all competitions.

His failures have led to youngsters such as Wilson Odobert being handed the chance to impress in North London, but the manager will no doubt want further options off the left-hand flank.

Son’s departure has seen an elite-level talent vacate the squad, leaving a huge hole for one player to potentially fill in the long-term future under Frank.

Mikey Moore could well prove to be the beneficiary in the years ahead, with the teenager deserving of a consistent run in the first-team to allow him to reach his full potential.

The 18-year-old made 19 appearances across all competitions last season, taking advantage of the injury crisis and even registering his first senior goal in the Europa League.

However, he’s been sent on loan to Rangers this campaign in an attempt to gain valuable first-team minutes elsewhere to help aid his development and build on last season’s success.

During his temporary stint in Scotland, the teenager has shown glimpses of his quality, subsequently netting his first goal for Danny Rohl’s side against Dundee last weekend.

Underlying figures such as 1.7 dribbles completed per 90 and 7.7 ball recoveries per 90 further indicate his all-round talents – something which is extremely rare given his tender age.

Mikey Moore – stats at Rangers (25/26)
Statistics (per 90)	Tally
Games played	9
Goals & assists	2
Dribbles completed	1.7
Ball recoveries	7.7
Shots taken	1.7
Pass accuracy	76%
Chances created	1.2
Aerial duels won	80%
Stats via FotMob

Moore’s performances at Rangers have already seen him receive huge praise from analysts around Spurs, with one of which labelling the winger as “the best prospect in the country”.

However, it’s crucial that the club manage expectations of the youngster, especially if he is to reach the levels that many people around North London know he is capable of achieving.

Despite that, fans have a reason to be excited, with Moore’s rise through the academy and immediate impact as a teenager extremely similar to Saka’s emergence at Arsenal.

Like his compatriot, he has the tools to make a name for himself in the North London derby, subsequently handing the fans memories to cherish in such an iconic fixture.

Should he continue on his current trajectory, there’s no reason why the youngster can’t play a huge role in the Spurs first team, potentially helping Frank claim added silverware in the near future.

Spurs have "one of Europe’s best finishers" & he could end Richarlison's stay

Tottenham Hotspur can offload Richarlison if Thomas Frank shows faith in one other squad member.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 14, 2025