Brendon McCullum, England’s head coach, says his team have “no excuses” after crashing to a 2-1 series defeat with back-to-back losses in Multan and Rawalpindi, but admits he was surprised it took Pakistan until the second Test to prepare the sort of spinning pitches that have been his team’s undoing on recent tours of the subcontinent.Pakistan had been left with no place to hide after England’s ruthless victory on a flat deck in the first Test in Multan, where they powered past a seemingly impressive first-innings 556 to post 823 for 7 declared, the fourth-highest Test total in history, with Harry Brook setting up their innings win with a career-best 317.But, after changing their selection panel and tailoring the subsequent surfaces with the use of heaters and industrial fans, Pakistan transformed their fortunes, with spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali sharing 39 of England’s next 40 wickets, as their opponents mustered just 814 runs across their final four innings of the series.Not only is the result a stark turnaround from England’s 3-0 win in Pakistan two years ago, it comes in the wake of their 4-1 loss in India in February, meaning that England have now gone from winning four in a row under Stokes and McCullum in Asia, to losing six of their last seven, and by comprehensive margins.Related

• India and England cannot sweep themselves out of trouble in Tests

• Stats – Pakistan's first Test series win at home since 2021

• Sajid Khan claims Urdu misdirection aided his batting exploits

• Multan to Pindi, dust to dust, if Sajid don't get ya, Noman must

“That’s life,” McCullum told Sky Sports after England’s nine-wicket defeat. “We obviously coughed up the opportunity to win the series. We did some good stuff throughout, and we leave ultimately disappointed, but also very much complimentary of how Pakistan played. But we know within ourselves that we’ve had an opportunity to have been better than that and we’re a little bit disappointed about that.”Credit to Pakistan, the way that those two spinners bowled was superb,” McCullum said, after Noman and Sajid had combined to rout England for 112 in their second innings in Rawalpindi.”I thought they varied the pace beautifully. Noman from one end, taking pace off most of the time with the occasional fast one, and Sajid flipping that around and putting pace on with the occasional slow one. I thought was great partnership bowling. And our guys weren’t able to sustain the pressure, unfortunately.”Asked if he was comfortable with the extreme measures that Pakistan had taken to bring their spinners into the series, including the seemingly unprecedented reuse of the first-Test pitch in Multan, and the raking of the Rawalpindi surface to exacerbate the turn on offer, McCullum said he welcomed the initiative they had shown.”I kind of like it to be honest,” he said. “They were brave enough to make decisions on their personnel, and they were brave enough to make decisions on the surfaces that they wanted to play on.”When teams come to England, ideally we play on the surfaces that we’re more accustomed to, which allow our strengths to really flourish and maybe paper over some of the weaknesses as well, which every team naturally has.”I’m a little bit surprised it’s taken Pakistan as long as it has. Because when you go to Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, the ball is always going to turn. What we had here a couple of years ago, or in that first Test match, where it was pretty flat, was a different challenge. It’ll be interesting to see over the next couple of years whether they persist with these types of services, but certainly there are no excuses from our point of view. We had our chances, and we ran second.”Despite remaining magnanimous, McCullum acknowledged that the series defeat would increase the scrutiny on his team. Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley were notably short of answers in the more extreme conditions, while Brook managed a top score of 26 in his final four innings of the tour, having racked up four centuries and a fifty in his previous six in Pakistan.England were thoroughly outplayed in spinning conditions in Multan and Rawalpindi•Getty Images

“It’s pretty much the same batting group that came here two years ago, and were outstanding in these conditions, and it’s the same batting group that put on 800 in the first Test match,” McCullum said. “As the conditions changed, we were presented with different challenges and we weren’t quite able to adapt to those challenges. And that’s a missed opportunity.”I have no doubt, and the skipper has no doubt, that our batting group that we’ve now had together for the best part of 18 months is the best that we’ve got,” he added. “We’re very confident, we’ve just got to make sure we keep allowing guys to develop them and keep becoming the players that they want to become, and will benefit from that.”The focus will also fall on England’s spinners, particularly Shoaib Bashir and Jack Leach, whose direct counterparts Sajid and Noman exploited the conditions with significantly more success in the final two Tests. Bashir, whose selection for the India tour had been on the basis of his natural attributes, rather than any proven record in first-class cricket, has now bowled more overs in Tests in 2024 than any other player, but his series haul of nine wickets at 49.66 pales compared to Sajid’s 19 at 21.10.”[Sajid and Noman] were brilliant in the way they bowled together, and they challenged in different methods with the paces that they used,” McCullum said. “Could we have been better? Yeah, of course, right? Anytime you lose a Test or lose a series, you’ve got to have that period of reflection. And we’ll do that, and say, right, next time we’re presented with conditions similar to that, how will we respond? What do we need to do? Do we need to vary our pace more? Do we need to adjust our tactics more? That’s natural, right? It’s no difference to when a batsman gets out.”You’re always trying to improve, but you’ve got to be really careful that you’re not seeking perfection, because it doesn’t exist in an inconsistent game. The game we play is going to come with periods where it’s not going how you want it to, but you’ve still got to hold firm.”We will be confronted with spinning conditions at some stage in the future, and we hope that some of the lessons, good and bad that we’ve had throughout this series, will give us a bit more of a base to be able to be successful.”

Sylhet, meanwhile, successfully chased down 220 against Chattogram despite falling behind in the first innings

Mohammad Isam29-Oct-2024Dhaka Metropolis thumped Rajshahi Division by ten wickets to start the NCL with successive wins. Left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan took career-best figures of 8 for 56 in the second innings, and combined with young left-arm quick Maruf Mridha, who had bagged 6 for 22 in the first, to sink Rajshahi.Asked to bat first, Rajshahi were bowled out for 77, with No. 10 Mohor Sheikh top-scoring with 19, as Mridha, Abu Haider and Anisul Islam Emon shared the ten wickets.Dhaka Metropolis replied with 233, as Shamsur Rahman, playing his 150th first-class match, top-scored with 64. Rajshahi were then shot out for 166, as Rakibul ran through their line-up. Dhaka Metropolis then got the required 14 runs in 2.1 overs.Pinak Ghosh’s unbeaten 62 led Sylhet Division to a six-wicket win against Chattogram Division in a low-scoring game. The left-hander took only 81 balls to get his runs in the 220-run chase, guiding Sylhet to their first win this season. The hosts reached the target in 40.1 overs, with Tawfique Khan also hitting a fifty.Earlier, Sylhet had fallen behind by 46 runs after they were bowled out for 152 in reply to Chattogram’s 198 in the first innings. Yasir Ali contributed the most runs for Chattogram as he scored 73, and that was followed by Ifran Hossain’s five-wicket haul. which kept Sylhet under pressure. Chattogram, however, couldn’t build on the first-innings lead, as they were bowled out for 173 in their second dig. Nayeem Ahmed and Rejaur Rahman took three wickets each for Sylhet.File photo: Ashiqur Rahman got his maiden first-class century•ICC/Getty ImagesAshiqur Rahman’s maiden first-class century helped Dhaka Division play out a draw against Rangpur Division at the BKSP ground. After rain wiped out the first day’s play, Rangpur were bowled out for 253 in the first innings. Left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam took four wickets for Dhaka Division.Ashiqur then struck ten fours and five sixes in his score of 129 off 186 balls. He added 204 for the second wicket with Joyraz Sheik, who made 87. Dhaka Division, however, slipped from 303 for 3 at one stage to be eventually bowled out for 327. Rangpur batted out the remaining 101 overs of the game, reaching 165 for 7 before it was called a draw. The veteran Naeem Islam stuck around for nearly five hours for his 75.Rain forced a draw between Khulna Division and Barishal Division in Khulna. Batting first, Khulna saw Anamul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Amit Majumder and Mahedi Hasan score fifties, as they declared at 408 for 9. Soumya’s rough reaction after being run-out due to a mix-up with Anamul became a talking point during the game. He threw the bat as he shouted at Anamul for the calling.In reply, Abdul Mazid struck his 13th first-class century as Barishal finished on 287 for 3. Mazid struck 15 boundaries in his nearly six-hour stay at the wicket.

فاجأ هانز فليك مدرب برشلونة الجميع الأحد الماضي، حيث استبعد الدولي الإنجليزي ماركوس راشفورد من تشكيل البلوجرانا خلال الفوز ضد خيتافي بثلاثية نظيفة.

وبحسب صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية فقد كان هذا القرار غريبًا للغاية، بالنظر لإصابة لامين يامال جناح برشلونة، بالإضافة إلى أن راشفورد قد قاد البارسا للفوز ضد نيوكاسل بهدفين لهدف في دوري أبطال أوروبا، إذ سجل هدفين.

واتضح في وقت لاحق أن سبب جلوس راشفورد على دكة البدلاء ضد خيتافي يعود إلى تأخره عن جلسة هانز فليك مع اللاعبين ولا تعد هذه هي المرة الأولى التي يتخذ فيها المدرب الألماني مثل هذه القرارات، وسبق وأجبر العديد من اللاعبين على الجلوس على مقاعد البدلاء لعدم التزامهم بالمواعيد.

اقرأ أيضاً.. فليك يتلقى دفعة معنوية مزدوجة ضد ريال سوسيداد في الدوري الإسباني

وتحدث آلان شيرر أحد أبرز نجوم الكرة الإنجليزية عن راشفورد وما قام به من سلوك قبل المباراة الماضية ضد خيتافي.

وقال شيرر في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “آس”: “لقد كان راشفورد رائعًا ضد نيوكاسل وكان الهدف الثاني الذي سجله مذهلاً”.

وأضاف: “لكن لا يمكن لك أن تصبح لاعب غير محترف، لماذا يجب أن يكون الجميع حاضرين من أجلك فقط؟ لماذا يجب أن يكون الجميع في الموعد المحدد وأنت تتأخر؟ هذا ليس صحيحاً”.

وواصل شيرر: “أعتقد أنه إذا أراد البقاء في برشلونة وخاصة على سبيل الإعارة، فلن يتمكن من ذلك، في ناد كبير مثل برشلونة سيكون هناك دائماً من يحل محلك”.

When Liverpool smashed not just their own transfer record but the Premier League’s transfer record to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m, many associated with the Anfield club would be forgiven for thinking that was it.

Marc Guehi has been touted with a move around the £40m mark but another colossal spend was surely out of the question, right? Think again.

Anyone fancy Alexander Isak? Of course, you do. Every club in European football would love to see the Newcastle striker leading the line for them.

The trouble is, he’s rather unattainable. Every player has their price, but it feels unlikely Liverpool will make a bid of £150m, the fee the Magpies could be looking for if they are to enter negotiations.

That being said, reports have indicated in the last 24 hours that the Reds are reportedly willing to put £130m on the table. Talk about making a statement to your rivals.

Yet, with that deal looking incredibly difficult to do, they have turned their attention to Hugo Ekitike.

The latest on the Hugo Ekitike situation

On Monday, Newcastle burst into life, making Ekitike their number one target and thus beginning work on a move. That was according to David Ornstein of The Athletic.

It has since been reported by Fabrizio Romano that the Toon have lodged an official bid to sign the Eintracht Frankfurt forward. Sadly for Newcastle, that was rejected. Frankfurt want more for their French superstar.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Ekitike has attracted the interest of plenty this summer, namely Manchester United and Chelsea. Yet, Liverpool are now at the table.

Romano reports that if they cannot prise Isak away from St James’ Park, then they will make a play for the Bundesliga superstar instead.

It’s a remarkable ultimatum on the face of it. Give us Isak or we’ll poach your leading transfer target instead. It’s older brother behaviour from one of Europe’s elite clubs. Who can blame them, either?

It’s a situation that could become quite messy, hence why Liverpool are looking at further alternatives to bolster their forward line.

Liverpool's Isak and Ekitike alternatives

According to the Daily Mail, FSG and Co have a number of strikers on their radar this summer, including the likes of Ollie Watkins and Victor Osimhen.

One of the more standout names is Brentford striker Yoane Wissa. Also a target for Tottenham Hotspur this summer, the report notes that Liverpool have been in talks with several centre-forwards, one of which is the Bees sensation.

The Reds are weighing up their options, alright, and could have to pay around £50m or even more to prise him away from London.

How Yoane Wissa compares to Hugo Ekitike

This summer we are likely to see Darwin Nunez depart Anfield on a permanent basis.

Once a club-record signing, it simply hasn’t happened for the Uruguayan in Liverpool colours, chiefly in 2024/25 when he scored just seven goals in 47 outings.

He’s a bundle of chaotic energy. Sometimes it’s good, but for the most part, it’s a negative trait. Few forwards in Europe’s top leagues miss as many big chances as him.

During 2023/24, Nunez missed 27 big chances in the Premier League, only second to Erling Haaland. On that basis, you may not think it’s a particularly negative stat. The trouble is, while Haaland missed plenty of chances, he was also burying them at regular intervals, notching 27 league goals that year. Nunez could only manage 11.

So, if Liverpool are to go out and buy a striker to replace Nunez this summer, they need a safe and proven pair of hands. Isak, of course, is the dream buy, but in Wissa, they’d sign a similar player, someone who’s already been there and done it in the English top-flight.

Ekitike has his positives, of course he does. He’s got rangy strides and plays in a similar manner to Isak, cutting inside and burying opportunities. You don’t score 22 goals as a 22-year-old in the Bundesliga without being a good player.

That said, much like Nunez, he’s still raw. You sense he needs a year or two learning from another frontman should he join a big club.

Wissa, however, is 28. He’s in his prime, he knows his game perfectly, and as a Premier League-proven forward, would surely hit the ground running right away. In the words of former Brentford boss Thomas Frank, he’s “unbelievable.”

The DR Congo international scored 20 goals in 39 matches in all competitions last term, the best campaign of his career to date and he’s improving at a rapid rate. He’s ready for a big move, he’s ready to take centre stage at one of the grandest clubs in Europe, notably scoring more regularly than Ekitike last term and registering a higher conversion rate.

If you still aren’t convinced, then perhaps data-led website, FBRef, can help you out. According to the numbers, Isak was the sixth-most similar striker in the Premier League to Wissa last season. The most comparable was Kai Havertz.

What that tells us is that Wissa doesn’t just possess the carrying ability of someone like Isak, but he’s also strong in the duel. Let’s put it this way: his game feels more refined than Ekitike’s at this moment in time.

The French youngster would not be a bad signing but if Liverpool desire someone a little less chaotic, someone less raw than Nunez, Wissa is your man. He’d also be a great deal cheaper. What’s not to like?

Better than Wirtz: Liverpool preparing £113m bid to sign superstar winger

Liverpool could sign another marquee player this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 15, 2025

Youssoufa Moukoko admitted he cried over claims about his age that overshadowed his rise from Borussia Dortmund prodigy to Copenhagen striker.

• Ex-Dortmund player now plays for Copenhagen
• Allegations claimed his birth certificate was fake
• Moukoko said rumours left him in tears

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Moukoko who was once tipped as Dortmund’s next superstar, has spoken out about the emotional toll of false age claims that surrounded his career. Despite scoring an incredible 141 goals in 88 youth matches for BVB, his rise was marred by allegations that his birth certificate was fake. Reports suggested he was actually born in 2000, making him four years older than officially registered.

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• IMAGO / Michael Barrett Boesen
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After a loan spell at Nice, he left Dortmund permanently in the summer, completing a €5 million move to Copenhagen, where he has scored three times in 12 games so far. Nonetheless the scandal dented his reputation at a crucial stage in his development, with critics questioning both his legitimacy and his potential. His time at Dortmund fizzled out without a proper farewell to fans, ending a nine-year stay at the club. Now in Denmark, Moukoko is attempting to rebuild both his career and confidence, while showing resilience in speaking openly about the challenges that left him struggling mentally.

• WHAT MOUKOKO SAID

  Speaking to , Moukoko revealed: "I've cried and thought: 'How do I get out of this?' and 'When will things get better?' Many people simply say: 'Everything's fine,' after difficult times. But I want to talk about it. Sometimes you have to learn to cry for help.

  "I think I was surprised by how many people do anything to get attention. Some people are incredibly greedy. Maybe one day I'll make my own documentary."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MOUKOKO?

  The German international is now focused on making his mark in the Danish Superliga. With three goals already for Copenhagen, the 20-year-old hopes to silence the noise around him by delivering consistent performances and reigniting the potential that once made him one of Europe’s most hyped teenagers.

Newcastle United find themselves racing to sign a centre-forward and could now be set to up the ante for a star with proven Premier League experience, according to a report.

Newcastle United continue search for new strikers

Unfortunately, Manchester United have won the race to sign RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko after a battle with the Magpies for his signature that has ended in a £74 million move to Old Trafford, subject to medical checks.

David Ornstein confirmed that Sesko won’t be joining Newcastle, but the reporter has shared some good news, revealing that Porto’s Samu Aghehowa is high on the Magpies’ radar, while Keith Downie reports that Brentford’s Yoane Wissa could be on his way to Tyneside for a fee of around £35m.

Speculation over Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson’s departure to West Ham United has left a couple of voids to be filled in the North East, and Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson could also head to Newcastle as his career trajectory takes another turn. Either way, cards may start to fall once Isak’s future is resolved amid heavy interest from Liverpool.

Related Newcastle open talks to sign "fantastic" midfielder who's keen on SJP move

Eddie Howe has already approved…

Posts 3 ByTom Cunningham Aug 7, 2025

Plenty of options are available to Howe with the window now coming into it’s final stretch and he may now have turned his attention to another forward who is creeping up the estimations of the Geordies’ recruitment team at St James’ Park.

Newcastle United want to sign striker loved by Alan Shearer

According to Craig Hope of The Daily Mail, Newcastle have Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Jorgen Strand Larsen near the top of their shortlist as they search for a new striker.

Despite only making his move to Molineux permanent this summer for £23 million, the Magpies are impressed by his character and exploits last term for the Old Gold in the Premier League.

Jorgen Strand Larsen’s record for Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

38

Goals

14

Assists

5

Newcastle legend Alan Shearer is an admirer of Strand Larsen and previously said about his performance against Ipswich Town back in April: “He was a nuisance. His hold-up play was excellent and I thought his touch and his control were superb.”

Indeed, the Wolves star’s closest statistical match is none other than Chris Wood, as per FBRef, due to both players outperforming their expected goals and dominating aerial duels. The Denmark international directed 34 of his 54 shots taken on target in the Premier League last term and is now creeping up their list of potential options after missing out on a deal for Sesko.

Previous talk of a price-tag sitting at £65 million has been dismissed, so it remains to be seen if Newcastle can advance into pole position to bring the talented striker to St James’ Park before the end of the window.

MatériaMais Notícias

Pela primeira vez no mês, após passar por uma sequência longa de jogos e viagens do São Paulo, Dorival Júnior conseguiu primeiro ‘respiro’. Desde o retorno da Colômbia, após o jogo contra o Tolima, o treinador conseguiu emplacar uma sequência de três dias seguidos treinando e cinco dias de intervalo entre o último jogo e o duelo que acontecerá este domingo (7), contra o Internacional.

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Os últimos dias foram bastante agitados para o Tricolor paulista. Na última semana, embarcou para o Paraná, para enfrentar o Coritiba pelo Campeonato Brasileiro. Pensando em uma logística que facilitasse o trabalho da equipe, permaneceu em Curitiba no dia seguinte ao jogo e realizou um treinamento lá. Logo depois, já embarcou para a Colômbia – onde enfrentaria o Tolima. Passou por Bogotá, onde também treinou, e em um voo, foi para Ibagué – palco da partida. O elenco tricolor voltou ao Brasil somente na quarta-feira (3).

Gabigol supera Luizão! Saiba os maiores artilheiros da Libertadores em todos os tempos

Confira os jogos e classificação resultados do Campeonato Brasileiro na tabela do LANCE!

Desta forma, voltou a treinar no CT da Barra Funda somente nesta quinta-feira (4), dando sequência aos trabalhos até a manhã deste sábado (6), último dia antes do jogo contra o Internacional, que acontecerá no estádio do Morumbi neste domingo (7).

Entretanto, a sequência do Tricolor deve voltar a ficar complicada neste mês de maio. Após o jogo contra o Internacional, o elenco se prepara para enfrentar o Fortaleza na quinta-feira (11), o Corinthians na próxima semana, o Sport pela Copa do Brasil apenas três dias depois – sendo estes três jogos fora de casa.

No dia 20, volta ao Morumbi para encontrar o Vasco, depois viaja para a Venezuela para duelar com o Puerto Cabello no dia 23, aí dia 27 deste mês, volta de novo para casa – agora para enfrentar o Goiás.

E por fim, no último dia de maio, decide seu futuro na Copa do Brasil no Morumbi, contra o Sport novamente. Ou seja, dias de trabalho e descanso serão algo raro.

Zimbabwe blessed the rains down in Bulawayo, although they might not have needed it

Danyal Rasool24-Nov-2024

Bulawayo has desperately craved rain for months, but when they arrived, the crowd that congregated at the Queens Sports Club had double reason to celebrate. Arriving just six deliveries after 20 overs had been bowled in the second innings, it guaranteed the game would have a result, and there could only be one winner.Zimbabwe completed a crushing 80-run win over Pakistan in the first ODI, having battled through difficult batting conditions in the first innings after losing the toss. They posted 205 before Blessing Muzarabani and the spinners scythed through Pakistan’s batting order, having effectively ended the game before the forecast rains descended upon Bulawayo.Muzarabani tends to do well against Pakistan, and with the skies darkening with every over, these conditions were tailor-made for him. It didn’t require much magic to get rid of the out-of-form Abdullah Shafique, who squeezed the fifth ball he faced through to the keeper. Saim Ayub was done by sideways movement soon after as Zimbabwe got the early wickets normally required to ensure a small target begins to look imposing.The story of the game, though was the amount of turn the surface was taking. When Zimbabwe lost the toss, the concern was their ability to survive in overcast conditions at the mercy of Pakistan’s vaunted pace attack, but it was the part-time spin of Salman Agha and Ayub that posed the greater threat. Zimbabwe had the perfect trio of disciplined, miserly finger spinners to choke Pakistan, and once they got going, Pakistan’s movement became increasingly laboured.Captain Craig Ervine never even got to bowl, but Sean Williams and Sikandar Raza were working Pakistan over, watching them crumble in the face of the pressure they imposed. Coming around the wicket to the right-handers, Williams drew Kamran Ghulam into nicking through to wicketkeeper Tadiwanashe Marumani while Raza’s double blow knocked Salman and debutant Haseebullah Khan out in quick succession. The former required a bit of fortune with doubt about whether he’d managed to get a foot behind the line, but there was no doubting Raza’s quality when he felled Hasebullah, drifting it in from around the wicket before getting it to grip and turn away to clatter off stump.By now, the groundstaff were getting twitchy, and Zimbabwe’s priority was to ensure they got 20 overs in to guarantee a result. Just before that mark, though, Williams struck Pakistan with another body blow when Irfan Khan played all around a delivery and watched his bails fly. Williams, too, had flirted dangerously with the front foot line, but the umpire ruled in his favour.It was in marked contrast to the positive authority Zimbabwe’s openers exuded in the first powerplay. Any fears of bowling dominance were quickly set aside when Marumani and Joylord Gumbie got the hosts off to a flyer in the morning, with Aamer Jamal’s wayward lines coming in for particular punishment.A mix-up between the two and a direct hit from Shafique saw Gumbie depart, and Zimbabwe’s hold over the innings began to loosen. Salman, who looked menacing right from the outset, deceived Dion Myers in the flight as he holed out to cow corner, and Haris Rauf’s extra pace got the better of Craig Ervine.Pakistan found themselves well on top as Zimbabwe lost wickets at regular intervals, with cameos from Williams and Brian Bennett unable to prevent the hosts sliding to 125 for 7. It would take an unlikely 62-run stand between Raza and Richard Ngarava to ensure Zimbabwe managed a competitive total.Ngarava, surprisingly, was the senior partner in that stand, demonstrating good technique and a relaxed swing as he took Pakistan on, combining solid defence with creamy drives and powerful slogs. There was an interesting battle with Rauf, who kept trying to undo him with the short ball, but a mixture of good fortune and command of the pull shot kept Ngarava, and Zimbabwe, ticking over. Raza provided security from the other end, and just as the score approached 200, looked like taking over as the main man in that partnership.But in what appeared a crucial moment in the game, he holed out to the deep midwicket fielder off a long hop from debutant Faisal Akram that he should have put away for six. Left-arm wristspinner Faisal followed it up by cleaning up Muzarabani two balls later before Mohammad Hasnain knocked Ngarava’s stumps back just two shy of a well-deserved half-century.Pakistan looked to have arrested the slide, but in a banana skin of an opening fixture, the portents of their slip-up were only just beginning to be laid. Zimbabwe might not have needed rain to beat Pakistan, but for Bulawayo, and indeed for Zimbabwean cricket, it was a blessing they will gladly accept.

Following the undeniable bombshell that Alexander Isak has asked to leave the club, Newcastle United and PIF have reportedly set their sights on a talented replacement.

When news emerged that he was suffering from a thigh injury and he would, therefore, not travel to take part in Newcastle’s Asia tour, it became clear that trouble may be afoot. And soon enough, reports came to the fore that Isak has, indeed, asked to leave St James’ Park this summer amid interest from Saudi Arabia and Liverpool.

It would have been Newcastle’s biggest fear heading into this summer, but that fear would have only increased by their own transfer failure. The last thing that Eddie Howe needs after watching the Magpies miss out on Hugo Ekitike, Joao Pedro and Bryan Mbeumo is for Isak to depart, but that may be the reality that he is forced to live with next season.

There is still one positive in this saga for Newcastle, though. As frustrating as losing Isak would be, his exit would instantly solve any remaining PSR problems for the foreseeable future and allow PIF to flex their financial muscles in full.

According to The Athletic, the final package to sign Isak could cost as much as £250m, with Newcastle demanding a transfer fee worth as much as £150m before agent fees and wages are taken into account.

With a chunk of that money, the Magpies could welcome an instant replacement and then finally splash the cash to improve other areas in Howe’s squad.

PIF set sights on Lois Openda

Turning towards an Isak replacement before anything, those at St James’ Park are now reportedly ‘targeting’ a Bundesliga talent. According to transfer reporter Ben Jacobs, PIF have now set their sights on signing Lois Openda for Newcastle this summer as they look to find the heir to Isak’s Tyneside throne.

Newcastle join Premier League race to sign "strong" ex-Man City defender

The Magpies are battling to sign another new target.

ByTom Cunningham Jul 25, 2025

The RB Leipzig forward, now at the peak of his powers at 25 years old, is not the out-and-out goalscorer that Isak is, but he is a better creator and could provide Howe with a better all-rounder than the Swede.

After impressing in the 2023/24 campaign, Openda picked up where he left off last season and ended the campaign with 13 goals and 11 assists in all competitions. Described as a “fantastic young striker” by scout Jacek Kulig whilst in Germany, the Belgian could now get the chance to make the biggest move of his career so far.

Crystal Palace always have a keen eye on young talent and could be set to raid a Premier League rival to bring in an exciting gem for a minimal fee, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Crystal Palace continue to field Eberechi Eze interest

There is no secret about the fact that the Eagles have in-demand players on their books and speculation continues to mount surrounding the jewel in their crown this summer.

Arsenal are long-term admirers of Eberechi Eze and want to bring him to North London. In exchange, there may be potential for Crystal Palace to land defender Jakub Kiwior as a makeweight to shore up their defence.

Despite his goals, assists and flair making the England international the star of the show, he isn’t the only star that could leave Oliver Glasner searching for reinforcements, as speculation over Marc Guehi’s future is intensifying by the day.

Champions Liverpool are working to secure Guehi’s signature and the fact he has one year left on his contract in South London has posed a question to Steve Parish and company over whether to sell the Three Lions’ man while he retains value, something he admits will be hard to turn down if their valuation is met.

He stated: “We will just have to see what happens. It needs a new contract or a conclusion of some kind. It is a really tough one. We will do everything we can in the next few weeks to give ourselves the best chance. I am aware we are in four competitions this season. But the money we have is not infinite.”

Crystal Palace want to sign £26m star from under nose of Nottingham Forest

The Eagles are keen to get one over their divisional rivals…

BySean Markus Clifford Aug 11, 2025

While that storm continues to brew, in the meantime, Crystal Palace want to close in on a talented young midfielder who is also attracting interest from elsewhere.

Crystal Palace make contact to sign Arsenal's Dan Casey

According to Romano on X, Crystal Palace and Norwich City have made contact to try and sign out-of-contract Arsenal midfielder Dan Casey, who could move for a compensation package before the end of the window.

The youngster has a new deal on the table at the Emirates Stadium after a return of 20 goals at Under-18 level last term. Nevertheless, he is yet to sign, signalling he could up sticks for a minimal fee if the correct opportunity presents itself.

Labelled “really reliable” by Adam Birchall, the attacking midfielder can play in a variety of different positions, including centre-forward, on either flank or even as a deep-lying six when needed.

Crystal Palace have done some wonderful work over the years in nurturing young talent and the 17-year-old could well be the next in line to join their conveyor belt of exciting stars.