Arsenal had faced newly promoted sides on two occasions already this season and they swept them aside with ease.

Mikel Arteta’s men welcomed Leeds United to the Emirates Stadium in the early knockings of the campaign and sent out a message, dispatching them 5-0.

Last weekend, the Gunners faced Burnley and while they didn’t thrash them, it was another routine win for the league leaders.

So, when they travelled to the final newly promoted side of 2025/26 in the form of Sunderland, Arteta’s side knew they were going to find life a bit tougher.

The Black Cats have been the story of the Premier League season to date and they showcased that on Saturday, battling to an incredibly hard-earned 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light.

Arsenal were not at their best but credit where credit is due; Sunderland are a mighty fine team.

What went wrong for Arsenal against Sunderland

The Gunners came into this clash having not conceded a goal for eight games. Their defensive record was remarkable, but it had to come to an end sometime. That time was now.

Regis Le Bris’ team have been phenomenal in the early stages of the new term and demonstrated why they look very unlikely to suffer relegation. In short, they looked like the best collective team the north Londoners have faced all season.

It was a familiar face in the form of Granit Xhaka who helped down his former colleagues but he wasn’t the only ex-Arsenal player on the field to make an impact.

Indeed, former Hale Ender, Dan Ballard, made the most noteworthy impact. He hadn’t played a single first-team game for the Gunners before joining Sunderland in a £2m deal but he’s more than made his mark in the north east.

He scored that last-gasp goal against Coventry City in the Championship play-off semi-finals and has come in clutch again since Le Bris’ men were promoted.

Ballard’s finest game in a Sunderland shirt was reserved for his former employers. It was the colossal centre-back who powered how the game’s opening goal and it was he who supplied Brian Brobbey’s late equaliser.

Arsenal were not at the races in the first half but they did come back fighting in the second period. It was a noticeably better performance from the league leaders who levelled courtesy of Bukayo Saka.

The winger has struggled for form in the early parts of 2025/26 but this was perhaps his finest league display of the season to date. His goal, specifically as it was on his so-called weaker foot, was simply world-class.

Saka had spurned two golden opportunities to score against Burnley a week ago but this was much more like it from the club’s talisman.

Still, as he has been in recent weeks, Saka was upstaged once more by Belgian Leandro Trossard. It looked for all the world as though the winger would exit the club in the summer as Arsenal targeted reinforcements in attack but due to a plethora of injuries has become a vital player again. His strike to put Arteta’s team in front was one of his best since joining from Brighton.

Yet, in very uncharacteristic fashion, the visitors struggled at the back. For both goals, they struggled to clear their lines and the backline didn’t lose one duel but two duels in the build-up to the last-gasp equaliser. Brobbey beat Gabriel Magalhaes to the ball and goalkeeper David Raya was left stranded.

So, the international may break may well have come at just the right time. It will give Arsenal a chance to reset and potentially get some of their injured players back.

Arsenal star lets Arteta down when it counts

For Sunderland, Ballard was imperious. After all, he did have something to prove.

The Gunners never gave him an opportunity to strut his stuff at the Emirates but at the Stadium of Light, he has found a home for himself.

He was dominant, he was colossal and arguably, the best player on the pitch. Truth be told, he outplayed one of the best players in the whole of Europe this season; Gabriel.

The Brazilian has been the glue that has bound everything together for Arsenal and in the words of Jamie Carragher, he has “been the most influential player” in the division.

Well, on Saturday, it was his worst performance of the campaign to date. Handed a 5/10 match rating by GOAL, they lamented the centre-back’s involvement in the equalising goal.

While Gabriel is usually so mean, so fierce in the duel, he was bullied on this occasion and was left to feel rather sorry for himself having tried to win a foul.

Man of the hour, Mr Brobbey, got across the big and tough Brazilian and rather made him look like a schoolboy. Very few attackers can do that to Gabriel but he was outmuscled and left pleading with the referee to give a foul. It was not a foul, Arsenal’s number 6 had just been outplayed “when it mattered most” in the words of Arsenal writer and content creator Jamie Kent.

Gabriel didn’t do much wrong up to that point, but he was rattled in a way we rarely see from one of Arsenal’s standout players.

While the former Lille central defender did win both of his ground duels on the evening, he only won five of his eight aerial battles, suggesting that this was indeed a tougher day at the office.

Minutes played

90

Touches

75

Accurate passes

53/62 (85%)

Key passes

1

Accurate crosses

0/2

Dribbles

0

Shots

0

Possession lost

11x

Ground duels won

2/2

Aerial duels won

5/8

Tackles won

0

Interceptions

0

Recoveries

0

There is not much that the centre-back needs to improve but this was the third instance, all of which have led to goals this season, that have seen Gabriel lose a duel in the build-up to a goal.

He let Erling Haaland turn him too easily during the 1-1 draw with Manchester City a few months ago when the Norwegian scored and Gabriel was also at fault the last time Arsenal conceded prior to the Sunderland game. Coincidentally, that also came in the north east. In a similar fashion, the Brazil international looked to bait a foul from the centre-forward and it simply wasn’t forthcoming.

On that occasion, the towering Nick Woltemade simply battered him out the way and the same could be said of Brobbey on Saturday.

He’s not usually one to shy away from things but on two occasions now he’s let Arsenal down in big moments. He has also delivered some imperious moments this season, but if he does want to be considered the best defender in the land, incidents like this one must be eradicated from his game.

That being said, it does rather say it all that this was Gabriel’s worst performance of the season. He was still pretty rock solid besides that error.

Chelsea have now launched their first enquiry to sign Como star Nico Paz in 2026, but it is reportedly Real Madrid who hold the key in pursuit of one of the world’s best young talents.

The Blues have built quite the reputation for signing young stars in recent years, with some of those stars beginning to thrive at Stamford Bridge whilst others wonder what’s next. One of those on the more positive side is Estevao Willian. The young Brazilian has hit the ground running in West London and once again came from the bench to contribute on Saturday night.

This time it was Wolverhampton Wanderers who suffered as Estevao found room to hand Joao Pedro the chance to get his name on the scoresheet. From one Brazilian to another, the former Brighton & Hove Albion forward duly obliged.

The 18-year-old’s performance once again resulted in significant praise from the Sky Sports studio, with former Wolves boss Gary O’Neil saying: “The thing holding him back is that he’s got the best winger I’ve ever worked with in Pedro Neto in his position.

“But he’s a top talent. Estevao, I’m sure, will manage to find his way into the team, but I think it’s difficult on that right-hand-side. At his age, you can keep him happy giving him sub appearances. But at some point, he needs to be let off the leash.”

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Whilst Estevao continues to enjoy an impressive rise, Chelsea will no doubt continue their search for the next generation of standout stars. And that, of course, includes Paz. The Como star has been excellent under former Stamford Bridge star Cesc Fabregas this season and the Blues have now made their first move for his signature.

Chelsea launch first Nico Paz enquiry

As reported by Caught Offside, Chelsea have now enquired about signing Paz from Como in 2026, but face competition from Inter Milan, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. Reports have even claimed that Inter are preparing to submit an offer to sign the attacking midfielder worth €58m (£51m).

Unfortunately for the Italian giants and the rest of the interested parties, however, it is Real Madrid who hold the key to Paz’s future. The Spanish giants reportedly have a buy-back clause worth €9m (£8m) in 2026 and €10m (£9m) in 2027. In one move, they could sign a player who could reach the value of €100m for what would be the bargain of the summer.

Chelsea and others must simply hope that Madrid either opt out of signing the 21-year-old in the next two years or the player, himself, rejects the chance to make a return to the Bernabeu. If either of those scenarios take place, then things will certainly become interesting.

Described as “incredible” by Lionel Messi in the highest praise that an Argentinian can receive, Paz has already been involved in eight goals in 12 games this season and doesn’t look likely to slow down anytime soon.

Chelsea join Daniel Munoz race as Crystal Palace star reveals true "dream" move

Tom Abell’s meticulous 19th first class century put Somerset in a strong position on the second day of the Rothesay County Championship Division One game with Yorkshire at the Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton.The 31-year-old former club captain batted for more than five hours to score 130, off 227 balls, with 16 fours, sharing a fifth-wicket stand of 143 with Lewis Goldsworthy, who made 65, as the home side advanced their first innings score from an overnight 155 for 3 to 391 for 6 before bad light ended play 13.3 overs early.With the pitch showing signs of taking spin, Somerset look to have a challenging total. But showers are forecast throughout the final two days and a draw looks the most likely outcome.Yorkshire’s only success of the morning session came as early as the third ball, which saw James Rew edge Jack White through to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow without having added to his overnight score of 54.The visiting seamers gave little away, bowling straight and full to force a watchful approach from Abell and Goldsworthy, who were initially content to defend anything on the stumps.Only 25 runs were scored off the first 15 overs, eight of them coming from two sweetly-timed cover driven boundaries from Goldsworthy in successive overs off first George Hill and then Jordan Thompson.Yorkshire skipper Bairstow elected to switch to spin, introducing Dan Moriarty from the River End. The left-armer was quickly able to extract turn from the dry surface, but that didn’t stop Abell breaking loose by hitting two boundaries in an over.Goldsworthy raised 200 by pulling a short ball from Matthew Revis to the deep square boundary. The score was 217 for four when former Somerset off-spinner Dom Bess was brought on at the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End.By then Abell and Goldsworthy were well set, still taking few risks as they advanced the total to 235 for 4 at lunch, with Abell three short of a half-century and his partner unbeaten on 34. A morning session of 34 overs had produced 80 runs.With the skies darkening after the interval, Abell went to his fifty with an edged three to third man off Moriarty. He had faced 118 balls and hit five fours, looking rock solid against spin and seam alike.Goldsworthy had a moment of fortune when top-edging a sweep off Moriarty over the head of wicketkeeper Bairstow. The following over, the 82nd of the innings, saw Yorkshire take the second new ball with the scoreboard reading 247 for 4. Abell earned a first batting point with a single to leg off Hill.White took the new ball at the other end and his first with it brought two narrow escapes for Abell, who appeared to survive a sharp chance to backward point and then what must have been a close lbw appeal. The century partnership with Goldsworthy was raised off 246 balls.The next landmark was Goldsworthy’s fifty, reached with a single off Thompson having faced 146 balls and hit six fours. The floodlights had just been turned on and the rain, which had been forecast, arrived at 2.06pm.Tea was taken before play restarted at 3.20pm with the lights on and 14 overs initially knocked off the 104 scheduled to be bowled in the day. Moriarty had bowled without luck and was left holding his head when a ball grazed Abell’s off stump having come off his glove.Moriarty was finally rewarded with the wicket of Goldsworthy, lbw attempting to sweep with the total on 298, having battled away for 185 balls. Abell earned a second batting point with a single off the same bowler and a third was secured thanks to a half-century stand with Kasey Aldridge.It remained for Abell to reach three figures, which he did with a reverse swept four off Bess, his 11th boundary in facing 202 balls. An identical shot with the same outcome took Somerset past 350 and after 110 overs Yorkshire had to settle for a single bowling point.Abell finally departed to former team-mate Bess, lofting a catch to deep mid-wicket shortly before stumps were drawn.

MatériaMais Notícias

Uma das maiores promessas do Flamengo na década passada, Adryan será o novo reforço do ABC, de Natal, segundo o “ge”. O meia volta ao Brasil pela primeira vez desde 2021, quando defendeu o Avaí.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Revelado pelo Rubro-Negro, o jogador foi cercado por grandes expectativas e chegou a ser comparado com Zico por conta de seu futebol apresentado nas categorias de base. O atleta chegou a ter uma multa rescisória no valor de R$ 130 milhões para deixar a Gávea.

Sem conseguir render o que era esperado no Flamengo, Adryan viveu sua primeira experiência na Europa com o Cagliari, da Itália. O meia também já vestiu as camisas de Leeds, Nantes, Sion, Kayserispor e Brescia.

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Campeão da Copinha com o Rubro-Negro, o jogador está com 29 anos e está sem jogar desde o meio do ano passado, onde encerrou seu contrato com o clube italiano. A expectativa é de que o atleta seja apresentado nesta semana.

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Tottenham Hotspur face Manchester United this weekend, looking to return to winning ways in the Premier League after losing to Chelsea on home soil last weekend.

The clash against Ruben Amorim’s outfit will likely have an added sprinkle of excitement, given the latest meeting between the two top-flight clubs back in May.

The Lilywhites claimed a sensational 1-0 win over the Red Devils in the Europa League final in Bilbao, subsequently ending their 17-year wait for a piece of silverware.

Other meetings in 2024/25 saw Spurs claim a 4-3 triumph in North London in the Carabao Cup, with the previous encounters highlighting the excellent battles that have unfolded between the sides.

The club are also on a seven-game unbeaten run against the Red Devils across all competitions, with their last defeat in such a contest coming way back in October 2022.

If Thomas Frank is to inflict further pain on the Red Devils, he will likely need to keep one player quiet – with the manager knowing him extremely well, given his previous experience managing him.

How close Spurs came to signing Mbeumo

Bryan Mbeumo is a player who has been able to reach phenomenal levels under the guidance of Frank, with the pair thriving together during their time at Brentford.

The Cameroonian international spent six years under the Dane at the Bees, amassing just shy of 250 appearances in the process – with his best year undoubtedly coming in 2024/25.

The 26-year-old featured 38 times in the Premier League, scoring 20 goals in the process – ending the season as one of just five players to achieve such a feat.

After Frank’s appointment with the Lilywhites, rumours were swirling over a potential move to North London for Mbeumo – understandably so given his previous under the manager.

It was even reported at one stage that an offer was made for the winger’s services, but no deal ever came to fruition, with the forward subsequently joining United instead.

Amorim’s side forked out a staggering £71m for Mbeumo’s signature, with the Cameroonian already making an immediate impact during the early stages of his spell at Old Trafford.

The 26-year-old has already netted four Premier League goals this campaign – more than any current Spurs player – showcasing the threat he poses within the final third.

His other tallies, such as 1.4 shots on target and 2.1 chances created per 90, highlight the all-round threat he carries – no doubt providing the biggest threat to the Lilywhites this afternoon.

Frank will no doubt know the talent the attacker possesses, with the manager needing to silence him in North London to allow the club to get back to winning ways in England’s top-flight.

The Spurs star who can silence Mbeumo against United

Since Mbeumo’s move to United in the summer, he’s had to operate in a slightly unconventional number ten position alongside Matheus Cunha at Old Trafford.

It’s evidently not stopped him from starring, as seen by his recent form in the Premier League, with Frank desperately needing to silence him in North London this afternoon.

The central midfield department has been an area brought into question over the last few weeks, with the manager yet to work out his best partnership at the base of the side.

The likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Sarr and Lucas Bergvall have all occupied such roles, but none have been able to cement a regale starting role with the Lilywhites.

However, if Spurs are to have the best chance of silencing Mbeumo today, Frank should look to recall
Joao Palhinha to his starting eleven after being dropped to the bench against Copenhagen on Tuesday.

The Portuguese international joined on a season-long loan from Bayern Munich in the summer transfer window, but such a deal was frowned upon by the supporters at first.

In their hunt for a new number six, many wanted a younger and more progressive option to help add a new dimension to the first-team squad in the 2025/25 campaign.

However, it’s safe to say the 30-year-old has proved many of his doubters wrong, with the loanee now becoming one of the club’s most important players at present.

Palhinha has made the deep-lying midfield spot his own, especially given the eye-catching numbers he’s produced over the last couple of weeks in the Premier League.

The Portuguese international, who’s been dubbed “phenomenal” by one analyst, has already won 44 tackles in his just 10 league outings this campaign – an average of 5.1 per 90 – highlighting the talent he possesses without the ball.

Such numbers would make him the perfect man to silence Mbeumo, with no player making more tackles in England’s top-flight during the current season.

Other figures, such as 8.5 duels won per 90 and 1.8 aerials won per 90, further showcase his dominance out of possession, with such a skillset able to disrupt the Cameroonian’s chances of making a positive impact.

Whilst he’s been brought to North London for his defensive attributes, Palhinha has already impressed in the final third, notching a total of six combined goal contributions across all competitions – two of which came off the bench on Tuesday night.

Progressing the play may not be his strong point at present, but his ability to break up the opposition’s flow is certainly an area which could come in handy against Mbeumo this afternoon.

His ability to get on the scoresheet is just an added bonus, but his main responsibility today must be to prevent Mbeumo from haunting Spurs and former boss Frank in North London.

Should the experienced midfielder manage to do just that, it could be another memorable afternoon for the Lilywhites faithful against the Red Devils – subsequently putting an end to Amorim’s recent unbeaten run at Old Trafford.

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Ethan Lamb

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The reason for cancellation is not yet clear, but it is the second time in as many games Pakistan have scrapped their customary pre-match media duties

Danyal Rasool20-Sep-2025

Pakistan have cancelled another scheduled pre-match press conference, this one ahead of their Super Fours game against India on Sunday. According to the schedule the Asian Cricket Council released, a Pakistan player or member of the coaching staff was scheduled to do a press conference at 6pm local time on Saturday. The team was also slated to train from 6pm onwards for three hours at the ICC Academy in Dubai. ESPNcricinfo has learnt that training is set to go ahead as scheduled.The reason for cancelling the press conference is not yet clear. It is the second time in as many games Pakistan have scrapped their customary pre-match media duties. They had declined to hold a press conference ahead of their must-win game against UAE, while the handshake saga with match referee Andy Pycroft raged on.Meanwhile, Pycroft has been confirmed as the match referee for the India vs Pakistan game on Sunday too.Related

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Pycroft to stand as match referee in Ind vs Pak Super Fours game

In the days since, that feud has largely been put to rest after the ICC organised a meeting between Pycroft and Pakistan’s coach, captain, media and team managers where Pycroft offered his regrets for the way events at the toss against India had unfolded. He had told Salman Ali Agha there would not be a handshake with the India captain Suryakumar Yadav, which Pakistan had interpreted as Pycroft’s failure to uphold the ICC’s code of conduct and demanded his “immediate removal” from the tournament.The meeting before the UAE game appeared to have placated the PCB somewhat; they put out a short video of it, with no audio, and said in a statement that Pycroft had apologised. That, in turn, appeared to have angered the ICC, who took exception to the recording of that video, writing a strongly-worded e-mail to the PCB, saying the board had breached protocol by filming without consent in the Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA). There is no official confirmation that the PCB ever responded to that email.India will not hold a press conference on Saturday either. As is customary for sides who play their next game after only a day’s gap, they held an embargoed press conference looking ahead to the Pakistan clash, following the conclusion of their game against Oman on Friday night.Sunday will be both sides’ first game in the Super Fours stage.

Newcastle United are now ready to battle Real Madrid and Barcelona in the race to sign a teenage sensation who’s been compared to Kevin de Bruyne, according to recent reports.

The Magpies are looking to bounce back off the pitch following a disastrous start to their Premier League campaign. Eddie Howe’s side have won just three of their opening 11 games and their 3-1 defeat at the hands of Brentford was their most damning yet.

For the first time during his time at the club, Howe is under pressure to turn things around and admitted there is “no excuse” for how his side performed in West London last weekend.

The international break comes at a good time for those at St James’ Park, but they must use it well to find a solution for their current problems. In the space of six months, they’ve gone from a top four side to the bottom half of the Premier League in dismal fashion.

With the January transfer window now less than two months away, the solutions could also come courtesy of the market. Newcastle endured the most chaotic summer possible before eventually landing on record signing Nick Woltemade and the now-injured Yoane Wissa, but a smoother winter window could result in some much-needed improvement.

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To that end, new sporting director Ross Wilson has already reportedly identified targets such as Everton’s James Garner and now a young midfield sensation who’s attracting the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Newcastle ready to join Kees Smit race

As reported by the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, Newcastle are now ready to join the race to sign Kees Smit alongside some of Europe’s biggest clubs. Some in the Netherlands are expecting the 19-year-old to leave AZ Alkmaar next summer and his £20m value could see those at St James’ Park land an undeniable bargain.

Whilst Smit has been compared to De Bruyne by those in his home country, Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman recently likened him to Barcelona’s impressive star, Pedri – saying: “He has the awareness to receive in tight spaces and move the ball forward. That is something we value.

“The resemblance people see (with Pedri) is in how he positions himself and his decision-making under pressure. Big clubs follow players with these characteristics. That is normal. What is important is that he continues developing where he is, playing regularly.”

Como scout Ben Mattinson also went as far as to describe Smit as “aggressive” and dubbed him a “duel monster” back in March. The fact is, the more that the midfielder features, the better he looks and he now looks destined for a big move as a result.

Newcastle must regret signing £100k-p/w flop who's cost £3.2m per game

Winner joins India in Super Four round from Group A; loser exits the Asia Cup

Danyal Rasool16-Sep-20253:21

Mukund: ‘Pakistan go in as clear favourites’

Big pictureThere 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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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 ImagesForm guidePakistan: LWWWL   UAE: WLLLLIn the spotlightThere 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 PressTeam newsHesson 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 SiddiquePitch and conditionsThere 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 triviaPakistan 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.

Bumrah could have been the difference, but he wasn’t in the end. Instead, it was in the lengths and the Pujara model that the series was won and lost

Sidharth Monga11-Jan-2025High seam and low bounce proved to be the ideal combination for India in Perth. They could stick to bowling their 6-8-metre good length and still hit the stumps with it. Australia went with their traditional 5-7-metre good-length band, getting driven and then going too short in reaction. Even though Australia bowled India out for 150 on the first morning, they bowled 35 balls fuller than the 5-metre mark, conceding 20% of that total.Either India learned from what they watched or they just stuck to their natural good lengths, which turned out to be the best for these conditions. Australia were at the stumps less frequently than once in two overs; India attacked the wicket once every over. Eight of the 18 wickets India’s fast bowlers took were either bowled or lbw.!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();