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After more than two years of waiting, Lionel Messi finally has a chance to lift MLS Cup. The Argentine superstar guided Inter Miami to their first-ever trip to the championship game, sealing a 5-1 win over NYCFC in the Eastern Conference final. And he’ll have another countryman to thank: Tadeo Allende, whose first-half brace set the tone for Javier Mascherano’s side.

It wasn’t Messi’s most prolific performance – but it didn’t have to be. His teammates did the heavy lifting, especially Allende, who tied the MLS postseason record for goals with a hat trick.

NYCFC opened the contest at Chase Stadium just as they have throughout the postseason: compact, taking away space, and looking to counter. It worked for the first 10 minutes, before the Herons’ attack finally sparked. Messi created a clear-cut chance from a set piece, finding Jordi Alba at the back post, only for USMNT goalkeeper Matt Freese to block the header. Four minutes later, the breakthrough came.

Allende received a perfectly weighted pass in the box and made no mistake with a diagonal finish to put Miami up 1-0. Eight minutes after that, he was back again. Alba spotted Allende charging toward goal from 25 yards out and lofted a gorgeous long ball over the top, which the striker headed home. Inter Miami looked to be cruising, but NYCFC hit back in the 37th minute as lax defending allowed Justin Haak to nod in a set-piece header.

Miami turned ruthless after the break. Mateo Silvetti finally came alive following a quiet first half, coolly slotting home off a Messi assist – the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s lone goal contribution of the night. Alba followed with an outrageous backheel to set up Telasco Segovia, and Allende added his third to restore Miami’s four-goal cushion and put the game out of reach.

The win ensures Inter Miami will host MLS Cup against the Western Conference finalists, the Vancouver Whitecaps. 

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Chase Stadium….

ImagnGoalkeeper & Defense

Rocco Rios Novo (5/10):

A shaky performance from the 23-year-old, who couldn't do much with the first goal he conceded, but almost gave away Miami's advantage in the second half. He is very lucky NYCFC couldn't take advantage of a giveaway from Inter Miami's goalkeeper. He also made some ill-timed runs off his line. Did make an incredible save on Julian Fernandez, which prevented a game-tying opportunity in the 67th minute. 

Jordi Alba (9/10):

Typical Alba performance, excellent in his assist to Allende in the first half, but left spaces open at times for NYCFC to exploit. Delivered one of the best assists of the season with his behind-the-back delivery to Segovia. 

Noah Allen (6/10):

Allen always puts a shit on the back end, but doesn't offer much going forward. Had a then-game high five defensive contributions before being pulled off due to his yellow card for Yannick Bright.

Sergio Busquets (6/10):

The legendary midfielder was put in the backline for his ability to distribute from the center back position, which he did. Yet, his lack of mobility, especially laterally, gave NYCFC a weakness to exploit. 

Maxi Falcon (6/10):

Solid but not spectacular. Typical showing from the center back. 

Marcelo Weigandt (6/10):

Wasn't the worst game from the fullback, and he actually offered some positive glimpses in the first half. Yet, once Hannes Wolf came on, the 25-year-old couldn't handle NYCFC's Austrian winger and was quickly replaced by Ian Fray in the second half. 

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Baltasar Rodríguez (6/10):

NYCFC kept the match compact, and as a result, the young midfielder didn't have much space to operate in. Quiet night overall. 

Rodrigo De Paul (7/10):

Miami's big summer signing contributed on both sides of the ball, helping the Herons push forward and also helping his club win back possession with X recoveries. 

Mateo Silvetti (8/10):

Withdrawn from his typical winger/forward spot, the 19-year-old played in a No. 10 spot and was less effective in the first half than he had been in previous weeks. Yet, he effectively booked Miami's trip to the finals with his goal in the second half. 

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Lionel Messi (7/10):

This wasn’t Messi’s best outing, with NYCFC swarming him on nearly every touch. But after the postseason he’s had — and with the performances his teammates delivered on Saturday – it didn’t really matter.

Tadeo Allende (10/10):
Who needs Neymar or Luis Suárez when you have Allende? Jokes aside, the unheralded Argentine – quietly brought in on loan from Celta Vigo – has turned into one of Inter Miami’s smartest pickups. And he showed it again when his team needed him most. In a tense, grinding match, it was the 26-year-old’s clinical edge in front of goal that finally brought calm and confidence to Mascherano’s side. Almost had a hat trick, but his header sailed wide. 

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Telasco Segovia (7/10):

Took full advantage of Alba’s outrageous backheel, applying a composed finish to cap Miami’s second-half surge.

Yannick Bright (6/10):

A steady, if unspectacular, outing from the Italian midfielder, who helped Miami manage the game and close out the win.

Ian Fray (6/10):

Provided stability at right-back after coming on, especially with Hannes Wolf growing dangerous on the flanks.

Luis Suárez (5/10):

Replaced Silvetti but struggled to match Miami’s uptempo rhythm, never quite finding his footing in the flow of the match.

Javier Mascherano (8/10):

Mascherano has fully settled into his postseason groove. Once again, he showed he’s unafraid to make bold calls – from benching Suárez to trusting his young emerging players – and his tactical flexibility was central to Miami’s dominance in the Conference Final. His fingerprints are all over this MLS Cup run.

An ACB statement says that Naveen-ul-Haq is still recovering from a shoulder injury and has not been declared fit by the medical team

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Sep-2025

Afghanistan fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq has been ruled out of the ongoing Asia Cup, and Abdollah Ahmadzai has been named his replacement.Naveen had been named in the Asia Cup squad despite missing the UAE tri-series prior to the tournament. According to an Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) release, Naveen is still recovering from a shoulder injury and has not been declared fit by the medical team. “Naveen will continue to undergo intensive treatment and rehabilitation until he is fully fit,” the statement said.Ahmadzai, who was originally in the list of reserves for the Asia Cup, was a part of the UAE tri-series with Naveen out of action. He made his international debut in the series – also the only T20I he has played so far – where he took 1 for 31 in three overs against UAE. Overall in T20s, he has 15 wickets from 11 games.Naveen last played for Afghanistan in December 2024, against Zimbabwe in a T20I in Harare. He was part of the SA20 earlier this year, taking five wickets in eight games for Durban’s Super Giants. He also played MLC in June where he took eight wickets in five games for tournament champions MI New York.Fazalhaq Farooqi and Fareed Ahmad are the other specialist quicks in the squad, with Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib and Karim Janat the fast-bowling allrounder.Afghanistan have played only one match at the Asia Cup so far, the tournament opener, where they beat Hong Kong by 94 runs. Their next group match is against Bangladesh on September 16, and they play Sri Lanka on September 18.

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Newcastle United’s season is up and running and now there is cause to put the stress of the summer transfer window to bed and look only ahead at what Eddie Howe and his squad can achieve this year.

The summer signings, after all, have bedded in nicely, and that’s without even considering Yoane Wissa, who joined from Brentford for £55m this summer and has yet to train or play for the Magpies as he recovers from a knee injury. November is the time slated for the striker’s return.

Newcastle’s squad is populated with varying talents, some more prominent than others. All are together, though, and they play their roles with a consummate ease that many Premier League rivals fail to establish.

But the rise of St. James’ Park over the past four years has seen some truly elite players take the leading positions in Howe’s set-up.

Newcastle's star players

Alexander Isak left Newcastle and signed for Liverpool for a British record fee of £125m on deadline day. A bitter transfer saga, but Newcastle have adapted and have shown signs in recent matches of a return to their full attacking capacity.

Wissa is joined by club-record £69m signing Nick Woltemade in leading the line, and between them, the Toon surely have enough firepower to concern their rivals in the fight for a Champions League finish and a battle for more silverware after getting a taste last year.

Now that Isak has left, it is time for the 24-year-old Anthony Gordon to step up and lead the frontline. The left-sided forward is physical and dynamic, but he has lacked fluency over the past year, having been awarded Newcastle’s Player of the Year for 2023/24 after scoring 12 goals and supplying 11 assists in all competitions.

Newcastle might want to keep onto that one. We all know his talent, with the likes of Liverpool actually sniffing around in the past for the £100m-valued Englishman.

And Gordon’s not the only one. Club captain Bruno Guimaraes would also fetch a pretty penny if sold in the near future, himself priced at £100m earlier in the year, when Manchester City registered their interest.

But there’s actually another Toon star who could be the outfit’s next £100m star. Indeed, Sandro Tonali’s meteoric rise has been a remarkable thing.

The rise of Sandro Tonali at Newcastle

One year into Tonali’s time at Newcastle, things weren’t exactly looking peachy. Eight Premier League appearances were all he made in 2023/24 before being charged in October 2023 for betting offences in Italy. He was suspended from professional football for ten months.

Having arrived from AC Milan for a £55m fee only months before, the 23-year-old was in purgatory, but he rebounded with vim and vigour last season and grew considerably in quality and squad stature when Howe placed him in the deep-sat midfield role, opening up possibilities for the multi-faceted Guimaraes and striking a new level of balance.

Five years ago, Italian journalist Carlo Garganese remarked that Tonali possessed the faculties to become a “world-class” player. Now this praise rings true across Premier League and European pitches. Now Tonali is proving he is as good as anyone in the middle of the park.

Tonali plays in a subtle way. There’s an old adage in football that the best midfielders can play through a game unobserved, but if scrutinised, you would see that everything flows through them.

This is true in the case of the Italian, now 25 years old. And he is earning attention. Pundit Paul Scholes remarked earlier this week that he’s “better than Declan Rice” – and that’s quite a claim.

Given that Rice joined Arsenal from West Ham United for £105m in 2023, there’s no reason why PIF couldn’t justify a similar ballpark for Tonali, if and when he is sold. With this in mind, he might even eclipse the valuations of peers like Gordon and Guimaraes.

Tyneside correspondent Mark Carruthers said only last month, “He’s the best midfielder I’ve seen in 38 years of watching Newcastle.”

Apologies, Bruno, but this might actually be true. If Guimaraes is a £100m player, then what does that make the Italian maestro?

PIF have overpaid for "mega-money" Newcastle signing & it's not Woltemade

One of Newcastle’s key signings over the summer may well have an “inflated valuation” & it’s not Nick Woltemade.

By
Joe Nuttall

Oct 9, 2025

An “unbelievable” manager would be eager to take over as Manchester United manager, with Ruben Amorim now on the brink, it has been revealed.

Amorim facing the sack after Brentford defeat

It has now been revealed that Amorim is on the brink of being sacked, following yet another disappointing performance in the Premier League, with Man United suffering a 3-1 defeat at Brentford and falling to 14th in the table.

The uncertainty over the 40-year-old’s future is now growing, with one insider saying: “He [Amorim] looks knackered, he knows it’s not working.”

Fabrizio Romano says legendary 4-3-3 manager wants Amorim's job at Man Utd

He’s previously won a top-flight title and enjoyed a distinguished playing career.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Sep 29, 2025

Players are said to be unconvinced by the former Sporting CP manager’s in-game decisions and reluctance to alter his tactics, which clearly aren’t working, having lost the majority of his Premier League games since taking over last November.

In the aforementioned TEAMtalk report, it is revealed that Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is one of the potential Amorim replacements under consideration by INEOS, and there has now been an encouraging further update.

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Glasner would jump at the chance to manage Man United if the job became available, saying on talkSPORT: “My information is if Glasner was offered the Manchester United job, he would take it in a heartbeat.”

Jacobs makes it clear that the “pressure is building” on the United boss, with INEOS now “succession planning”, although the board are still backing him heading into the game against Sunderland at Old Trafford this Saturday.

"Unbelievable" Glasner could be major Amorim upgrade

A record of 34 points from 33 Premier League games is almost relegation form, so it is difficult to see Amorim surviving much longer, and Wayne Rooney has suggested the Palace manager could have what it takes to become the new United boss.

Unlike the former Sporting CP boss, the Austrian has been able to successfully implement a three-at-the-back system at his current club, with Rooney saying: “I don’t want to go back to Man United but I’m watching Crystal Palace play three at the back and this looks incredible, look’s brilliant.”

Lauded as “unbelievable” by Palace chairman Steve Parish, the 51-year-old led the Eagles to FA Cup glory last season, and his side are now on an 18-game unbeaten run, which is by far the longest undefeated streak of any team in Europe’s top five leagues.

Glasner could be the ideal replacement for Amorim, so it is encouraging news that the Palace manager would be willing to take over at Old Trafford, despite the mess Man United find themselves in.

وضع نادي باريس سان جيرمان الفرنسي، عينه على صفقة من صفوف برشلونة الإسباني، ساعيًا للتعاقد معها، بحسب ما ورد في تقارير صحفية.

وسبق وضم باريس سان جيرمان عدة نجوم من الفريق الكتالوني، أبرزهم ليونيل ميسي، نيمار دا سيلفا، بالإضافة لنجمهم الحالي والفائز بالكرة الذهبية مؤخرًا، عثمان ديمبلي.

وبحسب ما ذكرت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية في تقرير لها، يرغب باريس سان جيرمان في التعاقد مع خوان هيرنانديز، البالغ من العمر 18 عامًا.

ويعد خوان هيرنانديز أحد أبرز اللاعبين الواعدين في شباب برشلونة، وقد استقطب اهتمام النادي الفرنسي بعدما مكانته في الفريق الرديف للبارسا.

يجيد خوان هيرنانديز اللعب في مركز خط الوسط والجناح، وينتهي عقده مع برشلونة في 30 يونيو 2026، وفي هذا الموسم، بدأ جميع مباريات الفريق الرديف.

اقرأ أيضًا | ثنائي برشلونة يغيب عن تدريبات الفريق.. و”سبورت” توضح السبب

كما لعب للمنتخب الإسباني تحت 19 عامًا، وقد أصبح لاعبًا أساسيًا بعد أن تدرج في جميع فئات الشباب منذ التواجد بفريق تحت 15 عامًا.

وأوضح التقرير أن مدرب باريس سان جيرمان، لويس إنريكي يراقب أداء خوان هيرنانديز وتطوره، ويعتبره الخيار الأمثل لمشروع الفريق الفرنسي. الجدير بالذكر أن خوان هيرنانديز يملك شرطًا جزائيًا في عقده مع برشلونة، وتبلغ قيمته ستة ملايين يورو.

“When you have 18-19 runs to defend in the last two overs, you give the 19th over to your best bowler,” Anil Kumble says

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Apr-20252:38

Can RCB and DC both finish in the top four?

Axar Patel has been getting positive reviews for his leadership in his debut season as captain in the IPL, but did he get it wrong against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Sunday night? RCB had the upper hand against Delhi Capitals (DC) as the match neared its closing stages but, as Anil Kumble, Wasim Jaffer and Sanjay Bangar pointed out after the game, shuffling the order of the bowler Axar used at the death might have made a difference.When the 17th over started, RCB needed 38 runs from 24 balls. Quite simple, ordinarily, but this wasn’t a pitch where run-scoring was easy. Mukesh Kumar bowled, and Krunal Pandya and Virat Kohli took 12 off him. Dushmantha Chameera gave away nine off the next. And then it was suddenly all over as Mukesh was hit for 6, 4, 4, 4 in the 19th by Tim David. Mitchell Starc had an over left. And Vipraj Nigam had bowled just one.”I don’t know [what DC were thinking]. When you have 18-19 runs [the requirement was 17 from two overs] to defend in the last two overs, you give the 19th over to your best bowler, to take it till the end,” Kumble said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. “I was surprised that he gave the ball to Mukesh and not Starc. The result might have been the same, but the intent was wrong.”Related

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The intent was likely to give Starc eight-nine runs to defend off the last over, perhaps because of what he had achieved in that thriller against Rajasthan Royals (RR).”It must be the hangover from the [game against RR]. Axar must have thought that since Starc had defended nine runs in that last over, so let’s give this to Mukesh and see,” Bangar said. “It might have worked, but the thought process was wrong. Your best bowler should have bowled that over. Even if Starc had conceded, say, 12 runs, you have a legspinner [Nigam] for the last over if you don’t want to bowl Mukesh. Spinners sometimes create magical moments. It was a mistake on Axar’s part.”Was there a lack of faith in Nigam’s abilities, perhaps? Nigam is a newbie, but hasn’t done badly in his debut season for DC, with nine wickets so far at an economy rate of 9.34. But in nine games, he has bowled only 23 overs out of a possible 36. The left-handed and in-form Krunal’s presence in the middle might have forced Axar to ignore the legspinner.”I felt he [Axar] didn’t show enough trust in Vipraj,” Jaffer said. “Maybe he could have been given two-three overs too. Maybe it could have had an effect. Because at that stage [if a wicket had fallen], two overseas batters [David and Romario Shepherd] would have been there and they might have found it tough. Jitesh [Sharma] was the main batter left then.”Fortunately for DC, the loss hasn’t pushed them out of the race for the playoffs. They are still at No. 4 with six wins out of nine. Their next three games are against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) – the first two are among the bottom-four teams on the table, and PBKS have also been up and down, so DC would back themselves to win more often than they lose before their last two games, tough assignments against Mumbai Indians (MI) and Gujarat Titans (GT).

Nathan McSweeney showcased why he remains firmly in Test calculations with a gritty half-century in the face of some phenomenal seam bowling from Scott Boland and Fergus O’Neill who took nine wickets between them to leave Victoria and South Australia locked in a tight arm wrestle after two days at the Junction Oval.O’Neill took his fifth career five-wicket haul to maintain his outstanding Sheffield Shield record, while Boland claimed 4 for 53 with spells that were every bit the equal of the best he has shown at Test level, to bowl South Australia out for 283 and give Victoria a narrow two-run first innings lead. That advantage swelled to 48 as Campbell Kellaway and Marcus Harris batted impressively in the final hour of the day.Victory is crucial for Victoria if they are to maintain a realistic chance of making the Shield final.Related

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Their lead would have been more without McSweeney’s 199-ball 60 in very challenging batting conditions. He only struck six boundaries and had to defend and leave stoutly in the face of some high-quality bowling from O’Neill and Boland who delivered 38.4 of the 67.4 overs he was out there for.He began the day on 9 off 52 balls and was unable to gain any fluency early after Jason Sangha was adjudged lbw not offering a shot to O’Neill for 19.Jake Lehmann helped break the shackles with a breezy 40 off 43 balls that included two thunderous drives down the ground. O’Neill switched ends to break the 54-run stand, nipping one back from around the wicket to pin Lehmann lbw.McSweeney started to flow from there despite the loss of Liam Scott, who was also trapped plumb infront by an excellent Xavier Crone yorker. Scott’s front foot slid from under him to leave him on all fours as the finger was raised.McSweeney kept accumulating with the help of Harry Nielsen. But O’Neill’s accuracy was unrelenting. McSweeney eventually nicked a good length delivery on off stump to Blake Macdonald at slip who held the low chance.Nielsen and Ben Manenti then counterattacked against the old ball as Boland and O’Neill rested before the new one was due. The pair added 61 for the seventh wicket before Boland returned to remove them both in quick succession.Manenti flashed a drive against the second new ball and nicked to Macdonald at first slip. Boland then nipped one back through Nielsen’s gate from around the wicket to splay off stump in almost identical fashion to Conor McInerney’s dismissal on the first evening. But Nielsen’s 45 was vital in the context of the match.Brendan Doggett and Henry Thornton combined to frustrate Victoria, adding 34 for the ninth wicket before O’Neill switched ends again to take the final two wickets. He took a sharp return catch to remove Doggett for 19 before clean bowling Jordan Buckingham.It set up a tricky 16-over period in the evening session for Kellaway and Harris to negotiate. But the pair left and defended well against the new ball while rotating the strike impressively to give Victoria the chance to build a significant lead on day three.

Aaron Finch believes Australia should drop Marnus Labuschagne for the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s in June with his lean run having extended too far to be accommodated.Australia face some tough selection calls for the final following the recent successful debuts of Sam Konstas, Beau Webster and Josh Inglis which has led to a battle for batting spots.Related

• Green hopeful of Shield return and county cricket ahead of WTC final

• Australia emerge from Test season with flying colours and new options

• Australia face Labuschagne call amid batting squeeze

Travis Head, who opened in Sri Lanka, said he expected Konstas to regain his position at the top of the order against South Africa while Cameron Green is in the frame to play as a specialist batter as he recovers from the back surgery that ruled him out of this season.It leaves Labuschagne, who has one century in his last 51 Test innings and an average of 31.54 since the start of the 2023, under significant pressure for his spot for the first time since establishing himself in 2019.”I’ve gone with Cameron Green or Josh Inglis. They’re at No. 3,” Finch said on ESPN’s when the panel was asked to pick their XIs for the WTC final.”And the reason is, I just think that [Labuschagne’s form] is such a concern because it’s been over four series. If it’s over two or three, I think that you can say, you know what, he’s just around the corner. But the fact that it’s been four, to me, that’s a really alarming sign.Marnus Labuschagne is the Australia batter under scrutiny•Getty Images

“Josh Inglis, I think to get him into the side, he will get that opportunity. Or if Cameron Green is healthy, he just provides so much extra to that bowling line-up as well as with the batting. He’s got the ability to bat anywhere in the order.”However, Michael Clarke and Callum Ferguson retained Labuschagne in their sides for the decider although Clarke said it could be make or break.”I hope they pick him for the Test Championship [final],” Clarke said. “It’s completely different conditions against a different team. He’s played a lot of county cricket. He knows English conditions as well as anyone.”Remember, he bats in the hardest place as well. I think No. 3 is the hardest place to bat in Test cricket. You’re right, the numbers don’t tell a lie. He’s out of form. He’s due.”And to me, I reckon the Test Championship…could be his last opportunity. Going to West Indies, I would like to think that’s an opportunity to give a young player a go if Marnus makes no runs in this Test Championship. If he does, then no doubt he holds his spot because he’s been a wonderful player.”Ferguson, meanwhile, would include both Labuschagne and Green with the latter batting at No. 6 and backing for frontline bowlers.”I’m backing the four bowlers in to get the job done in a one-off hit out in a Test match,” he said. “We didn’t use Mitch Marsh a lot over the last few years. He’s been in that No. 6 position. So we’ve played effectively without that stone cold all-rounder in that position, bowling 10 overs a day. So that’s how I see it.”Stand-in captain Steven Smith backed Labuschagne to emerge for his slump, seeing similarities in how he was low on runs before making four centuries in his last five matches.”Marn’s similar to me, in a way,” Smith said. “I’ve said this a lot of times about myself, there’s a difference between being out of form and out of runs.”I don’t think he’s out of form, personally. I’ve watched him train, I’ve watched him play and a lot of the things that he’s done so well are there. He knows he’d love to score more runs, we’d love him to score more runs, but in my opinion, it’s just around the corner.”

Saim Ayub still “at least four weeks” away from being fully fit

Danyal Rasool31-Jan-2025Fakhar Zaman has been named in Pakistan’s squad for the Champions Trophy, marking his return after he fell out with the PCB over a social media post in October 2024. In a squad that PCB called “horses for courses”, Faheem Ashraf, who last played international cricket in 2023, has also been called up. Khushdil Shah and Saud Shakeel are also included. The same squad will also play the ODI tri-series against South Africa and New Zealand in the build-up to the Champions Trophy.The squad confirms what was widely feared within Pakistan: Saim Ayub remains unavailable because of the ankle fracture he sustained during the Cape Town Test. At the time, it was announced he would be out for six weeks, but it was believed his chances of recovering in time for the Champions Trophy were exceptionally slim. Earlier today, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed Ayub’s return remained “at least four weeks” away.Abdullah Shafique’s loss of form has cost him a place in the squad. In the recently concluded ODI series against South Africa, which Pakistan won 3-0, he became the first player to be dismissed for a duck in every match of a series. It means Pakistan will go in with a completely different opening pairing, with Fakhar likely to pair up with either Babar Azam or Saud Shakeel, with the PCB citing Babar’s success opening in Test cricket as a potential factor to consider.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”Fakhar’s opening partner could be either Babar Azam or Saud Shakeel, depending on various factors such as conditions, opposition and match strategy,” a statement from Asad Shafiq, a member of the selection panel, said. “Both players are highly capable at the top of the order, with Babar being particularly seasoned in the role, regularly opening in T20Is and also excelling in the Cape Town Test by scoring two half-centuries in Saim Ayub’s absence.”The squad also retains its pace-heavy element that saw Pakistan win three successive away ODI series towards the end of last year. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain are all part of the final 15, with only one specialist spinner in Abrar Ahmed. Neither Sufiyan Muqeem, who took four wickets on debut in the only ODI he played, nor Shadab Khan, who captained his side to Champions Cup glory in September, have made the final cut.Related

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Saim Ayub to travel to London for ankle fracture treatment

No captains event or photoshoot before Champions Trophy

“One of the standout qualities of this side is its flexibility – an essential trait in today’s modern-day cricket,” Asad Shafiq, a member of the selection panel. “We are confident that this squad strikes the right balance between youth and experience, and has all bases covered. Each player has been chosen with a clear role in mind, ensuring the captain has versatile options at his disposal.”Irfan Khan, who was eyed by the selection committee as a key component of Pakistan’s middle order and feted for his fielding, also drops out. Faheem’s return comes off the back of limited ODI cricket, having had an indifferent Champions Cup in September. Strong showings with the bat in the President Cup in October, however, seem to have played a part in earning him what appeared an unlikely recall.Pakistan’s first game at the Champions Trophy comes against New Zealand in Karachi on February 19, following which they go to Dubai to play against India. They play their final group game against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on February 27.Pakistan squad for Champions Trophy 2025Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), Khushdil Shah, Salman Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah