The incident that caused the probe happened during Pakistan Shaheens’ tour of the UK
Danyal Rasool07-Aug-2025Pakistan batter Haider Ali has been placed under criminal investigation by the Greater Manchester Police, and has been provisionally suspended by the PCB pending the outcome of the inquiry. While no details about the nature of the criminal offence have been released, ESPNcricinfo understands Haider is not currently in custody in the UK, but was interviewed under caution by GMP.The PCB issued a statement it had been “made aware” of the investigation, with the incident in question occurring during Pakistan Shaheens’ recent tour of England, which concluded on Monday. The PCB has confirmed it is providing Haider legal support “to protect his rights throughout this process”.”The PCB has been made aware of a criminal investigation currently being conducted by the Greater Manchester Police involving cricketer Haider Ali,” the PCB statement said. “The investigation pertains to an incident that reportedly occurred during the Pakistan Shaheens’ recent tour of England.”The PCB fully respects the legal procedures and processes of the United Kingdom and acknowledges the importance of allowing the investigation to run its due course. Accordingly, the PCB has decided to place Haider Ali under provisional suspension, effective immediately, pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation. Once the legal proceedings are concluded and all facts have been duly established, the PCB reserves the right to take appropriate action under its Code of Conduct, if necessary.”Haider, 24, has played two ODIs and 35 T20Is for Pakistan, and was a senior player on the Shaheens’ UK tour. He played all three 50-over games against a first-class XI, as well as two three-day games.
Afghanistan will host Bangladesh for six white-ball matches in the UAE in October, shortly after the conclusion of the Asia Cup on September 28.The T20Is are on October 2, 3 and 5 in Sharjah while the ODIs are on October 8, 11 and 14 in Abu Dhabi.ESPNcricinfo understands the Bangladesh squad could stay back in the UAE after the Asia Cup to play the bilateral series. Both teams are part of Group B in the Asia Cup, along with Sri Lanka and Hong Kong, and play each other on September 16 in Abu Dhabi. Only the top two teams from each group will progress to the Super Fours stage of the tournament. India, Oman, Pakistan and UAE are in Group A.The Afghanistan-Bangladesh bilateral series is the second part of what was supposed to be an all-format tour in July 2024, comprising two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is. The schedule was revised to include only white-ball matches while that series, due to be played in Greater Noida in India, was postponed due to weather conditions and Bangladesh’s packed schedule.The two teams have a rivalry brewing. Bangladesh and Afghanistan have played four bilateral ODI series, with the head-to-head record level at 2-2. Bangladesh won in 2016 and 2022, while Afghanistan won the two most recent series in 2023 and 2024. It’s level in bilateral T20I series too, with Afghanistan winning in 2018, Bangladesh in 2023, and a tied series in 2022.
When Ruben Amorim stood and spoke to a disgruntled Old Trafford arena at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, he promised things would improve at Manchester United.
They had to, right? A 15th-place Premier League finish and defeat in the Europa League final had put a cold dampener on any optimism that might have been eked from Erik ten Hag’s dismissal only in October 2024.
But things are improving. Three wins (including the victory at Anfield) and a draw in the top flight have renewed United’s hopes of getting a foot back through the European door. There’s a long way to go, but many players are standing up where they languished before.
The summer recruits have been impactful, but one of the most intriguing stories of the season is the resurgence of Casemiro.
Casemiro is revived in midfield
Man United probably haven’t received bang for their buck since signing Casemiro from Real Madrid for a fee in excess of £70m in 2022.
The 33-year-old has ebbed and flowed, ebbed and flowed, and the brunt of Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher’s infamous monologue toward the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
But he’s been increasingly influential under Amorim’s wing, with reporter Alex Turk even going as far as to call him “the soul of this team”. He is playing like he’s regained a few years, having won 58% of his duels and averaged two tackles per game (as per Sofascore).
Partly, this is because Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo are such mobile and athletic forwards. They will drop into deeper areas and connect with their midfielders, thus limiting the amount of ground the Brazilian veteran needs to cover each game.
Casemiro is becoming undroppable in the engine room, but he pockets a staggering £350k-per-week salary and is out of a deal at the end of the campaign, albeit with an option to extend for a further year.
Sourcing a replacement will not be easy, but Carrington graduate Kobbie Mainoo would fancy his chances, even having played such a paucity of football under the Portuguese tactician’s management.
There may, however, be another academy star looking to wedge his way into the senior set-up.
Man Utd's next Casemiro
Manchester United have long boasted one of the richest and most impressive academy systems in world football. And with Marcus Rashford having divorced from the Theatre of Dreams, it might be that a new homegrown hero is needed to add a dimension to Amorim’s reign.
Well, that player could come in the form of U21 starlet Sekou Kone, who, aged 19, has been enjoying himself in Darren Fletcher’s set-up after leaving Malian side Guidars FC for around £1m plus add-ons in 2024.
The robust, rangy midfielder has not featured this season after a horrific collision suffered against Tamworth in August, but he made 14 appearances for the U21s last term and produced some stunning performances, with scout Antonio Mango even claiming he has the skillset to become “a beast under Amorim”.
Aggressive and powerful, analyst Ben Mattinson has noted that Kone is “uber composed on the ball and so press resistant.” Furthermore, it has been said that he has a tireless engine and a range of skills that could see him play that Casemiro-esque role down the line. Elements of this can be traced back to last season, when he shone for the youth side during a 4-1 loss against Huddersfield.
During that heavy EFL Trophy defeat, he only played 42 minutes before picking up an injury, but made a real impression all the same.
Vs Huddersfield (EFL Trophy)
Match Stats
#
Minutes played
42′
Pass accuracy
82%
Interceptions
2
Ball recoveries
3
Dribbled past
0x
Ground duels won
2/4
Tackle success rate
100%
Stats via Sofascore
It’s important to note that Kone has weathered his share of adversity at this early-career stage. He has the minerals to succeed at a great club like the Red Devils, and he has bags of talent besides.
Casemiro may extend his stay at Old Trafford for another year, but he’s getting old and will only last for so long.
15-year-old forward JJ Gabriel has been included in a number of first-team training sessions this season, and Amorim is willing to welcome up-and-coming talents up to the senior fold if he feels they have the right skillset to make a difference.
Kone certainly does at that, and if he manages to find form and fluency over the coming months, there’s every chance that the boss could view him as a left-field option to help fill Casemiro’s big boots.
Carrington's "best talent" is a big Sesko upgrade in the making at Man Utd
Manchester United could yet improve further in attack under Amorim’s wing.
Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah has been offered an eye-watering amount of money to leave Anfield, it has been claimed.
Salah has been alarmingly out of form by his world-class standards, but he returned to somewhere near his best on Saturday evening, opening the scoring in the Reds’ 2-0 win at home to Aston Villa in the Premier League.
It was a special night for the 33-year-old, who became just the third player in Liverpool’s history to score 250 goals for the club, joining Ian Rush and Roger Hunt in the process. Speaking after the Villa game, he admitted his delight at achieving such a great feat.
“It’s very important. We had a few losses in the Premier League and Champions League but I’m glad we start to come back on track now. It’s a good plus before very important games against [Real] Madrid and City. It’s a very important win for us. It’s a great feeling to score goals and win trophies for such a big club. It’s something I don’t take for granted. I’m so proud and so happy about that achievement.”
For Salah, it’s now a case of kicking on and returning to the form everyone knows he can achieve on a consistent basis, inspiring Liverpool’s changes in fortunes this season. He is contracted at Anfield until the summer of 2027, but now a shock exit rumour has emerged.
Liverpool legend Salah offered £132m-a-year to leave
According to a huge report from Spain, an unnamed club have offered Salah £132m per year in wages in order to tempt him away from Liverpool.
Per year
£132m
Per month
£11m
Per week
£2.5m
Per day
£361,000
Per hour
£15,000
It would be a huge surprise and shame to see Salah leave Liverpool before his recently-signed new deal expires, even though he clearly hasn’t been at his best of late.
He was much-improved against Villa, and remains a hugely influential figure for the Reds, with Arne Slot waxing lyrical over his star attacker after the game.
“It is almost unbelievable if you score 250 goals, let alone 250 goals for one club. You don’t see that much in football any more. Apart from the goal he had a very good performance. When we had to play long, we mainly played to him and he held the ball and the team could come to him. What I liked was that he also helped the team defensively as well.”
Dominik Szoboszlai shows why he is now Liverpool's "most important player"
He was outstanding in the win over Aston Villa
ByHenry Jackson Nov 2, 2025
Salah is now undoubtedly one of the greatest players in Liverpool’s history, and while such a huge amount of money could turn the head of any player, the hope is that he wants to spend as long at Anfield as possible.
Where does Mo Salah rank among Liverpool's highest-earning players?
This marks an increase of almost four times the money awarded in the 2022 World Cup, which had an overall pool of USD 3.5 million
ESPNcricinfo staff01-Sep-2025
Australia enter the tournament as defending champions•Kai Schwoerer/ICC/Getty Images
The upcoming Women’s ODI World Cup will have a prize pool of USD 13.88 million. This marks almost a fourfold rise from the previous ODI World Cup, held in New Zealand in 2022, which had an overall pool of USD 3.5 million, and also marks a significant increase from the USD 10 million pool for the Men’s ODI World Cup in India two years ago.This World Cup, the 13th edition, will have the highest prize money for the winners of a women’s global tournament: USD 4.48 million, a 239 percent increase from the USD 1.32 million awarded to Australia in 2022. The runners-up will receive USD 2.24 million – an increase of 273 percent in comparison to the USD 600,000 England won three years ago. The losing semi-finalists will receive USD 1.12 million each – up from USD 300,000 in 2022 – while the group-stage participants are guaranteed to earn USD 250,000.For each group-stage win, teams will earn a further USD 34,314. At the end of the group stage, the teams that finish fifth and sixth will be awarded USD 700,000 each, while those who finish seventh and eighth will earn USD 280,000.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
“Our message is simple, women cricketers must know they will be treated on par with men if they choose this sport professionally,” Jay Shah, the ICC chair, said in a statement. “The uplift [in prize money] underscores our ambition to deliver a world-class ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup and to inspire the next generation of players and fans. Women’s cricket is on a remarkable upward trajectory, and with this step we are confident the momentum will accelerate.”This edition of the World Cup will take place in India and Sri Lanka from September 30. Though the opening match of the tournament, between India and Sri Lanka, is less than a month away, tickets are yet to go on sale. However, the ICC has said that tickets are expected to go on sale online this week.The tickets for the 2022 World Cup were available six months ahead of the tournament.
It's hard to argue against the fact that Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge are the two faces of MLB. After their teams met in the World Series last year, in which the Dodgers took care of business against the Yankees in a five-game series, it doesn't seem as if there's any animosity between the league's two brightest stars.
Both were the top recipients in MLB's fan voting process, earning automatic spots in the All-Star starting lineups, not that they wouldn't have found their way there without the fan vote. Judge checked in for an appearance on which was filming live in Atlanta ahead of Monday night's Home Run Derby at Truist Park.
McAfee jokingly asked Judge whether he and Ohtani had ever gotten into an altercation behind closed doors, to which the star outfielder responded by laughing and praising the Dodgers' two-way superstar. He did say, however, that he's hoping to get revenge for the World Series loss at some point in the future.
"He's a great guy, a great ambassador for this game. We're gonna get him back though. We'll see him down the road," said Judge with a grin.
A rematch of the 2024 World Series is certainly possible this season, though there are plenty of other teams making noise at the midway point. Whether or not it happens this year, based on the way the two teams are constructed, a rematch between Los Angeles and New York feels like it's bound to happen at some point in the coming years.
Judge made clear he has nothing but respect for Ohtani and all he does for the sport, but also didn't hesitate to say that he's hoping for another shot at the Dodgers in a future World Series showdown.
Chelsea midfielder Roméo Lavia had only just returned to fitness and Enzo Maresca was easing him back into the team gently, but the Belgian could now be set for another spell on the sidelines in what is a frustrating blow.
Chelsea’s Champions League campaign continued on Wednesday night with a hard-fought 2-2 draw away to Qarabag, a result that leaves the Blues frustrated but relieved after squandering a 1-0 lead and facing a difficult fightback against the Azerbaijani minnows.
Maresca’s side started brightly and took an early lead through teenage sensation Estevao after dominating possession and probing Qarabag’s defence.
However, just before halftime, Qarabag stunned Chelsea by turning the game on its head. The visitors struggled to contain Qarabag’s growing threat, and they capitalised with two goals in quick succession. Qarabag’s first equaliser came from a well-placed finish, and 10 minutes later, a second goal from the penalty spot put them unexpectedly 2-1 ahead at the break.
The swift turnaround rattled Chelsea, with the home side taking advantage of poor defensive lapses.
Estevao
8.2
Alejandro Garnacho
7.5
Leandro Andrade
7.4
Matheus Silva
7.0
Marko Jankovic
7.0
via WhoScored
Luckily for the west Londoners, half-time substitute Alejandro Garnacho was quickly on hand to spare their blushes with a clinical finish into the bottom corner just minutes after the restart. Estevao, Enzo Fernández and Facuno Buonanotte all made attempts to win the game for Chelsea, with Garnacho also seeing an added-time effort saved from inside the area.
It was close but no cigar for Chelsea who ended up sharing the spoils, and Garnacho saved them from what would have been an historic loss, as no English team has ever lost to the Azerbaijani side before.
It was an evening of serious reflection for Maresca, who watched on as his side struggled defensively yet again amid reports that Chelsea are prioritising the signing of a centre-back in January.
The occasion was also marred by yet another injury blow for Lavia.
The 21-year-old was given his first starts of the season against Nottingham Forest and Ajax recently as Maresca slowly edged him back into the fold after his recovery from a muscle strain. Chelsea’s boss handed Lavia the nod again at Qarabag, but Lavia was hauled off after just eight minutes with what looks like a quadricep injury.
Going by the player’s own reaction, Lavia’s latest injury might not be minor.
What Roméo Lavia did moments after being taken off against Qarabağ
The Belgium international looked in visible disarray after being taken off against Qarabağ.
Lavia was spotted throwing a water bottle in anger as he made his way for Chelsea treatment, and given how much action he’s missed since joining Chelsea, this could also be put down to pure frustration on his part.
The midfielder, who was signed for around £58 million from Southampton in 2023, missed almost all of his debut season – bar 32 minutes against Crystal Palace – with ankle and hamstring problems. He was forced to sit out a grand total of 226 days last term as well, with Maresca and supporters now anxiously waiting for a more definitive update on his condition.
It’s a crying shame for a player who Maresca branded one of world football’s “best midfielders” when fit and available, but his patches of readiness to play are simply too few and far between.
For BlueCo and the board, an uncomfortable conversation may need to be had soon.
Fit, adaptable and supremely confident, England’s Test team continue to walk the talk
Matt Roller11-Oct-20241:26
Miller: England have found perfect tempo to be ruthless
It was a collapse that could only be explained by its context. Pakistan lost this Test on the fourth evening when they slipped first to 41 for 4 then 59 for 5 and 82 for 6 in the third innings. Impressive as England’s bowlers were across the match, these were unexpectedly easy wickets to come by on a blameless pitch.But Pakistan’s batters were beaten by the time they had even reached the crease, run down by the dual burdens of their recent struggles and 150 overs being run ragged in the field. Saim Ayub spooning Brydon Carse’s first ball to mid-off was the worst of a series of grim dismissals, which were the culmination of mental and physical exhaustion.It is one thing to spend around 150 overs in the field, as both sides did in their first bowling innings. It is another for them to be spread across three days, and to spend them chasing after the ball as the opposition score at more than five runs per over: England scored 478 non-boundary runs in their first innings, compared to Pakistan’s 276.Related
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Joe Root and Harry Brook’s partnership ground them down, a 454-run epic spread across 86.3 overs. Brook’s gear change after lunch on the fourth day – he hit 99 off 65 balls in the second session – compounded Pakistan’s weariness, and left them floundering in the mid-afternoon heat. “It had a massive effect, which is what Test cricket is about,” Chris Woakes said.”Here in the subcontinent, you can have three supposedly dull days and then the game can happen quickly. That was always the plan: once we were able to get ahead and run them ragged in the field, it was always going to be hard for them, even on that surface. We know how much it takes out of you.”Root and Zak Crawley’s partnership across the final 18.4 overs of the second day was a vital phase in the match – not least after Aamer Jamal’s spectacular catch to dismiss Ollie Pope. It enabled Brook to start his innings fresh on the third day, and gave Ben Duckett’s thumb time to heal before he came out to bat at No. 4.”The way that Ducky and Creeps [Crawley] go about their business has such a good impact on the changing room,” Brook said. “Watching them go out there and put immense amounts of pressure on their two best bowlers in Shaheen [Afridi] and Naseem [Shah]… it gives you comfort going out there, thinking that the pitch is probably better than what it is.”Touring the subcontinent as an England cricketer in 2024 is completely unrecognisable to what it once was: the team are travelling with their own chef, and are staying on a luxury hotel with a neighbouring golf course. There is still a mental adjustment to make from playing in front of full houses back home to the banks of empty seats this week, which England made impressively quickly.Harry Brook and Joe Root laid the platform for England’s innings win•Getty ImagesThis win was testament to their players’ fitness, and their ability to adjust from the start after coming from a wet, cold autumn back home to the stifling heat of Multan. England insisted in the build-up that three tough training sessions would be enough for them to acclimatise and so it proved, as they coped far better than Pakistan with the oppressive conditions.Brook worked tirelessly on his fitness in the early months of this year, when he missed England’s tour to India and the IPL to be with his grandmother on her deathbed. By his own admission, this was not an innings he could have played without that dedication: “If I hadn’t done that, I’d have probably got to 150 and just slogged one up in the air.”None of England’s seamers had played a Test match in Pakistan before but Woakes, Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse comprehensively outbowled Afridi and Naseem. Carse was particularly compelling on debut, bowling at high pace and finding some reverse-swing: England have moved on from James Anderson and Stuart Broad with impressive speed.The Test match run has lost its value almost as quickly as the rupee in Pakistan, but even in the context of a high-scoring match on a lifeless surface, England’s total of 823 for 7 declared was remarkable. There were seven sessions between them losing Pope to his second ball in response to Pakistan’s 556 and their winning moment on the final morning.But just as Pakistan’s third-innings failure carried an air of inevitability after their recent results, England’s players were not intimidated by a big score. This was the third time since Brendon McCullum took over as coach two-and-a-half years ago that they had conceded more than 500 in an innings: they have now won all three.”You take confidence from those previous performances, when you’re that far behind in the game,” Pope said. “We try not to think about the end result too much during the game, especially if we’re behind… That’s allowed us to go and put together these performances and good wins in situations where potentially, in the past, we wouldn’t have got over the line.”England’s series results under McCullum have been a mixed bag: they have beaten teams they would expect to, drawn with Australia, and lost heavily in India earlier this year. But it is their style and approach that has made them such a compelling team to watch: asked if this was his favourite Test win, Pope claimed it was “definitely top three” – and then named three others.Along with their victories in Rawalpindi two years ago and in Hyderabad in January, England have won three Tests in Asia that few other sides could hope to. McCullum has dismissed the idea that Bazball has been “refined” in any way beyond personnel but this was a reminder of its central tenet: that athletes perform at their best when imbued with immense self-belief.It is not totally foolproof, and there are times when England’s tactical approach has overstretched. But they have now won 20 of their last 30 Tests – and there remains an intoxicating sense that the best is yet to come.
Aston Villa have now joined the race to sign an “insane” new striker, having identified the need to have greater strength in depth in attacking areas.
Villa keen on new striker amid Watkins' struggles
Villa are very much back on track in the Premier League, having made it five wins in a row courtesy of the 1-0 victory over Manchester City at the weekend, but there are still a few problems for Unai Emery to deal with beneath the surface.
There has been plenty of discussion about the manager’s decision to omit Harvey Elliott from the squad entirely on Sunday, while Jeff Stelling was less than impressed with the decision to substitute Jadon Sancho in the second half, claiming “it was wrong.”
There will also be concerns about some of Ollie Watkins’ performances, with the striker scoring just one goal in nine Premier League games so far this season, and he was once again ineffectual against Pep Guardiola’s side.
The 29-year-old recorded an xG of just 0.13 prior to being replaced by Donyell Malen with just under five minutes left to play, finishing the match with a SofaScore match rating of 6.3, the joint-lowest of any Villa player.
Perhaps with that in mind, Aston Villa have now joined the race for a new striker, according to a report from Caught Offside, which credits them with an interest in Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee, amid his uncertain future at Old Trafford.
It has been revealed that Zirkzee wants to leave Man United, having only played a limited role this season, and his current employers could choose to cash in for a fee of around €35m – €40m (£31m – £35m).
Aston Villa take hilarious swipe at Haaland after victory against Man City
The Villans defeated Pep Guardiola’s side 1-0 at Villa Park on Sunday.
ByDominic Lund Oct 27, 2025
A January exit is deemed likely, and there is no shortage of interest in the centre-forward’s signature, with a number of Serie A clubs set to battle it out, while Brighton & Hove Albion are also keen, and West Ham United have made initial contact.
"Insane" Zirkzee may need fresh start
Despite being lauded for his “insane” quality by scout Ben Mattinson, the 24-year-old has been unable to force his way into Ruben Amorim’s plans, having featured for just 82 minutes across four appearances in the Premier League this season.
However, it is always difficult to make an impact when predominantly featuring as a substitute, and there are signs the Dutchman could flourish if given more regular game time, having regularly chipped in with goals and assists for Bologna across the 2023-24 campaign.
Competition
Appearances
Goal contributions
Serie A
34
16
Italian Cup
3
3
That said, the former Bayern Munich man’s unhappiness stems from a lack of game time, so it would be a questionable decision for Villa to sign him, given that Watkins is likely to remain ahead of the United ace in the pecking order.
While the Englishman hasn’t been at his best this season, he is Premier League-proven, unlike Zirkzee, having scored 76 top-flight goals, which indicates it may only be a matter of time before he rediscovers his top form.
Andy Robertson has now reportedly made his decision on returning to Celtic with Parkhead chiefs already preparing to commence talks with the Scotland captain as early as January.
The Hoops could certainly do with his experience on the European stage, having been well-beaten once again in midweek. This time, it was Midtjylland who reaped the rewards, easing to a 3-1 victory in a game that saw them take a three-goal lead before half-time. Whilst Martin O’Neill has managed to turn things around so far domestically, he could do nothing to stop the rot in the Europa League.
The defeat laid bare the task that the next permanent manager has on their hands and those at Celtic Park are yet to even discover who that will be.
O’Neill once again distanced himself from the job when questioned, telling reporters: “I will be here as long as the football board wants me, it’s as simple as that. That could be at the end of the week, it could be after the Kilmarnock game. I just don’t know.”
Celtic schedule first interview with 37 y/o manager who dreams of Hoops job
The Bhoys are still on the hunt for their Brendan Rodgers replacement.
ByTom Cunningham Nov 6, 2025
Whoever is next in the hotseat – whether it be Nicky Hayen, Kieran McKenna or another name – must turn towards the transfer window to welcome some much-needed experience and quality.
Andy Robertson makes Celtic return decision
As reported by TeamTalk, Robertson is now open to making a return to Celtic and signing a pre-contract agreement as soon as January. Sources told TeamTalk that “it’s a move that would make total sense for him personally” and the Hoops are now ready to swoop in to strike an early deal.
If the Scottish giants are after experience and quality, then Robertson is their man. The iconic Liverpool left-back arguably still deserves the starting spot over new man Milos Kerkez at Anfield, but has less than 12 months remaining on his current contract. Given that the Reds bought Kerkez to act as Robertson’s successor last summer, a new contract seems unlikely at this stage.
That, as things stand, should allow Celtic to seal a bargain deal for a Champions League winner who, even at 31 years old, would take the Scottish Premiership by storm.
Once dubbed the “complete player” by former Liverpool left-back Fabio Aurelio, Robertson would be one of the signings of the summer if the Bhoys secured his arrival on a free deal.
Their academy graduate has won it all in English football and is now open to coming full circle and returning to end some unfinished business in Scotland.