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Tottenham will hope to potentially have Cristian Romero back in time for their Premier League clash with Everton this weekend.

The Lilywhites drew 0-0 with Monaco in the UEFA Champions League in midweek, earning yet another vital point under Thomas Frank in their quest for further progression in Europe.

But with the likes of James Maddison, Dominic Solanke and Radu Dragusin all currently sidelined with individual issues, it is a problem Frank will have to find a solution for, and fast.

Injury issues have often hindered Romero’s progress at Tottenham, with former boss Ange Postecoglou frequently complaining about Spurs’ woes in terms of fitness during his tenure at the club.

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United were lucky with their first goal against Liverpool last week because the game should have been stopped, and we’ve all seen the issues with the Liverpool backline this season too.

So, while I understand why any win for United against their rivals at Anfield is a massive result, it doesn’t mean they have cracked it and turned a corner.

They have just managed back-to-back league wins for the first time since Ruben Amorim took charge last November, but I am not looking at them and thinking they will make it a hat-trick on Saturday.

Brighton striker Danny Welbeck impressed me when he came on the Monday Night Club this week and I am backing his boys here.

The Seagulls are always bold under Fabian Hurzeler and they will be fearless at Old Trafford too. I am backing Welbeck to get one of their goals, and haunt his former club.

It is down to United to prove me wrong, and show everyone they do have the consistency they have been lacking, and that may well be part of Amorim’s team talk.

Sutton’s prediction: 1-2

Mark’s favourite United players: I loved the two wingers we had in the 1970s, Gordon Hill and Steve Coppell, and I always appreciated that kind of player who is exciting to watch.

We’ve had a few of them down the years, like Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo and I was hoping Antony would be another one – but that didn’t quite work out, did it? At the moment I am enjoying watching Bryan Mbeumo play. He’s not explosive like the others I’ve mentioned but he’s fitted in really nicely.

Mark’s prediction: I live in Portugal now but I am back in Cheshire for rehearsals this week and to go to this game, and United are going to put on a show for me!

Brighton have done well every time they have come to Old Trafford recently, but I think United are going to show a bit of spirit. We are not going to take the foot off the pedal after beating Liverpool. We deserved that result, despite what Arne Slot was moaning about, and I feel like this is going to be a convincing win. 3-1

AI’s prediction: 2-1

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Three Team India stars got into a cab in Adelaide, leaving the driver stunned (Screengrabs) An Uber driver in Australia was left visibly stunned after discovering that his latest passengers were none other than Indian cricketers Dhruv Jurel, Prasidh Krishna and Yashasvi Jaiswal. The Indian team is currently in Australia for the ongoing ODI series. A video circulating on social media shows the driver waiting for his pick-up, unaware of who he was about to meet. Moments later, the three cricketers were seen getting into the vehicle and taking their seats one by one.The driver, clearly taken aback, looked at them in disbelief before quietly starting the ride. The clip also captured the moment when the group reached their destination. The driver appeared to share a brief exchange with the players before they stepped out. The video drew amused reactions from fans.Users commented that the driver was living the dream of every Uber driver.Watch the viral video here Some users empathised with the driverâ€s quiet reaction, noting how meeting famous personalities can leave anyone speechless. The short clip also drew attention to the players†casual demeanour during the ride. The video has since gained traction across social media, with viewers amused at the driverâ€s understated reaction to an unexpected star encounter. A day after the video of the players entering the cab went viral, Team India went on to lose the series 2-0 in Adelaide.

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How would you react if you unexpectedly met a celebrity during a ride?

Australia clinched victory with a hard-fought two-wicket win over India at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday. Chasing 265, young batters Matt Short (74), Cooper Connolly (61*), and Mitch Owen (36) led the hosts to victory in 46.2 overs after a composed recovery from early setbacks.For India, Rohit Sharma top-scored with 73, while Adam Zampa (4/60) and Xavier Bartlett (3/39) starred with the ball for Australia. The defeat handed Shubman Gill his first series loss as ODI captain, with India struggling to convert starts and failing to defend a competitive total.

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R Ashwin posted a cryptic post on X after India’s loss to Australia (Images via AP, Getty Images) Three years after his iconic “leave†against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin stirred social media on Wednesday with a cryptic post that fans believe carried a deeper meaning. On the same date in 2022, Ashwin had displayed remarkable composure in one of the most dramatic finishes in T20 World Cup history. With India needing two runs off the final delivery against Pakistan, the spinner calmly chose to leave a full ball from Mohammad Nawaz that drifted down the leg side.The umpire signaled a wide, levelling the scores, before Ashwin lofted the next ball over mid-off to seal a famous win for India. On Thursday, hours after India’s series defeat to Australia, Ashwin posted an image featuring Nikeâ€s iconic Swoosh logo in Indiaâ€s tricolour, with the tagline reading, “Just Leave It.†The post immediately sparked widespread discussion, with fans linking it to that unforgettable moment at the MCG. While many viewed it as a clever nod to his famous leave, others speculated that it could be a subtle dig at Team Indiaâ€s current struggles following their ODI series loss to Australia under Shubman Gillâ€s captaincy.

R Ashwin on X

Some users even suggested it might be aimed at senior players who failed to deliver in Adelaide, where India lost the second ODI by two wickets. Virat Kohli in particular, got out for a four-ball duck in Adelaide. The post, though without any caption or clarification, triggered a flood of reactions online. Several fans revisited Ashwinâ€s calmness during that 2022 thriller, sharing old clips and commentary highlights. Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle had famously said after that match, “While you celebrate the win, spare a thought for the calmness of Ashwin in playing the wide and not looking for the slog.â€

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What was your first reaction to Ashwin’s cryptic post?

Back then, social media had hailed Ashwinâ€s awareness and composure in that tense moment, with one fan noting, “2 required off 1, millions watching and the man has the audacity to leave the ball for wide!!†Whether Ashwinâ€s latest post was merely a throwback or carried a hidden message remains unclear. But much like his decisive leave at the MCG, the all-rounder has once again managed to leave everyone guessing.

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West Ham United have been handed a timely fitness boost ahead of their clash with Leeds United.

The Hammers are still searching for their first win under new boss Nuno Espirito Santo, after the former Nottingham Forest head coach took over the reins from Graham Potter.

A draw with Everton began his tenure, before back-to-back losses against Arsenal and Brentford have since followed, with a huge clash against the Whites to come on Friday.

A respectable 2-2 draw with Bournemouth preceded losses to both Tottenham and Burnley, and now manager Farke is set to deal with an additional headache when it comes to his latest team selection.

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Virgil van Dijk has said he called a players†meeting after Liverpoolâ€s defeat by Manchester United to lift the mood and remind the squad how quickly their fortunes could change. Liverpool ended a run of four consecutive defeats with a 5-1 rout of Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday, with Van Dijk one of five goalscorers. Arne Slot changed personnel and formation to spark an improvement in Germany.

His captain believes the clear-the-air talks contributed to the recovery. “On Monday, everyone was sad because we lost to Man United at home,†Van Dijk said. “We havenâ€t lost many games at home during my time at Liverpool. It was tough under the circumstances, so on Monday we came together, but it wasnâ€t a crisis meeting. We all know how things can change. Weâ€re only in October.

“Nobody wants to lose four games in a row, but it was the situation we faced. We had to stay calm and block out all the noise from the outside because thatâ€s something you canâ€t control. The only way to get out of a situation like that is to stay together, keep your mind on the task ahead, try to improve, keep the confidence, embrace the moment.

“They are all things that are easier to say than actually do. But if you want to get out of it, you have to do it. We live in a world now where there is always noise – always something to be said, always someone who knows is better. We have to stay focused on ourselves.â€

Van Dijk said there was a noticeable improvement in the atmosphere after the players†meeting. “Before my meeting yes [the mood was downbeat] but after my meeting everyone was happy.

“We had a proper debrief with the manager, but we also had a separate one as players. I wanted to say some things … Itâ€s not something I do after every game. Letâ€s keep it that way.â€

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Liverpool visit Brentford on Sunday with Alexander Isak and Jeremie Frimpong expected to miss out after sustaining groin and hamstring injuries respectively in Germany. Liverpool are awaiting confirmation on the extent of the injuries.

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If there is a moment that defined La Ligaâ€s fourth failed attempt to play in Miami, an image to explain why everything went wrong, it may have been the moment it was all over. On Tuesday night, Spanish television broadcast reaction to the news from the Estadio de la Ceràmica, live and unfiltered.

Cameras caught someone else who felt dismissed and disrespected, treated as if they didnâ€t count. This time it was someone who was supposed to be on the leagueâ€s side, but now appeared as a portrait of poor planning and poorer communication, a lack of consideration that pushed the project to collapse.

The man in shot was Fernando Roig Negueroles, the chief executive of Villarreal, due to be the “home†team at the Hard Rock Stadium on 20 December. Sitting in the stands, a cigarette in his mouth, he stared at his phone where the statement had just dropped. It was official, public now: La Liga would not be going to Miami.

Roig got up, paced about, threw looks of disbelief at some of those around him and accusing glances at the screen. For a moment it appeared he might throw his phone; instead he spoke into it angrily. All dramatic shrugs, he gesticulated as he left a voice message, then hung up with a furious thud of his thumb.

Villarreal already knew the game was off, but not that everyone else would yet, and that included their players and coaching staff. The league had known for at least five hours, the promoters, Relevent, telling the league it was cancelling because it had not been given the guarantees it would go ahead.

Barcelona, playing at 6.45pm, had finished against Olympiakos when the statement arrived. Villarreal, playing at 9pm, had found out 15 minutes before kick-off, but had asked for it not be announced yet. And here it was, made official in the middle of their game against Manchester City.

“Itâ€s an absolute lack of respect,†said their coach, Marcelino García Toral, said. On Wednesday, the club expressed its “deep discontent with La Liga for the poor management of the organisation of the match.†Roig said: “We have been worn down … for nothing.†La Liga had made an enemy of its most loyal ally.

Javier Tebas, the president of La Liga, said he was grateful for Villarrealâ€s collaboration and commitment. Photograph: Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images

Javier Tebas, the president of the league, said he was grateful for Villarrealâ€s collaboration and commitment: they, and Barcelona, had done this without thinking about themselves, but about the league, the development of Spanish football.

They had become defenders of the project, which wasnâ€t without its problems or, at times, a loss of face that was even more significant now. Not least when Roig Negueroles said Villarreal were not making money from the game, even while Joan Laporta kept insisting Barcelona were, saying last Sunday that the income from Miami would make up for twice having to play at the 6,000-seat Johan Cruyff stadium.

Unlike Barcelona, Villarreal had given up a home game. Unlike 18 other teams, they were going to have to cross the Atlantic. Like all 20 of them, they had watched their players take part in protests over how it had all been managed. They had seen one supporters†group protest, too, and had to intervene to convince the association of supporters†clubs to back it. They had promised fans they could go for free or get sizeable discounts on season tickets.

Although to their relief they didnâ€t get 25,000 fans signing up, they did get almost 4,000. Chartering flights and crew was proving almost impossible – all the more so when, despite asking repeatedly, they never received a guarantee it was on. On Wednesday, Villarreal said they had been contemplating pulling out.

Roig Neguerolesâ€s response to that brief rebellion from the supporters†club, in tone and content, had not helped. With remarkable bluntness he had called it incomprehensible and unacceptable, saying that the supporters†club contributes €22,000 a year (about £19,100) whereas Villarrealâ€s soccer schools and US projects generate almost €2m.

Villarreal had become the bad guy, and they werenâ€t even being paid for it, defending a project that didnâ€t defend them back. They had been ignored, not consulted. The organisers of the game they gave themselves to, their allies, could not give them this one, small thing.

No wonder Roig Negueroles was furious. On Wednesday night, Villarreal released an angry statement, saying they wished “to express its deep discontent with LaLiga for the poor management of the organisation of the match that was set to take place in Miami against FC Barcelona on 20 Decemberâ€.

All of which sounds familiar: if the Miami plan collapsed, it was as much about the way La Liga did things as what it did. That way is Tebasâ€s way. “You canâ€t do things this way,†said the president of the Spanish stateâ€s sports council (CSD), José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, on Wednesday.

“Apart from a small, formal question, itâ€s practically done,†Tebas announced at the World Football Summit on 8 October. “We can say that on 20 December an official La Liga game with points at stake will be played in Miami.†But 13 days after it was announced, La Liga had to announce it would not.

Taking a game to the US requires authorisation. This time, unlike before, La Liga had the backing of the Spanish federation, the RFEF, no longer run by Luis Rubiales, with whom Tebas was at war. That, in turn, facilitated permission from Uefa, which said, through gritted teeth, that it did not like it but could not stop it – at least not until the legal framework was changed in its favour.

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Relevent had won a court case with Fifa to give it the legal backing to organise the game. The European Commission spoke against it, but Tebas, bullish as ever, said it had nothing to do with them, dismissing them as irrelevant. Concacaf had to be formally consulted, US Soccer as well, but when Tebas announced the game as a reality, they hadnâ€t been. In that very moment, the small details got bigger.

The AFE, Spainâ€s players†union, had not been consulted either. As for fans groups, forget it. (It was a pleasant surprise the packages offered to supporters were generous, that that issue had been addressed). Last weekend, at every game in the first division the players refused to play for the first 15 seconds. Not, as is assumed, because they were determined to block the Miami game or even because they were necessarily opposed to it. The Atlético captain, Koke, said on Tuesday, even after he knew it was over, that if there are conversations and the players are convinced of the project they would support it, which made the failure to consult them even more of a mistake.

Nobody said it would be easy, but it did not need to be so hard, an unnecessary obstacle in their way. There were no conversations, no negotiations; the questions the AFE asked were not answered; they had been locked out of the whole process; and that their requests to meet were dismissed, at least to start with. Then pressure was brought to bear on players, warned that there could be “unhappy consequences†if they were to go on strike. “All we ask for is transparency,†said the Espanyol captain, Leandro Cabrera.

Instead, when the players stood still TV coverage panned away from the pitch and all the way out of the stadium. Commentators had to read out a message for peace, which had never been done before at that exact point. Over the weekend, coverage shifted slightly, the league aware that it had backfired, the attempt to hide it only heightening awareness and indignation, Spanish footballâ€s own Streisand Effect.

Censorship and manipulation, Thibaut Courtois called it. “I donâ€t know why youâ€re surprised: heâ€s been like this, doing this kind of thing for a long time. I said after the Club World Cup that I have never seen a president of a league in any sport speak like he does.â€

TV viewers were not shown the protests where players stood still for the first 15 seconds of matches, such as Espanyolâ€s at Real Oviedo. Photograph: Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images

Opposition became more determined, not against the game, but the way it was being imposed upon them. Coming up on Sunday is the Clásico.

“Without footballers, there is no football,†said the head of the AFE, David Aganzo, on Wednesday, satisfied they and he – often seen as weak – had demonstrated their collective strength. Yet there is something deeper, more mechanic. The league may have been able to bypass the players, employees who owe their living to the bosses, their clubs. They may have been able to force them into a corner, and still got what they wanted, but the permissions were not in place.

There was also was a familiar foe. Systematically opposed to almost everything La Liga propose, with the president, Florentino Pérez, the target of almost endless attacks from Tebas, Real Madrid challenged this project. They did so alone and on the basis that it affects the integrity of the league: Barcelona lose an away game and gain a “home†game, Hard Rock bound to be full of blaugranas.

Madrid wrote two formal complaints to the CSD demanding the game be cancelled. They applied what Tebas called “political and media pressureâ€. The CSD, which still had to give the final all-clear, just as Concacaf and US Soccer did, requested more information from the RFEF.

All the while time moved on, days passed. With 24 hours to go until tickets went on sale and the guarantees still not in place, Relevent could not wait any longer: the potential legal liability for cancelling 65,000 tickets was too great. And so it was over, again.

This is the fourth time La Liga have tried to take a game to the US going back to 2018, but Barcelona-Girona, Villarreal-Atlético, and Barcelona-Atlético were played in Spain. Villarreal-Barcelona will be too.

“We were close this time,†Tebas insisted, vowing: “we will try againâ€, but close is not good enough, an opportunity lost, and if they are to try again it must be done differently.

“In the future, if there is a similar idea, it has to start with the premise that there is dialogue, agreement and total transparency,†Uribes said, the “unlike now†going without saying.

Tebas once bet a journalist $10,000 that Barcelona-Girona would be played in Miami, but he lost then and he lost now.

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The road to the 2027 World Cup is long and winding for all teams hoping to qualify – apart from the hosts, Brazil. Having won their ninth Copa América Femenina in the summer, their next major tournament will be the World Cup in 20 months.

That may seem like a long time but the head coach, Arthur Elias, is aware that every minute of preparation counts, starting with their friendlies against England in Manchester on Saturday and then Italy in Parma on Tuesday.

By facing European opposition, Elias hopes his players will be able to test themselves in different conditions and against different playing styles to those most of them experience back home. It is also an opportunity to test themselves against one of the best teams in the world. “These games are really important for us to see how we behave collectively when facing different teams with different styles,†he said at the squad announcement. “We are at a stage where we are consolidating our team identity.

“Weâ€re playing against two great European teams. England have won the past two Euros and Italy reached the semis last time around and played really well. We have taken that into account when we selected this squad. We want to give opportunities to younger payers. Our average age is now 24 years old, which we think is ideal when looking ahead to 2027.â€

Elias does not have all his key players available. He was expecting to be without Real Madridâ€s Antônia and Manchester Cityâ€s Kerolin because of injuries but since the squad announcement he has also lost Atlético Madridâ€s Gio Garbelini and her replacement, Debinha of KC Current. São Pauloâ€s 22-year-old forward Isabelle Caroline has been called up.

Arthur Elias led his side to a 2-1 victory over the United States in April after a stoppage time winner. It was Brazilâ€s first win over the Americans in 11 years. Photograph: Erin Chang/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF

Elias received international recognition in 2024 when he took Brazil to a silver medal at the Paris Olympics and was one of three finalists for The Best Fifa Womenâ€s coach, finishing only behind Englandâ€s Sarina Wiegman and Barcelonaâ€s Jonatan Giráldez.

Since their achievement at the Olympics, Brazilian players have had more visibility abroad with record transfers to the NWSL as well as European leagues. The 24-year-old Isabela Chagas may make her senior national team debut against England after completing a €300,000 (£260,000) move from Cruzeiro to Paris Saint-Germain, a record sale for the Brazilian team.

The trajectory is clearly upwards but the game against the Lionesses at the Etihad Stadium will be a challenge. “England are a team we studied quite well, and will test us at the highest level,†Elias says. “They will test our attack, since they have a good, compact defence, and we will need to worry about the quality of their attacking players. Having said that, they will have to deal with our quality too.â€

The last time the two teams faced each other was in 2023 for the inaugural Womenâ€s Finalissima – between the Copa América and Euro champions – with England winning on penalties after a pulsating 1-1 draw. Back then, Brazil were coached by Pia Sundhage who liked to play with a back five.

Kerolin, seen here evading a challenge from Ella Toone during the 2023 Womenâ€s Finalissima match, will miss Brazilâ€s return to England after picking up an injury last month. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Expect a more proactive attacking approach under Elias. His teams may vary in style but they consistently look to get on the front foot. It can leave them exposed, though, as happened in the Copa América final against Colombia, where they scored four but conceded as many and needed penalties to secure the win. “England and Italy have very different styles,†he says “and facing them in such a short period of time is a challenge. We will need, in one training session, to put a different system in place, with different players†characteristics, so we can win both games.â€

At the moment, with 20 months still to go before a home World Cup, Eliasâ€s plan is to test his team as much as possible. He wants to consolidate a squad, but also create options for the future of the Brazilian national team. “We have made 10 changes to the team that just won the Copa América. I believe that is a good place to be for our preparation for 2027.â€

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• Joey Lynch

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  Joey Lynch is a Melbourne-based sports journalist and AYA cancer advocate. Primarily working on football, he has covered the Socceroos, Matildas and A-Leagues for ESPN for over a decade.

Oct 23, 2025, 01:12 AM ET

The West Australian government remains adamant that Perth will host a Serie A match between AC Milan and Como next year, despite the cancellation of a planned fixture between Barcelona and Villarreal in the United States.

With the San Siro set to be unavailable due to the Winter Olympics, Italy’s football federation (FIGC) gave the green light for the Rossoneri to stage its Feb. 6 clash with Como in Perth in July, describing the opportunity to bring a Serie A fixture to Australia as “historic.”

UEFA “reluctantly” gave its approval for the fixture, as well as a LaLiga game between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami, earlier this month. However, following widespread backlash in Spain, LaLiga announced on Tuesday that it had cancelled its planned fixture, citing the “uncertainty” generated by the protests.

– Villarreal hit out at LaLiga, Relevent over axed Miami game
– Why was LaLiga’s Barcelona-Villarreal game in Miami canceled?
– AFL star launches $2.1m legal suit against former A-League club chairman

No such announcement, though, has been made on Serie A’s attempts to bring a game Down Under, and the West Australian government remains confident that the game will go ahead as planned.

“The WA Government is committed to bringing Serie A to Australia for the first time and we’re confident in the support shown by Football Australia, both teams and Serie A to date, as we await sign off from the AFC and FIFA to make this a reality,” Rita Saffioti, who serves as West Australia’s deputy premier in addition to being its minister for sport and recreation, told ESPN in a statement.

“Following the success of AC Milan’s recent visit to Perth for their preseason, we saw how successful the friendlies were for AC Milan and AS Roma, and we know that European football has a huge following in WA.”

While UEFA has given its approval for the fixture to proceed, it also requires the assent of FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation, of which Australia is a member, and local federation Football Australia, before it can be officially approved and contracts signed.

Como fans show a banner in protest against the decision to play a Serie A match against AC Milan in Perth. Nicolò Campo/LightRocket

Speaking to West Australian media on Wednesday morning, Saffioti, who flew to Italy to help seal the deal to bring a game to Perth, indicated that she believed those approvals to be imminent.

“We’ve had some very supportive comments [on Tuesday] from the Italian league, so we’re very confident,” she said. “Every hour I’m checking my phone, or basically every 10 minutes I’m checking my phone.

“It should happen in the next week, next few days, but that’s why we’re waiting.”

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Milan has twice previously toured West Australia in recent years, playing a friendly with Roma in 2024 and local A-League Men outfit Perth Glory earlier this year.

These visits have been part of a significant investment by the West Australian government in sport and major events. Perth is set to be one of the three host cities for next year’s Women’s Asian Cup, it will stage the return of State of Origin in the AFL, and is partnering with TKO to bring multiple UFC and WWE events to the city.

But the plan to host a Serie A game, something Como has declared is about “ensuring survival” for Serie A, has been controversial with Milan midfielder Adrien Rabiot labelling the move “completely crazy.”

Football Supporters Association Australia has joined opposition to the game with Football Supporters Europe, declaring “domestic league fixtures are intrinsically linked to their home territories” and raising concerns over its potential impact on the local A-League Men’s and Women’s competitions.

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Kyle Verreynne stumps Sajid Khan of Pakistan during day four of the Second Test in the series between Pakistan and South Africa at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on October 23, 2025 in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. (Photo by Sameer Ali/Getty Images) South Africa secured an emphatic eight-wicket victory against Pakistan on Thursday in Rawalpindi, leveling the two-test cricket series. Off-spinner Simon Harmer’s exceptional performance, claiming 6-50, dismantled Pakistan’s second innings for 138 on Day 4, setting up an easy chase of 68 runs for South Africa.With the loss Pakistan has slipped behind India in the latest World Test Championship (WTC) pointes table. India moved to third place, while Pakistan is at fifth.The reigning WTC champion South Africa has moved to fourth position after this convincing win in Rawalpindi. The victory marked a complete turnaround from the first test in Lahore, where Pakistan had won by 93 runs. South Africa, the World Test Championship winners, reached their target of 73-2 in just 12.3 overs.

WTC Points table

RankTeamMatchesWinsLossesDrawsPointsPCT1Australia330036100.002Sri Lanka21011666.673India74215261.904South Africa21101250.005Pakistan21101250.006England52212643.337Bangladesh2011416.678West Indies505000.009New Zealand000000.00The spin duo of Harmer and Keshav Maharaj, who returned from injury after missing the first test, dominated the match with a combined 17 wickets in the second test.South African captain Aiden Markram led the chase with an aggressive 42 off 45 balls, including eight boundaries, before falling lbw to Noman Ali with just four runs needed for victory.Tristan Stubbs, who had impressed with a half-century in South Africa’s first innings total of 404, departed for a duck, edging Noman to slip. Ryan Rickelton sealed the win with a six off Sajid Khan, remaining unbeaten on 25.Harmer achieved a significant milestone by becoming only the third South African bowler to reach 1,000 wickets in first-class cricket when he dismissed Noman.Pakistan’s overnight batters, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, failed to extend their team’s lead significantly. Both fell to Harmer early on Day 4, triggering a quick collapse.Babar managed to reach his first half-century of the series but was trapped lbw by Harmer shortly after. His dismissal came through a delivery that spun back, hitting him low on the pads, with the DRS review confirming the on-field decision.The Pakistan captain’s century drought in test cricket continued, with his last hundred dating back to December 2022.Rizwan’s dismissal followed quickly as he edged the ball to Tony de Zorzi off Harmer’s bowling, leaving Pakistan in trouble with a lead of just 34 runs.

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Who was the standout player in South Africa’s victory against Pakistan?

Salman Ali Agha showed some resistance with 28 runs off 42 balls but was eventually bowled by Maharaj. The left-arm spinner then removed Khan with a stumping to end Pakistan’s innings and set up South Africa’s series-leveling victory.The balanced performance from South Africa’s bowling attack, particularly the spinners, proved decisive in achieving their first test victory of the series.

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