It doesn’t often occur in the Premier League, but Manchester City – even with Erling Haaland leading the line – drew a blank away at Aston Villa on Sunday.

In the end, a fiercely hit effort by Matty Cash in the first half would be the difference between the two sides, as the Citizens fell to their first league defeat since coming unstuck away at Brighton and Hove Albion at the close of August.

Tijjani Reijnders, in particular, struggled at Villa Park, with the number four’s early fall from grace at City a concerning tale to keep tabs on.

Why Reijnders was disappointing against Aston Villa

When the Dutchman has been given the freedom to express himself further up the pitch, he has been a joy to watch; however, with a goal confidently put away on his debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers, even seeing statistician Statman Dave herald him as being “De Bruyne’s heir.”

However, the ex-AC Milan man wasn’t played in a De Bruyne-style position against Unai Emery’s hosts, with Reijnders not looking so comfortable as an anchor figure for Guardiola’s side on their travels, who are still presumably reeling that Rodri remains in and out of the Etihad treatment room.

Tackles won

0

Interceptions

0

Clearances

1

Blocked shots

0

Ball recoveries

2

Total duels

0/7

While Reijnders did trudge off at the end of the 1-0 loss with just two passes not reaching their intended target, the 27-year-old did noticeably find it tricky to battle away for his losing side, with an alarming zero duels won from seven attempted.

Moreover, the £46.5m summer purchase also failed to win a single tackle, with Amadou Onana for the hosts – in stark contrast – winning a combined tally of two tackles and six duels, as Reijnders routinely lost every 50/50 and scuffle that came his way.

With Nico Gonzalez also out injured, it remains to be seen what option Guardiola will go with in the games to come in the defensive midfield spot on the pitch, with Reijnders clearly not cut out for the demands of the position long-term.

He isn’t alone, though, in being worried about his first-team spot moving forward, with this “wasteful” attacker – as he was branded by journalist Amos Murphy – also in some bother about his immediate future in the Spaniard’s main XI.

The 5/10 City star who must be dropped

Watching back over the highlights from Villa Park, it’s clear that City could have nicked at least a point on another day if they had packed their shooting boots and weren’t so “toothless”, as they were branded by journalist David Mooney at the full-time whistle.

Indeed, Haaland uncharacteristically fluffed a one-on-one opportunity directly after Cash’s sweetly struck opener, with Savinho also falling victim to some poor finishing himself, when two chances in quick succession in the second 45 minutes passed him by.

Minutes played

84

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

50

Shots

2

Accurate passes

22/31 (71%)

Accurate passes in the opposition half

15/28 (54%)

Accurate crosses

0/5

Possession lost

18x

Successful dribbles

1/4

Total duels won

3/9

His overall play in attacking positions, away from spurning some big chances, also makes for some pretty grim reading, with Savinho only managing to make 15 accurate passes when in the opposition’s half of the pitch, leading to him giving away possession a mammoth 18 times.

On top of that, the lacklustre Brazilian could only muster up one successful dribble from his 84-minute stint in the West Midlands, alongside further failing to complete a single accurate cross to try and pick out the likes of Haaland, who can strike fear into any defenders he’s coming up against at a moment’s notice.

Savinho will surely now sense that his starting spot is on thin ice, with only one assist next to his name from his four Premier League starts this season, not exactly the most glowing track record.

Manchester Evening News journalist Simon Bajkowski would hand out a low 5/10 rating to the 21-year-old, subsequently, who stated that Savinho was ‘largely poor’ when attempting to unlock Villa, away from a promising effort here and there on Emiliano Martinez’s well-guarded net.

Cutting a forlorn figure at the close of the slim 1-0 defeat, Guardiola will have many a selection issue to address ahead of City facing off against AFC Bournemouth at the beginning of November, with both Reijnders and Savinho potentially removed from his starting lineup for the test of the Cherries.

Man City "interested" in title-winning 39 y/o manager to succeed Guardiola

Would he be the ideal successor at the Etihad?

ByHenry Jackson Oct 25, 2025

Australia’s Test players are going to have a rare uninterrupted two-week window to play in the BBL 2025-26 season following the home Ashes series, fostering hopes within Cricket Australia (CA) that the upcoming season could be one of the best ever following the fixture announcement on Thursday.The BBL season will begin on December 14 with Perth Scorchers hosting Sydney Sixers, three days before the start of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide between Australia and England. The 40-game regular season will run until January 18 before the finals are played from January 20 to 25, with the tournament ending on the Sunday night before the Australia Day public holiday on January 26.Full BBL fixture listThe fifth Ashes Test in Sydney runs from January 4 to January 8, meaning Australia’s Test players will theoretically be available for the last ten days of the regular season. It is more likely that only select batters will be available following a gruelling five-Test series. But there remains a hope from the BBL that some of the bowlers and allrounders may play as part of their preparation for the T20 World Cup in February. However, CA’s high performance team and the players themselves will have the final say on their availability.Related

• Veteran NSW and Sixers coach Greg Shipperd signs two-year extension

• Afridi, Rizwan and Rauf among top picks at BBL overseas drafts

• All the BBL and WBBL squads for 2025-26 season

Nonetheless, it is a significant improvement on the last three years, when Australia had Test assignments in late January and early February, which did not allow Test players to play many matches in the competition. Head of the BBL leagues, Alistair Dobson, was optimistic that this could be one of the best BBL seasons ever.”We earmarked this season from a while back,” Dobson said. “Anything we do around international summer is huge. But then to have a good, clear run of nights available from mid-December through to the end of January, where we can play the BBL every night, is one that adds up to a pretty strong season for us.”Inevitably, at other times, there are things that don’t allow that, whether it’s different scheduling of Test matches, whether it’s the Australian team having content at the end of the summer, which might restrict potentially availability of some of our Test players and Australian players. So all those things in the mix this year give us confidence this is as good a year as we’ve had almost ever.”The schedule has been designed to give every team a home game in the last week of the season, with the hope that the Test players will be able to play for their clubs at home in that week as well as in the finals. Nathan Lyon looks likely to play his first game for Melbourne Renegades in that period after being contracted for the previous two years without playing a game.But a number of other Test players are currently uncontracted, including the three fast bowlers in Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Travis Head is also uncontracted after not playing a game for Adelaide Strikers, while Cameron Green has not played in the BBL since January 2020.”It’ll ultimately come down to an individual case by case basis with players of how they’ve gone through the summer and what their recovery is like, and their availability,” Dobson said. “But certainly we see a great opportunity there for a number of them to come and play the back end of the season and through the finals, so hopefully that’s a way to finish off a big season.”Pat Cummins is currently uncontracted in the BBL•Getty Images

The league wasn’t tempted to move the season back one more week to give those players a chance to play more games and also allow for some of the overseas players like Sam Curran to play more games after the ILT20, which finishes on January 5.”I think our season has found a nice spot where it is for now. In terms of that school holiday finish, we work really closely with our broadcasters and our clubs to find a window there that works for everyone,” Dobson said. “I think we’ve found a good rhythm in the past couple of seasons, particularly around finishing around the long weekend that was always our footprint that we set down from day one, and we think with the players that we picked up in the draft from around the world, shows that there’s still lots of interest and excitement about coming and playing in the BBL.”Once again, the BBL has opted not to play games on Christmas Eve (December 24) or Christmas Day (December 25) and will not play a game on Australia Day (January 26). Dobson said the prospect of a game on Christmas Day continues to be discussed and said it could still happen in the future.”Never say never,” he said. “I think it’s one of the ones where each year, when we sit down to lay out how the season might look. We consider it, and ultimately, the interest and the demand from our key stakeholders probably isn’t there right now, whether that’s broadcasters or clubs to push into that particular day, albeit it’s discussed regularly.”Dobson also wasn’t concerned about the prospect of three games being played at Marvel Stadium after the surface was substandard during last year’s BBL. Renegades will host three games at the venue, including a Melbourne derby, but their first two matches will be played in Geelong.

Marcus Rashford has made a sensational start to his Barcelona career, reigniting his form with 12 goal contributions in just 13 appearances since joining on loan from Manchester United. The 28-year-old has openly expressed his desire to make the move permanent, though reports have suggested that the Catalan giants are set to make demands to Rashford to complete the transfer.

• Rashford has a spectacular start at Barcelona

  Rashford’s Barcelona career has taken off in spectacular fashion following his summer loan from Manchester United. After years of inconsistency with the Premier League underperformers, the winger has rediscovered his spark under Hansi Flick. His blistering pace, improved decision-making, and renewed confidence were on full display during El Clasico, where he set up Fermin Lopez’s goal, and also in his Champions League brace against Olympiacos. 

  Rashford’s resurgence has been aided by Raphinha’s injury troubles, which opened the door for him to become the club’s first-choice left winger. He has made the role his own, striking an immediate connection with the likes of Ferran Torres and Lopez in Flick’s fluid attacking system. The Englishman’s turnaround has not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona officials already in talks to activate the option-to-buy clause included in his loan deal with Manchester United. 

  His story marks a remarkable change in fortunes after a turbulent year at Old Trafford, where a falling-out with Ruben Amorim led to his exile. Rashford’s public criticism of the club’s unstable direction and lack of leadership, combined with his short-lived loan at Aston Villa, made his departure inevitable. Now, in a calmer environment and surrounded by belief from both fans and coaching staff, Rashford looks every bit the player who once terrorised Premier League defences.

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  Barcelona will need Rashford to reduce wages to sign him permanently

  Barcelona’s pursuit of a permanent deal for Rashford comes amid ongoing financial challenges that continue to shape their transfer policy. Despite their admiration for his impact, the club’s strict salary cap rules mean a permanent move hinges on the forward accepting a drastic wage reduction. Rashford currently earns over £300,000 a week at Manchester United, well above what Barcelona can accommodate under La Liga’s economic controls.  

  The Catalan giants, who have spent the last few seasons restructuring contracts and trimming their wage bill, see Rashford’s situation as a balancing act. Club sources have reportedly told SPORT that the transfer fee itself, believed to be around £30 million, is not an obstacle, but the issue lies in long-term affordability. Barcelona’s sporting department is keen to offer Rashford a multi-year deal to spread the cost, but that would require his full cooperation on salary adjustments.

• Rashford full of confidence after horror Man Utd seasons

  Rashford’s revival has been a story of redemption following a messy end to his Manchester United chapter. After a 30-goal season in 2022–23, his form collapsed during the 2024-25 campaign; until his exile scored just 24 goals across 67 matches. A strained relationship with Amorim, repeated benchings, and his eventual exile from first-team training eroded his confidence before he was shipped off on loan. 

  In interviews since his arrival in Spain, Rashford has subtly alluded to his struggles at Old Trafford, pointing to “an inconsistent environment” and a lack of “long-term direction” at the club. His time in Barcelona, by contrast, has been characterised by stability, tactical clarity, and the faith of a manager who understands his strengths. Flick’s system has granted Rashford freedom to cut inside and combine creatively, something he says he “hadn’t felt in a long time.” 

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  Barcelona are keen on signing Rashford permanently

  Barcelona are aware of his commercial and sporting value and Rashford’s popularity in global markets, coupled with his European form, including a Champions League brace against Olympiacos, makes him a compelling long-term investment. Spanish outlets claim that several Premier League clubs have already made tentative enquiries, but Rashford’s focus remains on staying put at Camp Nou.

  Negotiations between Barcelona and Manchester United are expected to intensify in the coming months, with the Spanish club hopeful of finalising the deal before the end of the season. For Rashford, the key decision will revolve around his willingness to take a pay cut, a step he appears prepared to make in exchange for stability and a starring role at one of Europe’s biggest clubs.   

Nat Sciver-Brunt expected to be fit after groin injury curtailed involvement in T20Is

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jul-2025

Nat Sciver-Brunt is expected to play a full part in England’s three-match ODI series against India later this month, after being named as captain in a 15-player squad despite missing the end of the T20I series with a groin injury.Sciver-Brunt suffered the injury while batting during the second T20I and was subsequently ruled out of the remaining three games. Tammy Beaumont took charge for Friday’s third match at the Kia Oval, where England kept their series hopes alive with a tense five-run win that reduced their deficit to 2-1.However, England’s selectors are optimistic that she will be fit again by the time of the first ODI at the Utilita Bowl on July 16, with subsequent fixtures at Lord’s on July 19, and Chester-le-Street on July 22.Also included in the squad is Sophie Ecclestone, who missed the West Indies ODIs early this season while recovering from injury, but returns in place of the legspinner Sarah Glenn. Hampshire’s Maia Bouchier – who was last week called into the T20I squad as Sciver-Brunt’s replacement – is also back in contention.Lauren Filer, who averaged 76mph in bowling the fastest recorded over in women’s cricket during the Oval victory on Friday, has again been included in the ODI set-up as she continues her comeback from a knee injury.England have been challenged hard by India in the course of the T20I series, having lost the first two matches by heavy margins, particularly the series opener at Trent Bridge where Smitri Mandhana’s century set her team up for an emphatic 97-run win.However, the fight that England showed to get across the line in a tense finale at The Oval pleased their new head coach, Charlotte Edwards, who sees the ODI series as another vital test of her team’s credentials as they rebuild after their disappointments at the T20 World Cup and the Ashes last winter.England Women ODI squad to face India•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“India have really pushed us during the Vitality IT20 series,” Edwards said. “We knew they would and we’ve learned a lot about the team in the three games so far. There have been some good moments but we’re a team in transition and we need to keep working hard to do what we’re trying to do more consistently, and for longer. That’ll be asked of us again in the ODIs.”Friday night was high drama and we were delighted to keep ourselves in the series, I’m very proud of the character and the fight the players showed. Hopefully we can keep that going at Emirates Old Trafford and Edgbaston and into the Metro Bank ODI series.”The squad has largely stayed the same since the ODI series against West Indies, but Soph [Ecclestone] comes back into the side meaning Sarah Glenn misses out this time around. We’ve also added in Maia Bouchier to bolster our batting line-up and continue to offer competition for places. This series is the perfect preparation for the ICC Women’s World Cup in India this autumn, but it’s also a series we’re determined to win.”England Women ODI squad to face IndiaNat Sciver-Brunt (capt), Em Arlott, Tammy Beaumont, Lauren Bell, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Kate Cross, Alice Davidson-Richards, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Amy Jones, Emma Lamb, Linsey Smith

The Tampa Bay Rays received another blow Tuesday with their future stadium plans.

Hurricane Milton shredded Tropicana Field's roof and left a disastrous scene inside after the storm hit on Oct. 9. The damage forced the Rays to find a new home for the 2025 season, when they'll play home games at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., the 11,000-seat ballpark and spring training home field for the New York Yankees.

In July, the city council approved future plans for a new stadium which guaranteed the team would stay in Tampa for at least 30 more years. On Tuesday, however, the Rays announced that a combination of severe hurricane damage and political delays on financing meant it is highly unlikely the team's new stadium would be ready for the 2028 season, if at all, according to the .

The Pinellas County Commission voted to delay finalizing bonds that would finance the new $1.3 billion ballpark in Tampa until their next meeting on Dec. 17. In a letter to the county commission, Rays executives said the team has already spent $50 million for early work on the new stadium and cannot proceed further because of delays in approvals for the public share of the costs.

“The Rays organization is saddened and stunned by this unfortunate turn of events," Rays executives said in the letter penned to the county commission.

The team has to wait until December, at least, for another update on public funding for their new ballpark. The delays put the timeline and overall future of the Rays' stadium plans in flux as the team gets used to a new, immediate future at the Yankees' spring training site while the Trop is under repair.

Shohei Ohtani suffered a scary-looking shoulder injury late in Game 2 of the World Series. People feared the worst, but the Los Angeles Dodgers were confident he would be available for Game 3 in New York against the Yankees. Sure enough, he was in the lineup on Monday night.

Ohtani wore a jacket before the game that kind of hid a sling, which is one of the only pieces of protective equipment Major League Baseball players don't wear in the batter's box. Ohtani took off the sling when the game started and walked on four straight pitches from New York starter Clarke Schmidt.

Once he was on base he could be seen holding onto his jersey with his left hand to remind himself not to move his arm too much. Luckily, Freddie Freeman homered two batters later so Ohtani got to jog around the bases and not worry about doing too much.

It will be interesting to see how the shoulder affects Ohtani if the Yankees give him a pitch to swing at or a teammate puts one in play while he's on the base paths, either tonight or later in the series.

Giuliano Simeone has spoken candidly about life under his father, Diego Simeone, revealing how he balances the weight of a famous surname with the responsibility of earning his place at Atletico Madrid. With the club preparing a new long-term contract after his breakout season, the 22-year-old reflects on his journey from Calderon ball boy to first-team contributor, and the expectations that come with both roles.

Giuliano Simeone's relentless push to be an Atleti

Simeone’s story with Atletico began long before he stepped onto the pitch as a professional. As a long-haired eight-year-old, he served as a ball boy at their former stadium, but his path to the first team required a long diversion. 

After years n River Plate’s youth academy, he was finally snapped up by the Atletico youth academy while his father was building a solid reputation as coach of the senior team, but it took spells on loan to Real Zaragoza and Deportivo Alaves to lay the foundation for his breakthrough in the capital. 

The 2024-25 campaign finally opened the door: his first senior goal, his first Champions League moment, and his growing influence in his father's demanding system.

AdvertisementAFP"At Cerro, he's the coach. Outside of training, he's my dad"

For years, Simeone has lived with a familiar accusation: that every opportunity he receives is because he is Diego Simeone’s son. Every debut, every promotion, every appearance has come with someone claiming he is “only there because of his father.” The criticism follows him everywhere, from the youth system to La Liga, and he knows it will never fully disappear.

Asked directly about the nepotism narrative in an interview on , he delivered a clear response: "I've said it many times, I think we have a coach-player relationship where we both have a lot of respect. When we go into training at Cerro del Espino, when we cross those gates, he's the coach and I'm a player. And the player always does what the coach says. Outside of training, obviously he's my dad and he loves me a lot, like any father, and we have a different relationship. Outside of training, we talk a lot about football. We have a WhatsApp group with my brothers, and they send us videos of their plays, highlights, and we discuss them. Everyone gives their opinion. We're all big football fans in the family, of course."

The 22-year-old added: "I was told that a lot when I was very young. When we played matches at 12 years old: 'You play because you're your father's son.' At first, you kind of get used to it, but then it becomes a habit, and you know you play because you love it and you give it your all. I don't know if I kept quiet or silenced them, I swear I try to isolate myself from what's said, I focus on myself, on growing and improving."

Simeone battle odds to become Atleti's first-team player

Simeone describes his biggest transformation in recent years as a physical one, an evolution forged inside Atletico's famously demanding training environment. The club’s conditioning standards reshaped him, making him stronger, quicker, and far better suited to the defensive intensity that defines his father’s footballing philosophy. Working daily alongside top-level teammates pushed his technique to a higher level.

He reviews every match the following morning, once the adrenaline has faded and his judgment is clear, as he looks to improve on an important aspect of his game: "Technically, my striking, my finishing… There are many aspects or facets of the game that help you raise your level. I always watch all my matches. But not with my dad, please, there are already enough videos at the Cerro, no, no, no… (laughs). I watch myself quite a bit because I like it and I think it's a way to learn and improve. Before, as soon as I got home, I'd put on the match and wouldn't sleep. Now I do it better and watch it the next day. Sometimes I say: 'What a great match I played!' And then I watch it and say: 'Does this really seem like a great match to you, Giuliano?'"

His rise has not been smooth, but it has been steady. Giuliano scored three goals across two seasons with Atletico B, then proved himself in the physically demanding Segunda Division with Zaragoza, scoring nine goals and playing a leading role in their attack. His momentum was halted by a serious injury during his loan at Alaves, a moment that forced him into long months of rehabilitation and mental resilience. But he returned to Atletico stronger and soon delivered his first La Liga and Champions League goals.

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AFPAtletico eye contract extension talks with Giuliano

Los Colchoneros are finalising an extension that will keep Giuliano at the club until 2030, accompanied by a salary correction that aligns with his new role. Until now, he was among the lowest earners in the first-team squad which is typical for academy graduates—but his increased importance has made the renewal a priority. Giuliano says he dreams of a career like Koke’s.

"I'm very happy to be at Atlético. Very happy, I hope to be here for many years. I hope to have a career like Koke's. I would love to be here for many years," he says.

Manchester United youngster James Overy has been handed a shock call-up to the Australia senior national team ahead of their upcoming friendly matches this month. Socceroos boss Tony Popovic, who has been left "impressed" by the teenager, has even hinted that Overy could earn a role in his World Cup squad for next summer's tournament in North America.

• Overy training with Man United's senior side

  After regularly featuring for United's U-18 and U-21 teams in the U-18 Premier League and Premier League 2 in the 2025-26 campaign, Ruben Amorim has called Overy into training with the first team. His call-up to the senior fold at Old Trafford has caught the eye of Australia boss Popovic, who has named the teenager in the Socceroos squad for their upcoming friendlies against Venezuela and Colombia on November 15 and 19, respectively.

  Overy, who turned 18 only last month, also featured in two games for Australia in last month's U20 World Cup. The youngster, who primarily plays as a right-back, has also been deployed as a winger and on the left side of the defence for his country. Impressed by his versatility, Popovic has already opened the door for Overy to break into his World Cup plans.

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  'Thought he’s worth having a look at'

  Popovic told reporters: "I just thought he’s worth having a look at, and let’s see. I’m very open-minded with what that looks like for the immediate future and obviously long term. Right now, he’s in a very good moment, and I hope he comes in here and – we’ll do everything we can to make him feel comfortable – that he expresses himself on the field, is not too nervous, and he just comes out and plays and does what he loves doing. 

  "Watching him closely in Chile, I was impressed. We have good contacts at Man U [United], so we know what he’s doing at training, we know how much he trains, how much he trains with the first team. He’s getting games with the under 18s, the under 21s, and he’s in the process where he’s getting called [to first team training] up a lot more often. They have a plan with him, like they do with all their youngsters, but he’s Australian and we’re delighted with the progress he’s making. We can see the physical gains he’s making in terms of his loading at training, and how well he’s adapting to that and the rigours of a Premier League top club training."

• Overy's journey at U-20 World Cup

  Overy was Australia's youngest player at the U20 World Cup in Chile last month. He featured as a left-back in the team's second group game against Argentina, which they lost 4-1 and then played in his natural position in the final game as Australia won 3-1 against Cuba. The Socceroos failed to qualify for the knockout stage as they finished third in the group behind Argentina and Italy with three points. Due to a -2 goal difference, Australia were ranked fifth among the best third-placed teams, out of which four nations qualified for the knockout stage. 

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  How is it going for United senior team?

  Amorim's Red Devils have had a mixed experience in the 2025-26 campaign so far. After spending heavily in the summer transfer window, Amorim's side got off to a nightmare start as and were struggling in the bottom half of the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup second-round loss against fourth-tier Grimsby Town compounding their misery. However, United picked form in October, registering three wins on the trot in the league against Sunderland, Liverpool and Brighton. 

  They then played out 2-2 draws with both Nottingham Forest and Tottenham, which has left the club seventh in the league heading into the November international break. United next face Everton on November 24.

The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru could be in danger of losing its Women’s World Cup matches after the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) missed the August 10 deadline set by the BCCI to secure police approvals to host the games at the venue.The Greenfields Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram is being mooted as an alternative.Bengaluru is, for the moment, scheduled to host the tournament opener between India and Sri Lanka on September 30, and matches between England and South Africa (October 3), India and Bangladesh (October 26), the second semi-final on October 30, and possibly the final on November 2.As things stand, the Greenfields Stadium is preparing to host the second season of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) from August 21 to September 7. However, the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) is believed to have a back-up plan in place, with the KCL being moved to another venue, should they be required as World Cup hosts.Related

• Venkatesh Prasad: 'Want to bring cricket back to Chinnaswamy'

• Maharaja T20 moved from Bengaluru to Mysuru

• Probe panel deems Chinnaswamy 'unsafe' for large-scale events

• Karnataka government holds RCB accountable for Bengaluru stampede

• Deaths and injuries to fans mar RCB's homecoming in Bengaluru

As per the ICC guidelines, a venue has to be handed over to the organisers at least a month prior to the tournament. This means a decision will need to be taken by the BCCI and ICC within a week since Thiruvananthapuram is also likely to be allotted World Cup warm-up fixtures on September 25 and 27.According to the police commissioner’s office, the KSCA hadn’t got clearance for the Chinnaswamy Stadium as of Monday, when the ICC marked the 50-day countdown to the tournament with an event in Mumbai. ESPNcricinfo has contacted KSCA CEO Subhendu Ghosh but has yet to receive a response.The KSCA is currently hosting its T20 competition, the Maharaja Trophy, in Mysore. The tournament also had to also be moved out of the Chinnaswamy Stadium after the KSCA failed to secure police permission despite offering to play the matches behind closed doors.As a final attempt at securing police approvals, the KSCA is believed to be exploring the possibility of conducting World Cup matches with a reduced capacity. It’s unclear whether the BCCI would approve such a proposal considering the Chinnaswamy Stadium is also the venue for the final if Pakistan don’t qualify.The KSCA has been in trouble since June 4, when 11 people died and more than 50 were injured around the premises of the Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s victory parade after winning IPL 2025. In the aftermath of the incident, secretary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam resigned citing moral responsibility.Late last month, a committee tasked by the state government to investigate the stampede deemed the Chinnaswamy “unsafe” for large-scale events. The commission “strongly recommended” that large-scale events be relocated to venues that were “better suited” to handle significant crowds.The uncertainty could potentially upset plans of several teams which had hoped to be based in Bengaluru to train at a number of practice venues, including the KSCA facility in Alur on the city’s outskirts, in the lead-up to the tournament.

New Zealand’s domestic T20 competition will kick off on Boxing Day for 32 days and 64 games in all

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Aug-2025

The Hagley Oval in Christchurch is set to host the Super Smash women’s and men’s elimination and grand finals games for the upcoming season. It means the teams that make it to the last stage will get together for these finals games in the last three days of January, just like it was done at the Basin Reserve in Wellington last season.New Zealand’s domestic T20 competition will kick off on Boxing Day for 32 days and 64 games in all, starting with Northern Brave hosting Auckland’s men’s and women’s teams at Seddon Park in Hamilton.While announcing the fixtures for the next season, an NZC release stated the 2024-25 season was a “watershed one for Super Smash with TVNZ broadcasts reaching over one million people, along with a record 7.3 million views across Super Smash content on NZC’s digital channels.”Related

Plunket Shield's 100th season to start on November 18

Former New Zealand international Tom Bruce switches to Scotland

Men's Ford Trophy to kick off NZ domestic calendar again

Tom Bruce, Central Districts captain and Men’s Player of the Year last season in the Super Smash spoke of the competitive nature of the season which forced players to constantly evolve.”You’ve got BLACKCAPS and WHITE FERNS scattered across the teams along with plenty of up and coming stars pushing for their chance at the next level,” he said. “With only six teams in the competition, you have to constantly be thinking about evolving your game as you often play similar squads a few times a season.”You’re forced to progress your game as individuals and as a team, otherwise players will figure you out pretty quickly. It’s also great for players to get used to playing in front of a large crowd and a pretty substantial TV audience too.”If they can get a taste of playing in that context, then once they make the step up to BLACKCAPS or WHITE FERNS, they already have some invaluable experience playing in that sort of environment.”Suzanne Pearce, executive manager of the Canterbury Cricket Trust which owns and operates the Hagley Oval, was confident Christchurch hosting the finals games would inspire more youngsters.”We think we have the best ground in New Zealand and it’s a huge vote of confidence in the venue, the city and the cricket community here in Christchurch, so we’re very pleased,” she said.”Our crowds the past few seasons are testament to how loyal the fans are here. It’s a big win, not only for the city but the wider Canterbury region. It’s a chance for our fans to see the best players in the country play some awesome cricket and for those young players coming through to be inspired.”There is something really special about having a world-class international cricket ground in the middle of our city park. You look one way and see the southern alps and see the city and the port hills at the other end.”New Year’s Day will see last season’s finalists – Canterbury and Central Districts – come face to face again, at the Hagley Oval.Canterbury will be chasing their first T20 title in 20 years after coming agonisingly close as runners-up in the past five seasons.The NZC release also said KFC’s “6’s for Surf” will be back too, with KFC pledging $100 for every six hit, with $38,100 donated to Surf Lifesaving NZ last season.