Former Spain manager Javier Clemente has sent a warning to Lamine Yamal, after the recent controversy surrounding the wonderkid's withdrawal from La Roja's squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers. Clemente added to the furore by questioning the player's personal life, saying he "won't last long" in the game if he "does not behave correctly".

• Clemente questions Yamal's personal life

  Yamal's runaway success in his career thus far has hit a few roadblocks for the first time over the past few months. In the summer, unsavoury reports about the winger's 18th birthday party generated a slew of headlines. Over the past few weeks, he has been at the centre of an ongoing dispute between Barcelona and the RFEF over his availability for the national side in light of a persistent groin injury. That issue came to a head on Monday, when the Spanish federation announced Yamal had undergone an "invasive procedure" to remedy the issue without any prior warning from La Blaugrana. 

  Clemente, who managed La Roja between 1992 and 1998 leading the side to three major international tournaments, focussed on Yamal's personal life when speaking to Spanish radio show 'Què T'hi Jugues'. The veteran coach suggested that if the 18-year-old does not focus on his football, he will start to see declining returns on the field. 

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• AFP
  

  Yamal told to behave correctly

  Clemente said: "As a player he is very good, but his problem is that if in his personal life he does not behave correctly as an athlete, he will not last long. That is clear. They are not going to allow it.

  "The opponents already know how they play, they know how to see him and they know that he is one of the players who should not be allowed to play because he has such quality that he can do many things. He will have very special markings and surveillance."

  While the former Betis and Atletico Madrid boss said Yamal is capable of "brilliant things", he suggested that the added scrutiny of the opposition means "he is not going to be as attractive as what we have seen so far." 

• Clemente refuses to add to Barcelona and RFEF feud

  While he had stern words for Yamal, Clemente refused to add additional fuel to the fire surrounding the dispute between the player's club and the national team. He instead suggested that the public dispute should instead be dealt with in private. 

  When asked for his opinion on the spat he said it was "cockfighting", before adding: "I have not lived it and I will not live it because I have another concept of how to do things. What is true is that it has to be handled in a different way. Neither Barça has to face the Federation, nor the Federation Barça. Nor the coach. You have to carry that inside."

  He went to say that "Barcelona is a very important club for the national team". Luis de la Fuente's squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkiye features four other players from La Blaugrana: Pau Cubarsi, Ferran Torres, Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez. 

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• AFP
  

  Yamal under increasing scrutiny

  Clemente's comments, while not directly pertaining to the ongoing injury saga, are further evidence that Yamal is entering a different part of his career. Having now played 143 senior games for both club and country, he is being viewed through the lens of a seasoned professional, despite still being a teenager. 

  Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has said that the youngster has improved his discipline in light of his injury woes. Whether those comments were made to take heat off his player or they were a genuine assessment remains to be seen. 

  No timeline has been given for Yamal's return following his operation, however, if he is quickly brought back into the Barcelona side there will be renewed questions over his commitment to the national side. Given the ferocity with which the Spanish media can go after players, the next few months will be a strong test of the player's mentality. 

  De La Fuente has called up Ray Vallecano forward Jorge de Frutos in the 18-year-old's absence. La Roja are currently in Georgia ahead of their tie on November 15. They will then return to Seville to face Turkiye on November 18. 

Daniel Farke’s reputation as a ropey Premier League manager is back under the spotlight at Leeds United.

The under-fire German has now lost a colossal 40 matches at the intimidating level from the 59 games he’s taken charge of, as the Whites worryingly looked like relegation fodder last time out in a 3-0 loss at Brighton and Hove Albion.

It’s not quite as bad as his Norwich City end days just yet, with Farke’s Canaries falling to an embarrassing 7-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea all the way back in 2021.

But, his dismal record in the division just doesn’t make for pretty reading, as he now attempts to guide Leeds up the table.

Farke’s PL record

Stat

Farke

Games

59

Wins

9

Draws

10

Losses

40

Goals scored

40

Goals conceded

118

Points accumulated

37

Sourced by Transfermarkt

He could have to think outside of the box, soon, if he feels he’s being let down consistently by his senior personnel, as a whole host of exciting U21 talents are coming through currently in West Yorkshire…

The biggest stars in Leeds' academy

Throughout his time in the Elland dug-out to date, Farke has often chucked young talents into the first team mix when he’s deemed them to be ready, having once kick-started Archie Gray’s ascent to stardom.

With Dominic Calvert-Lewin misfiring as of late, he might well be tempted to look at another Gray and launch Harry Gray into the senior side, with the 17-year-old already up to 15 goals for the U18s and U21s, despite recent injury setbacks.

Moreover, Alfie Cresswell could soon fancy his own chances, having captained the U21s this season from defensive midfield, with the 18-year-old – who can also play in defence – also collecting three goals for his troubles.

But, it could be down the right wing where Farke is looking to bring in some youthful reinforcements, having had to rely on a hot-and-cold Brenden Aaronson in his spot on the pitch for most of the season so far.

That has resulted in the versatile American only collecting one meagre goal for his efforts, with Farke having to persist with the up-and-down 25-year-old, owing to both Daniel James and Wilfried Gnonto being unfortunate with injuries.

Yet, there could be an in-house replacement now staring Farke in the face. Like Cresswell and Gray, he’s a hotly-tipped teenage sensation.

Leeds' surprise Aaronson replacement

All the young starlets over the years who have been generously handed a first-team opportunity at Leeds must dream that they can become the next homegrown ace to make it.

Only a select few do, unfortunately, but Connor Douglas will back himself that he can be a success story in the senior ranks down the line, having already been branded as a “joy to watch” by PureFootball Trent Gaffney for his previous heroics on the youth pitches in West Yorkshire.

Douglas at U18 and U23 level

Stat

Douglas

Games played

66

Minutes played

4,519

Goals scored

12

Assists

9

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Yet, despite receiving such glowing praise and collecting an impressive 12 goals and nine assists from 66 appearances in youth circles to date, the 20-year-old is still without a Leeds first-team chance.

That could soon change, however, particularly if Farke wants to look more left-field for an Aaronson replacement, with the adaptable number 52 collecting ten of his 21 goal contributions for the U21s from the right wing spot, an area of the pitch that isn’t best suited to the ex-Union Berlin man.

With Douglas’ senior contract also only in play until next summer, it does feel as if it’s make-or-break time for the young Englishman, if he wants to make an impression in the senior game.

Even lining up as a right-back and as a striker on occasion for the U21s, it’s clear that Douglas is a jack of all trades.

But, in the here and now, with a goal and an assist next to his name in the Premier League 2 this season when playing predominantly down the right flank, he could be a shock replacement for Aaronson.

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One of the positions Manchester United have struggled to find the correct solution for under Ruben Amorim is at wing-back.

On the right flank, things seem more settled. Amad has put in some good performances this term, locking down his place on that side and forming a good partnership with summer arrival Bryan Mbeumo.

The left-hand side has been more problematic. Last January, the Red Devils bought in Patrick Dorgu from Lecce to operate out there, but at just 21 years of age, he is still inexperienced and has rightly had his game time managed.

That has meant Diogo Dalot has operated out there a lot.

Dalot's concerning form at left wing-back

26-year-old Dalot is becoming one of the most experienced players in United’s squad. The Portuguese defender has played 219 times for the club and offers excellent versatility, able to operate at both left-back and his natural right-back.

It is that versatility that Amorim has leaned into this season. Of course, the Red Devils boss infamously plays with wing-backs, and he has tasked Dalot with that this season. The United number 2 has operated at left wing-back more often than not in 2025/26.

In nine appearances across all competitions, the former FC Porto star has played five times at left wing-back. In his last four matches in the Premier League, Dalot has played on that flank.

Dalot stats from last 2 games
Stat	vs. Brighton	vs. Forest
Touches	42	43
Pass accuracy	83%	88%
Crosses completed	0/0	0/2
Duels won	3/5	3/8
Chances created	1	0
Stats from Sofascore

He does offer something going forward, at times. Last season, he chalked up this impressive assist against Fulham in the FA Cup from the left flank, with Bruno Fernandes firing home to cap off a good move.

Yet, United fans do seem to be losing patience with Dalot. Content creator Dev Bajwa said the Red Devils’ number two has “got to be dropped” and said his teammates are “carrying” him.

Well, a solution might well present itself for Amorim if he does decide to drop Dalot.

The Man United star who can replace Dalot

United certainly have options on the left flank. Dalot, of course, has been Amoirm’s first-choice in recent games, and Dorgu is another player who could slot in there.

However, one man who is yet to operate in that role this season is Luke Shaw.

Well, that is because the England international has played a starring role on the left of United’s back three. Of course, he is a left-back by trade, but has shone at left centre-back. That could all change soon with the imminent return of Lisandro Martinez.

The Argentine is close to returning to action after being sidelined since February with a knee injury. He is, however, a trusted lieutenant of Amorim when fit, and has started all 16 possible games under the Portuguese manager.

Martinez is now back in full training and could feature against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. If he does come into the side, it could see a reshuffling of the pack for Amorim.

With the 2022 World Cup winner set to slot into the back three on the left, Shaw would be able to move to left wing-back.

It is a role he has only done 15 times in 297 games for United. He’s also played there for England, and scored the opener in the Euro 2020 final, a goal Three Lions supporters will not forget in a hurry.

Shaw once described Martinez as a “monster” so unleashing the £48m defender when he is back to full fitness makes sense. It also offers Amorim a chance to change things up, with Dalot struggling for his best form at left wing-back.

Playing Shaw high and wide, allowing him to get crosses into the box on his strong foot, is a move that seems to make sense for the manager. With the disappointing form and general misprofiling of Dalot by Amorim, replacing him with Martinez could make the Red Devils a more well-rounded team. It could finally spell the end for the Portuguese in United colours.

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Wolverhampton Wanderers have now made contact with Xavi as a replacement for Vitor Pereira, with the 57-year-old being dismissed after the 3-0 defeat against Fulham on Saturday.

Pereira was given plenty of time to turn things around, but the loss against the Cottagers was the final straw for Fosun, with the Old Gold now eight points adrift of safety in the Premier League, having made a very poor start to the season.

Goalkeeper Sam Johnstone was particularly critical of the performance after the match, describing it as “embarrassing.”

Wolves are still searching for their first top-flight victory, having collected just two points from their opening ten games, while they were also dumped out of the EFL Cup by Chelsea last Wednesday, with the Blues emerging as 4-3 winners at Molineux.

It is going to be a tall order for whoever replaces Pereira to dig the Wanderers out of trouble, but Fosun are now eyeing what has to be considered an ambitious move for Xavi…

Wolves make contact with Xavi to replace Pereira

That is according to a report from Spain, which states that is indeed not Gary O’Neil at the top of the wishlist. Wolves have now made contact with the former Barcelona manager, who they have identified as the main candidate to replace Pereira, given his experience of managing at an elite level.

Fosun see appointing the legendary midfielder as a golden opportunity, as they are admirers of his possession-based style of play, and believe the 45-year-old could restore confidence to the squad.

The Spaniard is the top target, but he is not the only manager on the shortlist for the Old Gold, who are working quickly to appoint a new manager, with Bologna boss Thiago Motta emerging as a potential alternative option, given the Italian side’s impressive start to the campaign.

It would no doubt be a major coup if Wolves were somehow able to tempt the former Al-Sadd manager into a move to Molineux, given that he is held in very high regard by Barca president Joan Laporta.

The Terrassa-born manager, who prefers to implement a 4-3-3 system, has won eight trophies as a coach, across spells in Qatar and La Liga, most impressively lifting the Spanish title in the 2022-23 season.

Xavi has been out of work since being dismissed by Barcelona over 18 months ago, but in truth it is difficult to picture him moving to Molineux, given the mess Wolves currently find themselves in, sitting bottom of the Premier League, having shipped 22 goals, the highest number of any side.

Wolves also targeting Brendan Rodgers as replacement for Pereira Wolves targeting Brendan Rodgers amid doubts about Vitor Pereira

The Old Gold have made a very poor start to the season.

2 ByDominic Lund Oct 29, 2025

Celtic are currently searching for their next permanent head coach after they were rocked by the resignation of Brendan Rodgers last month.

The former Hoops boss decided to move on from Parkhead after a 3-1 defeat to Hearts that left his side eight points adrift of first place in the Scottish Premiership at the time.

As shown in the graphic above, the Northern Irish head coach enjoyed a largely successful second spell with the Glasgow giants, winning four trophies in two full seasons.

Martin O’Neill has been in interim charge of the Hoops since Rodgers moved on from Parkhead, and one manager who has been linked with the permanent role is Lee Carsley.

The latest on Lee Carsley to Celtic

It was recently reported that the Scottish giants are eyeing up the England U21 head coach as a potential replacement for Rodgers in the coming weeks.

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Celtic are said to be long-term admirers of the Irish tactician, who has won two U21 European Championship titles, and that he is one of the names under contention for the job.

However, it was also claimed that Carsley is not one of the frontrunners for the vacant position at this moment in time, which does not suggest that he is likely to arrive in Glasgow in the next few days.

The Hoops board, however, should push to bring the England U21 boss to Parkhead because he could unearth the club’s own version of Chelsea superstar Cole Palmer.

Celtic have their own Cole Palmer in the making

One of Carsley’s biggest selling points is that he has worked with and developed some of England’s finest talents. Per Transfermarkt, he has coached Cole Palmer, Jadon Sancho, Noni Madueke, Phil Foden, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Conor Gallagher. Just to name a few.

Palmer delivered five goals and five assists in 17 matches as an attacking midfield player for the head coach at England U21 level, per Transfermarkt, and he has scored 45 goals in 101 games for Chelsea so far.

Celtic could unearth their own version of the England international in Arne Engels, who could take his game to the next level under Carsley, who was hailed as “refreshing” by midfielder Declan Rice

The England U21 manager typically plays a 4-2-3-1 system, per Transfermarkt, rather than a 4-3-3, which would allow the Belgium international to push on and play as a number ten, providing him with more opportunities to showcase his quality in the final third.

Engels, with ten goals and 13 assists in 52 matches, showed glimpses of his attacking quality in the 2024/25 campaign for Celtic, but he has yet to find the back of the net in the current campaign.

xG

10.05

Top 1%

Goals

9

Top 4%

Shots on target

19

Top 5%

xA

8.46

Top 1%

Assists

6

Top 7%

Chances created

57

Top 3%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the former Augsburg central midfielder excelled among his positional peers as an attacking force in the Scottish Premiership last season.

These statistics suggest that Engels can provide a regular threat at the top end of the pitch as an outstanding contributor, just as Palmer has for Chelsea, with 45 goals and 29 assists in 101 matches, per Transfermarkt.

Engels, who assisted the winning goal against Sturm Graz in the clip above, has the potential to thrive as a natural number ten in Carsley’s 4-2-3-1 set-up.

He is also a young player, aged 22, who has time ahead of him to develop and improve, which is the profile of player that the manager has been used to working with throughout his time with England’s U21s.

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Therefore, appointing Carsley, who has shown that he can win trophies with England’s youth team, could help them to turn Engels into their own version of Cole Palmer in the number ten position, because of his attacking potential.

MatériaMais Notícias

Dono da melhor campanha do Paulistão, o Palmeiras terminou a fase de grupos invicto e busca igualar uma façanha histórica obtida na década de 30: conquistar o tricampeonato do torneio estadual.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras

Para isso, a equipe comandada por Abel Ferreira precisa recuperar a confiança de velhos protagonistas do time, que estão desempenhando abaixo do esperado neste início de temporada.

WEVERTON

Convocado para defender a Seleção Brasileira na última Copa do Mundo, Weverton vive sua pior fase com a camisa do Palmeiras. O goleiro cometeu diversas falhas na fase de classificação do Paulista e chegou a ter sua titularidade questionado por parte da torcida.

continua após a publicidade

Presente nos nove títulos conquistados por Abel Ferreira no Verdão, Weverton precisa recuperar a confiança para voltar a ser um fator de desequilíbrio, principalmente em momentos de pressão.

PIQUEREZ

Piquerez é outro jogador que está rendendo aquém do esperado. Além de perder o pênalti que garantiu o título da Supercopa do Brasil ao São Paulo, o uruguaio viu sua produção ofensiva decair em relação ao ano passado.

continua após a publicidade

A recuperação do lateral, que viveu a temporada mais artilheira da carreira em 2023 (8 gols), é fundamental para o Palmeiras avançar na competição.

RAPHAEL VEIGA

Fora da primeira convocação de Dorival Júnior à frente da Seleção, Veiga caiu de rendimento após sofrer um infecção no olho, que tirou o meia de três partidas da fase regular.

Apesar dos dois gols de pênalti diante de Mirassol e São Paulo, é consenso entre os palmeirenses que o camisa 23 pode ser mais participativo e, consequentemente, decisivo.

Tudo sobre

Campeonato PaulistaFutebol NacionalPalmeiras

There isn’t a whole lot of buzz around Dubai and Sharjah just yet, but seldom has the field looked so even ahead of a major women’s tournament

Shashank Kishore01-Oct-202415:17

Runorder: Can Australia be stopped at the Women’s T20 World Cup?

“What happens in Dubai Sports City stays in…….” doesn’t quite have the same appeal as “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”, does it?That unmistakable sentiment rings out loud around this township, because nothing that happens here, except when the men’s teams of India and Pakistan occasionally meet, causes ripples of excitement around town.The robust Dubai metro hasn’t yet spread its wings this far, so is it even in Dubai, they ask. Jokes aside, there’s an unusual sense of calm around the venues.If you’re expecting fanfare and hoopla around the stadiums as a marker of the buzz around the Women’s T20 World Cup, you may need to temper your expectations. The ICC certainly has.Related

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An example of that is simply how affordable the tickets are; they start at AED 5 (USD 1.36 approx) for regular seating, while the premium seats start at AED 350 (USD 95 approx). The same area for a men’s India-Pakistan game at the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup cost upwards of AED 6000 (USD 1600 approx).Getting your hands on tickets may have meant hours of queuing up virtually, staying connected through every possible device you own, only to be told your payment failed because the server crashed, before you find the friendly neighbor posting an Instagram story of how a friend’s uncle’s colleague helped arranging passes.For the record, while the hospitality tickets for India-Pakistan on October 6 in Dubai have been sold out, general seating is available in plenty, as are tickets for most other big games.India have been training with balls soaked in soap solution to try and prepare for dew•ICC/Getty ImagesWhile the last-minute shift of venue from Bangladesh wasn’t ideal, and is among the reasons for the low-key build-up, there couldn’t have been a better alternative than the plug-and-play possibilities the UAE offers.Yes, it won’t quite match the pulse of a sellout Sylhet crowd dancing to the beats of (the theme song of the last Women’s T20 World Cup Bangladesh hosted in 2014), but it could yet produce compelling cricket because all the teams are about to embrace the unknown.And this perhaps, entirely by chance, could be the ICC’s cheat code to unlocking the closest-ever women’s tournament in recent memory, because no team can claim to have mastered the conditions. Picture this: none of the competing teams have ever played at the Dubai International Stadium.Acclimatising to the heat and humidity isn’t unusual for professionals anymore; what is a slight deviation from the norm is the lengths teams are going to in their preparation.England have camped in Abu Dhabi for over two weeks, training at different times of the day, including the dead of the afternoon, to tune their bodies, coming from nippy weather back home. Pakistan have played in 40-degree heat in Multan against South Africa and have continued from where they left off. Scotland and West Indies scheduled unofficial games to get used to the heat factor, long before the warm-ups.Given the advantage chasing sides are likely to have in Dubai, teams batting first may need to go hard from ball one•ICC/Getty ImagesIndia have had unusually long fielding drills to get used to the low, ‘ring of fire’ lights around the stadium. On their first training day upon arrival, the local organisers were taken aback by a rather strange request. “Lots of soap water, please” was the message. To wet the ball. They could have used plain water, but India wanted the slippery effect of soap to help their spinners simulate bowling in dewy conditions.History suggests dew could be a massive factor. In the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup, all 10 night games in Dubai were won by the chasing team. So, teams are trying to go hard from the first ball, to be able to give their bowlers, to quote MS Dhoni’s famous term, “par-plus scores.” Jemimah Rodrigues has certainly bought into that mindset. Shafali Varma, Chamari Athapaththu, Alyssa Healy and Deandra Dottin probably know no other way.And the exact opposite of what Dubai offers is likely to spring up in Sharjah. The South African men being spun out by Afghanistan on slow burners could have just been a teaser of what could follow at this tournament. It could bring out a different facet of T20 bating.The tournament as a whole has grown, as has the following, as a result of this transformation of skills in the women’s game. This has led to a massive spike in interest which wasn’t there even 10 years ago, because only the knockout games were deemed important enough to televise.The group-stage fixtures were a distant second cousin to the men’s tournament happening in parallel at A-list centers. But six years since opening up the experiment of a standalone tournament, the sport grew exponentially that March day in 2020 – raging pandemic notwithstanding – when 86,174 spectators played a massive part in spurring a revolution.Four years on, the women’s game has grown even bigger, with a greater number of dangerous teams, and endless possibilities await in what could yet be the closest-ever Women’s T20 World Cup.

تكبد ليفربول خسارة جديدة أمام آيندهوفن برباعية لهدف، على ملعب “أنفيلد” في الجولة الخامسة بمرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وتقدم آيندهوفن في الدقيقة 6 من أحداث الشوط الأول عن طريق إيفان بريسيتش النجم الكرواتي المخضرم بعد أن حصل على ركلة جزاء بسبب لمسة يد على فيرجيل فان دايك.

وتعادل دومينيك سوبوسلاي لصالح ليفربول في الدقيقة 16 بعد متابعة كرة أبعدها حارس مرمى آيندهوفن عن مرماه بعد تسديدة جاكبو.

اقرأ أيضاً.. دريوش يسجل هدف آيندهوفن الثالث أمام ليفربول

وعزز جوس تيل تقدم آيندهوفن في بداية الشوط الثاني بعد تمريرة رائعة في عمق دفاع ليفربول ليسددها في شباك مامارداشفيلي في الدقيقة 56.

وفي الدقيقة 73 نجح المغربي المتألق دريوش في تسجيل الهدف الثالث بعد خطأ في البداية جاء عن طريق إبراهيما كوناتي مدافع ليفربول.

وفي الدقيقة 91 أحرز آيندهوفن الهدف الرابع عن طريق المغربي دريوش بعد هجمة مرتدة من الناحية اليمنى.

ودخل آرني سلوت مدرب ليفربول اللقاء بتشكيل مكون من: “مامارداشفيلي، سوبوسلاي، كوناتي، فان دايك، كيركيز، جونز، جرافنبيرخ، ماك أليستر، صلاح، إيكتيكي، جاكبو”.

بهذه النتيجة يرتفع رصيد آيندهوفن للنقطة الثامنة في المركز الرابع عشر، ويتجمد رصيد ليفربول عند النقطة التاسعة في المركز الـ12.

Ruturaj Gaikwad is set to play his first professional game since his elbow injury during IPL 2025

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Aug-2025

Prithvi Shaw is set to play his first match for Maharashtra•Cricket Association of Bengal

Prithvi Shaw has been picked in Maharashtra’s 17-member squad for the All India Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament in Chennai from August 18 to September 9. This will be Shaw’s first tournament for Maharashtra, after his move from Mumbai in July.Shaw joined Maharashtra after requesting a no-objection certificate from Mumbai, who had dropped him dropped from their Ranji Trophy squad in 2024-25 due to poor fitness and lack of discipline.The Maharashtra squad, captained by Ankit Bawne, also includes Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is set to play his first professional game since his elbow injury during IPL 2025. Gaikwad had played for India A during an intra-squad warm-up match ahead of India’s Test series in England.Related

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Prithvi Shaw joins Maharashtra ahead of 2025-26 domestic season

Mumbai drop Prithvi Shaw for poor fitness and 'general conduct'

However, Gaikwad and wicketkeeper Saurabh Nawale will likely leave after Maharashtra’s first game to link up with the West Zone squad in Bengaluru for the Duleep Trophy. A direct entry into the semi-finals means West Zone’s first game will begin on September 4.Ayush Mhatre named Mumbai captainAyush Mhatre, who captained India Under-19 during their recent tour of England, will lead Mumbai in the Buchi Babu Tournament. Mhatre, 18, had a memorable IPL 2025 with Chennai Super Kings after being called up as Gaikwad’s injury replacement. He was also the leading run-scorer (340 in four innings) in the U-19 Tests in England.Mumbai’s squad includes Sarfaraz Khan and his brother Musheer, who had suffered “a fracture in the neck region” in a road accident in September last year and missed the domestic season. His lone appearance since his recovery was for Punjab Kings, in the IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.Maharashtra Squad: Ankit Bawane (capt), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Prithvi Shaw, Siddhesh Veer, Sachin Dhas, Arshin Kulkarni, Harshal Kate, Siddharth Mhatre, Saurabh Nawale (wk), Mandar Bhandari (wk), Ramakrishna Ghosh, Mukesh Choudhary, Pradeep Dadhe, Vicky Ostwal, Hitesh Walunj, Prashant Solanki, Rajvardhan Hangargekar.Mumbai squad: Ayush Mhatre (capt), Musheer Khan, Divyansh Saxena, Sarfaraz Khan, Suved Parkar (vc), Pragnesh Kanpillewar, Harsh Aghav, Sairaj Patil, Aakash Parkar, Aakash Anand (wk), Hardik Tamore (wk), Shreyas Gurav, Yash Dicholkar, Himanshu Singh, Royston Dias, Sylvester DâEUR(tm)Souza, Irfan Umair

Northern Superchargers 141 for 4 (Armitage 34*, Wareham 29*, Mathews 2-18) beat Welsh Fire 94 (Beaumont 36, Wareham 2-14) by 47 runsNorthern Superchargers got their campaign in The Hundred off to the perfect start with a comprehensive win over Welsh Fire at Headingley.Under the new leadership of former England Women’s Head Coach Lisa Keightley, Superchargers batted first and made 141 for 4. In reply, Tammy Beaumont’s Welsh Fire were bowled out for just 94, much to the delight of the 7,208 Superchargers fans in attendance.The team in purple have kept all three of their Australian overseas stars, and there were runs for both Annabel Sutherland (28) and Georgia Wareham (29*), but it was captain Hollie Armitage who top-scored, with an unbeaten 34.Welsh Fire have enjoyed two successful seasons in The Hundred, with visits to The Eliminator and The Final to their name across the last two years, and much of their success has been down to their batting – but when Sophia Dunkley and Hayley Matthews found themselves back in the pavilion with the score still in single figures, they faced an uphill task.Beaumont and Georgia Elwiss tried to undo the damage but the home side possess a balanced attack and they utilised it well, chipping away throughout Fire’s reply to maintain control at all times. It was in the end an easy win, spinners Linsey Smith and Wareham snaffling two wickets apiece, with a couple also for Grace Ballinger.Welsh Fire will have the opportunity to turn it around very quickly, hosting their first game in Cardiff on Saturday. For Superchargers it’s a visit to Trent Rockets on Sunday, where they’ll look to go two from two.Meerkat Match Hero Wareham said: “It felt like a really good hit out for the girls, it felt like we were really clinical in all facets which showed up on the scoreboard for us.”I think [when batting with Hollie Armitage] it was just about being really calm at the time, and knowing that there were actually quite a few balls left. It’s always pretty calm out there with Hollie, she keeps things pretty level. As a team we’re talking about taking the game on, and being brave through different phases of the game, which I think all the batters did really well today.”With the ball, we wanted to keep the stumps in play as much as we possibly could. The change of pace worked really well for Welsh Fire so we took that into play for us, as well, and as it showed we hit the stumps as often as we could.”