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Todd Murphy is also part of the expanded list but Peter Handscomb and Matt Renshaw miss out

Andrew McGlashan06-Apr-20231:39

Like any player, Warner at the mercy of selection – George Bailey

Australia’s back-up fast bowlers are the major winners in the expanded men’s central contract list for the next 12 months with Lance Morris, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson and Sean Abbott all earning deals.Offspinner Todd Murphy has also been offered a contract after his outstanding start to Test cricket in India. Legpsinner Mitchell Swepson is the one active international player to lose his deal alongside the retired Aaron Finch.Perhaps surprisingly, opening batter Marcus Harris has earned a place on the list despite not playing Test cricket since the 2021-22 Ashes while Peter Handscomb and Matt Renshaw, who have both featured this year, have been overlooked.Related

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Handscomb impressed on his return to Test cricket in India, especially on the three difficult surfaces in Nagpur, Delhi and Indore.It would now appear that Harris, who was the reserve batter throughout the home summer before being leapfrogged by Renshaw in Sydney when the selectors had an eye on the India tour, has the frontrunning to be included in the Ashes squad and be next in line when a vacancy arise at the top of the order.The questions over David Warner’s form mean that could happen during the team’s time in England. Harris came into the side during the 2019 Ashes as a replacement for Cameron Bancroft but, like Warner, was picked apart by the around-the-wicket line of England’s quicks although in county cricket, where he is about to start another spell with Gloucestershire, he averages 47.62 with six hundreds.”Looking ahead, back in England and another home summer then some Tests in New Zealand, we certainly rate Harry’s ability in those conditions,” national selector George Bailey said. “[He has] a really, good strong record in England as well. One of our criteria when doing the contracts is past performance, but certainly one is an eye to the future as well so perhaps gives an indication of where we hold Harry.”Under the new MoU which was signed earlier this week, the selectors were able to offer up to 24 contracts instead of the previous limit of 20 and all the slots have been used. The group of players has been picked with a specific focus on Test and ODI cricket with the upcoming World Test Championship final and Ashes followed by the World Cup in India.Marcus Harris now appears to be at the front of the queue for an Ashes tour spot•Getty Images”We have chosen a group of players we expect will form the majority of those two campaigns and we know that we will need a squad mentality to achieve success,” Bailey said. “As we find each year now, there is a lot of cricket in the next six to 12 months and our depth will be tested. The six Test matches during the winter are in relatively short succession and we have a busy period of white-ball cricket leading up to, and post, the ODI World Cup.”Alongside the regular Test fast-bowling attack – Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Scott Boland and, if fit, Josh Hazlewood – Australia will likely need to make use of the depth on offer during the England tour.Morris, the Western Australia quick, has been around the squad since the past home season without yet making his debut. Neser played the Adelaide Test against West Indies and could be an ideal fit for conditions in England.Richardson, who was dropped from last year’s list, is currently recovering from another hamstring injury but remains highly regarded by the selectors and may come into plans for the ODI World Cup, as could Abbott who earned an upgrade to a contract during the previous season having played enough matches.”We’ve been very fortunate in the longevity and robustness of our best fast bowlers and for the most part they’ve played multiple formats as well,” Bailey said. “Clearly we’ve seen over the last 12 months, and we expect going forward, through nothing else than the sheer weight of cricket, that we needed a squad of fast bowlers.”We need to ensure we have a clear pathway and a bit of succession plan as well. Offering contracts to some players gives us the opportunity to sit down and have a really strong conversation around what the next 12 months will look like for them.”Players not awarded contracts as part of the initial squad of 24 can earn upgrades throughout the year by accruing 12 upgrade points. Players receive five points for a Test match, two for an ODI and two for a T20I.Cummins will remain Australia’s highest paid cricketer with earnings up to AU$3million for the year when captaincy bonuses are factored in. The average contract is worth AU$951,000 under the new MoU.Australia men’s contracts Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

At one stage this Premier League season, Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea looked like genuine title challengers hot on the heels of Liverpool.

Now, however, the Blues look shaky gripping onto fourth spot in the unforgiving league, with an unwelcome eighth defeat of the season greeting them come full-time away at Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.

Cole Palmer’s complete absence from the squad did make Chelsea’s task of picking up a win on the road a lot harder, but there were still far too many underperformers that let the team down on the day, regardless of the England international sitting the contest out.

Chelsea's biggest underperformers vs Arsenal

Starting in goal, current number one Blues goalkeeper Robert Sanchez had a particularly shaky time of things on Sunday afternoon.

Before Mikel Merino gifted the hosts a 1-0 lead, Sanchez’s rash play out from the back nearly resulted in Gabriel Martinelli firing home, with the 27-year-old inexplicably kicking it straight to the Brazilian forward.

He arguably could have done better too when Arsenal’s man of the moment looped this header over Sanchez, but there were other underperformers who also struggled at the Emirates away from the ex-Brighton and Hove Albion ‘keeper in isolation.

Indeed, both Jadon Sancho and Christopher Nkunku offered very little down the flanks as the pair failed to muster up a single on-target effort, further reinforcing Palmer’s absence.

But, there was another attacker away from the out-of-sorts duo that struggled to leave his mark on the contest, having tallied up fewer touches than Sanchez across the course of his forgettable 90 minutes.

Maresca must forget 35-touch Chelsea dud after Arsenal

Not many players from a Chelsea perspective trudged off the Emirates turf happy with their individual efforts, with Maresca branding the overall showing as “frustrating” at the close of the game.

That would be an apt word to describe Pedro Neto’s away day too, with the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker showing bursts of quality here and there, only to then fall flat for the visitors at the final moment. Handed a 5/10 player rating by the Sun, they suggested he was ‘always up against it as a false 9’ but was far too easily ‘outmuscled by Arsenal’s defenders’.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

35

Accurate passes

15/17 (88%)

Shots on goal

3

On-target shots

0

Possession lost

12x

Successful dribbles

0/2

Accurate crosses

1/6

Total duels won

1/7

The table above makes for some pretty grim reading from Neto’s point of view, with his accumulation of 35 touches coming in at six fewer than Sanchez’s at 41, with no successful dribbles and no shots on target not exactly causing the Gunners’ defence much bother when he ventured forward.

Moreover, just one accurate cross being tallied up all game shows how poor the former Wolves’ man end product was in North London, on top of just one duel being won showing off his lack of fight whenever he became a passenger to the play unfolding.

Whilst he does boast five goals and six assists in all competitions this season away from this no-show at Arsenal, Maresca could now axe Neto as his lone striker option for contests to follow even as Nicolas Jackson remains sidelined.

The ex-Leicester City boss might well fancy throwing Nkunku into this role instead having got seven goals out of the Frenchman up top this campaign, or Cole Palmer would surely be a worthy option as a false 9 once he’s fit again.

Despite some positives falling into Maresca’s lap this campaign, his side still find themselves short of being an elite team in the top flight, with more defeats piling up down the line potentially damaging their ongoing top-four chances.

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ByRobbie Walls Mar 15, 2025

América paid $6 million for the Uruguayan winger in 2022, signing him from LAFC.

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Scored four goals and provided three assists in the Clausura 2025Missed almost the entire Liguilla due to injuryHas made a total of 104 appearances for the Liga MX clubGet the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Inter Miami are in negotiations to sign Club América forward Brian Rodríguez, according to a report from ESPN. The Uruguayan international is said to be on the verge of a permanent move to the MLS club, with his agent currently handling discussions.

Rodríguez, who recently returned from injury to make a late cameo in América’s Clausura 2025 final loss to Toluca, remains a coveted talent despite missing much of the campaign. Inter Miami’s interest comes as no surprise, given the club’s ambition and high-profile roster featuring Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Sergio Busquets.

The potential departure of Rodríguez headlines a broader shakeup at Club América following its runner-up finish. Several players are expected to leave as the club prepares for a demanding summer that includes the Club World Cup, Leagues Cup, and the start of Apertura 2025.

Other names reportedly on the chopping block include Chilean midfielder Diego Valdés, who has attracted attention from Atlético Mineiro and Monterrey, and Dutch winger Javairô Dilrosun, whose playing time diminished throughout the season. Mexican defender Néstor Araujo is also expected to depart.

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The offer from could be a compelling opportunity for Rodríguez, both in terms of career growth and timing. With his contract set to expire in about a year, a move after the Club World Cup could make strategic sense.

Known as “El Rayito,” the Uruguayan winger had an up-and-down season with Club América. Under coach André Jardine, Rodríguez secured a regular starting spot thanks to his ability to break down defenses on the wings and create clear scoring chances. However, his momentum was halted on Matchday 16 when he suffered a muscle injury that sidelined him for several weeks, nearly ruling him out for the entire Liguilla.

Rodríguez finished the Clausura 2025 with just 4 goals and 3 assists, a modest return in a season marked by both brilliance and setbacks. Now, with a potential move to a league he already knows well in MLS, where he played with LAFC between 2019-2022, his time at América may be coming to an end.

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If the departures of Rodríguez, Valdés, and Dilrosun are confirmed, Club América would free up three international roster spots—specifically for players not developed in Mexico. While the club has yet to officially disclose its targets, reports suggest that it is aiming to bring in between four and six new signings to strengthen the squad.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR CLUB AMÉRICA?

América will face LAFC this Saturday at BMO Stadium, with the final ticket to the Club World Cup on the line. Team captain Henry Martín remains a doubt due to a muscle injury sustained during the second leg of the final against Toluca.

Chelsea have had a whole host of players on international duty this week, including Marc Cucurella for Spain, Enzo Fernández for Argentina, Moises Caicedo for Ecuador, Pedro Neto for Portugal and, of course, Reece James for England.

Fernandez put in an excellent display against Brazil in Argentina’s 4-1 victory, scoring a goal, providing an assist, winning seven of his 11 contested duels in the match and therefore being awarded man of the match.

But perhaps the performance that got the most traction over this break was James linking back up with his old manager, Thomas Tuchel, at international level, and the usage of him as a right-back.

How Reece James performed for England

James only has 18 England caps so far, despite making his debut at 20-years-old under Gareth Southgate in October 2020.

Yet, after a wretched few years with injury, it didn’t look as though he’d get too many more opportunities to make his mark on the international stage. That was, until, Tuchel named in his first England squad last week.

Well, the 25-year-old came back into the team earlier this week, scoring his first interntaional goal with a scorching free-kick against Latvia in England’s 3-0 victory, also being awarded man of the match.

Tuchel, having worked with James in his time at Chelsea, awarded the defender with his first England start in two years when facing Latvia, starting as the right-back but having an interesting role in the game.

Indeed, for much of the match, James played as a right-sided centre-back in a back three, tucking inside whilst Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly inverted alongside Rice into midfield.

But for the final 11 minutes, James moved over to the left side of defence, stepping into that inverted midfield role, showing his versatility, something Chelsea fans have already seen a lot of this season under Enzo Maresca.

Minutes

90

Goals

1

Touches

118

Accurate Passes

96/97

Key Passes

1

Crosses

2/3

Long Balls

2/2

Ground Duels Won

2/4

Tackles

2

Interceptions

2

James put in an excellent display, only misplacing one pass in the entire match, completing two out of two long balls and completing two of his three crosses, one of which could have resulted in an assist.

But he wasn’t the only player impressing for an England side on international duty, as one of Cobham’s stars featured heavily for the U19s.

Chelsea's future England star

Chelsea’s Cobham star, Josh Acheampong, has captained England U19s twice whilst away on international duty, starting both times as a left-sided centre-back, despite naturally being a right-back/right-sided centre-back hybrid.

The 19-year-old defender is blessed with a long frame, standing at around 6 foot 3 and possesses superb athletic qualities already.

On top of this, Acheampong has composure on the ball, can progress play via his passing, but particularly with his excellent ability to carry the ball out from the back.

Maresca has already praised Acheampong, stating he was “our best player” when he made his first Premier League start against Crystal Palace.

Jacek Kulig has also labelled the defender as “dominant” whilst also calling him the “definition of a modern defender”.

Whether he is playing as a right-back or as one of the central defenders, Acheampong clearly has a very bright future ahead of him, for both Chelsea and England.

James upgrade: Chelsea working to sign "the best RB in the Premier League"

Chelsea are reportedly working to sign a player who would be an upgrade on Reece James.

1 ByDan Emery Mar 20, 2025

Visitors post second-highest T20 total at Sophia Gardens to leave Glamorgan well short

ECB Reporters Network09-Jun-2023A career-best 78 from Paul Walter set up a 51-run victory as Essex set an impressive 226 for 9 in their Vitality Blast match against Glamorgan in Cardiff. The total was the second-highest ever made at Sophia Gardens with only the Surrey total made here on Wednesday above the Essex effort in this match.Essex lost wickets regularly but kept on coming at the Glamorgan bowlers. The innings had just one stand of more than 50 runs but there were important contributions throughout.Glamorgan started well in their chase but fell away as they looked to keep up with the rate. Colin Ingram top scored with 48 but no Glamorgan batter made a half-century as they were bowled out for 175 with Peter Hatzoglou unable to bat.This is Glamorgan’s second home defeat in a row to leave them with a record of four wins and three losses. Essex now go ahead of Glamorgan in the table with five wins and two defeats.Essex got off to a flying start having won the toss and elected to bat. After the first five overs they had reached 67 for 1 with Timm van der Gugten’s return from injury greeted by the Essex batters smashing him around the park. Van der Gugten’s first two overs went for 38 runs as Robin Das, Feroze Khushi and Michael Pepper all took the attack to Glamorgan.It looked as if Essex could have a truly remarkable score at the end of their six over Powerplay, but the last over of the fielding restrictions from Ruaidhri Smith was a double-wicket maiden. Smith had Khushi dismissed when he drilled a ball hard and low to Colin Ingram at mid-on and claimed a second wicket from the last ball of the Powerplay when he had Josh Rymel caught at point.Walter was the next man in and he, along with Pepper, continued to attack, with the rate rarely dropping below 10 an over throughout the Essex innings. Pepper made 42 from just 19 balls when he was trapped lbw by Hatzoglou.It was Walter who was the star as he made the highest score for Essex, 78 from 34 balls that contained six sixes. He was dismissed when he drove a ball from Hatzoglou to long-off and Ingram took a simple catch.Despite the regular wickets, Essex still kept coming hard and their lower order, led by Daniel Sams, took them well past 200 to give Glamorgan a target that would be a record chase on this ground.Glamorgan began their pursuit of the 227-run victory target with a very impressive performance inside the Powerplay. Kiran Carlson and Sam Northeast took the score to 65 without loss inside the first six overs and shared a stand of 76 before Carlson was well caught off the bowling of Matt Critchley for 40 from 18 balls.Northeast followed up his 76 against Surrey on Wednesday with a well-made 46 in this match before he also fell to Critchley, bowled while using his feet to get down the track.That wicket brought together Glamorgan’s in-form pairing of Ingram and Chris Cooke. The issue was the same as in the game against Surrey, they needed something record-breaking to get their team over the line. With 118 needed from just 53 balls when their partnership began Glamorgan needed one of these two to be batting at the end of the match. As it was they both made decent starts but failed to kick on.Ingram was caught on the boundary by Critchley off the bowling of Snater for 46 and Cooke was caught and bowled by Walter. When Billy Root was dismissed the next ball, also caught and bowled by Walter, Glamorgan were five down and needed to score at 16 runs an over.Wickets tumbled at the end to leave Glamorgan a long way short of their victory target as they went from 158 for 3 to 175 all out. And with Hatzoglou not coming out to bat it seems if their extensive injury list has got longer.

Liverpool are struggling to agree a fee with Bournemouth for the signing of full-back Milos Kerkez, per a new report.

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Reds want Bournemouth starYet to agree a fee with Andoni Iraola's sideLeft-back valued at £45 million ($61m)Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Per i News, Liverpool have been locked in talks with the Cherries over a deal to sign Kerkez but have yet to agree a fee for the left-back. The 21-year-old is valued at £45 million ($61m) and the Cherries are refusing to budge on that valuation. Liverpool have been working on a deal to sign the star since January but there remain a number of obstacles to overcome, per the report.

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Those close to Kerkez are said to believe that he will eventually move to Anfield but the deal is now dragging on. Kerkez's valuation, and Bournemouth's insistence on sticking to it, is partly driven by the fact that they have sold Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid, receiving a fee of £50m ($66m) in the process.

DID YOU KNOW?

Kerkez moved to Bournemouth for an undisclosed fee in July of 2023 from AZ Alkmaar, but reports suggest he cost around £18m ($24m), so Bournemouth are poised to make a profit on the Hungary international.

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Liverpool will hope to conclude a deal for Kerkez swiftly, but they will have to meet Bournemouth's demands to do so.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero is attracting major interest from Atlético Madrid ahead of the looming summer transfer window, and it has now been revealed what their manager, Diego Simeone, has communicated to the Argentine in recent contacts.

Tottenham star Cristian Romero wanted by La Liga heavyweights

The centre-back, who was signed by ex-Spurs managing director Fabio Paratici on an initial loan which turned into a £42.5 million permanent deal from Atalanta four years ago, has gone on to impress during his time in north London.

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Making 115 appearances for the Lilywhites across all competitions since joining in 2021, Romero also formed a stellar partnership with Micky van de Ven at the heart of an Ange Postecoglou high-line defence which managed to secure Europa League qualification last season.

Chelsea (away)

April 3rd

Southampton (home)

April 6th

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

The World Cup-winning defender hasn’t been able to contribute enough in 2024/2025 due to injuries, though, which have caused him to miss 25 games in total this season.

Tottenham’s league position reflects this, with Postecoglou’s side sitting 14th in the Premier League table after suffering 15 league defeats. The north Londoners have even been forced to deploy teenager Archie Gray as a makeshift centre-back for large periods, with Romero and van de Ven’s absences giving Postecoglou a major headache throughout the campaign.

This has, of course, had a major effect on their overall form. Romero, who’s captained the side on occasion, is seen as a real leader in the squad and one of Postecoglou’s star senior men – so he would be a really sore miss if the 26-year-old were to push for an exit this summer.

“The way our defensive side of the game has come together, the one constant and the rock in that [much-changed defensive unit] has been Romero, with the way he’s taken on that responsibility of guiding those other guys around him so that they look assured,” said Postecoglou last season (via BBC).

“I think they feel security having him beside them.”

It is reliably believed that Atlético are expressing a serious interest in Romero (Sky Sports), while a report from GiveMeSport last week claimed that their cross-town rivals Real Madrid have also held internal talks over a move for the ex-Serie A star.

Romero is very much a wanted man in Spain, and particularly by Simeone.

Diego Simeone's private message to Tottenham star Cristian Romero

According to South American journalist Uriel Lugt, taking to X, Simeone has “already contacted” Romero, where he presented the defender something in a private message.

During these behind-the-scenes talks, Atlético’s head coach explained the club’s sporting project, and it appears to be tempting the Spurs ace, as Romero is now “willing” to make the move to Europe this summer.

However, that being said, Daniel Levy won’t make it easy for the Wanda Metropolitano side, as the Tottenham chairman is set to demand a “high price”.

This follows other reports that Tottenham are now open to selling Romero, so his exit is becoming more and more of a possibility as we slowly approach the end of this season.

On a pitch where none of his team-mates crossed 20, Prabhsimran scored a 65-ball 103 to secure two crucial points for Kings

Alagappan Muthu13-May-20232:09

Muzumdar: Prabhsimran has come through the grind of U-19 and U-23 cricket

A special century from Prabhsimran Singh knocked Delhi Capitals out of IPL 2023 and pushed Punjab Kings up to sixth place, well within reach of a playoff spot.In demanding batting conditions, the Punjab opener, who had begun the season with a highest IPL score of 16, found ways not just to survive but to keep scoring quick runs in a way nobody else managed to. It felt like a coming-of-age innings.How it startedWhen there is pace in the pitch, it’s easy to hit through the line and keep scoring runs steadily. When it is not there, it’s hard to even get the ball off the square. So you get your runs in fits and spurts.Kings suffered 22 balls for no runs in the powerplay, but hit seven others for 32 runs (5×4 and 2×6).A lot of this work was the result of Prabhsimran’s enterprise. His role in the team is to do whatever is necessary to maximise the field restrictions. And he performed admirably, switch-hitting spin for sixes and moving around all over the batting crease, just to throw the bowlers off their plans.But then his role changed. From being the guy who could not place any price on his wicket, he became the guy who simply could not get out. So he settled in. Got used to the pitch. And by around the 11th over or so, he was finding ways to hold his shape and exert complete control over his shots.Prabhsimran was 53 off 44. Then he was dropped on 68. Then he was 102 off 61.Prabhsimran Singh soaks in the applause as he walks back after his ton•BCCIThat’s 49 in 17 balls. On a pitch where none of his team-mates crossed 20, and only two others managed to score at better than run-a-ball. This was a spectacular display of perseverance, even if he did have a tiny bit of help.In conditions where the ball isn’t coming onto the bat, all you have to do is take pace off, hit a hard length and, most importantly, target the stumps. Do not let the batter free his arms.Prabhsimran though was basically invited to free his arms. According to ESPNcricinfo’s data, a majority of the balls he faced (33) were either outside off stump or worse, wide outside off stump. And he took 60 runs from them including seven fours and three sixes.Capitals should have known better. The chance they created – the catch that Rilee Roussouw dropped – was the result of a mis-hit to a ball that arrived in line with this body. They didn’t learn. And they were punished.How it endedCapitals had a great start to the chase. They came out knowing 168 was a tricky target, and that they had to knock off a significant portion of it within the powerplay. David Warner helped them accomplish that goal, taking them to 65 for 0 in six overs. He cruised to a 23-ball fifty, scoring 42 of those runs in boundaries. But the thing is, Capitals only faced six balls of spin in that period.It didn’t make sense why Kings would have let any of that happen on a pitch where the ball was both stopping on the batters and turning more than a fair bit.Eventually, Shikhar Dhawan turned to spin and the game changed.Cornered by Harpreet Brar (4 for 30) and Rahul Chahar (2 for 16), Capitals lost three wickets for two runs between the ninth and the 11th overs. ESPNcricinfo’s forecaster quantified this swing in momentum – in a mere eight balls, Kings went from a lowly 20% chance of winning this game to 78% favourites.By the end, Capitals needed seven players to combine just to reach the total they allowed one batter to get. These were not the conditions to give away a century.

Kylian Mbappe reportedly considered retiring from international football during his self-imposed exile from the France squad.

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Mbappe excused himself from France duty in late 2024Striker contemplated quitting Les Bleus Continues to remain steady in Deschamps' WC 2026 plansFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to , Mbappe was seriously weighing the idea of retirement from international duty during late 2024. He opted out of back-to-back squad selections for France, sparking widespread speculation about his future with the national team. While many assumed coach Didier Deschamps had dropped him, Molina reports that it was actually Mbappe himself who chose to sit out.

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However, the situation changed after Mbappe held direct talks with Deschamps. The long-serving French manager appears to have calmed tensions, ultimately convincing the Real Madrid star to continue representing his country.

DID YOU KNOW?

Despite his return, Mbappe’s position within the French squad may be more fragile than it appears. Reports suggest that several members of the national team are growing increasingly disillusioned with the forward’s demeanour and influence. There is talk of unrest brewing inside the camp, with some players reportedly favouring Ousmane Dembele as a more team-oriented figure in the attacking line. The dissatisfaction has escalated to the point where insiders are warning of a potential “war” within the dressing room if unity isn’t restored quickly.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

France will wrap up their current international schedule with a third-place play-off match against Germany in the UEFA Nations League on Sunday. For Mbappe, the spotlight will now return to Real Madrid, where he is expected to lead the line in the upcoming Club World Cup.

Shafique and Babar stitched an unfinished 57-run stand to help Pakistan get in front before rain lashed the ground

Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Jul-2023Stumps Only ten overs were possible on the second day of the second Test in Colombo before huge downpours rolled through the SSC and washed out the day’s play.In that time, Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam added 33 runs to the overnight score without any major challenges to their wickets. This meant Pakistan moved 12 runs into the lead, with eight wickets still in hand.By mid-morning, the ground was totally covered – significant rain had fallen on the boundary areas especially – as the ground staff rushed to get the covers in place. And then showers rolled through the venue well into the afternoon.Given the amount of rain to have fallen on the ground before the covers came on, and the time it would take to even remove the covers – there were pools of water on them – the decision was made to call off play at around 3.15pm.Before the rain, though, Pakistan pressed their advantage, and both Shafique and Babar seemed to be playing themselves into rhythm.Babar in particular was tentative early on against Prabath Jayasuriya, who bowled 17 dot deliveries to start his day. But eventually, Babar began to take risks against the left-arm spinner. In Jayasuriya’s fourth over of the day, Babar flitted down the track to slam him high over the extra-cover boundary.At the other end, the runs came more freely off the seamers. Shafique had hit the first boundary of the day with a controlled hook against Dilshan Madushanka, and later, Babar struck Asitha Fernando for two off-side boundaries in an over, though one of them may have been unintentional.That six off Jayasuriya is the stroke that brought Pakistan level with Sri Lanka’s score. The rains arrived soon after.