India’s emphasis on fitness and fielding will all be put to test on Sunday with their campaign on the line

Shashank Kishore12-Oct-2024The shiny floor gleaming with vitrified tiling at Sharjah’s press conference area caused a brief stir as Harmanpreet Kaur walked in with a slight limp. But when you saw her wearing spikes that needed her to be on her toes, it all made sense.Harmanpreet’s opening act was a prelude to Sunday. India need to be on their toes too; a slip-up and New Zealand will be waiting to close in on a semi-final berth, fully knowing what their margins should be against Pakistan on Monday.It’s not ideal, because no matter what India do against Australia, there’s going to be a niggling net run-rate equation they can’t control. This is something Harmanpreet acknowledged at her pre-match press conference.”Lot of things we have to keep in mind and play,” Harmanpreet said ahead of India’s training. “Definitely going there you need a strong mindset, but at the same time we just want to play freely and enjoy our game, because end of the day when you’re enjoying, you can always get the results.”I know it’s an important game, just need to keep yourself in the present and see what is required for the team and playing accordingly, I think that’s more important.”Related

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In the lead-up, India have afforded themselves a luxury no other team has had: the opportunity to train two straight days at the main venue, in this case Sharjah. With matches scheduled everyday, the main venues have been off bounds, with training restricted to the ICC Academy, comprising three floodlit grounds for teams to train and match simulate.Within minutes of Saturday’s afternoon game between New Zealand and Sri Lanka finishing, India were up and away, briskly going through their warm-up with a session of foot volley before diving straight into a range-hitting session besides the main square.Along with four net bowlers, there were several ‘net fielders’ stationed at different arcs around the boundary to retrieve balls back as Shafali Verma enjoyed a long bash, alternating with Smriti Mandhana in 10-minute intervals. Shafali regularly deposited balls onto the roof of the pavilion block, while Mandhana’s focus was on the ‘feel’ of timing, only occasionally lofting the ball.A low-arm slinger, delivering from an unusual angle, a tall six-foot something who only kept hitting the deck and a fully-fit-and-firing Pooja Vastrakar, going full tilt, in what was a sure-shot sign of her having recovered from a hamstring niggle, went hard at Mandhana.After her net, seemingly wanting some extra attention, she walked across to have a long chat with Amol Muzumdar, the head coach, before gearing up for another hit with Muzumdar chucking short balls from different angles with Mandhana seemingly trying to quickly get into position and pull in front of square. Then she went through a similar pattern of driving on the up to length balls angling away.Between Mandhana’s long stint on the sidelines, Harmanpreet’s unwavering focus was on hitting straight and long, by stepping out to spin, a variety of bowling she’ll face plenty of on Sunday with Australia having Ash Gardner, Sophie Molineux and Georgia Wareham all likely to be unleashed.The extra attention to detail was in trying to step out to prevent the ball from hitting the rough patches that had been naturally created from players at short cover/short midwicket scuffing up the area while fielding in the previous game.Harmanpreet – “It’s an important game, just need to keep yourself in the present and see what is required for the team”•ICC via Getty ImagesAfter Harmanpreet, Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma dug in. Richa was let loose to simply swing to the hills, and she connected more often than not, while Deepti went through an entire range of sweep shots to deliveries spinning in and away from her.Much of the focus was on the batters in the main net, even as the bowlers separately went through their drills under Aavishkar Salvi’s watch. S Asha, the legspinner, and Shreyanka Patil challenged Shafali’s big-hitting with some degree of success, while the main seamers simply went through light spot drills before retreating into self-preservation mode.Quietly on the side, Radha Yadav, who is yet to get a game but has pulled off one of the catches of the tournament while substituting for Harmanpreet, went through elaborate bowling drills and target practice. It’s perhaps a sign India are looking at playing an extra bowling option in place of S Sajana, who has barely had any role to play in the two games she has featured in.Before training, Harmanpreet alluded to how the surfaces have felt a lot better than it seemed on TV, based on their first session on Friday. Saturday merely reaffirmed that notion, Harmanpreet and India wouldn’t mind Sunday to be any different, for it’ll be a test of their batting might against an opponent who’ve most often had the better of them in a knockout scenario.The hours at training, mental conditioning sessions in the backroom and their emphasis on fitness and fielding will all be put to test with India’s campaign on the line.

Wolverhampton Wanderers find themselves on the lookout for a new manager and have been alerted to the availability of a former Liverpool star.

Over the weekend, a chain events happened that could lead some to think that former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard is in line for a return to management in the West Midlands.

On Saturday evening, the ex-Premier League star gave an honest verdict on why he didn’t make a return to Scotland following negotiations to take him back to Ibrox breaking down at the last minute.

Speaking on TNT Sports, he admitted that the timing of the offer came at a difficult point in his personal life, while he also made clear that instability at Rangers made him unable to commit to a return.

“I have to analyse, is it right for me? Is the timing right and are things perfect for me to be the best version of myself in that job? Unfortunately the timing, it didn’t feel right to me. I’ve got that much respect for Rangers that I wouldn’t go in there if I was 80-90% ready, but hopefully one day I’ll be more ready and more prepared for it and that chance might come again.”

Despite passing up the opportunity to return to his old club, his availability comes at a time when Wolves are searching for a permanent successor after sacking Vitor Pereira.

An out-of-work boss may well be their preference amid links to Brendan Rodgers and Xavi. Gerrard may not be keen due to Fosun and the new ownership at Rangers being mired in difficulty, but they do have an interest from one of his old teammates.

Robbie Keane applies for Wolves managerial vacancy

According to talkSPORT, Ferencvaros boss Robbie Keane has applied for the Wolves managerial vacancy after leading his side to the Hungarian top-flight crown last season.

Formerly a fan favourite at Molineux due to scoring 27 times in 85 appearances during his spell at the club, the 45-year-old also won the Israeli Premier League title and Toto Cup while in charge of Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Keane has also been considered for the Celtic job in light of their search for a permanent successor to Rodgers. His credentials to get teams on winning runs can’t be underestimated, though coming from Hungary into the Premier League would be a major ask.

Wolves are eight points adrift in the top-flight and appear to be knee-deep in a scrap for survival. Seeing a former face would provide some hope to deflated Old Gold supporters, though the Irishman’s return of 13 wins in 22 matches circa 2025/26 hasn’t lived up to the hype of last term.

Find out the latest on Wolves' managerial search

Gary O’Neil could step back into the club after leaving less than a year ago. Either way, there is sure to be plenty of anticipation at Molineux over who will replace Pereira.

تلقى هانز فليك مدرب برشلونة العديد من الانتقادات بعد السقوط بثلاثية نظيفة أمام تشيلسي على ملعب “ستامفورد بريدج” في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ووفقاً لصحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية فإن منصب هانز فليك مدرب برشلونة ليس في خطر، وتثق إدارة النادي في مشروع المدرب الألماني.

وشهد موسم برشلونة تقلبات كبيرة، وأصبح هانز فليك في مرمى النيران، ومع ذلك يعتقد مسؤولو البارسا أن المدرب الألماني هو الأمثل لقيادة النادي وقادر على تحسين حظوظه هذا الموسم.

اقرأ أيضًا.. رئيس أتلتيكو مدريد يحسم موقفه من بيع جوليان ألفاريز لـ برشلونة

ولم يحقق برشلونة الفوز إلا فء مباراتين من أصل خمس في دوري أبطال أوروبا وتبدو آماله ضئيلة لتحقيق التأهل المباشر إلى دور الـ16.

ويثق برشلونة من قدرته على استعادة مستواه في المرحلة الحاسمة من الموسم تحت قيادة هانز فليك، بفضل عودة لاعبين أساسيين من الإصابات وقدرته على المنافسة على عدة ألقاب.

ويعتقد برشلونة أنه يمتلك قوة هجومية تفوق كل شيء، في الوقت الذي يعاني فيه بسبب نقاط ضعفه الدفاعية التي تمثل خيبة أمل كبيرة.

The San Diego Padres made yet another trade on a Thursday that was full of them. They acquired veteran starting pitcher Nestor Cortes shortly before the MLB trade deadline.

The former New York Yankees starter was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in December as part of the package for reliever Devin Williams. The lefty suffered a flexor strain in his pitching elbow in April and has been working his way back ever since. His last rehab start came on July 25, in which he struck out nine while allowing two runs in 5 2/3 innings.

On the season, Cortes is 1–1 with a 9.00 ERA, a 1.75 WHIP, and eight strikeouts against seven walks in eight innings pitched. He should be close to a return, and with the Padres already dealing Stephen Kolek and Ryan Bergert earlier on Thursday, it seems likely he'll slot in to the starting rotation for the stretch run.

In exchange for Cortes, the Padres sent speedy reserve outfielder Brandon Lockridge to Milwaukee, a former Yankees farmhand. On the season, the 28-year-old is slashing .216/.258/.261 with no home runs and five RBIs.

Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a ridiculous home run to towards the grassy knoll in right field at the A's temporary home stadium in Sacramento on Wednesday. Acuna reached a ball way outside the zone and hammered it for what was actually his second home run of the game.

His first was equally impressive for different reasons. First, he hit it a very long way. So far that it left the stadium So far that, hold on, is that a bus? Did he almost hit a bus? I think he almost hit a bus. You should be able to take the bus in Sacramento without having to worry about getting hit by a baseball.

As far as the whole major leaguers playing in a minor league stadium goes, being able to see a bus stop while the broadcast tracks a home run is right up there with grassy knoll in right field.

Kasey Aldridge claims four wickets as Northants’ meagre total is overhauled

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay26-Aug-2025

Somerset 240 for 2 (Vaughan 109*, Lammonby 83) beat Northamptonshire 238 (Robinson 69, Aldridge 4-54) by eight wickets Archie Vaughan’s maiden List A century paved the way for Somerset to cruise into the knock-out stages of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup with a thumping eight-wicket Group B victory over Northamptonshire at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.The visitors posted a moderate 238 all out after winning the toss, Tim Robinson top-scoring with 69, while James Sales contributed 45 and Justin Broad 38. Kasey Aldridge claimed four for 54.One run was added to the Somerset target because the game was 8.5 overs old when reduced to 47 per side by an early shower. It mattered little as the hosts raced to 240 for two to win with 4.3 overs to spare, Vaughan leading the way with an unbeaten 109, off 122 balls, and sharing a first wicket stand of 168 with Tom Lammonby, who made 83.The Steelbacks were never able to gain much momentum to their innings on a good batting track. They had progressed to 31 in the seventh over when Ricardo Vasconcelos miscued a pull shot off Jake Ball and skyed a catch to wicketkeeper James Rew.Rain interrupted play at 39 for one. The resumption saw Ravi Bopara depart for nine with the total on 50, pulling a delivery from Ben Green to deep mid-wicket where Fin Hill took a good catch diving to his left.Robinson was dropped on ten by Ball at mid-on off Aldridge as he and opener Sales added 53 for the third wicket before the latter was run out by a direct hit from Archie Vaughan at the bowler’s end, attempting a quick single to mid-on off Lammonby.Robinson hit the first six of the game in moving to a half-century off 50 balls. He celebrated with two more maximums before perishing with the score on 163, Hill taking another catch at deep mid-wicket off Aldridge, tossing the ball in the air as his foot crossed the boundary before neatly collecting it again inside the rope.It proved a turning point as the innings fell away, three of the wickets falling to Aldridge, with only Broad and Stuart van der Merwe, who made 27, offering much resistance. Both hit two fours and a six, but their efforts failed to significantly improve a well below par score.There was decent pace in the pitch and Lammonby and Vaughan were soon peppering the ropes with sweetly-timed strokes. They raised 50 in eight overs, each smacking 5 fours, as the hosts went for a swift kill.Lammonby has excelled with bat and ball in the competition. He reached fifty with a crunching back-foot shot through the leg side for four off Bopara, his ninth boundary in facing 53 deliveries. The century partnership soon followed off 17.4 overs.Vaughan looked equally comfortable in reaching his half-century off 60 balls, with six fours. The pattern continued in depressing fashion for the Steelbacks as the stand reached 150 in the 29th over. At 156, it became Somerset’s highest ever List A opening partnership against Northamptonshire, beating the 155 put together by current club chief executive Jamie Cox and Marcus Trescothick at Northampton in 2001.With 13 more runs added, Lammonby finally made an error, driving a diving return catch to van der Merwe, the sixth bowler called upon by the Steelbacks. He had faced 96 balls and extended his boundary count to 12.With victory almost assured, Lewis Goldsworthy struck the first six of the innings. He fell for 26 to a catch at mid-wicket off Dominic Leech, but Vaughan went past his previous highest List A score of 95, made against Yorkshire this season, and reached three figures with a pulled four followed by a single off Leech.The 19-year-old son of former England Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan celebrated with a clenched fist. He had faced 110 balls and hit 12 fours.

Oval Invincibles launch bid for ‘three-peat’ with convincing win over rivals at Lord’s

ECB Media05-Aug-2025Oval Invincibles brushed London Spirit aside with ease in the opening game of the men’s Hundred as they began their bid to win the title for the third year in a row.Sam Billings’ side, who lifted the trophy in 2023 and 2024, are backing themselves for a ‘three-peat’ and the manner of their victory in the competition opener bodes well, a comfortable six-wicket stroll past a London Spirit side who never seemed at the races.Spirit batted first and were soon in trouble – Keaton Jennings, Kane Williamson and David Warner all back in the pavilion with the score on only 26. It wasn’t to get any better for Justin Langer’s side, who could only limp to 80 all out, undone by the combined guile of Sam Curran (3 for 16) and Rashid Khan (3 for 11), Rashid impressing on debut for the Invincibles.”It was nice to get that start, with the win most importantly and then to perform for the team was amazing,” Rashid said. “It’s been a good start for me. I’ve been out of the game for the last two months but it’s nice to get back and get back with a win.Will Jacks steered the Invincibles chase•Getty Images”The break [since the IPL] has really helped. Physically but also mentally, to get ready for the next competition. The IPL is three months, it’s a long competition, and I needed a break mentally as well and that’s really helped. I’m quite happy with today.”Needing just 81 under the lights, Oval used the chase as a chance for more batting practice – Billings and Donovan Ferreira unbeaten and unfussed at the end, with Ferreira ending proceedings with a mighty six – the only one of the match – into the Tavern Stand.Rashid defended the quality of the pitch, and said: “It was a good surface. Spin was there but the length you bowled was really important today. When I bowled it was just in my mind to hit the right areas consistently, to bowl a good line and length, and it went really well.”

Arsenal are the best team in the Premier League right now. Four points clear at the summit, Mikel Arteta’s squad are so steely in defence, so well organised and so well oiled across the park.

However, they don’t have Erling Haaland at the front of their system, and the Manchester City centre-forward seems set on challenging the Gunners almost single-handedly for the league title this season.

But this is an elite outfit, and no mistake. Arsenal also sit second in the Champions League, four wins from four and the only side left in the competition to have maintained an impregnable defence.

But Arsenal have an unfair reputation, in a way. They are not just strong protectors of the goalmouth, but among the most dynamic and intelligent when on the ball too.

No team has played more successful through balls than the Emirates side in the Premier League this season, and this underrated progressiveness stems from the centre of the park, with Declan Rice proving – again – that he is the main man.

Why Declan Rice is Arsenal's main man

When Arsenal paid West Ham United a club-record £105m fee for Rice’s signature in 2023, some felt it was excessive. For sure, that’s a lot of money. But Rice has repaid the faith and finances invested in him.

You might even say he’s spearheading Arteta’s side in their bid for the Premier League title, having been described as “the best of the best” by statistician Statman Dave.

A big improvement he has made this season is his accuracy in progressing play, not only with his body but his feet too. As per FBref, Rice actually ranks among the top 10% of Premier League midfielders for progressive passes, the top 18% for shot-creating actions and the top 5% for touches made per 90.

He also ranks among the top 1% for progressive carries per 90, unsurprisingly, and has notched seven goal contributions across all competitions, his ability to produce a show-stopping strike as firmly intact as it has ever been.

Many players comprise a brilliant team in north London, and Arsenal absolutely have what it takes to lift that elusive title this season. Rice is the cream of the crop, though, the driving force in the centre.

However, having finished as runners-up for three years in a row, it was crucial that technical director Andrea Berta got it right this summer, and he has succeeded in bringing in a player who is now rivalling the Three Lions superstar as the best addition in recent years.

The best Arsenal signing since Rice

Rice was once a centre-back. He has also played plenty of football in a deep-lying midfield berth, but a roaming, off-the-leash midfield role is where he finds his most fruitful form.

That’s where Martin Zubimendi comes in, welcomed in July to sit at number six and organise Arteta’s ball-playing vision. The Spain international arrived with a weight of expectation, and he has not let the club’s fanbase down thus far.

Arsenal signed Real Sociedad’s Basque star for about £60m. He rejected Liverpool last summer, but was won over by the Londoners’ vision, and made the move to England, where he has since been thriving at the heart of a title-challenging project, hailed as the club’s “signing of the summer” by content creator Adam Keys.

It is perhaps a marker of Rice and Zubimendi’s connection in the middle of the park that captain Martin Odegaard has now missed four Premier League matches (and more across tournament fronts) due to the knee injury sustained against West Ham United in October, and yet Arsenal remain

That’s good coaching, but it’s also an illustration of the effectiveness of the midfielders. Each Premier League manager has an understanding of how he wants his team to play, but the symbiosis between coach and player doesn’t always click in a fluent manner.

The 26-year-old is among the most intelligent deep playmakers of his generation. In this, he is “world-class”, as has been acknowledged by Spanish football writer Alexandra Jonson.

Zubimendi is not a player who is defined by statistics, but he has still shone on the data front at Arsenal this season, dominant in the air and composed and active on the ball, at the heart of the Gunners system.

Sofascore record that he has actually won 67% of his aerial duels thus far, completing 89% of his passes and averaging 1.9 tackles per game.

It is the deeper meaning behind Zubimendi’s role that suggests he is the best signing in recent years. His influence and control in the centre of the park has seen him occupy those spaces and feed through those surgical passes, which have added a dimension to Arteta’s tactics, keeping things fresh, maintaining progression and evolution.

The likes of Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres are welcome additions to a high-flying Premier League team. But neither has enjoyed the same impact as Zubimendi across the past several months.

Perhaps we should draw attention to David Raya, or maybe Mikel Merino or Riccardo Calafiori. Fantastic players, the lot of them. But if Arsenal manage to get their mitts on the Premier League title this season, with Zubimendi orchestrating from the middle, the loudest praise must surely fall onto Zubimendi’s back.

After Saka & Rice: Arsenal can hand Tuchel the "biggest talent in England"

The incredible Arsenal gem could become a bigger star for England than Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 14, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur have been hunting for a new talisman over the last couple of seasons, but none have been able to emulate the incredible levels achieved by Harry Kane.

The 32-year-old rose through the ranks in North London, even being sent on numerous loan spells in the EFL, before making himself a fan-favourite in the Lilywhites’ first-team.

He would spend a decade scoring goals for fun in the Premier League, subsequently achieving a total of 280 strikes for the club – the most of any player in their history.

Such a feat highlights his incredible goalscoring prowess, but his ability to score 30+ goals in 50% of his ten years in North London further showcases his eye for the back of the net.

However, after numerous failed trophy attempts, the hierarchy were left with no choice but to sell Kane to allow him to further his career, with the forward subsequently joining Bayern Munich for £82m in 2023.

In the years since his move, countless options have tried to fill the void, but many have failed, leading to one player assuming the responsibility under Thomas Frank in 2025/26.

How Kolo Muani compares to other strikers in the PL in 2025/26

With Dominic Solanke, Spurs’ club-record signing, struggling with an ankle issue, the Lilywhites hierarchy decided to back new boss Frank with added reinforcements in the centre-forward area.

Richarlison assumed the role of operating as the number nine, but the Brazilian’s injury record ran the risk of potentially having to call upon an academy star to fill the void.

As a result, French international Randal Kolo Muani was signed on deadline day, with the hierarchy securing his signature on a season-long loan from PSG.

A loan fee in the region of £5m was forked out for the 26-year-old’s signature, with the deal appearing as a potential risk-free and bargain deal until the end of 2025/26.

Such a deal generated excitement within the fanbase, after the centre-forward netted 10 goals in just 24 appearances during a separate spell on loan at Juventus last season.

However, a little over two months on from his move, Kolo Muani has struggled with the expectations placed upon him, subsequently only featuring four times in the Premier League and failing to score a single goal.

His underlying figures also highlight the struggles he’s endured in North London, with the Frenchman ranking lowly in numerous key figures for a lone number nine.

He’s only registered a total of 0.47 shots per 90 in England’s top-flight – with such a tally ranking him in the lowest 1% of all other attackers in the division this season.

Kolo Muani’s other tallies of 1.4 touches in the opposition box and 0.4 aerials won per 90 also place him in the first percentile – further highlighting his lack of positive impact to date.

He suffered a broken jaw in the draw with Manchester United last weekend, potentially seeing him spend time on the sidelines – which could give the striker a period to reflect on his dismal start in England.

The Spurs star who could end Kolo Muani’s Spurs career

Kane’s departure, coupled with Kolo Muani’s lack of form, has certainly rubbed salt into the wounds of the Spurs faithful, with their loss now Bayern Munich’s gain.

The Englishman has carried on his tremendous goalscoring form away from North London, with the striker reaching the next level in his career after his big-money transfer.

Kane has netted a staggering 108 goals in his 113 appearances for the German outfit, with his numbers this season simply eye-boggling and certainly leaving the fans wishing he was still on their books.

He’s already scored 26 times in all competitions in 2025/26, with the entire Lilywhites senior squad only scoring 29 times combined during the same period.

Players like Kane don’t come around very often, with their Spurs faithful extremely lucky to have been able to witness his goalscoring antics first hand between 2013 and 2023.

Kolo Muani has so far failed to live up to the heights many expected, with his temporary deal in North London not expected to turn into a permanent one, given his recent lack of form.

However, the club appear to already have the perfect solution to their long-term centre-forward issues in the form of academy graduate Will Lankshear.

The youngster only joined the club’s youth setup back in August 2022, subsequently making the move from Sheffield United at the tender age of just 17.

Upon his switch to the capital, he linked up with the U21 side, but rapidly caught the eye with his goalscoring ability – with his 2023/24 campaign his best to date.

He found the net a staggering 32 times in just 35 appearances, leading to his first-team debut under Ange Postecoglou during the injury-hit campaign in 2024/25.

Lankshear managed to appear in six separate matches for the Lilywhites, half of which came in the Europa League, with the 20-year-old netting his first senior goal against Galatasaray.

However, he’s followed in Kane’s footsteps in moving into the EFL for valuable senior minutes to continue his development, with the youngster spending the current season on loan at Championship side Oxford United.

He’s already made an immediate impact at the Kassam Stadium, scoring four times in his 14 league appearances to date – leading to one analyst calling him a “Harry Kane regen”.

Games played

14

Goals scored

5

Shot on target accuracy

43%

Passes completed

75%

Dribbles completed

50%

Touches in opposition box

2.9

Fouls won

1.5

Chances created

1.2

Lankshear’s underlying stats from the ongoing season highlight his incredible nature in the final third, which could see him be catapulted into the first-team reckoning in 2026/27.

He’s achieved a 43% shot on target accuracy rate and scoring with 50% of the efforts he’s registered – offering the clinical nature that Kane possessed in London.

The youngster is also keen to get on the ball whenever possible, ranking in the 80th percentile for passes completed, whilst also completing 50% of the dribbles he’s attempted.

Whilst Kolo Muani will need to be cut some slack for his lack of impact, he’s ultimately failed to hit the heights expected of him, with other options needing to be considered.

Lankshear will no doubt be chomping at the bit to make an impact in North London, with Frank desperately needing to hand him the chance to impress upon his return from his loan spell in the summer.

Spurs have "one of Europe’s best finishers" & he could end Richarlison's stay

Tottenham Hotspur can offload Richarlison if Thomas Frank shows faith in one other squad member.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 14, 2025

Zimbabwe’s towering fast-bowling totem talks about his recent form, taking on Bazball and the chance to make history

Alan Gardner19-May-2025Blessing Muzarabani smiles a lot. He smiles when asked about the UK weather, which he knows well from two seasons as a Kolpak signing with Northamptonshire. He smiles when talking about the prospect of bowling to England’s little-and-large opening pair, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley. He smiles when we come to the question of his own height, which ESPNcricinfo has wrongly recorded as 6ft 6in. “I’m six foot eight, actually,” he grins.Does he enjoy using that towering advantage to intimidate batters? Another smile. “My greatest weapon is my height,” he says, before alluding to the temptation to pitch the ball short: “Sometimes I get carried away.” You can’t imagine that Curtly Ambrose or Courtney Walsh, two of the fast bowlers that Muzarabani modelled himself on growing up, would admit quite so readily to overdoing it.But Muzarabani is used to having to go about things differently. Zimbabwe do not have a great fast-bowling lineage to call on, in the way West Indies do. Muzarabani has had to travel the world to learn his trade, from a gangly youth at the Takashinga Club in Harare, via his time in Northampton – one of the least-glamorous stops on England’s county circuit – to proving himself in Test venues as far flung as Bulawayo and Belfast, Abu Dhabi and Sylhet.Related

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Chivanga replaces injured Gwandu in Zimbabwe squad for England Test

The fruits of those labours are beginning to appear. Across four Test appearances in 2025, Muzarabani has taken 26 wickets at 18.61 – more than half of his career tally of 51. In the first three of those matches, he claimed innings figures of 6 for 95 (against Afghanistan in Bulawayo), 7 for 58 (against Ireland in Bulawayo) and 6 for 73 (against Bangladesh in Sylhet), making him the first pace bowler to take hauls of six-plus wickets in three consecutive Tests since Malcolm Marshall in 1988. The only other quicks to achieve the feat are Imran Khan and, in the 19th century, George Lohmann and Tom Richardson.Although that run came to an end in Chattogram, Muzarabani has already shot up to eighth on the all-time list for Zimbabwe. With another seven Tests scheduled in a bumper calendar year, he could well catch Ray Price (80) and end it behind only the peerless Heath Streak (216) for his country. Becoming only the second Zimbabwean to take 100 Test wickets is a realistic goal.”Yes, that’s a great thing,” he says. “Because I feel like Test wickets are really hard to get, actually, so getting 100 wickets is a big achievement for any fast bowler. That would be really special. I’m working through my processes and everything that happens, of course, we work hard to make sure those things happen. But, as well, I’m not really looking at wickets.”Contributing to victories, as Muzarabani did for only the second time in his 12-Test career in Sylhet, is the priority. “That is something that I would really love to do, to make that impact for the team, get those big wickets, so we can win more often. This is a big journey, playing against big teams. But, of course, I can’t be worried about what I’m going to do, thinking too much about it. The goal is just to win more games.”

“In T20 leagues, you learn a lot of things. You meet new people every day. You have to try to understand the captain that you’re working with. Of course, it’s not every captain that will believe in you, so you have to prove your point and try to improve yourself”

Whether sought after or not, wickets have come in a flood since his return to playing Test cricket for the first time in three years in mid-2024. No Zimbabwean who has taken 10 wickets can get close to Muzarabani’s career average (21.84) and strike rate (43.70), not even Streak. For his recent success, he credits the work put in with Zimbabwe’s bowling coach, former South Africa international Charl Langeveldt.”I’m really just enjoying my Test cricket. Working with my bowling coach, it’s about understanding the lengths to bowl in Test cricket. I feel like the more I play, the more I understand how I get my wickets. [Langeveldt] is the guy who has been working with me on my lengths and all the skills that I’m trying to use. He’s been really helpful in the things he’s saying.”While growing up in Zimbabwe honed his ability to “hit the deck” rather than look for swing, Muzarabani is well aware from his time with Northamptonshire of the importance of trying to pitch the ball up in English conditions. “For me, it’s about bowling a touch fuller. Yes, of course, my natural length can work, but also you have to be much fuller [to make the ball move].”Especially with me being tall, you can get carried away. In England the pitches are slower, sometimes when you bowl back of a length, guys can pull you and take you on. But the swing is something that can make you lose your control, so you have to find a balance. I learned a lot [in county cricket].”Muzarabani has played at Trent Bridge before, albeit only in pre-season for Northants six years ago. The ground’s reputation for swing (it is the English venue where James Anderson, with 73 wickets at 19.23, has the lowest average) has faded over the last few years, but Zimbabwe will hope for at least some bounce, allowing Muzarabani to operate at his favoured “ribcage length”.That, of course, will differ markedly for England’s opening pair of Crawley (tall, long levers, loves to drive) and Duckett (short, punchy, quick to pull and cut). Muzarabani knows the latter from his Northants days, although they barely overlapped before Duckett made Trent Bridge his home with Nottinghamshire. He knows both will look to take him on, but will lean on his own new-ball partner, the shorter, stockier Richard Ngarava, who has been Muzarabani’s counterpoint as a left-arm swing bowler since their days coming through together with Takashinga.Muzarabani spent two seasons at Northamptonshire on a Kolpak deal•Getty Images”It’s great bowling with Richie, we pick each other up. When it’s not going our way, we tend to communicate. When my head is going down, he will come to me, he knows my action. We were both playing together when we were really young, 9 or 10. So you know what to say because we know each other.”Just as important as a swift appraisal of conditions may be Muzarabani’s recent experience in franchise T20 cricket, which has seen him feature in the CPL, PSL and ILT20 – with a potential IPL debut on the way. Playing regularly overseas has added to his durability and skill set; against England’s Bazballers, with Crawley and Duckett in the vanguard, he knows he will need to have his wits about him.”To be honest, they [England] play almost like T20 sometimes. So for me, I’m trying to figure out the plan because they are not often going to get caught defending. It’s just more like backing yourself and being positive, because those guys are some of the best in the world. You can’t be worried about what they are going to do. You just have to worry about your lengths and your field.”In the leagues, you learn a lot of things. You meet new people every day. You have to try to understand the captain that you’re working with. Of course, it’s not every captain that will believe in you, so you have to prove your point and try to improve yourself. So I feel like it is good. You’re not in your comfort zone, but you have to learn. I feel like it’s something that’s really helping with my awareness and my T20 cricket.”With the red ball, he will fall back on a simple mantra: “Just hit your length. You can’t start thinking about those guys [what they are going to do], you get confused. Just trust yourself and trust your lengths.”Learning how to make the best of his natural advantages while overcoming the disadvantages – notably economic – of his background, it has been a significant journey for Muzarabani to get to this point. At 28, he should be at the peak of his powers as a fast bowler, and he is relishing the opportunity provided by Zimbabwe’s current glut of Test fixtures.”Playing for your country is always the best feeling, because you are representing your family. Of course, playing franchise cricket, you have extra money and you see the world, you get experience. But the first thing is always playing for your country. For me, that’s the number one thing.”Walking out at Trent Bridge next Thursday for Zimbabwe’s first Test match against England since 2003 will be, he says, “the greatest feeling ever for me and for the team. I’m just looking forward to showing everyone what we can do. It’s just a dream come true, for sure, getting to play [England in England]. No doubt that everyone is excited for the opportunity.”We believe we can actually cause an upset. I believe we are all good enough to really put on a good show. So I’m sure if we just come in and then do everything that we have to do, we are doing everything right, we’re going to come out in a good position in the game.”