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Rangers are heading into their most hectic period of the season with a depleted squad, making Danny Röhl’s already difficult task even more daunting.

During the international break, first-choice centre-back duo John Souttar and Derek Cornelius both suffered long-term injuries, while Mikey Moore and Youssef Chermiti also missed Saturday’s narrow 2-1 victory over Livingston.

On Thursday night, the Gers will welcome Braga to Ibrox in the Europa League, very much in need of a victory, considering they sit rock bottom of the gigantic table, without a point to their name.

Given all the injury issues, which “colossus” will be starting this pivotal European tie, hoping to replicate a recent Rangers legend?

Connor Goldson's Rangers career

Plenty of figures have been key to the success Rangers have enjoyed in the last decade.

Steven Gerrard delivered the only Premiership title since 2011, Giovanni van Bronckhorst led the Gers to the Europa League Final while, in terms of players, captain James Tavernier as well as Connor Goldson were central figures for many seasons.

When the then-26-year-old defender arrived in 2018, he was not very well-known and had hardly any top-level experience.

Goldson’s time at Brighton & Hove Albion was derailed by a heart defect detected during a routine screening, requiring preventative surgery, eliciting fears that he may never play again, thereby making just three Premier League appearances for the Seagulls.

Nevertheless, after making the move north of the border, he would become a rock at the heart of the Light Blues’ defence, representing the club 309 times, winning all three domestic trophies.

The centre-back scored plenty of crucial goals, bagging both during a 2-0 victory at Celtic Park towards the start of the title-winning campaign, before departing to join Aris Limassol in the summer of 2024.

Given that Wes Foderingham, Leon Balogun and Ross McCausland also now ply their trade at the Alphamega Stadium, whoever is Aris Limassol’s head of recruitment must enjoy watching Rangers season review DVDs.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Fast-forward to the present day, Rangers have not had a dominant, reliable centre-half since Goldson’s move to Cyprus, but could that be about to change?

Rangers' new Connor Goldson

With Souttar and Cornelius sidelined until Christmas at least, this has presented opportunities for others, with forgotten man Emmanuel Fernandez at the front of the queue.

On Saturday, the man who joined from Peterborough United in the summer for a reported fee of £3.5m started for the first time since August, marking the occasion by breaking the deadlock inside nine minutes; his towering header did not give Livingston goalkeeper Jérôme Prior a chance.

Overall, Fernandez’s statistics at the weekend made for impressive reading.

As the table documents, Fernandez put in a dominant display against Livingston, ranked first for defensive actions, blocks, duels won and aerial duels won, while only Nicolas Raskin completed more passes.

As already alluded to, this was just the centre-back’s third start for the club, scoring on debut against Alloa and then in the lineup at St Mirren the following weekend, but he had seen just a solitary minute of action since 24 August beforehand.

Nevertheless, he certainly staked a claim for more involvement in Röhl’s team and, well, considering the scarcity of alternatives, the German coach does not have much choice.

The Englishman was certainly popular at his former club, with Peterborough Chairman Darragh MacAnthony labelling him a “colossus” and a “gentle giant”, also adding that he is a “great organiser and talker”.

Like Goldson, the majority of Fernandez’s experience prior to arriving at Rangers has come in the EFL, even representing non-league clubs Sheppey United, Margate and Spalding United.

Thus, joining the Glasgow giants is the 24-year-old’s massive move, now looking to take a gigantic step forward in his career – just as Goldson did before him.

So, after seeing very limited opportunities up until this point, he will be thrust into the limelight, poised to make his European debut when Braga visit Govan on Thursday night.

Rohl's own Maeda: Rangers begin talks to sign "very pacy" sensation

With Rangers set to heavily invest in January, they have reportedly began talks to sign a “very pacy” star who would be Danny Röhl’s own Daizen Maeda.

By
Ben Gray

Nov 21, 2025

Mohammad Naim had posted a reaction after he and a few other Bangladesh players were abused by some fans at the Dhaka airport on Wednesday

Mohammad Isam17-Oct-2025Phil Simmons has urged the Bangladesh players to refrain from posting on their social media handles. This in the wake of Mohammad Naim posting a reaction after he and a few other team members were abused by some fans at the Dhaka airport on Wednesday upon their return from the UAE following the series against Afghanistan, where they won the T20Is 3-0 but lost the ODIs by the same margin.”I don’t agree with players having anything to do with social media,” Simmons said at a press conference a day out from the ODI series against West Indies. “It is your right as a person to be on social media, to say what you want on social media. But as an international player, as a national player for Bangladesh, my players should not be on there.”Naim was part of a group of players that came face to face with some individuals at the airport. Separate footage also showed Taskin Ahmed and his family facing similar abuse from fans.Related

• Patience running thin amid Bangladesh's batting gloom

Bangladesh’s cricketers quite regularly post on Facebook, which has been a topic of discussion in the BCB and among the team management for many years. It is, however, not clear if the board has spoken to the players on the matter or imposed any restrictions on their online presence.Simmons was also critical of fans racially abusing Jaker Ali, as has been reported at some cricket grounds and is regularly seen on social media.”I would say one thing, it is not nice to bring racial tones into anything to do with players,” Simmons said. “I don’t care where you’re from, the racial part of it against Jaker Ali I am disgusted with. That’s not nice. But I don’t want my players answering anything on social media.”Mohammad Salahuddin, the Comilla Victorians head coach, had in fact referred to the matter at a BPL press conference last year, pointing to that as the reason for Victorians player Jaker’s non-selection to the Bangladesh team.”The boy is black, which is why the board doesn’t see him,” Salahuddin had said in February 2024. “He is playing well in the last few years. His strike rate has helped us as he scores important runs. He is a sensible cricketer. I think he should get a chance.”Jaker had made his international debut in October 2023, but has become a regular in the team more recently.Although Salahuddin’s statement in support of Jaker, he faced backlash for his choice of words. When told about this after Friday’s press conference, Simmons admitted that he was aware of Salahuddin’s 2024 statement.

And does Angelo Mathews hold the record for the most Tests played at a single venue?

Steven Lynch24-Jun-2025Tharindu Rathnayake picked up three wickets in the first innings of his Test debut – two with offspin, the other with his left arm. Is this the first time anyone has done this in a Test? asked Divy Tripathi from India

The versatile Sri Lankan spinner Tharindu Rathnayake marked the first innings of his debut, against Bangladesh in Galle last week, with three wickets. The first two – left-handers Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque – came with offbreaks, but Rathnayake often changes his bowling style when faced with right-handers so his fingerspin still turns away from them… and he disposed of Litton Das while bowling orthodox left-arm spin. In the second innings he again dismissed Mominul with an offbreak, then Liton and Jaker Ali with his left arm.It seems certain that this feat is unique in Test cricket: we don’t know how some bowlers delivered, but I’m sure that someone changing mid-stream and having any success would have been commented on and we’d have known about it! The only men I’m aware of who have even bowled with both right and left hand in Tests are Pakistan’s Hanif Mohammad (it seems he had switched to slow left-arm at the end of Garry Sobers’ then-record 365 not out in Kingston in 1958) and Graham Gooch of England, who enlivened the closing stages of a drawn Test in Calcutta in 1982 with some bowling impersonations, including at least one ball delivered with his left hand. Neither of them took a wicket with their “wrong” arm, though. Rathnayake’s Sri Lankan team-mate Kamindu Mendis has occasionally bowled left-arm in first-class cricket, but his three Test wickets to date all came with right-handed offbreaks.Karun Nair returned to India’s Test side at Headingley after missing 77 matches. Was this a record? asked Vinesh Maharajan from India

Karun Nair reappeared for India in the first Test against England at Headingley after missing his country’s previous 77 five-day matches. He’s quite high on the list, but not at the top: the Indian record-holder is the left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat, who missed 116 successive Tests between his debut, against South Africa in Centurion in December 2010, and the second of his four caps, against Bangladesh in Mirpur in December 2022. Two Indian wicketkeepers also missed more Tests than Nair: Dinesh Karthik 87 between January 2010 and June 2018, and Parthiv Patel 83 between August 2008 and November 2016.The only man from anywhere with a bigger gap than Unadkat is the England offspinner Gareth Batty, who missed no fewer than 142 Test matches between June 2005 and October 2016, when he was recalled at 39 to face Bangladesh in Chattogram.Angelo Mathews, who just retired, played his 34th Test match at Galle. Was this a record? asked Mohan de Silva from Sri Lanka

That’s a good spot, as I hadn’t seen it mentioned anywhere: Angelo Mathews played 34 Tests in Galle, which is indeed the record for a single venue. Next at the moment is Jimmy Anderson, who played 29 Tests at Lord’s, while his long-time new-ball partner Stuart Broad had 28 matches there.Mahela Jayawardene played 27 Tests at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo (his home ground), while Mushfiqur Rahim is likely to add to his current total of 27 at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur. Mushfiqur recently became only the 19th player to extend his Test career beyond 20 years.No other player has played as many Tests at a single venue than Angelo Mathew’s 34 in Galle•AFP/Getty ImagesWho holds the record for taking the most Test wickets at home before taking his first wicket abroad? asked SM Nazmus Shakib from Bangladesh

That’s an unusual question – and the answer is an unusual character: the South African medium-pacer Jimmy Blanckenberg, who took 56 wickets in 13 home Tests on the matting pitches used there at the time. He then toured England in 1924 with less success, taking just four wickets in the five-Test series. After this Blanckenberg had several seasons in the Lancashire League, although he also ran into controversy there, apparently refusing to shake the hand of the black West Indian allrounder Learie Constantine. After his stint in the leagues Blanckenberg rather disappeared from view, and his death details have never been discovered, although there’s a theory that he passed away in Berlin in 1955. If any historians out there have more details, do let me know!The Middlesex legspinner Walter Robins took 52 Test wickets in England before finally claiming one overseas, in Australia in 1936-37, while fast bowler Rodney Hogg picked up 51 in Australia – including 41 in his maiden Ashes series in 1978-79 – before touring India the following season, when his first scalp was that of Sunil Gavaskar.Turning the question around, Jasprit Bumrah collected 79 wickets overseas before finally taking one in India. That’s the record, unless you include the legspinner Yasir Shah: he took 207 wickets before finally taking one in Pakistan, but that included several in “home” Tests in the UAE and elsewhere while security concerns precluded matches in Pakistan.In the World Test Championship final, Aiden Markram scored the only century of the match in the fourth innings. How often has this happened in a Test? asked Dylan McKenzie from South Africa

That superb 136 from the South African opener Aiden Markram, which did much to decide the destiny of the World Test Championship mace, was indeed the only century of the final at Lord’s. It’s a relatively rare occurrence: this was the 39th Test match in which the only century was scored in the fourth innings. Markram had done it before – also against Australia, in Durban in 2018 (the Aussies still won that one, though).Markram is one of only three men to do this twice, the others being fellow openers David Warner and Dimuth Karunaratne. But Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene uniquely scored the only century of a Test in the fourth innings on three occasions: against South Africa in Colombo in 2000 and also at the Sinhalese Sports Club in 2006, and against Australia in Galle in 2011.The first such instance was by Australia’s Joe Darling, whose fourth-innings 160 was the only century of the match against England in Sydney in March 1898. There were only 17 further cases in the 20th century, but 21 since 2000.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Lucas Paqueta's red card in West Ham's 2-0 home defeat to Liverpool has brought fresh allegations of "match-fixing" from fans across social media. The Brazilian was shown back-to-back yellow cards for dissent in the 83rd minute at the London Stadium, as he hounded referee Darren England in the aftermath of Niclas Fullkrug's foul on Dominik Szoboszlai.

• Bizarre Paqueta red draws allegations from fans

  The 28-year-old has opened himself to further allegations of impropriety. Paqueta cleared his name from allegations of spot-fixing during the 2022-23 season, where suspicious betting patterns were linked to games where the midfielder picked up bookings. Despite being exonerated by the FA after an investigation, the governing body sanctioned the former Lyon star for "failing to comply with a requirement to answer questions and provide information to The FA’s investigation into breaches of the Rules", issuing a warning over his future conduct. 

  Paqueta returned to the Irons starting lineup on Sunday, after serving a one-game suspension for accruing five bookable offences so far this term. In a relatively well-tempered clash with Liverpool, Paqueta went unpunished by the referee until the final moments, when he saw fit to persist in berating England despite the attempts of his teammates to control him. Two quick yellow cards confirmed Paqueta's fate in a bizarre incident that has set fans' tongues wagging on social media. 

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• Fan reaction to Paqueta red

  ChelsChris03 posted on X: "That absolutely has to be match fixing from Paqueta. Simply no way it’s not."

  The GunnersD3an questioned Paqueta's decision making, writing: "Paqueta is such an idiot, he was definitely looking for that Red. That’s such an absurd behaviour, what a liability of a player."

  Dieggo added: "He wanted to be sent off. Weird guy."

  Fellythered joked: "[Paqueta is] Never beating those betting allegations." 

  Fredtheted simply suggested the Brazilian's conduct, "is suspicious". 

• Nuno and pundits react to 'ridiculous' Paqueta red

  Former players and pundits also took the chance to question the midfielder's decision making. 

  Speaking on the BBC Radio 5 Live broadcast livve from the Olympic Stadium, former Birmingham City and Republic of Ireland forward Clinton Morrison said: "I don't know what he's doing. If you're not happy with the decision, he's not going to change his mind. Darren England hasn't had the best game but Paqueta wouldn't give it up, he kept going and going, even his international teammate Alisson said stop.

  "You can't keep going over and goading the referee. You've let your team down. It's ridiculous." 

  Former West Ham keeper Robert Green said on that the Brazilian was being "completely irresponsible" and that he had "lost his head", before also calling Paqueta's behaviour "ridiculous".

  West Ham's manager Nuno Espirito Santo then used his post-match comments to address the situation. He said: "I'm not going to comment too much. First of all I'm going to speak to Lucas and try to understand his frustrations and his behaviour.

  "We need all the player and we are going to need them until the end of the season. Every player out, we're going to miss them."

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• Paqueta speaks out

  Paqueta took to social media after the game to hit back at the criticism levelled at him by the Sky Sports commentary team. He wrote in a passionate post on : "It's ridiculous to have your life and career affected for two years without any psychological support from the federation. Perhaps this ridiculous behavior is just a reflection of everything I've had to endure and, it seems, have to continue enduring! I'm sorry if I'm not perfect."

NEW YORK — For the second night in a row, with a crowd there to see him, Jazz Chisholm showed them his back. On Tuesday, he rifled through his locker and mumbled monosyllables as reporters asked him if he agreed with manager Aaron Boone’s decision to bench him in Game 1 of the American League wild card series. On Tuesday, back in the starting lineup for Game 2, Chisholm dashed around third from first base on an eighth-inning single, slid on his belly into home plate and lay there, pounding the dirt, for nearly 10 seconds. 

Redemption was not on his mind, he insisted later. Winning was. 

Well, he got both. His run was the game-winner in a 4–3 victory over the Red Sox, the second straight classic in the best-of-three series. He also saved at least one run—Boston manager Alex Cora thought it was more like two—with a diving stop in the seventh. 

“That was the game right there,” said reliever Fernando Cruz, who extinguished a fire that inning to preserve the 3–3 tie and then celebrated so passionately that Boone joked about getting out of his way in the dugout. “That’s something that people don’t notice a lot of times, but I want to make sure it’s mentioned. Jazz saved us the game, completely.”

Chisholm, too, has always played with passion, often to the chagrin of his opponents and sometimes even his teammates. So when he learned that on the heels of a season in which he became only the third Yankee ever (after Bobby Bonds in 1975 and Alfonso Soriano in 2002 and ’03) to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases, he would sit in Game 1, he shared his frustration with anyone who asked. Chisholm did not care that as a lefthanded hitter, he was part of a group that hit .166 with a .455 OPS against the Red Sox’ lefthanded ace, Garrett Crochet. 

“As tough as Crochet is, he has been especially tough on lefties,” Boone said, explaining why he was sitting Chisholm, lefthanded first baseman Ben Rice and lefthanded third baseman Ryan McMahon in favor of righties Amed Rosario, Paul Goldschmidt and José Caballero. (Crochet allowed one run and struck out 11 in 7 ⅔ innings, so it might not have mattered who was in there anyway.) “There’s no great matchup.”

Chisholm obviously thought he was one. His reaction to his Tuesday benching could have rankled the Yankees, but on Wednesday, they said they understand who he is. “He is a guy that wears his emotions on his sleeve,” Boone said before Wednesday’s game. “I don’t need him to put a happy face on. I need him to go out and play his butt off for us tonight. That’s what I expect to happen.” Afterward, right fielder and team captain Aaron Judge praised Chisholm’s maturity in not letting his disappointment distract him. 

Indeed, Chisholm said that by the time he managed his custom New York Aliens team (starring him, Ken Griffey Jr. and Jimmy Rollins) to a 12–1 victory in the video game on Tuesday night, he had moved on. 

“All that was clear before I came to the field today,” Chisholm said. “After I left the field yesterday, it’s . It is win or go home for us. It is all about winning.”

India roll over for 93 in their chase of 124 with their captain Shubman Gill absent with a neck injury

Sidharth Monga16-Nov-20252:52

Philander: South Africa found ways to get a win

South Africa started the day staring at defeat, only 63 ahead with three wickets in hand, but registered a stunning win, their first in India in 15 years and the second-smallest successful defence in Asia. The whooping and cheering among the South Africa players echoed amid a shocked Sunday crowd at Eden Gardens as the visitors bowled India out for 93 in the absence of their injured captain Shubman Gill.Temba Bavuma was ever present, scoring the only half-century of the match and taking South Africa to a lead of 123 on a pitch with extravagant sideways movement and variance in bounce. He was helped a little by some ordinary spin bowling on the third morning, but he had earned the errors after defending resolutely on the second evening.Related

• Kolkata minefield: Bavuma stands tall, Washington stands longer

• 'I don't buy this' – Pujara won't accept transition as excuse for losing Tests at home

• 'Job's far from done' – Conrad eyes series win

• With 'small hands' and strong instincts, Bavuma shows self-assurance of a player at his peak

• Stats – South Africa's first win in India since 2010

The target of 124 was always going to be tricky with Simon Harmer outbowling India’s spinners in the country where he had a forgettable tour in 2015-16. The uneven bounce made Marco Jansen a handful, causing the double jeopardy you need to defend small totals.India began the day in the ascendance but not with bowlers likeliest to take a wicket. Axar Patel opening the day was a surprise, and as the singles flowed with ease you could sense panic. Rishabh Pant, who had been excellent with his rotation of bowlers and field placements on the second evening, began to change bowlers too quickly and also took a desperate review against Bavuma when Ravindra Jadeja had clearly pitched outside leg from over the wicket.That Jadeja was bowling over the wicket in itself was a sign of desperation when all you really needed to do on this surface was bowl a good length and shut the scoring. Jadeja, who until day two was the best player of the match, just struggled to maintain that length and bowled seven overs for 21 runs. Washington Sundar, one of the three spinners in the last four home Tests, was not used at all.Temba Bavuma and Corbin Bosch added crucial runs in the morning•Getty Images

Bavuma’s defence found an ally in Corbin Bosch’s big hits, which he deployed mainly against Kuldeep Yadav. The two added an invaluable 44 for the eighth wicket, 25 of which came off Bosch’s bat. Eventually it was the fast bowlers that kept India alive. Jasprit Bumrah hit the top of Bosch’s off, and Mohammed Siraj, in only his second over of the innings, got the better of Harmer and Keshav Maharaj with reverse swing.It was always going to be a tough target on this pitch, but India had hope in South Africa’s selection of only two spinners, one of whom, Maharaj, had gone for 16-1-66-1 in the first innings. Jansen, though, stunned them at the start in his first two overs to send back the openers. Both these balls jumped off a length, got big on the batters, and took the outside edge.Simon Harmer was unplayable at times•BCCI

Washington, India’s newest No. 3, played resolutely again, mirroring the first half of Bavuma’s innings and facing the most balls in the match, but as it tends to happen on these pitches, Dhruv Jurel put a long hop into the hands of deep midwicket. The ball did stop on him as it tends to happen on these pitches.Harmer might have got on the board with this fortunate wicket, but he bowled beautifully to earn that stroke of luck. Ten years after a crushing tour of India, he is back a much-improved bowler. He could change his trajectory subtly, most of the times able to bowl a good length at different paces. It showed in how he completely tied up the most dangerous batter in the India line-up, Pant, and eventually earned a return catch with dip and turn.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

At 38 for 4, Washington and Jadeja added 26 runs, looked comfortable, but this is when Jadeja’s old-school method of defending with the bat behind the pad came back to haunt him. Just like in the first innings. Once again out lbw pad-first to Harmer, Jadeja ended forgettably a Test he had been largely good in, one during which he became only the fourth man to take 300 wickets and score 4000 runs.Aiden Markram reminded India of the nightmare Glenn Phillips had been on lottery pitches last year when he came on and finally got the edge of a distraught Washington, who scored 31 off 92 to go with his 29 in the first innings. Harmer then spun one past Kuldeep when he slowed it down tantalisingly.At 77 for 7, India were left needing a miracle from Axar, who threatened one when Bavuma gave him a sighter against Maharaj. He hit two sixes and a four, but when he happened to mishit he found a calm Bavuma making a difficult over-the-shoulder catch look ridiculously easy.Siraj lasted only one ball, triggering wild celebrations, the loudest from Kagiso Rabada, who has tasted only defeat on two previous tours of India and was missing this Test with a rib injury.

Of course there is India vs Pakistan, but there is also a lot more to look forward to in the UAE

Shashank Kishore07-Sep-202515:43

Can Afghanistan make the final of the Asia Cup?

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) can be criticised for many things. Like having Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in a brutal group of death, or missing the chance to ride the wave of cricket’s surging popularity in Nepal.But they have often nailed one key aspect: moulding their flagship competition to suit the needs of the cricket calendar. So, two years after its 50-over edition, the Asia Cup returns in 2025 as a T20 competition, aiming to be a lead-in to next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.September in the UAE can be brutal, but the ACC doesn’t have full control over the timing, or the venue. India are the official hosts, but they have once again turned to the UAE, just as they had during the pandemic years with the IPL and the T20 World Cup.Related

• Why are Sri Lanka and Bangladesh so poor at T20I batting?

• Back-to-back games plus travel 'not ideal' – Asalanka, Rashid on gruelling schedules

• Muhammad Waseem: 'We can absolutely inflict an upset on India or Pakistan'

• Grassy Dubai pitch leaves India with tricky selection calls against UAE

• It's showtime as winless Hong Kong take on wounded Afghanistan to kick off Asia Cup

While geopolitics continues to cast its shadow, the fixture everyone is already marking out on their calendars is, of course, India vs Pakistan, the tournament’s perennial centrepiece. And if history is anything to go by, the players will bring intensity and not animosity.From Shaheen Shah Afridi presenting Jasprit Bumrah with a gift for his newborn son to Babar Azam publicly backing Virat Kohli during his slump, the camaraderie has often been warmer than the political climate. But in today’s social media age, where jingoism thrives, will the players be as comfortable sharing a laugh or a joke, a hug or a handshake?Saturday evening could have provided a peek: the teams trained side by side at the ICC Academy in Dubai but kept to their halves, with barely a passing interaction. Perhaps it was just scheduling; perhaps it was something else.The ACC, though, has been mindful of the commercial and cultural importance of the contests. The prospect of the sides playing each other at least twice, perhaps thrice, is tantalising. Amid occasional calls for boycotts, the larger picture, which includes India’s ambitions of hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games in 2036, makes these clashes hard for them to avoid.If history is anything to go by, Indian and Pakistani players will bring intensity and not animosity•Associated PressNone of this has dimmed the enthusiasm of the general fan. Tickets for the two big clashes on September 14 and 21, have been bundled with a few other matches. Not even the seemingly steep prices [starting 1400 AED] have been a deterrent. Every single corporate box is taken, some believed to be by those who once vehemently called for a boycott.While all this brings the typical hype and drama surrounding the contest, the personnel are vastly different. No Babar or Mohammad Rizwan for Pakistan; no Kohli or Rohit Sharma for India. Pakistan are unheralded, and are testing the waters with a young team under Salman Agha. India are regrouping in the format after the T20Is against England at home in January, keen to pitch tent for their World Cup defence.Afghanistan, perhaps more at home in the UAE than anyone else, are now genuine contenders, and not underdogs. Stars like Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Naveen-ul-Haq live and train here. Their spin-heavy attack is built for these conditions, and their confidence, despite the abject defeat to Pakistan in the tri-series final, should be sky-high.Sri Lanka may be the defending champions in the T20 format – they beat Pakistan in the 2022 final – but the team that lifted the trophy under Dasun Shanaka looks markedly different today. The recent collapse for their second-lowest T20I total against Zimbabwe has underlined the growing pains of a side in transition.They are still searching for a finisher who can also bowl, and there’s heavy reliance on Pathum Nissanka with the bat. Their X-factor remains their bowling, though. Maheesh Theekshana’s mystery and Matheesha Pathirana’s slingy pace should be more than a handful, but how they are used could determine their fate in a tough group.Bangladesh are navigating life after their golden generation. With no Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim or Tamim Iqbal, and Mustafizur Rahman not quite the enigma he once was, they are recalibrating with a younger, power-hitting mindset. The tournament is both a test and an opportunity for this new-look squad.20:37

Do Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav make the all-time Asian T20 XI?

Outside of the Test nations, the story is as much about the Associates – three of them this time.Oman are piecing things back together after a pay crisis nearly derailed their progress, even coaxing veterans out of retirement to compete. Hong Kong are battling under-preparation. Having been forced into indoor nets for months, they have relied on a two-week crash course in Dubai under new coach Kaushal Silva. UAE are aiming for more than just participation this time. With increased investment and ILT20 exposure, there’s a push to develop more local talent. Captain Muhammad Waseem leads that charge, alongside emerging power-hitter Alishan Sharafu, mentored by Andre Russell and already making waves.So, the subplots are rich and the stakes high. Can Afghanistan turn potential into silverware? Can Pakistan find rhythm in chaos? Will India experiment or play their first-choice XI in a tournament they are touted to win? Can the Associates land a meaningful blow on the giants?The pitches could be slow and the crowds partisan. Politics may loom large, but when it comes to box-office cricket, nothing tops India vs Pakistan, or Pakistan vs Afghanistan, perhaps even Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh.Over to the Asia Cup to provide the perfect stage.

Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has revealed he recently underwent cancer treatment and has urged others to 'get checked' in an emotional social media post. The striker came through the ranks at Liverpool, and scored 120 league goals in 236 appearances before leaving for Leeds in 2002 having lost his spot in the Reds first team to iconic strike duo Emile Heskey and Michael Owen.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  'Just need to get a club now'

  Fowler, though, posted on X over the weekend that he recently underwent a procedure to remove a blemish just above his left eye. The spot was confirmed to be skin cancer, which was successfully removed from his face.

  "Before and After… been a few people lately saying the same thing, go and get those blemishes/spots checked, basal cell carcinoma," Fowler posted on X. "Caught early thankfully so all good…just need to get a club now."

  The former striker went on to receive a number of messages of support following his procedure, with former Reds star Luis Garcia posting: "Get well soon mate." Additionally, ex-goalkeeping coach John Achterberg said: "Good all is ok mate." CBS reporter Christine Cupo added: "Heal up well! Great awareness for early detection."

  A number of fans also posted their support for Fowler, who was routinely referred to as "God" during his time at Liverpool, despite growing up as an Everton fan.

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• What is basal cell carcinoma?

  The NHS describes basal cell carcinoma as a type of non-melanoma skin cancer that starts in the top layer of the skin, while outlining the main cause of the form of skin cancer and stating that it can be easily treated.

  "The main cause is ultraviolet light, which comes from the sun and is used in sunbeds," the NHS website reads. "Things that increase your chances of getting non-melanoma skin cancer include your age, having pale skin and having had skin cancer in the past.

  "It's possible to reduce your risk of skin cancer by being careful in the sun – for example, by using sunscreen and reapplying it regularly. There's another type of skin cancer called melanoma. It's less common and usually more serious than non-melanoma skin cancer."

  The NHS went on to add: "They are often first noticed as a scab that bleeds and does not heal completely or a new lump on the skin.

  "Basal cell carcinomas can develop as a nodule that progressively and slowly enlarges. Some Basal cell carcinomas are superficial and look like a scaly red flat mark on the skin. Others form a lump and have a pearl-like rim surrounding a central crater and there may be small red blood vessels present across the surface. Any new lesions need to be shown to a doctor."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Who else did Fowler play for?

  While Fowler is best remembered for his time at Liverpool, the forward also played for Manchester City after leaving Leeds in 2003 before a brief return to Anfield in 2006. Fowler departed Liverpool for a second time in 2007, and went on to play for Cardiff and Blackburn.

  The former frontman then made the move to Australia in 2009 with North Queensland Fury, then on to Perth Glory in 2010. Fowler finally ended his playing days in 2012 following a brief stint with Thai side Muangthong United, who he'd go on to take over as a player-manager in 2011.

  Fowler also managed Australian side Brisbane Roar from 2019 to 2020, before leaving to take over as East Bengal boss. The former England forward briefly took over as Al-Qadsiah head coach in 2023, but his time with the Saudi side lasted just four months, with Spaniard Michel appointed as his replacement.

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• Records held by Fowler

  Robbie Fowler previously held the record for the fastest hat-trick scored in Premier League history. Fowler scored three times in just four minutes and 33 seconds against Arsenal in 1994.

  And it was a record that stood for over 20 years before being broken by Sadio Mane for Southampton in May 2015, where the forward bagged a hat-trick in just two minutes and 56 seconds. Mane would go on to move to Liverpool in 2016.