Leeds United are now reportedly prioritising a deal to sign a South American defender ahead of Italian giants Juventus in the January transfer window.

Leeds still plotting Farke replacement despite Chelsea win

The Premier League is a harsh world, isn’t it? The pressure was increasing on Daniel Farke ahead of the Chelsea game, but you wouldn’t have known it after his side swept past Chelsea in a stunning 3-1 victory.

Reports in the build-up to the game claimed the German had to avoid defeat against the Blues and Liverpool this weekend to ensure that his job remains safe. It seemed an impossible task. Chelsea had just pushed Premier League leaders Arsenal all the way with 10 men and Liverpool, even in a difficult moment, remain the champions.

Come Wednesday night, however, there were no complaints from Farke. Instead, there was tactical genius. His 5-3-2 sytem physically outmatched Chelsea and Leeds, against the odds, secured a stunning 3-1 victory at Elland Road.

It would now be easy to assume that Farke’s job is safe. Yet, according to the BBC’s Sami Mokbel, those at Elland Road are still preparing for the worst-case scenario.

The reporter revealed: “Sources have told BBC Sport that the process of identifying potential candidates to replace Farke has begun. It is not unusual practice for clubs to plot a succession plan for their managerial position regardless of the incumbent’s job security.

“But Leeds’ poor form, which left them in the relegation zone before Wednesday’s win, has placed significant pressure on Farke – serving to amplify the club’s movement towards pinpointing possible successors to the German.”

It would be a ruthless decision by the 49ers, but that may not be the only change on the way. With the January transfer window approaching, Leeds have already set their sights on Real Betis star Natan.

Leeds prioritising Natan deal

According to reports in Spain, Leeds are now prioritising a deal to sign Natan from Real Betis in the January transfer window. The Brazilian defender is valued at around €40m (£35m) by the Spanish club and has also attracted the interest of Serie A giants Juventus.

Leeds star was looking "bang average" this season, now he's undroppable

This Leeds star has shone in their last two games

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 5, 2025

It’s clear to see why both Leeds and Juventus have set their sights on the 24-year-old. He’s enjoyed an impressive start to the current campaign and could now secure a move, be it in the new year or next summer.

Minutes

1,260

1,260

Ball Recoveries

41

50

Tackles Won

10

3

Successful Aerial Duels

41

42

Statistically speaking, Natan would have no trouble getting into Farke’s best side. Compared to Joe Rodon, the South American has thrived out of possession and particularly impressed in the air.

The big question that remains is whether Leeds will be willing to splash out £35m for his signature. Their record signing still sits at £35.5m for Georginio Rutter and it would take some doing to break that as early as the January transfer window.

Best signing since Raphinha: Leeds star is one of "the best" players in PL

The game mourns the loss of an iconic figure who epitomised cricket in the pre-technology era

Andrew Miller24-Sep-2025For cricket fans of a certain age, it doesn’t do much for the blood pressure to revisit old umpiring decisions with the benefit of DRS-acquired hindsight. Take any given Ashes series, or crunch passage of play against the mighty 1980s-vintage West Indians, and you’ll doubtless stumble upon a moment when a perfectly pitched English inswinger curls into a presumptuously planted front pad …”Hmm… yes, just missing leg,” Jack Bannister or Tony Lewis will demur, as said toiling medium-pacer allows their appeal to be strangled at birth and trudge forlornly back to their mark. Of course in their heart of hearts they will have known full well that that delivery was smashing all three, but until those stumps are physically rattled, that famously wagging finger shall remain steadfastly buried at the bottom of its ubiquitous white coat.Harold “Dickie” Bird, who died on Monday at the age of 92, was perhaps the most steadfast “not-outer” of the lot. Had he been plying his trade in the punitive modern era of umpiring – in which every contentious decision suffers trial by a thousand replays, and death by exponential retweet – that famously nervous disposition would scarcely have made it to the middle, let alone to Buckingham Palace for services rendered to his beloved sport.Happily, though, Bird’s career did not coincide with the DRS. Shockingly, it is now 30 summers since he stood for the last of his 66 Test matches – at Lord’s in 1996, when he famously wept his way to the middle through a guard of honour (then shelved that hard-won reputation with an emotional first-over triggering of Mike Atherton…). And yet, the extraordinary response to his passing underlines the extent to which his era was judged by different criteria, and that his improbable fame transcended the boundaries of his chosen field.To that first point, cricket in the mid-1990s was still a defiantly amateur occupation, long after the professional era was supposed to have taken hold. Despite the proliferation of cameras (on the field for the most part, but also, at the height of the 1980s tabloid wars, off the field to a degree arguably unmatched to this day), the sport was to all intents and purposes self-governing.Just as captains oversaw match arrangements and training sessions (or not, in the case of David Gower in the Caribbean in 1986), so it was down to the umpires to oversee the ensuing fixtures, and the spirit and conditions in which they were played. In cricket’s potential melting pot of cultures and sensibilities, Dickie’s unalloyed good nature was a language that cut across all potential disagreements. To that end, his idiosyncrasies were arguably crucial to his appeal, in the same way that Norman Wisdom became a cult figure in Albania, or Mr Bean’s brand of physical comedy remains hugely popular to all manner of unlikely audiences. He was, as Matthew Engel once wrote in Wisden, “the first to combine the distinct roles of top-flight umpire and music-hall comedian”.Bird sits forlornly on the covers during the bomb scare at Lord’s in 1973•PA PhotosIrrespective of circumstance, players of all persuasions could recognise and appreciate Bird’s devotion to the duty of his sport, whether that be an apologetic need to raise that dreaded finger (astonishingly, he and Steve Bucknor – another reluctant decision-maker – combined for a record 17 lbws at Port-of-Spain in 1993) or his famous obstinacy when adverse conditions crept into the narrative.The stories about Dickie’s stoppages in play are legendary – from the bomb scare that interrupted his second Test, at Lord’s in 1973, to the reflection off a greenhouse that caused an excess of sunlight in his penultimate home match, at Old Trafford in 1995. More gallingly, there was the Centenary Test at Lord’s in 1980, when, in a premonition of the career that he was spared from having to endure, Bird was reduced to tears by the abuse that he and David Constant received from MCC members as ten hours of play were lost to rain over the first three days.That incident, however, was at least contained to the circumstances in which it arose. Earlier this week, by contrast, the game’s foremost female umpire, Sue Redfern, was subjected to a dyspeptic press release from Lancashire that, on the one hand, decried the abuse she had received when (on the evidence available to her) she had been unable to overturn a crucial dismissal on T20 Finals Day, while also confirming that the club had “formally expressed” its disappointment at the decision to the ECB. A quiet word in the bar would have sufficed back in the day. The extent to which decisions have consequences is these days off the charts.Happily, such scrutiny for Bird and his ilk was a world away. Instead, his career delivered fame and recognition that, even by modern standards, transcends the bounds of most cricketers, let alone sporting officials. In September 1998, when Dickie umpired his last first-class fixture, the internet was still a borderline gimmick, pumping its data down old-school landlines, with the age of instant information yet to be realised. On Tuesday afternoon, by contrast, the news of his death was given top billing on most news websites – even Donald Trump’s bellicose comments at the UN had to play second fiddle.This summer, amid the 20th anniversary of the 2005 Ashes, the notion of English cricket’s modern-day anonymity has been a frequent topic of discussion, and the sport’s disappearance from terrestrial TV is often cited as the principal cause. And yet, Bird’s fame belongs in a different echelon. The timing of his career was a key factor – he was there for the early stirrings of colour-TV coverage in the 1970s, and in turn the beginnings of cricket’s truly global era, including his officiating of the first three World Cup finals (all staged at his home-from-home Lord’s).But also, he epitomised a more egalitarian era, when cricket in England shared a stage and status with football, as, respectively, the nation’s summer and winter sports, and when the money in the latter had not rendered all competition for latent attention meaningless. In his pomp, perhaps only Ian Botham could command more universal recognition among non-cricket fans – and he was arguably the most famous sportsman in the country.Dickie Bird borrows a lady’s hat at the 150th Anniversary of Yorkshire County Cricket Club•Getty ImagesBird was not, however, the most famous player to emerge from his legendary Barnsley youth team of the 1950s. In an astonishing quirk of his two-up, two-down upbringing, he would form lifelong friendships with two men who arguably united his twin passions of cricketing rectitude and people-pleasing. One the one hand there was Geoffrey Boycott, the opening batter that Bird (average 20.71 from 93 matches) with his nervous disposition was never quite able to become. On the other, there was Michael Parkinson, the legendary chat-show host whose appointment-to-view presence in TV’s free-to-air era exceeded even Bird’s seven-hours-a-day screentime during his summer Test outings. A third childhood friend, Tommy Taylor, might even have outstripped them all. But tragically, as a Manchester United footballer, he died in 1958 in the Munich air disaster, at the age of 26.The conditions do not exist for another Dickie Bird to burst forth into the game. He was, as he often protested when quizzed about his bachelor status, “married to cricket”, and it was as enduring a relationship as there can ever have been. But the foibles and embellishments that make up his inimitable story have no place in modern cricket, still less the tales of practical jokes that followed him out to the middle – rubber snakes, mobile phones, firecrackers, etc – all of which would these days attract ICC demerit points, rather than foster a sense of participants enjoying the stage together.There were others who came after Dickie, who brought their own quirks and personalities to the middle – foremost among them, Billy Bowden with his crooked digits and expressive boundary signalling, and Rudi Koertzen with his glacially slow finger of death. But throughout their own careers – overlain as they were with pitch-map graphics and instant feedback on each decision – there was an undercurrent of impatience at their antics, as if any action that wasn’t devoted to the cause of accuracy was, frankly, a waste of energy.Out of this new reality, a different breed of umpire emerged, perhaps best epitomised by Australia’s Simon Taufel, who officiated his first international at the age of 27 and was named ICC Umpire of the Year for five years from inception. His safe, unshowy, middle-manager style has arguably been the template for all subsequent elite-panel appointments, and sure enough, the number of truly contentious decisions has plummeted in recent years.In its place, however, the most enervating modern-day gripe seems to revolve around slow over rates, which is surely a byproduct of a loss of humanity out in the middle. If umpires are meant only to be glorified hatstands, it’s hardly a surprise that they lack the authority to chivvy along the contest of which they used to be in charge.Bird would not have stood for such dilly-dallying, unless of course it related to a burst water pipe at Headingley or an errant pigeon flapping around on a good length. He belonged to an era when cricket still was only a game, and he kept it all the richer by sharing that knowledge with all who crossed his white lines.As David Hopps, my former colleague at ESPNcricinfo and another forthright Yorkshireman, put it: “Whenever I met Dickie, I always felt that I was being invited to reacquaint myself with my inner child. He knew no other way.”

Leeds United’s winless run in the Premier League continued at the hands of Manchester City yesterday, with Daniel Farke’s side suffering a 3-2 defeat at the Etihad.

At one stage, it appeared as though the Whites would endure another battering, as they did at Arsenal, but it was anything but that against Pep Guardiola’s men.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha both hit the back of the net in the second half, subsequently restoring parity after trailing by two goals going into the break.

However, Phil Foden’s strike in stoppage time took some of the gloss off the impressive second-half showing, which should have earned Farke’s men a crucial point.

Despite the fightback, numerous players chosen by the manager at the Etihad struggled to produce the goods, which could lead to yet more changes in their next clash.

Leeds’ poor performers against Man City

Wilfried Gnonto is a player who the Leeds fans have been crying out to start in recent weeks, having only featured in five outings before the trip to face Man City yesterday.

However, the Italian was handed his chance to shine, but struggled to take full advantage of the opportunity handed his way, as seen by his tally of zero crosses and dribbles completed.

He was even fortunate not to be sent off, with his high challenge on Tijjani Reijnders somehow going unpunished – before being replaced at the break by Farke.

Gnonto wasn’t the only player who struggled against Guardiola’s men, with centre-back Pascal Struijk coming under fire for numerous errors throughout the contest.

The Dutchman was only able to win 50% of the aerial battles he entered at the Etihad, often being dominated in the air and resulting in added chances for the hosts.

He also nearly produced a costly mistake after slipping on the greasy turf, but luckily for the player and the team, his error only led to a corner rather than a goal.

The Leeds star who needs to be dropped after Man City

Going away to the Etihad and trying to get a result is no mean feat, with the former champions boasting one of the best home records in the division over recent seasons.

It’s a feat achieved by the Whites in years gone by, but unfortunately for Farke, he was unable to match the achievements previously achieved by Marcelo Bielsa.

As previously mentioned, there are certainly positives for the manager to pick out from the contest – as seen by their response to get themselves off the canvas in the second half.

However, multiple players’ showings will be a cause for concern for the German, which could certainly result in shape and personal changes ahead of their next top-flight outing.

Jayden Bogle is a player who has been a consistent starter for the Whites in 2025/26, as seen by his total of 13 appearances – subsequently not missing a single game to date.

Despite the faith shown in him by Farke once again yesterday, he was unable to produce one of his best showings, and often struggled to contain Jeremy Doku.

The Englishman’s underlying stats from the defeat further showcase his struggles, which could see the manager shuffle his pack and drop the 25-year-old as a result.

Jayden Bogle – stats against Man City
Statistics	Tally
Minutes played	90
Touches	46
Passes completed	63%
Possession lost	14x
Dribbles completed	0
Long balls completed	0
Crosses completed	1
Tackles made	0
Stats via FotMob

He only managed to complete 63% of the passes he attempted, subsequently losing possession on 14 separate occasions – highlighting his struggles with the ball at his feet.

Other numbers, such as zero dribbles, zero long balls and just 46 touches of the ball – a tally that was fewer than goalkeeper Lucas Perri, who managed 56 – showcase his lack of impact on proceedings.

Out of possession, Bogle was just as disappointing, as he was unable to make a single tackle, whilst making no blocks and just a single interception in his 90-minute display.

There’s little disputing that the full-back has been an excellent option for Farke in 2025/26 to date, but he will no doubt be concerned by the lack of impact against City.

As a result, the German should look to shuffle his options around in midweek, with a huge reaction needed to make amends for the disappointing defeat yesterday.

Bielsa 2.0: Leeds prepare for Farke replacement with "elite" boss in frame

Leeds are reportedly preparing to possibly replace Daniel Farke in the dugout with a LaLiga boss in the frame.

1

By
Dan Emery

Nov 28, 2025

Diogo Dalot has explained what went wrong for Manchester United as they dropped more Premier League points on home soil, with the Portuguese defender admitting “it’s more our fault than credit to West Ham”. The Red Devils squandered a lead late on against the Hammers to draw 1-1, preventing them from pulling level with fourth-placed Chelsea in the table.

Terrace taunts: Boos from the crowd after West Ham stalemate

Ruben Amorim’s side have suffered just one defeat through their last eight games, but have only emerged victorious in one of five – with three stalemates being played out during that run. The latest of those saw visitors from east London leave Old Trafford with a share of the points.

Dalot had fired United in front against West Ham, as he produced a composed finish just before the hour mark, but Soungoutou Magassa restored parity seven minutes from the end as the Red Devils stumbled their way over the line and were subjected to boos when the final whistle blew.

AdvertisementGettyWhat went wrong for Man Utd? Dalot explains

Dalot told afterwards: “Disappointed. At 1-0 up with 30 minutes to go, I think we have to control the game much more. Especially at Old Trafford. We cannot get as anxious as we got after the goal. We were maybe a little bit more sloppy with the ball possession. Obviously disappointed with the draw. We had the game, there.”

He added on United’s lack of control, which is considered to be the main reason why they allowed two precious points to slip through their net: “It's the solution that we need to find. It can be various things. It shouldn't be like this because you are fighting 60 minutes to score a goal and then when it happens you should keep doing the same things, even more controlling, longer possession so we can be dominant. Especially the play that goes to the corner that we conceded – that's the kind of play that we need to avoid, especially against teams that are good on the counter.

“And we knew today that they were going to be looking for counter-attacks and set plays and unfortunately we couldn't hold the result but in the end we have to look to ourselves – I think it's more our fault, than credit to West Ham.”

Memorable moment: First home Premier League goal for Dalot

While Dalot was left frustrated against West Ham, he did register his first Premier League goal for United at Old Trafford – and just his fourth in the English top-flight through 151 appearances. He said of that achievement: “It's a great feeling. Any time you have the opportunity to score for a club like this, it's amazing. Especially at the Stretford End. But in the end, the taste is not the same, I would change that for the three points without thinking.

“But I'm happy to help the team in any way, whether that's with a goal or whatever. But this type of result, it just gives you something to look at. We cannot be winning at home with 30 minutes to go and not controlling the game.”

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GettyMan Utd fixtures: Trip to rock-bottom Wolves next up

The versatile 26-year-old said of how significant United’s latest result could be, as they missed out on the chance to fill a European qualification spot: “I think it's massive. We're at the time of the year where you cannot drop too many points, otherwise the distance to the top will be even higher.

“This season, the distance is short, but it will come to a time when everyone starts spreading out and we want to be there, we want to be in the top four, top five. That's the aim, we have to be there. Today we had a big chance, I think that's why the disappointment is even bigger.”

United will see all of their top four-chasing rivals play again before they return to the field, with Amorim’s side last up in the next round of fixtures – with a trip to rock-bottom Wolves, who have not won a game all season, set to be taken in on Monday.

The West Indies batters hit 78 off 39 balls during their thrilling ninth-wicket stand but fell short in a close contest

Ashish Pant09-Nov-2025

Ish Sodhi took three wickets to derail the chase•Getty Images

The series that keeps on giving. After two humdingers in Auckland, the third T20I between West Indies and New Zealand in Nelson was shaping up to be a more one-sided contest, with the visitors having slipped to 88 for 8 in 12.3 overs, chasing 178, staring at a comprehensive defeat. Surely game over, right?Shamar Springer and Romario Shepherd, however, had other ideas. In a stunning rearguard action, the duo added 78 runs for the ninth wicket off just 39 balls to keep West Indies’ chase alive. From 90 off 45, they brought the equation down to 13 off seven. But New Zealand, just as they did in the second T20I, held their composure in the end.Jacob Duffy pulled off a stunning return catch off the final ball of the 19th over to send back Springer. And with 12 needed of the final over, Kyle Jamieson stepped up for the second game running to dismiss Romario Shepherd. New Zealand won the third T20I by nine runs to go 2-1 up in the five-match series.Electing to bat, New Zealand recorded 177 for 9 in their 20 overs on the back of Devon Conway’s 56 off 34 balls and Daryl Mitchell’s 24-ball 41. The final score was threatening to be a lot more, but three run-outs and Matthew Forde and Jason Holder’s two-fors denied New Zealand a late charge.Ish Sodhi’s 3 for 34 and Duffy’s two-wicket opening over had West Indies on the mat, before the visitors threatened to pull off the improbable again. In the end, they fell short… again.Shamar Springer gave West Indies hope at the death•Getty Images

Shepherd and Springer spring a surpriseThe game was done, the writing was surely on the wall, but Shepherd and Springer proved otherwise. When the duo got together, West Indies were in all sorts at 88 for 8 in the 13th over. Springer slog swept Sodhi over deep midwicket first ball. Shepherd soon joined him, smashing Duffy for six over fine leg and then slicing him over point. At the time, a comprehensive New Zealand win felt just two mis-hits away, but these mis-hits never came.Both Springer and Shepherd found the boundaries regularly. Springer muscled Mitchell Santner over long-on, and then walloped Jamieson for back-to-back fours. By the time the 18th over from James Neesham was taken for 19, West Indies believed. With 24 needed of 12, it was their game to lose, especially when Duffy was sent out of the stadium for a 103m six over long-on by Shepherd.But Duffy, who had struck two telling blows earlier, dove low to his left and plucked out a stunner as Springer fell for a superb 20-ball 39. Jamieson, who had defended 16 in the previous match, was now tasked with defending 12 in Nelson. He went the hard-length way, rattling Shepherd with the extra bounce. With the equation down to ten off two, Jamieson bowled a shin-high full toss that was miscued to only as far as Mitchell at long-off, as a third-straight last-over finish went New Zealand’s way.Kyle Jamieson had a torrid time in his opening spell•Getty Images

West Indies slip and tumbleMuch before the Shepherd-Springer mayhem, West Indies looked in complete disarray. Jamieson conceded three fours in his opening over, but as Duffy had all series, he kept at it. He bowled Amir Jangoo, chopping back onto his stumps first ball. Three balls later, he had Shai Hope caught at deep backward square leg. At the other end, however, Jamieson continued to bleed runs and also put down Alick Athanaze, as West Indies breezed past 50 in 6.3 overs.Sodhi’s introduction flipped the script. He had Athanaze caught behind with a long-hop, while Michael Bracewell sent back Sherfane Rutherford. Sodhi then found Rovman Powell swinging for the hills, but Powell missed instead and saw his stumps in a mess. By the time Sodhi trapped Forde lbw for 4, West Indies had lost 6 for 35 in less than six overs.Forde shines, others disappointEarlier, Conway – managing to avoid his series nemesis Forde in the opening over – got into his groove, pumping Akeal Hosein over deep midwicket for a huge six. Forde himself was tight with his lines and conceded just 14 in his three overs in the powerplay. This spell included getting rid of Tim Robinson, who was looking to turn the fast bowler around the corner, but popped a straightforward return catch instead.However, West Indies bled runs at the other end. Hosein’s two overs went for 21, while Shepherd conceded 11 runs, as New Zealand reached 47 for 1 after six overs.Matthew Forde picked up 2 for 20 in his four overs•Getty Images

A failed Athanaze experiment and Conway’s fiftyAthanaze, more in the side for his top-order batting, had never bowled in any of his 11 T20Is before this game. The decision to introduce him right after the powerplay was surprising. Bowling with his cap on, Conway first pulled a short ball through midwicket, before lifting Athanaze inside-out over covers, on a delivery that also turned out to be a front-foot no-ball. While Conway couldn’t make use of the free-hit, Ravindra ended the over lofting Athanaze straight down the ground as New Zealand collected 16 runs in the seventh, giving their innings much-needed impetus.By this time, Conway had gotten a hang of the Nelson surface and brought out his repertoire of shots. He scooped Shamar Springer over short fine leg, before thrashing him past point to move into the 40s. He reached his 12th T20I fifty by mowing Hosein over cow corner, while Ravindra at the other end also got going nicely. He struck back-to-back fours against Holder, as New Zealand racked up 49 runs in the four overs after the powerplay.The New Zealand slideAt 96 for 2 after ten, New Zealand had their eyes set on 200, but poor running and effective West Indies bowling held them back. Ravindra’s sprightly knock was cut short by Shepherd, whose slower offcutter stopped on the surface and caught Ravindra’s leading edge to extra cover.Conway was then undone by some Athanaze brilliance: Mitchell squeezed a fuller-length Springer delivery to the left of deep midwicket and called for two right away. Conway responded, but Athanaze sprinted to his left and fired a direct throw at the non-striker’s end to find the opener well short.With the run rate slowing down, Mitchell took Hosein downtown for two sixes and a four in the 15th over before Bracewell was run out. Forde made a mess of Neesham’s stumps with a quick and full ball, while Santner sliced a low Springer full toss outside off to deep point.When Holder removed Mitchell and Mitchell Hay in the 19th over, New Zealand had slid from 144 for 3 to 169 for 8 in 21 balls. The hosts managed only 35 runs in the last five overs, losing six wickets to fall well short of what they would have wanted at the halfway stage of their innings.In the end, it was just enough.

India have not yet received the Asia Cup trophy after refusing to accept it from Mohsin Naqvi during the presentation ceremony following the final on September 28

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2025BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia is hopeful of a resolution with PCB and Asian Cricket Concil (ACC) chairman Mohsin Naqvi over the Asia Cup trophy dispute after the “ice has been broken” between the two boards during the recent ICC meeting in Dubai.”I was a part of both the informal and formal meeting of the ICC. PCB chairperson Mohsin Naqvi was also present. During the course of a formal meeting, it was not on agenda but ICC facilitated a meeting between myself and the PCB chief separately in the presence of a senior ICC office-bearer and another senior official,” Saikia told PTI. “It was really good to start the process of negotiation.”Both sides will work out something to solve the issue at the earliest. The ice has been broken now, so various options will be worked out. There will be options from the other side as well and we will also give options on how to settle this issue and come to an amicable solution.”Related

• Rauf gets two-match ban; Suryakumar, Bumrah sanctioned after Asia Cup drama

• India refuse to accept Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi

India have not yet received the Asia Cup trophy after beating Pakistan in the final on September 28. There was a standoff at the presentation ceremony with India refusing to accept the trophy from Naqvi, the ACC and PCB chair who is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister, following the cross-border skirmish between the two countries in the wake of the terror attack in Pahalgam in April.India and Pakistan played each other three times during the Asia Cup – in the group stage, the Super Fours, and the final – with all the fixtures fraught with tension that began with India’s decision not to shake hands with the Pakistan players in their first meeting on September 14. The matches were ill-tempered with Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan all receiving penalties of varying severity from the ICC for their comments or on-field actions.After the final, the presentation ceremony was delayed by more than 90 minutes while Naqvi remained insistent that he be the person handing over the trophy to India, who did not budge from their stance. Eventually the trophy was taken away from the stage and the team has not received it to date.

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