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Play was halted for 15 minutes while the field was fumigated but the effect seemed to be temporary

Andrew Fidel Fernando05-Oct-2025

Bugs stopped play after 34 overs•ICC/Getty Images

The India v Pakistan fixture in Colombo was stopped for 15 minutes while the playing area at Khettarama was fumigated, to clear it of a swarm of insects. Play had been paused once before this, as less intensive insect-clearing methods were tried.The fumigation appeared to work only briefly. The insects – likely a variety of winged termite attracted to the stadium floodlights – seemed to return less than 10 minutes after play resumed. They continued to cause delays in play. Pakistan offspinner Rameen Shamim appeared to need to have an insect picked out of her eye in the 38th over.The bugs had begun to appear roughly 20 overs into India’s innings, just as the sun was setting. The insects were seen causing problems for the India batters and the Pakistan bowlers, with Nashra Sandhu particularly irked by the swarm. Five balls into the 28th over of the innings, Sandhu and captain Fatima Sana called for what appeared to be bug spray, and they applied it around the bowling crease, and on parts of their clothing.The drinks break was taken early during that first insect-related stop, but the insects continued to swarm near the centre of the playing area.After 34 overs, play was stopped, the cricketers left the field, and a man wearing a gas mask entered the playing area with a fumigation machine (fogging machine). Within minutes virtually the entire playing area was covered with anti-insect smoke. Play resumed after the smoke had cleared.”To be honest, you had to concentrate a lot more,” Jemimah Rodrigues said after India scored 247. “Couldn’t see much when the bugs were coming through.”Insect-related stoppages are uncommon in Sri Lanka, but are not unknown. Some species of termite swarm after rains, and during the wetter months of the year. This ground had seen rain on Saturday, when the Sri Lanka v Australia fixture had been washed out without a ball being bowled.

Latham suffered the injury while fielding during a Vitality Blast game earlier this month and did not recover in time for the first Test

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jul-2025New Zealand captain Tom Latham has been ruled out of the first Test against Zimbabwe, starting on July 30 in Bulawayo, with a shoulder injury. In his absence, New Zealand white-ball captain Mitchell Santner will lead the side.Latham suffered the injury while fielding during a Vitality Blast game for Birmingham Bears earlier this month and did not recover in time for the first Test. According to an NZC release, he will remain with the squad and hope to be fit for the second Test starting August 7.”It’s hugely disappointing for Tom to be missing the first Test, as captain but also as an integral part of the team,” head coach Rob Walter said.Related

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“It’s never great when you lose your captain, who’s a world-class opening batter and a great team man, but that said we’re going to work really hard to have him available for the second Test. “We’ll continue to assess and see whether a replacement player is necessary, but at this stage we are hopeful that he’ll recover in time.”Santner, who’s played 30 Tests, will be leading New Zealand in the format for the first time. New Zealand will go into the Tests fresh off a T20I tri-series win in Harare where they remained unbeaten throughout the series under Santner’s captaincy.”Mitch did a wonderful job with the T20 squad in this recent series,” Walter said. “He was excellent from a strategy point of view, and he has a strong understanding of the game.”Whilst the format is different, he certainly has the respect of the players and will be supported by some highly experienced Test cricketers, so I trust that he’s going to do a great job.”The two-match series will mark New Zealand’s first Test tour of Zimbabwe since 2016.

Chris Woakes is available to bat on the final morning at The Oval despite a suspected shoulder dislocation. Woakes was initially ruled out of the remainder of the fifth Test against India after sustaining the injury while fielding on the first day, and had his left arm in a sling in the dressing room on Sunday, but is prepared to “put his body on the line” if England need him.Woakes practiced batting one-handed in the indoor school on Sunday, and changed into his whites during the evening session, readying himself to bat at No. 11 if required. England need a further 35 runs to win with four wickets in hand to clinch a 3-1 series win on the fifth day, and Joe Root said that Woakes’ willingness to bat showed his commitment to the cause.”He’s all-in, like the rest of us,” Root, whose 105 set up England’s run chase, said. “It’s been that kind of series, where guys have had to put bodies on the line. Hopefully, it doesn’t get to that. But he had some throwdowns in here (the indoor school) at one point, and he’s ready if needed… He’s desperate to do what it takes.”Related

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It remains to be seen whether Woakes would attempt to bat right-handed – like Malcolm Marshall in 1984 – or switch to left-handed on account of his injury, as Pakistan’s Saleem Malik once did.”I’m not sure,” Root said. “I’ve not seen him practice yet. You might get a better indication tomorrow if he has some throwdowns in the morning.”England have not yet confirmed the specifics of Woakes’ injury, and he will go for further scans after this match for a full diagnosis. But he is considered highly unlikely to play again this summer, and is already a major doubt for the first Ashes Test in Perth starting November 21, and potentially the rest of that series.”Clearly, he’s in a huge amount of pain having done what he’s done,” Root said. “It just shows, as we’ve seen from other guys in this series – [Rishabh] Pant batting with a broken foot, guys taking all sorts of blows here and there – but it means a huge amount to him.”It just shows the character and the person that he’s willing to put his body on the line like that for England, and hopefully – well, hopefully he doesn’t have to, but if it does come to that – get us across the line and win us an incredible series.”1:44

Bangar: India could have bowled straighter to Root

Root’s century has taken England close enough to their target of 374 that Woakes may not be required, and he celebrated the milestone with a tribute to the late Graham Thorpe, his long-time mentor. Root wore one of Thorpe’s trademark white headbands – which have been sold for charity this week – and pointed to the skies on reaching his hundred.”It’s been amazing that Surrey, as a club, and the ECB, have recognised everything that he’s done for English cricket as a player, as a coach, as a mentor, as a friend, to the dressing room, to the game of cricket,” Root said of Thorpe. “That [celebration] was on behalf of our team, really, and everything that he’s given and sacrificed for English cricket.”It is just really great to see the amount of love that there is for him and for his family as well… He’s someone that’s impacted my career, personally, a huge amount. This week, the amount of love and support there’s been for him and his family, and all the good that’s come from it and the amount of money that’s been raised [over £150,000] is amazing.”It’s special that sport can provide that. More than anything, it was just a ‘thank you’ for everything that he’s given the game of cricket and given English cricket, on and off the field.”

Death-overs menace, middle-order rock, and a champion in crisis, the Australia allrounder has enjoyed a defining World Cup

S Sudarshanan29-Oct-2025No one at Women’s World Cup 2025 has taken more wickets in the last 10 overs than Annabel Sutherland. She has nine of them, nearly twice as many as the next-most-prolific bowler in this phase, Deepti Sharma (5).The bulk of Sutherland’s death-overs wickets have come courtesy one of the most deceptive weapons in the women’s game, her deadly back-of-the-hand slower ball. Even set batters have struggled to read it. Take for example Sophie Devine, who had scored a fine century in New Zealand’s run-chase against Australia in Indore. Looking to heave Sutherland over the leg side, Devine was far too early into her shot, the ball beating her for lack of pace to hit middle stump.Related

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“I know my game pretty well and can read the batter,” Sutherland tells ESPNcricinfo in Navi Mumbai, on the eve of Thursday’s semi-final against India.”It’s a bit of cat and mouse, trying to disrupt the batter’s swing as much as possible and make it really hard for them to get a read on what I’m going to be delivering. It is more about game awareness and trying to just disrupt the batter’s swing. That’s the main part of it.”You could see this happen in Visakhapatnam, where Sutherland’s slower ball made Jemimah Rodrigues lose her shape and spoon a catch to mid-off just when India seemed set for a final-overs explosion.And two other things make Sutherland’s slower ball especially tricky to handle. One, her pace-on delivery is a weapon too; not too long before she dismissed Richa Ghosh and Rodrigues with the slower one, she had prised out Pratika Rawal with a sharp bouncer that cramped the well-set opener for room and got her hooking straight to long leg.And the change-up, when she does bowl it, comes with little to no change in Sutherland’s bowling action.”It sort of comes pretty natural to me,” she says. “[I am] pretty lucky that I’ve got enough mobility to be able to get my arm around and, sort of, bowl it right at the back. I’ve been bowling it for a number of years now, so it comes pretty naturally, which is nice.”Sutherland’s unbeaten 98 against England was one of the innings of the tournament•Getty ImagesSutherland’s five-wicket-haul in Visakhapatnam was a major factor in Australia hauling India back; they only scored 43 runs in their last seven overs, ensuring Australia had to chase 331 rather than something truly gargantuan.And she had made an impact before the death overs too, with a first spell of four overs that cost just 16, and a second of three overs for eight, including the wicket of Rawal in the 31st over. Here, the key weapon was Sutherland’s control of length.”It’s more of a feel thing, to be honest, and it’s your responsibility as a bowler to work out what’s working, what the conditions are, trying to assess really quickly,” Sutherland says about finding the right lengths. “It’s different in every game. Bowlers in ODIs that can really settle in early on the right areas are the ones that are successful consistently. It’s something we’ve spoken about as a team and really trying to hone in on that length. That’s my strength as a bowler and then I’ve got variations to mix in with that.”Sutherland would already be having a spectacular World Cup if all she’d done so far was take 15 wickets at 13.33, putting her second on the wicket-takers’ chart. But she’s also played one of the innings of the tournament, against England in Indore.In that match, Australia were 68 for 4 in a chase of 245. The seamers had found movement with the new ball. The spinners were getting the ball to hold on the surface. Sutherland was unfazed, stitching an unbroken 180-run partnership with Ashleigh Gardner, and finished 98 not out as Australia romped home with nearly 10 overs to spare.’At the end of the day, I’m a competitor and I just really enjoy getting out there and playing a role, whatever that looks like on the day’•Getty Images”Those big moments are why you do all the work and all the training, long pre-seasons, and put in the hours really to try and be best prepared to be able to stand up in the big moments,” Sutherland says. “I certainly put a lot of time and effort into my preparation whether it’s planning with a bit of tactical stuff or your mental mental skills and your physical prep as well.”At the end of the day, I’m a competitor and I just really enjoy getting out there and playing a role, whatever that looks like on the day and putting my hand up for the team, whether it’s with the bat or ball. I really enjoy the moments under pressure as well.”Sutherland is no stranger to India. She has toured the country for international series at the turn of 2023-24 and just before this World Cup. She has been a constant in Delhi Capitals’ (DC) set-up in the WPL. She was a vital cog in their reaching the final of WPL 2025; only Jess Jonassen (13) and Shikha Pandey (11) took more wickets than Sutherland’s nine for DC. Exchanging notes with the likes of Ellyse Perry in the Australia dugout and Marizanne Kapp at DC have also helped round out her skills and awareness.”One of the things I pride myself on is always trying to find ways to get better and learn,” Sutherland says. “Whether that’s leaning on different coaches or players in franchise cricket that you get the chance to play alongside or in different conditions. All those different experiences really add to your game.”Australia go into Thursday’s semi-final on a run of 15 straight wins in ODI World Cups. Their line-up is full of multiple World Cup winners, and Sutherland has one in her bank too, but there’s one thing she hasn’t done yet. She played six matches in the 2022 edition but wasn’t a certainty in Australia’s XI, and when Perry returned for the final after missing the semi-final win over West Indies with back spasms, it was Sutherland who made way.Sutherland will be determined to make up for that now, but there’s one other hurdle to cross first. India, watch out.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is poised to be without a key man for their upcoming Champions League clash against Barcelona, with the Italian facing a selection headache.

Maresca has already been forced into 93 first team rotations this season, the highest number of any team in the Premier League, and it is safe to say his squad depth has been stretched to the bare bones at times.

There were major worries surrounding fitness repercussions after Chelsea’s involvement in the Club World Cup last summer, which saw them play a grand total of 65 matches in a 53-week season.

This was an unprecedented number of matches for the Blues, with Chelsea also reaching the Conference League final beforehand and going on to win Europe’s third-tier tournament.

While they became the first club in history to win all five UEFA club competitions, and took home north of £80 million in prize money from the CWC, their extensive schedule appears to be having a dire effect on the players.

So far, Chelsea have lost Levi Colwill, Cole Palmer, Benoit Badiashile, Enzo Fernández, Pedro Neto, Dario Essugo, Liam Delap, Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah, Andrey Santos and Josh Acheampong to injury or suspension at various points this season, and a few absences have been seriously felt.

This all being said, Maresca deserves praise for navigating this storm of injuries and guiding Chelsea to third in the Premier League table, where they’re just six points off league leaders Arsenal and could be considered outside contenders for the title this season.

One player they will be very eager to welcome back at the earliest opportunity is superstar forward Palmer, who’s been battling a niggling groin injury all campaign.

The England international hasn’t featured at all since he limped off in a 2-1 defeat at Man United nearly two months ago, with Maresca stating back in mid-October that he’d be out for another six weeks.

Optimism then followed that he could actually be back and ready to start against Barcelona next week, but according to journalist Simon Phillips, hopes of a return against the La Liga champions have all but diminished.

Chelsea star Cole Palmer now likely to miss Barcelona through injury

According to Phillips, via his Substack, Palmer is now likely to miss Chelsea’s clash with Barça, and a more realistic timeframe for his return could be their London derby at home to Arsenal at the end of this month.

The 23-year-old has been cut and above their superstar man since joining from Man City for what now feels like an absolute bargain fee.

Gus Poyet and others have even tipped Palmer for an eventual Ballon d’Or, highlighting his meteoric rise since leaving Eastlands.

Palmer spearheaded Chelsea to a double (CWC and Conference League) and Champions League qualification with 18 goals and 14 assists in 52 appearances for the west Londoners last season, and once he returns, the forward will provide Maresca with an almighty boost.

However, it appears they could now have to cope without him for one of their biggest games of the season so far against Hansi Flick’s Spanish giants.

Kylian Mbappe has publicly vented his frustration after Real Madrid dropped more La Liga points in a 1-1 draw with Girona, allowing Barcelona to remain top of the table. The French superstar scored but was left visibly irritated as Madrid recorded a third-straight away stalemate, prompting him to declare that the team “needs to change the dynamic” amid growing pressure on Xabi Alonso.

Real Madrid draw with Girona – Barca go top of La Liga

Real Madrid failed to reclaim top spot in La Liga after being held by Girona, marking their third consecutive away match without a victory. Azzedine Ounahi’s powerful first-half finish stunned Alonso’s side, who struggled for rhythm and control in a hotly contested game. Mbappe levelled the score from the penalty spot, but his influence was limited as Madrid lacked precision and dominance in the crucial phases.

The result came a day after Barcelona beat Alaves at Camp Nou, meaning Los Blancos now sit second, one point behind the defending champions in a title race that is tightening rapidly. Real Madrid saw a Vinicius Junior goal ruled out, an Mbappe strike disallowed due to handball, and required Thibaut Courtois to make vital saves to avoid defeat. Despite some late pressure, their final efforts lacked composure, reflecting a deeper trend of attacking inconsistency away from home.

The stalemate has further intensified scrutiny on head coach Alonso, whose team has dropped the five-point lead they held following El Clasico despite promising early signs in the campaign. Ahead of a demanding clash at San Mames against Athletic Club, concerns are growing around Madrid’s form, concentration levels and inability to assert themselves on their travels. With Barcelona continuing to capitalise, every dropped point now feels increasingly significant.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMbappe vents his frustration at Real Madrid's form

Mbappe voiced his anger on Instagram after the match, making clear that the team’s performance levels are far from acceptable during this crucial stretch. He wrote: “This isn’t the result we wanted tonight… We need to change the dynamic and show who we are as a team.”

The Frenchman was particularly disappointed after a night in which he scored but struggled to impose himself consistently due to Girona’s compact defensive shape. “Absolutely not the result we wanted tonight, but the league is still on and very long,” he added, reiterating the importance of keeping perspective.

Despite scoring his 14th league goal of the season, Mbappe lamented how little influence he had in open play as he was constantly crowded out and deprived of service. He has been in exceptional scoring form, including a recent four-goal haul against Olympiacos, but this match once again highlighted Madrid’s struggle to build fluid attacking moves on the road.

Madrid's dip in form piles the pressure on Alonso

Madrid’s recent dip in form has created a delicate moment in what was expected to be a strong transitional campaign under Alonso. Their away performances have lacked tempo, sharpness and the assertiveness that previously defined their early-season success. While the team remains firmly in the title race, the accumulation of draws has placed extra weight on every upcoming fixture.

The Girona match exposed familiar issues: an inconsistent midfield structure, a reliance on individual moments rather than sustained patterns, and an inability to maintain control over 90 minutes. The atmosphere at Montilivi appeared to unsettle the players as they struggled to dictate play with the authority usually expected of them.

Yet amid the frustration, Mbappe continues to rewrite record books, joining Cristiano Ronaldo as only the second player to score more than 53 goals in a calendar year for Real Madrid. His productivity remains extraordinary even as the team around him falters.

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Real travel to San Mames up next in must-win clash

Madrid face a challenging trip to San Mames to meet Athletic Club next, a stadium where points are notoriously difficult to secure and away sides can wilt in the face of the intense atmosphere. Alonso has urged unity and renewed intensity as the squad aims to avoid extending their winless away run. With Barcelona now setting the pace, Madrid must respond immediately to prevent the current dip from evolving into a full-blown crisis.

Former England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has been handed a massive cash windfall linked to his illustrious football career, which has also revealed his vast net wealth. Following the closure of a company he used for his image rights, Rooney has secured a significant tax worth £800,000 ($1.05m) from HMRC.

Rooney rakes it in as net worth receives boost

This latest financial development follows Rooney's past disputes involving HMRC over the years. The recent payout is not connected to the film financing schemes, such as Ingenious, in which he and other celebrities previously invested, resulting in large tax bills. 

The closure of the image rights firm has simply resulted in a final accounting and the return of a tax rebate to the former footballer. The incident highlights the complexities surrounding professional athletes' earnings and tax affairs, with companies often set up to manage a player's image rights separately from their football wages, including deals with global brands such as Nike, Coca-Cola and EA Sports, according to a report from . 

Rooney has previously faced intense scrutiny and disputes with the taxman, this recent rebate is a direct result of the company's winding up. It adds to his considerable net worth, which has grown through his playing career and subsequent ventures, believed to be as much as £170 million ($223.7m).

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSpat with Liverpool captain Van Dijk

Following Liverpool's recent Champions League victory over Real Madrid, Virgil van Dijk confronted pundit Rooney, who had publicly questioned his leadership. The dispute began with Rooney criticising Van Dijk's performance on his podcast, claiming "body language tells you a lot" and suggesting the Reds captain and talisman Mo Salah had "downed tools" after signing new contracts. Van Dijk initially called the comments "lazy criticism," adding, "I didn't hear him last year" when Liverpool were successful. 

In their TV confrontation, the Netherlands international took exception to Rooney's suggestion that he had become complacent after his new deal, stating, "I think that was a bit… but that's my personal opinion and we move on". Rooney defended his analysis, saying, "I think what I've said was fair" and that a team losing multiple games would naturally draw questions about its captain. While Rooney later conceded on his podcast that his comments might have been "a bit unfair because I don't know him that well as a person," he stood by his assessment of Van Dijk's on-field performance, saying, "from a performance point of view, I think I was speaking what I felt and what I was seeing, and I felt I was right". 

The encounter culminated in a handshake, but underscored the tension between modern players and pundits.

Slot's shot at Rooney

Rooney also faced-up to Liverpool boss Slot and the Dutch boss was asked whether the mood has lifted on Merseyside, to which he responded: "It's clear that it’s nicer when you win games than when you lose games as a manager. Am I right or am I wrong heh?" When making the comment, Slot turned sideways to look at Rooney with a big smile on his face. 

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Getty Images SportRooney's right to reply

Rooney has a twice-weekly BBC podcast, , and occasionally appears as a pundit on the and Amazon Prime's Champions League coverage. He is also scheduled to be part of the BBC's coverage for the 2026 World Cup which kicks off next July, hosted in the USA, Canada and Mexico.