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Liverpool have been drawn against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League round of 16, while holders Real Madrid face local rivals Atlético Madrid.
Elsewhere in Friday's draw, there will be an all-German tie as Bayern Munich meet Bayer Leverkusen. Arsenal will take on PSV Eindhoven, and Barcelona will play Benfica.
Aston Villa drew Club Brugge, Borussia Dortmund will play Lille, and Feyenoord will go up against Inter Milan.
The ties will be played over two legs. The first-leg matches are scheduled for March 4-5, with the return legs taking place on March 11-12.
Liverpool may leave the draw feeling hard done by: Arne Slot's side won seven out of eight games to progress to this stage as the No.1 seed, bypassing the playoff round along with the other top eight teams, but still drew an in-form PSG side.
PSG finished 15th in the league phase of the competition, reaching the round of 16 with a resounding 10-0 aggregate win over fellow French side Brest in the playoff round.
The tie pits the league leaders in England and France against each other, while both teams possess two of the continent's most effective forwards this season in Mohamed Salah and Ousmane Dembélé.
The winners are due to face either Villa or Brugge in the quarterfinal.
Meanwhile, Madrid and Atlético will meet in a mouthwatering derby, with the first leg to be played at the Bernabéu and the return game at the Metropolitano.
Madrid, who are 15-time champions, reached this stage by knocking out Manchester City 6-3 on aggregate this week, with Kylian Mbappé scoring a hat trick in the second leg.
It sets up a hugely difficult month for Atlético, which also face Barcelona three times in the coming weeks: twice in the a two-legged Copa del Rey semifinal and again in LaLiga.
The winners will meet either Arsenal or PSV in the last eight, with a potential semifinal against either Liverpool or PSG.
On the other side of the draw, Bundesliga top two Bayern and Leverkusen will meet for the chance to take on either Feyenoord or Inter in the quarterfinal. The two sides drew 0-0 when they met in the league last weekend.
A semifinal would then come against either Barça, Benfica, Dortmund or Lille.
Barça beat Benfica 5-4 in the league phase in January, and the teams will meet again over two legs in the last 16, with Hansi Flick's LaLiga leaders afforded the second leg at home after progressing as the second seed.
A potential quarterfinal would then be against either Dortmund or Lille.
Champions League round-of-16 draw
Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa
Borussia Dortmund vs. Lille
Real Madrid vs. Atlético Madrid
Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen
PSV Eindhoven vs. Arsenal
Feyenoord vs. Inter Milan
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Liverpool
Benfica vs. Barcelona
Transfer rumors, news: Man City want Wirtz in, De Bruyne and Grealish out
Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish could make way for Florian Wirtz at Manchester City this summer, while Darwin Núñez's Liverpool future looks more uncertain. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumors, and gossip from around the globe.
Transfers homepage | Done deals | Men's January grades | Women's January grades
TOP STORIES
- Sources: Robin van Persie to be Feyenoord's next manager
- Palmeiras aim to sign Barca loanee Vitor Roque in February
- Sources: Christian Pulisic not in spat with AC Milan head coach
TRENDING RUMORS
- Manchester City will listen to offers for many of their biggest stars players this summer including Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish, the Daily Mirror reports, with Bayer Leverkusen forward Florian Wirtz emerging as a target. Manager Pep Guardiola plans to clear out many of his most senior players before the next campaign. As well as De Bruyne and Grealish, the Mirror reports that Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gündogan and Éderson would all be allowed to leave. Kyle Walker, who joined AC Milan on loan in January, is unlikely to play for City again. Germany international Wirtz is on course to better his performance from last season when Leverkusen won the Bundesliga title without losing a single game. The 21-year-old registered 11 goals and as many assists throughout the whole of that title campaign, and this term already has nine of each to his name. Wirtz is contracted with Leverkusen until 2027, meaning it would cost City upwards of 100m to sign him, but they may see it as a small price to pay to secure one of Europe's most exciting attackers and reinvigorate their team.
- An exit from Liverpool this summer for striker Darwin Núñez looks "increasingly inevitable," according to The Athletic. The Uruguay international's glaring miss in Wednesday's 2-2 draw at Aston Villa, which cost the Reds two potentially crucial points in the title race, may be the final straw for manager Arne Slot. Núñez, 25, has only scored four Premier League goals all season as he has found starts increasingly hard to come by, with just seven in the league thus far this term.
- Real Madrid are keeping an eye on Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens as they see him as a possible option for the future if he becomes available, especially if one of Los Blancos' top players departs, reports Relevo. The 20-year-old has also received attention from Premier League clubs Manchester City and Chelsea.
- Juventus and Napoli both want to sign Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman in the summer, reports Calciomercato, who add that Arsenal and Liverpool could also revisit their interest in the 27-year-old having looked at him last summer. Despite efforts being made to reconcile with manager Gian Piero Gasperini, the Nigeria international will leave whether or not he is there, and La Dea might have to accept a figure under their initial demands of 60m.
- Newcastle United have made enquiries about a potential summer move for Internazionale midfielder Hakan Çalhanoglu, reports TEAMtalk, who add that the likelihood of the 31-year-old departing at the end of the season are increasing. The Turkey international is also the topic of interest from Saudi Arabia, Bayern Munich, and another unnamed Premier League club.
EXPERT TAKE
OTHER RUMORS
- Newcastle United are hopeful of completing a move to sign Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, who is enjoying a record-breaking run of form during with 11 straight clean sheets in the Championship. (Daily Mail)
- On-loan Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen is expected to be moved on from Napoli in the summer, as he has a release clause in his contract that allows him to be signed for an offer worth 75m in the next transfer window. (Calciomercato)
- Lyon president John Textor was asked if he would consider an offer from Paris Saint-Germain for attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki. (AS)
- Roma forward Paulo Dybala is keen on extending his stay at the club, with his representatives now expecting talks to take place over a deal that would extend his stay by a further year. (Calciomercato)
- Multiple clubs in Europe are keen on Shakhtar Donetsk attacking midfielder Georgiy Sudakov, who has scored 10 goals in 16 league games this season. (Rudy Galetti)
- Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton is being lined up as a replacement for Christian Eriksen by Manchester United. (Caught Offside)
- Newcastle United are prepared to meet Brentford's 50m asking price for forward Bryan Mbeumo. (Football Insider)
- AC Milan are preparing to part ways with France international left-back Theo Hernández. (Gazzetta dello Sport)
- Juventus' Andrea Cambiaso remains high on Manchester City's list of right-back options with the Premier League club still seeing the position as a key area to reinforce in the summer. (Fabrizio Romano)
- Arsenal, Tottenaham Hotspur and Aston Villa are all interested in Fiorentina striker Moise Kean. (Ekrem Konur)
- West Ham United have revived their interest in signing Lille striker Jonathan David as a free agent when his contract expires in the summer, but they will face competition from Internazionale and Juventus. (The Guardian)
- AC Milan have instructed their scouts in South America to produce a detailed report on Vasco da Gama left-back Lucas Piton, who would be allowed to move for 9m. (Calciomercato)
- Arsenal have agreed a six-figure deal to sign 15-year-old defender Callan Hamill from St. Johnstone, with this coming despite interest from Rangers and Celtic. (The Mirror)
- Juventus want between 25m and 30m for Dušan Vlahović as they plan to offload the striker at the end of the season. (Nicolo Schira)
Could Vinícius Júnior really leave Real Madrid for Saudi Arabia? Here's what we know
It shouldn't be that difficult. Real Madrid are the world's most successful club, the reigning LaLiga and European champions. Vinícius Júnior is one of their brightest stars, last year's Ballon d'Or runner-up and FIFA's The Best winner. His goals helped Madrid win two of the last three Champions League finals. So why is there nonstop speculation that Vinícius, who's only 24, is set to leave Madrid for the Saudi Pro League? And -- with the forward's contract at the Bernabéu due to expire in June 2027 -- just how likely is that outcome?
Listen to Vinícius, and there seems to be no doubt that it's Real Madrid for life. "My next step is improving my game, continuing to develop, and helping the biggest club in the world," the Brazil international said last month. "I dreamed of getting here. That's my dream, to think big, and win more trophies in this shirt."
Vinícius passed a major milestone in January, becoming one of only 23 players to score 100 or more goals for Madrid. "It's important for me to be a part of this club's history," he said. "Let's hope I carry on here for many more years. Ronaldo Nazario, Cristiano [Ronaldo] ... they're players who defined an era at this club. Let's hope I can follow in their footsteps."
Those don't sound like the words of a player who's planning an imminent departure. And speaking to Brazilian TV after Madrid's 3-2 Champions League win at Manchester City on Feb. 11, for which he was named man of the match, Vinícius went even further. "It's always exciting to talk to Real Madrid about my renewal," he said. "I have a contract until 2027, but I've always said I want to play here for a long time... God willing, in the coming days, the negotiations can be resolved."
Coach Carlo Ancelotti has been keen to spread a message of calm, too. "As far as I'm aware -- and I have direct information from the player -- he's very happy here," Ancelotti said last month. "They're individual decisions. But I think he's thinking about choosing glory."
It's a nice line, with an implicit follow-up: glory, over endless wealth. But that's exactly what you'd expect Ancelotti to say. And nobody genuinely expects contract talks to be finalised as quickly as Vinícius enthusiastically suggested in Manchester.
The words of Saudi Pro League CEO Omar Mugharbel, speaking last month during the Spanish Supercopa in Jeddah, warned against dismissing the idea of Vinícius choosing the Saudi Pro League. "We don't dream," Mugharbel told Marca. "It's a matter of time, and negotiations."
The Saudi interest is real, and so is Vinícius' willingness to entertain the prospect, a position that strengthens his leverage in talks with Madrid. Those negotiations look like they may become a high-stakes arm wrestling match between player and club.
Additional reporting by Rodrigo Faez and Gustavo Hofman
What is Vinícius' contract situation? And what's the timeframe for renewal talks?
Vinícius' current contract was formally announced by Real Madrid on Oct. 31, 2023 although the terms had been agreed to over a year earlier in July 2022, just weeks after he scored the only goal of the Champions League final against Liverpool in Paris. The contract expires on June 30, 2027. A source told ESPN that the player's take-home pay at Madrid is now 17 million a year ($17.8m) after tax, which includes a substantial bonus he received for winning FIFA's The Best Men's Player in December.
Madrid's typical routine is to begin contract negotiations with stars when they have two years left on their deals. It's a common-sense approach designed to avoid uncomfortable, final-year standoffs when players have increasing leverage. That timeline would mean talks with Vinícius were due to commence this summer, but in this case, the club was aware of interest from Saudi Arabia and made an early first move.
Sources told ESPN earlier this month that Madrid had contacted Vinícius' representatives, saying that they wanted to kick off negotiations. The first step would be to get an idea of the player's salary expectations. That significant development came last week, when the club was informed of Vinícius' demands. The details, and that all-important number, have not been made public. A follow-up meeting took place on Friday, between the second leg of the Champions League playoff against Manchester City and Madrid hosting Girona on Sunday (stream LIVE at 10:15 a.m. ET on ESPN+ in the U.S.).
Is Vinícius really considering leaving Madrid?
Madrid took a gamble on Vinícius, agreeing a 45m deal to sign him when he was just 16 years old, mere days after he had made his professional debut. It's a bet that's paid off handsomely since, as Vinícius has repaid Madrid's faith with goals and individual and team trophies. Sources say that he remains hugely grateful to Madrid for the support and patience the club has shown him during his inconsistent development from rough diamond into the finished article.
Despite that, sources say that Vinícius has felt for some months now that there are doubts within the club about his role in the team over the medium-term. Part of that relates to the arrivals of Jude Bellingham in July 2023 and Kylian Mbappé last summer. Before their signings, Vinícius was Madrid's undisputed star. Now, he's one of three.
Sources told ESPN that Vinícius also suspects that both Bellingham and Mbappé will receive more support in the pursuit of future awards like the Ballon d'Or. In the 2024 men's ranking, the trio finished second (Vinícius), third (Bellingham) and sixth (Mbappé). The votes for Madrid players among the Ballon d'Or panel were split; so too, thinks Vinícius, are the club's loyalties. Vinícius loves playing for the club, but sources said he wants to feel valued -- that Madrid appreciates what he has achieved and what he can still achieve.
There are other issues, too: the near-weekly hostile reception that Vinícius faces from opposition fans in Spain, which has -- all too frequently -- involved racist abuse. Vinícius has bravely led the fight to tackle Spanish football's racism problem, but he has also admitted that the incidents leave him with "less and less desire to play." The attraction of a fresh start in a new league is obvious. But there was no realistic alternative until the Saudi Pro League came calling.
How tempting is the offer from Saudi Arabia?
ESPN first reported on Saudi interest in Vinícius in August last year, with a source saying that the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) had approached Vinícius' representatives. An annual salary of up to 350m had been mentioned, and the idea was for Vinícius to become one of the faces of the Saudis' 2034 World Cup project. His likely destination was Al Ahli. It was a deal that wouldn't just make Vinícius the highest-paid footballer in the world; it would make him the highest-paid athlete in the history of sports. Another source later spoke of a potential five-year, 200m-per-season deal, in a country with no income tax.
Early reports in the Spanish media claimed that Vinícius had rejected the approach, and he was committed to staying at Madrid. But a source told ESPN that was not the case. Instead, Vinícius' decision was not to take any decision at all. He had postponed making a judgment on his long-term future until the end of the 2024-25 season. Another factor was whether or not Vinícius would win last year's Ballon d'Or. Madrid and Vinícius believed that he would, although their confidence proved to be unfounded.
The Saudi interest didn't end there. Sources told ESPN that the Saudis got back in touch with Vinícius' camp in December, keen to keep lines of communication open. No concrete proposal was made, but the message was: don't forget about us. There have been no new developments since December, and a source told ESPN that Vinícius' agents had been irritated by the lack of a formal offer. At present, Vinícius is closer to staying than going, the source said.
Would Madrid agree to a transfer? And for what kind of fee?
Vinícius' 1 billion release clause is prohibitive, even for the PIF. That means that if the Saudis want to secure the player before his contract expires in 2027, an agreement would have to be reached with Madrid on a transfer fee. Last summer, when they were made aware of Saudi interest, the club's stated position was that Vinícius was not available for transfer, and they would not negotiate below that 1bn clause. But Vinícius' camp felt that Madrid might be more open to that possibility in 2025.
Publicly, the club still treats Vinícius in a manner befitting one of its franchise players. They went above and beyond in their support of him in the Ballon d'Or debate, boycotting the Paris ceremony in protest when they discovered that Manchester City's Rodri had beaten their man to the award. And Ancelotti continues to praise him at every opportunity. "People forget that with Vinícius we won the Champions League in Paris [in 2022] and in London [in 2024]," Ancelotti said last month. "He's unquestionable as a player."
ESPN FC's analysts and players sound off after Real Madrid declined to attend the Ballon d'Or ceremony upon finding out that Manchester City's Rodri won.
However, there has also been internal frustration at aspects of Vinícius' game, in particular his frequent yellow cards for dissent. Teammates and staff -- who are mostly fond of him -- have tried to help, without success. "[Vinícius] created a lot of chances, he provided an assist, and he got booked. Nothing new, business as usual," Ancelotti joked after a second-half cameo at Leganés this month.
In terms of public relations, any transfer would have to be portrayed as Vinícius' decision, not Madrid's. And there is no consensus on what fee Madrid would likely accept. It would certainly exceed the world record, set when Paris Saint-Germain paid 222m to sign Neymar from Barcelona in 2017. A source told ESPN that the player's camp believed there was internal disagreement at Madrid on the issue. Club president Florentino Pérez was reluctant to budge from the 1bn clause; others, like CEO José Ángel Sánchez, felt an offer between 350m and 400m would be acceptable.
What can we learn from Madrid's previous contract standoffs?
When it comes to player departures from Real Madrid, the house almost always win. Their sense of timing is impeccable. Can you think of a player to whom they've regretted saying goodbye in recent years? The rule even applies to all-time greats, whose exits were once highly controversial. Cristiano Ronaldo left in 2018, unhappy at Madrid's stance in contract talks, and joined Juventus for 100m. The team missed his goals, but hindsight suggests it was the right move.
The same could be said of former captain Sergio Ramos, who unceremoniously left in 2021 after his delayed response to a contract offer led to it being withdrawn. There was Raphaël Varane in 2021 and Casemiro in 2022, both signing for Manchester United for substantial fees. Even Karim Benzema's surprise departure in 2023, joining Al Ittihad on a free transfer while he was the reigning Ballon d'Or, turned out OK: Madrid won a LaLiga and Champions League double the following season, with no need for a first-choice center-forward.
So precedent suggests that if Madrid were to let Vinícius go -- for a world-record fee -- they'd be fine. It would even mean Mbappé could play in his preferred position on the left of the attack.
All of this means that what once seemed unthinkable -- Vinícius Junior, arguably the world's best player, leaving Real Madrid while still approaching his peak -- has become a real prospect. And even if he does end up agreeing to a lucrative new deal at Madrid -- which on balance, is now the most likely scenario -- the Saudi interest means that the club will have to work hard for it.
It's the ultimate power move; to say he'd love to stay, but he's also being offered the biggest contract in sports history, and then ask if there is anything more that Madrid can do.
No wonder Vinícius has been in no hurry to renew. He's holding all the cards.
UP Warriorz seek change in fortunes against solid Capitals
Who's playing
Delhi Capitals vs UP WarriorzM Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, 7:30pm IST
What to expect: Warriorz searching for first win
UP Warriorz are yet to find their feet and will hope a change of venue brings a change in fortune, heading into the first reverse fixture of this season. They are also the only team without a win in WPL 2025. Under new captain Deepti Sharma, they haven't been able to lock their XIs or their batting line-up. While there has been some individual flashes of brilliance - such as Kiran Navgire's blazing fifty, Chinelle Henry's death-over hitting and Sophie Ecclestone's economical spells - Warriorz have not fired as a unit. They do not have a strike bowler (Saima Thakor was dropped after one game). Misfields and dropped catches have also hurt. The likes of Grace Harris and Tahlia McGrath have also not fired in the middle order.
On the other hand, Capitals have won two out of three matches and seem like a settled unit with most boxes ticked. Their middle order consisting of Annabel Sutherland and Marizanne Kapp has stepped up, their captain Meg Lanning has found her rhythm with a fifty against Warriorz in the last game and their pace attack has collectively taken 11 wickets in three matches.
Team news and likely XIs
Capitals are unlikely to change their winning combination which means they might still prefer Niki Prasad's lower-order batting over Radha Yadav's left-arm spin.
Delhi Capitals: 1 Meg Lanning (capt), 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Jemimah Rodrigues, 4 Annabel Sutherland, 5 Marizanne Kapp, 6 Jess Jonassen, 7 Sarah Bryce (wk), 8 Niki Prasad, 9 Shikha Pandey, 10 Arundhati Reddy, 11 Minnu Mani
Tahlia McGrath has had scores of 0 and 1 in the two matches and had an average outing with the ball too, picking up one wicket for 47 runs in 6.5 overs. Warriorz might bring in allrounder Chamari Athapaththu for the Bengaluru leg before she joins the Sri Lanka squad on a white-ball tour of New Zealand to bolster their batting.
UP Warriorz (likely): 1 Kiran Navgire, 2 Chamari Athapaththu, 3 Vrinda Dinesh, 4 Uma Chetry (wk), 5 Deepti Sharma (capt), 6 Tahlia McGrath/Grace Harris, 7 Shweta Sehrawat, 8 Chinelle Henry, 9 Sophie Ecclestone, 10 Rajeshwari Gayakwad, 11 Kranti Goud
Players to watch: Shafali Verma and Sophie Ecclestone
Shafali Verma smashed two half-centuries in four attempts at an impressive strike rate of 140.6 in the Bengaluru leg of WPL last year. Having hit 43, 0, 26 so far this edition, Shafali might be keen on converting her starts and making a big score at the venue again.
Sophie Ecclestone has accounted for three of the seven wickets taken by Warriorz so far and has looked most threatening in the bowling attack. She has an economy of 5.87, and her spell in the powerplay will be crucial for Warriorz to make early inroads. Against Gujarat Giants, she had figures of 2-0-6-1 in the powerplay, but she was given only one over against Capitals where she leaked eight runs.
Key stats
Srinidhi Ramanujam is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo
Smith, Australia hope champion DNA outweighs big-name absences
It's a day out from the game, and yet getting to Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium when Australia or England are en route can be impossible. Presidential-style security chaperones the sides between the hotel and the newly-rebuilt ground. The ticketing website and resale venue were overwhelmed as soon as tickets for this contest were released, and then once more when further tickets were made available.
A car arrived at the gate, a full mile away from the stadium entrance itself. A policeman had a long squint at the windshield, and shook his head. "Wrong type of sticker," he said firmly. "You can't enter here, let alone park here." In Pakistan, this game is a big deal, bigger than arguably for any other side this tournament.
"I think it's irrelevant, really," Smith said on Friday. "This is another event. You've got to be focused from that first game. In our last World Cup, we were a bit slow to get started. We were really under the pump. And then we brought our best cricket towards the back end of the tournament, which is what you need in World Cups.
"Champions Trophies are a lot different. You can't be slow to get started. You've got to get right into your work from the outset. That's our message to the group and the guys are excited about getting started tomorrow night against England out here."
Back as Australian captain in an incredible redemptive arc, victory here may just be another bit of silverware for a heaving Australian trophy cabinet, but leading his side to it would be a prized career highlight for the man himself.
"I'm pretty relaxed," Smith said. "There's always pressure when you're playing in international events and big tournaments. It's clear we're obviously missing a few of our gun fast bowlers, but we're not worried about that. We're thinking about what we've got here and the opportunity that those guys have.
"There's some quality players in that room that are playing in almost their first big event, I suppose, which they're looking forward to and I'm looking forward to as well. It's going to be great to see them placed under pressure against some quality opposition, and it's going to be an exciting time for us."
England may not be the terrifying opposition they were in this format between 2015 and 2019, the side that blitzed Australia to what remains their only World Cup semi-final defeat. However, it does offer an indication of what each side expects from the squad they bring to this tournament that England announced their starting XI - specific batting positions and all - nearly two full days out from the game, while Australia want as much information as possible.
"We're pretty clear where we're sort of heading," Smith said, somewhat unconvincingly. "But we'll name it [the side] at the toss tomorrow. I need to have a look at the surface when we get an opportunity as well. We're pretty clear where we want to go, but we'll name it tomorrow."
Smith was hit in the box in the nets on Friday, but has been cleared to face England after some initial discomfort. He missed a training session earlier in the week through illness, and said that he had not yet looked at the surface when he spoke to media.
"England are a great side," Smith said. "They've been a very good white-ball team for a long period of time and we're looking forward to starting our campaign against them tomorrow. Hopefully it's a belter of a game."
But, as every side in this tournament knows well, there is only so much debate to be had about the finer technical points of strength and weakness about an Australian side in these circumstances. Like Real Madrid in football's Champions League, all that sometimes matters is that running through the DNA of this particular unit is an ancient, received wisdom passed down generations, one that illuminates the path to glory in ICC event after ICC event.
No wonder, then, that Smith, whom destiny appears to have thrust into the role of main Australian character against England once more, is quite so relaxed.
Danyal Rasool is ESPNcricinfo's Pakistan correspondent. @Danny61000
Injury-hit Australia meet out-of-touch England in batting-friendly Lahore
Big picture: Both teams coming off series defeats
Would you believe it, not only have Australia and England been drawn in the same group at a global tournament, but their Champions Trophy returns also start against one another. Universe (ICC), you've done it again! And yet, amid such predictable money-grabbing comes a bit of shameful excitement. Even without mentioning the "A" word, these are two bitter rivals in unique states. A champion Australia side shorn of some of those champions, and an England side increasingly desperate to rediscover former glory.
Not training enough and golfing too much were the main takeaways outside a group that actually seems in good spirits considering they have now lost all four ODI series since the 2023 World Cup. To be expected, of course, as negative vibes have no place in Brendon McCullum's house.
In keeping, England's break to the UAE came with a view of shedding the baggage from a travel-and defeat-heavy month in India, with added benefit of escaping the press hysteria around focusing on the wrong kind of white ball. But McCullum's task requires a more hands-on and technically focused approach with a group which continues to look uneasy with bat and ball in this format.
How much of that McCullum can change in such a short space of time - he has only been in charge of the limited-overs set-up for a month - will be determined over the coming weeks. Right now, it probably helps to have a familiar foe on the horizon to drum up a little extra heart and vigour.
Of those Buttler missed last year due to a calf injury was the five-match series against Australia at the end of the home summer, which ensures greater familiarity at international level between the players, even if many of them have rubbed shoulders as team-mates or opponents at domestic level.
Form guide
(last five completed matches, most recent first)Australia: LLLLW
England: LLLLW
In the spotlight: Spencer Johnson and Harry Brook
Team news
Given the absences, Australia's pace attack pretty much picks itself. Allrounder Aaron Hardie, the immediate beneficiary of Marcus Stoinis' retirement from the 50-over format on the eve of the tournament, could sit out for Labuschagne to play as an extra batter. Dwarshius' left-arm/left-hand option may see him pip Abbott to the bowling allrounder slot.
Australia (probable): 1 Travis Head, 2 Matthew Short, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 Josh Inglis (wk), 5 Marnus Labuschagne, 6 Alex Carey, 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 Sean Abbott/Ben Dwarshius, 9 Nathan Ellis, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Spencer Johnson
England announced their XI two days out from the match - early by their unusually prompt standards - with Jamie Smith not just back fit from a calf injury, but also batting at No. 3 while also playing as wicketkeeper. It is not quite a nuclear option, but it does involve pushing Joe Root to No. 4 and taking the gloves from Phil Salt, who kept throughout the ODIs in India. With just four frontline bowling options, Root and Liam Livingstone must join forces effectively to provide a serviceable fifth. The pace of Mark Wood and Jofra Archer, playing his first 50-over tournament since his Super Over heroics in 2019's World Cup final, will present Australia's starkest challenge.
England: 1 Phil Salt, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Jamie Smith (wk), 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Jos Buttler, 7 Liam Livingstone, 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Mark Wood
Pitch and conditions
ODI pitches at the Gaddafi Stadium are almost always flat belters. The venue hosted two matches in the recent tri-series, with New Zealand posting 330 for 6 to beat Pakistan, and then chasing down 305 with six wickets and eight balls to spare. Lahore is expected to be slightly cooler than it was for the tri-series, partly because of rain this week, which ended up hampering England's preparations on Thursday. Dew is very rarely a factor at this time of year.
Stats and trivia
Quotes
"I'm going to have my work cut out for me with some of that fast bowling England have got. They're high quality, highly skilled and high pace. I've got to make sure I start well, earn the right, and see where the game takes us. I'm just worried about making sure I start well for the team."
Australia vice-captain Travis Head on challenge posed by England's quicks
"He's been fit and firing now for 18 months or so since being out of the game for a while. He's really excited to put together that kind of length of time back on the field, and he's obviously a superstar of the game for us. He is someone, as a captain, you always know you can turn to and throw the ball. He's obviously going to be really looking forward to the game tomorrow."
Jofra Archer is ready and raring to go, says Jos Buttler
Vithushan Ehantharajah is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo
Rickelton's maiden ODI hundred, middle order set up SA's big win over Afghanistan
South Africa 315 for 6 (Rickelton 103, Bavuma 58, Markram 52*, van der Dussen 52, Nabi 2-51) beat Afghanistan 208 (Rahmat 90, Rabada 3-36, Mulder 2-36, Ngidi 2-56) by 107 runs
It was a largely flawless innings from Rickelton. He never looked rushed; not when Tony de Zorzi fell early or when Bavuma took his time to get going. Rickelton struck boundaries whenever he got a chance. When he didn't, he quietly rotated the strike. He started with a lovely punch past mid-off third ball before going back-to-back against Fazalhaq Farooqi in the fifth over, once with a fierce pull through midwicket and then a cut past point.
De Zorzi also struck two fours but fell to a rather nonchalant delivery from Mohammad Nabi early on when he flopped it straight to mid-on.
Bavuma's first 19 balls yielded only seven runs before he got a couple of fours away to get into the groove. Rickelton, meanwhile, picked Azmatullah Omarzai for two delightful fours to raise his fifty off just 48 balls.
South Africa ticked along to 83 for 1 after 15 overs, but an important passage of play was about to come: South Africa batters vs Afghanistan's spinners. That's where Rickelton really showed his wares. He would have faced a lot of Rashid Khan in the SA20 nets as they were part of the victorious MI Cape Town side, and that experience showed.
Bavuma got to his second fifty away from home, as he continued his rich form. He had a solid 129-run stand for the second wicket with Rickelton, before holing out to deep midwicket as Nabi picked his second wicket.
By that time, Rickelton had moved into his 90s, and had hardly broken a sweat. Afghanistan hardly helped themselves in the field, too. There were several misfields, and a run-out chance fluffed, while Noor Ahmad was particularly off-colour. He was either too short, or too full, and often tried to dart the ball in and lost his shape.
Rickelton soon became the first South Africa batter to register a century on Champions Trophy debut with a push to long-off.
Afghanistan got a lucky break when Rickelton was run-out in bizarre fashion. He bunted a Rashid length ball back to the bowler, who fired a flat throw to the wicketkeeper. Rickelton, out of his crease, was caught off-guard just a touch, and as he put in the dive, his bat bounced just short of the crease. That meant even though his bat was over the line, it was in the air when Rahmanullah Gurbaz whipped the bails off.
There was no respite for Afghanistan though. Van der Dussen, coming into the tournament not in great nick, was fluent and Markram found his stride as well, with both batters recording fifties. The last five overs yielded South Africa 51 runs as they posted an above-par total.
For Afghanistan to chase down 316, it was imperative for Gurbaz to get going. But South Africa's new-ball bowlers weren't ready to give him an inch. Ngidi's short-of-a-length ball got the better of Gurbaz as he got a top-edge to short fine leg. No. 3 Sediqullah Atal struggled big time. Ibrahim Zadran finally broke the shackles by hammering Rabada over wide long-on. That obviously did not please the bowler, who returned with a 148.3kph thunderbolt and sent Ibrahim's middle stump splat.
The South Africa pace bowlers concentrated on that hard length. According to ESPNcricinfo's ball-by-ball data, in the first 15 overs, 33 of the balls bowled by South Africa were either short or short-of-a-good length.
Atal's difficult innings, where he was beaten ten times and played 14 false shots in the 32 balls he faced, ended with a run-out. Soon after, Hashmatullah Shahidi fell to a stunning catch by Bavuma at mid-on as Afghanistan stumbled to 51 for 4 after 15 overs.
Rahmat was the only batter who showed some fight as he cruised to fifty off 62 balls. But with none of the batters hanging around, Afghanistan were always struggling. The Karachi crowd, which had come in numbers to support Afghanistan, found their voice when Rashid smashed three fours and a six in his cameo of 18 off 13 balls. But apart from that, there was little for the crowd to cheer.
In the end, Rahmat edged Rabada to Rickelton for 90, as South Africa registered their first ODI win after six attempts.
Ashish Pant is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo
Amanjot, Kamalini seal thriller for MI after Harmanpreet fifty
Mumbai Indians 170 for 6 (Harmanpreet 50, Sciver-Brunt 42, Wareham 3-21) beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru 167 for 7 (Perry 81, Ghosh 28, Amanjot 3-22) by four wickets
Win the toss, field first, win the match. This has been the story of all seven games in WPL 2025 so far. Mumbai Indians (MI) were the latest benefactors of winning the toss as they beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by four wickets in the first game of the Bengaluru leg.
Mandhana vs Ismail - a short story
It made Ismail switch to around the wicket. For the last ball of the over, she went short again, this time trying to cramp the batter. Mandhana unfurled another four with a pull.
In her next over, Ismail erred in her line, and Mandhana duly cut her to the point boundary twice in three balls. But Ismail had the last laugh. She went short again, angling the ball on this occasion. Mandhana must have been feeling invincible by then. She attempted another pull. But this one took the top edge and Yastika Bhatia settled under it behind the stumps.
Quick wickets leave RCB in trouble
Perry opened her account with a first-ball four, flicking a full delivery from Ismail over square leg. In the next over, she freed her arms and hit Sciver-Brunt over long-on. But MI pulled things back with three quick wickets. Danni Wyatt-Hodge miscued an upper cut against Sciver-Brunt to short third; Raghvi Bist hit Hayley Matthews into the hands of deep midwicket; and Kanika Ahuja chopped Sanskriti Gupta onto her stumps. After nine overs, RCB were 62 for 4.
Perry pristine
RCB did not hit a single boundary from overs six to nine. Perry ended the drought in the tenth when she dispatched Matthews for four. She found support from Richa Ghosh, who smashed a six in the same over. The pair combined to pocket five more fours in the next three overs. By the time Amanjot bowled Ghosh for 28 off 25, the partnership had reached 50 in 38 deliveries.
From there on, Perry carried RCB almost singlehandedly. She hit Amelia Kerr inside out over extra cover to bring her fifty off 30 balls. Two balls later, she jumped out of her crease to deposit Kerr over long-on. In the next over, Matthews paid the price for bowling too short as Perry picked up two more fours. Perry eventually fell to Amanjot on the penultimate ball of the innings but not before hitting the bowler for back-to-back fours.
Matthews, Sciver-Brunt give MI flying start
MI started their chase in an attacking manner, with Bhatia hitting Renuka Singh for two fours in the opening over. Even though Kim Garth trapped Bhatia for 8, there was no respite for RCB. Sciver-Brunt hit two fours off the first two balls she faced to keep the runs flowing. She took it a notch higher in Garth's next over with three fours.
Matthews joined with back-to-back fours off Wareham. Ekta Bisht, who came in for the sixth over was not spared either. Sciver-Brunt started with a hat-trick of fours and Matthews chipped in with one. The only solace for Bisht was that she had Matthews lbw with her last ball.
Harmanpreet takes over
Garth provided RCB with some relief when she castled Sciver-Brunt for 42 off 21 balls in the eighth over. Two overs later, Wareham bowled a maiden in which she also had Kerr slicing to backward point.
Harmanpreet had had a slow start and was on 10 off ten balls after the tenth over. But she put the chase back on track with two fours off VJ Joshitha. MI needed 54 in the last six overs but Harmanpreet was well set by then. She hit Ahuja for successive fours, slog-swept Bisht into the stands, and picked up two more fours of Renuka to make MI firm favourites.
Wareham's twin strikes, Amanjot's twin sixes
With 24 required from three overs and Harmanpreet batting on 50 off 36, the match looked all but lost for RCB. But in an attempt to cut Wareham, Harmanpreet edged the ball to Ghosh. Sajana lasted just one ball, Wareham's slider trapping her lbw. Moreover, MI could score only two off the Wareham over.
Nerveless Amanjot, Kamalini finish the game
It was anyone's game at that point. But Amanjot, who had been playing second fiddle to Harmanpreet till then, stepped up. She was on 20 off 22 balls when her Punjab team-mate Ahuja started the 19th over. Amanjot went down the ground first ball and cleared long-on. Ahuja conceded only four in the next four balls but Amanjot cleared long-on once again on the final ball.
Not only did MI require just six in the final over, but RCB's slow over rate also meant there was one fielder fewer in the outfield. Bisht tried her best, darting the ball with the keeper standing back for the first two deliveries. But Kamalini kept her cool and took her side to victory with one ball to spare.
Hemant Brar is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
Sources: Collier shares 1-on-1 money with staff
Unrivaled co-founder and player Napheesa Collier is giving $100,000 -- half of her prize money for winning the league's first one-on-one tournament -- to her training and performance staff and assistant coaches working with her team, the Lunar Owls, sources told ESPN on Friday.
Collier wanted to make sure she found a way to show appreciation to the staff members pouring hard work into her startup league, a source close to Unrivaled told ESPN. Through the first half of the season, Collier has made a point to continuously mention the personnel working with the players, calling them the "best in the world."
Almost immediately after she won the Unrivaled 1-on-1 Tournament title and the cash prize, she thought sharing it was the right thing to do.
Collier and Breanna Stewart founded the 3-on-3 Unrivaled league to give WNBA players an offseason alternative to playing overseas. Quickly, the amount of money and resources being poured into the league took center stage.
Unrivaled claims to be offering the highest average salary of any women's sports league. It also built a custom arena and practice and training facilities in Miami.
Many Unrivaled players believe what the league has done will have a direct impact on upcoming WNBA collective bargaining negotiations and has already played a role in how some players approached free agency -- finding teams that have these kinds of resources in their home markets.
Source: Unnamed Jets player followed, robbed
MORRISTOWN, N.J. -- An unidentified New York Jets player was robbed at gunpoint Saturday morning near his New Jersey home after being followed home from New York City, a source confirmed to ESPN.
A witness saw a group of men exit a dark-colored SUV in the Windmill Pond neighborhood in Morristown and take money and personal items from two individuals in another car. No injuries were reported.
Among the items taken were jewelry and a watch. A neighbor told NBC New York one of the victims played for the Jets.
The victims were believed to be returning from a night out in Manhattan and were targeted by the group, according to the Morristown Department of Public Safety. Police are still investigating what is believed to be an isolated incident, according to a statement on the department's Facebook page.
The robbery comes on the heels of a string of seemingly orchestrated thefts involving the homes of several high-profile athletes. Members of a Chilean gang have been charged after allegedly stealing $3 million worth of goods from some of America's best-known athletes, including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.
The burglars in those instances bounced from city to city using cars they rented with fake IDs and burner phones. They would stake out their marks for extended periods before breaking into the homes by smashing or prying open sliding doors and would grab watches, designer bags, gold chains, rings and cash.
They were apprehended in part because of pictures they posted with some of the lucrative items.
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