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Our reporters pick their key takeaways from the 2025 tournament

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Nov-20252:47

Moonda: ‘India’s World Cup win worthy of being turned into a movie’

There’s a new world order

Move over Australia, it’s India’s time. Don’t pretend you didn’t hear, or even utter a groan every time Australia were mentioned during this tournament: “Ugh, not them again!” Until… last Thursday night in Navi Mumbai when Harmanpreet Kaur and her team declared they’d had enough, this was their house and the Australians were just renting it on a short-term lease.Evicting them in the semi-final proved both harder and easier than expected. It took the innings of a lifetime from Jemimah Rodrigues to seal India’s place in the title match. Australia were culpable too, their bowlers struggling to cut through a batting line-up that had found its mojo and their fielders struck by a rare case of the fumbles (interspersed with some outright brilliance).As if to highlight what that victory meant, an emotional Harmanpreet gave way to a more familiar, business-like one for the final. The way she nonchalantly tossed the ball up to herself and caught it at the end of Sunday’s comfortable win over South Africa then stalked around calmly marshalling her team for celebrations gave an air of “job done”.For the first time, there is a team other than Australia, England or New Zealand on the trophy. Can India add their name alongside those three and West Indies on the T20 version next year? – The India team lifts a long-awaited World Cup trophy•ICC/Getty Images

South Africa, your time will come

South Africa have made three successive women’s finals – two at the T20 World Cup and now their first at an ODI tournament – and these achievements are part of the bigger picture across their whole cricketing ecosystem. South Africa are the only country to make the knockouts of every tournament across men’s, women’s and under-19 cricket since February 2023, and they’ve also made six finals. Their conversion rate, though, is cause for concern with only one trophy (the World Test Championship mace) in the cabinet.Still, for a women’s set-up that only professionalised a dozen years ago and who are under a coach that has only been in charge for ten months, this was an unexpectedly good result. It showed depth and development from players who will form the core of their future: from Nadine de Klerk’s coming of age finishes with the bat to Nonkululeko Mlaba ending as their leading wicket-taker for a second successive tournament. In the ever-resilient spirit of a nation that backs itself to go again, South Africa will know the best is yet to come.

Closing the gap

This World Cup hinted at a shifting balance in the women’s game. If India’s win over Australia in the semi-final signalled a new era, Bangladesh and Pakistan’s spirited campaigns underlined how quickly the gap is closing. Bangladesh pushed South Africa deep into the final overs, and nearly stunned England. Pakistan, meanwhile, had Australia struggling with the bat before Beth Mooney’s rescue act and looked set to topple England before rain intervened.These sides impressed with their disciplined bowling attacks – Bangladesh’s spinners and Pakistan’s seamers often dictating terms – but their batting still lacks the consistency and composure needed to finish games against top-tier opposition. Stronger infrastructure and sustained investment will be central to their rise. Add to that India’s World Cup triumph, which could well be the spark that drives these subcontinent teams to believe they too can dominate in the future. – Related

• Team of the tournament: Mandhana, Wolvaardt, Gardner, Ecclestone and…?

• For Mithali, for Goswami, for Chopra: a World Cup win years in the making

• Power-hitters and left-arm spinners flourish; catching continues to be sloppy

• Record World Cup tally takes Wolvaardt past Mandhana to No. 1 in ODI rankings

First the wickets, then the runs

This World Cup started with a few collapses and the trend spread across to the flatter pitches, which were mostly rolled out in Indore and Vishakhapatnam early on. Guwahati and Colombo, meanwhile, saw lower scores as the tracks were slower and had more purchase for the spinners. The first 21 games of this tournament featured only three 300-plus scores before Navi Mumbai came into the picture, where the average total batting first in the league stage was 271, while Guwahati had the lowest of 186.By the time it was curtains for this World Cup, the 133 sixes smashed were the most in a single edition, going past the 111 in 2017 and well ahead of the 52 in 2022. As another sign of the game progressing towards bigger scores overall, this World Cup also had an average scoring rate of 5.14, again comfortably the highest in an edition, overtaking 4.69 in 2017. – Smriti Mandhana gets plenty of support from the home crowd•ICC/Getty Images

The Navi Mumbai buzz

DY Patil Stadium attracts some genuine women’s cricket fans – the Bucket Hat Cult, a group of young people who enhance the cricket-watching experience from the stands in India’s matches with their customised chants for each player, being a prime example. India’s semi-final against Australia (34,651) and final against South Africa (39,555) were well-attended there, but so were some of the league games: India vs Bangladesh (25,965, a record for a league game in any Women’s World Cup, ODI or T20I) and India vs New Zealand (25,166, the previous record).In Guwahati and Indore, the spectators probably did not know what to expect, given the lack of women’s internationals and WPL games there. Holding the World Cup in these cities was, in part, to spread the game, and due to the unavailability of some regular grounds like the M Chinnaswamy (not in use since the stampede earlier this year), Chepauk (relaying the outfield) and Eden Gardens (renovation). The monsoon would have been a threat to earlier league games being staged at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.The Navi Mumbai leg showed how regular exposure to a product generates enough buzz to develop interest, which can be capitalised on at a World Cup. A lesson would be to build on India’s victory and schedule more matches at tier II and tier III venues, instead of directly using them at a showpiece event. – Sophie Devine celebrates a wicket with Suzie Bates•ICC/Getty Images

Where to for New Zealand?

As holders of the T20 World Cup and with a farewell to their long-serving captain Sophie Devine at her last ODI World Cup, New Zealand had plenty to inspire them but still failed to ignite the event. They put on a series of middling performances, with only one win in the end, and though rain affected their tournament adversely, they will be concerned with the lack of contributions from their younger players. Devine was their leading run-scorer and Lea Tahuhu their best bowler, which leaves the question of where their next generation will come from and how quickly they can make the step up.Similarly West Indies, who were absent at this event after failing to qualify, will wonder how they can find their way back. With Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh improving, an eight-team field leaves little room for the Caribbean team unless there are major improvements, so it’s just as well the 2029 edition will include ten teams. There are no guarantees, however, and their challenge, like that of the subcontinental teams mentioned, is the lack of financial support their women’s cricket receives. Add to that the complicated logistics of arranging training camps and monitoring the domestic game across different islands and their task is enormous. –

Wyatt-Hodge scored her fourth half-century of the season while Strano starred with five wickets

AAP01-Dec-2025Hobart Hurricanes have reinforced their standing as the team to beat in the WBBL, bolstering their grip on first spot with an 81-run demolition of Melbourne Stars on DLS method at Bellerive Oval.Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s classy 71 paced Hurricanes’ imposing 176 for 4 from 17 rain-reduced overs in the top-of-the-table blockbuster on Monday night, before Molly Strano (5 for 16) reduced Stars to a paltry 98 in response, after they were set an adjusted target of 180.Wyatt-Hodge moved past Meg Lanning to the head of the Golden Bat standings with her fourth half-century of the season, before pouching three catches.She started slowly with two off her first 11 deliveries, before blossoming in her 47-ball knock.”Sometimes you’ve just got to ride that wave and Lizzy (Lee) was smashing it at the other end, so I didn’t need to panic,” Wyatt-Hodge said.”It was just a matter of digging in, keeping the intent and staying brave. Hopefully we can keep the form up – everyone’s playing really well.”Hard-hitting South African Lizelle Lee was the early aggressor, but a 33-minute rain delay stalled her momentum and she holed out for 32 just after the resumption.Nat Sciver-Brunt (31) found Danielle Gibson in the deep, before captain Elyse Villani was run out late.Stars started horribly in reply and never recovered as their four-game winning streak came to a crashing halt, with tail-ender Sasha Moloney (31) offering the only resistance.Rhys McKenna (1) was trapped plumb in front by a hooping Nicola Carey inswinger, before Linsey Smith (2-29) captured the key scalp of Lanning (9), bowled after missing a cut shot.Smith dismissed Stars skipper Annabel Sutherland (11), before fellow spinner Molly Strano came on and bagged three wickets in her first over.Wyatt-Hodge snared a left-handed blinder at point to remove Amy Jones (19), before Marizanne Kapp (0) was caught behind and Gibson (1) holed out.Strano then picked up a fourth wicket with just her seventh ball when Kim Garth (3) offered Wyatt-Hodge another catch.The offspinner’s fifth scalp was Moloney, caught by player of the match Wyatt-Hodge.

Manchester United have a conundrum in midfield which needs to be solved sooner rather than later.

Ruben Amorim’s infamous 3-4-2-1 system, which he is insistent on sticking to, operates with a double pivot. Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro are his first choices in that role this season.

That has left a few players out in the cold this season, without regular minutes. The two players who have tended to be left on the sidelines are Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte. The England international is yet to start a Premier League game this season, and former Sporting man Ugarte has not been able to get into the side over Casemiro.

It seems as though the Red Devils are targeting a new midfielder who can slot into the side.

Man Utd looking to sign England international

The Manuncian side have already begun a mini-revolution in the centre of the park. They have recently signed young Colombian Cristian Orozco, who will perhaps start in the youth team but could well be considered a first-teamer in the future.

Elliot Anderson is a name who is regularly linked with a move to Old Trafford but he’s not the only England international in the crosshairs of INEOS.

Indeed, according to a report from Football Insider, Atletico Madrid and England midfielder Conor Gallagher is a player the club continue to ‘monitor’ ahead of the January transfer window.

There has been previous interest in the former Chelsea star from Premier League clubs. Crystal Palace wanted him last summer, and Tottenham Hotspur are also interested.

However, Amorim’s side are described as ‘frontrunners’ for Gallagher. As far as a fee is concerned, it has been reported that a bid in the region of £26m could be accepted.

Why Gallagher would be a good signing

The signing of Gallagher could well be a strong addition to United’s midfield. Described as a “warrior” in the middle of the park by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, he would bring Premier League experience.

Indeed, Gallagher has made 136 appearances in the English top flight, for boyhood side Chelsea, as well as loan spells at Crystal Palace and West Brom. That ready-made experience in the Premier League could be vital for Amorim, as he would need little to no adaptation period.

Of course, over the last 18 months, the former Chelsea star has been plying his trade in La Liga for Atleti. He’s played 69 times for Diego Simeone’s side, chipping in with six goals and six assists. That included a strike against Real Madrid in the Champions League last season.

If the Red Devils were to sign Gallagher this winter, he could prove to be the long-term replacement for Casemiro. United’s Brazilian midfielder is out of contract soon, and it seems like he could be on his way at the end of the campaign.

Indeed, he is a hard man to replace. The former Los Blancos star has been a key figure in that midfield pivot for Amorim, making 12 appearances and chipping in with three goals.

That included this effort against Gallagher’s former side, Chelsea, at Old Trafford.

Replacing Casemiro in that United midfield would not be easy for Gallagher. Aside from his potent threat in the final third, the Brazilian, of course, is a master at breaking up play and winning the ball back.

However, when looking at the stats, it suggests that the Atleti star possesses the skills to do just that. For example, he’s averaged 4.12 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes this season, compared to just 3.6 each game for Casemiro.

Finding the man who can eventually step into Casemiro’s shoes was never going to be easy for Amorim. Yet, in Gallagher, United may have landed upon the perfect player. He still has plenty of quality on the ball and final third threat, whilst also being an efficient ball winner.

Furthermore, he’s also got energy, something Casemiro lacks. Indeed, he has been described as an “intensity monster” and as “one of the best midfielders in the sport when it comes to running long distances” by one notable analyst on social media.

£26m is a small fee in the current market, and should the Red Devils choose to pay it, they could have finally found the perfect player to replace Casemiro.

The new Garnacho: Man Utd ready £131m bid to sign the "best in the world"

Manchester United could be about to smash their transfer record in the upcoming January transfer window.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 30, 2025

Hansi Flick addressed Lamine Yamal's angry reaction after being substituted during Barcelona's 2-1 win against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Tuesday evening. The Barcelona wonderkid was withdrawn in the 89th minute for Roony Bardghji, cutting a visibly irritated figure as he left the pitch. His expression remained stern as he walked toward the bench, and he appeared to mutter under his breath in disappointment.

• Barca forced to battle after Frankfurt strike early

  Flick’s men were made to scrap for the three points on a demanding night at Camp Nou. Barcelona fell behind after just 21 minutes when Ansgar Knauff broke the deadlock, punishing a sluggish first half showing from the hosts. For the fifth consecutive match, the Catalans conceded the opening goal, a pattern that Flick acknowledged remains a concern. But once again, Barcelona’s resilience proved decisive. After the interval, they shifted gears, pressing higher and stretching Frankfurt’s defensive line. The response culminated in two goals from an unlikely source in Jules Kounde, whose adventures in the final third were rewarded handsomely. Marcus Rashford and Yamal provided the assists. 

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  Flick responds calmly to Yamal’s reaction

  Flick addressed Yamal’s irritation to being withdrawn late on in his post-match comments, offering a composed explanation. He confirmed that the decision to remove the winger was precautionary rather than tactical. 

  "We changed Lamine with a few minutes to go because he was booked and it was late," Flick said. "If he was a bit annoyed, then I fully understand and I like it. I was a player too. It's fully acceptable, not a problem."

  While the manager may appreciate Yamal’s intensity, Barcelona will have to cope without him in their next Champions League fixture. His yellow card against Frankfurt was his third of the current campaign, triggering an automatic one-match suspension. He will therefore miss January’s encounter with Slavia Prague.

  Flick also stressed the value of Barcelona’s repeated comebacks, though he conceded the team cannot afford to make a habit of starting slowly.

  He added: "Really happy how we come back but sometimes it would also be good to start well and score the first goal. It is what it is."

• Kounde revels in attacking freedom

  Kounde, meanwhile, admitted he relished the opportunity to push forward. He explained that Frankfurt’s five-man defensive shape left wide spaces behind their back line, encouraging him to attack with conviction.

  "My first job is to defend well so I have to keep a balance," he said. "And there are games when we play against a back five, today Frankfurt were very deep, so you have to attack the spaces in behind, which is what I tried to do. I had success with those two goals."

  Flick echoed that sentiment, praising the Frenchman’s mentality. 

  "It's great to have Jules scoring… his talent and his mentality are so important," Flick said.

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• Yamal rewrites the record books

  Yamal's assist to Kounde pushed him to 14 Champions League goal involvements, seven goals and seven assists, which sets a new competition record for players aged 18 or younger. In surpassing Kylian Mbappe’s previous benchmark of 13 involvements, the Spaniard has etched his name into elite European company. Notably, Yamal will not celebrate his 19th birthday until July, leaving him with half a season still to boost that record. 

Why the squad for the Perth Test is an opportunity missed

Greg Chappell09-Nov-20253:09

Australia’s Ashes squad: No Konstas, Labuschagne to open?

“A ship is safe in harbour, but that is not what ships are for.” This timeless wisdom speaks to a core dilemma of human endeavour: the choice between safety and potential reward. A ship anchored indefinitely in a quiet port avoids the tempest, but it sacrifices its purpose – slowly decaying into irrelevance.Cricket is fundamentally a game of risk-management. To make runs, a batter must risk playing shots; to take wickets, a bowler must risk getting hit for four. How you manage that risk decides your fate and the team’s on the field.The Australian selectors have taken a safety-first approach to the selection of the squad for the first Test of the Ashes in Perth. The make-up of the squad is not unexpected but I was hoping that they would be bolder and choose a team that would risk surprising the opposition and throw down the gauntlet for one of the most anticipated Ashes contests for many years.Related

• Konstas dropped, Weatherald called up for first Ashes Test

• Ashes squad talking points: Kingmaker Green to dictate Australia's plans

• Steve Waugh questions whether Australia selectors can make tough calls

• England and Australia Ashes squads compared: who comes out on top?

• Mark Taylor unsure over Cameron Green's position

I do have some sympathy for the selectors as this is not entirely a problem of their making. The traditional supply line of youngsters has been interrupted by professional cricket, meaning that players stay in the domestic system longer, playing for the states, who prioritise winning domestic competitions over producing Australian players.So here we are in Australian cricket. The oldest international team fielded in 90-plus years will take the field in a fortnight. Thirty-five may be the new 30, but I believe that unless a handful of under 25s are going to be debuting in the next six to 12 months, we are going to have a painful regeneration problem when Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon leave.Domestic competitions don’t produce Test-ready players; they only identify those with the skills to make it at the top level, so CA must prioritise giving the next generation as much international cricket at the Australia A level as possible to bridge the gap.Now to the series ahead. Perth Stadium is a venue unlike any other in Test cricket. It will be fast and will bounce more than anything that the England players usually play on. This Test will have a big bearing on the outcome of the series, so the team that performs well here will take a big psychological advantage to Brisbane. The first two Tests – at Perth’s pace cauldron and Brisbane’s pink-ball furnace under lights – could decide the urn. Now was a time to be bold.Despite selecting a specialist opener, Jake Weatherald, in the squad, I believe the intention is to send Marnus Labuschagne out to open with Khawaja. This will allow Cameron Green and Beau Webster to play, giving the best balance of batting and bowling in the squad – especially as Green has hardly bowled a ball in anger since his recent back surgery.

Being risk-averse is not being risk-free. By anchoring in the harbour of familiarity, Australia’s selectors may have invited the very storm they sought to avoid

Opening with Labuschagne is extremely risky. He should bat at three, as that is his specialist spot, where he has delivered prolifically. The fact that he is being considered as an opener suggests that the selectors do not have a specialist they trust, and that one or both of Green and Webster are well short of the bowling loads required to get through a Test match.Ian Chappell and Ricky Ponting were exceptional No. 3 batters for Australia in their time. That doesn’t mean that they would have been as successful had they been press-ganged into opening. They were often batting early in the innings but the mindset to walk out to open the innings is subtly different.Marnus has reinvented himself this summer with a return to the intent that he showed early in his Test career. For the past few seasons he has looked like someone who was batting to not get out. This risk-averse attitude to batting actually increases the risk of getting out. In this state of mind, the feet do not move and the runs dry up. Even if one succeeds in not getting out, one doesn’t make many runs because the number of deliveries that you can attack becomes limited. It would be a shame to risk short-circuiting his return to Test cricket by batting him out of position.Mitch Marsh is the choice I would have preferred. It would have been a left-field choice, but this is a venue where he has an advantage over all other candidates. He grew up in Perth so the bounce would not worry him; he is one of the best players of pace in the country, and he could have bowled some meaningful overs to support the frontline quicks.If they do go with Labuschagne at the top of the order that will mean Green will be forced to bat at No. 3 again. It is a position for which he is not suited, so all of a sudden, the Australian batting order is dangerously unbalanced.Usman Khawaja will be in the hot seat against the pace of Mark Wood and Jofra Archer•Getty ImagesIn time, I expect Green to slot into the No. 4 position he is eminently more suited for. The other reason that I would not send him in early is that, if fit, he will be expected to bowl important overs, so he will need time to prepare to bat rather than put the pads straight on.England have put nearly all their eggs in the pace basket, bringing a septet of fast bowlers with whom to challenge what they believe to be a fragile batting line-up. They have prioritised the fitness of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood for this series, so I expect them both to play in Perth and in Brisbane, and then they will rotate the rest of the pace squad through the remaining Tests.If Archer and Wood are both fit for purpose, England could surprise the Australians on a surface that will favour pace. Very few people enjoy batting against real pace. We would all rather bat against medium-pacers and spinners, but at this level, it has to be done. Normally it is one or two really quick bowlers in the line-up and then the pace drops off. Very few teams in history have three or four in the ranks who get it through at over 140kph. That will get your attention and it will require reflexes and concentration of the highest order. The ageing Australian line-up might be put under the pump if the England attack clicks.Khawaja is the oldest opener to play a Test for Australia since Lindsay Hassett did it in his final Test at The Oval, in 1953. Hassett scored 53 in the first innings of a Test that England won by eight wickets. England had Fred Trueman, who was a genuine quick, in their attack, but Alec Bedser and Trevor Bailey were medium-fast at best. Ussie turns 39 during the series, so he will be tested by a procession of fast bowlers. His potential partner is a 31-year-old debutant or a makeshift opener also in his 30s. England will take a huge advantage if they can make early inroads in the Australia batting regularly in the series.The selectors have boxed themselves into a corner. Over the past year or so they have shied away from bold calls, leaving themselves no real option now but the conservative line. They were risk-averse in picking the team. They missed an opportunity to lay down the gauntlet at one of the world’s unique venues. And they are actually taking a huge risk by playing batters out of position.Being risk-averse is not being risk-free. By anchoring in the harbour of familiarity, Australia’s selectors may have invited the very storm they sought to avoid. Perth demanded courage. The Ashes demand it. A ship is safe in harbour, but that is not what ships are for.