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Caitlin Clark takes key step toward Fever return after month-long absence
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Caitlin Clark has been unable to get back on the court with the Indiana Fever, but she presumably took an important step to making that happen.
Clark, who has been out since July 15 with a nagging groin injury, was spotted doing some light work at shootaround on Sunday before her Fever teammates took on the Minnesota Lynx.
Now, head coach Stephanie White says Clark hasn’t officially returned to Fever practice, but taking part in shootaround drills is a step in the right direction.
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FILE – Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) plays against the Dallas Wings in the second half of a WNBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
“It was a good step because she got out there on the floor with us for the first time, part of the sort of return to activity thing,” White told the Indy Star.
White added that Clark’s role was “very low, low-maintenance” and “low intensity,” as they certainly don’t want to reaggravate her injury.
CAITLIN CLARK’S RETURN TO FEVER LINEUP REMAINS MYSTERY
“I think just getting her back out there, getting her comfortable, and see where she goes.”
The drill that Clark participated in, after going through what’s considered dynamic warmups, was non-contact and low impact.
With seven games remaining in the Fever’s regular season, they’re hoping to remain in playoff position. They are currently 19-17, which is good for the No. 6 seed. Only the top eight seeds make the playoffs.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) reacts to a call from the referee Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
And while it goes without saying what Clark can provide once she returns to the court, it’s almost imperative if Indiana wishes to make a run, as several other key pieces are out for the year with injury.
The latest blow was Sophie Cunningham, the new Fever star who tore her MCL this past Sunday during a game against the Connecticut Sun. There were also guards Sydney Colson (torn ACL) and Aari McDonald (foot fracture) who both suffered season-ending injuries.
That is three guards all out for the year, so the Fever are borderline desperate to get their superstar back if they can hold playoff position.
Clark, who also suffered a bone bruise in her left ankle on Aug. 7, has played just 13 games this year for the Fever. She dealt with a quad strain earlier in the year before suffering her current ailments.
Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever walks on the court before a game against the Minnesota Lynx at Target Center on August 24, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images)
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Clark averaged 16.5 points, 8.8 assists and five rebounds over 31.1 minutes per game in those which she played this season.
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Afghanistan’s captain Rashid Khan says his team have no “specific targets” despite producing groundbreaking performances in recent ICC global events, ahead of a T20 international tri-series starting Friday.
Rashid’s men face Pakistan in the opening game in Sharjah, with the United Arab Emirates the other side taking part in the event which serves as a warm-up for next month’s Asia Cup, also in the UAE.
Afghanistan reached the semi-finals of last year’s T20 World Cup in the United States and the Caribbean, and narrowly missed out on reaching the last four at the ODI Champions Trophy in Pakistan earlier in 2025.
Those performances followed an impressive showing at the 2023 one-day World Cup, when the Afghans produced statement wins over England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
“We do not have specific targets, and we do not want to put extra pressure on our players,” Rashid said Thursday when asked if Afghanistan are targeting the Asia Cup title.
“Our target is to play the brand of cricket we have played over the years. For us, the main target is to put in 200% effort on the ground,” he added.
“I think we have been doing well in the ICC events and although we haven’t played T20I cricket over the last few months, the guys have been playing in T20 leagues around the world and that has helped.”
Afghanistan beat Pakistan 2-1 in a T20I series at the same venue in 2023.
The 16-man Afghan squad for the tri-series includes fast-rising mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar along with fellow spin bowlers Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid.
The Asia Cup gets under way on September 9, as teams ramp up their preparations for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Contrary to Afghanistan, Pakistan’s fortunes are dipping after they crashed out of the last T20 World Cup in the group stage before failing to win a match at the Champions Trophy.
This year they lost a T20 series in Bangladesh 2-1 but overcame the West Indies by the same margin.
Under new captain Salman Agha, Pakistan are going through a transition with former skippers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan out of the T20 squad.
“We are trying to build a team and this tri-series and then the Asia Cup will be a good opportunity to achieve that,” said Agha.
“We know both these events will be challenging but we are ready.”
All three teams in the tri-series will play each other twice, with the top two to face off in a final on September 7.
Besides Afghanistan, Pakistan and the UAE, the Asia Cup will also include defending champions India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Oman and Hong Kong.
Lionel Messi admitted to “playing with fear” as he returned from injury to score twice in Inter Miami’s 3-1 Leagues Cup semifinal win over Florida rivals Orlando City.
Messi converted a 77th-minute penalty at Chase Stadium and then added another goal in the 88th minute — after combining with Jordi Alba — as Miami came back from a goal down to clinch a place in the final.
“I wanted to be here,” Messi said after the game. “When I came back against [LA] Galaxy [on August 17] I felt some discomfort, I didn’t feel comfortable, but I wanted to play the game.
“It was really important to be here because it’s a difficult opponent, they’d beaten us in the two games we played against them this year. In the first half I was playing with a bit of fear, but after that I felt a bit [more] free.”
Orlando had beaten Miami 4-1 when the teams last met on Aug. 11, with Messi absent.
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The Argentina star has been struggling with a muscular injury in his right leg this month, and made a brief return against the Galaxy, before coming back into the team on Wednesday.
Miami will now play Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup final on Sunday, after they defeated LA Galaxy 2-0 in the other semifinal.
It will be Miami’s second appearance in the final in two years, after they won the tournament in 2023, while in 2024 they were eliminated in the round of 16.
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