Bright starts, familiar flaws – Takeaways from Bangladesh's Lahore malfunction

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Openers impress, but tactical errors, spin struggles, and lack of pace-bowling allrounders remain key issues for Bangladesh

Mohammad Isam02-Jun-2025Have Bangladesh finally found their T20 openers?Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain are still a work in progress, but they have shown the T20 attitude the Bangladesh openers have previously lacked. They are willing to go after good bowling attacks in the powerplay, and as they showed in the third T20I on Sunday, can take their partnership deep too. Tanzid has been on a six-hitting spree against UAE and Pakistan, while Parvez now has two good knocks in five games.Parvez Hossain was Bangladesh’s highest run-scorer of the series•AFP/Getty ImagesThe team management lacks pragmatismBangladesh’s team management appeared to misread the team’s needs in Lahore. In near-perfect batting conditions in which Tanzid gave them quick starts in all three games, the think tank kept sending captain Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy ahead of in-form hitter Jaker Ali. It seemed like they weren’t willing to innovate. Litton and Hridoy struggled to keep the openers’ momentum, and then left too much to do for the rest of the batters. Jaker, who is skilled at finding boundaries regularly, would have benefitted from being promoted up the order with a few extra overs to play. Hridoy was out of touch, and Litton seemed confused with his role, whether to drop anchor or go on the attack.Bangladesh must identify their best T20 bowlersBangladesh had several injuries before and during this T20I series. Shoriful Islam pulled his groin after bowling three balls in the second game, while Mustafizur Rahman was injured in the IPL, before the Pakistan series. Taskin Ahmed’s ankle trouble has kept him out for the last two months, while Nahid Rana opted out of the series due to personal reasons.With a number of players unavailable, Bangladesh will have to identify a T20 bowling attack. Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Hasan Mahmud were expensive in the three matches against Pakistan, while Shoriful looked to be moving the new ball well. Mustafizur effectively won Bangladesh’s only game in their last six outings, but the injury ruled him out in Pakistan. The question should also be asked now, whether Bangladesh want Rana for every format.Mahedi Hasan played just one game•AFP/Getty ImagesThe spinners struggle in batting conditionsThe absence of Shakib Al Hasan has left a significant void in Bangladesh’s spin attack which now struggles in batting-friendly conditions. The bowling unit was on dominant at home and in the West Indies last year, with Mahedi Hasan single-handedly restricting the opposition batters on slow and low pitches. However, he struggled against UAE’s Muhammad Waseem and Asif Khan. It’s concerning that team’s premier spinner featured in only three out of six matches.Rishad Hossain has also leaked a lot of runs across the last two series, often missing his lengths. Rishad had an excellent 2024 – especially in the T20 World Cup where he was one of the top wicket-takers – but he failed to hit his stride so far this year. Bangladesh’s spinners have also been vulnerable to slog sweep, which suggests a need to rethink their line of attack.The hunt for fast bowling allroundersWhile there are plenty of spin bowling allrounders in the Bangladesh T20 team, there is a clear lack of fast bowling allrounders. Mahedi, recently named as Litton’s deputy, is an offspinner who bats in the middle order. So does Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Rishad has a similar role, although his batting hasn’t lived up to expectations.The issue, however, is that Bangladesh’s domestic cricket currently lacks any such prominent names. Tanzim has shown the potential to be a handy allrounder provided he can keep his core skills intact, while the BCB should also consider bringing back Mohammad Saifuddin into the mix.

The other Kerr: how a New Zealand allrounder is emerging from her younger sister's shadow

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

A former top runner, Jess Kerr has repeatedly won battles against illness to fulfil her cricket dream

Deivarayan Muthu22-Sep-2025Jess Kerr never gives up. Both on field and off it.The 27-year-old seam-bowling allrounder has overcome a number of medical problems to become a New Zealand international. Growing up in the Wellington suburb of Tawa, she broke age-group records as a runner. She won the 800m and 1500m gold medals at the Colgate Games athletic championships for seven-to-14-year-olds in New Zealand, but then compartment syndrome in her legs halted her running career.When she was nine, she was suffered a bout of Bell’s palsy, which causes temporary weakness or paralysis on one side of the face. Later, when she entered her teens, she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.Related

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  • Sophie Devine: 'It must be something in the Kerr family, nerves of steel'

  • Jess Kerr, Suzie Bates and Maddy Green sparkle as New Zealand go 1-0 up

  • New Zealand Women begin World Cup prep with Chennai camp

If not for her courage and resilience, Kerr would have been lost to sport. She had to let go of her dream of becoming a runner, but she took to cricket, following in the footsteps of her younger sister, Amelia Kerr, who she calls her “older sister/mentor” on the field.Cricket was in the girls’ DNA. Their father Robbie and mother Johanna represented Wellington, while their grandfather Bruce Murray played 13 Tests for New Zealand.”Growing up, Melie was the cricket prodigy and I was known as the running girl in Tawa,” Kerr says on a sidelines of a preparatory camp in the lead-up to the ODI World Cup, at the Chennai Super Kings Academy in Chennai last month. “So that was always a dream of mine – to go as far as I could with that, and from a young age I was training every day with running.”Being diabetic and an athlete has its challenges. You’re constantly trying to make decisions. So, often before a game, I’m checking my levels, trying to predict how that will go in the future. But I think sport sort of saved me and has been my outlet. To be able to represent my country, despite having those things, that’s been a real saviour for me. So I’m just grateful that’s not sort of stopped me from doing what I love.”Kerr bats in the 2022 ODI World Cup•Getty ImagesBoth sisters won the T20 World Cup with New Zealand in Dubai last year, and came home to a rousing reception. They now have a shot at adding the ODI World Cup trophy to their T20 World Cup title.”The four of us White Ferns [Amelia, Jess, Sophie Devine, Georgia Plimmer] are living in Tawa, so to be able to visit our old school [during the trophy tour] where it all started was really awesome,” Kerr says. “The support we get in the Basin [Reserve] throughout the summer is amazing, so to celebrate with those back home who were watching us was just very surreal.”I think there’s something really special about 50-over World Cups – they obviously don’t come around as quickly. And to be able to play in India, too, where it’s a celebrated sport… so we are all really hungry and want to go as far as we can. We have been working really hard on all areas of the game, and yeah, to think it’s sort of coming a bit closer now is really exciting.”Kerr played just one game in last year’s T20 World Cup, but has certainly strengthened her all-round credentials ahead of the upcoming ODI tournament. In the 2024-25 Super Smash, New Zealand’s premier T20 competition, she reinvented her batting, scoring 326 runs in 11 innings at an average of 36.22 and strike rate of nearly 120, in Wellington Blaze’s run to the title. Only Amelia scored more runs in the tournament.

More recently at the Super Kings Academy, Kerr gave it a good whack against competitive bowlers, including India legspinner Asha Sobhana. She has always had the power – having played as a pinch-hitter in the past – and now she has learnt how to harness it.”I’m grateful for Cricket Wellington and the opportunity I got with the Blaze over the summer,” she says. “Just getting the opportunity to bat a bit higher and bat longer, and luckily had some performances go my way. I sort of learnt how to construct innings and now to try and do that at the international level and to be here in a batting camp is pretty special. Hopefully I can continue to develop that aspect of my game.”Ben Sawyer, the New Zealand head coach who travelled to Chennai to oversee the team’s prep, was impressed with Kerr’s progress as a batter. “She was obviously disappointed that she didn’t get to play in all the games [in the 2024 T20 World Cup] and in particular that final,” he says. “But we [team management] spoke to Jess about maybe [how] her batting could be a way into the team.”And to Jess’s credit, she worked really hard and put in huge performances in the Super Smash. She’s probably forced her way into the batting line-up, not to mention what she does with the ball. But credit goes to her for hearing a message, going away and working on it and then putting that into practice and getting the results in Super Smash.”Kerr’s bowling, of course, is her primary skill, and though pitches in India will likely favour spin more, she seems to have a reference point for what to do in these conditions. When New Zealand toured India for three ODIs late last year, she was their highest wicket-taker, with five strikes, despite sitting out one game.Sister act: the Kerrs after last year’s T20 World Cup title win•ICC/Getty Images”[Keeping the stumps in play] for as long as possible is going to be important in India, and I think we’ve seen that change of pace is of huge value as well,” she says. “So that’s something I’m always sort of wanting to work on, but I think just being as consistent as I can be with every delivery I bowl – that’s going to be of huge value for the team.”Kerr also wears another hat off the field – she teaches in the classrooms of Tawa Intermediate in Wellington, which she sees as an opportunity to give back to the community. “My family is also full of teachers, so I grew up around that, and it brings joy to give back to the community and all that,” she says. “I’m grateful for it as it’s given me a sense of the real world and grateful that I have come across people from those two jobs [teaching and cricket] as well.”Melie was a teacher’s aide, actually, when I was a teacher as well, so sometimes I got her to help with my math teaching when I was there; she’d take some of my kids out for a math lesson.”Who is the more popular White Fern in the Kerr extended family?”Ooh, tough question… Melie’s sort of won the boys’ support, and then I feel like the girls are a bit biased towards me,” Kerr laughs. “So I feel like each one probably has their favourites, but yeah, being the oldest maybe there’s a little bit of bias towards me. But who knows?”The loyalties won’t be divided for long as the Kerrs unite in India for ODI World Cup glory. Given the older sister’s development, she could now be a regular in the side and perhaps win another title, this time as a playing member. Who knows?

Abrarcadabra – the four-over spell that left Sri Lanka stupefied

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

His Wanindu Hasaranga celebration might stay in the memory, but what Abrar Ahmed achieved with the ball against Sri Lanka was nothing short of stupendous

Danyal Rasool24-Sep-2025Wanindu Hasaranga is barely a year older than Abrar Ahmed, but looked like an older man gently putting down a young upstart. Abrar, with a slightly impudent grin on his face, seemed to be convincing Hasaranga he had meant no offence. Not that Hasaranga, who wore a grin at least as equally broad, needed much convincing.He gave Abrar a pat on the head, the two men slapped each other’s chests and shoulders, and Abrar walked away still sporting the smile as he savoured successfully ribbing his ounterpart. Hasaranga gave him a parting pat on the back of the head and, as things tend to be between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, everything was swiftly all right once more.Perhaps the interaction took that slightly paternalistic tone because it is so easy to infantilise Abrar – and he appears to revel in it. He was the baby-faced 17-year-old who broke in at the PSL in a different lifetime. Even when, several years and debilitating back injuries later, he made his debut in Pakistan’s Test side, he was the smooth-faced boy with the slightly kooky action and the glasses. So he got stuck with Harry Potter.Related

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Nawaz and Talat trump Sri Lanka in nervy chase

A couple of years on, something resembling a beard was beginning to take shape and the glasses were replaced by contacts when he cleaned up Shubman Gill with a legspinner’s dream of a delivery at the Champions Trophy. By now, it was the wantonly provocative celebration, a flick of the head to send the batter on his way, that set the stage for both imitation and mockery, which Hasaranga deployed as such an effective counter to Abrar’s decision to appropriate the Sri Lankan’s celebration when he dismissed him earlier.It is pictures of that interaction that will dominate the way this game is committed to memory. Just like in 2022 when Abrar’s look – rather than the fact that he had become the first spinner to take five wickets in a session on debut in a Test match, is the dominant recollection from that day. Just like his unique send-off – rather than the quality of the ball that undid Gill – is what anyone remembers of that dismissal. Just like it will invariably be little more than a footnote that Abrar had delivered the most economical spell for a spinner in Asia Cup T20 history – eight runs in four overs.While a lot of players strain to imbue their game and personality with gravitas, Abrar is much more content hiding his behind the joy he takes from the game. It should not, however, detract from how valuable his role is to his side, or how seriously he takes it.

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On Sunday, in a nightmare of a game against India, Abrar bore the brunt against Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, his 42 in four the most expensive figures for his side. Until two weeks earlier, he had all but lost his place in Pakistan’s T20I side to left-arm wristspinner Sufiyan Muqeem, the new shiny toy, even if it does the same things as the old one and not as reliably. Muqeem is still in the squad and Pakistan’s selection fingers perpetually hover on the trigger. It’s a tough gig being a spinner judged by match figures when your stock in trade is taking risks, be it running through variations that are nearly impossible to execute accurately every time, or bowling in the powerplay.Sri Lanka and Pakistan had found themselves in similar situations today around the eight-over mark, each having lost four wickets after bright powerplays. In the chase, Pakistan managed to pull away from Sri Lanka’s bowlers, but Abrar had afforded Sri Lanka’s batters no such courtesy.He waltzed through his skillset with the easy confidence of a pianist hitting every note, fingers dancing on the keystrokes. He went wide outside off to Kamindu Mendis and Hasaranga, floating a couple of balls up. He fizzed a couple through with the back of the hand, and inverted his fingers, keeping the googly in play.Wanindu Hasaranga celebrates a wicket with the Abrar Ahmed celebration•MB Media/Getty ImagesA legspinner’s currency is wickets, and true, he only got the one – that of Hasaranga’s, which triggered that playful miming of the telephone celebration that the Sri Lankan was so keen to pay back with interest. But so wary did Sri Lanka become of the wicket-taking threat Abrar posed that thwarting it was all they had the bandwidth to deal with, run-scoring relegated to a trifling afterthought.Of his 24 balls, Sri Lanka played attacking shots to just two, the lowest for any bowler in a completed spell all tournament. No delivery yielded more than a single run, and 16 produced nothing more than a straight bat brought down in surrender. In the seven overs between the start of his spell and its conclusion, Sri Lanka scraped a mere 26 runs, the second-fewest in a similar phase this Asia Cup. It sent the Sri Lanka innings into a spiral it would never recover from, and left Hasaranga and company much too little to work with in their bid to thwart Abrar and his team.Shortly after the game was done, Abrar posted on his Instagram account. Abrar is not a prolific user of social media, but you could forgive him for making an exception on a day of such distinction. The picture, however, is one of Abrar leaning into a shot with Hasaranga, looking every inch the impertinent schoolboy who has managed to sneak into the players’ dressing room. “Great player and great man,” he said about the Sri Lankan.Hussain Talat was Player of the Match, Shaheen Afridi the leading wicket-taker, and Mohammad Nawaz the top-scorer who finished Sri Lanka off with a flourish. Abrar’s own contribution has been concealed almost entirely, with the legspinner appearing to do more than anyone else in merging into a camouflaged background. That the child in Abrar is having a good time appears to be what matters most to him, but as Sri Lanka found out today, he is, as far as spin bowling is concerned, quietly growing into Pakistan’s main man.

Road to the semis: Five teams in contention for one spot

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

While England, Australia and South Africa have already qualified for the knockouts, India, NZ, Bangladesh, SL and Pakistan are fighting to join them there

Sampath Bandarupalli18-Oct-2025 • Updated on 19-Oct-2025

India – Matches 5, Wins 2, Points 4, NRR 0.526

If India beat New Zealand and Bangladesh, they will finish on eight points and will make it to the semi-finals. They will, however, have to keep an eye on other results if they win only one of their next two games. If India’s third win of the tournament comes against New Zealand, they need to ensure their net run-rate is healthy enough to be ahead of Bangladesh, who could also finish with three wins if they beat Sri Lanka and India.Related

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  • 'It's extremely frustrating' – Captain Sophie Devine on New Zealand's back-to-back washouts in Colombo

A washout against New Zealand can also be a good result for India, even if they lose to Bangladesh (and New Zealand lose to England), unless one of Sri Lanka and Pakistan don’t end up with six points.If both of India’s games in Navi Mumbai get washed out, they will qualify for the semi-finals, but only if England beat New Zealand. If one of Sri Lanka and Pakistan are tied on six points with India in the aforementioned scenario, India will progress with a better net run-rate.

New Zealand – Matches 5, Wins 1, Points 4, NRR -0.245

New Zealand’s next match against India will be an all-or-nothing game for them, and a loss will end their World Cup campaign. If they win both their next two games, New Zealand will make it to the semi-finals.If New Zealand beat India but lose to England, they will have to hope Bangladesh beat India, but after losing to Sri Lanka. Even a washout in the game between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will be a positive result for New Zealand in the above scenario.Sri Lanka can finish with six points if they defeat Bangladesh and Pakistan, while Pakistan can finish on six if they beat South Africa and Sri Lanka. But New Zealand have a better net run-rate. However, if Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka, New Zealand will have to hope for a washout in Navi Mumbai when India face Bangladesh.New Zealand will make the semi-finals irrespective of other results if they beat India and their match against England gets washed out. A washout against India will be good for New Zealand only if they defeat England and India don’t bag two points against Bangladesh. They can progress to the semi-finals if both their remaining games are washed out, but only if none of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan get to six points.Bangladesh and Pakistan are fighting to stay alive in this World Cup•ICC/Getty Images

Bangladesh – Matches 5, Wins 1, Points 2, NRR -0.676

Bangladesh still have an outside chance of reaching the semi-finals. They will need to win their next two matches, against Sri Lanka and India, and hope England do them a favour by defeating New Zealand. If New Zealand also beat India and finish on six points, then Bangladesh will be through by virtue of more wins.If both India and New Zealand finish on six points, then Bangladesh have to look at winning big in their last two games, as their net run-rate is well behind India’s.

Sri Lanka and Pakistan – Matches 5, Wins 0, Points 2 (NRR -1.564 and -1.887)

Despite having no wins so far, both Sri Lanka and Pakistan are still in the race for the semi-finals.Sri Lanka have to win their remaining two matches against Pakistan and Bangladesh and hope India lose both their remaining games. They will also need England to beat New Zealand on the last day of the league stage.Sri Lanka will be tied on six points with New Zealand in the above scenario, but will be behind on net run-rate if they don’t win big in their remaining matches.The same is true for Pakistan, who will have to win their last two games, against South Africa and Sri Lanka, by margins that take their net run-rate ahead of New Zealand’s.

After Isak: Liverpool's "next Michael Owen" is destined to be the club's #9

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

Just when you think Liverpool have turned a corner, Arne Slot’s Reds ended up falling apart on their Premier League travels to Manchester City.

In the build-up to this showdown between two top-flight heavyweights, Liverpool had managed to collect two wins from their last two games in all competitions to ease concerns of a crisis occurring at Anfield.

However, football is a fickle old game, with the alarm bells ringing once more now, as City strolled to a 3-0 victory on their own patch.

Unfortunately, that demoralising defeat means Liverpool are already eight points behind Arsenal at the summit, as the likes of Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike continue to underwhelm in attack.

The former Eintracht Frankfurt marksman was branded an “anonymous” figure by Statman Dave after failing to fire a single effort on the City goal.

Still, it’s not as if Alexander Isak is banging down the door to replace the misfiring attacker…

Inside Isak's disappointing start at Liverpool

Isak remain rooted to the substitutes bench throughout the 3-0 defeat, with the Swede hoping he can get his Liverpool career up and running after the international break.

So far, the £125m summer recruit has been sparingly used, owing to a lack of pre-season being handed to him at former employers Newcastle United, with the expensive striker yet to break his Premier League duck for Slot and Co.

It’s way too early in his Anfield career to dismiss him as an extortionate flop, though, with Isak undoubtedly a Premier League goal machine when playing at his razor-sharp best, as seen when watching his 54-goal tally for the Toon.

But, he will need to start living up to his previous billing of being the “best striker in the Premier League”, a tag handed to him by ex-Liverpool great Jamie Carragher, particularly if Ekitike continues to also fail to recapture his own goal-scoring groove.

Slot does have other options up his sleeve in this frustrating lone striker spot if needs be, with an emerging 17-year-old talent at Anfield potentially in line to be the number 9 of the future.

Liverpool are brewing a mini Alexander Isak

The number 9 jersey at Liverpool is a shirt steeped in significant history, with Ian Rush becoming synonymous with that number when scoring an all-time best on Merseyside of 346 goals.

Moreover, in more recent times, Fernando Torres took on the weighty shirt and thrived, bagging 81 strikes from 142 games.

Fernando Torres celebrates for Liverpool

Unfortunately, Isak is going down the route of being remembered more as a Darwin Nunez-style figure now donning the number nine, who mustered up a weak 40 goals in total in England.

Who will be the next legendary 9? Well, a teenager by the name of Will Wright – a young individual being heralded as the “next Michael Owen” in some circles – will be praying it could be him.

Liverpool #9s – selected players

Player

Games

Goals

Ian Rush

654

346

Robbie Fowler

369

183

Ian St. John

424

118

Fernando Torres

142

81

Darwin Nunez

143

40

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Indeed, the young striker sensation has already been branded as a “great finisher” by Reds journalist Bence Boscak when plying his trade for League Two outfit Salford City while Total Football Analysis have suggested that he has ‘many of the characteristics to be a top-level centre-forward’.

In the academy ranks last season at the Ammies, Wright fired home a stunning 40 goals, which certainly shows off a striker capable of one day reaching Isak’s Newcastle heights in the senior set-up. It’s for that reason that the aforementioned Bocask believes he is a “brilliant signing.”

He even featured in pre-season under Slot when Athletic Club travelled to Anfield, with one big chance spurned when thrust into the thick of the action.

Arsenal reportedly had their eyes on the clinical youngster before Wright decided to move to Merseyside over North London, with the hope that he could live up to his early promise and become Liverpool’s next free-flowing number nine.

Injuries have curtailed his U21 minutes as of late, with the 17-year-old now out of action until December with a knee problem.

But, when he’s back, don’t write off a sudden rise into the first team scene that’s similar to Rio Ngumoha’s explosion, with the misfiring duo of Ekitike and Isak, also kept on their toes by some fresh blood.

Liverpool and Arsenal scouting new right-back who pocketed Gakpo

The Reds have set their sights on a new right-back.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 12, 2025

'I don't know how he scored' – Harry Kane's unique talent explained by ex-Man Utd star as England are told winning World Cup without Bayern Munich striker would be 'very difficult'

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Harry Kane’s unique talent has been explained by Wes Brown in an exclusive interview with GOAL. The Bayern Munich striker is one of the most fearsome No.9s in world football, with the record books being rewritten in domestic and international competition. Kane is currently waiting to discover who England will face in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.

  • England's GOAT: Kane closing in on more records

    He will, fitness permitting, head into that tournament as captain of the Three Lions. Kane is a talismanic presence for his country, with his historic haul of goals being raised to 78 through 112 games. He is also just 14 caps short of beating Peter Shilton’s all-time appearance record.

    That bar is expected to be raised in the not too distant future, with many suggesting that Kane should now be considered England’s GOAT. If he were to capture a major trophy with the Three Lions – bringing 60 years of pain to a close – then it would be difficult to argue against that standing being enjoyed.

    England will be leaning heavily on their skipper next summer – after seeing him hit eight goals in a faultless qualification campaign – with it seemingly imperative that he is fit and firing when another bid for global glory begins.

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  • Talismanic figure: Could England win without Kane?

    Quizzed on whether England could win the World Cup without Kane, ex-Manchester United and Three Lions defender Brown – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “It would be very difficult. Harry Kane has been so good because he knows where to be. It’s the same as [Cristiano] Ronaldo in the sense that ‘we’re not as young now, but’.

    “I marked Harry Kane a few times, it was at Sunderland. Honestly, for the majority of the game you think you are absolutely fine. It sounds really weird but you can ask many people: Who would you rather play against, a really fast young guy who is trying to run everywhere, into corners and doing 800 stepovers, or play against Harry Kane? The weird thing is, you might think Harry Kane. But the problem is that Harry Kane will leave with a goal on that day. How? I don’t know, but he will because he’s clever and he knows what to do and where to be. Is he running all over the place? No, I don’t think he has ever done that. When he gets in the box and you take your eye off him for a second, he’s in the right spot and he will score. Sometimes you go home thinking ‘I don’t know how he scored today’. It’s hard to explain. There are players that can do that. You’re like ‘I’m not that tired, I’ve not been running everywhere, he’s done his job when needed, held it up, turned, and all of a sudden he has scored!’

    “He’s a player that you definitely need in that squad, 100 per cent. With that experience now, doing it in Germany as well. I’m not saying we won’t score without him, but he 100 per cent starts for me and is captain.”

    Getty Images

  • Special precautions: England need Kane to be fit & firing

    Another former England star, Kane’s ex-Tottenham team-mate Fraizer Campbell, recently told GOAL when the same question was put to him: “It’s a difficult one. You have got [Ollie] Watkins, who is a quality player but he’s not in the same bracket as Harry Kane yet. It would be an issue.

    “We have got a lot of good, technical 10s who could potentially play higher up the pitch like a false nine. [Marcus] Rashford has played No.9 before and he’s doing well this season. It would be a big miss for us, but we would have to cope somehow. Maybe come the start of next year we just wrap him in cotton wool and tell him not to play too much for Bayern!”

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    World Cup draw: England to discover group stage opponents

    That may be the best solution, with Kane having surged beyond 100 goals for Bayern this season – on the back of breaking his trophy duck in Germany last term when becoming a Bundesliga title winner.

    He is now chasing down more medals with club and country and England will discover their 2026 World Cup group stage opponents when the draw takes place on December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.

Hasan Nawaz gives a peek into Pakistan's new era of T20 batting

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Long regarded as the next big thing, he showed the fresh approach Pakistan are pushing under Salman Agha

Osman Samiuddin21-Mar-2025Five balls, two ducks, two thumping losses is, it’s safe to conclude, not the best way to begin an international career. The fastest T20I hundred by a Pakistani, seeing home the fastest 200-plus chase in a T20I in the third game, it is equally safe to conclude, is a pretty good way to get over those first two. Hasan Nawaz, welcome to Pakistan cricket and Pakistan cricket, welcome to Hasan Nawaz.It has been some time coming, Nawaz long regarded as the next big thing by, among others, Shoaib Malik and Misbah-ul-Haq. Those views were formed in the aftermath of his breakthrough in the Kashmir Premier League in 2022, where, playing alongside Malik for Mirpur Royals, he took on the likes of Mir Hamza, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Amir and Zaman Khan. He ended that season as the second-highest scorer and, more revealingly, with the second-most sixes hit.It’s taken him some time to break through into the Pakistan side, a combination of Pakistan’s unbending faith in Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, as much as the injury which stalled Nawaz’s career somewhat over 2023. But the timing of his rebound has been perfect. Just as Pakistan have finally had enough with RizBar – for now – Nawaz impacted with the Lions team at the new T20 Champions Cup in December, again as the second-highest scorer overall, and again, as the second-most prolific six-hitter.Related

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Nawaz slams maiden ton as Pakistan chase 205 in 16 overs

Stats: Nawaz smashes fastest T20I hundred for Pakistan

And as an illustration of the new approach Pakistan are pushing under Salman Agha, the new T20I captain, Nawaz’s hundred was pitch perfect. Unaffected by the two preceding ducks and in line with the consistent messaging, from captain, vice-captain Shadab Khan, right through to the team management and selectors: attack, without fear of failure or repercussion.Not that there was no pressure when he went out on Friday.”Definitely, when I got out in the first two games I did think [this was it], you know how Pakistan can be, that I’ll go back to domestic cricket,” Nawaz said after the game. “But the way Agha and Shadab backed me, saying they know about my skill, whenever you play, you’ll win the game, so I had belief in that. Today, I just wanted to get that first single out of the way in international cricket. When that single came, all the pressure went away, and I just played my game.”That game was relentless attack, seven sixes in total, not very far from the ten in the entire New Zealand innings, and all around the ground. His favourite, he said, was the six straight down the ground off James Neesham, to bring up his fifty; Pakistani fans, desperate for 360-degree batters, will no doubt pick the nonchalant ramp off Ben Sears straight over the wicketkeeper’s head in the 15th over.As the chase neared its end, Agha tried to engineer a hundred for Nawaz. It wasn’t, Nawaz said, in his plans. “Yeah, Agha did say he was trying to get me to my hundred, but I told him, ‘no, forget that, just finish the match’. Finish it and if it is in my destiny to get a hundred, I’ll get it.”Fastest T20Is hundreds for Pakistan•ESPNcricinfo LtdIt was precisely the kind of selfless approach this Pakistan want. “In our minds, it is just attack,” Nawaz said. “The way other teams are playing cricket, that is the kind of cricket we want to play. Sure, we’ll fail at the start, but in our minds we are sure we want to play fearless cricket.”It was impressive also because of the unfamiliarity of conditions he was faced with. “Pacers get a little extra bounce here, and we’re used to low-bounce wickets at home. I’ve never played in conditions like this. So, it was quite different in the first two games for me. But then I batted a bit and sat down and chatted to the coach about what I was doing wrong. I took that with me to the crease today.”It was also some distance from his start in the game, inevitably through tape-ball cricket in Layyah, a small city in Southern Punjab. He is not the first Pakistan international from there – Munir Malik played three Tests for Pakistan in the 1960s as a medium-pacer. He said in a PCB interview that he used to pay the other boys some of his pocket money to bowl at him.But it was a move to the capital Islamabad that brought him onto national pathways. Nawaz went on the pretext of studying, staying with his sister, but soon started excelling at club level. It eventually led him into the Kashmir Premier League and then the PSL, via those hardened backers of top-order bashers, Islamabad United. He didn’t make an impact in limited opportunities, and an injury thereafter stalled his progress.But he returned this year with a maiden first-class hundred and then that impressive T20 Champions Cup, validation of the high esteem in which he is held by observers. All of it meant he was the hottest pick at this season’s PSL draft, snapped up by Quetta Gladiators.With Saim Ayub soon to return, as well as Fakhar Zaman, Nawaz’s impact – with the considerable caveat of continued management backing of this approach – Pakistan are as well-placed as they can hope to be for finally moving into the modern era of T20 batting.

Ferdinand says Tuchel "has to" select Welbeck in England's World Cup squad

by h79snht.top Uncategorized

Rio Ferdinand has now claimed Thomas Tuchel “has to” select Danny Welbeck in England’s World Cup squad next summer, having emerged as the second-best striker behind Harry Kane.

Captain Kane will almost certainly be a nailed-on starter at the World Cup, should he remain fit, given that the 32-year-old is the Three Lions’ leading all-time goalscorer, having scored 76 goals in 110 appearances.

The Bayern Munich star has also made an incredible start to the season, amassing 20 goals in 13 matches in all competitions, blowing existing records set by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi out of the water.

England’s back-up options aren’t quite as reliable, however, with Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, who scored the winner against the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-final, netting just one goal in nine Premier League appearances this season.

There may also be doubts about the inclusion of Ivan Toney, given that the 29-year-old arguably isn’t testing himself at the highest level week in week out, having signed for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli in the summer of 2024.

Ferdinand urges Tuchel to take Welbeck to the World Cup

As such, Ferdinand has now made the bold claim that Welbeck should be re-introduced to the England squad, saying: “He’s second to Harry Kane. If you’re talking form right now and the squad was being picked tomorrow, Danny Welbeck has to go, no?

“I would take him. If he finishes the season in the form he’s in right now, there’s no way you can’t take him because he’s only going there for a month, it ain’t like we’re saying to him he has to play a full season, you’ve got to be ready and that role he can do that, coming in and out, be a support act for someone like Harry Kane.”

“Right this second, right this moment in time, form wise he’s [Welbeck] above all of them [Ollie Watkins, Dominic Solanke and Ivan Toney], and playing in the best league in the world. He’s second, for me.”

The ex-Manchester United defender also added: “He’s a class act on and off the pitch, a great guy.”

In fairness, the Brighton striker is in far better form than Watkins, having scored five goals in his last four Premier League games, most recently finding the back of the net against former club Man United with a remarkable free-kick.

That said, it may be a risk for Tuchel to reintroduce the striker to the squad, given that it has been a long time since he was involved in the England set-up, with the 34-year-old’s last cap coming in a friendly against Switzerland way back in 2018.

There is also still plenty of football to be played before the England boss decides his squad, and Toney should arguably be on the plane as the main back-up for Kane, having proven he can handle big-game pressure by coolly converting a penalty against Switzerland in the 2024 Euros quarter-final.

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Tottenham willing to launch £70m bid for Real Madrid star as Perez weakens sale stance

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly willing to launch a £70m offer to sign Rodrygo from Real Madrid after the Spanish giants weakened their sale stance ahead of 2026.

The Lilywhites are looking to make a statement move next year in a new era without Daniel Levy. They already stole headlines when they won the race to sign Xavi Simons in the summer, but signing one of Real Madrid’s attacking stars would take Thomas Frank’s side to a whole new level.

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1 ByTom Cunningham Nov 9, 2025

Whether they’ll be in a position to convince Rodrygo to join is difficult to say, however. Whilst Tottenham sit as high as fifth and only four points off second place Manchester City, they’re also on a run of just one win in their last four games in all competitions. Life under Frank has simply shown promise but featured inconsistency.

Saturday’s frantic 2-2 draw against Manchester United summed things up. Spurs were toothless and then ruthless as they came from behind to lead 2-1 in the 91st minute only for Matthijs de Ligt to equalise for the Red Devils in the last minute.

The international break comes at a good time after such a dramatic game, but things don’t get any easier for those in North London. Up next, Spurs are set to square off against Arsenal in the North London derby. The Gunners haven’t lost since August and just conceded for the first time in over 13 hours against Sunderland.

Up against the best defence in the league, if not the world, questions will be asked about the star power in Tottenham’s frontline. They’ll already likely be without summer arrival Randal Kolo Muani through injury in a frustrating blow despite his goalscoring woes, and will be forced to turn to Richarlison to get their frontline firing on all cylinders.

It’s a problem that needs addressing in 2026 and one that Rodrygo could certainly help solve.

Tottenham now willing to launch £70m Rodrygo offer

According to reports in Spain, Tottenham are now willing to launch an offer to sign Rodrygo worth as much as €80m (£70m) in 2026. The Brazilian has struggled for game time under Xabi Alonso and could yet seek a move away ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Meanwhile, Florentino Pérez and co. are now reviewing the winger’s future and are more likely to accept a big-money offer for a player who is becoming less motivated sat on their bench week in, week out.

Alonso’s trash would instantly become Frank’s treasure. Rodrygo would transform Tottenham’s attack as a multiple-time Champions League winner and as one of the best wingers in world football. The Brazilian is also a player who has received incredibly high praise and comparisons with Real Madrid legend Raul – that’s the level that he’s at.

At £70m, everything points towards a player that Tottenham should go all out to sign when the January transfer window swings open.

Spurs flop who's been "swallowed by PL" must be dropped for Odobert

Devine wants New Zealand to 'hiss and roar' past Australia

by csb10.top Uncategorized

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine started her media assignments for the 2025 World Cup just like how she wants her side to play their opening game against Australia on Wednesday: with a hiss and a roar.She waltzed into the press conference room donning a White Ferns jumper in the freezing air-conditioned room. She had brought some warmth with her, it would seem. Except when she started to face some hard-hitting questions.”You haven’t beaten Australia in eight years,” she was coldly reminded straightaway of their record against the reigning champions. New Zealand have lost all their last 15 completed ODIs against Australia.Related

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“Thanks for that stat,” she retorted before quashing away such historical records. “I think it’s a great opportunity. Those stats are there and we’re aware of them, but at World Cups, it doesn’t matter. I think records and previous results go out the window for us. It’s a really exciting opportunity to take on the reigning one-day champions first up. We love any opportunity that we get to play against Australia. It’s sort of like our big sister. We’re really excited about that. And come game day, both teams start on zero. So, again, really excited for the opportunity.”Another journalist then asked something that stumped her again. “How does it feel to come out of retirement to lead your country again?” (She hadn’t, she is retire from ODIs after this World Cup).As if Devine knew that was coming, she shot back saying, “I haven’t retired. I haven’t retired,” she repeated to sear it into his memory. “Are you saying I need to retire? Is that what you’re saying? That’s okay. It’s okay.”Devine meant it all in jest though and normalcy soon resumed even when she was asked about the weaknesses in New Zealand’s middle order, which she didn’t quite agree with.Sophie Devine wants New Zealand to play ‘strong and aggressive’ at the World Cup•AFP/Getty Images

“…The middle order has been going considerably well,” she said. “Maddy Green, Izzy Gaze both scoring hundreds [in the warm-ups]. I know you’re probably talking about official one-day matches, but for us, we’ve built really nicely. We haven’t played a lot of cricket, especially one-day format, over the last six-nine months, but it’s certainly something that we’re aware of. We know that in this competition, especially on some of the wickets that we’re going to face over here in India, that run-scoring is going to be incredibly important. It’s up to everyone.”We can’t just rely on the top four, we need the middle order. There’s going to be crucial runs scored by the lower order as well at some stage during this tournament. I think if you look to the India-Australia series just before this, 400 nearly wasn’t enough. I think it’s really exciting. As batters, we certainly know that we want to take ownership and responsibility of being the ones that do the bulk of the work. We’re really excited to be able to play on wickets like this, which I think are really conducive for scoring runs.”New Zealand have the most unenviable task in this World Cup: starting their campaign against seven-time champions Australia. But even a win over them would not count for more than two points because each team plays seven league games and will need a consistent run of victories to make the semi-finals in the eight-team tournament.”I don’t think we can necessarily focus on one game,” she said about the clash on Wednesday. “I think for us, every match is going to be incredibly important. Absolutely, we want to start this tournament with a real hiss and a roar and make sure that we come out really strong and aggressive. And the fact that it’s Australia that we play first, I think for us, what we keep going back to is making sure that we play our style of cricket. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing against.2:02

McGrath on playing NZ: ‘We know each other’s game really well’

“Absolutely, everyone wants to win their first game, but there’s still a lot of cricket. It’s over a month of cricket to be played. For us, our focus is on making sure that we can execute to our skills for long periods of time. Absolutely. We want to beat these Aussies first up and get some points on the board, but it’s probably more important for us on how we play that game.”If New Zealand look at their trans-Tasman rivals as their “big sister,” their opponents also look at it as a not-so-intense rivalry.”We’ve got a really nice rivalry with New Zealand. We call it the friendly rivalry,” Australia vice-captain Tahlia McGrath said. “We’ve played each other a lot over the last 12 months and sort of know each other’s game really well through franchise cricket as well. And we just finished our prep meeting and think we match up really nicely. So we go ahead into this clash really, really confident and really excited.”McGrath agreed with Devine in saying that such records of a 15-0 streak in ODIs between the two teams became “irrelevant” in World Cups where the pressure is different and every game becomes “crucial.”But there’s no denying that the team that ends up winning by the end of Wednesday night will have its job of making it to the last four much easier.

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