Category Uncategorized

Their 48-run win is their 15th consecutive T20 victory in the UAE as captain Afghan equalled Dhoni’s record for the most wins in this format

Firdose Moonda19-Mar-2021

Afghanistan sealed the T20I series against Zimbabwe, with a match to play, in another authoritative display with both bat and ball. Their 48-run win is their 15th consecutive T20 victory in the UAE and captain Asghar Afghan has equalled MS Dhoni’s record for the most wins in this format.Usman Ghani and Karim Janat’s 102-run second-wicket stand laid the foundation for Afghanistan to post a total close to 200. They fell seven short, but it was still more than enough against a Zimbabwe side that has not come to grips with how to pace a chase. Zimbabwe’s biggest partnership of 62-run between Ryan Burl and Richmond Mutumbami kept them in the game but collapses at the beginning and end of their innings meant they were always behind the game. Zimbabwe slumped to 56 for 5 inside seven overs and then lost four wickets for seven runs in seven balls at the end. They have not won a T20I since October 2019.Lucky No.13 Mohammad Nabi had gone 12 T20Is without a wicket before he bowled Zimbabwean captain Sean Williams, who missed a slog sweep and lost his offstump. The dismissal was celebrated enthusiastically by Afghanistan’s batting coach HD Ackerman but it wasn’t Nabi’s biggest contribution on the day. That came a little earlier with his 40 off 15 balls, and later, when he ended the 62-run stand between Richmond Mutumbami and Ryan Burl that threatened to keep Zimbabwe in the hunt.With the bat, Nabi took Afghanistan’s total from middle to mammoth and was an exhibition of power-hitting. Nabi struck three sixes off legspinner Brandon Mavuta in the 16th over, all over long-on to bring up 24 runs off 7 balls for himself and elevate Afghanistan’s scoring rate over nine runs an over. He hit one more six, off Muzarabani, when the tall seamer missed a yorker before holing out off a slower ball in the penultimate over of Afghanistan’s innings. By then, the stage was set for Asghar Afghan and Rashid Khan to have some fun and they took 18 runs off the last over to take Afghanistan close to 200.Rashid’s records mount The third-highest wicket-taker in T20Is. All because of three wickets in one over that ended Zimbabwe’s hopes of staying in the series. Rashid Khan went for runs – 23 in his first two overs, 21 of them off Burl – but he had the final say once again. Searching for big runs, Burl was caught at deep mid-wicket when he didn’t get hold of the first delivery of Rashid’s third over. Two balls after that, Brandon Mavuta swept to long-on. And three balls later, Donald Tiripano was bowled as he missed the reverse sweep.Rashid Khan poses with a special cap gifted to him on the occasion of his 50th T20I appearance•Abu Dhabi Cricket

Power in the powerplay Left-arm seamer Richard Ngarava’s two overs for three runs in the powerplay kept Afghanistan quiet in the opening period of their innings but with one over of fielding restriction left, Karim Janat decided to up the ante. He took 20 runs off Blessing Muzarabani’s second over including a six down the ground, two cuts that went for four, and upper cut off a short, wide delivery that sailed for six. Janat left Afghanistan one away from fifty runs at the end of the powerplay and had raced to 33 off 18 balls. While Ghani farmed most of the strike in the next six overs, Janat brought up his fifty off 31 balls in the 13th over.The first no-baller no-one wants Tinashe Kamunhukamwe enjoyed Zimbabwe’s best batting return from the first T20I and their worst in this match when he was dismissed off the first ball of the innings. He was hit on the back leg by a Naveen-ul-Haq ball that moved in sharply from outside off stump. Kamunhukamwe cleared his front leg to try and hit it to the leg side but missed and was struck on the knee, as the pad slipped down. Aleem Dar gave it out lbw, although there may be an argument for the ball sliding past leg stump especially as the wicketkeeper was moving that way, but Kamunhukamwe had more to worry about than that. He needed on-field treatment for what will likely be a painful bruise and had to be helped off the field.Decisions in the spotlight Zimbabwe had another batsman who may also have felt aggrieved with the decision made against him. Richmond Mutumbami had reached a run-a-ball 21 when he missed a reverse-sweep and was given out lbw to Nabi, although replays showed he may have been hit outside the line. There is no DRS in this series, but it would have been welcome.

“If what I have heard about the episode is true, it is indeed shocking and disheartening”

12-Jan-2021Former India seamer Irfan Pathan threw his weight behind Deepak Hooda after the player stormed out of Baroda camp alleging misbehaviour by captain Krunal Pandya, saying such incidents can have “adverse effects” on a player.Hooda, who has played 46 first-class matches, was miffed at the behaviour of Pandya, who has also represented India, during the recent camp for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.”During the difficult times of this pandemic wherein mental health of a player is of utmost importance as they have to stay in a bio-bubble as well as keep themselves focused on the game, such incidents may have adverse effects on a player and should be avoided,” Pathan said in a statement posted on Twitter on Tuesday.Expressing shock over the incident involving the two players ahead of the tournament, Pathan urged the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) to look into the matter. “Requesting all the members of the BCA to look into this and condemn such actions since they are not good for the game of cricket,” he said.Pathan, who played 29 Tests and 120 ODIs, also slammed the BCA for “overlooking” promising players.”Being an ex-captain of Baroda and having mentored many youngsters, I understand how important it is to have a harmonious environment where players can feel safe, play freely and give their best for the team,” he said. “If what I have heard about the Deepak Hooda episode is true, it is indeed shocking and disheartening. No player should be treated like this.”Pathan, who was part of the 2007 T20 World Cup-winning team, spoke about young players being overlooked by BCA despite performing in recent years.”In the recent past, there have been episodes wherein the deserving young talents who have performed well and are under the age of 30 have been overlooked for selection,” he said. “Also, the likes of Aditya Waghmode, who was the highest run-scorer for the Baroda team in the last season of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, scoring 364 runs and Swapnil Singh, who had all-round performance, scoring 216 runs and took 10 wickets, were overlooked.”

Kieran McKenna has come to debutant Harry Clarke's defence despite the defender being sent off in Ipswich's defeat to Brentford.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• McKenna defends Clarke
• Had a nightmare debut against Brentford
• The Bees clinched a 4-3 win over the Tractor Boys

• (C)GettyImages
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former Arsenal youth player Clarke endured a nightmare debut in the Premier League as he was sent off in the 69th minute, having already conceded a penalty and accidentally scored an own goal as Ipswich suffered a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Brentford. Despite the player's multiple mistakes in the game, manager McKenna came to the 23-year-old's defence as he protected him from social media criticism.

Advertisement

• WHAT KIERAN MCKENNA SAID

  Speaking to reporters at his post-match press conference, McKenna said, "It's his Premier League debut and he has not started a game since April. So, he will get plenty of support from us. He did some good things in the game, and there have been some good things In his performance, but there are a few things, of course, a few defensive moments, that you want to do better on and he'll be disappointed with.

  "He is a young player, making his Premier League debut, coming back from a big injury and because of the injuries we have, we had to throw him straight into the team where ideally he'd have a longer period, maybe coming off the bench like all of our players and our culture. He'll take his mistake on the chin I am sure and look to learn from it and work hard on those things in training and come back again stronger."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Clarke has been an integral part of the Ipswich side under McKenna that secured back-to-back promotions to the top division. Unfortunately, he remained sidelined with an injury since April this year and had to wait until late October to finally make his debut in the English top flight. The Tractor Boys are yet to register a win in the Premier League in the 2024-25 campaign and are currently just a point above the relegation zone.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• WHAT NEXT FOR IPSWICH TOWN?

  McKenna's men will aim to register their first win in the league next Saturday as they take on Leicester City in an important encounter at home.

After coming so close to the Premier League title for the second successive season, Arsenal now look to use the transfer window to bring in the players that can hopefully finally take them back to the summit of English football.

Arsenal eye fresh faces this summer

Before the curtain had even drawn on last season, much of the Emirates' faithful already knew that their side needed to sign a striker this summer.

Arsenal struck gold on Arteta signing who's worth even more than Kimmich

Joshua Kimmich could sign for Arsenal this summer according to reports.

ByMatt Dawson Jul 1, 2024

Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres have been the two names linked with a move to North London during the transfer window. The rumours linking the former with a move to the Emirates have cooled in recent weeks however after the Slovenia international signed a new contract at RB Leipzig.

Whilst Sesko looks set to stay this summer, the links with Gyokeres remain intact, with recent reports even suggesting that Arsenal have agreed on an initial £76 million package for the Swedish talisman, that could rise to around £101million with add-ons.

With the Gunners' hunt for a striker well under way, attention has turned towards reinforcements in defence. Italy star Riccardo Calafiori is the name at the top of Mikel Arteta's wishlist although the Bologna man now appears more interested in a reuniuon with Juventus boss Thiago Motta.

In preparation for if they are to lose out on Calafiori, Arsenal are now considering a move for another highly rated centre back who has starred at this summer's Euro 2024 tournament.

Gunners consider move for England star

As reported by Football London, Arsenal are said to be considering a move for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi. The outlet claims that the English centre back is seen as the Gunners' back up option if they are to fail in their pursuit of Calafiori this summer.

Guehi enjoyed something of a breakout season last term, starring as Palace underwent a tactical revolution under new boss Oliver Glasner.

The 23-year-old has taken his domestic form into Euro 2024 with Guehi starting in all of England's games at the competition so far. He even managed to grab himself an assist in Sunday's victory over Slovakia, cementing himself as one of the Three Lions' most consistent performers in the tournament.

It was his performances over the course of last season that saw Guehi earn plaudits from England boss Gareth Southgate. Speaking back in October 2023, the Three Lions' boss waxed lyrical about the defender, telling the press: “Marc is doing really, really well. He’s played with great maturity in the two games last month.

‘He’s a very calm player [and] positionally excellent. [He is] composed with the ball, [has a] very good mentality, so we think he’s developing very well.”

Guehi's zen-like approach to defending makes sense when you understand his influences. The defender spoke on the players he had learned from in a 2023 interview, telling Crystal Palace's club website: “I think Paolo Maldini said something like: ‘If you have to make a tackle, you weren’t in the right position in the first place'".

With the South London outfit slapping a reported £65 million price tag on Guehi this summer, it is clear that the Eagles are not eager to let their player leave. Despite this, the temptation of Champions League football at the Emirates may prove too much when Guehi returns from Germany this month.

The 2023/24 campaign fizzled out like a disappointing firework at Molineux but Gary O'Neil and his Wolverhampton Wanderers squad have shown enough to suggest the upcoming term will bring promise and thrills.

Many supporters are left waiting for an unconscionable amount of time during the early phase of the summer transfer window but Wolves have already signalled a statement of intent by signing 20-year-old winger Rodrigo Gomes from Braga for a £13m fee.

He's pacy and nimble and willing to put in a shift, and if the £60m-rated Pedro Neto is to be sold this summer, prudent moves have been made to secure his services.

Wolves still hope to sign a centre-forward, however, and if Neto is indeed allowed to leave, O'Neil will have ample funds to bolster his frontline, with one long-term target appearing to be the perfect fit.

Wolves could sign new striker

Only a few weeks ago, it looked nailed-on that Che Adams would join Wolves upon the expiry of his contract with Southampton this month, but interest from a host of other suitors has since cast the deal into doubt.

Still, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Wolves will indeed sign a striker this summer, and with this in mind, Fosun could now act on interest in Salernitana striker Boulaye Dia.

According to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport earlier this week – via Sport Witness – Wolves' pursuit of Dia has hit a snag, with the Premier League side yet to meet Salernitana's price tag of €20m (£17m).

Why Boulaye Dia would be perfect for Wolves

Dia has suffered a series of disagreements with his Serie A team over the past year and this has inhibited his chances of building on an exemplary 2022/23 campaign.

Matches played

33

17

Matches started

27

12

Goals

16

4

Assists

6

0

Big chances missed

5

3

Pass completion

77%

84%

Shots per game

1.5

1.7

Key passes per game

1.1

0.6

Dribbles per game

1.1

0.8

Duels won per game

3.3

2.8

The 27-year-old has proven himself a high-level goalscorer and in new conditions at Wolves, he may be able to shift the currents that have disrupted his football of late.

Scoring 16 goals (in 2022/23) while only missing five big chances is a remarkably clinical ability; it's no wonder that journalist Jonas Adnan Giæver hailed him as a "beast" and an "absolute monster" back in 2021, a portent of success to come.

The Senegalese's creativity and dynamism are characteristics that make him much more than simply a goalscorer, with his ball-playing ability simply a further instrument to a wide-ranging array of qualities. As per FBref, the £42k-per-week ace actually ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion.

This level of technical ability would only serve to boost the recently-signed Gomes, whose dynamic wide role – on either flank – demands a clinical talisman who also offers connective play through crisp passing movements.

Target Scouting reporter Joe Pearce said that the Portuguese starlet "has rapid acceleration and the stamina to make real lung-bursting runs from deeper positions.

"When he spots space ahead, he attacks it and shows real intensity in wanting to break forward and anticipate second balls, attacking the back post and following up on shots looking for rebounds, and has scored and assisted from this type of situation."

Gomes is a young talent and will indeed need assistance in acclimatising to life in the Premier League, and while Molineux already boasts a top-class striker in Matheus Cunha, Dia could take his place in the team if need be.

With such a versatile approach to his attacking play, Dia could even be a feasible replacement for Cunha, should the Brazilian leave this summer.

Wolves hope to continue their 2023/24 top scorer, but with Manchester United in pursuit and Cunha admitting that he is flattered by the Red Devils' interest, saying "it’s a real honour to have your name linked to Manchester United. One of the biggest clubs in the world."

Cunha might have enjoyed a rich goalscoring season but that is merely one string to a vibrant bow, also ranking among the top 14% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 10% for pass completion, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 5% for progressive carries, the top 3% for successful take-ons and the top 17% for tackles per 90.

Dubbed "a complete player" by former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui, Cunha is a fantastic, influential player but Dia could certainly imitate his role in O'Neil's team, should push come to shove.

How Wolves' starting XI could look after £83m summer spending spree

The Old Gold might not boast the deep pockets of other teams but some exciting arrivals could be welcomed this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 9, 2024

Shane Watson feels “it was a loss for India’s one-day team” that they didn’t pick Ambati Rayudu for the 2019 World Cup, saying after the middle-order batsman’s match-turning innings for Chennai Super Kings against Mumbai Indians in the 2020 IPL opener that it was “incredible” the way he countered Jasprit Bumrah in Abu Dhabi.”Rayudu batted absolutely beautifully for his 71 (in 48 balls),” Watson said in a chat during his podcast. “He is an incredibly talented batsman and I think it was a loss for India’s one-day team by not picking him in the 2019 World Cup squad.”To be able to take down Jasprit Bumrah like he did was incredible. He’s got scoring options all around the ground. And he’s got a fair bit of point to prove as well against his old team Mumbai.”Rayudu walked in at 6 for 2 after two overs in the Super Kings’ chase of Mumbai’s 162 for 9. He then put on 115 runs with Faf du Plessis for the third wicket to put his team on the doorstep of victory, and the South African stayed till the end to finish with an unbeaten 58. But it was not just Rayudu and du Plessis. As Watson pointed out, new recruits Piyush Chawla and Sam Curran also played big hands – Chawla ended with figures of 1 for 21 in four overs, while Curran got 1 for 28 before smashing a crucial six-ball 18 at the death.”Piyush Chawla bowled incredibly well, getting the crucial wicket of Rohit Sharma,” Watson said. “[His] 1 for 21 in four overs is an amazing start. Also, Sam Curran went for 28 runs in his spell and got the key wicket of Quinton de Kock. And then his cameo at the end, coming in when we needed a little bit of a burst in the run rate – 18 off six balls, what a start for him!”Du Plessis’ hand was a crucial one, as it allowed Rayudu to play the way he wanted, with freedom. “Faf and his anchoring of our innings [was important]. 163 isn’t a massive total, but for him to anchor the innings was really crucial,” Watson said.The Super Kings next play Rajasthan Royals in Sharjah on Tuesday, and would hope to make it two in two against a side that will miss one of its stalwarts – Jos Buttler – with a bit of uncertainty surrounding the participation of Ben Stokes and Steven Smith too.

Michael Carrick is arguably one of the most underrated players to have ever graced the Premier League, let alone Manchester United.

The artist playing in the defensive midfield role made 464 appearances for the Red Devils before leaving in 2018.

For context of just how unbelievably talented he truly was, even Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola said, “He’s one of the best holding midfielders I’ve ever seen in my life.”

So, have they replaced him? Arguably not. Let's take a look at a defensive midfield target who could fill the void left by Carrick, a player who has has plenty of similarities to a certain Declan Rice.

Man Utd’s quest to find a defensive midfielder

According to a report from journalist Shaun Connolly, Man Utd are interested in signing Ben Sheaf from Coventry City.

The midfielder joined the Championship club permanently in 2021 after coming through the ranks at Arsenal.

It’s mentioned that the Englishman “impressed” all season, as well as against the Red Devils at Wembley in the FA Cup.

Sheaf wouldn’t exactly break the bank, as a fee of £21m would secure his services this summer, which is an indication of the type of signing Ratcliffe will look to make.

How Sheaf compares to Carrick and Rice

Six years on from his exit, Man United still haven’t been able to acquire a midfielder of a similar class and standard to Carrick.

Even The Athletic produced an article on the absence of a replacement for the former United icon, saying that a whole host of attributes have been missing since his departure.

Those were listed as: “Passing ability, vision, controlling of the tempo, understanding of the game, and positioning in and out of possession.”

It’s quite clear that almost every attribute mentioned above is key for a number six, and Sheaf could just serve as the solution to United’s Carrick dilemma.

As you can see below, Sheaf has plenty of characteristics that mirror those of the current Middlesbrough manager.

Sheaf & Rice 23/24 League Stats vs Carrick 15/16 PL Stats

Stats

Sheaf

Rice

Carrick

Touches

76.5

71.8

64.7

Passes completed

49.9

53.1

48.4

Pass accuracy

85%

91%

86%

Passes completed (Opp half)

28.3

31.2

29

Tackles

3.4

2.2

1.5

Interceptions

1.4

1.2

1.6

Duels won

6.4

4.1

2.9

Via Sofascore

Firstly, they are both extremely technical players who are able to dictate the tempo of play and control a game with ease, whether that’s using one-touch passes or baiting a press with touches.

The duo also retain the ball brilliantly, as shown by their pass accuracy, and they’re not afraid to step further forward to make their team more dominant and even serve as a threat from range, as shown by their completed passes in the opposition half and the clip below.

On the other hand, Sheaf and Carrick also provide plenty of defensive security, not only because of their ability to execute defensive actions but also because of their reading of the game.

Another vital aspect of the Coventry midfielder's game is that he is a “monster” when it comes to winning the ball back, as per football writer Raj Chohan.

He also said that Sheaf is “Rice-esque” in terms of his ability to cover ground with ease, and the statistics further highlight their similarities, in terms of defensive dominance and technical class.

This in particular has been a huge issue at United this season, with Casemiro lacking the athleticism to match the speed of the Premier League, as shown by the fact he was dribbled past 2.2 times per game last season.

Overall, Sheaf would be a fantastic signing, and he has everything that a Premier League side would want in a defensive midfielder. Could he just become the new Carrick and United's very own Rice?

Related Man Utd eyeing Casemiro replacement who’d be a "monster" next to Mainoo

The Man Utd target is now a “priority.”

Posts ByTom Lever Jun 5, 2024

No 50-overs games for men in proposed plan; overall match count down to 1183 from 2036 last season

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Aug-2020The BCCI is mulling a truncated domestic season in 2020-21, with the men starting from November 19 with the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and ending with the Ranji Trophy on March 10. The tentative plan, seen by ESPNcricinfo, is yet to be ratified, but has no 50-overs competitions – neither Vijay Hazare Trophy nor Deodhar Trophy – in a season that also has no place for the first-class Duleep Trophy and the Irani Cup.Senior women’s cricket will feature both the One Day League and the T20 League, albeit with fewer games than the 2019-20 season, and is scheduled between November 1 and April 12. Challenger Trophies across all categories – men and women, senior and junior – find no place in the proposal.!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var e in a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var t=document.getElementById(“datawrapper-chart-“+e)||document.querySelector(“iframe[src*='”+e+”‘]”);t&&(t.style.height=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][e]+”px”)}}))}();