Tag Futebol

The legspinner went through Victoria’s resistance in dramatic style late on the final day

AAP04-Nov-2024Lloyd Pope spun South Australia to their first Sheffield Shield victory over Victoria in nine years, claiming six wickets to seal victory with 16 minutes to spare.In a thrilling and somewhat controversial finish at Adelaide Oval, Pope took 6 for 74 to have Victoria all out for 207 in pursuit of an unlikely target of 346.Pope took four wickets in 13 minutes to win the match, after Victoria looked likely to claim a draw with four wickets in hand and 30 minutes left before stumps.Related

All-round Manenti gives South Australia chance of victory

Couch's historic hat-trick and Agar's guile dismantle Tasmania

The win marked South Australia’s first win over Victoria since 2015-16, with the two teams having played 18 games since then.But the finish was not without drama, with Victoria’s Campbell Kellaway given out at bat-pad among the flurry of late wickets. Kellaway appeared bewildered by the call, with replays suggesting the ball may have come flush off the pad and not hit his bat on the way to the fielder.From there it appeared inevitable that Pope would take South Australia to victory, before he wrapped up the match by trapping Cameron McClure lbw attempting to leave the ball.Pope’s figures made for just the third five-wicket haul of his Sheffield Shield career, and his first in four years after bursting on to the scene as a cult hero in the 2017 Under-19 World Cup.Pope had always looked the most threatening of South Australia’s bowlers on a deteriorating day-four wicket. The legspinner was the only bowler to threaten Victoria’s batters in the opening session, with Ashley Chandrasinghe and Kellaway well set.Henry Thornton eventually got the breakthrough in the middle session when he had Chandrasinghe caught at slip with a fast-rising ball. And while Thornton also removed Tom Rogers shortly after, it was always Pope who looked the most likely to take charge of the game.He had Peter Handscomb superbly caught by player-of-the-match Ben Manenti at first slip for 8, then drew Sam Harper’s back foot out of his crease to have him stumped for 5.And after Mitchell Perry chewed up 80 balls in a 25-over partnership with Kellaway, it was Pope who got the crucial wicket in the final hour.The 24-year-old spun a ball back from outside the left-hander’s off stump, bowling Perry for 9 as the No. 8 went back to cut. Kellaway’s wicket came in Pope’s next over, before he had Peter Siddle caught at slip to leave Victoria nine wickets down.And when No. 11 McClure offered no shot to a ball that went straight on, Pope had ensured South Australia would stay second on the ladder with a rare win over their old rivals.

Sri Lanka have not played a Test in Galle in over a year, while one of their main spinners has not played long-format cricket for many months. Could this be why Sri Lanka’s slow bowlers were inaccurate on day two of their Test against New Zealand?Spin bowling coach Craig Howard wasn’t exactly trying to absolve the Sri Lanka spinners, but did suggest they needed a bit of time to get back into the groove in Galle. Still, they could have done better than they did, he said.”If we’d bowled the way we’d have liked to, we’d be in a much better position,” Howard said. “If we were able to hold our line and length for longer, it would have been much more difficult for the New Zealand batters to rotate the strike the way they did, and we’d have limited the boundary balls as well. We pay heavy attention to controlling the run rate, and we didn’t do that today.”Related

• Yes, you're still inside the Kamindu Mendis fever dream

• Latham, Williamson fifties extend New Zealand's advantage

• Latham's sweeps show NZ will not get bogged down on turning tracks

On a Galle track taking plenty of turn, Sri Lanka’s primary spinners – Ramesh Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya – took just a wicket apiece on Thursday. Jayasuriya gave away 99, in his 31 overs.”Prabath was fractionally off. He’s a very proud man,” Howard said. “You average 22 at Galle for a reason, so I’m sure he’ll come back, and I’m sure he’ll have a major impact on this Test.”Ramesh was more expensive than Jayasuriya, however, going at an economy rate of more than four in his 17 overs. Where Jayasuriya had played in two of Sri Lanka’s three Tests in England, Ramesh had been on the sidelines throughout.”Ramesh Mendis hasn’t played a red-ball game for probably a few months now,” Howard said. “He’s been on an England tour not playing, and the LPL (Lanka Premier League) prior to that. He was probably a fraction off from a length-and-line point of view.”The New Zealand batters’ shot-making did present a challenge, Howard said. But he had confidence that if Sri Lanka’s spinners bowled accurately, the match could turn in their favour.”Control of line and length is the first thing. If we do that there’s enough in this wicket. The game can speed up very quick in the back end. We could be on or two wickets away from having a first-innings lead. Ideally we can go through them in a hurry and end up with a lead, but if not have a small target to catch up.”

كشف مصدر بـ النادي الأهلي، عن أول قرار تجاه اللاعبين بعد التعادل خلال مباراة اليوم أمام إنبي، ضمن منافسات الدوري المصري.

وتعادل الأهلي مع إنبي، إيجابيا بهدف لمثله، في إطار مباريات الجولة السادسة من عمر مباريات بطولة الدوري المصري.

طالع | أحمد حسن: الأهلي يفتقد الروح والشراسة.. وهناك شيء غير مفهوم!

ويحتل الأهلي المركز الخامس عشر في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري، برصيد 6 نقاط جمعها من الفوز بمواجهة وحيدة وهزيمة أمام بيراميدز والتعادل في 3 لقاءات.

وقال المصدر في تصريحات خاصة لـ بطولات: “العقوبات مستمرة على اللاعبين بعد التعادل مع إنبي بسبب سوء الأداء الفني”.

وأتم: “سيتم توقيع العقوبة من وليد صلاح الدين مدير الكرة على لاعبي الأهلي بخصم من راتبهم الشهري بسبب سوء الأداء”.

ومن المقرر أن يواصل الأهلي مبارياته في الدوري المصري بخوض لقاء قوي أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا، في إطار مواجهات الجولة السابعة من المسابقة المحلية. 

All eyes are on Chelsea’s Club World Cup commitments, although that has not stopped the transfer rumour mill rumbling on in the background, with further deals seemingly set to follow, following the notable capture of Liam Delap last month.

While the Blues appear to have ended their interest in AC Milan goalkeeper, Mike Maignan, the club’s pursuit of Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens continues, despite missing out on the Englishman ahead of the previous transfer deadline.

Prior reports have indicated that the 20-year-old has already agreed on a seven-year contract with the Stamford Bridge side, albeit with a club-to-club agreement still yet to be found, amid reports of a €65m (£55m) asking price.

The former Manchester City youth star does appear to be Enzo Maresca’s leading target right now, although further moves could seemingly lie in store, with talk that a new defensive addition could also enter the building.

Latest on Chelsea's bid for a new defender

For all the speculation surrounding attacking additions, it would appear that the west Londoners are also keen to bolster the backline this summer, having previously been in the mix for new Real Madrid man, Dean Huijsen.

A reunion with a certain Marc Guehi has also been mooted, albeit with the Englishman looking more likely to join Arne Slot’s Liverpool, should he decide to leave Crystal Palace in the coming months.

Centre-back thus looks to be a priority position for Chelsea ahead of the start of the new Premier League season, with reports in Spain suggesting that they are now readying an offer for Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

As per the report, the Blues have ‘launched an ambitious move’ for the 23-year-old defender, having made the versatile left-footer – who can operate at left-back – one of their ‘key targets’.

Despite his €60m (£51m) asking price representing something of an obstacle, the report claims that Chelsea are ‘willing to negotiate’, with the player himself ready to take the next step in his career.

Should that step take him to Stamford Bridge, the 6 foot sensation could look to replicate the success of his compatriot, Moises Caicedo.

Why Chelsea could land their next Caicedo

It’s fair to say that eyebrows were raised when Chelsea forked out a club-record fee of £115m to sign Caicedo from Brighton and Hove Albion back in 2023, with the Blues edging out Liverpool for the midfielder’s signature.

Despite enduring a “tough” first season by his own admission, the 23-year-old has kicked on and then some since, with teammate Cole Palmer hailing him as the side’s “best player” last month.

Also lauded as the Premier League’s ‘best central midfielder’ by pundit and analyst Adrian Clarke, the former Seagulls star is relishing life under Maresca, having notably made the fifth-most tackles in the top-flight last term.

Hopefully, the signing of his international colleague – who is the same age as Caicedo – can prove just as successful, with Hincapie having been noted as an “Ecuadorian football legend in the making” in his own right, according to talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Despite being “in the shadow” of the likes of Florian Wirtz at Leverkusen, the £51m man is a “top quality” talent undoubtedly, in the words of Kulig, with it no surprise that he has caught the eye of the Stamford Bridge hierarchy.

Where he particularly excels is in possession, as evidenced by the fact that he ranks in the top 5% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries per 90, while also ranking in the top 16% for progressive passes, as per FBref.

For comparison, the man he could potentially replace in that left-sided centre-back – Levi Colwill – ranks in just the bottom 33% for progressive carries, as well as in just the top 38% for progressive passes.

Games (starts)

32 (28)

Goals

2

Assists

2

Big chances created

4

Key passes*

0.5

Pass accuracy*

89%

Tackles*

1.6

Interceptions*

1.0

Balls recovered*

3.3

Total duels won*

62%

In a similar manner to Colwill, however, what does set Hincapie apart is how flexible he is at operating as a full-back or more centrally, with Caicedo sharing that versatility having featured as a deep-lying midfielder, or even as an inverted right-back under Maresca to date.

A further benefit is also the wealth of experience that Hincapie has earned thus far despite his relative youth, having made 189 club career appearances at senior level, alongside 46 caps for his country. For comparison, Caicedo has made 193 senior club appearances, alongside 55 caps at international level.

While unlike the latter man and his time at Brighton, the Leverkusen star is yet to be tested in the Premier League, all the signs point to him being a natural fit in Maresca’s side – much like Caicedo has been over the last 12 months or so.

Better than Garnacho: Chelsea set to launch £45m bid for "world-class" star

The dynamic phenom would be sensational for Chelsea.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 26, 2025

While this season might have felt like one big disappointment for Arsenal fans, their team is still brilliant.

In spite of injuries, suspensions and a lack of cutting edge at points, Mikel Arteta’s side still managed to finish second in the Premier League and make it to the semi-finals of the Champions League and League Cup.

However, that lack of cutting-edge options up top and out wide was likely what ultimately prevented the North Londoners from getting over the line in any of their competitions this season and also explains the abundance of links to superstar attackers that have started popping up in recent weeks.

One of the links in question is particularly interesting, as it concerns an incredibly exciting English talent who has won comparisons to someone else touted for a move to the club: Rodrygo.

Arsenal's winger search

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other wide talents linked with Arsenal in recent weeks, like the aforementioned Rodryo and Kaoru Mitoma.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse

The latter is reportedly available for around £80m, and while that is a lot of money, he might be worth it, as not only did he score 11 goals and provide four assists in 41 games this season, but he’s also Premier League-proven.

Yet, the Real Madrid star would undoubtedly be the more exhilarating addition to the team, as on top of producing a better tally of 14 goals and ten assists in 51 games this season, he’s simply the bigger name and would be joining the club from arguably the biggest team in the world.

However, at a reported £85m, not to mention the interest from other parties and the chance he might not even want to leave Los Blancos with Xabi Alonso at the helm, Artete a Co may have to look elsewhere, at a player who’s won comparisons to the Brazilian, such as Jamie Gittens.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of several sides interested in the Borussia Dortmund star, but they are in a race against time if they are serious about signing him.

This is because the report has revealed that Premier League rivals Chelsea have already submitted a £55m offer for the young Englishman and are already in talks over a potential deal.

It’s unclear whether that fee will be enough, but if it’s close, then the Gunners should be doing all they can to get ahead of the Blues, as the 20-year-old’s ability and potential are undeniable, and the comparisons to Rodrygo a big bonus.

How Gittens compares to Rodrygo

Before getting into some of the other reasons why Arsenal should be signing Gittens this summer, it’s important to examine this comparison to Rodygo and where it has come from.

In this instance, it stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, before creating a list of the ten most comparable players.

By doing this, it has been concluded that the Real Madrid star is the fifth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Dortmund ace across the last 365 days.

Gittens & Rodrygo

Statistic per 90

Gittens

Rodrygo

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.31

0.32

Non-Penalty G+As

0.56

0.51

Shots

2.64

2.52

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.22

1.21

Goal-Creating Actions

0.51

0.42

Successful Take-Ons %

45.0%

44.1%

Ball Recoveries

3.20

3.32

Aerial Duels Won

0.25

0.33

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season

The best way to see how this is worked out is by taking a look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including but not limited to expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, shots, goal-creating actions, passes into the penalty area, aerial duels won and more, all per 90.

However, this flattering and encouraging comparison to one of Europe’s most exciting wingers isn’t the only reason the Gunners should be after the 20-year-old.

Another is that, despite still being so young, the dynamic outlet, whom Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley dubbed “England’s best LW,” managed to score 12 goals and provide five assists in 48 appearances, totalling 2790 minutes this season.

That comes out to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.82 games, or mre crucially, every 164.11 minutes of action.

Finally, per FBref, the Reading-born gem sits in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons per 90, at 3.57, which is just the sort of aggressively direct winger the Gunners could use to help them terrify teams next year.

Ultimately, while it might be hard to get ahead of Chelsea, Arsenal have to try, as Gittens looks destined to reach the very top of the game, at least based on the calibre of player he’s currently being compared to.

Related Arsenal's own Wirtz: Berta now eyeing "one of the best 10s in the world"

The incredibly gifted attacking midfielder would add some much-needed dynamism to Arsenal.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 4, 2025

Glasgow Rangers need to change their transfer strategy if they wish to compete domestically next season.

Celtic will wrap up their fourth successive Premiership title soon, and if the Light Blues don’t change things this summer, the drought could go on for much longer.

Of course, much will depend on who becomes the new manager of the Ibrox side this summer as Barry Ferguson’s interim spell looks set to end in a few weeks.

Last summer, Philippe Clement signed players such as Hamza Igamane, Clinton Nsiala, and Jefte. This trio could potentially make the club plenty of money when the time to cash in arrives.

Signing a few experienced squad members is still important this summer, but the vast majority of transfer business should be focused on those who are yet to hit their peak.

With Lyall Cameron already making the move from Dundee to Rangers this summer, it appears the Gers are looking at raiding the Dens Park side for the second time in a matter of months.

Rangers target move for Josh Mulligan this summer

Journalist Joshua Barrie of the Rangers Review has recently stated that the Light Blues are interested in making a move for Mulligan in a bid to add more Scottish talent to their squad.

The 22-year-old’s contract is set to expire this summer, which means the club won’t have to pay a penny in order to secure his signature.

This type of move is one that could offer plenty of rewards for the Gers for such a low-risk signing, something which needs to happen more often.

With James Tavernier’s future uncertain as he enters the last year of his deal in Glasgow, Mulligan could be an ideal heir for the Englishman.

Why Josh Mulligan would be a great signing for Rangers

The Scottish U21 international can play across a range of positions. For Dundee this season, he has played in the centre of the midfield, on the right flank, and at right-back.

While he might not be able to match Tavernier for goal contributions – five assists across 36 matches this season for Dundee – Mulligan still has plenty to offer going forward.

Indeed, in the Premiership this season, he has created eight big chances while also averaging one key pass and one successful dribble per game in the top flight.

A move to Ibrox would allow Mulligan the chance to play for a team that will fight for domestic trophies, plus giving him the chance to feature in European competition, whether it be the Champions League or Europa League.

Josh Mulligan’s market valuation at Dundee

According to Transfermarkt, Mulligan is currently worth €600k (£500k) at the time of writing.

Given his impressive performances for a relegation-threatened Dundee side, this value will surely increase in the next few months, especially if he moves to Rangers and showcases his talents.

If, and it’s a big if, Mulligan shines at Ibrox and becomes the player everyone expects of him, he will make the club millions in profit.

At this moment in time, however, there is another Scottish youngster in the first-team squad who is currently worth a lot more than Mulligan – Connor Barron.

How Connor Barron has performed for Rangers this season

In one of the worst-kept secrets last summer, Rangers finally announced the signing of Barron after weeks of rumours.

The midfielder left Aberdeen upon the expiration of his contract, duly made the move south to Ibrox, and was essentially seen as an ideal replacement for Ryan Jack.

Following 76 appearances for the Dons, it was clear that Barron was looking like a solid signing. He clearly knew how to perform in the Premiership and had made six appearances in the Conference League for the Pittodrie side last season.

His performances were hailed by Scott Gemmill, Barron’s U21 manager at international level, who said: “Connor is very impressive on and off the pitch the way he conducts himself.”

It didn’t take long for him to make his mark at Rangers, starting both of the Champions League qualifying matches against Dynamo Kiev, along with operating in the starting XI for the first 13 league games.

Connor Barron’s stats for Rangers this season
Metric	Europa League	Premiership
Accurate passes per game	22.7	40.1
Pass success rate	80%	90%
Tackles per game	2.3	2.1
Balls recovered per game	4.3	3.4
Possession lost per game	7.9	7
Via Sofascore

2025 hasn’t been as productive, however, as Nico Raskin and Mohamed Diomande have established themselves as the main midfield duo at Ibrox in recent months.

This has left Barron resorting to appearances from the bench in order to get playing time. He did feature for 83 minutes in the recent 3-2 victory over Celtic at Parkhead and was even made captain for the 2-2 draw against Aberdeen a few weeks ago.

Overall, it has been a solid debut campaign in Glasgow for the young midfielder. In the Premiership, Barron averages a 90% pass success rate, makes 2.1 tackles, 1.1 clearances, and recovers 3.4 balls per game.

Furthermore, he loses possession only seven times per game and wins 50% of his ground duels each match for the Ibrox side, which suggests that he is reliable on and off the ball.

Connor Barron’s market valuation at Rangers

Although Barron initially arrived at Rangers for nothing, the Gers were forced to pay a fee of around £640k for the midfielder after they were due compensation because his career began at Aberdeen.

This still looks like it could become a bargain transfer for Rangers, especially considering his market value has increased recently.

Indeed, according to Transfermarkt, Barron is now worth €2.5m (£2m) following an impressive debut season in Glasgow.

This means that he is currently worth even more than Mulligan, who is valued at £500k, and that illustrates how much the Gers hit the jackpot with the Scotland international.

Much will depend on who the new manager will be, but Barron has laid the foundations for a potentially successful spell at Rangers.

He is worth a lot more than Mulligan, and this valuation should rise exponentially as time goes on.

Whatever happens, it appears as though the club are looking to bring in the best of Scottish talent this summer. With Barron and Cameron now part of the squad, Mulligan could be the next player to link up with Rangers.

Not just Butland: Rangers must axe 'shocking' star who Mourinho would hate

Rangers may have to make some changes to their squad if they decide to appoint Jose Mourinho.

By
Dan Emery

Apr 23, 2025

Chelsea and chairman Todd Boehly will be looking to find a new club for one player who’s attracted criticism for his “horrendous” attitude behind-the-scenes, according to a new report this week.

Chelsea set for mass summer sale in transfer overhaul

Enzo Maresca will have many key decisions to make when the transfer window reopens for business, as a host of players are set to return spells out on loan and face uncertain futures at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea chiefs "adamant" they'll sign £60m star after Real Madrid decision

Los Blancos have had a real influence on BlueCo’s transfer plans.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 2, 2025

Kepa Arrizabalaga, Alfie Gilchrist, Armando Broja, Raheem Sterling, David Datro Fofana, Renato Veiga, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell and Axel Disasi all appear very likely to leave Chelsea this summer, either on loan again or permanently, while Trevoh Chalobah is also expected to depart, regardless of the Blues activating their recall clause for him in January.

Tottenham (home)

Today

Brentford (away)

April 6th

Ipswich Town (home)

April 13th

Fulham (away)

April 20th

Everton (home)

April 26th

Mykhailo Mudryk has been linked with a move to Sevilla after his failed drugs test as well, and versatile forward Christopher Nkunku actually agreed personal terms with Bayern Munich in the winter, only for his Bundesliga move to fall through.

In-form goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, amid Chelsea’s links with Liverpool shot-stopper Caoimhin Kelleher, has also refused to rule out remaining at sister club Strasbourg beyond this season.

“We’ll see after what could happen this summer. It could be a very good option to stay here if Strasbourg qualify for the UEFA Champions League,” said Petrovic on his Chelsea future.

“I always had confidence in my ability to improve. I have progressed more than I thought (at Strasbourg), but I can still improve more between now and the end of the season.”

It is set to be a big summer of transfers again at Chelsea, and they’ll be getting busy early. The Premier League confirmed that the window will be open from June 1st to June 10th, allowing BlueCo to conduct business before the Club World Cup, and there is every reason to believe that outgoings could occur in this period.

Joao Felix attitude slammed as Chelsea look to sell

AC Milan loanee Joao Felix is another who’s set to return to London after his temporary stint in Serie A, which really hasn’t gone according to plan.

Despite a promising start, the Portugal international’s form has seriously tailed off in recent months, and Fabrizio Romano confirms that Milan have no intention of signing Felix on a permanent deal.

Now, reliable journalist Simon Phillips has shared what sources have told him about Felix’s “horrendous” attitude behind-the-scenes – which could be the reason why his career has stunted since a mega-money move to Atlético from Benfica a few years ago.

He adds that Chelsea are looking to sell the attacking midfielder again this summer, with Felix even separately linked to a surprising Galatasaray transfer.

“An SPTC source has been speaking with some Atlético Madrid staff members as well as some current Portuguese internationals, and we have heard that Felix’s talent as a youngster was the best they’d seen at that level from a Portuguese player but according to the source, it is his attitude and arrogance that let’s him down and is ‘horrendous’,” wrote Phillips, via his Substack.

“I guess this could explain a lot and why he floats from club to club trying to find a new home.”

Questions will now really be asked of Boehly and why Chelsea elected to re-sign him on a permanent deal just last summer.

India also joined West Indies and England as the only sides with two men’s T20 World Cup titles in the bag

Sampath Bandarupalli29-Jun-20241 – India became the first team to win the men’s T20 World Cup without losing a game all tournament. India won all eight matches they played in the tournament, and had one washout: the first-round game against Canada.India’s eight consecutive wins in completed games is the joint-longest winning streak for any team in the men’s T20 World Cup. Australia won eight successive games across the 2022 and 2024 editions, while South Africa was on an eight-match winning streak before Saturday’s defeat.8-1 – Win-loss record of the teams winning the toss in the finals of the men’s T20 World Cup. The only team to lose a final despite winning the toss was Sri Lanka against Pakistan in 2009.Related

Triple-threat Axar, the unsung hero in India's triumph

T20 World Cup 2024 – a zero for Bumrah, and other curious numbers

Bumrah and Hardik script stunning comeback to lead India to World Cup glory

'We fulfilled what the whole nation wanted' – India players react after winning T20 World Cup 2024

Markram: 'It hurts quite a bit', but 'incredibly proud of this group of players'

It is only the third instance of a team winning a men’s T20 World Cup final while defending a total. India against Pakistan in 2007 and West Indies against Sri Lanka in 2012 won the final while batting first.2 – India is now the third team to win the men’s T20 World Cup for the second time, having won the inaugural 2007 edition. West Indies were the first team with two titles, having won in 2012 and 2016, while England won in 2010 and 2022.9 – Players to be part of two men’s T20 World Cup final wins – Rohit Sharma was added to the list on Saturday. Eight West Indies players were part of their both title wins – Daren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Chris Gayle, Johnson Charles, Dwayne Bravo, Samuel Badree, Andre Russell and Denesh Ramdin.ESPNcricinfo Ltd176 for 7 – India’s total against South Africa on Saturday is the highest by any team in the final of the men’s T20 World Cup. Australia’s 173 for 2 in a run chase against New Zealand in 2021 was the previous highest. The 345 runs scored in Bridgetown is the joint-highest aggregate for a men’s T20 World Cup final.23 – Balls Heinrich Klaasen needed for his fifty against India, the fastest in any men’s World Cup final. The previous quickest was off 31 balls by Mitchell Marsh against New Zealand in the 2021 T20 World Cup final.16.95 – Per cent of the target that South Africa needed at the start of the 16th over with six wickets in hand – 30 runs out of 177. It is the second-lowest percentage of the target runs any team failed to chase in the last five overs (16-20) of a men’s T20I with six or more wickets in hand, where ball-by-ball data is available.New Zealand needed 15.06 % of their target at the start of the 16th over – 141 for 3 chasing 166 against South Africa in 2012. They ended up losing by three runs, finishing on 162 for 7.16 – Player-of-the-Match awards for Virat Kohli in the T20I format – the most for any player in men’s T20Is, surpassing Suryakumar Yadav’s 15. Eight of Kohli’s 16 match awards have come in the men’s T20 World Cup, while no one else has more than five.ESPNcricinfo Ltd37y, 60d – Rohit’s age on Saturday, making him the oldest captain to win a T20 World Cup. He is also the second-oldest captain to win an ICC tournament final, behind Imran Khan, who was 39 year and 172 days old when Pakistan defeated England in the 1992 ODI World Cup final.8-0 – Rohit’s win-loss record as captain in T20 finals – six with Mumbai Indians and two for India. Only MS Dhoni has won more men’s T20 finals as captain than Rohit, nine out of 15.This is also the 11th T20 final where Rohit was part of the winning side of the 12 he has played. Only Dwayne Bravo (17), Kieron Pollard (16) and Shoaib Malik (15) have more men’s T20 final wins than Rohit.49 – Wins for Rohit as captain out of the 62 T20Is where he led India, the most for anyone in men’s T20Is, surpassing Babar Azam’s 48. India have lost only 12 T20Is under Rohit’s captaincy, while another game ended in a tie, which India went on to win in the Super Over.2 – Number of players, including Kohli, to be part of the winning team in the finals of all three ICC white-ball events (ODI World Cup, T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy). MS Dhoni was the first to be part of all three, and he did it as a captain.

There are concerns elsewhere too: in taking on quality spin, and in assembling a solid pace attack if Shaheen Afridi isn’t good to go

Shashank Kishore13-Sep-2022The Babar-Rizwan conundrum
We have talked about this before. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have scored over 60% of Pakistan’s runs in all T20Is since the start of last year’s T20 World Cup and have been, over the last two years, a wildly prolific pair. But, like in the semi-final loss at the T20 World Cup last year, the Asia Cup has made it clear there’s merit in trying to break them up.Related

• Shaheen Afridi completes rehab for knee injury, to join Pakistan squad in Brisbane on October 15

• Fakhar Zaman out of T20 World Cup squad with knee injury, Shan Masood called up

• Naseem Shah, the wunderkind who conquered Sharjah

• Saqlain firm in 'faith, trust and belief' in Rizwan and Babar

• Asia Cup XI – Power up top, all-round options, fire with the ball

Rizwan top-scored at the Asia Cup, but he struck at just 117.57. There’s a growing chorus over how his approach might not be the most optimal for Pakistan. Where middling targets haven’t been that much of a problem – their World Cup game against India last year being a prime example – bigger targets have magnified their issue with strike rates.In the Asia Cup final, for example, Rizwan played 22 deliveries in the powerplay while striking at 72.72 – in a chase of 170. Iftikhar Ahmed’s 31-ball 32 sucked the air out of that chase as well and by the time Rizwan was dismissed for a 49-ball 55, the pair had left Pakistan with a few too many to get – 61 off 23.Babar, meanwhile, has just one half-century in seven T20I innings this year. That half-century was in a losing cause against Australia, where Pakistan collapsed around his 46-ball 66 and finished with a below-par total that was chased down comfortably. Questions about his striking in the powerplay have lingered for far longer than has been the case with Rizwan.For a pair, their run rate is the second-lowest among all Full Members, behind Danushka Gunathilaka and Pathum Nissanka. In 13 games, they have scored 401 runs at a strike rate of 122.27. On the face of it, it’s not too bad, but it has invariably put a lot of pressure on the middle order.2:59

Is middle-order batting Pakistan’s Achilles’ heel?

Given Pakistan play seven T20Is at home against England and a tri-series with New Zealand and Bangladesh, in New Zealand, in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup, they could yet change the opening pair: one of the moves could be to have Fakhar Zaman open the batting, and one of Rizwan or Babar drop down the order.”I think they should [separate Babar and Rizwan],” Mickey Arthur, their former coach, said on ESPNcricinfo’s T20 Time Out programme during the Asia Cup. “Fakhar hits the ball in different areas, it frustrates the bowlers a little bit. It is the different angles, you’ve got a left-hand and a right-hand. So, spread Babar and Rizwan and you put Fakhar Zaman back at the top.”More power for the middle
As things stand, because teams know the openers occupy the crease for a good length of time and score the bulk of the runs, there isn’t a lot below the top three, even though the middle order has typically scored their runs quickly enough.But there is a larger problem there – against spin.Versus Afghanistan, Pakistan’s move to promote Shadab Khan to No. 5 [with good effect] was largely to shield Asif Ali and Khushdil Shah from Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi. In the Super 4s game against India, Ravi Bishnoi kept them quiet in the death overs. And if it wasn’t for Asif’s reprieve – after top-edging a slog off Yuzvendra Chahal – who knows how that game could have turned out? Such luck may not come their way all the time.Khushdil’s record at No. 4 across T20s is impressive, striking at 146 at an average of 27. But the disparity between his domestic T20 record [strike rate 138, average nearly 29] and his international one [strike rate 110, average 20] is vast and over an increasing sample size. He also has struggled against spin.Shan Masood is more comfortable as an anchor, but has reinvented himself in T20 cricket of late•Getty ImagesIn fact, Shadab’s record at No. 4 is stellar enough to wonder why he has never played there for Pakistan. In 19 innings, he’s averaging over 28 at a strike rate of nearly 160 . He was especially impressive for Islamabad United in the last PSL, until an injury disrupted his season.Other options include Haider Ali, who could be elevated from the bench, where he spent the whole of the Asia Cup. However, he hasn’t featured in any T20I since December last year. Having travelled with the national team, he has also missed out on any form of game time in the shortest format since March.Another option gaining traction among observers of Pakistan cricket is Shan Masood, who has been in the form of his life. Though uncapped in T20Is, Masood, the tall left-handed opener, has amassed 1257 runs in the format in 2022, striking at 136.68. He set tongues wagging at the Vitality Blast, where he was the fifth-highest run-scorer with 547 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 139.89 for Derbyshire.However, in the ongoing National T20 Cup, he is batting in the middle order, seemingly in a bid to make the T20 World Cup squad. But, like Rizwan and Babar, Masood is primarily an anchor. This may not work in the middle order, but the plethora of games in the lead-up could give him an opportunity to present a case for making the first XI in Australia.The real outside shots are Sharjeel Khan and Azam Khan, the latter currently playing in the CPL for Barbados Royals in the middle order.Sharjeel hasn’t featured in T20Is for over a year now, while Azam’s selection eligibility – given he has obtained a no-objection certificate from the PCB to play in the CPL rather than in the National T20 Cup – is unclear. On Monday, opening for Sindh, Sharjeel struck an unbeaten 62-ball 107 to help raze down Balochistan’s 158, with three overs to go. But, again, much of his success for Pakistan has been at the top.Pakistan would dearly love to have Shaheen Afridi back, and firing, at the T20 World Cup•ICC via GettyWhat happens if Afridi misses out?
Pakistan don’t have problems with their allrounders, with Shadab and Mohammad Nawaz certainties. But in the pace department, they are anxiously waiting on Shaheen Shah Afridi’s recovery from a knee injury.The nature and extent of that injury has only become clearer over time and Shaheen has now missed the Asia Cup and will likely sit out the seven T20Is against England as he undergoes treatment. If he returns, Pakistan have a gun pace attack with Shaheen, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, with all his BBL experience, being the top three pacers.If Shaheen misses out, Pakistan will be banking on one of Mohammad Hasnain, like they did at the Asia Cup, or Shahnawaz Dahani, who featured in just one game, against Hong Kong. If Mohammad Wasim doesn’t recover in time, it could mean Hasan Ali remains in the mix, even though he may have not played much cricket recently, leaving the back-up options a tad undercooked.Which is why drawing a balance between results and providing players opportunities against England will become all the more crucial.

He had a clean kaput of an exit, the completeness of a career with no lingering sense of unfulfillment

Osman Samiuddin20-Oct-2020Umar Gul has retired. This is not the precursor to an eventual u-turn. It is not a tantrum. It is not some power play to manoeuvre himself into captaincy. Umar Gul has retired and, with a degree of confidence, full-stop this sentence.This was always one of Gul’s most endearing traits: he is an uncomplicated figure. What you see is what you get is what he is, is what he said.One of the more illuminating stories about Gul comes from that turbulent period in 2009, when players were forever angling to remove whoever was the captain. Gul, not hitherto part of any faction, was pushed by a senior player to complain about the captain in one team meeting in front of everyone. He did, but when the captain countered and asked why he was complaining, Gul said that he wasn’t but that the senior player – present of course – had told him to and so he did. Rulers don’t come this straight.There was once an on-field squabble with Mohammad Amir over a dropped catch, and he recently – but gently – questioned the new domestic structure. But the PCB’s very vast archives of player disciplinary breaches don’t record an entry under ‘Gul, Umar’. Somehow he even came out untarnished from the Tours from Hell, Down Under in 2009-10, after which the PCB punished anything with a pulse.Putting all this front and centre may come across as a sideways dig at his bowling: his primary task, after all, wasn’t to be a nice guy but to take wickets. It isn’t intended to be. It’s just that we know Pakistani fast bowling is a fraught beat. It comes with aches and traumas, joys and bedlam, buts and if-onlys; some days it is only marginally about the bowling, and the rest of the time, it isn’t about the bowling at all. Almost none of it is good for the heart.With Gul, his bowling came with zero baggage. The rules were simple. He could be exceptional, good, ordinary, poor or awful and that was it. Pack your bags, day’s done, get on with your life, come back tomorrow. It may not always have been clear at the time, but with hindsight, that taste was sweet relief.

Underpinning it was the yorker which, if it didn’t carry quite the spectacle of Lasith Malinga’s, was arguably more effective. There was an unreal force around it, not least in how readily and accurately it was summoned.

Hindsight veers unevenly towards Gul with white ball in hand, with the canvas of the shortest format out in front at his mercy. Which is justified, but it’s worth lingering for a bit on his red-ball career, which now falls some way between forgotten or misremembered.No one can ever know what impact those stress fractures of the back had so early in his career. He’d taken 25 wickets in his first five Tests before the diagnosis, and he didn’t play another Test for two years. In fact, his last act in that sequence – the five-for against India – was the definitive modern Pakistani spell against India, until Mohammad Asif came along. Pakistan bluster was all pace but here was the bluff, a kid who wasn’t defined by pace, a kid with a natural length just back of good, who seamed the ball rather than swung it.It wasn’t so straightforward as that he wasn’t the same bowler after it (and actually his Test numbers, right until the end of 2007, were solid). But other bowlers arrived, a new format emerged, and the occasions on which he looked that potent again changed, both in manner and frequency. Often, as against a competitive West Indies side, he looked as good as he has ever done: movement with the new ball, reverse with the old, big-name wickets with big-time deliveries, and match-shaping spells. Against stronger opposition, with comedy support, he was manful, as in England in 2006.It says everything about Pakistan’s pace resources in that era that he only played three Tests with Shoaib Akhtar and none after April 2004. And he only played 17 Tests with Asif and/or Amir, the pair for whom he seemed the perfect condiment.Except it turns out he was better for their absence, even if Pakistan weren’t. Partnering either or both, Gul took less than three wickets a Test, at 40; on his own, he took nearly four wickets per Test, averaged ten runs lower, with a strike rate 14 balls lower. The numbers would suggest lead man rather than support, but even after Asif and Amir were gone, Pakistan turned to spin with such relish that Gul’s 11 wickets in the 2011-12 clean sweep of England come across as a clerical error.It all built into a tendency to dismiss him as a Test bowler, dimmed by comparison to those he bowled with, not shiny enough otherwise. And yet, to counter this, it feels necessary to point out that he is Pakistan’s highest Test wicket-taker in the post-Ws era by some distance. Given how this modern history has played out, an equally key stat would be that no Pakistani fast bowler has played more Tests than him, although, having himself played only 47 of 80 Tests, that makes him a poster-boy for the fragility of the era.To many, Umar Gul’s 3-0-6-5 remains the best T20 spell ever•PA Images via Getty ImagesNo such caveats or qualms with a white ball. Gul at the 2007 World T20 was one of the first movers in the format that spoke of a different sport, with different specialisations, with players not bound by their functions elsewhere. Credit Shoaib Malik, Pakistan’s captain then – and Pakistani history – for the tactic of Gul coming on from the 11th over and strangling the life out of the back-end of an innings.But it needed Gul to execute and there was nobody better anywhere on the planet those first years. Just look at the table below, of bowlers in the last five overs of T20Is, until the end of 2012: highest dot-ball percentage, second-lowest economy, lowest average, most wickets. It’s not even a contest.

Bowlers in overs 16-20 in T20Is (till the end of 2012)

Bowler Inns Balls Econ Wkt Ave Dot%Umar Gul 45 472 7.34 46 12.56 38.61SL Malinga 34 348 8.39 24 20.29 37.29SCJ Broad 32 244 8.69 19 18.63 37.25TG Southee 24 252 9.47 19 20.94 34.67DW Steyn 22 204 7.29 16 15.50 34.21SR Watson 21 170 7.48 14 15.14 33.20RJ Sidebottom 15 152 7.89 13 15.38 32.58M Morkel 22 189 8.38 12 22.00 31.76DJ Bravo 16 122 10.08 12 17.07 31.20B Lee 16 125 7.77 11 14.72 30.65AR Cusack 12 120 9.25 11 16.80 30.17JW Dernbach 14 150 8.96 10 22.40 30.00JDP Oram 18 132 9.44 10 20.80 27.87TT Bresnan 16 124 9.38 8 24.25 25.79KD Mills 22 160 9.93 8 33.11 21.68KMDN Kulasekara 18 143 11.28 7 38.42 20.63Underpinning it was the yorker, which, if it didn’t carry quite the spectacle of Lasith Malinga’s, was arguably more effective. There was an unreal force around it, not least in how readily and accurately it was summoned. No moment in Pakistan’s recent history should have felt as frayed as the 19th over of South Africa’s chase in the 2009 World T20 semi-final. The entire country was under siege at the time, mostly from itself, and absolutely nothing about life in Pakistan felt secure. Neither would this moment have, except that it was Gul bowling it and at that precise point in time, the success of it was the one thing you could hang the fortunes of an entire country off. No way would Gul not pull this off and so he produced not only one of the format’s most nerveless overs, but also one of the most inevitable.ALSO READ: Top five – yorkerman Gul’s greatest T20 hitsPenultimate overs were not – at least publicly – acknowledged as the thing they are now but Pakistan’s use of Gul in that time suggests they knew it was. Until the end of 2012, Gul bowled that penultimate over nine times out of the 14 occasions that sides chased against him (and the final over, by comparison, four times).That kind of excellence, it is good to hear, might be put to use in a coaching capacity. He has gained qualifications, is keen for more and though you can never be certain about such things, instinct says he will make a good, empathetic coach. And if he doesn’t, then we’ll still have this clean kaput of an exit, the completeness of a career with no lingering sense of unfulfillment. It’s worth more than it sounds.