تحدث عماد متعب نجم الأهلي السابق، عن الفوز على الزمالك، في المباراة التي أقيمت اليوم ضمن منافسات الدوري بهدفين مقابل هدف.
وقال متعب، عبر قناة أون سبورت: “مكسب مهم في توقيت مهم، كانت غرفة الملابس بحاجة إلى الفوز على الزمالك لاستعادة الهدوء”.
طالع.. رجل مباراة الأهلي والزمالك في الدوري المصري
وتابع: “طبيعي أن غرفة الملابس كانت مشحونة بالتوتر، وفي النادي أيضًا بسبب تراجع الأداء، لكن الأمور تهدأ بعد الفوز”.
وأكمل: “في الشوط الأول، سنحت لنادي الزمالك بعض الفرص، وفي الشوط الثاني ترك الاستحواذ لـ الأهلي حتى نقطة التحول ونزول حسين الشحات الذي يمتلك حلولًا فردية”.
وواصل: “محمد شريف كان يتحرك بشكل خاطئ كثيرًا، لكن في كرة الهدف الأول تحرك بشكل نموذجي، مع رؤية ممتازة وتحرك وقرار رائع من حسين الشحات”.
وأتم: “تريزيجيه يحاول فعل كل شيء في الملعب، والناس يعتقدون أنه يبالغ، لكنه يبحث عن حلول دائمًا”.
Washington Sundar, who scored a century for Tamil Nadu in their ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Delhi, will join the India squad for the second and third Tests against New Zealand.The BCCI’s selectors have added Washington to India’s Test squad as its 16th member, without making any other changes.On Sunday, New Zealand completed an eight-wicket win in the first Test in Bengaluru, their first Test win in India since 1988. The second Test is scheduled to start in Pune on October 24, and the final Test in Mumbai on November 1.Related
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Washington has been part of India’s white-ball squads in recent months, but has not played Test cricket since March 2021. He was, however, part of their squad as a replacement for the injured Ravindra Jadeja during the home Test series against England earlier this year, and is viewed as a long-term prospect as a spin-bowling allrounder.He has played four Test matches so far, all in the 2020-21 season, when Jadeja, their leading spin-bowling allrounder, was out injured. In those four Tests, Washington scored 265 runs, including three half-centuries, at an average of 66.25, and took six wickets with his offspin at 49.83. On debut, he played a key role in India’s famous win at the Gabba in January 2021, picking up three first-innings wickets and following it up with crucial lower-order innings of 62 and 22.At the end of the 2020-21 season, during which he also impressed in the 3-1 home-series win over England, India’s then head coach Ravi Shastri told ESPNcricinfo that Washington would be India’s “premier allrounder across all three formats” in the future, and advised him to work on his fitness – his career has been interrupted by numerous injury breaks – and to bat up the order in domestic cricket.In the Ranji match against Delhi, Washington batted at No. 3 and made 152, his second first-class century, in Tamil Nadu’s first innings. He said the team management had made the decision to promote him, and said he considers himself a top-order batter.Washington Sundar scored 62 from No. 7 in his debut Test innings•Getty Images
It is as yet unclear what role India have in mind for Washington in the Tests against New Zealand. They played three frontline spinners in Jadeja, R Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav in Bengaluru, with Axar Patel in reserve. Jadeja, Ashwin and Axar are all allrounders.It is possible Washington has been selected primarily as top-order cover rather than for his bowling. Going into the second Test, India have fitness concerns over their first-choice No. 3 Shubman Gill, who missed the Bengaluru Test with a stiff neck, and Rishabh Pant, who batted twice and scored 99 in the second innings but did not keep wickets for most of the match after taking a blow to his right knee.Pant had undergone surgeries in both his knees after the life-threatening car accident in December 2022, and Rohit explained that Pant had been kept away from keeping duties “just to be a little careful about where he is at and what he is to us”.
India squad for the second and third Tests against New Zealand
Harry Kane has been a player who’s been constantly on their radar over recent years and understandably so given his goalscoring ability in England.
The 31-year-old managed to score 213 goals during his spell in the Premier League, sitting second in the all-time list, with Alan Shearer the player who has scored more.
Back in the summer of 2023, the Red Devils were firmly in the race to land his signature, but he chose to join German giants Bayern Munich in an £82m transfer instead.
Despite moving to the Bundesliga, he’s still managed to haunt the club, scoring against them in the Champions League back in his first year in Munich.
However, despite missing out on his signature, Ruben Amorim could be about to land his own version of the England international, with a deal for one player in the pipeline.
The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer
A deal for Bryan Mbeumo appears to be edging ever closer, with journalist Graeme Bailey stating that a deal is expected to be agreed in the coming days for his signature.
He claims that a £65m deal remains on the cards this summer, after Amorim’s side previously had two offers rejected for the forward, who netted 20 league goals last campaign.
Brentford's BryanMbeumoreacts
However, progress has been made on a deal to sign Juventus talisman Dušan Vlahović, with the Serbian expected to leave the club this summer, according to CaughtOffside.
Their report claims that talks have been held with the Serie A side over a deal for the 25-year-old, which could see current Red Devils outcast Jadon Sancho.
It also states that the forward has rejected approaches from the Saudi league to stay in Europe, after netting 17 goals in his 44 appearances across all competitions in 2024/25.
Why United’s latest target would be their answer to Kane
Given United’s measly tally of just 44 league goals last campaign, it’s understandable that Amorim will want to land a forward who can hand him that clinical edge within the final third.
Rasmus Hojlund
Current strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee only managed to score seven Premier League goals, highlighting the lack of confidence in front of goal.
Undoubtedly, many supporters must wish they had landed Kane when they were originally interested, with the Englishman finding the net on 85 occasions in the last two seasons.
However, despite missing out on his signature, they could be about to land their own version of the talisman this summer, with a potential move for Juve star Vlahovic.
The Serbian has been labelled as a similar player to the former Spurs star, highlighting how much of a superb signing he could be for the Red Devils this summer.
When comparing their respective stats from the 2024/25 campaign, Vlahovic has outperformed Kane in numerous key areas, showcasing the threat he poses within the final third.
Vlahovic, who’s been labelled “world-class” by journalist Matteo Bonetti, has matched the Englishman for shots on target per 90, but won more aerials – handing Amorim the focal point he’s craved since taking the reins.
How Vlahovic compares to Kane throughout 2024/25
Statistics (per 90)
Vlahovic
Kane
Games played
29
31
Goals & assists
14
35
Progressive carries
2.4
1.1
Carries into opposition box
0.9
0.7
Aerials won
2
1.1
Shots on target per 90
1.7
1.7
Take-ons completed
1.4
0.8
Stats via FBref
He’s also completed more progressive carries and more carries into the final third, having the ability to transition the play and carry the ball into more dangerous areas.
The 25-year-old’s dominance doesn’t end there, completing more take-ons per 90, and having the all-round tools to thrive within attacking areas at Old Trafford.
Given the need for a new striker and the availability of Vlahovic, a deal for his signature should be a no-brainer this summer, potentially reaping the rewards of any move this summer.
If he can manage to get anywhere close to the levels produced by Kane in England’s top-flight, it would be an excellent addition and one that could catapult the side to added success in the near future.
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Manchester United continue to pursue top-level talent ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Goals, goals and more goals; if there is one thing Arsenal lacked this season, it was goals.
Mikel Arteta’s side finished second in the Premier League for the third season on the bounce this year and produced the best defence in the competition.
Yet, the North Londoners scored 17 goals fewer than champions Liverpool and three fewer than Manchester City, who finished in third.
Arsenal manager MikelArtetareacts
So, fans should be excited about recent reports linking the club to a Premier League-proven goalscorer, who’d be a significant upgrade on Kai Havertz.
Arsenal's striker search
It feels like every other transfer story concerning Arsenal this summer has been related to a striker, specifically Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres.
According to reports from earlier this week, RB Leipzig are holding out for up to €100m for the Slovenian star, which is about £85m, while the Sporting CP star might be available for up to €70m, which is about £60m.
However, with progress seemingly stalling with both, another name has re-emerged: Ollie Watkins.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to a recent report from Gary Jacob of the Times, Arsenal could go back in for the Aston Villa star this summer.
The Gunners had an offer of around £40m for the Englishman turned down in the winter window, but according to other reports from earlier this week, an offer of that much might be enough to seal the deal this summer.
It might not be the striker signing fans were hoping for or even expecting at the start of the window, but Watkins is Premier League-proven and would be a massive upgrade on Havertz.
How Watkins compares to Havertz
Now, even though Watkins can play in a few positions across the frontline and even played in midfield in his younger days, his best position remains up top, leading the line, so much so, in fact, that podcaster Rohan Jivan described him as “one of the best centre-forwards in Europe.”
Therefore, with Gabriel Jesus set to be out for the rest of the year, his main competitor for game time at Arsenal would be Havertz, but who comes out on top when we compare them?
Well, when it comes down to their raw output, which is ultimately what matters most for a centre-forward, it is the Englishman who comes out on top.
For example, in 54 appearances this season, totalling 3578 minutes, the former Exeter City gem scored 17 goals and provided 14 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.74 games, or every 115.41 minutes.
In contrast, the Gunners’ number 29 scored 15 goals and provided five assists in 36 appearances, totalling 2809 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.8 games, or every 140.45 minutes.
Watkins vs Havertz
Statistics per 90
Watkins
Havertz
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.59
0.57
Non-Penalty G+As
0.76
0.58
Progressive Passes
1.07
2.93
Progressive Passes Received
5.71
5.43
Progressive Carries
1.90
1.68
Shots
2.84
2.54
Shots on Target
1.25
1.01
Passing Accuracy
72.4%
78.4%
Key Passes
0.83
0.82
Passes into the Penalty Area
0.45
0.43
Shot-Creating Actions
1.84
2.02
Goal-Creating Actions
0.42
0.14
Successful Take-On %
24.4%
23.7%
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 PL Season
The comparison isn’t much better for the German international when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers, either.
For example, while he does better in some areas, such as progressive passes, shot-creating actions and passing accuracy, the Claret and Blue star comes out on top in the vast majority of relevant metrics, like expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, goal-creating actions, shots and shots on target, key passes and more, all per 90.
Ultimately, Havertz is a useful player and will likely continue to be next season, but if Arsenal want to genuinely upgrade their frontline, then they could do a lot worse than signing Watkins this summer.
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The Slovenia international wants something out of the ordinary.
Chelsea are expected to part company with a host of senior players during the next summer transfer window, as BlueCo look to trim the wage bill and reduce Enzo Maresca’s bloasted squad.
Chelsea players who could be sold this summer
Some big names are currently surplus to requirements and haven’t been named in Chelsea’s squad for the Club World Cup.
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This includes Renato Veiga, Lesley Ugochukwu, Raheem Sterling, João Félix, David Datro Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell, Armando Broja and Axel Disasi, who are all facing the prospect of having to find new clubs this summer (The Athletic).
Sterling is back from a lacklustre stint at London rivals Arsenal on loan, while Felix also failed to impress during his temporary spell at AC Milan over the second half of 2024/2025.
Cole Palmer
7.33
Moises Caicedo
7.02
Enzo Fernández
6.95
Nicolas Jackson
6.88
Noni Madueke
6.82
via WhoScored
Chilwell is on around £200,000-per-week and has returned from his loan move to Crystal Palace, so Stamford Bridge chiefs will be keen to find him a new landing spot sooner rather than later.
Given their backlog of goalkeepers, and reports Chelsea could still sign Mike Maignan despite their failed June 10 deadline day move for the France international, uncertainty also surrounds the futures of Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic.
Djordje Petrovic wants to leave Chelsea as agent fields calls
According to journalist Simon Phillips, as he’s previously reported, both keepers are indeed up for sale, and Petrovic is now seeking to leave Chelsea in a bid to kickstart his career.
The Serbian enjoyed an impressive spell on loan at sister club Strasbourg last season, with many clubs now blowing up his agent’s phone as they attempt to enquire about his services.
“The club and Enzo Maresca do not believe he is good enough with his feet to be Chelsea number one, that’s it. And for that reason, he’s up for sale,” said Phillips, via his Substack.
“And on Petrovic’s side, he is 25-years-old now and will turn 26 early in the winter. He does not want to play second fiddle, and he knows if he stays at Chelsea then there is no guarantee that he will be a regular starter. So he also wants to leave the club if he cannot be guaranteed this.
“So right now, both parties want the same thing and that is for Petrovic to move on this summer, and I’d be very surprised at this point if he’s not sold this summer. He has many clubs phoning his agent right now to ask about a move.”
A section of Chelsea supporters actually saw the deal for Maignan falling through as a blessing in disguise to hand Petrovic a route into the first team, but it appears Maresca doesn’t see a role for him at all due to a perceived lack of effective distribution in his game.
This is despite real praise from his manager at Strasbourg, Liam Rosenior, who called Petrovic a “world-class” shot-stopper.
“We have seen huge progress from Petro,” he said.
“He is a world-class goalkeeper. We see it every day, and it is still paying off today.”
Arsenal are believed to be emerging as favourites to sign a highly-rated forward who is among Chelsea’s top transfer targets this summer, with Andrea Berta threatening to scupper the club’s London rivals.
Arsenal targeting new attackers for Mikel Arteta this summer
According to recent reports, the Gunners are contemplating fresh additions in both wide areas and further up front.
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Mikel Arteta’s side are apparently debating the prospect of signing an alternative to Bukayo Saka on the right wing, while uncertainty surrounding the long-term futures of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard could also prompt the club to move for a left-winger (GiveMeSport).
Liverpool (away)
May 11th
Newcastle United (home)
May 18th
Southampton (away)
May 25th
There is also the very real prospect of a new number nine arriving at the Emirates, with injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz exposing Arteta’s lack of prolific, natural options in the centre-forward area (GiveMeSport).
Many intriguing names have been linked with moves to N5 over the last few weeks, and especially since Berta’s appointment as sporting director was confirmed in late March.
According to German newspaper Ruhr Nachrichten, as relayed by Get Football News Germany, Borussia Dortmund starlet Jamie Gittens is becoming a key target for Arteta and Berta.
Borussia Dortmund'sJamieBynoe-Gittensin action with GNK Dinamo Zagreb's Kevin Theophile-Catherine
The Englishman, formerly of Man City’s academy, is making a real name for himself in the Bundesliga as a standout attacking talent, having racked up 12 goals and five assists in 46 total appearances this campaign.
Jamie Gittens imagining move to Arsenal over Chelsea
Chelsea are widely believed to be attempting a move for Gittens ahead of the summer, but Arsenal have now burst into the race for Dortmund’s forward sensation.
As per Ruhr Nachrichten, via GFNG, Gittens “can very well imagine” a move to Arsenal, and the north Londoners have an edge in the race for his services. Dortmund could also find a minimum offer of around £42 million pretty tempting, with Arsenal now thought to be in pole position to secure a move.
Arteta’s side have apparently pushed harder than Chelsea so far, and there appears to be a race taking shape between the two sides for Gittens, who appears likely to leave Dortmund when the window reopens.
The 20-year-old’s exploits have earned him a growing reputation abroad as one of Europe’s most exciting young final third players, with ex-Dortmund boss Nuri Şahin branding Gittens an “incredible” one-v-one specialist.
“He’s a very important player for us,” said Sahin.
Jamie Bynoe-Gittens for Borussia Dortmund.
“Jamie himself wants to take the next step, and we want him to take that step. Now he’s scoring goals and playing more mature football. It’s not news to me that he’s incredible one-on-one and is a very good finisher.”
Meanwhile, Dortmund managing director Lars Ricken has heaped praise on the youngster’s impressive output.
“Jamie is doing an outstanding job,” said Ricken.
“He was a standout, including in the way he helped Ramy (Bensebaini, Dortmund’s left-back) in defence. He has developed into a real difference maker with his goals and assists.”
Manchester United are said to be considering making an offer for a young player with a huge amount of potential as INEOS look to rebuild for the long haul.
Amorim begins to eye summer signings at Old Trafford
The Red Devils were beaten 4-3 away to Brentford on Sunday afternoon, as a hugely disappointing Premier League campaign carries on, with Ruben Amorim’s side limping over the line in the competition this season.
United continue to be linked with much-needed new signings this summer, with a new striker at the top of the list of priorities. Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres has regularly been mentioned as the man to come in and lead the line, following a stunning season that has seen him score 38 times in the Primeira Liga.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokerescelebrates scoring their third goal to complete his hat-trick
Liam Delap is seen as another option to and strengthen the Red Devils’ attack, following an impressive year for a struggling Ipswich Town side. The former Manchester City youngster won’t want to be playing Championship football next season, so a summer exit feels like a certainty.
At the other end of the pitch, Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Jonathan Tah has reportedly been in talks over a move to Old Trafford, with the defender leaving his current club on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Man Utd considering offer for 16 y/o Jake Evans
According to a report from Spain, Manchester United are willing to make a £13m offer for Leicester City attacker Jake Evans this summer. The 16-year-old has caught the eye in the Foxes academy, standing out as one of the most exciting young players at the club, and Tottenham are also believed to be in the mix.
Evans isn’t necessarily the world-renowned attacker that so many United fans crave in the summer window, but there is room to sign both proven players and future stars in the coming months. Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has lauded the teenager’s ability, along with fellow youngster Jeremy Monga, already seeing him as a “vital” player in their first-team.
“Jake Evans and Jeremy Monga are very closely monitored by us in their performances in the Under-21s. Fifteen and 16-year-olds who are performing in PL2 on a regular basis and doing well there. They are vital parts already, even though they’re 15 and 16. It’s hard to imagine at their age they are part of team training on a regular basis and in the plans of this football club.”
Evans has scored 11 goals for Leicester’s Under-18s and Under-21s apiece, coming in just 20 and 18 appearances for them respectively, and he is also a two-cap England Under-16s international, further highlighting his pedigree.
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For that reason, he could be a fantastic long-term signing for United, maturing as a player in the youth teams at Old Trafford before hopefully becoming a key part of Amorim’s plans over time.
With RR needing 18 from 12 balls, Hazlewood conceded only one in the penultimate over and also took two wickets
Ashish Pant25-Apr-20252:12
What makes Hazlewood a much-improved T20 bowler?
Being at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is an experience. When things are going the home side Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) way, one needs to strain his ear to listen to the person next to him inside a soundproof room. When it’s not, the silence can get disconcerting.On Thursday, at the end of the 18th over, the Chinnaswamy Stadium got really quiet. The 30,000-strong crowd had just witnessed their star bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar being thrashed for 22 runs by Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) Dhruv Jurel and Shubham Dubey. The RCB chants weren’t ringing around the ground anymore, there were no flags waving. With 18 needed off 12 balls, this was now RR’s game to lose. Were RCB about to go down at home for a fourth straight time? Surely nine an over at the Chinnaswamy is a cakewalk.Enter Josh Hazlewood. A solitary run off the 19th over, two wickets, and RR did not know what hit them. It was a classic case of sticking to the plan: hard lengths mixed with the occasional yorker and change of pace. And just like that, Hazlegod (that’s what the RCB faithful call him) had flipped the narrative again, and the crowd found its voice… big time.Related
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Hazlewood has always been a frugal powerplay bowler, and it’s no different in the IPL. His high release points, because of which he generates the extra bounce, coupled with the subtle movement off the deck have often been a nightmare for batters. In IPL 2025, he has also been a death-bowling sensation.Entering the tournament, Hazlewood had bowled 141 balls in the death since the first time he played in the league in 2020. Off those, he picked up 13 wickets at an economy of 10.00. This season, he’s already bowled 59 balls in the death and picked up six wickets. Only Matheesha Pathirana (seven) has more wickets than him, while his economy of 8.23 is the third-best for any bowler with a minimum of five overs in the death.What’s crucial is that Hazlewood seems to have gotten a hang of the Chinnaswamy surface. He had a tough beginning here, going for a combined 83 runs in 6.5 overs in the first two games against Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals. But the rain-shortened game against Punjab Kings, where he almost broke open the game, helped him find a template.ESPNcricinfo LtdAgainst RR, 17 of the 24 deliveries that he bowled were short of a good length, which fetched him wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer and Jofra Archer. It wasn’t the easiest of starts for him here as well, with Jaiswal laying into him (26 off 11 balls), but Hazlewood stuck to that hard-length plan and hit the jackpot.”It’s just sticking to your strengths,” Hazlewood said after his four-wicket burst gave RCB their first win at home. “The bounce here has been quite steep throughout the whole tournament so far and that hard length was still hard to hit, so I was just about mixing it up with, you know, the odd yorker, the odd bouncer, change of pace, so the normal stuff, but it’s just the order in which you apply those balls.”I think for that six to eight metres [length], the strike rate was about 100. If you can hang around there more often than not, bring the batsman forward, without bowling the half-volley, I think that’s the way forward for us.”
“From 18 in the last two overs, it is very much in the batters’ favour and they should win the game from there. I think that almost relieves you a little bit”Josh Hazlewood
But what about the pressure when he is bowling to two set batters with the required rate only at nine an over? “I think it almost takes the pressure off to a degree,” Hazlewood said. “From 18 in the last two overs, it is very much in the batters’ favour and they should win the game from there. I think that almost relieves you a little bit.”[If] you have 25 or 27 to play with, then the pressure is on the bowling team. I felt that I could [be] nice and relaxed, stick to my strengths on this wicket. It was a hard ball to hit that back of a length and then mix it up with the odd yorker. So [I was] happy to execute that and sort of get monkey off the back of that first win at home.”While Hazlewood’s one-run 19th over will remain the talking point, his 17th over was equally important. With RR needing 46 off the last four overs, with six wickets in hand, he got the key wicket of Hetmyer and conceded just six. Those two overs, which went for just seven, softened the impact Bhuvneshwar’s 22-run over created.1:53
Are RCB looking good for the playoffs now?
“I think both those overs showed the class of the guy,” RCB head coach Andy Flower said after the game. “He’s a class operator and he’s a world-class bowler. He is great under pressure in any format of the game, he thinks clearly and he’s got great skill. I know he’s known for his heavy length bowling but he’s got some great all-round skills.”He mixes in those yorkers, wide yorkers, slower balls and he seems to know what type of ball to bowl at the right time. So it’s great having a guy like him in our side, in our squad and part of a very strong three-pronged attack.”Minutes after the dust had settled on the contest, and the players were congratulating each other, the cameras panned to Virat Kohli. There was a sheepish smile on his face as he jogged towards Hazlewood with childlike enthusiasm and then picked him up with the bowler breaking into a wide grin.Out of the 16 wickets Hazlewood has picked this season, 13 have come in the second innings with RCB defending a score. Not all these wickets have come in a winning cause, but in Hazlewood, RCB know they have a rare bowler who can be destructive in the powerplay and the death. Can he be the ticket to their maiden IPL trophy?
There’s nothing really on line in this series, but given it’s a World Cup year, maybe everything is
Firdose Moonda15-Mar-2023After a Test series played against the backdrop of an increasing awareness and discomfort with the next FTP, South Africa and West Indies enter another series which raises scheduling concerns: the context-less ODI rubber. Get used to it – they’re back and, at the conclusion of this World Cup Super League, (WCSL) they’re here to stay.For reasons unknown, the league will be scrapped after the 2023 World Cup and qualification for the next 50-over tournament reverts to rankings. In theory, that should place some importance on every bilateral contest; in practice, we’ve seen it all before. As T20 leagues grow and Tests continue to form part of a championship, the middle child of ODIs is likely to suffer and this series is an example of what that could look like.South Africa and West Indies have nothing to play for except new starts, which, at least gives some narrative to the next six days.Related
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Maharaj in danger of missing ODI World Cup with Achilles injury
If ODIs feel irrelevant now, just wait till the next FTP cycle
For South Africa, it’s their first outing under new white-ball coach Rob Walter, who communicated with them from afar during their WCSL series against England while he wrapped up work with Hamilton’s Central Districts team. Walter is coming home, to a country where he started his cricket career as a fitness trainer and left as a successful franchise coach, to take up a new challenge in New Zealand. It proved exactly that, and he came up with no trophies, but plenty of experience that he will have to use to rebuild South Africa in their worst format. Under Mark Boucher, the 50-over side underperformed to the point where they are at risk of not securing automatic qualification for the 2023 World Cup. That’s Walter’s mess to clean up.He will have his best players at his disposal when they go into two must-win matches against Netherlands from March 31. For now, he has some important selection decisions to make, after Kagiso Rabada and Aiden Markram were rested, David Miller was allowed to finish his stint at the IPL, and injuries have wormed their way into the camp.They lost Keshav Maharaj, whose year has been thrown into disarray after he ruptured his left Achilles’ tendon when celebrating a wicket in the second Test, leaving his chances of making the 2023 World Cup slim, and Wiaan Mulder, to a side strain before traveling to East London.Once there, replacement allrounder Wayne Parnell fell ill but managed to train on the eve of the first match and will be needed because Andile Phehlukwayo has back spasms and Sisanda Magala has split the webbing on his right hand. That leaves Lungi Ngidi to lead the attack, and gives Tabraiz Shamsi the opportunity to reclaim his spot as the premier spinner. Meanwhile, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs are all in line for ODI debuts.The revolving door of white-ball players may suggest a haphazard strategy in a World Cup year but given the difficulties South Africa’s ODI squad has been through, they need to trial selections, before they have to make them count.”We’ll be using this opportunity against West Indies to refine our way of playing,” Temba Bavuma, South Africa’s captain said. “Our priority will always be to win the series but also our efforts to widen the pool and give guys opportunities. This is a big year from a 50-over point of view. That format is probably the main priority.”West Indies enter this series with a new captain in Shai Hope•Associated PressWest Indies are in a similar, and perhaps slightly worse position. They enter this series with a new captain Shai Hope, and an interim coach Andre Coley, whose position will soon be split in two. Like South Africa, they will appoint a red-ball coach who will oversee their scant Test schedule and develop first-class players, and a white-ball manager to head up the ODI and T20 squad. The latter’s job could begin in time for the World Cup Qualifiers, which West Indies are all-but-certain to participate in.West Indies are currently eighth on the WCSL points’ table and have played all their matches which means they will be leapfrogged by one or both of South Africa and Sri Lanka and will have to play in Zimbabwe in June to make it to the World Cup. That thought won’t scare them as much as it does the other two teams because West Indies have been there, done that and qualified before. So for them, this series does have the value of offering them preparatory time, a dry-run of sorts, under Hope and a different style of playing.”It’s a new journey,” he said. “And we need to improve in all areas. We all need to come together and find the right formula because we definitely need to qualify for that World Cup. Everything we do now is geared towards that.”After losing 15 of their 24 WCSL games, including series to Bangladesh and Irelands, and losing two of their last 10 series dating back to January 2021, it’s fair to say things have not exactly clicked and Hope’s wish that they can discover a winning brand is the first step to approaching the qualifiers. They’ll rely heavily on former captain Jason Holder, who was their best player in the Tests and continues to carry an inordinate amount of burden in the side. Far from seeing it as too much to bear, Holder has spoken of his love for playing with this particular group, and his desire that they grow together. The onus will be on Shannon Gabriel, Akeal Hosein, and Kyle Mayers – all experienced in years but not in matches – to step up, because even though there are no points on the line, there is something perhaps a little more important.”We are playing for international pride and all those people back in the Caribbean, and even all around the world, who support West Indies,” Hope said. “Whenever you cross that line, your aim is to win games so everything must be geared to that, everything must go into the middle.”With nothing really on the line, maybe everything is.
Through basic control and bowling smarts, Chahal delivered a match-turning performance
Saurabh Somani26-Jul-20210:58
I backed myself before coming on this tour – Chahal
Since India turned to wristspinners in the white-ball formats in the second half of 2017, Yuzvendra Chahal had been a regular fixture in the playing XIs, in both ODIs and T20Is. However, after the 2019 World Cup, both Chahal and fellow wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav were no longer able to command a spot in the first XI. The Covid-19 pandemic meant India’s squads were split, with Chahal being a more reliable inclusion in the limited-overs side playing in Sri Lanka. It was in Sri Lanka that Chahal established himself as a regular in the playing XI, and returning there has also seen the form of old return.Chahal was full of fizz in the first two ODIs, rested in the third since India had sealed the series, and went up a notch in the opening T20I on Sunday. In the ODIs, he had been thrown the ball after good starts by Sri Lanka, and invariably offered India greater control. He did the same thing in the first T20I, only better. Brought on immediately after the powerplay with Sri Lanka 46 for 1, Chahal bamboozled Dhananjaya de Silva with a delivery of a legspinner’s dreams. A loopy delivery that was so perfect it could have represented an equation, teasing drift, hitting the perfect length on leg, and then ripping across the batter to knock out off stump.That would be Chahal’s only wicket in the game, but his figures read 4-0-19-1. The bare numbers are impressive enough, but in terms of Smart Economy – which is arrived at after taking into account the stage of the match a bowler has bowled in and the batters bowled to – Chahal’s was an astounding 2.69, easily the best in the game for any bowler that delivered more than one over.Chahal could tie Sri Lanka down not just by skill, but by smarts too. He was bowling with a shorter leg-side boundary to the right-hand batters, and therefore didn’t bowl a single googly to them. Not just that, he maintained control of his line immaculately too. According to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data, of the 13 balls Chahal bowled to right-hand batters, three were on the stumps and 10 were outside off stump. Not a single ball down leg. Of the 11 balls bowled to left-hand batters, seven were on the stumps, not giving them room to target the off side, which was the shorter boundary.Yuzvendra Chahal provided plenty of control with figures of 4-0-19-1.•ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images”The end I was bowling from, the leg side boundary was shorter and they were looking to hit that side,” Chahal said after the match. “That’s why I didn’t bowl googlies to the right-handers. I didn’t want to give them confidence, I thought that if I can bowl a lot of dot balls, pressure will build. So even if I don’t get a wicket, my partner from the other end can bowl more freely. If I had tried to go for wickets, or tried something extra, and they had hit a six or four, the pressure would have automatically come on us, because the total wasn’t so big. So I bowled more googlies to the left-handers. I kept mixing it up.”Chahal gave up seven runs in his first two overs, and an asking rate that was 7.66 before he came on, had ballooned to 10.00, with Sri Lanka having also lost two wickets inside three overs. Just before his final over, Charith Asalanka had taken debutant Varun Chakravarthy for 14 runs, giving Sri Lanka a set-up for a final-overs charge. On came Chahal for the 15th over. He conceded just three runs, varying pace, adjusting length if the batter moved and keeping the ball out of their hitting reach. ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats had Sri Lanka’s win probability at 40.47% before Chahal’s last over. After he bowled, it had dropped to 22.92. He said his job was “to control the middle overs”, which is exactly what he provided to India.Getting the fizz back in his bowling was the result of spending time during the pandemic-enforced lockdown with coaches, and with Haryana team-mate Jayant Yadav, whom Chahal bounced ideas off.”When I was not playing, I was working with my bowling coach, about where I should bowl, why I was not able to perform in a couple of matches. During the lockdown, I did single-wicket bowling, practiced with my friends,” Chahal said.Yuzvendra Chahal’s only wicket in the first T20I was of Dhananjaya de Silva with a ripping legbreak•SLC”I didn’t want to make too many changes. I thought about which lines I should focus on, whether to go wider or go stump to stump. I sat with (Bharat) Arun sir, there is Paras (Mhambrey) sir here and Rahul (Dravid) sir, so I sat with them, saw videos to see what am I missing? I have been doing well, but it was not happening in a couple of matches. During the lockdown, before this tour, I couldn’t really go much to cricket grounds due to Covid-19 restrictions. But the three-four sessions I got in my hometown, I went and practiced. Jayant Yadav was there, I’ve been playing with him since childhood, so we practiced together. I spoke to him also, and things started from there. The main thing was that the more confident I can be while bowling, the better I will be able to bowl.”Related
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For Chahal, it was important to do well in this series, given the depth of options India have to choose from. In this squad alone, among pure spinners, Rahul Chahar is on the sidelines as another promising legspinner, while Kuldeep and Chakravarthy are around too.”Definitely when your bench strength is so good that you have a pool of 30 players overall, it is a boost, and you get quality there,” Chahal said. “All spinners are doing well. You know that for your spot, there are already two people ready, who have already performed in the IPL, here. My focus when I play is that I should perform whenever I play. If you perform (well), then you get to play. You can stay in the team only with performance. When I bowl, I keep my mind clear, I don’t think of ‘this guy has done this, that guy has done that’. My mind is on the fact that I have the ball, and what I need to do now.”Chahal is likely to face sterner challenges after the current T20I series, with the twin behemoths of IPL and the T20 World Cup later this year. If he can continue to employ the skill and nous he has regained in Sri Lanka, there will be more happy days ahead for him and his team.