Tottenham face-off against Man City in the Premier League this afternoon, and off the field, both clubs have been chatting over winger Savinho.
Today’s clash at Eastlands has been tipped as an opportunity for Lilywhites chiefs to hold more face-to-face talks with City officials over a deal for the Brazil international, coming after Spurs’ already well-documented pursuit of him.
Thomas Frank’s side have seen a bid worth just over £40 million rejected, according to Savinho’s agent, Frederico Moraes, but the player’s camp are in London right now attempting to facilitate discussions as Savinho eyes a move to north London.
The former Girona star, who will play no part today due to injury, is believed to be very keen on joining Spurs as he looks to become a Premier League mainstay ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Daniel Levy, technical director Johan Lange and CEO Vinai Vinkatesham are still dusting themselves off from the public humiliation of missing out on Eberechi Eze, with the 27-year-old coming as their second failed playmaker deal of the window after Morgan Gibbs-White.
In response, reports from Brazil suggest that Tottenham are really pushing the boat out to sign Savinho, with Levy even preparing a club-record £69 million bid.
However, City’s stance thus far is that he’s not for sale, with Pep Guardiola even publicly stating that he wants Savinho to remain in Manchester for many years.
If their move for the South American hits a brick wall, journalist Pete O’Rourke has told Football Insider that Tottenham have identified a “cheaper” alternative.
Tottenham identify Monaco star Maghnes Akliouche as "cheaper" Savinho alternative
O’Rourke claims that Spurs see Monaco star Maghnes Akliouche as that man, coming after the 23-year-old bagged seven goals and 12 assists in all competitions last season.
Other media sources believe that the Frenchman, who won silver with France at the 2024 Olympic Games, could be available for just under £50 million – so Levy will still need to pay a considerable fee.
Akliouche is no stranger to the big occasion, though, with the winger putting in some impressive Champions League performances last season, including the opening goal in Monaco’s 2-1 win over Barcelona.
O Palmeiras se reapresentou nesta segunda-feira (24), na Academia de Futebol, após o empate em 2 a 2 com o Vasco, no Maracanã, no último domingo (23), pela segunda rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, mas já virou a chave pensando na Copa do Brasil. As principais novidades na atividade desta manhã foram as presenças de Raphael Veiga e Rony, que podem reforçar o time em breve.
> Veja tabela da Copa do Brasil-2023 clicando aqui
No treino, o elenco alviverde iniciou a preparação para enfrentar o Tombense-MG, nesta quarta-feira (26), às 20h, no Parque do Sabiá, em Uberlândia (MG), pelo jogo de volta da terceira fase da Copa do Brasil. Na ida, o Verdão venceu por 4 a 2, no Allianz Parque, e pode até empatar ou perder por até um gol de diferença, que mesmo assim estará classificado para as oitavas de final do torneio.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras tem trio de campeões do Sul-Americano pela Seleção sub-17Palmeiras24/04/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras perde o costume da ‘baliza zero’, e auxiliar de Abel elenca motivosPalmeiras23/04/2023PalmeirasANÁLISE: Palmeiras se especializa em ‘correr atrás’, mas com o risco de não chegar lá na frentePalmeiras23/04/2023
Os titulares na partida do Rio de Janeiro seguiram cronograma regenerativo na parte interna do centro de excelência, enquanto os demais fizeram duas atividades técnicas de passes, marcação e posse de bola.
Veiga e Rony, que já estão em transição físicaapós se recuperarem de uma lesão na coxa direita e uma fratura no antebraço direito, respectivamente, participaram de parte do trabalho integrados ao restante do elenco. Ambos estão fora de combate desde o jogo de ida da final do Paulistão.
>Palmeiras perde o costume da ‘baliza zero’, e auxiliar de Abel elenca motivos
Vale lembrar que o Palmeiras não libera a entrada de jornalistas para acompanharem os treinamentos. Assim, as informações são fornecidas pela assessoria de imprensa do clube.
Depois de uma vitória e um empate no Brasileirão, o Verdão ocupa a terceira posição na tabela de classificação. Depois de enfrentar o Tombense nesta quarta-feira, o time de Abel Ferreira recebe o Corinthians, no Allianz Parque, pelo clássico válido pela terceira rodada do campeonato nacional.
After being released from LSG, the India batter is prioritising a “balanced” team environment over his captaincy aspirations
Shashank Kishore12-Nov-20242:55
Rahul: Bangalore is home, will be nice to go back to RCB
KL Rahul is looking forward to playing with “freedom” in a “much more balanced” environment as he enters the mega auction ahead of the new IPL cycle. Rahul was released by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) following their seventh-place finish at IPL 2024.At the time, franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka spoke of their keenness to hold on to “players who have a mindset to win” and those that “put the team before their personal goals and aspirations”. Did that in any way prompt Rahul’s keenness to enter the auction?Related
MI retain their big four; Klaasen retained for INR 23 crore
LSG wanted to retain 'players who have a mindset to win'
Indians and batters dominate retentions, and a major captaincy refresh
“No, I mean, I think the decision was made already and I don’t know what the comments are, but they must have come after the announcement,” Rahul told in an interview aired on November 12. “I just felt like I wanted to start fresh, I wanted to explore my options and I wanted to go and play where I could find some freedom and the team atmosphere would be something much more balanced.”The pressure is already there in the IPL, it’s so high. You see teams like Gujarat [Titans] and CSK [Chennai Super Kings] and all of these teams, and you see when they win or lose, they seem really balanced and the dressing room is really calm. That’s something that’s very important for me as a player. I feel like if that happens, it gives all the players the best chance to perform.”We tried that at LSG with Andy Flower [head coach] and GG [Gautam Gambhir, mentor] first and then last year with [new head coach, Justin] Langer, we tried to create that in the change room. I think it was a brilliant atmosphere in the change room. I think sometimes you just need to move away and find something good for yourself.”Rahul led LSG into the playoffs in their first two seasons, in 2022 and 2023. Asked to look back on IPL 2024, Rahul suggested that external pressure may have contributed to their drop in results. After starting with a loss to Rajasthan Royals, they won three matches on the bounce before stuttering mid-season. And then, they went on a downward spiral, even as Rahul topped their charts with 520 runs at a strike rate of 136.12.1:30
Rahul: I want to play where I can find some freedom
Despite those runs, there had been considerable speculation over Rahul’s future at the franchise ever since visuals surfaced of an animated chat between him and Goenka following LSG’s defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad towards the end of the league phase.”There’s always ups and downs,” he said. “You need to be able to hold your nerves and be able to keep and you need to be able to keep putting up good performances after good performances. All the travel, all the drama outside, the pressure – all of it is there every year. But somehow this season, it felt like there was a lot more and somehow I think that affected the team and we couldn’t put in performances when it really mattered.”Looking ahead, Rahul said IPL captaincy wasn’t the most important thing for him at this stage, but playing in a “good environment” was. “I would never go and ask someone for it,” Rahul said when asked how important IPL captaincy was to him. “If you feel that my leadership skills are good enough, and you find something good in the way I play my cricket and in the way I handle myself, the way that I handle the team that I’ve captained in the last four to five years, and if you find it worthy, then of course I’m happy to do it.”But it’s not something that is a make or break for me. I just want to be part of a team that has a good environment. You feel loved, cared for and respected in that environment and everyone on that franchise has one single goal to win the idea. there then that’s a perfect fit.”Even as social media chatter of a potential reunion with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, his hometown team, gathers steam, Rahul was pragmatic about the possibility of playing anywhere. But it’s no secret which team he has a soft corner for. “I most enjoyed playing at RCB. It’s also home,” he said. “You get to spend a lot of time at home, and I know the Chinnaswamy [Stadium] really well. I’ve grown up playing on that ground. So yeah, I really enjoyed my time in RCB.”Would he love to go back to RCB?”Yeah, of course like I said, it’s kind of home and the people there know me as a local Kannada boy, and it would be nice to go back there and get an opportunity again. But yeah, it’s an auction year so you can go anywhere.”
Joe Root begins a ninth stint at the top of the Test batters’ rankings beckons with the England batter leapfrogging Kane Williamson to the top of the ICC rankings. Root rose to the summit with his match-winning 87 in the first innings of the Birmingham Test against West Indies. He was the only one of the top six to score more than 20, although England did rake in the runs down the order with Jamie Smith almost scoring a century. The rookie wicketkeeper-batter was also among the big movers in the rankings, going up 31 places to No. 64.Root’s rise is the most significant of the latest update and he ticked off an arguably bigger landmark during the Test itself when he went past Brian Lara’s Test match tally of 11,953 to become the seventh highest run-getter in the format’s history. At 12,207, Root has the most runs among active Test cricketers with Steven Smith (9685) and Virat Kohli (8848) behind him. His first time at the top of the Test batting rankings was August 2015 and he was last there in June 2023, after a fine performance in the opening match of the Ashes series.England fast bowler Mark Wood’s Player-of-the-Match performance of 7 for 92 lifted him into the top 20 of the bowling rankings for the first time in his career.In the men’s T20I Rankings, India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal is back at No. 4 after aggregating 80 runs at a strike rate of 178 in the three-match series against Sri Lanka which his side won 3-0.Shubman Gill moved up 16 places to a career-best 21st position. The series two highest scorers, the Sri Lankan pair of Pathum Nissanka (up 11 places to 15th) and Kusal Perera (up 40 places to joint-63rd) are the others to move up the batting rankings. India legspinner Ravi Bishnoi, who has been ranked No. 1 T20I bowler in the past, is back in the top 10.For the latest ICC player rankings, across formats, click here. For team rankings, click here.
David Moyes took the reins in January and guided Everton away from certain peril. Goodison Park was sinking, but instead, the Scottish coach has made a positive impact and ensured the club parted with their historic home in a good position, set for future success.
With the 2024/25 Premier League season wrapped up, Everton finishing 13th, Moyes and The Friedkin Group have turned their attention to the summer transfer window, releasing a number of loanees as well as first-team mainstays such as Abdoulaye Doucoure.
Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure
Whether players like Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Michael Keane will be playing at the Hill Dickinson Stadium remains to be seen, but The Toffees are preparing to add some genuine quality to the starting line-up.
On that note, let’s have a look at how Moyes could apply his expertise over the summer, bringing in a few fresh faces who could make a big difference for a team hoping to challenge for a place in the top half.
1 GK – Jordan Pickford
Jordan Pickford has now completed 319 matches for Everton, keeping 89 clean sheets. He’s been a pillar of strength and a source of leadership for so many years.
He’s going nowhere; what else is there to say?
2 RB – Jake O'Brien
Jake O'Brien celebrates for Everton
Joining from Lyon last summer, Jake O’Brien didn’t start a Premier League game until Moyes’ second game, filling in at right-back during the thrilling 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park.
He’s since been a regular feature in the starting line-up, hailed as an “absolute revelation” by TNT Sports commentator Adam Virgo.
3 CB – Yann Bisseck
Inter Milan's YannBisseckin action with AC Milan's Theo Hernande
While the currently injured James Tarkowski will still be on the books, Everton could move to sign a long-term heir, with Inter Milan’s Yann Bisseck being ambitiously targeted for the role.
Bissesk is a monstrous defensive star, playing a prominent role in the Serie A side’s ongoing Champions League campaign.
As per TEAMtalk, Everton have been informed they could bring him over to Bramley-Moore if they meet the £30m asking price.
4 CB – Jarrad Branthwaite
Will Jarrad Branthwaite be an Everton player come September? Only a few months ago, the powerful defender was reported to be considering his options after being overlooked by Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel for the March camp.
Tuchel has opted against picking him once again. Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United are rumoured to be keen, but Moyes will certainly want to keep hold of his star centre-back.
5 LB – Vitalii Mykolenko
Solid and largely dependable, Vitalii Mykolenko has another gear to raise in his development, but has definitely made gains, speaking of his enjoyment in embracing a more attacking role since the managerial change in January.
Mykolenko has six goal involvements across 110 matches in the Premier League, half of which have been posted over his last 11 matches, with Moyes at the helm.
6 CM – Tomas Soucek
Tomas Soucek scores for West Ham
Moyes wants to sign Tomas Soucek this summer, having enjoyed the fruits of the Czech midfielder’s labours for over four years at West Ham United.
An industrious and physical player with a shrewd eye for goal, Soucek would dovetail right in. And according to Football Insider, he’s keen on the move.
7 CM – Idrissa Gueye
Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye
TFG are fighting tooth and nail to tie 35-year-old Idrissa Gueye down to a new contract, as per TEAMtalk. He might be getting on, but the Senegalese midfielder was a tough-tackling menace in the centre of the park this season, so important for Moyes’ side.
1)
Idrissa Gueye
133
2)
Daniel Munoz
123
3)
Joao Gomes
116
4)
Noussair Mazraoui
115
5)
Moises Caicedo
114
Everton will need to retain his services. Gueye instils a calming effect while bringing the thunderous storm to his opponents, and it will be hard to replace that.
8 RW – Ben Doak
According to reports, Everton are talking internally about a jaw-dropping swoop for Liverpool talent Ben Doak, who has enjoyed a productive loan spell with Middlesbrough, scoring three goals and supplying seven assists from 24 games in the Championship.
Valued at £30m, the Scotland international wouldn’t come cheap, but he’s explosive and electric and definitely an upgrade on the outgoing Jack Harrison.
Former Tartan Army boss Craig Levein has touted him to become a “world-class player,” after all.
9 AM – Charly Alcaraz
Everton midfielder Charly Alcaraz
Everton might be parting with most of their loan contingent, but they are in talks with Flamengo to sign Charly Alcaraz on a permanent basis.
The Argentina talent is tenacious and dynamic, and will give Dwight McNeil a run for his money for the number ten berth, especially now that Doucoure has played his final game in Merseyside blue.
10 LW – Iliman Ndiaye
Iliman Ndiaye scores for Everton
What a player. Iliman Ndiaye missed a sizeable chunk of the season after Moyes replaced Sean Dyche, but who can deny he’s been a show-stopping signing?
Arriving from Marseille for a £15m fee, Ndiaye, 25, finished the campaign as the club’s top scorer, with 11 goals from 37 matches in all competitions.
Wolverhampton Wanderers have now submitted an opening bid for a defender who “never puts a foot wrong”, but there could be competition from their Premier League rivals, according to a report.
Wolves looking to kick on under Pereira
Vitor Pereira’s arrival last season marked a change in fortunes for Wolves, with the manager overseeing a major improvement in results, which meant relegation fears were quashed way before the business end of the season.
Pereira has stated he wants to “do better” next season, however, which means some new arrivals may be needed this summer, particularly with Matheus Cunha on his way to Manchester United, and there have been suggestions Nelson Semedo could follow the forward to Old Trafford.
Quite rightly, the manager may also be keen to strengthen his backline this summer, given that the Old Gold conceded the most goals of any side not to be relegated from the Premier League last season.
Club
Final position
Goals conceded
Tottenham Hotspur
17th
65
Wolves
16th
69
Manchester United
15th
54
West Ham United
14th
62
According to a report from Italy (via Sport Witness), Wolves have now made an offer for Lazio defender Mario Gila, but there could be competition for his signature from their Premier League rivals, with Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion also keen.
Lazio’s failure to qualify for Europe could have a big impact on their summer transfer window, and there is now growing interest in Gila, with the Italian club looking to hold out for a fee of €50m (£42m) for his services.
However, the Old Gold only appear to be willing to fork out €35m (£29m) for the centre-back’s signature, so the two clubs remain some way apart at the moment, and he is thought to be keen on playing for a top club next season.
Wolves can sign their new Raul Jimenez with "extraordinary" £29m star
Wolves will need to replace Matheus Cunha this summer
ByRoss Kilvington May 25, 2025 Gila "never puts a foot wrong" in defence
Former Lazio sporting director Igli Tare was full of praise for the Spanish defender upon signing him from Real Madrid, saying: “He is fast, intelligent and never puts a foot wrong. He can become one of the top 3-4 defenders in the world and it wouldn’t surprise me if Real wanted him back.”
The Barcelona-born defender has since emerged as a key player for Lazio, making 32 Serie A appearances during the 2024/25 campaign, and CBS’ Matteo Bonetti believes he could be in line for a move to a top club due to his “unique” profile.
As such, Gila could be a real coup for Wolves, but given that European football will not be on offer next season, it would be a surprise to see him move to Molineux.
Chelsea have now made contact to ask for information about a “world-class” player, ahead of a potential summer transfer swoop, according to a report.
Blues pushing for Champions League
Despite the drab 0-0 draw against Brentford at the weekend, the Blues remain in a strong position to end their two-year hiatus from the Champions League, sitting fourth in the Premier League table with just seven games left to play.
Should Enzo Maresca achieve his aim of Champions League qualification, the campaign will probably go down as a success, but there are still issues the manager will need to address in the summer transfer window.
One problem position has been goalkeeper, with Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen being used interchangeably, and there have been suggestions Maresca could bring Djordje Petrovic back into the fold next season.
New target: Chelsea eye move for £50m star who's "similar to Bellingham"
The Blues have set their sights on an “incredible” midfielder, who has been compared to Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham.
ByDominic Lund Apr 7, 2025
Petrovic has impressed on loan at Strasbourg, meaning he could also be given another chance at Stamford Bridge. Nonetheless, the option of bringing in a new goalkeeper from elsewhere remains on the table.
According to a report from Italy (via Chelsea Chronicle), Chelsea have now asked for information about AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, ahead of a potential summer transfer swoop.
AC Milan's MikeMaignanreacts
Aston Villa and Manchester United have also been named as potential suitors for Maignan, whose future at the San Siro remains up in the air, given that he is yet to sign a new deal to extend his stay with the Italian club.
Reports have valued the goalkeeper at £67m, but there is a feeling he could be available for half that price, should he refuse to put pen to paper on a new deal, with his contract currently set to expire in 2026.
"World-class" Maignan could be real upgrade on Sanchez
Sanchez has been extremely error-prone for the Blues this season, making five mistakes which have directly led to goals in the Premier League, the joint-highest number of any player in the top flight.
As such, it is little wonder Chelsea are thinking about signing a replacement in the summer window, and there are indications Maignan could be a real upgrade on the Spaniard, considering he has been lauded as “world-class” by members of the Italian media.
Not only that, but the Frenchman could be well-suited to Maresca’s passing style of play, given that he has expressed a willingness to get on the ball over the past year, ranking in the 80th percentile for touches, when compared to his positional peers.
It is clear that Sanchez will need to be replaced this summer, and Maignan has proven he could be a solid replacement, although it may make more financial sense to give the nod to Petrovic, who has put in some very impressive displays in Ligue 1 this season.
Lack of fixtures against top opposition and almost no experience in T20 leagues has hindered the development of batters in these teams
Sruthi Ravindranath19-Oct-2025Bangladesh had England under pressure at 78 for 5.Pakistan had Australia struggling at 115 for 8, and had tied England down to 133 for 9.Sri Lanka had India six down for just 124.The three teams at the bottom of the women’s World Cup points table – Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – have shown they can test stronger sides with the ball. They have also shown that their batting is not good enough to win them matches against the bigger teams.This tournament hasn’t been a run fest: there have been only two first-innings scores of 300-plus, both on flat pitches in Indore and Visakhapatnam. But even when conditions have favoured batting, those three South Asian teams haven’t been able to capitalise.Related
Heartbreak and euphoria in Diwali night drama
SL pull off a heist after Bangladesh collapse in magnificent fashion
South Africa look to keep winning as Pakistan hope to make a late charge
Top-order turbulences, left-arm spin traps and catching concerns
Against Australia in Visakhapatnam, Bangladesh stumbled to 198 for 9 before losing by ten wickets inside 25 overs. Against South Africa, Bangladesh were crawling until Shorna Akter fired them to 232, which ultimately proved inadequate.These three sides have the lowest batting averages at this World Cup. Pakistan are at the bottom with 13.55, followed by Bangladesh (19.92) and Sri Lanka (20.27). Between the previous World Cup in 2022 and this one, they had occupied the bottom three spots in batting averages among the eight teams in this tournament.What’s holding them back?Their limited exposure against high-quality opposition has often been highlighted as a reason their batting hasn’t developed. Bangladesh’s World Cup opener against England was only their second ODI against them. Sri Lanka hadn’t faced Australia in the format since 2019, and their fixture in this World Cup was washed out.Nilakshika Silva has been promising for Sri Lanka•Getty Images”This is a stage where we show our capabilities, so teams like England and Australia show interest in playing against us,” Nigar Sultana, Bangladesh captain, had said before the match against England.”Our girls are playing very few matches with those who are ranked top four in the world,” Bangladesh allrounder Rumana Ahmed told ESPNcricinfo. “So the fewer the number of matches they play against such teams, the less competitive matches they play, the lower their confidence will be.”Rumana isn’t at the World Cup squad this time, but she has been watching closely. She sees a team performing beyond expectations. “Yes, we lost by a very small margin [against England and South Africa] due to some inexperience. But they barely got to play enough international matches before the tournament. The way they are playing without that preparation is truly impressive. It is really good to see some batters who are batting very confidently, like Sobhana [Mostary], Supta [Sharmin Akhter], Shorna [Akter]. If the middle order had scored a few more runs, maybe our team could have put up a better fight against bigger teams.”The inexperience Rumana refers to is not just in terms of technique but also when it comes to handling pressure, with Bangladesh’s fielding costing them multiple times. There were several misfields and three dropped chances against South Africa. Sri Lanka, too, dropped Nat Sciver-Brunt on 3 before she scored a match-winning 117.0:58
Nawaz: ‘We are not being able to build momentum with the bat’
“Those subcontinent sides [Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka], I think their strengths have been with the ball,” Nasser Hussain, a commentator at the World Cup, said at a JioStar event. “Sometimes they’ve not been backed up in the field. But I do think the batting is where the improvement needs to come, if we’re going to get an upset in this World Cup. I think if there’s one area that could be improved on, it’s the power-hitting. You look at the stats of power-hitting sixes from Bangladesh and Pakistan, to a degree Sri Lanka, I think that is an area which could improve.”Sometimes it’s just a physical thing – like they have to use their wrists a bit more, they have to sweep, slog sweep, reverse sweep. With their bowling and their spinners, and Marufa [Akter] for Bangladesh, they will challenge any side, but not when you’re only getting [totals of] 150, 160, 170, because the other nations, as we saw with Bangladesh [against Australia] will stroll past that.”Power-hitting has emerged as a key skill with the rise of franchise leagues, most recently with three seasons of the WPL in India. Since 2023, India’s ODI run rate has climbed to 5.69 from the 4.47 they scored at between 2015 and 2020. Their boundary percentage has also gone up, from 41.15% in 2023 to over 52% in 2025. India also play top-tier sides regularly unlike the rest of the subcontinent teams.With this not being a high-scoring World Cup, the number of dot balls has also come in focus. Bangladesh (69.28%), Pakistan (68.85%) and Sri Lanka (60.58%) have the highest dot-ball percentages while batting. Unlike India, players from these teams barely have any presence in overseas leagues. Chamari Athapaththu remains the sole representative from Sri Lanka – and the only active player from these three nations – to have featured in the WBBL and the WPL (though players from Pakistan can’t play in the WPL). Sri Lanka have seen flashes of range-hitting from her and Nilakshika Silva but they remain the exceptions.
“With Pakistan, they had the likes of Bismah Maroof, Javeria Khan and Nida Dar until a while ago, who used to play key roles for them. The players they have now used to play supporting roles for them”Former India batter Thirush Kamini
Rumana believes power-hitting needs training beyond the nets, and the lack of it once again comes down to the exposure these teams (don’t) get.”It’s very difficult to develop it just by practising. You need to use such shots tactically too,” Rumana says. “This means that you have to be involved in T20 or T10 leagues across the globe. If I take good teams like India and Australia, their development has been from the WPL and Women’s Big Bash [League]. If something like Women’s BPL [Bangladesh premier League] had been there in Bangladesh, maybe the power-hitting of the women’s team would have improved.”While slow pitches for domestic cricket at home have helped develop spinners, it has hindered batting progress. The Bangladesh men’s white-ball game began to evolve after a shift away from spin-friendly pitches. The BPL played a role in improving range-hitting.Sri Lanka head coach Rumesh Ratnayake acknowledged the need to assess domestic pitches, while also expressing concern over his batters’ inability to convert starts. “I think that’s a long-term goal of looking into the domestic level,” he said. “But when you’re here, we were well prepared for this. It’s a bit disappointing as a coach when [starts] don’t go into the 50s and to the big hundreds. The girls are aware of it. It’s a matter of how we should be putting it to them and it’s very important that we are very sensitive in putting it across so that they’ll be encouraged and not discouraged.”1:24
Fahima Khatun: We’ve lost games, but gained a lot of positives
Still, there has been some progress. In this World Cup, Sri Lanka have crossed 200 twice, while Bangladesh have once. However, Pakistan’s highest total is 159, with Sidra Amin their only player to score a fifty.”Sri Lanka’s average score used to be less than 200 at one point but now it’s improved,” Thirush Kamini, former India batter, said. “That’s what we should be seeing here – though the improvement is taking time, it’s still there, and we need to give them a little bit more time and exposure to be on par with the other teams.”These three teams have experienced spin departments. They have not changed their bowling much but that can’t be said of the batting. Their spinners have been leading wicket-takers for several years now. With Pakistan, they had the likes of Bismah Maroof, Javeria Khan and Nida Dar until a while ago who used to play key roles for them. The players they have now used to play supporting roles for them. Suddenly when you have your main players retired and have come out of the system, the pressure is on those who played the supporting roles before.”Bangladesh are set to face India, Australia, England, South Africa and New Zealand across formats in the current FTP cycle, with Sri Lanka and Pakistan also scheduled to play several top sides. These series present crucial opportunities for growth, particularly with the bat, for these sides before the next World Cup.
After falling while trying to get out of the line of a short ball at the MCG, Rizwan went after the Australian bowlers in Sydney
Danyal Rasool03-Jan-2024Mohammad Rizwan had got out of the way, and he was furious. He pointed to his arm, gesturing towards a white spot further up the limb the ball definitely hadn’t hit, in an attempt to deflect from the soft, incriminating kiss it had given the wristband of his glove. He went to the Australian fielders to tell them he wasn’t out; given they had opted to send it up to the TV umpire Richard Illingworth, it’s safe to assume they begged to differ. When he was given his marching orders, he seethed some more, animatedly gesturing to the umpire before walking off the MCG in a huff. It wasn’t like Rizwan at all.He had been cramped for room (as he almost famously said in Hyderabad), and now he was acting out.But perhaps what angered him wasn’t the TV umpire’s decision – the evidence was fairly conclusive – but his reaction to Pat Cummins’ body serve of a delivery: he’d got out of the way. And that, if you know much about him, is even less like Rizwan.For the most part, Rizwan’s body is always on the line; he wears blows like badges of honour. It’s possible the mystery mark on his arm was just one of many such bruises decorating his flesh. He throws himself to the ground, diving to complete runs he could have dawdled and still completed, and invariably bruises an arm or a leg, or knocks his helmet grill back into his head keeping the concussion doctor on his toes. He cramps up and yes, he acts. But for a man of faith like Rizwan, getting out of the way must be as close as sport comes to sacrilege.Related
Hafeez says 'inconsistent umpiring' and 'technology curse' cost Pakistan the MCG Test
Jamal's 82 saves Pakistan after another Cummins five-for
'A real shocker': Wasim and Waqar slam Afridi's Sydney omission
And having sinned once, Rizwan was ready to repent in Sydney. At 56 for 4, Josh Hazlewood bowled a similar ball to him, arrowing into his body off a slightly short length, but one that would have made ducking tricky. Instead of stepping away, Rizwan moved his body further into the line and got down low, making himself even more vulnerable. Fine leg was stationed on the edge of the boundary, meaning an aggressive shot here would be as much a professional as a personal risk, but Rizwan didn’t care. And then, in a motion that was more a crack of a whip than a swing of a bat, one liquid motion that almost saw him use his ribs as a pivot, he clobbered one over fine leg’s head for six.Hazlewood pitched the next one on a length; it was nothing like the previous ball, nothing, even, like the Cummins ball. But with the zeal of a convert, Rizwan went after this one too, his head falling away well before he was through his shot, and his body following soon after. Either of those two balls could have got him out, but to note that was to miss the point. For Rizwan, there are certain things that bother him, but getting out isn’t intrinsically one of them.Rizwan went off for lunch, but his appetite was nowhere near sated yet. This time, he was facing Cummins himself, the man who had caused him to sin last week, snapping his side out of the heavenly dreams of victory and casting them back into this mortal realm. He bowled two balls wide of off stump, each of which Rizwan tried to attack, but it was when he sent one the third one in short that Rizwan delivered retribution. He rose to his toes, extending himself to his full height and carved him away for a boundary; it was now that Rizwan was tucking in.Mohammad Rizwan was unhappy with his dismissal during Pakistan’s chase at the MCG•Getty Images and Cricket AustraliaWhen Mitchell Marsh came on, Rizwan didn’t need so much as a second look. He cut the first ball over the slips, flashing hard over gully to pick up four, before nearly chopping on against Cummins the following over attempting another high-risk shot. It was that battle against Cummins which Rizwan was, for better or worse, never going to back down from. He attacked just under 20% of all deliveries he faced from the Australian captain, a higher percentage than any other bowler. And of the 61 runs Cummins conceded in 18 overs, 19 of them came off just 21 deliveries he bowled to Rizwan.Masood had fallen by now, but Rizwan was busy constructing a salvage job with Salman Ali Agha. An over before drinks, where he drove Nathan Lyon against the turn and swept him with it set the tone, and fittingly it was a boundary off a short Hazlewood delivery that took him to his second half-century in Australia.Rizwan’s commitment to this brand was so total it appeared to have a proselytising effect on Agha. Like a faithful disciple, he followed Rizwan in planting the front foot and sweeping Lyon, before charging down the wicket the following delivery and walloping him back over his head. Rizwan himself went one better, of course, dancing down and fetching six more off the spinner. Four days after Pakistan had dropped into the abyss following the breaking of a partnership between these two man, here they were, digging them out of it.Cummins ran through his options, bringing Mitchell Starc back on. Starc is perhaps the man who can land the most painful of body blows, but Rizwan flashed two short deliveries square for four as he hurtled towards a record he set the first time he batted in Australia four years ago. No Pakistan wicketkeeper has ever scored a century in Australia; Rizwan’s 95 in Brisbane in 2019 is the closest anyone has ever come. He could put that right in a few minutes. But Rizwan wasn’t looking to make amends from last tour, more from last week.With a weary sense of inevitability, Cummins brought himself back on, and sent down the same delivery that had accounted for Rizwan at the MCG. Rizwan swiftly got himself in line but the ball continued to rise, and the batter’s slash flew up to the square leg it had sailed over two hours earlier. Hazlewood completed the catch with ease, and Rizwan fell a dozen short of that history-making hundred. It was a bad time to get out, and if you watched it in isolation, inoculated from what happened at the MCG and of the way Rizwan thinks about cricket, a naïve way to depart.From Rizwan himself though, there was no remonstration this time. He put his bat underneath his arm and walked briskly off. Rizwan’s body was back on the line, and his team back in the contest. If Pakistan can turn disaster into anything resembling triumph, the origins of it might have been conceived a thousand kilometres away, with an uncharacteristically angry man pointing to a phantom mark on his forearm in late December sunshine.