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Pakistan captain says batters “have sacrificed individual milestones for team results”, while seamers could have chance to shine when subcontinent teams visit

Danyal Rasool19-Jan-2025Pakistan captain Shan Masood put up a strident defence of Pakistan’s decision to produce a pitch that was heavily spin-friendly. After Pakistan wrapped up a 127-run win in the shortest-ever Test to produce a result on Pakistani soil, much of Masood’s press conference was dominated by talking about why the soil in question was quite as dry and brittle as it was.”We will do what we need to take 20 wickets and win the match,” Masood said. “We don’t even play domestic cricket in these conditions. It’s a new thing for us as well. We changed it during the England series because we wanted our team to win. We should appreciate the hard work of our bowlers, who got us 20 wickets consistently.”On those counts, the decision has been an unmitigated success. Ever since losing the first Test to England in October on a flat deck, Pakistan volte-faced on the kind of surfaces they wanted to prepare. Particular attention has been focused on the measures they have taken to ensure spin remains the most potent – arguably only – threat.Related

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Have Pakistan opted out of the pace race?

The second Test against England was played on the same used surface of the first Test, with large fans to dry it out. The third Test in Rawalpindi, which naturally does not take spin until late in games, was dried out by wedding-style heaters and fans enclosed by windbreakers; England even accused it of being raked, though concrete evidence of that has not emerged. Ahead of this Test in Multan in the middle of winter, Pakistan went one step further, encircling the surface in a greenhouse as it was warmed up by those giant heaters and fans.Every surface has produced the effect – and result, Pakistan were after. Their spinners – Sajid Khan and Noman Ali in particular – have had little trouble taking 20 wickets; none of the 60 opposition scalps have fallen to seam bowlers since. And each of those three games have produced convincing Pakistan wins.Masood pointed out the wins were not an inevitability, but a consequence of Pakistan playing the better cricket across all departments in each game. “If you’re looking individually at the batters, it doesn’t make for good reading. But our batters batted better than West Indies, and better than England’s batters in October. If you just look at hundreds and fifties and judge them by raw numbers, then it’ll be misleading. Just like we’ll have to be flexible with our playing style, viewers will also need to be flexible in their thinking. Look at India’s blueprint and their averages at home and you’ll get the point. If conditions are flat, getting 20 wickets is hard. We’ve sacrificed individual milestones for team results.”Masood’s comments indicate that Pakistan have no plans yet to change what has been a successful strategy for them. While this World Test Championship (WTC) cycle has proven an unhappy one – they will finish second from bottom in the standings – they have, on paper, a much softer draw in the next two-year cycle. It sees them play three two-Test series at home against South Africa, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, and three series away from home against West Indies, England and Bangladesh. Masood made it clear they had eyes on a final berth in 2027, and that, should it happen, the route lay through “winning all our games at home”.

“If you’re looking individually at the batters, it doesn’t make for good reading. But our batters batted better than West Indies, and better than England’s batters in October… Just like we’ll have to be flexible with our playing style, viewers will also need to be flexible in their thinking.”Shan Masood

He also dismissed any concerns over dissatisfaction of his fellow batters regarding these playing conditions, and allayed fears over the redundancy of Pakistan’s Test fast bowling. “We can’t pit our bowlers and batters against each other,” he said. “The hardest thing to do here was batting and fast bowling. West Indies didn’t score 141 in either of their innings, and yet we had one partnership [Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan] do it. The mistake is we should maybe have tried to string a few partnerships around that big one. Performances aren’t just about scoring centuries; in some conditions, 10-20 extra runs can make all the difference.”If someone has to sacrifice there, like fast bowlers or batters, then so be it. There will be oppositions where we feel we can prepare seam-friendly pitches. Then fast bowlers will get the opportunity to get wickets like the spinners got here. We need to work on how we can progress as a team. A WTC is a two-year cycle, so fast bowlers will come into it. We have away series in England and the West Indies with the Dukes ball. When a subcontinent team comes here, we may prepare seam-friendly wickets. Over the bigger picture, no one’s role is being diminished.”Pakistan do not play another Test for nine months, and have just two scheduled over the next 14 months. For Masood, this was the biggest concern, and a situation he deemed unacceptable.”I’ve complained about this issue and raised it several times; a nation like Pakistan cannot just play 4-5 Tests a year. This is something we as a nation need to push for. A ten-month gap, and then if you come and play in these conditions, it can be completely different. Our first-class season will also likely only just have begun at that time. These ten months are important, and I hope we get international and domestic cricket, and the Test players we have, hopefully we can look after them in the next ten months so they’re ready for the series against South Africa in October.”Ten months is a long time in cricket and, as Masood knows only too well, especially in Pakistan cricket. But in a nation where captains can live or die by the results their team produces, it is little surprise Masood makes no apology for a strategy which, for now, has been giving his team those wins, regardless of the optics that accompany them.

MatériaMais Notícias

O FC Mariupol renasceu! Em amistoso disputado na manhã do último domingo (30), no Estádio Valdomiro Gelinski, em Guarapuava, no Paraná, a Associação Atlética Batel vestiu a camisa laranja, carregou um novo escudo no peito e representou o clube ucraniano no duelo que terminou empatado em 1 a 1 com o Campo Mourão.

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O jogo emocionou a todos os presentes com a homenagem promovida pelo Batel ao FC Mariupol, que interrompeu suas atividades há cerca de um ano, após a invasão russa na cidade. Neste domingo, as equipes entraram em campo acompanhadas das bandeiras da Ucrânia e do Brasil. Os hinos dos dois países e do estado do Paraná foram tocados antes do pontapé inicial. Vestidos com o novo uniforme e tremulando a bandeira, os torcedores na arquibancada transmitiram todo apoio e solidariedade.

O momento da glória veio somente depois dos 45 minutos iniciais e mais cinco minutos do segundo tempo. Em lançamento da defesa, a bola quicou e sobrou para o camisa 10, Cauã que, de cabeça, materializou o sonho de torcedores do FC Mariupol, ucranianos e de apaixonados pelo futebol: o gol saiu da garganta novamente para comemorar o momento mais alegre para o FC Mariupol. Que fosse por um instante, o futebol devolveu a alegria a uma nação.

– Sensação indescritível. Foi um gol histórico, fico muito feliz de fazer parte da história do FC Mariupol. É uma homenagem que nos traz alegria, é um sentimento que não cabe no peito. Nós mostramos que a guerra não para o futebol – disse o jogador, de 18 anos.

Direto da Ucrânia, acompanhando a transmissão pelo canal “FCMariupolLives” no YouTube, pelo computador, o Vice-Presidente do FC Mariupol, Andriy Sanin, que atualmente vive em Kiev, chorou emocionado pelo momento. Ele voltou a comemorar um gol 435 dias depois – o último duelo havia sido a vitória por 2 a 1 em um amistoso com o Karpaty Lviv, em 19 de fevereiro de 2022.

– Esse jogo representa a esperança, o renascimento. Tenho fé de que vamos voltar para a nossa cidade, mas enquanto isso não é possível, ver o FC Mariupol representado no futebol brasileiro, no país mais vitorioso desse esporte, é algo sem palavras. Só tenho a agradecer ao Batel e ao Brasil por esse dia histórico. Estou muito feliz – comemorou.

USMNT star Gio Reyna has sent a “do great things together” message to the new fan base that he is hoping to impress at Borussia Monchengladbach.

American playmaker embracing new challengeEager to find regular game time in GermanyOut to make an early impression on debutFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

After several windows of intense questions being asked of his future, United States international Reyna has finally completed a permanent transfer away from Borussia Dortmund. A three-year contract has been signed with Gladbach.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Reyna, who made his senior debut in January 2020, is still just 22 years of age and has plenty of potential to be unlocked. He is hoping to deliver on that promise with club and country – with a home World Cup approaching in the summer of 2026.

DID YOU KNOW?

The talented playmaker is looking to find regular minutes with Gladbach that were denied him by BVB. Injury issues did his cause few favours there, but he found the going tough at times when fit.

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WHAT REYNA SAID

Reyna is now revelling in a fresh start, saying to Gladbach supporters ahead of his debut for the club against Werder Bremen on Sunday: “Here in this amazing stadium. Can’t wait to see you guys for my first game against Bremen. Hope we can do great things together here in this stadium. Don’t miss the chance to support me and the rest of the team. Really looking forward to hopefully putting on a good performance for you guys. See you guys soon.”

Tottenham are ready to back new manager Thomas Frank in the summer transfer market, with Daniel Levy poised to follow up his deals for Mathys Tel and Kota Takai by completing a £55 million move for West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus.

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The Ghanaian, after weeks of talks, is set for his third season in London, but at a rival club, with Kudus expected to undergo a medical imminently ahead of his proposed switch to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025	Average match rating
Son Heung-min	7.00
James Maddison	6.98
Pedro Porro	6.95
Dominic Solanke	6.84
Dejan Kulusevski	6.83
via WhoScored

On Wednesday, news first emerged from the reliable David Ornstein that Spurs and West Ham have finally reached an agreement over the 24-year-old’s transfer, and it will be the first piece of business between both sides since Scott Parker’s move to Tottenham in 2011.

The versatile £90,000-per-week former Ajax star, who can be deployed on the left-wing, right-wing, in central attacking midfield and even as a centre-forward, is one of the Premier League’s most devastating dribblers.

Only Man City’s Jeremy Doku completed more successful take-ons per 90 on average than Kudus in the top flight last term (WhoScored), and that was in a campaign where many critics thought he didn’t quite perform at his best level compared to his debut season.

Kudus could be rejuvenated by his pending move to Spurs, with the forward now braced for an opportunity to play Champions League football for the first time since his final year at Ajax.

“Congratulations to Tottenham because they signed an excellent player to start this new project with the new coach Thomas Frank,” said Fabrizio Romano on his YouTube channel.

“Agreement done for Mohamed Kudus. I told you over the weekend only Tottenham despite the reports about Chelsea, despite the reports about more clubs, the player only wanted to go to Tottenham.

“Very clear in his intentions despite calls and approaches from several clubs. Kudus wanted to play for Spurs and now the deal is completed. £55 million paid in three years for Mohamed Kudus to leave West Ham and join Tottenham Hotspur.”

Mohammed Kudus put in transfer request to join Tottenham

Interestingly, West Ham insider Claret & Hugh have shared just how desperate Kudus is to link up with Frank across the English capital.

Sharing information and quoting a “top” London Stadium source of theirs, C&H report that Kudus “put in a transfer request” to force through a move to Tottenham – so Frank will be working with a player who’s very enthusiastic about donning the Lilywhites jersey.

Many Spurs supporters will remember Kudus’ bust-up with Micky van de Ven and Pape Sarr during a 4-1 London derby win last season, which resulted in the player’s sending off and an eventual five-match ban.

However, both van de Ven and Sarr will now seemingly have to put any tensions with their new teammate behind them, with Kudus on the verge of completing a move to N17.

Are Aston Villa now able to spend freely?

On Monday, completely coincidentally on the final day of their accounting year, the Villans sold their women’s team to themselves, thereby avoiding breaching the Premier League’s Profitability & Sustainability Rules.

So now, having avoided a potential points deduction, Unai Emery will be looking to bolster his squad, so could Villa land a new striker?

Aston Villa targeting attacking reinforcements

Jhon Durán has to go down as one of the best pieces of business in modern Premier League history, joining Aston Villa from Chicago Fire in January 2023 for a reported fee of around £13m, having made just 27 appearances for the Men in Red in Major League Soccer, scoring eight goals.

Well, two years later, following his scoring spree at the start of last season, Durán was sold to Al-Nassr for £71m last January, representing a near 600% return on investment, easing the Villans’ PSR concerns.

Well, the Colombian is back in the news again because, after a miserly 18 appearances in Saudi Arabia, scoring 12 goals, he is reportedly set to join José Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe, continuing one of the more unique and bizarre career arcs.

Transfer Focus

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

Well, speaking of İstanbul-based giants, a report by TurkishFootball.com claims that Villa are in talks with Beşiktaş over the possibility of signing striker Semih Kılıçsoy, adding that he is valued at €15m (£13m).

Well, the Black Eagles themselves, who are managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjær these days, have just signed Tammy Abraham from AC Milan for the exact same amount, with the England international having been handed Kılıçsoy’s number nine shirt.

In response to this, journalist Fırat Günayer stated that he would be “surprised” if Kılıçsoy was still with Beşiktaş by the end of the transfer window, adding “there are a few offers… on the table”.

So, could the 19-year-old be set to swap the Bosphorus for Birmingham?

Why Semih Kılıçsoy could replicate Jhon Durán's success at Aston Villa

After joining Beşiktaş as an 11-year-old, Kılıçsoy made his Süper Lig debut against Antalyaspor in February 2023, before scoring his first goal for the Black Eagles during a Conference League qualifying victory over KF Tirana five months later.

In total, he has netted 16 times in 85 appearances for the Turkish giants, winning the Türkiye Kupası in 2024, his most notable goal coming against Malmö in the Europa League last November, this coming in a 2-1 victory at Tüpraş Stadyumu.

His performances have earned international recognition too, debuting for Türkiye against Italy at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara last June, subsequently included in Vincenzo Montella’s Euros squad.

Given his performances, analyst Ben Mattinson has dubbed him a “very powerful” forward, while Luis Kircher of Total Football Analysis believes that he is known for his ‘lethal finishing capabilities’ and ‘versatility’, forecasting that he will become a ‘prolific’ goalscorer at the elite level in the coming years.

So, let’s see how Kılıçsoy compares to Durán, prior to his move to Villa from Illinois.

Appearances

85

75

Minutes

4,227

4,182

Goals

16

17

Assists

9

10

Senior international caps

4

3

As the table outlines, Durán, prior to joining Aston Villa, and Kılıçsoy right now boast similar levels of experience, with the Turkish striker actually having accumulated more senior appearances and minutes, scoring just one fewer goal. He also boasts that necessary “selfish” streak that the Colombian possesses, as Mattinson noted.

Also, Durán had played in Colombia’s Categoría Primera A and MLS which, according to Global Football Rankings, are the 32nd and ninth-strongest leagues in the world, with the Turkish Süper Lig somewhere in the middle at 18th.

Thus, it is clear that Kılıçsoy is a high-quality, high-potential player, one that is seemingly on the way out of Beşiktaş, suggesting he is available and more than talented enough to be a star at Villa Park.

Potentially arriving as a relative unknown teenager, in a similar vein to Duran, the promising marksman could be Emery’s next Villa success story.

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Match details

England vs Oman
Antigua, Thursday, 1500 local time

Big picture: England – what have you got?

The first of a three-part fightback must start here. Before England can even indulge the unthinkable – rooting for Australia to take down Scotland by a sizeable enough margin to grant them sheepish passage into the Super Eights – they must hold up their end of this monkey-paw deal with NRR-boosting victories over Oman and Namibia. Simple enough in the spreadsheets.That Oman come first on Thursday is welcome. Three games in, they look a team on the wane, one stretched to their limits after two solid showings. A valiant Super Over defeat to Namibia and a solid start with the ball against Australia gave way to a listless display against Scotland.The 19th-ranked team in the world are currently number one as far as drops go – a total of eight putting them bottom on the catching front in the T20 World Cup. Captain Aqib Ilyas also lamented the number of dot balls faced on Sunday, which resulted in a score of 150 for 7, which Scotland knocked off with seven wickets and all of 6.5 overs to spare.Related

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Form does not quite go out the window for their meeting with England, no matter how much introspection the defending champions have indulged since Saturday’s defeat to Australia. And it is Oman’s tentativeness with the bat that will give Jos Buttler’s bowlers the belief they can make amends for two less-than-convincing outings.Buttler has put on a cheerier front this week, discarding the sterner visage he had adopted at the start of the T20 World Cup. ICC competitions demand a lot from captains when it comes to media engagements, and Buttler’s lack of enthusiasm for such duties is nothing new. So, it is fair to assume his new tact is an attempt to channel more favourable .The proximity to the 2023 ODI World Cup failure makes comparisons unavoidable, and the inability to call an audible in the field against Australia speaks to similar errors in planning. David Warner and Travis Head kiboshed a prepared plan of straight lines and length from the quicks, peppering the short boundary early on. Only Jofra Archer had the wherewithal – and skill – to make adjustments, leaning on cutters to emerge relatively unscathed with an economy rate of seven. The gut feel on Will Jacks for the second over was probably indigestion.That Australia’s pace attack took cues from Archer means analysing England’s one batting innings in two weeks is a little pointless. The collective 77 from 66 balls managed by batters three to seven was far from ideal, but understandable given the pace-off, Adam Zampa-led squeeze after Buttler and Phil Salt’s opening stand of 73. Nevertheless, improvements need to be made by the individuals – particularly Jonny Bairstow, who struck 7 from 12 deliveries before tamely hoicking one in the air – by any means necessary.There is a sense, however, that this group – even those, like Bairstow, who were on deck for last winter’s debacle in India – have their heads well and truly in the game. Their 2022 success was ultimately forged by a similar fightback following defeat to Ireland and a washout against Australia. Though there is a little less in their control this time around, they will look to emerge from the corner for what will be a defining four days for this iteration of English white-ball cricket.

Form guide

England: LWWLW
Oman: LLLLWAqib Ilyas’ party trick of bowling offspin to left-handers and leg breaks to right-handers has been effective enough•ICC/Getty Images

In the spotlight – Harry Brook and Aqib Ilyas

Part of the criticism Bairstow copped for his innings in Barbados was fuelled by the “demotion” of Harry Brook to number six. Moeen Ali’s floating role – which is set to continue – saw him come in ahead of Brook, who eventually got to the crease upon Moeen’s dismissal with 74 to get in just 26 deliveries. The Yorkshire wunderkind could only manage 20 from 16.Brook has never batted higher than four in T20I cricket, and he’s only done that six times in 29 knocks. Getting him into an innings early makes sense, and No.4 seems a prime spot for him in this line-up. Whether that means dropping Bairstow down the order or altogether – unlikely for now – it feels a necessary play to ensure Brook is not wasted. It is worth noting that both times Brook has faced more than 30 deliveries, he has pocketed half-centuries at strike rates of 231.42 (against Pakistan in 2022) and 186.11 (against New Zealand in 2023).Aqib Ilyas was refreshingly honest after the defeat against Scotland. But it is time for the Oman captain to contribute. Three innings at first drop have reaped just 34 runs from 25 deliveries, all of which have come in the first six overs. He did at least practice the positivity he preached in his last innings, striking 16 off five before being trapped lbw by Safyaan Sharif.His party trick of bowling offspin to left-handers and leg breaks to right-handers has been effective enough. He started economically across the first two matches at Bridgetown, particularly with his 0 for 18 from four overs against Australia. But there was a rude awakening at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium when his three overs were taken for 41.

Team news

Reece Topley is likely to be brought in for his first appearance of the tournament to add some much-needed dimension to England’s bowling attack. If that is the case, it will be for Chris Jordan, with the understanding that England are set to continue with dual pace-threat of Mark Wood and Jofra Archer. The temptation to draft in Ben Duckett to add a left-hander to the XI, at the expense of Bairstow, has been resisted for now.England (probable): 1 Phil Salt, 2 Jos Buttler (capt & wk), 3 Will Jacks, 4 Jonny Bairstow, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Liam Livingstone, 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Jofra Archer 9. Mark Wood, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Reece TopleyOman need a refresh of their batting after a series of costly false starts. Their lead batter Ayaan Khan, with 92 runs at an average of 46.00, has been operating at six but is surely due for a promotion.Oman (probable): 1 Pratik Athavale (wk), 2 Naseem Khushi, 3 Aqib Ilyas (capt), 4 Zeeshan Maqsood, 5 Ayaan Khan, 6 Rafiullah, 7 Mohammad Nadeem, 8 Mehran Khan, 9 Fayyaz Butt, 10 Samay Shrivastava, 11 Bilal Khan

Pitch and conditions

The two matches played at North Sound so far have both been one-sided, which makes judging the surface a little harder. The ball has carried through well, and batters’ intent does bring rewards, but the wind is a big factor here. Much like in Bridgetown, it goes across the ground and is more forceful given the openness of this venue. The forecast looks good, with intermittent cloud cover and an afternoon high of 30 degrees Celsius.

Stats and trivia

• This is the first meeting between England and Oman in a full international fixture
• Despite playing 13 times at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, including twice during December’s white-ball tour of the Caribbean, this will be England’s first T20I at the venue. They played here twice during the 2007 ODI World Cup, against Sri Lanka and Australia, losing both.
• Zeeshan Maqsood needs two more wickets to become the second Oman player with 50 T20I wickets after Bilal Khan

Quotes

“We’re treating this game with Oman in isolation. They’ve got our full attention. We’re going to prepare really well for that. And then see what happens in this game. If we get into a position where we’re in a dominant position and can push hard, we will. If we have to scrap and fight and get the two points, we will as well.”

Sunderland supporters have been seriously put through the wringer by their side in recent memory, with League One football even on the menu back in 2019.

But, all that agony and woe surrounding the Black Cats has been finally lifted courtesy of Regis Le Bris’ heroics from the dug-out, as the Frenchman proudly brings Premier League football action back to the Stadium of Light.

The hope will be that Sunderland’s emotional 2-1 win over Sheffield United will keep Jobe Bellingham around for a little while longer, amidst interest from elite sides such as Borussia Dortmund.

But if that is to be Bellingham’s swansong moment, he delivered yet another classy display for his top-flight-bound side from the middle of the park, alongside a whole host of other standout performers.

Sunderland's best performers vs the Blades

Before looking at the other heroes in Le Bris’ camp, Bellingham stood out once again as a key part of the young and promising Sunderland side.

The in-demand number seven would only misplace six of his 55 passes when offering the Black Cats calm through the middle on such a tense stage, whilst also winning six duels to display more grit and fight than an underperforming Sydie Peck for the Blades.

Bellingham wasn’t the only star who managed to show up for the big occasion, however, as Daniel Ballard put in another imperious display defensively when winning his own sizeable duels count of 11, whilst Eliezer Mayenda also shone when levelling the proceedings as a pacey option up top.

But, the main talking point afterwards was Tommy Watson’s last-minute winner, with the homegrown Wearside product capitalising on a lax pass by Kieffer Moore to fire home a stunning effort to seal Sunderland’s progression back up to the big time.

That was one hell of a parting gift from the 19-year-old hotshot, who is set to join Brighton and Hove Albion this summer for £10m.

Indeed, Watson is perhaps the club’s next Jordan Henderson as he goes on to potentially affirm himself as a Premier League regular with the Seagulls.

Why Watson could be Sunderland's next Henderson

Amazingly, Henderson was only one year older than Watson when his big move to Liverpool occurred.

He never looked back after waving goodbye to his boyhood club either, leading to the now Ajax man going on to make 492 appearances for the Reds, alongside winning 83 England caps.

Therefore, Watson will be aiming to follow in Henderson’s footsteps as an equally talented and promising starlet through the middle – albeit one who unfortunately does their best work away from the Stadium of Light.

After all, from only 24 first-team games to date, the 19-year-old is up to three strikes with the best left till last when breaking Blades hearts. To add context, Henderson would only power home two more efforts himself donning Sunderland red and white, even from 55 more outings.

U18s

40

18

7

U21s

31

13

11

First team

24

3

0

The attacker’s blistering numbers for the Black Cats at both an U18 and U21 level also show off a prodigy ready for the bright lights of the Premier League, albeit now without his hometown side.

Still, everyone associated with Sunderland will be overjoyed that it was one of their own that got them back up to the promised land regardless of his next onward route, with Roker Report writer Andy Tomlinson handing out an 8/10 post-match rating to Watson subsequently.

There will be a concern that Watson is only getting started and will be taken to new heights on the South Coast, much like Henderson managed at Anfield.

But, whatever does happen across Watson’s lengthy career to come, he will always have this moment of magic on his resume that took his boyhood employers back up to the Premier League.

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French heavyweights Marseille and Roberto De Zerbi are believed to be targeting a high-profile Chelsea star, with BlueCo now “seriously” considering his sale this summer, according to reports.

Chelsea keep Champions League hopes alive with 1-0 Everton win

Enzo Maresca and the Blues are still firmly in the chase for Champions League qualification, following a much-needed winning goal from Nicolas Jackson in Chelsea’s 1-0 win against Everton at Stamford Bridge.

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Jackson ended his 14-game goalless streak with his first Premier League strike of 2025, clinching a vital three points for Maresca’s side, who are involved in the tightest race for Europe in years.

Liverpool (home)

May 4th

Newcastle (away)

May 11th

Man United (home)

May 16th

Nottingham Forest (away)

May 25th

Just two points separate third and sixth in the table, with Newcastle United, Man City, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa all competing for a spot in next season’s Champions League draw.

“We’re going to be better and better because the players are going to understand better and better how to play different games,” said Maresca on the improving balance of his Chelsea side.

“We said many times that against teams that press higher there is more space, and we can attack quicker. Against teams that defend low blocks, it’s more difficult, but we need to learn that. For sure this is the reason why I said many times that the fans have to trust us because this team is going to be better and better. It’s a journey, they’re going to learn things.

“The goal, as you said, it’s easy to attack quick because it’s from goal kick pressing. In the moment that you recover the ball, the first option is always in front. It was a good goal.”

Trevoh Chalobah also put in another excellent defensive display, and amid reports Chelsea are targeting a centre-back as one of three main signings this summer, the Cobham academy graduate is making a case for his continued stay in the side.

Now, as per French news outlet Foot Mercato, its potentially a different ace who could be sacrificed to make room in the squad.

Chelsea seriously considering Wesley Fofana sale

According to their information, that man is £200,000-per-week star Wesley Fofana. The Frenchman is on Chelsea’s treatment table for the long-term yet again, undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury in early April, and Maresca will be hoping he can return on time for their Club World Cup campaign.

However, it is now believed that Chelsea are “seriously considering” letting Fofana leave this summer, whether that be on an initial loan or permanent deal, and De Zerbi’s Marseille hold some hope they can tempt him with a move to Ligue 1.

The former Leicester City star joined Chelsea in a deal which could be worth up to £75 million, back in 2022, but while he’s impressed with some performances and runs of form, Fofana’s stay has also been marred by fitness problems.

It will be intriguing to see how much they would demand to sell Fofana outright, given he’s one of the Premier League’s most expensive ever defenders.

After enduring a worrying dip in form, the left-arm spinner has found her way back to her best, with a little bit of help from Keshav Maharaj and Paul Adams

Firdose Moonda04-Oct-20244:48

Mlaba too quick, South Africa too good for West Indies

Left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba could always turn the ball, which is what gave her 22 wickets in 27 matches at an average of 21.86 before last year’s T20 World Cup and made her the No. 2 T20I bowler in the world. But she could not always control how much or how quickly she turned it, and her returns dwindled.After taking six wickets in as many games at the 2023 T20 World Cup, Mlaba played 19 more matches and took 14 wickets and her average ballooned to 38.40. She couldn’t quite figure out what was going wrong for her, but she knew she didn’t like it.Related

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“I don’t know what happened after that. It [my ranking] just went down, down, down. I told myself, ‘you know what, girl, you can’t be number two and go down. It’s number two and you go up to number one; you can’t go down,'” Mlaba tells ESPNcricinfo after South Africa beat West Indies in their 2024 T20 World Cup opener. “My mentality was around that. I have to try and get to No. 1.”The attitude shift was one thing, but she also needed an action plan. Mlaba went back to drawing from her “bro”, provincial team-mate Keshav Maharaj, who bowls the same discipline as her, and took a leaf out of his book. “Keshav always tells me to bowl more, to bowl until I feel like I’m tired because that’s how I’ll be more consistent in my bowling,” she says. “I always see him at the stadium. That guy can bowl. He uses this big, big bag full of balls and bowls until they are finished.”But volume alone does not make a better bowler. Mlaba also had to add to her skill set, and she has just the person to ask. In August, Cricket South Africa appointed former international wristspinner Paul Adams as their high-performance bowling lead, which sees him work across all national teams. He immediately picked up on a few ways Mlaba could improve, starting with her pace. “Everyone expects her to bowl slower than normal so we tried to look at what changes we could put in place to improve her speeds,” Adams told ESPNcricinfo. “One of them was that we’ve worked on the alignment of her feet and hips to get through so she can get more pace on the delivery.””I’m representing my family, friends, little kids that are looking up to in the township”•ICC/Getty ImagesIt helped that Mlaba started off as a pace bowler and still teases some of her team-mates (read: Marizanne Kapp) that she’s planning on coming after their spot, and had the basics of bowling quicker in place. She was able to generate momentum through her run-up and in the match against West Indies was bowling between 70kph and 90kph. For comparison, the spinners in Sharjah on the opening day of the tournament were often sending the ball down at less than 60kph so Mlaba’s pace was a key point of difference and Hayley Matthews admitted it surprised the West Indian players. The ball she bowled Shemaine Campbell with is an example, as Mlaba fired it flat, fast and on the stumps. Campbell stayed back in the crease, was beaten for pace, and bowled. Asked if she thinks she could bowl a bit faster, Mlaba is bullish. “I can. Trust me, I can.”The other reason Mlaba was so dangerous in Dubai was because of the line she maintained: stump-to-stump and very rarely straying. That’s also the result of an Adams innovation which is aimed at improving accuracy. “We do quite a lot of work on how the arms work and I have been using weighted balls, which are slightly heavier than regular balls, so that the players can have control of their arms and legs. And then they use that to project and get towards the target that they need to bowl to, and I think the weighted balls have worked nicely.”Chinelle Henry’s dismissal, when she feathered an edge to a jubilant Sinalo Jafta, off a ball that was floated up, pitched just outside off and turned only a touch, is testament to the work Adams has done with Mlaba.In the end, the final ingredient that went into Mlaba’s career-best figures was a stunning catch from Tazmin Brits, who pounced on a chance from Aaliyah Alleyne. That ball was one of Mlaba’s less good ones, shorter and inviting a big shot. When Alleyne accepted and tried to force it past Brits at cover point, she lunged forward and plucked it off the floor to ensure Mlaba grabbed a piece of history. And that kind of do-it-all-for-your-team-mates approach is the way South Africa want to play at this tournament.”We’re a young group, we’re very playful and sometimes we don’t really take things seriously even though they’re serious. We try not to put much pressure on ourselves.” Mlaba says. “We always say if we go there and things don’t go our way, we still have another chance. It’s not the end of the world. Our mentality is just out of this world. We are very strong and we’re fighting for each other as well.”Mlaba was a showstopper at the CSA’s awards ceremony•Cricket South AfricaBut it’s more than that. It has become the South African way (thanks to Siya Kolisi’s world champion Springboks) to say that they are playing for much, much more than themselves: for 68 million people who often survive on hope alone and Mlaba, who comes from a deprived part of the country, knows exactly what that feels like and how she wants to express it.”Representing your country is never an easy thing and for me to be the one who’s representing South Africa, it means a lot to me. I’m never playing for myself only,” she says. “I’m representing my family, friends, little kids that are looking up to me in the township, and I try to make sure that they see me as their role model. I also try to show you can play, but also be yourself as well.”That much is evident in her signature blonde hair, her special celebrations, which often involve a choreographed dance, her love for her one-year-old puppy and high fashion. The blue dress she wore at CSA’s Annual awards, where she won One-Day Player of the Year, is still being talked up as a showstopper.On Friday, in Dubai, she stopped the show in other ways with a statement bowling performance that set South Africa up for a dominant opening win and Mlaba for her race to the top of the bowling rankings.

West Indian sits atop the run charts and his team occupies the same place on the points table

Aadam Patel30-Nov-2022T10 is brutal. On Tuesday night, Jason Roy played well for an unbeaten 57 off 33 balls but his knock ultimately lacked in short-form cricket’s most important measure. There were zero sixes to his name.Roy’s Deccan Gladiators side put up a total of 108 for 3 that was then chased down by Chennai Brave. He scored more than anyone else in the game but the Player-of-the-Match award instead went to Dan Lawrence for his 40 off 18.In pretty much every form of the game, Roy’s knock would be praised but as it was, he was left out for Wednesday evening’s clash against Bangla Tigers. He may have scored runs but to take up more than half of the innings and not clear the ropes once proved crucial. This is the one format that demands the batter to hit sixes.Against the Tigers, the Gladiators were asked to chase and incidentally their target was exactly the same as they had set the previous night. That was largely thanks to another onslaught from Pakistan’s Iftikhar Ahmed, who carried on from his unbeaten 83 off 30 deliveries on Tuesday, to finish not out on 54 off 21 deliveries.But this time around, the Gladiators won with 23 balls to spare. Half-centuries for both Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Nicholas Pooran helped the reigning champions breeze to a total of 109 in just 37 deliveries.They scored at nearly three runs a ball in what was a statement run-chase by Mushtaq Ahmed’s side. A chase reminiscent of the ruthless manner in which they blasted 159 in last year’s final and ahead of the final this Sunday, they again look like the side to be feared.The chase wasn’t meant to be that simple but Kohler-Cadmore and Pooran put on a show with 11 sixes between them. Pooran was on 20 off 10 before he took on Shakib Al Hasan and hit five sixes in an over to bring up a 16-ball half-century. And Kohler-Cadmore decided he wasn’t missing out either. The next over, he hit Rohan Mustafa for 17 and brought up his half-century off 21 deliveries with then the winning runs too.It was a stunning exhibition of hitting between the two men who stand clear at the top of the Abu Dhabi T10 run charts. Pooran’s 19 fours and 21 sixes across six games puts him at No. 1 with 249 runs at an average of 62.25. Kohler-Cadmore isn’t far behind with 217 runs at an average of 72.33. But perhaps most importantly, the pair are striking at well over 200.”We had a poor game last time so a lot of the talk in the pre-match meeting was just about enjoying ourselves again,” Pooran said post-match. And boy did he enjoy himself. Since stepping down from West Indies captaincy, he has somewhat rediscovered his joy for the game.And you only had to look at the earlier game of Wednesday’s triple-header to appreciate his six-hitting talent. It saw the lowest score of the tournament with Chennai Brave struggling to 71 for 6 against Team Abu Dhabi after losing their entire top order in the first over to Naveen-ul-Haq. The Afghanistan paceman removed Dan Lawrence and Sikandar Raza with his first two deliveries and finished his over by getting David Malan.Remarkably, Team Abu Dhabi got off to a similar start as Alex Hales and James Vince were dismissed in the first over by Patrick Dooley before Sam Cook got Brandon King. But, from 1 for 3, Chris Lynn and Fabian Allen combined to take their side to their target and a third successive win.With two days left in the league phase of the Abu Dhabi T10, the Gladiators sit top of the standings with Team Abu Dhabi one point behind them. And based on current form, they are both set to extend their stay till the weekend for the finals.