Balochistan remain in fifth place, after their third loss in four games

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Sep-2021Northern vs Southern Punjab, RawalpindiCaptain Sohaib Maqsood did his bit with a 47-ball 75 and left-arm spinner Hassan Khan returned 2 for 13 from three overs, but the contributions weren’t enough for Southern Punjab to turn their fortunes around, as they lost by five wickets to Northern to record their fourth defeat in as many games in the tournament. For the winners, fast bowler Muhammad Musa was the brightest spot with the ball, returning 3 for 40, while Mohammad Nawaz starred with the bat with a 35-ball 56 not out to go with 1 for 9 from two overs with the ball.Asked to bat first, Southern Punjab did well, with opener Sohaib stitching together useful partnerships for the second and third wickets with Agha Salman (24) and Khushdil Shah (20) respectively to take the total to 125 before he was dismissed in the 15th over. The captain’s innings included eight fours and four sixes.After Sohaib and Khushdil fell in quick succession, Azam Khan’s 12-ball 18 and Aamer Yamin’s impressive nine-ball 23 seemed to have done enough to put Southern Punjab in a position from where they could get on the points table.It was, however, not to be, even though they put up a fight.Nasir Nawaz took control of the chase early, scoring the bulk of the runs in a 26-run opening stand with Rohail Nazir, who had been moved to the top of the order after Umer Amin suffered an injury. But Nazir was run out for 2, and though Nasir was dismissed not long after for a 15-ball 24, Haider Ali (40 in 27) ensured Northern got to three figures in the 12th over.The big hand, though, came from Nawaz, who hit six fours and two sixes from No. 5 to drag Northern past the line. And captain Shadab Khan, who had moved himself down to No. 6, chipped in with a valuable 20-ball 30 during a 67-run stand for the fifth wicket. The target was breached with five balls in hand, helping Northern get to second spot on the table with their second win in three games.Sindh vs Balochistan, RawalpindiZahid Mahmood celebrates a wicket with Anwar Ali and Shan Masood•PCBSindh made it three-in-three in Pakistan’s National T20 Cup with an enormous victory over Balochistan in their latest fixture, topping their opponents by 77 runs after bowling them out for just 98. While the batting was led by captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shahnawaz Dahani, Danish Aziz and Zahid Mahmood, the Player of the Match, shared nine wickets between them in a spectacular display to finish off the Balochistan resistance in just 16.4 overs.Batting first after winning the toss, Sindh got off to a good start courtesy Shan Masood (31) and Sharjeel Khan (34), the two putting on 52 in 6.2 overs before Sharjeel, the aggressor, fell. Khurram Manzoor couldn’t quite get going, but after Masood fell in the 11th over, Saud Shakeel (32) and Sarfaraz (41*) took control of the game, scored quickly, and set the stage for Anwar Ali to come in at the close and wallop an unbeaten 12-ball 22.That gave Sindh a score Sarfaraz would have expected his bowling line-up to defend without much fuss, and that’s exactly what happened.Imam-ul-Haq, the big name in the line-up, scored his 19 runs in 18 balls, and Abdul Bangalzai hit 29 in 23, neither quite able to wrest the initiative. The 46-run first-wicket stand was the best period with the bat for Balochistan, as the wickets tumbled after the openers were sent back by the end of the eighth over. Abdullah Shafique, who has moved from Central Punjab to Balochistan, made his much-anticipated debut on the day but only managed a 12-ball 8.Legspinner Zahid was the pick of the bowlers, with 3 for 18, while left-arm spinner Danish and medium-pacer Dahani struck key blows to never allow the batters to get on top.

Crystal Palace are now ready to make a shock move to sign a new Brazilian forward this January, according to one report, with Oliver Glasner on the hunt for reinforcements.

Crystal Palace struggle in the Premier League

After a fantastic end to the 2023/24 campaign, hopes were high for this season’s Premier League season at Selhurst Park.

Glasner’s side won six of their final seven Premier League games last time around but have been a completely different side this campaign, fuelled in part by the losses of Joachim Andersen and Michael Olise over the summer, with the pair moving to Fulham and Bayern Munich respectively.

Their replacements are yet to truly make their mark in Palace colours, and it has seen the Eagles reach the second international break as one of four Premier League sides yet to pick up a win this season, alongside Ipswich Town, Wolves and Southampton.

A large part of that has been problems in attack, with their five goals the joint second fewest in the division and with the Eagles having scored more than one goal just once so far this season, while big-money summer signing Eddie Nketiah is yet to get off the mark in the Premier League for his new side, though he found the net in the EFL Cup.

They face crunch games against Wolves, Nottingham Forest and Fulham before the next international break, but it is clear that their setup as it is right now is not working, with little in wide areas and Ismaila Sarr yet to be fully trusted by his new manager.

Crystal Palace’s fixtures until the November international break

Opponent (Home/Away)

Competition

Nottingham Forest (Away)

Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur (Home)

Premier League

Aston Villa (Away)

EFL Cup

Wolves (Away)

Premier League

Fulham (Home)

Premier League

Now, they have been tipped to add yet more firepower to their frontline in January.

Crystal Palace target £200k-a-week forward

That comes as Caught Offside report that Crystal Palace are one of a trio of sides showing interest in signing Manchester United outcast Antony in January.

The Brazilian has endured a torrid time at Old Trafford since his £86m move from Ajax, and is yet to start a Premier League game this season, making just two appearances from the substitutes bench as Amad Diallo is preferred by Erik ten Hag.

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Posts ByConnor Holden Oct 14, 2024

He still has almost three years left to run on his £200,000-a-week deal at Old Trafford but the club are ready to cut their losses, and it is reported that the 24-year-old “is available on loan or a permanent transfer”, and that Palace are one of the sides eyeing up a move alongside Ajax and Newcastle United.

A move may not be a popular one given the performances that he has put up in the Premier League to date, but a loan deal could be a low cost to add at least another body to Glasner’s attacking ranks, while his Ajax form suggests that there is still talent there despite his Old Trafford woes.

Ipswich Town have enjoyed a meteoric rise under the guidance of Kieran McKenna over the last couple of years after the Northern Irishman took the club from League One to the Premier League with back-to-back promotions.

However, despite his success at Portman Road, the 38-year-old will face his toughest task yet in management by trying to keep the Tractor Boys in the top flight beyond this season.

This year will live long in the memories of the fanbase, spending their first season in England’s top division for the first time in 22 years.

Meetings with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United will ignite the supporters’ hopes of sustaining their Premier League status and ensuring that they don’t go another two decades without top-flight football.

As a result of their shock rise over the last two seasons, heavy investment was needed during the off-season, which led to the club signing one player with bags of Premier League experience.

Kalvin Phillips’ move to join Ipswich Town

After a failed loan move to West Ham United that saw the midfielder feature just ten times in all competitions, Kalvin Phillips had a huge choice over his next move to help ignite his once-promising career.

The 28-year-old enjoyed a successful spell with Leeds United, featuring 234 times for his boyhood club, before joining Manchester City in a £45m deal during the summer of 2022.

However, the move has been a disaster for the former England international, featuring just 31 times and failing to dislodge Rodri from his starting role in defensive midfield.

As a result, Phillips accepted a proposal to join Ipswich on a season-long loan during the transfer window, with his top-flight experience vital to McKenna’s squad.

The midfielder has made 77 appearances in the competition to date, with his skill set hopefully giving the Tractor Boys that cutting edge in those cagey affairs.

However, they are yet to see the best of the one-time £45m signing, with the 28-year-old only on the pitch for 303 minutes in the league as he looks to regain his full fitness.

Whilst he undoubtedly has the quality to be a monster hit at Portman Road, the club may have been better off pursuing a deal to re-sign a player who’s previously thrived in East Anglia.

The man who Ipswich missed out on this summer

Ipswich’s hunt for new additions took them all over Europe, but they also targeted numerous players close to home, including former Tractor Boy, Flynn Downes.

McKenna’s side made an attempt to sign the 25-year-old after he helped Southampton secure promotion back to the Premier League after their play-off final victory over Leeds United at Wembley.

However, they missed out on a permanent deal to re-sign the midfielder, with Downes securing a £18m move to join Russell Martin’s side – with Ipswich moving onto other targets including Phillips.

Games played

7

4

Pass accuracy

91%

79%

Progressive carries per 90

1.7

0.6

Passes leading to shots per 90

1.9

1.2

Tackles won per 90

1

0.9

Aerials won

70%

33%

When delving into the pair’s respective stats from the current campaign, it’s clear that the current Southampton man has outperformed the Ipswich loanee, potentially seeing McKenna’s side regret not pushing harder for his signature.

The “monstrous” Saints star, as described by his current boss, has excelled in possession, achieving a much higher pass completion rate, whilst also averaging more progressive carries per 90.

Out of possession, Downes also has the upper hand, winning more tackles per 90 whilst winning more aerial battles – demonstrating the qualities he would’ve added in regaining the ball for McKenna’s side.

Undoubtedly, Phillips will provide a solid short-term option for the club, but with the long-term also in mind, Downes would’ve certainly been a better addition for the Tractor Boys.

His quality is evident, as demonstrated by his figures this season, potentially handing the East Anglian that added edge in their battle to avoid relegation this season.

Left for £5m: Ipswich hit gold offloading star who's now without a club

Ipswich Town cashed in at the best possible time when this former star left Portman Road.

1 ByKelan Sarson Oct 8, 2024

Real Madrid could offer Chelsea a “superb” player of theirs in exchange for midfielder Enzo Fernandez, with the Argentine World Cup winner now a top target for Carlo Ancelotti at the Bernabeu.

Players who could leave Chelsea next year

Head coach Enzo Maresca, who has guided the west Londoners through a promising start to the new Premier League season, wasn’t afraid to swing his axe over the summer.

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3 ByEmilio Galantini Oct 29, 2024

A plethora of other players, including big names like Raheem Sterling (loan), Romelu Lukaku and Conor Gallagher, departed Stamford Bridge after Maresca deemed them surplus to requirements.

Other squad members appear very likely to follow suit, either at the turn of the year or next summer. Maresca recently admitted that Chelsea attempted to offload left-back Ben Chilwell, but to no avail, with the Englishman seen as exit-bound once we reach 2025.

Man United (away)

November 3

Arsenal (home)

November 10

Leicester City (home)

November 23

Aston Villa (home)

December 1

Southampton (away)

December 4

Man United have been expressing an interest in Chilwell ahead of January, as the Red Devils pursue a new player for that position, but it is unclear whether United’s looming appointment of Ruben Amorim to replace Erik ten Hag will alter their plans.

Meanwhile, it is believed both AC Milan and Barcelona are targeting Carney Chukwuemeka. The elite European duo have been in contact with the £100,000-per-week midfielder’s representatives ahead of January, according to some reports, with Chelsea also prepared to sell him in the new year.

Carney Chukwuemeka

Chelsea could also decide to loan out Mykhailo Mudryk in the winter, but the Ukraine international did no harm to his Chelsea prospects this season with an impressive performance in a 4-1 win over Panathinaikos in the Europa Conference League last week.

As you can see, there are a fair few candidates for the exit door, as uncertainty surrounds the futures of Chukwuemeka, Mudryk and Chilwell. A couple of star players are attracting serious interest from La Liga’s biggest sides as well.

Barcelona are firm admirers of Romeo Lavia, who Chelsea have absolutely zero interest in selling (Simon Phillips). The same can be said for one of his mainstay teammates, with Barcelona also fond of Fernandez as Hansi Flick’s side scour the market for midfielders.

Now, according to a report from Spain, Barca could face stiff competition from arch-rivals Real Madrid for Fernandez, but the Galacticos are willing to exchange a star player in potential talks for the South American.

Real Madrid prepared to offer Tchouameni in talks to sign Fernandez from Chelsea

Indeed, a Spanish media source explains this week that France international Aurelien Tchouameni could be sacrificed to sweeten a deal with Chelsea.

Real Madrid are prepared to offer Tchouameni to Chelsea in exchange for Fernandez, with the latter wanted personally by Ancelotti. Maresca’s midfield ace has become Real’s prime target to bolster their central options, and Fernandez could apparently welcome the move.

The 23-year-old is seen by Ancelotti as an ideal signing to complement his young midfield, who would partner the likes of Federico Valverde, Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga.

Whilst Real are prepared to pay around £83 million for Fernandez, there is also the possibility of including Tchouameni in talks to reduce the overall cost of a move. Tchouameni himself cost Real around £83m, including add-ons, to sign from Monaco on a six-year deal in 2022.

“Listen, Tchouameni is a young kid, he’s going to make mistakes but he’s a superb talent, he produces moments out of nowhere, incredible player,” said pundit Rio Ferdinand during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“Replacing Pogba in a France XI is not an easy task, but so far, Tchouaméni has been superb. Tchouameni showed why he plays for Real Madrid. He has the patience, talent, control, he has everything you need.”

A deal for Leeds United to sign free agent Cheikhou Kouyate collapsed for different reasons than what has been reported previously, according to a new update. The Whites are enduring an injury crisis, as Daniel Farke has not been able to call upon several of his key first-teamers for a few weeks now, and he now looks keen to enter the free agent market to ease his squad worries.

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He is being prepared to break into the first team.

ByBen Browning Oct 20, 2024 Leeds United chasing free agent signing

Leeds are keen to bolster their options in the midfield department, as injuries to Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev have left the Championship side extremely short in that department of the team. The Yorkshire outfit are able to sign a player who is currently a free agent, and they have had their eye on three possible options.

Christoph Kramer has been training with Leeds recently in a bid for the German to earn a contract at the club. The midfielder has been without a home since leaving Borussia Mönchengladbach at the end of last season, and last week it was reported he was training at Thorp Arch.

Leeds are also considering signing Josuha Guilavogui, who used to play for Wolfsburg and Atlético Madrid. He is one of several players that the club is looking at, and the midfielder was even spotted with a fan after the Whites’ win over Sheffield United last Friday. The 34-year-old has been a free agent since being released by Mainz at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, but has plenty of experience at both international and domestic levels.

Kramer and Guilavogui are not the only names that Leeds have considered, as Cheikhou Kouyate looked to be closing in on a move to Elland Road before a move fell through.

Kouyate deal collapsed due to financial demands

According to TEAMtalk, Cheikhou Kouyate’s move to Leeds United fell through amid concerns over his financial demands. The former Nottingham Forest man has been without a club since leaving the City Ground in the summer, but last week he appeared close to joining the Whites.

It was originally thought that Kouyate failed his Leeds medical and it was the Leeds medical staff who called for the plug to be pulled on a deal, but it seems the issue was actually upstairs.

It has now been claimed that the player’s financial demands were the reason a deal didn’t go through. The 34-year-old has spent the last 10 years playing in England, representing West Ham, Crystal Palace and Forest, so it would be no surprise for his agent to demand top flight level wages and perhaps a signing bonus to boot.

Apps

291

Goals

15

Assists

11

Kouyate played 36 times for Forest during his time at the club and helped them stay in the Premier League. The midfielder has never played in the Championship before, but his experience of English football would have been a welcome boost for a team like Leeds.

Mark Wood hopes to prove once again that two 90mph fast bowlers can make the difference in T20 cricket, as he and Tymal Mills prepare to dovetail in England’s World Cup line-up, just as Wood and the injured Jofra Archer have done in previous campaigns.Speaking from Oman, where the England squad have been warming up ahead of next week’s tournament opener against West Indies, Wood admitted that he cannot feel 100% assured of a starting berth, but with Mills back in the reckoning, and in line for his first England appearance since 2017 and only his fifth overall, he was confident that their skills can complement one another.Related

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“We’re all competing for places here because there’s only a certain amount of seamers that can play, but I don’t feel like me and ‘T’ are in direct competition,” Wood said. “We’re all part of a squad here that’s trying to win the World Cup, so we’ll all be desperately trying to do that.”Wood, of course, has enjoyed that World Cup-winning feeling once before, claiming 18 wickets at 25.72 in England’s 50-over triumph in 2019. And while Mills, like Archer, has a repertoire of slower balls that mean pace is not the be-all and end-all of his game, Wood recalled how a focus on the speed gun during that tournament helped to propel the two England quicks to greater heights – both he and Archer matched Australia’s Mitchell Starc in bowling the fastest balls of the tournament at 154kph (95.7mph) – and said he hopes to get his juices flowing with Mills as well.”It worked for me and Jofra, so me and T might have to keep it going,” Wood said. “He’s looked sharp in the nets, and to watch him, I certainly wouldn’t want to face him. He’s looking the business at the minute so hopefully he can bring some fire and I’ll have to up my game as well.”Wood is conscious, however, of the need for subtlety as well as speed, especially given the prospect of some less-than-sympathetic tracks for fast bowlers in the UAE. The surfaces at Dubai and Abu Dhabi are likely to be tired ones following the conclusion of the IPL, while Sharjah – the venue for their final two group games, including South Africa on November 6 – is a notoriously tough places for the quicks, with its short boundaries and propensity for excess dew.”[The conditions] put extra pressure on us to deliver, so we’ll have to be up for the challenge,” Wood said. “We do keep an eye on the pitches there, and it’s not just the wickets, it’s the dimensions – the field in Sharjah is quite small, Abu Dhabi is obviously wide. But it’s good that we get a heads-up [through the IPL].”My contribution might not just be in the wickets column,” he added. “If it is a spinner’s track, my role might be to keep it down as much as I can and then the spinners can attack from the other end. The thing you have to do is adapt within the game anyway.”It’s potentially a far cry from the lively surfaces in Ahmedabad on which Wood impressed during England’s 3-2 series loss in India in March – a campaign that had been earmarked as their World Cup sighter until the tournament had to be relocated to the UAE due to Covid. On that occasion, he was habitually unleashed as first-change after Archer, with a licence to attack the Powerplay – most notably with figures of 3 for 31 in an eight-wicket win in the third match at Ahmedabad.”I think my role will be fairly similar,” Wood said. “I’ll be trying to attack and take wickets up-front and hopefully in the middle. We will have to adapt and assess conditions, but I still think, if I do play, that’s how I’ll be used.”In India I did that well but also there was a game that didn’t go well, which I got smacked in,” he added, recalling his figures of 0 for 53 in the fifth and final match, as India sealed the series with a 36-run win. “If you get too far ahead of yourself, it can knock your confidence, so we’ll try to stay as level as we can throughout the competition. We will all have good days and bad days, so it’s just trying to make sure there’s no stone unturned when it comes to the main stuff.”Wood’s opportunities to hone his T20 skills have been few and far between in recent months. Though he bowled with pace against an outclassed Sri Lanka side in two T20Is in June, a bout of Covid during the summer kept him out of action during England’s three-match series against Pakistan in July, while his involvement in England’s Test bubble meant he was unable to feature either for Durham in the Vitality Blast or for London Spirit in the Hundred.As a consequence, there has been a lot of focus on match scenarios in Oman, ahead of the team’s relocation to Dubai on Saturday where they will play warm-up matches against India and New Zealand. “We’ve been practising Super Overs, practising single-ball events,” Wood said. “Batters need six, batters need four, batters need two, batters need one … practising Powerplay overs. It’s been a bit more specific than just nets and fielding.”In the absence of any game-time of his own, Wood said that he had been keeping tabs of the progress of South Africa’s Anrich Nortje, whose raw pace transcended the tough UAE conditions in Delhi Capitals’ advance to the IPL play-offs.”He’s bowled really well, he’s bowled quickly, looking at his role if I can back that up and try to bowl like he has then I’m sure I can have success,” Wood said.There is plenty that remains unclear for England’s World Cup plans – especially since their captain, Eoin Morgan, currently in action with Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL final, won’t be linking up with the squad until their arrival in Dubai. But Wood has full faith in a group that has achieved unprecedented white-ball success for England in recent years, and believes a second piece of global silverware is firmly within their grasp.”We’ve got a huge chance,” he said. “We’ve got a great team. We’ve very similar players from the 50-over team to the Twenty20, and whoever’s come in has got up to speed quickly, has got into the team ethos and values and the positive way we play. It’s a good time now to cement something pretty special.”

Glasgow Rangers head coach Philippe Clement made a raft of changes to his playing squad at Ibrox during the recent summer transfer window.

The Light Blues boss allowed the likes of Ryan Jack, Borna Barisic, John Lundstram, Todd Cantwell, and Connor Goldson, among others, to move on from the club.

This opened the door for the likes of Nedim Bajrami, Robin Propper, Connor Barron, Jefte, Hamza Igamane, and Vaclav Cerny, among others, to arrive at Ibrox.

There are players who were already part of the squad that Clement has been eager to keep hold of though, including Dujon Sterling – who recently signed a new contract through to the summer of 2028.

Dujon Sterling's time with Rangers

The versatile defender joined the Gers on a free transfer from Premier League side Chelsea in the summer of 2023, under Michael Beale, and has proven himself to be a valuable option for the manager.

Since the start of last season, Sterling has played 48 matches for Rangers in all competitions and racked up over 2,000 minutes of action for the club.

The most impressive part of that is that he has been deployed at left-back, right-back, defensive midfield, central midfield, right midfield, left midfield, and right wing in that time, with no more than nine appearances in any one role.

Transfer Focus

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

Rangers currently have a few players who are out of contract at the end of the season and, following Sterling’s new deal earlier this month, Tom Lawrence should be the next player to land a big pay rise and an extension at Ibrox.

Why Tom Lawrence has earned a new deal

The Wales international is currently set to become a free agent next summer and the Gers must now move to pin him down to an extension, as they did with Sterling, due to his fantastic start to the season.

In the 2023/24 campaign, Lawrence managed three goals and three assists in 32 appearances in all competitions, as he struggled to find his best form at the top end of the pitch.

This term, however, the 30-year-old star has upped his game and is starting to show that Clement can rely upon him moving forward, which is why he should be pinned down to a new contract.

Appearances

6

Sofascore rating

7.35

Goals

3

Assists

1

Big chances created

3

As you can see in the table above, Lawrence has produced six goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in six appearances in the Scottish Premiership this season.

Pundit James McFadden recently claimed that the attacking midfielder, who scored in the 4-1 defeat to Lyon in the Europa League last week, is one of the players who is “stepping up” for Rangers at the moment.

Lawrence, who is reportedly on £22k-per-week – less than the likes of Rabbi Matondo and Danilo, should now be the next player to earn fresh terms and a pay rise to ensure that they do not lose the impressive dynamo for nothing when his contract is due to expire next year.

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ByDan Emery Oct 9, 2024

That would prevent him from being able to sign a pre-contract with another club from January onwards and make sure that Clement can still rely upon the experienced star’s talents in the years to come.

كشف مصدر مسؤول بـ الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، موقف الحضور الجماهيري في مباراة الفراعنة القادمة أمام سيراليون، في تصفيات إفريقيا لكأس العالم.

ويواجه منتخب مصر نظيره الإثيوبي في الجولة الخامسة وذلك يوم 21 مارس الجاري، قبل أن يواجه سيراليون بالجولة السادسة يوم 25 من الشهر ذاته.

وقال المصدر لـ بطولات: “اتحاد الكرة طالب بالسعة الكاملة لاستاد القاهرة لمواجهة سيراليون المقرر لها يوم 25 مارس الجاري ضمن منافسات الجولة السادسة بالتصفيات المؤهلة لكأس العالم”.

طالع أيضاً.. خاص | موعد سفر منتخب مصر إلى المغرب لمواجهة إثيوبيا في تصفيات كأس العالم

وأتم: “يرى الاتحاد بأن هذه المباراة ستكون هامة للغاية في مشوار حسم منتخب مصر تأهله لكأس العالم، وهو ما يجعل الاتحاد يتوقع وجود عدد جماهيري كبير في هذا اللقاء”.

ويتصدر منتخب مصر المجموعة الأولى برصيد 10 نقاط حصدها من 3 انتصارات وتعادل، كما يطمح في تأكيد صعوده لكأس العالم.

New Zealand batting fails as Pakistan chase down 135 in Sharjah

Alagappan Muthu26-Oct-2021A lot of Pakistan’s success is built on a bowling line-up that has more to offer than an Amazon sale. Shaheen Afridi brings the swing. Haris Rauf brings the pace. Hasan Ali brings the hustle. Imad Wasim brings the control. And Shadab Khan brings the magic. New Zealand went up against all of that and came away battered and bruised, their total of 134 never quite enough.Pressure tells
Pakistan were in control of the game ever since they won the toss and chose to bowl. Eleven of the 20 overs they bowled went for six runs or fewer.New Zealand tried their best to disrupt a bowling line-up in prime form. They made Daryl Mitchell open the batting for the first time in his professional career. It didn’t work. They punted on James Neesham at No. 4. It didn’t work.The pressure that kept piling on them even had an effect on their captain. Kane Williamson, after nudging a back of a length ball into the off side, set off for a single that he normally never would have. But here, with all run-making avenues blocked, he took a few too many paces down the pitch and was sent packing by a Hasan Ali direct hit.New Zealand were in the middle of a decent sequence at the time, smashing four fours and a six in nine balls. Since that wicket, in the 13th over, there were only three further boundaries.Watch highlights on ESPN+

If you are in the USA, watch the Pakistan vs New Zealand highlights on ESPN+ here in English, and here in Hindi

Pace is pace yaar
Rauf began the game with a 149 kph yorker that literally took Martin Guptill out of the game. He survived that ball but wouldn’t field in the second innings. High pace is a point of difference in T20 cricket. It’s the reason Pakistan invested in a bowler who only turned professional a mere three years ago.And while Rauf can set the speed gun on fire, here three of his four wickets came through slower deliveries. It was a sign of his evolution and an understanding of the conditions in Sharjah. One of his balls – at 149 kph – was lashed for four by Mitchell Santner in the 20th over. So, he pulled his pace back. The batter was through with his shot early. The stumps were in all kinds of disarray. And Sharjah kept screaming “Haaaaris! Haaaaris! Haaaaaris!”The end
A traditional strength of New Zealand’s – fielding – and one of a more recent vintage – Ish Sodhi’s legspin – allowed this game the veneer of a contest. Pakistan went into the last five overs needing 44 to win. And in conditions that were slow and low that tends to be a tough ask unless someone goes berserk.So Asif Ali wound up those big strong arms of his and launched the second and third balls of the 17th over clean out of the park. He came into the World Cup on the back of a woeful CPL. But here he was dismantling one of New Zealand’s best fast bowlers in Tim Southee to usher his team to a flawless victory.Pakistan have played 13 T20Is in the UAE since 2016. They have now won every single one of them. If they keep this up, there’s going to be a nice, shiny trophy just waiting for them.

Still looking to add to their midfield, Liverpool are now reportedly keeping tabs on the progress of one transfer target who Michael Edwards could steal in to hijack ahead of Bayern Munich.

Liverpool transfer news

Whilst the Reds sit top of the Premier League even without a summer full of investment, they’ll be well aware of how unsustainable their position at the top is without the added depth they could welcome in 2025.

Of course, it wasn’t for the want of trying that a midfielder failed to complete a move to Anfield in the summer, with Martin Zubimendi simply changing his mind and rejecting Liverpool, but that’s not to say alternatives weren’t available.

Liverpool battling Man Utd to sign "flamboyant" gem compared to Di Maria

He’s one for the future…

By
Tom Cunningham

Oct 2, 2024

Their summer failure has at least made the 2025 task clear as day, however. A defensive midfielder to compete or sit alongside the recently-emerged Ryan Gravenberch must be the priority, even if the Reds find themselves flying under new boss Arne Slot.

With that said, those at Anfield have reportedly turned their attention towards a man in demand. According to The Boot Room, Edwards is now keeping tabs on Adam Wharton ahead of a potential move that would see Liverpool hijack a deal and jump ahead of Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich as well as Premier League rivals Manchester United.

Wharton impressed against Liverpool last season, as Crystal Palace shocked the Reds to secure a rare Anfield victory. Since then, he has gone on to make his England debut and steal further headlines, before struggling alongside the rest of Oliver Glasner’s side in an early period to forget in the current campaign.

If the former Blackburn Rovers man swiftly returns to his best though, then there’s no doubt that the rumours over his Selhurst Park future will continue to arrive, with FSG, Edwards and Richard Hughes now firmly in the race.

"Incredible" Wharton could complete Liverpool midfield

At just 20 years old, Wharton’s first struggle for form was always going to arrive at one stage, but once he reaches the other side of his current blip, big things could once again await. He more than proved himself in his Anfield audition last season, winning eight out of 10 duels and making six tackles in a dominant display in the middle of the park. Now, as Liverpool look to add to their midfield, Wharton could emerge to become Slot’s missing piece.

Unsurprisingly, the Palace star has earned plenty of praise during his time at Selhurst Park, including from teammate Eberechi Eze, who said via BBC Sport: “Playing with him at Palace, I’ve got used to seeing the way he plays and understanding him. He’s very calm, composed, and a joy to play with.

“For someone so young, he’s very mature and very wise. When you speak to him, it feels like you’re speaking to someone older than you, that’s the type of person he is. He’s an incredible player.”

Alas, amid such impressive interest, those in South London may need to appreciate their midfielder whilst they still can, with Anfield potentially awaiting Wharton in 2025 despite Palace’s valuation of £100m.