Stats highlights from the final T20I between Australia and India in Sydney, which the visitors won to complete a series sweep

Bharath Seervi31-Jan-20163 Instances when India have successfully chased targets of 190 or more in T20Is, the most by any team. South Africa is the only other team to do it more than once. India had chased 207 against Sri Lanka in Mohali in 2009 and 202 against Australia in Rajkot in 2013. This is the first time India finished a successful chase off the final ball of a match and the 15th instance overall for any team.4 Clean sweeps in a T20I series of three or more matches; this is also only the second in a series involving two Full Member sides. The previous instance came in 2014 when Australia beat England 3-0 at home.124* Shane Watson’s score in this match, the second-highest score in T20 internationals after Aaron Finch’s 156. Finch’s innings came against England in Southampton in 2013. Watson’s score is also the highest in T20 matches in Australia beating Luke Wright’s 117 for Melbourne Stars against Hobart Hurricanes in Hobart in 2012.1 Virat Kohli is the first batsman to score more than two fifty-plus scores in a bilateral T20I series. Kohli’s tally of 199 runs in this series is also the second-highest by a batsman between dismissals in T20Is. Martin Guptill had scored 216 runs with scores of 91*, 78* and 47 in February 2012. Kohli’s aggregate is also the second-highest by a batsman in bilateral T20I series. Hamilton Masakadza’s 222 runs in the four-match series earlier this year against Bangladesh is the highest.119* The highest individual score by a captain in T20Is before Watson’s 124*, by Faf du Plessis against West Indies in Johannesburg in January 2015. Tillakaratne Dilshan is the only other batsman to score a century as captain in T20Is.98 The highest score by a batsman in his first T20I as captain before Watson’s 124*, by Ricky Ponting in February 2005 against New Zealand in Auckland. Another Australia captain is third on this list: Steven Smith had made 90 on his T20I captaincy debut, against England in Cardiff in 2015.0 Centuries scored against India in T20Is before Watson’s knock. The previous highest individual score against India was Chris Gayle’s 98 that came in Bridgetown during the 2010 World T20.71 Balls faced by Watson in this innings, the most by a batsman in T20Is. He surpassed Morne van Vyk’s 70-ball innings of 114 not out against West Indies in Durban in 2015.4 T20I centuries in a losing cause. Watson’s score is the fourth-highest in overall T20 cricket in a defeat.62.94 Percentage of runs scored by Watson in Australia’s 5 for 197 – the fourth-highest percentage contribution in a completed T20I innings. Kane Williamson’s 70% contribution against Sri Lanka in Chittagong in 2014 is the highest.93 Runs added by Watson and Travis Head, the highest fourth-wicket partnership for Australia in T20Is. The pair went past an unbeaten 84-run stand shared by Adam Voges and David Warner against Sri Lanka in Sydney in 2013.3 Number of Indians who have aggregated 1000 or more runs in T20Is. Rohit Sharma is the latest on the list behind Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina.24 Runs scored off a Shaun Tait over [third of the innings], the third-most expensive over against India. The most expensive one was bowled by Stuart Broad, who conceded 36 in Durban [19th over of the innings] in the 2007 World T20, followed by Rory Kleinveldt’s 25-run over in Gros Islet [18th over] in the 2010 World T20.

Newcastle United are believed to be planning a major contract offer for a “top striker” in 2025, according to an update from reliable journalist Alan Nixon.

Newcastle transfer news

In a worrying new transfer claim, Bruno Guimaraes has been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain, with the Ligue 1 giants seeing him as a priority target in the near future. Losing the Brazilian would be a huge blow for the Magpies, given his influence at the heart of the midfield.

In terms of more positive transfer news, Newcastle are in a strong position to complete the signing of AC Milan centre-back Fikayo Tomori, as Eddie Howe looks to boost his defensive options. He hasn’t always found regular football easy to come by this season, so he could eye a move elsewhere.

Matheus Cunha has been one of the few positives for Wolves in a tough Premier League season to date, and he has been backed to seal a switch to St James’ Park, in what could be such an exciting piece of business. He has scored 10 goals in 17 starts in the league, also chipping in with four assists.

A right-sided attacking player is seen as an important area to strengthen in and Southampton ace Tyler Dibling has been linked with Newcastle, in what could be a superb addition. The 18-year-old already looks the part in the Premier League for Southampton and could jump at the chance to join a bigger club.

Newcastle planning major contract offer for "top striker"

According to Nixon on Patreon [via Goodison News], Newcastle and PIF are planning a major contract offer for Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin next summer, as they are reluctant to pay a big fee to sign him in the January transfer window.

The 27-year-old forward is on course to be available on a free transfer at that point, with the lack of a fee meaning the Magpies can justify paying him significant wages.

Calvert-Lewin has been a target for Newcastle for some time, and if he came in as a direct replacement for Callum Wilson at the end of the season, it could be a great piece of business,

Granted, injury problems have dogged the 27-year-old throughout his career, but he has been untroubled in that respect this season, starting 16 Premier League games. Meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti has hailed his quality as a striker in the past, saying:

“The goal he scored today is one of a top striker. It’s a goal where the striker prepares his movement and moves at the right time with a lot of speed and then he was cold in front of the goalkeeper.”

Calvert-Lewin is now a hugely experienced top-level player, scoring 56 goals in 230 appearances in the Premier League, as well as netting four times in 11 caps for England.

PSG now make Newcastle star their priority target; £83m move possible

One of Eddie Howe’s key players could be on the move…

2

By
Dominic Lund

Dec 29, 2024

The fact that the Everton man could be available for free takes away any risk element with the injuries, and as mentioned, replacing Wilson for Calvert Lewin could be a seamless swap.

Leeds United’s recruitment team are running out of time to do some business before the winter window officially slams shut on Monday night.

The Whites are yet to make a single signing in the January transfer window but they have little over 24 hours left to bolster their squad ahead of the second half of the season.

Southampton centre-forward Cameron Archer is one player who has been linked with a late move to Elland Road on loan from the Premier League side.

However, a new number nine is not the only position on the agenda for the West Yorkshire outfit, as they are reportedly keen on another attacking midfielder.

Leeds eyeing late deal for midfield maestro

According to Russian journalist Ivan Karpov, on his Telegram channel, Leeds United are one of the teams interested in signing Krasnodar attacking midfielder Eduard Spertsyan.

The report claims the Whites and fellow Championship promotion hopefuls Sunderland are eyeing up the Armenia international in a last-gasp move before the deadline.

It states that Daniel Farke worked with the 24-year-old magician during his short spell in charge of Krasnodar earlier in his career and would like a reunion with the playmaker this season.

Karpov’s report does not, however, reveal how much money it would take for the Russian side to consider cashing in on their star midfielder in the next day or so.

Why Leeds should sign Eduard Spertsyan

The Whites should, now, push to win the race for the Armenian wizard before the deadline passes because he could come in as a dream signing for Joel Piroe.

Farke’s current centre-forward took his tally to 12 goals for the season, from an xG of 8.36, in the Championship with a brace against Cardiff on Saturday.

The Dutch centre-forward has proven his ability to consistently find the back of the net at an efficient rate, given the quality of chances created for him.

In Spertsyan, Leeds could sign an attacking midfielder with the quality to create even more opportunities for the former Swansea man to score goals.

After Ajax once failed to sign the Armenia international, the Dutch side’s technical director Sven Mislinta compared him to Kevin De Bruyne. He said: “It wasn’t about his abilities but that he plays in Russia. He could’ve been at Ajax similar to what Kevin De Bruyne is at Man City. A special player, you can’t find someone like him for this amount of money.”

That was incredibly high praise, given that the Belgian star has 104 goals and 173 assists for Man City, but his form in recent seasons for Krasnodar explains the comparison.

Appearances

28

29

18

Goals

10

11

6

Key passes per game

2.2

1.9

2.6

Big chances created

8

8

3

Assists

11

3

3

As you can see in the table above, Spertsyan may not be on de Bruyne’s sensational level but he is an attacking midfielder who can score goals and create chances on a regular basis in a number ten position.

Meanwhile, no current Leeds player has managed more than 1.7 key passes per game in the Championship this season, which suggests that Spertsyan, who has averaged 2.6 key passes per match this season, could come in as Farke’s best creator.

Their next Chris Wood: Leeds step up move to land “ball-striking monster”

Leeds are looking to add attacking firepower

1 ByJoe Nuttall Feb 1, 2025

That would, therefore, make him a dream for Piroe in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, as they could form a terrific partnership in the final third.

Liverpool are pushing hard in the Premier League this season, determined to crown the Arne Slot era with a title.

One of the glowing markers of a league-winning team is their ability to find different ways to win. Against Brentford last weekend, Liverpool left it late but displayed their power in adversity, finding a way to win through Darwin Nunez’s emphatic off-the-bench double.

It was a slice of much-needed respite for the Uruguay striker, whose time on Merseyside has been turbulent. Poor finishing and a diminished role and output under Slot this term have given rise to rumours of his exit, with some reports even suggesting that Michael Edwards has recently rejected a mammoth bid from the Saudi Pro League.

Despite joining for a club-record fee (rising to £85m), Nunez has struggled to prove himself among Europe’s elite centre-forwards. This hasn’t been detrimental, per se. Not as far as the team as a whole is concerned.

But Liverpool have gone some time now without a world-class number nine. The dreamy days of Luis Suarez, to be sure, feel a long time ago.

Luis Suarez's iconic Liverpool career

Suarez was a monster for Liverpool, signing for a £22m fee in January 2011, departing Ajax. Now in the twilight phase of his career, Suarez is widely regarded as one of the finest forwards of his generation.

While the real riches of his storied career came with Barcelona, the 37-year-old scored 82 goals and supplied 31 assists across 133 appearances for Liverpool, notably hitting 31 Premier League goals during an incredible 2013/14 campaign.

He was an immense player, one of Liverpool’s greatest in the modern era. Replacing him was always going to be an insurmountable task and indeed one that saw Brendan Rodgers’ tenure fall by the wayside.

1.

Erling Haaland (22/23)

Man City

35

36

2.

Mohamed Salah (17/18)

Liverpool

36

32

3=

Luis Suarez (13/14)

Liverpool

33

31

3=

Cristiano Ronaldo (07/08)

Man United

34

31

3=

Alan Shearer (95/96)

Blackburn

35

31

Then Jurgen Klopp came along, and free-scoring number nines seemed to become less of a prized commodity on Merseyside. The red half, anyway.

With Roberto Firmino warping the middle of the pitch, bending it and twisting it to facilitate Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, Liverpool enjoyed incredible success with a unique and fluent frontline, one of Europe’s most iconic.

But Klopp’s gone now, and he’s not coming back. Slot’s start to life in his place has attenuated the blow and then some, to be fair, with Liverpool firm favourites for the 2024/25 Premier League title and in with a shout for the Champions League and both domestic cups too.

Liverpool would do well to replace Nunez with a centre-forward capable of emulating, or at least mimicking, Suarez’s surreal goalscoring success in the Premier League, especially now that Liverpool’s attacking system has been tweaked.

Transfer Focus

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

Liverpool eyeing Nunez replacement

According to Fussball News – via Sport Witness – Liverpool are still interested in signing Greek striker Stefanos Tzimas following reports of their intrigue last week. In fact, it’s claimed that their pursuit of the prospect is ‘very hot’ amid ongoing talks with the player’s agent.

Nurnberg in the Bundesliga 2. are set to sign PAOK’s talent at the end of the season after he completes his loan spell, however, the German side will look to turn an instant profit and could allow him to move to Anfield for €30m (£25m), an affordable figure for FSG and especially so if Nunez departs.

However, with a host of rivals including Chelsea also eager to sign the 19-year-old, sporting director Richard Hughes might want to move quickly.

What Stefanos Tzimas would bring to Liverpool

Tzimas has only been around for a short while but he’s been riding the crest of a wave in Germany this season, having proved himself as a prolific forward with the athleticism to match.

The teenager – who is bursting onto the scene at a young age in a way akin to Suarez – has scored nine goals and added two assists across 19 league fixtures this season, only starting 11 of those matches.

As per Sofascore, he’s also only missed 11 big chances in front of goal, averaging 1.5 dribbles and 4.1 successful duels per game. What does this actually mean? Well, it proves that Tzimas has the progressiveness to excel as a top-class player down the line, also combative in his efforts, eager to get stuck in and help his side outside of shooting sequences.

Described as a “natural-born killer” and a “monster in the making” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Tzimas has the world at his feet and could even prove to be Liverpool’s most talented striker since the aforementioned Suarez in front of goal.

Firmino might be an iconic figure for his fleet-footed, silky style in the final third, but he was never the kind of goalscoring expert that the Greece U21 international bears the signs of becoming.

As per FBref, he actually ranks among the top 18% of centre-forwards across divisions similar to the Bundesliga 2. for tackles per 90, as well as the top 1% for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, illuminating that Suarez-like quality to beat a man and wreak havoc in the final third.

Therefore, Tzimas has that natural completeness that could see him provide relief across different zones for Slot’s side, all the while progressing play with blistering speed, weaving into the danger area and bypassing hapless goalkeepers.

Suarez is the best out-and-out striker that Liverpool have had in the modern era, and while Nunez will want to prove himself over the coming months of the 2024/25 campaign, Tzimas is only at the nascent stage of his development and could become a world beater under Slot’s wing.

He'd be better than Kvaratskhelia: Liverpool looking at "special" £85m ace

Liverpool are attentive to market opportunities this month.

ByAngus Sinclair Jan 21, 2025

Given that format has been designed with close finishes in mind, it has changed the way teams, coaches and selectors look at fielding

Tim Wigmore03-Mar-2016When Trevor Penney became India fielding coach in 2011, he was tasked with reinvigorating the team’s fielding. It was his fortune that, as the ageing legends retired, a new generation of zestful cricketers
arrived in their stead.”Sachin was still coming for fielding practice aged 40. It’s just that, if he were 20 coming through, he would have put effort in like a Virat,” Penney reflects. While the old cohort “grew up thinking, ‘I’ll just do enough. I want to be a decent fielder but I don’t want to be a great fielder'”, in the new India “they all want to be really good.”It was a microcosm of how fielding standards have been transformed. Improvements can be traced back to the invention of one-day cricket in
1963, through to the formation of the World Cup, the professionalisation of the sport during and after World Series Cricket, and the relentless pursuit of cricketing perfection that characterised Australia under Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting. But never has fielding been given as much attention as in the age of T20.”T20’s been the thing that turned the corner,” says Mike Young, the former baseball coach who started working in cricket, initially with Australia, in 2000. “T20 has forced fielding to get better. The athletes now are so much better. Seriously it’s not even close. It’s a different game.”A format designed with close finishes in mind has compelled selectors to give greater emphasis to fielding. “You’re debating that No. 6
or seven spot in T20, and you’ll just go for the better fielder. So everyone is fitter and faster,” Penney says. Increasingly the judgements on a player’s fielding proficiency are informed less by gut feeling – which fielders might look the most athletic – and more by cold data. “You’ve got a spreadsheet where you can see who’s saved runs, who’s given away runs. Have they attacked the ball properly?”Usman Khawaja finishes his stunning catch to dismiss Trent Boult in the recent Wellington Test•Getty ImagesThe specialist fielding coach has been among the great winners of the T20 age. During the 2003 World Cup, a couple of months before the
first game of professional T20, Young recalls being the only fielding coach; by the last World Cup, the fielding coach was integral to all 14 nations. The quality of fielding training is incomparable. “We did batting first and had to fit in the fielding later. There wasn’t time during nets to go off and do fielding with small groups,” Penney recalls of his time as Sri Lanka assistant coach between 2005 and 2007. When he returned, for a stint before and during the 2015 World Cup, it was as full-time fielding coach, working intensively with groups of two or three players for half-hour bursts.If what Penney terms “the basics” – catching, diving, collecting the ball cleanly and throwing properly – remain the foundation of a good
fielder, the requirements are even more onerous in the shortest format. “You’ve got a different type of training for T20: a lot more
high catching, a lot more boundary catching.”Because so many more balls go to the boundary edge – due to the licence batsmen are afforded in T20, bat technology, how cricketers have evolved as athletes, and ropes being been brought in – the modern fielder has had to master multifarious skills. Among these are the relay throw, with one player parrying the ball back and his team-mate throwing the ball in; the dive on the rope to stop it going for six, catch the ball or parry to a team-mate; and the art of releasing the ball into the air while hurtling over the rope, and then catching it after regaining balance.
“Every team practises that,” Penney says. “It’s something the players love doing. It’s vital as well because, especially in T20, so many balls just carry, or don’t quite carry, over the boundary.”In a Test in Wellington last month, Trent Boult launched Nathan Lyon to long-on, where Usman Khawaja ran to meet the catch as he hurtled
towards the boundary rope. Just before going over, Khawaja flicked the ball up in the air with his right hand, and then nonchalantly caught
it after returning from the wrong side of the rope. Here was one of Australia’s least obviously formidable athletes taking what, a few years ago, would have been considered an astounding catch, and looking utterly nonchalant about doing so. It distilled how T20 fielding has impacted all formats of the game. Pyrotechnics on the boundary edge have become the new normal.Radical improvement is detectable well inside the boundary edge. Even in the 30-yard circle, players work together to hunt down the ball, aiming for one fielder to chase down the ball and palm it to another man to hurl back in. They are more comfortable sliding, helped by better outfields being used in training and matches. Teams also cut down on straight twos by using a right-hander at long-off and a left-hander at long-on, as pioneered by Australia’s use of Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke. But “the change in mindset is the real innovation” in fielding, Young stresses.Trevor Penney: “In most fielding drills, when it comes to direct hits, players are missing the majority of the throws. So they’re practising missing, not hitting”•Getty ImagesThere remains ample room for further advancement. “I’m generalising, but many people don’t know how to actually do professional coaching of fielding,” Young says. “All the drills with the whole team are a waste of time. I like to work on small incremental things with each individual athlete because each guy’s different. There’s still a lot of time when everybody gets together and they just hit balls around. They don’t work on the actual technique and how to get better, especially at the highest level. They’re doing it wrong.”To Penney, the paucity of direct hits reflects a lack of good-quality training. “In most fielding drills, when it comes to direct hits, players are missing the majority of the throws. So they’re practising missing, not hitting. Drills I’ve designed involve hitting the stumps a lot more from close range and then slowly progressing backwards. So after ten minutes you’ve probably hit the stumps 50 times. In some team drills, they throw at the stumps ten times each and only hit once, and think that’s enough. That has to improve.”Although innovation will continue – slip fielders are becoming ever more adept at darting to the leg side in anticipation of a batsman’s
shot, for instance – there might not be any great revolution forthcoming. While admiring George Bailey’s ability to throw with both arms, neither Penney nor Young supports John Buchanan’s enthusiasm for ambidextrous fielders. “The skills you need – throwing over the top from 80 metres, or hitting the stumps from 30 yards, it’s very difficult to suddenly do it with both arms,” Penney says. “Guys with their dominant arm can’t hit the stumps enough anyway,” Penney says.Much of his focus remains on the oldest fielding skill of them all: catching the ball. He likes to give his team specific training depending on where they field, because catching an uppercut at third man is a different art to snaring one at long-on. During his recent stint with Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash, “there seemed to be quite a few dropped catches every game. Batsmen have got better bat speeds, and they’re hitting the ball a lot harder. The fielders are still adjusting to that.”The rise of T20 and specialist coaching mean that fielding will continue to evolve – just not quite as quickly as it could. “Not enough people are motivated to go out and improve their fielding, because the money is in scoring runs and taking wickets,” Young says, lamenting the lack of “statistics for errors and runs saved”. He believes that another simple change would speed up fielding’s ascent. “If fielding’s important, and everybody agrees it is, where is the validation? Why isn’t there an award for international fielder of the year?”

Newcastle United’s fine form continues in the Premier League as they began 2025 with a wonderful 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

It was the home side who enjoyed the better start, however, as Dominic Solanke headed Spurs into an early lead. It didn’t last long, as the Magpies equalized through Anthony Gordon, before the man of the moment, Alexander Isak, scored for the seventh league game in a row to steer his side into the lead.

Spurs pushed for more goals, but the Toon were resilient at the back and the win ensured they remain fifth in the table.

Where would the club be without Gordon and Isak?

Gordon & Isak's game in numbers vs Spurs

The Swede could have had two goals as he missed a big chance, but his confidence was flowing before the game and the Spurs defence struggled to keep tabs on him throughout.

Isak won three of his four ground duels, registered two shots and was fouled twice, proving just how much of a menace he was, having enjoyed a deserved slice of luck after getting the final touch following Radu Dragusin’s initial intervention.

Key statistics – Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United
Stat	Highest Ranked
Shots on target	Dominic Solanke, Anthony Gordon and Pape Matar Sarr (2)
Key passes	Dejan Kulusevski (4)
Ground duels won	Sergio Reguilon (7)
Tackles	Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro (5)
Accurate passes	Archie Gray (47)
Via Sofascore

Gordon was also relentless in the final third. The former Everton winger recorded five total shots, made two key passes, attempted two dribbles and delivered six crosses into the opposition box.

That work rate was rewarded as the Englishman drew his side level in what was a frantic opening, the 24-year-old pouncing on a somewhat contentious deflection off the arm of Joelinton before cooly slotting past debutant Brandon Austin.

The duo are doing everything they can to ensure the club makes a return to the Champions League next season, but the real unsung hero for so long has been Bruno Guimaraes, who shone once again vs Spurs.

Bruno Guimaraes’ game in numbers vs Spurs

The Brazilian has started every single Premier League game for the Magpies this term, captaining the side to victory ten times in the process.

Against Spurs, the former Lyon midfielder delivered another dominant showing in the heart of the pitch. He managed to grab his fifth assist in the league this term with his through ball which saw Gordon net the equaliser.

Additionally, Guimaraes also recorded three key passes, created a big chance and won an impressive eight duels during the game, offering no respite to the Spurs players looking to push forward.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

His performance saw the skipper given a match rating of 8/10 by the Shields Gazette journalist Dominic Scurr, who said Guimaraes ‘grabbed control of the game in the closing stages of the first half with a dominant midfield showing’ and there was also praise elsewhere.

Football writer Srinivas Sadhanand also heaped praise on the Brazilian, describing him as simply “too good” following his all-round midfield display.

If Newcastle goes on to secure a seat in Europe’s premier club competition for next term, it won’t just be down to the goals Isak scores, or the creative talents of Gordon.

No. It will come down to how well Guimaraes performs in the heart of the midfield over the next 18 league matches.

Newcastle hold talks to sign "forceful and effective" £25m star in January

Talks have been held over a transfer.

By
Henry Jackson

Jan 3, 2025

Assistant coach Ahmadzai says 2-1 T20I triumph will “give our cricket a new spirit”

Umar Farooq28-Mar-2023Afghanistan are toasting a first ever T20I series win over Pakistan, with their assistant coach Raees Ahmadzai describing the achievement as one that could “give our cricket a new spirit”.Ahmadzai has been with the team for two years now. He was on the sidelines watching as Afghanistan went 2-0 up, their bowlers reducing Pakistan to 92 for 9 in the first T20I and 130 for 6 in the second. They were unable to complete the series sweep as a young Pakistan team found new heroes of their own but the mood in the camp is still understandably upbeat.”Beating a higher ranked team is big for the country,” Ahmadzai told ESPNcricinfo. “I can’t explain the significance of this victory in words because it carries a lot of emotions. This is going to give our cricket a new spirit and give us a belief that we can do it and we did it. It became history and we are going to take this trophy back to Kabul giving our people much-needed joy.”Outside of their exploits against Zimbabwe and Ireland, this was only their third T20I series win over an ICC Full Member. The other two came in 2018 against Bangladesh and 2019 against West Indies.The three matches, which took place over the last week, were not part of the Future Tours Programme. It was arranged to fill the gap in the calendar after Australia withdrew from playing against Afghanistan.Until now, Pakistan and Afghanistan mostly faced off against each other in ICC events, with Pakistan winning a vast majority of the matches. But this time they came into the series resting several first-choice players – including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi – and Afghanistan took advantage.”It is special to win against a top nation,” Ahmadzai said, “And Pakistan fielded a strong side with a lot of PSL performers who have been scoring big runs and taking wickets. So it’s exciting to beat a top cricket nation. It’s not like we never came close to beating Pakistan before. There were some close games in the past in which Pakistan won but it’s good to pull a series.Pakistan came into the series resting several of their first-choice players•Afghanistan Cricket Board”This is not just a win for Afghanistan cricket but for cricket as a game because this victory is going to inspire many youngsters who will start picking up the game in Afghanistan. Our people back home were skeptical, and taunted us, doubting our ability if we are ever going to beat a bigger team like Pakistan, India, Australia, and England. There were fans who don’t understand the process but just want to win and want to take pride in it and now everyone is happy. It’s like a festival now. Cricket has been a major source of happiness, people love cricket and this series win brought a lot of smiles. The game is already growing in the country and such wins change the dynamic at the grassroots.”The conditions in Sharjah also offered Afghanistan and their spinners a little bit more than the pitches that were used in the PSL and Ahmadzai praised his players for making full use of it. “We knew that Pakistan team coming from scoring so many runs in PSL and they could go all with the same pattern hitting uppish,” he said. “They are very talented cricketers but we knew the pressure of international cricket is going to test them. So we had to exploit the conditions and the rhythm they were enjoying playing in Pakistan. We have world-class spinners and we had to use our new ball smartly.”We didn’t have much time to prepare for the series but we knew this series was an opportunity to learn and execute what we know. We took full advantage of the conditions and restricted them to 90 and 130 odd runs. There are a lot of takeaways from the series, especially in our fast bowling department, we know we need to get more control in death bowling. We have stroke makers in our batting line-up but we have made them learn to take the innings deep when you have a bigger target in front of them. We have world-class spinners and they delivered up to the expectations.”Contests between Afghanistan and Pakistan are quite intense with incidents of both fans and players squaring off against each other. When asked about this, Ahmadzai said, “we have produced the finest [T20] cricketer for the game [Rashid Khan] and I often hear odd things about our nation that we don’t understand the game and don’t have the temperament for high-class cricket which is totally wrong.”We have role models in form of Rashid Khan who is the greatest ambassador of the game. There was an isolated incident of aggression in the field which has given a false impression. We respect the game and showing passion on the ground is a natural act and very much part of the game. We play the game according to the rules and regulations defined by ICC. What happens in the crowd is out of our control, we can’t control how people think and respond and it’s the role of security and stadium authorities to manage.”But what I can tell you is that we are a peace-loving country and play the game in the right spirit. There is a little rivalry going on with Pakistan and that’s healthy for the game.”Ahmadzai cited a passage of play in this series where Mohammad Nabi was seen glaring at Imad Wasim after picking up the wicket of Faheem Ashraf. “There was an incident that, to the outsider might seem like an example of the usually tense atmosphere in these games, but actually showcases Nabi’s smarts. Viewers might remember when he dismissed Faheem in the first T20, he turned around and apparently stared at Imad Wasim at the non-strikers. In fact, they had been discussing how much the ball was breaking on the pitch and when he took the wicket, he turned to show Imad, a team-mate at Karachi Kings, how much control he has over his bowling to have landed it exactly right.”Afghanistan next assignment is a full tour of Bangladesh in June, where they will play two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is.

da apostaganha： The clock is well and truly ticking for Arsenal now.

da bet7k： The transfer window slams shut in less than a week, and despite their acute need for goalscorers, Mikel Arteta’s side have failed to add a single player to their injury-riddled squad.

Worse still, Manchester City, who have denied them Premier League glory for the last two years, have been on a spending spree this month, with the £59m signing of Eintracht Frankfurt’s free-scoring Omar Marmoush the pièce de résistance of their business.

However, there may yet be cause for optimism among the Arsenal fanbase, as recent reports have linked the club with another sensational forward who could be their answer to City’s new Egyptian superstar.

Arsenal chasing Premier League star

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Arsenal have maintained their intense interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha.

Transfer Focus

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In fact, the report has gone a step further and revealed that the Old Gold are now ‘expecting one or more’ offers for the Brazilian superstar before the transfer deadline on February 3rd.

However, the Gunners are not the only interested party, as the story also names Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa as the other particularly keen sides, and while a potential price is not mentioned, reports from earlier this month claimed that a fee of around £80m could be enough to tempt Wolves into selling.

It will likely be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line this month, but given Cunha’s ability and Arsenal’s need for more attackers, it’s one the club cannot afford to pass up, and the fact he’s won comparisons to Marmoush can only be a good thing.

Why Cunha would be Arsenal's answer to Marmoush

Okay, before we look at some of the reasons as to why Arsenal should be going all out to sign Cunha before the deadline next week, let’s examine this comparison to Marmoush and where it has come from.

Well, it primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and the Europa League then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the former Frankfurt phenom is the ninth most similar forward to the Wolves superstar.

The best way to see how this conclusion has been reached is by looking at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, goals per shot and shot on target, passing accuracy, expected assists, through balls, crosses, carries into the final third and more, all per 90.

Cunha & Marmoush

Statistics per 90

Cunha

Marmoush

Goals per Shot

0.15

0.17

Goals per Shot on Target

0.38

0.38

Passing Accuracy

71.6%

70.2%

Expected Assists

0.19

0.25

Through Balls

0.35

0.30

Crosses

4.48

4.58

Successful Take-On %

44.1%

44.7%

Carries

29.4

27.2

Carries into the Final Third

3.08

3.14

Aerial Duels Won

0.45

0.41

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season

However, another way in which the Brazilian dynamo could become the Gunners’ answer to Marmoush is by the simple act of joining the club this month, as while the North Londoners would still have spent significantly less than the reigning champions, they would have at least got a marquee and sought-after attacker through the door.

Moreover, and this is also a reason why Arteta and Co might want to sign the former Atlético Madrid star, he also has the ability to play in multiple positions in the attack, be that on the wings, down the middle or even in attacking midfield, which is a versatility he shares with the Egyptian ace, who can play on either wing or down the middle.

Finally, while the 25-year-old hasn’t been quite as deadly in front of goal this season, he’s still been an incredibly effective attacker.

For example, in just 23 appearances this season, totalling 1807 minutes, the “sensational” dangerman, as dubbed by former professional turned pundit Micah Richards, has scored ten goals and provided four assists, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.64 games, or every 129.07 minutes.

Ultimately, Arsenal are in desperate need of an attacking signing before the transfer window slams shut, and while he’ll cost them a pretty penny, Cunha looks like the perfect option.

Furthermore, due to his statistical and positional similarities, he could also be their answer to Marmoush.

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Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 29, 2025

Leeds United still have plenty of time to dip into the market to improve their squad before the January transfer window officially slams shut at the start of next month.

Daniel Farke’s men will maintain their place at the top of the Championship table with a win over Sheffield Wednesday at Elland Road on Sunday.

They are fighting to secure promotion back to the Premier League at the second time of asking, after losing in the play-off final last term, and may look to use the window to add more quality to the group in the coming weeks.

Brighton & Hove Albion youngster Evan Ferguson is one marksman who has been linked with a loan move to Elland Road, amid interest from many clubs in the Ireland international.

Farke is also reportedly interested in going back to Borussia Monchengladbach to sign one of his former players, Nico Elvedi, to improve his defensive options.

The Whites have also been linked with additions in the attacking areas, with Emi Buendia and Louie Barry from Aston Villa, and are now said to be keen on a striker who used to play in the Premier League.

Leeds eyeing swoop for new striker

According to Football Insider, Leeds are one of the clubs interested in a swoop to sign Sevilla centre-forward Kelechi Iheanacho before the end of the window.

The report claims that Premier League sides Ipswich Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers are also keen on the former Manchester City and Leicester marksman, which shows that there is serious competition for his signature this month.

It states, though, that the Whites have already made their move to sign the Nigeria international by making contact with Sevilla to discuss a possible deal for the 28-year-old number nine.

Football Insider adds that the £78k-per-week forward has been made available on loan until the end of the 2024/25 campaign, which has clearly attracted interest from a host of clubs in England – including Leeds – who are looking for attacking reinforcements without having to splash the cash on a permanent addition.

The Whites have now made their move to sign Iheanacho on loan from the LaLiga outfit but it remains to be seen whether or not he would be willing to turn down offers from the Premier League to drop back down to the Championship.

Leeds, of course, already have three senior striker options in the building, as it stands, and the arrival of another forward, like the Sevilla outcast, could push one of them out of the door.

Leeds United's strikers this season

It is fair to say that Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph have been the two go-to centre-forwards for Farke in the Championship this season, as they have started all 26 league games.

The Dutch marksman, signed from Swansea in the summer of 2023, has been the usual starter for the Whites. He has started 16 of the 26 league matches and contributed with a return of ten goals and five assists.

Joseph, meanwhile, has provided two goals and three assists in 11 starts, which is a solid, albeit unspectacular, return for a young player in his first season of semi-regular starts.

Bamford, on the other hand, has found game time hard to come by in the 2024/25 campaign. The former England international has only made ten appearances in the second tier, and all of those outings have come as a substitute, with zero goals and zero assists in that time.

The long-serving forward, who joined from Middlesbrough in the summer of 2018, has been a bit-part player under the German head coach this term and has been linked with a move away from Elland Road.

Championship side Blackburn Rovers, who are competing for a spot in the play-offs, are interested in signing the former Chelsea marksman, as confirmed by their manager John Eustace recently.

With this in mind, Leeds could finally wave bye-bye to Bamford by signing Iheanacho as his replacement for the second half of the season, as bringing the forward in would free up the space in the squad for the club to part ways with the Englishman without worrying about a lack of depth in that position.

Why Leeds should sign Kelechi Iheanacho

Firstly, signing the Sevilla outcast would provide Farke with a third striker option, alongside Joseph and Piroe, and that would allow him to sanction a move to Ewood Park for Bamford.

That would, reportedly, save £70k-per-week in wages if Blackburn take on his wages as part of a loan or sign him permanently, which could free up some funds for Leeds in the market.

Secondly, Iheanacho is said to be available on loan until the end of the season and this means that the club may not have to commit to anything long-term and would not have to splash out a fee to sign him permanently, making him the perfect short-term addition to bolster the club’s promotion ambitions.

Finally, the Nigerian forward won the Championship title with Leicester last season and has plenty of experience in English football, which means that he could hit the ground running at Elland Road.

Starts

11

10

Goals

5

5

Big chances missed

6

8

Big chances created

7

3

Assists

5

1

As you can see in the table above, the 28-year-old ace was fairly productive in his final two seasons with Leicester, scoring ten goals and creating ten ‘big chances’ in 22 starts across the Premier League and the Championship.

Iheanacho, who was once hailed as “incredible” by ex-boss Brendan Rodgers, also scored 24 goals in 61 matches for Manchester City at first-team level earlier in his career.

Whilst it has not worked out for him at Sevilla, with no goals or assists in nine LaLiga outings, his previous form in England, both at Premier League and Championship level, suggests that signing him on a short-term loan would be a worthwhile gamble for the Whites, who could also part ways with Bamford in the process.

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2 ByEthan Lamb Jan 17, 2025

وجه مالك نادي إنتر ميامي، خورخي ماس، انتقادًا شديدًا إلى رابطة الدوري الأمريكي لكرة القدم بسبب قرارها تجاه ثنائي الفريق ليونيل ميسي وجوردي ألبا، اليوم الجمعة.

ويستعد فريق إنتر ميامي لخوض مباراة ضد سينسيناتي، فجر يوم الأحد، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الأمريكي، نسخة 2025.

ولن يستطيع ليونيل ميسي وجوردي ألبا المشاركة في المباراة المذكورة بسبب إيقافمهما من قِبل رابطة الدوري الأمريكي، حسب إعلان اليوم (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

وقررت الرابطة منع ميسي وألبا من المشاركة في مباراة الأحد نتيجة عدم خوضهما لقاء كل النجوم، يوم الأربعاء الماضي.

وأبدى خورخي ماس انزعاجه من الأمر، حسبما قال في تصريحات خلال مؤتمر اليوم، ونشرتها صحيفة “ميرور” الإنجليزية.

وقال خورخي ماس: “يجب إعادة النظر في تلك القاعدة، لقد أعربنا عن عدم موافقتنا على قرار الرابطة، إنها قاعدة سيئة لإنها تجبر اللاعبين على الاختيار بين مباراة استعراضية وأخرى عادية، أشيد بـ ألبا وميسي لأنهما وضعا مصلحة الفريق فوق كل اعتبار”.

وأضاف: “ميسي وألبا لاعبان محترفان يسعيان للفوز وتمثيل الفريق والدوري بشرف، هذا العام خاض ميسي 33 مباراة، وكل مباراة مع إنتر ميامي بمثابة مباراة كل النجوم، نحن ندعمهما”.

وواصل: “القرار المُتخذ يعاقب لاعبينا، جماهيرنا، رعاتنا وشركة آبل تي في، لا أحد يستفيد من ذلك القرار”.

وشدد: “رد فعل ميسي وألبا لم يكن إيجابيًا، هما يرغبان في اللعب، كان رد الفعل متوقعًا، هما لا يتفهمان القرار، ميسي كان منزعجًا للغاية من قرار الإيقاف”.

واختتم: “أدعو جماهيرنا إلى التجمع والتوحد سويًا، حيث أننا ضد العالم، دعوا ذلك ينعكس على كيفية لعبنا في النصف الثاني من العام”.