Rising Pune Supergiant’s middle order froze on sluggish Chinnaswamy track, losing five wickets for three runs, but their bowlers bailed them out of trouble in emphatic fashion
The Report by Deivarayan Muthu16-Apr-2017 Scorecard and ball-by-ball details3:10
Hogg: Pune’s inexperienced quicks mixed things very well
Rising Pune Supergiant’s middle order froze on a sluggish Chinnaswamy surface, losing five wickets for three runs, but their bowlers bailed them out of trouble in emphatic fashion. Their combined effort set a new record for the lowest total defended by a visiting team at this venue in the IPL – 161 – as Royal Challengers Bangalore crumbled to 134 for 9 on a pitch they thought was a belter. But it really wasn’t.Pune understood the surface had become quite slow midway through the first innings. Ben Stokes, who took 3 for 18, said they took that into consideration, concentrated on their changes of pace, and stuck to a good length which was the hardest to hit. All of that contributed to Pune winning their first IPL game after batting first.Help yourself The ball came onto the bat nicely in the early exchanges, and Pune sprinted to 50 for 0 in five overs. Rahul Tripathi regularly hit over the top, while Ajinkya Rahane used the pace and worked the ball square or behind square on both sides of the wicket. For the first time this season, Pune did not lose a wicket in the Powerplay.Dhoni, Smith don’t help themselves While Rahane and Tripathi enjoyed themselves, Steven Smith and MS Dhoni couldn’t. They faced a total of 49 deliveries out of which 22 were dots. The only notable moment in their partnership was Dhoni’s six that hit the roof of the stadium. And when it was broken, Pune went from 127 for 2 to 130 for 7.Smith, struggling to both rotate strike and hit the boundaries, slogged across the line and was bowled. Dhoni fell in much the same way and now he has the lowest strike-rate (87.14) among all batsmen who have faced a minimum of 70 balls this IPL.Then Adam Milne, playing his first T20 in over a year, took two wickets in two balls and ended with 2 for 27.Tiwary cleans up the mess That Pune mustered 161 was down to Tiwary’s sparkling cameo. He smashed six boundaries in the last two overs, hitting through the line over the off side as opposed to across the line over the leg side. He scored 27 of the last 30 runs and his strike-rate of 245.45 was his highest in an IPL innings of 10 or more balls. Pune rise again Shardul Thakur struck in his first over, having Mandeep Singh caught behind for a duck. He found Virat Kohli’s edge as well but Tiwary shelled a regulation catch at slip. The RCB captain, however, could not capitalise and was dismissed by a Stokes bouncer that got stuck in the surface.Stokes played a vital role in AB de Villiers’ downfall as well. He along with Dan Christian bowled 15 balls at de Villiers for only six runs, denying the batsman any room to hit through the off side. Perhaps realising he had to get his runs elsewhere, de Villiers tried to target Tahir and was stumped for 29 off 30 balls.Taking the pace off Christian, Stokes, Thakur and Jaydev Unadkat all bowled an assortment of slower balls, but the key was their lengths. They tried not to pitch the ball up too much and instead hit the deck as often as they could to exploit natural variation – some balls were misbehaving by keeping low.Pune also did well by not giving the batsmen any room to work with. When RCB got desperate for runs, and began swinging wildly, the wickets came. Five out of nine RCB batsmen were bowled going for the slog.
Rose Lavelle feels it is “poetic” that USWNT legends Megan Rapinoe and Ali Krieger will face off in the NWSL final before heading into retirement.
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OL Reign set to face Gotham FCTwo icons preparing to bow outOne more medal to compete forWHAT HAPPENED?
Two greats of the American game are preparing to bring their respective careers to a close, with one more game left to take in before the most illustrious of boots are hung up for good. There will be major silverware on the line in that contest, with OL Reign having set up a NWSL championship clash with Gotham FC in 2023.
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Neither Rapinoe nor Krieger, for all that they have achieved in that game, have ever savoured NWSL glory – giving them added incentive to bow out in style. Both have enjoyed considerable success at international level, earning over 300 caps between them while becoming two-time World Cup winners, but domestic honours are now dominating their thoughts.
WHAT THEY SAID
Current USWNT star Lavelle, who is a club colleague of Rapinoe with the Reign, is among those intrigued to see how an epic battle for last-game supremacy plays out. She has said: “It seems a bit poetic that the championship game is ending with Krieger and Pinoe’s last game. I think it’s really special to be able to get (Rapinoe) there. But not just her, I think like Jess (Fishlock), Lu (Barnes), Laura (Harvey). I think they’ve been the backbone of this club and have made this club into what it is, so I think it’s really special to finally get to this moment and be able to be on this stage.”
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Rapinoe is now 38 years of age, while Krieger is 39. The 2023 NWSL final will take place at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego on Saturday, with there set to be plenty of emotion on show regardless of the end result in California.
A new era is officially underway at Chelsea. Mauricio Pochettino has begun his seemingly insurmountable mission to try and get the Blues back to their best.
As well as new management, the Chelsea squad has also undergone an extraordinary level of change, particularly in midfield.
The departures of N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount have all been completed, whilst it has also been confirmed that former loanee Denis Zakaria will not be retained by the club.
Meanwhile, the deal for the coveted Moises Caicedo is shaping up to be an extremely complicated deal as Brighton is poised to demand over £100m for the Ecuadorian's services.
Nevertheless, as this new Chelsea ownership has demonstrated on numerous occasions, they will not be bogged down by one target and have set their sights on multiple other players.
One youngster who has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge is Matheus Franca.
What’s the latest on Matheus Franca to Chelsea?
According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea have scheduled a new round of talks for the 19-year-old as Flamengo are demanding at least €25m (£21m).
The reputable journalist had [previously expanded on the matter in a YouTube video and said: “We can confirm that Chelsea have an interest in Matheus Franca, one of the best talents in Brazil, born in 2004. Newcastle had a bid rejected for €15m (£13m) plus add-ons, it was in January. Bayer Leverkusen and also many other clubs have always been following him, but now Chelsea are entering the race.
"Chelsea will have a direct contact club to club this week, so Chelsea will speak to Flamengo in the next days and they will try to reach an agreement. Flamengo want around €25m (£21m), Chelsea will offer something around €20m (£17m). The add-ons structure could be important and so keep an eye on Matheus Franca who is keen on the move to Chelsea."
Who is Matheus Franca?
The teen has emerged as one of Brazil’s most exciting and promising players. The buzzing prodigy has scored nine goals in 53 appearances for his current club and has represented his homeland at U16, U17, and U20 levels.
He particularly excelled for the Flamengo youth ranks in 2021, recording 29 goal involvements in 30 outings.
Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig has eulogised over his limitless potential, describing Franca as someone who can “play almost everywhere” and one of the most “exciting teenagers in Brazil.”
If a move to the West London outfit materialises, Franca could link up with his compatriot Andrey Santos, who has begun pre-season training with Pochettino, who will assess if he’s ready for regular first-team action.
Andrey Santos in action for Brazil
The midfielder emphatically rose to worldwide prominence when he played a starring role for Brazil, as he captained the U20s to an undefeated South American Championship, having netted a joint-tournament high of six goals in the process.
South American Football expert Tim Vickery has labelled the titan as a “strong, box-to-box midfielder” and there must be a future vision to have him sitting behind the wondrously nimble attacking threat of Franca.
Jurgen Klopp has caused a mass exodus at Liverpool, with his announcement triggering the exit of his staff and sporting director Jorg Schmadtke.
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Klopp to leave Anfield in the summerAssistant Lijnders & sporting director Schmadtke follow himReds will see a complete overhaul in backroom staffWHAT HAPPENED?
The Reds are looking forward to a total backroom revamp this calendar year as it was confirmed Schmadtke will exit the Anfield offices after the January transfer window. Hired on a short-term contract in June 2023, Schmadtke took charge after the departure of Julian Ward, who had replaced Michael Edwards a year before.
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Schmadtke was a crucial figure in Liverpool's midfield restructuring plans which saw an influx of several players like Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch, and Alexis Mac Allister. The Reds have made a seamless transition with these new signings after replacing veterans Fabinho, James Milner and Jordan Henderson, alongside other stars Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
WHAT SCHMADTKE SAID
In a press release, Schmadtke was quoted saying: "Liverpool is a very special club so to have had the opportunity to work here has been a huge honour for me, even though I knew from the outset that it would only be for a short period. I would like to thank everyone – the owners, manager, staff, players and fans — for the support I have been given and offer my best wishes for the rest of this season.”
Mike Gordon, president of Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group, said: “We would like to place on record our gratitude to Jorg for the important role he has played since joining Liverpool last summer. He has made a valuable contribution, both in terms of the support he provided to Jurgen Klopp and the assistance and guidance given to our outstanding football operations department. As well as departing with our appreciation for his efforts, we would also like to take this opportunity to offer Jorg and his family our very best wishes for the future.”
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Apart from Schmadtke, Pepijn Lijnders and Peter Krawietz – who were assistants to Klopp – along with elite development coach Vitor Matos, will also leave the Merseyside club in the summer.
Lijnders was widely touted to be the potential successor to Klopp, meaning the Dutch tactician may now venture into an individual management journey after honing his skills under one of the elite managers in the world for many years.
Sean Dyche has clearly been focusing on bolstering Everton's attack in the transfer market this summer after the club finished 17th in the Premier League last season as the division's second-lowest scorers.
Jack Harrison and Arnaut Danjuma have both been signed on loan, whilst 19-year-old striker Youssef Chermiti has completed a £15m move to Merseyside; Che Adams and Udinese forward Beto have also been linked to accentuate the focus on the offensive third.
Despite this, defenders Conor Coady and Yerry Mina have both left the club this summer, while Mason Holgate is heading to Southampton on loan – as such, a new centre-half is surely required to bolster the club's seasonal hopes.
What's the latest on Japhet Tanganga to Everton?
According to Inter Live, the Toffees are in the mix for Tottenham Hotspur defender Japhet Tanganga, and while they will face competition from Luton Town, Inter Milan have withdrawn their attention as they close on Benjamin Pavard.
Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…
Reporter Ben Jacobs has since stated that the reason movement has stagnated regarding Tanganga's possible transfer is that suitors are more inclined to offer a loan move than a permanent deal, which could work in Everton's favour.
How good is Japhet Tanganga?
The Spurs defensive titan has not enjoyed the most auspicious of years with his club since graduating from the youth academy; now 24-years-old and having never played for another outfit, Tanganga holds just 50 senior appearances to his name.
Last season, the £25k-per-week gem played just seven times across all competitions last term, starting just twice in the Premier League, and, unequivocally, the best path for Tanganga is to push for a move away.
Everton could offer the player, who has been labelled "outstanding" by pundit Gabby Agbonlahor in the past, a clean slate and the opportunity to cement a regular starting berth for himself for the first time in his career.
The fact that Premier League outfits and Inter Milan are all interested in the ace is a testament to his skill set; despite his perpetual bit-part role with Tottenham, Tanganga is considered a viable and competent option, having been described as "really special" by Gary Neville after nullifying Raheem Sterling and Jack Grealish one time.
During the 2021/22 league term, he did start ten matches and exhibited his solid qualities through an average passing accuracy of 84%, making 1.3 tackles and 2.7 clearances per outing, as per Sofascore.
He could be the man to partner James Tarkowski at the heart of Dyche's defence, with the 6 foot 1 gem playing 42 games since joining the Goodison Park side on a free transfer last summer after his contract expired with Burnley.
The 30-year-old ranks among the top 1% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for blocks, the top 8% for clearances and the top 13% for aerial wins per 90, as per FBref, hailed as a “really strong leader” by former Toffees boss Frank Lampard.
Tanganga could absorb the fruits of the £100k-per-week man's labours and grow into his skin on Merseyside, and it could prove to be a "fantastic" – as he has been dubbed by Jose Mourinho – and astute investment to combat the loss of the recent departees.
Arsenal have undergone a remarkable transformation in recent seasons. From missing out on the Champions League to arch-rivals Tottenham in 2021/22 to running Manchester City close to the Premier League title in 2022/23, the Gunners' meteoric rise has seen them shift their spending up a gear in the transfer window.
In the summer of 2022, Mikel Arteta was allowed to open up the chequebook and raid his former club for Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus for a combined £82m, with the pair becoming vital cogs in the Spaniard's footballing machine.
With the aim of challenging Man City for the title once more, Arsenal have turned their volume of spending up a notch, replacing the likes of Matt Turner, Rob Holding, Granit Xhaka and Florian Balogun with David Raya, Jurrien Timber, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz for a combined £208m.
Out of that quartet, it is Rice who has made the most impressive start to life in north London, etching his name into Gunners folklore by scoring the winner in a pulsating 3-1 victory over Manchester United.
The Englishman is forming a strong partnership with Thomas Partey in the engine room and despite the qualities the latter possesses, Arsenal could have upgraded on the Ghanaian by signing Federico Valverde in 2016.
Did Arsenal almost sign Fede Valverde?
According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Arsenal had the opportunity to sign Valverde in 2016 when he was plying his trade in Uruguay for CA Penarol.
While the 25-year-old has become one of the best midfielders in Europe, his path to the top could have been a lot different.
The Gunners took the 50-cap Uruguay international on trial for a week seven years ago but Arsenal's manager at the time, Arsene Wenger, declined the opportunity to secure his services with Real Madrid swooping for him instead in a £4.5m deal.
Despite being rejected by the Frenchman, Valverde spoke fondly about his brief stint at the club and particularly, the impact Alexis Sanchez had on him as a youngster.
He said: "I have always been grateful to him. When I went to train at Arsenal, Alexis was there and he was one of the few who came up to help me.
"I will always be grateful to him because, being a nobody, I was well-received by him. He was there to help me when I was a kid. As a footballer, he is an incredible player."
What has Valverde achieved at Real Madrid?
Lauded as "untouchable" by manager Carlo Ancelotti, Valverde has enjoyed a glittering career so far in the Spanish capital, winning two La Liga titles and a Champions League in 2022. Such sparkling form and honours have seen his value rise to a meteoric £129m, as per Football Observatory.
The versatile midfielder, who can operate box-to-box, as a number 10 or on either flank, has become an important player in the Italian's system due to the fact he can play in a variety of positions, but it isn't just his versatility that has caught the eye.
Speaking on BT Sport after Real's 5-1 demolition of Celtic in the Champions League last season, Joe Cole heaped praise on Valverde for the array of technical and physical attributes he brings to the party while putting him in the same bracket as Jude Bellingham, saying:
"He's standing right at the top of the tree with Bellingham in the young players, and he's on the verge of becoming the best.
Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde.
"He's box-to-box, he scores goals, he's a technician he was the unsung hero in the final, I thought he was outstanding against Liverpool.
"His stats this year are unbelievable, his goals, assists, goal involvements, incredible player and we talk a lot about Bellingham in this country, but this kid is every bit as good as Bellingham."
The departure of Casemiro to Manchester United was the catalyst for the £134k per-week star to grasp more opportunities to impress next to the untouchable duo of Luca Modric and Toni Kroos, doing so by becoming the driving force in that midfield, covering ground quickly and making lung-bursting runs to contribute further forward.
In the 2022/23 season, Valverde scored more goals than he managed in his previous five seasons for the club, amassing 12 goals in 56 appearances, compared to a total of six in the seasons prior, demonstrating that his influence on this Real side grows fast as he continues to play more regularly.
Valverde's former teammate Casemiro always believed in the Uruguayan's ability and predicted he would stand tall among the world's elite.
Speaking in 2020, the Brazilian said: "He's going to be one of the best No 8s in the world in two years"
According to FBref, Valverde is backing up that claim by producing frighteningly good metrics when compared against players positionally similar to him across Europe's top five leagues. He ranks in top 8% for progressive carries, top 10% for non-penalty goals, top 10% for expected assists and top 13% for progressive passes recorded.
For as long as Valverde continues to have a growing influence at Real by producing in every department, Arsenal will continue to rue their decision to let the 25-year-old slip through the net who is now worth a whopping £129m, as per Football Observatory.
Bournemouth verus Tottenham Hotspur is not a fixture which runs deep in the history books of the Premier League. However, Football FanCast has everything you need to know ahead of their meeting on the south coast this Saturday.
Although it is still early days in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, the Cherries already find themselves lingering around the wrong end of the table having only taken one point from their opening two games.
In contrast, the Lilywhites are flying high under their new boss, Ange Postecoglou, following their impressive victory on Saturday against Manchester Unite.
Bournemouth vs Tottenham: What's their head-to-head record?
Rodrigo Bentancur and Ben Davies celebrate a late winner for Tottenham Hotspur in their game against Bournemouth.
This fixture is one which has not provided a long history of meetings with just 13 clashes between these two sides across all competitions.
The majority of those meetings have come within the last eight years since the Cherries' initial promotion to the Premier League with 12 matches written in the history books since the 2015/16 campaign.
You have to go all the way back to the 1956/57 campaign to find the ver first meeting between the two sides which saw the Cherries run out 3-1 victors in the FA Cup.
Bournemouth wins: 3 Draws: 2 Tottenham wins: 8 Bournemouth vs Tottenham: What's their record at Bournemouth?
Rayo Vallecano coachAndoniIraola
Andoni Iraola's men were able to secure a point on their opening game of the campaign at the Vitality Stadium against West Ham United, however, their home record against Spurs is not one they can look back fondly on.
Out of the six meetings between these two sides on the south coast, the north Londoners have ran away with the points on three occasions, two draws have unfolded and only one win for the Cherries has been recorded.
This includes last season's stunning comeback from Spurs which saw Rodrigo Bentancur's last minute goal seal a dramatic 3-2 victory – rest assured Bournemouth fans, the Uruguayan remains unavailable for Saturday's meeting.
Bournemouth wins: 1 Draws: 2 Tottenham wins: 3 Bournemouth vs Tottenham: What's their Premier League record?
Dominic Solanke scores in Bournemouth's away victory against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
The Cherries endured late heartbreak on the south coast against the Lilywhites last season, however, they were able to inflict revenge on the Londoners later in the season in the reverse meeting.
In an almost carbon copy of the game on the south coast, Dango Outtara sealed all three points for the visitors in the capital with a goal in the fifth minute of added time.
Although Saturday's hosts had the last laugh when these two sides previously met, it is not a fixture which has reflected kindly on the south coast side.
Bournemouth vs Tottenham: Which team has the most goals?
Despite their only being 12 Premier League meetings between these two sides, it is a fixture which has provided a significant return of goals.
Across their six meetings at the Vitality Stadium and in north London, 40 goals have been scored between the two sides with 17 of those goals coming on the south coast.
More goals have, therefore, been scored in north London (23) but this is a fixture which has seen three meetings where there have been five or more goals scored at the Vitality.
Bournemouth vs Tottenham: What happened in last season's fixtures?
Arnaut Danjuma scores a late equaliser in the game against Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth in the Premier League.
Last season provided two stunning games between these two sides which significant similarities to how both of the meetings panned out.
Spurs were able to come back from what was a seriously underwhelming first half which saw them 2-0 down inside the opening 50 minutes of the game. Goals from unlikely sources in Ben Davies, Ryan Sessegnon and Bentancur proved enough to secure a stunning turnaround under Antonio Conte.
However, the Lilywhites were served their revenge when the two sides met in April after Arnaut Danjuma thought he had rescued the hosts a point with his 88th-minute goal. But it was Ouattara who was able to secure the points for the Cherries with a dramatic finish to the game in N17.
Bournemouth vs Tottenham: What is Dominic Solanke's record?
This is not typically a matchup which Solanke excels with the Englishman having only scored once against the north London outfit. However, that goal did come in their previous meeting when the Cherries sealed the points in dramatic fashion.
Although Solanke has not faired so well in his previous meetings against Spurs, the 25-year-old has made a bright start to the campaign having netted in their curtain raiser and provided an assist on the weekend against Liverpool.
Bournemouth vs Tottenham: What is Son Heung-min's record?
Son Heung-min celebrates his goal for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League against Bournemouth.
Unlike Solanke, Spurs' South Korean has seriously enjoyed this fixture with the 31-year-old having recorded six goals and two assists in his previous 10 outings against the Cherries.
Despite enduring a sub-par 2022/23 campaign – by his usual high standards – Son was still able to get his name on the score sheet in the defeat at home to Bournemouth in April.
Having been handed the captain's armband over the summer following Harry Kane's departure, the Korean forward is still in search of his first goal of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.
Bournemouth vs Tottenham:What is Bournemouth's biggest win?
Bournemouth celebrate their late winner against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
Bournemouth have only tasted victory on two occasions when facing Tottenham in the Premier League and those two victories have both come through one-goal margins.
Back in the 2018/19 campaign, the Cherries secured a 1-0 victory over the north Londoners on the south coast, however, April's stunning victory at Tottenham will take the prize for one of the cub's most memorable wins in England's top flight.
Bournemouth vs Tottenham:What is Tottenham's biggest win?
Spurs, on the other hand, have enjoyed a number of high-scoring victories in this fixture with two four-goal margins wins coming against the Cherries in the Premier League era.
Their first meeting since the Cherries were promoted to England's top tier came in the 2015/16 campaign but was a game the hosts will not want to remember with Spurs coming out of the game as 5-1 victors.
Bournemouth vs Tottenham: What are the recent results?
Bournemouth score late in their Premier League victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
In their last five meetings, there have been four victories which have been decided by just one-goal margins.
Over that run of games, the two sides have shared two wins each with victories coming for both sides on each other's home soil. Along with the dramatic 3-2 victory on the south coast last season, Spurs were able to beat the Cherries by the same score line in N17 back in 2019.
The only other meeting in that time frame ended as a 0-0 draw on the south coast in the 2019/20 campaign.
Bournemouth vs Tottenham: When is it?
Bournemouth welcome Tottenham to the south coast on Saturday 26 August for the Premier League's early kick-off (12:30 BST).
The Cherries go into the game with their campaign still really yet to take off following their opening two games against West Ham and Liverpool. Undoubtedly, Iraola's men have faced a difficult start to the campaign, but potentially coming out of their third game in the league with just one point to their name would be far from what their new manager would have had in mind.
As for the visitors, victory on the road would surely make for a real statement from Postecoglou's side. Having lost their all-time record goal scorer over the summer, big question marks were left hanging over the direction of the club, but coming out of their opening three games – potentially – with seven points would be a seriously impressive start to the season.
Both sides come into the campaign with new managers at the helm and the game on the weekend could certainly leave lasting impressions on the direction for their seasons.
Pakistan reasserted their dominance in the UAE with a crushing win in Dubai over a Sri Lanka side that has seen ODI wins excruciatingly hard to come by in 2017
The Report by Danyal Rasool13-Oct-2017 Scorecard and ball-by-ball details AFPPakistan reasserted their dominance in the UAE with a crushing win in Dubai over a Sri Lanka side that has seen ODI wins excruciatingly hard to come by in 2017. A century from Babar Azam – back playing his most favoured format – and a blistering 81 from Shoaib Malik saw Pakistan set Sri Lanka a stiff target of 293. They were never really in the chase, losing half the side for 67, with Rumman Raees and Hasan Ali leading the 83-run rout and handing them their eighth consecutive loss in the format.Upul Tharanga won the toss and opted to bowl when most – Sarfraz included – considered fielding under the scorching Dubai an unappealing prospect. But Sri Lanka’s opening bowlers Suranga Lakmal and Lahiru Gamage backed up their captain with a stellar opening spell, characterised by subtle swing and consistent line and lengths that deprived Pakistan of scoring opportunities. Ahmed Shehzad fell in what is becoming increasingly predictable fashion, getting bogged down by 11 dot balls, before coming down the wicket to Gamage and gifting midwicket a simple catch.It wasn’t until Babar, who had managed to hang in despite struggling for rhythm, and the street-smart Malik came together, that the momentum took a clear shift in Pakistan’s favour. The running between the wickets was excellent, and Malik was destructive when he decided to take the aerial route, with even the tricky Dhananjaya rendered ineffective towards the close of the innings.The bowling looked particularly toothless as Babar and Malik set themselves up for the finish, even if they were unable to come up with the sort of power-hitting the innings required at that stage. For their part, Sri Lanka were superb in the field, in stark contrast to the series against India, with fielders in the infield throwing themselves around and saving several runs. It wasn’t until the last six overs that the big runs really began to leak, but along with it came regular wickets that stymied Pakistan’s charge in the slog overs. Where once 300 looked a formality, Pakistan ended up scrambling to reach 292.Even so, the target was a formidable one, and Sri Lanka began with a clear, positive intent. Upul Tharanga and Niroshan Dickwella sought to take advantage of the Powerplay in a way Pakistan had not, hitting five fours in the first 19 balls. But from the moment the first wicket fell, Dickwella poking at a ball from Raees that nipped away from him, the rot set in. The run rate began to drop sharply; just five runs were scored off the next 24 deliveries. Raees was the most menacing and accounted for Dinesh Chandimal’s wicket too, the ball swinging back into the right-hander and trapping him plumb in front.Tharanga looked thoroughly unconvincing once Mohammad Hafeez came on, surviving numerous lbw appeals in a phase when the middle of his bat completely disappeared from the game. After being worked over for a couple of overs, the Sri Lanka captain was put out of his misery by Hafeez with a ball that skidded on and thudded into his off stump. Two overs later, Hasan Ali dismissed Kusal Mendis and Milinda Siriwardana off successive deliveries, effectively putting the game to bed.The lower order hung around long enough to seriously frustrate Pakistan, without really having a hope of winning. Thisara Perera provided brief entertainment before top-edging Shadab Khan and holing out, substitute fielder Faheem Ashraf taking an excellent catch. Raees came back into the attack and ended the resistance of the last recognised batsman Lahiru Thirimanne, who top-scored with 53.Where Pakistan might have expected to skittle the tail out cheaply, Dananjaya and Jeffrey Vandersay, the Nos. 8 and 9, viewed the situation as an opportunity to get batting practice. While they never showed any intent of even trying to reach the target, they grittily hung around for a 68-run partnership, ensuring Sri Lanka batted out their full fifty overs.Dananjaya ended up with an unbeaten fifty as the game meandered along for a full two hours. Pakistan seemed content to bowl out the overs than look to finish with a flourish. Even so, by the time Pakistan inevitably took a 1-0 lead, all Dananjaya and Vandersay had done was sprinkle some respectability onto another abject white-ball performance from Sri Lanka.
Xavi mendadak mengumumkan akan pergi dari Barcelona di akhir musim gara-gara perlakuan yang ia terima selama menjabat.
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Xavi akan tinggalkan Barcelona di akhir musimMerasa tak dihargaiBerharap anak asuhnya versus OsasunaAPA YANG TERJADI?
Xavi secara mengejutkan mengumumkan keputusannya untuk meninggalkan pos kepelatihan Barcelona setelah anak asuhnya dihajar Villarreal 5-3 di La Liga, Minggu (28/1). Pelatih asal Spanyol itu sebelumnya diisyaratkan merasa kesal dan stres atas segala kecaman media yang ia terima semenjak kembali ke Camp Nou pada 2021, dan kini ia mengonfirmasinya.
AdvertisementMENGAPA XAVI TINGGALKAN BARCELONA?
Xavi buka-bukaan soal kesulitan yang ia alami menjelang laga versus Osasuna, yang digelar Kamis (1/2) dini hari WIB: "Ini persoalan mental dan sepakbola. Kegagalan demi kegagalan membuat tim ini makin melemah dan menurunkan level para pemain. Level sepakbola menurun gara-gara level mental. Itulah mengapa saya mengumumkan keputusan saya. Terlebih, saya merasa pekerjaan kami kurang dihargai. Saya sudah memutuskannya sejak lama, sejak awal musim."
GOAL KEKEJAMAN BARCELONA
Ditanya apakah laga Osasuna akan lebih emosional, Xavi menjawab: "Dengan lebih bertanggung jawab, bukan emosional. Masih banyak yang kami perjuangkan, kami masih memiliki kepentingan untuk memberikan yang terbaik di La Liga dan bersaing di Liga Champions. Saya akan terus bekerja dengan sangat antusias, saya baik-baik saja."
"Saya mencoba mengungkapkan apa yang rasakan. Mereka membuat saya merasa tak berharga setiap harinya, dan ini terjadi kepada semua pelatih [Barcelona]. Pep [Guardiola] pernah bilang ke saya, [Ernesto] Valverde juga. Saya melihat [Luis] Enrique menderita. Saya rasa kami punya masalah terkait beban tuntutan yang ditimpakan pada posisi ini. Tidak menyenangkan dan rasanya setiap momen seperti mempertaruhkan nyawa. Di klub lain tidak seperti ini, makanya saya bilang ini kejam."
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APAKAH SITUASI FINANSIAL BARCA TERKAIT DENGAN KEPERGIAN XAVI?
Barcelona dihantam krisis finansial sejak beberapa waktu lalu. Alhasil, mereka tak bisa membeli pemain penting di bursa transfer Januari. Tapi Xavi memastikan bahwa keputusannya mundur tak berhubungan dengan situasi keuangan klub.
"Babak belurnya menjadi pelatih tak ada hubungannya dengan situasi ekonomi," imbuhnya. "Saya orang klub ini dan akan selalu demikian sampai akhir. Sayangnya situasinya sangat negatif, dan pihak internal telah melakukan pekerjaan dengan sangat baik."
"Saya bangga, dan suara hati saya sangat jelas. Ssaya selalu memprioritaskan klub dan para pemain lebih dari diri saya sendiri. Oleh karena itu, saya mendapatkan afeksi. Saya tak pernah mengeluh dan selalu beradaptasi dengan kondisi yang ada."
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson has been linked with a shock move away from Anfield this summer and now a fresh update has emerged regarding his future.
Will Alisson leave Liverpool?
The 30-year-old has been a sensational signing for the Reds ever since arriving from Roma in the summer of 2018, becoming arguably the best player in the world in his position in the process.
Alisson has been a colossal figure between the sticks, making an enormous difference and playing such a key role in Liverpool becoming one of Europe's leading sides under Jurgen Klopp, winning the Premier League and Champions League along the way, as well as numerous other trophies.
Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…
While the Brazilian is contracted at Anfield until the summer of 2027, worrying reports have emerged regarding a potential move to Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks, joining the likes of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson there in the process.
Fortunately, a new claim has now emerged that allays those fears, during a summer that is threatening to go wrong for Liverpool, particularly in the midfield department.
According to reliable journalist David Lynch for This Is Anfield, a summer move isn't on the cards for Alisson, despite rumours suggesting otherwise:
"Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker has not been the subject of an approach from Saudi Arabia, despite some reporting of such on Tuesday.
"It was claimed that Al-Nassr, the club that has Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane among its squad, had made an approach for Liverpool’s Brazilian goalkeeper.
"However, This Is Anfield can confirm that no such approach has been made to Liverpool, and even if one was the club would swiftly reject it. Indeed, the Reds’ No.1 is happy on Merseyside, where he has a contract until 2027."
Frankly, the thought of Liverpool losing Alisson at any point in the near future is a horrifying one for supporters, with the Brazilian superstar arguably the first name on Klopp's team sheet these days, bailing his side out so often in one-on-one situations and winning the club's Player of the Season award last season.
At 30, he still has so many years remaining at the very top level, and if the Reds are to have any chance of mounting a Premier League title challenge this season, he has to be fit for almost every game. James Milner has rightly hailed Alisson as a "world-class" player in the past and to see him depart for Saudi Arabia at the peak of his powers would be a depressing sight.
This update is, therefore, a hugely positive one for anyone of a Liverpool persuasion, suggesting that he is perfectly happy on Merseyside for the foreseeable future, continuing to play a massive role in any success his team achieves.
The hope is that Alisson remains at Anfield beyond 2027, at which point he will still only be 34 when his contract expires, which can still easily be in and around prime age for a goalkeeper in the modern game. His importance cannot be downplayed and that isn't going to change at any point in the near future.