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The road to 2027 begins already for two teams in search of better 50-over fortunes

Andrew Miller02-Dec-2023

Big picture – Caribbean reboot

The return to action hasn’t been quite so jarringly immediate as it was for India and Australia in the wake of the World Cup final, or indeed for England’s T20 World Cup winners in Australia last winter. And, let’s face it, a four-island jaunt to the Caribbean in December is a reasonably palatable assignment after the indignities that preceded it.Nevertheless, it’s still only three weeks since Jos Buttler’s browbeaten squad limped back to Blighty with their World Cup dreams in tatters, and less than a fortnight since their four-year reign as 50-over world champions was formally ended in Ahmedabad. Whatever way you look at it, it seems a curious juncture in the global cycle to be undertaking another three-match ODI series.And to judge by the inexperienced squad lining up against them, West Indies might be in broad agreement. Not only did they miss out entirely on the World Cup just gone, having fallen short in the brutal qualifying tournament that took place in Zimbabwe in June and July, it now transpires that that failure has condemned them to onlooker status at the 2025 Champions Trophy as well. The road to 2027 will feel all the more dim and distant without that staging post to aim for.Related

• Switch Hit: Woe-DIs

• Darren Bravo steps away from cricket 'just for a bit' after ODI squad exclusion

• Switch Hit: Dreaming of a white-ball Christmas

• Shane Dowrich announces international retirement

• 'The system failed again' – Dwayne Bravo on brother Darren's exclusion from WI ODI squad

Nicholas Pooran and Jason Holder are among the big names who have opted out of ODIs since the qualifiers, seemingly indefinitely, while Shane Dowrich’s retirement only days after his recall – having played his one previous ODI back in 2019 – was further evidence of the format’s lowly standing within the region at present.Rovman Powell, Dominic Drakes, Kyle Mayers and Jayden Seales are among the other familiar names missing for this campaign, and while Shimron Hetmyer is back in favour with the selectors, the decision to move on from the veteran Darren Bravo feels peculiar in light of the reasons given for Hetmyer’s absence in Zimbabwe. Though he is already 34, and therefore unlikely to feature in 2027, Bravo was still the leading run-scorer in this year’s Super50 Cup, as he captained Trinidad and Tobago to victory in the final.In the bigger picture, it feels there’ll be significantly more at stake for these two teams come the T20I leg of the tour later in the month, when the narrative shifts from two World Cup also-rans to a clash of the defending champions versus the impending hosts of the 2024 tournament next June. Nevertheless, all revivals have to have a starting point, and in the 50-over stakes, that begins at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Sunday afternoon.From England’s perspective, it’s a shot to nothing. A chance for a cast of talented fringe players to impress their captain (and indisputable white-ball GOAT, notwithstanding his recent struggles) Buttler, and make the case for a 2015-style cleaning-out of the stables – even if Ben Duckett, one of the players with most to gain in the coming weeks, has played down the likelihood that any long-term places are up for grabs in the coming days.As for West Indies, at least it’s a return to the fray after their telling absence in the months just gone. Financially, if not necessarily competitively, England’s visit – and moreover the hordes of supporters that are sure to accompany them – offer significant compensation for the recent dents in their coffers. And besides, it’s cricket in the Caribbean with Christmas drawing nigh. What’s not to enjoy?

Form guide

West Indies LWLLW
England WWLLL

In the spotlight – Shimron Hetmyer and Will Jacks

There are a fair few players with a point to prove in this series, but Shimron Hetmyer’s back-story takes some beating. He’s been powerless to influence not one, but two recent World Cup campaigns. In 2022, he was axed on the eve of West Indies’ T20 World Cup campaign after missing a connecting flight to New York, then last summer, he was overlooked for the ODI qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe because the selectors decided to stick with the players who had made their mark on the tour of South Africa earlier that year … and we all know how that decision panned out. Never mind that Hetmyer’s absence had been due to his forceful displays for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, or that in 2019, on his previous ODI tour of India (the venue for the World Cup that West Indies missed) his fifth and most recent century had helped to secure a startling eight-wicket win in Chennai. He’ll no doubt be eager to make up for that lost time.Of all the England players who might believe their time has come, few have a better case than Will Jacks. As a hard-hitting opener for Surrey and Oval Invincibles, he had been outshining the mighty Jason Roy at a domestic level long before the selectors decided that Roy’s lock on a World Cup place was untenable. Jacks wasn’t awarded a central contract in the recent round of deals, but that fact has the potential to work in his favour at this early juncture – with nothing to lose, he has everything to win next time out if he can set about making a long-term case. And to judge by his forceful 94 from 88 balls against Ireland in September, he offers an unfettered attitude to top-order strokeplay that wasn’t adequately replicated in Roy’s absence last month.

Team news – Rookies to the fore

Bravo may have been a notable omission but his Trinidad and Tobago team-mate Kjorn Ottley – only a year younger at 33 – is back in favour for the first time in three years and looks set to open alongside Brandon King. Shai Hope, the captain and wicketkeeper, is by some distance the most experienced man in their ranks, although Hetmyer, Alzarri Joseph and Oshane Thomas offer a decent spine to a side that could feature two new ODI caps, including the talented allrounder Matthew Forde, 21, who impressed for the Academy side in the Super50 Cup.West Indies (probable): 1 Brandon King, 2 Kjorn Ottley, 3 Alick Athanaze, 4 Shai Hope (capt, wk), 5 Keacy Carty, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Sherfane Rutherford, 8 Yannic Cariah, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Matthew Forde / Gudakesh Motie, 11 Oshane ThomasAll change for England after their World Cup catastrophe, although how much of it will be permanent remains to be seen. For now, only Jos Buttler remains from the class of 2019, but with the ink still drying on a host of multi-year ECB contracts – including for the likes of Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Mark Wood and Adil Rashid – you’d suspect one or two of the old guard aren’t quite done yet. That said, there ought to be at least seven names in this opening XI who played no part in the tournament just gone, including the same top three who finished the series against Ireland – Will Jacks, Phil Salt and Zak Crawley – and potentially a spot for the Lancashire left-arm spinner, Tom Hartley.England (probable): 1 Will Jacks, 2 Phil Salt, 3 Zak Crawley, 4 Harry Brook, 5 Ben Duckett, 6 Jos Buttler (capt & wk), 7 Sam Curran, 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Rehan Ahmed, 10 Tom Hartley, 11 Gus Atkinson.

Pitch and conditions

No major damage has been reported after a 5.2-magnitude earthquake in the early hours of Saturday morning in Antigua, so there’s no suggestion that the match will be affected. The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium is not traditionally the most high-scoring of Caribbean venues, with just three scores in excess of 300 in 20 previous matches, and none higher than the 322 for 6 posted by Ricky Ponting’s all-time-great Australia in the venue’s maiden fixture during the 2007 World Cup. It’s been an intermittent host for ODIs in recent years, however, with just three matches since 2017. Local knowledge suggests the pitch will take spin.

Stats and trivia

• England have won 52 of their 102 previous ODIs against West Indies, against 44 losses and six no-results.
• West Indies, however, have the edge on home soil, with 23 wins against 17 defeats since their first ODI meeting in the Caribbean in 1981.
• England have won each of their last four ODIs at the venue, spanning their tours in 2014 and 2017, having lost their first three, including two at the 2007 World Cup.
• England’s last series, in the lead-up to the 2019 World Cup, ended in a 2-2 draw, including a memorable match in Grenada that featured a world-record 46 sixes.
• Jos Buttler needs 39 runs to reach 5000 in ODIs. However, he has passed that total just once in his last 12 innings.

Quotes

“You see the depth of talent of guys coming through and you want to help shape that period of white-ball cricket. That’s something I feel responsibility and motivation for….to get England white-ball cricket back to where it’s been for a long time.”

Arsenal’s ambitions of ending their two-decade wait for a Premier League title have taken a huge hit in recent weeks, with various injuries and setbacks derailing their progress.

Whilst Liverpool have been the runaway leaders for the majority of the campaign, Mikel Arteta’s side have the quality across the pitch to mount a serious charge to close the gap.

However, the hamstring injury to winger Bukayo Saka has seen an understandable decline in goals within the final third, with the Englishman registering five goals and 10 assists before his spell on the sidelines.

He’s been missing since the triumph over Crystal Palace on the 21st of December, with the Gunners failing to win five matches across all competitions in that time frame.

Saka isn’t the only forward who’s been sat on the sidelines in recent weeks, as two other players have seen their season cut short by injuries over the last couple of weeks.

Arsenal’s injuries to Gabriel Jesus & Kai Havertz

Just a couple of weeks after the injury sustained to Saka, Arteta also saw Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus suffer his own setback, picking up an ACL injury in the FA Cup defeat against Manchester United.

The 27-year-old had previously had issues with his knee, but this time the issue appears to be way more serious, undergoing surgery to solve his latest issue – ruling him out for the remainder of 2024/25.

If that wasn’t bad enough, Kai Havertz recently picked up a torn hamstring injury during the warm weather training camp in Dubai, leaving the Gunners without a recognised senior centre forward.

His own setback will also see him miss the rest of the season, with Raheem Sterling, Leandro Trossard and Ethan Nwaneri the only attacking options left at Arteta’s disposal.

The decision not to sign a new attacker in January now looks to be a huge mistake, but it’s not the first time they may regret not landing a forward, after one former target’s rapid development on the European stage.

The player who Arsenal nearly signed & is now worth more than Saka

There’s no denying that Saka has been a sensational player for Arsenal over the last couple of years, registering 56 combined goals and assists over the last two years despite his recent issue.

However, he’s often needed the added reinforcement alongside him to help the club end their long wait for a Premier League title despite finishing runners-up in each of the last two seasons.

They may have been able to complete the task had the club completed a deal for Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé, especially considering his form over the last couple of years.

Former boss Arsène Wenger revealed in an interview that he flew to speak to his compatriot during his time as a youngster at Monaco, but was unable to convince him to move to North London.

The 26-year-old has since emerged as one of the leading attackers in European football, impressing at Monaco, before a huge move to PSG back in 2017 – costing the Parisians a whopping £150m.

Mbappé, who’s since been dubbed “lethal” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored 256 times in just 310 appearances for the Ligue 1 giants, offering that clinical edge Arteta’s side have been craving.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2017/18

46

21

16

2018/19

43

39

17

2019/20

37

30

18

2020/21

47

42

11

2021/22

46

39

26

2022/23

43

41

10

2023/24

48

44

10

Total:

310

256

108

He’s since moved to Real Madrid in what’s dubbed the “most expensive free transfer in history” after the Spanish side had to pay the attacker a mammoth signing bonus after leaving PSG.

The forward has continued his goalscoring form under Carlo Ancelotti, scoring 24 times in his 36 appearances for his new side, creating a deadly partnership with Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior.

As a result of his tremendous displays over the last few years, Mbappé is now valued at £133m by Transfermarkt – a figure higher than that of Saka, who’s valued at £125m after his own emergence in England.

There’s no denying that the Englishman is one of the Premier League’s leading attackers, as seen by his goal contributions before his injury, with Arteta certainly desperate for the youngster to return to action as soon as possible.

However, the thought of the academy graduate featuring alongside Mbappé is a scary one, but unfortunately for the supporters, it will always remain a case of what could’ve been had Wenger worked his magic during his time in charge.

His value has soared by £58m: Arsenal hit the jackpot on "phenomenal" star

Arsenal have conducted superb business in the transfer market over the last couple of years.

ByEthan Lamb Feb 14, 2025

أعلن اتحاد الكرة، عن طاقم حكام مباراة الزمالك وسيراميكا كليوباترا، ضمن منافسات مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز 2025-2026.

ويلتقي الزمالك مع سيراميكا كليوباترا، على ملعب استاد السويس الجديد، ضمن منافسات الجولة الأولى من بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز 2025-2026.

طالع.. خاص | بتروجيت يرد على عرض الزمالك الأخير لضم حامد حمدان

وتنطلق النسخة الجديدة من مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز يوم الجمعة المقبل الموافق 8 أغسطس بمشاركة 21 فريقًا بعد إلغاء الهبوط وصعود 3 فرق.

ومن المقرر أن تخوض الفرق دوري من دور واحد كمرحلة أولى ثم يتنافس 7 فرق في مجموعة تحديد البطل، و14 في مجموعة تحديد الهابطين، ومن ثم يهبط 4 فرق.

ويبحث الزمالك عن تحقيق الفوز في الظهور الأول تحت قيادة مدربه البلجيكي يانيك فيريرا مدعمًا بصفقاته الجديدة، بينما سيراميكا كليوباترا يأمل في تحقيق نتيجة إيجابية في أولى جولات الدوري. حكام مباراة الزمالك وسيراميكا كليوباترا في افتتاح الدوري المصري

– حكم الساحة: محمود البنا.

– الحكم المساعد الأول: أحمد توفيق طلب.

– الحكم المساعد الثاني: طارق مصطفى.

– الحكم الرابع: وليد عبد الرازق.

– حكم الفيديو (VAR): أحمد الغندور.

– مساعد حكم الفيديو: هيثم عثمان.

“Still a long way to go to be performing how I’d like to,” says seamer after Ageas Bowl three-for

Vithushan Ehantharajah11-Sep-2023Reece Topley admits he will be overcoming “a bit of PTSD” when he boards the plane later this month for the 50-over World Cup in India after leaving last year’s T20 edition on the eve of the tournament due to an ankle injury.The left-arm seamer was dealt a sickening blow when he damaged ligaments in his left ankle after stepping on a boundary sponge at the Gabba during a fielding drill ahead of England’s final warm-up match against Pakistan. He was soon on a flight back from Australia and watched from afar as England became the first men’s white-ball team to hold both 50-over and 20-over World Cups simultaneously.”You could say I have a bit of PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder] about getting on the plane again because it was pretty emotional coming back from the last one injured,” said Topley. “But injuries happen in sport. You can only do so much to prevent them. I don’t really think about it too much, but hopefully, they stay away.”Related

• Topley on the comeback trail with World Cup call-up in his sights

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• Livingstone 95*, bowlers help England level series in rain-shortened contest

• Switch Hit: By hook or by Brook

There was further heartbreak at the start of the year for Topley. Having returned fully fit, a maiden stint in the IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore was cut short after bowling just two overs against Mumbai Indians on debut when a heavy fall in the outfield resulted in a dislocated right shoulder.Topley’s return to action after surgery came at the start of August in the Hundred for Northern Superchargers, finishing as the tournament’s second-highest wicket-taker with 13, resulting in selection for England’s provisional World Cup squad. That faith from Jos Buttler and Matthew Mott was rewarded on Sunday with 3 for 37 in the second ODI against New Zealand to help square the series.”Obviously, for anyone to come back from seven months out of 12 injured is tricky. When I came back from my ankle injury, I was getting back into it and then it was like having the rug pulled from underneath me when I came home from India. It’s all part of that process again, and hopefully it’s another box ticked, but it’s still a long way to go to be performing how I’d like to.”As you get older, the injuries do get a bit harder to come back from – just the nature of just being years older. It’s not like you won’t ever come back from it, it’s just always a bit trickier.””Hopefully, the bad days just sort of become less and less. I definitely wouldn’t say I’m out of the jungle in terms of my ankle and my shoulder, but it’s a case of doing the right things, and hopefully, there’s more performances like Sunday.”The outing at the Ageas Bowl was encouraging after an indifferent none for 47 from seven overs in the first ODI, which New Zealand won by eight wickets. After England set a total 227 in a rain-reduced 34-over affair, Topley was tight for the first five overs with the new ball (conceding just 19) before returning from the 21st over to take three in eight deliveries. His gutting of the middle order with the dismissals of Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra triggered a terminal collapse, with the last seven Kiwi batters falling for the addition of just 36 as the hosts triumphed by 78.While these were his first ODI dismissals in over a year after going wicketless at Cardiff and in two matches in South Africa before the IPL, Topley was as much encouraged by underlining his capabilities beyond the new ball as the return to form.”I like to think I take wickets in all stages, but with the new ball the other day [first ODI], I wasn’t great. It’s tricky. Obviously for seven months of this year I’ve been out injured, so it’s nice to be finding my feet again, hopefully just at the right time for India.”My record in the format is pretty good [36 wickets at 26.83 across 24 caps]. I like to think that I can contribute whenever needed. It was nice to get that performance. Last game, I was pretty nervous about getting back in the ODI squad and it was my first ODI since South Africa as well.”It’s tricky playing and getting yourself back into it mentally and physically after some injuries. The game moves on and people move on, and you obviously don’t get the chance to because you’re sidelined and can’t play cricket. It’s nice to sort of get yourself back up to speed and it’s all part of the process. It’s not the end of it now: it’s just another good day.”That being said, Topley is allowing himself to look further ahead. At 29, this will be his third global tournament for England, after featuring in the 2016 World T20 and again in 2021, when he was an injury replacement for Tymal Mills. Having overcome a spate of back issues which saw him suffer five stress fractures in six years, the last of which came in 2018, he has sights set on two more tournaments for his country, starting with 2024’s T20 assignment in the Caribbean and USA.”It would be the third World Cup I’ve been involved in,” he said of the upcoming trip to India. “I’d like to be involved in next summer’s as well. I’ve set myself a goal to be involved in five World Cups and that’d be something pretty special as a player.”

Ian Wright believes Newcastle United would be an ideal club for Marcus Rashford with his future at Manchester United in doubt.

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• Rashford has shone on loan at Aston Villa
• Villa have £40m option to sign him permanently
• Wright feels Newcastle should be in the mix.

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rashford has been urged to consider a move to Newcastle come the end of the season, as the ex-Arsenal star believes a link-up with Magpies talisman Isak would make for a frightening combination at St James’ Park.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rashford is on loan at Aston Villa until the end of the season having fallen out of favour under United manager Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.

  The England forward played just six times under Amorim following the Portuguese’s appointment in November. However, he was loaned to Villa in January and has thrived under Unai Emery, scoring four goals and registering six assists in 17 appearances.

  Villa have an option to buy Rashford for £40 million ($53m) but have still decide whether to use it. Rashford is under contract at United until 2028, but there are doubts whether he would be able to force his way back into Amorim’s plans.

• WHAT WRIGHT SAID

  Wright told the podcast of a possible deal for Rashford: “It’s the kind of signing Newcastle should be making.

  “That would be amazing. That would be dangerous. Rashford at Newcastle? Yeah. That would be really good. I really like that for Rashford. Rashford at Newcastle can be dangerous.”

  Asked if there was any possibility of Rashford returning to United, Wright replied: “Nope. No chance.”

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR RASHFORD?

  The immediate focus for Rashford is Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final with Crystal Palace. Neither Villa nor Newcastle will be thinking about the transfer window yet, as they are each involved in a tight battle for Champions League football. Newcastle occupy the fifth and final qualification spot and have two-point lead over Villa in seventh with a game in hand.

  Similarly, United will be concentrated on their quest to reach the Champions League by winning the Europa League. The Red Devils face Athletic Club in the first leg of their semi-final tie next Thursday.

  There could be competition for Rashford’s services from Barcelona, who have been credited with an interest. Newcastle are in need of better strength in depth behind Isak and, like United, have been linked with Ipswich striker Liam Delap.

Smith insisted he had not requested a move back down the order but rather just told Andrew McDonald his preference

Alex Malcolm21-Oct-20241:36

What’s the logic of moving Smith back down the order?

Steven Smith has said Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne “hated” him opening the batting in the Test team, and believes it was a key driver behind his return to No. 4, but has insisted he did not request the move and would have continued to open if asked to.Australia’s chair selectors George Bailey confirmed last week that Smith would not be opening against India saying Smith “had expressed a desire to move back down from that opening position” and that captain Pat Cummins and Andrew McDonald had made the decision.McDonald stated on ABC Radio at the weekend that he and Cummins were the key decision-makers in the move, playing down Smith’s influence.Related

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Smith wanted it on the record that he had not explicitly requested to move back to No. 4 but had rather been asked by McDonald what his preferred batting spot was. He also added that Khawaja and Labuschagne had both expressed their discontent at him opening.”I got asked where I’d prefer to bat, and I said four. I didn’t ask [to move] though,” Smith said. “I also said I’m happy batting wherever. I’m not really too fussed. I got asked where my preference would be, and I said four. I saw a few things last week saying that I’ve requested to bat at four. That wasn’t the case. I said I’m happy to bat wherever you’d like me to bat but, yeah, four would be my ideal position.”Asked what had changed since earlier this year, he said: “Obviously there’s a spot there now with Greeny [Cameron Green] out. And I think just conversations we had after New Zealand with particularly Marnus and Uzzie, they hated me up top, to be honest. They wanted me behind them.”They just like the…they call it security behind them, in a way. They were pretty strong on me not batting there. So that was a big part of it. And then obviously, I’ve got a decent record at four.”It was good fun having a crack at something new, batting up top. I still feel like I could do a job there for sure. It was a pretty small sample size. But I’ve done pretty well at four for a number of years now. I feel like it’s probably where I can have my best input for this team at the moment.”Smith was set to move regardless of Green’s injury as the conversations had taken place prior to the limited-overs tour of England.He was asked whether he felt like he could have continued in the role longer term given his average of 28.50 in the four Tests in the job was not that bad as no opener averaged more than 32 across those four Tests.In his own style: Steven Smith leaves the ball alone•Getty Images”Honestly, I’m not that fussed,” Smith said. “I said it when I took that job, I’m not really fussed where I bat. The conversations I had with the other guys, they didn’t like it at all. They wanted some security, I suppose, behind them, where I’ve done really well for a number of years, and I can understand that as well. So it is what it is and I’m not going to be opening this summer. That’s it.”Smith made 3 off 29 balls for New South Wales against Victoria in his first red-ball innings since the New Zealand Test series in March and his first Sheffield Shield match since 2021.On a day when 15 wickets fell at the MCG in difficult batting conditions, Smith was upbeat about the innings despite being caught down the leg side off Fergus O’Neill.”I actually felt pretty good out there, to be honest, for the three that I scored strangely enough,” Smith said. “I felt like I was moving well. I was leaving well, and got a little bit unlucky with the one that sort of took off a little bit down the leg side. And that can happen. But I actually felt like I was getting in nice positions. My bat path was good and felt pretty good. So happy with that.”Meanwhile, Smith has been impressed with his limited time watching 19-year-old Sam Konstas who was lbw after 10 balls on the second day at the MCG”He got a bit unlucky there I reckon,” Smith said. “It looked like it might have been just darting down leg a little bit. I haven’t seen a lot of him. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of him out here in the middle for sure. But from what I have seen in the nets, he’s got a lot of time.Steven Smith threw in Nic Maddinson’s name as a potential opening option•Getty Images”He’s very organised. He plays fast bowling and spin well from what I’ve seen in the brief couple of times I’ve seen him bat, it’s looked really good. He’s a bright prospect. We’ve got to remember he’s only 19 as well so you he’s got plenty of time. But what I’ve seen so far, it looks promising”He’s got all the makings to definitely be a really good Test player. That’s for sure. Whether it’s now or in the future, time will tell.”Smith also threw Nic Maddinson’s name in the mix as a possible candidate to open the batting for Australia against India given he is a similar type of player to David Warner.”There’s a few really good candidates, guys that have, done really well the last few years,” Smith said. “[Cameron] Bancroft and the usual suspects that have been talked about. Maddo I think is also another really good candidate. He’s had a good couple of years. If you’re looking for someone similar to a Davey replacement, he gets after the ball and can score really quickly.”So he’s someone who probably hasn’t been spoken about a great deal from all you guys in the last little bit, but I think he’s someone that could definitely play test cricket and have a similar impact to what Davey sort of had at the top, the way he plays. So plenty of options. We’ll wait and see.”

With the T20 Asia Cup less than two weeks away, it might seem like an odd time to schedule an ODI series, but both sides have plenty to play for

Danyal Rasool15-Aug-2022For the Pakistan cricket team right now, this is a decidedly weird time to find themselves in the Netherlands’ second largest city. It is less than two weeks to the start of the T20 Asia Cup, whereas Pakistan are here to play three ODIs against the Netherlands. The Asia Cup is to be held in the UAE, a place that’s hot and dry almost no matter what time of year you’re talking about, while Rotterdam this week is expected to be wet and windy. The surfaces Pakistan will encounter, Babar Azam mused last week, would be similar to the ones they deal with in the UK, worlds removed from what Sharjah and Dubai and Abu Dhabi will throw up.And yet here Pakistan are. To give everyone their due, they didn’t exactly schedule it this way; this is a series carried over from last year, one of the victims of the sledgehammer the Covid-19 pandemic took to the cricketing schedule. It’s perhaps also an encapsulation of where the ODI game sits right now, with any games in that format feeling out of context just about whenever they’re played.Related

Babar says Shaheen will be rested for at least two ODIs against Netherlands

Familiar comforts of another series win mask Pakistan's unresolved ODI issues

But then again, if there’s anything more tedious than the alleged impending demise of the one-day game, it’s the relentless talk about it, so we might as well get into the actual cricket. These ODIs might feel something of a chore to Pakistan but they’re likely very welcome to all stakeholders at the KNCB, not least the players who get a rare opportunity at taking on a world-class side. That’s even truer in the wake of Pakistan’s squad announcement, with the visitors announcing nigh-on a full strength side for the three games, with Shaheen Shah Afridi’s likely absence from at least the first two games the only elite omission.Pakistan, like most other nations, have only played a handful of intermittent short ODIs series since the 2019 ODI World Cup, making it tricky to gauge their form and the side’s overall health ahead of next year’s showpiece event in India. But even from the scraps that can be gleaned, there’s some evidence of a side building up steam leading up to that tournament.The first half of this cycle saw them lose a home ODI to Zimbabwe, sneak past a depleted South Africa and find themselves utterly outclassed by a third-string English side. Since then, a come-from-behind series win against Australia and a clean sweep of the West Indies has injected confidence into the side. While anything but an undefeated series against the Netherlands would be a failure, these games also give Pakistan the opportunity to plug some of the holes in their 50-over side.There is perhaps an opportunity for the middle order to find some runs and confidence, with Pakistan’s top three responsible for about two thirds of all ODI runs since the 2019 World Cup, for no other side is that figure above 55%. There’s a compelling positive reason for that, of course – Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam are the most consistent ODI batting pairing in the world, and with Pakistan having won 11 of the 17 ODIs they have played this cycle, that leaves little for the rest of the lineup.However, on the occasions the middle order has been left with work to do, more often than not, that work has been left undone. No one from outside the top three has scored a single ODI hundred in this cycle, and just four half-centuries have come from outside the top four. Haris Sohail and Wahab Riaz were responsible for two of those, not exactly batters Pakistan will rely on in the long term.The new-ball bowlers, too have a chance to shine in Afridi’s absence; for the most part, it has proved a struggle from the other end. As many as seven bowlers besides Shaheen have been used as new ball options, without anyone really looking like making that slot theirs. Babar did speak glowingly of fast-bowling depth, but quantity is far less likely to win World Cups than quality.Netherlands have generally tended to play attacking cricket•Michael Bradley/AFP/Getty ImagesThe Netherlands find themselves depleted for reasons beyond their control, with the Hundred and the One-Day Cup tying down more than half a dozen players the home side might have wanted to call upon. Fred Klaassen, Colin Ackermann, Roelof van der Merwe, and Timm van der Gugten are all currently participating in the Hundred, with Paul van Meekeren, Shane Snater and Brandon Glover involved in England’s domestic one-day competition.Pieter Seelaar’s retirement leaves a hole to be fulfilled, but Scott Edwards, the replacement skipper, was outstanding in the recent series against England, scoring 214 runs, and half-centuries in each game. (Incidentally, he also bats outside the top four, so in that series alone, he was responsible for nearly as many middle order half-centuries as Pakistan have managed in the past three years.)While that series might have been dispiriting for the Dutch – England swept them aside in all three games, record-breakingly so in the first – Netherlands have since had something to cheer about. They had a successful T20 World Cup qualifying campaign in Zimbabwe, going through to the tournament proper in Australia alongside the hosts. In the bigger picture, that was much more significant in lifting Dutch spirits than anything England did to deflate them in July. Netherlands have generally tended to play attacking cricket, but with that weight off their shoulders, that might be exacerbated against Pakistan.In a sense, both sides have more exciting challenges to look forward to. The cricketing world will move past this series without taking so much as a second glance, with both Netherlands and Pakistan putting it to the back of their minds soon after it’s over.But even the most curmudgeonly would find it difficult to moan about spending a week in Rotterdam in August. The weather is cool and mild, far removed from the heatwaves and droughts ravaging so much of Europe currently. It isn’t quite as crowded as its big brother Amsterdam, which gets most of the tourist crowds and the concomitant problems that go with that. A stroll around the Old Harbour is always relaxing, and those world-famous cube houses are iconic enough to merit a visit on their own. Oh, and there’s cricket on.Come to think of it, perhaps it isn’t such a strange time to be in Rotterdam.

Lahore 1987, Lord’s 1999, St Lucia 2010… Australia knew how to break Pakistan in World Cups

Danyal Rasool12-Nov-2021The Pakistan players are on their knees, some sprawled on the ground, all of them shattered after the cruel finality with which Australia – of course it’s Australia – have aborted their campaign prematurely. Imran Khan rambles on sometimes, but now he chooses his words carefully: “To Babar Azam & the team: I know exactly how all of you are feeling right now bec[ause] I have faced similar disappointments on the cricket field,” he tweeted. He knew what he was talking about.It might sound a bit platitudinous but that is the current prime minister of Pakistan actually baring a bit of his soul. He doesn’t follow cricket with any great interest anymore; he hasn’t for a decade. But it’s likely the memories of the 1987 World Cup semi-final were swirling around in his head after Thursday’s game, awakened generations after he thought he had put them to rest.Watch cricket live on ESPN+

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That was what Imran, at that time, thought would be his final World Cup, and Pakistan were well on their way to the final. They were up against Australia, who should have held no special fear for that Pakistan side, not in Lahore, not in 1987. Imran himself was in splendid form, the pick of the bowlers, but as captain he ended up leaving an off-colour Saleem Jaffar to bowl the 50th over. Steve Waugh plundered 18 runs off it.Four hours later, Pakistan lost by 18 runs.

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There was just one link between that Pakistan side and the one in 1999, when Pakistan took Australia on in the World Cup final. Wasim Akram was captain now, and he won the toss and opted to bat.This was a different kind of heartbreak. Pakistan and Australia had played one out a classic in the group stage, where Akram had broken the game open at the death, powering Pakistan to a pulsating ten-run win. In the final, Pakistan were cut to ribbons by Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath in what remains, in terms of balls remaining, the most one-sided knockout game in World Cup history. Australia won with almost 30 overs to spare. Against, arguably, Pakistan’s most gifted white-ball side.But it was the 2010 T20 World Cup semi-final – Michael Hussey vs Saeed Ajmal – that really defined the build-up to this latest one, a game that brought that historical heartache to the T20 generation, and the 21st century. That was a game Pakistan controlled for 39 of the 40 overs, only for Hussey to send Ajmal into the stands three times in that final over to send Australia into raptures, and Pakistan back home.Michael Hussey targeted Saeed Ajmal in the final over of the 2010 T20 World Cup semi-final•Clive Rose/Getty ImagesIf those memories had been on Babar Azam’s mind, he would have hoped to avoid them, on Thursday evening in Dubai, especially when, as in St Lucia, Australia won the toss and opted to field.This has been a T20 World Cup defined by the numbers, the extensive data-driven approach finally given the inclusive embrace it deserved. Pakistan, one of the latest adopters of the revolution, have benefited. On the night, even where the match-ups might have indicated otherwise, Pakistan, somehow, seemed to be edging the big moments. Fakhar Zaman took on Australia’s best death bowler and hammered 27 in seven balls to close out Pakistan’s innings at 176, the highest first-innings total in Dubai all tournament.Aaron Finch, as Shane Watson reminded everyone from the commentary box, averaged 173 against left-arm pace, but was trapped in front first ball by Shaheen Shah Afridi.David Warner had seen off the early hostility and looked imperious against Pakistan’s slower bowlers, greeting both Mohammad Hafeez’s double-bouncing first ball and Shadab Khan’s first with sixes.Shaheen Afridi sent back Aaron Finch in the first over of the chase•ICC via GettyWarner had little reason to fear Shadab, he hadn’t been dismissed by a legspinner all year. But he then appeared to nick Shadab through to Mohammad Rizwan and walked, another numbers-defying turn as the game twisted and turned to its climax. The irony as Australia coach Justin Langer’s face appeared on the big screen was delicious: in a famous chase against Pakistan in Hobart in 1999, Langer had been reprieved by the umpire after clearly edging behind; he famously went on to blame a “clicky bat handle”.

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Here now, Pakistan were on top. The little scraps of fortune and the inherent randomness of knockout matches in T20 cricket were falling Pakistan’s way, and we’re not even getting into the impregnable numbers Pakistan did have on their side. Until Thursday, they had only lost two games defending a higher total in T20Is, and never in the UAE. Indeed, they sat pretty on a 16-match T20I winning streak in the UAE; the last time they lost here in this format, Babar was yet to play a single T20I.However, those aren’t numbers that felt like they matter in a fixture that, from a Pakistan perspective, history seems to cast a long, cursed shadow upon. The only numbers going around in a loop across Pakistan were 1987, 1999, and of course, 2010. Three generations of Pakistan cricket followers have at least one story to tell about World Cup heartbreak at Australia’s hands. And when you have been holding on to trauma that long and deep-seated, no amount of favourable Afridi match-ups at the death are likely to comfort you. The only match-up that matters is Australia vs Pakistan in a knockout game, and it doesn’t favour Pakistan.

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Pakistan’s reputation of unpredictability carries the concomitant implications of carefree, uncomplicated cricket that doesn’t dwell too much on the past, but this fixture gives the lie to that myth. As Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade struck up that wondrous sixth-wicket partnership to plot, and complete, the heist, Pakistan’s fielders looked gripped by a sort of angst absent earlier, over five-and-a-half matches. Long before Pakistan missed run-out chance after run-out chance to leave Australia alive in the contest, Pakistan played as if aware of the weight of history against them. Indeed, long before Hasan Ali conceded 12 and 15 in his last two overs – and dropped the Wade catch that will likely make him the scapegoat – Pakistan looked like a team that wanted to get over the line, rather than one that knew what it had to do to do it.Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade’s joy knew no bounds as they completed a heist•Getty ImagesA slightly wayward bit of fielding at fine leg had seen Babar, normally composed in the field, lose his temper and remonstrate sharply with nobody in particular, while any boundary would be followed up by lengthy crowded huddles around the bowler’s run-up. Pakistan were firmly on top, but Hussey or Waugh or Warne, in some form, seemed to be pulling this game’s strings.So when Afridi was brought on for that penultimate over, the game still hung in the balance, but by now Australia’s conviction almost felt palpable. Eleven years ago, when Pakistan had brought on their best bowler against a middle-order finisher, Hussey had gone 6, 6, 4, 6 to put Ajmal on his knees. Wade went one better, following that reprieve with three sixes to seal the game, and passing on that old trauma to yet another generation of Pakistani cricket followers.Related

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Lahore 1987, Lord’s 1999, St Lucia 2010, and even Hobart and Sydney – 1999 and 2010 respectively – each broke Pakistan cricket in their own unique ways. And Pakistan cricket never really healed because it was easier to pretend they had never been broken in the first place. And so Australia knew how to break Pakistan again and again.Dubai 2021 is another one to add to a catalogue that Pakistan will try to shove away to the back of the mind. One day, they will hope to close that catalogue, for good. Until then, though, that grip Australia have over Pakistan in World Cups will only grow tighter, straddling the length of the country, right up to the prime minister’s doorstep.

Bayern Munich have struck a €75 million (£65.6m/$88.1m) deal with Liverpool to sign Luis Diaz, who is reportedly set to undergo a medical within 24 hours. The Colombian winger has been granted permission to leave the Reds’ pre-season tour in Tokyo and join Harry Kane’s side as Die Rekordmeister prepare for a fresh Bundesliga title charge.

• Diaz set to leave Liverpool for Bayern in €75m transfer deal
• Set to undergo medical with Bayern over next 24 hours
• Liverpool eye Isak after signing Ekitike earlier this summer

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Liverpool have accepted Bayern’s €75m offer for Diaz, as per The Athletic, after having previously rejected a lower bid earlier this summer from the Bundesliga champions. The Colombian, currently in Tokyo with Liverpool’s pre-season squad, has been granted permission to leave and complete his medical with Der Rekordmeister and become Bayern’s latest high-profile signing under Kompany.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Diaz’s departure is part of a wider shake-up at Liverpool under Arne Slot this summer. The Merseyside club have already brought in Hugo Ekitike and are chasing Alexander Isak as a possible addition. With Darwin Nunez also potentially on the move, Liverpool’s attack could boast a very different look in 2025/26 as they prepare their Premier League title defence.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Diaz made a total of 148 appearances for Liverpool after arriving from Porto in the summer of 2022 before playing a key role in the Reds' domestic cup double that season. During his time with the Merseyside club, he scored 41 goals and provided 23 assists.

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR DIAZ?

  The 28-year-old Colombian is expected to complete his medical and sign a long-term deal with Bayern Munich within the next 48 hours. Liverpool will turn their focus to finalising a move for Isak as they rebuild their frontline. More changes could follow as the transfer window progresses.

بدأ محلل الأداء الدنماركي نيكلاس أورباك كنودسن عمله رسميًا داخل الجهاز الفني للنادي الأهلي بقيادة مواطنه ييس توروب، في خطوة تأتي ضمن خطة القلعة الحمراء لتطوير أدوات التحليل والأداء الفني للفريق الأول خلال المرحلة المقبلة.

وانضم كنودسن إلى طاقم الأهلي في الساعات الماضية، حيث يُنتظر أن يلعب دورًا مهمًا في تطوير الجوانب التكتيكية والتحليلية، بما يواكب طموحات الإدارة والجماهير في المنافسة على جميع البطولات.

اقرأ أيضا.. ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري بعد هدف زيزو في مباراة الأهلي والاتحاد 

وفي أول تصريحاته الخاصة لـ بطولات، عبر كنودسن عن سعادته الكبيرة ببداية مشواره في الأهلي، مؤكدًا انبهاره بالأجواء داخل النادي وبحجم تاريخه ومكانته في كرة القدم الإفريقية والعربية.

وقال محلل الأداء الدنماركي: “يا له من نادٍ رائع، وأجواء مميزة، ومجموعة مذهلة من الأشخاص الرائعين سواء في الجهاز الفني أو اللاعبين”.

وأضاف كنودسن في حديثه: “أتطلع حقًا إلى هذا الفصل الجديد مع هذا النادي الكبير، سعيًا لتحقيق مجد جديد والوصول إلى إنجازات أعلى”.

 ويضم طاقم ييس توروب مع الأهلي كل من إيمره سابيتش، جوني مولبو، يواكيم فيلوم، كاي ستيفانسن وأخيرًا كنودسن بجانب عادل مصطفى.