India bowler available for five matches in June and July
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Mar-2023Arshdeep Singh, India’s left-arm swing bowler, has agreed to play five County Championship matches for Kent.Subject to approval, Arshdeep will be available for home fixtures against Surrey and Warwickshire as well as travelling to Northamptonshire, Essex and Nottinghamshire in the LV= Insurance County Championship in June and July.Arshdeep enjoyed a breakout season for Punjab Kings in IPL 2022, becoming their go-to bowler in the death overs and ultimately taking 10 wickets from 14 games at an economy rate of 7.70.The 24-year-old Arshdeep made his T20I debut in England last July. He played all three of his ODIs to date in New Zealand in November and now has 29 international appearances for India, for whom he was a standout performer at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. In seven career first-class matches to date, he has taken 25 wickets at an average of 23.84 and economy rate of 2.92.Related
Kent sign Wes Agar for four Championship matches
County ins and outs 2022-23
Arshdeep said he had heard good things about Kent from Rahul Dravid, India’s current men’s head coach who played for the club in 2000.”I am excited to play red-ball cricket in England and continue to improve my skills in the first-class game,” Arshdeep said. “Rahul Dravid has already told me it is a club with a great history.”He joins Kane Richardson, the Australia pace bowler who will play in the Vitality Blast, and South African spin-bowling allrounder George Linde, who is in the second half of his two-year deal as an all-format player, as overseas players confirmed for the county so far.Paul Downton, Kent’s director of cricket, said: “We’re delighted to have a player of Arshdeep’s potential join us for five matches this summer. He has demonstrated that he has world-class skills with the white ball, and I am very confident he will be able to put those skills to good use with the red ball in the County Championship.”
Barcelona have confirmed that Ferran Torres has undergone emergency surgery for appendicitis and is now unlikely to feature again this season.
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Barcelona confirm Ferran Torres underwent surgerySuffered abdominal pain before appendicitis diagnosisUnlikely to return to action before the end of the seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Torres has been in superb form this season as Barcelona's super-substitute for all of their front-three. The 25-year-old had struggled for form under Xavi Hernandez since joining the Catalan side from Manchester City, and had been considering a departure from the side before Hansi Flick's arrival changed his mind, as the Spaniard decided to stay put.
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Torres' decision to stay at Barcelona seemed odd initially, as he was going to be behind Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha in the pecking order. While the same remained true for the major part of the season, Torres became an integral part of the squad and has reached 26 goal contributions in 1921 minutes of action, mainly as a substitute.
TELL ME MORE…
Barcelona have now announced that Torres is likely out for the rest of the season after undergoing emergency surgery on Wednesday. Suffering from abdominal pain throughout the day, the Spaniard underwent tests at Hospital de Barcelona before an emergency appendectomy was performed.
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WHAT TORRES SAID
On Instagram, Torres posted a photo of himself from the hospital bed and captioned the post: "Appendicitis over!!! Time to support the team tonight from here to win La Liga!"
Newcastle United fans will already be excited about the upcoming Carabao Cup final, despite Eddie Howe’s men going through a bumpy patch of form as of late.
A choppy February saw the Magpies lose three Premier League contests to lose ground on the race for a top-four finish, whilst March was also kicked off in grim fashion with an FA Cup exit at the hands of Brighton and Hove Albion.
Still, there is that silver lining of a Wembley final, but Howe will be without the ever-improving and England hopeful Lewis Hall for this showdown versus the Reds in yet another blow to Newcastle’s ever-thinning confidence.
The latest on Lewis Hall's injury situation
Hall did not feature in that clash against the Seagulls, instead replaced by Tino Livramento on the left as Kieran Trippier featured from the right.
Sadly, the club’s worst fears have now been confirmed with it now being revealed that the ex-Chelsea youngster will be out for the rest of the campaign due to a foot injury, which was coincidentally picked up against Liverpool at the back-end of last month.
This will be a kick in the teeth for Newcastle with Hall a consistent bright spark for the Toon from the left-back spot this season, leading to four assists being picked up in all competitions.
Moreover, this could result in the Toon having to rely on Matt Targett in games to come, with a lack of other options at Howe’s disposal away from the reserve defender.
However, as Newcastle’s successful track record with youngsters is evident in the current make-up of the senior side – with William Osula and Lewis Miley given opportunities routinely – it could be time for the Magpies manager to bump up an exciting starlet to add depth to Hall’s depleted position.
Newcastle's next rising star could profit from Hall's injury
There a number of top talents in the Newcastle U21 ranks just waiting for a senior shot, with 19-year-old striker Ben Parkinson up to seven strikes this season in Premier League 2, alongside his midfield teammate Alfie Harrison helping himself to a stellar five assists.
Undoubtedly they will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Toon sensation Lewis Miley and former Magpie Elliott Anderson in rising to the top of the game.
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
But, away from the standout forward areas, there is a left-back in the U21 camp who could soon be fast-tracked to the senior side, with Dylan Charlton perhaps now the chosen starlet.
After all, Charlton is already known to Howe when the Magpies boss gave the teenager some minutes in a post-season friendly versus Tottenham Hotspur back in May 2024, with the 18-year-old, ironically, replacing Hall on that day out in Melbourne.
Completing all eight of his passes from his 13-minute cameo, Charlton will hope his further progression in the U21 ranks this season stands him in even more good stead for a senior chance soon, especially with the former Chelsea man now occupying the St James’ Park treatment room.
24/25
14
0
1
23/24
27
1
0
22/23
26
0
2
21/22
6
0
0
Much like Hall, Charlton has shown throughout his time on the youth pitches at Newcastle that he has an eye for an assist from the full-back spot, with three picked up from 75 appearances lining up for the U18s and U21s.
His patience to keep performing competently in youth sides could now pay off, with Howe unafraid to gift academy products senior chances too, considering Miley became the club’s youngest-ever Premier League debutant under his regime.
Further, Hall is only 20 years of age himself, meaning a route into the first team isn’t out of the question for the Gateshead-born defender whatsoever, as the St James’ Park masses crave another homegrown gem.
88 goals since leaving Newcastle: Toon flop is now on par with Gordon
This former Newcastle United attacker would get first team opportunities if he was back on Tyneside.
Rightly or wrongly, it has become clear what the transfer approach now is at Chelsea under the Todd Boehly regime – youth.
Gone are the days of signing the likes of Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly, the Blues now appear intent on scouring the globe for the best young talents, with the aim of achieving long-term ambitions while also enjoying short-term success.
Highest valued midfielders in the Premier League (timeless)
Remarkably, the oldest outfield player to have featured for the west London side this season is Tosin Adarabioyo, aged just 27, with it clear that the club are now prioritising potential over experience when it comes to their transfer dealings.
The Stamford Bridge outfit appear to be leading the way when it comes to planning for the future, a fact showcased by the signings of Kendry Paez and Estevao Willian in 2023 and 2024, respectively, with the South American duo set to belatedly arrive in England this summer.
It could well become the norm for Blues supporters to have to wait to see marquee acquisitions like the teenage pair in action, with that patience set to also be required following the latest capture of Geovany Quenda.
The latest on Chelsea's move for Quenda
Reports at the tail-end of the January window suggested that Manchester United were looking at signing the Portuguese sensation this summer, with Ruben Amorim keen on reuniting with his compatriot after handing the young winger his debut earlier in the campaign.
Almost out of nowhere, however, it was Boehly and co who secretly pounced to prise the 17-year-old from Sporting CP, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano breaking the story on Thursday night that Quenda is set to sign for the Blues.
As per The Athletic, the Sporting academy graduate has been signed for a fee of around €50m (£42m), although he won’t actually join Enzo Maresca’s ranks until 2026, instead remaining in Lisbon for the entirety of next season.
As per Romano, a key feature in Chelsea’s ability to win the race for his signature was the fact that they view him as an out and out forward, rather than a wing-back – a role he would likely have had to play had he reunited with Amorim at Old Trafford.
All the signs point to Quenda proving worth the wait, with the fleet-footed speedster having already been called up by his county at senior level, while registering ten goal involvements in 44 games for his current side.
Stat (*per game)
Record
Games
26
Goals
1
Big chances missed
4
Assists
4
Big chances created
10
Key passes*
1.9
Pass accuracy*
82%
Successful dribbles*
1.2
Possession lost*
12.6x
That said, neither Quenda – nor the likes of Estevao – will necessarily be able to just stroll into Maresca’s side on the flanks, with a certain Noni Madueke likely to have a thing or two to say about that.
Chelsea have struck gold on their attacking "monster"
It could be argued that one area of the pitch Chelsea don’t desperately need to strengthen is on the flanks, with Maresca already boasting the likes of Pedro Neto, Jadon Sancho and Madueke, while Cole Palmer can also slot in on the right flank when required.
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Indeed, while he is currently sidelined with injury, Madueke had largely made that right-hand side his own in the early months of the campaign, with the Englishman registering ten goals and assists in just 23 league games.
Signed from PSV Eindhoven on a £29m deal back in January 2023, the one-time Tottenham Hotspur academy star hasn’t always been the go-to man in attack, although, after a fine start to 2024/25, it had looked like he’d “pretty much nailed that position down”, according to talkSPORT’s Jason Cundy.
Also described as “one of Chelsea’s most dangerous players” by Cundy, it would be fair to say that Chelsea were dealt a blow when Madueke was struck down by injury, having now missed the last three league games.
Set to return after the international break, the 23-year-old had forced his way into the England reckoning in the Autumn due to his standout showings, offering a genuine rival to Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka on the right wing.
Noni Madueke
Much like his fellow left-footer, Saka, the Chelsea man is such a menace due to his ball-carrying prowess, showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 3% of wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries, as well as in the top 5% for touches in the attacking penalty area, per 90.
A constant threat in the final third, it is no surprise that Madueke – who was dubbed a “mentality monster” by private coach, Saul Isaksson-Hurst – has seen his valuation soar of late, with CIES Football Observatory noting that he could now be worth as much as £77m.
That is not only a significant increase on what the Blues paid for him over two years ago, but it is also millions more than the £42m fee dished out on Quenda, a player CIES deem to be worth around £18m.
As such, while excitement will be rife over the eventual arrivals of Estevao and Quenda, the Stamford Bridge side shouldn’t ignore what the likes of Madueke are already producing under Maresca’s watch.
Chelsea already signed a bigger star than Quenda in "world-class talent"
Chelsea have reportedly pounced to sign Sporting CP sensation, Geovany Quenda, ahead of their Premier League rivals
Manchester United star Amad Diallo has insisted that the Red Devils 'need' Alejandro Garnacho, despite him being placed on the transfer list.
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Garnacho told to 'pray' to find new clubAmad claims that United 'need' GarnachoAC Milan and Napoli interested in the wingerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Garnacho's behaviour over the last few days on United's post-season tour of Asia has indicated that the Argentine is no longer interested in playing in the Red Devils shirt, as he was seen brandishing his middle finger at fans. The 20-year-old's potential departure from Old Trafford has also been propagated by Amorim reportedly telling the winger to 'pray that you can find a club to sign you'.
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However, United star Amad has claimed that Garnacho, with whom he is good friends, is a 'good player' and added that the Red Devils need him next season, especially after the horror season that the club had to endure. The 20-time Premier League champions have failed to win a trophy this season, and their 15th-place finish has seen them miss out on European football.
WHAT AMAD SAID
Speaking to the media, Amad said: “Alejandro is a really good player, we need good players in the team. I know Garna really well. I hope to have Garna next season. (It) is not really a big issue for the team.”
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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR GARNACHO?
The Argentine is highly unlikely to stay with United past this summer, as Garnacho has seen a lot of interest from Serie A sides AC Milan and Napoli. However, his situation will only progress further as the summer proceeds.
Kapil Dev, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag among those to come out in support of the wrestlers, who have levelled sexual-harassment allegations against the wrestling federation chief
ESPNcricinfo staff28-Apr-2023Kapil Dev, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan and Shikha Pandey have become the first cricketers to break their silence on the protests being carried out by India’s top wrestlers demanding the dismissal of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the Indian wrestling federation chief. The wrestlers have alleged that Singh sexually abused and exploited women wrestlers over the past decade.On Friday afternoon, the Delhi Police agreed to investigate the charges against Singh, a week after the complaint was first filed and only after the wrestlers moved the Supreme Court for action. But the wrestlers’ larger mission is to remove Singh from his position as federation chief, and to draw attention to the charges against him.”Will they ever get justice,” Kapil asked in an Instagram post with a photograph of Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik – the latter two Olympic medalists – who have been leading a protest at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar for the past five days. They were part of a group of 30-odd wrestlers at Jantar Mantar in January this year, too, when they made public the allegations against Singh, a member of parliament from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.Instagram/Kapil DevFollowing that, the union sports ministry, of which former BCCI president Anurag Thakur is the man in charge, tasked its oversight committee to investigate the matter and submit the findings by February. The committee included, among others, boxer MC Mary Kom and wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, both Olympic Games medallists (Mary Kom is also a former member of parliament). Reports suggest that even two months on, the findings of the oversight committee have not been made available to the wrestlers.Support for the wrestlers had been extremely limited all along. On Thursday, PT Usha, the champion athlete on the 1980s who is now the president of the Indian Olympic Association, said that the conduct of the protesting wrestlers amounted to “indiscipline” and that it was “not good for sport”. Her comments were met with severe public criticism and Punia expressed disappointment at the “harsh reaction”.Then, on Friday, Phogat issued a plea of sorts to the Indian cricket community, asking why they had been silent on the plight of their fellow sportspersons.
“You do come forward to congratulate us when we win something. Even the cricketers tweet when that happens. [What has happened now]? Are you so afraid of the system? Or maybe there’s something fishy going on there too?”Vinesh Phogat
“The entire country worships cricket but not even a single cricketer has spoken up,” the quoted Phogat as saying. “We aren’t saying that you speak in our favour, but at least put up a neutral message and say there should be justice for whichever party. This is what pains me… Be it cricketers, badminton players, athletics, boxing…”It’s not like we don’t have big athletes in our country. There are cricketers… During the Black Lives Matter movement in the US, they showed their support. Don’t we deserve even that much?”You do come forward to congratulate us when we win something. Even the cricketers tweet when that happens. [What has happened now]? Are you so afraid of the system? Or maybe there’s something fishy going on there too?”While Kapil’s message had come a day before, on Thursday, Harbhajan tweeted on Friday, “I am pained as a sportsperson to find pride of our country coming out to protest on the streets”, while Sehwag wrote, “It’s a sensitive matter and needs an impartial investigation”, and Pathan said, “Indian athletes are always our pride not only when they get medals for us…”.Later on Friday evening, Pandey tweeted her support for the wrestlers too, hoping “that justice shall be served at the earliest.”
Sakshi, Vinesh are India's pride. I am pained as a sportsperson to find pride of our country coming out to protest on the streets. I pray that they get justice.#IStandWithWrestlers pic.twitter.com/hwD9dKSFNv
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) April 28, 2023
बहुत दुःख की बात है की हमारे champions जिन्होंने देश का बड़ा नाम किया है , झंडा लहराया है , हम सबको इतनी ख़ुशियाँ दी हैं, उन्हें आज सड़क पर आना पड़ा है। बड़ा संवेदनशील मामला है और इसकी निष्पक्ष जाँच होनी चाहिए। उम्मीद है खिलाड़ियों को न्याय मिलेगा। pic.twitter.com/A8KXqxbKZ4
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 28, 2023
Indian athletes are always our pride not only when they get medals for us…
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 28, 2023
It takes great strength to wrestle. But it takes greater strength to speak up. I hope and pray that justice shall be served at the earliest.
— Shikha Pandey (@shikhashauny) April 28, 2023
At the time of filing this report, Pandey was the only current Indian cricketer to speak on on the issue.Phogat’s appeal did get a response on Friday from some of India’s most celebrated athletes, who tweeted out their support for the protesting wrestlers.”What’s happening [the street protests] should never have happened,” Neeraj Chopra, the Olympic javelin throw champion, said. “This is a sensitive issue, and must be dealt with in an impartial and transparent manner.” And Nikhat Zareen, the two-time world champion boxer, wrote, “It breaks my heart to see our Olympic & World medallists in this state.”A day before, Abhinav Bindra, the shooter who won India’s first individual gold medal at an Olympic Games back in 2008, tweeted, “It is deeply concerning to see our athletes finding it necessary to protest on the streets regarding the allegations of harassment in the Indian wrestling administration.”GMT 1410 The report was updated after Shikha Pandey tweeted in support of the wrestlers.
Some of the most exciting young players on the planet are set to be on show in the U.S. this summer
The much-discussed Club World Cup is now just days away from getting underway in the United States, and while the competition will see established superstars such as Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi face off, it also offers the opportunity for some of the best young players on the planet to strut their stuff on the global stage.
It's not unusual for previously little-known teenagers to become a household names the world over thanks to their performances during a summer tournament, and while the Club World Cup isn't yet at the level of its international counterpart given the expanded format is only making its debut in 2025, there will still be plenty of eyes watching out for the next superstars of the game to emerge.
But who are those who need to be on your radar ahead of Saturday's kick-off in Miami? GOAL breaks down the top 10 NXGN-aged (born in 2006 or later) starlets to keep track of over the next month…
AFPEstevao Willian (Palmeiras)
Fans outside of South America have likely seen the umpteen viral clips of Estevao Willian in action for Palmeiras over the past 12 months, but the Club World Cup will offer many their first chance to watch the most exciting Brazilian talent since Neymar play a match in full.
Having already agreed to join Chelsea for a fee of £56m ($71m) this summer, it wasn't initially known whether Estevao would represent the Blues or his boyhood team at this tournament. However, the decision was made for the 18-year-old to use the Club World Cup as a farewell to Palmeiras, for whom he has already scored 26 goals in 78 competitive appearances.
A fleet-footed forward who was nicknamed 'Messinho' as he came through the ranks in Sao Paulo due to his similarities in style to the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, Estevao will come up against the legendary Argentine and Inter Miami in the group stages as he aims to show the world just why everyone at Stamford Bridge is so keen to get him to west London ahead of next season.
AdvertisementAFPFranco Mastantuono (River Plate)
Real Madrid fans, meanwhile, will be licking their lips at the prospect of catching their newest teenage signing from South America in action during this tournament. Franco Mastantuono has been turning heads for over a year with his performances for River Plate, and he will bid farewell to his boyhood club this summer after a deal was agreed for him to move to the Spanish capital after the Club World Cup.
Madrid are set to pay €40m (£33m/$45m) to sign Mastantuono after pushing themselves ahead of Paris Saint-Germain to the front of the queue for the 17-year-old midfielder. The youngest goal-scorer in River's storied history, Mastantuono has taken his game to new levels in 2025, with his superb free-kick goal against Boca Juniors in the Superclasico an illustration of both his talent and confidence on the biggest stage.
He has also just become the youngest player to ever make their debut in a competitive match for Argentina, and this summer promises to be a real coming-out party for one of the very best teenage players on the planet.
Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream nowGetty Images SportIan Subiabre (River Plate)
River aren't finished when it comes to producing young stars, though. The same academy that has recently nurtured Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez, Claudio Echeverri and Mastantuono has plenty more where they came from, with Ian Subiabre set to be the next teenager to take the Monumental by storm.
The 18-year-old, who can play either as a winger or central striker, has started to earn regular opportunities with the River first team, while Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United have all been credited with interest in signing Subiabre. Given the success of some of his predecessors, don't be shocked if he becomes a household name in the not-too-distant future.
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Alvaro Montoro (Botafogo)
While River possess the most-talked about Argentine academy right now, the work being done at Velez Sarsfield shouldn't be ignored. World Cup winner Thiago Almada is the pick of a number of high-quality youngsters who have emerged from the current Primera Division champions' youth sector over the past decade or so, and there is a suggestion that Alvaro Montoro could be the pick of the lot.
Likened to Andres Iniesta as he came through the ranks at Velez, Montoro scored three goals in five Copa Libertadores games this season before he was snapped up by the reigning South American champions, Botafogo, ahead of their appearance at the Club World Cup.
As such, given he is so new to the Brazilian side's squad, Montoro might have to be patient for opportunities during the tournament. However, if the 18-year-old attacking midfielder does see the pitch in the U.S., he will be keen to show just why Borussia Dortmund, among others, were so keen to bring him to Europe before Botafogo swept in.
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke sent his top scout to a place he knows well last weekend to find bargain signings ahead of the summer transfer window, according to a recent report.
Leeds eye new centre-forward as Bamford nears exit door
Despite the fact that the Whites sit top of the Championship table and have scored the most goals in the division, Farke and co. are keen to strengthen their forward line this summer. Patrick Bamford, who was linked with an Elland Road exit in January, looks set to be coming to the end of his time at the club, as injuries continue to cost him regular minutes.
Leeds and 49ers want to sign new 23 y/o int'l forward likened to Mitrovic
Leeds know all too well about Aleksandar Mitrovic’s talents.
ByBarney Lane Mar 24, 2025
His potential departure would leave Leeds light, and therefore, the 49ers are already working on new arrivals. Southampton striker Cameron Archer was heavily linked with a move to the Yorkshire side in January, and he is believed to remain on their list of potential targets.
Meanwhile, according to a report from Africa Foot, the Whites are also keen on signing Almeria striker Ibrahima Kone. This would be an easy enough transfer to complete for the Championship side, as Kone has a release clause worth £8.4 million.
But the list of potential new strikers doesn’t stop there, as Leeds are also interested in signing Vladyslav Vanat from Dynamo Kyiv. However, there is a long list of teams also keen on signing Vanat, with Premier League duo West Ham and Fulham keeping a close eye on the centre-forward.
Farke sends top Leeds scout to Germany
With competition for Vanat and a near £10m price tag on Kone, Farke also has his eyes on cheaper alternatives. According to journalist Alan Nixon, relayed by Football League World, Farke sent his top Leeds scout to Germany to look for bargain deals in the final weekend before the international break.
Leeds United manager DanielFarkecelebrates after the match
Leeds are still on course to seal promotion to the Premier League, and the boss appears keen to get ahead of the rest and therefore wanted his scouts to watch Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 games last weekend, as he believes there are always bargains to be found in the country where he broke through in management.
The 48-year-old, who is closing in on 100 games in charge of Leeds, has managed at several levels in Germany and has shopped there before, with Ao Tanaka perhaps the biggest success story in recent times.
Swansea City
H
Luton
A
Middlesbrough
A
Preston
H
Oxford
A
Stoke
H
Bristol City
H
Plymouth
A
It is unclear if the scouts found any potential targets, but it probably won’t be the last time Farke sends his scouts on a mission in the next few weeks, as he will want all preparation to be complete should his side seal that expected promotion to England’s top tier.
It is likely the 49ers will significantly back Farke in the transfer window if they go up, but the Leeds boss will face significant pressure if the wheels come off from here.
By the time the game begins on Sunday evening, RCB will know exactly what they need to make the playoffs
Srinidhi Ramanujam20-May-20236:00
Moody: Royal Challengers should start afresh in home return
Big Picture: Make or break for RCBIt all boils down to the final four hours. After 69 games across 52 days, the last league match will decide the identity of the players fourth team in the playoffs.The spotlight is on Royal Challengers Bangalore as they return home to the Chinnaswamy to host the Gujarat Titans after nearly a month on the road. They will know exactly what they need to qualify in the top four if net run rate becomes a factor, but the simplest route is to win. If they make it, it will be their fourth successive playoff appearance.So what’s going well for RCB? They are coming into this crucial fixture off two successive wins – against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals. Their strength is their batting, having scored more than 180 in three of their last four games. More specifically, it is their top-order batting, with Faf du Plessis (702), Virat Kohli (538) and Glenn Maxwell (389) doing the bulk of the run-scoring. The dependency on their Big Three could be a crucial factor in a crunch game.Winning at the Chinnaswamy also hasn’t been straightforward for RCB this season. While several teams have struggled to maximise their home advantage, it’s 3-3 for RCB in Bengaluru this year, and 40 wins in 83 games overall.So while RCB have everything to do to qualify for the playoffs, the Titans are already through. Hardik Pandya’s team is only the second side to finish top of the table in two successive seasons, after the Mumbai Indians in 2019 and 2020. Team news: Will Titans rest players?Fast bowler Josh Little had missed a few matches to play an ODI series for Ireland against Bangladesh, but he re-joined the Titans squad on May 16. Vijay Shankar had also missed the previous game after getting hit in the nets. With Titans already through to the playoffs, the big question is whether they will rest any of their players, considering they play Qualifier 1 on May 23.Du Plessis said at the toss of their previous game against Sunrisers that one of Hasaranga and Hazlewood was missing due to a niggle without specifying who it was.The big questionVirat Kohli and Faf du Plessis have been prolific at the top for RCB•BCCIForm guideRCB WWLLW Gujarat Titans WLWWLImpact Player strategyAnuj Rawat kept wickets for RCB instead of Dinesh Karthik in the last two matches and he is expected to do it again against Titans. Karthik or Mahipal Lomror could sub in and out for for left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed depending on whether they bat or bowl first.Royal Challengers Bangalore (probable XII): 1 Virat Kohli, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Glenn Maxwell, 4 Mahipal Lomror, 5 , 6 Michael Bracewell, 7 Anuj Rawat (wk), 8 Wayne Parnell, 9 Karn Sharma, 10 Harshal Patel, 11 Mohammed Siraj, 12 Titans had swapped Shubman Gill with fast bowler Yash Dayal in their previous game against SRH. If Little returns, Gill and Mohit Sharma could be their Impact Players depending on whether they bat or bowl first.Gujarat Titans (probable XII): 1 , 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Sai Sudharsan, 4 Hardik Pandya (capt), 5 David Miller, 6 Abhinav Manohar/Vijay Shankar, 7 Rahul Tewatia, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Josh Little, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Mohammed Shami, 12 Pitch and conditionsBengaluru has been hot and humid this week but i rained on match eve and a couple of spells of rain is likely on Sunday as well. The average first-innings total at the Chinnaswamy Stadium is 194, so expect a run-fest.Stats that matter Kohli is a beast in Bengaluru with 3106 T20s runs at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, the most by any batter, at a strike rate of 140.82. Rashid Khan has dismissed du Plessis three times in eight T20s, and conceded only 32 runs in 45 balls. Gill has scored at 148.14 against Mohammed Siraj in the IPL, with no dismissals in six innings.
ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jun-2023Mohammad Haris will lead Pakistan A in the eight-team Men’s Emerging Asia Cup, which will run from July 14 to 23 in Sri Lanka. Omair Yousuf has been named his deputy in the 15-member squad that includes the likes of Saim Ayub, Shahnawaz Dahani and Mohammad Wasim among others.Haris was part of the senior T20I squad in the most recent series that Pakistan played against New Zealand at home. In all, he has represented the senior side in five ODIs and nine T20Is. Others in the squad who have senior international experience include Arshad Iqbal, Kamran Ghulam, Wasim, Ayub, Dahani, and Tayyab Tahir. Wasim is the most experienced out of the lot, with two Tests, 14 ODIs and 27 T20Is under his belt.Haris’ deputy Yousuf has not turned out for Pakistan but has a good domestic record, wherein he averages 43.33 in 40 first-class games. In List A cricket, Yousuf has scored 1158 runs in 41 matches at 32.16. He was Pakistan A’s leading run-scorer when they visited Zimbabwe for a six-game unofficial ODI series in May this year, with 275 runs in four outings at 91.66. Pakistan A had gone down 4-2 in that series.Pakistan A, the defending champions, have been placed in Group A alongside India A, Nepal and Sri Lanka A. They will open their campaign against Nepal A on July 14, followed by the clash against their Indian counterparts on July 16 and Sri Lanka A on July 18. The tournament will be held in the 50-over format. Group B consists of Afghanistan A, Bangladesh A, Oman and UAE.The top two sides from each group will qualify for the semi-finals. The final will be held on July 23.Pakistan A squad: Mohammad Haris (capt & wk), Omair Yousuf (vice-capt), Amad Butt, Arshad Iqbal, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mubasir Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr., Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shahnawaz Dahani, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab TahirReserves: Abdul Bangalzai, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Junaid, Rohail NazirPlenty of internationals in Afghanistan AShahidullah Kamal will lead a strong 15-member Afghanistan A squad consisting of eight capped players for the competition. The squad has the likes of Ihsanullah Janat, Ikram Alikhil, Riaz Hassan and Noor Ali Zadran in the mix. Noor, who has represented Afghanistan in 51 ODIs and 20 T20Is, is the most experienced out of the lot.Afghanistan A are part of Group B and start their campaign against Oman on July 14, followed by Sri Lanka A on July 16 and Bangladesh A on July 18.Afghanistan A squad: Shahidullah Kamal (capt), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Ishaq Rahimi (wk), Riaz Hassan, Ihsanullah Jannat, Noor Ali Zadran, Zubaid Akbari, Baheer Shah, Allah Noor Nasiri, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Izharulhaq Naveed, Wafadar Momand, Ibrahim Abdulrahimzai, Salim Safi, Zia Ur Rehman Akbar, Bilal Sami.Reserves: Abdul Malik, Asghar Atal, Abdul Baqi, Zuhaib Zamankhil