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Manchester United have now reportedly submitted a huge offer to sign a much-needed attacking addition who would instantly make any potential Bryan Mbeumo rejection an afterthought.

Man Utd still chasing Bryan Mbeumo

For a moment it looked as though Manchester United were out on their own in the race to sign Mbeumo only for Tottenham Hotspur to burst onto the scene. With Thomas Frank now by their side, the Lilywhites have reportedly matched Brentford’s asking price and could instantly reunite Mbeumo with his former manager.

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United haven’t simply stepped aside, however. Reports are now claiming that they’ve reached an agreement on personal terms with the talented winger and club chiefs believe that they will complete a move to land his signature this summer.

There was always likely to be interest in Mbeumo following yet another excellent campaign at Brentford. At just 25 years old, there may not be a better time to move than this summer, but he must still get his next decision right.

As for United, whether it’s Mbeumo or another option, signing an attacking reinforcement seems to be at the very top of their wishlist. The Red Devils suffered going forward last season, with both Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund at the centre of those struggles which culminated in a 15th-place finish.

Premier League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Joshua Zirkzee

Rasmus Hojlund

Starts

14

23

Goals

3

4

Assists

1

0

Expected Goals

4.8

5.3

Ruben Amorim will be desperate for some added firepower and if it’s not Mbeumo, then rumours suggest that it could yet be an excellent alternative.

INEOS already proved that they’re willing to spend when they welcomed Matheus Cunha for around £63m and now they could spend more than ever amid reports that they’ve submitted a hefty £120m+ bid for one particular talent.

Man Utd submit shock offer to sign Barcelona star Raphinha

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United have now submitted a shock €150m (£128m) offer to sign Raphinha from Barcelona this summer. The Spanish giants have reportedly been left surprised by the bid, but their financial situation could yet force them to consider it.

It would instantly be one of the standout deals of the summer if Manchester United made it happen. The Brazilian winger is one of the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or this year and would instantly ensure that the Red Devils forget all about Mbeumo.

24/25 stats

Raphinha

Mbeumo

Appearances

57

42

Goals

34

20

Assists

24

8

With 59 goal involvements in 57 appearances, it’s no surprise that Raphinha has found himself in Ballon d’Or conversations and, as talented as Mbeumo is, there is no denying that the Barcelona star is the standout option.

The winger earned plenty of deserved praise last season, including from Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, who told reporters: “He has good dynamics with the ball and he has had an extraordinary match. His offensive and defensive dynamics, and his good technique, are something special. I have never had a player like him and he helps us a lot.”

Arne Slot became the first manager in Liverpool’s history to win the Premier League in his first season at Anfield since the inception of the division in 1992.

There were concerns about what life would look like after Jurgen Klopp announced that he would be leaving the Reds at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, having been at the club for nine years.

Slot came in to replace a legend and had huge shoes to fill, arriving from Feyenoord last summer, and was not heavily backed in the summer transfer window.

Federico Chiesa was the only signing of the summer, joining on a permanent deal from Juventus, and the forward only made six appearances in the Premier League.

Slot, instead, won the division with the same players that he inherited, given Chiesa’s lack of involvement, which speaks to the quality of the recruitment work done in recent years.

You could pick so many members of the squad as examples of excellent recruitment by Liverpool, but Alexis Mac Allister stands out as a particularly impressive deal.

Why Liverpool struck gold with Alexis Mac Allister

The Reds swooped in to sign the World Cup winner from Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer of 2023 for a reported fee of £35m, which could rise to £55m in total, in what has turned out to be a bargain deal.

In that same summer, Chelsea spent £115m to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton and Arsenal splashed the cash to sign Declan Rice from West Ham United for £105m, which illustrates how expensive it can be to land top talent from other Premier League teams.

This shows how much of a bargain Liverpool got with their deal for Mac Allister because they did not have to pay over the odds for him, spending less than half as much as Chelsea and Arsenal did on their midfield signings with the initial fee of £35m.

The Reds have hit the jackpot with the Argentina international because he has proven to be well worth the money, playing 35 times out of 38 matches in the Premier League this season to help the team to the title.

24/25 Premier League

Alexis Mac Allister

Appearances

35

Goals

5

Big chances created

6

Assists

5

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.3

Ball recoveries per game

4.2

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the former Brighton star delivered quality in and out of possession throughout the campaign, scoring and assisting goals whilst also being reliable defensively.

Mac Allister ended the season with a squad-leading 2.7 tackles per game in the Premier League, which proves how effective he was at winning the ball back to regain possession for his side, whilst cutting out opposition attacks.

Liverpool could, now, repeat their Mac Allister masterclass, as they are reportedly interested in another bargain deal from a Premier League rival.

Liverpool eyeing move for Brighton star

According to a report in Spain, Liverpool are one of a number of clubs that are eyeing up a potential swoop for Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh in the summer transfer window, which officially opened for business on Sunday.

The report claims that the Premier League champions have set their sights on a deal for the Gambia international, but they are facing competition from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur for the attacker.

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It reveals that all three clubs are monitoring the 20-year-old forward, previously of Newcastle United, as a possible signing ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

The outlet adds that the left-footed dynamo, who typically plays on the right flank, is valued at around £35m by Brighton, which is the same fee that Liverpool paid them for Mac Allister.

With this in mind, Minteh could arrive at Anfield this summer to bolster Slot’s squad in a deal that could be very similar to the one that brought the Argentine star to Merseyside.

Why Yankuba Minteh could be Alexis Mac Allister 2.0

Of course, the two players play in different positions, one in midfield and one on the wing, but there are also a lot of similarities in the sense that they would both have been signed from Brighton and both signed for a bargain £35m fee.

As aforementioned, it can be incredibly expensive to shop in the Premier League market because teams do not want to strengthen their rivals, which is why a £35m fee for Minteh could be a big bargain for Liverpool if they were able to get a deal over the line in the coming months.

At the age of 20, though, he may not be a signing to instantly become a starter like Mac Allister was, and the youngster could be more of a signing with the long term in mind, whilst also being able to make an impact immediately as a squad option.

That being said, Minteh has delivered some exciting performances, including the one against Chelsea in the clip above, in the Premier League this season, and shown signs of being a top player at that level.

The left-footed star, who was described as “extremely dangerous” by Pierre van Hooijdonk, only started 20 of his 32 appearances in the division, but delivered quality in those outings.

24/25 Premier League

Yankuba Minteh

Appearances

32

Starts

20

xG

4.11

Goals

6

Big chances created

8

xA

5.02

Assists

4

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, he outperformed his xG by almost two goals and was let down by wasteful finishing from his teammates as a creator, as they failed to make the most of the ‘big chances’ that he created for them.

Now, imagine Minteh in a dominant and free-scoring Liverpool team that would be able to make the most of his creativity, whilst also creating more opportunities for him to show off his finishing skills. That could increase his output of goals and assists and lead to him becoming a very valuable member of the squad.

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The 20-year-old could, in theory, take his game to the next level with such a move, which is why this could be a brilliant signing for the Reds and be a repeat of the Mac Allister deal due to the finances involved.

Aston Villa are looking to retain key stars to avoid coming into conflict with PSR regulations, and could have hatched a crafty plan to retain key man Emiliano Martinez, according to a report.

Aston Villa looking to build squad depth under Unai Emery

Unai Emery has done a job to be proud of at Villa Park this season that looks likely to end in some form of continental qualification, but he may be left with food for thought ahead of the summer.

Despite their rude financial health, Aston Villa are at the centre of a PSR storm, and rumours are beginning to do the rounds regarding whether they will have to sell a star player or two to avoid an overspend.

Some will argue the Villans are at an unfair disadvantage compared to the traditional ‘big six’ when it comes to transfer leeway, while others can’t help but point out their wage-to-revenue ratio as a counterpoint.

Nevertheless, Aston Villa appear undeterred by recent noise and are pursuing Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin as a potential arrival to supplement an engine room brimming with talent.

By the same token, Las Palmas star Alberto Moleiro is another talented star on Emery’s list. The Spaniard is believed to have personally requested that he is brought in amid a £51 million release clause in his contract.

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Still, the lingering question of sales has created an unwanted tension among supporters with the window around the corner, which could be magnified if Aston Villa fail to claim Champions League qualification.

However, there could be light at the end of the tunnel following news that there is now a crafty plan in motion to prevent a headline-grabbing departure.

Aston Villa set to put quartet up for sale

According to The Athletic, Aston Villa are set to put Emiliano Buendia, Alex Moreno, Leander Dendoncker and Kaine Kesler-Hayden up for sale to prevent having to part ways with Emiliano Martinez this summer.

The quartet are out on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, Nottingham Forest, Anderlecht and Preston North End respectively, and are not expected to feature as part of Emery’s plans moving forward in the West Midlands.

Emiliano Buendia

£37,500 per week

Alex Moreno

£35,000 per week

Leander Dendoncker

£35,000 per week

Kaine Kesler-Hayden

£7,000 per week

Martinez is reported to earn £150,000 per week, signifying that his wages would be protected with a little to spare as Aston Villa would be saving around £6m every year if they were to successfully offload the four players mentioned.

Of course, shifting spare parts doesn’t come easy, but NSWE’s strong negotiation skills are likely to come in handy when fielding interest from suitors.

While speculation continues to linger, Aston Villa supporters can take some peace of mind from the fact that they are now likely to retain arguably their most important asset in the summer window.

Aston Villa are ready to splash £75m on a player who has already scored against them at Villa Park this season, according to a new report.

Aston Villa subs make the difference against Southampton

Villa made history over the weekend as they beat Southampton 3-0 at Villa Park to continue their charge towards Champions League qualification next season.

For the first time in Premier League history, three substitutes scored in one game, with Ollie Watkins, Donyell Malen and John McGinn coming off the bench to find the net for Unai Emery’s side in the second period.

Watkins first produced a superb volleyed finish to lob Saints keeper Aaron Ramsdale in the 73rd minute, before Malen then hammered home Morgan Rogers’ through-ball with aplomb just six minutes later.

In added time, McGinn then slotted in Marco Asensio’s saved penalty – his second of the afternoon – to complete the scoring and move Villa back to within just one point of fourth-placed Manchester City.

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Speaking after the game, Emery was full of praise for both those we started the game, and those that came on to make an impact.

“The first half we didn’t concede transitions,” said the Spaniard. “We were dominating but we didn’t have many chances to score. The second half the game plan was the same and with the fast players we can add to try and push more and more and we did. It was a fantastic 90 minutes. The subs had a very good impact.”

Aston Villa ready to spend big on Wolves star Cunha

Villa and NSWE made some serious moves in the January transfer window, signing Malen on a permanent deal from Borussia Dortmund and completing loan moves for Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi.

Despite significantly bolstering their attacking line just months ago, however, Villa aren’t quite yet content with their options up-top.

According to reports in Spain, the Villans are keen to complete a summer move for Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Matheus Cunha, and are willing to pay as much as £75 million for his services.

The Brazilian has been Wolves’ star player this season, playing a vital role in their likely Premier League survival, scoring 13 goals – including one at Villa Park back in September – and registering four assists.

Games played

26

Goals

13

Assists

4

Progressive carries (per 90)

3.9

Progressive passes (per 90)

4.7

Shots on target

1.5

Pass accuracy

70%

Take-ons completed

2.1

The report states that while Villa are keen, so are a number of other clubs, including Newcastle United, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, meaning acquiring his signature will be no easy feat.

It’s also unclear whether Cunha, who only signed a contract extension at Molineux in February, will be open to leaving the Midlands club. Speaking about Cunha earlier this season, Wolves manager Vitor Pereira described him as a “special” talent.

“Matheus Cunha is a player, in my opinion, who can reach high standards in this league. I hope not [elsewhere] because we need him.”

Aston Villa suffered a 3-1 defeat away to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday evening.

Despite the quality on show for PSG, it was the Villans who took the lead, and what a goal it was. Marcus Rashford played a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Youri Tielemans, who fired a cross to the back post where Morgan Rogers was waiting to tap home.

Player ratings courtesy of Sofascore

The home side hit back just moments before the halftime whistle. The electric Desire Doue was the goalscorer, cutting inside onto his right foot and curling his shot into the top right corner, past Emiliano Martinez.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia gave PSG the lead in the 49th minute with a goal that put his side in the box seat.

It was a remarkable effort, carrying the ball from just inside the Villa half into the penalty box, before rolling it onto his left foot and firing home high into the back of the net. Nuno Mendes sealed the win in the second minute of stoppage time, selling Martinez a dummy and rifling his effort home into a near-empty net.

It was a tough night at the office for Unai Emery’s side, who came up against some high-quality attackers. Matty Cash was one player who struggled to cope at times.

Matty Cash's performance in numbers vs PSG

It is never easy as a defender when you are coming directly up against Doue, Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele. Poland international Cash certainly struggled at times at right-back and had little respite from the Les Parisiens attackers.

Indeed, those attackers in a PSG shirt were relentless and really had Cash tied up in knots at times. The Villans number 2 picked up a yellow card for a cynical foul in the 17th minute to stop a counter-attack.

Minutes

45

45

Pass accuracy

50%

69%

Key passes

0

1

Tackles + interceptions

3

3

Duels won

3/8

2/5

Possession lost

9x

5x

Fouls committed

4

0

This made it tough at times for him to engage, given that he was at risk of committing a foul and receiving a second yellow card.

In fact, the stats from the game reflect just how tough of a night it was for Cash. As per Sofascore, the 27-year-old won just three of eight attempted ground duels and committed four fouls. Impressively, he did manage to win all three of his attempted tackles.

It was certainly a tough evening and it was perhaps unsurprising to see he was substituted at half time for Axel Disasi.

He will surely be hoping the second leg at Villa Park is a little more forgiving. However, he was not the only Villa player who struggled at the Parc des Princes.

Aston Villa's other underperformer

As much as Villa had to do defensively on Wednesday night, it meant their attackers did not get much joy going forward, aside from Rogers’ goal. One of the players who suffered that fate was homegrown hero Jacob Ramsey.

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The boyhood Villa star did not necessarily play badly against the French giants but did not have much joy going forward. He also had his work cut out defensively, having to track Achraf Hakimi, who mauraded forward a lot throughout the game.

Indeed, Ramsey’s stats from the game show just how tough it was for him. The Villa number 41 had 29 touches of the ball, completing 61% of his passes and losing the ball ten times. He won three from four duels but failed to win his only attempted tackle.

Touches

29

Pass accuracy

61%

Passes completed

11/18

Ground duels won

3/4

Number of times ball lost

10

Dribbles completed

1/1

Tackles won

0/1

The 23-year-old received a 5/0 post-match rating for his performance from Goal journalist Richie Mills. He described Ramsey as “quite quiet” throughout the game and explained that “much of his work involved trying to track back” and defend against Hakimi.

It will be interesting to see if Ramsey keeps his place in the starting lineup in the next seven days. Villa have the already-relegated Southampton away from home over the weekend before the return leg against PSG next Tuesday.

Emery has several options at his disposal. PSG Lonaee Marco Asensio replaced Ramsey on the hour mark at the Parc des Princes, and Ollie Watkins also missed out on a starting spot.

Perhaps Emery will turn to one of those if he decides to look for more directness in the attack, thus rotating Ramsey out of the side for a huge clash next week.

He was worse than Disasi: Emery must drop 4/10 Aston Villa dud after PSG

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The allrounder talks about how the franchise has unlocked his big-hitting ability and put him at ease amid superstars

Shashank Kishore14-Apr-2025Ramandeep Singh was picked by Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2022 as a potential replacement for Hardik Pandya. However, he was released after just playing five games when Hardik returned to the franchise from Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of IPL 2024.Ramandeep then put himself back in the reckoning after helping Punjab win the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in November 2023. As it turned out, he didn’t need to chase opportunities – Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had been tracking him and signed him ahead of IPL 2024.He impressed as a lower-order finisher for KKR, scoring 125 runs at a strike rate of 201.61 in nine innings during a title-winning season. Those performances earned him a retention ahead of IPL 2025. Ramandeep hasn’t made much impact this season so far, scoring 29 runs off 23 balls with a top score of 22, and he is yet to bowl.Related

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“It’s a confidence booster to be retained,” Ramandeep told ESPNcricinfo during the 2024-25 domestic season. “Prior to the auction, a lot of teams told me ‘don’t get retained, we’ll pick you, we’re ready to go up to 9-10 crore’. But loyalty matters a lot to me.”KKR gave me a platform when I needed it the most. I remember around the time retentions were to be decided, Venky [Mysore, KKR chief executive] sir called and said, ‘you’re in our retention plans, what are you thinking? It’s eventually your call – if you were to get into the auction, we’ll try and RTM’.”But I told him I’m happy to get retained. Once you’re in the auction, there’s no guarantee you’ll be in the same team, and I didn’t want to leave KKR. For me, a few crores less didn’t make a difference. I wanted to respect their word.”He credits the stint with KKR for opening up several areas of his game over the past two years.”Being picked by KKR has changed everything for me,” Ramandeep said. “I still remember that practice match at our pre-season camp before last year’s IPL. We needed six runs off two balls, and I cleared the ropes to win the game. GG [Gautam Gambhir, then team mentor] had a long chat with me afterwards.”The first thing he told me was: ‘we’ll back you no matter what’. And I’m glad I was able to back his belief. To be able to get to where I am, a lot of work has gone behind the scenes, and KKR has played a huge part. Abhishek Nayar [former assistant coach] conducted sessions tirelessly in Thane, where he’d make me bat three hours at one go in the nets at times. I’d never batted that long – nets or match.

“It was like a movie reel in my head. The sacrifices made by my parents, my early days in school cricket in Chandigarh, my domestic debut for Punjab, my IPL trials, the rejections…”Ramandeep Singh on getting his India cap from Hardik Pandya

“It helped me open up my game. I had power, but training with him taught me how to channel that power. And it helped me in the domestic season as well. It kicked in a lot of self-belief. There was an attitude shift in me, the fear element went away because of the backing. After last year’s IPL, I did well at Sher-e-Punjab [T20 tournament] and for India A [ACC Emerging Nations Cup].”It was during the semi-final of the ACC tournament in Al Amerat against Afghanistan that Ramandeep got another massive break: an India call-up for the four-match T20I series in South Africa. When the news of his selection came out, Ramandeep was trying to help India A chase down 206 from a precarious 100 for 5 in 12.4 overs.He gave Afghanistan a scare, hitting eight fours and two sixes during his 34-ball 64. Even though India A fell short, Ramandeep’s hitting abilities and a catch from earlier in the tournament in a game against Pakistan got widespread attention.”Apparently, after the match, my dad got a call from my coach saying ‘congrats’, and my dad was like, ‘for what, we’ve lost the semi-final’. He was unaware I’d been selected. When my coach broke the news of my India call-up, my dad started crying. Later, when I finished the game and switched on my phone, I had tons of messages, more than usual. [It was making more noise than usual]. It was an amazing feeling.”Ramandeep Singh hit his first ball in international cricket for six•AFP/Getty ImagesRamandeep didn’t need to wait long for his international debut, and hit a six off his first ball. As he was presented his maiden cap by Hardik, memories from his journey until that point came rushing back.”It was like a movie reel in my head,” he said. “The sacrifices made by my parents, my early days in school cricket in Chandigarh, my domestic debut for Punjab, my IPL trials, the rejections. Even my IPL debut where I walked out to bat with Dinesh Karthik keeping, Glenn Maxwell at slip and Virat Kohli staring at me from the covers.”I was so nervous before the match but just before going out, Sachin [Tendulkar] sir told me, ‘enjoy, this is your moment, your IPL debut won’t come again’. That helped me. I remembered all these moments.”At MI, Ramandeep had the opportunity to work with Kieron Pollard. At KKR, he gets to train and learn from Andre Russell, who he brings up unprompted.”Imagine someone of Russell’s stature coming with me for an optional net, and telling the coaches, ‘don’t worry about Raman, I’ve got him sorted’. He didn’t need to do that, but for him to tag along to training, watch from behind, give me his inputs – it’s a very big thing. We speak a lot on and off the field.

“The goal is to win championships for my country. The role I’ve been given in the team is to finish games, that’s what I prepare for, whether I’m playing for KKR, Punjab or India. I’ll always stay true to that”Ramandeep Singh

“The culture here at KKR has been like that. There’s no star culture, everyone’s treated equally, young or old. The same attention, the same facilities whether you’re a retained player or a rookie. Conversations are blunt, and in your face. No conversations behind your back. It’s also a light environment, where you focus on practice and give it your best in the match.”No star culture except when it comes to the superstar owner, Ramandeep says with a chuckle.”He [Shah Rukh Khan] is amazing. When he chats with you, it feels personal. There are so many layers to a conversation. He once spoke to me about self-belief and hard work; it has stayed with me . He spoke of a time when he first came to Bombay, how he had to start from scratch.”He said, ‘I didn’t have a godfather. I wasn’t the best looking, I wasn’t the most talented actor. I wasn’t the best dancer. All he had was hard work. He said, ‘that’s the only way you can stay on top; distractions will keep coming, but what stays with you is the hard work – don’t ever leave that’.”Ramandeep wants to contribute with the ball as well. There’s also an inherent belief that he can be a “big match winner”. “Definitely working on my bowling, I want to be a proper allrounder. that’s my aim. The goal is to win championships for my country. The role I’ve been given in the team is to finish games, that’s what I prepare for, whether I’m playing for KKR, Punjab or India. I’ll always stay true to that.”

After much talk about their own brand of T20 aggression, Bangladesh prove their mettle

Mohammad Isam12-Mar-2023On a balmy Sunday evening at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Bangladesh took a leap of faith to cross its first T20 hurdle. What started in the T20 World Cup last year, under a cloud of questions, is finally paying dividends. It is the leap of a new group of players who are embedded into a dressing-room in transition. It was the faith of being adventurous, a bit ruthless. Faith in releasing a lot of experienced players. Faith in “new Bangladesh”, a team that has finally bought into the idea that T20Is are just as important as ODIs.Mehidy Hasan Miraz, after his double miracle against India in December, got back into his match-winning ways at the right time against England. He took a valuable four-wicket haul, playing a key role in two batting collapses in their innings. England are aware of this Mehidy. On their last Bangladesh tour in 2016, he had taken 19 wickets in the Test series – seven on debut and a further 12 in his country’s first Test win over the visitors. But now he is a proper allrounder with match-winning abilities. He came out swinging at No 5, with the home side getting stuck in the chase.Najmul Hossain Shanto’s 27-ball half-century had stung England in the first T20I in Chattogram, but he played an anchor role in the second game. After all, this match was in Dhaka, where this otherwise-defunct style of top-three T20 batting has to be revived to play such knocks. Shanto watched wickets fall regularly at the other end, so he played to his strength, but didn’t overtly attack the England bowlers. Shanto’s 46 off 47 balls ended up being the slowest 40-plus score in a Bangladesh win, but it had substance. Despite a regular fall of wickets, his presence allowed Mehidy to attack with a 16-ball 20 before Taskin Ahmed and Shanto ran well between the wickets to bring them the victory.Taskin is another of these elevated cricketers in the Bangladesh team, and one who took a long time to become a match-winner. But he now looks out into the galaxy of fast bowlers, containing stars such as Shaheen Shah Afridi and Josh Hazlewood, and can consider himself to be one of them. He fields very well too, and finds the middle of the bat in crunch moments, such as the penultimate (and decisive) over of this game.Litton Das hasn’t scored regularly in this series but he is now an established member of the side, who broke plenty of batting records in 2022. Afif Hossain has quietly become the most regular T20I player in the Bangladesh team, beating Mahmudullah’s 54-game streak. Hasan Mahmud is growing into a white-ball role that many believed he has had the potential since 2020. Towhid Hridoy, Rony Talukdar and Shamim Hossain have been picked in this series purely based on their BPL performances.The catalyst for this shift in mindset within the group came during the T20 World Cup last year. The BCB shook things up by bringing in Sridharan Sriram, effectively as the head coach, while the likes of Litton, Shanto, Mosaddek Hossain and Yasir Ali were given the assurance that they can play with freedom. Bangladesh didn’t set the world on fire in falling short of the knock-outs, but there was visible progress in their mentality.”I thought we did well in the T20 World Cup,” said Mehidy. “We had big opportunities, like if we beat Pakistan, we would have played the semi-final. We were unfortunate to miss out. Everyone currently is playing positively, everyone is clued to the gameplan. There’s not much to think in T20s. You just have to react to every ball that comes your way. There’s risk and courage involved. Look at Towhid Hridoy. He doesn’t look like someone who is playing his first international series.Related

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Mehidy and Shanto put the seal on Bangladesh's series win over England

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“Look at Shanto. There has been so much said about him. Some really bad stuff. Now he is playing so well. He has turned around, and shown excellent mentality. He is being consistent too. He did well in the T20 World Cup. He was the highest run-getter in the BPL. He is doing well in this series. These small changes have been huge for the team.”Victories such as these, against big teams like England ,will strengthen the team’s -self-confidence, Mehidy added.”We have young players with us, so doing well against big teams will give us the mental edge,” he said. “We can get stronger. We now know how to fight against big teams. There’s nothing to lose against big teams, but a lot to gain. We won this series. We had nothing to lose. But the way we won this series, will certainly motivate us.”Despite needing just 118 to win, Mehidy said that Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan had urged them to stay focused while mapping out their strategy during the mid-innings break. “We tried to be as calm as possible with the bat. We didn’t get too happy bowling them out. The captain said, don’t be happy just yet. We will celebrate after we win. We should be serious in every moment, and support those batting in the middle,” he said.Bangladesh frayed in that calmness on several occasions, but Shanto, Mehidy and Taskin have now faced these tough moments enough times to know exactly how to react. Shanto kept the chase going at one end, Mehidy ruffled the feathers at the other, before Taskin kept his nerve in the last two overs. New Bangladesh is a lot more about trust, confidence and positivity. But there’s going to be more. The next challenge awaits on Tuesday.

They are panicking and trying to attack from the crease rather than stepping out to get the bowler to change length

Ian Chappell27-Feb-20216:11

Rohit Sharma: ‘Intent wasn’t to survive, but to score’

Virat Kohli described the day-night third Test, in Ahmedabad, as “bizarre”, a word that aptly describes the England batsmen’s attempts to cope with India’s spinners.India’s decision to select three spinners for the Test was prompted by England’s batting on a tricky Chennai pitch, where their batsmen – Joe Root excepted – displayed a distinct ineptitude against spin. India correctly calculated that would result in mental scarring and used it to their advantage.From the moment Axar Patel conjured up the ultimate thimble-and-pea trick to dismiss Jonny Bairstow with a straight delivery, England were in a spin. Is the ball over there? No, it’s here.When faced with a serious spin challenge, the England batsmen didn’t trust their defence, which eventually resulted in panicked attempts to attack the Indian spinners. Their choice to reverse-sweep rather than to leave their crease to change the bowler’s length is a classic example.Related

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The science of deception

How can a risky premeditated shot be less dangerous than what was previously a trusted technique to unsettle good spinners?One of the first principles of batting – especially on a pitch assisting spinners – is to keep the odds slightly in your favour.Following the memorable 2000-01 series in India where VVS Laxman made a magnificent 281 on a testing surface, I asked Shane Warne how he thought he had performed. “I didn’t think I bowled badly,” he replied. “You didn’t,” was my response. “When a batsman alters your length drastically by coming out three paces and then is quickly onto the back foot when you toss the next delivery a little higher and shorter, that’s not bad bowling, that’s excellent footwork.”Shrewd use of footwork not only helps negate the spin but also puts a batsman in a position to direct the ball where he wants, rather than where the bowler would prefer it to be hit.To be fair, this is a skill to be learned at a young age. Which prompts the question: why is it not widely taught in England, where sweeping is misguidedly touted as the secret to playing spin bowling successfully?Another prominent theory is to take block on off stump when the ball is spinning back in to the batsman.Ollie Pope was looking to attack India’s spinners but at the same time was worried about getting stumped•Saikat Das/BCCIThis flawed theory closes off scoring opportunities through the on side. It’s designed to reduce the chances of being dismissed rather than to create scoring opportunities, which is always a bad option. It also causes batsmen to play balls towards leg slip. Why deliberately hit the ball where there’s a catching fielder?I asked former Australia batsman Doug Walters: “How do you get caught at leg slip when an offspinner is bowling?””You can’t,” he replied.Walters is the best batsman I’ve seen against top-class offspin bowling. He scored a century in a session on a tricky Queen’s Park Oval pitch against Lance Gibbs and crafted a brilliant hundred against Erapalli Prasanna on a Chepauk pitch that was every bit as difficult as the one in the recent Test there between India and England. On both occasions he used lightning quick footwork to both negate the spin and manipulate the field placings against two champion offspin bowlers.Back in Ahmedabad, Ollie Pope decided to use his feet against the Indian spinners. He had the right idea but the wrong execution. Firstly, he jumped rather than glided out of the crease. Secondly, his front foot pressed forward but the back one lingered, as if searching for the safety of the crease.I was told two crucial things about footwork when I was very young: “Get stumped by three yards not three inches,” my coach said, “and never think about the keeper when you leave the crease.”Pope was conscious of the keeper as he tentatively ventured out of his crease, which meant he was worried he would miss the delivery. That results in footwork that hinders rather than helps.It’s never easy against good spinners on a challenging surface, but it is possible to play well; just not the way England are going about it.

The allrounder replaces Ellyse Perry as the club look to the future after just one finals appearance in six seasons

Tristan Lavalette07-Nov-2025

Ash Gardner will be looking to restore Sydney Sixers’ standing•Getty Images

Ashleigh Gardner will further her leadership development after taking the reins from Ellyse Perry as captain of Sydney Sixers, a WBBL franchise hoping to recapture their former standing.The transition signals a new era after Perry had captained Sixers since the inaugural season in 2015-16, yielding back-to-back titles in the second and third seasons of WBBL. But Sixers’ status as an on-field powerhouse has faded away having failed to qualify for the finals in five of the past six seasons.Related

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It is a major reset for Sixers under the fresh leadership of Gardner and new head coach Matthew Mott, the former coach of the Australia women’s team and England men’s white-ball sides.Gardner, 28, has been an integral part of the Sixers from the start, holding the club record for games (135) and wickets (102), while also sitting third for runs (2607). She has long been viewed as an Australia captain in the making, particularly impressing over the years in promoting Indigenous culture and history.Gardner should be in the mix to succeed Alyssa Healy, who confirmed the recent ODI World Cup would be her last in that format. Earlier this year, Gardner was the vice-captain on the T20I tour of New Zealand, where Tahlia McGrath captained in Healy’s absence.Her Sixers appointment follows being handed the captaincy of Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League and Trent Rockets in the Hundred.”I’m honoured to be appointed captain of the Sydney Sixers, a club I’ve proudly represented for my whole career,” Gardner said. “Over the past decade I’ve learned from some amazing leaders, including Pez [ Perry] and Midge [Healy] at the Sixers, and I can’t wait to lead the team.”Perry, 35, will remain at Sixers for at least the next three seasons. “It’s been an immense pleasure to have the opportunity to lead the Sixers over the last ten years,” she said.”Ash has offered so much to Sixers on-and-off the field and her strong interest in giving her best as a leader will be an exciting starting point for our team this season.”Healy will miss Sixers’ season-opener due to a minor thumb injury sustained in the World Cup semi-final. The injury will be monitored when she returns to training next week.Sixers start their campaign against Perth Scorchers on Sunday at the WACA.Meanwhile, Melbourne Renegades captain Sophie Molineux will miss the opening two matches as she manages a minor quad strain. Georgia Wareham will take the captaincy in her absence.

MatériaMais Notícias

Fluminense e Botafogo se enfrentam no Maracanã neste domingo (3), às 16h (de Brasília), pelo Campeonato Carioca. A partida terá transmissão de Band, Bandsports (TV fechada) e Canal GOAT (YouTube). O Tricolor já está classificado às semifinais e ocupa a segunda colocação, com 21 pontos, enquanto o Glorioso está em quinto, com 17, e luta por uma vaga no mata-mata.

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Confira abaixo todas as informações que você precisa saber sobre o confronto (onde assistir, horário, escalações e local).

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
Fluminense x Botafogo
Campeonato Carioca – 11ª rodada

Data e horário: domingo, 3 de março de 2024, às 16h (de Brasília)
Local: Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro (RJ)
Onde assistir: Band, Bandsports e Canal GOAT (YouTube)
Arbitragem: Felipe da Silva Gonçalves Paludo (árbitro); Thiago Rosa de Oliveira Esposito e Thiago Filemon Soares Pinto (assistentes).

⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
FLUMINENSE (Técnico: Fernando Diniz)
Fábio; Guga, Thiago Santos, Marlon e Diogo Barbosa; André, Martinelli e Renato Augusto; Douglas Costa, Jhon Arias e John Kennedy.

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BOTAFOGO (Técnico: Fábio Matias)
Gatito Fernández; Damián Suárez, Lucas Halter, Bastos e Hugo; Danilo Barbosa, Marlon Freiras (Gregore ou Tchê Tchê) e Eduardo; Júnior Santos, Savarino e Tiquinho Soares.

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BotafogoCampeonato CariocaFluminenseOnde assistir