All posts by h716a5.icu

Five ways that Sunrisers can surprise CSK

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

How about Rashid Khan as opener if they end up chasing?

Vishal Dikshit in Mumbai26-May-20181:00

Sunrisers road to final

Sunrisers Hyderabad have played Chennai Super Kings three times this IPL – at different venues and with different XIs – and lost every time. ESPNcricinfo looks at five things they could do better to try and beat MS Dhoni’s men in the IPL final.Identify their best XI: Play Khaleel and Brathwaite again?
Carlos Brathwaite’s bowling figures in the second qualifier were 2-0-15-2, but he was so close to losing the match for Sunrisers. Defending 18 in the last over, he bowled two length balls “in the slot,” as former England spinner Graeme Swann said later, and had two batsmen caught on the leg-side boundary at Eden Gardens. The Wankhede stadium has a much smaller playing area, and Brathwaite should know, having conceded 20 runs in one over when CSK needed 43 off three.Kane Williamson defended Brathwaite’s death-bowling after losing the first qualifier. But he may still be tempted to bring back Alex Hales because, even without Brathwaite, Sunrisers have five bowling options.One of those five, at least for the first 11 matches, was Sandeep Sharma. He had 11 wickets at a stifling economy rate of 7.02, but fell away in the last couple of games. Sunrisers made the brave call of handing a debut to Khaleel Ahmed in a knockout match and the left-arm quick was taken apart by KKR. Maybe for the final, against a solid batting line-up on a pitch that offers swing early on, Williamson could go with Sandeep’s experience.Fix the top order’s strike rate
All through the season, their fans have been waiting for the Sunrisers middle order to find form, but now they face a new problem with the top order too. Since Williamson moved down to No. 3, they are without a proper opener to partner Shikhar Dhawan, which has resulted in two unimpressive Powerplay scores: 47 for 3 in the first qualifier and 45 for 0 in the second. In both innings, either Williamson or Dhawan was left to do the quick scoring because Shreevats Goswami and Wriddhiman Saha could not get going. They need to change that strategy now. On Sunday, the other opener should go after the CSK bowlers so that Dhawan and Williamson can concentrate on batting long.What’s the chasing plan?
The Sunrisers bowlers are better than any other team at defending totals, no matter how small they are, but their batting is too dependent on Williamson and Dhawan, especially in chases.Williamson has scored 32% of Sunrisers’ runs while chasing, and Dhawan has also found better form after recovering from an elbow injury that made him miss a couple of matches. But no matter how strong a start they provide, Sunrisers need someone to build on that platform.Yusuf Pathan did it once against CSK with a 27-ball 45, but could not see them through. Manish Pandey has been unrecognisable, dropped for Deepak Hooda in the second qualifier against KKR, and Shakib Al Hasan has a high score of only 35 this season. In Mumbai, where most captains chase to win, this lack of middle-order support could be a big problem.Kaul, Bhuvneshwar and who else at the death?
If Sunrisers are defending, we know Siddarth Kaul and Bhuvneshwar Kumar will bowl two of the last three overs. So who will bowl the other one?Against CSK, Williamson kept his strike bowlers for the last two overs, giving Brathwaite the 18th, which turned out to be a match-losing move. On Friday night, Dhawan said they had learnt from that mistake and against KKR, who needed 39 from 18, Williamson gave Bhuvneshwar and Kaul the 18th and 19th overs. They conceded 20 runs, leaving Brathwaite 18 to defend off the final six balls. He pulled it off, but it was far from a clinical performance.A possible solution is to keep two of Bhuvneshwar’s overs for the death. And there’s a good chance of that happening if Shakib bowls his full quota of overs. He didn’t in Kolkata perhaps because there were too many left-handers in the opposition. But CSK have only one in the top six.Use Rashid the hitter more?
MS Dhoni was enjoying himself with the pads on in the dugout when he sent Deepak Chahar and Harbhajan Singh up the order in the last league game against Kings XI Punjab. He wanted to instill a bit of “chaos” he said. Sunrisers could do the same to CSK by using the batting skills Rashid Khan exhibited on Friday night.Batting first, even if they have six or seven wickets in hand, Sunrisers could promote Rashid in the death overs to get those quick runs he scored at No. 8 against KKR.Batting second, will Sunrisers consider opening with Rashid, like Narine does for KKR? Rashid used to open for his club in Afghanistan when he started playing and his range of strokes in the second qualifier proved he is not just a pinch-hitter. It’s something their opponents may not expect, and it’s something that may make a difference after three defeats to CSK.

How the India-Bangladesh rivalry came to be

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Since their defeat in the 2015 World Cup quarter-final, whenever Bangladesh have played India, there has been that “lose to anyone but India” mentality

Shashank Kishore in Dubai28-Sep-20183:01

India v Bangladesh: The story of an intense rivalry

Until 20 years ago, India versus Bangladesh was a friendly sibling rivalry. Jagmohan Dalmiya, the former ICC president, was a senior statesman-like figure who received the adulation reserved for heads of states in Dhaka.A year out from World Cup 1999, Dalmiya organised a tri-series in India, featuring Kenya as the third team, to give Bangladesh more game time in the build up to the big event. He fought for their Test status and inducted them in 2000 amid much fanfare and criticism. Dalmiya fought to give them a voice in the ICC. In turn, Bangladesh was BCCI’s 3am-friend when it came to voting on cricketing matters.At some stage, the younger sibling wanted to emerge from the shadows of the older one, perhaps because of being marginalised when it came to cricketing matters. A lot of this was due to BCCI’s indifference in terms of hosting Bangladesh, the Test team. They had to wait for 17 years before playing their first Test in the country, in February 2017.The BCCI found ways to turn down requests to host Bangladesh even for ODIs, citing losses in the broadcast and advertising revenues. Instead, they preferred to tour there at convenient times. Over the years, as Bangladesh started to expand their cricket horizons and develop players who had the X-factor at the world stage, the obsession to beat India grew several fold.When the biggest of upsets finally happened on the global stage, for the first time, in 2007, Bangladesh had arrived. When Tamim Iqbal stepped out to disdainfully hoick Zaheer Khan for six over long-on at the Queen’s Park Oval, it was as if Bangladesh had found new self-belief.When Mushfiqur Rahim hit the winning runs and fist-pumped his senior colleagues – he’d later rue another infamous fist-pump a decade later in Bengaluru – a country celebrated long and hard into the night. Beating India seemed a validation of their ability and talent.However, such instances remained few and far between, and, when in 2014, the BCCI, ECB and Cricket Australia decided to take over world cricket, the gulf started to widen. Bangladesh were now worried about being marginalised even more. They wondered if the regular stream of Tests featuring the “Big Three” would come their way. They feared being pushed to a second tier, and Mushfiqur openly questioned this “bias against Bangladesh”.The administrative distractions took a back seat, and the 2015 World Cup happened. Bangladesh ousted England to make it to the quarter-finals for the first time in the tournament’s history. It was to be a momentous occasion with Bangladeshi emotions running high, and, on cue, all hell broke loose. A no-ball call that reprieved Rohit Sharma triggered online wars, driven by the social media frenzy and a passionate Bangladeshi media. When Rohit went on to hit a century and oust Bangladesh, it turned into a full-blown attack.Rubel Hossain is pumped up after dismissing Virat Kohli•Getty ImagesOff the field, Virender Sehwag’s pre-series shooter of “Bangladesh are an ordinary side, they can’t take 20 wickets”, in 2010 triggered the “lose-to-anyone-but-India” mentality, an obsession even. Since then, even if the players have tried to refrain from making statements or isolate themselves from social media chatter, they haven’t been allowed to. Invariably, at press conferences, there has been the odd question about the “rivalry”.In 2015, the Mirpur crowd was particularly hostile to the Indian team, mocking them with the “” jibe (a Star Sports advertisement) when Bangladesh beat India in the ODI series. Sudhir Gautam, India’s super fan, alleged that he was accosted outside the Shere Bangla National Stadium and had to be given security cover after an ODI in which Dhoni shoulder-barged Mustafizur in frustration. It got uglier when a photoshopped image of Taskin Ahmed holding MS Dhoni’s severed head went viral on social media just before the 2016 Asia Cup final.These instances have contributed to the ‘beat India’ mentality, one that has also resulted in a number of “chokes”, like at the MCG in 2015 and Bengaluru in 2016, where Mushfiqur celebrated prematurely. More recently in the Nidahas Trophy, Bangladesh celebrated with the dance after defeating Sri Lanka and faced India in the final, where they lost yet another nervy clash that was in their grasp until the final 12 balls of the chase.This mentality hasn’t done any credit to their remarkable progress since 2015. As an example of that progress: the side that once looked at Australia with envy, now plots mind games against them, rattles them on dry turners at home, turns around dead games into one-on-one contests, wanting to battle it out to win games for the country. They’re giant-killers no more, they’re dark horses that no side can underestimate, not in England, most certainly not in Bangladesh.There has been a slight change to this mentality, though, at the Asia Cup. Mashrafe has downplayed the magnitude of the occasion, and doesn’t think it’s war. He admits the social media chatter around the teams has resulted in bad blood from the outside. He is clear, though, that there’s nothing festering within here in Dubai.Mashrafe summed it up best when he said: “Frankly, when Tamim took the field with a broken finger, to me I had won the Asia Cup right then. We aren’t going to war in the final. Let’s just treat it like a cricket match and enjoy the occasion.”Over to team now, to show composure and the confidence they’ve gathered over the years, rather than show the “win at all cost” mentality that has perhaps resulted in more pressure on Tamim, Shakib and Mushfiqur than any injury.

Sarfaraz Khan – ready for a fresh reboot with Kings XI Punjab

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

After a rollercoaster ride with RCB, the young batsman may have found his niche batting higher up the order at his new franchise

Sruthi Ravindranath in Jaipur27-Mar-2019 (Fear? I’d left it back at the hotel before coming here).”It sounds like something straight from a Bollywood movie, but that was Sarfaraz Khan’s response when asked about an audacious scoop shot he had played during Kings XI Punjab’s season opener against Rajasthan Royals on Monday.In the 20th over of the Kings XI innings, Sarfaraz got the Sawai Mansingh Stadium roaring with an adventurous scoop off a Ben Stokes short ball that sailed over the third-man boundary. Sarfaraz later dropped that Bollywood-esque remark while speaking with team-mate KL Rahul on after Kings XI’s win.The scoop was just one of the highlights of his stroke-filled 46 not out off 29 balls. There was a sweetly-timed textbook sweep and a wristy cover drive off K Gowtham, and, to top it off, one that was powerfully dispatched over midwicket off the last ball of the innings.Amid the highly-anticipated IPL return of Steven Smith, Chris Gayle’s boisterous 47-ball 79, and R Ashwin mankading Jos Buttler later in the day, Sarfaraz had managed to stand out. Sure, he might have had the limelight taken away from him, but for a 21-year-old batsman who had endured a rough couple of years – mainly due to fitness issues – the knock proved to be an opportunity to shine again.”I’ve done a lot of hard work,” Sarfaraz told ESPNcricinfo. “I don’t think a lot about comebacks and things. I’m here to show my game and will try to do my best. If it is destined to be that way then nobody can stop me.”I hadn’t played any cricket because of my knee injury. I had a surgery and I had to take rest so I lost touch. But this year I’ve worked really hard. I’m focusing on fitness but more than that, I’m focusing on batting because of what happened last year.”Sarfaraz had been a surprising choice as one of three players retained by Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead of the 2018 IPL auction. The other two were Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. While Sarfaraz made an impact in his debut season in 2015, that was followed by a dismal campaign in 2016, when he was benched for most parts of the season because of his lack of fitness. In 2017, he missed the entire tournament with injury. So the retention did raise a few eyebrows.In six innings last year, Sarfaraz made just 51 runs, and his strike rate of 124.39 wasn’t very rapid either. In addition, he had fitness woes to deal with. He was eventually released by Royal Challengers ahead of the 2019 auction before finding a second home in Kings XI, who picked him up for just INR 25 lakhs – a fraction of what he had been paid (INR 1.75 crore) when retained by Royal Challengers in 2018.Amid all of this, he had troubles with his domestic side as well. Having switched from Mumbai to Uttar Pradesh in 2015 upon his father’s insistence, Sarfaraz endured an average run of form and was eventually dropped from the side on fitness grounds. After much contemplation, he returned to Mumbai last year, where he was asked to serve the mandatory one-year cooling off period.”I know it was my dad’s decision to shift me from Mumbai to UP… but there I did not get many chances as I expected because of injury issues while I was there. They thought that I was not fully fit so I was dropped from the one-day side. From then it was my decision to go back to Mumbai and play there.”When I returned to Mumbai after being in UP for two years, I had a cooling off period because of which I missed out on top-level cricket,” he said. “But even then I worked hard on my game. I played in the DY Patil tournament and in the Goa Corporate League, a lot of IPL players play there usually. It’s not like if you don’t play domestic cricket, you completely lose out on quality game time.”While the big stars usually manned Royal Challengers’ top order, Sarfaraz mostly batted at No. 5 or lower, bearing the mantle of being the finisher or providing a late flourish. At his new franchise, he is already impressed with the communication within the team and is hopeful he will get to play a new role – mainly to bat higher up the order, like he did against Royals.”I’m very happy here in KXIP. The thing about playing here is the players communicate well. They say ‘this is your problem, this is where you can improve.’ Ashwin also talks a lot and says a lot of positive stuff.”I’m playing to expand my roles. I never used to get to play in the top order for RCB. I only batted at 5 or 6. But this year, I feel if I get to bat at the top, I’ll do well.”The presence of his former Royal Challengers team-mates in the likes of KL Rahul, Gayle, and Mandeep Singh, among others, has further helped Sarfaraz settle down in the new environment.”It feels like I’m 19 again. Feels like I’m still in my old team that we are together. Off the field, we enjoy as well.”

How Mohammad Nabi almost hustled a big upset for Afghanistan over India

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

“At times, we felt the way Nabi was playing was irritating” – Mohammed Shami

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Southampton22-Jun-2019KL Rahul is on one knee. The bat is turned in his gloves. His reverse sweep is in motion. But the ball he is awaiting is hanging in mid-air. Like a painting in a gallery. When eventually it arrives, Rahul is so off balance, he can only send it floating to short third man, those extra split seconds of flight having drawn the power from his shot. It is not a remarkable ball. There are no eye-catching revs. No drift. Barely an iota of turn.But the bowler, Mohammad Nabi, is not trying to be remarkable. He is not trying to dazzle you. Man is here to hustle.Sixteen overs later, another less-than-special delivery, another swindle. On a sticky pitch on which other batsmen are dragging the weight of their own labours around, Kohli is gliding, transcendental. Nabi has bowled 18 deliveries at Kohli, and never appeared threatening. But looking like getting him out is not the thing; the thing is to get. With his 19th ball, this humdrum bowler floats a slightly wide ball at perhaps the most extraordinary batting being on the planet right now. He invites the cut. A little overspin. A half-bat width of extra bounce. Another catch at third man. A hustle.Watch on Hotstar (India only): Highlights of Nabi’s performanceAlmost no bowler in the world appears to be doing so little, and yet leaves an imprint so indelible. Without Nabi’s outstanding returns through the middle overs – nine overs in which he did not conced a single boundary, and only one two – India’s innings might have entered those higher gears – the kind which, so often, there is no shifting them down from. Beyond the two vital wickets, his economy rate of 3.66 was the best for Afghanistan.Bat in hand, Nabi is almost more nondescript. His cut shot looks like it was mass produced in Japan – a sturdy, working, repeatable thing. His drives are prefabricated, cement and stone. There is a little grace to his pull, but he never admires the shot. His weight has moved forward the moment the ball has left bat, pressing forward in search of another run. When Afghanistan were hounding India down though those tense, late stages, it was always Nabi calling his partner through, turning those ones into twos. It was always Nabi who was hustling hardest. Nabi, who kept coming at India, refusing to go away.”At times, we felt the way Nabi was playing was irritating,” Mohammed Shami, who ended the match with a hat-trick, said. “But we were also conscious of the fact that we did not want to show the opposition that we were irritated. We were very clear that if we get his wicket, then the match is ours. He alone was a batsman who could build his innings and score. You have to remain aggressive in those situations.”Mohammad Nabi goes after Mohammed Shami•Getty ImagesNabi’s four off Shami at the start of the 45th over re-energised a chase that seemed to have acquired a limp. His six over midwicket in the 47th over made death-overs master Jasprit Bumrah seem human, if only briefly, before the bowler started nailing his yorkers again.With 16 needed off the last over, and a specialist wicketkeeper for company, the match seemed beyond Afghanistan, but a mighty four down the ground off Shami raised the final hackles of hope, before they were lowered again, with Nabi’s holing out to long on – the wicket that precipitated the hat-trick.It was no surprise, though, that it was Nabi that very nearly delivered a famous victory, and turned Afghanistan’s campaign around. Rashid Khan is an otherworldly talent. Mujeeb Ur Rahman has his sleight of hand. But when the team is in a destructive spiral, going from loss to embarrassing loss, it took Nabi and his hustle to bring Afghanistan roaring back.

'The best white-ball game of all time!'

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Scores level after 100 overs. Scores level after the Super Over. England beat New Zealand 26-17 on the number of boundaries hit in the final to become world champions. Can’t believe it? That’s how the sporting fraternity reacted as well

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jul-2019

You had to feel for Kane Williamson and his team after that finish.

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Heartbreaking. Never in our lives will we see a game as great as that again. Drama, emotion, skill and respect. Thank you Nz and thank you England.

A post shared by Brendon McCullum (@bazmccullum42) on Jul 14, 2019 at 11:27pm PDT

Jimmy Neesham, who faced five balls from Jofra Archer in the Super Over, expressed his anguish.

Well, we witnessed a thriller for the ages.

'Will miss the friendly people, but not the backstabbing ex-players' – Grant Flower

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

The outgoing Pakistan batting coach speaks candidly about which players need improvement, his favourite and not-so-favourite memories

Interview by Danyal Rasool15-Aug-2019In 5 years in Pakistan, what did you like best about living here?The friendliness of the people.What was the most frustrating thing about living in Pakistan?The security aspect and the lack of freedom.Proudest personal achievement?Winning the Champions Trophy.Most frustrating day with the Pakistan team?Well, there were quite a few! Getting hammered by the West Indies in the first game of the World Cup that proved to be the nail in the coffin for our semi-final chances.What will you miss the most about working in Pakistan?The passion of the players and the natural flair and their love of the game. It was such a nice thing to see because they’ve got so much to gain by playing for Pakistan and so much to lose by not playing. It’s such a big thing for them and their families.What won’t you miss about working in Pakistan?Some of the backstabbing by ex-players. And a lot of the politics that happens within the TV channels, the journalists and some of the politics in the PCB itself. I won’t miss those, certainly.Where do you rank Babar Azam among the players you have personally coached?He’s probably the best bloke I’ve ever coached – certainly the best Pakistani I’ve ever coached.Which Pakistan batsman doesn’t get the credit he deserves?I think Haris Sohail is probably an underachiever – I think a lot of people haven’t seen the best of him yet.Where do you see Pakistan’s top three in five years? Will it be the same three?I’m not sure about Fakhar (Zaman); he’s got to get his technique a bit tighter, but the other two will definitely be there, no question about that.What can the PCB do to ensure players maximise their potential and Pakistan isn’t left with unfulfilled talents?Getting a stronger domestic structure in place. That will help massively.Waqar Younis or Mickey Arthur?Mickey Arthur.What do you want to do in future?Get another coaching job somewhere. Hopefully improve in some areas I wasn’t as proficient in. Maybe I’ve got to look at myself. Either become a batting coach or head coach elsewhere.Asad Shafiq has a chat with Grant Flower•AFPDid you think you could have taken a firmer line with some of the players who kept making the same mistakes?It depends on your relationship with the players or how you get the best out of them. I think a lot of batting coaching is about confidence. Players having confidence in the batting coach and vice versa. And if you lose that confidence then the players aren’t going to believe in you and talk to you about the problems they’re having. So I think that’s one of the biggest things in coaching, having that relationship with the players.I did do one strong interview after which a couple of players approached me and discussed what they thought of that. I did come hard at them at times, but you don’t want to break that trust, because you’re never going to repair it.Which player improved the most in the five years you were there?Babar Azam’s the obvious one. But also Imam-ul-Haq, I think he’s really improved. You’re going to see a lot more of him because he’s very driven. As long as he doesn’t get too far ahead of himself, I think he’s going to have a really good career.Which player do you think hasn’t kicked on as much as you wanted him to?I suppose I’d have to go for Fakhar Zaman. I’ve worked quite a lot with him, but he’s got such a different technique to others. He’s quite hard to work with, even though he’s a lovely guy. There’s a lot of rawness about him, but his results have been very inconsistent. But I think he’s good enough to make something of it, but he’s got a lot of work to do.What would you like to say to Pakistan’s fans?I just want to wish them all the best for the future and being supportive and passionate, which they already are. And have faith. Have faith in the players and stick behind them. Look for the positives as opposed to the negatives.

Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy semi-finals; Mumbai fall short

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Mumbai posted a huge total but their 22-run victory against Punjab in the end was little more than a scant consolation

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2019Jharkhand v Tamil NaduWashington Sundar and M Siddharth helped Tamil Nadu book a semi-final berth by setting up an easy win against Jharkhand. The spin duo shared seven wickets between them, flattening Jharkhand’s batting line-up and helping bowl them out for 85, which Tamil Nadu’s top-order then mowed down in 13.5 overs. Washington also top-scored with a 22-ball 38.Jharkhand captain Saurabh Tiwary was the only batsman to reach 20, after he had opted to bat. Washington accounted for the first three wickets to fall, following which Tiwary and Sumit Kumar batted it out for 4.1 overs to put up a 17-run stand – the highest in Jharkhand’s innings – before M Ashwin dismissed the former. Left-arm spinner Siddharth then ran riot, picking up three wickets in the space of 12 balls, including a double-strike in the 12th over. R Sai Kishore, the tournament’s top wicket-taker, then made Sonu Singh his 19th victim of the season. Siddharth had Sumit pinned in front in the next over to bag his second four-for this season, to move to 11 wickets in just three games. Vivekanand Tiwari’s run-out in the 19th over ended Jharkhand’s innings, with Washington finishing with figures of 3 for 10 and Siddharth with 4 for 18.Tamil Nadu lost openers C Hari Nishant for 7 and M Shahrukh Khan for 24, before a steady 51-run stand between Washington and Dinesh Karthik ensured a comfortable victory. Tamil Nadu will face Rajasthan in their semi-final in Surat on Friday. R Ashwin will join the squad ahead of the semi-final.Mumbai v PunjabFifties from Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav fired Mumbai to a big total and had the team briefly dreaming of a semi-final spot, but their bowlers were unable to follow through and complete the job. This meant their 22-run victory over Punjab was little more than a consolation.Mumbai began their Group B game in third place, four points behind Karnataka and needing a massive victory to boost their net run rate (NRR) and stand any chance of qualifying for the semi-finals.Their batsmen gave them that chance, as Mumbai compiled 243 for 3 from their 20 overs, thanks to Shaw’s rapid start (53 off 27 balls) and later a 140-run third-wicket stand between Iyer (80*) and the captain Yadav (80).Mumbai would have leapfrogged Karnataka had they kept Punjab to 150 or fewer, but those hopes quickly faded as Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma began the chase by racing to 84 inside eight overs. By the time Gill was dismissed for a 38-ball 78, in the 16th over, Punjab had motored to 175, mathematically ending Mumbai’s pursuit of a semi-final spot.Shreyas Iyer bunts one away off the back foot•BCCIPunjab, however, failed to regain momentum after Gill’s wicket, as a double-strike from Tushar Deshpande hampered their chase. They were left needing 47 off the last two overs, and Anmolpreet Singh’s late cameo (20 off 8 balls) was not enough to stave off defeat.Rajasthan v DelhiRajasthan prevailed in a close finish against Delhi to gain the net run-rate advantage over Maharashtra and qualify for the semi-final. Rajasthan, Baroda and Maharashtra all finished with eight points in Super League Group B, but Rajasthan’s superior net run-rate of -0.254 was enough to send them through.Rajasthan rode on Deepak Chahar’s half-century, after being reduced to 50 for 5, to get to a competitive total. Chahar made 53 off 42 balls, slamming seven sixes to help his team post 133 for 7. In reply, Delhi collapsed around Rishabh Pant’s 27-ball 50, with Rahul Chahar and Arjit Gupta polishing off the middle order and reducing them to 61 for 6.A brief resistance between Lalit Singh and Varun Sood kept Delhi’s hopes alive but Khaleel Ahmed and Aniket Choudhary struck to dent them further, as Rajasthan held their nerve to win by two runs.Maharashtra v HaryanaMaharashtra held on for a two-run win against Haryana, but the small margin of victory wasn’t enough to book their passage into the semi-finals. Haryana will meet Karnataka in the 2nd semi-final on Friday.Batting first, Maharashtra made a bright start as their opener Ruturaj Gaikwad razed 27 off 15 balls. Haryana fought back with two quick wickets, but a 77-run stand between Vijay Zol and Rahul Tripathi rebuilt the Maharashtra innings. Tripathi top-scored with a 37-ball 61, as Maharashtra eventually made 167 from their 20 overs.Haryana were dealt an early blow in their chase as Chaitanya Bishnoi was bowled by Samad Fallah off the very first ball. Harshal Patel (22) and Shivam Rishipal Chauhan (33) then steadied the innings, before a 13-ball 28 from Rahul Tewatia left Haryana needing just 43 from the last 37 balls.However, Tewatia’s run-out in the 14th over swung the advantage Maharashtra’s way, as Haryana started to lose wickets at quick intervals. It left the eighth-wicket pair of Amit Mishra and Jayant Yadav requiring 11 from the final over, but they could muster just eight runs.

Chelsea make offer this week to sign Real Madrid star for £59 million

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Chelsea have made an offer to sign a Real Madrid sensation in the last few days, with Los Blancos also replying to the proposal from Enzo Maresca’s side.

Chelsea win London derby with 1-0 victory over Tottenham

Enzo Fernández scored the only goal to pile more pressure on Ange Postecoglou as Chelsea sealed a 1-0 London derby victory over Spurs at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

Chelsea player criticised for "horrendous" attitude as Boehly looks to sell

He’s been slammed for his “arrogance” behind-the-scenes.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 3, 2025

Chelsea dominated the early stages, but failed to take advantage of some truly questionable defending from the visitors until Fernandez finally broke the deadlock with a free header inside the penalty area.

Moises Caicedo also had a screamer ruled out for offside, but Maresca was nearly made to pay for only having a one-goal advantage late in the game. Pape Matar Sarr’s excellent equaliser was chalked off for a foul in the build-up, and it took an excellent save from Robert Sanchez to deny Son Heung-min.

Brentford (away)

April 6th

Ipswich Town (home)

April 13th

Fulham (away)

April 20th

Everton (home)

April 26th

Liverpool (home)

May 4th

“I just said to the players, since day one we don’t work every day to win the game in the way we win and play in the last 10 minutes,” said Maresca on Chelsea’s nervy end to the contest.

“In terms of waiting for them and give the ball to them. But if you want to become a team, I think you need also to learn and to play in the way we played in the last 10 minutes. Win a game in a dirty way. Because I think for 90 minutes until extra time we were in control, we created enough chances to win the game. We created enough chances in the first half.

“And then to be honest, that’s been my mistake [bringing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tosin Adarabioyo on for Cole Palmer and Fernandez] because I did the change before I saw the extra time. And when I saw 12 minutes, I saw that probably it was too early to make that kind of change. But fortunately, we won the game, and we are happy.”

The result will go a long way in Chelsea’s race for Champions League qualification, which in turn will help them attract Europe’s best players.

Chelsea make £59m offer to Real Madrid for Endrick

On their transfer activity, quite a big claim has emerged from the Spanish media, involving Real Madrid striker Endrick.

The Brazilian hasn’t exactly been a mainstay for Carlo Ancelotti, but did play a role in their thrilling 4-4 Copa del Rey semi-final draw with Real Sociedad earlier this week, a result which booked their place in the final. Endrick has also been called a “special” young striker by pundits from his native Brazil.

“The boy is special, no doubt about it,” said ex-Manchester City star Elano to FourFourTwo.

Brazil'sEndrickduring the warm up

“He belongs to that group of super-talented players that Brazil has produced in the past: Neymar, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and others. He’s another rare case of a youngster who convinces everyone they’re special; youngsters born with incredible talent.”

Now, Spanish media report that Chelsea made a £59 million offer to Real for Endrick right after the Copa del Rey semi-final on Tuesday.

Maresca’s side believe he’s the ideal candidate to lead their forward line, prompting them to swoop in with a proposal before the summer window. However, they’re set to be left disappointed, as the La Liga heavyweights have no intention of accepting this bid.

While Chelsea would also offer Endrick a good salary, and the South American is dissatisfied with his game time right now, he’s also showing no desire to leave and Real are just as reluctant.

It is unclear whether Chelsea will return with a counteroffer, but it appears they may have to move on to alternative striker targets. Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap is among the other centre-forwards on Maresca’s transfer list.

Nunez upgrade: Liverpool likely to see £50m bid accepted for "mini-Salah"

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Many Liverpool fans will likely be hoping that Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak will be playing Premier League football in red next season, but it doesn’t look likely.

The Magpies are third in the standings with five games to play, two points ahead of sixth-place Aston Villa, who sit just outside the Champions League-qualifying zone.

26/04/25

Ipswich Town (H)

18th

04/05/25

Brighton (A)

10th

10/05/25

Chelsea (H)

7th

18/05/25

Arsenal (A)

2nd

25/05/25

Everton (H)

13th

Having beaten Arne Slot’s side in the Carabao Cup final and set to restore their place at Europe’s elite table, Newcastle hold all the cards, and they aren’t willing to sell, even listing Isak north of £150m.

FSG, quite rightly, won’t entertain such talk and are gearing up to turn their attention elsewhere.

Newcastle striker Alexander Isak

After all, Liverpool will bring in a new number nine this summer, with Darwin Nunez all but confirmed to have entered the final weeks of his Merseyside career.

Liverpool set to sell Darwin Nunez

It’s been clear for several months, Liverpool having rejected winter approaches from Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League due to the importance of keeping the title-challenging squad together.

Fabrizio Romano has now updated the situation, claiming that Liverpool’s plan is to sell their club-record signing, Nunez having scored just seven goals across 42 matches for Slot’s Reds.

Nunez has only started once in the Premier League since Boxing Day, scoring in a win over bottom club Southampton last month.

Having missed 53 big chances in the Premier League since his 2022 arrival, Nunez hasn’t responded to Klopp and Slot’s tactics and can’t shake the erraticness from his final play, thus consigning him to a bittersweet exit, leaving disappointed but with a winner’s medal around his neck.

Liverpool'sDarwinNunezreacts

Isak may well be out of reach, but Liverpool are open to looking elsewhere. Now, news has emerged that FSG are in for a somewhat left-field forward.

Liverpool lining up Nunez replacement

As per Caught Offside, Liverpool are interested in signing Brentford’s star man, Bryan Mbeumo, this summer.

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In fact, the Champions Elect have received a boost in their pursuit, with Brentford – who are believed to be open to offers – willing to discuss Mbeumo’s sale for the right price this summer.

Mbeumo, 25, has been one of the Premier League’s standout forwards this season and is also being tracked by Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

Brentford's BryanMbeumolooks dejected after the match

The Cameroon international supposedly has a £50m price tag, something that has caused Newcastle United to pull out of the race.

Why Liverpool should sign Bryan Mbeumo

Mbeumo has proved over a number of years his capacity for goals and success in the Premier League, having been involved in 68 goals across 131 divisional outings.

This year alone, the versatile forward has netted 18 goals and laid on six assists across 32 top-flight appearances, a haul bettered only by Salah, Isak, Erling Haaland and Chris Wood.

Right winger

28

14

6

Centre-forward

6

4

1

Attacking midfield

1

0

0

Though he’s principally a right-sided forward, Mbeumo has been known to play as the focal frontman and has done so to a prolific effect.

We’ve seen throughout the campaign Slot’s willingness to reshape typical widemen – like Luis Diaz – into central attackers, and who’s to say it hasn’t worked out? Liverpool are on the cusp of the title, after all.

Liverpool forward Luis Diaz

Affectionately described as a “mini-Salah” by talkSPORT’s Jason Cundy, Mbeumo carries the air of a goalscoring forward who brings much more to the table.

As per FBref, Mbeumo ranks among the top 8% of positional peers in the Premier League this season for goals scored and the top 12% for crosses made per 90.

This takes a step toward underscoring Mbeumo’s dynamism, chiefly a goalscorer but also willing to hang wide and whip crisp deliveries in.

The 32-year-old Salah might be staying put for the next couple of years, but he won’t be around forever. The Bees forward could eventually take the veteran’s berth in the years to come.

But for now, he’s more than capable of taking Nunez’s place as Liverpool’s centre-forward, perhaps sharing the berth with Diaz and Diogo Jota.

Given that Mbeumo has only missed eight big chances in the Premier League this term, having scored a whopping 18 times, fans won’t need to worry about Nunez-esque profligacy to hinder Liverpool in their efforts to retain their expected title.

Bryan Mbeumo celebrates for Brentford

But like all great forwards, those capable of starring for a top-performing outfit such as Slot’s Liverpool, Mbeumo isn’t a one-trick pony either.

He’s averaged 1.8 key passes per top-flight fixture and has created 16 big chances. He might take his share of set-pieces, but this denotes a ranged approach to his play that very much aligns with the role Salah performs with such matchless aplomb.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has recently dubbed Mbeumo as “one of the most deadly players in transition in the Prem,” further evidence – if you needed it – that he’s perfect for this Reds team.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot

Slot arrived in the Premier League with a reputation for being more ball-focused than his Anfield predecessor, but title-surging Liverpool only rank third in those standings with a 58% average.

This is, of course, not counter-attacking football, but Slot commands one of the deadliest teams in world football when on the break, making that final statement on the myriad reasons behind why this would be a good deal to end Nunez’s frustrating stay and sign the perfect Salah heir at the same time.

Firmino 2.0: Liverpool make "one of the best STs out there" a top target

FSG are going to reward Arne Slot’s Liverpool with a new centre-forward this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 19, 2025

Wow: Crystal Palace now dark horses to sign £30m "genius" to replace Eze

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Crystal Palace have now emerged as dark horses to sign a “future Ballon d’Or winner” as a possible replacement for Eberechi Eze this summer, according to a report.

Eze's future at Selhurst Park in doubt

Eze has once again been very impressive in a Palace shirt this season, picking up four goals and eight assists in the Premier League, while he also played a major role in the 3-0 FA Cup semi-final victory over Aston Villa, scoring the opening goal in the rout.

As such, the England international is now starting to attract widespread attention from elsewhere, with Premier League rivals Liverpool recently being named as the frontrunners for his signature.

There could be fierce competition for the 26-year-old, however, with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur also in the race, and there is a feeling he could be “open” to a move to north London.

Would cost £0: Crystal Palace now open talks to sign versatile 6'4 colossus

The Eagles have made contact over a move for a defender, who is capable of playing in five positions.

ByDominic Lund Apr 24, 2025

With Eze contracted until 2027, it remains to be seen whether the Eagles are willing to sanction his departure this summer, particularly considering Marc Guehi, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Adam Wharton are also attracting interest.

However, should Palace decide to cash-in, they will need to bring in a replacement, and a report from Caught Offside has now revealed they are now emerging as dark horses to sign Lyon attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki.

Rayan Cherki

Cherki is being targeted by a number of Europe’s top clubs, with Lyon prepared to let him leave for a fee of €30m – €35m (£25m – £30m) this summer, which is viewed as a bargain sum by a number of the potential suitors.

With the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham also in the picture, it may be difficult for Oliver Glasner’s side win the race, but the Lyon star is keen on a move to the Premier League this summer.

"Genius" Cherki could be "future Ballon d'Or winner"

French journalist Julien Laurens is a big fan of the young Frenchman previously lauding him as a “genius” after performing a remarkable roulette during Lyon’s 3-1 victory against AS Monaco.

The 21-year-old broke into the Lyon team at a very young age, making a total of 27 appearances in the 2020-21 campaign, but this season has been by far his best to date, picking up 12 goals and 19 assists in all competitions.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Ligue 1

27

8

10

Europa League

12

4

8

Coupe de France

2

0

1

Having also been described as a potential “future Ballon d’Or winner”, there is every indication that Cherki could be a real coup for Palace, but it may be incredibly difficult to compete with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United in the race for his signature.

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