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England were proactive and stayed in the game but could not dislodge India’s No. 3

Sidharth Monga25-Jan-20252:01

Tilak’s finishing reminds Manjrekar of MS Dhoni

India are used to their No. 3 sealing tense chases in limited-overs cricket. With the legendary one retired from T20Is, the new one shepherded India to a 2-0 lead with a 55-ball 72 that Virat Kohli himself would have been proud of. With wickets falling around him, Tilak Varma had to tamper with his natural game and even farm the strike in the end, but he produced just enough hits to take India over the line with two wickets in hand.The two sides brought two diametrically opposite styles to the match. India continued testing England with spin, bowling 14 overs of them for 118 runs and six wickets. The beleaguered England side kept going hard at them, somehow managing to get to 165, and then unleashed high pace and bounce on a surface that gave them just enough zip. They defended bravely, gambling twice with spin, but while the pace and bounce brought them wickets, it also travelled. Jofra Archer went for 60 in his four overs. Tilak took his last over, the 16th, for 19 to tilt the scales decisively.Same, same but differentA first-over wicket for Arshdeep Singh. Check. This time with a bouncer bowled across the body of Phil Salt with two men back for the hook.A first-ball wicket with spin. Check. This time to home boy Washington Sundar, who replaced the injured Nitish Kumar Reddy.Wickets for Varun Chakravarthy. Check. Harry Brook bowled through the gate the first time he faced Varun.Tight bowling from Axar Patel. Check. And this resulted in the two big wickets of Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone.However, England refused to get bogged down. They kept hitting back despite the loss of wickets. Buttler scored 45 off 30. Score 90 for 5 in the 12th over.Varun Chakravarthy bowled Harry Brook for his first international wicket at his home ground, Chepauk•BCCI

Smith and Carse boost EnglandDebutant Jamie Smith, playing in place of the unwell Jacob Bethell, displayed early promise by playing Axar like a medium-pacer and lofting him over long-on. India seemed to have gone to the well too often when they introduced the part-timer Abhishek Sharma, the fifth spinner. Smith took him for a six and a four off the first two balls, but eventually he, too, went to the well once too often and hit a third arm ball straight to long-off.Brought in to provide batting depth, Brydon Carse displayed all-around ability, hitting three sixes in his 31 off 17. Two of them came off Varun, again under the assumption that everything turns in or goes straight on. A poorly judged second run, though, resulted in his run-out, costing them a big kick in the end. The last four overs brought them just 29.Pace meets fireArcher and Mark Wood let the ball rip under the night sky. Wood seamed a quick delivery back to trap Abhishek, but not before the opener had taken down Archer by carving him for three boundaries in the first over. Varma went a step further by giving him the 1-2: back away and cut for four, followed by a swept six out of the stadium. In between, Archer’s pace accounted for the wicket of Sanju Samson.Tilak Varma hit five sixes in his knock•AFP/Getty Images

England dig inEngland didn’t back down, and kept testing the middle of the pitch. They went for runs, but Carse managed to get the wickets of Suryakumar Yadav and Dhruv Jurel with just that length. Jamie Overton piled on with a corker first ball to take the glove of Hardik Pandya as India lost three wickets for 21 runs in four overs and slipped to 78 for 5 in 9.1.Rashid drops WashingtonWith a little bit of grip available to him, Adil Rashid bowled beautifully in the middle overs to pile the pressure on India. Four runs came off 11 balls for the stand. Then a flying bouncer for five wides brought India relief. However, Wood again seemed to have produced the wicket, but Rashid dropped a sitter at mid-on. A no-ball, later in the over, was followed by a six off the free hit, and two glorious back-foot aerial punches to hard lengths that cleared mid-off. Now 53 required off seven.England buy their way backCarse again produced a beauty to hit the top of middle of Washington. India still had one more allrounder before they could get into the tail. Buttler bought that wicket with the introduction of Liam Livingstone’s spin. Axar holed out to deep midwicket, to open one end up with 40 still needed off 31.Tilak prevailsButtler went to Archer to drive home the advantage but Tilak cracked the game open. A top-edged six didn’t quite amuse Archer, who had seen Tilak do that earlier as well, but the flat square-cut for the follow-up six stunned him. More desperation followed when Arshdeep toe-ended a boundary but Archer had been distracted by his backing away and wasn’t attacking the stumps at any rate.Buttler gambled again with Rashid. Tilak farmed the strike early, and gave Arshdeep just one ball to play out. Like Axar, Arshdeep, too, swung hard and holed out to deep square leg.Carse again bowled a tight over to leave 13 off the last two, and Buttler gambled again. Tilak took the first four balls again. For just three. Now you can’t blame the lower order for lack of consistency. Even Ravi Bishnoi swung at Livingstone, but this time the edge flew just over short third.Tilak finished it off with a searing cover-driven four with four balls to go.

Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres have been warned their transfer tactics could come back to haunt them after sealing moves to Liverpool and Arsenal.

• Alex Frei slams Isak and Gyokeres for forcing summer moves
• Strikers warned behaviour could harm Sweden’s World Cup hopes
• Isak joins Liverpool for €145m, Gyokeres signs for Arsenal for €65m

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former Swiss international striker Alexander Frei has heavily criticised the new Premier League forwards for the methods used in convincing their former clubs to sell them, with both Swedish stars caught up in public feuds before finally being granted their wishes.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The criticism targets the controversial nature of two of the summer's most protracted transfer sagas. Isak's move from Newcastle United to Liverpool for a British record £125 million (€145m) was finalised on deadline day after the striker refused to play in the Magpies' opening three league matches to force the transfer. He also took to social media to accuse the club of breaking promises to him. The 25-year-old has since opted to shun all media duties while with the Swedish national team to focus on his football. 

  Similarly, Gyokeres's switch to Arsenal for £64 million (€74m) followed a drawn-out saga that sparked a conflict with Sporting CP's president, who engaged in a war of words with the player and his agent. 

• WHAT FREI SAID

  Speaking after Sweden's 2-0 loss to Kosovo, in which both forwards featured, Frei took aim at the pair and suggested their transfers may backfire and could badly affect the national team's World Cup hopes.

  "With Isak… It just fits the picture. He went on strike at Newcastle, refused to train, and then moved for almost 150 million euros. An amount I can't understand at all. This will be one of the biggest misunderstandings in football. You'll see," he said on

  "The same thing happened with Gyokeres. He went on strike in Lisbon so he could join Arsenal. I simply don't understand that. It will catch up with you. Maybe this is the first warning that they won't qualify for the World Cup."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Both Isak and Gyokeres now face the immediate pressure of performing for their new clubs to justify their significant transfer fees. For Liverpool and Arsenal, the focus will be on integrating their expensive new assets into the squads as the Premier League season continues. On the international stage, the Swedish duo will be central to their country's efforts to revive a faltering World Cup qualification campaign after picking up one point from two matches.

After welcoming veteran defender Ashley Young, Ipswich Town are now reportedly prioritising a summer swoop to sign a La Liga forward and welcome a much-needed replacement for Liam Delap.

McKenna: Young's "achievements speak for themselves"

At 39 years old, Young has made the latest move in a career that has seen him with the Premier League, Serie A, and become one of the most experienced players that English football has to offer. Dropping down to the Championship, the former Inter Milan man will be hoping to ensure that Ipswich complete an instant return to the Premier League.

Speaking to the club website after welcoming Young, Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna said: “Ashley has had a fantastic career and his achievements speak for themselves. He has maintained an extremely high level of professionalism and competitiveness through his career and he is still playing at a very good level.

“We feel his leadership and experience will be valuable to the group this season and he is very hungry to contribute on and off the pitch. It’s a very strong signing for the group and the club.”

The defender himself, meanwhile, also had plenty of praise for McKenna after putting pen to paper. He said: “He’s a winner and you see that on the training pitch.

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“On the sidelines at the games, I get to see that day in, day out. He was a massive pull. Obviously, I worked with him at [Manchester] United. I knew his beliefs, I knew what he wants to do with the club, I’ve seen what he’s done with this club as well.”

After adding crucial experience to their side, however, Ipswich’s summer business looks unlikely to end there. Reports are now suggesting that they’ve set their sights on a replacement for ex-star striker Delap.

Ipswich prioritising Romero move

According to reports in Spain, Ipswich are now prioritising a deal to sign Isaac Romero, who would be arriving to replace the departed Delap this summer. Sevilla are reportedly open to the forward’s departure, which should hand those at Portman Road the chance to come swooping in at the right price.

The 25-year-old striker struggled to adapt to La Liga last season after scoring 11 goals in 15 games in Spain’s second tier in the campaign prior and could now be on his way out of the club.

If his agent’s eye for marketable talent is anything to go by he’s certainly got potential however – his AS1 group also represent £115m Chelsea star Moises Caicedo, Liverpool winger Luis Diaz and Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes.

On paper, his arrival would be a risk for Ipswich but perhaps one worth taking. At his best, Romero starred in Spain’s second division and a return to a similar level may yet see him rediscover that clinical form.

Whilst Romero won’t steal the same headlines as Delap’s arrival did last summer, he could prove to be the clinical goalscorer that McKenna desperately needs in the Championship next season.

England veteran signals readiness for Test farewell with six wickets in opening spell

ECB Reporters Network02-Jul-2024

James Anderson signalled his readiness for next week’s Test farewell at Lord’s by claiming a remarkable seven-wicket haul in his first Championship appearance of the summer, as Lancashire seized control against Nottinghamshire at Southport.Anderson’s haul of 7 for 35 included an opening burst of 6 for 19 in ten overs, as Lancashire were able to enforce the follow-on after three days of the Vitality County Championship match at Southport & Birkdale Cricket Club.Anderson, whose last competitive match was the fifth Test against India at Dharamsala in March, warmed up for his final Test next week as if he had never been away with the best figures in this season’s Championship, as Nottinghamshire were skittled for 126 in reply to Lancashire’s first innings 353 for nine declared.Nathan Lyon took his 800th first-class wicket when the visitors followed-on 227 runs behind and they had reached 84 for two in their second innings by the close needing a further 143 runs to avoid an innings defeat.”To do what he did this morning was pretty amazing to witness,” Lyon said of Anderson’s performance. “Obviously I’ve seen it when I’ve been on the other side, when I’m not standing there saying ‘come on Jimmy’ so that was amazing to watch and amazing to be a part of.”That’s the beauty of county cricket I guess, to come over here and play with arguably the greatest fast bowler to play the game has been pretty special. No disrespect to the other bowler’s playing in this game, the class of what Jimmy brings to the table, the extra zip off the wicket, the extra bounce he gets – and that’s not even mentioning his skills set – that ability to go both ways and also bowl the wobble seam.”It was pretty cool being at mid off and actually have him tell me what he was actually doing, it was good fun.”Keaton Jennings declared once Lancashire had scored the six runs needed for a third batting point and then watched from second slip as Anderson unleashed an astonishing ten-over spell of six for 19 from the Harrod Drive End to destroy the Notts top and middle order line up.If there was a shade of good fortune about his first wicket when Haseeb Hameed via a bottom edge deflected the ball just enough to clip the bails, the rest were the result of Anderson repeatedly hitting a perfect line and length on a good wicket but one that also offered some slight assistance.Will Young was the next to depart when edging behind to wicketkeeper Matty Hurst followed by Joe Clarke caught at second slip for 0, while both Jack Haynes and Lyndon James fell caught fending off rib-high deliveries, the former at short leg and the latter via a glove to fourth slip.Anderson took all six wickets to fall before lunch after Liam Patterson-White edged to give fourth slip another catch, and suitably refreshed the England bowler returned to have Dillon Pennington caught behind in the fifth over of the afternoon, for his 55th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket and 22nd for Lancashire.By then Tom Bailey had nipped in to take two wickets in two balls, ending a 41-run partnership between Ben Slater and Calvin Harrison when the latter edged behind, and having Olly Stone caught at second slip.Last pair Slater and Dane Paterson, who hammered two massive sixes, hit out to add 42 runs for the last wicket – the biggest partnership of the innings – before a direct hit by Lyon ended the innings with Paterson (19) short of his ground, leaving Slater stranded having carried his bat for a valiant 64.The left-handed batter was less fortunate when Notts followed-on, trapped lbw for 17 by Lyon to give the Australian his landmark wicket shortly after the tea interval.And Lyon also broke a determined 31-run partnership off 103 balls between Hameed and Young when he had the Notts captain caught behind for 41.With Lancashire camped around the bat and the batters intent on survival above all else, Young (11 not out) and Clarke (11 not out) safely negotiated their way through to the close and the visitors will have to show similar resolve tomorrow if they are to stave off defeat.

A “fantastic” Leeds United player is now believed to have reached an agreement over a £7.2m exit, as his Elland Road career edges towards its conclusion.

Players who could leave Leeds this summer

While much focus is on the shiny new signings who could join the Whites in the summer transfer window, there are current players who are expected to move on to pastures new in the coming weeks and months.

There is no guarantee that Illan Meslier will still be a Leeds player come the opening game of next season, for example, following a 2024/25 campaign that included some dreadful mistakes.

Elsewhere, left-back Junior Firpo is heading to La Liga outfit Real Betis, following four years with the Whites. He played there prior to his move to Barcelona back in 2019.

Mateo Joseph is another player who reportedly wants to leave Leeds this summer, following a frustrating 2024/25 season for him, in terms of playing time. Only 11 starts came his way in the Championship, and he may feel that now is the right time for a new challenge.

"Fantastic" Leeds ace reaches agreement over £7.2m move

Speaking to LeedsUnited.News, journalist Gramae Bailey has claimed that Leeds youngster Joseph is now also heading to Betis in an initial £7.2m move this summer, with an agreement reached.

“Leeds have agreed to let him leave. I am told the overall deal could be around the €10m [£8.5m] mark including add-ons. There were a few teams keen, but the player made it clear he wanted Betis. It has moved on from that point. Leeds would have been more than happy for him to fight for his place, but Joseph wanted the move back to Spain.”

It would be a shame to see Leeds lose Joseph, considering what a talented young player he is, with scout Jacek Kulig describing him as “fantastic” in the past.

As mentioned, the attacker has struggled to be a genuine key starter under Daniel Farke, and while he has still featured lots from the substitutes’ bench, he may see his playing time further limited in the Premier League next season.

For that reason, there is clear sense in allowing Joseph to leave Leeds in the summer window, and the fact that they have a sell-on clause included in the contract acts as a positive.

He'd be Farke's own Jansson: Leeds preparing bid for "monstrous" talent

Leeds United are set to make a move for a star who could become a fan favourite at Elland Road.

2 ByEthan Lamb Jun 13, 2025

There is a risk in the Whites allowing him to move on, given his potential – he has scored eight goals in just 11 caps for Spain’s Under-21s – but at this point, it is understandable why he would want to be a star man elsewhere.

Celtic have made a habit of bringing back former players in recent times and could now be set to repeat the trick in surprise fashion, according to a report.

Celtic look to kickstart summer transfer business

Brendan Rodgers has enjoyed another supremely successful season at Parkhead and stands only one game off completing a domestic treble, coming against Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final.

The Bhoys have already won the Premier Sports Cup and Scottish Premiership title, setting the scene for a summer that could see some exciting arrivals at Parkhead.

Club icon Kieran Tierney will return to Celtic on a free transfer once his Arsenal contract expires next month, completing a whirlwind comeback after leaving for the Gunners back in 2019.

With Jota set to miss up to nine months of action, the Bhoys could also look to bring in Stoke City winger Million Manhoef. However, the Dutch star may cost around £10 million to prize away from the bet365 Stadium.

Scottish talent Lennon Miller is also on Celtic’s radar and is set for a summer of speculation following a fine couple of years at Motherwell, even if the Scottish Premiership champions are likely to be one of a number of clubs interested in his services.

Celtic could sign a perfect £7m Jota replacement this summer

Celtic may be in the market for a new winger after they lost Jota to a long-term injury.

ByDan Emery May 5, 2025

In a global marketplace, homegrown signings are important for the Bhoys to ensure they can meet squad quotas for European competitions.

Ultimately, Scottish players have always formed a strong part of Celtic’s backbone and club culture. Callum McGregor and James Forrest are shining examples, though they are rare examples from the academy set-up in recent years.

Now, the Hoops could be set to turn to one of their former youth graduates in a surprise move, per recent developments.

Celtic eye surprise move for Aberdeen goalkeeper Ross Doohan

According to The Herald, Celtic are lining up a surprise move for Aberdeen goalkeeper Ross Doohan, who spent seven years coming through the ranks at Lennoxtown before signing for Tranmere Rovers in 2022. Since then, the 27-year-old has featured for Forest Green Rovers before pitching up at Pittodrie, where he has filled in at times for Dimitar Mitov this campaign.

Ross Doohan’s season at Aberdeen – all competitions

Appearances

18

Goals conceded

27

Clean sheets

5

Labelled “brilliant” by Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie, his final match with the Dons could come against Celtic in the Scottish Cup final before a move if the scenario were to materialise. Third-choice Hoops stopper Scott Bain could leave with only a year on his deal left, opening up a slot for Doohan to make his way back to Glasgow as he features on a list of potential alternatives.

Celtic are required to have four club-trained players and the former Scotland Under-21 fits the bill, making it easier for Rodgers to piece together his final 25-man squad for whatever European league phase his side end up in.

Admittedly, Doohan wouldn’t be a signing that would attract much fanfare, but his arrival could be beneficial in light of quota requirements.

Everton are on the verge of entering a new era and could be closing in on one of their first signings to grace the turf of Bramley Moore Dock, according to reports in the player’s homeland.

Everton gear up for an exciting summer under David Moyes

Everton’s spirits weren’t dampened too much despite surrendering a two-goal lead to Ipswich Town in their penultimate fixture at Goodison Park. Evidently, there is still a fragility that remains within David Moyes’ group of players, but there is plenty of optimism that the Scot can rectify any lingering problems in the summer transfer window.

Internally, Carlos Alcaraz is poised to sign for Everton permanently following his loan spell from Flamengo. Evaluating their situation, he will be far from the only one recruited to bolster squad depth.

Moyes has identified Sheffield United’s Gustavo Hamer as a priority target to add another dimension in midfield, with implementing a greater level of creativity set to be one of his main aims moving forward.

Traditionally, Everton are a hard-working outfit who have the steel needed for the cut and thrust of the Premier League. Still, a little stardust could help them reach a higher level.

He may be better than Branthwaite: Everton chasing deal for £47m "diamond"

Everton are looking to sign defenders in the transfer market this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair May 3, 2025

Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy may also join the Toffees on a free transfer if they can find a way to meet his wage demands amid his current pay packet every week sitting at £140,000.

Finding solutions across several positions is likely to be on their agenda, and Everton could now swoop for a long-term successor to right-back duo Seamus Coleman and Ashley Young if reports are to be believed.

Everton in advanced talks to sign Georgios Vagiannidis

According to Greek show Athletic Sunday, Everton are in advanced talks to sign Panathinaikos right-back Georgios Vagiannidis after putting forward their opening proposal to sign the 23-year-old. Veteran pair Coleman and Young are out of contract at the club, while Nathan Patterson has been far from a mainstay this season, amplifying the need for a replacement.

Georgios Vagiannidis’ statistics in 2024/25 – Greek Super League

Chances created

21

Successful dribbles

33

Successful crosses

11

Tackles won

24

Recoveries

100

Aerial duels won

36

Enjoying a fine campaign, Vagiannidis has registered one goal and three assists in 38 appearances this campaign as Panathanaikos look to secure continental qualification.

Labelled “complete” by scout/writer Jacek Kulig, who also likened the Greece international to Kyle Walker, he is also attracting interest from Brighton & Hove Albion as competition for his signature begins to heat up.

Jake O’Brien has been a major asset for Everton since taking a step to the right, but it is clear that more help is needed to provide adequate depth on that side of the defence.

Crucially, the Toffees should have the funds to do so courtesy of The Friedkin Group, making for an exciting few months once deals begin to be pushed over the line.

The question now remains: can they follow up this success with any consistency? All eyes on the ODIs that begin this weekend in St Kitts then

Mohammad Isam06-Dec-2024Shortly after lunch on the third day in Jamaica, Bangladesh seemed to be in deep trouble with the bat once again. Opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy had edged to the slips in the first over, a duck to go with his scores of 5, 6, 3 in the Test series. Bangladesh had scored 164 and 132 in their two previous innings. The batting had hardly come together at all in 2024. And now it seemed, another batting debacle awaited the visitors.West Indies were all over Bangladesh too. Their fast bowlers had something to say to the batters almost every ball. The slip fielders were loud. Substitute Kevin Sinclair ran up to the batters from gully every other ball. Umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Asif Yaqoob gave out a few warnings, but the chirping continued. Bangladesh’s batting looked meek. The TV commentators offered sympathy on air.Besides, this was the first time in 19 years that Bangladesh didn’t have any of Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah and Mashrafe Mortaza in the XI. One of these five would often have been the player to intervene in such circumstances, whether with bat, ball or verbals.Related

• Give it up for 2024: Test cricket has had few better years

• Simmons praises Bangladesh's 'positive attitude' in bouncing back from first Test defeat

But then Shahadat Hossain offered some resistance. He cracked Alzarri Joseph through point, before swiping Shamar Joseph through midwicket. Kraigg Brathwaite dropped a stinging drive from him in the covers but that didn’t stop Shahadat from playing his shots. He smacked Alzarri down the ground next over.After Shahadat’s cameo, Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz showed further intent, going in to bat at No. 4 for the first time in his career. Mehidy and Shadman Islam went on a boundary-hitting spree in their 70-run third-wicket stand. When these batters got out and it was clear that Mominul Haque was too ill to bat, Jaker Ali hustled West Indies. After getting hit on the top of his helmet, he blitzed their fast bowlers on the fourth morning. Bangladesh finished with 268, meaning the hosts needed 287 for the win.The fightback continued with the ball. Taijul Islam and the fast bowlers dismissed the home side for 185 in the fourth innings, well short of their target. This was the quintessential Bangladesh win. Several performers, but, this time, none of them from the Big Five. A bunch of unlikely heroes had given Bangladesh their first Test win in West Indies in 15 years. This was another chapter in a wonderful year for Test cricket.

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Bangladesh have not had a great 2024 going by the numbers. They beat Pakistan 2-0 but then lost five successive Tests. Of particular disappointment was losing two Tests against a relatively inexperienced South Africa at home in October. The shift in mentality in Jamaica from survival mode to a positive attitude was therefore a welcome change.Jaker Ali went on the attack once he started running out of partners•Athelstan BellamyOne of those who led that recovery was Jaker Ali. A batter who has a fair amount of work left to do on his batting technique, but his approach has been spot on. He has now scored fifties in each of his first three Tests. In the second innings in Jamaica, Jaker held the Bangladesh batting together. He manipulated the field while batting with the tail-enders. His sudden attacking spree on the fourth morning was thrilling but it was also evidence that Jaker understands his limitations.Then there was Taijul. The left-arm spinner has often been overshadowed in the past, but Shakib’s retirement means he now has the senior bowler’s role. Taijul often merely looked like a steady foil for Shakib, bowling a defensive outside-off-stump line. In Jamaica, he bowled closer to the stumps. It is another subtle shift in roles in the absence of the big stars.

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Bangladesh’s leadership too has undergone a change in the last 12 months. Najmul Hossain Shanto became captain in bits and pieces last year before the BCB appointed him the full-time captain in February this year. Shanto has looked like a good leader, especially reflected in their Rawalpindi wins. His batting form has suffered with the extra responsibility though and he offered to resign last month, but it seems the BCB talked him out of it.Here, Shanto’s injury gave Bangladesh a glimpse of Mehidy the captain. A player who always seems to put his whole heart into it, he led by example, often coming on to bowl in difficult moments. When the West Indies pace attack tested his batting with bouncer barrages in Antigua and Jamaica, Mehidy’s positive approach was quite encouraging.Mehidy Hasan Miraz stepped into the captain’s role•BCBShanto and Mehidy are the future of Bangladesh cricket. They have played together since their age-group cricket days. They praise each other often. Splitting the captaincy could be an option given Shanto has voiced some reluctance to lead while Mehidy has showed he can lead in a crisis. The BCB wouldn’t want the captaincy to become a race between the two though, so some deft handling of this situation is needed.

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Bangladesh’s pace attack remains their most improved and consistent department. This year has been significantly better than any other. Taskin Ahmed was already a white-ball leader, but now he has shown that he can step up in Tests too. Hasan Mahmud has made the best start by any Bangladeshi fast bowler in Tests. Shoriful Islam seems to be improving steadily. Then there is Nahid Rana.The tearaway from Chapainawabganj has wowed folks in Rawalpindi, Sharjah and Jamaica. He is Bangladesh’s fastest bowler ever, but he has also shown discipline with his lines and lengths. His pace has proven a problem for batters, especially since he can still hit the mid-140s at the end of the day.Taijul Islam starred with five wickets in the fourth innings in Jamaica•Athelstan Bellamy

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Bangladesh’s win in Jamaica was also extra special when you realise they essentially played with ten players. Mominul Haque was ill for most of the game, as he finished with a pair.Glorifying any Bangladesh Test wins however always comes with a caveat. They rarely follow up good results with consistency in performance. When they beat Pakistan twice in Rawalpindi, many hoped that the team had turned a corner. Then India, South Africa and Afghanistan (the last of these in white-ball cricket) beat them convincingly. West Indies won the first Test in Antigua by 201 runs. Then came the fightback.Is this another false dawn? All eyes on Bangladesh in the ODI series that starts in St Kitts on Sunday then. They will once again be without Shanto, Mushfiqur and Mustafizur Rahman among their regulars. Mehidy will lead the new-look side. Unheralded cricketers will once again be asked to step up. Jamaica should provide all the inspiration they need.

Haider Ali scored a second innings half century and Hasan Ali also featured

Danyal Rasool10-Apr-2023Mohammad Abbas
Mohammad Abbas looks like he was born to play the County Championship, and after a sparkling 2022 with Hampshire, he went on to demonstrate why his retention was such a no-brainer. He began this season even more spectacularly than the last, taking nine wickets across the match, including 6-49 in the first innings to skittle Nottinghamshire out for 185. Defending a narrow lead in a low-scoring match, he teamed up with Kyle Abbott to run through Notts a second time, this time chiefly responsible for running through the middle and lower order. No batter was truly comfortable against the seam bowler; he dismissed eight different Notts batters across both innings. It ensured his side needed just 132 for victory, a feat they managed with eight wickets to spare.Hasan Ali
Hasan Ali didn’t have quite as sizzling a start to his Championship stint with Warwickshire in a rain-affected game. After the first day was washed out, Warwickshire, bowling first, took nearly 93 overs to bowl out Somerset, with Hasan claiming 2-62 in 19 overs. After Warwickshire claimed a big lead, and with little time left in the contest, Somerset had to bat out 50 overs on the final day. They accomplished this with ease, and Hasan was the most expensive of the Warwickshire bowlers, leaking 52 runs for one wicket in his ten.Haider Ali and Azhar Ali
Down in Division Two, two Pakistanis found themselves on opposing sides in Derby, when Haider Ali’s Derbyshire took on Azhar Ali’s Worcestershire. Neither made a real impact, and both stayed true to reputation, in the first innings. Haider was dismissed for a breezy 22, while Azhar fell for a gritty 23. But with Derbyshire staring down the barrel of a huge deficit, Haider shone in the second innings, striking up a 134-run opening stand with Billy Godleman, scoring 65 and ensuring Worcestershire had an awkward 192-run chase in the final innings.This, however, they managed with ease thanks to a 139-run second-wicket partnership between Azhar and Jake Libby. If that sounds familiar, it should: the two shared a century stand in the reverse fixture last season to save the game for Worcestershire, with Azhar scoring 60 and Libby registering an unbeaten 105. This time around, their partnership eased Worcestershire to an eight-wicket win in remarkably similar fashion, as Libby managed an unbeaten 104 while Azhar scored 62.

Their new additions in the bowling department make them look a well-rounded unit

Varun Shetty05-Apr-20212:23

Do top-heavy Punjab have finishing firepower?

Where they finished in 2020

Sixth, best of three teams tied on 12 points

Potential XI

1 Mayank Agarwal, 2 KL Rahul (capt. and wk), 3 Chris Gayle, 4 Nicholas Pooran, 5 Mandeep Singh, 6 Shahrukh Khan, 7 Chris Jordan/Fabian Allen, 8 Jhye Richardson, 9 M Ashwin, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Ravi Bishnoi/Arshdeep Singh

Batting

Not a lot has changed about Punjab Kings’ batting line-up. They continue to be a top-heavy side, with a blistering top four of Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul, Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran. This is largely the line-up that helped them be one of the most consistent teams in the powerplays last year – they averaged 48.35 during that phase and lost only one wicket on average.Related

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• Shahrukh Khan's 'sprint' from big hits to big bucks

• 'It's life-changing to be honest' – Jhye Richardson on IPL auction

The area they had issues with is their batting beyond these four, and while things came together during the end of IPL 2020, there hasn’t been a huge change in their roster. Glenn Maxwell and James Neesham are no longer with them, and potential replacements for them are Moises Henriques, Dawid Malan, and Fabian Allen. A change in strategy will either revolve around the stability that Henriques and Malan could provide – hence freeing up someone like Rahul early on – or the more ballistic option of banking on big-hitters like Allen and Shahrukh Khan. The reliance on uncapped top-order Indian batsmen in middle-order roles is likely to persist given the riches at the top and the fact that they have two breakneck overseas fast bowlers.All in all, it’s unlikely the flavour changes with their batting; it could be more of the same system, with the hope that their new personnel will fit better.

Bowling

They’ve spent huge amounts to acquire fast bowlers Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith, in what was a clear and purposeful move to strengthen their bowling. Last year, the Kings were joint-second with Delhi Capitals for fast bowling economy, going at 9.15, and their games often turned around when their new-ball efforts were neutralised at the death. Richardson should bring far more consistency to them and that means they have at least five bowlers settled in for regular roles – Shami, M Ashwin, Arshdeep Singh, and Ravi Bishnoi being the others.ESPNcricinfo LtdWe could see a lot of Henriques this season, as a sixth bowling option, and Allen as a spin-bowling allrounder could be battling directly with Chris Jordan for a place in the side; for cases when they want both Richardson and Meredith in the line-up, that bowling-centric strategy can be aided by the likes of Jalaj Saxena or Utkarsh Singh as No. 7 batsmen.

Young player to watch out for

Left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar flies so far under the radar that even at domestic level, he isn’t often in headlines despite being one of Uttar Pradesh’s most important players. The 27-year-old is among the most consistent cricketers in the domestic circuit, with bowling plans often built around his tight control of line and lengths. He matches the guile that’s given him 192 first-class wickets at 23.44 with a strong game sense that’s given him economy rates of 4.38 and 7.04 respectively in List A and T20 cricket. In another season of balancing their top and bottom, Kumar could prove a handy option for PBKS.

Coaching staff

Anil Kumble (director of cricket operations), Andy Flower (assistant coach), Wasim Jaffer (batting coach), Jonty Rhodes (fielding coach), Damien Wright (bowling coach)

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