Bangladesh were bowled out for 63, a total that never stretched Sri Lanka at any point
ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jun-2018Getty Images/ICC
Sri Lanka kicked off their Women’s Asia Cup campaign in style, knocking Bangladesh over for 63 and then chasing down the target with five and a half overs to spare.Shashikala Siriwardene, back in charge of Sri Lanka after four years in the absence of the injured Chamari Atapattu, chose to bowl. Left-arm pacer Udeshika Prabodhani justified the decision almost instantaneously, having Shamima Sultana lbw off the second ball of the match. Partnering her with the new ball was left-arm spinner Sugandika Kumari, and she struck in her first over too. Bangladesh, reduced to 10 for 2, found it hard to recover.Any chance they had was destroyed by a flurry of wickets in the 10th and 11th overs: first, the offspin of stand-in captain Siriwardene accounted for Bangladesh’s other opener, Ayasha Rahman; then, a double-strike from left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera rocked the middle order and sank the innings. Bangladesh managed to stumble along to the 20th over, playing but three of their allotted balls, but without too many runs to show for their doggedness.Openers Yasoda Mendis and Nipuni Hansika steadily knocked 39 off Sri Lanka’s target of 64 to all but seal the game. Offspinner Khadija Tul Kubra kept chipping away, taking three wickets in four tidy overs, but Sri Lanka were never stretched. They cantered home in the 15th over, with six wickets intact.Sri Lanka have been the runners-up four times in the six previous editions of the Asia Cup. This start very much puts them on the path to more success in the tournament.
Glasgow Rangers central midfielder Joe Rothwell appears to be heading for a quick exit from Ibrox, just months after joining on a permanent deal from Bournemouth in the summer.
The Daily Record reports that Sheffield United are confident that they can get a deal over the line to sign the 30-year-old midfielder when the January transfer window opens.
Chris Wilder’s side are pushing to land the former Leeds and Southampton loanee, who has not featured for Rangers in the Scottish Premiership since October.
The experienced flop has only started five league games, per Sofascore, and has failed to establish himself as a regular in the middle of the park since the new manager came through the door.
Rangers want to sign new central midfielder
Rothwell’s move to Sheffield United, should that go through next month, would create the space in the squad for Danny Rohl to bring in a signing of his own to replace him.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to TEAMtalk, Glasgow Rangers are ready to sanction an exit for Rothwell because they have identified a player who could come in as his replacement.
The report claims that the Gers want to sign Tromso central midfielder Jens Hjerto-Dahl to replace the experienced Englishman in the January transfer window.
It adds that the Light Blues have been impressed by his performances this season, having sent scouts to watch him in action, and now they want to add him to their squad.
TEAMtalk reveals that a fee of around £5m will be required to convince Tromso to part ways with the talented youngster, who would come in as a perfect upgrade on Rothwell.
Why Rangers should sign Jens Hjerto-Dahl
Rangers Journal creator and analyst Kai Watson described Hjerto-Dahl as “one of the biggest talents in Norway” and stated that it would be a “huge coup” for the club to bring him to Ibrox in January.
The 20-year-old star’s form in the Eliteserien in the 2025 campaign suggests that he would come in as a big upgrade on what Rothwell has offered in midfield for the Gers so far, and backs up Watson’s claim that he is a big talent.
Hjerto-Dahl was a regular starter for Tromso in the 2024 and 2025 Eliteserien campaigns, despite the fact that he only turned 20 in October, which speaks to how big a talent he is, as his club have viewed him as a key first-team player since he was 17.
As Rohl looks to the future at Ibrox, signing a 20-year-old starlet who has plenty of upside as a replacement for a 30-year-old dud who has failed to make an impact at Rangers makes perfect sense.
Rothwell has not delivered enough quality on the pitch for the Scottish giants this season in the Premiership, which is in stark contrast to Hjerto-Dahl’s form for Tromso this year.
Stats
Hjerto-Dahl (2025 Eliteserien)
Rothwell (25/26 Premiership)
Appearances
30
8
Goals
4
0
Big chances created
5
2
Assists
4
1
Dribbles completed per game
1.3
0.5
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.5
1.9
Duels won per game
5.0
2.0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Norwegian talent’s form in 2025 suggests that he would come in as a massive upgrade on what Rothwell has provided on the pitch for the Gers so far.
Hjerto-Dahl appears to be capable of offering more in front of goal, as both a scorer and a creator of goals, whilst also being more combative in his duels, tackles, and interceptions to win the ball back for his side.
These statistics suggest that the £5.3m-rated star would significantly improve the squad as a replacement for Rothwell in the short-term, if he can adapt to Scottish football and translate his form from the Eliteserien over to the Premiership.
Hjerto-Dahl, who once scored the beautiful goal in the clip above, is also ten years younger than Rothwell, who is 30, which means that he has far more time left to develop and improve as a player.
The Norwegian star, therefore, would be a perfect upgrade on Rothwell because he has the potential to be an immediate improvement on the Englishman with what he can offer in the second half of the season, whilst also having many more years left to get even better.
Rohl must drop Fernandez & "rotten" Rangers flop who belong in Caixinha era
Danny Rohl should drop this Glasgow Rangers duo who belong in the Pedro Caixinha era after their performances against Ferencvaros.
ByDan Emery 2 days ago
This is why the Gers should push hard to make Hjerto-Dahl one of Rohl’s first signings at Ibrox, after allowing Rothwell to join Sheffield United next month.
With Manchester United slipping to a fourth defeat of the season away to Bayern Munich earlier this week, there will be those asking questions of manager Erik ten Hag amid this dismal start to the campaign.
While the Dutchman already has credit in the bank having won the Carabao Cup last term, he will not want to follow a similar path to that of the club's previous permanent coach, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who lost his job back in November 2021 after enjoying initial steady progress at Old Trafford.
It is coming up to two years since the treble winner was shown the door by the United hierarchy following dire defeats against the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Watford, with the club's form swiftly nosediving following respectable third and second-place finishes in the season's prior.
For the first time since his abrupt exit, the Norwegian hero has publicly opened up about his time in charge in an interview with The Athletic's Andy Mitten, offering an insight into a wide range of issues and details regarding his mixed tenure.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Man United record (interim & permanent)
Days in charge
1068
Matches
168
Wins
92
Draws
35
Losses
41
Trophies
0
Stats via Transfermarkt
That wide-ranging discussion was particularly revealing with regard to those that the 50-year-old had been keen to sign when at the helm, only to ultimately be denied as rival clubs swiftly swooped in.
Among those that Solskjaer claimed to have wanted "badly" was current Real Madrid sensation, Jude Bellingham, with the Red Devils having seemingly come agonisingly close to signing the emerging icon.
Why didn't Man United sign Jude Bellingham?
As Solskjaer revealed, the all-action midfield had been one of his "top targets" back in 2020, with reports at the time having suggested that the Premier League giants had even made an offer of around £30m in order to sign the then-teenager from Birmingham City.
A club previously famed for snapping up the best British talent about – notably signing a teenage Wayne Rooney in 2004 from Everton – the Red Devils likely believed they could tempt young Bellingham to make the leap, amid a standout 2019/20 campaign that saw him score four goals in the Championship.
Despite having even been met by Sir Alex Ferguson after visiting United's training ground in March 2020 – as Ed Woodward and co put on the charm offensive – the 16-year-old had other ideas in mind, with a move to Germany his favoured option.
How much did Dortmund pay for Jude Bellingham?
In a summer in which Solskjaer and co forked out £40m for Donny van de Beek – who has since scored just twice in 60 games over the past three years – Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund were able to acquire Bellingham for just £25m, a figure that looks a total bargain in the present day.
Manchester United'sDonnyvandeBeekapplauds fans after the match
The mature youngster had seemingly seen the benefits of joining a club that had nurtured the likes of Jadon Sancho and Erling Haaland, with there likely to have been question marks over how much game time he would have had at the Theatre of Dreams, despite his undoubted talent.
Instead, United have had to endure the much-maligned duo of Fred and Scott McTominay over recent years – a pairing dubbed "not good enough" by club legend Roy Keane – while even the experienced partnership of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen now look like mere "short-term fixes to a long-term problem" in that department, as per The Athletic's Mark Critchley.
How much is Bellingham worth now?
With United's midfield looking "non-existent" at times this season – as per Solskjaer's former teammate, Gary Neville – it has only rubberstamped the frustration at having missed out on Bellingham, with the 20-year-old having gone from strength since leaving Birmingham behind.
The Stourbridge-born machine blossomed into the real heartbeat of Dortmund's midfield prior to his recent departure, scoring 24 goals and providing 25 assists in 124 games in all competitions during his three-year stint at Westfalenstadion.
The 6 foot 1 titan was particularly impressive last term after scoring 14 goals and contributing seven assists in all competitions, while also shining at the World Cup for his country, with Keane tipping him to become a "superstar" as he simply has "everything".
Fast forward just a few months on from Qatar and the "insane" talent – as hailed by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano – is already an undoubted 'superstar' following his breathtaking start to life at Madrid, having joined the La Liga giants on an £88.5m deal over the summer.
Despite his relative youth, the 26-cap international – who was reportedly a target for Ten Hag heading into the recent window – has also become something of a talisman for Carlo Ancelotti's side, scoring six goals in just six games so far this term.
That rapid adaptation to life at the Bernabeu has contributed to Bellingham's mammoth market value of €250m (£216m), according to CIES Football Observatory, representing a colossal increase on what United could have signed him for during Solskjaer's reign.
How good is Jude Bellingham?
That lofty valuation – which ranks the youngster alongside the likes of Haaland and Vinicius Jr. as the world's highest-value players – further proves just what a talent Bellingham is, with compatriot Phil Foden having only recently tipped him to become the "best midfielder in the world".
For United to have such a talent on their books would have been a total dream, with it perhaps not too hyperbolic to suggest that he could have even blossom into a bigger star than the club's current skipper, Bruno Fernandes – a man valued at just €80m £70m).
Bruno Fernandes
The Portuguese magician has of course been a shining light for the Red Devils in recent years with 121 goal involvements in 191 games in all competitions to date, yet the trajectory of Bellingham's career may be even more exciting – with Fernandes having been plying his trade for Udinese when in his early 20's.
Even in the current campaign, the 29-year-old has scored just once and provided only two assists from his six appearances, having been unable to hit the same heights that his counterpart has achieved in the Spanish capital.
There is perhaps a world in which the two men could have lined up together in the midfield ranks at Old Trafford, although alas, United will have to just hope and pray that they are in a position to fight for Bellingham's signature if and when he does eventually leave Madrid.
As is clear, however, any future deal is likely to cost a fair bit more than just £25m…
The Ashes may have gone and the possibility of a second successive whitewash is growing but the game in England and Wales is “in extremely good shape” according to the ECB’s chief executive
George Dobell23-Dec-2017The Ashes may have gone and the possibility of a second successive whitewash is growing but the game in England and Wales is “in extremely good shape” according to the ECB’s chief executive, Tom Harrison.While accepting the Ashes result was “disappointing”, Harrison believes that progress made elsewhere showed the ECB was doing good work. As a result, he said there would be no “knee-jerk reactions” to England’s defeat and suggested the positions of the coaching staff were quite safe.London Stadium decision expected in 2018
Tom Harrison has said the ECB is open to using the London Stadium – built for the 2012 Olympics and currently used by Premier League football club West Ham – as a venue for the 2019 World Cup. A test event is expected to be held next summer, to ascertain the viability of drop-in pitches at the ground. “We’d very much like it to be used but the cricket has to be right,” Harrison said. “These are World Cup fixtures. The drop-in wickets are being grown. We’re at pains to ensure the cricket element has to be nailed. So we’ll run a proper test event at the end of the football season, which will enable us to mitigate some of the risk inherent in laying turf, dropping in wickets and floodlights. At some point in 2018, we’ll make a final decision.”
In particular, Harrison was encouraged by attendance figures, the success of the women’s team at the World Cup, the launch of the All Stars Cricket scheme and changes to the way the ECB is run.And while it seems doubtful many England supporters will be consoling themselves with the thought that the governance structure of the game has been altered – referred to by Harrison as “an exciting moment as it means the quality of decisions we make will be in the context of the future of the whole game” – the improved performance of the white-ball sides might provide more realistic grounds for encouragement.”The health of the game is more than just Ashes series overseas,” Harrison said. “We’ve had record-breaking attendances in domestic and international cricket, changed our governance structure, hosted two global events, won the women’s World Cup and launched a participation initiative for kids. We’ve had a successful entry into the broadcast rights market out of which we have secured the financial future of the game until 2024.”It’s a shame this series hasn’t gone our way but there’s more to play for over the course of the winter. It’s also important to remember that in every one of the three games England have been in a position where things could have worked out differently. We just haven’t managed to turn the screw in those moments. But we’ve remained pretty competitive even in Australian conditions.”We have a plan and we’re making progress on that plan. We’re in the middle of an Ashes series where England have been very competitive for large parts. What it has shown is that Test cricket is the ultimate form of the game, where those marginal periods of play can turn a game and we haven’t been able to do it.”We are in a process of delivering cricket across three formats. They’re making huge strides across the white-ball game, up to a place where we’re winning 70% or so of our white-ball matches – the ODI side in particular – and the T20 side is making good progress.”In Tests we’re finding it very difficult to win overseas. We did win a series in South Africa, which is a significant achievement, but we’ve found it difficult in Dubai, India and here. We’ve got to take a look at that. There are the moments you understand the progress that’s been made and it’s very difficult to look at it through the mirror of three matches over the course of a difficult Ashes series.”Tom Harrison•Getty Images
Harrison did concede that the ECB had been “striving to find the answer” to England’s apparent deficit of pace bowling but expressed his belief in the performance centre at Loughborough. Instead, he felt there should be an emphasis on providing more sympathetic pitches for pace bowlers but insisted “this isn’t an alarm-bell situation”.”We’ve a fast bowling programme at Loughborough, which offers excellent results for the guys who go through it,” Harrison said. “The work we’re doing at Loughborough is there. The talent is there. You’ve seen George Garton, Mark Foottitt and Mark Wood. They’re all at that level. But for one reason for another, they’re not coming through. Whether due to injury or consistency. But this isn’t an alarm-bell situation.”These are the situations you can find yourselves in overseas. Sometimes you require different skill sets to the ones you can acquire in your own conditions. We have to look at that and wicket structures. There are questions about whether our wickets reward extra pace and how we can arrive in place with the right firepower to compete.”We have to be careful not to overreact half way through an Ashes series. We can all understand there’s some frustration and we haven’t been able to close those matches out. Now is not the moment to be overreacting. There will be no review. This is not the moment for knee-jerk reactions or rash decisions about what we do from here in respect of performance.”
A big update has emerged on Leeds United and their attempts to add a new centre-forward to the playing squad before the end of the summer transfer window.
What's the latest Leeds transfer news?
Daniel Farke has brought in Ethan Ampadu, Sam Byram, Joe Rodon, and Karl Darlow so far and is now eyeing a move for a number nine to bolster his attack before next week's deadline.
According to journalist Alan Nixon (via his Patreon site), the Whites are plotting a bid to sign Swansea striker Joel Piroe and are willing to splash out £15m on the excellent marksman.
Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…
The reporter has claimed that the Swans could be tempted to cash in on the Dutch ace after rejecting offers from other clubs earlier this summer as his current contract with the Welsh side is due to expire at the end of the season.
Leeds are said to be 'desperate' to secure his signature and will now be hoping that £15m will be enough to get this deal over the line in the coming days.
How good is Joel Piroe?
The 24-year-old dynamo is a proven Championship goalscorer who has the quality to hit the ground running at Elland Park to be the lethal striker Farke needs to push his side up the table.
No current Leeds player managed more than five Premier League goals last term and Georginio Rutter was tasked with leading the line in the most recent Championship clash with West Bromwich Albion last week.
The 21-year-old Frenchman has failed to score in two league appearances this season and struggled in the top-flight with zero goals and one assist in 11 matches for the Whites during the second half of the 2022/23 campaign.
Piroe would come in as a big upgrade on the former Hoffenheim man as he knows how to find the back of the net on a regular basis.
The Swansea star scored 19 goals in 43 Championship starts last term and that came after he plundered an eye-catching 22 goals in 40 starts throughout the previous season.
Swansea striker Joel Piroe.
This means that the left-footed finisher racked up 41 goals in 83 second-division starts for the Swans, which is one strike every 2.02 games on average.
Whereas, Rutter has scored 21 goals in 109 career appearances, including youth team football with Rennes, which works out as a goal every 5.19 outings on average, and has failed to score in 13 league matches for Leeds to date.
At the age of 21, the former Bundesliga attacker has plenty of time left on his side to develop and could have the potential to eventually be a good option for the club. However, his statistics in the here and now do not suggest that he has what it takes to spearhead a promotion push this season.
Piroe, who was once hailed as "prolific" by TribalFootball and EFL content creator Benjamin Bloom, would come in as a player who could lead the attack and be a reliable option for Farke at the top end of the pitch.
He is a proven, consistent, scorer at Championship level and would clearly be a big upgrade on Rutter due to his ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis.
Southampton boss Russell Martin will be 'given funds' between now and the end of the window to strengthen his side's promotion bid and both Jack Stephens alongside Samuel Edozie will be crucial to making a return to the Premier League a reality, according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook.
What's the latest transfer news at Southampton?
According to The Northern Echo, Southampton are keen on making a move for out-of-favour Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden; however, no 'formal offer' has been submitted to land the 28-year-old.
Hayden is training with Newcastle United's second string and has formed one part of a three-way unwanted quartet at St James' Park that also includes Ryan Fraser and Jeff Hendrick.
Football Insider report that Swansea City striker Joel Piroe is on the radar at St Mary's Stadium as a potential addition this summer, though Leeds United and Leicester City are also hot on the tail of the Dutchman.
The same outlet claim that Swansea City will demand between £15-20 million for their prize asset, who scored 20 times and delivered two assists in 45 appearances in 2022/23.
Southampton have recruited three players this window to help with their promotion bid in the form of Shea Charles, Joe Lumley and Ryan Manning, as per Transfermarkt.
Starting the 2023/24 campaign in mixed fashion, Southampton have four points from six available in the Sky Bet Championship following a victory against Sheffield Wednesday and draw against Norwich City; nevertheless, they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup last week by Gillingham, as per Sky Sports.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, talkSPORT reporter Crook expects Martin to get backed in the final stretch of the window at St Mary's Stadium and praised Southampton's owners.
Crook stated: “They’ve got Jack Stephens back from Bournemouth, who I think will replace Mohammed Salisu. By all accounts, Stephens looked decent enough in pre-season, I think he’ll do a job at that level, I mean he did well for Bournemouth. They wanted to keep him permanently but didn’t want to pay £10m.
“They’ve got other young players like Samuel Edozie, who they signed for the future and who they think could flourish in the Championship. So, I think the squad still looks okay, but I think Russell Martin will be given funds to bring players in, no question about that.
“So, the owners are ambitious, you can question some of their recruitment, but you can’t question their ambitions.”
What else could happen at Southampton between now and the close of play?
Departures have formed a major part of Southampton's transfer window and will continue to impact their ability to squad plan between now and the end of the window.
Belgium international Romeo Lavia is keen to join Chelsea despite a £60 million deal being agreed between Southampton and Liverpool for the 19-year-old, as per Sky Sports.
The Sun report that Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy is being eyed by Everton to provide competition to Jordan Pickford and Joao Virginia, with a free transfer potentially in the pipeline to take the 33-year-old to Goodison Park.
Crystal Palace are believed to be weighing up a £10 million bid for Southampton striker Che Adams, who is keen to return to the Premier League after the Saints suffered relegation to the Sky Bet Championship, according to The Evening Standard.
West Ham United have yet to make any summer signings, however this could soon change. David Moyes is close to securing the signature of Manchester City youngster Carlos Borges, while a move for French left-back, Adrien Truffert could be next on the list.
The Irons will want to improve on their poor 14th placed Premier League finish from last year, and these two signings could potentially be the catalyst for a few more.
Could Adrien Truffert join West Ham United?
According to Football Insider, West Ham have made contact with Rennes with regard to a potential move for the left-back this summer.
The Ligue 1 side are keen to tie down the player to a long-term deal however, although if talks don’t work out, they will be open to accepting offers for the 21-year-old.
Rennes are said to value Truffert at £15m and considering the Irons received a fee of £105m from the sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal, Moyes certainly has money to spend in the transfer window.
Does Aaron Cresswell have a future at West Ham United?
West Ham's long-serving left-back, Aaron Cresswell, has just a year left on his current contract at the club, while Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly keeping tabs on the 33-year-old defender.
The Old Gold were linked with the fullback last week and a fee of £2.5m was touted as being enough to secure his services, and there is no doubt Moyes should move him on for someone younger like Truffert.
Not only did the Frenchman offer a greater attacking threat than Cresswell by registering more goal contributions (six to one), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.37 to 0.04) and shots per 90 (0.14 to 0.04) but he was also much better defensively too.
Truffert won more tackles (32 to 11), made more blocks (32 to 21) while also winning a higher percentage of aerial duels (56.7% to 50%) and challenges (67.4% to 38.7%), demonstrating that he would be a significant upgrade on Creswell, not just from an attacking point of view, but also due to his defending qualities.
Adrien Truffert
Upon bursting onto the scene in 2020, his former Rennes coach had plenty of praise for the youngster, saying: “He’s a young player who I know very well. He has huge potential and a very good left foot.
“He’s very intelligent, has the right mentality and the versatility to play in different positions. He has all the qualities needed to keep progressing and to break through in the near future.”
Despite his tender years, he had a positive influence in the French side last term, ranking second for assists across the whole team in Ligue 1 while also ranking in the top ten for big chances created, key passes per game and first for tackles per game, showcasing his abilities over a wide range of metrics.
The Belgium-born defender has even been capped for France and if he continues his current upwards trajectory, not only will be an excellent signing for Moyes, but it will allow the Scot to move Cresswell on in the process given that the Frenchman is a major upgrade.
Coach Sabhi Azhar blames ‘self-absorbed’ captain Sana Mir and ‘cold’ team manager Ayesha Ashar for Pakistan’s winless World Cup campaign
Umar Farooq01-Aug-2017A “nexus” of Sana Mir, the Pakistan captain, the team manager and a couple of senior players has been singled out to lay the blame for Pakistan’s winless Women’s World Cup campaign. In a damning report by the coach of the side, Sabih Azhar, Mir bears the brunt of his criticism, as Azhar accuses her of adopting a “negative approach” and of being completely self-obsessed. He also complains that Ayesha Ashar, the long-time team manager, paid most of her attention to senior players Mir, Javeria Khan and Nain Abidi, and was “cold” towards the younger players.A 14-page report, a copy of which is obtained by ESPNcricinfo, acts also as an overview of Azhar’s 10-week term as coach and reveals the “inner dimensions of the negatives and positives of the team”. The report makes a number of recommendations, key among them that ageing players should be moved on and a new manager brought in.Recommendations of the report
It is strongly proposed that once a Head coach is appointed, he should be given the choice, to recommends his own team of, competent and trustworthy coaching and support staff.
Since we don’t have a competitive domestic cricketing structure, it would be highly beneficial to the Pakistan women team if we could send our players abroad and play in their domestic cricket.
By organizing frequent tours of A teams abroad, it will help in the all-round grooming of youngsters.
Organizing a Women’s Super League will increases the competitiveness and quality of the Women Cricket in Pakistan.
“My humble view is if the set of these four – three players and manager – continue with the national team, there’s absolutely no chance of players’ growth in the team,” Azhar wrote. “Juniors need confidence of the seniors, but if they are always criticised and face negative remarks, it would shake their confidence very badly and we should forget growth of women’s cricket in Pakistan.”Much of the focus, however, fell on the leadership of Mir, who Azhar accused of being “self-centred, egotistical and being wrapped up in oneself”. That assessment will come as a shock to many, in whose eyes Mir is among the most significant and successful figures in women’s cricket in Pakistan. She made her ODI debut in 2005 and is the most experienced player in the squad, and has also led Pakistan in 72 of her 102 ODIs. In the 2017 World Cup, she scored 153 runs at an average of 30.60, and picked up six wickets.”It became clear that the captain Sana Mir is self-centred or self-absorbed; typically she is the last to know it,” the report read. “Her denial to accept self-centredness overshadows her good qualities of confidence and esteem.”Too many of our so-called role models, don’t give a hoot about anything except themselves. To them, the ‘team’ is nowhere near as important as the ‘me’. ‘What’s in it for me? I want more playing time. I should be starting instead of them! My average, My stats, My salary, etc.’ Similarly, Sana Mir’s ‘me-whining’ affected the mindset of aspiring young players to understand how important teamwork really is to success and any team game is not about ‘me’, it’s about ‘we’!”The captain was so much negative in her approach that she inculcated fear among other team members during team meetings on number of occasions. She used to praise opponent players a lot instead of backing her own players to do well. Eventually, the captain’s negative approach did damage the confidence of our batters and bowlers and they couldn’t play their natural game during matches.”Similarly, the captain selfishly used to bowl herself at such a time during the match when she knew that the batters won’t go after the bowling and her bowling figures won’t be destroyed. She had a jealousy factor in her mind that what will happen if the other bowler takes a wicket or two and gets an extended spell of bowling.”Ashar, who has been the manager of the women’s team for nine years, was criticised for her behaviour with the junior players in the squad.”The manager was inclined towards three players and sometimes her behaviour with junior players was very cold,” Azhar said in the report. “No doubt, maintaining discipline is something which is the foremost job of the manager, but I felt most of the junior players were uncomfortable with the attitude of the manager, who is with the national team for the last nine years.”Azhar wrote that Pakistan’s pre-tournament preparation – a 30-day training camp in Abbottabad and a 15-day training camp in Leicester – left him feeling confident.”We could have won our opening league match against South Africa before losing narrowly because the girls couldn’t handle the pressure at crucial moments. In the second match against England, our bowlers gave too many runs – 377 – and the match was over before our batters went in.”Against Sri Lanka and the West Indies, our team once again couldn’t give the finishing touches and lost both games. Overall, I believe we could have won at least three league matches – against South Africa, India and Sri Lanka – but the team lacked finishing approach at crucial junctures which cost us the games.”
Brendan Rodgers arrived at Celtic for his second spell at Parkhead last month and has been able to officially complete two signings so far.
The summer transfer window officially opened for business in June but the Hoops still have just under two weeks before their first competitive match of the season rolls around.
Who have Celtic signed this summer?
Rodgers has swooped to sign Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm from Valerenga and Australian winger Marco Tilio from Melbourne City on permanent deals to bolster his squad.
However, more arrivals do appear to be on the horizon for the Scottish giants. Polish central defender Maik Nawrocki completed his medical on Saturday and is set to join in a deal worth around €5m (£4.3m) from Legia Warsaw.
The Bhoys are also reportedly expected to complete the signings of South Korean duo Hyun-jun Yang and Hyeok-kyu Kwon from Gangwon and Busan IPark respectively.
That may not be the end of their business, though, as journalist Anthony Joseph recently claimed that the club have contacted Future FC over a possible swoop for central midfielder Mohamed Reda.
How good is Mohamed Reda?
The 22-year-old dynamo has showcased his attacking quality from a central midfield position over the last 12 months and could form an unplayable partnership with ex-MK Dons star Matt O'Riley for the Hoops.
Reda racked up four goals and four assists in 20 league starts for Future throughout the 2022/23 campaign, which works out as an average of one goal contribution every 2.5 starts.
His team, who were formerly known as Coca-Cola FC, finished fourth in their league and only scored 34 goals in 34 matches. The Egypt international was, therefore, involved in 23.5% of their strikes, which shows that he was able to thrive as an attacking midfield option in spite of the side's lacklustre output.
Celtic midfielder Matt O'Riley.
O'Riley, meanwhile, produced three goals and set up 12 in 32 Scottish Premiership starts for Celtic. This means that the Denmark international managed a goal or assist every 2.13 starts on average for Ange Postecoglou last term – the best return of any midfielder with ten or more starts within the squad.
The Hoops plundered a staggering 114 goals in 38 league outings throughout the 2022/23 season, which shows that they were far more prolific as a team than Future were in the Egyptian top-flight.
Reda, therefore, could increase his output in the final third as part of a better attacking unit. 23.5% of Celtic's goal tally last season would work out as roughly 27 direct involvements, which is more than any Hoops midfielder managed.
The 5 foot 10 gem, who analyst Ben Griffis described as "raw" with "so much potential", may not be able to replicate those standards in Scotland but the statistics illustrate how impressive his return in front of goal was in comparison to the team's overall record.
Therefore, Rodgers could unearth a supremely talented midfield option in Reda. The Northern Irish boss could offer him the chance to showcase his attacking quality as part of a thriving Hoops side, which could make him unplayable for opposition defences alongside O'Riley next term.
Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Fredrik Aursnes as Unai Emery bids to bolster his midfield this summer.
The Spaniard has been joined by Monchi, who has a strong track record in recruiting efficiently as Villa aim to drive their squad to compete in Europe after confirming their place in next season’s UEFA Europa Conference League.
As revealed by Emery via The Athletic back in April, the four-time Europa League winner is aiming to introduce reinforcements all over the pitch.
In signing Aursnes, the Midlands club could hire a real talent in midfield in a player that could boost the options in the middle of the park.
The news speculating Villa’s link to the Benfica ace came courtesy of Portuguese outlet Record (via Sport Witness) earlier this week.
The report claimed that the Villans have made contact over potentially signing the 27-year-old, who has a release clause of €50m (£42m), adding that the Eagles would only let the player leave for such a fee.
What could Fredrik Aursnes offer to Aston Villa?
Lauded as a “class act” by Norwegian football expert David Weatherston, Emery could add to the talents that already adorn his midfield by signing the middle-of-the-park maestro.
Likened to £106.8m jewel Enzo Fernandez based on his statistics recorded over the past year, Aursnes is an accomplished figure to have in any side, as highlighted by his numbers.
In 28 appearances in Liga Portugal, the Norwegian averaged a Sofascore match rating of 7.01, scoring two goals and registering four assists from central midfield.
Averaging one key pass per game, the 27-year-old is a player equipped with an innate attacking ability, suggesting he could provide worthy competition for one of Emery’s stars in that area.
Despite missing a chunk of the season to injury, Boubacar Kamara has shown glimpses of his class in the middle of the park in acting as a sweeper sitting in front of the back line as well as providing a competent outlet in his skills in progressive play.
The 23-year-old could find himself having competition should Villa opt to sign Aursnes, who flexes a greater efficiency in a box-to-box role as suggested by statistics.
When comparing the two on their respective 2022/23 campaigns based on their numbers provided by FBref, it’s clear to see why the Portuguese champions value their player so highly.
The Hareid-born gem ranked in the top 1% for progressive passes per 90 (8.44), as well as topping the charts in terms of pass completion rate with an average of 85.1% in comparison to other attacking midfielders in the league.
Villa’s ace fell short in the same area averaging 4.25 progressive passes per 90 in the Premier League, while his pass accuracy of 84.8% was fractionally smaller.
Adding competition to any side is integral to promoting individual performance in the bid to bolster overall team performance, critical to challenging the Premier League and European competition efficiently.