“We want to keep the game going forward and get the results in whatever situation we are in”

Ashish Pant14-Oct-2024Test cricket isn’t what it used to be, and India have kept pace with the times – think of the Kanpur Test against Bangladesh just recently. But while run rates have soared and batters are looking for more boundary-scoring opportunities, India head coach Gautam Gambhir believes adaptability is still the most crucial element.”We want to be that team which can score 400 in a day bat for two days to salvage a draw,” Gambhir said ahead of India’s first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru. “And you call that growth, you call that adaptability, you call that Test cricket. If you play only one way, then there is no growth.”I can’t talk about world cricket. Every team has their ideologies, their methods to play Test cricket. I can only talk about my team. If we are ever in such a situation where we have to bat for two days to draw a Test, we have players in the dressing room who can bat for two days. Ultimately, our first motive is to win a match and then if there is a situation where the team has to play for a draw, we have to keep those options open as well. That is the kind of Test cricket that we want to play.”Related

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As for the “high-risk, high-reward” approach, Gambhir was on board, and even doesn’t mind India getting bundled for 100 in the process as long as the batters play their natural games and take the game head-on – even in Test cricket.”Yeah, we want people to be aggressive, we want people to go out there and play their natural game. If they can play the natural game, if they can get 400-500 runs in a day, why not? We will play it that way – high-risk, high-reward; high-risk, high-failure,” Gambhir said. “There will be days when we’ll get bundled up for 100 but we’ll continue to back our players.”That’s how we want to play and that’s how we want to entertain the people of this country and, even in Test cricket, we want to keep the game going forward and get the results in whatever situation we are in.”

“We want to try and play the game as hard as possible on the cricket field. Once the game is done, we want to be as humble as possible”Gautam Gambhir

India head into the three-match series against New Zealand high on confidence. They are on a six-game winning streak at home that dates back to February this year and are perched at the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) table.New Zealand, on the other hand, haven’t had the best of starts to their subcontinent trip. Their (non-WTC) Test against Afghanistan in Greater Noida was washed out before they were mowed down 2-0 in Sri Lanka. Add to that, New Zealand don’t have the greatest of records against spin in recent times and are currently placed sixth on the WTC table.”I think New Zealand is a completely different challenge,” Gambhir said. “We know that they’re a very, very good team. They’ve got some really high-quality players. They’ve got players who can hurt us. They’ve got players who can do the job for them as well. They keep fighting and we expect them to fight as well. So we respect them, but we don’t fear anyone.1:46

Can India prep for Australia tour in home Tests against New Zealand?

“I’ve said it many times that we will always respect every opposition. We want to be selfless. We want to try and play the game as hard as possible on the cricket field. Once the game is done, we want to be as humble as possible.”With 74.24% points, India are well placed for a third consecutive WTC final appearance, and while a series win here will not guarantee them a spot in the final, it will make things easier for them especially considering that they next take on Australia in a five-match series in Australia.”See, the first thing is that the World Test Championship is in June [2025]. And the second thing is that the Test match in Australia is on November 22. Right now, only New Zealand is on our mind and nothing else,” Gambhir said. “When you play international cricket, you don’t think about how to prepare for the five Test matches in the Australia series or how to prepare for the World Test Championship final. Right now, the most important thing is how to be ready on October 16 at 9.30am. That is more important because you don’t see ahead that far.”Whatever match you play for your country, you try to win it irrespective of who is the opposition and where that series will take place. Whether it is New Zealand or Australia, we will try to win our country in every match.”

Still on the hunt for reinforcements after confirming the arrival of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Everton have now reportedly made their first approach to sign a Serie A winger.

Latest on Jack Grealish to Everton

After Dewsbury-Hall, Everton seemingly returned straight to the transfer market in an attempt to land further upgrades. And the name that they have since stumbled upon is Jack Grealish. The Manchester City winger desperately needs to leave the Etihad and those at the Hill Dickinson Stadium could now provide him with the perfect opportunity to depart this month.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Everton have offered Manchester City a straight loan for Grealish without an option to buy. It’s a deal that would see them opt out of any mandatory fee, but also one that could see them miss out on a permanent deal for the winger in a frustrating blow if he rediscovered his best form in Merseyside.

Having already signed Dewsbury-Hall, Carlos Alcaraz and Thierno Barry, Grealish’s arrival would likely complete Everton’s much-needed attacking overhaul. Given that both the Chelsea midfielder and the Man City man would be from the Premier League’s top six, too, the Toffees’ summer would suddenly begin to look more and more impressive.

Welcoming Dewsbury-Hall after he put pen to paper, David Moyes told the club’s official website: “We are pleased that Kiernan has chosen to join Everton. He had other clubs interested in signing him but he was excited by the opportunity and the challenge at Everton.”

Everton make first approach to sign Gonzalez

With that said, as their search to complete their attacking overhaul continues, Grealish is not the only name on The Friedkin Group’s list. According to TuttoSport, as relayed by Sport Witness, Everton have now made their first approach to sign Nico Gonzalez from Juventus this summer. The Serie A winger has been granted his exit and it’s now the Toffees and Fulham who have made initial enquiries for his signature.

Like Grealish, the 27-year-old is already thinking about his World Cup place one year in advance and knows that game time will be key to ensuring that he’s in the squad for Argentina’s first defence of the trophy.

Minutes

1,750

721

Goals

3

1

Assists

2

1

Key Passes per 90

0.98

3

When compared, it’s easy to see why Gonzalez has found himself on Everton’s shortlist alongside Grealish. It is, however, also clear that Grealish is the standout option due to his creativity in possession.

He’d be Gueye 2.0: Everton closing in on move for "exciting" £22m star

Everton are looking for plenty more new signings this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Aug 7, 2025

Despite earning praise from manager Igor Tudor for his “strong” desire and “great availability”, Gonzalez’s output compared to the minutes that he played last season do not make for pretty reading. On paper, the Argentine outscored Grealish, but if the latter enjoyed similar game time then it may well have been a different story.

Queensland stormed to their first One-Day Cup win of the season by nine wickets despite a masterclass century by South Australia captain Nathan McSweeney.Left-arm paceman Liam Guthrie set up the victory at Allan Border Field as the visitors were bowled out for 218 with McSweeney, who is a contender for the Test squad to face India, playing a lone hand with 137 off 131 balls.Related

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• Western Australia lose 8 for 1, all out for 53, Webster takes 6 for 17

The Bulls chased down the total with ease in the 33rd over to secure a bonus point with wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson middling an array of pulls, cuts and drives in a blistering unbeaten 100 off 98 balls.”Personally I am in a great spot with my technique and how I am going about my business and it was so nice to get a win,” Peirson told AAP. “I missed out on selection for the first couple of one-dayers and had real grit between my teeth to do the job today. It was so great to get it done.”Usman Khawaja played a key role early before Test hopeful Matt Renshaw found confidence and form with a whirlwind unbeaten 72 off 52 balls,.Earlier Guthrie bowled the dangerous Jake Fraser-McGurk with an inswinger and his three quick wickets in six pinpoint overs put the hosts on top.At the other end, Tom Straker got rid of the in-form Alex Carey and brought McSweeney to the crease at 9 for 2.South Australia were 29 for 4 in the 12th over and on the rack. McSweeney had initial support from Thomas Kelly in a 90-run stand for the fifth wicket.After that, wickets tumbled as McSweeney unfurled an assortment of sweetly timed cover drives both over and through the infield as the skipper made it appear as though he was batting on a different pitch to his teammates.”One of the finest knocks we have seen in one-day cricket,” former Australia coach and batter Darren Lehmann said in commentary.Lehmann is pushing for either McSweeney or NSW opener Sam Konstas to partner Khawaja at the top of the order in the Test series against India.McSweeney will captain the Australia A side against India next week in Mackay. Peirson will join the side for the second game in Melbourne.He is behind Alex Carey and Josh Inglis in the Australian pecking order and is close to national honours.”George [Bailey] has been very clear that is how they see things at the moment,” Peirson said. “Alex has been doing the Test job, Ingo is behind him nipping at his heels and I am behind Ingo. It is a healthy place to be. I am very clear about where I stand. You are always pushing to get yourself closer to play Test cricket.”Any game for Australia A is a massive honour and there is no doubt runs on the board get you talked about. I am glad to link up with Buddha [McSweeney] again, a good Queensland boy.”

Aston Villa have a lot of work to do before their Premier League season gets underway next month with a home tie against Newcastle United.

Several summer departures will likely take place, with Emiliano Martinez reportedly keen on a move to Manchester United, while Jacob Ramsey is attracting interest from Nottingham Forest. But, with their PSR concerns now a thing of the past, plenty of new signings could also arrive through the door soon.

In particular, some confidence-boosting attacking additions look to be a priority, particularly if Ollie Watkins ends up joining Martinez as another first-team face to have left the building.

Aston Villa considering move for £60m striker

Watkins does look to have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to who he could pick as his next club after Villa, with it being reported that Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United are all keen on adding the England international to their respective sides.

Losing Watkins would be a notable blow, but Villa could begin to repair their depleted attack by adding reported target Alejandro Garnacho to their camp from the aforementioned Red Devils, alongside raiding Enzo Maresca’s men when going after a fresh centre-forward purchase.

An update from journalist Ben Jacobs via X indicates that Villa are in the running to land hot-and-cold Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson this summer, with Villa considering his name as they hunt down some more personnel up top.

It’s revealed that Chelsea won’t be pushing the ex-Villarreal attacker out the door – despite his hit-and-miss finishing ability – but they would consider bids if some are forthcoming, with Jackson reportedly available for around the £60m mark.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

How Jackson could be Villa's next Duran

It would be an almighty gamble on Villa’s end to splash out some significant bucks on such an inconsistent performer but there are similarities, not just in the way they arrived in the country, but in their play styles too.

Indeed, the Villans took a risk when they landed Jhon Duran for £18m back in January of 2023, only to be immediately vindicated when he became a clinical hero for Unai Emery and Co.

After all, Duran didn’t dive into the English game boasting the most mind-blowing numbers for Chicago Fire, with only eight goals coming his way from 28 appearances in the Windy City.

Yet, he instantly became a favourite in the West Midlands for his high-octane performances in attack, culminating in a huge chunk of his 20 goals for Villa coming last season when he bagged 12 strikes from just 29 outings.

Goals

7

3

Assists

0

0

Goal conversion percentage

23%

21%

Goal frequency (minutes)

89

79

Shots per game

1.6

2

Chelsea purchased Jackson for around the £32m mark in the same year the Colombian arrived in England, knowing plenty more could come from the 24-year-old in his new location, with Villa already on the receiving end of Jackson’s lethal bursts when he headed home this effort against them during his debut campaign in West London.

Indeed, Jackson fired home a promising 13 strikes in Spain before embarking on this daunting adventure with the Blues, and whilst there have been plenty of grumbles at Stamford Bridge over his wastefulness, he has shown in spells that he can be a deadly and impactful presence on his day, just as Duran has.

Amazingly, despite squandering a costly 43 big chances across his two top-flight seasons at Chelsea, Jackson does still have more strikes next to his name in the Premier League alone than Duran mustered up across his entire Villa Park stint, with 24 goals in 64 league clashes.

Despite that, there are stylistic similarities between the pair, as the numbers showcase.

Shots

3.08

4.27

Shots on target

1.38

1.93

Completed passes

12.3

16.2

Progressive passes

1.54

1.83

Shot-creating actions

2.97

2.54

Successful take-ons

0.73

0.42

Analysing the data, we get a sense that neither are particularly involved in the play in large spells, registering fewer than 20 passes per game.

Likewise, neither striker particularly grabs the ball and takes a player on, completing fewer than one dribble per 90 minutes. Crucially, they both possess the ability to play on the shoulder of the last man and have a gangly playstyle associated with their height. Duran is 6 foot 1, while Jackson is 6 foot 2.

The 24-year-old Jackson might well welcome a fresh opportunity at Villa, particularly when taking in Emery’s transformative powers that worked wonders on the likes of Marcus Rashford last season. He had experienced an equally challenging time at Manchester United before bouncing back well with the Villans, amassing a blistering four goals and six assists in claret and blue.

Moreover, it’s even clearer from the Spaniard’s track record with Duran that he could be the manager to get even more out of a scapegoated Jackson, with the Senegal international once being labelled as a “special” talent by journalist Rahman Osman.

Of course, this move might well backfire if the 24-year-old’s wasteful displays rear their ugly head once more in the West Midlands. But, much like with Duran, it feels like a shot in the dark worth taking.

Better than Ramsey: Aston Villa register interest in £40m "superstar"

Aston Villa could soon win an attacking superstar who is better than Jacob Ramsey.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 17, 2025

After missing out on their long-term target, Hugo Ekitike, Newcastle United will be seeking alternative options in the transfer window this summer.

The Magpies had been keen to bring in the Eintracht Frankfurt forward this summer, with the Frenchman seen as a perfect addition to their attacking ranks.

However, Liverpool hijacked that move and are now expected to sign the 23-year-old in a deal that could end up being worth a fixed fee of £69m.

The Reds had earlier tested Newcastle’s resolve with a £120m approach for Alexander Isak, which was firmly rejected.

Newcastle looking to sign Ekitike alternative

In response, Newcastle have turned their attention to Yoane Wissa of Brentford with Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie revealing a bid of £25m bid has been turned down. The Toon are set to return with a £30m plus add-ons offer.

As an alternative, they could Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani, who spent last season on loan at Juventus.

Speaking on the Football Transfers Podcast, reporter Duncan Castles noted: “Newcastle United are involved in the conversation, and I think at present it looks like they are the most likely destination for Kolo Muani.”

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It is further reported that PSG are demanding €50m (£44m) for the 25-year-old forward, and while Juventus would like to make the deal permanent, they have so far failed to meet the asking price.

This has opened the door for Newcastle.

How Kolo Muani compares to Hugo Ekitike

On paper, Kolo Muani and Ekitike seem like-for-like replacements: young, French forwards who briefly battled for minutes under Christophe Galtier at PSG.

However, their contrasting styles offer very different strengths, and that could explain Newcastle’s pivot.

Kolo Muani is all about directness. He excels at running in behind, attacking space, and finishing with composure.

His efficiency stands out, netting 14 goals from an xG of 11.2, and he managed a shot-on-target percentage of 44.6%, better than Ekitike’s 39.7%.

While he played fewer minutes than Ekitike last season, he was a sharp presence whenever on the pitch.

In contrast, Ekitike brings more creativity and finesse to the forward line.

He scored 22 goals from an xG of 24.6 but also contributed heavily in build-up play: 17.2 completed passes per 90 to Muani’s 11.7, and a progressive passing distance of 43.2 metres per 90 – far higher than Muani’s 27.5.

Ekitike also posted better numbers in shot-creating actions (3.49 vs. 2.31), take-ons (1.89 vs. 1.51), and touches in the attacking third (20.6 vs. 16.0).

Ekitike is the more technical, playmaking forward, while Kolo Muani is the more explosive, goal-focused attacker.

That difference is crucial when viewed through the lens of Newcastle’s style under Eddie Howe.

Indeed, Newcastle thrive on pace, power, and transitions. They often look to release wide players like Anthony Gordon and Jacob Murphy quickly and create space centrally through dynamic runs.

Kolo Muani fits that system well. His instinctive movement and clinical edge offer a natural complement, or even alternative, to Isak, rather than a direct copy.

The aforementioned Castles noted the stylistic overlap with Isak, saying: “This makes you wonder what is happening with Isak because of his similarities to Kolo Muani as a player.”

While Newcastle insist Isak is not for sale, the interest in Muani suggests Howe may be looking for someone who can either ease the burden on his No. 14, or perhaps even compete with him directly.

Crucially, Kolo Muani may also be more attainable. At £44m, he is significantly cheaper than Ekitike.

He would arrive off the back of a strong season at Juventus, described as “absolutely incredible” by analyst Zach Lowry, and has already shown he can adapt to different systems and leagues.

Losing out on Ekitike may sting, but in Kolo Muani, Newcastle could be securing a forward who’s not only more affordable but arguably better suited to their tactical needs.

He may not be a like-for-like replacement, but he might be exactly the kind of signing that keeps Newcastle’s momentum rolling.

Even better than Sesko: Newcastle agree personal terms to sign £50m striker

Newcastle United would love to welcome in this £50m striker who is even better than Benjamin Sesko.

2

By
Kelan Sarson

Jul 20, 2025

يستعد الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة لمواصلة مشواره في موسم 2025/2026 بعد فوزه على ريال سوسيداد ضمن منافسات الدوري الإسباني.

وحقق برشلونة فوزًا مهمًا على ريال سوسيداد بثنائية مقابل هدف، في المباراة التي جمعتهما مساء اليوم، الأحد، على ملعب “مونتجويك”، في إطار منافسات الجولة السادسة من بطولة “لا ليجا”.

جاء الهدف الأول في المباراة عن طريق اللاعب ألفارو أودريوزولا، بعد تمريرة من أندير بارينتشيا، لتصل الكرة إلى زميله الذي سددها في شباك تشيزني على الفور، معلنًا عن تقدم سوسيداد.

وأحرز جول كوندي هدف التعادل لصالح برشلونة في الدقيقة 43 من ركلة ركنية سددها كوندي بضربة رأسية مميزة على يسار حارس المرمى.

اقرأ أيضًا | لويس إنريكي: أشعر بالأسف قبل مواجهة باريس سان جيرمان وبرشلونة

أما الهدف الثاني، جاء عن طريق النجم روبرت ليفاندوفسكي، بعد تمريرة من لامين يامال الذي دخل كبديل، ومرر كرة ناحية البولندي، الذي سددها برأسه في الشباك.

كان الفوز اليوم مهمًا لدى النادي الكتالوني من أجل احتلال صدارة الدوري الإسباني بفارق نقطة عن ريال مدريد بعد هزيمته أمام أتلتيكو.

وخسر ريال مدريد بخماسية مقابل هدفين أمام أتلتيكو مدريد، في المباراة التي جمعتهما مساء أمس، السبت، على ملعب “واندا ميترو بوليتانو”.

بتلك النتيجة، احتل برشلونة صدارة جدول ترتيب الدوري الإسباني “لا ليجا” برصيد 19 نقطة بفارق نقطة واحدة عن ريال مدريد الوصيف بـ 18 نقطة. موعد مباراة برشلونة القادمة بعد الفوز على ريال سوسيداد في الدوري الإسباني

ومن المقرر أن يخوض برشلونة مباراته القادمة أمام باريس سان جيرمان في الجولة الثانية من مرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا الأربعاء المقبل الموافق 1 أكتوبر، في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة ومكة المكرمة، على ملعب “مونتجويك”.

Tottenham have seriously kicked into gear when it comes to their transfer plans for the rest of the summer, with talks accelerating in dramatic fashion over the last 24 hours.

Spurs breakthrough and agree £26m deal to sign star "as soon as possible"

The Lilywhites have stepped things up.

By
Tom Cunningham

Aug 1, 2025

Spurs head coach Thomas Frank and chairman Daniel Levy wasted an entire fortnight pursuing a deal for Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White, which eventually went nowhere after the England international surprisingly agreed a new contract instead.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025	Average match rating
Son Heung-min	7.00
James Maddison	6.98
Pedro Porro	6.95
Dominic Solanke	6.84
Dejan Kulusevski	6.83
via WhoScored

Gibbs-White was booked in for a Hotspur Way medical this time three weeks ago (BBC), but Forest’s unprecedented threat of legal action for an ‘unlawful’ approach blocked any transfer south for the England international.

Tottenham are still in the market for a number 10, though, while it is also believed that they could add another full-back to Frank’s squad before deadline day on September 1 (Sky Sports).

However, before Spurs move on to bolster any of those positions, Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha will be next through the door.

The former Fulham star is set to join Tottenham on loan following a round of quick-fire talks on Thursday, with Levy swiftly reaching an agreement to sign the Portugal international on loan, including an option to buy for around £26 million.

Palhinha, following a disappointing debut season at Bayern, is set to make a return to London and the Premier League – ending Spurs’ search for a new number six whilst surely plunging Yves Bissouma’s future into doubt.

Interestingly, while this transfer was concluded very quickly after initial talks with Palhinha’s camp last week, the former Sporting Lisbon star wasn’t always completely sold on a move back to the UK.

Joao Palhinha's U-turn over joining Tottenham revealed

According to Bundesliga insider, Christian Falk, Palhinha initially wasn’t convinced about joining Tottenham.

However, the £166,000-per-week midfield “sensation”, famed for his robustness and tackling, changed his mind once Spurs’ talks heated up.

“It’s true: Bayern and Tottenham have agreed on a loan deal for João Palhinha,” Falk told CF Bayern Insider.

“On Thursday, it was said that Palhinha was not completely convinced by the move. The player was previously committed to showing that he was good enough for FC Bayern.

“But talks with Tottenham got hot; the interest from the Londoners is interesting for him, which is why there was movement in negotiations. As Fabrizio Romano has confirmed, the loan deal includes a buy option of €30m [£25.9m] (which is not an obligation).”

Despite failing to justify his price tag at Bayern, Palhinha is a proven Premier League player, with his experience potentially very useful for Frank ahead of a vital first season in charge.

“Neither Yves Bissouma, Pape Sarr nor Rodrigo Bentancur are as ruthless at winning the ball back as Palhinha, who also ranked among the top 10 for interceptions during his previous Premier League campaign,” said Sky journalist Peter Smith.

“Palhinha’s belated move to Bayern Munich didn’t prove to be worth the wait, with an injury disruptive and head coach Vincent Kompany ultimately leaving him on the fringes. But a return to London looks like a smart switch for the Portuguese and Spurs – and a daunting one for opposition midfielders.”

Newcastle United are said to be one of a host of Premier League clubs interested in completing the signing of a “world-beater” this summer.

Newcastle depleted in midfield

While much of the focus has been on the future of Alexander Isak and potential replacements for the Swede, the Magpies are badly in need of midfield reinforcements before the end of the transfer window.

Joe Willock is injured and Sean Longstaff has departed for Leeds United, while Lewis Miley is still young and learning on the job. That leaves Eddie Howe with only three genuine senior options in Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, with the addition of Champions League football to come this season.

Ajax midfielder Kenneth Taylor has been linked with a summer move to St James’ Park, potentially being seen as a younger alternative to Aston Villa’s John McGinn. The former scored five goals in 11 Europa League appearances last season, and at 23 years of age, he would be a long-term acquisition.

Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher has also been backed to join the Magpies ahead of the new season, although Tottenham could possibly hijack their move for him.

Newcastle midfielders’ Premier League minutes in 2024/25

Total

Bruno Guimaraes

3286

Sandro Tonali

2632

Joelinton

2405

Joe Willock

1077

Sean Longstaff

788

Lewis Miley

304

Newcastle in the mix to sign "world-beater"

Now, Caught Offside claim that Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba is being “closely monitored” by Newcastle, with the Magpies one of seven Premier League clubs eyeing up the £100m-rated star. The other teams in question are Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham, with the Red Devils seemingly leading the race to sign him currently.

Signing Baleba would be fantastic for Howe, and a welcome boost after such a dispiriting summer, with the youngster a player with incredible potential.

The four-cap Cameroon international excelled for Brighton last season, averaging 2.3 tackles per game in the Premier League across 34 appearances, which is more than any Newcastle player managed in the competition in 2024/25.

Baleba has been compared to Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga by scout Jacek Kulig, highlighting his quality, and Danny Welbeck has lauded him as well.

While the striker situation still needs to be addressed at Newcastle, signing a player of Baleba’s quality and potential would be huge in the middle of the park, not least because it would mean beating many of their rivals to his signature.

Pakistan fought back after poor starts in either innings of the game but fell well short

Danyal Rasool16-Nov-2024

Spencer Johnson rattled Pakistan with early blows before finishing with 5 for 26•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

It looked like it would be a run fest, but then it evolved into a low-scoring thriller. In a shapeshifting T20I in Sydney, Australia adapted better than Pakistan, holding their nerve to defend a modest total of 147 and edging to a 13-run victory, which gave them the T20I series.Spencer Johnson was the star of the show with 5 for 26, taking wickets at the top and the end and keeping Pakistan penned in, but he had plenty of support from his mates in a disciplined bowling effort. It was matched by a first innings where six batters reached double-figures, the clump of cameos ensuring the batters gave their bowlers enough to work with.Pakistan looked like they were on track for a hammering when Australia reached 50 in 3.1 overs – the fastest they have ever got to the mark in a T20I. But Pakistan, led inevitably by Haris Rauf, hit back through the middle overs. However, their fielding lapses proved costly, and in a game of fine margins, that proved to be one of the points of difference between the sides.They will also rue their lack of intent early on with the bat. Pakistan limped along for the first half of the innings and left themselves too much to do at the back end. Usman Khan – who scored his first T20I half-century – and Irfan Khan made a fist of it to get within 13 runs of victory, but just couldn’t do enough to undo the damage of the first part of the innings.Australia made sure they did just enough things better than Pakistan, and on that count, ended up worthy winners.Matthew Short played his part in giving Australia a rollicking start•Getty Images

The flight, and the uncontrolled descentAustralia began the game as if they had drawn inspiration from India’s batting show against South Africa on Friday. Shaheen Afridi was bowling into the arc as if feeding a slot machine, and Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk were only too happy to oblige. Naseem Shah similarly failed to keep it out of the arc, and 15 balls into the game, Australia had sped along to 47, having hit five fours and three sixes already.As Pakistan have learnt over the white-ball tour, when in doubt, give Rauf the ball, and that worked the charm again. He was the only man who could arrest the slide, and it didn’t take him long. A pacy bouncer that Fraser-McGurk couldn’t get on top off and slogged to the cover fielder punctured Australia, before a leading edge sent Josh Inglis on his way.Abbas Afridi – who bowled beautifully all innings – struck with the slower ball to dispatch Short, and suddenly, it turned into an even contest. After the first 15 balls of the powerplay had leaked 47 wicketless runs, the last 21 balls saw just 14 scored, with Australia’s top three back.Haris Rauf struck twice in an over to check Australia’s rapid start•Getty Images

Pakistan sloppy in the field, againPakistan tend to take one of their most famous characteristics each game, and turn the dial up to 11. Sometimes it’s the unpredictability, at other times it’s the fast bowling. Today, they went for the comic ineptitude in the field they have picked up a reputation for.The warning signs were there from the first over, which was when Naseem made a mess of a Fraser-McGurk top edge, and it only got worse from there.Salman Agha put Marcus Stoinis down off Rauf, while Shaheen reprieved Glenn Maxwell off Sufiyan Muqeem in the eighth over. Rauf made a mess of an effort in the field off Naseem that went for four, while Babar Azam put Tim David down before the batter went on to get ten runs off the next three balls. Those were just the highlights and, in a low-scoring game, it all counted.Mohammad Rizwan struggled during his 26-ball 16•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

Pakistan’s no-power playPakistan looked at the way Australia had been dragged back and perhaps thought “this won’t happen to us”. It didn’t, because they never got going at the front end of the innings in the first place. They did lose Babar (pick-up flick to deep square leg) and Sahibzada Farhan (pull straight to deep midwicket) to careless shots, but for much of the first nine overs, there were scarcely any attempts to hit a boundary.Mohammad Rizwan struggled through an especially curious innings where he was either happy with dot balls or poked the ball away for singles. It wasn’t until the tenth over that a boundary off the bat was finally struck as Rizwan cleared his front leg and slog swept Johnson over cow corner to pick up four.But Rizwan attempted the same shot off the next ball, only to miscue it for David to take a superb catch diving forward. By this time, the asking rate was approaching ten, and Pakistan’s top order had written cheques they unfairly expected their lower order to honour.Usman Khan battled hard to give Pakistan a chance•Cricket Australia via Getty Images

Johnson brillianceWhen Johnson began the innings with a wide down leg side that went for five, and followed it up with a wide outside off that would have done the same had first slip not done brilliantly, any comparisons with the other Johnson, Mitchell, would have only pertained to the phase in his career that spawned the unfortunate “he bowls to the left, he bowls to the right” chant. But it took the South Australian no time to turn his fortunes around, controlling his high pace and exploiting sideways movement beautifully to rip through Pakistan.Farhan’s soft dismissal was only the beginning, and Pakistan were dented during the middle overs, and that proved telling.Rizwan fell in Johnson’s return spell before Salman fell the very next ball, leaving Pakistan’s ultra-long tail one wicket away from being exposed. When Usman and Irfan put up a 58-run stand, it was once again Johnson who struck, taking two more in an over when his extra pace saw Usman smear a pull into the air before Abbas was dispatched in similar fashion. It allowed Adam Zampa’s double-wicket over effectively seal the game despite Irfan’s presence.

The Austrian Cricket Association (ACA) has “unreservedly apologised” to the Israel Cricket Association (ICA) and the Israel cricket team “for any hurt or offence that may have been caused” before their Men’s T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier A match on June 10.Although the specifics of the incident are yet unknown, an ICC statement said that the ACA has taken “swift action” to address the issue with the player responsible, and with “appropriate disciplinary sanctions” imposed on the player according to the ACA’s disciplinary processes.Following the incident, the ICC conducted a conciliation process between the ACA and the ICA to find a consensual resolution, according to the ICC’s Anti-Discrimination Code. The process was conducted confidentially by Paul Mortimer, an independent expert in the area of anti-discrimination and race relations.The two teams had met in Spinaceto, in Rome, for a Europe Qualifier A match, with the tournament serving as a stepping stone towards eventual qualification for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Austria’s Aqib Iqbal scored an unbeaten 35-ball 52 in that match to seal a seven-wicket win over Israel.