The head-to-head, of course, has India leading 7-0. Pakistan will be very keen to end that jinx

Shashank Kishore13-Oct-20235:28

Why has Bumrah stood out? What’s ailing Shaheen?

Big Picture – Can the teams shut out the noise?

There was thunder and lightning. Rain that began as a passing shower turned into a deluge, sending people scurrying for cover to preserve – guess what? – their physical match ticket so that they could return the next day to watch a game of cricket, the IPL final no less.It turned out to be the match of the tournament, and perhaps for many of the fans, their lives. As people made a beeline for the exit at 3am, more than 30 hours after the match was scheduled to have begun, several were still revelling in the festivities that followed that emotional roller-coaster of a final.Ahmedabad was the epicentre of Indian cricket that night, and the promise of a similar occasion, perhaps even grander, later in the year for a match they were all sure would be held in Ahmedabad, excited them.That grand occasion is nearly here.Related

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• 'All streaks are meant to be broken' – Babar turns down the noise about Pakistan's 0-7 run against India

On Saturday, Ahmedabad won’t just be the epicentre of Indian cricket, but world cricket, with 132,000 people – a decent chunk being celebrities, industrialists, politicians, friends of politicians and, of course, cricket administrators – congregating at what they say is the world’s biggest cricket stadium to witness a match that makes the cricket economy – bilateral non-relations notwithstanding.Welcome to instalment eight of India vs Pakistan at men’s 50-over World Cups. Depending on whether you plan to sport blue or green on the day, you probably feel like gloating over that unmatched record or need no reminding of the duck you hope will become . In literal terms, that means “together” – like administrators from both sides who spar at boardrooms and in the media will be – but in this cricketing context, it refers to the scoreline that Pakistani fans, and the players, will hope for at the end of the night: 1-7.5:40

‘Once the first ball is bowled, everything is back to normal’

Pakistan have spent two weeks in Hyderabad, and are among the teams that will travel the least at this World Cup. Whether by design or accident, that should be a blessing in disguise, for a game of this magnitude will need plenty of recovering from anyway. And in a twisted sort of way, perhaps, the Pakistan players will have it a tad easier, in that at least they won’t need to be juggling match passes for long lists of friends and family – due to all the visa issues.It’s the kind of game that can take up mind space for days, if not longer. Sachin Tendulkar, for example, revealed that Centurion, and nothing else, was on his mind for over a month, until the sides met on that memorable day in March 2003, because he was reminded of it wherever he went and by whomever he met – from those on room-service duty to the fans to the media. MS Dhoni, whose hotel room was apparently never shut while on tour, decided he needed to make an exception ahead of the 2011 Mohali semi-final.In a nutshell that’s the essence of India vs Pakistan.

Form guide

India WWLWW (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)

Pakistan WWLWWJasprit Bumrah was menacing with the new ball and wily with the old against Afghanistan•ICC/Getty Images

In the spotlight: Jasprit Bumrah and Abdullah Shafique

Jasprit Bumrah will be playing a World Cup game on his home ground, but seems immune to all the pressure. When the inevitable question on playing Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium came up at a press interaction, he quipped he was more keen to first make a quick dash home to visit his mum. And if he’s got his head in the right place, form is on his side too: Bumrah heads into the game on the back of a stellar show against Afghanistan, a four-wicket haul that would have won him the match honours on most nights but was overshadowed by a Rohit Sharma special that time.Abdullah Shafique would not have been playing had Fakhar Zaman shown a semblance of form in the lead-up to the tournament. But, on World Cup debut, his century and his partnership with Mohammad Rizwan helped put together a record chase against Sri Lanka. Expectations are bound to rise, but he seems level-headed enough to deal with the attention that may come his way. Saturday will be a test of that.

Team news: Shubman Gill very much in the picture

Shubman Gill, who missed India’s first two games with dengue, has recovered well enough to have a 99% chance of playing the game. He had had a net session immediately upon arrival in Ahmedabad, where he joined up with the rest of the team after a spell away to recover. If that 1% comes into play and Gill doesn’t feature on Saturday, it’s likely Ishan Kishan will continue to open. Only last month, Kishan counter-punched to make an 81-ball 82 against Pakistan in Pallekele, so there’s enough recent evidence of his being quite ready to face an attack of this quality.It can also be quite tempting to play Mohammed Shami, given his IPL record here. Also, pacers have bowled a bigger percentage of overs than spinners (59.8% versus 40.2%) and have more wickets (38 to spin’s 23) in ODIs here since 2021. But the team management leans towards having some batting cushion at No. 8, which none of their frontline pacers provide. So, for now, it could be another opportunity for Shardul Thakur.India: 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Ishan Kishan/Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 KL Rahul (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Jasprit Bumrah, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mohammed SirajAbdullah Shafique’s century would have Pakistan feeling good about their opening combination•ICC via Getty Images

Pakistan have little reason to change a combination that worked wonders for them against Sri Lanka. There’s just a one small concern. While Hasan Ali picked up four wickets, he did get taken for plenty. If they are looking for a change, there’s Mohammad Wasim waiting in the wings.Pakistan: 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Babar Azam (capt), 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Ifthikhar Ahmed, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Shaheen Afridi, 10 Hasan Ali/Mohammad Wasim, 11 Haris Rauf

Pitch and conditions

Hot and dry on the weather front. There could be some dew later in the evening, which will also mean the team batting first will want to go hard. It’s a black soil surface, next to the one that played host to the tournament opener where New Zealand’s top order made merry. As such, it should be a belter of a surface for the organisers want to make it a spectacle in every sense.

Stats and trivia

• Rohit Sharma has been out five times in 13 innings against left-arm pace in the powerplay since 2021. It’s all then set up for another exciting round of Rohit vs Shaheen Shah Afridi.
• India’s bowling strike rate of 32.5 in the powerplay is the best among all teams in ODIs since 2022. In this phase, Siraj has taken most wickets for India (32).
• The 67 innings Imam-ul-Haq took to get past 3000 runs in the previous game makes him the second-fastest behind Hashim Amla to get there in ODIs. The glaring concern, though, will be his five dismissals in seven innings this year against short-pitched bowling, including in the opener against Netherlands. This is something India’s pace attack may want to exploit first up.
• Babar Azam has hit just 71 runs in five innings since his 150* in the Asia Cup opener against Nepal. This is his joint-longest streak of not scoring 30 or more in an ODI innings.

Quotes

“I don’t focus too much on what has happened in the past and focus on what’s coming ahead. These records are made to be broken and we will try to break it.”
“All the guys are quite used to playing in front of big crowds. It can only work in your favour. It cannot work against you. A lot of the guys in the team love a big crowd, the cheers, the noise in the ground. The boys really enjoy it.”

أعلنت لجنة الحكام في الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، برئاسة أوسكار رويز، طاقم تحكيم مباراة النادي الأهلي ضد مودرن سبورت، المقرر لها مساء غد السبت.

ويلتقي الأهلي مع مودرن سبورت، في الجولة الأولي من عمر منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز للموسم الجديد 2025-2026. موعد مباراة الأهلي ومودرن سبورت في الدوري المصري

وتقام مباراة الأهلي ومودرن سبورت، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي، في تمام الساعة 9 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

طالع | مصطفى زيكو: اخترت الانضمام إلى بيراميدز بسبب الطموح.. ولاعب الأهلي مثلي الأعلي حكم مباراة الأهلي ومودرن سبورت في الدوري المصري

أسندت لجنة الحكام، مباراة الأهلي ومودرن سبورت إلي حكم الساحة طارق مجدي، سيكون في غرفة الفار، الحكم مصطفي مدحت ويعاونه محمد عزازي.

وحكم مساعد أول، شريف عبد الله، وحكم مساعد ثاني، إسلام أبو العطا، سيكون أحمد ناصر حكمًا رابعًا.

يذكر، أن بطولة الدوري المصري ستنطلق اليوم الجمعة بـ 3 مواجهات قوية، الزمالك يواجه سيراميكا كليوباترا والمصري يلاقي الاتحاد السكندري وبيراميدز يلعب ضد ووادي دجلة.

Dan Ashworth has returned to the FA as chief football officer after leaving Manchester United in December.

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Dan Ashworth returns to the FAWill oversee St George's Park regenerationLeft Manchester United in DecemberFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ashworth becomes the first person to take on the role and will lead the FA's high-performance strategy, as well as overseeing the new-look home of the England national teams.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Ashworth was previously with the FA between 2013-19, operating as the director of elite development and then the technical director. Having held roles at Brighton, Newcastle United and Manchester United since his departure, he now returns to the governing body.

WHAT THE FA SAID

FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said: "Dan is a hugely influential and respected figure in the game, who has a long-standing commitment to England Football. We are very happy to welcome him back in this new role."

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ASHWORTH?

Part of Ashworth's role will include supporting men's technical director John McDermott and the successor to women's technical director Kay Cossington. That includes preparation for this summer's women's Euros and next summer's men's World Cup.

Essex 106 for 0 (A Cook 64*, Browne 31*) trail Kent 207 (Compton 47, S Cook 3-19) by 101 runsSir Alastair Cook notched the 123rd half-century of his bejewelled career as he steered Essex into a commanding position on the first day of their LV= Insurance County Championship match against Kent.Cook, still there at the close on 64, was joined in an unbeaten first-wicket stand of 106 by Nick Browne, who was painstakingly attempting to rebuild his flagging form after a run of three successive ducks. He was on the path to redempton with 31 from 117 balls.Earlier, Kent elected to bat on a green-tinged pitch under heavy grey clouds that required the use of floodlights after an hour. Their innings lasted just short of two sessions for 207 as the lower-order threw away their wickets with some abandon.Only a sedate 58-run fourth-wicket partnership between Ben Compton, who recorded an 81-ball 47, and captain Jack Leaning interrupted a regular clatter of wickets with nagging seamers Sam Cook and Jamie Porter sharing six of them equally.Twanda Muyeye survived a decent chance to Matt Critchley at third slip before he was beaten for pace to present Sam Cook with the first of three wickets for 19 in 11 overs.Next ball Joe Denly’s miserable season continued when he played down the wrong line and was caught behind for his fourth duck of this campaign.To compound Kent’s problems, Harry Finch faced 15 deliveries without scoring when he set off for a non-existent single to gully where Paul Walter swooped and hit the single stump he could see.Compton and Leaning settled in for a stand that needed 17 overs to put on fifty, and that despite Compton hitting Doug Bracewell for three successive boundaries, two through the covers, the other a flick off his legs.However, to the last ball before lunch Compton attempted to dig out a fuller delivery from Simon Harmer and only succeeded in chipping the ball back tamely to the bowler.Leaning followed soon after the break when he got a thick edge to one from Sam Cook that went away from him and wicketkeeper Adam Rossington took a fine diving catch to his right. Joey Evison went shouldering arms to one that came back late from Bracewell.Grant Stewart smashed Harmer for two straight sixes in a brisk, seven-over stand of 43 with Jordan Cox before Porter found a peach of a ball to remove Cox.Porter then set a short-ball honey-trap for Stewart who hooked straight to one of an army on the boundary, and two balls later Matt Quinn skied rashly to midwicket. Arshdeep Singh swept Critchley for a huge six and wafted lazily at the next ball and was stumped without bothering to look back.When Essex replied in the evening session, Alastair Cook slipped into imperious mode after a watchful start, showing an array of shots around the wicket in depositing Stewart for three successive fours, though he was put down off the same bowler to a sharp chance in the gully.Of the fifty partnership in 17 overs, hecontributed 38 with Browne playing second fiddle with a dozen; of the century partnership Browne had 27 and Cook 63, passing fifty for the fifth time this season when he swept Hamid Qadri for his 10th boundary.Essex, incidentally, will be reinforced with the inclusion of Dan Lawrence in their batting line-up on day two as he returns south after being the spare man in the England XII for the concurrent fourth Test at Old Trafford. He will replace Robin Das.

Stand-in captain urges his batters to convert their starts and forge partnerships as Bangladesh look to level the series

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-2023Najmul Hossain Shanto’s life has become a “then and now” meme. Every time he does something meaningful in 2023, it gets compared to last year when he was really struggling. His career has seen a complete reversal in fortunes this year, with the BCB now naming him the captain for the third ODI against New Zealand.On September 25 last year, Shanto wasn’t picked for the first T20I against UAE. Bangladesh were in Dubai for a two-match series for their build-up to the T20 World Cup. Shanto missed both matches, and was an uncertain starter for the World Cup. His struggles at various times last year were fodder for social-media mocking.In the space of exactly 12 months, Shanto has completely turned around his international career. He established himself in the T20I side with a decent World Cup in Australia and followed it with a strong performance in BPL 2023. This year he finally seems to have cracked the ODIs while cementing his Test place too. Now, with both Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das rested ahead of the grind of travelling in India for the ODI World Cup, Shanto’s rise in form and involvement in the field has meant he has been asked to lead the side.Related

• Shanto to captain Bangladesh in third ODI against New Zealand

“It is a matter of huge pride for me as a cricketer,” Shanto said. “My family is proud too. I am enjoying this opportunity provided to me by the cricket board. I have had a good journey so far. I have a long way to go yet. I am enjoying every moment regardless of whether it is good or bad. I will try to give my best if there’s more opportunity in the future to lead the side. It is every cricketer’s dream to lead their country.”Bangladesh’s winning streak against New Zealand at home since 2010 has been halted – they can still level the series – but Shanto says there are no nerves in the dressing room.”I think it is a happy occasion,” he said. “I want to ensure that the team finishes well in this series looking ahead to the World Cup. I believe the team is in a good position. I don’t know what happened in 2008 [the last time New Zealand won an ODI series in Bangladesh] but I also think we don’t need to think about it. The main thing is to do well tomorrow.”Bangladesh’s inconsistency with the bat in their last ten completed ODI innings has been a headache. Shanto has bailed them out at times, but he believed that forging partnerships would help the team overcome this problem.”It is challenging for the top order to bat in these [hot] weather conditions,” he said. “We started well in the second ODI. We were 54 for 1 [after ten overs]. So we have to focus on building bigger partnerships once we get a good start. We are working on set batters ensuring they make it big.”[Back-to-back wickets] can happen for any number of reasons. It is always difficult for new batters. The important thing is that the set batter continues for long. They must stay at the wicket. They must play a big innings.”Bangladesh will leave for India on September 27, the day after the third ODI against New Zealand. Their practice matches are on September 29 and October 2, so the tight schedule means they have to take as much confidence as they can into the World Cup. Shanto said that it is not only about playing in similar conditions in Dhaka so that they don’t find a lot of surprises in India, it is also about beating New Zealand so that they round off their preparatory part well.”We want to finish this series well. We don’t know what type of wickets we get in India. I am guessing the wickets will be pretty good. We need to remember that there are some wickets in India where big scores aren’t always possible. We will play tomorrow’s match according to the conditions, and if we finish well, we will have a good preparation.”

Samson is one of two keepers named in the squad alongside Ishan Kishan

Shashank Kishore23-Jun-2023Sanju Samson has earned a recall to India’s ODI squad for the three-match series in the Caribbean in July. With KL Rahul still in rehab for a thigh injury and Rishabh Pant in recovery after surviving a car crash in December, Samson is one of two wicketkeepers in the 17-member squad alongside Ishan Kishan.Related

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Ruturaj Gaikwad, whose only ODI so far came against South Africa in October last year, is also part of the squad along with the uncapped Mukesh Kumar. Most of the regulars in the frame for the ODI World Cup have been included in the Rohit Sharma-led squad. Hardik Pandya is the vice-captain.With Mohammed Shami rested, Mohammed Siraj is expected to spearhead a pace attack that also includes Jaydev Unadkat, Shardul Thakur, Mukesh and Umran Malik apart from the allrounder Hardik.Suryakumar Yadav, who occupied one of the middle order slots during the home ODIs against Australia in March, has been retained. Playing in the absence of Shreyas Iyer, who was out with a back injury, Suryakumar finished the series with three first-ball ducks, but bounced back with prolific returns in the IPL for Mumbai Indians.Washington Sundar, who was also part of the Australia series, has been left out, with Ravindra Jadeja and Axar preferred as the spin-bowling allrounders. Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav are the two frontline spinners.Samson will have an opportunity to add to his 11 ODI caps if the team management wants to play a keeper-batter suited to the middle order; Kishan typically bats higher up the order. Samson has so far scored 330 ODI runs in 10 innings at an average of 66.00, with two half-centuries. One of them came in a match-winning chase against West Indies in Port-of-Spain last year. Samson can also play as a specialist batter even if Kishan is picked as keeper.India ODI Squad: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (vice-capt), Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar.

Derby County look to be edging closer to appointing John Eustace with Blackburn Rovers now resigned to their boss talking to the Rams over a potential switch.

Indeed, it has now been confirmed by the Riversiders – via their X account – that the 45-year-old is eyeing a move away from Ewood Park to return to familiar surroundings in Pride Park, having previously finished his playing days pulling on a Rams shirt.

This will come as a major blow to Blackburn who are sat in the Championship playoff positions under the ex-Birmingham City manager.

Meanwhile, Derby languish near the foot of the division after Paul Warne had guided his lowly team to seven straight league defeats before being binned.

With Eustace in charge, the aim will no doubt be to rise up the league standings away from any relegation trouble, with this dream XI below what the Solihull-born boss could prefer if he is to take on the reins shortly…

1 GK – Jacob Widell Zetterstrom

In the goalkeeper position, Eustace is likely to persist with Swedish shot-stopper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom with the summer buy starring in patches this season for his relegation-threatened team.

Indeed, Zetterstrom has five clean sheets next to his name and has performed valiantly even as his side went on that lengthy losing streak, with seven saves amassed away at Cardiff City towards the back end of January.

2 RB – Ryan Nyambe

The first change could see Ryan Nyambe reinstated into the starting XI at the right-back spot after finding himself dropped for Derby’s last outing away at Norwich City.

After all, Eustace might view the ex-Blackburn man’s experience of the level as a big plus in trying to keep his new side afloat in the second tier, with Nyambe up to 196 career appearances in the Championship.

3 CB – Sondre Klingen Langås

Eustace would have loved to enter the building with Eiran Cashin still at his disposal, but the main Rams titan at the back has now departed his boyhood employers for a shot in the Premier League with Brighton and Hove Albion.

Therefore, the potential new Rams boss will have to make do with fresh centre-back recruit Sondre Klingen Langås instead, who did impress in flashes at Carrow Road last match.

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Costing £4m to obtain from his native Norway, it seems as if Langas is the natural successor to Cashin, with three clearances registered and one duel won in Norfolk.

4 CB – Nathaniel Phillips

He will likely be partnered by Liverpool loanee Nathaniel Phillips in a four-at-the-back formation, moving away from the five-at-the-back on show versus Norwich.

Whilst the 27-year-old is yet to pick up a clean sheet this season in the Championship, he has also impressed those watching on in spurts when times have been tough, with eight duels won away at Bristol City right at the start of January even as Derby fell to a slim 1-0 loss.

5 LB – Callum Elder

Another change defensively could come at the left-back spot, as a Warne favourite in Ben Osborn – who has been present 22 times in the league this campaign even as an ageing 30-year-old – is axed for promotion-winner Callum Elder.

Across that promotion-winning season, Elder was a utility member of the squad Warne could depend on, with the ex-Hull City man winning a high 4.3 duels per game this campaign when chucked into the team.

6 CM – Ebou Adams

With Eustace’s preference for a 4-2-3-1 formation coming into play here, he will want a tough, no-nonsense midfield presence in his ranks to shore up the defence and he has just that in Derby battler Ebou Adams.

The former Cardiff City midfielder has remarkably won 8.3 total duels a match in the second tier this season, alongside also being well-equipped to fire a goal home with four strikes tallied up.

7 CM – David Ozoh

Crystal Palace loanee David Ozoh looks likely to partner Adams in the central midfield area of the team, with the Eagles youngster also capable of rolling his sleeves up for the cause.

From his eight league appearances so far, Ozoh has won 5.6 duels per game with his promising showing against Norwich perhaps putting him in Eustace’s early good books, with seven ground duels successfully registered on top of completing all his dribbles when attempting to instigate a Derby attack.

8 RM – Nathaniel Mendez Laing

Nathaniel Mendez Laing is in need of breathing life back into his playing days at Pride Park, having only picked up two goals and four assists so far this campaign after a whirlwind League one season prior.

Indeed, the ex-Cardiff winger tore the third tier to shreds with a stunning nine goals and 16 assists picked up, with Eustace now wanting to revive the “crucial” ace – as he was once labelled by football journalist Jacob Hackett – back to his frightening best.

9 CAM – Kenzo Goudmijn

With this formation switch in place, Eustace could be prepared to push promising Dutch midfielder Kenzo Goudmijn further up the field into a number ten spot.

After all, Goudmijn has one of his two Championship goals for the season from this more attacking-oriented role, with his creative flair to pick up two assists also lending itself to this new spot in the side.

Having been labelled as “incredibly talented” by football journalist Jake Barker back in December, the 23-year-old star could now potentially thrive under Eustace’s fresh ideas.

10 LM – Marcus Harness

Marcus Harness will be hoping that a new manager occupying the Pride Park dug-out means more game-time is handed his way, with his cameo against Norwich City last time out gifting his side a crucial last-minute penalty.

Only starting 13 of his 26 Championship games this campaign, he could be set for an extended period in the first team under Eustace, with the ex-Ipswich Town attacker also a promotion winner from this level in the past.

He was struck when attempting a pull off Gerald Coetzee and after attempting to continue had to retire hurt

Alex Malcolm and Firdose Moonda15-Sep-2023

Travis Head receives treatment after a blow on the hand•AFP/Getty Images

Australia opener Travis Head has a confirmed fracture in his left hand which puts his availability for the early part of the World Cup in jeopardy after he was struck by a Gerald Coetzee short delivery in the fourth ODI against South Africa at SuperSport Park on Friday.Head was on 9, facing his eighth delivery, when he was struck on the left glove attempting a pull off Coetzee. He received treatment onfield from the Australian medical staff before continuing to bat but only faced three more deliveries before retiring hurt in clear discomfort. He was sent to hospital for an x-ray and Australia coach Andrew McDonald confirmed after the match that it had shown a fracture.He will have further scans on Saturday with more information on the severity of his injury and a timeline for his recovery to be determined. Head did return to the ground at the end of the match but had his left hand in a splint.”At this stage, it’s a confirmed fracture and how long that timeframe is, we’re yet to determine that so fingers crossed clearly with the World Cup fast approaching,” McDonald said post-match.”I’m not a medical person, but I think it’s a little bit higher up than the actual [index] finger itself. But I don’t know the actual terminology. It’s in a joint somewhere so I won’t go into the medical specifics. But, yeah, a confirmed fracture and to be assessed again tomorrow with another scan.”Australia’s chase of 417 suffered early dents when they were reduced to 22 for 2, but Head made a strong start. After he was struck he whipped Marco Jansen over deep backward square for six but then toe-ended the next ball just short of Kagiso Rabada at mid-off, taking the injured hand off the bat while playing the stroke. He immediately removed his glove at the non-striker’s end.The next ball he faced he made room to cut but Coetzee followed him and cramped him as he tried to flay it through the offside. He immediately winced in severe pain after playing the stroke and walked straight to the dressing room, informing stand-in South Africa captain Aiden Markram and the umpires that he could not continue as he walked off. Australia were 53 for 2 in the ninth over at the time and ended up being bowled out for 252 with Head not returning to bat when the ninth wicket fell.Travis Head walked back retired hurt after copping a blow to his left hand•AFP/Getty Images

The injury will doubtless increase speculation that Marnus Labuschagne, who was not part of Australia’s initial World Cup squad, could force his way into the final playing group. Labuschagne came on as a concussion substitute in the first ODI and scored an unbeaten 80 in a match-winning cause, and followed that up with 124 in the second game.Head’s injury adds to Australia’s long list of concerns heading to the World Cup. Pat Cummins (wrist fracture), Steven Smith (wrist tendon), Mitchell Starc (groin), Glenn Maxwell (leg) are all coming off lay-offs and hoping to be fit for the three-match ODI series against India that starts on September 22 in the lead-up to the World Cup.Ashton Agar also only played one game in South Africa coming off a calf strain before heading home to Perth for the birth of his first child. He was supposed to play at least two but he was unavailable due to soreness before flying home and he is unlikely to return to the squad until after the India ODI series.Cameron Green is coming off a concussion in the opening match of the South Africa series but McDonald was hopeful he would be available for final game of the series on Sunday after serving his mandatory eight-day rest period.”He’s been cleared by the medical team,” McDonald said. “So he’s just working away getting prepared. Hopefully, he’s available for game five. That’s the plan at this stage. We’ll be able to have some training tomorrow, assess that and there will be some forced changes and we’ll have some guys potentially a little bit sore. We’ll have to manage those guys as well.”Spencer Johnson is still unavailable due to a hamstring injury and Mitchell Marsh won’t bowl in Sunday’s final ODI with McDonald confirming he would return to bowling in India after some ankle soreness flared up during the Ashes series following an unexpected heavy workload.But with Head set to miss Sunday’s game and potentially the start of the World Cup, Marsh looks set to move up to open given the form he showed in India earlier in the year.

da pixbet： Sheffield United will hope they can shore up their grip on second spot in the Championship this coming Monday night, but it won’t be easy for the promotion-chasing Blades.

da realsbet： After all, table-topping Leeds United come into town fresh off a last-gasp win over Sunderland to further cement their authority as the main dogs in the second tier, whilst Chris Wilder’s men lurk behind.

Wilder will just have to hope his strong Blades team can keep the visiting Whites at bay, with the South Yorkshire outfit taking great pride in their defensively resilient performances this season after a horror show Premier League relegation.

United's improved defensive displays

One brief look back at the 2023/24 Premier League table is enough to send shivers down the spines of many a United supporter, as the Blades sunk back down to the second-tier rock bottom of the division.

That’s before you even consider the alarming fact that the relegated side shipped a horrendous 104 goals across a largely dismal 38-game stretch, meaning things had to change big time back in the Championship.

How Cooper compares to Championship GK’s

Stat

Record (per 90)

Ranking

Goals against

0.68

Top 8%

Save percentage

80.6%

Top 5%

Save % (penalties)

33.3

Top 29%

Clean sheet %

54.8%

Top 8%

Clean sheets

0.55

Top 8%

Touches

41.39

Top 34%

Crosses stopped %

9.4%

Top 8%

Defensive actions outside area

0.87

Bottom 21%

Stats via FBref

Wilder has thankfully managed to turn his team into a far more solid defensive unit in the league below, helped by the £2m capture of ex-Plymouth shot-stopper Michael Cooper last summer now looking to be a masterstroke.

All of last campaign, the Blades only managed to collect a sorry one clean sheet in league action. Now, with a breath of fresh air in between the sticks, Cooper has picked up a stunning 18 clean sheets, with that total only bettered by automatic promotion rivals Leeds and Burnley.

Off the back of his excellence in goal, the 25-year-old’s value has already started to steadily rise, with Cooper’s dreams of entering into the top-flight with Wilder’s men potentially coming true.

This isn’t the only time United have struck gold on a promising ‘keeper, however, with this former England international rejoining the ranks in South Yorkshire back in 2020, which would set him up for a path to stardom down the line.

Wilder's "brilliant" former goalkeeper

Fresh off the back of a seriously impressive ninth place finish in the Premier League during the 2019/20 season, the mood around Bramall Lane would have been sky-high.

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But, as has been seen in more recent campaigns, Wilder’s men love seesawing between the second tier and the promised land of the top flight, as the 2020/21 season then saw a gutting relegation occur.

The Blades weren’t helped by some disruptive business taking place the summer before the troubling campaign properly got underway, with reliable ‘keeper Dean Henderson moving back to then parent side Manchester United after collecting an encouraging 13 clean sheets in Premier League action.

To make up for this harsh blow, United took a punt on ex-shot stopper Aaron Ramsdale for a fee in and around the £18m mark, having previously shipped him out to AFC Bournemouth for a mere £1m fee.

Whilst Ramsdale’s arrival onto the scene couldn’t save his side from the doom of dropping down a league, the now 26-year-old would help the Bramall Lane faithful get over Henderson’s exit quicker, with this save just one golden moment from the 6 foot 3 ‘keeper’s formative time at the Blades.

In total, Ramsdale would notch up a hefty 147 saves during the 2020/21 season in the top flight, leading to many a higher-up onlooker watching the Stoke-on-Trent-born star with intrigue to see if he could fit into a less stressful environment.

Arsenal would eventually pick up the recently relegated ‘keeper for £30m, with Wilder and Co unbelievably making a £12m profit on their “brilliant” ex-number one – as he was labelled by his former manager in the wake of his exit – after just one season, even with Championship football hitting them in the face.

Whilst Ramsdale would initially go down as a resounding success at the Emirates Stadium, based on his gleaming highlights reel above, it’s fair to say his time with the Gunners unravelled pretty quickly, leaving him now submerged in another basement battle.

Ramsdale's declining value

Ramsdale was worth every bit of his £30m fee during his first few standout campaigns in North London, with the 26-year-old becoming a top Premier League performer further up the table, away from United’s relegation woes.

In total, the five-time Three Lions senior figure would go on to amass 89 appearances for the Gunners across three seasons, with the calm waters of his first two seasons then replaced with choppy seas by the abrupt time he was offloaded by Mikel Arteta.

Ramsdale’s numbers at Arsenal by season

Season

Games played

Goals conceded

Clean sheets

23/24

11

12

3

22/23

41

44

15

21/22

37

41

14

Sourced by Transfermarkt

As can be seen looking at the table, Ramsdale effortlessly fit into the Arsenal first-team picture upon his arrival with 29 clean sheets picked up across 78 appearances, before everything turned sour.

By the close of the 2022/23 season, the 26-year-old’s value would even stand at a mammoth £33m, only to then be frozen out of Arteta’s XI for one too many error-strewn displays.

This would result in Ramsdale seeking a move away from the Emirates with lowly Southampton picking up the ego-bruised ‘keeper for around the £25m mark last August.

Already, his value has taken a slight decline at St. Mary’s – as per Transfermarkt – with his side’s disastrous nine-point haul not exactly helping matters, leading to Ramsdale now being worth around £18m.

That is a £12m decline from the amount the Blades sold him for, representing fantastic business on the end of Wilder’s men, as Ramsdale attempts to pick up the pieces of his career again.

He, of course, managed to bounce back at Bramall Lane when his side were destined for the drop, but with only three clean sheets next to his name on the South Coast, he could well be hurtling down to the Championship with Ivan Juric’s side, whilst United push back up to the top-flight.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Feb 17, 2025

تحدث خوان لابورتا رئيس نادي برشلونة الإسباني في مقابلة مع شبكة قنوات “سي إن إن” عن باريس سان جيرمان الفرنسي بطل دوري أبطال أوروبا.

كما أشاد لابورتا بالنظام الجديد لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، واعتبره خطوة إلى الأمام تعزز من قوة البطولة، وأوضح رئيس برشلونة: “النظام الجديد لدوري أبطال أوروبا يُحسن مستوى المنافسة”.

وأفاد لابورتا بأنه يعتقد أن برشلونة وباريس سان جيرمان هما الفريقان في أفضل حالاتهما ويلعبان أفضل كرة قدم في البطولة.

وأضاف: “من المؤسف أننا لم نتمكن من مواجهة بعضنا البعض في نهائي العام الماضي، أو في كأس العالم للأندية”.

وأشار: “كل من يحب كرة القدم قال في الموسم الماضي أن برشلونة وباريس سان جيرمان هما الفريقان اللذان يقدمان أفضل كرة قدم في العالم”.

اقرأ أيضًا | حقيقة ارتداء خوان جارسيا الرقم 1 في برشلونة

وأوضح: “باريس سان جيرمان لديه فريق رائع ومدرب رائع، يلعبون كرة قدم رائعة، من المؤسف أننا لم نتمكن من مواجهة بعضنا البعض لأننا كنا الفريق الأكثر تنافسية، عالم كرة القدم ينتظر تلك المباراة بفارغ الصبر”.

واختتم: “نأمل أن نواجه باريس سان جيرمان هذا الموسم حتى نتمكن من معرفة من هو الأفضل”.