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Table-toppers Gujarat Lions appear well stocked with their bevy of allrounders, while Rising Pune Supergiants are struggling for variety

The Preview by Alagappan Muthu28-Apr-2016Match factsFriday, April 29, 2016
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)Rising Pune Supergiants’ bowling does not seem penetrative enough•BCCI

Form guideRising Pune Supergiants WLLLL (last five completed matches)
Gujarat Lions WWLWWIn the spotlightSo what missing from the Supergiants bowling? Variety, perhaps. Ishant Sharma and RP Singh are useful with the new ball but are liabilities in the final overs. Thisara Perera, Mitchell Marsh and Rajat Bhatia bowl wicket-to-wicket and can be lined up. Ashok Dinda brought an infusion of raw pace and trumped Sunrisers Hyderabad on Tuesday, but he struggles with consistency. R Ashwin has the potential to keep the batsmen guessing, but he has bowled his full quota in only three of six games.How will the Lions middle order cope if the onus falls on them to rebuild an innings? A lot of their runs have come via the openers, which means Bravo, James Faulkner and Ravindra Jadeja have faced only 109 balls in 13 innings among them.Team newsWith du Plessis out for six weeks, Supergiants could bring in 24-year-old Australian batsman Peter Handscomb at the top of the order. Handscomb has a T20 hundred to his name and was the third-highest run-getter in the Sheffield Shield with 784 in 11 matches.Rising Pune Supergiants (probable): 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Peter Handscomb, 3 Steven Smith, 4 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 5 Mitchell Marsh, 6 Saurabh Tiwary, 7 Thisara Perera, 8 Rajat Bhatia, 9 R Ashwin, 10 M Ashwin, 11 Ashok DindaFinch sustained a hamstring injury two weeks ago, but yesterday was the first game he sat out. Even if he recovers, it would put Lions in a tough spot because Smith and McCullum have had explosive results and Faulkner’s inclusion makes the team look well-rounded.Gujarat Lions (probable): 1 Brendon McCullum, 2 Dwayne Smith, 3 Suresh Raina (capt), 4 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 James Faulkner, 7 Ishan Kishan, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 Praveen Kumar, 10 Dhawal Kulkarni, 11 Pravin TambePitch and conditionsThe pitch at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium offered substantial turn on Sunday when the hosts lost to Kolkata Knight Riders, which led to stinging critiques from both captain Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming. Tomorrow will be the second-last match played in Pune due to the Bombay High Court ruling that the IPL move out of the drought-hit state.Stats and trivia McCullum (300) and Smith (280) are among the top-five six-hitters in T20 cricket Supergiants have conceded runs at 7.66 per over, which is the third-best economy rate among all teams this seasonQuotes”You can come in with fresh ideas and you can build your culture from day one rather than perhaps having a pre-existing culture, or even sometimes some poor experiences of the past can also weigh you down as well.”

Sheikh Jassim’s second offer for Manchester United is ‘definitely going in’, according to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol.

The Lowdown: Ratcliffe’s second offer

Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are seemingly the front runners when it comes to a complete takeover from the Glazers, with both holding Old Trafford talks last week.

However, the two parties ended up missing the deadline to make a second offer for the club on Wednesday in an incredible development, asking for an extension from the Raine Group in New York. That was approved and Ratcliffe’s second offer was submitted on Thursday evening, although there is yet to be any confirmation of Jassim’s revised bid being made.

The Latest: Qatari investors

Chief Sky Sports reporter Solhekol provided an update regarding Ratcliffe’s second offer being submitted on Thursday evening. He then shared the ‘latest information’ on Jassim, stating he’s been ‘told’ that ‘the bid is definitely going in’.

‘We are now just waiting for confirmation from the Qatari’s that they have also put their bid in. The latest information I have is that the bid is ready to go.

‘They missed the deadline last night (Wednesday) as well and asked for a little bit more time. I’m being told don’t read too much into that, the bid is definitely going in.’

The Verdict: Good news

TalkSPORT suggested in the last 48 hours that the improved offers from Jassim and Ratcliffe were set to be world-record bids, worth around £5billion.

Therefore, it is good to know that another big-money proposal is still on the cards, which could result in a greater chance of the Glazers selling up completely. Plenty of United fans have wanted the current owners out for some time, with chants against the Americans at Wembley continuing during the Carabao Cup final triumph over Newcastle.

A takeover from Jassim and his delegation could have an immediate impact on Erik ten Hag as well. Previous reports claimed that the Qatari group led by Jassim wanted ‘things done quickly’ so they could help the manager in the transfer market, with reports in recent days suggesting that they are already planning a stunning move for Jude Bellingham.

Therefore, it could be just a matter of time until we officially hear confirmation of a fresh proposal from Jassim, with Elliott Management another potential rival for the Qatari group alongside Ratcliffe after they also made an offer to buy a minority stake in the club.

Erik ten Hag has admitted that Antony "hasn't shown his big potential" for Manchester United while opening the door for Amad Diallo to take his spot.

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Ten Hag claimed Antony needs to prove himselfHas scored just once this seasonWill face competition from youngstersGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The Dutch manager, who also worked with Antony at Ajax, has acknowledged the face the Brazilian is struggling to live up to expectations at Old Trafford. Antony, who cost United £85 million ($108m) when he joined the club in 2022, has also been warned that he could now fall behind Amad Diallo and 19-year-old Omari Forson in United's attacking pecking order.

AdvertisementWHAT ERIK TEN HAG SAID

Speaking to reporters, Ten Hag said of Antony's current position in the squad: "He has to prove a point, that he will do. And he has big potential. He hasn’t shown it lately, but I know what his talent is, and it’s about proving his talent, and it’s about him. And, yeah, he will probably get his opportunities, right? But, yeah, I think that was always the idea.

"You have competition, and now he has to show himself on the training pitch, but also others because we have opportunities there. With [Amad] Diallo returning from an injury, he’s doing well in the training. Omari Forson is doing well. So we have options to fill in those positions. And it’s not set that Marcus Rashford has to play as a centre forward."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Both Amad and Forson have made just one Premier League appearance each in the current season. While the former Sunderland player appeared against Norwich City in December, Forson made his league debut against Wolves earlier this month.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ANTONY?

Brazil international Antony, who has experienced a poor run of form in the ongoing campaign having scored just once in 25 appearances across all competitions, could be next seen in action on Saturday as the Red Devils take on Fulham in a league clash.

Chelsea's 2024 transfer plans are already taking real shape as a report shares some promising news on their bid to sign a striker for Mauricio Pochettino.

Who have Chelsea signed this season?

The Blues, lead by owner Todd Boehy, alongside co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, oversaw a summer transfer window of serious spending.

Indeed, Chelsea showcased true ambition with the additions of Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Nicolas Jackson, Lesley Ugochukwu, Robert Sanchez, Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Djordje Petrovic, Angelo and Deivid Washington – who all joined the club for around £397 million.

To fund this business, many former squad members had to make way, with Kalidou Koulibaly, N'Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Cesar Azpilicueta, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ethan Ampadu and Callum Hudson-Odoi all departing Stamford Bridge.

Pochettino's reign has well and truly begun with the aforementioned arrivals, though it hasn't exactly been the greatest of starts for the Argentine.

Losing to both West Ham and, most recently, Nottingham Forest; Chelsea's only win of the season to date has been a 3-0 victory over newly-promoted Luton Town.

The west Londoners also dropped points at home to Liverpool on the opening day, with defender Ben Chilwell saying there is still a lot of work to do.

"Very frustrating result and everyone is very disappointed in the changing room right now," explained Chilwell after their recent 1-0 loss to Forest at home.

"If you look at the stats we dominated the game, had the possession, but the most important stat is the goals. We lost in that department and lost the game, that is the black and white of it and we need to improve."

Will Chelsea sign a striker?

One position they didn't exactly shore up with a superstar was their striking position, despite links with the likes of Harry Kane and Napoli star Victor Osimhen.

The latter player, who has been in scintillating form for the past two years, has been repeatedly mentioned as a Chelsea transfer target by various sections of the media.

Osimhen is truly one of Europe's most deadly strikers right now, having scored 26 goals in 30 Serie A starts last season. The Nigeria international has continued in that vain this term; already bagging three goals in his first league games.

His signing would be a truly exciting one from Chelsea's perspective, and there has been a very promising bit of news concerning his possible arrival.

This comes courtesy of Football Transfers, who say Pochettino and co are "leading the race" to sign Osimhen over Premier League rivals Arsenal.

As they enter pole position for the 24-year-old, FT sources indicate that there is a "possibility that a deal may already have been agreed upon" with the player.

Presumably referring to personal terms, it appears Chelsea have taken quite the leap forward for Osimhen's signing just under two weeks after the summer window shut.

We believe the African superstar would be near-perfect to lead Pochettino's line, especially going by his imperious goal record and praise from Gianfranco Zola, who called him "devastating".

Thiago Silva's wife Isabelle has apologised for the 'personal outburst' that appeared to call for the dismissal of Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino.

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Isabelle Silva apologises for 'personal outburst'Fans leap to support of Thiago Silva's wifePochettino had discussed spat in press conferenceGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

A post appeared on her social media account towards the end of the Blues' capitulation against Wolves on Sunday urging: "It’s time to change. If you wait any longer it will be too late." In a Tuesday press conference, Pochettino appeared untroubled by the post, saying Thiago Silva had approached him for a "private chat" on the matter. Peace efforts took another step forward on Wednesday with Isabelle's conciliatory post, though disgruntled fans posted messages of support for the original comments, imploring Isabelle to "keep speaking out".

AdvertisementWHAT ISABELLE SILVA SAID

Isabelle Silva posted on X: "I'm sorry that my personal outburst as a passionate Chelsea fan has caused such an impact. I'm passionate about the team, I thrive on victories and I'm saddened by defeats. We all want the same thing, a winning team, come on Chelsea!!"

WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

Many Blues fans viewed the post as a diplomatic move to draw a line under the matter and implored Isabelle to keep making her feelings public on the team's poor performances.

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Isabelle has garnered something of a reputation for her strident views during her husband's time in west London and Sunday's post came after close observers of Chelsea had noted a deterioration in the body language between Pochettino and his veteran central defender. But it seems for now that the ex-Tottenham boss has the backing of the board and is happy to let the issue slide, calling for unity as the Blues look to find some semblance of consistency on the field.

Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson believes Jurgen Klopp is planning on moving to Mallorca when he departs Merseyside this summer.

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Klopp and wife Ulla renovating villa in MallorcaEx-Liverpool defender thinks couple will "retreat" to islandBalearic jewel famously popular with German visitorsWHAT HAPPENED?

The Liverpool boss stunned the football world last week when he revealed he had agreed to step down from his role at the end of the season saying he was "running out of energy." Those comments suggest the German will not be looking for a route back into management any time soon, and Lawrenson has revealed that Klopp and his wife, Ulla, have been busy renovating a mansion on the Spanish island of Mallorca.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT LAWRENSON SAID

Lawrenson, who won five league titles and a European Cup while a player at Anfield, let Ireland's radio in on a bit of a secret, stating: "I'm not sure I should tell you this, but it's not a massive secret. He's having a house built in Mallorca. I have a house not far away from where he's building his and I saw him the other month after a game and asked him how the house was coming along. Ulla his wife is in charge of all of that. He swore and said: 'The bloody thing's not even ready yet. And I'm paying all the bills!' So he's probably going to retreat to there for a while, I would suggest. It's not just a nice gaff, it's an absolutely fabulous gaff. It's sensational."

GettyTHE GOSSIP

The reports that the "gaff" in question is a 5,000-square metre villa purchased by the Klopps in the summer of 2022 for €4m (£3.4m/$4.3m). The property has reportedly been given a huge renovation in an effort to make the villa more energy efficient. The landscaping of the surrounding grounds are being managed by the company that designed Mallorca's Five-star Son Buyola Hotel.

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WHAT NEXT?

The Klopps won't lack for company in Mallorca. The Balearic island is so popular with Germans both as a tourist destination and as a place to live that is often jokingly referred to as Germany's 17th state. An incredible 4.5 million Germans visited the island in 2023.

Tottenham Hotspur have given a "green light" to allow Harry Kane to travel to Germany, with an expectation that the "final final" details of the transfer can be completed soon, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Is Harry Kane moving to Bayern Munich?

Kane to Bayern Munich has undoubtedly been the transfer saga of the summer and has, at points, felt like it was never going to be resolved, but over the last 24 hours, everything has suddenly and very dramatically changed.

On Thursday morning, the news broke that Daniel Levy and Co had finally accepted an offer from their German counterparts worth a whopping £86m plus £17m in add-ons to sell their most prized asset before his contract expires, allowing him to potentially leave for free next summer.

While it perhaps makes sense to sell such a valuable player to avoid him leaving for free, the news that the North Londoners had accepted an offer was still something of a shock after they had so publicly rejected the Bavarian's three previous proposals – outright ignoring their deadline of last Friday.

Read the latest Tottenham Hotspur transfer news HERE…

That said, with the fourth offer being accepted, the Lilywhites have given their £200,000-a-week star the "green light" to travel to Munich to undergo a medical and for the Bundesliga champions to complete the "final" aspects of the deal, with it being wrapped up by the end of today (Friday) per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation on his YouTube channel, saying:

"Let me start with Harry Kane because the latest – after midnight – is that after positive round of talks late-night talks between Harry Kane's camp and Bayern, the agreement is finally closed. So, the issue was something related to details of the deal, not just on personal terms but something also between the people who took care of the negotiation, so they had to discuss some of these points with Bayern being a very big deal, you can imagine how complicated are all these details and so [the] agreement between clubs done in the morning €100m (£86m) guaranteed €20m (£17m) in add-ons to Tottenham.

"Daniel Levy accepted around 11am European time [Thursday], but the agreement with the player was still needed. [It was] still 50/50 during the afternoon, then during the night Harry Kane gave positive indications to Bayern. Not a done deal yet, but Bayern expect the deal to be done on Friday if all goes to plan. Tottenham have already given the authorisation to Harry Kane and to his camp to travel to Munich to undergo medical tests and to complete his move to Bayern.

"So, there is the green light from Tottenham to travel, now it's on Bayern to complete the agreement on the final final details they are discussing the final points and then it will be done on Friday that's the expectation but really important night for Bayern and for Tottenham."

It is believed the England captain is now just waiting on the go-ahead from the German giants.

How many Premier League goals does Harry Kane have?

With his move edging ever closer to being completed, the England captain has – for now – paused his quest to become the Premier League's all-time top goalscorer, but how far was he from claiming the top spot?

The man currently holding down fifth place on 184 goals is Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero who scored one of the league's most iconic goals with that winner against QPR to seal the Sky Blues their first title since 1968.

Fourth spot belongs to a legend from the Red half of Manchester, Andy Cole. The iconic forward was half of one of the league's deadliest duos alongside Dwight Yorke, but scored a seriously impressive 187 goals on his own.

The Bronze medal goes to another Manchester United legend and England's former top-scorer, Wayne Rooney. He was one of the faces of the Premier League for most of the 2000s and the early 2010s, and for good reason.

In his 491 appearances, he scored a whopping 208 goals, provided 103 assists for good measure, and ended United's all-time top-scorer.

Then we get onto Kane, who, in just 320 appearances for Spurs, has scored a frankly outrageous 213 goals, becoming the club's all-time top scorer along the way, and could still potentially claim top spot should he return in a few years.

And then, in first place as the undisputed top goalscorer in Premier League history, we have Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer who, in 441 appearances, scored an absurd 260 goals whilst providing 64 assists as well.

Shearer can once again rest easy that his record is safe from the inhuman Kane, for now anyway.

The 38-year-old pace bowler will end an 18-year international career with a T20I against New Zealand in Delhi on November 1

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Oct-20172:39

Not easy being a fast bowler at 38-39 – Nehra

Ashish Nehra will end his 18-year international career with the T20I against New Zealand on November 1 at his home ground, the Feroz Shah Kotla. The 38-year-old Nehra was one of the few remaining active internationals among those who began their career in the 1990s. He is also set to retire from domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League, which played a key role in paving the way for his international comeback in 2016.Through his career, Nehra had to fight injuries. It was a marvel he played as long as he did after 12 surgeries and many other small setbacks. He often jokes that the injuries aren’t on his body, but that his body is stuck somewhere among the injuries. Nehra’s many comebacks and his awareness of his body is spoken of as an example by his contemporaries. Despite all the injuries, he made comebacks at important junctures: he was a World Cup winner in 2011 and led India’s attack to the semi-finals of the World T20 in 2016.Nehra made his international debut in a Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo in February 1999, and for a few years was a consistent presence in India’s limited-overs line-ups. He was a critical part of India’s run to the final of the 2003 World Cup. His 6 for 23 against England in that event – even as he fought illness and vomited on the sidelines – remain the best figures by an Indian in World Cups.Injuries soon struck. Between September 2005 and June 2009, Nehra did not play a single international match for India, but returned in the lead-up to the 2011 World Cup. Even in that tournament, he broke his finger while going for the catch of Pakistan’s last hope, Misbah-ul-Haq, in the semi-final. He missed the final.Nehra returned to domestic cricket for the 2011-12 season and continued to play for Delhi and zonal teams in first-class and List A competitions, while also playing the IPL. He turned out for four franchises between 2012 and 2016: Pune Warriors, Delhi Daredevils, Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad. His most impressive season came with Super Kings in 2015, when he picked up 22 wickets to finish among the top five wicket-takers in that edition. That performance went some way towards his selection for the T20Is in Australia in January 2016, and the World T20 thereafter.When fit, Nehra was considered one of the smartest quicks to have played for India. Alongside Zaheer Khan, he was a mentor for many young fast bowlers. In a recent interview with ESPNcricinfo, he admitted he wasn’t sure “how long I can play for”. While this retirement announcement was largely expected, he didn’t rule out some sort of coaching role in the future as he likes to “share experience”.The most telling statement in the interview was: “The only one thing that is not happy that I am still playing is my body. I can play for another couple of years but it isn’t easy for a fast bowler at 38-39, especially considering the state of my body. At times when I wake up, especially in the winter in Delhi, my knees are so sore, it is half an hour before I can even leave my bed and am able to walk. I have had four surgeries in my ankle, plus my knee is always sore. But again, after half an hour or so I say to myself that I have to do it.”Nehra is yet to feature in the ongoing T20I series against Australia, with India having picked Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah in the first two matches. It is unlikely India will tinker with the combination for the series-decider on Friday.

K Gowtham picked up his third five-wicket haul in first-class cricket•PTI

India Green, steamrolled by the spin combination of Karn Sharma and K Gowtham, lost their last eight wickets for 34 runs as India Red took a first-innings lead of 166 in the opening fixture of the pink-ball tournament in Lucknow. By stumps on day two, India Red had stretched their lead to 185 for the loss of one wicket.Gowtham’s offbreaks fetched him his third five-wicket haul in first-class cricket, while the legspinner Karn collected four wickets to derail an India Green team that had looked on course to get close to India Red’s first-innings total of 323. India Green were 123 for 2, following a 113-run stand for the third wicket between Prashant Chopra (65) and Karun Nair (37), before the two spinners caused havoc. The only other India Green batsman to reach double-figures was the captain Parthiv Patel, and when he reached 5, he completed 10,000 first-class runs. Gowtham, however, removed all three players before they could cause too much damage, and then cleaned up the tail to finish with 5 for 46.In the afternoon, India Red added 101 to their overnight total of 232 for 5 before being bowled out. Dinesh Karthik, their captain, completed his half-century before he was eighth out with his team approaching 300. Part-time offspinner M Vijay turned out to be India Green’s most successful bowler: he finished with career-best first-class figures of 3 for 46.After 15 wickets were lost on the second day, India Red began their second innings with 13 overs still remaining. They finished the day on 19 for 1, with Vijay trapping opener Sudip Chatterjee lbw.

Yuvraj Singh and wicketkeepers Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant have been omitted from India’s squad for the limited-overs leg of the Sri Lanka tour

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-20174:20

Dasgupta: Selectors looking ahead to 2019 World Cup

Yuvraj Singh and wicketkeepers Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant have been omitted from India’s squad for the limited-overs leg of the Sri Lanka tour. The selectors also opted to rest the spin duo of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja along with Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Shami, the team’s frontline seamers during the Test series. Seamer Shardul Thakur and legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal were drafted into the 15-man squad, which also features the fit-again KL Rahul, an in-form Manish Pandey and Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested for the West Indies series. Rohit Sharma also returns to the squad as vice-captain after being rested for the West Indies tour.At 35, Yuvraj’s time may be running out as the selectors probably showed the first definitive signs of identifying a fresh middle-order combination in the lead up to the 2019 World Cup. Ever since his 32-ball 53 against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy, Yuvraj has gone six innings without a half-century, and managed only 57 runs in his three most recent innings in the West Indies.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhile Karthik, who scored an unbeaten 50 in one of the two games he played in the West Indies, finds himself out of the squad, he might not yet be out of contention for a berth in the middle order, given his form in domestic cricket too. The middle order in Sri Lanka will comprise MS Dhoni, Pandey and Kedar Jadhav. Pandey’s selection is a reward for his consistent run in India A’s victorious campaign in the recent tri-nation series involving South Africa and Afghanistan. He emerged as the highest run-scorer in the tournament with 307 runs in five innings, with scores of 32*, 93*, 86*, 41* and 55.With Rahul and Rohit returning to occupy the opening slot, Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane will have their task cut out. While Dhawan has a better strike-rate and scored two centuries in the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka, Rahane comes into the series on the back of some impressive recent limited-overs form. With 336 runs in five innings, including three fifties and a hundred, Rahane topped the run charts in the West Indies series.The bowling attack is heavy on wristspin with Kuldeep Yadav and Chahal in the ranks. The inclusions of Thakur, Axar and Chahal – each of whom has figured in the selection panel’s long list for some time now – have underscored the importance of good performances in the A tours, with nine, seven and six wickets each. Axar, who was called up as cover for Jadeja in the Pallekelle Test, will have a part to play with the bat as well, in the lower middle order.