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أكد خالد الغندور، نجم الزمالك السابق، أن كرة القدم تُحسم بالعطاء داخل الملعب وليس بالأسماء أو القيمة السوقية للاعبين، مشيدًا بروح محمود حسن تريزيجيه وتواضعه في التعامل مع جماهير الأهلي.

وقال خالد الغندور عبر “أون سبورت”: “أعلم أن فكرة زيزو تثير حساسية، لأنه سيُقال: ماذا سأقول عن زيزو وأنا زملكاوي؟ وسيُقال إنني لا أحب اللاعب، بالنسبة لي، الفريق هو جماعية في الأداء، والأهلي يعتمد على الجماعية في الأداء والروح”.

وتابع: “النادي الأهلي فاز على سيراميكا كليوباترا في أهم وأصعب مباراة، بينما خسر مباريات سهلة وأسهل بكثير من مباراة سيراميكا، وكان زيزو موجودًا، وإمام عاشور أيضًا كان موجودًا في مباراة إنبي، إذًا كرة القدم ليست بالأسماء، وقد قلتها لكم من قبل: كرة القدم بالأداء”.

طالع أيضًا | خالد الغندور يرد على غضب جمهور الأهلي منه.. وخلافه مع سيد عبد الحفيظ وثنائي الزمالك

وأضاف: “الكابتن أبو الدهب قال كلمة مهمة، قال إن اللاعب الذي يساوي 100 مليون يجب أن يلعب، نعم، هذه حقيقة، لكن كرة القدم لا يوجد فيها شيء اسمه لاعب بـ 100 مليون، وإنما لاعب بـ 100 مجهود، النجوم في السماء، والنجم نجم بأدائه في الملعب”.

وأشار: “تريزيجيه شخصية محترمة للغاية، ومهذبة ومؤدبة جدًا، لو عرف الناس تريزيجيه في الحقيقة، سيجدونه متواضعًا وجدعًا، وهو دائمًا إنسان طيب جدًا، قد يتأثر إذا وجه إليه أحد شتيمة أو كلمة غير لائقة”.

واستطرد: “في المباراة الماضية أشار للجماهير بأن يصمتوا، أما في مباراة سيراميكا عندما هتف الجمهور: يا تريزيجيه ارفع يدك، جمهور الأهلي هو سيدك، الطبيعي والمنطقي أن أي لاعب لو كان يعيش في دور النجومية لقال: مع السلامة، أنا النجم، من أنتم؟ لقد لعبت في الدوري الإنجليزي، لكن تريزيجيه ذهب إلى الجمهور وقال لهم: أنتم على رأسي من فوق”.

واختتم: “فماذا كانت النتيجة؟ كرّمه الله مباشرة بهدف، وليس أي هدف، بل الهدف الذي جلب للأهلي ثلاث نقاط كاملة بعد سلسلة من التعثرات، وليس مجرد هدف ضمن أربعة أهداف مثلًا”.

Despite years of spin bowling being reduced to a chore of not letting batsmen get under the ball, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav are inviting them to do exactly that

Sidharth Monga in Centurion04-Feb-20181:02

‘Kuldeep and I always look to bowl slow’ – Chahal

David Miller’s dismissals in both the ODIs look different, but there is a common thread to them. And it not the bowler, who was Kuldeep Yadav in both cases.In Durban, Miller hit Kuldeep straight to short cover; in Centurion, the dismissal was more comprehensive: caught at slip as Miller drove. In both cases, though, Miller met the ball far in front of his body. These balls didn’t drop on Miller alarmingly, he had finished his bat swing by the time the balls arrived. Consequently he didn’t play them under his head, and failed to control the shots.Look at a typical speed pitch map of India’s wristspinners, who have now sounded out a major warning to all the teams in the world, especially after doing well in South Africa too. Hardly any ball bowled by Kuldeep and Yuzvendra Chahal is faster than 55mph. They usually range between 48.5mph and 54.5mph. Imran Tahir, by contrast, swings between 53mph and 63mph. Sometimes Tahir’s slowest ball in a spell is the same as India wristspinners’ fastest.Turns out, in this world of heavy bats, thick edges and small grounds, this slowness is a problem for the batsmen.”I’m actually pretty amazed by how slow they can actually bowl,” Dale Benkenstein, South Africa’s batting coach, said after India took a 2-0 lead in the series. “And obviously if you’re a wristspinner and you bowl slow, then it turns on any surface. But I think because of the slowness, there are also scoring opportunities. I’d rather that we look at that than just plodding around.”The challenge lies in the fact that they bowl very slow. Our spinners bowl very fast. On domestic wickets, we bowl pretty quick, and it’s so much easier to get runs. To be fair, in South Africa we don’t get a lot of spin. So, this is obviously an issue. And I think it’s time to try and introduce into our normal everyday practices to keep playing spin. They’re obviously very confident against the seamers. I guess it might take a little bit of time.”Despite years of spin bowling being reduced to a chore of not letting batsmen get under the ball, Chahal and Kuldeep are inviting them to get underit. They back themselves to do enough with the ball to induce mis-hits and get wickets. And wickets is what they, and their captain, are after.Yuzvendra Chahal in his delivery stride•BCCIChahal, who claimed his maiden five-for in the Centurion ODI, has trained himself to bowl slow against some of the biggest hitters of the ball at the tiniest graveyard for bowlers; Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. However, he sees it more as changing the pace rather than just bowling slow.”Playing on flat tracks, you have to vary your pace,” Chahal said. “You cannot bowl at one pace. There is bounce available on these pitches. If you bowl fast, the ball won’t turn and it will come on to the bat. That’s why Kuldeep and I vary our pace.”Especially on these grounds and wickets, you have to bowl a little slower. The ground is very small, and they have big hitters. As spinners you can’t bowl faster, otherwise they will play you as medium pacers. There are times when we have to bowl fast, but that depends on the situation. We have to read the situation.”The slowness is a means to an end. The idea is to pick up wickets in the middle overs, which is what India missed before Chahal and Kuldeep were introduced to replace the two best – at that time – Test bowlers in the world. “Whenever Kuldeep or I come on to bowl, we are only thinking about taking wickets,” Chahal said. “That’s why we are in the team, to take wickets in the middle overs. We don’t mind giving away 65-70 runs in 10 overs but if we can take two-three wickets that’s more helpful from our point of view. If we take wickets in middle overs then only the other team will be under pressure.”Virat Kohli’s unflinching belief in them helps. Kohli said he didn’t expect the pitches for ODIs to have any seam movement – which hardly happens anywhere – and he backed his spinners to turn the ball on any hard surface. Both Chahal and Kuldeep say they have been told by the management that runs don’t matter, that they have to go for wickets. ” [show me how to get hit for a six],” as the wicketkeeper tells you in all the in India.”I go for wickets, I flight the ball,” Chahal said. “I know it can go for six too, but when your captain and your team back you, it gives you the confidence to do it. Virat [brother] lets us take the field we want. He tells us it doesn’t matter if we are hit for a six, we must bowl to our strength. If your strength is to flight it, then flight it. When your captain tells you that, you don’t have to worry even if you have been hit for two or three sixes.”It’s easier said than done, though. When you are being hit for boundaries, it is easy to forget these principles. “This is a routine for me,” Chahal said. “In IPL, if I go for 40 runs in four overs, even then I should feel that I have been hit on good balls. It shouldn’t be that I am bowling to escape cheaply. That is my strength, and that is why I am in the team.”These two delightful spinners are almost a forced gift from India to world cricket. When there was clamour for wristspinners well before Champions Trophy, India kept on going with reputation and possibly didn’t want to give out a debut in the Champions Trophy. In times when aggression can easily be mistaken for posturing and only pace, these India spinners are being aggressive with their slowness. And they have full backing from the management.

Month-long red-ball tour will coincide with start of England men’s five-match Test series in India

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Dec-2023England Lions have announced a 15-man squad for their red-ball tour of India in the New Year, designed to run parallel with the men’s five-match Test series at the start of 2024.Hosted entirely in Ahmedabad, the Lions will play a two-day warm-up match against India A, followed by three four-day matches against the same opponents at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The group will be in situ from January 12 to February 4, coinciding with the first Test in Hyderabad (starting January 25) and the first half of the second Test in Visakhapatnam (February 2).The squad will ultimately shadow the main tour and as such has more of a “second XI” feel than the spin and allrounder heavy group who recently completed a three-week training camp in the UAE. Recent Test openers Alex Lees and Keaton Jennings are part of the 15, along with internationally capped fast bowlers Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts and Matt Fisher.Related

Pradosh Ranjan Paul – the next big batter from Tamil Nadu?

England pick uncapped 20-year-old Shoaib Bashir in Test squad for India

Spin-heavy England Lions to go to UAE keeping India Test tour in mind

Uncapped Lancashire batter Josh Bohannon, long considered the next cab off the ranks, will captain after leading the County Championship Division One run charts last summer with 1,257 at an average of 59.85 with four centuries. Sussex off-spinner Jack Carson and left-arm orthodox Callum Parkinson, who has moved from Leicestershire to Durham, are also included. Both were shots for the main tour before Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum picked precocious Somerset spinner Shoaib Bashir. James Coles (Sussex) and Dan Mousley (Warwickshire) are the two other slow bowlers in the travelling party.England Men’s performance director Mo Bobat said: “Playing a series in India at any level is a challenge to get excited about, it’s one of the truest tests for any cricketer. It’s great that our Lions team can experience that challenge and have the opportunity to showcase their skills in those conditions.”The squad has a strong core of players in it that were out in Abu Dhabi recently for the training camp, with some of those players already selected into the Test squad. There’s also a return for some more experienced players which aligns with supporting England’s more immediate needs.”England Lions squad: Josh Bohannon (Lancashire, captain), Kasey Aldridge (Somerset), Brydon Carse (Durham), Jack Carson (Sussex), James Coles (Sussex), Matt Fisher (Yorkshire), Keaton Jennings (Lancashire), Tom Lawes (Surrey), Alex Lees (Durham), Dan Mousley (Warwickshire), Callum Parkinson (Durham), Matt Potts (Durham), Ollie Price (Gloucestershire), James Rew (Somerset), Ollie Robinson (Durham)Schedule12-13 January: England Lions v India A, Narendra Modi Stadium – Ground B, Ahmedabad17-20 January: England Lions v India A, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad24-27 January: England Lions v India A, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad1-4 February: England Lions v India A, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

Mikel Arteta faces being without an Arsenal star until 2026, with the Spaniard dealt a serious blow after an injury update from N5.

Arsenal title hopes fading after more dropped points at Forest

The Gunners are already having to face the notion of this Premier League title race possibly being over, considering Liverpool are now 13 points clear after what has become a disastrous week for Arteta’s side.

£130k-per-week striker dreams of playing for Arsenal as Ayto prepares bid

The Gunners are chasing a centre-forward this summer.

By
Emilio Galantini

Feb 25, 2025

Liverpool travelled to English champions Man City and secured a vital victory at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday before easing past Newcastle on Wednesday evening, taking full advantage of Arsenal’s fumble at home to West Ham followed by a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest.

Arsenal’s upcoming Premier League games	Date
Man Utd (away)	March 9th
Chelsea (home)	March 16th
Fulham (home)	April 1st
Everton (away)	April 5th

Arsenal’s lack of a striking option was on full display once again on Wednesday as they failed to break Forest down time and time again, with makeshift front man Mikel Merino registering their only shot on target after Riccardo Calafiori had hit the post.

Arteta’s best hopes of winning a first piece of major silverware since their FA Cup triumph in 2020 lie in Arsenal’s Champions League campaign, with interim sporting director Jason Ayto planning summer recruitment ahead of a potentially more successful Premier League title challenge next term.

Following long-term injuries to both Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, some reports have even suggested that Arsenal could look to sign two strikers before 2025/2026.

RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko is apparently a top target for Arteta, with a move for Newcastle United star Alexander Isak appearing too difficult, while it is also believed that Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins remains on Arsenal’s radar after their failed January bid.

Arsenal could be without Gabriel Jesus until 2026

Now, according to journalist Steve Kay, the need for a new centre-forward or two is made all the more prevalent by the extent of Jesus’ injury. The £265,0000-per-week striker was just hitting a rich vein of form, before rupturing his ACL during Arsenal’s FA Cup third round defeat to Man United, and it appears he could be out for the foreseeable.

Kay, speaking on KS1 TV, says that Jesus could be out injured for Arsenal until 2026, with the Brazilian facing a leave of absence for the rest of this calendar year in a major blow for the Gunners and Arteta.

“Yeah, with Ollie Watkins. I had a conversation today with the main man, and Arsenal aren’t going away from Ollie Watkins,” said journalist Steve Kay.

“Because of the injury to Gabriel Jesus, he may not be expected back until possibly into 2026, maybe November, late, late. I’ve been told that Ollie Watkins is still on the agenda because they need two strikers.

“That £40m will stay on the table and if Watkins is happy to come, he will come. I’ve also been told this will not affect going in for a main striker like a Sesko. It won’t be any more than £40m. £40m is the only number I know of, it may be a bit lower than that because it’s another year.”

Former New Zealand batter Lou Vincent can resume being involved in domestic cricket or any level below that with immediate effect, after the ECB revised the life ban imposed on him in 2014 for corruption.In a media statement on Friday, the ECB’s Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) said it was revoking the life ban having received from Vincent “compelling evidence demonstrating the very highest levels of contrition and remorse and the very best efforts to make amends wherever possible”.The CDC’s decision comes in response to a “clemency” appeal by Vincent. In 2014, the ECB had imposed a life ban on Vincent barring him from playing cricket at any level, entering any cricket ground, or coaching the game in a professional capacity after he admitted in an open letter that he was a “cheat”. Vincent had been handed 11 life-bans relating to events that occurred during his time at Sussex in 2008 and seven offences committed at the 2011 Champions League Twenty20.Related

• Nearly 17 years later, Lou Vincent receives special 100th ODI cap

• Vincent deserves clemency for speaking out, says McCullum

• Vincent's letter: 'My name is Lou Vincent and I am a cheat'

Gerard Elias, representing the CDC, said that it had heard not just Vincent before it’s decision to revise the ban but also the ICC, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and the ECB. Elias said that “cogent and compelling” reasons were needed for the life ban to be downgraded, something Vincent provided. “In particular, this decision was taken in the light of Mr Vincent’s conduct following his sanction,” Elias said, “Namely: full and frank admissions and the fullest disclosures; immediate and total co-operation with cricket and civil authorities in various parts of the world; and, participation in anti-corruption education programmes for NZC and the ECB. I am satisfied that these factors justify an amelioration of the original sanction at this time.”In his first reaction to the relaxation of the life ban, Vincent, who’s now 45, said he was “very fortunate” to be able to return to cricket. “I made a terrible mistake many years ago, which I’ll deeply regret for the rest of my life, and I remain very sorry for the harm I caused,” Vincent said in a statement issued by NZC. “Being able to return to the cricket environment means the world to me and I feel very fortunate to again have that opportunity.”In the years after being banned, Vincent, who last played for New Zealand in 2007, started a new life as a builder in the small town of Raglan, a surfing destination in the Waikato region of New Zealand. Now, one of the things Vincent said he will look forward to is attending cricket matches with his family, something he was barred from during the life ban.Vincent thanked NZC and the New Zealand Players Association (NZPA), as well as his lawyer Chris Morris, for providing support and paving the way for his return. Heath Mills, the NZPA CEO, said Vincent had played a big hand in educating players in all sports about the evils of match-fixing, something the CDC had recognised. “The penalties have been particularly hard on Lou and he’s shown a lot of humility in owning his mistakes and setting about making amends,” Mills said. “I’m pleased the authorities have recognised his contribution to the fight against match-fixing and, also, his ongoing efforts to educate players and administrators around the world on anti-corruption.”NZC CEO Scott Weenink said though Vincent had “made a mistake… he’s given a lot to the game, not least in helping spread the anti-corruption message over the past decade, and it’s good and right that he can be more involved again.”

New Zealand are looking to make it three wins from three and will have captain Kane Williamson back against Bangladesh

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Oct-20231:39

Moody: This Australian team is far from the previous champion sides

–Fixtures | Squads | Points table | Tournament IndexTop Story: Quinton de Kock leads South Africa’s rout of AustraliaIf South Africa really do want to move through this 2023 World Cup under the radar, they must do better than this. Because in wiping the floor with Australia in Lucknow, winning by a mammoth 134 runs for their second victory in as many games, they have put out one hell of a statement that is impossible to ignore.As ever, Quinton de Kock made the most noise, crashing 109 up top as South Africa put up 311 for 7 having been asked to bat first. Australia’s decision at the toss, and the moves to reinforce their batting with Josh Inglis and Marcus Stoinis drafted in for Alex Carey and Cameron Green, came to nothing. A lack of impetus with the ball and errors in the field spilled into their chase – dead and buried as early as the 18th over at 70 for 6. Two straight defeats mean they can afford little room for error in the remaining seven games of the league stage.Click here for the full reportMatch analysis: Flying under the radar or not, South Africa seem to have figured themselves outSouth Africa were not strongly tipped heading into the World Cup but things are clicking for them•Getty ImagesSouth Africa are also demonstrating qualities of adaptation that are needed in a long tournament across various venues. In Delhi, they picked four seamers and a spinner, in Lucknow, they opted for a three-two combination on a surface that was expected to, and did, offer some turn. By the time Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi were called on, the bulk of the damage was already done and there may still be questions over how quickly they cleaned up the Australian tail. For Kagiso Rabada, South Africa played ‘pretty much the perfect game.”Over the last seven years, they have an exceptional record against Australia and had beaten them in 15 out of 20 ODIs before today, including winning a recent home series 3-2. That was the only competitive cricket South Africa played between April and this World Cup.Australia, on the other hand, have competed in an Ashes, a white-ball series in England and South Africa and played ODIs in India before the tournament and could, understandably, be spent. Their fielding performance suggested as much and the crowd kept a tally of their missed chances and displayed them on a banner to remind them how much they were getting wrong. It would also be that given the recent results, South Africa have figured Australia out. But there’s another option here. It could also be that South Africa have finally figured themselves – the squad that came to this World Cup – out.Read the full analysis from Firdose Moonda in LucknowMust Watch: Dissecting the Steve Smith lbw1:51

Should Smith worry more about the type of dismissal than the decision itself?

News headlines Australia were left asking questions of the third umpire after two controversial decisions in their crushing defeat against South Africa. They were left shocked by Steve Smith’s lbw and confused as to how Marcus Stoinis had been given caught behind.
Chris Woakes has revealed he has been working on a new set of slower deliveries to ensure he is as effective as possible in Indian conditions.
What is going on with ticket sales at this World Cup? Answers have been hard to come by.Match previewBangladesh vs New Zealand, Chennai (2pm IST; 8.30am GMT; 7.30pm AEST)5:38

Kane Williamson on his ACL rehab: ‘A series of really small steps’

The New Zealand juggernaut rolled into Chennai but in typical Kiwi fashion, it was a quiet entrance. New Zealand comfortably knocked over England and Netherlands, and will now take on a Bangladesh side smarting from a big loss against England. The only saving grace for Bangladesh is a Chennai pitch that is likely to help the spinners, but many of the New Zealand players have IPL experience to count on, so they will know what to expect at this venue.Bangladesh’s big defeat against England undid a lot of their good work against Afghanistan in the first match. The pitch certainly differed between the two games in Dharamsala, but Bangladesh didn’t really adapt to the conditions. Their insistence on bowling outside off stump hurt them as they went wicketless going for that bowling line. Taskin Ahmed bowling just six overs, Shakib Al Hasan finishing his ten early and the overuse of offspin against left-handers were the sort of rigid tactics that Bangladesh will not want to repeat.Full previewTeam newsNew Zealand (probable): 1 Devon Conway, 2 Will Young, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Rachin Ravindra, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Daryl Mitchell, 7 Glenn Phillips, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Mark Henry, 10 Lockie Ferguson/Ish Sodhi, 11 Trent BoultBangladesh (probable): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Litton Das, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 5 Towhid Hridoy, 6 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan, 8 Mahedi Hasan, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Shoriful Islam, 11 Mustafizur Rahman/Nasum AhmedFeature: Just like that, Williamson is back, bringing the warm glow of the familiarNew Zealand have brought to this World Cup a squad that allows them to bat differently in different conditions, and they’ll be thrilled at the timing of Kane Williamson’s return. They won their first two games while rattling away at well over a run a ball on flat surfaces in Ahmedabad and Hyderabad, but Chennai promises to be different. It’s here, perhaps, that they will most need Williamson’s skillset.You don’t need reminding of all the times Williamson’s staying power has won New Zealand World Cup games, but here’s a recap anyway. Auckland, where Mitchell Starc looked all but unstoppable. Birmingham, where Williamson masterminded a seesawing chase of 242. Manchester, where he turned 7 for 2 into a total of 291. Manchester, again, where he scrapped away in seaming conditions to give New Zealand a total they could bowl at.Read the full feature from Karthik Krishnaswamy

Ibrahim Zadran became Afghanistan’s first World Cup centurion but his effort in the end went in vain

Deivarayan Muthu07-Nov-20234:00

Harmison on Maxwell’s 201*: ‘It has to be the greatest innings in ODI cricket’

At one point, Australia were 91 for 7 chasing 292. Then Glenn Maxwell Glenn Maxwelled his way to a double-century and not only did they win the game, they also sealed their place in the World Cup semi-finals.After Ibrahim Zadran became Afghanistan’s first-ever centurion in World Cups, Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai shredded Australia’s top order as they threatened to script a famous win at the Wankhede. But Maxwell intervened with a sensational 201 not out, 179 of which were scored in an unbroken 202-run partnership with his captain Pat Cummins, to flip the script. The result confirmed Australia’s place in the final four, along with hosts India and South Africa, and left Afghanistan heart-broken.The chase wasn’t the only thing that got tighter and tighter towards the end. Maxwell, having fielded the 50 overs in the Mumbai heat, began cramping up badly. It was his legs. They’d just stopped working. He looked in agonising pain in the 41st over, prompting the next batter, the No. 10, Adam Zampa to wait by the boundary-line while the physio patched him up to keep him going.And go he did. Batting without ever moving his feet, Maxwell kept clobbering sixes until he brought home the Australian miracle. Two-hundred and one unbeatean runs in just 128 balls with 21 fours and 10 sixes. It was one of the all-time great ODI innings.Related

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Pat Cummins hails Glenn Maxwell's 201 not out as 'the greatest ODI innings that's ever happened'

Maxwell had walked in to face Omarzai’s hat-trick ball in the ninth over, when Australia were 49 for 4 in pursuit of 292. He was then involved in a mix-up, which cost Australia the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne for 14. When Marcus Stoinis and Mitchell Starc fell soon after, leaving Australia at 91 for 7, the game looked done. Except it wasn’t. Maxwell soldiered on and Cummins stuck to him limpet-like, contributing just 12 runs (off 68 balls) to a double-century partnership.With 21 needed off the final four overs for Australia’s win and Maxwell’s double-hundred, he went 6,6,4,6 against Mujeeb Ur Rahman to provide the double coup de grâce.Mujeeb could’ve cut Maxwell’s innings short on 33 had he not dropped a sitter at short fine. Maxwell then went about doing Maxwell things. He mowed Noor Ahmad over midwicket. He shanked Mujeeb over his head and carted Mohammed Nabi over midwicket too. The reverse-sweep and other trick shots were also on display in Mumbai as he surged to a hundred off 76 balls. He then needed just 52 balls for his second hundred. At the other end, Cummins defended resolutely. That was all he needed to do.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Maxwell’s 201* is the highest score ever by a batter at No. 6 or lower in 4696 ODIs. This is also the first double-hundred by an Australian in men’s ODI cricket and the third double-ton in men’s World Cups. Maxwell’s unbroken 202-run stand with Cummins is also the highest for the eighth wicket or lower in ODI cricket.Rashid Khan was the only Afghanistan bowler to escape the one-man wrecking crew that was Maxwell. Afghanistan had picked four spinners for this match, but it was Naveen and Omarzai who inflicted severe damage on Australia’s chase. They bowled Test-match lines and lengths, and swung the new ball both ways, under lights. Naveen first ripped out Travis Head with an outswinger before pinning Mitchell Marsh lbw with an inswinger. Naveen could’ve also dismissed David Warner on 4 had Rahmat Shah not dropped a difficult chance at gully. Warner added 14 to his tally before Omarzai floored his off stump with an inswinger.Omarzai is only 23 and was playing his 20th ODI, but he’s so skillful that he can construct Warner’s dismissal. After hitting a hard length and bowling a maiden to Warner, he went fuller and stormed through his defences. Having bossed the powerplay during his Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) stint earlier in the year, Omarzai showed the wider world that he could do the job in international cricket too. The next ball was an outswinger to Josh Inglis, who edged to first slip. The next ball was another outswinger, but Maxwell denied Omarzai the hat-trick and the rest is now history.After finishing off three successful chases in a row, Afghanistan might have had a temptation to do the same on Tuesday. But Hashmatullah Shahidi resisted that and backed his batters to put runs on the board on a slightly atypical Wankhede track, which was on the drier side. Ibrahim led the way and batted through the innings on a hot afternoon to stay unbeaten on 129 off 143 balls. The highlight of his innings was a ramped four straight over the wicketkeeper, off Cummins, in the 14th over. Later in the slog overs, he along with Rashid, who hit an unbeaten 35 off 18 balls, laid into Australia’s attack. Ibrahim and Rashid smashed 58 together off just 27 balls to lift Afghanistan to 291, but their joy turned into disbelief and then helplessness in the night.

Chelsea have been offered a Real Madrid transfer target by intermediaries, but Enzo Maresca’s side will face a very stern battle as the hotly-contested race for his signature heats up ahead of the summer window.

Chelsea thrash Southampton 4-0 in the Premier League

The west Londoners sealed a much-needed Premier League win with their convincing 4-0 thrashing of Southampton at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening, with goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella rounding off a superb display.

Chelsea could offer Trevoh Chalobah in swap deal for £80m-plus player

The west Londoners may attempt to bring his price down.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Feb 25, 2025

Maresca was attracting serious criticism in the build up to their clash with the Saints, and supporters were pictured protesting BlueCo’s ownership just before kick-off, but these three points will ease some pressure surrounding the club as Chelsea solidify their chase for Champions League qualification.

Leicester City (home)

March 9th

Arsenal (away)

March 16th

Tottenham (home)

April 2nd

Brentford (away)

April 5th

Ipswich Town (home)

April 12th

After their victory over Ivan Juric’s strugglers, Maresca also sent a message to Cole Palmer, in a show of support following a recent downturn in form.

“Very happy. We said already that from now on every game is important. And if we get three points it’s even better,” said Maresca after Chelsea’s 4-0 win over Southampton.

“First of all, every game is tricky and anything can happen. We have to embrace that and we started the game in the right way. This is the worst game because everyone takes it for granted. It’s dangerous.

“I think the performance was there. Even the last game against Aston Villa the performance was there.

“We said since we start we cannot rely on Cole [Palmer] for every game. He has to continue to work, continue to be happy, continue to laugh they way he does. We are completely happy with him. It is normal to go through a moment where you struggle to score but it doesn’t matter. Just continue and you are going to score many goals.”

In the background, Chelsea apparently have plans to go “big” on a new centre-back in the summer transfer window.

That is according to reliable journalist Simon Phillips, Chelsea are expected to make a serious push for Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen, with The Boot Room now sharing an update.

Chelsea offered Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen

According to their information, from reporter Graeme Bailey’s sources, it is believed that Chelsea have been offered Huijsen by intermediaries, who are pushing to find suitors for the Spaniard ahead of next season.

The 19-year-old’s exceptional performances alongside Illia Zabarnyi at the heart of Bournemouth’s backline have also placed Huijsen on Real Madrid’s radar, with fellow European big-hitters Atlético Madrid, Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen also keen on him.

Alongside Chelsea, it is claimed that the teenage defender’s camp have contacted Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Newcastle United. A move for him is made all the more tempting by his widely reported £50 million release clause, which is set to become active this summer, so we can expect a lot of competition for his signature.

حسم التعادل الإيجابي بنتيجة 1-1 مباراة الجزائر وجنوب إفريقيا، التي جمعت بينهما اليوم ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا للمحليين.

والتقى منتخبا الجزائر وجنوب إفريقيا، على ملعب مانديلا الوطني، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا للمحليين.

وتقدم عبد النور إيهاب بلحسيني بالهدف الأول للجزائر في الدقيقة 29، بتصويبة صاروخية من على حدود منطقة الجزاء سكنت الشباك مباشرةً.

طالع أيضًا.. فيديو | منتخب الجزائر يفوز على أوغندا بثلاثية في كأس أمم إفريقيا للمحليين

وأدرك منتخب جنوب إفريقيا التعادل في الدقيقة 45 من عمر الشوط الأول، عن طريق تابيسو كوتوميلا بتسديدة من داخل منطقة الجزاء سكنت يسار حارس مرمى الجزائر.

ويتواجد منتخب الجزائر في المجموعة الثالثة من بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا للمحليين، رفقة منتخبات جنوب إفريقيا وغينيا والنيجير وأوغندا.

يذكر أن منتخب الجزائر حقق الفوز على أوغندا في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات الجولة الأولى بثلاثة أهداف دون مقابل، بينما جنوب إفريقيا لم يلعب الجولة الأولى.

بتلك النتيجة، يحتل منتخب الجزائر صدارة ترتيب المجموعة برصيد 4 نقاط، بينما تتواجد جنوب إفريقيا بالمركز الثالث، ولديه نقطة وحيدة. أهداف مباراة الجزائر وجنوب إفريقيا اليوم في كأس أمم إفريقيا للمحليين

With the summer transfer window well and truly back open, Aston Villa have a huge few weeks ahead.

After failing to qualify for the Champions League after defeat against Manchester United on the final day of the season, the West Midlands side find themselves in the Europa League.

That surely makes them less appealing to top players they are looking to sign, and also means they have less money, which could make it tough to turn the loan moves of Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford into permanent deals. Spain international Asensio did not have a buy clause in his loan from Paris Saint-Germain, and it is unclear if he will come back.

Well, if it turns out that Asensio doesn’t re-sign for Villa, they seemingly have a replacement in mind.

Villa's potential Asensio replacement

It would certainly be a huge blow for Villa if they were to lose Asensio, who had a great impact and brought lots of technical quality in attacking areas to their squad. However, they seem to be targeting a fellow Spaniard to replace him.

According to a newspaper in Spain, via Caught Offside, Unai Emery and his side are seemingly targeting a move for Real Betis attacker Jesus Rodriguez. He reportedly has a release clause worth £30m in his current deal, but Betis are negotiating a new contract with the view of increasing the price of that release clause to around £43m.

Of course, the release clause makes this a complicated situation, and on top of that, Betis are thought to be set on keeping Rodriguez.

However, Villans’ sporting director Monchi ‘is determined to sign’ the attacker, and ‘will be leading negotiations to get the deal done’ this summer.

Why Rodríguez would be a good signing

Despite being just 19 years of age, Rodriguez had a strong second half of the campaign with Betis, after breaking into the first team under Manuel Pellegrini following a stint in the youth team until December.

The Seville-born sensation played in 32 senior games last season for the club, scoring three times and grabbing one assist. He played a lot of first-team football, too, notching up 1739 minutes, the equivalent of 19 full 90-minute games. If anything, that shows the trust Pellegrini has in him already.

The 19-year-old attacker performed well in the UEFA Conference League last season, too. Although Betis lost in the final to Chelsea, he had an important role in their quest to the final, playing eight games and scoring against Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok.

There is no doubt about it, Rodriguez stepping into Asensio’s shoes at Villa Park would be no mean feat. Not only is he ten years younger and therefore far less experienced, but the impact he had at Villa would be tough to recreate.

Even Asensio himself struggled to continue the form he showcased during the early part of his career in the West Midlands. He scored eight times and grabbed one assist in 21 games, but after a rapid start, couldn’t keep up his hot run of form past the start of April.

When looking at the underlying stats on FBref last season for both Rodriguez, a Spain U21 international, and Asensio, there are some numbers that stack up well against each other. One of those is goal-creating actions, in which the Betis man averaged 0.41 per game compared to the Villa loanee’s 0.66, showing they are both involved in their team’s goals regularly.

Described as an “explosive” player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Rodriguez will certainly bring dynamic ball-carrying to Villa Park, more so than Asensio of the stats are anything to go by. The 19-year-old averaged 4.31 progressive carries each game last season, compared to Asensio’s 2.72 per 90 minutes.

Rodriguez and Asensio key stats compared
Stat (per 90)	Rodriguez	Asensio
Goal-creating actions	0.41	0.66
Progressive carries	4.31	2.72
Carries into penalty area	3.17	0.93
Take-ons completed	2.44	1.06
Ball recoveries	4.72	3.05
Stats from FBref

It is not hard to see why Rodriguez will be Emery’s new Asensio. Not only are they both Spanish attackers who can play across the frontline, but he has the technical quality of the former Real Madrid star, combined with the habit of being involved in goals, even if that is not directly.

This seems like a deal Monchi wants to get over the line, and for £30m, the value of his current release clause, it could be an excellent piece of business for the Villans.

He's scored at Villa Park: Aston Villa racing to sign "fantastic" £42m star

Only Jacob Murphy, Mohamed Salah and Anthony Elanga assisted more goals than him last season…

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By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 12, 2025