All posts by h716a5.icu

He said he wants to be ready for a “big 12 months” with Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Apr-2021Australia and Chennai Super Kings fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has withdrawn from this year’s IPL in order to stay in shape for Australia’s upcoming calendar. He becomes the third Australian player, after Josh Philippe and Mitchell Marsh, to withdraw ahead of this season.Related

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Hazlewood, 30, has been jumping in and out of bio-secure bubbles since July last year, including with the Super Kings at the IPL, and said he now wanted to focus on staying physically and mentally ready for a big year with Australia.”It’s been a long 10 months in bubbles and quarantine at different times, so I decided to have a rest from cricket and spend some time at home and in Australia in the next two months,” Hazlewood told . “We’ve got a big winter ahead too. The West Indies is going to be a long tour, with Bangladesh (T20 tour) potentially thrown on the end of that.”Then potentially the T20 World Cup leading into the Ashes, so it’s a big 12 months, as it always is with Australia, and I want to give myself the best chance to be mentally and physically ready for that. That’s the decision I’ve made, and it sits pretty well with me.”Hazlewood wasn’t a frontline option for the Super Kings last year, playing in only three matches as they lined up their bowling with domestic options alongside allrounders Sam Curran and Dwayne Bravo for the most part.

The left-arm fast bowler talks about moving on from the nightmare over, and what he has learned from Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami and Zaheer Khan

Interview by Nagraj Gollapudi and Nikhil Sharma18-Sep-20241:32

A timeline of Yash Dayal’s incredible redemption

When Yash Dayal helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru seal a spot in the 2024 IPL playoffs by defending 17 in the last over against Chennai Super Kings, his performance was widely described as redemption for failing to defend 29 against Rinku Singh and Kolkata Knight Riders in 2023Earlier this year Dayal, 26, impressed the selectors enough with his skills in white-ball and first-class cricket to be given a fast-bowling contract. And this month, he got his maiden Test call-up when he was picked in India’s squad to play the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. Dayal talks here about how he struggled to cope after the KKR match, his thoughts before bowling the final over against CSK, a significant conversation he had with Virat Kohli ahead of the 2024 IPL, and the cricketers who make up his support system.You are one step closer to realising the dream of playing for India. What has it been like since you received the Test call-up?
In 2022 I was named in the Indian squad for the first time – for an ODI series in Bangladesh – but I couldn’t make it due to injury. At the start of the Duleep Trophy [earlier this month], I was aware that there was a spot for a left-arm fast bowler in the Indian Test team. In the first innings, my bowling was normal [1 for 39 for India B against India A], though not to my satisfaction. But the way I bowled in the second innings [3 for 50], I believed I was a strong contender.We comfortably won the match and my performance was very good. I was at the team hotel in Bangalore, watching TV, when I got a message from a friend saying I’d been selected in India’s Test squad. I didn’t believe him, but a little later I saw my name in the Test squad on BCCI’s website.Related

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Immediately I kept my phones aside to try to process what was happening inside me emotionally.I had become too emotional, because getting a Test call-up is very big. I started recalling my journey across the years. I then called my family: my mother and my sister were equally emotional, tears of joy were rolling down their faces. I spoke to my dad in the evening. It was like a festival at home. A lot of people had gathered and the and [types of drums] were being played. The BCCI fast-bowling contract you got earlier this year – was that the first signal that you were in the India management’s plans?
I was already in the targeted pool after the 2022 IPL. But now, getting a fast-bowling contract given to a select few – I was aware that if I do well in domestic cricket, it could be easy to get the India call-up.At first I wasn’t aware what exactly happens with players in the targeted pool. But soon I understood that everything about my game would be looked after and monitored by the National Cricket Academy (NCA). That includes not just my bowling but my workload, training sessions, how much strain was on my body.A lot has changed in the last two years. When I see senior players from up close, when I talk to them, I notice [that some of them] travel with personal chefs, they measure what they eat, how much rice they consume, how much protein had, things to avoid to enhance their training. When I see them looking that lean, it naturally motivates me.In the 2023 IPL, after that match against KKR, I became slightly weak and my focus wasn’t there. But slowly I started to cope with what had happened. After that I made a set-up so I would not turn back – whether it be in training or my diet, I would be so clear that when I make the comeback, I would leave no stone unturned. I took the decision to focus on the assignments given to me and the targets I need to meet. Because of that I now feel that this call-up has come at the best time.”My basic bowling strength has always been swing. Then I developed speed to go with my swing, which is very difficult for batsmen to confront”•BCCIYour sister, Suchi, is a nutritionist. What role has she played in your career?
[MS Dhoni] hit Lockie [Ferguson] for a four in the 19th over [CSK scored 18 in that over]. At that point there was this anxiety in my head. I hoped CSK would need a lot of runs in the final over. There was this [changes direction]. I have always believed without swing nearly 90% of my bowling strength will be reduced.Dayal on what defending 17 runs in an over against CSK: “[Kohli] told me take my time between deliveries, not to worry about what happened, but that I needed to believe in myself”•BCCIWhile you were at the NCA with other fast bowlers in the targeted pool, Mohammed Shami, your team-mate at Titans was also there for his injury rehab. How has he helped you with your bowling?
I have spent a lot of time with Shami bhai at GT, both on and off the ground. He spoke to me a lot about the importance of backspin on the ball and suggested I work on that. He said the more backspin you have, the faster you will be able to bowl.Then there’s Ashu pa [Titans head coach Ashish Nehra], who has played a big role in my professional career. He has supported me a lot. He is the one who got me into the IPL. In the beginning, I used to face problems bowling in first-class cricket. Ashu pa worked on my [bowling] volume. In the IPL, you have to bowl only four overs, but he would say you cannot prepare for just four. You shouldn’t feel tired by the 24th ball. He would make us prepare in a way that even after bowling the 24th ball, you felt you could bowl another six overs. That helped change my mindset and become better at bowling longer spells.Your 27th birthday will fall in the middle of India’s tour of Australia. You wouldn’t mind celebrating your birthday bowling in a Test in Australia, will you?
If given a chance, it will be like the ultimate dream coming true.Having picked you in the ODI squad in 2022 and now in the Test squad, it looks like the selectors are considering you an all-format bowler.
That does feel really good that the selectors, the BCCI, people at the NCA, show trust in me. Yes, if you are here after performing in the IPL, then it’s obvious that you can do well in white-ball cricket. But now when I was picked for red-ball cricket, I realised they had been observing me for quite some time in domestic cricket.I was first picked for the Bangladesh tour [in 2022]. Since then I’d been wondering if I would ever get another chance [to make it to an India squad]. I have heard from others that it’s a big thing to make a comeback. I get that boost that I have made my comeback to such a big Test team that has all these big names who will play alongside me.

Thomas Tuchel has been officially named as the new manager of the England team and will lead the Three Lions' bid for glory at the 2026 World Cup.

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Tuchel appointed new England bossSigns 18-month contract with Three LionsWill oversee team's World Cup 2026 bidFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Football Association confirmed on Wednesday that Tuchel has been appointed as the new manager of the England national team. The German coach has signed an 18-month contract that runs until the end of the 2026 World Cup which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Tuchel succeeds Gareth Southgate and will start work with the Three Lions on January 1, 2025 alongside assistant Anthony Barry.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

England will be hoping Tuchel can fire the team to glory after seeing Southgate lead the Three Lions to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and the finals of both the 2020 and 2024 European Championship. The FA's first choice for the job had reportedly been Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, but the decision has been made to appoint Tuchel, who was available after leaving Bayern Munich in May. Tuchel arrives with a proven track record after winning titles during his time with Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern, but the England job is his first in international management.

WHAT TUCHEL SAID

He told the FA: "I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team. I have long felt a personal connection to the game in this country, and it has given me some incredible moments already. To have the chance to represent England is a huge privilege, and the opportunity to work with this special and talented group of players is very exciting.
"Working closely with Anthony as my assistant coach, we will do everything we can to make England successful and the supporters proud. I want to thank the FA, in particular Mark and John, for their trust and I am looking forward to starting our journey together.”

WHAT THE FA SAID

The FA's CEO Mark Bullingham added: “We are thrilled to have hired Thomas Tuchel, one of the best coaches in the world and Anthony Barry who is one of the best English coaches to support him. Our recruitment process has been very thorough.
"Before the EUROs we had a contingency plan and outlined exactly the qualities we would be looking for in a coach. Since Gareth resigned, we have worked through the candidate pool, meeting a number of coaches and evaluating them against that criteria. Thomas was very impressive and stood out with his vast expertise and his drive. Anthony is a top English talent and also has international experience with Republic of Ireland, Belgium and Portugal.

"Fundamentally we wanted to hire a coaching team to give us the best possible chance of winning a major tournament, and we believe they will do just that. Thomas and the team have a single-minded focus on giving us the best possible chance to win the World Cup in 2026.
"I would like to thank Lee for stepping up and doing everything we asked of him – he is a very talented coach and a major part of our England pathway. He will now focus on retaining the U21 Euro title in the summer. These are exciting times for England fans at senior and MU21 level, and we look forward to welcoming Thomas and Anthony when they begin work in January."

Paul Pogba’s four-year doping ban has been cut to 18 months on appeal, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) now explaining their decision.

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World Cup winner appealed original rulingCleared to resume career from March 2025Questions asked of his future at JuventusFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The World Cup winner was handed a four-year suspension after failing initial tests in September 2023. Serious questions were asked of whether the former Manchester United midfielder would ever play again, as his contract at Juventus was reduced to the lowest possible terms.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Pogba took his case to CAS, in a bid to clear his name and argue that he never intended to break the rules, and has now seen it confirmed that he will be cleared to resume his professional playing career in March 2025. Pogba had unknowingly ingested DHEA after being prescribed a supplement containing the banned substance, although the player accepted he should have been more careful.

WHAT CAS SAID

A statement from CAS reads: “The CAS Panel based its decision on the evidence and legal arguments made that Mr Pogba’s ingestion of DHEA, the substance for which he tested positive, was not intentional and was the result of erroneously taking a supplement prescribed to him by a medical doctor in Florida, after Mr Pogba had been given assurances that the medical doctor, who had claimed to treat several high level US and international athletes, was knowledgeable and would be mindful of Mr Pogba’s anti-doping obligations under the World Anti-Doping Code. Mr Pogba sought a sanction of only 12 months in recognition of the presence of some fault on his part (he did not seek a determination of no fault or negligence from the CAS Panel).”

Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Pogba has been informed that he should “as a professional football player, have paid a greater care in the circumstances” – meaning that he must still serve a ban – but the terms of his sanction have been reduced. It remains to be seen when and where his next appearance will be, with there suggestions that Juve may yet terminate a contract that is due to run until 2026.

At 41 years old, there was a strong chance the 2025 season could be Max Scherzer’s last. But, he doesn’t think so.

The three-time Cy Young award winner started in Game 7 of the World Series for his Blue Jays vs. the Dodgers on Saturday night. He pitched 4.1 innings, notching three strikeouts with four hits, one right and one batter walked. When Scherzer walked off the mound in the fifth inning, was that his last time pitching in MLB? He would say no.

“The only thing I can say is it's going to take some time to give a full answer to that but there is no way that was my last pitch,” Scherzer said after the game, via ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.

Scherzer was playing on a one-year contract in Toronto, meaning he’ll become a free agent this offseason. A team will have to be willing to sign the veteran ace in order for his career to continue. It could be an interesting offseason for Scherzer.

The Blue Jays failed to give Scherzer his third World Series ring on Saturday night after they lost 5-4 to the Dodgers in 11 innings. The Blue Jays ultimately lost on a heartbreaking double play in the 11th, and that came after pinch runner Isiah Kiner-Falefa was mere inches away from what would have been a walk-off game-winning run in the ninth inning. It was a tough loss for all of Toronto.

Celtic are currently searching for their permanent successor to Brendan Rodgers, who resigned last month, but there have yet to be any reports that suggest that an appointment is close.

Martin O’Neill has been in interim charge at Parkhead, winning three of his four matches in the dugout, but it remains to be seen whether or not the 4-0 win over Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership will be his last outing.

Bodo/Glimt head coach Kjetil Knutsen, Cardiff’s Brian Barry-Murphy, and Columbus Crew’s Wilfried Nancy are among the managers who have been linked with the vacant job in Glasgow.

However, no deal has been agreed with any of those candidates at the time of writing, which is why it is unclear as to whether or not O’Neill will still be in the dugout after the international break.

Whilst there is plenty of speculation over who the next manager is going to be, and understandably so, there has also been speculation over what the club could do in the January transfer window.

One player who has recently been linked with a possible move to Parkhead is Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson, but it is a move that may not make too much sense for the Hoops.

Why Celtic should avoid a deal for Andy Robertson

It was recently reported that the Scotland international is ‘open’ to the idea of putting pen to paper on a pre-contract agreement with Celtic in January, which would see him sign for the club on a free transfer next summer.

The left-footed star’s contract at Anfield expires at the end of the season, opening the door to a potential exit from Liverpool, and it appears as though a move to Parkhead could be on the cards.

At face value, signing a 31-year-old star who has won two Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy, on top of delivering 68 assists in 314 games for the Reds, would be a phenomenal piece of business for the Hoops.

Robertson, who assisted 12 goals in the Premier League in the 2019/20 campaign (Transfermarkt), is an attack-minded left-back who would bring quality, experience, and creativity at left-back.

However, Celtic already signed Kieran Tierney, who spent six years at Arsenal, to provide those three things when they brought him back to the club earlier this year on a free transfer.

xG

0.67

Top 10%

Goals

1

Top 20%

xA

1.48

Top 10%

Successful crosses

13

Top 10%

Chances created

13

Top 10%

Assists

2

Top 1%

Cross accuracy

52%

Top 1%

As you can see in the table above, the Scottish defender has been one of the best attack-minded full-backs in the Premiership so far this season, which shows that he has provided the expected creativity.

Tierney is three years younger than Robertson and signing another left-back who will want to play week-in-week-out and offer the same qualities may not be a logical move for the Hoops.

Meanwhile, though, the Scottish giants have been linked with another Premier League defender who would be a better signing than the Liverpool full-back.

Celtic offered chance to sign Premier League defender

According to 67HailHail, Celtic have been made aware of the potential availability of three Chelsea players ahead of the upcoming January transfer window.

The report claims that Deivid Washington, Raheem Sterling, and Axel Disasi are all set to move on from Stamford Bridge for the second half of the season, as they do not feature in Enzo Maresca’s plans in London.

Transfer Focus

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

67HailHail adds that there is nothing at this stage to suggest that the Hoops will definitely make a move for any of those three players, but the club have been offered the chance to swoop for the Chelsea outcasts.

Disasi is possibly the most intriguing name on the list because of the long-term injury that central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers recently sustained.

The £80k-per-week France international could come in as an even better signing than Robertson in January, if the Hoops decide to dip into the Premier League to make an addition to their defence.

Why Celtic should sign Axel Disasi

Carter-Vickers suffered an Achilles injury against Sturm Graz in the Europa League and is expected to be out of action for up to five months, which means that he may not return until March.

That has come as a big blow for the Hoops because he is the first-choice right-sided centre-back and it is has left Auston Trusty and Liam Scales, two left-footed players, as the first-choice pairing.

Whilst the Hoops have kept back-to-back clean sheets in the Premiership, Scales and Trusty struggled in the 3-1 loss to FC Midtjylland in the Europa League, as the hosts created four ‘big chances’ and 2.73 xG.

Therefore, bringing in a right-footed centre-back with European experience in January could make a lot of sense for Celtic with Carter-Vickers’ injury situation, which is why Disasi could be an excellent signing.

Whilst the Hoops, for the aforementioned reasons, have little need to push the boat out for Robertson, who is reportedly on £160k-per-week, the Chelsea centre-back could be worth the wages to sign him on loan to fill a glaring hole.

Appearances

3

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.7

Ball recoveries per game

3.7

Dribbled past per game

0.3x

Ground duel success rate

55%

Aerial duel success rate

80%

Error led to shot, goal, or penalty

0

As you can see in the table above, Disasi put in a few dominant performances in the Champions League for Aston Villa on loan in the second half of last season, showing that he can compete at the top level in Europe.

The 27-year-old star also made 13 appearances in the Premier League, per Sofascore, and won 62% of his aerial duels, whilst completing 90% of his attempted passes, featuring at both right-back and centre-back.

Disasi, who was described as a “complete” and “dominant” defender by talent scout Jacek Kulig, also put in a performance against Manchester City last year that was heralded as the best Jamie Carragher had seen that campaign, which is further evidence of his potential to deliver high-quality performances at the top level.

The right-footed star, therefore, could be an excellent signing to fill the hole created by the injury to Carter-Vickers because the Chelsea outcast is a Premier League and Champions League-proven defender, who should be in the prime years of his career at the age of 27.

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As Celtic search for a new manager, the board’s top target is reportedly now the “frontrunner” for job and would be the dream hire for Daizen Maeda.

ByBen Gray Nov 14, 2025

For whatever reason, possibly due to the volume of players signed by the Blues, Disasi has become available to the Hoops in January and they should take advantage of that, because he would be an even better signing than Robertson, based on the team’s current needs.

“It is all about what the team wants from me – and then go and contribute. And I am pretty much confident about that”

Sidharth Monga12-Feb-20212:37

Ajinkya Rahane: ‘I don’t need to worry about what happened in first Test’

Ajinkya Rahane is a man of few words. He keeps his assertions for on the field. On the eve of the second Test against England, though, he hit back at those questioning his batting, asking them to check his record. Rahane scored a resounding hundred in Melbourne, adjudged as the innings of the year by ESPNcricinfo, but either side of that knock have been 13 innings without reaching 50. More of a concern with Rahane is that his numbers are better away than at home, where he averages 37.75.”We are playing at home after two years,” Rahane pointed out. “We played last home series against South Africa. If you take that record out, you will find something over there. It is all about the team. It is not about any individual. My focus is completely on how I can contribute for my team. If you check out the last 10-15 Test matches about my individual performances, you will see some runs over there. I don’t need to worry about what is happening and what happened in the first Test match. It is all about what the team wants from me in this Test match. And then go and contribute. And I am pretty much confident about that.”Related

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The South Africa series that Rahane spoke about took place in October 2019. He scored a century and a fifty, averaging 72. In the series against Bangladesh that followed, he scored 86 and 51 in the two innings he got to play. In the most recent home Test, though, Rahane managed scores of 1 and 0.From being propped up as a full-time captaincy candidate to having his place questioned in the space of just one Test is some ride. Sanjay Manjrekar’s tweet summed it up: “My issue with Rahane the captain is Rahane the batsman. After that 100 in Melbourne his scores are – 27*, 22, 4, 37, 24, 1 and 0. After a 100, class players carry their form & carry the burden of players out of form.”However, Rahane enjoys full confidence from the full-time captain, Virat Kohli. “Ajinkya, I have said this many a times in the past as well, along with Pujara, he is our most important Test batsman and he will continue to be as we believe in his abilities and he is an impact player,” Kohli said after the first Test. “If you are talking about MCG Test, he stood up and scored a hundred when the team wanted it most. You can look at number of innings and what happens from thereon, the reality is we won the series in Australia.”Here it is just one innings, and today you can put that innings aside but in the first innings he wanted to score a boundary and it was a brilliant catch by Joe [Root] that got rid of him. If that goes for a boundary and he scores runs, then we are not having this conversation, so there are absolutely no issues and everyone is playing really well. We just need to be focused a lot more and understand that Test victories are earned in any condition whether you are playing at home or away from home. Nothing is given in Test cricket, and we need to work together as a team and put in a lot of pressure on the opposition.”

“England came up with their plans of playing sweeps and reverse sweeps. It is not necessary that we are going to play similar shots”Ajinkya Rahane

If Rahane is to get the criticism off his back in Chennai in the coming week, he will have to do in conditions more difficult than in the first Test. He himself said the pitch would turn much more. “[The pitch] looks completely different, I am sure it will turn from day one,” Rahane said. “We will have to wait and see how it behaves in the first session and take it from there. We have to forget what happened in the first Test and focus on this. Play good cricket. And we know these conditions really well. We have to put our best forward tomorrow and play as a team.”In the Bangalore Test that India beat Australia in, from a similar 1-0 deficit back in 2016-17, Rahane led the turnaround in partnership with Pujara. In that innings, Rahane unsettled Nathan Lyon with the sweep, a shot that England employed to good effect against India. Rahane was asked if that is a shot India are looking at.”It depends on what they bowl,” Rahane said. “What lines and lengths they bowl. Accordingly we play those shots. England came up with their plans of playing sweeps and reverse sweeps. It is not necessary that we are going to play similar shots. It is about what they bowl and how we actually attack their lines and lengths and play our game.”

She’s had an impact in both the World Cup matches she has played so far and, for a brief while over the last week, was the No. 1 T20I bowler in the world

Firdose Moonda08-Oct-2024Sadia Iqbal gave Pakistan reason to believe.After they struggled to a score of 105 for 8 in the highest-profile game they will play at this T20 World Cup, against India, she removed Smriti Mandhana in the fifth over of the chase and created an opening for her team. Importantly, she also built on a plan to starve Mandhana of runs by keeping it full and on the stumps, which created a string of nine dot balls to India’s experienced opener, before offering her some width and inviting her to drive. Mandhana only managed to send the ball to Tuba Hassan at point and Pakistan had the advantage.”I know my spells are very crucial for the team,” Iqbal told ESPNcricinfo in Dubai. “That’s why I am very focused on my bowling and getting my role right.”Related

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Over the last two years, Iqbal’s job has been to take the new ball and it’s one she has embraced. The 29-year-old left-arm spinner has opened the bowling in all the T20Is she has played and reaped some outstanding results. With 28 wickets in 17 matches in 2024, Iqbal is the leading wicket-taker among bowlers at the World Cup this year and also has the most wickets by a Pakistan player in any calendar year. For a short period of time between the match against India on Sunday and England’s win over South Africa on Monday night, she topped the ICC bowling rankings and became only the second Pakistan player to achieve such a status.The other, Sana Mir, who was the No. 1 ODI bowler in 2018-19, is currently at the tournament as a commentator and has been spending time with Iqbal and offering advice. “I’ve learnt so much from her,” Iqbal said. “Before the match, I talked to her about the conditions and what to expect and she told me everything.”Pakistan have played at both tournament venues already and adjusted fairly well to the differences with the ball.In Sharjah, they restricted Sri Lanka to 85 for 9 in pursuit of a target of 117 – Iqbal took 3 for 17. On a surface, which was devoid of pace, she did not follow the lead of the Bangladesh bowlers, from earlier that day, sending down deliveries as slowly as 50kph, but stuck to what she knew. “I don’t usually bowl slow, I stick to my pace,” she said. “But I follow the idea of situational bowling and try to see what the batters are doing and react to that.”

“The big change is mindset, because every player is playing attacking cricket. It’s the approach, it’s our mindset, working with different coaches, and learning through more experiences”Sadia Iqbal

What Iqbal did in Sharjah was to ask the Sri Lanka middle and lower order to go after her, knowing she would be difficult to get away. She had Anushka Sanjeewani caught at deep midwicket trying to flick a full ball to the boundary; Nilakshika Silva caught at short fine-leg playing the sweep; and trapped Sugandika Kumari lbw attempting the same type of shot.In Dubai, where run-scoring is slightly easier, she started off with a clear plan to keep it tight, before offering some width and changing her lengths later on, as India’s urgency for runs grew.That willingness to encourage the batters to take her on and back herself to succeed comes from an overall team approach that has changed since the last T20 World Cup, Iqbal explained. “The big change is mindset, because every player is playing attacking cricket. It’s the approach, it’s our mindset, working with different coaches, and learning through more experiences.”Pakistan’s more proactive approach suits Iqbal’s style as someone who has always relished a contest. A multi-sport player, who was involved in handball and hockey, Iqbal came to cricket “late”, as a 22-year-old. At the time, she had just graduated with a Bachelor of Science Honours in sports science. She made her debut for Pakistan two years later and has properly established herself in the side only over the last couple of years. On the evidence of her success in that time, Iqbal is on an upward trajectory and may well continue to give Pakistan more reasons to believe in the future.

Como manager and ex-Arsenal star Cesc Fàbregas has now heaped praise on Mikel Arteta following a key Gunners tactical tweak.

The Premier League frontrunners take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light later today, pitting Arteta’s side against the surprise package of the season.

Arsenal arrive on Wearside in utterly imperious form. The north Londoners have won their last 10 matches across all competitions, with eight consecutive victories without conceding a single goal.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

They’re aiming to win five successive Premier League games without conceding for the first time since 1987, while their run of eight clean sheets in all competitions matches a club record set way back in 1903.

It’s been nearly 13 hours of football since anyone has scored against them, which is quite simply unbelievable, and they of course boast the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues as a result.

That being said, Regis Le Bris’ side pose a tough challenge. Sunderland enter this game having defied all pre-season expectations spectacularly. They’ve accumulated 18 points from their opening 10 fixtures – the most any promoted side has managed at this stage since Hull City’s 20 points in 2008-09.

Their remarkable home form has been key, remaining unbeaten at the Stadium of Light this campaign.

Arsenal are still favourites to win this one, though, following their imperious start to the season — which is made all the more impressive by their mountain of attacking injuries.

Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and captain Martin Odegaard are all unavailable with knee or muscular problems — even if Jesus returned to training this week — Meanwhile, striker Viktor Gyokeres has been ruled out with a potential hamstring injury until after the international break.

This leaves Arteta pretty short of forward options, with Mikel Merino likely to continue in an emergency striker role.

Merino’s second-half brace secured a 3-0 Champions League victory over Slavia Prague in midweek, adding to his very impressive tally of 11 goals in all competitions for Arsenal this calendar year.

The midfielder has been nothing short of inspirational when called upon to play an unfamiliar role by Arteta, and Fabregas is certainly impressed by the former Real Sociedad star.

Fabregas praises "great move" by Arteta to play Merino as Arsenal striker

Speaking in an interview with Calciomercato this week, Fabregas stated it was a “great move” by Arteta to play Merino as a striker once again in the absence of Gyokeres — claiming he’s done very well in the role.

Merino had never played striker before featuring there for the first time against Leicester City back in February, where he scored both goals in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory after replacing the injured Kai Havertz.

Since then, he’s excelled in the position.

The midfielder has netted an astonishing 19 goals for club and country combined in 2025, including his midweek brace against Slavia Prague that also took his Arsenal tally to three headed goals this season. His 6 foot 2 frame makes him a major aerial threat inside the area, while on the deck he’s incredibly strong, using his muscular frame to dominate physical 50-50s.

Who will make the 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup? The deadline for selection is May 1

Sidharth Monga29-Apr-2024Don’t expect IPL form to play too much of a role when India’s selectors pick the 15-man squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup, the deadline for which is May 1.The selectors are unlikely to go for players who are unproven at international level even though a few of them have made heads turn with their hitting in IPL 2024. The one bolter that might have been picked got injured. Much like consumers of the sport and pundits, the team management and selectors are believed to have been excited about Mayank Yadav’s pace and accuracy. They would have likely punted on him, but his injury-prone body might have prevented that now.The IPL, though, has served to prove the fitness of Rishabh Pant, who had been out of cricket since his horrific car accident in December 2022. Sanju Samson, however, is likely to be the first-choice wicketkeeper as India need a spin-hitter to pair with their top three who tend to get stuck against spin. Also, Jitesh Sharma’s form hasn’t been great and KL Rahul has been batting at the top of the order, which is crowded already. The top four of captain Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav was more or less decided even before the IPL began.Hardik Pandya’s bowling fitness could be a cause for concern for the selectors. When fully fit and in form, Hardik does what nobody else can in the country: bowl medium-pace and hit in the middle order. As such, he should be a certain starter, but he has been bowling only about two overs a match in the IPL and his pace has been down too. He still has a month to get into proper bowling rhythm and justify keeping Shivam Dube or Rinku Singh out of the XI.If India are to take both Dube and Rinku to the T20 World Cup, they will have to leave out either a back-up wicketkeeper or a back-up bowler. It will likely come down to a shootout between Rinku and a back-up fast bowler. It would have helped if one of the top four could bowl or keep wicket, but India are stuck with a top order that is one-dimensional.The only way to accommodate the power-hitters is to drop one or two of the top four, but Rohit had already been confirmed as the captain by BCCI secretary Jay Shah earlier this year. Rohit, in turn, is believed to have asked for Kohli because of his temperament. Not that it would be an easy call for the selectors to take one and leave out the other: as we have maintained in these pages, it’s either both or none. Jaiswal is the only left-hand option in the top order, and Suryakumar is among the best T20 batters in the world.The IPL’s Impact Player rule will add to the frustration of the selectors as prospective allrounders have not been called upon to bowl at all. For Dube to edge out Hardik, he ideally should have bowled a little, but CSK have not needed him to because of the Impact Player. The same goes for Riyan Parag at Rajasthan Royals. The IPL teams have no incentive to develop allrounders. So even if the selectors wanted to take Dube as a seam-bowling allrounder, they have nothing to assess his bowling.Hardik Pandya hasn’t been impactful as a bowler in the IPL•BCCIAs of now, Ravindra Jadeja might edge out Axar Patel as the spin allrounder in the first XI, but Axar could make the squad as the back-up spinner, leaving Kuldeep Yadav as the only wristspinner in the squad of 15.Jasprit Bumrah’s fast-bowling partners remain difficult to identify in the absence of the injured Mohammed Shami. Arshdeep Singh is likely to be the left-arm quick because of his ability to move the new ball, but his form at the death hasn’t been great in the IPL. Avesh Khan is in the fray because of his height and ability to hit the surface and Mohammed Siraj is also in the mix even though his form has not been great for RCB.The fast bowlers other than Bumrah are not yet in stone. Mohsin Khan and Harshit Rana have impressed the decision-makers, but their fitness is not believed to be at its peak, which can be a risk in a World Cup.India’s likely T20 World Cup squadTop order: Rohit Sharma (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar YadavMiddle and lower-middle order: Sanju Samson (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Rinku SinghSpinners: Kuldeep YadavFast bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan/Mohammed SirajOther contenders: KL Rahul, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Sandeep Sharma