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Players with families might choose to retire, the Australia batsman says, instead of long stints on the road

Daniel Brettig28-Jul-2020David Warner believes that restrictive biosecurity bubbles of the kind Australia are expected to encounter while touring England in September may be a factor for players with families, who might choose to retire rather than face long stints away from their partners and children.Speaking about the realities in the time of Covid-19 – ahead of the England tour, followed by the IPL in the UAE, and then the home summer – Warner said that time with his family of wife Candice and their three daughters would appear less likely in an environment where teams need to be quarantined in order to fulfil international fixtures. The demands of that scenario will figure highly in Warner’s thinking when he considers when to pare back or finish his days as an international cricketer, having flagged last summer that he was considering, at the age of 33, whether to retire from one or more international formats in order to prolong his overall playing time.”Obviously three daughters and my wife, who I owe a lot to, has been a big part of my playing career,” he said. “You’ve always got to look out for your family first, and with cricket and these unprecedented times, you’ve got to weigh up these decisions. Look, at the moment, I’ll keep continuing to aim for that. Obviously the T20 [World Cup] is not here at home, which would have been ideal to play that and win that here. Now that gets pushed back. I will have to have a rethink about that when it comes to India.”I’ll see where I am and where the girls are at with school as well. A lot of that is a big part of my decision. It’s not just when the games are being played and how much cricket’s being played. It’s a big family decision for myself. There are times when you go away and miss your family a lot and at the moment with all these biosecurity measures that are in place, we’re going to not be able to have the luxury of our families coming away with us now and it could be for the foreseeable future.

We’re obviously unsure and unclear given states are in lockdown or not letting people from other states go interstate. We have to sit back and wait for the government and states to see what the regulations are behind that. All we can do really is train with our states and prepare as well as we can on the wickets provided to get ready for the season

“As the prime minister [Scott Morrison] said, we might not be able to go overseas or visitors won’t be able to come into Australia. They are things that we need to play by ear and if and when I do make that decision, it’ll be predominantly a family decision.”Victoria’s current outbreak has left the state in a precarious position relative to the rest of the country, leaving Warner to conclude that Australia may need to get their heads around not playing in Melbourne around the Christmas and Boxing Day holidays for the first time in living memory.”Yeah, we have to look at it like that. I’m sitting here and you guys are too today looking at how many cases are happening in Victoria at the moment,” he said. “Even the guys trying to get out of Victoria, it’s very, very challenging as well. It’s going to be challenging for everyone. I think we spoke about state cricket. That’s the perfect example. How is Victoria going to be able to start (Sheffield) Shield cricket down there. At the moment, it seems like it’ll be impossible.Players with families might not want long stints away from home, David Warner feels•Getty Images”But I think they’ll have to put things in place to play it somewhere else. Even if we do play down there, then coming out of Victoria you’ll have to quarantine for 14 days into other states. There are so many elements to it that it’s out of our control and hands at the moment. Whatever happens, if you put something in place now, it’s going to change tomorrow. It’s very, very difficult to process. We’ll have to see and adapt. And you might see the first Boxing Day Test not in Melbourne.”Looking at the likelihood of travelling to England, then to the UAE for a relocated IPL, then home for scheduled Tests against Afghanistan and India, Warner agreed that a surfeit of white-ball matches would not be an ideal lead-in when lined up against the two or three Shield fixtures that Australia’s cricketers have become accustomed to playing before the start of a home international season.”Usually you have a couple of Shield games leading into a Test series, especially at home,” he said. “So I think the unique thing about it is the Indian team and ourselves are going to be in the same boat really. We’re going to have a lack of red-ball cricket preparation and end of the day we have to make the most of that time training in the lead up to the Test series.”We’ve played enough high-level cricket to adapt to red ball. But there are obviously guys back in Australia who won’t be playing in the one-day series or the IPL, who have to try and get ready to prepare. Hopefully there are a couple of games they can play interstate against each other, if something is put in place. We’re obviously unsure and unclear given states are in lockdown or not letting people from other states go interstate.David Warner – and some others – might head into the home Tests straight after the IPL in the UAE•BCCI”We have to sit back and wait for the government and states to see what the regulations are behind that. All we can do really is train with our states and prepare as well as we can on the wickets provided to get ready for the season.”In a way, the challenges will be a more concentrated version of the kind of dilemmas Australia’s cricketers and selectors have faced most years since the dawn of the Big Bash League, and even before that with the T20 Champions League, which forced players to juggle formats at a formative time of the season.”I feel that – obviously there is going to be a squad of 15 picked for example, and if there’s no Shield cricket being played up until Christmas, it doesn’t give anyone else an opportunity to be picked,” Warner said. “Like if there’s an injury there is nobody coming up from red-ball cricket. So there are these situations that we’re going to have to play by ear and try to get guys to be prepared in case something happens.”There’s three Tests leading into Christmas and coming off three or four Shield games played beforehand as well. So there’s going to be a lack of red-ball cricket obviously – it’s going to be challenging. If someone goes down, we’ll have to bring a person in with a lack of red-ball preparation. That’s foreign to all of us. It doesn’t really happen – and we’re just going to have to adapt to that.”

Only Naomi Girma and Sophia Smith made the cut for GOAL's annual list of the world's elite players as Alex Morgan and Rose Lavelle dropped out

The United States has the most successful women's national team in soccer history. With four World Cup titles and four Olympic gold medals, no country comes close to what the U.S. has been able to achieve over the last 30 years or so, with some of the greatest players the sport has ever seen having been central to those triumphs. Why, then, just five years removed from the fourth of those world titles, does the USWNT only have two players inGOAL's 2024 edition of the World-Class Club?

It was only back in 2019 that the U.S. reigned supreme again at the World Cup, beating the Netherlands 2-0 in the final in a year that saw the star of that success, Megan Rapinoe, claim the Ballon d'Or. Featuring the likes of Becky Sauerbrunn, Julie Ertz, Sam Mewis, Rose Lavelle, Tobin Heath and Alex Morgan, this was unquestionably a world-class side.

A lot has changed since then, due to injuries, retirements and new coaches, with the two Americans in GOAL's elite club this year still playing in college when the USWNT last conquered the world stage. But as new head coach Emma Hayes prepares to take this famous team to a major tournament for the first time, at the Olympic Games which starts this week, she goes armed with a new generation of talent that has the potential to establish itself among the sport's very best in the years to come.

Getty ImagesChanging of the guard

The USWNT has pretty much always been at the top of the women's game. In the 1990s, it won two of the three World Cup tournaments played and the only Olympic gold medal on offer for women's soccer. It didn't win a World Cup in the noughties, but did win back-to-back Olympic golds, at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, and then backed that up by reaching the 2011 Women's World Cup final, winning gold at the 2012 Games and claiming back-to-back World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019.

However, many of the players from that last particularly golden era, from 2012 to 2019, have left the big stage now. Hope Solo, Christie Rampone, Shannon Boxx, Carli Lloyd, Abby Wambach, Lauren Holiday, Sam Mewis, Ertz and Rapinoe, and many more, have retired. Heath and Christen Press haven't played for some time, due to injuries. Sauerbrunn and Morgan, meanwhile, are still around, but are watching their roles with the USWNT shrink, as evidenced by the latter's omission from Hayes' Olympic roster.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesExcitement for the future

But despite a couple of disappointing tournaments under Vlatko Andonovski, who left his role as head coach following last year's shock exit in the World Cup round of 16, there's no doubt that what lies ahead for the USWNT is exciting. That's because the generation coming through has the potential to be truly outstanding.

We can see that already in GOAL's World-Class Club, which features two of that young crop. Naomi Girma, aged 24, has a spot after asserting herself as one of the most composed and talented centerbacks on the planet, and she is joined by Sophia Smith, set to celebrate her 24th birthday in August, the youngest player ever to win the NWSL's Most Valuable Player accolade.

Those two feature on an Olympic roster which has an average age of 27.1, some three years younger than the one that travelled to Japan for the previous edition, and an average caps-per-player of 58, compared to the 111 of 2021.

GettyPlenty of prospects

In other circumstances, they'd be joined by Catarina Macario, but her two years struggling with injury – continued by her need to drop off the Olympic roster due to 'irritation' of the knee – mean it is difficult to include her right now, despite the quality she showed after returning to action in March.

In the future, Macario is likely to re-stake her claim successfully and others are likely to increase the American representation, too. Jaedyn Shaw, aged 19, showed why the hype around her is so great when she won the Golden Ball at this year's inaugural CONCACAF W Gold Cup; Trinity Rodman, already a NWSL Championship winner at 22 years old, looks on track to reach the very top of the sport; while Korbin Albert, a controversial figure in recent times, has impressed Hayes enough to earn a ticket to Paris this summer, aged 20.

And that is just talking about this current roster. There are others who have been around this U.S. team who could well break through and become key players in the years to come, such as Croix Bethune (23), Mia Fishel (23), Hal Hershfelt (22) Eva Gaetino (21), Alyssa Thompson (19), Olivia Moultrie (18) and, if they can secure her international future ahead of the Netherlands, Lily Yohannes (16). A few of those have world-class promise and, if not, they at least have the potential to contribute to making this era under Hayes a special one.

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Getty ImagesExperienced guidance

It's not just about the young, up-and-coming players either. Lavelle was in GOAL's World-Class Club in 2023 and has every chance to get back in there; Lindsey Horan, one of the best players in Europe this past season, is certainly a top player even if she didn't make the cut here; Mallory Swanson was a huge miss at last year's World Cup, due to injury, and has an impressive 34 goals in 92 caps. These are just some of the top quality, experienced heads that can help carry this next generation through.

That's exciting for the USWNT and for Hayes, as it provides a blend that can make this transitional period less difficult. There's a changing of the guard going on, for sure, but there are players that remain from those title-winning tournaments to help the winning culture stay in the locker room.

With their top four chances taking a few hits in recent weeks, Aston Villa have received a worrying injury update which could play a part in their first game back after the international break – a Midlands derby against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Aston Villa transfer news

With just nine games left until the end of the Premier League season and just three points separating Villa in fourth and Tottenham Hotspur – who have a game in hand – in fifth, the last thing that Unai Emery needs is more injuries.

The former Arsenal boss has already been forced to cope without the likes of Tyrone Mings and Emiliano Buendia for most of the current campaign, and needs as many members of his squad available for one final push for top four.

Given where we're at in the Premier League campaign, the March international break is always a nervy one for clubs still on course to achieve their goals, whether that be survival, top four or winning the title. And Villa have become the latest club to prove why it's right to watch on nervously, with one star now potentially ruled out of their first game after the break.

Aston Villa above all in race for "important" star who could cost just £10m

This would be one of the bargains of the summer.

ByTom Cunningham Mar 21, 2024

After the right-back came off the bench only to limp back off 11 minutes later, Poland manager Michal Probierz provided an update on Matty Cash's injury: "It's probably a little worse for Matty. We will make a decision later with your doctor.”

The right-back collided with an advertising board, before clutching his hamstring in worrying scenes for Villa with a derby against Wolves up next. The coming days should prove to be crucial when it comes to learning the full damage done and whether the Pole will miss an extended period.

"Versatile" Cash adds to Aston Villa's injury list

If Cash does not recover in time to face Wolves on Saturday 30 March, then he will become the latest injury for Emery to contend with at Aston Villa at the worst possible time. That said, here's how Aston Villa's injury list is currently looking and when those in the Mildlands can potentially expect players to return…

Boubacar Kamara

26/10/2024

Emiliano Buendia

24/06/2024

Tyrone Mings

24/06/2024

Jacob Ramsey

30/03/2024

Matty Cash

30/03/2024*

Emery will be well aware of just how big a blow Cash's long-term absence would be, so he and the rest of the club will be hoping to see the full-back make a swift return after the international break.

Emery highlighted the right-back's ability to fill other gaps in his squad at the start of the season, saying via The Independent: “He’s versatile, he played before as a winger, he’s playing with us in a back four sometimes, sometimes lower, but we used him in pre-season playing higher, as a winger.

"He helped us a lot today defensively and offensively and then he used the moment to remember when he played more at Nottingham Forest as a winger. His two goals were a good example for us but we know he can be versatile.”

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been spotted signing a Real Madrid shirt while on holiday with Jude Bellingham.

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Liverpool right-back vacationing with midfielderLinked with Real Madrid moveSigns shirt during trip to theme parkWHAT HAPPENED?

Alexander-Arnold has been vacationing with Bellingham after Euro 2024, in which England finished as runners-up, once again, after a heartbreaking defeat to Spain. Real Madrid have been linked with a stunning swoop to sign the right-back from Liverpool this summer, and he has now been photographed signing a Los Blancos shirt at Six Flags in the USA.

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Having put his signature to the shirt – which may well not mean anything, but is sure to spark headlines – Alexander-Arnold was also pictured riding a rollercoaster with the midfielder.

DID YOU KNOW?

Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson actually made an attempt to convince Bellingham to join Liverpool, but were unable to do so. Now, Bellingham and Trent may be linking up in Spain.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

The pair will finish up their lad's holiday before heading back to their respective clubs. Real face AC Milan on August 1 while Liverpool play Arsenal on the same day.

England captain fears boards will use delay as “an excuse” not to schedule women’s fixtures

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Aug-2020England captain Heather Knight has admitted she feels “pretty gutted” about the ICC’s decision to postpone the Women’s World Cup from 2021 to 2022, and raised fears that boards will use it as “an excuse… to put women’s cricket on the back burner”.The ICC made the decision on Friday, citing the need to maintain the “integrity of the tournament” by ensuring that all teams had sufficient preparation.”We have taken the decision to move the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup to give players from every competing nation, the best opportunity to be ready for the world’s biggest stage and there is still a global qualifier to complete to decide the final three teams,” Manu Sawhney, the ICC’s chief executive, said.”Moving the event by 12 months gives all competing teams the chance to play a sufficient level of cricket ahead of both the qualification event and leading into a Cricket World Cup so the integrity of the tournament is maintained.”ALSO READ: Why the Women’s World Cup was postponedBut Knight expressed her fears that boards would not give sufficient attention to women’s cricket without a world tournament to prepare for.

Pretty gutted to be honest. I know tough decisions have to be made right now & it would have taken a lot of work (and $$), but it was feasible in NZ. Hopefully it’s not an excuse for boards to put women’s cricket on the back burner for the next 12 months with no WC to prepare for https://t.co/a2jXOlySua

— Heather Knight (@Heatherknight55) August 8, 2020

Alyssa Healy, the Australia wicketkeeper, also expressed her frustration at the decision, which she labelled “remarkable” in response to a tweet from journalist Scott Bailey comparing the number of Covid-19 cases in New Zealand and India.

Remarkable

— Alyssa Healy (@ahealy77) August 8, 2020

Knight’s England team were back in training this week ahead of their series against South Africa, which is due to start at the end of this month. It will be the first women’s international cricket to be played since the Covid-19 pandemic took hold.

Manchester United’s incredibly dramatic 4-3 FA Cup victory over fierce rival Liverpool could very well be the catalyst for a last-minute revival of the campaign.

After that result, the Red Devils are now in the semi-final against Coventry City, while also sitting sixth in the Premier League.

However, inconsistency has been a common theme for Erik ten Hag this season, meaning that progress is often halted almost instantly.

Having said that, there has been one constant, and that is the outstanding performance of Kobbie Mainoo, who could thrive even further next campaign if United do sign their current midfield target.

Man Utd's search for a midfielder

Italian news outlet CalcioMercato recently reported that Man United are keen to reinforce the midfield department in the summer, with Joao Gomes said to be one of their main targets.

Ten Hag has first-hand experience playing against the Brazilian, with the 23-year-old being a key player in Gary O’Neil’s Wolverhampton Wanderers side, so the former Ajax boss has a strong understanding of what he could bring to the side.

It is reported that the former Flamengo player is estimated to be worth €40m (£34m), but Wolves are set to demand a higher fee at the end of the season.

With Sir Jim Ratcliffe wanting to change the culture at the club, a player like Gomes fits the bill for the type of requirements the new owner will look for in a signing.

Man Utd have begun talks to sign a £50m Harry Maguire replacement

Erik ten Hag is keen to reinforce his backline next summer.

ByTom Lever Mar 26, 2024 How Joao Gomes could slot in at Man Utd

Mainoo’s rise to the top has been simply unbelievable, to the point where he’s not only a key figure in the Man United side, but he’s also earned his first England cap.

At just 18 years old, the number 37 has started 14 Premier League matches while displaying the maturity and mentality of a seasoned professional with experience way beyond his years.

The versatile midfielder’s position in the team has fluctuated between a few roles, but his main position has been as a defensive midfielder, like against Jurgen Klopp’s side last time out.

However, with the potential introduction of Gomes, Mainoo could be deployed in a more familiar and better-suited number eight position, which would allow him to showcase his ability to impact the game in the final third as well as drop deeper when needed.

Tackles

3.5

Duels won

5.8

Balls recovered

5.5

Possession lost

9.3

Pass accuracy in own half

87%

As can be seen in the table above, showcasing Gomes’ average statistics in the Premier League this season, he’s the definition of a “warrior,” as dubbed by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, with his duels won, balls recovered, and tackles serving as evidence.

The Wolves gem with a “winning mentality” – as per Kulig – also ranks as the third-highest tackler in the entire league per game, which would see him slot alongside Mainoo perfectly.

Ten Hag’s midfield balance is currently all over the place, with Casemiro struggling to cover ground and keep up with intensity, as shown by his dribbled past per game average of 2.2, and the signing of Gomes could enable Mainoo to sprinkle his magic further up the field, just like the goal of the month he netted against Wolves in February.

Gomes also only loses the ball 9.3 times per game, which would provide much more control to United in possession while also limiting the number of times the team gets counterattacked, which would see Mainoo’s untouchable dribbling occur more often.

Overall, having the security of Gomes alongside Mainoo, who can simply act as a ball-winner and retainer, will enable the youngster to blossom into a world-class talent that he has already shown glimpses of.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin could soon be available, with the player's agent trying to persuade him to leave amid Premier League interest.

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Lunin recently joined Mendes' agencyChelsea linked with UkrainianBlues eyeing goalkeeper to push SanchezWHAT HAPPENED?

Lunin signed for Jorge Mendes' agency, Polaris Sport, in April, and the agent hasn't wasted much time trying to find the goalkeeper a new club. According to journalist Romain Molina, Mendes is trying to persuade the 25-year-old to leave Madrid this summer, which will catch the eye of several high profile clubs.

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Among those clubs might be Chelsea, who are eager to sign a new shot-stopper in order to push Robert Sanchez for the No. 1 spot. And few look better equipped to do that than Lunin, who entered the limelight last season due to Thibaut Courtois' injury and produced a number of impressive displays, most notably against Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-final second leg.

DID YOU KNOW?

Mendes' relationship with Real Madrid soured over Leny Yoro's move to Manchester United, and this latest development is unlikely to help repair things. The Spanish champions are reportedly upset that the Portuguese agent directed Yoro's move to Old Trafford over the Santiago Bernabeu.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR LUNIN?

Despite losing his place in the team upon Courtois' return, the Ukraine star recently admitted he wants to stay in the Spanish capital, telling Marca: "Obviously [I want to stay]." We'll have to see whether he gets his way or if a club comes calling.

Tottenham legend Ledley King has privately told Spurs chiefs to make a transfer swoop this summer.

Spurs want to sign new defenders for Postecoglou

Despite already bringing in Radu Dragusin from Genoa for £25 million in January, reports in the last few weeks suggest that Ange Postecoglou's defence could look very different next season.

Club determined to sign Tottenham player as chiefs already open talks

They’re making moves behind-the-scenes pre-summer.

ByEmilio Galantini Mar 19, 2024

Indeed, Postecoglou has already expressed the club's wish to bring in another centre-back, as the Lilywhites head coach claims it's an area which needs further reinforcement.

“If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at”, said Postecoglou on Spurs signing another centre-back.

“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit in to what we’re trying to build here.

Luton Town (home)

March 30th

West Ham (away)

April 2nd

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 8th

Newcastle United (away)

April 13th

Arsenal (home)

April 27th

“I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment.

“We’re a squad that needs to develop, and we’re looking for that younger demographic. But at the same time you’re looking for guys that have played."

As well as at centre-back, Spurs are identifying potential full-back signings, with Postecoglou believed to want alternatives to star defensive duo Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie. The pair have been crucial to Tottenham's success under Postecoglou and are a major foundation of their push for Champions League qualification next season, but there are arguably few quality alternatives to the duo behind them.

Emerson Royal stands out as the only choice behind Porro, while questions surround the longevity of Ben Davies at left-back and the torrid injury record of Ryan Sessegnon.

Tottenham told to sign Ben Johnson by Ledley King

Now, according to Football Transfers, Spurs legend King has told Tottenham to sign West Ham defender Ben Johnson to help fix their lack of depth at full-back.

The Englishman, who is now attracting interest from Tottenham as a result, is out of contract at the end of this season and could join the club for free. Former West Ham staff member Stuart Pearce highly rates the 24-year-old from their time together in east London as well.

"He's a wonderful professional to deal with and work with," said Pearce on the £20,000-a-week defender.

"We're very proud to have him out of our academy system as well, which is a real plus for us, especially with the connection to this club with the academy. I think he's just developing and getting better and better, and like with all young players, the more game time they have, the better they'll get, so I am delighted for the boy."

Nottingham Forest’s most recent home game in the Premier League was a convincing 2-0 win over West Ham United, and if it wasn’t for poor finishing, they could have defeated Manchester United in the week.

But since Nuno Espírito Santo’s excellent start to life at the Tricky Trees, beating Newcastle United and the Red Devils in December, they’ve won once in the league.

However, Forest have the chance to turn their form and their season around this weekend, as they face Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a player who simply must feature in the starting lineup, alongside Taiwo Awoniyi.

Why Taiwo Awoniyi must start vs Liverpool

The number nine has been fantastic for Forest since joining for £17.5m at the start of last season, scoring 16 goals and providing four assists in 42 appearances.

This season, his progress has been hindered by injuries, but when he has started up top, Forest have looked far more deadly, with Awoniyi netting six goals and three assists in 12 league starts.

The Nigerian is a striker who won’t just score goals but will also be a relentless outlet up front, which will be vital against Liverpool, a side that will dominate the possession.

Awoniyi is also a selfless striker who is willing to give 100% for his team off the ball, whether that be by leading the press or covering space to prevent progressive passes.

The former Liverpool centre-forward also knows how to score against his old team, netting in the 1-0 win over the Reds in this exact fixture last season, ensuring he would be a welcome return to the fold – alongside any of those who started on the bench in midweek…

Nottingham Forest star had one of his best game under Nuno vs Man Utd

He’s failed to reach the levels he achieved at times last season.

ByEthan Lamb Feb 29, 2024 Why Nicolas Dominguez could be key against Liverpool

Nicolas Dominguez has been one of the most consistent midfielders in the league this season, with his performances often going under the radar.

The versatility of the midfielder is what makes him so “impressive,” as labelled by analyst Statman Dave, with the Argentine having the ability to feature in multiple roles within one match.

However, it’s his defensive qualities while having the ability to affect the game in the final third that could make him key this afternoon.

The number 16’s performance against West Ham recently provides evidence of that, where he was deployed in the double pivot of a 4-2-3-1, which is where he should start today.

Tackles

6

Ground duels won

6

Assists

1

Pass accuracy

93%

Touches

57

As is shown in the table above, the former Bologna star thrives during the physical side of the beautiful game, breaking up the play and frustrating the opponent, as shown by his six tackles and six ground duels won.

However, he has also shown his ability to control the game and give his side a breather by retaining the ball once it’s been retrieved rather than wasting it, which will be vital later on. Against the Hammers, Dominguez had a pass accuracy of 93% and 57 touches while also registering an assist.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Dominguez’s tenacity and engine in the middle of the field will be incredibly important. The Argentine and Awoniyi could just hold the keys to a huge upset this weekend.

An epic clash between two of world cricket’s bitterest rivals gave new life to the World Cup and knocked out the defending champions

The Retroreport by Andrew Miller05-Apr-2020 #RetroLive
Pakistan’s reign as World Champions has come to an end at the hands of their bitterest rivals, after the most richly anticipated clash of the 1996 World Cup served up a seething, bare-knuckle confrontation under the Chinnaswamy floodlights.The margin, 39 runs, looked substantial by the time the last rites of the contest had been played out, in front of a deliriously satisfied crowd of 35,000 partisan fans who – with whistles, hoots and bonfires in the stands – belied Bangalore’s previously staid reputation in an atmosphere that teetered at times towards anarchy.But the agonies that those fans endured in the course of the contest were real – as were those of countless millions from Karachi to Calcutta as the subcontinent came to a standstill for one pulsating evening. And never was the fate of the protagonists more on a knife-edge than during a thrilling opening stand of 84 in ten overs between Aamer Sohail and Saeed Anwar, one that appeared to have placed a daunting target of 288 well within Pakistan’s grasp.And yet, in the final analysis, India found the right men for the key moments, as they turned the tables in the middle overs and held their nerve at the death. Their basic team discipline was allied to top-notes of adrenalin-fuelled inspiration – not least a ballistic late onslaught from Ajay Jadeja – as they found the means to outlast a worthy opponent. Fittingly, and poignantly, it was Javed Miandad, 38 years old, and playing in his sixth World Cup after nearly three years of self-declared exile, who was on deck as Pakistan’s hopes faded to black. He bulwarked the closing overs before being run out for 38 from 64 balls, as the mounting asking-rate enveloped his dreams of one final glory.Pakistan will rue their fate in this contest for many years to come – rarely can they have had a contest more at their mercy. But rushes of blood littered their strokeplay as the game slipped from their grasp, not least the wild hack that Aamer, standing in as captain after the grievous pre-toss loss of Wasim Akram to a side strain, aimed at a pumped-up Venkatesh Prasad to eject himself from the contest at precisely the moment when consolidation was Pakistan’s watchword.Prasad’s send-off to Aamer was as feisty and uncomplicated as his subsequent command of the legcutter proved cool and calculating, and Pakistan’s middle order struggled to hit the ground running. Ijaz Ahmed opted to counter his threat with muscle but hoisted a leading edge to cover; Inzamam-ul-Haq attempted finesse, but steered a flat-footed poke to Nayan Mongia behind the stumps. And at 132 for 4, what embers remained of Pakistan’s fight were duly doused by the spinners, Anil Kumble and Venkatapathy Raju, who throttled the contest with four wickets between them, and ensured that India’s lack of a fifth specialist bowler would not prove costly.It has been a slow burn of a World Cup, with mismatches and cancellations dominating an over-long group stage, in which the only real jeopardy for the senior Test nations has been the identity and venue of these knock-outs. And after squandering their chance of a home tie in Karachi with last week’s untimely loss to South Africa, Pakistan’s plans took a further hit in the build-up, with Wasim’s absence compounded by the loss of an important toss which left them the unenviable task of chasing in Bangalore’s floodlit debut.That prospect perhaps informed the tempo of the game’s opening exchanges, as Pakistan shelved their habitual aggression with the new ball and veered very early towards containment. Navjot Sidhu responded with a maturely compiled 93 from 115 balls, an innings in which he outscored his more illustrious partner Sachin Tendulkar by almost 2 to 1 in an opening stand of 90. But at 237 for 6 after 47 overs, India’s innings was in danger of drifting towards mediocrity.Until, that is, an astonishing late onslaught from Jadeja, whose natural attributes of strength and timing surged to the fore to eviscerate Pakistan’s death bowlers. No-one suffered more gruesomely than Waqar Younis, whose first eight overs had yielded 27 runs, but whose final two were smashed for 22 and 18 respectively – or dis-respectfully, you might say.Up until that moment, Pakistan seemed to have been earning their rewards for perseverance. At 168 for 2, Mushtaq Ahmed – a key player in the 1992 triumph – dislodged Sidhu with the flipper when a century was there for the taking, then followed up with a masterfully disguised googly to bowl Vinod Kambli on the charge for 24. Mohammad Azharuddin had already gone by then, supremely snaffled by Rashid Latif to give Waqar the wicket that his endeavours had earned, and when Mongia was run out for 3, a total of 250 seemed the upper limit of their ambitions and the Chinnaswamy was taut with apprehension.And yet, Jadeja’s part in that run-out seemed to click him into instant overdrive. Having survived a screechingly close lbw appeal from his first ball against Waqar, he decided thereafter not to let his legs be a target as he carved repeatedly and violently through the line and across the ropes.From consecutive Waqar deliveries Jadeja creamed four, six, four, six – the best of the lot an insolent slog over wide long-off as he seized on a fractional erring in line with disdain, and when Aaqib Javed banged one in short in between whiles, he slapped a further four off his eyebrows to send the whole of his country into raptures.By the time he holed out to long-on to end Waqar’s torment, Jadeja had racked up 45 from 25 balls, and with Kumble chiming in as well, India helped themselves to 50 runs in three overs that seemed, surely, to have put the game beyond reach.But Pakistan weren’t to be beaten quite that easily, and in scenes as eerily silent as a Hitchcock thriller, Aamer and Anwar made it their business to tear chunks out of the target in an opening salvo so calm and calculating it seemed to pan out in slow motion.Javagal Srinath was bunted over midwicket by Aamer in his first over, before Anwar opened his night’s work with back-to-back boundaries off Prasad, including a cover drive so pre-meditated, he might as well have started playing it on the flight over the border.The hits just kept on coming, so much so that Azharuddin turned to Kumble as early as the fifth over, but even he found himself soaring into the stands at long-on as Anwar kept his foot to the floor. And when Srinath was plucked off the toes high over midwicket for Anwar’s second six of the night, there seemed no earthly means of pulling India’s bowling effort out of its nose-dive.But then Pakistan blinked fatefully, and their reign as World Champions began to unravel. RetroLive