Babar’s dropping was collectively recommended by the newly formed selection committee, which met in Lahore within hours of the loss in the first Test

Danyal Rasool13-Oct-2024Babar Azam will be the biggest name casualty as Pakistan make significant changes to their squad for the second Test, two days after a chastening innings loss to England in Multan. ESPNcricinfo has learned Babar’s dropping was recommended by the newly formed selection committee, which met in Lahore within hours of the loss in the first Test on Friday. They met for a second time on Saturday in Multan, in a session which included chairman Mohsin Naqvi, as well as the five mentors appointed by the PCB on three-year deals.In the immediate aftermath of the defeat, Pakistan captain Shan Masood publicly backed Babar, calling him “Pakistan’s best batter” and repeating his call to give players more time. That sentiment, for continuity, has been backed by Test coach Jason Gillespie too. Privately, though, it is understood the selection panel collectively felt Babar would benefit from time away from the national side as runs remain elusive; he has not scored a Test half-century since December 2022.The newly configured selection panel comprises Aaqib Javed, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, former ICC umpire Aleem Dar, analyst Hassan Cheema and the captain and head coach of the format for which the squad is being selected. However, it is understood neither Masood nor Gillespie were part of the selection committee meeting on Friday. Selectors traveled to Multan on Saturday to meet with the captain and coach, as well as the PCB curator Tony Hemming. At the meeting on Saturday, it is believed some of the mentors were in favour of keeping Babar in the squad, but majority opinion was in favour of the dropping.Related

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It is not yet clear whether Babar – who has struggled for form for the best part of two years – will make himself available to play the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, which is scheduled to begin on October 20. Babar has not played a game in that first-class cricket competition since 2019.The scrutiny around Babar’s form has been magnified with each subsequent failure with the bat. He appeared especially out of sorts against England, on a flat wicket, scoring 35 runs across two innings. beaten on the inside edge in the first innings and the outside in the second. It extended his run without a half-century in Test cricket to 18 innings; just four specialist batters in Pakistan’s history have gone more successive innings without a score in excess of 50. Since the start of 2023, Babar averages under 21 in nine Tests.The loss of form has dovetailed with a turbulent time in terms of his leadership status. Following Pakistan’s elimination at the ODI World Cup in 2023, he reluctantly resigned as captain from all formats. Just four months later, the T20I and ODI captaincy were returned to him, with Shaheen Afridi sacked after just one series.The second stint was ill-fated. Pakistan won one of three T20I series – against Ireland 2-1 – and were eliminated from the T20 World Cup in 2024 in the first round after defeats to the USA and India. Just six months after he was reappointed, he quit captaincy once more, citing a desire to focus on his batting.Babar’s omission will not be the only change. Abrar Ahmed, for one, remains in hospital and is extremely unlikely to recover. Selectors are understood to be considering a couple of other spinning options, with Noman Ali and Sajid Khan in contention. There is also a chance that Afridi does not play the second Test as his struggle to return to his pre-knee injury form continues. Afridi has played in two of Pakistan’s last four Tests, and missed one in each of the previous two series.But it is Babar’s omission that will send shockwaves through Pakistan cricket and its followers. He remains, despite his recent struggles, the biggest name in Pakistan cricket by some distance, having built up an enormous, doting individual fanbase quite separate from the Pakistan team as a whole. Though his ability as captain split opinion and was hotly debated throughout his tenure, there has never – up until very recently – been a debate about his value to the team; even without the armband, he remained an automatic selection and the first name on the team sheet.While consistency came to Babar more easily in the white-ball formats, he was comfortably among the world’s best Test batters during his prime. Between November 2019 and the end of 2022, he averaged just shy of 62 in 25 Test matches, including eight hundreds and 15 half-centuries. His consistency led to speculation it was only a matter of time before the ‘Fab Four’ quartet became a quintet, with Babar pushing his all-format case.The second Test against England begins on October 15 in Multan. England won the first Test by an innings and 47 runs to consign Pakistan to a sixth Test defeat on the trot, one that puts them at the bottom of the World Test Championship table.

“I fully went for the bluff,” England quick says of his hat-trick ball to Tim Southee, trapping him lbw

Vithushan Ehantharajah07-Dec-2024

Gus Atkinson picked up the 15th hat-trick in Test cricket for England•Joe Allison/Getty Images

Gus Atkinson says he is “greedy” for more milestones after taking England’s 15th Test hat-trick to leave New Zealand reeling on day two of the second Test at the Basin Reserve.Atkinson became the 14th Englishman to take a Test hat-trick – Stuart Broad has two – and the first since Moeen Ali against South Africa in 2017. He is also the 50th man or woman to achieve the feat.Nathan Smith was bowled off the bat while trying to leave, Matt Henry was caught at gully fending a bouncer before Tim Southee was trapped plumb in front, which finished New Zealand’s innings on 125, 155 behind England’s 280. That lead is now a mammoth 533, with the tourists closing day two in Wellington on 378 for 5 in their first innings.Related

Southee's extended farewell epitomises New Zealand's stasis

Atkinson hat-trick, Bethell 96 highlight England's day of dominance

Saturday’s exploits, which has England in the driving seat for a series-clinching win, joins a growing list of remarkable achievements Atkinson has ticked off in his short Test career to date.Gus Atkinson spreads his arms after pinning Tim Southee for his hat-trick•Getty Images

He took 12 wickets on debut at Lord’s against West Indies in July, in James Anderson’s final Test, with 7 for 45 and 5 for 61. He then returned to the Home of Cricket to take another 5 for 62 and score a maiden Test century against Sri Lanka.Atkinson, whose only other hat-trick came at school in 2016 while playing for Bradfield College against Radley College, was buoyed by the achievement but says he is hungry for more memorable moments in an England shirt.”You always want to get more and be greedy,” said Atkinson at the close of play. “You want to take as many as you can and that’s something I want to try and do in the future.”It was great. It’s not something as a bowler you think about. you think about five-fors and ten-fors, those sort of things.”Obviously it’s been a great year for me personally and hopefully I can get a few more milestone and help the team.”Atkinson had a chance for a hat-trick on debut when he removed Alick Athanaze and Jason Holder in successive deliveries in the first innings. Joshua Da Silva kept out the hat-trick ball, before the West Indies’ keeper-batter was snared the very next delivery via an inside edge.This time, Atkinson’s third delivery in the set was carefully planned. With Southee on strike, England set a field for the short-ball, a nod to the his penchant for a big shot, regardless of the occasion. Atkinson, however, went full, striking the pad and wheeling away celebrating as the umpire raised his finger.”I fully went for the bluff,” said Atkinson. “He [Southee] is someone who, even on a hat-trick ball, he might take it on. That was the feeling: even though it’s a hat-trick ball he might take this on.”I was thinking about bowling a yorker, getting it full and straight. I missed a bit but thankfully it still ended up straight and relatively full when it hit him on the pad.”Atkinson currently boasts 47 wickets at an average of 21.31 in the format, with an innings remaining in his 10th Test. Though he had played 12 while-ball internationals ahead of his Test bow, he credits Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum for giving him room to thrive, and for taking a punt on him in the first place. At the time of his selection, he had played just 19 first-class matches for Surrey, taking 59 wickets at 27.38.Both Jacob Bethell and Ben Duckett missed their hundreds•Getty Images

The 26-year-old is one of a number of such punts selectors have made in the last nine months, the latest being Jacob Bethell, who fell four runs short of what would have been his first century in professional cricket. Bethell’s 96 – a new first-class best – follows his maiden 50 from 37 deliveries that took England over the line against New Zealand last week at Hagley Oval. Atkinson credits the environment curated that has allowed the Warwickshire batter to thrive at the age of 21.”It was great viewing,” said Atkinson of Bethell’s innings, which came in a 187-run stand with Ben Duckett, who also fell short of a century with 92.”Both played exceptionally well and it’s a shame neither of them got to a hundred but I’m sure Beth will take a lot of confidence from that. He’ll have more chances in the future.”There’s no pressure on any of us. It’s just to go out and play our natural game. I probably didn’t have the stats for Test cricket before I played. I know Beth hasn’t scored a first-class hundred or anything, but the way he bats and the way he’s played in the ODI and T20 series as well just shows how much of a quality player he is. The way he plays fast bowling and spin also, he’s just a class player all-round.”I just think the environment of no pressure and go and play your own game, and don’t worry too much about the outcome, has helped myself and I’m sure it’s helped the others as well.”

Manchester United are now believed to be leading the race to sign a hugely young prospect, with the Red Devils ahead of rivals Manchester City in the battle to snap him up.

Mbeumo likes Man Utd player's post

Bryan Mbeumo has emerged as a priority target for United this summer, with the Brentford ace standing out as one of the best right-sided players in the Premier League last season.

Meanwhile, current Bees director of football, Phil Giles, has openly admitted that there is a “significant” amount of interest in the Cameroonian attacker.

“There is significant interest in Bryan. His current preference has been well publicised. He had an unbelievable season, and we expected interest in him. From what I understand, he is also, if needs be, happy to stay at Brentford next year as well. We’ve spoken to Bryan and his representatives. It’s not a given that he’s going to depart this summer. If we get the right offer, there is the potential for a deal to be done, but there is only so much we can say now on that.”

Now, Mbeumo has further stoked the fires ahead of a potential move to United this summer, liking a photo posted by centre-back Leny Yoro on Instagram.

Elsewhere, it looks as though the Red Devils are also looking at the long-term picture, with a new young talent backed to head to Old Trafford.

Man Utd leading race to sign young midfielder

According to The Athletic‘s Laurie Whitwell on X, Manchester United are in pole position to sign Fulham teenager Seth Ridgeon this summer, with talks taking place over a move for him and Tyrese Noubissie “seen as among best in country”.

“MUFC in talks to sign two 16-year-old midfielders seen as among best in country: Seth Ridgeon from Fulham + Tyrese Noubissie from Man City. Competition for both, who have been invited to facilities by academy staff, but United making good proposals.”

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In his story for The Athletic, Whitwell adds that ‘United are believed to lead the race should Ridgeon leave Craven Cottage’ ahead of the likes of Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool. While many United supporters will be focusing on the club bringing in players who could be immediate starters next season, this update is exciting in its own right.

The Red Devils should always be looking to snap up the most eye-catching homegrown talent, as they have throughout history, bringing in Wayne Rooney as a teenager, for example.

Ridgeon, 16, is a potentially special talent, being capped by England at both Under-16 and Under-17 level, and beating City to his signature could feel like a major coup.

England Under-17s

8

1

England Under-16s

7

2

United have fallen down the pecking order in recent years, having been at the top of the football tree for so long in the 1990s and 2000s, but signing the best teenagers around would be a positive step in the right direction.

Arsenal haven’t had the rip-roaring start to the summer transfer window that their fans perhaps wanted, but the cogs are starting to churn as Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta plan to make improvements.

Across the past three Premier League seasons, the Gunners have finished second each time. Some might ridicule Arteta for failing to reach that final level, but were Arsenal not toiling in the pits before they arrived? And have they not rediscovered themselves as a European superpower?

We’re just lacking that special… something. The Emirates side have endured their share of frustration through recent transfer windows, and another disappointing finish this summer could derail a lot of progress.

Time was, Arsenal were defined by their incredible focal frontmen, but that now needs to change. It’s often futile to pinpoint exactitudes in regard to a club’s transfer strategy, but it’s clear that Arsenal’s problems could be halved through the signing of a new centre-forward.

The latest on Arsenal's striker search

Arsenal are planning to sign a new striker this summer. It’s their principal priority. There’s just cause for excitement in regard to Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, but such bids won’t be in lieu of a new number nine.

But we can’t deny that it’s taking its time. The summer saga has centred on RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres, who is expected to leave Sporting Lisbon but has been left dismayed by his outfit’s stance on his leaving fee.

BBC Sport understand Arsenal have yet to find a breakthrough with Sesko or Leipzig, while the 27-year-old Gyokeres might indeed prove too expensive.

Advancements with either forward may well occur in the coming weeks, but the Gunners may well turn to an alternative option ahead of the beginning of pre-season.

He’s come close to north London before.

Arsenal open talks for new striker

According to GIVEMESPORT, Arsenal have joined Manchester United in the race for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, with both clubs making contact with their Premier League counterpart.

Transfer Focus

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

Arsenal saw a £40m offer rejected for the England international back in January, but could now return as they look to seal a new striker sooner rather than later.

It’s thought that the Villans value the 29-year-old at £60m, a figure that the north Londoners were unwilling to pay earlier in the year.

If the package can be reduced, there’s every chance a figure could be tabled.

Why Arsenal want Ollie Watkins

The issue with both Sesko and Gyokeres is that neither boasts experience in the Premier League – and that’s an important part of determining who’s the right pick.

In Watkins, Arsenal would sign a player who is proven at the very highest level, having scored 75 goals and provided 36 assists across 184 Premier League matches, who bears the stylistic qualities befitting a Gunners talisman – indeed, skills found in the game of both Sesko and Gyokeres.

But the same could be said for a former star in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who signed for Arsenal in January 2018 for £60m – level with Villa’s asking price for Watkins – and went on to score 92 goals and provide 21 assists across 163 appearances, a remarkable run of prolific performances that led to triumph in the FA Cup too.

In his pomp, the Gabonese icon was electric, intelligent and as clinical as you like. The right-footer also found success when peeling off the left, which is a role Watkins has played many a time for Unai Emery’s side.

The Three Lions star might be a goalscorer first and foremost, but he’s also a well-rounded forward, having ranked among the top 3% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues in 2024/25 for assists and the top 19% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

Moreover, he’s something of a veteran at 29, which is similarly the case with Aubameyang, who joined the Premier League aged 28 and hit the ground running, calling upon all his experience and athleticism to post ten goals and four assists over his opening 13 matches in the division.

While Watkins is coming off the back of a campaign that left something to be desired, he still scored 17 goals and chalked up 14 more assists across all competitions, with his exploits rightly seeing podcaster Rohan Jivan name him “one of the best CFs in Europe.”

This is certainly underscored by his impressive track record (across all competitions) against the Premier League’s historic ‘big six’, having notably bagged six times over 11 matches against Arsenal, a statistic that will no doubt dredge up some off-putting memories for the club’s fanbase.

They say that if you can’t beat them, join them, but in Arsenal’s case, if they can’t stop Watkins from scoring, why not just sign him?

There is, of course, more to it than that, but Watkins’ goalscoring record against high-level opposition does underscore his suitability.

That and a consistent goalscoring record that would see Arsenal return to the striking success of old, when Aubameyang last plied his trade in an Arsenal shirt.

24/25

Kai Havertz

9

23/24

Bukayo Saka

16

22/23

Martin Odegaard

15

21/22

Bukayo Saka

11

20/21

Alexandre Lacazette

13

19/20

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

22

Arsenal are one of the best teams in Europe, but they lack the deadly goalscorer of their domestic and continental rivals. Bukayo Saka is world-class, but he’s not an out-and-out striker.

And though Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have been out injured for a while, neither boasts the true clinical edge needed.

Watkins is a veteran, but so was Aubameyang when the mobile, high-speed star came over way back when. Imagine Auba in this current Gunners team? Such dreams may be realised if Watkins signs this summer.

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تجددت أزمة عقوبات كأس السوبر المصري الخاصة بنادي الزمالك ولاعبيه، بعد تصريحات متضاربة خلال الساعات الماضية بشأن أحقية نبيل عماد دونجا في المشاركة ببطولة السوبر المصري المقبلة المقرر انطلاقها يوم 6 نوفمبر 2025 في الإمارات.

وكانت الأزمة قد اندلعت عقب مباراة السوبر المصري الموسم الماضي، التي شهدت واقعة اعتداء داخل الاستاد، تورط فيها كل من نبيل عماد دونجا، ومصطفى شلبي (لاعب الزمالك السابق)، وعبد الواحد السيد (مدير الكرة السابق)، ما أدى إلى احتجازهم مؤقتًا في الإمارات، قبل أن يتم الإفراج عنهم بتدخل من الجهات المعنية في البلدين.

وفي أعقاب الحادثة، أصدر الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم عقوبات بحق الثلاثي، تضمنت الإيقاف لأربع مباريات في بطولة السوبر المقبلة، بالإضافة إلى غرامات مالية على اللاعبين والنادي.

لكن مؤخرًا، ظهرت أنباء تؤكد عدم وجود عقوبات رسمية ضد لاعبي الزمالك، حيث صرّح محمد أبو الوفا، عضو مجلس إدارة اتحاد الكرة السابق، بأن اللاعب نبيل عماد دونجا يحق له المشاركة بشكل طبيعي مع الفريق في النسخة الجديدة من البطولة، مؤكدًا أن الاتحاد لا يملك قرارات سارية تمنع ذلك.

طالع أيضًا | اتحاد الكرة يكشف لـ بطولات مكافآت الأندية المشاركة في كأس السوبر المصري

إلا أن إيهاب الكومي، عضو اتحاد الكرة السابق، خرج ليدحض هذه الرواية، مؤكدًا أن العقوبات ما زالت قائمة، حيث نشر عبر صفحته الرسمية على موقع “فيس بوك” نص البيان الرسمي الذي أرسله اتحاد الكرة إلى نادي الزمالك بتاريخ 31 أكتوبر 2024، والمتضمن تفاصيل العقوبات الصادرة من لجنة المسابقات آنذاك.

وجاء في منشور الكومي: “بخصوص عقوبات السوبر، بتاريخ 31 من شهر أكتوبر 2024، تم إرسال العقوبات الخاصة بمباراة السوبر إلى نادي الزمالك، وتضمنت العقوبات التي أقرتها لجنة المسابقات بالاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم بحق الكابتن عبد الواحد السيد، وعماد دونجا، ومصطفى شلبي، إلى جانب تغريم نادي الزمالك عشرين ألف جنيه”.

واختتم الكومي توضيحه قائلاً: “لا أدري سبب هذا الجدل في هذا التوقيت، الأمر لا يتعلق بالزمالك أو الأهلي، فقط أردت توضيح الحقيقة وما تم إقراره رسميًا في حينه”.

يبدو أن الجدل حول عقوبات السوبر المصري لم يُحسم بعد، في ظل تضارب التصريحات بين مسؤولي اتحاد الكرة السابقين، وتباين الروايات بشأن الموقف القانوني للاعب نبيل عماد دونجا وبقية الأطراف المعنية.

ومع اقتراب انطلاق البطولة في 6 نوفمبر المقبل بالإمارات، ينتظر الشارع الكروي المصري توضيحًا رسميًا من الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم لوضع حد لهذه الأزمة، وضمان سير البطولة في أجواء من الشفافية.

Former Manchester United player Eric Bailly is returning to La Liga after rejecting a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia.

Bailly to return to La LigaFormer Manchester United defender snubs move to Saudi ArabiaMedicals to be completed todayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Real Oviedo are set to sign Bailly. The defender travelled to Spain yesterday and is set to undergo his medicals on Monday. In the process of signing for Oviedo, the 31-year-old has snubbed a move to Saudi Arabia.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Bailly gained immense popularity after his move to Manchester United back in 2016. Under the mentorship of Jose Mourinho, he, along with his teammates, lifted the Europa League, United's only continental trophy in the last 10 years. In 2023, he joined Besiktas and the following year signed for Villarreal in La Liga. His contract expired at the end of the season, and now he is set to sign for newly promoted La Liga side Oviedo, who finished third in Segunda Division last term.

DID YOU KNOW?

Bailly played the most games in his career for United – as he clocked 113 appearances at Old Trafford.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR BAILLY?

Bailly will join training at Oviedo after his medicals and will be expected to feature for them in the upcoming La Liga games, especially the one against Real Madrid on August 24.

da winzada777： Birmingham City were an absolute joy to behold at the very top of League One last season.

da bet7k： Chris Davies’ rampant Blues would only lose three of their 46 league fixtures, leading to a colossal 111-point total being reached, with standout figures such as Jay Stansfield very much raising the excitement levels with a bumper 19 strikes tallied up in third-tier action.

Come the end of their very enjoyable League One marathon, Birmingham would go on to accumulate a mightily impressive 84 goals.

They won’t be receding into their shell when heading back up to the Championship, with plenty of fresh strikers now being linked to make the switch to St. Andrew’s to boost their already frightening firepower, which includes a promising Premier League-bound talent.

Birmingham monitoring situation of £10m striker

According to a report from GIVEMESPORT, the super-confident Blues are now monitoring the situation of Leeds United striker Mateo Joseph.

GIVEMESPORT states that Birmingham have been interested in the Spanish hotshot for some time now, with Davies’ men potentially seeing this opening in the summer transfer window as the perfect opportunity to strike up a deal.

RC Strasbourg are also noted as an interested party- on top of a January £10m bid from Real Betis being mentioned – but Birmingham have successfully flexed their muscles recently to win a similarly expensive striker from a Premier League side.

Of course, Stansfield cost £15m to pick up from Marco Silva’s Fulham last summer, with everyone at St. Andrew’s hopeful that Joseph can go down as an unbelievable success story much like the former Cottagers forward.

How Joseph can be Stansfield 2.0

It was somewhat of a gamble to fork out £15m for Stansfield’s services, considering the electric number 28 only had 21 strikes next to his name in senior action in the EFL before confirming a permanent Birmingham stay.

Now, that lavish fee doesn’t look too steep, with Stansfield an integral part of the Blues’ promotion story.

When moving up a division, Birmingham will be keeping their fingers crossed that Joseph can play an equal starring role, but this time around he could be the exact figure they desire in helping Davies’ men consolidate themselves as a Championship-worthy outfit.

After all, despite fading into the background at times last season under Daniel Farke’s wing, Joseph would still chip in with three goals and three assists in league action. This is a more than respectable return when you weigh up the fact that the 21-year-old only started 11 Championship contests.

With Leeds now in the big time, Joseph will be worrying that his first-team opportunities will become even more sparse. Therefore, a move to St. Andrew’s could be just what the Spain U21 international needs to kick on as he aims to follow in the footsteps of Stansfield, a fellow young striker who was also on the periphery of his then employers, Fulham, before finally becoming a main striker option in the West Midlands.

Joseph’s G/A numbers for Leeds/Spain

Club played for

Games

Goals

Assists

Leeds

73

6

3

Leeds U21s

33

19

3

Leeds U18s

4

1

1

Spain U21s

11

8

0

Sourced by Transfermarkt

That was the case even as Stansfield scored a blistering 38 goals for both the Fulham U18s and U21s combined, with Joseph not that far behind on a healthy total of 20 on the youth pitches at Thorp Arch, away from also hammering home six strikes in the senior ranks.

Staggeringly, Stansfield would only ever reach two senior goals at Craven Cottage, but all of that is firmly at the back of his mind now as Birmingham’s leading star.

The “dynamite” Leeds forward – as he was once glowingly labelled by U23 scout Antonio Mango – will want to be held in the same high esteem soon, rather than fighting it out for scraps at Elland Road.

Therefore, another statement striker deal could soon be on the cards at St. Andrew’s, as Joseph possibly joins and fires in the goals to make Birmingham’s transition to Championship life as smooth as possible.

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Birmingham City could land their next Christoph Klarer by signing this gem from Germany.

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Mumbai Indians have reappointed former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene as their head coach ahead of IPL 2025. Jayawardene takes over from Mark Boucher, under whom the franchise finished last in IPL 2024.Jayawardene had previously served as Mumbai’s head coach from 2017 to 2022.”My journey within the MI family has always been one of evolution,” Jayawardene said in a statement. “In 2017, the focus was on bringing together a talented group of individuals to play the best cricket ever and we did very well. Now to return, at the same moment in history, where we look ahead at the future and the opportunity to further strengthen the love of MI, build on the vision of the owners, and continue to add to the history of Mumbai Indians, is an exciting challenge I am looking forward to.”Related

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After his first stint as Mumbai’s head coach, Jayawardene had taken up a broader role in 2022 as the franchise’s global head of performance. In that role, he oversaw the coaching and scouting at all the four teams the franchise owners now have – Mumbai Indians in the IPL, MI Emirates in the UAE’s ILT20, MI Cape Town in the SA20 and MI New York in the USA’s MLC.Jayawardene is among the most successful coaches in T20 cricket, having led Mumbai alone to three titles during his first tenure.6:35

Bumrah, Suryakumar, Hardik among Moody’s MI retention picks

“We are thrilled to have Mahela back as the head coach of Mumbai Indians,” Akash Ambani, owner of the franchise, said. “With our global teams having found their footing within their ecosystems, the opportunity to bring him back to MI arose. His leadership, knowledge, and passion for the game have always benefited MI.”Under Boucher, Mumbai made the playoffs in IPL 2023, when they lost the second qualifier to Gujarat Titans, but in the next season they finished at the bottom of the points table with just four wins in 14 games.Jayawardene’s first task in his second stint as head coach will be to finalise Mumbai’s retentions ahead of the deadline on October 31.In addition to coaching in the IPL, Jayawardene has been in charge of teams in the Hundred (Southern Brave) and Bangladesh Premier League (Khulna Titans). Jayawardene has worked with the Sri Lanka team in different capacities, including a recent stint as a consultant coach. During his tenure, Sri Lanka had won the 2022 Asia Cup in Dubai.Each franchise will have a purse of INR 120 crore, an increment of INR 20 crore from the last time, to build a squad for IPL 2025.

Crystal Palace have now made an ambitious approach to sign a “rapid” £40m star, who is being targeted by some of the Premier League’s top clubs, according to a report.

Palace's transfer plans taking shape amid Europa League uncertainty

Palace’s decision to reject Tottenham Hotspur’s £70m bid for Marc Guehi in the January transfer window ultimately paid dividends, given that the captain went on to play a key role in the FA Cup triumph against Manchester City.

However, the Eagles will always be well aware that a replacement may be needed this summer, given that Guehi’s contract expires next summer, and Premier League rivals Newcastle United are now believed to be close to completing a deal.

In theory, Selhurst Park should be an attractive destination this summer, given that Europa League football should be on offer next season, although it is still up in the air whether Oliver Glasner’s side will even be able to take part in the competition.

Indeed, amid issues around multi-club ownership, UEFA may remove Crystal Palace from the competition, although they are willing to do whatever it takes to participate.

It remains to be seen whether Palace are allowed to take part, but should they embark on a European adventure, they may need to bring in a top-quality replacement for Guehi, and they have now made an approach for Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande.

That is according to a report from The Daily Mail, which states an enquiry has been lodged over the centre-back, who is being targeted as a direct heir to Guehi, and is thought to be valued at £40m.

Diomande could be viewed as an ambitious target, however, considering 2025-26 Champions League participants Chelsea and Newcastle United have also expressed an interest.

Crystal Palace now keen to hijack 21 y/o gem who's the 'next Upamecano'

The Eagles could get one over on their rivals.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 7, 2025

Diomande could be real coup for Palace

Zach Lowy has been left enamoured with the Sporting defender in the past, describing him as “physically imposing” and “rapid”, before going on to claim the 21-year-old “has everything it takes to become one of the best center backs in football.”

As such, if the Eagles were able to win the race for the defender, it would be a real coup, and he could be a fantastic replacement for Guehi, who now appears to be heading to St. James’ Park.

Not only is the Ivorian impressive from a defensive point of view, but he also offers an attacking threat, while regularly displaying his ability in possession of the ball over the past year.

Statistic	Average per 90
Non-penalty goals	0.07 (81st percentile)
Passes attempted	75.76 (96th percentile)
Pass completion %	93.5% (99th percentile)

Should Palace manage to win UEFA round and secure their place in the Europa League, a move to Crystal Palace could appeal to Diomande, but they will have to bank on the likes of Chelsea and Newcastle pursuing other targets.

Wicketkeeper insists team will continue to ‘inspire and entertain’ despite insipid Ashes showing

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jan-2025Amy Jones has insisted there’s still a “lot of love” for Alex Hartley within the England Women’s squad, as she sought to play down the row over Hartley’s claims that she has been “given the cold shoulder” by certain players during her duties as an Ashes broadcaster.England go into Thursday’s second T20I in Canberra needing nothing less than a win to maintain their hopes of salvaging a drawn series after four consecutive losses. But their on-field struggles have been overshadowed by the team’s alleged response to Hartley’s criticism of their fitness levels, which began with their T20 World Cup exit in October.Speaking on a BBC podcast on Monday, after Australia’s 57-run win had confirmed that they will maintain their decade-long hold on the Ashes, Hartley claimed that Sophie Ecclestone had refused to do a TV interview with her, and that other members of the squad were no longer talking to her on the boundary edge.”The reason I said that they were not as fit as Australia is because I want them to compete with Australia,” Hartley had added. “I want them to be better than Australia, and I want them to win Ashes and World Cups. I’m giving my opinion, and I’ve been given the cold shoulder from the England team ever since.”Replying to the row, Jones acknowledged that the squad had fallen well short of its own expectations during the Ashes, but denied that the players had taken Hartley’s comments personally.”I don’t think it is the case,” Jones said. “I think we all respect that commentators have their own opinions and it’s Alex’s job to say how she feels. And I think we all respect that. Hartley’s a great personality, and we have a lot of love for her within the group. So, I definitely don’t think that’s the case.”Jones herself has been a qualified success in a misfiring batting line-up, making three 30-plus scores in four innings to date, including an unbeaten 47 in a low-scoring ODI in Melbourne.Related

• Hartley: Ecclestone 'refused TV interview' after Ashes loss

• Mooney and King help clinical Australia retain Ashes

• Mooney: Voll has taken to international cricket 'like a duck to water'

• Healy in doubt for rest of Ashes series as she misses first T20I

• Australia show off their depth in dominant Sydney display

However, England’s missed opportunities in this series were epitomised by Jones’ glaring lack of game awareness at the culmination of that Melbourne innings, when she failed to run on a free hit that could have kept her on strike going into the penultimate over of the innings. No.11 Lauren Bell was bowled one ball later to condemn England to a 21-run loss.”That one in particular was hard to take, for many reasons,” Jones said. “I felt emotionally drained afterwards [because], with the obvious mistake at the end, you definitely feel responsible for the loss. But the support from all the girls and the staff emphasised that long games don’t often come down to one specific moment, so I guess that definitely helped.”I’ve obviously made contributions along the way, but as a player, you definitely judge yourself on matchwinning contributions. I’ve been lucky to be in a position where I could have really helped influence a few of those games, especially in the ODIs, and I’m disappointed not to be able to get the team over the line. There’s a lot of learnings in there.”Alex Hartley claims she has been given the ‘cold shoulder’ by England players•Getty Images

Even with the series all but lost, Jones says that the squad will be sticking to the same mantras and methods that have been in place since the start of Jon Lewis’ tenure as head coach, in particular their desire to “inspire and entertain” – traits that have arguably been in scarce supply in a dispiriting campaign.”We’re still working hard at training and in team meetings to try and put our best foot forward,” Jones said. “We’ll be very excited to come out play tomorrow, and hopefully get some points on the board.”There was a bit of reconnection after the second ODI about how we want to play, making sure we’re still trying to inspire and entertain,” she added. “That’s worked really well for us in the past, and it’s something that all of us connect to really well.”It brings out more of a fearless playing style, which suits us. I think we’ve lifted a bit away from that, and so reconnecting to that is important for us. We play our best when we take the game on, put their bowlers under pressure with the bat, and have a wicket-taking mindset with the ball. In the field, it’s around energy and enjoyment. When all those things come together, we’re obviously a very good side.”