The CPL could be the reason behind Heinrich Klaasen, Anrich Nortje, David Miller and Tabraiz Shamsi’s exclusion
Firdose Moonda14-Aug-2024
Kwena Maphaka took 21 wickets at an average of 9.71 in this year’s Under-19 World Cup•ICC/Getty Images
Fast bowler Kwena Maphaka, who was the Player of the Tournament at this year’s Under-19 World Cup, is in line for a senior international debut after being included in South Africa’s squad to play West Indies in three T20Is later this month.The call-up tops a stellar year for Maphaka, who helped South Africa U-19 to the semi-final of the World Cup, where he took 21 wickets at an average of 9.71. He also made his provincial debut for Lions just before that, and was picked by Mumbai Indians for IPL 2024, all in the space of three months.”Kwena has been identified as a player with significant potential, and this tour presents a great opportunity to include him in the Proteas environment, and gain valuable international experience,” South Africa’s white-ball coach Rob Walter said.Related
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In his short career so far, Maphaka has shown a remarkable level of maturity in balancing pace and control against some of the best young batters in the game. He is completing his final year at school, with matriculation examinations imminent, but will take some time away from the books to possibly make his international cricket bow.Jason Smith, a middle-order batter who was Dolphins’ top-scorer in the CSA T20 challenge in 2023-24, is the other new name in South Africa’s playing group.With T20I cricket taking a backseat after the recent World Cup, and with the next one two years away, South Africa’s squad contains a mix of old and new names, and is without several regulars. Quinton de Kock is perhaps the most notable absentee from the T20 World Cup squad – he has not confirmed his international retirement, although it has been widely speculated.De Kock had stepped away from Tests in 2021, from ODIs in 2023, and had indicated that the T20 World Cup in June this year would be his last international assignment. However, he has not made a definite announcement yet, and will be playing for Barbados Royals in the CPL, which starts on August 30, three days after the third and final T20I against West Indies.The CPL could also be the reason behind the exclusion of Heinrich Klaasen, Anrich Nortje, David Miller and Tabraiz Shamsi, although Tristan Stubbs, who has been signed by St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, has been included in the squad. Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj and Marco Jansen are being rested, while Nqaba Peter, the legspinner who made his T20I debut against West Indies in May, could not be considered as he continues rehabilitation after a shoulder injury.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
That will leave the main spin-bowling duties to Bjorn Fortuin, who was a reserve player at the T20 World Cup.Lungi Ngidi will lead the pace pack, with Ottneil Baartman, Nandre Burger and Lizaad Williams alongside, while Wiaan Mulder and Patrick Kruger will provide seam-bowling allrounder options. Rassie van der Dussen has been recalled after missing out on the T20 World Cup, but there is no room for Matthew Breetzke. Aiden Markram, meanwhile, will continue to captain the side.”This tour allows us to continue developing our player pool whilst maintaining the core of experienced players,” Walter said. “It will also expose our emerging talent to quality international opposition, similar to the last time we played against West Indies in May.”The three matches will all be played at the Brian Lara Stadium from August 23-27. South Africa had also toured the West Indies for three T20Is in May, just before the T20 World Cup, but lost that series 0-3.South Africa squad for T20I series in the West IndiesAiden Markram (capt), Ottneil Baartman, Nandre Burger, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Patrick Kruger, Kwena Maphaka, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams
Frontline spinner Abrar Ahmed has been released to play for the Shaheens
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Aug-2024Pakistan will take on Bangladesh in the first Test in Rawalpindi next week without a specialist spinner, after Abrar Ahmed was released from the Test squad to join the Shaheens squad.It means Pakistan will field an all-pace attack, with the return of Naseem Shah to the Test side after a year out bolstering an attack that also includes Shaheen Shah Afridi.Khurram Shehzad and Mir Hamza, who both impressed at times during Pakistan’s last Test assignment in Australia, and Mohammad Ali are the other fast bowlers in the squad. Aamer Jamal, though, is unlikely to be available for the first Test. Jamal was the standout performer in Australia, taking 18 wickets and scoring valuable runs. But he’s been suffering from a lower back complaint since earlier this summer, one which affected and ultimately curtailed his county stint with Warwickshire.Abrar, who missed the Australia Tests with an injury, has been released alongside Kamran Ghulam, in the interests of both playing cricket rather than sitting on the bench. Ghulam will captain the Shaheens side against Bangladesh A in a four-day game, which begins in Islamabad on August 20, one day before the Test series.Related
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Abrar’s absence means Pakistan will be without a frontline spinner for only the second time in a home Test – including their UAE Tests – since September 1995 (though they did play a couple of Tests in the early 2000s with Shahid Afridi as their sole spinner). The only other time they played an all-pace attack was also at Rawalpindi, in December 2019, in what was their first Test in Pakistan in 10 years. That was part of a strategic shift under the new leadership of Azhar Ali, who, with Yasir Shah’s form dipping drastically, wanted to rely more on pace. It didn’t last long as Yasir returned and, in subsequent seasons, pitches were prepared to assist spin.Abrar Ahmed will play for Pakistan Shaheens against Bangladesh A next week•Matthew Lewis/Getty Images
The move to release Abrar doesn’t mark a broader change in philosophy as much as it acknowledges what Pakistan hope the surface in Rawalpindi will be – one with pace and bounce. If so, that will be a significant change from recent Test surfaces at the venue: lifeless and full of runs.It is also a nod towards the relative lack of resources in Pakistan’s spin cupboard, with neither Sajid Khan nor Noman Ali really having nailed down a spot in the Test side over the last few seasons. The first Test will be the fourth instance of Pakistan not picking a spinner in their playing XI in their last 32 Tests. By contrast, only twice in 201 Tests before that did they not play a specialist spinner.It will leave Salman Ali Agha to shoulder the spin load for this Test, though increasingly that is a responsibility he has looked well-equipped for. In his last six Tests, since the start of 2023, he has bowled on average 12 overs per innings, including twice bowling 20 or more overs in Australia. He’s also made a habit of picking up useful wickets in that time, something that has not gone unnoticed.Asked on the last week whether Pakistan were short of spinning options, Test coach Jason Gillespie said: “You can look into whatever you want. But to start, I think we’ve got two special spinners. Salman Ali Agha is good enough to be classified as a specialist spinner. From what I’ve seen, he has a lot of potential with his offspin. Abrar (Ahmed), obviously, is a fine young bowler in the early stages of his career.”So, I think we’ve covered a lot of bases. We have a lot of seam-bowling options and spin-bowling options. Our batting is varied as well. I believe we have all bases covered, and it’s a very exciting time for the Pakistan Test side.”Both Abrar and Ghulam will rejoin the Test squad after the conclusion of the Shaheens four-day game and will be available for selection for the second Test in Karachi.
It was always going to be a tough ask on the type of surface the Australians have dreamed of all season, but it was still disappointing that the visitors capitulated twice
Andrew McGlashan at the Gabba26-Jan-2019They came hoping they could compete. In the end Sri Lanka were beaten in less than eight sessions at the Gabba. Given the history and conditions it was always a long shot even taking into account Australia’s own problems, but the capitulation was still a woeful performance.Sri Lanka’s run tally of 283 over the two innings was their second-lowest in Australia behind Darwin in 2004 and Melbourne in 2012. This wasn’t quite as bruising as the latter of those two contests when Sri Lanka’s second innings ended with only seven batsmen out, due to two being unable to bat and another having retired hurt, but it was a pretty brutal experience nonetheless.The batsmen appeared to have come through physically unscathed, but Lahiru Kumara has been ruled out of the rest of this series and the South Africa tour with a hamstring injury and Dushmantha Chameera has also picked up an niggle.Pat Cummins and Jhye Richardson bowled exceptionally well, while Nathan Lyon was an excellent support act to ensure a below-par Mitchell Starc was accommodated. It left a crestfallen Dinesh Chandimal, who himself had fallen for scores of 5 and 0 in the match, short of answers.”Credit to the way they bowled. We don’t want to give excuses,” he said. “But we need to find ways to score runs. As I said before the game started our main concern was our inability to post a decent total in the first innings. That’s one area we need to improve.”Unlike in New Zealand recently, where their second-innings performances showed improvement in both Tests, this time it was even worse than the opening day as they folded for 139. Few gave them a chance of escape when the third day began, but they were hoping for a contest – instead it was done and dusted by lunch with Sri Lanka five down.Niroshan Dickwella shapes up to play the ramp•Getty ImagesWhile some were victims of fine pace bowling from Cummins and Richardson, there was a helping hand in a few dismissals and foremost among them was Kusal Mendis, who entered the series with significant expectations and the need to carry a batting order without Angelo Mathews, when he drove widely at Cummins and edged to slip.The captain himself had already gone, fending a delivery into the gully off Cummins, but Chandimal said he would be continuing at No. 3. “I used to bat at five because I had to take gloves as a wicketkeeper. [Niroshan] Dickwella has shaped up well. I being an experienced player need to come up the order and take up the responsibility.”Sri Lanka’s previous experience of facing Cummins had been just three T20Is back in 2017 in which only two of this team – Mendis and Dickwella – had featured. On the type of surface the Australians have been dreaming of all season, but had only really materialised before in Perth, it was always going to be a tough ask.In victory, Tim Paine graciously acknowledged the difficulty of conditions. “For Sri Lanka to come to the Gabba first up is really, really tough. It’s out of their comfort zone,” he said. “It’s hard for the Australians to come from the southern states to play on that wicket with the extra bounce. We expect Canberra will probably suit them a little bit better and we’ll have to be on top of our game again to beat them.”Canberra, hosting its first Test next week, will be an unknown for both teams – evidenced by Australia’s decision to call up the uncapped allrounder Marcus Stoinis – and Sri Lanka will be hoping for a surface where the bounce is more stump height than chest height. Even then, however, you wonder whether they can lift themselves after these tough few days in Brisbane.
da leao： Chelsea chiefs are expected to undergo another hectic summer window of incomings and outgoings, with many players set to be put on the transfer list by BlueCo and face uncertain futures.
Players expected to leave Chelsea this summer
da spicy bet： It is perhaps a given that, barring any U-turns from Enzo Maresca, a plethora of loaned-out senior players in the form of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Alfie Gilchrist, Renato Veiga, Armando Broja, Raheem Sterling, David Datro Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell and Axel Disasi are all but set to quit Stamford Bridge.
£60m Premier League forward has spoken to friends about joining Chelsea
He’s apparently interested.
ByEmilio Galantini May 21, 2025
BlueCo’s mountainous task ahead of June 1 is beginning to find new homes for all the surplus to requirement, out-of-favour members of Chelsea’s full to the brim squad list.
Race for Champions League qualification with one game remaining
Points
3. Man City
68
4. Newcastle
66
5. Chelsea
66
6. Aston Villa
66
7. Nottingham Forest
65
As things stand, they’re all set to return to Chelsea once their temporary spells elsewhere conclude, with the likes of Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell both commanding huge salaries and proving a drain on the club’s wage bill.
Chelsea will be especially keen to find new homes for the England international duo, and the same can be said for summer flop Joao Felix.
The Portuguese returned to west London in 2024 for around £45 million, with Cobham academy graduate Conor Gallagher heading the other way to Atlético Madrid in a separate deal.
However, since that ‘sort of’ swap deal was agreed, both players’ fortunes have contrasted significantly. While Gallagher has gone on to become a mainstay under Diego Simeone, making 46 appearances in all competitions and racking up nine goal contributions, Maresca has already deemed Felix an unwanted man just one season into his stay.
Felix was shipped off on loan to AC Milan in January, failing to impress at the San Siro, with the Rossoneri deciding long ago that they’re not interested in keeping the 24-year-old beyond this season (Fabrizio Romano).
Benfica working to re-sign Joao Felix from Chelsea
It seems pretty inevitable that Chelsea will attempt to rid themselves of Felix’s £130,000-per-week wages once he returns to Cobham.
This is echoed by Spanish news outlet Estadio Deportivo, and their journalist Manuel Pedrero, who provides an update on Felix’s precarious situation.
He writes that Felix is aware he’ll need to pack his bags and quit Chelsea this summer, and he could have a golden chance to return to his former club. Benfica are said to be working on bringing the attacking midfielder back home, with the Portuguese heavyweights viewed as his most credible next destination as things stand.
In an alternate universe, and one where Aston Villa had the financial capabilities to match his demands, Felix would be working under Unai Emery right now. The ex-Arsenal boss once confirmed that he couldn’t quite get him over the line at Villa Park before Chelsea swooped in, but does rate the forward very highly.
“He’s a special player and it was not totally impossible for us (to sign him), but he wanted to play for a team in the Champions League,” Emery said last year.
“We are realistic about how we can improve and how we can add players to improve our squad. He has a high salary and Chelsea paid a lot of money for that.
“I like him, but we were never really in the running for him. He can assist, score goals, drop deep to build up and he can play in the small spaces and drive into the box. He’s special.”
The MI head coach also says that no decision has been made yet about Rohit Sharma’s future
Abhimanyu Bose18-May-20241:59
A season to forget for Hardik Pandya and Mumbai Indians
Mumbai Indians head coach Mark Boucher said that the fans’ reaction to change in captaincy from Rohit Sharma to Hardik Pandya affected the team’s performance in IPL 2024.On Friday, MI’s season ended with an 18-run defeat to Lucknow Super Giants, which resigned them to a tenth-place finish with just four wins from 14 games. Rohit started the game on the bench, coming on as an impact player for the chase. But that didn’t stop the Wankhede crowd from chanting his name when Hardik came on to bowl.Rohit’s dismissal after entertaining the home crowd with a 38-ball 68 was first met with a hush, followed by applause as he walked off. But as Hardik walked out to the field as MI’s next batter, the boos rang out.Related
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Hardik being jeered has been almost a constant theme from MI’s first game after he was traded from Gujarat Titans – where he led the side to a title and a runners-up finish – before the season.”It wasn’t great hearing all the boos,” Boucher said. “Certainly, I felt sorry for Hardik as well. It’s never nice to go through something like that. So yeah, there are certain things we need to address. And we are going to address them.”Now is not probably the right time. Everyone is very disappointed and emotional, so no good decision will get made in the nearest sort of time. We need to go back. We need to evaluate exactly what’s going on.”Boucher admitted that the team’s performance this season was under par, but hoped the team management would make some “good calls” ahead of the next season.”[There are] things that we need improvement on, whether on the field or off the field stuff,” Boucher said. “We’ve got some great heads within the management team as well, and we’ll sit down and we’ll find a way of how to make it better ultimately for the players to produce the sort of cricket that we know these players can produce, which was under par this season.”There were a lot of things happening, a lot of moving parts this season, which wasn’t great to be a part of at certain times. There are certain things that did affect individuals, which ultimately did affect the team. So those are the sort of things we need to sit down and address and hopefully make some good calls going forward as well to address the off-field stuff.”Hardik Pandya had replaced Rohit Sharma as captain before the season•AFP/Getty ImagesHardik finished the IPL 2024 with 216 runs in 13 innings at an average of 18.00 and a strike rate of 143.04. With ball, he took 11 wickets in 12 innings at an economy rate of 10.75. While evaluating Hardik’s season, Boucher admitted that things off-field things might have “clouded” him, but asserted that this season would help him become a better captain.”I think that if [Hardik] was here, he’d also be disappointed in his performances,” he said. “From a captain’s perspective, I thought he had some good games. There’s a lot of stuff going on around him that maybe clouded his thoughts every now and again, which I said is tough for him as a leader as well.”He certainly had a lot of support within our dressing room but it’s a tough thing to go through as a player. There’s a lot of sympathy for what he’s going through. A lot of the stuff he is going through is, I think, uncalled for. It will certainly be a learning curve for Hardik as he grows in leadership.”While times are tough now, a couple of things will pass and make him a tougher leader and it will certainly grow him in the role as well. I still think there are some fantastic things coming from Hardik Pandya as a leader.”Boucher on Rohit’s future: ‘He is the master of his own destiny’There have been speculations that Friday’s game was Rohit’s last for MI, a franchise he led to five IPL titles. Boucher, though, said there was no decision made yet.”To be honest, there hasn’t been many conversations about Rohit’s future,” Boucher said. “I spoke to him last night or the night before, just to do basically a little review of the season. And I said, ‘What’s next for Rohit Sharma?’ and he said to me ‘World Cup’. And that’s perfect. That’s all I need to know about what Rohit Sharma’s future is.”For me, he is the master of his own destiny. It’s a big auction next season, who knows what’s going to happen? We’ll just have to take each day as it comes.”
A “magnificent” manager is now on the “final shortlist” to replace Ivan Juric at Southampton this summer, according to transfer expert Graeme Bailey.
Saints pursuing new manager after Juric sacking
In truth, the writing was on the wall for Juric for quite some time, given that he failed to make any improvements to the Saints’ Premier League position after replacing Russell Martin, and the Croatian was dismissed after relegation to the Championship was confirmed.
After parting ways with Juric earlier this month, the board have now started to identify potential replacements for the summer, and chief among them could be Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl, who has been named as the top target.
Sporting director Johannes Spors is a big fan of Rohl, but the Wednesday manager is not the only option being considered, with Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior also of interest, given the fantastic job the Englishman has done in Ligue 1 this season.
"One of the best coaches ever" front-runner to replace Juric at Southampton
The Saints could appoint an impressive young manager as a replacement for Ivan Juric.
By
Dominic Lund
Apr 8, 2025
In an interview with EFL Analysis, Bailey has now revealed Southampton have started to trim down their list of manager targets, and former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has made the cut.
Bailey said: “Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard are both on Southampton’s final shortlist to be their new manager. The two England legends have been on Southampton’s radar for the last few weeks and both are in their sights.”
Al Ettifaq coachStevenGerrardand Demarai Gray
“Gerrard, who is on Rangers’ list to return to Ibrox, is out of work following his stint in Saudi Arabia and is ready to return to the UK – we understand.”
Former Norwich City boss David Wagner is also named as a potential target for the Saints, who are certainly not short on options to replace Juric this summer.
Southampton move could suit "magnificent" Gerrard
Gerrard’s last stint in England didn’t exactly go to plan, being sacked by Aston Villa with the club just outside the relegation zone, but there are signs the Liverpool legend could be a success at St. Mary’s.
Southampton are expected to be one of the dominant forces in the Championship next season, and the 44-year-old has previously proven he has what it takes to win league titles as a manager, securing the 2020-21 Scottish Premiership title with Rangers.
Not only did the Englishman win the title, but he did so in emphatic fashion, with the Gers amassing a colossal 102 points and remaining undefeated across the entire league campaign.
Former adversary Sir Alex Ferguson even lauded Gerrard for his “magnificent” achievement, which indicates he still could have a lot left to give as a manager, despite questionable spells with Villa and Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq.
A Champions League club are now “pushing hard” to sign a Sunderland star “immediately”, with a bid currently in the works, according to Sky Sports reporter Patrick Berger.
Wembley trip on the horizon for the Black Cats
The Black Cats didn’t exactly finish the Championship campaign in ideal fashion, losing their final five games, but they have managed to turn on the style when it matters, booking their spot at Wembley for the play-off final with a dramatic victory against Coventry City.
However, Regis Le Bris isn’t content with simply reaching the final, with the manager insisting his side must get the job done, saying: “Our focus is now fully on the final. It’s really clear — this is the main objective of the season.
“We have to take the final step. It will be tough, but we must put the work in now to make sure we’re ready.”
The importance of Sunderland restoring their Premier League status cannot be understated, not least because they could have a battle trying to keep hold of their key players beyond the summer, should they fail to return to the top flight.
In fact, in an update on X, Berger has now revealed that Borussia Dortmund are “pushing hard” to sign Jobe Bellingham “immediately”, with the German club keen to sign the midfielder prior to this summer’s Club World Cup.
An offer is currently being prepared, which Dortmund are planning to submit after Saturday’s play-off final, although they are yet to reach an agreement with Bellingham on personal terms, and they don’t believe they are in pole position for the youngster.
Should the Black Cats be willing to sanction a departure this summer, they would be looking to receive a fee of €25m – €30m (£21m – £25m).
Black Cats could struggle to keep hold of Bellingham even if they go up
It could be a very difficult task for Le Bris’ side to keep hold of the 19-year-old beyond the summer, given that a number of other English clubs are also in the race for his signature, such as Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace.
The hope will be that the teenager is tempted to test himself in the Premier League, should Sunderland prevail against Sheffield United, but the opportunity to play in the Champions League could be tempting, with Dortmund recently securing qualification for next season’s competition.
Sunderland now want to sign 26 y/o defender who has just been relegated
He is expected to leave his current club.
ByHenry Jackson May 20, 2025
In truth, news of Dortmund’s increased interest is an unwanted distraction ahead of the play-off final, and full focus must remain on Saturday’s game, which could be pivotal in terms of Sunderland’s future trajectory.
The Championship play-off final has become known as the ‘richest game in football’, and this year’s edition is set to be the most lucrative to date, with the winners set to receive a minimum of £220m in extra income next season.
Nepal want to leave a mark on T20 World Cup 2024 in their last group game against Bangladesh, according to head coach Monty Desai. Although Nepal’s one-run defeat against South Africa was heartbreaking, they will try to “put on a show” against Bangladesh, who are in a good position to grab a Super Eight spot.Netherlands have an outside chance but their net run rate is too low. Nepal, with just one point from three games, are already out of the race.”We are building our story, so I am not thinking about spoiling anyone else’s party,” Desai said. “The message in the dressing room was that we still want to live in a world of imagination, where we want to believe that we crossed the line [on Friday]. We want to think that we are on three points, looking forward to Bangladesh and playing to qualify for Super Eight. If you can bring that mentality and fight till the end, cross the line, at least we will go back with a proud moment of winning, and then probably think about the ifs and buts of other games. But yes, we want to put up a show.”Related
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Against South Africa, Kushal Bhurtel and Dipendra Singh Airee shared seven wickets, and later Aasif Sheikh scored 42. Sandeep Lamichhane went wicketless in his first match back in Nepal colours, but he was economical. Despite all that, a run-out on the final ball cost them the game. Desai said the Nepal players had to pick themselves up from the defeat.”This is exactly where the mental strength will be tested for a young Associate team like Nepal,” he said. “Twenty-four hours from now we will be planning, discussing and moving towards the stadium to play against Bangladesh. It is very important to remember the processes that have helped us so far.”Nepal fans had their spirits high despite rain hindrances•ICC/Getty Images
The narrative around Nepal’s cricket also involves their fans. They play in front of packed audiences back home, and it was no different in Dallas, Lauderhill and Kingstown. Desai appreciated the massive support but also wanted them to understand that Nepal’s progress depended on playing big teams and winning big moments.”I think the biggest success story of Nepal cricket is about these innocent fans,” he said. “I say innocent because I am only looking at it through my lens. I know when I walk across the Tribhuvan University ground [in Kirtipur], I see so many of those Nepali fans on the banks, they might be having daily jobs, daily wages to live their life and they leave that and come to watch the game and support these young dreams.”They have stood with the umbrellas in the rain in the past. When we qualified [for the T20 World Cup], they were standing on the roof, they were climbing the trees. There are so many layers to the definition of ‘fans’ as the 12th man for Nepal cricket. I am sure it will be very hard right now for them to soak in their emotions. Cricket is cruel sometimes. Again, I say South Africa had already qualified, we just needed to cross the line and stay alive in this tournament.”I urge the fans back home to keep supporting these young dreams with the limited resources, not using an excuse. I think we have taken strides. The more we get exposure against these Test nations, again another opportunity tomorrow, we’ll go to that [game] against Bangladesh, and I think we’ll be up for it. I know all it requires now in those one-ball battles is courage and that is something which we are instilling and moulding in these young dreams.”Meanwhile, Bangladesh fast bowler Tanzim Hasan has said that they will not take Nepal lightly as the format doesn’t allow any team to hold momentum for too long.”There is no small or big team in T20 cricket,” he said. “We try to see each team equally. Because T20 is a game of momentum. It is a game of only 20 overs. No one can say when the momentum changes. We try to take each team equally. We will play aggressive cricket. We will stick to our place. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is. We will try to play equally with everyone.”
The ground-staff used electric fans and even tried a grass transplant but the outfield remained unfit for play
Ekanth10-Sep-2024The second day of the only Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Greater Noida suffered the same miserable fate as the first due to rain, albeit not during hours of play, and the quality of the outfield.The toss was scheduled half an hour earlier at 9am, to make up for day one being abandoned, but at 8.55 am came the announcement that conditions were unfit for play and that there would be an inspection at 12pm.The message on the broadcast at 9.10am was that “a thunderous overnight downpour last evening from 6pm, for 90 minutes, at one stage left the outfield completely and utterly flooded.” The moisture underfoot remained a major concern and there was little hope the ground would be fit for play by noon.Related
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The ground staff used electric fans to try and dry a few wet patches on the outfield. They cut out blocks of dry grass the practice nets and transplanted them on a damp region in the 30-yard circle. Despite the sun baking down, the ground wasn’t ready at noon and another inspection was planned for 3pm.New Zealand’s players arrived at the ground around 12:25pm, and a practice net was installed next to the main pitch so that they could practice. The spinners Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santer began to bowl first and were soon joined by the fast bowlers, while Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell had a hit. The Afghanistan players, on the other hand, did not arrive at the venue.Play was called off on the second day at 2.55 pm, with the toss yet to take place.
da 888casino： Manchester United have turned more corners than a Formula 1 driver over the last decade or so, with every seemingly positive step followed by a hefty tumble backwards in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
da stake casino： Only last year, the Red Devils were riding high after seeing off rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final, a moment that looked like one which could kickstart the Erik ten Hag regime. Less than six months later, the under-fire Dutchman was belatedly shown the door.
Even under the new Ruben Amorim reign, high points such as the statement performances at the Etihad and Anfield failed to inspire a consistent run of form, with the Portuguese’s debut campaign ending on a deserved sour note amid last week’s Europa League final defeat.
That limp showing will now have real ramifications heading into the upcoming summer window, with Amorim already admitting that he will likely work with a smaller squad due to the lack of European football, while incomings may also be at a premium.
Indeed, the suggestion remains that the Old Trafford side will need to sell before they can buy, with exits for the likes of Antony, Jadon Sancho and the exiled Marcus Rashford set to be prioritised by Amorim and INEOS.
The gutting of the squad could not only impact the ‘deadwood’, however, with a handful of key figures also facing uncertain futures. One deal, in particular, could evoke echoes of the past.
Man United's biggest transfer mistakes
Starting with more recent sales, there is more than a tinge of regret over the £25m sale of academy graduate, Scott McTominay, with Scotland star having scored 12 goals as the MVP of Napoli’s Serie A triumph this season, after being deemed surplus to requirements back in Manchester.
That decision to cash in will sting considering United’s current woes, although it’s worth remembering that McTominay had actually only started 18 Premier League games last term. Hardly an irreplaceable figure.
The same goes for the likes of Anthony Elanga and Dean Henderson too, even with the 2023 sales having enjoyed fine seasons at their new clubs. Indeed, Elanga has helped to steer Nottingham Forest to Conference League qualification, while Henderson starred in Crystal Palace’s FA Cup final masterclass.
Again, in hindsight, those deals may appear a mistake, although Elanga had scored just four goals in 55 games for United, while Henderson was never able to truly dislodge David De Gea during his stint in the first team.
Looking further back, it is hard to think of too many departing stars who have truly gone on to sparkle elsewhere. Danny Welbeck did end the campaign with ten league goals for Brighton, although he had endured an injury-ravaged time at Arsenal after leaving United, scoring just 32 goals in total for the Gunners.
In the view of Jose Mourinho, Welbeck – alongside Javier Hernandez and Angel Di Maria – were players the Red Devils should “never” have sold, albeit with Di Maria never managing to settle in Manchester, while Hernandez has hardly ripped things up since his 2014 exit, notably scoring just 17 times in a forgettable spell for West Ham United.
Prior to that, questions are likely to be asked of Ferguson for allowing Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez to depart in the summer of 2009. Ronaldo, however, was hellbent on joining Real Madrid, with United at least raking in a world record fee. As for Tevez, the Argentine had seemingly “downed tools” under ‘Fergie’, in the view of teammate Gary Neville.
Carlos Tevez
The Scotsman himself has pointed to the sale of Jaap Stam in 2001 as arguably “his biggest mistake”, although it is the decision to let go of another centre-back – Gerard Pique – that perhaps ranks among his greatest errors. Is that move about to be repeated?
Why Man Utd sold Gerard Pique
It was almost 17 years ago that a young Pique was allowed to return to boyhood club, Barcelona, after four years in England, with the LaLiga outfit – and new boss Pep Guardiola – forking out just £5m for his services.
The promising defender had failed to usurp Ferguson’s starting pairing of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, prior to his exit, with former colleague Wayne Rooney stating that the Spaniard had lost the manager’s faith after being “bullied” in a game against Bolton Wanderers in 2007.
A peripheral figure in Manchester, the now legendary Pique went on to become a central part of Barca’s success over the next decade or so, having memorably started in the Champions League final in 2009, in which Guardiola’s men ran out 2-0 winners in Rome.
FC Barcelona's GerardPiqueduring the warm up before the match
In all, the ball-playing hero would score 53 goals in 616 games at Camp Nou, winning a plethora of major honours that include three European titles and nine Spanish titles – alongside a World Cup and European Championship with La Roja.
A “phenomenon” whom his compatriot and colleague Carlos Puyol described as the “best central defender in the world” in 2019, Pique represents one that got away as far as United are concerned.
The same could be set to happen with Alejandro Garnacho…
Selling Garnacho would be Man Utd's biggest mistake in 17 years
There are no doubt parallels between Pique and young Garnacho, with the wing wizard having also been plucked from Spain as a teenager in the summer of 2020, after signing from Atletico Madrid for a fee of just £420k.
Alejandro Garnacho
Like Pique too, the Argentine could be set for a swift exit at such a young age, with the 20-year-old in line to follow in the footsteps of the centre-back, who was 21 when he left Manchester 17 years ago.
The suggestion is that Garnacho – who was left out of United’s win over Aston Villa on the final day of the season – has been told by Amorim that he can leave this summer, having also started on the bench in the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao.
The £50k-per-week winger publicly outlined his disappointment at that decision following the 1-0 loss, albeit with Amorim pointing to the “big opportunity” that the player had missed in the semi-final second-leg victory over Athletic Club.
And so, even despite racking up 21 goals and assists this season, finishing behind only Bruno Fernandes in that regard, the rising star looks in line for an exit, having previously been the subject of a bid from Napoli in January.
Bruno Fernandes
Fernandes himself has been touted for a departure of his own, amid interest from Saudi side Al Hilal, although whether Amorim and INEOS would sanction a sale remains to be seen.
Equally, with the talismanic skipper set to turn 31 in September, it could be argued that his best days may well be behind him, after 5 years of magnificent service. For Garnacho, by contrast, his peak years are likely to be ahead of him.
Man Utd – 2024/25 squad stats
Player
Goals & Assists
Goals
Assists
Bruno Fernandes
39
19
20
Alejandro Garnacho
21
11
10
Amad Diallo
20
11
9
Rasmus Hojlund
14
10
5
Joshua Zirkzee
10
7
3
Marcus Rashford
10
7
3
Christian Eriksen
10
5
5
Casemiro
8
5
3
Diogo Dalot
8
3
5
Manuel Ugarte
8
2
6
Stats via Transfermarkt
Thankfully, unlike Pique, United could look to rake in a sizeable fee if they do indeed cash in on the Spain-born starlet, with a £60-£70m price tag having been mooted. That said, even amid the benefits of meeting PSR regulations, would this not be an almighty mistake?
This writer was at Old Trafford the day that Garnacho announced himself to the United faithful after scoring a brilliant brace in the FA Youth Cup final, with the scrawny teenager stealing the limelight after replicating the celebration of his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo.
The words ‘Viva Garnacho’ have rung out in Manchester since that day, not least when supporters have demanded his introduction off the bench to change a game, with the electric talent one of few who regularly gets the crowd off their seats. As journalist Samuel Luckhurst noted, he is a “game-changer”.
Also described as a “diamond” by talent scout Jacek Kulig in the past, Garnacho has enjoyed a catalogue of fine moments, be it his stoppage time winner at Fulham in November 2022; his clincher away at Elland Road just a few months later; or even his remarkable overhead kick against Everton at Goodison Park last season.
His crowning moment, of course, came following his opener at Wembley in last year’s showpiece, with it showcasing a sorry state of affairs that both he and Kobbie Mainoo now face uncertain futures at the club.
As The Telegraph’s James Ducker has noted, selling Garnacho, in particular, “would come with all sorts of warnings”, with INEOS needing to be certain that such players will be “replaced with upgrades”.
A player once described as looking “like a young Cristiano”, according to Paul Scholes, Garnacho actually boasts a greater scoring record for United than the great Ronaldo, before turning 21. Is this a player whom the Old Trafford hierarchy should really be selling?
Yes, there may be doubts over his suitability to Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, but that should not define his future. Equally, concerns over his attitude have rumbled on since Ten Hag’s early days, but that is perhaps to be expected over a player still learning his trade.
There is, of course, a need to rip up this squad and start again, although if drawing up a list of players who need to be sold, Garnacho should surely be nowhere near the front of the queue…
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