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Big picture: Chance to make amends

Pakistan are two places ahead of Bangladesh in the World Test Championship table but both teams are in the bottom half. And both are playing their first series since the T20 World Cup. Bangladesh exited from the Super Eight while Pakistan couldn’t even reach that stage, leaving both sets of fans disappointed with their performances. This Test series will be a chance to make amends. Luckily, there has been a considerable gap from the World Cup, which will allow the teams to play with a fresh perspective.Given their record, Pakistan are the clear favourites. Their captain Shan Masood has a new red-ball coach in Jason Gillespie. It is an interesting combination as they can look back at their respective recent county stints to bring stability to Pakistan’s Test team.Barring Aamer Jamal, Pakistan have all first-choice players available. In fact, they named their XI two days before the Test. They are going with an all-pace attack on this Rawalpindi pitch, while Saim Ayub has been given another chance as an opener.Related

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Bangladesh faced a different type of challenge in the lead-up to the series. They were not able to train in Dhaka, so the BCB took up PCB’s invitation to train for three extra days in Lahore before three more sessions in Rawalpindi. While Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusinghe is satisfied with his team’s preparation, he remained cautious about their batting, which has been on a downward swing for the last 12 months.Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto hasn’t been in form, while Litton Das, whom Masood called his favourite batter in the Bangladesh side, has also been struggling for a long time. That leaves senior batters Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mominul Haque with a lot of responsibility.Pakistan, though, will not take Bangladesh lightly as the visitors’ in-form weapon is their pace attack. It may be short on experience but the likes of Khaled Ahmed and Shoriful Islam have done well with the new ball. Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana are also quick and energetic. So it will be an interesting battle against the home batters.Naseem Shah had kick-started his Test career with a hat-trick against Bangladesh•Associated Press

Form guide

Pakistan LLLWW (last five Tests, most recent first)
Bangladesh LLLWWNajmul Hossain Shanto and Shan Masood pose with the trophy at the hilltop garden of Daman-e-Koh•PCB

In the spotlight: Naseem Shah and Najmul Hossain Shanto

Those who saw Naseem Shah bowl in the four-day match against Bangladesh A last week felt he was beginning to look like the red-ball bowler who last played in July 2023. His three wickets in the first innings included Mominul Haque and Anamul Haque, and in the second, he bowled seven overs in one spell. This was his only first-class outing in the last 12 months but Bangladesh know he will be a major threat. On their previous tour to Pakistan, he had rocked them with a hat-trick on debut.In 2023, Najmul Hossain Shanto scored 440 Test runs, including three hundreds, at an average of 55.00. But he could manage only 32 in four innings against Sri Lanka earlier this year. He has struggled for form in the other formats as well. He has the added responsibility of being the captain but a tendency of driving away from the body seems the main concern. Can he show a bit more discipline and provide Bangladesh with top-order runs?Shadman Islam is likely to replace the injured Mahmudul Hasan Joy•AFP/Getty Images

Team news: Shadman in place of injured Joy

Pakistan are going in with four fast bowlers. Saud Shakeel has been named the vice-captain.Pakistan: 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Shan Masood (capt), 4 Babar Azam, 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Salman Ali Agha, 8 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Khurram Shahzad, 11 Mohammad AliShadman Islam is likely to replace the injured opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy, while Mushfiqur Rahim returns to the Test side after missing the Sri Lanka series.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Shadman Islam, 2 Zakir Hasan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Litton Das (wk), 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Shoriful Islam, 10 Khaled Ahmed, 11 Hasan Mahmud/Nahid Rana

Pitch and conditions: Rain could play spoilsport

The pitch has a bit of grass but there is a strong belief that it could be favourable to batters. The last two Tests here have been high-scoring with teams posting totals of 657, 579, 476 for 4 dec, and 459 in their first innings. Rain, however, could play a major role as showers are forecast for all five days.

Stats and trivia: Bangladesh still to beat Pakistan

• Bangladesh are yet to win a Test against Pakistan.
• There are four players from the Bangladesh side that played their last Test in Pakistan, coincidentally also in Rawalpindi, in 2020.
• Among the current players, Shakib (508) has scored the most runs in Bangladesh-Pakistan Tests, while Taijul Islam (22), who is unlikely to play, has taken the most wickets.

Quotes

“We raise our hands to say that we didn’t win in Australia. But we did a lot of things right, a lot of things that we want to take forward with us. We made some mistakes that cost us the Melbourne and Sydney Tests but as a team, we are heading in the right direction.””We had a good series against New Zealand but not a good time against Sri Lanka. We have a very good opportunity this time playing against Pakistan. We have a balanced side. We hope to play good cricket here.”

Celtic are a club that have been come used to cashing in on their top players once they have developed and impressed at Parkhead in the Scottish Premiership.

You only have to look as recently as last summer to see when Matt O’Riley left to sign for Brighton & Hove Albion after winning the club’s Player of the Year award in the 2023/24 campaign.

As you can see in the graphic above, the Premiership champions have a rich history of selling players for big money, including three players who have left for £25m.

The Hoops also cashed in on Japan international Kyogo Furuhashi in the January transfer window, selling him to Rennes for a reported fee of £10m, which placed him on par with Liel Abada’s exit.

Brendan Rodgers, now, is set to have to deal with more exits in the current transfer window, as Nicolas Kuhn is reportedly closing in on an exit from Parkhead.

Journalist Anthony Joseph reports that Como have agreed a deal worth an initial fee of £16.5m to sign the German attacker, who has already agreed a long-term contract with the Italian side.

Why selling Nicolas Kuhn is a good deal for Celtic

Firstly, selling Kuhn will come as an initial blow to Rodgers and Celtic because of the attacking quality that he provided at the top end of the pitch last season.

The 25-year-old winger ended the campaign with a return of 21 goals and 15 assists in 51 matches in all competitions, which shows that the Hoops are set to lose a player who can deliver goals and assists on a regular basis.

However, it is also a deal that also makes a lot of sense for Celtic, given the money involved, and his form in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.

The Scottish giants reportedly paid a fee of £3m to sign the winger from Rapid Vienna, which means that the club are making at least £13.5m in profit just 18 months on from when they snapped him up.

Appearances

15

17

Goals

7

6

Big chances created

7

4

Assists

6

3

As you can see in the table above, Kuhn’s form in the Premiership also dropped off in the second half of the season, with fewer goals, fewer ‘big chances’ created, and fewer assists despite playing two more games.

These statistics suggest that Celtic could be cashing in on him at the right time, because there is the risk that his form will continue to drop after that lightning start to last season.

Meanwhile, there is reported interest in another Hoops superstar whose exit would come as an even bigger blow to Rodgers and the club this summer.

Celtic set price tag for star forward

According to Football Insider, there are a number of teams interested in signing versatile Celtic forward Daizen Maeda before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Fenerbahce, and Brentford are all keen on a deal to sign the Japan international to bolster their respective attacks.

Transfer Focus

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

It adds that Celtic are in ‘no mood’ to lose their star attacker this summer, though, on top of already being about to sell Kuhn, and that they have placed a huge price tag on his head.

Football Insider reports that the Scottish giants are not willing to part ways with the 27-year-old winger, who can also play as a centre-forward, for anything less than a fee of £25m, which would be a joint-record sale for the club.

It now remains to be seen whether or not any of the three Premier League teams or Fenerbahce eyeing up are willing to spend that much money on the Japanese dynamo this summer.

Why Daizen Maeda would be a bigger loss than Nicolas Kuhn

If one of those interested clubs swoop to sign Maeda from the Premiership champions for a fee of £25m in the coming weeks or months, it would be a bigger blow than Kuhn’s impending exit is set to be.

The Japan international ended the season with a haul of 33 goals in 51 games for Celtic in all competitions, which means that he scored 12 more goals than the German winger in the same number of appearances.

Maeda, dubbed a “special player” by Alistair Johnston, also has more positional value to Rodgers because he has shown that he can be deployed on either flank or through the middle as a centre-forward, whilst Kuhn made 52 of his 55 starts for the club as a right winger.

This means that Celtic would lose depth in several positions if they cashed in on the Japanese marksman this summer, but they are only set to lose an option on the right wing with Kuhn’s move to Como.

Appearances

34

32

Goals

16

13

Goals per game

0.5

0.4

Big chances created

10

11

Assists

10

9

Assists per game

0.3

0.3

Cross accuracy

17%

5%

As you can see in the table above, Maeda also outperformed the £16.5m-rated winger in the Premiership with more goals and more assists for the Hoops.

This suggests that the £25m-rated forward’s exit would leave an even bigger hole for Rodgers to fill at the top end of the pitch, from a quality perspective as well as the positions that he can play.

Overall, Maeda offers more to the team, with his quality and versatility, and that is why his transfer would be an even bigger blow than Kuhn’s transfer to Como, which is also reflected in the respective reported fees.

Celtic wanting £25m for Maeda, whilst they have accepted £16.5m for Kuhn, speaks to how important they view them within the squad, and that is backed up by their respective statistics.

It'd be Ryan Christie 2.0: Euro club open talks to sign £2m Celtic ace

A European team are interested in a deal to sign a star from Celtic this summer.

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Hopefully, Celtic will be able to fend off interest from the likes of Spurs and Fenerbache in order to keep hold of their star attacker before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September.

Crystal Palace are now in talks over signing a 32-year-old international on a free transfer, according to a recent report.

Crystal Palace stepping up transfer plans

The Eagles have been waiting for clarification on their participation in the Europa League for next season, and with reports now emerging that they could be allowed in the competition, the club are likely to go ahead with their transfer business.

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It’s already been reported in the early parts of this transfer window that Palace have made an approach to sign Ousmane Diomande from Sporting. The Portuguese side want £40 million for his services, and his arrival could be seen as a replacement for Marc Guehi, who is continuing to be linked with a move to Newcastle United.

In fact, Andrew Musgrove has now revealed that Palace could be open to the idea of letting Guehi leave as long as they get Matt Target in a swap deal. That is because Ben Chillwell has returned to Chelsea, and the Eagles want another option behind Tyrick Mitchell, with some cash coming their way as well.

They are not the only defenders the club are looking at, as it’s also been reported by The Sun that Oliver Glasner is pushing the South Londoners to sign Strahinja Pavlovic from AC Milan. Glasner is a big fan, and while Milan value the Serbian at £40 million, Palace may look to start the bidding at around the £25 million mark.

Crystal Palace now in talks to sign goalkeeper Walter Benitez

It appears that Glasner wants to strengthen the spine of his team, as according to reporter Uriel Lugt, relayed by Ben Jacobs, Crystal Palace are also in talks to sign goalkeeper Walter Benitez.

The 32-year-old has been at Dutch side PSV Eindhoven since July 2022, but he is now coming to the end of his contract this month, and the Eagles are looking to swoop in and sign him on a free.

Benitez has been a regular in the PSV side since joining the club and, in the last two seasons, has been a key performer in the club winning the Eredivisie, the Dutch Cup and the Dutch Super Cup. In the 2024/25 season, Benitez, who has been capped by Argentina, kept nine clean sheets in 34 league games.

Walter Benitez’s PSV stats

Apps

134

Goals conceded

152

Clean sheets

43

His potential arrival at Selhurst Park would see him go up against Dean Henderson for the number one spot. That is because Matt Turner’s loan spell at Palace has now come to an end after playing just four games for the club, which all came in the cup competitions.

Despite being older, Benitez may be seen as an upgrade to Turner, as his experience and track record of winning and playing in Europe is something that Glasner will want to have more of in his squad as they look ahead to the 2025/26 season.

Arsenal have now made contact with the entourage of an “incredible” striker, who they are now seriously considering making a move for in the summer, according to a report.

Gunners stepping up striker pursuit

Mikel Arteta’s side have been heavily criticised for not signing a striker last summer or during the January transfer window, with Gary Neville describing the decision as a “mystery” earlier in the campaign.

Since then, the Gunners’ hopes of winning any silverware this season have gone up in smoke, with Paris Saint-Germain’s 3-1 aggregate victory in the Champions League semi-final sealing their fate.

As such, you would think that Arteta will finally bite the bullet and sign a top striker this summer, and recent developments indicate the Spaniard is going to do exactly that, with the north Londoners now advancing in talks to sign Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres.

There has since been another update on the pursuit of more of a left-field target, with a report from Spain revealing Arsenal are now seriously considering a move for Botafogo striker Igor Jesus, who is also being targeted by West Ham United and Aston Villa.

Jesus is protected by a €100m (£84m) release clause in his contract, but the Brazilian side are believed to be willing to sanction a departure for a lower fee, and such is the Gunners’ level of interest, they have now made contact with his entourage.

The Brazilian is now among the north Londoners’ priority targets, despite the deal for Gyokeres edging closer to completion, with the striker’s performances since signing for Botafogo putting him in the shop window.

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Journalist Zach Lowy branded the Botafogo forward as “incredible” back in December, having started 2024 with some impressive performances in the UAE, before forcing his way into the set-up of the Brazil national side after catching the eye in his home country.

The Cuiaba-born marksman led Botafogo to a league title triumph in 2024, and he has since started the new season in solid fashion, picking up three goals and one assist in eight Brazilian Serie A outings.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Liga Portugal

33

39

8

Champions League

8

6

0

Taca de Portugal

6

4

3

Allianz Cup

3

4

0

Supertaca

1

0

2

That said, Jesus’ lack of experience in Europe means it would be a risk for Arsenal to sign the South American this summer, and a move for Gyokeres could make more sense, especially considering the Swede’s fantastic record in front of goal this season, netting 53 goals across all competitions.

It’s been a rough ride for the Lilywhites this year. The end of the 2024/25 campaign is just one month away, but despite the pain that Tottenham Hotspur have endured, there may yet be light at the end of the tunnel.

Ange Postecoglou made a big claim in the early stage of the season, suggesting silverware may be on the way. Well, even though Spurs are languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League with just a few years of the term left to play, they have one foot in the Europa League final.

Despite his polarising time at the helm, Postecoglou may yet leave an unforgettable legacy down N17.

Postecoglou's Spurs legacy

Tottenham have fallen by the wayside this season, of that there is no doubt. However, they could yet pick themselves back up, with Ange’s attacking philosophy looking to dig its claws back in ahead of the penultimate hurdle in the Europa League.

He’s received a lot of stick for his team’s issues across the term, but Postecoglou’s reign has unfortunately been characterised by persistent injuries.

Even so, he’s managed to create a semblance of offensive quality that was vacant in the years preceding his tenure, those post-Mauricio Pochettino years when things went awry and Tottenham regressed away from their staple flair and fearlessness in the final third.

And it’s remarkable that he’s achieved this. Long gone are the days of Harry Kane, who joined Bayern Munich in an £86m deal two years ago. The Three Lions skipper became Tottenham’s record goalscorer when netting against Manchester City in February 2023, scoring 280 goals across 435 appearances.

His partnership with Dele Alli and Heung-min Son was truly a thing to behold, but Son, now skipper, is the only one still kicking around down N17.

Dele might have endured his share of off-field issues in recent years but he will always be remembered for his prodigious start to life in the Premier League, scoring 37 goals and supplying 27 assists across his first three top-flight campaigns alone.

Son, meanwhile, has long been regarded as a “world-class” forward, as has been said here by former boss Jose Mourinho, with his 127 goals in England’s top flight placing him joint 16th in the all-time scoring charts.

Dele and Kane’s brilliance felt irreplaceable, and Son’s influence and longevity in the Englishg capital too, but Postecoglou’s formula appears to have found a new generation of forwards capable of collecting the torch from their Tottenham predecessors.

Postecoglou took on quite a weight when replacing Antonio Conte, but he’s succeeded in restoring Spurs’ attacking quality, their flair. In fact, he’s even moulded the Londoners’ frontline back into top shape, with three current stars looking like the next version of the iconic trio.

Spurs' new attacking superstars

Though this has been a campaign fraught with peril, Postecoglou has still managed to keep his attacking identity somewhat intact, with the 16th-placed Premier League side still among the division’s top goalscorers.

1

Liverpool

1st

80

2

Man City

3rd

67

3

Newcastle

4th

65

4

Arsenal

2nd

63

5

Tottenham

16th

62

This is largely down to Dejan Kulusevski, whose energy and creativity have been an invaluable source of respite for a sinking ship. However, he’s not done it alone; Brennan Johnson has hit 16 goal contributions in the Premier League alone, despite only starting 23 times throughout an injury-affected year.

Then there’s Dominic Solanke, Kane’s belated replacement as the focal frontman. Injuries have been the crux of Tottenham’s struggle this year, and their club-record signing has very much been a victim of the blows. Even so, he’s been a worthy presence at number nine, notching 22 goal involvements across just 34 starts.

The trio, whose combined wages total some £270k per week, have definitely staked their claim for central roles over the coming years, be that under Postecoglou’s wing or in a different manager’s system.

Having each registered over 20 goal involvements across all competitions, they’ve proven their attacking credentials, with Son and James Maddison also hitting that mark.

But Son is indeed approaching his twilight in the Premier League, and Ange and co will be well aware that Tottenham need a new attacking lifeforce, one which could revive the feeling that the South Korean provided when alongside Dele and Kane.

Of course, these were attacking superstars capable of firing their way to lofty hauls every year, actually becoming the first trio to hit 20 goals each in a campaign back in the 2016/17 year, when the Pochettino era was in its heyday from an attacking standpoint.

Now, Postecoglou has found new players capable of breaking such records, and though there’s been plenty to be desired this year, this certainly bodes well for the years ahead.

Three of Tottenham’s brightest stars of the modern age, they may well be reborn through this new batch of talent, one which might just go one further and end this ceaseless wait for silverware.

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Williamson’s diabolical run-out and Southee’s drop on the last ball of the day summed up New Zealand’s mental block against Australia in Test cricket

Alex Malcolm01-Mar-2024Kane Williamson is normally unflappable. His team-mates describe him as a “miniature Buddha”. Always calm. Always present. Never fazed.The sight of Williamson looking stunned, shaking his head, not knowing where to look after a calamitous run-out where he collided with his batting partner Will Young, was the perfect metaphor for the Black Caps’ woes against Australia.It has reached the point where Australia’s Rugby team, the Wallabies, who have an equally woeful record against New Zealand’s All Blacks, should consider walking out for their next Bledisloe Cup match at Eden Park in whites and Baggy Green caps, such is mental stranglehold Australia’s cricketers have over New Zealand.After letting Australia wriggle off the hook at 89 for 4, 211 for 7 and 269 for 9 to concede 383 after winning the toss and electing to bowl on a surface that offered plenty, New Zealand lost three wickets in six balls to slump to 12 for 3 on their way to being bowled out for 179.Related

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Williamson’s run-out was diabolical. Having walked out after the loss of Tom Latham, the serene mini-Buddha was in a hurry to get off the mark second ball. He pushed a drive towards straight mid-off and made a late decision to take off without calculating the proximity of a prowling Marnus Labuschagne. Young was late to react to Williamson’s call and, as they both watched Labuschagne swoop, slide and release the throw, they collided mid-pitch. Young dropped his bat, Williamson ricocheted into Mitchell Starc, who was an idle bystander, and Labuschagne hit middle from close range as he so often does.Williamson was frazzled. He turned his head to Young as if to find someone or something to blame. But the reality was, even with a clear and direct path to the crease line, the run would have been incredibly tight.As bad as the run-out was, the entire sequence encapsulated the Black Caps’ mental state against Australia.Latham has been an excellent Test opener over a decade-long career averaging over 40 before this Test with 13 centuries. But in 17 Test innings against Australia, his average drops to 25.29 with a highest score of just 63. Starc has been his chief tormentor. And it didn’t take much for Starc to remove him for a fifth time in Test cricket. A good-length delivery on a fourth stump line exposed an indecisive mind. Latham wasn’t sure whether to leave or play and dragged a late defensive shot onto his stumps.Five balls later, with Williamson having already come and gone, Rachin Ravindra fell meekly. Ravindra has no mental baggage against Australia. He slaughtered them in a stunning ODI century in Dharamsala last year. He made a Test 240 less than a month ago. But he sliced a square drive in the air straight to Nathan Lyon at point off Josh Hazlewood before he had scored.Glenn Phillips was the best on show on the day for New Zealand•Getty ImagesTwelve for 3 became 29 for 5 when two more Black Caps with no mental baggage against Australia succumbed. Daryl Mitchell was tested endlessly on the front foot by Starc, Hazlewood and Pat Cummins as Australia’s trio of quicks bowled much fuller than their New Zealand counterparts had. Mitchell tried to walk down the track at them to mix up their lengths, as he does in white-ball cricket and as Cameron Green had done with great success in his epic 174 not out. But he was beaten time and again. Finally, Cummins pitched short and Mitchell nailed a pull shot for four. Cummins sent square leg back. The next ball was a double bluff. Good length again, nipping away, Mitchell prodded and edged and was on his way.First ball next over, Mitchell Marsh burgled another with Young tickling a leg glance into Alex Carey’s gloves.”Here we go again” was the murmur among the Wellington crowd. There’s a reason New Zealand haven’t won a home Test against Australia in 31 years and none anywhere in nearly 13. The calm, controlled and consistent cricket they play against other nations seems to disappear in the Tasman winds whenever their neighbours arrive from across the ditch.It was telling that the major fight came from two men who have performed well against Australia.Success does breed success. Tom Blundell and Glenn Phillips produced two of the standout batting performances in New Zealand’s 3-0 series defeat in Australia in 2019-20.They showed no fear in an excellent century stand to help New Zealand avoid conceding a larger first-innings deficit. Phillips took on Australia’s full lengths, thumping the quicks repeatedly down the ground. He was particularly savage on Starc and later climbed into Lyon on his way to a blistering 42-ball half-century.The day ended with the latest bungle on New Zealand’s part•Getty ImagesBlundell was organised and compact at the other end, but likewise cashed in on anything loose with positive footwork and great timing. But he was undone by Lyon’s turn and bounce, skipping down to the wrong length and gifting a bat-pad catch to Travis Head.Normal service resumed. Scott Kuggeleijn holed out to deep forward square with a filthy slog off Lyon second ball. The stare from Phillips at his partner as he trudged off was far more venomous than Williamson’s to Young had been earlier.Phillips fell by the sword for 71, holing out to fine leg trying to hook Hazlewood. Matt Henry is the only Black Cap to belie a poor prior record against Australia in this game. He continued to carry New Zealand after his five wickets, contributing a vital 41 off 34 with four sixes. But his side still conceded a 205-run deficit as Lyon wrapped up the tail to finish with four.New Zealand are not out of the game. Tim Southee produced two late strikes to remove Steven Smith and Labuschagne but they were not the dismissals of a bowler in top form. A filthy drag-on and a strangle down leg merely dragged his career bowling average against Australia back to 41.97 and his strike rate back to 74.9 after going wicketless in 27 overs in the first innings.The final moment of the day was an exclamation point on the Black Caps’ day and their woes against Australia. The entire team threw hands on heads as Southee sprawled to the turf at third slip having spilled a sitter off Henry to give Australia’s nightwatcher Lyon a life.Here we go again.

Here’s a look at seven players who can use the BPL platform to aim for higher honours

Deivarayan Muthu and Mohammad Isam18-Jan-2022Will Jacks – Chattogram Challengers
The big-hitting Surrey batter, who can also pitch in with handy offspin, adds to England’s already vast talent pool in white-ball cricket. He hit 309 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of just a shade under 150 in the 2020 Vitality Blast, where Surrey finished runners-up. Since being named the Vitality Blast Player of the Year in 2020, Jacks has enjoyed greater exposure, having had stints with Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL, Oval Invincibles in the Hundred and Bangla Tigers in the Abu Dhabi T10 league more recently. His first BPL stint with Chattogram Challengers is another testament to his growing white-ball stature.Kennar Lewis – Chattogram Challengers
Lewis is another hard-hitting top-order batter who will be featuring in his first BPL. At Jamaica Tallawahs in the CPL, he has spent most of his time in the shadow of Andre Russell. While there are questions over Lewis’ fitness, this is another chance for him to step out of the shadows and shine in the T20 spotlight. In CPL 2021, Lewis shellacked 195 runs off 117 balls in powerplays at a strike rate of 166.66. He was also at it in the T10 league and in the Lanka Premier League.Tanvir Islam is in good form ahead of this season’s BPL•BCBTanvir Islam – Comilla Victorians
The left-arm spinner has the best bowling average and economy rate, and one of the best strike rates, in domestic T20 competitions in the last two years in Bangladesh. Much of it came during last year’s Dhaka Premier League (DPL), when he took 20 wickets at an average of 9.35 while representing Shinepukur Cricket Club.A typical Bangladeshi left-arm spinner who hits good lengths consistently and has great accuracy, Tanvir attracted attention by taking 50 wickets in his first two DPL seasons. The selectors noticed his numbers and picked him for Bangladesh A in 2019, and he has also represented teams like the Emerging Team and Under-23s. He has taken a combined 25 wickets in first-class and List A matches in the 2021-22 domestic season, putting him in good form ahead of this season’s BPL, a tournament where he only has two wickets in eight games.Fazalhaq Farooqi – Minister Group Dhaka
Farooqi remains Afghanistan’s most promising pace-bowling prospect aside from Naveen-ul-Haq, having already established himself as a T20 – and T10 – globetrotter. The left-armer has a good inswinger and a fairly deceptive offcutter that tricked batters who threatened to line him up during his stint with Delhi Bulls in the T10 league. He was also roped in as a reserve bowler by Chennai Super Kings last year, when he bowled with sharp pace and bounce at the nets. Farooqi is likely to join the Dhaka squad after playing for Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series against Netherlands, which ends on January 25.Jake Lintott was Southern Brave’s top wicket-taker in the Hundred last year•Getty ImagesObed McCoy – Fortune Barishal
The West Indies left-arm seamer, who foxed Australia with his slower-ball variations at home in mid-2021, has since spent most of his time on the sidelines with injury. He hasn’t played a competitive match since T20I World Cup game against England in Dubai. Dominic Drakes, who was a back-up bowler at the World Cup, has now taken McCoy’s national spot, but this BPL is McCoy’s opportunity to prove his fitness and form.Parvez Hossain Emon – Comilla Victorians
The left-hand opener has been one of the top-three six-hitters in Bangladesh’s domestic T20 scene over the last two years. He shot to fame with the fastest T20 century by a Bangladesh batter in 2020. Emon struck seven sixes and nine fours in that 42-ball knock in the Bangabandhu T20 Cup. And although Mohammedan Sporting Club in Dhaka signed him for the DPL T20s last year, he couldn’t quite get going, managing just one fifty in 14 games. Emon has also scored just one half-century in the 2021-22 domestic season so far, but at 19, he has a lot of time and potential opportunities lined up.Jake Lintott – Fortune Barishal
After being a wildcard pick in the Hundred, Lintott emerged as Southern Brave’s top wicket-taker, and subsequently won a deal with Barbados Royals in the CPL. In a Barishal side that has two premier Bangladesh left-arm spinners – Shakib Al Hasan and Taijul Islam – it is hard to imagine an overseas left-arm spinner getting a look-in. Lintott, however, brings something different: a T20 specialist who bowls left-arm wristspin. Throw Lintott in the mix, and Barishal’s spin attack could still be potent even without Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who will be on national duty for Afghanistan in the early exchanges of the BPL.

MatériaMais Notícias

Enquanto espera o gramado do Allianz Parque ser totalmente reformado para poder voltar a mandar jogos em sua arena, o Palmeiras foi surpreendido com um evento marcado para o estádio neste próximo sábado (16).

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras

O ‘Dia de Craque’, evento organizado pela empresa que cuida do tour do Allianz Parque, estava marcado para acontecer neste sábado, com a presença dos ex-jogadores Euller e Paulo Nunes.

Torcedores do Palmeiras podem comprar a experiência de ser jogador por um dia e jogar uma ‘pelada’ no gramado sagrado do atual bicampeão brasileiro.

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O fato não foi bem digerido tanto pela cúpula do Verdão quanto os torcedores alviverdes, que se sentiram revoltados com a superficiária do estádio, uma vez que o clube não atua em casa há mais de um mês e meio.

Segundo o jornalista Danilo Lavieri, do UOL, Leila Pereira ficou muito irritada e na visão da dirigente, isso mostra como a W Torre não está nem aí para o torcedor do Palmeiras e também para o futebol que é praticado no estádio, e sim só se mostra preocupada com os eventos e shows que são realizados no novo Palestra Itália.

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➡️ Veja confrontos do mata-mata do Paulistão

A repercussão do Dia de Craque foi tão ruim que a W Torre decidiu cancelar o evento e ele deve ser realizado somente após o Verdão voltar pra casa e o novo gramado estar 100% liberado para jogos oficiais ou amistosos na casa alviverde.

Liverpool have reportedly opened talks this week to sign a key reinforcement who Arne Slot loves ahead of Spanish giants Real Madrid in 2026.

Slot urges Liverpool to "remain humble"

Sunday’s 2-0 victory against West Ham United simply cannot be a false dawn for Liverpool or record signing Alexander Isak. After a disastrous run of form, the Reds must make it back-to-back victories by defeating Sunderland this evening.

Anything but three points would only spark further concerns about Slot’s tenure, as reports continue to suggest potential managerial candidates such as Ange Postecoglou.

Ahead of Liverpool’s clash against the Black Cats, Slot told reporters: “The challenge now will be to build on this win. We do not get to believe that a corner has been turned or that a recovery is under way.

“We have to remain humble, work hard and continue to fight. If we do this then maybe we can continue taking the small steps forward that are very much required.

“I would like to welcome Regis Le Bris, his players and staff as well as the supporters and directors of Sunderland to Anfield for tonight’s game. What they have done in the Premier League already this season reflects incredibly well on all at the club having earned promotion back in May.”

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It’s been the type of run that sparks serious questions about the January transfer window and the need for reinforcements – particularly on the defensive front. As things stand, Liverpool have just two senior centre-backs available, but have been linked with moves for the likes of Castello Lukeba and, of course, Marc Guehi.

Liverpool open talks to sign Marc Guehi

According to TeamTalk, Liverpool have now opened talks to sign Guehi this week in an attempt to get their deal back on track and land their No.1 defensive target ahead of Real Madrid.

The Reds came within hours of signing the Crystal Palace star in the summer, only for the Eagles to pull the plug on the deal at the death. Now, they’re attempting to jump ahead of the chasing pack by making their move as early as the January transfer window.

Those at Anfield are reportedly willing to offer a deal worth around £30m next month, whilst others wait in line to secure Guehi’s signature as a free agent in the summer.

Not even Slot could hide Liverpool’s admiration for Guehi when they missed out on his signature in the summer, telling reporters: “It would be ridiculous if I were to deny we were close to signing him.

“That is so out in the open. These things happen in football. We would have liked to have signed him, of course. If we feel we can strengthen the team, we never hesitate to do so.”

Whether Crystal Palace willingly part with their defender, who was described as a “monster in defence” by Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, remains to be seen, however.

Liverpool star is now very quickly becoming "the next Diaz" at Anfield

Like all clubs of their size and with their history, Chelsea have had some incredible players represent them over the years.

Moreover, those players have often formed brilliant duos, such as Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba and John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho.

Another pairing that enjoyed immense success during their time at Stamford Bridge was Eden Hazard and Diego Costa, who played 107 matches together, averaged two points per game and won two Premier League titles.

So, fans should be excited that the club might be able to recreate a partnership similar to that one with the sensational Estêvãoand one of Cobham’s most promising gems.

Estêvão's start to his Chelsea career

There has long been plenty of hype around Estêvão and the kind of player he could develop into.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

In fact, just a few months before Chelsea signed him, respected analyst Ben Mattinson labelled the teenage phenom a “future Ballon d’Or winner.”

Of course, there is still a long way to go before that could happen, but so far this season, it would probably be fair to say that the young Brazilian has met, or even exceeded, expectations.

For example, in 17 appearances, totalling just 740 minutes, he has already scored five goals and provided one assist.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.83 games, or more importantly, every 123.33 minutes.

Furthermore, the Franca-born superstar in the making has also already shown an ability to thrive and score in the club’s biggest games.

For example, he came on against Liverpool a couple of months ago and scored the winner and then, against Barcelona this week, he scored the all-important second goal to take the game away from the Spanish side.

Finally, on top of the output, the former Palmeiras prospect also passes the eye-test with flying colours, as Hazard did; he’s a tremendously fun footballer to watch, and it feels like something is going to happen with a ball at his feet.

Now, as if one young superstar in the making wasn’t enough, Chelsea also have a goalscoring machine in the academy who could become Estêvão’s Costa.

The Cobham gem who could be Estêvão's Costa

As always seems to be the case, Chelsea have plenty of seriously exciting youngsters coming through the academy at the moment, with chief among them, and the player who could form a game-breaking partnership with Estevao, being Shumaira Mheuka.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion prospect joined the Blues’ youth setup in 2022 and, in the time since, has become one of the most promising strikers in academy football.

Now, that might sound hyperbolic, but his output over the last couple of years proves that it very much is not.

For example, despite being just 16 at the start of last season, he ended the campaign with 11 goals and three assists in 30 appearances across the u18s and u21s.

Yet, while that is an impressive return, he’s taken another massive step forward this year.

So far, the Birmingham-born monster has scored 13 goals and provided three assists in 13 appearances for the junior sides, totalling 1,067 minutes.

Appearances

63

Goals

34

Assists

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.68

That means the prolific number nine is averaging 1.23 goal involvements every game, or one every 66.68 minutes, which is surely a rate of return that warrants him getting more first-team action this season.

It’s not just at club level where the youngster is making a name, though: in 20 appearances for England’s u19s, he has chalked up a huge tally of 14 goals and three assists.

With numbers like these, it’s not hard to see why respected talent scout Jacek Kulig has described the youngster as “the future of Chelsea and English football.”

Ultimately, while it might not happen this year, Chelsea need to play Estevao alongside Mheuka at some point, as they could end up being the club’s new Hazard and Costa.

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