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While Tottenham Hotspur ultimately failed to qualify for the Champions League this season, Ange Postecoglou's ability to secure Europa League football without Harry Kane at the club means that, on balance, the campaign has to be viewed as a success.

However, the footballing world moves quickly, so the North Londoners will already be hard at work planning their summer transfer window, with the ambition of clawing back a top-four place next season.

In fact, one of the latest players touted for a move to N17 could be the perfect first signing of the summer, even if their arrival could threaten Dejan Kulusevksi's place in the side.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from renowned journalist Alasdair Gold, Tottenham Hotspur are "keeping an eye" on Sporting CP's star winger Marcus Edwards ahead of the summer window.

One of the reasons the club are interested in the Englishman, beyond his ability, is that he's a homegrown talent who came up through the Lilywhites' academy system before moving to Portugal in September 2019.

It was reported in September 2022 that the winger had a £52m release clause inserted in his contract with Sporting, but Gold has claimed the Lisbon-based club value the 25-year-old at around £15m plus add-ons.

In all, it looks like it could be a relatively straightforward deal for Daniel Levy and Co to pull off, and if they can get him for that price, one they can't afford to miss, even if it impacts Kulusevski.

How Edwards compares to Kulusevski

Now, suggesting that Edwards could come in to challenge Kulusevski for a starting spot on the right may sound egregious to some, but the Englishman has been putting in impressive performances in Portugal for several seasons now and has the stats to show it.

For example, last season, he racked up 12 goals and 14 assists in just 51 games before scoring six and providing nine in 44 games this year, meaning that he has averaged a goal involvement every 2.31 games since the start of the 2022/23 campaign.

In comparison, Spurs' Swedish international managed just two goals and eight assists in 37 games last season while doing slightly better this year, managing a haul of eight goals and three assists in 39 games, giving him an average of a goal involvement every 3.61 games.

Appearances

51

37

Goals

12

2

Assists

14

8

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

0.27

Appearances

44

39

Goals

6

8

Assists

9

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.34

0.28

It's not just in their raw output that the "wonderful" Englishman, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, comes out ahead, though, as his underlying numbers are also superior.

For example, while the former Juventus man maintains a better-passing accuracy and wins more aerial duels per 90, the Sporting star produces a higher non-penalty expected goal and assists figure, produces more progressive passes and carries, takes more shots and shots on target and produces more shot and goal-creating actions, also all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.71

0.40

Progressive Passes

4.88

4.69

Progressive Carries

5.21

4.92

Shots

2.19

1.81

Shots on Target

0.93

0.69

Passing Accuracy

74.9%

77.2%

Shot-Creating Actions

5.77

4.14

Goal-Creating Actions

0.74

0.26

Successful Take-Ons

2.05

1.76

Aerial Duels Won

0.05

0.23

The London-born star is also a more accomplished dribbler than his potential competition, lending credence to Owen Hargreaves' claim that he often "leaves people for dead" when going forward.

Ultimately, we can't know for sure whether Edwards' impressive form will transfer to the Premier League, but if it does, he would be a serious threat to Kulusevski and, for the price being reported, an absolute bargain.

Spurs keen on signing £70m star to partner Romero

The towering star could help tighten up the Lilywhites’ defence next season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 31, 2024

Manchester City have discovered the extent of Kevin De Bruyne's injury ahead of their blockbuster Arsenal clash.

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De Bruyne picked up a groin injury against InterWas substituted in the second halfGuardiola sweating over his fitnessFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

De Bruyne picked up a knock just before half-time in the Champions League encounter against Inter at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday. While attempting to stretch for a pass, the Belgian appeared to pull up and immediately called for medical assistance from City's staff. After receiving treatment on the pitch, it became evident that De Bruyne would not be able to continue, and he spent the second half on the bench.

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According to theDe Bruyne is unlikely to be risked for the weekend’s game against Arsenal, as Manchester City will want to avoid exacerbating the injury. The club is keen to ensure the Belgian playmaker does not face a prolonged spell on the sidelines, especially with the congested fixture schedule over the coming weeks.

DID YOU KNOW?

City’s ability to adjust and perform without their star man has been a key factor in their success over recent seasons, and this will be another opportunity for them to demonstrate that resilience. The Belgian had missed 41 games last season cumulatively for both club and country, yet City emerged as the champions of England ahead of Arsenal in a nail-biting title race.

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Arsenal will also miss Martin Odegaard after it was revealed that the damage to his ankle ligaments was worse than initially feared, potentially leaving the Gunners without their captain until Christmas. With both teams without their primary midfield architects, it will be an intriguing battle in the centre of the park.

Marcus Rashford has been accused of not having football as his main priority as Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink offered advice to the Manchester United star.

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Rashford facing criticism at Man UtdEx-Chelsea questioned if playing is his prioritySays England international must "push himself"WHAT HAPPENED?

The 26-year-old winger has faced a great deal of criticism for his underwhelming performances for the Red Devils in recent seasons, while his off-field antics have caused problems for him at Old Trafford, having missed a game last term because of late-night partying in Belfast.

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The winger has been told by coach Erik ten Hag that he must "set his life right" if he is to get back to his best with United but ex-Chelsea star Hasselbaink fears that Rashford is not willing to "push himself" to take his game to another level.

WHAT HASSELBAINK SAID

"When you look at Marcus Rashford and you look at his body language, and I'm not saying this is true, but it looks like football is not his main priority," he said to . "Do we know if Rashford can play football? Yes. Hell yes. When he’s playing off the left and he's playing his best football, he's a very, very good player. He’s a top player. When he was at his top level, he used to sprint so much and run in behind the defence. He used to work so hard running at defenders, scaring defenders. That’s when Marcus is at his best and I just don't see that enough anymore.

“For a player like Rashford, when one of your main attributes is that explosive pace, you have to suffer for your art. You have to be prepared to give everything to work as hard with and without the ball, and that means, you need to feel a little bit of pain because it takes a lot of physical power to ask your body to do that in every single game. I don’t see a player that is willing to push himself like he used to, and he needs to get that back. He needs to get back to being a menace with and without the ball. He needs to work harder on the defensive part of the game. There is no doubt that Marcus Rashford has the ability. It’s a mental thing. It’s about unlocking his mind and mentally."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR RASHFORD?

Rashford has already scored once so far in the new Premier League season and Ten Hag will hope he can get better performances out of him as time goes on. However, Hasselbaink feels it is all up to the Englishman.

"Only Marcus Rashford can unlock himself. It’s down to him to see that improvement," he added. "As the manager, I'm sure that Erik ten Hag is doing the right things for Marcus. I’m sure he’s trying to give him the perfect environment to enable him to flourish, but it’s a two-way street. It’s not just Erik ten Hag’s responsibility for Rashford to improve, there has to be the desire from the player as well,” said Hasselbaink."

David Warner hit a fifty but other than that, his batsmen offered very little, even in Sharjah

Alagappan Muthu04-Oct-20202:15

Moody: Can’t win by scoring just 19 boundaries in Sharjah

There is life in the graveyard. Mumbai Indians conquered Sharjah and Sunrisers Hyderabad with a typically freakish bowling performance.Trent Boult’s quality with the new ball continues to translate into early wickets – and this time he was good in the death too. James Pattinson is more than making up for the loss of Lasith Malinga. And Krunal Pandya – having thumped 20 runs off the final four balls of the innings to get the total up to 208 – afforded only 35 in return, even on such a tiny ground, to keep the pressure on the opposition.Mumbai gave away no easy runs. They were ruthless about letting a partnership develop. They were worthy winners.The match-upUsually, when Sunrisers need early wickets, they just toss the ball to Bhuvneshwar Kumar. But with him injured, they had to find another way to contain a very strong Mumbai line-up.So in came Sandeep Sharma, a man with the skill to move the ball, which has perhaps contributed to his excellent head-to-head against Rohit Sharma. Before today, it read 29 runs in 33 balls and two dismissals. Now it’s 35 runs, 38 balls and three dismissals, as Rohit went chasing after a wide ball and nicked off. That wicket went a long way to keeping Mumbai to 48 for 2, the lowest Powerplay score this IPL in Sharjah.The QdKOThere were signs that the pitch, unbelievably, offered the bowlers some grip. Not good news for batsmen who love hitting through the line. And for a while, Quinton de Kock tried to find creative solutions to this problem, attempting scoops and reverse sweeps and, well, failing to find runs. He was 25 off 20 in the eighth over. And then, like light at the end of the tunnel, came a half-volley and he launched it down the ground for six. This is where de Kock lives. A place where he can muscle cricket balls all day long. Once he got back in touch with his power game, making his 11th IPL fifty was just a matter of time.Trent Boult celebrates after dismissing Jonny Bairstow•BCCIA mouth-watering finishSunrisers tried to save Rashid Khan’s overs against Mumbai’s biggest hitters because they haven’t been able to hit him. Kieron Pollard’s IPL strike-rate against the ace legspiner is 76 and Hardik Pandya’s is only 57. But they realised the more immediate threat was de Kock and so Rashid was brought back in the 14th over and one of his googlies did the trick. Mumbai were 134 for 3. Rashid’s final over went for only two runs as Pollard and Pandya both chose to play him out. Then it happened.Pandya began hitting short balls for sixes with a vertical bat. Pollard cleared the long-off boundary with a chip. Manish Pandey took a diving catch that will adorn IPL highlight reels for a long time. T Natarajan bowled like a dream in the most trying conditions, his yorkers negating Mumbai’s two biggest hitters. It was bare-knuckle cricket, neither team willing to give any quarter. But then came the final over – Siddharth Kaul hit the blockhole and made a mess of Hardik’s stumps, so in walked his brother Krunal and promptly dispatched the bowler for 6, 4, 4, 6.The superstarIt’s no exaggeration to say Sunrisers’ batting relies mainly on one man. A huge part of that is because of how naturally he is able to adapt to that pressure. David Warner is not in prime form. A consequence of lockdown, perhaps. But he still runs like a demon between the wickets. He still doesn’t throw his wicket away. He still wants to fight. And that was on display here as he fought his way to a half-century. At the start, when he wasn’t in nick, he did his best not to eat up deliveries. Later, as he became more like his usual self, he was able to do amazing things, like cut Jasprit Bumrah’s first two balls to the point boundary. He got to 50 off 34 balls but the other end couldn’t be as careful as him, as determined as him and so the Sunrisers chase faltered.Quality countsJonny Bairstow loves pace on the ball, so Boult took it off, watched him lose his shape and then his wicket. Williamson is the same way. Cue another Boult slower ball and bragging rights for life. Pandey was caught in the deep going for a six against the newly-brought back Pattinson when it was very clear Mumbai were looking for a wicket. Krunal was so ferociously switched on that after nailing a wide yorker against Warner and keeping it to just a dot, he punched the air as if that itself was victory. Boult, again, though he has a reputation of leaking runs in the death, was so precise with his yorkers that he gave away only four runs in the 18th over. Two balls later, there was a wicket. There was always a wicket.

Manchester United’s summer transfer window of the 2021/22 season did not quite work out as planned. Then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer brought in three major signings and had high hopes of toppling Manchester City at the top of the Premier League and returning the former glory of his side back to Old Trafford.

The headline signing that summer for the Red Devils was Cristiano Ronaldo, who returned to United following over a decade away. The legendary Portuguese striker had an impressive return to Old Trafford, but his side failed to capitalise on his 24 goals in all competitions and win a trophy.

Raphael Varane was a more successful addition to the club, although injuries really hampered his three-year spell at Old Trafford. The Frenchman played just 29 games in all competitions in his first year at Old Trafford.

However, things did not quite work out as every United fan had hoped. Solskjaer’s signings didn’t work on the whole, and he was sacked in November. The Norwegian never did manage to get his hands on a title during his time as United manager, to add to all the trophies he won as a player at Old Trafford.

Only one of his signings from that fateful summer remains, but he could depart the club this summer.

Winger could leave Man Utd

The player in question here is England international winger Jadon Sancho. The 24-year-old has had a tough season for United and has spent the second half of the campaign on loan at his former club Borussia Dortmund.

According to reputable journalist Fabrizio Romano, United bosses “remain 100% decided on selling” the winger, regardless of who is in charge at the club. This comes after Sancho and manager Erik Ten Hag’s public fallout at the start of last season.

The club are thought to be looking for a fee of around £40m, according to Romano. It is not just Dortmund who are interested in the permanent return of the Englishman, with Sancho thought to be of interest to other unnamed clubs.

If he did leave Old Trafford permanently, it would see United save a considerable amount of money on wages.

The winger was on a whooping £250k-per-week two seasons ago, which was since reduced to around £190k per week in the 2023/24 campaign, according to Capology.

Sancho exit could be Forlan 2.0

It has been a rocky time at United so far for Sancho. The 24-year-old has scored just 12 goals and registered six assists in 82 games for the Red Devils so far. He only showed flashes of his form during his first spell at Signal Iduna Park, which led to United buying him for £73m in 2021.

Should United sell Sancho this summer, it could lead him to rediscover his best form in a new environment. He is clearly a good player, having scored 53 goals and registering 67 assists for Dortmund across both spells at the club.

Games

158

82

Goals

53

12

Assists

67

6

Stats from Transfermarkt

If that were to be the case, it would be reminiscent of another United sale from years gone by, legendary Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan.

He joined the club in 2002 from Independiente for a fee of £6.9m. However, Forland struggled in Red, scoring just 17 times in 98 games. He became a cult hero in 2002, for scoring twice against Liverpool at Anfield, but struggled to find the back of the net on more occasions.

However, upon leaving Old Trafford, the striker found his best form. Firstly, for Villarreal, where he scored 59 goals and registered four assists in 127 games, winning the Golden Boot in 2004/05 for scoring 25 goals. He then moved to Atletico Madrid, where he scored 96 goals in 198 games, whilst registering 31 assists.

Forlan once again won the Golden Boot in 2008/09, after scoring 32 times in 33 La Liga outings.

His exploits for Urguary were also impressive. The striker played 122 times for his country, scoring 36 times. However, six of those games came in World Cup campaigns, where he made ten appearances in total.

Sometimes, a change of environment can be exactly what a player needs. Forlan is a prime example, of that, and once he left United, he excelled. Perhaps Sancho will be similar in that sense.

He is clearly a talented player, but the environment is everything, and the 24-year-old could explode once more should he depart Old Trafford.

Man Utd's "very special" wonderkid can send Sancho packing permanently

He has just signed his first pro contract

ByJoe Nuttall May 2, 2024

BBC pundit and former Scotland international Alan Hutton has reacted to the news that Celtic have tabled a bid to seal a "smart signing" in the summer transfer window.

Celtic transfer news

The Hoops have been linked with various players ahead of what could be a busy summer in the transfer market, and Fenerbahce goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic has been mentioned as a possible option to come in.

Joe Hart has retired from football, bowing out on a high after winning both the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup, and Livakovic is seen as the potential man to fill the void between the sticks. Celtic have reportedly tabled a bid of £7.6m for his services, with "extensive talks" held over a deal.

Elsewhere, Brendan Rodgers is thought to be keen on Bournemouth 'keeper Mark Travers as an alternative to Livakovic, with the 25-year-old possibly eyeing more regular football moving forward, having been loaned out to Championship side Stoke City last season.

Fotis Ioannidis is another player who has been linked with a summer move to Celtic, being seen as a dream attacking teammate for Hoops star man Matt O'Riley. The Panathinaikos forward scored five times in as many starts in the Europa League last season, highlighting his pedigree as a footballer.

Pundit talks up Celtic completing Livakovic signing

Speaking to Football Insider, BBC pundit Hutton talked up the idea of Celtic completing what he feels would be a "smart signing" of Livakovic in the summer, calling the offered fee a "big number".

"If he kicks on and does what everybody expects him to do, it would be a smart signing. They could make a lot of money out of it. The Euros has normally got an impact on that, if he goes there and plays really well, his valuation could go through the roof as we’ve seen previously.

"It’ll be an interesting one to watch what happens. These are big numbers, but I think Celtic are a club that can pay that sort of money and fees, especially if they get money in. We’ll see how it develops, but Celtic have definitely got the scope to spend that kind of money."

Livakovic makes plenty of sense for Celtic, with the 29-year-old a hugely experienced player but also someone who still has plenty of years left in him at the top level.

The Fenerbahce man is currently representing Croatia at Euro 2024, starting both of his country's opening two matches at the tournament, and he has a total of 56 caps at international level, also playing an important role in his nation reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup.

Celtic could sign "crazy" Idah alternative in biggest deal since Jota

The Hoops are reportedly interested in signing the talented young centre-forward.

1 ByDan Emery Jun 23, 2024

Livakovic jumps out as a brilliant choice to come in and do a strong job after Hart, although he will clearly have big shoes to fill, considering what an influential performer the Englishman was for Celtic for a sustained period. There is no reason why he couldn't be a superb successor, though, and possibly even an upgrade, given his age.

Erling Haaland has opened up about his clash with Arsenal defender Gabriel during a fiery Premier League encounter last month.

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Haaland speaks on the fight with GabrielThrew ball at the Arsenal defenderHaaland's Norway face Slovenia in Nations LeagueFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Cityzens came from behind to hold a 10-men Gunners to an exciting 2-2 draw. After John Stones netted the last-gasp equaliser, Haaland was seen picking up the ball from inside the goal and then throwing it against Gabriel's head before running away.

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After the ill-tempered encounter at Etihad Stadium, the Brazilian defender had addressed the incident as he downplayed it by claiming he did not remember anything. Now Haaland has opened up about his clash with the Gunners star.

WHAT ERLING HAALAND SAID

Speaking at a press conference while being on international duty with Norway, the City forward said, "In the heat of the moment things happened in that game. What happens on the pitch, stays on the pitch. That’s how it is."

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The 24-year-old will be next seen in action for his national team on Thursday as Norway take on Slovenia in the Nations League before facing Austria on Sunday.

Wasim Khan also says bilateral India-Pakistan series can’t happen in the foreseeable future

PTI19-Oct-2020The Pakistan Cricket Board wants the ICC to assure visas for its players and officials for the T20 World Cup 2021, scheduled in India for October next year. Wasim Khan, the PCB’s chief executive, said his board expects a response by January 2021 at the latest.Khan also confirmed that there was little likelihood of an India-Pakistan bilateral series taking place in the “foreseeable future”, and neither would any such series be part of the fresh Future Tours Programme (FTP) that starts in 2023.Relations between the two neighbours have been tense, which is why the PCB has sought assurance that the visa process of their players and support staff will be dealt with by the ICC.”This is an ICC matter. We have discussed our concerns,” Khan told . “There is a ‘Host Agreement’ that states very clearly that the host nation (India, in this case) will have to provide visas and accommodation for teams that are due to participate in the T20 World Cup, and Pakistan is one of them,.”We have sought assurances from the ICC that our players will receive visas and ICC is now taking this up with the BCCI because that directive and confirmation will clearly need to come from their government.”Khan also said that if there was a problem with getting visas, then the PCB expected the ICC to take that up directly with the Indian government through the BCCI.”We have asked for a deadline till December-January, which we believe is the right thing,” he said. “We expect a response from the ICC on whether our players and officials will receive visas to participate in the tournament.”If it (visa) isn’t (there), then like any nation would expect, we would also expect ICC to take that up directly with India and the Indian government through the BCCI to resolve this matter.”The participation of Pakistani athletes in global events held in India has historically been a contentious matter. Last year, Pakistan’s shooters could not get visas for a World Cup in Delhi. The fraught relations between the two countries has also made bilateral series almost impossible, a fact that Khan acknowledged.”I think we have to be realistic about India and Pakistan bilateral series,” Khan said. “BCCI needs to get permission before they can play Pakistan in any bilateral series, home, away or even on neutral venues.”I think on both sides, there is plenty of cricket to be played against other countries, but sadly for fans and players in both countries, it does not look like that India and Pakistan will be playing bilateral series in the foreseeable future. So there is no current planning that we can factor into the next FTP (2023-31) unless circumstances and viewpoints of the Indian government change.”

Thomas Frank defended Erik ten Hag as the Brentford boss argued that the Dutch manager is not to be blamed for Manchester United's poor form.

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Man Utd struggling in the Premier LeagueFind themselves two points behind BrentfordFrank had Ten Hag's back before the pressFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Despite United spending approximately £200 million ($261 million) during the summer transfer window to strengthen their squad, they find themselves in the lower half of the Premier League table after seven matches, sitting three places and two points behind Frank’s Brentford side.

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United’s disappointing run has included several poor results, with their most recent home match resulting in a humbling 3-0 defeat to Tottenham last month. This weekend's fixture against Brentford is the Red Devils' first at Old Trafford since that loss, and the pressure on Ten Hag has only increased as the team has struggled to find consistency. Following that defeat, United drew back-to-back matches, first against Porto in the Champions League and then at Aston Villa, before heading into the international break.

WHAT THOMAS FRANK SAID

Despite the dwindling results, Frank believes that the growing criticism aimed at Ten Hag is unwarranted.

"It's incredible how much scrutiny he's had to face," he said. "As a head coach, I acknowledge how it feels to be in a situation like this. I think [the criticism] is too much. He's clearly a good coach, he's won two trophies in two seasons.

"But I understand how it is: if the team wins, the head coach is absolutely fantastic; if the team loses, the head coach is absolutely sh*t! Whereas it's probably somewhere in between. It's never only the head coach, or the players, or the fans, or the board – it's a combination of all of these things."

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Interestingly, Frank himself has been mentioned as a potential successor to Ten Hag should United decide to make a managerial change. However, the Brentford boss was quick to dismiss such talk. In a recent interview with , Frank reiterated his happiness at Brentford but left the door slightly open for future opportunities.

“I’ve said many times I’m very happy here,” he said. “Who knows what happens in the future? I’m open, but right now, I’m just working hard every day to make Brentford better.”

Zimbabwe need their experienced hands to show the way, while Pakistan might be tempted to experiment with their XI

Danyal Rasool09-Nov-2020Big picture
After all the promise of a competitive ODI series, the T20Is have been something of a damp squib. Pakistan brought their top form to both weekend games, and illustrated the chasm that evidently exists between a Pakistani side that’s rapidly improving and a Zimbabwean unit that needs improvement desperately. teams As you might expect, if these two teams simply go through the motions, Pakistan will nearly always emerge on top and do so with relative comfort.If anything, the hosts may be slightly disappointed they weren’t challenged further to be able to assess how well some of the youngsters afforded opportunities this series would fare in that scenario. Haider Ali and Usman Qadir have both excelled, but they could have been undergoing net sessions for all the intensity of the contest. Haris Rauf’s pace has been enough to get him a cluster of wickets, but he may have to demonstrate more nuanced skills against more competitive opponents. And while Babar Azam has scored two sumptuous half-centuries, you wouldn’t expect any less of him against the quality of bowling he has faced; if anything, his frustration must centre on a failure to remain at the crease to knock off the winning runs. Pakistan have just turned up and not more, and so far, it’s been more than enough.Much of that is down to Zimbabwe. The visitors haven’t come close to a level of performance they will believe they are capable of. In two of the three ODIs, Zimbabwe pushed themselves to the limit. But in the T20Is, even the in-form batsmen have floundered, while with the ball and in the field, Chamu Chibhabha’s side has been – at best – lacklustre.You could level more scathing criticism at Chibhabha himself, who arguably shouldn’t be anywhere near this side based on his numbers over the past several years. When a frontline batsman who averages 13.24 over the past four years leads the side out on a challenging tour, it is of little surprise if he returns just 34 runs in five innings. It’s a level of performance that’s unacceptable for any international side whatever the ranking, and when the middle order doesn’t bail Zimbabwe out – as on Sunday – they fall apart alarmingly quickly.Form guide

Pakistan WWWLW
Zimbabwe LLLLW
Wesley Madhevere looked good while he was out there•AFP via Getty ImagesIn the spotlightThese are uncertain times for Fakhar Zaman, for whom being the leading run-scorer in the recent National T20 Cup doesn’t seem to have brought international T20 runs. In the format he should be most useful at, at home and against a mediocre attack, Zaman’s lack of confidence has been laid bare by the manner of his dismissal on Sunday. A low-percentage, ill-timed drive straight to mid-on sent him back for 5, the 16th consecutive T20I innings in which he has failed to reach 40. In that time, he has crossed 25 only once, and for all his domestic form, Zaman wouldn’t be able to complain if the Pakistan selectors – who have shown uncharacteristic patience with him – get twitchy fingers after another failure on Tuesday.Despite being the highest run-getter for Zimbabwe in the ODI series, Brendan Taylor’s twin failures in the T20Is may signal a deeper malaise. He, too, has crossed 40 in T20I cricket just once in the past 16 innings, though he has continued to produce cameos fairly regularly. But against Pakistan, he will need to take more leadership at the top of the innings, especially with Chibhabha out of form. If anything, it may relieve some pressure off the young shoulders of Wesley Madhevere, and give his bowlers something to defend if Zimbabwe are to bat first again.Team newsPakistan maybe open to some experimentation in the bowling. Mohammad Musa will be itching to get a game, while even Rohail Nazir could get a call-up with the series sealed.Pakistan (possible): 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Babar Azam (capt), 3 Haider Ali, 4 Mohammad Hafeez/Abdullah Shafique, 5 Mohammad Rizwan/Rohail Nazir (wk), 6 Khushdil Shah, 7 Imad Wasim/Faheem Ashraf, 8 Haris Rauf, 9 Wahab Riaz, 10 Mohammad Musa, 11 Mohammad HasnainZimbawe have been somewhat cautious, never quite ringing the changes this series. It would be a surprise to see that change, though with the series gone, they can afford to experiment.Zimbawe (possible): 1 Chamu Chibhabha (capt), 2 Brendan Taylor (wk), 3 Sean Williams, 4 Wesley Madhevere, 5 Craig Ervine, 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Elton Chigumbura, 8 Tendai Chisoro, 9 Carl Mumba, 10 Richard Ngarava, 11 Blessing MuzarabaniPitch and conditions
The pitches prepared for this series have been dry and flat, and expect that to remain unchanged tomorrow. Rain should not be a factor.Stats and trivia
Sikandar Raza has batted 34 times in T20Is without being dismissed for a duck. The only active internationals with longer streaks are Kusal Perera (46), Faf du Plessis (47) and David Miller (68) Azam has scored six half-centuries in his last nine T20I innings Taylor needs 99 runs to become just the second Zimbabwe batsman after Hamilton Masakadza to tally 1000 runs in T20I cricket