Manchester United are reportedly trying to secure a transfer deal for Sporting CP wonderkid Geovany Quenda as soon as possible.
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Man Utd eye Sporting CP's QuendaTeenager has €100m release clauseRed Devils want deal struck asapFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
According to , United approached Sporting about the 17-year-old – even before they moved to sign new manager Ruben Amorim. The report adds the Red Devils want to secure the teenager's services as soon as possible, with a summer transfer on the cards.
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The report adds that before Quenda signed a contract extension until 2027 in September, the forward had a release clause of €45 million (£38m/$47m) but that has since risen to a whopping €100m (£84m/$105m) – the same amount as team-mate Viktor Gyokeres. Sporting expect the player will be their next 'big sale' and initial bids to sign him will have to be well north of €40m (£33m/$42m).
WHAT RUBEN AMORIM SAID
Following his switch from Sporting to United earlier this month, Amorim denied he would snap up his former players in the next transfer window, saying: "I won't be signing [Sporting players] in January, that's what I said."
He added: “I don’t know about the summer. The main thing is to hold on until the summer [laughs]. After that, we’ll see, Sporting’s players are very good players. I don’t know. We’ll see.”
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The report adds Quenda – who has scored two goals in 17 games this term – could leave at the end of the season, but an agreement could happen before them if United convince him financially with a considerable offer.
Arne Slot will be hoping his first season as manager of Liverpool Football Club can do outgoing boss Jurgen Klopp justice, the legendary German bowing out at the end of last season after a stellar stint at Anfield.
His replacement, former Feyenoord boss Slot, will have a big task on his hands to live up to the legacy. Klopp’s tenure at the Reds saw him lift one each of the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup, as well as two League Cups, the Club World Cup and the UEFA Supercup.
Liverpool celebrate winning the Carabao Cup
Although the 19-time English Champions are yet to make a signing this summer, their new Dutchman at the helm will no doubt be dreaming of lifting the two major prizes next season; the Premier League and the Champions League. Whilst it will be a tough campaign, he has some players in his squad who are game-changers, including Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah.
However, recently, they have been linked with another player who could come into the club and have an immediate impact on the side, shoring up the centre of the midfield for the Reds.
Liverpool target Eredivisie midfielder
The player in question here is PSV and Netherlands midfielder Joey Veerman. The 25-year-old has impressed for PSV in recent seasons, and could now be in line to get a major move away from the club this summer.
According to a report from CaughtOffside, Liverpool 'have their eye on' the defensive midfielder this summer, and could launch a bid as they look to add strength and depth at the base of their midfield, with Wataru Endo currently their only viable option there.
Joey Veerman
However, the Reds would not be the only club looking to sign Veerman this summer. The report explains that their arch-rivals, Manchester United are also interested in adding him to their squad. He explains that, given the Dutch core building at Old Trafford, it makes sense for the Red Devils to launch a bid as an alternative to doing a deal for Manuel Ugarte.
At this stage, a price for Veerman has not been named, as stated by Anfield Watch earlier this week. However, the 25-year-old is valued at £18.6m by Football Transfers, so could cost anything from that price and upwards.
Why Veerman would be a good signing
Last season, Veerman was one of the best players in the Eredivisie. Not only did he put in some impressive performances in midfield, but he contributed to lots of goals. The 25-year-old played 29 games in the Dutch top flight last term, grabbed five goals and registered a very impressive 16 assists along the way.
Should they bring Veerman into the club this summer, Liverpool might well have finally signed a replacement for long-term number six, Fabinho. The Brazilian played 291 times for the Reds and won both the Premier League and Champions League.
Whilst the pair are somewhat different, with Veerman working better in a double pivot and the Brazilian operating well as a lone number six, it is still a deal that would see them replace the Al-Ittihad man, who they sold 12 months ago for a rumoured £40m.
bruno-guimaraes-fabinho-liverpool-opinion
You can compare their Fbref stats to build a good picture of just how good Veerman is in contrast to Fabinho, whose stats from Liverpool’s title-winning season of 2019/20 will be used in the comparison.
Firstly, when it comes to defensive actions, Fabinho just about edges the Dutchman out. The former Real Madrid man averaged 4.16 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes in 2019/20, compared to 3.32 for Veerman.
However, the Dutch midfielder’s average amount of ball recoveries made per game last season trumped Fabinho’s from the 2019/20 campaign. He averaged 7.21 compared to the former Brazil international’s 6.8 each game.
Stat (per 90)
Veerman (2023/24)
Fabinho (2019/20)
Tackles and interceptions
3.32
4.16
Clearances
1.25
0.82
Blocks
1.13
1.08
Ball recoveries
7.21
6.8
Aerial duel win %
54.4%
59.4%
In terms of on the ball, Veerman’s quality is shown through when looking at his stats. He averages 11.8 progressive passes per 90, compared to just 5.58 by Fabinho each game in 2019/20. Veerman also plays far more key passes per 90, too, with 4.91 compared to just 0.82 for Fabinho in 2019/20.
Here, context must be used, because Liverpool’s more direct style of play under Klopp may well mean that he had less opportunity to make those progressive passes as they got the ball forward quicker.
Soccer Football – Europa League – Group A – Arsenal v PSV Eindhoven – Emirates Stadium, London, Britain – October 20, 2022 Arsenal's Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Jesus in action with PSV Eindhoven's Joey Veerman REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
It seems clear that, in bringing Veerman in, they would be adding a “monster” midfielder with great quality on the ball into their squad, as football analyst Ben Mattinson called him.
Whilst he would need to play in a double pivot to be most effective, with the likes of Endo or Alexis Mac Allister, the Dutchman could be an excellent first addition to Slot’s squad this summer and the man to finally fill Fabinho's void.
Liverpool could sign Endo upgrade with move for £21m "machine"
The interest is raining down on this tough-tackling up-and-comer.
The 20-year-old batsman is part of the NSW squad for the Marsh Cup after a BBL campaign which showed glimpses of his talent
Alex Malcolm14-Feb-2021When Oliver Davies’ father Kevin was doing his carpentry apprenticeship, he didn’t have the fortune of being mentored by the world’s best craftsmen.But Davies’ professional cricket apprenticeship, which is barely six months old, has already featured some valuable lessons from a host of the world’s best limited-overs players. And there are more to come, as he has been included in New South Wales Marsh Cup squad alongside Steven Smith and new NSW captain Pat Cummins.”I’m hoping to get a game. That would be absolutely amazing,” Davies told ESPNcricinfo. “But I guess I’m going to be running drinks for Steve Smith and Pat Cummins so either way I’m going to be learning a lot.”Davies, 20, announced himself as a future star with two stunning innings in his first two BBL games for Sydney Thunder. He made 36 off 22 balls against Perth Scorchers on debut, striking three huge sixes off Jason Behrendorff and Fawad Ahmed.Related
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He trumped that with a Player of the Match performance in his second outing against the Melbourne Renegades scoring 48 off 23 including striking five consecutive sixes. Davies was delighted to even get a game let alone perform as he did.”I initially didn’t have any expectations of playing any games,” Davies said. “It was only because Alex Ross got injured after the second game against the Heat that I actually got a chance to play.”I wasn’t really going in with any high expectations. I just wanted to sort of spend a full season around the group and take it in. But I ended up playing eight games. It definitely wasn’t what I was expecting at the start but it was amazing. Picking the brains of Callum Ferguson, Usman Khawaja, Alex Hales, some top-quality cricketers, it was a really good experience.”The performance against the Renegades was extra special for Davies, as he got to spend some time post-match with his childhood hero Shaun Marsh.”Shaun Marsh was my favourite cricket growing up,” Davies said. “I didn’t really look at anyone else.”It was when he made his Test debut in Sri Lanka in 2011 and made 141. That was one of the first games that I watched and I loved him after that. I was like, I’m going to back this guy and obviously got the chance to meet him when I was a little bit younger and then play against him.”He came up to me before the game and had a little chat to me and after the game he said well done and said I’ll meet you back in 10 minutes and we’ll have a chat. We went back out and had a chat for 10-15 minutes which was quite good and got a little photo, which was nice.”Davies was grateful for Ferguson’s guidance in particular in a rollercoaster debut season.
Ollie Davies and his hero Shaun Marsh eight years on
“For me, Ferg was really good chatting before my debut and then after each of my games, I’d catch up for coffees with him and check in with how I was going,” he said.”He spoke to me a lot about giving myself a chance when I was going out and playing. More often than not I would go out there and try and hit the first or second ball to the boundary if I thought it was there but he spoke about giving yourself five, six, seven balls just to have a look and pick up the pace of the wicket, which was probably the big takeaway for me and that’s something I wish I knew a little bit earlier in the tournament. It would have been good to get that under my belt.”Englishman Sam Billings also provided sage counsel as Davies faced the cold reality of life in the professional ranks. Following the success of his first two games, he scored just six runs in his next five innings and lost his place in the Thunder side in the latter stages of the tournament.”I was a little bit down and he just spoke to me and said why don’t you watch some of your highlights of when you were absolutely whacking them,” Davies said. “He got me to think in a more positive mindset, like how I was playing at the start of the tournament and before then when I would go back to grade cricket and perform quite well.”He was just dumbing it down for me and said what were you doing well when you’re batting well, and how can you get back to that now.”0:54
WATCH – Aus U-19 cricketer Davies hits six sixes in an over
Davies responds well when things are simplified for him. His father kept things simple when throwing balls to him for hours in the backyard at home. Kevin Davies is still playing in his 50s for Warringah in the Shires in Sydney, having peeled off four half-centuries this season.Davies junior’s closest cricket mentor, Cricket NSW Transition and Under-19 coach Anthony Clark, has also taken the same approach in coaching Davies.The pair met when Davies was 15 and he continues to turn to Clark for advice.”He’s probably been my biggest mentor throughout my short career so far,” Davies said. “He had a lot to do with me since NSW Under-15s. He’s really my person I go to when I’m talking about batting.”Some coaches can get really technical. He just dumbs it right down and says play the ball late or watch it right onto the bat which for me personally that’s a lot more beneficially and take a lot more out of that than getting bombarded with technical stuff.”He’s my main man who I go to if I need to ask anything or if I’m not doing well, I’ll always go to him.”Opportunities are coming at Davies thick and fast. But ultimately, he knows he will need to be patient if he is to progress to where he wants to go.”In my ideal world, I’d love to be opening the batting in every game that I play in in white-ball cricket,” Davies said. “But obviously I understand that opportunity probably isn’t going to come anytime soon for me. If I get an opportunity to play in the NSW one-day side I’ve just got to take wherever they put me at.”I got told if I play I would be batting at six. I think that’s something I will have to adjust to. That’s the position I’m probably going to start in.”
Looking to seal a summer of incomings in style, Aston Villa scouts were reportedly in attendance to watch their target in action as he got his league campaign underway on Friday.
Aston Villa transfer news
Whether it's Ian Maatsen, Amadou Onana or Jaden Philogene, it's been a rare occasion when Aston Villa haven't been stealing the headlines on the transfer front this summer. Unai Emery has instantly been rewarded for taking his side into the Champions League with a host of reinforcements, representing the growing ambitions of those in charge at Villa Park.
Villa don't seem to be done there, either, with links to another attacking addition as Jhon Duran continues to be linked with a departure. According to Turkey-based outlet ABC Gazetesi, Aston Villa scouts were in attendance to watch Baris Alper Yilmaz as he got his Turkish Super Lig season underway in a 2-1 victory over Hatayspor on Friday night.
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With talks reportedly opened for his signature, that victory over Hatayspor could yet prove to be Yilmaz's final game for Galatasaray, especially if Villa match their supposed €30m (£26m) price tag for the winger, who can also lead the line up top.
With doubts over Duran's future, Yilmaz would certainly be a wise signing for Villa to make, and for £26m, he could quickly become a bargain buy this summer.
"Important" Yilmaz can replace Duran
On paper, cashing in on Duran before signing Yilmaz would certainly work for all parties. The Turkey international proved that he could cut it at the top throughout Euro 2024, during which he earned the praise of Virgil van Dijk after the Netherlands edged past his side at the quarter-final stage.
Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk
The Liverpool captain said (via Rousing The Kop): "Baris Alper Yilmaz was running constantly. He was running elusive. It was difficult for every defender. He made it very hard for us. He couldn’t score a goal though. If we were to describe him in any way, he is a really important player."
Whilst a goal didn't come for him in that game, Yilmaz had plenty to celebrate before the Euros following an excellent campaign at Galatasaray.
Minutes
2,543
475
Goals
6
5
Assists
6
0
With just weeks until the transfer window slams shut, Villa will have to move fast if they want to land Yilmaz's signature, and will likely need to find a solution for Duran's future before stepping things up. As has been the case all summer long, it seems Villa are a side to watch in the transfer market.
An angry Hansi Flick slammed the entire Barcelona team after they squandered a two-goal lead to drop points against Celta Vigo.
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Celta mount late comeback in 2-2 drawFlick raged at Barcelona playersBlew two-goal lead to drop pointsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
In-form winger Raphinha opened the scoring in the 15th minute before Robert Lewandowski doubled the lead just after the hour mark. Just when it seemed that Barcelona were on their way to securing all three points, Celta Vigo staged a brilliant comeback after Marc Casado picked up a late red card. Alfon Gonzalez scored his team's opening in the 84th minute and two minutes later Hugo Alvarez netted the equaliser to seal a crucial point for the hosts.
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Barcelona boss Flick was understandably frustrated as his team gave up on a two-goal and dropped two important points. After the draw, the German coach publicly slammed his players for lacking confidence with the ball and their overall dismal showing during the match.
WHAT FLICK SAID
In his post-match press conference, the Barca boss said, "It wasn't just the last 10 minutes. It was the whole match. We played a really bad game. We have to be honest. We made a lot of mistakes, also in the first half, and we weren't confident with the ball. We didn't play the football we're used to. We were lucky with some situations and in the end we got a point and we have to react because it can't be repeated."
He added, "These are things that can happen but we have to look forward. The least bad thing is that it's only one match and we got a point but we're not happy and neither are the players. Everyone can play better than today."
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The Catalan club saw their lead reduced to five points at the top of the table after the result against Celta. They will be next seen in action on Tuesday night in the Champions League against Brest.
In another change to the playing conditions, the discretionary batting powerplay has been scrapped
ESPNcricinfo staff01-Apr-2021Less than a year out of the 2022 Women’s ODI World Cup in New Zealand, the ICC has announced that all tied 50-over international matches will be decided by a Super Over. In another change to the playing conditions, the five-over powerplay that was previously taken at the discretion of either batters in the middle has been scrapped.Meanwhile, the inaugural Under-19 women’s World Cup that was due to be staged in Bangladesh later this year has been postponed to January 2023.”Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the establishment and subsequent development of the U19 programmes in many countries and teams would not be able prepare appropriately for a global event later this year,” the ICC stated in a release. Likewise, the global qualifier for the 2022 Women’s World Cup, will also be postponed and will now be held in December 2021.Related
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Mel Jones, who had joined the Cricket Australia board in 2019 in what was the first instance of a woman being appointed via one of the state associations, and New Zealand Cricket’s Catherine Campbell were named as the Full Member representatives on the ICC Women’s Committee.The ICC board also decided that Test and ODI status will be given to all Full Member women’s teams.
Liverpool kick off their Premier League campaign with a clash against Ipswich Town this time next week, opening the season with a game at Portman Road.
There will be a new man in the dugout for the first time since 2015 as Arne Slot prepares for his competitive debut as the club's manager, having replaced Jurgen Klopp at the end of last season.
The Dutchman has been brought in from Feyenoord and is yet to be backed with a new signing in the summer transfer window, which has been open for almost two months.
However, that is not through a lack of trying as the Reds are reportedly confident that they will get a deal over the line for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, who has a £51m release clause in his contract with the Spanish side.
This means that Slot could be set to bolster his options in the middle of the park, the number six position in particular, but that is not the only area of the pitch that could see some change before the end of the summer transfer window.
Possible defensive changes for Liverpool
Football Insider recently reported that there are some doubts over central defender Ibrahima Konate's future at Anfield, after his short time with the new manager.
The outlet claimed that the Liverpool boss has been left unconvinced by the France international's fitness issues and performances, both in training and in matches.
This could open the door to a possible exit from the club before the end of the window but Football Insider did not reveal whether or not there is any active interest in his services.
Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate looks dejected
Meanwhile, GIVEMESPORT claims that Slot is keen on a move for Benfica centre-back Antonio Silva to bolster his defensive set-up this summer.
The report states that the Dutch boss is currently assessing his central defensive options and has identified the Portuguese starlet as a possible target.
It adds that the Benfica enforcer has a release clause of £85m in his current contract but it remains to be seen whether or not the Reds could negotiate a cheaper fee for his signature.
GIVEMESPORT reveals that Willian Pacho, who is set to sign for PSG, and Leny Yoro, who signed for Manchester United, were also targets for the club earlier in the window.
The Reds must now press ahead with a move for Silva if they decide to cash in on Konate, as he could be the dream replacement for the Frenchman.
Ibrahima Konate's form last season
In the 2023/24 campaign, the former RB Leipzig central defender only started 17 matches in the Premier League as he struggled to remain fit.
He missed five games through injury or suspension and was then an unused substitute in 11 outings in the top-flight, which suggests that Klopp either was not happy with his performances or with his fitness levels when available.
In those 17 games in the Premier League, it was a mixed bag from Konate as he showcased his physical attributes with dominant defending, but was also prone to the occasional error.
Starts
17
Dribbled past
7x
Error led to goal
1
Red cards
1
Ground duel success rate
60%
Aerial duel success rate
71%
As you can see in the table above, he did win the majority of his battles on the ground and in the air but also let the side down with a red card and an error that led directly to a goal.
Those lapses in judgement and concentration might be what Slot has been left unconvinced by when analysing his performances, which is why his future is now in doubt.
Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate
There is also the concern over his fitness issues. Konate has missed 85 games through injury for club and country since the start of the 2019/20 campaign, for RB Leipzig, Liverpool, and France combined.
This means that it is difficult for Slot to rely upon him heading into the 2024/25 campaign as he has a track record of picking up injury issues that keep him out of action for a significant period of time.
Therefore, Liverpool should swoop to sign Silva from Benfica before the end of the summer transfer window as a dream replacement for him.
Why Antonio Silva would be a dream signing
Firstly, the 20-year-old is yet to suffer a single significant or noteworthy injury in his professional career to date, with zero games missed through injury – per Transfermarkt.
Despite his young age, Silva has already racked up 94 appearances for Benfica in all competitions, having made his breakthrough as a regular fixture in the side during the 2022/23 campaign.
Antonio Silva for Benfica.
This shows that the Portugal international is a reliable and durable performer who can be called upon week-in-week-out without any concerns about his fitness or availability, unlike Konate.
Therefore, Slot could bring him into the squad and know that he would be able to rely on him as a regular starter next to Virgil van Dijk, in competition with Jarell Quansah, due to his excellent injury record.
At the age of 20, Silva would also arrive at Anfield as a player with huge potential as he has many, many, years left ahead of him to develop and improve under the Reds boss, which could make him a fantastic signing for now and for the future.
Appearances
30
22
Pass accuracy
93%
88%
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.9
2.5
Duel success rate
67%
66%
Ground duel success rate
72%
60%
As you can see in the table above, the Benfica enforcer could also come in and be an upgrade on Konate if he can translate his form over to the Premier League, as he won a higher percentage of his duels and completed a higher percentage of his passes last term.
Silva also went through the season without picking up a red card or making a single error that led to a goal, which suggests that he is more reliable at the back than the Liverpool dud.
The £85m-rated star, who was described as "aggressive" by analyst Ben Mattinson, appears to be the perfect replacement for Konate on paper, due to his availability, ability, and potential to improve.
Imagine him & Zubimendi: Liverpool targeting £20m sensation who Klopp loved
It’s not the first time the Reds have made a move for his services.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has refused to blame striker Erling Haaland for his unusually stuttering form in front of goal.
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Manchester City have lost five in a rowGuardiola says Haaland not to blameTeam would be even worse without strikerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Guardiola has seen his team lose five games in a row in all competitions as the Catalan suffers the worst run of his entire managerial career. The results have left City already eight points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool in the table and down in 10th place in the Champions League standings ahead of the next round of fixtures.
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Guardiola has spoken about his team's problems ahead of City's next game against Feyenoord in the Champions League. The City boss has refused to lay any blame at Haaland's feet, insisting matters would be even worse for his team if they did not have in the Norway international at the Etihad Stadium. Haaland hasn't been at his very prolific best this season but has still managed 12 goals in 12 Premier League games for the champions and three in four in the Champions League.
WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID
He told reporters: "We have four or five wingers, but we only had one. Phil was excellent in that position but he's struggled early with niggles and little things. Kevin has been injured. That is the reality and we have to adapt. I would say the reason for our lack of goals is not Erling Haaland. Without Erling, we would be more in trouble! We are lucky to have Erling. Every game, he has three or four chances. One day he scores two or three."
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All eyes will be on City on Tuesday to see if they can snap their losing streak at home to Feyenoord. After that it's a trip to Anfield to take on Liverpool in a huge Premier League clash.
Bangladesh seek improved batting display as Hagley Oval hosts its first ever men’s day-night ODI
Mohammad Isam22-Mar-2021Big picture After blowing away Bangladesh in the first ODI in Dunedin, New Zealand can press forward to pick up the series win in Christchurch. It is the first men’s day-night match at the Hagley Oval, which has often presented a rock-hard pitch that has traditionally aided fast bowling and confident strokeplay.New Zealand were superior to Bangladesh in almost every area in Dunedin. Trent Boult led a superb opening spell, with Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson and Jimmy Neesham providing timely breakthroughs throughout the innings. The start provided by Martin Guptill and Henry Nicholls thereafter shortened an already tiny chase.Related
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It wasn’t all doom and gloom from the visitors, though. Tamim Iqbal played some shots that reminded of his ability to fight back in the most difficult of circumstances, and the likes of Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah also provided glimpses of their ability. With the ball, Taskin Ahmed and Mahedi Hasan bowled with a mix of attack and control that could come in handy if they are defending a bigger total.Certainly, Bangladesh have to bat big to have any chance of leveling the series in Christchurch. For that, a lot will depend on how well Iqbal and Das tackle the new ball, before the likes of Rahim and Mahmudullah take them deeper into the game. From a bowling perspective too, Mustafizur Rahman has to act as the senior bowler, by bowling a lethal spell with the new ball.Otherwise, we could be in for another quick finish.Form guide (completed matches, most recent first)New Zealand WLWWWBangladesh LWWWWIn the spotlight If Trent Boult has another couple of spells where he makes the new ball hoop around as madly as he did in Dunedin, we might have a short ODI series in our hands. The four-wicket haul was just reward for his immaculate lengths, but more important was how that pushed Bangladesh into a defensive mindset for the rest of their innings.At the start of 2020, Liton Das had vowed to become a tighter batsman but in his last four ODIs, he has scored only 55 runs. He once again got out to a soft dismissal in Dunedin, after working quite hard for almost an hour against a quality pace attack. Bangladesh could really do with some runs at the top from Das if they are to level the series.Team newsNew Zealand are unlikely to break their winning combination after Ross Taylor was ruled out of the second ODI too, due to an injured hamstring.New Zealand (probable): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Henry Nicholls, 3 Devon Conway, 4 Will Young, 5 Tom Latham (capt & wk), 6 James Neesham, 7 Daryl Mitchell, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Kyle Jamieson, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Trent BoultMohammad Saifuddin could replace Hasan Mahmud, but it seems the rest of the line-up may survive any chop as Bangladesh look to bat deep and have at least six bowling options.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal (capt), 2 Liton Das, 3 Soumya Sarkar, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk) 5 Mohammad Mithun, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz 8 Mahedi Hasan, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Hasan MahmudPitch and conditionsNew Zealand and Bangladesh can look to two previous first-innings scores of 289 for 7 (Northern Districts) and 178 all out (New Zealand Women) in day-night matches at the Hagley Oval, with both teams losing. The weather is expected to be a nice and dry 18 degrees celsius in Christchurch.Stats and trivia New Zealand have lost only one out of the ten ODIs that they have played at the Hagley Oval. Bangladesh were bowled out for a total below 150 for the first time since September 2018 in Dunedin.Quotes”We played really well in the first game. It is always nice to start with the intensity in our bowling performance. We really made a statement with the way we started with the bat. We hope to continue that but also expect Bangladesh will bounce back considerably.” – New Zealand coach Gary Stead.”We just never got any momentum because we kept losing wickets (in the first ODI). A lot of soft dismissals as well, let’s be honest. We’re hoping the batters learned from that with the bouncing ball.” – Bangladesh fast-bowling coach Ottis Gibson.
After their first T20I win against Pakistan, the hosts now chase their first-ever bilateral series win in the format
Danyal Rasool24-Apr-2021Big pictureIt was about time the chickens would come home to roost on Pakistan’s middle order, but the manner of that reckoning was so grave even those predicting it were taken aback. A first-ever T20I loss to Zimbabwe, and the fourth-lowest total defended against a Full Member saw Pakistan bowled out for 99 in a chase of 119, losing their last seven wickets for just 21 runs. The confidence shot it gives Zimbabwe cannot be overstated as, against all odds, they go into the third and final T20I with a real chance of springing upon Pakistan a chastening series defeat.There is, of course, room for improvement for both sides, especially with the bat. Zimbabwe restricted Pakistan thanks to a combination of a near-flawless performance with the ball, in the field and the total capitulation of the visitors. While stand-in captain Brendan Taylor will want a repeat performance in that respect from his side, Pakistan are unlikely to be that listless two games in a row. To counter that, Zimbabwe could work on the way they paced their own innings with the bat, putting little pressure on Pakistan, almost content to canter along to a sub-120 total.With Craig Ervine ruled out of the series and Sean Williams nursing a hand issue in for the last game, Zimbabwe lost plenty of experience, so the return of the latter might not be a surprise. Taylor did mention after the match that his side might have to approach the powerplay with a touch more positivity, setting the tempo for the remainder of the innings. The pitches here in Harare appear to have plenty in them for bowlers, with both captains agreeing totals around 140-150 were challenging. With Zimbabwe having felt they left runs out there, they go into the decider on equal terms.Pakistan, meanwhile, appear to be on that precipice from which they could lurch either to brilliance or chaos, with no way of predicting which it will be. They were given a nudge towards the latter after the second T20I with Shoaib Malik taking to Twitter to lambast “unacquainted decision makers”. What should have been a series to try out new players and fine-tune certain aspects of their game for the T20 World Cup has instead thrown up a decider of extreme pressure, giving this series a higher profile than most would have accorded it a few days ago.Form guideZimbabwe WLLLL(last five completed T20Is, most recent first) Pakistan LWWWLIn the spotlightWesley Madhevere was by far the brightest spark of Zimbabwe’s tour of Pakistan a few months ago, but he hasn’t quite lit up this series just yet, particularly with the bat. There have been glimpses of his ability in these two games, but justice to his talent is yet to be done. His dismissal in the previous game was especially disappointing when he attempted a low-percentage reverse sweep and gave away his wicket while Zimbabwe desperately needed him to bat deep. His contribution with the ball, though, has been surprisingly impactful, conceding just 27 runs in five overs and taking two wickets across the two games.Mohammad Hafeez was believed to be a panacea of sorts for the middle order; unlike the rest, he was in excellent form in the lead up to Pakistan’s tours of South Africa and Zimbabwe. He missed South Africa’s T20I series in Pakistan because he was playing the T10 League in the UAE, where he excelled, and went on to distinguish himself with his performances in the PSL. However, that form has not turned into output at the international level in a beleaguered middle order, further amplifying Pakistan’s woes. He had a phenomenally successful 2020, barging his way back into Pakistan’s T20 World Cup plans, but if this barren run continues, he could find himself frozen out in double-quick time.Team newsIf Williams returns, he will add experience to the batting line-up, but it’s unlikely Zimbabwe will wish to make too many changes to the side that helped them win the second T20I.Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, 2 Brendan Taylor (capt & wk), 3 Tadiwanashe Marumani, 4 Wesley Madhevere, 5 Regis Chakabva, 6 Ryan Burl, 7 Tarisai Musakanda, 8 Luke Jongwe, 9 Wellington Masakadza, 10 Blessing Muzarabani, 11 Richard NgaravaPakistan rested Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali for the last two games, but with the series on the line, it would not be a surprise to see them make an appearance.Pakistan (probable): 1 Babar Azam (capt), 2 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 3 Fakhar Zaman 4 Sharjeel Khan/Asif Ali 5 Danish Aziz 6 Mohammad Hafeez 7 Faheem Ashraf 8 Hasan Ali 9 Mohammad Hasnain/Haris Rauf 10 Shaheen Shah Afridi 11 Usman QadirPitch and conditionsThe weather is clear again, and with the boundaries as big as they are, a target around 150 should put the side batting first in a decent position. Both sides have fielded first upon winning the toss, but have ended up failing to chase down targets.Stats and trivia Zimbabwe have never won a bilateral T20I series (they did win a one-off T20I against West Indies in 2010). Williams is 64 away from 1000 runs in T20Is. Taylor is 86 short of the same milestone. For Zimbabwe, only Hamilton Masakadza (1662) has more T20I runs.