South Africa’s spinners took nine wickets between them to derail Sri Lanka

Firdose Moonda12-Sep-2021

South Africa won their final outing before the T20 World Cup emphatically. They did so by first bowling Sri Lanka out for their lowest first innings total at home and then polished off the total inside 15 overs. The victory gave South Africa a 2-0 lead in the three-match series, with the last fixture on Tuesday, and leaves Sri Lanka with several questions in the format they are struggling the most.Worryingly for Sri Lanka, they were undone in their own conditions by a quartet of South African spinners and Anrich Nortje. Bjorn Fortuin, Aiden Markram, Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi took nine wickets and conceded 63 runs in the 16.1 overs they bowled. Markram, who has emerged as a genuine bowling option on this tour, finished with a career-best 3 for 21, which included two caught and bowled dismissals and the big wicket of Kusal Perera, Sri Lanka’s top-scorer.Perera, who made his comeback after recovering from Covid-19, was responsible for almost a third of their total runs with only one other batter, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, making 20 or more. Sri Lanka’s highest partnership was the second-wicket stand of 28, and losing 7 for 32 between the 10th and 19th over did them no favours.South Africa’s top three encountered few problems on their way to the target, leaving their middle order and lower order untested, but their backroom staff satisfied after what has been an inconsistent time for the national side. This is their third successive T20I series win under Mark Boucher. They had earlier beaten West Indies and Ireland.Runs, at last Rajapaksa scored his first runs against South Africa after bagging three ducks in his previous three innings. He met his second delivery with a powerful pull that nearly carried to the square leg boundary, where Aiden Markram tried to keep in the playing area but couldn’t. Rajapaksa stepped out to hit the next ball over the covers for six and took back-to-back boundaries off Markram before playing a full toss back into Markram’s hands to depart for an entertaining 20.Shamsi v Shanaka Sri Lanka’s captain hit the biggest six of their innings when he danced down the track to meet a TShamsi delivery on the full. He sent it back over the bowler’s head and onto the top-tier of the stands from where it ricocheted back to the field. His strike came as Sri Lanka were approaching the halfway stage of their innings, at a time when they appeared to be bogged down by spin. Unfortunately for the hosts, Shanaka could not do too much to change that.Immediately after his magnificent six, Shanaka stepped out and attempted to flick Shamsi, but missed the line only to see the ball spin back in to knock back his stumps. While that settled the Shamsi v Shanaka battle, it wasn’t the No.1. bowler’s moment of the match. That came in his final over, when Shamsi delivered a ball that turned past Chamika Karunaratne’s inside-edge from outside off to beat his drive and bowl him. Shamsi finished with 3 for 20.Sri Lanka’s poor reviewing continues As was the case in the first match, Sri Lanka were willing to pounce on any opportunity to get rid of Quinton de Kock early. Dushmantha Chameera and Dinesh Chandimal convinced Shanaka to review when de Kock missed a pull off the fourth delivery of the innings. The pair thought the ball may have kissed the bottom edge. UltraEdge showed only a flat line as ball past bat and Sri Lanka were in the same position they were the last time – with a review lost and de Kock still at the crease. They were unable to get rid of him and only broke the opening stand in the ninth over, when Reeza Hendricks top-edged Wanindu Hasaranga and was caught by Chandimal towards square leg.Quinny’s perfect 10 De Kock brought up his 10th T20I fifty, and fourth this year, with a gorgeous cover drive off Hasaranga to cap off an innings laced with well-timed and eye-catching shots. His innings featured three cover drives, a cut, a slice to third man and two sweeps and he was in almost complete control from the first ball to the last. South Africa rested de Kock for the ODI series, which they lost, and while it’s unlikely that they need any confirmation of his value to the side, if they needed any, it came in this innings.

The season may only be just over a month old at this point, but Tottenham Hotspur fans have already witnessed the very best and worst of their team.

For example, they lost to Arsenal and Newcastle United and drew away to Leicester City, but they also beat Everton and Brentford at home while playing some great football in the process.

In short, it has been a topsy-turvy start to Ange Postecoglou’s second year at the club, but with that impressive win over the Bees in their last outing, things do look to be on the up and up for the North Londoners.

However, the next game could be something of a banana skin as Azerbaijani champions Qarabağ FK come to London for the Lilywhites’ opening game of the Europa League, and while Postecoglou has to get a result, he should also make a few changes.

Why James Maddison should be dropped

There are a few first-teamers who could and probably should be rested for tonight’s European clash, but one who definitely should be is James Maddison.

Now, it would be fair to say that over the last six to nine months, the Englishman hasn’t been at his very best when compared to his initial impact in North London, but the reason he should drop to the bench isn’t down to that; instead, it is about his fitness.

The former Foxes ace has a pretty dreadful injury record and has missed 46 games since the start of the 20/21 season – including 13 last year – so it would be an unnecessary risk to play arguably the team’s best creator in a match that, while challenging, should end in a victory for Spurs.

Moreover, while it’s still too early to say whether he’s rediscovered his form, the 27-year-old was brilliant in Saturday’s victory against Brentford and currently has one goal and two assists in six appearances this season, further strengthening the argument that he should be rested in a game such as this one.

Why Lucas Bergvall should replace Maddison

Yes, the squad player Postecoglou should look to start in place of Maddison tonight is the incredibly exciting Lucas Bergvall.

The young Swede, who joined the team this summer after completing his £8.5m move in January, has come off the bench a few times so far this season, but his only start came in the 2-1 win over Coventry City, and while that was a night to forget for most of the team, he showed glimpses of class.

In fact, while he couldn’t score or assist a goal that night, the 18-year-old gem showed that even when things go wrong around him, he won’t hide, as throughout his 62 minutes on the pitch, he constantly showed for the ball, taking 47 touches, and tried to make things happen, attempting 31 passes.

Moreover, there is a tremendous amount of excitement and hope around what the youngster could become down the line, with respected analyst Ben Mattinson describing him as an “uber-complete” talent who is “super creative” and destined to become both an “£80m player” and future “captain” in the years to come.

While that might sound hyperbolic to some, it’s easy to see where he is coming from when you consider that, despite still being just 18 years old, the midfield dynamo was able to rack up nine goals and six assists in 47 first-team appearances for Swedish first-tier side Djurgården before coming to England.

Appearances

47

Goals

9

Assists

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.31

Finally, while Postecoglou and the team as a whole must treat Qarabağ with as much respect as any other team, there is no denying that they are not on the same level as Premier League opposition, so this match represents the perfect opportunity to hand the club’s exciting youngsters another start.

Ultimately, with so many important games to come in a relatively short space of time and his poor injury record, Postecoglou should look to rest Maddison for tonight’s game and, in his stead, give Bergvall a chance to start his second game for Spurs.

Ange must finally axe Spurs star who earns more than Udogie & Van de Ven

The experienced ace should be moved on in January.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 25, 2024

Steve Cooper will forever be an icon at Nottingham Forest, ending the club’s two-decade exile from the Premier League during the 2021/22 season.

The Welshman took over the club whilst they were bottom of the Championship, with just one point from the first eight games of the season, before somehow transforming the team after his appointment.

He led the Reds to the new Wembley for the first time, beating Huddersfield Town 1-0 in the play-off final at Wembley – securing promotion to England’s top-flight.

After huge investment from owner Evangelos Marinakis, he kept the club up during their first term in the Premier League – beating Arsenal 1-0 in the penultimate game of the season, subsequently ending the Gunners’ title ambitions.

However, Cooper would lose his job halfway through the 2023/24 campaign, with the club lingering dangerously close to the relegation zone in December after a run of six games without a win.

It was an emotional departure, especially after everything he had achieved at the City Ground, leaving the next manager with a huge void to fill whilst also handing them the task of keeping the Reds in the Premier League.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s stats at Forest

Former Wolves and Tottenham boss Nuno Espírito Santo was the man chosen to replace Cooper, with his appointment unconvincing to many of the supporters.

However, back-to-back wins over Newcastle United and Manchester United during the festive period immediately got the fans on his side after his appointment.

The 50-year-old isn’t as much of a sweet talker compared to Cooper, but he’s a man who likes to stay out of the limelight and let the players do the talking on the pitch – with his side doing exactly that despite the challenges surrounding the club off the pitch towards the end of his first campaign at the helm.

Nuno ensured survival despite the club being hit with a four-point deduction for breaching the Premier League’s PSR rules for the previous three-year period.

End-of-season victories against Burnley, Sheffield United and Fulham secured their Premier League status for another season, giving Nuno a chance to implement his own signings and tactics on the squad.

His side have made an excellent start to the new campaign, only losing one of the first seven league outings – even beating Liverpool at Anfield for the first time since 1969 thanks to a superb second-half strike from Callum Hudson-Odoi.

As a result, the Portuguese currently has a 30% win record, but leading Forest to have the second-best defensive record in the league so far this season.

The Reds have only conceded six goals from the opening seven matches of the 2024/25 campaign, with only Liverpool having a better record following the second intention break of the season.

However, he’s managed to achieve all his latest achievements without one player who he offloaded during his first transfer window in charge of the club just a couple of months ago.

The man who Nuno sold in January 2024

Midfielder Orel Mangala joined the Reds in a €15m (£12.7m) deal from German side Stuttgart during their first transfer window after promotion back to the Premier League.

The Belgian immediately slotted into the squad, starting alongside Lewis O’Brien, but the partnership was quickly abandoned after the Englishman was left out of the club’s Premier League squad after further arrivals.

However, Mangala remained a key part of the Forest side, making 31 appearances in all competitions during his debut campaign in the East Midlands.

The midfielder grabbed his first goal in the Garibaldi red, coming in the 2-1 defeat against Leeds United at Elland Road, in a night that looked as though Cooper was set to be sacked, but ultimately proved to be a turning point in the club’s season.

His second season on Trentside started in the same way as he ended his first, with the “unbelievable” Mangala, as dubbed by former loanee Dean Henderson, making 20 appearances in the Premier League up until the January transfer window.

Within his 20 appearances, he registered his second goal for the club, firing home from range during the 2-0 victory over Aston Villa – a huge win given their form that season, which saw Unai Emery’s side secure Champions League football.

It would be his last month as a Forest player, subsequently leaving the club under Nuno’s watchful eye, joining French side Lyon on loan until the end of the season, with a £10m loan fee attached to the deal.

The 26-year-old would move to the Ligue 1 outfit for £20m during the recent transfer window, taking his combined transfer to £30m – making the club a huge profit on the fee paid for him two years prior.

Nottingham Forest’s most expensive departures

Player

Season

Fee

1) Brennan Johnson

2023/24

£47.5m

2) Orel Mangala

2024/25

£30m

3) Moussa Niakhate

2024/25

£27m

4) Odysseas Vlachodimos

2024/25

£20m

5) Britt Assombalonga

2017/18

£15m

Stats via Transfermarkt

Given the plethora of other options currently at the club, Nuno undoubtedly made the right call in allowing him to leave – especially considering his huge drop in value since his departure.

Orel Mangala’s market value in 2024

Despite his recent transfer to Lyon, Mangala is currently on a season-long loan at fellow Premier League side Everton as he aims to put a dent in Forest’s survival bid for Sean Dyche’s side.

He’s so far made three starts in the league for the Toffees but is yet to reignite his best form from the City Ground, only featuring for a combined 256 minutes since his temporary move.

However, his market value has taken a hit in recent weeks, with the Belgian now only valued at £9m, as per Football Transfers, despite his big-money transfer away from the East Midlands.

His value has subsequently decreased £21m from the fee received from his transfer, with the Belgian’s move helping Nuno’s side avoid a second season of punishment from the league for a potential PSR breach.

Whilst he was a valued member of the squad, players such as Ibrahim Sangare, James Ward-Prowse and Elliot Anderson are undoubtedly a level above Mangala.

Given the circumstances and the fee, it was a deal far too good for the club to turn down, with the club making the right call in allowing him to depart, especially considering his rapid decline in value.

Related Weekly wages: Nottingham Forest FC 2025/26 highest-paid players

Football FanCast take a look at Nottingham Forest’s top ten biggest earners for the 2024/25 season.

Posts ByCharlie Smith Sep 24, 2025

The Eastern Conference side missed out on the playoffs on the final day of the 2024 season, but have stayed committed to a long-term vision

Most star players would have bought Rolexes – or maybe something nicer. But after D.C. United’s MLS Golden Boot winner Christian Benteke kept a promise he made at the beginning of the season, and took the squad to Miami for the weekend after becoming the league’s top scorer.

“That was a way to thank all of my teammates because, without them, I wouldn’t be the top goalscorer,” Benteke said at MLS media day.

The trip marked the conclusion of what was an admittedly mixed 2024 campaign. D.C. was good in parts, and woeful in others. It all culminated in the club missing out on playoffs on the final day of the season.

The response from the organization? Make a litany of roster moves, and address some key areas, but neglect to bring in another star player to accompany their big-name striker. Still, for those in decision-making roles, this has been a scientific offseason, one that prioritized depth over big names with a view to building a club that has significant ambitions.

“Part of it was just the lack of depth that we had,” Ally Mackay, the club's general manager and chief soccer officer, told GOAL. “And I think that's something we've been able to rectify in the off-season. Obviously, there were a lot of players at the last game of the season that are no longer with us.”

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowImagnA mixed 2024

The 2024 season was one of progress, head coach Troy Lesesne insisted. The former New York Red Bulls interim manager, who was in his first season in charge of the four-time MLS Cup champions, oversaw statistical improvement. D.C. United may have finished 10th in the Eastern Conference, but they improved from 12th the year before.

Spearheaded by Benteke and his 23 goals, the scored more — raising their tally from 45 goals to 52. A couple of rough patches in the middle of the season limited a playoff spot that might have been within reach.

But they were also woeful in some areas. Their 70 goals conceded was the third worst in MLS – and 21 more than the year before.

“We have to address the issue of the amount of goals that we gave up last year,” Lesesne said. “But it doesn't just come from the individuals that we moved on from.”

Still, there were some obvious factors to point to. The loss of captain Steve Birnbaum, who retired midseason after back-to-back knee operations saw him effectively unable to run. Also gone was Russell Canouse, an experienced defensive midfielder, thanks to a trio of stomach operations to treat ulcerative colitis – a serious condition of the digestive system.

But there were also broader issues. Lesesne admitted that he made some errors as a coach.

“When we got broken down in the first phase and how we recovered, that's not good enough,” Lesesne said. “And so that's on me. That's not on the players. They have their responsibility, but I have to give them more clarity. And then our structure with the ball, I think we had some ideas, but not clear enough ideas for us to be able to know how to manipulate the opponent.”

AdvertisementIMGANConvicing a star to stay on amid a clearout

The solution was a clear out. United made headlines when they released all four of their goalkeepers. Canouse was let go on a free transfer. Nine players had their 2025 contract options declined.

In addition, promising young defender Matai Akinmboni was sent to Bournemouth in a multi-million dollar deal, meaning the club had just 16 players on their senior roster.

In truth, though, this whole process started last March. Benteke went into Lesesne’s office and admitted that he wasn’t sure if he would sign a new contract. He wanted time to assess his options ahead of the season.

“He just said, ‘Hey, listen, I think there's a good relationship between us.’ And he communicated that he liked the identity in which we were trying to establish, both on the field and off the field. He could see how it would benefit him,” Lesesne said.

And then the goals started. Lots of them. Benteke accounted for almost half of United’s attacking production. It all looked like an elite striker finally finding his groove in his third season in the league. That helped negotiations, and the two sides finally came to an agreement at the end of the season.

“There was a lot of respect there. I thought we would always get it done. Once Christian made it known that he wanted to stay in D.C., and all of that came into fruition, it was pretty straightforward,” Mackay said.

Benteke, for his part, admitted that his relationship with his manager – and his vision for the future – was crucial.

“I’ve had a good relationship with Troy since Day 1. He gave me a lot of responsibility for the team, and he gave me also a lot of trust to lead this team. Me and him are on the same page for many, many things,” Benteke said at MLS's Media Day in Miami, FL.

GettyPiecing together a roster

It’s a vision that has become clearer throughout the offseason. After the sweeping roster moves were made, Mackay and Co. went to work. It was a meticulous process, piecing this whole thing together. Every conversation started with Lesesne outlining the needs at a given position. Then it was down to scouting, Mackay, and further conversations. And then, Lesesne has the final word.

“The game model is put in place by myself and our coaching staff,” Lesesne explained. “We have very specific profiles that fit this game model, then it allows our scouts to go and identify that. Then the last piece is I sit down with Ally, Eamon [Dunlavey] and Caleb [Shreve], and we review the ones that do, and then we make a decision.”

Crunch the numbers, run the finances, identify holes, and what D.C. ended up with was a number of key signings that are focused on improving the depth of the squad. Korean goalkeeper Kim Joon Hong, acquired from K-League side Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC, seems to be the long-term option in between the sticks.

Kye Rowles was brought in from Scottish side Hearts, and projects to fill the void left by Birnbaum. Randall Leal, claimed off waivers after leaving Nashville, should offer a killer pass in the final third – and chip in with a few goals.

“I saw a lot of players coming in, but I don't really know them, but from what I can tell they are all young. For me, that aspect of being young, it doesn't really matter as long as you are good,” Benteke said.

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GettyLetting the kids play

This is nothing new. Injuries across the squad forced D.C. to dip into the depths of their squad last year. Turns out, there’s some good homegrown talent – as well as acquisitions in their early 20s – to play with here.

“Matti Peltola, Jackson Hopkins, Ted Ku-Dipietro, Gabi Pirani, they had to step up. And maybe we don’t get that development from them individually, as well as some of the different assessments we were able to make throughout the season, to make some offseason roster decisions,” Lesesne said.

Mackay insists, too, that the local area’s talent will help. FC Dallas and Philadelphia Union have long been the gold standard for talent identification and development within MLS. But D.C. names such as Akinmboni, Kevin Paredes, and Moses Nyeman have all netted transfer fees in European deals.

The front office also hopes that the academy itself can provide further options for the first team in the years to come.

“We've just started a residency program, for example, that will get ramped up this year. I believe that the territory that we have in the DMV. It's one of the best in the country,” Mackay said. “So we have to bottleneck that through D.C., and we've already got some really promising players.”

The astronomical fee that Alphonso Davies will reportedly pocket to stay at Bayern Munich has been revealed.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Davies out of contract this summer
• Set to snub Real Madrid move
• Bayern contract offer revealed

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to reports in Germany, Davies will sign a five-year deal until 2030 with Bayern, have a fixed salary of €15 million (£13m/$16m) and €5m (£4m/$5m) in performance-based bonuses, and secure a €20m (£17m/$21m) signing on fee.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  This comes after Bayern reportedly made a breakthrough to get Davies to extend his stay with the German giants, at a time when he was into the last six months of his contract. Real Madrid have been heavily linked with the left-back for some time now but it seems their bid to sign the 24-year-old this summer is over.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Canada international Davies joined Bayern from Vancouver Whitecaps in 2018 and since then he has gone onto play 220 times for the club, win five Bundesliga titles and become one of the world's best left-backs.

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• getty
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  While Davies inches closer to extending his stay at Bayern, Vincent Kompany's men travel to Freiburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Australia fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck will not be considered for selection until the T20I series against India next month as head coach Matthew Mott weights up the delicate balancing act of protecting the young quick bowlers.Mott confirmed that Vlaeminck, who missed last year’s T20 World Cup with a stress fracture of her foot, had suffered some injury niggles during her pre-season in Victoria and a cautious approach would be taken to increasing her workloads with an eye on next year’s ODI World Cup in New Zealand.Vlaeminck had made her international comeback on the tour of New Zealand in March and April where she played four of the six matches although one was washed out.He also conceded that how to get Australia’s pace bowlers through the day-night Test with very limited preparation – which has included 14 days hard quarantine for those from Victoria and New South Wales – had been the “biggest headache” leading into this series. The squad had their first hit out on Thursday in an intra-squad match.Australia were already without swing bowler Megan Schutt and left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen for this series so the attack will have a youthful look. Mott expected every player in the squad would get a game over the course of the seven matches, which begin with the first ODI on September 21.Related

• Haynes, Lanning, Mooney, Campbell shine in Australians' warm-up win

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• Sneaky battles, weird results: the Australia-India rivalry

“It’s a congested schedule so we’ll have to churn through some bowlers, the young bowlers will need to be managed really well particularly with the preparation we’ve had,” he said. “The first couple of days were always the danger period, so getting a match like that under our belt was absolute gold.”It’s definitely given the [Sport Science Sport Medicine] staff the biggest headache in the off-season, planning for that Test, because we are used to so much one-day cricket. Managing the loads and building them up nicely has been the way, then we’ve had to compromise with tools down for 14 days. It will be a challenge, but it is for both teams.”Mott saw the spinners taking on a significant amount of work in the Test – tipping left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux to fill the role vacated by Jonassen’s injury and Ash Gardner’s offspin to be used more – with the quicks saved for short bursts.The chance of a Test debut for Darcie Brown, one of the few players who did not need to undergo the 14 days hard quarantine as she lives in Adelaide, has improved significantly. Stella Campbell and Maitlan Brown, who are both uncapped at international level, will also be in the frame.”They are resilient, strong players but they are young and history suggests they are at their most vulnerable age so we’ll have to be really smart about what the one-day series looks like and how we can graduate their loads safely,” Mott said.”What we have found in our stats for the last few Tests is that spinners bowl a lot of the overs as well, so having someone like Darcie come in for short spells is probably how she’ll be used. Meg will make those decisions on the field but think our quicks will certainly be used a lot more for impact than grunt work.”Ellyse Perry is also shaping as an important figure in the attack having had another off-season to work on her form after struggling to find her best rhythm in last summer’s comeback from the serious hamstring injury suffered at the T20 World Cup.”[Bowling coach] Ben Sawyer is really happy with where she’s at, thinks at the crease he can’t remember her being as strong as she has been,” Mott said. “It’s something we’ve spoken about, that without Schutt and Jonassen she’ll play a pivotal role in leading our attack with some young bowlers around her.”Mott also confirmed that Alyssa Healy and Rachael Haynes are the likely opening pair for the Test, although Healy’s workload in the field would be monitored.

MatériaMais Notícias

Apresentado na última semana pelo ABC, o zagueiro Richardson afirmou que espera retribuir a oportunidade dada pelo time potiguar dentro de campo.

Richardson já chegou a vestir a camisa do ABC entre 2019 e 2020, conquistando o campeonato estadual no último ano. Com 29 anos, tem passagens por América-RN, Ferroviário-CE e Campinense-PB.

– Pensamento bom, um clube que tenho um carinho imenso, sempre me abraçou e deu oportunidade. Espero retribuir tudo isso dentro de campo com bom desempenho – disse o zagueiro.

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O ABC se classificou para o Brasileirão Série C. E o objetivo de Richardson já é conquistar um lugar na segunda divisão nacional.

– Espero que esse ano a gente conquiste nossos objetivos. Quero conquistar o acesso à Série B, mas isso vem com muito trabalho. Procurar dar sempre o máximo nos treinamentos e jogos, para isso acontecer – finalizou Richardson.

He had sustained a back injury on October 6 during the National T20 Cup

Umar Farooq09-Oct-2021Pakistan’s Sohaib Maqsood has been ruled out of the upcoming T20 World Cup after failing an MRI scan on his lower back. Shoaib Malik will replace him in the squad, the PCB has confirmed*. Maqsood had sustained a back injury on October 6 while playing for Southern Punjab against Northern during the National T20 Cup at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, which required him to rest and undergo an extensive rehabilitation process.”Sohaib is devastated to miss out on the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as he had worked hard for this event and was in sparkling form,” chief selector Muhammad Wasim said in the PCB release. “We feel for him but injuries are part and parcel of the sport. I am sure after undergoing rehabilitation, he’ll fully recover to be available for future assignments.”In his place and following discussions with the team management, we have decided to include Shoaib Malik in the side. I am sure Shoaib’s experience will be handy for the entire squad.”Related

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Malik was the captain of the side in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 and was a member of the squad that lifted the trophy in 2009. He also played in the 2012, 2014 and 2016 editions.But he has not played for Pakistan since the England tour last year and the selectors initially opted against picking him for the World Cup by preferring a younger prospect, while looking into the future. Malik continued to play T20 leagues around the world, averaging 30.85 with a strike rate of 133.16 in the last one year in 49 games. His inclusion now has made him the most capped player for Pakistan in ICC events – two ODI World Cups (2011 and 2019), six Champions Trophies, and this will be his sixth T20 World Cup.More recently, however, Malik did not have a great run in the CPL for Guyana Amazon Warriors. In 11 games for them, he managed just 67 runs at an average of 7.44, the worst for a specialist batter (in the top six with minimum 10 innings) in a T20 tournament.Maqsood had been in good form since making his return to the national team after a gap of five years, making a mark in recent tours of England and the West Indies. He then followed it up by helping Multan Sultans to the PSL title this year, scoring five half-centuries from 12 innings at the top of the order and getting more runs in boundaries than any other player in the league.Since the start of 2020 and leading up to this season’s PSL, Maqsood had the highest T20 strike rate among Pakistan batters and the ninth best on the global list (among those with a minimum of 500 runs and 20 innings). It was a marked improvement for the batter, who was previously striking at 125.79.The Pakistan squad will depart for Dubai on October 15 and will play two warm-up games, against West Indies and South Africa on October 18 and 20, before they begin their main campaign in a high-profile clash against India on October 24 in Dubai.Squad: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan (vice-capt), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shaheen Afridi, Shoaib Malik. Traveling reserves: Khushdil Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir.*11.10 GMT: The story was updated after the PCB issued a release

Manchester United are reportedly interested in making a move for a world-renowned Champions League player described as the “Usain Bolt of football”.

Man Utd manager & transfer news

It’s all go at Old Trafford currently, with Erik ten Hag’s future as manager once again a talking point, following a disappointing start to the new Premier League season.

While the Dutchman doesn’t yet appear to be in huge danger of losing his job, more poor results in the coming weeks will likely change the situation, and the likes of Simone Inzaghi and Max Allegri have reportedly been eyed up as successors at United.

In terms of potential new signings in one of the upcoming transfer windows, the Red Devils have been linked with a stunning move for Bayern Munich superstar Jamal Musiala, who is one of world football’s leading young talents currently. Manchester City are reportedly the front-runners to acquire his signature, however, with Real Madrid, Liverpool and Chelsea also interested.

United are also thought to be eyeing up Fulham left-back Antonee Robinson, with Luke Shaw’s injury problems making it increasingly clear that he doesn’t represent the long-term solution in his position.

Man Utd eyeing move for world-renowned speedster

According to Give Me Sport, Manchester United are considering making a move for Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies in the near future.

The report says that he is a name being “considered” along with Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, but it does also stress that Real Madrid are in pole position to snap up the Canadian on a free transfer at the end of this season.

Davies could be an incredible long-term replacement for Shaw if United were able to entice him to Old Trafford, with the 23-year-old arguably the best player in Europe in his position currently.

The Bayern ace is known predominantly for his remarkable speed, which helps him be such an attacking outlet for the Bundesliga giants, and Rio Ferdinand said of him back in 2020: “He is the Usain Bolt of football. His trajectory has been phenomenal. He is now comfortably one of the best left backs in the game. What I love is his desire at both ends of the field. He utilises his pace to devastating effect.”

There was a time when if United chased a world-class player, they had every chance of getting him, given their brilliance under Sir Alex Ferguson. The likes of Ferdinand, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy wanted to join the Red Devils because they were the best around, but their current status under Ten Hag makes it harder to snap up the best talent.

For that reason, the threat of Madrid is a major issue for United, with the Canada international no doubt eyeing a link-up with the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham, but if Sir Jim Ratcliffe managed to get him on a possible free deal, it would be an almighty coup.

A fresh transfer rumour has claimed that Rangers have their eye on a new attacking maestro with a “big future” in the game.

Rangers manager, injury & contract news

The Gers are in the middle of a hiatus from Scottish Premiership action, with the international break arguably not coming at a bad time for manager Philippe Clement, allowing him to reset during a period in which he is under a huge amount of pressure.

Rangers may have beaten St Johnstone 2-0 at Ibrox in their most recent assignment, but the 4-1 defeat at home to Lyon in the Europa League was a low point in the season, leaving many supporters wondering if a change in manager is needed moving forward. For now, the Belgian appears to be safe, though.

Away from the managerial situation, injuries aren’t helping matters this season, with the Scottish giants having to make do without a number of key figures at different points in the campaign. Rabbi Matondo falls into that bracket, but he has hinted that a return is on the cards after the internationals are done and dusted.

In terms of the contract situation at Ibrox currently, John Souttar is expected to extend his stay at the club in the near future, with Dujon Sterling already agreeing a new deal recently.

Rangers admire attacking star with "bright future"

According to a fresh claim from The Boot Room, Rangers “admire” Midtjylland winger Dario Osorio, joining a host of clubs in showing an interest in the 20-year-old.

The Chile international is also wanted by many Premier League teams, including Newcastle United, not to mention the Gers’ Scottish Premiership rivals Celtic.

Osorio is a big up-and-coming talent for Chile, so Rangers being in the mix to snap him up is hugely exciting, at a time when they could with some big-name addition to close the gap on Celtic.

The young winger is a player with a massive amount of potential, with Ricardo Gareca hailing his potential as a footballer, saying: “Osorio is a quiet boy but he can have a bright future. We have a lot of expectations for him because I don’t think he has a ceiling. It will depend a lot on him, how far he wants to go.”

Meanwhile, Chile legend Alexis Sanchez has claimed that Osorio has “a lot of personality”, which is high praise from an iconic figure in his homeland, and he could be worth as much as £10m, with Tottenham linked with him in the past.

After Sterling: Rangers should hand a pay rise to £22k-p/w star

The Light Blues attacking midfielder has enjoyed an impressive start to the season.

2 ByDan Emery Oct 9, 2024

It won’t be easy for Rangers to get their man, given that some Champions League-playing clubs are interested in him, but it could feel like a major coup if they managed to entice him to Ibrox down the line, promising him a role as a key player and allowing him to reach his vast potential as a footballer, making this possibly one to watch.