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Salt admits disappointment to slipping down pecking order but keen to seize opportunity

Matt Roller21-Sep-2023A sodden Headingley outfield delayed its arrival by three days, but England’s latest white-ball opening partnership will stride out to the middle together at Trent Bridge on Saturday with an opportunity to show that they are not just a stop-gap, but a viable long-term option at the top of the order.Phil Salt and Will Jacks were due to open the batting against Ireland before Wednesday’s ODI was abandoned without a ball bowled and both men know that this series is about much more than results. Instead, it represents a chance for them to show that they should be part of a regenerated England side after this World Cup.Salt and Jacks have batted together before, though only six times and all in T20s, rather than 50-over games. They opened together in one of England’s seven T20Is in Pakistan this time last year, and were also opening partners for Pretoria Capitals in the SA20 in January. That they were due to open, with Zak Crawley in the middle order, confirms their status as the next men in.In style, they are similar to the Jason Roy-Alex Hales prototype, the opening pair that launched England’s white-ball revolution. Jacks, like Hales, is the taller of the two, and particularly strong through the covers; Salt, like Roy, is slightly shorter, but a powerful, leg-side dominant player. Unlike Roy and Hales, they both offer secondary skills: Jacks bowls useful offbreaks, while Salt can keep wicket.After England’s humiliating group-stage exit at the 2015 World Cup and ahead of their next full series against New Zealand, Roy and Hales were given an extended run at the top of the order, given licence to fail as long as they played in the team’s new attacking style. Salt and Jacks could be in a similar position – even if England’s white-ball teams are now in a very different place.There is healthy competition between Salt and Jacks. Salt turned 27 last month, Jacks’ 25th birthday is in November, while Salt has 30 international caps and a T20 World Cup winners’ medal to Jacks’ 10. But Jacks was picked ahead of Salt to open the batting in last month’s T20I series against New Zealand, with England keen to give him a run of games.”I was disappointed, I can’t lie to you,” Salt said. “I had a good IPL, but I didn’t do myself justice when I came back for the Blast. Playing for England is where I want to be… if anything, it’s given me motivation to get back in the team and reclaim my place.” He sought feedback from Matthew Mott and Jos Buttler, who explained there had been “a little shift around in the pecking order.”With Hales now retired from international cricket and Roy’s World Cup omission likely to draw a line under his England career, there will soon be spots up for grabs. “I’d like to think so, yeah,” Salt said when asked if he saw himself taking one of them. “There’s a lot of guys in my position also thinking the same thing.”Will Jacks made his T20I debut as Salt’s opening partner•Getty Images

Of course, there is no guarantee that there will be dual vacancies at the top of the order. Buttler recently cautioned against what he sees as an English obsession with age, saying: “We are always looking for the next thing… If people are still performing, age is irrelevant.” After all, England will likely head into next year’s T20 World Cup with Buttler and Jonny Bairstow as their openers.But in ODIs, England will start building towards the 2027 World Cup – and the 2025 Champions Trophy – when they travel to the Caribbean in December. Their fringe players have lined up that tour for further potential opportunities and will make themselves available even if it means limiting their time for franchise cricket; both Salt and Jacks are in demand worldwide, and are likely to be retained for next year’s IPL.”Playing for England is a priority,” Salt said. “There’s a lot of franchise opportunities out there, but every game I can get in an England shirt, I want to take the opportunity with both hands. Some people are at the stage of their career where they are prioritising earning money… [but] right now, I just want to play as many games as I can for England.”After those three fixtures against West Indies, which are followed by five T20Is, England will not play another ODI until September 2024, when they host Australia at the end of the summer. With the country’s leading white-ball cricketers involved in the Hundred rather than the One-Day Cup, the ongoing Ireland series provides rare exposure to 50-over cricket.”It is slightly strange: you’ve got to remember the rules,” Jacks joked on Wednesday. “I’ve barely played [50-over cricket]: I’ve played two games in the last five years.” Salt believes that most players are able to adapt: “The fundamentals and the basics are very, very similar. It’s just spread out over a bigger period of time.”More immediately, they will just hope to get on the pitch: mercifully, Saturday’s forecast for Nottingham suggests they should at least manage that.

Liverpool aren’t supposed to be miles clear at the top of the Premier League.

With Jurgen Klopp stepping down from his manager’s role at the end of the 2023/24 campaign after missing out on the biggest prizes, rivals tittered as Arne Slot took the German’s baton and prepared himself for failure.

These might be echoes of misguided opinion, but Liverpool have been nothing short of mesmerising in their professional brilliance this season, sitting pretty at the top of the division with an 11-point lead over second-place Arsenal.

Into the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United and preparing for a two-legged showdown with Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League, there’s plenty to play for. The high-flying Reds are firing on all cylinders.

Well, maybe not all cylinders – Darwin Nunez has been something of a conundrum since signing for the Merseysiders in a deal worth £85m (a club record), and he’s facing a summer departure after failing to kick on under Slot’s management.

Darwin Nunez's inevitable departure

This was supposed to be Nunez’s season. Liverpool hadn’t signed a striker last summer to kickstart the Slot era, leaving Diogo Jota and the Uruguay international as the two recognised senior options.

It’s nearly March, and Dominik Szoboszlai’s triumphant performance at the Etihad, moonlighting as a centre-forward as Nunez sat cold on the bench, epitomised the saddening situation he finds himself in.

He’s effectively fourth in the pecking order, behind Jota, Luis Diaz and now Szoboszlai. Cody Gakpo would be picked ahead of him too, were the Dutchman not performing so well on the left flank.

How has this happened? Retired striker Dwight Yorke remarked earlier this season that there is a “monster of a player” dwelling somewhere within Nunez’s recesses, but he hasn’t come out for more than flashes of promise across three years as a Red.

Perhaps the most concerning part is he’s having a comparatively effective season in front of goal. And even so, just four Premier League goals to his name, six from 35 appearances across all competitions.

It’s simply not good enough, especially with Jota missing 15 matches so far this term. He’s fit at the moment but has only scored eight goals, playing 22 times.

When you realise there’s a former Liverpool centre-midfielder who was offloaded on a free transfer, you begin to see how concerning Liverpool’s central striking options are in the long term.

The former Liverpool midfielder who's outscoring Nunez

Liverpool have hit the mark with the majority of their signings over the past decade, hitting with greater consistency than certain domestic rivals.

It’s not just about the big-money additions, but Klopp and Michael Edwards’ almost unerring ability to pick out players who had not yet established themselves at the top of the European game.

Take Gini Wijnaldum, for example. Relegated with Newcastle United in 2015/16, the Dutch ace joined Liverpool that summer in a move worth £25m.

Best-known across Europe for that moment in the Champions League, Wijnaldum was far more than an off-the-bench brace, even if it was one of the most significant cameos in Liverpool’s history, helping the injury-hit Reds on to an incredible 4-3 aggregate victory over Barcelona in the semis.

Wijnaldum, now 34, was described as an “irreplaceable” part of Klopp’s dynasty by correspondent Richard Jolly, playing 237 times. He only scored 22 goals, and only placed 17 assists, but then Wijnaldum’s role was one of control and fluency in the middle of the field, fashioned into an industrious workhorse after principally playing on the left flank with the Magpies.

He saw out his £75k-per-week contract on Merseyside, never once renewing. When Liverpool failed to tie him down to fresh terms in 2021, he was snapped up by Paris Saint-Germain, though failed to really kick on in the French capital and left for the riches of the Saudi Pro League in 2023, joining the now-departed Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq.

Klopp had actually gone on the record in November 2020 to state that he “would be happy if he would stay here,” but the impasse failed to find a resolution and Liverpool’s midfield perhaps didn’t look quite the same over the next two years, with Thiago Alcantara routinely injured.

The versatility of the Netherlands man could have been utilised over those next few years, perhaps even stabilising Liverpool in 2022/23, when they fell off a proverbial cliff as several members foundered.

He’s certainly showcased as such with his current outfit, playing across the midfield this season. Despite being fielded as an anchoring presence for the bulk of the term, Wijnaldum has still managed to fire nine goals home across 21 matches, recently claiming a brace in a 3-2 win over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr.

Central midfield

31

7

7

Defensive midfield

14

2

0

Attacking midfield

7

7

2

Right winger

2

0

0

He’s still got it alright. That impressive dynamism has been on full show in Saudi Arabia, with his natural-born clinical edge even seeing him outscore Nunez and Jota for Liverpool this year.

The goalscoring engine is a man of many parts, and while his ship has now sailed over on the banks of the River Mersey, his continuing success serves as a rueful reminder of the talent that supercharged Klopp’s squad in its pomp, and the inverse of that, that his goalscoring form underscores just how flimsy Liverpool’s central strikers have been – either on the fitness front or in the final third themselves.

Wijnaldum will turn 35 before the end of the year and, in this twilight stage, perhaps no longer has the athleticism and crispness to withstand the rigours of Premier League football.

However, a prime Gini may well find a starting spot in this current Liverpool midfield, underscoring the value he had under Klopp’s management. The fact he’s still got enough in the tank to outscore the likes of Jota and Nunez, nearly four years after leaving, suggests that maybe his departure was premature.

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Sri Lanka ahead in race, Zimbabwe need a win, Scotland and Netherlands face a steeper road

S Rajesh01-Jul-2023

Sri Lanka beat Netherlands in their Super Six fixture•ICC/Getty Images

Sri Lanka
A win against Zimbabwe on Sunday will ensure qualification for Sri Lanka as only one out of Zimbabwe or Scotland can reach eight points, as they are playing against each other. Even if Sri Lanka lose to Zimbabwe, they can still qualify if they beat West Indies in their last match on July 7. Zimbabwe and Scotland can also finish on eight points, but Sri Lanka should go through, given their excellent net run rate of 1.832.However, if Sri Lanka lose both their matches, then they can be knocked out, as Zimbabwe and Scotland can both finish above them on eight.Related

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Zimbabwe
Like Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe have taken all the points on offer from their three games so far, but their run rate isn’t as high as Sri Lanka, which leaves them more susceptible on NRR. For instance, even if they beat Sri Lanka, a defeat to Scotland could leave Zimbabwe in danger of missing out if Scotland win their last match and finish on eight, and if Sri Lanka beat West Indies.Zimbabwe’s NRR is currently 0.752, but if they beat Sri Lanka by a run and lose to Scotland by 40 (with first-innings scores of 300), then their net run rate will drop to 0.281, which can be overhauled by Scotland. However, if they beat Scotland on Tuesday, then they will qualify for sure, regardless of the result against Sri Lanka on Sunday.Scotland
Scotland have kept themselves in the hunt with the convincing win against West Indies. Not only have they added two points to their tally, but they have also improved their NRR to 0.188. Wins in their last two games will lift them to eight points, which will ensure qualification if Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe on Sunday. If Zimbabwe win that game, then all three teams could finish on eight, bringing run rates into play.Their next game, against Zimbabwe on Tuesday, is a must-win for them. A defeat will mean they can’t catch up with Zimbabwe on points, and Sri Lanka will almost certainly finish higher on NRR even if they lose both and stay on six points.Netherlands
Netherlands need to win both their games by fairly significant margins and finish on six points and then hope that several other results go their way. Their best bet will be for Sri Lanka to qualify, and for the second place to be a three-way battle among them, Zimbabwe and Scotland.To give an idea of result margins involved, if Netherlands win their last two games by a combined margin of 90 runs, and if Zimbabwe lose their last two by the same combined margin (with first-innings scores of 250), then Netherlands will sneak ahead of Zimbabwe on NRR.

Delhi Capitals have lost three out of their four games so far at the Feroz Shah Kotla, only managing to tie the fourth and win in the Super Over

Srinath Sripath18-Apr-2019Capitals at the Kotla: P4 L3 T1
Delhi Capitals were second on the IPL 2019 points table before Thursday night, and that’s despite their record at home, which now reads: Played 4, Lost 3, Tied 1. It is the tournament’s worst win-loss ratio at home after the bottom-placed Royal Challengers’ Bangalore, who have lost all their games.The Kotla pitch has been a mystery over the years, and Capitals’ coach Ricky Ponting has admitted how visiting sides like Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings have made use of the conditions much better than they could.Once again, Capitals were out-thought by the visiting side, who seemed to read conditions better from the get-go. Rohit Sharma won the toss, opted to bat first for the first time this season (and only the second time since 2018), a “good move” which left home captain Shreyas Iyer “surprised”.Rohit mentioned how their “struggle to chase 160 [175]” last time as the reason for his decision to set a target. They also picked a fingerspinner in Jayant Yadav to take on Capitals’ left-hander-laden batting order.Delhi Capitals’ poor record at home•ESPNcricinfo LtdMumbai, though, had thought through their plans down to the last detail. Mahela Jayawardene, their coach, said in a chat with , the host broadcaster, that “conditions dictate” plans and selections, and “we use different guys in different scenarios”. They shuffled their batting and bowling line-ups, throwing in Ben Cutting at No.3, Hardik and Rahul Chahar to open the bowling, and at one point, made five bowling changes in five overs to turn the game on its head. Some of them failed, but they always had back-up plans, adapting on the go and eventually sealing a convincing win.What’s the deal with Mumbai holding Pollard back?On what looked like a tricky Kotla pitch, Mumbai Indians got to 168 for 5, thanks to Hardik Pandya’s manic acceleration in the final overs once again. A look down their scorecard, though, and you’ll spot an odd stat at the bottom.Kieron Pollard 0* (0 balls)For the second consecutive game, Pollard finished unbeaten, without facing a ball, having walked into bat with three balls remaining. Why one of T20 cricket’s most prolific strikers has gotten to bat so few balls for Mumbai, has been a question for a while now.This season, though, Hardik’s brilliance has put Mumbai at the top of the run-scoring charts in the final overs. They’ve scored at 12.66 runs an over in the last four overs, powered in large part by Hardik’s astounding rate of 15.12, only behind Andre Russell among batsmen who’ve faced 50-plus balls. Hardik’s consistency and Pollard’s night out against Kings XI Punjab – the one time Hardik failed – have meant Mumbai haven’t borne the brunt of holding their biggest hitter back.Getty ImagesAnd more often than not, their long-standing belief in left hand-right hand combinations has meant Krunal Pandya has batted ahead of Pollard. Krunal has blown hot and cold with the bat so far, but on Thursday night, his 37 off 26 balls did the job on this track: play out the spinners, consolidate and max out in the final overs.Jayawardene admitted as much in a chat with the host broadcaster. Having sent Ben Cutting, their third big hitter apart from Pollard and Hardik, up the order with a view to accelerating early, they switched to their back-up plan of rotating the strike and going big at the death after Cutting fell for 2.Amit Mishra bosses the middle overs but why didn’t he complete his quota?Amit Mishra struck with his first ball – a slow legbreak – to rattle Rohit Sharma’s stumps. It was his 150th IPL wicket, and a reminder of his years bowling for the erstwhile Daredevils at the Kotla, which has always had something in it for the slower bowlers.Mishra was acing the middle overs against Quinton de Kock and Suryakumar Yadav, conceding just two boundaries in his first three overs. With the run rate under control and a new batsman in Krunal Pandya at the crease, Delhi Capitals’ captain Shreyas Iyer took Mishra off and brought seamer Keemo Paul back into the attack.If that was done to hold him back for Kieron Pollard’s arrival, it didn’t come to pass. Mishra finished with figures of 3-0-18-1, not coming back to bowl his final over. Iyer’s use of Mishra has been puzzling at times: against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last game, he didn’t come on to bowl till the 11th over, after the fall of Jonny Bairstow, who has struggled against wristspin this season.Mishra wasn’t the only one to go with an over unbowled – Ishant Sharma didn’t came back to bowl his final over, after having gone for 17 off his first three.

أجريت قرعة دور ربع نهائي بطولة كأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية، كاراباو، موسم 2025-2026، وشهدت مواجهات قوية وأخرى متوازنة.

وانطلقت منافسات دور الـ16 من بطولة كأس كاراباو، أمس الثلاثاء، وشهدت ثلاث مباريات، بين جريمسبي وبرينتفورد، وايكومب وفولهام، ريكسهام وكارديف.

واستأنفت يوم الأربعاء، مباريات دور الـ16، والتي شهدت مواجهة بين ليفربول وكريستال بالاس، تشيلسي وولفرهامبتون، مانشستر سيتي وسوانزي سيتي، آرسنال وبرايتون، بالإضافة إلى توتنهام ونيوكاسل يونايتد.

وودع ليفربول المسابقة بعد هزيمته بثلاثية نظيفة أمام كريستال بالاس، وتغلب مانشستر سيتي على سوانزي بثلاثية لهدف، وحقق آرسنال فوزًا أمام برايتون بهدفين دون رد، وتشيلسي تخطى ولفرهامبتون بنتيجة 4-3، وفاز نيوكاسل على توتنهام بهدفين دون رد.

وتقام مباريات ربع نهائي كأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية، كاراباو، يوم 15 ديسمبر المقبل، وسيعلن لاحقًا عن مواعيد المباريات بشكل محدد. الأندية المتأهلة لربع نهائي كأس كاراباو

برينتفورد.

فولهام.

كارديف.

تشيلسي.

آرسنال.

كريستال بالاس.

مانشستر سيتي.

نيوكاسل. نتائج قرعة ربع نهائي كأس كاراباو

آرسنال ضد كريستال بالاس.

مانشستر سيتي ضد برينتفورد.

نيوكاسل ضد فولهام.

تشيلسي ضد كارديف سيتي.

The Amazon Warriors captain is only the third player to the landmark after Bravo and Narine

Deivarayan Muthu22-Sep-2024In his seventh season – and second as captain – at Guyana Amazon Warriors, Imran Tahir, now the oldest player in the CPL at 45, became the first overseas bowler to take 100 wickets in the league. Tahir reached the milestone when he had Antigua and Barbuda Falcons’ Hassan Khan holing out to Gudakesh Motie right at the edge of the midwicket boundary in Amazon Warriors’ successful defence of 135 on a Providence turner.Tahir cherished the landmark, saying it was a game-changing moment. When Hassan, who is adept at playing spin, holed out for 10 off 12 balls, Falcons were reduced to 41 for 3 in the eighth over and were eventually bowled out for 108.”I think he [Motie] took a really good catch,” Tahir said after Amazon Warriors secured their spot in the playoffs. “I was quite pleased because Hassan is very dangerous and can play spin really well, so getting him out at that time was really crucial for the team. I am just glad it came off and it was a totally great effort from Motie. For me, that was the turning point to get back into the game.”After Motie completed the catch, Tahir set off on a signature celebratory sprint and even mimicked Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘Siuuu’ celebration. In his next over, Tahir trapped Kofi James with another slider, for 27 off 23 balls.ESPNcricinfo LtdIt was not a popular move when Tahir, 44 then, was named captain of Amazon Warriors last season, but he led the team to their first title. Continuing as captain, Tahir faced a stumbling block this time when he was injured midway through the season, but he returned to action and marshalled Amazon Warriors into the playoffs once again.”I just wanna be really grateful to Guyana for giving me the opportunity over the years to come and play here in this beautiful country,” he said. “Look, it’s a personal achievement [100 CPL wickets] but I hope my achievement includes whatever I’ve helped for the team and that’s what I look to do always. It’s a very good milestone and I’m very pleased.”Tahir also credited Moeen Ali for his calculated 42 off 33 balls, which propped Amazon Warriors up to 135 for 7 from 85 for 5. While Moeen was circumspect against Chris Green’s offspin, he lined up left-arm fingerspinner Imad Wasim for an electric sequence of 4, 6, 6, 6, 0, 4 in the 19th over.Related

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Amazon Warriors’ batters have been particularly good at acing their match-ups this season. For instance, when they met Falcons in North Sound earlier this season, Romario Shepherd played out Fabian Allen and Shamar Springer, who has quite a few slower variations in his repertoire, and instead smashed Mohammad Amir for 15 off five balls.”We knew it was going to be difficult from the start,” Tahir said. “I think we wanted to have a better powerplay, to be honest, but I still think we were okay because we didn’t lose a lot of wickets. It’s actually totally different than last year – it’s quite tough for the batters to adjust themselves. I think Moeen played really, really well.”Obviously, he had a chance, but then, I think, he capitalised on that all the way and he was incredible. One over changed the game. We were still thinking we could have done better but we knew 135-140 we can defend as a bowling unit.”The Providence has been a fortress for Amazon Warriors: their win-loss ratio of 1.71 at this venue is the best among all teams at home in the CPL. While Amazon Warriors have always had a deep and varied spin attack, which suited these conditions, Tahir attributed their sustained success at home to the Guyana crowd.”The support we get here from people,” Tahir said, “they are always here every single game and it’s sold out. As a professional sportsman, you want to play somewhere where you really enjoy and that’s what we felt over the years. I’ve been very lucky to be part of this franchise for the last seven years. It’s been incredible and that’s the only thing I can think of. The skills are there and obviously you’ve done your homework, hard work, this and that, but I think it’s the support and I just want to thank all the people in Guyana and all over [the world] where Guyanese people are. It’s incredible and we love playing here.”Jewel Andrew, 17, is among the positives for Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in CPL 2024•CPL T20 via Getty Images’Shoulda, coulda, woulda’ – Falcons captain Green reflects on the seasonAfter Falcons suffered a group-stage exit in their first CPL season, their captain Green was left with a tantalising thought: what might have been. With Brandon King injured at the start of the tournament, Green took as captain and oversaw four home defeats in five matches in North Sound. Though Falcons did the double over the mighty Trinbago Knight Riders, they had already fallen out of the playoffs race.”It [captaincy] was a good challenge,” Green said. “I found out at the very last minute that I would be doing it in Antigua. Fortunately, I’ve got some really good people around me in my team. We had so much fun together and we had some really close losses unfortunately in those first two games and reflection on the season: shoulda, coulda, woulda. We showed glimpses of what we could do at times and then we were really poor at times and probably our fielding let us down and lack of big runs let us down as well throughout the tournament.”Green, however, was buoyed by the emergence of Jewel Andrew, the youngest player to ever feature in the CPL, and the re-emergence of Justin Greaves and Shamar Springer.”You look at some individual performances. Justin Greaves coming in and opening the batting and having the tournament he did,” Green said. “Shamar Springer, another one with the ball, and unfortunately he was injured. I’d have loved to see him get up the wickets column and finish a great tournament that he deserved. And then the youngster – Jewel Andrew how he started in the tournament and it’s a pity he didn’t play in the back end as well but at 17 years of age to come out and play the way he did. That’s three off the top of my head. Just outstanding individual performances throughout the tournament and they have got bright futures ahead of them along with other guys in the team.”

ICC to participating boards: “Contingency host options within the Asian region are being considered – tournament dates to remain the same”

Mohammad Isam10-Aug-2024Representatives of the BCB are likely to meet Asif Mahmud, the youth and sports adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government, on Sunday to discuss the upcoming women’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in the country in October. The bigger talking points in Dhaka’s cricketing circles, however, is who among the main officials will remain in the BCB, and whether the new government will reform the board, too.Many in Dhaka believe that, as in 2007, the interim government could appoint an ad-hoc committee to run the BCB. ESPNcricinfo understands that the ICC will accept such a body as long as there is no direct government interference, especially if elections are held later on. The ICC will not interfere until that point. If, however, there is fear of government interference, the ICC will investigate the issue and take a stance. The ICC board had recently suspended Sri Lanka Cricket, from November 2023 to January 2024, because of government interference in its functioning.In case a new board is put in place, the ICC will ask the BCB to appoint a representative to attend all ICC meetings. When a committee of administrators appointed by the Supreme Court of India took over the BCCI’s administration some years ago, the CEO attended ICC meetings on the BCCI’s behalf.’Contingency host options within Asia being considered’

On Saturday, the ICC sent a mail to the boards of the teams participating at the women’s World Cup, saying, “The ICC is continuing to monitor the situation in Bangladesh and is working closely with BCB. Contingency host options within the Asian region are being considered. In case it is not possible to stage the event in Bangladesh, ICC will be in contact with the Board should the question of relocation need to be considered.”
The ICC has also said that the tournament dates will remain the same.

Currently, the BCB headquarters in Mirpur is mostly functional, with its employees running the show. The BCB’s chief executive, Nizamuddin Chowdhury, is in charge, but board directors including president Nazmul Hassan haven’t showed up since August 5, when prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India, effectively ending the 15-year rule of her party, the Awami League. Several of the BCB’s directors have direct or indirect affiliations with the Awami League.The BCB, however, cannot function properly without its board of directors, especially with an ICC event looming. Speaking anonymously to ESPNcricinfo, a BCB director said very few of his colleagues are expected to show up in the coming days.”The BCB is an elected body but if there’s any directive from the government about a change in the BCB, we have to accept it,” he said. “I don’t think many directors will appear in the BCB. If a meeting is called, the number could be five or eight [out of 24].”Related

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Bangladesh in turmoil: how will cricket be impacted?

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Another board director, also requesting anonymity, said the main concern was the women’s T20 World Cup. “The BCB board is still there. We will hopefully get a guideline from the government, possibly tomorrow, when the board is supposed to meet the new sports adviser. We are not worried about ourselves but we have a few events coming up, like the World Cup.”Hosting the tournament could be problematic if the ICC wants a security guarantee from Bangladesh right away. The interim government took oath on August 8, and while the police force is not fully functional, many are hoping it will be up and running soon.BCB directors ‘had their own agendas’While the World Cup is a short-term issue, there are bigger problems in Bangladesh cricket that have remained unanswered for a decade and a half. Bangladesh remain a low-to-mid-table team in men’s cricket and have enjoyed very little success at major ICC events. Their only major success was the Under-19 World Cup win in 2020. The men’s team failed to win any of its Super Eight matches at the recent T20 World Cup, and won just two of its nine matches at last year’s ODI World Cup.Anti-government protestors display Bangladesh’s national flag after storming prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s residence•AFP/Getty ImagesSenior coach Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, who is known as the guru of Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal and several other leading Bangladesh cricketers, feels the BCB directors have deserted the country’s cricket at a critical time.”If they were true servants of cricket, they would be here. I don’t think they were serving cricket,” he said. “They had their own agendas, which they tried to implement. We have seen what they did to cricket, whether it is club cricket or BPL. They have spoiled the whole thing.”BCB is not a disciplined organisation. I have seen it from up close. BCB never made the best use of its opportunities. Some made intentional mistakes. We have to reduce the indiscipline within the BCB. Only then we can tackle every crisis.”The buck stops with the leadership. If that was fine, the rest sits in place. If we are going to talk about reform, we have to think about ICC’s governance policy. We want a BCB whose vision will allow us to dream big. There has to be transparency and accountability. We have a lot of people who can do this.”Fahim is one of several high-profile voices, including former national players Mohammad Ashraful and Imrul Kayes, who want change in the BCB. There is growing consensus among fans, too, that the BCB must fall in line with the new government’s mandate for reform.

Mohamed Salah is a player who’s exceeded all expectations at Liverpool Football Club, taking the club to new heights in the eight years he’s spent at the club.

The Egyptian joined the Reds in a £34m deal from Roma back in the summer of 2017 and has since registered over 400 appearances, breaking all sorts of records along the way.

He notched a total of 29 goals and 18 assists in his 38 Premier League outings, matching the record for the most combined goal contributions – highlighting his impact within the final third.

The 2024/25 campaign was the fourth time the 32-year-old had claimed the division’s Golden Boot award, with his efforts undoubtedly leading Arne Slot’s side to title glory.

However, many other attackers on the books have struggled to make a similar impact at Anfield, with the manager needing to delve into the transfer market as a result.

Liverpool’s deals to land new attackers over recent years

The likes of Cody Gakpo, Darwin Núñez and Luis Diaz have all been signed by Liverpool in the last couple of seasons, costing a pretty penny in the process.

The trio have set the hierarchy back around £180m, but have struggled to deliver to the same level as Salah – scoring just 28 between them, lower than the Egyptian managed alone.

All three of the players have been linked with a switch away from Merseyside over the summer months, showcasing how much they’ve struggled to deliver on a consistent basis.

Saudi Arabia, Barcelona and Bayern Munich have been touted as possible destinations for the current Reds attackers, but it’s unclear if the hierarchy would be willing to allow them all to leave.

However, if they were to leave the club, it would provide vital funds for Slot to land targets he wants to improve the side, leading to noise about potential additions.

The player who could be Liverpool’s best attacker since Salah

In recent days, Florian Wirtz has been labelled as a potential addition for Liverpool, with talks already being held to land the 22-year-old attacking midfielder.

The Bayer Leverkusen star has impressed throughout 2024/25, registering 30 combined goals and assists, with Bayern Munich also interested in his signature this summer.

However, it’s been claimed that the youngster only wants a switch to Anfield this summer, potentially linking up with current teammate Jeremie Frimpong in the process.

Despite the links to Wirtz, the Reds have also been linked with a move for Atlético Madrid’s Julian Alvarez over the last few weeks, with a real emphasis on improving the club’s front line.

The Argentine has also impressed massively this campaign, registering 36 combined goals and assists, offering a versatile option that can play right across Slot’s frontline.

He only joined the LaLiga outfit from Manchester City last summer, but could be on the move again, should any side agree to pay his lofty £126m release clause during the off-season.

Alvarez, who’s been labelled a “monster” by one journalist, has enjoyed the best year of his career, helping Diego Simeone’s side register a third-placed finish in Spain’s top-flight.

Games played

37

35

30

36

31

Goals & assists

23

14

7

18

22

Goals per 90

0.6

0.4

0.4

0.4

0.3

Shot-on-target accuracy

51%

38%

38%

42%

47%

Shots on target per game

1.3

1

1

1.1

1.2

Take-on success

52%

50%

34%

45%

49%

Aerials won

40%

39%

37%

25%

20%

When delving into his underlying stats, he’s outperformed current Liverpool stars Gakpo, Diaz and Nunez, whilst also being a better option than Wirtz for the Reds.

He’s registered the most combined goal contributions, handing Slot the added dimension in attacking areas to give the side the best chance of retaining their title.

Alvarez has also managed a higher shot on target rate than the quartet, showcasing the clinical edge that he could provide the squad in 2025/26 should he complete a switch to Merseyside.

The £105m fee mooted for his services is certainly a huge investment, but one that could allow him to follow in the footsteps of Salah and become a fan-favourite under Slot.

If he gets anywhere near close to the levels produced by the Egyptian, he will be a sensational signing, one that would allow Slot to have another deadly attacker at his disposal ahead of next season.

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Gambhir says there is “no bigger honour”, but it’s not clear yet if he has applied for the job

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jun-2024Gautam Gambhir “would love to coach India” if he is given the opportunity.Gambhir, fresh from playing a key role – as mentor – in Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) run to the IPL 2024 title, has been contacted by the BCCI for the job after Rahul Dravid’s tenure ends following the conclusion of the ongoing T20 World Cup, though it’s not confirmed whether he has applied for it. The deadline was May 27, a day after the IPL final.”Look, I would love to coach the Indian team. There is no bigger honour. There is no bigger honour than coaching your national team,” Gambhir said during an interaction with children at an event in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. “You are representing 140 crore Indians. And more across the globe as well. And when you represent India, how can it get bigger than that?”Related

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It was in response to a question, where a youngster also asked Gambhir how he would help India win a World Cup.”How can I help India win the World Cup – I think it’s not me that will help India win the World Cup, it is 140 crore Indians that will help India win the World Cup,” Gambhir said. “If everyone starts praying for us, and we start playing and representing them, India will win the World Cup. The most important thing is to be fearless and yes, I would love to coach India.”Dravid, it is learned, has communicated to the BCCI his decision not to seek another tenure. VVS Laxman, who had been expected to succeed Dravid, had made himself unavailable last year due to personal reasons.Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary, had hinted that the board wants an Indian to get the job, and is in the process of “identifying individuals who possess a deep understanding of the Indian cricket structure and have risen through the ranks”.Gambhir will have to leave his job at KKR if he ends up as the new India coach due to the BCCI’s conflict of interest rules. He recently told that he wanted to continue working with KKR to make them the most successful IPL franchise in history.Gambhir, 42, has no experience of coaching at international or domestic level, but has been a mentor at two IPL teams: Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2022 and 2023 – they qualified for the playoffs both times – and KKR in 2024.During a stellar international career, Gambhir was an important part of India’s T20 World Cup win in 2007 and the ODI World Cup win in 2011. He also captained KKR for seven IPL seasons, from 2011 to 2017, during which they won two IPL titles, in 2012 and 2014.

Arsenal have now submitted an opening offer for an “exceptional” young player, and they’ve had a response, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Gunners set sights on new goalkeeper

After initially usurping Aaron Ramsdale in the starting XI, David Raya has established himself as a key player for the Gunners, making 36 appearances in the Premier League this season, but there are signs that Mikel Arteta has now started looking at bringing in a long-term heir.

Espanyol shot-stopper Joan Garcia is among the main targets, with the north Londoners recently holding talks over a deal for the Spaniard, who would prefer a move to the Emirates Stadium ahead of signing for Premier League rivals Manchester United.

Garcia has been a target for quite some time, having initially agreed to join Arteta’s side last year, and while they seem well-positioned to get a deal for the Spaniard over the line, Romano has now revealed that a move has been made for a different goalkeeper.

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In a recent update on X, the transfer expert stated that Arsenal have now submitted an opening offer of £1.25m for Chelsea goalkeeper Freddy Bernal, but the Blues were not convinced by their rivals’ proposal.

The Gunners’ rivals have knocked back the bid, given their eagerness to keep hold of Bernal, who is clearly impressing for the Blues at youth level, having also attracted the attention of several other unnamed clubs.

Arsenal’s remaining Premier League fixtures	Date
Newcastle United (h)	May 18th
Southampton (a)	May 25th

"Exceptional" Bernal catching the eye at youth level

Given that he is just 16-years-old, the Chelsea ace is likely to be some way off a first Premier League start, but he has caught the eye with his performances for the U18s, having been lauded for his “exceptional distribution” by scout Felix Johnston earlier this season.

The youngster was also the only Chelsea youngster to be named in the England U17 squad earlier in the campaign, highlighting his potential, so it is little wonder the Gunners are keen on taking him to north London.

That said, with the Blues knocking back Arsenal’s offer, it seems unlikely they will be able to prise the teenager away from their London rivals, and Garcia could well be a preferable option, considering the 24-year-old is already proven at a much higher level.

The Espanyol star made 35 appearances in La Liga last season, during which time he caught the eye of football scout Ben Mattinson, who appeared to suggest he could be the perfect heir for Raya, given the similarities in their play-styles.