When is it on, who are the stars to watch, which team has the edge, and much more
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jul-2024
ICC via Getty Images
Match detailsIndia vs Pakistan Dambulla, July 19, 7.00pm local timeIndia and Pakistan – recent formLet’s look at the last year for this one.India first, purely alphabetically. They have played 17 T20Is in this period and have a 10-5 win-loss record (with two games ending in no-results). Right at the top, they won the Asian Games gold in Hangzhou by beating Sri Lanka by 19 runs in the final. They then lost back-to-back series at home against England and Australia, swept Bangladesh 5-0 in Sylhet and, most recently, their three-match series in Chennai against South Africa ended 1-1 with the second game washed out after one innings.Related
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Pakistan have actually played more T20I cricket in the same timeframe – 19 completed games. But they have won only seven of them while losing 12. Prior to the Asian Games, they hosted South Africa at home and had a fantastic result, winning 3-0. The Asian Games wasn’t special. They got to the semi-finals as expected, but lost to Sri Lanka there, and then to Bangladesh in the bronze-medal playoff. They have since lost a T20I series in Bangladesh, at home against West Indies, and were swept 3-0 most recently in England. The only series win came in New Zealand late last year when they won 2-1.India vs Pakistan – head-to-headThere have been 14 fixtures between the two sides over the years but, for reasons known, no bilateral series. The only time a match was held in one of the two countries, in Delhi during the T20 World Cup 2016, Pakistan beat India by two runs in a rain-shortened game. That, though, is one of only three matches Pakistan have won against India in T20Is. India have won 11.And at the Asia Cup, too, India have a big edge. They have won five out of the six games they have played against Pakistan. The one Pakistan won, however, was at the last Asia Cup, in Sylhet, in 2022.Players to watchFor India, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma form a destructive opening pair. Mandhana, usually the one who bats longer of the two, has 3320 T20I runs at an average of 28.13 and a strike rate of 121.83. The corresponding numbers for Shafali are 1748, 24.27 and 129.48. Getting rid of one of them quickly is often not enough for oppositions; both of them have to be removed, and fast.For Pakistan, the star is captain Nida Dar, the bowling allrounder who picks up wickets pretty much each time she bowls and can be trusted to score useful runs. And Sidra Amin has been in the middle of a purple patch with the bat – she has 205 runs from eight innings this year.Where to watchIn India and Sri Lanka, the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 will be telecast on the Star Sports Network. The live streaming will be available on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website in India. []
Leeds United officially completed their third signing of the summer transfer window on Tuesday when they unveiled Sebastiaan Bornauw as their new centre-back.
The Belgian giant has joined on a four-year contract on a permanent deal from Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg, following the arrivals of Jaka Bijol and Lukas Nmecha.
Bornauw played 15 times for Wolfsburg in the German top-flight last season and will provide competition to the likes of Bijol, Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu, and Pascal Struijk in the centre-back positions.
This means that Leeds have now brought in two new central defenders and one centre-forward, in Nmecha, but they are yet to add to Daniel Farke’s options in the middle of the park.
Habib Diarra for Strasbourg against PSG.
One central midfielder who will not be signing for the Championship champions, though, is Senegal international Habib Diarra, who has signed for Premier League rivals Sunderland.
Leeds reportedly made a bid of around £22m to sign the star from Strasbourg last month, but the Black Cats have now snapped him up for a club-record fee of £30m.
What Habib Diarra could have brought to Leeds
The 21-year-old midfielder could have been an interesting signing for the Whites as a young midfield talent who has shown promise in Ligue 1 with Strasbourg.
Diarra could have provided a decent threat at the top end of the pitch from a central midfield position after a return of four goals and five assists in 30 appearances in the French top-flight last season.
However, he is far from the finished article at the age of 21 and still has a lot to learn, as his defensive work in Ligue 1 with Strasbourg left quite a bit to be desired.
Whilst his contributions at the top end of the pitch were notable for such a young player in a major European league, Diarra’s all-round play in midfield was not at a particularly high level.
24/25 Ligue 1
Habib Diarra per 90
Percentile rank vs midfielders
Progressive passes
4.44
Bottom 41%
Progressive carries
2.33
Top 27%
Successful take-ons
0.50
Bottom 29%
Tackles made
0.84
Bottom 4%
Interceptions
0.50
Bottom 15%
Blocks
0.84
Bottom 21%
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, the Senegal international ranked within the bottom half of midfielders in Ligue 1 in a host of defensive metrics, as well as in-possession attributes.
Senegal's Ismaila Sarr celebrates withHabibDiarraand Cherif Ndiaye after scoring their first goal
So, whilst he may be a promising young player with the potential to improve, Diarra may not have been an instant star for Leeds in the Premier League because of his lack of defensive nous and physicality in the middle of the park.
Because of this, it may be a good thing that the Whites missed out on a deal for the £30m-rated midfielder, amid reported interest from the club in another midfield target who would be a better signing.
Leeds eyeing Championship midfielder
According to TEAMtalk, Leeds United are one of the teams interested in a swoop to sign Southampton central midfielder Mateus Fernandes this summer.
The report claims that the Saints, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, are preparing to lose several key first-team stars in the coming weeks, and the Portuguese ace is one of them.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It states that former Sporting prospect is expected to be snapped up by another club before the end of the summer transfer window at the start of September, and that Leeds and Crystal Palace are both lining up moves to sign him.
Previous reports have claimed that the Championship side are looking for a fee of around £30m for the midfield star, but it remains to be seen if that has changed.
Mateus Fernandes for Southampton.
It is now down to Leeds to fight hard to win the race with Palace for his signature in the coming weeks, to ensure that they do not lose out to another Premier League rival like they did with Diarra.
Why Leeds should sign Mateus Fernandes
The Whites should be pushing to sign Fernandes from Southampton because he would arrive at Elland Road as an even better signing than Diarra would have been.
At the age of 20, the Portuguese talent is even younger than the Senegalese ace and, therefore, has a similar potential to grow and develop over the years to come, which would make him an ideal long-term signing.
Southampton'sMateusFernandescelebrates scoring their first goal
However, Fernandes has the quality to make an even bigger impact than Diarra in the short-term, based on his performances for the Saints last season.
Despite Southampton’s relegation from the Premier League, the 20-year-old starlet caught the eye with some impressive displays in the middle of the park, scoring two goals and providing four assists.
The £30m-rated star, who also scored against Cardiff in the League Cup, offered more to his team than just goal contributions, though, as he is an all-action and dynamic midfielder.
24/25 season
Fernandes (Premier League)
Diarra (Ligue 1)
Appearances
36
30
Goals
2
4
Assists
4
5
Successful dribbles per game
1.4
0.4
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.3
1.1
Blocks per game
0.6
0.2
Ground duel success rate
53%
49%
Aerial duel success rate
63%
43%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Southampton ace has far more to his game than Diarra does as a central midfield option, due to his defensive and offensive qualities.
Fernandes, who was once hailed for his “exceptional” passing quality by analyst Ben Mattinson, may not have produced as many goals and assists as the former Strasbourg star, but he offered significantly more to his team defensively.
As aforementioned, Diarra may have been a liability defensively for Leeds due to his lack of physicality in Ligue 1, but that would not be the case for the Saints midfielder, who has been there and done it in the Premier League.
Fernandes has shown that he can handle the physicality of English football, to be a standout in a poor Southampton team, and that means that the Leeds target could hit the ground running at Elland Road if they sign him, which may not have been the case for Diarra due to his lack of experience in England.
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Therefore, Leeds should swoop to sign the relegated midfielder after missing out on Diarra because he has the qualities, potential, and experience to be an even better signing than the club-record Sunderland ace.
WA quick will play in Australia’s 50-over domestic competition to start the summer but is waiting to be cleared to play red-ball cricket after a slow recovery from a back injury
Tristan Lavalette10-Sep-2024
Lance Morris is recovering from a back injury•Getty Images
Emerging quick Lance Morris admits it’s been “frustrating” working his way through another rehab from a back injury, but hopes a cautious approach will prove beneficial as he earmarks playing in the Sheffield Shield ahead of Australia’s Test series against India this summer.The 26-year-old has not played since the ODI series against West Indies in February. After making his international debut in the series opener, Morris claimed two early wickets in the third match in Canberra before suffering a side strain which ended his season.Morris had been due to line-up for Seattle Orcas in Major League Cricket before post-season scans showed a hot spot in his back and he wasn’t considered for Australia’s current tour of Scotland and England. It was a recurrence of the injury that ruled the West Australian paceman out of the Ashes tour in 2023.Related
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“It’s been a bit frustrating,” Morris told ESPNcricinfo. “I guess you call it a stress fracture, but when we scan it, it doesn’t have the natural characteristics of a usual stress fracture. So there was some confusion at first around exactly what it was.”The tricky one for me was I didn’t actually have any back pain when I was bowling. I get monthly check-ins with an MRI on my back to make sure things are heading in the right direction. And it’s been clearing up… healing, so that’s a positive.”While he maintained his fitness levels through running and regular gym, Morris was unable to do any skills work for around eight weeks.”Frustrating to have to stop for a couple of months. I’m at that stage in my career with a Cricket Australia contract….it’s a transition into a 12-month cricketer,” he said.”I was continually preparing to go [to MLC], but never managed to get over there.”But the silver lining is I’ve stayed fit and I feel stronger than ever. Whereas if I ignored it and cracked on with things, there’s every likelihood that I would spend 12 months on the sidelines.”Lance Morris suffered a left side strain in his second ODI in February•Getty Images
Dubbed ‘The Wild Thing’ – in a nod to former tearaway Shaun Tait – Morris garnered considerable attention for his ability to bowl over 150kph. Regarded as arguably the fastest bowler in Australia, he became an enforcer for Western Australia on bouncy WACA decks and rose to the fringes of Australia’s Test team over the past couple of seasons.Having slowly built up his bowling loads, Morris had been left wondering whether he could reach maximum speed again until going “full tilt” in recent weeks restored his confidence.”The tricky thing with loading up really slowly is that you have restrictions on the pace you can bowl at different intervals,” he said. “You sort of wonder how you’re going to get back up to top speed.”But over the last couple of weeks, it’s been basically shackles off. It’s been nice to let the ball go.”Morris is set to make his return through Australia’s domestic 50-over competition starting later this month before eyeing a red-ball comeback in the Sheffield Shield. Three-time defending champions Western Australia start their Shield season against Queensland at the WACA on October 8.”Conversations so far… basically it’s ok to start playing one-day cricket, so [I might play] one of the first two white-ball games,” Morris said with WA opening the One-Day competition against New South Wales on September 22 before playing South Australia two days later.”There will be a little bit of a process in building up and getting ready for Shield cricket. But I think all going well, I should be available for round one or round two. I’m not too sure exactly yet, but we’re not far off.”There are four rounds of the Shield before the first Test in Perth. A solid base of competitive cricket might propel Morris into the mix with concerns over Australia’s depth behind incumbent pace trio Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.”I have no expectations at all. But if the opportunity does arise, hopefully I can jump on it with both hands,” Morris said of his Test prospects. “Fingers crossed I can stay on the park this season because I think there could be a few opportunities that arise.”Liam Haskett will miss the first half of WA’s season with a back injury•Getty Images
Meanwhile, WA left-arm quick Liam Haskett is set to miss the first half of the Sheffield Shield season as he recovers from a stress fracture in his back.Post-season scans confirmed a recurrence of an injury Haskett suffered a few years ago. The towering six-foot seven-inch paceman emerged during a breakout debut season when he claimed 20 wickets at 24.75 from six Shield matches. Haskett, 23, starred in the final round with six wickets against Victoria at the Junction Oval, but missed the Shield final against Tasmania due to a heel injury.”A rough timeline would be getting back towards the end of November-early December, but that could change with a scan result,” Haskett told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s frustrating coming off the season I had, but we’ll keep working towards getting back on the field around the middle part of the season.”
يلعب الآن نادي مانشستر سيتي مع نظيره مانشستر يونايتد، وذك ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز على ملعب الاتحاد.
ويشهد ملعب الاتحاد قمة الجولة الرابعة من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز والمعروفة بديربي مانشستر بين مانشستر يونايتد ومانشستر سيتي، حيث يهدف الفريقان إلى تعديل وضعهما في جدول المسابقة المحلية.
اقرأ أيضًا .. ردود أفعال جماهير ليفربول على هدف محمد صلاح القاتل أمام بيرنلي: صاحب الموسم الواحد أنقذ يومنا
وتشير النتيجة في الوقت الحالي إلى تقدم مانشستر سيتي بهدف دون رد على مانشستر يونايتد، حيث منح فيل فودين التقدم لصالح الفريق السماوي.
وجاء هدف فودين من رأسية رائعة في الدقيقة 18، حيث اخترق جيريمي دوكو دفاع مانشستر يونايتد ومن ثم أرسل عرضية ليستقبلها فودين برأسه ويضعها في شباك حارس المرمى ألتاي بايندير.
فودين عاد من جديد إلى تشكيلة مانشستر سيتي، وذلك بعدما غاب اللاعب البالغ من العمر 25 عامًا عن صفوف السيتيزن خلال الفترة الماضية بسبب الإصابة.
ويعتبر فودين من بين اللاعبين المفضلين في تشكيلة مدرب مانشستر سيتي، بيب جوارديولا، والذي أكد على أهمية اللاعب قبل بداية المباراة.
هدف السيتي الاول فودين pic.twitter.com/HEtZ93HRa5 — OMA (@OmairPL) September 14, 2025
Liverpool’s diligence and careful planning over the past several years has allowed Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards to ride the crest of a wave of intent in the summer transfer market.
While the Reds’ defensive line was hampered by the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold at the end of last season, Anfield’s vice-captain now coloured in Real Madrid white, FSG acted incisively to wrap up deals for new full-back pairing Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, joining from Bournemouth and Bayer Leverkusen respectively.
The latter was the first to arrive, and boasts an electric kind of skill set which lends itself to a more attacking berth too. In this way, he can contest with Conor Bradley for a starring role while covering for Mohamed Salah on the right wing.
Frimpong certainly has offensive quality, once hailed as a “monster in the final third” by The United Stand’s Beth Tucker. Excitingly, he’s not even Liverpool’s best Leverkusen addition this summer, with Florian Wirtz welcomed to the fold for a British-record £116m fee.
The attacking midfielder has the lot, and will likely upgrade on the club’s existing attacking midfield options while concurrently replacing Alexander-Arnold’s limitless creativity.
Why Liverpool signed Florian Wirtz
Slot opened with an interesting gambit this summer, reorienting Liverpool’s creative focal point. Trent has long been regarded among the crème de la crème of playmaking in the Premier League, but he’s gone, and the champions were right in signing world-class talent more aligned with tactical conventions.
Florian Wirtz
Wirtz, 22, has been an utter menace for Bayer Leverkusen over the past several years, bursting from the youth scene with gusto, flooring seasoned professionals with his bounding strides. In 2023/24, he earned the honour of Bundesliga Player of the Year, vital in toppling Bayern Munich after an invincible domestic campaign.
He’s the real deal and will add more flair and flavour to a title-rich Liverpool team. Wirtz has something most every attacking midfielder yearns for: he brings completeness defined by its artful and industrious mix.
For example, Dominik Szoboszlai is a fantastic player, crucial for Liverpool, but he lacks the potency and speciality that Wirtz brings to the table.
League 24/25 – Florian Wirtz vs Dominik Szoboszlai
Stats (* per game)
Wirtz
Szoboszlai
Matches (starts)
31 (25)
36 (29)
Goals
10
6
Assists
12
6
Touches*
73.4
46.1
Shots (on target)*
2.5 (1.3)
1.9 (0.6)
Pass completion
82%
86%
Big chances created
17
12
Key passes*
1.8
1.6
Dribble success
2.6
0.6
Ball recoveries*
3.6
3.7
Tackles + interceptions*
1.3
1.4
Duels won*
5.2
2.8
Data via Sofascore
Harvey Elliott’s feet wear a similar magic, but he lacks the clear definition of his German counterpart. Elliott, 22, has been touted with a move away from Merseyside this summer, Brighton and Borussia Dortmund among the frontrunners.
Should the Young Lion leave, Slot will want a replacement, and while Liverpool have one of the very best in Wirtz, they appear keen on signing yet another attacking midfielder who could bloom into one of Europe’s finest.
Liverpool prepare bid for La Liga sensation
According to Spanish sources, Liverpool are interested in signing Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez this summer. Fermin, 22, has enjoyed a fast rise from La Masia and is valued at €80m (roughly £69m).
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
However, Hansi Flick’s focus on bringing attacking additions to Camp Nou has cast doubt over the Andalusian midfielder’s future, and Liverpool are ready to take advantage.
In fact, Anfield’s sporting director, Richard Hughes, is believed to be preparing a bid for the versatile star.
FC Barcelona'sFerminLopezin action with Las Palmas' Stefan Bajcetic
Liverpool might have signed Wirtz, but there’s room for such a profile to work on improving and blooming into a player of the highest class.
Why Liverpool want Fermin Lopez
Fermin is still young but he’s already established himself in a Barcelona side currently celebrating their La Liga and Copa del Rey double last year. The Spaniard also played a part in winning UEFA EURO 2024.
Spain'sDaniOlmo, Marc Cucurella and Fermin Lopez celebrate with the trophy after winning the final
In total, he’s played 88 matches for the La Blaugrana senior side. With 19 goals scored and 11 assists laid on for his teammates, Fermin has a developing sharpness that has been utilised both centrally and out on the left flank.
In this manner, he’s not too dissimilar to Wirtz, especially when considering he ranked, per 90, among the top 10% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for goal contributions, the top 12% for pass completion, the top 9% for passes into the final third and the top 20% ball recoveries, as per FBref.
His positional fluidity and ball-playing focus link Fermin together with Liverpool’s new record man. However, there’s more. Digging deeper into the comparison, Fermin has been described by talent scout Jacek Kulig as being “simple and genius at the same time”.
There are exciting similarities in regard to the playmaking and pass-focused sides of the respective midfielders’ games, but don’t expect Fermin to bring as flashy and electric a game to Merseyside. He’s not that type of player.
However, Fermin’s alternate variation would give Liverpool the added dimension they need to continue to go from strength to strength under Slot’s wing.
FC Barcelona's Pau Cubarsi, JulesKoundeand Fermin Lopez celebrates their first goal scored by Raphinha
Across 28 La Liga fixtures in 2024/25, as per Sofascore, he scored six goals and supplied five assists, so he might be a somewhat more pragmatic player but he’s certainly not without his offensive uses.
Without overextending with his creativity, Fermin manages to play that Wirtz-esque passing game in an industrious and controlled manner. He will collect the ball so many times across the 90, parcelling it out this way and that.
Liverpool enjoyed a stunning 2024/25 campaign, but they were felled at points – in particular in crash-out losses against Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United – with both fixtures underscoring the need for more control and technical proficiency in the engine room.
Not that the Reds are lacking in that regard, just that they could do with that extra injection to win the lot next season. Wirtz and Fermin in tandem would likely help in that regard, for sure.
Slot's answer to Gyokeres: Hughes lines up Liverpool move for "crazy" CF
Liverpool have been named among the interested parties for this prolific forward.
India A declared at 380 for 3 in the final session, setting up a massive target of 488
ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-2024
Tilak Varma scored an unbeaten 111•PTI
Tilak Varma and Pratham Singh scored centuries each to stretch India A’s lead and further put them in a strong position against India D on Saturday. From the overnight score of 115 for 1, when they had a lead of 222 runs, India A posted 380 for 3 on the third day before declaring in the final session to set up a target of 488. India D were 62 for 1 at stumps and were 426 runs behind India A.Resuming from 59, Pratham brought up his second first-class hundred off 149 deliveries and stitched a 104-run stand with Tilak for the second wicket. Left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar dismissed Pratham for 122 in the 60th over. But Tilak played the long innings and put India A in control. Only one wicket fell in the morning session as India A piled on 145 runs to take lunch at 260 for 2.However, India D struck immediately after lunch as Riyan Parag fell to Saurabh for 20. India D’s bowlers were then made to toil as Shashwat Rawat joined Tilak. The left-handed duo shared an unbroken stand of 116 runs for the fourth wicket. In the second session, Tilak converted his half-century. He hit a total of nine fours in his 193-ball stay, out of which six were scored between the cover and the long-off region.Rawat ticked along briskly, notching up seven fours to remain unbeaten on 64 off 88 balls before India D declared in the final session. In contrast to Tilak, Rawat targeted the leg side, hitting three fours towards long-on and one through midwicket.In the fourth innings, Khaleel Ahmed struck in his second over to opener Atharva Taide for a duck. However, that did not slow India D down as Ricky Bhui, at No.3, scored an unbeaten 44 off 52 at stumps. Bhui slammed eight fours and a six while his partner Yash Dubey was unbeaten on 15 off 60. The pair added 61 runs for the unbroken second-wicket partnership.
It’s not been a summer to remember for Newcastle United so far.
On the pitch, they’ve now suffered back-to-back defeats in pre-season friendlies, first demolished 4-0 by Celtic in Glasgow, before a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Arsenal at the Singapore National Stadium; Anthony Elanga and Jacob Murphy on target but in vein in Kallang.
One player who has notably not made the trip to Southeast Asia is Alexander Isak, with widespread reports claiming that the Sweden international is pushing to leave the club this summer.
Given that ongoing situation, Eddie Howe and his recruitment team have very much entered the transfer market for a new centre-forward, so have they identified their number one target?
Newcastle's search for a new striker
As outlined by Seb Stafford-Bloor and David Ornstein of the Athletic, Newcastle were very much in the running to sign Hugo Ekitiké from Eintracht Frankfurt, but he joined Liverpool for around £79m instead.
It was then reported that the Magpies would make a move to sign Yoane Wissa from Brentford, only for Dharmesh Sheth and Keith Downie of Sky Sports News to claim that the deal is now off, stating that Newcastle ‘are set to move on to other targets’.
Wissa – Ekitike
Following Callum Wilson’s release, William Osula, the only available senior centre-forward at the club, led the line in Singapore on Sunday, but could the Toon Army go big to change that fact?
Well, according to a report by Craig Hope of the Daily Hope, Newcastle have enquired about the possibility of signing Benjamin Šeško from RB Leipzig.
Earlier in the window, the Slovenian striker’s most likely destination appeared to be Arsenal, with James McNicholas and Mario Cortegana of the Athletic claiming he was the Gunners’ ‘preferred target’ until the arrival of Andrea Berta, who was instrumental in them securing Viktor Gyökeres instead.
Benjamin Sesko 2024-25 stats (timeless)
Now, as reported by Yvonne Gabriel of BILD, due to limited interest, Leipzig have lowered their asking price from €100m (£87m) to around €70m (£61m), so should Newcastle snap up Šeško at this reduced price?
How Benjamin Šeško would improve Newcastle
It’s unquestionable that Šeško is a massive talent, with presenter Adam Keys praising his ‘superb ball-striking’ ability, labelling him ‘powerful’ and physical.
Meantime, Ben Mattinson of Breaking the Lines is impressed by his ‘elite’ movement and mobility, noting that he is a strong finisher with both feet, with scout Jacek Kulig even describing him “the new Haaland” such are his wonderful array of attributes.
In two seasons at Leipzig, Šeško has scored 39 goals in 87 appearances, thereby on target every 136 minutes, which is certainly impressive for a 22-year-old.
So, let’s see how he compares to Newcastle’s previous leading striker target Wissa?
Šeško vs Wissa 2024/25
Statistics
Šeško
Wissa
Appearances
45
39
Minutes
3,258
3,079
Goals
21
20
Assists
6
5
Shots
65
74
Shots on target
40
45
Shots on target %
61%
62.32%
Big chances missed
18
18
Chances created
20
29
Big chances created
7
3
Take-on success %
52.53%
38.5%
Average Sofascore Rating
7.15
7
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt, Squawka and SofaScore
As the table documents, Šeško and Wissa’s statistics last season are very similar, with the Leipzig forward scoring one more goal across all competitions, while also creating more big chances and completing a higher percentage of his take-ons.
Wissa does have the edge in many categories, underlining that he would more than likely score goals for Newcastle, but the reported £35m fee that was being banded around does appear high for a player who is into the final 12 months of his contract, and will celebrate his 29th birthday come early-September.
Šeško, on the other hand, has only just turned 22 years old and has the potential to get even better, so surely seems to be the more shrewd investment, both in the short but also longer term.
More prolific than Sesko: Newcastle targeting move for £87m "monster"
Newcastle are looking to bring in another striker or two this summer
حضر بيدري جونزاليس لاعب خط وسط برشلونة إحدى الفعاليات في قاعة المنتدى ببرشلونة، حيث شارك الجمهور العديد من الأمور الشخصية.
وقد نظمت الشركة الرياضية الفرنسية أكبر فعالية لها حتى الآن في إسبانيا يومي الخميس والجمعة بحضور أكثر من 500 شخص للقاء لاعب خط وسط برشلونة.
ورد أثار بيدري على أسئلة الجمهور خاصة بعد تألقه ضد نيوكاسل يونايتد في الجولة الأولى بمرحلة الدوري لدوري أبطال أوروبا.
وقد سئل بيدري عن أصعب مدافع واجهه ولم يتردد في اختيار فيرجيل فان دايك قائد ليفربول، حيث قال: “لا بد لي من القول إنه يبدو قوياً على التلفزيون لكن فان دايك أقوى في الملعب، لعبت ضده مؤخراً ومن الصعب جداً تجاوزه”.
وتحدث لاعب خط وسط برشلونة عن أصعب لحظة واجهها والتي كانت خلال فترة معاناته من الإصابة وشرح من أين وجد الإسباني الدعم.
وأضاف بيدري في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” :”في عائلتي الذين ساندوني دائماً، كانت أسوأ لحظة مررت بها هي فترة الإصابات، إنها ليست لحظة محددة بل تلك اللحظات، كان الأمر صعبًا لكنني تدربت بجد أكبر قدر الإمكان والآن أنا بصحة جيدة”.
وأكمل بيدري عن مشاعره عند ظهوره الأول مع برشلونة في عام 2020: “كان حلماً، منذ صغري كنت أرتدي قميص برشلونة في كل مكان وعندما أبدأ مسيرتي مع ما أعتبره أفضل فريق في العالم، يكون الأمر مذهلا”.
وختم عن طريقة احتفاله المميزة بالأهداف: “أحتفل بهذه الطريقة من أجل والدي، في أحد الأيام كنت أتناول الغداء معه في المنزل وأردت أن أهديه الأهداف فهو دائماً معي منذ صغري، ولأن جميع أفراد العائلة يرتدون النظارات فقد ابتكرنا هذه البادرة”.
Squads for Bangladesh’s tour to the West Indies in November are yet to be announced
Mohammad Isam01-Nov-2024
Mehidy Hasan Miraj, Shanto’s deputy, is one of the front-runners to be Bangladesh’s future captain•AFP/Getty Images
The BCB had named Najmul Hossain Shanto as the Bangladesh captain for the three ODIs against Afghanistan in Sharjah next week. The announcement follows the discussion between Shanto and BCB president Faruque Ahmed on Thursday evening after the Chattogram Test, as Shanto had informed the board of his reluctance to continue as Bangladesh’s all-format captain. BCB however hasn’t announced the squads for the West Indies tour later in November where Bangladesh will play two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is.Faruque told the media on Thursday that Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who was named Shanto’s deputy for the Afghanistan series, and Taskin Ahmed are “front-runners” in the BCB’s captaincy discussion.All three are in the Bangladesh ODI squad. Nahid Rana, the 22-year-old tearaway quick, is only uncapped player in the side. Rana has played five Tests so far, impressing with his pace and bounce. He has taken 26 wickets at 16.46 in ten List-A matches.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
The selectors have also recalled opener Zakir Hasan and left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed. The left-handed Zakir has played just a single ODI last year to go along with 12 Tests. Nasum, meanwhile, played the last of his 15 ODIs in the World Cup in India last year.There was no room for Anamul Haque, Taijul Islam and Hasan Mahmud. Mahmud is out due to a shoulder injury he picked up in the ongoing National Cricket League.Bangladesh are also without Shakib Al Hasan, who Faruque said voluntarily pulled out of reckoning for this ODI series. Litton Das is also missing due to fever which kept him out of the Chattogram Test against South Africa.The Bangladesh team, which will depart for Dubai in two groups on Saturday and Sunday, will play the three ODIs on November 6, 9 and 11 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.Bangladesh’s ODI squadSoumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Zakir Hasan, Nazmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana