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Tamim reveals that if Mehidy had not had a freak injury, they would have picked this XI from the first ODI itself

Mohammad Isam23-Mar-2023In the first two ODIs against Ireland, Bangladesh batted boldly to reach totals of 338 and 349, their highest in ODIs. There was even talk of an impending 400-plus total in the third match. Albeit slowly, Bangladesh seem to have finally updated themselves as a batting unit to keep up with the rest of the world.Picking six specialist bowlers in their XI, though, is a different story altogether. It is a rare occurrence for this team. But they came around to take that big step in the third ODI against Ireland. The move paid off, and how.They usually pick only five specialist bowlers when Shakib Al Hasan is in the XI. When he is not around, they tend to pick seven batters, relying on part-timers to bowl ten overs. But this is a World Cup year, and they are geared up to do well there. So a show of this intent was most necessary. Though it came against Ireland, on a slightly overcast day in Sylhet, everything fell into place for Bangladesh’s rare show of aggression.Firstly, Mehidy Hasan Miraz was deemed fit after missing the first two matches. His recent upturn as a batter has given the team management the confidence to give him a promotion. Bangladesh’s top six batters have also shown that they can hold their own after beating England 3-0 in the T20I series. The fast bowlers too couldn’t be ignored on this surprisingly pacy and bouncy pitch in Sylhet.After Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie opted to bat on winning the toss, the Bangladesh seamers bowled the opponents out for 101 in 28.1 overs to script a ten-wicket win.Hasan Mahmud took his maiden five-wicket haul in ODIs, while Taskin Ahmed picked up three wickets and Ebadot Hossain two. Their relentless line and length choked the Ireland batters, who looked at sea even in the middle overs against this pace attack.Tamim Iqbal receives the trophy after winning the series from BCB president Nazmul Hassan•BCBIt was the first time for Bangladesh that all ten wickets went to their fast bowlers. In fact, Mehidy bowled just one over in the match. Even more incredibly, it was the first time that Shakib Al Hasan neither batted nor bowled in an ODI, and only the second time when he didn’t score a run or take a wicket in a Bangladesh win.Tamim Iqbal, the Bangladesh captain, later said that they had the six-bowler plan from the first ODI against Ireland. Mehidy’s freak injury, getting hit in the face by a football, kept them waiting. He said that it is the ideal line-up in most conditions, as it allows him an extra bowling option.”We had this thought process from the first game of this ODI series,” Tamim said. “If Miraz wasn’t injured ahead of the first game, we would have picked this XI [straightaway]. We have faith in Miraz’s batting ability. If he can deliver, it becomes easier to operate with six bowlers. Sometimes five bowlers and part-timers make it difficult on good wickets. When we knew that it would be a sporting wicket, we decided to go with six bowlers. We might do this in overseas conditions, depending on the opponent and conditions.”Mahmud had impressed with his death bowling in Bangladesh’s T20I series win against England earlier this month. On Thursday, he took three wickets with the new ball and two towards the end to complete his five-for.”It is my first five-wicket haul in domestic and international career,” Mahmud said after the game. “Our fast bowling attack is playing together for the last few years. We have a good connection. We are improving on it. We are working hard with Alan Donald, our fast bowling coach.”I have been preparing for this game for the last few days. The two white-ball formats are quite different in terms of mental set-up. I try to start well in both formats, in the different phases of the innings – powerplay, middle overs and death. Our bowling coach shares his experience and thoughts. He tells us how to bowl in certain situations, how to back oneself.”We [the fast-bowling group] back each other, we tell each other to give our best. Taskin is our senior, he looks after us. He tells us to avoid the negatives, look at the positives, what is needed to be done during the matches, and what will bring improvement.”Mushfiqur Rahim cracked 100* off 60 balls int the second ODI•AFP/Getty ImagesTamim, too, was full of praise for his fast bowlers. “If I just say that they bowled brilliantly, it won’t be enough,” he said. “Their hard work is paying off. Their success is not a fluke. They work very hard in the nets. When you have a fast-bowling attack like this, life becomes easy.”You become competitive in most conditions. I am actually very proud of the whole pace-bowling unit. I was extremely pleased with the way they bowled in this series.”Tamim said that sending Mushfiqur Rahim at No. 6 was also part of their plan to give the experienced batter responsibility of scoring in the slog overs.”The coach and I decided to bat him at No. 6 from the last series. Nothing against him batting at No. 4 where he has an exceptional record, but we don’t finish well. So his experience, and the number of shots he has, is the reason. He is someone who is very aggressive when there are only a few overs left in the innings. It clicked for us. He batted unbelievably well. If he can carry on like this, that’s the best possible thing for us.”Batting at No. 6 is very tricky. We will not always get a good start. He might have to come to bat at 100 for 4. Whether it’s [Mahmudullah] Riyad , Afif [Hossain] or Mushy, I have a soft corner for those who bat at No. 6 and 7. It is one of the most difficult positions to bat, apart from opening the innings.”Tamim said that his strong belief in following the process was proved right in this series, and that while batting in the powerplay was tough in the second ODI, he and Litton sacrificed their styles to get through that period, allowing the rest of the batters with enough of a foundation to get big totals.”I have a simple message for the team. I don’t set targets for the team, like 350-360. I believe in following the process. If it gets us to 260-270, it’s fine. I am happy we ended up scoring 350. If you consider the last match, we got to 350 [349], but nobody would know how difficult it was. Those first ten overs was the most important part. Following the process, ticking all the boxes, we ended up scoring 350 [349].”

Mathews, Mendis, Perera among local talent; Steyn, Russell, Amir lend overseas glamour in five-team T20 tournament

Andrew Fidel Fernando24-Nov-2020You’re not dreaming. This is not a fantasy. After years of announcements and cancellations, years in which Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) officials lumbered into organisational walls and stumbled into logistical potholes, Sri Lanka fans will finally get to watch a homegrown franchise T20 league. The build-up has been chaotic. Players have pulled out late, others have contracted Covid-19, replacements have been hastily found, payments have been demanded, quarantines completed and a flight has even been missed. It’s been an anarchic whirlwind, but in a way, there is no better precursor to cricket in Sri Lanka. It’s less than 48 hours until the first game begins. So here, have a preview.Colombo KingsCoach: Herschelle GibbsCaptain: Angelo MathewsHow good are they looking? (With the caveat that as most Sri Lanka players have not had high-level competitive cricket since March, form is going to be almost impossible to judge.)For starters, Colombo Kings have the two biggest names in the tournament, and from the looks of it, were the biggest spenders. Andre Russell’s presence gives the whole league a sheen of desperately needed glamour, while they also have Mathews, who is the most recognisable Sri Lankan player following the exit of Lasith Malinga. But these are not just names. If both Russell and Mathews are available to bowl, the Kings give themselves versatility with the ball, as well as solid firepower through the middle order, which could be the makings of a fine T20 side.There’s also a strong spin department. Afghan legspinner Qais Ahmad, and local spinners Tharindu Kaushal (offspin), Amila Aponso, and Jeffrey Vandersay each have varying strengths. The top order will likely feature Daniel Bell-Drummond, who topped the run-scorers’ list in England’s T20 Blast tournament this year, where Laurie Evans racked up impressive numbers from the middle order.This is not to say there are no serious challenges. Dinesh Chandimal, who will almost certainly keep wickets, hasn’t been a top T20 performer in years, and despite the presence of Isuru Udana and Dushmantha Chameera, the seam-bowling contingent seems a little shaky. But, this is a solid outfit.Notable mishap (LPL should find sponsors for tournament gaffes): Dav Whatmore was originally slated to coach this team. He was then replaced (for reasons not known) by Kabir Ali. Kabir, though, tested positive for Covid-19 in England last week, and couldn’t make the trip across. So Gibbs, who was flying across to Sri Lanka to work as a commentator for the tournament, was nominated as coach, and was informed of this on his arrival.Shahid Afridi will have to undergo a three-day isolated quarantine once he gets to Sri Lanka•Pakistan Super LeagueGalle GladiatorsCoach: Moin KhanCaptain: Uhh…maybe Bhanuka Rajapaksa for now? But Shahid Afridi when he gets to Sri Lanka…that’s unless he misses another flight.How good are they looking?If Malinga had turned up relatively fit and firing, Gladiators might have reasonably claimed to have the best attack of the tournament. Now, with Malinga having pulled out last moment, Gladiators will hope Mohammad Amir has a great tournament, with Asitha Fernando also likely to be a key fast bowler.On paper, Gladiators have Sri Lanka’s best spinners, with Lakshan Sandakan and Akila Dananjaya both in the squad, but there is a little asterisk here. Dananjaya’s just coming back from a one-year ban, which he copped due to an illegal action. He is understood to have brought his elbow up to code during that layoff, but how effective will the new action be?Batting-wise, Danushka Gunathilaka and Hazratullah Zazai seem an imposing pairing at the top of the order, with Rajapaksa, Shehan Jayasuriya and Ahsan Ali also around. What might worry Gladiators is that they are light on seam-bowling all-round options. The middle order seems shaky as well, unless Afridi has a stellar tournament.Notable mishap: Sarfaraz Ahmed was originally supposed to be the captain of this team, just as he captains the PSL’s Quetta Gladiators – the team owner’s other team. But then he went and got himself picked for Pakistan’s tour to New Zealand. The captaincy subsequently went to Malinga, who clearly took the responsibility quite seriously and waited for the week before the tournament to announce that he wouldn’t be playing. Afridi then inherited this chalice, and promptly missed a flight to Sri Lanka.Niroshan Dickwella goes for a scoop•AFPDambulla Viikings(Yes, Viikings with two ‘i’s. It’s the brand name of the business that owns the franchise.)Captain: They promise they will let us know when they decide.Coach: Owais ShahHow good are they looking?There is a decent locally nurtured batting order here. Niroshan Dickwella, Upul Tharanga and Oshada Fernando are likely to take up residence in the top four, and will most likely be joined by the biggest foreign name in Viikings’ ranks – Ireland opener Paul Stirling. For middle-order firepower, they’ve got Dasun Shanaka, Angelo Perera (a long-time domestic performer), Ramesh Mendis (a rising star in the domestic scene), and Afghanistan’s Samiullah Shinwari.Lahiru Kumara, who may be the quickest bowler in the tournament, headlines the attack, with Kasun Rajitha, Aftab Alam, and Sudeep Tyagi, the former India pacer who retired from all forms of cricket last week, for company. On the spin front, Samit Patel arrives fresh from a PSL runners-up stint with the Lahore Qalandars, while domestic stalwart left-arm spinner Malinda Pushpakumara is also on board.On the surface, Viikings don’t look the most promising team in the tournament partly because they seem light on superstar talent, and there aren’t a lot of consistent T20 performers here either. But if their local batsmen fire, there is no reason they couldn’t put up a strong campaign.Notable mishap: Initially, when coach Jon Lewis drafted the majority of this team, they were known as the Dambulla Hawks. Then, a couple of weeks later, after Lewis had been jettisoned, they became the Dambulla Lions for a bit. Eventually, the Viikings group (who own a brewery in Goa, plus a bunch of other stuff probably), bought the franchise, and slapped their brand name on the team.Dale Steyn takes a photo with young fans•Getty ImagesKandy TuskersCaptain: Kusal PereraCoach: Hashan TillakaratneHow good are they looking?Tuskers have perhaps had the rockiest road into the tournament, having hit a serious speed bump last week when Chris Gayle withdrew, citing injuries. It had been hoped that between Gayle and captain Kusal Perera Tuskers could produce some serious top-order ballistics, but they will now have to do with the more staid kinds of innings that Brendan Taylor tends to produce. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan), Kusal Mendis and Asela Gunaratne are also likely to bat in the top six.The team did get a late boost, when Dale Steyn was announced as a replacement for Sohail Tanvir, but beyond this there’s not a lot of bankable talent, and Steyn will probably miss the first week in any case. It’s been two years since Tuskers’ Indian seamers – Irfan Pathan and Munaf Patel – last played a T20 game. Fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep has been known to deliver good death-bowling performances, but the remainder of the prominent local bowlers – Vishwa Fernando, Dilruwan Perera, and Lasith Embuldeniya – have made their names as Test bowlers.Notable mishap: Initially, Tuskers had picked Wahab Riaz and Liam Plunkett to lead their attack, before Wahab got picked for Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand, and Plunkett pulled out citing injury. Then they chose Tanvir to beef up their pace stocks, but Tanvir tested positive for Covid-19 soon after arriving in Sri Lanka, and now has to be sequestered away in a separate hotel until he gets better.Thisara Perera goes on the front foot to drive on the up•Getty ImagesJaffna StallionsCaptain: Thisara PereraCoach: Thilina KandambyHow good are they looking?Jaffna Stallions’ strategy in the draft was obvious: to select a core of dynamic local players, around which to build the franchise. They were so committed to this strategy that two of their three marquee players were locals (Thisara Perera and Wanindu Hasaranga), when most teams opted to pick just one local marquee player. The result is a dangerous outfit. In addition to Hasaranga and Thisara, who can contribute with both bat and ball, Stallions also have Dhananjaya de Silva, and Chaturanga de Silva. Avishka Fernando, the most exciting top-order talent in Sri Lanka, and promising wicketkeeper-batsman Minod Bhanuka are in the squad as well.Kyle Abbott, the former South Africa fast bowler, is the most notable name among the foreign players, with Usman Shinwari – the left-arm quick from Pakistan – and Duanne Olivier – Abbott’s fellow Kolpak-deal maker also around. West Indies’ Johnson Charles will probably open the innings, and Stallions have the experience of Shoaib Malik to call on in the middle order.There are no notable specialist spinners here, though. Stallions are banking on Hasaranga and Dhananjaya de Silva having good tournaments with the ball.Stallions were also the only team to run a training camp for their local players long before the foreigners began showing up. In general, they seem the most organised of the franchises so far.Notable mishap: Stallions have avoided the worst of the upheaval that has characterised the lead-up to the tournament. But they did have one late withdrawal: Ravi Bopara pulled out after the franchise could not agree to providing him his full payment up front.

The Kansas City Royals used a whopping nine pitchers on Wednesday in their 1-0 shutout win over the Atlanta Braves in a 10-inning game.

This is only the second time in MLB history in which nine pitchers were used in a shutout win, with the Cleveland Guardians achieving the feat back in 2016 in another 10-inning game. The Royals tied the record on Wednesday. They are the first team to have a shutout game in which all the pitchers logged at least one inning each, Royals broadcaster Joel Goldberg reported.

Using nine pitchers was part of the strategic plan the Royals had to use on short notice after the team lost starting pitcher Kris Bubic for the rest of the season with a left rotator cuff strain. Royals manager Matt Quatraro planned to utilize the bullpen during Wednesday's game, and it worked out in their favor.

Angel Zerpa, normally a relief pitcher, started in the first inning and saw one batter in the second—the Braves had one hit on him. Jonathan Bowlen was next, pitching through the third and striking out three batters and walking one. John Schreiber came in for the fourth, striking out another three batters. Taylor Clarke entered for the fifth, striking out one, then Hunter Harvey came in for the sixth and had two hits on him. Steven Cruz was next, striking out one batter in the seventh. Lucas Erceg gave up one hit in the eighth. Carlos Estevez pitched the ninth. Then, finally, Sam Long threw two strikeouts and gave up one hit in the 10th inning.

Thankfully for the Royals pitching staff, Salvador Perez hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th to end the game.

The Royals bullpen is going to need to rest on Thursday before their three-game series against the Blue Jays starting on Friday.

Eddie Howe says there is “no chance” Newcastle will accept a draw as he plots a first Premier League derby victory over Sunderland in ten attempts.

Newcastle prepare for Tyne-Wear derby

The sides meet in the top flight for the first time since March 2016 on Sunday, when the Magpies will make the short trip to the Stadium of Light looking to end a wait for a win in the fixture which dates back to August 2011.

Head coach Howe and many of his players had a taste of what to expect in January last year when they went to Wearside and emerged with a 3-0 FA Cup third round success over the then Sky Bet Championship Black Cats, and he is conscious of the need for balance in their approach.

He said: “If you don’t get the arousal levels right, if you hype the players up too much, then you can go out and not perform because you’re over-thinking things, you’re not playing the game, you’re playing the atmosphere.

“You need cool heads, but you also need to have the fire in there. If the fire’s not there in this type of game, then you’re not going to perform either. It’s a balancing act of trying to get the players in the right frame of mind.”

Newcastle will arrive on Wearside on the back of a four-game unbeaten run in all competitions to face a Sunderland side who have confounded those who predicted they would go the way of many promoted sides and struggle to keep their heads above water.

Despite last weekend’s 3-0 defeat at Manchester City, Regis Le Bris’ men sit in ninth place in the table on 23 points – one more than their neighbours – after 15 games, and it would take a major collapse for them to slip into trouble.

However, asked if he would take a point, Howe, whose side drew 2-2 at Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Wednesday evening, replied swiftly:

He continued: “We prepare every game to win. This will be no different.

“We’ve got to get the preparation right in a very short period of time. That’s been a challenge we’ve had all season, and I think we’re doing okay at this moment in time.

“We know we can improve, there’s areas to get better in and we’ve got minimal training time to get those tweaks adjusted. But by kick-off, I can assure everybody that we’ll be ready.”

Newcastle star could miss Sunderland game after new injury "issue" emerges

An ill-timed blow for the Magpies.

ByTom Cunningham 4 days ago

Sunday’s game will be the first clash between Howe and Le Bris – Michael Beale was in charge at Sunderland for the FA Cup tie – but the Newcastle boss has been impressed by what the Frenchman has achieved since taking the helm in July last year.

He said: “I don’t know him and it’s my first time going up against him, but I think they’ve done well this season. I’ve been impressed by how they’ve played.”

If you've watched baseball before, chances are you've seen some pretty great double plays turned. The video below of a high school pitcher going all-out to get an unassisted double play might be the coolest ones you'll ever see.

Joaquin Durazo, who plays for a high school travel team in California called Bandits National, is the star of this story. First he chased down a foul pop up and made a sweet diving catch near the on-deck circle.

He then quickly got up and ran to home where he tagged out a runner who somehow thought he might be able to sneak in for a run.

Durazo taught him otherwise. Check this out:

The diving catch. The mindfulness to then think about the runner. The dive to tag him out. The kid really did it all on that play.

Nottingham Forest have now made contact to sign Everton’s James Garner, amid a new update on the midfielder’s future at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Forest are looking to bolster their options in the engine room, amid widespread interest in Elliot Anderson, with Chelsea recently joining the race for the Englishman, who has managed to impress once again this season, despite his side sitting 19th in the Premier League table.

Anderson has also emerged as a regular starter for England, most recently putting in a solid showing as the Three Lions cruised past Serbia 2-0, completing 77 passes, while also winning seven duels, the joint-highest number of any player.

The Tricky Trees played a blinder by signing the 23-year-old from Newcastle United back in 2024, and they have now made an approach for another English midfielder…

Nottingham Forest make contact to sign James Garner

According to a report from Football Insider, Nottingham Forest have made contact over a deal for Everton midfielder Garner, who is out of contract at the end of the season, meaning his future at the Hill Dickinson Stadium is in doubt.

Forest have registered their interest in signing the 24-year-old, but there could be competition for his signature from Aston Villa, who have also made a move, while former club Newcastle United remain in the race.

The Merseysiders retain the option to extend the Englishman’s contract by an additional year, so they do not need to panic just yet, but they will be eager to tie him down soon, given that interest from elsewhere is now growing.

Sean Dyche knows the central midfielder well from their time working together on Merseyside, with the former Everton manager saying: “Jimmy Garner was terrific, he’s learning and improving. He’s just a good kid. He’s got that nice little edge about him that he’s a bit of a nark now and again, I like it.

“I think you need that as a footballer. The demands he places upon himself is very pleasing as he works very hard in training and I think he’s getting the rewards with his improvement.”

The Birkenhead-born midfielder has also performed well from a defensive point of view over the past year, even outperforming Anderson on some key metrics.

Average per 90 (past year)

James Garner

Elliot Anderson

Interceptions

1.35

1.02

Blocks

1.39

1.37

Clearances

2.24

2.01

Garner has been a key player for Everton this season, starting every match in the Premier League, which suggests he would be able to hit the ground running at Forest, so Dyche’s side should undoubtedly try and get a deal done this January.

Elliot Anderson makes decision on joining Man Utd Related Elliot Anderson makes Man Utd decision as INEOS ready £60m bid

Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson could be set for a major move in January.

Posts 1 ByJames O'Reilly Nov 5, 2025

حسم البرتغالي روبن أموريم، المدير الفني لفريق مانشستر يونايتد الإنجليزي، موقفه من عودة ماركوس راشفورد، الذي يلعب الآن في صفوف برشلونة الإسباني.

وغادر راشفورد مانشستر يونايتد في انتقالات الصيف بشهر يوليو الماضي، وانضم إلى برشلونة على سبيل الإعارة لنهاية الموسم الحالي، مع وجود خيار شراء في عقده.

وبدأ راشفورد العودة تدريجيًا إلى مستواه، في ظل حصوله على فرص للمشاركة مع برشلونة تحت قيادة المدرب الألماني هانز فليك.

راشفورد، إلى جانب إريك جارسيا، يعد اللاعب الوحيد الذي شارك في جميع المباريات، وثاني أكثر اللاعبين مشاركة من حيث عدد الدقائق، حيث خاض 16 مباراة مع برشلونة، سجل فيها ستة أهداف، وقدّم 9 تمريرات حاسمة.

ووفقًا لصحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية، نقلاً عن “مانشستر إيفيننج نيوز”، وقع اجتماع بين مالكي مانشستر يونايتد والمدرب روبن أموريم.

اقرأ أيضًا | برشلونة ينافس ثنائي الدوري الإنجليزي على صفقة إيونج

وفي الاجتماع، أوضحت الإدارة أنهم يعتمدون على راشفورد للموسم المقبل، لكن أموريم أوضح أنه لا يريد اللاعب الإنجليزي في فريقه تحت أي ظرف من الظروف.

وكان راشفورد قد غادر مانشستر يونايتد وانضم معارًا إلى أستون فيلا قبل انضمامه إلى برشلونة، بسبب خلافات مع أموريم.

ومن المرجح إذا أستمر راشفورد على نفس المستوى مع برشلونة وتطور أكثر، سيسعى النادي لتفعيل خيار الشراء، وقد يسعى ديكو المدير الرياضي لتخفيض قيمته التي تتراوح من 30 إلى 35 مليون يورو.