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Tottenham Hotspur have showcased in recent months that they are capable of achieving huge levels of success, but it’s pivotal that they build on their recent triumph to reach the next level.

The Lilywhites claimed the Europa League title with a 1-0 win over Manchester United in Bilbao, subsequently securing a place in the Champions League despite their 17th-place league finish.

Thomas Frank has the task of leading the side back to the top end of the Premier League table, needing to get his demands across to the players to give them the best chance of added success.

After taking the reins this summer, it’s no surprise that the Dane will also want to make the additions he craves, potentially spending a pretty penny in the transfer market as a result.

Owner Daniel Levy will have to hand him the funds he needs to make the subsequent changes to his squad, with countless players already on their radar throughout the transfer window.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

Ademola Lookman has emerged as a shock option for Spurs this summer, after holding talks with the Nigerian’s representatives over a move to North London this summer.

Mohammed Kudus has become one of the Lilywhites’ main targets for this summer window, but could cost a pretty penny, with the Ghanaian currently having an £85m release clause in his contract at West Ham United.

However, they could be about to turn their attention to Monaco star Maghnes Akliouche, with a move for the French youngster touted, according to L’Equipe.

The report claims that Spurs have made their interest known to the 23-year-old’s representatives, with Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United also interested.

It claims that the French star could be available for a fee in the region of £60m this summer, after scoring seven and registering 12 assists in his 43 appearances across all competitions.

Why Spurs’ £60m target would be a better signing than Eze

Eberechi Eze has been a player who’s been on Spurs’ radar over the last couple of years, but no deal has ever materialised for the attacking midfielder.

The 27-year-old has been subject to yet more heavy interest this window, after registering 14 goals and 12 assists across all competitions for Crystal Palace in 2024/25.

The Englishman has even been a key part of the national team setup over the last couple of months, subsequently making him an attractive target given his £68m release clause.

However, he could be on his way to North London, but it could be a move to join Arsenal, after the Gunners opened talks with the midfielder over a move to the Emirates.

As a result, they could turn their attention to Akliouche as a result, with the Monaco star having the potential to become an elite-level talent given his tender age.

When comparing his stats to those of Eze from the 2024/25 campaign, the youngster, who’s been labelled “exceptional” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has managed a higher shot on target rate, having the ability to be clinical in front of goal if needed.

He’s also completed more progressive carries per 90 and completed more of the take-ons he’s attempted, possessing a lot of talent when having the ball at his feet.

Games played

32

34

Goals & assists

15

16

Shot on target accuracy

28%

27%

Progressive carries

4.8

2.4

Progressive passes

6.5

3.3

Pass accuracy

81%

74%

Passes into final third

3.4

1.7

Take-on success

49%

48%

Carries into final third

1.8

0.7

The Frenchman’s dominance is further reflected in his tally of pass accuracy, and passes into the final third, having the ability to provide others around him with the opportunity to bolster their own tallies.

Whilst £60m may appear to be a mammoth sum of money, it’s a fee that would be cheaper than a deal for Eze, whilst also having the chance to improve down the line given he’s four years younger.

Should he continue on his current trajectory, it would be a sensational piece of business, handing Frank the attacking talent he desires upon the start of the 2025/26 campaign.

He's better than Eze: "Phenomenal" £85m sensation now wants to join Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to make a huge move for one top leve talent.

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There was also call-ups for opener Ishma Tanjim and left-arm spinner Sabikun Nahar

Mohammad Isam23-Jun-2024

Rumana Ahmed last played for Bangladesh more than a year ago•ACC

Bangladesh have brought back the experienced pair of Rumana Ahmed and Jahanara Alam after more than a year out of the squad for the Women’s Asia Cup starting next month.Though allrounder Rumana and seamer Jahanara have played 134 and 130 internationals, respectively, the Bangladesh selectors seemed to have moved on from them to build a relatively younger side. But it appears losing back-to-back T20I series to Australia (3-0) and India (5-0) recently has forced them into a rethink.Jahanara was the top wicket-taker in this season’s Dhaka Premier Division Women’s Cricket League (DPDWCL), with 25 wickets in nine matches, while legspinner Rumana took 17 wickets.”Rumana and Jahanara were out of the team for 12 months. We have to keep in mind that there is very little training facilities for our female cricketers, so it is to their credit that they held on to their fitness,” women’s chief selector Sajjad Ahmed said. “They performed very well in the Premier League. It is a good news for us that we can get their experience in our squad, which allows us to have a balanced squad.”There were also call-ups for opener Ishma Tanjim and left-arm spinner Sabikun Nahar, who are highly rated by the selectors.”Ishma Tanjim is a free-flowing opening batter. She plays some great shots,” Sajjad said. “She is technically very sound. She had a nearly 100 strike rate [in the DPDWCL], second-highest behind Dilara Akter. She made runs in some good matches, which prompted me to pick her. Sabikun Nahar is a left-arm spinner who can partner Nahida [Akter]. I feel her pace, variation and accuracy will release pressure on Nahida.”Bangladesh left out Habiba Islam, Fahima Khatun, Sobhana Mostary and Fariha Trisna from the team that played against India in May. Sajjad said that he is hopeful that this squad can get Bangladesh to the Asia Cup semi-finals.”I think we have a great prospect in the Asia Cup this year,” he said. “We open the tournament against Sri Lanka. If we win that game, we have a great chance of playing in the semi-final.”Bangladesh take on Sri Lanka on July 20, followed by matches against Thailand and Malaysia on July 22 and 24, respectively.Bangladesh squadNigar Sultana (capt, wk), Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Dilara Akter, Rumana Ahmed, Ritu Moni, Marufa Akter, Jahanara Alam, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun, Rubya Haider, Shorna Akter, Ishma Tanjim, Sabikun Nahar and Shorifa Khatun

Tottenham Hotspur’s pull in the transfer market, not to mention the finances available for crucial signings, have undoubtedly been boosted by their spot in the Champions League for next season, with chairman Daniel Levy and the Lilywhites recruitment team set for a very intriguing summer window.

Ange Postecoglou vows better Premier League finish for Spurs

Spurs confirmed their place in Europe’s most prestigious competition by reigning triumphant in the Europa League final last week, an historic night for both the club and under-fire manager Ange Postecoglou.

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Domestically, Spurs finished one place outside the relegation zone in 17th, breaking their all-time record for most Premier League defeats in a single campaign, and this has resulted in a major dilemma for Levy when it comes to deciding Postecoglou’s long-term future.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Their Europa League triumph represents a significant milestone for the north Londoners, who ended their 17-year wait for silverware and secured their first European trophy since 1984, with Postecoglou highly suggesting that he wants to stay at Tottenham during their trophy parade last week.

The final call on that won’t rest with the Australian, though, who also vowed to put Spurs in a much stronger position domestically if he’s given the chance next term.

“From my perspective, I made decisions that I felt were giving us the best chance of achieving the goal we needed to achieve this year and that has affected our league form,” said Postecoglou after Tottenham’s 4-1 loss to Brighton on the final day.

“If people don’t want to take that into account, then there is nothing I can say to explain it any better than that.

“I came to the club and we had finished eighth. I didn’t take over a club that had finished second. They had no European football to speak of. Lost the one player who probably guarantees you European football. That was my starting point. At the end of two years, I’ve got the club a trophy it has been crying out for, Champions League football, we finished fifth last year. Either people are saying ‘last year it was a huge anomaly for us to finish fifth or this is what we deliver right.’

“I have got no doubt next year we will be in a much stronger position, challenging for the top places.”

If Postecoglou does stay for 2025/2026, there is little denying he needs to be backed in the transfer market with Tottenham’s newly-found Champions League riches this summer.

Pundit convinced Angel Gomes wants to join Tottenham

Injuries left Postecoglou hamstrung at various points over the course of 24/25, emphasising the need for Spurs to strengthen across the board.

Their greater pull could also help them to land Europe’s most coveted free agents, like England international midfielder Angel Gomes, who is set to leave Lille when his contract expires on June 30.

Tottenham have been tipped as one of the favourites to sign Gomes on a free this summer, with pundit John Wenham telling Tottenham News that he’s convinced the 24-year-old would jump at the chance to join Postecoglou’s side.

“Tottenham are going to be playing in the Champions League next season,” Wenham said.

“Therefore, when it comes to the pecking order of options Gomes has, I’m sure that Tottenham would be near the top of the list if they were to make an offer.

“I’m sure Gomes wants to come to Tottenham and live in London and play Champions League football with the current Europa League holders. As a result, I’m sure a decision will be made on that soon.”

The former Man United gem has impressed in Ligue 1 since his switch there in 2020, so much so that he was awarded his first call-ups to the Three Lions squad late last year.

He could be an astute option to reinforce Tottenham’s midfield, which was left desperately short at points last season and crippled their chances of success.

Manchester City legend Kevin De Bruyne has been linked with a move to Liverpool and now journalist Fabrizio Romano has dropped a new update regarding the situation.

De Bruyne to become Liverpool's next Milner move?

Reds supporters are expecting this to be one of the busiest summer transfer windows in years at Anfield, following a fairly lengthy spell of quiet periods in the market.

Arne Slot is set to significantly add to his squad, with some current players moving on, and a shock move for De Bruyne has been mentioned, as Liverpool look to defend their Premier League title in 2025/26.

It has been claimed that the Reds have made an offer for the world-renowned Belgian, who has confirmed that he will leave City at the end of the season, having won six league titles at the Etihad.

Liverpool of course benefitted from a similar situation back in 2015, when James Milner was deemed surplus to requirements at the Etihad only to go on to win several major honours at Anfield.

Napoli are also interested in signing De Bruyne ahead of next season, with a move to the MLS also far from out of the question, but the idea of him in a Liverpool shirt could be a mouthwatering prospect for some supporters, especially as he grew up supporting the Reds.

Romano drops De Bruyne to Liverpool update

According to Romano on X on Thursday, claims of negotiations already happening are wide of the mark and Liverpool “are not in talks” to complete the signing of De Bruyne. TalkSPORT‘s Alex Crook has echoed that opinion on social media, saying: “Would be an interesting story but told De Bruyne to LFC is not on the agenda.”

In truth, Liverpool signing De Bruyne would be a big surprise, mainly because he is now in the autumn of his career and not quite the force he used to be.

The Belgium international is now 33 years of age and has lost some of his pace and all-round influence, while injuries have crept into his game more, limiting him to only 17 starts in the Premier League this season.

For that reason, it would make little sense in Liverpool bringing him in on huge wages, especially considering Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have only recently penned new deals.

It would be against the Reds’ general approach with transfers during the Jurgen Klopp and Slot era, with Thiago standing out as arguably the only ageing player who has come in as a key man. Instead, they prefer to sign individuals in their early to mid 20s, developing them into world-class footballers over time.

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If De Bruyne did suddenly make a shock switch to Anfield, it would at least be entertaining to see him producing sprinklings of magic at Anfield, but it would be wiser to focus on signing a younger attacking midfielder instead, such as Morgan Rogers or Xavi Simons.

The allrounder batted just once and bowled four overs in the entire series

Karthik Krishnaswamy14-Oct-20250:57

Gambhir: ‘Reddy deserves a go in home conditions’

Nitish Kumar Reddy didn’t bat in the first Test in Ahmedabad, not needed after being slotted at No. 8 in India’s only innings. He bowled four wicketless overs in West Indies’ first innings, and wasn’t used in their second.Promoted to No. 5 in the first innings of the second Test in Delhi, he scored 43. Then India, making West Indies follow-on, spent a cumulative 200.4 overs on the field across their two innings. Reddy didn’t bowl a single over in either innings.India view Reddy as a promising seam-bowling allrounder and are looking to develop him into a player who can give their line-ups the depth and balance they have so often struggled to achieve on past tours away from Asia. To do this, they want to give him as much exposure to Test cricket as possible, even in Indian conditions where his bowling may not be needed all that much with spinners taking on the bulk of the workload.Related

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There is value in this strategy, but how much did Reddy gain from playing the West Indies series, and how much did India gain from his presence in their XI? Did he gain and contribute anything other than the fleeting appearances he made on the scorecard?India head coach Gautam Gambhir certainly felt he did.”Look, for me, it is not important how many overs [Reddy] has bowled,” Gambhir said in his post-series press conference. “It is important that he is gaining experience. Gaining experience at home as well. Sometimes you learn a lot just by playing a game of cricket as well.”It is a Test match. And we don’t want to use a 23-year-old boy just on tough tours away from home. That’s not going to be fair to him, that we decide to play him only in overseas tours, be it Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, or England. I think when he has done well overseas, he deserves a go in home conditions as well.2:13

Why didn’t Nitish Kumar Reddy bowl a single over in the Delhi Test?

“And wherever we can get the opportunity to put him in in Indian conditions, we will continue to do that, because it is important for us to groom someone like Nitish, because you know that there are not many seam-bowling allrounders, and we have spoken for decades and decades about seam-bowling allrounders.”So whenever we get that opportunity, we will keep grooming him. And it depends on the captain, it depends on the conditions as well, how many overs he bowls, but again, I think [just] seeing Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj bowling at home will be a great experience for him.”India captain Shubman Gill expressed similar views in his post-match interview with the host broadcaster. On Sunday, when asked about Reddy’s lack of bowling, India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had spoken of the difficulty teams face when they juggle the twin objectives of winning Test matches and developing players for the future.”The priority is to win the Test match, so you’re first going to get a strategy call on who’s the best bowler [for a situation], and then, if it allows, you’ll fit pieces in where you can buy guys time or get another batter to the wicket like we did, changed the [batting] order in the first innings, given the position we were in,” ten Doeschate said. “But we’re never going to sacrifice the strategy for the sake of development […] Obviously [four] overs in this series so far and only one real chance to bat is not ideal, but the strategy will always come before the development of players.”With three allrounders in their XI, India have a certain amount of flexibility around how they line them up from Nos. 6 to 8. But there’s a hierarchy too. Ravindra Jadeja is proven as a top-six batter in Test cricket around the world, and has been in red-hot form all through 2025. Washington Sundar enjoyed an excellent tour of the bat with England, scoring a maiden Test hundred to help save the fourth Test at Old Trafford alongside Jadeja and following up with a 46-ball 53 at The Oval, extending India’s lead by what proved a crucial margin while batting with the tail – they eventually won that match by five runs.India rate Reddy’s batting ability highly, having seen him score a brilliant rearguard hundred against Australia at the MCG last year, in only his third Test match. But his average of 29.69 after 14 innings suggests he’s still a work-in-progress.Reddy had impressed on the Australia tour•Associated PressSo far in his career, he has shown he has an excellent attacking game against spin – he even demonstrated this with his reverse-sweeping and use of feet against Nathan Lyon in Australia – but has work to do against the swinging and seaming ball. During his innings in Delhi, he was troubled by Jayden Seales’ late away movement, and his open-shouldered technique often left him reaching for the ball.India believe Reddy’s ceiling can be raised substantially, but for now he remains behind Jadeja and Washington, who have an edge both in terms of experience and watertight techniques, in the allrounders’ batting hierarchy.This is why India sent in Jadeja when India lost their fourth wicket in Ahmedabad: they led West Indies by only 56 at that point, and had lost Gill and KL Rahul in the space of 11 overs. Jadeja and Dhruv Jurel proceeded to put on a double-century stand, and India declared five overs after Jurel’s dismissal.In Delhi, where they batted first, India got to a position where they were able to promote Reddy up the order, and sent him in at 325 for 3. He got to face 54 balls – and would have spent longer at the crease had he not been dismissed – which, in the end, turned out to be more than Washington’s series batting workload of 13 balls before India’s Ahmedabad declaration.Washington, of course, got to bowl a lot more than Reddy did, but it’s normal for an offspinner to bowl more overs on Indian pitches than a medium-fast seam bowler.Reddy has picked up nine wickets in eight Tests•Getty ImagesThere’s an argument to be made that India could have used Reddy for more than just four overs across the series. They could have perhaps given him a couple of overs with the new ball in Delhi, when Jasprit Bumrah, who had bowled a spell towards the end of West Indies’ first innings, didn’t open the bowling after India enforced the follow-on.They could have tried him as a partnership-breaker at some point, particularly when John Campbell and Shai Hope put on 177 for the third wicket. They could even have given him an over or two towards the end of sessions – they even brought on the highly occasional legspinner Yashasvi Jaiswal to bowl the last over of day three. But they didn’t bowl Reddy at all in the second Test.This may have felt like a waste of a resource, but it also made sense when viewed with cold objectivity. It made sense that Reddy’s four overs in the series all came in the first innings in Ahmedabad, when India bowled on a day-one pitch with an even cover of grass. There was no point in either Test, thereafter, where Reddy’s medium-fast bowling posed a genuine wicket threat, with Delhi’s turgid surface particularly hostile to his style of bowling.At every point as they strove to take 20 West Indies wickets, India probably felt there was a better option than Reddy for the conditions. Even though they had to bowl more than 200 overs over back-to-back innings to get those 20 wickets, they had an attack deep enough to carry the workload. This wasn’t necessarily the case on their tours of Australia and England, where their prioritising of batting depth over wicket-taking depth led to Bumrah and Siraj getting overbowled.In the home Tests, Washington and Jadeja are proper allrounders, and India had another genuine, wicket-taking spinner in Kuldeep Yadav. All three spinners could bowl long spells when needed, allowing Bumrah and Siraj to rest between spells, even if they ended up sending down their third-highest and fourth-highest match outputs in home Tests.It brings into question the decision to enforce the follow-on. Ten Doeschate admitted at the end of day three that India had probably misread the pitch and its state of wear and tear but even if this pitch was to deteriorate far quicker than it did, it surely made sense for India to bat again and bowl when it was at a more advanced stage of breaking-up?Reddy scored 43 in the first innings of the second Test•Associated PressThere was ample time left in the Test match, and little threat of rain. And the bowlers would surely have appreciated being able to put their feet up for at least a session. The decision, in the end, continued a worrying trend of selections and strategies dating back to the Australia tour that have shown this team management to treat bowlers’ endurance as an unquenchable resource.So we come to the question, then, of why play Reddy at all if his bowling, at its present level, isn’t going to be of much use on most Indian pitches? Why not instead play a proper batter in Devdutt Padikkal or a third spin-bowling allrounder in Axar Patel?The answer is that no team knows the shape that a match will take before it begins. Reddy isn’t the finished article with either bat or ball, but has shown enough evidence in his Test career that he can hold his own as a batting allrounder. It’s a quirk of circumstance that he finds himself playing alongside two other allrounders who presently merit batting above him and, particularly in Indian conditions, bowling more overs than him.And because India have Jadeja and Washington Kuldeep, it makes perfect sense for them to play Reddy rather than Axar. They already have enough spinners and a deep-enough batting line-up, so it gives them the chance to give Reddy more exposure to Test cricket, particularly as a batter. And because India have all that batting depth, another specialist batter like Padikkal could end up playing a bit-part role across a series while not even giving India the possibility of a few overs if circumstances should allow it.India may well pick Padikkal ahead of Reddy in their next home series, against South Africa in November, where they may feel the need for a specialist batting option against a potentially far more penetrative bowling attack. But in this series against West Indies, India had something to gain, and not a lot to lose, from playing Reddy.

Russell expects to play the 2024 T20 World Cup and then retire – and he might not be alone – but is happy to unretire if West Indies need him

Cameron Ponsonby13-Dec-2023Everyone wants to be their own boss. Choose your own hours. Pick your holidays. And take two years off before coming back in time for a home World Cup.The return of Andre Russell to the T20I side is the latest in the West Indian cricket soap opera.In the last month, the region has seen Darren Bravo, 34, controversially omitted from the ODI squad because of his age, with the sprightly Kjorn Ottley chosen instead. And happy birthday to Kjorn, by the way, he turned 34 on Saturday. Shane Dowrich, 32, was recalled to the white-ball set-up after four years on the sidelines, only to announce his retirement from international cricket ten days later. And chief selector Desmond Haynes said he was unaware of Akeal Hosein’s status when it came to the ODI series, only for him to open the bowling in tonight’s T20I.Related

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And just as the cricket threatened to take over. In the space of two days, the return of Russell and the departure of Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran and Kyle Mayers were confirmed. All of whom have opted to reject the Cricket West Indies central contract.Russell isn’t the player he once was, but he is still a match-winner, and in his much anticipated return, he put in a Player-of-the-Match performance with a game-changing spell of 3 for 19, before sealing a four-wicket win for West Indies as he bludgeoned 29 not out off 14 balls.”I love the start I got,” Russell said in the moments after play, still sweating after his 49-run partnership with skipper Rovman Powell got the West Indies over the line. “I always want to play for the West Indies. Sometimes people might think it’s all about playing leagues and all of those things, but I try to make sure that I look after my body and make sure that when the call-up is here, I’m ready. I was really excited for this call-up.”The return of Russell is a boost for West Indies both on-and-off the pitch. He is a global superstar, with his presence a boon for every marketing and financial spreadsheet. But more to the point, he fills a middle-and-death-overs-shaped hole for West Indies that the team was crying out for.No longer an out-and-out hard hitting allrounder, Russell is now a hard-length-hitting bowler, who, if you ask nicely, is also good for a few sixes.His three-wicket spell was split between the first over that went for ten and the following three that went for just nine and included the wickets of Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone and Rehan Ahmed.”The last delivery of my first over, I bowled a slower ball and I realised it gripped,” Russell said of his spell. “Since then, I told most of the seamers, bowl cutters, make it difficult for them. Pace-on deliveries, that’s where they get most of their runs… I tried to pass the message on as quickly as possible.”

“Sammy mentioned that once I do what I have to do in the CPL he will definitely mention my name in selection. And I had my fingers crossed… I’m here to play cricket and I’m just happy I can be wearing this crest on my chest”Andre Russell

Before Russell’s slower-ball intervention, England had scored 77 runs without a wicket, and they then lost all ten for just 94 more.”I was excited to see all the guys there trying to make sure the plan that we discussed in the huddle came out,” Russell said. “And it’s good to pull it back from a high-scoring game to 170 [171]. We know how good the quality of England’s spinners are and their [other] bowlers, so it was good to actually restrict them and have some cushion and comfort.”That Russell is back in West Indies colours is down to new head coach Daren Sammy. Together, the pair won the 2012 and 2016 T20 World Cups, and it was after Russell’s 11 wickets in the CPL three months ago that Sammy teased the idea of him coming back to win a third.”Sammy mentioned that once I do what I have to do in the CPL he will definitely mention my name in selection,” Russell said. “And I had my fingers crossed… I’m here to play cricket and I’m just happy I can be wearing this crest on my chest.”It is a full-circle moment for West Indian cricket, as two of the first high-profile players to go down the freelance route have reunited under the national banner. Sammy and Russell were cut from the national contracts list in 2016, experiences that make them well-placed to assist and understand the latest generation of players’ internal debates when they are weighing up what’s best for their own futures. When it was Russell and Sammy doing it, it was a leap into the unknown. But now, for the likes of Pooran, Holder and Mayers, who have opted to forego their CWI contracts, it’s a risk where the potential rewards are evidenced by the senior player and head coach in their own dressing room.”To be honest, I was just scrolling Google and I saw that,” Russell said of the trio’s decision. “I don’t know what’s going on really, I won’t get into that, to be honest. Whatever off the field stuff like that, they must know why they turned down the retainer, but at the end of the day, everyone’s decision is final.””After the World Cup I would walk away from international cricket, but if they need me, I will come out of retirement”•Sportzpics

Russell: ‘I still have a lot left in the tank’

A decision that isn’t final, however, is when Russell himself will be calling time on his international career.”It all depends on how the World Cup goes for me,” Russell said of whether the grand plan is to win the World Cup on home soil and then go sailing off into the sunset. “I still have a lot left in the tank. But, you know, based on discussions with the coach, I told him that after the World Cup I would walk away from international cricket, but if they need me, I will come out of retirement.”That’s the plan that I have, there are so many young talents here, all around us, similar to myself. Sometimes you realise that you’re going into 36, you know, just give the youngsters the opportunity. And if West Indies should still need me, I would be willing to put in the hard yards for them.”The assumption remains that Russell will call it quits when the World Cup ends. The fear is that others may join him. The line between country and cash is thinner and more complicated than outsiders will ever appreciate, with a common criticism that the prioritisation of the latter is immoral. However, watch the video of West Indies’ captain Powell explaining how his sole motivation is to ensure his mum never experiences poverty again, and that argument falls apart.Nothing is guaranteed in West Indian cricket, with the next drama no doubt around the corner. But what Russell showed today, is that the next episode has a chance to be a happy one.

Pakistan are looking for a way out of the rut, and the return of Bismah Maroof should help them on that path

S Sudarshanan and Danyal Rasool05-Mar-2022IndiaOverview
India have blown hot and blown cold in ODIs since the last World Cup in 2017, when they were the beaten finalists, losing a match they had every right to win against England.They have won 19 and lost 21 of the 40 they have played since. More importantly, India have just four wins in 16 matches since the start of 2021, which should be a major concern. However, they came close to beating Australia in Australia before ending their record-winning streak.The other concern is that India may or may not have zeroed in on their best XI. Yastika Bhatia was seen as the No. 3 before Deepti Sharma moved up to take the spot in New Zealand.The spotlight, though, would be on their bowling attack, led, perhaps for the last time, by Jhulan Goswami. They failed to defend scores of 270 and 279 in successive games against New Zealand. Without the experienced Shikha Pandey, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh Thakur and Pooja Vastrakar will have to step up and support Goswami, who has continues to keep things tight.Squad
Mithali Raj (capt), Harmanpreet Kaur (vice-capt) Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Taniya Bhatia, Sneh Rana, Pooja Vastrakar, Jhulan Goswami, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh Thakur, Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad | Travelling reserves: S Meghana, Ekta Bisht, Simran Dil BahadurRecent form
Having returned to the ODI circuit in 2021 after a 15-month gap, India have lost series against South Africa (at home), England, Australia and New Zealand (away). However, the run has also included a win that ended Australia’s record winning streak of 26 ODIs.Player to watch
Richa Ghosh has slotted seamlessly into India’s lower-middle order, using her attacking game to help India finish strongly. In her seven ODIs, she has hit two fifties, one of which was at a strike rate of 179.31 against New Zealand. Though she has some tidying up to do with her glovework, her ability as a batter should help India push their totals towards 300, something that won’t be too rare in New Zealand.What the captain said
“The young talent in the side today, I tell them that you don’t have the experience of the past World Cups, so it’s a clean slate for you, all you have to do is enjoy the big stage. The only advice I would give the young players is enjoy the big stage because if you pile up the pressure you may not be playing the best that the team and you would want to do in the World Cup.”
Mithali RajPakistan will hope that a refreshed Bismah Maroof hits the ground running•Getty ImagesPakistanOverview
For far too long, Pakistan have simply existed on the circuit without the sort of progress they might have hoped for. There are plenty of reasons why that’s the case, but at this World Cup, they would want to shelve that reputation in search of tangible on-field progress. They have gone winless at the last two ODI World Cups, and go into this tournament far from being the favourites. There have been limited signs of improvement, though. There were a couple of away ODI wins against West Indies last year and an upset T20I win against South Africa in Durban. Not to forget the win over New Zealand in the warm-up game the other day. But Pakistan have tended to lose the matches they are expected to lose, and win the ones they’re supposed to win. It’s been a bit predictable, but that’s the rut they have found themselves stuck in, and will want to break out of.Squad
Bismah Maroof (capt), Nida Dar, Aiman Anwer, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Ghulam Fatima, Javeria Khan, Muneeba Ali, Nahida Khan, Nashra Sandhu, Omaima Sohail, Sidra Ameen, Sidra NawazRecent form
It’s been underwhelming. There was a recent big victory against Zimbabwe in Harare, but also a defeat against Bangladesh, and those three wins against West Indies and South Africa were accompanied by nine losses against the same oppositions last year.Player to watch
Bismah Maroof has been a pioneering cricketer for Pakistan for more than a decade and a half. She returns to the fold after her maternity leave, which prompted the PCB to adopt a maternity policy for the first time. The Pakistan captain’s presence is a major fillip for a side that doesn’t quite boast the strength and depth of some of the legitimate contenders. After spending nearly a year away from cricket, it will be key to Pakistan’s chances that a refreshed Maroof hits the ground running.What the captain said
“We arrive in New Zealand well prepared, with our eyes set on one of the four semi-final spots. We have never made it to the knockouts of any World Cup across the two formats, but that does not mean that time will never come.”
Bismah Maroof

The Red Sox hosted the Guardians on Monday at Fenway Park for a matinee matchup on Labor Day. It was an entertaining game from the get-go, as Boston and Cleveland combined for six runs in the first two innings. And in the sixth frame, Trevor Story hit one of the strangest home runs you'll ever see in an MLB game. Certainly at Fenway Park, anyway.

Story squared up on a 2-0 pitch and sent a long fly ball down the right field line. Guardians OF Jhonkensy Noel sprinted towards Pesky Pole on the right field wall to try to rob Story. Then things got weird.

Noel appeared to make the grab at the exact moment the ball hit the foul pole. His momentum carried him almost into the stands and his glove hit a fan, forcing the ball free to bounce along the wall. If that is difficult to envision, watch the video first and then try to read it again because that's the only way to really grasp the sequence.

In real time it was almost impossible to tell what happened, and the umpires ruled it a foul ball initially. But slow-motion replay apparently revealed that the ball hit the pole clearly enough for the ruling to be changed and Story was awarded the home run.

A very odd series of events, and one that is almost physically impossible at a major league ballpark other than Fenway. Each day really does bring something we've never seen before.

MatériaMais Notícias

Botafogo-SP e Novorizontino se enfrentam nesta segunda-feira (27), às 21h, no Santa Cruz/Arena Nicnet, em jogo válido pela sétima rodada da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro. Para esta partida, as odds do Lance! Betting são as seguintes: a vitória do time de Ribeirão Preto tem odds a 3.07, o empate marca 2.93 e a vitória do time de Novorizonte marca 2.42.

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*As odds podem mudar

+ Confira os mercados da Lance! Betting para resenhar, se divertir e apostar!

+ Dicas de apostas em nosso canal de WhatsApp para apostar com sabedoria!

Dica de aposta recomendada

São várias as possibilidades de apostar nesta partida da Série B no Lance! Betting. Nossa sugestão aqui é que Londrina e Volta Redonda não vão marcar gols, já que ambos os times não balançaram as redes em dois de seus últimos três jogos. As odds para ambos não marcarem estão em 1.53.

+ A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

Estatísticas de Botafogo-SP e Novorizontino

O Botafogo chega para essa partida com três derrotas e cinco empates. Do outro lado, o Novorizontino vem de uma série de duas vitórias e três derrotas.

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⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES

BOTAFOGO-SP (Técnico: Paulo Gomes)
Michael; Matheus Costa, Lucas Dias e Bernardo Schappo; Wallison, Emerson Negueba, Matheus Barbosa, Gustavo Bochecha e Patrick Brey; Alex Sandro e Toró.

NOVORIZONTINO (Técnico: Eduardo Baptista)
Jordi; Rodrigo Alves, Luisão, Danilo e Renato; Paulo Vitor, Geovane, Marlon e Patrick; Waguininho e Rodolfo

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✅FICHA TÉCNICA
Londrina x Volta Redonda
Série C – Sexta rodada

Data e horário: segunda-feira, 27 de maio de 2024, às 21h (de Brasília)
Local: Santa Cruz/Arena Nicnet, em Ribeirão Preto (SP)
Onde assistir: Canal GOAT, Premiere, TV Brasil
Árbitro: Savio Pereira Sampaio (DF)
Assistentes: Lucas Costa Modesto (DF) e Jordana Pereira Batista (GO)

Tudo sobre

Botafogo-SPNovorizontinoSérie B

Heading into the weekend game against Manchester City, many Newcastle United fans were apprehensive. After all, Eddie Howe’s side have been out of sorts this season, and City rarely lose to the Tynesiders.

But Newcastle reminded the Premier League of their quality with an emphatic 2-1 win over Pep Guardiola’s outfit. United remain bogged down in 14th place, but only six points separate them and Aston Villa in the top four.

There were a few changes at St. James’ Park, and it underscored a wider shift at the club that could see a number of Howe’s mainstays move on in 2026.

The Newcastle stars who might be leaving in 2026

The midfield is the beating heart of Newcastle’s system. While Joelinton continues to look like the weak link, at the weekend he was back to his physical and rip-roaring best.

However, it’s difficult to imagine Newcastle would have claimed all three points had Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento not been reinstated on the defensive flanks. The young full-backs rewrite the tactical script, adding a new dimension and playing into Howe’s transitional emphasis.

This, of course, could spell the end for Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn, both of whom have deputised in the absence of the injured younger men this season. However, Newcastle are limited in their mobility and dynamism when the veterans start.

There is another member of Howe’s United backline whose future is somewhat uncertain too, and it’s far more concerning that this star’s level has dipped.

Newcastle mainstay is on borrowed time

When Newcastle signed Sven Botman in 2022, it was regarded as a coup for one of Europe’s most talented up-and-coming centre-backs.

He was a colossus across the 2022/23 campaign, steering Newcastle into the Champions League and being lauded for his “incredible impact” by pundit Leon Osman.

Commanding and cool-headed, Botman is the prototypical central defender for a side competing for trophies, with his calculated and accurate passing crucial for his side’s presence on the ball. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 13% of positional peers in England’s top flight for chances created per 90 (0.55).

However, injuries have since laid waste to the 25-year-old’s hopes of sustaining good form on Tyneside, and he now faces a fight to recover his place in the starting line-up, having been benched for the recent win in the Premier League.

Season

Apps

Minutes

25/26

10

659′

24/25

8

415′

23/24

17

1,378′

22/23

36

3,129′

Thiaw’s emergence as a top Premier League defender this season has coincided with Botman’s own struggles for fluency and strength in Howe’s system.

This is a centre-half whose attack on the English game after joining from Lille in 2022 was widely lauded. He was “a monster in his debut season”, according to reporter Charlie Bennett, who then acknowledged that the Netherlands international has since been “glued to the treatment table”.

As Thiaw goes from strength to strength, there is only so much leeway Botman can be afforded. Schar was immense in his place against Man City, but the 33-year-old is out of a deal at the end of the season.

After a solid start to the season, Botman’s form has slumped. Newcastle reporter Joel Brand even said he was “utterly embarrassing” during the loss at Brentford earlier this month.

Should he leave, Newcastle will need to search for a replacement, and that could lead to Botman falling down the pecking order and a far cry away from that pedestal he stood on before injuries gripped him.

Newcastle have already got a bigger talent than Barnes who's "like Mbappe"

Newcastle United have a bigger talent than Harvey Barnes in an 18-year-old who is similar to Kylian Mbappe.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 24, 2025