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They will meet in an ODI for the first time since the 2019 World Cup, but rain could delay the start in Pallekele

Hemant Brar01-Sep-20232:29

How should India tackle Shaheen Afridi and Co?

Big picture: Face-to-face in ODIs after four yearsIf someone tells you there are bigger rivalries than India vs Pakistan at the 2023 Asia Cup, do not trust them.Of late, the Afghanistan vs Pakistan and Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh games might have been spicier on the field, and nastier off it, but the history – both cricketing and otherwise – and the quality of the players involved make India vs Pakistan arguably the biggest rivalry in world cricket. That they rarely face each other these days makes every match a highly anticipated one.You will have to go all the way back to the 2019 World Cup to see what happened when they last met in an ODI. The famous Fakhar Zaman hundred, and the infamous Jasprit Bumrah no-ball, in the 2017 Champions Trophy final might be six years in the past but since then, the two teams have played only three ODIs against each other.Related

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And that is also one of the reasons why it’s not easy to say who the favourites are for Saturday’s game in Pallekele.In the past, it has been a battle between Pakistan’s bowlers and India’s batters. While that will be contest this time as well, with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf testing Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli, there is a lot more to it with the ODI World Cup just over a month away.The Asia Cup was supposed to mark the return of Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul. While Iyer has been declared fit, Rahul is yet to attain full fitness, and that gives Ishan Kishan another opportunity. Kishan scored three successive half-centuries in the West Indies, but they all came at the top of the order. With Rohit back now, Kishan may have to give up the opening slot.ESPNcricinfo LtdBumrah, another key player for India, made a comeback during the Ireland T20Is. Before that series, Bumrah had said that he was prepared to bowl ten overs. Saturday’s game, weather permitting as there is a rain threat, will test Bumrah’s claim.For Pakistan, their captain Babar Azam is in red-hot form, having scored a superlative 151 against Nepal in the tournament opener, but Fakhar’s lean run could be a concern. Since his three successive hundreds – including an unbeaten 180 – against New Zealand, Fakhar has managed only 139 in the next seven innings. But both Pakistan and India know how destructive he can be. Moreover, Pakistan have the cushion of a long batting line-up, something that India lack.Form guideIndia WLWLL (last five ODIs, most recent first)
Pakistan WWWWLIn the spotlight: Shreyas Iyer and Shaheen Shah AfridiIn the last few months, many, including Rohit, have said that India have a No. 4 problem. But with Shreyas Iyer returning, that is no longer true. In fact, in Iyer, India have one of the best No. 4s in world cricket. Since the end of the 2019 World Cup, Iyer has scored 805 runs at No. 4, at an average of 47.35 and a strike rate of 94.37. From the ten teams that will be participating at the 2023 ODI World Cup, no No. 4 has a better average, or more hundreds than Iyer’s two. Last year, he also worked on his weakness against the short ball. India will just hope he makes a trouble-free return.Shaheen Shah Afridi had dismissed Rohit Sharma for a first-ball duck at the 2021 T20 World Cup•AFP/Getty ImagesShaheen Shah Afridi running in with a brand-new white ball is one of the best sights in modern-day cricket, but only if you are not the one facing him. Despite not looking his best against Nepal, he picked up two wickets in his first over. He even went off the field briefly after his five-over spell, but the Pakistan team management was quick to clarify it was only to do with Multan’s heat. So far, Shaheen has played only three international matches against India; twice he was wicketless but on the third occasion, at the 2021 T20 World Cup, he bowled a match-winning spell of 3 for 31. How he performs on Saturday could define this match as well.Team news: What will India’s pace attack look like?India need to make some tough calls. If they pick Shardul Thakur to lengthen their batting line-up, it would leave just two spots for frontline seamers (assuming Kuldeep Yadav is a certainty). In that case, Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are likely to get the nod ahead of Mohammed Shami and Prasidh Krishna.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 Ishan Kishan (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Shardul Thakur/Mohammed Shami, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Jasprit BumrahPakistan announced an unchanged XI on Friday evening.Pakistan: 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Babar Azam (capt), 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 5 Agha Salman, 6 Iftikhar Ahmed, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10 Naseem Shah, 11 Haris RaufPitch and conditions: Rain threatens delayed startThe match will be played on a fresh pitch but if it behaves anything like the Sri Lanka-Bangladesh one, with help for both seamers and spinners, good luck to the batters. There’s a forecast of rain, though, from early morning till mid-afternoon, which could delay the start.Stats and trivia: Kohli, Babar on the cusp of milestones Kohli is 102 short of becoming the fifth batter to reach 13,000 ODI runs. If he gets there on Saturday, in his 266th innings, he will break Sachin Tendulkar’s record (321 innings) of being the fastest to that milestone. Babar has 19 ODI hundreds. One more and he will level with Saeed Anwar for the most ODI hundreds for Pakistan. Imam-ul-Haq has a chance to become the second fastest to 3000 ODI runs. At the moment, he has 2889 runs in 63 innings. Shai Hope and Fakhar Zaman, who are currently the joint second-fastest, reached there in 67 innings. Ravindra Jadeja needs six wickets to become the seventh Indian with 200 ODI wickets, and the first Indian since Kapil Dev (3783 runs and 253 wickets) to complete the double of 2000 runs and 200 wickets.Quotes”They are a very good team, last few years they’ve done really well, whether it’s at the T20 World Cup or in the 50-over format. No team becomes No. 1 just like that. Pakistan has worked hard a lot to get there, they look like a unit. It will be a good challenge to play against them.”
“Let’s leave that debate [Babar vs Kohli] to people. Everybody has their point of view, and I don’t want to comment on it. He is elder to me and I have been taught to respect elders, no matter from which country they are. And I have learnt a lot from him. In 2019, during the World Cup, I spoke to him and it helped me a lot.”

Despite deciding to sign Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona won’t be paying his release clause before July as part of a strategic financial move.

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Barcelona won't trigger clause immediatelyWilliams set to leave Athletic this summerCatalans' decision motivated by tax planFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to a report by , Barca have taken a strategic approach in paying Williams’ release clause due to accounting reasons. Notably, they want to charge the €58 million payment plus the CPI (tax on capital gains) in the 2025-26 financial year, which commences on July 1, and want to pay the amount afterwards. Although there is a short delay due to the formalities, the Catalans want to acquire Williams’ signature before he joins Athletic’s pre-season camp, which is set to kick off in the second week of July.

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In the last summer window, the 22-year-old winger had rejected some offers, and despite Barca being keen to sign him back then, the deal did not go through. However, this term, the Catalans are determined to secure the signing of a player they consider a perfect fit for Hansi Flick’s setup. The player’s representatives are currently trying to convince the Basque club to agree to the clause being paid in instalments rather than in a lump sum at one go.

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Williams and his brother Inaki Williams’ mural was vandalised in Bilbao, with Athletic Club speaking out against 'disrespectful' fans as the transfer saga drags on.

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If the deal sees daylight, Williams will be expected to join the Catalans’ pre-season camp, which is scheduled to start on July 13. However, due to international duties surrounding the recently concluded Nations League, where he featured in the final against Portugal, he, along with a few national team comrades, will join the training at a later date.

Manchester City outcast Jack Grealish is a "real Tottenham player" who would be a great fit under Thomas Frank, according to club icon Robbie Keane.

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Grealish labelled a "real Tottenham player"Club icon suggests moveMan City career all-but overFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Manchester City winger is likely to leave the Etihad Stadium this summer after being deemed surplus to requirements by Pep Guardiola, with several Premier League clubs taking an interest in snapping him up. Former Spurs forward Keane has talked up a move to north London for Grealish, describing the former Aston Villa star as a "wonderful" footballer.

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Speaking to , Keane said: "I love Jack. I think he’s a wonderful football player and a real Tottenham player with the way he plays and moves on the pitch. I really think that he could fit into the Tottenham team, whether he plays on the left, as a high No. 8 or as a No. 10. I'd definitely be hoping for that move to happen."

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Grealish was left out of Manchester City's squad for the Club World Cup as he resolves his future. Keane is hoping Tottenham can sign him as one of "two or three" new signings under Thomas Frank.

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A move abroad has not been ruled out for Grealish either, with Napoli said to be keen on him. However it was reported last week that the move had hit a stumbling block due to his wage demands.

Coach Lewis to address weakness with Mumbai camp ahead of World Cup

Valkerie Baynes07-Sep-2023England Women will take a select group of batters to Mumbai for a training camp after their tied Ashes contest and more recent 2-1 T20I series defeat to Sri Lanka exposed weaknesses against spin that head coach Jon Lewis believes other teams will look to exploit.With a tour of India scheduled at the end of this year followed by the 2024 T20 World Cup in Bangladesh and the 50-over version in India in 2025, Lewis said facing spin was a key area his side must improve if they are to contend for trophies.”Off the back of the Ashes, and from what I saw at the World Cup, it’s pretty clear that the way we play spin bowling is a big area for development for us,” Lewis told reporters after Sri Lanka’s seven-wicket victory in Derby on Wednesday night gave the tourists a historic 2-1 series win against England. “And it’s been highlighted here. It’s brilliant exposure for our players to understand this is where you’re at in your cricketing journey, these are the bits of the game that we need to improve.”We’ve got a 20-over World Cup in Bangladesh, we’ve got a tour to India and we’ve got a 50-over World Cup in India. So our next three big challenges in reality, there’s going to be a lot of spin bowled at us. People will watch us play spin and they’ll go, ‘right, okay, we think we can exploit this team in that area’. So I’m really keen to get to work with the girls, and how they play the spin bowling and the options that they have, because there’s there a lot of areas for growth.”Lewis didn’t identify which players would be a part of the camp, but told the BBC it would be held “before some of the girls go off to the Big Bash”. Among the eight England players picked up in the inaugural WBBL draft this week were captain Heather Knight, Danni Wyatt, Alice Capsey, Maia Bouchier, Bryony Smith, Bess Heath and Danielle Gibson. Heath was named in England’s T20I and ODI squads for Sri Lanka’s visit but remains uncapped so far while Smith made the last of her nine international appearances during the T20 leg of India’s tour to England a year ago and the rest all featured in the T20Is against Sri Lanka.In the opening match of this latest series in Hove, England raced to 186 for 4 in 17 overs, with Capsey scoring a 26-ball half-century, before rain curtailed Sri Lanka’s reply and the hosts won by 12 runs under the DLS method. But they were then bundled out for 104 and 116 in the next two games as Sri Lanka became the first side other than Australia to beat England in a bilateral T20I series since New Zealand in 2010.Of the 24 English wickets to fall in the series, 17 were to spin, providing further evidence of a key weakness after England’s struggles against Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner, who finished with 23 wickets as Player of the Series during the drawn Ashes.Ash Gardner was a key figure in Australia’s Ashes retention.•PA Images/GettyKavisha Dilhari, Sri Lanka’s 22-year-old off-spinner, emerged as a threat with five wickets at 10.20 and an economy rate of 5.66 while Chamari Athapaththu, their captain, proved damaging primarily as the leading run-scorer of the T20Is by a long way with 114, but she also took five wickets at 11.40 and an economy rate of 5.18.”We’ve been outplayed,” Lewis reflected. “Credit to Sri Lanka, I thought they played some really, really good cricket. In particular, they bowled incredibly tight lines with all their spin bowlers and obviously we struggled to cope with that and didn’t play it particularly well. And there was some sloppy cricket at times in it with our batting.”Chamari Athapaththu played exactly how I’d like our batters to play and put us under a lot of pressure. I thought she played fantastically well in the two innings that she got away in the last two games. The pace that they got away at in both games is obviously the difference between the teams with the bat as well.”England were without a number of more experienced players, opting to rest star allrounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, batter Sophia Dunkley and the world’s leading spinner, Sophie Ecclestone, who subsequently dislocated her right, non-bowling, shoulder during the Hundred. They also lost seamer Lauren Bell to illness and Tammy Beaumont continues to be overlooked in the shortest format as England seek to expose younger players to the international stage.That strategy has opened the door for Mahika Gaur, the tall, 17-year-old left-arm seamer who has previously represented UAE at Under-19 level, as well as Bouchier at the top of the order and forced Sarah Glenn and Charlie Dean to shoulder more of the spin-bowling responsibility Ecclestone would normally carry.Related

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Glenn: No backing down as England seek return to winning ways

Sciver-Brunt and Beaumont will return for the three-match ODI series, starting in Durham on Saturday, but Lewis expressed no regrets over England’s youth development policy.”We’re trying to work out how we want to play and the mindset we want to go into each game with, and which individuals are capable of doing that,” Lewis said. “And you won’t find that out unless you expose them to international cricket. So the decision-making before the series was very much around trying to give people opportunity who’ve been sat on the edge of our squad or just outside our squad, to try and learn about what they’re capable of under pressure.”Obviously every time we’ve taken some risk in terms of winning, but what we are hopeful of is the opportunities we’ve given the players will generate brilliant coaching conversations and an understanding of where each player is at in terms of themselves on their journey and how they need to develop because we are a developing team.”We’ve got three teenagers out playing for us at the moment, which is fantastic, but they will now go away from this experience and be able to learn about how to improve their game, to be able to become brilliant international cricketers, to be able to dominate the top teams in the world. Those are the conversations that we’ll be having with our players over the course of this next series and over the course of the next year or two.”

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Oct-20232:53

Have England failed to plan well for this World Cup?

–Fixtures | Squads | Points table | Tournament IndexTop Story: England’s title defence suffers another crushing blow as Sri Lanka coast to victoryEngland’s World Cup defence is not dead yet. And more’s the pity, to judge by this latest hollow-eyed display from Jos Buttler’s ex-worldbeaters. The humiliations are coming so thick and fast that they are losing their shock factor but, suffice to say, this latest crushing loss – by eight wickets and in just 59 overs of the match’s 100 – was neither the largest nor the most shocking of an abject campaign.It was, however, the one that confirmed beyond any lingering doubt that this team of genuine England greats no longer has any miracles left within its dressing-room. The match-up was nominally eighth versus ninth in the tournament standings, but by the time Pathum Nissanka had slammed Sri Lanka’s winning six over long-on with a massive 148 balls remaining, you were left to wonder whether this England team, in this miserable mood, could even have matched their conquerors’ achievement of making out of the qualifying tournament in July that did for the likes of West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland.Click here to read the full reportMatch analysis: England’s lurching between attack and defence leaves them in no man’s landThere was more gloom heading Jos Buttler’s way who once again fell for a low score•Associated PressThe light at the end of the tunnel was a train. England have spent the last four weeks travelling around India talking about responding to setbacks and awaiting the statement performance that has never arrived. If their defeats to New Zealand, Afghanistan and South Africa were bad, this might have been the worst of the lot.The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru was a venue that should have suited England perfectly. In the first of five effective must-win games, they chose to bat first on a flat pitch with short boundaries, rattled along to 44 for 0 after six overs and could finally afford to dream big: would 350 be enough to flatten Sri Lanka, or should they eye 400?Click here to read the full analysis from Matt Roller in BengaluruMust Watch: Shane Bond on England’s unwillingness to adapt2:23

Bond: England showing no willingness to adapt

News headlines Jos Buttler said that England’s performance at the World Cup has been “a huge disappointment” and “a shock to everyone” within their set-up, after an eight-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka in Bengaluru left them on the brink of elimination with four group games remaining.
Shakib Al Hasan returned to Bangladesh’s World Cup camp in Kolkata on Thursday evening, cutting short his three-day Dhaka trip to two days. Shakib had gone to Dhaka on October 25 to have a nets session with his childhood mentor Nazmul Abedeen Fahim.Match previewPakistan vs South Africa, Chennai (2pm IST; 8.30am GMT; 7.30pm AEDT2:59

Bavuma: There is a temptation to chase in Chennai

As one campaign unravels, another gathers full steam. It’s a familiar theme for Pakistan and South Africa across much of ICC tournament history. While South Africa have often looked among the most formidable sides in the early stages of these tournaments, Pakistan stutter and stall until they’ve left themselves with no margin for error, and then they roar into life. This fixture, timed to coincide with that point of crossroads in the World Cup group stages, gives that narrative the extra thrust for South Africa to be that little bit warier, and Pakistan slightly more optimistic.But South Africa are looking to make history at this World Cup, while Pakistan are in danger of being consigned to it. The ferocious brilliance of South Africa has combined with clinical effectiveness, lending that side a steel and ruthlessness they have often been accused of lacking. The team might always look a batter light with Marco Jansen in at seven, but with nearly all of the top six in such glistening form, no side bar Netherlands have been able to burrow their way deeper into that line-up until explosive damage has already been done.Click here for the full previewTeam newsPakistan: (likely) 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Imam-ul-Haq/Fakhar Zaman, 3 Babar Azam (capt), 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Iftikhar Ahmed, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Usama Mir, 9 Mohammad Wasim Jnr, 10 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 11 Haris RaufSouth Africa: (likely) 1 Temba Bavuma (capt), 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Rassie van der Dussen, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Tabraiz Shamsi, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Lungi Ngidi/Lizaad WilliamsAnalysis: How Heinrich Klaasen bosses spin with a destructive quasi-pullA rendition of the pull that has brought Heinrich Klaasen so much success against spin•ICC/Getty ImagesWhen is a pull no longer a pull? If you’re the kind of person who spends an unhealthy amount of time dwelling on the precise meanings of cricketing terms, you might find yourself pondering this when you watch Heinrich Klaasen play the pull.Defined most simply, the pull is a horizontal-bat shot hit across the line of a short-pitched ball. Klaasen’s pull, particularly against spin bowling, routinely fails to check all three of those boxes.Read the full analysis from Karthik Krishnaswamy

Arsenal are "unable to comment" after Thomas Partey was formally charged with multiple sexual offences. The Metropolitan Police have charged Partey with a total of six offences, five of them being rape and one of sexual assault. These charges are connected to allegations made by three different women.

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Partey charged with rape and assaultWill appear at Magistrates' Court next monthArsenal decline to commentFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to investigators, two of the rape allegations involve one woman, while three others are tied to a second woman. The single charge of sexual assault relates to a third complainant. Police officials noted that the alleged incidents are believed to have taken place between 2021 and 2022. A police inquiry into the allegations began in February 2022, following the receipt of the first complaint.

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An Arsenal spokesperson told "The player's contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings, the club is unable to comment on the case."

The situation has reignited concerns among parts of the club’s fanbase. The campaign group Arsenal Supporters Against Sexual Violence has held regular demonstrations calling for stricter responses to serious allegations involving professional players. Although their protests have not specifically mentioned Partey, the group has long maintained that any player facing such serious allegations should be suspended until the matter is resolved in court.

WHAT HAS PARTEY'S LAWYERS SAID

Partey has denied all accusations. In a statement shared by his legal representative, Jenny Wiltshire, the Ghana international maintained his innocence and said he looks forward to the chance to clear his name in court.

In a statement, Wiltshire said: "Thomas Partey denies all the charges against him. He has fully cooperated with the police and CPS throughout their three-year investigation. He now welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name. Given that there are now ongoing legal proceedings, my client is unable to comment further."

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Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, expressed his department’s continued support for the women who have come forward.

"Our priority remains providing support to the women who have come forward," he said. "We would ask anyone who has been impacted by this case, or anyone who has information, to speak with our team. You can contact detectives about this investigation by emailing [email protected]".

Stokes spoke at length to the team after the Afghanistan loss, and England are hoping it spurs the team on, like at last year’s T20 World Cup

Matt Roller17-Oct-2023Ben Stokes has encouraged his England team-mates to play more aggressively after their 69-run defeat to Afghanistan in Delhi on Sunday night, and looks set to make his first appearance of the tournament against South Africa in Mumbai this weekend.Stokes has missed England’s first three games of the World Cup because of a hip complaint and has watched from the sidelines as his team-mates slipped to heavy losses to New Zealand and Afghanistan. Those defeats – with a victory over Bangladesh sandwiched between them – have jeopardised their semi-final prospects and they will likely need five wins from their remaining six league games to be in contention for the knockout stages.Stokes batted twice in the nets in Delhi and while Jos Buttler described him as “close” to featuring against Afghanistan, Saturday night’s fixture against South Africa had long been earmarked as a target for a return.Related

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Woakes' woes underline England's World Cup troubles

“We’ve obviously been relatively conservative with him, but the medical staff were always confident that South Africa was a game we could target,” Matthew Mott, their head coach, said on Tuesday. “I haven’t had a report on him in the last 24 hours, but before that, he was on target.”So fingers crossed, he can tick off all the things that need to be ticked off and he comes back into that side. He’s like the spiritual leader of the group in many ways, and he certainly spoke really well after the game the other day, and spoke about that need to really assert ourselves.”Buttler only addressed his players briefly after completing his media duties in the aftermath of Sunday’s defeat, instead handing over first to Mott and then to Stokes. Stokes does not hold an official leadership position in England’s limited-overs set-up but is a senior player and their Test captain.Mott said that he did not doubt England’s effort or commitment, but told his players that they looked short on confidence and that they had fallen short in their “general attitude” with both bat and ball.Harry Brook was the only England batter who looked comfortable against Afghanistan•Associated Press”The boys are trying really hard,” he said on Tuesday, “but the two things that we’re probably missing are the confidence – to puff your chest out, go out there and really take the game on – and then it’s just our general attitude, our ability to do the little things: bowl in partnerships when we’re bleeding from one end… and then with the bat, just being a little bit braver.”We pride ourselves on putting the opposition under pressure, and on reflection, we’ve been the reactive team in those two games. We need to turn that around really quickly.”Stokes had spoken to his team-mates in the aftermath of England’s defeat to Ireland at last year’s T20 World Cup in Australia, after which they won four consecutive games to lift the trophy. And he did the same after Mott spoke on Sunday, reinforcing the coach’s message about positivity after a series of tame dismissals.”Stokesy came in on the back of that and just really reinforced what was a great message – particularly someone who was sitting on the bench, and had a bit of a different lens,” Mott recalled. “Like it did in the T20 World Cup, it [losing] backs you into a corner and you have to come out.1:16

Jaffer: England need to adapt to Indian pitches

“We know when we go into that mode and we’re not as forceful and aggressive, other teams grow from that. That was one of Stokesy’s biggest points: we’re normally the team that dictates terms and gets the other team unsettled, disrupted. And for whatever reason, we haven’t been able to do that. It’s quite clear what we need to do.”Harry Brook has batted No. 4 for England in Stokes’ absence, but was the only batter to assert himself in Sunday’s run chase, top-scoring with 66 off 61 balls. Mott did not rule out the possibility that Stokes – who will play as a specialist batter as he managed his chronic knee injury – could replace an allrounder.Such a move would mean England risk being light on bowling options, with Joe Root likely filling in as their sixth bowler. But it would also enable them to field a batting line-up featuring Moeen Ali or Liam Livingstone at No. 7, emboldening their top order to attack. “That’s going to be a real key question,” Mott said.”It’s still up for debate. We’ll have some really good, robust conversations over the next 24 hours; try and work out what that best balance is, not just for South Africa, but for the conditions as well. Harry batted extremely well and I think everyone knows his class as a player so it’s a good problem to have. Whatever way we go, we’ll have a strong XI.”

Luton Town have launched their 2025/26 home kit, which has been designed by Harry Kane's sustainable sportswear brand Reflo.

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Kane's company create Luton's kitFully recyclable shirt Luton aiming for Championship returnFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Reflo, the brand for which Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane is an investor, ambassador, and part-owner, have released Luton Town's new home kit. The orange shirt is fully recyclable due to Reflo's Reloop technology, meaning it is the first of its kind.

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Reflo say of the technology: "Built from 100% recycled polyester and engineered with the ability to be mechanically recycled at the end of its life, it represents a meaningful solution to the 92 million tonnes of textiles that end up in landfill each year, transforming shirts into a circular product that can be reborn season after season."

WHAT LUTON SAID

Gary Sweet, the club's chief executive officer, said: “We are delighted to launch our partnership with Reflo with this new, unique kit, while reminiscent of the one we watched our heroes of 80s wear, like Basher and Raddy. The Supporters’ Trust have been involved in the design process from the very start, and the fans who have seen it already have been impressed. We now can’t wait to see the lads play in it for the first time this weekend and look forward to a long, ground-breaking partnership with Reflo as we seek to make the club sustainable in every sense.”

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Reflo Luton TownWHAT NEXT?

Luton, who finished 22nd in the Championship and dropped into League One for the upcoming campaign, will aim to make an instant return to the English second-tier.

Juventus have reportedly reached a full agreement with Porto to sign Francisco Conceicao but the winger must forego a fee before he can leave.

Juventus and Porto agree on €32m transfer feeDeal hinges on Conceicao waiving 20% interestEverton were also in race to sign the 22-year-oldFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to , the Bianconeri have agreed to pay €32 million (£28m/$37m) for the Portuguese winger, broken down into four instalments of €8m. That is on top of the €9.5m already paid for his loan last season, bringing the total package close to €40m (£36m/$45m). However, the deal can only be completed if Conceicao waives the 20% stake of the transfer fee that is owed to him. This clause is the final stumbling block before the move can be made official, with Porto giving him 24 hours to sign the document.

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The 22-year-old made a strong impression during his loan spell at Juve, scoring seven goals and providing six assists in 40 appearances across all competitions. Despite interest from Everton, who were reportedly willing to trigger his €30m release clause, Conceicao made it clear he only wants to stay in Turin.

Juventus, meanwhile, are still in the market for another winger. They have made a move for Jadon Sancho, who is out of favour at Manchester United. Juve have reportedly agreed personal terms with the Englishman, but their bid falls well short of United’s asking price.

DID YOU KNOW?

Conceicao is the son of former Porto coach Sergio Conceicao. He began his youth career at Porto in 2020 before moving to Ajax and returning to Portugal. His loan spell at Juventus was his first in Italy.

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With the Conceicao deal nearly secured, Juventus are now expected to turn their attention to Sancho. While the Serie A giants have offered well below United’s asking price, the Premier League club may not have much leverage in negotiations. Sancho’s contract expires next summer, making this the final transfer window in which United can receive a fee for the 25-year-old. United, who are actively pursuing Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, need funds for new signings and may be forced to accept Juventus’ offer.

India scored the highest total in a World Cup knockout match before Daryl Mitchell scored a scarcely believable 134 off 119

Sidharth Monga15-Nov-20232:35

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India 397 for 4 (Kohli 117, Iyer 105, Gill 80*, Southee 3-100) beat New Zealand 327 (Mitchell 134, Williamson 69, Shami 7-57) by 70 runsNew Zealand had no business giving India the nervous moments they did in a defence of 397 but India eventually made mockery of the supposed knockout pressure as they waltzed into the final, now one step from possibly the most dominant World Cup campaign. The average victory margin for them now is 175 runs, 6.4 wickets and 64.4 balls remaining. Australia’s 2007 triumph was 147.67 runs, eight wickets and 89.2 balls remaining.In doing so, Virat Kohli went to a mindboggling 50th ODI hundred in front of his wife, in front of the man he went past, Sachin Tendulkar, and at a ground where the torch was metaphorically passed 12 years ago when he carried Tendulkar on his shoulders. Shreyas Iyer scored a second straight century, at 67 balls, the third-fastest by an Indian in a World Cup, all three in this edition.One of those three centuries belongs to the selfless Rohit Sharma, who set India up with yet another blazing start of 47 off 29, the ninth time this year that he got out in 40s, 80s or 90s, the joint-highest number for a calendar year.Related

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It is no surprise that India scored the highest total in a World Cup knockout match, which was always going to be plenty at a ground that has shown the most variance in bowling friendliness from afternoon to evening this tournament. As expected, it went from no swing or seam in the afternoon to appreciable movement in the air and off the surface, followed by surprising prodigious turn and no dew, but Daryl Mitchell scored a scarcely believable 134 off 119 only for Mohammed Shami to thwart them with 7 for 57.You can’t begrudge India any of the breaks they got with the conditions: this was only the second toss they had won in nine knockout matches in limited-overs World Cups since the Mohali semi-final against Pakistan in 2011. On a used pitch, that advantage was negated a little as it would mean marginally more assistance for the slower bowlers during the afternoon and marginally less assistance for the quicks under lights.However, Rohit converted this marginally smaller advantage into a proper headstart even before spectators had settled in. He already has the most runs, highest strike rate, highest average, most sixes, most fours in the powerplays this World Cup. In a semi-final on a slow pitch, it wouldn’t be unreasonable if he have himself a couple of sighters, but he started going in the first over, flamboyantly flicking a length ball over midwicket in order to create his own momentum into the shot.2:32

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As early as the third over, Trent Boult was around the wicket, suggesting no movement for the fast bowlers. To Boult’s first ball from that angle, Rohit danced down the wicket and lofted over mid-off for his first six of the day. He would add three more in his brief innings to go two each past Chris Gayle’s record for most World Cup sixes and most in a single World Cup: 49 and 26.India’s top five now average more than any side in a single World Cup, but it is in sticking to their roles that they have been the most impressive. Rohit’s job has been to maximise; accumulation can be left to Shuman Gill and Kohli. Rohit’s personal score doesn’t matter. He fell on 47, trying to hit a fifth six but was undone by a Tim Southee slower ball.Twelve years after Kohli carried Tendulkar on his shoulders to thank him for carrying the team, Gill, heir apparent to Kohli, took on the aggressor’s role to allow Kohli time to get into his work. Now these are only relative terms because 29 off 39 is not a bad start knowing how Kohli can accelerate, but in the same time Gill added 59 off 45. However, with a century there for the taking, Gill retired-hurt with what looked like cramps, presumably so as to not jeopardise his participation in the final.For New Zealand, though, this retirement was like jumping from the pan into the fire. Iyer batted with ferocity and touch, taking down Rachin Ravindra after just six sighters. Now in the second half of the innings, Kohli, too, began to up his intent. He went after the returning quicks, Boult and Southee. Iyer made sure they had to take the part-timers out of the attack.The only reason Iyer didn’t get the fastest World Cup century for India was a maiden bowled by Mitchell Santner in the 35th over. Santner was the only bowler who held his own, going for just 51 in his 10.2:59

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India took 110 off the last 10 overs with KL Rahul’s 39 off 20 providing the finishing touches. You wouldn’t have guessed at that point that India would need all these runs, which makes all the starts from Rohit and the intent the new team management has insisted on even more crucial.Those extra runs provide a cushion if the bowlers have half an off day. Jasprit Bumrah had just that kind of a start that proves he is human: 22 runs in three overs, plenty of width, a set of five wides. First-change Shami, though, emerged as the nightmare for the batters. Immediately around the wicket, he toyed with the two left-hand openers, nibbling it just enough to have them caught at the wicket in his first two overs.It gave India some relief and the freedom to introduce Ravindra Jadeja early should there be dew later. Both the spinners found turn from the pitch, but incredibly, Mitchell kept hitting them down the ground, including the biggest six of the tournament. Mitchell and Kane Williamson added 181 for the third wicket, a catch went down, a possible run out was missed as Rahul broke the wicket too soon, faces grew tense, meetings got longer. And when the returning Bumrah was off-driven for six by Mitchell, you knew things had got serious.Shami, though, returned with a double-strike: a slower ball to have Williamson caught at deep square leg, and an absolute peach to seam in and hit Tom Latham’s kneeroll second ball. With Glenn Phillips in, India could go back to the spinners and mount the asking-rate pressure. It went past 12 in the 37th over, and with Mitchell cramping and India smartly keeping the ball out of his reach, it just became a losing battle for New Zealand.Shami came back to take three deserving wickets in the end, becoming the quickest to 50 wickets in World Cups, moving to most five-fors and also registering India’s best figures in the tournament.