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Manchester United target Frenkie de Jong could now be ‘leaning towards’ a move to Old Trafford, according to Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth.

The Lowdown: De Jong links

De Jong was first linked with the Red Devils at the end of April after Erik ten Hag was announced as United’s new manager. However, almost two months on, a transfer is yet to gather any real momentum, even though well-placed sources believe a move will eventually happen.

Sheth stated earlier this week on Sky Sports that there has been no official offer made to Barcelona, and he has now shared more news after ‘noises’ he’s heard regarding a transfer.

The Latest: Sheth’s comments

Sheth, talking to GiveMeSport, said that there is a ‘willingness’ from all involved for a deal to go through and believes the midfielder is ‘leaning towards’ an Old Trafford move.

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“As far as de Jong is concerned, publicly, I’m sure the noises will be that he’s happy at Barcelona. There’s no reason not to say that because if the move doesn’t work out, and he said he wanted to leave, it doesn’t leave him in a very good position.

“But, I think, the noises we’re hearing is that there’s a willingness from all parties to do a deal. The fact that Erik ten Hag is at Manchester United, he’s their new manager and they’ve worked very closely together, and arguably he’s had the best form of his career under that manager. I think there is maybe a leaning towards ‘yes’ – he would be open to making that move to Old Trafford.”

The Verdict: Needed

United have seemingly been working on a move for months now, so it would be a nightmare if they failed to get a deal over the line. De Jong could well prove to be the marquee midfield addition that is required to provide some much-needed depth to Ten Hag’s ranks.

The United boss mainly used De Jong as a only real senior defensive midfielder on the books at Old Trafford, a move is needed. It looks as if it could well materialise after all, so hopefully, we’ll hear further positive updates over the coming days ahead of United’s return for pre-season on June 27.

In other news: ‘They’ve looked at him’ – talkSPORT man drops huge Man Utd transfer claim involving ‘lethal’ ace. 

Manchester United have in the ‘last hours’ emerged as suitors for Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni, according to Sky Sports Italia journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.

The lowdown: Rapid rise to prominence

A product of the academy system at Atalanta, Bastoni made the switch to Serie A giants Inter in 2017 and spent time on loan at Parma before enjoying a staggering breakthrough into senior action.

Having flourished through the youth international ranks, the towering centre-back went from strength to strength to become a fully-fledged member of the first-team plans at the San Siro and the senior Italian national team.

The 23-year-old has now amassed 118 appearances for i Nerazzurri with the Italian media saying he ‘plays with the personality of a veteran’, and he’s attracted serious interest from Tottenham Hotspur recently.

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However, it seems as though the Red Devils are throwing their hat into the ring for the possible big-name signing…

The latest: Di Marzio makes huge claim

In a report cited on Twitter, the Italian journalist has claimed that Manchester United have ‘been moving’ for Bastoni.

He says that the Old Trafford interest has surfaced in the ‘last hours’ after Tottenham boss Antonio Conte initiated contact regarding the defender once hailed as ‘world class’ by Italian football expert Kaustubh Pandey.

The report also states that United could compete with Tottenham and Newcastle for the signing of Lille defender Sven Botman.

The verdict: Make it happen

Valued at £54million and under contract in Italy until 2024 (Transfermarkt), any move for Bastoni would undoubtedly involve an eye-watering figure.

However, having conceded 57 times in the Premier League last term – more than eight other sides in the top ten – there can be little doubting that the defensive department needs addressing by new manager Erik ten Hag as a priority.

During the 2021/22 campaign, the 14-cap ace earned an outstanding 7.10 Sofascore rating in Serie A, winning 4.1 duels and making 1.1 interceptions on average per game whilst helping keep eight clean sheets in the process.

That elite level form, combined with his already superstar status and the astronomically high ceiling the Italian could feasibly reach as he heads towards his peak, make the 6 foot 2 star a superb potential capture for the Red Devils and one Ten Hag and John Murtough should be pushing hard to make a reality.

In other news, Erik ten Hag could be key in luring this star to Old Trafford.

Aston Villa have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Phillips links

Phillips, who Andrea Pirlo described as a ‘rock’ last summer, has been heavily linked with a summer switch to Villa in recent months.

Reports in March suggested that Steven Gerrard’s side were leading the race for the England international and were willing to pay Leeds £60m and Phillips around £10m-a-year.

Leeds are now on the verge of relegation back to the Championship, which has led to a major update emerging on the star midfielder’s future and a possible Midlands move.

The Latest: Source shares update

FI shared a story regarding Phillips on Thursday lunchtime claiming he is now ready to quit Elland Road even if Jesse Marsch’s side stay up.

A Villa source informed the site that NSWE are now readying up an offer after being given such encouragement, with Phillips feeling now is the right time to move on.

The Verdict: Record deal?

Should Leeds go down in the next ten days, then you’d like to think that their £60m valuation for Phillips could drop slightly. However, Villa could still smash their club record for Phillips in a deal worth over £35m.

Gerrard wants midfield reinforcements and a ‘specialist No.6’ this summer, and with Phillips a big admirer of the Villa boss, it seems as if a move is a real possibility.

Villa chiefs may well be hoping that the Whites drop back down to the second tier, making this a transfer to keep a close eye on over the coming weeks.

In other news: NSWE now close to agreeing deal for another midfielder alongside Coutinho.  

تحدث الدولي الأرجنتيني لاوتارو مارتينيز، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي إنتر ميلان، عن شعوره بالظلم في اختيارات الكرة الذهبية وعن مواجهة برشلونة في نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ولم يتمكن الفريق الإيطالي من حصد اللقب للمرة الثانية في تاريخه، بعدما خسر أمام باريس سان جيرمان بخماسية نظيفة في نهائي “ذات الأذنين” لموسم 2024/2025.

وتأهل إنتر ميلان إلى نهائي البطولة بعد فوزه على برشلونة بشق الأنفس بمجموع الأهداف 7/6 في مباراتين كانتا في غاية الإثارة والمتعة.

وقال لاوتارو من خلال حواره مع “فرانس فوتبول” عن بعض الخرافات التي نشأ عليها: “اعتدت أن أدخل الملعب بقدمي التي ألعب بها، اليمين، من الشائع جدًا في الأرجنتين وأمريكا الجنوبية أن تسير المباراة بسلاسة قدر الإمكان، أما البقية فأحتفظ بها لنفسي فهي خرافاتي”.

وعن حدوث مباراة ملاكمة مع أنطونيو كونتي عام 2021 أكمل: “تشاجرت معه قليلًا في ذلك الوقت، انتهى الخلاف في النهاية ثم نصب زملائي حلقة للسخرية لأنه كان من الأفضل الضحك عليها، كانت لحظة جميلة للاسترخاء”.

اقرأ أيضًا | لاوتارو مارتينيز: خماسية باريس سان جيرمان أصعب ألم في حياتي.. ولم أتحدث لـ5 أيام

وعن قوة باريس سان جيرمان أكتر من برشلونة، أردف: “إنهما فريقان مختلفان، لكنني لطالما ظننت وأخبرتُ من حولي أنهما المرشحان الأوفر حظًا، عندما أقصينا برشلونة بجودتنا ولعبنا وتواضعنا، حققنا هدفنا وهو الوصول إلى النهائي، ولو لعبنا كما استعدينا لكانت لدينا فرصة كبيرة للفوز، لكننا لم نفز”.

وعن تعرضه للظلم في ترتيب الكرة الذهبية 2024 كشف: “نعم، توقعت أن أحتل مرتبة أعلى بعد أن أنهيت الموسم كأفضل هداف ولاعب في الدوري الإيطالي، وفزت بكوبا أمريكا بخمسة أهداف، منها هدف الفوز في النهائي، كما فزت بكأس السوبر الإيطالي، مسجلًا في نصف النهائي والنهائي، أحترم قرار الحكام، سألوني عن رأيي وقلت ذلك، هكذا أنا لم أكن يومًا ضمن المرشحين”.

وعن حلمه التتويج بالكرة الذهبية أتم: “التقدير الفردي مهم بالنسبة لي، العمل الجماعي يقدم على الفرد ولكن عندما نحقق أهدافنا الشخصية فذلك لأننا نقدم أداءً جيدًا للفريق، أهدافنا الجماعية هي التي سمحت لنا بالوصول إلى هذه المرحلة، إن التواجد ضمن أفضل 30 لاعبًا هو مكافأة رائعة بالفعل لكنني أحلم بتقديم أفضل ما لدي في موسم واحد، أحلم بالفوز بجائزة الكرة الذهبية وهي جائزة مرموقة للغاية”.

Regis Le Bris enjoyed what can only be described as a dream debut season as Sunderland manager.

Many Black Cats bosses have come and gone in quick succession in recent years as promotion to the Premier League has evaded them.

But, in the Frenchman’s case, it was a first-attempt job, with the ex-Lorient head coach now eager to prove himself in England’s elite league after an up-and-down stint in Ligue 1.

He will know that a stern defence will be key if Sunderland stand any chance of beating the punishing drop, with a new defensive brute reportedly now on his shopping list to toughen up the Wearside underdogs.

Sunderland considering move for 6-foot-3 colossus

The Championship playoffs did showcase Sunderland’s excellence in the centre-back department with Daniel Ballard taking his team to Wembley with a last-gasp header versus Coventry City, whilst loan ace Chris Mepham would complete a whopping 12 clearances against Sheffield United in total to shut out the annoyed Blades.

But another centre-back could soon join the building in the form of ex-West Bromwich Albion brute Cedric Kipre. Football outlet Africa Foot states that Le Bris and Co view the Ivorian as a serious option after promotion.

Whilst the 6-foot-3 colossus is well known to EFL fans for his imperious displays with the Baggies, he is just fresh off a season in the French top-flight with Stade De Reims. This venture might well have ended in relegation, but it bodes well for Kipre not finding the Premier League daunting.

How Kipre can be Ballard 2.0 for Sunderland

Regardless of his time out in Ligue 1, his standout showings in the Championship earn enough merit on their own, with his authoritative approach out from the back – matched by his ability to pop up with a crucial header – meaning he could become Ballard 2.0 for Le Bris.

He also shone in spurts for Reims despite relegation, with the headed effort above unfortunately just not enough to keep Samba Diawara’s men afloat.

Away from this unfortunate relegation on his CV, though, Kipre has proven himself in the past as a brave battler in the challenging second tier of English football, with the Baggies left gutted by the 28-year-old’s decision to depart the Hawthorns last summer.

Looking at the table above, Kipre was a rock-solid option for the Carlos Corberan-led Baggies, with a mightily impressive 14 clean sheets notched up from 44 clashes.

Further, the table shows off the similarities between the defensive duo, with both Ballard and Kipre chipping in with three goal contributions each, away from also being able to valiantly battle away with duels, winning a similar number.

Much like Ballard, too, the current Reims number 21 has had to bounce back from plenty of Premier League rejection, with his early career seeing him be let go of by Leicester City.

The Sunderland titan also had to wave goodbye to Arsenal to join the Stadium of Light, but he will now have a shot at top-flight redemption on Wearside next season.

Kipre will also fancy his chances at being a formidable presence for Le Bris’ outsiders, having once been labelled as “one of the best defenders in the division” by the Second Tier podcast when plying his trade in the EFL’s top league.

Now, it’s up to the “fantastic” defender – as he’s also been labelled by football journalist Josh Bunting – to earn his stripes up a league, with Kipre having the potential to be as loved as Ballard if his brick-wall presence allows safety to be secured.

Sunderland can land bigger coup than Henderson by re-signing £40m "wizard"

Sunderland supporters would love if this statement deal were to go through.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jun 1, 2025

If there is one position that Arsenal desperately need to address this summer, it’s centre-forward.

Mikel Arteta might want to add other players to his team as well, but ask the fans, and we reckon the vast majority will want the club to add a reliable goalscoring nine to the squad, someone who can put away the chances created by the likes of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli.

The board appear to share this opinion, as the last few months have seen a slew of top-quality forwards linked with the North Londoners, with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko perhaps being one of the most consistent and significant of the lot.

However, while the Slovenian would be a fine addition to the Gunners’ squad, recent reports have now touted another, far more impressive centre-forward for a move to the Emirates.

Arsenal's striker search

As there have been so many strikers linked with Arsenal in recent weeks, it’s only right we go over a couple of them, like Ollie Watkins and Viktor Gyokeres, before getting to the player in question.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The Gunners made an offer for the former during the winter window but failed to match Aston Villa’s £60m valuation, and even if they want something similar again in the summer, it might be a deal worth revisiting, as in 53 appearances he has scored 17 goals and provided 14 assists this season.

On the other hand, while Gyokeres isn’t Premier League-proven, his incredible tally of 53 goals and 13 assists in 51 games this season suggests his upside may be far higher than the Englishman’s and more than justify the reports that he could cost the North Londoners around £55m.

However, if Arteta and Co want to sign a better alternative to Sesko, they might want someone younger than the aforementioned strikers and who is proven in a top-five league, someone like Hugo Ekitiké.

Fortunately, according to a recent report from French publication RMC Sport, Arsenal are indeed interested in the Eintracht Frankfurt star.

The report has revealed that, alongside fellow Premier League sides Chelsea and Liverpool, the Gunners have already approached and held talks with the player and club.

However, on top of dealing with the competition, Andrea Berta and Co will have to stump up a fee of up to €100m – £84m – to get their man.

It would be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Ekitiké’s unreal ability and potential, it’s one worth pursuing, especially as he’d be a way better signing than Sesko.

How Ekitiké compares to Sesko

So, if the choice for a new striker this summer comes down to Ekitiké and Sesko, who should Arsenal sign? Who comes out on top when we compare them?

Well, when it comes down to their raw output – what matters most for a striker – it’s the Frankfurt star who comes out on top.

For example, in just 48 appearances, totalling 3645 minutes, the “incredible” Frenchman, as dubbed by teammate Rasmus Kristensen, has scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.41 games, or every 107.20 minutes.

In contrast, the former RB Salzburg gem has scored 21 goals and provided six assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3258 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.66 games or every 120.66 minutes.

What about their underlying numbers, then? Who comes out on top when we take a look under the hood?

Unfortunately for the Slovenian international, this is once again another area in which the comparisons heavily favour his competition.

For example, the 22-year-old comes out on top in almost all relevant metrics, including but not limited to actual and expected non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, key passes, passing accuracy, shots and shots on target, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.91

0.40

Non-Penalty G+As

0.77

0.61

Progressive Passes

1.86

1.74

Progressive Carries

3.26

1.78

Shots

4.00

2.50

Shots on Target

1.55

1.10

Passing Accuracy

75.5%

67.6%

Key Passes

1.54

0.72

Shot-Creating Actions

3.55

1.93

Goal-Creating Actions

0.42

0.34

Successful Take-On %

1.82

1.48

Aerial Duels Won

1.82

2.65

Ultimately, it’s abundantly clear that Ekitiké is a significantly better striker than Sesko, even notably described by journalist Graeme Bailey as “the next Mbappe”, and therefore, Arsenal should do all they can to sign him this summer.

He's like Isak: Arsenal plan talks to sign £105m Gyokeres alternative

The free-scoring forward would be perfect for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 22, 2025

Celtic made a bold decision in the January transfer window when Rennes came knocking to sign their star striker Kyogo Furuhashi on a permanent deal.

The Japan international had scored 85 goals and provided 19 assists in 185 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, including an incredible return of 34 goals in the 2022/23 campaign.

Despite his fantastic record for the club, Celtic agreed to sell the Japanese centre-forward for a reported fee of £10m to the French side, leaving Adam Idah as the team’s only natural number nine.

Instead of dipping into the market before the end of the January transfer window, Brendan Rodgers opted to put his faith in Daizen Maeda as a striker, saving the club millions on a new signing.

The Japanese forward has stepped up to be the alternative to Idah up front, whilst also still being an option on the flanks when needed, and has been a star for the Hoops with his goals this season.

Why Daizen Maeda is Celtic's most important player

The Celtic star, who was described as “electric” by John Collins, is the team’s most important player because of the quality he can provide in front of goal, as well as his incredible work rate out of possession.

Last season, Rodgers claimed that the forward “has the work rate of two players” and this speaks to how important he is to the side off the ball, as the versatile attacker can constantly close down opposition defenders and midfielders when they have the ball to win it back for the Hoops.

The 27-year-old attacker has also been the biggest threat at the top end of the pitch for the Scottish giants, with 30 goals and nine assists in 44 matches in all competitions.

He has scored at least 12 more goals than any of his teammates, with Nicolas Kuhn in second with 18, and has been directly involved in at least seven more goals than any other player in the squad, with Kuhn in second again with 32 goal contributions.

As you can see in the table above, Maeda has provided a constant threat in the final third in the Scottish Premiership, with 23 goals and assists in 25 starts.

These statistics illustrate how important the Japan international is to Rodgers’ side with his contributions at the top end of the pitch, which is why he is the most important player in the squad when you couple that with the work he does off the ball to help out defensively.

Despite his importance to the side and his sensational performances on the pitch in all competitions this season, Maeda is not currently in the top three earners at Parkhead.

The top ten earners at Celtic

Per Salary Sport, Kyogo was in the top three with £19k-per-week before his £10m transfer to Rennes was completed in January, whilst Maeda is currently on £18k-per-week.

Cameron Carter-Vickers and Callum McGregor are reportedly the two highest-earning stars at Parkhead on £37k-per-week, significantly more than the Japan international’s £18k-per-week.

As you can see in the table above, Maeda is currently fourth in the wage bill, still ahead of the likes of Reo Hatate, Arne Engels, and Alistair Johnston, and is behind James Forrest.

The long-serving academy graduate is reportedly on a wage of £19k-per-week, earning more than a handful of first-team stars, despite being a squad player, at best, this season.

With this in mind, Rodgers must consider ruthlessly axing the Scottish forward from the squad in the upcoming summer transfer window, as there could be a better use for the money they are spending on his wages.

Why Celtic should move on from James Forrest

The 33-year-old winger is heading into the final year of his current contract at Parkhead and it may be best for the club to either move him on permanently or to send him out on loan for the season to go and play regular football, recouping a percentage of his wages for the campaign in the process.

Forrest has not done enough on the pitch in the current term to justify being one of the top three earners at the club, or to justify a regular place in the team in the 2025/26 campaign, which is to be expected at his age.

The experienced dud showed signs of life in the 2023/24 season, with a very respectable return of seven goals in 28 appearances in all competitions, but he has failed to deliver on the pitch this year.

Forrest cost his side in the 1-0 defeat to bottom-of-the-table St. Johnstone last weekend when he failed to beat the goalkeeper from close range after Adam Idah put the ball on a plate for him in the middle of the box, with Celtic losing 1-0 at the time.

As you can see in the table above, the Scottish forward has not scored a single goal in the Premiership this season, despite having three ‘big chances’ to find the back of the net.

In fact, Forrest has not scored a single goal in 25 appearances in all competitions this term. The likes of Greg Taylor, Auston Trusty, Jeffrey Schlupp, and Alistair Johnston – who all play in defence – have outscored him by scoring once in all competitions.

This illustrates just how poor the experienced winger has been in front of goal, which was on full display when he missed a chance to draw Celtic level at the weekend.

There is no doubt that Forrest has been an excellent servant for the club, scoring 109 goals in 520 matches to date, but his form this season suggests that this summer would be the right time to ruthlessly ditch him, whether permanently or on loan, due to his high wages compared to other players who play week-in-week-out and contribute more in the final third.

Celtic already sold "outstandingly basic" McGregor upgrade for just £1.5m

Celtic cashed in on the talented midfielder before he had the chance to develop into the long-term Callum McGregor upgrade.

By
Dan Emery

Apr 8, 2025

When you consider that Maeda has scored 30 goals in all competitions, playing in a similar position, and reportedly earns less than him, it seems to be the right call to move on from Forrest this summer.

All the stats highlights from India’s win against Pakistan in the Asia Cup final

Sampath Bandarupalli28-Sep-20253:17

Which Indian spinner had the biggest impact?

9 – Asia Cup titles for India, the most for any team. The 2025 edition is India’s second Asia Cup title in the T20 format, following their previous win in 2016. They have seven titles in the ODI format – in 1984, 1988, 1990, 1995, 2010, 2018 and 2023. Sri Lanka have won six titles (five ODIs and one T20) at the Asia Cup, while Pakistan have won two (both ODIs).9-0 – India’s win-loss record while chasing against Pakistan in T20Is. These are the most matches for a team with a 100% chasing record against an opponent. It also extended the unbeaten streak of the chasing team winning in India vs Pakistan T20Is played in Dubai. Of those six meetings, India have won four and Pakistan two.127 – Runs India needed at the fall of their third wicket. It’s the second-highest they have successfully chased in a T20I after losing three wickets. The most is 134, also against Pakistan, at the 2022 T20 World Cup, where they were 26 for 3 in a chase of 160.113 – Pakistan’s total at the fall of their second wicket, the highest from which any team have been bowled out for under 150 in men’s T20Is. The previous highest was 112 by Cayman Islands against Bermuda earlier this year, when they were bowled out for 142.33 – Runs added by Pakistan’s last eight partnerships, the fewest by the team in a men’s T20I. Pakistan’s previous fewest was 56 against Australia in Hobart last year.Kuldeep Yadav got three wickets in an over•Asian Cricket Council5 – Four-wicket hauls for Kuldeep Yadav in T20Is, the joint most for India alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Three of Kuldeep’s four wickets on Sunday came in his last over, the fifth instance of him taking three (or more) in an over. Only Rashid Khan (6) has done it more often than Kuldeep in men’s T20Is (where data is available).69* – Tilak Varma’s score against Pakistan on Sunday. Only four players have scored more from No. 4 or lower in a men’s T20I final. It is also the second-highest individual score in the T20 Asia Cup finals.36 – Wickets for Kuldeep in Asia Cup across ODI and T20 formats. It’s the most by a bowler, surpassing Lasith Malinga’s 33. Kuldeep has taken 17 of them in T20 Asia Cups (all in this edition), the joint-most by any bowler.3 – Sixes hit by Sahibzada Farhan off Jasprit Bumrah in T20Is – the most by any batter against Bumrah. Farhan scored 51 runs off 34 balls against Bumrah across three innings this Asia Cup. No Pakistan batter had hit a six off Bumrah in the 14 overs he had bowled against them in T20Is before this tournament, but they hit four across 11.1 overs through this tournament.

Though “really happy” with his form, Padikkal says “the ultimate prize” is the Ranji Trophy title

Deivarayan Muthu09-Feb-2024After Devdutt Padikkal went from 88 to a century with a punchy sequence of 6,4,4 off Tamil Nadu captain R Sai Kishore, he pumped his fist, spun around, and then raised his bat to acknowledge the cheers from a crowd of almost 1000 on Friday afternoon at Chepauk.Padikkal countered everything that Tamil Nadu threw at him. Sandeep Warrier smacked him on his helmet and unprotected shoulder, but he shook those blows off and hooked him away to the boundary. When M Mohammed went much fuller and attacked the stumps, Padikkal repeatedly pumped him over his head. It prompted Sai Kishore to station himself – the tallest fielder on the park – at straight long-on, almost right behind the bowler.Despite Sai Kishore taking a leaf out of MS Dhoni’s playbook, Padikkal kept launching the ball in the arc between midwicket and long-on. With both the Tamil Nadu left-arm spinners – Sai Kishore and Ajith Ram turning the ball into him – Padikkal took calculated risks to disrupt their lengths and lines.Related

• KL Rahul ruled out of third Test against England; Devdutt Padikkal called up

• Sai Kishore, and going where his 'inner voice' takes him

• Padikkal looks to bounce back by 'staying stable through the highs and lows'

• Late-blooming Koushik wants to make the most of his time

“I was just waiting for them to flight it up a little bit,” Padikkal said at his post-day press conference. “Both of them are really good bowlers and both of them were bowling really consistently in those [good] areas. So, we were just waiting for them to flight it up a little bit more and trying to make use of that opportunity because whenever those opportunities come, you have to score runs off them. Otherwise, you will probably get stuck.”Padikkal had walked out to bat at No.3 after his captain Mayank Agarwal was castled by Sai Kishore for 20. He is primarily an opening batter, but has been batting largely at No.3 in the past two domestic seasons to let the more experienced Agarwal and R Samarth do their thing at the top.”It’s just the way our team is set up,” Padikkal said. “I don’t mind batting at No.3 and I don’t mind opening either. So that doesn’t really make a huge difference. So I just want to make sure wherever I bat, I contribute to the team.”An acute intestinal issue over the past two years affected Padikkal’s form and fitness – in the 2022-23 season, he managed only 260 runs in seven Ranji innings at an average of 37.14. After regaining full fitness, Padikkal has now hit the high notes with the bat. He was Karnataka’s top run-getter in the 50-overs Vijay Hazare Trophy with 465 runs in five innings at an average of 155 and strike rate of 120.46. He has followed it up with four hundreds in six first-class games this season. Padikkal hopes that his stellar run will culminate in a Ranji title for Karnataka.

“How much ever you perform individually, if you’re not winning the Ranji Trophy, it doesn’t matter.”Devdutt Padikkal

“To be honest, in the last couple of years I wasn’t doing too well,” Padikkal said. “My performances were naturally dipping because of that. But I was always confident enough that I’d be back scoring runs at some point. Now that I’m back in terms of my fitness and health completely, I’m really happy I’m back scoring runs as well.”We all understand that when you’re not scoring runs, it’s not a great place to be. Really happy that I’m getting runs and helping the team win. For Karnataka, winning the Ranji Trophy is the ultimate prize. How much ever you perform individually, if you’re not winning the Ranji Trophy, it doesn’t matter.”If Padikkal could convert his century into a double on Saturday, on a Chepauk pitch that is already showing signs of variable bounce, he could take Karnataka towards the top of Group C in the Elite table and a step closer to that title.

Pakistan snap 16-match winless streak across all formats against Australia

Sampath Bandarupalli31-Mar-2022349 – Target chased by Pakistan in Lahore, their highest successful chase in ODI cricket. The previous highest was 327 against Bangladesh in 2014. Pakistan had scored more runs in an ODI chase only once – 361 for 7 against England in 2019 while chasing 374.Getty Images10 – Pakistan’s 349-run chase was the tenth-highest successful chase in ODI cricket – incidentally, five of these have come against Australia. It was the first instance of Pakistan chasing down a 300-plus target against Australia. Pakistan also recorded their highest ODI total against Australia.10 – Consecutive ODI defeats for Pakistan against Australia before their six-wicket win in Lahore. Pakistan’s last win against Australia came in January 2017 in Melbourne. Pakistan’s latest win also put an end to their 16-match winless streak since the start of 2019 across all formats against Australia.15 – Number of centuries for Babar Azam in ODI cricket, the joint-second most for Pakistan in this format. Saeed Anwar leads the list with 20 tons while Mohammad Yousuf also had 15 ODI hundreds. Babar has scored five centuries in ODI chases, the second most for Pakistan behind Anwar’s ten.ESPNcricinfo Ltd83 – Innings Babar has played for his 15 ODI centuries. He is the fastest player to get to 15 hundreds in ODI cricket. Hashim Amla was the previous fastest to 15 ODI tons in terms of innings, scoring his 15th century in his 86th innings.4 – ODI hundreds as captain for Babar, from only 11 innings. These are the most ODI hundreds for a Pakistan captain, surpassing Azhar Ali’s tally of three. Three of the four tons by Babar as captain have come while chasing a target.2 – Number of instances of two century stands for Pakistan for the first two wickets in an ODI, including today’s game. Pakistan last had 100-plus stands for their first two wickets in the 2019 Nottingham ODI against England.2 – Previous instances of two Pakistan batters scoring a hundred in the same successful ODI chase. Before Babar and Imam today, Naved Latif and Inzamam-ul-Haq scored hundreds during a successful 273-run chase against Sri Lanka in 2001. Abid Ali and Mohammad Rizwan also scored tons against Australia in 2019, but in a losing cause.697 – Runs between Pakistan and Australia in Lahore on Thursday. This is the second-highest aggregate in an ODI hosted by Pakistan. The highest is 709 runs between Pakistan and Zimbabwe in 2015 in Lahore.7.50 – Economy rate of spin bowlers in Lahore on Thursday across the 42 overs they bowled. This is the second-worst bowling economy for spinners in an ODI match (min: 250 balls bowled). The worst is 7.65 during the 2005 ODI between India and Pakistan in Visakhapatnam.