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Defending champions Dhaka Division meanwhile remain winless

Mohammad Isam05-Nov-2024Sylhet Division are No. 1 on the table following their four-wicket win against Rangpur Division in the third round of the NCL in Bogra. Rejaur Rahman Raja was the all-round hero after his maiden half-century helped Sylhet in the fourth-innings chase of 190.Sent as a nightwatcher on the third evening, Rejaur added 56 runs for the third wicket with Pinak Ghosh, who made 42, before he made 59 runs lasting two and a half hours on the fourth day. Sylhet captain Amite Hasan completed the 190-run chase with his unbeaten 37.Sylhet’s fast bowlers set up their win in the low-scoring game by taking all ten wickets in the Rangpur first innings. Rangpur were bowled out for 158, before Sylhet took a 31-run lead. Rangpur replied with 220, with fifties from Tanbir Hayder and Nobin Islam. The pair added 149 runs for the seventh wicket. Sylhet remain the only unbeaten side in the NCL.Offspinner Mahedi Hasan took his third ten-wicket haul in first-class cricket to help Khulna Division to a nine-wicket win against Dhaka Metropolis in Sylhet.Batting first, Khulna made 376 with centuries from openers Anamul Haque and Amit Majumder. They are the second opening pair from Khulna to get centuries in the same innings. Amit top-scored with 145, a career high score too, with 14 fours and three sixes. Anamul’s 125 was his 24th century in first-class cricket, but Khulna collapsed from 330 for 2 to 376 all out.Mahedi took 5-62 to help bowl out Dhaka Metro for 210 runs, before Marshall Ayub led a fightback with his 152. It was his 26th first-class century, as he batted for more than six hours. Aminul Islam made 73 as the pair added 182 runs for the fifth wicket. Mahedi took 5-88.Khulna then chased 207 runs in 35 overs with quickfire fifties from Anamul and Imrul Kayes.Rajshahi Division beat Barishal Division by six wickets in Cox’s Bazar. Batting first, Barishal were bowled out for 205 runs despite a maiden century from Iftakhar Hossain. He struck 12 fours and a six in his 116 off 205 balls. Ali Mohammad Walid took four wickets.Rajshahi took a 75-run lead thanks to a 80 from Pritom Kumar, before veteran left-arm spinner Sunzamul Islam took 6-41 to bowl out Barishal for 137 in their second innings.Rajshahi chased down their 68-run target in 15 overs, losing four wickets in the process.Defending champions Dhaka Division meanwhile remain winless after three rounds, following their drawn game against Chattogram Division at the Cox’s Bazar Academy ground.Batting first, Chattogram put up 391 with Sajjadul Haque making his maiden first-class century at the age of 34. Sajjadul struck 14 fours and five sixes in his 139. He added 221 runs for the second wicket with Parvez Hossain Emon, who got out for 95.Dhaka replied with 401 with Mahidul Islam Ankon, fresh from his Test debut against South Africa, making 99. He struck five fours and three sixes in his 155-ball stay, before falling to Ahmed Sharif. There were fifties from Ashiqur Rahman Shibli, Joyraz Sheik and Taibur Rahman. Chattogram reached 124 for four in their second innings.

Dogged century prevents Hampshire from sealing their dominance

ECB Reporters Network12-Sep-2024Kent will live to fight another day in Division One of the Vitality County Championship after they battled for a draw with Hampshire on a thrilling final day at Canterbury.Kent were all out for 338 in their second innings, leaving Hampshire to chase 143 from nine overs at 15.89.Jack Leaning made exactly 100 in a stand of 149 with Harry Finch, who was the last man out for 79, while Kyle Abbott took four for 66 and Mohammad Abbas three for 69.Hampshire spent 2.4 overs trying to pull off an improbable run chase and were 24 for one when bad light stopped play at 5.54pm.It’s been a tough season at The Spitfire Ground, but the members who stuck by their team were finally rewarded with a superb day of cricket that was fascinatingly poised throughout, particularly during a fractious and excruciating final session.Kent began on 70 without loss in their second innings, still 126 behind and they suffered a major blow went Tawanda Muyeye went to the fourth ball of the morning when he edged Abbott to Toby Albert at second slip and was out for 46.He then removed Ben Compton for 25, again caught by Albert, before Abbas took two wickets in nine balls. A distraught Daniel Bell-Drummond was lbw for 23, before Joe Denly saw his off stump pinged back for five.Abbott returned from the Nackington Road to get Joey Evison for 11, victim of a low slip catch by James Vince, leaving Leaning and Finch to survive to 145 for five at lunch.If Kent’s prospects looked bleak at that point, the duo then batted out the entire afternoon session, with only one serious alarm: Leaning was on 34 when he drove Brad Wheal straight to extra cover, but the ball hit Tom Prest in the stomach and fell to the floor. Leaning subsequently drove James Fuller for four to reach his 50 and simultaneously put Kent into the lead.Hampshire’s tactic of bowling short backfired as both batters comfortably dealt with a barrage of bouncers. With the game drifting Dawson switched to the Nackington Road End, but he had no more joy trying to spin the ball up the slope than he had down it.The hosts reached a far healthier looking 268 for five at tea, at which point the lead was 72 with 37 overs remaining.Hampshire’s hopes now hinged on the new ball and although Leaning glanced a single of Abbott to bring up his hundred, he was lbw to Abbas in the next over, ending a record sixth-wicket partnership for Kent against Hampshire and reigniting the contest.Wheal replaced Abbott at the Pavilion End and immediately had Charlie Stobo caught by Prest for 17 at short midwicket. Abbott switched ends and got Matt Parkinson for seven and George Garrett went for four, caught behind off Wheal in the next over.Singh, however, managed to linger for 27 balls in a crucial last wicket stand with Finch that ate up 11 overs. Aside from one frankly embarrassing appeal for a catch to a ball that everyone in the ground could see had bounced, they offered few chances until Finch inexplicably tried to hook James Fuller and he was caught at first slip by Vince.Although rain had already started to fall and the covers went on and off without any overs being lost and Hampshire sent out Vince and Fuller.It might have been a viable run chase in Blast cricket but in bad light and with nine fielders on the boundary it was largely theoretical, especially when the rain returned.Vince was bowled by Garrett for 11 in the gathering gloom and although Liam Dawson hit ten off the next two balls, the umpires brought the players off and the players eventually shook hands after some tetchy exchanges as they left the field.With Lancashire and Nottinghamshire both losing, Kent retain a slim chance of avoiding relegation and they face a crucial game at home to the latter next week.

يستعد منتخب ألمانيا لمواجهة أيرلندا الشمالية، على ملعب راين إنرجي، في الجولة الثانية من تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.

وكان منتخب الماكينات الألمانية تحت قيادة جوليان ناجيلسمان، قد خسر المباراة الأولى ضد سلوفاكيا، بهدفين نظيفين، خارج ملعبه.

ويأتي منتخب ألمانيا في المجموعة الأولى من تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026 إلى جانب أيرلندا الشمالية وسلوفاكيا ولوكسمبورج.

وكان منتخب أيرلندا الشمالية قد حسم المباراة الأولى لصالحه بعد الفوز ضد لوكسمبورج بثلاثة أهداف لهدف واحد.

أقرأ أيضاً.. موعد والقناة الناقلة لمباراة ألمانيا وأيرلندا الشمالية اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم 2026.. والمعلق تشكيل ألمانيا أمام أيرلندا الشمالية في تصفيات كأس العالم

حراسة المرمى: باومان

خط الدفاع: أنتون – كوخ – أنتوني روديجير- روم

خط الوسط: جوشوا كيميتش – باسكال جروس – فلوريان فيرتز

خط الهجوم: سيرجي جنابري – نيك فولتمايد – جيمي لويلينج

Big picture: Who will give way at the top of Group 2?

What direction is the drama following these two teams going to go in next?On the face of it, things are going smoothly for South Africa. They are unbeaten at the tournament and have won matches when both setting targets and chasing but, and this is a big but, none of it has been easy. It’s not just they were pushed by former champions Sri Lanka (who actually did the least pushing) and fellow Super Eighters Bangladesh but also by three Associates: Netherlands, Nepal and USA. If England were watching, they will have seen the flaws in South Africa’s make-up, most notably in the batting. Two of the top three – Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram – have only just found form and the middle-order have not yet had the opportunity to play to their potential.England will have been more pre-occupied with their own sideshows. They survived a group-stage scare in which they were all but written off after their rain-out against Scotland and have played and lost to their biggest rivals, Australia. Their net-run-rate boosting victories over Oman and Namibia helped ensure their survival once Scotland’s challenge had faded, but their most recent win over West Indies could yet propel their campaign to a new level. It is entirely possible that three teams in a Super Eight pool of four could end up with two wins each, especially given USA’s underdog status in Group 2, and so net run-rate could provide decisive. England’s is currently at 1.34, which leaves them in a good position, and after their shaky start, they would like to think they’ve got on a roll.South Africa might argue that they are already on one, and all they have to do is stay consistent with the knockouts in sight. Their next challenge is to maintain their winning start against two former champions. England’s task is much less abstract. South Africa humbled them at the 2023 ODI World Cup, in the middle of a horror run they don’t want to repeat, and with only USA to come, they have a chance to stamp their authority on this event.

Form guide

South Africa: WWWWW (last five matches, most recent first)
England: WWWLW

In the spotlight: Opening batters and the quickest of the quick

Both Quinton de Kock and Phil Salt played their best innings of the T20 World Cup in their last games with de Kock’s 74 setting South Africa up for a big total and Salt’s 87* helping England chase 181 against West Indies. Before those knocks, the numbers were not quite what the pair may have liked. De Kock had scores of 20, 0, 18 and 10 and Salt 37, 12 and 11. Starts, for sure and crucial to the tone of the innings, but they were not there at the end. Having players with their aggression bat through could be key on surfaces that seem to have offer runs and so how they perform in the next two matches could be key to their respective team’s semi-final hopes.South Africa have not had the challenge of consistent and genuine pace until now which makes Jofra Archer an interesting opponent. He is England’s joint-leading bowler at the tournament so far and has their best economy rate of 6.58 and could prove a handful to a top-order that is still finding its feet at the event. They’ll hope to counter-punch through Anrich Nortje , who equalled Dale Steyn’s record for the most wickets by a South African at T20 World Cups in the last match, and has looked menacing throughout. Nortje is the tournament’s second-highest wicket-taker so far and has been played with respect. Will England’s batters, who enjoy pace on, show him the same?

Team news: Changes afoot for both teams?

South Africa are spoilt for choice in the bowling department and opted to bench Ottneil Baartman to accommodate an extra spinner in Antigua. That team composition could work well for them in St Lucia too but Tabraiz Shamsi was expensive against USA and they may consider left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin instead. However, given the variations he offers, Baartman could come back into contention too and it is a case of trying to fit three players into one spot.South Africa: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Aiden Markam, 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 David Miller, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Tabraiz Shamsi/Ottneil Baartman, 11 Anrich NortjeEngland stormed to a convincing win with this XI at this venue over West Indies, but the short turnaround means Mark Wood may be due a break from the action after another wholehearted, if unrewarded, display. Chris Jordan is the obvious inclusion, with Sam Curran’s left-handed options seemingly established ahead of Will Jacks, who struggled to translate his aggressive intent into runs in his two outings against Australia and Oman.England: 1 Phil Salt, 2 Jos Buttler (capt, wk), 3 Moeen Ali, 4 Jonny Bairstow, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Liam Livingstone, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Mark Wood / Chris Jordan, 11 Reece Topley

Pitch and conditions

Runs, and a fair few of them, have been available throughout the matches that have been played here with a first-innings average of 187. However, it’s not all smooth sailing for batters. There’s good bounce and carry on offer and some grip, which brought England’s spinners into play against West Indies. The one unknown is whether playing the match in the morning will make any difference to the conditions as all three matches so far have been night games. Weather-wise, there’s rain due over the weekend but the forecast for Friday is clear and humid with peak temperatures at 31 degrees.

Stats and trivia

• The head-to-head record between England and South Africa is all-square with each team having won 12 matches against the other. At T20 World Cups, South Africa hold the upper hand and have beaten England four times in their six meetings, including their most recent clash in Sharjah in 2021.
• Anrich Nortje is two wickets away from 50 in T20Is and Tabraiz Shamsi one away from 300 in all T20s.
• Jos Buttler needs 19 more runs to become the ninth batter to 1,000 in all T20s this year. Currently, there are five South Africans with that many for 2024: Reeza Hendricks, Matthew Breetzke, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen and Ryan Rickelton.

Quotes

“Hopefully.”
Kagiso Rabada’s one-word answer when asked if South Africa are peaking at the right time “A lot of people say you learn when you lose, but I truly believe you learn when you win as well. It’s important to reflect on what we did well today. We had a good performance, now we’ll put that to bed and focus on the next performance.”
England’s Jos Buttler has had enough with the platitudes about the gains from losing.

Sunderland will be all too aware of how challenging the Premier League can be, having been relegated four times from the intimidating division since its 1992 rebrand.

The Black Cats will be up against it too when you consider how poorly the newly promoted sides have done in recent memory, with the last six teams to go up triumphantly sinking straight back down with a whimper.

Regis Le Bris, of course, will have other plans as he embarks on his first-ever season in England’s well-known top-flight, but signings galore will need to take place to give the Frenchman and his wide-eyed team a fighting chance at survival.

One dream incoming would have been the amazing return of Amad Diallo to the Stadium of Light, but with his Old Trafford career finally now taking flight, it looks like an unlikely route to explore.

Amad's fan favourite status at Sunderland

Rumours have already begun to circulate that the entertaining Ivorian could be on the Sunderland shopping list, with this deal perhaps even bolder than the Black Cats’ reported attempts to tempt former star Jordan Henderson back to home turf.

A potential reunion will always catch the eye of Sunderland supporters just for how impactful Amad’s first stint at the club was, with his heroics from down the right wing clinching playoff football for Tony Mowbray’s men during the 2022/23 campaign.

They would eventually slip up at the semi-final stages, but nobody could knock the 22-year-old’s efforts during the near-miss season, with Amad picking up a hefty 14 goals and four assists across 42 appearances.

Since then, he has been able to firm up his Manchester United starting spot under Ruben Amorim, scoring 11 goals this season, so a stunning move back to Wearside would surely be a tall order to pull off.

But, Le Bris might well be able to win Sunderland’s next version of the spellbinding 22-year-old if another move comes to fruition.

Sunderland could sign their new Amad

It will be all about striking a fine balance between picking up signings by the bucket load and ensuring the star performers from their promotion heroics are given a fair chance up a level.

As per a new report from GIVEMESPORT, the Black Cats could be about to bolster their attacking arsenal even more away from the likes of Romaine Mundle and Wilson Isidor with the addition of Kwame Poku. Indeed, the Mackems are just one of 26 clubs who are looking to seal the winger’s signature on a free transfer after his contract with Peterborough United came to a close.

The concern on Sunderland’s end, however, will be whether Poku can make that gigantic leap up from League One to the Premier League look seamless.

But, as was the case with Amad, he had never really been exposed to the ins and outs of the English game before his Stadium of Light loan experience – minus one or two United senior chances – with the rest now history as he tears up the Premier League for the Red Devils.

The “unplayable” Ghanaian – as he was hyperbolically labelled by Peterborough United boss Darren Ferguson last season – could well take the top-flight by storm too if given time to impress, with Poku’s trickery, flair and ability to finish off a chance at League One level making him very similar to Amad at his Black Cats peak and shows off a player ready for an increase in quality.

To rubber stamp that comparison, you only need to look at their dribbling numbers from the 2024/25 campaign with EFL hotshot, Poku, averaging 1.9 dribbles per match to Amad’s 1.6. Their eel-like ability on the ball is almost uncanny.

Poku’s overall Peterborough numbers

Stat

Poku

Games played

147

Goals scored

30

Assists

30

Trophies

2x

L1 Player of the Month

2x

LT Team of the Season

1x

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Unfortunately for Le Bris and Co, they were unable to get the very best out of Amad over a long period of time, but with Poku – who is fresh off tallying up an insane 21 goal contributions from only 29 clashes last season – he will have so much more to give the cause permanently, considering he is only 23 and will be surrounded by some top-notch teammates equally eager to succeed up a division.

He might not instantly hit the ground running, but if there’s one location that should be able to get the optimum out of him eventually, it’s Sunderland with the likes of Chris Rigg, Jobe Bellingham and Amad all blossoming here so early into their playing days.

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With Real Madrid setting their sights on William Saliba, Arsenal would now reportedly consider selling their star defender for the chance to sign a talented midfielder from the Spaniards in return.

Real Madrid eyeing Saliba move

After a disappointing season which could yet end without a trophy, it could be all change in the Real Madrid technical area this summer. Recent reports have indicated that Carlo Ancelotti is in negotiations to become the new manager of the Brazilian national team, which would likely see Xabi Alonso make his way to the Bernabeu ahead of the next campaign.

With Alonso possibly arriving, the Spaniards could yet be in for a busy summer transfer window too. Already, they’re in negotiations with Trent Alexander-Arnold over a free move upon the expiry of his current Liverpool contract at the end of the season and have now also reportedly set their sights on Saliba.

Recent reports in Spain have suggested that the Frenchman is on Alonso’s list of targets should he step into the Madrid technical area in the coming months. Following another season without a Premier League title and with Arsenal’s Champions League fate hanging in the balance, it remains to be seen whether Saliba will be able to turn down the lure of the Bernabeu.

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If that does prove to be the case, then there’s no doubt that his departure will be a major blow. At the same time, however, it looks as though the Gunners will at least aim to get something in return.

Arsenal now considering Saliba sale on one condition

According to reports in Spain, Arsenal would now consider selling Saliba to Real Madrid if they got Aurelien Tchouameni in return. Mikel Arteta is reportedly a big fan of the Frenchman and may yet have the perfect chance to welcome him to North London.

What his arrival would also do is replace Thomas Partey, who is currently on course to leave Arsenal as a free agent upon the expiry of his current contract this summer.

Filling that gap in the middle of the park should be among the Gunners’ top priorities, especially if they are to finally claim Premier League glory next season. And there’s no doubt that Tchouameni should be a top candidate to do exactly that.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Aurelien Tchouameni

Thomas Partey

Minutes

2,364

2,437

Progressive Passes

149

165

Interceptions

42

32

Ball Recoveries

124

120

Dubbed “strong” by Ancelotti earlier this season, Tchouemeni has matched and even outperformed Partey in a number of areas this season. At the sacrifice of Saliba, Arsenal could land an instant upgrade in midfield.

Whether it is worth losing one of the best centre-backs in European football to boost their midfield is a question that those at The Emirates must ponder, however.

Leeds United are interested in signing a “great” new player this summer and have already made contact, according to one Sky Sports reporter.

Leeds preparing for Oxford with Championship promotion a real possibility

The Whites have just four Championship fixtures remaining and are currently top of the table on goal difference ahead of Burnley.

More importantly, though, the gap to third place Sheffield United now sits at five points with the Blades losing their last three games against Oxford United, Millwall and Plymouth Argyle. Leeds still have to travel to both Oxford and Plymouth, with a clash with the former up next on Good Friday.

Leeds (88 pts)

Sheffield United (83 pts)

Burnley (88 pts)

Oxford United (a)

Cardiff City (h)

Watford (a)

Stoke City (h)

Burnley (a)

Sheffield United (h)

Bristol City (h)

Stoke City (a)

QPR (a)

Plymouth Argyle (a)

Blackburn Rovers (h)

Millwall (h)

A third win in a row for Daniel Farke’s side will see them need a maximum of four more points to guarantee promotion, with the manager looking for his side to be more ruthless in front of goal after the 2-1 win over Preston North End last time out.

“It feels pretty good after an exhausting week with three difficult games. It was a priceless three points for us. It was a really good performance and we could have made life easier by taking a few of our chances, it must have been one of our highest expected goals of the season. We should have scored six or seven.”

Leeds join race for "phenomenal" £45m striker who could be "next Harry Kane"

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Joel Piroe is currently without a goal in his last eight Championship games, however, with Leeds close to promotion, transfer targets are being identified.

The club are unsure if Piroe and Patrick Bamford are Premier League quality, but someone who the Whites do like is a Germany international who plays in midfield.

Leeds in contact to sign Borussia Monchengladbach captain Weigl – Sky Sports

According to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, Leeds have made initial contact over a deal to sign Borussia Monchengladbach captain Julian Weigl.

Weigl earns a minimum of £50,000-a-week in Germany and has worked under Farke before, with the pair still having a “good relationship”.

The 29-year-old, who can play as a holding midfielder, central midfielder or even as a centre-back, would only move to Elland Road if Premier League football is on offer, Plettenberg adds.

Reports elsewhere from Sky Germany have said it would be an “expensive deal” for the Whites to sign Weigl, who Farke praised back in 2023.

“Julian is a great footballer and person. He could enrich many teams with his qualities.”

Now, it looks as if a reunion between the pair could be on the cards, making this one to keep an eye on.

The batters’ decision-making and execution were found wanting as they went down quickly on the final day in Kanpur

Mohammad Isam01-Oct-2024Mominul Haque sat with an empty look on his face in the Bangladesh dressing room minutes after his dismissal on the fifth day of the second Kanpur Test. Such empty looks have been a common sight among the visitors during this Test series where Bangladesh have been comprehensively out-thought by India.Mominul had employed the sweep productively in the first innings on his way to an unbeaten 107. But in the second dig, Rohit Sharma moved KL Rahul to leg-slip as an aggressive move. Within three balls, the fielding change paid off for India and the sweep brought about Mominul’s fall.India have almost been unbeatable at home for the last 12 years. But that hasn’t allowed complacency to seep into their system. Instead, they have looked like a team that plans meticulously, and more importantly, executes those plans with precision. How Bangladesh responded to their approach was, however, disappointing.Related

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Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe didn’t see anything wrong in Mominul playing the sweep shot, but said that his side’s decision-making and execution were found wanting on the fifth day in Kanpur.”We didn’t talk about survival [on the fifth day],” Hathurusinghe said after Bangladesh went down seven wickets. “We thought of playing according to the conditions and strength of the individuals. If you defend and get caught at bat-pad, it is the same when getting out sweeping on a wicket like this. If the batsman thinks his best form of defence or getting off strike, is a sweep shot rather than the defensive shot, that’s his option.”Execution probably let us down in this [second] innings. If you look at Mominul yesterday, he swept really well. I am sure they are disappointed at some of the dismissals and the decision-making. What stands out for me is that we lost a wicket when there’s been a bowling change. We didn’t give ourselves enough time to get used to the new bowler.”Mominul walking into India’s trap was typical of Bangladesh’s batters during this Test series. They have generally fallen in three scenarios. India’s well-planned traps were one thing, but the Bangladesh batters also hastily attacked a bowler early in his spell, and there were instances of losing concentration after seeing off a mini battle. There were examples of all three during the fifth day in Kanpur.

“We don’t have much time to make drastic changes. We have to improve our execution and decision-making.”Chandika Hathurusinghe on the changes needed before the series against South Africa

Of the three times Mushfiqur fell to Jasprit Bumrah in the Test series, his dismissal in the first innings in Kanpur was a well-thought-out plan. He packed the slip cordon which prevented Mushfiqur from playing at away-going deliveries. Bumrah then slipped a length ball that decked in, which Mushfiqur left like he was leaving the other deliveries.It wasn’t just Mushfiqur among the experienced lot to fall for such plans. Litton Das giving Rohit a catch at mid-off in the first innings was India trying to make him do something out of the ordinary. Litton could have seen off Mohammed Siraj’s spell, but instead charged the bowler, and although Rohit took a great catch, the shot was a result of a set plan. Shakib Al Hasan miscuing a heave against R Ashwin on the fourth day, the ball after hitting him for a four over extra cover, was another example.Shakib charged out of the crease again, which Ashwin definitely saw coming, so he bowled it slightly quicker but with a bit of dip on the ball and the allrounder fell into the trap.Bangladesh’s batters were also guilty of haste. Perhaps they didn’t want the Indian bowlers to execute their plans, but their choice of shot was confusing. On the fifth day in Kanpur, captain Najmul Hossain Shanto missed a reverse-sweep off the first ball he faced from Ravindra Jadeja. The shot felt unnecessary at the time and sparked a collapse after a 55-run stand for the fourth wicket.Hathurusinghe, however, said the reverse sweep was always on given how much the batters practice it, especially when they see it as an option on a spinning pitch. “[Playing the reverse sweep] is an individual and team plan as well. We are playing on a spinning wicket,” he said. “If the defence is getting challenged, it is a strategy to play the reverse sweep if you have practiced hard on the shot.”Falling just after seeing off a good spell or after batting well for a short period also brought about plenty of headaches in both Tests. Bangladesh’s last wicket in Kanpur was of Mushfiqur trying to slog Bumrah off the last ball before lunch.Ravindra Jadeja broke through with Najmul Hossain Shanto’s wicket•AFP/Getty ImagesShadman Islam had earlier fallen just after getting to his half-century with Sunil Gavaskar on air pointing out that the opener played a shot of a batter who got relaxed after reaching a milestone. He remarked that Shadman might not have played the shot, having shown control against deliveries outside the off stump all morning, if he hadn’t reached his fifty.Hathurusinghe agreed that the top-order had to make better decisions in the upcoming Test series against South Africa at home. “We don’t have much time to make drastic changes, ” he said. “We have to improve our execution and decision-making. We will be playing on different surfaces back home. We have to take it into account, and the opposition bowlers.”A cluster of wickets falling after a bit of a recovery isn’t just the top order’s problem. The middle order suffered from it, too. Litton and Shakib played needless shots after getting Bangladesh out of trouble with a decent partnership in the first innings in Chennai. Litton was caught in the deep while Shakib miscued a reverse sweep. In the second innings, Zakir Hasan and Shadman saw off a testing period in the second innings, before falling to tame dismissals.Bangladesh’s lack of fight in the two Tests was disappointing. They lost in three-and-a-half days in Chennai, while lasing technically just under two days in Kanpur. They had arrived in India on the back of a historic 2-0 win against Pakistan.This 2-0 defeat against India doesn’t necessarily cancel out their good showing in Pakistan, but it rams home the point that Bangladesh are a side still short of competing against top sides consistently. They weren’t expected to win 2-0 in Pakistan but they applied themselves in the best possible way. They, however, couldn’t withstand India’s heightened challenge, and now have to go back to the drawing board before the home series against South Africa later this month.

The India opener was in outstanding form between 2016 and 2021, but his performances haven’t been as good this year

Vishal Dikshit30-Nov-20222:52

Why is Dhawan struggling to score quickly?

In the third ODI in Christchurch, Shikhar Dhawan gave the impression that he was trying to be busy early on. He charged down to his fifth ball and went over point for four, and then danced down to smash his 11th for six over long-on. After four overs, 36-year old Dhawan was on 15 off 16 while his 23-year old opening partner, Shubman Gill, hadn’t scored after eight deliveries.But Dhawan’s fast start did not last. He scored only 10 off his next 20 balls and ended the powerplay with a strike rate of just under 70. He was eventually dismissed for 28 off 45 balls.Related

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As the regular stand-in ODI captain for Rohit Sharma, Dhawan is the first-choice opener as India begin to gear up for next year’s World Cup at home. He has also played the most games – 34 – for India since the 2019 World Cup and been exceptional for the most part. But in 2022, Dhawan has slowed down and his strike rate does not reflect the kind of approach white-ball formats are moving towards. In fact, they are headed in opposite directions.Dhawan’s ODI strike rate in 2016, 2017 and 2018 was around 101 and in each of the next three years it hovered around 91, which is still pretty good. But over 19 innings in 2022, his strike rate has fallen drastically to 75.11. That number is the lowest for an India batter in a year since 2008, when Rohit scored at 72.57, but ODI cricket was an extremely different game 14 years ago.ESPNcricinfo Ltd Dhawan’s slowdown cannot be attributed to conditions and opponents he has encountered this year. In 2022, Rohit has a strike rate of 107.54 in six innings while Gill, who is currently the frontrunner for the back-up opener’s spot, is going at 102.57. Even Shreyas Iyer has scored at 97.64 at No. 3.One reason could be that Dhawan has chosen to play the anchoring role – while his experienced colleagues like Rohit and Virat Kohli took frequent breaks from ODIs to focus on the T20 World Cup – because the difference between him and Gill in this series in New Zealand was stark. Dhawan’s strike rate in the powerplay during the three-match series was 60; Gill’s was 74.28. And in 2022, Dhawan has been scoring at 68 in the first ten overs, while Gill has gone at 89 in similar conditions.In recent years, England have redefined batting in ODIs and their openers Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow have shown there’s no need for an anchor, unless you encounter challenging conditions. Among openers to have faced at least 200 balls in ODIs this year, Dhawan’s strike rate is 12th in a list of 15.ESPNcricinfo LtdIt’s not as though the drop in Dhawan’s strike rate has resulted in an increase in his average either. While he was striking at 91 in 2020 and 2021, he averaged above 58 in each of those years, but this year his strike rate has dropped to 75 and his average has also fallen to 40.Until very recently, Dhawan was among the best ODI batters. During a prolific five-year period from 2016 to 2021, he was extremely consistent and extremely quick. His overall strike rate of 98 was among the top ten.ESPNcricinfo LtdSince the start of this year, Dhawan’s average and strike rate are lower than the combined average (nearly 46) and strike rate (92) of all the other openers that India have tried. Openers of other teams don’t average as much as Dhawan this year – 34.34 – but they score at a much faster pace – 85.21 – which is the way of the modern game.Whatever the reason for Dhawan’s slowdown, the spotlight on his strike rate could intensify this weekend, as he travels from New Zealand to Bangladesh for another three-match ODI series. Perhaps the reunion with his regular opening partner Rohit, and the infusion of Kohli and KL Rahul’s experience into the playing XI, will allow him to play a more attacking game. With intense competition for spots in India’s ODI batting order, Dhawan might need to speed up to keep the other contenders at bay.

Direct hits, sharp catches in the cordon, and athletic keeping – the best of Australia and India’s fielding from the Test series

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jan-2021
Kohli leaps to his right at midwicket

Australia were under pressure at 79 for 4 in Adelaide when Cameron Green pulled a short delivery from R Ashwin. He didn’t time it, and Virat Kohli, standing at short midwicket, dived to his right and held on to the catch while still in the air. Both hands in the air, doff of the cap, it was a typical Kohli moment.Jadeja stays focused to take a skyer

Ravindra Jadeja had to move a long way to his left from mid-on to get under this mis-hit from Matthew Wade that went high up in the air, but what really made the catch hard was that Shubman Gill was also running after it from midwicket. Gill got right in Jadeja’s eyeline and even collided with him after Jadeja had taken the catch. Even while holding a hand out to signal to Gill that it was his, Jadeja never took his eyes off the ball and completed the catch to leave Australia 35 for 2 on the first morning at the MCG.Gill gets low to take one at square leg

On the first day at the MCG, debutant Shubman Gill had been positioned at square leg for the uppish flick Marnus Labuschagne plays in that direction. With Australia 134 for 4, Labuschagne middled a flick off Mohammed Siraj, but Gill got low to his right to give Siraj his first Test wicket.Paine changes direction to send back Pujara

So good was this delivery from Pat Cummins that it wrongfooted his wicketkeeper, Tim Paine. The ball was angled in to Pujara, which made Paine lean left, but it then straightened to take the outside edge. Paine had to change direction and dive full length to his right to take a low catch. He had his poor moments with the gloves in the series, but this was a sharp take.Jadeja hits the stumps with a bullet throw

No surprises that Jadeja finds himself on this list for a second time, this time for his run-out of Steven Smith in Sydney. Smith had got to 130 in the first innings. Batting with the No.11, he was trying to get a few more quick runs and dropped one into the leg side off Jasprit Bumrah. Jadeja had to sprint in from deep square leg and had just one stump to aim at as Smith came back for the second. As he so often does, Jadeja hit that one stump to end Australia’s innings on 338.Hazlewood dives and throws to dismiss Vihari

With India 142 for 3 in response to Australia’s 338, Hanuma Vihari drove Nathan Lyon to mid-off and set off for a single. Josh Hazlewood was positioned wide at mid-off, so had to move quickly to his right to stop the ball. The 6’5″ Hazlewood took two long strides, bent low to his right, and then threw the ball as he was falling over, hitting the stumps direct to find Vihari short of the crease.Labuschagne makes a smart play from short leg

Jadeja was looking for quick runs while batting with the tail and tried to steal two after being hit on the pads by Mitchell Starc. Labuschagne was standing at short leg and, realizing there was no square leg, ran back to collect the ball. He had a look round his shoulder and saw the batsmen wanted two, so slid and threw on the turn, smartly going for the non-striker’s end, to which Jasprit Bumrah was running. A direct hit found Bumrah well short.Saha dives to strangle Labuschagne down leg

After Rishabh Pant took a blow on the body while batting, Wriddhiman Saha took the gloves for the second innings in Sydney and took an athletic catch down leg. Navdeep Saini bowled one at Labuschagne’s ribs, and the ball hit the glove and went a few metres to Saha’s left. But Saha’s excellent footwork had put him in a position from where he could go for the catch, and a dive got him there.Rohit shows his safe hands in the slips

Rohit Sharma ended up with five catches at the Gabba, four at second slip, and his first of the Test was the best of them. India’s inexperienced attack needed support from their fielders, and Rohit provided that in the very first over. David Warner nicked Siraj, and the ball was dying on first slip, but Rohit dived across Pujara and took the catch inches from the ground.Green shows his reflexes at gully

Cameron Green was exceptional at gully through the series, taking five catches there in total. The best was his fourth, to dismiss Rishabh Pant in the first innings in Brisbane. Green was standing closer and finer than usual, and the ball traveled quickly to him as it came off the full face of Pant’s bat. It was head height, and Green stuck his right hand up to take it reverse cup.