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Nitish Kumar Reddy happy to have already proven his doubters wrong with the bat, but he wants to fill the allrounder’s role better for India

Alagappan Muthu29-Dec-20243:31

Reddy revels in ‘two-three years of hard work’ paying off

Finding ways to defy expectations is something that has brought Nitish Kumar Reddy joy on this tour. He was a relative unknown when he was picked, having played only 21 first-class matches with his best work coming in T20 cricket. Now he has a century at the MCG.”I haven’t given a thought like that, but I know some people doubted me,” the 21-year-old allrounder said at the end of day four. “Like such a youngster who played IPL, who came here, and he can’t perform in such a big series, and I know a lot of people talk about that. I just want to make them feel wrong about what they have said about me, and that’s what I’m doing, I want to make people know that I’m here to give my 100% for Indian team.”Reddy also looked back to the end of day three when, in front of more than 80,000 fans and his team watching from the dugout, he hit Scott Boland down the ground for four to bring up his hundred. He also expressed his thanks to the No. 11 batter Mohammed Siraj for helping him get there by getting through the last three balls of the previous over from Pat Cummins.Related

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“It was such a grateful moment for me, I’ve been watching Virat [Kohli] since childhood and making him as my idol, and grown up, now finally I played with him, he scored a hundred when I was in non-strike [in Perth], I felt so happy, and I scored a hundred when he appreciated me, he came to me and said that you really played well, you get the team back in the game, I felt so happy for that, I always dreamed about this moment, and finally when he talked with me that’s the best moment for me.”And yeah, I don’t know, the crowd went crazy after Siraj’s last ball defence, even my century was not that loud I guess, but I really loved the way Siraj came and approached three balls and I should thank him for making my 100.”Reddy’s strokeplay – particularly down the ground – has been eye-catching but he’s done other little things that have garnered attention as well, like how he tried to negate Australia’s most disciplined bowler by stepping out of his crease.”I would say Boland is a more consistent bowler, and I just want to change his line and length so that it will be easy for me when he is bowling,” Reddy said. “I don’t have to be on my crease, so I can move on a little bit forward and I can adjust to the bowler, that’s what I tried and it’s been working.”Mohammed Siraj did his little bit to help Nitish Kumar Reddy to his hundred•Associated Press

Having arrived in Australia with the India A side in early November, winning his first Test cap in Perth, and top-scoring for India in four innings, it’s been a brilliant start to Reddy’s batting career but he’s conscious that he’s not done enough with his second skill. Reddy has picked up three wickets from four Tests at an average of 49 and economy rate of 4.22.”My expectations [at the start of the tour] was to be a pure allrounder, and I know still I need to work a little bit more on my bowling, I’m still not happy with the way I’m bowling, and I hope that I come back strong in bowling, and I want to fulfil that allrounder slot in the coming days.”I can see my last three years, two years, how hard I have been working on my batting and bowling, obviously fitness is main for me as an allrounder, and I kept pushing myself. After my first IPL season, I realised what I have to improve on my batting, and when I got the off phase [time off], I have worked a lot on my batting and that’s what working now. As I mentioned, it’s not about the one month and two months, but I have done the work from the last two to three years to come here.”

A late fast-bowling burst from the West Indies seamers left Bangladesh 410 behind with eight wickets in hand

Mohammad Isam23-Nov-2024

Bangladesh 40 for 2 (Alzarri 1-2, Seales 1-15) trail West Indies 450 for 9 (Greaves 115, Louis 97, Athanaze 90, Roach 47, Hasan 3-87) by 410 runsA maiden Test century for Justin Greaves headlined a dominant day for West Indies against Bangladesh on day two of the Antigua Test. After his 115 helped West Indies post 450 for 9, West Indies bookended the day with two Bangladesh wickets, leaving the visitors 410 behind with eight wickets in hand.It was a fine recovery after slipping to 261 for 7 despite an overnight score of 250 for 5. Greaves shared a 140-run eighth wicket stand with Kemar Roach, who batted for more than four hours for 47, his highest Test score in his 15-year career.Greaves’ unbeaten 115 justified his Super50 form, where he struck three consecutive centuries earlier this month. He made a patient effort, striking just four boundaries in his 206-ball stay. It was the perfect follow-up to the nineties that Alick Athanaze and Mikyle Louis had scored on day one to lay the foundation.Bangladesh continued to give away strong positions with the ball, toiling for 144.1 overs, but unable to bowl out the home side. Hasan Mahmud took three wickets, all of them on the second day. Taskin Ahmed toiled hard and even found the edge of Greaves’ bat once but nobody appealed. The spinners, stand-in captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam, shared three wickets from their combined 73.1 overs.West Indies declared with Bangladesh needing to bat out a maximum time of an hour and 45 minutes. But there was no respite for them against the four-man West Indian pace attack. Zakir Hasan fell for 15 after he under-edged a Jayden Seales delivery onto his stumps. The left-hander struck three fours in his short stay, all off Seales, but was slightly unlucky with the ball shaving the leg-stump. Mahmudul Hasan Joy edged Alzarri Joseph for 5, shortly after he was dropped on the same score.It was a long way from the start of the day for the visitors, having started the day in the best possible way by taking two early wickets.Mahmud removed Joshua Da Silva with the fifth ball of the morning session, trapped lbw with a delivery that darted into his front pad. This was Mahmud’s first wicket in the game despite bowling well on the first day. It was also his 24th wicket this year, making him the highest wicket-taker in a calendar year among Bangladesh’s pace bowlers.File photo: Hasan Mahmud had helped Bangladesh start the morning well•BCCI

That number became 25 when Alzarri fell in Mahmud’s next over. Zakir took a superb two-handed catch at gully, reminiscent of how he opened the Pakistan tour with Abdullah Shafique’s catch at gully in August. If Bangladesh sensed they had their opening to bowl out West Indies for under 300 runs, that was blunted by Roach.He was the right type of foil for Greaves, who was willing to grind out the Bangladesh attack. Greaves handed the strike to Roach from time to time, as the pair didn’t allow any more wickets in the first session. There were only two boundaries in those 26 overs too, but that hardly bothered the home side who needed a recovery.Greaves started the second session with his third boundary when he pulled Taskin through midwicket. He, however, survived a caught-behind chance on 77 with neither Taskin nor wicketkeeper Jaker Ali (who was deputizing for Litton Das after the first session) hearing a faint nick. it was only a replay on the big screen that showed what Bangladesh missed out on.Shortly afterwards, a Roach single brought up the team’s maiden century partnership for the eighth wicket against Bangladesh. It was followed by a rain break of seven minutes, after which Roach slammed Mehidy over his head for his first boundary. Mahmud finally removed Roach with a fine angling delivery, clipping the top of his middle-stump. Their 140-run stand was West Indies’ third-highest for the eighth wicket.Greaves soon reached his century with his fourth boundary shot, driving Taijul through the covers. It was potentially his best shot of the innings and the landmark was only his second first-class ton.West Indies declared in the 145th over of their innings, after their tail-enders Seales and Shamar Joseph struck some meaty blows. That left enough time for the bowlers to have a crack, which they successfully did.

Sarfaraz Khan ground down Rest of India (ROI) on day two, becoming the first-ever batter to make a double-century for Mumbai in the Irani Cup. He was part of a 131-run stand with Ajinkya Rahane (97) for the fifth wicket and a 183-run stand with Tanush Kotian (64) for the seventh wicket as ROI toiled away for 138 overs in Lucknow.The day started with Mumbai on 237 for 4. Sarfaraz and Rahane saw off the first 10 overs of the day before Rahane fell three short of a hundred to a bouncer from Yash Dayal, with the new ball under two overs away from being available.Related

• Rahane and Sarfaraz fifties drive Mumbai on opening day

ROI took it a ball into the 81st over and were rewarded almost immediately as Mukesh Kumar castled Shams Mulani. Kotian joined Sarfaraz with Mumbai on 280 for 6 and started watchfully. Then boundaries began to trickle in as the duo put away loose balls.Prasidh Krishna, running in from mid-on, dropped a tough chance handed by Sarfaraz on 97*, off Manav Suthar’s bowling. Sarfaraz brought up his 15th first-class century and the fifty partnership in the following (92nd) over.Mumbai’s domination was cemented in the afternoon session where they scored 111 runs off 26 wicketless overs at a run rate of 4.27. Sarfaraz set the tone with a boundary each off Suthar and Prasidh in the first two overs of the session.Then, with the ball just under 25 overs old, Sarfaraz smashed Suthar for a six and a four in the 105th over before Kotian flicked Saransh Jain for another six two balls later. Sarfaraz brought up his 150 and Mumbai their 400 with relative ease. Kotian had four boundaries when he reached his fifty before Mumbai finished the session on 449 for 6.Prasidh struck twice in two balls in the third over after tea, knocking over Kotian with a slower ball and trapping Mohit Avasthi lbw with an inswinger next ball. But Shardul Thakur’s entry at No. 10 showed Mumbai’s batting depth and allowed Sarfaraz, on 186*, to bat without having to worry about farming the strike.Sarfaraz took down Suthar for a six and a four in successive overs before bringing up his double-ton off his 253rd ball in the 127th over. Wasim Jaffer, Ravi Shastri and Yashasvi Jaiswal – all from Mumbai – have previously made double-centuries in the Irani Cup, but while representing ROI.The physio was often out on the field in the evening, allowing only 18 overs of play in the final session while Mumbai cruised past 500. Sarfaraz overturned a caught-behind call off Mukesh on 211, denying him a five-for. Thakur fell against the run of play in what turned out to be the last over of the day, playing on off Saransh for 36.A first-innings lead will be enough for Mumbai to clinch the trophy if the match ends in a draw.

“When you have a mega auction you are bound to have a reset. But you try and maintain as much of the core as possible,” Sanjiv Goenka says

Sreshth Shah28-Aug-2024Sanjiv Goenka, the Lucknow Super Giants owner, did not give much away about his team’s retention plans and captain KL Rahul’s future with the franchise, but admitted that the upcoming mega auction will mean the team “resets” in some aspects ahead of IPL 2025.Speaking to the media in Kolkata alongside newly unveiled mentor Zaheer Khan, Goenka said LSG’s retention decisions will not be made with a short-term view.”All decisions are medium-term and need to be thought of carefully,” he said. “When you have a mega auction you are bound to have a reset. But you try and maintain as much of the core as possible. The coach Justin Langer continues, [support staff] Lance Klusener and Jonty Rhodes will also be there. So it is a question of improving and going further from where you are now.”Rahul, the LSG captain since the team’s first IPL in 2022, was in Kolkata this week and met Goenka. Goenka did not get into the details of their conversation, but called Rahul “family”.”I have been meeting KL on and off regularly over the last three years,” Goenka said. “Frankly I am surprised this meeting is getting a lot of attention [in the media]. He is integral [to LSG]. He has been here since the inception. For me personally and for [my son] Shashwat [Goenka, who is also involved in running LSG], he is like family.”After two playoff appearances in IPL 2022 and 2023, LSG missed the playoffs for the first time in the 2024 season, finishing seventh on the table because of a poor net run rate. It was the first time the franchise did not have the services of mentor Gautam Gambhir, who had moved to Kolkata Knight Riders. In the coming season, Goenka believes Zaheer’s presence “will do wonders” for the team.”Beginning of a new relationship. Zaheer has impressed me as a player, coach and strategist,” Goenka said. “His hunger for success is something that attracted me to bring him into the LSG franchise.Zaheer Khan was formally named Lucknow Super Giants’ mentor on Wednesday•Sreshth Shah/ESPNcricinfo”A couple of weeks ago, I realised he wasn’t with any cricket franchise. I called him up. We spoke. He agreed. And he’s here. It’s as short and as quick as it gets. We are very excited to have him on board.”Zaheer, who had been associated with Mumbai Indians from 2018 to 2022 as director of cricket and head of global development, said he will serve in a similar role at LSG. He said he was particularly impressed with the “building blocks” put together by a “young franchise in only three years”, and felt that he shared the owners’ vision.”Yes it happened exactly in the same words how Mr Goenka explained. We got on a call and realised we have a similar stance on many topics about cricket,” Zaheer said. “We discussed the direction, the culture, the brand the team wants to play. The building blocks are already in place. It’s a relatively young franchise but it doesn’t seem like that. Reaching playoffs in this fiercely competitive league isn’t easy and [seeing their progress] gives me confidence.””It is a team game, so I will be serving the team in every capacity possible, and yes, it includes bowling. If I am there in the set-up, does the team need another bowling coach?” he said with a smile. “When you see LSG, their journey is only three years but they are as comparable to the teams who have played the IPL for 17-18 years. The building blocks are in place and we need to take them forward. Decision-making will be something we’ll work on, since it is something that can differentiate teams.”As it stands, LSG’s roster includes Rahul, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Krunal Pandya, Quinton de Kock, Naveen-ul-Haq and Devdutt Padikkal, among others. The teams are expected to know the IPL’s retention rules in early September, after which they will decide on whom to retain, possibly with a late-November deadline, before the mega auction leading into IPL 2025.

انتهت مباراة مصر وبوركينا فاسو بالتعادل السلبي، في المواجهة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن منافسات تصفيات قارة إفريقيا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026، والتي ستقام في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية والمكسيك وكندا.

وأقيمت المباراة بين مصر وبوركينا فاسو على أرضية استاد 4 أغسطس، في إطار لقاءات الجولة الثامنة من تصفيات كأس العالم.

ويتواجد منتخب مصر في المجموعة الأولى من تصفيات كأس العالم، رفقة بوركينا فاسو وإثيوبيا وجيبوتي وسيراليون وغينيا بيساو.

طالع | ترتيب مجموعة مصر في تصفيات كأس العالم بعد التعادل مع بوركينا فاسو

ومن المقرر أن يلتقي منتخب مصر في مباراته المقبلة أمام جيبوتي في إطار لقاءات الجولة التاسعة من مواجهات المجموعة لـ تصفيات كأس العالم.

ويحتاج منتخب مصر للفوز أو التعادل بأي نتيجة خلال مباراته المقبلة ضد جيبوتي من أجل حسم بطاقة الصعود إلى نهائيات كأس العالم مباشرة كـ أول عن المجموعة. موعد مباراة مصر القادمة بعد أمام بوركينا فاسو في تصفيات كأس العالم 2026

وسيلتقي منتخب مصر أمام جيبوتي يوم 8 أكتوبر المقبل، من أجل حسم بطاقة التأهل إلى كأس العالم.

Despite winning the Premier League in the 2024/25 campaign, Liverpool are incredibly active in the summer transfer window in an attempt to bolster their squad.

The window officially opened for business on Sunday and the club have already confirmed Netherlands international Jeremie Frimpong as their first signing of the year.

He has come through the door as the direct replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has completed a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid ahead of the Club World Cup.

Liverpool are also reportedly closing in on a deal to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, as David Ornstein has claimed that the Germany international is keen to make the move to Anfield.

The 22-year-old star delivered 16 goals and 14 assists in all competitions for Leverkusen during the 2024/25 campaign, which suggests that the Reds could be bringing in an influential figure at the top end of the pitch.

These new signings coming in could provide added competition for the existing stars at Anfield, and one player who may need to be on his toes is Ibrahima Konate.

Why Ibrahima Konate could be concerned this summer

The France international started 30 of his 31 appearances in the Premier League during the 2024/25 season, as the main partner for Virgil van Dijk at the back.

However, it did not always look like that was going to be the case for the former RB Leipzig star. Last summer, Football Insider reported that Arne Slot was not convinced by the centre-back, due to his performances on the pitch and in training, as well as his injury record.

That was seemingly backed up by the Dutch head coach’s decision to go with Jarrel Quansah next to van Dijk ahead of Konate on the opening day against Ipswich Town. However, the English youngster endured a difficult half against Liam Delap and was replaced by the French titan at half-time.

Konate then went on to be a regular starter in the Premier League, despite those early concerns about his place in the side, but there were still moments that could throw his long-term future into doubt.

As you can see in the table above, the French colossus was largely dominant in duels on the deck and in the air, but was also no stranger to making a mistake at the back.

Errors crept into his performances, with three errors leading to shots or goals for the opposition, in the Premier League, and that is why the club’s reported interest in a new central defender could leave him concerned this summer.

Liverpool eyeing deal for new centre-back

According to Football Insider, the path has been cleared for Liverpool to pursue a deal to sign RB Leipzig central defender Castello Lukeba in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the German side’s seventh-placed finish in the Bundesliga, which means that they will not be playing European football next season, has cleared the path for the Reds to swoop in for the centre-back, making them one of the favourites to secure his signature.

Transfer Focus

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It states that the French star has a release clause of £74m in his contract with Leipzig, and that Liverpool are on high alert after his team failed to qualify for Europe.

The report adds, however, that the Premier League giants will attempt to use the situation to negotiate a lower fee for the 22-year-old titan, which means that they could sign him for less than the £74m release clause.

Konate could, now, be concerned by this news because another centre-back arriving at Anfield this summer could create competition for his place that could see him drop out of the starting XI on a regular basis.

If Liverpool can get a deal over the line for Lukeba in the coming weeks or months, Slot could have a centre-back on his hands who has the potential to be an upgrade on his current partner for van Dijk.

Why Castello Lukeba could replace Ibrahima Konate

Analyst Ben Mattinson described him as the “perfect” left centre-back slash left-back hybrid, which could mean that he could move over to the left side of the pairing with the captain on the right in order to replace Konate.

The Leipzig star’s reliability, first and foremost, is what may attract Slot to him. In 103 appearances in Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga for Lyon and Leipzig combined, the 22-year-old star has not made a single error that has directly led to a goal for the opposition.

On that evidence, it’s hardly a surprise that Mattinson has also referred to him as “one of the best defensive prospects in world football” and one of “the best U21 centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues.”

In comparison, Konate has made five errors leading to goals in just 82 appearances in the Premier League, which suggests that he is nowhere near as reliable as Lukeba in that sense.

This means that Slot could rely on the £74m-rated star more to deliver consistent performances without making critical mistakes that create chances for the opposition.

As you can see in the table above, Lukeba also made slightly more tackles and interceptions per game on average at league level this season, whilst also winning a higher percentage of his ground duels.

Konate appears to have the edge over him when it comes to winning aerial duels, although the Leipzig star is not weak in that respect, but overall, the Liverpool defender comes out second-best.

These statistics indicate that the Reds number five should be concerned about his place in the starting XI if Lukeba walks through the door, because the young titan has the qualities to displace him next season.

Slot could improve his team by signing the French star to provide a more reliable presence at the heart of the defence in comparison to Konate, due to his lack of errors in the Bundesliga and Ligue 1, which is why this could be an excellent addition for the club.

He's like Wirtz: Liverpool can axe Diaz by signing 'England's best winger'

Liverpool face the summer sale of one of their most important players.

2

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 1, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are now prepared to shell out a significant sum for one “impressive” forward wanted by Bayern Munich, with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange doing their homework ahead of the summer window.

Tottenham preparing for Bodo/Glimt with Europa League final at stake

Carrying a 3-1 lead into their Europa League semi-final second leg against Bodo/Glimt on Thursday, the north Londoners have a major chance to seal their place in the final and potentially clinch a first major trophy in 17 years.

Tottenham: £4m-per-year manager who Levy wants is tempted to replace Ange

He’s now open to joining Spurs.

By
Emilio Galantini

May 6, 2025

Uncertainty still surrounds the long-term future of manager Ange Postecoglou, but if the Australian does end up departing N17, he’ll be determined to end his two-year stay on a major high, following the tactician’s early-season suggestion that he always wins trophies during his second term in charge.

Some bad news for Spurs is that star midfielder James Maddison will be absent from their semi-final clash and most likely the final, with the England international sustaining a serious knee injury.

Postecoglou has some key decisions to make in regard to who starts Thursday’s vital clash in Norway, and their London derby draw against West Ham over the weekend served as an audition for potential starters.

“The beauty about today was that a lot of our guys who haven’t played a lot of minutes recently, we’ve got some real meaningful minutes and I thought we did well on the day,” said Postecoglou after Tottenham’s 1-1 draw against West Ham.

“It’s important for Deki to play. He’s missed so much football with his injury, and he’s just getting back into some rhythm.

“Pape, Archie Gray, the two wingers, Mathys and guys like Djed and Kevin, I just think it’s really important those guys play and have Biss back up again for another 90 minutes and even Richy to play again. It’s been a juggling act for sure to try to get to a position where we’ve got a squad that’s capable of tackling what’s ahead. We’re still cursed with some bad luck along the way, but I was really pleased the guys that got the minutes today.”

Tottenham "ready to pay" £25 million-plus for Tim Kleindienst

Following a 2024/2025 campaign riddled with injuries to key men, Levy and Lange must back Postecoglou or any prospective new manager with fresh faces ahead of next season.

Tottenham are believed to be in the market for a new forward, and another name now attracting their attention is Borussia Mönchengladbach striker Tim Kleindienst.

The “underrated” and prolific German is enjoying the season of his life, having racked up 16 goals and 10 assists in all competitions, not to mention four goals in six caps at international level.

According to CaughtOffside, who labelled him “impressive”, Tottenham are “ready to pay” £25 million-plus for Kleindienst this summer and potentially sign him ahead of Kompany’s Bayern.

The Bavarians’ interest in him is a clear indicator of just how much the centre-forward has impressed in the Bundesliga this term, but Spurs are not the only Premier League side contending for his services either, so Kleindienst’s future will be an intriguing story of the summer.

After putting on five-star display against Crystal Palace, the good news could be short-lived for Manchester City amid reports that one midfield star is willing to take a pay cut to get his move this summer.

Man City put five past Crystal Palace

When Eberechi Eze and Chris Richards struck to hand Crystal Palace a shock 2-0 lead at the Etihad, it looked set to be an all too familiar story for Pep Guardiola’s side. That is, until Kevin De Bruyne took a hold on proceedings.

The Belgian, into his last six games of his Manchester City career, scored a stunning free-kick before playing his part in Omar Marmoush’s swift equaliser midway through the first period.

Putting on a show, Manchester City then hit three goals without a response to seal all three points against an in-form Crystal Palace side. Speaking after an excellent display, De Bruyne told TNT Sports: “I thought the first 20 minutes, it was actually alright. We had a couple of chances but they pounced on two chances, one a corner and then obviously the Eze chance.

“I was wondering, ‘What’s going on here?’, but I think the reaction was really good. Obviously, scoring very quickly the first and the second changed the feeling of the game. I think overall we played really well.”

Man City in contact with "electric" £30m full-back with Walker-esque pace

The Citizens could land a bargain deal…

By
Tom Cunningham

Apr 11, 2025

It may well prove to be an all-important victory for the Citizens as they battle to secure Champions League qualification, with De Bruyne hoping to ensure of a fitting farewell in the process. That said, the Belgian may not be the only one saying his goodbyes in the coming weeks if recent reports are anything to go by.

Benfica eyeing Bernardo Silva move

According to Portuguese outlet A Bola, as relayed by Sport Witness, Benfica are now plotting a move to sign Bernardo Silva, who is reportedly willing to take a pay cut in order to secure an exit away from Manchester City.

In doing so, the midfielder would be going full circle back to his boyhood club. Now 30 years old and a player who’s been past his excellent best at times this season, Silva would be completing a fitting move.

If that is to be that for the Portugal international in Manchester, there’s no doubt that he’ll be bowing out as a modern-day legend at the home of the Premier League champions. Guardiola’s praise has often reflected that legend status, too.

The Spaniard told reporters in December: “We are lucky with the players we have, for example, like Bernardo. I know he’s a special player for me, but how he puts his heart into those positions.

“He is an incredible winner and example for us in how he behaves in different positions and always tries to help and read what happens in certain positions. Playing attacking midfield, holding midfield, always defensively he makes an incredible effort.”

The fast bowler does not entertain the thought that overseas players’ unavailability is diminishing PSL’s allure

Danyal Rasool21-Feb-2024Shaheen Shah Afridi’s early rise has been meteoric, but for anyone who’d watched him through his early years, not necessarily surprising. The franchise that helped him burst onto the scene has seen its fortunes blossom in tandem with their captain’s, but viewers of the early seasons will tell you there was nothing inevitable about that.”When, in any country or franchise, local players play in a team, that side does very well,” Afridi tells ESPNcricinfo. “I think that’s the biggest secret. When Lahore Qalandars started the PDP [Player Development Programme], we found players from all over the country. Sameen , Atif [the owners] and Aqib [Javed, head coach] worked very hard and they gave LQ and Pakistan very good players. There are more coming through this year. The local players who were given opportunities performed and won matches for Pakistan, and that was a huge deal for us.”There’s a frequent misconception Afridi emerged onto the scene through the Qalandars’ PDP. Though this is technically untrue – he was within the system and played an Under-19 World Cup for Pakistan before his first game with the Qalandars – it is with the PSL franchise that he emerged onto wider Pakistani consciousness. He would bowl perhaps the greatest PSL spell in history, figures of 3.4-1-4-5 snapping a six-match losing streak, and launching a career that barely looked back since. In Afridi’s words, Lahore “gave me a platform”.Related

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Nafay, Hosein hand Qalandars second successive loss

It is a platform he’s put to good use. He was appointed Qalandars captain two years earlier, and led his side to the title both years, turning the franchise from the least successful in the PSL to the most. We’re speaking on the eve of the start of the ninth season. He simply smiles and offers an insouciant “why not” when the topic of three in a row comes up, a feat achieved only by Jaffna Kings in all of T20 franchise-league history.Some of that optimism may have been dented by two defeats to start the season, but the format of the competition means there’s enough time before any franchise runs out of road. “We’ll try and maintain the process we’ve kept that has made us successful and try to repeat it. We’ve retained a core group of eight players or so who’ve won the title twice, and we understand what our process is and our plans are. Everyone’s ready and hopeful, and the local players are strong.”It is a theme – the local core – Afridi is keen to return to. Qalandars do have a streak of continuity running through their squad which often tends to be indicative of a franchise in good health. Fakhar Zaman has been with Qalandars since the outset, and Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan and Afridi are staple members of the side, and have all played significant roles in their title triumphs over the last few years.In a year like this, it’s fairly handy to have a skipper who sincerely believes this. The PSL has been hit by overseas players’ unavailability, partially down to the financial heft of the ILT20 (where Afridi signed a bumper three-year deal) and the SA20, which have squeezed the PSL into a tighter window and made competition for player access much fiercer. The overseas roster this year is a shadow of what it was when the PSL was at its zenith; Qalandars alone boast Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum, Chris Lynn and AB de Villiers among their former players. This year, Qalandars’ biggest star Rashid Khan pulled out as he nurses his return from a back injury in a bid to be fit for the IPL in April.Shaheen Shah Afridi says Qalandars gave him a “platform”•PCBAfridi, though, has little time for any insinuation the league might not be as globally appealing as it used to be. “No, no,” he says dismissively before the question is even fully put. “I don’t understand this criticism,” he says. “People say big players not coming here affects the league. But look at our local players. When they go to an overseas league, they’re the biggest names in those leagues. Whenever the boys have gone abroad for a league, their value was the highest. We have to respect and value the local players in our league, and if we do that, our league’s prominence will continue to rise. Players from abroad may have their own reasons for not coming, but the local players have huge value and deserve respect.”Perhaps it goes back to Qalandars’ local core, and the sharp shift in philosophy from those bleak, early seasons. In the early years, the side went for the flashiest overseas player available, facilitated by the first pick they always had by dint of finishing bottom the previous year. Gayle, Lynn, McCullum and de Villiers were largely unable to light up the side’s fortunes. In recent years, it is the Pakistan players who have taken centre stage at the franchise, with crafty overseas picks such as David Wiese, Tim David and even Rashid subsumed into the collective instead of overshadowing it altogether.Afridi concedes the Afghan legspinner is a colossal miss. “Rashid walks into any team. No doubt he’s a class bowler and we’ll miss him. But our team’s bowling is very good. The struggles we faced in early seasons mainly came with the bat, and we didn’t score enough runs in the middle order. In the last two years, our batting order’s done very well. It’s a team effort and the boys back each other, and give each other the confidence to perform well. The team has gelled together nicely.”His success with the franchise has also seen him gain a promotion in the national side. Late last year, when Babar Azam reluctantly quit as captain in all three formats, Afridi was chosen to replace him in T20Is. It was a role he says he hadn’t even contemplated until former Pakistan captain Imran Khan advised him to take up the captaincy. Afridi has made little secret of his adulation for Imran. “It is very hard to say no to Imran ,” he smiles, the mood lightening as he recalls that memory.Any wholesomeness, as Afridi will know, can evaporate quickly when the carnival-like atmosphere of a T20 league is replaced by the intense, stifling scrutiny international cricket places on a captain. He took up the reins of a dressing room which was less than united just after a Test tour of Australia which Pakistan had lost 3-0, with Afridi himself getting significant criticism for sitting out of the final Test. He then lost his first series in charge, New Zealand sweeping the first four games in a routine 4-1 victory.Shaheen Shah Afridi: I know I can still bowl 140 or 145, but you have to do everything when the time is right•Getty ImagesAfridi wants to warn against reading too much into that performance though, insisting there’s no step up from franchise to international captaincy. “I don’t think there’s any difference,” he says. “If anything, Pakistan cricket captaincy is slightly easier because the boys have played together, all through the domestic circuit together as well. We can express ourselves in our own language and understand our role. In franchise cricket, you have players from overseas, and you work with different coaches. That can get tricky, but in Pakistan cricket there’s greater familiarity.”Afridi speaks with disarming candour about how little he knew about captaincy before taking on the role, but at the same time, believes there is more to it than granular details like tactics and match-ups. “When I wasn’t captain, I didn’t know a lot of things. Some so them are so basic I don’t even want to tell you about them,” he laughs.”When you’re a bowler you only focus on yourself and your bowling. When you’re captain, the 11 who play and the five sitting on the bench are all your players. You have to treat them as individuals, talk to them all and keep a friendly atmosphere. You even have a responsibility to conduct yourself in a particular way with the coaching staff, because you’re all pursuing the same goals. You have a short period of time and you have to be like a family during this time. The more united you are, the better the chance you give yourself to win.”We don’t put extra pressure on any player, and no player in our side is allowed to place additional pressure on any other player or try to intimidate them. Because everyone has the skills.”Afridi was keen to ensure he didn’t overwork himself before the PSL started. While he was contracted to the ILT20, he played the first five games with the Desert Vipers before returning and taking “ten days completely off from cricket”.While visibly weary of the lingering questions around his pace, Afridi says bowling every ball at over 145kph is “not a way any bowler bowls” in T20 cricket.”I know I can still bowl 140 or 145, but you have to do everything when the time is right. In T20 cricket, no bowler bowls 140-plus as their average ball. In T20 cricket, you only need to bowl three or four balls at express pace. There are a lot of slower balls, variations, and the like. I have never felt my pace has dipped. I know I can bowl 140 or 145. I’m still fit and young, just 23.”The PSL arrives as a welcome distraction for Pakistan•AFP/Getty ImagesYou don’t have to be particularly worldly to know there’s a lot more going on in Pakistan than just a T20 league. The country is currently in the grips of a severe economic crisis, aggravated by a bitter political atmosphere that culminated in a general election earlier this month marred by widespread allegations of rigging from around the world. There is no sign yet that either the economic pinch or the political deadlock will cease anytime soon.”The way the country’s situation is,” Afridi says vaguely before breaking off the sentence altogether. He clearly feels passionately about the subject. So he tries again, trying to balance it with the responsibility he has as one of the biggest draws of the PSL. “The PSL and cricket is something that makes people happy. Elections just got over, so I’m hopeful the crowds turn up and support cricket.”Few would begrudge Pakistan getting the brief distraction it needs so badly at the moment. And over the years, Afridi at the PSL has been more than happy to oblige.

The RCB allrounder has been setting the pace with both bat and ball this season

Hemant Brar08-May-2022Algebra and calculus have troubled Bengal and Royal Challengers Bangalore allrounder Shahbaz Ahmed more than any opposition bowler or batter has.In 2011, Shahbaz’s father enrolled him in a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, but until last year he couldn’t get past Mathematics 101, a subject from the first semester. It was only last season, when he was playing in the IPL for RCB, as it happened, that he took the exam for it online and passed. “So you can say I have completed my engineering,” Shahbaz says.Apart from that, he has also been working hard to upgrade his cricketing skills. Here, too, the results have gone largely in his favour.Related

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Bought back by Royal Challengers at the auction in February, Shahbaz made over 25 in each of his first five innings in this year’s IPL. That’s some consistency for a player who bats mainly at No. 5 and 6. He hasn’t been as successful with his left-arm fingerspin but has bowled a couple of handy spells.Shahbaz’s stronger suit is batting but in 2020, his first season with Royal Challengers, he played only two games and faced just one ball. The next year he got a longer run but could score only 59 runs in seven innings at an average of 8.42 and a strike rate of 111.32.While his returns with the bat were not stellar, he gained valuable insights about his craft. “I realised I was struggling to hit against fast bowlers,” Shahbaz says. “Whenever I tried big shots, I was ending up in an open-stance position. Simon Katich [then Royal Challengers head coach] and Mike Hesson [director of cricket at the franchise] sir told me if I can maintain my shape, I can score in any situation. That’s something I have tried to address this time.”At RCB, he has also had the opportunity to pick the brains of two of the best hitters in T20 cricket. “Big players such as AB de Villiers sir and Glenn Maxwell sir don’t talk much about technique,” Shahbaz says. “Whenever I spoke to them, it was about planning, conditions, and how to plan for different conditions. What the good boundary options are against fast bowlers and spinners. Or how to keep the scoreboard moving irrespective of the situation and build a platform from where we can win the match.”Shahbaz enjoys batting with Dinesh Karthik: “With him you don’t feel any pressure as he can change the momentum of the game in one over”•BCCIAll that culminated in one crucial knock after another this season. And his strike rate against pace zoomed from 125.00 last season to 143.01 this time.In the match against Kolkata Knight Riders, he went in at 62 for 4 and scored 27 off 20 balls to put his team ahead in a chase of 129. Against Rajasthan Royals he entered at the same scoreline. This time RCB were chasing 170. He smashed 45 off 26 balls and along with Dinesh Karthik (44 not out off 23), took the side to a win.Batting first against Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers were 75 for 4, which soon became 92 for 5. Shahbaz and Karthik then added 97 in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand, lifting Royal Challengers to a winning total.”I enjoy batting with DK [Karthik] . He is so cool and calm even in those pressure situations,” Shahbaz says. “He just says we have to take the game deep. If I play a rash shot, he would tell me that this is not needed at this stage. Only if I get a loose ball I should try for the boundary. Else, I should take a single, or even if it’s a dot ball, it’s okay. With him, you don’t feel any pressure as he can change the momentum of the game in one over.”Shahbaz mentions the Rajasthan Royals match, where Yuzvendra Chahal and R Ashwin had stifled the batters on a pitch that was taking spin. “I wasn’t able to figure out how to take the game deep. Ashwin had an over left, and I was thinking of playing him out as it was easier to score against fast bowlers. Then DK came and attacked Ashwin. In that one over, the game completely changed.”RCB spin-bowling coach S Sriram suggested Shahbaz work on a faster run-up, which helped him find his rhythm and increase his bowling speed•Royal Challengers BangaloreWith 82 needed off 42 balls, Karthik hit Ashwin for three fours and a six in a 21-run over. It was another lesson for Shahbaz in his cricketing education.

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When he was struggling with the bat in the 2021 IPL, it was his bowling that kept Shahbaz in the frame at RCB. He picked up seven wickets, including a game-changing 3 for 7 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, at an economy of 6.57.This year he has been assigned the role of fifth bowler, alongside Maxwell. While he has been a bit expensive at times, he also bowled a spell of 4-0-25-0 against Lucknow Super Giants. Against Gujarat Titans he took the wickets of Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya to bring his side back into the game, and in his most recent match, against Chennai Super Kings, he broke the opening stand by dismissing an in-form Ruturaj Gaikwad.Shahbaz credits S Sriram, the Royal Challengers batting and spin-bowling coach, for giving him belief. “When I first came to the IPL, I had doubts if my bowling skills were good enough for this level. But in the last two seasons, I have learnt a lot from S Sriram about how to bowl to each batsman and get them out. He knows my bowling inside out.”The biggest improvement, Shahbaz says, has been in his rhythm, which he had struggled with. Sriram suggested making his run-up faster, which helped with that aspect. It had another benefit as well.”Earlier, my bowling speed was too slow. If you bowl that slow in the IPL, batters can always attack you. So my biggest worry was how I can increase my speed by 4-5kph. As I worked on my rhythm, my speed also increased.”Now I aim for 94-95kph for my normal ball, and my slower ball is at around 88-89kph. If I can maintain 95kph, it helps a lot in these conditions. Otherwise, on these flat Mumbai wickets, it is very difficult for spinners.””There will be a time when I will have to finish games on my own. I am prepared and waiting for that time”•BCCIIn T20s, the conventional wisdom is that a left-arm fingerspinner isn’t as effective against a left-hand batter. But Shahbaz has been trying to up his game against left-hand batters as well.”Ever since I started playing, I bowled from around the wicket. It’s a good option but now I am bowling over the wicket as well, to left-hand batsmen. Because that gives you a lot of options, and the more options you have, the more you can control the game.”If you are bowling over the wicket, you can bowl wide outside off. If there is some turn available, then you can turn from outside off. Then the leftie has only one option – to hit down the ground. The leg-side option is no longer available.”From over the wicket, you can bowl the leg-stump line as well, which is effective this season because most games are being played on side wickets due to limited venues. So one square boundary is generally bigger than the other. That makes it difficult for left-handers to hit on the leg side [if that’s the bigger boundary]. This also creates more wicket-taking options.”While Shahbaz is tightening up his bowling, it’s batting he enjoys more and wants to make more of an impact with. At the top of his to-do list is to see games to the end with the bat.”In domestic cricket, I have finished a few close games, so I have that experience. Against KKR, we were chasing 127 [129], and I scored 27 in a tough situation but then I got out. Akash Deep [Bengal and Royal Challengers team-mate] said to me, ‘You could have finished this game but you lost your wicket to a bad shot. What happened?’ I told him this was my first innings in the IPL where I had batted well. The more experience I get of batting in this position, the more games I can finish for the team.”Right now, I am mostly playing a supporting role to DK , but there will be a time when I will have to finish games on my own. I am prepared and waiting for that time.”