Rinku Singh nearly pulled off a stunning chase as KKR’s campaign came to an end

Hemant Brar20-May-2023

Lucknow Super Giants 176 for 8 (Pooran 58, Shardul Thakur 2-27, Narine 2-28) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 175 for 7 (Rinku 67*, Roy 45, Bishnoi 2-23, Yash Thakur 2-31) by one runLucknow Super Giants survived a Rinku Singh scare to become the third team to qualify for the playoffs of IPL 2023 as they beat Kolkata Knight Riders by one run at Eden Gardens. They ended with 17 points, tied with Chennai Super Kings, but LSG’s inferior net run rate meant they finished third. They will now face the fourth qualifying team in the Eliminator in Chennai on May 24.At the start of the day, LSG had a chance to secure a top-two finish. However, CSK’s 77-run win over Delhi Capitals in the earlier game meant LSG needed to beat KKR by a margin of around 97 runs to go above CSK. That was not going to be easy, especially after LSG posted 176 batting first. At 73 for 5 in the 11th over, they didn’t look like scoring even that many, but Nicholas Pooran’s 30-ball 58 lifted them.KKR had a flying start before they lost their way in the middle overs. It came down to 56 needed from the last four overs, and then 41 from two. Rinku took 20 off Naveen-ul-Haq in the 19th, leaving 21 for the last.Vaibhav Arora took a single on the first ball of the final over, bowled Yash Thakur. That was followed by two dots and two wides, making it 18 required from three balls. Rinku hit the next one for a six but could pick up only a four off the fifth. A six on the final delivery only reduced the margin of defeat.LSG’s hit-and-miss startAfter being sent in, LSG lost a wicket in the third over of the innings when Harshit Rana bounced out Karan Sharma for 3. Prerak Mankad tried to attack but he was more like a cat on a hot tin roof. After being on 4 off eight balls, he picked up five fours in the next two overs but hardly looked comfortable. Once the powerplay ended, his attempted upper cut against Arora was taken at deep cover. Two balls later, Arora bounced out Marcus Stoinis for a duck, making it 55 for 3.Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine dragged LSG back further. Narine had Krunal Pandya mistiming a slog sweep to deep square leg in the tenth over, and Varun got Quinton de Kock to top-edge to deep midwicket. De Kock, who picked up two sixes in the powerplay – his only boundaries on the night – ended with 28 off 27 balls.Pooran hits them beyond the boundaryPooran came in at No. 7, a ball after the halfway mark in the innings. Varun induced an outside edge straightaway but Pooran had played it with soft hands, resulting in the ball falling short and to the left of first slip and going for four. The next ball, though, was too short, and Pooran cut it for four. Varun then overcompensated, erring on the fuller side and was duly smashed for a straight six.With another six in the spinner’s next over, Pooran moved to 23 off just ten balls. KKR had brought in Suyash Sharma as the Impact Player for Harshit, who had bowled three overs for 1 for 21. Pooran welcomed Suyash with yet another six, and ended the over with a four, making sure the legspinner didn’t bowl another over in the game.In the 19th over, Pooran brought up his half-century with a six off Shardul Thakur. He sent the next ball over the boundary line as well, but Thakur had him caught at deep third when the batter attempted a hat-trick of sixes. Andre Russell conceded only three off the first four deliveries of the 20th over before K Gowtham hit the last two for a six and four to take LSG past 175.KKR quick out of the blocksKKR had an almost impossible task in front of them: they needed to win in 8.5 overs to lift their net run rate above Rajasthan Royals’ to stay alive for the playoffs. Jason Roy and Venkatesh Iyer smashed 30 in the first two overs but the next two brought only 15. Roy did hit three fours off Krunal’s first three balls in the fifth over but Iyer fell to Gowtham in the next, and KKR finished the powerplay on 61 for 1.Rinku takes it closeAs far as this match was concerned, KKR were well ahead of the required rate. After eight overs, they were 78 for 1, but could score only 30 in the next six for the loss of three wickets. Ravi Bishnoi had Nitish Rana caught at extra cover, Krunal bowled Roy for 45 off 28, and Yash Thakur’s slower ball accounted for Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 10 off 15.With 63 needed from 28 balls, Russell hit Bishnoi for a six but was bowled on the next ball. Rinku was still in the middle, and if there is one thing this season has taught us, it is that no game is over till Rinku is batting. En route to his unbeaten 67 off 33 balls, he took Naveen for three fours and six in the 19th over but with 18 needed from three balls, he could hit only 6, 4 and 6.

Thomas Tuchel says he has the "greatest respect" for Ange Postecoglou, but has hinted he understands why Tottenham chose to sack the Australian.

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Spurs wield axePostecoglou sacked despite winning trophyTuchel weighs inFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

England boss Tuchel was asked about Postecoglou at his press conference ahead of the Three Lions' World Cup qualifier against Andorra, with the news breaking minutes before. The former Chelsea boss says he has the utmost respect for the Australian, but has hinted he understands the club's decision to wield the axe.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Spurs finished 17th in the Premier League – a record-low finish in the modern era – and lost 22 of their 38 games; despite winning the Europa League, and ending a 17-year trophy drought, the club's performance in the league has left his position untenable. Tuchel admits he has sympathy, but says managers are "responsible" for the results.

WHAT TUCHEL SAID

Tuchel told reporters: “I have the biggest respect for him. He’s a huge character. But we are responsible for the results. I feel for every manager, and have huge sympathy, especially in this spot (being sacked) I was in the same spot and it was horrible.”

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

England play Andorra this weekend before taking on Senegal in a friendly in midweek. For Postecoglou, it may take some time for his future to become clear.

In what is a growing concern for Regis Le Bris, AS Roma have now reportedly joined the race to sign one of his most important Sunderland players ahead of this summer.

AS Roma racing to sign Sunderland star

Sunderland could yet fall victim to what has been a successful season if the current campaign doesn’t end in Championship promotion. As things stand, the Black Cats sit fourth and all but secure in the play-offs. But that’s just the start of their race to win a spot in the Premier League.

Set to compete in the play-offs, Sunderland will be well aware of just how heartbreaking Wembley can be and as talents continue to rise throughout their squad, the pressure will be on if they reach that final hurdle come May.

Sunderland in talks to agree deal to sign 18 y/o gem before end of season

Talks has been held over a move to the Stadium of Light.

ByHenry Jackson Mar 23, 2025

Players like Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham have both been the subjects of Premier League interest in the last year and both are players who should have their sights set on the Premier League.

As the summer approaches, however, they’re not the only ones who could be heading for the exit door in Wearside. According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, AS Roma have now joined the race to sign Dan Neil after officials spotted his talent whilst keeping an eye on current loanee Enzo Le Fee.

The Italians aren’t alone in their interest, either. They are reportedly joined by both Everton and West Ham United to form a three-club race which could yet end in the ultimate frustration for Sunderland.

Promotion could be key to "fantastic" Neil's stay

Whilst his role as captain would make any exit more complicated than it otherwise would be, Neil is a rising talent who should want to play at the highest level sooner rather than later. With just one year left on his current contract too, Sunderland may be left with no choice but to make a decision this summer if that issue remains unresolved.

The midfielder has earned plenty of praise during his time at the Stadium of Light, including from former manager Michael Beale, who told reporters: “Dan’s a fantastic player.

“There’s a lot of eyes on Dan because he’s got a lot of potential. Hugely important player in our squad and I’ve been super impressed with him since I joined the club. It’s important for him that he focuses on his game and plays well because this is the level he wants to play at regularly, you know, against these players.”

As the current campaign nears a conclusion, the future of several key players may well rely on whether Sunderland find themselves back in the Premier League next season.

Following last night’s draw with Manchester United, it would be fair to say that Arsenal’s Premier League title ambitions are over.

Truthfully, Mikel Arteta’s side were probably out of the race midway through last month, but yesterday’s dismal display put the final nail in the coffin.

It was another game in which the Gunners struggled to put the ball in the back of the net, not that they created an abundance of chances, though.

Moreover, it should be the final match in which Mikel Merino starts up top, as he’s simply not cut out to lead the line, and Arteta now has another option at his disposal.

Why Arsenal's Merino experiment needs to end

The first thing to say is that while this is a critique of Merino’s time leading the line, it’s not a critique of his overall ability, as Arteta has asked him to play a role entirely unfamiliar to him over the last few weeks.

Moreover, while his performances haven’t been good enough overall, his raw output, when looked at in isolation, is not terrible: three goals and one assist in five appearances.

However, football does not work like that, and when you examine those numbers more closely, they aren’t as impressive as they first appear.

For example, two of his goals came in a short spell against relegation candidates Leicester City, while the other one, and his assist for that matter, came in the 7-1 drubbing of PSV Eindhoven, who were unfathomably dreadful last week.

Moreover, in the games against West Ham United, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United – games the Gunners had to win – the Spaniard failed to score or provide a single assist and picked up 5/10 match ratings for each display from journalist Tom Canton.

Finally, as many fans will likely attest, one of the most significant weaknesses of this Arsenal team is their lack of threat on the counter or transition, which the rather slow and immobile Merino only exacerbates when leading the line.

In all, the experienced international should be moved back into midfield for the rest of the season, especially as Arteta now has someone in the team who can replace him.

The Arsenal star who should start ahead of Merino

With Arsenal’s injury list still significant and Raheem Sterling not a player Arteta trusts anymore, the options the Spaniard has to replace Merino up top remain narrow but not nonexistent.

For example, Gabriel Martinelli returned to the fold yesterday evening, and while the £46m-rated star didn’t exactly blow anyone away in his 23 minutes of action, he could and probably should be the man to start down the middle for the rest of the campaign.

There are a couple of reasons for this, with the first being the simple fact that unlike the former Real Sociedad ace and the other option of Leandro Trossard, the Brazilian ace would provide some much-needed pace to the striker position.

Appearances

16

Minutes

879′

Goals

9

Assists

0

Goals per Match

0.56

Goals per Minute

97.66

Despite being somewhat out of form this season, the former Ituano gem is still the joint-third top scorer for the team and has one more strike to his name than the Belgian despite playing five fewer games.

Lastly, unlike Merino, the Brazilian has experience playing up top, a position pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor reckons he can more than dazzle in.

He’s made 16 appearances for the club there, in which he’s scored nine goals, working out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.77 games.

Ultimately, while there isn’t an ideal solution to Arsenal’s striker crisis at the moment, starting Martinelli down the middle instead of Merino is Arteta’s best option.

Berta can land Rodri 2.0 for Arsenal in one of "the best CMs in the world"

The incredible international would improve Arsenal’s midfield.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 8, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Willian rescinde com o Corinthians e não joga mais pelo clube! Na Libertadores, é noite de decisão para Palmeiras e Atlético-MG. E na Inglaterra, Thomas Tuchel pede para o Chelsea contratar atacante. Essas e outras notícias você confere no vídeo acima.

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In the view of club legend Gary Neville, “being Manchester United goalkeeper is the hardest position in English football”.

For every Peter Schmeichel there is a Massimo Taibi. For every Edwin van de Sar, a Roy Carroll. Managing to find a quality, long-term solution in the goalkeeping ranks has not always been plain sailing – just ask Andre Onana.

The scrutiny that surrounded his predecessor, David De Gea, has been replicated with the former Inter star, with questions already being asked over Onana’s suitability to life at Old Trafford.

Signed by his former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag on a £47.2m deal in the summer of 2023 – a year on from having been available on a free – the Cameroonian ‘keeper has endured a real mixed stint in Manchester, putting together a highlight reel full of comical gaffes.

Despite starting the new season on strong footing, amid notable double saves against the likes of Crystal Palace and Fenerbahce, the 28-year-old has regressed again in recent months, having now made three errors leading to a goal in the Premier League this term.

Those woes – which include his mistake for Brighton and Hove Albion’s third goal last month – have sparked reports that an early exit could be on the cards for the experienced stopper, with new boss Ruben Amorim seemingly intent on shaking up his goalkeeping department.

The latest on Andre Onana's future at Man Utd

There could well be a summer of upheaval ahead, with Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst reporting that the number of departures could reach double figures for the Red Devils.

Among those looking set for an exit is veteran goalkeeper, Tom Heaton, amid the impending expiry of his contract, with the academy graduate having played just three first-team games following his return back in 2021.

That likely departure has come following further claims by Luckhurst that Amorim is keen on signing a new goalkeeper ahead of next season, thus throwing into doubt the futures of both Altay Bayindir and Onana.

In the case of the latter man, recent reports have indicated that the one-time Ajax hero could be open to sealing a move away from the Theatre of Dreams, with clubs in Saudi Arabia seemingly showing an interest.

Potential succession plans appear to have already been drawn up, with the latest speculation indicating that United have lodged an enquiry over Burnley sensation, James Trafford, with the 22-year-old having previously been on the books at rivals Manchester City.

The likelihood is that the Englishman would command a fee in the region of £30m, however, with United perhaps left to regret losing a dream alternative on a free. And no, it’s not De Gea…

Man Utd have already offloaded an Onana upgrade

The goalkeeping positions could well be in for major change at both Manchester clubs, with uncertainty surrounding Ederson at the Etihad, with the Brazilian having just a year left on his current deal.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Amid City’s need for a replacement, recent reports have indicated that Pep Guardiola and co are keeping an eye on Torino number one, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, with the Serbian stopper having caught the eye in Serie A in recent times.

Interestingly, the 28-year-old – who his manager Paolo Vanoli described as “underrated” – was actually previously on the books at United, having been signed as a teenager back in the summer of 2014.

Following that move, the then-youngster subsequently returned to former club, Vojvodina, on loan for the 2014/15 campaign, before signing for Lechia Gdansk on a permanent basis in November 2015.

The rising star had failed to gain a work permit in England, hence the brief nature of his association with the club, with United forced into releasing the 6 foot 8 giant for nothing.

Fast forward almost a decade, and the 28-year-old is now shining in Italy’s top flight, having made 149 appearances for his current side since arriving in Turin in 2017, racking up 51 clean sheets in that time.

This season, in particular, Milinkovic-Savic has been at the peak of his powers after conceding just 31 goals in 28 league games, while Onana, by contrast, has shipped 40 goals in 29 league outings back in Manchester.

Goals against

1.06

1.47

1.04

Save percentage

77.8%

71.6%

75.2%

Save % (penalties)

57.1%

10%

66.7%

Clean sheet %

36.1%

21.3%

34.6%

Touches

47.86

41.60

34.35

Avg. length of goal kicks

56.8

46.6

45.0

Crosses stopped

6.7%

6.6%

2.7%

Defensive actions outside area

1.28

0.81

0.65

As indicated in the table above, the Serbian has outperformed his United counterpart across a string of metrics across the last 365 days, with it no surprise that those at the Etihad have begun to register an interest.

Not only is the 19-cap international seemingly a big upgrade on Onana, but he is also deemed to be a similar player to De Gea among those in their position in Europe’s top five leagues, as per FBref.

Like Milinkovic-Savic, the Spaniard – who also departed on a free transfer in 2023 after 12 years at United – has been in fine form of late for Fiorentina, as indicated by his record with regard to save percentage and his goals against record.

The debate over whether Ten Hag was right to trade De Gea for Onana will rage on. As for the Torino star, he is simply among a growing list of ex-United ‘keepers – including Dean Henderson and Sam Johnstone – who have gone on to shine elsewhere.

Perhaps, if City’s interest does become more concrete, he will finally end up in Manchester after all…

Earns as much as Amad: Man Utd must axe flop who's cost over £40m

Manchester United must finally move on from the flop who earns as much as Amad Diallo.

ByDan Emery Mar 29, 2025

2025 is set to be a year of mass change at Manchester City.

In the January transfer market, the Sky Blues actively made their squad younger, spending around £180m on Juma Bah (18), Nico González (23), Abdukodir Khusanov (21), Vitor Reis (19) and Omar Marmoush, the slight exception at 26 years old.

Meantime, 34-year-old captain Kyle Walker was allowed to depart for AC Milan, with a few more Man City stalwarts in their 30s also forecast to depart in the summer.

So, as Pep Guardiola oversees a huge reconfiguration of his squad, do the Citizens have a teenager, tearing it up at youth level, ready to burst on to the first-team scene?

Kevin De Bruyne's decline at Manchester City

Former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp believes Kevin De Bruyne to be ‘the Premier League’s greatest-ever midfielder’ while, along similar lines, James Westwood of Goal labels him ‘the best playmaker to grace modern English football’.

Well, since arriving from Wolfsburg for a reported fee of £54m in 2015, the Belgian has made 411 appearances for the Citizens, scoring 106 goals and providing 174 assists, winning six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five EFL Cups and the Champions League.

His tally of 118 means he ranks second in the Premier League for all-time assists, 44 adrift Ryan Giggs’ all-time record, having played 353 fewer matches in the competition.

However, as noted by Richard Martin of Goal, the 33-year-old ‘has reached terminal decline’ and ‘is no longer cut out for the big-time’, underlined by the fact he’s no longer a guaranteed starter in big matches, a fact Sam Lee of the Athletic notes would’ve been ‘unthinkable’ in the past.

So, let’s compare De Bruyne’s season-by-season statistics.

As the table outlines, De Bruyne accumulated at least 3,000 minutes during seven of his first eight seasons at Manchester City, the 2018/19 campaign the sole exception, a year disrupted by a ligament injury in his left knee.

However, both this season and last, the Belgian’s minutes have significantly decreased, albeit he was still able to reach a whopping 18 assists last year, down to just seven this time round, which would be his lowest tally since 2009/10, when he was playing for Genk as a teenager.

Jeff Rueter of the Athletic reports that MLS expansion club San Diego FC are very interested in signing De Bruyne on a free this summer, a move that Joe Lowery of Total Soccer Show labels increasingly likely to happen.

Guardiola has described De Bruyne as “one of the best players in the history of Man City”, underlining that he’ll leave a rather large void should he depart, but do the Sky Blues have a ready-made replacement currently catching the eye at academy level?

Man City's next wonderkid could replace De Bruyne

Chances are, you’ve never heard of Divine Mukasa, but we’re very confident this will change in the near future.

The 17-year-old joined Manchester City in 2023 from West Ham United, and his performances at youth level have been earning rave reviews.

Analyst Ben Mattinson labels the midfielder a “serious talent”, while scout Gianni Bellasi believes he possesses “excellent spatial awareness”, is “calm under pressure” and “thrives” as a number ten, but is versatile enough to play anywhere across midfield or the forward line.

So, let’s assess the teenager’s statistics.

As the table below shows, Mukasa is something of an assist king, hence the comparisons with De Bruyne, starring at U18 Premier League level; only five players have scored more goals than him in that division this season, one of which is teammate Reigan Heskey, son of Emile, who we wrote about last month.

This has seen Mukasa given opportunities at higher levels, expected to feature in Man City’s UEFA Youth League quarter-final against AZ Alkmaar next month, converting his spot-kick as the Sky Blues ousted Midtjylland on penalties in an earlier round.

So, the 17-year-old may not be ready just yet to be a regular starter for the Citizens’ first team, but is certainly showing signs that he could be the long-term heir to De Bruyne’s throne.

Man City lost "England’s next superstar" for £0, now he's worth £83m

Man City must regret losing teen star in 2020 who is now shining.

By
Ross Kilvington

Mar 11, 2025

Arsenal today are an entirely different team from the one Mikel Arteta took control of over five years ago.

The manager has helped transform a meandering and seemingly lost club into one that looks destined to win something significant in the coming years.

However, it has not been a linear journey for the Spaniard, as just a year into his tenure, his position was starting to look seriously untenable.

Thankfully, the emergence of Emile Smith Rowe and his early partnership with Bukayo Saka steadied the ship and practically saved the Spaniard’s job, so it’s good news that Hale End has provided him with another version of the Englishman.

Emile Smith Rowe's career

So, while Smith Rowe did make his senior debut for Arsenal back in a Europa League group game in the 18/19 season, it makes sense to start in the 20/21 campaign, as it was in the Premier League game at home to Chelsea on Boxing Day, that it became abundantly clear to everyone watching that the youngster was a serious talent.

He started that game and, alongside Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, injected the dynamism the club lacked in the prior 14 league games, of which Arteta had overseen just four wins.

The Croydon-born gem ended the season with a brilliant haul of four goals and seven assists in 33 games and carried his form over to the following campaign, in which he scored 11 goals and provided two assists in just 37 appearances.

By the start of the 22/23 season, it felt as if the Hale Ender was ready to truly explode, but in a stroke of terrible luck, he was blindsided with injury problems, which limited him to just 196 minutes of action across 14 appearances.

Unfortunately, while he was sitting on the sidelines, the club were mounting a surprise title charge, with Martin Odegaard having the season of his life as the team’s most attacking midfielder and racking up a stellar haul of 15 goals and seven assists in 45 games.

So, while the young Englishman did miss some games through injury the following year, the primary reason he was limited to just 475 minutes was the simple fact that there wasn’t a place for him in the starting lineup anymore, which likely made the club’s choice to accept up to £34m for his service from Fulham in the summer far easier.

Since moving to West London, the former fan favourite has still suffered from some minor injuries but has generally looked good when on the pitch, scoring five goals and providing two assists in 31 appearances.

In all, while Arsenal would likely have used Smith Rowe more this season in light of their attacking struggles and injuries, selling him to the Cottagers was probably the best thing for all parties involved, especially as Hale End might’ve already provided Arteta with the perfect replacement.

Arteta's new Smith Rowe

For all that has gone wrong this season, one of the most significant positives has been the emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, and it should come as no surprise that it is the latter who is Arteta’s new Smith Rowe.

Now, this comparison works for a few reasons, such as the fact that they are both attacking midfielders who can thrive on the wing, they’re both English and even the fact that their breakouts came under this manager.

However, we’d argue the most important similarity is how they impacted the first team in a time of need.

As mentioned above, the now Fulham star announced himself to the wider footballing world by forming a brilliant partnership with Saka and turning the ship around at a time when it looked like changes were going to be made in the dugout, and while it’s not been anywhere as dire this season, there are some unmistakable similarities.

For example, while the “unplayable” Nwaneri, as dubbed by Jack Wilshere, was making cameo appearances and getting the odd cup start earlier this season, his involvement in the first team dramatically increased once the attacking injury crisis was in full swing, with nine of his 12 starts coming since January 1st.

Moreover, when he has played, the “sensational” Hale Ender, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has often contributed, with his eight goals and one assist coming in 1087 minutes, which comes out to a goal involvement on average every 120.77 minutes, which for an 18-year-old is incredible.

Finally, while Smith Rowe broke through and formed a partnership with Saka, the Enfield-born dynamo is doing the same with Lewis-Skelly, who played a big part in his goals against Bolton Wanderers and PSV Eindhoven.

Ultimately, fans will be hoping his Arsenal career progresses in a different way, but as things stand, there are plenty of similarities between Smith Rowe and Nwaneri.

He earns way more than Isak: Berta must axe "frustrating" Arsenal star ASAP

The talented Arsenal star needs to be moved on.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 25, 2025

Pakistan’s home series of two Test matches and three T20Is against West Indies has been pushed back from January-February 2024 to January 2025, and has been replaced by an away series of five T20Is against New Zealand.With the tweak in the Future Tours Programme, Pakistan will be playing 19 T20Is between now and the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, to be held in the West Indies and the USA in June 2024, ten of them against New Zealand alone – five away and five at home – and the rest against Netherlands (three), Ireland (two) and England (four).A separate series in New Zealand, of three ODIs and five T20Is, has been pushed back from January 2025 to April 2025. It also means that Pakistan have an entire home season later this year without a single Test in it. They tour Australia for a three-Test series at the end of the year – their first Tests after the current series against Sri Lanka – and then will not play any Tests until August 2024, when they host Bangladesh for two Tests.

Pakistan’s T20I tour of New Zealand

Jan 12 – 1st T20I, Auckland
Jan 14 – 2nd T20I, Hamilton
Jan 17 – 3rd T20I, Dunedin
Jan 19 – 4th T20I, Christchurch
Jan 21 – 5th T20I, Christchurch

This was on the cards, as reported last month by ESPNcricinfo, since the PSL is slotted for February and March. As things stand, Pakistan will play three Test matches in Australia between December 2023 and January 2024, and the clutter in early 2024 has been reduced somewhat with the five-match T20I series in New Zealand to be held in January. After completing the Tests in Australia, Pakistan will fly directly to Auckland to play the T20Is. In April, after the PSL, the teams will play a reciprocal five-T20I series in Pakistan.The PSL now runs for 34 days. And because of the holy month of Ramadan, the available window is only from February 12 to March 10.Related

• Unshackled Shakeel switches seamlessly between slow-burn and turbo

• ICC agrees overseas players cap for new T20 leagues

• PCB concerned over growing Indian investment in T20 leagues

• ECB offers to host Test series between India and Pakistan

The PCB has also requested the Emirates Cricket Board to pull back their ILT20 by ten days to avoid overlapping with the PSL. It is likely that the PCB will not object to its players signing contracts with ILT20 teams, which it had done in 2023, the inaugural edition of the tournament.The discussions between the PCB and the Emirates Cricket Board were conducted during Najam Sethi’s tenure as PCB chairman, but is expected to stand despite the change of guard at the PCB.

Pakistan men’s revised FTP for 2023-2025

The 2023-24 season
July: Pakistan in Sri Lanka (two Tests)
August: Pakistan in Afghanistan (three ODIs)
September: ODI Asia Cup in Pakistan and Sri Lanka
October-November: ODI World Cup in India
December-January: Pakistan in Australia (three Tests)
January: Pakistan in New Zealand (five T20Is)
April: New Zealand in Pakistan (five T20Is)
May: Pakistan in the Netherlands (three T20Is), in Ireland (two T20Is), and in England (four T20Is)
June: T20 World Cup in the USA and the West IndiesThe 2024-25 season
August: Bangladesh in Pakistan (two Tests)
October: England in Pakistan (three Tests)
November: Pakistan in Australia (three ODIs and three T20Is)
November-December: Pakistan in Zimbabwe (three ODIs and three T20Is)
December-January: Pakistan in South Africa (two Tests, three ODIs, three T20Is)
January: West Indies in Pakistan (two Tests)
February: New Zealand and South Africa in Pakistan (ODI tri-series)
February-March: Champions Trophy in Pakistan
April: Pakistan in New Zealand (three ODIs and five T20Is)
May: Bangladesh in Pakistan (three ODIs and three T20Is)

Newcastle United are believed to have made contact with the representatives of an “extremely dominant” Premier League player, according to a new transfer update.

Newcastle eyeing signings after EFL Cup win

Magpies supporters are still basking in the glory of last weekend’s EFL Cup final win over Liverpool, in what was a special day for the club. It is important that Eddie Howe’s side don’t take their eye off the ball in the league, though, sealing Champions League football and then signing some top-quality players in the summer.

Villarreal winger Yeremy Pino is one player who has been linked with a move to Newcastle at the end of the season, with the 22-year-old bagging four assists in La Liga so far this season.

Sporting CP ace Francisco Trincao is another rumoured transfer target for the Magpies, as Howe looks to add proven quality to his squad. The Portuguese has registered 19 goal contributions (eight goals and 11 assists) in 26 Primeira Liga outings in 2024/25, outlining his quality.

Centre-back also has to be a big area of focus for Newcastle, with AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori backed to move to St James’ Park, as he eyes a potential return to England.

Newcastle make contact with "dominant" ace's agents

According to a new update from TEAMtalk, Newcastle have made contact with Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen’s agents over a move to the club this summer.

The Spaniard is seen as the Magpies’ top target in the next transfer window, but given how highly rated he is, there is plenty of interest in him from some other huge clubs. It is Champions League holders Real Madrid who are thought to be in pole position to snap him up, which is a concern.

Huijsen is among the most promising young centre-backs in Europe currently, so the idea of him in a Newcastle shirt next season is a mouthwatering prospect.

The 19-year-old has performed with such maturity in an impressive Bournemouth team throughout the campaign, averaging 5.5 clearances per game across 23 Premier League appearances, while football talent scout Jacek Kulig has hailed his “extremely dominant” nature in the air.

As mentioned, at least one new central defender is needed at Newcastle before the start of the new campaign, with the likes of Fabian Schar and Dan Burn both now in their 30s.

£67m release clause: Newcastle now working on deal to sign "unique" winger

He’s a rising star…

ByTom Cunningham Mar 20, 2025

In Huijsen, the Magpies could have the perfect option to come in and not only be a key man from the off, but also grow into one of the best players in the world in his position as the years pass, making this one to watch.