India and SA bank on franchise T20s for World Cup selection

Both Suryakumar and Markram said performances in the IPL and SA20 will be noted

Deivarayan Muthu09-Dec-20233:29

Suryakumar: ‘There’s no fear of failure in the new-age Indian T20 batters’

India have just six T20Is left to identify their best XI before next year’s World Cup in the West Indies and USA, but Suryakumar Yadav, who is their captain for the three-match series in South Africa, isn’t too perturbed by the limited game time. Suryakumar added that IPL 2024, which will precede the T20 World Cup, will help India’s team management nail down their combination.”I feel there are limited T20s going forward, before the T20 World Cup, but then we play 14 league games in the IPL as well,” Suryakumar said on the eve of the series opener against South Africa in Durban. “And players who have been playing in these T20 internationals… they’ve played a lot of games, and they have a lot of experience under their belt. So, we don’t think there will be an issue or any problem in selecting the squad because everyone knows their roles really well and responsibilities really well – [like] how to play in different situations.”Like India, South Africa have only six T20Is lined up before the 2024 World Cup. In addition to having the advantage of playing three T20Is in the Caribbean in the lead-up to the marquee tournament, South Africa could pick players from the SA20, which will run from January 10 to February 10.Related

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“It’s a strange one,” their captain Aiden Markram said. “Not ideal that we have only six games [before the T20 World Cup] but we’re fortunate that there’s still a lot of T20 cricket, in terms of SA20 and the domestic T20 competition just after that. Hopefully, everyone can be fit and ready to go for us when it comes down to selecting the World Cup squad, which we will keep all our fingers crossed for. But guys will be playing T20 cricket and ultimately we will be able to get a good gauge of what our best squad is that we can send out for the World Cup.”For India, the spotlight is on their new finishers Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma. Both batters have lit up the IPL with their middle-order firepower and showed glimpses of that firepower in the recent T20Is at home against Australia. This tour presents an opportunity to strengthen their cases for selection for the T20 World Cup.”See, the number Rinku and Jitesh have been batting at, at the IPL and for their state teams, is the same number they are being given an opportunity here,” Suryakumar said, “And they are being told to do the same thing they do for their states and their franchises; [it’s] nothing different. That’s what they have done too; whenever we were in trouble in the T20 series [against Australia], they showed a lot of character, which was the demanded of the team. All I told them was that whatever you think, just think of the team first and then about your personal milestones. That will make the situation better.”Another area of potential concern for India is the absence of a reliable sixth-bowling option with Hardik Pandya out injured. India didn’t use the part-time spin of Yashasvi Jaiswal or Tilak Varma in the T20I series at home against Australia, but Suryakumar was pleased with the options at his disposal. Tilak bowled in five of the seven matches he had played for Hyderabad in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India’s domestic T20 tournament.”We do have a sixth-bowling option,” Suryakumar said. “There are lots of people to bowl. When the time is right, you will see. Not just six, there could be seven or eight too.”None of the men in India’s current squad have played a T20I in South Africa, but Suryakumar backed them to adapt to the conditions. At Kingsmead, the venue for the first T20I, the square boundaries are fairly short, and the pitches are more conductive to seam bowlers than spinners.”I think the key to success playing on such wickets will be to be yourself,” Suryakumar said. “The boys are really prepared – we’ve just come out of a nice T20 series, and we played on all fast tracks in India and we’re really equipped for it. Regarding the strokes, the batters have batted on these kinds of wickets and I’m sure they will enjoy playing here in South Africa.”

ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري بعد ثنائية زيزو في مباراة الأهلي وفاركو

شهد اليوم السبت، إقامة ثلاث مباريات قوية ضمن منافسات الجولة الثانية من بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز 2025-2026.

وتعادل كهرباء الإسماعيلية مع بتروجيت بنتيجة 2-2، فيما فاز الأهلي على فاركو برباعية مقابل هدف، في حين خسر البنك الأهلي أمام حرس الحدود 0-1.

طالع| فيديو | “قص الشريط”.. زيزو يسجل هدف الأهلي الثاني أمام فاركو برأسية رائعة

وسجل رباعية الأهلي محمد شريف وجراديشار وأحمد سيد زيزو المتوهج “هدفين”، ليقتحم سباق ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري الممتاز.

كما لعبت أمس الخميس، 4 مواجهات، الأولى جمعت بين زد وسيراميكا كليوباترا، وانتهت بالتعادل السلبي بين الفريقين، ليحصد فريق سيراميكا أولى نقاطه في الدوري بينما زد وصل إلى 4 نقاط.

وفي المواجهة الثانية، واصل فريق مودرن سبورت صحوته في بطولة الدوري للموسم الجديد بعد التعادل مع الأهلي في الجولة الأولى محققا الفوز على الاتحاد السكندري بنتيجة 2-1.

والمباراة الثالثة، حقق فريق بيراميدز فوزه الأول ببطولة الدوري للموسم الجديد على الإسماعيلي بهدف دون رد، بعدما كان تعادل في الجولة الأولى مع وادي دجلة.

وفي المباراة الرابعة، واصل فريق المصري صدارته لـ جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز، بالفوز الثاني على التوالي على طلائع الجيش بنتيجة 3-0.

وتستكمل مباريات الجولة الثانية من بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز، غدًا، السبت.

ويشهد ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري هذا الموسم منافسة قوية بين اللاعبين بعد التدعيمات القوية في انتقالات الصيف. ترتيب هدافي الدوري المصري

أحمد سيد زيزو- الأهلي – هدفين.

عبد الرحيم دغموم – المصري – هدفين.

عمر الساعي – المصري – هدفين.

جراديشار- الأهلي – هدف.

محمد شريف- الأهلي- هدف

بابي بادجي – سموحة – هدف.

منذر طمين– المصري – هدف.

غيث مدادحة- المصري- هدف.

أحمد رضا- الأهلي- هدف

حسام حسن – مودرن سبورت – هدف

علي الفيل – مودرن سبورت – هدف

ناصر ماهر – الزمالك – هدف

محمد شحاتة – الزمالك- هدف

مصطفى إبراهيم- الاتحاد- هدف

محمود رزق- مودرن سبورت- هدف

محمد هلال- مودرن سبورت- هدف

صلاح محسن- المصري- هدف.

 

Rafiq urges sponsors to abandon Yorkshire if Graves returns

Former chairman has reportedly been in negotiations with club about another financial bailout

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jan-2024

Azeem Rafiq has criticised Colin Graves’ possible return to Yorkshire•Getty Images

Azeem Rafiq has criticised the expected return of Colin Graves as Yorkshire chair and urged sponsors to walk out on the club if he is reappointed.Rafiq – who spoke out against the racism he experienced as a Yorkshire player, leading to the club being fined £400,000 and docked 48 points in last year’s County Championship, in addition to sanctions against six individuals – said in a Sunday newspaper column he feared “nothing had changed” in the 40 months since he first raised the issue and that “all we have are empty words and broken promises”.Graves has reportedly been in talks with Yorkshire about a return, having previously been chair between 2012 and 2015, presiding over part of a period in which the club has subsequently admitted to an ECB charge of failing to address the systemic use of racist or discriminatory language. Graves refused to appear as a witness in November 2021 at the parliamentary hearings which followed Rafiq’s complaints and sparked controversy in a TV interview last June when he described allegations of racism – which he said were never raised with him at the time – as “banter”.Related

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Colin Graves insists he witnessed no racism during his tenure at Yorkshire

“Maybe there is still time to act, still time to show some backbone, but it’s running out fast,” Rafiq wrote in the “I cast my mind back to November 2021, when under intense political pressure the England and Wales Cricket Board suspended Yorkshire from hosting international cricket because of its slow and substandard response to my testimony. In the hours that followed dozens of companies ended their associations with the club.”My question now is for Yorkshire’s current sponsors… Does Colin Graves reflect your values? Is it acceptable to describe racism as banter?”Sponsors found their moral compass before, and they need to find it again, because any organisation supporting this is complicit in it. There is still time for them to act, to leave now and stop Yorkshire stepping back in time and undoing what progress they have made in the past three years.”In 2002, Graves bailed the club out with a multimillion-pound loan, of which some £14.9 million is still owed to the Graves Family Trust. Graves revealed last week that a new ownership offer had been accepted and his consortium was in exclusive negotiations until January 5. Depending on the result of those negotiations, club members could be asked to vote on his proposal at an extraordinary general meeting.”I still believe that everyone deserves a second chance,” Rafiq said. “If Graves wants to lead the club and the game in a positive direction he can’t just say the right things, he needs to do the right things – not just words, but action.”He has to show he has accepted what has happened in the past, and is ready to take substantial action and offer clear direction now and when difficult decisions are necessary in the future. It is fair to say there has been no sign of any of this yet.”

Neymar dependência? Camisa 10 fará falta, mas cenário é diferente de 2014

MatériaMais Notícias

Neymar lesionado. Desfalque para a Seleção Brasileira. Numa Copa do Mundo. As três sentenças do início deste texto trazem uma coincidência entre 2014 e 2022. Principal jogador da equipe canarinho, o camisa 10 pela segunda vez tem um problema que o deixa de molho em meio a um Mundial.

+Seleção Brasileira: Neymar e Danilo estão fora da fase de grupos da Copa do Mundo

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A diferença e alento, porém, é que, ao contrário de 2014, Neymar não é mais a única grande referência do time. Na Copa do Mundo disputada no Brasil, a Seleção de Felipão viva a chamada “Neymardependência”, que foi colocada à prova na semifinal contra a Alemanha.

+ Veja a tabela, os jogos e os grupos da Copa do Mundo de 2022

Uma partida antes, contra a Colômbia, nas quartas de final, Neymar sofreu dura entrada de Zúñiga no fim e fraturou uma vértebra da coluna. O camisa 10 saiu de campo chorando, ficou mais de um mês sem jogar e desfalcou a Seleção Brasileira.

+Neymar lamenta lesão, mas projeta volta na Copa para ajudar a Seleção

O substituto de Neymar contra a Alemanha no Mineirão foi Bernard. A reposição não surtiu efeito, e o Brasil foi goleado por 7 a 1. O cenário desta vez é diferente.

Sem Neymar, Tite tem outras opções para o setor. Como o LANCE! mostrou, os principais concorrentes são Rodrygo, Everton Ribeiro e Lucas Paquetá adiantado, com Fred como volante. Caso opte por um esquema diferente, mudando radicalmente, o treinador tem ainda nomes como Antony e Gabriel Jesus.

+Neymar fora da fase de grupos: relembre outras lesões que o atrapalharam na Seleção

As opções são mais diversificadas, até pelo aumento no número de vagas (de 23 para 26 convocados). As opções, também, são mais qualificadas. A Seleção Brasileira sentirá falta de Neymar, assim como qualquer outra equipe no mundo sentiria. Desta vez, entretanto, não existe mais a chamada “Neymardependência”.

"انتهاء أيام العسل".. أزمة جديدة بين تير شتيجن وبرشلونة

لم تدم العلاقة الجيدة طويلًا بين حارس مرمى برشلونة، مارك أندريه تير شتيجن، ومسؤولي النادي، حيث توترت الأجواء بينهما من جديد، حسبما ذكرت تقارير صحفية إسبانية.

كان تير شتيجن قد تسبب في أزمة، قبل أسابيع قليلة، بعدما أعلن عن أنه سيخضع لعملية جراحية في الظهر، وكشف عن مدة غيابه التي قدرها بثلاثة أشهر.

وأثار الحارس الألماني بذلك غضب برشلونة، كونه أعلن مدة غيابه من نفسه، دون الرجوع إلى النادي الذي يعتبر الجهة الوحيدة المنوط بها إعلان مدة غياب لاعبيه.

يأتي هذا خاصة وأن برشلونة كان يأمل غياب تير شتيجن لمدة 4 أشهر من أجل استغلال ذلك لتسجيل زميله الجديد خوان جارسيا.

وبعد ذلك، رفض تير شتيجن التوقيع على التقرير اللازم الذي يتعين على برشلونة إرساله إلى رابطة الدوري الإسباني، لتقدير مدة غيابه من قِبل لجنة مستقلة.

ونتيجة لهذا، قرر برشلونة تجريد تير شتيجن من شارة القيادة، قبل أن يتراجع اللاعب عن موقفه ويوقع على الورق اللازم، ويستعيد شارته فيما بعد.

ولكن فترة السلام بين الطرفين لم تدم طويلًا، حيث ذكرت شبكة “RAC1” الإسبانية أن برشلونة مستاء من تصرف جديد من جانب تير شتيجن.

اقرأ أيضًا.. برشلونة يواجه أزمة معقدة قبل نهاية موسم الانتقالات الصيفي

وذكرت تقارير صحفية، أمس، أن تير شتيجن وقع على بيان رابطة اللاعبين المحترفين، مع باقي قادة الفرق في الدوري الإسباني الدرجة الأولى، المعارض لفكرة إقامة مباراة برشلونة وفياريال في ميامي.

وكان الاتحاد الإسباني لكرة القدم قد أعلن، قبل عدة أيام، موافقته على إقامة مباراة برشلونة وفياريال في مدينة ميامي الأمريكية، بعدما طلب الناديان ذلك، حيث سيتعين الآن انتظار موافقة “يويفا وفيفا”.

ولكن قادة فرق الدوري أبدوا رفضهم على ذلك، ومن بينهم تير شتيجن، وهو ما تسبب في إثارة سخط برشلونة.

وأوضحت “RAC1” أن برشلونة أعرب عن استيائه من توقيع تير شتيجن على البيان المذكور، حيث يرون أنه ما كان ينبغي على لاعبهم فعل ذلك لأنه يتعارض مع مصالح النادي.

ومن المؤكد أن برشلونة سيجني ثمار إقامة مباراته في أمريكا، من الناحية المالية، وهو ما سيمثل دفعة معنوية للإدارة في ظل الأزمة الاقتصادية التي يعاني منها منذ سنوات وحتى الآن.

Após se despedir do São Paulo, Luizão é anunciado no West Ham

MatériaMais Notícias

Após se despedir do São Paulo, Luizão foi anunciado pelo West Ham, da Inglaterra. O contrato do zagueiro, revelado em Cotia, vai até 2026.

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O contrato do defensor terminaria em janeiro de 2023. A sua ida à Europa foi acertada em outubro deste ano, conforme adiantou o LANCE!.Luizão foi promovido ao plantel profissional nesta temporada, após a campanha da semifinal da Copa São Paulo de juniores. Já havia renovado o seu vínculo inicial com o Tricolor por um ano, ganhando uma porcentagem de seus direitos econômicos como compensação. Ao todo, fez 16 jogos e marcou um gol pelo clube do Morumbi.

Conmebol divulga ranking: veja os potes para o sorteio da Libertadores 2023

Veja tabela da Copa do Mundo e simule os próximos jogos

O jogador se despediu do clube nos últimos dias, por uma postagem realizada nas redes sociais. Além do West Ham – ING, também recebeu sondagens de diversos clubes europeus, comoBenfica, Sporting, Porto, Fulham, Juventus e grupo Red Bull.

Sem Luizão, o São Paulo terá poucas opções para a zaga. Com Diego Costa precisando passar por uma cirurgia no joelho e Beraldo convocado para a Seleção Sub-20, o Tricolor só terá Arboleda, Ferraresi e Leo para o início da temporada – além de Rafinha, que pode ser improvisado.

Veja o anúncio realizado pela equipe inglesa

Bangladesh name Litton and uncapped Rana in squad for first Test vs SL

Wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan, fast bowler Hasan Mahmud and left-arm spinner Hasan Murad were left out

Mohammad Isam18-Mar-2024

Litton Das had skipped the recent Test series against New Zealand•BCB

Bangladesh have called up pace sensation Nahid Rana for the first Test against Sri Lanka in Sylhet. Rana is among three changes in the squad that also includes uncapped fast bowler Musfik Hasan and Litton Das, who returns to the Test squad after skipping the previous series against New Zealand.The 21-year old Rana has only been around for three seasons in domestic cricket, but already he has taken 63 wickets at 21.92 bowling average in first-class cricket. It includes three five-wicket hauls.The selectors have also included Musfik, who earned a call-up against Afghanistan last year. Musfik has 55 first-class wickets at 21.16. It will also be a chance for Litton to get back in the runs after having a horrid time in the white-ball formats against Sri Lanka recently.Related

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Wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan, fast bowler Hasan Mahmud and left-arm spinner Hasan Murad were left out from the squad that played against New Zealand in November.The first Test starts in Sylhet on March 22.Bangladesh squad for first Test against Sri Lanka: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Zakir Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Litton Kumer Das, Mominul Haque Showrab, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shahadat Hossain Dipu, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Mushfik Hasan, Nahid Rana

Fluminense retoma trabalho em ano no qual se desafia para buscar títulos de ponta

MatériaMais Notícias

Esta segunda-feira (2) trará o pontapé inicial de um 2023 repleto da esperança que está no hino do Fluminense. Repleto de novidades que trazem currículo com conquistas e de vivência, o Tricolor das Laranjeiras tenta mostrar que qualificou seu elenco o suficiente para voltar a celebrar títulos de ponta.

+ MERCADO DA BOLA: veja as movimentações do seu clube

O pacote de reforços do fim do ano passado tenta entrar em sintonia com um elenco que terminou 2022 em alta. Mesmo em meio a tropeços, os tricolores ficaram na terceira colocação do Campeonato Brasileiro. A consolidação na competição fez o clube quebrar um estigma interno: desde 2018, não iniciava uma temporada com mudança no comando.

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A sequência abre caminho para Fernando Diniz encontrar novas formas de aprimorar o elenco com o qual já trabalhava desde o ano anterior.A união do elenco ficou mais nítida neste período. Mesmo durante os 49 dias de férias, jogadores divulgaram em suas redes sociais imagens nas quais tentavam manter a forma

+ Títulos, gols, cinema, música e mais: a vida e a obra de Pelé, o Rei do Futebol

Em meio a este panorama, Keno, Lima, Jorge, Vitor Mendes, Vitor Eudes e Guga terão o desafio de comprovarem sua capacidade para afirmação. As disputas internas dão margem para Diniz testar variações, conforme os adversários, e ter opções à medida que surjam os adversários.

Em um novo ano no qual brigará pela Copa Libertadores, o Fluminense tenta comprovar que está com plenas condições para um ano que nasce intenso e com grandes expectativas.

تطورات إصابة ساكا ومدة غيابه المتوقعة عن آرسنال

كشفت تقارير إعلامية اليوم الإثنين، عن آخر التطورات المتعلقة بإصابة نجم نادي آرسنال، بوكايو ساكا ومدة غيابه عن الملاعب خلال الفترة المقبلة.

ساكا أصيب خلال لقاء نادي آرسنال يوم السبت الماضي مع نظيره ليدز يونايتد، والذي انتهى بفوز آرسنال بخمسة أهداف نظيفة، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثانية من عمر الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وخرج ساكا في شوط اللقاء الثاني متأثرًا بإصابة على مستوى أوتار الركبة، حيث دخل بدلًا منه اللاعب الشاب ماكس دومان.

اقرأ أيضًا .. تطورات جديدة بشأن إصابة ساكا وأوديجارد قبل مباراة آرسنال وليفربول

وأشار سامي مقبل، الصحفي المعروف بـ”بي بي سي سبورت”، إلى أن ساكا لن يتمكن من اللعب خلال مواجهة آرسنال يوم الأحد المقبل أمام ليفربول، في قمة الجولة الثالثة من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز على ملعب آنفيلد.

وأضاف مقبل، أن مدة غياب ساكا عن آرسنال سوف تصل إلى أربعة أسابيع، ما يعني أن اللاعب البالغ من العمر 24 عامًا لن يتمكن كذلك من المشاركة مع منتخب إنجلترا خلال فترة التوقف الدولي المقبل.

إنجلترا سوف تلعب مباراتين خلال فترة التوقف الدولي المقبل مع كل من أندورا ثم صربيا، وذلك لحساب التصفيات المؤهلة لبطولة كأس العالم التي سوف تلعب العام المقبل في كندا والولايات المتحدة الأمريكية والمكسيك.

وأوضح مقبل، أن آرسنال ليس قلقًا بشأن إصابة ساكا، حيث يوجد العديد من العناصر الهجومية الجيدة والقادرة على تعويض الجناح الأيمن، مثل فيكتور جيوكيريس ونوني مادويكي، بجانب الوافد الجديد من كريستال بالاس، إيبيريتشي إيزي.

وأردف مقبل، أن قائد آرسنال، مارتن أوديجارد، توجد هناك كذلك بعض الشكوك بشأن إمكانية مشاركته ضد ليفربول، وسيتم حسم مدة غياب الدولي النرويجي لاحقًا.  

Rashid the spark for England before Buttler, Salt dismantle chase

Pakistan crumble with bat to be swept aside despite Haris Rauf’s fiery spell

Danyal Rasool30-May-2024

Jofra Archer celebrates the wicket of Babar Azam•Getty Images

There wasn’t much to separate these two sides when they met in the last T20 World Cup final, but in the final T20I before that tournament’s next edition kicks off, the gap between the two is positively chasmic. A disciplined, all-round bowling performance from England, followed by a brutal barrage of top-order hitting from openers Jos Buttler and Phil Salt saw England crush Pakistan by 7 wickets with 27 balls to spare, and claim a 2-0 series win.How the game started under overcast skies wasn’t quite a harbinger of the overwhelming dominance England would eventually establish. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who opened the batting for the first time this year, got Pakistan off to a steady start in the first four overs before finishing the powerplay strongly; the 59 they managed was Pakistan’s second-highest powerplay score since January. But England struck back with five wickets for 27 runs either side of a brief rain break, spearheaded by Adil Rashid.Brief, happy-go-lucky resistance from Usman Khan – whose 21-ball 38 bolstered Pakistan when they were in danger of crumpling – kept hopes of a competitive target alive for long enough. But Liam Livingstone, who England utilised to perfection in the middle overs, prised him out thanks to a stunning catch from Chris Jordan, and Pakistan eventually folded for 157.There was a suspicion it wasn’t quite enough, but England’s openers made a mockery of the idea it was ever even in doubt. Mohammad Amir was leathered for 16 in his first over, Naseem Shah pulverised for 25. England scored 78 in the Powerplay, their highest since they managed 82 in Lahore against the same opposition in 2022. And though Haris Rauf restored some respectability to the score with three wickets in a fiery, spirited spell, the hosts wouldn’t even let him have the last laugh, with Harry Brook clobbering him for six over cover to seal a statement-making win before their World Cup defence begins.Rashid triggers collapse
Rizwan and Babar had given Pakistan a platform, but what happened off the final ball of the powerplay was more significant than anything that went before. The Pakistan captain edged one to short third, which Rashid held on to. The openers have often been accused of slowing down after the powerplay, so when Rashid breached Rizwan’s defences next over, the middle order had their platform laid out for them. But Fakhar Zaman holed out as Rashid took a sharp catch during a passage of play when he simply couldn’t be kept out of the game. He returned to clean up Shadab Khan first ball, with Mark Wood’s sheer pace sending Azam Khan packing for a five-ball duck. His nightmare was only just beginning.Adil Rashid helped tie Pakistan down•Getty Images

Livingstone’s bowling heroics
Every time Livingstone was thrown the ball by Buttler, it seemed like the time for Pakistan to sneak in a big over. And yet, the spinner found a way to bowl perfect lines to perfectly set fields; the big shot never quite seemed to be on. But not content with being milked for 16 in his first two, Livingstone bowled the most impactful over of the game in the 15th, sending down a double-wicket maiden. Pakistan’s top-scorer Usman holed out to Jordan before Shaheen Afridi smeared at one that eventually hit his stumps. By the time Livingstone was done, the last dregs of Pakistan’s batting resistance had been stomped out of them.The onslaught
On a wicket as true as this, surely Pakistan’s pace quartet would find a way to keep England honest, right? Right?Wrong. Shaheen and Naseem might have been slightly unlucky to concede 18 without reward in the first two, but everything that followed was a one-sided drubbing. Even the pace of the wicket played in the batters’ favour, the touch and timing of Buttler and Salt meaning caresses flew to the boundary. Pakistan’s bowlers, flustered and harried, found their lengths wavering and their pace one-dimensional. It was only too easy for England’s openers to take full advantage.Azam’s day out
Azam receiving a snorter of a short ball he wasn’t mobile enough to evade was just the start of his horror day. With his credentials as a middle-order batter severely diminished by his stint in the side, his status as their wicketkeeper also took a battering. Stationed there only because he can’t be hidden elsewhere, he dropped two straightforward chances off an otherwise impressive Rauf, with his embarrassment so palpable it was borderline uncomfortable viewing. When he eventually did grasp a straightforward catch, Rizwan jogged up to give him a pat on the back. You would imagine it isn’t long before Rizwan is stood there permanently again.

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