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Arsenal are now expected to submit a bid for a Real Madrid target, with Mikel Arteta personally keen on securing his signature, according to a report.

Gunners in transfer tussle with Real Madrid

While they ultimately came up short against Paris Saint-Germain, the Gunners proved themselves to be a force to be reckoned with by dispatching of Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate in the Champions League quarter-final last season.

As such, the Emirates Stadium should be an attractive destination for some top players this summer, with Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi thought to have chosen a move to north London ahead of remaining in Spain and signing for Xabi Alonso’s side.

Arteta is seemingly very keen to strengthen his midfield this summer, with Thomas Partey heading for the exit door, having also set his sights on Brentford’s Christian Norgaard, who has agreed to make the move across the capital.

However, Arsenal are also battling Madrid for the signature of a centre-back, namely Valencia’s Cristhian Mosquera, with a report from The Guardian revealing Arteta’s side are now hopeful of getting a deal over the line.

The Gunners boss has identified Mosquera as his main target as back-up for Gabriel and William Saliba, and the north Londoners are expected to make an improved offer for his services, having already seen a £16m bid knocked back by the Spanish side.

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ByBen Gray Jun 28, 2025

Personal terms aren’t expected to be an issue, so a deal could be relatively straightforward if the Premier League side are willing to increase their bid slightly, with it previously being revealed that Valencia are looking to receive a fee of just £21m.

"Dominant" Mosquera impressing in La Liga

Football scout Ben Mattinson has been left very impressed by the 21-year-old’s performances for Valencia, having praised the youngster for his ability in duels and possession of the ball.

Despite still being in the early stages of his career, the Spaniard has already cemented himself as a key player for Valencia, making 37 appearances in La Liga last season, which indicates the centre-back could make an instant impact at Arsenal.

That said, it will be very difficult to dislodge Gabriel or Saliba in the starting XI, while Jakub Kiwior also impressed in the second half of the 2024-25 campaign, playing “exceptionally well” against Real Madrid, according to Martin Keown.

As such, bringing in a new centre-back shouldn’t be a priority for Arsenal, but signing Mosquera would provide them with greater strength in depth, in order to compete on all fronts next season.

Tottenham Hotspur finally put an end to 17 long years of hurt last night.

Despite their diabolically poor domestic campaign and the absence of Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, and Lucas Bergvall, Ange Postecoglou’s side managed to do what would have been unthinkable a few months ago and won the Europa League.

It wasn’t the prettiest or highest quality of games, but that hardly matters, as all the fans will remember is their players’ gritty, backs-to-the-wall performance and how they brought home the club’s third European trophy.

Moreover, one of the players in the squad now has to go down as one of the biggest legends in Spurs history, someone who now has an even bigger legacy in North London than Gareth Bale.

Spurs' heroes in Bilbao

Before getting to the legend in question, it’s worth going over some of the other heroes for Spurs last night, such as Micky van de Ven.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The Flying Dutchman was a rock at the back for the North Londoners, and on helping to suffocate Manchester United, he also managed to pull off a sensational goal line clearance after Guglielmo Vicario misjudged a cross mid-way through the second half.

Equally impressed with the former VfL Wolfsburg star, Spurs writer Alasdair Gold awarded him a justifiable 10/10 match rating at full-time, the same rating he gave Cristian Romero.

The World Cup winner, who has now won all five of the finals he’s played in, was named the Man of the Match, and, to be honest, that’s a difficult decision to argue against, as he was utterly immense.

If the Argentine titan wasn’t getting his head to a ball or intercepting a pass, he was getting the heads of United’s players, and by the end of the game, he had a number of them on strings.

Both Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro were also handed 10/10 ratings by Gold on the night, with the former actually being the more attacking of the two as the encounter went on and the latter showing that when it really comes down to it, he can put in a solid defensive showing at right-back.

Finally, while he only got a 7/10 from the football.london journalist, we reckon Richarlison was just as important as anyone else on the team last night, as from the first minute until he was taken off in the 67th minute, the Brazilian forward worked like a dog.

If he wasn’t making runs down the left, the former Everton star was putting in a monstrous defensive effort that most probably wouldn’t associate with him, and if the 28-year-old does end up leaving in the summer, he’ll do so as a cult hero for his display.

However, with all that said, another player who didn’t even start last night can now go down as one of the most important players in Tottenham’s history and someone with an even greater legacy than Bale.

The Spurs star with a greater legacy than Bale

While every player in the team last night will now go down as a Spurs hero at a minimum, there is one star for which the victory secured him a legacy that few in the modern era can match: Son Heung-min.

Yes, even though the South Korean superstar only came on in the 67th minute, and aside from a free-kick that Kevin Danso almost got on the end of offered very little, he has now gone from club icon to club legend.

Arguably, the only player in the last 25 years who can be placed on a higher pedestal than the former Bayer Leverkusen star is Harry Kane, and that’s only down to him being the club’s all-time goalscorer.

Moreover, while Bale has a good legacy with the North Londoners, he only played one game in their successful League Cup run in 2007/08.

In contrast, the Chuncheon-born superstar made ten appearances in the Europa League this season, scoring three goals and providing one assist.

Furthermore, the victory last night was just the icing on the cake to remove any question over his status as a club legend, as since he moved to N17 in the summer of 2015, he has been nothing short of brilliant.

For example, in 454 appearances for the club, the “incredible” phenom, as dubbed by Postecoglou, has scored 173 goals and provided 101 assists, which is an absurd average of a goal involvement every 1.65 games.

Appearances

454

Minutes

32186′

Goals

173

Assists

101

Goal Involvements per Match

0.60

Minutes per Goal Involvements

117.46′

Major Trophies

1

Ultimately, Son was always going to go down as a Spurs icon regardless of what happened last night, but the victory in Bilbao has now ensured he’ll leave the club as a legend and as someone with an even greater legacy than Bale.

Spurs hero just proved why he's a £100m star in the making in Bilbao

Spurs ended their 17-year trophy drought by lifting the Europa League trophy in Bilbao.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes May 22, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now set to make an enquiry for £50 million Liverpool ace who could be a key player for Vitor Pereira, according to a new report.

Wolves step up summer transfer plans

The Midlands side already look set to lose one key player this summer, as Matheus Cunha allegedly edges closer to a move to Manchester United. Therefore, not only will Cunha’s departure bring money to the club, but it also means Wolves will need to enter the market to sign at least one new striker.

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The Brazilian forward could depart this summer.

Posts ByTom Cunningham May 4, 2025

Already the Old Gold have been linked with a move for Jamie Vardy, who is set to become a free agent once his contract at Leicester City expires. But as well as looking at Vardy, Wolves are also interested in signing Phil Harres from Bundesliga side Holstein Kiel, and club chiefs have also held internal talks over signing Cameron Archer from Southampton. Archer has been in and out of the Southampton team this season, and given their relegation to the Championship, he could be available for a transfer.

As well as looking for a new number nine, Ben Jacobs revealed last week that Wolves could sign Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Chelsea. The midfielder has really struggled since moving to Stamford Bridge, and he could be available for a transfer this summer, given his lack of game time, and the Midlands side could be tempted to make a move.

Wolves set to make enquiry for £50m Liverpool ace

But Dewsbury-Hall is not the only Premier League midfielder on the radar of Pereira and co, as according to Give Me Sport, Wolves are ready to make a move to sign Harvey Elliott from Liverpool, as he looks set to leave Anfield.

The report states that the Midlands side are likely to make an enquiry over signing Elliott, as he’s been identified as someone who can replace Cunha. Wolves are not put off by the fact that Liverpool have placed a £50 million price tag on the midfielder’s head.

GMS add that Wolves want to make Elliott a ‘centrepiece’ of their plans under Pereira if they manage to find an agreement with Liverpool. They are not the only team chasing Elliott, though, as Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Brighton and teams from overseas are all interested in a potential deal for the England U21 international.

Harvey Elliott’s Premier League stats

Apps

91

Goals

4

Assists

12

Elliott, who has been described as “special” by journalist Bence Bocsak, has struggled for regular game time this season. The 22-year-old has played 25 games in all competitions, but only five have come as a starter, and Elliott has managed just one start in the Premier League, and that came on Sunday in the 3-1 defeat to Chelsea.

Wolves will hope the fact they want to make him a key part of their plans under Pereira will be enough to tempt him to leave Anfield and move to Molineux, despite the fact he hasn’t made up his mind if he wants to leave the Premier League champions.

Fulham could have to fork out one club’s record transfer sale to sign a “monster” defender this summer, with their manager personally making his demands clear behind-the-scenes.

Marco Silva previews Fulham clash with Liverpool

The Whites have an all-important, blockbuster clash to prepare for as Marco Silva’s side take on Premier League frontrunners Liverpool in their race for European qualification.

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Liverpool have won their last four league games and have one hand on this year’s domestic crown. Arne Slot can take an almighty stride to confirming their status as champions of England against Fulham, but Silva will be equally determined to spoil the party with European football on the line.

Fulham’s next five Premier League games

Date

Liverpool (home)

April 6th

Bournemouth (away)

April 14th

Chelsea (home)

April 20th

Southampton (away)

April 26th

Aston Villa (away)

May 3rd

Amid Tottenham’s interest in Silva to replace Ange Postecoglou, these last few games of the season could also serve as a Spurs audition for the 42-year-old if he’s open to that opportunity across London.

“It’s going to be a game that demands us to be close to perfection,” said Silva on Fulham’s clash with Liverpool.

“From our side, we need to fight really hard for the three points. We are in our own battle too. They want the three points to be closer to the title – we want our three points for our own battle.”

Silva adds that he’s expecting a response from his players after their last game, a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

“We share the good moments and the good vibes together,” said Silva.

“When you don’t achieve something important, like a football match we want to win, then you have to share the disappointment. But at the same time, we have to work quicker and prepare quicker for the next one – like we have done since the start of the season.”

Off the field, preparations for next season are already underway at Craven Cottage, with the west Londoners making transfer plans.

Fulham have made contact over signing Deportivo La Coruna sensation Yeremay Hernandez, according to TEAMtalk, and strengthening the wide area is seen as a key aim for the club.

Fulham told price for Elfsborg defender Terry Yegbe

Silva’s side also want to reinforce their defence, and have their keen eyes on Elfsborg defender Terry Yegbe.

The Ghana international was rumoured to command a price tag of £4.5 million, but according to news outlet Fotboll Direkt, the actual price for Yegbe stands at closer to £6 million.

While this wouldn’t exactly break the bank for a Premier League side like Fulham, it would apparently smash the record for most money paid for a centre-back from the Swedish Allsvenskan.

As per FD, Fulham are among the main contenders to sign Yegbe this summer, but the Elfsborg manager is personally demanding that a record sale figure of around £6 million to entertain letting the Ghanaian leave.

Yegbe, interestingly, carries a fearsome reputation in Scandanavia, having been called a “monster” defender.

“He is a monster on the field,” said former Elfsborg teammate Ahmed Qasem to Fotbollskanalen’s deadline day broadcast.

“He is too fast, strong and good with his feet. I think he will surprise many in the Allsvenskan.”

Despite these qualities, Sri Lanka are yet to fully realise his ODI potential

Madushka Balasuriya24-Oct-2024Drift, dip and turn, these are the main attributes one would associate with spin bowling. Then at times there is pace, which is added to the mix when variations such as arm balls come into play. West Indies’ Gudakesh Motie, for example, has an excellent quicker one, bursting through flat and straight clocking in at around 100kph. But what do you get when you combine all these?Well, Alick Athanaze might have the answer. It was just his third ball in the second ODI against Sri Lanka – the first he faced from Maheesh Theekshana – but in terms of how he might have dealt with it, it wouldn’t have mattered even if it were the hundredth.Coming from around the wicket, Theekshana tossed it up, pitched it on middle, drew the batter in with the flight and then deceived him with some dip, before ripping it past the forward defence to peg back the off stump. A textbook offspinner’s dismissal – oh except, it was flung down at 96kph. Drift, dip, turn and pace, these are the main attributes, yes, but rarely – if ever – have they been woven together to such devastating effect.Related

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Hasaranga, Theekshana spin West Indies out for series win

Okay, cards on the table. This Pallekele pitch was primed for spin. This is a genuine caveat in most cases when it comes to spinners wreaking havoc on opposition batters, but to compare this Theekshana effort to, say, Charith Asalanka running roughshod over India earlier in the year would be to do a great disservice.Yes, Theekshana had conditions to his liking, but there are few – if any – other spinners in world cricket that could have exploited them as devastatingly as he so expertly did.Athanaze’s dismissal might have been spectacular enough were it simply a one-off magic delivery, but across the West Indian innings Theekshana time and again got the ball – particularly his offbreak – to turn at speeds touching 100kph.Wanindu Hasaranga and Dunith Wellalage also got turn, but at much slower speeds, while Motie clocked similar velocity without the same level of venom. Theekshana, simply put, was out on his own, one of one.Keacy Carty, his second victim, even had the benefit of a virtual mulligan, though it made little difference. The first was a sharp, turning offbreak at 97kph, one that in this instance owed more to the rough outside the right-hander’s off stump, as it surprised Carty when he was shaping up to cut. Sri Lanka reviewed the lbw shout, but were shot down by virtue of the impact being outside the line. However, the very next delivery – another quick turning offbreak – left Carty looking back at his battered off stump perplexed, unsure how exactly that one had snuck past his back-foot punch.Theekshana’s final scalp was courtesy his trademark carrom ball, as Hayden Walsh Jr’s attempt at a reverse sweep was comfortably countered by one that was quick, flat and straight as Theekshana rattled the stumps for a third time in the game.Theekshana unsurprisingly took home the Player-of-the-Match award for his 3 for 25 from nine overs, but what was surprising was that he was not even supposed to play on Wednesday. His inclusion had been a late one, as rain intervened between the side leaving the hotel and the toss taking place, so his extra pace was deemed more valuable than Jeffrey Vandersay’s more traditional legspin.Perhaps, this oversight is down to the fact that Theekshana himself doesn’t offer the same sort of headline quality of Sri Lanka’s other spin options. His career up-to-date has been far from prolific – 60 wickets in 44 ODIs, and 54 in 55 T20Is – so it’s rare to see him run through a side, or portend to turn a losing game into a winning one. He has instead long been seen as a containment option first and a wicket-taker second.His economy rate speaks quite clearly to this. In ODIs it’s 4.61, in T20Is it’s 6.76, and in this game it was a quite excellent 2.77, with 40 of the 54 deliveries he bowled being dots – the most in the game. But what he also offers is unparalleled utility; in T20Is, it’s not uncommon to see him utilised in the powerplay, in the middle overs, or even at the death – a place where most spinners dare tread. He has even got an LPL Super Over under his belt.Despite these qualities, Sri Lanka have yet to fully realise his ODI potential, leave alone in Tests – with it not unusual to see Theekshana as the odd man out at times.”He is a world-class bowler in the T20 format,” Asalanka had said after Sri Lanka’s win in the second ODI.At 24, Theekshana has already shown a tremendous appetite for improvement – even his batting is coming along – and if this trajectory continues, perhaps that qualifier won’t be necessary in the future.

The upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy could give players the chance to fast-track a spot in the IPL, and potentially, India

Shashank Kishore10-Oct-2022Over the years, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India’s domestic T20 competition, has helped identify several promising players who have gone on to play in the IPL. As scouts from across teams make a beeline for the seven venues to look out for players, here’s a list of those who could usher in the next chapter of their professional careers over the next three weeks.Mukesh Kumar, Bengal
When Mukesh Kumar came into the Bengal set-up from Bihar – his home state – in 2014, doctors pronounced him anemic. He would bowl a few overs with intensity and then get tired. He would play one game and miss three. It was the story of his first season as a Bengal cricketer trying to break into the domestic setup there. He was later diagnosed with bone edema – accumulation of fluids – in his knees. Over time, he has gained considerable strength and has become part of an impressive Bengal pace attack also consisting of Akash Deep and Ishan Porel.Mukesh Kumar, featuring for India A last month, was the joint-highest wicket-taker against New Zealand A•Mallikarjuna/KSCAMukesh had a prolific maiden stint with India A against the visiting New Zealanders just last month, where he was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the three red-ball games. He is currently part of India’s Shikhar Dhawan-led ODI squad taking on South Africa at home. That he has gotten this far without featuring in the IPL makes it an unreal rise.Mukesh is known for his robotic control – of the kind Josh Hazlewood is known for – hitting good lengths and deceiving batters with minute deviation off the deck. He was called up by Royal Challengers as a net bowler last year but missed out due to Covid-19. A good tournament here could well put him on the road to the IPL in 2023.Mujtaba Yousuf, Jammu & Kashmir
A tall left-arm seamer with a strapping action, Yousuf can dart the ball both ways and bowls in the high 130s. He’s also known to have excellent slower variations and cutters. In 14 T20s so far for Jammu & Kashmir, he has picked up 13 wickets at an economy of 7.38. Two years ago, he broke through during the course of a memorable first-class season with Jammu & Kashmir made the Ranji Trophy knockouts.As a package, he has impressed Irfan Pathan, the former India allrounder, who worked as a mentor for J&K two years ago. In 2021, he was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders as a net bowler. Earlier this year, he was with Royal Challengers Bangalore. A good SMA T20 could well see him join his state-mates Abdul Samad and Umran Malik in the IPL club.Raj Bawa, Chandigarh
Pace-bowling allrounders are rare – even more so in India – which is why when Raj Bawa first made a mark at this year’s Under-19 World Cup during the course of a title-winning campaign, he made heads turn with bat and ball. Bawa offers bristling pace with his skiddy action and is known for his six-hitting with the bat.Raj Bawa’s all-round performance in the Under-19 World Cup final earned him the player-of-the match award and India the trophy•ICC via GettyAt the Under-19 World Cup in the Caribbean, he hit the high notes with his five-for in the final that subdued England. He was also one of only eight batters who made over 250 runs in the tournament, 162 of those coming in a single knock against Uganda.A maiden IPL call-up came his way when Punjab Kings signed him at the auction, but opportunities have been far and few. It’s perhaps a mark of his talent and ability that the selectors fast-tracked him into the India A white-ball squad for the three one-dayers against New Zealand A. He performed well, picking up five wickets in two games, including a best of 4 for 11 in the third one-layer.LR Chethan, Karnataka
If the Karnataka selectors are daring to look beyond established veterans like Karun Nair, it’s because the younger crop – including LR Chethan – have made a beeline for selection through their exploits. Chethan’s explosive batting up top in the Maharaja T20 Cup helped lead his team, Bengaluru Blasters, to the final.Chethan LR hit 40 fours and 26 sixes in the Maharaja T20 League•Maharaja T20He ended the tournament with 447 runs in 12 innings, the second-most in the tournament after Mayank Agarwal, at a strike rate of 173.25. He hit one century and three half-centuries; struck 40 fours and 26 sixes, the second-most in the season. Based on those performances, he has already been called up for trials by at least two teams during the off-season and a good performance in his maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament could well fast-track his IPL dream.Yash Dhull, Delhi
India’s Under-19 World Cup winning captain from 2022 is part of Delhi Capitals, but in his maiden season, he had to watch from the sidelines. However, if he continues to rack up runs like he has across formats, it’s unlikely things will remain that way in the IPL for long. He has made heads turn with his calmness and strokemaking and has struck hundreds on debut in both the Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy. He’s racked up 783 runs in eleven first-class innings, including four centuries and a best of 200 not out.At Capitals, the presence of a packed top order comprising Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, Mitch Marsh and Rishabh Pant meant opportunities were barely available. That said, a big domestic T20 tournament could further enhance his white-ball credentials and put him in the fray, at least as a back-up batting option. He is uncapped in the white-ball format, but has an opportunity to make a name for himself in a strong batting order consisting of the likes of Nitish Rana, Anuj Rawat, Ayush Badoni and Lalit Yadav, all of whom have taken the long route to the IPL.

The tournament has given so many young Indian cricketers the opportunity to go to the next level with their skills

Mark Nicholas09-Nov-2020T20 cricket at IPL level is the sport’s abstract expressionism, manifesting itself in the many bursts of invention and energy that drive each game.On one side of the white line, batsmen explore “360”, while bowlers revert to any one of a myriad options, and fielders take the role of ball-playing acrobats. On the other, celebrity ownership and endorsement, sponsorship, product placement, advertising sales, and above all, jaw-dropping sums of money for television rights, give full licence to the business of cricket in the age of populism.To those who praise the immediacy of creation and the overwhelming attack on the senses that comes with it, it is the only game in town. To others, it is the very devil itself: the end of the classics and of romanticism.As in art, there is room for both. It is part of cricket’s attraction that the many formats appeal to its many people. Only the narrow-minded fail to see that.ALSO READ: Balls of IPL 2020: Seven stunning deliveries that left a markCricket is without limitation but various disciplines are required to ensure its success: to pitch a knuckleball, the bowler must have learnt the fundamentals. Test cricket will live on. Michelangelo spent a long time at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel; Jackson Pollock less so over the fibreboard for “No. 5, 1948”. T20 may no longer be cricket’s abstract incarnation, but powerful elements of expression remain in a game that continues to thrill on the field and provide a force for good off it. Never has this been more so than in the UAE these past two months. Cricket is out here on its own in the desert, not a spectator in sight, and it is alive.Were I pushed to pick one cricketer who best illustrates both the sporting and artistic appeal, who inspires the young, intrigues the old, and transcends the formats, it would be the young Afghan, Rashid Khan.Last night his team, the Sunrisers Hyderabad, were knocked out of the competition. Next stop was the final, but it proved beyond them. Their talisman has been a legspinner from a country that got ODI status only about a decade ago.Yuzvendra Chahal and Rashid Khan – the scourge of batsmen in the IPL and elsewhere•BCCIKhan is just 22, fascinated by the intricacies and possibilities of spin bowling, and fiercely competitive. Around the tournament people watch and talk: statisticians tell stories through the medium of cold numbers, coaches plan their application. There is spin everywhere at the IPL. On Friday, the Royal Challengers Bangalore picked four of the blighters.Wristspin leads the way but the best of the finger merchants – R Ashwin, Shahbaz Nadeem, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel – have had good days. All the twirlymen look to Khan now, the boy who emerged from hard-working parents and many siblings as the best spinner in the family. Together, they fled the Afghan war, taking refuge in Pakistan before returning to Nangarhar and the schooling that taught him to rest easy in the global reaches of modern-day professional cricket. He captained his country at 19 and took ten wickets against Bangladesh in their first Test victory. He is a man for all seasons.You would be surprised at how fast Khan bowls the cricket ball. Or perhaps I should say how hard. His pace is good club-standard medium. If the ball were to hit an unprotected inside thigh, and it often does, the recipient will know about it. The overspin gives it the impression of a threat, hurrying the opponent and bouncing high to hit the splice of his bat. It is as if the ball has an energy of its own, imparted by Khan, but seemingly increased by interaction with the pitch. Of course, this is not possible, but as Shane Warne famously said, “The art of wristspin is the creation of something that isn’t there.”ALSO READ: Rashid Khan: ‘I never think about wicket tally, my focus is always on bowling economically’If you are lucky enough to stand close to Khan at release, the good ones fizz out of his hand, just loud enough to be heard. Warne did that too. Warne was more sidespinner to Rashid’s overspinner, though the Australian could be either and tended to let the pitch decide. He had the legspinner that Khan would like to have. Khan has the googly that Warne only briefly had.Having seen a lot from afar of Afghanistan’s favourite son these past two months, and on occasion, sneaked up close in the hour before play when the bowlers work out on the practice pitches, I have found myself in awe. Even Muttiah Muralitharan, a coach to the Sunrisers, is impressed; so too the batsmen who are wary and lack the courage to take him on. By no means is Khan done yet, for he works ever harder on mastery of the legspinner and has bowled more of them in this IPL than any previous. He was bothered, he said, by the slog-sweep, so he thought he’d get the batsmen guessing. The googly – or wrong’un, as Warne would call it – is his default position and a pretty solid one at that.Young Indians are in his wake, tugged along by the developing legend. Ravi Bishnoi is 20, super-smart and quick with his go-to, which, like for Khan, is the googly; Rahul Chahar is 21, with a strong action and an inclination to give the legbreak a rip. Both bound to the wicket, all energy and enterprise, unburdened by failure. Mention must also be made of Yuzvendra Chahal, 30 now, but such a skilful bowler, a craftsman indeed, whose happy knack is to have the last laugh.The hero shot: KKR’s Varun Chakravarthy takes a photo with Ricky Ponting, the Delhi Capitals coach and the former Australian captain•Pankaj Nangia/BCCII like the story of Varun Chakravarthy, the Kolkata Knight Riders spinner who began a cricket life as an unsuccessful wicketkeeper-batsman and ditched it to pursue a degree in architecture. After five years studying, qualifying and briefly working freelance, he pined for the life of bat and ball and took upon seam bowling. Then he messed up his knee and took up spin. Somewhere during this period, he acted in a movie.Dinesh Karthik liked the look of him in the Knight Riders nets, where he exchanged ideas with Sunil Narine and resolved to become fitter and stronger. Now he has an IPL contract with them and is to tour Australia with India’s T20I team. He claims he has all the seven variations – offie, leggie, googly, topspinner, carrom ball, flipper and slider – and says so without a hint of conceit.After KKR’s game against the Chennai Super Kings, he asked for a selfie with MS Dhoni; the same with Ricky Ponting after the Delhi clash; and with Harsha Bhogle. But this is not the age of innocence! Next time he played the Super Kings, he knocked over Dhoni, who said Chakravarthy was hard to read and quick off the pitch. These spinners are such characters. Warne would tell you they have to be, or else the next stop is whipping boy.ALSO READ: Varun Chakravarthy, the architect drawing up Knight Riders’ blueprint for successWhether by design or the law of unintended consequences, the IPL is a pathway. The young talent on show, under the spotlight, with a price on its head and many miles from the womb that made it, has the platform to go big. If a player turns it on here, he can cope. In the end, given the talent, it is only whether talent can cope that matters.Devdutt Padikkal is 20 and has scored more runs than anyone else in their first season. He is an upright left-hander who brings calm to the frenetic and style to the base. He has left some balls alone, an act of minimalism that takes courage and suggests judgement is at the core of his performance. He drives the ball over extra cover – a shot to warm the heart of a purist – with grace and to good effect, while he works the back-of-length stuff off his hip with the look of Bill Lawry, a man of whom he may never have heard. Lawry scored a lot of runs for Australia before the television days of “Got ‘im!” took hold. Padikkal looks to have a few runs in him too.Shubman Gill is 21 and made his one-day debut for India, against New Zealand last year. This is no surprise. The selectors would be blind otherwise.He is from Punjab, where his family owned and farmed the lands. His father dreamt of playing top-class cricket but the reality failed him, whereupon he made the ascent of his son the dream, encouraging first the child, then the youth, to sleep with bat and ball – he is neither the first nor will he be the last to do so. Gill’s match-winning hundred in the semi-final of the 2018 Under-19 World Cup brought praise from the gods – Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar among them. Like his team, the Kolkata Knight Riders, his form this IPL has been fitful, but when good, it is better than those around him. Sunil Gavaskar thinks Gill the real deal – tall, strong and with that most essential of gifts, to play the ball late. If he sticks with straight lines and simple thoughts, his father may yet sleep more happily than he could ever have imagined.Ruturaj Gaikwad made three fifties in six innings for the Chennai Super Kings this season•BCCIThere are others, all with their wings at full span. Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan are wonderful timers but of a very different type. They are atop the six-hitting tree – Samson with a right-hander’s easy straight-hitting power; Kishen with the left-hander’s punchy strong forearms and hyper-rotating wrists.A word on Ruturaj Gaikwad, whose name alone prompts interest (albeit spelt one letter differently from the great defender of years long past). Barely able to lay bat on ball for three innings, he was dropped from the Chennai Super King’s middle order but successfully returned late in the tournament when their race was run.In build and stance, there is something of Ajinkya Rahane to him – slim, slight and orthodox. The similarities do not end there. His batting has an efficiency to it, as if the frills are for others less down to earth. His driving of the ball is at once clinical and crisp, with energy conserved for the six inches either side of contact with the ball, during which time his hands are – well, big call, I know – Dhoni-fast. From the commentary box behind the bowling arm, we see a lot of the face of the bat in his defence. The second Mr Gaikwad is another to watch.Amongst the young quicks are Navdeep Saini and Kartik Tyagi, the first a little longer in the tooth than the second, each lively and spirited. Then Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti, hustlers both. But none has a story like T Natarajan, who came penniless but eager to Chennai from a rural area and got a break in the Tamil Nadu Premier League. From there, the IPL scouts circle like vultures.ALSO READ: Who is T Natarajan, and what made his performance so special?After doing bench time with the Kings XI Punjab in 2017, he was picked up at auction by the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Again, he had a season on the sidelines and itched for more. He sent most of his money home to his parents and used the rest to set up a cricket academy in the village, at which all coaching is free. He built a house and refused to let his parents work anymore. Lockdown helped him. With no cricket to play, he worked on his fitness. For the best part of six months, he lifted 20kg water jars and pulled and pushed the roller. Last night, he was a key figure in the Sunrisers’ push for a place in the final. Next week he flies to Australia with the India squad. He has been included to pick up experience on the tour, but don’t back against him getting a game.Natarajan is a feisty competitor, street-smart, and a master of the yorker. Ask him to bowl six of them at a handkerchief, he will suggest there is no chance. Replace the hanky with a batsman and he reckons he will nail six from six. T Natarajan is everything the IPL pathway stands for.Has the tournament surprised me? Yes. The standard is high, the drama ongoing, and the spirit as it should be. I’ve had my favourites, as any onlooker should, because over seven weeks and across 60 matches, you cannot help but warm to the stage and its players. There are days when you think “Enough now!” and days when you thank your lucky stars.I have talked mainly about the young cricketers setting out on their journey in a limited-overs game that has changed beyond recognition since the time I first marvelled at it. That time, incidentally, was the 1967 Gillette Cup final at Lord’s. I sat on the outfield behind the boundary rope, a little boy, too shy to ask for an autograph. Kent – 193 all out in 59.4 overs – beat Somerset – 161 in 54.5. That is a total of 354 runs in 114.3 overs. Last night, the Delhi Capitals reached their first IPL final in a match that yielded 361 runs in 40 overs. That’s entertainment.

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O Fortaleza recebe o Maracanã neste domingo (17), pela partida de volta da semifinal do Cearense. A bola vai rolar a partir das 17h (de Brasília), na Arena Castelão, em Fortaleza, com transmissão do Canal GOAT no YouTube.

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✅FICHA TÉCNICA
FORTALEZA X MARACANÃ
SEMIFINAL (2º JOGO) – CAMPEONATO CEARENSE

Data e horário: domingo, 17 de março de 2024, às 17h (de Brasília)
Local: Arena Castelão, em Fortaleza
Onde assistir: Canal GOAT (YouTube)
Arbitragem: Marcelo de Lima Henrique (árbitro); Renan Aguiar da Costa e Francisco Marcondes Mendes Simão (auxiliares); Elizabete Esmeralda (quarto árbitro); César Magalhães (VAR)

PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
FORTALEZA (Técnico: JUAN PABLO VOJVODA)
João Ricardo; Tinga, Brítez, Cardona e Bruno Pacheco; Zé Welison, Kauan e Kervin; Pikachu, Moisés e Lucero.

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MARACANà(Técnico: JÚNIOR CEARENSE)
Leo Recife; Zé Augusto, Igor Ribeiro, Guilherme e Matheus Maranguape; Rogério, Vinícius Canindé e Patuta; Testinha, Pio e Júnior Mandacaru.

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Campeonato CearenseFortalezaFutebol Nacional

And the ECB’s HR has New Zealand on speed dial

Alan Gardner16-May-2025Stop all the clocks, put the Kohli-cam on pause: Virat has decided that he’s had enough of nicking off on sixth stump. Never again will we see that totemic cover drive unleashed in Test whites, or watch him race up from the slip cordon with his finger pointed in the air like an angry PE teacher. Never again will we wonder if he really would deliberately shoulder-barge a teenager just to gain his team a competitive edge (he would).Kohli confirmed he was out with an Insta post soundtracked by “My Way” – Frank Sinatra, rather than the Limp Bizkit version, somewhat disappointingly. There was always something nu-metal about the way Kohli played the game, with all the screaming and pouting and mic drops. Although even the younger version, who famously let his middle finger do the talking after being abused by a section of the SCG crowd, might have blanched at Fred Durst’s 47 f-bombs on “Hot Dog”.Anyway, we digress. You know Test cricket is in a tough spot when the most diehard Test fanatic EVER!!! (copyright all news outlets) decides he doesn’t have enough energy for the format anymore. Rohit Sharma had got in there with his red-ball retirement first and Kohli wasn’t going to be talked around by BCCI bigwigs intent on protecting commercial interest run-scoring potential for India’s tour of England, nor mollified by Gautam Gambhir suggesting he could “jolly well play till 45” if he wanted to, in the manner of the Famous Five discussing their future over toffee apples and ginger beer.Related

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• Kohli and Test cricket gave each other their best

Presumably someone involved in the discussions might have mentioned the fact that a certain James Anderson is no longer around for England, bending the Dukes to his will (although that decision was made very much against his will). But then again, knowing what we know of Kohli’s competitive fires, perhaps the lack of such a challenge would have counted against carrying on?Certainly the series will be lacking something without either’s involvement – and we don’t just mean contributions to the swear jar. But the Light Roller isn’t so worried about the future of Tests, eulogised by Kohli for “the quiet grind, the long days, the small moments that no one sees but that stay with you forever.” Old Blue Eyes might have struggled to be so poetic, never mind Durst. Yes, Virat clearly knew what made our game special, and not just because he hasn’t (yet) won an IPL.

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One cricketer not going anywhere in a hurry (not with those knees, hoho) is ageing yellove guru MS Dhoni. Which is great news for those of us who like to recycle old material. “I only play two months in a year and now after this IPL gets over, I have to work hard for another six to eight months just to see if my body will be able to take this kind of pressure and everything,” he said after CSK had trundled to a stop outside the playoffs for a second year running. “So nothing for me to decide as of now, but I feel the love and affection wherever I’ve been.” Including, no doubt, from the cottage industry of people writing clickbaity headlines about whether MS will or won’t be involved in IPL 2026.

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England’s cricketing debt to New Zealand is long-standing, from Andy Caddick to Ben Stokes to the 2019 World Cup final – and that’s before Brendon McCullum arrived to beguile the stuffed suits at Lord’s with his laid-back credo. Now we can add Tim Southee to the list, after the recently retired Black Cap was appointed as England’s “specialist skills consultant”, aka the team’s bowling coach, replacing the semi-retired-though-still-not-entirely-happy-about-it Anderson. Is it a coincidence that Southee is one of McCullum’s mates from their decade of sharing a dressing room? Probably not. But then this is the ECB, where Andrew Flintoff was handed a succession of plum appointments seemingly on the basis that he is a long-time pal of Rob Key. Only if England replace Jeetan Patel (another Kiwi) with Nathan McCullum should we start to get worried.

Bangladesh have picked batter Saif Hassan in an ODI squad for the first time, and also recalled Nurul Hasan after two years, for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi.Hassan had returned to the T20I squad against Netherlands in August and impressed with his performances, especially in the Asia Cup where he made 61 and 69 in the Super Four matches against Sri Lanka and India. Nurul made a match-winning 23 not out off 13 balls to rescue Bangladesh in the first T20I against Afghanistan. Both batters are consistent performers in the domestic List-A competitions.Litton Das missed out on ODI selection as he continues to recover from the side strain he sustained during the Asia Cup. It had kept him out of the ongoing T20Is against Afghanistan too. The Bangladesh selectors dropped Parvez Hossain Emon from the ODI squad that played Afghanistan in July.A couple of Bangladesh players have also had visa issues. Mohammad Naim, who was picked in the ODI squad, is still in Dhaka because he hasn’t got his UAE visa yet. Soumya Sarkar, who is in the T20I squad for the ongoing series, has also been unable to travel to Sharjah; he is not part of the ODI squad, though. ODI captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Hasan Mahmud, Tanvir Islam and Nahid Rana will travel to the UAE on Friday to join the rest of the squad.Bangladesh play Afghanistan in the second and third T20Is on October 3 and 5 in Sharjah, followed by the ODIs in Abu Dhabi on October 8, 11 and 14.

Bangladesh squad for ODIs vs Afghanistan

Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), Tanzid Hasan, Mohammad Naim, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Tanvir Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana