The left-arm spinner had been battling a brain tumour
Mohammad Isam19-Apr-2022Mosharraf Hossain, the former Bangladesh left-arm spinner, has died aged 40 in Dhaka. He was suffering from brain cancer, which was diagnosed in March 2019. He had recovered after undergoing treatment, but the tumour relapsed in November 2020.Nicknamed Rubel, Mosharraf had been in hospital over the last couple of weeks, but went home after another bout of chemotherapy recently.Related
Bangladesh cricketer Mosharraf Hossain diagnosed with brain tumour
Mosharraf was one of seven cricketers to score 3000 runs and take 300 wickets in first-class cricket in Bangladesh. Among the highlights of his career was winning the Player-of-the-Match award in the 2013 Bangladesh Premier League final. He was the first of three Bangladeshi cricketers to win the award in a BPL final, the others being Tamim Iqbal (2019) and Alok Kapali (2015).Mosharraf is also the Bangladesh cricketer with the longest gap between international appearances. After playing his debut series in 2008, his next call-up came in 2016 when he was picked for an ODI series against Afghanistan. He also played an ODI against England, which turned out to be his final international match. Although short, the comeback was testament to Mosharraf’s consistent domestic form, rare for Bangladesh cricketers.Mosharraf made his first-class debut in 2001-02 season, while he was a Dhaka University student. He grew to be a domestic giant, and a regular among the top five wicket-takers in competitions like the National Cricket League and Dhaka Premier League.He is survived by his wife and one child.
Leeds United may look at their 1-1 draw with Preston North End in the Championship as two points dropped, despite their last-gasp equaliser.
They conceded a sloppy goal to go 1-0 down, as Pascal Struijk was easily beaten down the channel and Illan Meslier appeared to parry the ball into the corner of his own net.
Mateo Joseph helped to force a late own goal through Jack Whatmough but the result has now left the Whites three points behind Sheffield United in the table.
During the match, however, it was revealed that the West Yorkshire side have had an interest in one of the players from the opposition line-up.
Leeds United's interest in Preston star
Sky Sports commentator Gary Weaver was speaking during the first-half about Leeds’ search for a number ten to bolster their squad ahead of the January transfer window, and mentioned their interest in Gus Hamer, Emi Buendia, and James McAtee.
The Whites were linked with all three over the summer, including having a bid of £13m rejected for Sheffield United star Hamer, but a new attacking midfielder has been thrown into the mix.
Weaver claims that Leeds “have had a look at” Preston star Mads Frokjaer-Jensen in the past, with regards to their attempts to land a new playmaker.
There was no further mention of whether or not they remain keen on him or how much North End would want to allow one of their key players to depart from Deepdale next month.
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Daniel Farke should, however, push to secure a deal for the Danish wizard in January because the German head coach could unearth his own version of Pablo Hernandez.
Why Frokjaer-Jensen could be Farke's Hernandez
Firstly, Frokjaer-Jensen is similar to the former Leeds star in the sense that he is a right-footed playmaker who can operate centrally or on the right flank.
Hernandez played 66 times for the Whites on the right flank, drifting inside into central areas to affect the play, and the Preston whiz started on the right wing on Saturday – creating one ‘big chance’ for his team.
Preston have averaged 47.1% possession in the Championship this season, which means that the Dane is in a team that does not create plenty of opportunities for him to thrive at the top end of the pitch. Whereas, Leeds average 62.1% possession and could provide him with more chances to showcase his quality.
Starts
29
13
Goals
3
2
Big chances created
4
3
xA
3.82
1.68
Assists
8
0
As you can see in the table above, the creative potential is there for Frokjaer-Jensen to improve his output in a team that has significantly more of the ball.
The 25-year-old star, who produced eight goals and three assists in 28 league games for Odense in the 2022/23 campaign, could operate as a right-footed playmaker on the right flank, or as a number ten, like Hernandez.
Former Leeds winger Pablo Hernandez.
Leeds’ former Spanish magician created 41 goals in 175 matches for the club, which shows that it would take a lot for the Preston man to emulate his success, but his creative quality in a low-possession Preston team suggests that Farke could unearth his own Hernandez by singing him in January.
Farke could drop Solomon in Leeds swoop for "incredible" 15-goal star
Leeds United have been linked with an interest in the impressive young attacker.
After a disappointing month that almost entirely dismantled their Premier League title charge, Arsenal look back to their best.
The North Londoners blew Nottingham Forest away at home before blitzing Sporting CP and West Ham United away to reignite their campaign and give their fans reason to hope.
However, with Liverpool now firmly in the driving seat, Mikel Arteta and Co must also think ahead to ensure they don’t encounter similar attacking issues that plagued them prior to the international break next season.
Fortunately, that seems to be happening, as recent reports have linked the club with a forward who’s been compared to Thierry Henry and someone who’d help Bukayo Saka reach yet another level.
Arsenal transfer news
According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are still incredibly interested in Newcastle United’s star striker, Alexander Isak.
In fact, the Gunners are so desperate to bring him to the Emirates next year that the report claims they are prepared to make a club-record offer of €135m to make it happen, which converts to about £112m, or £7m more than they paid for Declan Rice last summer.
It would be a monumental sum of money to spend on a single player, but given his sensational ability, it could be worth it in the long run.
Moreover, the 25-year-old has been compared to the legendary Henry in the past and would surely form an incredible partnership with Saka.
Isak's comparisons to Henry and potential partnership with Saka
So, before looking at how he could help Saka reach another level, let’s examine this comparison with arguably Arsenal’s greatest player of all time, Henry.
In this instance, the comparison was made in April 2023 by sports presenter Daniel Hussey, who described the Swede as possessing “Henry vibes” following his mercurial assist for Jacob Murphy against Everton, and when you see it, it’s hard to disagree.
The former Real Sociedad ace races down the left-hand side of the pitch before dancing into the penalty area, beating four defenders and delicately dinking the ball into an almost empty net for his teammate to poke home.
It’s this ability to utterly humiliate defenders, particularly off the left, that makes so many fans and pundits make the comparison between the two players, especially as, like the Frenchman, the Toon star is more than capable of starting on the wing as well as down the middle.
However, beyond the positional similarities and the way in which the 25-year-old so often curls the ball into the back of the net like the former invincible, his attacking output is why so many clubs are after him and why he’d be a dream partner for the Gunners’ number seven.
Appearances
80
Starts
67
Minutes
5683′
Goals
40
Assists
7
Goal Involvements per Match
0.58
Minutes per Goal Involvement
120.91
For example, since joining the Magpies, the Solna-born monster has scored 40 goals and provided seven assists in 80 appearances, which equates to a goal involvement on average every 1.70 games.
Moreover, the “world-class” poacher, as dubbed by Eddie Howe, was utterly sensational last season, scoring 25 goals and providing two assists in 40 appearances, which is an even more impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.48 games.
In comparison, the North Londoners’ new starting striker, Kai Havertz, has scored 23 goals and provided eight assists in 70 appearances for the team, which equates to a goal involvement every 2.25 games.
So, if Saka has been able to rack up an outrageously impressive tally of seven goals and 11 assists in 18 appearances this season, just think how much more effective he’d be alongside the Magpies ace.
Ultimately, Arsenal are already an incredibly dangerous team in attack, but were they to add Isak to the mix in 2025, then they would reach another level entirely and there is no knowing how many goal involvements Saka would be able to amass alongside him.
Arsenal could sign one of the "best CMs in the world" after Edu leaves
The incredible talent would be an excellent addition to Arsenal’s squad.
A European club chief is now considering the termination of one player's contract so he can sign a "precocious talent" from Tottenham.
Tottenham's form under Ange
Ange Postecoglou is currently leading Spurs through their best-ever start to a Premier League season, and best overall since they won a domestic double in 1960/1961. The high-flying north Londoners are yet to suffer a single defeat in the top flight this season, winning six out of a possible eight league games. The likes of Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr have found a new lease of life under Postecoglou after being largely ignored by former Spurs boss Antonio Conte. The pair now start nearly every game as Tottenham's dual midfield pivot in front of the back four, while the likes of Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski are back to their best and thriving as well.
Micky van de Ven, after signing from Wolfsburg in the summer, has also formed a solid partnership with Cristian Romero at the heart of Tottenham's backline. The likes of James Maddison, Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie have impressed, too, with many of Spurs' starting XI playing their part. Speaking after a recent 2-2 draw away to title contenders and north London rivals Arsenal, Postecoglou hailed the will and desire of his players to improve as a team.
"There's a real will and desire to become the team we want to be, which includes making sure that you're disciplined and you're buying into the team ethos and we had a really young team out there. Vic, that's his first derby, Destiny, van de Ven, Pape Matar Sarr, Brennan, they're all in their early twenties, Porro, even Kulusevski is only 23, so it was a young team but just super proud of the experienced players we did have in there.
"Romero was outstanding, Bissouma has been brilliant all year, Maddison, and Sonny was just on a different level, not just his goals, although they were outstanding, but his work rate, his work ethic was incredible."
Who could leave Spurs?
While Spurs' starters are seriously doing a job for Postecoglou, the same cannot be said for some unfortunate casualties of the Australian's tenure in charge. The likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Eric Dier, despite being favoured by Conte, are now on the periphery of Spurs' first team. As a result, they've been linked with moves away recently, with a report by Quotidiano Sportivo sharing a transfer update on Hojbjerg.
Fulham's Rodrigo Muniz in action with Tottenham Hotspur'sPierre-EmileHojbjerg
It is believed that Juventus sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli is very keen on the Denmark international, so much so that he's willing to cancel Paul Pogba's contract – amid his doping scandal – and replace him with Hojbjerg. The outlet calls Tottenham's midfielder a "precocious talent", having risen through the ranks at various clubs in Germany before making a name for himself on the British Isles.
Spurs' asking price for Hojbjerg will be around the £26 million mark, and given Giuntoli is willing to terminate Pogba's deal to fund a possible move, it would appear that Juventus are serious about their interest in the Tottenham man.
Manchester United are now leading the race to sign a "sensational" new midfielder, who could join in the January transfer window, according to a report.
Which midfielder are Man United signing?
Erik ten Hag has his sights set on a new midfielder this winter, and the manager is personally driving a move for Royal Antwerp's Arthur Vermeeren, as he is believed to be a big fan of the youngster, but Man United may have to make a swift approach.
That is because Barcelona are also interested in signing the 18-year-old, having already held talks with Antwerp chiefs to discuss a deal, prior to their Champions League clash against the Belgian Pro League side earlier this month.
Vermeeren is not the only young midfielder Ten Hag has his eye on, with LDU Quito's Oscar Zambrano also being named as a potential option, having impressed in the Ecuadorian top flight, although it is unclear whether the 19-year-old could go straight into the first team.
In the summer transfer window, the Red Devils reportedly turned down the chance to sign Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, but that has not put an end to speculation the midfielder could end up moving to Old Trafford.
According to reports from Italy (via GOAL), Man United are currently leading the race for Rabiot, but it appears as though a deal may not be as easy to orchestrate as it would have been in the summer, as he is currently enjoying a resurgence in Turin.
The Frenchman opted to put pen to paper on a new contract with the Italian club in the summer, and he has since solidified his place as a key player, meaning an exit is less likely to be on the cards than it was a few months ago.
At the moment, Juventus want to keep hold of the 28-year-old, despite widespread interest, with Newcastle United and several other unnamed clubs being named as potential suitors. Should the central midfielder's future in Italy come back into question, however, the Red Devils should be well-placed to win the race for his signature, considering they are currently out in front.
What type of player is Adrien Rabiot?
The Juventus star is a very well-rounded midfielder, as exhibited by the fact he is capable of posing a threat on the front foot, but also excels defensively.
Over the past year, the maestro ranks in the 96th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90, when compared to his positional peers, while also placing in the 84th percentile for clearances, and the 83rd percentile for aerials won, showcasing his ability in the air.
The France international is already off the mark for Juventus in the Serie A this season, having recorded one goal and one assist in four appearances, and he has been an indispensable member of Max Allegri's team.
However, the midfielder's long-term future in Turin is still in doubt, considering he is only contracted until next summer. As such, Man United should keep tabs on Rabiot, dubbed "sensational" in the media, ahead of the January transfer window, at which point he may be available to sign on a pre-contract agreement, making this one to watch.
Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming has also confirmed that Lungi Ngidi, who had flown back to South Africa following the death of his father, has rejoined the squad
ESPNcricinfo staff29-Apr-20181:36
Deepak Chahar could be out for a couple of weeks – Fleming
Chennai Super Kings fast bowler Deepak Chahar could be out of action for at least two weeks with a hamstring strain sustained during Saturday’s match against Mumbai Indians in Pune.Chahar pulled up injured after bowling the first ball of his third over. He left the field after that delivery and did not return for rest of the match. Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming confirmed the injury during his post-match press conference. “He (Chahar) has had hamstring injuries in the past, he has a pretty good idea when he is in trouble,” Fleming said. “Conservatively, it’s probably a couple of weeks, which is a bit of a blow.”Fleming also confirmed that Lungi Ngidi, who had flown back to South Africa following the death of his father, has rejoined the squad.Chahar has played in all seven Super Kings matches so far this season, and has picked six wickets at an average of 25.50, including a match-winning 3 for 15 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. He is also one of only two Super Kings bowlers with an economy rate of less than eight an over.
Arsenal look to be on the journey to something special, as Mikel Arteta continues to grow as a manager alongside his budding squad full of exciting talent.
The Gunners underwent some difficult times at the start of the Spaniard’s reign, at a time when many doubted the limits of his capabilities as a coach as his first two seasons resulted in consecutive 8th-place Premier League finishes.
As time went by and the former Arsenal midfielder was able to fully sculpt the squad to his liking, improvement began to be noticeable, as he took the team to 5th place in the 2021/22 campaign, agonisingly shy of a top-four finish.
2018/19
Unai Emery
5th
2019/20
Mikel Arteta
8th
2020/21
Mikel Arteta
8th
2021/22
Mikel Arteta
5th
2022/23
Mikel Arteta
2nd
It seemed as though the squad took missing out on the top four to their north London rivals personally, as the 2022/23 season began the start of the club’s revolution, as they challenged for the title for the majority of the term.
Manchester City swept the prizes last year, winning the domestic treble, however, Arteta restored the hope at the Emirates for years to come.
During his reign, the former Everton whiz has recruited strongly, welcoming a host of talent through the doors in north London with each new arrival having a significant role to play in his master plan.
One area that needed attention was the defence, which was strengthened by the arrivals of Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes and Oleksandr Zinchenko, paired with the return of William Saliba from his loan spells.
How much did Arsenal sign Gabriel Magalhaes for?
Signed from French outfit Lille in 2020 for £27m, Gabriel arrived in the bid for Arteta to rebuild the foundations of his back four.
The manager lauded his new arrival as a player who could strengthen his squad as a “defensive unit and as a team”, branding him an “outstanding” defender based on his form in France.
It was revealed at the time of the deal being complete that Manchester United were also eyeing a potential move for the Brazilian, with Everton and Napoli also named as clubs that held interest.
Around the time of his move from Ligue 1 to the Premier League, the centre-back had an expected transfer value (xTV) of €15.5m (£13.4m), which has significantly risen since his journey to fame in north London, via Football Transfers.
What is Gabriel Magalhaes’ market value now?
Currently, the Sao Paulo-born ace has a market value of €80m (£69m), as per CIES Football Observatory, showcasing just how much his game has developed, as well as how good of a deal Arsenal struck to acquire him.
In three years, the defender’s value has risen by almost €65m, with his good form and personal development rewarded with an improved contract from the club in 2022, where his deal was extended to 2027.
At the time of his renewed deal, Arteta dubbed his star defender as a “hugely important” part of the squad after establishing himself as one of the Emirates’ first-choice centre-backs.
How much does Gabriel Magalhaes earn?
Along with his stay being extended, the Brazilian saw his wages rise as a result of his revised contract.
The 25-year-old saw his hard work pay off as his salary doubled in value last year, taking his weekly wage from £50k to £100k by putting pen to paper.
From earning £291k-per-year at the point of signing for Lille, the defender’s rise at Arsenal has resulted in him earning £5.2m-per-year, suggesting just how highly he is regarded in north London.
Why is he worth that much?
Praised as being “solid as a rock” by talent scout Jacek Kulig in his debut season, Gabriel’s form has transformed over the years, with it seeming as though the Brazil international has found sanctuary in playing alongside Saliba.
In the 2020/21 campaign, the Brazilian averaged a pass completion rate of 85.4% per 90, as well as making 1.13 tackles and 2.57 aerial wins per 90, via FBref.
The most prominent improvement to his game has been his distribution, recording an average pass completion rate of 89.4% per 90, as well as making 1.27 tackles and 2.64 aerial wins per 90 in the 2022/23 season.
Working alongside Saliba seems to complement the former Lille star, with the Frenchman being an extremely competent ball player himself as highlighted by his average pass completion rate of 91.0% per 90 last term.
When reviewing Arsenal’s defence, the combination of Gabriel and Saliba has assisted in balancing the back four, with both showing their strengths in orchestrating the play ahead of them as well as the task at hand.
Twitter X figure Eduardo Hagn was full of praise for the partnership after the Gunners’ emphatic win against PSV on their Champions League return, calling them a “world-class” duo.
What does the future hold for Gabriel?
With 124 appearances for Arsenal in all competitions under his belt, the 25-year-old has all the tools to write himself into history as part of a squad that is destined for glory sooner rather than later.
The Gunners struggled for years to unearth the next capable defensive duo, with the combination of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny arguably the last pairing that consistently succeeded in red and white.
Last season was the first term that Saliba and Gabriel were combined in the heart of the back line, and with such performances marking their first experiences with each other, Arteta’s defence is in safe hands for years to come.
Arsenal are back in the Champions League and among the top side’s in the Premier League, with the Brazilian being an integral part of the journey in the capital.
Away from domestic football, the future looks bright for the former Ligue 1 gem’s international prognosis, as he earned his first cap for his country earlier this month after the disappointment of not being selected for the 2022 World Cup.
Gabriel-magalhaes-brazil
Emerging as a top talent in England with Arsenal, and a player recognised at international level for Fernando Diniz’s squad, the Gunners machine is in for an exciting new chapter of his career if his form can continue to flourish.
In signing Gabriel for just £27m, Arteta and Edu struck gold on another Brazilian talent whose value continues to soar in the capital.
Confirmation of Glamorgan’s £2.5m payout from ECB comes ahead of an emergency meeting of county chairmen on March 26
David Hopps22-Mar-2018Glamorgan have confirmed a compensation payment of £2.5m from the ECB in exchange for not applying to host Test matches for a five-year period between 2020 and 2024.Overall contributions from the ECB amounted to nearly £5.2m – a figure which also includes the annual share-out to county clubs from international proceeds, and an additional £1m payment from ECB reserves that all counties received in the past year. The total sum is thought to be a record ECB payout to a county.The revelation, shown in the county’s annual accounts, comes at a tense time for the first-class game with an emergency meeting of county chairmen scheduled for March 26.Colin Graves, the ECB chairman, is under scrutiny after it emerged that ‘compensation’ payments could be habitually paid to some Test-hosting clubs in the years they did not stage a match despite the policy having not been discussed at Board level.It remains to be seen whether other counties will also be identified as having been promised similar sums.Bob Warren, the Sussex chairman, has written to Graves, saying: “The ECB policies are, taking into account the way matches and money are being distributed, going to produce eight super-counties with dire effects for the rest of us.”Glamorgan said of their financial support: “Following discussions with the ECB the club decided not to apply to host Test matches during the 2020 to 2024 period in return for a compensation payment of £2.5m. The Club has agreed that if it wishes to host Test match cricket in the future, it will repay this sum on terms to be agreed with the ECB.”This formed part of the Club’s strategy to become the white-ball venue of choice which resulted in the successful allocation of international T20s and ODIs and the appointment of the SSE Swalec as a venue for the ECB’s new T20 tournament.”The appointment of Cardiff as one of the venues for the ECB’s speculative new T20 tournament was not without controversy as both Taunton and Bristol had ambitions to share the south-west venue and, in the case of Somerset, have expressed the belief that they were given reason by the ECB to expect this would be the case.Glamorgan, meanwhile, are nearly out of the financial woods. At their AGM on March 28, they will announce an EBITDA (Earnings before Interest, Taxation, Depreciation and Amortisation) profit of £4.146m.The statement read: “Since 2012 the Club has made EBITDA profits of £4.0m, before debt write-offs and before this recent agreement with the ECB. These profits have been delivered through successful hosting of a number of high profile cricket events, including two Champions Trophies and an Ashes Test match, alongside very close control of costs.The debt burden, not so long ago a crippling £15.1m, which came close to driving Glasmorgan into bankruptcy until the chief executive, Hugh Morris, negotiated a way out of the mess, has been reduced to £2.5m.Glamorgan concluded: “The Club is very focused, alongside a close partnership with Cricket Wales, upon developing the game of Cricket in Wales, producing the highest quality players, and providing top quality entertainment for audiences within Cardiff and around Wales. The sporting, social and financial impact of these aspirations for Wales could be enormous.”Durham are another county who might look askance at the situation. They were relegated at the end of the 2016 season, and suffered other sanctions, in exchange for a £3.8m bale-out by ECB – another county that made the heady rush towards Test status and suffered financial hardship in the process.
Following just three seasons in the Premier League, Leeds United have been thrust back into the second tier amid what was a dismal 2022/23 campaign, with it already proving a difficult start to life back in the Championship for Daniel Farke's side.
Such woes are a far cry from the success that the Yorkshire giants endured in the early 2000s, with David O'Leary notably guiding the club to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2001, following a respectable third-place league finish the year prior.
While that glittering period was brought crashing to a halt by the club's subsequent financial setbacks – resulting in their drop out of the top tier – it remains a time that is fondly remembered by Whites supporters, particular for the stellar crop of talent that graced Elland Road at the time, including the likes of Mark Viduka and Harry Kewell.
That O'Leary era also saw the rise of an exciting gem from the academy in the form of Alan Smith, with Farke likely hoping he can unearth another diamond from the youth set-up in the near future…
How good was Alan Smith for Leeds?
Despite having somewhat burned his bridges with the club after joining rivals Manchester United in the summer of 2004, the now-retired ace had thrived after rising up the ranks at Leeds prior to that, notably scoring on his first-team debut away at Anfield in 1998.
The then-teenager would ultimately go on to play a vital role under O'Leary over the next few years despite his relative youth, with the versatile attacker – who could feature through the middle, on the flanks or in midfield – scoring 54 goals in 224 appearances in all competitions for the club.
Aside from his devastating attacking threat and positional flexibility, what also initially endeared Smith to the Leeds crowd was his work-man-like nature and energetic, all-action style, having notably been lauded for those traits by O'Leary following the quarter-final clash with Deportivo La Coruna in 2001:
"Alan Smith was without a doubt the man of the match. He was incredible. He trod every bit of grass, he was unbelievable. I hope people realise he's still only 20 years old and give him chance to learn and grow. We are very lucky to have him at Leeds United because he loves playing for the club. He's a winner."
Finding such talents in the youth ranks is not a common occurrence, although current boss Farke could well be able to find a suitable heir to the 42-year-old, in the form of exciting forward, Sean McGurk.
Who is Sean McGurk?
The 20-year-old attacker – who can operate out wide or in a number ten berth – has caught the eye in Yorkshire ever since joining from Wigan Athletic back in the summer of 2021, scoring nine times and registering five assists in 44 games at U21 level thus far.
A player with a "big personality to go with his ability" – according to Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth – the young Englishman has enjoyed a particularly impressive start to the new campaign, scoring three goals and providing one assist from just four Premier League 2 outings.
As Smyth also stated, there is a "lot to like" about the emerging sensation, with the player himself speaking about his "exciting" attributes upon his arrival at the club just over two years ago:
"People describe me as a player who is quite exciting, I like to create goals and score goals and I think that is the strongest part of my game."
The forward's goalscoring threat was also evident during his prior stint with the Latics as he netted three times in just five games for the club's U18 side, notably scoring a late winner against Manchester United at Old Trafford – a strong way to endear himself to his current side.
Although a chance at first-team level has yet to emerge for the former Wigan man, Farke would be wise to put his faith in the creative gem as the season progresses, particularly after losing the likes of Luis Sinisterra and Jack Harrison this summer.
As was evident with the case of Smith, it can be incredibly rewarding seeing an academy talent blossom into a star in the senior set-up, with McGurk seemingly having the tools to be able to follow in the footsteps of the former England international.
And in their chase, Peshawar Zalmi cruised to a ten-wicket victory courtesy a hundred-run partnership between Kamran Akmal (57*) and Tamim Iqbal (37*)
The Report by Danyal Rasool03-Mar-2018In a nutshellThe template doesn’t change for Lahore Qalandars. They got off to a blazing start in the Powerplay again with Fakhar Zaman smashing 25 in the first two overs. Once the first six overs had ended, they began to lose wickets and the wheels came off rapidly. Peshawar Zalmi skittled them out for 100, the lowest total in the PSL this year. Soon after, they became the fifth team to inflict defeat on Brendon McCullum’s beleaguered side. This was the most resounding one yet, the first 10-wicket defeat in the history of the PSL.The collapse this time was even more dramatic than previous games, tempered only by its predictability. After reaching 57 for one at the end of the Powerplay, they failed to build on it through the middle overs, continuing to go for rash shots and losing wickets rapidly in the process. Before you knew it, the tail was in, and Peshawar, further strengthened by the return of Hasan Ali, prowled ominously.The chase was everything Lahore are not: calm, clinical, mature and professional. It required just openers Tamim Iqbal and Kamran Akmal to brush aside Lahore. Kamran scored a 47-ball 57, while Tamim was unbeaten on 36 as the chase effectively became a stroll early on. Lahore’s bowlers were toothless, their fielding uninspired, their captain out of ideas – and their side very likely out of the tournament already.Where the match was wonA chase of 101 isn’t daunting by any means, but many teams thought processes get muddled while assessing how to go about a small chase. Not Peshawar Zalmi, whose openers were as assured as could be hoped in the situation. They got their eye in for the first couple of overs, not letting the lack of runs worry them. Inevitably, the runs came once they were settled at the crease. Lahore weren’t good enough in the field either, dropping a catch early on, and allowing themselves errors they could ill-afford. It wasn’t Lahore’s charity to give, and Peshawar didn’t need it at any rate, the opening pair ensuring no one else in the dugout was disturbed.The men that won itHasan Ali hasn’t bowled for over a month, but he didn’t look any worse for it. Skiddy, quick and consistent, he bowled in the Powerplay when Fakhar was in blistering form, keeping that over to just three runs. He got rid of the McCullum, and was instrumental in orchestrating Lahore’s collapse, cleaning up Sunil Narine and wrapping things up with a third wicket for good measure.Another newcomer into the side didn’t do much worse either. Liam Dawson was brought in to replace Darren Sammy. It doesn’t bear repeating that those are big shoes to fill. But Dawson was up to the challenge, ripping the Lahore top order apart with his left-arm spin. He dismissed Fakhar and Dinesh Ramdin off just his second and third deliveries, and overall figures of 4-0-20-3 suggest he’s more than just a back-up in Peshawar side.Where they standLahore look to have taken out a lease on the basement of the table, firmly sixth after their fifth successive defeat. Peshawar are third, having won three of their five games.