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Nottingham Forest are stepping up their preparations for the new campaign and could now open talks to bring an exciting attacker to the City Ground, according to a report.

Forest look to rebound from Anthony Elanga departure

When talking about Nottingham Forest, there is one story that grabs most of the attention right now amid Nuno Espirito Santo and company returning for pre-season.

Following his excellent return last campaign, Anthony Elanga is travelling to undergo a medical at Newcastle United after both clubs agreed on a fee for the Sweden international.

Taking to social media platform X, Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie added: “Anthony Elanga is costing Newcastle £52m + £3m in add-ons (told those are difficult to achieve). The winger is currently on his way to Newcastle for his medical which is booked in to begin this (Tuesday) evening.”

Manchester United will inherit £6-7 million due to their sell-on clause for Elanga, who came through the ranks at Old Trafford, though Nottingham Forest are already profiling replacements and Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman is on their radar.

Intriguingly, Lyon’s Malick Fofana remains on the Tricky Trees’ radar, but Chelsea, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Napoli will provide stiff competition for his signature.

Nottingham Forest could land a better signing than Weah in £21m "mosquito"

Nuno Espirito Santo is looking to sign a Brazilian winger

ByRoss Kilvington Jun 29, 2025

Plates are beginning to spin as Nottingham Forest look to enjoy another season exceeding expectations, while the added carrot of Europa Conference League football at the City Ground could give them an edge when it comes to acquiring fresh blood.

Losing Elanga will come as a bitter blow, but sound recruitment in the East Midlands has propelled Nuno’s men into challenging the Premier League elite, and they could now be about to make a transfer statement.

Nottingham Forest to open talks for Johan Bakayoko

According to The Telegraph, Nottingham Forest are set to open talks to sign PSV Eindhoven winger Johan Bakayoko with Elanga headed for Tyneside.

The Belgium international is viewed as a ‘top target’ at the City Ground and is part of a wider plan behind the scenes to bring in two wide players this summer to bolster the manager’s pool of options.

Anthony Elanga in 2024/25 – Premier League

Goals

6

Assists

11

Chances created

50

Completed dribbles

25

Successful crosses

43

Johan Bakayoko in 2024/25 – Eredivisie

Goals

9

Assists

1

Chances created

36

Completed dribbles

47

Successful crosses

21

Comparing well in direct comparison to Elanga, his profile appears to synchronise with Nottingham Forest’s style of play, even if the Swede is more of a creator while Bakayoko finds himself amongst the goals more often.

He was even previously a Newcastle target before they opted to sign Elanga, with the Magpies seeing him as a cheaper alternative, so it’s clear they possess similar attributes and both have room to develop further.

Intriguingly, the 22-year-old only has one year left on his deal at Philips Stadion, which could be a useful bargaining chip for the Tricky Trees if negotiations are to progress.

PSV are likely to demand £30 million for their star man, which would be a record total for Nottingham Forest if they were to press ahead. However, Bakayoko is definitely affordable and appears primed for a shot at the Premier League.

Nottingham Forest are now willing to make a £21m bid for a “superb” midfielder, which would be enough to get a deal over the line, according to a report.

Forest eyeing new signings amid Elanga uncertainty

After making an unexpected push for the Champions League places last season, there was also going to be interest in some of Forest’s best-performing players this summer, and the future of Anthony Elanga remains very much up in the air.

Newcastle United, who pipped the Tricky Trees to a fifth-place finish, are now thought to be closing in on a move for Elanga, which would be a major blow, given that the Sweden international amassed 17 Premier League goal contributions in the 2024-25 campaign.

As such, Nuno has been running the rule over potential replacements for the winger, with FC Porto’s Pepe believed to be of interest, having held talks over a deal for the 28-year-old, while Juventus’ Timothy Weah has turned down a move to the City Ground.

Nottingham Forest set to make £20m+ move for EURO 2024 Golden Boot winner

Nottingham Forest have joined the race to sign a promising young striker.

By
Brett Worthington

Jun 30, 2025

Having missed out on Weah, Nottingham Forest have now turned their attentions to another Serie A player, with a report from Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness) revealing they are now willing to make a €25m (£21m) offer for AC Milan midfielder Yunus Musah.

Musah is described as being one of the key candidates to leave Milan, with the Italian club looking to raise funds for their own transfer business, and a move to the City Ground could be on the cards, as there is a belief he could shine in the Premier League.

Milan would be likely to accept a £21m offer, but there is set to be competition for the central midfielder’s signature, with Wolverhampton Wanderers also willing to make a bid of the same value.

"Superb" Musah could flourish at Forest

Despite being just 22-years-old, the maestro already has plenty of experience in some major European leagues, making 108 appearances with Valencia, before going on to receive regular game time with current club AC Milan.

During that time, the USA international has displayed his versatility, predominantly featuring in central midfield, but also playing on both wings, perhaps due to his stellar dribbling ability, ranking in the 93rd percentile for successful take-ons per 90 over the past year.

Scout Jacek Kulig also lauded the American for his “superb” performances at the 2022 World Cup, showcasing his ability to perform at the top level, which could make the Milan ace a solid signing for a Forest side with aspirations of competing in Europe.

Nuno’s side should be wary of Wolves’ interest, but Europa Conference League football being on offer at the City Ground next season could give them an edge in negotiations for Musah.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta and his ‘scattergun’ approach to the transfer window continues, with a fresh report claiming that discussions are now being held over a marquee Serie A star.

Related Arsenal told key Benjamin Sesko transfer condition as agent makes statement

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jun 19, 2025

Berta operates a different transfer strategy to his predecessor, Edu. Rather than identifying one key target to seriously pursue, the Italian is known to work on numerous deals simultaneously before landing on the best one for a key position.

“The best way of describing it is that Andrea Berta’s approach is different to Edu. If he was going to a party, he would lay out three or four outfits, try them all on and finally decide what to wear,” said reliable journalist Ben Jacobs on talkSPORT recently.

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)

Money on new signings

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

“With this race for a number nine, what’s happening is that both deals, for Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres, are being advanced or ‘tried on’ before a bid is made. Andrea Berta is out in the market, effectively lining up both deals, whereas Edu tended to pick one and be very meticulous, and then discreetly try and get it over the line, often with a series of bids.

“It was either a very smart tactic because Arsenal had confidence that they would get that man, or it dragged on, and we got more summer sagas. We won’t see that with Andrea Berta.”

This was echoed by Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg last month, who revealed that Berta held talks over “numerous” transfer targets for the wide area.

Recent reports from Turkey state that one of the many wingers on Berta’s Arsenal radar is Juventus sensation Kenan Yildiz.

Yildiz was said to have emerged as a “prime” Arsenal target recently, and a further update has now come to light on their interest.

Arsenal in discussions with Juventus over signing Kenan Yildiz

As per news outlet Juve FC, the Turkey international commands a valuation of around £85 million, following an excellent 2024/2025 campaign where he finished the Serie A campaign as the Old Lady’s best-performer by average match rating, according to WhoScored.

It’s also reported that Arsenal have entered discussions with Juventus over signing Yildiz, despite their unwillingness to sell the 20-year-old, as they also try to tie him down with a new deal which could run until 2031.

Juve view Yildiz as a future star and cornerstone of Igor Tudor’s team, while the player himself isn’t exactly chomping at the bit to leave either, despite some contact made with his “close” circle.

The Turk is currently starring at the Club World Cup for Juve, scoring in their 5-0 win over Al Ain, and with £97 million worth of prize money on offer to the victors, Tudor won’t want to lose one of his star men before the tournament ends.

As good a team as Arsenal are, there has been one key factor in their failure to get over the line in the last few years: a lack of genuine attacking threat across the whole frontline.

Now, nobody can question the incredible talismanic abilities of Bukayo Saka, but it has to be said that down the middle and increasingly off the left, the North Londoners are lacking.

For example, despite them still being second in the Premier League, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Newcastle United have all scored more than them.

So, with that in mind, it’s not a surprise to see the team linked to an array of incredible wingers, including one who has won comparisons to the likes of Vinícius Junior and Lamine Yamal.

Arsenal transfer targets

The last few weeks have seen Arsenal linked with a whole host of incredible stars, so before getting to the player in question, it’s worth taking a look at some of their other supposed targets, like Rayan Cherki and Liam Delap.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The former could be available for around £30m this summer, so that, combined with his ability to play in multiple positions and brilliant haul of 31 goal involvements in 42 games this season, makes signing him feel like a no-brainer.

It’s a similar situation regarding Delap, as even though he’s not been quite as prolific, he’s still been able to amass an impressive tally of 12 goals and two assists in just 34 top-flight games this season, so his £30m release clause also feels too good to pass up on.

However, while both players have an immense amount of potential, Arteta and Co might be after someone already near the pinnacle of his game, someone like Rafael Leão.

Yes, according to a report from Spain last month, Arsenal are one of several teams keen on the AC Milan superstar ahead of the summer transfer window.

However, the North Londoners are not alone in their appreciation for the Portuguse superstar, as a more recent report from Caught Offside has also credited Chelsea with an interest in the winger, who they claim could be available for as little as €75m, which is about £64m.

It would be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Leão’s immense ability, one well worth fighting for, especially as he’s won comparisons to Yamal and Vinicius in the past.

How Leão compares to Vinicius and Yamal

So, before we get into the other reasons why Arsenal should be going all out to sign Leão this summer, it’s worth addressing these comparisons to Vinicius and Yamal and where they come from.

Well, in this instance, they stem from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, and then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one.

In this instance, they have concluded that the Real Madrid star is the second most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Milan star across all of those competitions, while the Barcelona star has been ranked as the seventh most similar in this season’s Champions League.

Expected Assists

0.24

0.25

Goals per Shot

0.13

0.12

Goals per Shot on Target

0.30

0.31

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.32

0.31

Successful Take-ons

2.85

3.06

Live Passes

31.5

33.1

The best way to see how these conclusions have been reached is to look at the players’ underlying numbers and find the metrics in which they rank closely.

In the case of Vinicius, those metrics include things like expected passes, goals per shot and shots on target, crosses into the penalty area, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Expected Assists

0.23

0.20

Passing Accuracy

74.1%

74.5%

Key Passes

1.14

1.15

Successful Take-ons

4.43

4.59

Carries into the Final Third

3.64

3.44

For the comparison with Barça’s young superstar, the metrics include things like passing accuracy, expected assists, carries into the final third, key passes, successful take-ons, and more, all per 90.

The fact the 25-year-old shares an ability to take players on and beat them with two of the best players in the game is hardly surprising, as FBref place him in the top 4% of wingers for successful take-ons in Europe’s top five leagues, and The Athletic’s Alex Barker has called him “one of the best dribblers in the world.”

Finally, away from the incredibly flattering and promising comparisons, another reason Arteta should go out and sign the former LOSC Lille star is his output.

So far this season, the Almada-born dynamo has scored 12 goals and provided 13 assists in 48 appearances, which works out to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.92 games – something the Gunners could really do with off the left.

Ultimately, while it wouldn’t be cheap, Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign Leão once the window opens, as his output and technical mastery could help propel the club to glory.

Kai Havertz upgrade: Arsenal send scouts for "unpredictable" goal machine

The free-scoring forward could be just what Arsenal need.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 9, 2025

Manchester United have now moved ahead of their rivals in the race for an “incredible” striker, having submitted an enticing offer, according to a report.

Man Utd stepping up striker pursuit

Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee once again failed to make an impact at the weekend, with Man United succumbing to a 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United, and it is now looking increasingly likely a new striker will be brought in this summer.

The Red Devils are considering a number of options from within the Premier League, with talks recently being opened over a deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha, who has a release clause of £62.5m.

Ruben Amorim’s side are also becoming more confident they would be able to sign Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta this summer, should they make a move, and they have now expressed a concrete interest in signing the 27-year-old.

Man Utd making moves to sign "incredible" assist king for bargain £20m fee

The Red Devils are in pursuit of a playmaker, who is set to leave his club on the cheap this summer.

ByDominic Lund Apr 15, 2025

However, Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap has been identified as Man United’s top striker target for the summer, following his breakout season with the Tractor Boys, and there has now been a positive update on their pursuit of the Englishman.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, United have now surged ahead of rival suitors in the race for Delap, given that the offer they have made is “far more solid” than Chelsea’s, which could play a crucial role in deciding the striker’s future.

Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Everton have also been named as potential suitors for the forward, whose agent has fielded a number of calls in recent weeks, but it appears as though the Red Devils are now leading the race for his signature.

Interestingly, the Ipswich star will remain keen on a move to Old Trafford regardless of whether European football is on offer next season.

"Incredible" Delap could be fantastic signing

Ipswich are almost certain to be relegated from the Championship, but it cannot be put down to a lack of effort on their striker’s behalf, having netted 12 Premier League goals.

That total is very impressive, given that the 22-year-old is playing for a side now 14 points from safety, and he has received high praise from reporter Alex Howell, who described him as “incredible” back in March.

Not only has the Winchester-born striker displayed a keen eye for goal, but he has showcased his ability to drive at opposition defences, ranking in the 90th percentile for successful take-ons, and the 86th percentile for progressive carries per 90 over the past year.

It is well-documented that Man United may not have a great deal of money to spend this summer, given their financial issues, which could make Delap the perfect addition at striker, considering he is set to be available for just £30m.

A report in the aftermath of Tottenham’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge claims that Daniel Levy is preparing to move for Ange Postecoglou’s replacement, following what was a sorry evening for the Australian.

Ange accused of row with Spurs supporters during Chelsea loss

Spurs succumbed to their sixteenth defeat of the Premier League campaign against Chelsea, with Enzo Fernández’s only goal of the game putting Postecoglou further on course to become the club’s worst-ever manager in the competition’s history.

Tottenham eyeing Ange Postecoglou replacement who Jurgen Klopp really likes

The Australian has opened up about his future at the club this week.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 3, 2025

Last season, the former Celtic boss actually broke the record for best start made by a new manager since the Premier League’s inception, but now he’s on the verge of a far less impressive record following a real transformation from hero to zero.

Southampton (home)

April 6th

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

The Lilywhites have coped with serious injury problems throughout 2024/2025 which have debilitated Postecoglou’s options, decreasing the chances of him making a success of this campaign, but there is also an argument to be made that the results still haven’t been good enough.

Postecoglou didn’t do himself any favours after instigating a row with Tottenham supporters on Thursday evening either. The 59-year-old cupped his ear to the Spurs’ away end when Pape Matar Sarr notched a brief equaliser against Chelsea, only for the goal to be ruled out for a foul in the build-up, and this was in response to boos over his decision to bring the Senegalese on in place of Lucas Bergvall.

Following the backlash, Postecoglou denied that was why he signaled the Spurs supporters.

“It’s incredible how things get interpreted,” Postecoglou said in a post-match press conference. “We’d just scored, I just wanted to hear them cheer. Because we’d been through a tough time, and I thought it was a cracking goal. I wanted them to get really excited.

“I felt at that point we could potentially go on and win the game. I just felt momentum was on our [side]. It doesn’t bother me, it’s not the first time they’ve booed my substitutions or my decisions, that’s fine, they’re allowed to do that. But we’d just scored a goal, just scored an equaliser, I was just hoping we could get some excitement.”

In any case, pressure is still mounting on the Tottenham manager, and an update has come to light on their links to Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola.

Tottenham preparing to move for Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola

According to TEAMtalk, Spurs are preparing to make a move for Iraola, and they regard the Spaniard as an “elite” young manager following his impressive campaign in the Cherries dugout.

Tottenham also believe they could “build a Premier League-winning side” with Iraola in charge, but they still have to convince him of the project.

He remains the top candidate to replace Postecoglou, following previous reports that Tottenham have Iraola as their top managerial target, and rumours of the 42-year-old’s potential switch to London look as if they will only intensify.

As well as Iraola, Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi, Fulham’s Marco Silva, Brentford’s Thomas Frank and ex-Dortmund boss Edin Terzic have all been linked in recent months.

Batting form is a major concern, yet his importance as a captain and bowler shines through on critical day four

Vithushan Ehantharajah13-Jul-20252:16

Trescothick: It’s going to be an amazing final day

Nebulous sporting magic – or , if you will – is not unlike energy. Not created or destroyed, merely changed from one form to another.The quantity of such magic remains constant in an athlete’s lifetime. But the areas it influences shift, and given the nature of some pursuits – such as, say, being an allrounder who just happens to also be Test captain – often irrevocably.”Who else but Ben Stokes?” That clichéd sentiment passed through the minds and perhaps even the lips of the 26,569 spectators here at Lord’s, to cheer or bemoan his last-over dismissal of nightwatcher Akash Deep. The manner of it added fuel to the notion that games of cricket bend to Stokes’ whim. Even if this was merely a case of getting one to go down the slope to a bloke with a batting average of 8.09.Related

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With that final ball of day four, Stokes has put England on a level footing going into Monday, in front of a sold-out Lord’s. It was a statement clonk that took him to nine wickets in the series at 32.33.It is the most he has taken in 11 previous series, the result of a new left knee and a more robust recovery after a second tear of his right hamstring. The last time he took more wickets was his ten against South Africa in 2022, his second series as captain, in the early stages of his emergence as one of the most astute leaders England have ever had.Beyond his ability to lift those around him as a talisman, however, is Stokes’ acumen in the field that can, at times, feel like throwing leg slips at the wall and seeing what sticks. And yet, at moments such as the final throes of Sunday’s play, his feel for the game deserves praise, eclipsing those of previous England captains of the modern era.Granted, he might have been better served opening with Brydon Carse instead of Chris Woakes. But the decision, in the day’s final half-an-hour, to bring Carse and himself on to replace Woakes and Jofra Archer, came with an extra tick when Stokes chose to put Carse on from the Pavilion End.It was from the Nursery End that Jasprit Bumrah had unearthed a patch of uneven bounce. Yet, the three wickets that England claimed with this double-change – two to Carse in a stirring spell of 4-1-11-2 – highlighted Stokes’ sharp reading of the contest. The slope – left to right from the Pavilion End – suited Carse’s methods better, rather than the vague promise of some variations up-and-down. Let’s not forget, Bumrah took more of Crawley’s fingers than wickets.Ben Stokes was knocked over by Washington Sundar•Getty ImagesWith Stokes’ bowling trending back towards his previous heights circa 2019, and his captaincy remaining steadily impressive, perhaps it is no surprise his batting seems to have lost that spark. There is only so much juju to go around.What was confronting about Stokes’ innings today was that the situation seemed primed for the latest volume in his “who writes his scripts?” anthology. He was England’s last hope – and their last recognised batter – in a quest for an iron-clad winning score, yet he was bowled by a broadly innocuous offspinning delivery from Washington Sundar. An attempt at a visceral slog-sweep ended in an apologetic whimper.The slog-sweep is a familiar club in Stokes’ bag. Not quite a calling card, more of an easter egg amid his epics. Here in 2019, for instance, batting at the same end from which he was dismissed on Sunday, he dumped Trent Boult over midwicket at the critical juncture – 15 needed off four balls – of the World Cup final. That same side was peppered four years later in a hellacious 155 against Australia. Now, the shot is an appropriate sherpa down through Stokes’ batting decline. He boasted a scoreline of 111 for 2 from 32 attempts at the shot in Test cricket between the start of the 2019 up to the 2022 summer. Ever since the start of Bazball, however, he has tried it 26 further times, scoring just 59 for the loss of six.Ben Stokes struck on the last ball of the day•Getty ImagesThe nature of this most recent dismissal also gave a new twist on the Stokes meme machine. His knack for making good balls look great – wide-eyed and open mouthed, stunned at a delivery that probably just seamed a bit – is rich online fodder. Now, however, the decent balls are being played badly.As it was in 2022, when he charged out of the blocks in his first series to show his teammates that flying close to the sun was cool, Stokes’ third second-innings 33 of the series – this one the slowest, from 96 balls – felt like an extension of England’s second-innings approach. Stunted, a lot of huff and a little confused.Their run rate across the whole match – 3.31 – is now England’s slowest in a home Test in the Bazball era, knocking the very first match of the McCullum-Stokes axis – also at Lord’s, against New Zealand – off top spot. Being an inspiring figure works both ways.It is important, however, not to simply attribute Stokes’ average of 24.57 from four Tests this summer – including one against Zimbabwe – as a loss of magic. To do so simplifies the issue, which is that he has just not batted enough.1:20

Manjrekar: Lord’s Test 70-30 in England’s favour

Sunday’s knock was his seventh of the year. He could have had more, either for Durham in the County Championship, or for England Lions in the lead-up to the series, when he had fully recovered from the hamstring tear sustained at the end of the New Zealand tour in December.Of course, there are only so many hours in the day, and so much a body can take, even after such tailored reinforcement. Stokes maintains, at the age of the 34, that recovery is his biggest focus around Test matches.Thus, it seems batting is now third on his list of priorities. Even though Stokes has vociferously hit back at the suggestion, his numbers against spin bowling – which requires the most work behind the scenes to improve – paint a clear picture. Since the start of 2024, his average of 19.11 is the second lowest, after R Ashwin’s 16.50, for batters who have faced more than 300 deliveries of spin.Whether that eventually means a slide down the order remains to be seen. It likely won’t, given the England management are impressed with how comfortable Jamie Smith has been at No.7.Even though Stokes’ lack of runs might have cost England a shot at resting easier overnight, they will arrive on day five with a 2-1 lead in their grasp, thanks in no small part to his bowling and captaincy. And that is how it is likely to be for what remains of his career.

Individual brilliance and a few incredible selection gambles have helped Australia reach the World Cup final after a disastrous start

Alex Malcolm18-Nov-2023Australia have won eight matches in a row to reach yet another World Cup final. It has been a remarkable turnaround after a disastrous lead-in to the tournament and a poor start to the campaign itself. They had lost five of their last six ODIs heading into the event and were comprehensively beaten in their opening two matches of the tournament itself. They have managed to turn it around in stunning fashion, thanks to some amazing individual performances and a couple of incredible selection gambles. Here is how it has all come together.

Problematic preparation and early losses

Australia’s start to the tournament could not have been worse. Having lost three games to South Africa and two more to India to lose back-to-back series in the lead-in to the tournament, nothing was going right.Travis Head was at home nursing a broken hand. Australia’s second spinner Ashton Agar had been ruled out of the tournament and they opted to replace him with a specialist batter in Marnus Labuschagne, who had not been named in the initial 18-man squad. Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc and Steven Smith were all underdone due to injury-riddled preparations. Marcus Stoinis had a hamstring issue. Adam Zampa was sore and ill. Cameron Green and Alex Carey were out of form and Pat Cummins had captained just two ODIs in his career heading into the World Cup.Related

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They limped to 199 in the opening game against India. There was a moment where they could have had India 20 for 4, but Mitchell Marsh dropped Virat Kohli and India cruised to victory. Against South Africa they were annihilated, conceding 311 for 7 and making just 177 in reply. Australia’s tournament looked all but over when Sri Lanka cantered to 125 without loss after 21 overs in their third game in Lucknow.

Zampa, Cummins, Warner and Marsh spark them to life

It took four players to spark the turnaround, but the transformation was swift and startling. Cummins bowled a spell that breathed life into his side, removing Sri Lanka’s two openers. Zampa then got to work. Having been hampered by shoulder and neck issues, all while battling illness, he shook them off and showed why Australia’s selectors had faith that he could carry the spin load just as he did in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Zampa went on a tear taking four wickets in three consecutive games. He then became the first player in ODI World Cup history to take three wickets or more in five consecutive games.Adam Zampa has picked up 22 wickets heading into the World Cup final•AFP/Getty ImagesEven while Australia’s quicks had trouble making inroads in the first powerplay, Zampa consistently pulled games back for them. He has 22 wickets in this tournament which is a significant achievement. Only Muthiah Muralidaran has taken more as a spinner in an ODI World Cup. David Warner also played his part in the turnaround in both the field and with the bat. He first took two exceptional catches in the outfield off Cummins and Zampa against Sri Lanka to snap Australia out of their uncharacteristic fielding malaise. He and Marsh then sprung to life with the bat.Marsh made an important half-century against Sri Lanka to set up the chase. They then made a statement against Pakistan with twin centuries in a stunning 259-run opening stand. Warner continued his rampant run with another rollicking hundred against the Netherlands and 81 against New Zealand. The 37-year-old proved why he’s one of Australia’s greatest ODI players ever and one of the best World Cup performers in history.Travis Head had to miss the first half of the tournament due to a broken hand•Associated Press

Head gamble pays dividends

Picking Head in the 15-man squad when he was unavailable for Australia’s first five games due to a broken hand could have been a disastrous gamble if Australia had not recovered from their first two losses. But even having done so, the form of the Warner-Marsh combination at the top of the order and the fact that Australia had scored 350-plus in consecutive games did spark some different questions when Head finally returned.Smith made his displeasure about shifting to No. 4 known while Marsh would have also preferred to remain at the top. But Head proved why the selectors had shown faith in him in his first game back, smacking a stunning 59-ball century against New Zealand in a vicious assault with Warner. Australia’s long-term plan to pulverize their opponents in the powerplay with the use of three power-hitters in Head, Warner and Marsh was back in place. However, it did take a little while to gel properly.Marsh had trouble readjusting to life at No. 3 against New Zealand and then missed the match against England due to the death of his grandfather. Head missed out several times as the top order misfired against Afghanistan. But it finally clicked against Bangladesh. Head fell cheaply again but Marsh picked up the slack with a thumping 177 not out. Then in the semi-final, in a low-scoring game on a tricky pitch, Head proved again why his role is so vital, picking up two crucial wickets with the ball and then putting Australia ahead of the game with a blistering half-century that allowed some room for a middle-order wobble.

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The fastest century in World Cup history was not enough for Maxwell. He somehow trumped his 40-ball century against the Netherlands with the greatest ODI innings of all-time against Afghanistan. Words can’t do justice to his 201 not out off 128 balls. Australia were on 49 for 4 in the ninth over when Maxwell arrived at the crease in chase of 292. His epic innings sealed Australia’s semi-final spot and proved that they can always find a way to win, given the quality of match-winners they possess.Maxwell is the most extraordinary of them and has been a vital cog for Australia with both bat and ball. He has bowled superbly throughout as the second spinner and their bankable fifth bowler. Australia looked unbalanced and vulnerable at times without him in their wins over England and Bangladesh. He will be critical to their success in the final and is a player India do fear.

Starc stands up

Starc was under some pressure heading into the semi-final. He had been a World Cup wonder in the last two editions of the tournament but had hardly fired a shot in this campaign and Australia had been one of the worst-performing powerplay bowling teams as a result. But cometh the hour, cometh the knockout king. Starc sizzled and South Africa were stunned.Starc and Josh Hazlewood loom as India’s biggest threat. They reduced India to 2 for 3 in the opening game of the tournament and Starc blew away India’s impregnable top order in Visakhapatnam earlier this year. He’s taken out the opposition captain and tone-setter in the first over of the World Cup final before. He will be aiming to do it again.