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A look at all six men’s squads ahead of the tenth edition of the competition

Deivarayan Muthu29-Aug-20222:48

Dwayne Bravo backs Patriots to defend their CPL title

Trinbago Knight Riders

Coach: Abhishek Nayar
Captain: Kieron Pollard
Overseas players: Colin Munro and Tim Seifert (both New Zealand), Ali Khan (USA), Maheesh Theekshana and Seekkuge Prasanna (both Sri Lanka), Daryn Dupavillon (South Africa)In 2020, when Brendon McCullum was in charge of Knight Riders, he stated that they could be “highly competitive” against any franchise in T20 cricket. This year, Knight Riders have got even stronger with the return of West Indies’ white-ball captain Nicholas Pooran and the inclusion of Andre Russell. Notably, having represented Jamaica Tallwahs for eight years since 2013, this will be the first time that Russell will be the CPL in colours that aren’t from his home country. And judging by his with six sixes in a row in the 6IXTY, he looks in fine form.Related

• CPL week one: Bravo's Patriots outplayed, Powell's class act, Hosein's injury scare

• Experience gives Pollard's Knight Riders the edge, Bravo expects Patriots to build on recent gains

• Shimron Hetmyer named Guyana Amazon Warriors captain

• CPL 2022: De Kock and Miller join Royals, Amir to turn out for Tallawahs

• Chris Gayle opts out of CPL 2022, turns focus to 6ixty

The presence of Sunil Narine, captain Kieron Pollard and Colin Munro, the top scorer in the CPL among all overseas players, make Knight Riders a star-studded line-up. However, that alone can’t guarantee success as they found out last season, suffering an early exit after losing the semi-final to St Lucia Kings.Mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana is currently with the Sri Lanka side in the UAE for the Asia Cup and will link up with the squad after that tournament. Knight Riders, though, will have the all-round services of another Sri Lankan: Seekkuge Prasanna who has played for them in the past. USA quick Ali Khan, who is working his way back from a fractured forearm he suffered during the T20 World Cup qualifier in July, missed the 6IXTY and if he doesn’t regain fitness in time, South African quick Daryn Dupavillon could be the overseas fast bowler for Knight Riders at the CPL.Verdict: Pollard’s men have nearly all bases covered once again and with the homecoming of Pooran and the addition of Russell, they are the favourites along with St Kitts & Nevis Patriots.Possible XI: 1 Tion Webster, 2 Tim Seifert (wk), 3 Colin Munro, 4 Nicholas Pooran, 5 Kieron Pollard (capt), 6 Andre Russell, 7 Seekkuge Prasanna/Maheesh Theekshana, 8 Sunil Narine, 9 Akeal Hosein, 10 Anderson Phillip, 11 Ravi Rampaul/Daryn DupavillonESPNcricinfo Ltd

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots

Coach: Simon Helmot
Captain: Dwayne Bravo
Overseas players: Wanindu Hasaranga and Akila Dananjaya (both from Sri Lanka), Dwaine Pretorius, Duan Jansen and Dewald Brevis (all from South Africa), Qasim Akram (Pakistan), Izharulhaq Naveed (Afghanistan)Having completed the double of winning CPL 2021 and the inaugural men’s 6IXTY, Dwayne Bravo’s Patriots are the team to beat this CPL. Helmot and Bravo know how to win titles, having also done so at Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel, and have created a team environment that nurtures youngsters.Chris Gayle, however, has opted out of the tournament, having turned all his focus to the 6IXTY. Evin Lewis is back in action after having been omitted from West Indies’ recent white-ball squads on fitness grounds. Andre Fletcher, who has moved from Kings, will partner Lewis at the top, with both batters looking to press their cases for T20 World Cup selection.Sherfane Rutherford and Dominic Drakes, the Player of the Match in the 2021 CPL final, lend depth to the line-up. Darren Bravo will reunite with his brother Dwayne at Patriots after they played together at TKR. However, it remains to be seen whether their powerplay specialist Sheldon Cottrell has recovered well enough from injury to take a first-team role. The left-arm seamer has not played a competitive game since February 2022.Wanindu Hasaranga, who is currently with Sri Lanka at the Asia Cup, Izharulhaq Naveed, the 18-year-old Afghanistan legspinner, Dwayne Bravo and Dwaine Pretorius could be particularly effective once the pitches get slower. Naveed has played only 10 T20s so far but has already got a taste of the big leagues. Earlier this year, he was at the IPL with Royal Challengers Bangalore as a net bowler and more recently he was picked up by Sydney Sixers in the BBL draft.Verdict: Patriots look good for a three-peat: CPL 2021, 6IXTY 2022, CPL 2022.Possible XI: 1 Evin Lewis, 2 Andre Fletcher, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 Joshua da Silva (wk), 6 Sherfane Rutherford, 7 Dwayne Bravo (capt), 8 Dominic Drakes, 9 Jon-Russ Jaggesar/Izharulhaq Naveed, 10 Sheldon Cottrell, 11 Duan Jansen/Akila DananjayaFaf du Plessis is among the experienced players in the St Lucia Kings side•CPL T20/ Getty Images

St Lucia Kings

Coach: Daren Sammy
Captain: Faf du Plessis
Overseas players: Faf du Plessis (South Africa), Tim David (Australia), David Wiese (Namibia), Scott Kuggeleijn (New Zealand)Kings have plenty of substance in their batting line-up led by the vastly experienced Faf du Plessis and the in-form Tim David, but the bowling attack appears squishy. They couldn’t hold onto the likes of Obed McCoy and Keemo Paul and they also lack a quality spinner although Roston Chase’s offspin can be handy in slow and low conditions (there is a cloud over his fitness though). So, the onus will be on IPL 2022 winner Alzarri Joseph and CPL 2020 top wicket-taker Scott Kuggeleijn to carry Kings’ attack.Verdict: Kings seem over-reliant on their overseas stars and might struggle to make the playoffs this time, unless of course, Sammy and du Plessis pull off a miracle.Possible XI: 1 Johnson Charles (wk), 2 Faf du Plessis (capt), 3 Roshun Primus/Ackeem Auguste/Rivaldo Clarke, 4 Roston Chase, 5 Tim David, 6 Mark Deyal, 7 David Wiese, 8 Jeavor Royal, 9 Scott Kuggeleijn, 10 Alzarri Joseph, 11 Kesrick Williams

Guyana Amazon Warriors

Coach: Rayon Griffith
Captain: Shimron Hetmyer
Overseas players: Imran Tahir, Tabraiz Shamsi, Colin Ingram and Heinrich Klaasen (all from South Africa), Paul Stirling (Ireland), Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)Shimron Hetmyer is set for his CPL captaincy debut, six years after he led West Indies to the Under-19 World Cup triumph in Bangladesh. There is no Pooran for Guyana Amazon Warriors, but Ireland opener Paul Stirling could bend attacks out of shape in the powerplay and Heinrich Klaasen is a good player of spin in the middle. Seam-bowling allrounder Keemo Paul has returned to the franchise, joining forces with Romario Shepherd and Odean Smith.Amazon Warriors’ biggest strength is the depth and variety in their spin attack. South Africa left-arm wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi is back with the tournament that put him on the map. Then there are Imran Tahir (legspinner) and a trio of left-arm fingerspinners – Gudakesh Motie, Veerasammy Permaul, and Shakib Al Hasan (who will likely fill in for Shamsi once he leaves the tournament midway).It will also be interesting to see whether fast bowler Ronsford Beaton can still be penetrative after having corrected his bowling action. The 29-year-old was suspended from bowling in November 2019 and has played only three games (all in the recent 6IXTY) since.Verdict: If the batters back up the spinners, Amazon Warriors could break their knockouts jinx.Possible XI: 1 Chandrapaul Hemraj, 2 Paul Stirling, 3 Jermaine Blackwood, 4 Shimron Hetmyer (capt), 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 Odean Smith, 7 Romario Shepherd, 8 Keemo Paul, 9 Ronsford Beaton/Gudakesh Motie, 10 Tabraiz Shamsi, 11 Imran TahirAndre Russell’s move to Knight Riders has created a void in the Jamaica Tallawahs’ line-up•Randy Brooks – CPL T20 / Getty

Jamaica Tallawahs

Coach: Shivnarine Chanderpaul
Captain: Rovman Powell
Overseas players: Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal), Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir (both from Pakistan), Migael Pretorius (South Africa), Chris Green (Australia)Andre Russell’s move to Knight Riders has created a massive void in the Tallawahs’ line-up, but it offers a chance for captain Rovman Powell to step up and carve out his own identity. There is a rich local Jamaican flavour in the squad in the form of Powell himself, Brandon King, who has shifted from Amazon Warriors, Fabian Allen, who has moved from Patriots and Kennar Lewis.Allen, who returns to top-flight cricket after a personal break, could potentially be their finisher while Imad Wasim could be used as a floater, his left-handedness a useful weapon against opposition spin bowlers.Sandeep Lamichhane and Chris Green often function on auto-pilot in the CPL, so regularly have they been here. Migael Pretorius could be the seam-bowling enforcer for Tallawahs.Verdict: Tallawahs have often adopted a top-heavy, boom-or-bust approach with the bat lately and this season is no different. They continue to be unpredictable.Possible XI: 1 Brandon King, 2 Amir Jangoo (wk), 3 Shamarh Brooks/Kennar Lewis, 4 Rovman Powell, 5 Fabian Allen, 6 Imad Wasim, 7 Chris Green, 8 Raymon Reifer, 9 Joshua James/Marquino Mindley, 10 Sandeep Lamichhane, 11 Migael Pretorius/Mohammad Amir

Barbados Royals

Coach: Trevor Penney
Captain: David Miller
Overseas players: David Miller, Quinton de Kock, Corbin Bosch (all from South Africa), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan), Harry Tector (Ireland), Azam Khan (Pakistan)After having finished rock bottom in CPL 2021, the only way for Barbados Royals is up. They have now put together a more dynamic batting line-up that will be led by David Miller, who is perhaps in the form of his life, and Quinton de Kock. Miller also takes over as captain from Jason Holder while Rahkeem Cornwall has joined Royals from Kings.Pakistan’s Azam Khan, the son of Moin Khan, could slot in as a middle-order spin-hitter after having obtained an NOC from the PCB. Devon Thomas will likely float in the line-up and will look to push his case as a back-up keeper to Pooran for the forthcoming T20 World Cup. This CPL will also be a vital tournament, in terms of national selection, for legspinner Hayden Walsh Jr. who leaked runs in his recent international outings against New Zealand and India.Verdict: Royals have pedigree with the bat, but their hit-or-miss bowling attack might peg them back.Possible XI: 1 Quinton de Kock, 2 Kyle Mayers, 3 Rahkeem Cornwall, 4 David Miller (capt), 5 Devon Thomas (wk), 6 Azam Khan, 7 Jason Holder, 8 Corbin Bosch/Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 9 Obed McCoy, 10 Oshane Thomas/Joshua Bishop, 11 Hayden Walsh Jr.

Do you come out of the gates swinging, or take your time to soak the pressure?

Saurabh Somani27-Oct-2020In the year 2048, when T20 cricket has been around long enough to no longer be regarded as a new format, every T20 team might have the equivalent of one Virat Kohli, two Andre Russells, two Kieron Pollards and two Hardik Pandyas in their top seven. A brutally efficient line-up to maximise a limited resource: the number of balls available in an innings.That’s for the future. On Monday, when Kolkata Knight Riders took on Kings XI Punjab, the game showed it still had space for a variety of batting modes.The Morgan-Gill adrenaline rush
They came together with the score reading 10 for 3 in two overs. Know why that was worse for the Knight Riders? Because the batsmen slated to come in next were Sunil Narine, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Pat Cummins. The Knight Riders’ batting stopped at No.5, and then fell off a cliff.The thing with T20 cricket is, that cliff is not too high and has a sandy beach as a landing pad. You’d rather not fall, but the risk of grave injury is considerably lesser. It doesn’t matter if you are three down in two overs; you still have seven wickets and 18 overs to play with. That’s not a method that is yet popular even in the IPL, the most competitive and intense league in the cricket world with a collection of the game’s best brains in various franchises. Players still feel the need to ‘rebuild’ if, for example, they’ve lost three wickets in a powerplay. Eoin Morgan and Shubman Gill didn’t, though. They didn’t care that there were no proper batsmen to come after them, or about the wickets lost earlier. If the bowler bowled a ball they thought they could hit, they went for it.For 7.5 overs and 81 runs, they put on an exhilarating show that was pure T20 batting: a premium on maximising runs per balls rather than preserving wickets. Morgan’s game seems more suited to that anyway, but Gill showed that he too had this gear. In fact, he outpaced Morgan during their partnership – Morgan’s 40 runs came off 25 balls; Gill scored 40 too, but off 22 balls.Chris Gayle goes big against spin•BCCI”The plan was to show some good intent. If we get the ball in our areas, we are going to hit it,” Gill would say later at the press conference.It didn’t result in a win, but that stand gave the Knight Riders a decent total to defend. ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster tool, which is built using past matches data and adjusted for the particular 22 players involved in that game, had the Knight Riders total pegged at 103 when they had lost their third wicket. If Morgan and Gill had gone about the innings in the traditional way, playing non-attacking cricket, that could have well been the region of their final score. But by playing the way they did, the changed the equation, they forced the bowlers off set game-plans, and they dictated the pace of the game as long as they were together.The Chris Gayle method
It’s not new, it’s not unknown, it’s not radical – but Chris Gayle’s T20 batting remains a problem that bowlers still haven’t come to grips with entirely. He has employed the same method since years. He began IPL 2020 doing the same thing too. It worked then, it works now. Gayle hits sixes. He doesn’t just hits sixes, he’s actively to hit them. Every ball.If Morgan-Gill was pure T20 batting, Gayle was pure T20 tactics. If you can clear the boundary regularly enough, it’s worth trading on the risk of a few quiet balls, even seeing off a dangerous bowler. Nobody hits more sixes than Gayle in T20 cricket. Equally important, Gayle knows whom he can hit and when. Hit two in an over, pat the other four back. It’s risky, but Gayle has minimised that risk by being better and smarter about big-hitting in T20 cricket than anyone else.He waited for the ball that he could hit, knowing it would inevitably come. The first ones came early on the day, both fourth and fifth balls bowled too full by Varun Chakravarthy. Both went over long-on and long-off. The second came nearer the end of the bat than the middle, but this was Gayle and he knew he had the power for a mis-hit to also go over given the short Sharjah boundaries.Later on, the rare sight of Gayle going for quick ones and twos caused excitement and chatter, but the chase was not settled by stealing those singles and doubles. It swung the way of Kings XI due to Gayle’s six-hitting.Mandeep Singh is emotional as he brings up a fifty•BCCIMandeep’s building blocks
The innings that Mandeep Singh played might be on the endangered list in a few years, but whenever the conditions don’t make run-scoring as easy, it will always have a place. Particularly on pitches where it’s difficult for new batsmen to come in and start biffing straightaway.Singh would later say that he told KL Rahul before his innings that, “Let me play my game. Even if I take a few balls, I have the belief that I can win the game for my team.” He had been pushed up the order because Mayank Agarwal was injured and his initial role was to take the bowling on in the powerplay. But in this game, Singh asked for a change in the script and got the backing of his captain.Would Rahul have agreed so readily to that approach if Kings XI were chasing 180 instead of 150? Probably not, but the fact that they were chasing a lower total is what made Singh’s innings not just possible, but ultimately one that had a positive impact for his team.Singh’s was not the Gayle method. He’s not a six-hitter like the West Indian, not even close. So taking his time at the start is a lot less viable for Singh than it is for Gayle, because Gayle can do it in bigger chases too. A smaller chase though, allows for a transition from watchful to busy to fast-paced. Singh’s first 11 balls brought him three runs. The next 27 balls brought him 32 runs. And his final 31 runs came off just 18 balls.That he was battling a personal tragedy with the demise of his father three days back gave the knock an emotional layer off the field. In the middle, what Mandeep showed was that an innings you could grow into could be valuable, given the right circumstances.Maybe we’ll still have room for it in 2048 too, after all.

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo carried a no hitter into the eighth inning of Thursday's game against the New York Yankees before it was broken up on a single by Jazz Chisholm Jr. that snuck through the right side of the infield.

It was certainly a painful way to lose a no hitter, but Woo was a good sport about it and walked over to first base to give Chisholm a quick pat on the backside in what was quick and respectful gesture.

It was a classy move from Woo, who was likely fighting back some frustrations as he went over to acknowledge Chisholm on first base.

Woo was dominant on the mound throughout the night, but Chisholm found a way to get on base, and he would later come around to score to get the Yankees on the board for the first time all game. After trailing 5–0 and not having a single hit heading into the bottom of the eighth, New York staged a miracle comeback to win in extra innings, 6–5.

Woo ended his night with five strikeouts, two walks and two earned runs across 7 1/3 innings. He improved his season ERA to 2.75, eighth best in the American League.

Long before he was a 10-time MLB All-Star, a three-time World Series champion, and a first-ballot Baseball Hall of Famer, David Ortiz was just a kid from the Dominican Republic, dreaming of one day playing in the big leagues.

A native of Santo Domingo, Ortiz described his upbringing—in a country where opportunity was scarce—as "tough". The oldest of four children and a passionate fan of baseball, he dedicated himself to the sport at a young age and, shortly after turning 17 years old, earned a contract with the Seattle Mariners.

Ortiz was ultimately traded to the Minnesota Twins after four years in Seattle's system, and quickly rose up their ranks—making his Major League debut the following season. To this day, he still remembers the first time he saw himself on a baseball card:

"Man, the very first baseball card that I saw myself [on], it was this one card that said on the bottom: 'The wave of the future,'" Ortiz explained in an interview with . "I never forgot about that. When I saw that baseball card for the first time, I felt proud of myself. And believe it or not, it kind of motivated me to continue … I want[ed] to see myself on more baseball cards."

Twenty seasons and countless trading cards featuring Big Papi later, and Ortiz is now teaming up with to predict the future stars of baseball's next generation.

In a spot filmed at at Boston's TD Garden, the former slugger plays the role of a tarot card reader working the back room of a trading card shop. When two friends enter the hobby to inquire about a box of sitting on the counter, they're directed to a secret room with a sign above it that says "See the Future." Upon entering, they see Ortiz, who sits with them and proclaims that prospects Jesus Made, J.J. Wetherholt, and Charlie Condon are baseball’s three biggest upcoming stars.

“The future is in the cards," he tells them. Here's a full look at the spot:

Ortiz spoke withabout his appearance in the ad for and how they're helping put a spotlight on the baseball's future stars:

"What is doing right now is basically, the incredible talent—player-wise—that is coming, they’re trying to call people’s attention [to it]," he said. "In my days, it didn't used to be like that."

"Once you got to the big league, established yourself, started putting up numbers, that was when people started paying attention to you," Ortiz continued. "Nowadays it's different, because social media … the job that is doing right now, I mean, [in the commercial] we're talking about a kid from my country, that is a beast, that I didn't even know, now I do. That's what is happening with everybody else nowadays, they're going to pay attention thanks to and everything that they are doing to make sure the new talent, those new players coming up, get to be more known way before they get to the big leagues."

Wednesday marks the release of 2025 Bowman Baseball, available today at both hobby shops and . Each pack contains three base cards, three Paper Prospects, and two Chrome Prospects, one Chrome Prospect Mini Diamond Refractor, one Chrome Prospect X-Factor, and one Autograph. 

MatériaMais Notícias

O Cruzeiro está próximo de anunciar Alexandre Mattos como novo diretor de futebol. O profissional se reuniu na manhã desta segunda-feira (29) com Pedro Lourenço, futuro proprietário da SAF mineira, em um supermercado localizado na região metropolitana de Belo Horizonte, e deve ser anunciado pelo clube nas próximas horas.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Mattos aceita o convite menos de 15 dias depois de ser apresentado como executivo de futebol do América-MG, rival da Raposa. As informações foram divulgadas inicialmente pelo portal no ataque.

O executivo, que não possui multa rescisória prevista em contrato, deve avisar ainda hoje a decisão para a diretoria do América-MG. Em nota, o Coelho informou que ainda não foi comunicado do desligamento do profissional.

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O Presidente da SAF Marcus Salum informa que o profissional ainda não procurou o Clube para tratar do assunto.

Uma eventual rescisão contratual depende exclusivamente do Diretor, que tem compromisso com o América até o fim desta temporada.

RETORNO AO CRUZEIRO

Alexandre Mattos retorna à Toca da Raposa. O profissional trabalhou no clube entre março de 2012 e dezembro de 2014, antes de aceitar o convite do Palmeiras. No período, conquistou o bicampeonato Brasileiro (2013 e 2014).

Em 2020, Mattos voltou ao Cruzeiro, mas sua passagem durou apenas quatro dias. Na ocasião, ele foi procurado pela diretoria para ajudar na montagem do elenco que disputaria a Série B do Brasileirão.

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Antes de assumir o cargo de diretor de futebol no América-MG, Alexandre Mattos passou pelo Vasco, de onde foi desligado no fim do mês de março.

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Alexandre MattosCruzeiro

Hong Kong gave Sri Lanka a scare, but a slew of dropped chances meant they could not pull off the upset

Andrew Fidel Fernando15-Sep-20252:54

Maharoof: ‘Theekshana needs to become a wicket-taking option’

A Pathum Nissanka fifty at the top of the innings, and a Wanindu Hasaranga cameo at the end saw Sri Lanka survive a scare from the group’s lowest-ranked team, Hong Kong.In two disciplines, Hong Kong were valiant. Anshy Rath batted with determination to score 48, and Nizakat Khan with verve to make 52 not out off 38, the pair driving Hong Kong to a total of 149 for 4.The bowlers then created chances right through the innings. They never allowed Sri Lanka to truly dominate a phase, then took three quick wickets, Yasim Murtaza and Ehsan Khan striking to have Sri Lanka at 127 for 6, needing more than a run-a-ball to win.But their catching was poor. Nissanka was dropped no fewer than three times – twice by Ehsan, who couldn’t hold sharp return chances. Kusal Perera was also dropped twice in the same Ayush Shukla over, though one of those chances was exceedingly difficult. Had some of those stuck, though, Hong Kong could truly have made Sri Lanka sweat.In the end, Hong Kong’s bowlers made too many mistakes at the death, and Sri Lanka had the depth to capitalise, Hasaranga making his presence felt from No. 8. He made 20 not out off eight balls. Nissanka had struck 68 off 44.Nissanka sets Sri Lanka up againNissanka was dropped on 43, 63, and 68, but outside of those errors played another efficient innings, finding boundaries before the pressure really built on him, and ensuring that Sri Lanka kept ticking even as Kusal Mendis and Kamil Mishara soaked up balls early. He was especially good at the lap-scoop, targeting that area behind short fine leg when Hong Kong strayed into his pads. This was his third T20I fifty in five innings, in what continues to be a rich year across formats.2:13

Maharoof: Sri Lanka played with a ‘fear of failure’ mentality

Three wickets in eight ballsAlthough it hadn’t been the boundary-fest Sri Lanka would have wanted, owing to some disciplined Hong Kong bowling, they were still traveling swiftly to a comfortable win at the end of the 15th over, when they were two down and needed 32 from 30.Then came a horror sequence. Nissanka was run out at the non-striker’s end, having hesitated on a dodgy second run. Not even a big dive could get him close to the crease. Perera was out lbw having missed a turning delivery from Murtaza next ball. Then second ball of the following over, offspinner Ehsan had Charith Asalanka slicing one to short third.When Kamindu Mendis holed out against Murtaza first ball of the 18th over, Sri Lanka had lost four wickets for nine runs, off 13 deliveries. And they still needed 23 off 17 to win.Enter Hasaranga…Hasaranga got a freebie second ball. Murtaza had overstepped the previous delivery, and the batters had taken a single. So Hasaranga had the licence to go big, and he duly pounded the free hit into the sightscreen behind the bowler. Next over he crashed a four through cover – a favourite area – and finished by drilling another boundary down the ground. Hasaranga has played decent innings for Sri Lanka before, but this one came under some pressure.Nizakat Khan became the second Hong Kong batter to score a T20I fifty in the Asia Cup•Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images

Nizakat and Rath help put up a defendable scoreLong before that late drama, however, Rath and Nizakat had helped Hong Kong make a creditable impression in their last showing of the tournament. Rath played a measured innings, rarely going much faster than a run-a-ball. But it was also an interesting one – only four of his 48 runs came behind the wicket.Nizakat, however, was much more aggressive, using strong wrists to whip the ball to leg, and slice it through the offside. He was dropped twice, but was responsible for Hong Kong’s quicker progress through the final overs. This was his first T20I half cenutry against a full member nation.

Tottenham winger Mohammed Kudus has seriously impressed since arriving in a £55 million deal from West Ham in the summer window, and he’s now drawing comparisons with a Spurs legend.

Kudus made headlines this summer as the first player to transfer from West Ham to Spurs since Scott Parker in 2011 — effectively ending a 14-year unofficial transfer embargo between the fierce London rivals.

The move generated plenty of buzz, and with it, a weight of expectation that Kudus has so far handled with a blend of flair, work rate and dynamism.

Since then, Kudus has set about proving he belongs at the heart of Tottenham’s rebuild under Thomas Frank.

His first telling contribution on paper came at Leeds, where a deflected low finish from the Ghanaian opened his goal account and delivered the Lilywhites a crucial 2-1 win — all whilst ending their pre-international break curse and the home side’s year-long unbeaten run at Elland Road in the league.

Used primarily as an inverted right-winger, Kudus has routinely tormented full-backs with an outstanding dribble completion rate — quickly becoming the side’s most dangerous attacking outlet.

Kudus has completed more successful take-ons per 90 than any other winger in the Premier League, according to WhoScored, and is currently the division’s fifth-best performer by average match rating.

Mohammed Kudus

3.6

Iliman Ndaye

2.7

Yankuba Minteh

2.6

Jeremy Doku

2.4

Bukayo Saka

2.3

via WhoScored

The former Ajax sensation also has five assists to show from his opening nine Premier League matches, outshining fellow new arrival Xavi Simons, who has struggled to match Kudus’ scintillating form in the final third.

The early signs are that Spurs have acquired a genuine difference-maker, and he’s now drawn a very intriguing comparison with ex-fan favourite Mousa Dembélé, even if the latter played a completely different role.

Supporters look back on Dembele and remember him fondly as a real linchpin of Mauricio Pochettino’s midfield, with the Belgian making nearly 250 appearances before he departed for the now-folded Guangzhou City in China.

Mohammed Kudus draws Mousa Dembele comparison at Tottenham

Speaking to Tottenham News, pundit John Wenham explained exactly why Kudus is a regen of Dembele at Tottenham — specifically talking about his strength on the ball.

Frank has been equally blown away by Kudus since his arrival at N17, calling his one-v-one ability “crazy”.

Like Dembele, Kudus is remarkably difficult to dispossess, with the agility to spin away from challengers and the power to carry the ball through deep midfield areas or wide channels.

The feeling among coaches and analysts is that Kudus could become a more advanced and goal-threatening Dembele, with journalist Alasdair Gold also making that comparison in early October.

The sky appears to be the limit for him right now, and midfielder Joao Palhinha has some stern competition for the ‘best summer signing’ accolade as we slowly approach the halfway point of 25/26.

Tottenham told Xavi Simons "reality" as Thomas Frank already gets one thing wrong

أكد النجم البرتغالي كريستيانو رونالدو، لاعب فريق النصر السعودي، أن كأس العالم 2026 ستكون الأخيرة له.

وتستضيف كل من الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، كندا، والمكسيك، منافسات كأس العالم 2026، في ملف مشترك بين الدول الثلاث.

وشارك رونالدو مع منتخب بلاده البرتغال في كأس العالم قطر 2022 والذي شهد توديع فريقه للمسابقة التي توج بها المنتخب الأرجنتيني في النهاية على حساب فرنسا.

وأجاب البرتغالي عندما سُئل عما إذا كانت كأس العالم القادمة ستكون الأخيرة له في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي إن سبورتس: “بالتأكيد نعم”.

اقرأ أيضًا | الظاهرة رونالدو يرد على تصريح كريستيانو “أنا الأفضل على مر العصور”

وأضاف رونالدو خلال منتدى سياحي في المملكة العربية السعودية: “سأبلغ الحادية والأربعين من عمري، وأعتقد أن هذه هي اللحظة المناسبة”.

رونالدو الفائز بالكرة الذهبية خمس مرات تابع الحديث حين سُئل عن مستقبله، ورد: “بصراحة، عندما أقول قريبًا، أعني على الأرجح عامًا أو عامين آخرين”.

وأشار رونالدو: “في كرة القدم، أحاول الاستمتاع بالأهداف، عمري 40 عامًا، وأحاول الاستمتاع باللحظة، أشعر أنني في حالة بدنية جيدة، أريد الاستمرار في التسجيل ومساعدة الفريق، هذه هي حياتي”.

West Ham United chairman David Sullivan has held talks with a top candidate to replace Graham Potter, with the tactician seemingly making his demands crystal clear.

The managerial candidates to replace Graham Potter at West Ham

Potter has recorded the second-worst win percentage of any West Ham manager in Premier League history, behind only Avram Grant, with pressure mounting on the Englishman as he faces a stay of execution.

David Moyes, who guided West Ham to successive European campaigns and ended their 43-year wait for a major trophy during his time at the London Stadium, could even be the man to put one of the final nails in Potter’s coffin this weekend.

In a real piece of irony, Moyes’ Everton side, who are faring much better than West Ham right now, may have a big say in whether Sullivan, Karren Brady and the Hammers board elect to hand Potter a P45.

Worst West Ham managers in the Premier League	Win percentage
9. Sam Allardyce	30.7%
10. Julen Lopetegui	30%
11. Gianfranco Zola	27.8%
12 Graham Potter	26.1%
13. Avram Grant	18.9%
via StatMuse

It is hard to see Potter remaining in the West Ham hot seat if they suffer a humbling defeat at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with club insider ExWHUemployee previously reporting that, if he does survive past that point, the ex-Chelsea boss is likely to be sacked after their trip to Arsenal.

West Ham are deep into their contingency plans to replace Potter, and there are a number of very interesting names under consideration.

Sullivan, as ever, is dipping into the free agent market.

Former West Ham midfielder Gary O’Neil is a favourite for the potential job, according to Miguel Delaney, with another ex-Hammer in Slaven Bilic — who was in charge between 2015 and 2017 — also in the frame.

Bilic is even said to be making plans for his West Ham backroom, in the event he is chosen as a short-term option until the end of the season, and Sullivan is believed to be personally in favour of bringing the Croatian back to East London (Pete O’Rourke).

Managers who are already in work haven’t been definitively ruled out, either. West Ham have internally discussed the possibility of appointing Scott Parker, following his rise to the Premier League with Burnley, but one man stands out above all the aforementioned names.

Nuno Espírito Santo's demand after holding West Ham talks with Sullivan

Former Tottenham, Wolves and Nottingham Forest boss, Nuno Espírito Santo, is believed to be the favourite to succeed Potter as things stand.

As per the reliable ExWHUemployee, Nuno has already held talks with Sullivan over a potential move to West Ham if Potter leaves, and the Portuguese’s stock is at an all-time high after making history at Forest last season.

However, according to Sports Boom, West Ham face another roadblock in pursuit of Nuno, following some reports that ‘legal issues’ are delaying his arrival too (Pete O’Rourke).

The outlet reports that Nuno’s big wage demands are a hindrance to West Ham and could prove to be a real obstacle, with Bilic ready to join the Irons as an alternative.

Why West Ham must not give up on Nuno

Nuno guided Forest back to Europe for the first time since 1995, and if it wasn’t for a public fallout with Evangelos Marinakis, he’d still be at the City Ground now.

The appeal for West Ham is obvious. Nuno steered Forest away from the drop zone in his first season, transforming them into a robust, hard-to-break-down outfit with a clear counter-attacking identity.

He also helped to fix Forest’s glaring set-piece weakness, something which has really plagued West Ham this season, having conceded 7 of their 13 Premier League goals so far directly from corners.

Managing to get the best out of his players, Forest ended up being last season’s major surprise package thanks to Nuno’s work, and the 51-year-old’s availability as a free agent makes this potential appointment an arguable no-brainer.

MatériaMais Notícias

Celebrado mundialmente como país do futebol, o Brasil é a morada de icônicos palcos do esporte. O mais famoso deles é o Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, conhecido popularmente como Maracanã.

continua após a publicidade

Com capacidade para quase 80 mil espectadores, o local já recebeu duas finais de Copas do Mundo (1950 e 2014), além de ser atualmente a casa de Flamengo e Fluminense.

O Lance! separou uma lista com os 10 maiores estádios do país, levando em consideração a capacidade de público de cada um deles. Confira:

10º – Beira-Rio

Capacidade: 50.942 espectadores
Local: Porto Alegre (RS)
Proprietário: Iniciativa privada – Sport Club Internacional

9º – Parque do Sabiá

Capacidade: 53.350 espectadores
Local: Uberlândia (MG)
Proprietário: Governo Municiapal

8º – Mangueirão

Capacidade: 53.645 espectadores
Local: Belém (PA)
Proprietário: Governo Estadual

7º – Arena do Grêmio

Capacidade: 55.662 espectadores
Local: Porto Alegre (RS)
Proprietário: Iniciativa privada – Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense

6º – Arruda

Capacidade: 60.044 espectadores
Local: Recife (PE)
Proprietário: Iniciativa privada – Santa Cruz Futebol Clube

5º – Mineirão

Capacidade: 61.846 espectadores
Local: Belo Horizonte (MG)
Proprietário: Governo Estadual

4º – Castelão

Capacidade: 63.903 espectadores
Local: Fortaleza (CE)
Proprietário: Governo Estadual

3º – Morumbi

Capacidade: 66.975 espectadores
Local: São Paulo (SP)
Proprietário: Iniciativa privada – São Paulo Futebol Clube

2º – Mané Garrincha

Capacidade: 72.788 espectadores
Local: Brasília (DF)
Proprietário: Governo Distrital

1º – Maracanã

Capacidade: 78.838 espectadores
Local: Rio de Janeiro (RJ)
Proprietário: Governo Estadual

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