خاض فريق توتنهام، مساء اليوم السبت، مباراته في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، موسم 2025/26، ضد خصمه برايتون على ملعب الأخير.
واستضاف ملعب “فالمر” مباراة توتنهام وبرايتون، في خضم منافسات الجولة الخامسة من الدوري الإنجليزي، حيث تعادلا بهدفين لمثليهما. أهداف مباراة توتنهام وبرايتون في الدوري الإنجليزي
تقدم برايتون بهدف سجله اللاعب يانكوبا مينته في الدقيقة الثامنة من عمر الشوط الأول، قبل أن يضاعف ياسين العياري النتيجة بعدما سجل الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 31.
وتمكن ريتشارليسون من تقليص الفارق بعدما سجل هدف أول لصالح توتنهام قبل نهاية الشوط الأول، وتحديدًا في الدقيقة 43.
واستفاد توتنهام من النيران الصديقة بعدما سجل لاعب برايتون، يان باول فان هيك، هدفًا بالخطأ في مرمى فريقه في الدقيقة 82 من عمر المباراة.
بتلك النتيجة، حصل كل فريق على نقطة، حيث أصبح رصيد توتنهام 10 نقاط في المركز الثاني، بينما أصبح رصيد برايتون 5 نقاط في المركز الثالث عشر.
Leeds United made their second signing of the summer transfer window on Monday evening when they officially confirmed the arrival of Jaka Bijol from Serie A side Udinese.
The central defender is now set to compete with the likes of Ethan Ampadu, Pascal Struijk, and Joe Rodon for a place in the starting XI in the Premier League next season.
Daniel Farke is also in the market to add another number nine to his squad, having already brought in Lukas Nmecha on a free transfer from Wolfsburg.
Football Insider claims that Leeds are interested in a deal to sign Fulham centre-forward Rodrigo Muniz, but the Cottagers are confident of keeping hold of the Brazilian frontman.
The report adds that the Whites have already had an offer of £32m rejected by the fellow Premier League team, and that the London-based side are prepared to price the Championship champions out of a move for the striker.
This latest update suggests that the Fulham marksman will not be making his way to Elland Road this summer, but what could he have brought to the team?
What Rodrigo Muniz could bring to Leeds
If Leeds can turn it around to sign him, the 24-year-old attacker would join the Whites to provide Farke with a Premier League-proven number nine who has shown that he can score goals at that level.
In the last two seasons, Muniz has racked up 17 top-flight goals for the Cottagers, which shows that he knows how to find the back of the net in the top division in England.
Appearances
26
31
xG
8.72
5.81
Goals
9
8
Big chances created
2
1
Key passes per game
0.7
0.2
Assists
1
1
As you can see in the table above, the Brazilian forward also outperformed his xG in both of those seasons, showing that he is also a reliable and clinical finisher.
However, creativity is not his strong suit. A return of two assists in two seasons, and a peak of 0.7 key passes per game, does not suggest that he would create many high-quality opportunities for his teammates.
Muniz would, though, offer physicality in the number nine position. He won 52% of his duels and won 2.2 aerial battles per game in the Premier League this season, which shows that he can hold his own against top-flight defenders.
Whilst there are clearly a lot of strong qualities that the Fulham star could bring to West Yorkshire, Leeds are now reportedly pursuing a striker who could be an even better signing.
Leeds pursuing deal for Serie A star
According to Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno, as relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds United are expected to make another bid to sign Nikola Krstovic from Lecce in the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Championship champions have already had an offer of £19.7m rejected by the Italian side for the Montenegrin centre-forward, but they are now plotting another attempt to snap him up.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It also reveals that AS Roma are interested in signing the 25-year-old marksman, and that they would be prepared to offer a player in exchange for him, although they have yet to make an official bid.
Meanwhile, the print edition of Corriere dello Sport, via MOTLeedsNews, reports that Lecce value the forward at a fee of around £26m, and claims that Leeds are ready to pay big money to get a deal done for the striker.
It now remains to be seen whether or not their second offer for the Montenegro international will be enough to tempt the Italian team to part ways with the attacker.
Why Leeds should sign Nikola Krstovic
The Premier League new boys should push to sign the Lecce number nine before the end of the summer transfer window because he would be an even better signing than Muniz.
Nikola Krstovic
Krstovic would be considerably cheaper if the latest reports are to be believed, with Lecce valuing him at £26m compared to the significantly more than £32m that Fulham want for Muniz in order to price Leeds out of a deal.
This means that it could be more financially viable for the Whites to pursue the Montenegro international, which would also free up more funds to be spent on other areas of the squad as they look to build a team that can compete in the Premier League.
Krstovic, as shown in the clips above, is a versatile goalscorer who has shown that he can find the back of the net in a variety of ways, with either foot, from close or long range, and with his head.
The Lecce sensation, who was dubbed “integral” by former boss Roberto D’Aversa, has proven that he can score goals in a major European league, netting 18 Serie A goals in the last two seasons combined.
Appearances
31
37
Sofascore rating
6.88
7.14
Goals
8
11
Big chances created
1
5
Assists
1
5
Duels won per game
3.7
4.9
As you can see in the table above, Krstovic outperformed Muniz at league level in the 2024/25 campaign, with three more goals and four more assists, whilst also winning more duels per game.
The Montenegro international’s ability to generate high-quality opportunities for himself is one of his most impressive attributes, as he has accrued 24.80 xG in two seasons in the Serie A, compared to the Fulham man’s tally of 15.32 in two Premier League campaigns.
Montenegro international Nikola Krstovic.
This could suggest that Krstovic is better at getting himself into goalscoring situations, which could be particularly useful in a season that Leeds are expected to be battling relegation in.
Overall, the Lecce star could be a better signing than Muniz for the Whites as the striker may be able to offer more goals and assists in the top-flight, whilst being a cheaper addition to the squad.
Best signing since Raphinha: Leeds close to landing "exceptional" £21m star
Leeds United are closing in on a deal for a star who would be their best signing since Raphinha.
Manchester United’s front line is in desperate need of an overhaul this summer, with such a department massively holding them back from any success under Ruben Amorim.
The side only managed to net 44 times in their 38 Premier League outings last campaign, with no player in the first-team squad managing to register double figures.
Departures are to be expected in such an area, with academy graduate Alejandro Garnacho one player likely to be sacrificed in the coming months, after hitting out at his lack of action in the Europa League final.
Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho.
Rasmus Hojlund could be another to leave the Red Devils during the off-season, with any sales massively helping Amorim in his quest to land new stars at Old Trafford.
As a result of the pending futures of the aforementioned players, targets have already been drawn up, with the hierarchy appearing to be making moves in the transfer market.
The latest on United’s hunt for new attackers this summer
The 3-4-2-1 formation utilised by Amorim at United requires specific players to be signed if they are to fit into the current system and be a success at the Theatre of Dreams.
A striker has been one of the main priorities in recent weeks, with the likes of Dušan Vlahović, Victor Osimhen and Hugo Ekitiké all firmly remaining on the club’s radar.
However, a new twist has emerged, with Sporting CP talisman Viktor Gyokeres still seen as their number one target for the position, according to TEAMtalk.
They claim that the Red Devils remain confident of a deal to land the 54-goal forward despite the Swede claiming that he’s only interested in a move to join fellow English side Arsenal.
It also states that the board at United believe his previous spell under Amorim in Portugal could play a huge factor in the deal, with the attacker wanting a move to England this window.
Why United’s latest target could be Amorim’s answer to Mbappé
Kylian Mbappé is a forward who has constantly tormented backlines across Europe in recent years, cementing himself as one of the best attackers in world football.
The 26-year-old joined Real Madrid last summer on a free transfer from PSG, after enjoying a six-year spell in Paris, which saw him net 235 goals in his 264 appearances.
His move to Spain has seen him continue his tremendous run in front of goal, registering 43 efforts in his 56 outings for the LaLiga giants, forming a deadly partnership with Vinícius Júnior.
Every team across the continent must wish they had a version of the forward, with his form in front of goal something which is extremely hard to find in the modern game.
However, United could be about to land their own version of the superstar, in the form of Gyokeres, with the Swedish international a force to be reckoned with in front of goal.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokereskisses the trophy as he celebrate after winning the Taca de Portugal
He’s been labelled as a similar player to Mbappé by FBref, managing to match or better the Madrid talisman in numerous key areas, highlighting how much of a sensational signing he would be for the Red Devils.
The Swede, who’s been labelled “the best striker in Europe” by The Athletic, has outscored Mbappé, whilst averaging a better goal per shot on target rate – handing Amorim the clinical edge he’s been lacking as of late.
Games played
33
34
Goals & assists
46
34
Shot on target accuracy
52%
49%
Goal per shot on target
0.4
0.3
Key passes completed
2
1.5
Take-on success
46%
44%
Carries into opposition box
3.1
2.9
Aerials won
51%
40%
He’s also completed more of the take-ons he’s attempted whilst registering more carries into the opposition box, having the ability to create an attacking opportunity out of nothing.
Gyokeres’ dominance is also reflected in his higher percentage of aerials won, with his ability in the air offering the side the needed focal point they’ve often lacked.
Given the interest from elsewhere this summer, the hierarchy must work quickly to secure the Sporting CP star’s signature, with the forward a talented all-round option.
His comparisons to Mbappé highlight the threat he carries, with the 27-year-old having the skillset to end their long-standing pursuit of a new talisman at Old Trafford.
More exciting than Mbeumo: Man Utd in talks to sign "very special" talent
Manchester United could be about to land a star who could thrive under Ruben Amorim.
Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy could soon green-light a move for a “fantastic” manager to replace Ange Postecoglou, according to a report.
Ange on thin ice at Tottenham after Chelsea defeat
Tottenham’s poor form continued against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last Thursday, suffering a 1-0 defeat against their London rivals, but in truth they have had little to play for in the Premier League for quite some time.
Winning the Europa League is the last remaining avenue for Spurs to have a successful season, with a triumph ending their long trophy drought, while also granting them access to next season’s Champions League.
As such, Postecoglou is on very thin ice, and Levy has now started to identify potential replacements for the Australian, with Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola one of the names on the shortlist, having enjoyed an impressive campaign with the Cherries.
Sky pundit: "Monster" player is "going to leave" Tottenham alongside Romero
Spurs are facing an exodus this summer.
ByEmilio Galantini Apr 4, 2025
Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner is also of interest, alongside Fulham manager Marco Silva, and there has now been a new update on Tottenham’s pursuit of the Portuguese coach.
According to a report from Football Insider, Levy could green-light a move for Silva, with Postecoglou under serious pressure as we approach the business end of the season.
Former Everton chief Keith Wyness goes on to explain why appointing the Fulham boss could make perfect sense for Levy, saying: “Silva is probably more in the running than Iraola.
“I think he’s more of a Levy character, he’s got the London experience – performing well with Fulham.
“He’s been with Everton, Watford – he’s got the runs on the board.
“I think he would operate at Spurs quite well. He’s done well on a tight budget with Fulham, and that’s what Levy will be looking for.
“We’ve seen the numbers at Tottenham, they’re not spending much on wages or fees – it’s very low.”
"Fantastic" Silva has earned move to top club
The 47-year-old has had his fair share of setbacks, previously being sakced by Everton, but he has since done a stellar job with Fulham, having achieved promotion from the Championship before stabilising the Cottagers as a Premier League club.
In light of his accomplishments, the former Everton boss has been lauded as “fantastic” by journalist Konstantinos Lianos, and he is on course to record a top-half finish in the Premier League this season.
Should Postecoglou fail to win the Europa League, it is looking likely the 59-year-old will depart this summer, particularly with his relationship with the fans increasingly under strain.
Silva has proven he could be a solid replacement for Ange, but there also has to be questions asked of Levy, given that so many top managers have now failed to bring success to Spurs.
The summer transfer window is fast approaching, and Liverpool are set to spend big as they prepare for Arne Slot’s second, Premier League title-defending season at the helm.
Of course, the top-flight trophy isn’t yet wrapped up, but the Reds need just two wins from their remaining six fixtures to put things beyond Arsenal’s reach.
Sporting director Richard Hughes has wrapped up Mohamed Salah’s new contract; captain Virgil van Dijk’s fresh deal is soon to follow. Now, focus can be turned to the upcoming transfer window, with Liverpool expecting flurries of activity through the summer months.
While signing a centre-forward, left-back and central defender are the priorities for the Reds, Slot would be wise not to neglect his midfield.
20/04/25
King Power Stadium
Leicester City
27/04/25
Anfield
Tottenham Hotspur
04/05/25
Stamford Bridge
Chelsea
11/05/25
Anfield
Arsenal
18/05/25
AMEX Stadium
Brighton & Hove Albion
25/05/25
Anfield
Crystal Palace
Liverpool’s midfielders have been immense through the 2024/25 campaign, but they aren’t infallible. There’s been a lack of bite and physicality at times of late that suggests a new addition to the engine room could go down a treat.
Why Slot shouldn't neglect Liverpool's midfield
When Liverpool fell from grace under Jurgen Klopp in 2022/23, the German manager knew he needed to repackage his side’s long-serving midfield.
Jordan Henderson was a first-standard leader but was starting to look a weak link from a technical standpoint, while Fabinho’s legs had gone after so many years serving as a world-class anchor at the heart of one of the highest-octane squads on the globe.
Jordan Henderson and Fabinho
Their replacements, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai, have been immense this season (and last) as Liverpool’s mainstays in the middle, but there’s no denying Liverpool have lacked a combative sheen and that extra bit of dynamism at times recently, namely being overrun by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and Newcastle United at Wembley.
Liverpool have won more duels than their opponents in just one of their past 11 matches across all competitions, denoting fatigue and a lack of sharpness that opponents are capitalising on.
Though packing quality across more needy areas will ultimately hold sway for Liverpool, there’s no question that a high-class midfielder would elevate an already immense team.
It’s something FSG are bearing in mind.
Liverpool lining up marquee midfielder
According to Italian outlet InterLive.it, Liverpool’s interested in signing Nicolo Barella this summer is said to be ‘serious’, with Inter Milan anticipating offers for their midfield linchpin after yet another standout campaign.
Nicolo Barella for Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich.
Now, Barella, 28 years old, is contracted to the San Siro until 2029 and thus Inter are in a commanding position regarding his future and have listed him at €100m (about £87m).
Liverpool’s interest is confirmed to be serious, however, and given the Serie A leaders are keen on Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa, a deal wouldn’t be out of question.
What Nicolo Barella would bring to Liverpool
Described as “the best Serie A midfielder of the 2020s” by journalist Zach Lowy, Barella has already won two Scudettos and two Coppa Italia titles with Inter Milan, joining from Cagliari in 2019.
Inter Milan's Nicolo Barella
Having featured 277 times for I Nerazzurri, Barella has scored 25 goals and supplied 59 assists. He’s not the most prolific of midfielders, but then that’s not really his jurisdiction.
With Simone Inzaghi’s side battling it out with Napoli for the Italian title, Barella has been the architect of his team’s challenge, averaging 1.9 key passes, 4.7 successful duels and 5.2 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore, illustrating his wide range of quality.
Of course, the Italian has also been immense in Inter’s quest for the Champions League trophy, with outlets stating that he delivered a career-defining performance at the Allianz Arena last week, taking a 2-1 lead over Bayern Munich back to the San Siro.
Talent of this level suggests that Liverpool could be getting their mitts on one of the most gifted midfielders in many years, one who could stand out above the current Anfield crop.
He might even prove to be Liverpool’s best midfielder since Fabinho.
douglas-luiz-fabinho-liverpool-opinion
For the uninitiated, Fabinho was absolutely spellbinding in his role as Klopp’s number six, so cultured and commanding as he held together a hard-grafting midfield that worked around the clock to facilitate the attacking successes of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Bobby Firmino.
Once hailed as “one of the best in the world” by Klopp, Fabinho truly was a core part of the most illustrious era in Liverpool’s modern history, joining from Monaco for roughly £40m in May 2018 and going on to play 219 times for the Reds before his legs finally failed him.
When in his pomp, the Brazilian was truly one of the most dominant forces out there, and now Barella could emulate him and become Liverpool’s new centrepiece, perhaps unlocking the next level in Slot’s existing options.
Tough-tackling, tenacious and iron-willed, Fabinho performed dutifully and blended his natural qualities with a sharpness of mind and quickness of reaction that differentiated him from his positional rivals.
The Italy international has the experience and the multi-skilled ability to be a real standout for Liverpool over the next several years, with his FBref data discussed above suggesting the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Pedri are among his most statistically similar players.
Such ball-playing specialists, maestros and conductors wrapped into one, would fit snugly into Slot’s system – just look at how Gravenberch has got on this term.
Italy'sMoiseKeancelebrates scoring their second goal with Italy's Nicolo Barella, Italy's Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Italy's Giacomo Raspadori
Barella, then, would fit right in. He’s a world-class player, dubbed a “genius” on the pitch by sports editor Mike Pielluci, and a trophy winner besides, and if Inter are willing to discuss deals containing the likes of Nunez and/or Chiesa, Liverpool might just sign their best midfielder since Fabinho.
Awful Trent repeat: Another Liverpool "superstar" is now wanted by Madrid
Liverpool need to make sure they keep their best players this summer.
A look at the records India broke during their 115-run win over West Indies in the second ODI in Vadodara
Deep Gadhia24-Dec-2024358 for 5 – The joint-highest total for India in women’s ODIs, matching their 358 for 2 against Ireland in Potchefstroom in 2017. It is also the highest total against West Indies in women’s ODIs.3 – Instances of India posting a total of 300 or more in 2024, the most for them in a calendar year. It is also the first instance of India posting 300-plus totals in consecutive matches, having amassed 314 for 9 in the first ODI of the current series.47 – Boundaries (43 fours and four sixes) hit by India in their innings, the most by them in an ODI.2 – Only the second time four India batters scored over a fifty in an ODI. It was also the third instance of their top three registering 50-plus scores.2021 – Harleen Deol’s 115 was the first instance of an India No. 3 scoring a century since Punam Raut’s 104 not out against South Africa in Lucknow in 2021.2 – Deol became only the second Indian woman after Harmanpreet Kaur to reach a hundred in fewer than 100 balls. She reached the milestone in 98 balls.3 – Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal became the third Indian pair to have consecutive century partnerships in ODIs. Anju Jain and Jaya Sharma, three in a row across 2003 and 2004, and Karuna Jain and Jaya, two in 2005, are the others.743 – Mandhana overtook South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt as the highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs in 2024. Mandhana’s current tally of 743 is her best in a calendar year, with India set to play one more ODI before the year ends.
His strike rate of 194.02 against spin is the best among all batters who’ve faced at least 50 balls this season
Shashank Kishore19-May-20232:11
Moody: Margin of error for a spinner against Klaasen is very small
AB de Villiers called Heinrich Klaasen “one of the best players of spin” he has seen. Sachin Tendulkar marvelled at his “simple and uncomplicated footwork.” Kevin Pietersen praised his clarity in picking lengths. Chris Gayle was gobsmacked at the tempo he maintained. This was modern-day batting royalty awestruck by what they had seen.Fans wondered whether Klaasen was going to do to Royal Challengers Bangalore what ex-RCB players normally do. In the dugout, Brian Lara applauded with the pride a father would have at seeing his child achieve something special. Mayank Agarwal punched the air in delight as an advancing Klaasen muscled Harshal Patel over the sight screen to bring up his hundred. Minutes later, Harshal himself applauded Klaasen after dismissing him with a dipping yorker.Klaasen’s 51-ball 104, his second T20 century, on a Hyderabad surface where the rest of his team-mates made 76 off 69, told you of his command over the bowling and how he turned the innings around single-handedly. Klaasen admitted Sunrisers Hyderabad were a few runs short, and he was right. It would’ve been enough on most nights, but for a peerless Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis.Related
Kohli flicks on beast mode during night of high-octane batting
Kohli: 'We've got Test cricket after the IPL, so I've got to stay true to my technique'
Stats: Kohli draws level with Gayle for most IPL hundreds
Clinical Kohli, du Plessis keep RCB's fate in their hands
ESPNcricinfo’s Total Impact valued Klaasen’s 104 runs at 152. It’s calculated based on the context of the performance. In this case, it factored in the situation in which Klaasen began his innings – in the fifth over after the openers fell cheaply. It quantifies pressure by factoring in overs left, quality of batters at the crease and those to follow, quality of the bowling, and overs each bowler has left. The conditions weren’t easy either, and Klassen said there was slowness in the pitch.The hallmark of Klaasen’s hundred was the manner in which he attacked spin, especially when they pitched short. On the broadcast, they showed how Klaasen’s interception point while playing off the back foot against spin was behind any other batter this season. It told you of the time he had and his superb use of the crease.Klaasen’s strike rate of 194.02 against spin is the best among all batters who have faced at least 50 balls this season. Shivam Dube comes a distant second best at 172.64. Incredibly, he’s only one of three overseas players in IPL history to average 50-plus and strike at 175 or more while scoring 400 plus in a season. It puts him in an elite club with Chris Gayle and Andre Russell. That is IPL royalty.Klaasen’s performance has come across different surfaces that have slowed down as the tournament has progressed. And his method is intimidating without trying to intimidate. He doesn’t make exaggerated movements around the crease to throw the bowlers off. He isn’t trying to premeditate or play the paddles and switch-hits. Much of his strength comes from a strong core, a strong bottom hand and a stable set-up that allows him to pick different areas to similar deliveries. Like he did when he hit Shahbaz Ahmed for six over deep midwicket and flat-batted him to long-off to similar short-of-length balls on a fourth-stump line.Much of Klaasen’s strength comes from a strong core, a strong bottom hand and a stable set-up•Associated PressBut it wasn’t just his back-foot play that got him runs, as the legspinner Karn Sharma found out. Karn’s natural strength is to bowl quicker through the air with a flatter trajectory. When he dropped short, he faced the power of Klaasen’s pull. Because he’s so strong square of the wicket to balls bowled into the pitch, bowlers try to bowl full. Karn did that too, and Klaasen stepped out and lofted him for a straight six. He was simply toying with the bowling.”The ball was stopping a bit against spin, and there wasn’t much steep bounce from the seamers,” Klaasen said after his innings. “I try and keep it simple; the focus has been to have my head and hands dead still. Sometimes when you go searching for the ball, the up and down movement of the hands cause some inconsistency. The trick is to have hands and head as dead and still as possible.”It’s easier said than done, and to watch him execute his plans was to witness the mastery of a batter who’s coming into his own slowly but surely in the IPL. In their previous game against Lucknow Super Giants, Sunrisers may have rued letting Nicholas Pooran go as he tore into them in the death overs. A similar fate is unlikely to happen with Klaasen, for he’s been their brightest light in a pretty dark season.
Questions over PCB’s procedures before the side’s departure to New Zealand
Umar Farooq03-Dec-2020Two weeks ago, all 54 members – players and support staff – of the Pakistan squad tested negative for Covid-19 and were cleared to fly out to New Zealand. There were supposed to be 55 travellers, but Fakhar Zaman had symptoms similar to Covid-19, and was thus left behind; he would return a negative test the following day. The rest of the squad departed, apparently, with no cases of Covid-19 among them.However, after testing upon arrival the following day, the New Zealand health ministry found half-a-dozen players had tested positive, and four players who had what was called historic infections. With this many of the travel contingent found to be carrying Covid-19 at some point since arriving in New Zealand, questions arise about whether the PCB’s procedures and processes before the squad departed were rigorous enough.The same processes weren’t in place, before the New Zealand tour, as there had been before the England tour earlier in the year. Ahead of that tour, the PCB carried out two tests, including an antibody test. To comply with their stated policy for the England tour, players had to test negative twice before being cleared for travel. They were together in a hotel for seven days. For the New Zealand tour, the PCB carried out just one test, keeping players in the hotel pre-departure for only two days.The entire squad of 35 players and 20 coaching staff and officials assembled in a Lahore hotel on the afternoon of November 20. They were tested for Covid-19 the next day and all returned negative tests. The team then departed for Dubai on a connecting flight to Auckland via Kuala Lumpur. A chartered plane then took the squad to Christchurch to begin what should have been a 14-day quarantine period.Before flying out, the players had been part of a hectic home season in which many of them would have played in the National T20 Cup, the Quaid-e-Azam trophy in Karachi (first and second XI), the white-ball series against Zimbabwe in Rawalpindi and four PSL matches in Karachi. Though the PCB had created bio-secure bubbles for players during these matches, there were breaches, leading to a PCB reprimand for certain players during the National T20 Cup.ALSO READ: NZ director of public health slams Pakistan Covid protocol breachesEarlier this week, left-arm spinner Raza Hasan was sent home from the Quaid-e-Azam trophy and banned for the rest of the season for a serious Covid-19 breach, which involved him leaving the bio-secure premises without prior clearance.Jimmy Neesham grins as Shaheen Afridi, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, and Mohammad Amir look on•Getty ImagesThis has coincided with a time when Covid-19 has seen an alarming spike in Pakistan over the past two months. After a first peak died down in July, bringing official cases down to as low as under 500 a day in August, cases and deaths from the virus began to creep up again in October. Pakistan averages over 3,000 cases a day over the past fortnight, with the state acknowledging further precautions needed to be taken. Notably, however, a second lockdown has not been imposed, and while regional lockdowns are officially in place, enforcement remains feeble.Between the second and third round of games in the QeA Trophy, nine Sindh players, including captain Sarfraz Ahmed, experienced flu-like symptoms. But because their results came back negative, they all remained in the bubble and only fast bowler Mir Hamza returned home after being declared unwell. Balochistan’s wicketkeeper-batsman Bismillah Khan had tested positive for Covid-19 during the second round match against Southern Punjab in the Quaid-e-Azam trophy, but hadn’t been tested until the fourth day, after which he was substituted on the field by Adnan Akmal – who himself would test positive a round later and is presently in quarantine in Lahore.Five members of the Multan Sultans squad have either tested positive post the PSL, or are currently the part of the Pakistan squad who are being investigated for a historic Covid-19 infection, meaning an infection that is no longer contagious. Sohail Tanvir, part of the franchise, played the PSL, but then tested positive on arrival in Sri Lanka for the Lanka Premier League.Zaman, who was pulled out a day before the departure for New Zealand, tested negative but his Lahore Qalandars team-mate Dilbar Hussain tested positive after landing in Australia to play in the BBL. Hussain had tested negative before leaving Pakistan, and is now in quarantine in Perth. And before playing the PSL, Shaheen Afridi underwent various tests which threw up what are believed to be inconclusive results. He was ultimately cleared to play after two negative tests, but it is understood he is one of the four players in New Zealand who are being investigated for historic infection.The historic infection cases, in particular, throw up questions about testing in Pakistan. The four players repeatedly returned negative results during the many tests conducted over the course of the domestic season. All four were also part of the squad to England which means that they are now throwing up historic signs of an infection, despite having tested negative repeatedly since June.The PCB is confident they did what was required of them before the departure for New Zealand. It is worth noting the PCB do not carry out the testing themselves, but outsource it to certified laboratories. And it is not as if the PCB has not tested enough: across the domestic season so far, they have conducted nearly 3000 tests.”During the nine tournaments/series to date, as many as 2,830 Covid-19 tests have been conducted on players, players support personnel and match officials as the PCB has strictly followed and implemented its strict protocols, which were designed in-house, and have been put together for the health and safety of all participants,” the board said in a statement.
The Padres were down to their final outs in the ninth inning against the Cubs on Thursday in Game 3 of the wild-card series. San Diego trailed 3–1 while down to their final three outs of the game, and potentially their season.
Xander Bogaerts was at the plate with a full count, and he was rung up on a brutal called third strike from home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn. The pitch from Brad Keller appeared to be below the strike zone, but Reyburn ruled it a strikeout, leaving Bogaerts bewildered.
Brown missed the corner with a 97-mph fastball, which Bogaerts rightfully opted against swinging at. Despite the good plate discipline, Bogaerts was sat down on strikes, which prompted Padres manager Mike Shildt to storm onto the field to express his dismay.
It's a critical miss from Reyburn. Keller missed the zone entirely yet was awarded an important out. He then proceeded to hit the next two batters, putting the tying run on base.
Given the situation, it's a mistake that simply can't be afforded from an umpire. When MLB introduces the ABS system, that would be a challengeable play by the batter. Instead, Bogaerts was left seething as he was robbed of a free pass to first base.
San Diego's comeback attempts were stalled, partly because of Reyburn's missed strikeout call, and they fell 3–1 to Chicago to bow out of the postseason.
Stumps Western Australia opener and Test hopeful Cameron Bancroft might have fallen victim to a bizarre dismissal in the Sheffield Shield match against New South Wales.After rain ruined most of day one, 14 wickets fell on Sunday in Perth to put the visitors narrowly in front. Resuming on 35 for 3, New South Wales were dismissed for 170 and then had Western Australia floundering at 116 for 7.Bancroft mirrored New South Wales opener Sam Konstas as Ashes top order hopefuls who did not advance their causes in their first innings at the WACA ground.The Western Australia opener had made 10 when a superb delivery from opening bowler Ryan Hadley appeared to have him caught behind. But replays suggested the noise might not have been an edge, but the ball glancing the off bail on the way through to wicketkeeper Matthew Gilkes.The bail wobbled, but stayed put – meaning Bancroft would have been not out had he not nicked the ball.In better news for Test hopefuls, Western Australia allrounder Cameron Green took a wicket in four overs on Sunday – his first bowling at first-class level since his back surgery late last year.Will Salzmann top-scored for New South Wales with 43 and Gilkes made 36 for them, while Ashton Agar took three wickets late in the innings.Agar (18) and Matthew Kelly (20) came together with Western Australia struggling at 84 for 7, surviving to stumps.Hilton Cartwright made 34, while Hadley had taken 3 for 29 from 12 overs.