Former Pakistan allrounder echoes Eoin Morgan’s view that the format’s quickfire nature would appeal to a much wider audience

Barny Read30-Nov-2018

Shahid Afridi sends one down•Getty Images

Former Pakistan allrounder Shahid Afridi has put his weight behind T10 cricket, saying the new format could be cricket’s gateway into the Olympics. Afridi, playing in his second season of the T10 League with the Pakhtoons, said he has been greatly encouraged by the league’s growth and sees ten-over cricket as the perfect format for introducing a wider audience to the game.”I think this is the best cricket you can introduce in the Olympic Games,” Afridi told ESPNcricinfo. “I think you can take the game there and show the world what cricket is all about. I think this is the perfect format to introduce cricket and we are all enjoying it, which is the main thing.”England’s Eoin Morgan had endorsed a similar view during the inaugural season of the T10 League last year, stating that T10 cricket was easiest on the eye.”I think T10 could be something you could potentially propose to an Olympic committee,” Morgan had told ESPNcricinfo. “When you look at the T20 game, it goes on for a little bit longer, so if you are talking about playing a role in the Olympics then you’d probably have ten teams or more and that would probably last five or six weeks. But a ten-over league could be done in about eight days which could be right.”Following shortly after ICC’s bid for a women’s cricket event at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Afridi’s comments could particularly add to ICC’s ambition for cricket to feature in the Olympics.The one and only time cricket took place in the Olympics was back in 1900, when Great Britain beat France to claim gold. More than 118 years on, Afridi is of the opinion that T10 might just be the key to unlocking cricket’s participation in sport’s pinnacle global event.In the meantime, Afridi said, cricket itself will benefit from T10’s existence.”It’s quick fire, a big test of bowlers. Batsmen can show their skills and I saw myself some great innings, some great skills, some great shots,” said Afridi of T10’s greatest selling points. “I think cricket will change with [T10]. Even T20 and one-day cricket will change with this cricket. I think you can take it [around the world] definitely because of the time,” Afridi said.

كشف سعد شلبي المدير التنفيذي للنادي الأهلي، موقف إدارة القلعة الحمراء، من استكمال مباريات الفريق في بطولة كأس مصر للموسم الحالي 2023-2024.

وكان اتحاد الكرة أعلن عن مواعيد مباريات دور الـ 16 من بطولة كأس مصر، في الفترة من 8 أغسطس حتى 21 من الشهر ذاته، وهو ما وجد اعتراضًا كبيرًا من قبل السويسري مارسيل كولر المدير الفني للفريق، بسبب عدم حصول اللاعبين والجهاز الفني على راحة عقب انتهاء بطولة الدوري.

وقال شلبي خلال تصريحات عبر قناة etc عبر برنامج “بوكس تو بوكس: “القرارات سوف يتم دارستها داخل قاعة مجلس إدارة النادي الأهلي، سيقوم بعرض الموضوع على الجهاز الفني، لمعرفة موقفه أيضًا، ثم نصدر القرار”.

طالع | سيد عبد الحفيظ يوجه رسالة إلى محمود الخطيب وخالد بيبو بعد تتويج الأهلي بالدوري

وأضاف: “يوجد إجهاد كبير للاعبين بعد خوض 11 مباراة في 33 يوما في الفترة الأخيرة، بدأت بوادر هذا الإجهاد في مباراة سموحة بإصابة مبكرة لـ كريم فؤاد”.

وكان الأهلي فاز على سموحة بهدف دون رد، في مباراة مؤجلة من الجولة الـ 24 من عمر بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وبهذا الفوز، حسم النادي الأهلي لقب بطولة الدوري المصري للمرة الـ 44 في تاريخه، وذلك قبل 3 جولات من نهاية المسابقة.

يذكر أن الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم حدد موعد مباراة الأهلي وفاركو في دور الـ 16 لمنافسات كأس مصر، يوم الثلاثاء 20 أغسطس الجاري.

Australia’s opening batsman Aaron Finch has rarely felt more pain on the cricket field than in the moments after his battered right index finger was jammed by Mohammed Shami in Perth, to the point that it felt like the digit was “going to explode” from a blow that left bone visible from a deep cut.However, Finch is adamant he will be fit to play on Boxing Day for his first Test in front of an MCG home crowd, for what looms as the pivotal match of the entire Border-Gavaskar series.Given the captain Tim Paine’s lengthy history of breaks, surgeries and problems with his right index finger, Finch’s own saga of finger troubles seems minor, but is typical of the many issues that batsmen tend to have to manage over the course of summers and careers. He first broke it in Sri Lanka in 2016, and this summer had it twice struck by Mitchell Starc in the nets in Perth and Adelaide before Shami dealt the most painful blow during the second Test, forcing Finch to retire hurt.”It was a bit of a shock, just the initial pain was the thing that got me. It felt like it was going to explode, which was quite funny,” Finch said in Melbourne. “I think just being hit a few times in the last month, a couple times by Starcy at training then Shami out in the game, but it’s also an old break.”I broke the same finger in Sri Lanka a couple of years ago, so I’ve got to start either catching them or use my bat instead of my gloves. It was up there [as the most painful]. I think snapping my hamstring tendon [in April 2015] was probably the most over the last few years.”For all of Finch’s considerable discomfort and the disruption to Australia’s batting order, he was able to feel considerable improvement even within the Perth Test, though he did not really get much opportunity to assess his own batting after falling first ball, glancing down the leg side into Rishabh Pant’s gloves, when he resumed his second innings.”Even batting in the warm-up before the second innings in Perth I still felt pretty good. Catching might be a bit of a different issue, at training I always tape my finger up anyway, but this’ll just be a bit of extra padding,” Finch said. “With a Boxing Day Test and being from Victoria it’s going to have to be cut off I think.”I’m going to catch in slips at training and do my normal preparation. If anything changes in the next couple days I’m sure we’ll have to sit down and chat about that, but at this stage it’s still business as usual and I plan to field at slip and whatever else is needed. It feels like it’s improved 100% over the last couple of days.”Asked whether Paine had any advice in the area of managing a problematic finger, Finch remarked admiringly of the captain’s ability to withstand obvious discomfort. “He’s got about 15 screws and a couple metal plates in his so a little bit different, he’s carried that for a lot longer than what I have,” Finch said. “He’s got a high pain threshold.”At the end of a year in which he has gone from being a white ball-only cricketer for Australia to now having a critical role in the Test team and a vastly expanded international workload, Finch was happy to have spent several days at home after Perth – even if he and his wife Amy used the rare time in Melbourne to move house.”I do feel refreshed, but at the same time I had to move house during that period so my wife had to do a bit of extra heavy lifting which is unfortunate for her, but it’s just great to be home,” Finch said. “Whether going for a coffee at the local cafe or going out for breakfast or lunch or whatever it is, just a bit of familiarity with being home is always nice.”Nevertheless, Finch did find time to grip a cricket bat in between national team duties, giving him some sense of how the finger may feel on Boxing Day. “I got sent some new bats,” he said, “so I’ve been walking around the loungeroom waving them around and it feels okay.”

Renowned transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano says Arsenal have now spoke about signing an £80 million star called "similar" to Douglas Luiz.

Arsenal's reported top January targets

Widespread media claims have shared that manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu have well and truly got to work on identifying transfer targets for the winter window. Thomas Partey's injury woes and rumours that the midfielder could even depart mid-season are leading to other reports that a new midfielder is top of the Arsenal agenda next month.

An important target for the north Londoners, as stated previously, is Villa star Luiz. The Brazilian has starred under Unai Emery so far, playing all 15 of their opening Premier League games while pitching in with five goals.

Arsenal could make a bid for Luiz in January, despite Emery wanting him to stay, but Villa look set to make life difficult for Edu in his pursuit of the player (Fabrizio Romano). The Midlands side are performing exceptionally this season and are on an upward trajectory of their own, making a deal all the more difficult to do.

Meanwhile, it's also been reported that Arsenal have their eye on a new striker and could well attempt to steal away Brentford star Ivan Toney. In a boost for Arteta and co, Toney is apparently ready to leave Brentford next year after Arsenal's talks with his representatives.

Arsenal hold internal Palhinha talks

Toney may well be more attainable than Luiz at this point, especially given Villa's rumoured hard stance over selling their star midfielder. Alternative options for the 25-year-old are now being mooted, with Fulham star Joao Palhinha apparently liked by the Gunners.

The Portuguese has been incredible under Marco Silva and even attracted summer interest from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, who ultimately failed to take him (The Guardian).

According to Romano, Arsenal have held internal talks over signing Palhinha, with some inside the club viewing him as a pretty great option to bolster Arteta's midfield. However, there are also potential roadblocks.

“What I can confirm about Palhinha, this was around the media in recent days, is that there are also English clubs interested in Palhinha,” he told Kick (via Sport Bible).

“One of those clubs is Arsenal. It is true that Arsenal appreciate the player. There are some people at the club who consider Palhinha a very good player. It’s one of the players they discussed internally.

“There are two issues. The first one is the age, he’s not a super young player. I think next year he will be 29. Also, the price. Arsenal cannot spend that amount of money, something like £70-80 million on one more midfielder after spending the big amount of money they invested on Declan Rice.”

Joao Palhinha strengths (via WhoScored)

Tackling

Aerial duels

Palhinha has made 12 appearances for Fulham this season, scoring two goals and ranking as one of their top performers according to WhoScored. Former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has also called the 29-year-old an "amazing, amazing" player, with Football Transfers saying he is "similar" to Luiz in playing style.

“I think this year there’s been some sensational [signings] that we have made," said Mitrovic.

“For me personally, [Joao] Palhinha is the signing of the season so far, amazing, amazing [player]. [Bernd] Leno is the signing that we made that’s amazing. The players who fit straight away and didn’t need time to adapt like before, they fit straight away."

MatériaMais Notícias

Em sua análise após a derrota por 2 a 1 para o Fluminense, na quarta, Rogério Ceni saiu em defesa da equipe, ressaltando o repertório apresentado pelo setor ofensivo diante dos números de finalizações e chances criadas sob seu comando. Tendo isto em vista, o LANCE!levantou os dados sobre os aspectos nas 11 partidas do treinador pelo Flamengo até o momento. Por exemplo, são 172 chutes (15,6 por jogo), das quais 33,13% têm a direção do gol adversário.

Os números foram levantados na plataforma SofaScore. Além dos 57 chutes certos, o Flamengo, nos 11 jogos sob o comando de Rogério Ceni, teve 69 finalizações para fora (40,12% do total), além de 46 finalizações travadas.

RelacionadasFlamengoCeni passa a ter o 3º pior aproveitamento de um técnico do Flamengo nos últimos 10 anosFlamengo07/01/2021FlamengoAinda sem ir a campo, Diego Alves segue no DM na reapresentação do FlamengoFlamengo07/01/2021FlamengoSem torcida, Flamengo tem pior aproveitamento como mandante no Brasileirão desde 2015Flamengo07/01/2021

> Confira a tabela completa e a classificação do Campeonato Brasileiro!

Na visão de Rogério Ceni, o aproveitamento não passa pelas atividades no Ninho do Urubu. Segundo o técnico, finalizações são treinadas à exaustão.

– Uma coisa é falta de repertório, outra coisa é não finalizar. Com 19 finalizações não é falta de repertório. As bolas chegaram, bolas alçadas, tabelas, e o goleiro deles fez ótimas defesas. Treinar mais finalizações do que treinamos é impossível. Infelizmente, a bola tem teimado em não entrar – comentou Ceni após o revés no Fla-Flu, com gol sofrido nos acréscimos.

Ainda de acordo com o SofaScore, Everton Ribeiro, Arrascaeta, Bruno Henrique & Cia, nas 11 partidas com Rogério Ceni, criou 42 grandes chances, das quais converteu – ou seja, marcou gol – 12 delas, um aproveitamento de 28,57%.

As finalizações do Flamengo em 11 jogos com Rogério Ceni (via SofaScore):

172 finalizações: 57 no gol; 69 para fora; e 46 travadas
​
Percentualmente:​
33,13% das finalizações no gol
40,12% das finalizações para fora
26,74% das finalizações travadas

Em média:
15,6 finalizações/jogo
5,18 finalizações no gol/jogo
6,27 finalizações para fora/jogo
4,18 finalizações travadas/jogo

Newcastle United have been dealt a potential major blow after one of their players was withdrawn from training on international duty, according to fresh reports.

Newcastle United's injury nightmare…

As we all know by now, Newcastle United have an enormous injury list and face the prospect of missing some of their key players for a considerable period of time, which is bound to have an impact on Eddie Howe's team selection and potential results. The unavailable players for the Magpies include Callum Wilson, Alexander Isak, Miguel Almiron, Javier Manquillo, Matt Targett, Sven Botman, Elliot Anderson, Jacob Murphy, Harvey Barnes and Dan Burn, with a report on Wednesday revealing Wilson and Botman are facing significant time out.

Sandro Tonali is suspended from footballing activity due to breaching betting rules and will be unavailable until next year, while Bruno Guimaraes served a one-match suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards in their 2-0 defeat away to Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

Down to the bare bones, youngsters Lewis Miley and Ben Parkinson were both called upon during the Premier League clash, which produced a major flashpoint at the end of the game, as Kieran Trippier shared a passionate exchange with a travelling supporter and appeared to respond to their protestations with the question "how many injuries have we got?" after both parties were seen in heated debate.

Nevertheless, the England international played down events in an interview with Sky Sports, stating: "The fans are emotional, they have travelled a long way. I had a chat with one of them, saying we are giving everything and there's no need to panic. We got beat and we apologise for that result, but the lads are giving everything."

Now, it looks as if things could be about to go from bad to worse for Newcastle United after one of their players was withdrawn from full-contact training on international duty.

Fabian Schar injury update

According to a report from Switzerland cited via Sport Witness, Newcastle United defender Fabian Schar has been withdrawn from Switzerland's crucial EURO 2024 tie against Israel due to 'muscular problems' and he will instead participate in individualised training in his hotel room with a personal trainer.

Fabian Schar in 2023/24 – all competitions (Transfermarkt)
Appearances	17
Goals	1
Assists	0

Full training is now an option that is off the table for the 31-year-old, who is believed to earn in the region of £40,000 per week at St James' Park, for now, as he recovers from his muscle issue. Switzerland will book their ticket to Germany next summer if they manage to see off Alon Hazan's Israel side.

Performing admirably in 2023/24, Schar has averaged around 3.4 clearances and 1.4 tackles per match in the Premier League this campaign for Newcastle United (Schar statistics – WhoScored).

Despite his impressive form, Schar could now be set to join a lengthy list of absences for Magpies boss Howe to contend with, as he aims to improve on their current showing in the English top-flight that has landed the Toon in seventh position with 20 points from their opening 12 matches.

Glasgow Rangers will be looking to win three Premiership matches in a row this afternoon as Dundee are the visitors to Ibrox.

Philippe Clement’s men won 1-0 in midweek over Hearts, yet if it were not for some wasteful finishing, they could have easily scored more.

Tom Lawrence had to come off injured against the Jambos, however, and this was the only blemish on a productive evening.

The lack of central midfielders who are fit is worrying and Clement may need to go back to the drawing board.

Rangers team news vs Dundee

The Belgian confirmed that Borna Barisic and Lawrence are both suffering from muscle injuries and they will both be monitored, meaning they could both miss the tie against Dundee if they do not recover in time.

Nicolas Raskin is also missing after his recovery is not going as smoothly as anticipated, while Scott Wright continues to be absent.

Ryan Jack has missed the previous few matches with an injury and the weekend clash against the Dens Park outfit could come too quick for him to make a return.

John Lundstram is fit and healthy, and he could be deployed in the engine room, while the 49-year-old can soften the Lawrence blow by unleashing Jose Cifuentes alongside him.

Jose Cifuentes’ season in numbers

It is safe to say the £16k-per-week midfielder has not quite hit the heights expected of him since he made the move to the Light Blues during the summer.

During the embryonic stages of his career, he was praised by journalist Tim Vickery following his displays for Ecuador at the U20 World Cup in 2019, who said: “He was the beating heart of that side and I think he’s a terrific midfielder. He’s strong, he’s got quality, he’s got a good engine – he’s one of the best all-round midfielders, potentially, that I’ve seen come out of South America in a while.”

Across 18 appearances so far this season, however, he has grabbed just one assist and the midfielder needs to be showing more.

The 24-year-old has managed 1.1 shots per game, although he has yet to score for the club, while the Ecuadorian has created two big chances and has an 88% pass success rate, proving that he is showing some signs of his talents.

Although coming into the game as a substitute after Lawrence was taken off in midweek, Cifuentes finished the game with the most pressures (31), counter pressures (seven), and tackles and interceptions (seven) across everyone on the field of play and perhaps there is hope yet that he can become a key member of the team.

These statistics show that he has the engine and dive to put pressure on the opposition in order to win possession back quickly for his side, which can then provide the attackers with more opportunities to work their magic in the final third.

Rangers' 6/10 star who lost possession 11x was as good as Sima vs Hearts

Rangers secured a vital three points against Hearts

ByRoss Kilvington Dec 7, 2023

To do this, however, he will need a consistent run in the starting XI and this means dropping Jack to the bench. The Scot has been solid when carrying out his duties for the Gers this season, yet his constant injury issues may mean he could have to rely on making appearances from the bench when he is fit.

Cifuentes can cement his place in the centre of midfield against Dundee today, and he should take confidence from his midweek performance.

Mikel Arteta labelled Arsenal players as "lucky" despite suffering two crucial defeats which left their silverware prospects hanging in the balance.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Arsenal got knocked out from UCL by Bayern
• Whereas defeat to Aston Villa saw them fall behind Man City in PL
• Arteta remains unphased despite enduring a horror week

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Gunners' hopes of silverware took a blow as they bowed out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage following a defeat to Bayern Munich. Prior to this disappointment, Arsenal relinquished their grip on the Premier League title race after a loss to Aston Villa, leaving their championship aspirations hanging in the balance.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  However, amidst these setbacks, Arteta remains optimistic about his team's prospects of conquering England. Ahead of a pivotal league clash against Wolves, he urged his squad to maintain their focus and determination and urged them to overcome self-pity.

• WHAT ARTETA SAID

  “I think the players are all very lucky to have had the week that we’ve had,” he said.

  “Because these are the weeks that we want and have been seeking for many years to have at Arsenal. You have to deal with that. If you want to be in this position, you have to go through it and it’s going to be tough. Against those opponents, the margins are minimal and you have to try to compete to be better than them.

  "But maybe even if you are better, you don’t win? Like what happened at home against Bayern and against Villa. Are you ready to react to that?  If not you’re not ready to be living these kinds of weeks and we want to be living these kinds of weeks. Don’t feel sorry for yourself – if we want to be here we have to be prepared because this is a possibility.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The Aston Villa loss marked Arsenal's first Premier League defeat in 2024 which underscores the team's remarkable consistency in domestic competitions. And yet they faced severe backlash from the fans for sliding behind in the title race to Manchester City. Arteta sees the criticism and scrutiny that accompany setbacks as a test of character and resolve, challenging his players to rise above adversity and maintain their composure.

  “It is testing your resilience and your ego,” he said. “If I take a newspaper and show it to my son, seven days ago after Brighton, and then seven days later Bayern Munich, talking about the same team, they would think it is three years ago. 

  “It is the reality of what it is, but we have to live with that. That is the beauty of it, as well. On Saturday you can be at home and you can be the happiest man ever, saying we have a real chance here, let’s go for it with five games to go. We have to make that happen. That is our job.”

Manchester United have deployed chiefs to watch a new central player live in action, but a reliable journalist has revealed that they aren’t the only club who are hoping to bring him to the Premier League.

Man Utd's summer signings

Over the summer, Erik ten Hag’s side recruited Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount, Andre Onana, Altay Bayindir and Jonny Evans on a permanent basis, whilst signing Sofyan Amrabat and Sergio Reguilon on loan for the remainder of the season. Having put pen to paper from Fiorentina, Amrabat’s terms do include an option to buy, but should the club decide for whatever reason that they don’t want to take that up upon the conclusion of the campaign then the hierarchy will have to enter the market to find a suitable replacement in defensive midfield.

The Red Devils have set their sights on Benfica’s Joao Neves who has worked his way up through their academy ranks to get promoted to the first team where he’s since gone on to make a total of 38 senior appearances to date (Transfermarkt – Neves statistics).

The Portugal international still has another five years remaining on his deal (Benfica contracts), but having caught the eye of chiefs following his impressive performances since the start of the season, the 19-year-old could be on his way to Old Trafford.

Man Utd scout Joao Neves

Taking to X, Graeme Bailey confirmed that Man United sent representatives to assess Neves last weekend, but with three other high-profile rivals also keeping a close eye on his situation, it won't be easy to get a deal over the line in January.

He wrote: “Joao Neves impresses Premier League scouts as Benfica see off Sporting. Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal all checked on the Portuguese midfield starlet on Sunday.”

Ten Hag could secure "warrior" in Neves

As it stands, Neves ranks in the 99th percentile for blocks and the 96th percentile for tackles which shows how much he loves to get stuck into challenges and is willing to put his body on the line to protect his defensive backline (FBRef – Neves statistics).

The Tavira native is also recording a 90.6% pass success rate in Liga Portugal (WhoScored – Neves statistics), highlighting his extreme calmness and composure on the ball and his ability to dictate the game from the centre of the park, with that being somewhat of a leadership quality which would be welcomed by the boss.

Indirect set-piece threat

Likes to tackle

Commits fouls often

Furthermore, Roger Schmidt’s £16k-per-week earner (Benfica salaries), already knows what it takes to compete and be successful at a high level having secured four pieces of silverware during his time in Lisbon, so he will possess the required winning mentality.

Therefore, Neves is an absolute “warrior” according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, so it could be a shrewd coup if Man United were able to secure the services of their in-demand target ahead of their other fellow competitors in January.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is to be assessed on his strengths and weaknesses by the club's new technical director.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Man Utd weigh up Ten Hag futureJob could be on the lineTechnical director tasked with auditWHAT HAPPENED?

Speculation and uncertainty over Ten Hag's future at Old Trafford is growing in the wake of Sunday's serious flirtation with an embarrassing FA Cup semi-final defeat against second tier Coventry, as well as consistently disappointing league results. Now that Jason Wilcox has been appointed technical director, joining from Southampton, the reports that he is tasked with carrying out an "audit" looking in detail at the manager's strengths and weaknesses, plus his overall suitability moving forward.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The possibility of a managerial change being made this summer stems from Sir Jim Ratcliffe's investment in the club and takeover of sporting control. The 71-year-old billionaire raced to Wembley on Sunday after completing the London Marathon to witness the inexplicable collapse and the T hints that missing out on European qualification this season could be catastrophic for Ten Hag. Wilcox must also assess Ten Hag's relationship with the squad, which has come under scrutiny again after an incident involving Alejandro Garnacho 'liking' critical social media posts following last year's storm over Jadon Sancho. With the club's new sporting hierarchy wishing to implement an overarching style and philosophy, Ten Hag has to be seen as the right fit for that too. However, his saving grace could be the lack of an obvious successor.

DID YOU KNOW?

Ten Hag still has just over 12 months left on the three-year contract he signed when he arrived from Ajax in the summer of 2022, meaning United would likely have to be pay out compensation were he to leave the job any sooner. The Dutchman's staff – including Steve McClaren and Mitchell van der Gaag – would also likely follow him out of the door.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR TEN HAG & MAN UTD?

United are 16 points adrift of the Premier League top four with only 18 left to play for – just one more win for Aston Villa would make Champions League qualification impossible. However, the FA Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley next month gives hope that the season might not end trophy-less. Victory in that game, or a fifth or sixth place Premier League finish, would equate to Europa League football next season.