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Early next year the selectors will need to decide if there’s a spot in a 15-player squad for a reserve keeper

Andrew McGlashan13-Aug-2025

Alex Carey completed an unusual stumping on his T20I return•AFP/Getty Images

The second T20I in Darwin was lit up by Dewald Brevis’ century, but it also highlighted a question Australia have to answer before the T20 World Cup: do they need to have wicketkeeping cover in their 15-player squad?With Josh Inglis suffering from flu which he had played through in the opening game, Alex Carey was flown in ahead of schedule and earned his first T20I since 2021. He pulled off one of the more unusual stumpings to remove Lhuan-dre Pretorius and was Australia’s second-highest scorer with 26 off 18 balls.Related

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In a home bilateral series it was easy enough for the selectors to make a quick phone call to Carey and have him fly up to Darwin at short notice. But things are trickier in global tournaments where squad sizes are restricted, replacement players need approval and once a player is removed from the squad they can’t return.Inglis is locked in as Australia’s white-ball keeper but there would be a risk of entering a World Cup without another option on hand to take the gloves, particularly with Inglis managing ongoing back problems. None of the other batters in the current T20I squad, which seems likely to form the core of the World Cup group, are viable alternatives behind the stumps.Australia nearly found themselves in such a situation at the 2022 T20 World Cup when Matthew Wade came down with Covid prior to the game against England. Inglis, who was in the original squad, had suffered a hand injury playing golf prior to the tournament and been replaced by Cameron Green. As it was, the match was washed out although Wade would likely have pushed through and played. Australia’s contingencies on that day were potentially David Warner, who once took the gloves in a Test match, and captain Aaron Finch.In Darwin, Alex Carey batted as low as No. 7 in a T20 only for the seventh time, and the first since 2018•Getty ImagesAt the most recent T20 World Cup in the Caribbean last year, Wade and Inglis were both in the 15-player squad, as they were for the 2021 edition in the UAE that Australia won. At the 2023 ODI World Cup, Inglis was in the squad and replaced Carey after one game. Now the duo feature together in the one-day side, with Carey playing as a batter in the Champions Trophy earlier this year.In the 50-over format they can both carry themselves as frontline batters, but that is not so clear cut for the T20I team. Tuesday was only the seventh time Carey had batted as low as No. 7 in a T20 and the first since 2018, with everyone else moved up a place in Inglis’ absence. His two BBL hundreds have come as an opener while he also has a solid record at No. 4. Overall in T20, Carey’s strike-rate is 129.04 compared to Inglis’ 150.98. However, in limited BBL appearances over the last three seasons, Carey has lifted his strike-rate to 146.52, which is higher than Inglis’ 138.57 over the same period.The issue the selectors will need to ponder early next year is whether there’s a spot in a 15-player squad for Carey, where the choice could come down to between him and another frontline batter, to cover for the eventuality where Inglis is unavailable for a game but hasn’t suffered a tournament-ending injury.On the recent tour of West Indies, a key reason Jake Fraser-McGurk was called in as a replacement when Spencer Johnson was ruled out was because the selectors are looking to build on the wicketkeeping side of his game and they wanted cover for Inglis in a condensed series.There is a chance he will have the gloves at some point for Australia A in the one-day series against India A in late September with him and Lachlan Shaw the two keeping options in that squad. But currently Fraser-McGurk doesn’t warrant a place as a batter in the national side – he made 2 in his one innings in West Indies to continue a lean year in T20s where he is averaging 19.41 albeit with a strike-rate of 150.22.

Rayudu, Rahane and Dube – all at different stages of their careers – brought out their best through the season

Shashank Kishore30-May-20231:57

Moody: Dhoni develops the young and reinvents the old

“With him in the team I will never win the fairplay award. But what I will remember him for is he always gives his 100%.”That was MS Dhoni on Ambati Rayudu in a nutshell. The angry, often testy and emotional character that Rayudu can be, was sobbing inconsolably after the winning runs were hit in the IPL final. Two days earlier, he had announced retirement and promised there wouldn’t be any U-turns.It was a glorious end to a career that had its fair share of moments in the sun and moments that had the potential to go out of hand. Like in 2018, when Rayudu went incommunicado for over two weeks after he had been withdrawn from India’s squad over a failed yo-yo test.Related

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Rayudu: 'A fairy-tale finish, I can smile for the rest of my life'

Only a few months earlier, Rayudu had been front and centre of CSK’s magnificent run to the title. He had made 602 runs in 16 innings while striking at 149.75. A World Cup dream was burning bright, but Rayudu was crushed by the manner in which he is believed to have been told, “no fitness, no World Cup.”Kasi Viswanathan, the CSK CEO and a calm man who players swear by for being a “voice of reason”, stepped in to help Rayudu in a bid to get him back on track. A part of the exercise was to have him mentor young kids handpicked by CSK for an exchange programme in Yorkshire.Viswanathan left no stone unturned in reaching out to Rayudu, who in Dhoni’s own words “doesn’t use a mobile phone much”. And from being on the edge of walking away angry at the system and at himself, Rayudu came back reinvigorated. He thanked “Kasi sir” for helping him rediscover the fire. Two weeks later, he cleared the yo-yo test and forced his way back into contention, first with India A and then with the Indian team.Rayudu is a man of few words. The anger he can show on the field can, at times, come as a shock if you’re used to his polite off-field persona. He smiles more than he talks. His demeanour on Monday night was of someone emotional, yet satisfied with where he stood as he walked away a winner.From being touted as one for the future in 2002 to playing in an Under-19 World Cup in 2004 to disappearing into the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) and then returning to the mainstream, Rayudu’s career has been one of promise not entirely fulfilled. In Ahmedabad on Monday night, he was part of a sixth IPL crown, three each with CSK and Mumbai Indians.”I can smile for the rest of my life,” Rayudu said, wiping tears in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. “All the hard work for the last 30 years. I’m just happy that it finished on this night.”Rayudu’s was a clutch contribution, without which it’s entirely possible CSK may have not had the legs for the late heist. How someone who had barely batted in the tournament soaked in pressure and launched a sensational assault on one of the tournament’s best death bowler is a story for the ages.He was simply looking to hold his shape, stand deep inside his crease and let his instincts take over. It’s easier said than done, but to be able to execute when everything is on the line speaks of not just his class but composure. He went 6, 4, 6 against Mohit Sharma. From 39 off 18, the equation was down to 23 off 15.”Ambati Rayudu is an absolute legend, I rate him so highly as a batter,” coach Stephen Fleming said at the post-final press conference. “That over today, the three balls against Mohit Sharma proved why. Mohit’s one of the in-form death bowlers and the way Rayudu hit him for 6, 4, 6 was pure class. So, he will leave a hole [in the team going forward], there’s no doubt about it but the game keeps moving. He’s identified mentally and physically it’s his time to go. We’ve respected that, for him to go out like that was emotional for him and the group. I’m very pleased for him. I’m really rapped with what he contributed to CSK.”1:57

Manjrekar: Dhoni had his eyes closed for the final ball

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In December 2022, Viswanathan had a brief discussion with Fleming and Dhoni over the possibility of shortlisting Ajinkya Rahane ahead of the auction. Fleming vouched for Rahane’s work ethic and strongly endorsed him being in the shortlist, even if a final call on selecting him was to be made in due course. Dhoni is believed to have told Viswanathan, “nothing like it if we can get Jinks.”Fleming had worked previously with Rahane at Rising Pune Supergiants and knew of his pedigree. He felt here was a batter who had immense potential even if he was at the fag end of his career. Getting him at base price, Viswanathan said, was a “bonus.” They had budgeted a “slightly more than that” – he was signed for INR 50 lakh (US$ 60,000 approx.).”When I turned up halfway through the pre-season training, I saw a guy who was in magnificent form,” Fleming said. “He wasn’t in our initial thoughts, but the game in Mumbai [where Rahane scored 61 off 27] was really defining.”Rahane only found out he was playing just prior to the toss. Ben Stokes had been injured, Moeen Ali was unwell, and CSK needed to rejig their top order. This was a return to the IPL of sorts. His career had hit a dead end. He hadn’t hit an IPL fifty since 2020. He hadn’t played in a Test for over a year. And when he didn’t get runs for Kolkata Knight Riders before leaving midway due to an injury last year, you feared he had done his time. Much to his credit, Rahane went back to domestic cricket to get back the “enjoyment factor” and in his first knock back at the IPL this season, he heads turn straightaway.Suddenly, Rahane’s form led to a chatter around him potentially lending India’s middle order some experience in Shreyas Iyer’s absence for the WTC final. Certainly the selectors felt that way and he was rewarded with a recall.On Monday night, you wouldn’t have expected Rahane to come in at No. 4 in a truncated game. But his six-hitting form and the improved focus on going hard from ball one convinced the team management that it was a “good call.” Rahane played two of the most stunning shots in the match. The first was a home run. “Baseballs it over midwicket,” said Karthik Krishnaswamy on ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball commentary.The second shot, one ball later, brought back Sachin Tendulkar’s desert storm feels. “Straight down the ground, wonderful shot, all the wayyy for six.” You could hear the mind replay that in Tony Greig’s booming voice. If aesthetics was an Olympic sport, Rahane was a gold medalist, hands down. This unshackled version of Rahane, who finished the season with the best strike rate (232.39) against pace bowling (minimum balls faced 20) was down to proper role clarity.”My understanding is that we got rid of the tag of being the guy you bat around or bat through,” Fleming explained. “I think that maybe hung over his head a little bit too much and didn’t allow him to be the player that he can be. And once that tag was gone, it was one of our best wins in the tournament and he was the big catalyst behind it, so he cemented that No. 3 spot.”He’s been unwavering the whole way through, he’s been nothing but positive, his nets have been positive. Anytime he’s been caught on the boundary or out playing a big shot, we’ve just reinforced how good he’s playing. So a little bit of belief and just sheer ability – he’s been a wonderful player for us this year.”2:09

Manjrekar: Dhoni trusted Jadeja to do the job

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Shivam Dube had a middling IPL 2022. Short balls tucked into his body at pace were his weakness. An injury in the build-up to the season left the team management with little time to work on his game. So instead, they decided to build on his strengths. Which was his ability to use his long levers to muscle spin for sixes. Dube had made a mark first when he walloped five sixes in five balls in a local T20 game in Mumbai. They worked on bringing that ferocity back, this time against quality spin of Yuzvendra Chahal, Rashid Khan and Sunil Narine.On Monday, Dube had a forgettable start. He was on 12 off 11 and CSK needed 54 off 24. The pressure was piling up. He couldn’t time the ball. They weren’t giving him the length to swing for the hills. In trying to overhit, he kept losing his shape.And then he went boom, boom against a clutch bowler, Rashid. It was a wrong’un gone wrong; it was right in his hitting slot and Dube picked him early to launch it straight down the ground. Next ball was of similar length, but a legbreak. Again, Dube picked it early, cleared his front leg and walloped it with the spin. Those two shots brought CSK back in. It would lead to the start of Rayudu’s torrent at the other end.”To bring Dube up and use him in an aggressive role took a few games,” Fleming said. “We were unsure but he played a defining innings against RCB [in Bengaluru where he scored 52 off 27] where he really stamped his authority and from there, he was sort of a catalyst for us through those middle overs. With the Impact Player, that’s what was needed.”

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Perhaps there was no bigger catalyst on the night than Ravindra Jadeja. The man who dismissed Shubman Gill to give CSK an early breakthrough was there right at the end to see the team home. This was a moment Jadeja was perhaps waiting for, after a season of feeling a little letdown by the Chennai fans. The same fans who wanted him out so that Dhoni could come in to bat were willing him on with CSK needing 10 off the last two balls.They were all praying hard. The captain couldn’t watch. Jadeja knew he had to swing and swing hard. And he did. And just like that, all the tension that appeared to have built up, with all the social media potshots and cryptic messages of “karma” and “knowing my worth”, went down the river. There was unparalleled joy. Dhoni couldn’t hold back his emotions. Jadeja sprinted across as soon as he made contact, knowing they had won. He didn’t even bother looking behind. They were all trying to catch him. Everyone was running in circles. It was delirium.They say there are no fairy tales in sport. This was a pretty good one, for CSK; something that one didn’t see happening when Jadeja left the camp in a huff in 2022. He had just been removed as captain. Jadeja wiped out any mention of CSK on his Instagram account. He was fuming, only to be later cajoled and brought back into the camp. Here he was now, on top of the podium, having delivered under immense pressure. Jadeja had become their new ”.”It’s been a difficult 18 months, where the captaincy was difficult, the injury was difficult. It took a bit of time from out of the game to come back reinvigorated to the Test game and then reintegrate into CSK,” Fleming said. “He plays a great role with the ball, but we’ve got so much firepower that in some ways we use him down the order. But something has to give, and MS has been very supportive and proactive of getting him up there.”And today, he repaid that faith. That six to a ball that was neat-perfect was defining. And then a good left-hander’s straight drive through fine leg was a great way to finish it. I couldn’t have been happier for him. There’s been some frustration at times, but he’s our gun player, our No. 1-ranked player, and today he delivered.”It was the perfect end to a season full of drama. It was the culmination of a journey that began mid-February when Fleming and CSK realised they needed to patch together something out of nothing, given their injury list.It was quite symbolic in the end that the defining image of their season was one of an injured Dhoni, knee in a brace and struggling from the many million squats he has had to do, lifting Jadeja in one motion.You couldn’t have scripted any of it.

Watto announces himself as an MVP allrounder

Sruthi Ravindranath23-Apr-20214:41

Gautam Gambhir, Farveez Maharoof and Dinesh Karthik on Watson’s performance

We polled our staff for their picks of the top ten best batting, bowling and all-round performances in the IPL through its history. Here’s No. 5Rajasthan Royals v Delhi Daredevils, 2008″He lost a bit of the edge in the last few games but today he was absolutely fantastic and showed his class. He’s a fantastic all-round cricketer and good enough to be in the Australian team.” – Shane Warne, Rajasthan Royals captainTwenty-six-year-old Shane Watson had endured a tough year. Though he was touted as one of the most promising allrounders in Australia, frequent injuries had left a perpetual question mark over his international future. Then came the 2008 IPL and in those 44 days Watson found his range. One performance showed he had it in him to become T20 allrounder.The Rajasthan Royals, seen as underdogs for their low-budget approach, had become the side to beat as the inaugural IPL season progressed. While lesser-known players put their hands up at crucial moments, most of the Royals’ campaign had been built around Watson. Coming into the semi-final, against the Delhi Daredevils, he was in tremendous form: 392 runs and 13 wickets in 13 games.In the semi-final, he cranked it up a notch. Such was Watson’s performance that the Wankhede crowd rose to its feet to chant his – yes, an Australian’s – name.Shane Watson all but finished the game in his first three overs with the ball•BCCIThe Royals were put in to bat and the openers took them to 65 in seven overs before Watson arrived at the crease with the intention to maintain momentum through the middle overs. He stuck to the brief for the first ten balls, hitting just one boundary. “It took me a few balls to understand the wicket and the bounce, but after that I got into the rhythm,” he said later.Watson then unveiled beast mode. In the 11th over, which brought 21 runs, he hit the inexperienced Yo Mahesh for a four and two humungous sixes on the leg side. With adept timing and footwork, he went after specific bowlers, swinging through square leg and midwicket. He took on legspinner Amit Mishra, who lured him with teasing flight, by getting under a delivery and dispatching it for six over midwicket.His 29-ball 52, combined with Yusuf Pathan’s final flourish, took the Royals to 192. By no means was this an easy target, though with Gautam Gambhir – the tournament’s second highest run scorer – and Virender Sehwag in the opposition, you couldn’t rule out an even contest.No, the chase was not on, considering the kind of day Watson was having.The numbers

67 Percentage (12 out of 18) of Watson’s deliveries that were on the shorter side, which shows he executed the bowling plans to perfection on the day

5 Number of Player-of-the-Match awards Watson got in the 2008 IPL season. He also finished as Player of the Tournament for his 472 runs and 17 wickets

138.64 Watson’s Total Impact – the sum of his batting and bowling impacts – in the match. Daredevils’ Farveez Maharoof, who picked up three wickets in the match, had the second highest of 78.24 points

His opening spell pretty much decided the game. Gauging the amount of bounce the surface offered, Watson kept his length short and beat the batters with pace. In his first two overs, he got Sehwag to top-edge a catch to deep square leg and beat Gambhir repeatedly before having him caught at cover. In Watson’s third over, Shikhar Dhawan pulled a back-of-a-length delivery straight to the fielder at square leg. With 3-0-10-3, the Daredevils’ chase was all but over and they were eventually skittled out for 87.Such was Watson’s impact in the match that his 52 runs were worth 64.03 Smart Runs, and his strike rate of 179 translated to a Smart Strike Rate of 220. His economy of 3.33 in the match was 2.6 in terms of Smart Economy.This performance helped Watson revive his international career, and right as T20 cricket took root, he established himself as a complete, two-in-one player in the format.The Greatest IPL performances 2008-2020

يواجه فريق الكرة الأول بنادي بيراميدز، نظيره بتروجيت، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز. 

وكان بيراميدز قد حقق الفوز في المباراة الماضية على كهرباء الإسماعيلية بهدفين مقابل هدف، في المواجهة المؤجلة من الجولة الثامنة من الدوري المصري.

ويحتل فريق بيراميدز المركز الثاني في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز برصيد 26 نقطة، بينما يحتل فريق بتروجيت المركز  التاسع برصيد 18 نقطة. 

طالع.. ترتيب الدوري المصري بعد فوز بيراميدز على كهرباء الإسماعيلية

ويحل بيراميدز ضيفًا على بتروجيت على استاد بتروسبورت في اللقاء المؤجل من الجولة العاشرة من بطولة الدوري. موعد مباراة بيراميدز وبتروجيت اليوم في الدوري المصري 

يواجه فريق بيراميدز نظيره بتروجيت، في تمام الساعة الثامنة من مساء اليوم السبت، على ملعب بتروسبورت، في الجولة العاشرة “المؤجلة” من الدوري.  القناة الناقلة لمباراة بيراميدز وبتروجيت في الدوري 

وتذاع مباراة بيراميدز وبتروجيت، على قناة “أون سبورت1″، الراعي الحصري لمباريات الدوري المصري الممتاز. 

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Aston Villa centre-forward Ollie Watkins recently ended his goal draught with an impressive brace in the 4-3 win over Brighton in the Premier League earlier this month.

The England international had gone 11 matches without a goal, per Sofascore, and only had one goal to his name in the top-flight before those two strikes against the Seagulls.

After blanking against Arsenal on Saturday, though, Watkins is now on three goals, from 4.49 xG (Sofascore), in 15 appearances in the Premier League this season, which is far from an ideal return for the Villans striker.

The former Brentford marksman’s underwhelming form on the pitch this season may force Unai Emery to consider adding to his squad to bolster his firepower in the final third.

Aston Villa eyeing deal for Ligue 1 striker

The Villans are reportedly looking at a potential striker signing who could come in and be an upgrade on Watkins for the second half of the 2025/26 campaign.

Transfer Focus

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

According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Strasbourg centre-forward Joaquin Panichelli in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Villans, West Ham United, and Chelsea are all keeping close tabs on the Argentine marksman, ahead of a possible swoop for his services.

It adds that it could be difficult for any of those clubs to get a deal done for the 23-year-old star in January, as Strasbourg want a ‘big profit’ on the forward they paid £14m to sign from Alaves in the summer.

However, it is not impossible and Aston Villa should push to get a deal done ahead of West Ham and Chelsea because he could improve their squad in the centre-forward position.

Why Aston Villa should sign Panichelli

The Villans could land an upgrade on Watkins, who has struggled this season, by signing the Strasbourg star, because his form in Ligue 1 has been hugely impressive.

After a return of 21 goals in 44 matches on loan at Mirandes in LaLiga 2 in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, it was unclear whether or not the Argentine striker would be able to handle the step up to playing in one of Europe’s major leagues.

It is fair to say that he has made the step up with ease after his £14m transfer to Strasbourg, since his form so far this season has attracted interest from Villa, Chelsea, and West Ham.

U23 scout Antonio Mango described him as “one of the most in form Strikers in Europe” at the end of October, and that statement still rings true in December.

Panichelli has scored nine goals from 8.58 xG in 15 appearances in Ligue 1, compared to Watkins’ three goals from 4.49 xG in the Premier League, and only five striker in the top five leagues in Europe have outscored him.

Harry Kane

17

Kylian Mbappe

16

Erling Haaland

15

Ferran Torres

11

Igor Thiago

11

Joaquin Panichelli

9

Esteban Lepaul

8

Robert Lewandowski

8

Jonathan Burkardt

8

Vedat Muriqi

8

The Strasbourg centre-forward, as shown in the table above, has been one of the most prolific number nines in Europe at league level this season, which illustrates the level of quality that Villa could bring to the club.

On top of his domestic form, Panichelli has scored one goal from 0.23 xG in two Conference League outings, per Sofascore, whilst Watkins has no goals from 1.63 xG in five Europa League appearances for the Villans.

These statistics suggest that the Argentine striker could be the ruthless finisher that Emery’s team have lacked this season, due to Watkins’ dismal form in front of goal as a finisher.

Panichelli has been one of the most prolific scorers in Europe, whilst also doing so efficiently against his xG. This suggests that his goalscoring is sustainable if chances continue to be created for him.

Therefore, given that Watkins has had chances created for him that he has failed to make the most of, the Strasbourg star could arrive at Villa Park as an upgrade in the centre-forward position if they beat Chelsea and West Ham to his signature.

Stuart Pearce says 'outstanding' Aston Villa star stole the show in win over Arsenal

The Villans are now outside title challengers.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 6, 2025

It is now down to the board to ensure that they put enough money on the table to convince the Ligue 1 side to part ways with the impressive striker in the January transfer window.

The Boston Red Sox shocked Major League Baseball by trading star third baseman Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. Since that move, several stories have surfaced about the dysfunction in the Red Sox organization. An MLB insider detailed another on Monday.

In a piece for Yahoo! Sports, Joon Lee reported on a firing that exemplified the chaos behind the scenes in Boston. Per Lee’s report, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has become insulated as his front office has lost cohesion. Longtime staffers have felt shut out by him and the "collaborative spirit that once defind Red Sox baseball operations has frayed."

Things only got worse when Breslow brought in a consulting firm in 2024 to help streamline the organization. Firings ensued and things frayed further. That led to an incident that saw the developing tension boil over.

From Lee's piece:

There's a few lessons here. First, always mute yourself during a team Zoom call. Second, maybe Boston should have a tighter hand with Breslow, who had never been in this position before October of 2023.

Whatever is going on with the Red Sox isn't good, and an organizational reset might be in the cards.

Galatasaray advisor and prominent agent George Gardi has dived into the behind-the-scenes developments with regards to the transfer to Leroy Sane to the Turkish heavyweights. The 29-year-old, who left Bayern Munich as a free agent at the end of last season, signed a three-year deal with Galatasaray after the club managed to convince him of his importance in the project.

Sane settling into new club Galatasaray

The former Manchester City and Schalke star left Bayern Munich as a free agent upon the expiry of his contract over the summer and joined reigning Turkish Super Lig champions Galatasaray on a three-year deal. He is one of the highest-earning players in Turkey, pocketing a hefty €9 million annual bonus along with a net loyalty bonus of €3m. 

His first few months at the club weren't as good as many expected. The German international struggled to maintain his fitness and looked rusty during games. In fact, he was even dropped from the starting XI for the Champions League encounter against Liverpool in September. 

However, things have started to fall in place for Sane in recent weeks. In a recent interview with , the winger admitted that "things didn't quite go as planned on the pitch at the beginning," but after getting regular minutes under his belt and spending more time with his new team-mates on the field, he was "very happy with my performances and how I've played."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesGalatasaray advisor reveals how the Sane transfer developed

Galatasaray transfer advisor George Gardi – one of the most prominent agents in Turkey, having facilitated the arrivals of Mauro Icardi, Victor Osimhen and Mario Gomez – has shed light on the behind-the-scenes developments surrounding the Sane transfer.

"This idea came about many, many months before the transfer window opened. I knew this player was needed to take the team to the next level. He was an essential player for building the squad for the upcoming season," Gardi told . 

"When I started negotiations – many months in advance – I initially began with his then-agents. Then there was a change in management, and I continued with the new agents. Of course, it was difficult. He had offers from top clubs in England and Germany. He had a huge offer from Saudi Arabia. With the Club World Cup coming up, it was a big decision for his career."

Speaking about the negotiations, Gardi further explained: "I spoke a lot with the agents and also with him personally. I told him that Galatasaray could be a place where he would become one of the leaders. That he would fit perfectly into the system and could win in a place that would give him great emotions and great satisfaction – perhaps even with a chance to win something in Europe, something the club had never achieved before. I explained to the board and the president that we had to make this transfer very early. If we waited too long, the competition would be even greater and it would be almost impossible to get him. That's why I insisted on completing the deal before the Club World Cup. He travelled with Bayern Munich on the US tour and to the Club World Cup – and it was absolutely unusual for Galatasaray and generally for the Turkish market to sign such a player so early in the transfer window. Normally, these top players only arrive in the winter. Signing such a player so early sent a strong signal to the transfer market."

How Sane was convinced to join Galatasaray

Sane spent much of the 2024–25 season in a secondary role at Bayern Munich, logging just over 2,500 minutes in all competitions. Any club hoping to convince him would have needed to guarantee a larger role. At Galatasaray, he has already played nearly half as many minutes as he did last season. And that’s after only 15 matches.

"The deciding factor was the role he would have at the club," Gardi revealed. "The team needed a player with his qualities. The discussions with the coach – who made it very clear how important he would be to the team. And of course, the love of the fans, which he wouldn't have received elsewhere. To pull off transfers of such iconic players – players from such top clubs, with such fierce competition in the market – and to bring them in at the peak of their careers, and then at the beginning of the transfer window… that's a huge success for the club, for the president, the vice president, and the coach. We worked together brilliantly as a team to bring in such an important player. And hopefully, we will pull off similar transfers again in the future."

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Getty Images SportSane yet to unleash his best version for Galatasaray

Although he has scored three goals and delivered as many assists so far this season, the general consensus is that the 29-year-old is yet to display his best version for the Turkish heavyweights. In recent weeks, his prominence has increased and his convincing performances for Germany during the recently-concluded international break – where he scored twice – will only further boost his morale as the season progresses. 

Gardi, as such, remains unflustered about Sane's impact. "There was a certain adjustment period – to the league, to the country. But now his performance is a key factor for the team, especially in the Champions League," he claimed. "And I believe we haven't yet seen his full potential. In the coming months, he will show his full potential – and raise his level even further, although it is already extremely high."

كشف الإعلامي أحمد شوبير عن آخر التطورات داخل معسكر النادي الأهلي، متناولًا المستجدات المتعلقة بحالة اللاعبين المصابين، واستعدادات الفريق لمواجهة شبيبة القبائل الجزائري.

وقال شوبير في تصريحاته عبر برنامجه الإذاعي صباح اليوم الأحد: “الأهلي بعد إجازة السعادة عقب الفوز بأول بطولة مع المدرب الدنماركي الجديد للنادي الأهلي وجهازه المعاون، حصل الفريق على إجازة خمسة أيام، وأمس استؤنف التدريب”.

وواصل: “المدرب ييس توروب عقد اجتماعًا مع الطاقم الطبي وطلب منهم تقريرًا عن المصابين، وخصوصًا زيزو الموجود مع المنتخب، وياسين مرعي، لأنه يريد الاطمئنان قبل مباراة شبيبة القبائل، وهي مباراة صعبة جدًا، والفريق الجزائري في أفضل حالاته الآن”.

وتابع: “قالوا له إنهم تواصلوا مع الجهاز الفني والطبي للمنتخب، والدكتور محمد أبو العلا أكد أن إصابة زيزو بسيطة، وسيغيب فقط عن مباراة كاف فيردي، لكنه إن شاء الله سيعود سليمًا ويتواجد مع الفريق، كما يتم تجهيز ياسين مرعي، لكنهم لا يعلمون موعد عودته بالضبط، أنا فقط أنقل لكم الكلام المؤكد بنسبة 100%”.

طالع أيضًا | تريزيجيه: الأهلي لم يظهر 30% من قوته الحقيقية.. ولا أفكر في لقب “القائد التاريخي”

وأضاف: “وطبعًا أول سؤال عندما أذكر الأهلي سيكون عن إمام عاشور، اللاعب شارك في تدريب كامل بنسبة 100%، وسأكرر الجملة المعتادة: إمام (هيتجنن) لكي يشارك مع الفريق في المباريات، الحقيقة أن الجميع شاهد إمام في مباراة السوبر وهو جالس في المدرجات وكان واضحًا أنه يتمنى اللعب بشدة”.

واستكمل: “أحمد رضا شارك في التدريب، الحمد لله، وياسر إبراهيم أيضًا، فقد كان يعاني من حالة إجهاد، وهذا سبب غيابه عن المنتخب الأول أو منتخب المحليين، لكن حالته الآن جيدة وسيكون جاهزًا إن شاء الله لمباراة شبيبة القبائل”.

واختتم: “أشرف داري بعد 48 ساعة سيكون مشاركًا في تدريب الفريق الأول، لكنه ما زال لديه مدى معيّن من الثقة أو قل بعض القلق من تكرار الإصابة، وعلى فكرة، عندما قلت لكم سابقًا إنه لاعب جيد، فهذا صحيح، لكن الإصابات الكثيرة يا جماعة تغيّر فكر المدرب”.

The visitors succumbed to one of the worst collapses in ODI history

Mohammad Isam02-Jul-2025

Charith Asalanka made 106 off 123 balls•AFP/Getty Images

In a matter of 15 minutes, Bangladesh’s batting unfurled in an ugly collapse, one of the worst in ODI history, handing Sri Lanka a 77-run win in the first ODI. Bangladesh slipped from 100 for 1 to 105 for 8 in the space of 20 deliveries. Those were the fewest runs added from the fall of the second wicket to the eighth.Wanindu Hasaranga and Kamindu Mendis engineered the collapse. They are essentially three bowlers in two as Kamindu bowls both left-arm orthodox and right-arm offbreak. There were no real demons in the Khettarama pitch, though there was one in the outfield. Hasaranga and Kamindu took three wickets each, but credit should also go to Sri Lanka’s fielding. Milan Rathnayake’s superb throw and Janith Liyanage’s diving catch sparked Bangladesh’s collapse.Sri Lanka had earlier made 244 in 49.2 overs, courtesy of their captain Charith Asalanka anchoring the innings. The left-hander struck his fifth ODI century, second as the Sri Lanka captain. Bangladesh had their moments too, with Taskin Ahmed, returning after an ankle injury, taking four wickets.Tanzid Hasan and Najmul Hossain Shanto got Bangladesh to a fine start, adding 71 runs for the second wicket. Both were batting fluently, until, disaster struck.Shanto’s dive couldn’t beat debutant Rathnayake’s throw from deep square leg, in the 17th over. He made 23, but with Tanzid unbeaten on 61 at the other end, Bangladesh would have still thought they were on top.Asalanka introduced Hasaranga in the 18th over, partly because finally a right-hander had arrived at the crease. Litton Das fell lbw for a duck to the legspinner’s second ball. Litton has now failed to reach double-figures in his last eight ODIs, stretching back to December 2023. It was his fourth duck too, in these eight innings.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Two balls later, the set batter Tanzid played a poor shot against Hasaranga, hanging back to blast him to mid-off. Liyanage took a brilliant catch, diving high to his right. Tanzid made 62 off 61 balls, with nine fours and a six.Kamindu then bowled the best delivery of this collapse, getting his left-arm spin to zip through Towhid Hridoy’s defensive push. New captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz was next to go, trapped lbw by Hasaranga’s googly, falling for a duck in the next over.Kamindu then took a brace in the 21st over. First he removed Tanzim Hasan, when Maheesh Theekshana caught him at short midwicket nicely. Kamindu switched to right-arm offbreaks, and had Taskin Ahmed trapped lbw, to make it 105 for 8.Theekshana then got Tanvir caught behind before Jaker Ali’s 51, with four sixes and as many fours, reduced Bangladesh’s margin of defeat to less than 100 runs.Earlier, Asalanka held the Sri Lanka innings together after he decided to bat first. The left-hander struck six fours and four sixes in his 106 off 123 balls, but had little support at the other end. He crossed 1,000 runs at the R Premadasa Stadium where he stands level with Sanath Jayasuriya, Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar after scoring his fourth century at the venue.Asalanka’s knock was critical to Sri Lanka getting out of trouble after they slipped to 29 for 3 in the seventh over. Tanzim removed Pathum Nissanka for a duck, before Taskin got Nishan Madushka to drag his away-going delivery to his stumps.Wanindu Hasaranga wheels away in celebration•Associated Press

Taskin then had Kamindu caught at mid-off, also for a duck, as Bangladesh felt they were on top. They controlled the scoring rate during the 60-run fourth wicket stand between Kusal Mendis and Asalanka. Debutant Tanvir had Mendis lbw for 45, leaving Asalanka with a lot of recovery still left to do.He added 64 runs for the fifth wicket with Liyanage, who eventually struck one down long-off’s throat after making 29 off 40 balls and followed it with a 39-run stand for the sixth wicket with Rathnayake.Asalanka forged on, hitting some nice shots but mostly batting as the innings anchor. He added 34 with Hasaranga, and while there wasn’t much pace to the partnerships, it held Sri Lanka in place.Taskin removed Hasaranga and Theekshana in the same over before Asalanka reached his century in the 48th over. Looking at the final scorecard, Sri Lanka would be grateful that their captain never gave up despite the wickets falling regularly at the other end.

Injuries. The bane of Mikel Arsenal’s life. The bane of Arsenal’s very existence over the last year.

It’s not too preposterous to suggest that without them last season, the Gunners would have secured the title over Liverpool.

Arteta is certainly not one to make excuses when they have players on the treatment table but the fact of the matter is, they missed Gabriel, Kai Havertz and chiefly, Bukayo Saka, to major hamstring injuries.

Combine that with Martin Odegaard’s ankle problem a year ago and they were, if you pardon the pun, severely hamstrung by the events that played out.

Fast forward to the current campaign and, despite injecting nearly £300m into the player squad, adding more depth to Arteta’s ranks, they are feeling the effects of it again.

Havertz has been out since August, William Saliba has also missed a period of a few games and Saka endured another little niggle of his own too. That’s without mentioning Noni Madueke, Saka’s backup, who is also out injured.

So, when Odegaard limped from the field during their 2-0 win over West Ham last weekend, you could hear the drones inside the Emirates Stadium.

The latest on Martin Odegaard's injury

This has been a particularly troubling year for the Arsenal skipper. During an early-season international break last term, he suffered an ankle injury while playing for Norway and he’s arguably not been the same since.

That problem kept the skipper out for a few months and even when he did return, there was a sense that the Arsenal midfielder didn’t feel comfortable. He didn’t trust his ankle enough to strike through the ball cleanly when taking shots. It also impacted his playmaking ability.

The numbers below rubberstamp that fact. From 2023/24 to 2024/25, his base numbers were way down on what you would expect.

Odegaard’s last two PL seasons

Stat

2023/24

2024/25

Games

35

30

Goals

8

3

Assists

10

8

Conversion rate

17.02%

10%

Chances created *

3

2.4

Duels won *

3.7

2.9

* = per 90-minute statistics

It’s typical, therefore, that as soon as Odegaard began to find his form again, he was struck down by another injury.

In the brief glimpses we’ve seen of the former Real Madrid man this season, there have been promising signs, no less so than against Olympiacos in the Champions League.

During Arsenal’s 2-0 win, the Norwegian simply ran the show, supplying the pre-assist for Gabriel Martinelli’s opener and then carving open the defence to assist Saka’s late strike.

It was vintage Odegaard but he was soon injured again, sparking fears that this could be a Jack Wilshere situation all over again.

Indeed, against West Ham last weekend, he hobbled off for the third successive league match, creating a little bit of history in the process. Worryingly, he became the first player in Premier League history to be substituted in the first half of three consecutive fixtures.

So, what’s the problem? Well, he left the Emirates wearing a brace on his knee last week and subsequent scans showed that he had suffered a medial collateral ligament injury. As a result, he pulled out of Norway’s fixtures over the ongoing break.

A suspected timeline of return has not yet been revealed, sparking fears that Odegaard could be out for a number of weeks.

How Arsenal can solve their Odegaard injury blow

The most likely solution for Arsenal will be Eberechi Eze. Signed in the summer, it was widely expected that the mega-money £67.5m arrival would play out on the left-hand side.

After all, Arteta required upgrades on the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard and he thought he’d signed one here.

Yet, Eze’s initial performances on the left lacked a bit of sparkle. They were solid enough but it was clear he was playing in a role he doesn’t enjoy quite as much. Against Bilbao in the Champions League, he produced just one key pass, down on his 2024/25 seasonal average of 1.7 while playing more centrally for Crystal Palace.

It’s in that central role where Eze has featured across Arsenal’s last three games. The difference has been noticeable.

He found the net against Port Vale and then versus Newcastle, he was desperately unlucky not to score a couple, denied by Nick Pope fabulously on two occasions. Against West Ham, supporters were cruelly robbed of seeing him line up alongside Odegaard for very long when the latter went off.

The scorer of 14 goals and the provider of 11 assists last season, the England international is certainly the most obvious candidate to replace Odegaard.

Yet, in two Hale End gems, Arteta has two more luxurious options: Ethan Nwaneri, who played regularly in the Odegaard role during pre-season and the generational Max Dowman.

It’s unlikely that Dowman is given a start but this feels like an ideal opportunity to give the 15-year-old game time in a role where the club envisions his future.

To date, the sparkling teenager has only been seen at first-team level on the right flank, starring in pre-season when he notably won a penalty against Newcastle, before featuring for 27 minutes in Premier League action from that role.

Dowman may not have played many league minutes just yet but he’s still made a big impact, becoming the second-youngest player in the division’s history and winning a penalty in the 5-0 win over Leeds.

As Mikel Merino commented earlier this year, the youngster is already “unbelievable”. Fellow midfielder Declan Rice has also waxed lyrical. “I’ve never seen a 15-year-old so comfortable around the first team, it’s insane.” Quite.

What Dowman is doing is not normal. Not even Nwaneri burst onto the scene in such a way. He was 15 when he debuted but had to wait another few years for regular opportunities. This kid is already getting them. Do we have another Lamine Yamal on our hands?

Youngest players in PL history

Player

Age

1. Ethan Nwaneri

15 years, 5 months

2. Max Dowman

15 years, 7 months

3. Jeremy Monga

15 years, 8 months

4. Harvey Elliott

16 years, 1 month

5. Matthew Briggs

16 years, 2 months

Expectations must be tempered and we must be cautious here. Merino’s next comment was to remind everyone, “he’s only 15, so obviously he has many things to learn.”

But, what makes this young starlet so special? Well, he’s got the ability to score and assist at will, netting 19 in 23 last season and creating five goals. Meanwhile, his ability to glide past players with ease has already made him a target for defenders.

Data analyst Ben Mattinson outlines how the teen is already a “foul magnet” and that’s something Arteta has also picked up on.

Commenting on Dowman’s development earlier this season, the Spaniard said: “He’s so used to it [being kicked by defenders] that now he knows to let the referee deal with it and my teammates probably to defend me, and I will carry on playing.”

So, while the Hale End prodigy is unlikely to start while Odegaard is injured, Arteta must use it as an opportunity to give further minutes to the club’s biggest academy talent.

Related Not Eze: Arteta can fix Odegaard blow with Arsenal gem who's "like Wilshere"

Martin Odegaard faces another period out injured but Mikel Arteta has a solution lined up at Arsenal.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 6, 2025