Tag Futebol

The day might have ended with covers spreadeagled across the Rawalpindi Stadium as monsoon rains lashed the ground, but Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie has been through a baptism of fire in his new role. With one day to go in a Test Pakistan must win to ward off a first ever series loss against Bangladesh, Gillespie acknowledged the visitors were favourites, calling for more discipline from his bowlers, and application from the batters.”Admittedly, the odds are probably in favour of Bangladesh,” he said at the press conference once play had been suspended. “We don’t shy away from that, but we’ve already lost if we walk out there expecting to lose. We took 6 for 26 in the first innings so we know that we can have an impact with the ball if we bowl really well.”That situation arose a little more than 24 hours earlier, but in the way the Test has gone, might easily have happened a lifetime ago. Since then, Bangladesh dug in with a 165-run seventh-wicket stand to eventually finish at near-parity; the 262 they posted was the highest score in Test history for a side that lost their first six wickets under 50. Gillespie said Pakistan’s bowlers needed to understand how to manage those situations more effectively than was on evidence on Sunday.Related

• Hasan Mahmud and Nahid Rana put Bangladesh in sight of historic sweep

• Mahmud burns brightest on a historic day for Bangladesh's quicks

• Nahid Rana: A new express finds his fame in Rawalpindi

On the fourth morning, Bangladesh replicated the success Pakistan had enjoyed the previous day, skittling the hosts out for 172, with all ten wickets falling to the quicks. Under dark clouds, with conditions as helpful to the quicks as Rawalpindi will ever provide, Zakir Hasan flayed Pakistan’s new-ball bowlers, helping the team to 42 without loss in seven overs before bad light suspended play.”We’ve spoken to our bowlers about being ruthless, being disciplined and bowling with intent,” Gillespie said. “And we just went away from our game plan and I’ve challenged the bowlers pretty strongly on that. We need to make sure that we’re on each and every time, because Test cricket can get away from you. The opposition is very good and I’m not going to shy away from saying Bangladesh played well. No question. But I know that our bowlers can do better in that situation than what they showed and we just need to make sure that execution is absolutely bang on each and every time.”On reflection, and I spoke to the bowlers about it this morning, we’ve got to identify those periods where maybe the ball’s got a little bit older and maybe the surface settles down. We’ve just got to really hang in. And not try to search for wickets, because you can fall into that trap. And I think that’s probably what we did a little bit.”The tale of this series, though, has been Pakistan’s off-field decision making, where they can’t seem to do right for doing wrong. In the first Test, the hosts, anticipating a bouncy, seaming surface, went all pace, dropping Abrar Ahmed, a decision whose optics aged poorly when Bangladesh’s slow bowlers took seven wickets on the final day to bundle Pakistan out cheaply and race to a 10-wicket win. This time around, having prepared a pitch so seam-friendly, all of their second innings wickets fell to Bangladesh’s pace bowlers – a first – Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah were out omitted from the playing XI, a call that left Pakistan without genuine pace or old-ball threat.Naseem is Pakistan’s most effective bowler at cleaning up the tail, taking a wicket every 16 balls with the opposition seven down. It is a better strike rate than any current Pakistan bowler, or even Yasir Shah, and a quality sorely needed when Bangladesh’s ninth-wicket stand put on 69 runs and batted nearly 25 overs.Gillespie has stuck with a “horses-for-courses” mantra, and struck a similar note this time. “We looked at conditions and surfaces, what we thought the best combination was,” he explained. “We took into account what we saw before the game, reflected on the previous game, and this is where we landed. In the first innings we had Bangladesh in a bit of strife at one point and we bowled quite well. Our lines, our lengths, were excellent.”But on that decision, obviously, there’s a few things we’re hoping [those two] can work on. Shaheen’s obviously had a pretty eventful time in his personal life as well. Naseem’s fine. I think what we’ve got to understand is we’re trying to build a squad mentality and not just rely on a few players here and there. We want to create an environment and a squad where we can look at conditions, look at surfaces, look at what holistically what is coming up and make the best decisions.”Gillespie said he had no issues with the surface or conditions, but also pointed to Mohammad Ali’s absence for the second half of the third day as a factor in Pakistan’s struggles. “That was a bit of a blow. But obviously his health was the most important. He was just struggling out there a little for a while. So we needed to get him off and get him assessed, and thankfully, he’s okay.”And while the odds don’t suggest Pakistan’s bowlers will prevent Bangladesh from securing a clean sweep, Rawalpindi’s weather well might. Steady rain peppered the ground for the best part of three hours after the players walked off the pitch, with plenty more forecast overnight and on the morning of the final day. Failure to get on would still secure Bangladesh their most famous series win, and Gillespie was keen for his side to get an outside shot at preventing that.”I hope we get on tomorrow so we can try and win a Test match,” he said. “We’ve got to have that mindset. Because if we we walk out there expecting to lose, well, I guarantee you will lose. But if we walk out there with the mindset and the belief that we can try and shake this game up, then there’s hope. Sometimes, you need those 50-50 things to go your way but we’ve got to have that attitude and mindset that we’re going to go there to win the Test match for Pakistan.”We need to take our catches, take any opportunity that comes our way and you never know. This game can create all sorts of drama. So I’m hoping that we can create some theatre and put a smile on a few people’s faces here in Pakistan tomorrow.”It would require Pakistan needing to do many things of the final day they haven’t in the first nine, but as Gillespie said, Test cricket can create lots of drama.

Wrexham are currently preparing for a season in the Championship after they finished second in League One to earn promotion up to the second tier.

The Red Dragons are yet to make their first signing since the end of last season, but there will be plenty of work going on behind the scenes to identify targets to improve the team.

Phil Parkinson will have to judge which of his players are ready to make the step up to the Championship after a season in League One, which means that some difficult decisions could have to be made.

Why Thomas O'Connor may be replaced

One player who could be replaced as a regular starter is left-sided central defender Thomas O’Connor, who has been at the club since they were in the National League.

The former Southampton academy graduate has never played above League One level in his career to date, and was a regular starter – starting 25 of his 31 appearances in the 2024/25 campaign – for Wrexham this season.

O’Connor was, however, an unused substitute in five of the last seven matches and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be able to handle the step up to the Championship, a level that he has never played at before.

Transfer Focus

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

The BBC reported earlier this month that Wrexham, Norwich, Birmingham, and Sheffield United are among the teams interested in a deal to sign Harry Darling on a free transfer from Swansea City.

His contract with the Welsh side is due to expire at the end of this month, and the Red Dragons are one of the sides looking to snap him up for nothing.

Why Darling would be an upgrade on O'Connor

Parkinson must push to convince Darling to make a move across Wales rather than joining Birmingham, Norwich, or Sheffield United, as he would improve the club’s options at the back.

Despite being right-footed, the 25-year-old Englishman often plays on the left-side of a centre-back pairing and this means that he could take O’Connor’s place as the left-sided centre-back in a back three at Wrexham.

Unlike the current Red Dragons defender, Darling is an experienced Championship defender who has made 108 appearances at that level, which means that he would arrive at the Racecourse as a proven second tier star.

He would be a relatively risk-free signing as someone who has been there and done it and could immediately improve Wrexham’s team, particularly when you take his performances this season into account.

24/25 season	O’Connor (League One)	Darling (Championship)
Appearances	31	39
Goals	0	5
Clearances per game	2.9	5.0
Dribbled past per game	0.5x	0.3x
Ground duel success rate	53%	66%
Aerial duel success rate	57%	64%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Darling’s defensive work in the Championship, in terms of his success rate in duels and how often he was beaten by opposition attackers, was more impressive than O’Connor’s was at a lower level.

This suggests that the Swansea star, who was hailed as “outstanding” by former boss Luke Williams, is a big upgrade on the current Wrexham left centre-back, particularly from a defensive perspective.

Darling also, as shown in the table, scored five goals from centre-back, compared to O’Connor’s barren return in League One, and this suggests that he would offer a much greater goal threat in the 2025/26 campaign.

The English titan, who ranked in the top 31% of centre-backs in the league for progressive passes per 90 (3.70), is a ball-playing defender who has shown that he can mix technical quality and class on the ball with strength and reliable out of possession at Championship level.

Big Rathbone upgrade: Wrexham still in race to sign "outstanding" PL star

Wrexham could be about to land a big upgrade on Oliver Rathbone by signing this Championship-experienced ace.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jun 12, 2025

Therefore, he would be the perfect signing, as a proven second tier star, to come in as a big upgrade on their left-sided centre-back position this summer.

Everton have now thrown their hat in the ring to sign a “crazy” rising star from Germany who is also wanted by Bayern Munich and Atlético Madrid, according to a new report.

Everton now chasing two Liverpool players

It is not every transfer window you see Everton looking to sign a player from their arch-rivals Liverpool. In fact, in the early stages of this summer transfer window, the Toffees reportedly have their eye on two players from Anfield.

Related Everton want to sign another £85,000-a-week Liverpool player alongside Doak

He is now a two-time Premier League champion.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Jun 3, 2025

David Moyes is keen to strengthen his wide options this summer, and at the top of his list of new wingers is Liverpool’s Ben Doak, as Sky Sports revealed this week Everton are one of a number of clubs who want to sign the young international.

The Scotsman has a bright future ahead of him and his time on loan at Middlesbrough during the 2024/25 season has obviously done enough for him to emerge on Moyes’ radar. It is unclear where Liverpool stand when it comes to Doak, as he has the potential to be a player who could become a future star for the Reds, but at this moment in time they cannot guarantee him the football he will want.

As well as showing interest in Doak, the Toffees are also keen on signing defender Joe Gomez, who the Reds are open to selling this summer. Teams such as Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Leeds United are all interested in the Englishman, but Everton may hope the fact that he won’t have to relocate his family should he move to Everton could put them ahead in the race.

Everton join Woltemade chase

According to SportBild, relayed by Sport Witness, Everton are among the teams interested in signing striker Nick Woltemade from VfB Stuttgart.

The report states that the 23-year-old’s performances during the 2024/25 season, where he netted 12 goals in 28 Bundesliga games, have seen him appear on the radar of a number of clubs across Europe. Everton are one side that are keeping a close eye on his situation, but they face competition from Brighton & Hove Albion, as well as giants like Bayern and Atletico.

The German forward, who has been called up to the national team for their Nations League games, is under contract until 2028, and while he doesn’t have a release clause in his contract, it’s been reported that he could leave for as little as €20 million, which is roughly £16 million.

Nick Woltemade’s Bundesliga stats

Apps

69

Goals

14

Assists

3

Stuttgart want to keep Woltemade beyond this summer and have been publicly clear about that. But should Woltemade, who has been dubbed “crazy” for his rise this term, star on the international stage for Germany, it could see more suitors arrive and force his club’s hand.

Stood on the side of the pitch after Arsenal’s 1-0 win on Sunday, Mikel Arteta issued a rallying cry.

Hopefully the people upstairs do their job, he essentially pleaded, urging the Kroenke’s to put their money where their mouth is and give the Gunners the tools to finally win the Premier League again after 20 long years. It was rather telling.

Josh Kroenke, Stan’s son, does at least seem on board, acknowledging in his programme notes for the Newcastle game that “investment” will be made to improve the playing squad.

Time will tell, of course, but there’s a lot to do this summer. That includes signing a striker, a winger, a new back-up goalkeeper and a midfielder too.

Proceedings look set to begin with the arrival of Martin Zubimendi.

Why Arsenal are signing Martin Zubimendi

Back in January reports emerged that Arsenal were working on a deal to bring the Real Sociedad midfielder to the Emirates Stadium.

After signing Mikel Merino from La Real last summer, the relationship between the two is clearly civil and that’s shone through here.

Still, it’s a surprise that the Spaniard has chosen Arsenal as his next destination. After all, it was Premier League title winners, Liverpool, who fought so hard to bring him to England a year ago.

Zubimendi reportedly turned down the Reds’ advances and despite interest from Real Madrid too, the Gunners look set to win the race.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

So, why are they signing him? Well, there’s two principal reasons; Thomas Partey and Jorginho are out of contract at the end of the season. The second is that Zubimendi is rather good at football and the third involves Declan Rice.

With Partey and Jorginho leaving it means Arsenal need a no.6 and in the Sociedad star, they will be signing one of the best in that position in the world.

In the words of data analyst Ben Mattinson, the Spaniard’s “ball temperament is better” than Partey’s, meaning that a combination of Zubimendi and Rice “could be special.”

The Spain international will never be someone to gallivant forward. He only ranks in the worst 14% of midfielders in LaLiga for shot-creating actions and the worst 44% for goals.

What he does do well is sit, dictate and evade the press. Zubimendi sits inside the top 20% in Spain’s top-flight for progressive passes, the best 9% for dribblers tackled and the best 13% for interceptions, rubber stamping his credentials to play at the base of Arsenal’s midfield.

As a consequence, it would free Rice up to play as an 8 on a more regular basis. As we saw during two Man of the Match displays against Real Madrid where he ran the show, he’s really rather good at that.

Yet, Arsenal did actually already have their own Zubimendi.

Arsenal’s very own Zubimendi is set to leave

This is due to be a summer of change in N5 with a batch of players hopefully set to be welcomed to the Emirates and another crop saying their farewells.

On Sunday, we saw Kieran Tierney given one final run out at Arsenal’s home stadium and it’s also likely to have been Jorginho’s final match in the club’s colours.

Indeed, having been brought on as a very late substitute and handed the captain’s armband, it looked like a goodbye from the Italian who is on the verge of moving to Brazil.

Jorginho’s £110k-per-week contract will soon expire and consequently, he has now “sealed” a deal to join Flamengo in time for the Club World Cup according to Fabrizio Romano.

The former Chelsea midfielder has enjoyed a great time of it at Arsenal. Initially the fanbase couldn’t get their heads around why they were signing him but he quickly proved everyone wrong. He’s one of the most consistent and reliable players we’ve seen at the Emirates during its near two decades of existence.

A tempo setter, few have been better in that regard over the last few years. Indeed, during 2022/23, only Rodri made more passes (2,831) in the Premier League than Jorginho (2,404) when compared to Moises Caicedo, Casemiro, Bruno Guimaraes and Declan Rice.

Passes by selected DMs – PL 2022/23

Player

Passes made

1. Rodri

2,831

2. Jorginho

2,404

3. Moises Caicedo

2,130

4. Declan Rice

1,974

5. Bruno Guimaraes

1,578

6. Casemiro

1,353

Stats via Coaches Voice & Wyscout.

At dictating play, Jorginho is one of the best we’ve seen in recent years in the English top-flight.

It’s for that reason that similarities to Zubimendi emerge. Described as an “elite tempo controller” by the aforementioned Mattinson he’s already suggested that the Spain star is a “deep-lying playmaker like Jorginho”.

As a result, there really does feel like there is no one better suited in Europe’s top leagues for replacing the qualities that the Champions League and Euros winner brought so successfully to Arsenal for a couple of years.

It’s reported that Zubimendi will cost around £51m to bring to England but that certainly feels like money well spent. Arsenal need a midfielder and they need someone to give Rice more freedom in attack. This is the signing that allows that to happen.

Related More exciting than Zubimendi: Arsenal fighting to sign £48m "level-rasier"

The incredible international would get the Arsenal fans on their feet.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes May 13, 2025

Glasgow Rangers gave their supporters a moment to remember last time out in the Scottish Premiership when they beat Dundee 4-3 away from home.

A last-gasp winner from Cyriel Dessers to complete a comeback from 3-1 down to win 4-3 last weekend was a joyous moment for the travelling support, but it was still a game that illustrated the team’s flaws.

The club’s city rivals are inching closer to a fourth successive Premiership title, as they sit 13 points clear of the Light Blues as it stands, and the Gers have to do something to change the tide next season.

Sky Sports reported last month that a takeover including US investors Andrew Cavenagh and San Francisco 49ers Paraag Marathe has been agreed in principle, which suggests that the dawn of a new era at Ibrox is a matter of months away.

This could mean that there is a longer-term replacement for Philippe Clement than Barry Ferguson, but it is not just the management side of the team that should be looked at.

If Rangers want to get back on top in Scottish football then they may need to kickstart their new era by moving on from some of their experienced players who have become used to finishing second, including Jack Butland and James Tavernier.

Why Rangers should move on from Jack Butland and James Tavernier

The Gers captain has been a terrific servant for the club over the years, scoring 130 goals in 504 appearances in all competitions, but he has only won one Premiership title in his career.

Tavernier has also lost a whopping 25 of his 40 appearances against Celtic, winning just ten of those games, and Rangers may need new leadership if they are to progress and move past the Hoops, as he has become used to being behind the club’s rivals on the pitch.

Therefore, it could be time to move on from the 33-year-old veteran, who has lost possession 20.8 times per match in the league this term, to make room for new leaders to step up and lead the team forward.

Butland, meanwhile, has been error-prone in the Premiership this season and it could be time for Rangers to find a new number one to provide more stability between the sticks, after two years of the Englishman at Ibrox.

Appearances

25

Save success rate

69%

Goals prevented

-0.37

Error led to shot

2

Error led to goal

2

Penalties committed

1

As you can see in the table above, the former Stoke City star has underperformed as a shot-stopper and made too many unforced errors to gift shots and goals to the opposition in the league, which is why Rangers should consider moving him on this summer.

The issue for the Light Blues, however, may be finding suitors to buy Tavernier and Butland, as the veteran stars are no longer among the most valuable talents at Ibrox.

The top ten most valuable Rangers players

As per Transfermarkt, both English players are worth £2.5m at this moment in time, and that does not earn either of them a place in the top ten most valuable stars at the club.

Wolfsburg loanee Vaclav Cerny is currently the most valuable player at the club, at a whopping £7.6m, and it remains to be seen whether or not the Gers will be able to keep hold of him beyond the end of his current loan spell.

The Czechia international has provided a regular threat at the top end of the pitch, racking up 17 goals and four assists, in the Premiership and the Europa League to earn his valuation.

Vaclav Cerny

£7.6m

Mohamed Diomande

£5.9m

Nicolas Raskin

£5.5m

John Souttar

£3.8m

Cyriel Dessers

£3.4m

Dujon Sterling

£3.4m

Danilo

£3.4m

Nedim Bajrami

£3.4m

Jefte

£3.4m

Hamza Igamane

£3.4m

As you can see in the table above, Rangers have many players on a market value of £3.4m, which is still £900k more than Tavernier and Butland are currently valued at.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

Some of those players could play key roles moving forward, into the dawn of a new era at Ibrox, and one of those the club have hit the jackpot with in recent years is versatile defender Dujon Sterling.

Dujon Sterling's soaring market value

The Scottish giants swooped to sign the English talent in the summer of 2023 on a free transfer after he had been released by Premier League side Chelsea.

It was an opportunistic signing by the Gers, as they took advantage of his contract situation, because he was valued at £2.4m by Transfermarkt at the time, which shows that the club landed a £2.4m-rated talent for £0.

His first season at Ibrox, in the 2023/24 campaign, was a struggle because Michael Beale and Clement utilised him in a multitude of positions, with his appearances stretched between right-back, left-back, right midfield, defensive midfield, left midfield, and right wing.

This meant that Sterling did not have a chance to build any consistency in his performances because he was constantly being moved around the pitch to fill different holes in the team.

The 25-year-old star has had slightly more clarity in his game this term, however, as the vast majority of his starts have come as a centre-back or a defensive midfielder, which has allowed him to build a rhythm in the middle of the pitch.

Starts

7

Centre-back starts

7

Clearances

37

Blocks

5

Tackles

12

Duels won

31/44 (70% success rate)

As you can see in the table above, Sterling has started at centre-back in seven of his last eight league appearances and provided a dominant presence at the back for the Gers, winning 70% of his duels in those matches.

His overall form for the club and his success in finally nailing down a consistent position on the pitch has led to his market value soaring up to £3.5m, which shows that Rangers hit the jackpot when they signed the defensive ace.

The Light Blues snapped him up for £0 and he has turned out to be an incredibly valuable player, with his quality at centre-back and versatility to play in other roles, as well as being an asset that continues to grow in value.

Rangers must sell Ibrox star who was "one of the best talents in Europe"

As Rangers prepare for a massive squad overhaul in the summer, they should sell a star Gerrard once said was “one of the best talents in Europe”.

ByBen Gray Apr 3, 2025

He is now among the top ten most valuable players at the club, making him worth even more than the likes of Tavernier and Butland, and the defender could have a big future as a centre-back at Ibrox if he can continue his current, dominant, form.

Already one of UAE’s mainstays with his explosive batting, Alishan Sharafu is trying to be the team’s man for all situations

Shashank Kishore14-Sep-2025Alishan Sharafu, 22, has lived almost all his life in the UAE. But the love of cricket began in Kerala, when he would visit family in the summers. As he grew older, he naturally gravitated towards the game without really knowing if he could make a career out of it.Nearly 15 years after he first started playing, Sharafu is one of UAE’s batting mainstays, and has grown into a valuable retain-worthy local talent in the ILT20, where he represents Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.In UAE’s Asia Cup opener against India, Sharafu was their top scorer in an otherwise forgettable batting performance. What he is unlikely to forget is the range of shots he displayed – backing away to smash Axar Patel inside-out over cover for six, or whipping Jasprit Bumrah off his hips. It’s the confidence from those shots that he is hoping to carry forward when UAE play gulf-rivals Oman on Monday.Related

• UAE and Oman look to end losing streaks in Abu Dhabi showdown

• Batters were overawed by India's big names, says Rajput

• Will UAE punch above their weight in Group A?

• Oman's Sufyan is living his dream after defying his family

“My first memory of cricket was the 2011 World Cup,” he tells ESPNcricinfo. “I was supporting India, obviously, and they went on to win it. It was Sachin’s [Tendulkar] last World Cup, and that was the point where I wanted to play the game. That was when cricket became a passion.”Today, that passion has allowed him opportunities to face Sunil Narine in the nets, and train and learn from Andre Russell and Phil Salt, among others. And in the UAE, such exposure is gold.”Every game is a big opportunity,” Sharafu says. “Because there are only two local players in the XI [at ILT20], you never know how many chances you’ll get. Maybe just one in the whole season. So you have to do well. Fortunately, I played every game in my first season [2024], which was a privilege. You learn from the best – just watching how they go about their game.”For Sharafu, while cricket continues to be the priority, he has ticked off another box along the way on his parents’ insistence. He has completed a degree in cyber security, even though he is fairly certain he won’t have to use it anytime soon.”Initially, my mom was a little skeptical about cricket, because for every parent, education comes first,” he says. “But once I started playing international cricket, she understood. I think I did okay to manage both. I met her expectations, whatever she wanted. But yeah, it was difficult once I got to university. I had to do both. There was no option.”

“Everyone wants to be the best in the country. I’d like to be someone the team can depend on to win games. That’s what I want to be known for”Alishan Sharafu

But pulling off balancing acts isn’t new for Sharafu. When he was 15, he broke into the UAE Under-16s and Under-19s the same year, all while managing high school. He made his T20I debut at 17 and ODI debut at 18, in 2020 and 2021 respectively.Sharafu was first spotted by Knight Riders at a trial by former analyst AR Srikkanth, first came into the setup in the ILT20 under Ryan ten Doeschate, the franchise’s then coach who is currently assistant coach of India. Sharafu was shortlisted for his ability to take the bowlers on right from the outset.”I don’t know where it comes from,” he says of his fearlessness. “But I’ve always liked taking bowlers on. That’s how I’ve always wanted to bat. Even as a kid, I just loved hitting sixes.”For the past two seasons at the ILT20, Sharafu says he’s learnt “something school or university doesn’t teach you”.”Andre Russell is one I always watch. I asked him about how he hits sixes consistently, what his secret is,” Sharafu says. “With Narine, he’s probably one of the calmest and smartest cricketers I’ve seen. He just reads the game one step faster. Even batting with Phil Salt, he told me a few small things that could help my game. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t, but just having those conversations is special.””Batting with Phil Salt, he told me a few small things that could help my game”•ILT20Asked of his biggest improvements since playing in the ILT20, he says, “I think my batting evolved after last season with Knight Riders. Even though you’re the same player, playing alongside guys like Russell and Narine just gives you confidence. Once you have that validation, you take that confidence into the UAE team too. It’s 80% about how you feel. And I think that experience has added another gear to my batting.”That improvement has been visible in his ability to alter between roles. “I’ve always been a top-order batter, but I’m also adjusting to batting in the middle. If we lose early wickets, I know I have to stabilise the innings and take it deep. If we’re going well, I just go in and bat with freedom. The clarity from the team management has been excellent.”Off the field, Sharafu likes to unwind watching football, playing FIFA on PlayStation, or just relaxing by a pool or a beach. His cricketing ambition is a lot more focused: “Everyone wants to be the best in the country. I’d like to be someone the team can depend on to win games. That’s what I want to be known for.”This drive, Sharafu says, comes from his dad for all the sacrifices he has had to make. “From when I was 10-15, every Friday and Saturday, he’d take me to training and games, sit at the ground, pick me up, drop me back. He’s a very passionate supporter, sometimes hard on me too, but I think that’s where I get it from.”At 22, Sharafu is still very much work-in-progress, but he carries the confidence and drive of someone who has clarity on what he wants to do.

The two powerhouses of 21st-century cricket were tipped to meet in this year’s World Cup final, and they made it there in contrasting styles

Sambit Bal18-Nov-2023Nothing is inevitable in sport, and in that lies its appeal. The tension, the knots in the tummy, the anticipation, the hope and the foreboding, and the final euphoria or heartbreak, all come from deep longing for an outcome but not knowing if it will come to pass. There can be no spoilers in sport; no match is over until it’s over.You might argue, with hindsight, that this World Cup final has bowed to the inevitable by bringing the two pre-tournament favourites together in the summit clash. In that, it is a departure from the norm. Starting from 1983, when India defied 66-1 odds to dethrone West Indies, World Cup finals have provided a joyous deviation from the script: Sri Lanka have made it to three finals and won once, New Zealand to two, and Australia and Pakistan were far from being the favourites when they won in 1987 and 1992. This year, apart from the truth that India and Australia were the soundest bets for the final when the tournament began, very little about their paths here has been predictable.It feels like a lifetime has passed since their first encounter in this tournament. Having called that game the final before the final before it was played, I was feeling sheepish within a week as Australia, after two resounding losses, appeared underprepared and undercooked and unsure about their best XI. By the second game, they had ditched their first-choice keeper-batter; their main spinner, on whom lay massive middle-over responsibilities, was looking lost; two of their pace-bowling allrounders, the ones who gave the team the appearance of mighty depth, had mostly looked unable to buy a run all year; their game-breaking opener was still recovering from injury; and their captain felt like the weakest link in their bowling attack.Related

• Australia do Australia things, without the scowl or the snarl

• Is India's bowling attack the best ever at a World Cup?

• How the pieces of the jigsaw fell in place for incredible India

• Australia's road to the final: Early losses to eight wins in a row

• India vs Australia – Win the powerplay, win the World Cup?

Even when they were stringing together a series of wins, their powerplay bowling remained remarkably flaccid, their mid-innings batting not particularly imposing, and but for an innings of outrageous freakishness, their qualification for the semi-final would have gone down to the wire.It was the marginal things against South Africa – half-chances, line calls – going their way that got them through the final. In its lack of swagger, pomp and certainty, it wasn’t the typical Australian march to yet another World Cup final, but it was very much one in its bloody-mindedness, in the way they seized vital moments, and in their winning knowhow.For India, however much in-the-groove and well-oiled they looked as a team at the start, not even the most devout optimist would have foreseen a waltz like this. Not since the Australians in 2007 has a team stridden across a tournament with such oomph and aura. Batting first, they have won by an average of 175 runs, the highest ever by a team in the history of the World Cup; their chasing margin has been an average of 6.4 wickets and 64.4 balls, the best by a team in this World Cup.With bat and ball, they have bossed the powerplays with such authority – they have been No. 1 by a distance on all parameters: batting strike rate, batting average, bowling economy and bowling average – that most opponents have played the rest of the innings in retrieval mode; India’s batting has been put under the cosh only twice, and only New Zealand made them dig deep while bowling. Their lower-order batting, their only weak link, has been exposed only once, and even a debilitating injury setback to their lead fast-bowling allrounder has only seemed to make them stronger: so good have each of their five bowlers been that the absence of the sixth option has felt like a blessing.No team has so far managed to dismiss both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli cheaply in the same match, and in the only match, the semi-final against New Zealand, in which Jasprit Bumrah’s radar faltered, Mohammed Shami made up in spectacular fashion. Most dauntingly for Australia, India have no player with two successive failures, a remarkable achievement in a tournament as long and arduous as this one has been, which points to a team at the peak of its collective prowess, one in sync and harmony within and in their response to the demands of every situation.6:59

Moody: Being safe and conservative won’t work against Rohit

In some ways, the contrasting routes these two teams have taken to the final have mirrored the circumstances of their leaders.Rohit has led with swagger with the bat, sacrificing personal runs in favour of setting a ferocious tempo for his team and easing a path for the batters who follow him. He has displayed tactical acumen gathered over many years of IPL leadership, during which he has combined meticulous planning with situational awareness. He has learnt to respect data, but not at the cost of intuition.Pat Cummins, on the other hand, has had to learn on the job, having had no real experience of white-ball captaincy, and like his team, he has got better the deeper into the tournament his team has gone. He has had in his favour the unequivocal support and respect of his team-mates. Australia under him are not the snarling battlemongers of yore, which disappoints a section of the Australian cricket community, but they are, by all accounts, more united than many of their formidable teams of the recent past. And while Rohit has laid the foundation for many Indian wins with some of the fastest innings of the tournament, Cummins has helped close out games with some of the slowest, played with composure and game awareness.What they have in common is the way they have fostered an environment of trust and transparency, built though communication and honesty. No Indian player in this team, including those on the bench – and perhaps particularly those – has been left wondering about his status and role. Cummins won his team over by publicly taking a position in their support after the rancorous departure of Justin Langer, whose ferocious intensity as coach wasn’t for everyone. The value of a happy dressing room is intangible to most of us but priceless to those inside it.2:34

Cummins: Have to be brave with variations in India

Neither played in the last World Cup fixture between their teams at the venue for their next game. Rohit narrowly missed out being in the 2011 World Cup squad, and Cummins would only make his Australia debut later that year. The Motera ground bore a much more modest air than its gigantic successor, but it was here that India ended Australia’s 12-year reign as ODI world champions by beating them for the first time in a knockout game.So here we are at last, a tournament that has tested endurance and resolve as much as it has skills and ability, and that has, barring the first few days, seen vibrant throngs at the grounds and record audiences, is now primed for a fitting denouement. At times it has felt too long and arduous, but for that very reason, for its scale and the physical and mental challenges it has posed, winning it will bring a massive sense of fulfilment for the players, and leave abiding memories for the fans.India and Australia, two vastly contrasting nations, two of cricket’s powerhouses, who have built the fiercest, most competitive, most absorbing rivalry of this century, which has produced some of the greatest matches in recent memory, and are, equally crucially, the most successful teams at the ODI World Cup over time, feel like the worthiest claimants for this edition’s prize. India have looked invincible so far, but winning titles is in Australia’s DNA. World Cup finals haven’t always produced the greatest contests, but given the teams involved in this one, we have the right to expect one for the ages.Sport wouldn’t be what it is if it were to follow predictable scripts. And we wouldn’t be lovers of sport if we were to stop dreaming. It would be a miracle if, in terms of drama and twists, the climax this year is a redux of 2019. But we’d happily settle for second place if tomorrow even comes close.

The visitors were pinned down on Friday at the SCG, scoreless for more than 10 overs. Relive the drama

Andrew McGlashan07-Jan-2022When are England going to score their next run?That might sound a like a flippant response to their batting woes on this tour, but for a passage of play either side of lunch on the third day at the SCG, it was a genuine question.The last ball of the 13th over, Dawid Malan clips Pat Cummins to fine leg. It’s a pretty innocuous moment. England are 36 for 1.

****

The first bowling change of the day comes in the 14th over and Scott Boland, the hero of the MCG, is warmly applauded into the attack. He immediately hits his groove and starts with a maiden.It becomes a double change as Cameron Green replaces Mitchell Starc who has bowled a superb opening spell, curving one back through Haseeb Hameed’s wild drive having seen him dropped by Alex Carey a few moments beforeGreen’s second delivery bounces from a good length and beats Malan’s cut shot. He, too, starts with a maiden. It’s three in a row.Boland beats the edge of Zak Crawley with one that nips away. The next delivery nips back, the one after nibbles away. It’s doing plenty off a pitch playing a few tricks.Then the last ball of Boland’s second over jags back again, this time it’s right on target and goes between Crawley’s bat and pad. Boland has added to his wicket tally without conceding a run. It’s also four maidens in a rowEngland are 36 for 2. When will they score their next run?

****

Three balls into Green’s next over, Malan almost miscues a pull to mid-on. It would have been a horrid way to get out, but quite in keeping with England’s tour. Malan sees out the over. Maiden number five.Boland challenges Joe Root’s technique as he hammers away in that off-stump corridor. Root angles one into the gully area where Green uses his go-go gadget arms to intercept. No run there.Malan is relatively secure in seeing out an over from Green. Seven maidens in a row.Scott Boland gets a standing ovation from the SCG crowd•Getty ImagesThe first ball of the 21st over and Root, who towered above all other batters in 2021, slashes at one outside off and the top edge travels very quickly. Steven Smith leaps at second slip and grabs it above his head. Root has collected England’s first duck of 2022. He’s a captain with the weight of the world on his shoulders.Boland has another Test wicket. His average is now 6.11. His overall figures are 9 for 55.Ben Stokes, nursing a side strain, makes his way to the middle. Four balls into his innings he is beaten by a delivery from Boland that nips away sharply. A fast off-break. The last ball does the same, but moves even more. Eight maidens in a rowEngland are 36 for 3. When will they score their next run?

****

The first ball of Green’s next over leaps at Malan and hammers him on the glove. Three balls later it happens again. Has the pitch gone?Having shaken off the pain, Malan faces up again. Green is around the wicket, angles the delivery into the body and Malan clips it low to Usman Khawaja who is stationed at leg slip. An hour at the crease, 39 balls and Malan is gone for 3.It brings lunch. England are 36 for 4. When will they score their next run?

****

Forty minutes later Stokes walks back down the steps of the visitors’ dressing room with Jonny Bairstow for company.There is one ball left in Green’s over. It’s actually off target, pushed down the leg side. But it’s another maiden. Nine in a row.Ben Stokes laughs after successfully reviewing a decision against him•Getty ImagesBoland gets the ball again. The first five balls are relatively mundane. Then the final delivery moves devilishly off a length to beat the edge. Ten maidens in a row.Cummins brings himself back on to replace Green. The second ball is a beauty which skims past Bairstow’s outside edge. He would have done well to edge it. The last ball of the over is short and Bairstow goes for the pull. It is miscued and rebounds towards gully where Green can’t quite reach it with a sprawling dive. Replays show it came off the arm. Eleven maidens in a row.

****

The question is asked about the record for a scoreless period in Test cricket. It’s 154 deliveries between Peter Nevill and Steve O’Keefe against Sri Lanka in 2016.Boland strings together four more dot balls against Stokes. And then it happens.Stokes plays forward to a good-length delivery and it squeezes off a thick outside into the point area, wide enough that the fielder can’t cut it off.After 70 balls, England have scored a run. The crowd cheers. Not quite as loudly as for Khawaja’s century or Boland’s wickets and there’s no doubt a healthy dose of sarcasm from many.

****

Twenty-five overs later Stokes and Bairstow walk off together for tea. They have batted out the session, with the help of a sizeable dose of luck when a delivery from Green clips Stokes’ off stump but the bail doesn’t fall. It’s one of England’s best passages of the series, albeit the bar has been set pretty low. In the first over of the resumption they raise the century, only England’s third of the tour, and those 70 balls of struggle are not the only memory of the day.

Laxman playing the last-action hero in Mohali, or a stunning New Zealand fightback in Abu Dhabi? Pick between two thrillers as we begin to identify The Greatest Test of the 21st century

Alagappan Muthu02-May-2025Update: This poll has ended. The IND-AUS 2010 Mohali Test moves into the round of 16.

India’s one-wicket epic vs Australia – Mohali, 2010

Test cricket moves men. Even stoic ones like VVS Laxman, who once withstood the world’s best team for a full day’s play, but here lost his cool with just about seconds on the clock. A victory that had seemed so unlikely – India were eight down with 92 runs still to get – one that required him to strain so hard he hurt his back and needed a runner – was within their grasp. Laxman had added 81 with the No. 10 Ishant Sharma before Ben Hilfenhaus struck, leaving Australia one wicket from a 1-0 lead in the series. Then the No. 11 Pragyan Ojha randomly wandered out of his crease, opening himself up to being run out. Laxman was driven to a curse word. For the entire fourth innings, he had denied Australia. Strong, firm, unmoved, and yet scoring at an extremely brisk pace. Here he broke. India could have lost this game by five runs and it still would have been a classic. In the end, they won it by one wicket and Australia’s nemesis was unbeaten on 73 off 79 balls.

NZ’s four-run heist vs Pakistan – Abu Dhabi, 2018

No one knew when they were eating lunch on the fourth day in Abu Dhabi that the first domino had fallen. Pakistan went in 130 for 4 chasing 176 to win. They wouldn’t get there. They wouldn’t get there because a debutant left-arm spinner from New Zealand would bring them down like a house of cards.Ajaz Patel has spent his career doing unimaginable things – he’s picked up 10 wickets in an innings, he’s helped New Zealand beat India in India 3-0 – but this was where it all started. At 171 for 9, and with Azhar Ali still out there, Pakistan had hope. Then Kane Williamson remembered that he had a left-arm spinner in his ranks and that left-arm spinners have always troubled Azhar. It was a gamble – the kind that will get better with each retelling – because it worked. New Zealand began this Test in a way that made sense. Getting all out for 153 on a spinning pitch and giving up a first-innings lead of 74. Everything they did from that point on, however, made people wonder if what happened could even be real.

Mic'd Up: The Apple TV analyst breaks down Inter Miami’s MLS Cup win, explains why Messi still decides everything, backs MLS’s move to a fall-spring calendar, and tips LA Galaxy to rebound in 2026.

Bradley Wright-Phillips got it wrong. He will be the first to admit it. The New York Red Bulls legend tried to get clever with the MLS Cup. He saw the Vancouver Whitecaps throughout the season and said they would beat Inter Miami in the final. 

"Vancouver are probably, on their day, the best team in the league. I'm talking about every position. They're so flipping good, man. I actually had them as favorites to win, like an idiot," the former New York Red Bulls star says to GOAL, before pausing.

"But it doesn't matter against Miami."

That turned out to be a pretty succinct summary of the final, which Miami won 3-1. Vancouver played better. But Lionel Messi is Lionel Messi, and he makes a difference pretty much every time. 

"Watching him play the last two games of the season, that's the quietest I've seen him still. He still had a very big impact. That is the difference between him and the rest of us mere mortals. He can quickly go by two players, get his head up, and play the perfect ball in for an assist," he says

But for Wright Phillips, who works for Apple TV as an analyst and has been a stalwart of the American soccer scene for nearly 15 years, there's more to think about. Most of it is in the future. MLS announced a switch to a fall-spring calendar. He loves it. 

"It just makes sense. I think we're going to hear what the rest of the world is saying in terms of the transfer window. It gives us here in America the chance to get those big players, to compete with the rest of Europe and the rest of the world," he adds.

And then there's next season to think about – already. Every year, MLS shifts. Sure, Miami and Vancouver will be around. But LA Galaxy, he thinks, will be back to their best after a rotten campaign. 

Wright-Phillips looked back at the MLS Cup final and made some far-too-early predictions for the 2026 season in another edition of Mic'd Up, GOAL’s recurring feature that brings the perspective of analysts, announcers, and other voices on the state of soccer in the U.S. and beyond. 

AFPON MLS CUP

GOAL: What'd you think of the MLS Cup final?

WRIGHT-PHILLIPS: The final was a spectacle. It was brilliant, the setup, the occasion, the two teams. The potential of it was unbelievable, to be the biggest game in MLS Cup history. Yeah, just what was surrounding. I thought both teams deserved to get to the final. Normally, when you get an MLS Cup, it's one team that's kind of stumbled through the playoffs, played really defensively. They could have finished ninth in the East and got to the final [through their defense]. Both teams, for me, were good and strong and deserved to be there. 

And it's obviously Alba and Busquets' last game. You get Messi versus Muller. So that part was amazing. I thought the actual match itself wasn't great. You're in the final. You don't want to lose. MLS Cup is on the line. So I thought that showed on the pitch, and it just turned into a fight, almost. But I enjoyed it. It was good to see Messi and Co. roll their sleeves up and really see the nasty side of them. I think it became a game of whoever could take their chances. I always say when you play against Inter Miami, it doesn't matter what they're playing like, if you don't score two or more goals, you're probably not winning that game. Vancouver had some chances and didn't take them. When you're playing against Messi and these superstars, they're gonna punish you.

GOAL: Is it fair to say that Vancouver might have been better on the day?

WRIGHT-PHILLIPS: Vancouver were a better team. They were a better football team than [Inter Miami]. I said this on the shows before the final. They're a better football team. Vancouver are probably, on their day, the best team in the league. I'm talking about every position. They're so flipping good, man. I actually had them as favorites to win, like an idiot. For an hour, in the middle of that game. But it doesn't matter against Miami. 

GOAL: Javier Mascherano talked about the "efficiency" of Leo Messi to win it. What did you make of his performance?

WRIGHT-PHILLIPS: I think that's quite a nice way of summing it up. The perfect word is efficiency. Messi, for the last two games, wasn't that good. But he has an impact on the game. He needs to get the ball in a certain area. He'll do a bit of magic, play a ball in, and end up leaving the game with two assists. Watching him play the last two games of the season, that's the quietest I've seen him still. He still had a very big impact. That is the difference between him and the rest of us mere mortals. He can quickly go by two players, get his head up, and play the perfect ball in for an assist. I don't think he was good in terms of, like, a whole 90-minute game.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportON CHANGES IN MLS

GOAL:  Looking ahead, though. Fall-Spring calendar: what do you make of that? Is that the kind of thing you wish you'd had? Or did you not think about it?

WRIGHT-PHILLIPS: No, I wish we did have that. Coming from England and playing in England last part of my career, I always enjoyed, like, a summer break. When I would go home through MLS seasons, I would have to go at Christmas. It was cold. Family members are still working or quite busy, you know? But for summer, it's a better time, especially for my kids as well. They're off school. They can hang out for a bit longer. 

And for the league, it just makes sense. I think we're going to hear what the rest of the world is saying in terms of the transfer window. It gives us here in America the chance to get those big players to compete with the rest of Europe and the rest of the world. It makes sense. And also international breaks. We're losing players due to FIFA windows. It doesn't make sense. In big games in the season, you need your best players. There are a lot of advantages to it, and I definitely welcome it.

GOAL: What other changes would you like to see?

WRIGHT-PHILLIPS: I think when I first came over, the salary cap. But I'm so used to all of this stuff. The league is improving all the time, and I don't think there needs to be a rush in anything. I think it's going at a great pace. I've said before, the league is 30 years old. How quick has this thing moved? It's probably a top 10 league in the world. Some people would argue higher. So I think it's going in the right direction. I just think you have to keep developing the players in the academies. But just as important are the coaches. Yeah, this year, we saw some first-time MLS coaches in the MLS Cup. 

I think we've got to get away from just reverting to legends all the time. And respect, there are still some legends that will do a great coaching job. But I think MLS has gone away from just saying, "Okay, let's just go and get him. Let's just go and get him." I don't want to name names, because still, some of them are very good, but I think we know where I'm going. You need to see Jesper Sorensens get into a final, even Javier Mascherano. He's got a super team, but it's not easy to coach those players. 

I remember Inter Miami just looking like the Harlem Globetrotters during the first quarter of the season. They were fun to watch, but they were terrible defensively. They had no structure, just heavily reliant on Leo Messi and Luis Suarez. But when you watch them towards the end of the season, they almost sacrifice some football, drop Suarez, and they were a team that looked structured, difficult to beat. The final was a perfect example of that. It wasn't pretty, but they're hard to beat. They're going to fight, and then they have those game changers when they need them. The coaching for me is levels above where it's ever been.

Getty ImagesON WHO WILL TAKE A STEP FORWARD NEXT SEASON

GOAL: Who's the team that's going to take the biggest step forward next year?

WRIGHT-PHILLIPS: I'm leaving out all the teams that I think are good. So the teams that you saw end the season well: the San Diegos, Inter Miamis, LAFC, I'm leaving those out. But I'll say LA Galaxy. I think LA Galaxy was terrible last year, under the level that we're used to seeing them at. But I think they'll have a good transfer window. They got Riqui Puig coming back. I think we see them competing again.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty Images SportON WHO WILL TAKE A STEP BACK

GOAL: So who goes the opposite way? Or who overperformed a little?

WRIGHT-PHILLIPS: I always worry about, and they never live up to expectations, is Austin. They came into the league with a bang, and because of that, there's always a big expectation. But I still don't think they figured out a true identity over there. I don't think they figured out what they really want to be yet. I don't think they've got the right DPs in to me. They just don't convince me. And I thought last year they just a bit, they kind of just about figured it out towards the end of the season, but it wasn't good enough.