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For Sajeewa Weerakoon, the road to international recognition is still some distance away

Sa'adi Thawfeeq16-Sep-2005For Sajeewa Weerakoon, the road to international recognition is still some distance away despite the number of times he has produced match-winning performances for the Sri Lanka A team. The orthodox left-arm spinner from BRC has been knocking on the door and
sounding out the national selectors with a kind of consistency that no other cricketer in recent times has managed.There have been cricketers who have got into the national side with marginal performances compared to what Weerakoon has produced. But that is why they say you need an element of luck in cricket. What is blocking Weerakoon’s entry into the national side is the presence of spinners of his type who are already there and have established themselves.Left-armer Rangana Herath is one of them. He is a contracted player with Sri Lanka Cricket. Then there is also Sanath Jayasuriya, who is the third-highest wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in Test cricket with 92 wickets. Although currently hors de combat, he is expected to
resume bowling shortly. With two left-arm spinners already in the side to support the offspin of Muttiah Muralitharan and with legspinner Upul Chandana also available for selection, Weerakoon finds his entry into the national side blocked despite clamour from the cricketing public and certain sections of the media for his inclusion.Anura Tennekoon, the former Sri Lanka captain said: “Sajeewa has shown consistency in his bowling. You couldn’t ask for anything more than that from a bowler or a batsman. To me the hallmark of a good cricketer is consistency. It shows that he has some ability in him.”As manager of the A team, Tennekoon has watched Weerakoon in action at close quarters and his assessment of his bowling is interesting. “Compared to other spinners he is quite tall and he is able to make use of his height to get that extra bit of bounce. He bears close resemblance to another former Sri Lanka left-arm spinner Ajith de Silva who was also quite tall.”Sajeewa bowls a nagging line and length and uses the extra bounce. So far he has performed on pitches that has given him some kind of assistance. His real test will come when he bowls on flat surfaces. If a batsman or bowler performs consistently he should be given due recognition sooner or later.”Weerakoon, 27, a product of St. Aloysius College, Galle, shot into prominence when he picked up the best bowler’s award taking 50 wickets in the Premier trophy tournament last season. Prior to that, he had played in two matches for Sri Lanka A against Pakistan A in 2002 and taken seven wickets, before being overlooked until this year when he was included in the squad against the A sides of England and Pakistan. However, he was not
picked for any of the matches as spinners Malinga Bandara and Suraj Mohamed were preferred over him.With Bandara going away to represent English county Gloucestershire, Weerakoon once again came into prominence. He has not missed out on the opportunity given to him. In three unofficial tests against West Indies A, he captured 26 wickets at a cost of 14.07 to steer Sri Lanka A to a 2-1 series victory. He has extended this brilliant piece of bowling to
the ongoing series against South Africa A, where he took a match bag of 13 wickets for 106 to subject the tourists to a six-wicket defeat inside three days at the NCC grounds last week.Weerakoon picks the majority of his wickets by taking the ball away from the batsmen towards the slips. He also uses the arm ball for variation. Lalith Kaluperuma, the chairman of selectors, said: “Of all the A team players in the past year or so, Weerakoon has shown the most promise. He had done well and he is in our short list.”We can’t just rush him into the national team because only eleven can play. The team has got to have balance. An opportunity must come to include him. In the meantime, he must continue to perform. He has a good future and should make it to the side very soon.”With a tour to India coming up later this year, Weerakoon should keep his fingers crossed and performing, while hoping for the break that will launch him into international cricket.

ESPNcricinfo previews the deciding T20 between South Africa and Australia

The Preview by Firdose Moonda08-Mar-2016

Match facts

Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Start time 1800 local (1600GMT)1:47

‘My goal to have a century in each format’ – De Kock

Big picture

For the second time this summer, a limited-overs series enters the final match with the sides locked all-square. This one will cap off a blockbuster season of international cricket that has captured the imagination of the country’s cricket-lovers. Australia’s visit follows England’s and while some might think hosting two of the big three in the same season may serve to remind South Africa if their status in the small seven, in shorter formats it has done quite the opposite.South Africa built confidence with five successive wins over England and kept on that roll in the first match against Australia. Now, as CSA posted on their Twitter account, “it all comes down to 1.”Victory for South Africa in the final T20 will give them a boost ahead of the World T20. Defeat will have the reverse effect and highlight the few lingering issues, especially around the middle-order and how JP Duminy and Farhaan Behardien fit in. A delicate issue was resolved for them, at least in the short-term, when Aaron Phangiso’s action was clear on the eve of the game but it has been decided that he will sit out this T20 and spend further time fine-tuning his action ahead of the World T20.Whereas South Africa’s has steadily built with recent results – notwithstanding the defeat in Johannesburg – Australia are still trying to formulate their T20 gameplan having had precious few games in the format over the last two years. The success of David Warner in the middle order suggests they are finding one solution – alongside Glenn Maxwell it backs for a dynamic pairing – but they will want a more all-round performance before they head to India.

Form guide

(last five completed games most recent first)
South AfricaLWWWW
Australia WLLLL

In the spotlight

South Africa’s highest T20 run-scorer JP Duminy is under pressure to prove his worth despite his numbers because of his recent, unremarkable form. Duminy has not scored an international fifty since October last year – 20 innings ago – and has miscued to midwicket twice in this series. Despite strong support from the coach, Russell Domingo, the pressure is growing on Duminy to deliver especially as his bowling is playing far less of a role.In a similar position is Shane Watson who was not tasked with bowling during the second match in an Australian attack with plenty of options. Watson’s job is to push one of Usman Khawaja or Aaron Finch out of the XI by getting Australia off to a quick start. Watson has only just recovered from an abdominal injury which ruled him out of the PSL but he was in fine touch before that, with the second highest score in T20I history, and will want to get back into that form ahead of the World T20.

Team news

South Africa have opted not to draft in Phangiso for a game ahead of the World T20 after his action was clearedm but they may tweak the top order to give Hashim Amla a game. Dale Steyn could continue to keep Kyle Abbott out unless Kagiso Rabada is rested.South Africa: (probable) 1 Hashim Amla, 2 AB de Villiers (wk), 3 Faf du Plessis (capt), 4 JP Duminy, 5 David Miller, 6 Farhaan Behardien, 7 Chris Morris, 8 David Wiese, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Imran TahirAustralia found a winning combination in the last match which vindicated their decision to keep David Warner out of the opening berth. Having already tried the Usman Khawaya/Aaron Finch and Shane Watson/Aaron Finch combination the only one left for them to try is Khawaja/Watson, which could see Finch sit out. Nathan Coulter-Nile could find his way back into the XI and Adam Zampa may be preferred over Ashton Agar in the spin department.Australia: (probable) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 David Warner, 4 Steve Smith, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 James Faulkner, 8 Peter Nevill (wk), 9 Josh Hazlewood, 10 John Hastings/Nathan Coulter-Nile 11, Adam Zampa

Pitch and conditions

After the thin air on the Highveld, the teams return to the coast where, as was the case during the England series last month, scores are expected to be lower. The Newlands pitch will be more subcontinental in nature and may even take some turn will which aid in preparation for the World T20. The weather, though, will be entirely different. It is expected to be mild and breezy with evening temperatures touching 20 degrees.

Stats and Trivia

• Faf du Plessis needs nine more runs to become the third South African after JP Duminy and AB de Villiers to reach 1,000 T20I runs.
• Australia have won the last two T20 series against South Africa, which has included the only three-match rubber between the two sides. Then, in November 2014, South Africa went one up but squandered the lead.

Quotes

“There is a bit of importance. But if we were playing the series in India it would be more important; the fact that it’s here in SA means the wickets are different. We know series wins against Australia don’t come easily. But there’s a bigger picture. When we get to India and we play against them in different conditions there, we’ll see what happens.”

In T20s, the batter wins on some days, and the bowler on others; with Kuldeep these days, the batter usually loses

Karthik Krishnaswamy26-Jun-2024It isn’t always easy to apportion credit when a bowler takes a wicket in T20s. At first glance, Mitchell Marsh c Axar Patel b Kuldeep Yadav, on Monday morning in St Lucia, was one of the many thousands of T20 wickets that simply happen because the pace of the game requires batters to take constant risks that don’t always come off.At first glance, the wicket belonged almost entirely to the catcher, Axar timing his jump perfectly at deep square-leg and plucking the ball out one-handed, at full stretch over his head. It certainly wasn’t a ball from Kuldeep, in the sense that he probably missed his length and ended up dropping shorter than intended.Everything leading up to that moment, though, contributed layers of to that ball, amping up the likelihood that it would create a wicket-taking chance.Related

• Rohit praises India's 'calmness' after win against England in semi-final

• Tactics board: Bumrah, Archer and Kuldeep overs will be pivotal

• Kuldeep relishes Caribbean conditions as Super Eight specialist

• Kuldeep: 'Bowlers must show courage' against aggressive batting

The shot Marsh played is best described as a pull, but watch it again, and it becomes clear from his back lift and the way he sets himself up at the crease that it began life as a sweep. This was the eighth ball Marsh faced from Kuldeep on the day, and he had already attempted sweeps or slog-sweeps against three of them. This doesn’t include another proto-sweep that turned into a different shot entirely – the first ball of this very over, in fact, which Marsh had clipped for a single to long-on when Kuldeep, sensing that the sweep was coming, had fired a 90.5kph delivery (the quickest of his spell so far) – right up at the batter’s feet.The three sweeps Marsh had been allowed to play had brought him no runs. Twice Kuldeep had been too quick and full for a clean connection, and on one occasion he had dangled the ball away from the hitting arc, slower and wide of off stump, and beaten his bat, producing a third-umpire referral for a stumping.Kuldeep knew Marsh was itching to sweep him, and he wasn’t going to let him. The seven balls that preceded the wicket ball were all either quick and full and at leg stump, or slower and wide of off, the latter type either wrong’uns or sliders out of the front of his hand. When he wasn’t sweeping, Marsh was having to be content with singles off slaps to the off-side sweeper or flat-bat hits down to long-on.If Marsh wasn’t so intent on sweeping, he may have been better placed to deal with the wicket ball – better balanced, certainly, to get more elevation on his pull or place it wide of the boundary fielder.But sometimes, this is what one-on-one contests in T20s are like, particularly in conditions like those in St Lucia with a strong wind blowing across the ground: a batter chooses the areas he wants to target, and the bowler knows it, and uses all his skills and wiles to try and cut off those shots. The batter wins on some days, and the bowler on others.With Kuldeep, though, it’s increasingly rare that the batter wins, no matter what the format is and what the conditions are. Two months ago in the IPL, when Sunrisers Hyderabad ran away to the biggest powerplay score in T20 history against Delhi Capitals, it didn’t feel entirely against the run of play when Kuldeep came on and took two wickets in the seventh over. He didn’t get them off balls as we traditionally understand them, but if you’re looking to smash the daylights out of everything, your life is just that little bit harder against a bowler who generates more drift and dip than most spinners, varies his pace and trajectory more adroitly than most spinners, has a more intuitive understanding of batters’ intentions than most spinners, and better control and more variations to boot.0:59

Manjrekar: Kuldeep riding a wave of confidence

It’s quite something that Kuldeep, with all the above-mentioned tools at his disposal, didn’t feature in any of India’s first-round group games at the T20 World Cup 2024, but that’s just life as India’s best spinner when they need to play four quicks, because their other spinners are excellent bowlers too, and happen to offer a lot of value with the bat. Over the course of the USA leg of this tournament, Kuldeep experienced the T20 version of a feeling R Ashwin has experienced for large swathes of his Test career.But the USA leg is done, and Kuldeep was always going to be a key member of India’s line-up, and one of their trump cards, when the action shifted to the West Indies. And so he has been: in three Super Eight games, he’s taken seven wickets at an average of 10.71, while going at just 6.25 per over. And if those numbers don’t look extraordinary in a bowler-dominated World Cup, here’s a better one: according to ESPNcricinfo’s impact ratings, he’s averaged 53.8 bowling impact points per match so far at this World Cup. Jasprit Bumrah, who’s bowled like he’s from another planet, has gone at 42.7.This, of course, isn’t to say that Kuldeep has bowled than Bumrah or anything of that sort. What those numbers do say, however, is that India have a mind-blowingly good attack, quite likely the best of this tournament.This, of course, was true even last year at the ODI World Cup, and November 19 still turned out the way it did. There are no guarantees, certainly not in knockout games, and India have experienced this time and again over the last so many years and so many global events.Kuldeep Yadav was always going to be a key member of India’s line-up, and one of their trump cards, when the action shifted to the West Indies•ICC/Getty ImagesIt doesn’t diminish how good they are, but their players probably feel some sense of unfulfillment, like a subcutaneous itch that their nails can’t quite get at. And leading up to June 27 in Providence, Guyana, some of them may also feel like they have a point to prove.The India of 2024 are, in both structural and personnel terms, a significantly better T20 side than the India of Adelaide, November 10, 2022. They are no longer hampered by the depth issues that turned them into a diffident, risk-averse batting unit in 2022, and they are a far better bowling side with Bumrah – who missed that World Cup with a back injury – and Kuldeep – who wasn’t selected for the tournament, and wasn’t yet the fully rounded bowler he has since become – in their ranks.Kuldeep didn’t feel the sting of that semi-final defeat, but not being part of it would have hurt, and it may have meant something to him that it was England that knocked India out. It had been England that had left Kuldeep with figures of 1 for 72 in Birmingham in 2019, causing India to veer away from their twin-wristspinner ODI strategy and leave him out of their XI for their semi-final against New Zealand.All that is firmly behind Kuldeep now, and he’s already given England more than a glimpse of how good he has become in the years since. There was this, for instance:

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And there was a Test series earlier this year that Kuldeep dominated, his selection the foremost catalyst for India going from 0-1 to 4-1. If any scars remain from Birmingham, 2019, they are probably exceedingly faint.But if Kuldeep is already well on his way to asserting himself as one of the world’s leading all-format spinners, he still has a bit of distance left to cover. There’ll be a lot less of it if Providence is on his side, and India’s, on Thursday morning.

Arsenal ensured they stay just three points behind Women's Super League leaders Chelsea after they ran out 2-0 winners against Liverpool on Sunday.

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• Arsenal dominant throughout WSL clash
• Miedema scored first goal in over a year
• Foord killed game off with second

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  TELL ME MORE

  Arsenal dominated possession and were the more imposing team in attack for most of the game as they managed to work the ball into the Liverpool box. The visitors were not able to find the breakthrough until the 60th minute when Vivianne Miedema took on a pass from Emily Fox in the middle of Liverpool's half and sent it sailing into the net from outside the box. It is Miedema's first goal for Arsenal since December 2022.

  Arsenal looked a bit braver following the opening goal and came close again when Caitlin Foord hit a shot from a tight angle but Rachael Laws managed to keep it out. It felt like a second goal was on the way and it was Foord who delivered it when Alessia Russo got onto the end of a Fox pass, squared to the winger and she tucked it in to kill the game off.

  Arsenal looked set to score a third when a nice high ball fell in behind the Liverpool defence for substitute Stina Blackstenius, but her effort went over the bar. The Swede had another great chance when it fell to her in the box, but Laws pulled off the save.

  Liverpool had their best chance to pull a goal back deep into stoppage time as the ball was headed on to Mia Enderby who raced towards the Arsenal goal, but Manuela Zinsberger did well to deny her. At the other end, Blackstenius came close yet again only to see her shot hit the post.

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  THE MVP

  There will be a lot of praise for Miedema and Foord for getting the goals, but Fox's excellent work in both goals should not be overlooked. She squeezed through three Liverpool players and down the wing before squaring to Miedema for the opener, then her perfectly weighted pass found Russo to create the second goal.

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  THE BIG LOSER

  Liverpool centre-back Gemma Bonner will feel she should have closed down Miedema and attempted to block the Netherlands star's shot rather than simply tracking back and leaving the space for her to tee it up and unleash the shot.

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• WHAT COMES NEXT?

  Arsenal will fancy their chances of keeping the pressure on WSL leaders Chelsea when they take on struggling West Ham in their next game on February 4. That same day, Liverpool will host another north London team as they face Tottenham.

Ella Toone came off the bench to devastating effect against Italy on Tuesday, scoring with a deft volley to add to England's friendly rout.

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• England face Italy in friendly
• Toone comes on as second-half substitute
• Scores fine volley within five minutes

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Manchester United star had to watch on from the bench as Sarina Wiegman's side took control in Algeciras. Toone was introduced on the 64th minute and promptly set about making her mark. Fellow substitute Lauren James easily made space down the left and picked out her England team-mate perfectly, who volleyed it precisely into the top corner.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Lionesses took immediate control of Tuesday's friendly fixture. Lotte Wubben-Moy repaid Wiegman's faith with a goal inside a minute of just her third senior international start. Lauren Hemp then added to that tally with a brace of headers, before Michela Cambiaghi pulled one back for Italy in first-half stoppage time. Toone then get in on the action before Daly – who was on the bench initially – rounded out the scoring with 11 minutes remaining, securing another convincing Lionesses victory.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND & TOONE?

  The result means Wiegman's side have romped to two convincing wins from their two February friendlies, scoring a combined 12 goals in the process. For Toone, it is a statement goal after recent underwhelming performances against Chelsea and Aston Villa, as she looks to bring United back to within European contention in the WSL. The Red Devils currently sit seven points out in fourth.

Graham Ford’s things to do list

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan10-Jun-2007

Enter low-profile, stay low-profile
When Ford’s name was first linked to India’s coaching job one board
administrator said in half-jest: “Who is this Ford? Next you’ll say Ferrari,
Mercedes and Toyota.” Ford must take full advantage of his relative
anonymity and try, as much as he possibly can, to stay low-key. After the
tumultuous Chappell era, when the focus often shifted from the players to
the coach, Indian cricket is in need of a backroom worker, someone who
can push rather than pull. Taking a cue from Wright, India’s first
foreign coach who was remarkably inconspicuous for most of his tenure,
might be a good way to start.Getting the best out of the seniors
Some have termed them Dad’s army: watch them play and it’s more like the
Geriatrics Club of India. The team comprises men who are
staring at retirement but Ford’s best option is to get the maximum out of
them. India’s first-class system isn’t exactly brimming with exceptionally
talented youngsters and those like Suresh Raina who’ve been given a
chance have stood exposed. Ford’s biggest challenge will be the senior batsmen, something that Chappell, despite his good record coaching some of the younger players, couldn’t achieve for a sustained period of time. Ford is said to possess a
“technical eye” and comes with a hard-nosed reputation, factors that could go a long way in extracting the best out of great batsmen in their twilight years.Balancing complacency and insecurity
Wright’s final year as coach saw a number of established names take their
spots for granted and make the cut despite some woeful performances.
Chappell’s tenure was characterised by a rash of insecurity, with players
unsure of when the axe would fall – what began as ‘Perform or Perish’ ended
up, as with Mohammad Kaif in Kuala Lumpur, ‘Perform
Perish’. Ford, captain Rahul Dravid and chief selector
Dilip Vengsarkar need to find a balance – gauging how long a rope can be
afforded to each individual.Basics please
Whether he adopts rolling camps or conducts sessions at the army paratroop
centre, Ford must device a method to sort out the basics. He must get the
batsmen to run better between wickets; hammer it into them that taking the
shortest route helps and stressing the importance of grounding
their bats; he must get India to stop a few more runs on the field and
somehow put in place an efficient slip cordon that holds more than a
sieve; he must also unearth a couple of good close-in catchers. It would
help if he has a word with his countryman, Adrian Le Roux, the former
trainer who some Indian players still swear by. Andrew Leipus, the former
physio who’s always ready to help, could also be another useful sounding
board.

Taking a load off Dravid
Dravid’s job was, no doubt, made harder by a domineering coach and it’s
important that Ford plays facilitator rather than doer. He needs to play a
big role in the internal dynamics of man management and the daily media
stress test that the team is put through. Wright did that wonderfully,
despite having his differences with Ganguly; Chappell struggled and his
dominant personality didn’t endear itself to many of the players.Earning the players’ trust
“Now that we’ve experienced Chappell, we’re ready for anyone”. This
statement, from a member of the team, reflects the loss of trust in the
coach who was tactless in his off-the-record briefings to the media.
Ford will no doubt face frustrations but coaching through the media is
fraught with danger, especially when you’re riling your own players.
Earning the confidence of the players – the same players largely responsible
for his appointment – will be vital.No immediate revolution
No one doubts Indian cricket needs a drastic overhaul but trying to instigate
an immediate revolution could lead to further trouble. Chappell tried to
create order from chaos but plunged into it well before
he’d proven his coaching credentials. Ford comes in with a fine record as
coach but he needs to establish himself as the right man for the job. His
personality doesn’t suggest he will spark off any major change in the
overall functioning of Indian cricket but if he chooses to do so, he must
wait for the right time before striking.

Can Virender Sehwag dominate Shoaib Akhtar like he did the last time the two played? Can Inzamam-ul-Haq thwart the Anil Kumble menace?

S Rajesh10-Jan-2006

Shoaib Akhtar v Virender Sehwag
The last time the two met in a Test series, there was little doubt who came out on top. With both teams straining to strike the early blow, Sehwag delivered a statement as emphatic as they come, with his triple-century. Of those 309 runs, 62 came off Shoaib, from 77 balls; in the entire series, Sehwag scored 124 runs off Shoaib at an average of 62. As the table below shows, Shoaib failed to make an impression on most of the Indian batsmen. However, now apparently in the form of his life, this could well be the chance for him to settle old scores.In his last seven Tests, Shoaib has nailed 36 wickets at 25.75, suggesting that he has finally learnt to match performance with pre-match bluster. More than just those stats, though, it’s the manner in which he has applied himself that has been so impressive – the 118 overs he bowled against England was the first time he bowled more than 100 overs in a series, while with the bat he was resoluteness personified. Sehwag, meanwhile, is struggling for form, with just one half-century in his last eight Test innings, and two in his last 25 ODIs. This might well be Shoaib’s best opportunity to even accounts.

Irfan Pathan versus Mohammad Yousuf
Mohammad Yousuf’s tendency to waft into his lazy drives outside off was exploited superbly by Irfan Pathan in the previous series in Pakistan: after keeping him quiet with well-directed balls swinging back in, Pathan often delivered the sucker ball, wide of off, and drew an indiscrete stroke. In 119 balls, Pathan conceded just 35 and dismissed Yousuf twice. However, Yousuf learned from his mistakes and handled Pathan much better on the tour to India, scoring 42 off 64 for once out. Yousuf is coming off an excellent series against England, and unlike in 2003-04, he will know what to expect from Pathan. However, in his short career Pathan has shown an inclination to learn new tricks and experiment, and you can be sure he’ll have a few ideas to deal with Yousuf this time around as well.

Inzamam-ul-Haq versus Anil Kumble
After the initial opening acts from both teams, this pair could be at the forefront of their teams’ fortunes – Inzamam has been in the form of his life this season, playing with an assurance that has made him an immovable object, while Kumble has shown remarkable improvement – at least in Test cricket – with age, adding more weapons to his armoury.
Inzamam’s tendency to shuffle across his stumps is a flaw Kumble has exploited more than once. In fact, no bowler has nailed Inzamam more than Kumble (seven times), but it has hardly been one-way traffic: in the last two series, Inzamam has fallen to Kumble four times, but has also scored 188 runs off him for a handy average of 47. In fact, Pakistan’s top batsmen have a reasonably good record against Kumble over the last two series.

Rahul Dravid versus Danish Kaneria
One can bat seemingly interminably, the other loves to wheel away at the batsmen, over after over, with relentless accuracy. While Shoaib may be the prime strike bowler for Pakistan, Kaneria, with his ability to bowl wicket-taking deliveries and keep it tight, will play a critical role. He proved just how lethal he could be in that matchwinning effort at Bangalore last year, and the Indians, despite their impressive overall record against him, will do well to be wary.If Kaneria is Pakistan’s Duracell with the ball, then Dravid will be expected to play a similar role with the bat for India. As the table below shows, Dravid has played 411 deliveries from Kaneria in the last two series – how many more he adds to that number could provide an indication of India’s batting fortunes in the series.

While the results of these battles could determine which way the series goes, Pakistan will also want a much better performance from their fast bowlers, especially since they’ve announced that they’re putting their faith in pace. The table below shows just how badly Pakistan were let down by their fast bowlers in their last two series – their spinners gave away nearly 23 fewer runs per wicket, while the relatively less renowned Indian pace attack comfortably outdid them too.

The key culprit for Pakistan was Mohammad Sami, who, apart from the odd testing spell, did precious little, taking 17 wickets at 54.60. His stats against the Indian top order indicates just how ineffective he was. Shoaib may be in top form, but he will still want better support from the rest of the cast.

Barcelona's Sandra Panos has announced she will leave the club at the end of the season, possibly opening the door for England star Ellie Roebuck.

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• Panos to leave Barca this summer
• Club reported to want Lioness Roebuck
• Panos has interest in England, U.S. and more

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  It has been rumoured for some time that Panos would depart Barca in the summer when her contract expires and the 31-year-old confirmed as much on Friday. It follows reports in the January transfer window that the club were interested in signing Manchester City and England goalkeeper Roebuck, who is also set to become a free agent in a few months' time. The 24-year-old hasn't made a single appearance for her club this season after losing her starting spot to teenager Khiara Keating.

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• WHAT PANOS SAID

  In a message to Barca fans on social media, Panos wrote: "I want to tell you that this will be my last season at FC Barcelona. After nine years defending the goal of the best team in the world, the time has come to end this stage.

  "There have been many games and countless moments since I arrived at Barcelona in the summer of 2015. Here I have fulfilled dreams, and beyond the titles, filling the Camp Nou, and being one of the captains, I feel very grateful and privileged for what we have built together during this time. For me, the legacy we can leave to future generations goes beyond sporting success, and the social transformation of which this club has been a part makes me very proud.

  "I know that when it is my turn to look back I will do so with the satisfaction and conviction of having given everything for this crest. Barca is and will always be my home, and the people who have been part of it are also my sporting family. We will have time to say goodbye as we deserve, and to thank all the wonderful people who have crossed paths and helped me in the most important stage of my life. Until then, I will continue to work to the maximum to help the team to keep winning, with the ambition and determination that we are so identified with. Let's enjoy these last few months together and fight for the titles that remain."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Clubs across the world had been put on alert by the rumours of Panos' departure in the last few months, with reporting in November that there was interest in her services from teams in Spain, England, the US and Mexico. She is unlikely to be the only player to leave Barca this summer, too. Several stars are out of contract at the club, including England star Lucy Bronze, while Asisat Oshoala left earlier this week to join Bay FC in the NWSL.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Panos has won 15 major honours in her time with Barca so far, including two European titles. After the Catalans' first triumph in 2021, she was named the Champions League Goalkeeper of the Season.

The Parisians are bracing themselves for the loss of their star man this summer, but might already have a capable replacement on their books

Kylian Mbappe is flirting with Real Madrid – he has been for quite some time. This melodrama, one which presumably concludes with Mbappe standing with a smirk in front of the famous wall of Champions League trophies at Valdebebas, is winding to its end. And although it will certainly leave Florentino Perez, Carlo Ancelotti and co. dreaming of another year of glittering success, Paris Saint-Germain will have to confront the reality of being without their all-time top goalscorer.

That is mostly because Mbappe cannot be replaced. The Parisians, though, can change. It's a process that football advisor Luis Campos kicked off last season by bringing in 12 new recruits, all signed to soften the blow of an Mbappe-less future in the French capital.

The biggest new arrival, though, might be a player who hasn't yet appeared for the club since his return in 2023. RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons is technically is currently in Germany on loan from PSG, and in all likelihood will make a proper return to Paris this summer.

After two seasons away, the 20-year-old could be the final piece in PSG's post-Mbappe puzzle, the face of a team refurbished and ready to stay competitive on Europe's biggest stage.

• La Masia upbringing

  Simons' football career hasn't been all success. Although he's just 20, it seems like the exciting attacker has been around for years. In a way, he has. Born in Amsterdam, Simons moved to south-eastern Spain at the age of three. By the time he was seven years old, Barcelona had snapped him up, and made him one of the biggest talents of a generation, alongside current Golden Boy winner Gavi.

  The hype around his upbringing was palpable from an early age. Simons appeared in commercials with Ronaldinho and Neymar as a child, and his name alone gave Barca fans reason for excitement (yes, he was named Xavi because of that famous midfielder). One social media account summarised the hype in modest terms: "Dribbles like [Andres] Iniesta, wins awards like [Lionel] Messi, face like Ronaldinho, hair like [Carles] Puyol, nationality like [Johan] Cruyff, and the name is Xavi."

  Simons never saw the field for a senior Barca team. Chelsea tried to take him to London at 12, but he declined the offer. However, he eventually left Catalunya when super-agent Mino Raiola came along in 2019.

  Barca reportedly offered Simon assurances that he would star for their Juvenil A (Under-19s) side, and teased a first-team role. But with Messi in the way and Raiola able to drum up interest from around Europe, Simons penned a three-year deal with PSG. Some reports suggested that he would earn up to €1 million (£850,000/$1.1m) per year as a 16-year-old. Barca, for their part, received just €130,000 – a meagre sum for a player who was regarded as a sure-fire world-class talent at the time.

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  Uncertain start to Parisian life

  PSG didn't offer Simons consistent playing time – at least not immediately. He spent his first season tucked away in their academy system, as the Parisians dropped him straight into their U19 set-up, handing the 16-year-old ample space to focus on football.

  It proved to be valuable development time for a teenager who had never really spent time away from the spotlight. PSG lived in a world of preoccupation at the time, with the antics of Neymar and Mbappe dominating the senior side. Simons, who had over four million Instagram followers and the watchful eyes of an expectant world on him when he first arrived, managed to snatch some valuable time to develop.

  Hopes remained high, though, and he trained with the senior PSG squad during pre-season in 2020, making his debut in a friendly that August. By early 2021, he was a fixture on the PSG bench, awaiting his chance to crack a line-up full of global superstars. He made his professional debut in February of that year, and his Ligue 1 bow soon after. By the summer of 2021, it seemed that Simons was well on track to work his way into the first team, especially with Mauricio Pochettino highlighting a specific role for him in the side.

  But it never worked out, and Simons spent most of the 2021-22 campaign on the bench. By the end of that campaign, the teenager had been on the pitch for just over 300 minutes, and was yet to score as a professional.

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  PSV breakout

  Simons needed a way out, and PSV provided it. Once again, he was afforded the opportunity to work out of the spotlight, functioning as a key cog for a PSV team that very few would tab as genuine contenders for domestic or European glory. But with Simons pulling the strings, Ruud van Nistelrooy's side came close. He scored 22 goals and assisted 12 more in all competitions, working in tandem with Cody Gakpo to drag an otherwise flawed side to a second-placed finish in the Eredivisie.

  For PSV, Simons was the catalyst, a player who could terrify opponents with his slick dribbling ability, before finding the cute passes around the penalty area to set up for his team-mates. It was everything that first Barcelona, then PSG hoped the player could be.

  “At this age, he’s not a real specialist,” PSV assistant coach Fred Rutten told in June 2023. “In the future, I think he can play at No.10, but he’s more of a No.10 who scores goals. He has the skills when he’s in the box and when he can come out quickly in the counter-attack — then he’s really dangerous.”

  Simons' form brought his future into sharp focus, with Premier League and Bundesliga clubs linked with moves for the youngster after he also broke into the senior Netherlands squad. However, it soon became clear that a return to PSG was on the cards, with a clause having been inserted into his contract that allowed him to return to the French champions, even though he had departed as a free agent just a few months prior.

  "It is a clause between me and PSV, not between me and Paris Saint-Germain. It’s a clause that, if I wanted to go to PSG, I could leave for a certain amount at the end of the season," Simons explained. "To be honest, it’s not in my head to leave. I’m settled here; I feel good here. You can also see that on the field, I think. I came here on a free transfer, so I have no obligations to anyone. I’m the one who has to make the choice."

  Simons may have had a say in the matter, but what he failed to mention was that PSG's buy-back clause was very affordable, and certainly came in at under market value. They showed little hesitation, then, in bringing one of the world's brightest talents back to Parc des Princes for just €6 million (£5.2m/$6.6m).

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  Leipzig and further development

  Simons arrived back in Paris last summer, only to confront the reality that PSG still had Mbappe and were busy retooling the rest of their forward line following Messi and Neymar's departures. Therefore, promptly after signing a four-year contract, he negotiated a loan move to Leipzig.

  The step up in quality has brought a new level out of Simons, who has been among the most impactful players in the Bundesliga this season. He has 16 goal contributions to his name in all competitions and is Leipzig's leader in assists.

  These days, he operates as an attacking midfielder in a 4-2-2-2 setup, floating between the lines and buzzing around the edge of the box. His link up with Dani Olmo – also a La Masia product – has been devastating at times, and the catalyst for Marco Rose's expansive attack. Once a chaotic, all-action dribbler, Simons has become a refined passer who can find a killer ball with ease.

  He remains, however, a human highlight-reel. He provided one of the more memorable goals of the Champions League season so far, whipping an effort into the top corner from 25 yards out against Red Star Belgrade, while he also bagged the Bundesliga Goal of the Month award in January for his swivel, pivot and volley that opened the scoring against Bayer Leverkusen. He will undoubtedly be the player Real Madrid fear the most when the two sides meet in the Champions League last 16, with the first leg in Germany on Tuesday.

Seamer Akash Parkar’s triple strike set up Mumbai’s seven-wicket win over Maharashtra in Rajkot

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2018Dinesh Karthik struck his third successive half-century as Tamil Nadu brushed aside Goa by 25 runs in Vishakapatnam. Karthik followed up his 57 and 71 against Andhra and Kerala respectively with a 43-ball 56 to hoist Tamil Nadu’s total to 155 for 5. The spinners then took over as offspinner Washington Sundar (2 for 20) and legspinner M Ashwin (2 for 22) put the skids on Goa’s chase. Only captain Sagun Kamat made a substantial contribution with 41 off 42 balls as Goa managed only 130 for 7. With three wins from three games, Tamil Nadu are now on top of the South Zone standings with 12 points.Seamer Akash Parkar’s triple strike set up Mumbai‘s seven-wicket win over Maharashtra in Rajkot. Parkar’s 3 for 22 in four overs helped his side skittle Maharashtra for 89 in 15 overs. He was supported by legspinner Parikshit Valsangkar (2 for 22) and seamer Shivam Dubey (2 for 7). Captain Aditya Tare then struck an unbeaten 26-ball 42, ensuring Mumbai chased down the target with more than 10 overs to spare. This was Mumbai’s second win in four matches.