أعرب أيمن الشريعي رئيس نادي إنبي، عن رأيه في قرارات حكام مباريات الدوري المصري الممتاز، موضحًا تفاصيل انتقال محمد إسماعيل إلى الزمالك.

وقال أيمن الشريعي في تصريحات عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “القرارات الإدارية التي تصدر من الحكام بمنتهى القوة والانضباط، وأنا أرى أنها قرارات منضبطة، ولا بد أن تكون القرارات الفنية في الملعب على نفس الوتيرة”.

وأضاف: “تم تصعيد 9 لاعبين ناشئين، ولا توجد مباراة لعبناها في الدوري بدون الدفع بـ اثنين من الناشئين، المنتخب طلب 4 لاعبين من 2005، وهم، سيف سفاجا وعلي إيهاب ومحمد عبد الله ومهاب، وهم يعتبرون في الفريق الأول”.

طالع أيضاً.. قناة الأهلي تشوق الجماهير بجلسة تصوير لـ إمام عاشور.. وموعد إعلان التفاصيل

وتابع: “لم نحصل على نسبة إعادة بيع محمود جاد، وخاطبنا النادي المصري من أجل ذلك”.

وأفاد: “أتحمل ضغوطًا لا يتحملها أحد، نتيجتها أننا نحصل على استثمارات ونُصعد شباب صغير، وهذا دوري كرئيس نادي”.

هل كنت تتوقع انتقال محمد إسماعيل لـ الزمالك؟: “تامر مصطفى عندما قال لي أنا لا أحتاج اللاعب، وهو يلعب في مركزي وسط المدافع والمدافع، لذلك وضعت نسبة من إعادة بيعه لأنني كنت أثق به”.

While there is a strong chance that this season is another that ends without any silverware, Arsenal have an exceptionally talented squad.

When fit, Bukayo Saka is one of the most dangerous wingers in world football, and now, in Ethan Nwaneri, he has a genuine understudy who looks like he could reach the same level a few years from now.

In the middle of the park, an inform Martin Odegaard can be near enough unplayable while Declan Rice continues to run games from central or defensive midfield.

Finally, the team’s strongest area, the defence, is bursting with world-class talent, but without a doubt, the jewel in the crown is William Saliba, and based on recent reports, the club are now looking to sign someone who could be the next version of the Frenchman.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of several teams interested in signing Ajax defender Jorrel Hato.

Transfer Focus

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

In fact, alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Liverpool are all preparing to make an offer for the youngster this summer.

How much the defender might cost is not mentioned in the report, but his final price tag varies dramatically, with some stories claiming he could be available for as little as £25m, while others suggest he’d cost around £40m.

It could be a complicated and potentially costly transfer to get over the line for Arsenal, but given Hato’s impressive ability and immense potential, one well worth pursuing, especially if he can be the next Saliba.

Why Hato could be the next Saliba

Now, we know that comparing a young defender who can thrive as a full-back or centre-back still playing in the Eredivisie to someone like Saliba, who is considered to be one of the best centre-backs in the business and has proven himself in the Premier League, might sound absurd.

Nevertheless, there are some key similarities between the pair.

The first is that, like the Frenchman before he joined Arsenal in 2019, there is an awful lot of hype, excitement and expectation about what Hato could develop into in the coming years.

For example, respected football analyst Ben Mattinson has described the teenager as an “exceptional athlete” who has “the potential to be an elite lockdown full-back”, while U23 scout Antonio Mango simply described the defender as an “insane” prospect and talent scout Jacek Kulig went a step further, dubbing him “one of the most talented CBs of his generation in Europe.”

On top of that, the Rotterdam-born gem has also been named in ninth place, ahead of Archie Gray, on GOAL’s 2025 NXGN list, which looks at the most exciting young players born on or after January 1st 2006.

Appearances

103

Starts

94

Minutes

8457′

Goals

4

Assists

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.12

Minutes per Goal Involvement

650.53′

Points per Game

1.86

Moreover, this belief that the Dutchman is going to be something special is why the Gunners are set to have some serious competition for his signature this summer, as they did when both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur tried to sign Saliba before they got their hands on him.

Finally, if the North Londoners were able to get their hands on the Ajax star this summer, then like the Frenchman in 2019, he’d be making the big move before he was even 20, as he’ll still be a teenager until March 7th next year.

Ultimately, Arsenal already have a sensationally talented defence, with Saliba at the heart of it, and while it could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, they’d only be making it even better by signing Hato at the end of the season.

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Chelsea’s activity in the transfer market has caught the eye in recent years, splashing the cash to try and return to Premier League glory in the near future.

Todd Boehly has certainly invested big money into the first-team setup, handing Enzo Maresca the tools to be a success at Stamford Bridge, with the Italian having a wide selection of players to choose from.

The 46-year-old has often relied upon Moises Caicedo at the heart of his midfield, with the Ecuadorian starting every single game in the league since his appointment.

He may have cost an English record £115m back in the summer of 2023, but given his regularity in the first team, it has been money well spent, looking to be worth every penny.

The same can’t be said for another player, who’s massively failed to deliver in West London after his own big-money move to join the Blues a couple of years ago.

Raheem Sterling's stats for Chelsea

Back in the summer of 2022, Chelsea forked out £50m to sign winger Raheem Sterling from Manchester City, looking to inject added quality into the club’s front line.

However, the move has been a disaster for both parties, struggling to make the desired impact – ultimately leading to his loan move to Arsenal for the current campaign.

The Englishman scored nine times during his debut campaign at the Bridge, going one better with 10 in the following campaign – but after the arrival of Maresca, he ended up falling down the pecking order.

During his three-year period in West London, the 30-year-old has scored just 19 times in 81 appearances, an average of just one goal in every 4.2 matches – simply not at the level for a top-level attacker.

Given his £325k-per-week wages, coupled with his lack of impact for the Blues, it would be a surprise to no one to see him moved on in the summer, with another player also needing to be shipped out.

The player who should never play for Chelsea again

Given the influx of transfers made over recent years, it was always likely that sales were going to be needed, with Sterling just one player who has to be sacrificed after his lack of positive impact.

However, it’s made the jump much harder for academy players to stake their claim in the first team, with the club desperately wanting success after such high spending.

One player who’s been unfortunate in his development is striker Armando Broja, who at one stage looked as though he could lead the line for the Blues going forward.

The Albanian international joined the club at the age of nine, developing through the ranks, before getting his first-team opportunity in the 2022/23 campaign.

The 23-year-old only managed to score three times across his two seasons in the first team at the Bridge, eventually losing his place due to an ACL injury.

Broja has since spent two separate spells out on loan at Fulham before linking up with Everton for the current campaign – but injuries have once again reared their head.

The striker, who earns £40k-per-week, has only made six appearances for the Toffees, with his last outing coming back in January after not featuring until December following his summer move.

After just one start and zero goals at Goodison Park, people have started to voice their displeasure at his lack of impact, with one writer claiming he’s been a “complete waste” of a loan addition.

Games played

6

Minutes played

179

Goals scored

0

Touches

77

Shots taken

4

Chances created

2

Passes completed

27

Given his continuous struggles away from West London, coupled with his lack of action when fit, Maresca needs to brutally part ways with the forward this summer to cash in while the 23-year-old still has some value.

Broja and Sterling need to be the first two players out of the door, with their subsequent departures handing the boss the funds to build on his impressive first season in charge of the Blues.

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Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is now “working” on a deal to sign an “unbelievable” player permanently, as he is a perfect fit for the club, according to former scout Mick Brown.

Villa making plans for the summer

Villa were active in the January transfer window, bringing in the likes of Marcus Rashford, Donyell Malen and Marco Asensio to strengthen in attacking areas, amid the departure of Jhon Duran, who joined Al-Nassr for £65m.

However, Emery remains keen on bringing in a new forward in the summer, with widespread reports suggesting Rashford could still be eyeing a move to Barcelona at the end of the season.

Samuel Chukwueze is of interest to the Villans, and there are suggestions the AC Milan winger could be keen on a reunion with Emery, given that he has previously described his former manager as “amazing”.

Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Matheus Cunha is also on the shortlist, with reliable reporter Ben Jacobs revealing a deal is “there to be had” in the summer, regardless of whether the Old Gold retain their Premier League status.

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While Rashford’s future remains up in the air, there are now suggestions Villa could already be trying to secure the signing of Asensio on a permanent basis, with Brown telling Football Insider: “On the evidence of what I’ve seen in his couple of appearances, he looks perfect for Villa.

“I think Emery and his staff will have been impressed as well, and they’ll already have started working behind the scenes to see if they can make the move permanent.

“A lot will depend on the role he plays while on loan, but at the moment I’d say that’s where they’re leaning.

“PSG want to move him on, he’s keen to leave, and Villa will be better off if they can keep him beyond the end of the season and will be working to make that happen.”

Asensio still yet to prove himself

The Spaniard arrived at Villa Park with a good pedigree, having played for European giants Real Madrid and PSG, however it is too early to say whether he should be signed on a permanent basis.

The former Real Madrid man was lauded as “unbelievable” during his time in La Liga, but he has made just two cameo appearances since arriving at Villa on loan, coming on as a second-half substitute against Tottenham Hotspur and Ipswich Town.

Having amassed 61 goals and 32 assists in 286 games for Madrid, there are clear signs the 29-year-old could go on to be an important player for Villa as we enter the business end of the season.

However, the jury is still out at the moment, and the £116k-per-week attacking midfielder will be hoping he is given the opportunity to prove himself with a start against Liverpool in the Premier League this evening.

Liverpool are now lining up a club-record bid to sign an “incredible” former Manchester City player, who could cost over £100m this summer, according to a report.

Reds eyeing Darwin Nunez replacements

Darwin Nunez has received widespread criticism this season, and there were suggestions the Uruguayan could make a move to Saudi Arabia during the January transfer window, although he ultimately ended up staying at Anfield.

However, it is clear the end could be near for Nunez, as the Reds are stepping up their pursuit of a new striker, and a recent report has revealed they have opened talks over a deal for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

Contact has also been made with the representatives of Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, but the Sweden international will not come cheap, as the Magpies are looking to hold out for a fee of £148m for their talisman.

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As such, Isak may be unattainable this summer, and another option is seemingly moving up the list of targets, with a report from Anfield Watch revealing Liverpool are now lining up a club-record bid to sign Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez.

The Spanish club value Alvarez very highly, and it may take an offer of over £100m to tempt them into a sale, but the Reds are undeterred by the valuation, having been keen on the forward for quite some time.

Prior to the former Manchester City man’s move to La Liga, talks were held with Pep Guardiola’s side, but an agreement could not be struck, given the high asking price and an insistence that Luis Diaz would be used as a makeweight.

There could be a new approach made for the 25-year-old, however, as he is viewed internally as a perfect fit for Arne Slot’s side, given his work-rate, ability to play in multiple positions, and keen eye for goal.

"Incredible" Alvarez is proven at the top level

During his time with Manchester City, the striker was lauded as “incredible” by Guardiola, who also praised him for the “massive” contribution he made to their success.

Despite having a penalty ruled out in controversial fashion against Real Madrid earlier this week, the Argentina international has gone on to impress at Atletico Madrid, too, racking up a remarkable 22 goals and five assists in all competitions.

That said, considering the Atletico star is contracted until 2030, it may be very difficult to prise him away from the Spanish side this summer, and some other targets mentioned in the report may be more attainable.

The Reds are said to hold a good relationship with RB Leipzig, which could give them the edge in the race for Sesko, while Isak is believed to be keen on a move to Merseyside.

Tahlia McGrath was the only Australia batter to get to 50 as India bowled them out for 219 on day one

Ashish Pant21-Dec-2023

Having played a crucial role in India’s big win over England last week, Pooja Vastrakar was at it again, this time with Australia in her sights. The fast-bowling allrounder presented a masterclass in swing bowling, making the ball talk both ways to pick up career-best figures of 4 for 53 as Australia were bowled out for 219 in their first innings of the one-off Test at the Wankhede Stadium.Vastrakar picked up two wickets apiece in the first and second sessions while Sneh Rana returned 3 for 56 as India continued their impressive Test bowling show. In reply, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma added 90 for the first wicket in 16.4 overs. Shafali fell six minutes before close of play, but India comfortably held the upper hand after day one, ending it 98 for 1 in 19 overs and trailing Australia by 121 runs.Australia could not have foreseen a worse start after winning the toss when Phoebe Litchfield was run out for a diamond duck in the first over. Beth Mooney tapped a Renuka Singh delivery to the left of gully and set off. Miscommunication ensued and Litchfield was found nowhere in the frame.Vastrakar then rattled Elyse Perry’s middle pole with an inswinging jaffa. The ball pitched outside off and deviated sharply back in through the gap between Perry’s bat and pad as Australia were reduced to 7 for 2 ten balls into their innings.With the ball hooping around and also keeping low, Mooney found the going tough. The ball slid past her outside edge several times and she also had an umpire’s call verdict going her way when she missed a Renuka Singh indipper from around the stumps.Ellyse Perry was cleaned up by a jaffa from Vastrakar•BCCI

Tahlia McGrath, however, decided to go the counterattacking way. She got her innings going by creaming Vastrakar through the covers twice in two balls before tapping her past point. India had the chance to dent Australia further but Deepti Sharma failed to hang on to a tough chance over her head at second slip when McGrath slashed at Renuka and edged thickly in the seventh over.McGrath cashed in, going on a boundary spree even as Mooney continued to struggle. Then the introduction of spin stemmed the flow of runs to an extent. McGrath raised her fifty off 52 balls but failed to go further. It was Rana who ended the promising 80-run stand with McGrath flicking to a leaping Rajeshwari Gayakwad at short midwicket.While Alyssa Healy made a bright start, getting off the mark with a six over long-on, Mooney’s luck ended when she fell off the final ball of the first session courtesy a sharp Vastrakar bouncer that she could only fend to first slip as Australia reached lunch at 103 for 4.Healy and Annabel Sutherland started confidently after the break. Both batters used their feet to good effect, collecting boundaries at every given chance. They had added 40 off 96 balls when the sweep brought about Healy’s undoing. Deepti switched her angle to around the wicket and Healy immediately brought out the sweep only to miss the ball completely and find her stumps in a mess.Vastrakar then ended Sutherland’s dogged stay with a nip-backer that caught her right in front of the stumps. The first ball of her next over, she had Ashleigh Gardner poking at an away-swinger outside off with Yastika Bhatia doing the rest as Australia were reduced to 160 for 7.Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma added 90 for the first wicket•Getty Images

That soon became 168 for 8 when Rana had Alana King caught behind, with a little help from the DRS. Jess Jonassen and Kim Garth took Australia to tea at 180 for 8.The duo hung around for 93 balls but added only 30 as the spinners tightened up after the break. India stitched six maidens between the 63rd and 70th overs and that contributed to the wicket of Jonassen, who was sent back via another DRS overturning. Jonassen shaped up for a reverse-sweep to a full Deepti ball and was struck in front, with ball-tracking indicating that the ball would have smashed into middle stump.Garth and debutant Lauren Cheatle added 21 for the last wicket before Rana claimed her third wicket to close out the Australia innings in 77.4 overs. The only blemish in a largely professional performance from India were three catches dropped by Deepti in the slips.Mandhana and Shafali then came out and immediately found their bearings. All the demons in the surface seemed to have subsided as they feasted on the Australian bowling. Mandhana got off the mark with a cut for four off Garth before Shafali struck Cheatle for two successive cover drives. India raced past fifty off just 46 balls with neither opening bowler looking particularly threatening.Shafali and Mandhana rode their luck to an extent with a a few inside and outside edges falling safely. Shafali fell close to stumps on day one when she missed a straight Jonassen delivery to be trapped in front on 40. Mandhana and Rana then took India safely to stumps with just a wicket down.

da leao： Arsenal’s injury crisis in recent weeks has highlighted the need for reinforcements in the summer to prevent such an issue from plaguing Mikel Arteta in the future.

da pinnacle： The forward line has been the area most greatly affected in the past few matches, resulting in players such as Mikel Merino having to operate in an unnatural centre-forward role.

Gabriel Martinelli returned during the draw with Manchester United last weekend, potentially easing the blow endured by the boss in the last few months.

However, the setbacks have come at a cost, all but ending the club’s Premier League title ambitions, with the 15-point gap more than likely too large to close in the last 10 matches.

As a result, it’s pivotal that the board back the manager in the summer, handing him the funds to land his targets, with one player potentially moving to the Emirates at the end of the campaign.

Martin Zubimendi's move to join Arsenal in the summer

Back in the January transfer window, it was confirmed that Arsenal were plotting a summer move for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

The Spaniard was on the radar of fellow Premier League side Liverpool last summer, but the 26-year-old decided to stay put in LaLiga for another season.

However, journalist David Ornstein confirmed that the Gunners have been in long-term talks to sign the midfielder this summer, following in the footsteps of Merino, who also moved from Sociedad at the start of the campaign.

The likes of Jorginho and Thomas Partey are both out of contract this summer, highlighting the need for added reinforcements in the midfield department, with Zubimendi still appearing to be the number one option.

Despite the rumours over recent months, the club may regret allowing one player to depart North London, especially considering his form elsewhere after he left a couple of years ago.

The former Arsenal star who’s outperforming Zubimendi in LaLiga

Countless Arsenal players have moved to Spain after plying their trade in England, with the likes of Thierry Henry moving to Barcelona after his successful spell as a Gunner.

Another player who followed in the same vein is midfielder Dani Ceballos, who spent multiple years on loan in North London before returning to parent club Real Madrid.

The Spaniard spent two years at the Emirates between 2019 and 2021, but they decided against a permanent move after he featured 77 times during his temporary stint.

He’s since been a regular under Carlo Ancelotti’s side, featuring 122 times since he returned to the LaLiag giants ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

This year alone, the 28-year-old has made 31 appearances for Madrid as they sit second in the league behind Barcelona, producing various key stats along the way.

Ceballos, who’s previously been dubbed “incredible” by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, has outperformed Zubimendi in various key areas – highlighting the mistake Arsenal made in not signing him permanently.

How Ceballos compares to Zubimendi in LaLiga (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Ceballos

Zubimendi

Games played

15

26

Minutes played

832

2149

Shot-on-target accuracy

40%

29%

Pass accuracy

95%

83%

Shot-creating actions

4

1.5

Tackles won

2

1.3

Interceptions

1.5

1.3

Stats via FBref

The former loanee has registered a higher shot-on-target rate along with more shot-creating actions per 90 – showcasing his impressive ability in the final third.

However, the Gunners are crying out for a deep-lying option to regain possession, with Ceballos winning more tackles per 90 than Zubimendi, along with more interceptions, having the defensive quality to operate in the desired role.

Given his form since leaving North London, the club may regret not keeping hold of the 28-year-old, with the Spaniard having numerous key qualities that would bolster the current side.

He will remain as a case of what could’ve been, starring at the top level of European football for Madrid, with Arteta needing to put such a mistake behind him and focus on the future as he aims to end the club’s two-decade wait for a league triumph.

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Bayern Munich have taken their interest in Rafael Leao up a notch, holding direct talks with the AC Milan star’s entourage.

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Bayern hold direct talks with Leao’s agentsAC Milan demand massive transfer feeGerman champions won't rush negotiationFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to Bayern held talks with Leao’s camp as they seek a new left-sided winger. The Portuguese forward is open to the move but Milan's valuation, reportedly above €100 million (£84m/$114m), could make this deal a complex one.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

After parting ways with club legend Thomas Muller and facing uncertainty over Kingsley Coman and Leroy Sane, Bayern are prioritising wide reinforcements. According to , a face-to-face meeting between Bayern and Leao’s representatives recently took place in Munich. While the 25-year-old Portugal international is reportedly open to the idea of joining the Bundesliga champions, Milan are reluctant to sell.

DID YOU KNOW?

Leao had 12 goals and nine assists in the 2024-25 campaign and reportedly has a €175m (£148m/ $199m) release clause at Milan, one of the highest for any Serie A player.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN?

With the Club World Cup approaching, Vincent Kompany's side are not expected to rush negotiations. They are unlikely to meet that figure and may explore alternative targets such as Cody Gakpo, Kaoru Mitoma or Eberechi Eze. Nevertheless, Leao remains high on their wishlist, offering the kind of explosiveness, creativity and physical presence that Die Roten want on the left flank to complement Michael Olise on the right.

The England batter picked up a ball that had stopped in the crease by his feet

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Feb-2024England batter Hamza Shaikh ensured his time at the Under-19 World Cup would not be forgotten when he was given out obstructed the field against Zimbabwe.In the 17th over, Shaikh defended a ball down by his feet and Zimbabwe wicketkeeper Ryan Kamwemba started to come from behind the stumps to collect it. Then, with the ball stationary in the crease, Shaikh bent down to pick it up to pass it back to the fielders, as is often seen from batters.Kamwemba and the bowler, Ryan Simbi, led the appeal and it was sent upstairs by on-field officials Donovan Koch and Masudur Rahman where third umpire Nigel Duguid gave it out.Previously it would have been handled the ball, but that mode of dismissal was combined with obstructed the field in 2017 with MCC saying they were effectively the same thing. The relevant Law, 37.4, reads: “Either batter is out Obstructing the field if, at any time while the ball is in play and, without the consent of a fielder, he/she uses the bat or any part of his/her person to return the ball to any fielder”.Unsurprisingly, there was reaction on social media. “Oh get a grip,” Stuart Broad posted on X. “He’s passing a stationary ball back to the fielder? Doing him a favour! Cant give that out.”Sam Billings retweeted a video of the dismissal, simply adding: “Wow.”Late last year Mushfiqur Rahim was given out obstructed the field in a Test against New Zealand when he punched a delivery away after defending it down into the crease.

The head-to-head, of course, has India leading 7-0. Pakistan will be very keen to end that jinx

Shashank Kishore13-Oct-20235:28

Why has Bumrah stood out? What’s ailing Shaheen?

Big Picture – Can the teams shut out the noise?There was thunder and lightning. Rain that began as a passing shower turned into a deluge, sending people scurrying for cover to preserve – guess what? – their physical match ticket so that they could return the next day to watch a game of cricket, the IPL final no less.It turned out to be the match of the tournament, and perhaps for many of the fans, their lives. As people made a beeline for the exit at 3am, more than 30 hours after the match was scheduled to have begun, several were still revelling in the festivities that followed that emotional roller-coaster of a final.Ahmedabad was the epicentre of Indian cricket that night, and the promise of a similar occasion, perhaps even grander, later in the year for a match they were all sure would be held in Ahmedabad, excited them.That grand occasion is nearly here.Related

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On Saturday, Ahmedabad won’t just be the epicentre of Indian cricket, but world cricket, with 132,000 people – a decent chunk being celebrities, industrialists, politicians, friends of politicians and, of course, cricket administrators – congregating at what they say is the world’s biggest cricket stadium to witness a match that makes the cricket economy – bilateral non-relations notwithstanding.Welcome to instalment eight of India vs Pakistan at men’s 50-over World Cups. Depending on whether you plan to sport blue or green on the day, you probably feel like gloating over that unmatched record or need no reminding of the duck you hope will become . In literal terms, that means “together” – like administrators from both sides who spar at boardrooms and in the media will be – but in this cricketing context, it refers to the scoreline that Pakistani fans, and the players, will hope for at the end of the night: 1-7.5:40

‘Once the first ball is bowled, everything is back to normal’

Pakistan have spent two weeks in Hyderabad, and are among the teams that will travel the least at this World Cup. Whether by design or accident, that should be a blessing in disguise, for a game of this magnitude will need plenty of recovering from anyway. And in a twisted sort of way, perhaps, the Pakistan players will have it a tad easier, in that at least they won’t need to be juggling match passes for long lists of friends and family – due to all the visa issues.It’s the kind of game that can take up mind space for days, if not longer. Sachin Tendulkar, for example, revealed that Centurion, and nothing else, was on his mind for over a month, until the sides met on that memorable day in March 2003, because he was reminded of it wherever he went and by whomever he met – from those on room-service duty to the fans to the media. MS Dhoni, whose hotel room was apparently never shut while on tour, decided he needed to make an exception ahead of the 2011 Mohali semi-final.In a nutshell that’s the essence of India vs Pakistan.Form guideIndia WWLWW (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
Pakistan WWLWWJasprit Bumrah was menacing with the new ball and wily with the old against Afghanistan•ICC/Getty ImagesIn the spotlight: Jasprit Bumrah and Abdullah ShafiqueJasprit Bumrah will be playing a World Cup game on his home ground, but seems immune to all the pressure. When the inevitable question on playing Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium came up at a press interaction, he quipped he was more keen to first make a quick dash home to visit his mum. And if he’s got his head in the right place, form is on his side too: Bumrah heads into the game on the back of a stellar show against Afghanistan, a four-wicket haul that would have won him the match honours on most nights but was overshadowed by a Rohit Sharma special that time.Abdullah Shafique would not have been playing had Fakhar Zaman shown a semblance of form in the lead-up to the tournament. But, on World Cup debut, his century and his partnership with Mohammad Rizwan helped put together a record chase against Sri Lanka. Expectations are bound to rise, but he seems level-headed enough to deal with the attention that may come his way. Saturday will be a test of that.Team news: Shubman Gill very much in the pictureShubman Gill, who missed India’s first two games with dengue, has recovered well enough to have a 99% chance of playing the game. He had had a net session immediately upon arrival in Ahmedabad, where he joined up with the rest of the team after a spell away to recover. If that 1% comes into play and Gill doesn’t feature on Saturday, it’s likely Ishan Kishan will continue to open. Only last month, Kishan counter-punched to make an 81-ball 82 against Pakistan in Pallekele, so there’s enough recent evidence of his being quite ready to face an attack of this quality.It can also be quite tempting to play Mohammed Shami, given his IPL record here. Also, pacers have bowled a bigger percentage of overs than spinners (59.8% versus 40.2%) and have more wickets (38 to spin’s 23) in ODIs here since 2021. But the team management leans towards having some batting cushion at No. 8, which none of their frontline pacers provide. So, for now, it could be another opportunity for Shardul Thakur.India: 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Ishan Kishan/Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 KL Rahul (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Shardul Thakur, 9 Jasprit Bumrah, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Mohammed SirajAbdullah Shafique’s century would have Pakistan feeling good about their opening combination•ICC via Getty ImagesPakistan have little reason to change a combination that worked wonders for them against Sri Lanka. There’s just a one small concern. While Hasan Ali picked up four wickets, he did get taken for plenty. If they are looking for a change, there’s Mohammad Wasim waiting in the wings.Pakistan: 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Babar Azam (capt), 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Ifthikhar Ahmed, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Shaheen Afridi, 10 Hasan Ali/Mohammad Wasim, 11 Haris RaufPitch and conditionsHot and dry on the weather front. There could be some dew later in the evening, which will also mean the team batting first will want to go hard. It’s a black soil surface, next to the one that played host to the tournament opener where New Zealand’s top order made merry. As such, it should be a belter of a surface for the organisers want to make it a spectacle in every sense.Stats and trivia Rohit Sharma has been out five times in 13 innings against left-arm pace in the powerplay since 2021. It’s all then set up for another exciting round of Rohit vs Shaheen Shah Afridi. India’s bowling strike rate of 32.5 in the powerplay is the best among all teams in ODIs since 2022. In this phase, Siraj has taken most wickets for India (32). The 67 innings Imam-ul-Haq took to get past 3000 runs in the previous game makes him the second-fastest behind Hashim Amla to get there in ODIs. The glaring concern, though, will be his five dismissals in seven innings this year against short-pitched bowling, including in the opener against Netherlands. This is something India’s pace attack may want to exploit first up. Babar Azam has hit just 71 runs in five innings since his 150* in the Asia Cup opener against Nepal. This is his joint-longest streak of not scoring 30 or more in an ODI innings.Quotes”I don’t focus too much on what has happened in the past and focus on what’s coming ahead. These records are made to be broken and we will try to break it.”
“All the guys are quite used to playing in front of big crowds. It can only work in your favour. It cannot work against you. A lot of the guys in the team love a big crowd, the cheers, the noise in the ground. The boys really enjoy it.”