Signed by Dyche: Everton’s "new hope" could be a £100m star in the making

Everton are 16th in the Premier League standings, three points clear of Ipswich Town at the rim of the relegation zone. Sean Dyche’s side have had comparative success over the past two months, though only because they dismally lost their opening four fixtures.

How will the Toffees fare throughout the December period? Winter has arrived, and with it, the chilling realisation that some of the division’s heaviest hitters will take on Everton before the new year is upon us.

Everton’s Remaining Premier League Fixtures in 2024

Date

Opponent

Venue

23/11/24

Brentford

Goodison Park

01/12/24

Man United

Old Trafford

04/12/243

Wolves

Molineux

07/12/24

Liverpool

Goodison Park

14/12/24

Arsenal

Emirates Stadium

22/12/24

Chelsea

Goodison Park

26/12/24

Man City

Etihad Stadium

29/12/24

Nott’m Forest

Goodison Park

It’s completely feasible that Everton will face adversity during this run, and though Jarrad Branthwaite is fit again, there are some glaring question marks pasted across the frontline and the struggle to hit a rich vein of form.

Everton's best forwards

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s clinical edge in front of goal, or rather, the absence of it, have caused Everton a whole host of problems this season.

Dominic Calvert Lewin

Truthfully, there are issues across the field that are threatening Dyche’s hold on the manager’s seat, but when a centre-forward fails to provide even a degree of attacking inspiration, it’s pretty concerning, especially when the relegation zone lurks ominously below.

The 27-year-old striker, who is out of contract next summer, has only scored twice in the Premier League this season and has missed seven big chances, as per Sofascore. Fitness might be restored but he’s enduring a seven-match goal drought heading into the thick of daunting games in December.

Everton’s tactical shift this season has limited Calvert-Lewin’s finer attributes, but he’s still fallen by the wayside and might drag his team down with him, should he continue to hold down the number one spot at number nine.

Jesper Lindstrom and Jack Harrison both bring energy to the team but neither offer even the modicum of attacking sharpness that Dyche craves on the right flank. Dwight McNeil has scored three goals and three assists apiece in the top flight this term but his deployment at the proud point of midfield is affecting fluency and defensive togetherness.

Everton winger Dwight McNeil

Oh, what to do? At least Everton signed Iliman Ndiaye this summer. It’s early days yet, but the Senegalese talent is shaping up to be the Merseysiders’ new sensation.

Iliman Ndiaye is "Everton's new hope"

McNeil might be the one posting the numbers, but Ndiaye has added to Everton an electric factor that might just hand the Toffees the success they have been looking for this year.

Everton's Iliman Ndiaye

The threat of the drop zone is real alright, but so too is the prospect of making headway and challenging for a place in the top half of the Premier League, which could be quite the launchpad heading into the new Friedkin Group-led era.

Ndiaye’s ball-carrying ability has wowed Goodison Park, but he’s not so one-dimensional as to only be a driving force down the left channel. Dynamic and deadly, The Athletic’s Paddy Boyland has even described him as “Everton’s new hope.”

Indeed, as per FBref, Ndiaye ranks among the top 18% of attacking midfielders and wingers across the Premier League this season for pass completion, the top 7% for successful take-ons, the top 12% for tackles and the top 1% for interceptions per 90.

His performances have seen FBref draw him against some pretty highly-regarded divisional rivals, with West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen considered one with the most significant likeness.

West Ham played out a goalless draw with Everton before the November international break, and like the Blues, are toiling this year. However, Bowen remains a key component and one of the division’s finest forwards, even if he’s not operating to his full degree.

He’s scored four goals and supplied two assists across 13 matches under Julen Lopetegui. Ndiaye, meanwhile, has notched three strikes for Everton since joining from Marseille for a £15m fee in the summer.

It was only last season, however, that Bowen hit new heights as David Moyes’ attacking architect, scoring 20 goals throughout the 2023/24 campaign and even being described as “unplayable” by Brentford manager Thomas Frank.

West Ham Top Scorers 23/24

Rank

Player

Apps

Goals

1.

Jarrod Bowen

44

20

2.

Mohammed Kudus

45

14

3.

Tomas Soucek

52

10

4.

Lucas Paqueta

53

8

5.

Michail Antonio

32

7

5=

James Ward-Prowse

51

7

Stats via BBC Sport

Ndiaye has the technical and progressive properties to emulate Bowen and become a superstar within the English football scene. After all, he’s only 24 and is showcasing prolific potential despite Everton’s attacking woes.

Should he hit his full potential, Everton might find themselves holding one of the most profitable talents in the Premier League. Bowen signed a new long-term contract with West Ham last year but has attracted interest from the likes of Liverpool and Newcastle United.

Such transfer consideration has seen the Hammers reveal that they value Bowen at £100m – which really goes to show that patience and care toward Ndiaye’s development could bear the richest of dividends in the years to come.

Everton have a long way to go before they reach their desired platform in English football, but if they keep a firm grip on players such as Ndiaye, there could be plenty of reason to get excited.

No Dyche & Lindstrom axed for £15m ace: Everton's dream XI after January

Everton could be set to make some signings this winter, with the Friedkin Group looking to complete their club takeover.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 22, 2024

Bruno Fernandes 'deserves' to win titles: Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim hails hat-trick hero captain and urges Red Devils to help him lift more silverware

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has hailed captain Bruno Fernandes and claimed that he 'deserves' to win titles.

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  • Fernandes scores hat-trick against Sociedad
  • Amorim claims he deserves titles
  • Urges Red Devils to help him win silverware
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  • Getty Images Sport

    WHAT HAPPENED?

    Fernandes has been one of the best players in the Premier League over the last decade, with the Manchester United star consistently delivering the goods for the Red Devils since his move to Old Trafford from Sporting CP. The Portuguese has scored 94 goals and provided 79 assists in 276 appearances, but with the team struggling for form, major titles have been a distant dream.

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  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Fernandes has been in superb form this season as well, despite United's abysmal results. He scored a hat-trick in their 4-1 thrashing of Real Sociedad in the Europa League on Thursday, after which Amorim claimed Fernandes 'deserves' to win titles and urged the Red Devils to help him lift silverware.

  • (C)Getty Images

    WHAT AMORIM SAID

    Speaking to the media, Amorim said: "We know that sometimes he is frustrated. We know he wants to win so bad so when things are not going well, he is changing position going after the ball.

    "Sometimes he needs to trust his teammate but when we need it, he is always there. He can bring the ball forward, he can score goals, he can defend. It is a perfect captain for our team and we need to help him win titles because he deserves all that."

  • WHAT NEXT FOR FERNANDES?

    The United captain won his second trophy with the Red Devils last season in the form of the FA Cup, though his only hope of adding a winners' medal to his collection this term comes in the form of the Europa League. United have been pitted against Lyon in the quarter-finals.

Shreyas Iyer: On this pitch, a fifty feels like a century

“You can’t just play very negatively on that wicket and just keep defending the ball,” he says after hitting 92 off 98

Andrew Fidel Fernando13-Mar-20221:51

Shreyas Iyer: For this wicket, you need to have positive intent

There wasn’t much point defending out there, because the pitch was going to get you some time.This, essentially, is what India batter Shreyas Iyer felt when he went out to bat on the first day of the day-night Test against Sri Lanka, in Bengaluru. So, having faced some nervous balls before tea, he batted much more aggressively after the break, racing to 20 off 19, later 50 off 54, and eventually 92 off 98.Conditions were so tough, a fifty felt like a hundred, Iyer said after the day’s play .Related

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“I personally felt that fifty was like a century. That’s why I celebrated like that. It was like a century feeling for me.”You saw the players who defended the ball, there was a lot of chance of nicking, and there was variable bounce on that wicket. You can’t just play very negatively on that wicket and just keep defending the ball. You’ve got to have that positive intent when you step out on the field. The wicket is not that great. It’s obviously bowler-friendly.”Iyer revealed that it was a conversation that happened during a break that allowed him to play more freely than he otherwise might have. By the end of his innings, he had struck 10 fours and four sixes – more than two-thirds of his runs had come from boundaries.”The first five balls were really difficult for me because I went into bat just before tea. I was very nervous at that point in time and wanted to play through those two overs. After that, I came in, and we discussed with the coaches that this is what I’m going to plan and do on the wicket. I’m really happy I executed it really well.”Iyer fell eight runs short of what would have been his second Test hundred. But making an impactful contribution to the team meant more, he said.”I’m disappointed I didn’t get a hundred, but as a team, we got to over 250 which on this wicket is a fighting total. I don’t have any regrets.”

Sri Lanka to host Zimbabwe for three ODIs in January 2022

Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka are set to begin 2022 with three ODIs as part of the ICC Super League, with Sri Lanka hosting the series. The three games will be day-night fixtures scheduled for January 16, 18 and 21, and will be played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.Zimbabwe are currently placed bottom of the Super League table with two wins from their nine games, while Sri Lanka are sixth in the 13-team league, with four wins from 15 games. The Super League is a qualification path to the 2023 ODI World Cup, with the top eight teams qualifying directly, while the remaining five will be pooled with five Associate teams in a qualifying tournament. Two teams will go through to the World Cup from that tournament. By virtue of hosting the 2023 World Cup, India have automatically qualified, effectively making the Super League a battle for the next seven spots.Zimbabwe are currently tied on 25 points with the Netherlands, but have played five matches fewer.”Every game is very important for us because Super League games will decide who can qualify automatically, hence it is important that we prepare well and start well,” Zimbabwe head coach Lalchand Rajput said. “I am a very confident person and always believe that we can beat Sri Lanka, considering that we have had good game time playing the Pro50 tournament [Zimbabwe’s domestic List A competition].”Zimbabwe’s last ODI in the Super League was part of a three-match series against Ireland in September, which ended 1-1. The teams split points in the washed out second ODI. Sri Lanka also last played in the Super League in September, beating South Africa 2-1 in a home series.”We have not started off well in the Super League, but I am confident that with the players in form during the Pro50 matches, we will do well against Sri Lanka,” Rajput said. “If we play our best cricket and to our potential, with our best players, there is every chance that we can qualify directly.”

£40k-p/w Aston Villa ace and Konsa now doubts for Fulham clash after injury

Aston Villa are set to be plunged further into a mini early season injury crisis as they return to Premier League action against Fulham after the October international break, it has been reported.

Aston Villa injury latest

Unai Emery’s side have put together an impressive start to the season, currently fifth in the Premier League, level on points with Chelsea and just one loss across all competitions. Their strong Premier League form has been backed up in other competitions, with two wins from their opening two Champions League games including a historic evening at Villa Park that saw them beat German giants Bayern Munich 1-0.

They are also in the next round of the Carabao Cup after a 2-1 win over Wycombe Wanderers, setting up a tie with Leicester City.

This has all come against a backdrop of injury concerns, with captain John McGinn still sidelined with a hamstring issue and not expected to return in time to face Fulham, while long-term absentees Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara both work their way back to full fitness from knee injuries and Emiliano Buendia is being slowly reintroduced.

Boubacar Kamara in Premier League action for Aston Villa.

Amadou Onana and Jacob Ramsey also both missed their 0-0 draw with Manchester United before the international break, while Ezri Konsa went down in the early stages of that clash and had to be replaced, limping around the pitch with an injury that Unai Emery later admitted he was unsure of the severity of.

“I don’t know exactly, but I think it’s the hamstring. We don’t know if it’s a big or small injury. Hopefully, it’ll be a small injury,” he explained. Now, another player may miss the clash with the high-flying Cottagers.

Aston Villa’s injury list as it stands

Player

Issue

Tyrone Mings

Knee

Boubacar Kamara

Knee

John McGinn

Hamstring

Jacob Ramsey

Groin

Amadou Onana

Thigh

Ezri Konsa

Hamstring

Aston Villa winger a doubt for Fulham tie

That comes as The Athletic report that winger Jadon Philogene has picked up a knock while on international duty with England’s U21 side and is now a major doubt to face Marco Silva’s side. The winger was re-signed over the summer from Hull City, penning a five year deal worth £40,000 a week.

He had started each of Villa’s last two games against Bayern Munich and Manchester United, and was just beginning to find his feet at Villa Park.

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His decision has already been justified in a major way.

By
Ben Browning

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However, the report claims that after being withdrawn against Ukraine in the closing stages, Philogene “underwent scans on Monday” after an injury scare. Fortunately, the injury is not thought to be serious, which means that Philogene could return in the short term even if he is unable to recover in time to take on Fulham.

Emery will be hoping that his side can continue their strong form even without a host of first team options, with those out injured only set to add further depth to his squad as they return when the season wears on, aiding Villa’s bid for back to back top four finishes for the first time in their recent history.

Aston Villa plotting £29m swoop on rising star whose club are open to sale

Aston Villa are plotting a transfer swoop for an exciting midfielder who is valued at nearly £30 million by his club, according to a new report. Unai Emery’s side continued their strong start to the Premier League season on Saturday, as they came from behind to beat Fulham 3-1 at Craven Cottage, putting them four points behind the top spot.

Signed for £17m: Aston Villa's best "in the world" star now worth triple

Signed for just £17m, Villa star now one of “best in the world” and worth triple

1 ByConnor Holden Oct 20, 2024 Aston Villa transfer news

It has been another good start to a campaign for the Midlands side, and despite having a healthy squad with plenty of competition, it looks as though they are keen to add to their options come the New Year.

Last week, Villa were linked with a move for Bologna striker Santiago Castro, but they are not the only team keen, as Chelsea and Everton are also keeping a close eye on the young forward. Adding another striker to their ranks would be a bold move, given the fact that they already have Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran, who has just signed a new contract.

As well as Castro, Aston Villa are now the latest team to join the race to sign Angel Gomes, who looks set to leave Lille at the end of the season. The former Manchester United man is in the final year of his contract, and he looks set to move on from France on a free transfer. But Villa are not stopping there, as they also have their eye on another midfield playmaker.

Aston Villa plotting £29m swoop for RB Salzburg star

According to Caught Offside, Aston Villa are interested in signing Red Bull Salzburg midfielder Oscar Gloukh. They also face competition from Newcastle United and Arsenal, as well as Manchester City and teams from around Europe, including Atlético Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, and Borussia Dortmund.

Aston Villa transfer target Oscar Gloukh in Champions League action for RB Salzburg.

The 20-year-old playmaker is considered the next exciting talent to come out of the Red Bull network, and his performances are not going unnoticed. This report also states that Salzburg could be open to the idea of selling Gloukh if they receive the right offer, looking for around 35 million euros for Gloukh, which is roughly £29 million.

It is believed that the midfielder is also open to the idea of moving to the Premier League, and he doesn’t seem short of potential options. Salzburg are competing in the Champions League this season, but Villa will hope to progress to the knockout stages, and that might be something that could help them get a deal for Gloukh over the line, even though he wouldn’t be able to play for them in Europe this season.

Apps

71

Goals

16

Assists

23

Gloukh has been with Salzburg since January 2023, and his importance on the side has been clear to see, being among the goals and assists in his two-and-a-bit seasons. The 20-year-old already has five goals to his name in seven Austrian Bundesliga appearances this season, and he has contributed to two assists as well.

Gloukh is under contract to Salzburg until the summer of 2027, but they look to be ready to cash in on their star talent in January, despite him still having plenty of time left on his contract.

Royal London Cup again set to run alongside the Hundred in 2022

Final of domestic 50-over competition will return to being staged on a Saturday

George Dobell30-Sep-2021The Royal London Cup will once again be played at the same time as the Hundred in 2022, the ECB has confirmed.The domestic 50-over tournament was this year reduced to something of a development competition, with the best white-ball players unavailable as they were involved with Hundred squads. But in a clear sign that the ECB sees it as the least important format at present, the tournaments will once again be stage concurrently, with both expected to start in August and finish in September. The T20 Blast will be completed by mid-July.The 50-over competition will, however, have a Saturday final in 2022. This year the final was staged on a Thursday less than 48-hours after the second semi-final. Partially as a result, the attendance was a modest 7000. Trent Bridge will remain the venue for the final.The next 50-over World Cup is scheduled to be played in India in October and November 2023. It remains possible, therefore, that the domestic schedule in England could be changed ahead of the 2023 season to prioritise the 50-over format a little more.The ECB has also indicated it will try to stage more first-class cricket in July. In 2021, there was a maximum eight days of Championship cricket per side staged between June 7 and August 29. There had been calls in some quarters for the ECB to stage the Championship at the same time as the Hundred to at least ensure those players involved in the Test squad could gain some long-from match practice as required. It has also been suggested that playing on mid-summer surfaces may do more to encourage the development of spin bowlers and negate the dominance of medium-paced seamers.But such calls have been resisted for now in fear that such a move could further compromise the integrity of the domestic first-class game. Instead, the ECB has committed to trying to ensure at least one more round of fixtures in mid-summer.Events at Lord’s, where rain helped Lancashire drag a one-sided encounter into a fourth day, have done nothing to boost the chances of the Bob Willis Trophy being played again in 2022. Despite the game effectively being defined by events in the first hour – put in on a surface offering seamers some assistance, Lancashire were 12 for 6 at one point – the poor weather forecast for the fourth day means there is a decent chance the game could even enter a fifth day.By the close, Lancashire required another 50 runs in their second innings to avoid the largest defeat in their first-class history. As a bitterly cold wind rendered both watching and playing a challenging business, it became ever harder to justify extending the county season into October.

100% duels lost, 0 passes made: Farke made a mistake subbing Leeds dud on

Leeds United were unable to record a third straight win in the Championship as they were forced to settle for a point against Norwich City at Carrow Road.

The Canaries started strong and took the lead in the first half after Joe Rodon brought Josh Sargent down in the box, with the striker beating Illan Meslier from the spot.

A second half strike from Largie Ramazani, who was assisted by Wilfried Gnonto, secured a point for the Whites, who have now lost once in eight league matches.

Largie Ramazani

However, Leeds could have pushed on to secure all three points as they began to gain momentum after the equaliser in the 60th minute, but they were derailed by Daniel Farke’s substitutes – including Joel Piroe.

Joel Piroe's cameo against Norwich

The Dutch forward was brought on to replace Ramazani as part of a double change that also saw Mateo Joseph go off for Patrick Bamford, as Brenden Aaronson moved out to the flank.

That move turned out to be a clanger by the Leeds head coach because the former Swansea centre-forward put in a dismal display in his cameo.

The Whites had been finding joy in transition from Norwich’s loose passes, with the likes of Gnonto, Aaronson, and Ramazani causing problems with their pace, but that threat was neutralised by those changes.

Minutes played

19

Accurate passes

0/2

Duels won

0/1

Possession lost

3x

Dribbled past

1x

As you can see in the table above, Piroe did not complete a single pass and lost 100% of his duels, whilst losing possession three times, in 19 minutes – plus four minutes of stoppage time – on the pitch.

The Dutch lightweight lost the ball three times from four touches and one of his first involvements in the match was to misplace a pass straight out of play near the dugout as Leeds looked to break the Norwich press.

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Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

His lack of mobility and pace meant that the away side could not break as quickly as they had been doing before his introduction, which is what allowed the Canaries to take control of the final 15-20 minutes of the game.

What Farke could have done instead

It remains unknown as to whether or not Joseph and Ramazani needed to come off when they did, due to fitness issues, but the latter staying on could have helped Leeds to win the match.

The former Almeria winger was causing Shane Duffy and Jack Stacey, who had come on at half-time due to an injury to Jose Cordoba, all sorts of problems down the right side of the pitch for Norwich.

His clean first touch and pace, both in running and movement of the ball, created plenty of dangerous situations for Leeds, whilst he completed 89% of his attempted passes.

Instead of removing him from the field to bring Piroe, who endured a difficult 23 minutes or so off the bench in Norfolk, Farke could have kept Ramazani on for another ten or 15 minutes to push for a second goal before, then, handing some of his stars a rest.

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Ele voltou! Corinthians anuncia a contratação de Paulinho até 2023

MatériaMais Notícias

Pode comemorar, Fiel! O Corinthians finalmente oficializou a contratação de Paulinho, nesta quarta-feira, em suas redes sociais. As partes já estavam acertadas há algum tempo, mas o objetivo sempre foi anunciar o acordo quando o Brasileirão terminasse e todas as burocracias fossem cumpridas. Agora o ídolo corintiano está de volta e com contrato ate dezembro de 2023.

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O anúncio veio atrelado ao acordo com a Taunsa, empresa do ramo do agronegócio que passa a patrocinar no clube e para celebrar a nova parceria ja ajudou na contratação do meio-campista, que estava livre no mercado desde que rescindiu seu contrato com o Al Ahli, da Arábia Saudita, em setembro.

Em live, o Timão mostrou Paulinho chegando ao Parque São Jorge em um caminhão com a marca da Taunsa e o símbolo do clube estampados.

Sem clube, Paulinho automaticamente teve seu nome ligado ao Corinthians, mas naquela altura do ano não mais seria possível registrar jogadores, dessa forma o negócio passou a ser conduzido sem pressa e com o objetivo de ser fechado para a temporada 2022. Apesar de a diretoria, o atleta e seu estafe terem alinhado os valores e o tempo de contrato, ainda faltava viabilizar uma ajuda para garantir os vencimentos e os valores da luva a serem pagas.

Havia também a preocupação em deixar a oficialização para depois do Brasileirão, pois a premiação pela colocação na tabela e a classificação para a fase de grupos da Libertadores eram objetivos que precisariam ser cumpridos para ter um conforto financeiro e esportivo para pensar no próximo ano.

Com todos esses fatores alinhados, Paulinho assinou com o Corinthians ate dezembro de 2023 e retorna ao clube após quase nove anos, já que deixou o Parque São Jorge em meados de 2013, quando foi para o Tottenham, da Inglaterra. Depois teve duas passagens de sucesso pelo Guanghzou Evergrande, da China, e no meio delas jogou pelo Barcelona.

Em sua primeira passagem pelo Corinthians, Paulinho atuou entre 2010 e 2013, com 167 jogos no período e 34 gols marcados. Além disso, conquistou quatro títulos pelo clube: Brasileirão-2011, Libertadores-2012, Mundial-2012 e Paulistão-2013. Nesse retorno, ele reencontra antigos parceiros como Cássio, Gil, Fábio Santos, Renato Augusto e Sylvinho, além de Fagner e Willian, que foram seus companheiros na Seleção Brasileira na Copa do Mundo de 2018.

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Australians at the PSL: Usman Khawaja, Tim David and James Faulkner leave a mark

For some it was their first experience of an overseas T20 league

Andrew McGlashan25-Jun-2021Fawad Ahmed (Islamabad United)Ahmed returned to the tournament despite being one of the players to contract Covid-19 during the first phase. He was steady in three of his four outings on the resumption but took some hammer in the high-scoring contest against Zalmi when his four overs cost 51. Despite taking 2 for 25 in the last group match he did not play either of the finals during with United missed out the final with the team wanting to rebalance their attack.Tim David (Lahore Qalandars)
Yes, David is Singaporean but he is eligible for Australia and plays for Hobart Hurricanes so is on this list. He made his mark in the middle order for the Qalandars, playing key roles in two victories which relaunched their tournament before they faded to such an extent they missed the finals. His 64 off 36 balls – which included five sixes – against Zalmi was the standout innings as he and Dunk rescued the innings from 25 for 4 in the eighth over. A stuttering top order meant he often had to perform repair acts and his 34 off 14 balls against Karachi Kings got the Qalanders’ chasing within touching distance.Ben Dunk (Lahore Qalandars)
The T20 freelancer was another of those to return to the competition having been involved earlier in the year before it was postponed. He only managed one substantial innings on the resumption with 48 off 33 balls against Zalmi in what proved a match-winning stand with David. He ended the competition with four single-figure scores as the Qalanders missed out on the knockouts due to net run-rate.Related

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Khawaja's 105 helps Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi in run fest of epic proportions

James Faulkner (Lahore Qalandars)
Faulkner had a significant impact with the ball claiming three three-wicket hauls in his first four matches – his 3 for 19 against United were his best figures in T20 since he had the same return against Sri Lanka in 2016. And despite playing just six matches, his overall of 13 wickets makes it Faulkner’s joint-fifth best T20 league campaign. With the bat he chipped in: his 22 off 7 balls against Zalmi was key in making a winning total (the final margin was 10 runs) while the 33 off 18 he made against the Kings – in a rapid stand with David – fell just short of hauling a chase out of the fire.Usman Khawaja (Islamabad United)
Khawaja, who had hoped to be able to play in Pakistan for the first time before the tournament was moved to Abu Dhabi, certainly made an impact at the top of the order with the joint-highest score of the tournament and just the second century when he hammered an unbeaten 105 off 56 balls against Zalmi. Add to that a 70 off 41 balls against Sultans and he did all he could to keep his name in conversations with the selectors back home.Jake Weatherald (Quetta Gladiators)
The Adelaide Strikers batter was consistent without quite producing a major innings. He reached double figures in all five innings and twice made 40s although the first of those came in a match where United chased the target of 134 in 10 overs. However, his 48 off 41 balls against the Qalandars was the highest score of the match where the Gladiators won by 18 runs.Jonathan Wells (Peshawar Zalmi)
Known for his finishing skills in the BBL, Wells had an immediate impact on debut for Zalmi when he made an unbeaten 55 to guide them into the final – a fair effort considering it was his first professional innings since the end of January. However, the final did not go as well as he made 6 off 13 balls before being run out in the face of a huge chase.Jack Wildermuth (Quetta Gladiators)
A tough couple of outings for the Queensland and Brisbane Heat allrounder which including going for 53 off three overs against the KingsCallum Ferguson was part of the Lahore Qalandars squad but did not play

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