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It’s been a brilliant summer for Arsenal.

New Sporting Director Andrea Berta has hit the ground running in North London, already securing several first additions as well as some squad depth.

However, even though he is doing a good job, it does feel like Liverpool are doing better, with stars like Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz already through the doors and Hugo Ekitiké just a matter of time.

Fortunately, there is still time for the Gunners to conduct more business, and now it appears they’re working on a deal to sign the next Ekitike, once they finalise the deal for Viktor Gyokeres, of course.

Arsenal target another striker

There have already been numerous transfer sagas this summer, and the biggest for Arsenal has centred on Gyokeres.

Transfer Focus

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

For some time, it looked like the club were going to sign Slovenian marksman Benjamin Sesko, only for RB Leipzig to price him out of a move, and since then, all eyes have been on the Swede.

While a deal has not been entirely completed yet, it appears that the Gunners will be securing their man for an initial £55m, plus the extensive add-ons that are still being negotiated.

However, the club are not done there when it comes to signing strikers, as they’ve now been linked with another who could be a future Ekitike.

At least that is according to a recent report from Football Transfers, which claims Arsenal are very interested in Mainz forward Nelson Weiper.

The report has revealed that the Gunners are actively monitoring the 20-year-old prospect, although they have yet to make a formal approach.

If the North Londoners do decide to act on their clear interest, then they’ll have to stump up a reasonable fee, as the German is valued at around €14m by the Bundesliga side, which is about £12m.

It might seem like a lot for someone so young, but Weiper looks like a serious talent, and someone already being compared to Ekitike.

How Weiper compares to Ekitke

So, we know that comparing someone like Weiper to a player who is about to cost a king’s ransom might sound a bit silly, but there are some similarities, and we aren’t the only ones to make this comparison.

For example, FBref analysed players in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League, and the Europa League over the last 365 days, and concluded that the Eintracht Frankfurt star is the second most similar forward to the Mainz ace.

The best way to understand how that conclusion was reached is by examining some of the underlying metrics in which the pair ranked closely.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.64

0.77

Progressive Carries

1.67

1.86

Shots on Target

1.53

1.53

Live Passes

20.5

20.6

Tackles

0.64

0.56

Successful Take-On %

47.6%

43.7%

Aerial Duel Win %

43.6%

46.8%

These include things like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, shots on target, successful take-on percentage and more, all per 90.

These numbers also suggest that with more game time and development, we could potentially see the 20-year-old reach a level of output comparable to the Frenchman.

After all, in just 698 minutes of first-team football last season, the “golden” prospect, as talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him, scored three goals and provided two assists, which comes out to a healthy average of a goal involvement every 139.6 minutes.

Moreover, his youth statistics are truly impressive, as in just 19 games for Mainz’s under-19s, he has scored 22 goals and provided one assist, and in just 474 minutes for Germany’s U21s, he has scored four goals and provided one assist.

Ultimately, if Arsenal do sign Weiper this summer, fans should not expect him to have a massive impact on the first team, but he does look like he’s developing into an excellent striker, and who knows, he could just be the next Ekitike.

Madueke upgrade: Arsenal set to start talks to sign "world-class" £43m star

Arsenal could sign an upgrade on Noni Madueke.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 17, 2025

Former England assistant was part of London Spirit’s coaching staff during Hundred success

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Aug-2024

Ali Maiden, England’s assistant coach, when they won the 2017 ODI World Cup, will leave Yorkshire’s men at the end of the season after his appointment as the first head coach of Bears women.Maiden has predominantly been working in the men’s game in recent years but was an assistant coach to Ashley Noffke when London Spirit won the Hundred this year, and said he had been actively seeking a return to the women’s game. He will join the Bears – who are based at Edgbaston – on November 1 and begin preparations for the 2025 season.”I’m hugely excited to be joining Bears Women at the start,” Maiden said. “I’ve spoken to several people at the club and it’s clear they’re passionate about women’s cricket, forming a successful side, and encouraging more women and girls into the sport. I’ve had various coaching and head coach roles and been looking for an opportunity to get back into women’s cricket.”Maiden was an assistant coach in London Spirit’s Hundred success•Getty Images

The Bears – who are run by Warwickshire – are one of eight ‘Tier 1’ sides who will compete in England’s new domestic structure for women’s cricket from 2025. Laura MacLeod will be their director of cricket and they have confirmed the signings of five players: Emily Arlott, Hannah Baker, Chloe Brewer, Katie George and Charis Pavely.Maiden will leave Yorkshire’s men at the end of the season after three years in his role, working closely with their batters. Colin Graves, their chair, said: “Everyone at the club wishes Ali all the best in his future career and thank him for his contribution to Yorkshire CCC over the last three seasons.”

Manchester United’s summer could be make or break for manager Ruben Amorim in his spell in charge of the club – needing to make some huge calls on his first-team squad.

The 40-year-old took the reins back in November, only having the January window to make the changes he requires to the squad that he inherited at Old Trafford.

He’s already landed Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha this summer, costing a fee in the region of £62.5m, but undoubtedly offering a new dimension considering he registered a total of 15 goals and six assists in the Premier League this season.

Such a move is highly unlikely to be their last in the transfer window, with more changes needed in various areas to avoid a repeat of 2024/25, which saw the club finish in 15th place.

With the summer window now open, Amorim has been targeting numerous players to right the wrongs of recent months, looking to help him in his quest to be a success at the Theatre of Dreams.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

United’s front line has been the area that has mainly been of concern to new additions, especially considering the Red Devils scored just 44 times in 38 appearances this season.

The likes of Victor Osimhen, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Moise Kean have all been mentioned as potential targets this summer, but no deals have yet been agreed for any of the targets.

However, attacker Jesus Rodriguez is the latest name that has emerged as a potential target for Amorim’s squad, that’s according to Estadio Deportivo’s latest report.

They claim that they are firmly in the race for the 19-year-old star, who’s registered three goals and one assist in 2024/25, with Aston Villa also interested in his signature.

It also confirms that the Spanish winger has a €35m (£29m) release clause in his deal with Real Betis, potentially offering a cheaper alternative to another summer target.

Why United’s £29m target would be a better signing than Mbeumo

Over the last couple of days, winger Bryan Mbeumo has emerged as a key target for United, offering the club an added dimension in the final third alongside Cunha.

The Cameroonian international notched 20 Premier League goals throughout 2024/25, managing to become just one of five players in the division who have achieved such a feat this season.

His subsequent form has led to the Red Devils’ interest, with the 25-year-old stating his desire to make the switch to Old Trafford ahead of the start of the 2025/26 season.

However, if the club are to make a move for Mbeumo this window, they will have to fork out a fee in the region of £70m, that’s after having their opening offer of £55m rejected this week.

Such a figure would be a huge investment, with Amorim able to land a deal for Rodriguez for over half the price should he decide to pursue a move for the teenager.

When comparing their respective stats from this season, the Betis star has managed to outperform Mbeumo in numerous key areas – showcasing why he would be a better addition this window.

Rodriguez, who’s been labelled “ridiculous” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has registered more progressive carries and carries into the final third per 90 – showcasing the threat he possesses with the ball at his feet.

Games played

21

38

Goals scored

2

20

Progressive carries

4.3

3.4

Carries into final third

2.9

1.8

Take-ons completed

2.4

1.3

Pass accuracy

73%

66%

Passes into final third

1.7

1.6

The Spaniard’s talent at driving the opposition doesn’t stop there, completing more of the take-ons he’s attempted, subsequently liking to take the ball into forward areas whenever possible.

He’s also completed more passes and more passes into the final third, allowing the likes of Cunha the opportunity to hit the ground running upon his own move to Old Trafford.

Whilst Mbeumo may be the first person on many supporters’ wish lists this summer, his £70m price tag may be slightly too expensive, especially considering the signings needed in other areas.

Such a figure could lead the hierarchy to a move for Rodriguez, offering a cheaper but just as effective option in the final third – having the potential to develop massively over the years ahead given his tender age.

Their own Wirtz: The "best finisher in the world" now wants to join Man Utd

Manchester United could be about to land their marquee signing just a week into the transfer window.

ByEthan Lamb Jun 6, 2025

After losing both Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri to both Manchester clubs, Wolverhampton Wanderers have now reportedly turned their attention towards potential incomings and one Premier League rival.

Wolves lose Ait-Nouri and Cunha

Whilst losing Cunha always seemed inevitable due to his £63m release clause, Wolves may not have had the same feeling of inevitability about Ait-Nouri’s future. One swift move from Manchester City soon changed things, however, and now the Midlands club are set to enter next season without arguably their most important players.

Despite being picked apart, however, those in the Midlands still have reason to be positive. Having sold Cunha for his £63m release clause and Ait-Nouri for a reported £36m, Wolves now have money to spend on incomings of their own ahead of Vitor Pereira’s first full season in charge at the club.

As a result, the rumours have already been coming thick and fast. Top of Wolves’ wishlist should be finding replacements for both Ait-Nouri and Cunha before perhaps addressing other areas in need of upgrading.

To that end, names such as Barcelona’s Gerard Martin and Nice forward Evann Guessand have threatened to steal the headlines in recent weeks in two moves that would solve Wolves’ problem.

The latter enjoyed a particularly impressive season in France, scoring 13 goals and creating another 10 in all competitions for Nice. Doing enough to earn the interest of Wolves, the Ivory Coast forward could yet be on his way to the Premier League.

Meanwhile, those at Molineux have also reportedly turned their attention towards signing a reinforcement slightly closer to home and one who already knows all about the Premier League.

Wolves plotting Yegor Yarmolyuk move

As reported by Caught Offside, Wolverhampton Wanderers are now plotting a move to sign Yegor Yarmolyuk from Brentford this summer. Like the Midlands club, the Bees could lose two crucial figures this summer in manager Thomas Frank, who looks destined for Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United-linked Bryan Mbeumo. They are, therefore, keen to keep hold of Yarmolyuk.

Every player has their price, however, and the West London club reportedly value their young midfielder at just €30m (£25m) in what should be an affordable price for a Wolves side fresh from big-money sales.

The Midlands club aren’t alone in pursuit of the 21-year-old, though, with Frank reportedly eyeing the chance to bring him to Tottenham and Leeds United also interested.

The dream XI Wolves can build: Semedo stays; next Cunha & £35m duo all sign

A look at the Dream XI Wolves can build for next season

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 11, 2025

It should, of course, come as little surprise that Spurs have already set their sights on the Brentford midfielder and Fank’s influence could yet deal Wolves a frustrating blow.

The Spurs-bound manager was full of praise for Yarmolyuk last season, telling reporters: “He possesses a fantastic mindset and trains well every day. If you train well consistently and are one of the best in practice, you will eventually make your way to the starting lineup, and I hope he establishes himself there.”

Newcastle United are said to have contacted the agent of a “special” player over a summer move to St James’ Park.

Howe focusing on "big" Champions League prize

The Magpies were beaten 1-0 away to Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, meaning they still haven’t officially booked a place in next season’s Champions League.

Newcastle qualifying for Europe’s biggest club competition would be massive, both financially and in terms of the players they could attract this summer, with Eddie Howe speaking about the imporrtance of it after the game.

“We are in a strong position. It is in our hands and that is a positive. The prize is so big and everyone is fighting for it. We have worked hard to get the job done and now it is going to go to the end, and who knows what twists and turns there will be. We just need one more big effort.”

Newcastle should still be confident about getting over the line and securing a top-five finish, though, and victory at home to Everton on the final day this Sunday would confirm their place back in the Champions League.

Newcastle make contact with "special" player's agent

According to a new report from Foot Mercato [via Sport Witness], Newcastle have made contact with Gabri Veiga’s agent over a summer switch to the club.

The 22-year-old is currently playing for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli, but a return to Europe could be on the cards, with Celta Vigo also keen on sealing a reunion with him.

The Magpies are in the mix and are “well informed” about what is needed for them to get their man, who is ready to leave the riches of the Middle East despite raking in roughly £10m a year in salary.

Veiga could be exactly what Newcastle are after this summer, in terms of extra creativity in attacking midifeld areas, with the Spaniard lauded by Carlo Ancelotti in the past: “I like him, he is an excellent player who has something special.”

At 22, it could be argued that he is wasting his time in Saudi Arabia, with all due respect, in terms of playing in a league that he is far too good for at this point in his career, and a move to St James’ Park could be perfect for him.

Veiga scored 11 goals in 56 appearances for Celta Vigo, impressing in La Liga at such a young age, and he has also netted twice apiece for Spain’s Under-21s and Under-18s.

His versatility allows him to thrive as a central midfielder, attacking midfielder and left winger, so Newcastle signing him could instantly add so much depth to their squad ahead of next season. He has the potential to mature into a top-quality option over time, providing great competition for places in both the Premier League and Champions League.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have achieved what they set out to do after appointing Vitor Pereira as manager in December 2024 – avoid relegation from the Premier League.

The Old Gold are on an excellent run of form that has seen them win their previous four league matches, taking them further away from the drop zone in the process.

Pereira will now be thinking ahead to the summer transfer window and just exactly how he can bolster his team for the 2025/26 season. There is no doubt that he has a squad capable of pushing towards the top half of the league table next season, although that much might depend on whether he can keep several key players.

Will Matheus Cunha depart in the summer? If so, the manager might have to spend big in order to find a suitable replacement.

In the January transfer window, Periera brought in players such as Emmanuel Agbadou, Marshall Munetsi and Nasser Djiga. Two of these signings were defenders, and it looks as though the Molineux side are targeting another centre-back when the window finally opens in a couple of months.

Wolves want to sign Ligue 1 defender

According to French news outlet Foot Mercato, AJ Auxerre defender Clement Akpa is beginning to attract plenty of attention after enjoying an excellent campaign for the Ligue 1 side.

Transfer Focus

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

Wolves are just one team who are keen on the Ivory Coast international, with interest also coming from the likes of Everton, Eintracht Frankfurt, Hoffenheim, and VfB Stuttgart monitoring his performances of late.

An asking price hasn’t been stated yet, but given their situation, Auxerre won’t be able to resist any team making a decent offer for the player.

The Old Gold have enjoyed plenty of success shopping in the French top flight since they were promoted back to the Premier League in 2018.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Boubacar Traore moved from France on permanent deals in the summer of 2023, while Mario Lemina and Pablo Sarabia linked up with the club in January 2023.

Arguably, the best signing from France, however, was that of Rayan Ait-Nouri, especially given the impact the defender has had in the Midlands.

Rayan Ait-Nouri’s Wolves statistics

Wolves signed Ait-Nouri from Angers on a permanent deal ahead of the 2021/22 campaign following a successful loan spell at Molineux.

“He proved last season that he’s a very talented player, with lots of potential – I thought he did well and kicked on towards the end of the season,” Wolves technical director Scott Sellars said, and the move has turned out extraordinarily well.

Indeed, the Algerian has since gone on to make over 150 competitive appearances for Wolves, registering 28 goal contributions in the process. Not a bad total for a left-back, that’s for sure.

Ait-Nouri has been highly influential for Wolves in the Premier League this term. His ten goal contributions – four goals and six assists – is his best in a single campaign for the club, showcasing his effectiveness in the final third.

The 23-year-old has also won 55% of his total duels contested in the top flight, along with making 2.5 tackles and recovering 4.2 balls per game. His all-around abilities have ensured he can contribute whether Wolves have possession or not.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2023/24

38

3

4

2022/23

27

2

1

2021/22

27

1

4

2020/21

24

1

1

Via Transfermarkt

Ait-Nouri has also been attracting interest from elsewhere due to these impressive displays and it won’t be long before the club decide to cash in.

Could Akpa become the next version of the current Old Gold star? A player with immense potential who goes on to become a key player at the club?

Why Wolves want to sign Clement Akpa

Akpa has missed just three Ligue 1 games for Auxerre this season in what is their first season back in the top flight after winning Ligue 2 in 2023/24.

The club have exceeded expectations and currently sit 11th in the table and have even defeated Marseille twice while holding champions PSG to a 0-0 draw during the first half of the season.

Akpa has played a big part in this success throughout the current season. In Ligue 1, the 23-year-old defender has been a rock at the back. Not only has he won 64% of his total duels in the league this term, but the centre-back also lost possession just eight times while making two tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game for Auxerre.

When compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues, Akpa’s defensive qualities are further highlighted.

Indeed, he ranks in the top 8% for tackles (2.2), in the top 17% for interceptions (1.47) and in the top 18% for blocks (1.6) per 90 across the previous 365 days for his club.

Elsewhere, the youngster also ranks in the top 15% for progressive carries (1.08) per 90 when compared next to his peers, and it proves that while he is superb at the heart of the defence, Akpa is also able to bring the ball out of his own half with ease in order to start attacks.

French journalist Sebastien Denis hailed the player as a “defensive revelation” amid his superb season for Auxerre, and he could be a solid signing for Wolves this summer.

The likelihood is, Ait-Nouri may well be sold in order to secure a major profit on the former Angers starlet. If so, Pereira will have funds to spend this summer as he targets a top-half finish in the Premier League.

Akpa could go on to become Ait-Nouri 2.0 should he move from Ligue 1 to the Premier League in the next few months.

He still has to hit his peak, while exposure in one of the best leagues in the world will allow the defender to go from strength to strength.

Much will depend on the fee that Auxerre demand for one of their prized assets, but if Pereira makes a decent offer, he could snap him up sooner rather than later.

"Unbelievable" £10k-a-week Wolves player is expected to leave this summer

Would this be a blow for Vitor Pereira?

ByHenry Jackson Apr 18, 2025

The cricketing gods have not always been on his side, but on Thursday, his hard work finally met the fortune it deserved

Karthik Krishnaswamy02-Oct-20251:46

Aakash Chopra decodes Siraj’s scrambled seam

Getting squared up isn’t a good look for anyone, but sometimes a batter gets a ball so good there’s little else they can do.Mohammed Siraj bowled a ball like this to Roston Chase on Thursday in Ahmedabad. Pretty much every cue the batter must have picked up in the split-seconds either side of the ball leaving the bowler’s hand must have told him it was coming into him. There was, first of all, Siraj’s beyond-the-perpendicular release, which always creates a natural angle into the right-hand batter. Then it swung in further – 0.7 degrees according to ball-tracking data.Chase must have also seen the seam coming out scrambled. When Siraj releases the ball like this, it invariably behaves like an offcutter, nipping into the right-hander and away from the left-hander.Well, not invariably. Not this ball. This one pitched and straightened, seaming away 0.7 degrees. And suddenly, Chase’s perfectly reasonable idea of looking to work the ball into the on side looked very, very silly. All he managed was a sliver of leading edge to the wicketkeeper, and West Indies were 105 for 6, with four of those wickets falling to Siraj.Related

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If the first three had made for satisfying watching for Siraj’s growing ranks of fans, this one must have made them jump out of their seats. What had happened here? Was this a moment of pure randomness, the ball deviating in an unexpected way because it had happened to land in a particular way, with the edge of the seam happening to make contact with a grassy, responsive pitch at a particularly opportune angle?Or had Siraj willed this? Was this a new variation, a new addition to his wobble-seam repertoire?”The wobble-seam [ball] is like this, that it sometimes straightens and sometimes cuts [into the right-hand batter],” Siraj said at his press conference at the end of the day’s play. “That ball kind of straightened towards the shiny side. I mostly look to move the wobble-seam [ball] in, but it kept straightening towards the shiny side, and took the edge, caught behind.”2:02

Siraj: Really enjoyed dismissing Brandon King

From this it seems that ball may have been something of a happy accident – one that Siraj knows can happen from time to time, but not one he can will into occurring. He may deliver some of his wobble-seam balls with the shiny side facing into the batter, some with the shiny side facing away, and this may well influence the way the ball behaves before pitching, but what happens after isn’t entirely in his control.It’s a very Siraj kind of delivery, because which cricketer in the world has a better understanding of what’s in their control and what isn’t?This is a man who, from November 2024 to August 2025, bowled tirelessly and with immense skill, control and smarts across ten Tests in Australia and England, who seldom wavered from good lines and lengths, seldom let his intensity drop, almost always gave batters reason to worry about both their edges, and yet ended up averaging 31.15 and 32.43 in those two series. Even as luckless spell followed luckless spell, he never lost his ironclad belief in his processes, and though he found belated reward and recognition by the time he willed India to a series-levelling victory at The Oval with one of the great Test-match displays by an India fast bowler, his career numbers continued to do him no justice.Thursday was a day of redressal. Tagenarine Chanderpaul strangled him down the leg side. Brandon King shouldered arms to a ball that knocked back middle stump without having deviated in an unusual or unpredictable way. Alick Athanaze edged him, rather than playing and missing, when he chased at a wide tempter, and second slip held on to the chance rather than grassing it.And now the gods had given him a bit of a hand, coaxing this wobble-seam ball to Chase to behave the way it did.Mohammed Siraj leaps in celebration after bowling Brandon King•Associated PressSiraj had earned every bit of good fortune, of course. It was reward for all the work he’s put in over all the months and years of his career, and for all the work he had put in on this new day, another day of impeccable lengths, buzzing intensity, and the relentless threat of movement in either direction, in the air and off the pitch.At his press conference, someone suggested to him that it must have been a relief to get his wickets as quickly as he did today, against lower-ranked opposition, after all the toil he’d endured in England. Without ever losing his sweetly polite manner, he made it clear that the question wounded him.”Sir, even here I took four wickets only by working hard,” Siraj said. “You only get wickets by working hard. I got wickets in England by working hard, and I worked hard for them here too. It isn’t as if anyone gave me wickets free of cost. No one gave me that fifth wicket. All four wickets came from hard work.”It was clear how much a fifth wicket – all five of his Test-match five-fors have come away from home – would have meant to Siraj. He nearly got it when he had an lbw appeal against a shuffling Justin Greaves upheld only for DRS to save the batter, with ball-tracking suggesting his inducker would have missed leg stump.It was as if the cricketing gods had spoken again. Even on this day of redressal, not everything would go Siraj’s way.

Twenty-year old Uttar Pradesh batter is known for his attacking play against spin

Nikhil Sharma20-Dec-20237:32

‘Rizvi capable of batting anywhere in the order’

Twenty-year-old Sameer Rizvi’s house in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh was surrounded by all kinds of people on Wednesday, a day after he had been bought by Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2024 auction for INR 8.4 crore (US$ 1 million approx.). There were media reporters, the local minister, and people from neighbouring houses all wanting a piece of him.Rizvi, who has played just 24 games for the senior UP side so far, could hardly make sense of how the auction had unfolded for him, and that a top side like CSK won a bidding war to snap him up.”All the hard work I’ve been putting in for all these years has paid off about 50%,” Rizvi tells ESPNcricinfo at his house. “I barely slept last night. I couldn’t even watch my bidding happen because a few players went unsold before me so I was nervous. Even while going to sleep I kept thinking about how I’m going to prepare for the IPL, will I do well, but I was also excited.”Even I kept wondering how did I get so much money, and why did CSK bid for me. Even now I’ve not been able to make much sense of that amount. I will leave it to my family to decide what to do with that much money. This is a gift from God because not everyone gets to play for CSK. I’m so happy I’m going to be a part of a champion team.”Related

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• Starc shatters Cummins' record for most expensive player at IPL auction

Rizvi, a destructive middle-order batter, is popularly called the right-handed Suresh Raina, a moniker quickly catching on social media. He started playing cricket in 2011 at the Gandhibagh Academy in Meerut where his maternal uncle Tanqib Akhtar coached him. The same year UP played against Saurashtra in a Ranji Trophy match in Meerut, in which Raina captained the home side. Raina even watched a five-year-old Rizvi and was so impressed with his fielding display that he gifted him his sunglasses.”People compare me with Raina because of the way I play,” Rizvi says. “If people call me a right-handed Raina then I’ll aim to do what he did for CSK. Even I love fielding like him. I’ll give it my everything.”CSK might be known, or trolled, as the ‘Dad’s Army’, but they have won a record five titles by investing in young players over the years and reinventing the older ones. In an age where a lot of franchises rely on scouts to unearth unknown talent, Tanqib thinks Raina himself might have played a role in CSK buying Rizvi. There were headlines already being written about Rizvi even before the auction when he smashed the most sixes for his team, Kanpur Superstars, in the UP T20 League and also scored two centuries to finish with 455 runs in the tournament.Sameer Rizvi (L) with his coach – and maternal uncle – Tanqib Akhtar•ESPNcricinfo Ltd”CSK must have seen a lot of things in him before buying him, including his skill,” Tanqib says. “I can’t be sure but there’s a chance that Raina might have suggested his name to CSK. Raina had come here to watch one of the UP T20 League games and he had given Sameer the orange cap in that game.”Rizvi had also represented India at Under-19 level and made his Ranji debut at the age of 16 in 2020 but he didn’t get many games. He has already been through some tough phases both on and off the field, having been dropped from the senior side early, and then becoming the main breadwinner at home after his father was diagnosed with a brain haemorrhage three years ago.”Every player goes through phases of not being in the team or not being able to score runs and that’s part of it,” he says. “I couldn’t make the most of the chances I got in the senior side and I gave two trials for Mumbai Indians earlier but didn’t make the cut. This time I was called by all 10 franchises for trials but I made it to only three – Punjab Kings, RCB and Rajasthan Royals – because of my Under-23 games.”Rajiv Shukla sir (former UP cricket association director and now BCCI vice-president) has supported me a lot. He sent me for the junior games when I wasn’t part of the senior side and made me the captain. I could play my natural game then because I got a long run, and then I started getting more senior games and played the T20 league too.”I took it as a positive when I couldn’t play the Under-19 World Cup in 2022. Even Dhoni and he asked me to enjoy this time. I’ve learnt a lot about fielding from him and I ask him a lot of questions, like about a player’s mindset. I have batted many times with him and he always used to say, ‘don’t be nervous, you will find a way to score runs’. In many matches we’ve batted together and I remained unbeaten. He has been a big help.”Throwing a million dollars at a 20-year-old is nothing new for the IPL but it could be life-changing for a young man with a humble background from UP.”My main advice to him will be to remain grounded and not change because of all the money he’s going to earn,” Tanqib says. “The IPL is the first step and he will excel there no matter where he gets to bat. He has matured now and bats accordingly to the match situation, which he didn’t do earlier.”

All the playing XIs at the PSL are required to have an emerging player – that’s worked well for Pakistan cricket

Umar Farooq01-Feb-2022Islamabad UnitedPakistan Under-19 captain Qasim Akram, whose T20 strike rate is 152.04, even though he averages only 14.90 in 21 T20s. He was in Islamabad’s wishlist, and though they tried to get him on board, Karachi Kings used the right-to-match option to retain the allrounder. Qasim will be available only for the league this season, because of his engagements with the Under-19 team at the ongoing World Cup.Why: “He is a truly modern cricketer. He can bat across the batting order and can form a great combination with Shadab [Khan] as a legspinner. He is a gun fielder too, and basically an ideal T20 player.”In the squad: Islamabad went on to pick another emerging player, from Rawalpindi, the offspinning-allrounder Mubasir Khan. As their second pick, they got top-order batter Mohammad Huraira, the second-youngest to score a first-class triple century in Pakistan.Lahore QalandarsAbdul Wahid Bangalzai, who they targeted in the draft, but he went to Quetta Gladiators.Why? “He is exceptionally talented and one of the few technically correct batters in Pakistan at this level. Since he wasn’t meant to be available for the entire PSL, we didn’t go for him in our first pick, but we definitely wanted him. He scored a double-hundred in first-class cricket and is a proper batter who can go a long way. We wanted to be part of his development and help him grow.”In the squad: Zaman Khan, a right-arm fast bowler with a low-slung action, made a name last year in the Kashmir Premier League, playing for Rawalakot Hawks. Qalandars also have Maaz Khan, a legspinner, for the second successive season.Quetta GladiatorsThey got who they wanted – Bangalzai. It was a “pretty straightforward decision,” they said.”He was definitely our prime target. His performances in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and National T20 Cup were solid, his basics are strong, and even against pacer he is really strong. There is a strike-rate issue but that is something he can work on, as he is still young and developing. When a boy is coming up through a proper process and doing well, it’s an easy pick. Also, he belongs to Balochistan, and we definitely would like to elevate a talent from the region. So we have achieved what we wanted to and also picked up another emerging player, Khurram Shehzad, in the silver category.”In the squad: Abdul Wahid Bangalzai and Ashir Qureshi, a legspinner of promise.Multan SultansZaman Khan. Multan had him on their radar in 2018, and the quick bowler with a slingy action was later drafted into Pakistan’s Under-17 circuit, before making his way to the Kashmir Premier League last year.Why? “We got our targets but definitely we had one eye on him, given our past association with him. He is an exciting young boy who already has the skills at this early stage of his career and is improving with every game he plays.”In the squad: Two right-arm quicks, Abbas Afridi and Aamer Azmat.Karachi KingsZaman Khan and Muhammad Zeeshan, a six-foot-eight-inch quick from Faisalabad, who didn’t get a team. But Karachi had all their bases covered with a fast-bowling unit of Mohammad Amir, Chris Jordan, Aamer Yamin, Umaid Asif, Mohammad Imran Jnr and Mohammad Ilyas, from the top categories.”We were dead set about the player we had taken in draft,” they say, explaining why they didn’t make a dash for the youngsters.In the squad: Qasim Akram and offspinner Mohammad Taha.

No bowler before Jasprit Bumrah has got to 200 wickets with an average of less than 20

Shubh Agarwal29-Dec-2024For a bowler whose Test career is laden with breathtaking dismissals, Jasprit Bumrah’s 200th wicket was relatively tame – Travis Head flicking straight to midwicket. Bumrah, however, got to the landmark with incredible numbers, reiterating his status as one of the greatest bowlers.Of the 85 bowlers to have taken 200-plus Test wickets, 12 got there in fewer games than Bumrah, who was playing his 44th Test at the MCG.