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The flaws in Dhoni’s team were laid bare as they crumbled in chase of 170

Deivarayan Muthu10-Oct-20204:11

Manjrekar: ‘After Watson and du Plessis fell, chase seemed out of CSK’s reach’

Virat Kohli made a superbly paced 90 not out off 52 balls, and Washington Sundar continued to bowl unhittable lengths in the powerplay, as the Royal Challengers Bangalore brushed aside their old rivals the Chennai Super Kings in Dubai.After choosing to bat on a two-paced pitch, the Royals Challengers quietly saw off the early swing and moved to 103 for 4 in 14 overs. Having set the platform himself, Kohli launched from there, claiming 46 of the 66 runs they amassed in the last six overs, finishing with 169 for 4.Sundar then removed both the in-form Super Kings openers Faf du Plessis and Shane Watson, limiting them to 26 for 2 – their lowest powerplay score this season. By the time MS Dhoni came out to bat at No.5 in the 15th over, the asking rate was hovering around 15. A fit-again Chris Morris and Isuru Udana eventually closed out the game with their assortment of cutters, helping the Royal Challengers climb to fourth on the points table.Virat Kohli held the innings together•BCCIChahar, Thakur make inroads
After swinging three balls past the outside edge of Aaron Finch in his first over, Deepak Chahar knocked over the opener’s middle stump with an inswinger. Both Devdutt Padikkal, the other opener, and Kohli then simply played themselves in, pushing the Royal Challengers to 65 for 1 in ten overs. However, in the next over, Padikkal (33 off 34 balls) tried to manufacture a boundary off Shardul Thakur, but the cross-seamer messed with his timing, drawing a mis-hit to mid-off. Three balls later, Thakur bowled another cross-seamer, this time having AB de Villiers nicking off for a duck.The Royals Challengers promoted Sundar to No.5 to potentially counter legspinner Karn Sharma and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja. Sundar sized up a full legbreak from Sharma and slog-swept him over long-on for six, but when he tried to take on Sam Curran, he also nicked off.Kohli goes bang
Kohli brought up his half-century, off his 39th ball, when he fiercely pulled Thakur to the fine-leg fence. He then cracked three sixes and a four in the final three overs, taking apart Curran, Thakur, and Bravo. Curran was so rattled that he floated two off-side wides in the 18th over while Thakur bowled a beamer in the 19th. Then, in the final over against Bravo, Kohli shuffled across, picked an attempted Bravo yorker from the tramline and scooped it away through the vacant spaces at fine leg for four despite falling on the floor. Kohli then couldn’t put Bravo’s variations away, but still went 2,2,2,2,1 to give the Royal Challengers a strong finish.Another chase goes wrong for CSK
The Super Kings were chasing for the seventh time this season, and it was the same-old story. After miscuing Sundar twice over the infield, du Plessis (8 off 10) dragged the offspinner to Morris, who was manning the longer leg-side boundary. When Sundar strayed down the leg side Watson (14 off 18) slog-swept him off for four, but when the batsman tried to repeat the dose off the next ball, he was bowled by a quick slider.Ambati Rayudu could neither find the boundary or the gaps, struggling to 42 off 40 balls, with just four fours. Super Kings’ new No.4 N Jagadeesan also hit four fours and was the more fluent of the two in a 64-run partnership for the fourth wicket but it took 52 balls. The stand ended when Jagadeesan was run out by a direct hit from Morris for 33 off 28 balls. Dhoni cleared the boundary once before Yuzvendra Chahal dangled a slow legbreak away from his reach and had him slicing a catch to long-off. Game over for the Super Kings.

While this camp features stars that made up the Olympic team, the U.S. coach will also look to younger players to break through

As fun as this summer was, the calendars have now turned to fall. And with fall comes fresh beginnings, particularly for the U.S. women's national team. It was mission accomplished with a gold-medal performance at the Summer Olympics, and it all gets going again this week, when Emma Hayes' squad takes on Iceland in a pair of friendlies.

They're the first games since the USWNT won gold, the first chance to turn the page. Hayes, in particular, has been vocal about the new challenges. She's looking forward to them.

"The Olympics form a great basis and they're a great foundation for us," Hayes said, "but it's not a future predictor for success."

Hayes has to adjust the player pool by introducing a new generation over the next three years. She has to figure out which veterans have staying power and which are transitional. She has to take this chance to build the team in her image after speeding through her first summer.

And that leads us back to this camp, the first glimpse into how Hayes will build this team toward the 2027 World Cup. The USWNT play Iceland Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in Austin, Texas, and then again Sunday at 5:30 p.m. in Nashville. What to expect from the USWNT in these two games, with a third against Argentina to follow? GOAL takes a look.

Getty Images SportMeet the newcomers

There are plenty of familiar faces in this camp – 18 of them, to be precise, all returning from the Olympics. A few more have caps, too.

There are six uncapped players in the squad, though, and, based on Hayes pre-camp comments, there are some debuts coming.

Hal Hershfelt and Emily Sams are back with the team after serving as Olympic alternates this summer. Sams actually is the subject of a wild trivia fact: she won an Olympic gold medal before earning her first cap, having sat on the bench twice in France this past summer. Hershfelt, meanwhile, has been a breakout star after being drafted by the Washington Spirit earlier this year.

Eva Gaetino of PSG is back in camp, having been involved at the SheBelieves Cup despite not earning a cap. Louisville City rookie Emma Sears is in as a NWSL breakout star, despite going with the last pick in the second round of this year's draft. Alyssa Malonson earns her first call-up in her third NWSL season with Bay FC, while Yazmeen Ryan, also a four-year NWSL veteran, has arrived with four goals and four assists for Gotham FC.

What will Hayes make of the newcomers? How many minutes will each get, and how will that experience set them up for USWNT futures? While this camp obviously features the stars that made up the Olympic team, there are plenty of reasons to keep an eye on players that could break through.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMoultrie and Thompson's big chance

Olivia Moultrie and Alyssa Thompson aren't newcomers. Thompson already has a World Cup under her belt, while Moultrie has been a professional for four full seasons. Because of those facts, it's easy to forget that they're both still teenagers.

Both are immensely talented and both could be legitimate stars for this team in the years to come. The teens have had brief runs with this USWNT group, but, over the next three years, they'll slowly put their own stamp on things.

Thompson, of course, did a bit of that in the run up to the 2023 World Cup but, with the return of Mallory Swanson, was squeezed out of the attack. The Angel City star will have more chances, though. She's too talented not to.

Same for Moultrie, who has scored twice in her four USWNT appearances. The Portland Thorns starlet has gone from history-maker to legitimate pro, and soon will be a legitimate USWNT midfielder.

Because of their youth, this could take some time, especially considering the veterans they're up against in their respective positions. It will certainly be a process, one that will really begin under Hayes' tutelage this month.

AFPTwo shots of espresso, not three

This summer, the trio of Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman captivated fans all over the world. It's a trio that has already gone down in USWNT lore and, after much debate, they gave themselves a nickname: Triple Espresso.

Due to a back injury sustained in the NWSL season, though, Rodman won't be involved this month, leaving her two attacking teammates as Double Espresso. Rodman will be missed, but they'll be just fine.

Smith and Swanson are, of course, world-class, and they have some great players around them eager to step into Rodman's spot.

Shaw is back and healthy. Lynn Williams has plenty of experience to bring to this group. We've already touched on Thompson, Sears and Ryan, all of whom will be eager for their opportunities to shine.

It would have been fun to see how Triple Espresso continued to evolve this window, but it wasn't to be. It's safe to say there will be plenty more shots down the line, though, as the U.S. looks to build around an elite attacking group.

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Getty ImagesShaw's ready to go

It was the only real disappointment of this summer's Olympic run. All spring, it seemed as if it would be the Summer of Shaw. Injuries precluded that. She got her medal in the end, but the young San Diego wave star didn't have the impact many had anticipated.

The 20-year-old attacker isn't going anywhere, though. In fact, she's probably going to get better.

Back in the team now after recently returning in the NWSL, it'll be interesting to see Shaw slots in this camp. She started just one of her three appearances under the new coach, but has played just 38 USWNT minutes since July. We still don't really have an idea of what Hayes will do with a healthy, fit and confident Shaw.

Does she start as a No. 10 behind? Can she take Rodman's spot out wide this camp and then go from there? When and where will she push for a starting spot?

With Rodman out, we won't get all of the answers this camp, but we may get a few.

Looking to win a fifth consecutive Premier League title, Manchester City have reportedly been gifted the chance to sign an attacking reinforcement who Erling Haaland is a big fan of.

Man City transfer news

Just how you improve a side who are attempting to win the Premier League for a fourth title in a row is a question that only Pep Guardiola knows the answer to this summer. And that answer may well include both Jamal Musiala and Joshua Kimmich, with both Bayern Munich stars already linked to The Etihad this summer. By the beginning of the next campaign, of course, both midfielders could be entering as Euro 2024 winners with Germany.

it's at the Euros in their home country that Musiala has particularly thrived, scoring twice in three games to steal the headlines as many predicted he would. Such a talent is made to play for the very best and Manchester City are exactly that, so much so that they've reportedly been offered a Premier League rival.

According to TeamTalk, Manchester City have been gifted the chance to sign Jadon Sancho from Manchester United by Sir Jim Ratcliffe this summer. The Red Devils' minority owner has reportedly made the same call to Chelsea and Arsenal, with all three clubs now in a position to make a decision in the coming months.

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Pep Guardiola absolutely adores him.

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City, of course, know all about Sancho given that he initially left their academy to join Borussia Dortmund, before beginning a nightmare spell at Manchester United. Since enjoying a more resurgent spell back on loan at Dortmund, Sancho has reportedly been shown the door at Old Trafford this summer and finds himself at a career crossroads.

Whether Manchester City or, indeed, another club are prepared to splash the cash to sign Sancho and pay his reported £195k-a-week salary remains to be seen, however.

"Fantastic" Sancho needs Man City move

If Sancho could go back in time then he may well have ditched the idea of joining Manchester United altogether in favour of a City return back in 2021. Three years later and still suffering a spell to forget at Old Trafford nonetheless, the England international would likely jump at the chance to join Guardiola's winning machine in a move that former Dortmund teammate Haaland may also welcome.

The star striker is a big fan of Sancho, having previously told SoccerBible via the Bundesliga's official website: "The levels of performance are so high and from the first second we just understood each other. Jadon is obviously a fantastic footballer and he can reach the very top."

Reuniting such a partnership at Manchester City could go a long way in taking the Premier League champions onto further history in both English and European football, but only if Sancho manages to rediscover the form that saw him thrive alongside the Norwegian in the first place. He's certainly one to watch this summer, as he looks to leave Manchester United on a permanent basis.

The Stallions, who have a superior net run rate, will continue to be No. 1 after rains allowed only seven overs

Andrew Fidel Fernando07-Dec-2020Match abandoned
Only seven overs of the Jaffna Stallions’ match against the Dambulla Viiking could be played as rain forced the teams to go off, before continuing more or less relentlessly to force the match to be abandoned. The no-result means the teams take a point each and remain atop the table. The Stallions, who have a superior net run rate, will continue to be No. 1.Stallions had had the better of the overs that were bowled, after putting the Viiking in to bat. Suranga Lakmal trapped Sadeera Samarawickrama in front in the second over, Duanne Olivier had Angelo Perera caught at mid-on, and Samit Patel was stumped off the bowling of Wanindu Hasaranga.Niroshan Dickwella had amassed 28 off 21 balls when the rains forced the teams to leave the field.Both teams have two more league matches remaining. They’ve both qualified for the semi-finals.

The transfer window has been open for almost a fortnight at this point, and while there have been a few deals here and there, Arsenal have kept their powder dry.

However, recent reports suggest that could be about to change – much to Mikel Arteta's delight.

The latest player touted for a move to N5, who has enjoyed a remarkable career so far, is lighting it up at the Euros and could help unlock the Gunners' record signing, Declan Rice.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Arsenal have 'joined the chase' for Bayern Munich's experienced full-back cum defensive midfielder, Joshua Kimmich.

Alongside the Gunners, the report claims that Manchester City, Liverpool and Barcelona are also keen on the German international. Arsenal have seen him in action first-hand recently with the experienced pro actually scoring against them in the Champions League quarter-finals.

There is no mention of how much the 29-year-old could cost the North Londoners, but with his £317kp/w contract set to expire next summer, his openness to moving to England, and Bayern's new boss Vincent Kompany's willingness to sell him, it might not be a massive fee.

In all, it could be challenging to secure the German's signature ahead of the stiff competition, but considering his vast experience, he's certainly a player worth chasing, especially as he could help get even more out of Rice.

How Kimmich could unlock Rice

Rice has started the vast majority of his games in his career – 244 to be precise – as his side's recognised number six, but last season, at Arsenal, he started to play further up the pitch for Arteta, starting 19 games in a central midfield role.

The bulk of these starts came following the return of Thomas Partey to the side as he started eight out of his final 13 games in the left-eight position, and while there would have been some doubts beforehand about the suitability of playing the Englishman there, his return of four goals and six assists there more than proved his ability to perform further up the pitch.

Moreover, when speaking to the press about this new role last season, the former West Ham United captain said it left him feeling "excited."

So, bringing in Kimmich to play the Partey role next season – as it looks like the Ghanaian is set to leave – would allow the England international to keep his new position, becoming more comfortable and effective with every passing game.

Now, the German did start 16 games at right-back last season, but he started 26 in defensive midfield and a whopping 46 there in 2022/23, in which he racked up seven goals and 11 assists, which should thoroughly quash any concerns that he's not a natural six.

Starts

46

1

Goals

7

0

Assists

11

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.39

0.00

Appearances

26

16

Goals

1

1

Assists

6

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.26

0.31

Moreover, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the "phenomenal" star, as dubbed by Jose Mourinho, sits in the top 2% of midfielders for attempted passes, the top 3% for expected assists and progressive passes, the top5% for shot-creating actions, and 8% for assists, all per 90.

Lastly, bringing in the versatile German would give Arteta so many more options when it comes to the right-back and defensive midfield positions, and if there is one thing the Spaniard clearly loves in his players and teams, it's versatility.

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Ultimately, while Kimmich is a little older than the players Arsenal have tended to sign in recent years, his immense experience and sheer talent make him an incredibly appealing prospect, and with him in the six, Rice could develop into a world-beating number eight.

Sweltering conditions in Paarl point to another high-scoring game on Sunday

Matt Roller28-Nov-2020Their bowling lacked bite, their much-heralded top three contributed 26 runs between them, and their captain was scathing about what he saw as a “pretty average” performance. And yet England still won the first T20I by five wickets with four balls to spare – ominous signs for South Africa, as they stumble towards next year’s T20 World Cup.In football, managers and pundits often suggest victories like England’s demonstrate that the best teams find a way to win without playing at their usual level, and that seems to fit with this side. “When you win games like that and you’ve a lot [of improvement] to make up in all three facets [of the game] you can be pleased,” said Eoin Morgan.Since the start of the 2018-19 winter, England have won six and drawn one of their seven T20I series despite rarely – if ever – fielding their strongest XI. They are well on course for a seventh win in eight, and will hope to put the series to bed in Sunday afternoon’s game at Paarl to give them the chance to be creative in the final game.For South Africa, there were positive signs in defeat but the same old problems remained. An over-reliance on Quinton de Kock and Faf du Plessis to score the bulk of the runs? Check. An attack which came up short at key moments? Check. An imbalanced playing XI which meant a back-up wicketkeeper was the sixth bowling option? Check.The biggest positive will have been George Linde’s impressive debut, which saw him take 2 for 20 after whacking two boundaries at the death. Most pleasingly, he demonstrated his ability to bowl at both left- and right-handers, not only dismissing Jason Roy with his second ball but also keeping Dawid Malan tied down despite turning the ball into his pads.Jason Roy looks on in training•Getty Images(last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa LLWLL
England WLWWLTabraiz Shamsi has been a lock in South Africa’s T20I side for the best part of three years now, but the jury is out as to whether he is a genuine match-winner or simply keeping Imran Tahir’s spot warm before the T20 World Cup. Shamsi showed in the series against England and Australia in February that he is a canny operator with good variations, but was only afforded three overs in Friday’s series opener as Jonny Bairstow took a particular liking to him. With England creating left-right partnerships throughout their batting order, he will need to find a way to keep the right-handers quiet – perhaps by using his googly more.It has been a difficult nine months for Jason Roy in an England shirt – with injuries limiting him to only seven white-ball innings for them in that time, his highest score was his 24 against Ireland back in July. Roy spoke before this series about feeling refreshed and re-energised after withdrawing from the IPL to spend time with his young family, but managed a second-baller on Friday night. He has a huge amount of credit in the bank, and has fifties in three of his last six T20I innings, but can expect South Africa to target him with Linde’s left-arm spin early on again.The two Covid-positive players in South Africa’s enlarged squad may be able to rejoin the group relatively soon, but the team doctor said on Thursday that they were highly unlikely to play a part in the series. Anrich Nortje was left out, perhaps with a focus on transformation targets, in the series opener, but looks set to replace Beuran Hendricks after his nightmare final over. That will mean a batting reshuffle, with Reeza Hendricks the most likely player to come in, possibly at the expense of Pite van Biljon. If Quinton de Kock decides he needs another bowling option in the top six, Jon-Jon Smuts could be handed another chance.South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (capt, wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Temba Bavuma, 4 Faf du Plessis, 5 Rassie van der Dussen, 6 Heinrich Klaasen/Jon-Jon Smuts, 7 George Linde, 8 Lungi Ngidi, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Tabraiz ShamsiEngland are unlikely to rip up their latest blueprint immediately, though could make changes for the third game if the batting line-up fails to click again. Instead, the most likely change would involve Mark Wood replacing Tom Curran to add pace to the bowling attack.England (possible): 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Jonny Bairstow, 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Eoin Morgan (capt), 7 Sam Curran, 8 Chris Jordan, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Mark WoodThe pitch at Boland Park in Paarl tends to be flat, and it is set to be a 30-degrees scorcher on Sunday. The average score batting first in all T20s there since the start of the 2018-19 Mzansi Super League is 166, but there is a strong chasing bias: the team batting second has won nine out of the last 13 games there. In the same timeframe, Shamsi is the leading wicket-taker on the ground, with 14 wickets. In terms of atmosphere, the ground is one of the best in the country, so the absence of a crowd will be keenly felt.Stats and trivia Dawid Malan has not hit a fifty in any of his last three innings – it is a measure of his consistency in T20I cricket that this is the first such streak in his 17-match career in the format.Faf du Plessis is 97 runs short of the 1500-run mark for South Africa in T20Is. He would be the third man to get there after JP Duminy and AB de Villiers. Jos Buttler is 38 short of the same landmark.Jonny Bairstow’s half-century was his first at No. 4 in T20I cricket, and means he has now hit at least one fifty in every position from opener down to No. 5.England have not played a full men’s international at Boland Park before. They played an intra-squad warm-up in Paarl on Monday, and against a South Africa A side in a T20 friendly on their 2016 tour.”It’s always very special. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve done it. The time away from the game really made me miss the game of cricket again so to come back and play for the Proteas is just as special as it always has been, especially against a quality team like in England.”
“I would imagine the more time we spend together and the more we play, the more we will get used to roles that we play and start to gel like we have in 50-over cricket. It is not doom and gloom but hopefully we will improve and progress in the next couple of games.”
Eoin Morgan thinks England have plenty of room for improvement