Newcastle now keen to sign "excellent" World Cup winner ahead of Man City

Newcastle United are eyeing a move for an "excellent" player who is admired by a legendary former midfielder known to Premier League fans, according to a new report.

Newcastle transfer news

Eddie Howe has had a frustrating period in the last week or so, with a 1-0 defeat at home to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League damaging their hopes of reaching the knockout stages. Not only that, but the 2-2 draw away to Wolves in the league on Saturday was disappointing, considering Newcastle took the lead twice, and there is also the matter of having to accept that Sandro Tonali has been banned for 10 months for betting offences.

While the Magpies' squad is full of great options these days, whether it be Sven Botman at the back, Bruno Guimaraes in midfield, or Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson in attack, it would be a surprise if the January transfer window passed without any signings being made. Midfield looks like the primary area to focus on, considering the absence of Tonali for the rest of the season, and various names have been thrown into the hat as potential choices.

Now, another individual has emerged as a transfer target for Howe's side – one who is currently plying his trade abroad and enhancing his reputation.

Newcastle want Exequiel Palacios

According to a fresh transfer claim from TNT Sports [via Sport Witness], Newcastle are interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Exequiel Palacios in January. The Magpies are thought to be "seriously considering the possibility" of making a move for the 25-year-old, but they aren't the only Premier League who are targeting him, with Manchester City and Aston Villa also in the mix. It is seen as a "tantalising opportunity" for Palacios, in terms of moving to arguably the best league in the world, but it remains to be seen if Leverkusen will sanction his exit.

This could be a really exciting piece of business by Newcastle in January, with the defensive midfielder someone who is a key part of an impressive Leverkusen team under Xabi Alonso – one that currently sits top of the Bundesliga, having only dropped point in their first nine matches. Palacios' statistics sum up how important he is for his side, considering he has started eight of their nine league matches, scoring twice and assisting three times in the process.

There is also the small matter of him winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentine last year, and while he was far from a key starter in the competition, he still appeared in three games overall. Alonso himself is clearly an admirer of Palacios as a player, hailing his influence after returning from the World Cup and saying:

"Pala is back from the World Cup, he’s been playing at an excellent level for two months. The great improvement of the team has come, in large part, thanks to the step forward that Pala has made in his game."

Leverkusen will no doubt be desperate to retain their player's services, so it won't be easy to strike a deal – the lure of joining European champions City could also be great – but Palacios could help fill the Tonali-shaped void, and more.

بحضور رونالدينيو وإنييستا.. برشلونة يُعلن عن قميصه الأساسي في الموسم الجديد

أعلن نادي برشلونة المنافس في بطولة الدوري الإسباني عن القميص الأساسي الجديد الذي سيخوض به مبارياته على أرضه ووسط جماهيره في الموسم المقبل 2024/2025.

القميص يشبه بدرجة كبيرة ما كان يرتديه برشلونة في موسم 2008/2009 والذي حقق خلاله الفريق السداسية التاريخية تحت قيادة المدرب، بيب جوارديولا وهو مستوحى من إرث أول قميص للفريق.

اقرأ أيضًا | على خطى ميسي.. برشلونة يعلن الرقم الجديد لقميص لامين يامال

وظهر في الإعلان أكثر من لاعب من نادي برشلونة ولكن الأبرز كان جافي وأليخاندرو بالدي من الفريق الأول لكرة القدم الحالي بجانب روبرت ليفاندوفسكي وباو كوبارسي.

وكذلك هناك رونالد أراوخو، بيدري، فيرمين لوبيز.

لكن في البداية كان هناك ظهور خاص في الفيديو الترويجي للأسطورة، رونالدينيو، بجانب أندريس إنييستا الذي مازال يلعب في نادي الإمارات ولم يعتزل بعد والقائد السابق، كارليس بويول.

ويشارك برشلونة في الموسم المقبل في عدة بطولات وهي الدوري الإسباني، كأس ملك إسبانيا، دوري أبطال أوروبا وكأس السوبر الإسباني.

Tottenham secure major off-field deal for key figure; will start next week

Tottenham Hotspur now have an agreement in place regarding an important off-field deal, with the key figure in question now set to start work next week at the Lilywhites, according to reports.

Tottenham Hotspur under Ange Postecoglou

Since arriving in north London from Scottish Premiership champions Celtic in the summer, Ange Postecoglou has been a revelation at the helm and has galvanised a side that looks capable of challenging for the Premier League title in 2023/24.

So far, Spurs have taken 26 points from their opening ten fixtures in the division, playing a style of football that has given supporters real cause for optimism following a damp squib of a campaign in 2022/23.

Nevertheless, former boss Harry Redknapp has claimed that Tottenham aren't a genuine contender to win their first top-flight title since 1961, citing the departure of Harry Kane as a reason why his old club may not be able to go the distance this term.

Speaking to The Daily Express, the 76-year-old stated: "Can Tottenham win the Premier League? No, but they will finish in the top four. People say they are better without Harry Kane, but that’s rubbish. Nobody is better without Harry Kane. He’s the best centre-forward in the world. If he was still at Spurs, he would have scored 12 goals already – and had another half dozen or so assists as well. If they had brought James Maddison in, and Micky van de Ven, and kept Kane – then they would have a team which could win the league."

Despite varying opinions on whether Spurs can genuinely challenge the likes of Manchester City for Premier League glory, it is clear that things are on the up in N17 – and nothing would crystalise that statement more for Tottenham than defeating London rivals Chelsea at home on Monday night.

Nevertheless, Postecoglou is tempering expectations among his Tottenham squad by adopting a game-by-game approach, as he stated ahead of the Chelsea clash via BBC Sport: "We know there's another challenge on Monday night. Looking beyond that doesn't really serve any purpose. The supporters – by all means, this is their football club and they've got to enjoy their football club if things are going well and it provides them with some hopes, dreams and aspirations."

Now, it looks as if Spurs are also taking steps to maximise their potential for success by making an appointment behind the scenes at Hotspur Way.

Tottenham Hotspur's next five fixtures – all competitions

Competition

Opponent

Venue

Premier League

Chelsea

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Premier League

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Molineux

Premier League

Aston Villa

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Premier League

Manchester City

Etihad Stadium

Premier League

West Ham United

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Tottenham Hotspur reach full agreement with Rob Mackenzie

As per Football Insider, Rob Mackenzie will begin his role as head of recruitment at Tottenham next week after reaching a full agreement to join the club from Aston Villa.

The report states that Mackenzie has now handed in his notice to Aston Villa and is free to return to Spurs, where he spent 18 months working alongside Paul Mitchell between 2015 and 2016.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou.

38-year-old Mackenzie has also previously held various positions at OH Leuven, Derby County and Leicester City before going on to work as a chief scout and video analyst at Aston Villa.

Looking ahead, Spurs fans will hope he can help to continue their positive momentum by identifying some gems in the transfer market across future windows.

Dirigente do Flamengo provoca Botafogo: 'Está praticamente falido, rebaixado e em vias de ser extinto'

MatériaMais Notícias

Com a tabela do Brasileiro inserida na postagem e apontando para o drama do Botafogo na zona de rebaixamento, Rodrigo Dunshee deAbranches utilizou o Twitter, minutos depois de o Flamengo derrotar o Alvinegro por 1 a 0, no Nilton Santos e pela 24ª rodada da competição, para provocar o rival do clube.

RelacionadasFlamengoATUAÇÕES: Everton Ribeiro garante vitória do Flamengo, e Gustavo Henrique é expulso no fimFlamengo05/12/2020FlamengoFlamengo comunica dores no tendão do joelho de Bruno Henrique, que será reavaliadoFlamengo05/12/2020FlamengoEverton Ribeiro vibra com vitória ‘importantíssima’: ‘É esse trabalho que vem dando confiança para seguir’Flamengo05/12/2020

O vice-presidente geral e jurídico do Rubro-Negro chegou a citar que o Botafogo está “praticamente falido, rebaixado e em vias de ser extinto”.

– Rivalidade deve se limitar às questões esportivas. Botafogo durante anos foi muito mal gerido, hoje está praticamente falido, rebaixado e em vias de ser extinto. Como não tem nada de bom a apresentar, está se tornando notório por atacar o Flamengo. Ok. Boa sorte aí, Botafogo – postou Dunshee.

Mais cedo, por conta da polêmica faixa da discórdia (com os dizeres, via torcida do Botafogo: “Aqui prezamos pelas vidas”), o VP se posicionoue fez uma espécie de apelo para a retirada da faixa, também no Twitter, e ameaçou contestação junto ao Superior Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva (STJD).

A faixa foi retirada ainda antes do jogo iniciar, por volta das 15h30, mas, minutos depois, foi recolocada na faixa central da arquibancada do Niltão. E assim ficou até o apito final.

Sussex bowlers shine after Wright's record show

Those who hail Sussex’s T20 attack as the best in the world found more evidence for their case as they snuffed out Somerset by 35 runs in the second semi-final

Andrew McGlashan15-Sep-2018

Luke Wright plundered 92•Getty Images

ScorecardLuke Wright will bring up his 300th T20 match in the Blast final after he bulldozed 92 to set up Sussex’s semi-final victory over Somerset. Wright’s 53-ball innings was the highest on a Finals Day and, allied to David Wiese’s 52 off 29 deliveries, powered Sussex most of the way towards their 202 for 7 in a stand of 120 in 10 overs for the fourth wicket.It proved more than enough despite a stand of 84 in 7.2 overs between Tom Abell and Corey Anderson. Sussex would have been getting a little nervous as that pair developed and the partnership was only ended when Danny Briggs got a fingertip on a fierce drive from Anderson with Abell out of his ground. From there the game was closed out as Jofra Archer finished with 3 for 32 and Chris Jordan produced a masterclass of yorkers with a maiden in the 17th over.”Nice to have two non-Test grounds in the final” – Wright

Luke Wright, Sussex captain: “We’ve still got a big job to do now. To get through to the final is very very special. I feel for Somerset because they’ve been such a great side. There’s a lot of young talent on show, and it’s nice to have two non-Test grounds in the final.”
Lewis Gregory, Somerset captain: “Whoever deals with the pressures and demands on Finals Day tends to come out on top. They put us under a lot of pressure, and on the big stage there’s some clouded thinking – guys don’t quite execute how they have done. You’ve got to take your hats off to them: Wrighty played brilliantly and Wiese at the back end struck it beautifully.
“I’m sure we’ll all sit down and have a beer with Johann Myburgh tonight. He’s been a fantastic player for us and he’s one of the genuinely nice guys you want to have around.”

Sussex’s total could have been north of 230 if it hadn’t been for an impressive finish from Somerset – the last five overs of the innings going for just 25 and there wasn’t a boundary from the last 22 deliveries. Jerome Taylor finished with 4 for 20, but the damage had been done in a mid-innings period in which the 13th and 15th overs went for a combined 58.Jamie Overton, touted for an England red-ball call-up in the near future, was dispatched for 31 and Lewis Gregory taken for 27. Gregory had the chance to atone as part of the good finish, but Overton was left with one over unbowled – his brother, Craig, who wasn’t selected, was seen offered some consoling words on the boundary.Wright was one of the early generation of England cricketers to start spreading their wings around the T20 world. It’s a mark of the riches the national team has in white-ball cricket that he is no longer really part of conversations around those sides. He remains a formidable T20 player and this was a superb innings – laying a base in the early stages, then take the innings by the scruff of the neck himself.His fifty took 34 deliveries then he started to hurtle towards three figures as he and Wiese – who struck a monstrous six onto the third tier of the newest stand at Edgbaston – ripped the Somerset bowling to shreds. Had Wright found eight more runs he would have stood alone in second place on the T20 century-makers list; instead he remains in a group on seven, staring upwards at Chris Gayle’s gargantuan figure of 21 hundreds.”I’d have taken that at the start, for sure,” he told moments after walking off. “We tried to use the wind, it is blowing. I just play when the youngsters are in, then managed to get that over off Overton.”Chris Jordan was outstanding at the death•Getty Images

On missing his hundred, he added: “I don’t have to buy a jug tonight now. Got to save the wallet these days.”When Wright fell – caught at long-off against Anderson who had been called into emergency bowling duties – the innings fell away. Wiese, whose fifty had come off 26 balls, was the second of two wickets in two balls to conclude Taylor’s impressive four overs. It had been an important hand from Wiese because when Delray Rawlins, who had started to find his range against spin, fell Sussex were 73 for 3 in the eighth and the allrounders to come.But any bounce Somerset may have felt having clawed their way back with the ball did not last long. Archer’s pace and bounce accounted for Steven Davies, caught off the shoulder of the bat at point, and then he had Johan Myburgh caught in the covers in what would become his final innings in professional cricket. When James Hildreth fell, Somerset were floundering on 48 for 4 after seven overs.Abell breathed life into the chase as he took 25 off an over from Briggs, but Anderson took time to get going. He was twice given a life on 9 – a missed stumping and a chance to deep square – before depositing consecutive sixes off Wiese to increase the tension. Then came the tip of Briggs’ index finger leaving too much even for the in-form Gregory against the pinpoint yorkers of Jordan.The result continued the rapid downturn of Somerset’s season which over the last two weeks has seen their Championship ambitions fizzle away and now another push for a trophy has come up short. One of the club’s finest collections of players still waits for silverware to show for it.

Man Utd could beat Liverpool to signing £52m Varane replacement

Manchester United secured a confidence-boosting victory last weekend against Luton Town, just in time for the international break to shatter any momentum gained by the vital win.

The pressure is still on Erik ten Hag for now, and he will be hoping this can be alleviated once the domestic season resumes in a couple of weeks.

The Dutchman will have a lot to think about during the break and with the January transfer window fast approaching, there could be some activity.

The former Ajax boss didn’t exactly endure the best of transfer windows during the summer, despite signing players such as Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Mason Mount, as he missed out on a few key targets.

Could this change in the next few months, however? It appears the 53-year-old has his eyes on bolstering his defensive options with a move for a highly sought-after defender.

Man Utd transfer news – Goncalo Inacio

According to a report by Correio da Manha (via The Manchester Evening News), United appear to be ready to activate Goncalo Inacio’s release clause.

The centre-back has also been linked with Liverpool and Real Madrid recently, indicating that the Old Trafford side face some stiff competition in order to secure his signature.

The 22-year-old has a release clause of £52m according to the report, and the Red Devils are looking to agree to a payment structure to sign Inacio.

The links to the Portuguese defender have been apparent in recent months, with the latest rumour circulating that the club wanted to sign both him and Antonio Silva in the near future, yet finances may deter that ambitious plan.

There is no doubt Ten Hag requires another centre-back, especially with the options he has at his disposal. In fact, there have been a few matches in which he has had to field Jonny Evans and Harry Maguire at the heart of the defence, hardly the defensive partnership that will take United to the next level.

Four of the five centre-backs in the squad are aged 29 or over and Ten Hag will be determined to bring in some young talents.

The player Inacio could replace at Man Utd

Inacio would be ideal, and he could be the perfect heir for Raphael Varane, who appears to be succumbing to injuries on a regular basis since joining United.

The Frenchman arrived in Manchester just over two years ago from Real Madrid, and he has emerged as one of their finest defenders.

He made an immediate impact at Old Trafford, ranking first across the squad for accurate passes per game (46) in the Premier League during his maiden season, along with topping the pile for clearances per game (3.5) as he made 29 appearances in all competitions.

The defender made another 34 appearances during the 2022/23 season, and he helped United claim their first trophy since 2017, playing a starring role in the final against Newcastle.

Since arriving at the club, the 30-year-old has suffered a plethora of injuries which have resulted in him missing 38 matches in total and these might not alleviate the older he gets.

The former Madrid centre-back has a contract until 2025, but by that time he will be 32 years old, and he may be on his way out of Manchester.

Inacio could certainly learn a lot from a player who has won four Champions League crowns along with winning the World Cup in 2018 and this could turn him into a player ready to step into Varane’s shoes when he eventually does depart the club.

The stats that show why Inacio would be a good signing

Inacio only turned 22 in August and his performances for Sporting CP clearly indicate he has an impressive future ahead of him in the game.

The youngster has already made 139 appearances for the Portuguese side since making his debut in the 2020/21 season, and he has netted 11 goals and grabbed eight assists in those games.

Domestic statistics during 2023/24

Raphael Varane

Goncalo Inacio

Accurate passes per game

30.4

70.5

Touches per game

38.5

89.1

Balls recovered per game

4

5.7

Total duels won per game

1.8

3.2

Tackles per game

0.6

1

Inacio proved that he deserves a move to a bigger club by shining in the Champions League last term as he ranked first amongst the squad for accurate passes per game (54.8) and also ranked in the top five for clearances and interceptions per game, demonstrating how at ease he felt while playing in Europe’s premier club competition.

His commanding performances at the back for Sporting led analyst Raj Chohan to dub him a “leader” while also stating that he is an “aerial dominator” and these traits would allow him to slot into the United backline with ease.

It isn’t just his aerial ability and physical strength which are key strengths, as the Portuguese international also possesses excellent passing abilities and can move the ball from defence to the attack with ease and precision.

This is evidenced by his statistics when compared with positional peers. According to FBref, Inacio currently ranks in the top 1% for passes attempted per 90 (86.56) in the next 14 competitions, while also ranking in the top 1% for progressive passes (8.61) and the top 2% for progressive carries (1.91) per 90, clearly suggesting that he is among one of the finest passers of the ball when compared to his defensive peers.

Goncalo Inacio

This would make him a standout in Ten Hag’s tactical system, and it is something they urgently require at the heart of their defence.

Varane may not have long left at the top level if his current injury woes continue to pile up and the Dutchman needs to figure out a solution on how best to replace him sooner rather than later.

By signing Inacio, they not only have a defender who could emerge as a world-class talent in just a couple of years, but they have a player who is able to shine on the biggest stage of them all and this will only benefit United.

£52m may sound like a lot on the surface, but by moving on a few players who don’t have a future at the club, Ten Hag will be able to afford this, and it could prove to be a wise investment indeed.

بسبب فضيحة التجسس.. إقالة مدربة كندا وطردها من أولمبياد باريس 2024

أوقفت كندا مدربة فريق كرة القدم للسيدات، بيف بريستمان، عن المشاركة في أولمبياد باريس بعد تفاقم فضيحة التجسس.

ويشارك منتخب كندا لكرة القدم للسيدات في دورة الألعاب الأولمبية “باريس 2024” التي تستضيفها فرنسا هذا الصيف.

وأقالت كندا سابقًا عضوين من طاقمها التدريبي بعد اتهامهما باستخدام طائرة بدون طيار لتصوير جلسات تدريب منافستها نيوزيلندا.

وقد فتحت اللجنة الأولمبية الكندية تحقيقًا في الواقعة، واعتذرت المدربة بيف بريستمان عن تصرفات طاقمها قبل المباراة ضد نيوزيلندا.

تمكنت كندا حاملة اللقب من الفوز 2-1 ولكن شهدت الأحداث تحولاً صادمًا، حيث تم إرسال بريستمان الآن إلى كندا بعد أن أتضح في التحقيقات أن هذه ليست المرة الأولى التي تتجسس فيها على المنافسين.

اقرأ أيضًا | مواعيد مباريات مصر في أولمبياد باريس 2024

وجاء في بيان في الساعات الأولى من صباح يوم الجمعة: “أقالت اللجنة الأولمبية الكندية مدربة المنتخب الوطني الكندي لكرة القدم للسيدات بيف بريستمان من الفريق الأولمبي الكندي بسبب إيقافها من قبل اتحاد كرة القدم الكندي”.

وأضاف البيان: “سيقود المدرب المساعد آندي سبنس فريق كرة القدم الوطني للسيدات لبقية دورة الألعاب الأولمبية في باريس 2024”.

بالإضافة إلى ذلك، قال الرئيس التنفيذي والأمين العام للاتحاد الكندي لكرة القدم كيفين بلو: “على مدار الـ 24 ساعة الماضية، وصلت معلومات إضافية إلى انتباهنا بشأن استخدام الطائرات بدون طيار ضد الخصوم، قبل دورة الألعاب الأولمبية في باريس 2024”.

وأضاف: “وفي ضوء هذه الاكتشافات الجديدة، اتخذ الاتحاد الكندي لكرة القدم قرارًا بإيقاف مدربة المنتخب الوطني للسيدات، بيف بريستمان، عن العمل لبقية دورة الألعاب الأولمبية في باريس 2024، وحتى اكتمال المراجعة الخارجية المستقلة التي أعلنا عنها مؤخرًا”.

Portaluppi gosta da atuação do Grêmio, mas lamenta empate com lanterna

MatériaMais Notícias

Em meio a disputa das quartas de final da Libertadores, o Grêmio foi até a Serrinha para encarar o Goiás e sem algumas peças importantes, o Tricolor saiu de campo com um empate.

RelacionadasFora de CampoPostagem de Richarlison nas redes sociais deixa torcedores do Chelsea na broncaFora de Campo13/12/2020Futebol InternacionalTottenham sai na frente, mas cede empate para o Crystal PalaceFutebol Internacional13/12/2020

Na coletiva de imprensa, Renato Portaluppi aprovou a postura do time na etapa inicial, mas lamentou não sair de campo com a vitória.

‘A gente criou bastante oportunidades, tivemos as chances de fazer o gol, principalmente no primeiro tempo, mas faltou tranquilidade na hora do último passe. Havia falado para eles que tínhamos que trabalhar no psicológico do Goiás, que está em situação difícil. Gostei da equipe, criou, teve bastante posse de bola. Não conseguimos nosso objetivo, mas um ponto está bom’, afirmou.

Com o empate sem gols fora de casa, o Tricolor fica na 6ª colocação do Campeonato Brasileiro, com 41 pontos.

(Hand)shaken, not stirred?

One of the first things Tim Paine did after finding himself cleaning up the mess post-Newlands was to make it a point for his team to shake hands with the opposition

Osman Samiuddin in Dubai06-Oct-2018

Mitchell Marsh gets a handshake from his brother on reaching fifty•Getty Images

To shake hands or not to shake hands is perhaps not the most important conversation Sarfraz Ahmed will have this week. But to Tim Paine and this new Australia, as they move on from that era to this, what Paine called, “bit of a new one”, it is slightly more important.The two teams will shake hands before the Test begins, it was decided in a conversation between the two captains in between their press conferences that lasted about as long as a good, sturdy handshake.Sarfraz was slightly bemused by the request, asking only when and how it would happen (after the team photographs, before play, in case you were anxious to know).”Yes definitely, why not?” Sarfraz said later when asked whether he would take up Paine’s offer. “We have no issues. We actually talked about it just before the press conference. So we have no issues with shaking hands. It’s a very good sign. No issues.”One of the first things Paine did after finding himself cleaning up the mess post-Newlands was to make it a point for his teams to shake hands with the opposition, a practice generally restricted to football.”There’s no doubt this Test series is about winning,” he said. “We’re playing international sport so its the highest level and I think players will be judged on how many games we’ve won,” Paine said. “That’s certainly really important, but on the flip side of that, the image of Australian cricket is also really important to me and Justin and the rest of our team, so we’re going to be going about things in a really professional, really respectful manner and we’ll continue to do that for the foreseeable future.”That practice continued during their ODI series with England, the handshake becoming the clearest sign that this Australia would be better behaved on the field and more respectful towards their opponents than previous sides.But the pre-game handshake was absent from the last time Pakistan met Australia, in a T20 tri-series in Zimbabwe over the summer, where Aaron Finch was leading Australia.In fact, after the final of that series TV cameras clearly captured Glenn Maxwell not shaking Sarfraz’s hand as the Pakistan captain offered it after his side’s win. Maxwell later clarified it had been an oversight and “not the way I play the game”. Sarfraz and Maxwell had been at each other verbally during the game when Sarfraz was batting, and also right after the winning runs had been scored when Sarfraz ran on to celebrate.

Ambidextrous Kamindu Mendis breaks into SL T20I squad

Lasith Malinga returns to the T20I squad after more than year for the one-off fixture against England

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Oct-2018

Kamindu Mendis, who was Sri Lanka’s captain in the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year, might soon make his international debut•Getty Images

Ambidextrous spin-bowling allrounder Kamindu Mendis may have a chance to showcase his unique skills at the senior international level for the first time, after being picked in Sri Lanka’s squad for the one-off T20 against England.Thisara Perera, who led Sri Lanka’s limited-overs teams in fits and starts towards the end of last year, has been named captain, in the continued absence of Angelo Mathews in limited-overs cricket. Test and ODI captain Dinesh Chandimal also finds a place in the 15-man squad.Kamindu, 20, has played only a handful of senior matches so far, but has been more-or-less fast-tracked through the system. Though his talents with the ball have been much talked about – Kamindu bowls both right-arm offbreaks and left-arm orthodox – it is his batting that is his main strength. He hit 61 off 72 balls against England in the warm-up match preceding the ODI series. Kamindu had also captained the Sri Lanka Under-19 side as recently as January this year.Meanwhile, Kusal Mendis has been retained despite an awful run of ODI form, while Kusal Perera has been named even though he was made unavailable for the ongoing ODI series with a quad strain. Expectedly, Lasith Malinga returns to the T20 squad after a hiatus of more than a year, and has Dushmantha Chameera, Isuru Udana and Nuwan Pradeep for company on the fast-bowling front.The spin contingent comprises of only Akila Dananjaya and left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan – Amila Aponso making it on to the standby list.The T20I is scheduled to be played at Khettarama in Colombo, on Saturday.Sri Lanka T20I squad: Thisara Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Isuru Udana, Lasith Malinga, Dushmantha Chameera, Akila Dananjaya, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwan Pradeep, Lakshan Sandakan

Game
Register
Service
Bonus