Tom O’Connell walked out later after the allocated three minutes were up and was given out as a result
Mohammad Isam01-Jan-2025Chittagong Kings captain Mohammad Mithun praised his opposite number Mehidy Hasan Miraz after the latter called back Tom O’Connell, who had been dismissed timed out during their BPL match against Khulna Tigers in Dhaka on Tuesday.O’Connell, the Australian legspinner, walked out to bat after the allocated three minutes were up during Chittagong’s chase of 204. Mehidy, the fielding captain, went to the umpire along with several of his team-mates to ask about the delay.The umpires, Raveendra Wimalasiri and Tanvir Ahmed, adjudged O’Connell to be out. As O’Connell started to trudge back to the dugout, Mehidy called him back.Related
Mithun accepted that the dismissal was legitimate, and said that O’Connell had been taken by surprise as the wickets fell quickly, and he didn’t have enough time to get ready despite batting at No. 7.”I personally feel Miraz did a fantastic job,” Mithun said. “He showed that he has a big heart. It is within the rules for the fielding side to appeal. Credit to Miraz for letting [O’Connell] return to the crease.”The batter shouldn’t be late to the crease, particularly in a T20. He was a little late in getting ready. Probably he was a little relaxed when he was getting ready, maybe he didn’t realise that we would lose wickets so quickly. That’s what made him late. Nothing else.”O’Connell’s turn to bat came when Pakistani batter Haider Ali fell for a second-ball duck. Chittagong were 56 for 5 in the seventh over at that stage. After the timed-out drama, however, O’Connell himself fell for a golden duck, caught at short midwicket where Mehidy took the simple catch off Mohammad Nawaz’s bowling.Khulna went on to beat Chittagong by 37 runs.
Arsenal are swiftly moving on to their next targets after striking a long-awaited deal for Viktor Gyokeres, who officially joined the Gunners from Sporting CP on Saturday in a deal worth up to £64 million.
Saka will love him: Arsenal reach agreement in principle to sign £68m star
Arsenal are ready to supply Viktor Gyokeres with an exciting new wideman.
ByAngus Sinclair Jul 29, 2025
Gyokeres’ arrival comes as a major boost for Mikel Arteta as he seeks to end the club’s two-decade-long wait for a Premier League title.
Arsenal drew more games than any other side in the top 10 last season, and their struggle for goals was a key reason for this. Arteta’s side managed just 69 in the league by the end of 2024/2025, paling in comparison to their tallies of 88 and 91 in the previous two seasons.
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
25/26 – summer
£208m
A prolific frontman of Gyokeres’ ilk will certainly help Arteta’s side return to their clinical best, and Arsenal’s manager is thrilled to welcome a centre-forward who’s just bagged 54 goals in all competitions.
“We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Viktor Gyökeres to the club. The consistency he has shown in his performances and availability have been outstanding, and his goal contributions speak for themselves,” said Arteta in an official statement.
“Viktor has so many qualities. He is a quick and powerful presence up front, with incredible goalscoring numbers at club and international levels. He brings a clinical edge with a high conversion rate of chances into goals, with his intelligent movement in the box making him a constant threat.
“We’re excited about what Viktor brings to our squad and are looking forward to start working with him. We welcome Viktor and his family to Arsenal.”
After Gyokeres, it is reliably reported that sporting director Andrea Berta is turning his attention towards Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze.
The England international is at the centre of Arsenal’s rumoured interest in signing a new creative number 10, and he reportedly has a £60 million release clause in his contract that could rise to £68m through bonuses (Sky Sports).
Crystal Palace identify Eberechi Eze replacement as Arsenal advance
According to multiple recent reports, there are suggestions that Eze has loosely agreed personal terms with Arsenal already, with Sports Zone even claiming that the 27-year-old has reached a “full agreement” over a proposed contract at the Emirates.
A north London switch for the player appears to be gaining serious traction, and according to Sky Switzerland reporter Sacha Tavolieri, Palace are moving to try and sign a replacement – providing a further indication that Arsenal could be closing in on Eze shortly.
Tavolieri, via X, claims Palace have identified Leicester City star Bilal El Khannouss as a potential heir to Eze, but face competition from RB Leipzig.
Eze was released by Arsenal as a teenage academy prospect, but it appears the playmaker who bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season could be facing his final summer at Selhurst Park.
Next season feels like it’s set to be a massive one for Chelsea.
Enzo Maresca’s side will be going into it as Conference League and World Champions, and while they won’t be the favourites to win the Premier League, there will undoubtedly be an expectation that they will challenge for the title.
Fortunately, the board are properly backing the team so far this summer, with exciting signings like Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro.
Chelsea forward Joao Pedro
Moreover, the Blues have even been linked with Eberechi Eze, although, based on reports, it now appears they’re turning their attention to someone who’d be a far better signing.
Chelsea target big Eze upgrade
It’s been a busy summer of business for Chelsea so far, and one of the players who has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge has been Eze.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The Crystal Palace star has also been heavily touted for a move to London rivals Arsenal, but reports from earlier this month revealed that the Blues have been in contact with the player’s representatives.
The England international has a release clause worth £68m in his current deal and would undoubtedly bring some real quality and flair to Maresca’s squad, but it now looks like BlueCo are rapidly advancing towards a deal for another attacker, who’d be an even better signing.
Eberechi Eze for Crystal Palace
At least that’s according to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, who claims that Chelsea are incredibly keen on signing Xavi Simons.
In fact, Plettenberg has revealed that personal terms are not an issue as the player is “open to the Chelsea project” and that “very good talks also took place with RB Leipzig yesterday.”
The German journalist claims that the Bundesliga side are now just “waiting for an offer” for the player they value at around £52m, per other reports.
While that’s still a lot of money to spend on one player, Simons has proven he’d be worth it over the last couple of seasons, and a better signing than Eze to boot.
Why Simons would be a better signing than Eze
So, while both players are brilliant, there are several reasons why Simons would be the better signing for Chelsea this summer, and the first is their output in the league, which is ultimately their bread and butter.
Appearances
25
34
Minutes
2157′
2603′
Goals
10
8
Assists
7
8
Goal Involvements per Match
0.68
0.47
Minutes per Goal Involvement
126.88′
162.68′
In his 25 Bundesliga appearances last season, totalling 2157 minutes, the former Paris Saint-Germain gem scored ten goals and provided seven assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.47 league games, or every 126.88 minutes.
In contrast, the Eagles star scored eight goals and provided as many assists in 34 Premier League appearances last season, totalling 2603 minutes, which comes out to a lacklustre average of a goal involvement every 2.12 games, or every 162.68 minutes.
In addition to performing better in the league, the Flying Dutchman also shares some statistical similarities with the incredible Cole Palmer, which can only be a good thing.
For example, Squawka ranks them very closely for key metrics such as goals, assists, chances created, take-ons completed and more, all per 90.
These numbers help convey that the Amsterdam-born “game-changer,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is someone capable of impacting the game in more ways than just goals and assists, as evident in some of his highlight reels.
Finally, and this is especially important when it comes to the Blues, the former PSV Eindhoven monster is still just 22 years old, and therefore, he’d be able to develop and continue improving alongside the likes of Palmer, Moises Caicedo, and Joao Pedro and then hit his peak around the same time as them.
Ultimately, while Eze would be a good signing for Chelsea, Simons would simply be the smarter one with more upside a few years from now, and therefore, they should do all they can to get him to West London this summer.
Chelsea star says yes to joining Madrid; his exit can fund Simons & Rodrygo
Losing the international star would be far from ideal for Chelsea.
Foxes bowled out for 98 on 18-wicket day after Ben Cox rescues them from 15 for 7
ECB Reporters Network09-Sep-2024
Jonny Tattersall kept Yorkshire on top•Getty Images
Skipper Jonny Tattersall’s fine, unbeaten 90 enabled promotion-chasing Yorkshire to close on 263 for 8 for a lead of 165 after 18 wickets fell on day one of their Vitality County Championship match against Leicestershire.It came after Leicestershire’s decision to prepare a pitch as green as the outfield had threatened to backfire on them historically as they were reduced to 15 for 7 inside the first hour after Yorkshire won the toss.They recovered somewhat thanks to an unbeaten 51 by Ben Cox, but in the last of this Championship season’s four rounds using the Kookaburra ball were bowled out for 98 nonetheless. Pace bowler Ben Coad took 5 for 15 and his Surrey-bound strike partner Matthew Fisher returned from injury with 3 for 38 in his first appearance since May.Yorkshire stumbled to 30 for 3 at the start of their reply. Yet as batting became easier, Tattersall’s assured performance, with support from James Wharton (41), Dom Bess (33) and Fisher (28 not out), gave them the upper hand – albeit with only one batting bonus point in 71 overs after Tom Scriven took 4 for 69.Relegated in 2022 in the wake of the Azeem Rafiq affair, Yorkshire began the day a point behind second-placed Middlesex in the Division Two table, with three matches remaining.Leicestershire, outsiders but still in the hunt for promotion, had not bargained on being all out for less than 100 before lunch. The absence of top scorer Peter Handscomb, who has returned home for the Australian domestic season, was hardly an excuse.Yet it could have been much worse. As Coad and Fisher laid waste to their top and middle order, it seemed quite possible that Leicestershire would be shot out for the lowest total in their history, not even matching the 25 for which Kent dismissed their forebears at Aylestone Road in 1912.After Rishi Patel edged Coad to third slip with no runs on the board, the next three wickets fell with the total on three. Lewis Hill nicked Fisher to second slip, Coad brought one back to bowl Ian Holland leg stump and then had Rehan Ahmed caught at second slip.Two more wickets fell on 11. Louis Kimber swung and missed to be leg before to Coad as the fourth duck in the top six, then Fisher nipped one back to trap Ajinkya Rahane. Liam Trevaskis perished in the same over, also leg before, making it 15 for 7.It took Cox and Tom Scriven to disrupt the pattern by going on the attack. The first of Scriven’s three boundaries ensured that the 1912 record would stand before Cox damaged Coad’s figures with a top-edge for six. The pair added 37 in 26 balls before Scriven was caught behind swinging as Coad completed his five-wicket haul – his second with the Kookaburra after taking 5 for 33 against Worcestershire last season.Cox reached 51 from 31 balls by hammering Fisher for his second six. Jordan Thompson had Scott Currie leg before but the last wicket added another 39 before Chris Wright was bowled by George Hill.Leicestershire should have had a wicket first ball as Yorkshire’s first innings began immediately after lunch, Wright dropping a return catch offered by Lyth. The visitors found themselves 30 for 3 in the 18th over nonetheless. Finlay Bean was caught at gully, Lyth caught behind off a wafer-thin edge and Will Luxton, driving, fell to a brilliant one-handed grab by Currie at third slip.Jonny Bairstow followed his attacking instincts but after four boundaries he departed to a catch at first slip, at 56 for 4, which would have become 63 for 5 had first-slip Patel not dropped Wharton on 14 off Scriven.The error cost 46 runs, Wharton raising his boundary count to eight before his eyes lit up when presented with a long-hop by Rehan Ahmed and was caught at long-on.From 109 for five, Tattersall played with calm assurance to head off the threat of another crash of wickets. George Hill was bowled by Wright for 12 but Dom Bess played some attractive strokes as he and Tattersall added 42.Scriven got one through Bess’s defences for his third success and had Thompson caught off a top-edged pull. Tattersall and Fisher added 53 before the close.
A tropical disturbance has brought a rare flash flood emergency to southern Florida, including to Broward County, where the matches are scheduled
ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jun-2024
Flash floods have left parts of Florida under water•Getty Images
The weather may have a big part to play at the T20 World Cup 2024 over the coming days in Florida, where three Group A matches are scheduled over the next three days. A tropical disturbance has brought a rare flash flood emergency to much of southern Florida, including in Broward County where the venue for the matches – in Lauderhill – is located.The first World Cup match at the venue – Nepal vs Sri Lanka – was washed out, and three more fixtures – USA vs Ireland, Canada vs India and Ireland vs Pakistan – could also be affected, with the forecast suggesting heavy rain all through.According to the US National Weather Service (NWS), a “flood watch” remains in effect for all of southern Florida through Friday evening. The matches are set to be played at 10.30am local time.”Heavy to excessive rainfall over southern Florida may continue to bring areas of flash and urban flooding, with locally considerable urban flooding possible, at times into this weekend,” the NWS posted on X.
While India have sealed their Super Eight spot after beating USA on Wednesday, the rest of the teams in Group A – USA, Canada, Ireland and Pakistan – will be fighting it out for the other spot.As things stand, all four teams can still mathematically qualify.The 2022 T20 World Cup finalists Pakistan have won just one of their three games so far, but can go through to the next round if they beat Ireland and USA lose to them. If either of these is washed out, then USA, who have two wins, will qualify. Canada (one win from three) and Ireland (no wins from two) are lower on the table.The washout on June 11 affected Group D as well, leaving Sri Lanka and Nepal on the brink of elimination.A minimum of five overs is required to constitute a match and there are no reserve days for the group-stage matches. The first semi-final and the final have reserve days but the second semi-final doesn’t, as there is only a day’s gap between that match and the final.
Celtic missed out on the domestic treble earlier this month when they were beaten by Aberdeen on penalties in the final of the SFA Cup at Hampden Park.
The Hoops had already won the Scottish Premiership and the League Cup, but they were unable to claim the third trophy in the collection against the Dons.
Brendan Rodgers may want to go all the way next season, after failing to win the treble in both of his first two years back at the club, and could do that by improving his squad in the summer transfer window.
With that in mind, here is the dream starting line-up that Rodgers could build to attack the 2025/26 campaign head-on when they return to action later this year…
1 Kasper Schmeichel
Starting off between the sticks, Kasper Schmeichel should still be the number one for Celtic next season, at least to begin with, after an impressive debut campaign, despite his own goal in the SFA Cup final.
The former Leicester City stopper racked up an impressive 24 clean sheets in 49 appearances after joining from Anderlecht on a free transfer last year.
2 Alistair Johnston
At right-back, Celtic should be aiming to keep hold of Alistair Johnston amid reported interest from English sides Ipswich Town and Fulham this summer, after he scored four goals and provided ten assists in the Premiership this season.
3 Cameron Carter-Vickers
At the heart of the defence, Cameron Carter-Vickers should be a mainstay in the team again next season, after he was named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year yet again. The colossal central defender has the right-sided centre-back position locked down, and it should stay that way.
4 Liam Scales
Liam Scales in action for Celtic.
The left-sided centre-back position is up for debate, unlike the right side, with Auston Trusty, Maik Nawrocki, and Liam Scales all in contention to play that role.
Scales, however, ended the season as the first-choice for Rodgers, despite Trusty and Nawrocki being fit and available, which suggests that he will head into pre-season as the obvious partner to Carter-Vickers.
5 Kieran Tierney
Left-back is another position that should be fairly obvious. Kieran Tierney is joining on a free transfer from Arsenal and should be the go-to option in that area of the park when fit and available.
The Scotland international produced 37 assists in 170 matches for Celtic during his first spell at the club, which suggests that he could provide a huge creative outlet down the left flank for the Scottish giants next season.
It remains to be seen whether or not Greg Taylor, who is out of contract this summer, will be at Parkhead next term, so Tierney is currently the only senior left-back who is guaranteed to be in the squad.
6 Callum McGregor
Callum McGregor
At the base of the midfield three, captain Callum McGregor is another obvious pick for Rodgers. The skipper started 34 of his 35 appearances in the Premiership this season, which does not suggest that he is close to being on his way out of the XI.
7 Arne Engels
Celtic broke the bank to sign Arne Engels from Augsburg last summer in a club-record £11m move, and he repaid them with a return of ten goals and 13 assists in 52 appearances for the club in his debut season.
8 Lennon Miller
Another new addition to the squad, alongside Tierney, could be Motherwell central midfielder Lennon Miller, who could arrive to complete the midfield trio with McGregor and Engels.
Serie A side Udinese have been linked with a summer move for Reo Hatate, and Celtic could sign the Scottish starlet, who is a reported transfer target, to replace the Japanese ace.
Appearances
37
32
Goals
10
2
Big chances created
14
12
Key passes per game
1.2
1.6
Assists
2
8
Tackles + interceptions per game
1.1
3.1
Ball recoveries per game
3.2
6.3
Duel success rate
44%
53%
As you can see in the table above, Miller would be an exciting replacement for Hatate because he offers a similar threat as a creator whilst being better out of possession, albeit he does not provide as much of a goalscoring presence.
At 18, the Scotland U21 international is also nine years younger than the Celtic star and could be the long-term option for Rodgers in that position, which is why it could make sense to cash in on the Japanese star to sign the Motherwell maestro.
9 Nicolas Kuhn
Nicolas Kuhn ended the 2024/25 campaign with an eye-catching haul of 21 goals and 15 assists in all competitions from a right wing position for the Hoops.
The left-footed star provided a constant threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Scottish giants, which is why he should remain the starting option on that flank.
10 Mathias Kvistgaarden
The third signing that could be added to this dream starting XI, alongside Tierney and Miller, is Brondby centre-forward Mathias Kvistgaarden.
Celtic are reportedly weighing up a club-record swoop for the Danish marksman, who is valued at in excess of £12m, and it could be a fantastic piece of business for the club to upgrade on Adam Idah.
Appearances
29
35
FotMob rating
7.29
6.86
xG
13.99
13.57
Goals
17
13
Chances created
19
19
Assists
5
0
As you can see in the table above, their respective performances at league level this season suggest that Kvistgaarden would offer far more than the Irishman as a superior finisher.
Therefore, Celtic should attempt to conclude a deal for the 23-year-old centre-forward, dubbed “sensational” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, in the weeks to come as he could add an even greater goal threat to Rodgers’ side than Idah currently does.
Liverpool are now ahead of Manchester City in the race to sign a defender, and they now know £40 million will be enough to get the deal completed, according to a recent report.
Liverpool receive Huijsen boost after Van Dijk contract news
Last week Liverpool fans were delighted to see and hear the news that captain and defensive talisman Virgil van Dijk had signed a new contract at Anfield, continuing his stay at the club until 2027. The Dutchman is going to continue being at the heart of Arne Slot’s defence, but it appears as though the Liverpool boss is still looking to find his perfect partner or successor.
He's better than Huijsen: Liverpool want "one of the best CBs in the PL"
Liverpool could be about to forget a move for Dean Huijsen with a deal for another Premier League star.
1 ByEthan Lamb Apr 24, 2025
The Reds are among the teams keeping a close eye on Dean Huijsen from AFC Bournemouth. The Spain international has been a standout performer for the Cherries this season, and that has put him on the radar of several big teams from England and abroad. It’s also been claimed that Chelsea have held talks with Huijsen over a possible move to Stamford Bridge.
Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen
Liverpool remain in the race and received a welcome boost this week, as it’s been reported that Real Madrid may pull out of the race to sign Huijsen; that is because they are not sure if they want to sign a defender this summer, leaving the door open for Liverpool, who know Huijsen has a £50 million release clause in his contract.
Liverpool lead Man City in race to sign Premier League defender
Huijsen is not the only defender on the Reds’ transfer list, as according to Give Me Sport’s Ben Jacobs, Liverpool are leading the way when it comes to signing Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth this summer.
The report states that Kerkez, who has been with the Cherries since July 2023, is expected to leave Bournemouth this summer, as while he doesn’t have a release clause in his contract, they will allow him to leave should they receive offers worth £40 million.
This report goes on to add that Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City have all kept an eye on Kerkez, but none have entered into fresh talks over a transfer. City in particular “appreciate” him, but a deal there is unlikely and a move to become Andy Robertson’s successor looks more probable.
The Scotland international still has another 12 months left on his contract at Anfield, but given he is 31 and making more mistakes with each passing season, Slot is looking to the future and sees Kerkez as a player who could be his long-term successor.
Kerkez
Robertson
Apps
33
30
Goals
2
0
Progressive carries
89
57
Progressive passes
141
163
Progressive runs
161
90
Tackles (Won)
49 (26)
38 (22)
Interceptions
38
20
Clearances
100
50
Blocks
33
9
Kerkez has impressed a lot in this campaign, assisting six goals as well as grabbing two himself in 33 games, as the Cherries continue their pursuit of finishing in a European position.
The 21-year-old has started every game he’s been available for in the league this season, so were he to arrive at Liverpool, he would likely want to start immediately and relegate Robertson to a supporting role.
Nottingham Forest have now been presented with an opportunity to beat Inter Milan and Bayern Munich to the signing of an “explosive” forward, but they will have to act quickly, according to a report.
Forest set to bolster attacking options
Despite the 2-1 loss away at Aston Villa last time out, Forest remain in a strong position to qualify for the Champions League next season, which means they should be able to compete for the signatures of some of Europe’s top forwards.
Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres is one of the most high-profile targets, and the Tricky Trees are now willing to offer winger Jota Silva as part of an exchange deal for the Sweden international, who is attracting widespread interest ahead of the summer window.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have also identified targets from within the Premier League, with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha and Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez of interest, having reportedly submitted a £50m bid for the Uruguayan striker, who looks set to leave the Reds.
£25m release clause: Nottingham Forest join hectic race for "superb" star
They could trigger his release clause.
ByTom Cunningham Apr 7, 2025
Not only is Nuno keen to bring in a new striker, but the manager is also looking at signing a new winger, and a report from Italy has revealed Nottingham Forest have an opportunity to beat Bayern Munich and Inter Milan to the signature of Marseille’s Luis Henrique (via Sport Witness).
Inter are in contact over a deal for Henrique, but they are unwilling to match Marseille’s valuation, deeming a fee of €25m (£21m) to be fair, while the French club are looking to receive €30m – €35m (£26m – £30m)
Luis Henrique for Marseille.
As such, either Forest or Premier League rivals Newcastle United could move ahead in the race for the Brazilian, should they be willing to table a bid of at least £26m, but they will need to move swiftly, with Inter trying to get a deal done before the end of May.
"Explosive" Henrique could suit Nuno's system
Much of the Tricky Trees’ success this season can be put down to Nuno’s style of play, which relies on hitting their opponents with pace on the counter-attack, as confirmed by Anthony Elanga after the recent 1-0 victory against Manchester United.
“It is about attacking the space and getting to the opposite goal as quick as I can. I saw the space and I believe I’m one of the fastest players in the league.”
Elanga has been a key player for Forest this season, and there are clear signs Henrique would also be a perfect fit in Nuno’s system, having been lauded as “explosive” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who also praises the winger for his pace.
The 23-year-old’s attacking output has also been impressive this season, with seven goals and five assists to his name in Ligue 1, so Forest should do their utmost to ensure they win the race for his signature.
Nepali expats, who have been coming out in droves to support their home team, will play an important role in the future of cricket in the USA
Cameron Ponsonby14-Jun-2024It is 10:30am on a Tuesday in Dallas, Texas, and Nepal are about to play cricket against Netherlands in a World Cup. As sporting events go, it is as unlikely as they come.Furthermore, to take the situation from the unlikely to the borderline hallucinogenic, far from the Grand Prairie Stadium being empty for this group stage match between two Associate nations thousands of miles from home, it is packed with 5500 Nepalis, creating a raucous atmosphere.”I have to say the fans were amazing,” beamed Dutch bowler Logan van Beek at the innings break. “I’m not sure whether we are in Dallas or Nepal.”Those scenes were repeated a week later in Florida, where despite Nepal’s fixture against Sri Lanka being rained off, thousands of fans filled the stands and danced and sang as the rain continued to fall.As one fan’s sign read, “If ICC schedules matches for Nepal in the moon. Nepalese fans will be there.” You don’t doubt it, given that many of the fans arrived at the ground around the time a local weather warning was sent in Florida instructing people not to travel.Related
Make Nepal cricket great: the Paras Khadka story
Fierce competitors: what Nepal want to be at their second World Cup appearance in a decade
Nepal's Dallas diaspora and the sound of passionate silence
Nepal’s love affair with cricket is well known. Packed stands in Kathmandu are the norm, and billboards in the cities are adorned with cricketers as opposed to footballers. But how that passion has translated to full stands in America, less so.The Nepali American community is the fastest growing Asian population in the United States. At the turn of the century, the diaspora numbered 7858 people, according to United States Census Bureau data. It is now over 200,000, with some estimates placing it closer to 300,000.The Nepalese civil war from 1996 to 2006 was the catalyst for many to leave the country, as was the major earthquake in 2015 that killed almost 10,000 people. The Nepali Centre for the Study of Labour and Mobility estimates that 1700 people leave Nepal every day in search of employment.Eight years ago, one of those people was Binod BK, now an area manager for Amazon, who was in the stands for Nepal’s rained-off match against Sri Lanka.”I moved here to do my Master’s,” he says. “It was after the earthquake, so I moved to America to study and I found a lot of opportunities.”A lot of people [from Nepal] move to different countries, but everybody wants to come to America, right? It’s the American dream.”While everyone’s story is unique, the two most common starting points are America’s Diversity Visa programme, also known as the green-card lottery, and student visas.Rain didn’t dampen the fans’ enthusiasm in Florida•Matt Roberts/ICC/Getty ImagesIntroduced in 1990, the programme makes 55,000 visas available each year to nations that have historically had low levels of immigration to the USA. Nepal has been one of the main beneficiaries of the programme. In the 2024 release, they received the third-highest allocation of visas in Asia, just under 4000. The number of applicants from 2024 is not yet available, but in 2020 it stood at over 600,000 from Nepal and 14 million globally.”I tried three or four times [for the diversity visa],” Binod says of his own experience, before he successfully applied for his student visa.According to the US International Institute of Education, Nepal’s student population is the 11th largest in the USA, standing at 15,000. A remarkable statistic considering that only 25 years ago there weren’t even 10,000 Nepalis in America, full stop.The growth of the Nepali population in the USA bodes well for the growth of cricket in the country.Much of the current expansion of grassroots cricket in America is due to second- or third-generation South Asian families wanting their children to play the sport – and in that respect, Nepal is 20 years behind.The Nepali population in America is incredibly young. The median age in America is 38, the median age of an immigrant is 47 (seemingly high because people move as adults and then have children in the US, which doesn’t factor into the figure), and the average Nepali American is 30. Many of these young Nepali immigrants, such as Binod, will go on to gain sponsorship for a career and look to settle down and have families.In high places: fans in Kirtipur get a bird’s eye view of the action in the Nepal-UAE World Cup League 2 match in 2023•Sanjit Pariyar/Getty Images”I have a three-year-old son,” says Sanjay Sharma, who moved from Nepal to Dallas in 2003. “And I definitely want him to get into his cricket. Although he’s born and brought up here, you want that inheritance of a Nepalese identity to come though, right? That’s what happened with the Indian community and that’s what happened with the Pakistani community as well.”The World Cup has galvanised the Nepali population in America, with people travelling from far and wide to support their country as much as to attend a cricket match.”It’s not only the cricket community,” Sharma explained of the crowds you see on TV. “But non-cricketing people as well. Some of them have never watched a game of cricket, but it’s about, ‘Hey, my country’s playing, my birthplace’, so they want to come and witness it and it’s just word of mouth [that makes it spread].”Before the match against Netherlands, hundreds of people attended a fan event hosted in Dallas by cricket broadcaster Andrew Leonard.”We’ve had one in each city,” says Leonard. “Dallas was crazy. It just stops you in your tracks that down there in Texas we had about a thousand people coming in… I spoke to people who’d come from, I think, over 35 of the 50 states.”Leonard is himself Irish but has become an adopted son of Nepal after covering cricket in the country on over 25 occasions. Such is his association with the country, he has been given the nickname – meaning bald older brother – by Nepal fans.You’ll find us everywhere: Nepal fans assert their commitment to their team•ICC/Getty Images”It’s both disparaging and complimentary at the same time,” Leonard laughs. “There was a bit of a controversy over whether or not the fans thought it was okay and whether I would like it, but I love it.”One of the things I adore about Nepal is that they’ve got an incredible sense of humour. And for me, I find them very, very similar to Irish people. They love music, they love a night out, they love a drink, they love their food, they love a bit of craic… I feel very lucky to have been taken in by their fan base.”The passion of that fan base has been evident through this World Cup and it is translating to an increase of Nepali players in local leagues as well as Nepali teams.”It’s unimaginable,” Sharma says of the Nepali cricket scene now in Dallas compared to ten years ago. “I knew a few guys here and there, but a full first team in three or four clubs? No way.”Sharma was himself a co-owner of Lumbini All Stars, a franchise side that won the Nepal T20 league in 2022-23, where the majority of their overseas players were American-based. He is also now the CEO of Dallas All Stars, a side that competes in the T10 US Open, which features several international players.”You cannot guarantee anything, but at the local level of cricket, the more the population is growing, the more interest is generated.”The question of whether cricket will ever succeed in America is a constant one, but you can be sure that if it does, the Nepali community will be a large part of that success.
Nissanka, Embuldeniya are among those who can be a threat in the two-Test series
Andrew Fidel Fernando03-Mar-2022Sri Lanka have landed in India for a two-Test series. They’ve never in their history won a Test in the country. Will this team be the one to change that? On paper, probably not. But this is a very negative way to start a tour, so let’s not go down that route. For the purposes of building hype, let’s talk about four lesser-known players who could, maybe, just about, possibly, get Sri Lanka into good positions, from which, if they’re lucky, they can dream of winning their first Test in the country. (Look, just humour us.)Pathum Nissanka, 23Of all Sri Lanka’s young red-ball batters, Nissanka is the most promising. He has a compact defensive technique against spin, in particular, and good judgement against pace too. He’s only six Tests (10 innings) into his career, but so far, he averages 37.71 in Sri Lanka, and 54.33 (in two matches) in the Caribbean. This is a lot to put on a 23-year-old, but no batting graduate of the Sri Lankan domestic system has seemed more Test-ready than Nissanka, and perhaps this should be no surprise, given he’s scored 3872 first-class runs at 63.72. In recent months, he’s made an impact in the shorter formats too, but it is Tests to which he is most suited. Very rarely do Sri Lanka batters make the transition to internationals as effortlessly as he has so far.Related
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Lasith Embuldeniya, 25In 13 Test matches, Embuldeniya has five five-wicket hauls, and has helped win games in Durban, Harare, and Galle. He’s best when he loops the ball, often getting it to dip just on or outside the off stump, luring batters into big – often fatal – drives. In Sri Lanka, Embuldeniya has usually been especially threatening with the new ball, often getting it to dart away sharply when the seam is hard, which suggests he might enjoy the prouder seam on the SG ball, earlier in an innings. He has not had a lot of success with a straighter ball, however, so he relies heavily on the flight and dip of his stock ball. Praveen Jayawickrama, 23As the majority of India’s expected top eight are likely to be right-handers, Sri Lanka may play two left-arm spinners in the same match, or at least will probably give Jayawickrama a run in one of the matches. Having come into the team because several other spinners ahead of him in the queue were injured, Jayawickrama has produced some good performances in his three-match career. The highlight so far was his match-winning 11-wicket haul against Bangladesh on debut, in Pallekele, last year.Jayawickrama is a different spinner from Embuldeniya in that he is largely quicker through the air, bowls more wicket-to-wicket, and has a better straighter delivery. Expect him to attack the stumps. If he gets among the wickets, it’ll probably be lbw and bowled dismissals. After three Tests, he averages 18.22.Dushmantha Chameera, 30/ Lahiru Kumara, 25These two are in one bracket, because with Suranga Lakmal likely to play both games (he’s the best Sri Lanka seamer of the last few years, and also, it’s his last series), only one of these two younger quicks is likely to play. Both are capable of breaching 145kph, but that’s where the similarities end.Chameera is the more reliable option. He’s capable of being hostile (he’s troubled plenty of batters with his bouncer over the past year), but also can usually stick to a line and length.Kumara, meanwhile, is more wayward, but when the rhythm is right, produces exceptional bursts, delivering especially searing inswing in addition to the sharp back of a length deliveries, plus his bouncers. If he plays, expect him to be the quickest bowler of the series.