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Celtic are reportedly closing in on making their first addition to their ranks on the flanks with the signing of Belgian star Michel-Ange Balikwisha this week.

Sky Sports reports that a fee of £5m has been agreed between the two clubs and that a medical will take place later this week before the move is rubber-stamped and made official.

Brendan Rodgers made it clear earlier this month that he wants the board to bolster his attack with more signings before the window slams shut at the start of next month.

The Hoops boss said: “The squad will hopefully look again different come the end of the window. I think it’s very clear. We need to improve in the front end of the pitch. The attacking department has always, and always will be, the strengths of my teams. We’ve lost important players in that area, and we need to replace players in that area.”

Nicolas Kuhn left to join Como earlier this summer and Jota is due to be out until the turn of the year with an ACL injury, though, which means that Celtic may need more signings than just Balikwisha.

One other option they have been linked with in the attacking midfield positions is Go Ahead Eagles forward Jakob Breum, who could bolster their options out wide.

What Jakob Breum could bring to Celtic

The Denmark U21 international would be an interesting signing for the Hoops, if they are still keen on him, because he is not a typical out-and-out wide player.

Per Transfermarkt, 23 of his 29 starts in the 2024/25 campaign came as an attacking midfielder, with the other six on the left wing. This suggests that his best role in a Rodgers system may be as one of the central midfielders ahead of Callum McGregor, rather than as an out-and-out winger.

Benjamin Nygren, for example, played wide and centrally during his time in Denmark, but has mainly operated as a central midfielder, tasked with scoring and creating goals in central areas, since his move to Parkhead.

Therefore, Breum could arrive at Parkhead as a player who is more likely to impact games as one of the three in midfield than as an out-and-out winger as a replacement for Daizen Maeda, James Forrest, or Hyun-jun Yang.

Appearances

26

xG

6.27

Goals

10

Big chances created

6

Key passes per game

1.6

Assists

5

As you can see in the table above, the Danish attacker performed well as a number ten for Go Ahead Eagles as an efficient finisher who also offered decent creativity at times.

However, Celtic seem to need more of an out-and-out right winger, with Balikwisha coming in on the left, than a number ten option to play over Reo Hatate or Nygren.

It should not be a surprise, therefore, to learn that the Scottish Premiership giants are reportedly looking to bring a natural right winger to the club.

Celtic set to bid for Dutch star

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Celtic are preparing to submit an offer to sign Feyenoord forward Calvin Stengs before the end of the summer transfer window.

Speaking on Football Insider’s podcast, the reporter said: “Stengs is a player that has emerged on Celtic’s radar – he had a difficult season for Feyenoord, a few injury problems, so that may be a concern for Celtic. He’s into the final two years of his contract with Feyenoord, so could be available for a cut-price fee this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

“Celtic are looking at that, seeing there could be real potential to land a former Dutch international for a relatively small fee with a bid imminent.”

O’Rourke has not revealed how much it would take to snap the Feyenoord star up, but it was reported earlier this month that a fee of around £5m could be enough to get a deal done.

It now remains to be seen whether or not this “imminent” bid from the Hoops will be enough to convince the Dutch side to part ways with the left-footed star before the deadline.

Why Celtic should sign Calvin Stengs

The Premiership champions should do everything in their power to ensure that their bid is enough to secure a deal for Stengs because he could be a much-needed addition to the team.

As aforementioned, Celtic do not need a player of Breum’s profile as much as they need a right winger, due to the current make-up of the squad, which is why the Feyenoord ace could be an even better signing for the Hoops this summer.

The 26-year-old dynamo, who scored against Celtic in the Champions League in 2023, could come in as the best option on the right flank ahead of Forrest and Yang, whilst Breum would just be one of a number of decent options in the attacking midfield roles.

Stengs missed 35 games through injury in the 2024/25 campaign, per Transfermarkt, which meant that he was unable to showcase the best of his abilities at the top end of the park last season.

However, the right-sided attacker’s form in the Eredivisie during the 2023/24 campaign, when he was fit for the majority of the season, suggests that he has the quality to be a terrific signing for Celtic.

Appearances

29

xG

5.22

Goals

6

Big chances created

13

xA

8.59

Key passes per game

2.5

Assists

12

As you can see in the table above, Stengs was directly involved in 18 goals, more than Breum’s 15 in the Eredivisie last term, in 29 games for Feyenoord.

The Netherlands international, who was described as a “flamboyant” winger by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is a winger who can provide a huge threat as a creator whilst also finishing chances at an efficient rate.

Yang and Forrest have scored six goals between them in the Premiership since the start of last season, which speaks to their lack of output in the final third, and that is why it is important for the Hoops to bring in a right-sided attacker before the window closes.

Stengs appears to be a player who suits what Celtic need, positionally and quality-wise, and could be a much better signing than Breum, due to his superior numbers in the Eredivisie and his better fit within the current squad.

Nygren repeat: Celtic agree personal terms to sign "creative" forward

Celtic are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign a star who could be a Benjamin Nygren repeat.

2 ByDan Emery Aug 24, 2025

Hobart Hurricanes have called up 13-year-old Mia Barwick to their squad for the T20 Spring Challenge to replace Heather Graham who has traveled to the T20 World Cup after Tayla Vlaeminck’s tournament-ending injury.Barwick is a pace bowler who has impressed in the Cricket Tasmania Premier League and has been involved in the Under-16 and Under-19 Female National Championships.She carried the drinks against Perth Scorchers on Monday and has a chance to feature in the closing stages of the new early-season competition which is acting as preparation to the WBBL.”At only 13 years of age, the Hobart Hurricanes are proud to see a Cricket Tasmania pathways athlete given exposure to the professional game early on in Barwick’s career,” Hurricanes said.With leading Australia players involved at the T20 World Cup and WBBL overseas players yet to join, the T20 Spring Challenge has seen opportunities for a number of young players to come into the squads.At Sydney Sixers, 15-year-old allrounder Caoimhe Bray has made her mark following an impressive outing for Australia Under-19s earlier in the month. Bray took 2 for 19 on debut against ACT before claiming the wicket of Laura Harris when facing Brisbane Heat, the day after Harris had flayed a 46-ball centuryThe Spring Challenge was introduced to make up for the reduction of games in the WBBL which will be played across a 40-game regular season. It had initially been envisaged as a state competition but pressure from New South Wales and Victoria led it to being aligned with WBBL clubs.

Hardik Pandya climbed four places up to No. 3 among T20I allrounders after contributing in India’s win against Bangladesh

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2024

Arshdeep Singh took 3 for 14 in the first T20I against Bangladesh•BCCI

India’s left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh has risen to joint-eighth among bowlers in the latest update to the T20I rankings. This comes on the back of his Player-of-the-Match performance of 3 for 14 in the first T20I against Bangladesh in Gwalior on Sunday. Arshdeep went up by eight places and is level with South Africa’s Anrich Nortje in the top 10. He also achieved his career-best rating points tally – 642.Arshdeep’s team-mate Hardik Pandya, meanwhile, moved up four places to No. 3 among T20I allrounders. After sharing the new ball with Arshdeep and bagging 1 for 26 in four overs against Bangladesh, Pandya smashed an unbeaten 39 off just 16 deliveries. Thirty-two of those runs came in boundaries as India finished the 128-run chase with 49 balls to spare. The win gave India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.While the bowlers’ rankings continue to be led by legspinner Adil Rashid, his England team-mate Liam Livingstone and Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee form the top two on the T20I allrounders’ charts.Full rankings tables

Click here for the full team rankings

Click here for the full player rankings

Ireland trio gain in ODI rankingsIreland beat South Africa by 69 runs to wrap up the ODI series with a consolation win, and batter Curtis Campher, who scored 34 in the win, climbed up two places to No. 62 among batters.Seamers Craig Young and Graham Hume were beneficiaries too, although Ireland lost the series 2-1. Young’s seven wickets in three games – including 3 for 40 in the win – helped him rise 12 spots to No. 44, while Hume, who also bagged 3 for 29 in the third ODI against South Africa, jumped 23 places up to No. 47.

Newcastle United have been put through the wringer this summer, having missed out on key attacking targets in Liam Delap, Bryan Mbeumo, Joao Pedro and now Hugo Ekitike.

However, context is important, and in the latter’s case, Liverpool have moved ahead with a bumper deal after Eddie Howe and co stood firm on their stance that Alexander Isak is not for sale.

Ekitike, valued at €100m (£85m), has handed in a transfer request at Eintracht Frankfurt as he edges closer to Anfield. Thus, Newcastle have turned their attention to Brentford’s Yoane Wissa.

However, the Magpies may be foiled once again with that one.

Newcastle lining up Ekitike alternatives

On Friday afternoon, Manchester United finally achieved a breakthrough in their long pursuit of Bryan Mbeumo, with a £71m fee agreed between the Premier League clubs.

This transfer may run counter to Newcastle’s ambitions regarding Wissa, for the Bees have already lost Thomas Frank and their captain Christian Norgaard, and thus will be loath to part with their central striker too.

Thus, Newcastle need – once again – an alternative.

Well, according to Sport BILD, Howe has lined up Napoli’s Victor Osimhen as an ambitious alternative, with the free-scoring marksman said to be one of the players who is on the Magpies’ ‘radar’.

While the £64m-rated Osimhen is the centre of talks between Napoli and Galatasaray, with whom he spent the 2024/25 season on loan, the allure of the Premier League could work in the Toon’s favour.

Why Newcastle want Victor Osimhen

Osimhen is one of the most feared and famous centre-forwards currently competing in Europe. The end of an unhappy marriage with Napoli led to his loan move to Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Lig, but who can say he hasn’t made good use of the cards dealt?

The prolific star’s meaty haul does suggest that he’s got every bit the clinical nature of Isak, with Statman Dave even commenting that he’s “the best striker on the market” right now.

With Isak’s long-term future a debatable thing, there’s a chance that Osimhen could prove to be not just a fitting replacement but an incredible upgrade. Indeed, his goalscoring consistency can be viewed across a number of years and a number of countries.

24/25 – Galatasaray

41

37

8

23/24 – Napoli

32

17

4

22/23 – Napoli

39

31

5

21/22 – Napoli

32

18

6

20/21 – Napoli

30

10

3

A title winner who is more than just a goalscoring focal point, Osimhen could be the perfect man to add another layer to this incredible Newcastle side.

Isak, a world-class striker, scored 27 goals across 42 matches last season. Osimhen, meanwhile, bagged 37 times over 41 games. Though the Nigerian competed in a division of inferior quality to the Premier League, he scored six goals across seven matches in the Europa League, including a brace in a 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Moreover, Isak’s six Champions League outings in 2023/24 yielded just the one goal, and no assists either. Conversely, Osimhen’s prolificness in the European theatre is underscored further by his record of nine goals and an assist across 17 Champions League fixtures.

And Osimhen could even emulate his positional peer in regard to movement and intelligence. As per FBref, he ranked among the top 4% of strikers across Europe last season for shot-creating actions and the top 18% for progressive carries per 90.

Ultimately, Newcastle have scored a winner by keeping hold of Isak, and in Osimhen, they could land a new number nine to challenge him for that first-choice spot, certainly proving an upgrade on the young Ekitike.

He’s Lewis Miley 2.0: Newcastle agree terms to sign "exciting" sensation

Newcastle are looking to strengthen for the present and the future

ByJoe Nuttall Jul 17, 2025

AC Milan have reportedly entered talks with Liverpool over the loan signing of a “world-class” attacking player in the summer transfer window.

Liverpool rebuff Barcelona approach for Luis Diaz

It has been a busy period for Luis Diaz off the field since the season ended, with doubts persisting over his future at Anfield amid a fresh approach from Barcelona – the Colombian reportedly dreams of playing for the Catalans despite his affinity for the Reds.

The La Liga giants have been rebuffed in their efforts, however, with Liverpool holding firm and saying he isn’t for sale, even though they aren’t planning on handing him a contract extension.

Diaz himself hasn’t exactly poured cold water on a possible Reds exit this summer, though, discussing his future during international duty with Colombia.

“I’m very happy at Liverpool, I’ve always said so. They’ve welcomed me very well from day one. We’re currently in contact with Liverpool because we’re talking to clubs, and that’s normal given the transfer market that’s opening. We’re trying to work out what’s best for us. I’m just waiting to see what happens. If Liverpool gives us a good renewal or I still have the [two] years left with them, I’ll be happy and content there.”

Now, a new exit rumour regarding another Liverpool attacker has emerged, ahead of a summer of change in that area of the pitch.

AC Milan in talks over signing Liverpool forward

According to journalist Orazio Accomando [via Sport Witness], AC Milan are in talks with Liverpool over signing Federico Chiesa on loan this summer.

The 27-year-old is believed to be “open” to the idea of returning to his homeland, but on the flip side, the Reds don’t like the thought of him leaving on a temporary basis, potentially wanting to seal a permanent exit instead.

Chiesa has been disappointing for Liverpool since making a surprise move from Juventus last summer, with injuries not helping him in his efforts to impress Arne Slot.

Just one start came the £150,000-a-week winger’s way in the Premier League in the whole of 2024/25, and a total of only 104 minutes, so there is some sense in allowing him to move on.

That said, keeping hold of Chiesa would still be no bad thing, with the Italian a positive character in the dressing room who has so much ability, with Alessandro Pierini once heaping praise on him during Euro 2020.

“He’s world-class. He has all the ability and desire of a great player. If he improves then he’ll be even better than his father [Enrico]. I have loads of respect for Enrico and all he has done to help Federico come on as a player until now.”

FSG set to grant Liverpool record-breaking £250m+ summer transfer spree

Finance expert Kieran Maguire has shared an exciting update involving Liverpool and this summer transfer window.

By
Brett Worthington

Jun 5, 2025

If the right permanent offer arrives for Chiesa, Liverpool may accept it, but a loan move doesn’t feel like the right choice, so they should retain him for one year if the desired interest doesn’t come.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery will be hoping that missing out on Champions League qualification won’t alter his transfer plans this summer.

The Midlands side will play in the Europa League next season, a competition in which they have a great chance of winning. But will this prospect attract the players Emery wants?

Marcus Rashford returned to Manchester United after the end of his loan spell with Villa. He is valued at £40m by the Red Devils, but with Barcelona interested, Emery might miss out.

Could he perhaps make a move for one of his teammates instead?

Aston Villa transfer news

Bringing Rashford back to Villa Park would be a popular move by the manager, especially given how well the Englishman performed at the club.

It now looks unlikely that he will return, but Emery doesn’t appear to be disheartened, as he eyes a move for Alejandro Garnacho instead.

According to Caught Offside, Villa are exploring a move for the Argentinian sensation this summer in a bid to improve their squad.

The youngster has been told he could leave Old Trafford this summer, although Bayer Leverkusen are keen on signing him. The Bundesliga side are, however, looking for a loan deal, while United would prefer a permanent exit.

It would be a major coup if Emery could lure the player to the Midlands, especially with how highly-rated he is. Much will depend on the fee demanded by Ruben Amorim, as the Midlands club will need to stay within the profit and sustainability regulations.

If he does join, Garnacho could be a better signing than Rashford.

Why Aston Villa must sign Alejandro Garnacho

During his six-month loan spell, Rashford scored four goals and grabbed six assists for Villa, but he missed the final five games of the season due to a hamstring injury.

Throughout the 2024/25 season, Garnacho registered 21 goal contributions – 11 goals and ten assists – for Man Utd. Due to Amorim’s 3-4-3 system, however, he doesn’t fit into his plans.

Comparing Rashford and Garnacho in the PL this season

Metric

Rashford

Garnacho

Goals

6

6

Assists

3

2

Big chances created

8

4

Key passes per game

1.1

1

Successful dribbles per game

0.7

0.7

Shots per game

1.4

2.3

Stats via Sofascore

At the start of last season, Statman Dave heaped praise on the South American starlet, saying he was “generational” and the future looked bright indeed for him at Old Trafford.

Given the fact that he is much younger and holds a higher ceiling for development than Rashford, there is no doubt he would be a much better signing, especially for the long term.

This argument begins to hold more weight when comparing the two players over the 2024/25 season from a domestic point of view.

Garnacho not only registered more shots per 90 (3.44 vs 2.15) than Rashford, but he also recorded more shot-creating actions (86 vs 56), more touches in the attacking penalty area (176 vs 64) and more successful take-ons (26 vs 18).

On this evidence, prioritising the signing of Garnacho rather than that of Rashford should be key for Emery heading into the summer window.

He could thrive if played in the correct system, no doubt about that.

Related Aston Villa exploring deal for £70m "superstar" with more G/A than Rashford

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Posts ByDominic Lund May 30, 2025

No club has been as active in the transfer market as Chelsea in recent years.

Since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed the takeover of the club three years ago, the Blues have signed over 40 first-team players costing in excess of £1bn.

Some of these signings have proved to be major successes, some have come and gone without a trace, while others have proved to be a massive waste of money, with one current squad member, who arrived just last summer, proving to be very reminiscent of, arguably, Chelsea’s worst-ever signing; Danny Drinkwate.

Danny Drinkwater's Chelsea career

Drinkwater will always be remembered in history as a key figure in Leicester City’s momentous Premier League title triumph of 2015/16.

He started 35 league games that season, forming a partnership alongside N’Golo Kanté that many, including Bleacher Report labelled ‘formidable’.

A year later, Drinkwater was reunited with Kanté at Chelsea, the Blues paying a reported £35m to secure his services, but it’s safe to say this move did not pay off, and the table below helps support this assertion.

Appearances

23

Starts

12

Minutes

1,181

Goals

1

Matches an unused sub

12

Matches not in the squad

118

The England international’s final appearance for Chelsea came in the 2018 Community Shield, never seen again in blue after that, spending brief loan spells with Burnley, Aston Villa, Kasımpaşa and Reading, before retiring back in October 2023.

Four Four Two Magazine believes Drinkwater to be Chelsea’s worst-ever signing, noting that few players have ever endured such a career ‘nosedive’, but is a current member of the Blues’ squad in danger of repeating this miserable drop-off?

Chelsea's latest big-money flop

Last summer, Chelsea signed the lesser-spotted Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester City for a reported fee of £30m, thereby reuniting with manager Enzo Maresca who, according to Jacob Steinberg of the Guardian, viewed him as an ‘ideal fit for Chelsea’s style of play’, forecasting he would be a ‘key player’.

Maresca also described the midfielder as “fantastic”, backing him to become an “important” figure.

Well, fair to say, this has not transpired, as the table below outlines.

Appearances

28

14th

Total minutes

1,564

15th

Total starts

17

15th

PL minutes

254

22nd

PL starts

2

2nd

UECL minutes

1,105

1st

UECL starts

12

1st

Total goals

3

12th

Total assists

3

16th

As the table outlines, Dewsbury-Hall has been nothing more than a bit part player in the Premier League this season, starting just two matches, while seeing a miserly 254 minutes on the field, which is fewer than João Félix and Axel Disasi, both of whom were allowed to leave on loan in January.

In the Conference League however, it’s been a completely different story, considering he has started 12 of the Blues’ 13 fixtures to date, introduced at half time of the other, scoring three times, on target during home wins over Gent, Shamrock Rovers and København.

Nevertheless, the 26-year-old surely cannot be happy with this limited role, hence why Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider has reported that he will be ‘available for transfer​​​​​​​’, while Ciaran McCarthy of TEAMtalk adds that the Blues, rather optimistically, will ‘demand’ to recoup the £30m paid for him last summer.

Jonathan Wilson of the Guardian believes Dewsbury-Hall​​​​​​​ will simply never get enough opportunities at Chelsea, so must therefore leave to avoid further stunted development, and the Blues should look to cash in on their depreciating second version of Dewsbury-Hall as soon as possible.

​​​​​​​

Big Colwill upgrade: Chelsea ready to move for "immense" £40m star

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ByBen Gray May 4, 2025

Leeds United picked up an invaluable three points on Tuesday night away from home after a 1-0 win against Middlesbrough. It was never going to be an easy outing for Daniel Farke’s side, with Boro pushing for a playoff spot themselves.

The visitors scored the first, and only, goal of the game in just the second minute. Winger Daniel James was the goalscorer, darting into the box to get on the end of a low cross from loanee Manor Solomon.

It wasn’t the cleanest of finishes from the Welshman, but it was effective and somehow ended up in the back of the net.

Despite the scoreline, it should have been 3-0 to Leeds, although through no fault of their own. They had two goals wrongly ruled out for offside, with Ao Tanaka’s first-half strike getting chalked off and Patrick Bamford suffering the same fate in the second period.

Both players were onside, and both goals should have stood.

Regardless, the Whites held on for a crucial three points, which has swung momentum back their way in the race for automatic promotion. With Sheffield United losing at home to Milwall and Burnley drawing away to Derby County, Leeds are now top of the table again on goal difference.

There were some standout Leeds players in the important win over Boro on Tuesday,

Leeds' best players vs. Middlesborough

On a huge night for Leeds, it needed their most important players to stand up for the count. Well, one of those, Ethan Ampadu, did just that. The Whites’ skipper was excellent at the heart of their defence, continually progressing play forwards throughout the game.

In fact, Isaac Johnson, Leeds reporter for Leeds Live, was very complimentary of the Welshman at full time. He gave Ampadu a 9/10 for his efforts, describing his performance against Boro as a “proper captain’s showing”.

Ampadu was not the only Leeds player who stood out. At the other end of the pitch, it was an eye-catching display from attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson, who looked in much better form than he has shown in recent weeks.

The United States international also received a strong post-match rating from Johnson, who gave Aaronson an 8/10 for his performance at the Riverside Stadium. The journalist said he made some “very neat touches” and that he “took on his man efficiently”.

So, it was certainly a good night at the office for the likes of Ampadu and Aaronson, who helped their side secure a vital three points. However, there were a couple of players who struggled.

Chalkboard

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

Expand Collapse The Leeds midfielders who struggled

Despite the victory, there were times when Leeds lacked control in the middle of the park. Their pivot, made up of Tanaka and Ilia Gruev, did struggle to impart control on the game. The pair received 5/10 ratings at the end of the game from Leeds Live.

Indeed, their stats on Sofascore from the clash at the Riverside reflect those ratings. For example, Tanaka had 51 touches of the ball but lost possession seven times, and Gruev had 70 touches and lost the ball six times.

Tanaka and Gruev key stats vs. Boro

Stat

Tanaka

Gruev

Touches

51

70

Passes completed

33/39

57/61

Duels won

5/9

3/4

Number of times ball lost

7

6

Tackles and interceptions

3

3

Stats from Sofascore

Leeds have struggled for fluency at times this season, and it doesn’t feel like on-pitch relationships have fully developed. There have been occasions where Aaronson and Joel Piroe, for example, have struggled to get the best out of each other. Indeed, the latter has now gone seven games without finding the net.

Well, while Tanaka has been one of the signings of the seasons, his partnership with Gruev doesn’t feel like the best for Farke in the back end of the season.

The pair, who earn £40k per week between them, have only played 14 times together, for a total of 644 minutes. They have only played a full 90 minutes as a pairing on three occasions, in which they are unbeaten, but if you contrast those numbers with Joe Rothwell, for instance, it’s safe to say that pairing is more effective.

They have played 31 times as a midfield combination and only lost on two occasions in which they have started alongside each other.

With the race for automatic promotion set to go down to the wire for Leeds this term, perhaps Farke will not want to take the risk of playing Gruev alongside Tanaka again, given they seem to lack synergy.

It is crunch time for the Yorkshire outfit. Perhaps starting a pivot who have not played much with each other is a risk that is too big to take at this stage of the season. There is no doubting Tanaka and Gruev as individual players, but as a pairing, Leeds have better options.

Related 26 touches, 10 passes: Farke must drop Leeds dud after 2/10 display

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Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb Apr 9, 2025

The batter emerged from a form slump and set up Pakistan’s opening win in the Asia Cup

Shashank Kishore12-Sep-20251:59

Jaffer: Looks like Haris has worked on his game

Mohammad Haris is forever going to be compared to his predecessor, even if their styles may be polar opposites. If he comes off, it’s seen as a vindication in selection. If he doesn’t, there is invariably going to be murmurs about why Mohammad Rizwan’s experience ought to be used better.Rizwan is more of an accumulator, while Haris is synonymous with intent, which brings with it the inherent risk of being hit-or-miss. But when he comes good, he can deliver the thrill. The problem for Pakistan has been that Haris hasn’t been able to come good lately.Since his century against Bangladesh in Lahore in June, Haris had a highest score of 15 in 11 T20I innings until Friday. He had crossed double figures only twice. All through this run, the pitches he largely played on – from Mirpur to Lauderhill to Sharjah – weren’t exactly conducive to strokeplay.Related

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Then there was also the issue of Pakistan struggling to use him effectively. During this string of low scores, he batted everywhere from Nos. 3-8, a yo-yo existence that further added to the scrutiny. His record against spin in this period was also beginning to look suspect – five dismissals in nine innings that fed into the narrative that more accomplished spinners like Kuldeep Yadav or Rashid Khan can work him out.Yet, through this uncertain phase, one man had complete faith in Haris. Mike Hesson has only been in charge since June, but the shades of dominance he had seen sporadically, both at training and during the occasional big knock like that century in Mirpur, gave him the belief here was a talent worth persisting with.And against the ticking clock, on Friday, Haris delivered – a 32-ball half-century that promised much more, but ended on 66. It was, nonetheless, a knock on a slower-than-usual Dubai surface, which would have given him oodles of confidence.The start wasn’t pretty. He crawled to 16 off 18 as Pakistan were slightly hesitant in the first over. But Haris didn’t panic, and he didn’t throw it away. When Aamir Kaleem, nearly 20 years his senior, came on, he launched the left-arm spinner over deep midwicket with a slog sweep.2:08

Samiuddin: Hesson clear with his plans for Pakistan

Then, he produced the shot of the innings – an inside-out drive over extra cover for four. Sixteen runs came off that over, the last of the powerplay, and with it, the mood shifted. From there, Haris found a gear that had been missing for weeks.His next 25 balls brought him 50 runs, including a six that raised his half-century. There was variety and audacity in equal measure. The short-arm jab off seamer Mohammad Nadeem showed he was adept at tackling bounce. With the off-side ring fortified, it was Haris’ way of outsmarting the bowler, as he picked his spot slightly belatedly, but made a sweet connection.Then the sweep off Samay Shrivastava’s legspin exhibited his power and game sense of targeting the shorter boundary. It was as much muscle as it was about game sense. After the game, Haris spoke of how much the innings meant to him.”The confidence and backing is needed for any player,” he said of the 11-match slump since his previous century. “The way the captain and coach, and senior players, backed me, I’m thankful to them. It’s tough when performances don’t come – there’s a lot of criticism to deal with, but I took it positively.”Haris underlined the need to be flexible, but even by those standards, he cheekily took it to an extreme when he said he was ready to bat even at No. 10 if the team asked him to, impressing upon the need to be versatile. “I’ve been working hard with the batting coach, working on my calmness, and how to tackle spin,” he said. “The seniors have been helping, giving advice. I wanted to use all that and deliver for the team.”For now, he has done just that. More than the runs, it was the manner of scoring, the intent, the composure, the sense of belonging that will encourage Pakistan. For a team bold enough to move on from the superstars under a coach keen on giving them a sense of freedom, Haris’ knock was an inkling that the next-gen may be ready to lead the charge and deliver if persisted with.

The Pakistan top-order batter talks about his Test debut, the BPL, and what he needs to become an established international player

Mohammad Isam09-Feb-2024On a crisp Monday morning, Saim Ayub spoke of what he has to do to be a successful international cricketer. A soft-spoken 21-year-old, who seems to be in a bit of a pickle with his batting form, Ayub talked of the importance of the mental aspect of the game.We sat in the reception of the academy building at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. Ayub is playing for Durdanto Dhaka, and when we met, he had only scored 65 runs over three BPL knocks. He added 12 runs in his two remaining innings, finishing on a batting average of 15.40 for the tournament.He didn’t bring great form into the BPL. Ayub had scores of 0 and 33 in his only Test appearance, against Australia, followed by 39 runs in four T20Is against New Zealand.That didn’t stop Mohammad Rizwan, the far more established Pakistan cricketer, who plays for Comilla Victorians in the BPL, from lavishing praise on Ayub, predicting that he would be the next big thing in Pakistan cricket.”These leagues always help young players,” Rizwan said in a press briefing before a Comilla match the day I met Ayub. “We believe that Saim Ayub is the next superstar from Pakistan. If he goes to CPL or plays the BPL, he will be used to those conditions [and] get confidence from here, [read situations] well. If he learns from here, it is fantastic. He can apply it in the Pakistan team as well.”Related

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Ayub himself would demur. He certainly doesn’t think he is the next big thing in Pakistan right now – or anywhere close to being it. He just wants to get it right, and soon, for Pakistan.”All I know is that I have a lot left to do at the international level,” Ayub says. “I have a lot to learn. I need to improve my game a lot, which will help me dominate. I am working on those things.”I learned a lot from failures. Top cricketers told me that you learn more from failures than you learn from success. I am happy that I got failures in my early stage. Now I know what standards I have to reach. If I had early success, I wouldn’t improve in those important areas.”For the Test debut in Sydney, Ayub says he didn’t quite expect to play after missing the first two matches of the series. Now that the debut is out of the way, he has much to ponder.”One and a half years ago, I was watching [the Pakistan team] on TV. I never thought I would play with them so soon. Especially in Tests – I didn’t think it would happen. I had only played 14 first-class matches up till then. I thought I might need a few years to get into the Test team. I thought I’d be working on my technique and mentality.”By Allah’s grace, I got into the team. The Test cap is the most valuable thing to me. I was very excited about it. They suddenly told me. I was surprised. I was ready mentally. I was really happy.”The debut doesn’t happen again, so you have to now look past it. You have to dominate international cricket. There are no more excuses. You have to do it,” he says.”One and a half years ago, I was watching [the Pakistan team] on TV. I never thought I would play with them so soon. I thought I might need a few years to get into the Test team”•Getty ImagesTo that end, he has been widening his range of shots. There was a pick-up off the hips against Matt Henry that went for six – a no-look pull shot over fine leg in the Eden Park T20I.”[A range of shots] is needed in modern cricket. If there are eight zones in the field, I want to be able to hit the ball in all of them. There’s so much analysis in the game these days that you have to stay ahead of it. I want to prepare myself that way.Ayub says that playing Test cricket is his main goal, which he believes will help him as a limited-overs cricketer.”I have the same level of interest in all three formats. I love Tests as much as I love playing T20Is and ODIs. I want to play all three formats. Legends play all three formats. Your white-ball game becomes slightly easier when you play red-ball cricket.At the start of his career too, he was slightly rushed into action. After his time in the Under-19s, the PSL came calling in 2021. It wasn’t quite an auspicious start: he got 114 runs in seven innings.”When I first played PSL, I hadn’t played any domestic T20s. I didn’t play the U-19 World Cup due to injury, so I went directly from U-19 cricket to PSL. It is a big jump. PSL level is almost like international cricket. I would have got some idea about T20s if I had played some domestic [T20] matches. It was three-day and one-day cricket in our U-19 level,” he said.Ayub was starstruck by the big-name players in the PSL. He realised quickly that he needed to change his mindset to do well at that level. “I couldn’t believe I was playing in the PSL, especially when someone like Chris Gayle batted at the other end. I didn’t know what to do. It took me a bit of time to adapt.Ayub is lifted up by his Guyana Amazon Warriors team-mates after he hit the winning six in the 2023 CPL final•Getty Images”At 18 or 19, you can change and adapt quite easily. When you turn 25 or 28, changing something in your skill set becomes difficult. You have to make that change early. It is the mentality that needs enhancement.”It wasn’t that I totally changed my batting. I enhanced some of my skills. I had a bit of skills to work with. I did strike a few fours and sixes in that PSL. I could play a bit. But I didn’t have the mindset about how to think, how to play. My coaches helped me get that focus. Basically I enhanced my mentality about 90%. The other 10%, I worked on my skills,” he says.Ayub says playing the first two seasons of the PSL gave him a better understanding of what playing at the highest level of cricket involves.”You can say that PSL lets you play with similar level of cricketers. You have overseas players as well. You get to practise how to handle pressure. When you get used to it in the PSL, you know what you may be facing at the international level.”Otherwise, cricket-wise it is similar [to the lower levels]. Bowlers and conditions are almost similar. If a bowler is bowling at 150-plus kph [in domestic cricket], he won’t bowl at 160kph at the highest level. It is almost the same, except for handling the pressure,” he says.Although under pressure for his lean batting patch, Ayub has come across as a well-rounded individual. This is his second season in the BPL. He also played in the CPL last year – hitting the winning runs in the final – and is looking to learn from these experiences: not just how to be a better cricketer but to understand and communicate with all kinds of cricketers.On the field with Mosaddek Hossain (left) in the BPL: Ayub managed only 77 runs from five matches for Durdanto Dhaka•Durdanto Dhaka”For me, going around the world to play cricket, I want to experience different conditions, people, situations, grounds. To play in new places, [under] new coaches and meeting new people. It gives new challenges to win matches in different scenarios. It also develops my personality to know how to communicate with people from England, Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India and West Indies. I am very interested in all this, which will allow me to grow.”I like it when people give me love. I was like them, so I shouldn’t forget where I have come from. I never will.”I don’t use my social media. Someone else manages my account. I don’t have social media on my phone. I don’t use it. I am done with it. I don’t like it,” he says.Ayub will find as he goes along that social media is unavoidable. He will find out that on-field pressure sometimes gets mixed up with off-field drama. And that that is not confined to Pakistan cricket alone.Rizwan may have billed him as the next superstar, but it’s not an assessment Ayub shares. Still, he is at a point where he is assured about his talent. Now it is up to him to convert it to big runs.It all starts from zero, even for the biggest cricketers. Saim Ayub can give it a try too.