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Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta, after a hectic summer transfer window, is maintaining his busy schedule behind-the-scenes long after the summer transfer window’s closure.

Mikel Arteta was backed with eight summer signings costing north of £250 million, including the addition of talismanic striker Viktor Gyokeres and England international playmaker Eberechi Eze.

Arsenal’s confirmed summer signings

Price tag

Kepa Arrizabalaga

£5m

Martin Zubimendi

£60m

Christian Norgaard

£15m

Noni Madueke

£52m

Cristhian Mosquera

£13m

Viktor Gyokeres

£55m

Eberechi Eze

£67.5m

Piero Hincapie

Loan

The on-pitch result of these key deals will be crucial in determining whether the Gunners can end their long wait for a Premier League title, which has now spanned 21 years, and the pressure is on Arteta to deliver silverware with no place to hide.

Arsenal take on Nottingham Forest, now managed by former Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, this Saturday and only a victory will do to recover from their damning 1-0 defeat against English champions Liverpool prior to the international break.

That being said, whilst Arteta has been backed to the hilt, the Spaniard does have injury problems to contend with.

William Saliba and Bukayo Saka will be out for the foreseeable future alongside Kai Havertz, who is expected to be out for many weeks after undergoing knee surgery.

The German’s injury prompted Berta to hijack Tottenham’s once-advanced deal for Eze, and Arteta couldn’t predict the number of months he’ll be out for when speaking about Havertz at a recent press conference.

Havertz isn’t the only versatile forward out of action right now, as Arsenal continue to wait for Gabriel Jesus’ return to the fold.

The Brazilian enjoyed a terrific purple patch of form midway through last season, but unfortunately ruptured his ACL during an FA Cup defeat to Man United in January — ending Jesus’ season as he still continues to recover.

Jesus might not be back for Arsenal until 2026, by which time the former Man City striker may not even be at the club anymore.

Arsenal could now sell Gabriel Jesus in January

As per Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, Arsenal are planning to potentially sell Jesus in the January transfer window, and could be one of two “big name” players to make way alongside Leandro Trossard.

Even once the £265,000-per-week star returns to full fitness, he is expected to be behind both Havertz and Gyokeres in the pecking order — meaning that the writing could be on the wall for Jesus’ departure next year.

Given their seismic summer investment, it is highly likely that Berta will be forced to sell if he wishes to add players mid-season — with Jesus and Trossard coming as the most likely sacrifices alongside Gabriel Martinelli.

According to other reports, Martinelli could also be sold by Arsenal in January, as the Gunners maintain an interest in Real Madrid star Rodrygo.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has warned the Eagles they will be in “big trouble” if they lose captain Marc Guehi before making any further signings.

Eze to leave Crystal Palace for Arsenal

Despite winning the FA Cup and Community Shield, it has been a frustrating summer for those at Selhurst Park. Not much money has been spent, they have been demoted to the Europa Conference League from the Europa League and are now set to lose star attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze.

Eze, who was not involved in the 1-0 Conference League first-leg play-off victory over Fredrikstad, is expected to complete a £60million move to Arsenal.

Talking about Eze’s absence on Thursday evening, Glasner said he revealed he received a phone call from Eze, who said he was not feeling well enough to play.

“I’m responsible for Crystal Palace and I think he won’t play for us again,” said Glasner when asked to confirm whether Eze was heading to the Emirates Stadium. “So I have to prepare the team for Nottingham (Forest, in the Premier League on Sunday) and for the second leg against Fredrikstad, and I’m planning without Eberechi.”

Walter Benitez

PSV Eindhoven

Free

Borna Sosa

Ajax

£3m

Quizzed as to whether Eze was feeling physically or mentally unwell, the Palace boss merely replied: “You have to ask him. Maybe in a few days (you can ask).”

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ByJoe Nuttall Aug 21, 2025 Glasner makes Guehi claim amid Liverpool links

Meanwhile, Guehi, who did play against Fredrikstad, has been linked with a move to Liverpool before the deadline closes. However, talking after the first leg victory, Glasner said Palace would be in “big trouble” if they sold Guehi before replacing him.

Asked if he was referring to just the return trip to Fredrikstad or the whole season, Glasner continued.

Wolverhampton Wanderers haven’t enjoyed the best of starts to the new Premier League campaign, having been thrashed by Manchester City before losing at Bournemouth by a one-goal margin, under the cosh for much of the contest.

Panic stations? Hardly. Wolves showed their quality and spirit when overcoming West Ham United in the midweek Carabao Cup clash, and have the chance to get their league season up and running when welcoming Everton to Molineux on Saturday.

One of the potential sticking points in mounting fluency and consistency over the coming months is the thought of losing goalscoring talisman Jørgen Strand Larsen, who is the subject of a flurry of bids from Newcastle United as the window winds down.

Strand Larsen's Wolves future

Wolves chairman Jeff Shi is adamant that Strand Larsen is going nowhere this summer, but the centre-forward has politely requested to join Newcastle United, who have seen three quick-succession bids – the latest of which worth £60m – rejected for the 25-year-old.

Having seen his loan spell made permanent this summer, you can understand the hierarchy’s stance, but every eventuality must be accounted for.

Wolves need to sign another striker, not least because Vitor Pereira lost Matheus Cunha to Manchester United a few months ago.

Well, according to Fabrizio Romano, Wolves have opened talks with Belgian club Genk for striker Tolu Arokodare, insinuating that pace is gathering on the Strand Larsen front, even if the Old Gold are maintaining their stance that the Norwegian is not for sale.

Valued at £25m, Fulham have also registered their interest in the Nigerian number nine this summer, but Wolves appear to hold the lead in the race at his late stage.

What Tolu Arokodare would bring to Wolves

Strand Larsen has played an important part for Wolves since joining from Celta Vigo last summer, scoring 14 goals as Pereira’s side staved off the threat of relegation that served as a backdrop to the campaign.

If he does end up leaving for St. James’ Park, Wolves would need an adequate replacement, and Arokodare has the skills to thrive in his stead, having scored 17 goals in 2024/25 to stand proud as the Juliper Pro League top scorer.

Genk manager Thorsten Fink was full of praise when discussing his marksman, hailing him as a “top striker” and drawing attention to his pace, power, height and two-footedness.

In that regard, the 24-year-old would appear a natural successor to Wolves’ current frontman, whose mobility and presence on the ball have allowed him to dovetail into Premier League life.

Hitherto a loanee in Germany and France, Arokodare has settled in Belgium, going from strength to strength. Across his 113 matches with Genk, who have won two of the past three league titles, the towering ace has scored 41 goals and has supplied 12 assists.

For sure, there’s more still to come. He’s not the most clinical, missing a slew of big chances across the recent season, but his thirst for success in the final third lends itself to a constant stream of goals.

With such a robust and focused style, he could easily replace Strand Larsen at Molineux, should push come to shove, having proven himself to be even more prolific than Wolves’ current marksman, across the last 365 days.

Goals

0.45

0.62

Assists

0.14

0.22

Shots taken

1.96

4.98

Touches (att pen)

3.78

8.73

Shot-creating actions

1.43

3.40

Pass completion

65.1%

74.9%

Progressive passes

1.01

1.32

Progressive carries

0.56

1.15

Successful take-ons

0.24

0.88

Aerial duels

2.41

4.41

Arokodare’s prowess as Genk’s striker comes with the caveat that he has, of course, been plying his trade at a different level than the Premier League, whereas Strand Larsen has leapt right into the ostensibly toughest division out there.

But still. There’s no denying that the rising goalscorer shares some interesting properties with Strand Larsen, and that Wolves could strike gold by sealing his signature in the coming days and turning a hefty profit on their current number nine.

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Tottenham Hotspur’s business in the transfer market over the last couple of years has been seriously impressive, helping the club end the 17-year wait for any form of silverware.

Attention has been turned to investing in younger talents, buying them at bargain prices and allowing them to develop and improve to reach their full potential in North London.

The likes of Pape Sarr and Lucas Bergvall are just two examples, with the pair featuring in a combined tally of 100 outings between them despite their tender ages.

Both have shown the rewards their current recruitment focus could yield if done correctly, with Thomas Frank needing to continue such a trend ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

However, they’ve also spent big in the past, as seen by Mohammed Kudus’ £55m transfer from West Ham United this window, with other big-money additions also being lined up.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for Morgan Gibbs-White

Two weeks ago, Spurs triggered the £60m release clause in Morgan Gibbs-White’s contract at Nottingham Forest, with a deal expected to progress after such a move.

However, that switch swiftly ground to a halt after Reds owner Evangelos Marinakis raised an issue with the transfer, claiming that the Lilywhites made an illegal approach for his signature.

No one even knew that the England international had an option in his current deal, entering talks with the player and his agent without the approval of his current employers.

It had subsequently been reported that the 25-year-old remained keen on a move to North London this summer, although the latest developments appear to suggest otherwise.

Having travelled with the Forest squad on their pre-season tour of Portugal, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man has since quashed any speculation after penning a new deal with the Tricky Trees.

The playmaker has committed his future to City Ground until 2028, with journalist Fabrizio Romano outlining that a move to Spurs is now “off”.

The Spurs player who’s already worth more than Gibbs-White

With Gibbs-White undoubtedly one of the hierarchy’s main targets this summer, other options will likely be drawn up as a result of his decision to stay put in Nottingham.

However, trust should be placed in the recruitment team to make the right call, something which they’ve done as seen by their recent success rate in the market.

As previously mentioned, with the likes of Bergvall and Sarr, the club have got it right in previous times, just like they have with winger Brennan Johnson, who’s excelled at the club in recent months.

The Welsh international arrived in a £47.5m deal from Forest back in the summer of 2023, with such a price tag appearing a huge chunk given he’d only had one prior year of top-flight experience.

However, a couple of years on from his transfer, it appears to be a shrewd piece of business, racking up a total of 23 goals within his 85 appearances for the club.

18 of which came in the most recent campaign, subsequently proving all of his doubters wrong after he was forced to deactivate his social media accounts following abuse from supporters for his lack of impact.

The 24-year-old is also responsible for one of the biggest moments in the club’s recent history, scoring the winner in the Europa League final – topping off a dream campaign for the youngster.

As a result of his rise in the last few months, Johnson, who’s been labelled “unbelievable” by international teammate Aaron Ramsey, is now valued at a staggering €75m (£66m) by CIES Football Observatory.

His subsequent value is higher than that of Gibbs-White, who’s deemed to be worth £60m due to his release clause, showcasing the phenomenal rise he’s endured during his time at the Lilywhites.

If he can continue his incredible form into the 2025/26 campaign, he will be a key player in Frank’s quest to lead the side up the Premier League table.

The prospect of Johnson linking up with Gibbs-White once again after their time at the City Ground was certainly an exciting one, although the former teammates will remain foes against next season.

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Jayden Goodwin and Hilton Cartwright will look to extend their strong partnership for WA, who moved to within 87 of Tasmania’s first-innings total in Hobart

AAP02-Nov-2024Hilton Cartwright was fortunate to survive a seemingly regulation caught-behind decision late on day two as Western Australia seized control of their Sheffield Shield clash with Tasmania at Bellerive Oval.After Sam Fanning (68) laid a stoic early platform, Jayden Goodwin (73 not out) and Cartwright (48n not out) helped lift WA to 220 for 2 at stumps on Saturday, 87 runs short of Tasmania’s 317.WA will look to erase the deficit early on Sunday before aiming to construct a match-winning lead.Inside the last half-hour of play on Saturday, after a tough day of toil for the home side’s bowlers, Mitchell Owen drew a thick edge from Cartwright, who was on 38, which was pouched low but cleanly by wicketkeeper Jake Doran.The umpires got together before confirming, to Tasmania’s shock, that the original not-out decision would stand.Goodwin and Cartwright have combined for an unbeaten 91-run third-wicket stand, accelerating late after two sessions of attritional grind.”We’ve got two guys who are set at the crease, so I think we’re in a strong position,” Fanning said. “If we want to move the game forward, I think it’s in our hands. We’re set nicely.”

Edged? Bump ball? Did it carry? #SheffieldShield

Day two report from Hobart: https://t.co/4TOczyxq8y pic.twitter.com/TezrybsPIm

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 2, 2024

Tasmania’s lower order spent 17.3 overs poking around for 15 runs, after resuming on 302 for 7, before WA crawled to 23 without loss at lunch in reply. The opening session reaping just 38 runs from 28.3 painstaking overs.Lawrence Neil-Smith made six of 77 balls, while Kieran Elliott’s 77-ball stay ended on 21 thanks to a marvellous one-handed slips catch from Cameron Gannon.Teague Wyllie (22) was the only WA batter to fall before tea, trapped plumb lbw by left-arm orthodox spinner Matthew Kuhnemann.Fanning dominated the 70-run first-wicket union with Wyllie and moved to his highest first-class score before chasing a wide half-volley from Bradley Hope, which he feathered to Doran.”I see a pathway for us to victory – four overs to go before the new ball,” Kuhnemann said. If we can take some wickets early tomorrow and put some pressure on, day three is moving day. I think the bowlers did a decent job, but tomorrow’s a massive day for us.”

Arsenal are now keen on signing a Premier League striker who has a £70m asking price, with his club now willing to sanction a departure this summer, according to a report.

Gunners' striker pursuit rumbles on

There have been persistent calls for Mikel Arteta to sign a striker for quite some time now, although Ian Wright has stressed the importance of signing the right player, rather than rushing into any decision.

The Gunners legend said: “I think that the worry [for Arsenal] more than anything is that you can go out there and pay 60, 70, 80 for a striker and it doesn’t work. I don’t think Arsenal can afford to get that striker that doesn’t hit the ground running for them.

“They have to get the one that they want, and maybe that is what Mikel is doing, and in the meantime, he’s trying to get by and again we’ve fallen short of it.”

With the summer transfer window now rapidly approaching, there is certainly no shortage of options on the shortlist, with recruitment chiefs searching far and wide for a new forward, who could be the final piece of the jigsaw for Arteta’s side.

Target

Current club

Potential cost

Benjamin Sesko

RB Leipzig

£70m

Viktor Gyokeres

Sporting CP

£67m

Hugo Ekitike

Eintracht Frankfurt

£84m

Julian Alvarez

Atletico Madrid

£126m

There are also options from within the Premier League, however, and a report from The Sun has revealed Arsenal are now keen on signing Brighton & Hove Albion striker Joao Pedro, with the Seagulls willing to cash-in for £70m this summer.

Newcastle United and Aston Villa are also credited with an interest in Pedro, while Chelsea are known to have made a £51m bid for the forward recently, with the Blues still looking to sign a striker despite advancing towards a deal for Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap.

"Special" Pedro enjoyed impressive 24/25 campaign

It could make sense for Arsenal to bring in a striker who is already proven in the Premier League, and the Brighton star fits the bill in that regard, having picked up ten goals and six assists in 27 matches during the 2024-25 campaign.

Presenter Sam Ucko has also been left impressed by the Brazilian in the past, describing him as a “special player”, who will “go to the very top”.

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That said, there are doubts over whether the 23-year-old would be capable of taking Arsenal’s attack to the next level, given that he is not an out-and-out striker, ranking in just the 19th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year.

Instead, it may be suitable to bring in a striker who is clinical in front of goal, and the Gunners have now agreed personal terms with Gyokeres, who scored 39 goals in 33 games for Liga Portugal title-winners Sporting CP.

Leicester City appear to have their eyes on a new 4-2-3-1 manager who could come in to replace Ruud van Nistelrooy at the King Power Stadium.

Update on Van Nistelrooy’s future at Leicester City after unwanted record

It has been a hugely disappointing campaign for the Foxes, who are on course for an immediate return to the Championship from the Premier League.

Van Nistelrooy’s side fell to a 3-0 defeat last time out, a record eighth successive top-flight loss at home where Leicester have failed to score a goal.

That is an unwanted record, and there has been plenty of speculation regarding Van Nistelrooy’s future at Leicester.

Talking to Leicester City news, Graeme Bailey said that it is “highly unlikely” Van Nistelrooy remains in charge following Leicester’s pending relegation.

“Ruud van Nistelrooy’s future has not officially been decided, but I am told at this point it is highly unlikely he continues, not impossible, but unlikely.

“He was not backed in January, and some would argue his position has been almost untenable since that failure from those above him, although there is also a feeling in the squad that they did not perform at their best.”

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And the reporter has also shared a potential managerial target for the Foxes.

Leicester eyeing up Rosenior as replacement for Van Nistelrooy

Bailey added that Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior could be a potential candidate to replace Van Nistelrooy at the King Power Stadium ahead of the 2025/26 season.

“There is no denying that work is already being done on possible candidates to replace him. I would keep an eye on Liam Rosenior for sure, his stock is massively high. We know Southampton like him, and so no shock that Leicester would be looking, but don’t rule out Chelsea/BlueCo from tying him down to a new long-term deal too.”

The 40-year-old, formerly of Derby County and Hull City, has been impressing in France with Strasbourg and actually shares the same Wasserman agency as Leicester legend Jamie Vardy.

Rosenior, who plays a 4-2-3-1 system, as per Transfermarkt, has Strasbourg occupying a Champions League spot in Ligue 1 with just six games remaining.

He has been linked with Southampton and previously came in for praise from Clinton Morrison, who said: “I actually think he’s a top manager. I spoke to a few people at Derby. He was unlucky to lose his job, the players respected him. He’s one of the best coaches ever.”

However, with Rosenior potentially in charge of a Champions League team next season, a drop down to the Championship could be a hard sell for Leicester.

All the stats from an extraordinary batting onslaught in the second T20I at Old Trafford

Sampath Bandarupalli12-Sep-2025304 for 2 England’s total in the second T20I against South Africa at Manchester. It is their highest total in men’s T20Is and the third highest by any team in the format.Zimbabwe’s 344 for 4 against Gambia in 2024 and Nepal’s 314 for 3 against Mongolia in 2023 are the higher totals.England’s total is also the fourth-highest in all men’s T20s and the highest in England, surpassing Somerset’s 265 for 5 against Derbyshire in 2022.141* Phil Salt’s score against South Africa is the highest for England in men’s T20Is, surpassing his own score of 119 against West Indies in 2023. It is also the seventh-highest individual score in men’s T20Is and the highest against South Africa.228 Runs scored off boundaries by England batters on Friday, the third-most by a team in a men’s T20I. Zimbabwe scored 282 runs off boundaries against Gambia during their record total, while India scored 232 boundary runs against Bangladesh in last year’s Hyderabad T20I.ESPNcricinfo LtdEngland batters hit 30 fours against South Africa, the joint-most by any team in a men’s T20I. The 48 boundaries they hit, including 18 sixes, are the second-most, behind the 57 by Zimbabwe (30 fours and 27 sixes) against Gambia.146 England’s margin of win by runs against South Africa is their biggest in men’s T20Is. It is also the heaviest defeat by runs for South Africa in this format.The margin of 146 runs is the third-biggest in a men’s T20I between two Full Member teams, behind India’s 168-run win against New Zealand in 2023 and their 150-run win against England earlier this year.462 Runs aggregated by England and South Africa at Manchester on Friday, the most for a men’s T20I match in England. It is also the eighth-most aggregated match in men’s T20I cricket.ESPNcricinfo Ltd39 Balls that Salt needed to complete his hundred, the fastest for England in men’s T20Is. The previous quickest was off 42 balls by Liam Livingstone against Pakistan at Nottingham in 2021.3 South Africa bowlers conceded 60-plus runs in England’s innings – Kagiso Rabada (70), Marco Jansen (60) and Lizaad Williams (62). It is the first instance of three bowlers conceding 60-plus runs in an innings in all men’s T20s.4 Number of hundreds for Salt in his 45-match T20I career. Only Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell, five each, are ahead of Salt, while Suryakumar Yadav also has four tons.16.2 Overs needed for England to bring up 250, the joint-fastest team 250 in men’s T20Is, where ball-by-ball data is available. Zimbabwe also reached the 250-run mark in 16.2 overs against Gambia last year.12.1 Overs that England needed to reach the 200-run mark. Only one team got there quicker in men’s T20Is – in 11.5 overs by Turkey against Bulgaria earlier this year (where ball-by-ball data is available). The fastest team 200 in all men’s T20s is off 10.5 overs by Baroda against Sikkim in 2024.England reached the 150-mark in 9 overs, which is also the second-fastest in men’s T20Is, behind Turkey’s effort in 8.3 overs against Bulgaria in that game.ESPNcricinfo Ltd166 for 1 England’s total at the halfway point of their innings, the second-highest by any team in men’s T20Is, a run behind Turkey’s 167 for 1 against Bulgaria (where ball-by-ball data is available).100 for 0 England’s total in the powerplay at Manchester is their highest in that phase in men’s T20Is. England’s effort is only the seventh instance of a three-figure total in the powerplay in men’s T20Is (where ball-by-ball data is available).Only one of the previous six has been against a full-member team – 102 for 0 by South Africa against West Indies in 2023.2 Salt and Jos Buttler are only the second opening pair to score fifties in 20 or fewer balls in men’s T20Is (where ball-by-ball data is available). Romania’s Taranjeet Singh and Ramesh Satheesan were the first to do so, against Serbia in 2021.70 Runs conceded by Rabada in his four overs, the most by a bowler for South Africa in a men’s T20I. Kyle Abbott’s 68 against West Indies in 2015 were the previous most. Rabada’s 70 runs are also the joint-fifth most conceded by a bowler in a men’s T20I.Rabada conceded only seven runs in his first over, but the next three overs went for 20, 23, and 20 runs, respectively, making him the first bowler to concede 20-plus runs in three different overs in a men’s T20I.2.1 Overs in which Williams conceded 50 runs. Only two bowlers conceded 50 runs in a quicker time in a men’s T20I than Williams (where ball-by-ball data is available).Romania’s Vasu Saini gave away 50 runs in only 1.4 overs against Belgium earlier this year, while Mongolia’s Mungun Altankhuyag conceded 50 in 2 overs against Nepal in 2023.

Both teams have had a forgettable few months, and now fresh challenges await in Khettarama

Andrew Fidel Fernando05-Jan-2024Like cartoon villains hanging in mid-air having just run off the edge of a cliff, both Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe could have big, dramatic drops in their near future.Sri Lanka bombed their World Cup campaign to finish ninth and failed to qualify for the Champions Trophy in 2025. Zimbabwe are smarting from even bigger failures – first, they did not qualify for last year’s ODI World Cup despite being hosts for the qualifying tournament, and, more recently they have fallen short of making it to the upcoming T20 World Cup. This series – three ODIs and three T20Is, all at Khettarama – provides both teams with the opportunity to claw back some credibility.For Sri Lanka, nothing short of a dominant performance across both series will do. There will be some pressure on new ODI captain Kusal Mendis and new T20I captain Wanindu Hasaranga to begin their tenures on bright notes. Zimbabwe had historically been a challenge that Sri Lanka brushes off, but in recent years these teams have come much closer together largely through Sri Lanka’s long-term decline. Since 2017, Zimbabwe have won five of these teams’ 11 ODIs, even winning a series. All but three of those matches were played in Sri Lanka. (In T20Is, these teams have not played each other since 2012.)Zimbabwe are just looking for something to celebrate. They’ve lost their four most recent ODIs and in the T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier, the losses to Namibia and Uganda which prevented their qualification for this year’s big ICC event, will haunt them for some time.On Khettarama tracks that are likely to be low and slow as usual, here are four questions that could define the contest.How will Zimbabwe’s top order cope?
Since January 2023, no Zimbabwe batter has scored anywhere nearly as heavily as Sean Williams, who produced 720 at an average of 90, and a strike rate of 129. He has not travelled with the team, due to injury though, leaving the likes of captain Craig Ervine, Ryan Burl, and Sikandar Raza to feel the pressure of keeping the batting afloat. Wessly Madhevere is also absent after he breached anti-doping rules.Related

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Fernando, Dananjaya, Vandersay back in Sri Lanka ODI squad for Zimbabwe series

Can Dilshan Madushanka sustain his excellence?
If there was one silver lining to Sri Lanka’s torrid World Cup campaign, it was the 21 wickets provided by left-arm quick Madushanka. Those heroics have since earned him a contract worth more than USD 550,000 with Mumbai Indians, but he remains only a fledgling bowler at international level with 15 ODIs under his belt. He and Dushmantha Chameera – who also bowls at faster than 140kph – are both fit for the ODIs, and if at their best, will pose a serious dual threat with the new ball.Dasun Shanaka comes on the back of a decent List-A season•AFP/Getty ImagesCan Sri Lanka find more urgency with the bat?
While Zimbabwe need substance, many of Sri Lanka’s problems in the World Cup had to do with their rate of scoring, with problems around finishing in particular. The new selectors have added Avishka Fernando back into the mix and named Nuwanidu Fernando, and Janith Liyanage in the squad – all batters capable of scoring quickly at the domestic level.Dasun Shanaka, freshly ousted as captain, is still in the squad too and has been having a decent domestic List A season. He is likely to be the first-choice finisher in the ODIs, with Wanindu Hasaranga still under an injury cloud. Sri Lanka need their boundary hitters to bring the team’s scoring rates up to where the best white-ball teams operate.Can Zimbabwe’s bowlers turn their results around in SL?
Left-arm seamer Richard Ngarava has six wickets on the island at an average of 23.83, but aside from him, the other bowlers’ numbers on in Sri Lanka are unimpressive. Blessing Muzarabani averages 35.40, Raza 56, and Wellington Masakadza 105. Although Zimbabwe won an ODI series in Sri Lanka in 2017, that win had been largely down to their batting. With the square at Khettarama likely to wear as these series go on, we may be in for matches where bowlers chiefly define the outcome.

The season has also witnessed a record-breaking 29 straight games in which teams have opted to chase

Gaurav Sundararaman18-Apr-20228:18

IPL 2022 trends: Pain at the death for the bowlers

The 2022 IPL has almost reached the halfway stage and there are some clear trends emerging. Retained players are performing below par, uncapped Indians are doing very well, bowling in the death overs is a struggle, and teams are reluctant to bat first after winning the toss. We dig a bit deeper. Retained players struggling for form At the end of 29 matches, a few franchises must be pretty disappointed with the performances of their retained picks. Moeen Ali for Chennai Super Kings, Mohammad Siraj and Virat Kohli for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard for Mumbai Indians and Axar Patel for Delhi Capitals are some of the retained players who have been below par. The likes of Abdul Samad, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Anrich Nortje are not finding a spot in the XI. Both Mumbai and Super Kings find themselves at the bottom of the pack probably due to the failure of these key players. In contrast, the players that were picked through the draft for the new franchises have had a good tournament so far. The two new teams are one and two respectively in the points table. The retained players often form the core of the franchise and their form would be vital as the tournament moves towards the business end.ESPNcricinfo Ltd Uncapped Indians thrive under pressure There was some scepticism on how a ten-team IPL would affect the quality of the league. However, the league has thrived with some amazing uncapped talents showcasing no nerves. The likes of Jitesh Sharma, Tilak Verma, Dewald Brevis, Vaibhav Arora, Abhinav Manohar and Ayush Badoni have all seamlessly transitioned to the big stage confidently. In an eight-team IPL, these players may not have got enough game time but the larger pool has allowed these talents to flourish. The pitches and conditions have also been batting-friendly thereby helping these youngsters to be aggressive. Most of the above players have struck at over 150 in their first season and also have come in at difficult situations and performed. The overseas players seem to be the ones under pressure to keep their spots with more teams looking to back the Indian talent and not playing the full quota of overseas players. Mumbai have not played Tim David in spite of buying him for INR 8.5 crores at the auction. This season has already seen 11 instances of teams not using their four overseas players which is the most across all seasons after 29 games. Win toss, bowl first This season has witnessed a record-breaking 29 consecutive games in which the captains have won the toss and chosen to chase. In the last 12 games, the results have been spread evenly with teams batting first winning six and teams chasing winning six. Teams are just reluctant to choose to bat first irrespective of the way the results have gone. Teams are reluctant to go against the dew. Shane Watson, the assistant coach of Delhi Capitals in Podcast said that it was impossible to predict when dew would set and when it would not. As a result the captains are not willing to risk the option of batting first and are happy to know what the target is to plan their innings.ESPNcricinfo LtdScore big at the death The death overs (17-20) run-rate of 11.53 is the highest so far across any IPL season after 29 games. This means teams are on an average scoring 47 runs in the last four overs. In most of the previous seasons, teams scored at an average of 10 runs per over in the death. The 2020 season in UAE and this current season are the ones in which the run-rate at the death has gone over 11.5.Related

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Death overs bowling with dew and short boundaries have made it very hard for the bowlers to make an impact. As per ESPNcricinfo’s logs, the yorker and short-of-good-length balls have given the best results. While the yorker length has gone just for 5.76 runs per over the short-of-good-length has gone for just 8.76 runs per over. But we have seen a lot of bowlers fail to execute the yorker with the wet ball. There have been 16 instances in which a bowler has conceded more than 20 runs in the last four overs. The traditional death bowlers have all struggled to maintain consistency in these tough conditions.