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Shahidi and Afghanistan show Bangladesh how to get out of trouble

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Both teams found themselves in similar situations in the opening ODI in Sharjah but only one found their way out

Mohammad Isam07-Nov-2024Afghanistan, one could say, had no business winning the first ODI against Bangladesh in Sharjah, especially given they were 71 for 5 at one point, and then saw Bangladesh cruise to 120 for 2 in a chase of 236. However, led by the astute captaincy of Hashmatullah Shahidi, who first rescued them with 52 and then rotated his spinners smartly, Afghanistan showed their opposition how one can recover after faltering, and even register a big win of 92 runs.When Mohammad Nabi joined Shahidi at the fall of the fifth wicket in the 20th over, they took stock of the situation before rebuilding with singles and twos, quietly blunting the Bangladesh spinners. The seven fours during their brisk partnership of 104 off 122 balls spoke volumes of not just their approach to conserve wickets, but believing in the old-fashioned route of holding back the big hits for the end. The experienced duo took Afghanistan to 175 in the 41st over, setting the base for the lower order to score 66 runs in the last ten and post a respectable total.That was in sharp contrast to how the Bangladesh chase unfolded. They had the advantage of two 50-plus stands from the top four – captain Najmul Hossain Shanto added 53 with Soumya Sarkar and then 55 with Mehidy Hasan Miraz. When Shanto and Mehidy were milking runs in their third-wicket stand, Bangladesh looked set for a smooth chase.Related

Bangladesh lose 8 for 23 as Ghazanfar spins Afghanistan to victory

But Shahidi’s knowledge of the his spinners and the Sharjah conditions engineered a spectacular Bangladesh batting collapse. His rotation of the spinners kept everyone guessing. There was even a moment during the chase when one of the TV commentators questioned why offspinner AM Ghazanfar, who opened the bowling with Fazalhaq Farooqi, was being held back after his first spell of 4-1-21-1 ended in the ninth over. Shahidi, though, knew what he was doing.His plan was to use their ace spinner Rashid Khan as his most attacking option, while bowling Nabi sparingly due to his cramps, and left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote as his defensive bowler until the 30th over. And then he would being Ghazanfar back. Shahidi wanted Rashid, Nabi and Kharote to dry up the runs to set the stage for Ghazanfar to beguile the Bangladesh middle and lower order.While Ghazanfar was away, Shahidi made a few field changes – he kept a slip for Nabi while pushing mid-off back and jogged to short fine leg. To entice a big shot from Shanto, Nabi tossed up a slow offbreak that spun away from him. Shanto swiped at it and top-edged it towards short fine leg, where Shahidi juggled four times before completing the catch.Five overs later, in the 31st, Shahidi brought back Ghazanfar who removed the other set batter, Mehidy, who top-edged a sweep and Azmatullah Omarzai took a superb diving catch in the deep. And Bangladesh’s batting unravelled.It was surprising to see Mushfiqur Rahim bat at No. 7 – for the first time in nine years. Perhaps he was tired after keeping wickets for 50 overs. He and Mahmudullah, the other experienced batter in the middle order, lasted all of eight balls combined. It’s possible Mushfiqur came lower down because Bangladesh wanted to counter the Rashid threat with Mehidy at No. 4, as he is the only batter in ODIs who has faced at least 100 balls from Rashid without getting dismissed. On the contrary, Rashid had dismissed Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah for a combined six times in ODIs until Wednesday.Hashmatullah Shahidi bailed his team out of trouble in the first ODI•ACBBut the tactic didn’t work because once Mehidy fell to Ghazanfar, Shahidi brought on Rashid from the other end and the legspinner outfoxed Mahmudullah with a googly. Mushfiqur did not even last until Rashid’s next over and was stumped off a Ghazanfar carrom ball.Ghazanfar took five wickets for just 15 runs in 15 balls in his second spell, leaving the Bangladesh batters in a quivering mess. The 18-year-old enjoyed every bit of his stunning performance, at times bringing out the Cristiano Ronaldo celebration, before doing the to commemorate his five-for. Ghazanfar’s joyous face was a far cry from Afghanistan’s furrowed brows in the 20th over of their innings, and Bangladesh were bundled for just 143 in under 35 overs.The two spin attacks also yielded contrasting returns. Afghanistan’s four-man spin attack took a combined 9 for 93 in 24.5 overs while Bangladesh’s spinners went wicketless in their 20 overs. It was Bangladesh’s fast bowlers who picked up all nine wickets, but they were expensive towards the end of their spells.Bangladesh are of course without Shakib Al Hasan who opted out of the ODI series after missing out on his farewell Test last month. Shakib’s wicket-taking ability was sorely missed but Bangladesh’s bowlers must be prepared for life without him. The likes of Mehidy, Rishad Hossain and Nasum Ahmed need to figure ways to be more attacking and take more wickets.Afghanistan’s familiarity of playing in Sharjah was another factor in the result, whereas Bangladesh were playing an ODI at this venue after nearly 30 years and couldn’t find a way out once squeezed. When Afghanistan were in trouble twice in the game, Shahidi’s doggedness bailed them out on both occasions.

Lyon's apprentice Murphy tops his master in the rough of Nagpur

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Murphy shelved the overspin typical of bowling in Australia and consistently bowled around 95kph with high side spin, and had five wickets to show for it

Alex Malcolm10-Feb-20233:09

Chappell: Murphy bowled tidily but Australia need wickets

Eleven months ago, Todd Murphy had played just one first-class match. He was a contracted player with Victoria, having played in an Under-19 World Cup for Australia, but was biding his time in grade cricket for St Kilda.On March 12 last year, he was playing at Russell Lucas Oval in Ringwood, in Melbourne’s outer eastern suburbs. His two victims that day were Melbourne Stars opener Tom Rogers and USA and Hampshire batter Ian Holland.Eleven months on, in Nagpur, Murphy knocked over KL Rahul, R Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujura, Virat Kohli and KS Bharat, in that order, to become the first Australian spinner since Nathan Lyon to take five wickets on Test debut.Related

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“It’s been a pretty special couple of days and to top it off with a five-wicket haul on debut is more than I ever hoped for,” Murphy said after play on the second day of the Test.He did it while outbowling his mentor Lyon, 13 years, 115 Tests and 460 wickets his senior before the game. He did it having nearly not been selected at all for this Test match.It was a remarkable performance from Australia’s newest cricket hero, unassuming, bespectacled, and affectionately nicknamed “Goggles” at St Kilda.He didn’t do it in the same manner as Jason Krejza had in Nagpur 15 years ago. It wasn’t a host of brilliant big ripping offbreaks while conceding 4.90 an over. He did with outstanding control of length and line. He did get a touch fortuitous with his dismissals of Pujara and Kohli with arguably his worst two balls. But they were reward for the pressure he built with his consistency.It was the reason he was finally selected ahead of Ashton Agar. Australia’s selectors had a preference to play a left-arm orthodox in Nagpur as they had chosen in Sydney against South Africa, both to complement Lyon and match up well against India’s right-hand dominant top order. There was a worry that a second right-arm offspinner would be surplus to requirements.Yet, those in Victoria were shouting to anyone who would listen that Murphy had a far superior record to right-handers in first-class cricket. And so it proved. Murphy’s five victims were all right-handers with a combined total of 58 Test centuries.

“Observing everything and competing in the nets and bowling to the Sri Lankans, I took a lot of confidence out of that and reflected and went back, trusted myself a bit more, and thought ‘what I’ve got can be good enough’ and believe in that”Todd Murphy on the Australia A tour of Sri Lanka last year

The disparity in the consistency between the two showed up in ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data. Agar, a ten-year veteran of first-class cricket, landed just 50% of his 132 deliveries on a good length in his nervous Test return in Sydney against South Africa and went wicketless as a result. He also bowled two full-tosses and two half-trackers.Murphy, meanwhile, in just his eighth first-class game, landed 63% of his deliveries on a good length and bowled just the one full-toss and one drag down. His 37 full-length deliveries cost only 23 runs and resulted in a wicket.Lyon only landed 59% on a good length and erred full 43 times, which cost 38 runs. He only picked up the one wicket for the day with Suryakumar Yadav playing a very loose drive to a ball that could have easily been defended. But Lyon did have Ravindra Jadeja dropped at slip by Steven Smith in the final over of the day.It was remarkable how well Murphy adapted to the conditions when compared with Lyon. Murphy’s long-time bowling coach Craig Howard had noted his ability to adapt his bowling to the conditions that were presented.”Howie for me he’s been someone that I’ve always been able to go to and I’ve been able to trust and he knows me as good as anyone and knows what works for me,” Murphy said. “We’ve had a lot of really good conversations over the years about what works in what conditions and we had a good chat the other day about over here and just trusting the skill set that I’ve got.”Batters’ errors contributed to some of Todd Murphy’s wickets, but his lengths contributed to the mistakes•Getty ImagesNagpur’s pitch required faster speeds and a lot of side spin, as Jadeja had shown on day one. It was exactly what Murphy delivered on day two. There are shades of Graeme Swann in his action and there were shades of Swann 2012 in his bowling as he shelved the overspin that is required in Australia – the overspin that has made Lyon so successful in the toughest of offspinning climes at home – and consistently bowled up towards 95kph with high side spin.It is a skill he had honed under Howard at the National Cricket Centre in Brisbane on the purpose-made India-style red-clay pitches over many winters. It was one of the laments of the Australian squad that they were not able to train on those pitches prior to this tour for reasons that are not entirely clear and were instead forced to practice on scarified pitches at North Sydney Oval that were not quite the same.His ability to implement it his first Test was quite remarkable. But he credited his Australia A tour to Sri Lanka last year with helping him believe he could produce it at the highest level. “Having a little bit of success over there probably gave me the confidence I needed going back to Australia that I could mix it with first-class cricketers.””Being around some of the guys who had played Test cricket, observing everything and competing in the nets and bowling to the Sri Lankans, I took a lot of confidence out of that and reflected and went back, trusted myself a bit more, and thought ‘what I’ve got can be good enough’ and believe in that.”Murphy operated almost exclusively around the wicket to India’s right-hand batters, rarely pitching outside the line of the stumps and threatening both edges. His length was so good that even Rohit Sharma in the midst of a sublime match-defining century struggled to get down the track to him and never played back to him. Murphy simply asked the batters to defend a good length. It yielded two of his five wickets with Ashwin and Bharat both pinned lbw trying to defend on the front foot.1:11

O’Keefe: Todd Murphy will be a superstar

His other three were helped by batter errors. Rahul chipped a drive back to him on the opening night, while Pujara played a rare sweep to a ball way outside leg and picked out short fine. Kohli was caught down the leg side playing well wide of his body with Alex Carey taking an outstanding juggling catch unsighted as part of an excellent day behind the stumps.But while the batters’ errors contributed, Murphy’s lengths contributed to the mistakes as all three were stuck playing from the crease.Murphy also benefitted from the tireless work of Scott Boland. The inexperienced Victorians were undeniably Australia’s best two bowlers on a tough day in the field. Yet, inexplicably, they only bowled in partnership for one spell of eight overs in the first session. From overs 38 to 45 they bowled eight overs, three maidens, and combined for 2 for 18 with Murphy removing Ashwin and Pujara, after Rohit and Ashwin had taken 40 runs off the first 13 overs of the morning against Lyon and Pat Cummins.Boland had figures of 9-4-7-0 after his brilliant six-over burst. But he would only bowl eight more overs through the day, which included having Jadeja dropped at slip, a really tough chance low to Smith’s right, and Axar Patel nicking him just short of second.Murphy, too, could have had Jadeja twice. With India on 224 for 5, he hit Jadeja on the front pad as the left-hander stretched out to defend. The lbw appeal was turned down and the review came up umpire’s call on impact. It was going on to hit the middle of middle. Then, with Jadeja on 60, late in the day, he conjured a thick edge as Jadeja tried to cut the wrong length, but it was too thick for Carey to grasp and it rebounded off his gloves over Smith at slip.Australia have found a diamond in the rough in Nagpur in Murphy, and possibly the spin-bowling heir to Lyon. But on his first two days in Test cricket, he looked more like the master than the apprentice.

Glenn Maxwell's masterpiece hatched in Melbourne lockdown

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

The allrounder is now very clear on what his role is for Australia after plenty of time chatting with captain Aaron Finch

Daniel Brettig17-Sep-2020Melbourne’s lockdown, in the cause of stemming the Covid-19 pandemic, has taken much away from a previously vibrant city. One thing it has gifted Australian cricket, however, is clarity about the role Glenn Maxwell is playing for the ODI team, a little more than a year after the absence of same contributed to a deeply disappointing World Cup campaign.It has been demonstrated in devastatingly effective fashion for Australia on the road against the world champions, inflicting England’s first ODI series loss at home since 2015. In games one and three in Manchester, Maxwell produced a pair of counter-attacking innings from No. 7 that left Eoin Morgan’s side without a riposte, and at the same time confirmed that yes, Maxwell does have a highly significant and consistent part to play for Australia over the next four years to the 2023 World Cup in India.In partnership with Alex Carey, who also shored up his flagging international fortunes since a productive World Cup, Maxwell unleashed a century of power but also presence of mind, demonstrating a level of peace and self-knowledge that had appeared absent from his game for much of the preceding few years. It was the product of careful consideration with limited-overs captain Aaron Finch.ALSO READ: Bursting of England’s bubble shows how long the road to 2023 will beShorn of scheduled series against Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and West Indies, plus the postponement of the T20 World Cup, Australia’s Melbourne-based cricketers have had little else to do other than talk a lot between small-scale net sessions in Cricket Victoria’s Junction Oval base. For Maxwell and Finch, that meant hours to discuss exactly how the leader saw the role of his longtime friend and international team-mate.Shuffled up and down the batting order ad nauseum, dropped and recalled, and also having taken a break for mental health reasons early last season, Maxwell was clearly in need of some simple instruction. As the many conversations rolled on, the desired description emerged – not unlike that traditionally assigned to a wicketkeeper. From No. 7, Maxwell would be able to counterattack when Australia were in a hole, while Finch reserved the right to promote him in the order if those above him were able to set the right launchpad for the final 20 or so overs.”The really good thing is even in the lockdown period I was training with Finchy and we were able to talk about my role and certain things,” Maxwell said. “I just had so much clarity of what he expected of me in that role.”I think I was able to take the game on, with the clarity he gave me before the tournament, and was able to ride on that momentum as well. Just knowing I had the backing of him is awesome. He’s been great for this group over here, he’s kept us all together, all 21 of us in the hub here, and he’s done a great job. Whether in the field or with his batters, he’s been outstanding.”Finch had likewise articulated a specific, consistent role for Maxwell in his comments at the post-series presentation: “Maxi is in the team to do a specific role and that’s be able to take the game away from oppositions when you are having a good day but also be that guy who can counterattack and try and swing momentum. England had all the momentum at 5 for 70-odd and he dragged it back.”That partnership with Alex was fantastic, I’m really proud of both of them, they deserve a lot of success and a lot of credit. Not just for this win but how hard they’ve been working on their game.”What makes him [Maxwell] so damaging is he can play all around the ground, I don’t think there are many bowlers who can trouble him when he’s having one of those days but the way he navigated that innings, took it deeper and deeper, of course you have to take your chances chasing seven an over from a long way out and he did that perfectly. They fed off each other having the left-right hand combination, it was pretty special.”

So even amid the wreckage of Australia’s slide to 73 for 5 early in their innings, Maxwell had a clear head about what he was in the team, and in the middle, to do. It is the sort of mind frame in which he can do great things, whether it is for Australia, the Melbourne Stars or a host of domestic T20 teams overseas. Call it freedom, call it license, call it trust – it makes all the difference.”I was probably thinking we haven’t got much to lose, so I had a bit of freedom to try and take the bowling on and put a bit more pressure on them,” Maxwell said. “I thought if I could make the most of that short boundary as much as I could early on and just back my bat swing, there was a fair bit of a breeze heading that way as well, so I just tried to get it up in the air and was able to get a couple pretty clean early on in the innings and then start to build a partnership with Alex.”Coming it at 5 for 70, it’s probably hit or bust at that stage. I suppose just having heaps of trust in my own technique and trust in my partner at the other end, myself and Alex have had some good partnerships over the last few years, so really enjoyable to be with him at the other end.”Then I knew once I started to get into the innings they’d start to bowl a bit differently to me and I might be able to cash in on some loose balls. Everything pretty much went to plan tonight, the way our partnership built was outstanding. I feel like I’ve always batted better for Australia when we’ve been in a bit of trouble, and to be able to get us through that and get us to a position where we could win the game was really pleasing.”

Maxwell had plenty of time and gratitude for Carey, who in eight ODI innings since the World Cup had cobbled 126 runs at 15.75, causing the likes of Adam Gilchrist to start talking up the prospects of the younger Josh Philippe. Carey had at least managed to make a start during the previous game, albeit amid Australia’s unseemly collapse, and brought a little momentum to the middle to build an Australian ODI record partnership for the sixth wicket.”It ranks pretty highly. I really enjoyed the partnership,” Maxwell said. “Batting with Alex, seeing him get his first ODI hundred is pretty special, knowing how hard he’s worked. To see him get the rewards at the other end was extremely special, and to top off and beat the No. 1 team on their own soil was even more special. They didn’t really give him much to score on to the short boundary, and he had to work a little bit harder for his runs. I just thought the way he got through every challenge he faced, he was able to do it calmly and with great temperament the whole time.”There will still be some fine-tuning for Maxwell and Australia. The most challenging thing for Finch will be to judge when is the best moment to unleash Maxwell amid an innings that is going well. But it is an easier problem to solve in an atmosphere of trust and confidence about Maxwell’s mindset.Australia’s players now fly home, either directly or via the IPL, into a home season of many uncertainties, and with Melbourne still locked down. Plenty of certainty, though, was written all over the face of Maxwell, having finally sorted out exactly what he is in the Australian team to do, and do brilliantly.

Aaron Judge Had Nothing But Praise for Controversial All-Star Pick Jacob Misiorowski

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

The addition of Brewers flame-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski to the National League All-Star roster was a controversial one.

Misiorowski was added to the NL All-Star team as an injury replacement. The 23-year-old received the nod over some more experienced players who have also been enjoying strong seasons, despite Misiorowski having made just five MLB starts.

That didn't sit too well with members of the Philadelphia Phillies, who voiced their displeasure after Misiorowski was selected over Ranger Suarez and Cristopher Sanchez, two pitchers who were also deserving of the recognition. Not everyone in the All-Star Game seems to be upset about the call from commissioner Rob Manfred.

Yankees slugger Aaron Judge isn't too worked up about Misiorowski's controversial addition to the Midsummer Classic, though, and even expressed his excitement about potentially getting to face the rookie.

"Try to get one over the plate and see what I can do with it," Judge said when asked about possibly facing Milwaukee's emerging star on Tuesday. "He's a special talent. We've seen it so far in his five or six starts he's had in the big leagues. He's gonna do something special in this league for quite a long time," Judge said.

Judge didn't seem to have any qualms with the relatively inexperienced Misiorowski getting an All-Star nod, and he spoke highly of the potential the young Brewers pitcher has.

Hopefully, that's a matchup we'll get to see take place Tuesday night.

Bruno 2.0: Man Utd accelerate talks to sign “best CM prospect in the world”

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

It might not have been vintage Bruno Fernandes this season, yet, even so, the Manchester United skipper is still the heartbeat of Ruben Amorim’s side, as was evident again on Monday night.

Up against an undoubtedly poor Wolverhampton Wanderers side, the 31-year-old was arguably the deciding factor, netting twice himself, while providing a delicious assist for Mason Mount to convert for United’s third.

Two missed penalties earlier in the campaign may have highlighted a drop in standards, although Fernandes still ranks third in the Premier League for goals and assists in 2025/26, while leading the way again for chances created (45).

The hope will be that the Portugal star can replicate last season’s heroics, which saw him overcome a slow start – having failed to score until Ruud van Nistelrooy’s interim appointment – before going on to rack up 38 goals and assists in all competitions.

Suitable for a midfield two or not, the ex-Sporting CP playmaker remains so influential to United’s fortunes – but what will happen if the club are left to make do without him?

Latest on Man Utd's search for a midfielder

It’s worth noting that Fernandes, speaking ahead of his 300th United appearance earlier this season, gave no suggestion that he was angling for a move away from Old Trafford, having openly discussed the decision to turn down a move to Saudi side Al Hilal over the summer.

Nor, however, did the £300k-per-week sensation completely shut down the topic of his long-term future, having relayed that he won’t discuss any potential plans until after the World Cup, with just 18 months left to run on his existing deal.

There have been suggestions that INEOS could even look to cash in on their talisman in order to help fund a midfield overhaul in 2026, with potential replacements seemingly being eyed up.

With that in mind, reports in Spain have claimed that the Red Devils are among the clubs pursuing a move for Real Madrid sensation, Arda Guler, with both Arsenal and Liverpool also in the frame.

The report suggests that United have already ‘accelerated initial contacts’ regarding a possible swoop, with the 20-year-old’s ‘versatility’ noted as a selling point for Amorim and co.

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Whether the LaLiga giants would be willing to sell the Turkish starlet remains to be seen, although prior reports indicate he could command a fee of around £88m.

Why Guler could be the perfect successor to Fernandes

It was a moment that epitomised the genius of Bruno Fernandes.

Picking the ball up just outside the Wolves box, the midfielder – who had been sent off at Molineux just over a year ago – had the vision and the quality to pick out Mount with a stunning dinked pass, building on the two inventive assists he produced at Selhurst Park late last month.

Even when not at his free-flowing best, the majestic talent can still unlock a defence in an instant, possessing the type of creative quality that few can match across the global game.

Finding a successor to such a figure thus appears almost impossible, if not improbable, yet Guler would be a more than worthy option, having been hailed as the “best CM/AM prospect in world football right now” by writer Neal Gardner.

That praise is not without merit, with Como’s Nico Paz the only attacking midfielder under the age of 21 to have registered more goals and assists (ten) than Guler in Europe’s top five leagues this season, as per Transfermarkt.

A key beneficiary of Xabi Alonso’s arrival at the Bernabeu, the rising star has already chalked up ten goals and assists in 22 games in all competitions this term, the same number of goal involvements that Fernandes has achieved back in Manchester.

Like Fernandes, the former Fenerbahce man has the flexibility to flourish in a more advanced role, or on the flanks, although he has blossomed in a slightly deeper role of late, averaging 2.3 key passes per game and creating eight ‘big chances’ in LaLiga this season, as per Sofascore.

For context, back at United, Fernandes has created seven ‘big chances’, albeit while averaging three key passes per game, with the pair both representing the creative hubs for their respective sides.

Interestingly, too, the Red Devils skipper is noted as the fifth most similar midfielder to Guler across Europe’s top five leagues, with regard to their stylistic and statistical likeness, as per FBref, further reinforcing why the Madrid man could fill that possible void in Amorim’s future side.

Non-penalty goals

0.18

0.20

Assists

0.31

0.41

Shot-creating actions

6.40

6.08

Pass completion

76.3%

85.4%

Progressive passes

9.67

7.91

Progressive carries

2.18

2.00

Successful take-ons

0.71

1.06

Touches in opposition box

2.65

2.94

Prog passes received

3.45

5.43

As indicated above, the pair – across the last 365 days – have enjoyed a particularly similar record with regard to assists, shot-creating actions, progressive passes and progressive carries per 90, all key attributes for a playmaking midfielder in their pomp.

In truth, United have rarely seen a side without Fernandes in it, such is his remarkable reliability and availability, although if the day comes where he opts to move on to pastures new, Guler must surely be at the top of the list with regard to replacements.

Prising him from the Spanish capital might not be easy, although with Alonso’s place at Los Blancos seemingly under threat, now could be the time to pounce.

He's like Caicedo: Man Utd ready bid to sign England's "best CM since Scholes"

Manchester United look set to make a huge January move for one English sensation.

ByEthan Lamb 4 days ago

Vulgar Texas Rangers Hat Pulled From Stores Selling for Big Money on eBay

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

New Era quickly ran into some controversy after unveiling its latest line of MLB hats, three of which have already been removed from MLB's official online store.

Among the hats no longer for sale on the site include a Texas Rangers, Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels New Era Overlap 59FIFTY hat (sorry AL West fans).

Removing the hats from the online store hasn't prevented those who bought them early from turning a quick and hefty profit. Multiple listings for the controversial Rangers hat have sold on eBay for a staggering sum, with one hat even fetching as much as $1,000.

The hat in question appears to spell out a vulgar word in Spanish, due to the bizarre design choice that resulted in the Rangers' "T" logo covering part of the word "TEXAS." The hats went viral on social media, and although MLB moved quickly to pull them from the website, that hasn't deterred fans from scooping them up at a significant cost on the secondary market.

Another seller on eBay has created their own knockoff version of the viral Rangers hat. As of writing, more than 160 of those hats have been sold for a price of $36.

Patrice Evra's painkiller hell – Man Utd legend reveals staggering state of problem as he took 38 pills per DAY

by n8rngtd.top Uncategorized

Patrice Evra has revealed the astonishing extent of his painkiller dependency during his playing days, admitting he took up to 38 pills every single day at the peak of his career. The Manchester United legend opened up about years of masking pain, rarely feeling fully fit, and now wants to warn the next generation after investing in an all-natural alternative.

  • Evra reveals painkiller issues as he promotes all-natural supplements

    Evra has lifted the lid on the extraordinary level of pain management he endured during his professional career, detailing a regime that at one stage involved taking 38 pills per day. The former Manchester United and France left-back admitted that the constant physical strain of elite football left him relying heavily on painkillers to get through matches, even though he felt truly 100 per cent fit only a handful of times. His revelation came as he announced his new role as an investor and ambassador for KURK, a natural anti-inflammatory supplement he believes could help younger players avoid the same cycle.  

    Evra explained that the wear and tear of nearly two decades at the top level left him feeling he had little choice but to keep playing through injury. He described painkillers as a routine part of the job, something he turned to even when struggling physically, because the demands of elite football did not allow him time to rest properly. His move into promoting natural pain management methods reflects his desire to advocate for healthier long-term solutions after seeing the negative effects of medication overuse within the sport. 

    The 44-year-old retired defender now views his post-football health as a priority and hopes his admission will highlight an issue affecting many professionals. His comments follow growing concern within the game after several players have spoken publicly about painkiller addiction, dependency and long-term side effects. 

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    Manchester Untied legend reveals he took 38 pills per day during career

    “I was taking 38 pills per day,” Evra shared as he announced his personal investment in KURK, as well as his endorsement as a brand ambassador. “I maybe played more than 700 professional games, and when people ask, ‘How many games did you play where you felt 100 per cent fit?’ I would probably say maybe five. Throughout my career, I was constantly reaching for painkillers – it was part of the job.” 

    “At that level, sometimes even if you're injured, you don't have a choice but to play. And what's the easy solution? Taking painkillers.” Since retirement, Evra went on to admit, the former defender shared that he believes his biggest investment is “investing in his body”.

  • Painkillers and their never-ending grip on the footballing world

    Several former players have warned about the risks of heavy painkiller use in professional sport, with Evra’s testimony echoing many of their experiences. Former Liverpool goalkeeper Chris Kirkland has also spoken publicly about his own addiction to Tramadol, a substance now banned by WADA after being widely used in football for years. Meanwhile, former Premier League striker Ivan Klasnic successfully sued a previous club for repeatedly prescribing him painkillers despite his kidney issues, winning a £4 million payout. Former Liverpool star Daniel Agger also recently revealed that he suffers from chronic back pain after ignoring his back injury and resorting to painkillers. 

    Evra’s move into promoting natural anti-inflammatory alternatives comes after a long career built on remarkable consistency and availability. Despite playing more than 725 club matches, his injury record was relatively clear of major long-term layoffs, but this durability evidently came at a high hidden cost.

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    Evra's mission to educate about painkiller addictions

    Evra now sees his mission as educating the next generation of footballers about long-term health, aiming to ensure they avoid the same dependence he fell into during his peak years. As he continues to champion natural recovery methods, he is expected to take on an increasingly prominent ambassadorial role in conversations about player welfare. With more former professionals speaking out, the pressure may increase on clubs and governing bodies to reform pain management practices in elite football. 

    KURK co-founder Trent Scanlen welcomed Evra’s involvement, saying: “The benefit of Evra’s involvement was that he had ‘lived the physical toll of elite sport’. So when he says KURK works, it carries real weight. His passion for wellbeing and performance makes him the perfect partner to help us bring KURK to the world.” 

Dwarshuis, middle-order might power Australia to 5-0 sweep

by csb10.top Uncategorized

Australia put on a final display of their batting power to secure a 5-0 T20I whitewash over West Indies. Tim David and Mitchell Owen launched seven sixes between them, as the overall series tally ended as the second-highest for a bilateral series, with Aaron Hardie then finishing the chase after Akeal Hosein had kept West Indies’ hopes alive.The victory was set up by an excellent performance with the ball after Mitchell Marsh had won his fifth toss – making it all eight for Australia on the tour – and declining the opportunity to have his side set a target. They claimed three wickets in the powerplay to set West Indies back and kept chipping away each time a stand threatened to turn the game. Shimron Hetmyer and Jason Holder added 47 for the fifth wicket and the former went to his first T20I fifty since August 2023 but fell the ball after reaching the landmark.Nathan Ellis was again excellent in the closing overs, including a very sharp piece of work off his own bowling to end the innings as he under-armed into the stumps, while Adam Zampa claimed a wicket in his 100th T20I – the fourth Australia men’s player to reach that milestone.Australia’s powerplay was hectic as Holder struck twice in his first over, Mitchell Marsh was cleaned up by a beauty from Alzarri Joseph and David bludgeoned 30 off 12 balls with four sixes all inside five overs. From there, the asking rate was never an issue, it was just a question of whether West Indies could keep taking wickets. Their chances took a blow when Joseph limped out of the attack and while Hosein was excellent, there were not enough runs to work with in the end.2:13

Australia clean up West Indies for 170

Dwarshuis’ powerplay inroads

Ben Dwarshuis is building a handy record for Australia as the left-arm pace option in this attack. He may well have pushed himself to second in the pecking order ahead of Spencer Johnson, who missed this series through injury, and behind Mitchell Starc.Having been rested for the fourth match, he returned with a brace of early inroads, responding to a pair of boundaries from Shai Hope by spearing one through him, then having Brandon King taken at midwicket to bag West Indies’ in-form openers.His figures were dented in his final over that cost 19, including a big full toss to Hetmyer which resulted in a free hit that was sent for six. Next ball, Hetmyer went to his half-century from 30 balls but couldn’t stay to finish the innings when he was well caught by Sean Abbott running in from long-off to give Dwarshuis his third wicket.

Maxwell’s match-up win

It wasn’t quite as memorable a night for Glenn Maxwell. He dropped a sitter at mid-on to reprieve King (although it did not prove costly) and would later collect a first-ball duck when he edged Holder to short third. However, he did have one key moment when he won his brief match-up with Sherfane Rutherford as the left-hand batter, who has struggled for form since last year’s T20 World Cup, was threatening to turn the innings around.Rutherford had moved to 35 off 16 balls, lifting West Indies from 32 for 3 inside the powerplay, when he exposed the stumps to Maxwell against a delivery that slid on. He was aiming too square with his stroke and the ball cannoned into middle stump. With one of the left-hand batters gone, Maxwell’s work with the ball was done for the night.0:53

Hetmyer streak ends with Dwarshuis’ third wicket

Only one way in the powerplay

It is pretty much all-out aggression for Australia with the bat. After Maxwell’s early departure – courtesy of a juggling catch by Jediah Blades – Josh Inglis missed a reverse scoop first ball and collected two boundaries before finding mid-on in the same Holder over. Marsh, who has had a lean series, found the boundary twice off the middle and once off the inside edge before Joseph produced a terrific delivery to nip past the inside edge to leave Australia 25 for 3 in the third.David’s response was to take 16 off four balls against Holder then two further sixes against Joseph as he threatened a repeat of the record-breaking 37-ball hundred in the third match. But for once, he couldn’t get enough elevation on an attempted six as he was well taken at deep square leg.

Hosein’s late entry

Owen picked up where David left off, taking consecutive sixes off Matthew Forde and sent another onto the roof against Blades. Hope had held back Hosein, no doubt conscious of what Australia’s hitters could do, but when he was introduced in the 10th over, he removed Owen second ball when he skewed to short third.Cameron Green, later named Player of the Series, was shaping as though he would finish another chase but found long-off with 30 still needed to give West Indies a glimmer. However, Hardie produced a composed hand and by the time Hosein removed Dwarshuis it was too late.

0 tackles & 0 dribbles: Pep must axe 4/10 Man City star who won just 1 duel

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Just when Manchester City were starting to build some momentum, it all came crashing down.

On Sunday afternoon, debuting their raindrop kit, well there was an air of pathetic fallacy, with Aston Villa finding a leak in Pep Guardiola’s defence early on, enough to secure a 1-0 win, this the Citizens’ third successive defeat at Villa Park, something that last happened in 1966.

Before this, the Sky Blues had been unbeaten in nine matches across all competitions, collecting 13 points out of a possible 15 in the Premier League, leading to many suggesting they were bona fide title challengers again.

Now though, they’ve slipped down to fifth, six points adrift leaders Arsenal, facing second-placed Bournemouth next Sunday, before Liverpool visit the Etihad a week later.

With these huge games on the horizon, which player, who contributed very little at Villa Park, should be cast aside by Guardiola?

Erling Haaland's scoring streak comes to an end

Already this season, Erling Braut Håland has scored 11 goals in the Premier League and four in the Champions League, thereby responsible for more than 65% of all goals Manchester City have managed across the two competitions.

Prior to Sunday’s visit to Villa Park, the goalbot had scored in 12 consecutive appearances for club and country, netting 22 times across these outings, including finding the target in six successive Premier League games.

Of course, that record is 11, set a decade ago by Jamie Vardy, with some suggesting that could soon be under threat, but Håland’s streak is over.

Nevertheless, at his current scoring rate, he is still currently on course to score 46 goals in the Premier League this season, which would smash his own record of 36 set in 2022/23, while he is four away from becoming the 35th member of the competition’s 100 club.

So, while Håland remains simply undroppable and usually unstoppable for Guardiola, one of his teammates underlined why he certainly no longer is in the Midlands on Sunday.

The Manchester City stalwart who struggled at Villa Park

A fair few Manchester City players came in for some scathing criticism following this weekend’s defeat.

Tijjani Reijnders struggled to imitate Rodri as the lone number six, while Savinho, following his sparkling display in mid-week, was labelled ‘largely poor’.

However, it was Bernardo Silva who underwhelmed the most.

The Portuguese international has made more appearances for Guardiola than any other player during his illustrious coaching career (419), but Sunday was certainly not one of his best, as the table below documents.

Shots

0

17th

Attempted dribbles

0

18th

Accurate passes

15

20th

Big chances created

1

1st

Key passes

1

2nd

Interceptions

1

11th

Tackles

0

17th

Duels contested

3

25th

Duels won

1

24th

Touches

24

23rd

The table does not make good reading for Silva, attempting zero dribbles and tackles, winning only one of the three duels he contested, while registering only 24 touches, a mere five more than Gianluigi Donnarumma and three fewer than Jadon Sancho, who came off the bench for the Villans.

In fairness to the captain, he did create one of Manchester City’s two clear opportunities on the day, playing Håland in-behind shortly after Aston Villa’s opener, but he uncharacteristically tamely rolled it straight at Emi Martínez.

Silva was awarded a 4/10 rating by Goal, who stated that ‘his influence waned’ following ‘a bright start’, with the 31-year-old ‘unable to impose himself on proceedings’, thereby swiftly substituted on the hour mark with the team in need of a spark.

The midfielder himself admitted that the Citizens “were really bad defensively,” adding “our pressing was really bad…. it felt like we arrived late… to every duel”.

On the flip side, as recently as Tuesday night, Silva had reiterated his worth to this team by heading home the second against Villarreal in a 2-0 Champions League victory at Estadio de la Cerámica.

Now though, with serious competition for those attacking midfield positions, every performance is under the microscope.

Jérémy Doku as well as fit again duo Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki came off the bench on Sunday, with Phil Foden, Oscar Bobb and Savinho having all started; that’s quite the array of options.

Chalkboard

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

It will be interesting to see who Guardiola deploys for Wednesday night’s EFL Cup trip to Swansea but, with games against Bournemouth, Borussia Dortmund and then Liverpool to come thereafter, Silva’s display in Birmingham could mean he is watching those key clashes from the substitutes bench.

Worse than Reijnders: Pep must drop Man City star who lost possession 18x

Manchester City fell to their first Premier League defeat since August away at Aston Villa.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 27, 2025

Bayern Munich add Barcelona target to shortlist of potential back-ups for star striker Harry Kane

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Bayern Munich are preparing for the future beyond Harry Kane and have identified Hoffenheim’s in-form striker Fisnik Asllani as a potential long-term back-up. The 23-year-old Kosovo international, who has also attracted serious interest from Barcelona, has impressed with six goals in nine appearances this season, prompting Bayern to enquire about his release clause ahead of the summer.

Bayern to rival Barcelona for Asllani’s signature

According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Bayern Munich have officially added Asllani to their shortlist as a possible back-up to Harry Kane from the 2026/27 season onwards. Sporting directors Max Eberl and Christoph Freund are said to be admirers of the young forward’s development and have already gathered information on his supposedly “manageable” release clause. With Asllani expected to leave Hoffenheim after the current campaign, Bayern are positioning themselves among several European clubs monitoring his situation closely.

The Kosovo international has been one of the Bundesliga’s early success stories this season. He has scored six goals and registered two assists in nine appearances across all competitions, establishing himself as Hoffenheim’s most reliable finisher. His goalscoring form and sharp link-up play have made him one of Germany’s most-watched emerging strikers and Bayern’s interest reflects the club’s intent to plan beyond Kane’s peak years.

While Kane remains untouchable as Bayern’s main striker, the Bavarians’ recruitment team is keen to ensure depth in the attacking department. Despite the Bundesliga champions being certain to permanently sign Nicolas Jackson next summer, Asllani is viewed as an ideal profile to provide competition and continuity in the years to come.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBayern planning for life after Kane

Bayern’s interest in Asllani fits a clear strategy of targeting young, Bundesliga-proven talent capable of stepping up to elite levels. Under the joint leadership of Eberl and Freund, the German champions have shifted toward sustainable succession planning, focusing on players who can grow under the system rather than relying solely on big-name signings. Identifying a young and technically gifted forward like Asllani signals a long-term approach, one that mirrors their investment in talents such as Jamal Musiala and Aleksandar Pavlovic.

At just 23, Asllani combines pace, movement, and a sharp eye for goal with strong tactical discipline attributes that align with Bayern’s style under Vincent Kompany’s vision. His impressive performances for Hoffenheim have demonstrated not only his finishing quality but also his ability to press and create chances in transition, a skill set that makes him an appealing complement to Kane. Furthermore, his affordable release clause provides Bayern with a low-risk opportunity to secure a forward with considerable upside.

However, Bayern are not alone in their pursuit. Barcelona have been closely following Asllani’s progress, and the player himself has previously described the Catalan giants as his “dream club.” With the Blaugrana and several other top European sides interested, Bayern will likely face strong competition for his signature, setting up one of next summer’s most intriguing transfer battles.

Asllani helped by loan moves before Hoffenheim senior call-up

Asllani’s rapid rise has been built on years of consistent progression through Germany’s football system. Born in Berlin in 2002, he spent his youth career at BFC Dynamo and Union Berlin, where he displayed elite scoring instincts, netting 23 goals in 23 appearances for Union’s U17s and 15 in 16 for their U19s. His prolific youth record earned him a move to Hoffenheim in 2020, where he initially played for the club’s reserve side, scoring 17 goals in 53 appearances in the Regionalliga Sudwest.

After limited senior opportunities early on, Asllani’s breakthrough came through loan spells designed to accelerate his development. A short stint at Austria Wien in 2023 was followed by a standout season at SV Elversberg in the 2. Bundesliga, where he has now translated his potential into top-flight productivity.

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Getty Images SportBarcelona the ‘dream’ destination for Asllani

Bayern Munich’s decision to track Asllani underscores their commitment to securing long-term stability in the No.9 position. While Kane remains central to the team’s ambitions, the club recognises the importance of preparing a capable successor or partner capable of easing the transition in future seasons.

Barcelona’s involvement could complicate matters, given Asllani’s admiration for the Spanish club and their ongoing search for a young striker to potentially take over from Robert Lewandowski, who has been linked with an exit when his contract expires in the summer. The Catalans’ financial constraints, however, might give Bayern an advantage if they act decisively and match Hoffenheim’s release clause conditions. Asllani’s preference for a Champions League-level project aligns with both clubs’ profiles, leaving the decision likely to hinge on sporting guarantees and playing time.

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