فيديو | في مباراة الوداع.. ميسي يقود الأرجنتين للفوز على فنزويلا بثلاثية في تصفيات كأس العالم 2026

حقق منتخب الأرجنتين فوزاً كبيراً على حساب منتخب فنزويلا بثلاثية نظيفة خلال اللقاء الذي جمع بينهما على ملعب المونيمنتال في الجولة قبل الأخيرة من تصفيات أمريكا الجنوبية المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.

وجاءت اهداف منتخب الأرجنتين بثنائية عن طريق ليونيل ميسي في الدقائق 39 و80، وسجل لاوتارو مارتينيز هدفاً في الدقيقة 76.

وارتفع رصيد منتخب الأرجنتين بعد الفوز ضد منتخب فنزويلا للنقطة 38 في صدارة التصفيات، بينما تجمد رصيد فنزويلا عند النقطة 18 في المركز السابع.

وكان ليونيل سكالوني مدرب منتخب الأرجنتين قد دخل اللقاء بتشكيل مكون: مارتينيز ، مولينا ، روميرو ، نيكولاس أوتاميندي ، تاجليافيكيو ، رودريجو دي باول ، باريديس ، فرانكو ماستانتونو ، تياجو ألمادا ، ليونيل ميسي ، جوليان ألفاريز.

أقرأ أيضاً.. فيديو | هولندا تسقط في فخ التعادل أمام بولندا في تصفيات كأس العالم 2026

وفي الشوط الثاني أجرى سكالوني عدة تغييرات بدخول إزكويل بالاسيوس و نيكولاس جونزاليس وجوليانو سيميوني ونيكو باز ولاوتارو مارتينيز.

وحملت مباراة الأرجنتين ضد فنزويلا العديد من المشاعر العاطفية بين ليونيل ميسي والجماهير، بعد أن صرح بأنها ستكون الأخيرة له في مشواره مع المنتخب الأرجنتيني في التصفيات.

وجاء الهدف الأول عن طريق ليونيل ميسي في الدقيقة 39 بصناعة من زميله جوليان ألفاريز والذي كان يملك فرصة كبيرة لافتتاح التسجيل بانفراد ولكنه فضل تمرير الكرة لقائد المنتخب ليضعها لوب في شباك فنزويلا.

وفي الدقيقة 76 أضاف لاوتارو مارتينيز مهاجم إنتر ميلان الهدف الثاني بعرضية متقنة من البديل نيكولاس جونزاليس في لعبة بدأها ليونيل ميسي، وفي الدقيقة 80 عزز ميسي ثنائيته والهدف الثالث للأرجنتين بهدية أخرى تلقاها من ألمادا ليضعها بسهولة في شباك المنتخب الضيف.

Léo Fernandes comenta índice de desarmes no Carioca pelo Nova Iguaçu: 'Passei a aprimorar'

MatériaMais Notícias

Uma das boas opções de ataque do Nova Iguaçu no Campeonato Carioca, o lateral-direito Léo Fernandes vem se destacando também no aspecto defensivo. Nas oito partidas em que atuou, o atleta de 26 anos obteve 39 desarmes, uma média de quase cinco por jogo. O defensor fala sobre a importância de sua evolução.

– Sempre me destaquei mais ofensivamente, mas passei a aprimorar as minhas características como homem de defesa. Meu objetivo é ser cada vez mais versátil, até porque minha posição exige isso. Creio que nesse Carioca estou conseguindo por em prática o que venho treinando há algum tempo – afirmou.

Léo jogou os 90 minutos de todas as partidas que disputou na competição estadual. Líder do grupo, é peça importante dentro e fora de campo na equipe. Ele e seus companheiros só voltarão a campo pelo Carioca dia 25, quando receberão o Resende. Léo ainda acredita nas chances do time da Baixada se classificar ao menos para a Taça Rio.

– Disputaremos nove pontos e não jogaremos mais contra os “grandes”. É o momento de tentarmos engatar uma boa sequência e terminarmos bem a primeira fase – encerrou.

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Palmeiras vê prazo apertar e muda de postura na busca por reforços

MatériaMais Notícias

Com a janela de transferências nacional tendo o seu fechamento programado para o dia 4 de abril, o Palmeiras tem adotado uma nova postura no mercado. Se no início de ano imperava a cautela na busca por reforços, tanto que o clube ainda não anunciou atleta algum, a partir de agora a ideia palmeirense é ser mais ‘agressivo’.

E essa iniciativa já pôde ser notada na movimentação que o Palestra tem feito para contratar o volante Allan, do Atlético-MG. Já foram duas propostas apresentadas: 9 e 11 milhões de euros (R$ 46,7 a 57,1 mi, na cotação atual), ambas recusadas pelo Galo, que não deseja reforçar um rival brasileiro. Ainda assim, os valores ofertados pelo Verdão são superiores ao oferecidos para outros atletas da posição.

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A proximidade cada vez maior do encerramento do prazo para contratações explica a mudança na forma com que o Palmeiras está se posicionando no mercado. Em um mês, o Verdão terá pela frente a Libertadores, e os responsáveis pelo futebol palmeirense sabem que é necessário se reforçar pelo menos para recompor as lacunas deixadas com as saídas de Danilo e Gustavo Scarpa, negociados com o Nottingham Forest, da Inglaterra.

PRIORIDADE

O Palmeiras está na busca por um meio-campista defensivo desde que vendeu Danilo, em janeiro. A princípio, a equipe alviverde chegou a trabalhar em cima de três nomes para reposição: Matheus Henrique, do Sassuolo (ITA), Wallace, da Udinese (ITA), e Jean Lucas, do Mônaco (FRA). Em todos os casos, o máximo sinalizado pelos palestrinos foi o pagamento de 6 milhões de euros (R$ 31,1, na cotação atual), pouco menos que metade da última proposta entregue pelos palmeirenses ao Atlético-MG por Allan.

O jogador atleticano é o favorito da comissão técnica do Verdão para reforçar o meio-campo. E a ideia de abrir os cofres para contar com o atleta é justamente pela confiança que eles têm que a contratação desse jogador seria um ‘tiro certeiro’.

Ainda não se sabe se o Palmeiras fará uma nova investida pelo meio-campista do Galo ou se o valor de 11 milhões de euros (R$ 57,1, na cotação atual) é o máximo que o Palmeiras chegará pelo volante. Nos bastidores atleticanos, estima-se que somente uma proposta de 15 milhões de euros (R$ 77,9 mi, na cotação atual) será o suficiente para fazer com que o Atlético-MG cogite liberar o seu camisa 29 para um adversário no Brasil.

QUEM MAIS PODE CHEGAR?

E não é só um volante que o Palmeiras busca. Com a saída de Gustavo Scarpa, no fim do ano passado, para o mesmo Nottingham Forest, da Inglaterra, que recebeu Danilo, o clube palestrino busca uma alternativa de meio-campista/atacante que atue pelos lados do campo. A bola da vez é Artur, do Red Bull Bragantino.

+ Confira TODAS as movimentações do mercado da bola no vaivém do LANCE!

A direção palmeirense tem usado a boa relação que possui com os dirigentes do Massa Bruta para tentar chegar a uma condição que possibilite abrir negociações. Inicialmente, uma consulta foi feita e nela os representantes do Braga sinalizaram que só liberariam o atacante por 15 milhões de euros (R$ 77,9 mi, na cotação atual), valor considerado alto pelo Verdão, principalmente porque Artur foi cria palmeirense e vendido ao próprio Red Bull Bragantino, em 2020, por 6 milhões de euros (R$ 27 mi, à época).

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Em um segundo momento, o Palmeiras chegou a tentar envolver o meio-campista Matheus Fernandes para facilitar que o negócio acontecesse, mas isso também não prosseguiu. O volante, que pertence ao Verdão e está emprestado ao Braga até o fim do ano, terá 60% dos direitos econômicos comprados pela equipe do interior paulista por 1,8 milhões de euros (R$ 9,3 mi, na cotação atual), mas a diretoria do Toro Loko rechaçou qualquer possibilidade que o negócio pudesse envolver uma possível venda de Artur.

Nos bastidores, trabalha-se com a hipótese do Massa Bruta liberar Artur ao Palestra por uma proposta de 10 milhões de euros (R$ 51,9 mi, na cotação atual).

Antes de ‘apostar’ em Artur, o Palmeiras buscou dois outros nomes para o ataque: Michael, ex-Flamengo, que está no Al Hilal, da Arábia Saudita, e Luiz Araújo, cria do São Paulo, e que atualmente defende o Atlante United, dos Estados Unidos.

+ Veja a tabela do Paulistão e simule os jogos das quartas de final da competição

No caso de Michael, o Verdão fez duas propostas para tirá-lo da equipe saudita, mas ambas foram recusadas. Na primeira, a oferta foi por um empréstimo, já na segunda os palmeirenses acenaram pagar 5 milhões de dólares (R$ 26 mi, na cotação atual) pelo jogador.

Porém, o Al Hilal vive um momento delicado, banido pela Fifa de contratar novos atletas. Assim, caso libere algum jogador, o clube não conseguiria repor. A equipe trabalha para resolver essa situação até o fim da temporada local, no meio do ano. Caso isso aconteça, é possível que Michael seja liberado para retornar ao Brasil no segundo semestre. O próprio jogador deseja voltar ao seu país. Se a situação acontecer, não é descartada uma nova investida palmeirense na próxima janela de transferências.

Sem sucesso na tentativa de contratar Michael já para esse início de temporada, o Palmeiras chegou a abrir conversas com o estafe do Luiz Araújo, mas também esbarrou nos valores, tanto para compra, quanto de salários.

O ex-são-paulino foi contratado pelo Atlanta por 12 milhões de dólares (R$ 62,3 mi, na cotação atual), no segundo semestre de 2021, e a equipe que disputa a MLS não aceitaria vender o atleta por um valor menor. Além disso, os vencimentos de Luiz nos Estados Unidos giravam em torno de R$ 1,5 milhão por mês, algo considerado surreal pela cúpula palmeirense.

Encaixa? Veja como Chrystian Barletta pode jogar no Corinthians de Lázaro

MatériaMais Notícias

Novo reforço do Corinthians, o atacante Chrystian Barletta chega ao clube cercado de expectativas após boas exibições no Paulistão. O jogador de 21 anos, no entanto, deve encontrar no Timão uma forma de jogar totalmente diferente daquela que estava acostumado no São Bernardo, onde chamou a atenção de equipes da Série A.

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+ Com Barletta, Corinthians chega a 19 reforços na gestão de Duílio; relembre todos os reforços

Tendo como base o que Fernando Lázaro propôs à sua equipe ao longo do estadual, o LANCE! preparou uma análise sobre como Barletta pode se encaixar na equipe corintiana.

SÃO BERNARDO – MEIA-ATACANTE NO 3-4-2-1

Um dos diferenciais do São Bernardo no Paulistão foi o sistema utilizado, com três zagueiros ocupando os corredores com alas. Dessa forma, o time do ABC não utilizava pontas por trás do centroavante, e sim meia-atacantes, posicionados no lugar dos meias armadores. Essa era a função de Barletta, que jogava sempre pela direita.

Na defesa, sua tarefa era fechar o lado do campo como um ponta tradicional. No ataque, porém, seu trabalho era uma mistura entre as funções de um segundo-atacante e um ponta: partindo sempre do centro do campo, Barletta caia pela ponta quando a jogada se desenvolvia pelo seu lado; já quando a jogada acontecia pelo lado oposto, o jogador se juntava ao centroavante para finalizar de dentro da área.

Assim, Barletta precisava demonstrar qualidades exigidas nas duas funções, como explosão, velocidade, boa capacidade de articular jogadas, bom drible, chegada à área para finalizar e boa leitura dos espaços para infiltrar na defesa adversária.

O ENCAIXE NO CORINTHIANS

Fernando Lázaro implantou no Corinthians um sistema completamente diferente do São Bernardo, não só pelo uso de uma tradicional linha de 4 defensores, como também pela formação do meio-campo, desenhado em um losango, e o uso de dois atacantes na frente.

Além disso, o São Bernardo utilizava um ataque mais posicional, com jogadores distribuídos no campo e se movimentando de acordo com a posição de bola. No caso do Corinthians, os jogadores se movimentam junto da bola, com mais liberdade para aproximar uns dos outros e realizar tabelas e ultrapassagens.

Com tantas diferenças, o primeiro passo é encontrar no sistema corintiano um jogador que seja, ao menos, semelhante a Barletta no São Bernardo. No 4-3-1-2 do Timão, esse jogador é Adson, não apenas pela região do campo em que atua, mas também pelas características citadas anteriormente.

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Outra possibilidade seria usar Barletta como um substituto de Róger Guedes, seja na ausência do camisa 10 ou como opção de substituição no decorrer dos jogos. Lázaro pensa sua equipe a partir de individualidades, ou seja: ele parte da ideia que os jogadores melhoram o sistema e não que o sistema melhora os jogadores. Assim, o novo reforço corintiano pode ser utilizado como uma espécie de Róger Guedes do lado direito, quando o treinador corintiano precisar mudar o jeito da equipe jogar.

+ Veja como ficou a tabela e simule o mata-mata do Campeonato Paulista

Por fim, vale relembrar que o Corinthians só deve voltar a campo na segunda semana de abril, e Lázaro pode aproveitar o período sem jogos para pensar um novo sistema tático, com pontas, por exemplo, o que facilitaria o encaixe de Barletta. Essa seria a última opção e a menos provável opção.

Renato Portaluppi publica mensagens de despedida para Thaciano, a caminho do Bahia

MatériaMais Notícias

Através das redes sociais, o técnico do Grêmio, Renato Portaluppi, publicou duas mensagens em caráter de despedida para o meio-campista Thaciano, nome que está próximo de ser oficializado como reforço do Bahia.

Além de publicar uma sequência de fotos com a legenda “Perdemos um excelente jogador. Boa sorte na nova caminhada!”, Renato também apareceu nos stories, onde falou brevemente sobre o tema.

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– Fiquei muito feliz que você veio aqui no hotel me dar um abraço. Estou triste, chateado com a sua saída, mas entendo o seu lado profissional. Te desejo boa sorte e que você possa jogar toda a bola que jogou no Grêmio – afirmou o treinador do Imortal.

Vestindo a camisa gremista, Thaciano construiu uma considerável trajetória de 135 jogos, com 15 gols marcados, nove assistências e as conquistas de quatro edições consecutivas do Gauchão (2018 a 2021), além da Recopa Gaúcha no início de 2023.

Neste momento, o jogador de 27 anos de idade já está em Salvador e a tendência é que, nos próximos dias, ele faça os exames médicos antes da assinatura contratual. Para contar em definitivo com o atleta que passou pelo Bahia em 2021, o clube que pertence ao Grupo City pagaria ao Grêmio o valor de R$ 1,5 milhão.

Kapp's passion burns bright as Delhi Capitals steamroll Mumbai Indians

The South African allrounder made a crucial contribution in a nine-wicket victory

S Sudarshanan20-Mar-20236:04

The power-packed double-header that was

There’s passion in everything Marizanne Kapp does on the cricket field. When she bats, you simply cannot breathe easy until the moment she is out. And when she bowls, she runs in with a fierce look on her face, eyebrows in a slight furrow, and gives it her all, ball after ball. She is always in the ears of the captain or has a hand around a youngster’s shoulder. She has put South Africa at the right end of a result many times, not least in the Women’s World Cup last year and the T20 World Cup last month.But it took a while for Kapp to get up to this level in the Women’s Premier League. It wasn’t until her fourth game for Delhi Capitals that she showed she had truly arrived, picking up the first five-for of her T20 career to demolish Gujarat Giants.Kapp has an economy rate of 5.29 in the powerplay in the WPL. It is the second best after Nat Sciver-Brunt among bowlers who have bowled at least 50 balls in the first six overs. She has picked up eight wickets in this phase, which are the most by any bowler. Her overall tally of nine is the third-best by a seamer in the WPL behind Capitals team-mate Shikha Pandey and Giants’ Kim Garth.On Monday, another two-wicket burst in the powerplay from Kapp, who was as disciplined and penetrative as ever, punctured Mumbai Indians and helped Capitals top the table with two games left in the league stage. It was Mumbai’s second successive loss in the WPL after five straight wins.In front of a DY Patil stadium crowd that was decked out in blue, Kapp began with three successive dots to Yastika Bhatia. On the third delivery, after the ball was pushed back to her, she passed the ball to mid-on and ran towards captain Meg Lanning at slip to have a quiet word.Marizanne Kapp picked up 2 for 13 to restrict Mumbai Indians to 109 for 8•BCCI

What the talk was about is anybody’s guess, because no immediate field changes followed. But when she began her second over, a deep backward square leg was in place for Bhatia, instead of the fine leg in the opening over. The short one was coming. Or at least that’s what she wanted the batter to think. And it worked.Bhatia was caught on the back foot to a ball that was pitched up and moving across her. It took her outside edge and landed safely in the mitts of the wicketkeeper.Kapp was delighted. Lanning was delighted. Bhatia knew she had been outsmarted.Kapp then used the nip-backer off a length to get the better of Nat Sciver-Brunt. She bowled it around off and got it to move in past Sciver-Brunt’s mow across the line to castle her. A first-ball duck for the Mumbai allrounder. Capitals had managed to rock the ‘home side’ early.Bhatia and Sciver-Brunt had combined for almost 39 percent of the runs Mumbai had scored in the competition in the first six games. In fact, about 84 per cent of all Mumbai’s runs before Monday were scored by their top four batters. And in eight balls, Kapp had managed to see the back of two of them. In doing that, she had figures of 3-0-10-2 in the first six overs.The past couple of years have really tested Kapp and her partner Dane van Niekerk. While Kapp reached the heights of success, winning the women’s Hundred, twice, the Women’s Big Bash League, once, and being part of the first senior South African cricket team to ever play a World Cup final, her partner van Niekerk was snubbed by not one but two teams who had initially appointed her as captain. The Oval Invincibles left her out in 2022 and South Africa left her out in 2023. All of it led to her retiring from international cricket at age 29.Kapp admitted it was “a struggle” to keep her focus through all this but she still managed to churn out match-turning performances one after the other.”The day that I actually took my fiver [five-wicket haul] here, I was crying in the bus on my way here [DY Patil Stadium] because I knew Dane was retiring,” she said in the presser after her second Player-of-the-match award in the WPL. “It’s been tough but again, I think it’s my religion. Jesus Christ has been so good to me especially through those hard patches. I have to mention my team as well. They make it so easy for me to be here.”I have always been a very shy person but I felt like I am so comfortable with these girls and management. I’ve just fitted in and they make me feel at home.”On the same pitch she picked up the five-wicket haul, Kapp might not have the volume of wickets to show. But the impact of the two wickets she picked up upfront were on level with, if not more than, those five against Giants. But as has been her nature – of deflecting praise directed at her towards others – she spoke highly of Shikha Pandey’s penultimate over that went for just four with hard-hitting Issy Wong and Amanjot Kaur in the middle.”Always nice to contribute, especially with the new ball. That’s my job,” Kapp told the broadcaster during the innings break. “I told Shikha [Pandey] that was one of the best death overs I have seen in a long time. So credit to the bowling attack.”While each of Kapp, Pandey and Jess Jonassen picked up two wickets to keep Mumbai to a paltry 109 for 8, it was clearly the Kapp show at the start that set the tone for Capitals’ nine-wicket win.

Wolvaardt and Ismail in the top 10 in women's T20 rankings

England’s Sophie Ecclestone becomes the second bowler ever to break the 800 rating points mark

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Feb-2023

Laura Wolvaardt finished the Women’s T20 World Cup with 230 runs in six matches•AFP/Getty Images

South Africa’s on-field gains during a sensational and emotional Women’s T20 World Cup campaign have been supplemented by those from off the field as well with two of their key players rising to significant positions in the ICC rankings. Laura Wolvaardt, who finished the tournament as its highest run-getter, is now at No. 6 among the batters while Shabnim Ismail, who produced the spell that turned the semi-final, is up to No. 7 among the bowlers.This South African women’s team became the first from their country to make the final of a cricket World Cup at the senior level. They got there despite starting the competition with a loss and facing must-win situations even before the knockout stages ever began. Rising to that challenge were the same players who have now been recognised with better seeding by the ICC.Wolvaardt struck half-centuries in the final and in a make-it-or-break-it game against Bangladesh and as a result has moved up eight places. Her opening partner Tazmin Brits, who was named player of the semi-final for a half-century and four catches, is up five places to No. 12. Among the bowlers, Ismail, having been down at No. 11, has broken into the top 10 and her new-ball partner Ayabonga Khaka is hot on her heels, rising from 21st to 14th.Related

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Australia who won the Women’s T20 World Cup for the third time in a row witnessed gains among their own players as well. Ashleigh Gardner, already the top-ranked allrounder, consolidated her position by scoring 110 runs and grabbing 10 wickets in the tournament. Also, with seven wickets at an economy rate of 5, Darcie Brown moved up five spots to No. 3 on the bowlers’ rankings.England’s Sophie Ecclestone remains No. 1 and having had a good tournament herself – 11 wickets in five matches – she is now just the second person in history to go past 800 rating points in the Women’s T20I bowlers’ rankings. Australia fast bowler Megan Schutt peaked at 805 in 2019 and is the only other woman to reach that barrier. Ecclestone is currently on 801 rating points.These ranking updates came on the same day it was confirmed that Australia, South Africa, England, India, New Zealand and West Indies have earned automatic qualification to the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup.

Unflustered, organised and ruthless, Usman Khawaja shows England there is another way

While hosts are preoccupied with trying to save Test cricket, Khawaja is content just playing it

Matt Roller30-Jun-2023As Usman Khawaja punched Stuart Broad’s full toss down the ground to pass 50 for the third time in four innings, he strolled down towards his partner Marnus Labuschagne. Without smiling, he shook Labuschagne’s hand and held up his bat reluctantly, as though asking the crowd to settle down so he could resume his innings.The TV cameras cut to the Australian supporters in the Mound Stand, all wearing their canary yellow caps, then the away balcony. David Warner, George Bailey, Pat Cummins, Andrew McDonald, Travis Head and Michael di Venuto sat applauding quietly.Watching from a chair at the front of the dressing room, set slightly back from the balcony, Steven Smith was waiting to bat. Smith clapped, too, then let out an uncontrollable yawn. It was that sort of afternoon at Lord’s, a soporific return to the normal rhythms of Test cricket after a series that has been played in fast-forward.Related

Usman Khawaja stretches Australia's advantage before rain ends play early

England frustrated after Ollie Pope forced to field with injured shoulder

Forget Joe Root’s reverse-scoop and Travis Head’s half-cut-half-slap. Ignore Cummins’ swipe down the ground for six and Zak Crawley’s cover drive. The defining shot of the first eight days of this Ashes series has been altogether more restrained.It has been played 189 times already, 34 of which came on a grim, murky Friday afternoon under the floodlights: Khawaja calmly, watchfully defending one of England’s three main seamers – Broad, James Anderson and Ollie Robinson.Khawaja has faced 486 balls from those three seamers in this series. He has defended 39% of them and has left a further 24%. He has scored 173 runs off them – at a strike rate of 35 – and been dismissed only once, when attempting to squeeze Robinson through backward point in Birmingham.There have been eight days of play in this series and Khawaja has been unbeaten overnight in half of them, the fourth coming at Lord’s on Friday. After seeing out 123 balls in the gloom, he will resume tomorrow on 58 not out with the chance to put the second Test beyond England’s reach.Khawaja has faced 711 balls in the series, more than twice as many as any other batter on either side. His strike rate of 39.52 is, by some way, the lowest of any batter who has faced more than 10 balls; his aggregate of 281 runs is more than 100 runs clear of his nearest competitor, Root.His innings on Friday was characteristic of his series: unflustered, organised and ruthless. He had a life on 19 when Anderson, at short midwicket, allowed a pull to burst through his hands, but otherwise played late and with the control that has eluded most batters. If this really is the Bazball Ashes, nobody told Khawaja.Khawaja’s opening partnership with David Warner was seen as one of Australia’s few areas of vulnerability heading into this tour; at Lord’s, they have added 73 and 63 in perhaps the toughest batting conditions that either side has faced in the match.Usman Khawaja raises his bat on reaching fifty•Getty Images

“They’ve been fantastic,” Mitchell Starc said. “They’ve played a lot of cricket together. There was a big focus heading into the series on the way they wanted to go about their cricket and they’ve both been fantastic openers for a long time. Uzzie’s form over the last couple of years has been phenomenal.”They’ve created a really good partnership over a long period of time. To come into a big series like this [and make] some of the starts they have has been quality, to see them go about their business there. Obviously the opening partnership is a key one but throughout our top order, everyone has stepped up at different moments.”While England’s openers, Crawley and Ben Duckett, have both performed creditably, Khawaja has been the difference between the teams so far. He was named Player of the Match at Edgbaston and he will have the chance to add to his 75 runs at Lord’s on Saturday.England have become preoccupied with trying to save Test cricket over the last 12 months; Khawaja is perfectly content with just playing it. He is not the sort of player that has Lord’s crowds rushing back from their long lunches or skipping dessert on the Nursery Ground; he is not the sort who will care, either.It is worth considering whether, if he qualified for them, this England team would find room for Khawaja. Earlier this year, Ben Stokes was asked by Nasser Hussain if a young Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott or Michael Atherton would have a chance of forcing their way into England’s Test plans.”I’m not saying that’s not the way to play,” Stokes replied, while hinting exactly that. “But in this day and age and this era, while I’m captain and Baz [Brendon McCullum] is coach, that’s not something we’re looking for. That’s the truth. That’s not what we want. We want players who will go out there and put pressure on the bowlers straightaway.”Khawaja is not one of those – yet he has been the best batter on either side. He will be back again on Saturday, defending against Anderson, Broad and Robinson once more.

Pant to lead Capitals, play first half as batter in IPL 2024: Capitals co-owner

Nortje will be fit to play from their first game and Brook will bat at No. 6, the franchise co-owner Parth Jindal says

Nagraj Gollapudi22-Feb-20243:02

Capitals, Titans and RCB get packed schedule in IPL 2024’s first leg

Rishabh Pant will start IPL 2024 as Delhi Capitals’ captain but will not keep wicket in the first half of the season, franchise co-owner Parth Jindal has said. In a chat with ESPNcricinfo, Jindal also said Capitals were expecting South Africa fast bowler Anrich Nortje to be fit to play from their opening game, against Punjab Kings on March 23.Jindal said the Capitals think-tank, led by the team director Sourav Ganguly and head coach Ricky Ponting, was confident about Pant starting the IPL, subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI which is imminent.”Rishabh is batting. He’s running. He has started his wicketkeeping. He is likely to be fully fit for the IPL,” Jindal said on Thursday. “I am expecting Rishabh to play IPL and he will lead from match one. First seven games we are going to play him only as a batter and depending on how his body reacts, we will take a call for the rest of the IPL.”Related

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Rishabh Pant begins match-simulation exercises in Bengaluru

The IPL will mark Pant’s return to competitive cricket since the Test series in Bangladesh in December 2022. After his horrific car crash on December 30, 2022, Pant has worked hard to make a remarkable recovery post successful surgeries to three major knee ligaments in his right leg. Having told his doctors that he would shave at least six months off their prescribed time of recovery, Pant played practice matches in Bengaluru this week, which were organised by the National Cricket Academy.On Tuesday, Pant also posted a video on his Instagram doing some wicketkeeping and mobility drills, which have become part of his lower-body conditioning over the past six weeks. On Wednesday, he batted and fielded in a 20-over match, which comprised a series of match-simulation exercises. The game was overseen by the BCCI medical staff. There were no visible concerns. Pant is expected to play at least a few more such games before joining Capitals. Once the BCCI clearance comes, he will join the side for a preparatory camp in Visakhapatnam, where the team will also play two home matches.With the second half of WPL 2024 – comprising 11 games including the playoffs – set to be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, the Capitals men’s team had to shift their home base for the early part of the IPL to ensure they didn’t start on tried pitches. In the 21-match IPL schedule released on Thursday, Capitals are scheduled to play two home and three away matches. Jindal confirmed the team would return to Delhi for their remaining five home games.Anrich Nortje ‘good to go for first game’Nortje, who has been out of action for a while because of injuries, is good to go and is also expected to join the camp in Visakhapatnam, Jindal said. Nortje had recovered from a groin injury to play ten matches for the side in the 2023 season before heading home for personal reasons. He was retained by the franchise ahead of the 2024 auction.While he played the inaugural season of Major League Cricket in the USA, he pulled out of the ODI series at home against Australia in September following a suspected stress fracture in the back and was eventually ruled out of the ODI World Cup as well. Doubts about his availability for IPL persisted after he did not play the SA20 either.Anrich Nortje played ten games in IPL 2023•Associated Press

“He’s fit,” Jindal said. “Right now, he is bowing at 80% intensity. Next week, he will bowl at 100%. He’s going to make his comeback in the IPL. He is going to join our camp and should be good to go for our first game.”Jindal also said Australia fast bowler Jhye Richardson is unlikely to be fit for the initial part of the tournament as he recovers from a side strain that had ruled him out of the latter half of the BBL as well as the home ODI series against West Indies. Richardson was bought by Capitals at the mini-auction in December for INR 5 crore (US$ 602,000 approx).”He’s touch and go but will definitely be available for some part of IPL,” Jindal said.Harry Brook set for No. 6 roleJindal was confident Capitals would make the playoffs mainly because Pant’s return provided the right balance to the team. He also said Tristan Stubbs and Mitchell Marsh made the team a well-rounded unit.”We feel very confident, the balance of the team is a lot better with Rishabh coming back in,” he said. “We have a very good squad and a lot of options with players like Tristan Stubbs, who had a phenomenal SA20 [with champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape], and Mitch Marsh becoming captain of Australia’s T20I team.”Jindal said he was also expecting big things from David Warner, an IPL legend, who is likely to feature for one last season at Capitals with the mega auction in 2025. Jindal also said he was looking forward to England power hitter Harry Brook playing a key role in the lower order.Another key reason behind Jindal’s optimism for this season is the recruitment of a fresh batch of uncapped Indian players who, he said, were scouted and recommended by Ganguly. Among the uncapped Indians bought by Capitals at the auction are Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra, Haryana allrounder Sumit Kumar and Madhya Pradesh batter Ricky Bhui (who is currently the leading run-scorer in Ranji Trophy).”We know our younger Indian players [better], we know which players to back in what positions a lot better than we did in the last season,” Jindal said. “A lot of credit goes to the systems and processes put in place by [Ganguly].”

Boult, Chahal and Parag make it 3-0 for Royals and 0-3 for Mumbai Indians

Royals chased the total down with 27 balls to spare to move to No. 1 on the points table with a hat-trick of wins

Sreshth Shah01-Apr-20242:22

Aaron: ‘Chahal the best spinner to have ever played the IPL’

Hardik Pandya’s return to the Wankhede Stadium as Mumbai Indians captain was far from a fairy tale, as the five-time champions lost their third game in a row, this time with 27 balls to spare. Rajasthan Royals – led by superb performances from Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal and Riyan Parag – gave them a thorough hammering to move to No. 1 on the points table with a hat-trick of victories.Boult left Mumbai gasping within minutes of the start of the match when he dismissed Rohit Sharma, Naman Dhir and Dewald Brevis for first-ball ducks in his first eight balls. His 3 for 22 was only matched by the 3 for 11 taken by Chahal, who controlled the middle overs to ensure Mumbai did not stage a batting comeback.Chasing 126 for victory, Parag dragged Royals out of some early trouble and shepherded the chase. He finished the game with six, six, and four to stay unbeaten on 54 to take the No. 1 spot on the orange cap leaderboard – tied on runs with Virat Kohli but ahead of strike rate.Boult sets up the demolition jobRohit had all the support from the crowd, who chanted his name even as they booed Hardik, but his time with the bat lasted only one ball when Boult got one to swing away from him and get him to edge it behind. Next ball, Boult swung it the other way, getting a full ball to nip into Dhir.With two wickets gone inside the game’s first six balls, Mumbai brought in impact sub Brevis in the second over itself, but he too fell prey to the ball angling across, edging it to Nandre Burger at short third.Trent Boult picked up three wickets in his first eight balls – par for the course•Associated Press

With three wickets in his first eight deliveries of the game, Boult gave Royals an advantage that they never let go.Scintillating ChahalAfter Boult’s searing opening spell, Burger got in on the action. Playing as a replacement for the injured Sandeep Sharma, Burger came around the wicket to pick off Ishan Kishan with a length ball that angled away and took his edge.With Mumbai Indians 20 for 4 in three-and-a-half overs, Tilak Varma and Hardik looked to build a recovery, almost succeeding with a 56-run fifth-wicket stand, but Chahal dismissed both batters to snuff out any chance of a comeback.After hitting six boundaries early in his innings, Hardik fell on 34 when he holed out at mid-on trying to hit Chahal. Tilak was sent packing on 32 soon after when Chahal’s googly was edged to R Ashwin at short third.Chahal finished his spell with the wicket of Gerald Coetzee late in the innings. In all, 16 of Chahal’s 24 deliveries were dots, and his four-over spell ended with an economy of only 2.75.A late wicket for Avesh Khan and a second for Burger ensured Mumbai finished on 125 for 9, a score too low on a surface that is traditionally batting-friendly.Madhwal comes good on season debutOnly wickets could save Mumbai after that batting effort, and they played their trump card early when Jasprit Bumrah shared the new ball, with Kwena Maphaka, for the first time this season.But even though Bumrah bowled three of the six powerplay overs, the Royals batters did not give a wicket away to him. Yashasvi Jaiswal fell to Maphaka in the first over itself, while the other three wickets went to Akash Madhwal, playing his first game of IPL 2024.Madhwal struck with the second ball of his spell when he got Sanju Samson to chop on to his stumps, and added a second when Jos Buttler pulled him to fine leg. He added a third later, in the 13th over, when Ashwin sent a leading edge off a short delivery to point. Madhwal was the standout bowler for Mumbai Indians with 3 for 20.Riyan Parag scored another half-century, and claimed the orange cap•BCCI

Parag’s form continuesParag walked in ranked No. 5 on the orange cap list and finished the day with the cap on his head. With no real scoreboard pressure on this occasion, No. 4 Parag played risk-free cricket early on, but tore into Coetzee with four fours and two sixes.It all started with back-to-back boundaries off Coetzee in the eighth over, followed by another lofted four over the covers in the 11th. He then smoked Bumrah through mid-off in the 14th over before depositing Piyush Chawla over long-on in the 15th.Parag then put the finishing touches on the result by hammering Coetzee for 16 runs off the first three balls of the 16th over. The first ball went for a clubbed six over the covers, and he reached his fifty next ball with a slog over midwicket. The winning runs came over wicketkeeper Kishan’s head and sent Royals and Mumbai Indians to opposite ends of the points table.

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