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MatériaMais Notícias

da esport bet： São Paulo e Avaí se enfrentam neste domingo (25), às 20h, no estádio do Morumbi, em duelo válido pela 28ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. O Tricolor ocupa a 13ª posição na tabela, com 34 pontos, enquanto o Leão da Ilha é o 17º colocado, com 28.

RelacionadasSão PauloSão Paulo realiza mais um dia de treino com foco no setor ofensivoSão Paulo23/09/2022São PauloTricolor na final: Relembre os campeões da Sul-Americana de 2012 pelo São Paulo e onde eles estãoSão Paulo23/09/2022São PauloCom acusação de racismo, árbitro que apitará final do São Paulo na Sul-América carrega diversas polêmicasSão Paulo23/09/2022

da gbg bet： Galeria
>Com Sul-Americana, São Paulo amplia recorde de time brasileiro finalista em torneios continentais

Tabela
> Veja tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro

O duelo entre as equipes terá transmissão exclusiva do Canal Premiere, pay-per-view da Rede Globo, para todo o Brasil, onde somente assinantes terão acesso ao jogo.

Além dos meios citados, os torcedores poderão acompanhar o confronto por meio do tempo real do LANCE!/Voz do Esporte.

Veja mais informações sobre o jogo:

SÃO PAULO x AVAÍ

Local: Morumbi, em São Paulo (SP)
Data e hora:25/9/2022, às 20h (de Brasília)
Árbitro: Bruno Arleu de Araujo (RJ) [Fifa]
Assistentes: Eduardo Gonçalves da Cruz (MS) e Thiago Rosa de Oliveira (RJ)
VAR: Rodrigo Nunes de Sá (RJ) [Fifa]
Onde assistir: Premiere e em tempo real no LANCE!/Voz do Esporte

Manchester United exited the Carabao Cup at the quarter-final stage after a 4-3 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in North London last night.

Goals from Heung-min Son, Dominic Solanke (x2) and Dejan Kulusevski secured victory for Ange Postecoglou’s side, ending Ruben Amorim’s chances of a first title since his appointment.

The Red Devils did find themselves three goals down at one stage, but goals from Joshua Zirkzee, Amad Diallo and Jonny Evans made the scoreline somewhat respectable.

Undoubtedly, the loss will be frustrating, but more importantly, the manner of the defeat, looking second best for the majority of the encounter at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Amorim handed various opportunities out to players who haven’t had the best start to the campaign, but were unable to take their chance with both hands.

United’s disappointing performers against Spurs

Victor Lindelof was replaced just before the break after picking up an injury, subsequently being replaced by eventual goalscorer Evans.

However, up until his withdrawal, he failed to make a real impression on the new boss, unable to stake his claim for a regular starting role after his rare start last night.

The Swedish international didn’t win any duels and failed to win a single tackle, losing possession three times in the process during his first half display.

Goalkeeper Altay Bayindir was utilised between the sticks instead of Andre Onana, making his first appearance since the cup victory against Leicester City at the end of October.

However, he had an evening to forget in North London, conceding four, with his misjudgement leading to Son’s corner flying straight in for the host’s fourth goal of the evening, having also parried Pedro Porro’s effort for the game’s opener.

He only made two saves in the process, but was unable to swing the game in the Red Devils’ favour, contributing to their defeat, with the result perhaps having been different had Onana started the game.

Bayindir wasn’t the only player to fail to impress, as another first-team star demonstrated why he’s been a bench option for the majority of the season – potentially playing his last game for the club.

The United player who was as bad as Bayindir vs Spurs

Brazilian winger Antony has failed to demonstrate why the club were so keen to fork out £86m for his signature back in the summer of 2022, only scoring 12 goals since his big-money arrival.

However, last night Amorim handed the 24-year-old the chance to prove why he should start on a regular basis, but like Bayindir, it was an evening to forget for the attacker.

He only featured for 55 minutes before being replaced by goalscorer Diallo, but it was a deserved withdrawal after failing to make any form of positive impression on the encounter.

The “abysmal” winger, as dubbed by one content creator, only completed 87% of his attempted passes, losing possession a whopping 11 times – an average of once every five minutes he played.

Minutes played

55

Touches

33

Passes completed

13/15 (87%)

Successful dribbles

0/4 (0%)

Duels lost

10

Shots taken

1

Possession lost

11x

Antony also lost ten duels – the most of any player on the pitch – whilst failing to complete any of the four dribbles he attempted for Amorim’s side.

As a result of his dismal showing, he was handed a measly 4/10 match rating by the Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst – an indication as to how poor he was throughout.

With January coming up, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the hierarchy try and offload the attacker, with The Athletic’s Carl Anka claiming it might be the “last game Antony starts for United for a while” given his lack of impact. Indeed, amid reports regarding a possible sale in the upcoming window, perhaps the Brazilian has kicked his last ball in a United shirt.

The club are undoubtedly going to lose a huge chunk of their mammoth investment, but he’s had more than enough chances to prove himself – evidently not being at the level required for success going into 2025.

Man Utd make bid for "one of the best" who's a massive upgrade on Rashford

Manchester United have made a bid for a star who could send Marcus Rashford packing.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 19, 2024

Meg Lanning will continue her break from the game as the Australian domestic season gets underway with the expanded WNCL, but a host of international players will be on display during the opening rounds which take place ahead of the WBBL.Even though they are missing Lanning, Victoria can still call on Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland from their contracted Australia names when they face South Australia while Sophie Molineux will captain the side having taken over during the winter.Related

• The race to 130kph: NSW project aims to unlock female pace bowling

• Nitschke's inbox: Haynes' replacement, new leaders and sustaining success

South Australia, meanwhile, are stocked with international names. Megan Schutt has been named captain while the side could feature Tahlia McGrath, Darcie Brown and Amanda-Jade Wellington.New South Wales will be captained by Alyssa Healy who will be joined by Ash Gardner against Queensland at North Sydney Oval. Others with international experience include Hannah Darlington and Erin Burns, while pace bowler Maitlan Brown has featured in squads without yet making a debut.

Opening WNCL fixtures

September 23 SA vs VIC, Karen Rolton Oval; WA vs ACT, WACA; NSW vs QLD, North Sydney

September 25 SA vs VIC, Karen Rolton Oval, WA vs ACT, WACA; NSW vs QLD, North Sydney

September 30 NSW vs WA, North Sydney

October 1 QLD vs ACT, Bill Pippen Oval

October 2 NSW vs WA, North Sydney

October 3 QLD vs ACT, Bill Pippen Oval

October 4 VIC vs TAS, Junction Oval

October 6 VIC vs TAS, Junction Oval

Queensland will be captained by Jess Jonassen and their squad features Grace Harris who was a key part of the Commonwealth Games success. Georgia Redmayne has been a regular reserve player for Australia.Western Australia will be able to call on Beth Mooney, who made the big off-season move by switching from Queensland, and breakout bowling star Alana King. Their first opponents, ACT, are the only side without an Australia-listed player.Tasmania, who begin their title defence next month, have Nicola Carey as a current Australia representative while Heather Graham has also featured in recent squads.From the players in Australia’s contracts list announced earlier this year, Rachael Haynes won’t feature having announced her retirement along with the Victoria pair of Tayla Vlaeminck (foot) and Georgia Wareham (ACL) who remain long-term injuries.The WNCL has increased to a 12-game tournament this season with each side playing each other twice before the final. The competition begins on Friday with six sides in action with the fixtures repeated on Sunday. Tasmania and South Australia will play twice in these opening rounds while the other teams have four games.The tournament then resumes in mid-December when Australia will be in India for T20Is, but there should be another opportunity for those players to appear after Christmas before the visit of Pakistan in January. The latter part takes place in February when the T20 World Cup is on in South Africa.

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has signed with Melbourne Renegades for the upcoming WBBL season.In five of the past seven years, Matthews has played for Hobart Hurricanes where she scored 865 runs at 18.02 and took 41 wickets.Her signing means she will team up with Harmanpreet Kaur in Renegades’ top order.”Any team that I’m part of, I try to bring a bit of West Indian flair to it,” Matthews said. “I really like to go out there and have fun every time I’m out on the field.”As a West Indian, our culture is big hitting and excitement in the field – that’s exactly what I’m looking to bring to the Melbourne Renegades.”James Rosengarten, Melbourne Renegades general manager, said: “Alongside Harmanpreet Kaur, we see Hayley playing an important role in our top four. She brings a wealth of experience at international level and in the WBBL.”Hayley’s ability to impact the game with the bat, ball and in the field – combined with her leadership attributes – makes her an exciting addition to our team.”Although Australia fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck is part of Renegades’ squad having moved from Hurricanes she won’t be available this season as she continues her recovery from the stress fracture of her foot sustained earlier this year.Current squad Sophie Molineux (capt), Sarah Coyte, Josie Dooley, Ellie Falconer, Ella Hayward, Harmanpreet Kaur, Carly Leeson, Hayley Matthews, Rhiann O’Donnell, Tayla Vlaeminck, Georgia Wareham, Courtney Webb

You can voice your choice with #BestTestPair on Twitter and Facebook

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Aug-2015Gordon Greenidge and Desmond HaynesSpan 1978-1991 Innings 148 Runs 6482 Average 47.31 100s/50s 16/26
PA PhotosThe most prolific opening pair in Test history, and also the pair to have batted together the most innings in Tests. The two greats set the tone for West Indies’ all-conquering side of the 80s, browbeating bowlers even before Viv Richards, Clive Lloyd and the rest came out to bat. Greenidge, five years older than Haynes, was the senior partner: “We always had a battle on. He wanted to face the first ball, and I would say, ‘No, you haven’t matured yet.’ I wouldn’t just let him.”Rahul Dravid and Sachin TendulkarSpan 1996-2012 Innings 143 Runs 6920 Average 50.51 100s/50s 20/29
AFPFor years, the presence of Dravid and Tendulkar in the middle was among the most reassuring sights for Indian fans, as two of Test cricket’s most reliable batsmen set about demoralising the opposition. From the time they put on two large partnerships in the Caribbean in 1997, they provided a torrent of runs for India’s third wicket. Even as late as the Boxing Day Test in 2011, they were raising Indian hopes with a century stand, but the innings unravelled after their partnership was broken. The current holders of the record for most partnership runs in Tests, a record they are set to hold for years to come.Matthew Hayden and Justin LangerSpan 1997-2007 Innings 122 Runs 6081 Average 51.53 100s/50s 14/28
Getty ImagesLike Haynes and Greenidge, this was an opening pair that laid the base for a dominant team. Hayden played only seven matches in the six years after his Test debut, and Langer only eight in nearly the same time. After Michael Slater lost form in the 2001 Ashes though, the pair spent six run-filled years at the top of the Australian order bullying attacks around the world. They began with a 158 at The Oval, before reeling off four double-century stands in the next six Tests. They kept churning out big runs till Langer retired in 2007 after England had been whitewashed and the Ashes emphatically regained.Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela JayawardeneSpan 2000-2014 Innings 120 Runs 6554 Average 56.50 100s/50s 19/27
AFPLike Langer and Hayden, Sangakkara and Jayawardene are famously good friends. Our Sri Lankan correspondent Andrew Fernando describes their relationship: “United in battles in Sri Lanka against administrators, as they have been on the field, at each end of the pitch, or at keeper and slip, Jayawardene and Sangakkara have lived out perhaps the greatest cricket bromance of all time.” The pair were the mainstays of the Sri Lankan batting order for over a decade, during which they became cricket’s second highest run-accumulators. Their monumental 624-run stand against South Africa in 2006, remains a record not just in Tests, but in first-class cricket as well.Jack Hobbs and Herbert SutcliffeSpan 1924-1930 Innings 39 Runs 3339 Average 87.86 100s/50s 15/11
The Cricketer InternationalWhen Hobbs and Sutcliffe batted at the top of the order for the first time for England in 1924, only one opening pair had put together more than 1000 runs. By the time Hobbs and Sutcliffe batted together for the last time at the top of the order, against Australia at The Oval in 1930, they had amassed more than three times that. Other pairs came along later and scored more runs, but none have scored them at such a prolific rate. In only 39 innings, they had 15 century stands; Greenidge and Haynes had one more century partnership than that, but they had 109 more Test innings. Their average per innings (87.86) is 40 more than than Haynes-Greenidge. 14-Aug-2015, 4:20am GMT: An incorrect picture had accompanied the Hobbs and Sutcliffe entry. This has been fixed

MatériaMais Notícias

da gbg bet： Assim como o Sub-15, o Palmeiras Sub-20 também conquistou mais uma vitória neste sábado (25). Pela terceira rodada da fase inicial do Brasileirão da categoria, o time paulista derrotou o Fortaleza por 2 a 0 com gols de Fabinho e Jhon Jhon.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasBrasileirãoSaiba quando e como comprar ingressos para Palmeiras x Athletico-PR pelo BrasileirãoBrasileirão25/06/2022PalmeirasSub-15 do Palmeiras aplica nova goleada no Paulista e segue invicto na temporadaPalmeiras25/06/2022Futebol LatinoEx-alvo do Palmeiras, Lucas Alario é anunciado em clube da ChampionsFutebol Latino25/06/2022

da esport bet： GALERIA

>150 dias para a Copa: veja todos os estádios do Mundial do Qatar

TABELA

> Confira a tabela completa e simulador do Brasileirão!

Apesar do jogo ter sido teoricamente equilibrado, o Verdão abriu o placar ainda no primeiro tempo. Allan cobrou escanteio pela direita, e Fabinho subiu bem para cabecear e inaugurar o marcador palmeirense.

O atleta foi um dos pilares do meio-campo da equipe alviverde na conquista inédita da Copinha neste ano e estendeu seu vínculo com o clube até 2026.

Com 17 partidas pelo profissional, o jovem de 20 anos pode ganhar ainda mais espaço com Abel Ferreira por conta da lesão de Jailson, que rompeu o ligamento cruzado do joelho direito.

Já aos 34 do segundo tempo, João Pedro finalizou e parou em defesa do goleiro. No rebote, Jhon Jhon mandou para a rede e fechou a contagem do time paulista.

Com o resultado, o Palmeiras chegou aos seis pontos, assumindo a segunda colocação do grupo A da primeira fase do Brasileiro Sub-20. Até o momento, a equipe comandada por Paulo Victor Gomes disputou três partidas, sendo duas vitórias e uma derrota, com sete gols marcados e apenas três sofridos.

O próximo compromisso da equipe pelo nacional da categoria é contra o Atlético-MG, no dia 2 de julho, em Belo Horizonte, às 15h. Antes disso, as Crias da Academia entram em campo pelo Campeonato Paulista Sub-20, contra o União Mogi, na quarta-feira (29), na Academia de Futebol 2, no mesmo horário.

continua após a publicidade

Durham could face points deduction after Australian’s bat was deemed too big pending further tests

ECB Reporters Network06-Sep-2022Durham 222 for 9 (Jones 87, Conners 3-54, Dal 2-18, Aitchison 2-49) trail Derbyshire 306 (du Plooy 82, Came 78, Dal 56, Rushworth 3-60) by 84 runsDerbyshire’s pace attack put the promotion hopefuls in a strong position on the second day of the LV=Insurance County Championship match against Durham, who could face a possible points deduction after Nic Maddinson’s bat was judged to be too big.England Lions fast bowler Sam Conners took 3 for 54 and Ben Aitchison 2 for 49 to reduce Durham to 222 for 9 at the close with only Michael Jones offering any prolonged resistance with 87.Allrounder Anuj Dal claimed 2 for 18 in 10 overs as Durham lost five wickets for 26 in the final session to trail by 84.Umpire Hassan Adnan tested Maddinson’s bat with his measurement gauge shortly after the Australian came to the middle but it would not go through and was taken away by match referee Mike Smith. The bat was to be re-examined after the close of play and, if it failed again, would be sent to the ECB to make a judgement.Derbyshire were docked two points after Mattie McKiernan’s bat failed a measurement test in a Royal London Cup game last month.Maddinson was one of three Durham batters who fell to poor shots after the visitors came through the morning session unscathed.Conditions looked good for bowling under grey clouds with the floodlights on but the Derbyshire attack, with the exception of Aitchison, served up too many loose deliveries.Jones’s first seven scoring shots were boundaries but Sean Dickson was reprieved on eight when he edged Aitchison low to third slip where Leus du Plooy failed to cling on.Derbyshire regrouped during the lunch break which was extended by 45 minutes by rain and took four wickets in the afternoon session.Dickson was the first to go, caught behind carving at the first ball he faced after the restart, and Scott Borthwick also fell to a casual shot when he tried to turn the fast bowler off his legs and got a top edge to square leg.The bowlers’ improved line was rewarded again when the pressure got to Maddinson, who went for a big drive at Dal and was caught at point.Jones had played responsibly but in the penultimate over before tea, he tried to drive Nick Potts and lost his off stump.Durham trailed by 164 at the interval but Jonathan Bushnell and Liam Trevaskis frustrated Derbyshire for 19 overs before Conners returned to shift the momentum again.Conners found enough away movement to have Bushnell caught behind before Trevaskis, badly missed on 21 at third slip, edged to second five overs later where Wayne Madsen knocked the ball up for Brooke Guest to complete the catch.Paul Coughlin was run out by a direct hit from Potts as he went for a sharp single to midwicket and Tom Mackintosh drove a wide ball from Dal to point.Conners had Ben Raine caught behind before bad light ended play with Derbyshire well placed to push for victory.

The FIFA Club World Cup, taking place in 2025, is the newest club competition that will take place in the United States next summer.

The event highlights the ever-growing nature of FIFA, with countries represented from each of the six international confederations: AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC and UEFA.

In December 2022, the FIFA Council approved the expansion of the FIFA Club World Cup from its current seven-team tournament to one comprising of 32 teams. Rather than being held every December, the tournament would now be held every four years, taking place in the summer months.

Champions League 2024/25: How the new format works & current standings

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1 ByAlex Caple Oct 2, 2024

In its current guise, the FIFA Club World Cup features just seven clubs, with the champions from UEFA and CONMEBOL receiving byes into the semi-finals. Manchester City won the 2023 edition after a 4-0 victory over Copa Libertadores winners Fluminense.

FIFA is expanding the tournament to increase interest and global appeal, with more teams taking part from previously neglected African and Asian confederations such as CAF and AFC, which will help to up its popularity and reach.

Club World Cup qualified teams

The qualification format is slightly more complicated compared to the previous editions of the tournament. Previously, a club secured a place in the Club World Cup if they won their federation’s continental championship.

With the expansion to 32 teams from 2025 onwards, there are several spots up for grabs in every international federation aside from OFC, with just one team making it via the ranking pathway.

Four teams from CAF, AFC and CONCACAF will qualify. If a team has won the continental championship more than once in the preceding four years, another team will qualify via the rankings.

Europe will have 12 qualifiers – four via the champions pathway and eight from the ranking pathway, with the latter taking overall performances in the Champions League into account. South America’s CONMEBOL federation has the second-highest number of entries. Six teams – four from the champions pathway and two from the rankings pathway – will qualify for the tournament.

Finally, one club from the host nation will take part, making up the 32 teams to fight it out for the title.

Team (country)

Nation

Federation

Method of qualification

Al Ahly

Egypt

CAF

CAF Champions League winner

Wydad

Morocco

CAF

CAF Champions League winner

ES Tunis

Tunisia

CAF

CAF ranking pathway

Mamelodi Sundowns

South Africa

CAF

CAF ranking pathway

Al-Hilal

Saudi Arabia

AFC

AFC Champions League winner

Urawa Red Diamonds

Japan

AFC

AFC Champions League winner

Al Ain

UAE

AFC

AFC Champions League winner

Ulsan HD FC

South Korea

AFC

AFC ranking pathway

Chelsea

England

UEFA

UEFA Champions League winner

Real Madrid

Spain

UEFA

UEFA Champions League winner

Manchester City

England

UEFA

UEFA Champions League winner

Bayern Munich

Germany

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

PSG

France

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Inter

Italy

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Porto

Portugal

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Benfica

Portugal

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Borussia Dortmund

Germany

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Juventus

Italy

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Atlético Madrid

Spain

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

RB Salzburg

Austria

UEFA

UEFA ranking pathway

Monterrey

Mexico

CONCACAF

CONCACAF Champions Cup

Seattle Sounders

United States

CONCACAF

CONCACAF Champions Cup

Club Leon

Mexico

CONCACAF

CONCACAF Champions Cup

Pachuca

Mexico

CONCACAF

CONCACAF Champions Cup

Auckland City

New Zealand

OFC

OFC rankings pathway

Palmeiras

Brazil

CONMEBOL

Copa Libertadores winner

Flamengo

Brazil

CONMEBOL

Copa Libertadores winner

Fluminense

Brazil

CONMEBOL

Copa Libertadores winner

River Plate

Argentina

CONMEBOL

CONMEBOL rankings pathway

Boca Juniors

Argentina

CONMEBOL

CONMEBOL rankings pathway

Inter Miami

United States

CONCACAF

Host nation slot

TBD

Brazil/Uruguay

CONMEBOL

2024 Copa Libertadores winner

Club World Cup format and draw details

The format of the Club World Cup will be the same format used in the World Cup between 1998 and 2022, with the exception of a third-place play-off.

Eight groups of four teams will compete in a round-robin phase. The top two finishers in each group will secure a place in the round of 16.

From the round of 16 to the final, a direct single-match knockout stage will take place, with there being no third-place playoff. The draw for the group stage took place in December 2024.

FIFA Club World Cup Current Champions Manchester CityFounded 2000Most Championships Real Madrid (5)

DAZN

Watch all FIFA Club World Cup games free on DAZN. The biggest clubs and the best players in the world compete in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Watch Every Game Live on DAZN Club World Cup host and venues

The United States was announced as the host nation in June 2023, with the tournament being held between 15th June and 13th July, during the traditional off-season for many countries.

12 venues will host 63 matches during the tournament. The final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New York, New Jersey. A full list of the venues can be seen in the table below.

Stadium

City and state

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Atlanta, Georgia

TQL Stadium

Cincinnati, Ohio

Bank of America Stadium

Charlotte, North Carolina

Rose Bowl Stadium

Los Angeles, California

Hard Rock Stadium

Miami, Florida

GEODIS Park

Nashville, Tennessee

MetLife Stadium

New York, New Jersey

Camping World Stadium

Orlando, Florida

Inter&Co Stadium

Orlando, Florida

Lincoln Financial Field

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lumen Field

Seattle, Washington

Audi Field

Washington, D.C.

Tournament controversy

While the event will give opportunities to teams who may never have had the chance to participate in the previous version of the tournament, the expansion has also garnered plenty of controversy.

One such complaint is the fact the event adds even more matches to the global footballing calendar than ever before. The recent expansion of the UEFA Champions League means the top teams are playing more continental fixtures compared to years gone by.

The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) says that the expansion is placing more stress on professionals as they are being pushed too hard.

Even the players are concerned over the way the game is going. “We have too many games, and it’s putting our careers and health at risk,” said Ballon d’Or winner Rodri in September, a week before the Spaniard tore his ACL, ruling him out for the rest of the season.

The midfielder played a staggering 50 games for Manchester City last term before featuring six times for his country as they won Euro 2024. Rodri would have only taken a couple of weeks off before going again in August, heightening his chances of injury.

Why Rodri won the 2024 Ballon d'Or

Not even a season-ending injury could stop Manchester City’s Rodri from claiming football’s biggest individual prize.

ByBarney Lane Oct 28, 2024

Another controversy surrounds the broadcast deals for the tournament. FIFA is yet to secure any media deals for the competition with less than 12 months until it begins, although the $4bn (£3.1bn) target set by the governing body appears to have put the majority of potential broadcasters off.

Apple had reportedly made a $1bn deal for the global rights, according to The Athletic. However, FIFA reverted to a traditional media rights sale.

Club World Cup 2029

The 2029 edition will be the second event to feature 32 teams, which will feature the winners of the four previous continental championships.

In terms of hosting, Australia and New Zealand are preparing a joint bid to host the 2029 tournament.

Furthermore, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco – who are all hosting the 2030 World Cup – are looking at a bid for the second edition of the FIFA Club World Cup in order to prepare for the 100th anniversary of the World Cup.

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RP Singh’s image has suffered since he played a brief and forgettable part in India’s infamous 2011 England tour. Leaner and back in rhythm, the Uttar Pradesh left-armer looks to change public perceptions once again

Nagraj Gollapudi in Bangalore07-Jan-2014RP Singh. Unfit. A talent stalled. A fast bowler gone astray. MS Dhoni’s favourite pick. These are some of the immediate conclusions everyone, not just critics and the media, drew as soon as RP’s name comes up. At some point in the past RP did struggle to find his rhythm, his pace and lost his place in the Indian team.But that was RP in 2011, the last time he played for India, during the tour of England when he was rushed from a vacation in the US after Dhoni told the selectors he wanted a left-arm seamer in place of the injured Zaheer Khan.As a replacement RP did not make many more headlines. He then missed the entire domestic season last year, sidelined by a knee injury. At 25, RP was still young, but he had just played 14 Tests and fewer ODIs than Ravindra Jadeja, who had made his limited-overs international debut four years after him. He was a dangerous bowler in the IPL at times, but RP could not translate that into his performances in first-class cricket.Surely those questions would have clouded his mind during his lengthy wait. This week RP has the opportunity to change those widely held perceptions about him as he leads Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji quarterfinals against favourites Karnataka.The UP selectors decided to put RP in charge instead of Piyush Chawla, under whom the team managed just two outright victories during the eight-round league stage. The fact that RP did not play in UP’s final two group matches did not matter to the selectors, because they had seen enough of him in the first six rounds, in which he took 21 wickets including a five-for in his final match in Kolkata against Bengal.The extra responsibility might just bring out the best from RP. It will give RP, one of UP’s senior-most players, more onus to provide direction to the team.”There is a bhook (hunger) inside him, since he has not played the last two matches, and this match is important for him. I feel he has been bowling with good rhythm and strength and am positive he will take wickets,” says Ashish Winston Zaidi, the former UP fast bowler and captain and currently the team’s manager.A fast bowler is hungry to take wickets every match and Zaidi says he has seen that killer instinct in RP. According to Zaidi, RP has the aura and experience to handle the players and different match situations, which could prove important during knockout matches.As a bowler RP’s biggest strength remains his ability to swing the ball both ways. He is not Mitchell Johnson but his accuracy, when he is in rhythm, can pose batsmen awkward questions. Zaidi provides the example of RP’s spell against Baroda in early November at Moti Baug Stadium, on a pitch where the ball was turning square and bouncing unevenly. Only eight wickets fell to fast bowlers, and RP got six of them.”They had prepared a completely spin-friendly track but he managed to swing the ball in to the right-handers and surprised the batsmen. I remember this guy who left the ball and was bowled,” Zaidi says.During the training session today RP wore an effervescent smile as he conversed with coach Venkatesh Prasad. RP did not bowl at full pelt, but kept his focus more on hitting the right length, which Prasad reckons is a warning sign for Karnataka over the next five days. “The moment he bends his back he hits an outstanding length and it is extremely difficult to play that length. The ball that comes back in to the right-handed batsmen is lethal and that is what I told him today,” Prasad says.The pitch in Bangalore has a greenish tinge, but the grass was being shaved by late afternoon. The bounce is likely to be good, but batsmen should enjoy themselves as the pitch dries. Prasad is not worried because he says he has seen RP extracting movement out of a virtually dead surface in Rajkot against Saurashtra, in a drawn match that produced 1000-plus runs. “It was absolutely flat. We made a plan to bowl short and have a leg slip and short leg and attack. RP executed that superbly,” Prasad says. “On such a track he was getting the ball to bounce and move. He could not get the wickets but still the effort was outstanding.”Time away from work perhaps prevented RP from getting disillusioned and encouraged him to work on his consistency. “It is frustrating to sit out when others are playing,” Prasad says. “But he took that in his stride, worked hard on his fitness and that is why he looks leaner this season.”Prasad believes RP is still one of the best left-arm seamers in the country. Zaidi, meanwhile, is confident RP will wear India colours again. It now remains for RP to go and make the headlines this week without feeling the pressure of those expectations.

Having thrown in his lot for a career in county cricket, Azharullah can complete the fairytale by helping unfancied Northants to glory

Jon Culley 15-Aug-2013When Twenty20 was launched 10 years ago as the new elixir to revive the ailing patient that was county cricket, the sales pitch was clear. It was razzmatazz, excitement, glamour; big names, big hitters, big nights. All wrapped up in an easy, bite-sized package for the modern consumer.Yet maybe the thing that has given Twenty20 cricket – in England, at any rate – its special quality is an ingredient you suspect no one foresaw, and certainly did not plan for. That quality is romance; the kind that used to give the FA Cup its magic. The sense that anyone can win; that the richest need not prevail, that the underdog can have his day.This is the competition, after all, won three times by Leicestershire and there will be an underdog in the Friends Life T20 final on Saturday, thanks to the semi-final draw pairing Essex and Northamptonshire. Essex are there for the fourth time but can be counted as underdogs this year, having scraped into the quarter-finals with the worst win-loss record of all the qualifiers, even if they did thrash fancied Nottinghamshire once there. Northants were never anything but outsiders – only once before through to Finals Day and carrying the embarrassing statistic, before this year’s competition began, of having won only three of their last 27 T20 matches.There has been a touch of romance about their transformation, too. Much as head coach David Ripley is right to applaud the contributions of Alex Wakely, David Willey, Kyle Coetzer, Steven Crook, and the overseas players, Cameron White and Richard Levi, the romance comes in the shape of Mohammad Azharullah, generally known as simply Azharullah. He is the Pakistani bowler who came to England to play league cricket, married an English girl and decided to stay. No one this season has more T20 wickets.The romance, the magic, is in how he and Northants were brought together, an unlikely alliance given Azharullah’s status as an adopted Yorkshireman, for three years the overseas pro for East Bierley in the Bradford League, then two with Shelley in the Huddersfield League, and since 2009 married to Emma Taylor, from Halifax, whom he met while she was the scorer for Pudsey Congs Cricket Club, and with whom he has a daughter, Aisha, who turns two on Finals Day.The connection with Northants came about through Congs committee man Ralph Middlebrook, whose son, the offspinning allrounder James, is on the Wantage Road staff.”When I married my wife, she said to me ‘what are you going to do?'” Azharullah said. “I told her ‘I’m going to qualify to play county cricket’. I played a lot of cricket in Pakistan and it was the only thing I knew, so to play county cricket was my goal.”In fact, he had played 53 first-class games in Pakistan, taking 190 wickets, the majority for the Water and Power Development Authority, so he thought he had a reasonable chance of achieving his goal. Nonetheless, it still required faith that the three-year qualification period would not coincide with any waning of his powers. Or see him run out of money.”It was a gamble,” he said. “I just believed in myself that I would get an opportunity. I had a good record on paper and I thought that if anyone saw my pace and looked at my record they would give me a trial.”I had to give up my job with the Development Authority when I decided to stay here and you can’t earn much money from league cricket. I worked for a year as a personal trainer and I have to thank Emma for working too and supporting me. She has been brilliant.”It was a gamble for the county, too. “When Azhar came to us in the winter, our playing budget was already allocated,” Ripley said. “But credit the club. We did not find as much money as we would have liked but we found some and Azhar backed himself to do well and kickstart his English career. It has worked out for both sides.”He has a very high level of skills. He has decent pace, hits his yorkers, takes pace with the slower ball and can bowl a bouncer. And he can execute his skills under pressure.”

“I learned to reverse swing because in Pakistan if you are not from a rich background or play for a rich club you play with old balls and with an old ball you have to make it do something.”

Ripley did not rush his new charge, reasoning he would need time to get into shape. But when his chance came, at the end of May, he took three wickets in a County Championship debut truncated by rain. And then came the Flt20, in which he excelled.”I knew that I was kind of a surprise package here because people don’t know me so well,” he said. “I hadn’t played T20 for four years because I moved here but we played a lot of T20 in club cricket in Pakistan.”I learned to reverse swing because in Pakistan if you are not from a rich background or play for a rich club you play with old balls and with an old ball you have to make it do something. And we play so much on flat tracks so you have to develop some skills to survive.”In club cricket in Pakistan, we play on concrete wickets. The ball doesn’t swing so you either have to bowl a yorker or create some skills, bowling bouncers and slower balls and adjusting the field according to the batsman. So I knew that there would not be many bowlers doing what I have learned in Pakistan. Even so, I’ve surprised myself that I’m at the top of the table of wicket-takers.”He goes into finals day with 24 wickets, four more than Yasir Arafat, one of the players he names among his inspirations, alongside Azhar Mahmood and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan. Yet modestly, he mentions none of them when he talks about the qualities of the Northants team, their work ethic and how they found their belief when they beat Somerset at Wantage Road in July, when Steven Crook made 63 from 43 balls but 150 for 8 still seemed below par.”We had never beaten them at home,” Azharullah said. “But we had a meeting at the halfway stage, David Ripley and Cameron White made great speeches and we said we had to make it up with a couple of maiden overs, or some run-outs or brilliant fielding. We just raised our standard a little bit more, responded the way the captain asked, and that’s when we started believing more that we could do it.”Azharullah, in fact, dismissed Peter Trego and Nick Compton in the same over, each for a duck, and finished with 3 for 16. On three occasions he has taken four wickets, twice against Glamorgan, culminating in 4 for 16 in Cardiff as Northants clinched the home quarter-final against Durham that they won comfortably.”We’re not a surprise package now,” he said, attaching a reminder that Northants are squarely in the race for promotion in the Championship and a semi-final place in YB40. “We take some momentum into the finals day and if we carry on playing cricket as we have been doing we can beat anyone.”