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Premier League rivals Manchester United and Manchester City are set to join forces and oppose the competition's planned restrictions on spending.

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Premier League plan to restrict spendingCaps to be calculated by commercial and prize moneyMan Utd and Man City both against proposalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Premier League is proposing a four-year trial that would restrict club spending based on commercial, prize money, transfer, wages and agent revenue. Reports reveal the top club in the division would be limited to spending five times as much as the bottom-placed club based on their income. Those in favour of the changes believe it would make the league more balanced and competitive, preventing the likes of City, Chelsea and those forking out millions in the transfer market from creating a gap in quality on the pitch.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Those opposing the restrictions – including the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) – say it would put clubs at a disadvantage in Europe but also put players off joining them as there would be a limit on how much they could earn. The PFA fear approval in the Premier League would then encourage the EFL to follow suit and introduce their own anchoring system to control finances.

AFPWHAT WAS SAID?

Manchester United shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe spoke out last year on the proposed caps, branding it "absurd". He went on to add: "What would anchoring do? It would inhibit the top clubs in the Premiership and the last thing you want is for them not to be able to compete with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, PSG. That’s absurd. If it does, it ceases to be the finest league in the world."

DID YOU KNOW?

For the scheme to be approved, the Premier League requires the support of two-thirds of the division's clubs. The Manchester clubs would need the support of five other clubs to prevent the restrictions being put in place, while those pushing from the Premier League's end must get a total of 14 votes in their favour.

da dobrowin： Manchester City look to be closing in on the signing of a 2007-born defender as they beat Arsenal to the signing, according to a new report.

da aposte e ganhe： The Blues have just come out of what was a rather quiet transfer window, but that hasn’t stopped them from making an excellent start to the new Premier League season. But while the transfer window was quiet, the club is now preparing to be busy when it comes to handing out new contracts.

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Posts 1 ByBrett Worthington Sep 3, 2024 Man City plan new De Bruyne and Rodri contracts

Man City added just two players to their squad over the course of the summer months, and they were Savinho and İlkay Gündoğan. However, the club was busy in terms of exits, as they allowed several fringe players to leave as they searched for regular football.

Manchester City's summer signings

Savinho

Troyes

İlkay Gündoğan

FC Barcelona

Now that the window has closed, the club’s hierarchy looks to be turning their attention to tying their best players down to new contracts. The first player that the Blues are looking to tie down to a new contract is talisman Kevin de Bruyne, who revealed earlier this week that he would be having “conversations” with the club over a new deal.

The Belgian has entered the last year of his contract with City, which has put some doubt over his future at the club. But reports have stated that there is an expectation that he will sign a new contract with the Premier League side.

As well as de Bruyne, City are also keen on tying fellow midfielder Rodri to a new “lucrative” contract. The Spaniard still has three years left to run on his contract, but the Blues are keen to tie him down further to avoid teams such as Real Madrid pouncing at the end of the campaign.

Man City set to beat Arsenal to teenage signing

According to HITC, Manchester City have an “agreement in place” to sign Christian McFarlane from MLS side New York City FC. The 17-year-old came through the academy at the USA side and has made his first team debut for the club, but he now looks set to join Man City in 2025.

The report states that given McFarlane is already part of the City Football Group, it makes a deal straight forward to do and easy to complete. The defender has been on the club’s radar for a long time, and they have been planning to bring him to England since he was in New York's academy, making sure no one else beats them to the signing.

It goes on to add that teams such as Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Atlético Madrid were watching the young star, but City are set to win the race for the Englishman. The 17-year-old has played 11 times for New York City in all competitions, with six of those appearances coming in this year’s MLS campaign.

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James Vince slapped a cut straight to Darren Bravo•Getty Images

Eoin Morgan was frustrated by England’s failure to adapt to conditions at Kensington Oval in their nine-wicket defeat to West Indies in the first of five T20 internationals, on a pitch with variable bounce.England had posted 231 in their only warm-up game against a BCA President’s XI on a pitch that Jason Roy – who hit a 36-ball hundred – described as “massively flat”. However, they were bowled out for 103 on Saturday night, and even that total represented something of a recovery after they had slumped to 29 for 5 and 49 for 7, with Jason Holder enjoying conditions on his home pitch.Holder found some steepling bounce from a good length with the new ball but several deliveries kept very low, while Akeal Hosein, the left-arm spinner, got the ball to turn away sharply from the outside edge of England’s right-handers.”[They were] actually the opposite conditions to the wicket that we played on two or three days ago,” Morgan said. “West Indies dominated the game early on: we lost early wickets [and] we didn’t seem to adapt well enough in running, which is what you have to do when challenged like that with movement and a bit of bounce.Related

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“We’ll have to come back tomorrow, fresh gameplan, try and execute it better, because I think conditions have a chance of being very similar. It was something that we spoke about pre-game: when we come to the West Indies, probably more so in Barbados and one other island – St Lucia – there’s a little bit more bounce.”The only thing we found tricky today [was that it] wasn’t that consistent. But again, trying to get that mindset around risk-reward, we found a challenge today. Hopefully we’ll come back better tomorrow and rectify that.”England were asked to bat first after Kieron Pollard won the toss but Morgan admitted that he would have chosen to do so himself. He has not chosen to bat first in a T20 international since 2016 and while England have been among the world’s strongest chasing teams, their inexperience batting first contributed to their semi-final defeat against New Zealand at last year’s World Cup.Sunday night’s game will be played on a different strip but England are expecting it to play in a similar way, offering the bowlers something throughout both innings. It remains to be seen if Liam Livingstone has recovered sufficiently from a mild illness (England clarified it was not Covid-related) to take part, but Liam Dawson, who stepped in as a spin-bowling allrounder in his first T20I since 2018, said that the short turnaround was a positive.”I think it’s a good thing,” he said. “We’ve got an opportunity tomorrow night to learn from tonight and put it right, and get a win on the board. All the boys will be really excited to go again tomorrow.”We knew it wasn’t going to be a belter. Looking back if we’d have got 130-140, it would potentially have been a completely different game. Going into tomorrow, we’re going to have to learn and maybe take our time a little bit more and put a score on the board.”It wasn’t very dewy out there at all. Conditions didn’t really change to be honest; I think we just didn’t get enough runs on the board for us to win. I think batting first could be the way going forward, and putting a score on the board.”

ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from the first day at The Oval

George Dobell and Brydon Coverdale at The Oval21-Aug-2013Blow of the day 1
Stuart Broad troubled Michael Clarke with bouncers but it was Shane Watson who suffered the most painful blow during Broad’s challenging post-lunch spell. Watson initially wanted to hook the ball but turned away when it became apparent the pace was too much, and as a result copped a fearsome blow on the left side of his neck, just below the helmet. Watson whipped his helmet off and kneeled on the ground with his head down, clearly in significant pain. After some attention from the team physio Alex Kountouris and doctor Peter Brukner, Watson was able to bat on, though with what appeared to be some pain-killing medication.Spin of the day
The selection of Simon Kerrigan alongside Graeme Swann meant England included two specialist spinners in their side for the first time in a home Test since the Cardiff 2009. On that occasion Monty Panesar was Swann’s partner. The previous time that England had included two specialist spinners in an Oval Test was in 1996, when Ian Salisbury and Robert Croft claimed combined match figures of 3 for 141 against Pakistan.Drop of the day
Watson had scored 104 when he came half forward to a delivery from James Anderson that bounced a little more than anticipated and took the edge of his bat. But Alastair Cook, a much improved slip fielder in recent months, was unable to cling on to the relatively straightforward chance and Watson was able to progress to his highest Test score and build his side a formidable platform.Blow of the day 2
Michael Clarke has been unsettled by Stuart Broad throughout the series. Perhaps as a result of his back injury, he has struggled to play the short ball, in particular, and as a result has sometimes appeared hesitant to come forward as quickly as he might have done in the past. Here he was fortunate to survive a bounce when he had scored just 1. Taking his eye off the ball, flinching and holding the bat up in front of his face, he was lucky to see the ball hit the handle and fall just out of the reach of Ian Bell at short-leg. It was another false shot for such an accomplished batsman and the reflection of some well-directed pace bowling from Broad.Stage fright of the day
Kerrigan endured a chastening start to his Test career. With Watson in fine form and determined to attack, Kerrigan conceded six boundaries in his opening two overs including a second over that cost 18. Suffering painfully from nerves and a lack of confidence, the nadir of Kerrigan’s opening day came when he produced a horrid, head-high full toss that was pulled to the boundary with dismissive contempt by Steve Smith.

Southampton are set to complete the signing of a 20-year-old ace with lots of international youth team experience, according to an update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Southampton transfer news

The Saints lost 1-0 away to Newcastle United in their opening Premier League game of the season, despite the Magpies having 10 men for much of the game. While on-pitch duties are now at the forefront of Russell Martin's thinking, that's not to say that new signings still aren't possible this summer.

Lazio goalkeeper Christos Mandas has been spoken about as a possible target, coming in and providing much-needed competition between the sticks. Alex McCarthy started at Newcastle, but he is now a veteran figure who should arguably be a backup option at the highest level.

Belgium and Antwerp midfielder Mandela Keita has also been linked with a summer move to St Mary's Stadium, with a £10m move for the 22-year-old mooted, following a bid of that amount.

In fact, Keita is seen as a possible alternative option to Tottenham ace Oliver Skipp, who has also been mentioned as a possible addition for Martin between now and the end of the summer transfer window. The Englishman could struggle for minutes at Spurs this season, so he may see a move away as ideal at this point in his career.

Now, it looks as though Southampton are closing in on another signing this summer, following a significant fresh transfer claim that has emerged.

Southampton agree deal to sign 20-year-old ace

According to Romano on X, Southampton are "set to sign" Sporting CP midfielder Mateus Fernandes, snapping him up in a potential £15.3m deal after moves for Cameron Archer and Lesley Ugochukwu.

Fernandes may not be the household name that many Southampton supporters want to see arrive in the coming weeks, but he is an exciting young footballer who could be an excellent long-term addition for Martin.

At just 20, the Portuguese has already made 10 appearances for Sporting, scoring and assisting once apiece, and he has been capped for Portugal in four different age groups, as the table below shows:

Portugal Under-21s

7

2

Portugal Under-20s

2

0

Portugal Under-19s

9

0

Portugal Under-18s

9

1

Granted, Fernandes isn't a player who is may not arrive as an immediate starter for Southampton, making a huge difference in their attempts to avoid relegation from the Premier League this season, but he could be a handy squad player from the off.

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He has enough experience at a high level to suggest that he should be able to do a solid job, but most exciting is the fact that he still has so many years ahead of him, and could therefore mature into a fantastic option for Saints over time.

West Ham United are gearing up for the 2024/25 Premier League campaign under new manager Julen Lopetegui, with the aim of bettering their ninth-place finish last season and returning to the European qualification spots.

They have already been busy in the market, acquiring Wolves defender Max Kilman, and highly rated Brazilian, Luis Guilherme, but the transfer activity doesn't look set to conclude there.

The Hammers continue to be linked with a host of players, in a host of different positions, including recent links to Borussia Dortmund striker Niclas Füllkrug, who scored two goals at Euro 2024 for Germany.

West Ham's search for a striker

According to reports from Bolavip Brasil, West Ham are ready to make their first official offer to Corinthians for talented striker, Yuri Alberto. The report suggests the Hammers have made recent inquiries about the player, and are expected to make that interest official.

The report also indicates Everton were interested in the 23-year-old forward. However, no official offer was made by the Toffees, and other names have been prioritised by Sean Dyche and co.

Alberto made 36 appearances in all competitions last season for Corinthians, scoring 17 goals, providing three assists, and totalling 2,679 minutes of football.

Why Alberto can be West Ham's new Carlos Tevez

Alberto has been dubbed as a "complete forward" by Jacek Kulig, praising his powerful, athletic qualities and killer instinct. His ability to be a nuisance up top, using that athleticism, speed and tenacity, brings the comparison of a certain Carlos Tevez.

Tevez made 29 appearances in all competitions for West Ham in the 2006/07 season, scoring seven goals and providing four assists to help steer the club clear of relegation, with his overall work rate and effort – which saw him described as "like a terrier" by Sir Alex Ferguson – subsequently earning him a move to Manchester United.

West Ham could be looking for lightning to strike twice, acquiring another striker from Corinthians (same as Tevez), who can provide a wide set of skills to the Hammers forward line.

Stat (per 90 mins)

Alberto

Fullkrug

Non-Penalty Goals

0.26

0.32

Shots Total

3.04

2.36

Shots on Target

1.05

0.92

Progressive Carries

1.44

0.76

Aerials Won

1.96

3.49

While a lesser-known target, that comparison to Tevez should make Alberto a worthy option to consider for the Hammers and a perfect alternative to the aforementioned Fullkrug as the club's new number nine.

Fullkrug made 46 appearances for Dortmund in all competitions last season, scoring 16 goals, providing ten assists, and totalling 3,605 minutes, proving to be an important player in their Champions League run, finishing runners-up.

Both strikers bring different assets. Fullkrug is more of a hold-up play centre-forward, bringing others into play, using his 6 foot 2 frame, winning aerial duels as seen by his 3.49 aerials won per 90 metric, and being a threat in the box.

Alberto is smaller at 5 foot 10, but is a more complete archetype of striker, running the channels and being a counter-attacking threat, linking up play, while proving very instinctive and clinical around the box, but also good in the air for his height.

The 23-year-old Corinthians striker offers the extra shot volume in attack for the Hammers, averaging 3.04 per 90, whilst bringing that complete centre-forward play to the club, allowing him to link up with the wide men, who offer such a huge goal threat of their own.

As stated above, Alberto may be something of a left-field choice, but as the Irons found with the signing of Tevez, looking to the South American market can prove fruitful.

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Sri Lanka don’t have a great record in tri-series finals in Australia, but the form of their top order could make a vital difference this time

S Rajesh03-Mar-2012In the end, the two teams that deserved to the most made it to the CB Series finals. For a long time during the last league match between Australia and Sri Lanka, India would have harboured chances of sneaking through, but it would have been just that – sneaking through, at the expense of a team that had been more consistent through the tournament.In the first half of the competition, Sri Lanka lost tight matches to Australia and India, and tied one against India, but in the second half they turned it around with convincing victories against both teams. The shock defeat against India in Hobart was a bolt from the blue, but they were good enough to bounce back from that result despite being a couple of bowlers short against Australia at the MCG.The overall stats for the three teams indicate how the tournament has gone for them. Sri Lanka have easily been the best batting side, thanks to the consistency of their top order. Dinesh Chandimal has been a revelation, slotting in at second* on the tournment’s run charts after the league stage with 383 runs at an average of almost 64, while Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews have all played their part. Overall, their top five have a combined average of 42.25 in the CB Series so far, which is their third-highest ever in a series of five or more matches outside Asia. The corresponding averages for the top five are 30.26 for India and 29.27 for Australia.Overall, Sri Lanka have five batsmen averaging more than 35 in the tournament, compared to three each for Australia and India. For a team that has generally relied on Sangakkara and Jayawardene for most of their runs, this is a huge plus. In fact, India’s numbers went up significantly because of that stunning chase in their last match of the tournament in Hobart. Exclude that, and India’s runs per wicket falls to 24.13, at a run rate of 4.83 per over.As a bowling unit, Australia were the best, while India were the poorest in that aspect as well. The Australians took 65 wickets at 25.58 each, and they were also the only side to concede less than five runs per over. Sri Lanka took 64 wickets, but their average touched 30. Both teams have bowlers who have taken more than ten wickets – Lasith Malinga leads the tally with 14, while Daniel Christian has 13 and Clint McKay 10. For India, though, the highest wicket-taker was Vinay Kumar with nine; in all the Indians took only 54 wickets in their eight games, at an average touching 39 and a run rate of 5.50.

The three teams in the CB Series

Team	W/L/T	Bat ave	Run rate	Bowl ave	Econ rate
Sri Lanka	4/3/1	35.30	5.29	30.10	5.24
Australia	4/4/0	30.52	5.18	25.58	4.95
India	3/4/1	28.01	5.26	38.94	5.50

India had a better start to the tournament compared to Sri Lanka, but as the competition progressed Sri Lanka upped their game and were the more consistent side. The records of these two sides against Australia indicate how much better Sri Lanka played against the hosts. They won three of four matches against Australia, who averaged less than 25 runs per wicket against Sri Lanka with the bat, and conceded 31 per wicket with the ball. Australia also managed to score at just 4.74 runs per over, and conceded almost 5.20.Against India, Australia were dominant. They scored almost 38 runs per wicket at 5.63 runs per over, and allowed the hapless Indian batsmen only 21 runs per wicket. Given a choice, it’s clear whom the Australians would have preferred to face in the finals.

Australia versus Sri Lanka and India

Versus	W/L	Bat ave	Run rate	Bowl ave	Econ rate
India	3/ 1	37.96	5.63	21.22	4.70
Sri Lanka	1/ 3	24.94	4.74	31.00	5.18

Now that they are in the finals, Sri Lanka will have to banish memories from the two previous seasons when they reached this stage of the tri-series in Australia. The most recent instance was in 2005-06, when South Africa were the third side. Sri Lanka won the first of three finals that time, beating Australia by 22 runs in Adelaide. In the second final in Sydney, they had Australia reeling at 10 for 3. From there, though, Ricky Ponting and Andrew Symonds launched an astonishing counterattack, adding 237 for the fourth wicket at better than a run a ball. Sri Lanka were shell-shocked and capitulated meekly, and in the next match ran into a genius called Adam Gilchrist, who made a target of 267 look anything but challenging.Sri Lanka don’t have a great win-loss record against Australia at the two venues that will host the finals: it’s 0-3 in Brisbane and 1-6 at the Adelaide Oval. Along with Perth, they’re the worst venues for Sri Lanka in Australia. On the other hand, at the MCG and in Sydney, they have a much better 10-15 win-loss record against Australia. However, they can take much comfort from their recent record against Australia in Australia: since February 29, 2008, they’ve won six and lost only two of eight matches. No other team has won more ODIs against Australia in Australia during this period. That should give them confidence before the best-of-three finals.*13:42 GMT, March 3: The article had stated that Dinesh Chandimal was the tournament’s leading run-scorer so far. This has been corrected.

Wicketkeeper Neil Rock and offspinner Andy McBrine are also part of the 18-member group

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Sep-2021

There were no major surprises in Ireland’s T20 World Cup squad•Abu Dhabi Cricket

Uncapped left-arm spin-bowling allrounder Graham Kennedy has been picked in the Andy Balbirnie-led Ireland squad for the forthcoming T20 World Cup. Kennedy had collected seven wickets in five innings at an economy rate of 7.66 in the Inter-provincial T20 trophy and most recently, he was also selected in Ireland’s ODI squad to face the touring Zimbabwe side although the 22-year-old is yet to make his international debut.Legspin-bowling allrounder Gareth Delany, who was left out for the Zimbabwe series, and offspinner Andy McBrine are also in the side. However, there was no room for William McClintock who made his T20I debut against Zimbabwe earlier this month.Delany, the younger brother of Ireland Women allrounder Laura, hasn’t played a T20I since March 2020 but brings with him the experience of playing in the T20 Blast, for Leicestershire.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Ireland’s coach Graham Ford explained that the returning McBrine will act as cover for the first-choice Simi Singh.”He [McBrine] comes as a back-up,” Ford said. “The way it’s been is that Simi has nailed down a spot. You are going in this World Cup campaign and you have to have cover for Covid or injuries. It’s a no-brainer, he is an automatic pick into the 18.”Ireland also have options on the wicketkeeping front, with both Lorcan Tucker and Neil Rock being picked. Ford said that the team management will closely track the second leg of the IPL to gauge the conditions that could influence selection in the UAE.”We are not going to tell you who is the first-choice wicketkeeper,” Ford said. “There’s a competition between the players. There’s a lot of work that goes in prior to games: match-ups, left hand vs right hand. What might be a pick for one game might be different to the next game. We need to do quite a bit of studying of opposition squads and once we get an understanding of who is in those squads, the match-ups we look at and it’s not always on stats and things, we will have to factor in conditions – we will watch the IPL very closely, particularly towards the end of the IPL to see how the wickets are playing – that will all go into selection. It’s an 18-man squad with cover and options.”Ireland, currently 12th on the ICC’s T20I rankings, will first have to qualify to make the tournament proper. Ireland are placed alongside Sri Lanka, Netherlands and Namibia in Group A in the qualifier round.”Netherlands are very competitive,” Ford said. “They beat us not long ago in the 50-over series, they had six players who were involved in the Hundred. There’s guys like Roelof [van der Merwe] that have been around for ages and ages and ignite the energy in the group, so we are well aware that’s going to be a huge game and makes things tougher for us.”And Namibia – I’ve watched a lot and seen the improvements there. I know they are working damn hard there. They’ve got Albie Morkel helping out. They are in good shape and they are loading up a few South Africans as well. David Wiese is a serious match-winner. We are aware that every game is a major event for us and we are going to have to be at our best and hopefully the lads are up for all of that.”From the 18 players that have been named, three will be chosen as reserves before the final deadline on October 10. In the lead-up to the tournament, Ireland will play two official warm-ups against Papua New Guinea (October 12) and Bangladesh (October 14).

أعرب تامر مصطفى، المدير الفني لفريق الكرة الأول بالنادي الإسماعيلي الجديد، عن سعادته بتولي تلك المهمة، مشيراً إلى أن النادي الإسماعيلي كبير بجماهيره.

وأعلن نادي الإسماعيلي عن تعيين تامر مصطفى مديراً فنياً للدراويش خلال الفترة المتبقية من الموسم الحالي، وذلك بعد رحيل عماد سليمان.

وقاد تامر مصطفى مران الفريق أمس الجمعة ضمن برنامج الاستعداد للقاء طلائع الجيش يوم الخميس المقبل في بداية الدور الثاني من مسابقة الدوري الممتاز.

طالع أيضاً.. رسمياً | مودرن سبورن يصدر بياناً ضد حكم مباراة الفريق أمام الزمالك في كأس مصر

وقال تامر مصطفى في تصريحات للمركز الإعلامي: “تولي تدريب النادي الإسماعيلي شرف كبير يتمناه أي مدرب”.

وأفاد: “سنقاتل من أجل إعادة مسيرة النتائج الإيجابية، جماهير الإسماعيلي هي الشيء الأهم، سنبذل قصارى الجهد بغرض إسعادهم”.

Pakistan hardly put on a clinic against Bangladesh, but the universe, it seems, can’t prevent the contest this competition has been destined for

Danyal Rasool26-Sep-20252:24

Aaron: Pakistan found right ‘mixture of calm and emotion’

Shaheen Shah Afridi is apparently a low-value wicket. So low-value, in fact, that Pakistan didn’t even use him with the bat against India last Sunday, which is objectively a high-value match. So low-value that even Bangladesh – impeccable in the field until then – appeared to momentarily forget it was still a wicket worth taking, and put down two fairly straightforward chances Afridi offered up. He had said on Tuesday after Pakistan’s victory over Sri Lanka he was willing to “give his life” for Pakistan, but no one seemed to take him seriously.But there hadn’t been much value from the batters Pakistan do set store by either. Within the first ten balls of the innings, Sahibzada Farhan had sliced Taskin to the backward-point fielder, and Saim Ayub had got his fourth Asia Cup duck after a heady two-game streak of getting off the mark.At this point, Hasan Ali had sprinted up to the middle – not, mercifully, to bat, though with Pakistan sticking and twisting with their order all tournament, you never could be too certain. He gave Fakhar Zaman a drink, and a message, as if Pakistan’s Plan B specifically covered being 5 for 2 inside ten deliveries.Related

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It’s unclear what Hasan said, though it didn’t seem to have helped Fakhar’s game much. He would spent his brief, tortured stay at the crease trying to charge Bangladesh’s quicks, his wild hacks connecting only with the desert air. By the time Rishad Hossain came to bowl after the powerplay, the 35-year-old was like the old family faithful that had fought to the very end, and had earned the right to give up. A weary slog off his 20th ball found long-off; his 100th T20I innings would also be his slowest in games where he had faced at least that many balls. The end of the powerplay had seen 24 dot balls, by that stage the highest for any side all tournament.When the innings’ halfway stage arrived, a bedraggled Pakistan had limped to 46 for 4, half of what they managed against India in their last game at this venue, and for the loss of three further wickets. Four days on from the perfect start to the one game Pakistan want to win most, the worst of Pakistan reared its head in the game they had viewed as a stepping stone to one last crack at beating India.

****

It is said in football that the most dangerous situation is a two-goal lead, even though every side wants to get themselves in that position. That is perhaps because momentum, or the perception of it, feels like it plays an outsized role in a sporting contest, like a tug of war contest where the exact position of each line doesn’t matter so much as the direction of travel.With Pakistan 51 for 5 after 11 overs, Bangladesh are ascendant; that wouldn’t have changed even if Nurul Hasan’s little goose-step to the left had been timed well enough to allow the ball to stick in his hand. But it doesn’t. Three balls later, another primitive smear from Afridi flies up into the Ring of Fire lights. Mahedi Hasan puts it down again. Within a couple of overs, Afridi has connected with two balls that are sent sailing out of Dubai. That two-goal lead doesn’t seem quite as secure anymore.1:49

Wahab: Additional pressure on India in the final

“We’ve won a lot of games in the last few months where we were far from owning the whole 40 overs,” coach Mike Hesson said after the game. “We had to fight back. But what I can say about this team is they are incredibly proud to represent Pakistan. Every single one had belief we could fight our way out of it. That’s what you want in a team representing your country. We’re incredibly proud of the way we fought. We don’t want to be 4 for 33 all the time, I assure you that. But the fact we can win games from that position shows the character in the group.”That belief may also have to do with Pakistan’s addiction to these situations. Hesson would say after the game that Bangladesh had prevented Pakistan from playing the perfect match, but Pakistan’s ultimate yearning has always been for chaotic glory, not structured success. High on their own supply of fateful triumphs past, Pakistan strut their way around the remainder of the innings in a manner that belies the position they are in, or the circuitous route they took to get here. This is merely the latest turn for Pakistan in a tournament that has taken on a sense of inevitable destiny for them.That is a force much too powerful for Bangladesh to resist, who will wistfully look back at the last three quarters of the game, and how they allowed themselves to be background characters in Pakistan’s madcap adventure. Hesson’s tactic of eschewing specialist fast bowling to squeeze every last bit of batting into Pakistan’s side always felt like a tactic in search of a situation, but as Pakistan closed out their innings, you imagined this was the kind of game he kept envisioning: nos. 6-9 score a combined 89 in 60 balls, the final nine overs producing 84, the second-highest in the Super Fours so far.Bangladesh supporters outnumber Pakistan’s by at least three to one, so the noise in the stands is a verdict of Bangladesh’s position in the game. As the scorching heat of Dubai relents, more seats are gobbled up. But the voices seem to go even quieter.3:15

Why do Bangladesh struggle in pressure situations?

The four sixes Bangladesh hit in the powerplay belie the leaden timidity they display for much of it. When the fielding restrictions are lifted, they have already outdone Pakistan’s tournament-high dot-ball count; they have played 25. The required rate is soon climbing, and the moment has overtaken them. While Pakistan can grow into these situations, Bangladesh have historically shrunk from them. It is the perfect cocktail to turn them into fodder for Pakistan’s juggernaut.There is no sense, even in that passage of dominance, that Pakistan are putting on any kind of clinic. Even with victory virtually guaranteed, there are moments of comic Pakistan frenzy. Haris Rauf over-exerts himself in the 18th over, falling to his knees in the delivery stride. He will not get up for six minutes as he receives extended treatment. But when he does, he’ll send the bails flying twice in the next three balls.With Bangladesh down to their last pair, Pakistan let them get uncomfortably close, dropping a catch before conceding 21 in ten balls. It leaves the chase a mathematical possibility right down to the last two deliveries. But the universe, it seems, simply cannot hold back the contest this competition was probably created to deliver as frequently as possible.An India vs Pakistan final may have been divinely ordained, but it needed Pakistan at its flawed, human best to take the tournament to that point. There may have been plenty lost in Pakistan cricket over the years, but as the small pocket of supporters who stayed back to dance to “Dil Dil Pakistan” on a muggy Dubai night reminded you, it is still anything but low-value.