“There’s probably less pressure and expectation, but I am still extremely competitive”

Srinidhi Ramanujam04-Mar-20241:45

Lanning: ‘I’m trying to have fun and enjoy myself’

In a press conference spanning roughly six minutes, Meg Lanning mentioned three times about trying to “have fun and enjoy cricket” after her retiring from international cricket in November. The former Australia captain, who is currently leading Delhi Capitals at the WPL, said the “weight has been lifted in a way”.”There’s probably less pressure and expectation [now], but I am still extremely competitive,” Lanning, who made a crucial 55 off 41 in Capitals’ win against Gujarat Giants, said on Sunday. “When I go out there, I want to win and contribute as much as I can, but I just try to switch off a bit more away from the field. And then when I need to switch on, I can.”I feel like a weight, sort of, has been lifted in a way. I can enjoy myself. I still have the competitive edge when I need to. The environment at Delhi is great, it’s fun, it’s really relaxed. We back each other to go and play to our strengths. It makes my job easier. I just want to go out, have some fun and have a smile on my face.”Related

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Why are Gujarat Giants struggling (again)?

Lanning, now 31, took a break of six months after the 2023 WPL. She returned to competitive cricket in September, for Victoria in the National Cricket League, Australia’s domestic one-day tournament, and scored six fifties in ten matches. With 492 runs, she finished as the second-highest run-getter. It was during that tournament she announced her retirement.Lanning carried that form into the WPL. So far, she has scored 148 runs in four matches at a strike rate of 117.46, including two half-centuries.But is she batting any differently after the retirement?”I am just enjoying playing cricket,” Lanning said. “I am having a great time with Delhi, we have got a really good squad of players and staff that make it a cool environment to be in. I feel like there’s a little bit less pressure and expectation. I just come into the game wanting to contribute and help the team win. So it’s been nice to be able to do that. I feel like there’s a little bit of improvement needed in how we are playing, I am not completely satisfied, but it’s been nice to contribute. As I said, I am just trying to have some fun and enjoy myself.”However, given a busy domestic calendar and now the WPL, the retirement has not quite sunk in for her.”I actually haven’t had a lot of time to do that [explore new things] yet,” she said. “Obviously, [I have been] playing domestic back in Australia and then the WPL here. Once the tournament finishes, there will be a big chunk of time. It will probably hit me harder and you know, sort of come to terms with it a little bit more.”[I am] sort of exploring a few different options in the background. The good thing for me is I don’t have to rush into anything. I can keep playing and keep being involved. When an opportunity pops up, I can take it. Will just see how the back end of the tournament pans out, and then I will see what happens after that.”

أعلن النادي الأهلي، عن موعد عودة إمام عاشور، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم للمشاركة في التدريبات الجماعية بعد التعافي من الإصابة.

وتعرض عاشور، لإصابة بكسر في عظمة الترقوة خلال مباراة إنتر ميامي في بطولة كأس العالم للأندية، حيث خضع لعملية جراحية في أحد المستشفيات.

طالع.. الأهلي يعلن إصابة محمد بن رمضان أمام فاركو.. ويوضح موقفه من مواجهة غزل المحلة

واكتمل شفاء إمام عاشور، حيث من المنتظر أن يعود إلى المشاركة في التدريبات الجماهيرية الإثنين المقبل بدون التحامات قوية، حيث سيتم تقييم موقفه وموعد مشاركته في المباريات بقرار من الجهاز الفني للفريق.

وحقق الأهلي، أمس الجمعة الفوز على فاركو برباعية مقابل هدف، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثانية من مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويستعد الأحمر لمواجهة غزل المحلة الإثنين 25 أغسطس الجاري، ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة من المسابقة المحلية.

Four days after failing to defend 178 in Rawalpindi, Pakistan failed to chase down the same target in Lahore on Thursday. A disciplined performance from New Zealand’s bowling attack, particularly the pace duo of Will O’Rourke and Ben Sears, saw them edge Pakistan by four runs and take a 2-1 lead in the series.In pursuit of a target of 179, Pakistan lost early wickets, slumping to 46 for 3 before the powerplay was over. Only a spirited performance by New Zealand’s old foe Fakhar Zaman kept the game alive for Pakistan. Fakhar marked his return to the side with a 45-ball 61, lashing three sixes along the way, but when an off-colour Iftikhar Ahmed and he fell in consecutive overs, Pakistan’s fate was sealed.Pakistan kept the game alive till the very last ball, though, thanks to Imad Wasim. A cagey final over from Jimmy Neesham, in which he had to defend 17, ended with Pakistan needing six of the final ball, and a scythed blow behind point was not enough to pull off the heist.Earlier, Pakistan had had put New Zealand in, making five changes to the side as Mohammad Amir, Imad and Zaman Khan all returned. But it was New Zealand who landed the telling early blows as Tim Robinson and Tom Blundell put the bowlers to the sword in the powerplay, racing to 56 in the first five overs.The dismissal of Blundell saw Pakistan rein New Zealand in somewhat, but Robinson’s explosive knock – he smashed 51 off 36 before Abbas Afridi removed him – put New Zealand in a commanding position at the halfway mark.New Zealand did lose their way at the death as Imad and Amir did well, but the efficiency of their bowlers confirmed that they had put up just about enough to keep Pakistan at bay.Abbas Afridi picked up two wickets in two balls in the 19th over•Associated Press

Abbas Afridi makes his case

Pakistan rung in the changes in the fast-bowling department, with Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah both missing out. In came Amir, but it was Abbas who stood out, bowling some of the toughest overs and coming away with both credit and wickets. After a first over where New Zealand targeted him in the powerplay, he returned and provided an immediate much-needed breakthrough as the explosive Robinson miscued him into the night sky.For some reason not called upon for his full quota, Abbas’ final over – the penultimate one of the innings – was the pick of the bunch. A mix of cutters, hard lengths and perfect yorkers saw Abbas take two and concede just five as New Zealand continued to be dragged back. Abbas’ figures of 3 for 20 possibly left Babar Azam wondering why he hadn’t used him for the full four.Tim Robinson played responsibly at the top•AFP/Getty Images

Shadab Khan takes a stunner

It’s perhaps on-brand for Shadab Khan’s reputation as an allrounder that despite not bowling a single delivery for the first time in a completed T20I innings, he was responsible for the most impressive Pakistan contribution in the field. It took place in the 14th over of the New Zealand innings, when Mark Chapman – Pakistan’s bete noire on tours like these – slapped one over the head of wide mid-off. Or so he thought. Shadab moved to his left and flung himself into the air with feline-like lethality. The speed of the ball knocked his right hand off as he held on to it with his left. It took a disbelieving crowd a few moments to register what had happened, but it hampered New Zealand’s death-overs push.Fakhar Zaman smashed Ish Sodhi for a six early on in his innings•AFP/Getty Images

Sears and O’Rourke hold their own

There’s a Super Smash feel to the New Zealand squad in Pakistan, and that was particularly true of the seam-bowling duo of Sears and O’Rourke. Sears had played ten T20Is before this tour while O’Rourke was yet to make his debut, but the pair was instrumental in halting Pakistan’s early charge from the get-go.While Pakistan targeted Jacob Duffy, O’Rourke struck in his first over, drawing Babar into a cover drive, and the extra bounce saw him paddle it to cover-point on the full.He also dismissed the other opener, Saim Ayub, who was put down in the first over.Sears kept New Zealand plugging away as he prised out Usman Khan to leave Pakistan in trouble. The pair’s ability to keep the runs quiet at the same time allowed Michael Bracewell to turn to them whenever pressure needed to be applied, a motif that continued right through the innings. The pair was brought later, and gave their captain the wickets of Iftikhar and Fakhar to kill the game off, combining for figures of 8-0-54-5.

Bryan Mbeumo has offered glowing praise for former teammate Ollie Watkins, calling the Aston Villa forward a “complete striker” amid growing speculation of a transfer to Manchester United. Ruben Amorim has intensified his search for a new centre-forward and reportedly has Watkins at the top of his wish list alongside RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko.

Man Utd have Watkins on their shortlistMbeumo had earlier shared short spell with the player Lavished praise on the Aston Villa star Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

United’s recruitment team have narrowed their forward search to a two-player shortlist, with Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson no longer under consideration. Instead, Watkins and Sesko are now the primary candidates being assessed to bolster Amorim’s attacking options. Both players have been approached informally via their representatives, and discussions are believed to be ongoing. Watkins’ proven Premier League record is reportedly a major factor in his favour. Since his move to Aston Villa, the 29-year-old has found the net 75 times in England’s top division.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Mbeumo and Watkins shared a prolific season at Brentford before the latter’s move to Villa Park. Reflecting on their partnership, Mbeumo spoke highly of the England international during an appearance on , emphasising the forward’s technical intelligence and positional flexibility.

WHAT MBEUMO SAID

"Ollie is a complete striker," Mbeumo said. “He can do a lot of things. He can drop to be available or go in behind. And that is really good for me as a winger because you can use his space to fit in there. Plus he can combine as well. It’s really good.”

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DID YOU KNOW?

While Villa have publicly denied any intention of parting ways with their star striker, recent history suggests the door might not be entirely closed. Back in January, the Midlands club offered Watkins to Arsenal, only to retract that stance after offloading Jhon Duran instead. At the time, Villa’s asking price was £60 million ($81m), but sources now suggest a fee in the region of £40m to £45m could be enough to tempt the club into negotiating. For United, this could represent a more financially feasible route compared to other high-profile alternatives like Sesko.

All you need to know about Mexico's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Mexico are undoubtedly one of the most entertaining teams to watch at any World Cup and have built a reputation for causing upsets and putting up strong fights against some of the biggest teams in the tournament.

They have already secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup as co-hosts and will be optimistic about making a deep run. Most recently, they defeated rivals USA in the final to lift the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Although El Tri are a reasonably strong side, their performance at the previous edition of the World Cup in 2022 was disappointing. They were knocked out in the group stage, despite having previously reached the Round of 16 seven times in a row.

Mexico's best-ever performance at the World Cup is now a distant memory, having reached the quarter-finals in both the 1970 and 1986 editions of the competition. Will they be able to go further this time around? Let's find out by taking a closer look at their squad strength.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeepers

  When it comes to Mexican goalkeepers, every football fan is familiar with the name Guillermo Ochoa. The 40-year-old keeper will be 41 by the time the World Cup kicks off next year. However, despite his age, Ochoa is expected to make the Mexico squad, having already played in three World Cups.

  This time around, though, Ochoa is expected to serve as the backup, with Luis Malagon of Club America showing great promise for El Tri between the sticks. Malagon started all of Mexico’s matches during their triumphant Gold Cup campaign and is currently the front-runner to be the first-choice goalkeeper at the tournament next year.

  Player	Club
  Luis Malagon	Club America
  Jose Rangel	Deportivo Gualdalajara
  Guillermo Ochoa	AVS
  Carlos Moreno	Pachuca

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• AFP
  

  Defenders

  Mexico's backline for the 2026 World Cup will be filled with experience. Although they may not have the depth to rotate many players, some names are undroppable regardless. Johan Vasquez of Genoa will be an essential figure at the heart of the defense, while Jesus Gallardo and Jorge Sanchez, in the wider areas, bring immense experience and will be key for Mexico if they are to make a deep run in the tournament.

  Cesar Montes is also a valuable asset for Gerardo Martino's side and could partner Vasquez as the second center-back, having already featured in the 2025 Gold Cup final.

  Meanwhile, Julian Araujo has performed decently for Bournemouth in the Premier League and could be an interesting option moving forward if he continues to deliver at the top level.

  Player	Club
  Johan Vasquez	Genoa
  Victor Guzman	Monterrey
  Jesus Orozco	Cruz Azul
  Rodrigo Huescas	Copenhagen
  Julian Araujo	Bournemouth
  Bryan Gonzalez	Deportivo Gualdajara
  Jorge Sanchez	Cruz Azul
  Cesar Montes	Lokomotiv Moscow
  Jesus Gallardo	Toluca
  Mateo Chavez	AZ Alkmaar

• Getty
  

  Midfielders

  Unlike the defense, Mexico have a balance of young talents and experienced players in midfield. Edson Alvarez has been a key figure for West Ham United in the Premier League and has also played a crucial role for the national team in the defensive midfield position. Alvarez will be essential for Mexico at the World Cup in maintaining their shape and dictating the tempo of the game. He also scored the winner for Mexico in the recent Gold Cup final against the USA.

  Meanwhile, 16-year-old Gilberto Mora also started in the Gold Cup final and, despite his young age, has already secured his place as a starter for the national team. Although Mora will be just 17 by the time the World Cup kicks off, he could emerge as one of the star players of the tournament if Mexico go far.

  Marcel Ruiz and Carlos Rodriguez have also performed well for the national team and could have a role to play for El Tri at the showpiece event next year.

  Player	Club
  Edson Alvarez	West Ham
  Erik Lira	Cruz Azul
  Luis Chavez	Dinamo Kyiv
  Marcel Ruiz	Toluca
  Gilberto Mora	Tijuana
  Orbelin Pineda	AEK Athens
  Carlos Rodriguez	Cruz Azul
  Luis Romo	Deportivo Guadalajara
  Fernando Beltran	Leon

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• Getty
  

  Attackers

  In the forward line for Mexico, Raul Jimenez is expected to play a key role as the center-forward. The Fulham striker will carry the responsibility of finding the back of the net for Mexico, alongside San Diego’s Hirving Lozano. Back in 2018, Lozano scored the only goal in a shocking upset against then-defending champions Germany.

  Santiago Gimenez, who recently joined AC Milan from Feyenoord, has also been a regular in the national team and is expected to feature in the starting lineup at the World Cup for Gerardo Martino’s side.

  Julian Quinones has also made a strong case for himself in recent months, thanks to his brilliant goal-scoring run for Al Qadsiah in the Saudi Pro League. He finished the season as the fifth top scorer in the league, behind big names like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

  Player	Club
  Raul Jimenez	Fulham
  Hirving Lozano	San Diego
  Santiago Gimenez	AC Milan
  Alexis Vega	Toluca
  Cesar Huerta	Anderlecht
  Efrain Alvarez	Deportivo Guadalajara
  Julian Quinones	Al Qadisah
  German Berterame	Monterrey
  Eduardo Aguirre	Atlas
  Henry Martin	Club America
  Diego Lainez	Tigres UANL

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians vai ter um ‘reforço caseiro’ na defesa para 2023. Trata-se de Caetano, zagueiro que desde 2019 foi emprestado a cinco clubes diferentes e deve ser testado pelo técnico Fernando Lázaro no Campeonato Paulista, que começará no dia 15 de janeiro, quando o Timão enfrenta o Red Bull Bragantino.

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+ Confira quem sai, quem fica e as movimentações do Tricolor no mercado

Caetano passou a última temporada no Goiás e foi um dos responsáveis pela boa campanha do Esmeraldino no Brasileirão, que ficou em décimo terceiro lugar. O zagueiro terminou a competição sendo o vice-líder de passes (678) e interceptações (14) do Goiás, segundo o Footstats, e marcou um gol nos 26 jogos que fez durante o Campeonato Brasileiro.

+ Veja tabela e simule os jogos do Paulistão 2023

O grande trunfo para Caetano ser aproveitado no Paulistão é a falta de zagueiros reservas durante a competição. Gil e Balbuena são os titulares da posição, mas Raul Gustavo está com negociações encaminhadas para defender o Cruzeiro, e o Timão não vai estender o empréstimo de Robson Bambu, que volta ao Nice em janeiro.

Robert Renan foi convocado pela Seleção Brasileira Sub-20 para disputar o campeonato Sul-Americano da categoria entre 19 de janeiro e 12 de fevereiro, e deve perder os primeiros jogos da fase de grupos do estadual. Não obstante, o Corinthians pode usar a joia da base como moeda de troca na negociação para sacramentar a permanência do atacante Yuri Alberto, que está emprestado pelo Zenit até julho.

Dessa forma, Caetano deve brigar por espaço com Bruno Méndez, que voltou de empréstimo do Internacional na metade de 2022 e vinha sendo usado como lateral-direito pelo técnico Vítor Pereira.

Canhoto de 1,82m, o defensor também pode atuar na lateral-esquerda e possui contrato com o Corinthians até dezembro de 2024. O jovem é cria das categorias de base do Vasco e foi contratado pelo Timão em 2018. Além do Goiás, ele atuou por empréstimo no CRB, São Caetano, Coritiba e Oeste.

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A three-wicket haul from left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige, followed by fifties from the captain Monank Patel and Andries Gous, powered USA to a six-wicket victory against Canada in Prairie View.Canada, after being asked to bat, could only muster 132 from their 20 overs. Plenty of batters made starts, but couldn’t push on and string together any meaningful partnership, as USA struck at regular intervals. That Canada got to their total at the end was thanks to a late 16-ball 29 from the captain Saad Bin Zafar, who blasted four fours and a six. For USA, Kenjige was the pick of the bowlers, ending with 3 for 21, while Saurabh Netravalkar and Shadley van Schalkwyk snared two wickets apiece.USA began their chase steadily, as Steven Taylor and Monank added 47 for the opening wicket in 6.4 overs before Taylor was dismissed for 22. USA, however, did not lose any momentum, as Monank and Gous batted Canada out of the game with a 57-run stand.Monank slammed seven fours and a six during his 50, while Gous hit a 35-ball 50 with five fours and three sixes. Dillon Heyliger eventually got both batters in quick succession, but USA had little trouble getting the win, as they overhauled the target with 15 balls remaining.

Towhid Hridoy, Imran Tahir and Will Jacks were some of the standout performers in week four of the BPL

Mohammad Isam15-Feb-2024

Hridoy, Jacks, Shakib, Tahir put in starring performancesComilla began and ended the week with contrasting chases. Towhid Hridoy was superb in both games, making unbeaten scores of 108 and 91. Comilla aced a 176-run chase against Dhaka with a ball remaining. Hridoy, not quite showing his form from the last season till that point, smashed the tournament’s first century while the others failed around him. His unbeaten 108 came off just 57 balls.Then, Hridoy’s 91 not out helped Comilla chase down 164 against Khulna, which they did with seven wickets and 21 balls to spare. Between these two wins, Will Jacks’ century helped Comilla equal BPL’s highest total when they made 239-3 in their big win against Chattogram.Jacks blasted ten sixes in his 108* off 53 balls, while Litton Das also scored a quick half-century. Moeen Ali struck a quick fifty and then finished off the Chattogram innings with a hat-trick. There was also enough time in the match for legspinner Rishad Hossain to take his maiden four-wicket haul. There was no such luck for Chattogram’s Al-Amin Hossain, who conceded 69 runs in his four overs, the most by any bowler in BPL history.Imran Tahir became the first legspinner to take a five-for in the BPL•Rangpur Riders

Later in the same day, Rangpur crushed Khulna by 78 runs, racking up 219 for 5 batting first. Shakib Al Hasan and Mahedi Hasan blasted fifties before Imran Tahir took a five-wicket haul, the first by a legspinner in the BPL. Alex Hales also struck a quickfire 60, but he was fighting a lone battle.Tahir apart, Rangpur’s other new recruits Reeza Hendricks and Jimmy Neesham also gave them strong performances in their 53-run win against Chattogram.The likes of Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah and Tamim Iqbal struck fifties to get Barishal important wins against Dhaka this week. Khulna, however, crashed and burned. After winning their first four games in a row, they have now lost five consecutively.Batter of the week – Towhid HridoyTowhid Hridoy has had one of those dream weeks, having struck an unbeaten century and an unbeaten 91 this week. Both came in chases for Comilla, and he kept his cool throughout both knocks. Particularly against Dhaka, when Comilla were in trouble after a regular fall of wickets. Hridoy played gorgeous shots, particularly his whips and hoicks through midwicket; his cover-driving when in full flow is good to watch too.Bowler of the week – Imran TahirImran Tahir has added the fun element to the BPL after his late arrival. He had come after completing his SA20 assignments – it’s his first time playing in the tournament in Bangladesh. Tahir took just one wicket in his first game, but then followed it with a five-wicket haul. His celebrations have really struck a chord with the fans in Dhaka and Chattogram, and Rangpur will hope he plays a big role in the latter part of the tournament.

يشهد اليوم الثلاثاء 19-8-2025، زخمًا كرويًا حافلًا بالقمم والمواجهات المرتقبة على المستويين العربي والعالمي، حيث تتجه الأنظار إلى مواجهة نارية بين النصر والاتحاد في نصف نهائي كأس السوبر السعودي، بجانب الظهور الأول لريال مدريد في الدوري الإسباني عندما يستضيف أوساسونا، كما يخوض بيراميدز اختبارًا صعبًا أمام المصري في الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وتتواصل الإثارة عبر مباريات الجولة الثالثة من الدوري المصري التي تشهد أيضًا مواجهات البنك الأهلي مع كهرباء الإسماعيلية وفاركو مع طلائع الجيش، بينما يلتقي الإسماعيلي مع الاتحاد السكندري في مواجهة جماهيرية خاصة.

وفي إفريقيا، تتواصل منافسات بطولة أمم إفريقيا للمحليين، حيث يخوض منتخب السودان مواجهة قوية أمام السنغال، فيما يواجه منتخب نيجيريا نظيره الكونغو.

أما على الصعيد الأوروبي، تنطلق منافسات الدور التمهيدي لدوري أبطال أوروبا بثلاث مواجهات حاسمة أبرزها لقاء جلاسكو رينجرز مع كلوب بروج.

طالع أيضًا | حازم إمام يوضع الفارق بين أدوار زيزو مع الأهلي والزمالك.. ويحذر بيراميدز مواعيد مباريات اليوم الثلاثاء 19-8-2025 والقنوات الناقلةمواعيد مباريات الدوري المصري اليوم

البنك الأهلي ضد كهرباء الإسماعيلية – الساعة 6:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “ON SPORTS 2”.

فاركو ضد طلائع الجيش – الساعة 6:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “ON SPORTS 1”.

المصري ضد بيراميدز – الساعة 9:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “ON SPORTS 1”.

الإسماعيلي ضد الاتحاد السكندري – الساعة 9:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.ON SPORTS 2″. مواعيد كأس السوبر السعودي اليوم

النصر ضد اتحاد جدة – الساعة 3:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “Thmanyah 1 HD”. مواعيد مباريات الدوري الإسباني اليوم

ريال مدريد ضد أوساسونا – الساعة 10:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN SPORTS 3 HD”. مواعيد مباريات كأس أمم إفريقيا للمحليين اليوم

نيجيريا ضد جمهورية الكونغو – الساعة 8:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN SPORTS 8 HD”.

السودان ضد السنغال – الساعة 8:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “beIN SPORTS 8 HD”. مواعيد مباريات دوري أبطال أوروبا اليوم

فيرينسفاروش ضد قره باغ – الساعة 10:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

النجم الأحمر ضد بافوس – الساعة 10:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

جلاسكو رينجرز ضد كلوب بروج – الساعة 10:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا

Shanto has been handed the reins for a year, BCB president Nazmul Hassan said

Mohammad Isam12-Feb-2024Najmul Hossain Shanto has been appointed as Bangladesh’s captain in all three formats. Shanto has been handed the reins for a year, according to BCB president Nazmul Hassan. The news comes as a surprise at least in the T20I format, in which Shakib Al Hasan was set to lead till the upcoming T20 World Cup in June.Shanto led impressively in the recent Tests against New Zealand, and also later during a white-ball tour of New Zealand. Shanto’s appointment marks a shift in the BCB’s policy to give some of the younger cricketers a permanent leadership role. Shakib, Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim are still an active part of the international sides, but Shanto’s promotion as the 12-month captain means that the board is prepared to move on from the vaunted seniors.BCB chief Hassan said that they considered Shakib as their No. 1 choice for captaincy in all formats, but the board went ahead with Shanto for the role after Shakib informed them of a condition in his eye. Hassan said that they couldn’t any wait longer to make a decision on the leadership.”We have elected (Najmul Hossain) Shanto as captain in all three formats,” Hassan told a packed press conference following a board meeting in Mirpur on Monday. “We discussed the national team captaincy for the longest time in this meeting. We spoke to Shakib, who told us that his eye problem hasn’t gone away. We are not sure of his availability in the Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe home series. We also have to consider the T20 World Cup that’s coming up.”Shakib is definitely our first choice. But we don’t want to stay in any uncertainty. We didn’t want to delay the decision. We had the World Cup in mind so to run the team smoothly, we had to pick a captain.”Shakib had announced before the World Cup last year that he would give up the ODI captaincy after the 50-over marquee event. He had also hinted that he was unlikely to continue in Tests but expressed his interest in leading the side during the T20 World Cup. Shakib had built an impressive T20 side in the last 12 months, notably winning against England.Shanto takes over a side that will face Sri Lanka in three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests in March and April this year at home. Bangladesh are also likely to play five T20Is against Zimbabwe, also at home, before embarking on the World Cup in West Indies and USA in June.Gazi Ashraf new chief selectorThe BCB also named former Bangladesh captain Gazi Ashraf Hossain as the new chief selector of the senior men’s side. He will begin his job officially from March 1. Ashraf is a former BCB director, who was in charge of the BPL in its nascent days.Another former player, Hannan Sarkar, was also appointed in the selection panel. He was a junior selector for a number of years.”When we made a shortlist, he seemed the best choice. We waited for him to agree on our offer. There wasn’t much debate about it. When he agreed with us, we were unanimous with our decision too,” BCB president Hassan said.Only Abdur Razzak survives from the previous panel after the board decided not to renew the contracts of Minhajul Abedin, whose eight-year reign as chief selector ends. Former captain Habibul Bashar, too, exits as a selector.Abedin, the former Bangladesh captain, became the chief selector when Faruque Ahmed quit the role in 2016. He was regularly criticised for allowing the policy of BCB chief Hassan and some of the influential board directors to meddle in selection matters. After retiring from cricket in 2010, Bashar became a national selector in 2011. Abedin also joined at the same time. Bashar was briefly the women’s team selector, before returning to the men’s selection panel in 2016.