This will be Scotland’s maiden outing at the Women’s T20 World Cup, making it to the main event after coming second in the qualifier tournament earlier this year
ESPNcricinfo staff02-Sep-2024
Kathryn Bryce celebrates a wicket with her team•ICC/Getty Images
Allrounder Kathryn Bryce will be the captain and wicketkeeper Sarah Bryce, her sister, will be the vice-captain for Scotland at the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the UAE.This will be Scotland’s maiden outing at the Women’s T20 World Cup, and their squad is packed with allrounders. The other allrounders, apart from Kathryn, are Priyanaz Chatterji, Katherine Fraser and Megan McColl.”The make-up and balance of this squad is outstanding,” head coach Craig Wallace said. “We’ve got match-winners from start to finish within it, which I think is the big difference in the evolution of this squad during my short tenure. People have been putting in crucial performances each time they step onto the field, and that runs right the way through the squad.”The Scotland squad for their maiden Women’s T20 World Cup appearance•ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Scotland qualified for the tournament after finishing runners-up behind Sri Lanka in the qualifier tournament, also held in the UAE earlier this year. In the run-up to the T20 World Cup, they have produced strong performances in the Netherlands, where they played a tri-series against the hosts and Papua New Guinea.”If you look at the recent Netherlands series, we won five games out of six, and there is a depth in the wider group now, proved by some of those who’ve not been selected but who’ve been pushing and performing all year,” Wallace said. “It was great to be able to argue about players’ cases in a positive sense based on the work they’ve all produced.”In all, thirteen of Scotland’s 15 squad members from the qualifier are part of the T20 World Cup squad. Offspinner Olivia Bell and former captain Abbi Aitken-Drummond, who both impressed in the Netherlands, have also been included.Scotland are in Group B with England, Bangladesh, South Africa and West Indies. They will head to the UAE in mid-September for a training camp before playing two warm-up games against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Their opening fixture of the T20 World Cup is against Bangladesh on October 3.Scotland squad for Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: Kathryn Bryce (capt), Sarah Bryce (wk, vice-capt), Lorna Jack-Brown, Abbi Aitken-Drummond, Abtaha Maqsood, Saskia Horley, Chloe Abel, Priyanaz Chatterji, Megan McColl, Darcey Carter, Ailsa Lister, Hannah Rainey, Rachel Slater, Katherine Fraser, Olivia Bell.
شهدت مباراة برشلونة وفالنسيا على ملعب يوهان كرويف في الدوري الإسباني، واحدة من اللحظات السحرية بعودة لاعب خط الوسط الشاب مارك بيرنال.
وعاد بيرنال بعد 383 يوماً عقب تعرضه لإصابة بقطع في الرباط الصليبي، وكان النجم الشاب أحد أبرز اكتشافات هانز فليك في موسمه الأول.
ودخل مارك بيرنال في الدقائق العشر الأخيرة، وارتدى القميص رقم 22 مع الفريق الأول، وتلقى تصفيقاً حاراً وكذلك من بيدري وابتسم النجم العائد للملاعب.
وساهم بيرنال بصناعة الهدف السادس للمهاجم البولندي روبرت ليفاندوفسكي، وقد اعترف بعد المباراة في تصريحات نشرتها “سبورت” الإسبانية: “إنه شعور فريد”.
اقرأ أيضاً.. فليك يتغزل في لاعبيه بعد سداسية برشلونة أمام فالنسيا ويعلق على جدل إصابة لامين يامال
وأضاف بيرنال في رسالة لجماهير برشلونة التي صفقت له: “سعيد جداً بالعودة، لقد أسعدوني كثيراً، وهذا شيء سأتذكره دائماً”.
وواصل: “كانت رحلة طويلة شاقة خاصة في البداية، شيئاً فشيء، بدأت أشعر بالتحسن حتى اليوم، الذي كان يوماً مميزاً للغاية”.
وأتم بيرنال: “لم أكن في عجلة من أمري، لكني كنت متحمساً للغاية، شعرت بالارتياح ورغبت باللعب، اتخذ المدرب القرار وأنا سعيد جداً بالعودة اليوم”.
وختم بيرنال رداً على سؤال إذا كان يعتقد بأنه يجب أن يلعب بشكل أساسي:” لست متعجلاً، حقاً، أنا فقط أجري التعديلات، إنها الدقائق الأولى، مباراة بمباراة، ويجب أن أثق تماماً”.
The day started with Zimbabwe on top, but some sensible, and aggressive, batting from Tucker and McBrine made it easy for Ireland in the end
Himanshu Agrawal28-Jul-2024
Andy McBrine’s unbeaten half-century took Ireland to their target•Sportsfile via Getty Images
It didn’t quite reach the climax the third evening had promised, but the one-off Ireland vs Zimbabwe Test had most results possible for the best part of the morning session on the fourth day till Ireland killed off the contest. Ireland had been reduced to 21 for 5 after a fiery spell from Richard Ngarava on the third evening, which had left the small band of Zimbabwe supporters in Belfast delirious. But Lorcan Tucker’s second Test fifty and Andy McBrine’s third ensured Ireland silenced them quickly – and took away the match – with a 96-run stand on the fourth morning.That paved the way for Ireland’s first home Test win, and also gave them back-to-back victories in the format, after they had beaten Afghanistan for their Test first win this March.Play began on day four with the sun out, and conditions perfectly suited for batting. It was brighter than on previous days, the zip which the pitch had offered Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani the previous evening was missing, and Tucker and McBrine capitalised.Lorcan Tucker played positively from the start of the day despite the shaky position Ireland were in•Sportsfile via Getty Images
Zimbabwe maintained an attacking field to both batters for the best part of the first hour, filling up the slip cordon with three catchers. But that left vacant spaces in the outfield, and Ireland’s left-right combination didn’t hesitate to attack when the line was wide or the length too full. The first instance of that came as early as in the fourth ball of the morning, when Tucker reached out to a full ball slightly wide outside off, and drove for four to deep point.The first 13 overs of the day produced 61 runs, with a boundary virtually every over. McBrine was particularly impressive on the pull, with which he got two boundaries – the first off Ngarava to beat deep-backward square-leg to the right, and the second off Muzarabani in front of square, as Ireland chipped away at the target.Zimbabwe bowled Ngarava and Muzarabani for the first eight overs, in the hope that they would repeat their magic from the third evening. But, by then, Tucker had brought up the fifty stand by clipping Ngarava off his pads. It was a chanceless stand between the Ireland batters on Sunday, unlike what we had seen on the previous evening, when the extra bounce and movement had left their top-order batters searching for answers.There was a spot of the incredulous in the 18th over of the innings. McBrine and Tucker ran five runs despite there not being an overthrow. McBrine had punched Ngarava to beat Tendai Chatara to his right at extra cover off the second ball of the over. Chatara chased it all the way to the longer side of the ground, and pushed the ball back just in time. But he had overrun, crossed the advertising boards, and his momentum had taken him quite a way beyond. By the time he returned to throw the ball back, the batters had enough time to run five without really stretching themselves.Blessing Muzarabani picked up Zimbabwe’s only wicket on the fourth day•Sportsfile via Getty Images
Three balls later, Ngarava finally replicated the threat of the third evening. The ball kicked up off a length at Tucker and looped up off his gloves, but fell just short of the gully fielder.Sean Williams was then brought into the attack in the 20th over, but his left-arm spin hardly made any difference, as Tucker and McBrine ticked along steadily.Tucker brought up his half-century when he hit Muzarabani through the covers for three to start the 24th over, and that shot brought Ireland’s requirement to below 50. Muzarabani did clean Tucker up for 56 two overs later, even as McBrine was beaten on an attempted drive, a flash, and one that kept low to hit his front pad outside leg.Zimbabwe would have hoped Tucker’s wicket would give them scope for a late comeback, but there was no such luck for them. McBrine too got to his half-century – he finished unbeaten on 55 – and in the company of Mark Adair, who scored 24 not out with four boundaries, completed the job.It was the perfect end to what was a fantastic Test for McBrine. He picked up 3 for 37 and 4 for 38 in the two Zimbabwe innings, and had contributed 28 in Ireland’s first innings before the unbeaten half-century in the second, all of which made him the deserving Player of the Match.
كشف أحمد شوبير الإعلامي بقناة النادي الأهلي، آخر تطورات ملف اختيار مدير فني جديد للقلعة الحمراء، بعد رحيل الإسباني خوسيه ريبيرو، كما أوضح موقف التجديد لثلاثي الفريق إمام عاشور وأليو ديانج ومصطفى شوبير.
الأهلي كان قد إقال الإسباني خوسيه ريبيرو من تدريب الفريق، عقب سلسلة من النتائج السلبية، وآخرها كان الهزيمة على يد بيراميدز في الدوري المصري بثنائية دون رد.
وقال أحمد شوبير في تصريحات عبر قناة “الأهلي”: “بدأت خطوات اختيار المدرب الجديد للنادي الأهلي، سمعنا أنه يوجد حديث مع كونسيساو مدرب بورتو وميلان السابق، والأخير احترم النادي الأهلي، لكن قال إنه يُفضل التدريب في أوروبا في الوقت الحالي”.
طالع أيضا.. جوزيه جوميز يحسم موقفه النهائي من عرض تدريب الأهلي خلفًا لـ ريبيرو
وتابع: “أيضاً توجد أقاويل عن جوميز، وأنا سأقول قصة جوميز، لم يتحدث معه أحد من الأهلي، لكن هناك وكلاء يتواصلون، لكن النادي الأهلي لم يتحدث إطلاقًا مع جوميز”.
وأوضح: “أنا شخصيًا من المحبين والمقتنعين بـ جوميز، لكن لم يحدث أي تواصل معه”.
وأفاد: “جوميز بعد مجهوده مع الفتح في الموسم الماضي، بما يشبه المعجزة، تم تجديد عقده ووضع شرط جزائي مليون دولار، والنادي يريد أن يُجدد عقده، وهو قال لو جاء لي عرض فأنا تحت أمر نادي الفتح، وحصلت على مستحقات العام الماضي، وأحيانًا تتأخر المستحقات قليلًا لكن أحصل عليها”.
وواصل: “ستسمع أسماء كثير في الفترة الحالية، لذلك الأهلي يثقل قدمه من أجل اختيار مدرب جيد، ولا يريدون أن يسقطوا مرة أخرى في نفس الخطأ بعد ريبيرو، ويحاولون تغيير الفكر والمدرسة”.
وأكمل: “الأهلي منح الثقة للجهاز الفني الحالي، وقد يكون هناك جهاز فني جديد حسب المواصفات التي يضعها النادي، والأهلي (مش بيسترخص) في المدربين، فما زال التفاوض جاريًا والأهلي لم يصل لاتفاق حتى هذه اللحظة”.
واستكمل: “وليد صلاح الدين تولى ملف التمديد لـ إمام عاشور، اللاعب يتبقى في عقده سنتان، والأهلي من باب التقدير للاعب والتكريم إنه يزيد عقده من الآن لأنه كان له دور كبير في فوز الأهلي بالبطولات”.
وأتم: “إمام عاشور لديه مطالب مادية وهذا حقه، التفاوض سيستمر وسنرى ماذا سيحدث، والنادي يريد أن يُمدد عقد مصطفى شوبير أيضاً رغم أنه يتبقى في عقده سنتان، وكذلك أليو ديانج”.
Take out Erling Haaland from the equation, and it’s likely most clubs in European football, Arsenal included, would choose to sign Alexander Isak this summer.
The Gunners have had a long-vested interest in the Swede, dating back to before he was even a Newcastle player.
Sadly, after a campaign in which the Toon’s star man bagged 27 goals in 42 games, he looks like he’s staying in the north east.
Asking prices from £150m to £200m have been touted, making this move nigh on impossible for anyone, let alone the Gunners.
Liverpool are reportedly at the table too and if Arne Slot’s men were to prise the forward away from Newcastle, it would be a colossal kick in the teeth for Arsenal.
Still, there are alternatives, and alternatives that share similar traits to the Swedish superstar.
The latest on Arsenal's hunt for new attackers
With moves for Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi set for completion in the not-too-distant future, Andrea Berta and Mikel Arteta are getting a move on with their summer business.
Still, a new forward continues to elude them amid ongoing talks to sign Viktor Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko.
Arsenal have also been looking at wingers, namely Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa and Crystal Palace’s playmaking sensation, Eberechi Eze.
Well, what if they could find a player with the ability to play on the flanks and through the middle? That fact is certainly true of Ademola Lookman.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to Caught Offside, the Gunners are now in active negotiations to sign the Nigerian attacker from Italian outfit Atalanta.
After previous spells in England with Charlton, Everton, and Fulham, Lookman has more than proven himself in Italy and appears to be keen on coming back to the Premier League.
Ademola Lookman for Atalanta
While Arsenal will face competition from Liverpool for his signature, the 27-year-old is said to be valued at around €45m to €50m (£38m – £43m) plus add-ons.
How Ademola Lookman could improve Arsenal
Let’s take you back to the year of 2020 for a moment. Football is being played behind closed doors due to the pandemic and Lookman has just missed one of the worst penalty attempts you will ever see.
A panenka looks great when it comes off, but in this instance, it disgraced and embarrassed a young Lookman.
Since then, the attacker has become “one of the best prospects in Europe”, in the words of former Man City defender-turned pundit Nedum Onuoha.
Why? Well, who could forget the Lookman final, a game where Atalanta won the Europa League in 2024 courtesy of the Nigeria international who scored a stunning hat-trick to seal a 3-0 win over Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen.
It was genuinely one of the best individual performances you will see on a big stage and he’s not slowed down since that moment.
During the 2023/24 campaign, Lookman scored 17 goals and supplied ten assists in all competitions. In 2024/25, he was even better in front of goal, netting 20 and registering seven assists.
Undoubtedly one of the most exciting players in Serie A, his rate of productivity in the final third is captivating, but the player’s versatility is also an enormous plus point. Capable of playing on the flanks, as a striker or behind the leading no.9, that versatile nature should be a big box tick for Arteta.
Such an ability to play in a plethora of positions has led data-led website FBRef to proclaim that Bukayo Saka is the third-most similar winger in Europe to Lookman, while Isak is the third-most similar striker. Not bad indeed. But, what makes them alike? We’ve crunched the numbers.
Lookman vs Isak & Saka: 2024/25 league
Stat (per 90 mins)
Lookman
Isak
Saka
Goals
0.60
0.75
0.31
Assists
0.20
0.20
0.52
Shots
3.24
3.10
3.44
Key passes
2.44
1.34
3.02
Progressive passes
2.98
2.88
3.65
Shot-creating actions
5.41
3.01
6.09
Succesful take-ons
1.48
1.37
2.14
Progressive carries
5.68
2.71
5.00
Stats via FBRef.
Blessed with pace, fleet-footedness and low centre of gravity, Lookman possesses a very similar style on the flanks to Saka and his ability to dart in behind and run the channels can draw comparisons to Isak.
That’s certainly seen in the numbers, where the former Fulham man combines the best of both players here.
He’s more potent than Saka in front of goal per 90 minutes but he creates a similar number of key passes. He’s also very progressive with his actions, only slightly falling behind Arsenal’s number 7 for progressive passes but actually ranking higher for progressive carries.
Like Isak, he completes a similar number of take-ons and they’re almost equal for shots taken as well.
So, if Arsenal are not willing to break the bank to sign someone like Sesko or Gyokeres this summer, Lookman could be the next best thing.
It’s a rare opportunity to find someone who combines the best attributes of two of the best players in the Premier League.
£100m star & the "new Haaland" sign: Arsenal's dream summer
Andrea Berta is in for a big summer at Arsenal; here’s how it could play out.
Sri Lanka now rely on other results, including a washout, for any hope of qualification. Nepal’s road gets tougher with South Africa up next
Sreshth Shah12-Jun-2024
Sri Lanka and Nepal had to share points from the washout•ICC/Getty Images
Match abandoned without a ball bowled Sri Lanka vs NepalSri Lanka and Nepal came to Lauderhill searching for their first wins, hoping to put their T20 World Cup 2024 on track. However, incessant rain, heavy enough to trigger flash-flood alerts for local residents, left both teams splitting one point apiece. That means Sri Lanka are almost certainly out of Super Eight contention while Nepal’s chances of qualification also take a hit. South Africa, currently Group D toppers, were confirmed a place in the Super Eight.For Sri Lanka to now qualify, they first need the Bangladesh vs Netherlands fixture on June 13 in Kingstown to be a washout, then they need to defeat Netherlands in their last group game on June 16. They also need South Africa to beat Nepal by a big margin on June 14, and then for Nepal to beat Bangladesh by a small margin on June 16.
Nepal could still qualify if they manage big wins against South Africa and Bangladesh in their last two games, and if Netherlands don’t win both their remaining matches.However, the Lauderhill weather now puts upcoming games at the venue under the scanner. The venue is set to host three Group A games – USA vs Ireland on June 14, Canada vs India on June 15 and Ireland vs Pakistan on June 16 with rain forecast through the week.
Leeds United won the Championship title with a whopping 100-point haul in the 2024/25 campaign to earn promotion back up to the Premier League.
Daniel Farke will now be aiming to guide the team clear of relegation, knowing that the last six teams promoted from the second tier have all been relegated at the first time of asking.
The Whites scored 95 goals in their 46 matches in the Championship, and they did so without a natural number ten type magician in the squad, as they had in the past with Pablo Hernandez, and as Farke had in the past with Emiliano Buendia.
Instead, old-school wingers like Manor Solomon and Dan James provided quality in the final third, whilst Brenden Aaronson was the main number ten and ended the season with just two assists in 43 league starts.
Form against the Championship top six
Brenden Aaronson vs
Goals
Assists
Bristol City (A)
0
0
Burnley (H)
0
0
Sunderland (A)
0
0
Sheffield United (H)
0
0
Coventry (H)
0
0
Coventry (A)
0
0
Burnley (A)
0
0
Sunderland (H)
0
0
Sheffield United (A)
0
0
Bristol City (H)
0
0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the USA international did not deliver a single goal contribution in his ten appearances against the other teams in the top six, as he struggled badly against the better teams in the division.
Why Leeds needs to sign their next Pablo Hernandez
Aaronson’s lacklustre form in front of goal, despite being a regular starter in a dominant team, suggests that he will not be good enough to make the step up to the Premier League next season.
That thought is, of course, backed up by the fact that he only managed one goal in 36 games in the top-flight during his first year in England in the 2022/23 campaign, which shows that he has already failed to make the step up to that level.
Therefore, Leeds need to acquire a new number ten option to score and create goals in the Premier League, and they should target a traditional playmaker in the Pablo Hernandez mould to improve their options in the middle of the park.
The Spaniard delivered 36 goals and 41 assists in 175 appearances for the West Yorkshire outfit in all competitions, which shows that he provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals on a regular basis whilst playing on the wing or as an attacking midfielder.
Hernandez was a joy to watch during his time at Elland Road, as shown by some of the fantastic goals in the clips above, and Leeds do not have a similar kind of player in their current squad.
That is why the Whites should make signing their next version of the Spanish maestro a priority between now and the end of the summer transfer window ahead of their return to the Premier League.
Leeds have interest in Championship playmaker
According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds United are ‘believed’ to have a genuine interest in Sheffield United attacking midfielder Gustavo Hamer this summer.
The report claims that the Championship champions are one of the teams eyeing up the Dutch playmaker, although it reveals that he has fallen down the shortlist and is not the number one priority at this moment in time.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It adds that the Whites were interested in a deal to sign the Blades star in the summer transfer window in 2024, and that they had an offer of £13m turned down by their rivals.
Given that he is not at the top of their wishlist for number tens, it remains to be seen if Leeds will snap the 28-year-old star up before the window slams shut at the start of September.
He is reportedly valued at a fee of around £18m by Sheffield United, but this latest report by the Yorkshire Evening Post does not reveal if they would be willing to pay that much for the midfielder.
Why Leeds should sign Gustavo Hamer
The Whites should press ahead with a swoop for the Championship star, despite him not being one of their top targets in that position, because he could be their next Pablo Hernandez.
Sheffield United's Gustavo Hamer celebrates scoring their first goal
Like the Spaniard, Hamer is a diminutive playmaker who can play out wide or in the middle as a number ten, having played off the left 33 times for Sheffield United this season.
The Dutch star, who was hailed as “outstanding” by former boss Chris Wilder, has showcased his quality in the Premier League and in the Championship with the Blades in the last two campaigns.
In the 2024/25 campaign, the former Coventry City magician scored nine goals, created 11 ‘big chances’, and delivered seven assists in the Championship, which shows that he provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
Hamer’s performances for Sheffield United in the Premier League in the previous season, despite their relegation from the division, suggest that the potential is there for him to be a great addition for the Whites.
23/24 Premier League
Gustavo Hamer
Percentile rank vs midfielders
Goals
4
Top 16%
xG
2.98
Top 24%
xA
4.55
Top 12%
Assists
6
Top 10%
Chances created
70
Top 3%
Crosses completed
33
Top 5%
Dribbles completed
28
Top 13%
Stats via FotMob
As you can see in the table above, the Dutchman ranked highly among his positional peers as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a midfield position, as he was directly involved in ten goals in the top-flight.
This shows that he does have the ability to make an impact in front of goal in the Premier League. Whereas, as aforementioned, Aaronson flopped in his last season at that level.
Therefore, Hamer could arrive at Elland Road this summer as a long-term successor to Pablo Hernandez in West Yorkshire, as he is a natural playmaker who has shown that he can make a difference in the final third with goals and assists at an impressive rate.
Leeds open talks with agent of "talented" Champions League level star
The 49ers mean business this summer…
1 ByTom Cunningham Jun 27, 2025
It is now down to the club to decide who their number one target is for the number ten position, but these statistics suggest that the Blades star would be an excellent choice.
Glasgow Rangers and new Ibrox owners 49ers Enterprises have reached an agreement to sell a Gers player without the approval of new manager Russell Martin.
Aarons completes Ibrox medical and set to join Rangers
The Gers have already made midfielder Lyall Cameron the first official signing of the summer at Ibrox, however, the 49ers and Martin are after more before the Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos and their Scottish Premiership opener at Motherwell.
Rangers’ first 5 Scottish Premiership fixtures
Date
Motherwell vs Rangers
August 2
Rangers vs Dundee
August 9
St Mirren vs Rangers
August 23
Rangers vs Celtic
August 31
Rangers vs Hearts
September 13
Martin admitted he is “excited” at the players Rangers are targeting and is hoping for a “few” to arrive over the coming weeks.
One of those looks set to be Max Aarons, with the right-back on course to arrive on a straight loan deal from Bournemouth. The defender has even been pictured at Ibrox and has already completed a medical.
With Aarons set to sign, it could be a case of one defender in and one out at Ibrox going off a recent update.
Rangers reach agreement to sell Gers defender Robin Propper
According to reports relayed by Sport Witness, Rangers have reached an agreement in principle to sell Robin Propper for €1.5m (£1.27m) to FC Twente.
A deal is yet to be complete, though, ‘due to the recent changes within the technical staff of Rangers’, meaning Martin has yet to give the green light to an exit.
The report adds that ‘a meeting between Propper and the new head coach is planned soon and will be decisive for the further course of the transfer’.
Concern as Rangers now at risk of losing £20m Ibrox star star on the cheap
This would be a real setback for the Gers.
ByHenry Jackson Jun 24, 2025
FC Twente’s manager, Joseph Oosting, has publicly spoken out over a transfer for Propper, saying “I have been in contact with him via the app. We would like to have Robin. Will he come? That is the question.”
Oosting added to another Dutch outlet: “We have been in contact, I hope he returns. No point of discussion. I assume that it will work out. But in football you can never be sure of such things.”
Should a £1.27m deal go through, Rangers will be making a slight loss after spending £1.5m on Propper just 12 months ago.
Nitish Kumar Reddy had received his maiden India call-up before being sidelined due to a hernia
ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jun-2024
Nitish Kumar Reddy had a consistent IPL 2024 with Sunrisers Hyderabad•BCCI
Nitish Kumar Reddy will have to wait for his international debut after he was sidelined from India’s T20I tour of Zimbabwe due to an injury. Shivam Dube will take his place in the 15-member squad.While the BCCI did not specify the nature of Reddy’s injury, ESPNcricinfo has learned that he has been ruled out due to a hernia.Reddy, a 21-year-old seam bowling allrounder, had earned his maiden India call-up after an impressive IPL 2024 season with Sunrisers Hyderabad. He made 303 runs in the season at a strike rate of 142.92, while also delivering 13.1 overs for three wickets.In just his second innings of the season, he scored 64 off 37 balls against Punjab Kings, which took SRH to 182 and eventually helped them seal a two-run win. Reddy also scored an unbeaten 42-ball 76 against Rajasthan Royals in a group game later in the tournament. With the ball, his three wickets included Rishabh Pant, Tristan Stubbs and Jitesh Sharma.Reddy has been a part of the BCCI’s target group of young players who have been under the NCA’s watch over the past year.Dube is part of the India squad at the T20 World Cup 2024. While his numbers in the tournament so far have been middling: 106 runs in six matches with a strike rate of 107.07 and zero wickets, he had a tremendous IPL 2024. Coming in to bat primarily in the middle overs, he was Chennai Super Kings’ spin-hitter, finishing the season with 396 runs in 14 games, striking at 162.29. He was CSK’s second highest run-scorer behind Ruturaj Gaikwad.India will play Zimbabwe in five T20Is in Harare which get underway on July 6. With the senior players rested, Shubman Gill will lead the squad which features Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag and Tushar Deshpande, all of whom received maiden India call-ups.India squad for T20I series in ZimbabweᏚhubman Gill (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande
An exciting transfer update has emerged regarding Liverpool’s quest to build a squad capable of retaining their Premier League crown, courtesy of Fabrizio Romano.
Liverpool closing in on stunning Wirtz move
The Reds appear to be edging closer to completing the most exciting signing of the summer in England, with Florian Wirtz on the verge of joining from Bayer Leverkusen.
He is expected to smash Liverpool’s transfer record, with a move of £116m mooted, in what could be among the club’s most significant signings of the past decade or so.
Wirtz has been voted as the best player in the Bundesliga in each of the past two seasons by his peers, highlighting his brilliance, and Reds supporters will be hoping that he can enjoy the same level of world-class influence that the likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson have at Anfield.
Once the German superstar is confirmed as a Liverpool player, it will be time for the Reds to turn their attention to other targets.
Romano: Liverpool "on fire" with Kerkez set to join
Speaking on TikTok late on Sunday evening, Romano confirmed Wirtz will join the club once he finishes his holidays and completes a medical, but he also had news on Bournemouth star Milos Kerkez, revealing the Reds are “on fire”.
At this point, it would be a huge surprise if the Reds didn’t bring in Kerkez this summer, with the Hungarian at the top of their list for a long time now, and it’s not hard to see why.
Milos Kerkez
The Bournemouth man, on just £30,000-a-week on the south coast, already looks like such a polished footballer, despite his tender years, and the energy and competitive edge in his game have echoes of a young Andy Robertson, with former teammate Mat Ryan once heaping praise on him.
“Milos is a great boy. A crazy dude, in a good way. He is always positive and smiling. Hopefully he can develop even further in England and become even more mature. He is aggressive, powerful and has so many qualities. A unique skill set. Bournemouth is going to get stronger because of him. Milos still has a great career ahead of him.”
Liverpool could easily get close to a decade of great service from Kerkez, assuming he avoids serious injury, and regardless of whether Robertson stays or not this summer, the Cherries ace must be considered the Reds’ first-choice left-back.