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Australia became the first team to lose a T20I match after needing less than 50 runs in the last 10 overs

Sampath Bandarupalli10-Jul-20210 Number of times a team failed to chase less than 50 runs in the final ten overs of a T20I before the St Lucia T20I. The previous fewest target runs unachieved in the last ten overs was 53 by New Zealand, also against West Indies in 2006. The game ended in a tie, but New Zealand went on to win the bowl out.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1 Australia are the first team to lose a T20 match despite the required rate being under five in the last ten overs after scoring 100-plus runs in the first half (where ball-by-ball data is available). Australia raced to 105 for 4 by the end of the tenth over but fell short of the 146-run target.16 Overs batted by Australia, the fewest by any team before getting all out in a T20 chase, inside 20 runs of the target. The previous lowest was 16.2 overs by Tamil Union CAC against Colombo CC in 2015, bowled out for 148 while chasing a target of 165 runs.

Australia had a win probability over 90% until the 13th over! Here's how they went downhill in the chase as per @ESPNcricinfo's Forecaster. #WIvAUS pic.twitter.com/mebOdQScxD

— ESPNcricinfo stats (@ESPNcric_stats) July 10, 2021

2.92 Ratio between the powerplay totals of Australia and West Indies during the first T20I. Australia scored 70 runs during the powerplay phase, while West Indies got only 24 runs. Only one losing team had a higher multiple of the winning team’s powerplay total in T20Is – 3.18 by Netherlands, who scored 54 runs during the powerplay against Scotland in 2017 but lost by seven runs. Scotland, who batted first in that game, had only 17 at the end of the sixth over.ESPNcricinfo Ltd47.9 Percentage of the 146-run target that Australia wiped off by the end of the powerplay. It is the highest proportion of the target any team that achieved inside the powerplay in a T20I chase before going on to lose. The previous highest was also by Australia, who scored 72 in the powerplay while chasing a 158-run target against Sri Lanka in 2011 but ended up with only 149.19 Runs added by Australia while losing the last six wickets, their second-lowest aggregate for the loss of the last six wickets in a T20I game. Australia lost their last six wickets for only ten runs during the 2010 T20 World Cup game against Pakistan, also held in St Lucia.

Aston Villa are keen to climb the Premier League table after a mixed start to the campaign and could now turn to a veteran midfielder once the January window opens.

Aston Villa turn focus to Premier League after Go Ahead Eagles loss

Ultimately, the Villans’ 2-1 loss to Go Ahead Eagles on Thursday night won’t be a result that Unai Emery is too keen to revisit, albeit he will hope it was a blip rather than a sign of things to come.

Providing an honest reflection after the match, club captain John McGinn shared his frustration that the Deventer-based club were given ‘life from nowhere’ to find their way back into the match, which ultimately led to their downfall.

He said: “When you give a team that is really passionate and up for it at home — they’ve not played in Europe for a while — and you give them some motivation and a bit of life, you get punished. Tonight, we gave them life from nowhere, and that’s why we have been beaten.”

Learning harsh lessons, Aston Villa found out the hard way that there are no easy matches in Europe. Still, they are among the favourites to win the competition and could be helped by bringing Real Madrid forward Endrick to the club in January if they can win the battle for his signature.

Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Garcia may also come in to compete within Aston Villa’s forward line, potentially offering an alternative in attack to Ollie Watkins.

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Nevertheless, Emery appears to have the engine room on his mind once the mid-season transfer period comes around and may now have identified his preferred candidate to offer strength in the middle of the park.

Aston Villa eyeing move for Man City star Mateo Kovacic

According to CaughtOffside, Aston Villa are keen to sign Manchester City star Mateo Kovacic and may be able to land the Croatia international for a knockdown fee due to his contract situation.

The report states that ‘there are no talks ongoing over a new contract’ for the ex-Chelsea star at the Etihad Stadium, and Pep Guardiola may opt to cash in during the mid-season window with AC Milan, West Ham United, Villarreal and Real Betis all in the hunt for his signature.

Five similar players to Mateo Kovacic (FBRef)

Vitinha

Paris Saint-Germain

Pierre Hojbjerg

Marseille

Luka Modric

Real Madrid

Nicolo Rovella

Lazio

Patrick Berg

Bodo/Glimt

Earning £150,000 per week in Manchester, Kovacic will be out of contract at his current employers in the summer of 2027, and he is now said to be surplus to requirements after featuring in only four minutes of Premier League football this term.

While he is unlikely to be a long-term midfield solution, he could potentially be an intelligent pickup for Aston Villa as they aim to climb the table and make strides in the Europa League.

They might have suffered their first defeat in months at the hands of Aston Villa on Saturday, but this season is still shaping up to be a memorable one for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side are top of the Premier League and Champions League tables and still haven’t reached their full potential.

Moreover, while injuries have taken their toll, the Gunners have a squad bursting at the seams with incredible players, and Bukayo Saka, arguably their most important player, has produced three goal involvements in his last four games.

So, fans should be excited about reports linking Arsenal to a player who has been compared not only to the Englishman but also to summer target Rodrygo.

Arsenal target Saka & Rodrygo hybrid

Uncharacteristically, Arsenal went on something of a spending spree in the summer, bringing in the likes of Noni Madueke, Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyokeres and others.

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Therefore, it would be understandable if the North Londoners held off on any major signings in the January window.

However, it would appear that the Gunners are determined to further improve their already impressive squad, and are now looking at a player who has been compared to both Saka and Rodrygo.

At least that is according to a recent report from Spain, which claims Arsenal are very interested in signing Yan Diamonde.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the Premier League leaders have now identified the winger as a priority target.

However, the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City are also said to be keen on the youngster and that RB Leipzig would need a fee of up to €100m to sell their star asset, which is about £87m.

It would therefore almost certainly be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Diomande’s ability and potential, one Arsenal should fight for anyway, especially as he’s been compared to Saka and Rodrygo.

How Diomande compares to Saka & Rodrygo

So, starting with the obvious and somewhat surface-level similarities, like Saka and Rodrygo, Diomande is a seriously exciting winger plying his trade for a team in one of Europe’s top five leagues.

Moreover, unlike some other wingers for top teams, the 19-year-old is someone who can back up his flashy ability with output.

For example, in 15 first-team appearances this season, totalling just 951 minutes, the Ivorian star has scored seven goals and provided four assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.36 games, or every 86.45 minutes, which is a rate of return that really lends credence to journalist Bence Bocsák’s claim that he is a “generational talent.”

However, the comparisons to the two international wingers go deeper than just their positions and ability to produce goal involvements.

For example, FBref has ranked Rodrygo as the second-most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Leipzig star across Europe’s top five leagues, and ranked Saka as the ninth-most similar.

The best way to understand how these comparisons have been made is to take a look at the underlying numbers in which the players rank so closely.

Diomande & Rodrygo

Statistics per 90

Diomande

Rodrygo

Progressive Carries

6.74

6.74

Shots on Target

1.35

1.40

Key Passes

1.46

1.40

Blocks

1.35

1.16

Passing Accuracy

80.9%

83.5%

All Stats via FBref for the 25/26 League Season

In the case of the Real Madrid star, these metrics include progressive carries, key passes, shots on target, and passing accuracy, all per 90.

In other words, the teen phenom is as capable as the two-time Champions League winner at getting the ball up the pitch, whether by carrying or passing.

Diomande & Saka

Statistics per 90

Diomande

Saka

Expected Goals

0.34

0.36

Shots

2.37

2.60

Shots on Target

1.35

1.21

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.57

1.48

Shot-Creating Actions

4.29

4.55

Tackles Won

0.56

0.65

Ball Recoveries

5.39

5.56

All Stats via FBref for the 25/26 League Season

Now, when it comes to the Gunners’ mercurial number seven, similar metrics include shot-creating actions, ball recoveries, tackles won, shots on target, expected goals, and more, also per 90.

This suggests that the youngster is as willing to help out with the defensive side of the game as the 24-year-old is, while also still being a serious goal threat.

Ultimately, it would require a significant amount of money, but Arsenal should do what they can to sign Diomande, as, in addition to being a great prospect in his own right, he also has a lot in common with Saka and Rodrygo.

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Manchester United have now reportedly sent scouts to keep close tabs on an Elliot Anderson alternative who Ruben Amorim once called a “natural leader”.

Roy Keane slams "schoolboy" Man Utd star after West Ham draw

Just when it seems like Man United are making progress, the Red Devils are hit with more frustration. This time, it was West Ham United who took full advantage to snatch a point at Old Trafford thanks to Soungoutou Magassa’s late equaliser.

It’s now one win in five for Ruben Amorim’s side and club legend Roy Keane couldn’t hold back his criticism any longer following the draw against West Ham.

It was another game in which United failed to make their attacking prowess count as Keane questioned midfielder Mount following his cameo from the bench.

It’s not the first time that Amorim’s midfield has been questioned and it certainly won’t be the last. INEOS are well aware that additions in that area should be next on their list of priorities, having reinforced the frontline in the summer.

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As such, names such as Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton have emerged as 2026 targets. The former is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after midfielders in the Premier League, with United among the chasing pack to land his signature.

But the Nottingham Forest star isn’t the only name on their shortlist. Instead, they could yet form a reunion between Morten Hjulmand and Amorim.

Man Utd keeping close tabs on Hjulmand

According to Caught Offside, Man United scouts are now keeping close tabs on Hjulmand in case they miss out on both Anderson and Wharton. The Sporting CP star is valued at £50m – making him a cheaper alternative to Anderson – and is someone that Amorim knows well from his time in Lisbon.

Minutes

1,067

1,260

Progressive Passes

91

119

Tackles Won

16

20

Ball Recoveries

79

115

Although Amorim was quick to dub Hjulmand a “fantastic player” at Sporting, there’s no denying that Anderson should remain Man United’s top option.

The Nottingham Forest star has blown the Dane away, statistically speaking, so far this season and has done the same comparison to a number of Premier League stars.

He won’t come cheap and United must overcome the hurdle of competition from Manchester City and others, but INEOS simply have to go all out for the England international in 2026. If the Red Devils are to rise again, they cannot settle for second best.

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Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl was pictured holding up a shirt with Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell little more than a month ago, and now he is the only one of those three men remaining at Ibrox.

The Light Blues announced on Monday that they have parted ways with their sporting director and CEO after the club’s dismal start to the season, and the failure of Russell Martin’s appointment.

Despite coming in after Martin won five of his 17 matches in all competitions, Rohl has won all four of his Scottish Premiership matches in the dugout so far, which is no mean feat.

The Gers had only won one league game before the German’s arrival at Ibrox, and goals from Emmanuel Fernandez and Mohamed Diomande against Livingston claimed a fourth straight victory for Rohl on Saturday.

Despite those four wins in four games for the former Sheffield Wednesday head coach, there is still plenty of work for the tactician to do to make sure that the Light Blues are competing for silverware moving forward.

For example, summer signing Oliver Antman failed to deliver once again in the win over Livingston and should be dropped from the starting line-up.

Why Danny Rohl must drop Oliver Antman for Rangers

Thelwell swooped to sign the Finland international for a fee of up to £4m from Go Ahead Eagles in the summer in an attempt to bolster Martin’s options on the flanks.

Unfortunately, the 24-year-old flanker has failed to deliver much in the way of quality at the top end of the pitch since his move to Ibrox in the summer, with no goals and three assists in 18 matches, per Transfermarkt.

In fact, Antman has no goals and one assist in 17 games since his two assists on his debut against Viktoria Plzen, which illustrates just how much he has struggled in front of goal in recent weeks and months.

The Finnish forward, as shown in the graphic above, scored for his country during the recent international break, to go along with an assist, which means that he has been more productive for his national side than for Rangers this season.

Rohl provided the former Eredivisie star with a chance to shine from the start on the right wing against Livingston on Saturday, possibly due to his international form, but he did not reward the manager with a strong performance to justify his inclusion.

Vs Livingston	Oliver Antman
Minutes	64
Shots	0
Key passes	1
Big chances created	0
Crosses completed	0/3
Dribbles completed	3/7
Duels won	5/13
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Antman made little impact at the top end of the pitch for the Light Blues, whilst he was also dominated by the Livingston defenders in physical contests.

With games against Braga in the Europa League and Falkirk in the Premiership coming up this week, Rohl must ruthlessly ditch the Finland international from the starting line-up to provide other players with an opportunity to impress.

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Antman has simply not done enough in the final third to suggest that he deserves a continued run of games in the team, as he has gone seven matches without a goal contribution in all competitions for the Gers.

With this in mind, the German head coach should finally unleash Nedim Bajrami from the start against Falkirk at the weekend, whilst he is unable to feature against Braga because Martin did not add him to the Europa League squad list.

Why Danny Rohl should finally unleash Nedim Bajrami for Rangers

Former sporting director Thelwell attempted to bolster the club’s options at the top end of the pitch with the signings of Djeidi Gassama, Thelo Aasgaard, Antman, Youssef Chermiti, Mikey Moore, and Bojan Miovski in the summer.

This shows that he attempted to replace Bajrami, who played in the attacking midfield and wide areas for Philippe Clement, as four of those players play in the Albania international’s main positions.

Per Transfermarkt, the £3.5m signing from Sassuolo has only played 196 minutes in all competitions. 24 players have played more minutes for the club, including players like Jeft and Cyriel Dessers, who left in the summer.

Bajrami was described as “anonymous” in a game last season by content creator Stevie Clifford, which now perfectly sums up his situation at Ibrox this season, as he has been so rarely used.

Now, though, Rohl should unleash the Albanian flop from the start in the Premiership because he has the potential to be an upgrade on Antman at the top end of the pitch, based on his form at times for Clement last season.

Whilst it would be disingenuous to suggest that Bajrami had an amazing debut campaign with Rangers, there were some promising signs in his performances domestically and in Europe that suggest that he has more to offer to the team.

Bajrami – 24/25	Premiership	Europa League
Starts	15	8
Goals	2	1
Big chances missed	2	0
Key passes per game	1.0	1.3
Big chances created	4	6
Assists	1	0
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the versatile attacker was not fairly rewarded for his creativity in the 2024/25 campaign, as his teammates only scored one of the ten ‘big chances’ that he created.

This season, Antman has only created two ‘big chances’ and delivered one assist in 12 appearances in the Premiership and the Europa League combined, per Sofascore, which suggests that Bajrami could provide more creativity than the Finnish flop.

Thelwell attempted to replace the former Serie B playmaker in the summer with a host of new signings, but these statistics suggest that the former Rangers chief failed to do so successfully.

This is why Rohl should ditch Antman to unleash Bajrami, who could offer more quality in the final third, when the Gers face Falkirk in the Premiership on Sunday, to see if he can ignite his Ibrox career under the German boss.

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Searching for a much-needed centre-back, Liverpool are now reportedly prepared to take a key step towards their attempt to sign Nico Schlotterbeck from Borussia Dortmund.

Their chase to sign the Bundesliga defender comes as no surprise. Arne Slot was left with little choice but to play Andy Robertson centre-back in an attempt to rest both Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate against Crystal Palace. The season-ending injury to Giovanni Leoni left the Reds with just three senior centre-backs and only compiled their current misery.

Things could have been so different had they signed Marc Guehi, of course, but those at Anfield now face a battle to land his signature for free next summer. Missing out on the Crystal Palace star a year on from coming within hours of securing his arrival would be an undeniable blow.

Six defeats in seven games have exposed Liverpool’s defensive problems so soon after missing out on Guehi in the summer and they must find a solution in 2026.

What certainly doesn’t help is the contract situation of Ibrahima Konate. The Frenchman is yet to sign a new deal and is on course to leave Anfield as a free agent in the summer. Meanwhile, Virgil van Dijk will be into the final year of his deal at the same time – sparking a potential crisis for the Reds.

Preparations are seemingly underway for such a scenario, with names such as Dayot Upamecano recently mentioned as reported targets, but replacing both Konate and Van Dijk would almost be an impossible task.

One player who holds similar attributes to Van Dijk, however, is Schlotterbeck. The Dortmund defender has caught Liverpool’s eye and Michael Edwards is now ready to take a key step towards his signature.

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The 25-year-old has reportedly rejected Dortmund’s €8m-a-year (£7m) contract offer and wants to earn in the region of €14m-a-year (£13m) instead, which would be up from his current €5m-a-year (£4m) deal.

That’s something that the German club are yet to match, but something that Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are ready to hand the defender.

Money talks on the European stage and Liverpool will hope that proves true in the summer as Schlotterbeck continues to impress.

Minutes

450

810

Progressive Passes

7

6.22

Successful Aerial Duels

1.60

5.11

Ball Recoveries

5.60

2.33

Whilst there will be concerns over Schlotterbeck’s struggles in the air, his passing range more than makes up for that. Completing seven progressive passes per-90 so far this season, the Dortmund star would solve Liverpool’s build-up problem almost instantly.

Described as “underrated” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Liverpool should go all out for Schlotterbeck in 2025. Not only is he good enough to replace Konate, but he could even become their Van Dijk heir in the coming years.

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The BCCI holds the hosting rights for the tournament, which is expected to be held in the UAE in September

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jul-2025

Aminul Islam greets Mohsin Naqvi upon the latter’s arrival in Dhaka•BCB

The fate of this year’s Asia Cup, which was thrown into uncertainty following the India-Pakistan military skirmish in May, could be decided at the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) annual general meeting in Dhaka on Thursday.The BCCI will attend the meeting virtually, and there is no clarity yet on whether Sri Lanka Cricket will attend virtually or an official will travel to Dhaka. For the BCCI, Rajeev Shukla will be the representative. There was even talk of Afghanistan and Oman missing the meeting, but they will now attend, while Nepal, like the BCCI, will participate virtually.The Asia Cup is one of the major points of discussion at the meeting. The BCCI holds the hosting rights for the eight-team tournament, even though the matches are expected to be played in the UAE in September.It is the first time that the BCB is hosting a high-level ACC meeting. Board president Aminul Islam said that the BCB was only providing logistical support to the ACC and didn’t comment on certain boards not sending their representatives.”We agreed with the ACC to organise this year’s AGM,” Aminul said on Tuesday. “It is an ACC programme. We are providing them with logistical support. That’s all we are doing. We are in touch with the ACC, who is informing us who is coming and who is not, as we have to make arrangements for airport pick-ups, hotel bookings and other support.”On Wednesday, Aminul and BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury received Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB and ACC boss, at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. A gala dinner is scheduled in the evening, followed by two days of the meeting at a hotel in Dhaka.