The manner in which individuals handle pressure will determine how successful Bangladesh are as a unit against India, as they look to turn around their poor showing so far in 2014

Mohammad Isam13-Jun-20142:13

Isam: Bangladesh have gained some confidence

There is a neat division of pressure levels – five to be precise – in the Bangladesh squad ahead of their three-match ODI series against India. The biggest demands will be placed on experienced players who have to tackle lack of form, confidence, and rising expectations, as the team look to start winning after ordinary performances in the year.Most of the pressure will be on the trio of captain Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal and Abdur Razzak, who have all played more than 100 games. As the most experienced players, they will face the most heat for their lack of form and position in the team. Mushfiqur has been the team’s highest scorer in this format in 2014 but he has also overseen a 0-7 ODI record. With a new set of coaches, Mushfiqur’s predominant role will be to coax the best performances from his players.There have been some questions about Mushfiqur’s decisions on the field, particularly when Bangladesh have been on top of situations in a game. His reluctance to use left-arm spinners against left-hand batsmen has been one of the signs of his rigidity. Mushfiqur would hope for Tamim and Razzak’s quick return to form, as it could have a ripple effect on other players facing similar crises in form and confidence.Tamim recently stressed that he was doing everything to return to form, but the pressure will be palpable given the murmurs over his place in the side during the World T20. Razzak, the country’s highest wicket-taker in ODIs, has struggled to cut the runs and pick up wickets. Both Tamim and Razzak have had injuries this year, but they are important to the ODI team and will be expected to perform at a higher level than they did between January and April.Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain and Sohag Gazi will face the next, slightly lower level of pressure. Their contributions ensured the team had an easy balance when they won the ODI series against West Indies in 2012, drew the one-dayers against Sri Lanka and crushed New Zealand 3-0 in 2013.Mushfiqur Rahim has scored runs but has also had a record of seven straight losses in 2014•AFPMahmudullah, however, has been out of form for some time now and also lost his place in the side. Nasir has suffered his first dip in form since his 2011 debut and Gazi’s form has resembled a yo-yo. When he has found a reason to do well, Gazi has gone all out but there have been times when he has lacked motivation.After a poor Bangladesh A tour to England in mid-2013, he bounced back superbly against New Zealand with a hat-trick and hundred in the same Test and then played a key role in the side’s 3-0 win in the ODIs. This year, however, he has had five poor games, averaging 56 with the ball.The third wave of pressure will be on Anamul Haque, Shamsur Rahman and Ziaur Rahman, who have been in and out of the side. Anamul made a comeback at the start of the year and has slowly got himself into a position where he is now an automatic choice to open the innings with Tamim. He has to improve upon his strike rate of 68.26, in 2014, and 70 overall.With two low scores in the World T20, Shamsur will have to wait his turn. He has started well in all three formats but has given it away as soon as he got going. Given how Anamul has been scoring, Shamsur will have to build on his starts to regain his place in the team. Ziaur can expect a bit-part role in the series, which has been his problem – he is judged by these small opportunities where he is expected to deliver the maximum.Shakib Al Hasan, Mominul Haque and Mashrafe Mortaza will face less pressure as they have shown an ability to deal with expectations. Shakib will be buoyant after contributing to Kolkata Knight Riders’ second IPL triumph. He was in a media storm during the World T20, after a bizarre interview in a local newspaper, but he has always handled pressure and controversy effectively. Mominul, while not at Shakib’s level as a player, has been similarly indifferent to pressure. As an ODI batsman, Mominul has a lot to improve on but his willingness makes him an attractive player to watch.Mashrafe, too, has handled pressure effectively. He has made several comebacks from injury, taking very little time to adjust to on-field happenings and will be looking to improve his wickets tally in this series.The least amount of pressure will be on Al-Amin Hossain, Mohammad Mithun and Taskin Ahmed, and it should remain that way regardless of their performances in the series.Al-Amin has improved rapidly as a bowler and his next target should be to bring down his economy rate, which he tried doing in the World T20. Mithun and Taskin are newcomers and they should be allowed to play freely whenever they are given the chance.As an emotional cricket team, Bangladesh will do well if they can handle pressure at an individual level. The series will be an eye-opener for new head coach Chandika Hathurusingha and bowling coach Heath Streak, but for now, it is Mushfiqur who will have to be the main man, handling his own share of pressure, while helping his side climb out of the rut.

Everton head into the international break sitting 16th in the Premier League table, three points clear of the relegation zone.

Recent results have shown encouragement that the Toffees can avoid yet another battle at the bottom of the table, although Sean Dyche will be hoping for a few more wins when the domestic calendar resumes.

Several players have been performing well of late. Iliman Ndiaye has scored three goals this season, having joined the club in the summer, while Orel Mangala is becoming an important presence in the heart of the midfield, completing 89% of his passes and winning 61% of his ground duels.

Dwight McNeil has been the talisman, however, continuing to shine when others around him are struggling.

Dwight McNeil’s stats this season

The Englishman has netted three league goals this term already, along with registering three assists, creating eight big chances and averaging 2.7 key passes per game.

He is starring under Dyche and could well be the reason Everton stay in the Premier League come next May.

Despite his role as one of the club’s finest performers, his weekly wage is among the lowest at the club.

McNeil earns £25k-per-week for the Goodison Park side, ranking him as the 22nd highest in the squad, behind the likes of Michael Keane, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Nathan Patterson.

1

Doucoure

£130,000

£6,760,000

2

Pickford

£125,000

£6,500,000

=3

Tarkowski

£100,000

£5,200,000

=3

Calvert-Lewin

£100,000

£5,200,000

5

Harrison

£90,000

£4,680,000

=6

Gueye

£80,000

£4,160,000

=6

Keane

£80,000

£4,160,000

The Toffees have spent lavish wages on players who have underperformed in recent seasons, costing the club a fortune in the process.

One notable name is Andre Gomes, who drained the club of millions during his spell on Merseyside yet failed to deliver the goods on the field.

How much money Everton wasted on Andre Gomes

The midfielder joined Everton from Barcelona in the summer of 2019 for a fee in the region of £22m after he impressed during a season-long loan in the Premier League.

Despite this lavish fee, Gomes would go on to play just 85 games for the club over the next five seasons (spending the 2022/23 season on loan at Lille), scoring only three goals in the process.

Marco Silva was the man who signed Gomes, but it was those in charge after him who had to put up with his underwhelming displays.

He played over 20 Premier League games in just one season during his permanent spell on Merseyside, finally departing in the summer to join Lille.

The Portuguese midfielder earned a sizeable £112k-per-week at Everton, a staggering sum for someone who was performing at their best, never mind a player who failed to hit top form.

2023/24

14

2

0

2021/22

19

1

2

2020/21

32

0

2

2019/20

20

0

1

2018/19

29

1

2

Combine his £22m transfer fee with the £23.4m in wages he took home at the Toffees, and it is clear that the £45.4m wasted on the former Barcelona gem was simply not worth it.

Indeed, his salary last season was four times more than what in-form McNeil was being paid, despite the Englishman emerging as a key player under Dyche.

It will be Dyche’s job to ensure he doesn’t pay silly money for players who fail to perform on the pitch, as this isn’t feasible in the long term.

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1 ByJoe Nuttall Nov 9, 2024

His first assignment in the full-time role is a tri-series against Namibia and Nepal from July 10-17

Matt Roller27-Jun-2022Richie Berrington has been appointed Scotland captain after Kyle Coetzer stepped down from the role earlier this month and plans to lead a push towards full-member status.Berrington, 35, is Scotland’s most-capped player in ODI and T20I cricket and has occasionally deputised for Coetzer, most recently against Namibia at last year’s T20 World Cup.His first assignment in the full-time role is a tri-series against Namibia and Nepal from July 10-17, which forms part of the Cricket World Cup League 2. Matthew Cross, the wicketkeeper-batter, will be his vice captain.”I feel incredibly honoured and privileged to lead this team and represent my country,” Berrington said in a press release. “Having come through the Scottish system from a young age, I’m very proud to take on the role of men’s captain.”As a team we’re very much looking forward to what’s ahead – three home series over the next couple of months is a great opportunity for us to keep building on the team’s recent success and we’ll be doing all we can to produce some good results in front of a home crowd.”We’ve had a fantastic leader in Kyle, who has been a great ambassador for our sport and I have learnt a lot under his leadership. [In the] long term, World Cup qualification is key for us and we are determined to keep pushing towards full member status, while continuing to develop the younger players we have coming through.”Shane Burger, Scotland’s coach, said: “I have no doubt that Richie will lead the Scottish men’s side with distinction and is the right person for the job. His stature not only in the Scottish game, but world cricket, makes him a fitting appointment – we have a leader in Richie that everyone can be proud of.”Coetzer has retained his place in the 14-man squad for next month’s tri-series having stepped down from the captaincy earlier this month.Scotland squad for Nepal and Namibia tri-series: Richie Berrington (captain), Matthew Cross (vice-captain, wk), Kyle Coetzer, Calum Macleod, George Munsey, Dylan Budge, Mark Watt, Safyaan Sharif, Michael Leask, Gavin Main, Adrian Neill, Hamza Tahir, Chris Sole, Chris McBride

MatériaMais Notícias

da marjack bet： Em duelo válido pela 4ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-20, oCorinthiansderrotou oFluminensepor 1 a 0 no Parque São Jorge. Arthur Sousa, aos cinco minutos do segundo tempo, marcou o único gol da partida. O atacante soma 12 gols em 12 jogos na temporada.

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da brdice： + GALERIA – Yuri Alberto é o 14º! Relembre as contratações do Timão na ‘era Duílio’

Com o resultado, o Timão chega aos nove pontos e fica na vice-liderança do Grupo B, atrás do Vasco, que possui 10 pontos. Já o Tricolor das Laranjeiras ocupa o oitavo lugar, com cinco pontos.

No próximo sábado (9), o clube alvinegro enfrenta o Grêmio na competição Sub-20, no Rio Grande do Sul, às 15h. Já a equipe carioca recebe o Red Bull Bragantino no domingo (10).

+ TABELA – Confira e simule as partidas do Corinthians no Brasileirão

O JOGO

Sem poder contar com Léo Mana, Matheus Araújo, Robert Renan, Guilherme Biro, Matheus Araújo, Breno Bidon, Giovane e Wesley, que viajaram com o elenco principal para o Rio de Janeiro na derrota por 4 a 0 contra o Fluminense, o técnico Danilo escalou o Timãozinho com: Kauê; Caun, Tchoca, Murillo e Vítor Meer; José Vitor, Ryan Gustavo e Pedrinho; Léo Agostinho, Arthur Sousa e Kayke Ferrari.

Do lado carioca, o técnico Guilherme Torres escalou a equipe com:Cayo Fellipe; Erick, Felipe, Damaceno e Jefté; Alexsander, Abner, Arthur, Antony Kennedy e Mateus Alves; Miguel Vinícius.

O Tricolor das Laranjeiras adiantou suas linhas de marcação nos minutos iniciais, dificultando a saída de bola do Timão. No entanto, as melhores chances no primeiro tempo foram dos mandantes.

Aos 36 minutos, Pedrinho roubou a bola no meio-campo e conduziu o ataque. O meia tinha opções de passe, mas decidiu arriscar de longe. A bola desviou na zaga do Flu e passou ao lado do gol.

No escanteio, Ryan apareceu livre no segundo pau, mas não conseguiu acertar o cabeceio, e a bola subiu por cima do gol.

No início da etapa final, aos cinco minutos, a defesa do Fluminense não cortou passe de Kayke. O meia achou Pedrinho na marca do pênalti, que rolou para Arthur Sousa. O atacante cortou para o pé esquerdo e abriu o marcador.

Ao longo da segunda etapa, Danilo se tirou o autor do gol e o zagueiro Zé Vitor pelo desgaste físico. O Tricolor das Laranjeiras cresceu nos minutos finais, mas não conseguiu produzir chances e saiu do Parque São Jorge derrotado.

تمكن ريال مدريد من الفوز على ضيفه ريال سوسيداد، بنتيجة 2/0، في إطار منافسات الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم “لاليجا”.

وواجه ريال مدريد نظيره ريال سوسيداد، ضمن منافسات الجولة 38 والأخيرة من الدوري الإسباني، على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو”.

وتُعد تلك المباراة هي الأخيرة للمدرب كارلو أنشيلوتي مع ريال مدريد، حيث سيتجه إلى تدريب منتخب البرازيل.

كما أن تلك المباراة هي الأخيرة لـ لوكاس فاسكيز وأسطورة الفريق، لوكا مودريتش مع ريال مدريد على ذلك الملعب، حيث أعلن رحيله عن النادي بمجرد انتهاء عقده في 30 يونيو المقبل، وسيشارك في كأس العالم للأندية حتى ذلك الحين.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ترتيب هدافي الدوري الإسباني بعد ثنائية مبابي أمام ريال سوسيداد

في الشوط الأول وعند الدقيقة السابعة، كاد كيليان مبابي أن يفتتح التسجيل لصالح ريال مدريد لولا تألق ريميرو حارس ريال سوسيداد.

التهديد الأول على مرمى ريال مدريد، جاء من خلال انفراد سيرجيو جوميز أمام لونين، لكن الحارس الأوكراني أنقذ الفريق الملكي من تلقي هدف أول بحلول الدقيقة التاسعة.

ومع الدقيقة 33، مرت تسديدة سوسيتش على مرمى ريال مدريد بسلام، بعد أن جائت تسديدة المهاجم الكرواتي بجوار مرمى لونين.

وأحرز كيليان مبابي الهدف الأول لصالح ريال مدريد بالدقيقة 38، حيث أهدر فرصة تسجيل الهدف من علامة الجزاء بعد تصدي ريميرو، لكن تابع الكرة وسددها بالشباك معلناً أول أهداف ريال مدريد في اللقاء.

في الشوط الثاني ومع الدقيقة 55، غادر إبراهيم دياز المباراة مصابًا، وحل فينيسيوس جونيور بدلاً منه.

وشهد أغلب فترات الشوط الثاني، سيطرة واضحة من أصحاب الأرض، في محاولة لإضافة ثاني أهداف الفريق الملكي.

ووقع كيليان مبابي على ثاني أهداف ريال مدريد بالدقيقة 83، بصناعة من فينيسيوس جونيور.

وغادر ثنائي ريال مدريد لوكاس فاسكيز ولوكا مودريتش اللقاء بالدقيقتين 77 و85 وسط تصفيق حار من جمهور ريال مدريد بسبب ظهورهم الأخير على ملعب سانتياجو برنابيو.

وبهذه النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد ريال مدريد إلى النقطة 84 في المركز الثاني في ترتيب الدوري الإسباني، بينما تجمد رصيد ريال سوسيداد عند النقطة 46 في المركز الحادي عشر. أهداف مباراة ريال مدريد وريال سوسيداد (2-0) في الدوري الاسباني

لحظة تبديل لوكاس فاسكيز في آخر مباراة له مع ريال مدريد على ملعب سانتياجو بيرنابيو لحظة تبديل مودريتش في آخر مباراة له مع ريال مدريد على ملعب سانتياجو بيرنابيو 

ESPNcricinfo staff03-May-2015Karun Nair and Ajinkya Rahane made fifties while adding 113 for the second wicket at a brisk rate of 9.82 to the over•BCCINair fell after making 61 from 38 but Rahane remained unbeaten on 91 from 54, which was laced with nine fours and three sixes, helping Royals to 189 for 2•BCCIStuart Binny and Watson removed the Daredevils openers cheaply inside five overs•BCCIJames Faulkner extended Yuvraj Singh’s dismal season when he dismissed the left-hander for 22 in the ninth over•BCCIJP Duminy struck some towering sixes top-scoring for Daredevils with a 39-ball 56, but fell to Faulkner attempting a ramp shot, with Daredevils needing 45 from the last two overs•BCCINathan Coulter-Nile and Saurabh Tiwary struck a few crunching sixes but it was all too little too late as Daredevils slumped to a 14-run loss at Brabourne Stadium•BCCI

Tom Wagner has been the Birmingham City chairman since 2023 and is looking to bring the good times back to the Blues, starting with promotion back to the Championship after relegation to League One last season.

Under Wagner, Birmingham have splashed the cash, brought in a new manager in Chris Davies and are looking at leaving St Andrew’s for a new purpose-built 60,000+ capacity stadium by 2029.

They’ve also got NFL icon Tom Brady on board in the Midlands, making it an exciting time to be a Birmingham supporter. But who actually is Wagner? Football FanCast has compiled a fact file on the American businessman.

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ByKelan Sarson Nov 6, 2024 Who is Tom Wagner?

Wagner is an American financier who co-founded Knighthead Capital Management LLC in 2008 along with business partner Ara Cohen. He is also the New York-based firm’s co-CEO and manages about €9bn (£7.5bn) of assets.

A subsidiary of Knighthead Investment set up a company last year called Shelby Companies Limited, registered in Birmingham. Wagner is also listed as a director of that company.

Tom Wagner's Birmingham City takeover

Shelby Companies Limited completed a 45.98% ownership of Birmingham City in July 2023, with Wagner saying at the time:

“The transition and implementation plans will take time. There will be bumps in the road but I ask that you get behind the leadership team guiding the club forward, be part of the alliance and continue to give every team that wears the shirt your passionate support.”

SCL later took full ownership of St Andrew’s. Birmingham were run by Chinese owners prior to the takeover.

Tom Wagner's links to Tom Brady

Brady was announced as a minority owner of Birmingham City in August 2023, weeks after SCL purchased their stake in the club. But how do Wagner and Brady know each other?

The Americans have reportedly been friends for a number of years and have worked on other projects before their time with Birmingham. Last year, Wagner, Brady and tennis ace Kim Clijsters invested in a major league pickleball team, and they have recently been approved by NFL owners to buy a 10% stake in the Las Vegas Raiders.

Tom Wagner and Tom Brady's net worth

Wagner’s personal net worth is thought to be around $1.6bn (£1.34bn), while NFL icon Brady is said to be worth around $300m (£252m).

Tom Wagner personal life

Wagner, who is 55 years of age, keeps his personal life away from the media, but he is reportedly married and has two children. In 1992, Wagner completed an undergraduate study at Villanova University where he received a degree in accounting.

Tom Wagner's previous jobs

Prior to co-founding Knighthead Capital Management, Wagner worked at Goldman Sachs, where he was a managing director.

Wagner has also previously been employed by investment banking affiliate Credit Suisse First Boston and accounting company Ernst & Young.

Wrexham in League One: Latest standings, fixtures, results & key dates

FFC has all the latest Wrexham info as they seek promotion from League One, along with a look at the Red Dragons’ journey to where they are today.

ByStephan Georgiou Oct 8, 2024

da mrbet： Liverpool are believed to be preparing an incredible £58m offer for a “wonderful” footballer who is lighting up his league this season, according to a fresh transfer claim.

Latest Liverpool news

da bwin： The Reds continue to be backed to make new signings, with Eintracht Frankfurt attacking star Omar Marmoush linked with a move to Anfield various times in recent weeks. He is seen as a potential long-term replacement for compatriot Mohamed Salah, with doubts still surrounding his future.

Liverpool are also reportedly interested in securing the signing of Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni in the January transfer window, should the reigning Champions League holders decide to allow him to leave midway through the season. The Frenchman was considered a target back in 2022, prior to moving to Spain from Monaco instead.

Away from transfer rumours, it is also an incredibly busy time at Anfield regarding the futures of so many key players, especially Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Salah. All three are out of contract next summer and none have signed extensions yet.

That said, they aren’t the only individuals in question, with midweek hat-trick hero Luis Diaz also potentially getting a new contract in the near future, as well as Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson. Retaining the services of these figures feels every bit as important as new signings.

Liverpool prepare £58m offer for "wonderful" star

According to a report from Spain, Liverpool are now preparing what is called an “incredible” £58m bid for Marmoush, as they continue to pursue a move for him.

The 25-year-old appears to be a primary target for the Reds at this point, as CEO of Football Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes look to get an exciting piece of business over the line. This update comes after reports said it was Marmoush’s “dream” to join Liverpool.

The idea of Marmoush in a Liverpool shirt is mouthwatering, considering the exceptional season he is having for Frankfurt, scoring 10 goals and bagging six assists in the Bundesliga already, in just nine appearances.

The Egyptian has a strong case for being seen as the most in-form player in his whole league and Ahmed Schubert has said of him: “I think that what Omar Marmoush has done in the German League since last season deserves greater praise and attention. Marmoush confirms day after day that he is a distinguished talent and a wonderful player. There is no doubt that his move to one of the big clubs in Europe is very close.”

Admittedly, Liverpool’s attack is already full of riches, but if Salah does move on he will leave a gaping void, considering he is now deservedly seen as one of the greatest players in the club’s history.

Diogo Jota’s injury problems are also a concern, with the Portuguese finding it tough to remain fit for long periods, and doubts persist over Darwin Nunez’s long-term worth, not least his finishing.

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Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 8, 2024

Marmoush can shine both as a centre forward and out wide, and if Liverpool were able to snap him up for £58m, it could look like a steal over time.

Later this week or early next week, India’s selectors will pick the squad for the Asia Cup – their last selection before having to put together the 15 for the T20 World Cup in October. While there are home T20I series against Australia and South Africa after the Asia Cup in September, it is likely that the World Cup squad will have to be named before those matches.India could approach the Asia Cup in two ways: pick their best squad, or use the tournament to further assess options for the World Cup. As things stand, provided everyone is fit, 12 slots are sealed. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik on the batting front. Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja should be the two allrounders. Yuzvendra Chahal should be the wristspinner to go with three fast bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel. That leaves, in ESPNcricinfo’s eyes, three slots open.Whether India pick these 12 and their first choices for back-up roles for the Asia Cup, or give one final chance to other contenders, remains to be seen. The idea could be to cover as many bases as possible with the remaining three players. Here are some of the options for whom the Asia Cup selection will be crucial.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Deepak Chahar
Not too long ago, Deepak Chahar might have been India’s preferred option as the powerplay wicket-hunter, but in his injury-forced absence, Bhuvneshwar has served a timely reminder of his class. Chahar’s ability to hit sixes will still tempt India, especially to cover for the possibility of Jadeja not succeeding. While Hardik and Jadeja will be India’s first choices as allrounders, Jadeja’s strike rates both with bat and ball have been a concern this year. So if Jadeja’s batting doesn’t quite click, India could look for a more attacking spin option, in which case Chahar can lengthen the batting order. India will surely want to see how he goes at the Asia Cup.R Ashwin
A piece of trivia: in 2022, Ashwin has a better batting strike rate than Jadeja in T20s. But batting is not the reason for Ashwin’s resurgence in this format. The offpsinner has emerged as the bankable bowler that teams have gone back to of late: an experienced bowler who can give you four overs of considerable wicket-taking potential and few horrible days. Ashwin has a good chance of playing against teams with several left-hand batters, especially if India can find Jadeja’s runs from elsewhere. But if they’re up against a line-up that is right-hander heavy, then Chahal and Jadeja will probably play as first-choice spinners, and it is hard to imagine a scenario in which India play three spinners.Axar Patel
Axar is a like-for-like back-up for Jadeja. The shorter the format gets, the bigger the threat Axar poses to Jadeja’s place. However, it is unlikely India will pick a player who is a back-up in that exact role and not much else. Eventually, it is going to be either Jadeja or Axar in the XI. So if Axar makes the cut for the Asia Cup, it will mean he is still a threat to Jadeja’s place.Deepak Hooda
Hooda has taken every opportunity that has come his way in 2022. He has also proved his utility with the ball, should he be required to sneak in an over or two against left-hand batters. While it’s likely that one batter from the first-choice 12 mentioned earlier will already be on the bench, there could still be place for Hooda as a second batting back-up in the squad of 15.Arshdeep Singh
Arshdeep’s USP is his ability to nail yorkers at the death and the fact that he is the only left-arm quick in the running. If India pick only one fast-bowling back-up, it could come down to Arshdeep vs Chahar. Arshdeep could lose out on the batting front, because in Bumrah and Yuzvendra Chahal, India already have two sure starters who aren’t six-hitters. Chances are, India pick both Arshdeep and Chahar for the Asia Cup and see how they go.Kuldeep Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi
The two wristspinners have been around the T20I set-up for the last few months, but India’s recent selections suggest they will not play two wristspinners in the same XI, and they might not need back-up for Chahal. However, don’t be surprised if one of Kuldeep and Bishnoi makes the cut for the Asia Cup.

If you had to pick three of the following seven players to complete India’s 15-man squad, who would you choose?

The dynamic attacking duo went quiet as Carlo Ancelotti's side lost ground in the Spanish top flight.

The Real Madrid attack was nowhere to be found, with Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe both enduring their worst showings of the season, as Los Blancos lost 2-1 to Real Betis in a forgettable result. Carlo Ancelotti's side had little about them going forward, and were thoroughly outplayed to give Barcelona the chanace to go three points clear atop La Liga when they play Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Los Blancos were in control early – and excellent value for the opener. It was a well worked thing, Mbappe finding Ferland Mendy on the left, who squared to Brahim Diaz for an easy tap-in from five yards out. But they conceded a sloppy goal to let Betis into it, USMNT international Johnny Cardoso rising from a corner to nod past Thibaut Courtois – who let the header slip through his hands. He redeemed himself soon after with an instinctive save on the brink of half time.

Madrid were far less assured after the break. Antonio Rudiger foolishly gave a penalty away – which Isco converted to give the home side the lead. Betis might have had another penalty shortly after, but the referee waved off protestations. Los Blancos had little going forward otherwise. Vinicius and Mbappe were invisible in the second half – the latter removed after 75 minutes.

And by the end of it all, there was no late magic to be found. Betis were comfortable in their lead, defending the box effectively and frustrating Madrid by keeping the ball when they won it back. There will be other games for Los Blancos – who are still narrow title favourites. But they could have really done with at least a point here.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Benito Villamarin…

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Thibaut Courtois (5/10):

Perhaps could have done better on the Betis equaliser. Guessed the right way on the penalty. Made a couple of big saves otherwise.

Lucas Vazquez (5/10):

Mixed, in truth. Betis didn't have loads going down his side, yet some of his passing was wayward.

Antonio Rudiger (4/10):

Gave away a clumsy penalty – a rare silly moment from him. Poor otherwise.

David Alaba (5/10):

His second start in a long recovery from an ACL tear. Solid at times, but made a couple of mistakes and could have been sent off for a silly challenge.

Ferland Mendy (5/10):

Grabbed himself a rare assist – his first since 2022. Handled the in-form Antony well.

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Aurelien Tchouameni (5/10):

Won tackles aplenty, but was inconsistent in his passing. Better at centre-back.

Luka Modric (6/10):

Effective in an advanced midfield role in the first half. Less involved in the second, and rather outmuscled.

Brahim Diaz (5/10):

Took his goal well – a welcome return to the scoresheet in La Liga. Barely involved otherwise and taken off after an hour.

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Rodrygo (6/10):

Had the ball a lot without being immensely impactful with it. His defensive work can never be faulted, though.

Kylian Mbappe (5/10):

Delivered a decisive pass in the build up to the first goal. Quiet after, and removed after 75 minutes. A forgettable one.

Vinicius Jr (4/10):

Was he even on the pitch? Anonymous other than a flash of quality or two.

Subs & Manager

Arda Guler (5/10):

Lacking in quality after coming on.

Eduardo Camavinga (5/10):

Offered some bite in defence, but not much the other way.

Endrick (N/A):

Scuffed his one big chance.

Fran Garcia (N/A):

No time to make an impact.

Carlo Ancelotti (3/10):

Went with more or less his strongest attacking XI, fitting Modric and Diaz into the same midfield. But his team were handily outdone on the day, and deserved the loss.