Tag Futebol

Celtic are currently flying high with their title triumph now seemingly a matter of when and not if, following a remarkable debut campaign for new boss Ange Postecoglou.

The Australian visionary has delighted the Parkhead faithful with his brave, attacking approach, while he’s proven something of a transfer market maestro such has been the number of success stories among the club’s new signings this season.

As this jubilant campaign draws to a close, however, the 56-year-old will surely be turning his attentions towards further recruitment in the upcoming window, amid reports that he may have a £20m transfer kitty at his disposal, following the club’s qualification for the Champions League.

One potential transfer target that has emerged is SM Caen striker Alexandre Mendy, with reports late last week suggesting that the Scottish Premiership outfit were eyeing a deal and had even made a €3m (£2.5m) offer for his services.

The player’s agent – Yacine Ayad – has since come out in an attempt to debunk those claims, however, suggesting that any reports of contact with his client are “obviously not true”, although he did admit that the 28-year-old forward “is followed by European clubs”.

Whether or not an offer has actually been made, it would certainly be a wise move for Postecoglou and co to pursue a deal for the Guinea-Bissau international, such has been his sparkling form this season.

Dubbed “very strong” by Jocelyn Gourvennec, the 6-foot gem would provide a real focal point to the Hoops’ attack, something that was sorely lacking in the recent Old Firm, Scottish Cup semi-final defeat following the absence of Georgios Giakoumakis, according to pundit Alan Hutton.

Even the Greek striker hasn’t enjoyed a perfect first season in Glasgow, however, with injury restricting him to just nine goals in 16 top-flight appearances.

Mendy, by contrast, has been in a rich vein of form in France, plundering 16 goals in 31 appearances for the Ligue 2 outfit, albeit with this campaign perhaps something of an anomaly as he has only once previously netted more than five league goals in a season.

Nevertheless, on current form it is no surprise that club’s across the continent have begun to take notice of his talent, while his physical attributes ensure he has more than just a goalscorer, having won a solid 57% of his total aerial duels, as well as provided 0.8 defensive clearances.

Although not a household name, Mendy could prove to be yet another relative unknown who emerges as a diamond under Postecoglou, just like Giakoumakis.

IN other news, £2.5m fee agreed, then snatched away: Celtic had Old Firm blinder on “unplayable” ace

He speaks about his experience in the PSL, returning to Pakistan after a long gap, and what keeps him going despite retiring from international cricket

Umar Farooq12-Mar-2019Shane Watson was a reluctant visitor to Pakistan earlier but this year he made it to Karachi to play for Quetta Gladiators. In this interview, he speaks about his experience in the PSL, returning to Pakistan after a long gap, and what keeps him going despite retiring from international cricket.You’ve been a part of many dressing rooms across the world for different teams. How have Quetta Gladiators been different?This year, even last year, the difference to me is that the best team…their leadership is always incredibly strong and that is a big difference here with Quetta compared to other teams I played with in the past. The owner, Mr Nadeem Omar, is a genuinely incredible, caring and thoughtful guy and you feel that all the way down to the support staff and the players as well. Then this year we have an incredible squad. We’ve got a lot of match-winners through our whole squad which means our dressing room is a bit different to the other ones I’ve played in because not every team has match-winners all the way through.If you have to pick one franchise out of the ones you’ve played for, which one would you pick and why?It’s impossible to pick one franchise because I’ve played with so many. Normally at the start of the season I have always got a sense of whether something special is happening. Whether it’s the people you’ve got around, the calibre of players you’ve got around, the leadership, it’s all the perfect storm and that’s the moment you really cherish and it doesn’t always happen with every team. For reason of injuries, personal viability and that sort of things I’ve been very fortunate to be playing for few franchises where for one year particularly I had that feeling.[With] teams like Sydney Thunder, Chennai [Super Kings], my first year with [Royal Challengers] Bangalore and this year particularly with Quetta as well, who have an incredible squad with so many match-winners and I got a very special feeling. But this never guarantees that you will win the tournament but it means that we are going to play some very very good cricket.What convinced you to come to Pakistan this year?It’s really special to be here in Karachi in Pakistan as I was here last in 2005. My primary consideration this year was having a time with my family, particularly with my son’s birthday around this time. So it was really a family consideration. I had to talk to my wife, about how much it means to my team for me to come to Pakistan and help them get to the final. For me at the end, my wife has been incredibly supportive, she realised how important it is for me to be able to go to Pakistan for Quetta and also for the people of Pakistan. So it worked out very well.PSLHow was the experience in your first game against Karachi Kings the other night? Yes, even from the first time arriving here at Karachi, people have always been incredible, welcoming and warm and that’s what exactly we all received at the ground. Last night it was an incredible atmosphere, a very special atmosphere. The support even Quetta got was unexpected because we were playing against Karachi. It was great not just for me but for every one. I am glad that I helped them in the way I am able to here and get cricket back, get an international standard cricket match back to the people of Pakistan who love the game as much as I do.Pakistan has always been known for its fast bowlers. You’re the leading run-scorer this PSL season. Did you face the heat while facing any fast bowlers this time?Yes, that is one thing that always comes up while playing in the PSL, even from my first year and it continued to be now. There’s always one or two fast bowlers who are bowling way above 140kmh, pushing 150kmh. So every single game I go out and play, I know I have to be absolutely on my game, ready to go, otherwise I can get exposed and hurt facing these quick bowlers. It’s an incredible thing, the depth that Pakistan cricket has over any other country that I have ever played in – real and proper fast bowling. It’s amazing how they continue to come through. Now we’ve got [Mohammad] Hasnain here at Quetta
who has come onto the scene and is bowling 150kmh, as it continues to happen every single PSL. So it’s pretty amazing.Have you stopped bowling to extend your playing career?Yeah, at the moment I have stopped bowling from the start of the Big Bash really. I was trying to get ready to be able to bowl in the Big Bash and ended up getting two calf strains in the lead-up to it. So it was just a defining moment for me to put all my energy towards my batting and hold my body together because I absolutely still love playing, I still feel I can contribute with the bat and on the field with the leadership as well, with the experience I have had. I want to keep playing so I’m putting my bowling at the back burner and no bowling means that I can hopefully play for a few more years.How do you keep yourself motivated when you’re not playing for Australia but for different teams around the world?Ever since I retired [from international cricket], I’ve been fortunate to play many different tournaments around the world and the thing that keeps me very motivated is wanting to be successful and wanting to be in a successful team. That is very simple and I love the opportunity to go out and play with so many different people I never would have played with and you never get to know people on the field because you are always on a battle and survival mode and you never really got to see the true person at the field. So that’s the privilege I’ve had to play with so many incredible people from the last three years playing for different franchises.At Quetta, I’ve been able to get to know Sarfaraz Ahmed, for example, someone I hardly ever played against. Last year, I got to know Kevin Petersen by playing with him for the first time for a long time instead of playing against him and it’s been really special for me. And now it’s an incredible opportunity to be with Sir Viv Richards who was one of my idols growing up. So to be with your mentor in the same team and get to know him and I still have a lot of questions to ask about his career, his playing days and it’s something I would never have had without franchise cricket.

England’s impending defeat has increased the scrutiny on Alastair Cook’s role as Test captain. However, a different leader could not have saved the series

George Dobell in Mumbai11-Dec-20163:48

Ganguly: England’s spinners don’t have the quality

A day that started with the game delicately poised ended with it bearing all the competitive elements of a firing squad. Suffice to say, England aren’t the ones with the guns.Barring a miracle, India will have wrapped up this series by the time people in England are bracing themselves for a chilly commute or dark school run. A 3-0 scoreline will mean England have lost four of their last five Tests and five of their last seven. That is a run of form that, in other sports, might have consequences.It is natural at such moments to look at what has gone wrong and demand change. It gives us a sense that we are correcting errors and making progress. It provides the illusion that things might be better next time.A current theme that appears to gathering momentum is the captaincy of Alastair Cook. James Anderson was the latest to be asked about it in the post-play press conference on Sunday – unsurprisingly, he was supportive, though he did admit he had “no idea” if he was going to continue – underlining the sense that it is becoming the thing to blame for this defeat.But that’s simplistic. Cook has never been a great orator or inspired tactician. Like most modern Test captains, he is cautious and like most modern Test captains, he can appear formulaic. Much of the pressure, in fact, has been brought to bear by the words of his own coach, Trevor Bayliss, whose call last week for a more “positive” approach from England’s batsmen was at clear odds with Cook’s more adhesive style.But he has other skills. Most importantly, he leads by example and has, on the whole, absorbed the demands of the job without it ruining his own game. He has captained sides that won in India and South Africa and, only a few months ago – had a result or two gone their way – England would have briefly regained the No. 1 Test team ranking. His record, as player and captain, is stronger than some would like to admit.He also protects Joe Root. While Root might, by nature, be more in tune with Bayliss’s positive message, he has very little captaincy experience and is still at the developmental stage of his career when he is coming to terms with batting at No. 3. The burden on him, as England’s best batsman in all three formats of the game and bearing in mind this team’s silly schedule, is already cumbersome. Adding the captaincy, just as he is about to become a parent, seems unnecessarily onerous. The time for him to take over will come soon enough, but there’s no hurry.Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Alastair Cook lbw again•AFPBesides, replacing Cook with Root as captain would not have made England’s spinners more accurate or more potent. Replacing Cook with Root would not have ensured England took the three important chances they squandered – all three of India’s centurions were given lives; two of them before they had 50 – and replacing Cook with Root would not provide any greater answer to the problem England’s bowlers have with dismissing Virat Kohli. Disconcertingly for England, there have been times this series when India’s seamers – notably Mohammed Shami – have looked more potent than any of England’s.We can argue with Cook’s tactics on day four. But Jake Ball had dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara early on day three and Adil Rashid has been England’s most effective bowler in the series. It was reasonable to turn to them, it just didn’t come off. We can argue that there should have been more flexibility with the batting order, with a case being made to rest Moeen Ali, who had bowled 53 overs, for a little longer before he batted. But there is an equally good case for some consistency in the batting line-up and providing Moeen with some certainty over his position. And we can argue with the selection of the side, but it is naïve to think that the inclusion of either Gareth Batty or Liam Dawson would have made the difference. Not all decisions are right or wrong; many just come off, or don’t.That does not mean we’re not about to have a change in the captaincy. It may well be that Cook, after a long and demanding period in the role, has lost a bit of hunger for it. It may well be that, once he gets back to England and has time to reflect, he decides it is time to move on. And it may well be that Root proves himself a more instinctive leader.But we’re fooling ourselves if we think that replacing Cook would have led to England winning in India.The reality is that England keep missing chances in the field, that they still don’t have, full-time, a spin-bowling, wicketkeeping or fielding coach, and that the county game is structured to prioritise the Ashes and, of late, limited-overs tournaments. If England really want to win in India, they are not going to spend every August playing only white ball cricket – as they will when ECB plans are ratified from 2020 – with the consequent marginalisation of attacking spin bowlers that will follow. The desire to embrace the T20 revolution is not wrong – it might even be essential to the sustenance of the game in the UK – but it does come at a cost.Cook cannot control any of this stuff. He has arrived in India with an inexperienced line-up of batsmen (you could argue that, but for Cook, a certain well-known player with a pretty decent record in Mumbai might still be a member of the squad, but let’s not go there) an ageing pack of senior bowlers, and spinners who have been outclassed by their opposition. India are just better than England. Cook can’t change that. He may not be perfect and his form with the bat – and in the field – is a concern. But he’s not the key problem here.

A chance encounter with a cricket hero

Sanam Sharma31-Jul-2015It was late in the afternoon on a Friday. The lounge at Adelaide airport was abuzz with people like me, racing to get home for the weekend. However, my flight home had been delayed by an hour. So I made myself a sandwich and sat in the lounge browsing through a magazine.There were people seated all around me. Some working away furiously on their laptops, a few twiddling through their smartphones, and some just chatting with each other.It was all pretty uneventful. Until I looked up to re-check the status of my flight on the TV screen in front of me. The flight status still read ‘Delayed’. So I got back to reading the magazine.As my eyes manoeuvred back to the magazine, I felt the faint glimpse of a familiar face sitting opposite me. So, I looked up again. This time with a jerk. Only to find Adam Gilchrist positioned in the chair opposite me. I gently rubbed my eyes, and double-checked. Yup. Still there. Still him. Adam Gilchrist was in the seat opposite me.I think I dropped the magazine I was reading. And perhaps the sandwich too. Stunned, I searched within myself for a reaction befitting that moment. Scream out to the rest of the lounge? Take out my phone and start clicking away? Go hug “Gilly” the man himself?The great man was busy working his way through a rushed-up meal. It would have been impolite of me to bother him. So I just leaned back in my seat and marveled at the fact that Adam Gilchrist was sitting at an arm’s length from me. A non-event for the superstar, but the event of a lifetime for me. And perhaps for many others sitting in that lounge that day.I wriggled around in my seat. Ducking, weaving, tying and untying shoelaces, all in the hope to catch his eye. He didn’t look up. Not even for a moment. He must have been well aware of the numerous eyes fixated on him in that lounge. There were these faint murmurs and gentle whispers across the place, all discussing his presence.Amid all this frenzy, Gilly managed to finish his meal. Then, in trademark Gilly style, he got up, and . And, normalcy returned within that lounge.All this took 10 minutes. Maybe less. And as I sat there waiting for my flight, I revisited those last 10 minutes. They felt surreal. They still do, as I write these lines almost four weeks on. Ten minutes of yet another ordinary day’s work for Gilly. Uneventful, and perhaps a bit too intrusive for his liking. Yet, ten minutes of my life that will always stay with me.And just like Gilchrist often did on the cricketing field with his sheer presence, he lent a bit of extraordinary to a cricket fan’s ordinary day.If you have a submission for Inbox, send it to us here, with “Inbox” in the subject line.

Also, a ton of IPL matches, youngest Australians in World Cups, longest wait for a first-class hundreds, and the Don’s lack of fifties

Steven Lynch29-Apr-2014What is the most Test wickets in a calendar year by someone who also scored 1000 runs? asked James Lyall from London
The answer here is 47 wickets, by Ian Botham in 1982 – a year in which he also scored 1095 Test runs at an average of 49.77. The most runs by anyone who took 50 Test wickets in a calendar year is 709 by another Englishman, Andrew Flintoff, who took 68 wickets in 2005. The best performance in one-day internationals was by Jacques Kallis, who scored 1300 runs and took 46 wickets in 2000. Of those with 50 wickets – a feat achieved only 11 times in a calendar year in ODIs – the most runs were scored by Pakistan’s Abdul Razzaq, with 661 (and 61 wickets) in 2000.Somerset made 553 against Yorkshire recently, without anyone scoring a century. Was that any sort of record? asked Will Simpson from England
Somerset’s 553 against Yorkshire in Taunton a couple of weeks ago included six half-centuries, but no one went on to three figures – the highest was Johann Myburgh’s 91. There have been 11 higher first-class totals without an individual hundred, the highest being Namibia’s 609 against Uganda in the ICC Intercontinental Shield in Windhoek in September 2010. That innings also included six fifties, but the highest score was Ewald Steenkamp’s 87. The previous record of 605 (highest score 90) was set by Madhya Pradesh against Haryana in Rajnandgaon in the Ranji Trophy in March 1999. Next comes the English record – and the only other total over 600 – Surrey’s 603 (highest Azhar Mahmood’s 89) against Gloucestershire in Bristol in 2005. Somerset’s previous-best was 545 for 9 declared against Hampshire in Taunton in 1930 – the highest score was Jack White’s 88, although No. 11 George Hunt made 80 not out. The Test record is India’s 524 for 9 declared against New Zealand in Kanpur in 1976-77, when the highest of six half-centuries was Mohinder Amarnath’s 70.Was Suresh Raina the first man to play 100 IPL matches? asked Ian Hugo from Nigeria
Suresh Raina was indeed the first man to complete a century of appearances in the Indian Premier League: Chennai Super Kings’ first match of this year’s tournament, against Kings XI Punjab in Abu Dhabi on April 18, was his 100th match in the competition. At that point Rohit Sharma had made 98 appearances, and MS Dhoni 97; both have since passed the 100 mark as well. Was James Muirhead the youngest Australian to play in a World Cup match? asked Chris Bloore from Belgium
The Victorian legspinner James Muirhead was only 20 years nine months old when he played in the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh earlier this year. That’s a couple of months younger than Steve Smith was in 2010 – but both of them have to give best to the New South Wales seamer Pat Cummins, who was only 19 years four months old when he played in the 2012 World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka. The youngest Aussie to appear in the 50-overs World Cup was Andrew Zesers, a 20-year-old medium-pacer of Latvian extraction who played two games in 1987. The only Australian to play an international at a younger age than Cummins was Ian Craig, only 17 years 239 days old when he made his Test debut against South Africa in Melbourne in 1952-53. Tom Garrett was also 18 (but older than Cummins) when he played in the first Test of all, against England in Melbourne in March 1877.I noticed that Bob Taylor made his maiden first-class century in 1981, when he was almost 40. Did he play more matches than anyone else before reaching three figures? asked Gerry Fletcher from England
Bob Taylor’s one and only first-class century – exactly 100, for Derbyshire against Yorkshire in Sheffield in June 1981 – arrived in his 539th first-class match, a month before his 40th birthday. However, rather surprisingly this was not a record: Taylor’s sometime England team-mate Derek Underwood scored his maiden first-class hundred in his 591st match, in his 22nd season, with 111 after going in as nightwatchman for Kent against Susex in Hastings in 1984. He was also 39 at the time. Before that, the record was held by Fred Trueman, whose maiden hundred arrived in his 418th first-class match, for Yorkshire in Northampton in 1963.Is Don Bradman the only man to score more than 100 first-class hundreds, but fewer than 100 first-class fifties? asked Seena John from Sri Lanka
Don Bradman’s amazing career brought him 117 first-class hundreds, and a record overall average of 95.14. One reason for that was that he was rarely out when set: after reaching 50 he failed to reach 100 on only 69 occasions, and nine of those were not-outs. None of the other 24 batsmen to have scored a century of centuries had fewer fifties than hundreds: the least overall is Mark Ramprakash’s 147 (to go with 114 centuries). Wally Hammond had the next-best conversion ratio to the Don – 167 hundreds and 185 fifties. For the full list, click here.


Sri Lanka have stacked their squad with five fast bowlers for the tour, but none with experience, partly due to inconsistency, but also because of long-term injuries

Andrew Fernando04-Dec-2012Fast bowling appears to be the largest chink in Sri Lanka’s game as they prepare for their first three-match series in Australia in 17 seasons, with some bowlers having arrived fresh from rehabilitation and others with less-than-ideal form behind them.Sri Lanka have stacked their squad with five fast bowlers for the tour, but the pace battery cannot boast one bowler of experience among them, partly due to inconsistency, but also because of long-term injuries. None of the five have played 20 Tests, while three of them have played ten or fewer. Bowlers have only been part of the team as long as their bodies have allowed, hampering ambitions of becoming established in the side.This year has seen the pace stocks stretched particularly thin. Among the touring group, Dhammika Prasad, Chanaka Welegedara and Shaminda Eranga have spent several months away through injury, while Suranga Lakmal has not played since March, and was not considered for this tour, having sustained an ankle injury. Allrounder Thisara Perera, who has had success with the ball in Australia in limited-overs internationals, was also hampered by a back injury, which has prevented him from bowling the long spells that Test cricket requires.”It’s important that we have a settled attack, but in the last two or three years we’ve had a lot of injuries to the fast bowlers so they’ve been in and out of the Test team,” Jayawardene said. “We would like to have a settled attack going forward – three or four guys who are always going to be there or thereabouts, which is very important. If we can get to that situation, they’ll feel confident in what their roles are going to be as well, because they are going to be playing together as a unit.”Unfortunately the injuries that have happened to some of our guys have been long-term injuries. Suranga is still struggling after his operation. Dhammika and Chanaka are coming back strongly. That gives us the opportunity to have them around, which is great.”Compounding the injury woes for Sri Lanka’s seam bowlers is the lack of competitive cricket for their returning bowlers, with Sri Lanka’s domestic cricket having finished for the season in March. Welegedara has been Sri Lanka’s leading pace bowler over the past 18 months, but despite being fit for the New Zealand series, he was not selected in the playing XI due to a lack of match practice.”Chanaka’s been fit now for three or four weeks. The reason we didn’t play him was because he didn’t have that bowling under his belt and the rhythm wasn’t there. In the last two weeks he’s bowled in between the matches and in the nets to get his rhythm back. He’s looking good. He’ll definitely be a contender in Australia. He’s been the one who’s been spearheading our attack and I’m looking forward to having him in the lineup.”Sri Lanka’s fast bowlers also arrive in Australia having had a mediocre home series against New Zealand, and a poor second Test in particular. Eranga and Nuwan Kulasekara bowled creditably in the first Test in Galle, using swing-friendly conditions to take early wickets in each innings, but on a P Sara Oval track that offered less movement in the air and more bounce – both qualities associated with Australian conditions – their returns were less satisfactory. 

While New Zealand’s opening bowlers reaped 21 wickets between them, Sri Lanka’s new-ball pair managed only 12, as the attack relied on the left-arm spin of Rangana Herath for penetration. Herath finished with 20 wickets from the two-Test series.”Rangana is always going to be a guy who can take that burden on, but it’s important that the other guys put their hands up and perform,” Jayawardene said. “In Australia the quick bowlers will have something to offer – it’s not like playing in Sri Lankan conditions. I’m pretty confident the guys will rise to the occasion and do well. Hopefully Rangana will do well and make sure we have a solid attack.”Although Eranga had a poor second Test against New Zealand, Jayawardene was confident he could develop into a good Test bowler, if he can work on his control. In the recent Tests he swung the ball and seamed it in both directions, while also finding reverse swing with the old ball, but was guilty of waywardness, particularly at the P Sara.”Eranga’s got something to offer. He’s got a bit of pace and a bit of movement and he’s a fiery cricketer. As long as we can get him to focus on the job in hand and get him to have that kind of discipline that he requires in Test cricket. That will only come when he plays a few matches. I definitely think that if he stays healthy and gets stronger, he could be a handful for any batsman.”

Despite being under-rated for most of his career, Robin Peterson has shouldered the criticism, and has now started to enjoy his role in the South Africa team

Firdose Moonda16-Feb-2011There was some surprise when Robin Peterson was initially selected to play for South Africa in 2002. There has been surprise almost every time he has made an international appearance since then. There was surprise from some quarters when he was announced in the World Cup squad but the biggest surprise of all came when he emerged from South Africa’s warm-up games as the highest wicket-taker with the five scalps, proof that maybe his inclusion is not so surprising after all.Peterson’s left-arm spin has been one of the most under-rated elements of South African cricket for some time. He has shouldered criticism from all sides, mostly from people who say that he is ineffective and doesn’t turn the ball enough but Peterson has worn the condemnation bravely. “I don’t play for people, I am playing for my country and for people who have been there for me from the start,” he told ESPNcricinfo.The ease with which Peterson brushes off the cynics is also a result of knowing that inconsistency in his selection may have spurred the naysayers on. He has been playing international cricket for eight years but has taken the field just 40 times in an ODI. Rarely has he made consecutive appearances in a series. “It’s no fault of mine that I have not been in the starting eleven more often.”The constant question mark over his inclusion understandably made him anxious. “I was never settled and when that happens you are always trying to make sure you get picked for the next game.” That sort of pressure would have been difficult to play under and Peterson said he was “always trying to put building blocks in place” in the past.Now, things have changed, not just for Peterson but for South African cricket. Whereas as recently as a year ago, the starting line-up was almost always predictable, now there is a degree of uncertainty about positions in the middle order, which may have helped Peterson’s own “mindset change” from being a bowler who was always trying to impress for the future to one who is willing to make the most of his present opportunities.”I am being more myself now, which is maybe something I haven’t done in the past. I have decided to do things my own way.” Peterson is reverting to his “natural” game which is to “bowl aggressively,” like he does at domestic level where he is a wicket-taker. His strike rate is 38.5 in List A games compared with 62.3 in ODIs, while his List A average is 29.45 compared to 50.33 in the green and gold. “I don’t necessarily go out there and look to take five, but I do try as spin the ball as hard as I can and get it on a good length, and that always provides an opportunity to get a wicket.”Peterson emerged as an international cricketer in a South Africa where a comment like that would probably not have been made. Spinners were there to curb run flow and it was the seamers’ job to think about how they could take wickets. In the past few months, that trend has changed. With the World Cup in mind, South Africa actively sought spinners so that they would have an attack that would suit the conditions. “It took South Africa a long time to wrap their heads around it but I think they have taken a step forward now.”The strategy has paid off so well that now all three of South African’s frontline spinnes are bowling well and there is unlikely to be room for all of them in every match of the tournament. “If we can keep on giving the selectors these headaches then we are doing a good job.” Peterson also said that he is relishing playing with his fellow tweakers. “I enjoy bowling with Imran [Tahir] and Johan [Botha]. We learn a lot from each other. Imran and I are the same age [31] and he is probably bowling his best at this age. Hopefully I will too.”What may give Peterson the edge over the other spinners is that he fulfils an allrounder’s role and in this 15-man squad, is the second all-rounder behind Jacques Kallis. He is one of only four squad members to have played in a World Cup before and that experience will prove valuable. “I am also here to provide advice and keep a calm head under pressure. It’s a nice responsibility.”Having been a member of the 2007 World Cup squad, Peterson had a good idea of how different a side South Africa are now. “We are excited as a squad and quite relaxed. We’re prepared well, have given ourselves the best opportunity and have a quiet confidence. The guys know they can play under these conditions”. It’s a different speak altogether from the brash self-assurance South Africa have had in the past and judging by their new look and their new mindset, they may be ready for another surprise come April 2.

Big Picture: A celebration of talent

Raging debates about the need for a tournament like the WPL feel all too recent.They said there wasn’t enough talent depth to split into enough teams to form a league and captivate audiences. On Friday evening, 25,000 fans packed into the Arun Jaitley Stadium to witness Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator.On Sunday, the same crowd will turn fanatical in their support for Delhi Capitals, who will have a second shot at WPL glory. Last year, they let nerves get the better of them against Mumbai. Things may turn out differently this time with a stadium full of people cheering them on.Related

• How Minnu Mani overcame adversity to make her mark in the WPL

• 'She's a real fighter' – Nitschke praises Jonassen's response to axing

• New and improved Shafali has brought method to her madness

• Perry: 'We're lucky to play in front of such big and fanatical crowds'

• Innovative Rodrigues makes it count with boundary-laden half-century

Capitals have got here on the back of a dominating run in the group stage. Twice in two seasons now, they’ve made the finals directly by topping the pool. RCB’s journey has been bumpy. Having opened with two wins, they suffered a mid-season slump, before putting it past the defending champions twice to make it here.Not surprisingly, the history of both these sides, in the IPL, has been brought up quite a bit. Capitals and RCB have part of that tournament since 2008 but neither of them have won anything – Capitals have made only one final previously, RCB three. So this much is for sure: one of them will be making space for a first trophy.Both teams have invested heavily in their scouting system. Asha Sobhana’s nerveless final over on Friday night to dethrone Mumbai was a ringing endorsement of this. At 33, it’s possible she would have been a mere footnote in several domestic scorecards if not for an opportunity at the WPL.Capitals have identified a core group of young Indian players to drive them forward. Arundhati Reddy and Radha Yadav, who hadn’t been in the conversation as far as the Indian team goes, are part of this. Compelling performances here, a byproduct of fierce backing from Meg Lanning and the coaching staff. Now, a national call-up won’t seem so surprising.Shafali Verma’s chats with Lanning about becoming ruthless and consistent and adding new gears to her game are bound to have a ripple effect. Minnu Mani’s smile and Lanning’s embrace after she spun one past Ash Gardner’s defence told you of how a team culture that empowers young players to discover themselves and grow as individuals has already reaped dividends.2:51

Lanning: Mandhana is starting to get the ins and outs captaincy

Shreyanka Patil, a find of WPL 2023, has come on leaps and bounds from there. She fought through a hairline fracture, resisting the idea of rest to prevent aggravating her injury to play Friday’s Eliminator and delivered a clutch performance.Stories of hope, inspiration and glory will once again play out on Sunday evening on the biggest stage of them all. And it will culminate in the WPL having a new winner. It feels fitting.

Form guide

Delhi Capitals: WWLWW (Last five games)
Royal Challengers Bangalore: WWLLW

In the spotlight: Asha Sobhana and Jemimah Rodrigues

Twice this season, Asha Sobhana has helped RCB complete a sensational last-over defence. She defended 10 runs in the opener against UP Warriorz. Against Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator, she defended 11. That she has been preferred ahead of regulars like Renuka Singh reflects the confidence Smriti Mandhana has in her. At 33, Asha is not a newbie, but her exploits could put her in contention to be in India’s T20 World Cup squad in Bangladesh later this year.After a slow start, Jemimah Rodrigues has hit form towards the business end. She has scored 38*, 58, 17 and 69* in her last four innings. Unlike last year, where she was largely an accumulator, Rodrigues has added a robust power game to help finish off innings. This versatility gives her a massive edge in India’s World Cup plans.5:43

Rodrigues: I’ve learnt from Kohli how to hit sixes while hitting in the gaps

Likely XIs

Delhi Capitals: 1 Meg Lanning (capt), 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Alice Capsey, 4 Jemimah Rodrigues, 5 Jess Jonassen, 6 Marizanne Kapp, 7 Minnu Mani, 8 Taniya Bhatia (wk), 9 Radha Yadav, 10 Arundhati Reddy, 11 Shikha PandeyRCB: 1 Smriti Mandhana (capt), 2 Sophie Devine, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Disha Kasat/S Meghana, 5 Richa Ghosh (wk), 6 Sophie Molineux, 7 Georgia Wareham, 8 Shreyanka Patil, 9 Renuka Singh, 10 Asha Sobhana, 11 Shradda Pokharkar/Ekta Bisht

Pitch and conditions: Something for the bowlers

A fresh pitch, right in the centre, will be used. Delhi has ensured decent bounce and carry for seamers, while the absence of dew has helped spinners also have a say. Toss hasn’t been as big a factor, with teams happy to bat first, like RCB did in the Eliminator.

Stats and trivia: RCB have never beaten Capitals

• Ellyse Perry’s 6 for 15 in the final league game against Mumbai are the best figures in WPL’s short history.
• Lanning has never been out in single digits in 17 WPL innings. But two of her lowest scores have come against RCB.
• Marizanne Kapp’s economy rate of 6.50 is the best among those who’ve bowled at least 15 overs this season. Out of the five T20 finals she has played since 2021, Kapp was Player of the Match in the Hundred in 2021, WBBL 2021 and Hundred 2022.
• Seven out of ten matches in the Delhi leg of this WPL have been won by the side batting first.
• Shafali’s 17 sixes are the most by a batter so far this season. Mandhana is next best with 10.
• RCB have never beaten Capitals in four attempts so far.
  

  Quotes

  “We were just thinking we’re only two seasons into this, so let’s not take too much stress about what has happened over the last 15 years or correlating with similarities [to the men’s team].”
  “It is a nightmare having a 40-meter boundary on one side. That is one thing I haven’t necessarily enjoyed as a captain. There’s so much more power and strength in the game now that people are clearing the ropes pretty easily.”
  

PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi fought back tears at PSG's Champions League victory parade and admitted to "sleeping with the trophy".

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Al-Khelaifi fights back tears
• Celebrating PSG's Champions League triumph
• Admits to "sleeping with trophy"

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Al-Khelaifi has run the club since 2011 and has been intent on winning the Champions League, something that was finally achieved after 14 years via a 5-0 thrashing of Inter in Munich on Saturday. He was clearly emotional during Sunday's victory parade in Paris and appeared to be fighting back tears during an interview with .

Advertisement

• WATCH THE CLIP

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  PSG spent several years chasing European glory by signing some of the biggest names in the sport, including Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. They have achieved success having moved on from that trio, however, with manager Luis Enrique credited for building a well-rounded team. Al-Khelaifi said to : "This year was very special. If we hadn't won before, it might not have been like this. With everything we've done for 14 years. It was very important for Paris, for France, we don't just talk about PSG but about France, we have the French flag on our jersey. We're proud of that.
  I slept with the Cup yesterday. I told myself that maybe it was a dream and when I woke up I said to myself no, it's true."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR PSG?

  PSG will next be in action when they travel to America for the Club World Cup later in June, where they will take on Atletico Madrid, Botafogo and Seattle Sounders in the group stages.

After Club Leon's CAS appeal was denied, a source confirmed LAFC will host Club America for CWC berth

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• CAS rules against Club Leon for CWC spot
• FIFA says LAFC and Club America will play for tournament place
• Source: Match will be in Los Angeles on May 31

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After Club Leon's appeal was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Tuesday, the court ruled that FIFA would thereby designate who would take the Liga MX side's spot in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. In March, FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed talks of a one-game playoff between MLS side LAFC and Liga MX side Club America for a berth into the tournament. FIFA confirmed the two teams would feature head-to-head for the spot on Tuesday.

  A source confirmed to GOAL that the playoff between the two clubs will be held at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on May 31. reported it will effectively be a $10 million match. The victor of the match will earn a guaranteed entry fee of $9.55 million, plus an additional $2 million per group stage win, along with round-by-round prize money.

  The winner will be placed in Group D of the tournament alongside Chelsea, Flamengo, and ES Tunis.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  LAFC were selected because they finished as runners-up to Leon in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions Cup, while America topped the CONCACAF coefficient ranks for the four-year cycle in question to qualify for the competition.

  The 2025 Club World Cup will feature 32 of the world's best teams, with eight groups of four competing in a group stage format followed by a World Cup-style knockout round bracket. The competition will be held in the USA one year ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The 2025 tournament will be the largest version of the competition to date, with the expansion to 32 teams. The first game will be played at Hard Rock Stadium on June 14, when Inter Miami takes on Egyptian giants Al Ahly SC.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  LAFC and Club America will be preparing for their May 31 showdown, with the winner securing a large sum of prize money, but more importantly, a coveted berth into the Club World Cup.