عبد الله السعيد يختار لاعب الزمالك "خليفته" بعد الاعتزال.. وموقفه من العودة لمنتخب مصر

أعرب عبد الله السعيد، نجم نادي الزمالك، عن اعتزازه بمسيرته الدولية مع منتخب مصر، مؤكداً أن روح اللاعبين والتضحيات التي يقدمونها كانت دائماً وراء إنجازات المنتخب في البطولات القارية، متحدثاً عن ذكرياته في كأس الأمم الأفريقية وتجربته في النهائيات، ومعلناً استعداده للعودة إذا استدعاه المنتخب، كما كشف عن خليفته في الملاعب المصرية.

وقال عبد الله السعيد في تصريحات عبر قناة “صدى البلد”: “من المعروف عن منتخب مصر في بطولات أفريقيا أن طموحه دائمًا يكون مرتفعًا وهو يذهب للمنافسة على اللقب.. البطولات التي شاركت فيها والبطولات التي كنت أتابعها دائمًا، كان المنتخب المصري يشكل حالة خاصة ويُسبب متاعب لمنتخبات تضم نجوماً كباراً”.

وأضاف: “نحن عادةً نذهب إلى البطولة بروح عالية، ونحمل رغبة قوية في إسعاد شعب كامل، وهذه ميزة متأصلة فينا، الروح والأجواء التي نعيشها تمنحنا دافعاً كبيراً، أتمنى أن نخوض البطولة القادمة بنفس الروح، خاصة وأن المنتخب حالياً في وضع جيد، وإن شاء الله نؤكد تأهلنا إلى كأس العالم الشهر المقبل، ونذهب بمعنويات مرتفعة لتكون بطولة خير على المنتخب وبطولة كبيرة بإذن الله”.

وتابع: “هناك أمر مهم للغاية، نحن اللاعبون نشعر في المعسكرات بقيمة المسؤولية الملقاة علينا، ونكون في كامل التركيز، هذه مسؤولية بلد كامل ونحن نرفع شعار مصر، فيولد ذلك شعوراً مختلفاً وشغفاً خاصاً لأنك تؤدي مهمة وطنية وتدافع عن اسم بلدك، وهذا يمنحك حافزاً عظيماً، كذلك فإن الانسجام في المعسكرات والتضحيات بالابتعاد عن الأهل والرغبة في إسعادهم كلها عوامل تُضاعف من دوافعنا وتمنحنا أفضلية على كثير من المنتخبات”.

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وأضاف: “بطولة 2017 كانت مؤلمة بالنسبة لنا في النهائي، وكذلك آخر بطولة لعبتها مع كيروش وخسرناها أمام السنغال، لم أوفّق في النهائيات، حيث لعبت مباراتين نهائيتين فقط، من أبرز المباريات التي أعتبرها مهمة جداً مباراة بوركينا فاسو في 2017 التي صعدنا منها إلى النهائي، أهدرْت ركلة جزاء فيها وهذا جعلها مباراة عزيزة على قلبي لأنها سببت لي حزناً كبيراً، لكن الحمد لله أن عصام الحضري أنقذنا”.

وواصل عبد الله السعيد: “تلك المباراة ما زالت عالقة في ذاكرتي لأنها أثرت فيَّ كثيراً، كنا نريد الوصول إلى النهائي بأي ثمن، والحمد لله أن زملائي أدوا بشكل رائع، وكان الحضري في قمة تركيزه، واستطعنا بلوغ النهائي”.

وبسؤاله عمّا إذا كان المنتخب قادراً على الظهور بشكل أفضل في كأس العالم رغم قلة المحترفين في أوروبا، أجاب: “بالتأكيد، نتمنى أن يكون لدينا لاعبون أكثر في الخارج يمثلون مصر، فهذا يصنع فارقاً كبيراً، ومع ذلك، فإن منتخب مصر تاريخياً يعتمد في الأساس على اللاعبين المحليين، الأهم أن تكون لديهم الرغبة والحافز للاحتراف في أوروبا، اللاعبون الحاليون جيدون ويمتلكون خبرة، وإن شاء الله يحققون طموحاتهم وطموحات الجماهير”.

وأردف: “من الصعب التنبؤ بما سيحدث في مثل هذه البطولات، فهي دائماً تحمل مفاجآت، لكن بروحنا وحماسنا نستطيع الوصول بعيداً وتحقيق نتائج جيدة، ونتمنى أن تكون هذه البطولة فرصة مهمة تمنح المنتخب الثقة قبل كأس العالم”.

وعن احتمالية عودته عن قرار الاعتزال الدولي إذا تأهل المنتخب إلى كأس العالم وتم استدعاؤه، قال: “تمثيل منتخب مصر شرف لأي لاعب، ويُضيف كثيراً لمسيرته، بالتأكيد إذا احتاجني منتخب بلدي فسأكون حاضراً وسأساعد ولن أتأخر أبداً، إن شاء الله الخير في المجموعة الحالية، ولكن في أي وقت يحتاجني فيه المنتخب سأكون موجوداً”.

وعن اللاعب الذي قد يكون خليفة له في الملاعب، قال: “ربما أحمد حمدي قريب من أسلوبي بعض الشيء، بينما ناصر ماهر مختلف في طريقة لعبه إذ يحب المراوغة، لكن حمدي هو الأقرب لي”.

وحول خططه بعد الاعتزال، أوضح: “حتى الآن لم أحدد وجهتي المستقبلية، أحب التدريب وميلُي له واضح، لكن لا أعلم إلى أين سيأخذني الزمن، حالياً أركز على مسيرتي الكروية وأسعى لتحقيق إنجاز في السنوات الأخيرة لي في الملاعب، وأتمنى أن أنجح في ذلك”.

واختتم تصريحاته قائلاً: “جمهور الزمالك يستحق الفرحة، نحن نسعى جاهدين لتحقيق إنجاز لهم، رغم الظروف الصعبة لا يزالون يساندوننا ويثقون بنا كثيراً، وأتمنى أن نهديهم بطولة تسعدهم”.

A better move than Ekitike: Man Utd preparing bid for "top-class" £44m ST

Manchester United’s hunt for added attacking reinforcements has been evident this summer, as Ruben Amorim looks to strengthen his squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Whilst Matheus Cunha has already arrived at Old Trafford this window, their ambitions of added signings doesn’t appear to be slowing down in an attempt to rise up the Premier League table next season.

It remains to be seen how much funds the manager will have at his disposal from the board, but the 40-year-old has made it desperately clear that he wants a new striker to bolster his frontline.

Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee remain the only two senior centre-forwards on their books, with the pair’s tally of seven combined goals this season showcasing the need for added options.

With the transfer window now in full swing, it presents Amorim’s side with the opportunity to land their desired targets, making key progress on numerous deals.

The latest on United’s hunt for a new striker this summer

Viktor Gyokeres has been the main name on their list given his previous stint under Amorim at Sporting CP, but it appears they have moved onto recent targets over the last week.

Jean-Philippe Mateta, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dušan Vlahović are just three other names mentioned as potential options to provide added quality within the final third.

However, a move appears to be in the pipeline for Fiorentina striker Moise Kean, with La Gazzetta dello Sport’s latest update confirming the Red Devils’ interest in the forward.

Their report claims that Amorim’s side are preparing a move for the Italian attacker, who registered 19 goals in Serie A throughout this season.

It also states that the 25-year-old has a £44m release clause that becomes active on the 1st of July, potentially waiting to activate such a deal in the coming weeks.

Why United’s £44m target would be a better signing than Ekitike

Despite the interest in the aforementioned talents, United have also been keen on a move to sign Eintracht Frankfurt talisman Hugo Ekitiké during the off-season.

Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike

The Frenchman appears to be a man in huge demand with fellow Premier League outfits Liverpool and Chelsea also firmly in the race for his signature.

Such interest is hardly a surprise given his form in the Bundesliga, after the 23-year-old netted 15 times in his 33 outings during the 2024/25 season.

However, he would be a hugely expensive addition for the Red Devils, given the fact the German outfit are unwilling to budge on their current asking price of around €100m (£84m).

As a result, United may have to look past a move for Ekitike’s signature, with Kean offering Amorim’s side a cheaper alternative due to his pending release clause.

Fiorentina'sMoiseKeancelebrates

However, they would also be getting themselves a just as impressive option, with the Italian managing to outperform the Frankfurt star in numerous key areas this campaign.

Kean, who’s been labelled “top-class” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has posted a higher tally of league goals along with a better goal per shot on target record – demonstrating the clinical edge he possesses in the final third.

Games played

31

33

Goals scored

19

15

Shot on target accuracy

46%

38%

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.3

Take-on success

44%

43%

Fouls won

1.8

0.7

Aerials won

52%

46%

He’s also completed more take-ons and drawn more fouls per 90 this season, handing Amorim’s side a constant threat who can run opposition defenders ragged.

The Italian’s dominance is also reflected in his aerial success rate, winning more battles than Ekitike, making him a better focal point, something which is pivotal in Amorim’s system.

If the club can land the former Everton star for his £44m release clause this summer, it would be a deal that would finally hand the side the added attacking threat they need – doing so in a bargain deal too.

There’s no denying that Ekitike is an excellent option this summer, but given the difference in price and stats, a move for Kean should be a no-brainer.

Better signing than Ekitike: Man Utd submit bid for "world-class" £60m star

Manchester United could finally get their man after making a huge bid in recent days.

5 ByEthan Lamb Jun 21, 2025

Hammond blitz confirms Kent hammering at hands of Gloucestershire

Hosts tumble as Matt Taylor takes three, James Bracey effects three run-outs

ECB Reporters Network16-Jun-2024

Miles Hammond smashed 80 from 41 to fire Gloucestershire in a small chase•Harry Trump/Getty Images

Miles Hammond hit a blistering 80 as Gloucestershire thrashed the Kent Spitfires by nine wickets in the Vitality Blast at Canterbury.Hammond hit five sixes and eight fours in a 41-ball innings, while his opening partner Cameron Bancroft made an unbeaten 39 as the visitors coasted home with 8.2 overs to spare, finishing on 127 for 1.Hammond and Bancroft cashed in after the visitors produced a stifling display in the field to skittle Kent for just 125: Matt Taylor took 3 for 30 and keeper James Bracey ran out three batters. Sam Billings was the top scorer with 36 and Daniel Bell-Drummond the next highest with just 19.Buoyed after snatching a dramatic tie at Surrey on Friday night, Gloucestershire vindicated their decision to bowl by ripping through Kent’s top order. For the fourth consecutive innings Zak Crawley failed to reach double-figures, chipping David Payne to Hammond for 7.Josh Shaw then got Joe Denly for 13 when he misjudged a ramp shot and was caught by Marchant de Lange at short fine leg.Graeme van Buuren bowled Marcus O’Riordan for 12 and a slower ball from de Lange accounted for Bell-Drummond, who pulled him to Bancroft.Billings and Tawanda Muyeye managed a partial rebuild until the latter was run out for 10 by Bracey, aiming at one stump after an abortive appeal for a catch.Kent’s hopes of a competitive total plunged when Taylor struck twice in three balls at the start of the 15th. Billings skied his first delivery to Payne and Grant Stewart then went for a second-ball duck when he chipped Taylor straight to Hammond at midwicket.The same combination removed Joey Evison for 10, caught at deep midwicket, and a shambolic innings concluded with run-outs off successive balls in the final over. Nathan Gilchrist charged down the wicket after the fourth ball while Xavier Bartlett stood motionless at the other end and Matt Parkinson tried to scramble a single off the fifth only to meet an identical fate.Spitfires needed early wickets to stand any chance of defending such a low total and although Bartlett was unlucky not to find the edge, there was never any serious pressure. The fourth over went for 22 and Hammond smeared Bartlett for a six over cow corner to pass 50.He finally fell when Gilchrist had him caught on the boundary by Stewart, leaving Bancroft to complete the win in style when he smeared O’Riordan for six.

20 Best Left-Backs in Premier League History

Full-backs in today’s game have to be as good offensively as they are defensively, with modern-day managers wanting to see them high up the pitch in the final third.

However, it wasn’t always like that, and we have seen some brilliant no-nonsense left-backs since 1992. But who is the best left-back in Premier League history?

Ranking factors Appearances Longevity Titles Goals Clean sheets What others have said about them 20 best left-backs in Premier League history: in pictures 20 Aleksandar Kolarov Man City

Serbian left-back Aleksandar Kolarov spent seven years at Man City and won two Premier League titles titles, proving to be worth the £16m transfer fee.

A powerful full-back who looked more like a centre-back than a left-back, Kolarov could also get forward and would also be on free-kick duty, scoring a goal in all seven of his top flight seasons at the Etihad.

Games

165

Goals

11

Assists

20

Clean sheets

46

Titles

2

19 Phil Neville Man Utd, Everton

A proper Premier League ‘Barclaysman’, Phil Neville could play as a right-back, holding midfielder or left-back, and was an extremely reliable performer for both Man Utd and Everton.

After winning six titles at Old Trafford, Neville moved to Goodison Park with the Toffees and continued to be a solid option at full-back, captaining Everton as he reached more than 500 Premier League appearances.

Games

505

Goals

9

Assists

25

Titles

6

18 Mikael Silvestre Man Utd, Arsenal

With Man Utd having plenty of world-class options to choose from at centre-back, Mikael Silvestre would be used as a left-back on a regular basis by Sir Alex Ferguson between 1999-2008.

The Frenchman was able to play there due to his pace and would win four Premier League titles at Old Trafford, with Ferguson calling Silvestre “a great servant and a wonderful professional”.

Games

275

Goals

9

Assists

19

Clean sheets

83

Titles

4

17 Gabriel Heinze Man Utd

Another Man Utd left-back, Gabriel Heinze’s time at Old Trafford was short but sweet and would eventually leave after a falling out with Sir Alex Ferguson.

Signed from PSG and sold to Real Madrid highlights just how good Heinze was, and he was named the Red Devils’ Player of the Year in his first season, winning the title in his last campaign with United.

Games

52

Goals

1

Assists

1

Clean sheets

18

Titles

1

16 Wayne Bridge Southampton, Chelsea, Fulham, Man City, West Ham, Sunderland

Wayne Bridge played for multiple Premier League clubs between 1998-2012, and the Englishman would have won more caps for England if it wasn’t for somebody else on this list.

He liked to get forward and cross at every opportunity, while also being solid defensively, which resulted in Chelsea spending £7m on his services in 2003, with Bridge winning one title at Stamford Bridge.

Games

315

Goals

3

Assists

21

Clean sheets

100

Titles

1

15 Danny Rose Tottenham, Sunderland, Newcastle, Watford

Arguably Danny Rose’s career highlight came on his Tottenham debut against rivals Arsenal, where he announced himself in north London with a brilliant long-range goal.

Rose would go on to have a successful career in the Premier League, with Thomas Tuchel even admitting previously it took him three days to work out how to stop the left-back and his attacking threat ahead of a Champions League clash with Spurs.

Games

202

Goals

9

Assists

17

Clean sheets

42

14 Marcos Alonso Bolton, Sunderland, Chelsea

Marcos Alonso made a name for himself as a left-back who could score from distance at Chelsea following spells with Bolton and Sunderland, winning the Premier League and Champions League at Stamford Bridge.

The Spaniard’s tally of 26 goals and 17 assists in just 179 appearances in defence shows how good he was in the final third, and he was called a “spectacular signing” for Barcelona when leaving the Blues.

Games

179

Goals

26

Assists

16

Clean sheets

63

Titles

1

13 Luke Shaw Southampton, Man Utd

After bursting onto the scene as a teenager at Southampton, Man Utd paid a then-world-record £30m fee for a teenager to sign Luke Shaw.

Since then, Shaw has been named in the PFA Team of the Year on two occasions and voted Man Utd’s Players’ Player of the Year twice. Called “the best left-back in the world” by former Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag, Shaw has also had his critics but there has been more positives than negatives in his Premier League career.

Games

265

Goals

3

Assists

17

Clean sheets

70

12 Gael Clichy Arsenal, Man City

Part of Arsenal’s Invincibles side in 2003/04, Gael Clichy would also win two more titles with Man City and would make himself known as a brilliant attacking left-back in north London and Manchester.

The Frenchman was also solid defensively and had a great passing vision that was hailed by Arsene Wenger, who labelled Clichy as “awesome”.

Games

325

Goals

3

Assists

18

Clean sheets

115

Titles

3

11 David Unsworth Everton, West Ham, Portsmouth, Sheffield United, Wigan

David Unsworth, a left-back who could also play as a central defender when needed, is the highest-scoring full-back in Premier League, becoming somewhat of a penalty king in the top flight.

Best known for his time at Everton, Unsworth, in his prime, was extremely pacey and powerful on the left-hand side, acquiring the nickname of “Rhino” during his time at Goodison Park.

Games

364

Goals

38

Assists

18

Clean sheets

90

Chelsea eyeing "deadly" £45m star likened to Anelka with talks already held

Chelsea chiefs are considering the possibility of signing a “deadly” forward likened to ex-Blues striker Nicolas Anelka, with talks already held over his signature in the January window.

Chelsea actively targeting new striker for Enzo Maresca

Enzo Maresca’s side are widely known to be targeting a prolific striker this summer, amid slumps in form for Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku.

Chelsea eyeing experienced free agent who Barcelona are "pushing" to sign

The Catalans really want him.

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 9, 2025

Jackson is yet to score a single Premier League goal this calendar year, thanks in part to a hamstring injury, while Nkunku has bagged just two in all competitions since the turn of 2025.

Chelsea’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Ipswich Town (home)

April 13th

Fulham (away)

April 20th

Everton (home)

April 26th

Liverpool (home)

May 4th

Newcastle (away)

May 10th

Maresca’s lack of a potent striker has prompted the Italian to use Pedro Neto in a makeshift centre-forward role recently, highlighting the serious need for Chelsea to bring in another number nine.

Chelsea have laid the groundwork over a deal for Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, and it has now been revealed by The Guardian that his release clause will drop to a bargain £30 million if his side are relegated from the top flight.

Ipswich Town'sLiamDelapreacts

Meanwhile, RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko is also thought to be a “very serious” option for Chelsea as well, with links also continuing to surround the likes of Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres and Napoli outcast Victor Osimhen, who’s on loan at Galatasaray.

BlueCo actually attempted to resolve Maresca’s striker woes in the January window, holding some initial negotiations over a move for Mathys Tel, but the Bayern Munich wonderkid ended up joining Tottenham on loan with a buy option worth £45 million.

There were even murmurs of a potential swap deal involving Nkunku, who also agreed personal terms with Bayern (Florian Plettenberg), but this proposed exchange ultimately failed to get off the ground and Spurs swooped in late on.

Chelsea considering summer move for Mathys Tel

Now, as per GiveMeSport, it is believed that Chelsea could actually revisit a move for Tel this summer – but much will depend on whether Tottenham trigger the buy-option clause in his contract, or if the 19-year-old decides to remain in north London.

It has been difficult for Tel to make a headline-grabbing impact in an otherwise under-performing Spurs side, who are on course for their worst ever Premier League season under Postecoglou, but the versatile attacker carries a fantastic reputation.

Football Analyst Ben Mattinson called Tel a “deadly finisher”, likening the player to Anelka, with his best season at Bayern yielding seven goals and five assists in all competitions despite being such a young age.

Tel is a forward of serious potential, and is capable of playing on the left in place of the suspended Mykhailo Mudryk, who faces a lengthy on-field ban.

He'd perfectly replace Kudus: West Ham submit bid for £17m "creative force"

The 2024/25 Premier League season was disappointing for West Ham United with the Hammers coming 14th in the Premier League.

Whilst they were never in any real danger of relegation, they would have been hoping for a much better performance across the board. They lost 17 games in total in the top flight.

It could be all change for Graham Potter this summer with some big outgoings on the cards. One of those is Mohammed Kudus, who, as recently as the 6th of June, was reportedly offered to Chelsea, according to Sky Sports.

If someone as prominent as Kudus does leave the London Stadium this summer, they will, of course, need a replacement.

West Ham's potential Kudus replacement

It does indeed seem like Kudus could be on his way out of West Ham this summer and considering his performances since moving to the English capital, he will be hard to replace.

Fortunately, the Irons seem to have someone in mind already.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Indeed, if the Ghanaian attacker does leave West Ham in the next few weeks or months, they could be set to replace him with Anderlecht attacking midfielder Mario Stroeykens.

A report from Belgian outlet Votebal Belgie suggests that he has been on the Hammers’ ‘wish list for some time’.

In fact, they are already believed to have made a bid for the talented 20-year-old.

The report suggests West Ham made an £8.5m offer, which was promptly rejected by the Belgian giants. Instead, they could ask for as much as £17.1m to make a deal happen.

Why Stroeykens would be a good signing

Belgium U21 international Stroeykens has certainly made a big impression for Anderlecht last season. After coming through the club’s youth academy, the attacking midfielder has gone on to become a key player.

Last season in all competitions, Stroeykens featured 39 times across all competitions, contributing to five goals and seven assists. After starting the season strong with nine goal involvements in 13 league games, he suffered from a ligament injury, which slowed his progress.

The 20-year-old, who was born in Zellik, just outside of Brussels, would also bring European pedigree to the London Stadium. He played 430 minutes in the Europa League last term, both scoring and assisting in that time. The goal he scored was a sublime effort, showing his excellent technical quality.

Replacing the 24-year-old Kudus would not be easy for Stroeykens. The Ghana international has impressed for the Hammers in the 80 appearances he has made, scoring 19 times and registering 13 assists.

His first season in Claret and Blue saw him score and assist 23 times, including five goals in nine Europa League appearances. However, last term was not as fluid, with the Hammers’ number 14 managing just nine goal involvements.

Despite the struggles Kudus endured last season, there is no doubt about his importance to Potter’s side when at his best. That leaves Stroeykens with a big job to replace him, but as football scout Antonio Mango said, he is a “creative force” and can certainly look to match the output of the Ghana star.

The underlying stats via FBref suggest that the Belgian youngster, who tends to operate as a number 10, can indeed step up in Kudus’ absence.

For example, last term he averaged 1.54 key passes and 6.63 progressive passes each game, compared to 1.08 key passes and 2.74 progressive passes per 90 minutes for the Hammers star.

Goals and assists

0.41

0.28

Key passes

1.54

1.08

Progressive passes

6.63

2.74

Shot-creating actions

4.02

3.72

Goal-creating actions

0.77

0.35

Ball recoveries

5.21

4.79

Those stats highlight the creativity that Mango was talking about. They certainly suggest that Stroeykens has the ability to step into Kudus’ boots and take on some of the creative burden that will be there if, or when, he leaves.

FC Porto's Otavio in action with Anderlecht'sMarioStroeykens

For just £17m, this could be a brilliant addition for the Hammers, who will be hoping Stroeykens can become a key player for the club in the long term.

Free transfer: West Ham in contact to sign £100k-p/w star who Potter loves

The Hammers could land themselves a bargain.

2 BySean Markus Clifford Jun 15, 2025

After IPL breakthrough, Abishek Porel hopes for domestic take-off

Having established himself in the Delhi Capitals top order, the keeper-batter from Chandannagar is poised to play a major role for Bengal in the 2024-25 season

Himanshu Agrawal13-Aug-2024Arguments over the merits and demerits of the Impact Player rule have raged ever since its introduction during IPL 2023, but Abishek Porel is unlikely to be drawn into them. He owes his IPL breakthrough to this rule.At the start of IPL 2024, it seemed unlikely he would get much game time. With Rishabh Pant back as wicketkeeper and captain, Porel was fighting with Kumar Kushagra, for whom Delhi Capitals broke the bank with an INR 7.2 crore winning bid, to be the team’s second wicketkeeper. DC also had Tristan Stubbs.But when they were in dire need of momentum in their tournament-opener at 138 for 7 against Punjab Kings, Porel got his chance. He came off the subs bench and blitzed an unbeaten 32 off 10 balls to take DC to 174. That cameo made such an impression that Porel ended up playing all 14 games, and DC’s then head coach Ricky Ponting went on to call him a “very special talent”.Related

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“Ponting said, ‘Just believe in yourself.’ When a legend like him motivates you, then obviously you are moved,” Porel tells ESPNcricinfo. “Pant also told me, ‘ [You can do it]’. Personally, I also felt like I just had to perform this time.”It wasn’t Porel’s first brush with the IPL. He had been part of DC’s squad in 2023 too, having been picked out of a trial in which the franchise looked at six other keepers. Porel remembers being intimidated just being around the coaching staff when he arrived for his first training session.”I was definitely nervous seeing Ponting,” Porel says. “But he was a down-to-earth person, and helped me understand [things] well. Moreover, once I was in Delhi, Ponting, Sourav [Ganguly, director of cricket] sir and Shane Watson [assistant coach] were guiding us nicely, and treating me like one of their own. If there is anyone who knows me today, it is because of DC and Sourav sir.”Porel finished IPL 2024 with 327 runs including two match-winning half-centuries and a number of useful cameos. He struck his runs at 159.51, which put him behind only Jake Fraser-McGurk and Stubbs, and ahead of Pant, among the DC batters who scored at least 200 runs.”I was just prepared for the opportunity,” Porel says when asked if the prospect of fighting for a spot with three other wicketkeepers was intimidating. “The fight was always with myself, because it is me who is my competitor. I knew that if I performed well, I would be able to keep my place.”He particularly enjoyed batting with Australia’s rising star Fraser-McGurk, with the two adding 176 runs in three first-wicket partnerships. Their run rate of 14.46 was the best of any opening pair with at least 175 runs that season.”He seemed to have that magic bat from (a Bollywood movie from 2007),” Porel says with a laugh. “He was swinging it in all directions, and I kept turning my neck to watch the ball fly on both sides of the ground!”Abishek Porel is likely to play as a specialist batter for Bengal this season, with Wriddhiman Saha back in the fold•PTI As a left-hand batter from Bengal, there’s little doubt who Porel idolises. “I obviously want to be like Sourav sir,” he says. “If I end up achieving even a percentage of what he did, then that would be massive. I really like his debut Test hundred; I have watched highlights of it multiple times.”The Porel of 2024 is confident and clear about what he can offer. This sets him up nicely for the upcoming season, where it’s likely he’ll play as a specialist batter for Bengal with Wriddhiman Saha back in the fold after two years away at Tripura.Porel broke through in 2022 only because of Saha’s departure. And like Saha, whose journey from Siliguri to Kolkata is well documented, Porel has walked a long road too, from Chandannagar, a quiet city in the Hooghly district of West Bengal, to Kolkata and beyond.That Porel is firmly established as one of Bengal’s rising stars is a source of extra delight for his extended family, with first cousin Ishan a key fast bowler in the team’s attack alongside India Test players Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep.”It was when (big brother, here referring to Ishan) was representing Bengal Under-14 and Under-16 that I also started getting interested in the game,” Porel says. “He took me to the National Sporting Club in Chandannagar, where I met my childhood coach for the first time.”Barely 11 then, Porel did not have it easy at first. Sometimes he’d have to wait until sunset, when other, older batters would finish, to get an opportunity. He would unfailingly grab his chance.He was “a step ahead of his peers”, according to Parthasarathi Bhattacharjee, who was Porel’s coach when he played for the Bengal Under-23s. But long before that, Bhattacharjee had been impressed by his ability as a puny teenager, when he captained Porel at the Bhowanipore Club.”Abishek could play some terrific shots,” Bhattacharjee says. “People at that age are usually defensive, but he was always gutsy. He was dominating even the senior bowlers, never giving the impression that he had come over from Under-16s.”In 2021-22, as Bengal’s captain in the Cooch Behar Trophy, Porel smashed 716 runs at an average of 89.50 and a strike rate of 82.11 in six games, including three hundreds.It led to his name doing the rounds among the junior selectors, and when five players from the Under-19 World Cup squad contracted Covid-19 in the Caribbean, Porel was called up as a reserve.Porel believes he can break into the India squad if he breaches the 1000-run mark in consecutive first-class seasons•PTI “I was really upset when I hadn’t got the call-up for the original squad,” he says. A chance in the playing XI eluded him, but he took away quite a lot from the experience. “I understood what it means to tour, and got a feeling of what it means to represent the country.”Upon his return, circumstances helped Porel break through in the Ranji Trophy. Saha had left, and Shreevats Goswami wasn’t in the scheme of things anymore. Porel’s first-class debut was a baptism by fire. Bengal were shot out for 88 on a Cuttack greentop by Baroda, but Porel made 21 off 19 balls.Then, in the second innings, Bengal were 242 for 6 chasing 349 when Porel joined Shahbaz Ahmed. They added an unbroken 108, of which Abishek scored an unbeaten 53 off 70, as Bengal sealed victory in what remains his “favourite match”.”We won, and to score runs in that situation – and that too on debut – was special,” Porel says. Bengal made the semi-finals, and Porel scored 303 runs at an average of 33.66 that season, including three fifties, to repay the faith shown by Bhattacharjee, who was then part of Bengal’s senior selection committee.”[Arun] Lal ji was the coach then, and even he told me that he had rarely seen such stroke-making and fearlessness at that age,” Bhattacharjee says.That match was also memorable for other reasons. On the first morning, Porel teamed up with his cousin as “c Porel b Porel” made its first appearance on a first-class scoresheet.Porel made enough of an impact in that first season to earn a Duleep Trophy call-up – he scored an unbeaten 50 against North Zone in his only game – but he hasn’t yet translated his promise into consistent big scores at the first-class level. He currently averages 33.50, and has scored just the one hundred in 23 games.It’s early days still, of course, with Porel only turning 22 in October, but it’s possible he may not enjoy the standing he has today without that opening as an impact sub in IPL 2024. “Life has certainly taken a jump,” he says. “People in Chandannagar have started recognising me.”How is Porel preparing for the new season and the prospect of teaming up with Saha again? “Now that Wriddhi is back, I can chat with him [about my game],” Porel says. “He is like my own , and a guide to me. Even during the IPL, he tells me I can speak to him if I face any problem.”I aim to play all three formats for India – and play regularly. If I get 1000 runs in first-class cricket for two seasons in a row, and hit 500-600 runs in the IPL, I believe a door will certainly open for me.”

How Starc's lack of IPL cricket has left him off the pace

The left-arm quick has not played any domestic T20 since 2015 and his international numbers have dived

Alex Malcolm07-Nov-20222:59

Moody: Much more to Starc’s exclusion than it being a tactical selection

There is a working theory developing among Australia’s hierarchy that Mitchell Starc’s decision not to participate in the IPL could have had a major detrimental effect on his T20 form over recent years, highlighting the difficulty of playing all three formats as a fast bowler.Starc was a shock axing from Australia’s line-up to face Afghanistan in their must-win World Cup match on Friday and he had earlier been demoted from his new ball posting due after conceding 14 in Australia’s opening over of the tournament against New Zealand in a loss that ultimately caused their exit from the tournament.Starc has not played in the IPL since 2015 or the BBL since 2014 in order to rest during those periods to be fresh for international duty as a regular in all three formats for Australia. His decision not to play franchise cricket has been widely praised in Australia and has come at significant personal financial cost given what he could potentially earn in an IPL auction.But the difference between Starc’s T20 numbers between 2012-19 and 2020-22 are remarkable across all three phases of the innings. He is no longer the weapon he once was.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhile Starc has remained fresh for Test cricket and has performed excellently in the last 12 months, having been the only fast bowler to play each of Australia’s last 10 Tests including five in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, his decline in T20 cricket in the same period has been revealing.There have been glimpses of the old Starc. He bowled a double-wicket maiden against Ireland in his opening over, but he then conceded 43 runs in his next three overs and Australia’s hopes of gaining a net run-rate boost took a major blow as a result.Starc was once the most feared left-armer in the world. Yet in this tournament, of the 13 left-arm quicks who have played three games or more, he has the fewest wickets and the highest economy rate.Related

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His Test bowling has benefitted from skipping the IPL. However, by not testing himself against the best T20 batters in the world each year on mostly batter-friendly IPL pitches, there is a theory that his T20 skills have diminished in terms of both his new ball and death bowling. His yorker no longer appears on command and opponents are far better at pouncing on his misses. Since 2020, he has dropped from 18th in the T20I bowling rankings to 40th, having been a career-high fourth in 2014 when he was playing in the IPL.By contrast, Josh Hazlewood has gone the other way. He was not in Australia’s T20I calculations in 2019. Having been a fringe player at the 2016 World Cup, playing only two games, he fell out of favour in the white-ball teams, missing out on the 2019 ODI World Cup, as he was seen as a Test specialist.But he played in the BBL in 2020 helping the Sydney Sixers win the title with an outstanding individual finals series. He then played 24 games in the next three IPL seasons, including nine prior to the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE where he helped Chennai Super Kings win the title. In 2022 he took 20 wickets in 12 games for Royal Challengers Bangalore and has turned himself into the premier new-ball bowler in T20I cricket rising to No.1 in the rankings this year after being ranked outside 200 in 2020. But Hazlewood has only played six Test matches since the start of 2020 and just two in the last 12 months.There have been glimpses from Mitchell Starc, but he is not the T20 bowler of old•ICC/Getty ImagesPat Cummins, the third member of Australia’s three-format fast bowling triumvirate, has played in the IPL and Test cricket in the last two years but rested from various ODI and T20I international series in order to remain fresh for key assignments.His T20 bowling has suffered a similar fate to Starc since some outstanding returns in the 2019-20 summer where he played eight of nine T20Is and saw his ranking climb to No.17 in the world. Since then, he has taken on the Test captaincy and maintained his ranking as the best Test bowler in the world for three straight years. But where his unerring lengths and lines at good pace in Tests produce wickets in bucketloads, those same on-pace lengths have been met with ferocious hitting in T20 cricket, to the point where he was dropped by Kolkata Knight Riders last season. He is now the 50th ranked T20I bowler in world cricket.He was marginally better than Starc in this tournament, using his off-speed deliveries to better contain opponents at times, but even former Australia captain Ricky Ponting raised the question of leaving out Cummins on the eve of the Afghanistan match.It leaves Australia’s selectors with a decision to make. Having gone to well twice with Australia’s three-format trio for one World Cup triumph and one Super 12s exit inside 12 months, what do they do moving forward ahead of the 2024 World Cup in West Indies and the USA?There are Australian T20 specialists building their resumes by the day. Nathan Ellis has every right to feel aggrieved not to be in Australia’s World Cup squad having proven himself as Australia’s best death bowler in franchise cricket over the past 12 months and having bowled outstandingly well in two high-scoring T20Is in Mohali and Perth just prior to the World Cup.The Caribbean and American pitches may also ask for two specialist spinners, bringing Ashton Agar back into the equation.What does that mean then for Starc? Just as Hazlewood turned to the IPL following his snubbing in 2019, does Starc follow the same path following his axing in Adelaide? The only problem is that Australia play nine Test matches prior to the IPL next year, and a minimum of five, possibly six if they make the World Test Championship final, immediately after it.One thing is certain, Starc is no longer one of the first names on Australia’s T20 team sheet.

Lasith Embuldeniya's unsexy virtues put him on the right path

Left-arm spinner demonstrates maturity beyond his years in his seven-wicket haul

Andrew Fidel Fernando24-Jan-2021Remember that one guy? That great Sri Lanka fingerspinner? Body like an overfull water balloon, heart as big as the ocean? Well, let’s not mention him here, because there’s a new left-arm spinner, and at 24, Lasith Embuldeniya is just making his way. There’s already been talk of large shoes needing to be filled and mantles begging to be taken up. But these are unfair expectations, right? Even if the old man Embuldeniya’s cricketing hero. And no matter how much about this young bowler there is to like.Maybe they will be different kinds of left-arm operators, anyway. Embuldeniya has a high release point, puts a lot of revolutions on the ball, gets more loop than most, and because of his height (and maybe a touch of overspin), good bounce on top of all that. That is the Embuldeniya elevator pitch. But there’s more to him, such as an air of maturity beyond his years, and a stubborn doughtiness. These sound like profoundly unsexy virtues, but then Embuldeniya bowls slow left-arm, so he’s already chosen the unsexiest path in cricketing life.He seems to have really leaned into that whole thing, too. Have you ever seen him properly celebrate a wicket? No? That’s because he doesn’t, really. He’s dismissed both England openers for single figures in each of the three innings England have batted this series; Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley out for 4, 2, 0, 9, 8 and 5. He’s only in his tenth Test, so it’s a thing of mild wonder that Embuldeniya seems to have picked up not just one, but two bunnies.Related

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But upon getting the wicket of Crawley on Saturday evening, Embuldeniya just walked, neutral-faced, to his teammates. A dad of two pushing a trolley loaded with rice, dhal and milk powder through the supermarket. Shirt buttons done up all the way to the top.It is the almost-impeccable lines, plus the drift he gets, and the turn off the surface that have got him his seven wickets so far in this innings. None of the remaining Sri Lanka bowlers – not even the vastly more experienced Dilruwan Perera – have bowled as well to batsmen who have just arrived as Embuldeniya. Five of his victims never made it to 15.Virtually everyone who has faced him has played and missed liberally since Embuldeniya gets dramatic, fast turn, even when he pitches on the straight, in a way that no other spinner in this game has quite managed. Aside from Joe Root and Jos Buttler, both of whom have rocking reverse-sweeps (and as such, are the only batsmen dismissed by other means) no England batsman has been comfortable. To the lefties lower down in England’s batting order, he’s had the off-side rough to work with.Embuldeniya’s wicket celebrations are notably low-key•SLCIt seems almost cruel to say on a day in which he was almost Sri Lanka’s single wicket-taking threat, but there are things Embuldeniya could work on. Five of his dismissals were catches to slip off the outside edge (four of those victims were right-handers). But what if he learned to better disguise his slider, which he bowls infrequently anyway, and made that more of a threat? For his idol – that guy we decided we weren’t going to mention – the straighter ball was essentially the poison-tipped dagger in his armoury; the weapon so many underestimated, but still wound up succumbing to. On tracks that turn as substantially as this, balls that float under the radar on to pads and into stumps are a subtle magic.Embuldeniya might learn, too, that there are times in his career in which he is going to be doubted. He had taken a five-wicket haul in the 2019 tour of South Africa, where his contributions were instrumental to that surreal series win, and yet he was overlooked for both Tests there over the last month, with the team’s management picking legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga instead. Why? Because wristspinners have mad X-factor, right? Whatever Embuldeniya makes of his career from here, he’s never going to have said about him.It probably doesn’t help that in true slow left-arm style, he comes to press conferences after his most successful haul ever, and gives answers like this: “Thanks for your question. I’ve done a lot of spot bowling and that’s how I’ve improved little by little. In the match I bowled line and length and made small, small variations. There was help from the wicket. I landed the ball on the same spot and hoped the wicket would do the rest.”Buttoned-up to the point of being adorable. But, you know, not sexy. Though he’s already looking up to, and swimming in the considerable wake of, someone who showed that he doesn’t need to be.

Ryan McMahon Flips Into Red Sox Dugout to Make Best Catch of the Playoffs So Far

Thursday's game between the Red Sox and Yankees was the Cam Schlittler show, as the New York pitcher struck out 12 in a transcendent playoff debut. However, one other Yankee briefly took the spotlight in the eighth inning.

With one out, Boston left fielder Jarren Duran lofted a foul ball straight up in the air down the third-base line. New York third baseman Ryan McMahon attempted to chase it down—only to quickly run out of real estate.

That turned out to be no matter, as McMahon snared the ball inside the Red Sox dugout—tumbling inside and just barely bracing himself with his hands to prevent injury.

The catch instantly recalled some of the Yankees' finest-ever postseason defensive plays, such as shortstop Derek Jeter's flip play in 2001 against the Athletics.

McMahon ranks 20th in defensive bWAR among active players—he led the National League in the category with the Rockies in 2021—but some plays are too good to truly quantify.

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