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In 2020, they were scheduled to play their first Test in Australia, but the pandemic and political tumult dashed their hopes

Tristan Lavalette21-Oct-2022When Afghanistan step onto Optus Stadium to open their T20 World Cup campaign against England, it will end a frustrating two-year wait of playing in Australia marked by Covid-19 postponements and political tumult.Back in 2020, Afghanistan were excited over the prospect of playing their first ever Test against Australia on a bouncy Perth surface only for those hopes to be dashed by the pandemic.It was twice rescheduled during long meetings between Cricket Australia and Afghanistan Cricket Board before it fell by the wayside because of the Western Australian government’s strict border stance, which only ended in March this year, requiring travellers into the state to quarantine for two weeks in a hotel.Related

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The ACB officials, however, were left slightly miffed when India’s lucrative Test and ODI tour of Australia that summer was able to be salvaged. Still, Afghanistan’s bitterness wasn’t set to linger with the historic Test rescheduled for late 2021 in Hobart.But just a few months before the match, Afghanistan descended into chaos amid the Taliban’s sudden takeover, which meant real concern over the state of women’s cricket there. Cricket Australia took a stance and postponed the Test “until a later time when the situation [in Afghanistan] is clearer”.While bilaterals between the countries are uncertain, Afghanistan have retained Full Membership as an ongoing investigation into the women’s situation continues through an ICC working group.Their Test dreams may have to wait, but Afghanistan arrive in Australia for the T20 World Cup with gusto.

“We’re not just here to participate but here to win matches. We’ve got players and a squad that can do that”Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott

“Certainly sensed a build-up, as well as excitement when we first got here and the new experiences for the players,” Jonathan Trott, Afghanistan’s new head coach, said. “You just listen to the conversations, you’re looking at the body language, it is very exciting for me as a coach. But again, it’s about controlling those emotions and that excitement and channelling it in the right places and right direction.”Afghanistan will have the ultimate initiation to the foreign conditions on the fast Optus Stadium pitch, where England quick Mark Wood tore through Australia’s batting order with rapid pace just two weeks ago.Openers Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz appear most adept at handling the bounce, but the batting order after that appears to be susceptible against short-pitched bowling.Gurbaz has been declared fit after he was struck on the left foot by Shaheen Shah Afridi’s inswinging yorker during Afghanistan’s warm-up match against Pakistan at the Gabba, which was washed out.”The wicket [in Perth] looks really good,” Trott said. “We’re looking to our openers to set a good platform along with Ibrahim [Zadran] at three, and we’ve got some exciting players.”It was a good experience for us playing against Pakistan in a warm-up. I think the prep has been really good… The guys are ready.”Will Afghanistan’s spinners be effective on a fast Perth pitch?•Getty ImagesAfghanistan’s strength, of course, lies with their beguiling spinners led by BBL standout Rashid Khan, although they could be negated by the Perth pitch.Against a belligerent England batting order, they will be under the pump and so too the team’s fielding, which has been put under the microscope.”One of the things we’ve been working on is our fielding, making sure we get an opportunity and are able to put the opposition under pressure,” Trott said. “So they’re little things, and all the little percentages hopefully add up to us putting together a good run in the competition and winning some games.”Just two months into the role, Trott has been taken by his team’s innate passion and obvious skills, which were showcased with wins over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the Asia Cup before falling away.Not content with being dark horses, Trott hopes to develop a harder edge in a bid for a breakthrough deep run at a major tournament.”I hope we’re still seen as a dangerous side but a side that’s more consistent,” he said. “We’re not just here to participate but here to win matches. We’ve got players and a squad that can do that.”After two long years, Afghanistan finally gets their chance to shine on Australian soil.”There are some remarkable stories in that dressing room,” Trott said. “Hopefully this campaign is going to be another one of them.”

Since getting the pair on board for IPL 2018, the franchise has backed them relentlessly despite their multiple injuries

Deivarayan Muthu01-Oct-2020Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti set the speed guns on fire in India’s unbeaten run to the Under-19 World Cup title in 2018 in New Zealand and knocked over stumps for fun as out-and-out quicks. The Kolkata Knight Riders were so impressed by them that they broke the bank to get both Nagarkoti (INR 3.2 crore) and Mavi (INR 3 crore) on board for IPL 2018.The Knight Riders’ plan was to unleash them together on a helpful Eden Gardens pitch and ambush oppositions. However, while Mavi made fleeting appearances for the Knight Riders in 2018 and was sidelined from the entire IPL 2019, Nagarkoti hadn’t played any form of top-flight cricket, barring two Vijay Hazare Trophy games for Rajasthan, after winning the Under-19 World Cup.More than two years later, they both were fit again and playing together for the Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi. In between, another bunch of Under-19 stars emerged as India made the final of the World Cup in South Africa earlier this year, their former Under-19 team-mates Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw made their senior debuts, one their former Under-19 opponents Tom Banton enjoyed stints in the Big Bash League and Pakistan Super League before becoming team-mates with Nagarkoti and Mavi for IPL 2020. During the time when Mavi and Nagarkoti were on the sidelines, the coronavirus pandemic struck the world, pushing the IPL out of India to the UAE. Had the IPL got underway in April-May earlier this year, Mavi wouldn’t have been fit as he was still recovering from a stress fracture of the back he had suffered in December 2019.Both Nagarkoti and Mavi went wicketless against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Abu Dhabi although the Knight Riders secured their first points. But against the Rajasthan Royals in Dubai, everything came together for Nagarkoti, Mavi and the Knight Riders management, which has relentlessly backed the pair despite their history of injuries.The Knight Riders had similarly backed Andre Russell earlier after he had missed IPL 2017 because of a doping violation. That was expected as Russell is among the best T20 players ever. Mavi and Nagarkoti, however, were unproven in T20 cricket. Heck, Nagarkoti hadn’t played a single T20 before this IPL. Yet, the team management kept reiterating that they were “special” talents and looked after them like how a doting father would looking after his kids when any other franchise might have jettisoned them.”I literally feel like he is one of my kids – he’s that age, and he has that same emotion towards me, I think,” Venky Mysore, the KKR CEO, recently said of Nagarkoti.Ian Bishop has always spoken highly of the duo•ESPNcricinfo LtdOn Wednesday, Nagarkoti and Mavi ripped through the Royals batting line-up courtesy their bustle with the ball and in the field, providing a throwback to 2018, when they had thrilled the likes of Ian Bishop and Sourav Ganguly, and repaying the Knight Riders’ faith in them.Nagarkoti was also a livewire in the field, showing the world why his captain Dinesh Karthik likens his fielding to Ravindra Jadeja’s. When Robin Uthappa dabbed Mavi in front of him at backward point, he tore in from there, swooped down on the ball, and rifled an underarm flick that nearly ran out Jos Buttler. Then, in the 15th over, Nagarkoti sprinted at full tilt to his left from long-on, dived almost parallel to the ground, and grabbed a skied hit from Jofra Archer even though it was swerving away from his reach towards long-off. Spotting the ball under lights and catching it has been a challenge for other fielders in Dubai – as many as ten regulation catches have been spilled at this venue in just six games – but not for Nagarkoti. He showed them how to do it in style.It was Mavi who had set the scene for the emphatic defence by dismissing the in-form Sanju Samson and the dangerous Buttler in successive overs either side of the powerplay. After having Samson splice a pull to short midwicket off a 135kph hard-length delivery that cramped the batsman for room, he shifted his lines wider and had Buttler slicing a catch to short third man.Nagarkoti immediately took over and took out both Uthappa and Riyan Parag in the next over and cranked up his pace to 143kph to harry Tom Curran. The Rajasthan boy was bossing the Rajasthan Royals. At 42 for 5 in pursuit of 175, it was game over for the Royals.However, this (re)union of Nagarkoti and Mavi could well be the beginning of something “special”, as the Knight Riders have been anticipating for over two years. So, how delighted was the team management with the heroics of Nagarkoti and Mavi?”That’s something I really wanted to answer! Just the fact to see both these boys out there playing for us, representing our franchise…The fact that we stuck with them and just to see them out there, it’s so happy,” Karthik gushed at the post-match press conference. “The fact that they’re bowling well and fielding well is a bonus, but just to see them out there. I’ve been wanting to see them since the time they played the World Cup [in 2018]. It’s just great to see them both on the field.”The long-awaited match-winning returns of Nagarkoti and Mavi added so much depth to the Knight Riders attack that they didn’t need their premier spinner Kuldeep Yadav until the 16th over against the tail.

Stats highlights from Bulawayo, where Ireland completed a hat-trick of Test wins

Shubh Agarwal10-Feb-2025

1

This is Ireland’s first Test win after opting to bat first. Ireland were 31 for 5 at one stage, from where they recovered to register a win by 63 runs. In the 21st century, this is the third-lowest score for which a team lost half their side in the first innings (of the match) and then went on to win the contest. Pakistan were 21 for 5, but they toppled England in Dubai in 2012, while Sri Lanka recovered from 26 for 5 to win the Colombo Test against Australia in 2016.

3

Just 10 matches in, Ireland have completed a hat-trick of wins in Test cricket. They are the only side to amass three Test wins in a row within their first 10 Tests. Two of these wins have come against Zimbabwe against whom Ireland hold a 100% win record with two wins in two games.Ireland also have the joint second-most Test wins for a team in their first 10 Tests, only behind Australia’s tally of six wins. Ireland are also the only team with no draws in their first 10 Tests.

6 for 57

The left-arm orthodox spinner Matthew Humphrey took 6 for 57 in the second innings which is now the record for the best bowling figures by an Ireland bowler. He surpassed his spin-bowling partner, Andy McBrine who had picked up 6 for 118 against Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2023.

127

McBrine and Mark Adair helped Ireland revive from 31 for 5 to post a first-innings total of 260. The duo added 127 runs for the seventh wicket, now the second-highest partnership for any wicket in Ireland’s brief Test history.

11 years

Zimbabwe haven’t won a Test at home since their 24-run victory over Pakistan in 2013, stretching their winless streak at home to 11 years.Their last win in Bulawayo came in 2001 against Bangladesh, 20 Tests ago, the longest winless streak at a venue for any team. The next on this list is New Zealand with 17 matches without a win at the Eden Park in Auckland from 1959 to 1981.

90

Nick Welch scored a fighting 90 in Zimbabwe’s first innings. Welch’s effort is the third-highest score for a Zimbabwe batter on debut, only behind the century makers, Dave Houghton (121 vs India in 1992) and Hamilton Masakadza (119 vs West Indies in 2001). There is also Gary Ballance, who scored 137* against West Indies in 2023 in his first outing for Zimbabwe, albeit it was his 24th Test with the preceding 23 coming in an England shirt.

5

Andy Balbirnie’s 66 in the second innings is his fifth 50-plus score, taking him one step ahead of McBrine, Harry Tector and Lorcan Tucker (four each) for most 50-plus scores for Ireland in Test cricket.

106 runs and four wickets

With scores of 90* and 16, along with the bowling figures of 3 for 59 and 1 for 69, McBrine is the first Irish player to score over 100 runs and pick up four wickets in a Test. Consequently, he was adjudged the Player of the Match. He also won this award in Ireland’s previous victory over Zimbabwe, making him the only Irish cricketer with more than one Player-of-the-Match award in Test cricket.

Tarik Skubal won the American League Cy Young award in 2024 by winning the pitching Triple Crown and leading the AL in wins, strikeouts and ERA. In 2025 he proceeded to have an even better statistical season, lowering his ERA and WHIP and striking out even more batters than he did during his Cy Young season.

About to enter his age 29 season, Skubal has one more campaign under Detroit's control before he becomes a free agent. As of right now, he's due to make $22.5 million next season, which is about half what Max Scherzer got annually from the Mets when they signed him to a three-year deal back in 2022.

The Tigers made Skubal an offer last offseason that was deemed "non-competitive" and it seems that another incredible season on the mound did not convince them to make whatever he considers a competitive offer.

According to Jon Heyman of the , the two sides are about a quarter of a billion dollars apart. No, seriously. In the words of Heyman, "Yep, that’s not a misprint. It’s close to $250 million."

While the total money or number of years is not clear, Heyman says that the "baseline for Skubal is seen as $400M." So the Tigers could be doing anything from making an insultingly low offer to being right there on the average salary, but far apart on the length of the contract.

Either way, they're going to have to pay Skubal to keep him.

Who is the highest paid pitcher in MLB?

For Skubal to crack the top five highest-paid pitchers, he'd need more than $35 million a year, which is exactly what Corbin Burnes is getting from the Diamondbacks. Shohei Ohtani has an average salary of $70 million, but unless Skubal can hit 50-plus home runs a season as a designated hitter, he should probably focus on what these guys are making.

Here are the five pitchers with contracts worth an average annual value of over $30 million, when they signed those deals and how long they are.

Pitcher

Average Annual Value

Signed

Contract Length

Zack Wheeler

$42,000,000

2025

3 years

Jacob deGrom

$37,000,000

2023

5 years

Blake Snell

$36,400,000

2025

5 years + club option

Gerrit Cole

$36,000,000

2019

9 years

Corbin Burnes

$35,000,000

2024

6 years

Monaco midfielder Paul Pogba has surprised the sporting world by purchasing a stake in Al Haboob, the first-ever professional camel racing team, with the World Cup winner revealing a passion for the sport nurtured on YouTube and stating an ambition to one day own the world's most expensive camel to complete a "beautiful full-circle moment" in his career.

• Pogba enters a new sport

  The French international has never been one to shy away from the spotlight or unconventional career moves, but his latest venture has taken him from the manicured pitches of the Champions League to the dusty tracks of the Middle East. Pogba, currently plying his trade in Ligue 1 with Monaco, has been announced as a strategic investor in Al Haboob, a ground-breaking outfit in the world of camel racing.

  While the crossover between elite European football and the traditional Bedouin sport may shock some, the 32-year-old insists he is fully committed to the sport. His interest in the "techniques and strategies" of the race track resulted in hours of online study.

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• AFP
  

  Pogba's YouTube research and 'dedication'

  Speaking about his decision to invest, Pogba revealed that he has become an avid spectator of the sport, using his downtime to educate himself on the nuances of a discipline that commands massive cultural significance in the Gulf region.

  "I've watched my fair share of [camel] races on YouTube and spent time doing research in my spare time trying to understand the techniques and strategies," Pogba explained.

  For a player who has won the biggest prizes in football, including the World Cup with France and multiple Serie A titles, the midfielder recognises elite application when he sees it. He was keen to draw a parallel between the commitment required in his primary profession and the rigours of his new investment.

  "And what stood out to me is how much dedication it takes from everyone involved," he added. "At the end of the day, sport is sport. It demands heart, sacrifice and teamwork.

  "People might not realise it, but sport always connects in some way," Pogba said. "Whether it's football, camel racing, boxing – the foundations are similar. You need determination, you need focus, you need discipline and grit. That's what makes champions at the end of the day."

• Chasing the 'most expensive' title again

  Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the announcement was Pogba's reflection on his own history with price tags. In 2016, he became the most expensive footballer in history when he returned to Manchester United for £89 million. It was a label that brought immense scrutiny, but one he now views with a sense of perspective.

  "Being the world's most expensive footballer was an honour, but it also came with a lot of hard work, pressure and responsibility," he admitted.

  Now, he has a new financial milestone in his sights, albeit in a very different marketplace, as he dreams of replicating his footballing record in the animal kingdom.

  "Owning the world's most expensive camel one day would be a beautiful full-circle moment – something fun, something meaningful and something that excites me," he said. "Maybe one day we make it happen."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  A 'transformational' partnership

  For Al Haboob, having a global superstar like Pogba on board is a major coup. The team are aiming to modernise and globalise a sport often viewed through a purely traditional lens. Omar Almaeena, a key figure at Al Haboob, believes the arrival of the Monaco star will change the perception of the sport entirely.

  "Paul's involvement is transformational," Almaeena stated. "His influence, leadership, and passion for cultural storytelling reflect exactly what Al Haboob stands for. This partnership is about more than racing; it is about sharing a heritage that deserves global recognition."

  As Pogba continues his season with Monaco, fighting for domestic and European honours, he will now have one eye on the race schedule in the Gulf. Whether he achieves his dream of owning the world's most expensive camel remains to be seen, but his entry into the sport has undoubtedly already achieved Almaeena's goal of global recognition.

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Após a eliminação do Cruzeiro na semifinal da Copa do Brasil, contra o Corinthians, torcedores vandalizaram um muro com a imagem de Gabigol, localizado na Toca da Raposa I. O jogador desperdiçou uma cobrança de pênalti e deu caminho para a classificação da equipe paulista.

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Em imagens divulgadas pela rádio “Rede 98”, o rosto de Gabigol foi pintado com tinta amarela, enquanto a inscrição “vai embora, lixo” apareceu pichada ao lado do nome do atleta. O mural integrava uma ação de marketing realizada no começo da temporada, durante o anúncio da contratação do camisa 9 pelo clube celeste.

Cruzeiro e Corinthians fizeram uma semifinal eletrizante neste domingo (14). Na Neo Química Arena, o time mineiro dominou a partida até o início do segundo tempo, abriu 2 a 0 no placar, dois gols de Arroyo, mas viu o Corinthians diminuir com Matheus Bidu na etapa final. O 2 a 1 levou a decisão para os pênaltis.

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Nas penalidades máximas, Cássio defendeu o primeiro pênalti, cobrado por Yuri Alberto. Gabigol teve a chance de fechar as cobranças, mas perdeu sua cobrança. Nas alternadas, Walace também errou e o Corinthians garantiu sua vaga na decisão.

➡️Pênalti perdido fecha temporada decepcionante de Gabigol pelo Cruzeiro

Em toda sua carreira, Gabriel Barbosa perdeu apenas nove pênaltis no tempo normal, convertendo 53 de 62 penalidades. Pelo Cruzeiro, este foi o terceiro perdido de oito que cobrou.

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