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Galatasaray are interested in making a move for Manchester United forward Anthony Martial before their transfer deadline this week.

The Lowdown: Martial out of favour

The Frenchman has had an up-and-down seven years at Old Trafford, producing moments of quality but also struggling to match the hype when he arrived in 2015.

Martial has still only featured for 45 minutes in the Premier League this season, admittedly not helped by injuries, and it appears as though he could be down the attacking pecking order under Erik ten Hag, especially after the signing of Antony from Ajax.

A new claim even suggests that his time as a United player could be coming to an end in the very near future.

The Latest: Galatasaray keen on move

According to Yeni Acik TV on Twitter, Galatasaray are keen on signing Martial before the Turkish transfer window closes on Thursday evening:

“Galatasaray is interested in Anthony Martial of Manchester United and Adama Traore of Wolves. Galatasaray wants to add one of these two players to its squad.”

The Verdict: Right time to leave?

In truth, Martial’s overall spell at United should be deemed a disappointment, given the money spent on him and the expectations that many had when he joined.

That’s not to say that the 26-year-old hasn’t shone at times, with Robin van Persie describing him as ‘world-class’ not long ago and the forward scoring 79 goals in 270 appearances.

With injury problems not going away and consistency still lacking, however, selling Martial makes sense, though perhaps they would be best placed waiting until January when Ten Hag can bring in an adequate replacement.

Bowling yorkers may be ‘simple’ for Delhi Capitals’ main weapon, but Rabada has also shown the adaptability that is the hallmark of the best

Sruthi Ravindranath in Bengaluru08-Apr-20194:19

Rabada’s mantra for a perfect yorker

An astounding spell to defend 10 runs in a Super Over: check. Dismiss the likes of David Warner, Andre Russell and Virat Kohli in pressure situations: check. Get three wickets in an over and finish with your career-best T20 figures: check.This season, Kagiso Rabada seems well-placed to conquer the IPL frontier.Three years ago, with his relentless pace and sharp bowling, a 20-year-old Rabada was one of those exciting bowlers the world couldn’t get enough of. By 2016, he looked set to be an all-format star for South Africa, and was touted as the future leader of their pace attack. He looked primed for an IPL deal then, but opted for a county stint with Kent instead. “He’s still got loads of years to play in the IPL,” his national captain Faf du Plessis had said of his move.A middling performance in the T20 World Cup that year was followed by an impressive county season, and some scintillating Test and ODI performances. An IPL deal soon came calling, with Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) scooping him up for INR 5 crore (nearly 10-million Rand) for the 2017 season, turning Rabada into an overnight millionaire.But for someone who came with a big reputation and deeds to match, Rabada’s performances in IPL 2017 were below-par. In his first outing in the tournament, he contributed more with the bat than the ball. In six innings that season, he finished with just six wickets. For someone whose death-bowling skills were raved about, his numbers at that phase were particularly unimpressive, with just two wickets at an economy rate of 11 and an average of 40.5. His chance at redemption in the tournament in 2018 was stalled due to an injury.Kagiso Rabada is elated after dismissing Chris Lynn•BCCIRabada has now come back to the IPL, having added 157 more international wickets and further top honours since that 2017 season. And in IPL 2019, he already has 11 wickets in six games, and is currently on top of the bowling charts. Even better are his figures at the death, where he’s picked 10 wickets at an economy of 8.65. These numbers are a testament to the “world-class” tag he’s been carrying around for the last few years. And that’s not counting the memorable Super Over against Russell, and Kolkata Knight Riders, where he bowled six yorkers while successfully defending 10 runs.How does he do it? If you ask Rabada, it’s not that difficult – apparently.”A yorker can be a high-pressure delivery but it’s really very simple,” Rabada says. “All you have to do is practise it – as simple as that. A yorker is an effort ball, definitely, because you are trying to spear it in, in the first six to beat the batter for pace. But I wouldn’t say that it is too energy-sapping. I don’t think so. It’s like bowling a good-length ball at a good intensity. You just bowl the yorker at a good intensity.”But despite the ‘simplicity’ of yorkers, Rabada showed the quality the best bowlers have: adapting to conditions. On a two-paced pitch at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday, he opted for slower balls and cutters, eschewing his affinity for the fast and straight balls.”This was a quick and bouncy wicket, similar to Mumbai. It was stopping a little bit,” he said. “But it wasn’t bad for the batsmen to play on. Coming to India, not all pitches are cliche Indian wickets here. Of course, there is turn, which means you can use your slower balls because they can grip. All in all, when playing in India, you know there’s dry conditions, so you have to use your cutters because they work.”After clocking upwards of 145 kmph in the first two deliveries he bowled, he had AB de Villiers hole out to a well-disguised slower ball. He almost got Kohli at the end of the eighth over when the Royal Challengers’ captain had mistimed a pull off a pacy short one, with the ball looping off the toe-end of the bat just above Rabada and falling safely behind him. He wouldn’t be denied for long though, and the very next ball that Kohli faced off Rabada – the start of the 18th over – he was out. Rabada followed that up with the wickets of Akshdeep Nath and Pawan Negi in the same over – both removed by the short ball – to finish his destructive spell.”It’s always gold to get wickets in T20 cricket,” he said. “All you try and do is get the ball in a good area, whatever ball you’re trying to bowl, (try to ensure that) the batsman is going to make the mistake. You’re not actually trying to get the batter out. You try to see where he’s trying to score first of all. He has to take the risk especially in the 18th over. It helps with all the analysis and reading the play at the moment, but things just happened for me. Another time, they could’ve taken six ones and it would have been a different game. But in T20 cricket you want to get wickets and it happened for me that over. All I tried to do was to keep it simple.”In a year when his team are aiming to turn everything around – they started with the name and hope to end with vastly different results than they’ve got in seasons past – Rabada’s ability to get the best out of himself and churn out match-winning spells will be crucial for Capitals.

Amid the euphoria of their post-World Cup ODI revival, England showed fallibility in pressure matches and in less-than-perfect batting conditions. These very failings led to their undoing in a global semi-final on a tricky, used pitch in Cardiff

Andrew McGlashan in Cardiff14-Jun-2017The last time England and Pakistan met in the knockout stages of a one-day tournament was Melbourne in 1992. English hearts were broken by Imran Khan and Wasim Akram. It was also when they were last regarded as a genuine force in the 50-over game until this current crop of players came together over the past two years. Now, 25 years later, Pakistan have done it again. This time it was barely contest.It had looked like the stars had aligned for England with the bowling attack, even in the absence of the injured Chris Woakes, finding its teeth during the matches against New Zealand and Australia to supplement an awe-inspiring batting order. They were the only unbeaten team through the group stage and the one issue was the form of Jason Roy, who lost his place to Jonny Bairstow for the semi-final.Even that change appeared to have improved things for England. Bairstow made 43, albeit not entirely convincingly, in a solid start. Unlike 1992, the lbws went England’s way too: Bairstow was saved by a narrow umpire’s call off the second ball of the match and Alex Hales reprieved after he’d been given out to one that pitched outside leg. They were also facing a Pakistan attack without Mohammad Amir, who had been ruled out with a back spasm.Instead it turned into a punishing day. The mitigation of it being a tricky used pitch – the same one which had hosted the final group game two days ago – quickly diminished as Pakistan made light of conditions. Fakhar Zaman, one of the finds of the tournament, broke the back of the chase with a century stand alongside Azhar Ali at more than five-and-a-half an over. In every aspect of the game, Pakistan were better.There had been signs that England would struggle to blaze their way to 300-plus, but little to suggest the demise which would unfold when they were 128 for 2 in the 28th over and on course for at least 250. Then Joe Root edged a cut against Shadab Khan, having not found the boundary for 36 deliveries. From the 30-over mark of the innings, when England have so often more than doubled their score, they managed just three fours amid some outstanding bowling.But even allowing for the quality of the bowling, England appeared timid. One of the questions asked of this side is how they adapt when 300 isn’t par, or even below par. There had been glimmers of a different approach on slower pitches in the West Indies earlier this year, but the opposition were poor. When the ball zipped around against South Africa at Lord’s and called for some circumspection they were 20 for 6. This time the damage did not come early, but when the boundaries dried up there did not appear a Plan B.Was it the pressure of the knockout scenario? For all the success and run-gorging over the last two years, this was the highest-pressure game the side had faced. Also, during their post-World Cup revival there have been examples of England collapsing even with a bilateral series on the line. It happened against Australia in 2015, when they were skittled for 138 at Old Trafford, and South Africa last year in Cape Town. Some might point to last year’s World T20 final as another example of where they failed in the pressure situation, but that ultimately came down to an over after they had hauled themselves back into the match. When this performance started to go badly, it spiraled and was never retrieved.The innings swung between an attempt to keep the attacking mantra going – Bairstow’s top-edge to deep square leg and Eoin Morgan’s run down the pitch and swing at Hasan Ali – and an inability to then milk the bowling when the going was tough. Ben Stokes had appeared to leave his timing at Edgbaston, facing 64 balls without a boundary of which 34 were dot balls.In England’s innings as a whole there were 160 dot balls (their fifth-most since the World Cup) and if only 50 of those had become a single, 250 was there for the taking – a target that would have seen Pakistan start the chase under more pressure. There was room for a more drop-and-run approach from the middle order.They weren’t without a chance defending 212 with a vulnerable Pakistan middle order, but they barely reached it. The openers took advantage of the hard new balls to skip well ahead of the rate and by the time spin was introduced in the 15th over the score was 81 without loss. Adil Rashid could be milked. Towards the end of the chase, Jos Buttler missed a stumping and there was a no-ball called when England had too many fielders on the leg side. Neither made a jot of difference but summed up their day.So England’s wait for a global one-day title will stretch to at least 44 years. The 2019 World Cup has always been stated as the ultimate aim, but that will be of scant consolation today. This will hurt. And for some time.

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jan-2016Nathan Lyon bowled only three balls before rain interrupted play again•Getty ImagesAnother 80-minute delay ensued before play resumed at noon•Getty ImagesCarlos Brathwaite and Denesh Ramdin stretched their overnight partnership to 87 before rain played truant again•Getty ImagesCarlos brought up his second half-century off exactly fifty balls•Getty ImagesHe smashed a couple of sixes off James Pattinson…•Getty Images…but the quick roared back to bowl Carlos for 69 off 71 balls. Rain refused to relent and wiped out the final session with West Indies at 7 for 248•Getty Images

England could not have produced a pitch more suiting India’s needs at Trent Bridge if they had gift wrapped it with a note of welcome

George Dobell at Trent Bridge09-Jul-2014The English can be wonderful hosts.While many nations would attempt to use home advantage to the benefit of their team, England appear to have accepted that home advantage should simply benefit their bank balance.Just like the pitches used for the series against Sri Lanka, the surface at Trent Bridge was low, slow and offered England’s seamers almost nothing. Instead, it offered the Nottinghamshire chief executive a fine opportunity to gain five days of gate receipts.Stuart Broad was not the only bowler to withstand a day of frustration•PA PhotosIn the short term, anyway. While Nottinghamshire, like Leeds and Lord’s, may congratulate themselves on a profitable week now, they may reflect in years to come that it was a catastrophic mistake to take for granted the support of the English public. They may put up with high prices for tickets and refreshments, but they may not be so patient with stultifying cricket. Trent Bridge was not full for the first day of this series.It was not so much that the pitch suited India’s batsmen or their bowlers. The lack of pace in this pitch will suit nobody. Not seamers, not spinners, not batsmen and certainly not spectators. Within a few overs, Matt Prior was taking the ball at ankle height.No, the delight in this pitch, from an Indian perspective, was that it did nothing to exploit their potential weaknesses. With only two of the team having previously played a Test in England, there was an opportunity for England to examine their techniques and temperament.But, whereas during the 2011 series, some India batsmen struggled to cope with lateral movement or bounce, this time they have had to contend with little of either.The disappointment from an England perspective was that there were moments which hinted that India’s old failings remain. Even with a ball 80 overs old, M Vijay was struck by a short ball from Liam Plunkett that suggested that, on a more lively surface, he would have to work harder for his runs. And even on a day when there was so little lateral movement, Virat Kohli was drawn into poking at one that he could have left and fell to a slip catch.But when Ajinkya Rahane attempted a loose drive before he had scored, the ball fell short of the slip cordon.And when, on 32, he was discomfited by a short ball from Plunkett that hit his bat handle, the ball dropped just short of Alastair Cook at silly-point.And when Vijay, on 102, was drawn into poking at one outside off stump from James Anderson, the ball again fell short of the slip cordon.It was hard to avoid the conclusion that, had Nottinghamshire gift wrapped this pitch and tied a bow around it, they could hardly have made it more inviting to India. And in doing so, they have done a disservice to the England team.

Groundsman hopes pitch may quicken

The Trent Bridge groundsman, Steve Birks, has admitted he was disappointed with his pitch after the first day of the Investec Test against India.
England took only four wickets on an attritional day as their seam bowlers struggled to gain any movement or bounce from a sluggish surface. But while Birks accepted that he might “have left a bit more grass on” the pitch, he urged spectators to hold off before judging the pitch as he felt it would quicken on the second and third days.
“We wanted to produce a pitch with pace, bounce and carry which hasn’t happened unfortunately,” Birks said. “There’s quite a lot of moisture underneath but it’s a hard surface on top which is why it’s lacking pace. The moisture readings taken earlier in the week were quite high and we haven’t seen enough of the sun to really bake it out.
“Our only instruction [from the ECB] is to produce a good cricket wicket and, with hindsight, we may have left a bit more grass on it but this is the first day of five-day Test and while I don’t expect spin to come into it, we hope it might quicken up a bit.”

In the circumstances, England performed admirably after a first session in which their disappointment for the surface was palpable.Nine of the 14 overs immediately after lunch were maidens and the seamers gained just enough reverse swing to apply some pressure on the batsmen.Cook utilised his bowlers in shorter spells and employed some unusual fields, too. Plunkett bowled with six men on the leg side at one stage, while Anderson picked up the wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara after posting a straight, short mid-on and pursuing a strategy of bowling resolutely full and straight. It was one of the only tactics available to them in conditions offering so littleAnd Prior, moving ever closer to the stumps to combat the low bounce, enjoyed a good day in desperately tough conditions. After taking an excellent catch to dismiss Shikhar Dhawan, diving low to his left to take a chance that probably would not have carried to first slip, he managed to avoid conceding a bye throughout the day despite the ball bouncing in front of him on numerous occasions.It was not perfect, though. Moeen Ali was milked rather too comfortably, conceding 5.55 an over and being replaced in the attack, for a moment, by Joe Root. In mitigation, it might be remembered that Graeme Swann conceded 97 runs in 15 overs without taking a wicket in the corresponding Test here in 2011.In the longer-term, the ECB needs to grasp the pitch issue. The game is not so popular in the UK that it can afford to produce such pitches so often.It matters not if there is an exciting finish on the fourth or fifth day. Erosion may cause a dramatic rock fall, but it does not make the previous 10,000 years entertaining.Such pitches are no longer an occasional variation, they have become the norm. Groundsmen centrally contracted to the ECB might solve the issue of corporate pitches designed to please county chief executives, though they will do little to combat the drainage issues that appear to have dried out squares around the country.You might also wonder at the role of Paul Downton. While England’s new managing director has found time to sack England’s record run-scorer in international cricket, break the confidentiality agreement having done so and decided it is his place to sit-in on selection meetings, it seems he has not been able to intervene on one of the key areas of the game: the pitches.If it is his role to help create a winning England team, it is his role to ensure surfaces that benefit his team. He might do well to focus on such core responsibilities and leave the headline grabbing to the players.

From DravidFan, United States of America
Someone referred to the “I” in Ganguly

Cricinfo25-Feb-2013DravidFan, United States of America
Someone referred to the “I” in Ganguly. Well, Ganguly is not Terrell Owens or the guy from the commercial who says “well, there is no V in team either” to the someone’s comment saying “there is no I in team”. However, Ganguly always felt he was royalty. I bet he still does. To me, Dravid, Laxman and Tendulkar are much more reliable than Ganguly ever was, not to mention being humble.That said, what Ganguly brought to the table was aggression, albeit the baggage. He never gave up his lunch money and assumed the fetal position to any sledging or other nonsense from anyone. That attitude has been sadly missing for ever, with the exception of Sunil Gavaskar who once famously pushed Chetan Chauhan out of the field when he was upset with Lillee.To me, Ganguly so far has been the best Indian left hander I have seen. Gambhir has potential, but ways to go. The point of this rambling is that Sourav has lost a bit of my respect when he spewed the lava about his teammates and I assume Dhoni when he said changing hairstyles. I gotta think that Dhoni is the reason Ganguly was dropped from the ODI team.Lastly, we all know at some point TDLK (Tendulkar, Dravid Laxman, Kumble) will all be retiring (I sure hope so) before they get unceremoniously paraded out. I seriously think Kumble is playing his last test series, given that he is giving up runs faster than the speed of ganges.India should follow Australia’s footsteps, have the juniors ready to go (will not happen without TDLK mentoring the juniors) and ease them and have TDLK exit one at a time.

Under pressure after a poor batting effort, on a pitch that had eased out but was still lively, Ishant Sharma and Sreesanth missed Zaheer Khan, the leader of the attack

Sidharth Monga at SuperSport Park17-Dec-2010Harbhajan Singh was bullish when asked, at the end of the first day, whether Zaheer Khan’s absence had done India psychological damage already. “We have not bowled a single ball yet, so I can’t say if we have missed Zaheer Khan or not,” he said. “We have got other bowlers. If you see previous games, Ishant Sharma bowled really well in Nagpur. The other guy, Sreesanth, bowled really well. Spinners also bowled really well. So we don’t depend on one particular bowler. And we have bowlers who can adapt to any condition and get us wickets. We are no more a team that depends on one particular batsman or bowler. We believe everyone can perform in given conditions.”On paper, or even on websites, that sounds good. In reality though, under pressure after a poor batting effort, on a pitch that had eased out but was still lively, Ishant and the “other guy” missed the leader of the attack. The man who could show them what lengths to bowl, the man who would stand at mid-on, put an arm around their shoulder, and suggest slight corrections to get them wickets.It could be argued that the Indian medium-pacers didn’t have the pace of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, and were hence ineffective. Sreesanth and Ishant, however, have always relied on movement as opposed to pace. When he won India the Wanderers Test on the previous tour, Sreesanth did it with movement, and not pace.There was movement to be had here too. And both Sreesanth and Ishant had it aplenty in the first spell. Except that Sreesanth kept erring on the shorter side, not bringing Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen forward at all, which is where the edges would come. Loud tuck after loud tuck followed off Sreesanth’s bowling as both the batsmen could stay back and cover the movement, and also leave balls on length. The stares that he gave the batsmen after they defended balls back to him smack off the middle of the bat grated, and also earned him a lot of heat from the crowd who cheered when he misfielded, and had a lot to say to him. One of them seemingly had to be asked to leave too.Ishant looked likelier to get a wicket, especially with the seam movement he obtained at the start. The first ball he bowled beat Smith, but it was pitched outside leg. The second missed the edge slightly outside off. However, despite the movement Ishant failed to make Smith play enough. His lengths created doubt, his lines ruined the effect. The openers chose to leave 17 deliveries from him, and Smith deliberately played inside the line of several others. Ishant didn’t go round the wicket to Smith, nor did he try a bouncer like he meant it. The new ball would set the tone, and there was no doubt as to what kind of music it played.The bouncers arrived when the ball was some 40 overs old, and had some sort of impact on Hashim Amla, but one wonders if that sort of variation would have taken so long coming had Zaheer been there. By then, a selection blunder had also been put on display. Jaidev Unadkat, about as non-violent as the other man from Porbandar who came to South Africa decades ago, clearly is not the fourth-best fast bowler in the country. He didn’t swing the ball, he didn’t have pace, he wasn’t Test-ready. Nor is Umesh Yadav the fifth-best.Rahul Dravid, speaking after the day’s play, admitted Zaheer could have made a difference. “He has obviously got a lot of experience,” Dravid said. “He is someone who has played all over the world, and is the leader of our attack, so obviously you are going to miss him. You can’t help it. These things happen. People get injured. Especially when you fall behind in a game, you need somebody to step up and Zaheer has usually been our go-to man in the last couple of years. He wasn’t there today.”The other guys tried their best. [But] South Africans batted really well, and the wicket eased out really considerably. It’s a learning experience for a lot of our younger bowlers, in terms of their lengths. Maybe we could have bowled a bit fuller, maybe we could have made them drive a bit more.”Abhimanyu Mithun impressed the team management with his strength and spirited bowling on the Sri Lanka tour, where India drew the series on unhelpful tracks in the absence of Zaheer, Sreesanth and Harbhajan Singh. He will now be wondering what wrong he has done to not be on this trip. Knowing the Indian selectors’ ways, in all likelihood nobody has told him. To send two rookie fast bowlers on such a big tour, one of whom has played four Ranji Trophy matches and the other who failed to create any impression in two ODI defeats against Zimbabwe, was as big a blunder this selection committee – used to making blunders – has made. There could be an argument worth considering that the selectors have been frustrated by Munaf Patel, but against Mithun there is no case.Two days into India’s tour of reckoning, both their wings have malfunctioned, and they find themselves facing one of their worst defeats in recent times. While they have been at the wrong end of conditions to an extent, neither did the day-one conditions merit 136 for 9 nor did those on day two merit 366 for 2. Test cricket provides a second chance though, a shot at redemption. This team has redeemed itself in the past, but the players know if they are to get out of this one – without the help of weather – it will take the very best of their efforts and huge improvements in all aspects of their game.

Arsenal defender William Saliba has issued a huge update on his Gunners future amid Real Madrid transfer links.

• Arsenal want new Saliba contract
• Linked with Real Madrid transfer
• Saliba drops update on his future

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Arsenal have reportedly been trying to extend Saliba's contract, which expires in 2027. The centre-back is said to be attracting interest from Spanish giants Madrid but now the France international has made it clear he wants to sign a new deal with the Gunners.

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  WHAT SALIBA SAID

  When asked about when he was going to sign a new Arsenal contract, former Nice and Marseille loanee Saliba told AFTV on Sunday: "Hopefully soon! God is great. This year, we will try to win everything."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Saliba has earned a reputation as one of the Premier League's best defenders, while forming a formidable centre-back partnership with team-mate Gabriel Magalhaes. The 24-year-old is a vital component of this Mikel Arteta team, and if he extends his stay, that will be a huge boost for the north London outfit.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Aside from Arsenal contract talks, the 6ft 4in defender – who has made 134 appearances for the Gunners – could feature for his side against bitter rivals Tottenham on Thursday as they continue their pre-season tour in Asia.

Mahmudullah, who has been rested for the first two Ireland ODIs, “is still in our plans”, says Bangladesh head coach

Mohammad Isam17-Mar-2023Chandika Hathurusingha wants to expand Bangladesh’s pool of players ahead of the ODI World Cup, to be played later in the year, but doesn’t want to do it at the cost of the ODI series against Ireland. He also stressed that it’s certainly not the end of the road for Mahmudullah, who has been rested for the first two ODIs against Ireland.Hathurusingha, who started his latest – second – stint with Bangladesh with a 3-0 T20I series win over England last week, said that he wanted to give the fringe players – batters Yasir Ali, Towhid Hridoy and Rony Talukdar, and bowlers Nasum Ahmed and Shoriful Islam – a chance to express themselves.”They can play with the freedom with which they play local cricket,” Hathurusingha said ahead of the first ODI of the series, which is not part of the ODI Super League. “We have seen what they can do in local tournaments, which is how we picked them. Their performance and ability to bat a certain way, their records against pace and spin… we are giving them the mental confidence so that they can do it in the international level. We are looking at who has that character to do the role in the international level.Related

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Taskin: 'I told myself, whether I break or I die, I will wear the red and green jersey again'

Tamim: Bangladesh 'should tour Australia, England more'

“Regardless of winning or losing, I look at different things like character, how they handle situations in the middle, who stands up under pressure. Performance can go up and down. [Jos] Buttler is the best batter in the world in white-ball cricket, [but] we really put him under pressure [in the T20Is]. We were very happy with our attitude, body language and fielding. Even if we lost both series, if I see those things, I know that going forward, we are in the right direction.”Bangladesh’s next ODI series, also against Ireland, is part of the Super League, and they are also scheduled to play ODI series against Afghanistan and New Zealand, apart from the Asia Cup, before the World Cup in India in October-November.Is Mahmudullah in the mix for the ODI World Cup?Does Mahmudullah have a chance of featuring in those games?He has been rested, Hathurusingha pointed out, and didn’t want to be drawn into a discussion about Mahmudullah’s future.”I don’t think he is past his prime,” Hathurusingha said. “We are trying to expand our pool of players before the World Cup. In case something happens close to the World Cup, we want to have enough players that we have seen and can trust to do a role. We are rushed to do that as we have only 15 matches before the World Cup. We are trying to give opportunities to players we think can do the role. [Mahmudullah] Riyad is still in the mix.”Riyad has done enough. He has a lot of experience. We know what he can bring. We want some other players to get up to the mark at the international level. Not just skill-wise. It is about seeing whether they have the character to do the (role) at this level. It doesn’t mean that if that guy perform well, Mahmudullah is finished. He is still in our plans.”Hathurusingha expected the fast bowlers, who were so influential against England recently, to get some assistance in Sylhet, where the three Ireland ODIs would be played.”It looks like a good wicket to bat on,” Hathurusingha said. “There’s enough for the fast bowlers and spinners here too. I always rate our spinners. They are very tactically savvy and skillful. But this time my fast bowlers have come in leaps and bounds. I am very happy with that as well.”Beating England, though they were missing key players, in the T20I series was a big result for Bangladesh•AFP/Getty ImagesTaskin and Mustafizur will have their workloads managedHasan Mahmud was particularly impressive in the T20Is, standing out with the way he handled pressure at the death. In the first game, he conceded just five runs in two overs towards the end to stifle England. He didn’t take any wickets in the third game, but Hathurusingha said that his dismissal of Buttler in the second T20I was another crucial contribution.”The way [Mahmud] handled the pressure overs in the three ODIs was very impressive,” Hathurusingha said. “He opened the game for us in the second T20I by getting Buttler out. If I look at the game within the game, it allowed us to bring [Mehidy Hasan] Miraz into the game. The wicket brought all their left-handers. If Buttler was still there, it would have been a different kind of a game in the end.”The games within the game are very important. I am looking for people to stand up and do things. They get confidence out of doing these things regularly. Team get confident about their role and trust them to do things. Fizz’s [Mustafizur Rahman’s] two big overs changed the momentum in the third T20I.”Hathurusingha said that like the batting group, the fast bowlers – especially Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur – would also be rotated.”We want to manage him [Taskin], one of our strike bowlers. He is a world-class bowler. He bowled as quick as anyone in that series,” Hathurusingha said. “We want to manage him and Fizz. There’s a lot of cricket coming up. It will also allow us to give more game time to the other fast bowlers as well.”We are trying to expand our bowling unit. Taijul [Islam] is our No. 1 Test bowler. He bowled really well in the ODIs against England. We know he is ready. We wanted to give Nasum a go, to see how he goes. If he also does well, we have two guys ready leading up to the World Cup.”

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has singled out Martin Zubimendi for praise after the summer signing impressed him in pre-season and showed flashes of quality in his Premier League debut against Manchester United. The Norwegian believes the Spaniard can give the Gunners a 'new dimension' as he settles into English football after his move to the Emirates from Real Sociedad.

Odegaard praises Zubimendi’s qualitySummer signing adds “new dimension” to ArsenalSpaniard endured tough start at Old Trafford but grew strongerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Arsenal began their Premier League campaign with a 1-0 win at Old Trafford thanks to Riccardo Calafiori’s early header. Zubimendi, making his debut, endured some early struggles under United’s press but grew into the game as it progressed. Despite a tough start, the Spaniard’s ability was evident and Odegaard was quick to highlight his qualities.

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Speaking on the podcast, Odegaard said: “Yeah, he’s [Zubimendi] been really good in pre-season. 

“And I’ve played a little bit with him before in Spain, you know, so I knew his qualities. A top player, as you say, he can find any pass, you know, he can break the lines, he can drive with the ball.

“He’s also so smart, you know, intelligent to read where the ball is going to land. And he picks up a lot of second balls. And yeah, he really controls the game. It’s going to give us a new dimension there. So yeah, excited for it.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Zubimendi arrived in north London with high expectations after excelling at Real Sociedad and impressing for Spain. Arsenal paid a significant fee to land him as Mikel Arteta sought to strengthen midfield depth for another title push. While his debut had challenges, both the manager and team-mates are backing him to adapt quickly to the Gunners' tactical plans.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ZUBIMENDI?

Arsenal face another stern test in their upcoming Premier League fixture against Leeds United, where Zubimendi could once again feature. Arteta will hope to balance his midfield pairing with Declan Rice to maximise both players’ strengths. If Zubimendi continues to grow into his role, he could become a key figure in Arsenal’s title challenge.