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Bayern Munich are set to launch a renewed attempt to sign Luis Díaz from Liverpool, with a second offer reportedly on the cards. While Díaz remains with the Liverpool squad during their pre-season tour in Asia, discussions surrounding his potential departure have intensified behind the scenes.

Bayern remain determined to sign DiazWilling to test Liverpool's resolvePreparing improved bid for the ColombianFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

After being approached by both Bayern Munich and long-time suitors Barcelona, the 27-year-old has informed the Reds of his preference to leave in this transfer window. The Catalans had reignited their interest in him but ultimately diverted their efforts toward signing Marcus Rashford after being told Liverpool would demand a high fee, one the Spanish club was unwilling or unable to meet due to financial limitations.

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According to Bayern are now poised to present a new formal offer in the region of €75 million (£65m/$88m) for Díaz, a sum just short of the €80m (£69.5m/$94m) that had been informally discussed between Liverpool and the player as a suitable valuation. The Bundesliga side has set a hard cap of €80 million and are unwilling to exceed that amount. To bridge the gap, Bayern are proposing the inclusion of a sell-on clause. According to German outlet , this would allow Liverpool to profit from any future sale of the Colombia international.

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Bayern are “very optimistic” about completing the transfer within the next seven to 10 days. Díaz’s agent, Raul Costa, reportedly spent several days on Merseyside before the player departed for the club’s Asia tour, laying the groundwork for a potential deal by holding preliminary discussions with Liverpool officials. The Bavarians had an earlier bid worth approximately £57m (€66m/$77m) turned down. However, their persistence suggests they are confident of eventually landing the winger.

DID YOU KNOW?

Liverpool have publicly maintained their stance that Diaz is not available for transfer. Yet, much like the unfolding situation involving Alexander Isak at Newcastle United, there are signs that this firm position may soften if a significant offer arrives, particularly one with creative add-ons that protect the club’s long-term interests.

Should Diaz be sold, Liverpool would almost certainly look to replace him with another high-profile forward, especially Isak. Sources suggest that the Swede is intrigued by the prospect of a switch, particularly after being informally approached by the reigning Premier League champions, who are prepared to break the British transfer record to secure his signature.

Jayden Goodwin and Hilton Cartwright will look to extend their strong partnership for WA, who moved to within 87 of Tasmania’s first-innings total in Hobart

AAP02-Nov-2024Hilton Cartwright was fortunate to survive a seemingly regulation caught-behind decision late on day two as Western Australia seized control of their Sheffield Shield clash with Tasmania at Bellerive Oval.After Sam Fanning (68) laid a stoic early platform, Jayden Goodwin (73 not out) and Cartwright (48n not out) helped lift WA to 220 for 2 at stumps on Saturday, 87 runs short of Tasmania’s 317.WA will look to erase the deficit early on Sunday before aiming to construct a match-winning lead.Inside the last half-hour of play on Saturday, after a tough day of toil for the home side’s bowlers, Mitchell Owen drew a thick edge from Cartwright, who was on 38, which was pouched low but cleanly by wicketkeeper Jake Doran.The umpires got together before confirming, to Tasmania’s shock, that the original not-out decision would stand.Goodwin and Cartwright have combined for an unbeaten 91-run third-wicket stand, accelerating late after two sessions of attritional grind.”We’ve got two guys who are set at the crease, so I think we’re in a strong position,” Fanning said. “If we want to move the game forward, I think it’s in our hands. We’re set nicely.” Tasmania’s lower order spent 17.3 overs poking around for 15 runs, after resuming on 302 for 7, before WA crawled to 23 without loss at lunch in reply. The opening session reaping just 38 runs from 28.3 painstaking overs.Lawrence Neil-Smith made six of 77 balls, while Kieran Elliott’s 77-ball stay ended on 21 thanks to a marvellous one-handed slips catch from Cameron Gannon.Teague Wyllie (22) was the only WA batter to fall before tea, trapped plumb lbw by left-arm orthodox spinner Matthew Kuhnemann.Fanning dominated the 70-run first-wicket union with Wyllie and moved to his highest first-class score before chasing a wide half-volley from Bradley Hope, which he feathered to Doran.”I see a pathway for us to victory – four overs to go before the new ball,” Kuhnemann said. If we can take some wickets early tomorrow and put some pressure on, day three is moving day. I think the bowlers did a decent job, but tomorrow’s a massive day for us.”

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick issued a strong warning to Marcus Rashford before approving the English forward's loan move to the club. The German coach had a direct conversation with the Manchester United outcast last week before he travelled to Catalonia. Rashford is expected to be announced as a new Barcelona signing this week.

Flick issued warning to RashfordManager approved Rashford's loan moveRashford to be unveiled as Barca playerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Rashford will finally end his United nightmare and exit Old Trafford this summer as he is all set to complete a loan move to Barcelona. The 27-year-old reportedly rejected offers from the Saudi Pro League and some top European clubs, as the winger only wanted a transfer to the Catalan side.

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The negotiations picked up speed towards the end of last week after Flick personally spoke to Rashford, as reported by . The German manager warned the winger that he would have to fight for his place in the team's starting lineup and put in more work defensively. The report adds that concerns were raised internally over the England international's work rate. Flick, however, gave his green signal after getting a verbal assurance from Rashford.

DID YOU KNOW?

Rashford has his task cut out at Barcelona as he is expected to predominantly operate from the left side of their attack. He has to compete with Raphinha in that position, who was one of the star performers for Flick's side last season. In the central striker position, Rashford's competition is with legendary Polish forward Robert Lewandowski.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR RASHFORD?

Rashford could inherit the number of Lamine Yamal or Thierry Henry once he signs the dotted lines at Barcelona. The Spanish league winners have already confirmed that Yamal will take the iconic No.10 shirt after Ansu Fati's loan move to Monaco.

A day after the IPL auction, where all eight franchises claimed their money was well spent, ESPNcricinfo staffers pitch a few knuckle balls

19-Dec-20186:57

IPL 2019 auction: Rating the squads

Is Sam Curran worth a million dollars?

Does performing against India matter so much? We saw the likes of Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran perform well and garnered strong bids. But that was in the limited-overs format. What about Sam Curran? He will no doubt win the Test debutant of the year going on the back of his Man-of-the-Series performance in the home summer against India. But, it is not common for IPL franchises to pick players based on their red-ball performances. Has that trend changed now?A left-arm fast bowler is always attractive in T20, but Curran bowls at lower speeds, is not part of England’s limited-overs teams and has no creditable performances in the T20 Blast. Age, potential and temperament seem to have gone in Curran’s favour. But will he do justice to his price tag at INR 7.2 crore?
Gaurav SundararamanSam Curran wipes the sweat off during a practice session•Associated PressWhere’s your middle order, Kings XI?
Kings XI Punjab had the biggest purse going into the auction. They spent all but 3.7 of the 35-plus crore purse to stack up the squad and despite that they seem a featherweight batting team.David Miller isn’t the Miller he was back in the day. Karun Nair and Mayank Agarwal struggled in the last IPL and are likely to wrestle for the same spot again. KL Rahul was their talisman last season but his current form hasn’t been great. So getting a back-up batsman, an experienced hand, would have been useful.But Kings XI splurged on on mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy when they already had another mystery spinner in Mujeeb ur Rahman, who bowls in the Powerplay and the death. Not to mention their captain R Ashwin.
Deivarayan MuthuDavid Miller attempts to play the pull shot•BCCIWhy did Delhi spend INR 3.1 cr on Test specialists Vihari and Ishant?
Delhi Daredevils – now Delhi Capitals – have been known to try all kinds of strategies to add to their trophy-less cabinet. Under a different owner, with a new name, they bought the hard-hitting Colin Ingram, handy allrounder Axar Patel and the Caribbean duo of Sherfane Rutherford and Keemo Paul.They also bought Ishant Sharma and Hanuma Vihari, who are seen more as Test specialists.Parth Jindal, Delhi’s co-owner, said one big reason Ishant was bought (at INR 1.1 crore) was because of his familiarity with Ferozshah Kotla, the home venue. Ishant remained unsold last auction till Kings XI got him as a replacement player. But he did not play a single match. Despite his experience, which has helped him lead the Indian Test bowling attack admirably, Ishant struggled to adapt to the demands of the IPL. He is not express, and, importantly does not have the variations to bowl at death.As for Vihari, who made his Test debut in England this year, his strike-rate in T20s is a mere 111.12. He is a good batsman, as far as technique goes, but is not an aggressive one. Still officials at the Delhi table exchanged high fives after getting him for INR 2 crore. What does Vihari offer and where will he fit in Delhi’s famed top order comprising Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant?
Vishal DikshitIshant Sharma eats a banana between overs•Associated PressWhy did no one pick Dale Steyn?
Some of the most expensive buys at the IPL auction were fast bowlers. Even before the auction franchise officials had indicated that fast bowlers, especially good ones, would command attention and money. Yet, one of the fastest bowlers, a modern-day great, went unsold?Extreme pace, lethal swing and solid bowling IQ have made Dale Steyn a household name. But the South African failed to earn a single bid despite his name coming up three times. Why? Is it because Steyn has been hampered by various injuries over the past few years? Is it because the South African players are only available till April 25 and investing in Steyn for just one season is not worth it?
Jayaditya GuptaDale Steyn is pumped after delivering Australia another blow•Getty ImagesWhy was Manoj Tiwary ignored?
India and Bengal batsman Manoj Tiwary not fetching even a single bid (base price of INR 50 lakhs) was baffling. Playing for now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant in the 2017 IPL, he had scored 324 runs in 13 innings at an average of 32.40 and a strike rate of 137.28.That performance should have fetched him a bigger role in the 2018 edition, but he was not picked in the XI for the first six games by his new franchise Kings XI Punjab, and didn’t get to play more than two games at a stretch.He got to bat four times in the five games he played, twice coming in at No. 6 and once at No. 7. In the only other innings, he scored a 30-ball 35 from No. 4 to end the tournament with 47 runs at a strike rate of 106.81.However, he bounced back from that, scoring 438 runs at 43.80 with a strike rate of 79.63 in the domestic 50-overs cricket. Yet, Tiwary remained unsold despite his name coming up three times.
Hemant Brar

Wondering wat went wrong on my part after getting Man of a match award wen I scored a hundred 4 my country and got dropped for the next 14 games on a trot ?? Looking at d awards which I received during 2017 IPL season, wondering wat went wrong ??? pic.twitter.com/GNInUe0K3l

— MANOJ TIWARY (@tiwarymanoj) December 18, 2018

Where are the young Indian fast bowlers?
It’s been 12 years of auctions. Have franchises still not figured out how to measure T20 metrics right? What possible reason could they have for splurging on Mohit Sharma (INR 5 crore), Varun Aaron (INR 2.4 crore), Barinder Sran (INR 3.4 crore), Ishant and not going for a young fast bowler instead? This was the perfect auction to do it for several teams, especially those who had most of the squad largely in place.One reason could be that the scouts look outside – at the Big Bash, the CPL, the PSL and the Mzansi league – for fast bowling talent. No Indians there. Looking at performances in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy had some value, but even that is no longer the case since the auctions are held before the domestic T20 tournament. The regional Indian leagues — TNPL and KPL, for example — are not of the same standard so one can’t really form concrete opinions based on performances there.
Saurabh Somani

يواصل النرويجي إيرلينج هالاند، تألقه، وافتتح التسجيل لفريقه مانشستر سيتي في مباراة اليوم أمام آرسنال ببطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

ويحل مانشستر سيتي ضيفًا على آرسنال بملعب “الإمارات” في الجولة الخامسة لبطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج”.

وبعد مرور 10 دقائق من أحداث المباراة، تقدم إيرلينج هالاند بهدف أول لصالح فريقه مانشستر سيتي في شباك آرسنال.

ورفع هالاند رصيده في صدارة ترتيب هدافي الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز لموسم 2025-2026 إلى 6 أهداف. ترتيب هدافي الدوري الإنجليزي

1. إيرلينج هالاند، مانشستر سيتي، 6 أهداف.

2. أنطوان سيمينو، بورنموث، 3 أهداف.

3. أنتوني، بيرنلي، 3 أهداف.

4. هوجو إيكتيكي، ليفربول، 3 أهداف.

5. ريتشارليسون، توتنهام، 3 أهداف.

6. فيكتور جيوكيريس، آرسنال، 3 أهداف.

7. ويلسون إيزيدور، سندرلاند، 3 أهداف.

8. محمد صلاح، هدفان.

9. جواو بيدرو، تشيلسي، هدفان.

10. إنزو فرنانديز، تشيلسي، هدفان.

ويمكن متابعة ترتيب هدافي الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، موسم 2025/26، محدث بشكل مستمر من هنا.

It is set to be a busy summer for Manchester City.

On the pitch, the Sky Blues are competing at the FIFA Club World Cup, kicking off their campaign on 18 June in Philadelphia against Wydad Casablanca, before also meeting Al Ain and Juventus.

Meantime, the Citizens are also likely to be busy in the transfer market, as they were in January, spending a reported £180m to recruit Abdukodir Khusanov, Omar Marmoush, Nico González, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah.

There is a clear strategy to make this squad younger, so are the Sky Blues now leading the chase for another highly-rated youngster?

Manchester City preparing a bid for a new full-back

According to reports from Spain, Manchester City are ‘preparing’ a bid to sign Benfica left-back Álvaro Carreras.

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

They claim the 21-year-old ‘has caught the attention of Pep Guardiola’, making him a ‘priority option’ as Man City seek to bolster their left-back options.

Carreras actually spent time in Manchester United’s academy, making 42 appearances during a season-long loan spell at Preston North End in the EFL Championship, but he has really taken his game to a new level since joining Benfica for a reported fee of €6m (£5m) in the summer 2024 – after an initial loan move – featuring 61 times for As Águias so far.

Now, could the one-time Real Madrid starlet – who reportedly has a release clause of €50m (£41m) – be making the move to the other side of Manchester, but how well would he fit in at Man City?

How Álvaro Carreras would improve Manchester City

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout describes Carreras as an “excellent left-back”, while Portuguese Football Expert Kevin Fernandes believes he is “one of the best” players in his position on the market this summer, describing him as “defensively solid” having enjoyed a “meteoric” rise since making the move to Lisbon.

The former United man has also been lauded by Kulig for his “amazing engine and quality” at left-back, potentially proving a solution to what has been a problem position for Manchester City all throughout this season.

Right now, Nico O’Reilly, a 20-year-old, inexperienced attacking midfielder, is being deployed there by Guardiola, following a game-changing second-half appearance off the bench during last month’s FA Cup victory at Bournemouth, in which he scored and registered an assist.

At other times, Joško Gvardiol had appeared to be the undisputed first-choice for this role, while Rico Lewis, a versatile full-back, isn’t starting very much on either side, with Matheus Nunes the most common starting right-back in recent months.

So, considering Carreras would probably be usurping Lewis in the full-back pecking order, let’s asses how the two youngsters compare.

Appearances

66

71

Minutes

4,557

4,822

Pass completion %

79.6%

92.1%

Progressive passes

71

226

Progressive carries

34

92

Take on success %

60.5%

46.3%

Shot-creating actions

46

97

Goal-creating actions

4

12

Crosses

135

14

Tackles won

61

49

Interceptions

77

31

Ball recoveries

99

196

% of aerial duels won

54.4%

23.3%

Errors leading to an opposition shot

1

3

The table makes for interesting reading because, based on statistics from the start of last season, Lewis significantly comes out on top when it comes to both possession and chances created metric.

Meantime, Carreras is a vastly superior out-of-possession defender, emphasised by his tackles won, ball recoveries and percentage of aerials duels won, albeit the latter is slightly harsh on Lewis, considering he’s 5 foot 7 in. Even so, the addition of such competition could be bad news for the young England star.

This season, as Manchester City have struggled significantly more, they’ve been tasked with doing a lot more defending, a challenge some of their defenders have not been able to cope with, so Carreras would certainly address this issue and be an excellent addition.

Worth even more than Wirtz: Man City struck gold on "extraordinary" star

Man City have hit the jackpot with one of Pep Guardiola’s star men

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 18, 2025

Leeds United seemingly never do things the easy, well-planned out way, with another promotion collapse spectacularly playing out in front of their very eyes.

The Whites are now disastrously out of the automatic promotion spots in the Championship due to yet another late season drop in form, with Daniel Farke’s men only picking up one victory from their last six second-tier outings.

Not all hope will be lost that the West Yorkshire outfit can still get over the line and triumphantly go up automatically, however, with Sheffield United also showing chinks in their armour in second place, having succumbed to a surprise 1-0 loss to Oxford United recently.

Therefore, everything will remain crossed that Farke’s men do return back to the promised land of the Premier League, and if they were to get there, a small clear-out would likely need to take place at Elland Road to prepare for the unforgiving step-up in quality.

Illan Meslier could be out of the side for good in the daunting top-flight, with a whole host of other players – who have a combined wage cost of £150k-per-week including Meslier – needing to be ditched if Leeds want to solidify themselves as a Premier League capable outfit.

1 Illan Meslier

The easiest place to start when it comes to those who could be ditched in the near future is the scapegoated Meslier, with the French goalkeeper already finding himself out of Farke’s starting lineups.

Indeed, the ex-Lorient ‘keeper was dropped for Leeds’ most recent league clash away at Luton Town and for many a valid reason, considering the 6 foot 5 shot-stopper has tallied up three errors this campaign that have resulted in opposition goals.

He has picked up an impressive 72 clean sheets for Leeds away from this growing back catalogue of errors, but Meslier’s future at the promotion chasers looks to be on extremely thin ice, especially with fresh reports that new ‘keepers are being targeted ahead of the Whites’ potential return to the top division.

2 Patrick Bamford

Alongside the £30k-per-week stopper, Patrick Bamford might well find he’s ditched permanently ahead of Leeds voyaging back up to the Premier League.

The £70k-per-week centre-forward wouldn’t be able to grumble for too long if he was let go of for good, considering the veteran attacker has made himself available for just one appearance this year so far for Farke’s men.

Games played

12

Games started

0

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Wage per week

£70k-per-week

Wage costs over a season

£3.6m

The numbers above do make for some worrying reading – with the highest earner in the Whites camp goalless throughout 2024/25 to date – meaning the plug must be pulled soon.

3 Maximilian Wober

Much like Bamford, Maximilian Wober will surely want his up-and-down spell at Elland Road to end very soon.

The £35k-per-week centre-back has been sparingly utilised this campaign, much like the goal-shy centre-forward, having made just seven league appearances, with the likes of Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk way ahead of the Austrian as defensive stalwarts.

Wober’s miserable Premier League past with the Whites also works against him wanting to prolong his stay in West Yorkshire, with the 27-year-old already notching up a relegation on his Leeds CV when he collected a pitiful two clean sheets during the 2022-23 season.

4 Ilia Gruev

Lastly, Ilia Gruev could be swapped out for some new midfield talent if promotion is reached.

After all, the Whites already boast the likes of Ao Tanaka and Ethan Ampadu in the holding midfield positions away from the conversative number 44, alongside the fact Kalvin Phillips might well be up for a dramatic Elland Road reunion if his ex-employers jump up a league.

Much like Meslier before him, Farke has also been dropping Gruev here and there in recent games, with the German perhaps wanting better reinforcements over the Bulgarian down the line.

Leeds want "brilliant" £60k-p/w star who has same agent as Rodon and Bogle

Leeds are eyeing statement signings should they claim promotion.

BySean Markus Clifford Apr 6, 2025

The third umpire ruled that there was a clear gap between bat and ball, even though Ultra-edge showed a clear spike

Mohammad Isam and Andrew Fidel Fernando06-Mar-2024

Sri Lanka players discuss with the umpire after Soumya Sarkar’s controversial not-out decision•Getty Images

Sri Lanka were indignant in the second T20I following the controversial overturning of an on-field decision, by third umpire Masudur Rahman.Early in the fourth over of Bangladesh’s chase, opener Soumya Sarkar had been given out by on-field umpire Sharfuddoula, who ruled that he had edged behind a short delivery from left-arm seamer Binura Fernando. Soumya reviewed that decision immediately, but had begun to walk off the field when the big screen showed a clear spike at around the same time the ball appeared to pass bat.Umpire Rahman, however, believed the spike to have come from a noise other than bat on ball. He said on air that there was a “clear gap” between bat and ball at the moment the spike showed up on Ultra-edge. There was a slight misalignment – the ball was one frame past the bat when the spike showed up. But in such circumstances, it is common that the batter is given out, and the misalignment put down to differences in the calibration of the technology.It was also not clear from where else a noise that had produced a pronounced spike could have arisen.When umpire Rahman conveyed to the on-field umpire that the decision would be overturned, Sri Lanka were bemused. They swarmed around Sharfuddoula questioning the decision. Their coach Chris Silverwood also walked across the sightscreen to talk to the fourth official Tanvir Ahmed.”The on-field umpire has given it out,” Sri Lanka assistant coach Naveed Nawaz later said at his post-match press conference. “I am sure the TV umpire usually needs to have conclusive evidence to overturn the umpire’s decision. It was clear that there was a spike. We saw it on the big screen. We might have to take it with the match referee to see what actually happened there. The footage on our screens was not enough to say anything. I am sure the TV umpire would have had evidence to overturn what the on-field umpire had given.”It would have been the first wicket. It would have given us a headstart by taking the wicket. On a track like this, any wicket is crucial.”Soumya was on 14 at the time. He would eventually fall for 26, in the seventh over.

Experienced allrounder Lata Mondal has been left out

Mohammad Isam30-Oct-2023Young batter Sumaiya Akter and uncapped offspinner Nishita Akter have been named in Bangladesh’s women’s ODI squad for the three-match series against Pakistan, starting next week. Nishita is just 15 years old while Sumiaya, who has featured in one T20I, is 18 and is yet to make an ODI debut.From the last ODI series against India at home, which they drew 1-1, only the experienced allrounder Lata Mondal has been left out, with Bangladesh naming Salma Khatun, Shorifa Khatun and Sharmin Akter as standbys.The ODI series is part of the ICC Women’s Championship cycle 2022-25, where Bangladesh occupy the ninth position on the table with just one win from nine matches. Pakistan, meanwhile, are fourth with six wins from 12 matches, and suffered back-to-back series defeats against South Africa (home) and Australia (away) before this series. India are currently the table-toppers with seven wins from nine games.Bangladesh are coming off a 2-1 series victory against Pakistan from earlier this week in Chattogram. Left-arm spinner Nahida Akter was adjudged the player of the series for her eight wickets.The three ODIs against Pakistan will be held on November 4, 7 and 10 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.Bangladesh ODI squad: Nigar Sultana Joty (capt & wk), Fargana Hoque, Sobhana Mostary, Murshida Khatun, Shamima Sultana, Disha Biswas, Rabeya Khan, Ritu Moni, Sultana Khatun, Shorna Akter, Nahida Akter, Fahima Khatun, Marufa Akter, Sanjida Akther Meghla, Sumaiya Akter, Nishita Akter.Standbys: Salma Khatun, Shorifa Khatun and Sharmin Akter.

With two needed off the final ball, Muzarabani managed to get an inside edge that beat the wicketkeeper for a one-wicket win

Abhimanyu Bose07-Dec-2023Brilliant catches, dramatic shifts in momentum and a lucky inside edge – Zimbabwe’s last-ball win against Ireland had it all in a game that had you on the edge of the seat for the last few overs.Sikandar Raza put on a clinic with both bat and ball to lead Zimbabwe to victory in the first ever international match under lights at the Harare Sports Club and a 1-0 series lead against Ireland.The pace trio of Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani and debutant Trevor Gwandu would be hailed as equally important heroes in their dressing room, but not for what they did with the ball.Raza picked up three wickets to restrict Ireland to 147 before navigating the chase with a composed 42-ball 65 with wickets falling at the other end and some heated exchanges from Ireland fielders. He himself fell in the 19th over – thanks to a diving catch from Paul Stirling at cover – with Zimbabwe needing 11 off 9 and all the established batters back in the dugout.The equation went down to nine off the final over, and when Ngarava and Gwandu managed only three runs off the first three balls, Ireland seemed to have edged ahead. But Ngarava found a boundary with a leg-side swipe to make it two needed off two.Sounds simple? Well, not simple enough.The momentum shifted again when Mark Adair ran back from short third to hold on to a blinder, landing on his neck after a full sumersault in the process and walked off. That left Muzarabani on strike, with two runs needed off the last ball. But to Ireland’s dismay, the No. 11 got an inside edge that beat Lorcan Tucker to give Zimbabwe the two runs they needed to seal a dramatic win.

Raza steers the chase

Ireland dominated the powerplay with both bat and ball, but Raza was key in bringing Zimbabwe back in the game in both innings.
Defending 147, Ireland started tightly with the ball and Tadiwanashe Marumani was out early, chipping Barry McCarthy to mid-on. Josh Little then had Sean Williams chopping on in next over to put Zimbabwe further under the pump.Raza helped inject some momentum into Zimbabwe’s innings with back-to-back boundaries to end the powerplay. When spin came on, Wessly Madhevere reverse-swept George Dockrell for four but was out after one ball, exposing his stumps and missing his scoop.Raza and Ryan Burl kept Zimbabwe ticking, and the momentum seemed to shift in the 12th over when Raza deposited Gareth Delany over midwicket and Burl powered a drive past long-on in a 13-run over.Josh Little kept Ireland in the game with an economical spell•Sportsfile via Getty Images

But Craig Young threw a spanner in the works with two wickets in two overs. He bounced Burl out, with the batter top-edging a pull shot for Tucker to grab. Young struck again when debutant Brian Bennett ended up hitting aerially towards mid-off and Harry Tector completed a stunning take running to his left and leaping to pluck the ball out one-handed.Raza seized control back, getting to his 12th T20I fifty before stepping it up. After top-edging Adair for four, he hit a six over fine leg off McCarthy to start off a productive 17th over. Clive Madande pulled McCarthy for a six and four to make it a 20-run over to put bring the asking rate down to run-a-ball.At that point, Zimbabwe looked set to see Ireland off without much trouble, but Little castled Madande before Adair dismissed Luke Jongwe and Raza in an excellent penultimate over.

Balbirnie gets Ireland off to a flyer

Andy Balbirnie got Ireland off to a rollicking start, hitting Ngarava for three fours – including two gorgeous cover drives – in the first over.
He then took Muzarabani on, slapping him over point for a four and a six. Stirling then welcomed Gwandu to international cricket by hitting him for three back-to-back fours as Ireland raced to 38 for no loss in three overs.Muzarabani then slowed Ireland’s innings down with some off-pace deliveries. Ngarava reaped the benefit of the pressure created by the quiet over as he returned to trap Stirling in front with a low full toss.

Spin squeeze from Raza and co.

Raza brought himself on immediately after the powerplay and made instant impact by knocking Balbirnie over with a ball that spun in to beat his sweep shot and take his leg stump.Ireland struggled to keep the tempo up against spin as Williams got in the act. He beat the batters with two beauties in his first over – the tenth of the innings – and got in the wickets column in his next as he had Tucker caught at backward point. Raza then picked up his second wicket of the night by bowling Curtis Campher.Only 53 runs came off the eight consecutive overs of spin after the powerplay, and the pressure told as Muzarabani castled Dockrell with a clever offcutter to leave Ireland on 108 for 5 with five overs to go.Raza had his third when he trapped Tector in front with a sidearm delivery that pitched on leg stump, and looked to be sliding down, before straightening to pin him on the front pad. Adair was the next to go, trying to go for a big shot downtown off Ngarava only to pick out long-on.Muzarabani’s slower variations brought him another wicket off the next over with McCarthy offering a simple catch to point. Delany helped Ireland go past 140 with a 20-run final-over, which saw him hit two sixes down the ground – including one that hit the roof.