The 18-year old legspinner picked up five wickets in only two overs to ensure Afghanistan beat Ireland by 17 runs in a rain-shortened match and furthered their record-breaking winning streak

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Mar-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsFile photo: Ireland’s middle order could not handle Rashid Khan’s clever changes of pace•Peter Della Penna

Twelve little balls of legspin. How much damage could it really do? Well, it could change the fate of a T20I, vault the practitioner to the greatest of heights and protect a proud winning streak that seemed all but dead. Before Rashid Khan, no one had ever taken a five-wicket haul in as little time as two overs in Twenty20 international cricket. The record, though, was merely a byproduct of his ability to vary pace, prey on the pressure the Ireland batsmen felt and then toss up the hit-me ball, which invariably turned out to be a googly that bamboozled everyone. The slogs came, the stumps were broken, the rest became history.Afghanistan came into the match with nine straight wins in the shortest format. It was already a world record, but their hopes of pushing it to 10 took a major hit when heavy rain lashed across the Greater Noida Sports Complex. With only the pitch and the bowler’s run-ups under covers, the majority of the outfield took on a lot of water and it was testament to the ground staff that the match even restarted. Ireland had been 65 for 2 in 6.1 overs when the weather intervened, which put them 12 runs ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis par score considering the target was 185. Then the rain stopped.And Rashid went to work. He hoodwinked Kevin O’Brien and Gary Wilson with wrong ‘uns in his first over. His next one was a triple-wicket maiden and it simply trampled upon all the hope Ireland had of levelling the three-match series. Their target was revised to 111 in 11 overs – or 46 runs to win off the remaining 29 balls. It was a tough ask but perhaps some of the senior batsmen should have taken a little time to get themselves set again. Instead, they chose to hit out as wildly as the tailenders who would follow and 65 for 2 became 93 for 9 in what could well have been the blink of an eye.All of that made for excellent viewing for opener Najeeb Tarakai. He had hammered 90 off 58 balls to become the only man not named Mohammad Shahzad among in the list of top six scores by an Afghanistan batsman in T20Is. Spending two hours on the sidelines watching the showers lash across the ground wouldn’t have been pleasant for him after driving his team from the doldrums of 12 for 2 in the third over to 175 for 6 by the time he was dismissed in the 20th. It was his first half-century in the format, including seven fours and five sixes, and most importantly, it turned out to be match-winning effort.

Manchester United are in pursuit of Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount and their advances are 'slowly creeping along' with the possibility of a deal being completed before an official takeover of the club is finalized not being out of the question, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Mason Mount?

According to Sky Sports, Manchester United are set to approach Chelsea with a formal bid for Mount before too long; however, a gap in valuation between the two clubs is still in play.

The report states that discussions are continuing over the England international between Manchester United and Chelsea, with the Red Devils keen to avoid paying over the odds to land Mount.

90min understand that Chelsea are holding out for around £70 million before they will consider parting ways with the 24-year-old, who is set to enter the final 12 months of his £80k-a-week contract at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea are still willing to try and convince Mount to sign an extension and Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino is believed to be keen to work with the Portsmouth-born playmaker next term.

As per The Mirror, the ownership of Manchester United could be about to change hands in the coming weeks, as both Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani's Nine Two Foundation and Sir Jim Ratcliffe's petrochemicals firm INEOS are vying to assume control at Old Trafford.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones hasn't ruled out the possibility of Mount joining Manchester United before a takeover of the Red Devils is officially completed.

Jones told FFC: "I don't think this one is especially dependent on a takeover. I'm not sure they could do a Harry Kane style deal before a takeover is confirmed, but Mount's been moving forward slowly, creeping along over the past week."

What would Mason Mount bring to Manchester United?

Mount would bring quality, a high work ethic and further composure to Manchester United's midfield and would be a smart acquisition by Erik Ten Hag despite his inconsistent campaign at Chelsea that has just gone.

All in, the 24-year-old made 35 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions across 2022/23 and managed to register three goals and six assists, as per Transfermarkt.

FBRef also take into account that Mount has excelled in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions regarding progressive passes, having made around 5.95 per 90 minutes on the field across the past 365 days, putting him in the top 10% of midfielders in big leagues on the continent for this metric.

As per WhoScored, Mount also carried a keen goal threat during the season, amassing 1.4 shots on goal per fixture in the Premier League.

Manchester United are a side that are slowly embracing an upward trajectory and bringing Mount to Old Trafford would help them to move closer to becoming title challengers in the English top flight.

ScorecardWilliam Porterfield was bowled soon after completing his seventh ODI hundred•Chris Whiteoak

William Porterfield struck his seventh ODI ton to lift Ireland to 270, a total they defended by 85 runs with the help of George Dockrell and Andy McBrine’s spin.Ireland, after being asked to bat, lost two early wickets. Fast bowler Mohammad Naveed had Paul Stirling caught behind for 4, and in his next over, removed Andy Balbirnie. Porterfield then led Ireland’s rebuild with partnerships of 59,124 and 56 with Niall O’Brien, Kevin O’Brien and Gary Wilson respectively. Kevin O’Brien struck a 53-ball 69 that included seven fours and one six.Fast bowler Zahoor Khan took three wickets in three balls, with a wide in between his second and third victims, to stall Ireland’s momentum towards the end. Ireland lost their last six wickets for 17 runs in 24 balls, Zahoor took all of them to finish with 6 for 34, the best figures by a UAE bowler.Rohan Mustafa hammered a 29-ball 43 to lead UAE’s reply, but their chase withered away as they lost regular wickets. Off spinner McBrine and left-arm spinner Dockrell took wickets between them to reduce UAE to 112 for 7. Ahmed Raza struck a 69-ball 45 at No. 8. UAE were bowled out for 185 in the 42nd over.

The New Zealand left-arm pacer will be one of the premier fast bowlers on display at the IPL this season after Kolkata Knight Riders bought him for INR 5 crore

Andrew McGlashan21-Feb-2017Trent Boult became the second-most expensive New Zealand player in IPL history when he fetched INR 5 crore (US$750,000) from Kolkata Knight Riders, but he won’t be splashing the cash. “A new pair of jeans, maybe,” was his modest idea for a purchase.Boult’s value sits behind only Brendon McCullum’s, who went for INR 7.5 crore (US$1.12 mn) in 2015, and confirms his rise into one of the finest white-ball pace bowlers in the world. Last year he was benched for the majority of the tournament – playing only once for Sunrisers Hyderabad – but in the absence of Mitchell Starc, he will be the premier left-arm quick at this year’s event.He is certainly an in-form bowler. In the one-off T20 against South Africa, at Eden Park, he claimed 2 for 8 off four overs – in a total of 185 – which followed 6 for 33 in the deciding Chappell-Hadlee ODI. Seeing his price rise, in a bidding war between Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians, was a “surreal” experience and he struggled to get his mind around how some players were valued so highly.”We were in a car with a couple of the lads following the Twitter feed,” Boult said. “To see the name come through with a figure like that next to it was pretty unbelievable. It’s bizarre how that much money can be put on the head of a player to play six or seven weeks.”Building up to [2015] World Cup I wouldn’t have put myself in the bracket of top five or six white-ball bowlers in the country. But my game has grown, I’m a lot more confident with the white ball and now things like this are knocking at the door.”Having been bought for such a significant sum, and given the balance of the Knight Riders squad, Boult can look forward to a lot more on-field time at this year’s tournament.”It’s a very hard one to read,” he said. “Different teams need different things. It was frustrating to only play one game last year but that’s the way the tournament is played – four overseas players [in the XI] so people have to miss out. I’m definitely looking forward to putting my foot forward for KKR.”The 27-year old will be one of ten New Zealand cricketers to feature in the upcoming edition of the IPL•BCCIOverall it was an auction of limited success for New Zealand players with only Corey Anderson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson – the raw quick bowler – being bought, although nine current New Zealand players, plus Brendon McCullum, will feature. Despite his impressive T20 record, Guptill had to wait for the second round of bidding while Ferguson was even later, picked up in the dying moments of the auction when brought back into the pool for a second time.NZC have taken a pragmatic approach to the impact of the IPL on its international players, realising it risked alienating them if harsh restrictions were put in place over how long they could go for, given the limited earning potential from their New Zealand careers.It has created controversy in the past, with a core of senior figures arriving on the eve of a Test match against England at Lord’s in 2015. This time, players involved in the latter stages of the tournament will be allowed to miss the triangular one-day series in Ireland from May 12-24 which was viewed as a warm-up for the Champions Trophy.The 15-man squads for the Champions Trophy have to be named 30 days before the tournament begins – which would mean May 1 – but it is likely to be a shadow New Zealand team which competes in Ireland, although some players could become available for the latter matches if their franchises are knocked out.David White, the NZC CEO, said that while in an ideal world a full-strength squad would stay together, they had to continue to adapt to the impact of the IPL.”I think our strategic approach to this one has been bang on: encourage our Black Caps to continue playing for New Zealand by allowing them to share in the opportunities now available in the professional market,” White told the . “Don’t force them to choose between cash and country and risk a backlash.”At least on this occasion, they’ll be moving from one short-form, white-ball tournament to another. I think a compromise in which our players can feel they’re getting the best of both worlds is the prudent option.”The money is clearly game-changing for New Zealand players, but Boult said there was more to the IPL experience than counting the digits in his paycheck.”I’m not going for the money. The experience of playing there in front of thousands of people is the most exciting part. I’m looking forward to rubbing shoulders with a few more international players and growing my game.”But, still, a few team-mates made sure he bought the coffee on Monday morning. “Tim Southee pretty quickly reminded me it would be my shout.”

Glasgow Rangers are keen to sign defender Auston Trusty as Michael Beale looks to continue his recruitment drive at the Ibrox side.

What’s the latest on Auston Trusty to Rangers?

According to The Athletic, Rangers are still interested in signing Arsenal centre-back Trusty this summer, having first been linked with him at the start of May.

A fee of around £2m was suggested last month as being enough to tempt him away from the Premier League, and this is a figure that Beale could certainly afford, especially with the Gers looking to move on some deadwood over the coming weeks.

Beale is looking at making his fifth signing of the summer, with Dujon Sterling, Kieran Dowell, Jack Butland and Sam Lammers all arriving in Glasgow since the end of 2022/23.

Could Auston Trusty replace Ben Davies at Rangers?

With the need for a total rejigging of the playing squad this summer, Beale will have to offload some players in order to raise funds for future purchases, and Ben Davies – who was only signed in 2022 – could be someone that might generate a solid transfer fee.

Stoke City are keeping tabs on the centre-back, and although he played more during the second half of the season, as per Sofascore, he only ranked 14th in the squad for overall rating (6.94/10), 16th for tackles per game (0.9) and seventh for interceptions per game (0.8), suggesting that he hasn’t exactly shone across these defensive metrics in relation to his teammates.

Kenny Miller even dubbed him as “very poor” following a mistake during an Old Firm clash back in April, when he failed to clear a simple ball over the top and Trusty may be the man to come in and replace him.

Meanwhile, Trusty enjoyed a solid season out on loan at Birmingham City in 2022/23, ranking third in the squad for rating (6.97/10), second for tackles per game (2.3) and first for interceptions per game (1.5), underlining his importance to the team while also averaging better numbers than Davies across these metrics.

The £13.8k-per-week brute is only 24 years old and has arguably yet to his peak years, which suggests that Beale could get the best out of the American should he make a move to Glasgow in the coming weeks. Having won the fans’ Player of the Year Award for his performances at St Andrew's, it indicates that he is able to settle in well at a club and takes no time in showcasing his ability, which could be a big bonus for the 42-year-old, as a fast start is a must next term.

Trusty was dubbed “incredible” by teammate George Friend back in October while also saying that he took to the Championship “so easily” – which surely bodes well ahead of a potential move to the Premiership.

Making a move for the American could be a shrewd investment by Beale and it looks set to be bad news for Davies if his signing is announced.

Cody Gakpo was injured during Liverpool's 2-1 defeat to Tottenham, scoring the Reds' only goal but then being substituted at half-time.

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Gakpo set for spell on sidelinesDutchman scored Liverpool's goalLeft north London with leg in a braceWHAT HAPPENED?

Gakpo scored Liverpool's only goal in their controversial defeat to Spurs, spinning and finishing brilliantly. However, he appeared to injure his knee in a challenge with Destiny Udogie beforehand and seemed to aggravate the injury with his finish.

He was seen leaving Spurs' stadium with his leg in a brace, and journalist Rik Elfrink, of Eindhovens Dagblad and AD Sportwereld, now reports that the Dutch forward faces 'a few weeks' out if his recovery goes well.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Gakpo has scored twice in the league this season and his absence will rub salt into the wounds of a Liverpool side already smarting from their controversial defeat. During the fiercely contested game in north London, Luis Diaz saw a goal wrongly disallowed for offside, both Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota were sent off, and Joel Matip conceded a 96th-minute own goal to give Tottenham all three points.

Such is their disappointment at Diaz's disallowed goal, Liverpool have hit out at the PGMOL's explanation that a 'significant human error' took place in the VAR booth.

DID YOU KNOW?

Gakpo has made six appearances up front this season but has also deputised in midfield, playing in the centre of the pitch twice under Jurgen Klopp this term. His ability to play in both roles has made him a key figure, but any injury ruling him out will be a major blow to the Reds coach.

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Liverpool face Union SG in the Europa League on Thursday and then face Brighton in their return to Premier League action next weekend, but may have to make do without Gakpo in both fixtures.

Manchester United have made a new £50m offer for Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount, however, it has once again been rejected, Sky Sports report.

What’s the latest transfer news involving Mason Mount?

The Red Devils and Erik ten Hag appear to be extremely keen on bringing Mount to Old Trafford this summer, with the England international having just 12 months remaining on his Chelsea contract.

Personal terms between Manchester United and Mount were agreed at the beginning of the month, but it has been a struggle when it comes to agreeing on a transfer fee with their Premier League rivals.

An opening £40m offer was made and quickly turned down by Chelsea, who reportedly want around £70m for Mount’s services. There has now been a further transfer update shared by Sky Sports.

Within the last 24 hours, Sky Sports have shared on Twitter Manchester United’s latest offer to Chelsea for Mount. It is worth a total of £50m, but once again, it has been turned down with talks set to continue.

“Chelsea have rejected a second bid from Manchester United for their midfielder Mason Mount.

“The deal is understood to be worth £50m. £45m guaranteed plus £5m in performance related add-ons. United clearly want the player but they do have a valuation in mind which they are unlikely to go beyond. Negotiations are expected continue.”

Will Manchester United sign Mason Mount?

It looks as if those at Old Trafford are extremely keen on Mount’s services, and with the player not interested in signing new Chelsea terms, you’d like to think an agreement could be reached over the coming months.

Dubbed a "mad player" by Red Devils legend Rio Ferdinand and a “superb player” by another reported target Kylian Mbappe, Mount would offer a versatile option in midfield as well as bringing plenty of Premier League experience.

Capable of turning out as an attacking or central midfielder and even out wide if required, the England international has made 129 appearances in the Premier League, contributing to 51 goals.

Therefore, he could play alongside the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro in a three-man midfield, providing the balance between the two United stars. As per FBref, Mount ranks in the 93rd percentile for progressive passes, 99th percentile for shots blocked and 94th percentile for tackles in the midfield third when it comes to other attacking midfielders, showing how he could offer plenty to Ten Hag’s side.

Dele Alli has not played for nine months but the former Tottenham star, who remains contracted to Everton, says his career is “not over until I win”.

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• Ex-England star nursing an injury at present
• Spent time on loan at Besiktas last season
• Under contract at Everton until next summer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 27-year-old midfielder has endured a tough time on and off the field of late, with there are being a lot for the ex-England international to contend with. He is nursing an injury at present, which is preventing him from competing for minutes at Goodison Park.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Toffees boss Sean Dyche has revealed that Dele has been offering advice to the club’s coaching staff during another enforced spell on the sidelines. He is, however, eager to get back onto the field as soon as possible and – while working on his fitness in Dubai – has posted a defiant “it’s not over until I win” message on social media.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Dele is only under contract at Everton through to the summer of 2024, meaning that he faces a race against time when it comes to forcing his way into Dyche’s plans. His last appearance for the Toffees came way back on August 13, 2022 in a Premier League meeting with Aston Villa.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Dele’s last outing of any kind was on February 23, 2023 during an ill-fated loan spell at Besiktas that saw him restricted to 13 appearances. His application was questioned during a stint in Turkey, before injury cut short another testing period in what was once the most promising of careers.

India have finished at the top of the ICC Test rankings for the second successive year after beating Australia 2-1 in the four-Test series

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Mar-2017India have finished at the top of the ICC Test rankings for the second successive year after beating Australia 2-1 in the four-Test series. As a result of being No. 1 by the cut-off date of April 1, India will be presented with a cash award of $1 million by the ICC.India had gone into the home series against Australia needing to win one Test to guarantee their No. 1 ranking. The series victory also meant that India currently hold Test titles against all other teams, a feat previously matched only by Australia (twice) and South Africa.
Virat Kohli received the Test mace and cheque at the post-match presentation ceremony in Dharamsala. “The longest format of the game really tests a team’s character and I’m proud that we have proved ourselves to be the best,” he said.The race to No. 2 is still on. It will be decided on the fifth day in Hamilton, where South Africa need to come away with at least a draw against New Zealand to hold on to the No. 2 ranking and claim the prize money of $500,000. If they lose, Australia will pip them to second place.The ICC also announced that India offspinner R Ashwin will be awarded the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for being the ICC Cricketer of the Year for 2016. Ashwin, who was also named ICC Test Cricketer of the Year for 2016, took 48 wickets and scored 336 runs in the eight Tests he played during the period under consideration – September 14, 2015 to September 20, 2016.

Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson produced a brutal display to help Delhi Daredevils mow down a target of 209 and knock Gujarat Lions out of the tournament

The Report by Varun Shetty04-May-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details5:15

Bangar: There was method to Pant and Samson’s madness

Only once had a team chased more than 209 to win an IPL match and yet Delhi Daredevils made such short work of the target that by the last five overs, the required rate was less than a run a ball. This incredible situation was the result of local boy Rishabh Pant (97 off 43) and Sanju Samson’s (61 off 31) blitzkriegs. At one stage, the two batsmen together struck four successive deliveries for sixes. In all, there were 31 hits over the boundary line – a record for this tournament – and 20 of them came off the bat of the Daredevils as they raced to their target with 15 balls to spare and forced the Gujarat Lions out of the playoffs.Earlier, impressive spells from Kagiso Rabada and Pat Cummins had turned the momentum after Suresh Raina and Dinesh Karthik struck rapid fifties, restricting Lions despite their having raced to 158 in their first 14 overs.Raina gets on Daredevils’ listThe Daredevils have a new tradition: they’d dropped at least one catch in each of their last two games. Today, they dropped three. Each of the reprieved batsman – Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa – had gone on to score 70 or more and Raina followed suit tonight. He was on 2 when Shreyas Iyer spilled a dolly at first slip off Rabada’s bowling. He was on 40 when Marlon Samuels couldn’t hold on to a flick aimed straight at him at midwicket. Eventually, the latest beneficiary of the Daredevils Goodwill List finished with 77 off 43 balls.Lesson learntAt the other end, Karthik had not given Daredevils the slightest chance. He struck at a quicker rate than Raina as the pair counterpunched in response to being 10 for 2 by the second over to put on the Lions’ highest partnership (133) in the IPL.It was around this time, though, that Daredevils began learning an important lesson: when the batsman gives you a chance, convert it. Rabada caught Raina short at the non-strikers with a direct hit from backward point. Next over, Karthik fell to one of the catches of the season – Corey Anderson leaping backwards with an outstretched left hand at mid-off, before executing the perfect tumble to hold on. For good measure, Pant pouched a skier to dismiss Aaron Finch in the penultimate over.A sixer here, a sixer thereAfter their successful chase in the last game, Nair revealed the plan had been to play like a young side – hit hard and have fun. And it was the youngest of them all who masterminded this chase. Pant’s first scoring shot was a six on the up over cover, a sign that dew was making its presence felt, and of a batsman enforcing home advantage.So when Raina decided that Pant’s Delhi team-mate Pradeep Sangwan would bowl the next over, he was asking for trouble. Pant welcomed Sangwan with 16 off the first three balls and the Daredevils had breached 50 inside the fifth over. James Faulkner conceding five runs to end the Powerplay would be the last instance of the Lions being in the game. The next six overs went for 90 runs; each over contained at least one six, the 11th went for three.When Samson – who hit seven sixes and no fours – was dismissed by Jadeja in the 14th over, Pant responded with a six and a four to bring the asking rate below run-a-ball. It was perhaps the perfect T20 innings. The only way it could have been better was if he had scored the three runs required to become IPL’s youngest centurion.When Pant was caught behind for 97, Raina, knowing he will not play an IPL playoff match for the first time in 10 years, still came up and hugged the young man. It seemed like the handing of a baton, the IPL’s pre-eminent batsman heralding a new hero.