David de Gea's future is hanging "in the balance" at Manchester United as Erik ten Hag is yet to make a decision on whether to hand the Spaniard a new contract, according to Dharmesh Sheth.

What's the latest on De Gea?

De Gea endured a somewhat turbulent season with the Red Devils last year.

The 32-year-old won the Premier League Golden Glove award, as well as being nominated for Save of the Season accolade, but made a number of high-profile gaffes throughout the campaign that led to question marks over the shot-stopper's future.

Much of the discourse surrounding De Gea has been due to his inability to play with his feet, certainly in comparison to other goalkeepers in the division, leaving Ten Hag questioning whether a more progressive, modern goalkeeper is needed for his squad.

Despite his contract expiring at the end of June, United left the Spaniard off their retained list at the end of the season, suggesting that contract discussions are taking place.

De Gea has already agreed a pay cut to his £375,000-a-week salary, but talks have seemingly not progressed, even prompting the goalkeeper to post a yawning emoji on his Twitter account.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Dharmesh Sheth admitted that De Gea's future is still very much uncertain at Old Trafford.

"I’ve spoken to him many times about David de Gea, and it looked like it was odds on he was going to stay at Manchester United. Erik ten Hag would make all the right noises in news conferences particularly after high-profile errors David de Gea would make. He would say ‘Look, he’s kept the most clean sheets in the Premier League."

Sheth added: "But the information we’re getting now is that David de Gea’s Manchester United future is in the balance, and that both parties, Manchester United and David de Gea, are considering all of their options."

If De Gea were to leave the club for free, United would need to dip into the market to find a new goalkeeper, leaving even fewer funds to be spread across the rest of the team.

De Gea has enjoyed a fruitful 12-year career at the Theatre of Dreams, appearing 545 times for the Red Devils and winning five major trophies with the club.

Who could United replace De Gea with?

Links with several goalkeepers have already surfaced as United prepare for a potential future without De Gea, the most prominent of which has been rumours of a deal for Inter's Andre Onana.

According to reports, Onana's agent has already met with Manchester United to discuss a move, with Ten Hag being told his side need to cough up over £40m for the recent Champions League finalist.

There have also been strong links with Everton and England stopper Jordan Pickford, as well as Porto's young goalkeeper Diogo Costa.

However, it appears that Onana is the priority should De Gea be pushed out of Old Trafford this summer.

ScorecardHaseeb Hameed made an unbeaten half-century but Lancashire’s total was comfortably chased down•Getty Images

A century from Samit Patel helped propel Nottinghamshire into the knockout positions in the north group of the Royal London Cup.Patel scored an unbeaten 103, getting his runs from 104 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes, as Notts defeated Lancashire by seven wickets at Trent Bridge.The 32-year old was joined in an unbroken fourth- wicket stand of 183 by Steven Mullaney which spanned 28.3 overs.Mullaney finished on 77 not out, with four fours and four sixes as Notts chased down a victory target of 261 to win with 24 balls to spare.Earlier, Lancashire scored 260 for 6 after winning the toss and opting to bat first. They lost their way somewhat after a fine opening stand of 98 and were indebted to Haseeb Hameed’s unbeaten 75 to hold the innings together. Mullaney, with 2 for 31, was the pick of the home attack, although Australian international James Pattinson’s 2 for 38 altered the course of the contest with his initial, fiery burst.Notts had lost their three previous one-day matches at Trent Bridge but overcame the early loss of Alex Hales to successfully chase down a sub-par target.Hales followed up Thursday evening’s century against Durham with a quick exit as he tamely helped James Anderson into the hands of Stephen Parry at mid-on.Danny Lamb, a 21-year old medium pacer on debut, experienced a harsh introduction to first-team action as Michael Lumb despatched his second delivery into the stands.The young seamer from Preston bounced back in style, bowling Riki Wessels for 25 before having Lumb, who made 47, caught at mid-on.Mullany and Patel both gave difficult caught and bowled opportunities as they looked to rebuild the innings, with Parry spilling Mullaney on 11 and then the ball just wouldn’t stick in Anderson’s out-stretched right hand as Patel drilled the ball back towards him.Patel reached his 50 from 60 balls and his partner got there from one fewer, reaching the landmark with an enormous six off Stephen Croft.As the finishing line came into sight both batsmen began to find the ropes with increased regularity and Mullaney’s fourth six, off Parry, settled the contest.At the start of the day Lancashire’s openers made the most of friendly batting conditions to put on 98 in 17 overs before both fell in quick succession.Karl Brown had just brought up his third 50 of this season’s competition, getting there from 54 balls, when he pushed hard at Stuart Broad and picked out the safe hands of Patel at extra cover.Alex Davies made 45 before being knocked off his feet by an explosive yorker from Pattinson which thudded into his boot and gained a positive leg before verdict from umpire Baldwin.Pattinson’s pace also accounted for Liam Livingstone, who had a brief and frenetic stay at the crease before nicking behind. The catch was Chris Read’s 258th one-day catch for Notts, a county record, taking him past Bruce French’s tally.Mullaney, playing against his first county, bowled a miserly spell from the Radcliffe Road End that tempted Dane Vilas to hit straight to mid-off and then he knocked back Steven Croft’s middle stump.Ryan McLaren made 42, during which he struck Patel away for the only six of the Lancashire innings but was bowled to become Harry Gurney’s 100th one-day victim.Hameed improvised to good effect towards the back end of the innings, hitting five fours in his 79-ball undefeated knock.Lancashire’s acceleration possibly came a few overs too late and in the end they were well short as Notts clinched victory with four overs to spare.Notts travel to Northants on Tuesday, knowing that victory will guarantee their spot in the qualifying phase.Lancashire finish their programme away at Durham on the same evening and must win and hope other results go their way.

Surrey earned a spot in the Royal London Cup playoffs after both their match in Bristol and Sussex’s game against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl were washed out

ESPNcricinfo staff and ECB Reporters Network17-May-2017Surrey earned a spot in the Royal London Cup playoffs after both their match in Bristol and Sussex’s game against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl were washed out.The point meant Surrey clinched third spot in the south group ahead of Sussex and Glamorgan and they will now face Yorkshire at Headingley on June 13 with the winner of that match playing Worcestershire at New Road in the semi-finals.A washout for Somerset at Lord’s meant they took second spot in the group and will face Nottinghamshire in the other playoff, the winner of that match facing Essex in the semis.In Bristol, umpires Jeff Evans and Billy Taylor delayed the abandonment for as long as possible. But there was no let-up in the rain and after a 3pm inspection they decided there was no chance of the ground drying out sufficiently.That left Surrey hoping that Sussex, the one team with a chance of snatching third place from them, would suffer a similar fate at Southampton at that match was abandoned a short while later.At Lord’s umpires Richard Evans and Rob Bailey called off play at Lord’s at 5pm following an afternoon of persistent rain and with a bleak evening forecast.Middlesex, who had no chance of qualifying, finished eighth in the group with just two wins from their eight matches.

Chelsea may already be well stocked at the back even after Kalidou Koulibaly's exit, but new head coach Mauricio Pochettino is no doubt eyeing a replacement before the summer transfer window closes.

Juventus centre-back Gleison Bremer has been strongly linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge, though Chelsea and Manchester United appear to now face fresh competition from fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

That's according to the Daily Mail, who suggests Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou is hoping to bring in the Brazilian, meaning Chelsea must speed things up if they are indeed interested in the player.

Is Gleison Bremer a good choice for Chelsea?

Bremer only joined Juventus from Torino last year, having caught the eye across three seasons as a regular with their city rivals, especially in 2021-22 when being named Best Defender in Serie A.

As a full Brazil international and with four years still to run on his Juve contract, it is reported that it will take a bid of around £50m to tempt the Turin giants to cash in.

For those unaware of Bremer's style, FBref's player comparison tool provides a good indication. Based on their statistical profiles, Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk is rated as the eighth-most similar defender to the Juve star across Europe's top five leagues.

Bremer would be a long-term partner for Benoit Badiashile at Chelsea, but it is likely to be the more experienced Thiago Silva he links up with in the heart of defence next season should he join.

The international colleagues have similarities and differences, with the most notable being Bremer's ability to score goals, as reflected in the four he scored last season. That ranks him in the top 4% of all defenders across Europe's top five leagues, whereas Silva is in the bottom 16% (no goals).

That is further highlighted in the shots and touches in the box metrics (top 5% and top 8% for Bremer respectively; top 36% and top 34% for Silva), though the former AC Milan defender does come out on top for tackles won per 90 (0.99 v 0.71), as per FBref, and percentage of aerial duels won (71.2% v 62.4%).

While Bremer is 12 years younger than his compatriot, he can certainly hold his own. As former Torino team-mate Mergim Vojvoda explained last year: "[Bremer] is very strong, an animal. He is also fast, he is tall and has made a great leap in quality on a technical level, with the ball at his feet."

That is reflected in the stats, with Bremer completing 89.7% of his passes across all competitions last season – a very similar figure to Silva's 90.7% at Chelsea.

Ultimately, it appears the Brazilian duo can complement each other well in the short term, providing a springboard at the back for what Pochettino will hope is a successful first campaign in West London.

Aston Villa remain interested in Barcelona star Ferran Torres, with Unai Emery reportedly eyeing a move for the 23-year-old forward.

With Monchi on board, it’s expected to be a busy summer in the Midlands, with news reemerging linking the former Manchester City gem with a move to Villa Park.

The player was first rumoured to be one to watch for the Villans by journalist Graham Bailey back in May, who stated via The Talking Transfers Podcast that Villa could move for the Barcelona ace.

Fast-forward to now, and it’s been speculated that Emery’s side are ‘considering’ a loan move to lure the 23-year-old away from Catalonia, with a €25m option to buy rumoured.

That’s according to reports from Spain, where Mundo Deportivo relayed Villa’s interest in the forward last week, as per Sport Witness.

The report claims that despite the proposed approach for a loan, Barcelona may be more attracted to an immediate sale due to their ongoing financial worries, despite the player speculated to be against a ‘change in scenery’.

With Pau Torres nearing a permanent move to the Midlands, the signing of the impressive centre-back could inspire Monchi to raid La Liga once more in the bid to improve Emery’s attack.

What could Ferran Torres offer to Aston Villa?

At just 23-years-old, Torres has gathered adequate experience for his age in representing some of the continent's top clubs in Manchester City, Barcelona and Valencia.

Rising through the ranks of Valencia’s academy, the then 20-year-old signed for Pep Guardiola’s side in 2020, where he scored 16 goals in 43 appearances for the Sky Blues, as well as getting his hands on two Premier League winners medals.

Adhering to a more sporadic role for the Citizens, the £165k-per-week winger showed his versatility in attack when called upon, featuring as both a wide player and a central striker with a particular eye for goal.

The youngster opted to return to his homeland just a year and a half after arriving in Manchester, signing for the Catalan giants in the 2022 January window.

Similar occurrences have happened at the Camp Nou, in which the Spaniard has fallen down the pecking order to talents such as Raphinha and Ansu Fati, finding it difficult to secure continuous game time.

The forward could be a perfect addition to Emery’s squad, who are looking to add high-profile names to the side this summer after securing a spot in Europe next season.

The Premier League has an abundance of dynamic wingers on show, with Torres being likened to one star in particular based on his statistical comparisons by FBref, showing similarities to Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli, a player Emery coached in north London.

Emery could obtain his answer to the 15-goal Brazilian in the Spaniard, who has recorded similar numbers to the Gunners starlet over the past year.

When comparing the two, it’s clear to see just what Torres could equip Villa with, averaging 0.39 non-penalty goals per 90, just shy of Martinelli’s average of 0.41.

A similar pattern is notable in the Spaniard’s threat on the ball, with him being lauded as “magnificent” by former teammate Dani Parejo, praise that's reflected by averaging an impressive 1.96 successful take-ons per 90.

That is incredibly close to Arsenal’s trickster with Martinelli averaging 1.97 successful take-ons per 90 as per FBref, showing the calibre of player Villa could find themselves possessing this summer.

West Ham United could have a new striker in their sights this summer, with Pianeta Milan, via Sport Witness, reporting that the Hammers are one of three sides to have asked about Charles De Ketelaere this summer.

What is the latest West Ham United transfer news?

The Premier League side struggled in the top flight last season, finishing in 14th, but their victory in the Europa Conference League means that they will once more be competing in Europe in the next campaign. It also means that David Moyes will need to strengthen his side this summer and ensure they can compete on all fronts – and it does appear as though there are a few players he could be lining up to bring in.

It looks as though a fresh striker is one transfer priority for the club, with the Hammers linked with several attacking targets already this window. They are keen to try and bring in Armando Broja from Chelsea, but it won't be easy for the club to snap him up, with several other teams all tailing the player too. They've also been keeping tabs on young Keisuke Goto, with the 18-year-old impressing after his displays in Japan, though he would surely be a signing for the future rather than an immediate number nine role.

Now, according to a report from Pianeta Milan, via Sport Witness, West Ham may have added yet another striker to their wanted list.

That's because the Hammers have already made contact to get information on Charles De Ketelaere at AC Milan, with the player potentially available on a deal this summer. It appears his current club could be quite happy to move him on already, despite having only added him permanently at the beginning of the 2022/23 season.

With the Belgian now available on a transfer, Moyes' team have already contacted his camp to gather information and to see if a move may be doable. However, it won't be completely straightforward for West Ham to get a deal over the line, with Crystal Palace and Everton having also been in touch over a deal.

What is Charles De Ketelaere worth?

Milan are willing to make a loss on the striker too it seems, with the forward potentially available for just 30 million Euros (or £25.7m). It's a steep fee for a player who managed just one assist and zero goals in Serie A for the Italian outfit, but he wasn't able to be a regular starter for the club which could have played a part. De Ketelaere managed only nine starts for the side and had just 12.4 lots of 90 minutes in total for the club.

Despite struggling to really find form with AC Milan and to hit the back of the net on a regular basis, the 22-year-old is still viewed as a real talent in the game though. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has previously called the striker a "special player" for example because of his abilitys upfront and the potential he has in the game.

Whilst he hasn't been able to tap into that in Italy, a switch to a team like West Ham could perhaps bring it out of the Belgian.

Fabrizio Romano expects both Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson to leave Leeds United this summer as the club prepares for life in the Championship.

Are Adams and Aaronson leaving?

Following a return to the Championship, a delayed takeover and a month-long wait for a new manager, there is not much to smile about at Elland Road at the moment.

The club's three-year Premier League journey ended in bitter disappointment last campaign, and with a chaotic beginning to their Championship return, Leeds fans will be hoping they don't have to wait another 16 years to make it back into England's top-flight.

To pile on the misery for Leeds supporters, two of the clubs biggest players are now expected to leave, with Adams and Aaronson both heading for the exit door in Yorkshire.

That is according to journalist Romano, who is expecting both United States internationals to move onto bigger and better things in the summer transfer market.

Speaking on his Here We Go podcast, he said: "I would say for Tyler Adams and Aaronson I expect both of them to be on the move this summer.

"For Tyler Adams there is a lot of interest in the Premier League. It's true that two, three clubs in the Premier League are tracking this possibility, so I think it's going to be busy around Adams in the next weeks, and same for Aaronson.

"So, there is really a lot of interest and I see both of them leaving Leeds this summer."

Having only arrived last summer for approximately £25m from RB Salzburg, Aaronson didn't quite make the impression he would have liked in the Premier League. The 22-year-old only managed one goal in 36 Premier League appearances and that came against Chelsea in just the third week of the season.

Romano has suggested that Aaronson is on his way to Union Berlin in the Bundesliga on loan, with Leeds being forced to allow the move due to a relegation clause in the attacking-midfielder's contract.

Meanwhile, Adams has reportedly told Leeds of his desire to leave Elland Road, with the holding midfielder's impressive performances last season making him an attractive prospect to a lot of clubs. Aston Villa are one of the clubs leading the way for his signature.

The 24-year-old made 24 Premier League appearances for the Whites last term, but missed 12 games at the end of the season due to a hamstring injury. His defensive solidity was sorely missed, with Leeds conceding four or more goals in five separate games during his absence.

Who else could leave Leeds?

There are understandably a plethora of names linked with an exit from Elland Road, with an exodus of talent normally expected post-relegation.

Roma are reportedly interested in taking two Leeds players to Italy, with Diego Llorente and Rasmus Kristensen both angling for a Serie A moves.

Explosive forward Wilfried Gnonto is also expected to depart, with Everton and Aston Villa holding an interest in the Italian speedster. He would reportedly be available for around the £21m mark.

Another exciting forward in the form of Crysencio Summerville has told Leeds that he wishes to leave the club, with Everton again said to be eyeing up the young Dutch winger.

One transfer that has been confirmed is Tyler Roberts' move to Birmingham City, with the Blues set to pay much less than the reported £750,000 fee that had been rumoured according to BirminghamLive.

Former Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson believes relations between players and Cricket Australia will take a long time to heal after difficult negotiations over the MoU

Daniel Brettig19-Jul-20173:46

What exactly is the Cricket Australia-ACA pay dispute?

Negotiations between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association are continuing at a snail’s pace but the damage has already been done, the former Test paceman Mitchell Johnson has said.Talks between the two warring parties – including the chief executives James Sutherland and Alistair Nicholson – resumed in Melbourne on Wednesday with time fast running out to avoid major dislocation to the game, both in terms of commercial deals with sponsors and broadcasters, and also the Bangladesh tour in August.While discussions are now taking place on the sort of level that should lead to an eventual resolution, little movement is discernible from CA’s strong desire to end the fixed revenue percentage models at the core of past collective agreements, and likewise the ACA’s intent to keep the model in place. Johnson, who retired from the international game in 2015, said relationships would take a long time to heal whatever the outcome.”It’s been pretty disappointing and once it’s all dealt with, the player and CA relationship is going to be a struggle … it’s going to be very ordinary,” Johnson said in Sydney. “Even if it gets sorted, the damage has already been done. There’s been personal insults about the players being greedy. That’s not the case.”The relationship is going to have to build again. The last time I felt this way – not to this extent – was the Argus Review [in 2011]. That was the last time we had a little bit of trouble between the players and CA.””If we lose this battle as players, does then the ACA start getting their legs chopped from underneath them and the players lose the ACA?” – Mitchell Johnson•Getty Images

Commercial pressure is mounting in terms of players looking at signing deals with sponsors competing against CA’s major corporate partners. It has been reported that both Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith are close to signing deals with Mercedes to follow on from Mitchell Starc’s newly unveiled contract with an Audi dealership in western Sydney. The ACA’s commercial manager, Tim Cruickshank, is currently in India for talks about the collective intellectual property passed on from CA to the players’ commercial arm, the Cricketers’ Brand, when the most recent MoU expired on July 1.”The players have fought so hard, the ACA, for the last 19 years, and got this model that we have in a really good place, and other things as well,” Johnson said. “From the CA point of view, I know David Peever, ex-Rio Tinto … no unions. So that is the thing that concerns me a lot. If we lose this battle as players, does then the ACA start getting their legs chopped from underneath them and the players lose the ACA?”That is the scary thing from my point of view. Cricket will still go on but I don’t know what sort of input the players will have in the future. I saw Nathan Lyon this morning and I think he’s as disappointed as everyone. The way it has been dealt with in the media, it probably should have been more of a private matter … it could have been dealt with very differently.”Speaking at the launch of a new app called BowlFit for young fast bowlers, Johnson also said England’s recent loss to South Africa at Trent Bridge would place doubts in the minds of the team led by Joe Root ahead of a likely pace-based Australian assault in the forthcoming Ashes series.”They’ve got a few issues to sort out,” Johnson said. “It’s only one game but it’s the way they got beaten that you see the score line. Joe Root being a new captain; they’ll try and put a bit of pressure on him to see how he handles it. Australia are a huge chance. It’ll be a great series but there are some scars there as well.”You want to be consistent and they probably haven’t got that consistency at the moment. It’s going to be hard for them now because they have been beaten, there’s pressure on them. I don’t care too much about England to be honest. I don’t care what they bring as long as it’s a good contest.”Another area Johnson found intriguing was the selection of Gary Ballance at No. 3, though a finger fracture has ruled him out of the next Test against South Africa. “England have Gary Ballance at No.3 and when you’re at No.3, you’re meant to be one of the best players in the team, if not the best,” Johnson said. “I don’t think he is.”If you’re a bowler and you see Gary Ballance at No.3, then you actually get a lot of confidence from that. Australia would have a lot of confidence. They [England] have changed their team a little bit over the past. They’re trying to find the right squad. It’s getting close to an Ashes series, so you want to lock that in.”

Max Holden’s maiden century in only his sixth first-class game left Durham kicking themselves for dropping him twice early on the second day of their Specsavers County Championship match

ECB Reporters Network03-Jun-2017
ScorecardMax Holden scored his maiden first-class hundred•Getty ImagesMax Holden’s maiden century in only his sixth first-class game left Durham kicking themselves for dropping him twice early on the second day of their Specsavers County Championship match at Chester-le-Street.Once the England Under-19 captain, on loan from Middlesex, had departed for a stoical 124, Northamptonshire lost their last three wickets on 338 and in 22 overs Durham reached 78 for 1 in their second innings, still trailing by 94.Paul Coughlin’s manful efforts to carry the depleted Durham attack earned him a maiden five-wicket haul. He had 5 for 49 in 27 overs, while fellow seamers Barry McCarthy and Gavin Main went at almost five an over.Resuming on 19, Holden survived scares from the day’s first and seventh balls. After a confident lbw appeal from McCarthy he edged Coughlin at comfortable height to second slip, where Keaton Jennings spilled the chance. Then on 27 another straightforward catch was missed by Graham Clark at point off McCarthy, but Holden knuckled down and spent 140 balls over his first 50.With conditions far more benign than on the first day, Durham were made to pay a heavy price for their lapses and three more chances went down as Holden put on 96 for the fifth wicket with Adam Rossington and 162 for the sixth with Josh Cobb.Rossington hit nine fours in his 59-ball 50 before dabbing wide of off stump at McCarthy to edge to second slip and depart for 65. He paved the way for Cobb to take advantage of Durham’s toils with some belligerent strokes in making 96 off 133 balls. Cobb hit 11 fours and a six before edging to second slip during a probing new-ball spell from Coughlin.Holden, becalmed on 85, had exasperated Paul Collingwood, who troubled the left-hander with outswingers. And it was one of those which finally found the edge to give Stuart Poynter his fourth catch, ending the 19-year-old’s 228-ball vigil. The importance of his innings was underlined by Northants losing their last five wickets for 11 runs.With much less assistance than on the first day, the visiting seamers could make little impression, although Ben Sanderson had a big lbw appeal against Stephen Cook. Badly in need of runs before joining the South African Test squad, Cook was dropped by Rory Kleinveldt at third slip on 16 off Nathan Buck.After digging in to reach 23 he took a fancy to Rob Keogh’s offspin, taking 11 off his first over, only to see Jennings stumped for 27 off Keogh’s ninth ball when he tried to paddle him to fine leg and lifted his back foot. It was a lapse from Jennings with only four overs left, but McCarthy survived as nightwatchman and Cook was on 39 at the close.

Pakistan huffed and puffed through a chase of 237 but they made it in the end thanks to the composure of their captain

The Report by Danyal Rasool12-Jun-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:35

Agarkar: Sarfraz’s calmness crucial in guiding his side

The Champions Trophy might have been damp and lifeless on the English shores this year, but it was on a Welsh detour that it finally roared to life. In the game which had the most riding on it all tournament, Pakistan and Sri Lanka provided a spectacle befitting the magnitude of the occasion, and Pakistan sneaked across the line with a thrilling three-wicket win. But that’s only half the story. The rest centered around how madly the momentum of this game swung as two obviously flawed teams battled tooth and nail.

Pakistan fined for slow over rate

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed has been fined 20% of his match fee, while his team-mates were fined 10% of their match fees, for maintaining a slow over-rate during the match against Sri Lanka.
Pakistan were found to be one over short of their target after time allowances were taken into consideration. A second minor over-rate offence in the tournament could result in a one-match suspension for Sarfraz.
Sarfraz pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction; a formal hearing was not required as a result. The charge was laid by on-field umpires Bruce Oxenford and Marais Erasmus, third umpire Chris Gaffaney and fourth umpire Ian Gould.

Qualification to the semis was the prize riding on this game that was a quarter-final in all but name, and it was clear both sides wanted it desperately. Sri Lanka started impressively but a brilliant spell midway from Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan restricted them to 236. Pakistan made the chase look harder than it was but captain Sarfraz Ahmed and Amir were there at the end to see their side home. Though the prospect of facing England on Wednesday will be daunting, it will be the last thing on their minds right now.From the moment Pakistan’s seventh wicket fell – with 75 still to win – two antsy sides were hoping they could do just about enough to pip the other. Sri Lanka were the favourites at that point, but their fielding let them down badly. Thisara Perera dropped a sitter at mid-on in the 39th over. Substitute fielder Seekkuge Prasanna shelled another chance – albeit a more difficult one – in the 41st. And Sarfraz, the reprieved batsman, the last of the specialists, took the game away.Lasith Malinga, Sri Lanka’s great talisman, had created both chances and if this is to be his final ICC tournament, it was a cruel way to go. He watched, helplessly, as his team began to gift overthrows, and little by little, the belief as well to the Pakistan batsmen. By the time a dispirited Malinga was brought back for his final over, the fielding had disintegrated to amateurish level. Eventually, Sarfraz dabbed him over third man for the winning runs, and a shocking last half hour for the Sri Lankans met the end it deserved.Sarfraz Ahmed’s composure helped Pakistan overcome an untimely collapse•Getty Images

Before the nerves got hold of them, Pakistan were cruising. A dropped catch and a run-out opportunity in the first two overs aside, Fakhar Zaman and Azhar Ali set about their task masterfully.Fakhar, comfortable in his role as the designated aggressor up front, hit three boundaries in the third over against Malinga. He didn’t mind riding his luck at times, an outside edge burst through slips for four while a top edge flew for six, and when he was dismissed – caught at long leg – he had scored 50 off 36 and Pakistan were sitting pretty at 74 for 1 in 11.2 overs.But with this being Pakistan, there was the inevitable feeling they would take the Rolling English Road to victory. Two wickets fell quickly as Babar Azam clipped Nuwan Pradeep straight to short midwicket and Hafeez chipped one to mid-on next over. Opener Azhar Ali was done in by the extra bounce of Suranga Lakmal soon after, edging a sharp catch to first slip. Pakistan were at 110 for 4, and the game was anything but a foregone conclusion.Sri Lanka were quietly climbing into a position of ascendancy, but Pakistan almost appeared not to notice the early signs of danger. It certainly couldn’t be ignored when Shoaib Malik gloved a short ball from Malinga to the keeper. When Imad Wasim fell five balls later, Pakistan were 6 down with 100 runs still to win.Debutant Faheem Ashraf’s short-lived stay at the crease was fraught with danger as the bowlers peppered him with short deliveries, several of which caught his top edge but managed to evade the boundary riders. For all the risks he was taking on strike, he was run-out at the other end, a ricochet off the bowler’s hand finding the stumps before his bat hit the ground.There were no such errors from Pakistan with the ball though. In fact they were so good that Sri Lanka, despite dominating large parts of their innings, were bowled out well below the par score.A sensational four-over burst from Amir and Junaid ripped the heart out of the Sri Lankan middle order as they went from 161 for 3 to 167 for 7. It was superb fast bowling, evoking comparisons with some of the greats of Pakistan cricket and that it came soon after the innings’ second drinks break spoke either to some kind of strategy, or an especially rousing team talk from the captain Sarfraz. Either way, it was match-turning.Sri Lanka were setting up effectively for the final flourish, with Niroshan Dickwella and Angelo Mathews locked in a settled partnership, before Amir dismissed Mathews off the second ball of the 32nd over, the batsman dragging onto his stumps. Junaid followed up next over with a length delivery that seamed teasingly away from newcomer Dhananjaya de Silva and took his outside edge. Sarfraz then pulled off a superb reflex catch to get rid of Dickwella for 73 and Thisara was caught at slip next over. Sri Lanka’s position of strength was decimated in mere minutes.If it appeared that passage of play would be the solitary turning point of the match, Pakistan and Sri Lanka showed that when they take on each other, it is never quite that simple.