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Freddie Freeman played a crucial role in the double play that clinched the Dodgers' World Series win on Saturday, but he made sure the game ball went to somebody else.

Speaking during the team's celebrations in Los Angeles on Monday, Freeman revealed that he actually passed the game ball off to general manager Dave Roberts, who Freeman believes to be the keepsake's rightful recipient.

"I waited for Doc in his office, right before we sprayed champagne, and I gave it to him and I hugged him," Freeman revealed.

"I said, 'You deserve this more than anybody.' So Dave Roberts has the baseball."

Watch that below:

Talk about a classy move from Freeman, who was nonetheless a huge player this series.

But Roberts, of course, deserves his flowers for managing the game and series particularly well, too. Those watching the game unfold seemed to agree.

"Ultimately," baseball legend Derek Jeter said during the MLB on FOX broadcast, "it’s up to the players to do the job, but [Roberts] puts them in a position to be successful and he pushed all of the right buttons."

"Put him in Cooperstown," added Alex Rodriguez.

With the win, which brings the skipper's overall total to three World Series, Roberts has now surpassed Tommy Lasorda to become the second-most-decorated Dodgers manager in history, behind only Walter Alston, who boasts four WS titles, per .

With the last international break of 2025 underway, it remains to be seen whether or not Martin O’Neill will be in charge of Celtic for their next competitive match.

Football Insider recently reported that the experienced manager could see his interim time in the dugout end if the club are able to land a new boss during the break.

The Northern Irish head coach, in his second stint at the club, has enjoyed an impressive time as the caretaker manager, winning three of his four matches in all competitions.

Celtic have won both of their Scottish Premiership games by a 4-0 scoreline since he came in after Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation, beating Kilmarnock 4-0 on Sunday in what could be his last match.

O’Neill has been a breath of fresh air for the Scottish giants after the end of Rodgers’ tenure, as evidenced by the two league results, and he has worked wonders for a few players.

Johnny Kenny, for example, has stepped up under the experienced manager and shown that he can be relied on as a regular starter for the Hoops, if required.

The Celtic players who have improved under Martin O'Neill

The Ireland international is the most obvious player who has improved since O’Neill came in as a caretaker manager, as he has scored four goals in four matches, per Sofascore.

Kenny had scored two goals in 17 first-team matches for Celtic in all competitions before this run of four goals in four games under O’Neill, per Transfermarkt, which perfectly illustrates his recent improvement.

The 22-year-old marksman, who has stepped up in the absence of Kelechi Iheanacho, is not the only Hoops player who has taken their game up a gear under the interim boss, though, as Arne Engels has done the same.

Celtic’s Belgian midfield maestro did not provide a single goal or assist in eight appearances in the Premiership under Rodgers, in what was a dismal start to the campaign for the £11m signing from Augsburg.

Since O’Neil came in, though, the central midfielder has scored his first goal of the season and delivered two assists in all competitions, including a goal and an assist in the 4-0 win over Kilmarnock.

As you can see in the table above, Auston Trusty has excelled under O’Neill at the heart of the defence in his two league matches in the dugout, after the USA international did not start a single league match for Rodgers this season.

With O’Neill’s future in the dugout in doubt, the Scottish giants are reportedly looking at another manager who could make Kenny unplayable for the rest of the season and beyond.

3-4-2-1 emerges as contender for Celtic job

According to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy has “emerged” as a contender to replace Rodgers and O’Neil at Parkhead.

The reporter claims that he is one of a number of names on the club’s shortlist as they look for a long-term successor to Rodgers, who won the Premiership title in both of his full seasons back in Glasgow.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

Joseph adds that the Hoops have now drawn up their full shortlist of options and that Nancy is a “serious” contender to land the job before the end of the international break.

The 48-year-old tactician, who typically deploys a 3-4-2-1 formation, is not the only manager on that list, of course, as Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna and Bodo/Glimt’s Kjetil Knutsen are also in the frame.

Why Wilfried Nancy could make Johnny Kenny unplayable

If Celtic decide to go through with a move for the French head coach, the Columbus Crew boss could help to make Kenny completely unplayable by carrying on O’Neill’s good work.

Nancy, who won the MLS Cup in the 2022/23 campaign, has won 81 of his 169 matches as a manager in the MLS, per Transfermarkt, and has won two trophies, one with Columbus Crew and one with Montreal, where he coached Alistair Johnston.

In his time with Columbus Crew, the French manager has shown that he can set up a team to consistently create chances for a striker like Kenny, as Diego Rossi has thrived under his management.

Like Kenny, the Uruguayan is a lean and diminutive forward who looks to score goals through clever movement and sharp finishing, as shown in his goal in the clip below.

Neither Rossi nor the Celtic striker are going to offer a towering presence in the number nine position and bully central defenders with their physical prowess; that is not a part of their game, but Nancy has shown that he can set a team up to create chances for their profile of forward.

Rossi has played through the middle as a striker on his own in a 3-4-2-1, as one of the two 10s behind a striker, and as part of a strike pairing in a 4-4-2 or a 3-5-2 during his time under the Celtic manager target, and he has been a prolific scorer in those roles.

As you can see in the table above, the Columbus Crew forward has scored 40 goals for Nancy since the start of the 2024 campaign, whilst also providing 12 assists for his side in that time.

These statistics suggest that Kenny, who is a similar profile of player to Rossi, could thrive under the Frenchman if Celtic decide to appoint him as their successor to Rodgers.

The Ireland international could thrive as the lone striker in a 3-4-2-1 on his own or alongside Iheanacho, when fit, in a 4-4-2, with his recent goal spurt showing that he can score goals on a regular basis at Premiership level.

Dream Knutsen alternative: Celtic want to interview "incredible" manager

Celtic want to interview a manager who would be a dream alternative to Kjetil Knutsen.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 11, 2025

However, it now remains to be seen whether or not the Hoops will decide to make Nancy their number one option, or if they will go with another manager on their shortlist.

The Sydney Sixers allrounder is having fun playing cricket again, just 12 months after the lowest point of her professional career

Andrew McGlashan24-Nov-2022Ash Gardner has gone from a career low to a career high in the space of 12 months. The allrounder was named player of the tournament for this season’s WBBL after a previous campaign where she had lost all enjoyment for the game.Gardner, who signed a new three-year deal with Sydney Sixers on Thursday, has scored 339 runs with a strike-rate 153.39 and collected 23 wickets in their dominant regular season where they secured a record 11 wins to book a direct place in Saturday’s final. It is a stark contrast, both from a personal and team perspective, to last season where Sixers finished bottom for the first time with just four wins while Gardner made 197 runs and claimed just seven wickets.Related

• Fire burned for Erin, but perspective most important

• 'Sore loser' Healy eager for WBBL glory

Sixers were consigned to the road throughout the 2021 campaign under varying restrictions due to ongoing Covid-19 border closures and Gardner has admitted she found it very difficult while the wider Sixers outfit also struggled to lift themselves.”Being able to reflect on last year, it was probably one of the lowest points of my career, not only on the field but off the field as well, I just wasn’t happy,” she said. “I wasn’t enjoying my cricket and that’s probably what led to my downfall last year. Not being able to go home, see friends and family for over three months, was pretty challenging and it kind of showed with the cricket I was putting out there. It wasn’t up to scratch.”Now, 12 months later, I’m in such a better spot. Really enjoying my cricket and that also comes down to the personnel in this side. It’s been a fantastic change and that comes from the top, Lottie [new coach Charlotte Edwards] has been fantastic at that, making sure people have smiles on their faces.”The arrival of Edwards, the former England captain, along with new overseas players Suzie Bates and Sophie Ecclestone has been a catalyst to Sixers’ huge turnaround in fortunes. However, a feature of the season has been the spread of performances in the squad: four players have passed 300 runs (while Erin Burns has made 294) and five bowlers have taken 10 or more wickets.Sydney Sixers are in the WBBL final this year, after finishing bottom last year•Getty Images”On the field she [Edwards] was a fantastic player herself so she’s got some really good insights. But off the field she makes sure to get around to every single person whether they are playing or not just to make sure they are still enjoying themselves,” Gardner said. “Because ultimately if teams aren’t enjoying themselves throughout these tournaments that’s when you seem to be at your lowest. That was probably us last year, we just weren’t having fun playing cricket. On the flipside this year we are all enjoying each other’s company and that’s been what’s helped.”Known throughout her career as someone who can clear the fence, it has been Gardner’s success with the ball that has given her most satisfaction this season and an unexpected role as a bowler in the power surge which was implemented in WBBL for the first time.”The consistency is the area of my game I’ve probably lacked in the past,” she said. “More so with the ball, taking wickets consistently is something I haven’t been able to do and ultimately have confidence in my bowling. In the past I was probably lacking that consistency of knowing what I wanted to bowl over and over again. Now I’m a lot more mature. Feel like my game has gone to another level which is really exciting.”To be honest I never thought I’d be an option for the surge but I’ve been lucky enough to take a couple of wickets – I’ve also been hit for a few runs – but that’s the beauty…with a four-over powerplay and the surge. I know as a batter it’s a fantastic thing to able to employ, but also as a bowler you feel like you are in the game. Batters feel like they have to try and target you so that’s when you tend to take wickets.”Shortly after the WBBL season finishes on Saturday, Gardner will move into Australia duty for the first time since the Commonwealth Games as they head on the T20 tour of India. They will be under the captaincy of Sixers team-mate Alyssa Healy while Tahlia McGrath will be her understudy.Gardner is widely considered a captaincy candidate for the future but believes she already has a leadership role in the team even without a title.”Yes, they’ve got the captaincy and vice-captaincy next to their name but there’s so many leaders in that side,” she said. “I’ve been fortunate to be playing there for over five years so feel as though I’m a leader, I don’t necessarily need to have the captaincy or vice-captaincy next to main name but still feel I can use my voice and raise opinions where needed.”

The Phillies' 2025 season ended in the worst way possible on Thursday night.

Just one out away from navigating out of trouble in the bottom of the 11th inning with the bases loaded and the game tied 1-1, Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering induced a slow roller off the bat of Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages that bounced off of Kerkering's foot just as Hyeseong Kim scampered home. Kerkering fielded the ball but, instead of making the easier throw to first, attempted to get Kim out at the plate.

But he airmailed the throw, allowing Kim to score the winning run, ending the Phillies' season in heartbreaking fashion.

"It just hit off my foot. Once that pressure got to me, I just thought there's a faster throw to J.T. [Realmuto], little quicker throw than trying to cross-body it to Bryce," Kerkering told reporters after the game. "Just a horse—- throw."

Making the moment even more gut-wrenching for the Phillies is that replays showed that Kerkering had time to make the throw to first base to get Pages—and that Realmuto was gesturing for him to do so. But in the chaos of the moment—a pressure cooker of a postseason scenario with thousands of screaming fans, a ball caroming off his foot and baserunners flying around the bases—Kerkering said he didn't hear his teammates calling for him to make the throw to first and didn't see Realmuto's gestures.

As the Dodgers' celebrated the thrilling walk-off win, a distraught Kerkering was comforted by Realmuto and outfielder Nick Castellanos, who ran from the outfield to make sure he got to the young reliever.

"Just keep your head up," Kerkering said his teammates told him. "It's an honest mistake. It's baseball. S— happens. Just keep your head up, you'll be good for a long time to come. Stuff like it's not my fault—had opportunities to score. Just keep your head up."

As Kerkering headed off the field, the first person waiting for him at the dugout step was Phillies manager Rob Thomson, who consoled him and shared a brief message for him.

"Just keep his head up," Thomson said he told Kerkering. "He just got caught up in the moment a little bit. Coming down the stretch, he pitched so well for us. I feel for him [Orion Kerkering] because he's putting it all on his shoulders. But we win as a team and we lose as a team."

They chanted names, they came up with slogans, and they did what they haven’t been able to do for years – show their love for the game

Umar Farooq in Rawalpindi09-Feb-2020″, Babar Azam, Babar Azam.”The meaning of this expression might get lost in a literal English translation. But if you know Urdu, you should be able to tell how big a compliment it is. It literally translates to ‘the prime minister of hearts’, and when thousands chant it in unison in Urdu, it can give you goosebumps.Pakistan are playing only their third Test in the country since the return of international cricket to Pakistani soil, after spending a decade playing “home” matches in the UAE. It’s possible that the ongoing Test has seen more people in the stands in Rawalpindi over the last three days than at all of the Pakistan matches in the UAE over the last 10 years combined. The intensity of the excitement among the crowd at the stadium may go some way towards establishing the enormity of its size.

“, Imam-ul-haq, Imam-ul-Haq.”

This doesn’t mean anything at all when translated literally. What the fans did in Rawalpindi was to pick up an ad jingle for TUC biscuits and make it rhyme with Imam-ul-Haq (who was not even playing the Test).The Rawalpindi Stadium doesn’t have a massive capacity; it can accommodate close to 17,000 fans but it benefits from being the twin city of Islamabad, the country’s capital. There were phases of play over the past three days when the Test appeared to be progressing at a glacial pace but, in the stands, there was never a dull moment. Chants of ” Pakistan” and “Pakistan ” rang aloud, lending testimony to how fervently the fans missed the cricket in the country over the last decade.Even though hockey is Pakistan’s national sport and inspired many youngsters growing up between the ’70s and early ’90s to develop a liking towards sports, it never quite had the allure of cricket. With the two Ws – Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram – at their peak, it was in the ’90s era, that cricket had the most profound impact on the nation’s consciousness. Pakistan has since become a largely one-sport country, the game turning into a powerful means to influencing several generations, with one of their all-time greats, Imran Khan, going on to become the prime minister.

” Fawad Alam, Fawad Alam.”

“A little bit of bread, a little bit of gravy, and then Fawad Alam, Fawad Alam.” Don’t go hunting for the meaning of this chant either; it’s just another creative chorus the Rawalpindi crowd came up with to celebrate the return of top-flight cricket on home soil.There was a time in Pakistan when not only stadiums would be packed during international games, but hundreds of fans would throng the grounds even during net sessions to catch a glimpse of their favourite overseas players. Traditionally, Test cricket in Pakistan may have never consistently drawn full houses, but there hadn’t been any want in passion among Pakistan’s cricket fans, until the connect between the sport and its followers in the country snapped in the wake of the attack on the Sri Lankan team in 2009.AFPThat era of Pakistan’s “home” matches being played in the UAE won’t be remembered for how the fans received it. It forced nearly a generation of them to stay glued to their television sets even for their home matches, instead of filling the stadiums and cheering for their favourite players. Pakistan played 31 Tests from 2009 to 2019 in the UAE, lost only eight of them, and achieved historic feats, but all in front of scant crowds. They whitewashed the then No. 1-ranked England 3-0 in early 2012, Misbah-ul-Haq slammed the fastest Test century at the time, against Australia in 2014, equalling Viv Richards’ mark, and a day-night Test was played there in 2016 which Pakistan won against West Indies, but again, with not as many fans to witness it.

“, Yasir Shah, Yasir Shah.”

By now, you must have learnt the drill: Don’t bother with the meaning; it’s another food-related chant forced to rhyme with a player’s name. Here’s the translation, anyway: “A (ice lolly made of condensed milk) is for five, a tea for 10, and there’s Yasir Shah.”When Azhar Ali got out in the first innings, the crowd erupted with the name of the incoming batsman, Babar Azam. He has already achieved the status of a hero in Pakistan and the fans’ chants made Shan Masood say to Alam, who was carrying drinks: “This is the sort of thing our players haven’t been able to experience for 10 years. To see your team-mate have his name chanted by your countrymen tells you everything.”All those years spent in the UAE has meant the cricket infrastructure in Rawalpindi has not been upgraded adequately. The stadium still has cemented stands with not enough chairs. That, however, didn’t discourage the fans from turning up in big numbers at the ongoing Test. Could this mark the dawn of a new era, with more cricket coming back to the country on a regular basis? If the attendance over the first three days is anything to go by, the passion among Pakistan fans for cricket on home soil has received a shot in the arm.

It’s time to re-evaluate your loyalties and find out who you should be supporting

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Mar-2020Now that we all have to take an enforced break from supporting our favourite national teams, perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate our loyalties. This test is designed to determine your personality type and tell you which national team you should really be supporting. Every country’s team plays a different brand of cricket and has a different history, and just because you are born in one country doesn’t mean you’re not actually meant to support another’s team. So don’t be surprised if the results of this quiz shatter some illusions.

It’s an opportunity for three of the four teams to reach their maiden PSL final

Danyal Rasool and Umar Farooq13-Nov-2020Despite the explosion of T20 leagues around the world over the past decade, what takes place over the next few days in Karachi will be unique. Eight months after the PSL was called off abruptly on the day of the semi-finals due to a possible Covid-19 outbreak, the league is back to finish what it started off in February. A world away from the heaving crowds that greeted the PSL’s complete return to Pakistan, the conclusion will be played out to an empty National Stadium under strict bio-secure conditions.But this isn’t just a box to be ticked, there is history at stake for each of the four playoff competitors. With the historically successful Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators, the two most successful sides in the tournament’s history, out, there’s glory up for grabs for four teams, three of whom have never so much been in a PSL final. Lahore get their first taste of PSL playoff action when they take on Peshawar Zalmi in an eliminator; the latter are the most established remaining team in the league. At the top end, Multan Sultans, who were, by some distance, the best team in the group stages, take on Karachi Kings, who will eye a golden opportunity to seal a title at their home venue. We look at each of the four teams, and how they shape up ahead of Saturday.Multan Sultans It’s third time lucky for Shan Masood’s side, who, like Lahore, have never been involved at this stage of the competition before. But they didn’t just squeeze into the last four, they barged through as trailblazers, and, without the extended break, were hot favourites to storm to the title. The hiring of Nathan Leamon as Director of Strategy was followed by the franchise’s public declaration that data would drive decision-making, and that appears to have helped. They were the only side to win six games in the group stage, and the first to seal safe passage to the last four.Imran Tahir and Sohail Tanvir were near the top of the wickets charts while maintaining economy rates below eight, while a lethal combination of big hitters and accumulators with the bat made the franchise a fearsome force to be reckoned with. Masood provided solidity at the top while each of Rilee Rossouw, Khushdil Shah, Zeeshan Ashraf and James Vince played match-winning innings in separate matches, distributing the workload amongst the team while relieving pressure on individuals. Throw in Moeen Ali, who chipped in with both runs and wickets, and it was hard to see any weaknesses oppositions could target.But all that’s changed now. Multan have been the hardest hit in terms of player availability, with travel restrictions and Covid-19 all taking their toll on the side. Vince, Fabian Allen and Moeen will be unavailable to them, while Mahmudullah, a replacement for Moeen, was also ruled out because he tested positive for Covid-19. Adam Lyth, Joe Denly and Brendan Taylor have been brought in as replacements, with Multan hoping they can help the side pick up where they left off in March.Squad: Shan Masood (c), Adam Lyth (England), Ali Shafiq, Bilawal Bhatti, Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe), Imran Tahir (South Africa), Joe Denly (England), Junaid Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ilyas, Mohammad Irfan, Ravi Bopara (England), Rilee Rossouw (South Africa), Rohail Nazir, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Usman Qadir and Zeeshan AshrafPeshawar Zalmi Zalmi can claim the most high-profile new signing for the playoffs, bringing in South African captain Faf du Plessis in what was marketed as a bit of a coup for the franchise. However, they’re not without their setbacks either, with the absence of Kieron Pollard, who just recently helped his IPL side Mumbai Indians to yet another title, likely to be keenly felt. Tom Banton might have had a season to forget, but the absence of his explosive potential at the top will be missed, as will the leadership qualities of the charismatic Daren Sammy, who is unavailable for logistical reasons. Most of the replacements are local, with Sohaib Maqsood, so instrumental to Southern Punjab’s run to the final in the recently concluded National T20 Cup, the highest-profile one. Hardus Viljoen, Khurram Shehzad and Saqib Mahmood are the other inclusions.It’s been an up-and-down season for Peshawar Zalmi, who only crept into the last four due to a better run-rate than Quetta Gladiators, ending the group stages with a negative win-loss ratio for the first time in their history. It was also their lowest group stage finish; in all but one of the first four seasons, Peshawar Zalmi have found themselves perched at the top come playoff time. They do, however, boast some of the most coveted PSL assets, with captain Wahab Riaz the third-highest wicket-taker this season. Hasan Ali, too, was instrumental, which makes his absence due to injury all the more dispiriting. Kamran Akmal, meanwhile, is now PSL royalty, and was on top of his game this season, too, with 251 runs at a strike rate of 162.Haider Ali’s stock, meanwhile, has risen since a promising start to his PSL career earlier this year, while Carlos Brathwaite, Liam Livingstone and Shoaib Malik are decent enough players to have in one’s ranks. Whether they’re good enough to win T20 competitions, though, is very much up for grabs, and if Peshawar are to ensure they don’t fall at the first hurdle to Lahore Qalandars, they will perhaps need some of their stalwarts to come to the party in a big way.Squad: Wahab Riaz (c), Aamir Ali, Adil Amin, Carlos Brathwaite (West Indies), Faf du Plessis (South Africa), Haider Ali, Hardus Viljoen (South Africa), Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Akmal, Khurram Shehzad, Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Mohsin, Rahat Ali, Saqib Mahmood, Shoaib Malik, Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Amin and Yasir ShahLahore QalandarsAfter spending four hard years sitting at bottom, Lahore Qalandars finally turned a corner, making it into the play-offs for the first time. They have long struggled to make a mark in the PSL, never getting past the group stage and often finishing last. They started horrendously this season too, losing four out of first five games but turned their fortune around remarkably, winning four out of the final five pool games to end the jinx. Things fell into place for them this year with a settled captain in Sohail Akhtar, and relying on players from their own player development programme has appeared to pay dividends.They were helped by some devastating performances by their two Australian players in Ben Dunk and Chris Lynn. Dunk was the breakout player for them, amassing 247 runs in his last four knocks at an average of 123.50 and a strike rate of 226.61. The momentum might have been lost somewhat with an 8 month gap but Qalandars feel confident they can keep the run going. Lynn’s absence will, no doubt, be a huge setback, but in Tamim Iqbal, they have an able replacement, and haven’t been hit as badly as some others by player absences.The most encouraging sign for Qalandars is the form of their key players. Age does not seem to be dimming Mohammad Hafeez’s ability, while the most high-profile recruit from their player development programme Haris Rauf is in the form of his life, and an established member of the Pakistan T20 side. Shaheen Afridi is the country’s leading fast bowler in every format, and one of the best fast bowlers in the world by now. Whisper it, but Lahore might be in a position to go all the way here.Squad: Sohail Akhtar (c), Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, David Wiese (South Africa), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Shinwari, Samit Patel (England), Haris Rauf, Salman Irshad, Ben Dunk (Australia), Farzan Raja, Jaahid Ali, Abid Ali, Mohammad Faizan, Maaz Khan, Dane Vilas (South Africa) and Dilbar HussainKarachi KingsKarachi Kings may have the privilege of playing at home, but their 2020 campaign will forever be tinged with significant poignance. Head coach Dean Jones guided the side to a second place finish, their highest in PSL history, but in a tragic twist of fate, won’t be around to see the job through, after he died of a heart attack on September 25. Team president Wasim Akram will take on the management role for the side, whose defining feature has been the strength at the top of the order. Power-hitter Sharjeel Khan is paired with Babar Azam, the highest run-getter in PSL history, as well as the leading runscorer this season, with 345 runs at 49.28.It was a Karachi Kings player in Alex Hales who was believed to have contracted Covid-19 in March, which necessitated the postponement of the playoffs. He never ended up getting a test, though he later said he was severely symptomatic and “99% sure” he had the virus. He is set to return for the tournament once more, and set to play a key role at the top of the order for Imad Wasim’s side. But it is the absence of another English player, death bowler Chris Jordan, that may hurt the side; he is due to take part in England’s T20I series in South Africa. As such, Mohammad Amir, who has fallen out of favour at the national level, will have to take on increased responsibility, and perhaps even stake in T20 claims with a standout performance here.A player whose stock has soared since the postponement is Karachi Kings wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan. He wasn’t even the first-choice keeper for Karachi, with Chadwick Walton playing most games in the group stage, but has since become an all-format regular for Pakistan, and expected to feature heavily over the next few days. Imad Wasim, too, will have to take on responsibility with the ball at the top of the innings, while young left arm spinner Umer Khan may once again prove a key player for the home side.Squad: Imad Wasim (c), Aamer Yamin, Alex Hales (England), Arshad Iqbal, Awais Zia, Babar Azam, Cameron Delport (South Africa), Chadwick Walton (West Indies), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Sharjeel Khan, Sherfane Rutherford (West Indies), Umaid Asif, Umer Khan, Usama Mir, Waqas Maqsood and Wayne Parnell (South Africa)GMT 0700 Salman Irshad has replaced Agha Salman (ankle injury) in the Lahore Qalandars squad.

A caution-first mindset, a lack of long-term vision, and an overreliance on overseas stars at the BPL are among the reasons for this muddle

Mohammad Isam09-Apr-2021If you followed Bangladesh’s recent results in New Zealand, you wouldn’t wonder why more of their cricketers aren’t making it big in T20 cricket. It can be assumed that teams that get bowled out in 9.3 overs – the third-shortest completed innings of all time – don’t have great T20 players. And that’s true of Bangladesh. There’s the IPL on as we speak, and all of two Bangladeshis are a part of it – Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman, the only two to have played with any regularity in the competition over the years, Shakib much more than Rahman.It comes down to a lack of T20 skills. There is a genuine lack of big hitters in the batting line-up, which has left a huge gap in Bangladesh’s overall white-ball performances. They don’t have legspinners or other unorthodox bowlers of any prominence in the domestic circuit. Orthodox bowlers, be it pace or spin, don’t have much mystery about them. Bangladesh’s T20I cricket often feels like a watered-down version of their ODI cricket. The personnel are not too different, and they follow ODI-like plans and patterns.

“A franchise doesn’t have the opportunity, nor do they even try, to develop a player. Suddenly a foreign coach comes, we take a few selfies with him, and that’s it.”
Senior Bangladesh coach Nazmul Abedeen Fahim

No surprise then that Bangladesh are tenth in the ICC T20I team rankings. They are also at the bottom of T20I teams in terms of win-loss ratio in the last five years.Over the years, BPL franchises have been heavily reliant on their overseas stars•BPL‘We ‘don’t have the culture’To Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, the senior Bangladeshi coach best known for mentoring Shakib over the years, the show in New Zealand suggested that the Bangladesh players had lost the plot in their heads even before taking the field.”We played against a quality opposition in conditions that weren’t suited to our cricket, but I think the perception that we don’t play well in T20s has got into everyone’s head,” Fahim tells ESPNcricinfo. “This may contribute to the mentality that we can afford to lose and play badly; there’s not much expectation. We could have been a bit more positive. It was always going to be hard to beat New Zealand in their own conditions, but we should have played better.”Fahim, who has worked in the BCB as an Under-19 coach and as national development manager for many years, feels the New Zealand tour was another example of the lack of boldness in Bangladesh’s approach – a precondition in T20s.”We don’t have the culture that allows the positive and fearless cricket so needed in T20s,” he says. “We worry a lot about consequences when playing cricket at any level, be it club or national team. We don’t have the physical build and neither do we play a lot of T20s. But, on top of that, if we can’t even play 100% fearless cricket, it becomes a huge hindrance in T20s.”It’s almost an echo of what Mahmudullah had to say after Bangladesh lost a T20I series 2-1 in India in late 2019, the last match – the decider – by 30 runs after they collapsed from 110 for 2 to 144 all out chasing 175.”Honestly, we have a long way to go in T20s. We are a team dependent on skilled hitting, not big hitters. If we can be consistent with our game sense and mentality, we can improve in this format,” he had said. “It is important to back players in T20Is where it is hard to be consistent. As a team and the management, we should back players who are going through a rough time.”As for the missing fearlessness, Neil McKenzie, who worked with the national team as batting coach for two years between 2018 and 2020, had tried to analyse the problem early last year, after Bangladesh lost the T20I series in Pakistan.”There’s no doubt that Bangladesh is full of very talented cricketers, but we need a little bit more consistency,” he had said. “I want someone to be selfish in terms of winning games for the side. Not selfish for their own right. Selfish for not giving it away. If I have an 80, why can’t I follow it up with a hundred, 140 or 200?”A little bit more hunger for that consistency. A lot of the time, the guys are happy to play the next game. If you get a 40 or 60. It is the wrong mentality. I want the guys to try to be the best in the world, or be the best Bangladesh batsman. I think that’s what we are trying to instill. We are making progress. But it has been a little bit frustrating.”Shakib has been the only Bangladeshi regular in the IPL over the years•BCCIWhy has the BPL not helped?During the seven seasons of the BPL’s franchise-based model, the teams have depended mainly on overseas players to take charge of all the important phases in the games, especially the powerplay and the death overs, whether with bat or ball.”We give all the important positions to the overseas players during the BPL. We let them handle all the crisis moments, which means our players can never gather that experience,” Fahim says. “What’s glaring is that these overseas players end up adapting to our conditions better. Afghanistan won here quite easily (in 2019) because this is not a foreign land to them anymore.”A franchise doesn’t have the opportunity, nor do they even try, to develop a player. Practice is only for three or four days before the tournament. Suddenly a foreign coach comes, we take a few selfies with him, and that’s it.”Nafees Iqbal , the former Bangladesh opener who has managed the Khulna Titans for the last five years, agrees that the BPL model hasn’t done much for the country’s T20 cricket.”It is very true that we pick overseas players who will make an impact in the powerplay and death overs, and it honestly does make it difficult to provide opportunities to local players,” Nafees says. “But you can’t really blame the BPL franchises. Winning the trophy is their only motivation, since they don’t earn revenue like IPL franchises do.”So, by and large, Bangladeshi players don’t get to – or manage to – impress much in their own T20 league. What chance do they have in overseas competitions?Mustafizur Rahman played a key role for Sunrisers in his debut season (2016)•BCCIThe occasional splashOnly Shakib and Rahman are playing in this season’s IPL.Shakib has been around since 2011, winning two titles with the Kolkata Knight Riders, for whom he is back this season. He is among T20’s glitterati, currently the sixth-highest wicket-taker in all T20s and is among only two players to have scored 5000 runs and taken 350 wickets in the format. He is a major drawcard, having played in all the major T20 tournaments.Rahman won the 2016 IPL with the Sunrisers Hyderabad, in which he also won the award for the best emerging player. The Rajasthan Royals, his team this year, is his third IPL team in five years.Both took the international route to the IPL. The Knight Riders picked Shakib in 2011 after he emerged as a match-winner for Bangladesh and became the No. 1 allrounder in the ICC ODI rankings. He didn’t have a T20 record worth talking about at the time, but had established himself as a dependable allrounder. Rahman shot to the limelight after picking up 11 wickets in his first two ODIs against India in 2015.But beyond them, there’s little. Abdur Razzak (Royal Challengers Bangalore), Mohammad Ashraful (Mumbai Indians) and Mashrafe Mortaza (Knight Riders) have played one match each in the IPL over the years, while Tamim Iqbal was in the Pune Warriors rolls in 2012, but didn’t get a game.What about other T20 leagues?Tamim is a regular at the PSL, and has played in the CPL and in domestic T20 tournaments in England and New Zealand. Mahmudullah has played a couple of seasons in the CPL and PSL too, while Mushfiqur Rahim played three matches for the Karachi Kings in the PSL in 2016. In the Abu Dhabi T10 last year, eight Bangladeshi cricketers – including Mosaddek Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Sohag Gazi and Nasir Hossain – took part, but none of them did anything of note.Nafees, who also worked as Rahman’s translator in the 2018 IPL, while he was with the Mumbai Indians, pointed to two factors – fairly straightforward reasons – that are holding back Bangladeshi players, especially when it comes to the IPL.”Firstly, India is considered the factory of producing batsmen, so usually the IPL franchises are only interested in batsmen who have the X-factor, like AB de Villiers or Andre Russell,” Nafees says. “They are more interested in overseas allrounders and bowlers. Most of Bangladesh’s top players are batsmen, which limits their opportunities in the IPL. Mustafiz is an exceptional bowler while Shakib mainly plays as a bowler.”Secondly, our T20 team’s track record isn’t great. It is not like our one-day team. I think it is important to have an impact in your (country’s) team, before you can be considered anywhere else. Someone like [Kieron] Pollard obviously played well for West Indies first. The moment a player does well for his country, he will attract attention, and then he will get picked in tournaments.”Shoriful Islam impressed at the Bangabandhu T20 Cup•Raton Gomes/BCBLight at the end of the tunnel?The picture isn’t pretty. An absence of specialist T20 skills is a primary reason for the continued lack of big performances. Bangladesh claim they have skilled hitters but not power hitters. That’s true. Scoring patterns from domestic T20 tournaments clearly show that very few Bangladeshi batsmen can be dominant in the way we are used to seeing the top T20 batsmen be. Junaid Siddique is the only Bangladeshi in the top ten for powerplay strike rates, while there is no one in the top ten for strike rates in the last five overs.As for bowlers, there’s no legspinner or unorthodox spinner breaking the door down. The rare 140kph quick or orthodox offspinners or left-arm spinners haven’t shown any remarkable ability in T20s. It is a well-known fact that unique skills have a better chance of producing the spectacular in T20s.Although Bangladesh’s cricketers play many T20 tournaments at the amateur or informal level, the BPL hasn’t quite become what it could have, and not just for the reasons mentioned earlier. Corruption, unpaid wages, and impulsive rule changes have all affected the tournament, and the BCB eventually fell out with the original franchises in 2019 and ran the tournament on its own.”The BPL could have given us a lot, had we tried to take something out of it,” Fahim says. “The board considers the number of foreign players, media coverage and earning money as success. But that’s not it. The BPL should be used to strengthen our players.”In a bid to keep cricketers busy during the pandemic, the BCB organised the Bangabandhu T20 Cup last year. The tournament didn’t feature overseas players, so Bangladesh’s best cricketers got a chance to have more of a say in critical moments in T20s. That could help.”I think tournaments like Bangabandhu T20 will produce players,” Nafees says. “If we have seen domestic players tackle difficult situations in this competition, we will consider him for a similar role in the next BPL.”There weren’t many groundbreaking performances in the Bangabandhu T20s, though, but newcomers like Parvez Hossain Emon, a part of the Under-19 World Cup-winning side, and rookies like Anisul Islam, Mukidul Islam and Shoriful Islam showed they could hold their own in tough moments.It could be a starting point. In a country where talented T20 cricketers are not falling over each other to be noticed, a bit more desperation might help – desperation on the part of the BCB and other stakeholders. There are two T20 World Cups in the next two years, and there are several spots up for grabs. It’s up to the players to make those positions theirs.

Legspinner starts season in fine form to raise hopes of making the Test grade

Matt Roller12-May-2021In the HBO drama, , the hapless Cousin Greg is warned when bragging about his inheritance that it will make him “the poorest rich person in America – the world’s tallest dwarf”. In cricketing terms, ‘England’s best red-ball legspinner’ is a similarly couched epithet – the context offers no guarantee of success or fulfilment.But it is better to have the label than not, and given Adil Rashid has not played a first-class match since January 2019 while continuing to manage his shoulder injury, Matt Parkinson’s early-season form confirms he is the incumbent. After wearing hi-vis and carrying drinks throughout England’s three-month subcontinent tour, Parkinson has taken 19 wickets in his first four County Championship games of the season – only eight bowlers, seven of them seamers, have managed more.The opportunity to bowl has been key, both as a containing bowler and an attack one. Parkinson’s four previous first-class seasons (he missed last year’s Bob Willis Trophy through injury) have followed a similar pattern: running drinks in April and May as Lancashire play it safe, before getting a brief chance at the end of the summer. Two wickets against Northamptonshire next week would make this the most prolific season of his career to date, even with up to eight fixtures left to play.ESPNcricinfo LtdIt already feels like a long time since he was left out of the side for Lancashire’s first game of the season, with Tom Hartley, the young left-arm spinner, preferred. “You do get little doubts when you don’t play the first one,” Parkinson admits as the rain comes down on the washed-out third day of their draw with Glamorgan. “It was probably a bit tight [after getting back from India] but I was gutted not to play. You start thinking, ‘oh no’.”I thought it could be like a normal season for a legspinner – the sort I’ve had before – where you don’t play until June or July. I’ve made the point that I want to play a large part in red-ball cricket and I see that as my only way of getting a justified call-up for further honours. I don’t want to be in England squads off the back of potential. I want to do what Leachy [Jack Leach] does: play 14 games, and take loads of wickets.”Two wickets in particular have stood out. The first was a near-replica of Shane Warne’s ball to Mike Gatting in 1993 – pitching some way outside leg, and hitting the top of Adam Rossington’s off stump; the second was a similar ball but to the left-handed Delray Rawlins, who offered no shot and was cleaned up by a sharply-spun legbreak. However, with English cricket taking part in a social media boycott in solidarity against online abuse, the Rawlins wicket gained significantly less traction than Rossington’s.

Who did it better? @ShaneWarne, @mattyparky96

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— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) April 16, 2021