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A Federação Gaúcha de Futebol está pressionando a CBF pela paralisação dos jogos do Campeonato Brasileiro em sua totalidade, em função da tragédia ambiental sem precedentes que afeta o estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Em nome das equipes gaúchas que disputam a Série A – Grêmio, Internacional e Juventude –, a federação do estado visa manter a isonomia da competição, evitando um calendário ainda mais apertado para as equipes. Saiba o que diz o regulamento de competições da CBF sobre a possibilidade de paralisação do Brasileirão.

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Essa semana, a CBF decidiu pelo adiamento dos jogos das equipes gaúchas até o dia 27 deste mês, mas há pressão dos clubes e da sociedade civil para que a resolução abranja sobre todas as partidas do Campeonato Brasileiro e até da Copa do Brasil. O iniciativa tem como princípio a logística dos clubes, a questão psicológica dos atletas e também outros pontos relacionados como a reputação da entidade máxima de futebol do País.

Há respaldo no regulamento do Brasileirão para que o presidente da CBF, Ednaldo Rodrigues, possa suspender ou paralisar o campeonato em função de uma tragédia ambiental? O Advogado especializado em Direito Desportivo do Ambiel Advogados, Felipe Crisafulli esclarece que os regulamentos das competições organizadas pela entidade não tratam especificamente dessa questão.

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“O Regulamento Geral das Competições (RGC) da CBF não prevê a suspensão, a paralisação de torneio por problemas climáticos, ainda que extremos, tais quais os que vimos no Rio Grande do Sul ao longo da última semana. De todo modo, isso não deverá impedir a CBF de tomar esse tipo de decisão, caso entenda justo e necessário fazê-lo”, destacou o especialista.

No entanto, Crisafulli acrescentou que no Regulamento Geral de Competições, há cláusulas que permitem a modificação de tabela e alterações de partidas, “por motivo de força maior”, mas não trata da suspensão do campeonato como um todo. “Igualmente, o Regulamento Específico da Competição (REC) da Série A do Brasileirão de 2024 traz, em seu artigo 35, parágrafo 2º, que as datas e tabelas poderão sofrer alterações por motivos de força maior, pandemia ou razões excepcionais, mas tampouco faz menção à paralisação da competição em si”, ponderou.

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Nesse caso, a CBF ainda pode alterar a tabela e, portanto, suspender o Brasileirão. A alternativa permite modificar o calendário, realocando os jogos ao longo das semanas ou meses seguintes, apenas com a condição de informar aos clubes e às federações estaduais, por meio de sua Diretoria de Competições (DCO). “Certamente haverá dificuldades de datas para fins de acomodação dos jogos; por outro lado, existe o possível desequilíbrio técnico, além de impossibilidades práticas, até mesmo de acesso e deslocamento, que deverão ser observados pela CBF caso opte, em algum momento, pela suspensão temporária do campeonato e adiamento de determinados jogos, sempre pensando em alternativas aos clubes gaúchos e na melhor forma de afetar o mínimo possível o produto futebol brasileiro, inclusive quanto atividade econômica de repercussão e relevo nacional e internacional”, disse Crisafulli.

E quanto aos jogos da Libertadores e Sul-Americana? 

De toda forma, assim como se passa em âmbito nacional, nem o Manual de Clubes da Libertadores, nem o da Sul-Americana dispõem quanto à possibilidade de paralisação das competições. “Ainda assim, os Manuais trazem a possibilidade de a entidade alterar os dias e horários das partidas sempre que considerar necessário”, concluiu o especialista em Direito Desportivo.

Felipe Crisafulli é advogado especializado em Direito Desportivo, membro da OAB/SP e do Instituto Brasileiro de Direito Desportivo (IBDD). É também professor de Direito Desportivo e doutorando em Direito Civil pela Universidade de Coimbra (Portugal)

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoCampeonato BrasileiroCBFCopa do BrasilEnchentesFutebol BrasileiroRio Grande do Sul

Celtic are considering appointing Nicky Hayen as their next manager and a new update has now emerged regarding their pursuit of the Belgian.

Hayen has been mentioned as one of the leading contenders to replace Brendan Rodgers at Parkhead, with the Northern Irishman departing last week. The 45-year-old has been very open about potentially leaving his role in charge of Brugge, hinting that he would be keen on coming in as the new Celtic boss.

Hayen is far from the only option for Celtic, however, with Martin O’Neill thought to be open to the idea of staying in charge of the Hoops for the remainder of the 2025/26 season, should the club’s owners like that idea.

The likes of Lee Carsley, Kieran McKenna and Damien Duff have all been linked with the job, too, as the Scottish Premiership champions look to nail their appointment and claw back the deficit on Hearts in the title race.

Celtic willing to offer Hayen big wages

According to Voetbal Nieuws [via Sport Witness], Celtic will try to “lure” Hayen away from Brugge with a high salary, and have knocked on his door. The Hoops are trying to use “money, prestige, and the lure of Glasgow” to bring him to Parkhead, with his current club hesitant to allow him to leave without receiving plenty of compensation.

It is easy to see why Hayen is a leading contender to be Celtic’s next manager, with the Belgian averaging 2.03 points per game across 80 matches in charge of Brugge. He also won the league title with them in 2023/24, and the Belgian Cup last season, showing that the Hoops would be bringing in a manager who knows how to win trophies.

Hayen’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation isn’t dissimilar to Rodgers’ 4-3-3 system, meaning Celtic’s players shouldn’t find it too difficult to make the adjustment, and at 45, he is still a young manager who would bring vibrancy to Parkhead.

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There may be a temptation to give O’Neill the job until the end of the season, but if Hayen makes himself available very soon, he should be looked at as a great option.

Celtic are looking at hiring "box-office" alternative to Nicky Hayen

Arne Slot eased the pressure when he led his Liverpool side to victory over West Ham United at the weekend, but in a matter of days, the Reds will have hosted Sunderland and travelled to Elland Road to face Leeds United, and that will make a more accurate barometer of this squad’s level.

The pressure has cranked up in recent weeks, and who of a red persuasion could contest the scrutiny? The Premier League champions had lost nine of 12 matches in all competitions before arresting the slump, and after the November international break, Anfield has been left reeling after successive drubbings dished out by Nottingham Forest and PSV Eindhoven.

It’s clear that Liverpool have lost their way, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get back on track. A summer of record-breaking spending has packaged the Reds team with so much quality, but it’s true that Liverpool are an imbalanced outfit.

Sporting director Richard Hughes may need to dig back into the transfer market, which will be upon us in less than a month.

Liverpool's January transfer plans

It’s incredible that after spending more than £400m this summer, Liverpool still need to address a number of areas across Slot’s squad. Namely, Liverpool need a centre-back, and Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo has emerged as a leading contender to strengthen the frontline this January.

But with Marc Guehi out of contract at the end of the season and Manchester City also holding talks for Semenyo’s services, FSG may be tempted to look elsewhere.

And according to Caught Offside, Juventus’ rising star Kenan Yildiz has been shortlisted as a Semenyo alternative, having enjoyed a rip-roaring start to the campaign in Italy.

The 20-year-old certainly wouldn’t come cheap. Viewed as one of Serie A’s brightest young stars, Juventus do not want to sell the attacking midfielder, but a concerted approach from FSG could help shift some weight.

With Chelsea also interested, the Old Lady are looking to bank a €100m cheque (translating to £88m) for their prized player.

Why Liverpool want Kenan Yildiz

Yildiz might be young, but he is “already one of the best left wingers in the world”, according to one Serie A scout, and has a far higher ceiling than the 25-year-old Semenyo besides.

Semenyo is the talk of the town in the Premier League, but he’s gone five matches without a goal involvement after such a prolific start to the campaign.

Yildiz, by contrast, is spreading out his output, notching both strikes in Juve’s recent 2-1 league win over Cagliari.

He is a ferocious runner and he is sharp with his playmaking. As per data-driven site FBref, Yildiz ranks among the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90.

In this he has what it takes to match Semenyo’s athleticism and dynamism. In this he can become one of the Premier League’s finest.

Moreover, Yildiz has only missed one big chance in the Italian top flight, scoring four times.

Matches (starts)

12 (11)

12 (12)

Goals

4

6

Assists

3

3

Touches*

52.4

49.6

Shots (on target)*

2.4 (1.1)

2.2 (1.2)

Accurate passes*

27.1 (85%)

19.9 (77%)

Chances created*

2.3

1.3

Dribbles*

1.5

1.8

Recoveries*

3.7

5.2

Tackles + interceptions*

0.9

1.8

Duels won*

4.2

6.3

From a statistical standpoint, Semenyo has probably enjoyed the better season so far, but data only tells so much of a story in football, and Yildiz is clearly making startling progress at such a young age, close now to establishing himself as one of the best in the business.

He is “100% a superstar”, in the eyes of analyst Ben Mattinson, so dynamic and electric down the left flank. His duelling success doesn’t yet match Semenyo, who is one of the Premier League’s most combative wide forwards, and in just a few years, he could be far outstripping the Ghana international.

Whether Liverpool opt to fork out close to £100m for an up-and-coming talent remains to be seen, but Yildiz has already proven that he belongs on the world stage.

Semenyo would be a terrific signing, but the Turkish winger has that special something that suggests he could become one of the very best in the business.

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ByAngus Sinclair Dec 1, 2025

A sight no Cubs fan wanted to see occurred on Saturday during the club's game against the Nationals at Wrigley Field.

During the bottom of the sixth inning, Cubs All-Star centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, facing Nationals reliever PJ Poulin with a 1-1 count, fouled an 89-mph sinker off his right knee. In considerable pain, Crow-Armstrong dropped his bat and hobbled up the third-base line, where he stopped and grabbed his knee as the Cubs trainer hurried out from the dugout.

The speedy outfielder finished the at-bat, which resulted in a walk, then exited the game after the bottom of the sixth inning.

The Cubs announced Crow-Armstrong left the game with a right knee contusion, according to Zoe Grossman of Marquee Sports Network.

Crow-Armstrong, at one point one of the favorites to be named National League MVP, is in the midst of a career year. Even after a second-half swoon, he owns a career-best .786 OPS and is flirting with a 30-homer, 30-stolen base season.

The Cubs, holding strong to the top wild-card spot in the NL, will hope Crow-Armstrong avoided serious injury.

While they’ve not all been hits, Chelsea have signed some seriously talented players over the last few years.

The best of them all, though, has undoubtedly been Cole Palmer, who has taken the Premier League by storm since his arrival in 2023.

The Englishman has already produced 74 goal involvements for the side in just 101 appearances and, so long as he’s fit, will most certainly be going to the World Cup with England.

So it’s great news that Cobham looks like it may well have just produced Chelsea a right-footed version of the ice-cold superstar.

Chelsea's most exciting academy gems

Cobham has long been one of, if not the best, academies in England, and there are once again a handful of seriously exciting academy prospects who could soon be making a significant impact on the Chelsea first team.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

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For example, Shim Mheuka has been on fire for some time now and even made a few appearances for the senior side last season.

As things stand, the 18-year-old phenomenon has scored 13 goals and provided three assists in just 12 appearances across various youth sides, totalling 977 minutes.

Mheuka’s Chelsea youth record

Appearances

61

Goals

34

Assists

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.70

All Stats via Transfermarkt

That comes out to an outrageous average of 1.33 goal involvements every game, or one every 61.06 minutes, and helps to explain why respected talent scout Jacek Kulig has described him as “the future of Chelsea and English football.”

Moving deeper down the pitch, and while it’s likely going to be a couple of years before he’s given a chance in the first team, Reggie Watson looks to be the real deal.

The 15-year-old can, and has played in a few positions for the youth sides, but is at his best as a six, with respected analyst Ben Mattinson describing him as a “midfield powerhouse.”

Another analyst has highlighted his impressive “passing and vision” as well as his knack for “dictating the tempo of the game.”

He’s not just impressive at club level either, as, after producing six goal involvements in six appearances for England’s under-15s, he was moved up to the under-16s, where he has already scored three goals in just six games.

With all that said, there is another gem who is arguably the most exciting of the lot, and the one who could be Chelsea’s own homegrown Palmer.

Chelsea's homgrown Palmer

While there are an impressive number of academy talents who could become first-team stars at Chelsea, one of the most exciting, and the one who could become the club’s homegrown Palmer, is Reggie Walsh.

The 17-year-old gem joined the Blues at the under-8s level and has worked his way through the academy, impressing at every step of the way and made his competitive debut for the club in the first leg of their Conference League semi-final against Djurgarden last season.

He then became the club’s youngest European starter in the second leg, aged just 16 years and 200 days.

With all that said, what about him means he could be the club’s next Palmer?

Well, while he hasn’t got an outrageous goalscoring record with the youth sides, he, like the Blues starman, is a proper entertainer on the ball, someone capable of doing the simple things while also playing with some flair.

For example, he has been described as a “truly ridiculous” talent by Como scout Felix Johnston, and when asked about him last season, Maresca was full of praise for his playstyle, describing him as “perfect for our system.”

As if that wasn’t enough, another analyst claimed the youngster is “a joy to watch”, and u23 scout Antonio Mango went even further than that, stating that “watching Reggie Walsh perform is a thing of beauty.”

The right-footed gem isn’t just making waves at club level, though, as he’s gone through England’s u15s, u16s, u17s and u18s.

Ultimately, it is still so early in his career, but Walsh is clearly a star in the making, and like Palmer, is a truly entertaining player to watch.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 13, 2025

Pitcher Steven Matz has reinvented himself in 2025—and the Boston Red Sox appear hopeful he can reinvent their bullpen.

The Red Sox are acquiring Matz from the St. Louis Cardinals for infielder Blaze Jordan, according to a Wednesday night report from ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Matz, 34, is in the first year of a shift to the bullpen after 10 years as a starter. That move has gone fairly well—in 32 games this season, he is 5-2 with a 3.44 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 55 innings pitched. His 2.88 FIP suggests he may be even better than his numbers let on.

Among most baseball fans, Matz remains best known for his stellar—albeit injury-marred—early years with the New York Mets. The Long Island native helped the Mets win the National League pennant in 2015, and went 9-8 in a very good rookie season in 2016.

He reportedly joins a Boston team clinging to the American League's second wild-card spot; it leads the Seattle Mariners by one game.

Marnus Labuschagne has churned out runs, Steven Smith looks primed and Scott Boland has been in the wickets

Andrew McGlashan15-Nov-20252:17

Weatherald or Labuschagne – who will open in Perth?

Usman KhawajaSheffield Shield – Matches: 3; Runs: 202; Average: 50.50; 100s: 0A solid build-up for Khawaja, who was always scheduled to miss the game against Western Australia having played the first three. Made contributions in all the matches and looked good for his 87 against New South Wales, although the real test will come against the extra pace in England’s attack.Jake WeatheraldSheffield Shield – Matches: 4; Runs: 301; Average: 37.62; 100s: 0
One-Day Cup – Matches: 2; Runs: 28; Average: 14.00Though he hasn’t nailed a huge score, his rapid 94 against Western Australia helped seal his first Test call after starting with twin fifties on a docile Allan Border Field pitch on the back of his 900-run 2024-25 summer. Two lean rounds heading into the series isn’t ideal but Weatherald is a cricketer very comfortable with where he is at in his career. Has been picked because of his naturally positive game, so don’t expect that to change if he makes the XI.Related

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Marnus LabuschagneSheffield Shield – Matches: 4; Runs: 402; Average: 67.00; 100s: 2
One-Day Cup – Matches: 4; Runs: 338; Average: 84.50; 100s: 3Has done everything, and probably more, asked of him after being dropped in the West Indies. While the volume of runs will be pleasing for the selectors, it’s the manner in which Labuschagne has made them that has probably been the most important factor – back to the positive intent that was a hallmark of his prolific time as a Test batter a few years ago. Seems to be less worried about the little things.Steven SmithSheffield Shield – Matches: 2; Runs: 231; Average: 115.50; 100s: 1Smith said he was ready before he had hit a ball in anger this season and his returns in two New South Wales outings has backed that up. He was especially impressive on a tricky SCG pitch against Victoria. Also took a brilliant catch at slip to suggest the reflexes are still in top working order.Travis HeadODIs – Matches: 3; Runs 65; Average: 21.66
T20Is – Matches: 6; Runs: 78; Average: 15.60
Sheffield Shield – Matches: 1; Runs: 21Head is a critical figure in Australia’s batting order but enters the Ashes with question marks over his form. While T20s aren’t the best barometer, he also didn’t get going in the ODIs against India. Then, in his one Shield outing, he made two low scores in a bowler-dominated game against Tasmania. The hope will be that his big-game temperament shines through when needed. “I take confidence in the last Test series we played in West Indies,” he told . “I felt like on tough wickets I played well… I try to adapt to conditions and win games of cricket for Australia. I’m not too worried about output, I know I’m working hard, I know I’m ready to go.”Cameron Green ticked every box in his Shield outing against Queensland•Getty ImagesCameron GreenSheffield Shield – Matches: 3; Runs: 195; Average: 32.50; 100s: 0 | Overs: 20; Wickets: 2It had been a slightly disjointed start to the season for Green after a side niggle interrupted his preparations, but he ticked every box in his Shield outing against Queensland, getting through 16 overs at good pace across the two innings and making 94. Four years into his Test career, Green’s numbers are solid – can he now go to the next level?Beau WebsterSheffield Shield – Matches: 2; Runs: 38; Average: 9.50 | Overs: 47.5; Wickets: 9; Average: 19.66
One-Day Cup – Matches 3; Runs 159; Average: 53.00 | Overs: 19.4; Wickets: 5; Average: 18.40Webster’s immediate Test future hangs in the balance, largely through no fault of his own. However, it wasn’t a great time to have two lean outings with the bat for Tasmania after an ankle injury meant he missed the start of the Shield season. But with the ball he has been excellent – the injuries Australia have suffered may yet work in his favour if the selectors opt for extra bowling depth – and he would certainly be an asset in the field.Alex CareyODIs – Matches: 2; Runs: 33; Average: 16.50
T20Is – Matches: 3; Runs 8; Average: 4.00
Sheffield Shield – Matches: 2; Runs: 126; Average: 31.50; 100s: 0
One-Day Cup – Matches 1; Runs 8It hasn’t been the most prolific six weeks for Carey but there won’t be too many concerns. His half-century against Tasmania was a timely tune-up ahead of next week. The original plan was probably for him to have three Shield outings, but he was a late call-up for the T20Is in New Zealand after Josh Inglis was injured.Josh InglisT20Is – Matches: 5; Runs: 33; Average: 11.00
Sheffield Shield – Matches: 1; Runs: 32Barring an injury to Carey, it’s unlikely Inglis will be needed, at least early in the Ashes. It’s been a frustrating season so far with a calf problem leaving him short of match time. He struggled in the T20Is against India and then made 4 and 28 in Western Australia’s thrilling one-wicket win over Queensland.Mitchell Starc bowled with pace against Victoria at the SCG•Getty ImagesMitchell StarcODIs – Matches: 3; Wickets: 3; Average: 38.33
Sheffield Shield – Matches: 1; Overs: 31; Wickets: 5; Average: 27.80Starc voluntarily offered up that he had been searching for rhythm a little after a lengthy lay-off since the West Indies tour. Things hadn’t quite felt right in the ODIs against India but signs were promising in his Shield outing where he produced a rapid spell after lunch on the first day. His durability is legendary but will be tested this summer.Nathan LyonSheffield Shield – Matches: 4; Overs: 150; Wickets: 12; Average: 34.00Lyon’s pre-season plan was to play three of the four Shield games before the first Test, but with seamers dominating the first two he opted for an extra outing to build his workload. Wickets didn’t come in abundance, but he looked to be finding a nice groove against Victoria. “I feel like I’ve been building nicely,” he said during the game. “Especially over at the Gabba and here now. It’s feeling really good.”Scott BolandSheffield Shield – Matches: 3; Overs: 90.4; Wickets: 14; Average: 17.57Boland, who is now likely to see much more Ashes action than may have originally been the case, looks to have timed his run perfectly. By his own high standards, he wasn’t quite at his best against NSW in Melbourne but still claimed a match-winning eight wickets. Was a constant threat in the return fixture at the SCG.Brendan DoggettSheffield Shield – Matches: 2; Overs: 64.4; Wickets: 13; Average: 14.69
One-Day Cup – Matches: 1; Wickets 2After a hamstring injury ruled him out of the first two Shield matches, Doggett has put his name up in lights with a bagful of wickets for South Australia. Josh Hazlewood’s injury has put him on the brink of a Test debut in Perth and he looks like a bowler ready for the step up.Michael NeserSheffield Shield – Matches 3; Overs: 115.3; Wickets: 14; Average: 24.38
One-Day Cup – Matches 2: Overs 20; Wickets: 4; Average: 26.25A late call-up after the major loss of Hazlewood for the first Test. Neser has been as probing as ever, particularly in his first two Shield outings in October that brought 11 wickets. Missed the third round to manage his workload.

Tigers ace and reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal left his start against the Marlins with a team athletic trainer Friday night.

He appeared to grab the left side of his upper body after a pitch in the fourth inning which caused manager A.J. Hinch and a member of the training staff to head out to the mound. After a brief discussion, Skubal exited the game. You can watch the unfortunate sequence below:

Per 's Cody Stavenhagen, the team said the Cy Young Award frontrunner left his 29th start of the season with tightness in his left side and is getting evaluated. Heading into the night, he is 13–4 with a 2.10 ERA and 222 strikeouts. He leads the AL in ERA, trailing only Paul Skenes (1.92) for the best mark in baseball. Only Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet has more punchouts with 228.

Something was off with Skubal from the start Friday as he gave up two home runs in his first two innings and ended the evening allowing four earned runs to two strikeouts. He pitched 14 innings of scoreless baseball over his two previous starts while striking out 10 batters along the way.

Javier Báez exited early for Detroit Friday also after he fouled a ball off his head earlier in the game.

Belief. That was the buzzword as Mushtaq Ahmed, Bangladesh’s spin consultant, addressed a press conference ahead of his team’s must-win Asia Cup fixture against Afghanistan.Bangladesh’s chastening defeat to Sri Lanka with 32 balls to spare dented a net run-rate that should’ve received a bigger fillip when they beat Hong Kong. That they took 17.4 overs to knock off 144 despite having a platform was criticised from several quarters.That means Bangladesh won’t be able to control their fate even if they win, since Afghanistan and Sri Lanka play the last group game of the pool.Related

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“You have to believe. The coaches and management keep telling the players that belief is very important,” Mushtaq said. “It’s difficult, of course, having to rely on ifs and buts, but you have to concentrate on winning the match first.”Asked of potential dangers to look out for, Mushtaq was clear it would come from Afghanistan’s spinners, led by their captain, Rashid Khan.”Their spin department is very good, especially in the middle overs,” he said. “If we can counter their spin well and put a decent score on the board, we can challenge them because our bowling unit is also strong. My main concern is the middle overs.”This middle phase is where Bangladesh revived their innings in their previous game, with Jaker Ali and Shamim Hossain reviving a floundering innings. From 59 for 5, they put together an unbroken 80-run stand to lift Bangladesh to 139.Mushtaq said despite their batting struggles, the messaging has been constant: to try and keep going for their shots, which he also said wasn’t something that can be ingrained instantly. But it’s something they’ve been trying to develop in trying to ramp up their batting methods – like their focus towards six-hitting.”Sometimes, early failures lead to losing four or five wickets quickly,” Mushtaq explained. “We tell our batsmen that such things happen, but they must move on fast. If they dwell on the past, their progress will be slow. As coaches, our duty is to prevent them from going into a shell, maintain their confidence, and keep giving them belief.Bangladesh suffered a heavy defeat to Sri Lanka•Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images

“As I’ve said in press conferences, I emphasise on belief. I played with legends like Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, and Wasim Akram. One lesson I learned from them is that if you don’t believe you belong at the international level, you start over-respecting the opposition and forget your strengths. Even failure while playing aggressively makes you a stronger player.”If coaches and management can instill that belief, the team can challenge any side. Players like Litton [Das], [Towhid] Hridoy, Tanzim [Hasan], Jaker and Shamim have shown that even when situations look tough, they can find momentum and score 170-180. With good fast bowlers and spinners, and if we get stronger as a team, we can challenge any team.”Mushtaq also called for some patience while dealing with a player like Rishad Hossain, the legspinner. It’s an art that hasn’t always been explored to its full potential in Bangladesh, primarily because of their battery of traditional left-arm spinners over the years.Rishad, though, has had an impressive initiation into international cricket, even though he hasn’t picked up wickets by the truckloads. His only over the other night against Sri Lanka went for 18.”Sometimes, as a young leg-spinner, you can overthink and try too many deliveries in one over,” Mushtaq assessed. “Especially in the first few overs, you risk losing your line and length. Funny enough, you asked this question [about his form].”I spoke to him today before we came to the nets. His strength is always to bowl the first three balls in good areas. That builds belief and confidence, after which he can use variations. He has to learn these little things quickly and also figure out, situation-wise, which deliveries to bowl more.”If a bowler, like Rishad, struggles in the first three balls, it doesn’t mean he loses rhythm for the rest of the spell. As a leg-spin bowling coach, I remind all spinners to focus on the process. Bowling good balls consistently builds confidence. He’s young and hasn’t played much red-ball cricket, so it’s my responsibility to ensure he remembers his process before worrying about outcomes.”Mushtaq was then asked what Afghanistan are doing in their development of wristspinners and cricketers in general that Bangladesh aren’t.”Afghanistan players have played lots of franchise cricket,” he explained. “You can buy a bed, but you can’t buy sleep. Bangladesh has been strong at home, but in ICC or ACC tournaments, we have to improve.”

وجه فيرجيل فان دايك قائد ليفربول رسالة لجماهير الفريق بعد الخسارة الثقيلة أمام آيندهوفن برباعية لهدف واحد، على ملعب آنفيلد في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وأكد المدافع الهولندي المخضرم أن فريقه لن يستسلم، وأن ليفربول سيسعى لقلب سلسلة هزائمه الكارثية التي بلغت تسع هزائم من أصل 12 مباراة خاضها الفريق.

ويستعد ليفربول لمواجهة وست هام يونايتد على ملعب لندن يوم الأحد في الدوري الانجليزي الممتاز، وقد اعترف فان دايك أن الفريق يمر بأصعب فترة في مسيرته.

أقرأ أيضاً.. وارنوك: محمد صلاح سيعود لحالته في ليفربول.. ولكن بشرط

وكتب فان دايك عبر “إنستجرام” في رسالة نشرتها صحيفة “ميرور” البريطانية: “نواجه واحدة من أصعب لحظات مسيرتنا”.

وأضاف: “لكننا نرفض أن نسمح لهذا بأن يحدد مسارنا، سننهض من هذه المحنة، أؤمن بهذا الفريق بكل ما أوتيت من قوة”.

واختتم فان دايك: “لن نستسلم، كل تحدي هو فرصة، علينا أن ننمو معاً وندعم بعضنا البعض ونظهر قوتنا، إلى الجماهير استمروا في دعمنا، كلنا بحاجة لبعضنا البعض أكثر من أي وقت مضى”.