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The former Pakistan captain also felt the PCB had been “unjust” on Shaheen Shah Afridi to remove him from the T20I captaincy

PTI and ESPNcricinfo staff13-Sep-2024Former Pakistan captain Moin Khan has said his son Azam’s confidence has taken a beating because of the inability of the Pakistan selectors and team management to give him a consistent run in the side.Moin took the example of the T20 World Cup earlier this year in the West Indies and the USA, Azam’s most recent appearance for Pakistan. Azam played only the opening match of Pakistan’s campaign, the Super-Over defeat to USA. He played as wicketkeeper-batter, and scored a first-ball duck. He was dropped thereafter, with Mohammad Rizwan, who played as a specialist batter against USA, taking back the keeper’s gloves.”I watched the entire World Cup and the matches leading up to it, and it seemed like Azam was the number one choice for wicketkeeping and batting,” Moin told . “Then suddenly, after just one match, the entire strategy was changed.”Pakistan exited the tournament at the first group stage itself, winning two games and losing to USA and India.”Azam wasn’t given a chance to keep wickets after one match and was dropped after getting out on the very first ball [against USA],” Moin said. “Any player can get out on the first ball, but here the tradition of developing players that used to exist is no longer there. Whether it’s the captain or the management, if they make such quick changes to players, how can we produce good players?”Azam has faced scrutiny right through his career for his fitness, and while Moin agreed with some of the criticism, he said his son was now working hard on that area.”I’m not saying that all the blame lies with the team management and the captain; Azam has his own shortcomings too,” Moin said. “He needs to make himself physically and mentally stronger, and follow the fitness routines of other sportsmen.”For the past month or so, I’ve noticed he’s been working hard to improve his fitness with his trainer Shehzar Mohammad, even taking him along to the Caribbean [Premier] League. I hope Azam has learned a lot from this experience.”‘Removing Shaheen from the captaincy was unjust’Moin expressed strong support for Shaheen Shah Afridi to be Pakistan’s white-ball captain. Shaheen had taken over as T20I captain – and was seen as a frontrunner for the ODI captaincy too – in the wake of Babar Azam’s resignation following the ODI World Cup in India last year. Shaheen’s tenure lasted just one series, however, with Babar reinstated in March.”Shaheen Afridi has the ability to lead the team and is highly liked by the players. He is an excellent choice for captaincy in T20s,” Moin said. “In white-ball cricket, I don’t see anyone else suitable for the role. Removing him from the captaincy was unjust.”Moin also advocated for one captain for all formats, and felt that constant leadership changes only stood to affect team performance.”Players may not listen to their captain if there are constant changes,” he said. “If the cricket board provides full support to the captain and assures them of a long-term responsibility, the team’s performance will improve.”

Speaking ahead of the Duleep Trophy opener, he also said that he hasn’t “reached his expectations” as a Test player yet

Himanshu Agrawal04-Sep-2024

Shubman Gill will lead India A in the Duleep Trophy•SLC

Shubman Gill has said working on his “defensive game” helped him turn his Test fortunes around against England earlier this year.Before heading into the home series against England, Gill’s average in Tests was 30.59. But batting at No. 3 across the five games, he hit 452 runs in nine innings, at an average of 56.50. That included two centuries and half-centuries each, as he overturned a run of low scores in the format. Returning to first-class cricket for the first time since then, Gill will be leading India A at the Duleep Trophy opener on Thursday.”I worked on my defence a little bit more, especially against the spinners,” Gill said at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, where his side will face India B in the Duleep Trophy. “Playing on turning tracks, if you are not able to have that confidence in your defence [then it disturbs your game]. If you’re playing on a turning track, you should be able to defend a lot more. [It is] then you play scoring shots.Related

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“And with more T20 [cricket], and playing on, I wouldn’t say flat tracks, but [on] batting-friendly tracks – [and] more in the white-ball [games] – I feel it takes away a little bit of your defensive game over a period of time. So that was my focus in the England series.”After scoring 104 in the second innings of the second Test against England in Visakhapatnam, he revealed he had asked the team management to push him down to No. 3 instead of playing as an opener, a position where he had batted 29 times.Despite the returns against England, Gill acknowledged that he is not quite there yet as a Test player, and that he intended to make up for it. India play ten Tests over the next four months, starting with two against Bangladesh from September 19.”Yes, definitely, I haven’t reached my expectations yet,” he said. “But we have ten Test matches ahead of us back-to-back. So hopefully after these ten Test matches, I will be able to meet my expectations.”Gill: As captain, ‘you should understand your players a lot more’Gill said that he never felt any “extra pressure” being part of the India leadership group, as the added responsibility required him to know more about his team-mates.Over the last few months, Gill has had plenty of leadership opportunities. That run started when he captained Gujarat Titans in the IPL after Hardik Pandya went back to Mumbai Indians. Gill then led India in five T20Is against Zimbabwe, after Rohit Sharma had retired from the format and several other senior players were rested.India reversed a 0-1 scoreline to beat the hosts 4-1, after which Gill had said that captaincy “brings out the best in me”. He was even named vice-captain for the T20Is and ODIs against Sri Lanka that followed.”My role as a batsman doesn’t really change,” Gill said. “Even if I am the captain or the vice-captain, the aim is to get runs and make my team win, [and] contribute in any way possible.”If you are the captain or the vice-captain, then you should be able to understand your players a lot more rather than when you are just a player. Sometimes, it happens that you have played with a lot of [these] players since childhood. You have played a lot of age-group cricket [together]. So, obviously, you are already connected, and so it is more fun to play with them.”And if you are enjoying your role in the captaincy, it is very important to lead with performance. So if you are getting all these things, then you enjoy everything.”

Despite losing their last five games of the regular Championship season, Sunderland are Premier League-bound once more after Wembley produced yet more drama in a play-off final.

Tommy Watson would break Sheffield United hearts right at the death to hand his hometown club a passage up to the big time, but all these jubilant celebrations will soon be met by the crashing fear of realism as Sunderland attempt to stay afloat in such a brutal division.

Already, however, the Wearside high-flyers have been active in the transfer market to try and boost their young squad, with Enzo Le Fee about to pen a permanent Stadium of Light contract.

Away from the standout loanee joining for good, there are a whole host of other rumours involving incomings that will please fans of Regis Le Bris’ underdogs.

Sunderland's growing list of transfer targets

Amazingly, Le Fee might not be the only statement addition in the centre of the park this summer.

The rumour mill continues to churn out the wild possibility of Jordan Henderson returning to his hometown roots, whilst another flashy buy in the midfield department could soon come in the form of Manchester United winger Amad Diallo.

Yet, away from Henderson and Amad’s names being tentatively linked, Sunderland could look to improve defensively this summer by shopping in Le Bris’s native France.

As per a new report from the Daily Mirror, that has been relayed by the Sunderland Echo, the AS Monaco ace is being looked at by the Black Cats as part of an ambitious summer rebuild, meaning the old guard in the building might be moved to one side for the likes of Singo to shine.

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Indeed, any move for the £20m-rated defender could prove to be an upgrade on long-serving hero, Luke O’Nien.

How Singo compares to O'Nien

O’Nien’s appearance at the final whistle at Wembley tells you all you need to know about his warrior-like character as the veteran defender celebrated with his arm in a noticeable sling.

Whilst that grit and determination might well be of value to the Black Cats in such a demanding league, the strong 30-year-old could soon take a back seat for a fresh body to arrive in the form of Singo.

After all, whilst O’Nien can play both as a right-back or as a centre-back like Singo, it’s clear from the numbers below that the 23-year-old target is more accustomed to being a Premier League-level defender for Sunderland right now, over the long-standing Wearside servant.

Singo’s league numbers (24/25) vs O’Nien’s
Stat – per 90 mins*	Singo	O’Nien
Games played	27	48
Goals scored	1	3
Assists	2	1
Touches*	65.9	73.5
Accurate passes*	45.1 (87%)	52.7 (87%)
Big chances created	3	1
Ball recoveries*	5.1	3.4
Clearances*	4.0	3.9
Total duels won*	4.7	3.9
Clean sheets	7	16
Stats by Sofascore

Indeed, Singo has already shown he can cut it with the top dogs in Ligue 1 when amassing one goal and two assists when lining up either in the heart of defence or down the right flank last season.

But, away from solely offering Sunderland a new expansive option out from the back, he also possesses that same hunger and drive to battle like O’Nien, with the “monster” Ivorian – as he’s been labelled by football analyst Ben Mattinson – actually bettering his ex-Wycombe Wanderers counterpart in terms of clearances, ball recoveries and duels won throughout last season, even when plying his trade in a top league.

Also capable of pulling off an audacious flick like this one, everything is pointing in the direction that landing the “freak athlete” – as he’s been further noted by Mattinson – would be a worthwhile addition for Le Bris’ men ahead of Premier League action finally returning, with a sprinkle here and there of quality giving the Black Cats a hopeful fighting chance at survival.

Sunderland could soon sign their next Amad in "unplayable" EFL star

Sunderland could finally win their next Amad Diallo with this tricky attacker.

By
Kelan Sarson

May 29, 2025

Everton beat Fulham at Craven Cottage at the weekend to consolidate their position in mid-table. When David Moyes replaced Sean Dyche in January, the fear of relegation was a palpable thing indeed.

Trailing 1-0 when the fourth official displayed four minutes of stoppage time before the interval, Vitalii Mykolenko struck from outside the box and saw a wicked deflection get the better of Bernd Leno. Michael Keane and Beto struck in the second half to seal a fantastic win on the road.

Keane and Abdoulaye Doucoure (who assisted Mykolenko) are both out of contract next month but produced excellent performances to perhaps suggest they deserve a place at Bramley Moore next season.

However, not everyone facing an exit will have impressed the gaffer.

Everton's worst performers vs Fulham

Moyes knew when taking on the Everton job that he would face a deluge of contractual issues. The arrival of Angus Kinnear, Kevin Thelwell’s replacement in the directors box, makes that task less daunting, but it’s a big one nonetheless.

Keane and Doucoure might be getting on, taking a considerable portion of the wage bill besides, but they are still capable of adding depth and experience to a Blues side fighting for higher ground. However, Ashley Young, 39, is a spring chicken no more and proved that much on Saturday.

The right-back languished against the fleet feet of Alex Iwobi and Ryan Sessegnon, still showing off some creativity but being branded with a 5/10 match rating by The Liverpool ECHO, who echoed that sentiment.

Jack Harrison might be a decade younger, but he’s no less expendable. The loanee is about to complete his second year on Merseyside but has ebbed back on multiple occasions this season, with just one goal and one assist across 36 matches in 2024/25.

He too received a 5/10 score from the ECHO, struggling against a Fulham side that limited him to an houer on the field, hooked so that Moyes’ side could achieve more fluency and security in their game.

At least these players earned starting roles. There’s another whose afternoon was spent on the bench. Armando Broja has been unfortunate with injuries this year, but there’s no way Everton should be looking to turn his loan move into a permanent deal this summer.

Moyes must instantly ditch Armando Broja

Everton have been a day late and a dollar short too many times in the transfer market in recent years, with Broja’s signing reminiscent of the frustrating deals that never live up to the hype.

Admittedly, injuries have formed the crux of the 23-year-old’s struggles at Goodison Park this season, for he has only started four times in the Premier League and has failed to score across any competition.

Having been an unused substitute across the past two fixtures now that Dominic Calvert-Lewin is fit again, it’s clear Moyes does not value the Chelsea man all that highly.

Everton – 24/25

10

0

0

Fulham – 23/24

8

0

1

Chelsea – 23/24

13

1

1

Chelsea – 22/23

12

1

1

Southampton – 21/22

32

6

1

Broja left Stamford Bridge for Merseyside last summer on a one-year loan deal, with the option to make the move permanent for a £30m figure.

Given that the Albania international has scored just two Premier League goals across the past three seasons, Moyes would be unwise to authorise the transfer, especially when considering he hasn’t even hit the target across his 13 appearances as a Toffee, as per Sofascore, only yet to miss a big chance because he hasn’t been presented with one.

He might have been hailed as an “animal” by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell during his time with Southampton, that was a long time ago and he needs to do much more to restore that predatory instinct.

Ultimately, for £30m, Chelsea would be laughing after a third successive Premier League campaign with little success for the centre-forward.

Broja has the talent to make it work at the highest level, but Everton should turn their heads elsewhere.

Forget Beto: Everton starlet showed why he could be a future £100m star

Everton confidently beat Fulham 3-1 on the road courtesy of this top performer in attack.

ByKelan Sarson May 11, 2025

Aston Villa are increasingly confident of signing a young midfielder with a huge future, according to an update from journalist Jacob Tanswell.

Aston Villa eyeing new signings amid Champions League battle

Unai Emery’s side picked up a priceless three points on Saturday evening in the Premier League, winning 1-0 away to Bournemouth to aid their hopes of securing Champions League football next season.

That would allow Villa to attract further top-level players to the club, so the importance of their final two league games of the season cannot be downplayed.

One individual who has been linked with a summer move to Villa Park is Lyon winger Malick Fofana, who is a young player with a huge amount of long-term potential. The 20-year-old has scored six goals in the Europa League this season, despite only making five starts in the competition.

Paris Saint-Germain striker Goncalo Ramos has also been mentioned as a target for Villa, with the Portuguese not finding it easy to force his way into the Champions League finalists’ starting lineup in recent months. Just 12 starts have come his way in Ligue 1 in 2024/25, so he may like the idea of a fresh challenge.

Aston Villa confident of signing 18 y/o Nypan

Now, according to The Athletic‘s Tanswell, there is a “confidence” at Aston Villa that they will secure the signing of Sverre Nypan this summer. The 18-year-old midfielder is a huge prospect who is currently plying his trade at Rosenborg, with the Villans sending scouts to watch him in action on several occasions. Not only that, but “presentations have been shown to him and the family, outlining plans to integrate him into Emery’s setup”.

While Villa will of course hope to use elite European competition to lure in big names, NSWE are still planning for the long haul. Despite still only being 18 years of age, Nypan has already made 67 appearances for Rosenborg, chipping in with 14 goals and 11 assists in that time. He has been capped by Norway across six different age groups, winning a combined tally of 37 caps for his country, as well as being lauded as a player with a “huge future” by scout/writer Jacek Kulig.

The teenager could arrive as a squad player to begin with, or potentially even be loaned out elsewhere to aid his development, before hopefully maturing into a superstar at Villa Park over time.

Norway Under-21s

5

0

Norway Under-19s

5

1

Norway Under-18s

3

0

Norway Under-17s

5

0

Norway Under-16s

12

1

Norway Under-15s

7

2

Nypan is already showing so much promise and Villa snapping him up could end up being a major coup over time, and the fact that they are confident of striking a deal can only bode well.

ESPNcricinfo’s writers pick their favourite innings of IPL 2024

ESPNcricinfo staff28-May-2024

Dhoni’s still got it: 37* (16) vs Delhi Capitals

By Karthik KrishnaswamyIt had been nearly a year since his first-ball duck in the final of IPL 2023. He hadn’t needed to bat in Chennai Super Kings’ first two games of IPL 2024. And then, at roughly 11pm on March 31, Visakhapatnam erupted as MS Dhoni walked to the middle. There must have been some trepidation mixed with all the joy in the stands, because who knew how he would go? It turned out that he’d go very, very well. It didn’t matter that the match was already lost. All that mattered was that Dhoni could still wallop left-arm quicks for sixes over extra-cover, and pound one of the fastest bowlers in the world, Anrich Nortje for 4, 6, dot, 4, dot, 6 in the final over. He could still, it turned out, finish an IPL season with the second-highest strike rate (220.54) of any batter with at least 100 runs. for a reason.Jake Fraser-McGurk – the ideal T20 batter•AFP/Getty Images

Fraser-McGurk at full throttle: 84 (27) vs MI

By Sidharth MongaJake Fraser-McGurk’s gameplan was plain. Clear the front leg and swing hard if the ball is in your wheelhouse. Play the horizontal-bat shot if the length allows you to get enough power behind it. If the length is precise, try to chip over the infield because there are only two fielders in the circle. If nothing works, then and only then try to not hit a boundary.In this innings, he was good enough to hit Jasprit Bumrah for a first-ball six, only the second time it has happened, on-drive the swinging ball, back-foot drive a slower short ball that cramped him up for an inside-out six over mid-off, and strike at 311.11. Fraser-McGurk is the ideal T20 batter. Bat at the top of the order, have the willingness to capitalise on the field without getting your eye in, and have the necessary skill to adjust to changes in length and pace and score at three runs per ball he attacked in his first IPL. And he attacked a staggering 106 of the 141 balls. Such batters deserve all the success.Sunil Narine celebrated his first T20 hundred in the company of Andre Russell•AFP/Getty Images

Sunil Narine – T20 centurion: 109 off 56 balls vs RR

By Alagappan MuthuSunil Narine was talking about his plans as a T20 batter. He brought out all the classics. Not thinking too much. Give the team a good start. And then he said this: “see how long I can do it for and see if it carries on after the powerplay.” As a batter, you’d want to be out there for a while, you’d want to face a lot of balls, you’d want a big score. But Narine, it seems, never plans on batting long. He goes out there to smash it. Just to take the risks that others can’t. Just to put his team ahead, even if it comes at the cost of a low score. ‘Bout time the stars aligned to reward that sort of selflessness with a T20 hundred, in which he still went searching for a boundary once in two balls – 33 aggressive responses in 56 deliveries. Never change, Sunny.

We take at look at all eight men’s squads ahead of the second edition of the competition

Matt Roller02-Aug-2022Liam Livingstone led the way for Birmingham Phoenix last season•Getty Images

Birmingham Phoenix

Last season: Runners-up
Coach: Daniel Vettori
Captain: Moeen Ali
Overseas players: Matthew Wade, Adam Milne, Kane Richardson, Imran TahirKey man: Liam Livingstone was the standout player in the Hundred’s first season, in a league of his own in batting statistics: he scored 50% more runs than his nearest contender and hit 27 sixes, a dozen more than anyone else. He comes into the tournament off a quiet white-ball summer for England but his all-round ability and versatility means he remains Phoenix’s most important player.One to watch: Henry Brookes was retained despite missing the first season through injury and bowled with good pace – though mixed returns – in the Blast. Phoenix’s English seamers were expensive throughout last season and they will be desperate for Brookes to step up, especially after Olly Stone and Chris Woakes were ruled out through injury.Verdict: Phoenix fell short in the final last year after topping the group and look just as strong this season – though injuries could be an issue, with Tom Abell (hamstring) ruled out and Adam Milne (Achilles) a doubt. Matthew Wade is an astute signing who should be fully available and will form an eye-catching opening partnership with Will Smeed.Possible XI: 1 Matthew Wade (wk), 2 Will Smeed, 3 Moeen Ali (capt), 4 Liam Livingstone, 5 Chris Benjamin, 6 Dan Mousley, 7 Benny Howell, 8 Tom Helm, 9 Adam Milne/Kane Richardson, 10 Henry Brookes, 11 Imran TahirEoin Morgan will be hoping to lift Spirit after the London side finished bottom•PA Images via Getty Images

London Spirit

Last season: 8th
Coach: Trevor Bayliss
Captain: Eoin Morgan
Overseas players: Kieron Pollard, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Nathan Ellis, Josh Inglis (cover for Maxwell)Key man: After pulling out of last season, Glenn Maxwell is due to play around five group games this year before leaving for Australia’s series against Zimbabwe. He will be tasked with invigorating one of the competition’s weakest batting line-ups, which made 150 only once last year (and still lost that game).One to watch: Dan Lawrence impressed during England’s Test series in the Caribbean in March but has struggled with injury this year and slipped down the pecking order. His red-ball ambitions have interrupted his development as a T20 batter but he showed glimpses of his form in the Blast and will form part of a powerful middle order alongside Maxwell and Eoin Morgan.Verdict: Things can only get better for Spirit after a rock-bottom finish in the competition’s first season – but exactly how much better they get remains to be seen. Their squad contains a number of experienced names but their fortunes may depend on whether Morgan, Ravi Bopara and Kieron Pollard (who may not start the competition as he returns from injury) can find form from the middle order. There is a Hampshire flavour to their side, thanks to the influence of Dimi Mascarenhas as assistant coach.Possible XI: 1 Ben McDermott (wk), 2 Zak Crawley, 3 Glenn Maxwell, 4 Dan Lawrence, 5 Eoin Morgan (capt), 6 Ravi Bopara, 7 Jordan Thompson, 8 Liam Dawson, 9 Brad Wheal, 10 Nathan Ellis, 11 Mason CraneJos Buttler will be available for a full season with Manchester Originals•Getty Images

Manchester Originals

Last season: 6th
Coach: Simon Katich
Captain: Jos Buttler
Overseas players: Andre Russell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sean Abbott, Ashton TurnerKey man: Jos Buttler’s absence from England’s Test set-up means that he will be available to open the batting, captain and keep wicket for the whole season, a huge boost to Originals’ prospects. He will form part of a destructive opening partnership with Phil Salt – one which could be replicated in the T20 World Cup, if Salt can find his feet in the Hundred.One to watch: He struggled in the Hundred last year and has not had a brilliant season for Somerset, but Tom Lammonby could be an influential player for Original – not least as one of only two left-handers among their main batting options (Essex’s Paul Walter is the other). Games at Emirates Old Trafford typically feature a high proportion of overs bowled by spinners and Lammonby will need to address a poor career record against the turning ball.Verdict: Originals are well-placed to improve on a disappointing first season after some canny recruitment and in Buttler, Wanindu Hasaranga and Andre Russell, they have three world-class T20 players in their ranks, as well as several useful role players. Their bowling attack is spin-heavy and they should thrive at home – if the weather holds. Jamie Overton’s injury is a blow.Possible XI: 1 Jos Buttler (capt/wk), 2 Phil Salt, 3 Wayne Madsen, 4 Laurie Evans, 5 Tom Lammonby, 6 Andre Russell, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Sean Abbott, 9 Tom Hartley, 10 Richard Gleeson, 11 Matt ParkinsonDavid Willey will offer with bat and ball for Superchargers•Getty Images

Northern Superchargers

Last season: 5th
Coach: James Foster
Captain: Faf du Plessis
Overseas players: Dwayne Bravo, du Plessis, Wahab Riaz, David WieseKey man: David Willey is a hugely valuable player at this level: he will take the new ball and the format enables him to bowl the majority of his spell in the powerplay, and Superchargers will look to get the most out of his batting by using him as a floater in the middle order. Deputised as captain last year but will hand back over to his Royal Challengers Bangalore team-mate Faf du Plessis, who missed the first season with concussion.One to watch: Callum Parkinson only played twice last season but is a reliable T20 operator and should play as the second spinner ahead of Roelof van der Merwe. He mainly bowls in the middle of the innings but has also proved himself in the powerplay for Leicestershire in the Blast, offering du Plessis some flexibility.Verdict: Old blokes win stuff, according to Dan Christian, and Superchargers have assembled the most experienced squad in the competition. They were the worst death-bowling side last year and have looked to plug that gap by signing Dwayne Bravo and Wahab Riaz, two veterans of the franchise circuit. Ben Stokes’ absence – even for a handful of games – is a blow while Harry Brook and Matthew Potts’ Test call-ups will test their depth.Possible XI: 1 Faf du Plessis (capt), 2 Adam Lyth, 3 David Willey, 4 Harry Brook, 5 Adam Hose, 6 John Simpson (wk), 7 Dwayne Bravo, 8 Matthew Potts, 9 Wahab Riaz, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Callum ParkinsonSunil Narine is back with Oval Invincibles this summer•Getty Images

Oval Invincibles

Last season: 4th
Coach: Tom Moody
Captain: Sam Billings
Overseas players: Sunil Narine, Rilee Rossouw, Hilton Cartwright, Mohammad HasnainKey man: Invincibles unexpectedly released Sunil Narine ahead of the draft this year but immediately used their Right-to-Match card on him, suggesting he was always part of their plans for 2022. He had a solid first year in the Hundred, often bowling his final set of five balls at the death, and warmed up for this season by playing 14 Blast games for Surrey, conceding less than a run a ball across the competition.One to watch: Jordan Cox was Invincibles’ wildcard signing and was retained for 2022 despite the fact he did not play a game in the Hundred. He starred in Kent’s middle order in their title-winning Blast season last summer, hitting 58 not out off 28 balls in the final, and spent most of this year at No. 3. He should be part of Invincibles’ starting XI this year – and might well be one of the best fielders in the competition.Verdict: Invincibles were in the qualification picture throughout last year but fell at the last hurdle, losing to Brave in their final group game and thereby missing out on the knockout stages. They are well-placed to improve on that this season, but will need Tom Curran to prove his fitness after a long lay-off or the bowling attack may be slightly light.Possible XI: 1 Jason Roy, 2 Will Jacks, 3 Rilee Rossouw (misses first game), 4 Sam Billings (capt/wk), 5 Jordan Cox, 6 Sunil Narine, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Tom Curran, 9 Danny Briggs, 10 Reece Topley, 11 Mohammad HasnainChris Jordan and Tymal Mills were key performers in Brave’s title win•Getty Images

Southern Brave

Last season: Champions
Coach: Mahela Jayawardene
Captain: James Vince
Overseas players: Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Finn Allen, Paul Stirling (cover for Stoinis)Key man: James Vince is in the form of his life, leading the Blast’s run-scoring charts as he captained Hampshire to the title, and remains an outside shot for England’s T20 World Cup squad if a first-choice batter goes down injured. He led Brave well in the inaugural Hundred and took bold selection calls, often picking a solitary spinner even if it meant leaving an established player out.One to watch: Rehan Ahmed had never played a professional T20 match when Brave spent £50,000 on him at the draft but increasingly looks like a canny pick-up, after 19 wickets for Leicestershire in the Blast and a first England Lions call-up for their 50-over games against South Africa. He is still only 17, but could be Brave’s second spinner when conditions dictate.Verdict: Defending champions relied heavily on their bowling attack last year but Tymal Mills (toe) and George Garton (long Covid) have been struggling with fitness and form. Their batting line-up is full of power – not least Tim David, the competition’s best-value player at £50,000 – but retaining their title will not be easy.Possible XI: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk, misses first game), 2 Marcus Stoinis/Paul Stirling, 3 James Vince, 4 Alex Davies, 5 Tim David, 6 Ross Whiteley, 7 George Garton/James Fuller, 8 Chris Jordan, 9 Craig Overton, 10 Jake Lintott, 11 Tymal MillsTrent Rockets got as far as the eliminator in 2021•Getty Images

Trent Rockets

Last season: Eliminator
Coach: Andy Flower
Captain: Lewis Gregory
Overseas players: Rashid Khan, Colin Munro, Marchant de Lange, Daniel Sams, Tabraiz Shamsi (cover for Rashid)Key man: Rockets have made clear that they will look to play in a more attacking style with the bat this year and few batters in the world can set the tone for a white-ball innings like Alex Hales: his powerplay strike rate this year is an eye-watering 175.47. He didn’t reach 50 in the Hundred’s first season, a record he will be looking to set straight.One to watch: Tom Kohler-Cadmore was an eye-catching £125,000 signing in the draft but has impressed on the franchise circuit and has an unusually good record against spin for a young English batter who has played extensively in Asia. He has a solid Blast for Yorkshire, scoring half-centuries in both their knockout games, and offers a keeping option.Verdict: Rockets look like an impressive all-round side on paper, but how will they cope without Rashid Khan? Rashid will only play a handful of games due to clashes with Afghanistan’s series against Ireland and the Asia Cup and while Tabraiz Shamsi is a solid option, Rashid is impossible to replace. They should be in knockout contention come the end of August.Possible XI: 1 Dawid Malan, 2 Alex Hales, 3 Colin Munro, 4 Joe Root, 5 Tom Kohler-Cadmore (wk), 6 Lewis Gregory (capt), 7 Daniel Sams, 8 Samit Patel, 9 Rashid Khan/Tabraiz Shamsi, 10 Matthew Carter, 11 Luke WoodTom Banton will be hoping to improve on his first season with Welsh Fire•Getty Images

Welsh Fire

Last season: 7th
Coach: Gary Kirsten
Captain: Josh Cobb
Overseas players: Adam Zampa, David Miller, Naseem Shah, Noor AhmadKey man: Bowling spin at Sophia Gardens is often a brutal task but Adam Zampa’s method should suit conditions before he leaves for Australia duty. Cardiff’s short boundaries are incredibly short but his natural length is relatively short for a legspinner and he will drive the ball into the pitch to force batters to hit towards the long square boundaries.One to watch: Tom Banton made 96 runs across eight innings in the Hundred’s first season and was fortunate that market dynamics – specifically, limited availability for most leading overseas players – saw him re-signed for £125,000 at the draft. He found form towards the end of the Blast after a quiet start and warmed up for the Hundred with a maiden first-class hundred as a concussion replacement.Verdict: Significantly stronger than last year and should be in the qualification mix but availability of overseas players is a mixed bag (Naseem Shah is yet to arrive) and balancing the side could prove tricky. Fire’s batting line-up will be among the most destructive in the competition if it clicks – even after Jonny Bairstow’s withdrawal – but their bowling is more vulnerable.Possible XI: 1 Tom Banton, 2 Joe Clarke (wk), 3 Ben Duckett, 4 Ollie Pope, 5 David Miller (misses first game), 6 Josh Cobb, 7 Ryan Higgins, 8 Adam Zampa, 9 Noor Ahmad, 10 David Payne, 11 Jake Ball

No bowler has ever taken a bigger share of his team’s wickets than Harbhajan did in that epic series in 2001

S Rajesh22-Mar-2020Coming into the 2001 home series against Australia, Harbhajan Singh had taken all of 21 wickets from eight Tests, at an average of 38.57, and he hadn’t played a Test in more than 15 months. Then came that series – which finished on this day 19 years ago – that changed his life: 32 wickets in three Tests, including 28 in the last two, a series win against the marauding Australians, and a place in Indian cricketing greatness in one of the best series of all time.ESPNcricinfo LtdUsually a series win against such formidable opposition needs a collective effort from the bowlers, but Singh managed it singlehandedly: while he took 32 wickets, the next best was a measly three each by Zaheer Khan and Sachin Tendulkar. That means Singh took 10.7 times as many wickets as the next highest wicket-taker for India in the series. In a series of three or more Tests, that is easily the best ratio ever. George Lohmann comes in next, for his 35-wicket haul in South Africa way back in 1896. The next best for England in that three Test series was five wickets, by Sammy Woods and Christopher Heseltine.Australia’s Ray Bright took 15 wickets in three Tests in Pakistan in 1980 – a series in which the next highest was three (by Dennis Lillee and Greg Chappell) but unlike the previous two efforts, this one was in a losing cause, as Pakistan won the series 1-0. Incidentally that was also Lillee’s only series in India or Pakistan – his three wickets came at a cost of 303 runs and an average of 101.Seventeen years after Lohmann dominated South Africa, Sydney Barnes repeated the dose, taking 49 wickets in four Tests in 1913-14, with the next best wicket-taker taking only ten. More recently, Richard Hadlee (in Australia) and Muttiah Muralitharan (in England) were similarly dominant.