All posts by n8rngtd.top

Arne Slot has reportedly cut his holiday short to meet with Rayan Cherki as Liverpool eye the Lyon star as an alternative to Florian Wirtz.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Wirtz remains Liverpool's first-choice
• No agreement on fee yet
• Slot makes an effort to meet Cherki

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Liverpool are keeping multiple options open, even as their primary focus remains on signing Bayer Leverkusen star Wirtz. Their interest in him is longstanding, and the commitment is reflected in the magnitude of their bid — a package reportedly worth up to €130 million (£109m/$148m), which includes both a guaranteed sum and various performance-based add-ons. However, Reds boss Slot also cut short his summer break to personally engage in discussions with Man City target Cherki, as reported by

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Cherki, whose contract at Lyon expires next summer, does not have a fixed release clause, contrary to some reports suggesting a €22.5m (£19m/$26m) fee would be sufficient. Lyon are said to be holding out for a significantly higher price, knowing the player’s value and the level of interest he is generating from multiple top clubs.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  With Liverpool in pole position to sign Wirtz, this week could prove crucial in determining whether the club lands its marquee target. The Germany international is thought to favour a move to Anfield, and the club’s readiness to meet Leverkusen’s high demands demonstrates how much they want to bring him to Merseyside. Continued dialogue between the two clubs is ongoing, and the Reds are prepared to raise their offer if necessary to get the deal over the line.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  By keeping tabs on talents like Cherki while working diligently on their top targets, Liverpool are making sure no stone is left unturned. Slot’s direct involvement in talks with Cherki underlines Liverpool’s seriousness about the player. As the transfer saga unfolds, it remains to be seen if Liverpool’s bold bid for Wirtz bears fruit or Cherki becomes the newest addition to the red half of Merseyside.

Rangers could reportedly secure the record-breaking signing of an "electric" player during the summer transfer window, but only on one condition.

Rangers transfer news

Philippe Clement's side find themselves at the top of the Scottish Premiership table currently, managing to gain a two-point advantage over rivals Celtic. There is still a long way to go, but supporters will be dreaming of glory this season, not only because of the joy of winning the league, but also due to the players they could attract this summer.

Two players who have been linked with moves to Ibrox at the end of the campaign are Rapid Vienna pair Leopold Querfeld and Matthias Seidl, with the former an imposing young centre-back and the latter an Austria international midfielder.

Meanwhile, Coventry City attacking midifelder Callum O'Hare has also emerged as a target for Rangers, as he continues to shine for the Championship side. This season, he has six goals and three assists to his name in the league, and will become a free agent at the end of the campaign.

Lawrence Shankland was backed to join the Gers during the January window, as he enjoys a superb campaign leading the line for Hearts, and it remains to be seen if they could come back in for him in the coming months.

Rangers will sign "electric" star if they win the league

According to Football Insider, Rangers "will" seal the record-breaking signing of Abdallah Sima in the summer, assuming they clinch Scottish Premiership title glory.

That's because of the "huge transfer kitty" they would receive through qualifying for the Champions League, generating funds for new faces to come in. Sima's current permanent club Brighton value him between £10-15m, meaning Rangers will likely have to break their transfer record of £12m spent on striker Tore Andre Flo way back in 2000.

The Gers should definitely be looking to bring in the 22-year-old on a permanent basis this summer, considering how much he has already caught the eye on loan at Ibrox. He has 10 goals in 20 league outings this season, only 15 of which have been starts, and he is a big miss through injury at the moment.

Given his age, Sima would be viewed as a player who can develop into an even more polished and fearsome prospect over time, and Rangers captain James Tavernier has heaped praise on his teammate.

Rangers and Clement now eyeing double deal for two in-demand talents

The Gers aren’t the only club interested.

By
Tom Cunningham

Mar 8, 2024

Granted, the money that Brighton will demand will be a significant amount, but if Clement's side do get Champions League football, the money will be there to spend, ensuring they find another gear next season.

Although he is South Africa’s leading white-ball wicket-taker in 2020, he says he wants to be more economical

Firdose Moonda16-Apr-2020Lungi Ngidi, South Africa’s highest white-ball wicket-taker in 2020 so far, has given himself a six out of 10 for his performances over the past summer and believes there is room for improvement. Ngidi did not play any of South Africa’s four home Tests after injuring a hamstring in the Mzansi Super League (MSL) in mid-December last year but was part of all six T20Is and four of the five completed ODIs and finished with 25 wickets in total.”If I had to rate my performance over the last summer, I probably rate it at about a six. It was good, but to me it still wasn’t good enough,” Ngidi said. “There were a few games where I could have gone for a lot less runs. I picked up a few wickets and that’s my job, so I was happy with that but it’s not the finished product. I still feel I can deliver a whole lot more and a whole lot better.”The numbers show he is not wrong about being expensive. Ngidi’s T20I economy rate this year has been 10.6 while he conceded 5.67 runs an over in the ODIs. Both are his highest over the three years of his international career but need to be assessed in context.His most expensive ODI performance came in Johannesburg against England where his first five overs cost 52 runs but he returned to take 3 for 11 in four overs at the death and almost helped South Africa snatch victory. Similarly, in the three T20Is where he conceded more than 10 runs an over, Ngidi was among the wickets, and got rid of Ben Stokes in his penultimate over in Centurion, taking two wickets in his final spell against England in Durban, and playing a key part in defending 43 off the last five overs against Australia in Port Elizabeth.Ngidi finished the home summer with a career-best 6 for 58 in the ODI in Bloemfontein where he took wickets at the top and tail of the innings to cap off a superb comeback from injury and fitness concerns. He credited the CSA conditioning camp, which took place in January for Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Jon-Jon Smuts and Sisanda Magala, and bowling coach Charl Langeveldt for his success. “Every person has a different formula and I was still trying to figure mine out, so going to that camp helped me do that. I figured out that I have probably got to work a lot harder than most people. It doesn’t come as naturally to me,” he said. “Having Langeveldt back has been really good for me. He is really supportive and encourages the way I think. He is very understanding with that and he has got a lot of knowledge. He is a very skillful bowler. It has really helped my cricket a lot.”He also gave a nod to South Africa’s batsmen, who improved as the summer wore on, and found new names to rely on. Centuries came from Heinrich Klaasen and Janneman Malan and the mood in the camp lifted. “I really had fun watching the guys go about their batting and the confidence that they showed. You could just see how happy the camp was when guys were performing and scoring their runs,” Ngidi said, adding that by the time South Africa got to the ODI series against Australia, their last of the season, a series-win was a non-negotiable for them.South Africa had not managed to claim the trophy in any of the four rubbers that went before (Tests, T20Is and ODIs against England and T20Is against Australia) but whitewashed Australia 3-0 in the ODIs to restore their pride. “The guys were desperate to win, so I think that made the difference at the end of the day in terms of the performances we put out. It’s not nice losing a series at home, so to come out and want to win was one of the main things that I think drove the players towards that whitewash,” Ngidi said. “Winning games like that gives you a lot of confidence and moving forward to India, you could see a different energy in the team and that was really exciting to see. But that’s probably gone now, so we are going to have to start from scratch and rebuild towards that energy that we had.”In India, South Africa did not play a game after the Dharamsala ODI was washed out and the remaining two matches called off as the coronavirus pandemic broke. Since then, Ngidi has been at home and has not seen his family in over a month. South Africa returned from India on March 18 and the squad was asked to self-isolate for two weeks. Eight days into that period, South Africa began a 21-day country-wide lockdown, which has been extended to a 35-day stay-at-home exercise due to end on April 30. “It’s always difficult being away from the family but it’s better this way. Coming from India, going through Dubai, I couldn’t risk going home,” Ngidi said. “But they seem to be doing well, so that does lower the anxiety levels a bit.”Like many of his team-mates, Ngidi has been spending his time trying to keep fit but is itching to get out on the park again. “|I live in an apartment so I can pretty much just work out and watch TV and read a bit. I am watching a lot more documentaries and brushing up on a lot of general knowledge that I didn’t have before,” he said. “What I am looking forward to most after this is probably just to go outside and have a jog. But also just a nice net session with the team and just being together on the field again, is something I am really looking forward to.”

Raheem Sterling's exit from Stamford Bridge reportedly fuelled a boardroom war at Chelsea between Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Sterling was forced out as he joined Arsenal
• Behdad Eghbali allegedly spearheaded winger's exit
• Todd Boehly reportedly against axing of attacker

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  While the new ownership at Chelsea initially presented a united front, tensions between Boehly and Clearlake have surfaced in recent months. The American businessman has reportedly been at odds with Behdad Eghbali, creating friction over how the club should be managed. These disputes have grown to the point where Boehly is reportedly exploring the possibility of buying out Clearlake Capital’s 61.5 per cent of shares in the club to consolidate his power at Stamford Bridge. However, Eghbali and Jose Feliciano, the driving forces behind Clearlake Capital, are allegedly not interested in selling their stake and have no intention of relinquishing control of Chelsea.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  According to one of the key events that exacerbated the growing tensions between Boehly and Clearlake was the handling of Sterling's future at Chelsea. Sterling, who was Boehly's first major signing after taking charge of the club, was a marquee addition from Manchester City. The England international was seen as a crucial player for the Blues, and Boehly had high hopes for his success at Stamford Bridge. However, the England international failed to live up to expectations and ultimately found himself out of favour under Enzo Maresca which forced a deadline-day move to Arsenal.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The report mentions that the decision was heavily influenced by Eghbali, who apparently pushed for Sterling’s exit despite Boehly’s desire to keep him at the club. The latter was reportedly furious with how the ex-Liverpool star's situation was handled, feeling that the club had prematurely given up on the player he had worked hard to bring in – which further contributed to the breakdown in the working relationship between Boehly and Eghbali.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  While the Sterling saga is a notable contributor to the discord between Boehly and Clearlake, it is far from being the only issue fuelling the mounting tensions. According to multiple sources, a series of disagreements over the club’s strategic direction and management decisions have strained relations between the two camps. Hence, the struggle for control of Chelsea has now reached a critical juncture and is on the "brink of civil war."

Tottenham, lead by technical director Johan Lange, are thought to be moving "early" for a £148,000-per-week star this summer.

Spurs eyeing Conor Gallagher and other midfielders

Spurs have been tipped with interest in a host of fresh faces later this year, as the club seek to back manager Ange Postecoglou.

Ange now wants to sign two stars from the same club for Tottenham

The Lilywhites could be set for a double swoop.

By
Emilio Galantini

Mar 1, 2024

The Lilywhites now want a star winger as one of their major signings for 2024, according to reliable journalist Miguel Delaney, but reports also surround the possible addition of a new central midfield player.

Chelsea star Conor Gallagher is a name who's been continuously mentioned as a target for Tottenham, with Matt Law of The Telegraph recently writing that they will make a "firm move" for the 24-year-old if he doesn't extend his Chelsea stay.

In the event Gallagher puts pen to paper on a new deal, though, it is believed they have alternative options in their thinking. Reporter Dean Jones, speaking to GiveMeSport recently, suggested Everton's James Garner may well be one of them.

"Garner is probably a Gallagher alternative that Tottenham might look at," said Jones. Obviously, it's very early days to be analysing the summer transfer window. We know that Tottenham are still waiting to see if Conor Gallagher does become available because there is a feeling still that he might and the longer that contract situation goes on, the longer they will believe that something might be able to happen.

"But if Conor Gallagher does end up signing a contract extension, they need to have a list of names they immediately turn to. And I guess James Garner kind of fits the profile somewhat so yeah, an interesting one to look out for."

Another high-profile name to be linked is Juventus star Adrien Rabiot, with the Frenchman's contract expiring this summer.

Tottenham moving "early" for Rabiot

Italian newspaper Correire dello Sport, via Sport Witness, have an update this week. They claim Tottenham are moving "early" to sign Rabiot given his potential free agent status and are "testing the waters", alongside other interested sides. The £148,000-per-week star has made 22 Serie A appearances for Juve this season, scoring four goals and assisting three others.

Rabiot won plenty of major honours during his time at PSG as well, with the decorated midfielder also playing a key role in France's run to the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar.

Former Juventus striker and fellow Frenchman David Trezeguet, commenting on Rabiot's ability, has branded the 28-year-old "world-class".

“Saha has also always rescued the team; so why are you taking away his batting confidence?”

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Mar-2020Sandeep Patil, the former India batsman and selector, has expressed surprise at India preferring Rishabh Pant over Wriddhiman Saha in the Tests in New Zealand, which the visitors lost 2-0 in February.Despite Saha playing all five Tests during the home season against South Africa and Bangladesh, he was replaced by Pant for the New Zealand Tests, where the left-hander averaged 15 across four innings.”You are promoting Rishabh Pant, but playing with the career of Wriddhiman Saha,” Patil was quoted as saying by . “Saha will always be my first choice as wicketkeeper simply because you need experience and he is more experienced.”Saha has also always rescued the team; so why are you taking away his batting confidence? I know what Saha is capable of; I was in the West Indies when he scored that hundred,” he added, referring to Saha’s 104 in Gros Islet.A few months later, Saha got his career-best 117 against Australia in Ranchi.Injuries since 2018, though, led to Saha losing his place as Test wicketkeeper. He first suffered a hamstring strain on the tour of South Africa in January 2018 before injuring his shoulder and thumb in the subsequent months.In Saha’s absence, Pant became the first Indian wicketkeeper to hit Test centuries in England and Australia in the 2018-19 season. However, his form gradually went south and Saha was brought back after the tour of the West Indies in 2019.It was as recently as October 2019 – before India played their first Test of the home season against South Africa – that captain Virat Kohli had called Saha the “best in the world”.”He’s played well for us whenever he’s got a chance, with the bat also, and it was unfortunate that he was out for such a long period because of an injury, and according to me he’s the best keeper in the world, so in these [subcontinental] conditions, with what he’s done in the past, he starts for us,” Kohli had said.But the general consensus within the management has been that Pant is a better batsman than Saha, and in overseas conditions where spinners don’t have as much of a role to play as at home and therefore the ask of the wicketkeeper isn’t as much, the younger keeper is more useful.

Alisha Lehmann’s first Serie A goal for Juventus saw her pounce on a defensive mistake, before displaying a calm head and delivering a dinked finish.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Swiss star bid farewell to WSL
• Embracing new challenge in Italy
• Has already been among the goals

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Switzerland international is taking on a new challenge for 2024-25. After six years in England with West Ham, Everton and Aston Villa, the 25-year-old forward has spread her wings and bid farewell to the WSL – with the decision taken to head for Turin.

Advertisement

• WATCH THE CLIP

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  She has been joined in Italy by Brazilian boyfriend Douglas Luiz, who has made his own move from Villa to Juve, and the pair have settled quickly in new surroundings. Lehmann is a bubbly character that has little problem making friends and putting smiles on faces.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  The Swiss has been doing that on and off the field at Juventus, with early goals helping to endear her to team-mates and supporters. Her first effort in the Italian top-flight was registered in a 6-3 win over Sassuolo, with Lehmann anticipating a poor back-pass and going on to lift the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper.

Liverpool were at a crossroads last summer after falling by the wayside across a challenging 2022/23 campaign, facing the ominous unknown after failing to qualify for the Champions League with a fifth-place Premier League finish.

A late-stage purple patch did spark hope back into the red half of Merseyside, with the sapped midfield expected to undergo heavy transformation after reaching the end of its battery.

Sweeping changes were made and now the Reds are marching toward success once more, with Jurgen Klopp's masterful work in the transfer market rekindling the club's stature and ability to contest the almost-infallible Manchester City for the league crown.

Liverpool are top of the table; the Carabao Cup final looms, Chelsea seeking a resurgence of their own; soon after Anfield will host second-tier Southampton in the FA Cup and Klopp's side are favourites to triumph in the Europa League.

Much is changing at the club and Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch have refashioned the engine room into a silverware-chasing machine, but while many struggling stars were shipped on, some have remained to continue their journey.

Harvey Elliott is a quality talent and offers creativity like none other, while Thiago Alcantara, always-injured he may be, remains and there is hope that the silky Spaniard will grace the pitch before season's end.

Curtis Jones, who is starting to shine as one of Klopp's most important cogs, might just be the pick of the bunch though, criminally underrated and ever-improving in the Liverpool midfield.

Curtis Jones' Liverpool career in numbers

Cast back to January 2020. Liverpool were thriving as Champions League winners, en route to Premier League glory after a jaw-dropping start to the season.

Jones was yet to wedge his way into Klopp's plans with regularity but he did announce himself as a future star under the Anfield lights, curling in an absolute peach against Everton in the FA Cup third round to send his side through.

Fast track to the present and the Englishman has amassed 125 senior appearances for Liverpool, scoring 16 goals and supplying 14 assists, having won a host of major honours.

Said to have "all the attributes of a top player" by former captain Jordan Henderson, Jones was fielded as an attacking midfielder throughout his youth but has since been moulded into a technically proficient and controlled centre-midfielder, with an intelligent approach and crisp passing to provide the metronomic fluency in the centre of the park.

Last year, with Liverpool struggling for form, Jones was blemished by the injury problems that have hindered him throughout much of his fledgling phase on Merseyside, but the 23-year-old came into his own in the late phase and started each of Liverpool's final 11 matches in the top-flight.

Jones scored three goals and placed an assist during this excellent turnaround that salvaged Europa League football and set the framework for this year's exploits, and he is now thriving at the core of the Anfield side's success.

Curtis Jones' season by numbers

Jones recently picked up an injury during Liverpool's 4-1 victory at Brentford and is likely to be sidelined for the foreseeable, with trepidation rife as Liverpool await the extent of the ankle injury that caused him to leave the Gtech Community Stadium in protective gear.

Nonetheless, he's been terrific this season and has clinched five goals and three assists from only 20 starts across all competitions, though it is his "phenomenal" ability to retain possession and match intelligence, as has been said by BBC Sports' Raj Chohan, that has elevated him to prominent standing under Klopp's leadership.

As per Sofascore, the 6 foot 1 midfielder has completed 91% of his passes in the Premier League this term, averaging 1.2 tackles, 3.0 successful duels and 3.5 ball recoveries per match while succeeding with 59% of his dribbles.

Curtis Jones' market value in 2024

According to CIES Football Observatory's valuation model, Jones is currently valued at £52m, and given that he was signed for a grand fee of zilch, nurtured through the academy ranks, Liverpool can only revel in such a successful stroke of good fortune.

As per FBref, Jones ranks among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 13% for assists, the top 4% for pass completion, the top 8% for progressive carries, the top 14% for successful take-ons and the top 4% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, hailed for his “truly special” skill set by one eagle-eyed analyst.

He's compared to some of Europe's most talented midfielders and, interestingly, he is cut from the same cloth as Manchester City's Bernardo Silva, who is so influential under Pep Guardiola's wing.

After the Portugual international penned a new deal at the Etihad Stadium at the start of the season, director of football Txiki Begiristain was full of praise for such a pivotal cog in the City machine.

He said: “Bernardo has been exceptional during his time at the Etihad, so we’re delighted that he has signed a contract extension with the Club.

“His quality and technical ability is fantastic – and alongside his hard work and professionalism, he has become one of the best players in the world."

Silva is one of the most elegant players in the business and ranks among the top 8% of midfielders for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for progressive carries and touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 11% for successful take-ons per 90.

Like Jones, the 29-year-old is not defined by his goals and assists but rather by his erudite knowledge at the centre of the web, weaving and engineering passages and patterns that define the way his team play.

Liverpool's star-studded squad is brimming with exciting talent, and while the likes of Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Darwin Nunez stand tall as the salient, eye-catching figures, Jones' work in the centre is so important to the fluidity.

There has been much noise surrounding Jota's injury woe after a nightmare day on the injury front at Brentford, but Jones' absence will be just as big a blow, disrupting the harmony in this title-chasing team.

France forward gave Les Bleus a quick start against Italy as he scored past Gianluigi Donnarumma after just 12 seconds.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Barcola opens scoring for France vs Italy
• Scores fastest goal in France's history
• France lose 3-1 to Italy despite quick start

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  It was a disastrous start for Luciano Spalletti's Italy in the Nations League group-stage opener against France as Barcola was able to capitalize on Giovanni di Lorenzo's mistake to give Didier Deschamps' men the lead after just 12 seconds.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Les Bleus have announced that Barcola's early striker was the fastest-ever goal scored by France in the last 90 years. However, OptaJean has revealed that the same cannot be verified as France had scored three goals in the first minute before 1993 and with accurate data not available for those matches, Barcola will be unofficially handed the title.

• Getty
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Barcola's composed strike was also his first goal for the French national team as he made his sixth appearance for the Deschamps' side. The winger had a very impressive season with Paris Saint-Germain last season and was also taken to the Euros in Germany.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• WHAT NEXT FOR FRANCE?

  Despite the impressive start to the clash against Italy, France were blown out of the water by Gli Azzurri as they went on to lose the clash 3-1 with goals from Federico Dimarco, Davide Frattesi and Giacomo Raspadori.

Imad Wasim was the other hero, cracking a half-century against Peshawar Zalmi

The Report by Peter Della Penna21-Feb-2020In the hunt for what would have been just the fourth successful 200-plus chase in PSL history, Darren Sammy and Liam Livingstone nearly got Peshawar Zalmi over the line. But excellent death bowling from Umaid Asif in the final over ensured that Karachi Kings held on for a thrilling 10-run win at the National Stadium on Friday afternoon.The Kings’ victory was set up by a brilliant 97-run partnership between Babar Azam and Imad Wasim. They got together after Cameron Delport fell in the ninth over to a sharply turning googly from Mohammad Mohsin and supercharged the Kings innings. It took an excellent piece of hustle from Tom Banton to run Azam out and break the stand in the 18th over. But by then, the home side had 170 on the board and Iftikhar Ahmed blasted a four and two sixes off the only three balls he faced to put an even more emphatic stamp on proceedings.Babar Azam turns into the leg side•Associated Press

Chris Jordan struck a pair of early blows in the chase, getting Banton lbw on review and yorking Haider Ali three balls later. But Kamran Akmal led a revival with 43 off 26 balls before handing the keys over to Livingstone in the 10th over. Zalmi already needed to score two runs a ball at that stage, but Livingstone and Sammy somehow kept up with the rate.Then, needing 16 to win off the final over, with Sammy on strike, Zalmi’s boundaries dried up as Asif kept the batsmen off balance with an array of slower balls and cutters bowled into the pitch.Turning pointAsif produced a phenomenal effort in the final over, culminating in a sensational return catch to dismiss Sammy.After a pair of singles and a two brought the equation down to 12 off 3 balls, he banged one in short and outside off. The batsman skied an attempted pull over short midwicket. Asif stopped in his follow-through, changed direction, circled back 20 yards to his right, then lunged forward to complete a very difficult catch.On strike for the penultimate ball, needing a pair of sixes to win, Livingstone flubbed a knee-high full toss tamely into the covers for a single to effectively seal victory for the Kings.Star of the dayAzam played a special knock to lead the Kings’ recovery after they had been sent in to bat. He was especially fluent through the off side, finding a majority of his seven fours and two sixes there, including perhaps the shot of the day, a blistering six over extra cover off Hasan Ali in the 15th over.When Wasim started to accelerate alongside him, Azam was happy to rotate the strike and would almost certainly have carried on to reach three-figures if not for Banton’s excellence.The big missBy umpire Richard Illingworth. Banton has been a rampaging menace on the T20 circuit over the last year. But Jordan had him foxed with a clever offcutter two balls into the fourth over which the batsman swung over the top of to be trapped deep in his crease and in front of middle stump. Jordan flew into an appeal and was borderline apoplectic when Illingworth turned it down. Wasim wasted little time in calling for a review and DRS showed the delivery taking out middle stump three quarters of the way up, allowing the decision to be corrected.Where the teams standKings moved level with Quetta Gladiators at the top of the table on two points after two games. Zalmi joined Islamabad United on zero points, alongside Multan Sultans and Lahore Qalandars who are set to play their opening games later on Friday.