Tag Futebol

Manchester United are on the lookout for reinforcements to continue their mission under Ruben Amorim and could now be in a position to enact one of the deals of the 2026 transfer window.

Manchester United dealt triple injury blow

Injuries are an unfortunate reality of the modern game, and the Red Devils aren’t immune to being caught short in that regard after Amorim confirmed Matheus Cunha, Diogo Dalot and Mason Mount have been ruled out of facing Manchester City.

He stated: “I think they are out for this game. I don’t want to say (how long they will be missing). If you talk with Cunha, if you catch Cunha outside, he will say he can play this game! So I don’t know. We will manage day by day, but they are pushing hard and that is a good thing.”

While the demands of the Premier League are bound to hit everyone at points across the campaign, Manchester United will have a free run at the league for the next few months, easing pressure on a schedule that usually includes European football and domestic cup action.

In light of their lack of fixtures, The Sun have claimed that the Red Devils could look to participate in semi-competitive midweek friendly matches to help fill the financial black hole at Old Trafford after missing out on the Europa League last season.

With extra revenue on the line, Manchester United already took the step of having a post-season tour of Asia last term, illustrating that they are willing to do whatever it takes to earn capital.

Man Utd’s potential midweek friendly opponents
RB Leipzig	Neither team in Europe
Sevilla	Neither team in Europe
AC Milan	Neither team in Europe
Lazio	Neither team in Europe

What would extra funds generated go towards? If recent developments are to be believed, INEOS could be about to launch an offensive to land one of the world’s most talented stars.

Man Utd ahead of Real Madrid to sign Dayot Upamecano

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are ahead of Real Madrid in the race to sign Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano, who could be a free agent in the summer of 2026.

Vincent Kompany’s men are struggling to agree terms with the France international on a new long-term contract, with his current one earning the star close to £14 million per annum, and he is said to want a significant increase on that figure before signing on the dotted line.

It's not Mbeumo: Man Utd sensation is now their best signing since Bruno

Manchester United conducted excellent business by landing the signature of one talent.

1

By
Ethan Lamb

Sep 13, 2025

Paris Saint-Germain are also keeping tabs on his situation in Germany, where he has made three appearances this campaign across all competitions.

The outlet claim his market value sits at around £51 million, presenting a market opportunity that Manchester United are eager to take advantage of by offering him a central role in their plans, placing them ahead of Real Madrid. INEOS also view him as a significant upgrade on Harry Maguire and other defensive options.

Upamecano has been a consistent starter for Bayern again in the Bundesliga this term, and appears to fit the mould as someone who could help the Red Devils get back to competing for major honours.

Pat Cummins led the way with three new-ball wickets and a terrific running catch as Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) limited Delhi Capitals (DC) to 133 after choosing to bowl first in IPL 2025 in Hyderabad. A grass-free surface at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium proved to be a tricky one, offering enough grip for balls banged into a hard length to nip sideways as well as stop on the batter, and Cummins is a master of banging the ball into a hard length.The SRH captain took the new ball himself with Mohammed Shami left out, and struck first ball, getting it to straighten and find Karun Nair’s edge. By the time he had bowled 19 balls, Cummins had taken three wickets and Ishan Kishan – keeping for the first time this season, relieving Heinrich Klaasen of the gloves – three catches.With Harshal Patel and Jaydev Unadkat also getting into the wickets column, DC were gasping at 29 for 5 in the eighth over. The fullish ball Unadkat bowled to dismiss KL Rahul, from left-arm around, summed up the conditions – on nine out of ten IPL pitches, Rahul would have probably middled the drive he attempted; this was the tenth pitch, and the ball straightened to kiss his edge and make Kishan the first keeper to catch out an entire top four in an IPL innings.Tristan Stubbs anchored DC’s recovery from that point, putting on 33 with Vipraj Nigam for the sixth wicket – Nigam sacrificed his wicket when both batters ended up at the same end following a dreadful mix-up – and 66 with Ashutosh Sharma for the seventh.As they have done in other recent games, DC named a bowler-heavy starting XI despite batting first, and brought Ashutosh off the Impact Player bench when the need arose. And Ashutosh was primarily responsible for a late flourish that brought DC 61 runs off their last six overs, hitting three sixes in a 26-ball 41. Stubbs finished unbeaten on 41 off 36 balls.Rain began soon after DC’s innings ended, leaving SRH waiting to begin their chase.

When it comes to the best academies in world football, Chelsea’s Cobham ranks right near the very top.

The Blues have developed an army of incredible players over the years, and not just attackers either, as they’ve helped create some top-quality defenders like John Terry, Reece James, Fikayo Tomori and Trevoh Chalobah.

Unfortunately, as the club is prone to selling youngsters, they have also missed out on some of the gems they’ve produced, with Marc Guehi being one of the most notable when it comes to defenders.

Yet, there is another international that Chelsea were was perhaps too happy to move on, someone who looks set to be a future England star alongside Guehi.

Guehi's rise to England international

Guehi spent most of his childhood and teenage years in Chelsea’s academy system, and while he did make two competitive appearances for the club, his first real taste of senior football came when he joined Swansea City on loan in January 2020.

The Abidjan-born ace would rejoin the Swans for the entirety of the 20/21 campaign, and by the time he left South Wales, he had made 59 appearances for the club.

Unfortunately, first-team football was once again an unlikely prospect upon his return to Stamford Bridge, so instead of going out on another loan, the Englishman opted to move south of the river and join Crystal Palace permanently.

As we all know, that was an excellent decision for his own development, as since then he’s made 161 appearances for the Eagles, 135 of which have been in the Premier League, and even captained them to FA Cup glory.

Moreover, his performances at Selhurst Park were enough to catch Gareth Southgate’s eye, and he won his first senior England cap in March 2022.

Since then, the 25-year-old has become a key part of the Three Lions setup, winning another 24 caps and being one of the nation’s most impressive players in Euro 2024.

This international break has been another positive one for the defensive titan as he helped to keep two clean sheets and even scored his first England goal away to Serbia last night while providing the assist for Ezri Konsa’s strike.

Guehi’s game vs Serbia

Minutes

93′

Goals

1

Assists

1

Clearances

3

Interceptions

1

Tackles

1

Ground Duels (Won)

1 (1)

Lost Possession

1

Touches

83

Accurate Passes

72/74 (97%)

Key Passes

3

Long Balls (Accurate)

3 (2)

Big Chances Created

1

Shots on Target

1

All Stats via Sofascore

More than that, though, he really showed why he’s one of the best ball-playing centre-backs in the game by completing 72 of 74 passes, taking 83 touches, playing three key passes, losing the ball just twice and creating one big chance.

In all, it would be fair to say Chelsea got it wrong selling Guehi, and unfortunately, it looks like they may have made a similar mistake with another player.

The future England great sold by Chelsea

Given the nature of how Chelsea approach the transfer market, they are always going to let one or two potential stars slip through their fingers, and that might be the case with Lewis Hall.

Where Are They Now

Expand Collapse

Like Guehi, the Slough-born defender came up through Cobham, playing for the club’s U18s, U21s and UEFA Youth League sides and even making 12 appearances for the first-team.

However, despite having just signed a seven-year contract, the boyhood Newcastle United fan moved to the Magpies on a season-long loan deal with an obligation to buy for £35m in August 2023.

He endured a slow start to life at St James’ Park, but he was finally given a starting berth last season, and before injuring his ankle, he looked elite.

For example, in just 27 league appearances, totalling 2193 minutes, he was able to amass five assists, which might not sound like an outrageous amount, but given his age, it’s an impressive early indication.

Moreover, he put up some seriously impressive underlying numbers.

According to FBref, he ranked in the top 5% of full-backs in the league last season for progressive passing distance and shots blocked, the top 8% for dribblers challenged, the top 10% for long passes completed, the top 12% for crosses and more, all per 90.

In other words, his numbers painted the picture of a progressive full-back who is comfortable in attacking scenarios but is also no slouch when it comes to the defensive side of the game.

It’s likely this brilliant combination that saw him called up to England duty and win his first two senior caps under Lee Carsley last November.

It’s also likely why respected analyst Ben Mattinson predicted that in the long term, it’ll be a “battle” between him and Myles Lewis-Skelly for England’s starting left-back role under Tuchel.

Ultimately, Chelsea have got plenty right in the transfer market, but just as selling Guehi was a mistake, it looks like selling Hall will be considered the same, especially if he continues to play so well “at the highest level,” per Mattinson.

Related Enzo Maresca dealt another Chelsea injury blow as club release statement

The Blues are set to be without a few key players.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Sep 10, 2025

Everton have made some smart signings this summer and could be set to ruffle the feathers of a couple of Premier League rivals in their latest pursuit, per reports.

Everton probe for late signings under David Moyes

The summer window always promised to be a transformational one at the Hill Dickinson Stadium due to Everton’s newfound financial clout under the Friedkin Group, and the likes of Jack Grealish, Thierno Barry and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall arriving have illustrated their ambition.

Still, David Moyes recently delivered an honest response when asked about the Toffees’ remaining activity before Monday’s deadline, claiming his side won’t be able to accomplish everything they’d have hoped in terms of recruiting new personnel.

He said: “We’re trying to up the quality as we go along. But I’m sort of saying it now because we’re just about at the end of the window, we just can’t do everything and we generally don’t have the finances to do everything in this window.”

Still, Everton aren’t letting up in their pursuit of new additions and have Tomas Soucek on their radar, who Moyes is a huge admirer of due to their time spent together at West Ham United.

Nevertheless, the Hammers are standing firm on their £19 million valuation of the midfielder, leading the Toffees to keep an eye on Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis.

Morale is high at the club and supporters are buying into the project put forward under Moyes. Regardless, there is an appetite for further business to see their side break through a glass ceiling that has been tough to crack in recent years.

If recent developments are anything to go by, the Toffees could now be about to upset the apple cart by attempting to usurp two of their Premier League rivals in pursuit of an in-demand playmaker.

Everton vying to sign West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta

According to Globo, Everton have held talks behind the scenes over West Ham midfielder Lucas Paqueta, who is also wanted by Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the transfer deadline.

Despite a deal taking him away from the London Stadium being deemed unlikely, negotiations between the parties mentioned haven’t yet ceased, though the Hammers are demanding a fee of £50 million before sanctioning the Brazil international’s exit.

The new Barry: Everton chasing late move for another "special" English star

Everton are interested in signing an England U21 star.

1 ByWill Miller Aug 29, 2025

Labelled a “maverick” by Moyes, Paqueta has scored twice in three matches across all competitions this campaign, which is made all the more impressive by the fact the Irons haven’t managed to win a single fixture under Graham Potter.

Capable of featuring in attacking midfield or as a centre-forward, his arrival would add another exciting element to the Toffees’ attack, albeit it remains to be seen how realistic forcing a deal over the line will prove in light of their financial reality.

PSR regulations need to be adhered to and the Friedkin Group will only spend if necessary, leaving supporters on the edge of their seats for further developments.

Daniel Levy and co appear determined to put Tottenham’s Eberechi Eze humiliation firmly behind them, with Spurs considering a host of new late options for the number 10 role amid their dire need for a playmaker.

The Lilywhites, and Levy in particular, have attracted huge criticism after missing out on a deal for Eze – who had agreed personal terms to join Thomas Frank’s side with an agreement in principle also reached club-to-club.

However, Spurs’ apparent haggling over the 27-year-old’s now-expired £68 million release clause, as well as Palace’s hesitation, ultimately cost them.

Oliver Glasner’s side, at least initially, also wanted Eze to feature in their 1-0 Europa Conference League play-off win on Thursday.

Following this second public transfer humiliation of the transfer window after their famously botched deal for Morgan Gibbs-White, Levy and Frank are now tasked with reacting in the strongest possible manner.

The Gibbs-White deal was, to give Tottenham their due, much more complicated. The north Londoners were ready to pay £60 million and trigger his release clause, only for Evangelos Marinakis to block the deal, threaten legal action and tie the 25-year-old down in never-before-seen fashion.

Eze’s was a case of being beaten to the punch in a more traditional hijack, something which Spurs have done themselves before, but Frank will be devastated to miss out on yet another world-class, Premier League-proven creator.

Tottenham make approach to sign Xavi Simons after Eberechi Eze blow

Speaking of hijacks, according to Fabrizio Romano, it is believed that top Chelsea target and RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons has found his way on to Levy’s transfer shortlist.

Chelsea have been in talks to sign Simons for a long time now, but their need to sell players, whilst not yet fully agreeing a deal with Leipzig, has delayed the Dutchman’s move to London.

Simoms has been a revelation for the Bundesliga side ever since he initially joined on loan at the start of 2023/2024, and this isn’t lost on Levy, with Romano claiming that Tottenham have made contact over Simons in recent days.

As Frank’s side seemingly consider hijacking a deal of their own, it appears they may not have much luck, with the player determined to join Chelsea right now.

The 22-year-old, who joined Leipzig from PSG permanently in January, became their highest-ever paid player in the process – earning £192,000-per-week.

Nottingham Forest now hold a strong interest in signing a “superb” defender, who is also a target for Premier League rivals Manchester United, according to a report.

Nottingham Forest's ambition underlined by Gibbs-White renewal

Evangelos Marinakis has made no secret of the fact that he has big aspirations for Forest, and Morgan Gibbs-White made it clear that the owners’ ambition was one of the main reasons he decided to extend his contract, despite interest from Tottenham Hotspur.

With the Tricky Trees set to take part in the Europa League next season, it is important they have tied Gibbs-White down to a new contract, and one of the key tasks to follow will be bringing in a replacement for Anthony Elanga.

Bologna’s Dan Ndoye has emerged as the main target, and the deal is now edging closer to completion, with Fabrizio Romano giving his trademark ‘here we go’ on Monday afternoon.

As such, Nuno Espirito Santo can perhaps now turn his attention towards strengthening other areas of his squad, and the Europa League side have now joined the race for a defender.

That is according to a report from Italy (via Sport Witness), which reveals Nottingham Forest now hold a strong interest in signing Fiorentina’s Pietro Comuzzo, who is also being targeted by Man United and Sunderland.

Given Comuzzo’s impressive performances last season, he is attracting strong interest from the Tricky Trees, although none of the interested Premier League clubs have submitted an offer as things stand.

Should Forest decide to formalise their interest, it could take a big offer to prise the centre-back away from Fiorentina, as the Italian club value him at £38m.

"Superb" Comuzzo could be ready for Premier League move

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig described the 20-year-old as “superb” last season, while also praising his composure and consistency, and for good reason, given that the youngster managed to hold down a regular spot in the Fiorentina starting XI.

Nottingham Forest now "join the race" to sign £50m+ Premier League forward

The Tricky Trees are now in the race for the signature of a forward, journalist Sebastien Vidal has revealed.

1 ByDominic Lund Jul 27, 2025

The Italian made 44 appearances in all competitions, which is no mean feat at such a young age, and he scored a remarkable goal in Fiorentina’s 3-2 victory against Udinese back in May.

Comuzzo is showing very promising signs at Fiorentina, and he could be ready to make the step-up to the Premier League, but a £38m asking price is a little on the pricey side, given that the starlet is yet to prove himself at the highest level.

MatériaMais Notícias

Passada a intensa carga de emoção com a sofrida vitória do Internacional por 1 a 0 contra o Metropolitanos, pela Libertadores, o técnico Mano Menezes reconheceu que a equipe sofreu muito mais do que o desempenho indicou para assegurar o triunfo.

Além de apontar números que sugerem domínio do Colorado frente ao time venezuelano, o treinador defendeu que, se o time tivesse conseguido marcar o primeiro gol de maneira mais antecipada, o placar no Beira-Rio teria sido bem mais elástico.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFutebol InternacionalRashford retorna aos treinos no Manchester United e pode estar de volta para decisão na Europa LeagueFutebol Internacional19/04/2023LibertadoresApesar da derrota, The Strongest deixou boa impressão contra o FluminenseLibertadores19/04/2023Fora de CampoSaiba quais são os jogos da Série A do Brasileirão investigados por manipulaçãoFora de Campo19/04/2023

>Confira aqui a tabela completa na fase de grupos da Libertadores!

Mano Menezes fez questão de exaltar, também, o caráter de organização demonstrado por seus comandados, mesmo com a crescente necessidade de vitória, já que o cenário que se tornava cada vez mais tenso conforme o tempo ia passando.

-Preciso elogiar a postura da equipe em termos de equilíbrio para buscar a vitória. Não demos contra-ataque no segundo tempo ao adversário e fomos premiados com a busca pela vitória do primeiro ao último minuto. É importantíssimo. É o gol que é capaz de virar a chave que temos tentado e deixamos escapar a vitória – disse.

+ Assine o Star+ por apenas R$32,90 por mês e acompanhe o Inter na Libertadores quando e onde quiser

O técnico colorado exaltou os números da equipe para justificar seus elogios aos jogadores do Internacional.

-Para falar de desempenho temos que colocar os números. O Inter teve aproximadamente 68% de posse, o que diz que dominamos. Tivemos 24 conclusões contra 3 e 14 escanteios contra nenhum. Provavelmente, se fizéssemos o gol cedo, seria 4 a 0. Mas demoramos. Bola bateu no travessão, no poste, cria uma dramaticidade grande para um jogo que não era para ter essa dramaticidade. Mas acontece – concluiu.

Celtic’s hectic pre-season schedule continues.

First, Brendan Rodgers’ side enjoyed victories over both Queen’s Park and Cork City, with Johnny Kenny the only scorer at Lesser Hampden, before young defender Colby Donovan was the late match-winner at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Tuesday.

After that, the Hoops travelled to Portugal, defeated 3-2 by Estrela da Amadora in Seixal, just outside Lisbon, on Saturday; Reo Hatate and Adam Idah the goalscorers.

So, before facing Portuguese champions Sporting CP at Estádio Algarve on Wednesday, could the Celts add another Portuguese player to their squad?

Celtic's latest transfer target

Somewhat surprisingly, just three Portuguese players have ever played for Celtic and, as the table below notes, two are in the current squad.

Celtic Portuguese players

Players

Club arrived from

Celtic career

Celtic appearances

Jorge Cadete

Sporting CP

1996-97

49

Jota

Benfica

2021-23 & 25-present

99

Paulo Bernardo

Benfica

2023-present

77

Information courtesy of Transfermarkt

Jorge Cadete made an enormous impact at Celtic in the late-90s, scoring 38 goals in 49 appearances for the club, before being sold to Celta de Vigo.

Meantime, Jota and Paulo Bernardo remain key figures in the current Celtic side, even if the former is sidelined long-term due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury, so could another Portuguese youngster be about to arrive?

Well, according to a report by Portuguese newspaper Record, Celtic are ‘fighting’ to sign Flávio Nazinho this summer, with Roma and Real Sociedad amongst those also interested.

Nazinho is a 21-year-old left-back who began his senior career at Sporting CP, his debut coming against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League in November 2021.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse

However, after only accumulating 11 appearances for the Green and Whites, totalling 383 minutes, he joined Cercle Brugge, initially on loan, before the deal was made permanent for €1m (£860k) last summer.

Well, since then, according to Football Transfers, his value has increased exponentially, now worth around £3.2m, so could he join yet another side whose home kit prominently features green?

Why Flávio Nazinho would be a success at Celtic

The young defender’s career has really taken off since moving to Cercle Brugge, making 62 appearances for the Green and Blacks, a key figure as they qualified for a UEFA group stage for the very first time.

One content creator labelled him a “very exciting” full-back who is “quick” and “doesn’t shy away from a tackle”.

Meantime, Ross Pilcher of the Daily Record believes he would be the perfect deputy to Kieran Tierney at left-back, given the returning hero’s injury record, with Rodgers searching for a reliable back-up, following Greg Taylor’s move to PAOK.

Could Nazinho be just that? Well, let’s assess his statistics in last season’s Jupiler Pro League to find out.

Flávio Nazinho’s Jupiler Pro League statistics 2024/25

Statistics

Nazinho

Belgian league rank

Minutes

1,172

185th

Progressive passes

25

37th

Shot-creating actions

53

66th

Goal-creating actions

7

34th

Tackles

36

87th

% of dribblers tackled

68.8%

17th

Take-on success %

57.7%

29th

All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

The table outlines that Nazinho is a well-rounded player, ranking generally highly in terms of passing, chances created, tackling and take-ons.

This is despite his limited minutes due to a hamstring injury, as well as the fact that he was playing for the team that ultimately finished third-bottom, only retaining their top-flight status by beating Patro Eisden Maasmechelen in a play-off; Nazhino scoring during the second leg at Jan Breydelstadion.

​​​​​​

When Jota arrived at Celtic, he had failed to make the breakthrough at Benfica and then endured a miserable loan spell at Real Valladolid, before only flourishing once he was signed by Ange Postecoglou.

Well, Nazinho has a lot more senior experience right now than Jota did when he first joined four years ago, suggesting the full-back could be the next young player to burst onto the scene in Glasgow’s East End.

Related Celtic could land better winger than Balikwisha in "electric" £3.5m star

Celtic could land an even better signing than Michel-Ange Balikwisha by swooping for this star.

Posts 1 ByDan Emery Jul 11, 2025

Maia Bouchier put her hand to her mouth but she couldn’t conceal the broad, relieved grin for long.Bouchier had reached 92 when she was adjudged not out lbw after attempting to pull a Jess Kerr delivery which struck her low on the back pad, and New Zealand’s bid to overturn the decision was denied on umpire’s call. A maiden century was still on the menu.The moment was a precursor – an amuse-bouche, if you will – to a tense passage of play in which Bouchier, who had been in the 90s twice before at international level and never scored a century in professional ranks, set about reaching the milestone with the help of a cool-headed Nat Sciver-Brunt.”You’ve just got to take those as they come and I was just super happy it was umpire’s call,” Bouchier said after her Player-of-the-Match performance in an eight-wicket win for England in the second ODI at Worcester, which put the hosts 2-0 up in the three-match series.”They call them the nervous nineties for a reason. I try not to think too far ahead and it was nice to have Nat come in and be that calm voice. At the start of the game she did our little speech in our huddle and she just said. ‘one ball at a time’. That’s exactly what she said to me when I was on 96 and she just said, ‘keep thinking one ball at a time, watch and react’. My heart rate was going through the roof, but she really calmed me down, so that was pretty good.”England needed eight more to overhaul the target when Bouchier had her stroke of luck, having bowled New Zealand out for a mere 141 thanks to Sophie Ecclestone’s 5 for 25.Bouchier sent the next ball skywards and it dropped short of long-off as she and Sciver-Brunt scampered two, then two singles took her past her previous best, 95 scored in the third ODI against Sri Lanka last September.Danni Wyatt, padded up outside the dressing-room ready to come in next, could barely watch, holding her breath behind cupped hands as the tension rose. Would Bouchier run out of runs to get? It was possible after Ecclestone’s outstanding performance with the ball.Sciver-Brunt lightened the mood somewhat as she blocked the remaining four balls of Molly Penfold’s over to great cheers from the crowd, including a full toss which she prodded to mid-on where Sophie Devine even tried to lure an attempted run by taking a step back. But the England batters were having none of it and Sciver-Brunt succeeded in handing Bouchier the strike, facing Jess Kerr with four more runs needed to win.Related

• Lauren Bell stars with five wickets as Nat Sciver-Brunt puts seal on 3-0 sweep

• Ecclestone five-for, Bouchier century help England seal ODI series against New Zealand

• Tammy Beaumont hopes 'ruthless' victory is sign of inspiration to come

• Heather Knight: New Zealand ODIs offer chance for World Cup experimentation

• Dean, Beaumont, Bouchier lead New Zealand rout

Bouchier tucked Kerr’s first delivery to backward square leg and ran two more. Then, after a dot ball pushed towards point, Bouchier struck the next into space through midwicket and took off for the two runs she needed to reach her ton and seal the win for England inside 25 overs.”I didn’t really know what Nat was thinking in terms of just getting the runs for the team, but when she started blocking a full-toss, I kind of knew and it was great that she was there at the end with me,” Bouchier said. “It was an unspoken communication that we both agreed on.”It was on England’s successful tour of New Zealand earlier this year that Bouchier established herself at the top of the order, particularly in their five T20Is, where she had scores of 43 not out, 12, 71, 91 and 6 as England claimed the series 4-1.In last Wednesday’s first ODI, which England won by nine wickets in Durham, Bouchier scored 67 in a 137-run stand with Tammy Beaumont, who was not out 76.In Worcester, Bouchier took charge, particularly after Beaumont was run out for 28, having shared a 73-run opening stand with Bouchier.Bouchier was on 42 at that point and peeled off five fours in the space of eight balls following Beaumont’s dismissal, four of them off one Devine over. She struck 17 boundaries in all and faced 88 balls for her 100 not out.”I’ve just started to trust myself more and I’ve got a lot more confidence in the way I play and not forcing it really,” she said. “That’s a big thing for me. I time the ball quite well and that’s one of my big strengths, so using those as much as I can.”

Williamson suggests it may not be the end of the road yet for NZ’s golden generation

Deivarayan Muthu13-Jun-20242:43

Ganga: ‘Not surprising that Rutherford delivered with a half-century’

Sherfane Rutherford’s unbeaten 68 off 39 balls on a two-paced Trinidad pitch proved the difference between West Indies and New Zealand at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. This was the assessment of both captains Rovman Powell and Kane Williamson after West Indies successfully defended 149 to progress to the Super Eight.Rutherford came into bat when West Indies were 22 for 4 inside the powerplay. It was only the second time that he was facing a ball in the powerplay, in 15 T20Is. He responded with a career-best effort that not only repaired the collapse but also put West Indies in a position of strength.”We told the guys that somebody has to play a blinder,” Powell said after the match. “It wasn’t going to be an easy wicket because of the inclement weather. We always believe that individual brilliance in T20 cricket is needed some time and Sherfane’s innings was a fantastic knock. It gave us confidence and at the halfway mark, we believed [we could win].”After working his way to 31 off 27 balls, Rutherford took Daryl Mitchell for a trio of sixes in the 19th over, which cost New Zealand 19 runs. Then, in the final over, he aced his match-up against left-arm fingerspinner Mitchell Santner, dispatching him for two fours and six.Related

Sherfane Rutherford relishes his bigger role at Gujarat Titans: 'Want to be a batter, not just a finisher'

Can PNG spoil Boult's T20 World Cup farewell plan?

New Zealand's decade of excellence unravels in a hurry

Rutherford and bowlers take West Indies to Super Eight; New Zealand's campaign in trouble

“The margins in the match are fine and in conditions like that, two or three balls where the match-up suits, that can be the difference, Williamson said at his post-match press conference. We saw a fantastic knock from Rutherford and he certainly timed it beautifully and got his match-up. I think at the end of the day, that was the difference.”Rutherford was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders side that had won IPL 2024, but he didn’t get a game in India. Despite the lack of game time in the IPL, West Indies’ team management picked him ahead of Shimron Hetmyer, who was a more regular presence for Rajasthan Royals. Rutherford hit the ground running with an unbeaten 47 off 18 balls in the warm-up game, albeit against an undermanned Australia side, in Port-of-Spain. He repaid the faith with a more impactful knock against an experienced New Zealand attack that saw the reunion of Tim Southee with Trent Boult. According to ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats, which are designed to bring out the true value of individual performances in T20 cricket, Rutherford’s 68 was worth nearly 100.