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Chelsea supporters have been handed an interesting update on Crystal Palace star Michael Olise as the club's transfer plans take shape.

Who will Chelsea sign next?

The west Londoners now face missing out on star midfield target Moises Caicedo after Liverpool and Chelsea agreed a British-record £111 million fee for the Ecuador international.

Mauricio Pochettino's side have been chasing a move for Caicedo all summer, with reports earlier this week detailing they were growing confident, but Liverpool's late hijack appears to have put a dent in their hopes of signing him.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp even confirmed to the media that Liverpool had agreed a fee with Brighton for Caicedo, despite not having limitless resources.

"The fee with the club is agreed," said Klopp in his Friday press conference.

"We will see what that means. We aren't a club with endless resources and we didn't expect a couple of things to happen this summer. Then it happened."

This comes as a very unexpected development late in the transfer window and Chelsea may now have to consider alternative targets, like Southampton's Romeo Lavia.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

Pochetttino's side have already put pen to paper on moves for Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Nicolas Jackson, Lesley Ugochukwu, Robert Sanchez and Angelo this window, but Todd Boehly and co are after even more after many departures.

Indeed, Kalidou Koulibaly, N'Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Cesar Azpilicueta, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ethan Ampadu have all departed Stamford Bridge for pastures new.

In terms of other transfer targets, Palace star Olise has been central to rumours linking him with a move to Stamford Bridge this summer.

The forward's contract contains an enticing £35 million release clause, with journalist Pete O'Rourke sharing the latest on their pursuit to Football Insider.

The reporter writes that Chelsea are set to step up their chase for the Frenchman, after they missed out on Ghana international star Kudus to Brighton.

O'Rourke wrote:

"Chelsea are ready to step up their interest in Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise as they are set to miss out on top target Mohammed Kudus – who is closing in on a move to Brighton.

"However, there are question marks about Olise’s fitness. He is set to be out until September with an injury he picked up with France at the Under-21 European Championships."

How good is Michael Olise?

The 21-year-old attacker was a Selhurst Park standout under two different managers last term, finishing 2022/2023 as one of Palace's best-performing players per match with 11 assists and two goals (WhoScored).

Eagles boss Roy Hodgson, commenting on Olise's exceptional form last term, called the player an "enormous talent".

“I have seen him for 10 days less than I have seen the others," said the current Palace manager to media members.

What I make of him is that I think he is an enormous talent – he has got a great possibility to have a wonderful career and a wonderful future. We can only hope we at Crystal Palace can give him that platform.”

Indeed, all signs point towards Olise being a promising move.

Everton might have completed an offensive signing this summer, but Sean Dyche's frontline is far from complete and Brazilian striker Yuri Alberto is being targetted for transfer.

What's the latest on Yuri Alberto to Everton?

Arnaut Danjuma has completed a season-long loan move from Villarreal after snubbing the Toffees for Tottenham Hotspur in the winter – a buoying acquisition for the Premier League outfit after nearly falling from the division last term due to offensive inefficacy.

And now, according to Fussball Transfers' Dominik Schneider, the pathway of Corinthians striker Alberto's future remains open, with Everton in transfer talks for the 22-year-old, who is ready to venture into European football after excelling in his homeland.

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider stated: "Future of #YuriAlberto of #Corinthians remains open. Numerous clubs from Europe show interest. Talks with #EvertonFC are ongoing. Nothing concrete so far. He feels ready for move, waiting for perfect option. Contract until 2027, high transfer fee expected."

A transfer fee has not been revealed, but Schneider does state that a high offer will be needed to prise the £26m-rated Alberto away.

Who is Yuri Alberto?

Alberto has scored seven goals and provided seven assists from 37 matches across all competitions this season despite the club's seasonal woes – Corinthians are mired in mediocrity and sit 15th in the Serie A after 15 matches.

The glue to keep his side's offensive flow together, Alberto demonstrated his skills last year and plundered eight goals from just 15 starts, averaging 2.5 shots and 0.8 key passes per game, as per Sofascore.

Described as a "fantastic forward" who is "extremely dangerous on the counter" with a "killer instinct" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Alberto could find success at Goodison Park with Alex Iwobi plucking the strings behind him, finally providing the Blues with the clincial edge to spearhead a resurgence after successive relegation-battling campaigns.

Iwobi did not find any vestige of success on Merseyside for some time after completing a £34m move from Arsenal in 2019, scoring just four goals and supplying a further five assists from 83 appearances across his first three Premier League campaigns with Everton.

He was branded as "embarrassing" by journalist David Prentice back in 2020, but a tactical tweak that has moved him away from his old position on the wing into the central midfield has paid dividends, and he is now thriving despite his side's blunted attack ahead of him.

Indeed, Iwobi chalked up seven assists in the league last term, earning an average rating of 6.97 – as per Sofascore – creating 1.7 key passes per game and forging 1.8 tackles per match.

And with FBref ranking the 27-year-old among the top 16% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 16% for successful take-ons and the top 15% for progressive carries per 90, he is discernibly the forward-thinking presence to provide Alberto with the perfect support.

Now considered an "exceptional" component of the Toffees team by former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf, the £120k-per-week Nigerian was impressive despite Everton's seasonal travails, and with a fresh face such as Alberto added to the fold he could continue his burgeoning rise.

Likewise, Alberto would join the ranks in Liverpool and have a brilliant opportunity to cement himself as an integral part of Dyche's system, and if he can form a cohesive partnership with Iwobi, Everton might just creep out of the shadows and into the light.

When rivals meet in pre-season, the word friendly goes out the window. It is a chance for sides to gain a psychological edge before the season has even begun, as we get a potential look at what's to come in the months that follow.

We're seeing Premier League sides, in particular, clash in pre-season more and more, however, with fans from across the world getting the chance to witness some of Europe's biggest games first-hand.

Things can occasionally boil over in such fixtures, though, with challenges flying in, and tempers flaring. And this was exactly the case in the game between Arsenal and Manchester United recently.

The Red Devils ran out 2-0 victors, but it was Lisandro Martinez's frankly shocking challenge on Bukayo Saka that stole the headlines and caused things to get slightly heated between two of English football's biggest clubs.

It looked as though Mikel Arteta was about to let his feelings known to the defender after the game, too, but the Spaniard has since revealed the subject of the conversation.

What did Mikel Arteta say to Lisandro Martinez?

Seen in a conversation with Martinez, there was a chance that Arteta took the opportunity to have a word with the defender following his reckless challenge on Saka, but he has since revealed that the tackle did not come up in conversation.

Instead, it was a mere catch-up. Arteta revealed, via Football London: "I was just happy to see him.

"I know him personally and I was happy to see him back after the injury.

"That's it. Football is about the sport, it's about the people we know. We wished each other good luck for the season. That's it. It was a really good competitive game for us."

Something tells us that Roy Keane is sat in a studio somewhere wondering just what went wrong with football's biggest rivalries. Seemingly gone are the days of players such as himself and Patrick Vieira clashing before the game is even underway. Arrived are the days in which both sides take a far more relaxed approach.

How have Arsenal performed in pre-season?

The Gunners have had a mixed run of results in pre-season so far.

Arteta's side began with a 1-1 draw with FC Nurnberg, before thrashing MLS All-Stars 5-0, in a game that saw Kai Havertz score his first goal for the club.

The North London side then squared off against fellow Premier League side Manchester United, suffering a disappointing 2-0 defeat, following goals from Bruno Fernandes, and Jadon Sancho.

Up next, Arteta's side face Barcelona in what will no doubt be an entertaining affair.

To end their pre-season, Arsenal will face AS Monaco in the Emirates Cup final, before meeting Manchester City at Wembley for the Community Shield.

Though some see the Community Shield as a friendly, Arsenal could receive a major boost if they manage to defeat Pep Guardiola's side, and pick up their first trophy of the season.

It looks set to be another interesting season for the Gunners, who will be looking to go one better than their second-place finish in the last campaign.

Manchester United have now held first talks over a move for Fiorentina's Sofyan Amrabat, and they are currently monitoring the midfielder "very closely", according to the latest update from Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

What's the latest Man United transfer news?

Man United remain interested in signing Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, and they are currently waiting to confirm some outgoings before pursuing a move for the 19-year-old, who is also being targeted by the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.

Another midfielder who has been linked with a move to Old Trafford is Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni, amid the Frenchman's uncertain future at the Bernabeu, owing to the recent arrival of England international Jude Bellingham.

Erik ten Hag believes the Real Madrid man would be the ideal candidate to slot into his midfield, but the deal would not be cheap, with the president of the La Liga club, Florentino Perez, not willing to settle for a fee of less than €80m (£69m).

Amrabat could be a low-cost alternative to Tchouameni, with it recently being reported that Ten Hag has made the Fiorentina star his top target, and a deal is now on the cards for the low fee of around just £20m.

Plettenberg has since offered another update on United's pursuit of the midfielder on Twitter, claiming they are monitoring him "very closely" with a view to getting a deal done this summer, and the move could become a "hot topic" later in the window.

The move is not advanced at the moment, but first talks have already taken place, with Bayern Munich also being named as potential suitors, however, there is no "concrete" interest from the Bundesliga champions at this stage.

How good is Sofyan Amrabat?

The 26-year-old made a name for himself out in Qatar at last year's World Cup, with journalist Amine El Amri heaping praise on the Morocco star for some of his performances, saying:

"Sofyan Amrabat is a great footballer in addition to being a raging bull. I’m trying to be as objective as I can, but I think he’s been the best midfielder in this World Cup.

“I have nothing but respect for guys like Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic and Rodrigo De Paul and many others, but I think he’s been absolutely the best player in midfield in this World Cup.”

It was a fantastic tournament for Morocco, who made it all the way to the semi-finals, with their central midfielder particularly impressing against Spain in the round of 16, making four tackles and winning all seven of the ground duels he contested.

However, the Morocco international has not been quite as impressive for Fiorentina, recording an average WhoScored match rating of just 6.46 in the Serie A last season, only the 23rd-highest figure in the squad.

As such, you could say there are doubts over whether Amrabat would improve Manchester United's midfield, so even though he will be available for the low fee of just £20m, Ten Hag should probably look at pursuing other options this summer after already bringing in Mason Mount from Chelsea.

Allrounder Jimmy Neesham and offspinner Jeetan Patel have been recalled to the New Zealand squad for the first Test against South Africa in Dunedin

Andrew McGlashan02-Mar-20171:32

McGlashan: Unlikely Jeetan Patel will play in Dunedin

Allrounder James Neesham and offspinner Jeetan Patel have been recalled to the New Zealand squad for the first Test against South Africa in Dunedin.Matt Henry and Dean Brownlie drop out of the squad from the Bangladesh series while Patel, who made a Test comeback after a gap of nearly four years against India last year, has been selected ahead of legspinner Ish Sodhi. Neil Wagner has also been confirmed as available following his finger injury he sustained in early February.Though it is unlikely that New Zealand will field two spinners at University Oval – they have never done it in seven Tests at the venue – selector Gavin Larsen said Patel provided cover for all eventualities. He was brought into the one-day side in Hamilton, with a view to targeting South Africa’s left handers, and claimed Quinton de Kock first ball.”Jeetan brings the ability to spin the ball away from the left-handers, which complements our other spinner in Mitchell Santner nicely. He brings a huge amount of experience to the team and gives us the balance of having two front-line spin options.”Neesham, meanwhile, provides competition for the allrounder’s spot alongside the incumbent Colin de Grandhomme who claimed six wickets on debut against Pakistan but has since taken just four wickets in six innings.New Zealand squad

Kane Williamson (capt), Trent Boult, Colin de Grandhomme, Tom Latham, James Neesham, Henry Nicholls, Jeetan Patel, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling
IN: James Neesham, Jeetan Patel
OUT: Matt Henry, Dean Brownlie

Neesham made an unbeaten 71 in the second ODI against South Africa in Christchurch and in his previous Test hit 71 against India at Indore before being dropped in favour of de Grandhomme at the start of New Zealand’s home season.”Jimmy [James Neesham] has impressed so far this summer and we’ve seen improvement in his game,” Larsen said. “He gives us another option and is also very familiar with the conditions at University of Otago Oval.”Wagner’s availability is a major boost for New Zealand. When he initially damaged his finger fielding off his own bowling for Otago early last month there were concerns he would not recover in time, but he played club cricket last weekend and came through unscathed. Since the beginning of 2016, he is New Zealand’s leading Test wicket-taker with 51 scalps at 22.33.”Having Neil back and available is fantastic news for us. Neil’s been our leading wicket-taker in recent times and is a key player for us,” Larsen said. “He’s worked extremely hard to get himself ready for the series and we expect him to be fit and ready to go come the first Test.”BJ Watling was advised three weeks rest with a knee niggle last month but made 42 and 96 in last week’s Plunket Shield match against Otago.

Their contribution to ODI cricket has been rooted in identity and belief

Greg Chappell23-Oct-2025Author and Philosopher Bo Bennett once said “Success is not what you have but who you are.”
In an era where cricket often bends to the whims of fleeting formats and instant gratification, two Indian giants stood tall, not just for the runs they scored but for the men they became. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, two pillars of modern Indian cricket, carved their legacies through distinct journeys, both marked by immense skill, fierce preparation, and an abiding respect for the 50-over format. Their contribution to ODI cricket wasn’t accidental – it was deeply personal, rooted in identity and belief.Kohli was never just a batter, he was a movement. He arrived on the ODI scene in 2008 with raw promise, and by 2017, when he was full-time captain in the format, he had seized the reins of a side in transition and reshaped it. He brought what few dared to – a warrior’s mindset. He turned India’s ODI side into a sharp, focused and supremely fit unit that played to win, home or away.But what truly set him apart, even from the legends who came before him, was his detachment from personal statistics. While the world raved about centuries and aggregates, Kohli cared only about the outcome. He once said that he played for India, not for records – a statement that defined his leadership. Individual feats were often the focal point of India’s cricketing narrative; Kohli sought something larger. His currency was legacy, not numbers.Related

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Under his watch, India beat Australia 2-1 in an ODI series in 2018-19. They held fort at home like a colossus, dominating bilateral contests and ICC events. Kohli made chasing a priority, fielding a crop of finishers who could rattle teams even in high-pressure chases. He transformed India’s attitude from reactive to relentlessly proactive.Where Kohli’s rise was meteoric and defined by intensity, Rohit’s journey was more about a slow-burn path to greatness. For years he dazzled in limited-overs cricket; his timing, poise and flair made him a household name. But it didn’t come easy: though he made his debut in 2007, inconsistency and middle-order struggles kept him from cementing a place, especially in big tournaments.Then came 2013. Promoted to open during a home series against England, he seized the opportunity with quiet confidence. There was a double-century against Australia. Elegant hundreds, of which the first came also against Australia that year. Sudden comfort against the swinging ball. Something had changed – not just in technique but in belief. What followed was one of the most remarkable second winds in Indian cricket. Rohit didn’t just adapt to ODI cricket, he conquered it.

Where Kohli’s rise was meteoric and defined by intensity, Rohit’s journey was more about a slow-burn path to greatness

His batting, so often described as “effortless”, now carried the weight of responsibility. The short-arm pull, the nimble footwork against spin, the patience outside off stump – all made for a batter who could both grind and grace. A blistering 264 against Sri Lanka in 2014 cemented his credentials as a record-breaker, while his measured leadership in the 2023 ODI World Cup showed a cricketer at peace with pressure.When Kohli stepped down as captain in 2021, it was Rohit who inherited the mantle – not by clamour but by quiet readiness. Where Kohli roared, Rohit observed. His captaincy was marked by calm decisions, clear planning, and unwavering support for younger players. He doesn’t chase the camera. He lets his cricket speak – and speak it does, fluently.Their captaincies were a study in contrasts, but both chased one of the same ends – Indian excellence in ODIs. Kohli led in 95 ODIs, winning 65 – among the top two highest by an Indian captain. His win rate of over 68% came against the best teams, in the toughest conditions. Rohit, newer in the role, led in just a little under half as many matches as Kohli and had an even better win percentage – 75%. Together they ensured that India remained an ODI superpower, not just a red-ball giant.Technically, Kohli’s game was forged in fire. His mastery of pace, particularly the searing quicks of Australia, England, and South Africa, made him a modern-day gladiator. His cover-drive became a symbol not just of class but of courage. Off the field, his dedication to fitness, diet and relentless improvement made him a trendsetter.Rohit, on the other hand, thrived on rhythm. His strokeplay is a masterclass in timing. Few play spin better; fewer still can pull like he does. He doesn’t impose himself on bowlers initially – he outsmarts them, and then dismantles them relentlessly. Mentally, both men were titans – Kohli driven by the fire of legacy, Rohit by the calmness of knowing his time would come.There were moments when they didn’t just shine, they paused the game itself. Kohli’s 183 against Pakistan in the 2012 Asia Cup, in a high-pressure chase, showed he wasn’t afraid of the big stage. His leadership in the 2018-19 Australia series win remains a defining Indian cricket moment.It’s one last time into the breach in Australia for the two•ICC/Getty ImagesFor Rohit it was the 264 against Sri Lanka, the innings that declared him an ODI phenomenon. Then the five centuries at the 2019 World Cup, where he tamed global attacks with poise. And more recently, his tactical nous through the 2023 World Cup campaign as captain.But beyond individual brilliance in ODIs lay something rarer: their love of and devotion to Test cricket. Kohli wasn’t shy about it – he spoke often, and passionately, about the purity of the format. He made it cool again to care about playing in whites. Rohit, through his transformation, showed that Test cricket rewards those who respect its tempo.In an age where players often chase leagues, fame, and IPL contracts, Kohli and Rohit were naturals who became the face of their franchises for over a decade. No matter the format, they dominated. They were never trying to be viral. They were trying to be vital.Praise for them came from everywhere. Michael Vaughan was effusive in his admiration of Kohli as an ODI player, and Ravi Shastri lauded his obsession with chasing success. Ben Stokes admired Rohit’s calm control. Steve Smith admired Kohli’s competitiveness. Ajinkya Rahane said once that Rohit always made you feel like the team came first. Their team-mates loved them. Their opponents respected them. Their fans, like us, will remember them as more than just batters, as torchbearers.Now, as the cricketing world moves forward, new names will rise. New captains will lead. But this golden chapter – the Kohli-Rohit era – will remain engraved not just in record books but in the hearts of every fan who understood what they stood for. Kohli’s passion, his refusal to settle, his belief in legacy over statistics. Rohit’s elegance, his humility, and his redemption arc, which reminded us all that timing is everything – in cricket, and in life.What they gave the game can’t be fully measured in runs or centuries or wins. They gave it belief, dignity, and character – which, as Bo Bennett reminded us, is the true measure of success.

He suffered a tragic accident at the age of eight, but found the strength to not give up his dream

Ashish Pant09-Mar-20247:01

Amir Lone’s inspiring journey: How he became the J&K para-cricket captain

A video of a para-cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir recently went viral. In it, he is wearing the India jersey with Sachin Tendulkar’s name on the back. He has no arms but still displays some innovative shots by gripping the bat under his chin and between his neck and shoulders. He also bowls by holding the ball between his big toe and the second toe.The cricketer is Amir Hussain Lone, the 34-year-old captain of J&K’s para-cricket team. Tendulkar saw the video and replied saying that he would love to meet Lone. A month later, Tendulkar kept his promise while on holiday in Kashmir with his family.”It was such an overwhelming feeling that someone of the stature of Sachin sir came to meet me,” Lone tells ESPNcricinfo. “Even talking about it, my happiness knows no bounds. The way he welcomed me, I don’t have words to express my joy. I spoke to him for around one hour. We spoke about cricket, my journey, where all I have played matches. I then showed him my technique, the straight drive, cover drive. [They say that if you love someone, then you can wait an eternity for the person.]In the video posted on Tendulkar’s social media handles, he gifts Lone an autographed bat with the message: “To Amir, the real hero, keep inspiring.”

****

Like a lot of 90s’ kids in India, Lone loved cricket and Tendulkar. Born in Waghama, a village in the Bijbehara tehsil in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, Lone spent his early years trying to become a cricketer like his idol.His life, however, took a sudden and unfortunate turn. In 1997, when Lone was eight years old, he was playing in his father’s sawmill, where he got sucked into the machine and lost both his arms.”,” he says. [Everyone has dreams, and my dream was to become a cricketer like Tendulkar, but after the accident that dream was totally shattered.]It took Lone a long time to come to terms with his new reality. He didn’t know how to face the future. A cricketer was the only thing he wanted to become, and eventually he began to find a way.”I did not give up,” he says. “I wanted to go forward in life and I worked hard, day in and day out, to become a cricketer like Sachin.”But how can you play cricket without arms? Lone didn’t know where to begin, and his initial motivation was fuelled by the taunts he received from his neighbours. His family stood by him but the others around him viewed him as a freak.”The people I used to play with before my accident turned their faces to the other side,” Lone says. “They did not want to play with me, did not want to take me in their team. Whenever I went to any coach, he just used to say that ‘you don’t have arms, you can’t play cricket, you can’t do it’.”But I made myself strong so that I did not have to depend on anyone. By god’s grace, today I do not have any problems, but I will never forget how all those people used to treat me.”Lone recalls an incident, when he went to his neighbour’s house to watch an India-Pakistan match as he did not have a television at home. Tendulkar was batting and whenever he hit a four, Lone would shout in delight. His presence, however, made his neighbours uncomfortable and he was asked to leave.”I didn’t quite understand what happened, why did they drive me out of their house? That’s when I decided to develop my cricket.”Amir Hussain Lone in Bengaluru with his family•Gujarat GiantsLone taught himself to hold a bat by placing it between his neck and shoulder. He learned to grip the cricket ball between his big toe and second toe. He practiced catching and fielding with his legs.His drive, however, went beyond cricket. He wanted to become self-dependent. He taught himself to eat, use the mobile phone, and most things a fully-abled person can do, with the use of his legs.”I worked day and night. And slowly I developed my skills to the extent that I started playing with fully-abled people,” Lone says. “Most of the matches that I was playing were with normal people. I used to face fast bowlers and that too with a leather ball. I did not play with a tennis ball. I also bowl with a leather ball by holding it in my right leg. I have no problems at the moment, but to reach there, I really struggled.”It was when Lone attended Degree College Bijbehera in 2013 that his career as a para-cricketer took off. One of the coaches was amazed by his skills and advised him to register for a para-cricket camp being held in the state.”When I enrolled in college, I saw a few players practicing with the coach. One of them asked me if I wanted to play, and I immediately said yes,” Lone says. “I just played defensive shots. I didn’t try to hit fours, didn’t try to go for the big hits and batted for around 30 minutes.”The coach really appreciated my batting skills. He said that he bowled every kind of delivery, offspin, legspin, fast. He informed me of a para camp. When the camp began, I was selected in one of the teams and we played some matches. I remained not out in those games and was immediately named J&K para team captain. I played my first national game in Delhi the same month.”Lone remembers his first game fondly. The opposition was dumbstruck by someone with no arms playing cricket. He scored 25 runs and took a wicket, but what happened after that is something Lone says he will never forget.”Probably my best moment on the field was after my batting, players from the opposition team lifted me on their shoulders and shouted ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ slogans. This was an extremely proud moment for me.”Amir Hussain Lone watches the Gujarat Giants-Delhi Capitals match in Bengaluru•Gujarat GiantsSince then, Lone has played a number of para-cricket games, both in India and overseas. He’s won accolades and met several established cricketers, but when talking about Tendulkar, there is a glint in his eye. He recalls the night before the meeting, his nervousness still palpable.”I got a call the evening before and it was from Sachin sir’s team. The person at the other end just said ” [Can you spare us an hour tomorrow?]”I can’t explain the happiness I felt after hearing this,” Lone says, smiling ear to ear. “My joy knew no bounds. I tried having dinner at 8pm, couldn’t finish it. I just couldn’t sleep that night. I don’t remember the number of times that I woke up. I kept looking at the time. [This is such a long night.] I just wanted the night to end.”And as soon as I entered Sachin sir’s hotel room, he hugged me. Even now, when I recall my meeting, I can’t quite believe that happened.”Lone was recently in Bengaluru with his wife and son on an invitation from WPL franchise Gujarat Giants. It was his first visit to the city and he fell in love with the food and, of course, the weather. He also met the Giants players and visited the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to watch the match between Giants and Delhi Capitals.Lone’s story is a shining example of overcoming adversity, and he is philosophical about looking too far ahead. ” [No one has seen tomorrow, no one knows what’s in store tomorrow]. I have many dreams but firmly believe that only when god decides, those dreams will get fulfilled.”

Daryl Mitchell’s record runs for New Zealand, and other stats highlights from the hosts’ 3-0 sweep of the visitors

Sampath Bandarupalli28-Jun-2022England’s hat-trick of 250 chases
England completed a clean sweep against New Zealand with successful chases in all three matches – 277 at Lord’s, 299 at Trent Bridge and 296 at Headingley. It was the first time a team won chasing 250-plus targets in three successive Tests. It was also the first instance of a team winning three times while chasing 250-plus targets in a Test series.England’s chases at Trent Bridge and Headingley this series came at a run rate of 5.98 and 5.44 respectively, both being the fastest 250-plus chases in Test history.The England-New Zealand series also became the first Test series with three successful chases of 250-plus targets by both teams involved. In fact, there has been only one previous instance of three 200-plus chases in a series – between Australia and West Indies in 1951-52, where the hosts won twice and the visitors once.England’s fast-scoring rates
England set new benchmarks with their scoring rates in this series as their run rate of 4.54 across the three matches was the highest for any team to have batted five or more times in a Test series. Their aggressive batting took over from the chase at Trent Bridge, where they scored 299 in only 50 overs, the second-fastest Test innings of 300-plus balls.ESPNcricinfo LtdTheir scoring rate in Headingley was quite close to a limited-overs game, as they scored 656 runs across both innings at 5.4, the highest run rate for any team in a Test match (with a minimum of 500-plus runs). England’s run rates in Headingley were 5.37 and 5.44 respectively, both among the top seven fastest Test innings in terms of run rate.Bairstow’s mayhem
England’s high scoring rates coincided with Jonny Bairstow’s destruction in the last three innings of the series. Bairstow scored only 25 runs in the first three innings, but in the following three knocks, he registered the second-fastest fifty, the second-fastest century and the second-fastest 150 for England in Test cricket. England’s run rate crept well over five in all three of those innings.ESPNcricinfo LtdBairstow finished the series with 394 runs at a strike rate of 120.12. It is by far the highest for any batter to have faced 300-plus balls in a series.Ben Stokes is second on this list, scoring 411 runs at 109.01 against South Africa in 2016. Bairstow’s strike rate is also the second-highest by any player with 300-plus runs in a series, behind only Shahid Afridi’s 121.32 against India in 2006.ESPNcricinfo LtdMitchell stands tall
Daryl Mitchell was the star for the visitors with the bat on the England tour, scoring 538 runs, the most by a player in a three-match series for New Zealand. His tally was also the fourth-highest in a Test series for his country. His three hundreds on the tour were also a New Zealand record, equaling Andrew Jones and Ross Taylor.ESPNcricinfo LtdMitchell scored only 13 runs on the opening day of the series, but by scoring 50-plus in the remaining five innings, he became the first New Zealand batter with five consecutive 50-plus scores in Test cricket. Mitchell’s 538 runs are also the second-highest by a batter in a series where their team got swept. Brian Lara holds the record, having scored 688 runs in their series defeat of 0-3 against Sri Lanka in 2001.New Zealand’s pair of hope
Tom Blundell played a crucial role in Mitchell’s success with the bat, with long partnerships for the fifth and lower wickets throughout the series. The duo added 724 runs in six innings, the highest by any New Zealand pair in a Test series. They also became the first New Zealand pair to share four century stands in a series, and only the fifth pair overall.They faced 1417 balls together, the second most by any pair in a Test series (where balls data is available).ESPNcricinfo LtdMost of the runs scored by New Zealand in this series came from the partnerships of these two batters. They contributed 37.9% of New Zealand’s series aggregate. Only one pair in a three-plus match series made a higher contribution to their team. Australia’s Warren Bardsley and Charles Kelleway added 484 runs against South Africa in 1912, equivalent to 43.8% of the team’s runs in the series.