Nesta quarta-feira, às 21h30, Athletico-PR e Corinthians se enfrentam pela 16ª rodada do Brasileirão-2020, na Arena da Baixada. O confronto colocará frente a frente equipes que estão em situações parecidas no campeonato. Tanto o Timão quanto o Furacão estão com 15 pontos e em jejum de vitórias. Ambos buscam o triunfo em Curitiba para se afastarem da zona de rebaixamento.
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Em relação ao time foi derrotado pelo Internacional no último domingo, o Athletico do técnico Eduardo Barros deve ter três mudanças: Wellington no lugar de Richard, que não pode atuar contra o Alvinegro por cláusula contratual, além de Ravanelli e Geuvânio nos lugares de Léo Cittadini e Carlos Eduardo. Nikão, Márcio Azevedo e Jorginho seguem fora da equipe.
Já o Corinthians terá a estreia do técnico Vagner Mancini, que pegará o time com quatro desfalques certos para esta quarta-feira: Cássio, suspenso, Danilo Avelar, com lesão no joelho, e Cantillo e Otero, que estão com suas seleções nacionais. Além disso, Camacho e Lucas Piton são dúvidas para a partida. Certeza mesmo é a entrada de Walter como titular da meta corintiana.
Veja todas as informações sobre a partida:
ATHLETICO-PR X CORINTHIANS
Local: Arena da Baixada, em Curitiba (PR) Data/Horário: 14/10/2020, às 21h30 Árbitro: Sávio Pereira Sampaio (DF) Assistentes: Daniel Henrique da Silva Andrade (DF) e José Reinaldo Nascimento Junior (DF) VAR: Elmo Alves Resende Cunha (GO) Onde acompanhar: Globo e em tempo real no LANCE!
ATHLETICO-PR
Jandrei; Jonathan, Pedro Henrique, Thiago Heleno e Abner; Wellington, Erick, Christian e Léo Cittadini (Ravanelli); Carlos Eduardo (Geuvânio) e Renato Kayzer. Técnico: Eduardo Barros.
Desfalques: Richard (cláusula contratual), Nikão (em transição), Márcio Azevedo (dores no joelho) e Jorginho (desconforto muscular) Pendurados:Léo Cittadini, Érick, Jonathan e Khellven
CORINTHIANS
Walter; Fagner, Bruno Méndez, Gil e Lucas Piton (Sidcley); Gabriel e Roni (Éderson ou Ramiro); Léo Natel, Luan e Gustavo Silva (Cazares); Jô. Técnico: Vagner Mancini.
Desfalques: Cássio (suspenso), Danilo Avelar (lesão no joelho), Cantillo e Otero (em suas seleções) Pendurados:Roni e Ramiro Dúvidas: Lucas Piton e Camacho
South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel will retire from international cricket at the end of the Australia Test series
ESPNcricinfo staff26-Feb-20181:55
‘I leave with a very happy heart’
South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel has announced he will retire from international cricket at the end of the Australia Test series. South Africa will host Australia for four Tests starting March 1 in Durban.”It was an extremely tough decision but I feel the time is right to start a new chapter,” Morkel said. “I have a young family and a foreign wife, and the current demanding international schedule has put a lot of strain us. I have to put them first and this decision will only benefit us going forward.”I have loved every minute that I have played in the Proteas jersey, and I am incredibly grateful to my team mates, Cricket South Africa, and my family and friends for the support over the years. I still feel there is a lot of cricket left in me and I am excited for what lies ahead. For now, all of my energy and focus is on helping the Proteas win the upcoming series against Australia.”When South Africa were in England last year, Morkel was pursued by at least three counties as a Kolpak signing for the 2018 season. The 33-year-old was linked to a Kolpak deal most recently during the India Test series. Indian media reported that Morkel’s father said his son needed to “secure his future” and was considering the Kolpak option but Morkel strongly denied that he was nearing retirement. “There’s still plenty of goals I want to achieve. There’s no truth to that,” he said on January 15, during the Test at SuperSport Park.He will now end his international career when the fourth Test ends on April 3 in Johannesburg. Provided he plays all four matches, Morkel will finish with 87 Tests and will add to his current tally of 294 Test wickets – fifth overall for South Africa.Since making his Test debut in 2006, Morkel has been a vital part of South Africa’s most potent pace attack along with Dale Steyn, especially after Makhaya Ntini’s last Test in 2009. More recently, he led their pace attack in late 2015 in India when South Africa were without Steyn and Vernon Philander.BCCI
Morkel suffered a career-threatening back injury in 2016, which kept him out of action for most of the year. He missed series against New Zealand, Australia and Sri Lanka and only returned to the team in March 2017, in New Zealand but appeared a much improved bowler. While Morkel always had the skill of extracting bounce, on his comeback he had also developed the ability to pitch the ball up more. His consistency and menace only grew and he was South Africa’s leading wicket-taker on their tour to England in 2017.Limited-overs formats took a backseat as Morkel’s career went on. He faded into and out of the South Africa limited-overs side after finishing as their top wicket-taker in the 2015 World Cup. He was not named in the 2016 World T20 squad, did not play in the 2017 IPL as he sought to find form ahead of a demanding international season, and was unsold in this year’s auction. His involvement in the 2019 World Cup was also unclear.At the start of the summer, Morkel said he needed to discuss with new coach Ottis Gibson about whether he would feature in the white-ball set-up before deciding on his future. In the weeks that followed, Gibson said he had spoken to Morkel and explained that, like every other player, he would be considered if he performed well. Morkel played in five of the six ODIs against India and appeared to be among South Africa’s candidates for the 2019 World Cup until his retirement announcement on Monday.He will end his ODI career with 188 wickets from 117 matches at an average of 25.32 with two five-fors. In T20 internationals – which he last played in Lahore for the World XI side – he collected 47 wickets from 44 matches at an economy rate of 7.50.He ranked in the ICC’s top 10 bowlers in all formats at some stage of his career and was No. 1 in ODIs for a period in 2011.Should Morkel decide to go Kolpak – Yorkshire and Surrey are believed to be interested in signing him – he would become the latest in a line of South Africans to quit international cricket and take up a county contract. A year ago, Kyle Abbott’s departure for Hampshire sent shockwaves through the game in South Africa, with internationals such as Rilee Rossouw, Simon Harmer and Stiaan van Zyl also among those moving to the UK.
تقدم فريق الكرة بالنادي الأهلي بالهدف الثاني أمام منافسه فاركو في المباراة التي تجمع بينهما الآن ضمن منافسات الدوري المصري.
وتقام مباراة الأهلي وفاركو على أرضية استاد برج العرب في الإسكندرية، ضمن مؤجلات الجولة 11 من المسابقة المحلية.
وجاء هدف الأهلي الثاني عن طريق إمام عاشور بتصويبة مدوية من خارج منطقة الجزاء في الدقيقة 45+2 من عمر الشوط الأول.
وكان إمام عاشور قد سجل الهدف الأول أيضًا من ضربة جزاء في الدقيقة 30، بعدما احتسب الحكم محمود ناجي ضربة جزاء لصالح موديست مهاجم الأهلي بعد دفعة من محمود عماد لاعب فاركو.
وأحرز جابر جابر هدف تعادل فاركو في الدقيقة 34 من تسديدة قوية من داخل منطقة جزاء الأهلي مستغلًا خطأ دفاعي للاعبي الأحمر.
طالع.. فيديو | جابر كامل يسجل هدف تعادل فاركو أمام الأهلي في الدوري هدف الأهلي الثاني أمام فاركو في الدوري المصري
It is far from a secret that Celtic are in the market to add to their options in the wide areas before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September.
The Hoops lost Portuguese forward Jota to a long-term knee injury in the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, which means that he is not going to be available in the opening months of next season.
Losing the forward, who arrived on a permanent deal from Rennes for a second spell at Parkhead in January, came as a blow to Brendan Rodgers, because he had hit the ground running upon his return to Glasgow.
Jota produced four goals and two assists in 11 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, despite only starting seven of those matches, in the second half of the season, before his injury.
Celtic are now in the market to bring in a left winger who can plug the gap that his injury has created, whilst also having the potential to compete with him for a starting berth in the future.
One left-sided attacker who has emerged as a reported target for the Scottish giants this summer is Royal Antwerp star Michel-ange Balikwisha.
The latest on Celtic's pursuit of Michel-Ange Balikwisha
Belgian reporter Sacha Tavolieri recently reported that the Hoops are in talks with the 24-year-old wide man over the possibility of a move to Glasgow in the coming weeks.
The journalist claimed that talks are already underway and that the right-footed wing wizard is keen on securing a transfer to Parkhead before the end of the window.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha against Porto in the Champions League.
Tavolieri did not mention how much money it would take for Royal Antwerp to part ways with their star forward, but The Scottish Sun revealed, in April, that he is valued at £5m by the Pro League outfit.
Balikwisha’s performances in the Pro League in the last two seasons suggest that the potential is there for him to be a value-for-money signing at £5m for the Hoops, as he has showcased his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha (Pro League)
23/24
24/25
Starts
27
12
xG
6.46
2.65
Goals
7
4
Big chances created
6
7
Key passes per game
1.5
1.6
Assists
5
3
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Celtic target has racked up 11 goals and eight assists in 39 starts in the division, outperforming his xG in both campaigns, which speaks to his efficiency in front of goal.
These statistics suggest that he could replace the goals and assists that the Hoops have lost through Jota’s injury, if he can translate his performances over to the Premiership at Parkhead.
At the age of 24, Balikwisha would also arrive in Scotland as a player who could have his best years ahead of him, with time to develop and grow, and this could make him an interesting long-term addition, as well as a player who could replace Jota in the short-term.
A fee of £5m would be a decent outlay for the winger, but the Hoops already have a number of forwards who are worth significantly more than that, including Japanese forward Daizen Maeda.
Celtic have hit the jackpot with Dazien Maeda
The Scottish giants initially signed the Japan international on loan from Yokohama F. Marinos in the January transfer window at the start of 2022, before they snapped him up on a permanent basis that summer.
Their decision to sign him permanently has turned out to be a blinder because the versatile attacker has gone to become an incredibly valuable player, both in terms of his market value and his value to Rodgers and the team.
Celtic star Daizen Maeda.
Maeda has racked up 62 goals and 28 assists in 158 appearances for the Hoops to date, and remains a regular starter in the attack after three-and-a-half-years in Glasgow. This shows that he has provided consistent quality as a threat at the top end of the pitch during his time in Scotland so far.
His form in the 2024/25 campaign was particularly impressive. The 27-year-old star ended the season with an eye-catching haul of 33 goals and 12 assists in 51 appearances for Rodgers’ side, whilst playing as a left winger and as a centre-forward.
Maeda’s sublime form in the top-flight earned him the Premiership Player of the Year award, which shows that he was deemed to be the best player in the entire division.
The Japanese speedster’s market value has soared as a result of his fantastic performances on the pitch for the Scottish giants, so much so to the point that he is now worth around £8m more than reported target Balikwisha.
Daizen Maeda’s soaring market value
Date
Market value
Jan 2022
£1.5m
June 2022
£3m
November 2022
£3.5m
December 2022
£4.5m
June 2023
£5m
December 2023
£5.5m
May 2024
£6m
October 2024
£6.5m
December 2024
£7m
March 2025
£9.5m
June 2025
£13m
Valuations via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, Maeda’s value has soared by a whopping £11.5m throughout his time in Scotland, to the point where he is now worth £13m, as per Transfermarkt.
He is the most valuable player in the Celtic squad, ahead of the likes of Nicolas Kuhn, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Arne Engels, and Reo Hatate, which speaks to how impressive his valuation of £13m is.
Daizen Maeda
Celtic have hit the jackpot with the Japanese marksman, who has been the subject of reported interest from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, because they struck gold by signing him when he was valued at just £1.5m.
The forward has developed into the most valuable member of the squad, and the most prolific after a haul of 33 goals this season, as illustrated by him being worth a whopping £8m more than reported target Balikwisha.
Their next Kuhn: Celtic reach agreement to sign "dangerous" star
Celtic have agreed a deal to sign a “dangerous” wide attacker for around £1.7m, so here is why he could be the Hoops’ next Nicolas Kühn.
1 ByBen Gray Jun 19, 2025
Hopefully, the Scottish giants will be able to retain his services ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, and he will continue to deliver goals and assists on a regular basis.
أعلن الاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم “يويفا”، عن الفائز بجائزة رجل مباراة رومانيا وأوكرانيا في كأس الأمم الأوروبية “يورو 2024”.
والتقى منتخب رومانيا مع أوكرانيا عصر اليوم الأحد، ضمن مباريات الجولة الأولى لدور المجموعات في أمم أوروبا.
ونجح منتخب رومانيا في تحقيق الفوز بثلاثة أهداف دون رد أمام أوكرانيا، ليحصد أول ثلاث نقاط في مشواره.
وتم اختيار قائد رومانيا ستانسيو كأفضل لاعب في المباراة، وقالت لجنة المراقبين الفنيين التابعة للاتحاد الأوروبي لكرة القدم: “هدفه أعطى دفعة هائلة لزملائه”.
وأضافت: “من الناحية الفنية، كان هدفه مثاليًا، وسجل بينما أظهر توازنًا جيدًا، ومن الناحية التكتيكية، كان له دور حيوي في خطتهم حيث دفع الفريق للضغط”.
وكان ستانسيو سجل هدف تقدم رومانيا من تسديدة رائعة، بعد استغلال خطأ من الحارس أندريه لونين، ليطلق صاروخية بالقدم اليمنى في زاوية صعبة.
O Botafogo encontrou o caminho das vitórias pela primeira vez no Campeonato Brasileiro sub-17. Nesta sexta-feira, a equipe comandada por Neto Colucci derrotou o América-MG por 2 a 1 no CEFAT, em Niterói, em duelo válido pela 4ª rodada, e venceu a primeira na competição. Gilwagner e Kauê marcaram os gols do Alvinegro.
A equipe contou com o “reforço” de Matheus Nascimento. Integrado aos profissionais desde agosto, o atacante treina com o time principal, mas joga com a equipe de base desde a chegada de Túlio Lustosa e a efetivação de Bruno Lazaroni como treinador da equipe – os dois, em conjunto com o atleta, optaram por dar ritmo de jogo ao camisa 9.
Os dois gols foram marcados ainda no primeiro tempo. Gilwagner é atacante e Kauê é volante. Os dois também são considerados promessas e já foram observados para serem aproveitados em categorias superiores.
Com a vitória, o Botafogo chegou a 5 pontos na classificação do Grupo A. O próximo compromisso do Alvinegro na competição será na próxima terça-feira diante do Corinthians, às 15h, no Parque São Jorge.
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The Sussex openers added an unbeaten 86 in the 21 overs possible on the opening day
ECB Reporters Network27-Apr-2018
Phil Salt and Luke Wells started strongly•Getty Images
ScorecardSussex openers Phil Salt and Luke Wells made an impressive start to their Specsavers County Championship game against Gloucestershire before rain swept in to ruin the first day at Hove.Salt, 21, was unbeaten on 54 and Wells had contributed 25 to a stand of 86 for the first wicket before rain arrived at 12.30pm. Umpires Martin Saggers and Russell Warren abandoned play at 4pm with no sign of an improvement in conditions after taking an early tea.After losing Chris Nash to Nottinghamshire during the winter Sussex are giving Salt, who is making only his tenth first-class appearance, a run as opener and although he played some false shots there was a lot to admire in his aggressive approach after Sussex had batted first following an uncontested toss.Australian Dan Worrall troubled both batsmen during a lively nine-over burst with the new ball up the slope. Salt came down the pitch to try and smear him through the off side and was then struck on the helmet by the next delivery when he misjudged a bouncer and needed to make repairs to his headgear.But in the last over before the rain arrived, Salt drove Matt Taylor for four then pulled his next ball over square leg for six. A single off the next delivery took him to his second Championship half-century from 59 balls which has included nine boundaries. Earlier, in the tenth over, he had taken three fours off Taylor with two drives through the off side and a pull to the midwicket rope.Wells, fresh from an unbeaten 102 on Monday in Sussex’s last match against Leicestershire, batted with more reserve but looked solid enough. His innings, from 66 balls so far, has included four boundaries.Gloucestershire, who won their opening Division Two game against Kent before losing to Glamorgan last week, used just Worrall, Taylor and Craig Miles and although Worrall in particular beat the bat on several occasions their trio of seamers could not make a breakthrough.Sussex made one change with left-arm spinner Danny Briggs making his first appearance of the season with legspinner Will Beer dropping out. Gloucestershire were without last year’s leading wicket-taker Liam Norwell and David Payne because of injury.
There have definitely been flashes of progress at Tottenham Hotspur over the past few weeks, but the 3-0 hiding handed by Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on a chill Sunday afternoon has served Thomas Frank a sobering reality check.
At the weekend, Tottenham knew there was a chance to step up and make real headway in the Premier League by recording a statement win over Forest, having ended a six-game winless run in the division the match before, against Brentford on home turf.
Positivity was short-lived, though, even after beating Slavia Prague 3-0 in the Champions League in midweek. This system is riddled with problems, and the manner in which Spurs were beaten by Sean Dyche’s relegation-threatened side has enraged and dismayed a fanbase who have been crying out for coherence and focused creativity all season.
Frank’s post-match comments were bleak, but he couldn’t have stood in front of the cameras and lauded effort, drawn solace from moments.
It is clearer than ever that ENIC Group’s decision to attack the January transfer market is a just one.
Spurs planning for January additions
The Forest defeat was one to forget, but it wasn’t an outlier for the Lilywhites this season, and that makes putting it in the background difficult.
Tottenham came undone in the first half when Guglielmo Vicario put Archie Gray under pressure. The 19-year-old then lost possession cheaply, and Callum Hudson-Odoi scored.
This microcosm of Spurs’ season widens to a gloomier landscape, and it’s understandable that signings are anticipated. This is a squad who need improvements across different positions. Gray, it seems, isn’t ready for a starring role, playing as an anchor week in and week out.
Perhaps that’s why ENIC are lining up a move for Atletico Madrid star Pablo Barrios. In fact, Spanish media are under the impression that the Londoners have already tabled an opening €70m (equating to £61m) offer for the 22-year-old midfielder. That fee, should a deal get done, would be one of the most expensive in the club’s history, surpassing the £60m they paid for Richarlison but falling £4m shy of Dominic Solanke’s deal.
The Spaniard’s versatility and physical attributes make him an ideal fit for the Premier League, but Atletico won’t let their prize leave easily. Spurs’ interest is very real, but landing his signature will prove a hard task.
Why Spurs should sign Pablo Barrios
Gray’s blunder at the weekend can happen in football, but it’s symptomatic of a wider struggle at Tottenham right now. More experience and dynamism are needed in midfield, especially with Yves Bissouma ostracised and Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha offering limited skillsets.
Here Barrios would raise Spurs’ level. He is athletic and fleet-footed and confident in the duel. He has been hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his “Iniesta-esque magic” on the ball, and so would help the manager establish fluid passing patterns from midfield, flowing into the final third.
Winning duels is a core part of the midfield game, and this Gray is struggling to do. In fact, the England U21 international’s lack of success in tussling against opponents is preventing him from establishing fluency in the Tottenham midfield.
There is no such issue for Barrios, who is still young but strong and powerful enough to hold his own against any opponent.
League Form 25/26 – Archie Gray vs Pablo Barrios
Stats (* per game)
Gray
Barrios
Matches (starts)
6 (4)
16 (14)
Goals
0
1
Assists
0
0
Touches*
28.3
61.8
Accurate passes*
20.5 (92%)
41.3 (87%)
Chances created*
0.2
0.8
Succ. dribbles*
0.2 (50%)
1.8 (65%)
Ball recoveries*
2.3
4.8
Tackles*
0.5
1.2
Interceptions*
0.5
1.3
Duels won*
1.0 (29%)
5.0 (57%)
Data via Sofascore
Barrios would help steer Spurs back onto more stable ground. Not only is the Spanish star been tempered in the furnaces of Diego Simeone’s steely system, but he’s positive and proactive on the ball. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 5% of centre-midfielders across Europe over the past year for successful take-ons and the top 14% for interceptions per 90.
There is every reason for Spurs directors Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici to complete this deal. Gray is an exciting talent who may yet take a talismanic role in Frank’s set-up, but he’s not there yet.
The problem is that Gray’s peers have hardly covered themselves in glory this season either, and a change is now needed, with plenty to play for this term.
Fewer touches than Vicario & only 2 passes: Spurs flop must be dropped
It’s time Frank took the Spurs flop out of his team for good.
Após exames realizados na manhã desta terça, uma lesão no músculo posterior da coxa esquerda do meia Nenê foi detectada. Com isso, além de Fred e Dodi, que estão suspensos, o Fluminense não poderá contar com o experiente jogador no duelo com o Fortaleza, marcado para o próximo sábado, às 21h, no Castelão.A informação foi inicialmente publicada pelosite GE.
Vale destacar que o camisa 77 sentiu um incômodo na região na vitória sobre o Santos por 3 a 1, no Maracanã, no último domingo. Ainda no primeiro tempo, ele foi substituído pelo atacante Marcos Paulo, que voltou a balançar as redes. Nenê já se reapresentou e iniciouo tratamento no departamento médico do CT Carlos Castilho.
A tendência é que Marcos Paulo seja o substituto do jogador para a partida contra os cearenses, visando dar mais velocidade pelas pontas. No entanto, o técnico Odair Hellmann tem duas opções no elenco para a posição, os meiasGanso e Miguel.Wellington Silva e Lucca também podem ser alternativas para o jogo.
Invicto há 7 partidas e com sua melhor campanha desde 2015, o Fluminense entrou no G4 do Brasileirão com 29 pontos e encerra o primeiro turno contra o Fortaleza no sábado, às 21h. Com a semana cheia, em virtude das eliminações nas copas, Odair terá mais três dias para trabalhar com a equipe em busca de manter a regularidade na competição.
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Dhoni has a poor record in recent IPL finals, but Williamson has baggage of a different kind: Sunrisers have lost to CSK every time this season
Vishal Dikshit in Mumbai26-May-20182:34
‘IPL captaincy different from other leadership experiences’ – Williamson
The two IPL 2018 finalists have traversed contrasting paths during the past seven weeks to get to Mumbai. And now they face off for the fourth time this season, after overcoming very different challenges.Sunrisers Hyderabad will play their second IPL final but for their new captain Kane Williamson, it will be his first. They have largely banked on Williamson’s batting and strangled oppositions with their bowling attack, and Sunrisers coach Tom Moody said succeeding on different kind of pitches – especially adapting to flat ones – was their strength.”They [bowlers] have done an excellent job,” Moody said while sitting next to Williamson at the team hotel in Mumbai. “There’s no question about that. We played on a number of varied wickets throughout the tournament and we’ve managed to adjust pretty effectively with Kane’s leadership with regards to how he used those bowlers through the 20 overs. We’ve managed to – more often than not – get it right.”I guess those experiences of playing on some wickets that the team found flat has been really good for us. We did come across a couple of surfaces which were quite different than what we had played a lot of our games on. Yes, we didn’t get the results that we wanted but what we did get was compete in every single one of those games. We didn’t have an occasion this year where we were smashed up in any game. Even last night, perhaps a lot of people thought after the seventh over we’re out of the contest, but that was certainly not the mind set of the 11 players on the field.”Their opponents Chennai Super Kings are in the final in their first season back after serving a two-year suspension. MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming were together at Rising Pune Supergiant for those two years as well, and are reaping the benefits of those experiences – second from bottom in 2016 and second from top in 2017 – with their original franchise. Among their problems were the average age of their squad, a couple of tournament-ending injuries, and losing home advantage after playing only one game in Chennai.2:24
‘Disappointed we couldn’t play in Chennai’ – Dhoni
“The challenge this year was slightly different to what we faced in the past seven-eight years,” Dhoni said on the eve of the IPL final. “The age group of the boys was definitely a concern as we had to keep them fit because of the frequency of the games. You have to manoeuvre your resources and you have to look at the bigger picture, to make sure that when we come to the business end of the tournament, our best XI is available.”I was saddened that we couldn’t play our home matches in Chennai but I was still happy that we played at least one match. Our fans waited a very long time for this moment.”CSK’s strength has been how different players have stepped up one after another to steal wins from oppositions. Faf du Plessis’ 67 against Sunrisers earlier this week was the latest example. It also meant Dhoni has plenty of resources to choose from, which showed when he did not bowl Harbhajan Singh at all in the first qualifier. In typical philosophical mode, Dhoni said having experience in his “old” squad made a difference, but that was not all a T20 team needed.”Yes, we want to contribute as a team but it is always good when an individual takes the game away from the opposition as it makes the job of the others easy,” Dhoni said. “Experience really counts but it’s not that it always matters. It is not something that can’t be replaced.”It is good that whenever we have played we have had at least two good fielders or outstanding fielders, that can man that deep midwicket position. We have done well so far but it is something that can hurt us at any time.Faf du Plessis’ 42-ball 67 guided CSK to a two-wicket win•BCCI
“There are times especially when you have six to seven bowlers in the side, you see the conditions, who is batting and what is needed at that point. I have always said in the past when we had [Pawan] Negi and [Ravindra] Jadeja I always gave them different slots in bowling. I see the conditions and what is best for the team, and then decide who to bowl, who has the best chance against the batsman. It is always tough, in the last game I didn’t feel it was necessary to bowl him (Harbhajan), and I didn’t bowl him.”Fleming, the CSK coach, was aware that Sunrisers also had individual performers standing up, citing Rashid Khan’s example, and joked while looking at Williamson and Moody at the press conference table to say, “he won’t probably be able to do it tomorrow because having to do it twice in a row is tough.”Fleming brought up the point of how the CSK squad had been “written off after the auction” and said having different performers contribute to wins was “a characteristic of our campaign that we needed.””I guess teams win competitions when individuals can win finals, so we’re game for that match-winning performance and it’s going to have to come because the opposition is very good,” Fleming said.Despite having loads of experience in the squad, Fleming and Dhoni also carry the burden of a poor record in finals, having won only two out of six with CSK, and losing one for Rising Pune Supergiant against Mumbai Indians last year. Williamson also carries baggage but of a different kind – of losing three matches to CSK already this year.