Everton are set to lose Alex Iwobi on deadline day to possible relegation rivals Fulham, and it now looks like he may not be the only first-team player on the way out.

What's the latest deadline day news?

Everton are trying desperately to sign Wilfried Gnonto from Leeds United to add to their succesful attacking signings of Beto and Arnaut Danjuma.

They are however set to lose a significant part of the first-team squad in the shape of Nigeria star Iwobi, who is closing in on a move to Fulham even despite their own sale of Joao Palhinha to Bayern Munich collapsing, as per BBC.

And now, according to The Athletic's Patrick Boyland on Twitter, Neal Maupay is also set to join former club Brentford on loan:

"Everton's Neal Maupay close to returning to Brentford on loan w/ option to buy. Fabrizio Romano with the first call."

The report goes into the matter in a little more depth, with a permanent move in the offing for Maupay, should he impress back in west London:

"Everton striker Neal Maupay is close to re-joining Brentford on loan with an option to make the move permanent. Maupay is waiting for a green light from Everton before undergoing a medical with the London club.

"The 27-year-old has made three appearances this season, coming off the bench to provide an assist during Everton's 2-1 victory over Doncaster Rovers in the League Cup on Wednesday. The Frenchman is now nearing a return to Brentford who he played for in the Championship between 2017 and 2019."

Maupay's time in an Everton shirt has been miserable to date, with a huge lack of impact on show and supporters beginning to turn on him. He has scored just one goal in 32 appearances, which is a scarcely believable return for an established Premier League striker, and a number of big misses proved costly in the 1-0 defeat at home to Fulham on the opening weekend of the season.

The 27-year-old's struggles have meant that he has looked increasingly surplus to requirements at Goodison, especially with Beto arriving and already matching his teammate's tally, scoring on his debut away to Doncaster Rovers on Wednesday evening, as the Blues came from behind to win 2-1 in their EFL Cup second round clash.

Are Everton signing anyone?

Maupay moving on in the summer transfer window makes complete sense for all parties, bringing an end to what has largely been a disastrous spell at Everton.

It will potentially allow him more minutes at a club he knows well in Brentford, as they look the fill the void left by the suspended Ivan Toney, and it will allow the Blues to get rid of a player who was arguably starting to feel like a hindrance.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

At this point, it would be a surprise if Maupay ever played for the club again, with a permanent move away next summer making sense, even if the Bees aren't interested in snapping him up.

The Blues now though need to make sure they bring in some reinforcements with both Iwobi and Maupay on the way out, and it looks as though it's Gnonto or bust on that front, with a last bid set to be made tonight while fellow target Luis Sinisterra is edging closer to signing for Bournemouth.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison completely lost his head after tripping over himself and then lashing out to pick up a silly yellow card in his club's most recent game.

What's the latest on Spurs vs Bournemouth?

Having made a bright start to life in the Premier League under Ange Postecoglou – with one draw and one win in their opening two games – Spurs travelled down to the south coast this weekend.

Playing in the lunchtime kick-off, Tottenham took on Bournemouth and managed to grab a first-half lead thanks to James Maddison, who netted his first goal for his new side. Dejan Kulusevski then added another in the second half to seal the three points.

No doubt, those goalscoring moments would have helped ease the pain left by Harry Kane after the Englishman joined Bayern Munich this summer, but fans would have been hoping for more of an attacking contribution from main striker Richarlison.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

However, the forward completely failed to deliver on that front – as evidenced by one embarrassing moment in particular.

Footage shared on Twitter caught the incident and it really doesn't look very smart at all from the Spurs ace. Indeed, he trips over without even being challenged and then picks up a yellow card for senselessly lashing out at his opponent.

How bad was Richarlison vs Bournemouth?

To make things worse, Richarlison was subbed off just minutes later, meaning he is still yet to score a goal for Spurs so far this season in three starts. In fact, having now played 38 times for the club in all competitions, the 26-year-old only has three goals to his name.

Journalist Charlie Eccleshare summed things up well for the Tottenham man, as he wrote on Twitter: "Another frustrating game for Richarlison. He had a couple of chances but made a few bad decisions and was booked after losing the ball."

As per Sofascore, he finished the game with just 77% passing, losing the ball 12 times and having had fewer touches than goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario – showing just how ineffective he was.

Journalist Rob Guest also described the player's woes well in his player ratings for football.london as he gave the striker a 6/10 and wrote: "Led the line for Spurs once again and should have done better ten minutes before half-time after Maddison had slipped him in with a fine pass, before hitting the side netting with a header moments later.

"Impressed with his build-up play in the first half, including a flicked header to Kulusevski, but his performance after the break was frustrating as he picked up a needless yellow card and lost the ball when Spurs looked to hit Bournemouth on the break. Desperately needs a goal to come his way. 6

Perhaps it's poor finishing as seen in one moment in the first half – referenced by Guest above – that explains why he's struggled to get his name on the scoresheet with any regularity since moving to north London last summer.

Indeed, in the key moment, the striker was through on goal but chopped back onto his left foot, stumbled over the ball and was tackled just when it looked as though he may have finally sorted his feet out.

All in all, it was another bad day at the office for Richarlison; even if his side picked up an impressive victory.

Leeds United head into the first international break of the 2023/24 campaign with one Championship win under their belt after the first five matches.

Where are Leeds in the Championship table?

Daniel Farke's team are currently sitting 15th in the division with six points on the board and are already four points off the play-off places.

The Whites failed to win any of their first three games of the season as they held Cardiff and West Brom to draws and were beaten by Birmingham before their first win came against Ipswich in a 4-3 thriller.

Their most recent outing came last weekend as they were held to a 0-0 draw by newly-promoted Sheffield Wednesday and the German head coach could use this international break to improve his team's goalscoring output with Georginio Rutter enduring an improved campaign, albeit still inconsistent.

How many goals has Georginio Rutter scored this season?

Farke could look to bolster his side's attack by ditching French forward Georginio Rutter, who has only scored once so far this term, and unearthing Mateo Joseph.

The former Hoffenheim prospect has plundered one strike in five appearances in all competitions, which includes four in the Championship, and endured a rough afternoon against Wednesday last weekend with his true inconsistencies laid bare.

As per Sofascore, the 21-year-old missed two 'big chances' in front of goal and only completed 67% of his attempted passes, whilst he also lost three of his four aerial duels throughout the match.

Rutter's lack of potency in the final third cost Leeds all three points and that could convince Farke to hand a huge opportunity to Joseph, who has the potential to be a big upgrade on the misfiring Frenchman if he can translate his academy form to first-team level.

How many goals has Mateo Joseph scored?

The England U20 international enjoyed a terrific 2022/23 campaign as the Spanish-born sensation racked up 17 goals and two assists in 30 appearances in all competitions.

He made three substitute appearances for the senior squad in the Premier League but his most impressive return came at U21 level for the Whites.

Joseph produced an outstanding 16 goals and two assists in 21 Premier League 2 outings, including the play-offs, as he showcased his ability to be a prolific scorer at the top end of the pitch.

The former Espanyol prodigy also captained the U21 side and scored once in three matches during the 2022/23 EFL Trophy campaign, which highlights the possible leadership qualities that the 19-year-old talent could bring to the team.

Rutter, meanwhile, has only scored 22 goals in 112 career games, at youth and senior level, and is yet to prove himself to be a reliable scorer.

Therefore, Joseph, whose finishing was once hailed as "top drawer" by U21 boss Michael Skubala, could come in as an upgrade on the ex-Bundsliga attacker for Farke if he can take his chance and replicate his sensational academy form.

The legspinner’s variations skittled Zimbabwe for 154 in 34.3 overs, after which Rahmat Shah and Nasir Jamal secured the chase with fifties each

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Feb-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRashid Khan lets rip with an appeal•AFP

Rashid Khan claimed 5 for 24 – his third five-wicket haul in ODI cricket – to dismantle Zimbabwe for 154 in 34.3 overs and usher Afghanistan to a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.Raza fined for dissent

Zimbabwe allrounder Sikandar Raza has been fined 15% of his match fees for violating Article 2.1.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an international match”. One demerit point was subsequently added to his disciplinary record.
The incident occurred during the 23rd over of Zimbabwe’s innings, after he was adjudged lbw off Rashid Khan’s bowling. Raza admitted the offence, and accepted the sanction.

Rashid struck twice in his third over to remove Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl. By then, Zimbabwe had lost half their side for 117. When Rashid pinned Craig Ervine lbw, Zimbabwe slumped further to 126 for 7. The legspinner went onto blast out the tail and finish with figures of 5 for 24 in 8.3 overs. Sixteen-year-old Mujeeb Zadran, who had made light work of the top order, ended with 3 for 45 in his 10 overs. Only three Zimbabwe batsmen passed 20 with Craig Ervine top-scoring with 39.Chasing a slim target, Afghanistan lost their openers Mohammad Shahzad and Ihsanullah to Tendai Chatara inside eight overs. However, a 69-run third-wicket stand between Rahmat Shah and Nasir Jamal stabilised the innings. Both batsmen went onto bring up their half-centuries as Afghanistan made deep inroads into the target.While Rahmat fell to Ryan Burl fell for 56 off 52 balls, Graeme Cremer brought Nasir’s 51-run effort to an end in the 27th over. Najibullah Zadran then wrapped up the chase in the following over with back-to-back fours.

It's perhaps a testament to Newcastle United's meteoric rise under the management of Eddie Howe that there is disgruntlement after a slow start to the season, with an incisive 5-1 win over Aston Villa followed by a trio of defeats.

Last season, the Magpies blitzed into form and ascended to heights unseen for decades, clinching Champions League qualification with a top-four finish and wiping away the struggles that had plagued the club for so many years before the PIF takeover in 2021.

While the results haven't favoured the Tyneside club in the early phase of the 2023/24 term, Howe will maintain every confidence that his side can forge a successful path for themselves once again.

How have Newcastle performed this season?

Last season, Newcastle were built on fluidity, cohesion and resilience, which very much formed the foundation of a tremendous year – United completed the Premier League campaign with the joint-best defence (alongside champions Manchester City).

And while the opening dismantlement of Unai Emery's Villa tantalised a continuation of the resounding success, away defeats to Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion and a home loss to Liverpool have left the side bogged down in the bottom half of the table.

Falling to Liverpool was particularly bitter, having taken the lead through Anthony Gordon's strike – who capitalised on Trent Alexander-Arnold's mistake – shortly before Virgil van Dijk took Alexander Isak out as he pushed through on goal; Darwin Nunez's late off-the-bench brace quickly turned delight to despair.

It might now be time for Howe to tinker away after making minimal changes across the opening phase of the season…

How good is Sean Longstaff?

Sandro Tonali kicked off the summer spending when completing a £55m move to St. James' Park in July, but so far it does not look like the Italy international and Bruno Guimaraes are working well together in the centre of the park.

Because of this, it might be wise to place Sean Longstaff back into the starting line-up, with the 25-year-old midfielder playing 41 times last year, scoring three goals and providing four assists.

Rated at £18m by Football Transfers, the £50k-per-week ace impressed with his bouncing presence and worked well as a counterweight to Guimaraes' technical, orchestrating presence beside him.

Guimaraes is not quite the specialist six that Newcastle might crave to hold the midfield together, but that does not mean that he is not a "world-class" option – as he has been called by teammate Dan Burn – who will serve as the fulcrum of much of the club's success over the coming years.

He has performed admirably since his £40m transfer to St. James' Park from French side Lyon in January 2022, so much so that the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona have come sniffing, and has been duly rewarded with a looming new lucrative contract.

Part of the reason his role in the deep-lying position worked so well last term was due to Longstaff's energy and industriousness, hailed for his "vital role" as United's "unsung hero" by pundit Jamie Rednapp, who provided an analysis after the Brighton defeat and highlighted the upswing in results when Longstaff receives a starting berth.

This is evidenced through his metrics, with FBref ranking the homegrown talent among the top 9% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 12% for progressive passes received per 90 – perhaps why he has been dubbed an "absolute machine" by some in the media.

In time, perhaps the midfield axis of Guimaraes and Tonali will gel and form the heart of a truly terrifying partnership, but right now, with the emphasis surely on returning to winning ways, it might be prudent to return to the tried-and-tested formula.

Despite paying the big bucks to secure the services of Tonali, who is undoubtedly a first-rate playmaker, the balance of this Newcastle team has been knocked, and with a tough test awaiting against Brentford, reinstating Longstaff to the starting fold might be the apt solution to get the club back on the rise.

Tottenham Hotspur may be pushing for an alternative deal, but there is one other star that they could seek to rekindle their interest in to truly transform their side…

Who could Tottenham Hotspur sign this summer?

Ange Postecoglou's business this summer has been sharp and largely stunning, strengthening his backline with the acquisition of Micky Van de Ven, filling the creative void left by Harry Kane with James Maddison, and adding depth with further signings such as Manor Solomon and Alejo Veliz.

However, it is now seemingly Brennan Johnson who they have turned their attention to, as they push for one last big addition before the window slams shut on Friday.

Despite this, perhaps it is another Midlands club that they should seek to swoop from as well, with their interest in Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz well-documented and longstanding.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

With the potential to add key goals from midfield, as well as another steely stalwart to keep things ticking over, his €36.8m (£32m) FootballTransfers valuation should definitely be tempting the Lilywhites to reignite their interest.

How good is Douglas Luiz?

Should Postecoglou swoop for the Brazilian enforcer, he would immediately draw comparison with the host of midfield signings made by many of the top clubs this summer.

Moises Caicedo (Brighton and Hove Albion to Chelsea)

£115m

Declan Rice (West Ham United to Arsenal)

£105m

Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig to Manchester City)

£77m

Rasmus Hojlund (Atalanta to Manchester United)

£72m

Kai Havertz (Chelsea to Arsenal)

£65m

All fees via talkSPORT.

Declan Rice's £105m switch to Arsenal promised to be the biggest of the bunch, following big-money deals for Dominik Szoboszlai, and Mason Mount.

However, these were all blown out of the water when Chelsea unloaded a British transfer record to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton and Hove Albion, following a stunning season from the youngster.

Whilst he does mark a fine acquisition, for the price paid and the output they are set to receive, Spurs could actually end up with their own answer to the Ecuadorian, should they sign Luiz before Friday night's deadline.

After all, the 25-year-old boasts far more experience at their level and adds a keen offensive impetus that the Ecuador international is severely lacking.

Such form was best showcased last term, as the former Manchester City star notched 12 goal contributions in the league from the engine room, as a key figure in Unai Emery's remarkable turnaround at Villa Park. He led them from a relegation battle to a European finish, with Luiz's fine form an imperative factor in that run.

This culminated in his 7.10 average rating, which made him Villa's highest-rated player.

However, it was not just his attacking work that helped to uphold this figure, as he also maintained 1.2 key passes, 1.1 interceptions and two tackles per game, via Sofascore.

It is therefore no surprise to see he has been lauded as a "warrior" by writer Jack Grimse in the past.

Although Caicedo might boast slightly improved defensive numbers, such difference is negligible and completely outranked by the difference in their efforts going forward.

Whilst the 21-year-old would uphold a 7.08 average rating of his own, with 1.2 key passes and 2.7 tackles per game, having recorded just one goal and one assist, his influence on games is not nearly as big as his counterpart, via Sofascore.

Not to mention that, given his youth, he only has 47 appearances in the Premier League under his belt compared to Luiz's 143.

The latter would offer an instant improvement for Spurs' side, bringing a more well-rounded skillset to affect the entire team.

Whilst Caicedo will likely shine in the future under Mauricio Pochettino, as of this current transfer window, and especially given the vast difference in price tag, it is the Villa man who would mark the best coup.

Newcastle United are in a new era, with manager Eddie Howe lifting the club from the lower end of the Premier League table to a place in this season's Champions League in less than two years.

Prior to the 45-year-old's appointment in November 2021, the Magpies had been moored in the bottom half of the table since earning promotion from the Championship in 2017, and in fact, has languished below expectations for much of the reign of Mike Ashley.

The £300m PIF club takeover in October 2021 signalled a new chapter for the club and one which tantalised an illustrious future.

Still early into this new phase, there is optimism that the Magpies can now secure a perpetual place among England and Europe's elite.

How have Newcastle performed under Howe?

In the 2021/22 campaign, the Magpies were grounded and anxiously seeking a route away from danger upon Howe's appointment, but the transformative effect that the former Bournemouth boss's appointment and the shrewd work on the transfer front created paved the foundation for what is now an utter triumph.

Signing the likes of Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn and Bruno Guimaraes, the Tyneside club rose to an 11th-placed finish, but what ensued transcended such success by some distance.

Indeed, last season, Newcastle's various points of progress dovetailed and the side forged a cohesive, compact and consistent season, suffering defeat just five times all term (with four such losses coming against Liverpool x2, Manchester City and Arsenal) in the Premier League and securing a top-four spot.

As such, Champions League football beckons and is now only weeks away,

The Toon team finished the 2022/23 term with the Premier League's joint-best defence – alongside champions Manchester City – with the preferred backline of Burn, Sven Botman, Fabian Schar and Trippier resolute and rock-solid in front of Pope's goal.

One player who was stricken on the sidelines across the duration of such a resounding year is Emil Krafth, who has missed 43 matches after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) against Tranmere Rovers in the Carabao Cup second round, his first start of the season.

Should Newcastle sell Emil Krafth?

Having made 64 appearances for Newcastle, Krafth, who is on £55k-per-week, has never truly cemented the right-back position as his own, even before that injury, after signing from French side Amiens for a fee in the region of £5m in 2019.

Never making more than 20 league displays in a term, the numerical breakdown highlights that Krafth has actually cost the club nearly £14m when combining his salary with the transfer fee paid.

To emphasise how inauspicious a transfer it has been, the aforementioned sum equates to £218k per appearance, with very little to show for his efforts, even branded “out of his depth” by Premier League legend Ian Wright in the early days of his career in England's North East.

One thing that is clear is that Howe evidently likes the Swede, who made 14 of his 18 league starts under Howe's wing across the 2021/22 campaign.

It's not so much that Krafth should be directly targetted for departure, rather, he simply doesn't make the grade anymore with the club pushing for sustained prominence at the forefront of the European game.

And with Tino Livramento's initial £32m transfer from Southampton in August, the requisite moves to bolster the squad in the right-back role have clearly already been made.

In an ironic state of polarity, just as Krafth spent the past year shackled to the sidelines, Livramento was strapped to the medical department and missed the lion's share of the Saints' insipid relegation campaign.

Entrusting the youngster with a role in the squad, and for no small sum, insinuates that the Magpies hierarchy have identified their preferred successor to club captain Trippier's commendable role in the right-back position.

Krafth's versatility does work in his favour, competent across the backline, but Lewis Hall – another precocious talent – has also been signed this summer to enrich the pool of talent at the club's disposal.

Sometimes deployed at centre-back, the 42-cap international is unlikely to be the solution on that front either, with a wealth of high-profile and expensive names touted over the summer.

Clearly, that will be an area targeted next summer, perhaps even in winter, minimising Krafth's opportunities even further.

The one-time Amiens ace is also out of contract at the end of the season, and while he will hope to make an impact this season, it is hard to see his role being anything other than peripheral.

Like Krafth, another Newcastle ace who might find themselves headed for the exit sooner rather than later is Matt Targett, with the Englishman completing a £15m permanent transfer last summer after joining Howe's side on loan in the 2021/22 January transfer window.

How good is Matt Targett?

The left-back enjoyed a solid start to life at St. James' Park, with Alan Hutton once claiming that Targett goes "under the radar" with his performances and former Premier League forward Noel Whelan predicting he would "make a massive difference" for the Magpies as they initially sought to escape from relegation danger under Howe's tutelage.

Starting 16 Premier League matches during the latter phase of that debut campaign – missing only the win over Aston Villa due to ineligibility – the 27-year-old recorded an impressive average Sofascore rating of 6.96, averaging 1.2 key passes per game, making 2.3 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 1.8 clearances each outing.

Krafth, comparatively, has averaged just 0.3 key passes, 1.3 tackles and 0.9 interceptions per match across the duration of his senior career, as per WhoScored, though he is clearly adept at sweeping away danger having averaged 2.4 clearances per outing.

The respective full-backs are unfortunate to have lost their place in the Tyneside team for alternative reasons, and while both have had their promising moments in black and white, it now looks like Howe and co are set to continue Newcastle's ascent and forge a path right to the very top of the game, signing superlative new options to ensure that there is a continuation of the recent exploits.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Senado aprovou um projeto de lei que permite clubes de futebol adiarem o pagamento de dívidas com a União, no âmbito do Profut, durante a pandemia do novo coronavírus.Em sessão presidida por Flávio Bolsonaro (Republicanos-RJ), o texto deEduardo Gomes (MDB-TO) recebeu apoio de72 senadores, dos 73 que votaram nesta terça-feira. A informação é do jornal ‘O Globo’.

A justificativa do autor do projeto, deputado federal Hélio Leite (DEM-PA), é que clubes de futebol sofreram com perda de arrecadação por conta da pandemia e, por isso, precisam de mais tempo para reorganizar as finanças.

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Líder do governo no Congresso, o senador Eduardo Gomes foi o relator do texto no Senado e conseguiu emplacar uma emenda que definiu que partidas de futebol podem ser adiadas se houver surto de Covid-19 entre jogadores do mesmo elenco, que ganhou destaque após toda confusão que envolveu o jogo entre Palmeiras e Flamengo. Por conta disso, o texto vai ter que voltar para a Câmaraantes de ir à sanção presidencial.

-Ressalto que a medida apenas suspende (o pagamento das dívidas). Ela não gera renúncia de receitas. O que deixar de ser arrecadado agora será arrecadado em um momento posterior. O objetivo está em consonância com as medidas já adotadas pelo governo federal – afirmou Gomes.

O Profut foi criado em 2015 e permitiu a renegociação de débitos dos clubes com a Receita Federal, a Procuradoria Geral da Fazenda Nacional e o Banco Central relativos ao FGTS (Fundo de Garantia do Tempo de Serviço). Na época, a dívida estimada dos clubes ultrapassava o valor de R$ 5 bilhões.

أوضح المدير الفني لفريق إبسويتش تاون، كيران ماكينا، سبب رفضه تدريب نادي مانشستر يونايتد وتشيلسي خلال الفترة الحالية من الموسم.

وتواصل كل من مانشستر يونايتد وتشيلسي مع كيران ماكينا بشأن احتمال تعيينه كمدير فني بداية من الموسم المقبل.

اقرأ ايضاً.. مانشستر يونايتد يستهدف صفقتين دفاعيتين من تشيلسي وإيفرتون

وتوصل نادي إبسويتش تاون، اليوم الخميس، إلى اتفاق رسمي مع كيران ماكينا لتمديد تعاقده مع النادي الصاعد حديثاً إلى الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز حتى عام 2028.

وقال كيران ماكينا في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ميرور” البريطانية: “أنا على علم بذلك (تلقي العروض) إنه جزء لا يتجزأ من النجاح، وكان هناك اهتمام من الأندية الأخرى، لكن مسيرتي قصيرة كمدير فني، من الصواب أن نأخذ الأمور بعين الاعتبار، لكنني سعيد جدًا بالقرار الذي اتخذته”.

وأضاف ماكينا: “أنا فخور للغاية بتوقيع عقد جديد مع النادي، لقد استمتعنا بنجاح مذهل معًا على مدار الموسمين الماضيين، وأنا متحمس لإتاحة الفرصة لي ومسؤولية قيادة هذا النادي الرائع في موسمه الأول في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز منذ 22 عامًا”.

وأنهى: “التحضير والتخطيط للتحدي المقبل مستمر منذ أن حققنا الصعود في بداية مايو، ولا يزال هناك الكثير من العمل الذي يتعين علينا القيام به قبل بداية الموسم الجدي، سعيد جدًا لأنني ألزمت مستقبلي باتخاذ الخطوة التالية مع إيبسويتش تاون وأنا متحمس حقًا لما هو قادم”.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIn a nutshellThe absence of enough power hitters may have been a concern for Multan Sultans, but they kicked off their campaign with a chase ideally suited to their line-up.The 152-run target was clinically chased down courtesy a typically composed half-century by Kumar Sangakkara and an unbeaten 42 from the captain Shoaib Malik. Defending champions Peshawar Zalmi didn’t bowl badly, but they simply didn’t have enough runs on a greener, faster strip than is not commonly associated with the UAE.Darren Sammy’s men began shakily, thanks to a brilliant opening spell by Sohail Tanvir, who swung the ball in sharply. He was expertly backed up by Mohammad Irfan.Irfan’s extra bounce proved particularly troubling for last year’s leading run-scorer Kamran Akmal, who fell for a duck attempting to pull cross the line. A half-century from Mohammad Hafeez kept the innings together, while supporting roles from Dwayne Smith and Haris Sohail helped Zalmi regroup even though their run rate was always a concern. Sammy’s 29 off 11 balls helped them get past 150, but in the end, it was the early sluggishness that they were left to bemoan.Where the match was wonWith Sultans needing 38 off four overs, the game was in the balance. Wahab Riaz had one over left while specialist death bowler Chris Jordan had two. This meant at least one over would be bowled by someone who Sammy ideally didn’t want at the end. The scenario placed even more pressure on Wahab and Jordan to nail their three overs to give the other bowler enough runs to play with. But Jordan’s over went 12, thanks to some sloppy fielding and a fortuitous outside edge off Pollard’s bat. Wahab too ended up conceding 11 in his subsequent over, thanks again to some poor fielding at the boundary. By the time it came to final over, Hammad Azam had just six runs to defend. Malik put paid to any thoughts he might have harboured of being an unlikely hero by smashing the first ball for six to seal the deal.The men that won itThe headlines may go to the batsmen but Sultans’ task had been made significantly easier by their savvy quick bowlers in the first half. Every one of Tanvir, Irfan, Junaid Khan and Hardus Viljoen were in complete control. Barring one big Tanvir over at the death, the batsmen struggled to spot a weak link in this quartet, reduced instead to slogging away at Imran Tahir, never an ideal prospect. They complemented each other’s strengths like a proper bowling unit, Tanvir’s and Junaid’s swing, Irfan’s bounce and Viljoen’s accuracy combining to suffocate the opposition. It was the bowling, not the surface, that was responsible for Zalmi managing only 151, which, as Sultans were later able to demonstrate, was somewhat below par. Sammy suggested at the presentation that they were “about ten runs short”.Acing the reviewsWe all saw Sammy take a selfie without a smartphone last year, and it appears his side’s invisible digital skills extend to mastering HawkEye, too. The DRS, new to the PSL this year, was thrust into the spotlight as early as the second over when Tamim Iqbal was given out caught behind. The Bangladesh opener reviewed instantly, with the replays showing the ball had missed the bat by some margin. A few overs later, Dwayne Smith was given lbw off an Imran Tahir wrong ‘un, and though it looked out at full speed, the batsman called for a second eye again. The ball was found to be sailing well over the stumps. The DRS had been given an early workout, and first blood had gone to the players.Where they standSultans are table toppers, understandably, but will need to show the same intensity less than 24 hours later as they come back to play the second game on Friday evening. Zalmi have a day to recover.