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ESPNcricinfo previews the opening T20 between South Africa and Australia

The Preview by Firdose Moonda03-Mar-2016Match factsFriday, March 4, 2016
Start time 1800 local (1600GMT)Big pictureWhen this season started, South Africans would not have guessed the most enjoyable part would come at the end. After back-to-back Test series defeats, which would have taken supporters by surprise, the limited-overs’ squads have put smiles on faces with their feisty performances. The T20 side has even raised hope.After winning three of their last four series, Faf du Plessis’ team seems to have ticked all the boxes and thoughts of a trophy will not be too far away. But before South Africans allow themselves to dream of anything like that, they will want to see how their team goes against a side that has often proved to be their nemesis.Although South Africa and Australia have not met at the last two global tournaments and will not meet at this one until at least semi-final stage, South Africans still use Australia as a yardstick. If they can beat their old enemy, South Africa will consider themselves ready to take on the world. If they lose to them, the confidence built up over the last few months will be crushed.Australia know how much influence they can have on this South Africa side and will use that to try and imprint as much doubt into their minds as possible. At the same time, Australia need to create certainties for themselves after falling behind in this format.They have only played eight matches in this format since the last World T20 and are coming off a whitewash at the hands of India but they have beefed their squad up since that defeat. They are in South Africa to show how much stronger they can be and Kingsmead will have a full house as witness.Form guide(last five completed games most recent first)
South Africa WWWWL
Australia LLLLWIn the spotlightIf you believe Russell Domingo and Faf du Plessis, someone should feed Dale Steyn. Both the coach and the captain have described their premier paceman as “hungry,” but the only thing he wants his fill of is wickets. Steyn has spent the last two months watching cricket from the stands, surfing and spending time with his dogs, all while recovering from a shoulder injury. He resumed bowling with his team-mates in the nets two weeks ago, played his first competitive cricket five days ago and will now make his international comeback. Steyn has to get through these matches in order to part of South Africa’s travelling party to the World T20 but all the talk is that Steyn is not just looking to get through, but to make a few breakthroughs as well.At the start of this year, Steven Smith was not even a regular in Australia’s T20 squad. Now, he is their captain. Smith’s rise is complete. He leads Australia in all three formats and has the chance to take them to their first victory in a World T20 – the only global trophy Australia have not won. Smith will have to bring together a squad rejigged at the last moment but, on paper at least, includes hard-hitting batsmen, aggressive bowlers and exciting spinners. Now, it’s to see what their captain can do with that.Team newsDu Plessis has suggested South Africa will play their first-choice team for the series opener which means that even though they will give Quinton de Kock a chance to open the batting with AB de Villiers, it may not be in this match. Steyn is also certain to make a return which could mean no space for Kyle Abbott unless one of the allrounders sits out.South Africa: 1 Hashim Amla, 2 AB de Villiers (wk), 3 Faf du Plessis (capt), 4 JP Duminy, 5 David Miller, 6 Rilee Rossouw, 7 Chris Morris, 8 David Wiese, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Imran TahirSydney team-mates Usman Khawaja and Shane Watson are likely to open the batting for Australia which may mean no space for Aaron Finch. The top order will be strengthened by Smith and David Warner followed by Glenn Maxwell. Adam Zampa is struggling with a stomach bug and missed Thursday’s training, which may give Ashton Agar a T20 debut.Australia: 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Shane Watson, 3 Steven Smith (capt), 4 David Warner, 5 Glenn Maxwell, 6 James Faulkner, 7 Mitchell Marsh, 8 Peter Nevill (wk), 9 Andrew Tye/John Hastings, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Ashton Agar/Adam ZampaPitch and conditionsSmith asked South Africa’s groundsmen to prepare pitches that resembled subcontinental strips and that may be exactly what he is getting. The Kingsmead surface is said to be slow and will take turn which could mean a low total. Although locals are talking about the rain, the forecast is clear with the evening game meaning temperatures would have cooled from the mid-30s to the upper 20s by the time the match starts. Humidity will remain high, at close to 90%.Stats and triviaWhile Australia are No.1 in Test and ODI cricket, they lie seventh on the T20. South Africa are in second place.However, Australia have the upper hand over South Africa in the format. They have won nine of the 14 completed matches between the two sides, including their only meeting at a World T20 in 2012 in Colombo.Smith has captained Australia once before in T20s – against England at Cardiff – where he made 90Quotes”It looks like we’re ticking all the boxes as a team. There’s no area in our team where I feel it’s a weakness. I feel every gap has been plugged and that’s very nice to have.”
“We want to win every series that we play, hopefully some guys get some runs and take some wickets and we’ll put on a good fielding display before the World T20 in a week’s time.”

adidas' FUSSBALLLIEBE Euro 2024 match ball will help VAR make offside calls and also reduce time to make a decision.

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Adidas unveiled the FUSSBALLLIEBEBall to have a chip to assist VAR offside decisionsSame technology was used in World Cup 2022WHAT HAPPENED?

Adidas introduced the FUSSBALLLIEBE match ball for Euro 2024, equipped with a chip to enhance semi-automated VAR offside decisions. Notably, this tech settled a debate around Cristiano Ronaldo's claimed goal in the World Cup during Portugal's 2-0 win over Uruguay and the strike was awarded to Bruno Fernandes after it was analysed through the 'Connected Ball Technology' data.

AdvertisementAdidas THE EXPLANATION

This technology, previously used in the Adidas Al Rihla ball at the World Cup, employs a sensor recording data 500 times a second, synchronised with stadium cameras for 3D offside graphics. There is a sensor at the centre of the ball which can record data 500 times a second whenever it is in contact with a player during live action. Adidas claim that the time needed to make a VAR offside decision will also see a significant reduction as it should now take just 25 seconds to make a call since there will be no need to manually draw lines.

BIGGER PICTURE

Champions League balls lack the chip, as they rely on AI for offside calls. Fans both in stadiums and watching on TV will have visual access to offside graphics. Adidas claim that decision-making efficiency and accuracy will mark a pivotal shift in football with the help of this technology.

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WHAT NEXT?

Premier League clubs plan a March vote on adopting automated offside tech, anticipating improved decision-making. It is already prevalent in the Serie A with a Puma matchball but it does not contain the chip.

There's few more beautiful sights in football than a player finding the back of the net after defying gravity – but who did it best?

Premier League fans have been treated to hundreds of amazing goals since the competition's inception back in 1992, with some of the best players in the world producing moments of wizardry that defy belief. There is one specific type of goal that elicits more joy than any other, though, because of the technical ability and sheer audacity that is required to pull it off.

Instant hero status is bestowed on those that manage to execute a perfect overhead kick. They are rarely seen during normal passages of play, not least because of the inherent risk of embarrassment that comes with the shot selection.

But there is no defence against it when its done right. For a player to get a strong enough connection to beat a goalkeeper with their back to goal everything has to be perfect, from their positioning and timing to their concentration and general poise.

The English top-flight has probably seen more of these wondrous goals than any other league in Europe, and picking out the best of them for a top-10 list is no mean feat. But every so often a return to the archives becomes a necessity.

There will always be those who take to the skies in a bid to write their name into Premier League folklore, and GOAL is here to rank the greatest overhead kicks in the competition's history to date…

10Sebastian Haller (West Ham vs Crystal Palace, 2021)

West Ham supporters never really saw the best of Sebastien Haller, who arrived at the London Stadium from Eintracht Frankfurt in a club-record £45 million ($57m) deal back in July 2019. A modest return of 14 goals from 54 appearances highlights the fact that the Borussia Dortmund striker wasn't settled in England, but one of those efforts still ranks among the best of his entire career.

It came when Crystal Palace visited West Ham in December 2021, as David Moyes' side found themselves in dire need of inspiration after falling behind to a first-half header from Christian Benteke. Haller provided it as he swivelled in mid-air to meet a Vladimir Coufal cross from the right wing, with his powerful effort nestling perfectly into the top corner.

Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita could only watch on helplessly as it flew past him, and it earned West Ham a valuable point in their pursuit of European qualification. Moyes described Haller's strike as a "wondergoal", which was more than fitting, and served as a reminder of his superb natural instincts in the box.

Advertisement9Gary Cahill (Aston Villa vs Birmingham City, 2006)

Gary Cahill is best remembered as a quick, reliable defender who rose to the top because of his impressive ability to the read the game. But the former Chelsea and Bolton star also had an eye for goal. He bagged 28 Premier League goals in total, including a sublime bicycle kick to open his account when he was on the books of Aston Villa.

Villa hosted Birmingham City in April 2006 with both sides struggling at the wrong end of the table, and Villa ended up taking the spoils with a 3-1 victory, as Cahill grabbed their all-important second goal after an incredible leap.

The ball was headed in his direction after an ugly goalmouth scramble, but Cahill's finish was a thing of beauty as he rose to turn home an unstoppable first-time volley. It was a piece of athleticism that no one knew he had in his locker at the time, but it set the tone for him to go on and become a genuine goalscoring centre-half.

8Rory Delap (Southampton vs Tottenham, 2004)

When most football fans hear the name Rory Delap, they think of Stoke City's throw-in specialist who successfully riled up legendary Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger on multiple occasions. But the Ireland midfielder was also very capable of conjuring up something spectacular.

Delap delivered his career-best strike for Southampton against Tottenham at St Mary's in March 2004, after going exactly two years without a goal. No one expected to see Delap running into the box to try and latch on a loose ball, but that's exactly what he did, and he had the speed of thought to adjust his body for a bicycle kick after realising it was dropping behind him.

Delap couldn't have hoped for a cleaner connection as his shot then rocketed past Kasey Keller in the Spurs net. It proved to be the difference between the two sides and ensured that Delap will always have a special place in the hearts of Saints' supporters.

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7Andy Carroll (West Ham vs Crystal Palace, 2017)

Andy Carroll was once considered to be the brightest talent in English football. The Newcastle academy graduate was unplayable on his day, a big brute of a centre-forward who caused nightmares for defenders in the air, but injuries prevented him from reaching his full potential.

After a failed spell at Liverpool, Carroll joined West Ham on a permanent deal in 2013, and went on to score a respectable 34 goals for the club. His standout effort came in a 3-0 home win against Crystal Palace in January 2017, which to this day probably remains the best goal ever scored at the London Stadium.

Michail Antonio stood up a cross for Carroll to meet at the back post and he turned his body perfectly to execute an acrobatic overhead kick, which was barely visible as it flashed into the net. The crowd was left stunned, but it came as no surprise to then-West Ham boss Slaven Billic, who said after the game: "He does it in training, although he is normally hitting the post! I am afraid he will get injured when he does it in training."

ESPNcricinfo previews the latest round of matches in the NatWest Blast

Freddie Wilde05-Jun-2015North Group
Yorkshire v Lancashire, Headingley, Leeds, 6.30
Headingley is sold-out for the blockbuster Roses match between third-placed Yorkshire and Lancashire, last season’s beaten finalists, who lie seventh. In a round replete with England players, Yorkshire possess a squad teeming with international quality after Joe Root and Adam Lyth have been released to join the likes of Jonny Bairstow, Tim Bresnan, Adil Rashid and Glenn Maxwell. Andrew Hodd and Will Rhodes miss out on selection.Lancashire do welcome back Jos Buttler but are without James Anderson who was not released by the ECB. Alviro Petersen is also not in the squad having attended a Cricket South Africa player-of-the-year event on Wednesday. Tom Smith is left out.Northamptonshire v Worcestershire, The County Ground, Northampton, 6.30
Worcestershire add international pairing Moeen Ali and Saeed Ajmal to their squad, with Sachithra Senanayake ending his brief stint at the county. Northamptonshire meanwhile welcome Olly Stone back into the squad after an injury for what will be Shahid Afridi’s last match with the county before he departs for the Caribbean Premier League. Both Northamptonshire and Worcestershire have played just two games, with Northamptonshire having lost them both and Worcestershire winning one and losing one.Nottinghamshire v Leicestershire, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 6.30
Leicestershire will be pleased with their start that sees them sitting fourth in the table after four matches but they face a tough challenge away to Nottinghamshire who have added Stuart Broad and Ben Hilfenhaus to an experienced and high-quality squad already boasting Alex Hales, James Taylor and Darren Sammy.Leicestershire welcome overseas signing Umar Akmal for his first match of the season. Akmal comes into the T20 Blast on the back of some excellent form for the Lahore Lions in the Super 8 T20 in Pakistan. Andrea Agathangelou and Matthew Boyce also come into a 14-man squad that is without Kevin and Niall O’Brien who are on international duty as well as Grant Elliott whose spell at the county is over.Derbyshire v Durham, The 3aaa County Ground, Derby, 6.30
Derbyshire will be looking to build on their impressive victory over Lancashire last week when they host Durham. Durham have named Ben Stokes in their 14-man squad but are without Calum MacLeod who is on national duty and have left out Graham Onions and Barry McCarthy from last week’s squad.Derbyshire meanwhile have named Nathan Rimmington in their squad for the first time after his introduction was postponed by injury. Rimmington replaces Hashim Amla in the squad. He has also ended his stint at the county.Sam Northeast is skippering a Kent side who have become the season’s surprise packet•Getty ImagesSouth Group
Kent v Gloucestershire, The Kent County Ground, Beckenham, 5.30
High-flying Kent, who have won four from five, host Gloucestershire, who haven’t played since Michael Klinger’s hundred carried them to victory over Essex in Game Week 2. Kent have added Matt Hunn and Ryan Davies to their squad that beat Somerset and have left out David Griffiths. James Tredwell is still out with injury. Gloucestershire meanwhile haven’t included Robbie Montgomery in their squad.Somerset v Hampshire, The County Ground, Taunton, 5.30
Hampshire moved to second in the South Group with a strong win against Middlesex on Thursday and will take a big stride towards the quarter-finals if they can win a tough fixture away to Somerset. Somerset have added Tom Groenewald to their squad from their thrilling defeat against Kent. All eyes will surely be on Chris Gayle who has plundered 243 runs from his two innings in the T20 Blast this season.Glamorgan v Middlesex, The SWALEC Stadium, Cardiff, 6.30
Both these counties have shown glimpses of promise this season but both have been beaten twice and a third defeat could quickly turn a promising start sour. Glamorgan, who have won the last four encounters between the two sides have not yet named their squad. Middlesex, meanwhile, have added Kyle Abbott to the squad that was beaten by Hampshire on Thursday.Surrey v Essex, The Kia Oval, London, 6.30
Only five matches into the season it is already approaching must-win time for Essex who are at the bottom of the South Groups having lost four matches. Essex have, in fact, lost eight of their last nine matches having won all of the eight preceding that. They face a Surrey side also in need of a win having lost two of their three matches.England Test captain Alastair Cook will make a rare appearance for Essex having been released by England and is joined in the squad by Aron Niijar and Jamie Porter with Nick Browne, Mark Pettini and Callum Taylor making way. Surrey have added Aneesh Kapil to last week’s squad and may add Gary Wilson depending on the outcome of Ireland’s Intercontinental Cup match against the UAE which is taking place in Dublin.

A round-up of the Haier T20 Cup matches played on September 27, 2014

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Sep-2014Fast bowler Imran Khan held his nerve in the final over of the match to restrict Sialkot Stallions to just five runs, as Peshawar Panthers won by six runs to make the final.Chasing 157, Stallions needed 12 off the last over, but Imran’s first two deliveries were dot balls. Immediately put on the back foot, Bilawal Bhatti swung around for a big shot, but could only manage a two. Bhatti and Shakeel Ansar exchanged singles with the next two balls, meaning that Bhatti had to hit the last ball for six to tie the game. However, he could only flick a slower ball away to fine leg for another single.Stallions had done well to recover from a shaky start that saw both Mukhtar Ahmed and Haris Sohail dismissed inside two overs. Shahid Yousuf led a counterattack by striking a 35-ball 56 and adding 80 for the third wicket with Mansoor Amjad. However three quick wickets inside five overs, including that of Yousuf’s, hampered Stallions’ momentum and the lower-order batsmen could not produce the desired acceleration to guide the team home.Panthers, having been inserted, had made 156 for 7 from their 20 overs. Their innings was built around crucial knocks from Rafatullah Mohmand (35), Adil Amin (34) and Zohaib Khan (30), which kept the team ticking at more than seven an over. Zohaib later capped off a fine all-round display by picking up two crucial wickets to dent Stallions’ chase. With all his bowling partners coming out with expensive figures, seamer Hasan Ali stood out for Stallions and finished with figures of 4-0-21-2.A four-wicket burst from left-arm pacer Mohammad Aftab meant it will be Lahore Lions who take on Panthers in the final on Sunday. He knocked the top off the Multan Tigers’ batting, to put his team on their way to a nine-run win, on the same day the other Lahore Lions team enjoyed success at the Champions League T20.Aftab claimed four of the top five Tigers’ batsmen to reduce them to 35 for 4 in a steep chase of 180. While a couple of partnerships of 40-something followed, the damage done at the top was enough to hold off Tigers. Rizwan Haider with 42 off 25 and Naved Yasin with a more sedate 39 off 31 were the biggest contributors for Tigers.Fast bowler Mohammad Irfan had jolted Lions in the very first over, earlier on, getting Abid Ali for a duck. However half-centuries from Kamran Akmal and Imam-ul-Haq made sure the innings stayed on track. The pair added 114 in 11 overs, with Akmal top scoring with 77 off 43. His innings included 11 fours and three sixes, and set Lions on their way to 179 for 7, which proved to be enough in the end.

Who would make a Dream Team of the two Nations Cup finalists?

BackpagePix.Goalkeeper: Edouard Mendy

Endured a tricky spell against Equatorial Guinea, but beyond that, has done little to dent his reputation as the finest African goalkeeper in the game.

Mendy has kept clean sheets in four matches, although he was breached in both the quarter-final and the semi.

AdvertisementBackpagepixRight-back: Omar Kamal

Squeezing out Bouna Sarr in the toughest decision of the lot, Kamal only made his full Egypt debut in the Pharaohs’ second group game, but has excelled defensively, averaging 3.6 tackles per match.

It’s not bad going for a player who made his name as a winger.

Getty ImagesCentre-back: Kalidou Koulibaly

Like Mendy, had a few nervous moments against Equatorial Guinea, but he remains one of Africa’s finest defenders of his generation and isn’t going to be squeezed out of this dream team by any of Egypt’s options.

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Getty ImagesCentre-back: Abdou Diallo

Left-back: Saliou CissMaking the team ahead of the likes of Ahmed Hegazy or Mohamed Abdelmonem, Diallo has taken to international football seamlessly after being coaxed away from a future with France.

He complements Koulibaly well, offering technical poise and composure, and also opened the scoring as Burkina Faso were defeated in the semi-finals.

While Kolkata Knight Riders are coming off a big win, Mumbai Indians will look to re-group after suffering a shocker in their opening match

The Preview by Sirish Raghavan12-Apr-2016Match factsWednesday, April 13, 2016
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)3:49

Nannes: KKR should stick to winning combination

Big PictureThe first two matches of IPL 2016 were won by similarly large margins – nine wickets in hand and 30-odd balls to spare. The first game featured Mumbai Indians, at the Wankhede Stadium. The second had Kolkata Knight Riders playing at Eden Gardens. While Knight Riders found themselves on the right side of the result, Mumbai suffered a shocker at home against newcomers Rising Pune Supergiants.Mumbai will take the field at Eden Gardens hoping to bounce back in a hurry. They will want to break their recent habit of losing their first several matches of the season; Mumbai lost their first four games last year, and their first five in 2014 . After their horror show against Supergiants, they would perhaps do best to hit the mental reset button and start afresh.Knight Riders would be pretty pleased with the current state of affairs. Their big win against Delhi Daredevils gave them a handy head-start on the net run-rate front. An excellent all-round effort from their bowlers was followed by a solid showing by their top three batsmen. Their strong spin-bowling department is perfectly suited to the pitches on offer at Eden Gardens. Come Wednesday, Knight Riders will be confident of improving their 5-11 record against Mumbai.In the spotlightAs an overseas spinner, Brad Hogg is in direct competition with Sunil Narine for a spot in Knight Riders’ best XI. With Narine getting back to India only on Tuesday night, he is unlikely to play on Wednesday, making Hogg a certain starter for the Mumbai game. If Hogg can follow up his fine showing against Daredevils with more of the same against Mumbai, Knight Riders may have to seriously consider accommodating both in the team going forward.Hardik Pandya’s stock has risen substantially over the past few months, as an India debut in January was followed by some good performances in the Asia Cup and World T20. However, he still has some distance to go if he is to prove his worth as a genuine allrounder, as opposed to a bit-part player capable of flashes of brilliance. After a tame performance in the IPL opener, he will want to make a greater impact this time around.Team newsKnight Riders have no compelling reason to change the XI that stormed to victory against Daredevils.Kolkata Knight Riders (probable): 1 Robin Uthappa (wk), 2 Gautam Gambhir (capt), 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Colin Munro, 5 Suryakumar Yadav, 6 Yusuf Pathan, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 John Hastings, 10 Brad Hogg, 11 Umesh YadavMumbai are unlikely to make knee-jerk changes, but, judging by their practice session, Parthiv Patel may get a game. Vinay Kumar could be the one to miss out, meaning a longer batting line-up at the expense of a bowler. Lendl Simmons is likely to be rested for Corey Anderson, while Nitish Rana could also make the final XI.Mumbai Indians (probable): 1 Parthiv Patel, 2 Rohit Sharma (capt), 3 Lendl Simmons/Corey Anderson, 4 Jos Buttler (wk), 5 Ambati Rayudu, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Kieron Pollard, 8 Shreyas Gopal, 9 Harbhajan Singh, 10 Mitchell McClenaghan, 11 Jasprit BumrahPitch and conditionsEden Gardens is likely to offer another spinner-friendly track to suit Knight Riders’ attack. It is a big ground by Indian standards, another factor working in favour of spin. Dew is likely to come into play as the night wears on, so fielding first would be the way to go.Stats and trivia Rohit Sharma scored 98* and 50 in his last two IPL innings at Eden Gardens Knight Riders have lost just once in their last 13 IPL games at Eden GardensQuotes”We put pressure on each other with the ball. It is a competitive and respectful competition between us.”

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Everything you need to know about the new Barcelona kits for the 2023-24 season

Barcelona and Nike team up once more for another top-drawer kit campaign, as the La Liga heavyweights seek to celebrate their return to the top of the Spanish football pyramid. With Xavi restoring much-vaunted league silverware to Camp Nou, supporters will be ready to celebrate a temporary move to the Olympic Stadium with a fresh fit to suit a champion.

👕 Shop the Barcelona 2023-24 kits at Nike

Nike unveiled the all-new Barcelona 2023-24 home kit on June 15, inspired by the first women’s supporters’ club from 1971 who played the first-ever women’s football match at the Spotify Camp Nou. The new home kit has the classic broad stripes in original blaugrana colours but with a significant detail – the badge set into a diamond. The away kit was unveiled on July 26, releasing an all-white kit for the first time in over 40 years that is inspired by club legend Johan Cruyff.

The American sportswear giant has been the club’s long-term apparel provider, and is extending that partnership across the upcoming season, as the Blaugrana look set to stick with tried-and-tested classic colours for their latest crack at football domination.

So, what new kits will Barcelona wear in 2023-24? GOAL takes a look at the jerseys that are set to be sported by Robert Lewandowski, Gavi and more, while we also give you the lowdown on rumours and leaks alongside details on how to buy them online.

Barcelona 2023-24 kits

Nike unveiled the all-new Barcelona 2023-24 home kit on June 15. The new kit is unique as it is the Club’s first to be inspired by the women’s team.

The home kit features the classic broad stripes – synonymous with Barca – in the original blaugrana colours, the significant detailing coming through with the badge set in a diamond.

The diamond represents the first women’s team to ever play a game of football at the Spotify Camp Nou, an example of Barça’s pioneering spirit, always adopting a leading role in both sport and society, allied with continued success. 

The jersey will feature the men’s and women’s team main partner, Spotify, whose logo is on the front, alongside the Nike logo. The Ambilight TV and Bimbo brands will be on the men’s and women’s first team jersey sleeves respectively. The UNHCR/ACNUR logo will again feature above the number on the back. 

The Barcelona 2023-24 home kit is available to buy right now from Nike, with a replica men’s shirt retailing at £79.95.

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Barcelona has released its first white-away kits since 1979. The innovative design pays tribute to the man who developed Barca's playing style – Johan Cruyff. Based on the second kit worn by the blaugranes during the 1970s. Just like the first kit harks back to the spirit of the Barça Women’s team that played their first-ever game at the Spotify Camp Nou in 1970. The jersey is predominantly white and features red and blue stripes on the sleeve cuffs.

The kit is available to buy now from Nike for £75.00.

As with the away strip, there is not too much known about the finer points of the 2023-24 third kit Barcelona will sport this coming season, though if their anticipated change number sticks to its planned design, it will need a face-lift.

Early leaks and speculation suggest Barcelona’s third option could opt for a colour tone not seen on their alternative options since the 2019-20 campaign, with a return to an aquamarine-eseque hue, alternatively described as mint and turquoise.

Simple block patterns with little deviation bar traditional Barcelona trim are anticipated,, but as it stands, there is no concrete info on both design and collar structure for this option.

As with plenty of other third-choice kits for next season, not much is known about an exact release date, but you can expect it to match the price of their other strips, retailing at an anticipated £75.00 through Nike.

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In line with the expected classy designs of their home and away strips, Barcelona’s 2023-24 training kit looks set to keep the tasteful feel intact, opting for a two-tone number between contrasted shades of grey.

A lighter, soft-steel hue forms the bulk of the main body, while darker, slate-coloured accents cover the arms and shoulders for an impressively deft effect.

The Blaugrana are no stranger to a grey number of course, though it is historically a shade reserved exclusively for their goalkeeper kits, with this season’s change strip for shotstoppers bearing some tonal similarities.

There is no official release date set for the pre-match jersey, but with stock suggested to be close to the shelves, we can expect to see a summer 2023 launch.

Former Pakistan batsman Aamer Sohail has been appointed the PCB’s director of game development, as well as chief selector

Umar Farooq04-Feb-2014Former Pakistan batsman and captain Aamer Sohail has been appointed the PCB’s director of game development, as well as chief selector. Mohammad Ilyas has been named the selector for junior and women teams.Pakistan have not had a full-time chairman of selectors since Iqbal Qasim decided to not renew his contract with the PCB in July 2013.Subsequently Moin Khan was named chief selector, only to be removed when the Islamabad High Court overruled all major decisions taken by interim PCB chairman Najam Sethi. The PCB had been functioning under an interim management committee for a large chunk of 2013 as a fallout of the court suspending Zaka Ashraf as board chairman in May; it ruled Ashraf’s election to be questionable. But then Ashraf was reinstated by the court as PCB chief in January.”This time I will be engaging all the stakeholders to take Pakistan cricket to the next level,” Sohail said at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore after his appointment. “I am thankful to the PCB and especially Zaka Ashraf who reposed his confidence in me and included me in his team.”The PCB has retained the previous members of the selection committee, including Azhar Khan, Saleem Jaffar and Farukh Zaman who will work under Sohail. Their next task is to pick the side for the upcoming Asia Cup in Bangladesh in the last week of February.”These (three) are the members who have been working in the past with the coach and captain and I will need their inputs,” Sohail said. “We will be meeting in next couple of days to discuss the selection (for the upcoming Asia Cup and World T20).Ashraf confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Sohail’s appointment was one of the major changes approved by the PCB’s governing board on Monday. “We want to have an aggressive stance on filtration of talent from our domestic cricket and Aamer being an experienced contender is the best man to carry out our plan,” Ashraf said. “We have decided to rediscover the national academies with him at the helm with additional responsibility of national selection.”Sohail had held the same directorial post in Ijaz Butt’s regime in 2009, but quit because of the reported lack of freedom working on the post. However, Ashraf hinted at a full confidence in his scheme for the revival of national academies, where operations have been clamped down since 2009. Sohail also held the chief selector’s post just after the 2003 World Cup. That was the era where many a youngster was brought in to replace the generation of Wasim Akram, Saeed Anwar and Waqar Younis.”Coordination, I believe, is very important and all the stakeholders should be on one page and understand each other before taking decisions,” Sohail said. “I want logic to prevail.”Sohail said he has spent ample time with the outgoing coach Dav Whatmore and got his inputs before chalking out his plan. “I need to see what the captain is comfortable with because I need to see the comfort levels as well and can’t just impose my plan. So whatever I come up with will be after a coordinated effort.”

Allrounder James Faulkner has been included in Australia’s Test squad for the two-match series against Pakistan in UAE

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Oct-2014Allrounder James Faulkner has been included in Australia’s Test squad for the two-match series against Pakistan in UAE. Faulkner is on standby for allrounder Mitchell Marsh, who has a hamstring strain.Marsh was a strong contender to fill the allrounder vacancy created by the injury to Shane Watson but he strained his hamstring while playing for Perth Scorchers in the Champions League T20 in India. Cricket Australia reported Marsh had resumed jogging and batting in the nets but there was uncertainty whether he would be able to bowl at full capacity in the build-up to the first Test, which begins on October 22 in Dubai. The other option for the allrounder’s spot is offspinner Glenn Maxwell.Faulkner’s inclusion was announced after Australia clinched the ODI series with a five-wicket win on Friday. Faulkner was part of the XIs that won the only Twenty international and the first two ODIs, and batted an No. 6 in all three games. He has played only one Test previously, at The Oval in 2013, when Australia lost the Ashes 3-0.Australia will play the third ODI against Pakistan on October 12 in Abu Dhabi, and then travel to Sharjah for a four-day game against Pakistan A from October 15.