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With less than 10 days until the transfer window closes, Newcastle United are now reportedly eyeing a deal to sign a Premier League rival alongside Manchester City.

Latest on Newcastle's striker search

Whilst it seemed as though things were finally looking up for Newcastle when a deal was back on the table for Yoane Wissa and Malick Thiaw arrived, they now look destined to suffer a cruel transfer twist yet again. Reports are now suggesting that, despite Brentford’s initial decision to ease their stance, the Bees are now demanding in excess of £60m to sell their forward, who is back training with the squad.

As things stand, the closest that Newcastle have come to meeting Brentford’s demands is an offer worth £40m. Whether that changes before the transfer window slams shut remains the big question, but the forward is no longer the only name on the Magpies’ shortlist.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jorgen Strand Larsen has also entered Newcastle’s radar, according to recent reports. The towering Norway international enjoyed an excellent debut campaign in the Premier League last time out and would undoubtedly be an ideal alternative to Wissa this month.

Like Brentford, however, Wolves are in no mood to hand Newcastle a cut-price in the remaining days of the window – reportedly demanding over £60m to sell their star striker.

Just where Newcastle take their striker search next remains to be seen in a summer full of twists, especially with recent rumours indicating that their next signing may even be a Premier League defender instead.

Newcastle eyeing Acheampong alongside Man City

According to Caught Offside, Newcastle are now eyeing a deal to sign Josh Acheampong from Chelsea in a fresh transfer race against Manchester City. The 19-year-old started Chelsea’s opening day draw against Crystal Palace, keeping a clean sheet in what was a solid performance despite the Blues’ shortcomings going in the other direction.

New Chris Wood: Newcastle agree personal terms to sign big-money striker

Newcastle United are interested in signing a new striker who is like Chris Wood.

ByWill Miller Aug 22, 2025

Now on Newcastle’s radar, the teenager would offer Eddie Howe instant versatility thanks to his ability to play as both a right-back and a centre-back. Whether the Magpies can convince Chelsea to sell their young star is another question entirely, however. As things stand, despite interest from City and Newcastle, those at Stamford Bridge have stood firm on their stance that Acheampong is not for sale.

Described as a “superb defender in the making” by scout Jacek Kulig, Acheampong is certainly one to watch no matter where he plays his football this season and beyond.

Continuing their search for a striker, Newcastle United could now reportedly jump ahead of Bayern Munich to sign a towering forward whose technique has been compared to Lionel Messi’s.

Isak agrees terms with Liverpool

Things could be about to get worse before they get better at St James’ Park this summer. Fresh reports have now revealed that star striker Alexander Isak has already agreed personal terms with Liverpool, who are now waiting for an opening to submit their first bid.

Liverpool’s interest follows the bombshell news that Isak is looking to leave Newcastle this summer and has reportedly gone AWOL in the hope of pushing through an unexpected departure.

Not for the first time this summer, Newcastle have been put in an unenviable position in the transfer market and must push to get their business done as the Premier League campaign draws near.

On that front, however, those at St James’ Park may need to prepare themselves for even more rejection amid reports that Benjamin Sesko favours a move to Old Trafford.

The RB Leipzig forward is the subject of a Premier League battle between Manchester United and Newcastle, but the Magpies already reportedly believe that he will choose the Red Devils this summer.

Newcastle now in talks to sign £65m+ ace once called 'better than Haaland'

The Magpies once again have a fight on their hands to sign a top target…

ByTom Cunningham Jul 31, 2025

As such, Newcastle must once again take a look down their long list of striker targets and go in pursuit of what could quickly turn into a replacement for Isak. And if it’s the towering Sesko profile that they’re after, then one particular option should be their top priority.

Newcastle eyeing Woltemade hijack

As reported by The Sun, Newcastle are now eyeing a deal to sign Nick Woltemade ahead of Bayern Munich, who have hesitated to complete their move after welcoming Luis Diaz from Liverpool.

The 6’6 VfB Stuttgart striker enjoyed an incredibly impressive season in Germany – scoring 17 goals in all competitions – and quickly followed that up with six goals in six games to win the Golden Boot at the U21 Euros.

The German has unsurprisingly received high praise from all those who have seen him at his best, including from Stuttgart captain Atakan Karazor, who said: “Woltemade has Messi’s technique! I think I recognise a good footballer quickly and Nick caught my eye from the first week of training.

“The most important thing for us is to involve Woltemade enough in the game but he can do that as a deep-lying striker between the lines or as a true No.9 in the opponent’s box. Because we know what we have in Nick: he’s a two-metre-tall (Jamal) Musiala or Messi!”

يستضيف فريق برشلونة نظيره ريال سوسيداد في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم، مساء اليوم الأحد، بعد يوم من سقوط ريال مدريد ضد أتلتيكو مدريد بشكل مدوي.

ويلتقي برشلونة مع ريال سوسيداد على ملعب “مونتجويك” في إطار لقاءات الجولة السابعة من الدوري الإسباني، موسم 2025/26.

ويمتلك برشلونة 16 نقطة في المركز الثاني في جدول الدوري الإسباني، بفارق نقطتين فقط عن المتصدر ريال مدريد، الذي سقط أمس على يد أتلتيكو مدريد بنتيجة 5/2.

ويفتقد برشلونة خدمات حارس المرمى خوان جارسيا الذي خضع لعملية جراحية أمس، وكذلك رافينها بسبب الإصابة.

(محدث) تشكيل برشلونة أمام ريال سوسيداد في الدوري الإسباني تشكيل برشلونة المتوقع أمام ريال سوسيداد اليوم في الدوري الإسباني

حراسة المرمى: تشيزني.

خط الدفاع: جول كوندي، إريك جارسيا، أراوخو، جيرارد مارتين.

خط الوسط: فرينكي دي يونج، مارك كاسادو.

خط الوسط الهجومي: فيران توريس، داني أولمو، ماركوس راشفور.

خط الهجوم: روبرت ليفاندوفسكي. 

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

He said the experience he gained travelling with the squad helped him perform better when he made it to the team

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Aug-2024Kamindu Mendis’ second-innings 113 for Sri Lanka in their defeat to England in Manchester left him with a batting average of 92.16. It is the second-highest in Test history among players with more than 500 runs, and he explained at Lord’s ahead of Thursday’s second Test that it owes to a simple mantra: “Do basic things, and try to keep calm.”Kamindu made his debut against Australia two years ago, deputising for Dhananjaya de Silva on account of a positive Covid test. He made 61 in an innings win but had to bide his time for another opportunity, eventually returning to the side earlier this year and making twin hundreds against Bangladesh in Sylhet.”I knew that the batting was packed, but what I tried to do was to do as best as I could in the chance that I had,” Kamindu said on Tuesday. “I had to exit the team after that, but I don’t see that as a mistake. You have to take various decisions to balance a team, and I came into that side only because Dhananjaya had Covid. When he returned, I had to make way. That’s fair.”Related

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During his two-year absence, he remained part of the set-up as a squad player and said he had benefited hugely from that experience. “Even though I didn’t get to play, I was in the squad and travelling with the team, pretty much every tour,” he said. “Going on so many tours with experienced players on those tours also helped me play well in my first few innings.”Kamindu edged Chris Woakes behind for 12 in the first innings in Manchester, but made 113 in the second and enjoyed partnerships of 78 and 117 with Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal respectively. “In the first innings, I wasn’t able to score runs. The conditions were challenging,” he said. “It was colder than we expected. We did as well as we could as a team.”I had a lot of support from the others when I went to bat, both Angie and Chandi aiya. I have to mention Chandi in particular, because him playing through that finger injury and putting up runs was vital for the team. He was a big support to me too, to get to 100, and their experience really helped me. They shared what they knew with me in the middle.”He revealed that he has a simple philosophy underpinning his batting – “I do basic things, and try to keep calm in the middle” – and brushed off questions about his average. “What I wanted was to do what I could on the day for the team. That’s really my only goal: to give as much to my team as possible, whether on the batting front, bowling front, or via fielding.”Kamindu had never been to England before this tour, and said that he will fulfil a dream this week: “From when I was little, I had a dream to play a Test at Lord’s,” he said. “It’s not just my dream, I think every player has that target. I’ve been able to get there. If we can win this match, it’ll be even more valuable to us.”

Fabrizio Romano recently reported that Sunderland are in talks with OGC Nice over a deal to sign Polish goalkeeper Marcin Bulka this summer.

The Black Cats are interested in a swoop for the former Paris Saint-Germain shot-stopper to bolster Regis Le Bris’ squad, as he would come in as competition for Anthony Patterson.

If they can sign the Ligue 1 star, the Premier League side will also need to bolster the defence in front of him, but Chris Mepham is unlikely to be a part of that.

Journalist Graeme Bailey reported earlier this month that a move back to the Championship is more likely than a permanent return to the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland eyeing up new centre-back

Whilst a deal for the Bournemouth central defender seems unlikely, given Bailey’s report, the Black Cats reportedly have their eye on another centre-back option.

Transfer Focus

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

According to the Sunderland Echo, Sunderland are eyeing up Lyon defender Duje Caleta-Car as a potential signing to bolster their squad before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Croatia international – who is valued at £6m, according to Football Transfers, has been transfer-listed by the French club, despite starting 17 of his 19 appearances in the league this season.

It adds that Lyon have been relegated to Ligue 2 following a financial audit, which could provide Black Cats with further encouragement in their pursuit of Caleta-Car, but that they are set to appeal that decision.

Why Sunderland should sign Duje Caleta-Car

The newly-promoted side should pursue a deal to sign the Croatian giant this summer because he could come in as an upgrade on Mepham, who spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland will need strong defenders to protect their goal, which could be guarded by Bulka, as they battle against relegation next season, and the Lyon titan’s performances in Ligue 1 suggest that he would offer more to the team than the Wales international would.

Caleta-Car, whose former boss Ralph Hasenhuttl claimed he has a “big presence” on the pitch, also caught the eye for his country recently, winning seven of his nine duels and making eight clearances combined in a 7-0 win over Gibraltar and a 5-1 win over Czechia.

Appearances

19

10

Tackle + interceptions per game

2.0

1.9

Clearances per game

5.1

2.9

Dribbled past per game

0.5x

0.5x

Blocks per game

0.2

0.0

Ground duel success rate

44%

37%

Aerial duel success rate

75%

60%

As you can see in the table above, the Croatian star’s defensive performances in Ligue 1 this season were simply better than what Mepham produced in his last season in the Premier League.

These statistics suggest that Caleta-Car would be far more dominant defensively, particularly in aerial battles, whilst also making more interventions, with tackles, interceptions, clearances, and blocks, each game to stop attackers from troubling the goal.

The Lyon defender would also arrive with Premier League experience under his belt. He started nine matches for Southampton in the 2022/23 campaign, winning 57% of his duels and making 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game.

Caleta-Car – who transfer insider Dean Jones lauded for having “major quality” – was not available enough to make a telling contribution to their season, though, and they were relegated from the top-flight that term.

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BySean Markus Clifford Jun 26, 2025

However, his form for Lyon since returning to France suggests that he does have the quality to be an impressive performer in a major European league, particularly in comparison to Mepham.

Therefore, Sunderland should pursue a deal to sign the Croatia international after a move for Bulka this summer to improve their defensive options, whilst removing any need to bring Mepham back on a permanent transfer.

Jay Stansfield might well have lost out on the honour of the League One golden boot, but his blistering 19 strikes in league action were vital in helping Birmingham City stroll to the title on a mammoth 111 points.

There was also Alfie May at Chris Davies’ disposal to gift the Blues even more firepower, seen in the ex-Charlton Athletic centre-forward chipping in with 16 league strikes of his own.

But, Birmingham won’t be content just sticking by Stansfield and May ahead of Championship football returning to St. Andrew’s, with Che Adams’ name continuing to pop up as a statement recruit in attack.

Birmingham's ongoing hunt for Adams

Late last month, it was revealed that Birmingham were keen on bringing Adams back to the West Midlands to gain a second-tier ready striker.

After all, Stansfield and May have predominantly plied their trade outside of the EFL’s division, with the ex-Fulham man only experiencing one season at the level when he was initially on loan with the Blues.

On the contrary, Adams’ main bread and butter lies in the unpredictable league, with the Scotland international boasting 49 goals at the intimidating level across his varied career to date.

But, there is another target now rumoured to be on Birmingham’s agenda who has also proven himself to be potent finisher at the level in the past and above, who could well be viewed as an upgrade on their former number nine subsequently.

Birminham could sign a bigger talent than Adams

Whilst Adams has been able to reach milestones such as scoring 100 overall career goals, there is one other target Birmingham should prioritise over landing their ex-attacker to show they really mean business.

This would come in the form of signing Danny Ings, with a report by journalist Graeme Bailey late last week revealing that the departing West Ham United striker is wanted by the newly promoted side as they aim to take the Championship by storm, alongside catching the eye of an equally eager Wrexham.

Although the 32-year-old is now very much deep into the twilight years of his playing days, he should still be able to slot into Davies’ XI and transform back into a goal machine, considering the well-travelled veteran has shown off his goalscoring prowess for various teams.

Indeed, his most prolific spell as a feared attacker came on the books of Southampton, where he rifled home a mightily impressive 46 strikes from a century of appearances. To add context, Adams would only help himself to a further two goals during his own time on the South Coast, even from a far heftier 198 contests.

Premier League

240

72

24

Championship

87

27

9

League One

27

7

3

Adams might well be able to brag that he has more career goals in the Championship – with Ings only on 27 next to the Scotsman’s 49 – but the 27 strikes the 32-year-old has tallied up in the second tier isn’t a weak amount by any means, considering he has only ever played three campaigns at the level.

Instead, the three-time England international has regularly terrorised Premier League defences when injury-free, meaning he would be able to come in and bring a sense of authority to proceedings alongside Stansfield and May.

After all, it’s not as if Ings has been labelled as “clinical” – as he was lauded by journalist Leanne Prescott previously – by fluke, with the ageing attacker no doubt wanting to see out his long career with a bang by showing there’s life in him still at St. Andrew’s.

Of course, everyone with connections to Birmingham would want to see Adams return purely to finish off his Blues tale.

But, if Ings is also available on a free, taking a gamble on the 5 foot 10 striker to come good might well pay off more instead.

Big May upgrade: Birmingham line up "expensive" move for £13m star

Birmingham could land a big upgrade on Alfie May by signing this £13m-rated striker.

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Chelsea have a huge summer on their hands over the next couple of months to continue the development they’ve made on the pitch throughout 2024/25.

Enzo Maresca has led the Blues to a place within the top five with just two games remaining, sitting in pole position to claim a Champions League position at the first attempt.

The Italian also has the chance to win the Europa Conference League final against Real Betis in a couple of weeks time, adding another European title to the club’s collection.

However, despite their successes over the past few months, investment is still needed in key areas from the hierarchy if the side are to make the jump and compete for the Premier League title again.

One department in particular is desperately in need of added reinforcements, with the manager already wasting no time in pursuing new options this summer.

The latest on Chelsea’s hunt for a new striker

Despite the window not yet being open, Chelsea have already made moves for multiple strikers to bolster their ranks ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Liam Delap, Jonathan David and Benjamin Sesko have all been strongly linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, but the aforementioned trio appear to be behind another player on their list.

Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen has once again emerged as a key target after previously being on their shortlist last summer before his loan move to Galatasaray.

According to FootballTransfers, the Blues are set to enter talks with the 26-year-old’s representatives over a potential move to West London during the off-season.

The report also claims that Osimhen wants a move to join Maresca’s men this summer, with the reported £60m fee not an issue, but his wage demands are the current stumbling block over completing a potential transfer this summer.

Why Chelsea’s £60m target would be a huge upgrade on Jackson

Nicolas Jackson has been Chelsea’s main talisman over the last couple of seasons after joining from
Villarreal, scoring 29 times in his 77 appearances to date.

The Senegalese international has provided key goals in important moments throughout his spell at the club, allowing them to be in their current league standing.

However, he’s often shown moments of head-loss, as seen in the recent outing against Newcastle United, being sent off for an elbow on defender Sven Botman.

He will now miss the remaining games of the 2024/25 campaign, undoubtedly having an impact on Maresca’s chances of securing a top five spot in the next couple of weeks.

Such an incident has once again proven that the hierarchy need to back the manager to hand him another option in forward areas, leading to a move for Napoli star Osimhen.

When comparing the Nigerian’s stats with those of Jackson this campaign, he’s massively outperformed him – highlighting what a sensational addition he would be this summer.

Osimhen, who’s been labelled “world-class” by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley, has managed to register way more combined goals and assists, along with a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – showcasing his threat within the final third.

Games played

28

30

Goals & assists

29

15

Shots taken

5.3

3.1

Shots on target

2.2

1.3

Shot-on-target accuracy

46%

44%

Aerials won

4.2

0.9

Aerial success rate

64%

36%

He’s also managed to register more shots per 90, whilst coming out on top in more of the aerial duels he’s entered – handing Maresca the added all-round threat that he has desperately been craving this season.

Whilst £60m would be another huge sum splashed out by the hierarchy this summer, it’s an investment that’s desperately needed if the club are to make the step back towards Premier League glory in the coming years.

His figures are evidence that he’s a top-level striker, having the skillset to cement his place at the top end of the pitch for Maresca throughout 2025/26.

Such a move may prove to be a blessing for Jackson too, having the opportunity to learn from one of Europe’s most potent attackers – developing into a better star as a result.

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Arsenal have privately refused to rule out signing a former Man City forward for manager Mikel Arteta this summer, with new sporting director Andrea Berta and the Gunners hierarchy set for a key transfer decision.

Arsenal cruise into Champions League semi-finals after Real Madrid win

It’s been a sensational week for Arteta and co, who made history by becoming the first ever side in history to win at the Bernabeu on their first two visits – breaking a record which stood for 77 years.

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Goals from Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli sealed a stunning 5-1 aggregate win for Arsenal in the Spanish capital, making a serious statement to the rest of Europe that they’re genuine contenders to win this year’s Champions League title.

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

April 23rd

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

A tough test in Ligue 1 champions PSG awaits in the semi-finals, but their tails will surely be up after a potentially season-defining quarter-final tie.

“The feeling that we have is our reality, basically,” said Arteta on the mood around Arsenal after their triumph over Real Madrid.

“And in the feeling that I had before the game, when the players were transmitting and how prepared I could feel the team, that we are ready to compete against anybody. Now we have to continue to do that because I think we have some momentum now.

“Where we finished last year and the way we’re doing it this year, the teams with their eyes on us and the competition, it’s incredible. Big credit to [Madrid}, it was my first time as a coach in that dugout, and today I realised after three minutes in this stadium, anything is possible. They are specialists of creating such chaos and belief, and it’s very difficult to really understand what’s going on in the game and have certainty about how we controlled it. I think they showed a lot of maturity.”

Arsenal refuse to rule out signing Raheem Sterling permanently

Privately, Arsenal are making plans to build the squad further and provide Arteta with new wide attackers.

In the last week, Arsenal have repeatedly been linked with a move for Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman, not to mention Athletic Bilbao sensation Nico Williams, but there is also the matter of Raheem Sterling and his future at the Emirates.

It hasn’t exactly been a dream loan move from Chelsea for the Englishman, who’s seen precious little game time under his former City assistant coach, with Arsenal paying around £163,000-per-week of his £325,000-per-week salary during his temporary stint.

Berta would need to renegotiate contract terms and a fee with Chelsea to make his move permanent, but according to The Mail, as quoted by TEAMtalk, Arsenal have refused to rule out signing Sterling permanently and are yet to inform him of a final decision.

It would be a bizarre call by the north Londoners at this point, considering the 30-year-old boasts just one goal and five assists all season, but it is believed his stay may not be completely off the table, contrary to reports.

If Hardik Pandya is one half of India’s white-ball cheat code, Axar is the other, and he proved this again with an all-round masterclass at Carrara Oval

Sidharth Monga06-Nov-2025

Axar Patel used angles to take his wickets and then to celebrate them•Getty Images

T20 unfolds so quickly it is sometimes difficult to figure out what is going on or what has caused the goings-on. One moment Australia are looking comfortable chasing 168, the next they are getting out hooking Shivam Dube. Before you know it, Washington Sundar is on a hat-trick, and India have won the Carrara Oval T20I by 48 runs.Australia had been dominating the game. An Arshdeep Singh over had gone for 15, Varun Chakravarthy had been pulled for a huge six, and India needed an intervention to stay alive in the contest.At this juncture, Axar Patel came on inside the powerplay and dragged Australia back, executing a simple plan to perfection. He said he was looking to bowl the 5-6m length to batters looking to hit down the ground, and full to those looking to sweep.Related

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Axar used his wide release to create an angle into the right-hand batters in the Australian line-up, cramping them for room. Only eight of the balls that Axar bowled in his night’s work of 4-0-20-2 ended up outside off at the plane of the stumps. Everything else was either hitting the stumps or following batters who were backing away to create room. Not one ball let them play an attacking shot off the back foot.Axar got Matt Short on the sweep, but the incredible part was that he landed the ball full enough to defy that angle, and both hit the batter in line and be projected to hit the stumps. He also convinced his captain to take the review when the umpire, understandably, didn’t quite believe both were possible. Against Josh Inglis, Axar saw the advance down the wicket and both slowed the ball down and pulled his length back.This was a crucial spell because Axar was the fourth bowler India tried, and their options for the fifth bowler were Dube, Washington, who hadn’t bowled in the third T20I because of the right-hander-heavy line-up, and Abhishek Sharma. India needed some asking-rate pressure for any of these bowlers to be effective. Axar created that with three overs for 17 runs out of the first nine, giving India a chance to be able to use the uneven bounce and the big square boundaries; Dube, for one, did this with smart use of off-pace bouncers.Axar Patel’s handy 21* carried India to 167•Getty ImagesFor all of Axar’s bowling smarts, limited-overs cricket is too unforgiving for specialist fingerspinners to thrive in, but his batting has also been a big part of India’s domination in T20 cricket. Here at Carrara Oval, he had scored an unbeaten 11-ball 21 that included a final-over push that took them to a fighting total.With increasing batting responsibilities both at Delhi Capitals and in ODIs, Axar has flourished as an allrounder in limited-overs cricket. He is one half of the cheat code – Hardik Pandya is the other – that gives India depth in both departments.You can easily imagine teams that will be happy to play just Axar the batter. Unlike Ravindra Jadeja, India’s T20 spin allrounder before Axar and for a while alongside him, it is not easy to shut Axar down. He can be a spin disruptor, he can play like a proper middle-order batter, and he can also bat at the death.This was Axar’s eighth Player-of-the-Match award in T20Is, which moved him past another left-arm spinner and batter, Yuvraj Singh. Only Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma have won more match awards for India. If this is not enough to prove his value, consider this. You can find substitutes for most players in Indias’ line-up, who may not be as good as the player they’ve replaced but can still do a job. It is nigh on impossible to find someone who does what Axar does.

In his first big ODI tournament, the left-arm seamer is taking wickets across phases and even out-thinking top batters

Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Nov-20231:10

Kumble: Madushanka showing maturity at a young age

Forty matches into this World Cup, who did you think would be topping the wicket-takers’ chart? If you were picking a fast bowler, perhaps you’d have guessed Jasprit Bumrah, or Mark Wood, or Kagiso Rabada. Narrow it down to left-armers, and it’s gotta be Shaheen Afridi, right? Mitchell Starc? Trent Boult?We’re going to tread lightly here, because the actual leading wicket-taker belongs to the most delicate of all modern cricketing species – a kind of player so fragile that even looking too long at their hamstrings could trigger a strain.Seriously though, lower your voice. Squat down into the undergrowth, and peer through the bushes. You don’t want to spook him. He has just made a promising start to his career, so we must be especially careful. But that over there, is wow, a Sri Lanka fast bowler. One who’s been tearing up the World Cup.It’s a little bit mad, because there had been no serious signs that Dilshan Madushanka was going to have this spectacular a tournament. He’d been injured through most of the World Cup Qualifier (of course), and missed the Asia Cup completely with a tear in his side. In terms of form leading in, there was not even a little sample on which to base hopes. And in terms of ODI career in total, the guy had played six matches, and gone at more than seven an over in two of them, though never without looking like he could, eventually, maybe, with a lot of work, and whatever cosmic force still holds Sri Lankan cricket together, kind of be a good player?Related

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How Madushanka bowled a WOOOOW over against Australia

Trent Boult: A World Cup great who isn't having a great World Cup

But we’re not getting our hopes up. The jinx gods are likely watching, and these are guys that prey on Sri Lanka quicks like Godzilla on Tokyo.We’re on firmer ground appreciating the things Madushanka has already done: swing the new ball into the right hander late, and at speed with the new ball, develop a cutter that jives off the pitch but which does not need him to fold his wrist on delivery and thus sacrifice a lot of pace, bowl an excellent bouncer when required, become more comfortable coming around the wicket.Even still, 21 wickets in eight World Cup matches at an average of 22.23 is special for a 23-year-old in his first big ODI tournament. What is especially impressive is the strike rate of 20.57 – only Mohammad Shami (who has not only himself been ridiculously good, but bowls in a ridiculous attack), and Gerald Coetzee have a better strike rate among bowlers with more than 10 wickets this tournament.Madushanka’s hauls have even been a surprise to Mahela Jayawardene, who has overseen his development in big tournaments, as Sri Lanka’s consultant.”To be honest, no, I didn’t expect him to have such a good World Cup,” Jayawardene told ESPNcricinfo. “I thought it would be a bit too much for him, because it’s his first one-day World Cup. At the start he also didn’t have the experienced guys around him – Dushmantha Chameera wasn’t there. But I thought the young man bowled brilliantly.”Dilshan Madushanka’s offcutter to Rohit Sharma is a serious contender for the ball of the tournament•ICC/Getty ImagesThat he’s always gleaned sharp, late inswing with the new ball has been known, but of his 21 wickets, only nine have come in the first 15 overs this World Cup. He’s also become a middle-overs menace, taking seven wickets at an average of 27.42 between overs 16 and 40.”He’s coming around the wicket and creating good angles,” Jayawardene said of Madushanka’s middle-overs bowling. “He’s used the slower bouncer pretty well, and bowled the [faster] bouncer pretty well. And the length control is excellent. He’s not giving too much away. He’s staying within the stumps even from around the wicket.”In the last 10 overs Madushanka has been expensive, going at 9.16 per over, but there is wicket-taking threat there too, says Jayawardene. He’s only now developing skills for that phase of the game, but perhaps he has some innate advantages.”He’s also got a very unnatural wrist release. It’s not the normal left-armer’s wrist. It’s got a bit of a wind-up. With that he’s getting shape even with the older ball. So we’re just trying to see how best he can how best he can use that and what angles will work.”At the death, the wide slower balls, the yorkers – these are things we’ve been speaking to him about, but with the confidence he’s got now, he’s had much better execution.”Madushanka also produced Sri Lanka’s most unforgettable moment of the tournament (not counting timed-out dismissals), when second ball, at the Wankhede, he sent an offcutter across no less a batter than Rohit Sharma, and uprooted his off stump.Madushanka came to hard-ball cricket late in life compared to many of his team-mates. Hailing from Hungama, deep in the south, it was only when he impressed Chaminda Vaas at a regional fast bowling trial that he made the leap from softball to competitive cricket. But already, he is out-thinking top international batters.”I told him that good batsmen will always open their front foot to him, especially the right handers,” Jayawardene said. Right-handers open their front foot in order to access the inswinging deliveries they expect from Madushanka. “It was something that we were working on with him, with the bowling coaches as well. But we can’t take credit for that [Rohit] dismissal. It was just an idea. It was his execution that got the wicket.”He’s also a smart kid, because even though he’s a late bloomer, he understands the cricket language quite well, including adapting to tactics.”In order to avoid tempting fate, this is perhaps as much praise as a story about a young Sri Lanka quick should contain. But from a wreckage of a World Cup campaign, it is no small thing for Sri Lanka to have pulled out a bowler of Madushanka’s promise.