Atletico Madrid sunk Pep Guardiola's treble winners thanks to tremendous long range strikes from Memphis Depay and Yannick Carrasco

A pair of sizzling goals from Memphis Depay and Yannick Carrasco brought Manchester City back down to earth as Atletico Madrid beat the treble winners 2-1 in the last match of their pre-season tour.

The match at the Seoul World Cup Stadium was in danger of being called off after a thunderstorm but following a 45-minute delay, the friendly finally kicked off. But it was no friendly.

Pep Guardiola named a formidable starting XI but Diego Simeone's side were as fiercely competitive and intense as usual and were the better team for much of the match. After missing a slew of chances they found their breakthrough thanks to a tremendous strike from outside the area from Memphis.

Carrasco then scored an even better goal to double Atletico's lead but Ruben Dias, who was unusually lacklustre, reduced the deficit late on with a thumping header. However, City could not respond again and slumped to their first defeat since losing to Brentford on the final day of last season.

GOAL looks at what we learned during the clash at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

Getty Dias looking rusty

The towering Portuguese is normally the one defender City can rely on but he was not on it today. Dias gave the ball away on several occasions and in dangerous areas too. He was fortunate that Pablo Barrios did not give Atleti the lead when he presented him with the ball and it fell on Stefan Ortega to get him out of jail.

He also gifted a chance to Memphis which the Dutchman failed to take advantage of, sending the ball over the bar. Dias did not heed the warnings, however, and he was careless in possession once more and just moments later Carrasco scored.

He sought to make amends with a crashing header which gave City faint hope but that should not mask the fact he was way off the pace. The Portuguese was one of Guardiola's most consistent performers in the final stretch of last season but will need to be sharper when the Premier League season begins.

AdvertisementGetty Kovacic is no Gundogan in front of goal

It is a far from easy to come in and replace a modern club legend like Ilkay Gundogan but that is ultimately what Mateo Kovacic has been tasked with doing. The Croatian still looks like a good fit for City but one area he desperately needs to improve in is his finishing.

He was presented with a glorious chance to give City the lead early in the first half, arriving in the area to meet the ball first time. It was the type of chance Gundogan would have had for breakfast, but Kovacic spooned the ball over the bar.

Gundogan scored 60 goals for City and always seemed to find the net on the biggest occasions. Kovacic, meanwhile, struck just six times in 221 games for Chelsea. He has a lot of work to do.

GettyAtletico don't do friendlies

Diego Simeone is the type of man who almost certainly cheats in board games with the family at Christmas. And he does not understand the concept of a friendly match.

Atletico treated this game as if it were a Champions League knockout game. Indeed, you could argue they showed more ambition in Seoul than for most of their quarter-final tie with City two seasons ago, which ended in a mass brawl.

There were no punches thrown here but tempers flared on a number of occasions and Rodrigo De Paul was in a particularly combative mood. While City seemed to fade in the second half, Atletico turned the screw. They thoroughly deserved the win and, on this evidence, City will be hoping to avoid them in the Champions League group stage draw.

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Getty ImagesMemphis and Carrasco show class is permanent

Atletico's two goalscorers have had strange careers. Memphis was good enough to be signed by Manchester United at the age of 21 but his time at Old Trafford was a disaster and it was only years later that he managed to get his career back on track.

Carrasco, meanwhile, scored in the 2016 Champions League final and was a crucial player for Atletico but then two years later decided to move to the Chinese Super League. He saw sense in the end and has been back to his best since returning to Atletico in 2020.

And against the European champions and treble winners, they proved their enduring class. Memphis looked threatening throughout the match and struck the ball perfectly to break the deadlock from outside the area. Carrasco then pulled off a zig-zagging run down the left wing before producing a thumping low finish.

West Ham are plotting to launch an ambitious loan bid for Manchester United starlet Amad Diallo.

That's according to the Northern Echo, which state the Hammers are the latest Premier League to register an interest in the 20-year-old.

The Ivorian has just finished a loan spell with Sunderland and is due to return to Carrington for the start of pre-season in the North-West later this summer.

The report also details that Erik ten Hag intends to give the mercurial talent a chance to force himself into the first-team plans, but hasn’t ruled out any loan move if he feels it benefits Diallo’s development.

Sunderland had harboured hopes of resigning the youngster, but with several top-flight clubs interested, it seems that Diallo is destined for Premier League football in some capacity next season.

Would Amad Diallo be a good signing for West Ham?

The Ivorian's career had veered off track after cutting a peripheral figure during a loan spell with Rangers at the beginning of 2022, making just 13 appearances.

He then joined the Black Cats in August of last year and recorded 16 goal involvements in 37 Championship outings. This meant he was the club’s top scorer and was an indispensable component that narrowly missed out on promotion after losing to Luton in the play-off semi-finals.

When the former Atalanta prodigy joined the Red Devils in 2021, then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær predicted a huge future for the star and said: “His speed, vision, and fantastic dribbling ability will stand him in good stead to make the transition.

"He is a player with all of the raw attributes that are needed to be an important player for Manchester United in the years to come."

After his imperious stint in Wearside, the "electric" winger – as per The Athletic's Peter Rutzler – ranks within the highest 27% to those at a similar level for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, according to FBref.

Extraordinary levels of productivity led his teammate Luke O’Nein to describe him as “incredible.”

His small, weaving diminutive stature, coupled with his potency, close control, and frightening speed means that he shares many similar traits to Arsenal’s Buyako Saka.

The Englishman has been unplayable for the title challengers, having notched 25 goal contributions in 38 top-flight outings and ranking inside the top 10% of positionally similar players in Europe for progressive carries, to underline his similarity to the United starlet.

It is uncalculated to suggest that Diallo will immediately replicate these sensational numbers, but given consistent minutes in the manner that Mikel Arteta has nurtured Saka, it would be exciting to see where this player could end up.

He has clearly proven he is emphatically above Championship level and the London Stadium would be a perfect destination to continue the right pathway.

Hampshire believe they are on the verge of securing the services of Kyle Abbott on a long-term deal as a Kolpak registration, despite his recent success at international level with South Africa.Abbott, a member of South Africa’s Test team currently playing Sri Lanka in Cape Town and a key performer in the series victory over Australia, is understood by ESPNcricinfo to have agreed to a three or four-year deal with Hampshire that will realistically end his international career.While Abbott is believed to have agonised over the move for some time – Hampshire remain fearful he could change his mind over a deal agreed some weeks ago having belatedly enjoyed a run in the Test team – he is expected to announce his international retirement later this month. Cricket South Africa are not understood to be aware of the deal.With Simon Harmer and Hardus Viljoen also having agreed similar deals with Essex and Derbyshire respectively, Abbott’s decision might be interpreted as part of a new wave of Kolpak registrations. The UK’s decision to vote for Brexit threatens to close the loophole that permits such signings in the coming months though it is anticipated that all deals made ahead of that time will be honoured. Hampshire are also understood to be in talks with Rilee Rossouw.As recently as last week, during the first Test against Sri Lanka, Abbott spoke about finally earning a run in the South Africa Test team.”Being out of the side and sitting on the sidelines for so long and now getting the opportunity and doing well, is a great feeling. It’s a long period of hard work that is starting to pay off and now I am getting opportunity at this level to showcase my skills,” he said. “The team is in a great space and so am I, and it’s exciting to see what’s going to come. There’s only around 90 of us or so that have played so I count myself incredibly lucky.”The temptation for a player like Abbott is not hard to understand. Aged 29 and only recently established in the South Africa side – he is currently playing his 11th Test – his decision to embrace a long-term county deal offers something approaching financial security. He can expect to earn more than £100,000 a year from the deal, with insurance cover built into the deal, and should still be free to play in some of the T20 leagues around the world.It may be relevant, too, that Abbott was the man to make way for Vernon Philander in the World Cup semi-final a year ago. Whatever the merits and reasons for that decision, it has left some South African cricketers uncertain of their futures.The news will not be entirely welcome in England, either. The ECB has been trying to crack down on Kolpak loopholes for several years in an attempt to provide more opportunities for home-grown players and is understood to have prevented at least one such signing in recent months. The player involved agreed a deal as an overseas registration instead.But the attraction for Hampshire is obvious. They avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth last season (having finished in the bottom two of Division One, they won a reprieve when Durham were punished for their financial problems by relegation) with a key problem their lack of potency with the ball.Ryan McLaren, who has subsequently left for Lancashire, was their top wicket-taker in the Championship with 32 at a cost of 38.81. The addition of Abbott, a bowler of pace, skill and persistence, with recent international experience in all three formats of the game, should be quite an asset. He first played for the county in 2014, helping them win promotion by claiming 36 Championship wickets at a cost of 20.33.

Chelsea could bolster their midfield this summer by signing recently relegated James Maddison.

What’s the latest on James Maddison

With Leicester City resigned to life in England’s second tier, James Maddison looks set to find a new home in the Premier League, with both Arsenal and Chelsea keen on the player, per Simon Phillips’ substack.

Phillips does qualify that whilst the English “monster” – as once described by journalist Josh Bunting – is not the west London club’s primary target, but ‘the interest is real.’

Todd Boehly might need to act quick if he wants to get this deal done, as per Aaron Catterson-Reid of football.london, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are also interested.

The Gunners have been long-term admirers of the Foxes midfielder, reportedly trying to sign him in the summer of 2021, but a price tag of £60m proved too much for Edu Gaspar and the board.

The new price widely reported for the Coventry-born midfielder is around £40m.

Whilst significantly cheaper than just two years ago, that is still a hefty fee for a player that has just been relegated and has just a year left on his current deal.

Would James Maddison be a good signing for Chelsea?

There is very little doubt over the quality of the ex-Norwich City man by this point in his career.

Despite playing for a highly dysfunctional Leicester side this year, he has still managed to perform at a consistently impressive level.

According to WhoScored, the 5 foot 9 maestro has averaged an excellent rating of 7.24 this season.

The underlying numbers also bolster his case.

According to FBref, compared to other midfielders in Europe’s top five divisions, Maddison sits in the top 1% of non-penalty goals, assists, expected non-penalty goals and assists, shot-creating actions per 90 and a plethora of other statistics.

So from a purely numbers perspective, £40m looks to be an absolute steal for a player of his quality, and his former manager Brendan Rodgers would likely agree.

Speaking after Maddison’s England call-up last November, Rogers waxed lyrical about the playmaker: “He’s a fantastic player, one of the best in the Premier League.”

England boss Gareth Southgate has also sung his praises in the past, labelling the Leicester man as “world-class” back in 2019.

With the ringing endorsements he has received from the managers he’s played for and numbers as impressive as they are, it won’t be a surprise to see Maddison leave the King Power in the summer, and Chelsea would be wise to ensure that it’s at Stamford Bridge, given the evidence above.

The offspinner, who last played an ODI in 2009, will be the second front-line spinner in the squad alongside Mitchell Santner

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Dec-2016New Zealand offspinner Jeetan Patel has been added to the squad for the third ODI against Bangladesh in Nelson on Saturday. Keeping in view the sluggish nature of the Saxton Oval track and the presence of three left-handers in Bangladesh’s top five, New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said Patel’s was a horses-for-courses selection.Patel last played an ODI in 2009 – the Champions Trophy final at the Supersport Park.New Zealand’s captain Kane Williamson had admitted that Patel was not on the radar of the selectors at the start of the season, but a side strain to Mark Craig in India in September 2016 paved the way for Patel’s Test comeback after more than three years. He claimed six wickets in two matches and found the optimum pace at Eden Gardens. In the same Test, he made a run-a-ball 47 to haul the team past 200.Right after the Indore Test, Patel took a match haul of seven wickets in Wellington’s six-wicket win over Auckland in the Plunkett Shield. He followed it with 11 wickets in the next three Plunkett Shield matches.So far, he has taken six wickets in eight games in the ongoing Super Smash at an economy rate of 7.51.”He has been bowling very well for the Wellington Firebirds in the McDonald’s Super Smash and will be a welcome addition to the squad,” Hesson said.Patel, who will join the team on Friday, will be the second front-line spinner in the squad alongside Mitchell Santner. New Zealand have already wrapped up the three-ODI series with a 67-run victory on Thursday.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of Roger Ibanez, with AS Roma set to lower their asking price, according to reports from Italy.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

Tottenham have already started work on bringing in a new defender, with it recently being reported they have submitted a £19m bid for Galatasaray's Victor Nelsson, although they may have to slightly increase their offer to tempt the Turkish side into a sale.

Personal terms with Nelsson have already been agreed, meaning a move may not be far away, however the Dane is not the only defender Spurs have their eye on, with journalist Rudy Galetti reporting they are "tracking" Villarreal's Pau Torres.

Incoming manager Ange Postecoglou reportedly does not view Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez as valuable assets, with the duo poised to depart this summer, meaning the manager may be tasked with bringing in multiple new centre-backs.

Another player who has been linked with a switch to north London is Roma's Ibanez, with reports from Italy previously detailing the Italian club are set to demand €40m (£34m) to sanction his departure in the upcoming window.

However, the defender has made it clear he wants to leave, and the Serie A side have now lowered their asking price to €30m (£26m), in what could be a real boost for Tottenham.

The 24-year-old is popular in the Premier League, and AS Roma may be forced into making a sale before the end of June, as they need to make sure they abide by Financial Fair Play rules.

Is Ibanez joining Tottenham?

Considering Tottenham only want to spend €20m (£17m) on the Brazilian, Roma's current asking price may still be considered too high, however they may be able to use Roma's ongoing financial situation to lower the price even further.

The opportunity to sign the centre-back for a cut-price fee would surely be attractive to the Lilywhites, considering how well he performed in the Serie A last season, averaging two interceptions per game, the second-highest figure in the entire league.

Hailed as "untouchable" by manager Jose Mourinho, the Roma star ranks in the 82nd percentile for tackles per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, and in the 81st for non-penalty goals, indicating he also poses an attacking threat.

Even if Tottenham have to fork out £26m for Ibanez, he could be a quality addition to the squad, and it is very good news that Roma have lowered their asking price before the window has even officially opened.

Lionel Messi is facing up to the longest break of his remarkable career, with Inter Miami still sweating on their involvement in the MLS play-offs.

Article continues below

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• Argentine superstar nursing a knock
• Hoping to book post-season spot
• Only international games in the autumn

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  As things stand, the Florida-based franchise have a five-point gap to bridge through five fixtures in order to make the post-season. They have savoured Leagues Cup glory this season, but suffered defeat in the U.S. Open Cup final and have seen talismanic captain Messi sit out four of their last five games – with only 37 minutes played by the iconic Argentine during that run.

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• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Inter Miami hope that Messi can return to full fitness and keep them in the hunt for a historic MLS Cup triumph. If they fall short in that quest, then their 2023 campaign will come to a close on October 21. Messi may then be out of action until late February 2024 – when the next MLS season gets underway.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  He could figure for Argentina in 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil in November, but will still have a 95-day wait from the last of those fixtures through to February 24 – a potential start date for MLS in 2024, according to . If he does not play in both games for the 2022 World Cup winners in the autumn, then a new record rest period for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner will be set.

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Only once has Messi gone more than 95 days without a game – taking in 99 match-less days with Barcelona at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. When it comes to enforced breaks through injury, he once sat out 87 days with a foot fracture while still in his teens. Inter Miami will be desperate to avoid making unwanted history for their superstar summer signing by forcing their way into the play-off places before the end of the regular season.

Opener Israrullah’s unbeaten 153 off 148 balls overpowered Karachi Blues and led Peshwar to the final of the Regional One-day Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Jan-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Israrullah hit his third List A hundred•PCBOpener Israrullah’s unbeaten 153 off 148 balls helped Peshawar to a narrow win over Karachi Blues and put his team in the final of the Regional One-day Cup against Karachi Whites.Israrullah struck 12 fours and five sixes and contributed just over half of Peshawar’s runs. The next best score from was wicketkeeper-batsman Gauhar Ali’s 45 off 51 balls, but a series of cameos from the middle order pushed the total to 303 for 5.Karachi Blues made a steady start to the chase with Khurram Manzoor, who last played for Pakistan in the Asia Cup T20 in March 2016, and captain Khalid Latif adding 59 for the first wicket. The stand ended in the 17th over when Latif was lbw to left-arm spinner Khalid Usman. Manzoor, though, went on to bring up his 28th List A fifty off 73 balls.He then became part of a middle-order slump as the chase spiraled out of control. From 155 for 2, Karachi Blues were reduced to 211 for 7. Jaahid Ali, coming in at No.7, counterattacked his way to 53 off 44 balls, but ran out of partners in the end. Karachi Blues were dismissed for 280 in 47.4 overs, left-arm seamer Taj Wali taking care of the tail and finishing with 3 for 32.

Ansu Fati has until the end of the summer transfer window to prove that he can be a long-term option for his boyhood club

Last March, Ansu Fati's dad, Bori, got on the phone with Spanish radio show to complain about his son's relationship with the club. His grievances were all centred around one singular issue: in his opinion, his son wasn't playing enough. Consequently, Bori had advised his son to leave the club – and speculated that even Real Madrid could be a possible destination.

His outburst dragged Barcelona into yet another public relations saga about their oft-injured forward. Ansu Fati was once the next 'New Messi', a presumptive fixture in the Barca lineup for years to come. He scored more goals in his breakout season than Messi managed in first full campaign in Catalunya. He broke a handful of records set by the Argentine. Throw in the fact that Fati was another La Masia graduate, right when Messi seemed to be on the decline, and the excitement was palpable.

However, a series of injuries, and ensuing inconsistency on the pitch, have seen Fati fail to live up to the promise of his youth. And now, he finds himself at a critical juncture. Fati has recaptured some of his best form since his father's outbursts, and a solid pre-season suggests that he still has a lot to give.

But he might not get the chance. Another, arguably better, teenager has emerged and with the Blaugrana needing to raise money to fund more summer transfer activity, Xavi himself admitted that Fati could be on his way out.

So, Fati effectively has two weeks to save his Barcelona career, and prove that there's still a player in there, one that was once hailed as having the potential to be the best in the world.

GettyA glowing start to his career

Fati set expectations from his first goal alone. It was a pretty thing, the then-16-year-old ghosting across the box, and rising above an Osasuna player to flick an angled cross into the far corner. More moments followed over the course of that forgettable 2019-20 season for Barca. Fati scored seven and assisted one, averaging 0.6 goals per 90 minutes in 24 appearances. His game time was carefully managed by then-coach Ronald Koeman, but he played enough to show what he could do.

Even more exciting was his emerging relationship with Messi. The two appeared to have a crucial understanding on the pitch, the Argentine setting up arguably Fati's most impressive goal of the year with a dink over two defenders.

There was perhaps an element of overexcitement here. Fati, after all, was a teenager playing for Barcelona. He was their youngest goalscorer ever, a La Masia graduate, and the shining light in an otherwise miserable campaign. It is often the case that youngsters draw the spotlight when big teams go through lulls. Messi, at the time, was struggling (he scored 25 league goals that year.) Barcelona needed something to cling on to, and in Fati, they had found Messi's heir.

Of course, things have never really panned out that way. Fati tore his meniscus midway through his second season in Catalunya, and endured three surgeries by the age of 19. When he was finally fully fit, in August 2022, Barcelona had effectively replaced him. Robert Lewandowski, Ousmane Dembele, Raphinha, Memphis Depay and Ferran Torres all appeared to be above him in Xavi's pecking order. Ansu's Barca career was over, it seemed.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesLast year's Fati revival

Then, last season, Fati did something interesting: he started to score goals again. Xavi gently increased his minutes, tasking the 20-year-old with a larger role off the bench, and handing him the occasional start. Fati, in return, found something resembling form. He got into the right areas more often, and was more clinical in front of goal than in his sparing spells of fitness in the years since his breakout.

The result was seven goals in La Liga – his best return in four years. He added a further three assists, all while playing the most minutes of his career. And, perhaps most importantly, Fati avoided a major injury. Xavi, in turn, was full of praise for Fati.

He expressed his "confidence and total faith" in the player, and rewarded his improved showings with a start in a crucial Liga clash with Atletico Madrid in early January. These are perhaps standard things, a manager rewarding his striker for scoring goals. But for a player whose career seemed to be fading away, they were significant.

It was, in fact, strange that his father would criticise Xavi when he did. His tirade came in the middle of an extended spell of playing time for Fati, a period where the Spaniard was just recapturing his form. By the end of the season, Fati appeared to have done enough to salvage his career. A Spain call-up followed, and although his name cropped up in the back page transfer rumours every now and then, Raphinha seemed the more likely of Barca's wingers to be sold.

GettyA valuable asset for a broke club

Things have changed since then. There was an assumption around Barcelona that they would be able to make some financial moves this summer without needing a major clearout. La Liga had already accepted their 'financial viability plan' to bring Lionel Messi back to the club, while president Joan Laporta had assured fans that new signings were on the way. Throw in the activation of one more 'lever' – a sale of a large chunk of digital content provider Barca Vision to bring in €120 million (£104m/$131m) – and everything seemed set up nicely.

Barca, of course, didn't sign Messi. Meanwhile, they have operated on the cheap, bringing in free agents and spending minimally on Oriol Romeu. So, with two weeks remaining in the transfer window, no further levers available, and ambitions to further strengthen the squad, outgoings seem likely. And Fati is reportedly top of the list.

Xavi has conceded that the forward may leave. Interest from the Premier League has only fueled that speculation. has reported that Arsenal are in for Fati, with Mikel Arteta hoping to add more firepower to his front line – and offer valuable cover for Bukayo Saka. It is unclear how much Fati will fetch Xavi's side.

However, at just 20, with four years still left on his contract, Fati could command a handsome fee. And for a club needing an injection of cash to pursue further signings – namely Man City's Joao Cancelo – moving him on might be the correct, if rather ruthless, decision.

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Barcelona TwitterWhy Lamine Yamal is such a threat

The situation is perhaps made easier by the cover available to Barca in the forward line. While Ferran Torres appears to be much improved, and Ez Abde has shown flashes, another La Masia product seems ready to come into the fold. There has been hype around Lamine Yamal for some time now. The winger was called up to first team training in September 2022, shortly after his 15th birthday.

But, according to, the plan was to shield him from the spotlight, and allow Yamal to play with Barcelona Atletic, the club's second team, for much of the season. There was always the chance of the occasional appearance in the Copa del Rey, but the reserve side seemed a perfect option for at least a few months.

However, when Dembele left, Yamal was forced into action. And his performance in the Joan Gamper trophy – a 10-minute cameo that proved influential in Barcelona turning a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 win – made him impossible to ignore.

He, accordingly, appeared in Barca's La Liga opener, and created arguably their best chance of the game- one that, in a cruel twist of fate, Fati failed to convert. Ironically, though, it has created something of a problem for Xavi.

Yamal is not, and can never be, the new Messi. Fati, of all people, knows that it's improbable. But he is, at this point, too good to ignore – and being blocked by another youngster who drew the same praise at a similar age.

Ireland’s woes in the T20 format continued as they were no match for the top-ranked Associate side, meandering to a total of 125 for 6 before Afghanistan coasted to victory

The Report by Peter Della Penna in Abu Dhabi14-Jan-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:38

‘We didn’t feel like we were under pressure at any point’ – Rajput

Ireland’s woes in the T20 format continued as they were no match for the top-ranked Associate side, meandering to a total of 125 for 6 before Afghanistan coasted to victory with eight balls to spare.After electing to bat, Ireland got off to a promising start thanks to a typically belligerent Paul Stirling and a travel-weary Stuart Poynter, who arrived at 2am as an injury replacement after Stuart Thompson had a mishap at training on Friday afternoon. As was the case in the early match at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, the wind blowing southeast acted as a temptress which sucked Stirling into giving away his wicket, failing to get enough lift into a heave towards the midwicket rope.Once Stirling fell, Ireland’s middle-order struggled against the three-headed spin attack. The most potent threat among them was legspinner Rashid Khan, who had Kevin O’Brien playing down the wrong line before beating Gary Wilson’s attempted sweep for a pair of lbws. It left a long Ireland tail exposed with more than three overs to bat out and they barely managed to finish with a target of more than a run a ball.Afghanistan cruised through their Powerplay behind Mohammad Shahzad and Najeeb Tarakai but Ireland’s own new legspinning hope Jacob Mulder caused some problems by beating Shahzad in flight after a charge down the pitch before claiming Asghar Stanikzai with a slider two overs later. Tarakai was run out off Mulder’s bowling as pressure built slightly. But Mohammad Nabi ensured the match was never in doubt.Nemesis Nabi
The star allrounder made his impact felt with bat and ball in this contest to give Afghanistan a winning start to the tournament with a man-of-the-match display. With Ireland desperate to build confidence after entering this game, having lost 8 of their last 11 completed T20Is, Nabi broke the ominous opening stand with his second ball, teasing Poynter into playing across the line to a straight ball in the sixth over. He ended the 16th over by ending Greg Thompson’s laborious stay for 3 off 9 balls.With the bat, Nabi entered after Mulder had spooked the top order back into the pavilion at 81 for 3 in the 12th. Afghanistan remained ahead of the run-rate for most of his innings but, just when the slightest bit of pressure built with the rate climbing back over a run a ball in the 17th during Mulder’s last over, Nabi provided a release with a deflating heave over midwicket into the southeast stand for six. He clobbered Boyd Rankin for good measure in the following over for another six over midwicket, before tapping the winning single in the 19th over.Home away from home Afghanistan supporters began filing into the stadium during the second innings of Scotland’s victory over Hong Kong, more than two and a half hours before the first ball had been bowled by Fareed Ahmad to Stirling. By that stage, there were about 1500 inside the ground and, when the first wicket fell, that number had swelled to 4000. By the end of the first innings, almost the entire pavilion stand on the south side was filled.Though the atmosphere wasn’t quite as intense as the three finals played between these two sides at the World T20 Qualifiers in 2010, 2012 or 2013, it was still lively nonetheless. In the field, Rashid showed himself to be a fast-rising crowd favorite, getting arguably the loudest reaction when he first came on to bowl. But Nabi is especially beloved among the Afghan faithful and when he cranked sixes in back-to-back overs off Mulder and Rankin late in the chase, the south stand turned delirious.After the teams exchanged handshakes, the Afghanistan players walked from the east to the west, waving back to the crowd to show their appreciation, setting off a volley of mobile-phone camera flashes. UAE may be the official host side, but there is no disputing who has the true home advantage in this event.