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Aston Villa’s season has been incredible to date. Not only have they secured passage into the last 16 of the Europa Conference League, but they are still in the FA Cup and are currently occupying fourth place in the Premier League table after their recent 5-0 win over Sheffield United.

Unai Emery has totally reinvigorated the club following the disastrous reign of Steven Gerrard, which saw Villa floating just above the relegation spots when he was eventually sacked in October 2022.

The Spaniard has built a squad which, on their day, can beat anyone in the top flight, evidenced by the two victories over Manchester City and Arsenal in December.

If, and it’s a big if, Emery can secure Champions League qualification for Villa this season, he will surely be able to attract bigger and brighter talent during the summer window, thus improving his squad.

The 52-year-old does, however, have a host of players who have seen their value increase since he has taken over at the Midlands club, with Boubacar Kamara being one of the most notable names who could secure the club a major profit should he be sold in the near future.

Boubacar Kamara’s valuation at Marseille

The midfielder began his career with French side Marseille and made his debut during the 2016/17 campaign.

From the 2018/19 season to the 2021/22 campaign, Kamara became a key figure in their first team and made 24 or more appearances each term in the French top flight.

His former teammate, Rolando, once lavished praise on the Frenchman when he first started training alongside the senior squad, saying:

“This kid is a phenomenon. When he started training with us, he was 15 years old. And from day one, I said, no, but this little one is going to be a great player. He’s the kind of central defender I like. He is full of qualities and, above all, he works, he listens. It is out of the ordinary”

High praise indeed, and during his final campaign for the club, Kamara ranked third among his teammates for accurate passes per game (63.5), along with ranking second for tackles per game (two) and first for interceptions per game (1.4) as he clearly demonstrated his defensive attributes.

These performances during his final year at the club saw him valued at €18.9m (£16m), yet by this point, he had secured a move to Aston Villa for the princely sum of £0 as his contract had expired and the Midlands outfit secured his signature on a pre-contract.

Boubacar Kamra’s valuation at Aston Villa

The signing of the Frenchman was seen as a major coup, especially considering it was not going to cost the club a single penny and Gerrard believed he had signed a wonderful talent, saying:

"I am delighted that we have been able to attract one of the most promising young talents in European football.”

There was plenty of room for him to develop in the Premier League and, with Gerrard at the helm, he had no better mentor looking to guide him to the very top.

Aston Villa's five highest valued players	Age	Valuation
Ollie Watkins	28	€51.3m
Pau Torres	27	€48.2m
Doulgas Luiz	25	€47.4m
Boubacar Kamara	24	€45m
John McGinn	29	€39.5m
Via Football Transfers

His debut campaign was disrupted by knee and ankle injuries which saw the 24-year-old miss 14 league matches, and he subsequently missed out on a place in the France squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

He didn’t have the required consistency levels to properly demonstrate his talents in front of Emery when he took over, yet he still ranked in the top five in the squad for accurate passes, tackles, interceptions, and accurate long balls per game, showing that if he was allowed the chance to play more regularly, he could have an even bigger influence on the team.

At the time of writing, Kamra is now currently valued at a staggering €45m (£38m) and this is due to his excellent performances under Emery during the current season.

Boubacar Kamara has impressed for Aston Villa this season

The key aspect to his improved displays and more consistent run in the team is that he has not suffered any injuries during 2023/24.

The only league games he has missed were due to suspension and the £150k-per-week maestro has started 19 games in the top flight, emerging as a key force alongside Douglas Luiz in the heart of Emery’s midfield.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig lauded the Frenchman as a “high quality midfield controller” during his time in France and these skills have enabled him to dictate the play so often in matches this term, allowing Luiz to push further forward and provide an attacking threat.

Indeed, when compared to positional peers across Europe’s big five leagues, Kamara’s passing statistics stand out as he ranks in the top 12% for pass completion percentage per 90 (88.8%) and this indicates that he is a reliable passer who Emery can trust to circulate the ball efficiently during matches.

Kamara has continued to showcase his defensive acumen too, currently ranking first and second among the Villa squad for tackles (2.2) and interceptions (one) per game, while he tends to lose possession less often than his teammates, ranking 11th in the squad for this metric.

There is no doubt the club have an excellent midfield talent at their disposal, and he will only continue to get better and better as time goes on.

While Emery won't be thinking of selling him anytime soon, the fact that he is worth £38m, despite costing nothing, will give Villa a serious profit should a Premier League giant look to prise him away from the Midlands.

Gerrard did not receive many plaudits at Villa, especially during the final few months, but he did bring Kamara to the club and for this, he must be praised.

Emery’s job now is to continue utilising him in the same role between now and the end of the season and, hopefully, the former Marseille starlet can be the hidden gem which powers Villa to a trophy.

Having waited 28 years for another major title, the Spaniard has legitimate chances in both the FA Cup and Europa Conference League to end this drought for good.

South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has been signed by Belfast Titans for the inaugural Euro T20 Slam that begins next month. Du Plessis was picked as a supplementary player, a week after the tournament’s player draft and will join a team that also includes Shahid Afridi, JP Duminy and Colin Ingram. Du Plessis has previously turned out for franchises in the Big Bash League, the Caribbean Premier League, the Indian Premier League, the Mzansi Super League and the Twenty20 Cup in England.However, with South Africa set to tour India in September and October, du Plessis may not be available for the whole tournament. The Euro T20 Slam, will be played between August 30 and September 22 in Ireland, Scotland and Netherlands.Du Plessis had a mixed World Cup. He was South Africa’s highest run-getter in the tournament, with 387 runs including a hundred and three fifties, but the team’s campaign never got off the ground. Early losses put them out of contention for a semi-final spot and they eventually finished in seventh place with three wins in the tournament.

Newcastle United have been boosted in their efforts to sign an attacking "magician" in the near future, according to a fresh transfer update.

Newcastle's interest in Raphinha

The Magpies are badly in need of an injection of quality into their squad this month, following what has been a season of struggles to date. At the start of the campaign, there were high hopes that Eddie Howe's side could kick on to secure another top-four finish in the Premier League, as well as go far in the Champions League, but it hasn't panned out that way.

It would be a surprise if Newcastle failed to make any new signings in the January transfer window, with plenty of players linked and additions badly needed in order to give Howe's men any chance of getting themselves back in the top-four hunt.

One player who was seen as a big target for the Magpies last summer was Raphinha, who is currently at Barcelona after starring for Leeds United. A move failed to materialise at that point, with the Brazilian staying put, but he has struggled to be a regular in 2023/24 to date, only starting eight league matches.

Now, it looks as though the move isn't dead in the water, however, with Newcastle's hopes of acquiring his signature given a boost.

Newcastle handed Raphinha boost

According to a new update from Sport [via Sport Witness], Newcastle could have a second chance to sign Raphinha, with the La Liga giants increasingly of the feeling that he could be allowed to move on.

It is claimed that "patience is running out" with the winger given his disappointing impact at Barca since arriving from Leeds, and a second bid could now be accepted for him.

Raphinha may have been a little underwhelming in Spain thus far, but that's not to say that he couldn't be an inspired signing by Newcastle at a time when more attacking quality is required. The 27-year-old is someone who former Leeds teammate Dan James has raved about in the past, lauding his technical brilliance, saying:

"He’s a magician. He’s always been a great player – I played against him at United and he was always great – but he’s improved so much. He fully deserved his Brazilian call-up and I think since he got it, he’s pushed on even more, he’s even more confident. He can do absolutely anything on the pitch. It’s great playing with him."

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Raphinha has proven himself in the Premier League in the past, which means he could hit the ground running at St James' Park – he has 29 goal contributions (17 goals and 12 assists) in 65 appearances in the competition – and his class out on the right-hand side would provide strong competition for the likes of Miguel Almiron.

At 27, his best years could be about to arrive, and whether it is in January or the summer that he joins Newcastle, his flair and end product could make him a new hero at St James'.

There is so much football yet to be played this season but it feels like Liverpool have reached a decisive point in their campaign, with success on the cards across every front.

While it's the 'one game at a time' stage, Jurgen Klopp and his Anfield side will be aware that they are in a very good position to win silverware in any one of the four competitions, first in the Premier League, within touching distance of Wembley in the Carabao Cup and having advanced in both the FA Cup and Europa League.

There have been some pretty major improvements from the 2022/23 campaign, but the plaintive cries of that year are best left in the past now, especially given the degree of the resurgence since sweeping changes were made to the midfield, sapped and soulless last season.

Despite welcoming four fresh faces to the centre of the park, rumours have still darted about over recent months concerning the possibility of a bid for another player this January to complete the pack, though in all likelihood any movements will take place at the end of the campaign.

Liverpool transfer news – Hayden Hackney

According to The Standard, Liverpool are among the contenders to sign Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney, but will find no success in fighting for his signature this month – though this, as stated, suits the Reds.

Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are all eager to sign the 21-year-old, who would work wonders for the requirement to fill a homegrown quota, with his modern skill set as a defensive midfielder deemed suitable for teams competing at the forefront of the Premier League.

No price tag has been revealed but Spurs signed the promising Djed Spence from Middlesbrough for a deal rising to £20m in 2022 and something in this ballpark will probably be required to prise Hackney away.

Hayden Hackney's season in numbers

Hackney has wedged his way into an important standing at the Riverside Stadium after rising through the club's young ranks and enjoyed the most salient showing of his career to date when netting the winner as Middlesbrough won the first-leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie against Chelsea this week.

Boro boss Michael Carrick hailed Hackney for his "immense" performance against the Blues and rightly so, with his goal only telling half the story following a composed and cultured display, belying his young years on the major stage.

The desire to surge forward and poke home to secure a vital home victory for the Championship side typified his display and indeed the talent on show for a player who is clearly destined for a career in England's top flight.

Stat

#

Minutes played

90'

Goals

1

Touches

42

Pass completion

13/18 (72%)

Key passes

1

Tackles

2

Ground duels won

4

*Sourced via Sofascore

And, while such an effort was impressive, the consistency of his performance in the Championship is even more impressive, having started 16 matches, completed 88% of his passes and averaged 1.3 key passes 1.8 tackles and (remarkably) 7.7 ball recoveries per game.

It's no surprise that he is attracting attention from some of the country's biggest names, and Liverpool would secure a truly special talent if they managed to get this one over the line in several months.

Hayden Hackney's style of play

Hackney's range of passing and ease when situated in the deep pockets of midfield, pulling the strings and elegantly keeping the play ticking, with his distribution and choice of lane so often proving to be the right move for the fluency of the side's progression.

As per FBref, the 5 foot 10 starlet ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across divisions similar to the Championship for pass completion and progressive passes, the top 3% for passes attempted and the top 12% for progressive carries per 90, showcasing an elite technical ability in the making.

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With such noteworthy passing skills to partner a spatial awareness and tenacity in his defensive duties, this is a player of rounded quality to dominate in the engine room for years to come.

It's perhaps worth making a quick side note to note the influence that Carrick, who was once described as "the best central midfielder in English football" by his legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, likely has a pearl of wisdom or two to impart on the rising Boro star.

If Liverpool do succeed in wrapping up a deal, it would certainly disrupt the pecking order regarding the most exciting talents on the red half of Merseyside, with Hackney maybe even having a higher ceiling than the recently-emerged Conor Bradley.

Conor Bradley's season in numbers

Bradley won Bolton Wanderers' Player of the Season award while out on loan last season and returned to his mother club with sights set on a spot in Klopp's plans, though injury ruled him out for the opening months of the term.

Nonetheless, that battle has now been won and he's competed in five fixtures across all competitions, hailed for his "eye-catching cameo" at the Emirates Stadium last weekend by The Athletic's James Pearce before starting against Fulham in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday and receiving the Man of the Match award for his labours.

Taking 87 touches, completing 88% of his passes, making two key passes and six tackles, the 20-year-old is swiftly proving himself to be a first-class starlet under Klopp's guidance and the future is very promising indeed.

Quite simply, Hackney's just that bit better, touted by many of England's most prestigious outfits, described as "sensational" by journalist Graeme Bailey and boasting a technical quality that sets him apart from the lion's share of talented hopefuls.

Bradley looks to be an excellent prospect and will likely now receive a run of starting appearances with Trent Alexander-Arnold injured and not expected back for several weeks, but it's unlikely that he will play a prominent role beyond this spell, instead filling in over the coming months.

And that's not a negative; he will continue to grow and hone his craft and Liverpool will benefit from a new member who may well nullify the rumours for a new right-back – with Alexander-Arnold touted for a future role in midfield.

Of course, if Hackney does bloom the brightest then that is no detriment to Bradley's future at Anfield, and is merely an illustration of just why Liverpool need to augment their ranks with this worthy midfielder, who would only strengthen a youth crop sporting some rather prodigious members.

MatériaMais Notícias

O presidente do São Paulo, Julio Casares anunciou neste sábado (06), a contratação do zagueiro Miranda, de 36 anos, que estava sem clube desde que deixou o Jiangsu Suning, da China.A proposta feita pelo Tricolor é de um ano e oito meses de contrato, com salários baseados em metas. A informação foi confirmada pelo próprio mandatário ao ‘SporTV’.

Miranda também era alvo do Coritiba, mas o Coxa encerrou as negociações com o zagueiro por ele ter dito à diretoria que ‘optou neste momento pela continuidade de sua carreira em outro projeto, com maior calendário esportivo e que proporcione a disputa da Libertadores ainda nesta temporada’.

CONFIRA A TABELA ATUALIZADA DO CAMPEONATO PAULISTA DE 2021

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Com a chegada do ídolo são-paulino, o técnico Hernán Crespo ganha mais uma opção para montar a defesa com três defensores. Atualmente, Léo, Arboleda e Bruno Alves são os titulares da zaga do São Paulo. Diego Costa é outro zagueiro do elenco.

Vale ressaltar que a posição era uma das prioridades do São Paulo na janela de transferências. O clube tentou o zagueiro Kanu, do Botafogo, mas as conversas não evoluíram.

Miranda atuou no São Paulo de 2006 a 2011, disputando 260 jogos e marcando dez gols. Conquistou o tricampeonato do Brasileirão, em 2006, 2007 e 2008. Após sua passagem no Tricolor, o zagueiro jogou no Atlético de Madrid-ESP, Internazionale (ITA) e Jiangsu Suning (CHN). Pela Seleção Brasileira, fez 58 jogos, conquistando a Copa das Confederações de 2009 e a Copa América de 2019.

Afghanistan have pulled out over a disagreement about broadcasting the five ODIs

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Mar-2019Afghanistan have pulled out of a proposed tour of Zimbabwe next month over a disagreement about broadcasting the five ODIs, according to a release from Zimbabwe Cricket.The ACB had originally asked Zimbabwe to host them as part of preparations for the World Cup, which takes place in England and Wales from May to July. The ODIs were set to be held in Harare between April 18 and 28.However, after Afghanistan agreed to share the series costs with Zimbabwe Cricket, the tour hit a stumbling block over the issue of televising the games, with the Afghanistan Cricket Board reportedly objecting to a proposal to stream the matches instead.”They wanted the games to be televised but we opted for live streaming due to the costs involved,” Zimbabwe Cricket’s acting managing director, Givemore Makoni, told the . “They have fired the CEO who we had agreed the tour with.”Afghanistan will instead make do with contests against Ireland and Scotland in May as part of their World Cup build-up. They were already scheduled to visit Zimbabwe in August as part of the FTP, playing all three formats.Afghanistan recently concluded an ODI series with Ireland, which was drawn 2-2, and are set to play their second Test later this week. Zimbabwe were last in action in November, when they toured Bangladesh.

First-class games suspended and points split amid widespread protests triggered by fuel shortages and a rising cost of living in the country

Liam Brickhill17-Jan-2019Play in the latest round of the Logan Cup, Zimbabwe’s domestic first-class competition, has been suspended due to the ongoing turmoil in the country.Amid fuel shortages and a rising cost of living, doctors and teachers in the country have been on strike for better pay, and after the Zimbabwean government announced increases in the price of fuel on Sunday there were calls for a national strike starting from Monday.Both Logan Cup matches, between Mountaineers and Mashonaland Eagles at Harare Sports Club and Mid West Rhinos and Matabeleland Tuskers at Old Hararians, went ahead on Monday before an afternoon thunderstorm brought play to a halt, but by Tuesday the situation in the country had deteriorated, with widespread protests and the deployment of police and the army. The ongoing instability meant that no further cricket has been possible, and the games were drawn.The Zimbabwean government suspended access to the internet during the nationwide protests and the unavailability of normal communication channels has made it difficult to find clarity on the situation, but a cricketer confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that the games were stopped due to the unfolding crisis. Aside from the cricketers themselves, several members of the grounds staff, scorers and umpires live in satellite suburbs of Harare which have been most affected by the unrest.Due to the general breakdown of order, travel to and from the two grounds being used – both close to the city centre – and outlying suburbs brought with it danger and uncertainty. As well as this, public transport, mainly in the form of commuter omnibuses, was not operating.”Yes the Logan cup games were stopped due to the crisis,” the cricketer said. “A lot of the groundsman, scorers, umpires etc were travelling from Chitungwiza and surrounding areas and felt it was too dangerous to get to town. Also there was no omnibuses operating, so they couldn’t get there anyway.”While some access to the internet in Zimbabwe was restored on Thursday, another cricketer confirmed what had been a “complete shutdown”.ESPNcricinfo was unable to reach Zimbabwe Cricket for an official comment.

علق محمد رشوان المحامي بالنقض على القضية الخاصة بـ أحمد فتوح لاعب فريق الكرة بالزمالك بعد تسببه في وفاة أحد الأشخاص في حادث سيارة منذ أيام.

وقال محمد رشوان في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة etc: “عبد الواحد السيد خلال التحقيق، نفى على المواقع أن فتوح لم يُجدد له 4 أيام على ذمة التحقيقات”.

وتابع: “هذا في غير مصلحة اللاعب، أنا أتفهم أنه يُحاول لم الأمور إعلاميًا، وهذا صدر عن دون قصد”.

وأردف: “أوجه نصيحة لنادي الزمالك، أين تقديم واجب العزاء على الصفحة الرسمية؟، الرجل الذي توفي له حق، وفتوح لاعب منتخب مصر”.

طالع | حبس أحمد فتوح على ذمة التحقيق في قضية دهس رجل شرطة

وأكمل: “إذا اكتملت القضية من الناحية الفنية، بعد صدور تقرير الطب الشرعي، والشهود وهم 4 مصابين كانوا على الطريق، لأن سيارة فتوح حاول إيقافها لمسافة 400 متر، ولذلك اصطدم بآخرين”.

وأشار: “التحريات وصلت وسيتم تفريغ الكاميرات، وسيقوم مهندس من المرور بفحص السيارة ويُقدم تقريرا شاملا، إذا اكتمل كل هذا وارد جدًا أن يتم تحديد جلسة محاكمة عاجلة بتعليمات من النائب العام”.

وواصل: “عندما تنتقل القضية للمحكمة، من الممكن أن تؤجل المحكمة القضية أو يتم الحكم عليه مع الشغل والنفاذ ولكن بإيقاف التنفيذ، أو بالكفالة وحكم وإيقاف التنفيذ، أو البراءة”.

وبسؤاله هل التصالح مع أهل الشخص المتوفى يمثل فارقا في القضية؟، أجاب: “بالتأكيد يفرق كثيرًا جدًا، ممكن أحمد فتوح يخرج على ذمة القضية، وأنا أعرف أن هناك محاولات من فريق الدفاع مع أسرة الفقيد”.

واختتم: “أتمنى أن يتم الأمر، وبالتأكيد لو هذا حدث سيفرق مع فتوح جدًا لأن موقفه صعب”.

Gladiator star Russell Crowe has revealed that he was “a phone call” from buying Leeds before fellow Hollywood actors invested in British football.

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New Zealand native is a big Leeds fanConsidered launching a takeover bidNow owns a minority stake in the clubWHAT HAPPENED?

Despite being a Wellington native, Crowe has nailed his colours to a footballing mast at Elland Road. He has voiced a documentary series for the club and follows the exploits of the team looking to bounce back into the Premier League at the first time of asking with great interest.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT CROWE SAID ABOUT LEEDS

That fandom was almost taken to the extreme at one point, with Crowe telling of acquiring a stake in Leeds after previously mulling over a complete takeoever: “Yeah, I bought a little bit recently. Seven or eight years ago, maybe 10 years ago – which is where, you know, the TV thing comes from – I just expressed that I felt that should be doing a lot better. So I actually really did seriously pursue it. The reason I don’t talk about it so much is because every time I talk about it, certain types of Leeds fans then go, ‘you’re sort of trying to, you know, build your own career by talking about our football club.’ But I just felt that they just needed a bit more focus. And I don’t know if you know, but I own a Rugby League team in Australia. We’re having a bad start to the year this year, but you know, you’ve got to look for the good stuff. And that will come out of it. But yeah, so at the time, I looked into it, and it really came down, [I] was very close, it was really close – like a phone call or two away from me doing it. But then the reality of it sort of hit me.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Crowe added on why the deal was never completed: “The reality of it hit me, because I remembered what it was like in the first three to four years of running South [Sydney Rabbitohs], and how much time it took. And I started to calculate, I'm going to be in Leeds minimum six to seven months a year for the next four years. And my family life, my kids, all of that stuff, the other responsibilities I have, and I just took a step back. However, I still believed it was a really good idea. And then when the Italian fella [Andrea Radrizzani] came along – and I think the idea of the TV show was inspired by a show we did called South Side Story with Sydney anyway – but the idea of the voice over came up through a friend of mine, who once back in the day was a part owner or whatever. And so I just agreed to do it because I thought it was a great story. And of course, you know, people have loved that show.”

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Leeds did return to the Premier League in 2020, but lasted just two season back in the big time before suffering relegation last season. They are now riding high in the Championship table, as they push for automatic promotion, while Crowe has been quick to distance himself from talk of potentially joining Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as an investor at Wrexham.

The ICC panel hearing a dispute between the PCB and BCCI could potentially deliver a “landmark” judgment with reverberations for all intersections between sports and politics.A three-person dispute panel, set up to arbitrate the PCB’s claims for monetary compensation for two bilateral tours the BCCI didn’t honour, finished proceedings in Dubai on Wednesday.There is no indication when the panel, headed by Michael Beloff QC and including legal heavyweights Jan Paulsson and Dr Annabelle Bennett, will return a verdict though it is not unusual in such cases for it to take anywhere between four and six weeks.Lawyers from both sides presented their cases over three days that began in what was described as a “tense” and “formal” atmosphere and which remained “intense” throughout. A couple of officials likened it to the tension of an India-Pakistan limited-overs encounter.The dispute centers around an agreement the two boards signed in 2014 to play six series over eight years between 2015 and 2023. That agreement was the price the BCCI paid for the PCB’s approval of the Big Three governance changes; those changes were first voted in before being reversed.The PCB is claiming compensation of USD 63 million for two series it was supposed to host in November 2014 and December 2015 as per the agreement, but which eventually did not take place.The primary reason for the BCCI’s refusal to tour is political. Ties between the two countries have been strained since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and BCCI officials have made it clear that the decision to tour ultimately hinges on the Indian Prime Minister’s office.To that end, the appearance of the most high-profile witness at the arbitration, Salman Khurshid, India’s foreign minister at the time the agreement was signed.Officials and witnesses are under strict instructions to not talk publicly about the proceedings but Khurshid explained to the panel that it was “beyond the control” of cricket boards to organise a bilateral series in the troublesome prism of India-Pakistan relations.”I gave my expert evidence to the ICC panel and explained how the Indian government reacts to situations where security of people are under threat,” Khurshid told the . “Fortunately, when I was minister we didn’t have to deal with such (crisis) issues but irrespective of governments, I could express how one would react to fulfilling obligations that’s beyond the control of cricket boards.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The BCCI also argued that the agreement was a letter of intent that would only become a binding agreement once government permission had been granted. The PCB’s counter was that under English law it suffices as an agreement.Khurshid was one of five witnesses the BCCI called up. Among the others were Sanjay Patel, the board secretary and signatory to the agreement, Sundar Raman, a key figure in the ICC revamp, and Ratnakar Shetty, the BCCI administrative head who was a conduit between the board and government.Also appearing was Shashank Manohar, the ICC chairman who was BCCI president in 2015 when one of the series was scheduled (Manohar, in fact, had shown an inclination to play the series subject to government approval). His appearance as a BCCI witness while ICC chairman raised eyebrows – the PCB was unhappy with his role as a mediator in one of the good-faith meetings the boards had before this panel was set up. Conspicuous by their absence, however, were N Srinivasan, the BCCI president at the time of the agreement, and the then secretary Anurag Thakur. None of the witnesses were current BCCI officials.The PCB, in contrast, called upon just Najam Sethi, their board chairman at the time, and Subhan Ahmed, the chief operating officer. At least to PCB eyes that witness count is illustrative of the two approaches to the case: the PCB simplifying and focusing on what it believes matters most – the agreement letter – and the BCCI going beyond that and into the circumstances in which it was created and under which it could operate.Only two outcomes are now possible – that the PCB wins its claim or it doesn’t. The panel cannot force the lost series to be rescheduled. But as much as the money, both boards – and the ICC – will be relieved to receive some long overdue clarity on cricket’s most compelling but presently moribund rivalry.The pair are not going to meet in Test cricket’s new showpiece event, the two-year Test Championship starting next year. They are not scheduled to meet in the following two-year cycle either, or in the concurrent ODI league. That confines the rivalry to ICC limited-overs events and other multilateral tournaments such as the Asia Cup for the foreseeable future.Written closing arguments now have to be submitted to the panel within a week, into which new arguments could be introduced based on the evidence presented over the last three days.Officials expect the decision to have an impact beyond cricket. The issues at play – of government involvement, of the sport being used as a tool for diplomacy but also being held hostage to politics – resonates in several other sports. Any decision here – reached by a heavyweight panel with accomplished legal minds – could be used hereon as a precedent in other sports where geopolitics cannot help but get entangled.