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Manchester United have, to put it simply, not been good enough in the Premier League this season, under the management of Erik ten Hag or Ruben Amorim.

The Red Devils are currently 14th in the table and level on points with Wolverhampton Wanderers, who beat them 1-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday, despite Vitor Pereira’s side having battled relegation for most of the campaign.

United are miles off the European places, 20 points behind Manchester City in fourth, and will not be competing in Europe unless they win the Europa League.

Amorim’s side saw off Lyon in extra-time in dramatic fashion to secure a place in the semi-finals against Athletic Bilbao, with plenty of work left to be done to salvage the club’s season.

Those behind the scenes will already be looking ahead to the summer transfer window and how they can make moves to improve the squad going into next season.

One of the players who has already been linked with a move to Old Trafford played against the Reds on Sunday, as Matheus Cunha caught the eye for Wolves.

Why Manchester United want to sign Matheus Cunha

It was reported earlier this month that Manchester United are already in talks to sign the Brazil international to bolster their squad in the summer window.

Cunha started as one of the two attacking midfielders behind Jorgen Strand Larsen on Sunday, and ended the match with three of four dribbles completed, one chance created, and a 91% pass completion rate.

Being secure on the ball and completing a few dribbles is not why Manchester United may want to sign the attacker, however, as they are more likely to be interested in his ability to score and create goals.

The former Atletico Madrid forward has scored 14 goals and provided four assists in 25 starts in the Premier League so far this term, which means that he could end the campaign with 20 or more goal contributions in the division.

As you can see in the table above, Cunha has outscored every player in the United squad by at least six goals and has been compared to Bruno Fernandes, in terms of ‘big chances’ created, as a creative force.

These statistics suggest that the Brazilian dynamo is a player who has the quality to be an excellent addition to the squad, which may be why the club are keen to sign him.

However, former United scout Mick Brown recently claimed that Arsenal, another team interested in Cunha, “will have questions about his attitude now” after he hit out at Wolves supporters on social media, along with his six matches missed through suspension.

Manchester United hopeful of deal for Premier League star

The Red Devils could avoid those concerns about the Wolves star by swooping for their own version of him this summer, which is what they could do with the latest reported target.

According to The Sun, Amorim wants to sign Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace to bolster his attacking midfield options, and is hopeful of winning the race for his services.

The report claims that Manchester United have identified the England international as a key target for the summer transfer window, as they believe that he can bring the ‘class’ that they currently lack on the pitch.

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It adds, however, that they are not the only club interested in landing the former QPR star. Aston Villa would also be in the running to snap him up if they decide against signing Marcus Rashford on a permanent deal.

The Sun reveals that Palace are bracing themselves for offers of around £50m this summer, and United must stump up the cash to land the Eagles star to come in as their own version of Cunha.

Why Eze would be Man Utd's own Cunha

The 26-year-old maestro, who was dubbed “frightening” by Joel Ward, could be an excellent addition to the club’s midfield ranks without bringing any potential disciplinary problems along with him, as Eze has not been shown a single red card in 296 career club matches to date.

Purely from a footballing perspective, though, Cunha is one of the most similar players to Eze in the Men’s Big 5 Leagues, as per FBref, over the past 365 days of action.

As you can see in the chart above, both players rank very similarly in several statistics during that time, particularly when it comes to creating chances and progressing the ball into the penalty area via passes and carries.

This shows that they are both attacking midfielders who are constantly looking to probe and create for their respective teams, which could provide Amorim’s side with a boost at the top end of the pitch.

Eze has only scored three goals from 7.90 xG in the Premier League this season, but his form in the previous two campaigns – particularly 2023/24 – suggests that it should not be a huge concern for United.

As you can see in the table above, the Palace star is a proven Premier League performer who has delivered quality in front of goal as a scorer in two of the last three seasons, whilst delivering consistent quality as a creative force in all three of those campaigns.

Eze, who was called a “wizard” by England teammate Declan Rice, has the potential to provide goals and assists as an attacking midfielder in the top-flight if he can get back to his best in front of goal.

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By
Dan Emery

Apr 21, 2025

This is why the Red Devils should push to get a deal over the line for the Eagles superstar this summer, because he could be their own version of Cunha, without the disciplinary question marks.

It was a night of conflicting emotions for Arsenal last night.

Mikel Arteta’s side finally returned to Premier League football after two weeks off for the international break, and while they looked a little rusty, they picked up all three points, winning 2-1.

However, Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Magalhães both came off injured and while the former didn’t look too bad, the latter appeared to be holding his hamstring, which could be terrible news ahead of next week’s Champions League game against Real Madrid.

Furthermore, while they ultimately won, the home side’s performances were mixed. Some players really stepped up, while others looked poor, including one Arteta signing who has to be dropped ahead of the next two games.

Arsenal's stand-out performers vs Fulham

So, before we get to the disappointing player in question, it’s worth looking at those who played well last night; the team did win, after all.

While Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have received much of the praise following last night, deservedly so, other starters stepped up to the plate, such as Declan Rice.

The former West Ham United captain had a good international break, starting both games for Thomas Tuchel, and carried that form back into the match against Fulham as he was seemingly here, there, and everywhere throughout the 90 minutes.

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Granted, he did miss a chance towards the end of the game, firing well over the bar, but in all, it was a composed and dominant performance, as fans have come to expect, and enough to earn a 7/10 match rating from football.london’s Tom Canton.

Two players who did one better than the Englishman were Timber and Merino who received 8/10 match ratings from the journalist.

Before coming off, the former put in a brilliant showing, getting forward to help out in attack and making several impressive defensive contributions, including a vital tackle on Antonee Robinson in the second half.

Merino scored yet another goal for his efforts, and while it was a little scrappy, he continues to deliver for his manager and teammates.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t all great last night, as there was one Arsenal ace who underwhelmed and once again showed that the club should probably be looking to move him on as soon as possible.

The Arsenal star who must be axed after Fulham

It is a cruel irony that Arteta got Saka back from injury last night and then lost Timber and Gabriel. What makes it worse is that Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori are also injured.

So, with few options, the manager turned to Jakub Kiwior to replace the Brazilian titan.

While he’s shown glimpses of quality in the past, this performance further reinforced the idea that Arsenal need another centre-back in the summer and that, as podcaster Phil Costa claims, he just “isn’t good enough” to regularly feature for the Gunners.

As he was against Fulham earlier in the season, the Polish international looked uneasy at the back, unconvincing on the ball and was a significant step down in quality on the man he replaced and the star he was playing alongside.

It might sound harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by Canton, who awarded him just a 6/10 on the night and laid part of the blame for the Cottagers’ goal at his feet for his ‘tussle’ with the rapid Adama Traore.

Interestingly, his statistics for the game are rather mixed, with the positive being the fact he won four of five ground duels, made five clearances and completed 93% of his passes.

Kiwior’s game in numbers

Minutes

74′

Clearances

5

Tackles

3

Dribbled past

1

Errors Leading to a Shot

1

Aerial Duels (Won)

1 (0)

Ground Duels (Won)

5 (4)

Lost Possession

4

Passing Accuracy

41/44 (93%)

All Stats via Sofascore

However, on the other hand, he lost 100% of his aerial duels, made an error that led directly to a shot and was dribbled past, which, if it happens against Fulham, could be a serious problem against Real next week.

Therefore, if there is any chance that White, Timber, or even Rice can fill in at centre-back in the next two games, Arteta must drop Kiwior from the starting lineup, as he’s just not good enough to start for a team like Arsenal.

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Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon have more than 1500 Test wickets among them and are now looking to tick off another box: feature in a title-winning XI together

Andrew McGlashan08-Jun-2025They have 1508 Test wickets among them. Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon are among the finest bowling combinations that has played together in Test history.In 2024, Australia became the first team to field an attack with four bowlers having 250 Test wickets each when Hazlewood removed Alick Athanaze in Adelaide. At some point this year, they may field an attack where four of them have at least 300 wickets.Cummins needs just six to reach the milestone – he could well do that in the World Test Championship (WTC) final – while Hazlewood is 21 away, so the Ashes is perhaps more realistic for him. Starc is well past 300 and is 18 away from joining the 400 club. Lyon sits on 553 and is 11 away from becoming Australia’s second-highest wicket-taker of all time behind Shane Warne. For the record, the most Test wickets in an XI was the 1989 England had against Australia at The Oval in 2023.Related

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Barring late injury problems, the four of them are set to line up against South Africa at Lord’s – the 33rd time they will have done so, a mark of their longevity – where Australia will aim to defend their WTC title.Debates around the greatest Test attacks of all time need to be more nuanced – another Australian combination of Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie and Warne often pips the current generation when the topic is raised even before expanding it to other nations – and there are duos and trios that has carried teams to fantastic heights. But this quartet has earned the right to be in the conversation, and perhaps will only truly be appreciated once the alliance starts to permanently break apart.Australia certainly haven’t been unbeatable when they have joined forces, with eight defeats scattered among the 32 Tests to date and South Africa winners on two occasions in 2018. For comparison, the McGrath-Lee-Gillespie-Warne combination played 16 Tests together for ten wins, four draws and two losses. A great West Indian quartet of Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Colin Croft were on the field together 11 times and lost once. The South Africa team that included Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander and Jacques Kallis lost just two of 18 Tests. There will be various other noteworthy combinations, but each of Australia’s four has a vast body of work that will stand the test of time.Pat Cummins is a master at hitting the top of off•AFP/Getty ImagesCummins is a supreme specimen of a fast bowler. Pitch off, hit off is one of his trademarks – Joe Root at Old Trafford in 2019 is never far from getting a run. Of bowlers with at least 250 wickets, only eight have got them at a lower average than Cummins. It is worth noting here that one of those, Kagiso Rababa, will be in the opposition at Lord’s. Cummins has also been a success story for fast-bowler captains; two WTC titles and an ODI World Cup would be quite the haul.Starc’s standing is a curious one. It sometimes feels he isn’t revered as much as he should be. He is, without doubt, a cross-format great while anyone capable of touching 400 Test wickets should be viewed among the highest echelon of players. When he reaches 100 Tests, which could come in Jamaica next month, he will be just the eighth fast bowler to hit that mark alongside 400 wickets.If things had fallen a little differently for Hazlewood, he would now be beyond 300 wickets. A run of injuries (and some spin-heavy selections on the subcontinent) meant he played just four Tests between 2021 and 2023. After stringing together ten in a row in 2023-24, injuries returned to hamper him last season against India. His Test average of 24.57 is at its lowest point since March 2017 when he played his 28th match.Then there’s Lyon, so often the glue that has held it all together for Australia from a bowling point of view. Before Australia returned to consistently playing an allrounder, when Cameron Green was first part of the side in 2020, Lyon’s ability to command a huge workload, while being both an attacking and defensive option, made the four-man attack work and it’s still often a role he carries. Since Lyon’s debut in 2011, no one has bowled more than his 34,103 deliveries in Test cricket.But there is a transition looming in the years to come, although no one is yet being pensioned off and the mega year of 2027 (including India and England away) remains a significant carrot.Mitchell Starc is 18 strikes away from 400 Test wickets, while Josh Hazlewood is 21 away from 300•Getty ImagesCummins is the youngest of the four at 32 – and is expected to lead the Test side through to 2027 – followed by Hazlewood (34), Starc (35) and Lyon (37). The first reserve, one of the best back-ups there has been in Scott Boland, is 36. A few more of the next rung are more experienced players, too, with Michael Neser 35 and Sean Abbott 33. Jhye Richardson (28) and Lance Morris (27) have fitness question marks over them. Brendan Doggett bridges the gap at 31. Fergus O’Neill’s domestic returns demand he is in the mix, and he has the makings of the next Boland, but may still have to fight perceptions around his pace. The recent Under-19 generation – led by Mahli Beardman and Callum Vidler – is very exciting but will need to be nurtured.Australia’s spin depth is as good as it’s been for some time – Matt Kuhnemann may again join forces with Lyon in the West Indies, while Todd Murphy and Corey Rocchiccioli are the next offspinners in line – but filling this void when the time comes could be the hardest one, as it was when Warne retired. There was a glimpse into that future during the 2023 Ashes when Lyon blew his calf at Lord’s. While Murphy held his own, particularly at The Oval, it was not the same and Australia even opted not to play a spinner at Old Trafford.”Our bowlers aren’t getting any younger,” head coach Andrew McDonald said in an answer specifically on the quicks before leaving for the WTC final. “So the ability for those four [Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood, Boland] to really coexist and manage the workload across the WTC in the West Indies, and then you’ve got coming back for an Ashes as well, a five-Test series…”The way that the bowlers were able to perform last year, in particular, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc getting through five Test matches, we keep saying it’s an outlier, but they keep doing it. I don’t think we can always bank on that.Nathan Lyon’s ability to both attack and defend has been crucial to Australia’s success•Getty Images”So that quartet, plus Michael Neser, Sean Abbott, Brendan Doggett, we’ve got some real good depth coming in and around that. We’ve also got Jhye Richardson and Lance Morris waiting in the wings as well. We feel like [with those] the fast-bowling stocks, when that does shift on us, we’re well placed.”Rotation is a dirty word among the pace attack – “we field the same question every year: if you’re fit, you play and if you’re not, you don’t play. It’s as simple as that, no one rests a Test match,” Hazlewood said last season – but it’s a topic that is unlikely to go away. Australia have dipped their toe in that water, most recently at the 2023 Ashes where Hazlewood, counter to his own views on the topic, sat out the Headingley Test.The other part to this is, ideally, wanting a managed change of eras rather than a mass exodus. There was a glimpse of such a prospect at the Champions Trophy earlier this year when the big three quicks were all absent. There may be a temptation, however tough a sell it would be to the current group, to try and get a Test match or two into the next batch of pace bowlers. One of the fascinating challenges of elite team sport is moving between the generations and it will be an intriguing element, not just in the bowling, of an outstanding but ageing Australian team.But there is also the here and now, and that’s about Lord’s against South Africa. Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon have never featured in a title-winning XI together: Hazlewood missed the previous WTC final while Lyon wasn’t involved in the 2023 ODI World Cup or the 2021 T20 version. As events in recent years against India in Perth and West Indies in Brisbane have shown, having them together is no guarantee of victory, but they are an intimidating prospect to overcome.

Fast bowler proud to seal Headingley Test in partnership with travel buddy Chris Woakes

Vithushan Ehantharajah10-Jul-20231:53

Ehantharajah: Wood was close to perfect in Leeds

When England travel overseas, their seating plans are done in alphabetical order. As such, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood end up sitting next to each other.Wood is an incredibly nervous flyer. So much so that, on internal flights on smaller planes, Woakes has often held his hand during take-offs and landings to keep his mate at ease.They also bring treats for each other on tour. Wood makes sure to pack Woakes’ favourite chocolate digestives, and Woakes returns the favour with Ferrero Rochers. It’s worth pointing out that the exchange of treats does not happen immediately, only when one senses the other needs some home comforts.During the Headingley Test – each man’s first appearance of this Ashes series – they drove into the ground together all week. And on Sunday, these two best of friends reinforced their bond with a stand of 24 from 14 balls in the contest’s fraught closing moments. Together they hauled England over the line by three wickets to leave the scoreline 2-1 in Australia’s favour with two Tests to play.Both have their own individual joys to take from a gripping third Test. Woakes’ 32 not out in the chase after taking six for 141 across the two innings marked a stellar comeback, having played what he feared might have been his last Test on the tour of the Caribbean in March 2022.For Wood, it was as close as he has come in 28 caps to the perfect performance. A sentiment made official when he was given the player-of-the-match award for the first time in a home Test.The Durham quick took five for 34 on day one, including a blistering four-over spell in which he did not drop under 91mph, the fastest delivery registering at 96.5mph and Usman Khawaja’s leg stump taken out with one at 95mph. An eight-ball cameo for 24 after lunch on day two reignited England’s first innings – and got Ben Stokes’ juices pumping in the process – to ensure Australia only led by 26 going into their second innings, having at one stage looked good for a 100-plus advantage.In the end, that lead was only extended to 250 partly due to Wood’s second-innings two for 66. He capped it all off with a similarly thrilling 16 off eight deliveries, including a momentum-shifting six off Pat Cummins – his fourth of the game – to help England home.Even with all that to himself, the Durham quick (or should that be allrounder?) could not help bring Woakes into the frame when discussing his emotions.”One of the best feelings I’ve had,” Wood said of being out there at the end for victory. “I’ve been in that position a lot where I’ve lost the game, that’s the first time I’ve been able to bat to win the game.”Especially being there with Woakesy. We’ve car-shared all week, we’ve got a lucky car [parking] space, we’ve promised that we’d get runs and wickets. I think we will park in the same place every time we turn up here.”Wood’s thunderbolts with the ball exceeded expectations, particularly given he missed Lord’s because of an issue with a right elbow that was operated on twice last summer. But it was the batting that stole the show. His 40 runs across the match came at a strike-rate of 250. The first of the 16 balls he faced, at the start of the second session on day two, was a bouncer from Mitchell Starc. He hooked it into the stands at midwicket.Wood’s express pace will be a key weapon going into the series climax•Getty ImagesEagled-eyed viewers will have spotted Wood using a new set of bats this summer, having swapped brands from New Balance to SG. Though he was happy with the initial batch delivered to him, he found them slightly too heavy. When the replacements arrived he thought they were too light. It turns out they were just right.It’s worth noting, Wood’s six boundaries were not fortuitous swings of a wispier blade. Prior to that first ball from Starc, he had spent the lunch interval in the indoor nets with Paul Collingwood, bracing himself for a short-pitch assault. It has been a common tactic this series and Wood himself had indulged it to nab a fourth-career five-for the day before. He rightly figured Australia’s quicks would be eager to take their revenge. The preparation, both during and in the lead-up to this match, has paid off handsomely.”All I’ve done is practise bouncers for two weeks,” he revealed. “I haven’t practised anything pitched up – that’s genuine. Colly has been slinging those yellow balls. They sting but don’t hurt. You get used to playing the shot, getting in strong positions, and waiting as much as I can to do well.”It fills me with great pride to say I can do well against Australia. Look at facing Cummins and Starc. One, it’s not easy. Two, it’s really intimidating. They’re bowling fast, they get good bounce. More often than not they come out on top. Luckily this time, it’s the one out of 100 I’ve managed to get through.”Related

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Whether Wood will be able to go again for the fourth Test at Emirates Old Trafford remains to be seen. Though he has stitched consecutive matches together recently, with two back-to-back in Pakistan last winter and three on the bounce at the end of the 2021-22 Ashes, England will be understandably cautious, even though a nine-day gap offers a grace period.Having sent down 28.4 overs after subsisting primarily on four-over bursts – his previous match before this one had been on April 15 for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL – much will depend how Wood’s body, and especially the elbow, react. There are also wounds on his forearms from repeatedly falling over in his follow-through, but those are less of a concern.Ben Stokes will be desperate to utilise him for the two remaining matches given how instrumental his pace has been in keeping the Ashes alive. The man himself is unsure.”I will speak to the physio, but I imagine I will bowl once or twice, a couple of gym sessions, maybe some running, but it won’t be too drastic. I have to let the body recover. It’s my first game in a very, very long time, especially in Test cricket. Off the back of bowling four overs, and I didn’t do too much of that either. I will let the body recover, get myself in a good space, let the wounds recover, and get myself up for the next one. “As ever, there is willing. Asked if he could crank it up once more and test the limits of the speed gun, Woodanswered unequivocally.”Absolutely. Lightning strikes twice, eh?”

Azam will most likely score 50 runs off around 37 balls every second match he bats

Gaurav Sundararaman08-Jun-2021Babar Azam the T20 batter often faces criticism for the role he plays and his strike rate, but let’s lay down some basic facts: Since the start of 2019, he has scored the most runs in T20Is (1004) as well as in T20s (3461) in the world. He averages 41.33 and 49.44 in the two formats respectively. With a minimum cut-off of 2000 runs, only Virat Kohli and Dawid Malan average more than Azam in T20Is and only David Warner is ahead in T20s.Averages and runs scored are perhaps not the best metrics to measure a player’s worth in this format. Is strike rate better? Out of the 18 players who have scored 2000 runs, Azam has scored slower than just seven. Three of those – Glenn Maxwell, Kieron Pollard and AB de Villiers – are finishers and T20 greats.The two openers with better strike rates than Azam’s 137.23 are Alex Hales and Chris Lynn, but both average slightly above 30. Azam has scored faster than the likes of Kohli, KL Rahul, Warner, Aaron Finch, Malan and Shikhar Dhawan. Azam also tops the charts in 50-plus scores, with 34 such scores in just 83 innings. This means that if you have Azam in your team, he will most likely score 50 runs off around 37 balls every second match he bats.The role of top-three batters in a T20 side like Pakistan is often questioned without acknowledging how much it is a function of the team’s power-hitting capabilities in the middle and lower-middle order. Malan – the top ranked T20I batter – does not find himself in the crosshairs of critics as often as Azam because England can afford his scoring rate. At the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kohli’s scoring rate in the first leg of IPL 2021 didn’t attract much attention because he had de Villiers and Maxwell to follow. Azam, unfortunately, doesn’t always enjoy that luxury.But three games in the first half of this year’s disrupted PSL illustrated the impact he can have, depending on the batting quality around him. Against the Islamabad United, Azam made 62 off 54 balls in a team score of 196. The match run rate was close to 9.8 runs per over, Azam scored at just over 6.5 and his side lost.In the very next game, the Multan Sultans set the Karachi Kings a target of 196 and Azam scored an unbeaten 60-ball 90 to take his team through with seven balls to spare. The last game was another high-scoring chase against the Peshawar Zalmi, in which Azam scored an unbeaten 77 runs from 47 deliveries and helped chase down 188.Each time, while Azam was protecting his wicket and batting through, batters around him, such as Mohammad Nabi, Joe Clarke and Sharjeel Khan, were outscoring him and making up for his lack of power-hitting. Even though he lost the first of those games, Azam seldom enjoys the luxury of that kind of batting around him when playing for Pakistan. Since January 2019, from positions four onwards, Pakistan average 18.27 runs per dismissal at a strike rate of 122.8. This is the worst among the top-ten T20I teams. Increasingly, however, there is a realisation that the role of anchors like Azam, Rahul and Kohli – who look to bat through their team’s innings – should be fluid.Anchors are currently seen as the “hedges” in line-ups. If they bat through, the team is likely to post a par total. If they are dismissed early, teams have been known to fold quickly, so the anchors are a hedge against those collapses. In that perspective, as power-hitting scales new heights every year, anchors are even seen as deadweights. But not only does this overlook the difference in pitches around the world, it also overlooks the different nuances of an anchor in setting up totals or chasing them down.ESPNcricinfo LtdIn 2021, of the 83 matches played in the PSL, the BBL and the IPL, teams batting first have scored over 170 43 times. At a little more than half, that is the highest percentage in any calendar year in these leagues. More importantly, chasing teams have won 27 of those, a 12.7% jump from the next-best calendar year for chasing teams (2018).When batting first in T20s – as wickets are a surplus resource in the format – teams are increasingly ending up in situations with unutilised power-hitting resources in the dugout. As a team approaches the end of an innings, it is better off bringing out big shots and this is where an anchor can become a liability.Often anchors are criticised if they are not able to make up the strike rate once they’ve been in for between 20 to 30 balls. The criticism is also dependent on whether the team wins or loses; in Azam’s or Rahul’s case, we have seen scores of 180 or 200 being made to look sub-par because of a lack of good bowling. But batters get called out for playing slowly. The anchor’s role is thus more suited to chasing, because the ability to determine a par score batting varies from person to person.But anchors do need to have a couple of higher gears. With five or six wickets left during the death on a flat track, each ball has to count. A collapse is less likely from that situation, and therefore, a hedge against it becomes more expensive, more so in a team that lacks middle-order heft. The anchor is now expected to provide the heft in such XIs, because, ultimately, what’s the use in posting a ‘decent’ total that is likely to be chased down?Is Azam fluid? Perhaps not as much as he should be. The basic stats for most of the best anchors are very similar. Where Azam lags is in his ability to hit sixes through an innings. He does hit boundaries, but he could do with taking more risks. Since 2019 and from the first ten balls he faces in an innings, Azam hits a six once every 136 deliveries, which is the worst among his peers. Between balls 11-30, Azam hits a six once every 63 balls, again the lowest among this group. It is only once he is settled, when he gets past the 30-ball mark, that he begins to hit sixes more consistently. Ultimately, because Azam hits boundaries regularly, his strike rate across these phases doesn’t fare as poorly in comparison with the others, but in terms of an improvement he can bring, six-hitting is one.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhat Azam does bring is Bradmanesque consistency in the ficklest of formats where batters are likely to fail every other game. Since 2019, he scores a fifty once every 2.4 innings, a remarkable frequency. He has also been the top scorer for his side 36.1% of the time, more than any of the 66 batters with a minimum of 50 innings since 2019. The top five in this list, unsurprisingly, are all openers, Azam leading Warner, Mohammad Rizwan, Rahul and D’Arcy Short.ESPNcricinfo LtdBut top-scoring doesn’t say much if it doesn’t account for the impact it has on a game. And impact, of course, depends on players around him as well. For Azam’s team to succeed he needs support from his partners – which is why those three PSL games mentioned earlier are illustrative.Two different metrics are useful here. The first is how often a batter outscores, and at a better rate, the batter at the other end. Taking a minimum of 20 innings of 20+ balls faced since 2019, the likes of Pollard, Andre Russell, Nicolas Pooran and de Villiers – T20 specialists so to speak – head a list of 58 players. Anchors rank in the bottom third. Azam is 50th, outscoring and outpacing his partner 38% of the time, with Malan, Kohli and Warner also in this bracket.One learning from this is that it is important to try and partner the bottom-ranked players in this list with the top-ranked ones as often as possible in an innings. That is, if Azam is in the team, the ideal situation is to have a player like one of the top-ranked players here batting around him. That is a way to maximise the impact of an anchor and is an approach likely to work irrespective of pitches, batting first or chasing.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe other metric comes from ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats, measuring how often a top-order batter (1 to 3) has top-scored and had the highest impact in a game (This measure takes into account the match run-rate, the required run rate, quality of the bowler, batting depth as well as the pressure a partner creates.)Placing this impact against instances of top-scoring gives an indicator of how often batters around the top-scorers have had a greater impact on the game. The likes of Azam, Kohli, Rahul and Malan all top-score for their teams consistently but don’t create enough impact. These players stack up together on the top left of the graphic above.The likes of Warner, Jos Buttler, Hales and Lynn stack up to the top right, meaning that if they top score, they are more likely to win the game. Ideally, you want your team to have more players in that top right corner.All of which, ultimately, means that Azam can continue playing the way he does as long as his teams have the batters to play around him. Azam 2.0 will need an improvement of his power game. He is only 26 at the moment so there is no reason why he cannot build his game to be fluid enough to adapt to different situations. At 26, he is not even close to his peak and once he gets there, there’s no telling what he can achieve.With inputs from Shiva Jayaraman