Foxtel cops heat after choosing not to broadcast Bangladesh vs Australia series | Foxtel didn’t secure the rights to broadcast the series – fans react
History has been made, but for the wrong reasons. For the first time in the 21st century, an Australian men’s cricket series will not be broadcast in Australia, with the last such instance being the Pakistan Test series way back in 1994.
Fox Sports, who have a dedicated cricket channel Fox Cricket, rejected the rights to host the Bangladesh vs Australia T20I series, which is the first time these two teams will meet in T20 Internationals outside of the World Cup. According to Bangladesh cricket sources, Foxtel failed to agree to the terms required to broadcast the series to the Australian public.
To rub salt in the wounds, cricket.com.au reported that the series will be available on the Rabbithole Bangladesh YouTube channel. However, unlike the recent Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh series, these Australia T20Is are geoblocked, thus unavailable to fans down under.
According to reports, the Olympic Games, absence of key stars and late start time reduced the attractiveness of the series from Foxtel’s point of view. However, such reasons make little to no sense when they choose to host a series such as West Indies vs Pakistan which begins at 1am Sydney time.
Here are some of the Twitter reactions from journalists, fans and even the Australian captain who are disgruntled at not being able to access the action unless they have betting accounts or a VPN.
Can’t find it anywhere…I thought it was meant to be via YouTube in Australia ??♂️ https://t.co/b2HiPTTjoh
Still can't believe there isn't a way for Aussies – including media – to watch the #BANvAUS T20 series. *Sigh*. FYI the Rabbithole link hasn't been made available in our location.
What a stitch up. Hold your heads in shame @FoxCricket deadset embarrassing to call yourselves the home of cricket. You stream every domestic T20 comp worldwide but can’t stream our own international T20 matches.
Imagine living in a country where you were able to see such a thing.
(@FoxCricket, of course, is currently showing a replay of an India v England Test from earlier in the year, which is the wrong match only in terms of competing nations, format and date. Unlucky.) https://t.co/kQJlnGSxmx
At the time of writing, Australia were engaging in the first of five T20Is against Bangladesh to be played over the next week. After a poor series in West Indies, a number of players will be trying to make a final claim to be part of the T20 World Cup squad.
India possible XI for first Test vs England | Possible Playing 11 for India in the first Test against England at Trent Bridge
India’s tour of England begins on Wednesday, August 4 with the first of the five highly anticipated Test matches at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.
While most of the lineup picks itself based on their performances throughout the two-year WTC cycle and past performances in England, there is still debate over certain spots, especially with a depleted squad at their disposal. The opening combination is a question with Shubman Gill out of the entire tour and Mayank Agarwal ruled out of the first Test, while the middle-order combination is also a legitimate debate. As is the final look of the pace attack.
Prior to the series opener, here is a look at the possible XI for Team India:
Openers: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul
Incumbent opener Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are likely to start the series at the top for India. After Gill returned to India, Mayank Agarwal was set to slot at the top with Rohit. However, with Mayank ruled out due to concussion, KL Rahul, who has enjoyed success in the past opening the innings, will likely open the series with Rohit.
Since his return to the Test set-up, Rohit has been unstoppable as an opener. After having a great run in the first WTC cycle, fans are backing him to start well in the Nottingham Test. For Rahul, this is a golden chance to cement his place back in the Test XI. If Rahul performs well in the first Test, then he will make life difficult for Mayank to make a straight return to the XI.
Numbers 3-5 select themselves with Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane making up a highly experienced and high-class middle order. However, these positons aren’t without concerns.
Pujara is short of runs in the last one year or so; he has not scored a Test hundred for a while now, and being a Test specialist he would be looking to make amends this time around. Virat Kohli was the batsman of the series in 2018, aggregating 593 runs in 10 innings with two hundreds and three fifties. However, the skipper has endured indifferent form with the bat, especially in Test cricket since November 2019 – the last time he scored a Test ton.
For India to kick-start the series on a winning note, they need the Kohli of 2018 at Nottingham. Ajinkya Rahane was under injury scare but the team management seems to be confident about his availability for the opening Test of the series. Rahane has not done much with the bat since his iconic hundred at the MCG against Australia last year. All three of the experienced batsmen have been going through a lean phase as far as their batting is concerned, and for India to win the first game, they will need to turn up with big contributions to set the series up for the visitors.
India possible XI for first Test vs England: Can Pujara have a big impact?
Wicket Keeper: Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant has been in the form of his life since India’s tour Down Under in 2020-2021. After match-changing performances in Sydney and Brisbane, he was in devastating form in the home series against England.
Pant provides the X-factor in the lower middle order and has the potential and ability to change the course of a match by scoring big runs at a high strike rate. His glovework also improved from the last time he travelled to England. He knows the conditions having played a series before in 2018.
India’s lower order received a massive boost with the reincarnation of Ravindra Jadeja, the batsman. Jadeja has been an invaluable asset to this team, and with no Hardik Pandya, it’s most likely that Ravindra Jadeja will slot in at number 7 for India. With the ball, he bowls tight lines and England has struggled against the left-arm spin, which makes his case for a spot in the XI even stronger. Also, Jadeja scored two fifties in the practice game and it has been observed that in England, visiting teams always go with the extra batting option.
Ravichandran Ashwin has transformed from a support act in SENA to a major wicket-taking bowler since the tour to South Africa in 2018. He showcased his all-round brilliance with both bat and ball in the series at home against England in February 2021. The off-spinner recently played a game for Surrey where he recorded his best figures in England. Ashwin will be an important key to India’s bowling group for the Nottingham game and has been in good form with the bat of late, which adds depth to the Indian order.
India possible XI for first Test vs England: R Ashwin has been superb in recent times.
Bowlers: Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah
The familiar pace trio of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah will certainly enjoy bowling with Dukes especially at Trent Bridge, where the pacers have enjoyed a bit more in comparison with other venues in the UK.
The bowling group will try to learn from their mistakes in the WTC Final. Jasprit Bumrah was inconsistent in the final against New Zealand, and India will be hoping that the 27-year-old finds his rhythm in the opening Test. Ishant Sharma will lead the attack, being the most experienced paceman of the team. Mohammad Shami’s numbers will tempt India to play the in-form Mohammed Siraj, but the way Shami bowled in the WTC Final shows that numbers can’t challenge the quality of the player. What goes in favour of Shami is his accuracy and arguably the world’s best seam position.
WI vs PAK 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | WI vs PAK 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | West Indies vs Pakistan 4th T20I Key Players | Guyana Pitch Report
What was supposed to be important T20 World Cup preparation has turned into a damp squib. For the West Indies, who have their issues against spin, a battle against a good attack can help them answer crucial questions about their batting lineup for the showpiece tournament. Pakistan also have their own questions to answer, and would like more of an opportunity to build confidence ahead of their quest for T20 World Cup glory.
Instead, the weather has played the dominant role in this series, washing out two of the three matches so far. Rain is forecast again for the final match of the series, but one can hope that the weather relents enough to allow for a result in what was originally scheduled to be a slow burn five-match series. Pakistan have had the upper hand throughout the series thus far, which serves as a good challenge for the powerpacked Windies side to try and overcome.
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
West Indies:
Nicholas Pooran has a key role to play. He scored a brilliant 33-ball 62* in the second T20I, and enjoys playing at Providence Stadium (342 runs in 12 T20 knocks at a superb average and strike rate of 57.00 and 175.38 respectively). However, he has never made 30+ scores in consecutive T20I innings.
Shimron Hetmyer is also one to watch on his home ground. He couldn’t quite get going in the second T20I (17 off 18 balls), but he has plenty of T20 experience at Providence Stadium (14 inns, 401 runs, avg. 33.42, SR 133.22).
Chris Gayle could open again, and eyes will be on the Universe Boss to see whether he can overcome a poor run of form. In 2021, Gayle averages below 17 and strikes under 115 in T20Is (15 inns, 215 runs, avg. 16.53, SR 114.97).
Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell will be key in finishing well for the Windies. Pollard scored a 9-ball 22* in the first T20I, part of 170 runs vs Pakistan (avg. 24.28, SR 111.11). Can he improve on these numbers?
Jason Holder will be key in the powerplay and death overs. He took 4/26 in the second T20I, taking his tally to seven wickets in five T20s on this ground, as well as six scalps in six matches vs Pakistan.
Hayden Walsh was recently player of the series vs Australia. He was outstanding, with 11 wickets in five T20Is at a strike rate of just 10.
Dwayne Bravo has the most runs for any current WI player vs Pakistan (6 inns, 190 runs, avg. 31.66, SR 103.26). He will also be at the death (2/24 in the second T20I).
Pakistan:
Babar Azam now has four 50+ scores in 11 knocks vs West Indies. Also, Babar has the most runs in WI-PAK T20Is, with 454 at an average of 56.75 and strike rate of 125.41.
Mohammad Rizwan looked solid in his only hit out so far this series (46 off 36 balls in the second T20I). Rizwan has scored 1,252 runs in 28 T20s in 2021 at an average of 65.89 and strike rate in the region of 135.
Shadab Khan has the most wickets in WI-PAK T20Is (9 inns, 15 wickets, avg. 11.20, econ. 5.27). He is wicketless so far in five overs this series, but he was economical in the second match (0/22). He has the potential to take wickets if the Windies batsmen look to go after him.
Expect Mohammad Hafeez to play a role with the ball once again. He took 1/6 in the second T20I and won player of the match. However, Pakistan will also hope Hafeez turns his poor batting numbers around both against WI (6 inns, 56 runs, avg. 9.33) and on this ground (90 runs in nine innings at an average of 11.25).
Hasan Ali has taken 30 wickets in 20 T20s in 2021. He has the potential to take wickets in the death overs. As does Haris Rauf.
Stats and Facts
Pakistan have won 12 of the 15 completed T20Is against West Indies.
West Indies batted out 47 dot balls in the second T20I – an area they will be desperate to improve on today.
Pakistan have won the last four completed T20Is against the Windies.
Possible Playing 11
West Indies went into the third T20I without their two first-choice openers due to injuries. This could be the case again today.
West Indies: 1. Andre Fletcher, 2. Chris Gayle, 3. Shimron Hetmyer, 4. Nicholas Pooran (wk), 5. Kieron Pollard (c), 6. Andre Russell, 7. Jason Holder, 8. Romario Shepherd, 9. Dwayne Bravo, 10. Hayden Walsh, 11. Akeal Hosein
Haris Rauf replaced Shaheen Shah Afridi for the washed out third T20I. Pakistan could look to pick him again to give him a chance at the bowling crease.
Pakistan: 1. Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 2. Sharjeel Khan, 3. Babar Azam (c), 4. Fakhar Zaman, 5. Mohammad Hafeez, 6. Sohaib Maqsood/Azam Khan, 7. Shadab Khan, 8. Hasan Ali, 9. Mohammad Wasim/Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10. Usman Qadir, 11. Haris Rauf
Providence Stadium Guyana Pitch Report and Weather
Unfortunately, more rain is forecast in Guyana. However, there is hope that the rain will relent enough to allow for a match. According to AccuWeather, 2mm of rain will fall during the day in Guyana.
In terms of the pitch, slower balls and spin continues to reign supreme in West Indies. In CPL 2019, the average first innings score in seven matches on this ground was 161.43. The team batting first won four of those matches. Pakistan showed in the second T20I that a score in that region is certainly a competitive one.
Dream11 Prediction
Option 1:
WI vs PAK 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
WI vs PAK 4th T20 Dream11 Prediction
Match Prediction
Bat first and score in the region of 160. If the weather allows for a full game, this kind of score has been very effective in West Indies in recent times. If either side can reach this mark, they are favourites to win.
ENG vs IND: 5 key battles that can decide series | 5 key player battles that can decide the England vs India Test series
The second edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) is set commence in cracking fashion from the 4th of this month with India facing England in the first Test of the 5-match series at Nottingham.
With two strong teams scheduled to lock horns with each other, this series promises to be one full of twists and turns. Apart from the battle between the two sides, we will witness some magnificent contests between the players from both the sides. In this article, I am going to mention five such fascinating battles to watch out for that can turn the series in their team’s favour Here we go.
Ajinkya Rahane vs Stuart Broad
Ajinkya Rahane has struggled a lot against Stuart Broad in both India and England. Overall, Rahane averages just 16.5 against Broad with six dismissals, and five of those coming in England.
Broad was fabulous in the English summer last year and troubled the West Indies and Pakistan batsmen to the core by setting them up nicely. He got some appreciable seam movement off the pitch and used the wobbled-seam deliveries to perfection to bowl those lethal nip-backers. It will be interesting to see how Rahane deals with him in this series.
ENG vs IND: Stuart Broad will be crucial.
Jos Buttler vs Ishant Sharma
Jos Buttler, the English wicket-keeping batsman averages a mere 18 against Ishant Sharma. Ishant has dismissed Buttler five times in Test cricket with three of those dismissals being either lbw or bowled. So, it is quite clear that he targets the stumps against him and has been successful so far in doing so.
In the absence of Ben Stokes, Buttler has a key role to play for England, as he is their most experienced batsman after Joe Root. He is someone who can change the course of the match quickly by his extraordinary scoring abilities. So, his wicket is going to be a crucial one to pick for India and I am keen to see whether Ishant does this for India or not.
ENG vs IND: Can Ishant make a strong impact in this series?
Rishabh Pant vs Jack Leach
Rishabh Pant literally loves bald spinners, right? Statistically, Pant has scored 88 runs off 59 balls against Leach, whilst being dismissed only once by the spinner. His boundary run percentage is a phenomenal 72.72 against Leach, which suggests that he looks to score a lot against him.
In England, it will be tougher for him to score against the likes of Anderson and Broad. So, he definitely will look to attack Leach whenever he faces him. This can also create opportunities for Leach to deceive Pant with his variations and make him play a false shot. There is a chance that Leach might get the advantage of bowling in big English grounds this time. I believe Root will take chances by employing Leach against Pant and we will witness this fascinating battle.
ENG vs IND: Jack Leach will have a key role to play for England.
Rory Burns vs R Ashwin
R Ashwin has been a nightmare for almost all the left-handed batsmen around the world. He has so many variations in his armory to bamboozle the best in the business.
The experienced spinner dismissed Rory Burns thrice in the 4-match series played in India earlier this year. Also Ashwin, the new ball bowler, has a great reputation of picking crucial wickets. He troubled the great Alastair Cook with the new ball in India’s tour of England back in 2018. So, if the Indian seamers fail to pick the wicket of Burns with the new ball, Virat Kohli will most probably employ Ashwin early.
Burns is going to be the lone left-handed batsman in the English top order and middle order combined. So, if he gets out early, it can be advantageous for the Indian seamers as they will have to bowl only to the right-handed batsmen, which obviously will allow them to bowl in a particular channel consistently.
ENG vs IND: Ashwin will be a factor in England.
James Anderson vs Virat Kohli
This battle is definitely the main one to watch out for in a Test match between India and England. The two legends Virat Kohli and James Anderson will have a face-off yet again in this series and all eyes will be on these two to witness this historic rivalry.
Statistically, Kohli averages 47.2 against Anderson, but there was a time when Anderson had supreme dominance over the Indian captain. He dismissed Virat four times in the home series back in 2014, but has never been able to pick his wicket since then. Since 2016, Kohli has scored 194 runs against Anderson without dismissal. Although, some opportunities were missed by the English fielders, one can’t deny the fact that Virat has developed his technique to a great extent in order to tackle the English fast bowlers including the legend Anderson in their own den. This time it will be really interesting to see who edges the other in this most awaited battle.
ENG vs IND: Can the great James Anderson overcome the great Kohli?
BAN vs AUS 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BAN vs AUS 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Bangladesh vs Australia 1st T20I Key Players | Dhaka Pitch Report
We are in rare territory this August. It’s not often we see a Bangladesh–Australia matchup, and it’s even rarer in T20I circles. Never before have these two teams met in a T20I outside of the World Cup, and this five-match series has plenty riding on it as players look to stake their claims for a spot in their respective team’s T20 World Cup squad.
What an opportunity this is for Bangladesh. The last time Australia toured these shores was in 2017, where the Tigers created history by winning the first Test of that series. Shakib Al Hasan was the chief destroyer on that occasion, and Bangladesh will be hoping he has a similar impact here in the absence of Tamim Iqbal (injury) and Mushfiqur Rahim (COVID-19 quarantine).
Bangladesh are coming off a competitive series in Zimbabwe, where they achieved their second-highest successful chase of 194 to seal that series 2-1. While they need to improve on certain aspects of their game, they’ll consider themselves a chance against an Australia side reeling from a 4-1 series defeat in West Indies. Aaron Finch joins a list of experienced names unavailable, with Matthew Wade to lead a team desperate to build some confidence and momentum ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Bangladesh:
Shakib Al Hasan has enjoyed success against Australia before and he will no doubt be key here. The star all-rounder has scored 143 runs in the four T20Is against Australia (avg. 35.75, SR 123.27), including a score of 66 on this ground in the 2014 T20 World Cup. Plus, he has taken five wickets, including 3/27 in India back in 2016.
Also, Shakib has significant T20 experience at the Shere Bangla Stadium in Mirpur. He has played a total of 100 matches on this ground, with 1,759 runs and 135 wickets to his name.
Soumya Sarkar was outstanding in Zimbabwe, and Bangladesh will want him to replicate that form vs Australia. In the three recent T20Is, Sarkar scored two half-centuries (50, 8, 68) and took three wickets.
However, Soumya will be out to improve his T20 numbers on this ground (83 matches, 1,486 runs, avg. 20.64, SR 121.70).
Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah could be a key factor in this series. No player has scored more runs in T20Is on this ground than him (20 inns, 477 runs, avg. 53.00, SR 137.86), plus has a score of 49* in three T20Is vs Australia.
Watch out for Shamim Hossain, the finisher. In his two games in Zimbabwe, Shamim smashed 60 runs at a strike rate of 214.29.
Mohammad Saifuddin will be key for Bangladesh in the death overs. He is a wicket-taker, as his T20 record at Shere Bangla Stadium suggests (48 matches, 61 wickets).
Bangladesh will be hoping that Mustafizur Rahman is fit. He took 2/30 in his only T20I vs Australia so far (in 2016), and has taken an impressive 81 wickets in 58 T20s on this ground.
Australia:
Mitchell Marsh was the bright spot in a terrible T20I series for Australia in West Indies. Marsh enjoyed a dream series batting at number three, striking 219 runs in five T20Is at an average of 43.80 and strike rate of 152.08. He also took eight wickets.
Eyes will be on Josh Philippe who has not made a mark in T20I cricket yet. He is set to open, which is his preferred position in this format. When opening, Philippe has struck 1,249 in 44 T20s at an average of 31.23 and strike rate of 136.80.
Can Matthew Wade make an impact in the middle order? He has historically found it tough in positions four, five and six in T20s, scoring a total of 467 runs in 24 innings at an average of 19.45 and strike rate of 115.88 combined in these positions.
Ashton Agar will be key in these conditions. He has come of age since the start of 2020, taking 22 wickets in 13 T20Is, including two five wicket hauls.
Mitchell Starc was recently player of the series in the ODIs vs West Indies. If picked, he will be aiming to replicate such form at both crunch stages of the innings (powerplay and death overs). Starc took 1/25 in his only T20I vs Bangladesh to date, back in 2016.
Adam Zampa was player of the match in Australia’s last T20I vs Bangladesh in 2016 (3/23).
Stats and Facts
Australia have won all four T20Is against Bangladesh.
This will be the first T20I between the two sides outside of T20 World Cups.
Shakib Al Hasan needs five wickets to become the second men’s player to take 100 T20I wickets.
Mitchell Starc needs two wickets to become the first Australian to 50 T20I wickets. Adam Zampa needs three to reach this mark.
Possible Playing 11
Liton Das, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim are all unavailable for Bangladesh. Also, Mustafizur Rahman is in doubt with injury.
Bangladesh: 1. Soumya Sarkar, 2. Mohammad Naim, 3. Shakib Al Hasan, 4. Mahmudullah (c), 5. Afif Hossain, 6. Shamim Hossain, 7. Nurul Hasan (wk), 8. Mohammad Saifuddin, 9. Mahedi Hasan/Nasun Ahmed, 10. Taskin Ahmed, 11. Mustafizur Rahman/Shoriful Islam
Matthew Wade said he will be batting in the middle order to try help Australia shore up that troublesome area of their game. The number four spot could be between Alex Carey (who has a poor T20I record) and Moises Henriques (who struggled in West Indies).
Also, it remains to be seen if Australia wish to play Mitchell Starc right away after he played all eight matches in the recent West Indies tour.
Australia: 1. Josh Philippe, 2. Ben McDermott, 3. Mitch Marsh, 4. Alex Carey, 5. Matthew Wade (c & wk), 6. Ashton Turner, 7. Dan Christian, 8. Ashton Agar, 9. Mitchell Starc/Nathan Ellis, 10. Adam Zampa, 11. Josh Hazlewood
Shere Bangla National Stadium Mirpur Dhaka Pitch Report and Weather
Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo said that he expects a classic Dhaka pitch that won’t spin too much. That being said, expect the pitch to be on the slower side. Since 2019, the team batting first has won three of five T20 Internationals. In the recent Dhaka Premier League, the team batting first won the last three games of the tournament.
There are some thunderstorms forecast for Dhaka in this rainy season. However, according to AccuWeather, most of the rain will be in the morning with not much forecast for the evening. This game will begin at 6pm local time.
Dream11 Prediction
Option 1:
BAN vs AUS 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
BAN vs AUS 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction
Match Prediction
A competitive match in the making here. It is Australia’s bowlers who hold the key in this one against a Bangladesh side missing a few key batsmen. For that reason, Australia will get the victory.
Should India recall R Ashwin to their T20I side? | Looking at whether India should pick Ravichandran Ashwin in the T20I team
We are getting closer to the T20 World Cup with each passing day and all teams are trying hard to resolve whatever issues they have in their T20I side.
India are definitely one of the top contenders for the title, but they also have some areas to work on; their spin department being one of their biggest concerns now. As the World Cup is taking place in the UAE, it is important to have a good spin attack. Now the question arises whether India should recall their most experienced spinner R Ashwin into the T20I team or not. In this article, I have tried my best to find a solution to this question considering several factors as mentioned below.
Recent performances of Chahal and Kuldeep in T20Is:
Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav were India’s most dependable spinners a few years ago. However, they both suffered a slump of form after the 2019 World Cup and their performances have only declined at international level since then. The batsmen are picking their variations quite well and they both haven’t been impactful in recent times. I have presented a table below, which gives an idea of their miserable returns in T20Is since 2019 World Cup.
Matches
Wickets
Average
Strike rate
Economy
Chahal
18
17
36.58
24.70
8.88
Kuldeep
5
6
21.5
14
9.21
It’s pretty clear from these stats that they both have been struggling to pick wickets and control the flow of runs as well for quite a while now. In such a scenario, the case becomes stronger for someone like Ashwin to make a comeback and lead the Indian spin attack.
The problem with the other available options:
Apart from Chahal and Kuldeep, India have several other spin bowling options with Washington Sundar, Rahul Chahar, Varun Chakravarthy and Krishnappa Gowtham being ahead in the pecking order in the current scenario. Sundar has blown hot and cold recently as he has conceded runs at an economy of more than 8 in four out of his most recent 5 T20I series. Also, his average of 33.16 and SR of 24.25 suggest his inability of picking wickets regularly. The other bowlers have a combined experience of 8 T20I games. Some of these guys can be the backup spinners, but certainly they are not going to lead the attack. Ashwin brings the experience with him. So, he can perform as well as guide the other spinners by mentoring them.
Ashwin’s current white ball form:
Ashwin was brilliant in IPL 2019 and 2020, in which he picked 28 wickets and bowled at a good economy rate of 7.46 in both the tournaments combined. He bowled some really impressive spells in IPL 2020, which was played in the UAE. Also, he is not just an off spinner. He possesses all the varieties in the world and has the capacity of bamboozling the best in the business. So, India have their most experienced “mystery spinner” in front of their eyes. Thus, his inclusion brings a different dimension to the Indian spin bowling department, which majorly contains wrist spinners.
The only concern regarding Ashwin’s inclusion is his fitness issue in recent times. As he is almost 35 years old, many of you might want him to focus only on Tests for the rest of his career, but I see things from a different perspective. In my opinion, it’s a matter of just this World Cup which is a few months away.
So, it won’t be a bad call to recall the most experienced Indian spinner for the sake of this mega event. It is obviously subjected to Ashwin’s performance in the second leg of the IPL 2021, which is also scheduled in the UAE. If he performs admirably, I do not see any reason for not including him in the list of World Cup probables.
India player ratings from T20I series vs Sri Lanka | Rating each India player out of 10 from their T20I series defeat against Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka overcame the disappointment of losing the ODI series by winning the 3-match T20I series handsomely by 2-1 to register their first bilateral series win in 21 attempts over India across formats since 2008.
After winning the first T20I comfortably, the Men In Blue had to dig deep to field a playing eleven for the final two T20Is against Sri Lanka due to the COVID-19 scare in the visiting camp. While the second T20 was a close affair, India were completely outplayed in all the departments of the final fixture of the series. For the 3 match series, India had to use the pool of the 19 players to complete the COVID-19 affected series.
Here is the report card of the Indian players, who played a minimum of two matches:
Shikhar Dhawan: 5/10
86 runs @ 28.66, SR: 108.86
The captain had a great start to the series both as a captain and as a batsman at the top. However, with tracks wearing out, it became difficult for him to score freely also the captaincy pressure was there which made things tough for him in the series.
Sanju Samson: 2/10
34 runs @ 11.33, SR: 94.4
This probably was the last chance for Sanju Samson to do justice of his ability, but once again he failed to deliver at international level. He was pretty ordinary on slow decks with the bat and gloves in the series.
India player ratings from T20I series vs Sri Lanka: Sanju Samson was not able to replicate his best IPL form.
Devdutt Padikkal: 3/10
38 runs @ 19.0, SR: 100
After missing the ODIs, Devdutt Padikkal got his chance in the T20I series and despite having a great run in the 20-over format this year, he failed to make any impression though in the two games.
Ruturaj Gaikwad: 3/10
35 runs @ 17.0, SR: 125
Not a dasher, but his style of play was most suited to play in spin-friendly conditions. He looked good, was timing the ball well but the sluggish nature of the wicket meant he couldn’t go big in any of his two games.
Nitish Rana: 2/10
15 runs @ 7.5, SR: 55.5
Rana is a top-order player but because of heavy trafficking at the top, he was forced to bat in the middle which made life tough for him in his first T20I series as he struggled for timing in the two innings he batted in Colombo.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar: 8/10
5 wickets @ 10.4, Eco: 5.47
It was an important series for Bhuvneshwar as a player and also being the vice-captain of the team he needed to take the extra responsibility of leading the young pace unit. The pacer was impressive with his control and lines with the ball. His good form is a plus for India from this series.
India player ratings from T20I series vs Sri Lanka: Bhuvneshwar Kumar is enjoying a good 2021.
Kuldeep Yadav: 7/10
2 wickets @ 23.0, Eco: 7.6
The series was a great chance for him to make a comeback into the first-choice white-ball side, but he may not be too happy at the end of it. He had a decent series with the ball in helpful conditions. The tally of wickets would have easily been more had India reviewed a decision or the fielders hadn’t dropped catches.
Rahul Chahar: 9/10
4 wickets @ 10.5, Eco: 5.25
The pick of the Indian bowlers in the series, Chahar proved to be a wicket-taker for India whenever he was called upon to bowl. He took major strides towards sealing a T20 World Cup spot with his superb variations and consistency.
Varun Chakravarthy: 6/10
2 wickets @ 30.5, Eco: 5.3
While it wasn’t the best series for the mystery spinner, he showed glimpses of the effectiveness of his bowling. One can say he was a tad short with the lengths he bowled but an economy rate of 5.3 is very good for someone who also has bowled in the slog overs.
Chetan Sakariya – 2/10
One wicket @ 34.0, Eco: 9.27
Sakariya took part in the last two T20Is of the series but only had just one opportunity with the ball in hand. He couldn’t replicate his IPL heroics as he only managed to bag a single wicket and was expensive in his debut T20I game.
WI vs PAK 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | WI vs PAK 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction | West Indies vs Pakistan 3rd T20I Key Players | Guyana Pitch Report
Pakistan’s terrific T20I record against West Indies continued with a hard-fought, confidence-boosting victory in yesterday’s second T20I. The bowlers, led by the wily Mohammad Hafeez, kept the powerful Windies lineup in check for the most part. Incredibly, the home side, packed power hitters, could only muster 84/3 in their first 15 overs to leave Pooran and co. with too much to do despite his best efforts.
It is clear to see that the Windies batsmen don’t yet have the answers against Pakistan’s bowlers. Nicholas Pooran led the way with some extraordinary late hitting to give his side a sniff after the run rate barely got above six throughout the first three quarters of the innings. However, they need more from their top order if they wish to keep the series alive.
It is not a Pakistan game without some drama. Looking comfortable for the most part, thanks to more reliable batting from their main duo and some excellent bowling, the tourists only had to weather the Pooran storm to achieve a solid victory. The middle order and finishing still leaves a bit to be desired, but the manner in which they restricted the Windies to an incredible 47 dot balls is cause for encouragement.
Now, the Windies must win to keep the series alive with two matches to play. For Pakistan, it is a chance to achieve a massive confidence boost ahead of the World Cup.
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
West Indies:
How good was Nicholas Pooran yesterday? The left-hander is in some decent form, with a recent half-century in the second ODI vs Australia and a brilliant 33-ball 62* yesterday.
Pooran really enjoys batting at the Providence Stadium. The keeper-batsman now has 342 runs to his name in 12 T20 knocks at a superb average and strike rate of 57.00 and 175.38 respectively. However, he has never made two consecutive 30+ scores in T20Is.
Eyes will be on Chris Gayle who continues to struggle in T20Is in 2021 (14 inns, 214 runs, avg. 16.46, SR 115.67). West Indies will be hoping he improves on his worrying record against Pakistan (5 inns, 34 runs, avg. 6.80).
Watch out for Shimron Hetmyer on his home ground. He couldn’t quite get going yesterday (17 off 18 balls), but he has plenty of T20 experience at Providence Stadium (14 inns, 401 runs, avg. 33.42, SR 133.22).
Kieron Pollard remains a dangerous finisher for West Indies, especially if Andre Russell is unavailable again. He scored a 9-ball 22* in the first T20I, part of 170 runs vs Pakistan (avg. 24.28, SR 111.11). Can he improve on these numbers?
Jason Holder will be key in the death overs, once again. After his fruitful outing yesterday (4/26), Holder now has seven wickets in five T20s on this ground, as well as six scalps in six matches vs Pakistan.
Dwayne Bravo, before yesterday (2/24), had just one wicket in six matches vs Pakistan at an average of 120. Like Holder, Bravo will be key with the ball in the death overs. Also, Bravo has the most runs for any current WI player vs Pakistan (6 inns, 190 runs, avg. 31.66, SR 103.26).
Hayden Walsh was recently player of the series vs Australia. He was outstanding, with 11 wickets in five T20Is at a strike rate of just 10.
Pakistan:
After his latest half-century, Babar Azam now has four 50+ scores in 11 knocks vs West Indies. No player has more runs in WI-PAK T20Is than Babar, with an impressive haul of 454 at an average of 56.75 and strike rate of 125.41.
Mohammad Rizwan was looking solid once again before getting run out (46 off 36 balls). This is part of a great 2021 for Rizwan, where he has scored 1,252 runs in 27 T20s at an average of 65.89 and strike rate in the region of 135.
Mohammad Hafeez won his first ever player of the match award as a bowler. His spell of 1/6 was remarkable given the power in the Windies’ lineup, and there is little doubt that Babar will turn to Hafeez with the ball again today.
If Hafeez can deliver with the bat too, then Pakistan will benefit greatly. Hafeez historically struggles vs West Indies (6 inns, 56 runs, avg. 9.33) and also has a poor batting record on this ground in T20s (just 90 runs in nine innings at an average of 11.25).
Shadab Khan has the most wickets in WI-PAK T20Is (9 inns, 15 wickets, avg. 11.20, econ. 5.27). He is wicketless so far in five overs this series, but his economical spell of 0/22 put Pakistan in a good position. He could be in the wickets today if the Windies batsmen look to go after him.
Hasan Ali continues to have a good 2021, with 30 wickets in 19 T20s. He now has 13 scalps in 10 matches vs West Indies (avg. 19.71, SR 14.7), and will be key as he bowls in the crunch overs. As does Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Stats and Facts
Pakistan dominate the head-to-head vs West Indies. They have won 12 of 16 matches, with one no result.
Pakistan have won the last four completed T20Is between these two teams.
West Indies played out 47 dot balls in the first T20I, which is nearly eight overs without scoring.
Possible Playing 11
Evin Lewis retired hurt with an abdomen/stomach issue yesterday, which puts him in doubt for this one. This could mean that Chris Gayle moves to opener, should Lendl Simmons also miss out. If that’s the case, and the likes of Andre Russell and Fabian Allen miss out again, then the Windies could be forced to play an extra bowler.
West Indies: 1. Andre Fletcher, 2. Chris Gayle, 3. Shimron Hetmyer, 4. Nicholas Pooran (wk), 5. Kieron Pollard (c), 6. Jason Holder, 7. Dwayne Bravo, 8. Romario Shepherd, 9. Hayden Walsh, 10. Akeal Hossain, 11. Kevin Sinclair/Fidel Edwards
Pakistan could look to play the same XI that won yesterday, even though Usman Qadir was given just one over.
Pakistan: 1. Sharjeel Khan, 2. Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 3. Babar Azam (c), 4. Fakhar Zaman, 5. Mohammad Hafeez, 6. Sohaib Maqsood, 7. Hasan Ali, 8. Shadab Khan, 9. Mohammad Wasim, 10. Usman Qadir/Imad Wasim, 11. Shaheen Shah Afridi
Providence Stadium Guyana Pitch Report and Weather
Slower balls and spin continues to reign supreme in West Indies. In CPL 2019, the average first innings score in seven matches on this ground was 161.43, with the team batting first winning four of those. Pakistan showed yesterday that a score in that region is certainly a competitive one. It remains to be seen if the same pitch will be used for this match.
Approximately 8mm of rain is forecast for the morning in Guyana, with less expected in the afternoon. Hopefully there should be enough play to decide a result in this one.
Dream11 Prediction
Note: Teams below are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these teams in time after the final playing XIs have been announced.
Option 1:
WI vs PAK 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
WI vs PAK 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction
Match Prediction
Bat first and score in the region of 160. This kind of score has been very effective in West Indies in recent times, and such a score here can be a winning one.
WI vs PAK 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | WI vs PAK 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | West Indies vs Pakistan T20I Key Players | Guyana Pitch Report
A number of West Indies players have poor head-to-head T20I records against Pakistan. More of the same took place in the first T20I, even though it is hard to judge the players given the innings was reduced to just nine overs on a slow Barbados track.
Now, the series moves to Guyana and will be a best-of-three as the first encounter was unfortunately ruined by the weather. Babar Azam and Kieron Pollard shook hands and shared smiles as the Barbados rain refused to relent, and now both will be looking to be relentless in the quest for a 1-0 series lead.
Pakistan, predictably unpredictable, have enjoyed past success in West Indies. However, a focused Windies ahead of a T20 World Cup is a whole different challenge, but the Pakistanis equipped themselves well with the ball in the nine overs against the home side’s plethora of power hitters. They will be hoping for more of the same with the ball, as well as strong performances from their batting lineup; particularly the middle order, if needed.
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
West Indies:
Evin Lewis has the potential to take the game away from Pakistan. His battle with Hasan Ali should make for interesting viewing. However, West Indies will be hoping he improves on a shocking T20 record at Providence Stadium, Guyana (7 inns, 80 runs, avg. 11.43, SR 63.49).
Also, Lewis has a poor record vs Pakistan (121 runs, avg. 17.28, SR 135.95). These 121 runs come in seven knocks, which includes one score of 91. Can Lewis build on some good recent form to turn these numbers around?
Incredibly, Chris Gayle is yet to cross 10 in a T20I vs Pakistan (4 inns, 18 runs, avg. 4.50). Also, Providence Stadium is not one of Gayle’s favourite stadiums in T20 cricket (8 inns, 165 runs, avg. 20.63, SR 105.10). Like Lewis, can Gayle turn some poor numbers around?
Kieron Pollard got the Windies out of some trouble in the first T20I, with a 9-ball 22. Pollard now has the second-most runs of any current WI player against Pakistan (9 inns, 157 runs, avg. 26.16, SR 112.94), and has a steady-but-unspectacular T20 record at Providence Stadium (8 inns, 168 runs, avg. 28.00, SR 135.48). He also has eight wickets on this ground.
Dwayne Bravo has the most runs of any current WI player against Pakistan (6 inns, 190 runs, avg. 31.66, SR 103.26). However, he’s historically struggled with ball vs Pakistan, with just one wicket in six matches at an average of 120. He has 11 wickets in nine T20s on this ground.
Hayden Walsh was recently player of the series vs Australia. He was outstanding, with 11 wickets in five T20Is at a strike rate of just 10. Also, Walsh has taken two wickets in two T20s on this ground.
Pakistan:
Babar Azam has a enjoys playing the West Indies. No player has more runs in WI-PAK T20Is than the Pakistani skipper (10 inns, 403 runs, avg. 57.57, SR 125.15). Also, he scored the most runs in Pakistan’s T20I series in West Indies in 2017 (137 runs, avg. 34.25, SR 103.78).
Mohammad Rizwan has amassed 1,206 runs in 25 T20s this year at an average of 67.00 and strike rate of 135.20. This is set to be his first ever T20I innings vs West Indies.
Sohaib Maqsood struck over 400 runs in PSL 2021 at a strike rate in excess of 150. He will be key in solving Pakistan’s middle order/finishing. As will Mohammad Hafeez, who has a poor past record vs WI: 5 inns, 50 runs, avg. 10.00, SR 80.64. Also, Hafeez has struggled in T20s at Providence Stadium, with just 84 runs in eight innings at an average of 12.00.
Shadab Khan has a fine record vs West Indies. No bowler has more wickets in WI-PAK matches (15 in eight matches, avg. 9.73, SR 11.1, econ. 5.24). Also, he took 10 wickets in four T20Is in West Indies in 2017, and has seven wickets in three T20s on this ground.
Hasan Ali looked in fine touch in the first T20I. His slower ball will be key again in such conditions.
Stats and Facts
Head-to-head: Matches 15, West Indies 3, Pakistan 11, 1 N/R.
Andre Russell’s 70 T20 runs at Providence Stadium come at a strike rate of 159.09 (avg. 23.33).
Obed McCoy took four wickets in his only T20 so far at Providence Stadium in Guyana.
Possible Playing 11
Lendl Simmons is in some doubt. He retired hurt in the first T20I after he was struck on the neck. Also, it remains to be seen if Fabian Allen and Obed McCoy are fit enough to play here after missing the first match due to injuries.
West Indies: 1. Lendl Simmons/Andre Fletcher, 2. Evin Lewis, 3. Chris Gayle, 4. Shimron Hetmyer, 5. Nicholas Pooran (wk), 6. Andre Russell, 7. Kieron Pollard (c), 8. Jason Holder/Obed McCoy, 9. Dwayne Bravo, 10. Hayden Walsh, 11. Akeal Hosein
Pakistan should stick with the same XI.
Pakistan: 1. Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 2. Sharjeel Khan, 3. Babar Azam (c), 4. Fakhar Zaman, 5. Mohammad Hafeez, 6. Azam Khan, 7. Shadab Khan, 8. Hasan Ali, 9. Mohammad Wasim, 10. Usman Qadir, 11. Shaheen Shah Afridi
Providence Stadium Guyana Pitch Report and Weather
Some showers are forecast throughout the day in Guyana, but hopefully there should be enough play for a result. In terms of the surface, the last T20I played here was in 2019 where India chased West Indies’ 146 with ease. In CPL 2019, the average first innings score in seven matches on this ground was 161.43, with the team batting first winning four of those.
Dream11 Prediction
Note: Teams below are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these teams in time after the final playing XIs have been announced.
Option 1:
WI vs PAK 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
WI vs PAK 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction
Match Prediction
Tough game to pick, given Pakistan’s good record against West Indies. If the Pakistan bowlers can restrict the Windies batsmen in the powerplay and death overs, then Pakistan are a great chance of winning.
ENG vs IND: 5 major challenges for India to overcome | 5 major challenges for Kohli-led India in the England vs India Test series
The Indian cricket team is set to kick off a long English summer, as they will face the Joe Root-led England side for a five-match long Test series.
It will also mark the commencement of the coming cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC). Such is the nature of the competition that a team cannot afford to be a complacent even for a moment, given that it can have remarkable repercussions with respect to their qualifying chances two years down the line.
On that note, the Indian team will be edging for a successful series against the Englishmen, and here we note down five major challenges that Kohli’s men will have to face in that course of action.
1. Opening Conundrum
5 major challenges for India to overcome: Who will partner Rohit?
Amidst the historic Australian tour, one got the impression that the Indian team had found their ideal opening combination for foreign conditions. Shubman Gill looked to have come of age at that time, with Rohit Sharma steadily doing the job demanded of him quite well too.
The duo delivered fairly well in the first innings of the WTC finale as well. However, Gill’s injury means that we might be staring at another rejig at the top for now. Mayank Agarwal opened with Rohit in the practice game whereas KL Rahul struck a fluent century from the middle-order in the very same match.
There’s also the option of slotting in a consistent domestic opener like Abhimanyu Easwaran in the XI, though it might be very unlikely to happen.
Furthermore, someone like Cheteshwar Pujara could also be asked to open with Rohit, with Rahul being slotted in the middle along with skipper and vice-captain Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane. The route that the Indian team opts to take might as well determine their fate in this series.
2. The Tailend Challenge
A persistent issue troubling the Indian team across many years is the tailend challenge. The side tends to concede an additional amount of runs to the opposition’s backend and falls short of holding their ground with the willow when push comes to shove for their own tailend.
This creates a disparity in the overall totals and ends up being detrimental to the Indian team’s chances, especially on foreign soil. This was apparent in the WTC final too, wherein the Kiwi pacers scored a handful with the duo of Kyle Jamieson and Tim Southee notching 51 runs between them.
In a low-scoring encounter, those contributions turned out to be extremely decisive, with the Indian tail-enders being unable to match up to the Kiwi’s proficiency with the bat.
The bowling unit might have to come up with certain specific strategies to prevent that from happening, with the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin offering extra cushion with the willow towards the fag end of the batting order.
3. KL Rahul. Does he fit in or not?
5 major challenges for India to overcome: KL Rahul to play a factor?
For far too long, KL Rahul has been an exceptional player unlucky to cement a permanent slot in the Indian team. More often than not it has been a result of mounting competition that has pushed him to stay on the sidelines.
However, there have been murmurs of the flamboyant batter making it to the Indian XI in the England series, though the spot that he might play in is quite uncertain as of now.
Perhaps, the Indian side is looking to add further steel in their lineup following the WTC finale and hence would go for an extra batsman in place of either Jadeja or Ashwin. In such an instance, Rahul could possibly get a spot in the middle-order, in place of someone like Hanuma Vihari.
The Punjab Kings skipper scored an excellent century in the practice match recently, further amplifying calls for his inclusion in the XI.
There’s also a spot vacant at the top, where he might face tough competition from Mayank Agarwal. Nevertheless, to adjust the right-hander in the XI and his subsequent performances will be an interesting point to ponder upon for the Indian team management.
4. The Mohammed Siraj factor
Mohammed Siraj has been an absolute revelation for the Indian team ever since debuting in the Border-Gavaskar series last year.
Having toiled it hard in the domestic circuit for years, the pacer seamlessly slotted into the thick of things and spearheaded the bowling attack in the wake of injuries to many senior players to lead India to a historic series victory.
However, Ishant Sharma’s return meant that Siraj had to sit out of the WTC finale XI, in which many predicted him to actually make it to the final team. Regardless of that, the coming five-match series will present captain Kohli countless opportunities to factor a pacer of Siraj’s caliber into the XI.
His bowling style will perhaps suit the English conditions quite as well, and his tireless attitude ensures that the other premier bowlers could catch a break whenever required. By the end of the series, one can arguably witness some key alterations in India’s bowling unit, courtesy of Mohammed Siraj.
5. Collective batting effort
The Indian team would require much more than individual heroics to capture a memorable victory in the English shores this time around. A five-match long series demands consistent, collective efforts from key batsmen and the experienced, seasoned heads in the camp surely realize this.
At times, one has witnessed fragmented displays of peerless batting from different players in the Indian unit, which has saved the day for the team.
However, this tour would require the key men to stand up and front the challenge together, as they would face a skillful English bowling unit that is peerless in home conditions.
The Indian bowlers will be up for the challenge and have demonstrated their abilities time and again. The Indian batsmen have done so too, but now it’s time for all of them to do it simultaneously, match after match.
