MS Dhoni Tribute: A fan’s take on the great MSD | Indian fan pays tribute to Indian legendMS Dhoni
“Champions don’t leave with a bang, they do it with a whimper”. is a common saying. There is no one better in this than CAPTAIN COOL.
Be it post-Melbourne Test in 2014 when he said goodbye to Test cricket, or when he stepped down as captain three years back when no one was expecting it, nothing changed this time too. When the whole of India was celebrating the 73rd Independence Day, there comes a video notification captioning “THANKS”.
Personally, I am not a die hard Dhoni fan like millions of others, but the video makes me numb and speechless. Emotions were going wild within a few seconds. Most of his fans of my generation saw him for the first time during the 2007 World T20; that young Mahi with long hairs making unimaginable things happen.
When you think of an achievement in cricket world one finds, he has got all of them. From the World T20 to ODI World Cup. From the CB series in Australia to the Champions Trophy triumph, to India’s Test series in New Zealand to no.1 Test team under his leadership. The Indian team achieved it all under his guidance.
MS Dhoni Tribute: Dhoni was outstanding in Test cricket, too.
The BELIEF he earned all over the years is incredible. People believe because of him. They would say “we are a chance because Mahi is standing there” even if the team score is 29-7 or 20 is needed off the final over. In the 2019 World Cup Semi Final, people still had hope as long as Dhoni was at the crease.
In a casual lunch chat last December, he spoke his heart out to a journalist about how he kept thinking for months if things would have been different had he had dived that day, even though he had never dived in his life. He then made himself unavailable for selection, keeping the world confused. But, little did we know he himself was going through some trauma. After all, he is a normal human being, too. He then went to an army camp to try and lose himself in serving the country as a soldier, as he always said that the army is a place where I am just an another soldier and not MS DHONI.
A player who could change game with his batting, wicket keeping and captaincy has said goodbye to this beautiful game. But, life goes on and when I talk about Dhoni. It can’t be just limited to on-field Dhoni – it’s always about Dhoni the person. Coming from a middle-class family and achieving what he has, Dhoni has sent a very loud and clear message that hard work pays off in the end. Inspiring millions to work hard for their dreams, and also showing them how to remain cool and calm in tough situations is so important in life. He has inspired people to be better players, leaders and above all, a better human being.
Cricket and life throws up many twists and turns. MS Dhoni was known to be the fastest runner between the wickets but got run out in his first and last innings. It’s sport and there is no rewind button for anyone be it Sachin or MS. He is an inspiration and institution in himself. Dhoni, you have retired from internationals, but you’ll remain not out in our hearts.
ENG vs AUS 1st T20I Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs AUS 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Australia 1st T20 Key Players | Southampton Pitch Report
One of the cricket’s greatest rivalries restarts in one of cricket’s most unusual circumstances. In contrast to the packed crowds of the World Cup and Ashes battles of 2019, England and Australia lock horns in a T20I series that has been carefully planned, remains carefully planned and will be played in front of empty seats.
Ashley Giles, director of England’s men’s team, was “quietly confident” of this series going ahead, even without crowds. Indeed, what the just-concluded Pakistan series tought us is that we can still be treated to thrilling cricket even in these unusual circumstances. England failed to win the series after falling short in the third T20I, but with plenty of cricket under their belts in the past eight weeks, they will be looking to make a good start against their old enemy.
Australia, on the other hand, will be playing their first international match since March. So, the big question is how quickly Aaron Finch’s men can hit the ground running against a side with cricket under its belt. However, if you can recall, Australia began to find some consistency in T20I cricket, with strong series wins against Sri Lanka, Pakistan and South Africa in the past year to now sit pretty in top spot in the T20I rankings.
So, with some continuity in their squad, can the Aussies make a positive start against England at Southampton?
In nine T20Is since returning from his ban, David Warner has been unstoppable. He has scored 415 runs at an average of 138.33 and SR of 142.12. So, can Warner improve his poor record vs England? He averages just 17.66 against them in nine T20Is.
Aaron Finch returns to the ground where he struck an unbelievable 156 off 63 balls in 2013. Also, Finch has the most runs of any player in England-Australia T20Is, with 425 runs at an average of 70.83 and SR of 189.73.
Eoin Morgan, who looked in strong touch in the recent series vs Pakistan, has the most T20I runs for England vs Australia (247 runs, avg. 24.70, SR 146.15).
Tom Banton was England’s top-scorer in the just-concluded T20I series vs Pakistan. He looked dangerous throughout the series, with 137 runs at 45.66, with a SR of 153.93.
Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan round out an important top four for England. Malan is enjoying an excellent T20I career so far, with seven 50+ scores in 13 matches.
Steve Smith has taken his white-ball batting to another level in the past year, actually striking better than David Warner in this period – 147.92 (avg. 83.33).
Jos Buttler returns to England’s white-ball setup. Can he make an impact in this series as he did in the Tests vs Pakistan? Watch out also for Glenn Maxwell, who recently scored a century in an intra-squad match.
Chris Jordan is coming off 2/29 vs Pakistan, and has six wickets in four T20Is vs Australia. His yorkers will be key.
Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc will be a key duo for Australia this series. Starc has taken 12 wickets in eight T20Is since October last year. Cummins has been strong, too, with 11 wickets in eight T20Is.
Ashton Agar was superb in South Africa earlier in 2020 (eight wickets in three T20Is, including a five-for). He could play a key role on the slower England tracks.
Jofra Archer returns to the England setup. He has a strong record of 121 wickets in 95 T20 matches.
ENG vs AUS 1st T20 Preview Dream11: Can Eoin Morgan lead England to a win?
Stats and Facts
Australia have won five of their last seven T20Is against England, dating back to 2014.
Australia won their only T20I at Southampton to date, beating England by 39 runs in a very high-scoring match in 2013 (248 vs 209). Aaron Finch starred with 156 off 63 balls.
If Marcus Stoinis plays, he will come into the match in great form. He has scored 87, 17 and 68 in three intra-squad matches to date, as well as taking 4/31 in the 50-over warmup.
Moeen Ali was enduring a poor run of form since the restart. Can he now build on his strong performance of 61 (33) and 1/10 in the last game vs Pakistan?
Possible Playing 11
Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood are all back in England’s white-ball setup. Buttler is set to open with Jonny Bairstow, which is a dangerous opening partnership.
England: 1. Jonny Bairstow, 2. Jos Buttler (wk), 3. Dawid Malan, 4. Eoin Morgan (c), 5. Tom Banton, 6. Moeen Ali, 7. Tom Curran, 8. Jofra Archer, 9. Chris Jordan, 10. Adil Rashid, 11. Mark Wood
Australia have some decisions to make. Do they go with Mitchell Marsh or Marcus Stoinis as their seam all-rounder? Stoinis historically struggles to get going in the middle order, but is in good touch. Also, it remains to be seen if BBL stars Josh Philippe and Riley Meredith get an opportunity.
Aaron Finch ruled out the possibility of Marnus Labuschagne making his T20I debut, despite a century in an intra-squad T20 match.
Australia: 1. Aaron Finch (c), 2. David Warner, 3. Steve Smith, 4. Glenn Maxwell, 5. Mitchell Marsh/Marcus Stoinis, 6. Alex Carey (wk), 7. Ashton Agar, 8. Pat Cummins, 9. Mitchell Starc, 10. Adam Zampa, 11. Kane Richardson/Riley Meredith
Southampton Pitch and Weather Report
Southampton frustrated us all during the Test series against Pakistan. Constant rain ruined the last two Tests. However, the forecast for this first T20I is promising, with not much rain expected at all.
In terms of the pitch, batting-friendly strips have been the norm in white-ball internationals in England in the past few years. This should remain the case this time around, with two strong sides on show. The average first innings score in the past three Southampton T20Is is 176.67, with the chasing team winning the past two T20Is.
Dream11 Prediction
Option 1:
ENG vs AUS 1st T20I Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
ENG vs AUS 1st T20I Dream11 Prediction
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Match Prediction
A blockbuster awaits. A very difficult match to choose.
England’s run of matches compared to Australia, who are playing their first international since March, could be a crucial factor. However, Australia won’t use that as an excuse in a game which has the makings for a high-scoring clash.
CPL 2020 Match 26: BT vs GAW Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BAR vs GUY Dream11 Prediction Today 3 September 2020 | Barbados Tridents vs Guyana Amazon Warriors Key Players | Tarouba Pitch Report
Guyana Amazon Warriors lock horns with Barbados Tridents at Tarouba on Thursday, as the struggling defending champions will push their case to seal the final Semi Final spot in CPL 2020.
With a win over the St Lucia Zouks on Wednesday, Guyana, the CPL 2019 runners-up, are now guaranteed to finish in the top four, joining Trinbago Knight Riders and St Lucia Zouks. Keemo Paul, Imran Tahir and Naveen Ul Haq were economical and also among the wickets as they restricted the Darren Sammy-led side to 109-7. Hetmyer’s half century in the chase, meant that the Warriors completed the target with a little more than six overs to spare.
The two teams met on Tuesday when GAW triumphed over the Barbados side in convincing fashion as they restricted them to 92 after reducing them to 27/8. In the end, they chased it down with ease, thanks to a 49-ball-51 by Brandon King. The Tridents have really struggled in CPL 2020, only winning a couple out of their 8 games so far. They need to win both their remaining games to have any chance of finishing in the top four and edge the Tallawahs for the 4th place. It’s now or never.
Brandon King scored an unbeaten 51 against the Tridents earlier this week. Overall, he has 278 runs vs Barbados at an average of 139.00. He will be the key for the Warriors at the top of the order.
Shimron Hetmyer finally ended his streak of single digit scores with a half century against the Zouks. With just a game to go before the Semi Finals, GAW will be happy that the southpaw has finally struck form.
Nicholas Pooran is the third-highest run-scorer in CPL 2020 (234).
Naveen Ul Haq was impressive with a four-wicket haul in the previous game between these two sides and poses a serious threat to the fragile Tridents batting line-up
Jason Holder has been poor with his batting contributions in CPL 2020 and he needs to step up in the final two games to enhance the qualification chances of the defending champions.
Rashid Khan was expected to be a star performer in this year’s edition. The leg spinner has been decent lately but has lacked the support from his bowlers.
CPL 2020 Match 26 Preview Dream11: BAR vs GUY – It is a big game for Jason Holder.
Stats and Facts
Head to Head: Matches 15, GAW 10 wins, BT 5 wins.
Hetmyer (235) and Pooran (234) are the 2nd and 3rd highest leading run getters respectively in CPL 2020. Only one run separates them so far.
Tahir is the second-highest wicket taker so far with 12 wickets in nine matches.
Possible Playing 11
Guyana Amazon Warriors: 1. Brandon King, 2. Chandrapaul Hetmaj, 3. Shimron Hetmyer, 4. Ross Taylor, 5. Nicholas Pooran (wk), 6. Keemo Paul, 7. Chris Green (c), 8. Romario Shepherd, 9. Kevin Sinclair, 10. Naveen-ul-Haq, 11. Imran Tahir
Barbados Tridents: 1. Johnson Charles, 2. Shai Hope (wk), 3. Kyle Mayers, 4. Jason Holder (c), 5. Corey Anderson/Jonathan Carter, 6. Rashid Khan, 7. Ashley Nurse, 8. Mitchell Santner, 9. Raymon Reifer 10. Nyeem Young, 11. Hayden Walsh Jr.
Tarouba Pitch and Weather Report
The Tarouba pitch has been slow and assisting spinners. 120 has only been breached thrice in eight innings of the 2nd leg so far, with TKR contributing to two of these. There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms throughout the day.
Dream11 Prediction
Option 1:
CPL 2020 Match 26: BAR vs GUY Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
CPL 2020 Match 26: BAR vs GUY Dream11 Prediction
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Match Prediction
The Tridents have been mediocre in the last three games, while the Warriors are peaking at the right time. It can be considered an upset if the result is anything else than a Warriors win.
CPL 2020 Match 25: SKN vs JT Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | JAM vs SKN Dream11 Prediction Today September 3 2020 | St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots vs Jamaica Tallawahs Key Players | Tarouba Pitch Report
Jamaica Tallawahs will take on St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the 25th game of CPL 2020 at The Brian Lara Stadium. Jamaica are in 4th position with three wins in seven games while the Patriots are at the bottom with only one win in eight games.
Jamaica Tallawahs have a very strong squad but they have performed very inconsistently in the tournament till now. Players like Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Sandeep Lamichhane, Glenn Phillips and Andre Russell have shown some consistency and performed well. They are a batting-heavy side and this game can be a good chance for players like Chadwick Walton, skipper Rovman Powell and few others to get back in form in their quest for the playoffs, as their bowling has been top notch this season, performing well in most of the games.
St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots have failed to perform as a team this season. Their batting fails when their bowling clicks and vice-versa. Over dependency on the openers and lack of batting depth is the main reason for their miserable campaign so far. They’ll play this game for pride and would want to win it to have some joy in a tough season.
Glenn Philipps is in very good form this season. He has 420 runs and averages 60 against St. Kitts. He scored a brilliant 79 against them in this year’s first game between the two sides.
Evin Lewis has 315 runs against Jamaica and strikes at 177.97 against them.
Rovman Powell has scored 232 runs in JT vs SKN matches at a strike rate of 164.54.
Joshua da Silva’s last two knocks: 59 & 29.
Sheldon Cottrell has 10 wickets while Rayad Emrit has picked five wickets against the Tallawahs.
Andre Russell has been in strong touch with the bat after a slugging start to the tournament. He is unbeaten in his last three knocks: 52* (37), 23* (21) and 50* (23).
AllJamaica bowlers picked wickets against SKN in the last game, headlined by Carlos Brathwaite taking 3/11.
Mujeeb ur Rahman is the top wicket-taker in CPL 2020 (13), despite not taking a wicket last game.
CPL 2020 Match 25: SKN vs JAM – Mujeeb to dominate?
Stats and Facts
Head-to-Head: 12 Matches, JT 6, SKN 6.
This will be the first game between these sides in The Brian Lara Stadium.
Jamaica smashed St. Kitts by 37 runs a few days ago.
Imran Khan has an economy of 3.00 against Jamaica and could be very important in this game considering the number of right-handed batters in the JT side.
Similarly, Mujeeb Ur Rahman will be important to the Tallawahs.
Possible Playing 11
SKN Possible Playing 11: 1. Evin Lewis, 2. Chris Lynn, 3. Joshua Da Silva, 4. Dinesh Ramdin (wk), 5. Ben Dunk 6. Sohail Tanvir/Dominic Drakes, 7. Rayad Emrit (c), 8. Imran Khan, 9. Sheldon Cottrell, 10. Alzarri Joseph, 11. Jon-Russ Jaggesar
JT Possible Playing 11: 1. Glenn Phillips (wk), 2. Nkrumah Bonner/Chadwick Walton, 3. Jermaine Blackwood, 4. Rovman Powell (c), 5. Asif Ali, 6. Andre Russell, 7. Carlos Braithwaite, 8. Mujeeb ur Rahman, 9. Sandeep Lamichhane, 10. Fidel Edwards, 11. Veerasammy Permaul
Tarouba Pitch and Weather Report
The pitch in this leg of the CPL at The Brian Lara stadium has something for everyone. It has some good bounce that helps the batters if they bat well. It has turned from day one, so spinners have the chance to be very effective, too.
Once again, there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms throughout the day.
Dream11 Prediction
Option 1:
CPL 2020 Match 25: SKN vs JAM Dream11 Prediction
Option 2:
CPL 2020 Match 25: SKN vs JAM Dream11 Prediction
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Match Prediction
Jamaica are looking very strong against the Patriots. Patriots need a supreme effort from their batters against the strong bowling of Jamaica to be victorious against them. Their current form is just opposite of that. We can expect Jamaica to register an easy win but the Patriots will play for pride and can play with freedom.
Thanks for reading!
Written by Robin Rounder – follow Robin on Twitter today.
Four time champions Mumbai Indians have signed Australian pacer James Pattinson as a replacement to star bowler Lasith Malinga, who pulled out of the lucrative tourney due to personal reasons.
Lasith Malinga was originally due to miss only part of the tournament to be with his father, who is currently ill. Now, he will miss the entire tournament, and the cricketing community’s thoughts are with Malinga and his family during this time.
Aussie pacer James Pattinson will join the camp of the most successful IPL team in Abu Dhabi over the weekend and then be a part of the biosecure bubble after serving a quarantine period of 7 days in which he will be tested for Covid-19.
“Lasith is a legend and a pillar of MI’s strength. There is no denying the fact that we will miss Lasith’s cricketing acumen this season. However, we fully understand Lasith’s need to be in Sri Lanka with his family during this time,” said team owner Aakash Ambani on the team’s website.
Lasith Malinga’s exit may come as a blow to the Mumbai Indians as he is the leading wicket taker in the history of the IPL. In 122 matches so far, the Sri Lanka pacer has picked 170 wickets. Ironically his replacement, hasn’t played a single IPL game till date and hasn’t even been a part of an IPL team.
The IPL 2020 is all set to take place in UAE and all the 8 franchises have arrived in the country and begin their practice. However, the BCCI is yet to release the schedule of the cash rich league.
CPL 2020 Match 24: SLZ vs GAW Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SLZ vs GUY Dream11 Prediction Today 2 September 2020 | Guyana Amazon Warriors vs St. Lucia Zouks Key Players | Tarouba Pitch Report
CPL 2020 has entered its business end and the playoff scenarios are becoming narrower. With just just eight matches to go in the league stage of the tournament, two spots are up for grabs. St. Lucia Zouks and run away leader Trinbago Knight Riders have already book their places for the playoffs.
In Match 24, Guyana Amazon Warriors take on the St Lucia Zouks in a match between 2nd place and 3rd place. The Zouks have 10 points in seven matches so far while the Warriors have eight points in spite of playing a match less than their counterparts.
The Guyana Amazon Warriors have finally found some rhythm in the tournament as they have won their last two matches. In the previous game against the Barbados Tridents, they reduced the defending champions to 27/8, eventually bowling them out for 92. The batting and bowling seems to have peaked just about at the right time.
On the other hand, the St Lucia Zouks defended a paltry total of 92 and are already guaranteed to reach the Semi Finals. The bowling has been accurate so far but the batting is still a concern for Zouks especially while batting first. So, can they get it right today and beat Guyana, just as they did earlier in the season?
Roston Chase bowled the last over against the Tridents and defended 9 runs. His match up against southpaws Hetmyer, Pooran will be one to watch out for. Also, Chase was man of the match against Guyana earlier this season (66 off 51 balls).
Nicholas Pooran has played two contrasting knocks in the previous two games with a 45-ball century and then a knock of 18 runs in 33 balls. He was promoted ahead of Taylor against the Tridents and it’s interesting to see what will be his position against the Zouks.
Brandon King has not had the same success in 2020 as he did in CPL 2019. However, he is coming off an unbeaten half-century vs Barbados. Can he build on it?
Naveen Ul Haq was the man of the match against the Tridents with 4 wickets, giving away just 14 runs. He ran through the middle order and will pose a threat to the batting order of the Zouks.
Shimron Hetmyer has scored six consecutive single digit scores now and the Warriors will hope that he strikes form before the playoffs. Can he fire this game?
Mohammad Nabi has been a star performer for Zouks with his economical bowling and he will be the key against the star studded Guyana batting line-up. Nabi is the third-highest wicket taker in CPL 2020 with 10.
Chris Green took unbelievable figures of 4-2-3-1 vs Barbados yesterday.
Scott Kuggeleijn has the second-most wickets in CPL 2020 (11). He took 3/24 vs Guyana earlier this season.
Kesrick Williams also has 10 wickets in CPL 2020. He is a genuine wicket taker in T20s, with 126 wickets in 94 matches.
CPL 2020 Match 24: SLZ vs GUY Preview Dream11 – Mohammad Nabi to have a big game?
In the previous game of the tournament between these two teams, SLZ won by 10 runs.
The two teams have only played one match at Tarouba, which was in the earlier stages of this tournament.
Possible Playing 11
Guyana Amazon Warriors: 1. Brandon King, 2. Kevin Sinclair, 3. Shimron Hetmyer, 4. Ross Taylor, 5. Nicholas Pooran (wk), 6. Keemo Paul, 7. Chris Green (c), 8. Romario Shepherd, 9. Naveen-ul-Haq, 10. Imran Tahir, 11. Ashmead Nedd
St. Lucia Zouks: 1. Andre Fletcher (wk), 2. Rahkeem Cornwall, 3. Mark Deyal, 4. Roston Chase, 5. Najibullah Zadran 6. Mohammad Nabi, 7. Darren Sammy (c), 8. Javelle Glenn, 9. Scott Kuggeleijn, 10. Kesrick Williams, 11. Zahir Khan
Tarouba Pitch and Weather Report
The Tarouba venue has hosted two matches in the 2nd leg of matches at the ground in CPL 2020, and the scores have been contrasting in the two games. In the first game both the teams breached 160 run mark, while the team batting first scored 184. While in the 2nd game, a target of 93 was chased in the 17th over. Overall, the pitch is expected to be slow and helpful for spinners.
In terms of the weather, there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms throughout the day.
Dream11 Prediction
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CPL 2020 Match 24: SLZ vs GUY Dream11 Prediction
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CPL 2020 Match 24: SLZ vs GUY Dream11 Prediction
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Match Prediction
St. Lucia Zouks have been one of the surprise packages of the tournament as Darren Sammy-led side have been impressive on the slowish pitches in Trinidad and Tobago. But against GAW which has the potential to whack any bowling attack, the Warriors will start as favourites.
5 Possible Surprise Packet Players in IPL 2020 | 5 players who can overcome the doubters and produce excellent IPL 2020 campaigns
At the time of the auctions for the Indian Premier League, one can make a calculated guess regarding the key players that a team secures in their squad. However, there are certain arrivals that go under the radar. It is initially assumed that these individuals have been roped in only to fill in the backup slots in the squad.
However, time and again, such individuals turn out to play instrumental role in the playing XI during the course of the season. The previous auction was a low-key one, considering that the teams anyways have to go for a complete revamp in the 14th edition of the tournament. Still, there exist some individuals in the roster who potentially have a lot more to offer than it would appear prima facie. In this listicle, we shed more light on five such players across the franchises.
5. Virat Singh
5 possible surprise packets in IPL 2020: Virat Singh is one to watch out for.
Sunrisers Hyderabad have lacked a credible, robust middle-order in the last couple of years. Manish Pandey’s successful outings in the number three slot towards the end of the previous campaign might encourage the management to give a longer stretch to the Karnataka-based batsman in that position.
However, their innings cannot fall apart post that and hence an investment worth ₹1.9 crore has been made in Virat Singh.
The 22-year-old represents Jharkhand in domestic cricket and boasts of an average of 35.27 and strike rate of 124.45 in 56 T20 matches. He is a left-handed batsman, a trait that several teams prefer to have in the middle-order. Singh can take on the spinners, work around the pacers and offer a reliable yet dynamic presence in the middle overs to SRH.
He has 10 half-centuries to his name, too, reflecting that the starlet can stick around to stitch together a longer knock if the situations demands so. Given the amount that the team from Hyderabad has paid for him, it wouldn’t be surprising to witness the lad don a considerable responsibility this time around.
Despite the occasional flashy, flamboyant effort, Sarfaraz Khan has hardly lived up to the reputation that he carries to the IPL. However, he comes into this campaign with a stellar domestic campaign in which Khan finished as the fifth highest run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy 2019/20. In a largely disappointing season for Mumbai, the batsman scored 928 runs with an average of 154.28 in nine innings.
The temperament was visible, and so was the funky, innovative and expansive range of shots that he is known to pull off. Kings XI Punjab have strengthened the core of their batting lineup by acquiring the duo of Glenn Maxwell and Nicholas Pooran. Khan can be slotted in the number six position, wherein he would come out to bat in the later stages of the innings with the liberty to freely go for his shots.
On the basis of potential and current form, Sarfaraz Khan is definitely a better bet than Mandeep Singh on whom Punjab depended to do this role last time around. Maybe, it’s finally the time for the robust batsman from Mumbai to prove his mettle in arguably the most competitive T20 tournament in the world.
3. Ruturaj Gaikwad
5 possible surprise packet players in IPL 2020: Ruturaj Gaikwad to do a job for CSK?
Suresh Raina’s departure from the Chennai Super Kings has put the number three slot up for grabs. It appears unlikely for the team to opt for a replacement at this point in time, possibly because there are very few credible domestic alternatives available currently.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, a prolific India ‘A’ batsman is being touted to take over the role that Raina carried out. Gaikwad is a right-handed batsman and hails from Pune. He has been consistently turning up in the top order in domestic cricket over the past few years. Despite being a part of the CSK setup for the past couple of years, Gaikwad has found opportunities hard to come by.
He has played 28 recorded T20 matches, and has scored runs at an average of 33.72 and strike rate of 135.31. In addition to that, he has bagged six half-centuries and is known to brilliantly deal with spin bowling. His ability to face express pace bowling will be scrutinized as the season progresses, but a consistent run of games will surely unearth Ruturaj Gaikwad’s innate talent and flair.
5 possible surprise packet players in IPL 2020: Rahane to have a big tournament?
It was extremely surprising to see Delhi Capitals go for multiple openers in the off-season, despite having a set pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane in the squad. Ajinkya Rahane’s arrival is a significant one, as he is a top-tier current national team player and will not prefer warming the bench for long.
Much has been said of Rahane’s credentials in the shortest format of the game and many will prefer Shaw to start over him. However, a closer look will reveal that the seasoned vice-captain of the Indian test team fared much better than the starlet from Mumbai in IPL 2019. Rahane scored 393 runs, at an average of 32.75 and a strike rate of 137.89. He also notched a century and a half-century each.
On the other hand, Shaw could bag only 353 runs in three more innings than his senior teammate. Moreover, the 20-year-old had an average of 22.06 and strike rate of 133.71 along with a couple of half-centuries to his name. Surely, the tracks on offer at Delhi’s home stadium had a part to play in this but it must not be ignored that Shaw’s inconsistency was extremely palpable last time around.
With matches now scheduled in the tricky, dusty pitches of UAE, Rahane will arguably be in a better place to implement his skillset and thus work around the challenges that he encounters much more reliably, consistently than his counterpart. This is going to be one big call for Ricky Ponting to make.
1. Robin Uthappa
5 possible surprise packet players in IPL 2020: A big season for Uthappa
Robin Uthappa had been stellar for Kolkata Knight Riders for a major part of the previous decade. However, a dismal run in 2019 led to the franchise releasing him ahead of this season. It will be rather unfair to completely put the blame on Uthappa for his failures last year, as there was a lot of uncertainty regarding KKR’s batting lineup as the season progressed.
Uthappa is embarking on a fresh start at Rajasthan Royals though, as Rahane’s departure has created a void at the top order that the 2007 WT20 winner will look to fill. Uthappa’s success is majorly driven by the extent to which he feels secure, comfortable and in control of the proceedings.
Considering that things had turned sour for KKR, it was undoubtedly an appropriate decision to resume his IPL career elsewhere. Rajasthan Royals can benefit from the wealth of experience that Uthappa brings to the table. On the other hand, the batsman has a lot to offer, especially if one looks at his proficiency against both the pacers and the spinners. His journey at RR will definitely be an aspect to watch out for in this year’s tournament.
So, there are five surprise packets who can have a strong impact on IPL 2020. Are there any others you’d add?
Written by Tarkesh Jha. Follow Tarkesh on Twitter today.
CPL 2020 Match 23: TKR vs SKN Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | TKR vs SKN Dream11 Prediction Today 2 September 2020 | Trinbago Knight Riders vs St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots Key Players | Tarouba Pitch Report
The Caribbean Premier League is coming towards its business end and every match is very important. In match 23, the top team plays bottom, as the race for the playoffs continues to heat up.
Trinbago Knight Riders are the most consistent side in this tournament, sitting pretty at the top of the table with seven wins from seven games. Their batting is playing well every game with senior players like Colin Munro, skipper Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine stepping up throughout the campaign. When you add the likes of Lendl Simmons and Darren Bravo, who have the potential to deliver, their top six is unmatched this tournament. Can the batsmen continue the great form, providing further confidence to the bowlers to perform?
St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, on the other hand, are at the bottom of the table with only one win in seven games. Their batting has disappointed them big time. They were over-dependent on Evin Lewis and Chris Lynn this season, but Chris Lynn has failed miserably and was eventually dropped in the last game. This is disappointing as their bowlers have performed well in the tournament, with skipper Rayad Emrit, Sohail Tanvir, Sheldon Cottrell leading the pace attack while Jon-Russ jaggessar has been a brilliant find for them this season. They will look to perform well and cause an upset to keep their faint playoffs hopes alive.
Colin Munro has 227 runs against SKN. He is coming off a brilliant 65 against Jamaica in the last game, and is the fifth-highest run-scorer in CPL 2020 with 198 (avg. 33.00, SR 133.78).
Darren Bravo has 215 runs, averages 107.50, and strikes at 170.63 against the Patriots. A superb record.
Kieron Pollard is in superb form. He is making some useful contributions lower down the order and can take his side over the line single-handedly when needed. In fact, Pollard has the best strike rate of any player in CPL 2020 (165 runs at SR 206.25).
Evin Lewis has a crucial role to play for SKN. He has scored 197 runs in seven matches in CPL 2020, but one score of 89 significantly contributes to that. He needs greater consistency.
DJ Bravo has 21 wickets against the Patriots.
Sunil Narine againstthe left handers in the middle-order of the Patriots will be very important. Also, Narine has been making useful contributions at the top, striking at 150.53 in his four matches to date. His batting scores in CPL 2020: 50 (28), 53 (38), 8 (16), and 29 (11).
Jon-Russ Jaggessar will be important against Munro and Darren Bravo. He has six wickets in six games in CPL 2020.
Rayad Emrit has 10 wickets in seven matches in CPL 2020, and is the leading wicket-taker for SKN.
Joshua Da Silva played well last game, scoring 59 (46) vs Guyana.
CPL 2020 Match 23: TKR vs SKN Preview Dream11 – Kieron Pollard is in outstanding form.
Stats and Facts
Head-to-Head: Matches 14, TKR 10, SKN 4.
TKR has won two out of three matches against SKN at this venue.
TKT is unbeaten in all seven games they’ve played this season, while SKN have only won once.
Possible Playing 11
SKN Possible Playing XI: 1. Evin Lewis, 2. Kieran Powell, 3. Joshua Da Silva, 4. Dinesh Ramdin (wk), 5. Ben Dunk 6. Sohail Tanvir, 7. Rayad Emrit (c), 8. Imran Khan, 9. Ish Sodhi, 10. Alzarri Joseph, 11. Jon-Russ Jaggesar
TKR Possible Playing XI: 1. Lendl Simmons, 2. Sunil Narine, 3. Colin Munro, 4. Darren Bravo, 5. Tim Seifert (wk), 6. Kieron Pollard (c), 7. Dwayne Bravo, 8. Fawad Ahmed, 9. Akeal Hossain/Sikandar Raza, 10. Khary Pierre, 11. Jayden Seales
Tarouba Pitch and Weather Report
The Tarouba track had more bounce in it yesterday, which made strokeplay a little easier. TKR scored 184 yesterday courtesy of their strong top order, of which Jamaica replied with a decent 165. However, as more matches are played on the square, the spinners will be in the game even more.
In terms of the weather, there is some chance of morning showers and thunderstorm.
Dream11 Prediction
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CPL 2020 Match 23: TKR vs SKN Dream11 Prediction
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CPL 2020 Match 23: TKR vs SKN Dream11 Prediction
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Match Prediction
The Trinbago Knight Riders are the clear favorites to win this game. They are a very balanced side and are doing exceptionally well in all the three departments, whereas it’s just the opposite for St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots.
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Written by Robin Rounder – follow Robin on Twitter today.
CPL 2020 Match 22: GAW vs BT Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | GUY vs BAR Dream11 Prediction Today 1 September 2020 | Barbados Tridents vs Guyana Amazon Warriors Key Players | Tarouba Pitch Report
The Caribbean Premier League’s bandwagon moves back to Tarouba after 10 matches at Port of Spain. In Match 22 of the tournament, the defending champions Barbados Tridents will lock horns with Guyana Amazon Warriors in a repeat of last season’s final.
Surprisingly, the two teams haven’t met in CPL 2020 so far and this will be their first meeting since the 2019 Final.
The Trinbago Knight Riders and the St Lucia Zouks have booked their place in the playoffs, but the remaining teams are still in the reckoning for the two spots.
The Guyana Amazon Warriors are to play three matches. In the seven games so far, they have won three and lost four encounters. Currently, the 5-time runners-up have an Net Run Rate of +0.077. In the previous game, GAW were struggling to chase a target of 151 as they were reduced to 25-3, but Nicholas Pooran single-handedly took them to a victory with the most superb of centuries. Eventually, they chased the target with 15 balls to spare.
On the other hand, the Barbados Tridents have just won a couple of matches so far but have +0.026 Net run rate. In the previous game, the Jason Holder led side failed to chase down a paltry target of 93 as they fell short of three runs and this has raised a lot of question marks over the Tridents’ batting line-up. Before that game, the Tridents conceded 66 runs in the final four overs against the Knight Riders, and snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as they were at the receiving end of Pollard’s brilliance. Can the struggling champions find their groove?
Key Players to Watch/Key Stats
Nicholas Pooran struck a century while coming into bat when his team needed 127 runs. The southpaw has finally struck some form and that will boost Warriors’ chances of qualifying for the playoffs.
Shimron Hetmyer has had a string of single digit scores in the CPL 2020 so far, after his half centuries in the opening two games. His performance against the spin heavy bowling attack of the Tridents will be one to watch out for.
Brandon King has had a poor season compared to 2019. But, can he fire against Barbados? He has a brilliant record against them (227 runs, avg. 113.50, SR 158.74).
Kyle Mayers has impressed so far in CPL 2020 (205 runs, avg. 29.28, SR 125.00).
Imran Tahir has been among the leading wicket takers and one of the most economical bowlers for the Guyana Amazon Warriors so far and has the ability to run through the fragile batting line up of the Tridents. He currently has the second-most wickets in CPL 2020 with 11.
Hayden Walsh Jr. was impressive in the previous game against the Zouks picked three wickets. His battle against the likes of Taylor, Hetmyer, and Pooran will be worth getting excited for.
Johnson Charles is the leading run getter of the defending champions in CPL 2020. He has 204 runs to his name, and is only three runs behind the leader, Glenn Phillips (207).
Jason Holder has drawn a lot of criticism for his captaincy and with the team’s morale being low post two humiliating defeats in games which they should have won. His role not only as a player but also as a leader will be under scrutiny.
CPL 2020 Match 22: GUY vs BAR Preview Dream11 – Can Jason Holder inspire his team to victory?
The last time these two teams met at Tarouba was in the 2019 CPL Final. The Tridents defended a target of 172 comfortably as the Warriors fell short by 27 runs.
Raymon Reifer is the 2nd highest leading wicket taker in the matches between the two sides with 14 wickets to his name.
Possible Playing 11
After a string of poor performances, Hemraj and Rutherford were dropped in the previous game.
Guyana Amazon Warriors: 1. Brandon King, 2. Kevin Sinclair, 3. Shimron Hetmyer, 4. Ross Taylor, 5. Nicholas Pooran (wk), 6. Keemo Paul, 7. Chris Green (c), 8. Romario Shepherd, 9. Naveen-ul-Haq, 10. Imran Tahir, 11. Ashmead Nedd
In the previous game, Mitchell Santner was not in the playing XI, but he will be reincluded in the next game.
Barbados Tridents: 1. Johnson Charles, 2. Shai Hope (wk), 3. Kyle Mayers, 4. Jason Holder (c), 5. Corey Anderson, 6. Rashid Khan, 7. Ashley Nurse, 8. Mitchell Santner, 9. Raymon Reifer 10. Nyeem Young, 11. Hayden Walsh Jr.
Tarouba Pitch and Weather Forecast
The Pitch Conditions at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium were slow in the first leg of the tournament and it’s not expected to change in the 2nd leg as well. There is a chance of thunderstorms throughout the day.
Dream11 Prediction
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CPL 2020 Match 22: GUY vs BAR Dream11 Prediction
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CPL 2020 Match 22: GUY vs BAR Dream11 Prediction
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Match Prediction
Both teams have been highly inconsistent so far, and with the fag-end of the tournament arriving, they need to enhance their performances. Tridents in the last two games have been poor to say the least and Guyana will be starting as favourites in this match. However, the Tridents have it in them to fire, and it will be interesting to see if today is the day they get going.
ENG vs PAK 3rd T20I Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs PAK 3rd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Pakistan 3rd T20I Key Players | Old Trafford Pitch Report
In the two non-rain affected games in Pakistan’s tour of England, we have seen a thrilling Test and thrilling T20I. So, with rain expected to stay away once again, we could be in for a cracking finale to this tighly-contested T20I series to date.
England, thanks to a powerful top five, chased down Pakistan’s huge total of 195. Led by skipper Eoin Morgan’s incredible 66 at a strike rate of 200, plus contributions from Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton and Dawid Balan, England showed just how dangerous their line up is even in the absence of the likes of Jason Roy and Ben Stokes. As England look for a series win, can they improve with the ball and maintain their performance with the bat?
It has been so close yet so far for Pakistan in their tour to date. A heartbreaking loss in the first Test, followed by a tough loss in the second T20I, means that they will have to keep their focus and belief up to get the better of England. There were certainly positive aspects of their performance last game – particularly Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez – and will be looking to build on those, as well as get the better of England’s top order. Can they leave England with a win to their name?
Eoin Morgan is now the highest run-scorer in the history of England-Pakistan T20Is. His 380 runs come at an average of 42.22 and strike rate of 137.68. His 33-ball 66 in the last T20I was an innings of high class.
Mohammad Hafeez, who averaged just 14.89 vs England before the second T20I, is coming off an excellent 69 (36), which was his first ever 50 vs England. Can he follow it up with another strong knock?
Jonny Bairstow averages 43 vs Pakistan in five matches. Also, his T20I form has been strong since late 2019-early 2020, with his last six scores reading: 47 (18), 23 (19), 35 (17), 64 (34), 2 (4) and 44 (24). His opening partner, Tom Banton, is enjoying a strong series to date (91 runs, avg. 45.50, SR 156.89).
Dawid Malan is an excellent asset to English T20I side. He now has an incredible seven 50+ scores (6 50s, 1 100) in 12 T20Is, which makes him impossible to ignore.
Babar Azam has two 50+ scores in his three T20Is vs England (total of 136 runs in three knocks, avg. 68.00, SR 140.20).
Shadab Khan is an important wicket-taker for Pakistan. He now has five wickets in this series (2/33, 3/34).
Time for Pakistan to unleash Mohammad Hasnain? Hasnain was the top wicket-taker in PSL 2020 (15).
Chris Jordan has taken 12 wickets in his last eight T20Is (vs New Zealand, South Africa & Pakistan).
Will England pick David Willey to try and control Pakistan’s run-scoring in the powerplay? Willey was recently man of the ODI series vs Ireland.
Wahab Riaz was man of the match in Pakistan’s win on this ground in 2016 (3/18).
ENG vs PAK 3rd T20I Preview Dream11: Babar Azam has two fifties in three knocks vs England.
Stats and Facts
Pakistan have won three out of their past 12 completed T20Is since the start of 2019. They dropped from first to fourth in the rankings as a result.
England have won four of their past six completed T20Is against Pakistan.
The chasing team has won the past three completed T20Is at Manchester (Pakistan in 2016, India in 2018 and England in 2020).
Possible Playing 11
England have David Willey waiting in the wings, should they look to control Pakistan’s powerplay scoring. All of England’s seamers, bar Lewis Gregory (econ. 7.33), were expensive last game.
England: 1. Jonny Bairstow (wk), 2. Tom Banton, 3. Dawid Malan, 4. Eoin Morgan (c), 5. Moeen Ali, 6. Sam Billings, 7. Lewis Gregory, 8. Tom Curran, 9. Chris Jordan, 10. Adil Rashid, 11. Saqid Mahmood/David Willey
Pakistan could also look at a change or two in their attack. The likes of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Amir have been a little under par in this series, which could mean either (or both) of Mohammad Hasnain or Wahab Riaz get a chance in this match.
Pakistan: 1. Babar Azam (c), 2. Fakhar Zaman, 3. Mohammad Hafeez, 4. Shoaib Malik, 5. Iftikhar Ahmed, 6. Shadab Khan, 7. Mohammad Rizwan (c), 8. Imad Wasim, 9. Mohammad Amir/Wahab Riaz, 10. Haris Rauf, 11. Shaheen Shah Afridi/Mohammad Hasnain
Old Trafford Manchester Pitch and Weather Report
The Old Trafford track was a belter in the second T20I. Expect similar conditions in the third game, with the weather also expected to be pleasant for cricket. The chasing side has won the last three completed T20Is on this ground.
Dream11 Prediction
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ENG vs PAK 3rd T20I Dream11 Prediction
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ENG vs PAK 3rd T20I Dream11 Prediction
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Match Prediction
Another cracking match awaits. Much depends on how well Pakistan and England contain the opposition top orders. If Pakistan can pick up key wickets in the powerplay, it can set them up for victory. However, if England’s top order gets going, it’s hard to see how Pakistan stop them.
