Khulna Titans’ late charge with the bat led them to an 18-run win over Chittagong Vikings in Mirpur

The Report by Mohammad Isam12-Nov-2017
Live scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsCarlos Brathwaite crunches a four through cover•Randy Brooks – CPL T20 / Getty

Khulna Titans’ late charge with the bat led them to an 18-run win over Chittagong Vikings in Mirpur. Carlos Brathwaite and Ariful Haque struck six sixes in 16 deliveries to put up a commanding 170 for 7 in 20 overs.Chittagong’s chances of a successful chase took a big hit in the first over when they lost the in-form Luke Ronchi. The wicket-taker, Abu Jayed, blew away the rest of the top order and struck again later in the innings to seal his maiden four-wicket haul in T20s.Sikandar Raza was the only batsman who tried to keep up with the required rate but once he fell in the 14th over, so did Chittagong.Chittagong ahead for 15 oversChadwick Walton and Michael Klinger were taken out by left-arm spinner Sunzamul Islam. Walton was dismissed in the first over, delivering a long hop down deep midwicket’s throat. Klinger was given lbw to a better ball, although the decision was debatable. It looked like umpire Mahfuzur Rahman was initially not ready to give it out, with the ball shaping to go down leg. But eventually he raised the finger, all but buckling under the pressure of a long and insistent appeal.Offspinner Dilshan Munaweera bowled Nazmul Islam Shanto in the fifth over before Mahmudullah and Rilee Rossouw added 39 runs for the fourth wicket to lead a bit of recovery. But Taskin got rid of Rossouw in the 10th over. Mahmudullah added a further 35 runs for the fifth wicket with Ariful Haque, but the run-rate was going nowhere. Khulna were 103 for 5 with only 27 balls left.Brathwaite checks inKhulna’s chances of a competitive total rested almost entirely on Brathwaite. He struck his second ball for six, a monstrous blow over long-on off Taskin Ahmed’s bowling, and even as Chittagong tried to regroup, the ball went soaring again, this time over deep square leg. Brathwaite finished with 30 off 14, although he did survive a very close lbw shout from Sunzamul in the 17th over with the ball seemingly striking him in line with the stumps. Chittagong’s misery would only increase when Ariful hit Tanbir Hayder’s legspin for 24 runs, which included three sixes over midwicket and long-on, to propel the total towards 150. In all, Khulna made 60 runs in the last four overs.Raza’s lone handChittagong had slipped to 38 for 4 in the fifth over of their 171-run chase, with Jayed knocking over Ronchi and Soumya Sarkar in the first over and Munaweera in the third. Rossouw played a major hand in the third wicket by taking a superb running catch at deep square leg. Anamul Haque then holed out to mid-off, having made just 18.Raza and captain Misbah-ul-Haq added 59 runs for the fifth wicket. Raza struck two sixes off Mosharraf Hossain, both over midwicket, before falling to Shafiul Islam for 37 off 27 balls.Misbah fell in the 16th over, having made 30 off 37 balls with just two fours, caught by Shanto at long-on to give Jayed his first four-wicket haul. The 24-year old may not have finished very well, conceding 17 runs in his last over, but he remains one of the more impressive Bangladeshi pace bowlers in the tournament so far.

Lahore Whites and Lahore Blues triumphed over Faisalabad and FATA respectively as Saeed Ajmal bowed out in Rawalpindi

Danyal Rasool29-Nov-2017Lahore Whites beat Faisalabad by 10 runs to qualify for the National T20 Cup final. In an emotion-filled afternoon that turned out to be the last of Saeed Ajmal’s cricketing career, Lahore posted 142 in their allotted 20 overs. At the time, it seemed to be slightly under par, especially given the platform Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal provided, their opening partnership contributing 69 runs in seven overs.But Faisalabad pulled them back, and for one final time, 40-year old Ajmal was the pick of the bowlers. Varying his pace and line expertly, he kept the batsmen on their toes, reining in the scoring rate, conceding a miserly 13 runs in his four overs, and picking up one wicket.Faisalabad were on top of the asking rate for the first half of the chase, but continued to lose wickets with regularity. Once the dangerous Sohaib Maqsood was dismissed for 39, Lahore were into the lower middle order, which was somewhat thin on star batting quality. From thereon, the Whites began to tighten the screws as the asking rate began to climb. Wahab Riaz was especially impressive, finding both pace and accuracy as he finished with figures of 4-0-15-2. Faisalabad grew desperate, and were ultimately all out with ten runs still to get.In the other game, a stunning century from Ahmed Shehzad ensured an all-Lahore final, the Lahore Blues beating FATA by 10 runs. In a runfest, Lahore Blues registered the highest score of the tournament – 221. They lost just the one wicket – that of Imam-ul-Haq, but not before he had added 62 runs in a 145-run opening stand with Ahmed Shehzad. After that, Mohammad Hafeez smashed a 19-ball half century as he and Shehzad – who finished unbeaten for 104, propelled their side to 221.FATA started explosively, with Mukhtar Ahmed in devastating hitting form as he and Awais Zia brought up the 50-partnership in the fourth over. The hundred was up before nine overs were out, but the loss of Mukhtar deprived FATA of the big hitting ability that they needed to chase such a mammoth total. Several batsmen gave it a good go and ensured FATA were in the contest right up to the end. Khushdil Shah played a superb knock that raised hopes of a sensational heist, but when he holed out to long on for 56, the total seemed to be just outside FATA’s reach. They kept hammering away in spirited fashion, but in the end paid for their poor bowling performance as they bowed out at the semi-final stage.

Manchester United stand a 'very realistic chance' of being able to bring in Fiorentina defensive midfielder Sofyan Amrabat this window, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Is Sofyan Amrabat moving to Manchester United?

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on the state of play surrounding Amrabat's prospective move to Manchester United on Twitter X, stating: "Sofyan Amrabat, not called up for next Fiorentina game. Manchester United, expected to open formal talks for Amrabat soon as Fred and Donny Van de Beek are close to leaving the club. Amrabat wants Manchester United, this has never changed."

According to La Repubblica (print edition) via Man Utd News, Fiorentina are demanding a fee of €30 million for Amrabat; however, they would be willing to sanction his exit for €25 million with add-ons built into the structure of a potential deal.

Fred and Donny van de Beek look likely to leave Manchester United this window according to Italian journalist Romano, which could in theory clear the way for Amrabat to join Erik Ten Hag's project at Old Trafford.

Last season, £31k-a-week earner Amrabat, who has been hailed as a "monster", made 49 appearances in all competitions for Fiorentina, notching a solitary assist, as per Transfermarkt.

Young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo sustained an injury in pre-season, highlighting the need for Manchester United to enter the market to bolster the engine room between now and the end of the window, as per Telegraph Sport.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jacobs has indicated that Manchester United will be 'optimistic' that they can seal a deal for Fiorentina enforcer Amrabat.

Jacobs stated: “Amrabat has had plenty of options throughout the window. There is a desire from Saudi Arabia, as there is with lots of players available in the market, but it's not his preference.

“And obviously, we've heard of interest from Barcelona and Atletico Madrid throughout the transfer window in the player. But at this stage, nothing is decided.

“If they do, they will be optimistic that they can strike a deal with Fiorentina and the player.”

What other business could occur at Manchester United this window?

According to The Independent, Manchester United are in the process of performing a minor clearout as Ten Hag looks to trim his squad and raise funds for reinforcements.

Dean Henderson, Harry Maguire, Scott McTominay, Eric Bailly, Van de Beek and Fred have all been linked with moves away from Old Trafford this window and could leave if the right offer comes along.

Anthony Martial could also be set for a shock move to West Ham United and he has been placed on a shortlist of potential targets at the London Stadium, according to Caught Offside.

Transfer guru Romano has provided some information that suggests that Manchester United are in the market for another central defender, stating on Twitter X: "Manchester United had contacts to be informed on the conditions of Jean Clair Todibo deal. No bid or talks at this stage as the option could only be activated if Harry Maguire leaves. Juventus already left the race for Todibo last week."

MatériaMais Notícias

O Macaé apresentou um reforço caseiro para o elenco sub-20 que se prepara visando o retorno do Campeonato Carioca da categoria. Trata-se do lateral-esquerdo Patrick, que disputou o último Cariocão pelo profissional do clube. Patrick tem 20 anos e está em seu último ano com idade de júnior.

Visto como uma das joias da equipe do Norte Fluminense, Patrick esteve em campo diante do Volta Redonda, Madureira e Fluminense no último estadual. Treinando com a base, o jogador destaca a importância de se manter em atividade no segundo semestre.

– Essa oportunidade de jogar o carioca é muito importante. Eu cheguei a disputar uma vez apenas 3 rodadas da categoria pelo Carapebus e agora terei todo campeonato pela frente. Estou dando o melhor nos treinamentos e será da mesma forma nos jogos. Essa competição vai ser importante para eu poder ajudar o grupo e voltar bem na próxima temporada para o profissional.

Assim como Patrick, outros atletas da base serviram o grupo principal no primeiro semestre. São os casos do atacante Antônio, o volante Dudu e o atacante Richard, que disputará a série B1 pelo Duque de Caixas. A ideia é garimpar novos talentos que possam reforçar o Macaé na temporada 2021 e em curto prazo dar retorno financeiro ao clube.

Com foco na estrutura e planejamento para fazer uma boa competição, o Macaé Esporte vem realizando amistosos com equipes que vão disputar a série B1 do Campeonato Carioca, como Duque de Caxias e Nova Iguaçu, além de amistosos com equipes da categoria sub20. A reestreia do time no Campeonato Carioca sub-20 está marcada para o próximo dia 9, diante da Portuguesa no estádio Luso brasileiro, às 9h.

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Leeds United need offensive additions fast, but Daniel Farke must be wary to avoid failures of the past in his transfer haste…

Who else will Leeds United sign this summer?

Already this summer has been a tumultuous one for the Whites, with the hope that their new four additions brought quickly offset by the numerous departures of many of their key first-team stars.

If anything, the Whites simply need bodies in at this point, given that their recent Championship clash with Birmingham City saw them only name eight substitutes, two of which were goalkeepers.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

In an effort to bolster their ranks, they could reignite a transfer rumour of old, with their interest in AC Milan's Divock Origi having only been referenced back in July.

However, with the Belgian having struggled since swapping Liverpool for Milan, perhaps the Yorkshire outfit should look elsewhere rather than opting for the shiniest name being sold from the biggest club. The 28-year-old is valued by FootballTransfers at €8.4m (£7m).

How many goals did Divock Origi score for Liverpool?

Having only moved to the San Siro last summer, to see him touted for another transfer so soon is a damning indication of his recent form in Italy.

The former LOSC Lille star was handed plenty of opportunities to shine during the 2022/23 campaign, with 36 appearances across all competitions. However, for whatever reason, the former Reds favourite could only muster two goals.

Such profligacy on a £84k-per-week wage is the last thing Farke needs, given he is already suffering from some of the club's high-profile failures of the past.

One such name that remains at Elland Road is Dan James, who was brought in from Manchester United back in 2021.

Signed for a mouth-watering £25m fee, the Welshman was an outcast at Old Trafford and has hardly taken to life in Yorkshire with ease either.

It was a doomed deal from the start, and by signing Origi from a similarly huge team would mark a repeat given his clear exile from the first team.

A club like Leeds, who crave an upturn in their fortunes and a brighter future, should be focusing on investing shrewdly in the unknown, with data backing up their purchases. Then, given the quality and frequency of games in the Championship, these unproven stars can be allowed to adapt and one day shine.

Bringing in these stalwarts might seem like the attractive option, but the chances are it would only end poorly.

Especially when using James as an example, with the winger having made just 43 appearances, scoring a measly four times.

Such abhorrent form even saw the 25-year-old shipped out on loan, where he fared no better for Fulham.

This has been a financial disaster for the club, who have a history of imploding when tumbling down the divisions.

The only benefit that Origi and the huge fiscal burden he would bring has relies on fans misremembering his time at Anfield, as whilst he scored important goals, he was hardly proficient.

A tally of 41 goals in 175 games made it abundantly clear whilst he was never a starter, yet his Champions League semi-final brace against FC Barcelona, and subsequent strike in the final, has understandably made him the "cult hero" that pundit Laura Woods suggested he was.

However, he does not have that consistent scoring touch to offset the reasons against such a signing, which would once again see Leeds take a big club's unwanted dud.

Leeds United are thought to be interested in signing Josh Brownhill in the final weeks of the transfer window, with a report sharing the possibility of a Burnley exit.

What’s the latest Leeds transfer news?

The Whites appear to be in for a frantic final few weeks of the window, with plenty of incomings seemingly needed due to the sheer number of departures.

Daniel Farke has so far brought in just Ethan Ampadu, Karl Darlow from Chelsea and Newcastle, whereas Sam Byram has arrived on a free transfer and Joe Rodon has joined on loan from Tottenham. Plenty of Leeds players have left Elland Road following relegation from the Premier League due to clauses in their contracts, the latest of which looks set to be Tyler Adams.

The midfielder is now on course to complete a transfer to AFC Bournemouth, leaving Leeds with just Ampadu and youngsters Archie Gray, Sam Greenwood, Darko Gyabi and Jamie Shackleton as central options.

As a result, the Whites, and by extension owners the 49ers Enterprises, appear to be on the hunt for a new marquee midfield signing before the September 1 deadline, which has led to rumours of a move for Brownhill.

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are one of a number of clubs that are keen on securing Brownhill’s services.

The report claims that Wolves have made an approach for the midfielder, with the Whites, Crystal Palace, Everton, Leicester and Middlesbrough also interested in the player who is into the final 12 months of his deal, with a sale this summer a possibility.

Who is Josh Brownhill?

Brownhill, who has never beat Leeds in nine appearances, can play as a holding, central or attacking midfielder and has plenty of experience in the Football League turning out for Preston, Bristol City and Burnley.

In total, the 27-year-old has made 189 appearances in the second tier and 79 in the top flight, featuring on 41 occasions last season and helping Burnley win the Championship title.

Former Wolves man Steve Bull hailed the player back in 2021, describing him as a “top-class player”.

"He's a top-class player. I think Burnley, if they want to be just below us, not in a bad way,

Meanwhile, pundit and former Aston Villa man Lee Hendrie also previously praised the midfielder, describing him as a “fabulous player” following links of a move to Villa Park.

“Josh Brownhill, I think he is a fabulous player, I really do. Out of [Sander] Berge and him, I’d take Brownhill all day just because Josh Brownhill reminds me of John McGinn.

“He’s very energetic, he’s very neat and tidy on the ball, he gets up and down the pitch well and you know what you’re getting when you’re getting a player from Burnley, Sean Dyche, what he expects. And, obviously, he’s proved that he can do this step up, coming from Bristol City, so I’d certainly take him all day.”

The £40,000-a-week midfielder could be a player to keep an eye on over the coming weeks following the recent update, however, with a number of Premier League sides keen, it could be tricky to persuade Brownhill to drop back down into the Championship.

Big picture

If the series opener was about New Zealand’s adaptability – they bumped Colin Munro to the top and launched the sweep-happy Tom Latham in the middle order – then the second match was about India’s bouncebackability. This now means India and New Zealand will square off in an ODI series decider for the second time in two years.Last year, on October 29, India picked three specialist spinners on a slow turner in Visakhapatnam, where New Zealand capsized to 79 all out from 63 for 2. What will Kanpur throw up this October 29? For starters, everyone is coy about the pitch following the “dismissal” or “suspension” of Pune curator Pandurang Salgaoncar for allegedly promising to manipulate the track for the second ODI. Can Munro counter Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s lateral movement and variations? Can Latham find another way if India’s spinners cut off the sweep again?The visitors, though, can draw confidence from Colin de Grandhomme, who handled spin adeptly: he doesn’t use his feet much but is a powerful hitter down the ground. Henry Nicholls wasn’t as fluent but held one end up after New Zealand were pinned down to 58 for 4.India’s middle-order worries have also eased a bit with Dinesh Karthik steering India’s chase of 231 with a busy 64 not out. He also has the vote of confidence from the team management with captain Virat Kohli saying he is “more aware of how to bat in the middle order”. The hosts, however, will have to be wary of the pressure of a must-win situation. Of late, limited-overs cricket has been as easy as eating a sandwich for India, but pressure can do strange things. Case in point: the Champions Trophy final at the Oval, where India froze in their chase.

Form guide

India: WLWLW (completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand: LWLLL

In the spotlight

From playing just two ODIs in 2016 to becoming the leader of the pack this year, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has ticked all boxes: he has added a yard or two of pace, he bowls the tough overs up front and also at the back end, and also has the knuckle ball up his sleeve. The younger bowlers, meanwhile, are glowing in praise of his inputs. That he is a competent batsman has also stretched India’s batting line-up.From blowing hot in the Champions Trophy, Kane Williamson has blown cold in India. He misread a googly from Kuldeep Yadav in the first ODI, and then played around his front pad against Jasprit Bumrah on Wednesday. New Zealand their captain to fire like he can in the decider.

Team news

Kohli has been tempted to play both wristspinners, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, but Axar Patel, who held his own and nabbed Latham in the second match, is likely to keep his spot ahead of Kuldeep.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Dinesh Karthik, 5 Kedar Jadhav, 6 MS Dhoni (wk), 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Axar Patel/Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Jasprit BumrahNew Zealand, too, might stick with the same XI.New Zealand (probable): 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Henry Nicholls, 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Adam Milne, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Tim Southee

Pitch and conditions

The last time Kanpur hosted an ODI it saw its two highest ODI totals. South Africa ran up 303 for 5, and Kagiso Rabada defied MS Dhoni at the death to limit India to 298 for 7. The weather is expected to be fine for the duration of the match.

Stats and trivia

• New Zealand have played three ODI deciders in India – in 1995, 1999, and 2016 – and have lost them all.
• Virat Kohli needs 83 runs to become the sixth Indian player – after Mohammad Azharuddin, Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and MS Dhoni – and the fastest overall to score 9000 runs in ODIs.
• The last time India lost a bilateral series at home was against South Africa in 2015.

Quotes

“This is again [a] pressure game, it’s a decider. It matters that how we prepare for the match, our preparation for each match has been good. We will try and repeat what we did in the last match. Whatever our strategy and planning was there it’s important that we do it again.”

Chelsea are ramping up their transfer activity ahead of the Premier League campaign starting next week, with Axel Disasi becoming Mauricio Pochettino’s sixth summer arrival.

There will surely be more to arrive before the transfer window shuts as the Blues have now shown interest in Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Leandro Paredes.

Could Chelsea sign Leandro Paredes?

According to The Evening Standard, Chelsea are interested in making a move for Paredes as Pochettino looks to bolster his midfield options.

Having lost the likes of Mason Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, N’Golo Kante, and Mateo Kovacic this summer in order to streamline the squad, the Stamford Bridge outfit are lightweight in this area of the pitch.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

The pursuit of Moises Caicedo is stalling due to Brighton and Hove Albion valuing their prized asset at £100m, with Chelsea having a bid of £80m rejected by the South Coast side, and it remains to be seen whether they will go back in for him.

The £150k-per-week Argentinian could thus be an ideal alternative to the 21-year-old, especially as he enters the final year of his contract and could be available for a knockdown fee.

Will Leandro Paredes be a good fit for Chelsea?

The PSG ace has enjoyed a nomadic career of sorts, turning out for AS Roma, Boca Juniors, Zenit St. Petersburg, Juventus, although it is with the French giants that he has played the most games for a club, featuring 117 times during his five seasons in Paris.

With Kante and Kovacic departing the club, Pochettino is urgently requiring a player who could partner Enzo Fernandez in the heart of the midfield, and Paredes would certainly be a good fit.

He wasn't exactly the most productive during a loan spell at Juventus last season, making just eight league starts all campaign but he still ranked sixth in the squad for key passes per game (0.9) and held a pass completion success rate of 91%, which was the highest in the squad.

In the Chelsea squad, no player had a higher pass success rate than Paredes, and it shows that even though he had limited game time, he could still dictate play when given an opportunity.

He is even statistically similar to Kovacic and thus could slot straight into the Chelsea starting XI with ease. The Croatian recently departed Stamford Bridge after five years in London to join Manchester City.

According to FBref, Kovacic is the ninth-most comparable player to the PSG midfielder and given that the former Real Madrid ace has won four Champions League crowns, alongside gaining nearly 100 caps for his country, it isn’t a bad comparison to have.

The duo registered similar statistics across a wide range of metrics such as shots per 90 (1.4 v 1.21), goal contributions (three v two), pass success rate (88.3% v 85.7%) and tackles won (14 v 24).

This clearly suggests they both control the game effectively due to their passing ability, while the pair also attempt to win the ball back often and there is no doubt Paredes could replace Kovacic in the Chelsea midfield.

Lauded as “perfect” by former PSG player Fabrice Pancrate, the World Cup winner could be an interesting addition to the squad ahead of 2023/24.

حسم التعادل الإيجابي نتيجة مباراة الإسماعيلي وطلائع الجيش بهدف لكل فريق، بالمواجهة التي انتهت منذ قليل ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

الإسماعيلي واجه طلائع الجيش على أرضية استاد جهاز الرياضة العسكري بالقاهرة، في خضم مواجهات الجولة 23 لبطولة الدوري.

وتقدم الإسماعيلي بالهدف الأول في الدقيقة 62 عن طريق إريك تراوري، بعد تمريرة طولية من عبد الكريم مصطفى أخطأ الحارس محمد شعبان في ابعادها وتابعها تراوري وسدد الكرة داخل الشباك.

طالع أيضاً.. مران الزمالك | برنامج تأهيلي واستشفائي للاعبين استعدادا لمواجهة نهضة بركان بالكونفدرالية

وأدرك فريق طلائع الجيش التعادل في الدقيقة 72، بعد كرة عرضية من محمد هاني وصلت إلى جودوين شيكا وسددها ببراعة داخل الشباك.

بتلك النتيجة، يحتل طلائع الجيش المركز التاسع في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري، برصيد 29 نقطة، بينما يتواجد الإسماعيلي بالمركز الثاني عشر، ولديه 26 نقطة. أهداف مباراة الإسماعيلي وطلائع الجيش في الدوري المصري

Big Picture

India haven’t lost a bilateral series in any format in 2017, but that’s only if you discount the one-off T20I against West Indies in Kingston, where an Evin Lewis century blew them away. A 6-4 T20 record this year would suggest this Indian side is at its most vulnerable in the shortest format. Sri Lanka, having let slip a few chances to push India harder than they did in the ODIs, should therefore allow themselves to feel just a bit more hopeful than they otherwise might when they line up for the first T20I in Cuttack.This, moreover, is an Indian T20 side without Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan or Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and with a long list of unproven names. Between them, Basil Thampi, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar and Mohammed Siraj have played a total of two international games, while Shreyas Iyer only made his India debut in November, and Jaydev Unadkat has played nine games across formats since his debut in December 2010.Sri Lanka will look at those names and tell themselves they have a more-than-realistic chance of winning this series. There’s just one hurdle they’ll have to cross if they are to do so, however; they have lost each of their last five T20 games.

Form guide

India WLWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka LLLLL

In the spotlight

After a low score in seaming conditions in Dharamsala, Shreyas Iyer scored breezy, innovative half-centuries in the second and third ODIs, and didn’t look anything like a batsman playing his debut series in the format. If he transfers that confidence and that ability to manipulate the opposition’s fields into the T20 format as well, India might be closer than ever to solving their long-term middle-order issues in limited-overs cricket.During the ODI series, it was hard to tell if Danushka Gunathilaka was in form or not. He scored 1, 16 and 13, and was out all three times to Jasprit Bumrah, twice while attempting over-ambitious shots. He might need to temper his approach in the 50-overs game, but it might serve him well if he continues to go for his shots in the T20I series.

Team news

Having missed out on ODI selection, KL Rahul returns for the T20Is, and should return in his natural role at the top of the order, alongside Rohit Sharma. With Bhuvneshwar Kumar rested, India will have to choose between Thampi, Siraj and Unadkat to partner Jasprit Bumrah in the seam attack.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 KL Rahul, 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Dinesh Karthik, 5 Manish Pandey, 6 MS Dhoni (wk), 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Kuldeep Yadav, 9 Jaydev Unadkat/Mohammed Siraj/Basil Thampi, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal.A number of senior players have returned to Sri Lanka’s squad after sitting out the T20Is against Pakistan. Their line-up should closely resemble the one that played the ODIs, by and large, but without Suranga Lakmal, they will have to choose between the pace and bounce of Dushmantha Chameera and the left-arm swing of Vishwa Fernando to partner Nuwan Pradeep with the new ball.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Danushka Gunathilaka, 2 Upul Tharanga, 3 Sadeera Samarawickrama/Kusal Perera, 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 6 Asela Gunaratne, 7 Thisara Perera (capt), 8 Sachith Pathirana, 9 Akila Dananjaya, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Nuwan Pradeep.

Pitch and conditions

Cuttack has only hosted one T20I, in which South Africa bowled India out for 92 before strolling to a six-wicket win, amid crowd trouble, in 2015. It was an atypically bowler-dominated game at the venue. Either side of it, India have made 350-plus scores in ODI victories over Sri Lanka and England.

Stats and trivia

• After 63 T20Is, Thisara Perera has taken 45 wickets while conceding 8.95 runs per over. Among bowlers who have bowled in a minimum of 20 T20I innings, only two – Elton Chigumbura and Andre Russell – have a worse economy rate.
• AB de Villiers has 72 dismissals (7 stumpings, 21 catches as wicketkeeper, 44 catches as fielder) in T20Is, the most dismissals in the field by any keeper or fielder. MS Dhoni, however, could soon go past him. He is currently on 70 (45 catches as wicketkeeper, 25 stumpings).
• Sri Lanka won four of their first seven T20Is against India, but have lost four out of four since then.

Quotes

“As senior players, we try and help these young guys as much as possible, but all the young guys who’ve come in have come in with a lot of IPL games behind them. Some have played 20, some have played 30 games, so they’re not as perturbed as they used to be in earlier days.”