David Warner has stepped down as captain of IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad in the wake of his role in the ball-tampering scandal during the Cape Town Test against South Africa. Steven Smith, who was also involved in the pre-meditated plan to tamper with the ball, had already resigned as captain of Rajasthan Royals on Monday.”In light of recent events, David Warner has stepped down as captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad,” K Shanmugam, the Sunrisers CEO said. “The new captain of the team will be announced shortly.”Warner has been part of Sunrisers since 2014, when he was bought for INR 5.5 crores (USD 846,000). In 2015, he was elevated to captaincy in place of Shikhar Dhawan and ended the season as the team’s leading run-getter. In 2016, he made 848 runs, second-highest after Virat Kohli, as Sunrisers clinched their maiden IPL title. This year, he was among two players retained by Sunrisers ahead of the 2018 auction. His retention fee of INR 12 crore (USD 1.84 million) made him the highest paid Australian in the tournament along with Smith.Warner is beginning to emerge as the central player in the ball-tampering episode that has rocked Australian cricket over the last five days. The incident took place during the afternoon session on day three at Newlands and was picked up on by TV cameras. A small, yellow object was seen in Australian fielder Cameron Bancroft’s hands after he had worked on the ball, which he later revealed was adhesive tape with soil particles on it. He was also captured taking the tape from his pocket and placing it down his trousers.David Warner gets his hands on the IPL trophy•BCCI
The footage showed Bancroft rubbing the rough side of the ball, the opposite side to which he would usually be trying to shine on his trousers. He put the object down his pants after being spoken to by the substitute Peter Handscomb, who had come on to the field after speaking to Lehmann over a walkie talkie. Lehmann seemed to speak to Handscomb after footage of Bancroft working on the ball was shown on the TV screens at the ground.The umpires Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth were then seen speaking with Bancroft, though they did not choose to change the ball or penalise the Australians five runs – the statutory on-field penalty for illegally changing the condition of the ball. When Bancroft spoke to the umpires, he was shown holding a bigger, black cloth rather than the small yellow object he had earlier seemed to place down his trousers.Smith and Bancroft owned up to the offence at the press conference after play on the third day, and while Warner was not initially at the forefront of the scandal, a view is emerging that he had hatched the idea to tamper the ball and delegated it to his opening partner Bancroft, with Smith’s approval. A preliminary Cricket Australia investigation said that no other players or staff had knowledge of the plan. Smith and Warner were stood down as Australia’s captain and vice-captain during the Newlands Test, and both players took the field on the fourth day under wicketkeeper Tim Paine’s leadership.Warner, Smith and Bancroft were sent home from South Africa by Cricket Australia, with the board CEO James Sutherland saying the forthcoming sanctions against them were likely to be “significant”. The ICC had already suspended Smith – who was fined 100% of his match fee and given four demerit points – from the fourth Test against South Africa, while Bancroft was given three demerit points and fined 75% of his match fee. There was no ICC sanction against Warner.
Após folga concedida no domingo seguinte à derrota de sábado por 2 a 0 para o São Paulo, o elenco do Palmeiras se reapresentou nesta segunda-feira (12), na Academia de Futebol, e já iniciou a preparação para o duelo contra o Coritiba, agendado para as 18h de quarta-feira (14), no Allianz Parque.
Luxemburgo, que se encontra sob muita pressão no cargo de treinador do Verdão, comandou treino técnico com os reservas e os jogadores que entraram no decorrer do Choque-Rei (casos de Gustavo Scarpa, Gabriel Veron, Ramires, Danilo e Luiz Adriano).
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A atividade ofensiva, que usou apenas metade do campo, consistiu no aprimoramento de jogadas ensaiadas de cruzamentos, ultrapassagens e finalizações a gol. Os defensores, que não contaram com Luan (afastado por lesão no músculo adutor esquerdo), realizaram treinos táticos de posicionamento e rebatidas.
Lucas Esteves, Raphael Veiga, Lucas Lima, Patrick de Paula e Wesley somente correram em volta do gramado, enquanto o restante dos titulares fez exercícios regenerativos na parte interna do centro de excelência.
O Palmeiras tem mais um treino marcado para as 16h desta terça-feira (13), desta vez com os titulares, quando a equipe encerra a preparação para encarar o Coxa.
Both players will not challenge the punishments imposed by Cricket Australia – Smith banned for 12 months, and Bancroft for nine, from international and domestic cricket
ESPNcricinfo staff04-Apr-2018Former Australia captain Steven Smith and Cameron Bancroft will not challenge their bans from international and domestic cricket, and their 12-month ban from leadership positions thereafter, imposed by Cricket Australia for their role in the ball-tampering incident in the Cape Town Test against South Africa.”I would give anything to have this behind me and be back representing my country,” Smith said on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon. “But I meant what I said about taking full responsibility as captain of the team. I won’t be challenging the sanctions. They’ve been imposed by CA to send a strong message and I have accepted them.”Smith’s acceptance of his 12-month ban means that he will be able to return to top-flight cricket only around April 2019, about two months before the World Cup is due to begin in England.Shortly after Smith’s tweet, Bancroft followed suit, saying he too had accepted his nine-month ban. “Today I lodged the paperwork with Cricket Australia and will be accepting the sanction handed down,” he said on Twitter. “I would love to put this behind me and will do whatever it takes to earn back the trust of the Australian public. Thank you to all those who have sent messages of support.The other banned player David Warner and has not yet announced whether he too would accept his sanction, or take the matter to a hearing. Warner was banned from international and domestic cricket for 12 months and also banned from holding leadership positions in Australian cricket for life.A day before Smith and Bancroft said they would not be challenging the sanctions, the Australian Cricketers’ Association had said the punishments were “disproportionate” to the gravity of the offence – ball-tampering – and appealed to CA to reduce them.The ball-tampering controversy that erupted on the third day of the Newlands Test, when Bancroft was caught on camera rubbing the ball with sandpaper, also led to Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann resigning at the end of the Test series in South Africa. In the days after the incident, a CA investigation claimed that Warner had come up with the idea and got Bancroft to tamper with the ball, while Smith was in knowledge of the plan and did not prevent it.Even before CA’s investigation was complete, following the uproar from the public and the government in Australia, the board had stood down Smith and Warner as captain and vice-captain ahead of the fourth day of the Cape Town Test. Wicketkeeper Tim Paine was appointed captain, and Smith and Warner took the field under him as Australia lost the Test that day.The three players involved were sent home ahead of the final Test in Johannesburg, but before they left South Africa, CA chief executive James Sutherland informed them of their sanctions. Smith and Bancroft held emotional press conferences during which they expressed extreme remorse as soon as they touched down in Sydney and Perth respectively on March 29. Warner held his press conference on March 31 and also broke down while expressing regret over his conduct in South Africa.
Fulham are now "working on" a deal to sign Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, who is also a major target for another Premier League club…
What's the latest Fulham transfer news?
It appears as though Joao Palhinha could be on his way out of the door before tonight's 11pm deadline, with a verbal agreement over a transfer fee now being reached with Bayern Munich, although the final details and clauses still need to be clarified.
As such, the Cottagers will have to bring in a replacement quickly, and they have opened talks with Tottenham Hotspur over a deal for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who is willing to listen to the proposal put forward, given his lack of game time in north London.
In the same report, it is detailed that several players have been contacted, including Manchester United's Scott McTominay and AS Monaco's Youssouf Fofana, with Marco Silva keen to bring in another central midfielder before the transfer window closes.
Man United rejected an offer of £30m for McTominay earlier in the transfer window, indicating the Scotland international could now cost even more, as we are so close to the deadline, particularly if they are unable to bring in another central midfielder themselves.
In fact, the main player the Red Devils have been keen on is Amrabat, with Football Insider reporting they have recently made a breakthrough in talks with Fiorentina, meaning he has been given the green light to travel to Manchester for his medical.
The Telegraph report that Fiorentina are ready to loan the midfielder to Man United, but only if any deal includes an obligation to buy at the end of the season, with a fee of around €30m (£26m) being discussed.
The 27-year-old has been waiting for United's interest to materialise, indicating he would be keen on a move to Old Trafford, but there could soon be another offer from a Premier League club on the table, with Fulham being named as potential suitors.
In an update from Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio on X, it is detailed the Cottagers are actively "working on" a deal to sign the Moroccan for €30m (£26m), so they could end up hijacking Man United's move.
Is Sofyan Amrabat a CDM?
The Morocco international's main position is defensive midfield, although he is capable of playing slightly further forward, indicating he could be a like-for-like replacement for Palhinha, but the two players have different skill sets.
While Palhinha is exceptional defensively, ranking in the 99th percentile for tackles, and the 90th percentile for aerials won and clearances per 90 over the past year, Amrabat's main strength is his passing, placing in the 99th percentile for his pass completion rate.
Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat.
The Fiorentina star has been lauded as a "raging bull" by Moroccan journalist Amine El Amri, who also dubbed him "the best midfielder" at the 2022 World Cup, so it is clear that he appears to be a top-quality player. However, while Amrabat would still be a good addition to the squad, it may be worth looking at other players who specialise defensively, and Hojbjerg could be a more viable option.
Leeds United have now been given a claim on Sam Byram's injury from an expert, and there are indications the defender could be out for quite some time in a worst-case scenario…
When is Sam Byram back from injury?
Byram was involved in all four of Leeds' Championship games prior to the 0-0 draw against Sheffield Wednesday at the beginning of September, but manager Daniel Farke was unable to call on the full-back against the Owls.
The defender was again unavailable for selection against Salford City in the EFL Cup, with Farke confirming he was not close to being named in the starting XI at the Peninsula Stadium, saying:
“No sadly. He has an adductor strain and he is out for the weekend.
“He will miss the game at the weekend. We hope that he's back then on the other side of the International break. The strain is not too bad, but the tightness was something between two and three weeks. So for that definitely not available for the weekend. But hopefully then the other side.”
As such, the 29-year-old could be fit for the trip to Millwall this Sunday, but injury expert Dr Rajpal Brar has now indicated he could be set for a much longer spell on the sidelines due to the "severe damage" to the group of muscles, potentially totalling 3 months in a worst-case scenario. Speaking exclusively to MOT Leeds News, Brar said:
“The injury is severe damage to a group of muscles that run along the inside of the leg called the adductor group – one of the most commonly injured muscle groups for footballers.
“His rehab and return to games will follow the same principles as any other muscular rehab – build up the strength and mobility of the area while gradually introducing higher intensity training that eventually mimics on-pitch action.
“The worst case scenario is a Grade 3 rupture which typically means 12+ weeks out."
Is Sam Byram fit to play against Millwall?
At the moment, it remains up in the air whether the Englishman will be available for selection against Millwall this weekend, but Farke will be hoping for some positive news this week, considering his summer signing has made an impressive start to life back at Elland Road.
The Thurrock-born defender has been deployed as a left-back for the Whites this season, but he recently demonstrated he is very much capable of posing a threat on the front foot, assisting Wilfried Gnonto's goal in the 4-3 victory against Ipswich Town.
In the 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion, the former West Ham United man looked very solid defensively, making a total of four tackles, the highest amount of any player on the pitch, while four clearances was the third-highest total.
Former Norwich full-back Sam Byram.
After spending a number of years away from Elland Road, with the likes of West Ham, Norwich City and Nottingham Forest, the Leeds academy graduate was just starting to find his feet in his second spell at Elland Road. As such, it will be a real blow if Byram is out for longer than expected, and Farke will be hoping it is only a minor issue.
واصلت البطلة المصرية رحاب رضوان تألقها في عالم رفع الأثقال البارالمبي، محققة إنجازًا تاريخيًا جديدًا في بطولة كأس العالم المقامة حاليًا في جورجيا.
ونجحت رحاب رضوان في حجز مكانها في دورة الألعاب البارالمبية باريس 2024، بعد انتهاء منافسات وزن 55 كجم في بطولة كأس العالم، والتي تُعد آخر محطات التأهل لدورة الألعاب.
وتوجت اللاعبة المصرية بذهبية بطولة كأس العالم، بعد رفعها وزنًا هائلاً بلغ 135 كجم، محطمةً بذلك الرقم القياسي العالمي في وزن 55 كجم.
ويُعد هذا الإنجاز سابقة تاريخية للبطلة المصرية، ويؤكد على موهبتها الاستثنائية وإمكانياتها الهائلة.
طالع أيضًا | “الحلم للجميع”.. ميكالي يوضح حظوظ منتخب مصر في أولمبياد باريس 2024
ويتواجد مع رحاب رضوان في جورجيا وفد مصري ضخم يضم عددًا من أبطال رفع الأثقال البارالمبي، مثل شريف عثمان، محمد صبحي، عمرو فاروق، محمد المنياوي، نادية فكري، راندة تاج الدين، فاطمة محروس، وصفاء محمد.
ويقود المنتخب المصري جهاز فني مُتخصص بقيادة المدير الفني أندريه أتشيبريه، والمدرب العام محمد عزت متولي، والمدرب هاني محمد غراب، ومدير المنتخب علي محمد.
ويُقدم إنجاز رحاب رضوان دافعًا قويًا للمنتخب المصري لرفع الأثقال البارالمبي، لكي يُحقق نتائج مبهرة في دورة الألعاب البارالمبية باريس 2024.
Martin Odegaard was seen as the next big thing in world football when European giants Real Madrid signed the then-16-year-old for £2m in 2015.
However, after a number of years that saw very few starts and several loan moves, there was a general belief that the youngster was perhaps just another in a long line of failed wonderkids. That was until Arsenal took him on loan in 2021.
Following a successful stint in north London, the Gunners made the move permanent that summer for just £35m, and Odegaard has been slowly fulfilling the potential so many thought he once had ever since.
That said, he has had contrasting experiences when coming up against Everton in the Premier League.
And with Arsenal once again about to make the trip up north, Football FanCast has taken a look at the Norwegian's record against the Toffees, as well as his general record since first donning the famous red and white of Arsenal.
What is Martin Odegaard's record against Everton?
Everton's Dominic Calvert-Lewin in action with Arsenal's Martin Odegaard.
Odegaard has only been an Arsenal player since January 2021, and has therefore only played against the Toffees on a grand total of five occasions so far, having never faced them outside the Premier League.
In those five games, he has appeared on the scoresheet three times.
In his first game against the Merseysiders in April 2021, he lasted just 74 minutes, coming off the pitch with no goal or assist to his name – something he would remedy the next time out.
The Norway captain played the full 90 in the game at Goodison Park in December of the same year and scored from a driven left-footed shot in the 45th minute.
He would score another goal in the reverse fixture, again with his left foot, only this time, he would be captain of the club.
Odegaard blanked once again in the first game against Everton last season, before redeeming himself and his team somewhat with another goal in March of this year, this time from a right-footed strike.
In all, three goals in five games for a midfielder is certainly good going from the young leader. However, the team's performances have not quite matched up to his when it comes to playing Everton.
What is Martin Odegaard's head-to-head record against Everton?
Despite his impressive individual performances against the Toffees since he arrived in England, Odegaard has found himself on the losing side in games against the Merseysiders more often than not.
In the five games since his introduction as an Arsenal player, he has won just twice against them, losing on the other three occasions. Considering the levels Everton have found themselves at in recent years, that is rather poor from the Gunners.
Possibly the worst performance of the lot came in February of this year when the newly appointed Sean Dyche appeared to completely school the north Londoners, with Amadou Onana, in particular, dominating the centre of the park.
Whilst the loss didn't remove Mikel Arteta's men from top spot at the time, it certainly damaged their title credentials.
While Odegaard has found himself on the losing side of things more than he'd like against Everton, when Arsenal have won, they've done so in style.
In May 2022, the Gunners played Frank Lampard's side on the final day of the season and smashed them 5-1 – although with safety already secured, it's hard to draw any real conclusions from Everton's performance that day.
It was a similar scoreline in March of this year, with the Gunners running out 4-0 victors at home, seemingly exercising the demons from their 1-0 loss just a few weeks before.
At the time of writing, Odegaard has already played 91 games in the Premier League for the Gunners and has become one of the first names on the teamsheet for Arteta – especially since becoming club captain.
In those 91 appearances, the midfield dynamo has managed to rack up a seriously impressive 39 goal involvements.
Interestingly, the 24-year-old has actually scored more goals than he has provided assists so far in his Arsenal career, finding the back of the net 25 times while providing for his teammates 14 times.
That said, he has just come off of a fantastic scoring season, in which he got himself on the scoresheet 15 times across his 37 appearances – more than double the seven goals he scored in the 2021/22 campaign.
With his output improving year after year and the players around him getting better amid the Gunners' runners-up finish last term, don't bet against him scoring even more this season.
What is Martin Odegaard's overall Arsenal record?
martin-odegaard-arsenal
Whilst the bulk of his output has come in the Premier League, Odegaard has also been an effective tool for Arteta in other competitions. Since making the switch to north London, he has played in 13 Europa League games for the club and scored one goal in the process.
In fact, it was against Greek outfit Olympiacos in March 2021 that the then-22-year-old opened his Arsenal account with an outrageous thunderbolt that clattered off the underside of the crossbar.
The Norwegian wizard has also added one more assist to his tally in the EFL Cup, but is yet to produce a goal involvement in the FA Cup.
Who has Martin Odegaard scored against the most?
Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard celebrating for Arsenal.
The team that the Norwegian gem has scored the most against is, in fact, Everton – with those three goals the most he has scored against a single opponent in all competitions.
After the Toffees, the English sides that Odegaard has scored most often against are bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Brighton & Hove Albion, Southampton, Wolves, Fulham and Bournemouth.
The two goals against Spurs and the Blues demonstrate that he can and often does shine in the biggest games for the club and are perhaps part of the reason he was chosen to be the captain of the side.
Who has Martin Odegaard got the most assists against?
martin-odegaard-arsenal-emile-smith-rowe
While we're sure that Arteta and the Arsenal faithful love Odegaard for his goalscoring ability and contributions, it's easy to forget that his primary job as the side's chief creator is to create as many opportunities as he can for his side and to rack up as many assists as possible.
However, despite creating 76 chances in the league last year – the fifth-highest tally – he ended the season with just seven assists, the same number as Granit Xhaka.
That said, Leeds United are the side that have suffered from the brunt of his creativity in league play, with the Norwegian providing three assists when playing against the West Yorkshire side.
Following the Peacocks, West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion have been on the receiving end of his assists most often, with Odegaard providing two against both sides.
What is Arsenal's record against Everton?
Neither Arsenal nor Everton have ever been relegated from the Premier League, and so it's not all the surprising to see that in the years since their first meeting back in April 1905, the two sides have played each other a whopping 221 times across all competitions.
Whilst there have been periods of dominance for both sides and periods in which there was little to separate them, the Gunners have had the overall edge over their Merseyside opponents, winning 110 matches between the sides – almost double Everton's 65.
Arsenal wins
110
Draws
46
Everton wins
65
What are Arsenal's recent results against Everton?
For all their dominance over the years, recent results against Everton have been a real mixed bag for the Gunners, to say the least, with some seriously impressive wins and some calamitous losses as well.
In the last ten meetings between the sides, the Gunners have come out victorious on five occasions, which would probably be deemed a reasonably successful outcome if it weren't for the fact that the Toffees have been something of a circus in recent seasons.
Even with the threat of relegation looming large, the Merseyside outfit have been able to come away with four wins out of the last ten games, even beating the Gunners at home in April 2021.
And while Arteta's men have recently beaten Dyche's side 4-0, their struggles at Goodison should give the players and fans some confidence that they can once again defy the odds and upset the Gunners.
When is Arsenal vs Everton?
The Gunners will travel north to play Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday 16th September. The match will kick off at 5.30pm (UK time), with Arsenal hoping to improve upon their last couple of visits to their historic ground.
There's a lot on the line for both sides as Arteta's men will look to maintain their pace in the title race, whereas Dyche and co will be looking to earn as many points as they can early this year to avoid another relegation battle come May.
Em confronto muito equilibrado na parte de cima da tabela, o que não faltou foram gols por parte de Cuiabá e Paraná, pela 17ª rodada do Brasileirão Série B, na Arena Pantanal.
Com o placar de 3 a 3, o Dourado chegou aos 33 pontos, ficando na vice-liderança da competição. Já o Tricolor, com o tropeço, acabou não encostando nos líderes mantendo-se com seus 21 pontos, porém ocupando agora a 7ª colocação.
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O jogo
Jogando sob seus domínios, o Cuiabá iniciou o confronto tentando ficar mais com a posse de bola. Entretanto, o time da casa praticamente não ofereceu perigo ao sistema defensivo do Paraná, deixando o goleiro Marcos tranquilo de certa forma.
Mas a equipe mato-grossense não desanimou e, aos 12 minutos, conseguiu abrir a contagem na Arena Pantanal. Após chute de Elvis, a bola chegou a desviar em Matheus Barbosa tirando o arqueiro do Tricolor da jogada balançando a rede. 1 a 0.
Com o tempo passando, o Paraná ainda bem que tentou criar algumas jogadas de efeito. Porém, sem sucesso como na chance de Andrey, a equipe de Allan Aal seguiu insistindo até que encontrou seu gol com aos 33 com Bruno Gomes, com o atacante arriscando de longe, após fazer o giro sobre Ednei, quase dando a chance do arqueiro João Carlos fazer a defesa. 1 a 1.
Até os minutos finais, foram poucos os lances de perigo para ambos os lados. Com isso, foi a deixa para arbitragem mandar as equipes para os vestiários.
Já no segundo tempo, a equipe comandada por Allan All chegou ao tento da virada. Aos 3 minutos, Jean Victor, em bonita cobrança de falta, mandou sem chances para o goleiro. 2 a 1.
Entretanto, o Cuiabá, não querendo ficar atrás do marcador, aos 4 minutos tratou de deixar tudo igual novamente. Após arriscar de fora, a bola de Maxwell ainda desviou na defesa do time paranaense antes de entrar no gol. 2 a 2.
E o gol animou o Dourado. Aos 15 minutos, o atacante Elton, aproveitando rebote dado pelo goleiro Marcos, marcou seu primeiro no jogo, colocando a equipe novamente em vantagem no marcador. 3 a 2.
Após algumas mudanças em seus respectivos times, tanto Allan Aal, quanto Marcelo Chamusca tentaram dar ânimo novo. No entanto, valeu mais para a equipe paranaense. Desta vez, aos 20 minutos, Guilherme Biteco, aproveitando um cruzamento vindo pela esquerda, mandou um lindo voleio para deixar tudo igual. 3 a 3.
Com o tempo passando, os dois treinadores novamente optaram por novas alterações, isso até meados dos 40 minutos. Porém, desta vez, nenhuma delas acabou surtindo efeito, fazendo com que os times seguissem na esperança de encontrar algum espaço na busca de um possível gol da vitória.
Já na reta final, junto com os 5 minutos de acréscimos dado pelo árbitro, foi o Cuiabá quem tentou criar mais com jogadas aéreas. Mesmo com toda a insistência, os jogadores acabaram não conseguindo marcar, fechando o confronto com um empate que acabou não ajudando nenhum lado na tabela classificação.
Kolkata Knight Riders: beat Royal Challenegers Bangalore by six wickets, lost to Delhi Daredevils by 55 runs, lost to Kings XI Punjab by nine wickets, beat Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets Chennai Super Kings: beat Delhi Daredevils by 13 runs, lost to Mumbai Indians by eight wickets, beat Royal Challengers by five wickets, beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by four runs
Big Picture
The previous match these two played became the one of most talked about games this season, after Vinay Kumar faltered in the execution of a yorker that became a full toss that Dwayne Bravo blasted it into the stands to win it.That match itself was high-scoring and some of the questions it prompted have remained the same. How these sides address them will likely determine the winner on Thursday evening.Halfway into the tournament the Super Kings have proved to be the best batting unit – in terms of run rate across the three phases of innings. They are third in the Powerplay (8.92), but have the best scoring rate in the middle overs (8.54) and at the death (12.64) where MS Dhoni has regained his golden touch as a finisher. However that advantage is virtually erased by the sloppiness of their bowling, which has been inconsistent throughout innings. The absence of a good new-ball bowler is evident in the Powerplay phase, where the Super Kings are fourth most expensive with an economy rate of 8.63. It gets worse as the innings goes on: in the middle overs, they are third-worst, conceding at 8.40; at the death, where Super Kings have leaked runs at 11.42 an over, they are second-worst in the tournament.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Luckily it would seem for Super Kings, Knight Riders have failed to sustain the early momentum gained by their top order comprising Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine and Robin Uthappa. At the death, Knight Riders lose a wicket every 10.5 balls and score a boundary every five deliveries. Their run rate of 9.91 in this phase is decent, but nothing that truly hurts the opposition.Clearly then this could be a battle that is won or lost at the death.
In the news
Nitish Rana has back spasms and will undergo a fitness assessment on the morning of the game. In case he is unfit, Knight Riders could choose between Ishank Jaggi and Rinku Singh.
Previous meeting
It is the match that will be remembered as the one that pushed fans to troll India seamer Vinay Kumar, following the penultimate-ball six by Dwayne Bravo that helped Super Kings chase down a target of 203. That game also happened to be the last match played in Chennai, after which Super Kings’ home base was switched to Pune.
Best chance for Sunil Narine to regain his impact with the ball. Narine picked up seven wickets in the first four matches, but then could manage just the one wicket in the next four games during which he conceded at a rate of 10.3 with an average of 144. However his numbers against the specialist batsmen in Super Kings are healthy and home conditions are likely to favour Narine.
Stats that matter
Andre Russell can overpower all kinds of bowling. Of particular note in that list is Russell’s Caribbean team-mate Dwayne Bravo. Russell has 216 runs off 102 balls he has faced from Bravo, a strike rate of 211.8 in 17 innings
Sunil Narine has had the better of Shane Watson, Super Kings’ gun batsman. In 13 T20 innings he has bowled against the Australian, Narine has got Watson six times
Robin Uthappa needs 23 runs to register 4000 runs in the IPL. Uthappa also needs nine runs to register 1000 runs at Eden Gardens in the IPL
Piyush Chawla needs two wickets to register 50 wickets for KKR in the IPL. He will become the first player in IPL history to pick up 50-plus wickets for multiple teams. Chawla previously took 84 wickets for Kings XI Punjab
This IPL, Chris Lynn has been defensive against left-arm spinners: in four innings so far, out of 27 deliveries he has faced against them, he has got 25 runs at a strike rate of 92.6 with a dot ball percentage of 44.4, and has been out twice
Fantasy pick
The Eden Gardens pitch has helped quick bowlers more than spinners, which gives Andre Russell two bites at the cherry; he can be great value if he gets to bat too, not least because he has big numbers against Super Kings at the death.
The Pakistan allrounder further said that the 2019 World Cup in England would be his last major 50-over event
ESPNcricinfo staff09-May-2018Shoaib Malik wants to keep playing international cricket at least until 2020. The 36-year old allrounder is three matches away from tying Shahid Afridi’s record as the most capped Pakistan player in T20Is and has his eyes set on the World T20 in Australia. Malik also said that the 2019 World Cup in England would be his last major 50-over tournament.”The 2019 World Cup is my last World Cup, but I want to play in the World T20 in 2020; that is my goal for Twenty20 cricket,” he said. “These are the two big goals which I’m looking at; let’s see how it goes. If I’m consistently performing, then I want to play these two World Cups.”Malik was captain of Multan Sultans franchise in the recently concluded PSL. He made 224 runs for them in eight innings and also picked up three wickets. His next assignment is with the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League, which runs from August to September.Malik also made a point to remember his previous franchise, the Barbados Tridents. He played for them for five years and helped them to the title in 2014 with a match-winning half-century in the final.”Being alone in Barbados, still you don’t feel as if you’re alone in Barbados. You have people around you, and I think the whole five years is something which I’m going to miss,” Malik said. “But I’m sure we’ll have a game in Barbados and that will cover some of my missing parts.”Malik also relished the opportunity to play in Guyana, where the pitches tend to be slow. “Guyana is more like you’re playing in the subcontinent, I think,” he said. “If you’re playing for a new team the expectations are a lot from you. When they have seen someone that did well for a longer run the expectations are obviously high.”