Tag Futebol

The Polar Bear is reportedly headed to a warmer climate.

Longtime Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is joining the Orioles on a five-year contract worth $155 million, according to a Wednesday afternoon report from Jeff Passan of ESPN. Alonso, 31, has spent his entire seven-year career with New York.

Debuting in 2019, the first baseman immediately established himself as a superstar with a MLB-best 53 home runs. In a career that has seen him make five All-Star teams (and memorably win two Home Run Derbies), he has also led the National League in RBIs (131 in 2022) and doubles (41 in 2025).

Per Passan, Alonso's deal is the most lucrative ever for a first baseman on an average annual value basis.

Baltimore—which won 101 games as recently as 2023—is looking to put a disappointing '25 behind it. Much of the Orioles' lineup underachieved a year ago, and the team dismissed manager Brandon Hyde after 43 games.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, Alonso will debut for Baltimore on March 26 against the Twins.

With 87 not out off 47 balls against West Indies, the England opener showed he could bat deep and finish the game for his side

Matt Roller20-Jun-2024

Phil Salt soaks in the winning moment•ICC via Getty Images

Phil Salt played a walk-on role in England’s T20 World Cup win in Australia two years ago but is a leading actor in their bid to become the first men’s team to retain the title. After a series of false starts, this was where England’s tournament began and Salt was the protagonist, walking off unbeaten with 87 not out off 47 balls to his name.Until recently, Salt was a man for a good time, not a long time; a powerplay dasher who could be relied on for a lightning-fast start but not much more, rarely pushing on beyond the tenth over. It took until last year – the eighth of his T20 career – for him to face 50 balls in a single innings. Even the best canapés still need a main course to follow.But in St Lucia, he showed how he has evolved as a player. He played high-impact innings throughout the IPL, with the Impact Player rule and the cushion of a deep batting line-up allowing him to tee off. But with England lighter than usual on batting and their finishers short on recent gametime, he recognised that his role was to bat through.Related

WI coach Sammy: 'This loss will not dampen our spirits'

Salt and Bairstow take West Indies down with ease

'Mature, senior player's innings' – Buttler on Bairstow's knock

Salt raced to 35 off 20 after six overs, hitting towering sixes off Andre Russell and Alzarri Joseph. He has struggled in the past against left-arm spin but largely negated the threat of Akeal Hosein, albeit surviving an early chance when Nicholas Pooran dropped a difficult toe-ender behind the stumps.Rather than passing the baton to the middle order, Salt recognised the opportunity to take the chase deep and win the game himself. With the field spread and West Indies’ fingerspinners taking over, he hit 14 off 17 balls from overs seven till 15, letting Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow take the risks while he knocked the ball about.And when it was time to go, he went hard: every ball of Romario Shepherd’s 16th over went to – or over – the boundary, turning an equation of 40 off 30 balls into 10 off 24. It was stunning hitting, launching balls over cover, long-off and upper-cutting over Pooran. Once, Salt was a leg-side slogger; now he looks like a complete package.Phil Salt: “To play an innings like that alongside Jonny and come away with a win is a great feeling”•ICC via Getty ImagesThe dimensions at St Lucia played a significant role on the night: the square boundary towards the grass banks and the party stand measured 63 metres; the longer one towards the Johnson Charles Stand was 72 metres. There was also a stiff breeze blowing across the ground from the north-east, meaning hitting towards the pavilion was downwind.Salt has spoken extensively to Kieron Pollard since he linked up with England’s squad at the start of the month, and has tapped into his vast experience of playing T20 in the Caribbean. They have talked about targeting bowlers from one end when the dimensions and the breeze line up like this.”We’ve spoken a lot about taking eights from one side to take 12s from the other – and that’s 200,” Salt said. “It sounds so simple to say it, but [it was about] putting that into action. I knew I had slowed down. I knew I hadn’t got much strike, but I knew that if I just got through that period, we would be in a good position and I could have a good dip, [take a] good calculated risk at the seamers.”Salt’s splits were even more marked than Pollard suggested. When he stood at the pavilion end, with a long leg-side boundary and the breeze blowing towards him, he scored 27 off 22 balls (7.4 runs per over); when he was at the media centre end, hitting downwind with a short leg-side boundary, he belted 60 off 25 (14.4 runs per over).

“We’ve spoken a lot about taking eights from one side to take 12s from the other – and that’s 200”Phil Salt on his discussions with Kieron Pollard

He attributed his success to feeling comfortable in the side. Salt was privately seething last year when he missed out on England’s squad to face New Zealand in four T20Is towards the end of their home summer, but won back his opening spot for December’s Caribbean tour and made himself undroppable with two hundreds in that series.”The more you play, the more you feel secure in yourself and in your game,” he said. “It’s probably one of those things that you feel more confident to do. I feel like when you’re new to a side, you’re thinking, ‘what if I get out now?’ but I feel like once you’re a little bit more settled, you can play that role and take the onus on your own a little bit more.”There was another telling sign that Salt has grown up. In the 13th over, with Pooran chirping in his ear, he twice backed away before Gudakesh Motie could release the ball and asked him to stop. But rather than losing his temper, or letting Pooran bait him into a loose shot, he simply brushed it off. “I’m not sure if it’s some sort of mind game… but it’s nothing big at all.”Bairstow’s innings – 48 not out off 26 balls, his highest at a T20 World Cup – was vital for Salt, vindicating England’s decision to bat him in the middle order. He took Hosein and Joseph on in the 14th and 15th over and almost single-handedly turned a ten-an-over equation into a much more manageable required rate of eight.But this was Salt’s night, and his chance to show off to the world just how good he has become. “To come here against a very strong side that are riding that wave of momentum and in their own conditions and with their home crowd, to play an innings like that alongside Jonny and come away with a win is a great feeling,” he said.

In an interview to ESPNcricinfo, the 37-year-old wicketkeeper describes the communication and reasons given for dropping him from the India Test side

Sidharth Monga20-Feb-2022You seem angry, going by your recent public comments.
I never get angry. Nor am I now. I was told about this selection decision in South Africa, but I didn’t tell anyone that till now. Now that the team is out, I have only answered questions that people have asked me.How was this communicated to you?
After the South Africa series, Rahul [Dravid, the head coach] called me to the room and said, “Wriddhi, I don’t know how to say this, but for some time now the selectors and the team management have been wanting to look at a new face (as wicketkeeper). Because you are not our first-choice wicketkeeper, because you haven’t been playing for a while, we want to use this time to groom a younger wicketkeeper.” I said “okay, no issues”.Related

• Wriddhiman Saha chooses Tripura for 2022-23 domestic season

• Saha parts ways with Bengal after obtaining NOC from CAB

• Saha, Shami picked in Bengal Ranji squad for quarter-final

• BCCI: 'We will speak to Saha and want to know if he was threatened'

• Rahul Dravid on Wriddhiman Saha – 'Not hurt at all, have deep respect for him'

And he said, “Don’t be shocked if you are not selected for the Sri Lanka Tests. In the meantime, if you want to take some other decision, you can do that.” So I told him I was not thinking about retirement; not even close to doing so. I told him, “I started playing cricket because I liked playing it, and will continue till I like doing so. If you are not looking at me for the Indian team, that is your decision.”And the selectors?
Ten-twelve days later, I got a call from Chetan Sharma [chairman of selectors]. He asked me if I was playing Ranji Trophy. I said I hadn’t decided yet. Then he went on to tell me what Rahul had said. So I asked him if this decision was for just this series or for the upcoming series against Australia and England too. Then he paused for a couple of seconds and said, “From now on, you will not be considered.”Then I asked him why, is it because of my performance and fitness or is it because of my age? He said fitness and performance were not an issue. “We want to look at new faces and if we bring in a new face, we can’t drop him without playing him.” That’s why he said “from now on”.I said, “Okay, this is your decision.”And he said, “You can play Ranji Trophy if you want to. It’s your call.”

“If they were going to consider me after this series, then why would Rahul say, you can take ‘some other’ decision if you want?”Wriddhiman Saha

You haven’t been playing the Ranji Trophy.
It has got nothing to do with the selection. Some time ago my wife fell sick with dengue, and she hasn’t recovered fully. We have two young kids too. So I have to give my family some time too. I told the Cricket Association of Bengal clearly that I was not playing for personal reasons.Do you feel you are being nudged to retire?
When the selectors and the coach say they have been thinking about this for a while, it is not an isolated call. It means other officials – president, vice-president, etc – are in the loop too.The biggest shock was that when I scored 61 against New Zealand in Kanpur despite being injured, Dadi [Sourav Ganguly, the BCCI president] texted to congratulate me and said I didn’t need to worry about anything till he is there. Naturally, I was shocked at what I was told immediately one series after.But the board president doesn’t get involved in selections.
I don’t know all that. I don’t complain about selection. If I am selected, I try to deliver. If I am dropped, I don’t say why I have not been picked. If I am not picked now, the team must not be needing me, which is why they have decided. I am not going to say anything against it.Are you satisfied by the reasons and communication?
They said performance or fitness is not an issue. “We just want to look at a new face. You are with the squad, not getting to play, so we will not consider you ‘from now on’.” So if I play Ranji or not, if I score double-centuries or triple-centuries, “from now on” means out. That means we will not consider you from now on.If you score a thousand runs in a Ranji season, your fitness will be obvious, then how can they not consider you?
If they are saying fitness and performance are not an issue, what is the issue? Age.One person indirectly asked me to consider retirement. One said, “From now on you won’t be considered.” It is clear they won’t take me whatever I do. I have been told that Chetan Sharma yesterday said you are not being considered only for these two Tests. That version is different. I have been told “from now on”. If they were going to consider me after this series, then why would Rahul say, “You can take some other decision if you want”?Have you spoken to Ganguly after that?
No. Not after that text.

ESPNcricinfo’s correspondents sum up the state of each Full Member nation

ESPNcricinfo staff19-May-2020It is just over two months since cricket came to an abrupt halt due to the Covid-19 pandemic and, like all sports, the game now faces a huge challenge to resurrect itself. The early signs of a return are starting to take shape, but a lot of work remains. ESPNcricinfo’s correspondents sum up the state of each Full Member nation.Afghanistan have little to smile about off the field. The board has been forced to cut salaries and is in dire need of sponsors•ICC via Getty

Afghanistan

By Danyal RasoolState of (non) play
Afghanistan got through with a three-match T20I series in March, but that’s their only international cricket this year so far. The Asia Cup is next, though it looks unlikely to go ahead. The Afghanistan Cricket Board did have an agreement to travel to Zimbabwe outside the purview of the FTP for a five-match T20I series, but the final call on it has yet to be taken.How are the finances?
On a ventilator, from the looks of things. Available sources of funding have dried up swiftly, and the ACB has been forced to cut staff salaries, with head coach Lance Klusener, assistant coach Nawroz Mangal and batting coach HD Ackerman taking 25% pay cuts that will rise to 50% next month. The financial pain isn’t just pandemic-related, with the ACB reeling since a major sponsor, Alokozay Group of Companies, withdrew after differences with the board. The Afghanistan government grant contributes about 15% of the board’s total finances, and that is yet to be distributed among rearranged priorities due to the pandemic.What matters most?
Money. The crippled finances mean Afghanistan may be forced to let go of their coaching staff if they are unable to pay their salaries, and they are in desperate need of sponsors. CEO Lutfullah Stanikzai told ESPNcricinfo recently they were forced to find sponsors on an ad-hoc basis, and were looking mainly to Indian sponsors to help stem the bleeding. To make matters worse, clothing sponsor Tykia terminated its sponsorship contract, due to run until the end of this year, because of the pandemic.The comeback plans
There is severe doubt about whether the 2020 Shpageeza League can be held at all, and besides that, Afghanistan are beholden to external forces, which will largely determine when they resume. If Zimbabwe green-lights the T20I series, scheduled for later in the year, that could be the first internationals they play. There is a one-off Test scheduled against Australia, though you’d expect that isn’t as much a priority for Cricket Australia as the series against India will be later in the year.Kevin Roberts said that CA had been left with little choice but to make major cost savings•Getty Images

Australia

By Andrew McGlashanState of (non) play
Australia’s season ended abruptly but only a little earlier than the scheduled close when the ODI series against New Zealand was curtailed, and then the T20I series across the Tasman postponed along with the women’s tour to South Africa. The Test tour to Bangladesh in June will not be happening and the limited-overs trip to England in July could be played in September. There was also due to be a series against Zimbabwe in August in the Top End of Australia but that is unlikely to happen.How are the finances?
On a knife edge, if you believe Cricket Australia, but there is significant scepticism as to whether things are as bad as have been made out, which has led to most CA staff being stood down on 20% pay until the end of June at least, with redundancies expected down the line. There are also ongoing talks between CA and the players’ union over potential pay cuts. The states are bracing for a 25% cut in funding, although some are still resisting, while there have already been significant job losses with the impacts also being felt down to community and grassroots level.What matters most?
Much of the uncertainty stems from the fate of the India tour later in the year, which could cost CA A$300 million if it doesn’t take place, although it is looking increasingly as having a good chance of going ahead albeit without crowds. There are various plans mooted, including using a reduced number of venues to aid bio-security protocols.The comeback plans
Restrictions around Australia are slowly being eased as Covid-19 numbers remain low. However, travel remains significantly limited and international teams will likely need dispensation to arrive and possible quarantine, which is a huge challenge for the T20 World Cup in October. One of the contingencies being discussed is making use of a trans-Tasman travel “bubble” for Australia and New Zealand to play each other. Signs are promising, though, that domestically the season should be able to get underway as scheduled in late September. Players could be back training in the next couple of weeks.Tamim Iqbal cuts a short ball•AFP

Bangladesh

By Mohammad IsamState of (non) play
Around mid-March, the Bangladesh Cricket Board first postponed the T20Is for the Bangabandhu birth centenary, after which the Dhaka Premier League, the domestic one-day competition, was stopped after just one round of matches. Bangladesh’s tour of Ireland in May as well as Australia’s visit for two Tests in June have been postponed. Bangladesh’s tour of Sri Lanka in July and New Zealand’s tour of Bangladesh in August remain undecided.How are the finances?
The large BCB staff – including centrally contracted national and first-class cricketers as well as foreign coaches – have been receiving their salaries on schedule. The board has also already made a one-time payment to all Dhaka Premier League cricketers and is going to pay another one-time stipend. From this point, another three or four months is still going to be sustainable, but like all other boards or sports bodies, the BCB will run into trouble if the lockdown extends to more than six months.What matters most?
One of those, of course, is the T20 World Cup in October, which is a significant source of income for the BCB, like for the rest of the participating nations. On the field, the most significant miss is the matches of the World Test Championship against Pakistan and Australia, while the ones against Sri Lanka and New Zealand also hang in the balance. BCB will also be anxious about its postponed new TV deal, wondering whether or not Gazi TV or any other broadcaster will become a long-term partner. BCB will also be banking heavily on next season’s BPL, set to be a return for franchise-based competition, starting on time.The comeback plans
Bangladesh continues to be under lockdown, which includes a countrywide ban on public transport and shutdown of all government and non-government offices. The players’ association has, however, petitioned for the resumption of the Dhaka Premier League after Eid-ul-Fitr, but so far there is no plan for a straightforward return to the field. The BCB has discussed its exit plan internally, and it is likely that national cricketers will be given at least eight weeks to regain fitness. The BCB can give a better picture of when cricket returns to the field only after Eid, and if the transport suspension is taken off in June.Joe Root leads his team off the field after the postponement of their Test series in Sri Lanka•Gareth Copley/Getty Images

England

By Valkerie BaynesState of (non) play
England’s squad left Sri Lanka in mid-March, days before their two-Test series was supposed to start and their entire home season has been thrown into disarray. A three-Test series against West Indies, due to begin on June 4, was postponed. However ECB is working on plans to hold those matches – followed by three Tests against Pakistan – behind closed doors, possibly from July 8. There is also the matter of trying to cram limited-overs series against Pakistan, Australia and Ireland into a revised schedule. But with players due to return to training this week under strict health controls, there are positive signs that international cricket will be played this summer. Hopes of any county cricket being staged hang largely on the T20 Blast potentially being played late in the season after the inaugural Hundred tournament was delayed until 2021.How are the finances?
Staring down the barrel. Tom Harrison, the ECB chief executive, has said the game faces losses of £380 million should the entire season be wiped out, with losses of £100 million incurred already. The ECB’s financial reserves had fallen from £73 million in 2016 to £11 million 12 months ago, impacting its ability to withstand the impact of the pandemic. Centrally contracted men’s and women’s players volunteered to take the equivalent of a 20% pay cut for three months. ECB staff have also taken pay cuts or been furloughed under a scheme whereby the government covers a proportion of their salaries. Almost all counties have placed the majority of playing and non-playing staff on furlough and some have agreed wage reductions.What matters most?
Staging international cricket. If the ECB can fulfil some of its broadcast commitments, it could help soften the financial blow Harrison forecasts. It is worth noting that England Women face the prospect of playing second fiddle to the more lucrative men’s fixtures in the clamour for game time at limited “bio-secure” venues. Should their already postponed series against India and scheduled matches against South Africa not go ahead, it would spell a significant loss of visibility for the women’s game.The comeback plans
Some 30 elite players are returning to training at venues around the country, first on individual programmes with one or two coaches and a physio observing social-distancing guidelines. If health authorities decide it is safe, players will be allowed to train in small groups and in closer contact at a later date. As international arrivals to the UK are likely to require to self-isolate for 14 days, West Indies would aim to arrive a month before any scheduled start. England are preparing to operate separate Test and white-ball squads to fit as many fixtures as possible into a truncated season, meaning selectors face tough choices over the likes of cross-format stars Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer.The Mumbai Indians players pose with the IPL 2019 trophy•BCCI

India

By Nagraj GollapudiState of (non) play
Other than the IPL, India had no cricket planned in the summer. In July, they are scheduled to tour Sri Lanka for a limited-overs series followed by a Zimbabwe tour comprising three ODIs in August. Then India are scheduled to host England for white-ball cricket between the Asia Cup in September and the T20 World Cup in October. Then comes the four-Test series in Australia starting November.How are the finances?
Being the richest cricket board has its perks, so the BCCI is yet to feel the pinch from the pandemic. International player contracts are up for renewal only in October, by when the BCCI is hopeful cricket will resume.What matters most?
Conducting the IPL. Not just the franchises and players, but even the BCCI derives a large portion of its revenue from its lucrative cricket league, thanks to the record media rights deal signed in 2017. If there is no IPL this year, the BCCI stands to lose income to the tune of INR 4000 crore ($0.53 billion approx) from the media rights deal. That could affect its payments to state associations and possibly even player contracts.The comeback plans
From Monday, India entered the fourth phase of lockdown, which is to last till May 31. However, the government provided a glimmer of hope for sports in the country, announcing that sporting facilities and stadiums can be reopened, but without crowds. The BCCI, though, has made it clear it will not rush the players back to training or play until conditions are safe and travel restrictions are eased. As soon as that happens, the board will devise a plan for players to get back to individual training.The Malahide Cricket Ground•Getty Images

Ireland

By Matt RollerState of (non) play
April’s tour of Zimbabwe was postponed a matter of weeks after it had been announced, while the whole home summer has been scrapped: the series against Bangladesh was the first to go, and the plug was pulled on fixtures against New Zealand and Pakistan last week. Ireland are hopeful the three-match ODI series in England will go ahead, but there are logistical problems to iron out. The board announced last week that no cricket activity would resume before June, including training. The domestic season, including the ill-fated Euro T20 Slam, looks doubtful.How are the finances?
Precarious. That is nothing new – CEO Warren Deutrom had to bail his own governing body out with a €100,000 ($112,000 approx.) loan back in 2018, and financial constraints had caused several games to be postponed or cancelled even before the pandemic hit. The most recent set of accounts showed that cash reserves had been depleted to just €13,470 ($14,700 approx.). That said, costs are currently low, with most non-playing staff furloughed and others taking temporary cuts. The players are still being paid their retainers, but most of their income is from match fees.What matters most?
The T20 World Cup. Ireland are more reliant than most on ICC distributions, so the postponement of that tournament and the resulting loss of TV revenues would be a serious blow. There will also be a battle to make sure that they are not squeezed out in a redrawn FTP, as bigger boards look to schedule series against more lucrative opposition.The comeback plans
Deutrom said that Ireland would “try to be as flexible as possible” regarding the England series, but admitted “numerous challenges have to be resolved” regarding dates, bio-secure venues, and quarantine requirements. The long-term worry is that it may prove difficult to rearrange postponed series, with staging costs high due to the lack of a permanent home ground.Tom Latham cuts one away as Alex Carey watches on•Getty Images

New Zealand

By Andrew McGlashanState of (non) play
New Zealand had to make a hasty departure from Australia in March when the borders started to close, which also meant the three home T20Is were postponed. Since then a European tour involving Netherlands, Scotland and Ireland has been cancelled while a visit to the Caribbean in July looks certain to go the same way with West Indies set to be in England if plans come together. The women’s team was due to tour Sri Lanka in April.How are the finances?
Holding out at the moment. NZC has held off any drastic measures, instead switching staff to a four-day working week and asking them to use annual leave. Being the off season has bought the board some time to assess the longer-term impact of the situation and the fact it had a visit by India shortly before the pandemic hit could prove vital. David White, the CEO, has committed to the domestic men’s and women’s game and the pathway programmes going ahead.What matters most?
Having an international season in some form will be vital, although whether the scheduled visits of Pakistan, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh happen remains to be seen. There are discussions being had about taking advantage of a trans-Tasman travel ‘bubble’ if international movement remains restricted. Being a smaller cricket nation, the global events are key to NZC and it will be hoping the worst of the situation has passed by early next year and that it can host the women’s World Cup as planned.The comeback plans
At this stage it appears unlikely New Zealand’s players will see any action before the start of the home season. White has said he expects the domestic summer to proceed as scheduled as New Zealand deals effectively with the pandemic and continues to loosen restrictions. It could be that the women’s tour to Australia in September is the first international action.The final rounds of PSL group games were played without fans•AFP

Pakistan

By Danyal Rasool and Umar FarooqState of (non) play
Pakistan looked as if they might just about get through the PSL, but had to cancel it before the knockout stages had begun. The second Test of a series against Bangladesh in April, as well as a solitary ODI, had to be postponed too. Tours to Ireland and Netherlands are confirmed not to be taking place.How are the finances?
For another eight to ten months, the PCB’s financial health remains adequate. It hasn’t been required to slash salaries but did stop investing in infrastructure. No home series scheduled in the next seven months means no potential spending. In the last two months, it incurred an estimated loss of PKR 200 million ($1.2 million approx.) from gate revenues alone following the postponement of the PSL semi-finals and final, and the matches that were played in empty stadiums. Not hosting the final leg of the Bangladesh series also hurt the board, but this is money it can earn back once cricket resumes.What matters most?
There is growing confidence Pakistan could restart cricket sooner than most other countries, with an agreement to proceed with a Test series against England in August. There had also been talk that touring England would be on a quid pro quo basis, with England committing in principle to come to Pakistan for a series. While there is no evidence that such an agreement has been made, the PCB will be hopeful of it, and such a tour will become significantly likelier if the series in England goes ahead.The comeback plans
Pakistan have, so far, been spared the worst of the pandemic, though cases have begun rising exponentially of late. Flights have resumed, albeit only domestic ones. There are plans, however vague, to finish what little was left of the PSL as soon as possible, though it is far from clear precisely when that will happen, given the respective availability of players from around the world.South Africa’s short tour of India was cut short•Getty Images

South Africa

By Firdose MoondaState of (non) play
South Africa managed to complete their men’s home international programme, but the ODI squad returned home early from a three-match series in India in mid-March, just as the country entered its lockdown. Their white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, scheduled for June, has been postponed and their two-Test, five-T20I visit to the Caribbean, set for mid-July to mid-August, appears unlikely. The women’s home series against Australia and away tour of the West Indies have been postponed. Domestically, the semi-finals and final of the franchise one-day cup and the final two rounds of the first-class competition could not be played.How are the finances?
Cricket South Africa entered the summer planning for a loss of R654 million ($35.4 million approx.) over the next four-year cycle owing to loss-making home fixtures and massive expenditure, while the South Africa Cricketers Association put that figure at close to R1 billion ($54.2 million approx.). That number may have changed following an administrative overhaul, but with the game’s major sponsor, Standard Bank, opting not to renew its deal after it expired in April, CSA is still in a hole. Despite that, and the fact that suspended CEO Thabang Moroe is still being paid his salary of R356,000 per month ($19,000 approx) while his disciplinary hearing continues, there have been no pay cuts or job losses at CSA yet. If the pandemic affects the home summer, that may change.What matters most?
India are due to play three T20Is in South Africa in August, and even if the matches are pushed back as far as March 2021, the earnings from those fixtures could tide South Africa over. Should the visit not take place in this financial year, CSA could find itself in trouble. The home summer, which will see an expanded Mzansi Supitser League, is also in the back of CSA’s mind.The comeback plans
At this stage, none. South Africa has entered its eighth week of lockdown, which remains among the strictest in the world. For the first five weeks from March 26 to May 1, all outdoor activity was prohibited, but since May 1, individuals are allowed to run, cycle or walk between 6am and 9am. This may change in the coming weeks but group activity is still not permitted. That means CSA has had to cancel planned winter camps and does not have an indication of when players may return to training. CSA has indicated it will require a minimum of six weeks of practice before the players are ready for competition.Domestic matches were allowed to go on in Sri Lanka till March 16•Getty Images

Sri Lanka

By Andrew Fidel FernandoState of (non) play
The two-Test series against England and an inbound limited-overs series against South Africa have both been postponed, with Sri Lanka Cricket hoping that the England series can be rescheduled for January 2021 (the ECB is yet to confirm). With Covid-19 seemingly under control on the island, though, SLC has also asked India and Bangladesh to tour in July, so they can honour their mid-year touring commitments. Much of this depends on how the pandemic continues to play out in all three countries, and also on the easing of travel restrictions. The club-based first-class competition was also cut short by the curfew in Sri Lanka, but this is never really a major focus for SLC.How are the finances?
Modest. This is the year in which the SLC was hoping to lock in a new broadcast deal, and even before the pandemic there were hiccups, with less money offered by prospective broadcasters than the board was hoping for. Sri Lanka will be desperate that the India and England series scheduled for this year can be nailed down and confirmed as soon as possible to drive up the contract price.What matters most?
The India series, which was supposed to start in June, and featured three ODIs and three T20Is. If the SLC ingratiates itself with the national government enough – something board members are infamously fond of doing – the government may offer the board substantial support to host India, providing the medical assistance and security such a tour would require.The comeback plans
The situation in Sri Lanka is still evolving. There have been fewer than 1000 Covid-19 cases so far, and there are presently fewer than 500 active cases – a figure that’s remained relatively steady for a couple of weeks. If the country succeeds in wiping out the disease from its shores, Sri Lanka may try to market itself as a Covid-free destination, and cricket could be a part of that. SLC has already suggested to the BCCI that the IPL should be played in Sri Lanka.Jason Holder reacts in the field•Associated Press

West Indies

By Nagraj GollapudiState of (non) play
Cricket West Indies postponed the women’s ODI series against South Africa, scheduled in June, after the ICC called off the World Cup Qualifiers, scheduled for July in Sri Lanka. Also postponed was the South Africa A tour of the Caribbean. On the domestic front, in March it announced Barbados Pride as winner of the 2020 West Indies Championship title (first-class cricket) despite two rounds of the ten-round competition still to be played out.How are the finances?
Dire, as always. CWI is yet to find a host broadcaster after Sony Ten decided to not renew its media rights contract late 2019. International and domestic players are awaiting outstanding payments since January, but CWI is hamstrung due to the severe cash crunch exacerbated by the pandemic. In fact, if the England tour is postponed, CWI might even heave a sigh of relief as it can save on match fees, allowances and travel costs.What matters most?
Live cricket. That would provide content the CWI needs to secure media rights deals in various markets. Also, the player contracts expire on June 30 so the CWI desperately needs cricket to restart. And if the men’s T20 World Cup does take place in Australia this year, it will definitely boost CWI finances from the distribution money shared by the ICC for the tournament.The comeback plans
Of immediate concern for CWI is the men’s tour of England. Comprising three Tests, the series is now expected to start in July subject to UK government permission. CWI will then work on its home schedule, which includes limited-overs series against New Zealand (highly unlikely as scheduled) and a two-Test and three-match T20I tour by South Africa (starting August). Then there is the CPL, scheduled for August 19-September 26.Brendan Taylor sends the ball fine•AFP

Zimbabwe

By Firdose MoondaState of (non) play
Zimbabwe is a country where cricket is usually scarce and the pandemic has only worsened an already tough situation. Zimbabwe Cricket confirmed its 2019-20 domestic season void on May 4, which meant it did not declare winners in the first-class and one-day competitions. Their men’s national side had to postpone a a six-match home series against Ireland in April. They are due to travel to Australia for ODIs in August, which appears unlikely, and then hope to host India and Netherlands at the start of the home summer.How are the finances?
Zimbabwe Cricket is notorious for being cash-strapped and not much has changed. It is heavily reliant on ICC payments and the next one is scheduled for July, which will assist in ensuring delayed salary commitments are met. Players were paid for February at the end of April and expect to receive their March, April and May salaries in the coming months. They are also still awaiting match fees from their tour to Bangladesh earlier in the year and last year’s visit to Ireland.What matters most?
Being considered in the calendar. Zimbabwe are not part of the World Test Championship and were not eligible to play in the T20 World Cup qualifiers because the board was suspended at the time, which means they are missing out on that tournament. As a result, Zimbabwe aren’t really sure where they stand when it comes to the calendar and former captain Brendan Taylor fears they will be among the hardest hit.The comeback plans
On May 16, Zimbabwe’s lockdown was eased but also extended indefinitely, with the government to reassess the situation every two weeks. Under the new conditions, select low-risk sporting activity can resume, which includes golf and cricket. While that means the country’s cricketers can return to action, with no fixtures on the cards, it’s unlikely there will be any play for a few months but training may intensify. The players have also been roped into a nationwide awareness programme and continue to train at home while Zimbabwe Cricket facilities in Harare, Bulawayo, Kwekwe and Mutare have been disinfected in preparation for the resumption of operations.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras recebe o Botafogo-SP no Allianz Parque, nesta quinta-feira (2), no jogo que marca a estreia do Verdão na Copa do Brasil 2024, competição pela qual o clube busca o pentacampeonato neste ano.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasDicasPalmeiras x Botafogo-SP: odds, estatísticas e informações para apostar no jogo de ida da 3ª fase da Copa do BrasilDicas01/05/2024PalmeirasE o Rômulo? Abel Ferreira cita montanha para reforço escalar no PalmeirasPalmeiras01/05/2024PalmeirasPalmeiras se reapresenta e deve ter importante reforço para estreia na Copa do BrasilPalmeiras30/04/2024

➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras

A diretoria alviverde abaixou consideravelmente o preço dos ingressos para este jogo, mas mesmo assim a procura por cadeiras está bem diferente do normal.

Restando apenas um dia para o jogo, 21 mil ingressos foram vendidos e o clube precisa vender praticamente a outra metade de cadeiras até então vazias, para ter casa cheia para o duelo decisivo na Copa do Brasil.

continua após a publicidade

Diante do Liverpool-URU, pela Libertadores, apenas 28 mil palmeirenses tiveram presentes no Allianz Parque e Abel Ferreira cobrou mais apoio da torcida ao atual tricampeão paulista na coletiva após a partida.

Atualmente, o Palmeiras é o clube brasileiro com o maior número de sócios-torcedores, ultrapassando a casa dos 183 mil associados.

➡️ A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

Os ingressos para Palmeiras x Botafogo-SP seguem à venda no site www.ingressospalmeiras.com.br

Tudo sobre

Allianz ParqueCopa do BrasilPalmeiras

The KKR seamers bowled 22 slower balls, conceding only 20 runs off them and picking up three wickets

Hemant Brar30-Mar-20241:41

Did RCB get their bowling plans wrong?

In a match where multiple bowlers clocked above 145kph, the slower balls had the biggest say as Kolkata Knight Riders became the first away team in IPL 2024 to register a win. They beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by seven wickets at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, and Andre Russell, who had played an unbelievable knock here in 2019, once again had a key role, but not with the bat.Playing the second of their three back-to-back home games, RCB laid out a fresh pitch for Friday’s game. It had some loose cracks. When RCB’s batting coach Neil McKenzie was asked about the wicket on the eve of the match, he had said, “It should be a good pitch with some pace in it, which should probably suit our team”.That did not turn out to be the case, though. After being sent in, RCB posted 182 for 6, which KKR chased down with more than three overs to spare. The hallmark of their victory was how quickly they read and adapted to the pitch, both while bowling and batting.Related

Narine, Venkatesh star as KKR end home teams' winning streak

How Andre Russell switched on beast mode once again

In the first innings, the ball was stopping quite a bit on the pitch, making it difficult for batters to play their shots. Russell was the first to realise it. In his opening over, the ninth of the innings, he bowled two slower balls into the wicket, one to Virat Kohli and the other to Cameron Green. Both batters went for the pull, only to under-edge it towards the wicketkeeper.Russell doubled the dose in his next over and bowled four slower balls, off which he conceded only one bye. He duly passed on the information to the other seamers in the team. Mitchell Starc, who had bowled at full throttle in his first two overs, sent down plenty of slower deliveries in his last two. Harshit Rana, too, did the same, and with good success.After 15 overs, RCB were 134 for 3. In the next three, they managed only 19 and lost two wickets. Even a set Kohli struggled with timing.As per ESPNcricinfo’s logs, the KKR seamers bowled 22 slower balls, conceding only 20 runs off them and picking up three wickets. “We knew if you try to bowl fast on this track, it becomes easy for the batters,” KKR bowling coach Bharat Arun told the host broadcaster during an in-game interview.It was only because of Dinesh Karthik’s late hitting that RCB crossed 180. Given the conditions, both teams felt it was a par total. After all, in the previous game here, albeit on a different pitch, Punjab Kings had almost defended 176.For the second innings, RCB had planned to bring in legspinner Karn Sharma as their Impact Player. But after seeing how the pitch had behaved, they changed their mind.Andre Russell’s pace variations deceived RCB batters often•AFP/Getty Images”It felt like someone who could bowl a really good slower ball was probably the most difficult bowler to face on this pitch,” Faf du Plessis, the RCB captain, said after the match. “When KKR bowled, they did it really well. Dre Russ probably bowled 80% of his balls as cutters.”So RCB went with Vijaykumar Vyshak, who has a good knuckle ball. However, their seamers did not find success despite following the same tactics. The 21 slower balls they bowled went for 47 runs and fetched one wicket.The reason for that was as the match progressed, dew started setting in. While it was not so heavy to transform the ball into a bar of soap, it did quicken up the pitch. As a result, the batting became easier.Sunil Narine and Phil Salt gave KKR a start of 86 in just 6.3 overs, after which Venkatesh Iyer and Shreyas Iyer took over and shut the door on the opposition.Among the RCB seamers, only Vyshak was effective, and finished with figures of 1 for 23 from his four overs. The others – Mohammed Siraj, Yash Dayal, Alzarri Joseph and Green – went for 133 from their combined ten, and picked up just one wicket.”There was one end, the far end, that was still tricky,” Venkatesh, who scored 50 off 30 balls, said. “From there, the ball was stopping. It was slightly two-paced, and there was double bounce.”That was the end from where Vyshak bowled all his overs.”But the other end certainly got better,” Venkatesh continued, “and the communication was to target the bowlers from that end.”This was the first loss for a home team this season after nine straight wins. Given RCB’s record at the Chinnaswamy, it was no surprise they were on the receiving end.

Our team features four world champions, four South Africans, and one player from Bangladesh – find out who they are

Vishal Dikshit06-Apr-20221 Alyssa Healy (wk),
Most runs in a Women’s World Cup ever, best score in a World Cup final (men’s or women’s), back-to-back-centuries in the semi-final and final… records, and more records. Healy, one of the most devastating batters in the game, had crossed 50 earlier in the tournament too, against India and Pakistan, but she took her game to the next level in the knockouts to stamp Australia’s authority in a World Cup yet again, to make her an automatic choice in this XI.2 Laura Wolvaardt,
South Africa’s most consistent batter in this World Cup, Wolvaardt also carried their top order on her shoulders in the absence of runs from her opening partner Lizelle Lee. Wolvaardt kicked off the tournament with five 40-plus scores in a row, including four half-centuries, that helped South Africa chase 225-plus totals against England and New Zealand to qualify for the semi-finals, although her 90 wasn’t enough against the Australians. Her trademark cover drives were in full display all along, and she ended up being South Africa’s leading scorer for two ODI World Cups in a row.3 Rachael Haynes,
If Healy was Australia’s aggressor, Haynes was the consistent anchor who played her role to such perfection that she was dismissed before Healy just once in the league games, and then once more in the final. She started the tournament with a 130, where she accelerated after negotiating a stifling bowling effort from England, and she laid the platform with Healy for Australia’s middle order in nearly every match.ESPNcricinfo Ltd4 Meg Lanning (capt),
The obvious choice for captain and middle-order mainstay. It’s almost as if Lanning’s arrival at the crease is a signal for an Australian win, and her dominance was on display against some of the best teams in the World Cup: an unbeaten 135 to chase down 272 against South Africa, 97 to slice through India in another stiff chase, and an 86 against England early on.5 Beth Mooney,
An average of over 100, a strike rate of almost 101, flexible up and down the order, and also a gun fielder, which make Mooney a must-have in the XI. She opened for Australia when she was the Player of the Tournament in the 2020 T20 World Cup but moved down to the finisher’s role and did the job with aplomb in the 50-over format to add another dimension to their already explosive line-up. She took some of the best catches in the tournament, and also made sure she was there to seal the chases after the top order had done the hard work.6 Sune Luus,
A legspinning-allrounder, Luus shone mainly with the bat with her three half-centuries, giving South Africa the much-needed solidity at No. 4 given the lack of runs from Lee, some instability at No. 3, and the absence of Dane van Niekerk. Luus’ calming presence also meant her best knocks came against some of the top sides – England, New Zealand and Australia – in the tournament, which included two close chases.Marizanne Kapp picked up her first five-for in ODIs during the World Cup•Getty Images7 Marizanne Kapp,
Need early wickets? Throw the ball to Kapp. Want a partnership broken? Just look at her and she’ll come running and do the job. Death overs? She’s at her mark already. Tight chases? She’ll smash those runs. One of the sharpest bowlers around, Kapp’s consistent contributions with the bat down the order helped South Africa win five matches in a row. Her best performances, too, came against the top sides: a five-for and 32 against England followed by two wickets and an unbeaten 34 versus New Zealand, and 30 not out off 21 balls against Australia.8Pooja Vastrakar,
One of the brightest young stars for India this tournament, along with Yastika Bhatia, Vastrakar was in the thick of things straightaway in India’s opening game when they slumped to 114 for 6 against Pakistan. A career-best 67 off 59 in a formidable stand with Sneh Rana meant India got a deep batting line-up, which she proved again with quick cameos down the order opposite Australia and Bangladesh. She was India’s second-highest wicket-taker, too – bowling is her primary skill – coming on mostly as second change to successfully break partnerships. Her back-to-back yorkers against Lea Tahuhu and Jess Kerr count as among the highlights of the tournament.9 Shabnim Ismail,
The best and one of the fastest bowlers in this World Cup, Ismail, fearsome and experienced, was consistent with her wicket-taking skills right from the first game, going wicketless in just one game out of the seven she bowled in. Ismail showed her knack of removing the big batters up front with her pace, short deliveries, movement off the pitch, and then with her slower variations in the death overs.Salma Khatun’s bowling was a big reason for Bangladesh’s impressive show in their maiden World Cup appearance•Getty Images10 Salma Khatun,
The ball she bowled to dismiss Lanning alone would have helped Khatun make this list. Her three-for had Australia in trouble, before they escaped, thanks to Mooney. Against West Indies earlier, she scored 23 to keep Bangladesh in the hunt in a 141 chase, and that was after she had picked up a couple of wickets. The 31-year-old offspinner’s ten wickets, the most for Bangladesh, in the tournament played a major part in the team’s good showing in their maiden appearance.11 Sophie Ecclestone,
Ecclestone was the best bowler of the tournament with a tally one-and-a-half times that of the next best, Ismail’s 14. Only 22, Ecclestone has already played over 100 games for England and her artistry in flight, drift and turn are testament to her ability and numbers. The left-arm spinner was England’s main weapon in the middle overs, and sometimes in the death too. Barring her inability to pick more than one wicket in 20 overs against Australia, over two games, she had an unforgettable World Cup, highlighted by her six-for against South Africa in the semi-final.

If they get enough opportunities, these youngsters are capable of making a big mark

Danyal Rasool and Umar Farooq19-Feb-2020
Ahmed Safi Abdullah (Islamabad United)
Just 21, Abdullah comes into the PSL without any baggage, having not played an official T20 at any level. But there’s still plenty from his record to be excited by. Since making his first-class debut just over a year ago, the left arm spinner has built a flourishing reputation as a prolific wicket-taker, having snared 59 in 19 first-class games at 23.38. He comes into the tournament fresh off a six-wicket haul in Faisalabad and four wickets in an innings in Bahawalpur during a pair of Second XI games, and while his List A record isn’t as encouraging as that in first-class cricket, this is a great opportunity for him to change that. Shadab Khan and Zafar Gohar should be ahead of him in the pecking order, but it’s unlikely Abdullah won’t get his chance at some point, and if he does, there’s enough to suggest he will surprise a few people.Arshad Iqbal (Karachi Kings)
In a squad as full of quality fast bowlers as Karachi Kings, there’s a possibility Iqbal will not get the opportunity his precocious talent deserves. Part of Pakistan’s squad that made it to the semi-finals of the 2018 Under-19 World Cup, the quick was one of only some Pakistan players to give a good account of himself in a game Pakistan lost heavily to India, taking 3 for 51. He went on to make his first-class debut for WAPDA that year, taking five wickets in the match. His short career in T20 cricket has been impressive too – he has taken ten wickets at 17 with an economy rate of 6.80 in seven matches. Should he get to add to them, there’s little reason to feel he will not be able to continue the upward trajectory.Aamir Ali (Peshawar Zalmi)
There isn’t too much you can say with certainty about Aamir just yet, and indeed he may find opportunities limited this season. The 17-year-old left-arm spinner was part of Pakistan’s Under-19 World Cup campaign, and picked up four wickets in five games. He was also the youngest player to feature in this season’s Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, taking the wicket of his Peshawar Zalmi team-mate Kamran Akmal on debut. Peshawar have seen another spin bowler in Ibtisam Sheikh fall off after a very promising PSL 2 years ago. So they should have extra incentive to make sure Aamir doesn’t fall in the same trap, particularly since, for all their success in the PSL, Peshawar are one of the franchises yet to serve as the springboard for an emerging player’s career.Rohail Nazir drives through the off side•Getty ImagesRohail Nazir (Multan Sultans)
All right, so this is a bit of a cop-out. You should know who Nazir is, but familiarity should not take away from anything. The 18-year-old was captain of Pakistan’s Under-19 side at the latest World Cup, scoring a half-century in the semi-final in a losing cause against India. He is already captain of his first-class side in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, and steered them to the final of the competition, accumulating 150 runs across two innings. Multan Sultans have already appointed him vice-captain, and as the only enlisted keeper in the squad, he’s pretty much a first-teamer. That should both be exciting and challenging for Nazir; T20 cricket is the one format he hasn’t raced out of the blocks in. Averages north of 36 and 47 in first-class and List A competitions respectively sit out of kilter with a T20 average of 18 at under 114. Nothing about his technique suggests this is not rectifiable, and he’ll be one of the players to keep a close eye on.Arish Ali Khan (Quetta Gladiators)
Arish is just 19, a left-arm spinner who emerged from a PCB-conducted tournament in 2016, ending as the leading wicket-taker with 45 strikes at 12.24. Since then, he has been part of the Pakistan youth set-up. He soon became the captain of the Pakistan Under-16 team, and after good returns against Australia in the UAE in the one-dayers and T20s, he made into the Under-19 circuit, and continued to do well, finished as the second-highest wicket-taker in the national Under-19 three-day tournament last year with 30 strikes at 16.27. He did make it to the He is a success of the system, and has a happy knack of picking up wickets at critical junctures.Maaz Khan (Lahore Qalandars)
Maaz is a product of the Lahore Qalandars scouting programme – from Jamrud in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, he is a legspinner with the attitude of a fast bowler. He has a good googly, a flipper, and can turn the new ball well too. He wasn’t picked in the Draft, the PCB allowed Qalandars to pick up an additional emerging player from their own programme. Yet to have a go in the domestic set-up, Maaz was unleashed against Titans in the Abu Dhabi T20 Cup in 2018, and finished with 2 for 23 after opening the bowling.

Thakor’s two-wicket burst and Deepti’s all-round game proved to be the difference between the two sides on the day

Firdose Moonda08-Mar-2024If looks were deliveries, Saima Thakor would have had a wicket with her eighth ball. It was on the back of a length; Shafali Verma came down the track to try and smash it away but was too hasty and ended up pushing it straight back to the bowler. Thakor collected, mock threw at the stumps and gave Shafali a stare-down that said, “I’ve got it in for you.”And she did. Two balls later, Shafali tried to advance on Thakor again, the ball kept low and snuck past the bat to find offstump. Shafali looked up at Thakor in disappointment and was met with the same stare, only more triumphant. As Thakor gave Shafali a small send-off (and Shafali responded with some words of her own), the contest between these two teams, which on form and history is a no-contest in favour of Delhi Capitals, ignited.It was Meg Lanning who tried to put it out. She took three boundaries off Thakor’s next over to make it clear who was in charge of this game, and Capitals did not need to look back until Deepti Sharma forced them to.Related

• Shabnam is young, quick, takes big wickets, and is just a bit different

• Deepti's hat-trick and half-century give Warriorz thrilling win

It wasn’t just that Lanning struck four after four; it was the ease with which she did it. The first was a tickle fine off a shorter ball, the second was a silken cover drive off a fuller delivery and the last was a vicious cut through backward point. The message to Thakor was clear: you can’t bowl too short, too full or too wide, you can’t miss your length or your lines, not even a tiny bit, or you will be punished.Still, Capitals were behind after the powerplay – 35 for 1 compared to UP Warriorz’s 44 for 1 – but Lanning was there. Gouher Sultana, Deepti and Rajeshwari Gayakwad all erred by going too short and Lanning dispatched them all. By the halfway stage, Capitals had caught up to where Warriorz were and had the advantage of wickets in hand. They were 63 for 1, with only Lanning’s opening partner dismissed; Warriorz were 63 for 3 with all of Kiran Navgire, Alyssa Healy and Tahlia McGrath out.Crucially they still had Deepti at the crease and the move to promote her to No.3 could prove a masterstroke. Deepti has only batted at No.3 four times before in her 160-match T20 career and only once in the last six years. With Vrinda Dinesh injured and Chamari Athapaththu out of the XI, she got the opportunity to play in that position today and showed she can pace an innings from that position. She took Warriorz to a competitive total with a second successive fifty and though it remains to be seen how they will manage her if they choose to bring Athapaththu back, they would have seen the value of having a player like her there. In this match, it brought the kind of stability Warriorz have envied a team like Capitals for having, and they even had glimpses of it today.Thanks to Lanning the chase was set up and she seemed set to get them there and rack up some accolades along the way. When she raised her bat to fifty, Lanning became the first batter in WPL’s short history to hit three successive half-centuries and two of them have come in winning causes.Meg Lanning’s 60 was in vain for Delhi Capitals•BCCIIn the last week, Lanning struck 55 off 41 when Capitals scored 163 for 8 and then 53 off 38 when they posted 192 for 4 against Mumbai Indians. Capitals defended both totals. Then, in the first time they’ve been asked to chase in Delhi, she finished with 60 off 46 on Friday. It’s an impressive run which speaks to what she said earlier about the pleasures of being freed from the expectation of the international game. If runs were words, her performances are doing the talking. But they’re not the only ones she has.In the immediate aftermath of the game, Lanning admitted to the host broadcaster that she was “frustrated,” that the innings that took her to the top of the batting charts did not come in a winning cause and took the responsibility of the defeat on her shoulders. “My wicket played a part in it,” she said. “I was the set batter and I put pressure on the other batters coming in.”She may have been unnecessarily harsh on herself because players of the quality and International experience of Jemimah Rodrigues and Annabel Sutherland are also used to handling tense situations. In the end, it came down to who could hold their nerve and it was Thakor who did.She was brought back to bowl the 18th over, took pace off to Rodrigues and denied her the ability to generate any power. Rodrigues hit the ball to Sophie Ecclestone at long-off and a team that has dropped 13 catches through the tournament so far, held their breath. Ecclestone held on.That wicket opened Capitals up and even though it was Deepti’s hat-trick and eventual four-for and Grace Harris’ defence of nine runs off the last over that won the game, Harris herself paid tribute to the work Thakor did, in her opening spell and later on. “It was Saima, really – when she got up and about against Shafali,” Harris said to the broadcasters when asked what she thought the difference between the two sides was. “She bowled exceptionally well today and kept the stumps in play. It was just us jumping on the back of that energy.”

They have the option to play Nathan Coulter-Nile instead of James Neesham, but that would weaken their batting

Sruthi Ravindranath22-Mar-2022

Where they finished in 2021

They failed to make the playoffs for the third consecutive season, finishing seventh with five wins in 14 matches.

Potential first XI

1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Jos Buttler, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Sanju Samson (capt, wk), 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Riyan Parag, 7 James Neesham/Nathan Coulter-Nile, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 Trent Boult, 11 Prasidh KrishnaRelated

• Can RCB shed tag of top-heavy underperformers?

• Depth, variety give Lucknow Super Giants formidable first XI

• Middle order a worry but Rashid leads potent Titans attack

• Malinga named Royals' fast-bowling coach for IPL 2022

Batting

Royals are likely to go with a mix of youth and experience at the top of the order and opt for the left-right combination of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler – both of whom were retained ahead of the mega auction. This would mean Devdutt Padikkal, one of the new entrants who is coming off two superb seasons with Royal Challengers Bangalore, is likely to bat at No. 3 instead of his usual opening position. With two big hitters in captain Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer to come in next, their top order looks power-packed. And they have Riyan Parag and James Neesham to further bolster their line-up.Royals have been marred by inconsistency with the bat, and have resorted to constant chopping and changing, which has been one of their biggest issues in the last few seasons. They’ve had several individual performers but haven’t always been able to click as a unit. So this time, they will be keen to pin down batting positions. The team will be one to watch out for if the top five play true to their ability.There is also a bit of pressure on Parag – whom they bought back in the auction despite his lukewarm performances in the last two seasons – to step up in the role of finisher.If required, they also have the option of slotting in Rassie van der Dussen, who has been in sublime form across white-ball formats for South Africa in the last year.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Bowling

One of the biggest pluses for Royals at the auction was their putting together of a strong Indian core, with the additions of R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal in the bowling department being key to this. Given their experience, the two will be expected to keep the opposition in check in the middle overs.They also have a potent new-ball duo in Prasidh Krishna – their most expensive buy (INR 10 crore) at the auction – and New Zealand’s Trent Boult to handle the powerplay.One point of worry could be their death bowling. They have the option of playing Nathan Coulter-Nile instead of Neesham at No. 7 to bring some control at the death. But that would weaken their batting. They’ll want to take some notes from Lasith Malinga, their newly appointed fast-bowling coach, and one of the best death bowlers in T20 history, to prevent those issues.Can Yashasvi Jaiswal repay the management’s faith?•BCCI/IPL

Young player to watch out for

That Yashasvi Jaiswal was one of three players to be retained by the franchise should say a lot about his calibre. The top-order batter who rose to prominence with his U-19 performances was snapped up by the franchise in 2020. He was given a chance to open that season, and while he impressed with his cameos in the second half of IPL 2021, a return of 289 runs at 22.23 over two seasons, with a strike rate of 136.32, suggests he hasn’t found consistency yet. If he can add that ingredient this season, he will have repaid the management’s faith in his ability.

Coaching staff

Kumar Sangakkara (head coach and director of cricket), Lasith Malinga (fast-bowling coach), Steffan Jones (high-performance fast-bowling coach), Paddy Upton (team catalyst), Trevor Penney (assistant coach), Zubin Bharucha (strategy, development and performance director), Dishant Yagnik (fielding coach)

Poll