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Cricinfo previews the final of IPL 2010 between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians

The Preview by Sidharth Monga24-Apr-2010

Match facts

Sunday, April 25
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)The biggest question on the eve of the final: Will Sachin Tendulkar play or not?•Indian Premier League

Big Picture

Pitches have tired, outfields have grown barer during an unforgiving Indian summer, but for 45 days the players have braved sapping conditions, excruciating travel (made more excruciating by security concerns), IPL parties, inane interviews and columns, explosions outside the stadium just before a match, injuries, cramps, fines and reprimands to keep this league rolling. On the way some of them have played in the breathtaking environs of Dharamsala, many of them have put in special performances, some of them have announced themselves, some have shown aspects of their game others didn’t know existed, some have found second winds. Two teams, though, have one final issue to settle before we move onto more pressing matters like the World Twenty20 and ascertaining how clean the IPL is.
The image of the third IPL, though, will remain MS Dhoni upper-cutting himself in the jaw like a pumped-up boxer, upon having hit a match-winning six from Dharamsala into McLeodganj. Nobody has seen Dhoni react so emotionally on a cricket field, and Dhoni has quite a body of work behind him to draw that cool, composed image from. And about a fortnight ago, when Dhoni’s team was asphyxiating a Mumbai Indians chase in the merciless Chennai humidity, Sachin Tendulkar, short on fluids, retired hurt, saw what resembled a choke and came back to try and win what was then just another match for Mumbai, with their semi-final place not under much doubt. Both men, one perhaps India’s greatest cricketer, one who has the makings of India’s greatest captain, represent how much this means to their teams.

Form guide (most recent first)

Mumbai WLWWW
Chennai WWLWL

Team talk

There’s no decision yet on whether the injured Tendulkar will play, but if he can hold the bat, expect him to open for Mumbai. “It’s his call,” was all their coach, Robin Singh, could offer. “If he is not available, we have our back-up plans.” Kieron Pollard is fit. Mumbai will be tempted to think about Ali Murtaza ahead of Abhishek Nayar because of the nature of the pitch. In that light, JP Duminy weighs over Dwayne Bravo.Mumbai (probable) 1 Sachin Tendulkar (capt.), 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Saurabh Tiwary, 4 Ambati Rayudu (wk), 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 JP Duminy, 7 Ali Murtaza/Abhishek Nayar, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Dilhara Fernando, 10 Zaheer Khan, 11 Lasith MalingaOn a turning pitch, Chennai have no reason to divert from the three-spinner attack.Chennai (probable) 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 M Vijay, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 MS Dhoni (capt. & wk), 5 S Badrinath, 6 Albie Morkel, 7 S Anirudha, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Doug Bollinger, 10 Muttiah Muralitharan, 11 Shadab Jakati

Previously…

Mumbai 3 Chennai 3
On a flat pitch at the Brabourne Stadium, Chennai failed to defend 180, but on a more difficult Chennai pitch, they defended 165 with aplomb.

In the spotlight

Law of averages says Matthew Hayden is due a single-handed match-winning blast. In an illustrious career, a Man-of-the-Match performance in a big tournament final is missing. In 12 innings since his Mongoose-charged 93, Hayden’s top score has been 35, and his strike-rate has been 117.2. Neither Chennai nor Hayden expects this, and he will want to set things right.Dhoni v Tendulkar Twenty20 games, if not won by a single-handed blasts, usually come down to captains, finals more so than others. These two captains also happen to be important batsmen of their line-ups. If Tendulkar has been remarkably consistent, setting up matches, Dhoni has been mercurial, retrieving lost matches. That holds true for their captaincy too.Lasith Malinga and Zaheer Khan have been the understated stars of Mumbai’s campaign. Of all teams of the IPL, you don’t want to be needing 10 an over against Mumbai: these guys are mean, accurate and wily. It will be interesting to see how Dhoni, Hayden and Co. go against these yorker machines. They do tend to make a bit of a mockery of spinning tracks.

Prime numbers and trivia

• Suresh Raina, with 1318 runs to his name, has overtaken Adam Gilchrist as the leading scorer in all IPL matches. Tendulkar is fifth with 1122 runs.
• Raina also holds the record for most catches, 26, for a non-wicketkeeper.

Chatter

“We have been doing well with our fast bowlers, so how does it concern me?”

“It gives us a slight edge that Mumbai have never been in a final before, and we have.”

“Once you step into the field, there is no big name, there is no one bigger than you at the field,” Aqib Ilyas says

Andrew McGlashan05-Jun-2024Oman have been told to ignore the names on the opposition team sheet when they take on Australia in Barbados while captain Aqib Ilyas believes his side can target them with spin.In a bullish pre-match press conference, Ilyas insisted it was vital that Oman treat the contest like any other and not be intimidated by Australia who are aiming to be the first side to hold global trophies across all three formats after their World Test Championship (WTC) and ODI World Cup success last year.Ilyas made clear that was not to be taken as any lack of respect, but rather a way to make Oman believe they can be competitive against a powerhouse side.Related

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“Once you step into the field, there is no big name, there is no one bigger than you at the field,” he said. “It’s another game for us and we don’t think that we are going to play someone extraordinary.”I don’t have to go and tell them as a captain that you are going to face [Mitchell] Starc. Already it comes to your mind when you are playing some top bowlers or top cricketers. So it’s been very positive from the management [and] also from the coach, he said we don’t even take their names – it’s just a team that has come and still they are at the same level what we are doing. We have also qualified, they have also qualified, one team is going to be the champion so it doesn’t make much difference, though we respect them [and] what they have [done] in the past. That is why they are named as world champions.”No doubt there are big names, but [to] our boys, what I say is if they take on Starc tomorrow, imagine someone taking on Starc or any of the top bowlers, how much highlight he will get.”Oman already have a game under their belt at Kensington Oval, the low-scoring affair against Namibia where they lost on a Super Over. That was a tricky surface that offered uneven bounce and spin – although looked easier for batting in the day time as Scotland put on a strong opening stand against England before the rain came – and while a fresh pitch is expected for the Australia game, Ilyas said that conditions could yet bring the sides closer together.Oman captain Aqib Ilyas wants his team to play with a big heart against Australia•ICC/Getty Images

“You see the last match, how the ball was turning and staying low,” he said. “[Australia] had a few good technique players [against spin] in the past like [Steven] Smith and [Marnus] Labuschagne but I don’t think they have many now. They look to hit big. Everyone tries to go for sixes but every day it is not the same day and if the same wicket is there, maybe it can be a problem for them.”As you could see PNG bowling against West Indies, [it was] difficult to chase 130 runs even having [some] of the biggest hitters in the side. So, on a slower track, on a slow wicket, with good quality spinners, [the] only thing is we have to play with the big heart and we have to put it on the right areas. It’s just about the areas because the ball doesn’t know how big the batsman in front of it [is]. If it turns a bit, it stays low or anything happens, the batsman is gone.”From Australia’s point of view there is an element of the unknown in facing Oman for the first time, although earlier in the week Ashton Agar noted there was an increasing amount of footage available of the Associate teams for those who wanted to use it.However, Travis Head, who will open the batting alongside David Warner, indicated he would not be taking an overly intricate approach to his preparation, instead sticking to a routine and plan that has worked for him in the past.”My [preparation] is pretty relaxed,” he said. “At some stage over the next day or maybe tonight, I’ll have a quick look at some of the [Oman] guys. You’ll get heaps of footage, but for me personally, I’ll probably just watch a little bit in the warm-up, sort of try and get a rough idea on who’s who. A little bit like I was in India as well, just sort of see the bowl-throughs…stand somewhat near them in the warm-up and have a look at what’s going on around the bowling stuff, and then stay pretty calm and relaxed.”There was a smile and a glint in the eye when Ilyas was asked whether there would be a different approach to the Australia players after the match was over.”It depends how it goes after the game. It might happen they also take our name,” he said. “Anything is possible. This is cricket. We respect them. There is no such thing that we don’t respect them. We respect them a lot as cricketers. But before the game, it’s a tactical thing, it comes [down] to your mind, so we have to be mentally strong. After the game, obviously, they are top players in the side and there is a lot of things we can learn from them, even they might learn from us also.”

“It’s definitely a possibility, we’ve already spoken about it. We need to get the guys ready for it as well”

Karthik Krishnaswamy28-Feb-202310:31

Rohit: Rahul’s removal as vice-captain doesn’t indicate anything

Rohit Sharma has hinted that India could request a green pitch for the fourth Border-Gavaskar Test in Ahmedabad if they win the third Test in Indore and seal their place in the World Test Championship final. India, currently 2-0 up in the four-Test series, need one more win to confirm their place in the WTC final, which is set to be played at The Oval from June 7 to 11.Australia are the other favourites to play the final, with Sri Lanka also in with an outside chance.India have prepared seamer-friendly home pitches in the past with an eye on preparing for major away tours. In the 2017-18 season, shortly before a tour of South Africa, they played on a greentop at Eden Gardens against Sri Lanka – the seamers took 32 of the 35 wickets that fell in the Test match.Related

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On Tuesday, Rohit said something similar could be on the cards if India go 3-0 up in Indore, setting up a potential WTC final dress rehearsal in pace-friendly conditions in Ahmedabad. He added, however, that selection could prove tricky, given that Shardul Thakur, India’s preferred pace-bowling allrounder in overseas conditions, isn’t part of their squad for this series, and has not played competitive cricket in over a month. Rohit attended Thakur’s wedding during the break between the second and third Tests.”There is definitely a possibility of that,” Rohit said. “We’ve already spoken about it. We need to get the guys ready for it as well.”The important one is Shardul Thakur, because he comes into that plan for us. I don’t know how ready he is, knowing that he just got married. We don’t know how many overs he has bowled. But yeah, that thought process is definitely there. If we do what we do here and we get the result we want, we might think of doing something different in Ahmedabad for sure.”In that Kolkata Test against Sri Lanka, the damp weather played as much of a role as the pitch in helping India simulate overseas conditions. While it should be possible for India to prepare a green pitch in Ahmedabad, the weather is expected to be hot and dry, with maximum temperatures in the mid-to-high 30s (Celsius) – nothing, in short, like London in June.India played a greentop at Eden Gardens against Sri Lanka, shortly before a tour of South Africa, in 2017-18•BCCI

Before their thoughts can turn to such matters, however, India have a Test match to play in Indore, and Rohit warned against letting their thoughts stray too far ahead. Though India won the second Test in Delhi by six wickets, they were made to work hard for their result – at one stage, they were 139 for 7 in reply to Australia’s first-innings total of 263. Rohit expected Australia to push India hard again in Indore.”It will be a great achievement for us [to reach the WTC final], but we know that we need to cross that final hurdle, and for that we need to win the next game as well, so the focus is on this Test, how we can win this game, and not look too far ahead, because after this game we’ve got one more Test match to be played, and then after that there’s two months of IPL,” Rohit said.”There’s a lot of time to think about the final, but right now it’s very important for us to focus on this one and see how we can turn it around and win this game as well, because in the last game we were put under pressure for sure, we can expect the same here as well, so we need to be ready for that.”When pressed to look ahead to the WTC final, Rohit said it would be exciting for the two teams playing it to meet in neutral conditions.”It’ll be a different ball game, for both teams actually,” he said. “Actually, I don’t want to talk about the World Test Championship. We’re not there yet. We want to win this game and then talk about it. That’ll be the right thing to do.”But just speaking of it from the outside, clearly, I don’t think England is going to qualify, so both teams who are going to play the final will be neutral teams. It’s going to be exciting. There’s no home advantage, no conditions advantage. India have played a lot of cricket in England over the last couple of years. Australia have played a lot of cricket [there]. Sri Lanka and South Africa are also in the mix [South Africa are out of the reckoning]. They probably have played a lot of cricket there as well. It’s not going to be alien conditions as such, to both teams who will make the final. It’ll be a good contest between the two teams, whoever those teams are.”

Fast bowler has been with the squad for four years and is their leading wicket-taker as well

Umar Farooq20-Dec-2021Lahore Qalandars have named Shaheen Shah Afridi as captain for the upcoming PSL season. He replaces Sohail Akhtar, who led the team for the last two seasons. This will the fast bowler’s first time in charge of a team at senior level but he isn’t coming into the job completely cold. He was captain of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas Under-16s at the PCB’s Cricket Stars tournament in 2016.Over the last two years, Afridi has become one of the best players in the world. He has represented Pakistan in 21 Tests, 28 ODIs and 39 T20Is and has been with the Qalandars squad since 2018. In that time, he’s picked up 50 wickets from 37 games, which is a record for the franchise.”Shaheen is our asset and has stuck with us through thick and thin,” Sameen Rana, Qalandars owner and manager, told ESPNcricinfo. “I still remember the day when a young, 18-year-old boy came to Lahore Qalandars for the first time in 2018 and over the years he has developed as one of the finest fast bowlers in the world. He grew with us and helped the franchise to become stronger. He is Pakistan’s top-notch bowler at the moment and over the last three years he gained all the necessary experience playing in all formats of the game. I think this is the best time to give him a chance to show his leadership qualities.”One thing that impressed us all is that he is an excellent learner and I have absolutely no doubt that he will come good as captain. With his performances he has earned enormous respect. It’s a remarkable journey for Shaheen becoming the premium fast bowler and we are extremely happy to be a part of his development first as a player and now allow him to thrive as captain. I wish him very good luck.”As for Afridi, he is relishing the additional responsibility for the forthcoming season. “I am very excited and honoured to accept the role as captain,” Afridi said. “I hope I can give my best as captain. This is a big responsibility and I am happy that they trusted me with this leadership role. Leading a side is the highest role in cricket and equally a privilege for a cricketer. I am grateful to the Lahore Qalandars management and looking forward to the new season next month.”In isolation, Qalandars qualified for the final in 2020, but overall they have struggled to make a mark in the PSL. They have tried various captains in the past, starting with Azhar Ali who was removed from the leadership role in 2016. With most other teams retaining their local core across the first three seasons of the league, Qalandars didn’t have enough options to choose their captain. As a result, they turned to an overseas option in Brendon McCullum before Fakhar Zaman took over as captain.Akhtar, who is uncapped in international cricket, then stepped up as captain over the past two seasons. Under his leadership, Qalandars won the 2018 Abu Dhabi T20 trophy and finished runners-up in the PSL in 2020, but lost their way last year when they finished fifth in the six-team league earlier this year.Akhtar, however, is still an integral part of Qalandars’ core group having been retained by the franchise ahead of the draft.

An incisive new-ball display from Ali Khan and Jayden Seales restricted the Jamaica Tallawahs

The Report by Peter Della Penna21-Aug-2020Trinbago Knight Riders 136 for 3 (Narine 53, Munro 49*, Mujeeb 1-13) beat Jamaica Tallawahs 135 for 8 (Phillips 58, Seales 2-21, Ali Khan 2-25) by seven wicketsAn incisive new-ball display from Ali Khan and Jayden Seales put the Jamaica Tallawahs into a hole which they could not climb out of as the Trinbago Knight Riders dominated wire to wire in a seven-wicket win on Thursday night. Sunil Narine and Fawad Ahmed continued to keep the Tallawahs pinned down in the middle overs, including a wicket maiden from Ahmed, while Andre Russell failed to launch at the death – scoring 25 at under a run a ball – as the Tallawahs sputtered to 135 for 8.Fidel Edwards produced a wicket maiden of his own for the Tallawahs at the start of the chase, claiming Lendl Simmons with a skied slog to mid-off. But Narine bashed his second fifty in a row to steady the Knight Riders, and teamed with Colin Munro in a 75-run stand before falling in the first over after drinks on a top-edged sweep off Sandeep Lamichhane to deep fine leg for Carlos Brathwaite’s second catch. But Brathwaite grassed two subsequent efforts in the field to sum up a subpar night for the Tallawahs. Munro ended unbeaten on 49 as a wide from Brathwaite down leg clinched the match with 11 balls to spare.Ameri-KhanThe Knight Riders’ favourite son from the USA struck in the first over for the second match running, this time getting a top-edge from Chadwick Walton to swirl into the hands of Ahmed at short fine leg on the second ball of play. Seales then followed that up by trapping Nicholas Kirton on the back leg in front of middle with a beautiful inswinger before Khan induced a mistimed pull from captain Rovman Powell that travelled gently to mid-on where Dwayne Bravo’s tumbling effort made it 19 for 3 in the third over.Glenn Phillips did his best to breathe life back into the innings. He struck five fours and four sixes in his measured knock but his good fortune departed when he whipped a leg stump half-volley from Seales straight to Bravo on the rope at deep backward square leg in the 16th over to make it 99 for 6. Solid death bowling from Khan and Bravo ensured Russell was held in check until he drove Bravo to Munro at long-off to extinguish the last remaining threat.Narine stays hot at the topThe new-age allrounder pounded the boundary all around the ground in his 53 off 38 balls, but perhaps most impressive were a pair of lofted drives over extra cover on one leg against Russell. The left-hand batsman showed his flair with a pair of pirouette punches to clear the off side and leave the Tallawahs flummoxed.For the most part, both he and Munro countered the challenge of Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Lamichhane well. Munro took guard well outside off stump to counter Mujeeb’s line of attack that aimed for the wide lines while both Narine and Munro mostly stayed deep to play Lamichhane late with his steady diet of googlies landing short enough to be worked comfortably through the off side. Narine was finally undone trying to go through the leg side against the turn of Lamichhane’s wrong-un, but not before he had put the Knight Riders on course to complete a mostly stress-free chase.

England look to put a ropey week behind them as they launch their international summer at a chilly Malahide

The Preview by Alan Gardner02-May-2019

Big Picture

Right, here we go then: England are about to hit the home straight, going into a home World Cup. And yet, they might not feel quite so at home in Malahide, where Ireland will be looking to add to their troubles after a rocky week for the ECB. England’s management have spent most of the build-up dealing with the fallout from the Alex Hales affair (an ongoing series), so the chance to play an actual cricket match will be a pleasant change in that respect.Ireland rarely need much motivation when it comes to upsetting the English, but a few weeks out from a tournament in which Eoin Morgan – who switched allegiances exactly a decade ago – is hoping to lead his much-touted England side to a first global 50-over trophy… Well, that would go down like a pint of the black stuff at Gibney’s. Not least because this is the first World Cup at which Ireland will not be participating since 2003.England may be the No. 1-ranked ODI nation, but it won’t be the No. 1-ranked team who walk out in north Dublin on Friday. Hales’ fall from grace aside, there are numerous absentees through (mostly) minor injuries and prescribed rest for England’s IPL contingent. However, the confirmation of a debut for Jofra Archer, the most-talked-about potential World Cup star yet to have played a single ODI, does add a layer of anticipation from an England perspective.That aside, this is as much of a chance for James Vince to audition for Hales’ spot in the World Cup squad (if England don’t just give it to Archer); possible ODI debuts for Dawid Malan and Ben Foakes, who is in line to take the gloves after the shoulder injury that cruelly ruled out Sam Billings; and the jostling among the pace bowlers, with Chris Jordan, like his “little bro” Archer, trying to barge into World Cup contention.Any sniff that England are taking this game lightly would only encourage Ireland further, but there should be no room for complacency in the wake of recent disruption. Hales was part of the camp that got together at the weekend but was subsequently removed to protect the England team “environment” – with Morgan now having given a frank assessment of how the squad felt. Morgan can at least point to England’s record against Ireland on his watch, with victories in Dublin in 2011 and 2013 (plus a washout in 2015), and last year’s 2-0 win on home soil.For Ireland, the opportunity to claim a major scalp burns brightly – their last win over a Full Member (other than the recently promoted Afghanistan) came against Zimbabwe at the 2015 World Cup. They will also host West Indies and Bangladesh in a tri-series later this month, while the new FTP and forthcoming ODI league marks the next stage in their bid for more fixtures. But beating England, and emulating Scotland’s heroic effort in Edinburgh last year, would start their season on a sweet note.Jofra Archer prepares to bowl during England net practice•Getty Images

Form guide

Ireland WLWLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
England LWLWL

In the spotlight

For a long time considered one of Ireland’s most-promising talents, Andy Balbirnie has taken the long route to becoming a linchpin of the batting. He was released by Middlesex in 2016 and battled injury for a period but has blossomed in the last 18 months, scoring three ODI hundreds in the pivotal No. 3 spot. With Ireland’s class of 2011 slowly heading towards retirement, Balbirnie’s development has helped offset the loss of Ed Joyce, in particular, and at the age of 28 he should be coming into the prime of his career. Made a career-best 145 not out to guide Ireland to victory over Afghanistan in March and comes into this game on the back of another hundred for his province, Leinster.There can be no other candidate. Fortunately, Jofra Archer looks a player born to be in the spotlight, having blazed a trail around the world in T20 leagues from the Big Bash to the IPL since making his debut for Sussex in 2016. His story is now well known: left out of the West Indies squad for the U-19 World Cup, he decided to make use of a British passport and set out to complete the seven-year qualification process to represent England. A change of rules reduced that period to three years and the clamour to get Archer involved in time for the World Cup has only grown since then. A 90mph bowler who can blast sixes and pull down the toughest catches, now is his chance to make an irresistible case.

Team news

Stuart Thompson has been ruled out with a shoulder injury, with former Warwickshire allrounder Mark Adair called up in his place. The spine of the team is full of experience, but there could be a debut for 19-year-old left-armer Josh Little.Ireland: (possible) 1 William Porterfield (capt), 2 Paul Stirling, 3 Andy Balbirnie, 4 Kevin O’Brien, 5 James McCollum/Lorcan Tucker, 6 Gary Wilson (wk), 7 Mark Adair, 8 George Dockrell, 9 Tim Murtagh, 10 Boyd Rankin, 11 Josh Little/Barry McCarthyWith Roy injured, Jonny Bairstow rested and Hales jettisoned, the stage is set for Vince and Malan to form England’s newest opening partnership. Joe Denly is set for his first ODI appearance in almost 10 years, with Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali among those given time off after the IPL. Ben Duckett and Jordan are the other options in England’s 13-man squad.England: (possible) 1 James Vince, 2 Dawid Malan, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Joe Denly, 6 Ben Foakes (wk), 7 David Willey, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Liam Plunkett, 11 Tom Curran

Pitch and conditions

A classic green seamer that could have been designed for Tim Murtagh’s nibbly medium-pace. Having been undercover for the last two days, it is unlikely to be a deck for breaking batting records. It was raining in Dublin on Thursday, but the forecast for the match is for a largely clear – if bitingly cold – day.

Stats and trivia

• Ireland’s only ODI victory over England remains the 2011 World Cup win at Bengaluru, when Kevin O’Brien went ballistic.
• Gary Wilson is set to win his 100th ODI cap for Ireland.
• Morgan is about to go past James Anderson (194) on England’s list of most-capped players in ODIs, with only Paul Collingwood (197) above him.

Quotes

“He is exciting. The attributes and skills he has are good enough to play international cricket, it’s how he deals with the pressures that come with it and how he performs.”
Eoin Morgan on the prospect of Archer’s debut“England have knocked the benchmark up again in ODI cricket over the last couple of years. They’ve given ODI cricket an extra nudge.
They’re knocking scores up by about 40 runs regardless of the surfaces they’re playing on.”
Will Porterfield on the challenge posed by England’s hard-hitting batsmen

Steyn, who has not played competitive cricket since the New Year’s Test against India, will look to county circuit to get game time ahead of South Africa’s next assignment in Sri Lanka in July

Firdose Moonda01-Apr-2018Dale Steyn will look to county circuit to get game time ahead of South Africa’s next international assignment in Sri Lanka in July. Steyn, who has not played competitive cricket since the New Year’s Test against India where he injured his heel, still requires a month’s rehabilitation before returning to action.Steyn confirmed there was a “possibility,” of him joining Hampshire in June, although he is also looking at other options. Hampshire have already signed Hashim Amla for the first three months of the season, and have two South African Kolpak signees on their books – Kyle Abbott and Rilee Rossouw.Steyn was awarded a new national contract in April and has committed himself to returning for South Africa, though he has only played one Test since November 2016, when he broke a bone in his shoulder at the WACA, and his one-day future is uncertain. Steyn needs three wickets to overtake Shaun Pollock as South Africa’s highest wicket-taker in Tests.

Both South Africa and Sri Lanka, filled with youngsters accustomed to the shortest format, clash in the first of three T20s at SuperSport Park on Friday evening

The Preview by Firdose Moonda19-Jan-2017

Match facts

January 20, 2017
Start time 1800 local (1600 GMT)South Africa’s T20 squad has a new look to it – just four members of their World T20 campaign have been included for the Sri Lanka series•Gallo Images/Getty Images

Big Picture

In a year with no World T20, it would be easy to forget the shortest format exists at international level, but South Africa and Sri Lanka are doing their bit to keep it alive and kicking. The three-match whirlwind series takes place in five days and will feature an almost entirely new-look South African outfit. Only four members of the squad that played in the World T20 last March, 10 months ago, have been included in the 13-man group for the first two matches as South Africa look to the future.They have assembled the best players from the last two seasons’ domestic T20 competition, and given an opportunity to veterans like Heino Kuhn, who has played professional cricket for more than a decade, and rookies like Lungi Ngidi, who at 20 has already featured in two franchise T20 finals. Of particular interest will be Jon-Jon Smuts, who may make a case as a long-term opening option and Theunis de Bruyn, whose star is rising in all formats.Sri Lanka’s squad has a more familiar hue but with one superstar omission. Lasith Malinga has failed to regain fitness after a bout of dengue fever and had to make himself unavailable for the South Africa tour, leaving Suranga Lakmal and Nuwan Pradeep to carry the seam-bowling responsibilities along with recalled players, Nuwan Kulasekara and Isuru Udana.With only one new batsmen in their ranks, Thikshila de Silva, Sri Lanka will look to their line-up to do a better job than they managed in the Tests even though their form in shorter formats has not been particularly promising. Still, such an inexperienced host side may present Sri Lanka with their best chance to enjoy some success.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)
South Africa: WLWLL
Sri Lanka: LLLLL

In the spotlight

David Miller is in the unusual position of being South Africa’s most experienced batsman. Captain Farhaan Behardien confirmed that Miller will bat higher than his usual No.6 spot, perhaps at No.4 where he scored a century for the Knights earlier in the season, in order to give him the best chance of facing as many balls as possible. Behardien said if Miller faces between 50 and 60 balls, he is almost guaranteed a hundred because of his strike rate. No pressure, then.Sri Lanka will look to their captain Angelo Mathews to spark a revival•Associated Press

Angelo Mathews was under fire for his tactics in the Test series, particularly in the way he used his bowlers, including himself. The limited-overs contests will be a chance for him to redeem himself. Mathews is much more respected as a short-format bowler and will likely take the new ball in a bid to strike upfront. He will have the opportunity to set the tone and, having failed to do that in the longer formats, will know his performance over the next few weeks could be important to his survival as captain.

Team news

South Africa could field as many as six new caps in a completely new-look XI which should see the T20 competition’s leading run-scorer Jon-Jon Smuts open the batting with veteran Heino Kuhn. David Miller, who will bat up the order through the series, and Farhaan Behardien will provide middle-order experience around Theunis de Bruyn and Reeza Hendricks. Mangaliso Mosehle will keep wicket, while Wayne Parnell and Andile Phehlulwayo make the allrounder contingent. Dane Paterson will compete with Lungi Ngidi for a place while Imran Tahir could edge out Aaron Phangiso as the sole spinner.South Africa: 1 Jon-Jon Smuts, 2 Heino Kuhn, 3 Theunis de Bruyn, 4 David Miller, 5 Farhaan Behardien (capt), 6 Reeza Hendricks, 7 Mangaliso Mosehle (wk), 8 Wayne Parnell, 9 Andile Phehlukwayo, 10 Dane Paterson, 11 Imran TahirSri Lanka will need a new opener to partner Danushka Gunathilaka and may turn to one of their youngsters Kusal Mendis or Dhananjaya de Silva to do the job. Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal will hope to turn a disappointing tour around, while Thikshila may make his debut. Two specialist spinners and two seamers, in addition to captain Angelo Mathews, could make up the Sri Lankan attack.Sri Lanka: 1 Danushka Gunathilaka, 2 Kusal Mendis/Dhananjaya de Silva, 3 Angelo Mathews (capt), 4 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 5 Niroshan Dickwella, 6 Asela Gunaratne, 7 Thikshila de Silva, 8 Sachith Pathirana, 9 Seekkuge Prasanna, 10 Nuwan Pradeep, 11 Suranga Lakmal

Pitch and conditions

Centurion is known for its spicy surface but in limited-overs matches it tends to favour batsmen a little more. This season, though, it has been a touch slower and seen some lower-scoring contests in the domestic T20 competition. Still, at altitude, the ball is set to travel. Tickets have been sold out for the spectacle. A perfect summer’s evening is forecast, with temperatures cooling down from 31 degrees and no afternoon thundershowers lurking.

Stats and trivia

• South Africa and Sri Lanka have never a played a T20 in South Africa before. They have faced each other six times, of which South Africa have won four matches and lost two.
• The last time South Africa and Sri Lanka met in a T20 was at the World T20 – which was also when South Africa last played in the format – and South Africa chased 121 to win comfortably by eight wickets with 14 balls to spare.

Quotes

“As a captain I try to be very lighthearted. The players need to make their own decisions, bring their own flair in the change-room. When they do that, that’s when they can perform at their best and not feel restricted to any sort of structure or anything.”

In the first MCL auction held in Dubai, Jacques Kallis and Adam Gilchrist were the most expensive buys after two marquee players were handed to each team from a list of 12 former international players

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Dec-2015Former South Africa allrounder Jacques Kallis attracted the highest bid of US $175,000 at the inaugural Masters Champions League (MCL) auction, held in Dubai on Monday. Kallis was signed by the Libra Legends franchise, owned by Popcorn Sports and Entertainment Private Limited.

MCL marquee players

• Abdul Razzaq and Michael Vaughan (Capricorn Commanders)

• Scott Styris and Heath Streak (Leo Lions)

• Sourav Ganguly and Graeme Swann (Libra Legends)

• Virender Sehwag and Kumar Sangakkara (Gemini Arabians)

• Mahela Jayawardene and Daniel Vettori (Sagittarius Soldiers)

• Graeme Smith and Azhar Mahmood (Virgo Super Kings)

Former Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist was the second most expensive player in the auction, purchased for $170,000 by the Sagittarius Soldiers franchise.Kallis and Gilchrist were among the six icon players listed for the auction, along with Muttiah Muralitharan, Brian Lara, Paul Collingwood and Brett Lee. The base price for all icon players was set at $100,000. Collingwood was picked up for $140,000 by Capricorn Commanders, while Muralitharan was signed by Gemini Arabians for $120,000. Lara and Lee were picked up by Leo Lions and Virgo Super Kings respectively, for their base prices.Each team was assigned two marquee players from a list of 12 that included eight former international captains.Former Pakistan players Abdul Razzaq, Saqlain Mushtaq and Azhar Mahmood will also participate in the league for Capricorn Commanders, Gemini Arabians and Virgo Super Kings, respectively. Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori and pacer Shane Bond will play for Sagittarius Soldiers, while allrounders James Franklin and Scott Styris were bought by Leo Lions. Kyle Mills was picked up by Gemini Arabians.The MCL is slated to be played in January 2016 in the UAE and has received a ten-year approval from the Emirates Cricket Board. The league is the brainchild of Dubai-based Grandmidwest Sports.Capricorn Commanders – Michael Vaughan, Abdul Razzaq, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Symonds, Chamara Silva, Ashwell Prince, Upul Chandana, Ryan McLaren, Jeetan Patel, Rikki Clarke, Rory Kleinveldt, Ben Laughlin, Rizwan Cheema, Geraint Jones, Sunil Joshi, Saleem Elahi.Gemini Arabians – Virender Sehwag, Kumar Sangakkara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Kyle Mills, Saqlain Mushtaq, Jacques Rudolph, Naved-ul-Hasan, Justin Kemp, Paul Harris, Brad Hodge, Richard Levi, Ashish Bagai, Graham Onions, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Saqib Ali.Libra Legends – Sourav Ganguly, Graeme Swann, Jacques Kallis, Brad Hogg, Ryan ten Doeschate, Ajay Ratra, Chris Read, Sean Ervine, Shaun Tait, Ryan Sidebottom, Michael Lumb, Marcus North, Taufeeq Umar, Nicky Boje, Ian Butler.Leo Lions – Heath Streak, Scott Styris, Brian Lara, Herschelle Gibbs, Brendan Taylor, James Franklin, Johan Botha, Robin Peterson, Fidel Edwards, Mohammad Tauqir, Neil Carter, Hamish Marshall, Kyle Jarvis, Ramesh Powar, Simon Jones, Darren Gough.Sagittarius Soldiers – Mahela Jayawardene, Daniel Vettori, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Bond, Khurram Khan, Phil Mustard, Tino Best, Nathan Hauritz, Alviro Petersen, Michael Carberry, Krishmar Santokie, Jonathan Trott, Yasir Hameed, Mushtaq Ahmed, Gavin Hamilton.Virgo Super Kings – Graeme Smith, Azhar Mahmood, Brett Lee, Jonty Rhodes, Neil McKenzie, John Mooney, Dirk Nannes, Owais Shah, James Foster, Murali Kartik, Malinga Bandara, Gareth Batty, Hasan Raza, Jacob Oram, Humayun Farhat, Mohammad Yousuf.

Darren Gough was at his best in the heat of an Ashes confrontation but he is not about to write off the current generation

Andrew McGlashan12-May-2013Darren Gough was at his best in the heat of an Ashes confrontation, and he was often central to the rare occasions England managed to overcome Australia during the 1990s, but he is not about to write off the current generation, ahead of the first of this year’s back-to-back series.Australia’s 16-man squad was met with reactions ranging from ridicule to dismissiveness in some quarters. Even down under there is more trepidation about the forthcoming series than since the late 1980s. But Gough, who took 74 wickets in 17 Ashes Tests, believes the strength of their fast bowling resources gives them a chance in England.”I’m not going to be as critical as some people are,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “Their bowling attack is very strong and the fast bowlers are superbly talented. What’s interesting to me is that most of them are coming over with the A team to have a little roll and I think that’s very important. Last time they bowled too short so they’ll be able to learn the length to bowl.”There has been little doubt of late that Australia are building a formidable pace unit – although keeping players like James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc and Ryan Harris fit for extended periods is proving a challenge, while Pat Cummins continues to lurch from injury to injury. But without support from the top order, they are often going to be in the position of trying to keep the side in matches.Gough suspects that some of the batsmen on the trip will not be given much more of an opportunity to show they can handle Test cricket, but added that the decision to bolster the squad with the experience of Chris Rogers and Brad Haddin could prove a shrewd move.”These guys have an opportunity,” he said. “They had a poor series in India, got beaten by South Africa, and are now coming to England with a lot of them fighting for a spot in the Ashes back home. If they can get runs on the board, England will have a heck of a fight on their hands.””They’ve realised you can’t pick players who aren’t ready. Against bowlers like Anderson, Broad, Finn and Swann you need some experience. Rogers has been a fantastic player for many years and Haddin still deserves to be Australia’s No. 1.”The key to Australia’s run-scoring potential is the captain, Michael Clarke, who has enjoyed a phenomenal run of form over the last six months. Beyond his batting, however, Gough sees an intriguing match-up between him and Alastair Cook as captains. Trent Bridge will be Cook’s first Ashes match as a captain, while Clarke first lead Australia in the Sydney Test in 2011.”Clarke’s from the Shane Warne mould of captaincy. He likes to adventurous, sometimes a little controversial, he’s a very attacking captain which will be vital. The head-to-head with Alastair Cook, who is a different style of captain, will be fascinating. I think Clarke has handled things well so far, especially India with some of the trouble they had – I thought he came out as someone with a strong personality.”ESPNcricinfo have teamed up with Last Man Stands to offer one of our lucky readers the chance to play a celebrity LMS match at Lord’s nursery ground on Friday May 24. One team will be captained by Darren Gough, the other team by Ian Harvey. To be in with a chance of winning this unique opportunity, register a team to play Last Man Stands before May 17 and enter promotional code CRICINFO at www.lastmanstands.com