Royals still have a chance if they win final game, though their NRR is -0.403 and their fate could be tied to how Mumbai fare in their last two matches

Srinath Sripath15-May-2018What does KKR’s win mean for the other teams?KKR are now in third place with 14 points after 13 games, and have a net run rate of -0.091. If they win their last game, they will be certain of a playoff spot.Should KKR lose their final game – against Sunrisers in Hyderabad – their chances might suffer if Mumbai Indians and RCB win their last two games, because both those teams will get to 14 points and have a better net run rate than KKR.Kings XI Punjab, currently on 12 points, can still go through if they win one of their two remaining games and other results go their way, despite having the worst NRR (-0.518) in the league. If they win both games, they are assured of qualification regardless of other results.Royals still have a chance of qualifying if they win their final league game, though their NRR is -0.403. They need to win their final game against RCB – a convincing margin will help – and hope that Mumbai don’t win their last two games.Getty ImagesIs Dinesh Karthik among IPL 2018’s best finishers?
The short answer is, yes. Karthik has ticked three major boxes in chases this season: he plays very few dot balls (his 25.2% in successful chases puts him at #2, behind AB de Villiers), finds the boundary frequently (once every five balls), and most importantly, sees his side through (four unbeaten knocks in five successful chases). In a team with hitters like Chris Lynn and Andre Russell, it is their captain who has been the most consistent closer of chases.Royals finally find a powerful opening combination?

It took 12 games and Jos Buttler to get selected in England's Test squad for Tripathi to open with him. This should have been the opening pair for at least the first three four games for sure. May cost them a spot. #IPL2018

— Gaurav Sundararaman (@gaurav_sundar) May 15, 2018

Rajasthan Royals chopped and changed their opening combinations for a month before a rain-affected chase forced them to push Jos Buttler to open the batting. Since then, he has been on such a hot streak that he is now set to depart the IPL early, after being named in England’s Test squad.Against Kolkata Knight Riders, Rahul Tripathi joined Buttler for the first time, Royals’ seventh different opening combination for the season. Tripathi had made his name as an opener last season for Rising Pune Supergiant, scoring 184 runs in the Powerplay at a strike rate of 157.6. According to ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats, his runs were worth 75 more considering match context, among the best in IPL 2017.ESPNcricinfo LtdNow, with Buttler set to leave, Tripathi may have been pushed up the order so he can play the role of the aggressor from the next game. Buttler and Tripathi put on 63 off just 4.5 overs, carting Knight Riders’ bowlers for an IPL-record 10 consecutive boundaries at one point. They will end the season having opened together only once. More importantly, having taken so long to arrive at the right opening combination might end up costing Royals a playoff spot.How did Royals lose their way from 63 for 0 in 4.4 overs?
Royals’ opening partnership: 63 runs in 4.4 overs (Run rate 13.04)
Next 7 overs: 36 runs (Run rate 5.14)
Over the past five games, Buttler’s fireworks have mostly been enough to carry Royals’ batting, papering over the cracks in their middle order. On Tuesday, after Tripathi’s dismissal, Ajinkya Rahane’s arrival slowed things down significantly, as he struggled to rotate strike in the next over from Sunil Narine. Rahane ended up with 11 off 12 balls, a microcosm of a largely forgettable season for him.Each of their top six, apart from Buttler and Sanju Samson, have scored at below-par rates and cost their team runs, as per Smart Stats. Their opening combinations might have cost Royals a few games in the first half of the season, but it is the lack of runs from the middle order which has hurt them the most.A spinner to Narine in the first over?
K Gowtham had opened the bowling eight times for Rajasthan Royals before this game, keeping it tight (economy rate 7.44) with his wicket-to-wicket fingerspin. But he hasn’t been a strike bowler by any means – two wickets in 48 balls. Rahane tossed the ball to his offspinner as usual, possibly to take on a left-hand opener in Sunil Narine. Narine is a marauding hitter of spin, though, and opening with Gowtham was a gamble. It did not work as Narine took Gowtham apart, scoring 21 runs off five balls.Narine’s relative weakness against pace is well known, and with the likes of Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes (who got him second ball) in their ranks, it seemed like Rahane had missed a trick. By the time Stokes got him in the second over, Narine had done his job.

The PCB and the BCCI will face off in Bahrain on February 4 over their dispute regarding the Indian board secretary Jay Shah’s announcement of the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) calendar of events for 2023 and 2024, which the PCB has alleged was made in a “unilateral” manner, without keeping the Pakistan board in the loop. Shah is also president of the ACC.The PCB has sought an emergency ACC Board meeting, which PCB chairman Najam Sethi announced will take place next month.”For some time there hasn’t been any ACC Board meeting and there were a lot of decisions being made and one of them we have challenged,” Sethi said in a press conference. “Now the good news is that we managed to convince them to have their Board meeting and I will be attending it.”Related

• PCB's case against BCCI dismissed by ICC dispute panel

• India won't travel to Pakistan for 2023 Asia Cup

• PCB insists Jay Shah took 'unilateral' decision on ACC calendar

Tensions had simmered between the two boards during the previous PCB chairman Ramiz Raja’s tenure, specifically over the venue of the 2023 Asia Cup, which is scheduled for September in Pakistan. But it was thrown into uncertainty when Shah, soon after a BCCI meeting last October, said the tournament would move to a neutral venue because India could not travel to Pakistan.During his previous tenure, Sethi took an aggressive stance by taking legal route against the BCCI for not honouring an agreement to play bilateral series in 2014 and 2015, which the PCB claimed was a legal breach. The PCB eventually lost the case as the ICC dispute resolution committee said the claim “must fail” because the agreement signed between the boards carried a “moral obligation” but not a legal one, and the PCB had to later pay the BCCI a hefty compensation.Sethi returned to the PCB office last month after Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif removed Raja and his Board to form a management committee to run cricket affairs. When asked if Pakistan would have an aggressive stance against the BCCI if India refuse to come to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, Sethi said: “We have to look at what we can do but we can’t [fight] another case, but I can say that that case wasn’t handled properly and I think we didn’t give a good fight. But eventually, even judges said that if you look through the microscope this case is in favour of Pakistan but if you see this case with a telescope this is going in India’s favour. So in nutshell, with all the nitty-gritty it’s Pakistan’s case, but then their stance was that it’s the [Indian] government which isn’t allowing us [to tour Pakistan].”Pakistan-India ties have deteriorated over the years as a result of stormy political relations between the two countries. India and Pakistan have not played each other in a bilateral series since 2012-13, when Pakistan toured India for a limited-overs series. Their encounters have been limited to ICC and ACC events, and while the Indian men’s team has not played any match in Pakistan since 2008, Pakistan last travelled to India for the 2016 T20 World Cup.After years of isolation following the 2009 attack on Sri Lanka’s team bus in Lahore, Pakistan has returned to hosting international cricket regularly over the last three years, with nearly all full members (other than India) visiting the country for red- and white-ball cricket. The 2022 Asia Cup (postponed from 2021) was originally meant to be hosted by Pakistan, but the event was eventually hosted by Sri Lanka in the UAE.The PCB is intent in its stance of hosting the 2023 Asia Cup, but Sethi was not willing to divulge the options ahead of the board.”All expected discussions and what the possible options are, I am keeping close to my chest for now,” he said. “I don’t want to hint at anything about what will be my possible stance there. Whatever the stance is, it will be according to the interests of Pakistan.”

The move is aimed at reducing the chance of umpiring error impacting crucial phases of the game

Nagraj Gollapudi07-Mar-20232:15

Should players be allowed to review wides and height no-balls?

Remember the high full toss Virat Kohli faced in the 2022 T20 World Cup match against Pakistan that was called a no-ball by the umpire? Or the high full toss that Rovman Powell hit for six in Delhi Capitals’ tense chase against Rajasthan Royals that wasn’t called a no-ball and led to Rishabh Pant losing his temper? Or the wide from fast bowler Prasidh Krishna that his Royals captain Sanju Samson reviewed for caught behind because he felt it should have been a legal delivery?Each of those incidents from the recent past led to debate on whether the delivery was legitimate or not, and the aggrieved team did not have recourse to review the on-field umpire’s decision. That’s why the BCCI, starting with the ongoing WPL and the 2023 IPL, has decided to allow teams to refer wides and no-balls for height to the TV umpire using the DRS, the first such usage in T20 leagues. The teams will still be allowed only two unsuccessful reviews per innings.So what prompted the BCCI to widen the scope of the DRS? ESPNcricinfo has learned that the board wanted to give teams the chance to rectify an umpiring error that could prove costly in closely-contested tournaments like the IPL. With considerable pressure from players and experts to bring wides and no-balls for height under the scope of DRS, the BCCI consulted its match officials after last year’s IPL.In ODIs and T20Is, a team that concedes a no-ball also has to bowl a free-hit the next delivery, off which a batter cannot be dismissed in any manner apart from a run-out. The BCCI’s experts agreed that it was prudent to reduce the chance of a match result being impacted by an umpiring error.The BCCI, however, did not want to give teams more reviews per innings, as some experts like Daniel Vettori had suggested last IPL, to review the on-field umpire’s decisions on wides and high no-balls. The board does not want to nullify the human element in umpiring and is also mindful of the time the extra reviews will add to the length of the game.The modified DRS is already in use during the WPL as a trial phase before the IPL that starts on March 31. The BCCI is aware that the onus is on the TV umpire to make the right call, and the board is ready to allow match officials, most of whom are Indian, leeway and understands that errors will happen.While there have been a few instances of players reviewing for wides and no-balls already, the most debatable incident happened during UP Warriorz’ chase against Gujarat Giants. With 6 needed off 3 balls, Annabel Sutherland pitched one wide outside off stump, just over the guide line, and Grace Harris used the DRS to successfully overturn the umpire’s decision that it was not a wide. The decision was debatable because Harris had moved towards the off side in her crease while trying to make contact with the ball, but the TV umpire over-ruled the original decision that it was a legal delivery.

“It’s sad actually that we haven’t toured England again after doing so well, especially in white-ball cricket”

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Mar-2023Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh’s ODI captain, has expressed his frustration that his side are not given the opportunity to tour England and Australia more often.Bangladesh have not toured England for a bilateral series since 2010, when they played two Tests and three ODIs. Tamim, then aged 21, hit hundreds at Lord’s and Old Trafford, and while Bangladesh were heavily beaten in both Tests, they took the ODI series to a decider thanks to a memorable win in Bristol.Related

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Their most recent bilateral tour to Australia was even longer ago, a three-match ODI series back in 2008. They are due to travel there for two Tests in March 2027, according to the ICC’s Future Tours Programme, but are not due to play an away series against England in this edition of the FTP.”That’s a long way away now, 2010,” Tamim told the UK’s . “But those innings I will always remember. Scoring a hundred in England is not easy, especially for a team like us. The memories are something that, when I’ve finished cricket, I will take forever in my heart.”Those two are really close to my heart, but the most important thing is you guys need to invite us more often. That was the last time we played there, which is unfortunate. Bangladesh is in a situation now where we should tour Australia and England more often and I don’t know why that doesn’t happen.”It’s been 13 years now and we haven’t been back to England. It’s sad actually that we haven’t toured again after doing so well, especially in white-ball cricket.”There are more than 600,000 people in England and Wales who registered as Bangladeshi in the 2021 census, and Bangladesh’s fixtures at the 2017 Champions Trophy and 2019 World Cup attracted substantial crowds.And Tamim believes that would be repeated if Bangladesh were invited for a bilateral tour. “I can guarantee you, it will be less England fans and more Bangladeshi fans, for sure,” he said.”If you remember the 2017 Champions Trophy, we actually outnumbered the English fans… whatever format we play, if we get invited to play in England, it will be a full house.”Bangladesh are due to tour England later this year, but their opponents will be Ireland. The teams are due to play three ODIs in the final fixtures of the ICC’s Super League, which are expected to be staged at Chelmsford in the second week of May. The fixtures have not yet been confirmed.

GOAL US and INDIVISA writers look at the Brilliant and Heartbeat kits, and debate where they rank against all-time greats

U.S. soccer dropped two kits this week. They're interesting. One plays it safe, a slight tweak on the generic red, white and blue that has defined the more recent generation of shirts. The other, though, is a bit bolder. Vertical stripes aren't really a thing in soccer these days, but Nike has brought them back on top of a dark shirt. It's different, admittedly fresh – and has brought about quite a bit of discourse in social media as a result.

The U.S. has an interesting history when it comes to kits. There are some classics: the 2014 away kit, the 2012 "Where's Waldo shirt" and the 1994 "denim" jerseys live long in the memory (for better or worse.) But equally, there have been a few duds, the design too often sticking to templates rather than going for something a little more bold and, well, American.

How do the new ones stack up? Are they future classics that will live long in the collective memory? Or is it a question of playing it safe, something ultimately inoffensive?

GOAL US and INDIVISA writers debate the new U.S. kits, and where they rank in the long line of national team shirts.

• U.S. Soccer
  

  Where do the Heartbeat and Brilliant kits rate?

  Jacob Schneider: The Brilliant kit is a beautiful shirt for the USWNT. It's an upgrade, and simple – which is also what makes it great. Lots of minor great features. The Heartbeat kit? Interesting. Fantastic streetwear, but it's not something you would typically picture on the pitch. It's a VERY welcome change from the current away shirt for the U.S., but would you wear it at a World Cup? It's cool, but with a short shelf life.

  Celia Balf: Really like the sentiment behind both kits, especially the stripe look – and with vertical lines. The detail is simple, and emphasizes the crest and accent colors on the collar and arm lines. It also pays homage to 1994 and also the original U.S. Soccer crest that had lots of red vertical stripes. The Brilliant kit is crisp and feels similar to what we’ve seen before. The denim accent detail throughout the jersey is cool, don't love the pop of color on the collar and on the arms. It would be even cleaner with the same pattern throughout, without any outlined detail.

  Alex Labidou: The Heartbeat kit seems bold and sleek, especially with its unique color scheme. It would be fresh on or off the pitch. Add it to the must-buy category. The Brilliant kits seems like it's been done before, and it's a slight riff off the 1994 kit. Not horrible, but not memorable either.

  Ryan Tolmich: The Brilliant kit is fine, and the pattern on the kit does give it life. The splashes of blue and red on the neckline and sleeves make it pop, too. As for the Heartbeat? Big fan. It's unique, which is what you should generally say about any team's secondary jersey. It's a step in the right direction and, hopefully, a sign of things to come for the kits in 2026.

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• Getty
  

  What's your wishlist for the USMNT's World Cup kit?

  JS: Just give us the 2012 home kit again – that's literally all you need. Red, white, blue and stop with the tie-dye and splatter paint. Horizontal stripes of some sort and a color scheme that actually looks good on and off the pitch, with a crest on the chest off to the side – none of this front-and-center BS.

  CB: We need to see some more stripes! Bring back the 2012 "Where’s Waldo" look, or the 1994 home kit, but without the moving stripes. Over the past few years we’ve seenpatterns that are funky, but not as simple or profound as classic stripes. Didn’t love the paint splatter kit in 2023 and then 2024 was classic, but a bit of a snooze-fest.

  AL: Either do something with the 1994 kit style that nods to the classic while being new and fresh, or go SUPER American – basically be the flag across the whole kit. The U.S. is the primary host of the 2026 World Cup, so the team's kit should be indicative of it. Canada and Mexico, of course, should do the same.

  RT: Do something fun with it! This kit, for any fan of American soccer, will be iconic given the circumstances – and the 1994 kit has proven that "iconic" doesn't always have to coincide with "eternally fashionable." Do something that separates this kit from any other, something celebrating this moment in time. No plain white shirts, no boring single-color away kits and no safe decisions. Take a swing and, even if it misses, we'll all look back on this in 30 years and remember the moment and how it made us feel.

• Getty
  

  What is the best US Soccer kit of all time?

  JS: Call it nostalgia, but the 2014 World Cup away kit is what pops into my head as the greatest. Clint Dempsey was iconic in it, Michael Bradley recorded a memorable celebration in it, and it was the last GREAT tournament for the USMNT. It has a brilliant color scheme, and was a shirt that could be worn on and off the pitch. Just pure excellence.

  CB: Easy, 1994 away.

  AL: The 1994 kit gets all of the love and rightfully so; it's an all-time banger – not just in the U.S. but in global football. Since we're all well aware of its brilliance, let's go with two kits that don't get as much love as they should – the 2010 World Cup sash, and the 2013 Gold Cup Waldo kits. Both would be standouts of the modern kits for the U.S. team. And the Waldo kit is likely the best women's kit of all time, as well.

  RT: It's the Waldos, and it's not particularly close. There was something so iconic about the whole combination, from the red-and-white striped shirt to the blue shorts mimicking an American flag. For a program whose kits often lack a real sense of identity, the Waldos seemed uniquely connected with the country – which should be the goal of all national team kits. All of the world's top countries have a signature kit, and it wouldn't be such a bad thing if red-and-white stripes became the calling card of the U.S. Worth noting: the red-and-blue stripe kit from 2017 was also good, too.

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• Getty
  

  What is the worst U.S. kit of all time?

  JS: The 2022 World Cup away kit was just an abomination. Design failure. Can we not bring this up again?

  CB: The 2004 home kit.

  AL: The 1990 World Cup kit is T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E. It was reminiscent of an Eastern European jersey, and the Americanness of it is very understated – almost as if the designer was trying to hide any sort of U.S. connection. Awful, awful kit. A distant runner-up: the 2022 kit, with its weird neckline pattern, is hideous. Skipped it then and would be glad if it's never seen again.

  RT: The 2022 World Cup kit still feels wrong. Designed to look like an American football shirt, it just wasn't one that screamed "U.S. national team." There have been plenty of other boring white kits throughout the years, but that one, in particular, felt like a step backwards as it lacked the creativity and identity that should be staples of a World Cup kit.

Ange Postecoglou could reportedly leave Tottenham despite Europa League glory as Spurs stars "do not expect" the Australian to remain in charge.

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Tottenham savoured Europa League gloryLifted their first trophy in 17 yearsYet, Postecoglou's job might not be securedFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Despite leading the North London side to a Europa League triumph over the Red Devils, whispers around the club suggest the Australian might not be in charge come next season, as revealed by The 2-1 victory not only brought them their first piece of silverware in 17 years, but also ended a 41-year wait for a European title. The win secured a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League and set up a UEFA Super Cup clash in August against either Inter Milan or Paris Saint-Germain.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

With one year still left on his deal, Postecoglou’s continuation as head coach appears to hinge entirely on chairman Daniel Levy's judgement. It has been reported that the top boss has already begun exploring other managerial options, including Fulham’s Marco Silva, hinting that a managerial change could be on the horizon.

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In the aftermath of their Europa League success in Spain, many Tottenham players were tight-lipped about their manager’s future. Most avoided addressing Postecoglou’s potential departure directly, instead offering supportive words and stressing that the night was a moment for joy, not speculation. Still, reports from inside the dressing room indicate that many squad members do not expect Postecoglou to remain in charge beyond the summer. While there’s admiration for what he achieved, the feeling of finality seems to be growing.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

If this season does mark the end of Postecoglou’s time at Tottenham, he leaves on a high note. The 58-year-old has developed a reputation for achieving silverware in the second season of his managerial stints — a pattern he extended with Spurs. He has publicly expressed his desire to see through the project he began upon arriving from Celtic in 2023, and hasn’t closed the door on continuing his work in North London. For now, though, all eyes will be on Sunday’s Premier League finale against Brighton — what could be his last outing in the Spurs dugout.

Mumbai are coming into the game after a five-day break but KKR are playing their second game in 48 hours

Nagraj Gollapudi15-Apr-20234:09

Do KKR need to consider a change at the top against Mumbai?

Big Picture – Knight Riders seek quick fixesForty eight hours after playing at home against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders play an away match, which happens to be an afternoon game. Mumbai Indians, their opponents, on the other hand, will start the home contest after a five-day break. Knight Riders are among three teams – along with Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings – who will play back-to-back matches this IPL within a 48-hour turnaround; that is, a night game, followed by an afternoon game two days later.Knight Riders, who landed in Mumbai late afternoon on Saturday, are unlikely to express their displeasure at the schedule in public, but the paucity of any downtime could be a key factor as they attempt to breach Mumbai’s fortress. Incredibly, Knight Riders have beaten Mumbai at Wankhede just once – in 2012 (overall they have won at the venue only four times). However, Nitish Rana’s team would also point out that Knight Riders have won the last three contests between the teams.Harmanpreet to walk out with Rohit?

There will be two Mumbai Indians captains turning up at toss on Sunday afternoon. It is understood that Harmanpreet Kaur will accompany Rohit Sharma to the centre as part of the franchise’s initiative to support young girls.
The initiative, called Education and Sports for All and run by the franchise in association with Reliance Foundation, will also have the Wankhede Stadium filled with over 19,000 young girls. In a media release issued by Mumbai, the franchise said these girls are from 36 NGOs in the city. No tickets have been put on sale for the public otherwise.

Both teams have significant question marks to address. For Knight Riders, it is the beating their fast bowlers have been getting. Overall this season, their seamers have recorded the worst numbers in terms of average, strike rate and economy. They have also taken the lowest number of wickets – seven – despite having experienced heads like Umesh Yadav, Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson.Fitness concerns over Andre Russell have compounded their pain. Russell bowled for the first time this season on Friday, against Sunrisers Hyderabad, before leaving the ground after delivering 2.1 overs. India allrounder Shardul Thakur, who bowled just five deliveries against Sunrisers to wrap Russell’s third over, has played mainly as a middle-order batter.Related

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Mumbai, too, have struggled with their fast bowling – their quicks have bagged just eight wickets in three matches so far. Jofra Archer, their main strike bowler this season, has sat out the last two matches due to an elbow issue. Archer, who had a light bowling session on Saturday afternoon, just before the team’s training began, is also under a fitness cloud.IPL 2023 form guideMumbai Indians: WLL (most recent match first)
Kolkata Knight Riders: LWWLTeam news – David Wiese could replace Andre RussellIf Archer is absent, Riley Meredith is set to continue.Knight Riders will keep their fingers crossed over Russell’s fitness – he reportedly suffered cramps. If he is benched, then David Wiese could be a likely replacement.Toss and Impact player strategyBatting second has been a winning card at the Wankhede Stadium. Knight Riders should continue to utilise Suyash Sharma as their Impact Player (in combination with Venkatesh Iyer), while Mumbai will look at swapping Tim David and Jason Behrendorff after starting with three overseas players.Jofra Archer, Mumbai’s main strike bowler this season, has sat out the last two matches due to an elbow issue•BCCI

Mumbai IndiansPossible bowl-first XI: 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Ishan Kishan (wk), 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Cameron Green, 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Nehal Wadhera, 7 Hrithik Shokeen, 8 Arshad Khan, 9 Piyush Chawla, 10 Riley Meredith, 11 Jason BehrendoffPossible bat-first XI: Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Ishan Kishan (wk), 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Cameron Green, 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Tim David, 7 Nehal Wadhera, 8 Hrithik Shokeen, 9 Arshad Khan, 10 Piyush Chawla, 11 Riley MeredithKolkata Knight RidersPossible bowl-first XI: 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk) 2 N Jagadeesan, 3 Nitish Rana (capt), 4 Andre Russell/David Wiese, 5 Rinku Singh, 6 Shardul Thakur, 7 Sunil Narine, 8 Lockie Ferguson, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Varun Chakravarthy, 11 Suyash Sharma.Possible bat-first XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk) 2 N Jagadeesan, 3 Venkatesh Iyer, 4 Nitish Rana (capt), 5 Andre Russell/David Wiese 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Shardul Thakur, 8 Sunil Narine, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Varun Chakravarthy.Pitch and conditionsA dry pitch is expected with afternoon temperatures hovering in the early 30s C.Stats that matter Sunil Narine has bowled one over in powerplay in each match this season. Expect him to continue that trend considering he has dismissed Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma seven times in the IPL – the most by any bowler. Rohit is 44 runs adrift of becoming the fourth Indian batter to get 6000 runs in the IPL. He also needs to hit five more sixes to become the first Indian batter, and third overall, to record 250 sixes in the tournament.Quotes”We get great support here and we want to make this our fortress. We want to get good results here all the time and make it somewhere that we’re confident about the style of cricket we’re going to play and take on every team.”

Former South Africa captain and allrounder Dane van Niekerk is set to announce her retirement from international cricket, ESPNcricinfo has learnt. Van Niekerk is currently in India with the Royal Challengers Bangalore squad.”You have to accept that some chapters in our lives have to close without closures,” van Niekerk posted on her Instagram account on Saturday, without directly announcing her retirement. “There is no point in losing yourself by trying to fix what’s meant to stay broken.”Related

• Dane van Niekerk confirms her retirement from international cricket

• Van Niekerk wants to 'find the Dane that I missed' in all the emotional twists and turns

• Failing fitness tests by seconds is not a simple numbers game

• van Niekerk left out of T20 World Cup squad, Luus to captain

Cricket South Africa (CSA) is not aware of the situation to date but are set to announce the national women’s contracts later this month. Van Niekerk was contracted last year, though she did not play a game for the national side after breaking her ankle in January and there is no clarity on if she would have been offered a contract this year as well. CSA had announced Sune Luus as captain ahead of the T20 World Cup where South Africa reached the final.One of the shrewdest captains in women’s cricket, van Niekerk’s decision to retire comes a month and a half after her controversial non-selection in South Africa’s squad for the T20 World Cup last month. Van Niekerk failed to pass the fitness test by 18 seconds, though she achieved a personal best in the test and was eventually left out of the squad. In her absence, Luus led the team to their maiden World Cup final, which they lost to eventual six-time champions Australia.