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India may continue to test their bench strength having already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series

Hemant Brar22-Jul-20217:24

Will more spin be used in the first ten overs? Should Chamika bat higher?

Big pictureIndia shut the door on Sri Lanka in the first ODI. In the second match, Sri Lanka failed to close out the game. And just like that, in a matter of three days, the fate of the series was sealed.However, in the era of the World Cup Super League, there are no dead rubbers. Teams no longer play just for the pride. So in the third ODI on Friday, Sri Lanka will be aiming for ten crucial points to get back into the race for the direct qualification for the global event in 2023.After nine losses in their last ten completed ODIs, the whole Sri Lankan team has come under scrutiny. While the defeat in the second ODI left the players and coaches “emotional”, a penalty of one point for slow over-rate has pushed them further back. With just 10.91% points (12 points from 11 games), they are placed lowest among all teams.There is more bad news. Wanindu Hasaranga, Sri Lanka’s best bowler on Tuesday, is also set to miss this match with a muscle tear in his leg (doctors are hoping he’ll be okay for the T20Is).Sri Lanka lose one World Cup Super League point for slow over-rate

Sri Lanka were penalised one World Cup Super League point and their players were fined 20% of the match fees for maintaining a slow over-rate in the second ODI. The hosts were found to be one over short after time allowances were taken into consideration.

The sanctions were imposed as per Article 16.12.2 of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League Playing Conditions and Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel respectively.

India, on the other hand, once again exhibited their depth. In the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Prithvi Shaw and Ishan Kishan stood up. Krunal Pandya is doing an excellent job in Ravindra Jadeja’s role. And the way Deepak Chahar steered the chase in the second game was exemplary.Unlike Sri Lanka, India don’t have to worry about World Cup qualification. As the hosts of the event, they qualify automatically. That gives them the luxury of trying out what could probably be called a third-choice XI.Form guideSri Lanka LLLLW (Last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
India WWWLW
Wanindu Hasaranga was the pick of the Sri Lanka bowlers in the second ODI•ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty ImagesIn the spotlightHardik Pandya didn’t bowl a single ball during the truncated IPL 2020. He sent down five overs in the first ODI here but on Tuesday, he was seen holding his back in his third over. Later in the innings, he bowled one more over. The final ODI may shed more light on his bowling fitness.Team newsSri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka said on the eve of the match that fast bowler Kasun Rajitha is out with an injury. Sri Lanka can replace him with Lahiru Kumara. They can also bring in Akila Dananjaya for Lakshan Sandakan. In two games so far, Sandakan has combined figures of 2 for 124 from 18.4 overs at an economy of 6.64. With Hasaranga out, they may bring in offspinning allrounder Ramesh Mendis into the lower middle order.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Avishka Fernando, 2 Minod Bhanuka (wk), 3 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 4 Dhananjaya de Silva, 5 Charith Asalanka, 6 Dasun Shanaka (capt), 7 Ramesh Mendis, 8 Chamika Karunaratne, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Akila Dananjaya, 11 Lahiru KumaraBhuvneshwar Kumar didn’t look 100% in the last match and India could consider resting him on Friday. Navdeep Saini can come in his place. Having recovered from his knee ligament injury, Sanju Samson can replace Kishan if India want to give chances to more players.India (probable): 1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Shikhar Dhawan (capt), 3 Ishan Kishan/Sanju Samson (wk), 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Suryakumar Yadav, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Deepak Chahar, 9 Navdeep Saini, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Yuzvendra ChahalPitch and conditionsBatters in this series have enjoyed playing their shots on the R Premadasa pitches but at the same time, there has been help for spinners too. A similar pitch is expected for the third ODI as well but the weather could play a spoilsport. It’s forecast to be cloudy with intermittent showers on the match day.Stats and trivia The last time Sri Lanka won a bilateral ODI series against India was in 1997. Since January 2020, India’s fast bowlers have picked up just five powerplay wickets in 14 ODIs, at an average of 159 and an economy of 5.88. Yuzvendra Chahal has 97 wickets in 56 ODIs. Three more wickets on Friday and he will join Jasprit Bumrah as the joint-second fastest Indian to the 100-wicket landmark. Mohammed Shami (56 ODIs) holds the record for India.Quotes”As a team, and I as captain, we need to build confidence. And alongside that, the players need to believe in their ability to execute their skills in the game. I saw a lot of this in the last game, and so I’m confident we can build on that, and turn that into positive results. It’s true we haven’t won consistently for a while, but we haven’t forgotten how to win.”
“[MS Dhoni] has had a very big impact on me. Not just during my time at the CSK but even when I was growing up. We have all seen how he takes the match close. Every time I speak to him, he tells me it’s in your hands to take the game till the end and if you can do that, then it’s just a matter of a few overs.

MatériaMais Notícias

da 888casino： O Globo enfrentou o Floresta, na noite deste sábado (29). Jogando pela 2ª rodada da Copa do Nordeste, as equipes acabaram a partida no empate, em 1 a 1. Santana abriu, mas Ribeiro deixou tudo igual.

da dobrowin： Aplicativo de resultados de LANCE! está disponível na versão iOS

SEM GRANDES CHANCES!

O primeiro tempo foi fraco tecnicamente e as duas equipes não conseguiram fazer grandes criações. Dessa forma, os times não conseguiram fazer criações ou até aproveitar os erros dos adversários.

GOLS!

Na volta do intervalo, as equipes mudaram os seus aspectos e chegaram, enfim, à meta. Com menos de cinco minutos, Santana aproveitou e abriu o placar para o Globo. No entanto, o marcador não demorou a ficar empatado. Aos 18, Ribeiro não deu moleza e mandou para o fundo das redes.

They have had issues handling high-pressure situations and the improvements they’ve made via the WPL will be put to the test against New Zealand

S Sudarshanan20-Oct-20253:53

‘India’s botched chases feel like déjà vu’

When India fell agonisingly short of a world title twice in three years – the ODI World Cup 2017 and the T20 World Cup in 2020 – the failure to cross the line was attributed to an inability to handle pressure. Specifically, the kind that comes with a trophy on the line.The Women’s Premier League (WPL) came in to help the players do better in that regard. It is three seasons old, and the fourth is just months away, yet India’s old habits of stumbling with victory in sight have continued.Mumbai 2023. Perth 2024. Even Delhi 2025 though they were up against a target of 412. And most gallingly, Indore 2025.This is the list of ODI chases that India, in the Amol Muzumdar-Harmanpreet Kaur regime, were in full control of and then let go. Their latest one, the four-run defeat against England on Sunday, has left them facing a difficult path forward in the Women’s World Cup 2025. There is only one semi-final spot left and four teams are vying for it.Harmanpreet Kaur reacts as things just don’t go to plan•ICC/Getty ImagesIt is no surprise that Australia were India’s opponents in three of these four occasions. Each of them followed a pattern of India losing wickets in a heap and losing from a fairly comfortable position. Take the Perth ODI, for example. India were 184 for 3 after 35 overs in their chase of 299. Smriti Mandhana had just completed her century, Jemimah Rodrigues was off to a fluent start and India needed 115 off 90 balls. Mandhana fell in the next over, a collapse of 7 for 26 ensued, and India were bowled out for 215.Two years ago, at Wankhede Stadium, India squandered an ask of 41 off 38 balls with a target only 259. Once Richa Ghosh was dismissed for 96, India lost 4 for 25 and did not get the final kick, falling short by three runs.In Delhi, India gave an almighty go at a world-record target. Mandhana hit the second-fastest ODI hundred and kept the challenge alive. Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana’s eighth-wicket partnership raised unlikely hopes. Then India lost 3 for 15 to end on 369. No team should be pulled up for being unable to chase 413 but the significance of that chase is that, just like on Sunday, they were without Rodrigues. They were a batter short, having to paper over other concerns.5:13

‘Fans need to temper expectations with India’

In cases like this – when resources have run dry – experience matters more than training. The BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE, earlier the National Cricket Academy) has world-class facilities, which has helped a lot of players work on particular aspects of the game. India’s domestic system is also vast and robust. All of their players have come up through the ranks showing a great deal of ability. But a domestic game – or upskilling sessions – cannot be compared to a stage as big as a World Cup. Here, nerves can get the better of even the most hardened people.Related

New Zealand in must-win territory with rain in the Navi Mumbai air

'The emotions took over' – Mandhana takes blame for Sunday heartbreak

India's cracks threaten to bring down their whole World Cup

So, clearly there is work to do but some of it is already done. The WPL’s emergence has, to an extent, helped condition players to the spotlight, and increased stakes. It is held at major Indian venues, and matches are often played in front of packed houses and for prime-time television audiences. Crucially, it has even yielded two key players who are part of this World Cup – fast bowler Kranti Gaud and left-arm spinner N Shree Charani.Gaud has been rising steadily over the years in domestic cricket and picked up 4 for 25 in last year’s Senior Women’s T20 Trophy final against Bengal. Charani impressed with her defensive skills during the Senior Women’s T20 Challenger Trophy in 2022. These performances were noticed thanks to the scouts from various WPL teams being present at tournaments that often go largely unnoticed. Both of them got picked for WPL 2025 by UP Warriorz and Delhi Capitals respectively, and now have played all of India’s five World Cup matches. This, from not being in the national radar until six-seven months ago.Kranti Gaud is proof of how the WPL is helping bring more players to the Indian team•ICC via Getty ImagesIn the not-so-distant past, Gaud and Charani might have been toiling away at the lower levels, waiting for their big break like many others. Like Kashvee Gautam, who has been grabbing headlines since 2020 when she picked up all 10 wickets in an innings in an Under-19 one-day game. She finally got to play for India this year after a stint with Gujarat Giants helped boost her profile. Domestic performances have visibility now because of the WPL.Despite all of this, India have been found wanting under pressure, which means other areas need to be explored.Just before the T20 World Cup in the UAE last year, the Indian players had sessions with sports psychologist Mughda Bavare, who had also worked with the team during the 2022 ODI World Cup. At the time Harmanpreet spoke glowingly of the impact these sessions had on her.In an interview with ESPNcricinfo earlier this year, Pratika Rawal, a psychology student, also touched upon the powers of the mind: “Studying psychology helped me understand myself. It taught me why a certain human behaves in a certain way in a certain situation. How you think will show in how you walk. If someone is nervous, other teams can know that and will use it against you. If they can take advantage, why can’t you?”4:09

‘Losses will raise questions about India’s mindset’

Rodrigues also toed a similar line in a chat with : “When you’re playing sport at such a high level, the pressure is immense. Many can’t understand what we go through. And sometimes we ourselves don’t understand why we feel the way we feel. But it’s so nice that we get professional help where we can talk these things out. It’s like you can train your mind also. If you can retrain your mind to think in the right direction, maybe that will change your performance, the way you are, [bring about] the outcomes you desire also.”Skills wise, India have been challenging the likes of Australia and England like no other team ever has. But when it comes to the battle of the mind and the nerves, they still have a bit of work to do. That was the case in Indore on Sunday, when they moved away from a trusted combination of six batters and five bowlers. They could once again tweak personnel in order to rebalance the XI ahead of next high-profile clash against New Zealand.The only positive for them is that they will play all the remaining games at the World Cup, including the knockouts if they qualify, at the DY Patil Stadium, a venue they are very familiar with. If they do that, Navi Mumbai 2025 may not need to be added to the list.

Newcastle United have now joined several top clubs in the race to sign a teenage star who’s the same “talent level” as Erling Haaland, according to reports.

Alan Shearer praises "excellent" Guimaraes despite Tottenham draw

Although Newcastle have the chance to redeem themselves against Burnley this weekend, they’ll look back on their 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur as a chance wasted. The Magpies largely dominated, but came unstuck by a shock Cristian Romero brace which included a late overhead kick.

Eddie Howe still has plenty of reason to be optimistic, though, and one of those reasons is the performance of Bruno Guimaraes. The Brazilian emerged from the bench before finding the back of the net and receiving high praise from Tyneside legend Alan Shearer.

It was a standout display from a Newcastle fan favourite, but that may not stop the Magpies from welcoming another midfield addition in the January transfer window.

£65m Newcastle duo should be fuming with Howe's team selection vs Spurs

Two Newcastle players, in particular, are unlikely to be too happy right now.

By
Matt Dawson

Dec 3, 2025

Those at St James’ Park have already been linked with the likes of Scott McTominay on that front and could welcome the Scotland international, before turning their focus towards the in-demand Yan Diomande.

Newcastle join Yan Diomande race

Newcastle have now joined the race to sign Diomande, according to TeamTalk, and are among the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Liverpool all competing to land the winger’s signature.

One RB Leipzig source even went as far as to tell TeamTalk that the winger is the same “talent level” as Manchester City star Haaland, who also came through the Red Bull ranks at Salzburg a number of years ago.

Newcastle have reportedly sent their scouts to watch the 19-year-old in action, but it remains to be seen whether they’ll be able to position themselves to secure his arrival.

What’s more, Leipzig themselves are not ready to let their young star leave and his reported €100m (£87m) release clause should help fend off at least some of the interest.

Given how Anthony Elanga has struggled this season, Diomande is someone that the Magpies should be all in on if they want to complete their frontline alongside record signing Nick Woltemade.

Shades of Woltemade: Newcastle holding internal talks to sign £21m "magician"

da brwin： Tottenham have now opened talks with a Euro 2024 star, via his reps, and could hijack a major European club's move for him as a result.

Spurs targeting new defender after Postecoglou's admission

da supremo： The north Londoners also completed a deal for Romania international Radu Dragusin for around £25 million in January, but there is a real belief that Ange Postecoglou remains on the hunt for new centre-backs.

Related £113,000-per-week World Cup winner holds talks to join Ange at Tottenham

He’s a pretty big name.

Posts 2 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 18, 2024

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were indomitable at times over 2023/2024, forming a crucial partnership at the heart of Postecoglou's backline, and the former's searing pace is a crucial component of the Australian's high line.

However, when either of the defenders are absent or injured, Spurs can seriously struggle. Dragusin's arrival worked wonders to provide Postecoglou with an alternative option, with the 22-year-old's presence even allowing van de Ven to cover for Destiny Udogie at left-back towards the end of last season.

Tottenham's best-performing defenders in the league last season

Average match rating (via WhoScored)

Pedro Porro

7.04

Cristian Romero

7.03

Micky van de Ven

6.79

Destiny Udogie

6.71

Ben Davies

6.62

Despite the signing of Dragusin, though, it is believed Tottenham are still looking at bringing in another centre-half this summer. The Lilywhites head coach, speaking back in March, even admitted that it is one of their transfer aims.

“If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at”, said Postecoglou on signing another centre-back.

“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit in to what we’re trying to build here.

“I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment.”

Tottenham have displayed a keen interest in Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori as one potential target, with DAZN (via Il Bianconero) sharing an update on their pursuit of the Euro 2024 ace.

Tottenham open talks for Calafiori and could hijack Juventus

The broadcaster claims Tottenham have spoken with Calafiori's reps and contact has been made with Bologna, as they look to beat Juventus in the race for his signature.

The Italy international, who was praised for his performance against Albania in their opening group game of the tournament, is rumoured to command a price tag as high as £42 million following his excellent Serie A campaign.

It looks as if Calafiori could be at the centre of a tug-of-war between Juve and Spurs, especially if he continues to impress at the Euros.

“He played an extraordinary game, like the whole team in the first 60 minutes," said Italian World Cup winner Gianluca Zambrotta on Calafiori's outing against Albania.

"He played with personality, without fear, perhaps the only flaw was on the long ball where we took a risk with Donnarumma’s exit. But he showed some beautiful things yesterday.”

Every team wants a world-class centre-forward to lead their line, and there is arguably a lack of top strikers in today’s game compared to previous generations.

Scoring goals on a regular basis is a priceless attribute, and all clubs want a proven finisher in their ranks, but they can come at a huge price. That being said, there are still a plethora of elite strikers at the top of their games, but who is the best number nine around today?

Ranking factors

To help rank the strikers in order, we have considered the following criteria:

• Current form – how well a player has performed in the past few months
• Importance to their teams – how influential they are to their team’s performances
• Role – how unique their skillset is
• Reputation – what others say about them

15

Joao Pedro

Chelsea and Brazil

Joao Pedro quickly made an impact at Chelsea after signing for £60m from Brighton by helping the Blues win the Club World Cup in the USA.

The Brazilian, now valued at a career-high €50m, also started the 2025/26 Premier League season on fire and looks set to be Chelsea’s first choice striker for years to come.

14

Nick Woltemade

Newcastle and Germany

Eyebrows were raised when Newcastle splashed the cash on Nick Woltemade in a club-record £69m over the summer.

However, the towering German has taken to life in England with ease, replacing Alaxender Isak and scoring goals on a regular basis. Woltemade hasn’t looked out of place in the Premier League.

13

Omar Marmoush

Man City and Egypt

After starring for Eintracht Frankfurt, Omar Marmoush got his big move to Man City in January 2025, and he continued to find the back of the net for fun.

Pep Guardiola called the Egypt international “the best player in the Bundesliga” after signing Marmoush for City, and he already has a Premier League hat-trick to his name.

12

Cristiano Ronaldo

Al Nassr and Portugal

Arguably one of the best players to have ever graced the game, Cristiano Ronaldo is still going strong at the age of 40 and has actually scored more goals since turning 30 than he did before.

He’s been plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League for Al Nassr since 2023 and has continued to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

Ronaldo has now scored over 950 career goals for club and country and has been showing no signs of slowing down, continuing to feature regularly for Portugal.

11

Marcus Thuram

Inter Milan and France

Marcus Thuram made history in 2025 with the quickest goal to be scored in a Champions League semi-final following his clever flick against Barcelona.

The goal highlights Thuram’s quality, and he is now valued at €75m by Transfermarkt, a figure which has more than doubled since moving to Inter Milan from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2023.

The French forward has had the best goalscoring season of his career in 2024/25, and at 27, appears to be at the peak of his powers.

10

Hugo Ekitike

Liverpool and France

Hugo Ekitike became a man in demand after impressing for Eintracht Frankfurt, with Liverpool winning the race to secure his services for an initial £69m.

The 22-year-old previously made his loan move to Frankfurt from Paris Saint-Germain permanent in 2024 and enjoyed his best ever season in front of goal.

PSG are doing just fine themselves without Ekitike, however, they will surely be kicking themselves in regards to selling the “next Mbappe”.

9

Victor Osimhen

Galatasaray and Nigeria

Galatasaray struck gold by signing Victor Osimhen on loan from Napoli last summer, with the Nigeria international continuing to do what he does best – score goals.

Osimhen fell out with Napoli chiefs last summer which resulted in his move to Turkey for the 2024/25 season, and that has now become permanent. The striker has been called “one of the best centre-forwards in the world” by Alvaro Morata.

8

Lautaro Martinez

Inter Milan and Argentina

Alvarez’s international teammate, Lautaro Martinez, is next on the list, with the Inter Milan star a regular source of goals for the Serie A giants since 2018.

In fact, Martinez has hit double figures for Serie A goals in all eight of his campaigns in Italy and has now surpassed 150 goals in all competitions for Inter.

Now Inter captain, Martinez appears to be in the prime of his career and even Lionel Messi backed him to win the Ballon d’Or just last year.

7

Alexander Isak

Liverpool and Sweden

Alexander Isak is regarded as one of the world’s best centre-forwards after starring in the Premier League for Newcastle United, and his record £125m transfer to Liverpool was the saga of the 2025 summer window.

Jamie Carragher, at the beginning of 2025, actually called Isak the “best striker in the Premier League”, however, his start to life at Anfield hasn’t gone to plan which has seen him drop down the rankings.

6

Viktor Gyokeres

Arsenal and Sweden

Many wouldn’t have expected Viktor Gyokeres to be one of the best strikers in the world a few years ago when he was at Coventry City in the Championship. However, the Sweden international is now deservedly regarded among the elite after starring on the European stage with Sporting CP.

Gyokeres scored 43 times in his debut season in Portugal and has proven this year that he wasn’t a one-season wonder by finding the back of the net more than 50 times in 24/25. He has now got his return to England with a big-money move to Arsenal and has continued to find the back of the net, albeit on a less regular occurence.

It’s a day match, the weather is iffy, the ground is traditionally low-scoring – where will England vs India be won and lost?

Nagraj Gollapudi and Shiva Jayaraman26-Jun-20241:33

Will India continue with three left-arm spinners against England?

Rohit-Kohli vs Archer and Co.

In the 20 balls he has faced from Jofra Archer in T20s, Rohit Sharma has been dismissed three times, scoring just 17 runs. Virat Kohli, meanwhile, has had a long-running struggle playing Moeen Ali, across formats. Moeen has got the better of Kohli ten times in international cricket. Six of those have come in Tests, three times in ODIs, and one in T20Is. In all T20 cricket, Moeen has got Kohli out twice, conceding 26 runs in 18 balls in the process. Moeen has also taken Rohit’s wicket twice in T20s, and conceded 21 runs off 13 deliveries.While Moeen’s numbers in the powerplay have not been strong this tournament – 40 runs off 24 balls with one wicket – England could turn to him to put early pressure on Rohit and Kohli, especially in a day match on a pitch that has favoured spin historically.ESPNcricinfo LtdIndia’s openers will be aware that Archer – economy of just over eight in the powerplay with three wickets – will pose difficult questions to them. Reece Topley, who has an economy rate of just over six and one wicket in the powerplay, will share the new ball with Archer, with Moeen possibly bowling at least one if not two overs to make use of the hard seam. England wouldn’t mind if Rohit and Kohli choose aggression, since they know the dice is loaded in their favour.

How about Dube at No. 3?

In case Rohit falls early, expect England to mount pressure by bowling spin from both ends against Kohli and Rishabh Pant, who has played at No. 3 throughout the World Cup. Kohli and Pant don’t have great strike rates against spin. In T20s since the start of 2021, Kohli has struck at 116.98 against spinners, Pant has a strike rate of 125.00.Will India then dare to push Shivam Dube ahead of Pant? Dube’s role has primarily been to attack spin and disrupt the opposition’s bowling plans in the middle overs.In all likelihood, though, India will not gamble at this stage of the tournament and persist with the batting order they have played with so far.

Archer vs Suryakumar and Hardik

England’s abundance of bowling allrounders allow them the luxury of keeping at least two overs of Archer for the death. In the three matches where he has bowled four overs, Archer has bowled two at the death only once – against South Africa, where he picked up the wickets of David Miller and Marco Jansen, and gave away 16 runs. He helped restrict the target, but England fell short anyway.ESPNcricinfo LtdIf Archer ends up bowling two at the death against India, it is likely he will come up against the power-hitting pair of Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya. And Archer won’t mind that one bit. In all T20s, Archer has dismissed Hardik three times and Suryakumar once. If that’s not too impressive, look at the batters’ strike rates against him: Hardik’s is 110.86 (46 balls, 51 runs) and Suryakumar’s is 121.73 (23 balls, 28 runs).

Attack Bumrah or play him out?

Jasprit Bumrah is the biggest hurdle for England to cross. Bumrah’s ability to execute his plans to the last dot, ball after ball, regardless of the phase he bowls in, the opponents, the importance of the match or format, makes him, as Osman Samiuddin noted during the 2023 ODI World Cup – a one of a kind.ESPNcricinfo LtdBumrah has usually delivered two overs in powerplays and the other two mostly at the death. Guyana is a venue where experts recommend going hard in the powerplay, after which scoring becomes tougher as the pitch slows down quickly. Jos Buttler and Phil Salt have been explosive in the powerplay, with England leading the run chart in the phase. Buttler, though, has been dismissed by Bumrah four times in 12 innings in T20s, scoring just 71 runs off 82 balls.When Buttler bats deep, he invariably has a positive influence on the match result. So if England want to go hard against Bumrah, they might leave that job to Salt and if that plan crashes, they can think about promoting Sam Curran as an aggressor at No. 3.

Match-up to watch: Buttler vs Kuldeep

If Buttler does end up batting deep, he will run into Kuldeep Yadav, who has been one of the best bowlers in the world in the last year across formats.ESPNcricinfo LtdButtler has always been hesitant to attack Kuldeep, as the numbers suggest: 87 runs off 63 deliveries while getting out three times. The most recent dismissal came in March during the IPL when Kuldeep forced his Delhi Capitals captain Pant to review successfully for lbw after Buttler attempted to reverse sweep him from middle stump.England’s batters have a good record against left-arm spin so they will hope not to be troubled by the pair of Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja.The main challenge is likely to come from Kuldeep, whose economy of 6.02 against Full Member teams in the middle overs since 2022 is the (just about) second to Rashid Khan’s (6.00) among the 70 bowlers who have bowled 300 or more balls in this period.