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By Gokul Gopal The one-sided nature of the India-Sri Lanka contests, which resulted in the hosts being clean swept in the Test series, extended into the first ODI as Virat Kohli's side registered a record victory in Dambulla, chasing down 217 with more than 20 overs to spare. The stage now shifts to Pallekele, the same venue where India registered their first overseas Test whitewash, for the second and the third ODIs, and going by how the series has progressed so far another huge Indian victory would only be a fair prediction. It wasn't that Sri Lanka did not show any fight in the first ODI. Just that they couldn't capitalise on a good start and threw their wickets away causing much anger among the fans who resorted to protesting and shouting slogans against the team soon after the game. At 139 for 1, Sri Lanka had reached a solid position before crashing to 216 all out. Four out of the top five managed to cross 30 but only Niroshan Dickwella managed a half-century while the rest failed to convert their promising starts. Their bowling too was no match for India's batting might as the visitors raced to the target, registering a nine wicket victory. Shikhar Dhawan, who scored an unbeaten 132, summed it up by saying that Sri Lanka is a young side going through a transitional phase. However, this phase has been going on for a long time now and what isn't also helping the team is that the selectors are trigger-happy. "For me, if we were left alone and you could work with this group of players, you could get some stability and consistency over a period of six months," said interim head coach Nic Pothas, urging the selectors to show some patience. But the lack of it has had a cascading effect on the team, whose performances only seems to be getting worse. Batting, fielding, catching, bowling - nothing has gone right for the Sri Lankans in this series, with a fair share of injuries further depleting the resources. The hosts also haven't been helped by the fact that Lasith Malinga, their pace spearhead over the years, has been a pale shadow of his former self. Having not seen any ODI action since November 2015, Malinga returned to the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy. In the nine games that he has played since June 2017, Malinga has picked up seven wickets while going at close to six an over with a bowling average of 61.71. The 33-year-old might be on borrowed time and unless he can justify his place in the team, Sri Lanka might have to look at different options. Meanwhile, everything has been rosy in the Indian camp ever since they set foot in Sri Lanka. One dominating performance after another, contributions coming in from all corners, emphasis on fitness and a proposed rotation policy keeping everyone on their toes, the Indian team is in a happy place at the moment. There are, however, a few concerns which might have been masked by their towering performance in the last game. The quick bowlers erred on either side of the wicket and were finding it difficult to hit the right lengths, thus contributing a major share of the 10 wides that were bowled in the first ODI. Bowling coach Bharat Arun stressed on the importance of assessing the conditions beforehand and adapting to it. Whether the practice sessions leading up to the game have given them a fair idea remains to be seen. The other immediate issue that India needs to address is the running between the wickets. Rohit Sharma did not appear too agile in the first game and was involved in a few mix-ups with Dhawan. Clearer calling and better judgement are imperative and the onus is on Rohit as well as Dhawan to figure out what works for them best. These apart, India pretty much have covered all bases and will head into the game with their confidence meter running in surplus. When: Sri Lanka vs India, 2nd ODI - Thursday, August 24 at 2:30 PM Local Time Where: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium What to expect: Totals in excess of 300 have been limited in Pallekele, only three in 18 completed matches here, as the pitch offers a good balance between bat and ball. The last time India played at this venue was in August 2012 when they defended a total of 294. It is expected to be cloudy for the entire duration of the game with a high of 30 degree Celsius. Team news: Sri Lanka: Thisara Perera, Lakshan Sandakan and Wanidu Hasaranga failed to impress in the last game and they are likely to be out of the eleven for the second ODI. Milinda Siriwardana, Malinda Pushpakumara and Dushmantha Chameera are the ones likely to replace them. Probable XI: Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Upul Tharanga (c), Angelo Mathews, Chamara Kapugedara, Milinda Siriwardana, Malinda Pushpakumara, Dushmantha Chameera, Lasith Malinga, Vishwa Fernando India: Unless the nature of the wicket forces a change in combination or a late injury, the visitors are likely to stick to the same eleven that took the field at Dambulla. Probable XI: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (c), Lokesh Rahul, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal Did you know? - Rohit Sharma's last seven outings in ODIs in Sri Lanka read 5, 5, 0, 0, 4, 4 and 4. He is one single-figure dismissal away from breaking Sanath Jayasuriya's record of most such dismissals in succession. - Chamara Kapugedara has scored 162 runs from his last 15 ODI innings at 11.57, with a highest of 62. The other 14 innings have fetched him a mere 100 runs. - MS Dhoni is one short of equalling Kumar Sangakkara's world record of 99 stumpings in ODIs. Dhoni has so far affected 98 stumpings and has taken 278 catches behind the wickets. What they said: "In 2014, India were in the same situation when you got new players and new support staff. It takes time for everyone to get used to each other. I don't know what the time-frames are but all I know is that if we keep doing what we are doing at the moment you'll see results pretty soon" - Nic Pothas, Sri Lanka coach, remains optimistic about his team's chances. "If the wicket is similar to Dambulla I don't see any reason to change the team just after one game. It was a perfect game for us because we came back into the game beautifully, we did well with the bat and were really sharp in the field. Very happy with how it went in the first game" - Virat Kohli, India captain, hints at an unchanged line-up. Teams: India (From): Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli(c), Lokesh Rahul, MS Dhoni(w), Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Manish Pandey, Ajinkya Rahane, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav Sri Lanka (From): Niroshan Dickwella(w), Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Upul Tharanga(c), Angelo Mathews, Chamara Kapugedera, Wanidu Hasaranga, Thisara Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Lasith Malinga, Vishwa Fernando, Milinda Siriwardana, Malinda Pushpakumara, Akila Dananjaya, Dushmantha Chameera
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MATCH INFO
Match NOTTS v SOM, NatWest T20 Date Aug 24, 2017 Time 11:00 PM GMT Venue Trent Bridge, NottinghamTeams: Somerset (From): Steven Davies(w), Jim Allenby(c), Johann Myburgh, Peter Trego, James Hildreth, Lewis Gregory, Roelof van der Merwe, Craig Overton, Max Waller, Michael Leask, Tim Groenewald, Fakhar Zaman, Tom Banton, Tom Abell, Paul van Meekeren, Dean Elgar, Josh Davey Nottinghamshire (From): Riki Wessels, Alex Hales, Tom Moores(w), Brendan Taylor, Samit Patel, Daniel Christian(c), Steven Mullaney, Billy Root, Ish Sodhi, Jake Ball, Harry Gurney, Jake Libby, Brett Hutton, James Pattinson, Greg Smith, Chris Read, Luke Wood, Mark Footitt, Michael Lumb, Luke Fletcher, Matthew Carter Trinbago Knight Riders (From): Sunil Narine, Brendon McCullum, Colin Munro, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin(w), Dwayne Bravo(c), Robert Frylinck, Javon Searles, Khary Pierre, Nikita Miller, Ronsford Beaton, Kevon Cooper, Anderson Phillip, Shadab Khan, Hashim Amla, Ashley Nurse, Hamza Tariq, William Perkins
St Kitts and Nevis Patriots (From): Chris Gayle(c), Evin Lewis, Carlos Brathwaite, Mohammad Nabi, Brandon King, Shamarh Brooks, Jonathan Carter, Devon Thomas(w), Ben Hilfenhaus, Samuel Badree, Tabraiz Shamsi, Fabian Allen, Mohammad Hafeez, Jeremiah Louis, Hasan Ali, Chris Morris, Sheldon Cottrell, Nikhil Dutta MATCH INFO Match SNP v TKR, CPL, 2017 Date Aug 24, 2017 Time 3:30 AM GMT Venue Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts Teams: Trinbago Knight Riders (From): Sunil Narine, Brendon McCullum, Colin Munro, Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramdin(w), Dwayne Bravo(c), Robert Frylinck, Javon Searles, Khary Pierre, Nikita Miller, Ronsford Beaton, Kevon Cooper, Anderson Phillip, Shadab Khan, Hashim Amla, Ashley Nurse, Hamza Tariq, William Perkins St Kitts and Nevis Patriots (From): Chris Gayle(c), Evin Lewis, Carlos Brathwaite, Mohammad Nabi, Brandon King, Shamarh Brooks, Jonathan Carter, Devon Thomas(w), Ben Hilfenhaus, Samuel Badree, Tabraiz Shamsi, Fabian Allen, Mohammad Hafeez, Jeremiah Louis, Hasan Ali, Chris Morris, Sheldon Cottrell, Nikhil Dutta ABOUT THE MATCHThe first quarter final turned out to be a one sided affair as Shahid Afridi showed once again to the world a glimpse of his batting that we got to see too infrequently in his international career. The second quarter final could be much closer as Glamorgan, who finished first in the South Group takes on Leicestershire who managed to sneak it into the finals after a red hot winning streak in the closing stages.
MATCH PREVIEWGLAMORGANThe acquisition of Colin Ingram and Merchant de Lange by Glamorgan has given them two quality players which have shaped their NatWest T20 Blast 2017 campaign. Colin Ingram has 381 runs in the tournament from only 11 innings including two centuries. He also has a staggering 25 sixes to his name making him Glamorgan’s most influential batsman by far. While Merchant de Lange may not be the highest wicket taker for Glamorgan, that’s Michael Hogan with 18 wickets, he is the biggest threat to the opposition. De Lange has express pace, a commodity that is hard to come by in international cricket and even more so in county cricket. He can sometimes go for runs but is more likely to pick wickets and create a few for his teammates as well. The batting is also bolstered by Rudolph, Donald, and Cooke in the middle order, all of them capable of scoring quickly, clearing the boundaries and stepping up when Ingram gets out early. Glamorgan has not lost two matches in succession in this entire tournament and has been one of the few reliable teams of the entire competition. Rain played spoilsport in four of their matches otherwise the South Group could have been a lot more one sided. We expect them to bring their A game to the quarter finals on Wednesday. LEICESTERSHIREWhat a roller coaster season Leicestershire has had. They started off with four victories on the trot, then were unable to win a game in their next six games and once again rattled off 4 wins in a week to make it the quarter finals. Which Leicestershire will turn up against Glamorgan? Only time will tell, however, one thing is sure that they will need to be at their very best to be able to pull this win off. Glamorgan is a batting heavy side while the success of Leicestershire has been built around their bowlers. Clint Mckay has been having a dream season and is currently the highest wicket taker in the entire league with 22 scalps to his name. Expect him to target Ingram as soon as he comes on. The Foxes also have Pillans with 17 wickets and Parkinson with 15 wickets to give this bowling lineup plenty of heft. The last couple of matches have also seen Leicestershire get their batting in order wit Luke Ronchi and Mark Cosgrove leading the way. Both of them have 401 runs in this tournament at impressive strike rates. Colin Ackerman and Cameron Delport will also play crucial roles with the bat in this game. PITCH AND CONDITIONSThe weather is something that everyone is always concerned about at in Cardiff, however, the current forecast looks very promising. There is little to no rain predicted even though a few clouds will be hovering around. The pitch at Sophia gardens will be flat and excellent for batting so as to benefit the home team most. Glamorgan needs to be careful though because it is quite often the better bowling attack that wins on a flat batting deck. OUR PREDICTIONThis is going to be shoot out between the Leicestershire bowling and the Glamorgan batting. We think this could be a close match with Glamorgan having just enough ammunition to power through. Sep 01, Fri
Hubli Tigers vs Belagavi Panthers, 1st Match M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Sep 02, Sat Bengaluru Blasters vs Mysuru Warriors, 2nd Match M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Sep 04, Mon Mysuru Warriors vs Bijapur Bulls, 3rd Match Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar Ground, Mysore 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Sep 05, Tue Namma Shivamogga vs Bellary Tuskers, 4th Match Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar Ground, Mysore 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Sep 06, Wed Bengaluru Blasters vs Hubli Tigers, 5th Match Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar Ground, Mysore 3:00 PM 09:30 AM GMT / 03:00 PM LOCAL Sep 07, Thu Namma Shivamogga vs Bijapur Bulls, 6th Match Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar Ground, Mysore 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Sep 08, Fri Belagavi Panthers vs Bengaluru Blasters, 7th Match Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar Ground, Mysore 3:00 PM 09:30 AM GMT / 03:00 PM LOCAL Hubli Tigers vs Namma Shivamogga, 8th Match Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar Ground, Mysore 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Sep 09, Sat Bellary Tuskers vs Bijapur Bulls, 9th Match Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar Ground, Mysore 3:00 PM 09:30 AM GMT / 03:00 PM LOCAL Mysuru Warriors vs Belagavi Panthers, 10th Match Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar Ground, Mysore 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Sep 10, Sun Bijapur Bulls vs Hubli Tigers, 11th Match Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar Ground, Mysore 3:00 PM 09:30 AM GMT / 03:00 PM LOCAL Mysuru Warriors vs Bellary Tuskers, 12th Match Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar Ground, Mysore 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Sep 11, Mon Bengaluru Blasters vs Namma Shivamogga, 13th Match Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar Ground, Mysore 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Sep 12, Tue Belagavi Panthers vs Bellary Tuskers, 14th Match Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar Ground, Mysore 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Sep 14, Thu Hubli Tigers vs Mysuru Warriors, 15th Match KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground, Hubli 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Sep 15, Fri Bijapur Bulls vs Bengaluru Blasters, 16th Match KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground, Hubli 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Sep 16, Sat Belagavi Panthers vs Namma Shivamogga, 17th Match KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground, Hubli 3:00 PM 09:30 AM GMT / 03:00 PM LOCAL Bengaluru Blasters vs Bellary Tuskers, 18th Match KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground, Hubli 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Sep 18, Mon Belagavi Panthers vs Bijapur Bulls, 19th Match KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground, Hubli 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Sep 19, Tue Namma Shivamogga vs Mysuru Warriors, 20th Match KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground, Hubli 3:00 PM 09:30 AM GMT / 03:00 PM LOCAL Hubli Tigers vs Bellary Tuskers, 21st Match KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground, Hubli 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Sep 20, Wed TBC vs TBC, 1st Semi-Final KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground, Hubli 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Sep 22, Fri TBC vs TBC, 2nd Semi-Final KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground, Hubli 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Sep 23, Sat TBC vs TBC, Final KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground, Hubli 7:00 PM 01:30 PM GMT / 07:00 PM LOCAL Aug 04, Fri
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