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Somerset assured themselves of a home semi-final in the Clydesdale Bank 40 with a 40-run Group C win over Essex at Taunton

29-Aug-2011
Scorecard
Somerset assured themselves of a home semi-final in the Clydesdale Bank 40 with a 40-run Group C win over Essex at Taunton.But it was victory at a price as skipper Marcus Trescothick injured an ankle while batting and looks set for a lengthy lay-off as his team chase a first ever County Championship title, as well as the 40-over crown. Peter Trego (51), Chris Jones (45 not out) and James Hildreth (41) were the mainstays of Somerset’s 251 for five after winning the toss. Tom Craddock was the pick of the Essex bowlers with two for 38.In reply, the visitors managed 211 all out, Jaik Mickleburgh top-scoring with 56 and Graham Napier making 41. There were two wickets each for Alfonso Thomas, Steve Kirby, Arul Suppiah and Craig Meschede.Trescothick had made only 10 at that start of Somerset’s innings when he was hurt turning quickly when sent back by opening partner Trego attempting a quick single. He had to be helped from the field and later emerged from the dressing room on crutches. Trego went on to a 53-ball half-century, with six fours, and Murali Kartik (29) helped him take the score to 68, having been promoted in the role of pinch-hitter.Hildreth hit four fours before being caught and bowled by Craddock and Jones, on his one-day debut for Somerset, needed to exercise some caution as he and Meschede (17) guided their side towards a competitive total. Thomas then struck a quick blow, trapping Mark Pettini lbw in the second over of the Essex reply. But Adam Wheater (33) hit straight sixes off Suppiah and Meschede as he and Mickleburgh added 78 for the second wicket.From then on wickets fell steadily, Meschede removing Tom Westley and James Foster to catches by former Gloucestershire wicketkeeper Steve Snell – signed on a short-term basis by Somerset, whose two keepers Craig Kieswetter and Jos Buttler were away with the England Twenty20 squad.Napier did his best to launch a victory bid from 161 for seven, hitting a big six off Kartik in scoring his runs off 38 balls. But when he was pinned leg before by Thomas with 55 still needed Somerset were on the brink of their ninth group win. Snell is also likely to keep wicket for them on the opening day of the Championship clash with Hampshire at Taunton, starting on Wednesday.

Disciplined bowling followed by a strong batting performance enabled Gujarat to defeat Baroda by six wickets in the Nairobi tri-series final

Cricinfo staff10-Aug-2010
ScorecardDisciplined bowling followed by a strong batting performance enabled Gujarat Cricket Association XI to defeat Baroda Cricket Association XI by six wickets in the Nairobi tri-series final.Electing to field first, Gujarat’s bowlers led by Salil Yadav and Siddharth Trivedi struck regularly to leave Baroda struggling at 133 for 6, including the wicket of Yusuf Pathan for 31. It was only due to a 67-run seventh-wicket stand between Jyot Chhaya and Arvind Chauhan that Baroda recovered to 235 for 9. Chhaya top-scored with 45 off 61 deliveries, including three boundaries and a six. Yadav took 4 for 39 while Trivedi took 2 for 31.Gujarat began their chase on a poor note as both their openers were run out for single-digit scores. Captain Niraj Patel and Pratharesh Parmar then combined in an 88-run stand for the third wicket. Parmar was more aggressive, taking only 83 balls for his 78. However, two quick wickets brought Baroda back into the game, with Gujarat still needing 94 runs at that stage. However, Patel and Bhargav Merai ensured there were no further hiccups for Gujarat as they shared an unbroken 94-run stand for the fifth wicket. Merai was unbeaten on 58 off 65 deliveries while Patel played a patient knock of 80 off 110, as Gujarat were comfortable winners after losing to Baroda twice in the league stage.

Adelaide will host the third Test from December 17 as the traditional Ashes rota is shaken up

Alex Malcolm16-Oct-2024Cricket Australia has unveiled the dates for the 2025-26 Ashes series in Australia with the Gabba set to host the day-night second Test while Adelaide will host the third Test as a day game under a new agreement to have the pre-Christmas Test for the next seven years.CA confirmed that Perth will host the first Ashes Test next summer from November 21-25 before the second Test is played with a pink-ball under lights in Brisbane from December 4-8. The third Test will a day game in Adelaide from December 17-21 before the traditional Boxing Day Test begins on December 26 at the MCG. Sydney will host the fifth Test from January 4-8.A shake-up to the traditional Ashes rota had long been forecast after CA announced its fixturing contracts with the various state governments in August.Related

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Adelaide has been the main home of the day-night Test since the first one in 2015 and has hosted the two previous Ashes day-night Tests in 2017-18 and 2021-22 as the second Test in the rotation in those Ashes series following the traditional Gabba opener.But South Australia’s government, along with CA, were keen to give Adelaide a marquee holiday slot given the Test’s popularity from a tourism standpoint and it is now third in the rotation.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The Gabba has hosted three day-night Tests previously including West Indies’ famous win earlier this year in January. But it will be the first time Brisbane has not hosted the Ashes opener since 1982-83 when Perth hosted the first Test and Brisbane had the second.The future of the Gabba has been left clouded amid uncertainty over the redevelopment plans for the stadium ahead of the 2032 Olympics. There is a chance the Ashes Test next year could be the last Gabba Test ever as there is no Test scheduled there for 2026-27 – and beyond – and the stadium in its current state will not be usable by 2030.There has been criticism of CA for not maintaining the Gabba as the opening Test of the summer for at least the next two seasons, with former Australia allrounder Shane Watson among a host of voices who would prefer the Gabba to be the opening Test. But it understood the Australian team is quite happy to play the opening Test of the summer at Optus Stadium in Perth, as has been the case in the last two summers, given Australia’s perfect record there.There may be less enthusiasm about using the pink ball at the Gabba as Australia’s bowlers have previously been vocal about the pink ball being better suited to the Adelaide Oval pitch than the Gabba. There have been periods in the Gabba pink-ball Tests where the ball has become very soft and the game has stagnated as a result.

No risks from champions as Nottinghamshire’s overnight ascendancy is thwarted

ECB Reporters Network13-Jul-2023Brett Hutton’s fifth five-wicket haul of the season was the highlight of the final day at The Oval as Surrey’s LV= Insurance County Championship fixture with Nottinghamshire petered out into a draw.Hutton, who spent a portion of day one off the field with what proved to be cramp, took 5 for 91 to take his tally for the season in the Championship to 41, putting him alongside Durham’s Chris Rushworth at the top of the wicket-taking standings.South African leg-spinner Calvin Harrison provided great support for Hutton with 3 for 99 to bowl out the hosts for 340 40 minutes after lunch. This was a heroic effort from the visitors who, already without the services of Jake Ball, injured in the first innings, then lost Dane Paterson to what appeared to be a hip injury after just one delivery with the new ball.Will Jacks led the run-scoring for Surrey with a largely subdued 60, while there a maiden first-class 50 for Tom Lawes, but Surrey’s batting was overly cautious for too long.The eventual chase was 297 from 52 overs, but despite a solid start from Ben Slater (39) and acting captain Haseeb Hameed (44 not out ) a draw was agreed with the visitors 118 for 1.Surrey began the day 156 ahead with five wickets down, so were understandably keen to avoid a collapse which would have afforded the men of Trent Bridge a more comfortable chase. Consequently, progress from Lawes and Jacks was at best steady, the main talking point being an accidental beamer by Paterson to Lawes from a ball which clearly slipped out of his hand.The arrival of the new ball led briefly to a change of approach as Jacks attempted to break the shackles with two fours from a Hutton over. Paterson’s unfortunate injury appeared to help the host’s cause, but Hutton responded magnificently in adversity, trapping Jacks lbw before sending first-innings centurion Jordan Clark packing by the same means.Surrey went to lunch on 299 for 7, 255 in front but anyone hoping they would have a quick dart on the resumption were disappointed as they chewed up more than 11 overs in adding a further 41.Lawes reached 50 in 106 balls before Harrison had him superbly caught at slip by Matthew Montgomery. The leg-spinner then turned catcher to remove Sean Abbott and give Hutton his fourth victim.The run-chase may have been more tempting had Jamie Overton been given out caught at mid-wicket soon afterwards, but the square leg umpire ruled the catch hadn’t carried and consequently another seven overs slipped by before Hutton wrapped up the innings.Hameed and Slater saw off the early swing from the Kookaburra in the run-chase, the latter more than once despatching the short ball to the fence. However, the run-rate required which had begun at almost six continued to rise. By the time Slater cut Jacks into the hands of Abbott at point from what proved the last ball before tea to depart for 39, that rate was almost seven.A barrage of short balls from Overton immediate post the tea interval slowed down Nottinghamshire’s progress still further and Hameed and Young batted with few alarms before the 5pm handshakes.

Yorkshire were set to chase 114 in 21 overs, but conditions have final say

ECB Reporters Network01-May-2022Yorkshire were denied the opportunity to chase 114 in the final 21 overs of a pulsating final day by bad light as Kent secured an LV= Insurance County Championship draw at Headingley.Umpires Graham Lloyd and Steve O’Shaughnessy took the players off the field before a ball had been bowled in the Yorkshire chase following impressive innings from Kent trio Ben Compton (93), Grant Stewart (91) and Ollie Robinson (85 not out).Kent looked to be in safe waters at 384 for 6 in their second innings, a lead of 104 and time running out.But Yorkshire captain Steve Patterson was at the heart of a loss of four wickets for nine runs in 24 balls. He claimed three of them to finish with 5 for 54 in 29.3 overs, only for the 38-year-old’s return to go unrewarded.Credit should go to Kent, though. They avoided a third defeat in four games and denied their hosts a second win in three to start 2022.Opener Compton and wicketkeeper Robinson played similarly doughty innings, while injured all-rounder Stewart (hamstring) was far more aggressive as he struggled for mobility and required a runner.Kent started the day on 118 for 2, trailing by 162.Compton is now the top division’s leading run-scorer with 560 and fell before lunch to leave the score at 182 for 5.Stewart and Robinson then shared 166 for the seventh wicket, a Kent record in matches versus Yorkshire, either side of tea having come together at 218 for 6, a deficit of 62 with 56 overs still to bowl.At that stage, Yorkshire were on top. The pair dug in initially before Stewart opened his shoulders.His 58-ball fifty was almost twice as quick as his partner’s. Kent reached tea at 312 for 6, leading by 32 with 35 overs remaining in the game.And they all but doubled the lead in the first two overs of the evening, including Stewart hitting two sixes to take the lion’s share of 20 off a Jordan Thompson over.More runs were to follow, with Stewart’s 91-ball innings featuring four sixes, all either slog swept or pulled.But he was run out clipping to mid on before Patterson trapped Matt Milnes lbw and had Nathan Gilchrist and Matt Quinn caught at mid off to raise home hopes of a first 24-point haul since the final game of 2018.Instead, they had to settle for 16 points to Kent’s 11.Last week, Yorkshire were thwarted for the first time in as many weeks when they were unable to take 10 wickets on day four against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.Stewart suffered a hamstring problem whilst bowling on day three and required Jordan Cox as a runner when he arrived at the crease.Yorkshire’s bid for victory, meanwhile, was hampered by the loss of Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf, who was unable to bowl in the second innings with a side issue.Play was watched by new Yorkshire chair Lord Kamlesh Patel and dignitaries of one of the club’s new principal partners, Clean Slate Studioz, including owner Karnesh Ssharma – the brother-in-law of Virat Kohli.An overcast sky hung above Headingley for the majority of the day, with the floodlights turned on as early as the second over of the day. So it was no real surprise that bad light played its part.Yorkshire’s first breakthrough came via Patterson, who removed opposing captain Jack Leaning – his former team-mate and close friend – for 36.When Leaning under-edged behind attempting to leave alone in the day’s sixth over, the 56th of the innings, Kent were 126 for three with a deficit of 154.George Hill then struck twice with his canny medium pacers before Patterson’s late intervention.The match was deemed a draw just before 5.45pm, half an hour after bad light initially intervened.

Board to seek views of states during SMA on conducting further domestic tournaments

Nagraj Gollapudi24-Dec-2020In a positive development for India’s domestic cricket, the BCCI has not yet given up on hosting the Ranji Trophy despite the Covid-19 pandemic severely affecting the calendar. Recently the BCCI announced it would be conducting the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (domestic T20s) from January 10 to 31 in bio-secure bubbles across India. It would then seek views of the states after the league phase of the SMA Trophy on conducting further domestic tournaments.It is understood board president Sourav Ganguly himself voiced strong support for conducting the Ranji Trophy, the premier domestic tournament, at the BCCI’s AGM in Ahmedabad on Thursday. Ganguly told the members that the BCCI and the states must explore all options to host the Ranji Trophy. It is expected the BCCI would follow the SMA Trophy with the Vijay Hazare Trophy (domestic 50-over tournament) and the Ranji Trophy, if possible.The BCCI also has plans to conduct age-group and women’s cricket during the IPL which his scheduled for April-May next year. As a shot in the arm for domestic players – both men and women – the BCCI decided to compensate players for the loss of cricket during the pandemic. What that compensation would be, will be worked out once the BCCI has finalised the domestic calendar.Related

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The BCCI has also decided to increase the retirement age for domestic match officials and scorers from 55 to 60. Meanwhile, the medical insurance for players in domestic cricket has been raised from INR 5 lakh to INR 10 lakh.Setback for BCCI’s cricket operations
The BCCI’s cricket operations team has thinned down further after the board “terminated” the contract of KVP Rao, assistant manager, cricket operations. Rao, a former Bihar bowler, is the second senior official the BCCI has lost from its cricket operations team this year. Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim had told the board he would leave his post of general manager, cricket operations, in January after he had officially resigned in July.Rao informed the state associations about his departure on Thursday, about an hour before the BCCI’s AGM started in Ahmedabad.Rao’s sacking comes only two weeks prior to the start of the Indian domestic season with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, from January 10. Rao, one of the senior-most BCCI officials, was the backbone of domestic cricket operations – right from planning the calendar, venues and the format to the execution.Rao, who took 212 first-class wickets, was with the BCCI for nearly a decade. He was the tournament operations manager for two global tournaments in India: the 2013 Women’s World Cup and the 2016 Men’s T20 World Cup. He was also one of the planners for the exhaustive domestic calendar across all formats and age-groups in 2018-19 for both men and women involving more than 2000 matches.That the separation was not amicable was made clear by Rao in his email to the state associations. In the email, Rao said the BCCI had decided to “terminate” his contract on December 22 which he called “the best day of my life as this termination will provide me ample opportunities to further my profession skills elsewhere.”

Knight Riders finished their first week of the season with three wins in three matches

The Report Sreshth Shah08-Sep-2019Trinbago Knight Riders cruised to their third straight win in CPL 2019, as their experienced quartet of Lendl Simmons, Denesh Ramdin, Sunil Narine and captain Kieron Pollard set up a comfortable seven-wicket win over St Lucia Zouks on Sunday.Riding on the support of a packed home stadium, Knight Riders overcame an above-par first-innings total of 167 to finish the first week of the season at the top of the points table.In the first innings, Narine’s four-over spell of only 23 runs ensured Zouks didn’t post a higher total, after which Simmons and Ramdin struck smart half-centuries to always keep Knight Riders within touching distance of the required run-rate. And when Simmons fell for his 39-ball 63, Pollard brought up the rear with an unbeaten 26 to bring victory in the 18th over.For Daren Sammy’s Zouks, it’s now two losses in a row. With their next match four days away, Zouks could find themselves in bottom place before they take on Jamaica Tallawahs on September 13.Simmons’ super showChasing 168, Knight Riders had a blazing start on the back of a 29-run first-wicket stand between Narine and Simmons inside three overs. But once Narine fell, Sammy introduced three spinners in a bid to negate Simmons’ threat. There were murmurs that Simmons struggles against spin, but he used his feet well against offspinner Rahkeem Cornwall and legspinner Fawad Ahmed to keep moving at a brisk pace. Fawad, who was CPL 2018’s highest wicket-taker, was brave to flight the ball, but Simmons stayed committed to his shot making, and deposited two sixes over long-on off the bowler. For Fawad, it was a bitter reunion with his former team. He conceded more than 13 per over in his three-over spell.Simmons’ shots went in all directions. He swept them for six, found tiny gaps behind point off left-arm spinner Kavern Hodge for four and even drilled boundaries through cover. One particular slap through the off-side brought up his 44th T20 fifty in the ninth over. Simmons finally fell in the 12th over to Hodge, stepping out to a very wide delivery, stumped by the fast hands of Andre Fletcher. By then, though, the required run-rate was under 7.50.Ramdin, Pollard show their experienceThe No. 4 Ramdin enjoyed much of Simmons’ hitting from the other end. He had entered the Knight Riders chase in the fifth over with the team in a spot of bother at 34 for 2. But he kept the scoreboard moving, settling in and letting Simmons enjoy the strike.Ramdin’s first release shot came in the 11th over when he drove Fawad inside-out through the covers. He followed it up with a slog sweep next ball for six, and that set the momentum for his innings even after Simmons’ dismissal next over. The No. 5 Pollard took over Ramdin’s role once he came in, and the latter then turned aggressor. He carved Thisara Perera over point in the 15th over to bring the equation down to six per over, and then struck a hat-trick of fours off Kesrick Williams in the 17th to bring the target down to single digits. That broke Zouks’ back, and Knight Riders crossed the line five balls later.Zouks fail to maximise with the batPinch-hitting opener Cornwall had bruised Knight Riders early on with a 12-ball 33, which helped Zouks reach 51 after six overs. But they could’ve had more if his opening partner Andre Fletcher didn’t struggle as much. Against Narine, Fletcher failed to rotate the strike and got bogged down in the Powerplay. Fletcher’s laboured innings of 26 off 32 balls ended in the tenth over when holed out to long on.John Campbell – playing his first CPL game – and No. 4 Najibullah Zadran then looked to up the scoring-rate but it wasn’t easy against the offcutters that James Neesham and Pollard were bowling. And while Zadran did mesmerise with a six and two fours off Narine in the 15th over, he made just 26. Campbell went on at a run-a-ball, and when he eventually fell in the 20th over, his 42-ball stay had earned only 43 runs. That Zouks posted 167 at the end was due to some big hitting from Sammy off the young Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain at the back end of the first innings.

The former wicketkeeper has been handed charge for upcoming season along with Wilkin Mota, who will coach Mumbai Under-19s

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jul-2018Former wicketkeeper Vinayak Samant has pipped Ramesh Powar to become head coach of Mumbai for the 2018-19 season. Samant’s appointment ends a month-long fracas that first started with Sameer Dighe’s resignation in June.”I’m very glad and very happy, but at the same time I know that it’s a very big responsibility on me,” Samant said. “I’m sure that I will fulfil with very positive results. So I’m hoping my presence will benefit players as well as the association. Let’s hope for best.”Samant, Powar and Pradeep Sunderam, the former Rajasthan fast bowler, were the three shortlisted candidates formally called for interviews by Mumbai’s Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC) comprising Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Raju Kulkarni, Kiran Mokashi and Sahil Kukreja. However, the CIC also then approached former India batsman Pravin Amre to take up the vacant role even though he hadn’t formally applied for the job.Amre, who was last Mumbai coach until the 2015-16 season, is understood to have asked for time, because his involvement as batting coach with Delhi Daredevils put him in a direct conflict of interest. The final decision was taken a day after the matter was deliberated over a nine-hour long meeting in Mumbai.Samant, 45, represented Mumbai, Assam and Tripura during the course of his 16-year first-class career. His last stint as a player with Mumbai, with whom he won four Ranji Trophy titles, was in 2010. He formally retired from first-class cricket in December 2011. In all, he played 101 first-class matches and made 3496 runs at 28.19.Samant has previous coaching experience, having helmed Mumbai’s Under-23 squad for two seasons after being appointed in 2015 following Sairaj Bahutule’s resignation. Meanwhile, recently-retired allrounder Wilkin Mota was handed charge of the Under-19 side for the 2018-19 season.Mumbai, who last won the Ranji Trophy in 2015-16, have had as many as three coaches in the last four seasons. Chandrakant Pandit, who returned for two seasons, was sacked following Mumbai’s loss in the Ranji Trophy final to Gujarat in January last year.They endured a difficult 2017-18 domestic season, where they were were beaten in the quarterfinal of both the Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy, by Karnataka and Maharashtra respectively, while losing three of their four matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s.

Ian Bell’s highest first-class score for more than a year has kept Warwickshire’s heads above water in their Championship match against Surrey

George Dobell at Edgbaston23-Apr-2017
ScorecardIan Bell dug deep in what could turn out to be a significant innings•Getty Images

Ian Bell’s highest first-class score for more than a year has kept Warwickshire’s heads above water in their Championship match against Surrey.When Bell came to the wicket in Warwickshire’s second innings, they were already two down and still 60 behind. For a side bowled out for 91 by the same opponents a couple of weeks ago – and one bowled out for 115 by Yorkshire last week – the signs were ominous.But Bell, playing beautifully straight, negated an admirably disciplined attack and a pitch offering just a little variable bounce to ensure his side go into the final day with hopes of a morale-boosting draw very much alive.Such is Bell’s innate class that, in a professional career stretching the best part of two decades, he has rarely looked out of form. But, over the last couple of years, the runs have not flowed as they have previously and not since April 13, 2016 – the first Championship match of last season – has he made a century or reached a score as high as this.But, as he guided anything short to the third man boundary or anything over-pitched through the covers, it was hard to see any diminution of his powers. That cover drive belongs in the Louvre.The difference here, compared to recent Bell innings, was the discipline. Whereas he has, of late, looked a little over eager to search for the scoring opportunity, here he was prepared to wait for it. So, many balls were left outside off stump and, offered the chance to pull for a boundary, he often settled for rolling his wrists over the ball and settling for the single.There may be other differences. There were times in 2016 when Bell had so much on his plate – issues with discontented colleagues, potential recruitment and the disappointment as the decline of his own Test career – that he perhaps went into games with a mind clouded and burdened.This season, with a head coach and director of cricket keen to alleviate some of those responsibilities, he may have more time to focus on his own game. It is too early to suggest he has turned a corner – it is one innings, after all – but the manner with which he dealt with low bounce and high suggested the technique and the temperament remain a substantial asset to his club.He was given steadfast support by Ian Westwood. While William Porterfield edged a good one that left him and Jonathan Trott fell for his third duck in six Championship innings this season courtesy of one that reared and took the shoulder of his bat, Westwood refused to be drawn at deliveries outside off stump and added a half-century to his first innings century. While Tom Curran eventually snared him with one he might have left, it seems safe to assume he has already done enough to convince Warwickshire to give him a new contract at the end of this season.Warwickshire are in the market for new players, though. They are not nearly as cash-strapped as some might suppose – there is debt, yes, but it is to a benevolent partner and they are on the brink of the best run of major matches in their history – and, if the right players come along, they will pursue them vigorously.This was, as Bell said afterwards, their “best performance of our season without a shadow of doubt.” With Surrey resuming with the opportunity to build a match-defining lead, Warwickshire’s bowlers knew they had to strike early and often.Kumar Sangakkara went early – though not before he had reached his century – poking at a good one that left him, and with Ben Foakes guiding a pull shot to long-leg, Dominic Sibley misreading a lovely slower-ball and Sam Curran (who may find himself reported by the umpires for dissent following his dismissal) missing a straight one, Surrey lost their last seven wickets for a modest 131 runs. It left Warwickshire facing a deficit of 105 and the sense that things could have been much worse.Surrey bowled impressively in Warwickshire’s second innings. Despite losing Mark Footitt to a leg injury – he came back onto the field but is thought unlikely to bowl on the final day – the threat offered by Jade Dernbach and the Currans was unrelenting. Dernbach bowled one especially impressive spell, gaining movement in the air and off the pitch and only being negated by Bell’s excellence.The wicket of Ateeq Javid – nervously playing-on – in the dying moments ensured Surrey go into the final day in a strong position, but they will be just a little nervous of the prospect of chasing on a fourth-day pitch starting to go up and down. Bell still has a substantial amount of work ahead of him, but this was a heartening day for him and his team.

Having put up a clinical display against Pakistan, India will be keen to press forward towards a semi-final spot when they face a rattled Bangladesh side on Wednesday

The Preview by Mohammad Isam22-Mar-2016

Match facts

Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Start time 1930 local (1400 GMT)1:34

Manjrekar: Expect Rohit, Dhawan and Raina to fire

Big Picture

After a thumping loss to New Zealand in their opening game, India found their footing with a Virat Kohli masterclass against Pakistan, and are now eyeing the semi-finals. They will face a Bangladesh side, reeling from two defeats, to add to the absence of Taskin Ahmed and Arafat Sunny.Bangladesh, however, pushed Australia on Monday right till the finish. The returning Mustafizur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan led Bangladesh’s defence with five wickets between them. Bangladesh, though, will miss Taskin’s fire and pace, upfront as well as at the death, against India.India are now in a position to take advantage of Bangladesh who need to win their remaining matches and rely on other results going their way. Kohli has been the key to India’s batting, but they would like to see consistency from Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina. Rohit Sharma, too, needs to step up, having made only 25 in his last three innings, including 10 against South Africa in a warm-up match. India, however, will be buoyed by Yuvraj’s resurgence in the middle order.The bowling, led by R Ashwin, looks in good shape, with Ashish Nehra, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja giving support. Nehra has been effective in the Powerplays, while Bumrah has hit the blockhole regularly in the slog overs in addition to bowling well with the new ball.Bangladesh’s batting woes will be compounded if Tamim Iqbal isn’t fit to play. Soumya Sarkar has promised much, but seems to be bogged down by a mental block. This means that there will be more responsibility on Sabbir Rahman, Mahmudullah, and Shakib Al Hasan.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)India: WLWWWBangladesh: LLWWL

In the spotlight

Suresh Raina is a senior figure in the team and has contributed with the ball and on the field, but his batting form has been poor. He hasn’t made a 50-plus score in T20 internationals since June 2010.Shuvagata Hom was rushed to Bangalore as a replacement player, and his performance against Australia reflected the fatigue, which could have been handled better by the team management. He will have to lift his game against India and shoulder the responsibility of giving his side a good finish, and sharpness in the field.

Team news

India are unlikely to make any changes. They generally don’t change their combination unless there is a pressing need, and MS Dhoni after the Pakistan match, stressed on the need to back players like Raina and Dhawan.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Suresh Raina, 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Ashish NehraShuvagata Hom being picked ahead of Nasir Hossain against Australia was surprising, given that the latter has been with the side since the start of the World T20. Tamim Iqbal, who missed the Australia match with food poisoning, is not a certain starter.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal/Mohammad Mithun, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Sabbir Rahman, 4 Shakib Al Hasan, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Nasir Hossain/Shuvagata Hom, 8 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 9 Al-Amin Hossain, 10 Mustafizur Rahman, 11 Saqlain Sajib

Pitch and conditions

Bangalore has experienced sweltering heat recently, with temperatures rising to the high 30s. The pitch played fairly true in the Australia-Bangladesh match – like most Chinnaswamy pitches do – but offered more grip to the slower bowlers than it usually does.

Stats and trivia

• In the four T20Is between them so far, Bangladesh’s opening partnership against India has lasted between 2.2 and 4 overs while India has seen their opening partnership stay between 1.3 and 7.2 overs against Bangladesh.

Quotes

“Taskin Ahmed has been a very important bowler for them, but at the same time Mustafizur Rahman, who did not play 2-3 matches in between because of a side strain, he is back. Al-Amin is there. They have depth in bowling. Shakib Al Hasan is a very good allrounder, so I don’t think their bowling is weakened in any way because of one or two players not being there.”India pacer Ashish Nehra on whether Bangladesh were weakened by the absence of Taskin Ahmed</i