All posts by h716a5.icu

West Ham United have made a strong start to their Premier League season, beginning with a draw against AFC Bournemouth before beating Chelsea 2-1 on Sunday.

In their victory over the Blues, new recruits Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse made their debuts, with the latter recording two assists.

Despite the Englishman's instant impact on the Hammers' creativity, David Moyes is still on the lookout for more talents who can make a difference in the final third, and an important update has emerged regarding their pursuit of a player who produced monstrous numbers in the Belgian Pro League last season.

Who are West Ham signing?

West Ham want KRC Genk's assist king Mike Tresor to become their latest signing having already made contact with the player's agency.

That is according to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, who provided an update on their pursuit of the Belgium international.

He revealed that the Irons 'must settle' the future of Lucas Paqueta before putting their full focus into securing a deal for the winger.

Paqueta was close to joining Manchester City, however, that move has been put on hold due to concerns surrounding an FA and FIFA betting investigation involving the Brazilian.

Valued around €20m (£17m), according to some reports, West Ham could potentially land a star in the making for a bargain price.

How good is Mike Tresor?

If West Ham were struggling to create chances, Tresor could be their answer.

In 42 appearances for Genk last season, the winger scored eight goals but produced an astonishing 24 assists, and it was the latter total that triggered journalist Kyle Bonn into drawing comparisons towards Belgium's best-ever player, stating: "That's Kevin De Bruyne levels".

Tresor is a versatile player who is comfortable playing on both flanks and through the centre with an ability to carry possession, drive into the box and create chances for his teammates.

Not only that, the 5 foot 8 whiz has demonstrated an ability to show up at the right time in the box to capitalise on opportunities and showcase his precise finishing.

West Ham's creative struggles last season were emphasised by the fact Jarrod Bowen topped the charts with five assists, so to possess a player of Tresor's versatility, output and creativity would be a throwback to when Dimitri Payet was producing outrageous displays in East London.

The mercurial Frenchman wrote his name into Hammers folklore during his two-year stay between 2015 and 2017, serving up 38 goal contributions in 60 appearances in all competitions.

Following his departure six years ago, no player has even come close to replicating those consistent returns for West Ham while filling the creative burden left behind by Payet.

During his first season at West Ham, the enigmatic creator's total of 12 goals and 13 assists landed him the Premier League Player of the Year at the London football awards and West Ham's Player of the Year in 2016.

Payet, who was labelled as "one of the most important players" by footballing icon Zinedine Zidane, arrived in England's top flight and made an instant impact.

If West Ham can lure the brilliant Belgian to the London stadium, he has the skill set to follow in the same footsteps as the Frenchman.

Suranga Lakmal decked the Bangladesh top order, Thisara Perera struck blows in the middle, before Dushmantha Chameera and Lakshan Sandakan wiped out the tail and a hail of sixes carried Sri Lanka’s openers to a paltry target of 83

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Jan-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAssociated PressSuranga Lakmal decked the Bangladesh middle order, Thisara Perera swung blows in the middle, Dushmantha Chameera and Lakshan Sandakan wiped out the tail, and a hail of sixes carried Sri Lanka’s openers to a paltry target of 83.All up, Sri Lanka required only 35.5 overs to complete the 10-wicket win – 24 overs to dismiss the opposition, and 11.5 to run down their score. The hosts, meanwhile, were guilty of complacency perhaps, their place in the final long secured, and with little to gain from this game. It is these two teams who will now contest Saturday’s final.Kayes added back to squad

Imrul Kayes has been added to Bangladesh’s squad for the tri-series final against Sri Lanka on Saturday. Imrul had been excluded from the team for Bangladesh’s third and fourth matches. He struck a first-class century in the BCL in that period.

Having conceded 320 to the same opposition only six days ago, Thursday was a Sri Lanka bowling fantasy. The short ball proved profitable for the quicks again, as it had done against Zimbabwe on Sunday. Lakmal, Chameera and Thisara were sharp and intense, and Sandakan extracted rapid turn from a wearing Mirpur square. So effective were these four bowlers that Sri Lanka’s other frontline spinner – Akila Dananjaya – was not required to bowl a single delivery. Lakmal took 3 for 21, and the others two wickets apiece.It was in the third over that the mayhem began, when Anamul Haque threw his bat at a Lakmal delivery and redirected it to the stumps via his inside edge. This united Bangladesh’s best batsmen of the series – Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal – but they would soon be parted by a piece of electric fielding by Danushka Gunathilaka. Tamim pushed a ball square on the off side and set off for the run, but swooping to his left from point, Gunathilaka pulled off a velvet-smooth pick-up and threw down the stumps, leaving Shakib several metres short of his ground. Tamim himself would soon be victim to another piece of Gunathilaka athleticism. Unable to control a bouncer from Lakmal, he sent the ball high off the splice, behind square on the off side. Tracking the ball from backward point, Gunathilaka dived to complete the catch.Mushfiqur Rahim was the only Bangladesh batsman to make an attempt at piecing together the innings, batting securely for a while after his team had slipped to 34 for 4. His efforts, however, were not supported by the men at the other end. Sabbir Rahman soon ran at Thisara and hoisted him to mid-on. Abul Hasan then edged Thisara to the wicketkeeper, to leave Bangladesh at 71 for 6. Suddenly, with only the tail for company, Mushfiqur himself was soon out attempting a scoring shot, when he bunted a slower Chameera ball to short midwicket.That was Chameera’s first wicket in eight matches, and he soon had another – Nasir Hossain caught behind on the leg side. Sandakan, who had been menacing throughout his six overs, closed out the innings, spinning one ball past Mashrafe Mortaza’s swing, before Rubel Hossain holed out to long-on.Gunathilaka – playing this match in place of the injured Kusal Perera – ensured the chase began quickly, as he struck Mashrafe Mortaza for successive leg-side fours at the end of the first over. Upul Tharanga had himself began to open his shoulders when he was dropped at cover by Tamim, but the remainder of the chase was as smooth as it was fast-moving. Gunathilaka struck three sixes – off spinners and quicks – the most impressive of which was the swat off Mustafizur Rahman over deep midwicket. Tharanga’s two sixes came down the ground, and all told, the pair hit 46 of their 83 runs in boundaries.

Everton have made a deadline day approach to sign Leeds United forward Luis Sinisterra, and a fresh report has revealed the latest on both the pursuit of the Colombian and Wilfried Gnonto.

Who is leaving Leeds?

Since putting pen to paper at Elland Road from Feyenoord last summer, Sinisterra has made a total of 26 appearances for Daniel Farke’s side, but after just one campaign, there’s a strong possibility that he could be on the move before the close of play tonight.

The Whites’ left-winger still has another four years remaining on his contract, but having established himself as his club’s third best-performing player last term, according to WhoScored, he’s been attracting interest from Sean Dyche in the Premier League.

Back in August, Football Transfers reported that the Toffees were considering a move for the 24-year-old, but since then, the noise surrounding any kind of possible deal significantly quietened down due to the revived move for Gnonto instead, which now looks likely to go ahead.

The Goodison Park outfit have already confirmed the loan arrival of Jack Harrison and are believed to have re-entered talks over a transfer for Gnonto, as per the same outlet, but club chiefs appear to be aiming to secure a hat-trick of players from Yorkshire by landing the Colombia international.

Are Everton signing Luis Sinisterra?

According to The Daily Mail's Simon Jones (via Goodison News), Everton have "asked" Leeds about a late deal for Sinisterra in a last-ditch attempt to bring him to Merseyside.

The Blues have also "revived their interest" in West Ham United's Maxwel Cornet, a switch that could take place with David Moyes' side having already moved to secure Juventus' Filip Kostic as his replacement.

How many goals has Luis Sinisterra scored?

During his time at Leeds, Sinisterra has nine contributions (eight goals and one assist) to his name which shows how much of a positive impact he can make in the final third, and having also been dubbed the “Colombian Flash” for his pace by members of the media, he could be a fantastic addition for Everton.

Farke’s £65k-per-week earner has additionally produced a total of 13 shot-creating actions so far this season which is more than any of his fellow teammates, via FBRef, not to mention how strong his link-up play is with a 92.6% pass success rate in the second tier, which is higher than any of Dyche’s squad have achieved to date.

Read The Latest Everton Transfer News HERE…

The Toffees target also has the ability to operate in five various positions, including everywhere across the frontline and even two roles in the midfield, so he could provide the boss with some welcome versatility which will allow him to tinker with his team selection, alongside being useful for if any unexpected injuries were to occur.

Finally, Sinisterra shares the same agent, Wasserman, as Andre Gomes and Joao Virginia, so this existing connection that his representative has to the club could help them in communications when it comes to discussing a possible deal before 11pm this evening.

Journalist Dean Jones has shared some imminent news on a possible Jesse Lingard transfer decision at West Ham United.

Who have West Ham signed 2023?

The summer signings of Mexico midfielder Edson Alvarez, ex-Southampton star James Ward-Prowse, defender Konstantinos Mavropanos and the highly-rated Mohammed Kudus have bolstered manager David Moyes options to no end.

West Ham's quartet of new arrivals come in for around £119 million, coming after they sold Declan Rice, Gianluca Scamacca, Nikola Vlasic and Arthur Masuaku for a grand total of £134 million.

So far, these off-field calls have been totally justified, as Moyes's side currently sit fourth in the Premier League table with three wins out of their opening four league games.

West Ham's impressive victories over Brighton, Chelsea and Luton Town showcase the real promise of this side after last season's unexpected UEFA Europa Conference League triumph in Prague.

Reports have also suggested that the east Londoners could move to re-sign former star Lingard as a free agent, coming after he left Nottingham Forest in late June.

Will West Ham sign Jesse Lingard?

The 30-year-old has been training with West Ham recently, both in a bid to improve his fitness and display his full ability on a sort of trial basis.

Lingard featured in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Ipswich Town last week, which ended 1-1, and it is believed he impressed in flashes before being subbed off.

Moyes provided a small update on the midfielder to talkSPORT this week, refusing to rule out the possiblity of a short-term contract.

“Jesse has trained with us for three weeks and he’s improved greatly from when he first came in," said Moyes.

“He’s in really good condition – much better condition than he was when he first came in. I have to say, when Jesse joined us two years ago I think he scored nine goals in 15 games and was probably the difference between us getting into Europe for the first time.

“I want to give him every opportunity to get himself back in condition and see how he does."

Speaking to GiveMeSport in the last few days, reporter Jones has shared his own update on Lingard and West Ham.

He says a decision could now be made imminently, after hearing news from a "contact" of his at the London Stadium.

"They're making a very full assessment of it," said Jones.

"Obviously, they've been getting a close-up look at him in training and also in games behind closed doors. I don't think a decision is very far away and it might even be at the back end of this week.

"One contact was saying that West Ham might make up their mind on what they do with Lingard. There isn't a rush on it, but the longer it drags on, the more uncertainty it causes and the more of an issue it potentially becomes over why he hasn't signed a contract."

The former Man United star scored nine goals and assisted four others in 16 league starts during a 2021 loan spell at West Ham. If he can rediscover that kind of form, Lingard could prove a real asset for Moyes ahead of a long season.

AB de Villiers has not made any official announcement about his Test future but this is probably the last ‘big’ series he will play for South Africa in the format

Firdose Moonda in Durban28-Feb-20183:27

Last ‘big’ series for South Africa stars?

Enjoy him while you still can, especially if you are Australian. While AB de Villiers has not made any official announcement about his Test future, this is probably the last ‘big’ series he will play for South Africa and more than likely the last time he will play against Australia. And the good news is that he is “very motivated, especially for this series,” according to his captain Faf du Plessis, who is “expecting big things”.De Villiers missed out on South Africa’s tour to Australia in November 2016, because of an elbow injury and then took a Test sabbatical for most of 2017. He missed tours of New Zealand and England and a home series against Bangladesh and it was widely expected that he would not return to the longest format. Du Plessis, who led South Africa to victory over Australia in an acting captaincy capacity and was then given the role permanently, said in England last August that he “did not expect AB to come back into the Test team”.But, de Villiers had planned to return for this home summer and said he was targeting the Tests against India and Australia. He also strongly indicated that may be his final red-ball dalliance.”My dream plan is to come back for those eight Test matches [South Africa were originally scheduled to play four Tests against each of India and Australia] and that’s all I can say for now,” he said in January 2017. “My focus is on the 2019 World Cup but if I feel physically incapable of making it after those two Test series, I will call it a day then. I’ll make that call once we get there. I can’t decide now how I am going to feel in 12 months.”Those 12 months have now passed and things have mostly gone according to plan for de Villiers. He will, barring anything untoward occurring, play in eight Tests, having made his comeback in the Boxing Day Test against Zimbabwe. He has already made a decisive impact on his return: De Villiers’ 65 against India at Newlands changed the tempo of an innings that could have gone badly wrong for South Africa – they were 12 for 3 when he went out to bat – and his 80 at SuperSport Park helped build a series-winning lead. He has not had a three-figure score yet, but the way du Plessis is talking, one may be coming over the next five weeks.”What I can tell you is that he is extremely motivated,” du Plessis said. “AB understands that he is one of the best in the world and if he has a quiet series, it makes him want to do more. He doesn’t want people talking about him not performing so I know the motivation will be high.”But what after that? South Africa’s Test assignments before the World Cup are a tour to Sri Lanka, a home series against Sri Lanka and another against Pakistan. With respect to both countries, they are not regarded as premier opposition. That honour goes to Australia, England and India, Australia perhaps more so than any of the others because of the rivalry between them and South Africa. “It’s the most competitive series that you play. We are both very passionate and competitive cricketing nations and we try and leave all out on the field,” du Plessis said.AB de Villiers middles a defence•AFPBeyond that, it is all a bit of a mystery. The schedule after the World Cup will likely depend on the new FTP and the Test Championship and, with the growth of T20 leagues and his own age, de Villiers may not want to play international cricket beyond the 2019 tournament. So this could well be his last hurrah, though du Plessis was not going to hazard a guess. “I tried to speak on behalf of him before and that also didn’t help,” du Plessis joked. “So your guess is as good as mine.”What is certain is that this series will be the last for Morne Morkel, who on Monday announced he would retire from the international game after the series. With Morkel six Test wickets away from 300 – a milestone that should come up in this series – and unless more goodbyes become apparent, the matches will be a celebration of him and the work he has done for South Africa since debuting in Durban in December 2006.”Morne is an absolute legend and servant of South African cricket,” du Plessis said. “He will be missed. He is a difficult guy to replace; experienced seamers are very important. The good thing is that we’ve got Lungi Ngidi coming through to take his place when the time is there and we’ve got Dale Steyn hoping to get back as well.”Steyn, who will only return in time for the third Test, if he does at all for this series, is also chasing a milestone. He is three wickets away from becoming South Africa’s all-time leading wicket-taker in Test cricket and, should he get there, he may also struggle to find reasons to keep playing.The same can be said for all of South Africa’s senior core. Hashim Amla, Vernon Philander and even du Plessis could all be playing against Australia for the last time. While they have all beaten Australia in Australia, none of them have had the same success at home. This is their chance for a valedictory series, if not from the format, then against Australia, their most important rival.When asked about the end-of-an-era prospect this series presents, du Plessis did not get too nostalgic. He painted a picture of his own plan for the next while but, like so many that have gone before, left it pretty open-ended. “I don’t look too far in the future. As I sit now, I still feel like I have got a lot left in the tank. That can change over a season or two. Right now, over the next two years, I’m looking at playing for this team in all formats.”So enjoy them all while you still can.

Everton manager Sean Dyche is under pressure at the moment, and journalist Paul Brown has been discussing his possible successor at Goodison Park.

Will Sean Dyche be sacked as Everton manager?

Dyche took charge of the Blues back in January, following the sacking of Frank Lampard, but he has found it hard to have a major impact at the club to date.

Granted, he steered them clear of relegation from the Premier League, following a nervy 1-0 win at home to Bournemouth on the final day, but Everton arguably shouldn't have even been in that position in the first place.

This season has started in similarly disappointing fashion, with three defeats and one draw coming the Merseysiders' way in the league, and back-to-back losses suffered at home. Next up is Arsenal at Goodison on Sunday afternoon, in what looks like a daunting challenge on paper.

While Dyche's position doesn't appear to be under threat at the moment, if results continue to be poor for a sustained period, those high up at Everton may start looking at potential replacements for him.

Will Graham Potter be Everton's next manager?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Brown claimed that Graham Potter coming in for Dyche would make little sense, though, due to their contrasting approaches to football:

"I think it would frankly be too big a swing from one extreme to the other to go from Dyche to Potter. One of Everton’s big problems is they've never had, since Moshiri arrived, one overarching strategy of what they are, what the team’s identity should be and how it should play or line up.

"They've lurched from one extreme to another each time they've had to get rid of a manager, and you've had to start from scratch, rebuilding a team for a completely different style of play. That can't go on."

As mentioned, Dyche appears to have some credit in the bank for the time being, but it is only natural that the club could be sounding out alternatives, should things not improve in the coming weeks and months.

In Potter, Everton could have an intriguing option to come in, with the Englishman still a top manager, despite his time at Chelsea going extremely badly. In truth, that job appears to be a tough one for any manager, so it would be harsh to assess him too negatively there, especially as Pep Guardiola called him "outstanding" earlier this year.

Brown has a point, in terms of the former Brighton boss' style of play being very different to Dyche's – the former favours a possession game, while the latter is known for being more direct – but if the Blues feel Potter is the best option to replace the current manager, they shouldn't worry about players having to adapt to a new system.

For now, though, Everton should stick with Dyche, who still needs time with new signings after the summer transfer window closed.

There isn't enough patience shown with managers in the modern game and there is no reason why he can't turn things around, having excelled so much as Burnley. The next few games in the lead-up to October's international break will tell us a lot more about him.

Sarfraz became the youngest cricketer to ever receive the award, with only four cricketers bestowed the honour in Pakistan’s cricket history

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Mar-2018Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed had a Pakistan Day to remember, as the 30-year old was awarded the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, the third-highest civilian honour in Pakistan, by Sindh Governor Mohammad Zubair.March 23 is known as Pakistan Day, and is a national holiday across the country, with widespread celebrations and awards of varying prestige handed out by civilian and military officials.Sarfraz became the youngest cricketer to ever receive the award, with only four cricketers bestowed the honour in Pakistan’s cricket history. They were Javed Miandad in 1992, Inzamam-ul-Haq in 2005, Mohammad Yousuf in 2011, and Saeed Ajmal in 2015.Sarfraz, who led Pakistan to their maiden Champions Trophy title last year after beating India in the final, told Geo.tv, “It is matter of great honour for me and my family. Whatever I am today is because of Pakistan and I will continue to serve my country in every capacity I am in.”Former Pakistan captains Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi were also nominated for the award this year.

Manchester United are showing an interest in a “world-class” defender who is valued at €50m (£43.3m), however they aren’t the only side keen.

Man Utd transfer news…

The Red Devils were busy in the transfer market over the summer, with eight new players arriving ahead of Erik ten Hag’s second season in charge at Old Trafford. Money was splashed on a new goalkeeper, midfielder and forward in Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund, however, funds weren’t set aside for a new marquee defender. Jonny Evans returned to the club on a free transfer and Sergio Reguilon made a loan move to Old Trafford, with the club hit with an injury crisis at the back.The likes of Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Reguilon and Tyrell Malacia have all been missing in recent weeks, and by the looks of things, a new defensive addition appears to be on the Old Trafford agenda.

Man Utd injuries – Player

Possible return date

Lisandro Martinez

Early 2024

Raphael Varane

October 21st

Luke Shaw

November

Kobbie Mainoo

October 21st

Sergio Reguilon

October 21st

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

November

Amad Diallo

End of October

Tyrell Malacia

Unsure

Calciomercato shared a Federico Dimarco transfer update in the last 48 hours, where Man Utd were named. It was claimed that Inter Milan are ready to renew the defender’s contract, although there is interest from United and Paris Saint-Germain. The report adds that ‘the Red Devils are looking for a lateral player and Dimarco's profile could be the right one for a real attack’, with Inter Milan valuing the player at €50m (£43.3m).

Federico Dimarco profile

Dimarco is primarily a left-back but can also turn out as a centre-back or as a left midfielder and is valued at a career-high €45m. The Italy international, sponsored by Adidas, has progressed through Inter’s academy and has spent time out on loan with a number of clubs in Italy and FC Sion in Switzerland. (Federico Dimarco profile – Transfermarkt)The 25-year-old has now established himself as a regular for Inter, though, making more than 100 appearances for the Italian giants, scoring nine times and providing 18 assists. (Federico Dimarco stats – Transfermarkt)He was hailed by Carlo Garganese last year as a result, with the reporter labelling Dimarco as “world-class” and a “goal threat”.“Has there been a player who has proved more people wrong over the last year than Federico Dimarco? Been Italy’s best player in these 2 games. His delivery, crosses, set pieces and corners are world-class, and he is a goal threat.” Therefore, it could well be one to keep an eye on over the coming months, however, Dimarco’s possible Old Trafford arrival could push one of Shaw or Malacia down the pecking order.

The Mumbai Indians fast bowler had seemed off-colour earlier in the season, but came good in a must-win game

Vishal Dikshit in Mumbai17-May-20181:37

‘On a good day, you have a plan and it works’ – Bumrah

Kings XI Punjab were on top when they had four overs left in the chase and 42 runs to get. KL Rahul was in sublime form on 76 off 51, Aaron Finch was playing second fiddle on 46 off 34, there was some dew to trouble the bowlers, there were short boundaries to target for the batsmen, and Jasprit Bumrah, who had two overs left, had not been at his best this IPL.Mumbai had been there before. Against Chennai Super Kings, they leaked 50 in the last three overs. In their next match, against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai could not defend 12 in two overs despite taking it to the last ball. And against Rajasthan Royals, they conceded another 43 runs in the last three overs.This time, the tricks worked for Bumrah, even as he knew he would not be bowling the last over again. In his own words, his plan was: to have clear plans, back himself, and leave as many runs as possible for Mitchell McClenaghan to defend in the 20th over.”On a good day, when you have a clear plan, you are able to execute whatever you want,” Bumrah said after the match. “So it worked for me. On some days, it doesn’t work. So I don’t look at what has happened before, what will happen in the future. My focus is always to have a clear plan, I plan and I back myself in whichever situation I’m bowling.”Clarity is very important when you’re bowling at the death,” he said at the presentation. “Sometimes when you’re not backing yourself, there’s always doubt when you deliver. If I’m clear, most of the times it’s easier to execute. My basic plan is to have a good clarity. Even on a bad day when a batsman hits you, you have to execute your plan.”With one or two games, in three hours I always believe a player does not become bad,” he said about the games he could not win for Mumbai this season. “I always feel that you have done it before you can do it again. So you don’t think of opinions or what is going on outside. In that game also, I was backing my plan, I was not able to execute. In this game, I was backing my plan still and I had the belief that I’ll be able to bowl a good over. You always want to bowl a good over but some days it doesn’t go your way because at the position where I bowl, it is difficult, especially at this ground with the dew going around.”On Wednesday night, Bumrah’s plans worked to perfection. He dismissed Finch with the first ball of the 17th over and then bounced out Marcus Stoinis while conceding only four runs. In the 19th over, he took out the dangerous Rahul with a slower delivery and conceded just six runs to finish with 4-0-15-3.Kieron Pollard launches one•BCCI”We already knew he (Rahul) had been batting well throughout the tournament,” Bumrah said. “In the bowler’s meeting, we usually talk about every player so I had a chat with Shane Bond and [Lasith] Malinga and that there’d be dew. To have a clear plan is very important whenever you bowl, so I was focusing on that today.”McClenaghan had 16 runs to defend with Axar Patel and an out-of-form Yuvraj Singh in the middle and he bowled a mix of wide yorkers, length deliveries and bouncers to seal Mumbai’s three-run win. He later admitted he was not the death bowler he used to be.”Bumrah is that guy you can just bank on,” McClenaghan told after the match. “He’s that Mr. Reliable. Every time you feel like he’s got the ball in the hand and he’s not going to go for many runs. He’s a threat when he is bowling defensively. I think he’s an outstanding talent and, in this format in particular, you can bank on him to do his job and that’s the most empowering thing for a bowler at the other end. Bumrah gave me a defendable total in the last over, so again…guy under pressure and that’s why he’s India’s best death bowler.”I haven’t been the best death bowler in the last 18 months. Before that, that was my strength. Right now, my role is predominantly to try and take wickets at the top.”Mumbai realised that a few matches ago and started opening the bowling with McClenaghan and, at times, made him bowl three of his four overs by the 10th. He would bowl quick, mostly short of length and try to pick up wickets. It worked against Kings XI too when he dismissed Chris Gayle with a short delivery in the fourth over, similar to how Umesh Yadav had removed the batsman in Kings XI’s previous match.”Try and bowl as many balls that don’t go over the shoulder [to Gayle],” McClenaghan explained. “And try and get away with a few balls above his belly button and try and get it back into him. He’s in phenomenal form and even if you bowl waist height, he’s hitting the ball out of the park so you’ve to try and be aggressive because he’ll come hard so you’ve got to go back just as hard.”Apart from Bumrah’s show, Mumbai were also buoyed by the return of Kieron Pollard. Batting at No. 6, Pollard unleashed a 23-ball 50, studded with five fours, three sixes, some emotional punches and celebrations.”Pollard has always been a match-winner for us,” Rohit Sharma said. “Leaving him out was a very tough decision. As a team, we thought now is the time to get him back because – not taking anything away from JP Duminy as well – he was not getting an opportunity and we thought if he’s batting down the order, Pollard will be a better option for us, finishing off games like he has done in the past. Come a big game and he stands up for us, he wants to take that challenge and he was very disappointed when we left him out. So I was looking for that one opportunity to bring him back in the squad because he’s been a crucial member of this squad for a number of years now. It was very important for us that he comes out and bats like that.”Back on the fourth position in the points table with 12 points, Mumbai’s target is clear just like Bumrah’s plan was when he bowled: win the last match against Delhi Daredevils and the positive net run-rate will do the rest.

Chris Gayle has a formidable record against his former team, having scored 532 runs in 13 innings at an average of nearly 50 and a strike-rate of 152.43

The Preview by Deivarayan Muthu20-Apr-20182:37

Tait: KKR are favourites at home

Form Guide

Kolkata Knight Riders: defeated Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets, defeated Delhi Daredevils by 71 runs, lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by five wickets, defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by four wickets
Kings XI Punjab: defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by 15 runs, defeated Chennai Super Kings by four runs, lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore by four wickets, defeated Delhi Daredevils by six wickets

Big pictureChris Gayle v Andre Russell. Gayle v Sunil Narine. These mouth-watering match-ups might not have happened this season but Kings XI Punjab’s director Virender Sehwag “saved the IPL” by picking Gayle at the auction in January, after the Jamaican had gone unsold twice. He has reminded the universe that he is still the boss by becoming the first centurion in IPL 2018. Gayle’s former franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, however, don’t need any reminders: he is among the top scorers against KKR with 532 runs in 13 innings at an average of nearly 50 and strike-rate of 152.43.Russell and Narine, meanwhile, have played starring roles in recent meetings between KKR and Kings XI. KKR have won four of their last five matches against Kings XI, with Russell winning Player of the Match twice and Narine once.Are KKR over-reliant on Russell and Narine, though? Not really, with Nitish Rana and Dinesh Karthik showing some spark with the bat and the wristspinners contributing consistently, but their pace attack continues to look thin. Kings XI, in contrast, have nearly all bases covered on the bowling front. They might have to make a choice between Barinder Sran and Axar Patel, though, if the latter recovers from a left thigh strain.The big incentive for both teams is that the No. 1 spot is up for grabs. Can KKR consolidate their top spot or will Kings XI snatch it from them?ESPNcricinfo LtdThe likely XIsKolkata Knight Riders: 1 Chris Lynn, 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Robin Uthappa, 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Dinesh Karthik (capt & wk), 6 Andre Russell, 7 Shubman Gill, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Tom Curran, 10 Shivam Mavi, 11 Kuldeep YadavKings XI Punjab: 1 KL Rahul (wk), 2 Chris Gayle, 3 Mayank Agarwal, 4 Karun Nair, 5 Aaron Finch, 6 Yuvraj Singh, 7 R Ashwin (capt), 8 Andrew Tye, 9 Barinder Sran/Axar Patel, 10 Mohit Sharma, 11 Mujeeb ZadranStats that matter Gayle has the wood over his West Indies team-mate Russell in the IPL, having hit him for 50 runs off 30 balls at a strike-rate of 166.7 without being dismissed. Gayle, however, has struggled against Narine in the IPL, managing only 40 off 45 balls while being dismissed twice. Lynn has a strike-rate of 155.1 against pace this season but that drops to 77.5 against spin. He has scored only 31 runs off 40 balls while getting out three times to spinners.Uthappa needs 43 runs to reach 1000 runs at Eden Gardens in the IPL.Strategy puntThere is, perhaps, a case for R Ashwin to save himself for Uthappa. He has dismissed him four times in nine matches, while giving away 86 runs off 60 balls.ESPNcricinfo LtdFantasy pickDrop Gayle at your own peril. He has struck three centuries in his last seven T20 innings, and he has a formidable record against KKR. Then you also have Russell and Narine. Why not pick all three West Indies T20 stars?Quotes”He [Gayle] is a dangerous player. How you start to him is very important early on… If you allow someone like Chris to get into his innings and rhythm, he is a very dangerous player. He is just so powerful and backs his ability to clear the boundary when the ball is in his zone. We will keep an eye on him.”
“I am not really here to prove anything. I’ve done it all before. Been there done that. Just put some respect on the name. And all the coaches as well – just put some respect as well.”