Tag Futebol

Zimbabwe are in such flux that Sri Lanka go into the series as favourites, despite consistency issues in both departments

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando18-Jan-2020Big PictureThe last time these two teams met, Zimbabwe gave Sri Lanka an almighty scare. Craig Ervine and Sikandar Raza struck hundreds, captain Graeme Cremer took nine wickets, and Sri Lanka were made to chase 388 for victory at Khettarama. Had a very tight stumping decision gone Zimbabwe’s way in the back end of that chase, the visitors would have been headed towards an upset. Earlier on that tour, Zimbabwe had won the ODI series.It’s been only a little over two years since those series, but how much has changed. The optimism that Zimbabwe ended that tour with has not just dissipated in the time since, it has been replaced by gloom. Having been suspended from full-member rights for a large chunk of 2019, Zimbabwe Cricket has had to put a domestic tournament on hold, pending further funding from the ICC.On the player front, Cremer is not even in the team, having put his career on hold to move to Dubai with his family, while Hamilton Masakadza has retired and swiftly become Zimbabwe’s director of cricket. PJ Moor – one of the best players from that Khettarama game – has been overlooked for the squad as well. In fact, where that old Zimbabwe squad had a little experience about it, the one that has been named for this series features five players who are uncapped in Tests.It’s a strange series in which Sri Lanka actually appear to have the more stable outfit. Yes, it is Dimuth Karunaratne leading the Test team now, when it had been Dinesh Chandimal at these teams’ last meeting. But at least Chandimal still finds a place in the XI. Having named their strongest squad, Sri Lanka have serious experience on their side, particularly in Angelo Mathews and Suranga Lakmal, who returns after having missed the entire Pakistan series.The visitors go in as favourites, but they are far from unbeatable. There are huge questions over Dilruwan Perera’s ability to lead the spin attack after he went wicketless in Pakistan. The top order has shown flashes of brilliance, but is in no way a consistent or cohesive unit. There are plenty of cricketers playing for their spot, which of course opens up opportunities for Zimbabwe.Form guideZimbabwe LWLDL (completed matches, most recent first)
Sri Lanka LDLWWIn the spotlightThe last time Zimbabwe won a Test, in late 2018, Sean Williams’ first-innings 88 had led them to 282 in Sylhet – a total that proved decisive on that surface, where each of the three other innings fell short of 200. His left-arm spin has also been helpful, such as against West Indies in Bulawayo, the previous year. Now, as he prepares to captain his first Test, he has the likes of Brendan Taylor, Raza and Ervine to call upon for support, but if he can make his own individual mark on the series, it may help a side playing their first Test in over a year rally behind him, and spark a little of that hope they found in their last encounters with Sri Lanka.Sean Williams crunches one through the off side•AFPIn September 2015, Angelo Mathews’ batting average was a touch above 52, and he was easily one of the best players in the world. At the start of 2020, his average is 43.87, the lowest it’s been in at least six years. Injuries have plagued him, yes, but even those can’t quite account for how he is now merely a good player, when once he was headed toward “great” status. Although it seems as if he’s been around forever, Mathews is only 32 – the kind of age at which many batsmen come into their most prolific years. In the last few months, he has also dropped a lot of the weight he carried through the last few years and suddenly seems as fit as he’s ever been. Can Mathews recapture the form of old? With a challenging year ahead, Sri Lanka are desperate for someone to lead the middle order as he once did.Team newsOpener Kevin Kasuza, who has been in decent domestic form for Mountaineers, could be in line for a Test debut. He could be partnered by Rhinos opener Prince Masvaure. Seam bowler Victor Nyauchi is one of several bowlers who could debut, with Tendai Chatara out of the series with a bicep injury. Left-arm spinner Ainsley Ndlovu is uncapped in Tests as well, and could get a run, if Zimbabwe feel they need a specialist spinner in addition to Raza and Williams.Zimbabwe(possible): 1 Kevin Kasuza, 2 Prince Masvaure, 3 Brendan Taylor, 4 Craig Ervine, 5 Sean Williams (capt.), 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Regis Chakabva (wk), 8 Donald Tiripano, 9 Victor Nyauchi, 10 Kyle Jarvis, 11 Ainsley NdlovuSri Lanka’s top order should be fairly settled – Lahiru Thirimanne the likeliest to sit out. Lahiru Kumara and Lakmal will most likely share the new ball, while Dilruwan and Lasith Embuldeniya will probably be the frontline spin options.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Dimuth Karunaratne (capt.), 2 Oshada Fernando, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Dinesh Chandimal, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva, 7 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 8 Dilruwan Perera, 9 Suranga Lakmal, 10 Lasith Embuldeniya, 11 Lahiru KumaraPitch and conditionsThere’s rain scheduled for the first half of Saturday, with showers predicted for Monday and Tuesday as well. The Harare Sports Club surface is generally good for batting in the first innings.Stats and trivia Zimbabwe have lost five matches and drawn five at home against Sri Lanka. The most recent of those draws, though, was all the way back in 1999. Their last two matches at the Harare Sports Club against Sri Lanka have ended in 225-run and 257-run defeats. Ervine needs 59 more runs to complete 1000 in Tests. His highest score was the 160 at Khettarama in 2017. Mathews has averaged less than 30 with the bat in three of the last four calendar years.

يخوض الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، مواجهة قوية أمام منافسه فاركو اليوم في المواجهة التي تجمع بينهما ضمن منافسات الدوري المصري.

وتقام المباراة بين الأهلي وفاركو، في إطار لقاءات الجولة التاسعة من منافسات المسابقة المحلية، على أرضية استاد برج العرب في الإسكندرية.

وتعد مباراة اليوم بين الأهلي وفاركو هي السابعة منذ صعود الأخير للدوري المصري موسم 2021-2022، وكانت المباراة الأولى يوم 1 مارس 2022 وانتهت بفوز الأهلي 4-1، أحرز للأهلي محمد مجدي أفشة هدفين وهدف لكل من محمد شريف وحسين الشحات، وآخر مواجهة جمعت بينهما كانت في 28 يونيو 2024 وانتهت بفوز الأهلي 2-1 أحرز الهدفين حسين الشحات.

وخلال هذه المباريات فاز الأهلي في 5 مباريات، وتعادلا في مباراة واحدة، وسجل لاعبو الأهلي ثلاثة عشر هدفاً وتلقت شباكه أربعة أهداف.

طالع | الأهلي يوضح عبر “بطولات” سبب غياب وسام أبو علي أمام فاركو

ويتصدر الأهلي جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري ولديه في رصيده 18 نقطة، حصدها من الفوز في 5 لقاءات والتعادل 3 مواجهات دون تلقي أي هزائم.

ويتواجد فريق فاركو بالمركز الحادي عشر في ترتيب الدوري المصري ولديه 10 نقاط، جمعهم بعد الفوز في 3 لقاءات وتعادل مباراة وحيدة وتلقى 4 هزائم. موعد مباراة الأهلي وفاركو اليوم في الدوري المصري

وتقام المباراة بين الأهلي ونظيره فاركو، اليوم الأربعاء 22 يناير الجاري، في تمام الرابعة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، الخامسة مساءً بتوقيت السعودية.

طالع.. فيديو | الأهلي يتعادل مع فاركو ويمنح الزمالك وبيراميدز هدية في الدوري المصري القناة الناقلة لمباراة الأهلي وفاركو اليوم في الدوري المصري

وتنقل المباراة بين الأهلي ومنافسه فاركو، اليوم عبر قناة أون تايم سبورتس 1.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــــــا

Leeds United will hope they can put back-to-back losses firmly behind them with a big victory when Wayne Rooney's Birmingham City come to town on New Year's Day, the Whites stuttering of late in the Championship even after convincingly beating Ipswich Town 4-0 before Christmas.

Daniel Farke's men will hope 2024 is the year the West Yorkshire club immediately return to the Premier League, stringing together a sequence of results that sees them challenge for the top two in the second tier and ultimately ends in the glory of promotion.

The German manager in the Elland Road hot seat might well look to recruit some fresh blood into the building this January to help his side in their hunt for such a prestigious end goal, with one attacker in particular catching Farke's eye.

Leeds could well swoop in to sign David Brooks when the transfer window reopens, the AFC Bournemouth winger renowned at Championship level for being a top talent previously in his career.

Leeds transfer latest – David Brooks

talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook took to social media to confirm Leeds' interest in the Cherries forward recently, stating that the Championship side were keen on signing the 26-year-old on a loan deal until the end of the season.

Leeds won't be alone in their pursuit of the Bournemouth attacker, with second-tier rivals Southampton also throwing their hat into the ring over a potential transfer according to Crook.

This isn't the first time the West Yorkshire titans have reportedly been interested in Brooks, the dangerous Wales international was once on Marcelo Bielsa's shopping list at Elland Road allegedly with former Leeds footballer Danny Mills revealing to Football Insider in 2020 that the Bournemouth player's style and ability on the ball made him very much a "Bielsa-type player."

Farke will hope that the allure of Leeds in the present is enough for Brooks to make the switch to the Championship for the second half of the campaign, with Brooks potentially slotting in and becoming a dream partner in attack for Georginio Rutter in Leeds' frightening forward places.

Brooks' style of play

Brooks would fit Leeds' gung-ho approach perfectly if he was signed this January, adding competition to the ranks consequently.

Easy on the eye to watch – gliding effortlessly around the pitch with a killer finish in his arsenal also – the 26-year-old would give the likes of Daniel James at Elland Road a run for the money in the crunch months to follow.

He could well get the best of Rutter also, played as a second striker on occasion for the Cherries and ex-employers Sheffield United as a tricky supplier of chances to the sole forward option.

In that role for Bournemouth and the Blades in the second tier, the dynamic 26-year-old picked up six assists and helped himself to three goals of his own – the Leeds target excelling in the second tier for the south Coast outfit and United before then traversing choppy waters to make the step-up to the Premier League.

This adaptability to switch from playing down the flanks to through the centre could prove to be crucial for the Whites, Brooks going toe-to-toe with the likes of Joel Piroe and displacing them from the lineup potentially if the Dutchman or any other player in that spot experienced a drop-off in form.

At the peak of his powers, Brooks was even being lined up for a major money move away from the Vitality Stadium to a team higher up the Premier League – Aston Villa rumoured to be in for the slick attacker back in 2021.

Lee Hendrie was a fan of this potential deal, the ex-Villa player and current football pundit speaking to Football FanCast at the time about Brooks' game and the "bags of ability" the 5 foot 8 Cherries man possessed that impressed him.

Farke will want to add strength in depth this January to help his team consolidate a push for promotion and not fall away under immense pressure, Brooks an ideal addition therefore to strengthen the side without having to break the bank to potentially enhance Rutter in the process.

Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique will undergo surgery after he was involved in a nasty cycling accident on Friday.

Enrique to undergo surgeryPSG boss involved in cycling accidentClub confirms Enrique fractured his collarboneFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 55-year-old, who guided the Parisians to their first-ever Champions League title as part of a remarkable treble in 2024-25, was treated by emergency services after suffering a fractured collarbone in the accident, the club have announced.

AdvertisementWHAT PSG SAID

In a statement on X, PSG said: "Following a cycling accident on Friday, Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique was treated by the emergency services and will undergo surgery for a fractured collarbone. The Club expresses its full support and wishes him a swift recovery. Further updates will be shared in due course."

Getty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Luis Enrique has enjoyed a trophy-laden spell in charge of PSG since being appointed in July 2023. After winning the league and cup double in his first season at the helm, the former Barcelona and Spain boss led the French giants to a historic treble last season – with a 5-0 victory over Inter securing an elusive first Champions League crown in May. PSG also lifted the UEFA Super Cup in August after defeating Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 on penalties after coming back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw in normal time.

DID YOU KNOW?

PSG, who also reached the final of the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup in July, have made a strong start to the new Ligue 1 season. The Parc des Princes club have won their opening three league games, defeating Nantes, Angers and Toulouse prior to the international break.

India vice-captain says the team will stick to its strengths and won’t try to replicate West Indies’ strategy of hitting big

Deivarayan Muthu in Mumbai10-Dec-20196:47

West Indies’ unpredictability a challenge – Rohit

West Indies v India, Wankhede Stadium: here we go again. In the T20 World Cup semi-final at this venue more than three years ago, India managed only four sixes on their way to a total of 192 for 2. West Indies’ power-hitters, led by Lendl Simmons, then made that look a whole lot smaller by smashing 11 sixes. West Indies eventually sealed the chase with seven wickets and two balls to spare.Under a new management, West Indies are slowly getting their band back together for their T20 World Cup defence and are also easing some bright, young talents from the CPL into their international mix. However, their strength continues to be six-hitting. Case in point: even in this series, West Indies have cracked 27 sixes in comparison to India’s 17.While India have veered from their safety-first approach and are open to experimenting more with their T20 line-up these days, their white-ball vice-captain Rohit Sharma said that they are comfortable in their own skins and that they aren’t looking to emulate West Indies’ six-hitting template.”This format is such that you have to take risks to get on the top,” Rohit said on the eve of the third T20I. “Again, for us, it will be important what we as a team can do. Not to try and replicate what the other team is doing or what the other team is trying to do. They back their strength, which is to play a few balls and then go after a big shot. But for us, it’s totally different. We believe in taking singles and doubles and putting the pressure on the bowler by getting eight-nine an over without taking risks.”But again, we are prepared to take risks when it’s necessary. But, at the end of the day you want to play smart cricket. And that’s how we beat the opposition, by playing smart cricket. We believe in that. Sometimes it comes off and sometimes it doesn’t. But we like to back what we do as a team well, which is to play smart cricket. Whether it’s taking singles, or doubles, or going after the bowlers – that the situation will tell you. But at the end of the day, the only way you can come on top of the opposition is by playing smart cricket whether with the ball or bat.”Three of West Indies’ top-five six-hitters in CPL 2019 are part of the national squad for the T20I series in India. Guyana Amazon Warriors opener Brandon King, who was the leading run-getter in CPL earlier this year, is now being used as a floater on this India tour. In Thiruvananthapuram, West Indies’ left-handers, in particular, upset the rhythm of India’s spinners.

“We believe in taking singles and doubles and putting the pressure on the bowler by getting eight-nine an over without taking risks.”ROHIT SHARMA

India were wary of the “unpredictability” that West Indies’ T20I side brings, according to Rohit, but the vice-captain also said that the hosts weren’t caught by surprise in the second match.”Yeah, they [West Indies] are very unpredictable as a team, you never know what they can come up with on that given day, like we saw the other day [Sunday],” he said. “Even the first game, they played very well and it was Virat [Kohli’s] brilliance that got us over. But with West Indies this is always expected and they play well as a team and now under the leadership of Kieron Pollard… I know Pollard really well and I know as a leader what he would be expecting from the team.”It is a different team that we are seeing now, so yes, we have to be at our best when we play them. Like I said they are very unpredictable, so we just got to stick to our plans and back it and believe in whatever ways [we find to] try and execute in the middle. Last game we made some mistakes on the field, whether it was with the bat, ball and also on the field. We know where we lacked as a team so we just need to tighten up in those areas and make sure that those mistakes are not repeated again and again.”Since the 2016 T20 World Cup, India have lost 11 of the 26 T20I games in which they’ve batted first, but Rohit downplayed those concerns and put that record down to various other factors.”Wankhede has always been a chasing ground as far as I know, I have played lot of games here. When you talk about setting targets, on that [Thiruvananthapuram] pitch 170-plus was a decent target when we started batting,” Rohit said. “The wicket was on the slower side, the shot-making was not that easy, although the West Indies made it look very easy. That’s them, like I said that’s I meant when I said they are very unpredictable. So, we just have to get everything together and make sure execute those plans – whether it is with the bat or ball.”Doesn’t matter if we bat first or ball first…yes of late our chasing has been good and not posting targets or defending it rather. It was a good target that we posted there [in Thiruvananthapuram] but again it’s a new set of guys, lot of inexperienced players along with experienced players, that’s what every T20 team now has, bit of inexperience, along with that some experience. Those two elements need to come together to form a very composite [sic] side.”

Newcastle United are sixth in the Premier League form table since Eddie Howe was appointed, as revealed by Newcastle World. 

The lowdown

Newcastle sacked Steve Bruce in October after a 3-2 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur left them 19th in the table on a mere three points from their first eight matches.

However, under his replacement Eddie Howe, the Magpies find themselves up in ninth place, with their 3-0 victory at Norwich City on Saturday extending their winning streak to four matches.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-5/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Howe has taken 38 points from his 23 Premier League matches in charge, with 11 wins, five draws and seven defeats.

That’s more than Manchester United, who have only managed to collect 37 points in the same period, and only one point fewer than current Champions League holders Chelsea.

The latest

Jordan Cronin, the journalist who penned the Newcastle World article, also shared it on Twitter, where he gave his take on the findings of the Howe era form table.

He tweeted: “Crazy that Newcastle would be sitting above Manchester United, no matter how pathetic Ralf Rangnick’s side are currently.”

The verdict

Critics might argue that Newcastle’s success under Howe is largely down to their record-breaking £90m January spend, but that’s not entirely fair.

For instance, £12m addition Kieran Trippier has only been able to play four matches after sustaining a foot injury; while £25m striker Chris Wood, their second-most expensive winter signing behind Bruno Guimaraes, has only scored one non-penalty goal in his 14 appearances.

For the most part, Howe has simply extracted more from the players at his disposal than his predecessor Bruce was able to, and for that the incumbent Newcastle manager deserves great credit.

In other news, Ronan Murphy reacts to Newcastle’s transfer links with this Bundesliga star

Elite Group A league matches washed out by rain in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019-20 have been rescheduled, with similar changes expected for rain-affected Group B games.ESPNcricinfo has confirmed that the Group A league phase, played in Bengaluru, will now run until October 16. It was originally scheduled to end on October 13, with the knockouts – also in Bengaluru – starting from October 20.Overall, 17 of the 30 matches scheduled over the first three days ended with no result, with this year’s tournament being severely affected by rain, particularly in Bengaluru and Vadodara, the venues for Groups A and B. Under the new points system, the top five teams across both groups combined will qualify for the quarter-finals, leaving teams to feel the pinch of lost game time. Group C matches have been held as scheduled in Jaipur, where the weather has stayed clear. Plate Group matches in Dehradun have also had to deal with some rain and it is likely these, too, will be rescheduled.”We are working on the rescheduling and it should be done soon,” BCCI general manager Saba Karim told ESPNcricinfo. “We want to have as many matches as possible. Three of the groups were affected, A, B and D due to unseasonal rains, so we’re looking at how to accommodate those. The matches in Jaipur have gone on smoothly.”The new group A schedule, which ESPNcricinfo has seen, will have matches on October 2 and 8. These days had been previously designated as rest days, under the old schedule, with no games across the competition. This move has accounted for all six matches that were washed out without a ball being bowled: Mumbai v Saurashtra, Andhra v Chhattisgarh, Hyderabad v Karnataka, Mumbai v Jharkhand, Hyderabad v Goa and Kerala v Chhattisgarh.Matches in Group A will be held on 12 of the 19 days between September 28 and October 16, with room for further readjustments if needed. It is likely that a similar format will be followed for Group B, whose league games were also originally scheduled to end on October 13. The weather conditions and forecast in Vadodara are poorer than they are in Bengaluru though, so the possibility of some rain-affected results despite rescheduling remains.ESPNcricinfo understands there was a meeting between the team managers of Group A in Bengaluru with BCCI officials on Thursday evening, where the rescheduling was discussed, though all teams were not in favour of it. But, with the BCCI taking a decision, the new schedule was finalised by Friday mid-morning.The tournament began on September 24, and over the first three days, there wasn’t a single completed Group B match in Vadodara. All matches scheduled on September 24 and 26 were abandoned without a ball bowled, while three matches played on September 25 began but were later abandoned.In Bengaluru, six matches were washed out on the first two days. The first match of the group took place on September 26, when Karnataka took on Jharkhand. It was also the league’s first match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the sub-air drainage system makes it possible for the ground to withstand heavy rainfall and still get a full game in. The other two games in Bengaluru were also completed, though they were truncated.Dehradun has had one no-result each on both days that play had been scheduled.

A Glasgow Rangers target has now been put up for sale in a twist from the reports of a loan offer with a £10m buy obligation.

Rangers now eyeing multiple new faces

Russell Martin is already putting his own stamp on his Rangers team, as the Gers have brought in eight new players in this transfer window so far. The arrivals have been a mixed bag of positions and roles, but with still over a month and a bit left of the window, Rangers are looking to remain active.

Dream Cerny replacement: Rangers make offer for a "truly special talent"

As the Russell Martin revolution continues at Rangers, are they about to sign a “special talent” for £10m to be their dream Václav Černý replacement?

Jul 24, 2025

Earlier this week it was reported that Rangers are interested in signing Johannes Bjarnason from KR Reykjavik. The midfielder is only 20 years old, but it is his impact in the final third that has attracted attention.

However, the Scottish side are not the only team chasing the youngster, as Genk and Pro Vercelli are also keen. Bjarnason has already netted an impressive 15 goals and recorded 10 assists in 72 appearances for his club.

However, Bjarnason is not the only midfielder the Gers are looking at, as, according to Edinburgh News reporter Barry Anderson, the Scottish giants are keen on a deal for Andrej Bacanin, who plays for FC Cukaricki.

There is strong competition for the Serbia under-19 international, as Celtic, Ajax and Udinese are also chasing a transfer agreement.

Rangers target up for sale in £8m twist

According to Rangers Review journalist Chris Jack, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi has now been put up for sale after Rangers made a loan offer to Crystal Palace.

David Orstein reported on Thursday that Rangers saw a loan bid with a £10 million obligation to buy Rak-Sakyi turned down by Palace. Orstein stated that the Gers remain interested in the winger alongside other suitors from England.

However, Jack reports the Gers did make a loan offer but it did not include a £10 million buy option. They are still keen to strike a loan deal with Crystal Palace for Rak-Sakyi, but the Eagles are now looking to sell the winger on a long-term basis.

Rangers are now looking at their options, which do include possibly making an £8 million offer, but they may have to wait until late in the window to do so.

Clubs

Apps

Goals

Assists

Charlton

49

15

9

Palace U23

40

24

8

Sheffield United

36

7

2

Palace U18

17

8

8

Crystal Palace

10

0

0

Chelsea U18

1

0

0

Brighton U18

1

1

0

Rak-Sakyi has spent the last two seasons away from Selhurst Park, as he spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Charlton Athletic, during which he scored 15 goals in 43 League One games.

Then, last season, the 22-year-old scored seven goals in 34 Championship games, as he spent the campaign at Sheffield United. Rak-Sakyi is under contract until 2027, but the Premier League side have clearly decided it’s time to cash in for good.

Bayern Munich held talks with Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner in their difficult hunt for a new permanent boss.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Bayern spoke to GlasnerAustrian coach has shone at PalaceFlick the favourite to replace TuchelWHAT HAPPENED?

Ralf Rangnick has already rejected a move to the Allianz Arena to remain in charge of the Austria national team, while Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso will also not be completing a switch to Bavaria this summer. According to , Glasner was considered for the position by the Bayern hierarchy before they made Hansi Flick their first choice.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

With Thomas Tuchel's departure at the end of the season confirmed back in February, Bayern are desperate to tie down a new manager. Ex-Eintracht Frankfurt boss Glasner and Bayern's sporting Christoph Freund share a close relationship and there were discussions. However, it is reported that Palace made it clear that Glasner would not receive clearance.

DID YOU KNOW?

Glasner has masterminded quite the turnaround at Palace since replacing Roy Hodgson. Only Manchester City and Arsenal have picked up more points than the Eagles since the 49-year-old Austrian took charge. Saturday's 3-1 victory at Wolves was Palace's fifth in their last six games, a run which includes a 4-0 thrashing of Manchester United.

GetyWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN?

With Glasner happy and thriving in south London, Flick's return to Bayern looks firmly on the cards. The 59-year-old endured a tough spell in charge of Germany and was sacked last September following a dismal run of results – but he enjoyed huge success in his previous spell at Bayern, winning the treble in 2019-20.

The visitors have won their last two matches, while Sunrisers have slipped to the bottom half of the table after successive losses

The Preview by Saurabh Somani13-Apr-20194:42

Middle-order hasn’t taken its opportunities – Moody

Big picture

The league stage is already halfway done, and in a reversal of trends from IPLs past, Delhi Capitals are in a better position than Sunrisers Hyderabad. Capitals have a two-point advantage, though Sunrisers have played one game less. The key is recent form, though. Capitals have won their last two matches, while Sunrisers have lost both the games in the lead up to this one, and have slipped from near the top of the table to the bottom half.

Form guide

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Lost to Kings XI Punjab by six wickets, lost to Mumbai Indians by 40 runs, beat Delhi Capitals by five wickets
Delhi Capitals: Beat Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets, beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by four wickets, lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by five wickets

On paper, Sunrisers have a well-rounded side that has most bases covered. However, their middle order has proved to be brittle, and once teams have found a way past the opening combine of David Warner and Jonny Bairstow, they have managed to control the rest of the batting. Of course, going past Warner-Bairstow isn’t the easiest thing, but Sunrisers must be mindful of covering the gap if the two do fall cheaply. To that end, the fit-again Kane Williamson might provide the solidity Sunrisers need, but his inclusion will mean that Mohammad Nabi has to sit out. Sunrisers might not be comfortable taking that call, but it could be the one they need to take to bolster the batting. Another possible change they might want to look at is bringing in the young and talented Abhishek Sharma – who played for their opponents last season – in place of Yusuf Pathan.Capitals too might want to ponder some of their playing XI choices, particularly the place of Rahul Tewatia. They haven’t really made use of his lower-order hitting or his legspin much, and they too have a batting order that fizzles a bit after the top order. Shikhar Dhawan’s return to form augurs well, but against a team that has as dangerous a bowling attack as Sunrisers, some extra batting insurance in the lower middle-order wouldn’t be out of place.

In the news

• After a tepid start to IPL 2019, Dhawan found form in Capitals’ last win, against Kolkata Knight Riders, and will now face up against his old franchise.
• Williamson and Khaleel Ahmed are both back to full fitness, though whether they can be fitted into the XI is yet to be seen. Perhaps two losses on the trot will open up slots for their return.

Kane Williamson has had to sit out because of a shoulder injury•BCCI

Previous meeting

It was just ten days ago, with the Sunrisers bowlers setting up a modest chase for their batsmen. Bairstow got the chase off to a rollicking start, and despite a bit of a wobble in the middle, Sunrisers had enough in the tank to get past Capitals.

Likely XIs

Sunrisers Hyderabad: 1 David Warner, 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Vijay Shankar, 6 Deepak Hooda, 7 Abhishek Sharma, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Khaleel Ahmed, 11 Sandeep SharmaDelhi Capitals: 1 Prithvi Shaw, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Colin Ingram, 6 Chris Morris, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Keemo Paul, 9 Rahul Tewatia, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Ishant Sharma

Strategy punt

• Of the frontline batsmen who are expected to be in the XI for Sunrisers, nobody has a strike rate of more than 125 against Chris Morris. Using him first up could tie down the explosiveness of the top order, and give Capitals the flexibility to rotate Ishant Sharma and Kagiso Rabada. Or even punt on Sandeep Lamichhane, who most of the Sunrisers haven’t played much of.
• Sunrisers might want to delay Rashid Khan’s introduction into the attack. This has been Rashid’s most economical season in the IPL so far – he’s conceding runs at just 5.8 – which indicates how batsmen are playing him with caution. However, three of the five wickets he has got so far have come at the death, where he still goes for only 6.7 per over.
• Ishant has been a revelation this season. His economy rate (7.4) is the best he has had in the tournament since 2013. Capitals have used him largely in the Powerplay overs, where his strengths – hitting the deck, getting the ball to move off the pitch – come into play much more. His weaknesses – he doesn’t bowl yorkers or do change-ups of pace too often – are not as much of a factor because Capitals have not bowled Ishant at the death at all. Continuing with that plan for Ishant is the way to go.

Stats that matter

• The last time Capitals won against Sunrisers in Hyderabad was back in 2016 – the year Sunrisers won the trophy. That remains the only time they have beaten Sunrisers at home, having the lost three other times.
• Bhuvneshwar needs one more wicket to get to the 100-wicket mark for Sunrisers.
• This is Sunrisers’ 100th IPL match.