Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan holds the record for most dot balls bowled in T20I cricket.

The spinner has bowled a record 922 dot balls in 106 innings while maintaining an economy rate of 6.82.

Shakib, who has the second-most wickets in T20I cricket history, is ahead of Tim Southee, who is second on this list for most dots bowled in T20 Internationals. The New Zealand pacer has bowled 907 dot balls in the 102 innings.

Southee has also bowled the second-highest number of dot balls inside powerplay overs in T20 Internationals with 434 dot balls in 80 innings where he bowled in the opening six overs of a 20-over game.

India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar is third on the list of most dot balls bowled in T20Is. The pacer has bowled 863 dot balls in 83 innings.

Furthermore, Bhuvneshwar is the first and only bowler to have bowled 500 dot balls inside powerplay overs. Speaking of most dots bowled in powerplay overs in a T20I fixture, Bhuvi (IND vs WI, 2014) was the second to register 16 dot balls in his spell during the first six overs of a 20-over game after South Africa’s Lonwabo Tsotsobe (PAK vs SA, 2013).

As far as most dot balls bowled in a T20I innings is concerned, Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s best performance with the ball came against UAE in 2016, where he bowled 20 dot balls. 

He shares the Indian record for most dot balls bowled in a T20I innings with Ravindra Jadeja, who bowled 20 dot deliveries against Sri Lanka in 2016.

Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi follows Bhuvneshwar on this list. Afridi’s economy rate of 6.63 is the best among the top five bowlers who have bowled the most dot balls in T20I cricket. The spinner is fourth with 830 dot balls in 97 innings.

Lasith Malinga completes the top five list of bowlers with the most dot balls bowled in T20I cricket. The Sri Lankan legend bid adieu to cricket in 2021 and bowled 713 dot balls in 83 innings in his T20I career.

Most dot balls bowled in T20I cricket

Player	Country	Innings	Dot Balls
Shakib Al Hasan	Bangladesh	106	922
Tim Southee	New Zealand	102	907
Bhuvneshwar Kumar	India	83	863
Shahid Afridi	Pakistan	97	830
Lasith Malinga	Sri Lanka	83	713
Mohammad Nabi	Afghanistan	97	702
Mustafizur Rahman	Bangladesh	77	701
Rashid Khan	Afghanistan	74	688
Shadab Khan	Pakistan	78	664
Adil Rashid	England	86	636

 

Featured photo: AFP / RANDY BROOKS

Ten franchises, 204 players. This was the number recorded by the end of the Indian T20 League 2022 mega auction. 

Big bucks were splashed as wicket-keeper batsman Ishan Kishan bagged a whopping INR 15.25 crore contract while pacer Avesh Khan broke the record for the most expensive uncapped player in the history of the competition. The former Delhi bowler was snapped by new franchise, Team Lucknow, who decided to pay INR 10 crore for the 25-year-old.

While young players stole the limelight throughout the auction, the 2022 edition saw several big names and seasoned T20 players going unsold. Here, we take a look at five of them.

Suresh Raina (India)

The fourth leading run-getter of the Indian T20 League failed to find a suitor as Suresh Raina went unsold after entering with a base price of INR 2 crore. At 35 years of age, the left-handed batter still has a lot left in his tank, but his price tag of INR 2 crore proved to be the stumbling block.

On top of that, his last season’s tally of a mere 160 runs in 12 matches at 17.77 didn’t help his cause either. It’s interesting to note that this is the first time in the Indian T20 League history that Raina failed to find a suitor in the auction.

“Raina has been one of the most consistent performers for Chennai for the last 12 years,�?said CEO Kasi Viswanath after being asked why the team decided not to bid for Raina. 

“Of course, it was very difficult for us, no to have Raina but at the same time you should also understand that the team composition depends on the form and kind of team which any team would like to have so that’s one of the reasons why we thought he may not fit into this team,�?he added.

Aaron Finch (Australia)

Australia’s limited-overs captain Aaron Finch was another one of the high profile players who didn’t get a bid from any franchise. 

In all fairness, Finch hasn’t really performed at his full potential in the Indian T20 League in recent years. Finch, who has played for as many as eight Indian T20 League teams in the past, guided Australia to their maiden ICC T20I World Cup win last year and is the fifth-highest scorer in T20Is, having scored 2,616 runs in 84 outings.

While his international figures are supreme, his record in the Indian T20 League has been anything but. His last appearance in the competition came in the 2020 edition where he scored just 268 runs in 12 matches at 22.33.

Eoin Morgan (England)

England’s white-ball captain, Eoin Morgan entered the auction at a base price of INR 1.5 crore, but failed to garner a single bid. For someone who guided his team, Kolkata, to the Indian T20 League final last season, it's a sheer disappointment, but judging by his returns with the bat, it does not really look as a surprise.

Last season, the 35-year-old scored just 133 runs in 17 matches at an average of 11.08. This is probably why the teams decided not to get their hands on the England captain. 

Imran Tahir (South Africa)

Veteran spinner Imran Tahir is enjoying life in the Pakistan Super League but he will be gutted after going unsold in the Indian T20 League mega auction. The 42-year-old, who played a solitary game last season, entered with a base price of INR 2 crore and maybe that was the reason why teams decided not to indulge in the bidding process.

Despite being over 40 years of age, the leggie has picked 12 wickets in seven PSL games so far in the campaign and is bowling at an economy of under seven.

Tabraiz Shamsi (South Africa)

Entering at a base price of INR 1 crore, world’s number two T20I bowler Tabraiz Shamsi failed to attract any suitor as teams decided not to gamble on the South African. It is probably down to the fact that the spinner, despite performing decently in the past, hasn’t really enjoyed playing the Indian T20 League.

The 31-year-old has appeared in just five games in the past, picking three wickets at an economy of over nine.

Featured photo: AFP / Arun Sankar

After suffering second consecutive defeats in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, the Indian cricket team will lock horns with Afghanistan in a crucial Super 12 Group 2 match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, November 3.

The Virat Kohli-led side suffered an eight-wicket loss to New Zealand on Sunday after being hammered by arch-rivals Pakistan by 10 wickets in their opening fixture of the marquee ICC tournament.

The dismal show of the Men in Blue have pushed India below Afghanistan and Namibia on the Group 2 points table. Having yet to register any point on the board, the much-fancied Indian side are currently placed fifth in the six-team group.

Led by openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma, the Indian batters have put in disappointing performances in both matches, registering below-par scores of 110 and 151 at the Dubai International Stadium.

India could make a few changes in their playing XI and might bring in Ravichandran Ashwin and Rahul Chahar in place of Varun Chakravarthy and Mohammed Shami.

On the other hand, the Afghanistan cricket team has been impressive in the ongoing edition of the T20 World Cup. Led by Mohammad Nabi, Afghanistan have already thrashed Scotland and Namibia by 130 runs and 62 runs respectively. They also gave a tough fight to Pakistan before eventually losing the close encounter by five wickets. With four points from three matches, Afghanistan are currently placed second in the points table and will look to stun India in Abu Dhabi.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan will miss the services of their former captain Asghar Afghan, who decided to retire from international cricket and played his last match against Namibia.

India vs Afghanistan head-to-head record in T20 World Cup

India and Afghanistan have faced each other twice in T20 World Cups, with the Men in Blue registering victories in both the matches in 2010 and 2012. While India beat Afghanistan by seven wickets in the 2010 edition of the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean, they secured a 23-run win over Afghanistan in Colombo in 2012.

India vs Afghanistan T20 World Cup 2021 squads

India squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Shardul Thakur, Varun Chakaravarthy, Rahul Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami

Afghanistan squad: Mohammad Nabi (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket-keeper), Hazratullah Zazai, Usman Ghani, Mohammad Shahzad (wicket-keeper), Hashmatullah Shahidi, Gulbadin Naib, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Hamid Hassan, Farid Ahmad Malik, Naveen Ul Haq

Where to watch India vs Afghanistan T20 World Cup 2021 live in India?  

The India vs Afghanistan Super 12 Group 2 match will be telecast live from 7:30 PM IST on Star Sports 1/1 HD, Star Sports 1 Hindi/1 HD Hindi, Star Sports 1 Tamil, Star Sports 1 Telugu, Star Sports 1 Kannada and Star Sports 1 Bangla TV channels in India.

Live streaming of the India vs Afghanistan Super 12 Group 2 match will be available on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website.

SportsAdda will bring you India vs Afghanistan Super 12 Group 2 live scores.

Featured photo: T20 World Cup

As the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, several questions have been raised regarding the future of the Afghanistan cricket team.

Since acquiring full International Cricket Council (ICC) membership in 2017, the Afghanistan cricket team has gone from strength to strength.

Following the meteoric rise of the Afghanistan cricket team, they currently see themselves ranked seventh in Twenty20 International (T20I) ahead of the likes of Sri Lanka, West Indies and Bangladesh.

The Afghanistan men’s team also holds the world record for the highest ever score in the shortest format as they posted 278/3 against Ireland at Dehradun in 2019.

However, since the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban - an Islamist movement and military organization - has led to a major humanitarian crisis in the country, there is massive ​​uncertainty looming around their cricket team.

What will happen to the Afghanistan cricket team?

Amidst the ongoing crisis, Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has assured that the team will participate in the upcoming T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in Dubai.

While Afghanistan suffered a massive blow as their three-match one-day series against Australia was cancelled due to logistical problems since it was scheduled to be held in India, ACB media manager Hikmat Hassan told news agency ANI that the team will participate in the T20 World Cup. 

He also insisted that their board is looking for a venue to arrange a tri-series featuring Australia and West Indies ahead of the showpiece event.

“Yes, we will play in the T20 World Cup. The preparations are on and the available players will be back to training in Kabul in the next few days. We are looking for a venue for the tri-series involving Australia and West Indies and that will be the best preparation for the showpiece event. We are speaking to some countries like Sri Lanka and also I think Malaysia. Let's see how that pans out,�?Hassan told ANI.

"We are already set to play Pakistan in Hambantota and that series is also on. Also, we are planning to go ahead with the domestic T20 tournament which shall boost preparations for the players ahead of the T20 World Cup," the media manager added.

The Afghanistan cricket team currently boasts of several top cricketers especially Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi who regularly feature in T20 leagues across the globe. The duo is scheduled to participate in the remainder of the Indian T20 League to be held in UAE from September 19.

 

Will Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi participate in the remainder of the Indian T20 League?

Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi are not in Afghanistan as they are currently participating in the 'Hundred' tournament in the United Kingdom. While Rashid is representing Trent Rockets, Nabi is playing for London Spirits. 

While former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen revealed that leg-spinner Rashid Khan was extremely worried about the crisis in the country as he was unable to shift his family, ACB president Hamid Shinwari said all the "players and their families are good" amidst the turmoil in Afghanistan.

"There is no dispute as far as cricket is concerned, everything is fine. Players and families are good,”�?ACB president Shinwari was quoted saying.

�?/span>We are good to go with T20 World Cup and Indian T20 League also. There are no issues at all he said. We are preparing for series with Pakistan also, we have to play ODIs with them.

"As of now we haven't officially communicated with BCCI but if required will do, they have always supported the US we have a good relationship with BCCI. Cricket is a gentleman game we are committed to delivering our best...we will play,�?Shinwari added.

Afghanistan are a part of Group 2 in the T20 World Cup, which also features teams like India, Pakistan, New Zealand and two qualifying teams from the Round 1 fixtures.

Featured photo: Dibyangshu Sarkar / Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP

Coincidence, eh?

Ten years apart:-
11 Apr 2011 - KKR defeat Deccan by 9 runs
11 Apr 2021 - KKR defeat SRH by 10 runs

Both times, the last ball of the match was hit for six after the result was already decided (Mishra then, Manish now).#SRHvKKR #IPL2021

�?Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) April 11, 2021

Kolkata register 100 wins in Indian T20 League

11:00 PM IST - Eoin Morgan's Kolkata inflicted a 10-run defeat on Hyderabad to win their first game in Chennai since 2012. It also is the franchise' 100th win in the T20 extravaganza.

While Rashid Khan had a good day in the office with the ball, he returns home with disappointment. 

Score: Kolkata - 187/6 (20.0 overs), Hyderabad - 177/5 (20.0 overs)

Should Abdul Samad have batted earlier?

Sixes hit by Abdul Samad in IPL

3 off Pat Cummins
2 off Jasprit Bumrah
2 off Anrich Nortje
1 off Kagiso Rabada#SRHvKKR #SRH

�?Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) April 11, 2021

38 runs in 12 balls, possible?

10:55 PM IST - Hyderabad now have a daunting task ahead of them, if they are to win their first game of the 2021 edition. Two overs remaining and an asking rate of seemingly touching 20, is it the end of the road for David Warner and Co.?

Score: Kolkata - 187/6 (20.0 overs), Hyderabad - 150/5 (18.0 overs)

Manish Pandey reaches 19th fifty

10:45 PM IST - With Hyderabad requiring 50 in 19 balls, the pressure is on Manish Pandey to guide the team to a victory. The odds may be against David Warner and Co., but its the Indian T20 League and anything is possible.

Score: Kolkata - 187/6 (20.0 overs), Hyderabad - 134/4 (16.2 overs)

Nabi safe despite Prasidh bouncer

10:40 PM IST - Hyderabad all-rounder Mohammad Nabi appears alright after a Prasidh Krishna bouncer hits the back of his neck. Strategic timeout called in as team medics tend to the Afghanistan star.

Oh boy Nabi.. Extremely risky to not have that helmet back guard... #SRHvKKR #IPL2021

�?Jigarr Jain (@MeinTeraHero) April 11, 2021

Score: Kolkata - 187/6 (20.0 overs), Hyderabad - 126/3 (15.4 overs)

Cummins ends Bairstow's innings

10:25 PM IST - Jonny Bairstow's ambitious innings comes to an end as the Englishman swings Pat Cummins' delivery straight to backward point, but finds Nitish Rana. Required rate now at 12.29.

Score: Kolkata - 187/6 (20.0 overs), Hyderabad - 102/3 (13.0 overs)

Appreciation flows in for Bairstow

Just an another day in the office for Johnny Bairstow his form in white ball cricket is absolutely relentless, and if he takes his team to the Victory then this will be his best knock ever in IPL. #IPL2021 #SRHvKKR #SRHvsKKR #Bairstow

�?Shubham dalmia (@TheSonOfCricket) April 11, 2021

Johnny Bairstow brings up his 50.

To use up his potential to full, make him open.

Hope he and Pandey take the game deep. #SRHvsKKR #SRHvKKR #KKRHaiTaiyaar

�?Baron Ravi Bhai Daruwala (@RaviBhai2705) April 11, 2021

Jason Roy would've thrown it away by now but not Jonny Bairstow. What an impressive half century from him. #SRHvKKR #IPL2021

�?Rahul Sharma (@CricFnatic) April 11, 2021

Bairstow reaches fifty

10:20 PM IST - With skipper David Warner failing with the bat, Jonny Bairstow has taken responsibility to shoulder the batting for Hyderabad. This is his sixth Indian T20 League fifty and it came in 32 deliveries. Leader!

Score: Kolkata - 187/6 (20.0 overs), Hyderabad - 95/2 (11.1 overs)

Strategic timeout

10:04 PM IST - With Hyderabad taking a slow-yet-steady approach, Kolkata will need to do better to put an end to the Jonny Bairstow-Manish Pandey partnership. It's all about timing and execution.

Score: Kolkata - 187/6 (20.0 overs), Hyderabad - 69/2 (9.0 overs)

Bairstow-Pandey reach 50 in partnership

9:58 PM IST - Jonny Bairstow and Manish Pandey have got Hyderabad's run chase back on track, with their ongoing 57-run partnership off 28 balls. Patience!

Score: Kolkata - 187/6 (20.0 overs), Hyderabad - 59/2 (7.5 overs)

Shakib plucks out Saha, deliciously

9:36 PM IST - Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan begins his second stint at Kolkata with a wicket off his first delivery, deceiving Wriddhiman Saha and finding the leg stump. Welcome back, Shakib!

Score: Kolkata - 187/6 (20.0 overs), Hyderabad - 10/2 (2.1 overs)

Warner walks back in disappointment

9:32 PM IST - After surviving a dismissal attempt in the first over, Kolkata got the prized wicket of David Warner. The southpaw aimed to play an inswing shot from a 136.4kph delivery by Prasidh Krishna. However, the shot took the outside edge and went straight into the hands of Dinesh Karthik.

Score: Kolkata - 187/6 (20.0 overs), Hyderabad - 10/1 (1.3 overs)

Hyderabad start chase calmly

9:30 PM IST - Hyderabad captain David Warner survived an early dismissal as Pat Cummins dropped his compatriot's miscued shot.

Score: Kolkata - 187/6 (20.0 overs), Hyderabad - 8/0 (1.0 overs)

Turbanator to open the bowling

9:25 PM IST - Harbhajan Singh opens the bowling for Kolkata against Hyderabad. It's 699 days since his last cricket activity. Will he shine on his Kolkata debut?

Could it be David Warner's night?

9:15 PM IST - Hyderabad captain David Warner could achieve two records tonight. The southpaw needs 88 runs to complete 1000 runs vs Kolkata in the Indian T20 League. In doing so, he will be the 1st player to score 1000 runs against any team in the competition.

Additionally, he needs five sixes to complete 200 sixes in the Indian T20 League.

Kolkata finish innings at 187/6

9:10 PM IST - Kolkata their innings at 187/6, with Nitish Rana (80 runs off 56 balls) and Rahul Tripathi (53 runs off 29 balls) anchoring the innings. While they were 50 for zero in the first five overs, they lost five wickets in the death overs while scoring 42 runs.

A decisive total to chase, given this score is more than the par winning score of 173. All eyes will be on David Warner and Co.

Score: Kolkata - 187/6 (20.0 overs)

Homework for Hyderabad

9:10 PM IST - Spinners were initially said to have a troubling time at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium. However, it is Hyderabad's pacers who have had a bad day in office. The pacers - Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, T Natarajan and Vijay Shankar - have bowled only 22 percent of their deliveries hitting the stumps, while they collectively missed 78 percent.

Redemption time for Nabi?

8:57 PM IST - After conceding 29 runs in his three overs, Mohammad Nabi has taken the prized wickets of Nitish Rana and Kolkata captain Eoin Morgan off the third and fourth deliveries in his final over. Hyderabad have effectively kept Kolkata's big-hitters in the middle-order in check. Is the contest no more one-sided?

Score: Kolkata - 160/5 (17.4 overs)

No Russell show in Chennai

8:50 PM IST - Everyone expected Andre Russell to begin Indian T20 League 2021 with a bang, but with Rashid Khan, the Kolkata fans can only frown with disappointment. The Afghanistan spinner finishes his four overs with figures of two for 24.

Score: Kolkata - 157/3 (15.2 overs)

Tripathi wastes his wicket away

8:45 PM IST - After blazing his way to a fifty in 28 balls, Rahul Tripathi miscues a slog sweep shot off a T Natarajan delivery that goes in the air, and finds the safe hands of Wriddhiman Saha. This brings an end to a decisive 93-run partnership for the second wicket off 50 balls.

Score: Kolkata - 156/2 (15.2 overs)

Second strategic timeout

8:35 PM IST - The ongoing 73-run partnership between Nitish Rana and Rahul Tripathi seems unbreakable at the moment, with Rana himself on his way towards his maiden century. Hyderabad need a decisive breakthrough.

Score: Kolkata - 126/1 (14.0 overs)

Kolkata reach 100 within 12 overs

8:25 PM IST - Riding on Nitish Rana, Kolkata breach the three-figure mark within 12 overs of the first innings. Just as he reached his fifty, Rana smashed a six at deep midwicket's left to power Kolkata past 100. A disappointing first day in office for Mohammad Nabi.

Score: Kolkata - 100/1 (11.3 overs)

Reaching 50 with a six

8:17 PM IST - Kolkata's Nitish Rana hits a cracker of a six over deep backward square leg. This is his 12th fifty in the Indian T20 League, and fourth in six innings as an opener. Outrageous!

Score: Kolkata - 92/1 (10.0 overs)

Strategic timeout

8:10 PM IST - After a confident start, Kolkata seem to have a roadblock in the name of Rashid Khan. The Afghanistan star has eight runs and a wicket from his first two overs. Can Nitish Rana put Kolkata back in the driver's seat? 

Rashid finds the middle stump

8:00 PM IST - Rashid Khan does what he does best, a googly to dismiss the opposition batsman. Shubman Gill came forward for a slog-sweep, but walks back in regret as the ball slips past him and hits the middle stump. Clever bowling!

Score: Kolkata - 53/1 (7.0 overs)

Opening partnership crosses 50

7:56 PM IST - Kolkata openers Nitish Rana and Shubman Gill cross 50 runs for the first wicket. And that brings Kolkata to the end of the powerplay.

Score: Kolkata - 50/0 (6.0 overs)

Rana rains boundaries

7:45 PM IST - Nitish Rana smashes three boundaries in a row, putting pressure on Hyderabad's Sandeep Sharma.  With run-rate almost at 10 runs per over, Kolkata seem to be on course for fifty within the first five overs.

Score: Kolkata - 31/0 (3.3 overs)

So close yet so far

7:42 PM IST - Kolkata opener Nitish Rana chipped a shot off a Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivery which was in the direction of Abdul Samad, only to fall short of his reach.

Score: Kolkata - 18/0 (2.3 overs)

Nitish Rana gets off the mark

7:35 PM IST - A boundary off the first delivery! Nitish Rana's bottom-handed drive off Bhuvneshwar Kumar's first delivery finds the gap between extra cover and mid-off. Shubman Gill is at the other end for Kolkata.

Score: Kolkata - 4/0 (0.1 overs)

Team Kolkata playing XI

7:10 PM IST - Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Eoin Morgan (captain), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Andre Russell, Shakib Al Hasan, Pat Cummins, Harbhajan Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Varun Chakravarthy

Team Hyderabad playing XI

7:10 PM IST - David Warner (captain), Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Manish Pandey, Jonny Bairstow, Vijay Shankar, Mohammad Nabi, Abdul Samad, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, T Natarajan

Toss result

7:00 PM IST - Hyderabad win the toss and will bowl first at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Toss News - #SRH have won the toss and they will bowl first against #KKR at Chennai.

Live - http://t.co/yqAwBPCpkb #VIVOIPL #SRHvKKR pic.twitter.com/f8pmqOY67r

�?IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 11, 2021

Pitch report

6:55 PM IST - Murali Karthik asserts that spinners might struggle tonight, as the square boundaries are 60 and 70 meters long. This is a dry wicket, a lot of open patches hence it will be difficult for them to contain batsmen in the powerplay overs.

Harbhajan is a knight!

6:55 PM IST - Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh receives his first Kolkata cap. After trophy-laden stints at Mumbai and Chennai, the Turbanator will now aim to shine in the purple and gold colours of Kolkata.

The Turbanator, ready for his new chapter in #KKR colours! @harbhajan_singh #KKRHaiTaiyaar #SRHvKKR #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/yjYKCKNka5

�?KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 11, 2021

The knights have arrived!

Checking in at Chepauk!@Russell12A @patcummins30 @Eoin16 @prasidh43 #KKRHaiTaiyaar #SRHvKKR #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/NEvSyz1MS6

�?KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 11, 2021

The sixes machine

6:35 PM IST - West Indian all-rounder Andre Russell is the only Kolkata player to smash 100-plus sixes in the Indian T20 League. Can he add to his count of 129 maximums tonight?

Dre Russ is in the house #VIVOIPL #SRHvKKR pic.twitter.com/bjGdAyQvT8

�?IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 11, 2021

Who will win the toss?

6:30 PM IST - Interestingly, Hyderabad have won all of their coin tosses in their last five matches but managed to win only two matches. Kolkata, on the other hand, haven't won the toss on the last five occasions but have won three matches.

Team Warner ready for Indian T20 League 2021!

#TeamWarner looks ready #OrangeArmy #OrangeOrNothing #SRHFamily #IPL2021 @davidwarner31 @CandiceWarner31 pic.twitter.com/hZeQ7SMPZS

�?SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) April 11, 2021

Hyderabad’s Sultan of Swing

Swingin' his way through the wickets

How will @BhuviOfficial kick-off his #IPL2021? #SRHvKKR #OrangeOrNothing #OrangeArmy pic.twitter.com/TT9iIiaowc

�?SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) April 11, 2021

Can Hyderabad and Kolkata break Chepauk curse?

6:15 PM IST - Both Hyderabad and Kolkata have a poor record at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. While David Warner's men have lost all three games they have played at the venue, Eoin Morgan and Co. have lost seven games in nine visits. As a matter of fact, Kolkata's only wins at Chepauk came in the 2012 edition including their five-wicket win in the final against Chennai.

Kolkata's dangermen

#ToofaniFans, what do you think the trio are chatting about here? @Sah75official @SunilPNarine74 @Russell12A #KKRHaiTaiyaar #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/seZUTlHeTt

�?KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 10, 2021

Know the Hyderabad vs Kolkata head-to-head record

6:00 PM IST - The Hyderabad vs Kolkata head-to-head record in the Indian T20 League is in favour of Kolkata, with 12 wins in 19 matches played between these two teams. Despite this, it is Team Hyderabad who boast of better individual performers against Kolkata.

Hello and welcome to Match 3 of the #VIVOIPL @davidwarner31's #SRH will be up against @Eoin16-led #KolkataKnightRiders.

Which side will come out on top and start their campaign on a winning note�?a href="http://twitter.com/hashtag/SRHvKKR?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#SRHvKKR pic.twitter.com/V0r49p44He

�?IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 11, 2021

For more stats and insights, click here.

The key battle to watch out - Warner vs Narine

Quite a battle between these two #SRHvKKR #OrangeOrNothing #OrangeArmy #IPL2021 @davidwarner31 pic.twitter.com/CmAHeHAXhR

�?SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) April 11, 2021

Wondering where to watch the Indian T20 League live on TV?

5:40 PM IST - The Hyderabad vs Kolkata Indian T20 League match will be telecast live at 7:30 PM IST on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 Hindi HD, Star Sports Select 1 and Star Sports Select 1 HD TV channels in India, on Sunday, April 11.

Live streaming of Hyderabad vs Kolkata will be available on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website.

Welcome to game three of Indian T20 League 2021!

5:30 PM IST - Good evening and a warm welcome to SportsAdda’s live blog for the third game of the Indian T20 League 2021!

Hyderabad, who finished third last season, take on Kolkata at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Both sides began their 2020 campaign - which took place in UAE - with a defeat and they will hope for a change in fortunes this time around.

The pressure will be on David Warner’s Hyderabad, who have lost three of their last five meetings with Eoin Morgan’s Kolkata. This tie will also see Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan return to Kolkata after being released by Hyderabad prior to the 2020 campaign.

There’s a lot of action and drama in store, so stay tuned for all the latest updates, here!

Feature image courtesy: Website / Kolkata Knight Riders 

The Abu Dhabi T10 league 2021 final will be played between Delhi Bulls and Northern Warriors at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

While Dwayne Bravo-led Bulls defeated the Warriors by five wickets in the Qualifier on Friday, Nicholas Pooran’s Northern Warriors side defeated Team Abu Dhabi by seven wickets in Eliminator 2 to set up a final showdown. Watch Delhi Bulls vs Northern Warriors on live streaming and on TV. 

Meanwhile, Qalandars will lock horns with Team Abu Dhabi in the third-place play-off on Saturday. The Qalandars vs Team Abu Dhabi match will be played before the much-awaited Abu Dhabi T10 final.

Delhi Bulls vs Northern Warriors full squads

Delhi Bulls squad: Dwayne Bravo (captain), Shiraz Ahmed, Nyeem Young, Fidel Edwards, Waqas Maqsood, Adam Lyth, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket-keeper), Evin Lewis, Ravi Bopara, Sherfane Rutherford, Mohammad Nabi, Tom Abell, Dushmantha Chameera, Dasun Shanaka, Amad Butt, Ali Khan, Waqar Salamkheil, Kashif Daud, Khalid Shah

Northern Warriors squad: Nicholas Pooran (captain and wicket-keeper), Rovman Powell, Lendl Simmons, Fabian Allen, Waheed Ahmed, Rayad Emrit, Wahab Riaz, Wayne Parnell, Junaid Siddique, Aamer Yamin, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Ansh Tandon, Kjorn Ottley, Maheesh Theekshana, Sujeet Parbatani, Brandon King, Waseem Muhammad

Delhi Bulls vs Northern Warriors predicted XI

Delhi Bulls predicted playing XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket-keeper), Evin Lewis, Sherfane Rutherford, Ravi Bopara, Mohammad Nabi, Dwayne Bravo (captain), Tom Abell, Shiraz Ahmad, Nyeem Young, Waqas Maqsood, Fidel Edwards

Northern Warriors playing XI: Lendl Simmons, Waseem Muhammad, Nicholas Pooran (captain and wicket-keeper), Rovman Powell, Fabian Allen, Brandon King, Wayne Parnell, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Maheesh Theekshana, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Siddique

Where to watch Abu Dhabi T10 live in India?

The Delhi Bulls vs Northern Warriors Abu Dhabi T10 final will be telecast live at 9:30 PM IST on Sony SIX and Sony TEN 3 TV channels in India.

Live streaming of the Abu Dhabi T10 final in India will be available on the SonyLiv app.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter/DelhiBullsT10

Hyderabad bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar was, on Monday, ruled out of the 2020 edition of the Indian T20 League after a thigh injury of grade 2 or grade 3 nature saw him hobble off the field in the game against Chennai last week. Now, Bhuvneshwar's loss is a body blow for Hyderabad who are just finding their feet in the season after a lacklustre start. Not only are they without their most containing bowling option but also someone capable of giving overs across phases. So, how will Hyderabad cope with Bhuvneshwar's loss?  

The added spin option

The pitches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are getting drier and slower and starting to take turn. The finger spinners are coming into prominence with the slow wickets and Hyderabad could opt to go left-field early on and choose to add to their spin attack to replace Bhuvneshwar.

One spinner who probably deserves a go in the bench is Shahbaz Nadeem. The left-arm spinner was a regular feature in the Hyderabad setup for a couple of seasons and was mostly used as a match-up option. With them having no spinner in the powerplay phase right now, Nadeem could be a good bet, especially when the tracks start turning more.

Khaleel Ahmed as a powerplay specialist/Kaul as death specialist

Replacing a multi-utility bowler like Bhuvneshwar can be tough, and hence Hyderabad might have to settle for one of two options - a powerplay specialist or a death overs specialist. Khaleel Ahmed was the top wicket-taker in the powerplay overs for Hyderabad last season and could return to focus just on the first few new-ball overs. 

The other option is to persist with Kaul, whose death overs are impressive because of the variations he has. Kaul was used in the powerplay last game and leaked runs and it may not really be the best way to utilise him. Instead, he can focus on the death overs for Hyderabad with Sandeep Sharma, a spinner in maybe Nadeem or Nabi and Natarajan bowling in the powerplay.

Nabi or Holder in for Williamson to make up new ball options

Hyderabad will especially be hit in the first six overs as Bhuvneshwar was wicket-taking and economical. Mohammad Nabi and Jason Holder are two other powerplay specialists they have on the bench. But bringing an overseas option in will mean they will have to sacrifice the position that Kane Williamson is occupying.

While Holder adds powerplay value and spin hitting, Nabi can handle the death overs with the bat - an area Hyderabad are weak in now - and bowl in the powerplay and middle overs to make up for Bhuvneshwar's absence. Holder, on the other hand, may not quite be able to match up the batting loss despite his underrated stature as a hitter in this format. Either option can, however, be good on the bowling front.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter.com

The general Indian T20 League auction ideology is to buy gun overseas batsmen and pacers as spinners are available in plenty locally. Often, playing an overseas spinner in the team is seen as a wasted spot in the playing XI but that notion has changed over the last few years, with a few bowlers making an impact. Imran Tahir, Sunil Narine and Rashid Khan come to our mind first, but outside the obvious, we have a few that are set to make a mark on the Indian T20 League this year. Here, we look at three not-so-regular overseas spinners to keep an eye on this season.

Adam Zampa - Bangalore

A late replacement in the Bangalore squad, Adam Zampa is believed to be in the team to fill up the numbers but the Aussie might be there for a reason. RCB felt that the change in venue meant they needed more attacking spinners and Zampa alongside Chahal appears to be a relishing prospect. The Australian has rocked the Indian T20 League previously, snaring 12 wickets in 5 matches in 2016. Zampa has been vocal about even bowling in the death and could be a real wicket-taker for Bangalore, especially on slower wickets.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman - Punjab

The Afghanistan spinner is almost a regular in the Punjab setup, but this could be a massive year for him given that the dynamics at the franchise has changed after Ravichandran Ashwin's departure. Mujeeb could be leading the spin attack and will be expected to take the new ball and chip in during the middle overs. The mystery spinner is a terrific bowler with the new ball and Punjab will want to bank on his most glaring trait. Mujeeb comes off the back of a good Caribbean Premier League season and will likely hit the ground running for Punjab. Mujeeb will help Punjab break the monotony of pace early on now that Ashwin won't be there to handle a few in the first six overs.

Mohammad Nabi - Hyderabad

The Hyderabad all-rounder is often in and out of the team despite his consistent showing with bat and ball owing to the restriction on a number of overseas slots. However, with Kane Williamson not leading the outfit this year, Nabi could get more chances in place of him. The Afghanistan all-rounder is a terrific finisher and restrictive spinner and will enjoy the slow surfaces on offer in UAE. He thrived on slow wickets in the Indian T20 League last year and will once again hope to do so this year when his chances get more regular. Nabi's role might be more pronounced with the bat as Hyderabad had issues in the middle-order last year. His finishing skills and six-hitting abilities could serve Hyderabad well in the UAE.

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Feature image courtesy: AFP / Noah Seelam

Hyderabad have a strong squad headlined by some big additions for the 2020 season and will be vying for nothing short of a title win in 2020. The Indian T20 League franchise, however, will have some key decisions to make in terms of their overseas players this season.

Overseas players: David Warner, Rashid Khan, Kane Williamson, Jonny Bairstow, Mitchell Marsh, Mohammad Nabi, Billy Stanlake, Fabian Allen

David Warner

Most runs scored in the Indian T20 League since 2014. The highest average in the powerplay overs for batsman batting minimum 100 balls since 2018. Orange cap holder for three seasons in the Indian T20 League. David Warner is an overseas legend and arguably the greatest foreign player the Indian T20 League has seen. The Australian will once again be tasked with marshalling the innings while accelerating, a role he has performed brilliantly in the past. Warner will be key to Sunrisers' fortunes this Indian T20 League season. 

Jonny Bairstow

The Warner - Bairstow combination at the top has served well for Hyderabad in the past and they will continue to use that this season in the beginning at least. With Bairstow having a slight weakness against spin, it remains to be seen how Sunrisers manage if Bairstow's returns are slim. They do have Kane Williamson up their sleeve, former skipper and an ideal opener to have in T20s to play the sheet anchor role. But playing Williamson could mean Warner reverting to a more aggressive approach, one we haven't often seen from him in recent times with Aaron Finch (at Australia) and Bairstow (at Sunrisers) going the attacking way. As such, Bairstow might still play a lot even if he doesn't quite click.

Rashid Khan

The Afghanistan leg-spinner has a brilliant record in T20 cricket and is the most economical bowler in the Indian T20 League in the last two seasons. A natural wicket-taker in the middle and death overs, Rashid will be relied upon to produce his magic when there are set batsmen in the middle. With a powerful leg-break, a deceptive googly and subtle pace variations, Rashid is a T20 legend in his own right and definite candidate to play all 14 games for Sunrisers this season. 

Mohammad Nabi

Two factors aid Mohammad Nabi in his selection this year - his powerplay bowling and death overs batting, both areas that Sunrisers will need help in considering that their current powerplay bowlers are all seamers. Nabi will step in as a power hitter below the likes of Warner, Bairstow, Manish Pandey and Vijay Shankar and also give freedom to some of the middle-order batsmen to play with more panache. Nabi is an underrated T20 star and a great CPL season that just ended should further aid his cause. Nabi will likely start ahead of the likes of Billy Stanlake, Kane Williamson and Fabian Allen.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Noah Seelam

The action in the 2020 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) seems to be intensifying with each passing week and the upcoming week of action isn’t expected to be any different. Both batsmen and bowlers have been making their presence felt with match-winning performances and more of the same can be expected in week 3 of the CPL. Here, we have a look at a few players worth keeping an eye on in the upcoming week of action.

AS IT STANDS!!! #CPL20 #CricketPlayedLouder pic.twitter.com/F64WzbJDPo

�?CPL T20 (@CPL) August 31, 2020

Glenn Phillips

The South African-born wicketkeeper-batsman is the leading run-getter in the CPL (207 runs) this season and is averaging 41.40 at a striker rate of 127.78. Glenn Phillips was in particularly devastating form in the Jamaica Tallawahs�?last match against St Kitts & Nevis Patriots. He scored an unbeaten 79 and it was an important knock that ended a run of three consecutive losses for Jamaica. The score was Phillips�?second fifty of the ongoing season and it’s important for Jamaica that he gets going since the chances of his team doing good improves drastically when the right-hander, who has hit the second-most sixes so far (15), gets going.

Nicholas Pooran

The only batsman to have scored a century this season, Guyana Amazon Warriors�?Nicholas Pooran may have been slightly hit and miss so far but it’s safe to say that once he does get his eye in, stopping him in full flow is an unenviable task. He scored an unbeaten hundred for the Warriors in his last outing for them and also has a fifty to his name this season. With a strike rate of 152.59 �?the second-highest in CPL 2020 after Kieron Pollard �?getting Pooran’s wicket nice and early is important from the opposition point of view or else they risk him wreaking havoc on their bowlers. 

Kyle Mayers

The 27-year-old all-rounder has looked sharp for Barbados Tridents and has contributed more often than not with either bat or ball. Kyle Mayers has the highest score of 85 and has gotten starts in most of his innings for the Tridents this year. A powerful striker of the ball, he’s fourth on the list for most sixes hit (13) so far and has it in him to completely alter the complexion of a game with a few lusty blows. Mayers can also chip in with the ball when required and has taken two wickets in CPL 2020.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman

The leading wicket-taker (13) so far despite playing a game fewer than most of the other bowlers, the right-arm off-break spinner from Afghanistan has been spinning webs around batsmen in the Caribbean to leave them spellbound. Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s stunning bowling average of 7.15 is the best this season and he also has a strike rate of 11.08 �?the second-best in the league. He has picked up a wicket in each of the Tallawahs�?games this season and is likely to continue in a similar vein of form in the upcoming matches.

Mohammad Nabi

St Lucia Zouks�?Mohammad Nabi is the only bowler to have claimed a fifer this season after a match-defining spell of 5 for 15 against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. He was awarded the Player of the Match for the game and it was the second time this season that he was given the award after also picking it up in the earlier match against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in CPL 2020. Capable of contributing with the bat as well, Mohammad Nabi’s temperament under pressure is another great asset for his team to have. His bowling average of 11.40 in the CPL has only been bettered by his countrymen Mujeeb Ur Rahman this year.

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Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @CPL