Defending champions Tamil Nadu will take on southern rivals Karnataka in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021 final at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Monday, November 22. 

Tamil Nadu stormed into their third consecutive Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final after beating Hyderabad by eight wickets in the first semi-final. The Vijay Shankar-led side has been impressive in the ongoing T20 tournament, finishing second in the Elite Group A points table behind Maharashtra. The defending champions then defeated Kerala by five wickets in the first quarter-final to set-up their clash against Hyderabad.

On the other hand, Karnataka beat Vidarbha by four runs in a nail-biting second semi-final on Saturday. Led by Manish Pandey, Karnataka had earlier defeated Bengal in a thrilling quarter-final clash and also won four of their five matches in Elite Group B, finishing second in the points table.

Interestingly, the winner of the Tamil Nadu vs Karnataka SMAT final will become the most successful team in the T20 competition, having already won the title two times each. While Tamil Nadu have won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2006 and 2020, Karnataka have claimed the title in 2018 and 2019. Baroda and Gujarat have also clinched the trophy on two occasions each.

Tamil Nadu vs Karnataka full squads

Tamil Nadu squad: Vijay Shankar (captain), N Jagadeesan (wicket-keeper), Adithya Ganesh (wicket-keeper), T Natarajan, Sandeep S Warrier, R Sai Kishore, B Aparajith, M Ashwin, M Shahrukh Khan, C Hari Nishaanth, M Siddharth, V Ganga Sridhar Raju, M Mohammed, J Kousik, R Sanjay Yadav, R Silambarasan, R Vivek Raj, B Sai Sudharshan, P Saravana Kumar

Karnataka squad: Manish Pandey (captain), Mayank Agarwal, Devdutt Padikkal, KV Siddharth, Rohan Kadam, Anirudha Joshi, Abhinav Manohar, Karun Nair, BR Sharath (wicket-keeper), Nihal Ullal (wicket-keeper), Shreyas Gopal, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jagadeesha Suchith, Pravin Dubey, KC Cariappa, Prasidh Krishna, Prateek Jain, Vyshak Vijaykumar, MB Darshan, Vidyadhar Patil

Where to watch Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021 final live in India?

The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021 final between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka will be telecast live from 12 PM IST on Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 HD TV channels in India.

Live streaming of the Tamil Nadu vs Karnataka Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021 final will be available on Disney+ Hotstar app and website. 

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Featured photo: BCCI

From being a part of India’s World Cup squad in 2019 to not being considered for any format, all-rounder Vijay Shankar’s hasn’t had the best of times over the last few years.

After being picked for the World Cup for his ‘three-dimensional skills�?in former chief selector MSK Prasad’s words, Shankar soon found himself to be the hot topic on social media. Even the player whose spot he took, Ambati Rayudu wrote, "Just Ordered a new set of 3D glasses to watch the world cup" with reference to his omission. 

Two years on and Shankar still can’t seem to shrug off the �?-D�?tag entirely. His below-par returns in the Indian T20 League as well as domestic cricket hasn’t helped his cause either.

“I have no connection to that (3-D tag),�?Shankar said in an interaction with News18. 

“They gave me a tag randomly and made it viral. But after that (Rayudu) tweet, I played three games for India (in the World Cup) and did decently. I didn’t do anything bad. Even in the Indian T20 League, my batting orders have been different. A lot of people compare me to Rayudu, but the batting orders and conditions we play in are different.

“We talk well when we meet. There’s no personal issue between us. It just so happened that his tweet became viral. I definitely don’t have any grudge against Rayudu.�?/span>

Be it for Team Hyderabad in the Indian T20 League or Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket, Shankar has mostly batted at No. 5 or No. 6, meaning that he gets very little time to settle in and needs to add runs as quickly as he can. 

That was also the case for the all-rounder during his limited opportunities with the national team and while likening himself to star all-rounders Jacques Kallis and Shane Watson, Shankar insisted that he should be given a chance to bat higher up the order.

“If I have to score runs, I need to spend more time on the crease. So I’m not saying I want to open the batting. Just saying, even if I bat at No. 4 or 5, let it be one slot at least for domestic. And then if I don’t score runs, drop me, I’m okay. That’s what I have missed out in the last two years,�?the 30-year-old stated.

“I’m an all-rounder, but I’m known for my batting. So just because I’m an all-rounder, it shouldn’t be like I should bat only at No. 6 or 7. I can also be someone like Jacques Kallis or Shane Watson. They open the innings or bat at No. 3 and bowl. It’s not a compulsion that an all-rounder has to bat at No. 6-7. If I can score runs at the top, and pick wickets, it’s good for the team too, right?,�?he added.

Shankar last represented India in June 2019. The all-rounder has played 12 ODIs and nine T20Is for the Men in Blue.  

Featured photo: AFP / Sajjad Hussain

A fantastic spell from Ravi Bishnoi and Murugan Ashwin in the middle-overs and then by Chris Jordan at the death won the game for Punjab by 12 runs against a strong Hyderabad team, which dominated the proceedings from the beginning, only to crumble at the death.

Both teams had identical starts with the bat, having scored similar runs in 13 overs, but a dominant display with the ball in the end gave Punjab all two points, which now sees them piping Hyderabad in the points tally. Punjab, who were put in to bat, scored 126/7 on board, which is the lowest first innings total at Dubai in Indian T20 League 2020, and while Hyderabad looked well on course, they fell short as their middle-order once against collapsed.

Hyderabad brilliant with the ball, but poor in fielding

Restricting Punjab to 126 was down to the brilliance of the bowlers, but the total could have been much lower had their fielders shown a tad bit more awareness. Of the lot, teenager Abdul Samad was the culprit on the night. He was, in fact, at fault in the very first over, committing himself to the ball much earlier than he should have. As a result, his single-handed pick up was missed and Punjab went away with two runs.

The 18-year-old was at it again in the fifth over and once again at Mandeep Singh’s shot. In what could have been just a couple of runs, Punjab got four out of it after Samad misread the path entirely and lost his bearings. There were several such instances here and there, and after managing to not concede a boundary for over 11 overs, the 2016 Indian T20 League winners gave way rather poorly, this time through their captain, David Warner.

Committing to the Nicholas Pooran shot at the long-on, Warner dove but couldn’t get hold of a wobbling ball, which found its way under his hand to clear the rope. Three deliveries later, the penultimate ball of the innings, Vijay Sharkar’s poor throw failed to find the keeper and Pooran managed to get two runs on the board. The errors cost them six runs; enough to change the course of the game.

Jason Holder: Hyderabad’s sweet headache

Jason Holder has had a glaring impact in the Hyderabad team, picking five wickets in his last two games. Replacing an injured Kane Williamson against Rajasthan on Thursday, the West Indies all-rounder picked three scalps - that of Sanju Samson, Steve Smith and Riyan Parag - to finish with a figure of 33/3 in four overs. On Saturday, he got the better of Chris Gayle and Chris Jordan while giving away just 27 runs.

His upsurge in form can be troubling to others, but it also lends Hyderabad a sweet conundrum as far as picking their foreign players. David Warner, Jonny Bairstow and Rashid Khan are simply unassailable, which leaves Holder and Williamson battling for a place. Williamson, on his part, has pillared responsibilities to mere perfection, providing a much-needed shoulder to the team’s middle-order, while Holder has shared exploits with the pace department. It’s a healthy debate really as Holder is indeed a valuable asset with the ball, but in situations like tonight's, where the pitch was acting slow, Kane Williamson would have been the right fit.

Will the real Vijay Shankar please stand up?

Vijay Shankar’s three-dimensional skills were on full display against Rajasthan, where he not only played a match-winning partnership with Manish Pandey but was also economical with the ball in three overs. On Saturday, the 29-year-old was once again one of the driving forces, especially with the bat, as Hyderabad lost the game at the death. Holder’s inclusion means Vijay Shankar was relieved from his bowling duties against Punjab, and as was expected, he started on the back foot, taking time to acclimatise to the slow pitch.

But as others around him crumbled, his steady approach took Hyderabad steps away from glory. An important victory would have been achieved only if he had steady support.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @IndianT20league

Season preview

Despite making it to the playoffs in the 2019 season of the Indian T20 League, the general notion was that Hyderabad was on a downward slide and over-dependent on David Warner and Jonny Bairstow. That they made it to the playoffs with Kane Williamson absent for most games was considered a blessing in disguise as the Kiwis skipper isn't often seen as an out and out T20 player.

The biggest challenge for them heading into the 13th season was that their overseas slots were almost pre-decided with Williamson, Rashid Khan, Warner and Bairstow fixed. Even after a decent auction, it was felt that Hyderabad had done little to solve this conundrum. 

But ahead of the season, the franchise made a telling decision by moving back Warner as skipper, plausibly freeing them up the slot of Kane Williamson. The Kiwi can be used as a back-up opener or on slower surfaces while Mohammad Nabi or Fabien Allen can step up as the all-rounder to strengthen a weak middle-order to fill the fourth overseas slot.

• Read | All eyes remain on Delhi’s youngsters

Last 3 seasons - WIN/LOSS record

2017 - 8 wins, 6 losses

2018 - 10 wins, 7 losses

2019 - 6 wins, 9 losses

In the seven seasons since the franchise was formed, Hyderabad have made it to the playoffs five times, winning the title once in 2016 under Warner's leadership. One of the most consistent teams in the league, Hyderabad have made some street-smart moves ahead of this season.

Squad

Kane Williamson, David Warner, Manish Pandey, Virat Singh, Priyam Garg, Abdul Samad, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Sandeep Sharma, Siddharth Kaul, Billy Stanlake, T Natarajan, Abhishek Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem, Mitchell Marsh, Fabian Allen, Vijay Shankar, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Sanjay Yadav, Jonny Bairstow, Wriddhiman Saha, Shreevats Goswami, Bavanaka Sandeep, Basil Thampi

• Read | Did Chennai miss a trick in build-up?

Top run-scorers (last 3 seasons)

• David Warner - 1333 runs 
• Kane Williamson - 1147 runs
• Shikhar Dhawan (no longer at franchise) - 976 runs
• Manish Pandey - 628 runs

Top wicket-takers (last 3 seasons)

• Rashid Khan - 55 wickets
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar - 48 wickets
• Siddharth Kaul - 43 wickets

Strengths

The opening duo of David Warner and Jonny Bairstow are Hyderabad's biggest strength. The two were responsible for the Hyderabad franchise putting on some scintillating starts in the tournament last season. The two laid the base for some rip-roaring starts, easing the load on the middle-order, which was totally absent last season.

This year at the auction, Hyderabad have built a strong, young middle-order core that includes players like Virat Singh, Priyam Garg and Abdul Samad. With Nabi or Allen also present to accelerate, the middle-order is better looking than last season.

Bowling is once again a strength for them with Rashid Khan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar available alongside Khaleel Ahmed, Siddharth Kaul and Billy Stanlake.

Read | Rohit Sharma's Mumbai strong again

Weaknesses

Inexperience in the middle-order and plugging it is Hyderabad's biggest challenge this season. They have a slew of new additions in the middle-order but the Indian contingent are all inexperienced with Manish Pandey, the lone warrior from previous seasons, struggling to adapt after no.3. The overseas slots are lesser and fitting in the middle-order players is far from easy for them.

Season prediction

Hyderabad have some exciting match-winners in their ranks and even if two of them click in sync, they will be a tough side to beat. If anything, it's the bowling that's a bit under scrutiny. Hyderabad should make it to the playoffs and could even be title contenders if they can ace the big games.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Noah Seelam

Indian all-rounder Vijay Shankar has been ruled out of the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup owing to a toe injury and will be replaced by Mayank Agarwal.

Shankar, 28, suffered a niggle ahead of India’s clash against England on Sunday and was subsequently replaced by the wicketkeeper-batsman, Rishabh Pant in the squad. Speaking about the news, a BCCI representative has confirmed that the all-rounder is travelling back home.

"Vijay got hit on the toe by a Jasprit Bumrah delivery once again. His situation is not great and he won't be able to take part in the tournament. He is going back home," a senior BCCI official told PTI. 

"The Indian team management is likely to ask for Mayank Agarwal as a replacement since he is an opener and also it might give KL Rahul a chance to get back to the No.4 position in case Rishabh Pant fails in the next two games," the source added. 

http://twitter.com/ANI/status/1145608916866347008

Sources: Vijay Shankar ruled out from #CWC19 due to a toe injury; is likely to be replaced by Mayank Agarwal. (File pic of Vijay Shankar) pic.twitter.com/DtQejflOiG

�?ANI (@ANI) July 1, 2019

Later, BCCI confirmed on their official website that the above change has been approved by the ICC's tournament technical committee and the Karnataka opener will fly to England to join his teammates in Leeds.

"The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Mr Mayank Agarwal as Vijay Shankar's replacement following a request from the Indian team management for a suitable top-order batsman."

Agarwal, who made his Test debut against Australia last year, is yet to represent his country in the One-Day Internationals. 

NEWS: Vijay Shankar ruled out of World Cup due to injury.

Mayank Agarwal has been named as Vijay Shankar's replacement following a request from the Indian team management for a suitable top-order batsman. More details here - http://t.co/EWqrVmJuh6 pic.twitter.com/atqCkx9ClT

�?BCCI (@BCCI) July 1, 2019

Meanwhile, it is the second time that the all-rounder has been hit by Bumrah’s delivery in training. The first incident happened soon after India’s convincing victory over Pakistan, when the 28-year-old suffered an injury scare in the nets. He, although, continued and was a part of India’s victory over Afghanistan and West Indies.

India have already lost Shikhar Dhawan to a thumb fracture. The left-handed batsman suffered the scare during India’s 36-run win over Australia on June 9 at The Oval. Although he was expected to be out for around 10-12 days, later scans revealed that the injury is much more serious than what was expected.

The team is also sweating over the fitness of their key paceman, Bhuvneshwar Kumar. But now that Mohammed Shami has been in a colossal form, Bhuvneshwar’s return will only give Virat Kohli an extra selection headache. 

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Dibyangshu Sarkar

Former England cricketer, Kevin Pietersen has requested the Indian captain Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri to stick with all-rounder Vijay Shankar for their ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 game against England at Lord’s on Sunday because he might ‘potentially win the game�?

Despite India being the only unbeaten team in the tournament, Vijay Shankar acquiring the much-debated number four slot has gathered a lot of criticism of late. And his return of 29 against Afghanistan and 14 against West Indies hasn’t really helped his cause either. In turn, several fans and pundits alike have expressed that Rishabh Pant should get a shot ahead of the Tamil Nadu batsman.

Read | England's World Cup on the line against India

And as India prepare for a stern England test at Lord’s on Sunday, former captain, Kevin Pietersen (sarcastically) said that the young wicketkeeper-batsman still needs time before he can get a place in the Starting XI. Taking to Twitter, the 39-year-old said, "Dear Virat and Ravi (Shastri) -- please don't drop Vijay Shankar. I think he's coming into his own and would potentially win you tomorrow's game.�?/p>

Dear Virat & Ravi - please don’t drop Vijay Shankar.
I think he’s coming into his own and would potentially win you tomorrow’s game.
Don’t think about Pant. He needs another 3 weeks prep before I think he can get into your World Cup side.

Thanks, boys!

�?Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) June 29, 2019

"Don't think about Pant. He needs another three weeks preparation before I think he can get into your World Cup side."

“Thanks, boys!�?he concluded.

India, after five victories in six games, sit second on the log with 11 points. A win against England would take them a point ahead of the current table-toppers, New Zealand, who are set to lock horns with Australia at Lord’s on Saturday.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @Theprojecttv

Vijay Shankar says India believe they have room for improvement in every World Cup game as they prepare to face minnows Afghanistan on Saturday.

Virat Kohli's side have made an unbeaten start to the World Cup, with three convincing victories and one washout so far.

India's next test is likely to be their least demanding of the group stage against an Afghanistan team that has lost all five of their games.

But India all-rounder Shankar insists the number-two ranked ODI team have a professional approach for every game and will look to keep improving against bottom of the table Afghanistan.

"Being a professional, it's very important to keep improving and get better every day," Shankar told reporters in Southampton on Friday.

"That is the only thing which each and every individual thinks about. If you can keep getting better, we can set ourselves better standards every game.

"It's not about against whom we're playing. I think it's about how we play as individuals."

The 28-year-old impressed on his World Cup debut against Pakistan on Sunday, taking two wickets following his inclusion in the XI in place of Shikhar Dhawan, who has been ruled out of the team with a fractured finger.

Shankar has faced an injury scare himself this week after being hit on the toe by India paceman Jasprit Bumrah in the nets ahead of their fifth group game.

He tried to dispel doubt about his participation in Saturday's game by saying "hopefully" he will be ready. 

"I know I can bowl a lot better than what I am bowling even now," said Shankar, who has played 10 ODI matches since making his international debut against Australia in January this year.

"I always have a good chat with my bowling coach (Bharat Arun) and try and get better each and every day and look to get something from him which can help my bowling."

Shankar has shared the same dressing room with Afghanistan's premier leg-spinner Rashid Khan in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament.

Khan leaked 110 runs in his wicketless nine overs -- the most expensive bowling figures in World Cup history -- as he was hammered by England in Afghanistan's last match.

But Shankar is adamant India, who have lived up to their pre-tournament favourite billing along with England and Australia, will take nothing for granted against the minnows.

"Every day is different, and every wicket is different. You cannot take things for granted," Shankar said.

"So tomorrow might be a completely different scenario where we'll have to -- we might have to target him, or we might have to play off.

"It is just about adapting ourselves to different situations as quickly as we can."

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Saeed Khan

Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah voiced his concern over Vijay Shankar’s injury, but said that the all-rounder is doing fine now. Shankar, 28, received a blow on his toe following Bumrah’s yorker during India’s rain-hit nets session on Wednesday and was spotted in visible pain. After a brief assessment, a source confirmed although it was a scare, there’s nothing serious about it.

Speaking about the incident, Bumrah in his recent press conference said that it was an unfortunate event, but Shankar is doing fine now. “It was unfortunate that Vijay got injured on my ball, but he is fine.�?/p>

The 28-year-old’s injury comes a day after India confirmed that opener Shikhar Dhawan was ruled out of the World Cup owing to a fractured thumb. Dhawan suffered a hairline fracture to his left thumb during India�?36-run victory over Australia on June 9 and although he was expected to be out for a shorter period, the intensity of his injury has forced the team to act otherwise.

“It is unfortunate he (Dhawan) is out of the World Cup. He played really good innings against Australia. We are a good side and we are not worried about it. It was an unfortunate incident which happened, but we have to move forward,�?Bumrah said.

Apart from Shankar and Dhawan, seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is also struggling with a hamstring injury, which he picked during India’s convincing win over Pakistan on June 16. Both Shankar and Bhuvneshwar took part light training drill under the physio Patrick Farhart, but it is highly unlikely that they will be risked in India’s upcoming fixture against Afghanistan on June 22.

In turn, Mohammed Shami is expected to take the reins after bowling a long spell in the nets on Wednesday. And when quipped over how the pacers have been approaching the new ball, Bumrah said, “The best preparation for me is to bowl and that is what I am doing. Personally, for me, it does not mean any difference as three of us are focusing on the game.�?/p>

 Feature image courtesy: AFP / Saeed Khan

In what can be termed as another blow for India in their 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup conquest, all-rounder Vijay Shankar has suffered an injury scare after being hit on his toe during the team’s rain-hit nets session on Wednesday.

Shankar picked up the niggle while facing a delivery off Jasprit Bumrah. The pacer’s yorker hit the all-rounder right on his toe and soon after, he was spotted in visible pain. A source was quoted by PTI as saying that the niggle doesn’t seem too serious.

“Yes, Vijay was in pain, but it has subsided by the evening. Hopefully, there’s nothing scary,�?the source said.

It is said that the 28-year-old was seen walking with a slight discomfort on Thursday before going for a jog. He, however, gave up after a lap and went for rather basic exercises.

Meanwhile, India have already lost Shikhar Dhawan to a thumb fracture. The left-handed batsman suffered the scare during India’s 36-run win over Australia on June 9 at The Oval. Although he was expected to be out for around 10-12 days, later scans revealed that the injury is much more serious than what was expected.

Read | Shikhar Dhawan ruled out of World Cup

As for Shankar, his first World Cup moment came during India’s 89-run win over Pakistan on June 16 at Old Trafford, where he replaced an injured Bhuvneshwar Kumar midway through an over and picked up a wicket on his very first delivery.

In other news, the BCCI have maintained their stance that Bhuvneshwar only has a stiffness in his left hamstring and there is no tear whatsoever. If there’s a tear, however, chances are that the pacer’s World Cup journey will also be well and truly over.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Dibyangshu Sarkar

In a major blow for team India, opener Shikhar Dhawan has been ruled out for the next three weeks of the 2019 ICC World Cup due to a suspected finger injury which he suffered after being hit by a Nathan Coulter-Nile delivery in the previous game.

Although he continued playing after being hit in the game against Australia and scored a match-winning century, Dhawan did not take the field in that game as substitute fielder Ravindra Jadeja was used for that game. The 33-year-old has also not travelled with the Indian team to Nottingham where they will be facing New Zealand on Thursday; and has been sent to Leeds instead for further scans and tests regarding the injury.

With Dhawan ruled out for the next few games, team India would have to rethink their strategies with KL Rahul being promoted to open the innings and either of Vijay Shankar or Dinesh Karthik coming to fill the void at number four.

If Dhawan were to be ruled out of the tournament, India could call-up either Ambati Rayudu or Rishabh Pant who have been chosen as reserve players for the 2019 World Cup.

More updates to follow�?/p>

Photo Courtesy: AFP Photo/ Dibyanshu Sarkar