Alex Hales delivered a compelling reminder of his international class with a brilliant double-century that put Nottinghamshire in total control of the Division Two match against Derbyshire

ECB Reporters Network07-Aug-2017Alex Hales took his recent white-ball form into the Championship•Getty Images

Alex Hales delivered a compelling reminder of his international class with a brilliant double-century that put Nottinghamshire in total control of the Division Two match against Derbyshire at Derby. The England batsman plundered 38 fours and a six in a run-a-ball 218, which included a century between lunch and tea, and shared a sixth-wicket stand of 204 in 35 overs with skipper Chris Read.Derbyshire’s bowlers contributed 50 extras, including 24 no-balls and 10 wides, to Nottinghamshire’s 508 for 9 declared which left the home side needing 288 to avoid an innings defeat. They started badly, losing Luis Reece to their former fast bowler Mark Footitt in the fourth over, and at the close were 45 for 1, still 243 behind.Derbyshire might have thought it was going to be their day when Tony Palladino deflected a Steven Mullaney drive into the stumps to run out Samit Patel in the fourth over of the morning. When Mullaney sliced Tom Taylor to point, the game was still in the balance but Derbyshire’s bowling lacked the consistency and discipline required to put Hales under pressure.There were 12 fours in his first 50 and he stayed in overdrive for the rest of an innings, which put his team in a dominant position and allowed Read to let his bowlers loose at Derbyshire before stumps.Riki Wessels made only 13 out of a fifth-wicket stand of 80 before he gloved a lifting delivery from Hardus Viljoen, who was straight-driven by Hales for his 20th four to reach his first Championship hundred of the season.With Read scoring freely from the start, 181 runs came in the afternoon session with Hales sweeping a Luis Reece full toss for his 27th four to go to 150. His 200 came from only 201 balls and after Read was caught behind down the leg side for 75, Hales struck two more fours before swinging Wayne Madsen to deep midwicket where Viljoen took a good running catch.There was still more punishment to come as Jake Ball opened his shoulders and smashed four sixes in 43 off 24 balls before Read pulled out leaving Derbyshire to negotiate 12 overs. It was always going to be a tricky period for the openers and Reece did not survive, edging a loose drive at Footitt to give Read his 967th dismissal for Nottinghamshire.

Away Test wins rarely come any easier than the one for India in Galle. Ever since Shikhar Dhawan was dropped on the first morning – Asela Gunaratne injuring himself out of the series in trying to catch him – this Test for India was about as tough as an arrack joint in Sri Lanka. The toss was won, runs were scored and scored at a frenetic pace, the wickets were taken, more runs piled on, and then India’s biggest away win was sealed on the fourth evening.It was a near-perfect Test for India, but they would have wanted to finish it much earlier by not letting Sri Lanka’s lower-middle order score runs. In the first innings, Sri Lanka’s last four wickets added 148, in the second 129. Victorious captain Virat kohli identified that as an area of improvement to target.”There are still some areas that we want to look back and try to improve upon; especially when you get four-five wickets and not letting the lower order to get away with the few runs in the later half of the innings,” Kohli said. “It’s something that we can still identify and work on in the next two games as well.”But all in all, I think, playing Test cricket – February [the Australia series ended in March] is when we last played Test cricket – and from then, having played so much one-day cricket and not having the time to prepare so much in between… I think from that point of view it was good to get back into the groove and do things that are supposed to be done to win a Test match.”Amid this glut of one-day cricket, it was easy to forget what a poor series Kohli had the last time he played Tests, against Australia. It was a welcome return to red-ball runs for him as he scored a century while setting up the declaration, but Kohli said he wasn’t even conscious of that series against Australia.”I wasn’t looking at things from that point of view,” he said. “I think people on the outside start counting the number of innings when a batsman doesn’t score well, but for us as batsman or anyone playing in the XI, it’s all about what the team wants at that particular situation. And you end up scoring runs as well plus you end up helping team also.”I think the second innings required us to play more positively, and I am glad I was able to do that along with Abhinav [Mukund] to get us enough time to get the opposition out and enough runs on the board for us to feel comfortable. Yeah, I wasn’t certainly looking at things like how many innings I haven’t scored because when you are playing all formats, you don’t think which format you have not scored runs in how many innings. You can’t utilise so much energy in that.”Energy here was utilised in taking wickets because the pitch was really flat. “The last time when we played here the surface offered much more to the bowlers,” Kohli said. “It kept the bowlers in the game throughout, the quicks and the spinners more so. This time around the wicket was really good to bat on even till today. I mean if you applied yourself, you could easily score runs on that surface.”So, yeah, we had to work hard for getting all the wickets that we did. I think the bowlers came up with different plans, persisted with them long enough to get those breakthroughs and that’s something that always helps at the beginning of a series, to get a victory on a surface which is not offering much and that really gives the team the confidence of doing it once more if we get a surface like that.”More confidence is drawn from having found Hardik Pandya as the allrounder to give them the balance. “First innings, he didn’t get opportunity to bowl much but I think in the second innings, he bowled really nicely on a wicket that wasn’t offering much and he kept it in the right areas,” Kohli said of Pandya. “He used the bouncer well. He bowls around 135, when he bends his back he can go higher. So he is a great asset and I have mentioned this before as well.”And specially his batting. Otherwise we would have been 540-550 in the first innings. He got 50 quickly and that saves you time as well. That gives you another 15 overs to bowl at the opposition. And his fielding is also tremendous. I have a lot of faith in him as far as any format is concerned. Test cricket, he has got the technique. He is a really good batsman. You might not look at it precisely but we understand how much he can bring to the table, and I surely have a lot of faith in him that he will be able to perform on any surface on which he plays.”Kohli hoped Pandya will be able to contribute to India in a measure similar to Ben Stokes for England. “When you play away from home, one guy [allrounder] gives you a lot of balance, and I think Hardik can be that guy going ahead, specially playing so much cricket away from home,” Kohli said. “If he grows in confidence – you see someone like Ben Stokes, what he does for England. Brings in great balance as an allrounder. I see no reason why Hardik Pandya can’t become that for India.”

Bengaluru is scheduled to host the tournament in November, but the PCB hopes it can be shifted to a neutral venue, given the political tension between India and Pakistan

Umar Farooq07-Aug-2017The PCB is set to raise an objection to India hosting the Under-19 Asia Cup amid the climate of political tension between the two countries. The tournament is scheduled to be held in Bengaluru in November this year with Pakistan reluctant to tour.India has already been allotted the hosting rights of the tournament, but the PCB is set to table a resolution to relocate it to a neutral venue, during the upcoming development and annual general meetings of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on August 11 and 12. Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, is the current president of the ACC.”Since Pakistan is current chair of ACC, we will discuss this matter on August 12 in Colombo,” Najam Sethi, head of the PCB’s executive committee, told ESPNcricinfo. “There are secure neutral venues outside India and Pakistan where the championship can be held.”According to the , the BCCI has already written to the Indian government to seek a clearance to host the Under-19 Asia Cup since the tournament would include a team from Pakistan. PCB sources confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that they want Pakistan to play the tournament but do not want the team to face any inconveniences while doing so.”We definitely want to play the tournament, being an important member in the ACC,” a PCB official said. “But playing in India in present circumstances is not possible. There will be a visa glitch and a lot of other off-field issues will prevail. We don’t want to face any inconvenience ahead of the event.”Besides the venue, the Western Region qualifying round for the Under-19 Asia Cup, which is scheduled to be held in Kuwait in October, is also set to be a key topic during the meetings, given the diplomatic crisis in the Gulf region. The pool of nine teams in the Western Region includes Qatar as well as teams from three countries that have broken diplomatic ties with it: Oman, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The boards of the three teams have raised concerns over the presence of Qatar in the pool.In a separate development, the PCB also sent a notice of dispute to the BCCI for not fulfilling the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the two boards had signed in 2014 regarding fixtures between India and Pakistan in the 2015-2023 period. The matter was initially meant to be resolved with talks, the failure of which has now led the PCB towards launching legal proceedings, hiring a UK law firm for suing the BCCI for compensation. The PCB’s Board of Governors have sanctioned over USD 1 million* to bear the cost of the legal case.The senior men’s teams of Pakistan and India have not played a bilateral series, in any format, since a three-match ODI series in India in 2012-13. They have met eight times in multi-national tournaments since then, however, with India hosting one of these matches – the 2016 World T20 group match in Kolkata.*PKR 1 billion was changed to USD 1million after a clarification from the PCB

Liverpool defender Joel Matip has failed to impress after his performance during the 4-3 friendly defeat against Bayern Munich.

What’s the latest on Liverpool vs Bayern Munich?

Playing in their penultimate pre-season game at the Singapore National Stadium, the Reds were coming up against the German giants.

Things started really well, too, with Cody Gakpo opening the scoring after just two minutes before new captain Virgil van Dijk then added a second before the half-hour mark.

However, despite leading 2-0, Jurgen Klopp’s men had been pegged back to 2-2 before the halftime whistle. Indeed, Serge Gnabry pulled one back first, before Leroy Sane equalised in the 42nd minute.

Unfortunately, it appears as though Matip did not really cover himself in glory for either goal as he essentially made the same mistake twice.

For the first goal, a good pass from Kim Min-Jae found Serge Gnabry in far too much space, as the German got away from Matip before finding the back of the net – as you can see in the footage below.

Shortly afterwards, Gnabry and Bayern again exploited the exact same part of the pitch before Sane was teed up to level the scores.

Once again, Matip looked exposed and vulnerable, unable to close down the space sufficiently to cut out the danger – as you can see in the footage below.

It doesn’t make for pretty viewing a number of fans on Twitter quickly jumped to some damning conclusions about the defender.

Here are some of the strongest reactions…

How many games has Joel Matip played for Liverpool?

Of course, it is only a friendly but it seems as though some Liverpool fans have lost all faith in Matip, which might seem harsh considering he’s been a great servant for the club.

After all, since joining from Schalke 04 on a free transfer in 2016, he’s played 187 times for the Reds, winning so much along the way.

Indeed, in the seven years he’s been at the English club, he’s lifted the Premier League, the Champions League, the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup and the Club World Cup.

Still, now 31 years of age, maybe his best years are behind him and having struggled with fitness issues throughout his time at Anfield so far, those injuries may have taken their toll.

Perhaps with that in mind, Klopp will go back into the market once again before the summer is up with the hope of trying to find another central defender.

Of course, the Reds were hoping to sign Levi Colwill but he’s recently agreed to sign a new contract with Chelsea. Despite that blow, in a report by the Times‘ Paul Joyce, it is claimed that Klopp “would ideally want to sign a defender this summer.”

Taking all that into account, it does seem as though Matip’s position in the team isn’t quite as secure as it might have been in seasons past.

For now, though, the defender will hope to win over those who have their doubts. Unfortunately, after his mistakes in the friendly, Liverpool ultimately slumped to a 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich, with Frans Kratzig netting a winner in the 91st minute of the match.

West Ham United bringing Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher to the London Stadium is a deal 'that could certainly happen' this summer, according to journalist Paul Brown.

Is Conor Gallagher leaving Chelsea for West Ham United?

According to The Evening Standard, Gallagher has been told he is free to leave Chelsea this summer and has interest from West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur in his services after being deemed 'surplus to requirements' at Stamford Bridge.

The report states that West Ham United are ready to power ahead of their London rivals in the race for Gallagher due to their £105 million windfall earned from the sale of Declan Rice to Arsenal. At the same time, Tottenham are in the hunt for a homegrown player and may need to dip into the market to strengthen their engine room if Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg moves on to Atletico Madrid.

Nevertheless, The Daily Mail report that West Ham are afraid that they may miss out on Gallagher as he wants to remain at Chelsea to try and fight for his place under Mauricio Pochettino.

David Moyes' men had hoped to succeed in a bid of £40 million plus add-ons for Gallagher; however, Chelsea rebuffed their offer and he remains on the Blues' pre-season tour of the United States.

Last term, Gallagher made 45 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea, registering three goals and one assist, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Brown thinks that West Ham will use the money generated from the Rice sale to go back in with a second bid for Gallagher.

Brown stated: “I think if a bid has been made and rejected, West Ham will certainly go back in for him as there is money to spend there. I think that’s one that could certainly happen.”

Who else could West Ham United bring in this summer?

West Ham have yet to confirm a summer signing this window and Hammers fans will hope that is a trend that is eradicated over the next few weeks for sure.

According to Sky Sports, West Ham have held initial talks with Manchester United pair Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay over a potential move to the London Stadium.

Discussions are also continuing for Southampton midfielder James-Ward Prowse and it is believed that a deal is 'very possible' for the 28-year-old dead ball specialist, as per Football Insider.

Ward-Prowse is believed to be keen to return to the Premier League following the Saints' relegation to the Sky Bet Championship, though Southampton are believed to value him at the £45 million mark.

The same outlet claim that Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez is West Ham's 'top target' in midfield to replace Rice and there is 'confidence' from inside the London Stadium that a transfer can be completed for a fee of between £35-40 million.

Borussia Dortmund were keen to land the Mexico international before talks between both parties collapsed; nevertheless, there is a chance that the Bundesliga giants could reignite their interest before the end of the window.

Looking ahead, West Ham will need to act swiftly over the next few weeks to capitalise on the positive momentum they built last campaign due to their Europa Conference League triumph.

يحل ريال مدريد الإسباني ضيفًا على بايرن ميونخ الألماني، ضمن منافسات نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، 2023\2024.

ريال مدريد الإسباني يحل ضيفًا على ملعب أليانز أرينا الخاص بـ بايرن ميونخ، في ذهاب نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، قبل أن تتكرر المواجهة بعد أسبوع بملعب سانتياجو بيرنابيو.

طالع أيضًا.. أنشيلوتي: لا أسعى للانتقام من بايرن ميونخ.. ويرد على توخيل وبرناردو

ريال مدريد تأهل على حساب مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي بعد التعادل 4-4 بنتيجة المباراتين، والتخطي بركلات الترجيح.

بينما بايرن ميونخ، فقد اجتاز آرسنال الإنجليزي أيضًا، عندما فاز بثلاثية مقابل هدفين بمجموع المباراتين. موعد مباراة ريال مدريد وبايرن ميونخ اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة ومكة المكرمة. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ريال مدريد وبايرن ميونخ اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناتي BeinSports HD1  & BeinSports HD2. معلق مباراة ريال مدريد وبايرن ميونخ اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

سيعلق عصام الشوالي على أحداث المباراة عبر قناة BeinSports HD1  

وسيعلق خليل البلوشي على أحداث المباراة عبر قناة BeinSports HD2

Liverpool are interested in signing Fluminense midfielder Andre this summer, and recent reports might just have tipped the odds in the favour of Jurgen Klopp's side.

Are Liverpool going to sign Andre?

That's according to Brazilian outlet Globo, claiming that the Reds have maintained an interest in the 22-year-old for several years after first sending scouts to observe him in action in 2020.

The Brazilian top-flight outfit's stance on Andre's valuation is said to be irreducible, with Sky Sports reporting that the fee in question stands at a ballpark £20m.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

Fluminense are also reluctant to lose the thriving midfielder midway through the Brazilian Serie A season, but if Klopp pushes for an agreement, Liverpool might just capture their man.

How good is Andre?

Liverpool's focus is currently on sealing a deal for Southampton's 19-year-old holding midfielder Romeo Lavia, though that pursuit is dragging on with Saints unwavering in their £50m valuation.

If the Reds are to achieve their goals this term, the transfer business still to be conducted needs a swift conclusion. Andre's outfit are determined to keep him but money talks in football and Klopp must now lodge a formal offer.

As per Sofascore, the tenacious midfielder has recorded an average rating of 7.09 across 14 matches in the Brazilian top-flight this term, remarkably completing 94% of his passes, averaging 0.9 key passes, 2.1 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game and succeeding in 63% of his contested ground duels.

Having already earned his first senior Brazil cap, Andre is held in high regard and given that he is a "leader" – as praised by talent scout Jacek Kulig – on the pitch, could bring the kind of personality Klopp covets, especially after losing experienced duo Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabian sides this summer.

Hailed as a "top-class roaming playmaker" by Kulig, Andre could be the perfect alternative to Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo, who is valued at £100m amid interest from Chelsea, though Liverpool have also been credited with an interest.

Caicedo is hailed as a "joy to watch" by journalist Josh Bunting and produced an average Sofascore match rating of 7.08 in the Premier League last season, completing 89% of his passes, making 2.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game and succeeding with 57% of his ground duels.

The Ecuadorian also ranks among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for pass completion, the top 13% for tackles and the top 11% for interceptions per 90, as per FBref, which illustrates his skill as a first-class ball-player and tenacious defensive force.

Comparatively, Andre ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Men's Next Eight divisions for pass completion and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90, and given his own passing prowess and directness, he could certainly prove to be a star to rival Caicedo in the future.

Liverpool seemingly do not boast the extravagant funds to pay Brighton what they demand for Caicedo, but given the relatively small fee it would take to sign Andre in comparison, it simply must be completed ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

Leicestershire remain the only county without a victory in Division Two after rain intervened on the final day at Canterbury

ECB Reporters Network31-Aug-2017Mark Cosgrove played an eye-catching one-over cameo•Getty Images

Two lengthy rain showers ensured Kent’s entertaining Specsavers County Championship clash with Leicestershire ended in a draw when a tea-time deluge put paid the fourth day’s play.The result means the Foxes will go into a 12th game looking for their first win of the Division 2 campaign, moreover, a fifth draw in 10 starts for Kent, will put a severe dent in their hopes of winning promotion to the top tier.Having secured a modest first-innings lead of 17, Leicestershire wobbled badly when batting second time around and had limped to 135 for 6 and a lead of 152 when the players left a floodlight field of play in light drizzle for the tea interval.The rain intensified thereafter, leaving umpires Martin Saggers and Russell Warren with no choice but to abandon the match as a draw with Kent banking 11 points to Leicestershire’s 12.Batting for a second time with a modest first-innings lead of 17, Leicestershire lost both openers in the space of seven overs. Harry Dearden shouldered arms to a Darren Stevens inswinger to depart lbw then Michael Carberry’s unhappy return to Canterbury continued when he was snared full in front by a shooting off-cutter from Adam Milne.Foxes’ skipper Mark Cosgrove appeared to treat his innings like a T20 Blast net session, spanking 34 off 19 balls – including 24 from five successive deliveries from Matt Coles – before top-edging an attempted paddle off Coles to the keeper.Then, on the cusp of the lunch break, Ned Eckersley went back and across his stumps in aiming to leg to also go leg before, this time to Mitch Claydon.Rain during the interval led to the loss of an hour’s play and 19 overs but Kent were soon back amongst the wickets when Colin Ackermann (34) swept across a quicker one from left-arm spinner Imran Qayyum to become the 11th lbw victim of the game.Foxes’ first-innings top-scorer Lewis Hill soon departed to the same bowler without scoring. Seemingly troubled by a man in at silly point, he drove hard only to miscue to Joe Denly at cover as the Foxes went in at tea on 135 for 6 – an overall lead of 152.The final day started with Kent batting on in search of a fourth batting bonus point only to fall 17 runs short despite an eye-catching career best 39 by Imran Qayyum and 22 from Adam Milne. Qayyum was the last man to go, edging an attempted steer to third man to the keeper, while Neil Dexter was the clear pick of the Foxes attack with figures of 5 for 76.Kent’s rookie spinner Qayyum, who continued his steady progress with three wickets in the match, summed up the dressing room mood as disappointed. “It is a shame because we were in the game with Darren’s eight wickets and batted reasonably well on that second day, but the rain on that third day really hurt us. We needed a win in terms of our promotion push, and although we’ve got four games left, it’s bitterly disappointing that we’ve only come out of this with a draw.Leicestershire skipper Cosgrove also found it a frustrating last day. “There was possibly a very good game building up here so it was disappointing that we lost that third day to rain.”We could have set up a game and had a really exciting day, but it wasn’t to be. It was always going to be hard to bowl them out on that pitch, we needed time, but they didn’t let us get going with the bat.”Explaining his own 19-ball cameo, he added: “I was just trying to get rid of some frustration. That and Matt Coles got the better of me in the end – I guess he’ll be happy with 1 for 24 in the over!”

India are brimming with confidence after sweeping both the Test and ODI legs of their Sri Lanka tour, but the home side will hope their recent successes in the shortest format can spur them towards a consolation win

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando05-Sep-2017Big PictureHistorically, Sri Lanka have never been this abysmal in a home series. They have been whitewashed in Tests on the island before, but never previously had they also been defeated in each of the ODIs. There is no denying it: Sri Lankan cricket is in an uncommonly dark place. What little pride remains is on the line in this T20.If there is hope for the hosts, it is in the 2017 form of both sides. India have not been quite as mighty in T20s as they have been in Tests and ODIs, having lost two of their last four matches – though one of those was to World T20 champions West Indies.For Sri Lanka, meanwhile, T20s are the only format in which they have a positive win-loss ratio, having beaten Australia and South Africa 2-1 before drawing the Bangladesh series 1-1. It must be mentioned, however, that the South Africa and Australia sides they defeated were substantially depleted teams. In fact, several of the best Australia players were in India preparing for the Tests when the T20s were on.On paper, at least, Sri Lanka are not as woefully outgunned in the shortest format as they are in the others. Niroshan Dickwella approaches many of his innings like he is playing a T20 anyway. There are promising spinners in the squad. Even a diminished Lasith Malinga can be a threat over four overs.But they are playing an India team that must now be so overflowing with confidence that even the staff at the hotel they are staying at have probably started walking around in unusually tight clothing, flashing grins at members of the opposite gender. There is a chance Sri Lanka will claim their first victory of the tour, but they still have to get past the likes of Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rohit Sharma, and they are all in ridiculous form.Form guideSri Lanka LWLWW (completed matches, most recent first)
India LWWLLIn the spotlightWho knows what Lasith Malinga is thinking? Does he? One day after he had suggested retirement was far from his mind, even jesting that he would play till 2023, he said he may reconsider his playing future at the end of this tour. He has been modest through the ODI series, and throughout the last three months, really. If he can reclaim some form in the T20, however, the argument for sticking around for a few more series might grow stronger.In some ways the new Malinga, just without the round-arm action, Jasprit Bumrah has proved himself more than just a yorker and slower-ball bowler in Sri Lanka, claiming 15 wickets in the ODIs – six more than the next-best bowler. He has also showed the knack of getting wickets after the batsmen began to attack him – most recently responding to an Upul Tharanga boundary with a vicious away-seamer that took the batsman’s edge. Bumrah is likely to be even more of a threat in the shortest format.Team newsWith the Sri Lanka team in flux (the selectors released no fewer than two T20I squads), it is difficult to pin down who will be in the XI. Whatever the case, Sri Lanka have only picked four specialist batsmen, so the side will be full of bowling options.There was also some late news that Milinda Siriwardana had complained of hamstring tightness, and batsman Ashan Priyanjan was called in as cover. Siriwardana will likely undergo a fitness test on Wednesday to determine his participation.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 2 Upul Tharanga (capt), 3 Dilshan Munaweera, 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Milinda Siriwardana/ Ashan Priyanjan, 6 Dasun Shanaka/Seekkuge Prasanna, 7 Thisara Perera, 8 Akila Dananjaya, 9 Jeffrey Vandersay, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Vikum Sanjaya.Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur appear likeliest to miss out on selection for India. The wristspinners may also keep Axar Patel out of the XI.India (possible): 1 Virat Kohli (capt), 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 KL Rahul, 4 Manish Pandey, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Kedar Jadav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Kuldeep Yadav, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Jasprit Bumrah.Pitch and conditionsKhettarama is generally not the highest-scoring T20 venue around, even 160 often proving a challenging total here. It has been a wet few days in Colombo, and it is possible rain will interrupt the match.Stats and trivia Sri Lanka have lost six and won four T20s against India. Their most recent victory was in February last year, in Pune. They have lost three successive matches since. Khettarama has not been a happy venue for Sri Lanka T20 sides either. They have won only two out of 13 games in total. Virat Kohli’s T20I average of 52.96 is by a distance the best of anyone to have made over 1000 T20I runs. No one else has an average above 40.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly eyeing Real Betis midfielder Guido Rodriguez, as Julen Lopetegui seeks a midfield rebuild this summer.

The Spaniard bid farewell to Portuguese duo Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho this window, and will now look to find reinforcements to fill the void left by the former Molineux maestros.

Could Wolves sign Guido Rodriguez?

As reported by journalist Cesar Luis Merlo this week, Wolves are eyeing the LaLiga gem, who remains under contract at Betis until next summer.

Merlo confirmed the Old Gold’s interest in the 29-year-old midfielder, claiming that negotiations are ‘underway’ between the two clubs, over the player valued around £17m by FootballTransfers.

While he added that the deal isn’t close to being finalised, the Midlands outfit's interest comes at a time when Betis may prefer a sale than for the player to depart as a free agent next year.

How good is Guido Rodriguez?

It’s integral for Lopetegui to identify a sufficient replacement for the departed duo Neves and Moutinho, who were key figures in Wolves’ journey in the Premier League.

The Spaniard could land the perfect solution to the two exits in obtaining Rodriguez, who was identified as a “monster” by analyst Marcus Bring for his exploits in LaLiga.

Signed by Betis from Mexican side America back in the 2020 winter window, the Argentine could be on the move this summer, with a move to the Premier League a possibility.

Heralded for his defensive contributions, the midfielder could be the ideal replacement for Moutinho, who closed the lid on his five-year stay in the Midlands at the expiration of his contract at the end of last season.

While the long-serving 36-year-old veteran was primarily deployed in central midfield rather than the deeper areas that Rodriguez inhabits in Spain, the averages recorded by the Argentine last term suggested that he could be a sufficient ball-playing replacement.

As per FBref, the 29-year-old maintained a pass completion rate of 86.7% in LaLiga last season, as well as making an average of 4.17 final third passes per 90 to showcase his assured presence in the central channel.

Moutinho recorded similar averages to the World Cup winner, maintaining a completion rate of 80.4% in the Premier League and averaging 5.31 final third passes per 90.

Their numbers signify that the Betis enforcer could be a like-for-like trade for Lopetegui’s side, as a player with similar efficiency in distribution.

The most prominent area of Rodriguez’s game is his defensive contributions, averaging a monstrous 3.60 tackles per 90 in LaLiga, ranking him in the top 2% of midfielders in the league, via FBref.

Moutinho fell short of the 29-year-old machine in such areas, averaging 2.58 tackles for Wolves, as well as recording 0.91 interceptions to the Betis star’s 1.32 per 90.

Possessing the innate balance between defensive and distribution strengths in the engine room, Lopetegui could fill the vacancy left by the Portuguese veteran in the middle of the park.

It’s expected that the Midlands side will have to make additional sales to make such moves in the window, despite accumulating around £80m in departures so far, only time will tell if the deal will prevail.