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By holding Mustafizur Rahman back till after the powerplay, Bangladesh had their bowling plan down pat, and then it just needed common sense to pull off the chase

Danyal Rasool21-Sep-20251:49

Chopra: You look at Saif Hassan and go ‘there’s some serious talent there’

When Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi last week, it boiled down to the middle overs. Chasing 140 at a time when no one seemed quite sure what constituted a good total in the Asia Cup, Sri Lanka emerged from the powerplay with the fluidity of a car merging back on to the motorway. They barely changing gears from their belligerent start, motoring on as if a punctuation mark in the passage of play had never happened. The spread field held little meaning as they plundered 81 runs off the eight overs immediately following the easing of fielding restrictions. It remains, comfortably, the highest number of runs scored in that period all tournament.A week on, and Bangladesh inserted Sri Lanka. They had not let victory over Afghanistan defending a total play with their heads, aware that as the tournament goes on, chasing appears to proffer a clear advantage. Two days earlier, Sri Lanka had chased down 170 against Afghanistan – the highest successful pursuit of the tournament and one that Bangladesh owe their continued involvement in this tournament to. They had no intention of doing Sri Lanka any return favours here in Dubai.Sri Lanka may have been unbeaten this tournament, but all those wins came batting second. Even so, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis started brightly, scoring 36 in the first four overs – the highest off the bat for them this tournament – but with Bangladesh holding Mustafizur Rahman back until after the powerplay, they understood exactly when to start applying the strangle.Related

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Nissanka had fallen to Taskin Ahmed by now, and with Mustafizur bearing down, they found merging into post-powerplay traffic trickier this time. The seventh produced just three runs; Mahedi Hasan’s over that followed claimed the wicket of Mendis. He cleaned up Kamil Mishara in the next as Sri Lanka retreated into a shell they have not known in the middle overs this tournament, and one that offered them little protection.Mustafizur wouldn’t return until the 14th over, with Sri Lanka’s run rate scarcely above seven; it took him just four balls to end Kusal Perera’s run-a-ball innings. This time, in those same eight overs, Sri Lanka scored just 45 runs. Excluding matches involving Oman or UAE, it is the second lowest post-powerplay middle-overs effort of the tournament, bettered only by the chokehold India established on Pakistan in the phase that followed the first six overs. All this despite Sri Lanka being – by orders of magnitude – the most prolific side in overs 7-15, scoring at 8.12, with India a distant second at 7.68.It was a passage of play Dasun Shanaka tried to right in an astonishing lower-order onslaught, hitting six sixes in an unbeaten 37-ball 64, but acknowledged had hurt Sri Lanka decisively in the end.1:50

Chopra: Numbers don’t validate Bangladesh’s change in batting approach

“We had that momentum going on at the start,” he said at the press conference after. “But unfortunately we lost some momentum. Especially Fizz and Taskin bowled really well. We expected to score 180 but unfortunately we fell short. We fell 10-15 runs short.”That last remark can feel like the sort of catch-all cliché captains deploy post-match, primarily because any serious post-match analysis is yet to happen, and will take place behind closed doors rather than therapised to the media. But, in pursuit, Bangladesh knew those extra handful of runs were all that they really needed. Their own 7-15 over run rate is just a tick over seven. But having done their attacking in the first six, where they smashed 59, a number only India have bettered all tournament, that’s all they required.Anchoring is a much nicer gig chasing rather than setting a total, and especially if you are ahead of the rate. They scored 55 in the eight overs that followed. They hit a pair of fours and a pair of sixes. They lost a pair of wickets, but they had the luxury of hunkering down. They didn’t need to outrun the bear, only the snail-like pace Sri Lanka had established in that phase of the innings. Ten runs ahead was all the margin they needed.1:55

Chopra impressed with Hridoy’s cricketing smarts

“While we were batting in that phase, [Towhid] Hridoy and I had a good partnership,” Saif Hassan, who combined with Hridoy for all but three balls of that passage of play, said. “We had built our partnership knowing we were ahead in the game at that point.”From the vantage point other cricket nations have rather snootily opted to mount when viewing the new edge that Bangladesh-Sri Lanka contests have taken on, the perception is that this isn’t a rivalry to be taken quite as seriously. That it’s petty, overly emotional, and lacks a legitimate basis in cricket itself. In Dubai, though, Bangladesh shed all that with the clinical execution of a game plan they had brought to the game, one that aligned so well with their script that the fact that the chase went down to the penultimate delivery felt like a feature, not a bug.Sri Lanka’s caution in the face of Bangladesh’s accuracy through the middle might have reflected a belief that the side they had reprieved just two days earlier could be reeled right back in on command.But having regained control of their destiny, Bangladesh’s attack right through the middle demonstrated a clear understanding of the format they were playing: incremental, unspectacular improvement in any facet of a T20 innings might be all that’s required to turn defeat into victory.

Test allrounder Beau Webster failed again with the bat in Tasmania’s 144-run loss to Victoria in the Sheffield Shield.Webster made just 6 as Tasmania, chasing 335 runs to win, were bowled out for 210 on day four at Melbourne’s Junction Oval on Friday.Victoria remain unbeaten with three wins from as many games, and paceman Fergus O’Neill enhanced his national call-up prospects with a haul of 4 for 54.Related

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Webster entered the game with heat on his Australian place ahead of national selectors naming their squad for the first Test against England. His meagre returns with the bat followed taking 1 for 26 from 12 overs in Victoria’s first innings, and 0 for 28 from 11 overs in their second.Before Friday’s play, both teams observed a minute’s silence for Victorian teen cricketer Ben Austin, who died after being struck on the head while batting in the nets.Tasmania resumed after losing another Ashes hopeful, Jake Weatherald, for 12 late on Thursday. And his opening partner Caleb Jewell was the first batter dismissed on Friday, bowled by O’Neill for 21.Tim Ward and Brad Hope put on 48 for the third wicket, but their stand ended with the score on 107. Ward, who made a polished 52, was run out in a horrible mix-up – as non-striker, he advanced for a single while Hope stood still after fending a short ball. Ward was almost three-quarters down the pitch when he slipped while trying to turn, and was still on his haunches when run out.Victoria struck again just four runs later when veteran Jordan Silk was bowled for a duck when shouldering arms to a Will Sutherland in-dipper.Webster departed just 14 runs later when caught from the bowling of Mitchell Perry, slashing at a wide ball and being caught at deep backward point.Jake Doran and Nikhil Chaudhary offered some resistance, before Victoria secured victory inside the final hour.

“Sometimes we can be too humble. We don’t show off to the world enough what we’re capable of doing”

Firdose Moonda16-Aug-2025

Shukri Conrad wants South Africa to play with a little more chutzpah•Getty Images

It’s not whether South Africa have the skills and mental fortitude to come out on top in close games that concerns their coach Shukri Conrad. It is whether they have the confidence to show that they possess those qualities.In the aftermath of their last-over defeat in the T20I series decider against Australia in Cairns, which came after a last-over defeat in a tri-series final against New Zealand last month, Conrad asked his players to strut their stuff a little more if they want to become a champion side.”Sometimes we can be too humble. We don’t show off to the world enough what we’re capable of doing,” Conrad said, as he almost used Australia as an example of what self-belief could look like.Related

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“This has got nothing to do with the way Australia plays, but they have got a blueprint as to how they want to play. There are times when it looks absolutely brilliant and it’s box-office stuff. And there are times when you can have them in trouble, like we had them in the first couple of games. But they stay true to it. What does it mean for us? It’s easier on the batting front, guys like [[Tristan Stubbs] and Ricks [Ryan Rickelton] and Aiden [Markram] himself… there’s so much that they can do. But feel that they have maybe boxed themselves in a little bit too much.”Of the three Conrad mentioned, only Rickelton made a score of significance in the series – 71 off 55 balls in the first game – but even after that knock, he acknowledged that he started too slowly for South Africa to successfully chase 179. There was another name on Conrad’s lips when he spoke about how he wants to see his players approach matches: Dewald Brevis.Dewald Brevis finished the series with a strike rate of 204.54•AFP/Getty Images

The 22-year-old was the leading run-scorer in the series, became the holder of South Africa’s highest individual T20I score of 125 not out in the second match and had the highest strike rate among all batters of 204.54. He played in a way that is best described by the Afrikaans word , which is a mixture of confidence and cockiness and is maybe best explained by one of his shots in this series.In the second T20I in Darwin, Brevis was on 22 when he lofted Sean Abbott for six over long-on and didn’t even need to look at where the ball went. Watch the replays and you’ll see Brevis keep his head down until well after the ball has gone into the stands in a manner that seems to suggest, “I’ve hit that so well, I don’t even need to look at where it’s gone.” Off the field, Brevis is as modest as they come, and attributes his talent to God alone. Whatever ego he has is confined to what happens on the field but it’s enough to allow him to play with freedom, and Conrad hopes it will rub off on other players.Chief among them is Markram, who has gone 31 innings without a T20I half-century, and who was dismissed driving waftily in all three matches in the series. One reason for Markram’s under-performance in Australia is that he is still getting used to his new role as an opener; another could be that he has been too tentative in his shot selection. Whatever it is, Conrad knows Markram has it in him a little because he saw him do it just two months ago, when it mattered most. “I know it’s a different format, but in the World Test Championship final not so long ago, Aiden showed exactly what he is about,” Conrad said. “And I’m sure he is a couple of games away from unlocking that state of genius.”Even when he does, Conrad cautioned that South Africa could not expect to come out on top every time because that’s just the nature of sport but at least, they would be giving themselves a good chance. “It’s not always going to result in winning. But I just want us to show off a bit more.”Whether that’s Conrad talking up or having a little dig at his hometown is to be figured out at another time. For now, his work is to continue preparations for the next T20 World Cup in six months time. So far, under his watch, South Africa have lost two deciders – one chasing, one defending. Against New Zealand, they needed seven runs off the last over and Conrad believes they “should have won going into the last over” but “in and amongst all of that, I’m really happy with the growth”.That was a series played without several regulars, this is one that is only without David Miller, which has left the batting line-up unbalanced. Conrad conceded that South Africa were a “batter light” but explained that if the players they have were willing to play with a little more chutzpah, it could work in their favour. “If we want to be brave, we have got to select attacks to beat a team like Australia and if I can nudge a batting unit into playing a certain way where we are a batter light and I concede we were a batter light, imagine what they can do when we have got a properly balanced side,” he said. “It’s all part of the slightly longer-term plan.”He also rejected the idea that he has put his store in allrounders, albeit that both his left-arm spinners, George Linde and Senuran Muthusamy, were also picked on batting strength, and that his selections are conventional. “Your top six will be your best batters, and Nos. 7, 8 possibly allrounders, so there’s nothing untoward,” he said. “I’m not obsessed with allrounders in T20 cricket, I can guarantee you that.”And he said it with the kind of conviction he expects his players to have.

The black-soil pitch is already devoid of any live grass four days before the first Test

Nagraj Gollapudi10-Nov-20251:43

Can Rabada make an impact in India?

Reverse swing will potentially play a key role in the first Test between India and South Africa starting November 14 in Kolkata. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the surface at Eden Gardens, which will host a Test match for the first time in six years, will have good bounce but is expected to start slowing down by the halfway mark.It is understood that the black-soil pitch is already devoid of any live grass four days before the Test with the grass cover expected to be barely a couple of millimetres by the time the match begins. While the second Test of the West Indies series, played in Delhi, was also a black-soil pitch, it is understood the Eden Gardens surface will not be a docile track like the one at the Arun Jaitley Stadium where India won by seven wickets on the fifth day.West Indies played the two-match series on completely contrasting pitches with the first match, in Ahmedabad, played on one of the greenest strips in India in recent times with four mm of live grass on a red-soil pitch with good bounce. The match finished inside three days as West Indies suffered a bruising innings defeat, lasting 44.1 and 45.1 overs in their two innings.Related

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In the wake of India’s 3-0 whitewash last year at home against New Zealand, India will be wary of preparing rank turners both in Kolkata and Guwahati against South Africa. It is understood that the Eden Gardens pitch is expected to roughen up quickly facilitating reverse swing for the fast bowlers. There is another encouraging fact for the quicks there: in the last 15 years, it is Kolkata where fast bowlers have recorded the highest wicket percentage (61%) with 97 wickets in six red-ball Tests.Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir visit the Kolkata playing surface•Associated Press

Another factor that is likely to be favourable to seamers is the cooler temperatures both in the first hour of the morning and final hour of the evening which could potentially aid lateral movement. All these factors combined could amount to the toss not playing a defining role. Also, while the outfield at Eden Gardens is among the quickest owing to the black soil (different from the one used for the pitch), the batters are likely to face the challenge once the pitch starts slowing down as the Test progresses.South Africa arrived in India on the back of their series-levelling Test win in Rawalpindi recently against Pakistan. The Pakistan series, which was played on spin-friendly pitches, saw South Africa’s trio of slow bowlers – Senuran Muthusamy (Player of the Series), Keshav Maharaj (Player of the Match in Rawalpindi) and Simon Harmer (second-highest wicket-taker in the series) – excel before arriving in India.This will be the fourth Test for South Africa at Eden Gardens where they won on their first visit in 1996 but lost the last two – in 2004 and 2010. The last Test played at the venue was in 2019 when India defeated Bangladesh under lights in a pink-ball Test. The last red-ball Test played in Kolkata was in 2017, against Sri Lanka, which ended in a draw.

Nic Maddinson’s return to elite cricket could come in the Big Bash after the former Test batter re-signed with the Sydney Thunder.Thunder announced a new one-season deal for Maddinson on Tuesday, with general manager Trent Copeland backing the 33-year-old to return to the field this summer.Related

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Maddinson last played top-flight cricket in March with New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield, before he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He finished nine weeks of chemotherapy treatment in July, after it was discovered the cancer had spread to his abdominal lymph nodes and lung.Subsequent scans showed the treatment was successful, with Maddinson back training and playing four games for Eastern Suburbs in Sydney this summer.”I’m really happy to be staying with Thunder,” Maddinson said. “There’s been a few setbacks for myself lately, but I’ve had amazing support from my friends, family and the club.”Now I’m just keen to lock in, get the season started and hopefully help the boys go one better than last year.”Maddinson played three Tests for Australia in 2016, while the last of his six T20s for his country came in 2018. He began his BBL career with Sydney Sixers, before moving to Victoria and joining Melbourne Stars in 2018-19 and Renegades in 2021-22.Left-handed Maddinson returned back to NSW last summer, while also signing a deal to play for Thunder. But he was unable to run out for the club, after a hand injury ruled him out of the competition.”We are pleased to have Maddo re-sign with us at Sydney Thunder,” Copeland said. “I know how eager he was to play in front of the Thunder Nation before his injury, and I know that eagerness has doubled since then. We’re backing Maddo to make a real impact this season, both at the crease and through his leadership around the team.”

By learning to relax and trust his skills, he is giving himself the best chance to succeed

Greg Chappell11-Jun-2025Cricket coaching manuals are replete with diagrams of the perfect cover drive, blueprints for the ideal bowling action, and meticulous plans for fitness regimens. Hours upon hours are dedicated to honing the physical mechanics of the game – the footwork, the grip, the follow-through. This focus on the tangible, the repeatable, the physical, forms the bedrock of traditional cricketing wisdom. Yet, what if this singular emphasis, while necessary, inadvertently delays the realisation of a player’s true potential?What if, like in life itself, the secret to unlocking peak performance lies not just in the sweat and toil, but in aligning with a deeper rhythm, a universal energy that governs success and ease?The prevailing narrative in sport, and often in life, is one of relentless effort. Work harder, train longer, push through the pain.Steven Smith, for much of his illustrious career, seemed to embody this ethos. His legendary net sessions, his almost obsessive dedication to practice, spoke of a man who believed that mastery was solely forged in the fires of personal exertion.The mantra was clear: work hard and improvement must follow. And undeniably, it worked for him, yielding vast success built on a seemingly inexhaustible work ethic.But perhaps, even in those years of tireless physical application, there was an unseen force at play. Perhaps, without consciously articulating it, Smith was subconsciously attuned to a different frequency, connected to the universe in ways that transcended the physical grind. His admission of being awake at night during Test matches, mentally rehearsing his innings, wasn’t just strategising; it was a form of deep internal alignment. These sessions, almost exclusively mental, were his way of getting in tune with the universal energy, visualising not just the shots but the flow state, the ease, the rhythm.Related

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There has been a subtly shifting approach in Smith that is potentially revolutionary. It hints at a maturity that understands the limitations of purely physical effort as one ages, and the growing importance of the mental landscape.His conscious decision to relax more, to spend less time in the nets, to allow his mind to wander free is not a sign of diminished ambition but a recognition that preserving mental energy and finding a state of ease is paramount for sustained performance at the highest level. He feels he needs to be in the “best space you can be in the middle to bat for long periods” and hitting less in the nets before a series helps keep his mental side as focused as possible when he’s batting in a match. This isn’t laziness; it’s wisdom.This shift challenges the very foundations of traditional coaching. It suggests that while technical proficiency is non-negotiable up to a point, there comes a time in a cricketer’s journey when further physical repetition yields diminishing returns. At this juncture, the focus must pivot.The most significant gains are to be made not in adding more hours in the nets but in cultivating the inner game, in learning to work with the universe, not against it.I recall a telling moment late in Ricky Ponting’s career, during an optional training day before an Ashes Test. He hadn’t been in form and came to the ground seeking a breakthrough. The longer he batted, the more frustrated he became, his rhythm eluding him. He was trying hard to force it back. When I asked him what he was trying to achieve, he spoke of being “all out of sorts” and needing to “find some rhythm”. I suggested that his lack of flow stemmed more from his mental state than his physical, and that perhaps a round of golf, clearing his mind, might be more beneficial than continuing to mentally beat himself up in the nets. He politely disagreed, which spoke of the ingrained belief that more physical effort is always the answer.

When you approach the crease, or any challenge in life, with ease, with a sense of quiet joy, you are more likely to be in flow, working in harmony with that universal energy. This isn’t just the simpler way to live; it might also be the simplest way to bat

Yet it’s fascinating to remember that when Ricky was in the absolute prime of his career, he was known for not spending excessive time in the nets. He would often walk out once he felt he was hitting the ball as he liked, a quiet confidence in his preparation, a trust in his ability to find that rhythm when it mattered. He wasn’t trying to force it; he was allowing it to be.This brings us to a crucial, yet often overlooked, aspect of both batting and life: trust. Trust in your preparation, trust in your instincts, and trust in the unfolding of events. When you try too hard, you introduce tension, doubt and resistance.You are, in effect, swimming against the current of the universe. But when you approach the crease, or any challenge in life, with ease, with a sense of quiet joy, you are more likely to be in flow, working in harmony with that universal energy. It feels simpler, more natural, less of a struggle. This isn’t just the simpler way to live; it might also be the simplest way to bat.Smith’s recent revelations could serve as a powerful lesson. His conscious effort to manage his mental energy, to step back from the relentless physical grind, underscores the growing importance of the inner game as a player matures. It’s a message that should resonate with cricketers and coaches at all levels. While the physical fundamentals remain essential, true mastery, sustained success, and the ability to perform under pressure may ultimately hinge on the capacity to align with the universe, to find that state of flow, and to trust in the process.I sincerely wish Smith huge success in the upcoming challenges – the World Test Championship final, the tour of the West Indies, and the Ashes. His performance will, of course, be a result of his immense skill and preparation. But perhaps, just perhaps, the greatest legacy he leaves behind won’t be a particular technique or a batting record but the subtle yet profound message embedded in his current approach: that in the relentless pursuit of excellence, cultivating a mind that is fit, healthy, uncluttered, and attuned to the rhythm of the universe may be the most revolutionary stroke of all.

The 2025 All-Star Game at Truist Park in Atlanta couldn't be decided in just nine innings. Instead of the typical extra innings we'd see in any other game, we got another Home Run Derby to finish off the night.

Each league got to send up three batters who each got three swings apiece. Whichever side had the most total homers would win the game. The National League came out on top of the swing-off thanks to three homers from Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber. In total, the NL had four homers compared to three for the American League after the even 6-6 contest.

Here are the full results from each player who participated in the swing-off. Remember, they only had three swings to hit as many long balls as they could.

The AL had a 3-1 lead before Schwarber stepped to the plate and went 3-for-3 which put the NL on top heading into the final two batters. Rays infielder Jonathan Aranda followed Schwarber with an opportunity to tie things up or give the AL the lead before the NL's final batter, Pete Alonso. Aranda hit a ball just off the top of the wall in right field for a close call, but wasn't able to go deep, which ended the thriller with the NL on top.

Schwarber was named the All-Star Game MVP for the swing-off performance. What a way to end the festivities.

Arne Slot has suggested that Mohamed Salah must make the first move if the Egyptian forward is to work his way back into the Liverpool squad after his outburst at the weekend. Salah was dropped from the Reds squad that earned a crucial Champions League 1-0 victory over Inter Milan at San Siro on Tuesday night courtesy of Dominik Szoboszlai's late penalty, but all eyes will now be focused on whether the 33-year-old returns against Brighton on Saturday.

• Liverpool beat Inter without Salah

  Salah was left out of the travelling Liverpool squad after his remarks following the 3-3 draw with Leeds last weekend, when he claimed he had been "thrown under the bus" after being omitted from Slot's starting lineup for three successive games. With the Egyptian left at home, the Reds kept the likes of Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram quiet before Szoboszlai converted from the spot late on after Florian Wirtz had his shirt pulled by Alessandro Bastoni. The victory was a big one for Slot, who has been under pressure to halt the club's recent poor run of form, and the three points saw Liverpool jump into the top eight of the Champions League league phase following their demoralising 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven on the previous matchday.

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• AFP
  

  Salah told how he can return to Liverpool squad

  Slot had hinted before Tuesday night's game that there is a way back for Salah if he shows some contrition and apologises and made the same point after the victory, but he seemed to put the ball in the player's court to make the first move.

  Slot told compatriot Clarence Seedorf on : "You say everyone makes mistakes in life, so the first thing should be: does the player think he's made a mistake as well?

  "And then the next question is, should the initiative come from me or him? That's another question to answer."

  He later added: "Clarence said that in his opinion and I didn't say who should make the first step. Tonight it should be all about the players that are here. In the rich history Liverpool has had they have had many of these evenings.

  "(The performance) was all I could ask for, I think the fourth game in 10 days, that is not what you see a lot with only 13 outfield players available with experience, after the blow we had conceding the 3-3 in Leeds then in this stadium against such a strong Inter team, we hardly gave away a chance. 

  "We had a great mentality second half, we get better and better."

• Van Dijk reveals upcoming talks

  There seems to have been little contact between some of Liverpool's on-field leaders and Salah since his incendiary remarks at Elland Road, with goalkeeper Alisson Becker admitting he hadn't spoken with his legendary team-mate during the fallout. Captain Virgil van Dijk, however, has revealed he is due to hold peace talks with the Egypt star, though the Netherlands international hinted, like Slot, that Salah may need to take some responsibility and try to rebuild the bridges he broke when he accused the club of mistreatment.

  Van Dijk said: "I have to, I'm going to talk to him. But then you have to ask should the initiative come from me? I'm not the one to speak if someone has to apologise. 

  "It's him airing his feelings for the past couple of days. That's something the club has to deal with, obviously, me as well. The reality also is that Mo is going to Africa soon. I've known him for such a long time, we are good friends and have been through highs and lows. We speak and those types of things will stay indoors as it should be. 

  "We have to brace ourselves and be against the outside noise."

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• AFP
  

  Will Salah be involved at the weekend?

  In most seasons, Liverpool would have been dreading losing their talisman for the better part of a month to the Africa Cup of Nations. However, this year it seems the break between the two parties could prove to be a much-needed cooling down period as Slot attempts to lead the Reds back up the table. The Premier League title is almost certainly beyond their reach, but a good run of form could have the Merseysiders back in the picture for Champions League qualification, with fourth-placed Crystal Palace only three points ahead of them. It remains to be seen if Salah will be back in the squad for Saturday when Liverpool host Brighton at Anfield, with that scenario likely hinging on the outcome of talks with Slot and key squad members like Van Dijk.

This is the first time in four seasons that the final of the Women’s Premier League will not be played on a weekend

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Nov-2025The 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) will have its final on a weekday (Thursday, February 5), and not over the weekend, for the first time, and feature two double-headers, both on Saturdays, after kicking off on January 9.The 28-day-long tournament will be played across two venues: Navi Mumbai, where India won the ODI World Cup in early November beating South Africa in the final, and Vadodara. The first 11 matches, including the two double-headers, will be played at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium, and the remaining 11 matches, including the eliminator on February 3 and the final will be played at Vadodara’s Kotambi Stadium.The dates and venues were confirmed by the WPL’s chairman, Jayesh George, on Thursday, the day of the WPL auction. All games bar the earlier fixture on the double-header days will be evening affairs.The week of the final is a busy one for multi-team competitions, with the men’s Under-19 World Cup finishing the day after the WPL final, on February 6, and the men’s T20 World Cup starting the following day, on February 7.ESPNcricinfo LtdApart from having a weekday final, this is the first time the WPL will be played in the January-February window. The first three seasons were played in February-March just before the start of the IPL. This will also be the first time the WPL will not clash with major international fixtures.Mumbai Indians (MI) are the defending champions of the WPL and have won two titles in three editions so far, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) the other past winners. Delhi Capitals (DC) have been runners-up in all three seasons. The other two teams, Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz, have never made the title round.Ten days after the WPL ends, India will start an all-format tour of Australia, playing three T20Is, three ODIs and a Test from February 15 to March 9.WPL 2026 schedule
Jan 9: Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Jan 10: UP Warriorz vs Gujarat Giants
Jan 10: Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals
Jan 11: Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Giants
Jan 12: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs UP Warriorz
Jan 13: Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Giants
Jan 14: UP Warriorz vs Delhi Capitals
Jan 15: Mumbai Indians vs UP Warriorz
Jan 16: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Giants
Jan 17: UP Warriorz vs Mumbai Indians
Jan 17: Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Jan 19: Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Jan 20: Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians
Jan 22: Gujarat Giants vs UP Warriorz
Jan 24: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals
Jan 26: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians
Jan 27: Gujarat Giants vs Delhi Capitals
Jan 29: UP Warriorz vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Jan 30: Gujarat Giants vs Mumbai Indians
Feb 1: Delhi Capitals vs UP Warriorz
Feb 3: Eliminator
Feb 5: Final

MatériaMais Notícias

O Flamengo começa a sua caminhada rumo ao nono título do Brasileirão, visitando o Atlético-GO, no Serra Dourada, neste domingo (14), às 16h (Brasília). Sem nenhuma baixa no Departamento Médico, Tite vai com o time considerado titular.

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Antes de viajar, o técnico Tite fez apenas uma mudança no time que venceu o Palestino por 2 a 0 no Maracanã. O zagueiro Fabrício Bruno voltou ao time titular, no lugar do Léo Ortiz, no treino realizado na manhã deste sábado (13) no Ninho do Urubu.

O provável time do Flamengo que vai começar a partida contra o Atlético-GO é o seguinte: Rossi; Varela, Fabrício Bruno, Léo Pereira, Ayrton Lucas; Pulgar, De La Cruz, Arrascaeta; Cebolinha, Luiz Araújo e Pedro.

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O meia Gerson foi relacionado para a partida e pode voltar aos gramados após dois meses. No dia 1º de março, o mesmo passou por um procedimento de pieloplastia para correção de uma estenose congênita do ureter. A previsão era para que o atleta voltasse entre o final de abril e início de maio, porém o meia voltou muito antes do esperado e impressionou muito a comissão técnica.

O atacante Carlinhos, recém-contratado do Nova Iguaçu, também vai estar à disposição do Tite e pode ser uma boa alternativa no segundo tempo contra o Atlético-GO.

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O próximo compromisso do Rubro-Negro será contra o São Paulo, na quarta-feira (17), às 21h30, no Maracanã, e a expectativa é de casa cheia.

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