Two South African businessman, two IPL franchises, two PSL franchises, and representatives from Hong Kong and Dubai were unveiled as the owners of the eight teams in South Africa’s T20 Global League

Firdose Moonda19-Jun-2017Two South African businessmen, two IPL franchises, two PSL franchises, and representatives from Hong Kong and Dubai were unveiled as the owners of the eight teams in South Africa’s T20 Global League. The owners, the cities and their marquee players were unveiled at an event in London on Monday.Durban, Benoni, Pretoria, Stellenbosch, Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth will each host a franchise, which left no room for the likes of Kimberley, East London and Potchefstroom, who host franchise cricket. The Stellenbosch franchise will likely play at Boland Park in Paarl.International buyers own three-quarters of the franchises with the biggest name being Shah Rukh Khan. The Bollywood superstar added to his Knight Riders brand with the purchase of the Cape Town franchise to add to teams in Kolkata and Trinidad. There was also a second IPL influence. The Delhi Daredevils’ holding company GMR sports bought the Johannesburg franchise.The two South African-owned franchises are based in Pretoria and Stellenbosch and run by South African businessman Osman Osman, who owns a lifestyle brand, and Brimstone, a company owned by Mushtaq Brey.ESPNcricinfo

Two PSL owners, Fawad Rana of the Lahore Qalandars, and Javed Afridi from the Peshawar Zalmi, bought franchises in Durban and Benoni respectively while the Bloemfontein franchise was bought by Hong Kong’s Sushil Kumar and the Port Elizabeth team by Dubai’s Ajay Sethi. Both have previous involvement in cricket, Kumar owns a Hong Kong franchise while Sethi is involved at Channel 2 in the UAE.CSA also unveiled eight ambassadors, all former South African national players: Graeme Smith, Andrew Hall, Ashwell Prince, Herschelle Gibbs, Paul Adams, Allan Donald, Andrew Hudson and Paul Harris.Despite no Indian players being available for the tournament, its overlap with the BPL, the chances of Australian players being scant given the clash with their summer and the ECB’s refusal for Eoin Morgan and Jason Roy to attend the launch, CSA president Chris Nenzani was hopeful the competition would receive global support.”We thank all other cricket boards and we hope that they will support this venture in the manner that we have helped and supported their leagues. We hope they will help us to make it a success,” he said.More than 400 players have registered their interest with a draft scheduled for August.

Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto is accumulating interest in his services from clubs across Italy alongside Premier League outfit Aston Villa, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Which clubs are keen on signing Wilfried Gnonto this summer?

According to journalist Alessio Lento, Gnonto is being sought after by Unai Emery's Aston Villa alongside Everton, as he stated on Twitter: "Future in Premier League for the National of Mancini, Wilfried Gnonto : Everton insists, but Aston Villa of Emery has no intention of letting go. It's a hot hour."

Calciomercato claim that a move for Gnonto is being explored by Serie A sides including Inter Milan, AC Milan and Fiorentina, though his reported £17.1 million price tag is deemed as excessive by keen parties.

Leeds United will either need to lower the price for Gnonto or explore the possibility of letting him go out on a loan deal, which is a policy they have operated when sanctioning the exits of Brenden Aaronson and Robin Koch.

Sport Italia via The Sun previously indicated that Gnonto was 'very close' to joining Everton in a transfer worth in the region of £19 million and detailed that Manchester United and Arsenal had also expressed attraction towards his abilities, though no such finalisation of any agreement has taken place.

FootballTransfers have put forward information to suggest that Gnonto features on a three-man shortlist at Goodison Park beside free agent Moussa Dembele and Leicester City veteran Jamie Vardy as Sean Dyche looks to strengthen his options in the final third.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has signalled that Aston Villa and Serie A clubs are indeed open to adding Gnonto to their ranks.

Jones said: "I know that things fell apart in the end, but it would be a shame for the Premier League to lose him completely. There are teams in Italy that are keeping a little bit of a closer eye on the Gnonto situation right now, but Villa are having a strong push in this transfer window and a player like that would be really exciting."

Will Leeds United be able to keep hold of Wilfried Gnonto?

Stranger things have happened; however, it is hard to imagine that a fully fledged Italy international at Gnonto's age would be willing to drop down to the Sky Bet Championship to continue his career development.

Last term, Gnonto made a decent impact in his debut campaign at Elland Road, registering four goals and four assists in 28 appearances in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

The £20k-a-week ace has also excelled in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues regarding progressive carries, completing 4.39 per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, putting him in the top 20% for this metric, as per FBRef.

Cited by The Daily Mail, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville gave Gnonto some high praise in the aftermath of his performance in Leeds United's 2-1 loss to Aston Villa back in January, stating: "Sometimes you see potential and talent but watching him so closely, his understanding of where to be, his choice of pass, when to run with it, his awareness of teammates, really good honestly."

Gnonto has a bright future ahead of him and it looks like Leeds United will have a thankless task on their hands to try and keep him at Elland Road.

Ross Whiteley followed up his six sixes in an over against Yorkshire at Headingley by clearing the ropes five more times to stun Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge

ECB Reporters Network and ESPN staff26-Jul-2017
Ross Whiteley’s six-hitting prowess continued at Trent Bridge•Getty ImagesSix-hitting Ross Whiteley supercharged Worcestershire Rapids as they completed their first victory of the season in the NatWest T20 Blast by defeating Notts Outlaws by 13 runs at Trent Bridge.Whiteley, who hit six sixes in an over against Yorkshire on Sunday, cleared the ropes on five occasions in making 42 from just 16 balls.Three came in one over from Harry Gurney which went for 24. Gurney finished with an analysis of none for 57, the most expensive in the county’s T20 history.His assault stunned Notts, one of the favourites to take the trophy, and underlined the call from his director of cricket Steve Rhodes for England to take him seriously as a candidate for their Twenty20 side.The loss was the first sustained at home by the Outlaws since May last year, a run of seven wins and two abandonments, which leaves them on six points from as many matches in this campaign, whilst the Rapids’ win lifts them up to three points.The home side had been set to score 209 for their fourth consecutive win but found themselves pegged back after an aggressive start and could only post 195 for 5.Riki Wessels made 49 and Alex Hales scored 44 in the chase but John Hastings proved to be an effective matchwinner for the Rapids, taking 3 for 31.Earlier, 60 from Joe Clarke and a punishing sixth wicket partnership of 60 in just 4.2 overs helped push the Rapids up to 208 for 8, after being asked to bat first.Clarke scored his runs from only 27 deliveries and hit seven fours and three sixes to get the visitors off to a flying start, which took them past 50 inside just four overs. Clarke took 28 off a single over from Luke Wood.After Notts had fought back strongly, Whiteley and Mitchell Santner took it away from them again with some destructive hitting.Santner also showed his big-hitting prowess with three maximums of his own in making 35 from 20 balls.Santner clubbed one of his rope-clearing blows off countryman Ish Sodhi, who took 2 for 41, including the prized scalp of Whiteley, who skewed the leg-spinner to point.Jake Ball had earlier removed Clarke and then added some lustre to his final figures of 3 for 34 by removing both Santner and Joe Leach as the innings drew towards a close.Notts had never chased down a target as large as 208 before but enjoyed an explosive Powerplay to set them on track, rattling up 76 without loss. Hales scored 50 of them, reaching the landmark in just 22 balls, with 12 fours – seven of them coming from eight consecutive deliveries bowled at him by Jack Shantry.With the game moving decisively away from them they were given a lifeline when Hales went after Brett D’Oliveira but failed to clear Ed Barnard on the deep midwicket fence, with the score on 92.When Brendan Taylor found 18-year old debutant Pat Brown on the midwicket fence, off Daryl Mitchell for 25, Notts still needed 80 from 46 balls.Outlaws captain Dan Christian made only two, hoisting fellow-Australian Hastings down to Clarke at long leg.The required run-rate rose to more than over 13, with 66 needed from the last five overs and home chances dipped further as Samit Patel became Hastings’ second victim, pulling to midwicket for 10.On 44 Wessels reached 4,000 runs in T20 cricket but he perished shortly afterwards and despite Tom Moores and Steven Mullaney throwing the bat in the closing overs the damage had already been done.

Chelsea are expected to submit a "new bid" for Brighton and Hove Albion's defensive midfielder Moises Caicedo "in the next days", according to reliable journalist Rudy Galetti.

Is Moises Caicedo leaving Brighton?

The Premier League talisman has established himself as an integral member of Roberto De Zerbi’s squad at The Amex having started 34 out of the 38 top-flight games last season, and after emerging as his outfit’s best-performing defensive player, he’s been attracting significant interest since the start of the year.

Back in January, Arsenal were heavily linked with a swoop for the 21-year-old who even penned an open letter on social media to share his desire to leave, but soon after, it came as a surprise that he put pen to paper on a new long-term Seagulls contract until 2027, likely so that they could sell their prized asset for more money this summer.

The Blues more recently entered the race for the Ecuador international but saw their initial £60m offer turned down, though with members of the media having since claimed that he’s “keen to join” and is “pushing for the move”, Todd Boehly and Mauricio Pochettino are ready to take a second bite of the cherry.

Are Chelsea signing Moises Caicedo?

Taking to Twitter, Galetti revealed that Chelsea will imminently table a fresh offer for Caicedo in the hope of finally reaching a summer agreement to bring him to Stamford Bridge, with the new Blues boss feeling he is "the ideal player" to sign.

"Chelsea are ready to speed things up for Caicedo [by] making a new bid in the next days. The position of Brighton is quite adamant, asking for at least £100m, but CFC will do their best to sign the [Ecuadorian]. Poch considers him the ideal player to strengthen the midfield."

How good is Moises Caicedo?

Chelsea will know that Caicedo is stronger in the natural defensive midfield aspect of his game having registered just one goal and assist last season in the Premier League, but having been dubbed a “Machine Man” sitting in front of the backline by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Pochettino admiring him so much comes as no surprise.

The Futbol Division client won a total of 50 out of his 100 tackles over the course of the previous campaign which was the highest success rate throughout the whole of his squad, via FBRef, not to mention that he also averaged 1.5 interceptions per top-flight game, highlighting his desire to win back possession for his team.

The World Cup participant additionally has the flexibility to operate slightly higher up in central midfield and even at right-back alongside his usual role which is yet another attractive attribute, so he would provide the Blues with plenty of versatility should he put pen to paper in the weeks ahead.

With Brighton appearing to stand firm on their valuation, Boehly will know that he'll seriously need to splash the cash if he wants to acquire the services of his long-term target in Caicedo, and there's no doubt that he's a player who could prove to be a shrewd signing in London.

Celtic may be on their own in the race to sign Kieran Tierney now, with The Daily Record reporting that Newcastle are no longer so keen to sign the defender.

What is Kieran Tierney worth?

The 26-year-old originally moved to Arsenal back in 2019 for £25m and went on to play 15 times in the Premier League for them in that initial campaign. A season later though, that total had increased to 27 as the Scotland man became an increasingly important member of the first-team side.

However, despite establishing himself as their first-choice left-back during this period, his gametime has since tailed off for the Gunners. In 2022/23 for example, he still played over 20 times for the club in the top flight, but only six of those were actual starts. It means that his market value now – as suggested by Transfermarkt – could be around 25 million Euros (or £21.5m). That's less than their original outlay on the defender.

His most productive spell remains his time with Celtic. He spent five seasons with the Scottish Premiership outfit, after the side gave him his SPL debut as a 17-year-old. He was turned to continually as a teen despite his youth and went on to play in over 100 league games for the Hoops during his time there.

With the defender potentially out of the plans in north London now and down the pecking order for Mikel Arteta, there has been interest in signing the 26-year-old this summer. Newcastle have been one of the clubs tracking Tierney, with the Toon contemplating a bid for his services this summer. The Hoops though have also been linked with a sensational swoop to bring the Arsenal man back to Scotland, although they too have yet to submit an official offer.

Are Celtic signing Kieran Tierney?

Now, according to a report from The Daily Record, the SPL outfit could have been handed a big boost in their efforts to land Tierney. That's because it seems Newcastle's interest in adding the defender to their ranks has cooled, with the report also referring to Alex Crook, who states that the interest "seems to have gone quiet".

It adds that with Harvey Barnes now joining the Toon, there is less intent from the side in adding Tierney too due to financial knock-on effects. It means that Celtic may now be the only team in the race to sign him – and the pathway has therefore opened up for the Hoops to try and get a deal done.

If they did sign him, it would be another shrewd move from Celtic. Arsenal defender Oli Zinchenko, who has played and competed with the left-back for the Gunners, called the Scot "amazing" and admitted he had watched the 26-year-old in action before they were even teammates.

Celtic then would certainly be upgrading their defensive ranks if they could get a deal done – and it would likely benefit the player, as it could also mean more playing time and a second chance at a place he was appreciated and thrived.

The BCCI has agreed to accept most of the Lodha recommendations after an SGM on Wednesday, but were strongly against implementing five reforms

Nagraj Gollapudi26-Jul-2017After several months of staunch resistance, the BCCI members – state associations – have unanimously decided to implement most of the Lodha Committee recommendations with the exception of five broad reforms. The BCCI took the decision at a special general meeting (SGM) in Delhi on Wednesday, which was attended by all members including the newly-inducted north-eastern states.The recommendations that the BCCI said it has difficulty implementing include: membership status which includes the one-state-one-vote reform, disqualification of office bearers, ministers and government officials based on eligibility criteria such as the age cap, tenure and cooling off period, the strength of the Apex Council – which replaces the existing working committee, the division of powers between the office bearers and the professional management, and strength of the national selection committee.All five recommendations singled out by the BCCI on Wednesday have been raised by board members consistently in the past as major stumbling blocks preventing reforms.The one-state-one-vote recommendation primarily affects six members – Maharashtra, Mumbai, Vidarbha, Gujarat, Baroda and Saurashtra. According to the Lodha Committee, the six votes would be reduced to two with rotating representation at the board meetings every year. However, the BCCI wants the existing membership status to be restored. The BCCI also wants the voting powers granted at present to government institutions comprising Railways, Services and the Universities to be retained.The most contentious reform the BCCI is against is the eligibility criteria for an office bearer or a representative of a state association to attend board meetings. The BCCI wants a cooling-off period of three years after every term applicable to an office bearer removed because a maximum tenure of nine years has already been prescribed. It also does not want to impose the 70-year age cap put in place by the Lodha Committee for office bearers and administrators. The Indian board is also against not allowing government employees to be part of any board committee.Another area that concerns the BCCI is the distribution of power granted to the office bearers and the board’s professional management, led by the CEO. Under the existing system, the BCCI secretary informally carries out the role of the CEO and shares the power with the board president.Under the Lodha Committee’s recommendations, the role of the office bearers would be diminished while the CEO would be granted significant independent decision-making powers. Many of the BCCI members are against ceding control.The Lodha Committee had also suggested replacing the powerful BCCI working committee, which approves all decisions, with a nine-member Apex Council, comprising five office bearers – president, secretary, joint-secretary, treasurer and a vice-president – and a single representative from the general body (all BCCI members). At the SGM on Wednesday, the BCCI argued that the number of representatives from the general body – ideally one from each of the five zones – should sit on the Apex Council.The final reform the BCCI wanted the court to reconsider is increasing the number of heads on the national selection panel to five, two more than the Lodha Committee’s recommendation. The BCCI had already trimmed the selection panel to three, immediately after the Supreme Court approved the recommendations last year.On July 18 last year, the Supreme Court had approved the recommendations and asked the BCCI to implement them within six months from that seminal order. The BCCI remained unaffected. The court then put in place a Committee of Administrators on January 30 this year tasking it with implementing the recommendations.Various BCCI members raised objections, pointing out some of the recommendations could not be practically implemented and went against the constitution of both the board and their respective state associations.On Monday, the Supreme Court directed the BCCI to implement as many recommendations as were “practicable” at the SGM. The court also pointed out that it would revisit some of the recommendations the BCCI had highlighted in the past.According to more than one BCCI members who attended the SGM, the moderate tone of the court’s order on Monday gave an extra leash to those who stalled the reform process. “When the Supreme Court is giving us the liberty to choose [which recommendations to implement], then why object?” a member who attended the SGM said. “When the court itself is not keen in implementing some reforms and it openly says some are impracticable then how can they persuade the members?”

India are 2-0 up and cannot lose the series; will they finally give Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik a look-in?

The Preview by Sidharth Monga01-Jul-2017Match FactsSunday, July 2, 2017
Start time 0900 local (1300 GMT)Will India finally give Rishabh Pant a game?•Getty Images

Big PictureWest Indies must feel this is just a surreal nightmare. They are playing in the rainy season and at 9am in front of no crowds to adjust to the opposition’s schedule and to finish at least half the match before the opposition fans go to sleep. In the first half they try their best, flailing their limbs, trying to wake up from the nightmare, trying to bowl with discipline, and then when seemingly nobody is watching – little live crowd, little TV following in India – they slip back to the nightmare, with their inexperienced batting letting them down.Friday was their best chance to put one past India – they had got the first use of a damp pitch and had taken two early wickets – but they seem almost scared of aiming too high. If you looked at the fields and the kind of bowling West Indies employed, you wouldn’t guess it was a difficult pitch to bat on. They have now not won an ODI series in three years, and are playing like it.India, on the other hand, are enjoying a dream. Pristine islands, no crowd to haunt them for selfies, a small press contingent, an easy opposition, and their internal troubles far far away for the moment. The only dilemma they might be grappling with is when to give Rishabh Pant a go. They have avoided adventure on the field so far, but if they don’t try out Pant, now that they can’t lose the series, this trip will be wasted. India need to keep giving the youngsters game time to stay prepared for the contingency of realising in early 2019 that one of their two middle-order giants can’t make it to the World Cup. The other, smaller question will be if they should allow Kedar Jadhav more batting responsibility higher up in the order and test him for a bigger role.Form guideWest Indies LLWLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India WWLWWIn the spotlightIt’s like wine, MS Dhoni said, referring to getting better with age, after he had converted a slow start into a near run-a-ball 78 and had given India a match-winning total. However, he is an uncorked wine; at this age – 35 now, 37 during the next World Cup – Dhoni will know he is as good as his last couple of innings. The good thing is, his keeping has shown no signs of deterioration and he was back to providing running commentary as he kept wicket in the third ODI. He will need all this in the coming two years if he is to make it to the 2019 World Cup.Jason Holder has an unenviable task of leading an inexperienced West Indies side, and he tried to do the noble thing of leading from the front. However, he might perhaps be better off being a little more practical and not bowl himself at the death. In the last two ODIs, he has been targeted by India. In Port-of-Spain he had to be taken off after he bowled three beamers – one of them was so slow Dhoni pulled it. His 4.5 overs at the death in the last two matches have cost 65 runs.Team newsWest Indies made three changes in the last match. None of the newcomers did awfully. Kesrick Williams had an impressive debut, bowling five overs in the last nine. It might just help them to stick with the same players for a while. The only question will be if they want Alzarri Joseph back.West Indies (probable): 1 Evin Lewis, 2 Kyle Hope, 3 Shai Hope (wk), 4 Jason Mohammed, 5 Roston Chase, 6 Jason Holder (capt.), 7 Rovman Powell, 8 Ashley Nurse, 9 Kesrick Williams, 10 Devendra Bishoo, 11 Miguel Cummins,Will either Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik get a chance now that India can’t lose the series? Is there scope to try Ravindra Jadeja again?India (probable): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Ajinkya Rahane, 3 Virat Kohli (capt.), 4 Yuvraj Singh/Rishabh Pant, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Kuldeep Yadav, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Umesh YadavPitch and conditionsThe previous ODI in North Sound was played on a damp pitch, which explains the low scores, but this one should be better to bat on.Stats and trivia MS Dhoni is now behind only Kumar Sangakkara for ODI runs as a wicketkeeper. West Indies have lost 10 and won two ODIs in North Sound.Quotes”We’ll surely look into [making changes]. We have quite a few players who haven’t had a game in a while.”
“We’ve got to come hard, we’ve got to address our batting. In the end we’ve got to bat well.”

Manchester United are reportedly still interested in sealing a move for Monaco defender, Axel Disasi, with manager Erik ten Hag eyeing potential defensive reinforcements ahead of the start of next season.

What's the latest on Disasi to Man United?

Following previous rumours regarding a summer move for the 25-year-old, The Sun are now reporting that the Red Devils remain on 'alert' in case a deal for the Frenchman does become a possibility, despite potential concerns over the player's price tag.

With United seemingly wary of breaching Financial Fair Play regulations – while also enduring a lingering takeover saga – the report suggests that it may prove 'difficult' to land the former Reims ace, despite the fact that Ten Hag 'wants' him.

If the Old Trafford outfit are to snap up the 6 foot 3 rock over the coming weeks the belief is that any deal could cost in the region of £34m, albeit with the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea also ready to pounce with an offer of their own.

How good is Axel Disasi?

This search for a new central defender comes amid the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Harry Maguire's future at the Theatre of Dreams, with the 30-year-old having recently been stripped of the captaincy after starting just eight Premier League games last season.

The former Leicester City man has been heavily linked with a departure following that slide down the pecking order under Ten Hag, hence why the Dutchman is seeking a figure like Disasi to help provide competition for the likes of Victor Lindelof, Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane.

Hailed as "complete" and "dominant" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Monaco machine could prove to be an "amazing signing for any top Premier League club" as he was simply "born to play in England" – as per Kulig.

If United are to get their man – despite the hefty rival interest – then it could allow Ten Hag to find his answer to another exciting Frenchman in the form of William Saliba, with the latter man currently thriving for the Gunners after also making the transition from life in Ligue 1.

The 22-year-old was initially snapped up by the north Londoners on a £27m deal from Saint-Etienne back in 2019, albeit while only forcing his way into the first-team picture at the Emirates last season, after spending the previous few years back on loan in his homeland.

Despite that delayed start to life in English football, the 6 foot 4 gem has been simply "exceptional" over the past 12 months or so, according to manager Mikel Arteta, having started 27 league games as part of the club's ultimately unsuccessful title charge last term.

Likened to a "young Rio Ferdinand" by United legend, Gary Neville, Saliba is certainly a player that the Red Devils would wish to have on their hands, hence snapping up their own version of the Bondy native with the addition of Disasi.

The two men both seemingly share an innate composure in possession, with Saliba ranking in the top 7% in Europe's top five leagues among those in his position for pass completion, while his compatriot ranks in the top 4% for both progressive passes and progressive carries, proving himself adept at playing out from the back.

In a defensive sense, the pair are also seeming alike, with the Arsenal starlet having averaged two tackles and interceptions per game in the league last term as a sign of his ball-winning prowess, while Disasi is only just ahead after averaging 2.3 in that regard from his 28 Ligue 1 appearances.

That likeness between the two towering titans would suggest that the United target could perhaps adapt to life in England just as smoothly as his international colleague has of late, with it looking as if Disasi could very well prove to be Ten Hag's answer to Saliba next term.

Match Facts

June 25, 2017
Start time 0900 local (1300 GMT)1:50

India will be pleased with Ajinkya Rahane being among the runs

Big Picture

Nine am starts in a bilateral series, after a world tournament has ended, with rain in the air, is asking a lot of a spectator. But for those die-hard fans who will still make the trip to the Queens Park Oval, be advised. Port-of-Spain is expected to receive thundershowers on Sunday afternoon, so don’t be surprised if you hit your head on a big red sign in front of the ground that says, “nothing to see here”. The sensible lot would take the time to sleep in, but the players don’t really have that luxury.India, for example, might not have anyone to grumble “five more minutes, coach,” to on this tour, but they do have a few rookies they’d want to get in shape. Left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav was handed a debut on Friday but he didn’t even step on to the field with the match being washed out. Uncapped wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant was not in the XI, but considering the low stakes, it might be useful to give him as many starts as possible to see if he could fit in the 2019 World Cup puzzle.In any case, it is starting to seem like the only way India can check on a middle-order batsman is if they can promote him to open. Typically it is their top order that fetches the bulk of the runs in ODIs – on Friday, Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane contributed 149 out of 199 before the rain came down.West Indies – from 39.2 overs of play – looked steady, and their bowlers were especially clever against Virat Kohli. Pitching it short of a length and outside off stump – on a surface that gave them a little extra lift – they forced the India captain to return with a strike rate of 68. He couldn’t get on top of the ball to bring his powerful wrists into play and he was rarely offered the drive as a means of escape. Take this attack lightly at your peril.

Form guide

West Indies WLLLW (completed matches, most recent first)
India LWWLW

In the spotlight

At 20, Alzarri Joseph generates pace effortlessly, not unlike Kagiso Rabada, who already leads South Africa’s attack in all formats. But that is only an asset when combined with discipline, and some creativity in the form of variations. Joseph showed with his dismissal of Rahane – an offcutter the batsman simply did not see coming – that he is more than ready for modern cricket.The merits in retaining Yuvraj Singh, even though he is 35, become apparent when he is in form. A career-best 150 against England and a 29-ball fifty against Pakistan showcased the best of his timing. In fact, since his comeback in January 2017, he has averaged 45 and struck at 102.24. He might have to keep up that level of performance to ward off competition from the likes of Pant, Manish Pandey (injured) and KL Rahul (injured), though.

Team news

Considering the last match they played ended in a no-result, West Indies might want to persist with the same XI.West Indies (probable): 1 Evin Lewis, 2 Kieran Powell, 3 Shai Hope (wk), 4 Jonathan Carter, 5 Jason Mohammed, 6 Roston Chase, 7 Jason Holder (capt), 8 Ashley Nurse, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Devendra Bishoo, 11 Miguel Cummins,India came to the Caribbean with two uncapped players. One of them – Kuldeep – has debuted already and the other – Pant – would be looking forward to a first ODI cap as well.India (probable): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Ajinkya Rahane, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Kuldeep Yadav, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Umesh Yadav

Pitch and conditions

Before the first ODI, Jeffrey Dujon described the pitch at the Queens Park Oval as a “tie-dye t-shirt” by Jeffrey Dujon, implying that it was difficult to assess. The one thing he was certain of was that it would spin in the first innings and flatten out later.

Stats and trivia

• The average run-rate batting first at the venue across 66 matches is 4.86. That translates to an average score of 243.
• Dhawan and Rahane’s last five ODI partnerships read: 83, 125, 56, 112, 132
• Jason Holder has 48 wickets as West Indies captain – the same as Courtney Walsh

Manchester United are seemingly not giving up in their efforts to sign Rasmus Hojlund this summer, with Fabrizio Romano revealing they will now move for the striker after wrapping up Andre Onana.

How many goals has Rasmus Hojlund scored for Atalanta?

The 20-year-old has only spent one season with current club Atalanta, but has already caught the eye and showcased his ability in Serie A. He was given 32 league games for the Italian outfit over the course of the 2022/23 season, with 20 starts, and managed to bag nine goals with two assists along the way. They were his best totals in any league to date – showing that he is only getting better with more minutes and more gametime under his belt.

Prior to his move to Atalanta, he had spent time in both Denmark and Austria. Making his league debut with FC Copenhagen at just 17-years-old, he initially struggled to find the back of the net for the club despite making 19 appearances for them (albeit only two of those were actual starts).

The attacker then headed off to Sturm Graz to get regular football and with that came the goals. His first season in Austria led to seven goal contributions in 13 Bundesliga games, and he followed that up with five in five the season after before his switch to Serie A.

Have Manchester United made a bid for Rasmus Hojlund?

He's continued to go from strength-to-strength and his potential, as well as his current ability, has led to several sides all eyeing deals to sign him this summer. One of those clubs is Man United, with the Premier League side allegedly having already made a bid to try and bring him in to Old Trafford this window. Their attempts so far though have fallen on deaf ears.

Now, according to a report from Romano, writing for The Guardian, the Red Devils are lining up a new attempt to try and tempt Atalanta into a sale. It's unclear how much they will table to try and sign Hojlund, and Romano actually disputes reports of a previous bid, but he says they have held discussions and will ramp up efforts once the Onana deal is complete. Atalanta will apparently demand around €70m (£60m) to let the player go.

Despite his age, Hojlund has already caught the eye. It's therefore no surprise to see United trying to tie up a deal for an attacker that is currently seen as perhaps one of the hottest properties in his position right now. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig stated that the youngster is a "complete forward" already and added that he has a "huge future".

It means that not only would the Red Devils be getting a player who can immediately come into their frontline and improve it, but could also get even better and become perhaps one of the best strikers in the league. If the club can get a deal sorted then, it could be a really shrewd piece of business.