About the Match

The final of the Pakistan Super League 2018 is finally here. fun88 Betting Tips We think that the two teams to have made it to the finals fully deserve their spot and promise to make the final a memorable one. Islamabad United started the tournament a little slow but then took off in the middle and became the first team to book their place in the knockout stages. fun88 Betting Tips Free Peshawar Zalmi suffered a few hiccups and was faced with a must-win situation for their last three encounters. Like last year, the defending champions managed to overcome all those challenges and are here again.

Which one of these two teams will be crowned champion of the PSL 2018?

Match Preview

Islamabad United

The winners of the inaugural PSL back in 2016, Islamabad United had a rough start to this year’s campaign. The person to turn it around for them has been Luke Ronchi. Betting Tips Free Never recognized for being the most consistent batsman, Ronchi has set the tournament alive with his big-hitting exploits.

His 94 not out off 39 balls turned a relatively difficult chase into a cakewalk and propelled Islamabad United into the Final. Ronchi is going to be the most important player for Islamabad United in this game as well.

It is not just a one-man show for Islamabad, though. fun88 Betting Tips JP Duminy has embraced his role as a leader of this side and will be captain for this final. Misbah ul Haq is expected to miss the game because of injury. Duminy and Ronchi have been the backbone of this batting effort for Islamabad.

More than Ronchi, who can be explosive but difficult to predict, it is Duminy that we think will have an impact on this game. fun88 Tips Free He is good against spin bowling and has plenty of experience of playing in conditions similar to what he will face.

Chadwick Walton should slot in for Alex Hales who refused to travel to Pakistan. Match Betting Tips The loss of Hales will be a big loss for Islamabad United since he is one batsman who can also win games on his own. Local players like Sahibzada Farhan, Hussain Talat, and Asif Ali have had success going into this match as well.

The Islamabad United bowlers will have a tough time keeping the Peshawar Zalmi batting quiet but that is exactly what they have to do. Online fun88 Betting Faheem Ashraf is the leading wicket-taker of the tournament, Mohammad Sami has been a prolific wicket-taker as well, and Shadab Khan seems to be getting into some rhythm at this late stage in the tournament.

Islamabad is carrying some serious momentum into this tournament and will be tough to stop.

Peshawar Zalmi

The defending champions of the PSL can expect to be the crowd favorites in this title clash as well. Darren Sammy has won the Pakistani crowds over while local boy Kamran Akmal is the most exciting batsman of this tournament.

Can Kamran Akmal continue to play with unbelievable freedom in the final? In a lot of ways, this final is going to be about his personal rivalry with Luke Ronchi as the best batsman of this year’s PSL. We think Akmal can be very difficult to stop if he gets going and so Islamabad must try and pick him off in the first few deliveries.

Andre Fletcher, Mohammad Hafeez, and the overseas all-rounders will be supporting Kamran Akmal as they attempt to win this match. Cbtf Liam Dawson and Darren Sammy need to be careful that they do not leave themselves too late in this match because they have both shown the ability to score very quickly.

Mohammad Hafeez is the one batsman that we actually think can harm Peshawar by batting for too long.

Peshawar Zalmi seems to be a good chasing team and that is what they would like to do in this match.

Where Peshawar seems to have a real advantage over Islamabad is in their bowling attack. fun88 Match Betting Tips Chris Jordan, Hasan Ali, and Wahab Riaz are three supreme T20 bowlers. They can bowl with great control and pace at any stage of the game.

Liam Dawson, Darren Sammy, Umaid Asif, and Sameen Gul are also in the team to help complete the overs as per the need of the game.

Peshawar Zalmi will go into this game believing they can win. They have done exceedingly well in must-win matches so far and will be full of confidence.

Pitch and Conditions

Karachi has not hosted a match of this magnitude in a long time. Free fun88 Betting Tips The stadium is actually in the middle of renovations although we expect the work on the pitch to have been completed well in time. Batsmen from both sides can expect a flat batting deck for the final. Boundaries will be brought in to allow big hits from both sides and bowlers will struggle for any kind of assistance.

Two strong batting sides promise to play out a high scoring thriller.

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​Preview by www.cricketbettingtipsfree.net

Once again in this heated series, off-field events have taken centre stage. Kagiso Rabada, South Africa's brilliant paceman, was cleared on Tuesday (March 20) to play the rest of the series after successfully appealing his two-Test ban for breaching the code of conduct.

There has been much uproar, especially in Australia, over the contentious decision ensuring this soap opera of a series continues to be mired in controversy. fun88 Betting Tips Free Almost lost in the backdrop, of course, the hotly contested series is evenly poised heading into the crucial third Test at the picturesque Newlands, one of the most iconic cricket grounds in the world.

After a resounding second Test victory, South Africa have the momentum fuelled by Rabada's sudden availability. The speedster was all over Australia's wobbly batting in Port Elizabeth en route to an 11-wicket man-of-the-match performance.

​Apart from being defied by a dogged Mitchell Marsh knock in Durban, South Africa's bowlers have been firmly on top through skilful bowling and well-concocted plans. fun88 Betting Tips They have managed to keep stars Steve Smith and David Warner firmly in check with the Australian captain struggling to curtail wily left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.

Like their counterparts, South Africa's batting has at times wobbled but AB de Villiers has been the difference between the teams. While Smith and Warner have underwhelmed, de Villiers has been brilliant and the standout batsman in the series. Cbtf fun88 Betting Tips For the first time when armed with their frontline pace attack, of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, Australia have been rattled and they have had no answers for de Villiers's inimitable batting.

Most importantly, South Africa may have found the right formula in Port Elizabeth. Dean Elgar and Hashim Amla painstakingly blunted the bowling with a defiant partnership, which was criticised at the time by Australian pundits. Cbtf fun88 However, it paid off as Australia's tiring attack was flayed in the backend of the innings by de Villiers and the tail allowing South Africa to gain an invaluable lead.

Australia's attack has been widely hailed as the best in the world but perhaps it can be curtailed by indefatigable batting. Betting Tips Free Lingering concern remains over the quicks, who have each broken down with injuries in the past. None of them are quite capable of being used as a workhorse.

Knowing this, South Africa's strategy of making them tire looks like a wise one although batting for the long haul could be challenging on a Newlands pitch expected to be green and favourable to seam bowling.

With the new ball expected to move notably, Australia's susceptible batting order will once again be in the firing line in conditions they have long struggled in. Online fun88 Betting Tips No Australian batsman is averaging more than 40 in the series and no centuries have been struck to clearly illustrate their inability to kick on. Every batsman has made starts but, frustratingly, failed to make substantial scores in a major headache for Australia.

As per usual, Australia will lean heavily on Smith to regain his best after an uncharacteristically barren opening two Tests. With Smith and Warner's output significantly down, Australia's brittleness has been exposed and further question marks hover over the line-up after promising signs during the Ashes albeit in the comforts of home.

The tourists have received a tonic with Starc and Mitchell Marsh declared fit after shrugging off injury concerns.

Amid the hubbub, expect more firecrackers out in the middle to continue this highly competitive battle. fun88 Tips Free In a quirk, Cape Town has been a fortress for South Africa except against Australia, who memorably wrapped up a series victory there in 2014.

This isn't the decider but, undoubtedly, Australia or South Africa can gain a stranglehold of the series with a triumph in Cape Town.

When: Thursday, March 22, 2018; 10:30 AM local, 2:00 PM IST

Where: Newlands, Cape Town

What to expect: The weather should be fine throughout the Test. The wicket is expected to be grassy and favour the quicks. Free Cbtf fun88 Tips There should be plenty of seam movement with the new ball but reverse swing might not play a major role compared to the opening two Tests.

Team News

South Africa

With Rabada available, the Proteas have narrowed their squad down to 13 players, leaving them with two decisions to make. Match Betting Tips Temba Bavuma's hand is back to full strength so he will be considered against Theunis de Bruyn, while Lungi Ngidi has a toe problem, which means Morne Morkel could come back into the frame. Faf du Plessis admitted that selection targets are on his mind - South Africa were two players of colour short in Durban and one short in Port Elizabeth - but did not give an indication of how big a factor it would be in this selection.

Probable XI: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis (c), Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wk), Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.

Australia

There were concerns over the fitness of Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Marsh but both have been cleared to play. Free fun88 Betting Tips Australia will once again go in within an unchanged line-up.

Australia XI: David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (c), Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

Did you know?

- Nathan Lyon is four wickets shy of 300 Test scalps. He would be the first Australian offspinner to reach that milestone and the fifth offspinner overall.

- Australia are the only team to defeat South Africa in Cape Town since readmission. During this period, Australia have claimed four victories and lost just twice - in 2009 and 2011.

- Hashim Amla is inching closer to 9000 Test runs, needing 123 to become the 15th batsman to reach the landmark. Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith are the only South Africans with more runs than Amla.

What they said:

"There is a big hype away from the game but I don't think it's gotten into the team's space just yet. The guys are still really focused and motivated and the series has been good. fun88 Betting Tips It's two quality teams trying to compete against each other so it's been great cricket and it's obviously set up nicely at 1-1. If you look at the last two games where there is an hour where a team slips up, the teams are so strong that they can push ahead in the game." - Faf du Plessis

"Looking at the first two Test matches we haven't had someone go on and score a hundred. fun88 Betting Tips Free That's really big for us. If we can get someone in the top four to go on and make a big score it will set the game up for us. That hasn't been good enough in the first two games and we want to turn that around." - Steve Smith

​Preview by fun88 Betting Tips

It's time for high stakes in the Nidahas Trophy 2018 as hosts Sri Lanka and Bangladesh get ready to lock horns in a virtual semifinal on Friday (March 16) at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Having lost to India the previous evening, Bangladesh received a sweet tonic when news of Shakib Al Hasan joining the squad broke through. fun88 Betting Tips Free The star all-rounder had been nursing a finger injury but following a smooth net session in Dhaka earlier, the decision to include the 30-year-old was made. Shakib's inclusion, if he passes the assessment, will not only add meat to Bangladesh's middle-order, which at present is heavily reliant on Mushfiqur Rahim, but also boost their spin potency with Nazmul Islam and Mehidy Hasan not proving to be as penetrative.

Sri Lanka, too, will be delighted to learn that their in-form opener Kusal Mendis is 'fit and ready to play', after he suffered a quadriceps muscle strain while fielding in the game against India on Monday. fun88 Tips Free Mendis has made the opener's spot his own after earning that promotion on the Bangladesh tour, and with four fifties in his last five T20Is, there has been no looking back. Much like their opponents, the hosts, too, are reliant on their wicketkeeper-batsman, Kusal Janith Perera, who will be expected to carry his form forward. Cbtf Betting Tips So far, both the Kusals haven't failed together and if that had to arrive at some point, Sri Lanka would need their middle-order to stand up.

The eerie similarity of both the teams in this tournament spills into their bowling departments too. Only Rubel Hossain has managed to hold his own in Bangladesh's pace battery, while none in Sri Lanka's fast bowling department has offered any semblance of assurance. fun88 Betting Tips The spinners too, have hardly made an impact, with Akila Dananjaya only making a late redemption through a fine performance in the last game. This clash also presents both teams with one final opportunity to up their spin game before they face off against India, who with Washington Sundar and Yuzvendra Chahal, have given nothing easy to the batsmen.

When: Friday, March 16, 7 PM Local

Where: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

What to expect: The weather forecast in Colombo remains the same with thundershowers expected during late afternoon or early evening. Free Match Winner Tips However, that's a 50-50 chance and shouldn't dent the playing conditions as much. Humidity levels rising up to 86 percent, though, will cause a worry.

Team News:

Sri Lanka

The hosts will be happy that opener Kusal Mendis has received a go-ahead to feature in the much important clash. His partner, Danushka Gunathilaka, though, is yet to make his presence felt. fun88 Betting Tips Free With plenty of bowling options in the eleven, they could be tempted to beef up their batting by bringing in Dananjaya de Silva.

Probable XI: Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera (wk), Danushka Gunathilaka/Dhananjaya de Silva, Upul Tharanga, Dasun Shanaka, Thisara Perera (c), Jeevan Mendis, Akila Dananjaya, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera

Bangladesh

If Shakib passes the fitness test, his inclusion will be a tricky decision that the management will need to make. With Liton Das having delivered once at the top of the order and Soumya Sarkar their most consistent T20 batsman, there's no possibility of a chop-and-change at the top. Online fun88 Betting Tips In such a case, the 30-year-old Shakib, in all likelihood, will replace Mehidy Hasan, given he can also offer those four overs of spin, while strengthening the batting in conjunction with Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah.

Probable XI: Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah (c), Sabbir Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Abu Hider Rony, Mustafizur Rahman, Nazmul Islam

What they said:

He [Shakib] has to be assessed like other players, to see if he is fit. If he is fit, then someone of his class and calibre is something that we will have to consider. Free fun88 Tips First we need to assess him and then make an announcement - Courtney Walsh, Bangladesh head coach.

If you know our bowlers, I think in T20s, we have a very young attack. Some of them have played less than 10 matches, but that's not an excuse. That's why we are here, we want to give them experience. The challenge for them is the conditions - Chandika Hathurusingha, Sri Lanka head coach.

​​ABOUT THE MATCH
Islamabad United have taken the top spot on the table with 12 points, after defeating Multan Sultans by 33 runs in the last outing; they will now take on Quetta Gladiators, who are placed 2nd with 10 points, at Sharjah on 15th March for the 28th game of the league. fun88 Betting Tips United have won four consecutive games and seems to be a formidable force to reckon with; however, the last time they faced Gladiators, they had lost the match by 6 wickets. fun88 Betting Tips Free It needs to be seen if the United’s winning juggernaut is brought to a halt by the Gladiators yet again on Thursday.

QUETTA GLADIATORS
Bowling first against Lahore Qalandars, the bowling unit failed to contain the opponents and ended up facing a stiff target of 186; speedsters Anwar Ali and Hasan Khan bowled economically and took a wicket each while Rahat Ali and Mir Hamza also dismissed one opponent each but proved to be expensive. fun88 Tips Free Against Peshawar Zalmi, they had stifled the batsmen to 157 runs thanks to a stupendous show by all-rounder Shane Watson, and others like Laughlin, Rahat Ali and spinner Mohammad Nawaz.

Captain Sarfraz Ahmed posted a superb 45 while Watson and Rossouw scored 30+ runs each to chase down the target with ease and win by 6 wickets. Against Karachi Kings, Watson posted a gigantic 90 off 58 to take the total to 180 while Kevin Pietersen scored a well-made 52. Match Betting Tips Anwar Ali and Rahat Ali provided 2 breakthroughs each with their pace and others contributed with a wicket each to help win the match by a thumping 67 runs.

The Gladiators have previously defeated United as the bowlers restricted them to a lowly 134 and then gunned down the runs easily. They have good resources to repeat the winning performance here.

ISLAMABAD UNITED
Luke Ronchi’s thunderous 58 off 36 in the last match against Sultans brought him the player of the match award and helped United garner 185 runs batting first, which led to their 33-run victory. Match Tips Free Alex Hales also contributed well with 46 off 33 while Hussain Talat scored 36 runs to keep the scoreboard ticking. Although Duminy failed to impress at the top-order, they have good resources like Faheem Ashraf and captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who can steady the innings from the middle-order.

Spinners Shadab Khan and all-rounder Samit Patel took 2 wickets apiece to stifle the opposition’s chase while speedsters Amad Butt, Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Sami took 5 wickets between them to help wrap up a win by 33 runs. Free fun88 Tips Duminy’s brilliant 73 off 54 against Zalmi helped them post a challenging target of 182, which the bowlers defended successfully thanks to a 4-wicket haul by Patel and good contributions by spinner Zafar Gohar, who registered 3-25, Shadab Khan and Faheem Ashraf. fun88 Betting Tips Middle-order batsman Asif Ali also had done well by pitching in with 45 off 24 and adds depth to the squad.

They had suffered defeat against Gladiators last time around but have improved their all-round show to lead the table; they could surely prove to be a tough nut to crack here.

OUR PREDICTION
It could be anybody’s game between these two strong contenders this season, who have been winning consistently. fun88 Betting Tips Free While United lost the match previously against Gladiators, we feel they have enough firepower to avenge that defeat and continue at the top position with a win here on Thursday.

​ABOUT THE MATCH
​
Peshawar Zalmi finds itself in a tough spot to qualify for the PSL 2018 semi-finals. fun88 Betting Tips They currently have six points from eight matches and must win their remaining two to qualify. The Karachi Kings are in a better spot but they also need at least one win from their last two matches to be certain of qualification. fun88 Betting Tips Free There are quality players on both sides and we expect all teams to play with a real sense of purpose going forward.

MATCH PREVIEW

PESHAWAR ZALMI

There is a lot that needs to go right Peshawar to be able to win their next two matches. Cbtf fun88 It is a situation similar to the one they faced last year and that should give them confidence. fun88 Tips Free This year, though, Peshawar Zalmi has looked like a team struggling to gain any sort of momentum.

Kamran Akmal at the top of the order is having a poor season. Cbtf As the leading scorer for Peshawar and the entire league for that matter last season, Akmal was expected to lead the batting. Mohammad Hafeez is also someone that just does not have the tempo for T20 cricket. He is slightly better than Ahmed Shehzad of the Multan Sultans but both of them face way too many dot balls.

Peshawar has so far depended upon Dwayne Smith to get them momentum during batting. Smith actually has two runs lesser than Mohammad Hafeez in the tournament but his strike rate of 130.40 for the tournament is much better.

Smith has also hit 14 sixes in the tournament compared to just 7 for Hafeez.

Rikki Wessels in the middle order and Darren Sammy coming later will also have a very important role to play in the upcoming two matches. Peshawar will be happy to have the services of Hasan Ali once again in this tournament but their bowling is still a little suspect.

Wahab Riaz and Hasan Ali are out and out wicket-takers. Riaz, though, can frequently be quite expensive in T20 matches. Match betting Tips We like Liam Dawson’s bowling and think he has done an excellent job this season.

These are the three bowlers who will be tasked with bowling the Karachi Kings out and keeping the runs down as well.

Peshawar Zalmi is going to have its hands full to try and get over the line against Karachi but they certainly possess the personnel to be able to do so.

KARACHI KINGS

The last match that the Karachi Kings lost to the Lahore Qalandars has to be one of the most exciting T20 matches every played in the PSL. Ipl Betting Tips There were many times, including the last scheduled ball of the match, when it seemed that Karachi had won the match but they kept flubbing it up.

The Karachi Kings are still in a good position from which they should qualify but will not rest easy until they have that elusive additional victory. Free fun88 Betting Tips Karachi Kings has been one our favorite teams this year. They have played with passion in every single match and has one of the best bowling lineups in the competition.

Shahid Afridi has made an immediate difference to the team as his bowling remains extremely difficult to score off. fun88 Betting Tips Alongside him, bowlers like the world-class Mohammad Amir, the hugely impressive Usman Khan, and Imad Wasim as well.

Mohammad Irfan Junior has also shown a happy knack of picking up wickets at important intervals while Ravi Bopara can be depended upon to provide a couple of overs in every match. fun88 Tips Free This is an attack with a lot of flexibility and variety.

Of course, Afridi and Amir will be the two biggest threats to Peshawar and we won’t be surprised to see them seen off by the opposition batsmen without taking too many risks.

Karachi Kings also have a very dangerous batting lineup. Match Tips Lendl Simmons has just started to get into some excellent form and can be very destructive going forward. Simmons is actually underrated by the cricketing community but has performed well for years now around the world.

His opening partner Joe Denly is very dangerous as well and can hit the long ball with ease. Winner Tips Free With Babar Azam to make sure the inning continues to tick along at a nice tempo, the Karachi Kings have the opportunity to bat aggressively around him.

Colin Ingram has been disappointing in the tournament so far. He has not passed the fifty run mark and just has a total of 139 runs so far. The business end of the tournament, though, could see him come into his own and make a difference for Karachi.

Following these four are the all-rounders. Ravi Bopara, Shahid Afridi, and Imad Wasim are all capable batsmen but not players whom you would like to see on the wicket too early.

The Karachi Kings have an excellent T20 setup and have been playing well in this tournament. Free fun88 Tips They just need to keep their composure and do the job one more time to book their place in the semi-finals.

PITCH AND CONDITIONS
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The pitch at Sharjah tends to help the spinners more than the one at Dubai. Match Betting Tips The small boundaries may help the batsmen in scoring some big runs as well. Cbtf Betting Tips Accurate bowlers who bowl stump to stump and spinners that get some purchase off the surface are going to be difficult to score off. Scores of around 160 should be considered as slightly above par.

It's a good time to be a Bangladesh cricket fan. fun88 Betting Tips Free The smiles are visibly back and courtesy a stunning run-chase over hosts Sri Lanka, they have thrown the tournament wide open. fun88 Betting Tips Till a little while ago, Bangladesh were desperately scouring for a win, more so in the shortest format, one they admittedly have been poor at. What the fourth-highest successful run-chase has done though, is it has lifted their sagging spirits. However, inclement weather in Colombo has hit their preparations building up to the big clash quite badly. Big brothers India, on the other hand, will be glad to have pocketed their second win, more because their middle order came to the fore and brought them a win without much fireworks from the usual suspect - Shikhar Dhawan.

The need for both departments to come together in cohesion has been highlighted by skipper Mahmudullah on multiple occasions. Cbtf In the opening game, their batting flopped in the face of some tight bowling from India, and in the second game, their bowlers were found guilty of hitting wrong lines and lengths on a wicket that was already relentless on the bowlers. If the batters and bowlers can combine together for a cause, Bangladesh might get closer to upsetting India in a T20I, something that they have never achieved in six attempts now. While their top five - Liton Das, Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah, are bubbling with confidence, they would do well to rebound some of it on Taskin Ahmed, who's gone over 11 runs an over on an average in the tournament so far. Mustafizur Rahman has used his change-ups well on the tour so far but the team will need Rubel Hossain and him to tighten up the noose further in the first six overs.

There's not much that should bother India barring some names not living up to their reputation. Skipper Rohit Sharma is due for runs on the tour and although he showed some spark at the top of the innings in the previous game, he's yet to come into his own. The red-hot form of Dhawan had meant that there was hardly any pressure on the rest of the batting line-up, but his rare failure on Monday served as the perfect audition for Manish Pandey and Dinesh Karthik, who brought along their sensible best to see India home. Cbtf fun88 Tips The other batsman who will be disappointed is Suresh Raina. Free fun88 Tips While he's been striking the ball clean since his comeback in the South Africa T20Is, he is yet to play that one big knock. Monday night provided him the perfect setting before he over-attacked to throw his wicket away, and as a result, fluff an opportunity too.

When: Wednesday, March 14, 7 PM Local

Where: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

What to expect: Having hampered Bangladesh's training sessions in the two days they had in between games, Colombo's weather seems set to disrupt proceedings on Wednesday too. There's a possibility of thundershowers in the evening, although not as high. With the groundsmen having been at their proactive best, there should be action, even if curtailed.

Team News:

India

Having finished a game late on Monday night, the team opted to stay indoors, providing no peek into their minds about the selection plans for the next game. But, India are likely to continue with KL Rahul, whose stay at the crease was cut short by him stepping onto the stumps. Cbtf Jsk Whether Deepak Hooda can come in place of Vijay Shankar will be a conditions-driven call given the pacer might relish the overcast conditions more than the offspinner.

Probable XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Vijay Shankar/Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Jaydev Unadkat, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal

Bangladesh

Taskin Ahmed's below-par performances in the two contests could start bothering Bangladesh, and in that case they might look in the direction of Abu Jayed and Ariful Haque. Free fun88 Betting Tips The duo managed to crank up some pace in the nets facility after having waited for the weather to clear up for long on the eve of the match.

Probable XI: Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah (c), Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Nazmul Islam, Liton Das, Abu Jayed/Ariful Haque, Mustafizur Rahman, Mehidy Hasan

What they said:

"Even before embarking on this tour, we had a clear goal in our mind that we have to make it to the final. The goal is always to win, we haven't lost our head over the previous win, we are still grounded. fun88 Betting Tips There are question marks about our T20 skills, but I am hopeful we will be able to remove it steadily. We want to create a Bangladeshi brand of cricket" - Mahmudullah, Bangladesh captain

​ABOUT THE MATCH
​
Islamabad United has continued to go from strength to strength in this tournament. fun88 Betting Tips A win in this match will give them the top spot in the league standings. Their opponents, the Multan Sultans, could also move to the top spot with a win but would have played two games more than everyone else. fun88 Match Betting Tips A loss for the Multan Sultans in their last league game will actually leave them vulnerable to possibly being overtaken by Peshawar Zalmi. That eventuality would probably see them miss out on a semi-final berth.

MATCH PREVIEW

MULTAN SULTANS
The Multan Sultans will play their last league game against Islamabad United. Free fun88 Betting Tips Their last match was a comprehensive thrashing at the hands of the Karachi Kings and they will definitely want a better performance this time around.

Kumar Sangakkara is the second highest run-scorer in the tournament right now with 268 runs to his name. fun88 Betting Tips He has been the lynchpin of the Multan Sultans batting but cannot be expected to win matches on his own every time. Shoaib Malik has fallen away as the tournament has progressed while Sohaib Maqsood is just too inconsistent to be relied upon.

We are all waiting for that one inning from Kieron Pollard that will justify the reputation he commands but there is no indication of when it might come. Match Betting Tips And let us not get started on Ahmed Shehzad. Why would any team continue to play him at the top of the order when he eats up too many balls and does not score enough runs?

Sohail Tanvir seems like a good bet to try as a pinch hitter at the top of the order. As things stand, the Multan Sultans are struggling with their batting order. fun88 Tips Free Recent evidence suggests that they will need plenty of runs against Islamabad United.

We are a lot more positive about the bowling attack for the Multan Sultans. fun88 Tips Imran Tahir is the leading wick taker in the league while Mohammad Irfan is one of the most economical. Hardus Viljoen and Junaid Khan did not have a great time in the last match but they can be counted upon to bounce back strongly.

If Multan can get through the Islamabad top-order then they may be able to expose a relatively soft underbelly.

ISLAMABAD UNITED

JP Duminy and Luke Ronchi are having the Pakistan Super League season of their dreams. Both the players have been prolific at the top of the order and are setting up wins with consistency. Betting Tips Free We, looking at their team from a betting perspective, don’t like the fact that they are so top-heavy but the results have been exceptional.

Is there anything to suggest that JP Duminy and Luke Ronchi will be able to sustain this pace throughout? Cbtf fun88 No, but there is nothing to suggest they will not either. At this point in time, we have to respect their winning momentum.

Islamabad United will also be able to avail the services of Sam Billings to beef up their middle order from this match on. Free fun88 Tips One of either Samit Patel or Steven Finn could find their head on the chopping block of Islamabad United decides to go that way.

Past record suggests that Duminy is much more likely to be able to continue his run-scoring spree than Ronchi and that is the way we are leaning as well. Useful contributions from Hussain Talat, Asif Ali, and cameos from Faheem Ashraf have helped Islamabad United outscore their opponents with ease.

The Islamabad bowling attack has been coming together pretty nicely over their last few matches as well. fun88 Betting Tips Mohammad Sami continues to pick wickets but can be expensive, Samit Patel picked 4 wickets in the last game, Finn is economical on most days, and Shadab Khan is finding his rhythm as well.

With Faheem Ashraf and Zafar Gohar also doing well, currently, this Islamabad lineup does not have too many things to worry about. We think the temptation for Islamabad United would be to continue with the same unchanged team but beefing up their middle order should be a priority. They do not want to be in a crunch match and lose their openers cheaply without having adequate backup.

PITCH AND CONDITIONS
The last round of league matches before the knockouts will be played in Sharjah. Jsk Betting Tips The first set of matches at the venue was characterized by a slow pitch, low bounce, and some extremely short boundaries. fun88 Betting Tips A similar sort of pitch is expected for this match, although we hope to see some more bounce to start off with. The weather is expected to be sunny with no chance of rain.

OUR PREDICTION
Islamabad United the first match between the two teams earlier this season with ease. In their current form, they should be able to defeat the Multan Sultans again.

​ABOUT THE MATCH
​
The Nidahas trophy 2018 has come alive after Bangladesh’s spectacular victory over Sri Lanka. Match Winner Tips All the three teams are equal on points and separated only by net run rate. fun88 Betting Tips Any two could make it to the finals. Sri Lanka managed to beat India quite convincingly the first time these two teams met in the competition, but repeating that performance is not going to be easy. India found a better balance with its young team in the second match and should be a much bigger threat.

MATCH PREVIEW
SRI LANKA

The hosts scored 214 runs in their last match against Bangladesh and then failed to defend it. Cbtf Tips How will that affect their confidence going forward? We think Sri Lanka will treat that loss as a one-off and move on quickly.

There are plenty of positives to build on despite that loss. Kusal Perera has continued his consistent form and is scoring runs at an unbelievable strike rate. fun88 Tips Free 140 runs from two innings puts him just five runs behind Shikhar Dhawan as the leading run scorer in the tournament.

Kusal Mendis also scored plenty of runs and his partnership with Gunathilaka at the top of the order is going to be crucial. fun88 Betting Tips Free India’s new ball bowlers are young and can be put under pressure which is exactly what the top-3 for Sri Lanka will try to do.

With batsmen like Tharanga, Thisara Perera, and Dinesh Chandimal also in the playing eleven, the Sri Lankans should be looking to outscore a depleted Indian batting lineup as well. fun88 Tips There are not too many things that need to be changed with the Sri Lankan batting and perhaps the only change we would like to see is for Chandimal to shunted down to number 6.

As happy as the Sri Lankans will be with the batting, their bowling is in serious need of rejuvenation. Suranga Lakmal must be brought into the playing eleven in place of Chameera to bolster the attack. fun88 Betting Tips Akila Dananjaya has also been going through a tough phase and maybe giving him a break would be a good idea as well.

The Sri Lankan skipper is struggling to find overs from his regular bowlers and has to turn to his part-timers much too often. This is something that can really come back to bit Sri Lanka against India.

INDIA
A poor loss to Sri Lanka and an easy victory against Bangladesh has left India right in the thick of things. They will now hope to consolidate their position in the tournament going forward. Jsk Betting Tips With each team having two matches to play, the possibility of net run rate coming into the equation is a reality. The only way that a team can ensure its passage to the finals is by winning both its remaining matches.

India will need Rohit Sharma to regain form against Sri Lanka and we are backing him to come good. Ipl Betting Tips Rohit Sharma is one of the most destructive batsmen going around in the shortest format of the game. A poor start to the series will mean that he is doubly anxious to set the record right.

India will also have learned from its previous defeat to Sri Lanka and realize that they need to score a lot more runs against them. Expect Rohit Sharma to start aggressively and possibly score a big one. Shikhar Dhawan is in the form of his life and will continue to bat as he has been. Two fifties in two matches and the current highest scorer of the tournament, Shikhar Dhawan will be the wicket that Sri Lanka is most desperate for.

India will be concerned about Rishab Pant’s place in the team. Two failures may have pushed him to the brink of being dropped in favor of Lokesh Rahul. fun88 Match Betting Tips This management backs young players and so he may get another chance in this match but Pant is drinking at the last chance saloon for sure.

Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik, and Vijay Shankar are all looking to establish themselves in the first choice Indian team. fun88 Betting Tips Free They need clear thinking and an aggressive approach to really stand out. We also think Washington Sundar is a player that can surprise the opposition with his batting. fun88 Bazzigar Tips His domestic record is excellent and he could be very useful if needed.

The Indian bowling was very good in the last match. Jaidev Unadkat took three wickets but every other bowler was economical as well. Against Sri Lanka, these bowlers will be tested much more but will hopefully have some plans in place.

Both teams have a stronger batting lineup than bowling and can be expected to be put under pressure while on the field.

PITCH AND CONDITIONS

A high chance of rain has been forecast for this match. We have been lucky with the weather in Sri Lanka so far but it looks like this match is going to be rain affected. Session Betting Tips Hopefully, we are able to get a game in and not have to share points with a washout.

The pitch has been excellent in the series so far. Lambi Pari Tips Free The batsmen can expect another batting paradise if they do in fact get to play on it.

​​The tall chase against Sri Lanka was becoming increasingly eerie for Bangladesh, although their two best bets in Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah were out in the middle. fun88 Betting Tips The script was swiftly moving in the direction of their ill-fated 2016 World T20 clash against India in Bengaluru. Back then, Bangladesh needed 11 off the final over, and then 2 off the last three balls, after which, came an unexpected nosedive.

On Saturday (March 10), Rahim pulled out an audacious reverse sweep to score his first boundary, followed by an even more audacious fist-pump celebration. fun88 Betting Tips Free In an innings filled with madness, where he stepped out to the bowler to slap him over cover, and walked away from the stumps to scoop it for four, Rahim hardly did anything wrong. When Mahmudullah departed, there were still 21 needed to win but unlike the Bengaluru fiasco, one of the two senior men stayed till the end to take the team through, thus ending a drought that had extended for far too long.

That was a high-stakes World T20 game, this was a tri-series group stage fixture - and yet the win would've given Bangladesh a sense of liberation.

Desperate times need desperate measures and when a side has been scouring for a win as badly as Bangladesh, being smashed around for 214 doesn't help. In reply, Bangladesh opted for a sudden promotion to the opener's slot for Liton Das, even as Soumya Sarkar had not put a foot wrong at the top. Free Session Betting Tips Yet, Tamim Iqbal had his reason for making the shuffle. And a tactical one at that. "We knew that they will come out with the offspinner, that was one of the reasons to promote Liton and that plan worked for us. Match Betting Tips When you are chasing down 215, you pretty much need to attack everyone, you cannot relax. Whatever shots we played, we connected and those went for boundaries. fun88 Tips Free The opposite can happen on other days, but I am proud today," Tamim said after the five-wicket win.

There have been multiple factors for Bangladesh struggling to find their T20 formula - from their much-discussed middle-over woes to their not-so-penetrative bowling.On Saturday, the latter persisted, but the batting covered up. fun88 Betting Tips Free After leaking 70 runs in the powerplay, they made up for it by bagging 74 themselves. Liton hit as many as five sixes and two fours during that passage of play, and set the stage up for the steep chase. Jsk Tips Free Tamim's contribution at the top cannot be discounted either, for his 29-ball 47 helped Sarkar settle in at the other end, who focused on rotating the strike. Cbtf Tips Only 48 hours ago, Bangladesh's problems with playing too many dot balls - 55 of them - had surfaced during their loss to India.

Rahim arrived at the crease in the mood for adventurism, earning his first boundary through a brave reverse sweep. fun88 Betting Tips In Hindi In the next two overs, he had hit two more sixes and a four. However, Bangladesh knew that in a demanding chase, a wicket had the potential to turn the tables completely. And against the run of play, the tourists lost Sarkar in the 15th over, with the asking rate still staying north of ten-an-over.

Mahmudullah's arrival though augured well for Bangladesh.

Bangladesh had to deal with a mini-battle within the bigger one - the task to overcome their fears that stemmed from the gut-wrenching loss at Bengaluru. For starters, the skipper had promised to return stronger from his lacklustre seven-ball stay in the previous fixture. And he did.

But with 22 remaining to get off the final 16 balls, Mahmudullah gave Bangladesh the feeling of Deja vu, when he found the mid-wicket fielder with a mistimed hit. fun88 Tips Free Two years ago, he had found the fielder in the same region when Bangladesh were on the doorstep of a memorable win. But the man who had departed just a ball before during that contest was still out there in the middleon Saturday, and seemed intent on not letting a repeat show go on.

The next man in, Sabbir Rahman, fell for a two-ball duck but the former skipper summoned all his experience to take the team over the line, with two balls to spare.

At the start of the tournament, an unhappy Mahmudullah had retorted to a journalist, saying what had happened in Bengaluru was in the past and that life had to move on. Indeed it had to, but a win from a similar situation wouldn't hurt one bit, as he found out on Saturday courtesy Rahim, who scored a masterful 72 off just 35 balls - an innings that had four sixes and five fours.

"This is what you call 10-12 years of experience, he has put all of that to use today. I don't think I can complain about anything today. Free fun88 Tips Had he been dismissed, I could have told him that - 'You should have finished the game.' But he did that too, I am very glad.

"The batsman who had made the mistake in Bengaluru, he didn't repeat ittonight. fun88 Betting Tips Free The way everyone criticised Mushfiqur [Rahim] that day, I believe, he should be praised as much for what he achievedtonight. This is a big step forward and for it to come at a time we needed it as badly, it is very satisfying. This is the best he has batted in a T20I," Tamim said in praise of his teammate.

In the end, Rahim did what the Bangladesh players call the 'snake dance'. He threw punches in the air and celebrated almost in the face of his opponents. fun88 Betting Tips He could be spared for that tonight though - he had just ensured his team would chase down the fourth-highest total in T20Is to end a long-lasting dry spell.

​​Preview by Cricket Betting Tips

Bangladesh had no inkling about how things could go as horribly haywire as it has since their emphatic start in the tri-nation ODI series at home, where they began with three wins - two over Zimbabwe and one over Sri Lanka. Ever since, they have lost two ODIs, one Test and three T20Is. On Thursday night, one couldn't help but empathise with skipper Mahmudullah who was sent down a barrage of questions in the post-match press conference. And, all he had to offer everyone was, "I strongly believe we have the capability to do well, it is just about that one game which will give us our momentum back, we are waiting for that moment, if we get that, you will see a different Bangladesh."

Skipper Mahmudullah has called for fearlessness, more than thrice since landing in Colombo, but their fears are obvious as the bunch has been forced to cop one loss after the other, especially in this format (in their past 14 T20Is, Bangladesh have won only one). At the heart of Bangladesh's first loss was their dot-ball percentage - a staggering 45 percent. While the Bangladesh batsmen played out as many as 55 dot balls, they picked only 43 singles alongside seven twos and threes. fun88 Betting Tips With their batsmen struggling to keep up the run-rate through the middle overs, they would either need to go ballistic in the powerplay or improve their game through the experience of Mushfiqur Rahim and the captain himself in the middle overs. Because Sri Lanka will come hard at them, and if Kusal Perera's knock was anything to go by, Bangladesh might need to duck for cover.

Sri Lanka's confidence, rather the lack of it till some time ago, was much similar to what Bangladesh are going through at the moment, and it was through wins stitched in Bangladesh that the hosts have found their mojo back. Free fun88 Betting Tips The win against India in the tournament opener has got them off to a noble start and having turned up and played against Bangladesh every second day in the past two months, hands them a better understanding too. fun88 Tips Free If the hosts had to worry about anything, it'd be about Nuwan Pradeep and Akila Dananjaya, who went for a lot of runs. Cbtf fun88 Bangladesh, though, will be content with their bowling performance as Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman and Mehidy Hasan put their best foot forward in a below-par total's defense. However, to turn the tables around, they would need a lot more than just that.

When: March 10, Wednesday, 7 PM Local

Where: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

What to expect: There's a 90 percent possibility of thundershowers till late afternoon. However, the forecast is promising for the rest of the evening. fun88 Betting Tips Free That might just spice up the wicket which otherwise is expected to slow down as the tournament wears on.

Team News:

Sri Lanka: After collecting a crucial win to start their campaign, the host nation will not look to make any wholesale changes. fun88 Betting Tips At best, Nuwan Pradeep could make way for vice-captain Suranga Lakmal.

Probable XI: Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Dinesh Chandimal (c/wk), Upul Tharanga, Dasun Shanaka, Thisara Perera, Jeevan Mendis, Suranga Lakmal, Akila Dananjaya, Dushmantha Chameera

Bangladesh: There's little scope for Bangladesh to draft in any changes for the game since the batting outfit they fielded is the best they have brought for this competition. Cbtf fun88 Tips Also with their bowling holding up well in the first game, they might as well give it another try with the same eleven. However, desperation could lead to some last minute change.

Probable XI: Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah (c), Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Nazmul Islam

Did you know?

- Thisara Perera is one wicket away from 50 wickets in T20 Internationals. If he gets there in the next match, he will be the slowest to get to the milestone.

- Whoever loses the match, will become the second side in T20 Internationals to face 50 defeats after New Zealand (52 losses).

- Bangladesh has won only one out of their 14 previous T20 Internationals. That win came against Sri Lanka at the same venue last year.

What they said:

"As I always say talent was aplenty in our team, it's just that the mindset of the boys - and I think coach Chandika Hathurusingha has come in taken maximum part in that - I would say he has changed their mindset by letting them do the things on their own." - Rumesh Ratnayake, Sri Lanka's fast bowling coach

"We haven't been doing well in the last few series. We are playing better in ODIs. We did well in the 2016 Asia Cup in T20s. I think it is becoming more visible since we haven't been doing well recently. We will definitely improve." - Taskin Ahmed, Bangladesh fast bowler

​​ABOUT THE MATCH
​
PSL 2018 is entering the business end of the tournament when teams start calculating what they need to do to qualify. Ipl Betting Tips The absolute decimation of the Lahore Qalandars has left five teams fighting for four spots. Both, Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United are among the contenders and would want to win this match to cement their position further.

MATCH PREVIEW

PESHAWAR ZALMI
Three losses and three wins from their six matches have left Peshawar Zalmi at 5th in the league standings at the moment. fun88 Betting Tips There is still no time to panic though because they are just a win away from the lead group. What they don’t want is to lose another match and start falling behind the leaders significantly.

This makes winning very important for Peshawar.

To make that win happen, Peshawar Zalmi will have to work on plenty of things. Cbtf fun88 Their bowling is going to be up against one of the in-form batsman in the league right now. fun88 Tips Free Their own bowlers were smashed all over the park by Sohaib Maqsood in the last match and will be low on confidence.

Liam Dawson has been very impressive in the Pakistan Super League this season and continued his good form. Cbtf fun88 Tips His four overs went for just 17 runs and included a maiden as well. He is probably the best bowler in the Zalmi unit right now.

We felt that Wahab Riaz was introduced a little late in the game and maybe that is something the management can look at going forward. Free fun88 Betting Tips Wahab needs to pick wickets because he is certainly not someone that will hold the runs down.

The dependence of the Peshawar Zalmi batting on Dwayne Smith is also quite troubling. Smith is the second highest scorer for the team after Mohammad Hafeez but his impact on the game is far greater. fun88 Betting Tips Smith has hit the most sixes in this tournament for Zalmi, has an excellent strike rate, and puts Peshawar Zalmi in a winning position whenever he spends some time at the crease.

Peshawar needs Darren Sammy back in the lower middle order to provide a boost but it is unclear if he will be available for this match. Match Tips The current state of the Peshawar Zalmi team is a little chaotic with some brilliant individual performances not translating to sustain team success. fun88 Tips If more of their players can perform at the same time then they will quickly rise towards the top of the league table.

ISLAMABAD UNITED
Islamabad kept its winning streak intact as they chased down a par total by Lahore Qalandars in their last match with ease. Free fun88 Tips The runs came from the bat of Luke Ronchi who equaled the fastest fifty hit in a PSL match with some useful contributions from JP Duminy, Shadab Khan, and Misbah-ul-Haq to finish things off.

Islamabad’s batting has emerged as a dangerous weapon which it will rely on to win this match against Peshawar as well. We are, however, not quite convinced. Session Betting Tips Luke Ronchi is going through an excellent patch right now but history shows that he is not someone who scores runs consistently.

As and when his high-risk approach starts to fail, Islamabad will need to find some new performers from within their ranks. Lambi pari Tips Duminy is an excellent choice to bat at the top of the order and someone who we would base our batting plans around.

After the top-2 batsmen though there is a lack of quality. Misbah is far from the force he once was, Shadab Khan played a good cameo but asking him to do that everytime is not realistic, and the other Pakistani youngsters still need to prove themselves.

A look back at some of the earlier matches in the tournament will show that Islamabad United struggled when they lost early wickets and had to depend on players like Faheem Ashraf and Hussain Talat to bail them out.

Islamabad’s bowling is also not the strongest in this tournament. Mohammad Sami has been good and currently has 9 wickets to his name while Shadab Khan was brilliant in the last game he played. Session And Lambi Tips Apart from these two, though, Steven Finn has been inconsistent, Faheem Ashraf has been expensive, and Samit Patel ineffective.

The loss of Andre Russell will hit them hard.

Taking all things into account, we do not think that Islamabad will be able to sustain its current success and definitely think this is the right time to short them.

PITCH AND CONDITIONS
Dubai has provided a very good pitch for T20 cricket so far. It is completely flat and offers decent bounce to keep the batsmen interested. Match Winner Tips The boundaries are also small and thus inviting to the big-hitters. Betting Tips Sunny weather without a cloud in sight has been forecast for match day in Dubai.

OUR PREDICTION
Peshawar Zalmi won the first encounter these two sides this season. Over the last five matches, though, Islamabad United has been able to register three victories. Online fun88 Betting Tips There is no doubt that current momentum is with Islamabad United and they will go in as the favorites. We, however, recommend betting against them in this match.

​​Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars, 20th Match – Prediction And Betting Tips

​Pakistan Super League, 2018 Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars 20th Match today cricket match prediction 09 March 2018. So, read the full article to get the prediction of the match.

Tournament Summary

psl-league-2018The Pakistan Super League is also known as HBL Pakistan Super League (HBL). It is the professional Twenty20 domestic cricket competition in Pakistan. fun88 Betting Tips The tournament organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and will play six teams. The tournament format is Double round robin and playoffs. Free fun88 Betting Tips The defending champions are Peshawar Zalmi. Similar to the last two seasons, most of the matches of 2018 season will be played in United Arab Emirates (UAE). fun88 Tips Free The tournament started from 22nd February 2018 to 25th March 2018.

The All Teams:
Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United, Multan Sultans, Quetta Gladiators, Karachi Kings, and Lahore Qalandars

Pakistan Super League, 2018 today match is Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars. fun88 Betting Tips Multan Sultans has lost only two matches in the last seven matches and they stay the first place in the points table. On the other hand, Lahore Qalandars could not win any match yet in the last six matches and they stay sixth place in the points table. So Multan Sultans is favorite to win the match.

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Match Info
Tournament: Pakistan Super League, 2018

Format: T20 League

Team 1: Multan Sultans

Team 2: Lahore Qalandars

Date: Friday, 09 Match 2018

Time: 11:30 AM GMT | 03:30 PM LOCAL | 5:30 PM BDT

Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai

Venue Scoring Pattern
Avg 1st innings score: 141

Avg 2nd innings score: 125

Total Match Played: 46

Batting First Won: 22

Batting Second Won: 23

Highest Total: 211/3 (20 Ov) by SL vs Pak

Lowest Total: 71/10 (19 Ov) by Ken vs IRE

Highest score chased: 183/5 (19.4 Ov) by Afg vs UAE

Lowest score defended: 144/6 (20 Ov) by Pak vs Eng

Multan Sultans Possible XI
Shoaib Malik (c), Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Kieron Pollard, Sohail Tanvir, Darren Bravo, Ahmed Shehzad, Imran Tahir, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, Saif Badar

Lahore Qalandars Possible XI
Fakhar Zaman, Brendon McCullum (c), Agha Salman, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Sohail Akhtar, Umar Akmal, Sunil Narine, Yasir Shah, Salman Irshad, Sohail Khan, Mitchell McClenaghan

​Preview by Cricket Betting Tips

The South Africa-Australia Test series promised a hard-fought battle but relations have soured between the teams in ugly fashion and has left an unsavoury taste ahead of the second Test starting on Friday (March 9). fun88 Betting Tips Since the insults flew between David Warner and Quinton de Kock on day four in Durban, the much-anticipated series has unfortunately been overshadowed by bickering and accusations. fun88 Betting Tips Free Thankfully, the spotlight will return to the on-field action with the crucial second Test in Port Elizabeth set to shape the series.

Australia dominated the first Test with a comprehensive 118-run victory but their momentum may have been stymied by the Warner-de Kock saga with the team being widely admonished for their behaviour in Durban. fun88 Tips Undoubtedly, Australia would be disappointed that their terrific all-round performance in Durban has largely been relegated to the backdrop and, conversely, South Africa have somewhat escaped scrutiny for the lopsided first Test result.

As the dust settles from a turbulent week, a confident Australia can grab a stranglehold of the series with victory in Port Elizabeth and have predictably named an unchanged line-up. Their brilliant attack overwhelmed South Africa with only Aiden Markram and AB de Villiers managing any resistance in Durban. Cbtf fun88 Most ominously, spearhead Mitchell Starc ran through South Africa's tail in both innings and the electrifying left-armer looms once again as the match-winner on an St George's Park deck expected to be favourable to reverse swing.

Matching the hype, Australia has an unbeaten record from five Tests armed with their 'dream team' attack. fun88 Match Tips England and South Africa have been unable to muster much resistance and Australia's attack appears strengthened after an encouraging performance by allrounder Mitchell Marsh, who picked up the crucial wicket of Markram in Durban.

The quicks perfectly complement one another, while Nathan Lyon confirmed his tag as the world's best spinner by setting the tone with early wickets in South Africa's first innings. Even though Australia are surging with six wins from their past seven Tests, they still remain an unfinished product - most notably in batting.

Australia's brilliant bowling attack once again papered over some batting wobbles with the visitors unable to muster an individual century in the first Test. Free fun88 Tips Marsh saved Australia's first innings with 96 and propelled them to a score of 351, which proved more than enough but the brains trust would expect meatier totals moving forward.

Under-pressure opener Cameron Bancroft led Australia's tentative second innings with a half-century to ensure selectors wouldn't have to contemplate making any changes. fun88 Betting Tips However, question marks remain over temperamental No.3 Usman Khawaja, who has long struggled overseas and needs to perform in Port Elizabeth. Otherwise, his rollercoaster of a career will once again be delicately poised.

With their backs against the wall, South Africa showed enough fight in the backend of the first Test to believe a turnaround is imminent. Cbtf They appeared to be getting steamrolled early on day four before Markram's heroics ensured the Proteas avoided total humiliation.

However, South Africa's batting looked brittle and they need considerably better performances from the old guard of Hashim Amla and captain Faf du Plessis. Amla has been under Josh Hazlewood's spell across the past two series and needs to find a way to overcome his tormentor.

South Africa will feel more optimistic about their bowling after generally shackling Australia's batting in Durban. They would have rued a lacklustre performance early on day two which proved costly, highlighted by Morne Morkel's struggles. fun88 Betting Tips With their counterparts firing on all cylinders, South Africa's bowlers can ill-afford any lapses in Port Elizabeth but they can take heart from restricting Australia's stars Warner and Steve Smith.

Smith, in particular, has been almost impregnable in recent times but left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj has enjoyed success and perhaps uncovered a rare chink in the Australian captain's armoury. South Africa will well know that if Smith and/or Warner fire in Port Elizabeth then a series victory could well be forlorn.

Amid such a hotbed climate, with tensions simmering between the teams, the second Test in Port Elizabeth is set to be an explosive battle but, hopefully, without the controversies that marred the series opener.

When: Friday, March 9, 2018; 10AM local, 1.30PM IST

Where: St George's Park, Port Elizabeth

What to expect: The weather should be fine throughout the Test. There was a tinge of green ahead of the Test but the pitch is expected to be slow. Reverse swing could play a factor during the match.

Team News

South Africa

Although Temba Bavuma has had another week of recovery and is batting pain-free, Faf du Plessis said that the batsman probably only has 80% power in the hand. In any case, Jsk Betting Tips Theunis de Bruyn's second innings effort in Durban should ensure that he keeps his place in the side. South Africa will consider tweaking their bowling line-up, but are likely to remain unchanged from the first Test.

Probable XI: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis (capt), Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock (wk), Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel.

Australia

Australia will go in with the same line-up from the first Test.

Playing XI: David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (c), Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon

Did you know

Nathan Lyon is seven wickets shy of 300 Test scalps. He would be the first Australian offspinner to reach that milestone and the fifth offspinner overall.

Since readmission, South Africa and Australia have split the two contests in Port Elizabeth. Australia won an epic Test in 1997 by two wickets, made famous by Ian Healy winning the match with a six, but South Africa returned the favour with a comprehensive 231-run victory in 2014.

Josh Hazlewood has dismissed Hashim Amla six of the last seven innings. The South African great averages 48.58 in Tests but a measly 5.17 against Hazlewood.

What they said

"Obviously there's been a fair bit going on the last couple of days but the boys trained well yesterday. Pretty quick turnaround. Free fun88 Betting Tips We played a really good game in Durban. It probably hasn't been spoken about much, but we played some good cricket and hopefully we can keep it up this week." - Steve Smith, Australia captain

"It's the norm when we play against Australia. It's just about getting us ready for a Test match. It's a big game for us, and we need to make sure that cricket does the talking." - Faf du Plessis, South Africa captain

​​Bangladesh's confidence is at an all-time low with just one win from their last 10 T20Is. However, India's defeat at the hands of hosts Sri Lanka in the curtain raiser would have provided them some solace, and the prospect of facing off against a second-string Indian outfit will only give them hope. However, that doesn't guarantee them a win at the outset and skipper Mahmudullah and his boys will do well to remind themselves of that.

The last time these two teams met it was probably overconfidence that got the better of Bangladesh after they had swiped off 9 off the 11 required, off the first three balls of the final over of the 2016 World T20. Mahmudullah, who was one of the crucial wickets to fall in that fateful over, knows how even a little bit of complacency could come back to haunt them. fun88 Betting Tips They are without Shakib Al Hasan and for starters, which robs Bangladesh off four miserly overs. His batting at a time when Bangladesh are struggling to sustain momentum through the middle order will be missed. fun88 Betting Tips Free However, opener Tamim Iqbal, before hopping onto the flight to Colombo, urged his teammates to not panic.

In the last 12 months, Bangladesh have played six T20Is and only three batsmen have scored over 100 runs - Soumya Sarkar (205), Mahmudullah (146) and Mushfiqur Rahim (110). fun88 Tips The glaring exception in this list is Tamim, who has played only two of these six games. However, the team will turn to him in these desperate times to provide them with a ballistic start at the top. Cbtf Tips The bowling too seems to be short on ideas with Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed and Rubel Hossain having been dealt harshly by the batsmen in recent times.

The challenges for the young Indian unit are different. Cbtf To be without six of its starting players including skipper Virat Kohli is a setback in itself but it depends grossly on how the youngsters stepping in perceive the situation. fun88 Tips Free While India will continue to make the best of these resources and win matches, they will also be tempted to present every youngster an opportunity to showcase their skills. Vijay Shankar's induction would have made the management happy while Shardul Thakur showed great heart to come back from a ravaging 27-run opening over. Free fun88 Betting Tips Washington Sundar was his usual self bowling with the new ball. Although the sample size of one loss is too little for India to seriously read into, they seem clearly confused with the balance of their side. Match Betting Tips Shankar and Suresh Raina will be expected to pitch in with four overs, whereas someone like a Sundar will have to double up his show with the bat whenever the need be.

As the series progresses, India will offer chances to Axar Patel and KL Rahul too - both having travelled with the team for some time now. Cbtf fun88 Tips Even Mohammed Siraj will have his chance at redeeming himself, so will Deepak Hooda who will look to showcase his prowess with the bat. All experiments without costing India a win.

When: Thursday (March 8), 7 PM Local, 1900 IST

Where: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

What to expect: Another humid day is expected in the capital city, but this time with a remote possibility of thundershowers in the afternoon. fun88 Session And Lambi Pari Tips Free Shikhar Dhawan spoke about the presence of dew in the opening game and that could show up again on Thursday.

Team News:

India

India find themselves in a tricky situation, one where they will be divided between handing the other guys on the bench a chance but give the ones who played in the first game a little longer run. Free Match Winner Tips Mohammed Siraj could be drafted in to replace Shardul but the latter recovered well from the early jolt.

Bangladesh

The No.3 conundrum continues to haunt Bangladesh in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan. fun88 baazigar They will, however, want Rahim to take up that spot. With the team in the middle of a prolonged losing streak, there's a lot of repair that needs to be done, and the best tonic in such times would be a win. But who stands up for them on the evening, only time will tell.

What they said:

The No.3 batting position has been playing on our minds for some time now. Sabbir Rahman had been doing well at that position, however in the past few games, the runs haven't really come but that is understandable, there'd be such phases for everyone - Mahmudullah, Bangladesh captain.

We are quite confident and we are going to go into the game with a positive mindset. We have just lost one game. fun88 Betting Tips It is not a big deal. Of course, we will learn from our mistakes. It is just a part and parcel of our work - Shikhar Dhawan, India's vice-captain.

Teams (from):

India: Rohit Sharma(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik, Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Vijay Shankar, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Siraj, Rishabh Pant.

Bangladesh: Mahmudullah (c), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman, Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Abu Jayed, Taskin Ahmed, Imrul Kayes, Nurul Hasan, Mehidy Hasan, Ariful Haque, Nazmul Islam, Abu Hider Rony, Liton Das.

Shikhar Dhawan says that he is one person 'who loves to have fun in life' and believes that the 'younger players are ready to step up'. fun88 Betting Tips Well, India have an opportunity to translate those words into actions. On Thursday, against Bangladesh. fun88 Tips Free Same place, same time. Do remember to join us for that. A big thank you for sending in all those wily, witty comments. Until next time, this is Raju Peethala bidding goodbye on behalf of the entire team [Pratyush Sinha, Ramakrishnan, Sriram and Siva]. Night!!

Chandika Hathurusingha's appointment as Head coach is certainly working wonders for Sri Lanka. And he rightly gets a warm round of applause from the crowd. Amazing how one person's presence can lift the team and get them to play like they've been playing in the last couple of months. Overall, Sri Lankan cricket would be happy and proud for they have found ways to win games after a disastrous 18 months in international cricket. Cbtf Their next assignment will be against Bangladesh on Saturday, this weekend.

Before we sign off, here's Shirshendu Roy from Colombo writing about Sri Lanka's bumpy-sunny ride between the two Nidahas trophies

Key stats from the game below, courtesy Deepu Narayanan:

~ February 2016 was when Sri Lanka last beat India in a T20I. They lost seven successive games since, before breaking out of the streak today

~ 175 is the highest target chased down by Sri Lanka versus India in T20Is. It's also the highest target chased at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

~ Maiden loss for Rohit Sharma as India captain in five T20Is

~ 90 by Shikhar Dhawan is the third-highest score by an Indian in a losing cause, behind KL Rahul's 110* (vs WI at Lauderhill, 2016) and Rohit Sharma's 106 (vs South Africa at Dharamsala, 2015)
~ 27 by Shardul Thakur is the second-most number of runs conceded in an over by an Indian bowler in T20Is. Cbtf Tips 32 conceded by Stuart Binny against Windies at Lauderhill in 2016 sits at the top of the pile

Dinesh Chandimal, Sri Lanka captain: We are very happy as a team. This is a very good start for the tournament. We will look to continue the momentum. Cbtf fun88 Really happy for the side. The last series gave us a lot of confidence, thanks to management they have been really helpful during the practice sessions. fun88 Betting Tips Credit goes to boys, they have done a great job. He (Hathurusingha) is doing an excellent job and we know how good we are as a team. Really happy.

Rohit Sharma, India captain: I think it was a par score, definitely something we could have defended. We could have accelerated a bit more towards the end. It was a decent wicket. The kind of start they got was amazing. fun88 Tips A lot of credit must go to Sri Lanka, to their whole batting group. I'm sure we will learn from our mistakes. Free fun88 Tips I felt we've got enough experience in our bowling line-up. fun88 Betting Tips Free They are very much new into the scene, they have had enough experience having been in these situations before. We all know on a wicket like that you need your batting as strong as possible. Match Betting Tips Our squad is well equipped with plenty of all-rounders and that offers the balance to the side.

Kusal Perera, Man of the Match: Cbtf fun88 Tips This is my best innings, but I had better innings as well. I backed myself and practiced hard to hit the ball cleanly. Bowlers did a good job by restricting India to 174. Credit must go to them as well.

22:27 local: Thakur started it and Thakur finished it. Jsk fun88 Tips Free Well, that line could be quite misleading, but that's Sri Lanka's chase in a nutshell. After conceding 27 runs in the third over of the innings, India needed quick wickets to stop Sri Lanka, but that didn't happen. Half of the target was devoured in 7 overs and that gave them the breathing space to nudge and nurdle around during the middle overs. fun88 Betting Tips Free India tried their best to take it deep, but the damage was done in the powerplay overs, thanks to Kusal Perera who ripped the bowling apart and eventually put paid to India's hopes. Much to Sri Lanka's delight, this is the highest T20I chase at RPS