Manchester United have welcomed a Qatari delegation representing the Qatar-based takeover bid to tour the club's facilities on Thursday.

What's the latest in Man United's takeover push?

The Red Devils received bids to potentially buy the Premier League club last month but now it seems as if the club are taking the next step in their possible sale.

A bid from Qatar was perhaps the most well-reported bids to land on the table of the Glazer family and on Thursday they were welcomed into the country.

It is believed they have been granted limited access to the club's financial accounts and will be visiting both Old Trafford and Carrington training ground.

Speaking on Sky Sports, reporter Kaveh Solhekol has claimed presentations will also likely take place on Thursday as the club look to narrow down their options:

"It's quite a significant day, actually, because Qatari delegation representing the bid for Manchester United made by Sheikh Jassim is visiting Old Trafford, so they're going to have a look at what they potentially could be buying.

"They've also had some access to United's accounts – but not full access yet – and they will also be visiting the training ground today. I think they will be given some presentations from people like John Murtough.

When could the takeover be completed?

It is worth mentioning the potential sale of the Red Devils is still not a guarantee, with the American firm Elliott Management reportedly still offering the Glazer family funding if they decide to stay put.

However, this is certainly an encouraging sign to see the club welcome the proposed bidders into their facilities to hold further discussions over where the process is at.

It is believed the Qatari group are also falling short of what the Glazers are hoping to generate for the club with their valuation believed to be worth up to £6 billion.

So it will be interesting to see what comes of the visit to Manchester and whether it is something which can help push along the discussions to take over the club.

It does seem as if valuation will be the biggest issue for the Qatar-based bidders, though, and that could be something which has the potential to derail the move for the Premier League side.

There will be hope from the fans that any move for the club could be completed before the summer transfer window and with that now just a handful of months away, it does feel as if these meetings will have to run smoothly to meet that deadline.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale has endured an excellent start to life in the Ibrox hot seat, remaining unbeaten in the Premiership and losing just once since December.

His team have clicked and been bolstered by the additions of Nicolas Raskin and Todd Cantwell in January so next season could be wonderful, especially if he can strengthen in the summer.

One area that badly needs rejuvenating is in the goalkeeper department, with Allan McGregor conceding 41 goals and Jon McLaughlin conceding 18 across all competitions this term.

With a combined age of 76, it's time that the duo are moved on and someone younger is brought in who can establish themselves as the new number one.

It is a conundrum that will have Beale scratching his head as to who he should sign to take over from the pair, and it could be a search that continues all through the summer.

If only he had the opportunity to utilise a former Gers 'keeper who will surely go down as one of the finest in the club’s vast history – Stefan Klos.

Is Stefan Klos a Rangers icon?

The German enjoyed both domestic and European success at Borussia Dortmund between 1990 and 1998, winning two Bundesliga titles along with the 1997 Champions League, firmly establishing himself as one of the best shot-stoppers on the continent.

When Dick Advocaat arrived at Rangers in the summer of 1998, he had money to spend and plenty of it, although he had to wait until near Christmas to lure Klos away from the Bundesliga, ending a near year-long interest in the player.

He was certainly worth the wait, becoming the undisputed number one and winning a league title and Scottish Cup in his first six months, before repeating the feat the season after.

His performances earned him the playful nickname ‘Der Goalie’ which was a reference to former Gers hero Andy Goram, and he went on to enjoy his finest season during the treble-winning campaign of 2002/03, appearing in all but one match as the club endured one of the best seasons in their history.

He was still going strong into 2005, however, a serious knee injury suffered in training ensured he missed the title run-in and was limited to just a handful of games after, finally retiring in 2007.

Dubbed “excellent” by the official Rangers Twitter page, only McGregor has come close to succeeding the German in terms of ability and if Beale had a prime Klos at his disposal in the present day, the Light Blues would undeniably have an excellent chance of winning back the Premiership title.

Chelsea are one of the clubs who are going into the summer transfer window with the Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Kouadio Kone.

Do Chelsea need another midfielder?

Reports would suggest the Blues are going into the summer window with another midfielder on their radar given the links to the likes of Declan Rice.

And it seems as if they will enter the summer window with a list of potential targets which could also include the sought-after Jude Bellingham.

However, they already seem to be among the front-runners in the race to potentially sign Kone from the Bundesliga side ahead of the summer.

Indeed, speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has suggested a move to London could potentially be on the cards for the young Frenchman:

(1:20) "It's my understanding that three clubs in this moment are leading the race for Manu Kone. One for sure, at the moment, from my understanding, is Chelsea.

"Chelsea appreciate Manu Kone. They have many players in the list, we have to include Roméo Lavia, we have to include the situation of Declan Rice, they are always monitoring, but we know that also Manu Kone is a player they are following."

Would Kone improve Chelsea?

As a result of Jorginho's departure and Ngolo Kante's long-term injury issue, Mateo Kovacic has been handed a lot of opportunities in the Chelsea side this season.

The Croatian has already racked up 19 appearances in the Premier League despite dealing with his own setbacks throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

However, a big summer addition in midfield could potentially see his spot in the side come under serious threat given the club recently spent over £100m on the addition of Enzo Fernandez.

The 21-year-old, Kone, has played 24 times for Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga this season and provided the same return of one goal and one assists as Kovacic (via Transfermarkt).

Journalist Josh Bunting hailed Kone earlier in the season as "outstanding in the hole" after "dictating the tempo of the play" in Gladbach's game against Bayern Munich.

And this has been a theme which has continued throughout the 2022/23 campaign with the 21-year-old ranking in the top percentile for successful take-ons across the top five leagues (via FBref).

The youngster has also registered more tackles per 90 minutes this season in comparison to Kovacic as well as over double the number of ball recoveries so far this season (via FBref).

The future of Kante remains uncertain with his deal set to expire at the end of the season and no new deal in place, if the Frenchman is to leave, perhaps Kone could provide them with a long-term option in the middle.

Given there are reports suggesting the Blues will face competition from Arsenal for Rice's signature, Kone could potentially be n alternative they could look to at a cheaper fee.

Liverpool forward Diogo Jota leaving to join Premier League rivals Newcastle United is ‘out of reach’, according to journalist Jacque Talbot.

The Lowdown: Magpies interest

The Portuguese forward only put pen to paper on a new deal last summer, meaning that his contract at Anfield isn’t set to expire until 2027, but he’s recently been linked with an exit having struggled to find form since returning from injury.

Football Transfers revealed earlier this month that the Magpies are considering a move for the 26-year-old later in the summer having identified him as someone that Eddie Howe would like to bring to St. James’ Park.

The Reds, however, do not wish to lose their attacker to one of their top-four chasing rivals as stated by the same outlet, but it appears that a move is off the cards anyway.

The Latest: Talbot’s verdict

Speaking during an exclusive interview with LFC Transfer Room, Talbot confirmed that Newcastle do indeed hold an interest in Jota, but suggested that any kind of deal is unlikely to happen due to a £70m price tag:

“He (Diogo Jota) is liked by the club (Newcastle) but it is probably out of reach. You can see why (Newcastle target him) he ticks a lot of boxes in terms of versatility, Premier League proven. It will be around £70m for that to happen.”

Expanding on his comments, the reporter continued to state that a move is ‘not going to happen’ as a result of Jurgen Klopp not wanting to let any other of his attacking options leave alongside Roberto Firmino at the end of the season.

The Verdict: Keep hold of him

Jota has been hailed a ‘superb player’ by journalist Josh Bunting and Liverpool need to do everything they can to keep hold of him beyond the upcoming summer window.

The Adidas-sponsored star has clocked up 49 goal contributions in 101 appearances since joining the Merseyside outfit, helping them get their hands on both the FA and League Cups along the way.

The Massarelos native also currently ranks in the 99th percentile for total number of assists and the 97th percentile for most touches in the attacking penalty area, showing just how much he contributes in the final third (FBRef).

Jota’s versatility to operate in five various positions and the fact that he’s comfortable being fielded anywhere across the frontline will be an attractive attribute to Klopp, and is yet another reason why the Reds shouldn’t let him go.

On the eve of a critical contest that will make or break England’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the World T20, Joe Root has said that the side are yet to play their best cricket in the tournament

Andrew Miller in Delhi25-Mar-2016On the eve of a critical contest that will make or break England’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the World T20, Joe Root took a momentary break from the high-octane, foot-to-the-floor attitude that has propelled his team’s campaign, and opted, along with a handful of his team-mates, to take the slow road to Agra for a visit to the Taj Mahal.The three-hour journey time was more or less the same as it will take for England and Sri Lanka to face off in Delhi on Saturday, by which time the showdown between West Indies and South Africa will have given both teams a clearer idea of what exactly they need to reach the semi-finals.However, after the frantic, error-strewn batting display that so nearly wrecked England’s tournament against Afghanistan, a day of quiet contemplation in the passenger seat was doubtless time well spent – especially for a batsman such as Root, whose calm under fire was the defining feature of England’s most outstanding effort in the competition so far.”With the schedule being so busy, having the opportunity to do something like that, being only three hours away in a car, it was a no-brainer for me,” Root said. “Getting to experience a bit of India and obviously one of the wonders of the world, so it was a really enjoyable day and something I’m really glad I did.”With two wins out of three in the tournament so far, England remain firmly on the road to the knockouts, albeit with their souped-up auto-rickshaw skidding uncomfortably through one or two of the tighter bends along the way.The contrast in demeanour between England’s serene pursuit of 230 against South Africa and their near-catastrophic loss of six wickets in the space of ten overs against Afghanistan was particularly stark, and Root admitted that a degree of expertise was still lacking in their approach to each game.”We’ve obviously not performed at our best through the whole competition yet, which, in a way, is quite exciting because that is still to come,” he said. “The really pleasing thing for me is we are winning games of cricket, which is really important in this format of the game, so as long as we continue to do that, that is all we can worry about, getting that win tomorrow to give us the best chance of qualifying.”Sri Lanka haven’t exactly brought their A game to the competition either. They too were walloped by West Indies and run close by Afghanistan, but at the Feroz Shah Kotla, where Afghanistan fielded four spinners against England and so nearly reaped their rewards, the likelihood is that England will need to repel a similar line of attack with a much greater degree of expertise. A team with the experience of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Angelo Mathews, to name but two, will be primed to strike if England dare to falter again.Jos Buttler, David Willey, Joe Root and Liam Plunkett took time out to visit the Taj Mahal•Getty Images

“It’s about adapting to conditions a bit better than we did in the previous game,” Root said. “We obviously didn’t do that very well – and not having too many preconceived ideas. We saw how the pitch played there, it might be slightly different again, so when we get out there it is about making sure that we make those assessments and are very clear on how we approach the 20 overs.”What constitutes clarity in the current England approach, however? Eoin Morgan, their captain, was adamant to the point of obstinacy on Wednesday afternoon, defending his team’s “no-fear” attitude against Afghanistan, despite the lemming-like end-game that such an approach can invite.”Everyone has their own way of playing it, there’s no right or wrong way,” Root said. “But for me it is about trying to face as few dot-balls as possible and trying to cash in with the boundaries when they are available.”You never want to lose wickets but you always have to look to put a score on the board,” he added. “That is what we tried to do and, obviously, our approach might have been slightly wrong in the last game and that is something we want to put right leading in to tomorrow.”Every surface is different so it is about giving yourself the best chance on that particular pitch. Sometimes you might need to take a few extra balls to get accustomed to it but ultimately it is about playing the situation in front of you, reading the pitch and score if you are chasing and making sure you are working with your partner to whittle that down and take the game away from the opposition.”It sounds simple when expressed with the sort of quiet authority that Root has brought to his England performances in all three formats this year. However, his crass run-out against Afghanistan denied him the chance to apply similar wisdom to Wednesday’s erratic game plan, and he couldn’t deny that the errors have continued to stack up for his team.”If we’re being honest we probably haven’t done one part of our game consistently well,” he said. “There have been times when we’ve bowled extremely well and times when we’ve obviously batted extremely well. The exciting thing for me is that if that comes together and we can consistently do that, we’ll be a hard team to beat.”In the meantime, England will settle back to watch how their qualification rivals fare in Nagpur, then hope that prior knowledge of the Delhi pitch can work in their favour, just as they came good at the second time of asking at the Wankhede last week.”There’s always pressure to perform, we know it’s a must-win game but it’s been like that since we got here,” Root said. “You can only really afford to lose one game and even then you can crash out of the competition.”It’s T20, it’s a complete knockout from here on in if we want to win it. The pressure is no more than it has been since that second game, it’s about getting over the line tomorrow.”

David Richardson, the ICC chief executive, has expressed confidence that the India-Pakistan match will take place in Dharamsala as scheduled on March 19 despite there being security concerns over the venue. Richardson was speaking in Delhi on Monday, even as a two-member team from Pakistan visited Dharamsala to assess the security arrangements for the World T20.”As of now all the plans as scheduled are on track. In the worst-case scenario, if something happens we will have to go back to the drawing table. But as of now that’s not on the cards,” Sridhar said in Dharamsala.Richardson addressed concerns around Dharamsala and Delhi, a venue that has had severe administrative problems. He was confident that scheduled matches could proceed at both venues.”Challenges in respect to those two venues, they are there,” Richardson said. “But we are dealing with those problems. The venues were decided a year back and all arrangements are in place to stage the matches at those two venues.”These challenges have reasons not through the fault of the BCCI or the ICC. But the fact is that we are dealing with these and we are confident that the matches will proceed at those two venues. The Indian government has shown a commitment to make sure that adequate security measures are in place at all the venues for all the teams.”According to a PTI report, Federal Investigation Agency Lahore director Usman Anwar and PCB chief security officer Azam Khan arrived in India via the Wagah border and left for Dharamsala on Monday. Their report will have a crucial impact on whether the PCB clears its men’s and women’s teams for travel to India on March 9 for the World T20.The Pakistan government had initially granted the PCB permission to play in India, but the board decided to put the visit on hold until they were guaranteed foolproof security. The PCB’s move was prompted by the Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh expressing his state government’s difficulty in providing security for the India-Pakistan match.

David Green, one of county cricket’s great entertainers, has died at the age of 76

David Hopps19-Mar-2016

David Green, one of county cricket’s great entertainers, whether on the field for Lancashire and Gloucestershire or in the press boxes on the county circuit after his retirement, has died at the age of 76. He had been suffering from respiratory problems and had spent the past fortnight in hospital near his Devon home.When made Green – “Bodger” to his chums, and there were many – one of their Five Cricketers of the Year in 1969 their judgment could hardly have been more apt. “David Green is undoubtedly the sort of player the game demands – aggressive, talented and entertaining,” was their verdict.Green was true to an era when drinking after a day’s play was considered almost : a man who could down a pint with the same sort of indecent haste that he could hit a half-century. Perhaps his conviction that professional cricket was about camaraderie as well as victory meant that he did not entirely achieve his potential, but the game – and many who followed it – was richer for his presence. He was a raconteur par excellence, a man capable of filling a day with laughter. As one journalist struck by his presence remarked: “I wish I had seen him play; I am very glad I heard him talk.”After his retirement, he would often jovially relate that there was nothing finer than a run-a-ball fifty and the completion of the crossword before lunch on the first day of a Championship match. It was a rebellious act, too, because this was largely an era of dour, defensive cricket on bowler-friendly pitches.He had an acerbic, intelligent wit – his career at Lancashire ended prematurely when he called the chairman a “prat” – “I could have called him much worse,” Green would later reflect – but there was a fairness and gentleness about him, too, that was always reflected in the way he wrote about and discussed cricket. He cared deeply about the standards of the game.Although Green was born in the Caernarvonshire village of Llanengan in 1939, he was raised in Timperley in Cheshire and learned his cricket in Lancashire. He was regarded as a teenage prodigy at Manchester Grammar School and won his cricket Blue at Oxford University, where he studied history, for three seasons from 1959, making his Lancashire debut in the first of those and passing 1000 runs for the first of seven times.Famously, as Lancashire’s vice-captain, he topped 2000 first-class runs in 1965 without hitting a century – a unique statistic – but in 1967 his season was limited by a leg injury, and he was released at the end of the summer. He was snapped up by Gloucestershire and repaid them immediately by scoring 2137 runs at 40.32 including a career-best 233, an achievement that earned him his accolade from . It was his most driven of seasons: Lancashire had been well and truly put in their place. He regarded batting with his opening partner, Arthur Milton, as “an education”.When limited-overs cricket was introduced to English cricket in the late ’60s, it might have been designed for him.He was also a talented rugby union player, turning out for Sale and Cheshire, and later for Bristol. After retiring he worked as a journalist, almost exclusively for the . His writing style was antithetical to his cricket. Given his county cricket wordage for the day, often less than he would hope, he would draw lines down his page, each box representing a single word. He would have caused hilarity for much of the day but his copy was shrewd and analytical.His first book, , published in 2013 and covering both his cricket and rugby lives, was part-autobiographical, part-anecdotal, part-cricket analysis and always irreverent. David Green was not easily compartmentalised.

Just like previous seasons, Royal Challengers Bangalore look to have a very balanced squad, even though they have failed to win a single edition

Shashank Kishore07-Apr-20165:07

Agarkar: RCB still trying to address their bowling

2015 formRoyal Challengers Bangalore were ousted in the second Qualifier by Chennai Super Kings in a last-over finish in Ranchi.Big PictureHow a team with all the T20 riches in the world doesn’t have a single IPL trophy after eight seasons can perhaps make for a good case study. While it underlines the unpredictability of the shortest format, Royal Challengers haven’t helped their cause by being over-reliant on Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers to cover for the vacuum in the middle.RCB squad

Virat Kohli (capt), AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, David Wiese, Mandeep Singh, Sarfaraz Khan, S Aravind, Varun Aaron, Shane Watson, Adam Milne, Stuart Binny, Travis Head, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sachin Baby, Iqbal Abdulla, Praveen Dubey, Akshay Karnewar, Kane Richardson, Abu Nechim, Harshal Patel, Kedar Jadhav, Samuel Badree, Vikramjeet Malik, Vikas Tokas, KL Rahul, Parvez Rasool

If there is a lesson in how to not run a marathon, Royal Challengers offer the best example. They’ve often begun like it is a 100 meter dash, only to lose momentum before making a desperate bid for the qualifiers. The end result: runners-up in 2009 and 2011, and vast stretches of inconsistency in between.They head into the new season, like they do most times, with a well-balanced team. They will welcome into their ranks the recently-retired Shane Watson and Stuart Binny, who offer the all-round depth they have often missed in the middle, although the bowling unit isn’t entirely settled. They will miss Mitchell Starc, the team’s second-highest wicket-taker last season, because of a foot injury, while there is an injury cloud over Samuel Badree, who hurt his shoulder in the World T20 final.That means the bowling will largely depend on their local talent – the pace duo of Varun Aaron, S Aravind and legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal. Starc’s absence could give the injury-prone Adam Milne an opportunity to build on his gains from the World T20 – where he picked up three wickets in four matches at an economy rate of 7.43. Should the surfaces aid slow bowlers, they could consider including David Wiese, the South Africa allrounder who offers batting muscle lower down along with his handy medium-pace and offcutters.There has been some turmoil off the field, with Vijay Mallya – chairman of the franchise until recently – no longer part of the management. But it is unlikely those matters would affect on-field performances. Now to prove the team is not just about their ‘Big Three.’Burning questionsWhile batting is their stronger suit, an abundance of riches has left them with more questions. With Dinesh Karthik released before the auction, the team needs to decide if they go back to de Villiers. If he is freed of the responsibility, do they turn to KL Rahul, Travis Head or Kedar Jadhav?Rahul’s IPL numbers aren’t impressive. While he is best suited in the top three, would the team risk having him open with Gayle or prefer the lower-order hitting ability of Jadhav?Where does that leave Shane Watson? Do they slot him in the middle to shore up the batting or have him as a floater? And how will they manage Mandeep Singh and Sarfaraz Khan, who delivered last year at crunch moments, in a robust batting line-up?The go-to menKohli’s appetite for runs continues to get bigger. He scored 273 in five matches at the World T20, and was adjudged Player of the Tournament. He single-handedly carried India’s batting hopes, and would be expected to do more of the same, even though Gayle, de Villiers and Watson offer him some support in what is largely a blink-and-miss format. Kohli contributes more than just as a batsman. His fitness and freshness will go a long way in dictating Royal Challengers’ campaign.Bargain buyTravis Head, who set himself a base price of INR 30 lakhs, was bought for INR 50 lakhs. The Adelaide Strikers batsman, who was released by Delhi Daredevils, has since made his Australia debut in the home series against India. His form in the BBL, where he finished as the fifth-highest run-scorer with 299 runs at a strike rate of 155, makes him a like-for-like replacement for Gayle, who has been plagued with a number of injuries in the recent past.AvailabilityThe team is yet to announce a replacement for Starc, while they are waiting for a medical update from Badree, who has flown back to Trinidad to see a shoulder specialist.CoachesHead coach – Daniel Vettori, assistant coach – B Arun, batting coach – Trent Woodhill, bowling coach – Allan Donald, physiotherapist – Evan Speechley, strength and conditioning coach – Shankar BasuQuotes”We will miss Starc. It’s difficult bowling at the Chinnaswamy and so whenever we had him in the team we knew we had those four overs up our sleeve. That’s a loss but it’s an opportunity for the likes of Adam Milne and Kane Richardson to step up and fill in that slot. We are also hoping Badree recovers from his shoulder injury and gets back to the team as soon as possible.”

The Edgbaston pitch has been reported to the ECB over its indifferent bounce following the Specsavers County Championship match between Warwickshire and Somerset

ECB Reporters Network11-May-2016
ScorecardBowlers held sway at Edgbaston before the weather closed in•Getty Images

The Edgbaston pitch has been reported to the ECB over its indifferent bounce following the Specsavers County Championship match between Warwickshire and Somerset which ended in a draw when the final day was washed out.Eighteen wickets fell on the second day, after which rain prevented any further play, with numerous batsmen hit around the body and the surface was reported by the umpires to ECB liaison officer Tony Pigott. His findings will now be considered by an ECB disciplinary commission.”It was not the type of pitch we wanted,” admitted Warwickshire director of cricket Dougie Brown. “There were cracks but was it dangerous? No.”We all know here that Gary Barwell is the best groundsman in the country by a mile. He was preparing this pitch 14/16 days ahead, as always, and when he started it was in snow and ice. Then the weather flipped on its head and suddenly it was very hot, so the drying process was accelerated by the weather.”When the cricket liaison officer said the pitch had been reported we were incredibly surprised.”While Warwickshire await the commission’s findings, they will also wait to see whether captain Ian Bell’s injured hamstring will heal in time for him to play against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on Sunday.Somerset, meanwhile, were left deeply frustrated. With Warwickshire on four without loss in pursuit of their target at the end of the second day, the visitors fancied their chances, only for heavy cloud and mist to take up residence over Birmingham for 48 hours.”It was very disappointing,” said captain Chris Rogers. “On a wicket that was getting harder to bat on, we felt 320 was definitely a winning total.”There were a few concerns about the pitch. The groundsman didn’t quite get it the way he wanted to, though I think had a similar-looking wicket for their first game that didn’t play anywhere near as badly.”I have played on some excellent wickets here so this was different, but fortunately there were no real incidents.”Despite the frustration of not being able to press home a victory, Rogers was pleased with his side’s performance. Having spent most of their first three drawn games on the back foot, this time they held the initiative.”The innings from Tom Abell and Peter Trego were outstanding,” he said. “They really gave us momentum and, particularly when you are playing a good side, if a couple of guys step up and lead from the front, it carries through the rest of the team.”I think we bowled really well, pitched the ball up and challenged the batsmen and got our rewards. Everyone who got the ball in their hand did a really good job.”

Match facts

Thursday, April 14, 2016
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)

Big picture

Both new franchises had an easy start to their IPL lives but one team will suffer its first loss as Gujarat Lions face off against Rising Pune Supergiants in Rajkot.On Monday, Aaron Finch and Dwayne Bravo used their wealth of T20 experience to consign Kings XI Punjab to their ninth loss in ten games. But it was Lions who lost the first phase of that game, conceding 87 runs in the first 10 overs before the bowlers pulled it back. Considering Supergiants’ powerful middle order, Suresh Raina and his men may not be able to stave off defeat if they get off to a similar start with the ball. Thursday’s match will Rajkot’s first in the IPL, and Lions’ first at home, which could be a decisive factor against an equally-matched opponent.Supergiants seamers exploited an uncommonly helpful Wankhede pitch to effectively finish Mumbai Indians off by the midway stage. A potentially spin-friendly Rajkot pitch could provide an entirely different script, but Supergiants have assembled a team suited to slow and low conditions. Their nine-wicket win on Saturday meant the middle order did not get to bat, but in Steven Smith and MS Dhoni there is enough experience to help the team acclimatise quickly.

In the spotlight

Tomorrow may only be Ravindra Jadeja‘s second T20 at SCA stadium in Rajkot, but it is his home ground and that feel-good factor cannot be ignored. Overall, he has played 14 matches across formats at this venue, scored 1084 runs at an average of 83.38 and taken 48 wickets. On Monday, he elicited Kings XI’s slide with wickets in consecutive overs. His all-round ability, along with those of Bravo and James Faulkner, improves the balance of the Lions outfit.Despite having bowled five overs in his last three T20 matches, R Ashwin may be depended on to bail Dhoni out of another situation. With three left-handers in Lions’ top six, including captain Raina, Ashwin could be deployed in the middle to stall their progress. Besides, the Rajkot pitch could be best suited to his style of bowling.

Team news

In a horses-for-courses approach, Lions could bring in legspinner Pravin Tambe or chinaman bowler Shivil Kaushik for Pradeep Sangwan.Gujarat Lions (probable): 1 Brendon McCullum , 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Suresh Raina (capt), 4 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Ishan Kishan, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 James Faulkner, 9 Praveen Kumar, 10 Sarabjit Ladda, 11 Pravin TambeWith Dhoni’s insistence on playing the same team, Supergiants are unlikely to tinker with their winning combination.Rising Pune Supergiants (probable) 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Faf du Plessis, 3 Kevin Pietersen, 4 Steven Smith, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Rajat Bhatia, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Ishant Sharma, 10 RP Singh, 11 M Ashwin

Pitch and conditions

With a crop of players from different backgrounds, both sides have the ability to be flexible. In Rajkot, they may have to adjust to sluggish conditions. Plenty of cutters and slower balls could be used. There is no chance of rain.

Stats and trivia

• Since November 2015, Kevin Pietersen has scored 960 T20 runs at an average of 45.71, including seven fifties and two centuries.
• Dhoni has been dismissed just once in his last 13 T20 innings.

Quotes

“I really appreciate the love from the fans, throughout India. Wherever I go, there is a big fan following. (We) play cricket to entertain the fans and perform for them.”