Grace and strength will be on one side while poise and killer instinct on the other when a revamped Kolkata Knight Riders take on champions Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, on Wednesday.
The IPL is likely to start in the second week of April and its knockout matches may stretch till early June, potentially clashing with New Zealand's first Test in England
England beat New Zealand in a thrilling Super Over finish to their rain-reduced Twenty20 cricket international Sunday to clinch a 3-2 victory in the five-match series. The teams were tied when England replied with 146-7 to New Zealand's 146-5 in a match shortened by heavy rain to 11 overs per side.
New Zealand Cricket has indicated that it may not block its players from fully participating in the upcoming IPL if the knock-out phase matches of the lucrative league clash with the Test series opener in England beginning on June 2.
Recalled batsman Neil Broom scored his maiden one-day century and took two crucial catches as New Zealand completed a 67-run victory over Bangladesh in the second one-day international at Saxton Oval in Nelson on Thursday.
Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav and Kieron Pollard are likely to be retained.
The unmatched legacy and hegemony created by the galacticos of Mumbai Indians will be thoroughly challenged by a young Mumbaikar Shreyas Iyer, who will lead a passionate-but-unpredictable Delhi Capitals in a cracker of an Indian Premier League final, in Dubai, on Tuesday.
With 762 points, Kohli is behind England's David Malan
Former Australian captain, Ian Chappell, one of the game's biggest analysts for many years now, believes India has been well served by fast bowlers such as Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.
Debutant Ishan Kishan was in awe of captain Virat Kohli during their 94-run stand in the second T20 International against England, in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Jos Buttler and Joe Root thrashed brilliant centuries in England's highest One-Day International score on the way to a 210-run rout of New Zealand in the first game of the series at Edgbaston on Tuesday.
Australia will need their top order to fire against New Zealand's disciplined attack and persist with four specialist bowlers.
Ferguson, who will need five to six weeks to recover, is returning to New Zealand and a replacement for him will be named on Tuesday, coach Gary Stead told reporters on Monday.
A stunning spell of a fast bowling from Matt Henry ripped through the Indian top order and set New Zealand on their way to a second successive ICC World Cup final with an 18-run victory over India.
For a team that looked at ease all along, it was their first defeat in the UAE leg -- and three from 11 matches this season -- as Delhi struggled to get going against KKR bowlers who made full use of the slow surface after opting to bowl.
Openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill thwarted New Zealand's plans with a gutsy batting display in tough conditions.
Images from Tuesday's IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals, in Abu Dhabi.
India were 227 for eight in their second innings at stumps on the third day of the second cricket Test against New Zealand at the Edens Garden on Kolkata on Sunday. India, thus, took an overall lead of 339 runs over New Zealand with two wickets in hand. Rohit Sharma made 82 while Wriddhiman Saha was unbeaten on 39 along side Bhuvneshwar Kumar (8 not out).
Images from Monday's IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians, in Dubai.
Ambati Rayudu was the star performer for Chennai Super Kings as his quickfire half-century helped outclass defending champions Mumbai Indians.
Pakistan will have 'revenge' on their mind for a recent off-field snub when they take on New Zealand in the T20 World Cup in Sharjah on Tuesday.
The pitch sported a healthy green cover, although it looked dry underneath before being put under cover.
Fast bowler Tim Southee will lead the Black Caps in the five matches against England starting in Christchurch on November 1.
Pakistan were 30-1 at stumps on Day 2, still 401 runs behind New Zealand's 431 in the first innings.
Chasing a mammoth target of 201, Delhi were only able to post 143/8 in their 20 overs.
In the bowling chart, New Zealand pacer Trent Boult (722) held on to his top spot, followed by Bumrah (719).
India frittered away a solid start as a middle-order collapse saw them reduced to 291 for 9 on the opening day of the first cricket Test against New Zealand despite half-centuries from Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara in Kanpur on Thursday.
Sri Lanka openers Dimuth Karunaratne and Kaushal Silva safely guided their side to 84 without loss in their second innings at the close of the second day's play in the first Test against New Zealand on Saturday after being forced to follow-on.
After months of being home due to the lockdown, Jasprit Bumrah is hitting his stride at the Mumbai Indians nets in Abu Dhabi.
India win fifth ODI to seal 4-1 series victory in New Zealand
Trent Boult top the most valuable players list with Mohammed Shami hold on to second position
'I thought it was a good score on that pitch and the way we came out and bowled and showed that attitude on the field was very important, it was great team performance.'
With the three-match T20I series ahead and also the World Cup round the corner, India will have to address this weakness to ensure that their much-vaunted batting doesn't crumble on an odd day when the condition aids swing bowling in England.
South Africa will need their bowlers to step up to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
New Zealand's bowlers steadily chipped away at the West Indies lineup to record a ruthless 240-run victory shortly before tea on the fourth day of the second Test at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Tuesday to wrap up a 2-0 series sweep.
Following is the list of players who have been released by the different franchises ahead of the auction for the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson admitted that playing the second leg of Indian Premier League in the United Arab Emirates helped in understanding the conditions better in the lead up to the T20 World Cup.
CSK, with their experience of winning important moments, will certainly make Capitals wary.
England head coach Trevor Bayliss has said his players were like 'rabbits in the headlights' as they were dismissed for 58 in a dismal batting performance in the first Test against New Zealand on Thursday.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has reclaimed the No.1 position in the MRF Tyres ICC Men's Test Player Rankings after leading his side to the ICC World Test Championship title in Southampton last week.
