Sport
Preview: Cricket World Cup: India vs. Sri Lanka – prediction, team news, series so far
Sports Mole previews the 2023 Cricket World Cup match between India and Sri Lanka, scheduled to be played at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.
Into the final third of the 2023 Cricket World Cup we go, and in match 33 of the competition, we will see the tournament favourites India look to keep their unbeaten record intact when they take on Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday morning.
The host nation come into this match off the back of an excellent 100-run win over the defending champions England, while the Lions suffered a costly seven-wicket defeat against Afghanistan....Click Here To Continue Reading>>
Match preview
© Reuters
As we head into the final stretch of group-stage matches and with the table starting to take shape, India have been the team to beat in this competition so far and are now just one win away from guaranteeing their place in the final four.
The Men in Blue are also the only side in the competition that are still unbeaten after six matches, and they made their intentions clear early in the tournament when they beat the five-time champions Australia in their opening match by six wickets.
Dominant performances against Afghanistan, Bangladesh and their old foes Pakistan followed that before arguably their trickiest match of the competition so far against New Zealand, but a Virat Kohli masterclass saw them over the line with a couple of overs to spare.
In their last match, Rohit Sharma’s side looked for a while like they could taste their first defeat against England, but the defending world champions crumbled with the bat once again and came up 100 runs short of a very gettable 229-run target.
Mohammed Shami was the standout performer for the hosts in that match, claiming 4/22, which saw him creep into the top 15 wicket-takers standings in the tournament, while the ever-consistent Jasprit Bumrah grabbed 3/32 and moved up to third.
Sharma and Kohli have been the main contributors in the runs column with 398 and 354, respectively, and the latter is now just one century away from levelling the great Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 tons in ODI matches.
Against the Black Caps, Kohli was dismissed for 95, which would have seen him level the record, but the ex-captain will have another chance to achieve the milestone in this match and possibly surpass it before the end of the tournament.
© Reuters
Meanwhile, despite losing the first two matches of the competition, Sri Lanka were good against South Africa and Pakistan, with both those sides producing record-breaking performances in claiming their wins.
The Proteas set The Lions a target of 429, which is now the highest total in a Cricket World Cup, while Pakistan set the record for the highest run chase in CWC history in week two when they successfully got to a 345-run target with an over and a bit to spare.
Sri Lanka finally got off the mark in their fourth match against the Netherlands and seemed to have found top gear a few days later when they downed England by a whopping eight wickets, but their momentum was brought to an abrupt halt by Afghanistan, who claimed an unexpected seven-wicket victory over them earlier this week.
With three games left to play in the group stage and needing to leapfrog three sides to reach the top four, it seems unlikely that the Sri Lankans will be featuring in the knockout stages of this competition, barring a miracle.
Still, the likes of Sadeera Samarawickrama and Dilshan Madushanka are having excellent campaigns here in India and would love nothing more than to be the ones to hand the world number one side their first defeat in the competition.
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Team News
© Reuters
This week’s match will arrive too soon for all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who is still recovering from a ligament injury, which should mean that Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul will continue in the middle order.
Needing just one more win to secure their place in the final four, India are likely to maintain confidence in the same lineup that convincingly defeated England over the weekend.
Madushanka has been the star bowler for the Lions and is currently ranked inside the top five wicket-takers in the competition with 13 in six matches, at a very respectable average of 24.46 and a best of 4/49.
Sri Lanka are unlikely to make any changes despite a struggling middle order, as their weakness in that area prevents them from bringing in an additional bowler to counter India’s formidable batting lineup.
India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav
Team B squad: Kusal Mendis (c), Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Kumara, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Angelo Mathews, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushan Hemantha, Chamika Karunaratne
Series so far
IndiaMatch One: India won by 6 wicketsAustralia – 199 (49.3)India – 201/4 (41.2)
Match Two: India won by 8 wicketsAfghanistan – 272/8 (50)India – 273/2 (35)
Match Three: India won by 7 wicketsPakistan – 191 (42.5)India – 192/3 (30.3)
Match Four: India won by 7 wicketsBangladesh – 256/8 (50)India – 261/3 (41.3)
Match Five: India won by 4 wicketsNew Zealand – 273 (50)India – 274/6 (48)
Match Six: India won by 100 runsIndia – 229/9 (50)England – 129 (34.5)
Sri LankaMatch One – Sri Lanka lost by 102 runsSouth Africa – 428/5 (50)Sri Lanka – 326 (44.5)
Match Two: Sri Lanka lost by 6 wicketsSri Lanka – 344/9 (50)Pakistan – 345/4 (48.2)
Match Three: Sri Lanka lost by 5 wickets Sri Lanka – 209 (43.3)Australia – 215/5 (35.2)
Match Four: Sri Lanka won by 5 wicketsNetherlands – 262 (49.4)Sri Lanka – 263/5 (48.2)
Match Five: Sri Lanka won by 8 wicketsEngland – 156 (33.2)Sri Lanka – 160/2 (25.4)
Match Six: Sri Lanka lost by 7 wicketsSri Lanka – 241 (49.3)Afghanistan – 242/3 (45.2)
We say: India to win
With the performances they have already delivered in this competition, it is difficult to back against the host nation. It looks as though it is going to take a special performance to derail them on their home patch, and we do not think that the Sri Lankans have one in them right at this moment.
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Sport
Erik ten Hag hails “very important” Harry Maguire after summer exit talk

Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag praises central defender Harry Maguire for turning his Red Devils career around....Click Here To Continue Reading>>
Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has hailed Harry Maguire for his contribution to the team’s recent impressive results in the Premier League.
The Red Devils have won each of their last three league fixtures against Fulham, Luton Town and Everton, keeping clean sheets in all three games.
Maguire has been a vital player for the 20-time English champions in recent weeks, playing the full 90 minutes in each of their last six Premier League games, which have brought five wins.
The England international was heavily linked with a move away from Old Trafford over the summer, with West Ham United believed to have had an offer accepted for him.
However, the 30-year-old decided to stay at Man United to fight for his place, and the ex-Sheffield United youngster is now first pick in the middle of the defence.
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Maguire’s form is keeping Raphael Varane out of the side, and there is an argument that Ten Hag’s first-choice centre-back pairing will be Maguire and Lisandro Martinez once the latter has returned from injury.
Jonny Evans had been featuring alongside Maguire before picking up an injury, with Victor Lindelof now filling in as the left-sided centre-back.
Ten Hag has lavished praise on Maguire for ‘fighting back’ from a difficult period, hailing the centre-back’s “mentality” and “very important” contribution to the team’s recent success.
“Absolutely. Very important. And he fought back and he showed great mentality. He can be proud of himself. But as I say: we are in a season, we are in the right direction,” Ten Hag told MUTV.
© Reuters
“Harry is in the right direction with this team. Now we make the next steps because we want to be successful and Harry is very ambitious. He wants to win trophies. So then, you know, you have to give every day your best.”
Maguire is now set to remain at Old Trafford, especially as there is huge uncertainty surrounding the futures of Varane, Evans and Lindelof.
Varane is believed to be keen to leave the Red Devils next year, with a number of clubs from Saudi Arabia said to be keeping a close eye on his situation.
Both Evans and Lindelof only have contracts until next June, meanwhile, although it is thought that a 12-month extension will be activated in the latter’s deal.
Scott McTominay is another player who was heavily linked with a move away from Man United over the summer, but he has also been vital for Ten Hag in recent weeks, coming up with four goals in all competitions.
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Sport
Newcastle United rise to fifth with deserved win over Manchester United
Newcastle United jump to fifth in the Premier League table with a deserved 1-0 win over Manchester United at St James’ Park.
Newcastle United made it three successive wins against Manchester United in all tournaments for the first time in over 100 years with a deserved 1-0 Premier League victory over the tepid Red Devils at St James’ Park.
A succession of chances came and went for Eddie Howe’s men in the first half, but Man United’s luck ran out when Anthony Gordon fired home early in the second half to sink Erik ten Hag’s team – who were second best all afternoon – although a concerning injury to Nick Pope partially marred the Magpies’ success.
While a decimated Newcastle side put out the exact same XI from their Champions League draw with Paris Saint-Germain, a handful of changes from Ten Hag saw Anthony Martial, Kobbie Mainoo, Diogo Dalot and the returning Marcus Rashford come into the fold....Click Here To Continue Reading>>
However, Ten Hag’s alterations did little to stem the flow of a rampant Newcastle, who saw almost all of the ball in the opening stages and came close in the 18th minute through Miguel Almiron, but Andre Onana was equal to his low effort.
Alexander Isak and Jamaal Lascelles both came close in the few moments that followed; the former had a strike deflected wide by Harry Maguire before Lascelles headed over the bar, which was then shaking in the 40th minute as Kieran Trippier’s free kick landed just an inch too high.
Newcastle’s shot counter displayed a whopping 14 as the referee’s whistle blew to signal half time, but Man United’s clean sheet remained intact, mainly thanks to their hosts’ wastefulness in the final third.
Any harsh half-time words from Ten Hag clearly did not have the desired effect, as Newcastle finally made one of their many forays forward pay in the 55th minute, where Gordon gave the hosts a fully merited lead.
The sloppy Red Devils were punished for losing the ball in the defensive third, allowing Trippier to flash a low ball across the six-yard box, where Gordon was on hand to tap home at the back post.
© Reuters
The ex-Everton man’s opener saw him stretch his St James’ Park scoring streak to four successive Premier League matches, and Ten Hag responded by calling upon Antony and Rasmus Hojlund in place of the ineffective Martial and Rashford.
Man United’s alterations did little to spark any life into the meek visitors, who were indebted to Aaron Wan-Bissaka for making a crucial block to deny Lewis Miley in the 78th minute, but it was Fabian Schar’s turn to deny Sergio Reguilon from scoring a sensational volley with a terrific block of his own four minutes later.
As Pope dived to meet Reguilon’s blocked shot, though, the Newcastle number one injured himself and stayed down as Man United built their next attack, which was stopped in its tracks to allow the stricken Pope to receive treatment.
The Englishman was able to rise to his feet, but he was evidently struggling with his shoulder and slowly trudged off to be replaced by ex-Man United loanee Martin Dubravka.
The Newcastle number two had only been on the field a few moments before an Antony volley flew past him and into the back of the net, but Maguire – whom the ball took a nick off – was in an offside position, and the linesman’s flag came to the hosts’ rescue.
The Red Devils were granted nine minutes of additional time to try to find a leveller, but Newcastle stood firm to leapfrog their visitors into fifth spot in the table, bumping Ten Hag’s men down to seventh in the process.
Newcastle have four full days to rest up before a trip to Everton on Thursday, while Man United will return to their Old Trafford headquarters to meet Chelsea on Wednesday.
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Sport
Kobbie Mainoo ‘set to double Manchester United wages’
Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo is reportedly set to double his wages at Old Trafford on account of becoming a first-team regular for Erik ten Hag....Click Here To Continue Reading>>
Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo is reportedly set to double his wages at Old Trafford following his first-team breakthrough.
The 18-year-old is regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the Red Devils’ setup but was denied the chance to make an impression in the early stages of the 2023-24 campaign due to an ankle injury sustained in pre-season.
Mainoo took months to recover from the affliction, but the teenager has since exited the treatment room and was trusted by Erik ten Hag from the first whistle in last weekend’s 3-0 Premier League win over Everton.
Mainoo – who made his debut for the Red Devils against Charlton Athletic in a January EFL Cup clash – received high praise for a performance well beyond his years and was then brought off the bench for his Champions League debut against Galatasaray a few days later.
Sofyan Amrabat was given the nod in Europe instead of Mainoo, but the Fiorentina loanee was overlooked for the youngster in Saturday’s trip to Newcastle United, where the Red Devils fell to a 1-0 defeat.
© Reuters
Amid Man United’s indifferent form on the field and protracted takeover saga, Mainoo has been a shining light for the 20-time English champions, and his rapid rise is now set to be rewarded.
According to the Daily Star, Mainoo is currently on a modest £10,000 per week at the Theatre of Dreams, but his salary will soon double to £20,000 per week owing to a clause in his contract.
Back in February, the Red Devils tied the 2005-born lynchpin down to a new long-term deal until the end of the 2026-27 campaign, with the option of an additional 12 months.
Rather than Man United agreeing another fresh deal with Mainoo, the midfielder’s existing terms apparently include a clause stipulating that his wages will double in size once he becomes a first-team regular.
The report adds that Mainoo’s salary increase has not been triggered just yet, but he is “close” to taking home an extra £10,000 per week, and he would already be on a higher wage had he not spent a couple of months in the treatment room.
© Reuters
The 18-year-old – who has been with the club since the age of nine – completed 80 minutes of Saturday’s showdown with Newcastle, which was his sixth first-team appearance for the Red Devils.
However, Mainoo and his Man United teammates were run ragged by Newcastle, who deservedly picked up a 1-0 win in freezing temperatures thanks to a second-half Anthony Gordon goal.
Having also been beaten by the Magpies in this year’s EFL Cup and a 2-0 loss at St James’ Park in the 2022-23 Premier League, Man United have now suffered three successive defeats to Newcastle in all competitions for the first time since January 1922.
The Red Devils’ sixth league loss of the season has bumped them down to seventh place in the Premier League table, and the visit of Chelsea to Old Trafford is next up for Ten Hag’s troops on Wednesday.
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