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Big Picture: The Warne-Muralidaran trophy is back

Australia’s Test series in Sri Lanka often seem to have a touch of the dramatic about them. Last time Australia were in Galle, Sri Lanka saw the greatest mass protests in the country’s history, while the teams battled out a 1-1 series. In 2016, Australia had nosedived spectacularly against spin, Rangana Herath gobbling up their top order en masse.Over the years there have been series-ending fielding collisions, such as in 1999 in Kandy when Jason Gillespie broke a leg and Steve Waugh broke a nose, Shane Warne triggering one of Sri Lanka’s most painful 90s collapses to clinch victory in a game Australia were losing, and Sri Lanka producing one of their most infamously dry surfaces in Galle in 2011. Where Sri Lanka have never won a Test in Australia, these teams tend to be more evenly matched in Sri Lanka.Related

• Smith says Australia need to 'be proactive' and find ways to score on Sri Lankan pitches

• 'Be brave': Australia consider mid-match flexibility to batting order

• Injured Nissanka likely to miss first Test between Sri Lanka and Australia

• Can Kamindu overcome fresh hurdles after a stellar 2024?

• Head to replace Konstas as opener against Sri Lanka

And so it shapes up again. Australia are coming off their big Border-Gavaskar Trophy win, of course. Through their 3-1 win in that series, they also booked their World Test Championship final spot. They are missing regular captain Pat Cummins, who is on paternity leave, but have a seasoned leader in Steven Smith.Sri Lanka had had a decent Test year in 2024, until the disappointing series in South Africa to finish it off. But they will feel as if their Test team is building to something – maybe mounting a more serious campaign in the next WTC cycle, in which they appear to have a relatively easy schedule.It will likely come down to spin in Galle. This surface doesn’t appear to be the dryest one the ground has turned out, and may stay together a little longer than usual, owing to January’s cooler weather. But it is likely to take substantial turn from day three onwards. Expect plenty of sweeping and reverse-sweeping, and catchers around the bat as the match wears on.

Form guide

Sri Lanka: LLWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia: WWWDLCaptain Steven Smith, senior spinner Nathan Lyon and selector Tony Dodemaide take a look at the pitch•Getty Images

In the spotlight: Nathan Lyon and Prabath Jayasuriya

A track that tends to start off dry, a sea breeze that helps sap what little moisture there is in the pitch, footmarks to bowl into from as early as day two sometimes – Galle is basically spin-bowling paradise. As such, how well your lead spinner goes in a Galle Test goes a long way to deciding the outcome.It is a track Nathan Lyon will know well. Not only did he get a five-wicket haul on debut here in 2011, he also took a match-winning 9 for 121 from the first game in 2022, when Australia last visited. He has 21 wickets from seven innings at this venue, with an average of 27.61. Expect this group of Sri Lanka’s batters to attempt to attack Lyon, particularly in the first innings. Sri Lanka’s easiest path to upsetting Australia’s bowling plan is to unsettle Lyon.Prabath Jayasuriya had also made his debut in Galle, and he has dominated as few spinners ever have at this venue. He’s got 71 wickets at an average of 21.78 at this venue, and the key to much of that success has been his devastating straight ball, as well as his control. With Sri Lanka’s remaining frontline spin options lacking in experience, the hosts will look to Jayasuriya to define the back half of these Tests.

Pitch and conditions: Some rain around

There’s a little unseasonal rain around in Galle, but rare is the Galle Test that even goes into the last couple of sessions, even if there are interruptions along the way. Dhananjaya de Silva said he expected the surface to be decent for batting to begin with. Temperatures are forecast to hover around 30 degrees celsius.Prabath Jayasuriya has an incredible record at Galle•AP

Team news: Who will be SL’s opener?

Australia have confirmed that Travis Head will open the innings, displacing Sam Konstas from that position. They are pondering their attack though, and could go in with as many as three spinners – Todd Murphy potentially joining Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann. They will likely have Josh Inglis and Beau Webster – who bowls spin as well as seam – in the lower middle order.Australia (possible): 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Travis Head, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith (capt.), 5 Josh Inglis, 6 Beau Webster, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Mathew Kuhnemann, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Scott Boland/ Todd MurphySri Lanka have a decision to make around their attack as well – whether their second seamer will be Vishwa Fernando or Lahiru Kumara. They also have to replace the injured Pathum Nissanka at the top of the order. Oshada Fernando is his likeliest replacement.Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Dimuth Karunaratne, 2 Oshada Fernando, 3 Dinesh Chandimal, 4 Angelo Mathews, 5 Kamindu Mendis, 6 Dhananjaya de Silva (capt.), 7 Kusal Mendis (wk), 8 Prabath Jayasuriya, 9 Nishan Peiris, 10 Asitha Fernando, 11 Lahiru Kumara/Vishwa Fernando

Stats and trivia: Smith 10,000 watch

• Steve Smith is one run away from completing 10,000 in Test cricket. He’d be the fourth Australia batter to the milestone, after Alan Border, Steve Waugh, and Ricky Ponting.
• Prabath Jayasuriya took 12 wickets for 177 in the one Test he’d played against Australia – on debut in Galle.
• All up, Australia have won three of the six Tests they’ve played in Galle, losing two and drawing one.

Shakib Al Hasan has been suspended from bowling in all competitions run by ICC-approved national federations, both domestic and international, the BCB said in a statement on Sunday. Shakib had been suspended from bowling by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for an illegal action, and this, the BCB said, was the automatic next step. The board also said Shakib will soon appear for reassessment at an accredited testing centre in an effort to have his action cleared and his suspension lifted.Shakib failed an independent assessment of his action at Loughborough University, an ICC-accredited testing centre in the UK, earlier this month, after being reported for a suspect action during an English county cricket match in September. This prompted the ECB’s action, and, in accordance with clause 11.3 of the ICC’s regulations for illegal bowling actions, when a national federation suspends a player from bowling in its domestic competitions, the suspension is automatically recognised and enforced by the ICC in international cricket and by all national cricket federations in their respective domestic competitions. This applies immediately, upon receipt of the official notice, without the need for further formalities.”The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has been informed that national team allrounder Shakib Al Hasan has been suspended from bowling in competitions under the jurisdiction of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). As a result, Shakib is also suspended from bowling in domestic cricket competitions outside Bangladesh and in international cricket,” the BCB statement said.Related

• Shakib on his illegal action for Surrey: 'I was doing it a little bit intentionally'

• Shakib Al Hasan fails second test of bowling action

• Shakib bowling action saga: BCB wait on results from Chennai before CT 2025 decision

• Shakib reported for suspect action during Surrey county stint

• Shakib, from darling of the masses to enemy of the people

“Should the results of this [reassessment] analysis clear his action, Shakib will be permitted to bowl in international cricket and in domestic cricket competitions under the jurisdiction of all national cricket federations.”For now Shakib can play as a batter in all forms of domestic and international cricket.This caps an extraordinary year for the feted Bangladesh allrounder, whose international career is already in a state of limbo stemming from his role as a Member of Parliament in the now-overturned Awami League government after protests in which several hundred civilians – mostly university students – were killed in July and August. He is effectively retired from Tests and T20Is; his wish of a farewell Test at home in Dhaka was thwarted by protesting students.Shakib is still an active player in ODIs but he wasn’t picked for the Afghanistan and West Indies series in the past four weeks. He is currently playing in the Lanka T10 competition. Shakib did not bowl in the last two matches for Galle Marvels, including the one played on Sunday evening.

Jaker Ali has been ruled out of Bangladesh’s second Test against South Africa with a concussion.Mahidul Islam Ankon has been named his replacement. Jaker suffered a concussion during training at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Sunday.”Jaker Ali suffered a concussion while batting in practice yesterday [Sunday],” Bangladesh’s physio Bayjedul Islam Khan said. “He has a history of concussions and is still showing symptoms. Given his previous concussion record, recovery may take some time. Based on the clinical findings, he has been ruled out of the second Test.”Wicketkeeper-batter Jaker made a fifty on Test debut in Bangladesh’s second innings in the first Test against South Africa.Related

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• Temba Bavuma to miss second Test against Bangladesh

He has also played 19 T20Is, having made his debut in the format earlier this year.This is wicketkeeper-batter Mahidul’s maiden call-up to the Bangladesh side. He has played most of his first-class matches for Dhaka Division, hitting all three centuries for the NCL team. He has also played one game for Bangladesh A against Pakistan A in August this year.Mahidul comes into the squad on the back of good form, having struck 118 against Sylhet Division last week.Earlier the selectors also called up pace bowler Khaled Ahmed to replace Taskin Ahmed.

Josh Hull, the Leicestershire left-arm seamer, has been ruled out of England men’s Test tour of Pakistan with a quad injury.Hull, 20, picked up the niggle during his debut in the final Test of the summer against Sri Lanka at the Kia Oval. At the time, the ECB felt there was time for him to recover and pulled him out of the limited-overs series against Australia.However, with the issue persisting, the decision was made on Thursday to stand Hull down from the three-Test series. England have chosen not to draft in a replacement and will travel to Pakistan with a 16-man squad on October 1, ahead of the first Test in Multan, which begins on October 7.Related

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• Mark Wood awaits specialist verdict to allay elbow fracture fears

• Ben Stokes open to white-ball comeback as McCullum begins new England era

• Shan Masood retains Pakistan captaincy as Aamer Jamal returns for first Test against England

• Matthew Potts hits the road in bid to prove his all-format worth

Hull’s initial selection on the tour had come with a view to fast-tracking his development as a point of difference for England’s attack. At 6ft7in, with his left-arm angle and ability to bring the ball into right-handers, he offered unique skillsets as the selectors looked ahead to the Ashes next winter.After taking five wickets in a tour match against Sri Lanka, Hull was drafted into the squad following Mark Wood’s injury in the first Test at Emirates Old Trafford. A strong impression in training caught the eye of head coach Brendon McCullum and bowling consultant James Anderson, leading to a surprise debut at The Oval.He showed flashes of promise, taking 3 for 53 in the first innings, but went wicketless in the second as Sri Lanka chased down 219 to inflict England’s only Test defeat of the summer. The match was Hull’s 11th first-class match of his career, coming in a season where he had managed just two wickets in three Division Two appearances for Leicestershire, at a hefty average of 182.50.It is unclear whether Hull would have added to his cap in Pakistan, or indeed if he will be taken on the tour to New Zealand. The ECB will oversee his recovery.

Will Rhodes marked his penultimate home game as a Warwickshire player with a double-century to put his side in total command of Kent in the Vitality Championship at Edgbaston.Rhodes struck a chanceless 201 (295 balls, 32 fours) to lift Warwickshire to 420 and a first innings lead of 264. Such a high-class innings from the former captain suggests that Durham, for whom he has signed a three-year contract, will welcome a player heading into his peak as a player.Rhodes’ six-and-a-half hour marathon laid a foundation for his side to press hard for their first championship win of the season. Needing 264 to avoid an innings defeat, Kent closed the second day on 157 for three as Olly Hannon-Dalby (three for 26) took his championship wicket tally this season to 43.Kent’s multitude of problems continues to mount. Their bowling attack, nobly led by George Garrett (three for 76) and Matt Parkinson (three for 94), was deprived of Grant Stewart by a shoulder injury while Tawanda Muyeye could not open the batting as he was unable to field due to a knee injury.When Warwickshire resumed on the second morning on 207 for three, their progress was immediately brisk. Rhodes struck the first ball of the day to the boundary and five fours from his first 17 balls faced in the session took him to a 151-ball century.Jacob Bethell edged Charlie Stobo to wicketkeeper Harry Finch but Rhodes and Barnard rattled up a century stand in 150 balls. Kent are having the sort of season where every time you think nothing else can go wrong something does, and so it proved when Stewart pulled up in his delivery stride, flexing his shoulder, first ball after lunch and left the field.The fifth-wicket stand reached 145 in 34 overs before Barnard lifted Parkinson to mid off. The last six wickets then fell for 46 as Warwickshire, miles ahead already, threw the bat. Michael Burgess pulled Joey Evison to deep mid-wicket, Michael Booth lifted Parkinson to extra cover and Michael Rae larruped the spinner for six but was then stumped off him. Garrett finished the innings by having Rhodes caught at deep square and knocking out Hannon-Dalby’s off stump.Kent started their second innings after tea with 43 overs to bat in the day and lost Ben Compton in the fifth of them when he edged a loose drive at a wide ball from Hannon-Dalby to wicketkeeper Burgess. Harry Finch, opening in Muyeye’s absence, and Daniel Bell-Drummond added 116 in 29 overs without many alarms but Lady Luck then truly turned her back on Kent in the closing overs.Bell-Drummond was adjudged lbw to a ball which appeared to be passing well down the leg-side. Finch (38, 96) departed in equal disbelief at being given out caught at slip off his shoulder. Lady Luck, it appears, has a real downer on Kent right now.

Ben Stokes is the star signing at MI Cape Town for the upcoming season of the SA20, with Azmatullah Omarzai the other big overseas name joining them as they look to put up a better show after finishing bottom of the table in both the previous editions.They join Rashid Khan and Trent Boult, the pre-signed overseas players for 2025, as well as Nuwan Thushara and Chris Benjamin, who have been retained. The roster of domestic players is as impressive: Kagiso Rabada, Dewald Brevis, Rassie van der Dussen, Ryan Rickelton and George Linde are joined by Delano Potgieter, Thomas Kaber and Connor Esterhuizen.For Boult, it’s the fourth Mumbai Indians-owned team he is a part of, having previously played for Mumbai Indians in the IPL, MI New York in MLC, and MI Emirates in the ILT20.Related

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• Sunrisers Eastern Cape sign Bedingham, Crawley and van der Merwe

• Jonathan Trott to take over as head coach of Pretoria Capitals

• SA20 in 2025 will run from January 9 to February 8

As ESPNcricinfo had reported last month, the SA20 franchises have been targeting top Test players from England for the third edition in 2025 after many of them were busy with the tour of India during the 2024 season. Joe Root has been signed by Paarl Royals, Pretoria Capitals have Ollie Pope, Jonny Bairstow and Chris Woakes have gone to Joburg Super Kings and Durban’s Super Giants respectively, while Zak Crawley has been acquired by Sunrisers Eastern Cape, who have won both editions of the competition.England are down to play both T20I and ODI series in India at the start of next year, but both their winter Test tours – to Pakistan in October and New Zealand in December – will be over before Christmas. Therefore, players not involved in the limited-overs games in India will be available to play full seasons at the ILT20 and SA20. The 2025 edition of the SA20 runs from January 9 to February 8.Stokes’ England contract is due to expire at the end of September, after he turned down a three-year deal last year. He hasn’t played a white-ball game for England since the 2023 ODI World Cup, and hasn’t played a T20I since November 2022, when he scored 52 not out to take England to the World T20 title in the final.He is out of action at the moment, a hamstring tear putting him out of Northern Superchargers’ campaign at The Hundred. The ECB has said in a statement that Stokes is aiming to return for the Test tour of Pakistan, which will start in Multan on October 7.If he takes part in the SA20, it will be a rare appearance for England’s Test captain at a franchise league. His last few appearances at the IPL were disrupted. In 2021, he broke a finger in Rajasthan Royals’ first game of the season and was ruled out for the tournament. Then in 2023, he played just two games for Chennai Super Kings all season, partly because of the long-standing knee condition, which had forced him to start the season as a specialist batter. He subsequently opted out of IPL 2024 to manage his workload.Mujeeb Ur Rahman has also represented Barbados Royals in the CPL•ICC/Getty Images

Royals add Mujeeb to 2025 squad

Paarl Royals have added Mujeeb Ur Rahman to their squad for the third season of SA20. Dinesh Karthik, who retired from “representative cricket” in June and was appointed Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s batting coach and mentor in July, had been signed earlier, as were the English trio of Root, Jacob Bethell and Sam Hain.”Mujeeb is an impressive young man who has performed in the best leagues around the world. He has the ability to deceive batters with his variety and pick up crucial wickets, and as his stats state, he can be very economical as well,” Royals’ director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara said in a statement. “He adds a lot of depth and variety to our spin bowling department, and we are all very excited to have him make a real impact at the Paarl Royals.”Mujeeb had earlier represented another of the group’s teams, Barbados Royals, in the CPL.Paarl Royals squad for SA20 2025: David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Dinesh Karthik, Joe Root, Bjorn Fortuin, Andile Phehlukwayo, Mitchell van Buuren, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Codi Yusuf, John Turner, Jacob Bethell, Sam Hain, Keith Dudgeon, Nqaba Peter, Kwena Maphaka, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dayyaan Galiem

India made significant gains during the two-and-a-half-year period where Rahul Dravid was their head coach, making the finals of a world event in each of the three formats and winning the T20 crown. Now the focus is on building on those gains and the man leading them forward will be Gautam Gambhir, their new head coach, who understands he has “big shoes to fill”.Speaking to reporters for the first time in his new role, Gambhir touched on the way he wants to work with India’s players and what they can expect from him. “It is very simple,” he said on Monday in Mumbai. “It is important to give players freedom – that’s what I believe in – and not have a relationship of a head coach and a player.”The best relationship is one built on trust. The most important thing is they’ll always have my backing. I don’t complicate too many things. I am taking over a very, very successful team – India are T20 world champions, have been runners-up in the World Test Championship and the 50-overs World Cup.”Related

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• Gambhir on working with Kohli: 'We are going to be on the same page'

Gambhir’s tenure begins on July 27 with India’s white-ball tour of Sri Lanka. This is his first time as head coach of a team, although he has served as a mentor in the IPL, with both Lucknow Super Giants and the reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders. In his playing days, he was an excellent opening batter with an international career that spanned 13 years and peaked with World Cup wins in 2007 and 2011.”My learning has been simple – it has been all about winning,” he said. “I don’t deviate from something. We are in a profession where there can be only one winner. We try and play fair, we try and play hard, and try and come back in a winning dressing room and a happy dressing room.”A happy dressing room is a winning dressing room. Ultimately it is the players’ team, the support staff is there to try and get the maximum out of their potential. Sometimes international cricket can be tough, it can be insecure as well because only 15 can be picked. It is the job of support staff to keep them happy.”For the tour of Sri Lanka, Gambhir will have Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate as assistant coaches and Sairaj Bahutule as the bowling coach. T Dilip, so far, is the only one to reprise his role from the previous regime. He will be the fielding coach. The other support staff members, Gambhir said, will be finalised after the Sri Lanka tour.In the past, Gambhir has not been an advocate of players picking and choosing matches. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli both have been selected for the ODIs against Sri Lanka, with the former set to lead. This is one of only two ODI series India are slated to play ahead of the Champions Trophy early next year.Gambhir said that workload management is important for fast bowlers but batters need to play all games if they are fit and available.”Workload management for someone like Jasprit Bumrah is important,” Gambhir said. “For batters, if they can play consistently and if they are in good form, [they] might as well play all the games. With Rohit and Virat now not playing T20 cricket, they only have two formats to look after. So they are going to be available for most of the games.”For Bumrah, because he is one rare kind of a bowler who anyone would want [in their team], so it’s our responsibility to try and have him fresh for most of the important games. So, workload management for, not just Bumrah, but fast bowlers becomes very, very important.”

Gautam Gambhir, the frontrunner to replace Rahul Dravid as India men’s head coach, has formally applied for the position and attended an interview on Tuesday, ESPNcricinfo has learned. Gambhir interacted with the BCCI’s cricket advisory committee (CAC), which is the panel entrusted by the BCCI to shortlist applicants.The CAC comprises former India cricketers Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjape and Sulakshana Naik.It could not be confirmed how many applications the BCCI has received, but it has been learnt that WV Raman, the former India batter who was India women’s head coach from December 2018 to May 2021, has also been interviewed*.The BCCI, which had set May 27 as the deadline for applications for the post, had held informal discussions with Gambhir during IPL 2024, when he helped Kolkata Knight Riders to their third title after returning to the franchise as mentor in November 2023.The KKR job was Gambhir’s second such stint; he had been a mentor at Lucknow Super Giants during the 2022 and 2023 IPL seasons, helping the team qualify for the playoffs both times.Gambhir had sought time to take a final call during the IPL, but speaking at an event in Abu Dhabi on June 1, he expressed his desire to coach India. “Look, I would love to coach the Indian team,” Gambhir said. “There is no bigger honour. There is no bigger honour than coaching your national team. You are representing 140 crore Indians. And more across the globe as well. And when you represent India, how can it get bigger than that?”Gautam Gambhir mentored Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title•CAB

He had been answering a question on whether he saw himself helping India win a World Cup.”How can I help India win the World Cup – I think it’s not me that will help India win the World Cup, it is 140 crore Indians that will help India win the World Cup,” Gambhir said. “If everyone starts praying for us, and we start playing and representing them, India will win the World Cup. The most important thing is to be fearless and yes, I would love to coach India.”Gambhir became the frontrunner for the job once his former India team-mate VVS Laxman told the BCCI last year that he was not interested in the head coach job. Laxman is currently the director of cricket at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.Dravid had taken over from Ravi Shastri after the T20 World Cup in November 2021, initially signing on for two years until the 2023 ODI World Cup. He then accepted the BCCI’s request to extend his tenure until the ongoing T20 World Cup.The BCCI had said the new head coach would be appointed for for three-and-a-half years, from July 2024 to December 2027, and would helm the team in all three formats.

India opener Pratika Rawal, who missed the semi-final and final of the World Cup due to injury, said that she believed in her replacement Shafali Verma to do “something special” in the final. Rawal, who joined India’s celebrations after winning the final against South Africa in a wheelchair, also received her medal, which had initially not been given to her because she was ruled out of the tournament.”I have my own medal now,” she was quoted as saying by PTI Videos. “One of the support staff had lent me theirs temporarily because mine hadn’t reached on time. Jay [Shah, ICC chairman] sir has sent me a medal, someone told me. I was so happy but people made a big deal of it online, it will take some time but will come to me.”Shafali partnered with Smriti Mandhana at the top of the order in the crucial semi-final against Australia as well as the final against South Africa, where she finished as Player of the Match, scoring 87 and also picking up two wickets. Rawal revealed the conversation she had with Shafali before the game.Related

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• A new dawn: Reflections on the Women's World Cup

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“Shafali doesn’t need motivation. She plays with instinct and belief,” Rawal said. “Before the final, she came up to me and said, ‘I’m really sorry you can’t play,’ and I told her it’s fine, these things happen. I had a feeling she would do something special that day.”Rawal, who had scored 308 runs in the tournament, finished fourth on the list of highest run-scorers after South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt (571), Mandhana (434) and Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner (328). She injured her ankle and knee while fielding against Bangladesh in the last league game. Being a psychology student, she said it was easy for her to process the setback.”…as someone who has studied psychology, it really helped me to understand human emotions better – including my own,” she said. “The first thing is to accept what’s happened. You can’t undo it. Once I accepted the injury, I focused only on what I could control – recovery, sleep, nutrition, and supporting the team.”There was disappointment, yes, but no breakdown. My dad was there, my coach (Shravan Kumar) kept checking on me, my mom and brother called every day. I have such a good support system. They didn’t let me spiral or feel alone,” she said.Her father took the injury harder than she did. “I don’t show emotions easily, but my dad cried a lot – I had to calm him down,” she said.On her recovery, Rawal sounded optimistic. “I’m feeling a lot better now. My X-ray is due in a few days, and I’m doing most things on my own. I’ve started light mobility work too. Once the doctors clear me, I’ll start batting again. I’m very excited to return – I miss holding the bat,” she said.”My next target is to complete rehab properly and come back for the domestic season. I don’t like rushing recovery. I’m a person who can bat all day and still not get tired – I want to get back to that zone.”Since her debut in 2024, she has scored 1110 runs in 24 ODIs with two centuries and seven fifties at an average of 50.45, numbers that underline her growing stature. But there was some criticism from the outside about her strike-rate, though India coach Amol Muzumdar had dismissed that concern during the tournament. Commenting on her batting approach, Rawal said she doesn’t believe in fixed roles.”Every match demands something different. If Smriti gets out early, I’m told to anchor and stay long,” she said. “If we need to score runs quickly, I’m asked to accelerate. For me, it’s never about personal milestones, it’s about the team’s rhythm.”

Big Picture: NZ under the pump

Two matches in, New Zealand are already at risk of playing catch-up in the Women’s World Cup. Two brilliant innings from captain Sophie Devine haven’t been able to save them as they lost to Australia and South Africa. That makes them one of two winless teams in this tournament.New Zealand hadn’t played an ODI in six months prior to the World Cup. The rust has shown: before losing to Australia and South Africa, they suffered defeats in their warm-up games against India and India A. Apart from Devine, who has contributed 42% of New Zealand’s runs in the tournament so far, the batters have struggled for fluency and the bowling has lacked bite. Against South Africa, they also let themselves down in the field with seven misfields, a reflection of a team that has looked undercooked.Bangladesh, in contrast, are on the rise. They stunned Pakistan, pushed England hard, and are brimming with belief. Their batting hasn’t quite clicked, but their bowlers have done the job with Marufa Akter consistently striking with the new ball and the spinners keeping a tight leash through the middle overs. With Brooke Halliday the only left-hander in the batting order, New Zealand’s right-hand-heavy line-up could be tested by left-arm spinner Nahida Akter and the legspin duo of Fahima Khatun and Rabeya Khan.They’ve never beaten New Zealand in ODIs, having lost both their completed games by a big margin in 2022. But with spin expected to play a big role in Guwahati on Friday, Bangladesh will be keen to use the conditions to their advantage. Unlike New Zealand, they have already played a game at this venue in the World Cup.

Form Guide

Bangladesh LWLLW (last five matches, most recent first)
New Zealand LLWWLSuzie Bates is yet to open her account in this World Cup•ICC via Getty Images

In the spotlight: Fahima Khatun and Suzie Bates

Fahima Khatun was near unplayable against England on Tuesday, returning remarkable figures of 3 for 16. She dismissed Nat Sciver-Brunt, Emma Lamb, and Sophia Dunkley, and celebrated each wicket with her trademark jig. Fahima’s slow, loopy legspin tied England down; she conceded just one boundary in 60 balls. She also had Heather Knight caught at cover, but the low catch was ruled not out by the TV umpire, a pivotal moment that arguably swung the game.New Zealand have missed the runs from Suzie Bates from the top of the order, who will be coming into this match off two consecutive ducks. She struggled to score off her first eight balls against Australia, eventually falling to left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux, while she fell for a golden duck against South Africa to Marizanne Kapp. She will need to find a way to see off a red-hot Marufa, who’s coming off four wickets in two games.

Team news: Is Mair fit and ready?

Bangladesh are unlikely to change their combination unless there’s a last-minute injury or illness. Marufa, who bowled only five overs against England and was off the field with cramps, is “fit and ready” for Friday’s game, Nahida said at the press conference.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Rubya Haider, 2 Sharmin Akhter, 3 Nigar Sultana (capt & wk), 4 Sobhana Mostary, 5 Mst Ritu Moni, 6 Shorna Akter, 7 Fahima Khatun, 8 Nahida Akter, 9 Rabeya Khan, 10 Marufa Akter, 11 Sanjida Akter MeghlaNew Zealand assistant coach Craig McMillan had said that right-arm quick Rosemary Mair was “close to fitness” before their previous fixture against South Africa. If she’s fit, New Zealand may bring her in for Jess Kerr.New Zealand (probable): 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine (capt), 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Isabella Gaze (wk), 8 Jess Kerr/Rosemary Mair, 9 Lea Tahuhu, 10 Eden Carson, 11 Bree Illing

Pitch and conditions: Spin to win

Spinners have taken 75% of the wickets (33 out of 44 total wickets) in the three matches in Guwahati so far this World Cup. There is a possibility of a rain-interrupted start.

Stats and Trivia: Tahuhu gears up for 100th ODI

• New Zealand fast bowler Lea Tahuhu will be playing her 100th ODI on Friday.
• Marufa Akter has eight wickets in the powerplay this year, the second most by a bowler in women’s ODIs.
• Brooke Halliday is 57 runs away from 1000 ODI runs. She will become the 18th New Zealand batter to the feat.

Quotes

“There has been quite a bit of turn and bounce in the nets, which is exciting for my bowling. But on the other hand with batting, it’s just being really disciplined in the best way to play spin. We know with Bangladesh, they’ve, I think apart from the opening bowler, they’re a spin-heavy attack and they’ve had a lot of teams in trouble as well throughout this tournament we’ve seen. So, I think being really disciplined with the bat, you have to sum up conditions really quickly and then work out what your best game plan is.”