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West Ham United insider and reliable source ExWHUemployee has shared a promising update on the club’s chances of signing Napoli star Piotr Zielinski this summer.

The Lowdown: Moyes set for busy end?

Following the official signings of Nayef Aguerd, Flynn Downes, Alphonse Areola and now Gianluca Scamacca, with the latter man putting an end to David Moyes’ long striker search, it appears the Irons aren’t finished.

Aiming to keep pace with the Premier League’s elite, it is believed that West Ham are attempting to make more new additions with the likes of Filip Kostic (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Amadou Onana (Lille) on their list of targets.

It is believed they have been working on both players in recent weeks with Zielinski, as per reports, coming as another player West Ham have held discussions over signing.

The Latest: Ex shares Zielinski update…

Now, writing on his Patreon, Ex has shared an update on the club’s chances of signing Napoli’s creative midfielder.

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The West Ham insider says more talks are scheduled and ‘will continue’ for Zielinski, and what’s more, the Rush Green side are ‘getting much closer to an agreement’ and ‘hope’ to get it over the line ‘as well’.

The Verdict: Make the move?

The 28-year-old, having drawn comparisons to the likes of Kevin De Bruyne for his silky style and vision, has been called a ‘beautiful footballer’ by former Poland coach Paulo Sousa.

The Guardian have also described Zielinski as an ‘architect’ in midfield and the international ace could potentially arrive with that degree of composure and creativity – gifting Moyes another useful option and providing more attacking impetus from the middle of the park.

Former Premier League striker Frank McAvennie has claimed that Liam Delap could become a forgotten man at Manchester City following the arrival of Erling Haaland.

The Lowdown: Man City open to Delap exit

The 19-year-old still has four years remaining on his contract at the Etihad Stadium after penning an extension to his deal last summer, but he spent the whole of last season playing for the under-23s without being able to make a genuine breakthrough into the first team.

Journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano revealed last week that the Sky Blues are willing to let the forward go in the coming weeks, with both Burnley and Southampton the two main clubs to have emerged as serious potential suitors.

The Latest: McAvennie’s comments

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie was quick to insist that Delap should have been given a chance to shine in Man City’s senior squad last term, but now fears for the youngster’s first-team prospects following the summer arrival of the hugely prolific Erling Haaland.

The former Aston Villa forward said: “I don’t know why, if he’s that good a striker and spoken so highly of, he didn’t get a game. They played so many games last year without a striker.

“You’re not getting in the team now that Haaland’s there. I would be a bit concerned for myself if I was in that team, I’d be wondering why, if I’m supposed to be a good striker, why he wasn’t playing me.

“I’d have left before now. I’d have been knocking on Pep’s [Guardiola] door before now.“

The Verdict: He could go

Oleksandr Zinchenko looks like he’s on his way out as he closes in on a move to Arsenal; and if McAvennie’s comments about his game-time prove prophetic, Delap could be next to head for the Etihad exit door in what would be a real blow for the champions.

The Winchester-born talent, who was once dubbed an ‘exceptional’ striker by City manager Pep Guardiola, missed chunks of last season due to injury but still managed to score eight goals and provide two assists in ten Premier League 2 appearances when involved in the action, as per Transfermarkt.

Delap is arguably one of City’s most exciting young talents coming through the ranks, and whether it happens on loan or on a permanent basis, it would be a shame for the club to lose the services of someone who has so much potential for the future.

However, if he struggles to get a look-in for the first team again next season, the 19-year-old could indeed seek to move on from the Etihad.

Manchester United are accelerating their attempts to sign Antony from Ajax, with the latest reports suggesting that Erik ten Hag’s side have now submitted a bid for the Brazilian.

What’s the word?

United have been regularly linked with the winger for some weeks now, and it has now been claimed by Goal correspondent James Robson that the Red Devils have submitted a £51m bid to the Dutch champions.

However, he also suggests that this is still £20m short of Ajax’s €80m (£68m) asking price, and the Eredivisie side are certainly under no pressure to sell, having already received significant fees for Bundesliga-bound duo Ryan Gravenberch and Sebastien Haller this summer.

The 22-year-old is contracted at the Johan Cruyff Arena until 2025, so it seems as if United will have to meet Ajax’s asking price if they want to bring him to Old Trafford this summer.

Ten Hag’s dream?

Antony was a key player for Ajax last season as they won the title, making 23 appearances in the Dutch top-flight, contributing eight goals and four assists, averaging a superb 7.47 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

The new United boss spoke about the importance of having someone like the Brazilian in a team when he was out with injury, saying:

“I am also happy to have players with [this] temperament. You also need them.”

“We all miss him. Without Antony it is all a bit less fast and dynamic on the right, which also makes it more difficult for the team. Then the spaces become a lot smaller.”

If ten Hag wants to play in a similar style at United he will need players that he can trust to implement the fast, passing style of play that was so effective at Ajax, so it is no surprise that the Red Devils are being so heavily linked with Antony.

When he initially arrived at Ajax, veteran Dutch scout Piet de Visser was full of praise for the young winger, saying:

“Antony, that will be a winner! I have had him high for years. I saw him playing for the first time at age 16, in Brazil Under-17. Wonderful technical football player.”

The 22-year-old certainly proved to be a success at Ajax and if he were to produce similar performances under ten Hag at United, he would surely be worth the asking price given his obvious potential, so the Dutch manager will be hoping and dreaming that he can agree a deal with his old side to bring Antony to Old Trafford this summer.

And, in other news… Ten Hag plotting MUFC bid for £34m gem who’s “one of the best”, imagine him & Eriksen…

Manchester City supporters have been handed a transfer update as the Premier League champions continue their chase for Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips.

The Lowdown: Khaldoon sends Man City message…

Sky Blues chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, sitting down for his annual end-of-season interview in recent days, sent a message all City supporters wanted to hear.

He confirmed that the club are set to make more signings, having already sealed both Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez ahead of what will be a very interesting 2022/2023 campaign.

Pep Guardiola’s side retained their domestic top flight crown for 21/22 in the most dramatic fashion, scoring three goals in five minutes to cement one of the best final day comebacks in English football history.

Their remarkable 3-2 win over Aston Villa, ten years on from Sergio Aguero’s iconic 93:20 title-winning goal, exemplified the spirit and character of Guardiola’s squad but the Spaniard appears keen to upgrade in some areas.

Club legend Fernandinho is set to leave Eastlands after nine years upon the expiry of his contract, prompting City to earmark Leeds star Phillips as a real candidate to succeed the Brazilian.

The Latest: Journalist shares interesting Phillips update…

Writing on Twitter, Man City journalist Tom Young has shared an update, claiming that while a possible transfer is ‘in motion’, there is still a ‘way to go’ in terms of sealing a deal for Phillips.

He explained:

“No assurances on Phillips. I understand it’s in motion but still a way to go. Cucurella looks more likely with every passing minute. The window outlook changes depending on who leaves, but as far as the current squad goes, IF we add the two aforementioned, then it’s a good one.”

The Verdict: Top candidate…

Phillips, still just 27-years-old, could leave Elland Road for around £60 million – nearly half the price of other mooted midfield targets like Declan Rice.

Standing out as a key player when fit and available for Leeds over 21/22, the midfield star averaged a brilliant 2.7 tackles per 90 domestically, the second-most out of Jesse Marsch’s squad and more than any City player (WhoScored).

It’s little surprise pundits like Noel Whelan have raved over the ‘phenomenal’ midfielder and we believe Phillips would provide a different dimension alongside Rodri in front of Guardiola’s back four.

In other news: Surprise claim: Pep now open to selling ‘incredible’ Man City star who’s never been so important! Find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur will still be without Cristian Romero for today’s Premier League clash with Norwich City…

What’s the latest?

There was an outside chance that the 24-year-old centre-back was going to be involved at Carrow Road this afternoon as football.london’s Alasdair Gold revealed earlier in the week.

“In terms of team news for Norwich, we’re probably expecting roughly the same team [as the Burnley match],” he said.

“Interestingly, there were [Antonio] Conte quotes that I stuck out there a few days back, where he did admit that Romero – in his mind – was trying to get fit for this Norwich match, trying to put himself into a position to be fit for it. Whether that is wishful thinking, we’ll find out in the days ahead.”

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Wishful thinking indeed as the Italian head coach ruled out the Argentina international in his pre-game press conference.

“Romero had a traumatic injury. He is not available. We have the same players as the last game against Burnley. Not less, not more. We have to be ready to try and fight and get the result,” he told reporters (via football.london).

Gutting setback

Whilst an already relegated Canaries side shouldn’t be much of a threat to Spurs’ top-four chances, it is still a gutting blow to Conte and the squad.

Romero has emerged as one of the Premier League’s best defenders this campaign and he has certainly improved the Lilywhites’ previously leaky backline.

“This guy is an animal, I swear. He’s perfect for the Premier League,” teammate at Atalanta and in north London Pierluigi Gollini claimed to the Evening Standard. “He’s played for many years with three at the back and especially when you play with a very aggressive style and play man for man.”

Indeed, the Argentine leads the squad for tackles (2.8) and interceptions (1.5) per game, proving to be an absolute rock at the back. Not only is he reading the opposition and acting upon it but also doing so in an aggressive style.

Not to mention his equally adept skills as a ball-playing option, having also averaged an accuracy rate of 86.7% from nearly 60 passes per outing, via WhoScored.

With Spurs already short on solid central defensive options, his absence will still come as disappointing news to the 52-year-old boss, and perhaps the Lilywhites faithful too.

in other news, Spurs eye next Dele Alli in “unbelievable” 28 G/A prodigy with “remarkable potential”…

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has made a claim regarding the future of experienced Liverpool midfielder James Milner. 

The lowdown: Seven-year service

The 36-year-old joined the Reds as a free agent and has since made 285 appearances for the club – making Liverpool Milner’s most represented club during an illustrious career spanning permanent spells at Leeds United, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Manchester City prior to arriving on Merseyside.

Out of contract at the end of this season (Transfermarkt), the former England regular faces an uncertain future at Anfield as things stand.

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However, according to one journalist, Jurgen Klopp will be desperate to see the influential midfielder stick around…

The latest: ‘Future manager’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke has claimed that the Reds’ boss is keen to keep Milner beyond the end of the 2021/22 season.

The journalist explained why when asked whether Klopp wanted the 61-cap ex-Three Lions ace to stay: “Yes 100%. He’s such a great servant to the club. Jurgen Klopp is a huge admirer of James Milner as well, not just because of what he does on the pitch but also off the pitch.

“He can probably see James Milner as being a future manager because of the way he is. I think a lot of people have said that because he’s just so absorbed with football and he’s always been available for Liverpool whenever needed.”

The verdict: Continuity is key

As Liverpool prepare for the next cycle under Klopp with the likes of Harvey Elliott, Luis Diaz and the incoming Fabio Carvalho at the forefront, Milner’s growing off-field influence could be crucial in overseeing a successful transition at the AXA Training Centre and beyond.

A stalwart of 586 Premier League appearances – fourth in the all-time list – few can offer the insight, knowledge and experience of the top-level football like the Leeds-born star and keeping someone with the ability to pass on information to emerging youngsters cannot be underestimated.

Albeit a diminished role on the field this season, the man labelled as ‘remarkable’ by Gary Lineker following a 3-0 victory over Leicester City in 2020 has still managed 35 appearances across all competitions for Klopp’s side.

That continued role in the German’s plans and an ever-developing father figure type position that as seen Milner keep a close eye on the academy outfits should be enough for the club to make a renewal offer.

In other news, French newspaper cites Liverpool interest in ‘unstoppable’ speedster. Read more here.

His ODI average is higher than those of Smith, Kohli, Williamson or Root, and his T20I average only behind Kohli’s

Danyal Rasool in Karachi01-Oct-2019Pakistan have found themselves lagging behind most other top-tier cricket teams a little too often over the past decade. The fielding and fitness standards, especially, have been well below the best for long patches, while as recently as at the 2016 World T20, they looked like they hadn’t figured out the right approach to modern T20 cricket. ODI cricket, too, remained a similar puzzle until they found themselves holding aloft the Champions Trophy in 2017.Another aspect where Pakistan cricket brings up the rear is marketing their players. Shortly after winning that Champions Trophy, captain Sarfaraz Ahmed appeared in a commercial for – we kid you not – a pan masala brand. It isn’t the sort of thing you’d expect of Virat Kohli or Eoin Morgan, so you’d think the man who’d outsmarted those two captains en route to the title might have considered the association somewhat beneath him.ALSO READ: Samiuddin – Welcome to the age of Babar AzamSimilarly, Babar’s stature in the world game isn’t nearly as high as his numbers should render it. Many in Pakistan still feel a sense of imposter syndrome creeping in if they dare mention Babar alongside Steven Smith, Kohli, Kane Williamson and Joe Root. There is no need for such sheepishness. Babar averages higher than any of them in T20Is, and is behind only Kohli in ODIs. This is a man who, with his 11th ODI century on Monday, became the third fastest to that mark, behind only the South Africans Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock.Followers of Pakistan cricket have been predisposed to pessimism, and perhaps have cause enough to be wired that way. It is for that reason Babar’s hundred today, compiled with the same uncanny inevitability that marks so many of his great innings, was a particularly salient one. This Sri Lanka bowling attack may not have been the toughest one he faced, but crucially enough for Pakistan, Babar showed when he’s out in the middle, he really can block out everything else.”When you play in front of your home crowd, you enjoy yourself; I certainly do,” he said afterwards while speaking to the press. “There’s no pressure associated with it, and I don’t tend to burden myself with any extra pressure. I just focus on what I need to learn and improve.”

The time I spent in the county game this season made a big difference. There was a lot I learned there; I went after just a week’s rest at the end of the World Cup. I played 14 matches against quality opposition, and that helped quite a lot.

This was his second ODI at home, and his first as the new vice-captain of the team – he would, again, casually dismiss the idea that it put any pressure at all on him. It was the first game for the team under the new management after the ouster of Mickey Arthur, the man under whom Babar had played nearly his entire career and who referred to Babar as like a son. Fresh from a county stint with Somerset that saw him lead the run charts in the Vitality Blast, Babar has begun to suggest that he would score runs no matter what the format of the game or the logo on his shirt.”The time I spent in the county game this season made a big difference,” he said. “There was a lot I learned there; I went after just a week’s rest at the end of the World Cup. I played 14 matches against quality opposition, and that helped quite a lot.”There’s little to suggest he won’t be the leading batsman, perhaps even the man in charge, when the next World Cup rolls along in 2023. But Babar’s innings, and what he said after, were further reminders that he wasn’t thinking in those terms while dealing with a cricket ball from 22 yards away. In those moments, he’s no vice-captain, no spearhead or talisman; just a batsman, batting.Were he to retire today, he’d finish with more ODI hundreds than any Pakistani bar Saeed Anwar and Mohammad Yousuf. No Pakistan batsman in history boasts a superior ODI average, while only Amla scored 3000 ODI runs in fewer innings. The numbers suggest he is on track to perhaps becoming the greatest Pakistani ODI batsman, and while this may be an era friendlier to run-scoring than the ones his counterparts played in, Pakistan can ill-afford to talk down a prospect that bright.Today’s century won’t be one for the grandkids, given how straightforward everything was. The openers had provided a solid base, with the pitch flat and the bowling harmless. There was no target to pace himself to; whatever Pakistan set would likely be too much for this young, second-string Sri Lankan team. It did, in truth, come much too easily. But Babar has made such a habit of scoring easy hundreds it’s becoming difficult to tell anymore.Whether he becomes a successful captain is one for the future, and no one will argue that he’s the most strategically astute player in that change room. But it isn’t yet clear whether Pakistan realise that, in Babar Azam, they have present-day cricketing royalty walking amongst them.So when you next see the 24-year-old appearing in a Boom Boom bubblegum ad – as you might at the PSL next year – suppress that smirk tugging at the corners of your mouth. Pakistan, and even Babar, may not know it yet, but the nostalgia industry in the country 20 years on might well comprise entirely of a young man holding the pose to a front foot straight drive he could middle in his sleep.

Delhi Daredevils have several fast-bowling options this season but will be without JP Duminy and Quinton de Kock. Their domestic players will have to fill that void

Akshay Gopalakrishnan03-Apr-2017

Likely first-choice XI

Sam Billings, Shreyas Iyer*, Sanju Samson, Corey Anderson, Karun Nair, Rishabh Pant (wk), Chris Morris, Mohammed Shami, Amit Mishra, Zaheer Khan (capt), Kagiso Rabada

Reserves

Batsmen – Aditya Tare, Ankit Bawne, Shashank SinghBowlers – Pat Cummins, Shahbaz Nadeem, Khaleel Ahmed, M Ashwin, Chama Milind, Navdeep Saini, Pratyush SinghAllrounders – Carlos Brathwaite, Angelo Mathews, Jayant Yadav

Strengths

A strong bowling attack and a good mix of match-winning allrounders. Daredevils could potentially have six full-time bowlers in the XI. Even with their best selections, they will have to bench some top players, making for strong bench strength.

Weaknesses

Their batting seems depleted, and will be hit further as Shreyas Iyer recuperates from chickenpox – subsequently, he will miss at least the first week of the league. The middle order will heavily feature domestic talent, some of whom are excellent players, but it lacks firepower. Zaheer Khan will lead them again, but he has not played competitive cricket since the last IPL and at 38, is one of the oldest players in the tournament. While Corey Anderson started bowling again only recently, in short spells, in domestic matches in New Zealand, Angelo Mathews is under an injury cloud after missing the ODIs against Bangladesh.Daredevils are spoilt for choice when it comes to fast bowlers but they will have to pick their bowling attack wisely. If they are to play two spinners out of three – Amit Mishra, Jayant Yadav and Shahbaz Nadeem – they will probably have to leave out Mohammed Shami. If that does not happen, they could end up with five quicks, including allrounders, and one spinner, which could affect variety and team balance.

Where they finished in 2016, and what’s different this year?

Sixth out of eight teams, their best finish since making the playoffs in 2012.Imran Tahir was the most high-profile talent released by Daredevils. They spent most of their purse in shoring up an already strong overseas contingent comprising Quinton de Kock, JP Duminy and Chris Morris. They will miss de Kock, who is out injured, and Duminy, who pulled out due to personal reasons, but have ample cover with the signings of Anderson, Pat Cummins and Kagiso Rabada, who was their most expensive buy at INR 5 crores. They also acquired legspinner M Ashwin, who showed promise last year.Rishabh Pant may have to play a bigger role than he did last year•BCCI

What have their players been up to?

• Rabada and Shami appear to be Daredevils’ most likely new-ball duo. The former, in his most recent international appearance, took four wickets even as his team was flattened by New Zealand in the Hamilton Test. In the preceding one-day series, he was the highest wicket-taker from either side, with an average of 17 and an economy rate of 4.22. Shami recently returned after a four-month layoff due to hamstring injury and took four wickets for Bengal in the Vijay Hazare Trophy final against victors Tamil Nadu.
• With 124 wickets, Mishra is the second-highest wicket-taker in IPL history. He was impressive in the T20 internationals against England at the start of the year, taking 2 for 48 in his combined eight overs across two games. It was also his last competitive appearance.
• Morris’ ability to pick wickets and seamlessly clear the boundary will once again make him one of Daredevils’ many MVPs. He only shone in parts during the New Zealand ODIs and was subsequently released from the Test squad. Come IPL, though, Daredevils may find him more useful.
• Several of Daredevils’ local players have grabbed eyeballs over the last few months. Rishabh Pant had his breakout Ranji season that led to a T20 international debut; Shahbaz Nadeem was the tournament’s highest wicket-taker, Jayant Yadav played his part in India’s golden home season as an allrounder, and Karun Nair became only the second Test triple-centurion from India. Following their phenomenal achievements, there will be more expectations from all of them.

Overseas-player availability

Anderson will be unavailable for the final three matches as he will travel to Ireland for a triangular series also involving Bangladesh. Billings will be absent for the second half. And if Daredevils make the playoffs, they could also miss Morris and Rabada as South Africa travel to England. They are also yet to name replacements for de Kock and Duminy.

Home and away record in 2016

Daredevils fared almost equally well both home and away. They won four and lost three at home. The figures were the opposite away. They maintained a proud record at their original home – the Feroz Shah Kotla – where they won three of their five matches and lost one of them by one run. They then shifted base to Raipur for their final two fixtures. Thumping wins against Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Lions made for memorable highlights from their away campaign.

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*6.00GMT, April 5: The preview has been updated with the news of Shreyas Iyer’s illness.

Some key numbers and statistics from Martin Crowe’s illustrious career

Bharath Seervi03-Mar-201617 Test tons for Martin Crowe – the most by any batsman for New Zealand. The next batsmen in this list have four centuries less – Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson with 13 each. Crowe made centuries against seven of the eight opponents he played against, missing a hundred only against South Africa. His average of 45.36 is only bettered by Taylor and Williamson, at present, among those with 2000 or more runs for New Zealand.5444 Runs scored in Crowe’s Test career – the highest for New Zealand at his retirement in 1995. Crowe had gone past John Wright’s tally of 5334 runs to become New Zealand’s highest run-getter in Tests in January 1995, against South Africa in Cape Town. Even more than two decades since his exit from Test cricket, only two New Zealand batsmen have eclipsed Crowe’s run-tally: Stephen Fleming (7172) and Brendon McCullum (6453).58.46 Crowe’s average in Tests between 1985 and 1991 – the best for any batsman with at least 2500 runs in the period. Crowe made 3391 runs in 66 innings in those six years. His 12 centuries in that period also were the most by any batsman, bettering Allan Border, Graham Gooch and Richie Richardson who made 11 centuries each. Crowe’s average never reached 30 till his 21st Test match and the average in his last seven Tests was less than 20 as well. He averaged 56.20 in those 50 Tests between his 20th and 71st Test, and made 16 centuries.Martin Crowe had the best batting average in Tests between 1985 and 1991 (Min. 2500 runs)•ESPNcricinfo Ltd456 Runs scored by Crowe in the 1992 World Cup – most by any batsman. He was adjudged Player of the Tournament for his performance, thus becoming the first player to get that award in World Cup history. In the first four editions, there was no such award. Being captain of his side, he is still the only one to have received this award as captain in World Cup history. His average of 114.00 in that World Cup is the best by a batsman in a single World Cup scoring 400 or more runs. The Nine fifty-plus scores by Crowe in World Cups are the most by any New Zealand player.299 Crowe’s highest individual score in Tests and his only double century. He is the one and only player in the history of Test cricket to be dismissed on 299; Don Bradman was not out on 299 once. Crowe was in fact the first player in the history of first-class cricket to be dismissed on 299; only one other player has managed that unlucky feat – Mike Powell in 2006. Crowe’s innings came against Sri Lanka in Wellington in 1990-91 in the third innings of the Test, which remains the third-highest individual score in a team’s second innings. It was the highest individual score for New Zealand in Tests until Brendon McCullum went past it against India, at the same venue, in 2013-14. Crowe had gone past Glenn Turner’s 259, which was scored in 1971-72, to have the record to his name. Incidentally, Crowe was captain in that match and was dismissed by the opposition captain, Arjuna Ranatunga, making it the highest individual score at which a captain was dismissed by another captain. There has been only one more double-century innings by a captain getting dismissed by another captain: West Indies’ Dennis Atkinson out for 219 to Australia’s Ian Johnson in Bridgetown in 1955.467 Runs added by Crowe and Andrew Jones for the third wicket against Sri Lanka (the innings in which Crowe made 299), which was the highest partnership for any wicket in Test cricket at that time. They beat a long standing record of 451 runs between Bradman and Bill Ponsford in 1934, which was equaled by Javed Miandad and Mudassar Nazar in 1982-83. Since then, there have been only two partnerships higher than that: 576 between Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama in 1997 and 624 between Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara in 2006.56.02 Crowe’s average in his first-class career, scoring 19608 runs in 412 innings. Among 469 batsmen who aggregated 15,000 or more runs in first-class cricket, only ten others had a better average than Crowe’s. He made 71 centuries in his first-class career which is the second-most among all New Zealand cricketers behind Turner’s 103. Crowe had a great ability of converting fifties into hundreds. His ratio of centuries to half-centuries in first-class career was 0.88 (71 centuries and 80 half-centuries). Among 166 players who scored 50 or more centuries, only the legendary Bradman (1.69) and Wally Hammond (0.90) had a better ratio than Crowe. In Tests also, Crowe made 17 centuries and only 18 half-centuries, which puts him eighth among the 71 batsmen with 15 or more centuries in terms of that ratio.

Stats highlights from the second ODI between India and Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad

Bishen Jeswant06-Nov-201487 Number of ODI fifties for Kumar Sangakkara, including his score of 61 in this game. Only Sachin Tendulkar, with 96 fifties, has more. Jacques Kallis and Sangakkara were tied in second place prior to this game, with 86 fifties each.40 Number of times R Ashwin has taken two or three wickets in an ODI innings. Among bowlers without a single four-wicket haul, Ashwin has the most such hauls. He returned figures of 2-49 from his ten overs in this game.838 Number of ODI runs for Angelo Mathews in 2014, more than any other batsman. Sangakkara, with 802, is the only other batsman to have scored more than 800.23 Number of fifties for Mathews in ODI cricket. Among batsmen who don’t have an ODI century, his tally is the third highest. Misbah-ul-Haq tops the table with 37 fifties, while New Zealand’s Andrew Jones has 25. Mathews scored 92 in this game, just short of his ODI best of 93, against Pakistan in Hambantota, in 2014.18 Runs conceded by Ashwin in the 10th over of Sri Lanka’s innings – the most runs he has conceded in a single over in ODI cricket. He conceded as many in the 36th over of an ODI innings against England in Kochi, in January 2013.12 Number of times since 2001 that Sri Lanka have lost a wicket in the first over of their innings in an ODI against India. It has not happened to Sri Lanka more often against any other team. Sri Lanka lost Kusal Perera in the first over this game.1 Number of times since October 2009 that a player batting at No. 10 or below scored at least twice as many runs as his partner during a partnership of 50 runs or more. Dhammika Prasad and Mathews posted 54 runs for the ninth wicket, with Prasad contributing 30 and Mathews just 15.121 Runs scored by Ambati Rayudu today, his maiden ODI hundred. It was the 15th ODI hundred by an Indian No. 3 since January 2010, with the previous 14 being scored by Virat Kohli.8 Number of times India have successfully achieved a target of 275 or more against Sri Lanka, more than against any other team. They have done it six times against Pakistan, the next best.4 Number of times India’s second and third wickets have both posted 100-plus partnerships in an ODI innings. The most recent was against Pakistan in Dhaka in 2012. In this game, Shikhar Dhawan and Rayudu put on 122 runs for the second wicket, while Rayudu and Virat Kohli posted 116 for the third.