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Isuru Udana Jersy

Isuru Udana

Team flagSL36 yrs
batting styleAll Rounder
ILT20 | Dubai Capitals vs Gulf Giants: Preview, Prediction and Fantasy Tips

Shivani Shukla ∙ 15 Jan 2023

ILT20 | Dubai Capitals vs Gulf Giants: Preview, Prediction and Fantasy Tips

Both teams have started their tournament campaign with victories.

International League T20 2023, DBC vs ADKR: Powell's all-round show bests Abu Dhabi Knight Riders

Aayush Mahajan ∙ 13 Jan 2023

International League T20 2023, DBC vs ADKR: Powell's all-round show bests Abu Dhabi Knight Riders

Dubai Capitals are off to a flying start as they defeated Abu Dhabi Knight Riders by 73 runs in the opening match of the inaugural International League T20 season.

DUB vs ABD Fantasy Prediction: ILT20, Match 1

Probuddha Bhattacharjee ∙ 13 Jan 2023

DUB vs ABD Fantasy Prediction: ILT20, Match 1

The fantasy tips and teams for the International League T20.

Galle Gladiators hand Kandy Falcons their first defeat of the season

Vishal Mehra ∙ 12 Dec 2022

Galle Gladiators hand Kandy Falcons their first defeat of the season

Galle occupy the third position in the LPL 2022 tabe, while Kandy remain as table toppers.

SL-L vs WI-L Match Preview, Key Players, Cricket Exchange Fantasy Tips

Shivani Shukla ∙ 29 Sep 2022

SL-L vs WI-L Match Preview, Key Players, Cricket Exchange Fantasy Tips

Sri Lanka Legends remained undefeated throughout the tournament and finished the league stage at the top of the points table.

ENG-L vs SL-L Match Preview, Key Players, Cricket Exchange Fantasy Tips

Aakash Saini ∙ 13 Sep 2022

ENG-L vs SL-L Match Preview, Key Players, Cricket Exchange Fantasy Tips

Sri Lanka Legends to face England Legends in match number five of the 2022 Road Safety World Series.

CPL 2021 | TKR vs SLK: Pollard, bowlers help Trinbago get back to winning ways

Somya Kapoor ∙ 1 Sep 2021

CPL 2021 | TKR vs SLK: Pollard, bowlers help Trinbago get back to winning ways

Trinbago Knight Riders were back on the winning ways after they defeated Saint Lucia Kings convincingly by 27 runs while defending a target of 159 runs in 20 overs. The Kings lost an early wicket during the chase in the form of Rakheem Cornwall who was undone for 8 off 8 deliveries by Isuru Udana but Andre Fletcher and captain Faf du Plessis tried to steady the ship for the side as the two chipped in with a partnership of 40 runs for the second wicket. Du Plessis was eventually sent back in the hut for 14 off 24 by Sunil Narine and the skipper’s wicket certainly broke the shackles. The Saint Lucia side kept losing wickets at regular intervals and were reduced to 104/7 in the 18th over to eventually end the innings at 131/7. Fletcher was the pick of the batsmen for the Kings after he notched up a 55-ball 81 that included four maximums and 6 fours during the course but his efforts went in vain as the side failed to go over the line. Ravi Rampaul scalped a three-wicket haul for the Knight Riders while Udana bagged a couple of wickets for the team. Narine and Akeal Hossain were also among the wickets as the two bowlers picked up a wicket apiece. Earlier, riding on Kesrick Williams four-fer, Saint Lucia managed to restrict Trinbago for a total of 158/7. TKR lost Lendl Simmons early in the innings but Narine and Tion Webster scored 38 runs for the second wicket to provide the resistance before Webster departed for a run-a-ball 14. Webster’s dismissal saw a couple of more wickets falling for the Knight Ridersand they were eventually left tottering at 68/4 before Kieron Pollard and Seifert joined hands to stitch a stand of 78 runs for the fifth wicket. Pollard scored 41 off 29 while Seifert was dismissed for a 25-ball 37. With the win, TKR are now placed at number three spot in the points table with a couple of wins and as many defeats in the four matches that they have played. TKR captain Pollard later expressed his delight at the win and also discussed his own innings. “Very pleased. Happy Independence day. Sometimes you have to take the initiative, I knew if I came up, they would bring back their main bowlers. It's about capitalising on those things,” he said after the match. SLK skipper Du Plessis too lauded Pollard’s efforts with the bat. “We lost it with the ball at the end. 20 too much on that wicket. It's not easy batting, especially against the spinners. Polly hung in there and he got the bowling at the end to capitalize,” he said. TKR will now face Guyana Amazon Warriors on Wednesday while the Kings will be up against the same opposition on Thursday.

CPL 2021 | TKR vs BR: Isuru Udana, Kieron Pollard get Trinbago back on track

Somya Kapoor ∙ 28 Aug 2021

CPL 2021 | TKR vs BR: Isuru Udana, Kieron Pollard get Trinbago back on track

Trinbago Knight Riders’ captain Kieron Pollard blew a flying kiss after he smacked one out of the park for a maximum off Thisara Perera in the 17th over to complete his fifty against Barbados Royals in St Lucia on Saturday. The right-hander struck a boundary on the very next delivery to complete a comprehensive win for TKR by 6 wickets as they chased down a target of 123 runs with more than three overs to spare. Trinbago needed to get the momentum back after they suffered a defeat in the first match of the competition and Pollard along with Denesh Ramdin showed their skills against the Royals to get the side back on track. The Knight Riders had some early hiccups after they were reduced to 18/3 and were left tottering at 38/4 in 8th over when skipper Pollard and wicket-keeper batsman Ramdin joined hands and steadied the ship for the side. The two batsmen made sure that there were no further dismissals and put up an unbeaten stand of 87 runs for the fifth wicket to see the side home. But the game totally changed in the 15th over when Jason Holder took the ball in his hands. He had only given 8 runs in the first three overs that he had bowled but what unleashed next was simply disappointing for his side and left Holder in disarray. He was hit for three sixes in his final over and ended up giving away 22 runs in total which also included a couple of no-balls to eventually return with figures of 0/30 in 4 overs. Pollard (58*) and Ramdin (29*) then took less than two overs to go over the line and hand the side its first win of the season. Mohammad Amir was the pick of the bowlers for Barbados after he scalped a three-for at the cost of 21 runs in 4 overs while Oshane Thomas too had an impressive day at the office as he returned with figures of 1/14 in 4 overs. Earlier in the day, it was Isuru Udana show who ripped through the Barbados batting line up and bagged a five-wicket haul during the course. The Royals had a decent start to the proceedings as the openers Glenn Philips and Charles put up 29 runs for the first wicket. But Charles’ departure broke the shackles and Barbados kept losing wickets at regular intervals to get bundled out for 122 in the final over. However, Charles' wicket was a controversial one as the replays showed that it came off the shoulder and not the bat while the batter went for a hook on a short delivery from the bowler. But he was eventually given out and had to walk back into the hut. Udana’s fifer included the wickets of Philips, Charles, captain Holder, Azam Khan and Thisara Perera. Azam top-scored for Barbados with a 21-ball 30 that included a couple of sixes and as many boundaries but the middle-order failed to fire and the side was pushed on the backfoot. Apart from Udana, Ravi Rampaul picked up two wickets while Hosein and Narine took one wicket apiece. Barbados captain Holder expressed his disappointment and said that the players need to take up the responsibility. “We didn't give ourself a fair chance (with that kind of a score). Guys need to take responsibility. We have had two tough games so far. It's a tricky situation, trying to defend 120 is difficult,” he said after the match. TKR skipper Pollard admitted that the side didn’t really have a good start to the competition but lauded the efforts made by Ramdin and Udana to eventually give them the first win. “Wasn't a great start for us yesterday. Even today it wasn't a great start, but these things happen,” he said. “We were in a spot of bother today, but Ramdin played well. Shows the experience we have in this TKR line-up. I think Udana's come here to make a statement. He got those early wickets and we were able to support him at the backend,” Pollard added. The Royals will now face Jamaica Tallawahs while TKR will be up against Saint Lucia Kings on Sunday.

CPL 2021: Varied armoury brings solidity to Trinbago Knight Riders unit

Somya Kapoor ∙ 19 Aug 2021

CPL 2021: Varied armoury brings solidity to Trinbago Knight Riders unit

What could be the most difficult aspect of this game? Batting, bowling or fielding? Probably, yes but more than anything, it is sustaining to stay at the top. That pressure of defending your title in comparison to lifting the trophy for the first time is immense. But this doesn’t seem to be the case with Trinbago Knight Riders. Team manager Colin Borde has already said that the team is under “no pressure” whatsoever. Well, as they say, attack in the best defence. For TKR, this seems to be the basic plan as the side goes into the tournament to defend the title. The defending champions begin the competition against Guyana Amazon Warriors on August 26, 2021 which will also mark the start of CPL 2021 in St Kitts. All the matches will be played at the same venue. TKR have always invested in experience and they have continued to do the same as they picked up the squad for this edition of the CPL. From Kieron Pollard to Sunil Narine and from Yasir Shah to Colin Munro, the unit has a bunch of players with vast experience especially in the shorter format of the game who have played cricket all around the globe and probably under all sorts of conditions. Trinbago Knight Riders squad: Kieron Pollard (captain), Ravi Rampaul, Sunil Narine, Colin Munro, Yasir Shah, Darren Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Khary Pierre, Isuru Udana, Tim Seifert, Anderson Phillip, Denesh Ramdin, Tion Webster, Akeal Hosein, Jayden Seales, Leonardo Julien, Ali Khan. Team News Trinbago made a bold decision after they let go experienced all-rounder Dwayne Bravo and traded him to St Kitts/Nevis Patriots, with experienced wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin who made a return to the franchise. “Obviously, to any team, Dwayne is an asset,” Borde had said. “We have the requisite expertise and experience to forge ahead.” TKR retained as many 12 players and completed their squad of 16 after the conclusion of CPL draft. They attained the services of Ravi Rampaul, Isuru Udana, Sandeep Lamichchane and wicket keeper batsman Leonardo Julien. But Lamichhane and Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza were later replaced by Pakistan’s Yasir Shah and New Zealand keeper Tim Siefert respectively. Shah had featured in the CPL back in 2018 for the Knight Riders for a short span of time while Siefert was a part of it in the 2020 edition. Lamichhane would be busy with national duties during that time as Nepal would be battling it out against PNG in Oman. Let the willow talk Those who follow the Indian Premier League or are Kolkata Knight Riders fans would know what Sunil Narine brings to the table not just with the ball but with the bat too. Narine has opened the innings for the T20 franchises and the move has come as a success for his sides. The left-handed batsman can fetch runs at brisk pace in the power play overs that gives the side an edge and a basic foundation to post a big total. Apart from him, Darren Bravo and Lendl Simmons are the other two batters who can be lethal against any bowling attack on their day. Both the players have the ability to go after the opponents’ bowling line up and hammer them around the park. West Indies cricket fans would remember how Simmons hammered India in the semis to notch up a 51-ball 82. Interestingly, that was his first game of the tournament. So, if Simmons along with Bravo or Narine go all guns blazing, the bowling attacks would be in all sorts of trouble. Next in the list are some international recruits such as Colin Munro and Tim Seifert. Munro’s tally of 300 T20 matches speaks for itself. The left-hander has scored over 7000 runs in T20 format at a strike-rate of 143.87 which gives one an idea about how menacing he can be with the willow in his hands. Tim Seifert on the other hand, if gets a chance in the final XI can prove to be an asset. The right-hander too has a lot of T20 experience. Captain Kieron Pollard would play a vital role in creating a balance in the batting unit as he is capable enough to steady the ship for the side if and when required while can score runs quickly and increase the scoring-rate whenever needed. The TKR would want him to play that anchor’s role especially while chasing. The presence of wicket-keeper batsman Denesh Ramdin and Isuru Udana in the middle and lower middle-order also brings stability in the batting department for TKR. Variety in bowling Sunil Narine, Yasir Shah, Ravi Rampaul, Isuru Udana, Kieron Pollard and now Jayden Seales. What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you see such a bowling line up? Experience? Yes. Strength? Yes. But most importantly, it is the variety that these bowlers bring. Narine is probably one of the most successful bowlers when it comes to power play. He has the ability to keep a check on the run flow especially in the starting of the proceedings. Then comes another spinner, Yasir Shah. The leg-spinners are said to belong to that genre of bowling who are at the receiving end if the batsmen are on song but the leggies are the most lethal and dangerous too. From the wrong-uns to tossed up leg spin deliveries, they can deceive the batsmen with authority and rip through any line up. Moreover, the amount of cricket that Yasir Shah has played, he is a well-equipped bowler. A left-arm pacer has a lot on offer for his team. He can deceive the batsmen with the deliveries coming in or the ones moving away quite efficiently. There came a time in the 2019 World Cup in England where almost all the teams barring India had at least one left-arm pacer in the unit. Though, the conditions were pretty different then but the responsibility would be similar. Trinbago have Isuru Udana in their ranks. The Sri Lankan has played some franchise cricket and his international exposure would come as a boon for the side. TKR have a mix of young lads and experienced campaigners in their side. Someone like Ravi Rampaul would not just only be an important cog in the wheel for the team but he can be one of those players who would mentor and nurture the young crop which includes someone like Jayden Seales. Seales would be riding high on the way he has performed recently in the Tests especially against Pakistan in their first encounter of the series where the pacer bagged a total of 8 wickets. Skipper Pollard will have an extra bit of responsibility on himself as he will have to chip in with some overs as well. The right-arm bowler has impressed everyone with his bowling in the past and would look to pick wickets consistently for the side. Overall, the team looks to be a balanced one and has a lot of variety as well. Probable XI: Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Colin Munro, Kieron Pollard (C), Denesh Ramdin, Isuru Udana, Ravi Rampaul, Yasir Shah, Jayden Seales, Akeal Hosein

Isuru Udana retires from international cricket

Somya Kapoor ∙ 31 July 2021

Isuru Udana retires from international cricket

Sri Lanka pacer Isuru Udana has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect. “I believe the time has come for me to make way for the next generation of players,’’ said Udana whilst notifying his decision to Sri Lanka Cricket. ‘’It is with immense pride and passion, and unfathomable commitment that I have represented and served my country,’’ he further added. Udana first donned the Sri Lankan jersey back in 2009 in a T20I game against Australia in Nottingham while playing his first ODI against India in 2012. The fast bowler has played 21 ODIs for Sri Lanka and has scalped 18 wickets during the course and has been capped 35 times in the T20Is where he has picked a total of 27 wickets. The 33-year-old has been a handy batsman in the lower order as well. He has notched up 237 runs in ODIs and 256 runs in T20Is and also has a half-century in both the formats to his name. Sri Lanka Cricket wished Udana the very best in his future endeavours. “Sri Lanka Cricket wishes Udana, who was a valuable player in Sri Lanka’s White-Ball teams, the very best in his future endeavours,” a statement from SLC said.

SL vs IND | 2nd ODI Preview: Sri Lanka seek inspiration to halt India's mighty and smooth ride

Mayank Kumar ∙ 19 July 2021

SL vs IND | 2nd ODI Preview: Sri Lanka seek inspiration to halt India's mighty and smooth ride

If ever there was even a bit of doubt over the credentials and flamboyance of the Indian team on the tour of Sri Lanka, all of them were dashed out of the ground by the batting order led by Prithvi Shaw and Ishan Kishan. It was inevitable that the batsmen who are champions in the Indian Premier League would come hard against Sri Lanka’s bowlers, but their intensity and magnitude of aggression left all surprised. At the start of the chase, the hosts bowling attack looked so out of depth that they tried every kind of ball up their sleeves to see if Shaw would falter at one. Then, after a short ball finally found the Mumbai lad off guard leading to his wicket, the hosts would have hoped of some respite. Another bit of surprise was thrown at them by the team management in the form of Ishan Kishan. He danced down the track on the first ball to make a bold statement about the brand of cricket India are there to play in the ODI and T20 series. The relentless attack by Shaw, Kishan and then Suryakumar Yadav hinted at a possible change in the approach of the team management towards ODI cricket. The last time they played the format, England took on them with a completely different approach and it can be said that India are finally embracing the all-aggressive idea of ODI cricket. Sri Lanka, on their part, did exceed the expectations by putting up a score in excess of 250 runs and it should be considered as a massive positive in the wake of their recent struggles. Batsmen got themselves in and played some delightful strokes to keep Indian bowlers in check. However, the firepower in the Indian side was too much to be defeated on a placid track in terms of movement for pacers. Could Sri Lanka have done anything differently? Surely yes. They would not have bowled too wide of Shaw’s off-stump or would not have bowled spinners against Ishan Kishan. They would have bowled to bring the ball back towards Shaw’s stumps and tested if he now has the answers to the questions the likes of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc had asked in Australia. But, if they would have had in them to challenge India at so many levels, they would not be losing so many games in the recent past. Sri Lanka vs India: Match Details Date – Friday, July 20, 2021 Time – 03:00 PM IST Venue – R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo Broadcast: Sony LIV, Sony Sports Network Pitch report The surface at the R Premadasa Stadium was slower and lower in nature and it should be no different in the second ODI. The new Kookaburra balls swung very little in the first half of the game but bowlers made good use of slower balls and cutters as the deliveries were getting stuck in the pitch. However, there was little to less hindrance to batsmen while playing strokes and it only improved under lights as Shaw made perfect use of the ball coming nicely onto his bat. Team News Sri Lanka Sri Lanka would not be too unhappy about their batting performance although they would be ruing throwing their starts. But, there would be the temptation of playing Lahiru Kumara, who can bowl well with the new ball in place of Isuru Udana who received hammering from Shaw. Sri Lanka may well look to attack India with a short ball and Kumara can be a better exponent of that skill set than Udana. The hosts would bank on their captain Dasun Shanaka and vice-captain Dhananjaya de Silva to bat more responsibly in the second ODI as they would have realised there were runs on offer in the first ODI only if they had survived. India Sanju Samson suffered a ligament injury in his knee to get out of contention of the first ODI and Ishan Kishan capitalised on the opportunity with a sparkling fifty on debut. He did not do anything wrong and even if Samson regain fitness, it’s unlikely that he would be able to replace Kishan from the playing XI. India played two swing bowlers in Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Deepak Chahar in the first ODI and they can consider Navdeep Saini for his pace and bounce. Dushmantha Chameera extracted good pace and bounce in the first ODI and India would be tempted to unleash Saini to add one more dimesion to their bowling attack. Strongest XI Sri Lanka Avishka Fernando, Minod Bhanuka (wk), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Lakshan Sandakan, Lahiru Kumara India Shikhar Dhawan (c), Prithvi Shaw, Ishan Kishan (wk), Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Navdeep Saini Sri Lanka vs India 2nd ODI: Dream XI/fantasy XI Ishan Kishan, Dasu Shanaka, Hardik Pandya, Wanindu Hasranga, Avishka Fernando, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Lahiru Kumara Captain: Prithvi Shaw, Vice-captain: Shikhar Dhawan