Update

Toss

Jos Buttler Wins Toss, Elect To Bowl Against India. India make three changes with Shivam Dube, Arshdeep Singh and Rinku Singh added in Playing XI

Preview

Rinku’ Singh’s availability for the penultimate rubber of the five-match series between India and England, to be played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association’s stadium in Pune, was on top of everyone’s mind.

India had a reason to smile on the eve of the match when the left-handed batter stepped on to the field for the warm-ups. By the time Ryan ten Doeschate, the assistant coach, confirmed his availability for Friday’s game and returned to the field, Rinku was already batting in the nets.

Rinku’s addition as a finisher will certainly help the India think-tank to persist with its obsession of left- and right-hand combination at the crease. More importantly, it will give Hardik Pandya a much-needed support in the role of a finisher. Rinku’s ability to clear the field under pressure will mean Hardik can also free his arms up more often that he did in Rajkot.

If Rinku manages to stave off the fiery challenge of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, India will in all likelihood be able to travel to Mumbai with yet another home series win, with a match to spare.

While Rinku is likely to replace Dhruv Jurel – who was wasted at No. 8 in the last match – India will be hoping for Mohammed Shami to get into even better rhythm with the ball. With an eye on the Champions Trophy, India will want Shami to keep building towards the bigger challenge.

England, meanwhile, will be hoping to crack the Varun Chakravarthy riddle before time runs out. Unless Jos Buttler and Co. manages to save its wickets, it will have an uphill task to keep the series alive.

Mumbai: With only two days left for the potential deciding T20I at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, tickets are yet to be made available online by the stakeholders. With tickets set to be available at District Care, the platform clarified on X that it will be available soon and urged fans to maintain patience.

A user on X named Sahej Dutta tagged their handle on the platform and asked, “When will the next phase of tickets for Ind vs Eng Mumbai match be live?” The response received from the handle was, “Hi Sahej, we know how exciting this is! Mumbai T20 tickets will be available soon—stay tuned to our platform and social media for the latest updates. We appreciate your patience!”

The venue last hosted a T20I in January 2023 against Sri Lanka when the Men in Blue won by two runs. Axar Patel had top-scored with 41 off 23 deliveries, laced with four sixes, India had reached 162 in their stipulated 20 overs. The Lankans did their best to get close to the target but failed to do so. The latest game against England is slated for February 2, 2025.

Jos Buttler and co. kept five-match T20I series against India alive with a victory in Rajkot

England, meanwhile, kept the five-match series against India alive with a 26-run win as they pulled one back after losing the first two matches. However, they face another must-win game in Pune if they want to be 2-2 up ahead of the fifth and final T20I in Mumbai.

Buttler’s form with the bat has been encouraging in the series as well, compiling scores of 68, 45 and 24 but will still want to target bigger scores. The tourists’ bowling performance was the biggest positive in the fourth T20I as it helped them recover from yet another batting collapse.

Mumbai, 30 January 2025: The Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Traffic (Mumbai) has issued a temporary notification to manage traffic movement during the 5th T20I cricket match between India and England at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, February 2. The traffic arrangements will be in place from 12:00 hrs to 23:55 hrs to ensure smooth vehicular movement and prevent congestion.

Key Traffic Arrangements:

1. No Parking Facility at Wankhede Stadium

Spectators are advised to use public transport, including trains and local transport, as no parking facilities will be available at the stadium and in the vicinity.

2. Parking Restrictions:

Vehicles will not be allowed to park on the following roads:

C Road (North side) from its junction at N.S. Road up to “E” Road.

D Road from N.S. Road junction up to “E” Road.

E Road from “P” Road junction up to “C” Road.

F Road from N.S. Road to “E” Cross Road.

G Road from N.S. Road to “E” Cross Road.

N.S. Road (South and North Bound) from Mafatlal Bath Signal to Air India Junction.

Veer Nariman Road (South and North Bound) from Churchgate Junction to Sundarmal Junction.

Note: Vehicles parked in restricted areas will be subject to e-challan and towing.

3. Changes in Routine Traffic Pattern:

D Road will be one-way (from West to East) for vehicular traffic from its junction at N.S. Road (Marine Drive) towards “E” Road.

E Road will be one-way (South Bound) for all types of vehicular traffic from the junction at D Road towards the junction at C Road.

4. Instructions for Spectators for Easier Access to the Stadium:

Gate 01, 02 & 07 Ticket Holders: Alight at Churchgate Station and walk towards D Road.

Gate 04 & 05A Ticket Holders: Alight at Marine Lines Station and walk towards F Road.

Gate 03 Ticket Holders: Alight at Churchgate Station and walk towards N.S. Road Footpath.

All spectators coming via N.S. Road (Marine Drive) should use the footpath and not walk on the road.

Spectators arriving by car must alight at designated drop points marked on N.S. Road.

To avoid inconvenience, the Mumbai Traffic Police urges spectators to use public transport and follow the designated walking routes to access the stadium. The temporary traffic restrictions and diversions are aimed at ensuring a smooth traffic flow and preventing congestion in the surrounding areas.

The advisory has been issued under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and will be strictly enforced on match day. For real-time traffic updates, commuters can follow @MTPTrafficUpdates on social media or contact the Mumbai Traffic Police helpline.