Reactions were widespread after India broke their 11-year ICC trophy drought with a dramatic, heart-stopping seven-run win over South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup Final in Barbados.
With Heinrich Klaasen playing a match-turning innings, it looked like India’s drought was about to extend, with South Africa on track to end their own trophy drought that extends to the 1998 Champions Trophy in Bangladesh. With 30 off 30 needed off the back of a 24-run over, the Proteas looked on course with six wickets in hand.
However, with Jasprit Bumrah in your team and Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh in strong form, anything is possible. India scrapped and fought to limit South Africa to just 14 runs in the next 24 balls, with Suryakumar Yadav taking a superb catch on the boundary to dismiss the dangerous David Miller on the first ball of the final over.
South Africa fell just short in another heartbreak in World Cup games. For India, emotions were high, with relief and joy in equal measure as they lifted the T20 World Cup title for the first time since 2007.
In the process, linchpins Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their respective retirements from T20 cricket. Rahul Dravid also marked the end of his coaching stint with the title. It was the perfect way to bow out.
T20 World Cup 2024 Reactions: India pull off incredible win over heartbroken South Africa
Here are some of the reactions to the key moments in the 2024 T20 World Cup final. Jasprit Bumrah was outstanding, as was Suryakumar Yadav’s efforts on the boundary. Earlier, Virat Kohli held the fort as India found themselves in early trouble.
T20 World Cup Final reactions to Jasprit Bumrah magic and Hardik Pandya’s redemption
Every star added to the Team India jersey inspires our nation’s starry-eyed children to move one step closer to their dreams. India gets the 4th star, our second in @T20WorldCup.
Life comes full circle for Indian cricket in the West Indies. From our lows in the 2007 ODI World… pic.twitter.com/HMievynpsE
This will be labelled as a choke, but this is down to Bumrah's brilliance more than anything else. He gave India a foot in the door when all doors were shut on the team. Ably supported by Arshdeep, Hardik & SKY in the end.
— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) June 29, 2024
Jasprit Bumrah finished an entire T20 World Cup with an economy rate of 4.17.
After 29.4 overs. That's an economy rate that would be GREAT in the ODIs of the '90s.
when he retires, bumrah’s name won’t feature on the highest wicket takers list but only those who watched him bowl will tell you how blessed they were to witness a flawless wizard wielding his magic. pic.twitter.com/Qrje5ucrNC
I never watched Marshall. I never watched Hadlee. I never watched Akram. But I have been lucky enough to watch Bumrah live. And I cannot even imagine anyone else having this high a level of skill and intelligence. I have never seen bowling like this and I probably never will.
Heartiest congratulations to Rohit sharma and his team .. what a game to win .. may be a World Cup in 11 yrs but the talent the country has ,they will win many more .. Bumrah is absolutely magic .. well done Virat,axar ,Hardik and every one .. rahul Dravid and the support staff…
Here is one of the best defensive plays ever and it may have single-handedly won the T20 World Cup Final for India.
Pay attention to where Suryakumar Yadav’s feet are the whole time – if the ball, and the player with the ball in his hand cross the boundary that you can see here… pic.twitter.com/K84AfOOEKd
T20 World Cup Final reactions: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma go out from T20Is on a high
Virat won player of the match for his 76, while Rohit led India to the title. It was an excellent finish for both players in their respective T20I careers.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from T20i cricket.
Virat talking so beautifully about Rohit in his final T20I when he became the PoTM in a World Cup final and about how much Rohit deserved the trophy should actually put all the ugly fanwars on this app to end. You guys should know the hate you all spread, your idols really don't…
— TheRandomCricketPhotosGuy (@RandomCricketP1) June 29, 2024
Congratulations Virat on an outstanding T20 career. You truly are signing off in grand style! pic.twitter.com/2fmud438C7
End of an era. Virat bhai, you have taken T20 cricket to new heights with your passion, dedication, and exceptional skills. Your leadership and sportsmanship will always be remembered. It’s been an honor to play alongside you. Best wishes for your future endeavors. 🙏🏏🇮🇳… pic.twitter.com/Hemry5ijUQ
Captain Rohit, your incredible journey and leadership have left an indelible mark on T20 cricket. Under your captaincy, we achieved great heights, including the T20 World Cup 2024 victory. Your skill, dedication, and calm presence on the field will be greatly missed. It’s been an… pic.twitter.com/swE4pm9iF3
As Virat Kohli retires from T20 International cricket, we find ourselves at a poignant moment, reflecting upon a remarkable career, iconic & equally unmatched.
That he ascended to the top of the pyramid of excellence & survived in style for… pic.twitter.com/15o0zDLHvi
Bangladesh cricket was heavily criticised by fans and pundits in the aftermath of their exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup. After Australia’s capitulation at the hands of Afghanistan and India, Bangladesh had the chance for a first-ever World Cup semi-finals appearance.
They needed to pull off a big enough win against the Afghans to overtake them and Australia on net run rate.
It wasn’t to be. But, it wasn’t because they tried their best and fell just short like Afghanistan in last year’s ODI Asia Cup. It was Bangladesh’s lack of desire to achieve the target that came in for criticism.
After restricting Afghanistan to 115, Bangladesh needed to chase the target in 12.1 overs to reach the semi-finals. It seemed they would have a red-hot go after a few big blows early, but they put the cue in the rack and focused only on winning the game after the loss of wickets, much to the frustration of fans.
Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto’s admission after the game was telling. “The plan was to try [to win in 12.1 overs] if we get a good start in the powerplay,” he said.
“We thought that if we don’t lose early wickets, we could take the chance [to go for the semi-finals]. When we lost three wickets, we had a different plan. We wanted to see how we could win the game. The middle-order didn’t take good enough decisions, which is why we lost the game today.”
It is a mindset that has plagued Bangladeshi cricket. A win after 12.1 overs would have resulted in elimination anyway, so the call to not go for the semi-finals target was baffling.
High-profile former players and pundits join fans in criticising Bangladesh cricket for lack of ambition
Mashrafe Mortaza, arguably Bangladesh’s greatest-ever captain, criticised the approach. In a Facebook post on his page, Mortaza said there should not have been any thought process other than 12.1 overs.
“Litton’s intent and the non-strikers’ silence suggests that there was no clear message for the batting unit,” Mortaza said. “Even if there was a message, it changed every one or two overs. It ended up with the decision to try to just win the game.
“Today should have been just about winning in 12.1 overs. There was no other way of thinking. Everyone would have understood if they got bowled out for 50. If we had won this game, we would have lost to our conscience. This was not like ten other matches. We could have made history today.”
ESPNcricinfo correspondent Mohammad Isam is usually quite calm. However, he has been quite vocal about Bangladesh’s shortcomings in recent times.
“Bangladesh will forever be defined as the team that refused to reach a World Cup semifinal,” he tweeted. He also took aim at the Bangladesh Cricket Board, stating nothing will be done to ensure the team’s progress in the future.
Let me predict what will happen
1. BCB high-ups will publicly humiliate team 2. They will promise investigation 3. Form a committee 4. Leak news from committee 5. Blame Tamim Iqbal for result. https://t.co/xkjdUEUNPU
Their #T20WorldCup exit now means the usual hot air blowing through TV cameras. Maybe they will find a scapegoat somewhere. BCB is a tight, closed inner-circle. Well protected.
Isam also reposted a number of tweets criticising the Bangladesh cricket team. Here are some of the reactions to Bangladesh’s poor finish to the tournament, where they eventually lost to Afghanistan by eight runs.
WHAT IS THE POINT OF WINNING THE GAME IF IT'S NOT GONNA HAVE ANY IMPACT ON YOUR TOURNAMENT?! https://t.co/pfTV3s1ajH
— Estelle Vasudevan (@Estelle_Vasude1) June 25, 2024
bangladesh couldve just aimed for 12, theyve now lost everyone’s respect AND the match
The worst thing about this defeat for Bangladesh is the realisation that Afghanistan have overtaken them as a cricketing nation
B’desh have enjoyed all the benefits of an established full member and tossed them away. A self serving system that’s conservative to the core#T20WC
— Sight Screen Cricket Journal (@SightScreenCJ) June 25, 2024
We had a shot at qualifying for the semi-finals, but Chandika Hathurusingha and his boys were more interested in knocking out Afghanistan. As the commentators pointed out, the way Bangladesh were batting, a win wouldn't change the table standings. You either win the game in 12.1…
— Nazmus Sajid Chowdhury (@nazmussajid) June 25, 2024
Najmul Hossain Shanto admitted that his team gave up on trying to chase their total in 12.1 overs once they were 23-3 in the third over.
A truly baffling attitude.
— 🏏Flashscore Cricket Commentators (@FlashCric) June 25, 2024
The 10th over was crucial, 43 off 19 needed at the start of it.
▶️Did Mahmudullah have instructions not to try and win in 12.1 ovs? ▶️Was it his decision alone? ▶️Why did Rishad get out to a wild swing if they were trying to win in 20 ovs?
Next up for Bangladesh on the calendar is a tour of India in September and October. It consists of two Tests in Chennai and Kanpur, followed by three T20Is. Given the way the Tigers are batting, it is difficult to see how they’ll enjoy success across the border.
The Guyana weather has been in the spotlight since the semi-finalists of the 2024 T20 World Cup were confirmed. Rain has been a common theme in recent times, and it is likely to be the case again in the re-match of the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final between India and England.
Should the game be washed out, India will progress to the final to play South Africa. The Proteas were too good for Afghanistan, bundling them out for 56 on a tough pitch and then chasing the total with nine wickets to spare in Trinidad.
Guyana weather for India-England showdown
According to reliable weather platform AccuWeather, there is a 90% chance of rain during the day, with up to 5.2mm expected to fall. 4.7mm is expected in the morning, followed by just 0.5mm in the afternoon.
This is promising for England as time can be made up in that afternoon period if the weather holds. In fact, the hourly forecast paints an optimistic picture from noon onwards, with less than a 50% chance of precipitation until about 4pm local time where it increases to 51%.
Also, AccuWeather predicts for not much rain from 5am to 10am, which can allow the groundstaff to sort out any wet patches from previous rain.
India training this morning at Providence Stadium in Guyana — told it’s the fastest-draining ground in the region which bodes well for tomorrow’s semi-final pic.twitter.com/BtRVHcbSKW
However, the forecast around the start time of 10:30am doesn’t look too promising. Showers are expected from around 10am to midday, with up to a 75% chance of precipitation in that period. So, a delayed start is likely.
Guyana weather forecast on the morning of 27 June
If there is play, India will be seeking revenge for what happened in 2022 in Adelaide. Jos Buttler and Alex Hales made a mockery of India’s 168, chasing the target with ten wickets and four overs to spare.
So far in this tournament, India have gone undefeated. Their latest win was an impressive 21-run triumph over Australia.
For England, they played good cricket in the Super Eights stage, but have beaten just one full-member nation so far in the tournament. How quickly they can adapt to the magnitude of this game will be interesting to see.
Fans react to magnificent 92 off 41 balls by Rohit Sharma against Australia in Super 8s match in St Lucia.
Australia entered their final Super 8s game in must-win territory against India after defeat to Afghanistan on Saturday. Mitch Marsh’s team were looking to channel the same spirit that saw them lift the ODI World Cup last year to keep their T20 World Cup campaign alive.
But, India captain Rohit Sharma had other ideas. His approach screamed of unfinished business. With the chance to knock Australia out, Sharma sensed revenge, embarking on an incredible onslaught filled with outstanding strokeplay both sides of the wicket.
India ended the powerplay at 60/1. Rohit had hit 51 of them in 21 balls where Mitchell Starc was the first victim. But, the captain was only getting started. One particular highlight was his domination of Marcus Stoinis, striking the most beautiful six over cover after the all-rounder had to adjust his line following previous blows over square leg.
Rohit was eventually bowled for an outstanding 92 off 41 balls. It is an innings that will be remembered for its sheer class and disdain in equal measure, with highlights of this knock sure to appear on social media timelines in the years to come.
Reactions: Rohit Sharma smashes 92 off 41 to leave Australia on the brink
Rohit was on a mission. He was never going to go easy on an Australia side that caused heartache in Ahmedabad last year. India (and England) fans were loving it on social media, taking to X (formerly Twitter) to express their excitement.
“Easily Rohit’s best knock since Durban masterclass against South Africa in 2007! This is a masterclass if ever there was one!” one fan tweeted.
Australia’s nemesis Piers Morgan was also loving it. He tweeted, “Aussies getting regally spanked by Rohit Sharma. Glorious to watch.”
BREAKING: Aussies getting regally spanked by Rohit Sharma. Glorious to watch. #T20WorldCup
It is difficult to get a real read on body language but it does feel like Rohit Sharma is batting with a bit of anger today in St Lucia like there’s unfinished business #T20WorldCup
This innings reminds me of Yuvi's 70 off 30 balls. Rohit has surpassed Yuvi paa's score. He is already 76 off 29. What a mindblowing innings. #INDvsAUS
What is Rohit Sharma’s greatest quality?Sure, there is that ability to play the big shots effortlessly, but above all, what I really admire is his selflessness as top order batter & leader 🙏🙏🙏
#RohitSharma relying more on his timing. Not trying to muscle the ball too much. You can see the difference it makes, not losing the shape on his shots.
Must have said it million times by now. He doesn't need to be a power-hitter to score quickly. pic.twitter.com/P87gNoKKBP
But, there will be some anxiety about the weather in Gros Islet, St Lucia. Rain is a possibility during match hours, which could make Australia’s task of qualifying to the semi-finals all the more difficult.
Will the St Lucia weather affect the India vs Australia match?
According to reputable weather app AccuWeather, the forecast is for “a thunderstorm in spots in the morning; otherwise, windy and humid with times of clouds and sun.” This indicates there is the possibility of interruptions during the contest, but enough play should take place to get a result.
AccuWeather forecasts 1.2mm of rain to fall on Monday (24th June) morning. Also, it will be quite windy with gusts of up to 43km/h, so any showers should blow over quite quickly.
Weather forecast in Gros Islet St Lucia on Monday morning (24 June).
The hourly forecast presents an optimistic picture from an Australian perspective. Cloudy conditions are predicted from 9am onwards, with less than a 30% chance of precipitation right throughout the day.
Afghanistan’s outstanding victory over Australia in the Super 8s has opened group 1 up magnificently. An Australian victory would have sealed their passage to the semi-finals along with India, but now so many scenarios are possible on the final matchday.
Australia take on India on Monday at 10:30am local time at St Lucia. Afghanistan take on Bangladesh in the night game at Kingstown, the ground where Rashid Khan’s team took down Australia on Saturday night.
Here is a look at the current standings and the scenarios for each team heading into the final day of the Super 8s.
Team
W
L
PTS
NRR
1. India
2
0
4
+2.425
2. Australia
1
1
2
+0.223
3. Afghanistan
1
1
2
-0.650
4. Bangladesh
0
2
0
-2.489
Scenarios for Group 1 of the Super 8s: Who will progress through to the 2024 T20 World Cup Semi-Finals?
India
Rohit Sharma’s team is beautifully placed. However, they need to avoid a heavy defeat to Australia to ensure there is no risk of a very unlikely elimination.
To finish above Australia, India only need to avoid losing by less than 40 runs or 31 balls to spare.
Australia
Australia face an interesting situation. They could still qualify to the semi-finals even if they lose to India (by a small enough margin), provided Bangladesh beats Afghanistan (by a small enough margin) in Kingstown.
Also, Australia could be eliminated even if they beat India. If Afghanistan beats Bangladesh very comfortably, they can overtake them on net run rate.
Let’s say Australia and Afghanistan bat first in their respective matches and post 170 each. If Australia limit India to 150, their net run rate will improve to 0.527. For Australia to progress, they will need Bangladesh to score 103 or more in the same scenario.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan can still qualify if they beat Bangladesh by a big margin and Australia beat India by a small margin, as mentioned above. However, their best hope is India beating Australia and then going on to beat Bangladesh by any margin.
Afghanistan lead Bangladesh 6-5 head-to-head in T20Is, so Rashid Khan’s team will back their chances.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh still have a ray of hope. They first need India to smash Australia. Then, they need to beat Afghanistan by a big margin.
A scenario. If Australia loses by 55 runs or with 41 balls to spare, Bangladesh can qualify if they win by at least 31 runs or with 23 balls to spare.
The way Bangladesh are playing, the chances of qualification are certainly slim. However, cricket is a funny game.
It promises to be an interesting day of T20 cricket with a number of scenarios possible. It will be interesting to see which teams hold their nerve best with the semi-finals approaching. All to play for.
Australia won the toss and bowled against Bangladesh in Antigua. The decision made sense given Bangladesh’s batting weaknesses and the true surface in North Sound. Mitch Marsh’s team went on to win easily and set up their Super Eights campaign.
Two days later, and it seemed Australia thought the same approach would work against Afghanistan. The cookie-cutter approach came back to bite, with the decision to bowl at the toss an incredible blunder by the usually-sound Aussie thinktank.
Kingstown is up there with the most difficult batting pitches in this World Cup. Nepal rolled Bangladesh for 106, only for the Tigers to still win by 21 runs. South Africa also struggled greatly against Nepal, somehow conjuring up a one-run win on a pitch where Nepal’s spinners took all seven Protea wickets. Bangladesh also beat the Netherlands batting first previously.
Australia decision to bowl against Afghanistan comes back to bite
With the team analysts on hand and every move of the opponent analysed in video footage, it was a fascinating decision by Australia at the toss. After all, Australia felt the surface would aid spin given they picked Ashton Agar in the XI. Also, couple this with Afghanistan’s strength in defending totals, and the call bewilders the mind even further.
Since the start of February this year, Afghanistan have only won a single T20I when chasing out of six attempts. This was against the inexperienced Papua New Guinea in the first round of this World Cup. Sri Lanka beat them twice in February by four and 72 runs respectively. Ireland won by 38 runs in March, while India and West Indies registered comfortable wins in this World Cup.
On a tricky Kingstown pitch where Glenn Maxwell spun the ball square, alarm bells were ringing early in the Afghanistan innings. Australia soon looked quite rattled, misfielding regularly and dropping catches to allow Afghanistan’s prolific opening pair to do their thing. With the surface showing more inconsistent pace and bounce, the Afghans found themselves in a glorious position thanks to Australia’s hospitality.
Questionable call to leave Mitchell Starc out of the XI
Also, the decision to leave Mitchell Starc screams of a thinktank that wasn’t sure how to tackle the Afghani challenge. In T20Is since the start of 2023, Ibrahim Zadran has been dismissed four times by left-arm seam at an average of 25.00 and strike rate of 133.33. Mohammad Nabi has struggled as well, having been dismissed six times at an average of 16.83 and strike rate of 114.78 in the same period in all T20s.
Starc against Rahmanullah Gurbaz was also a matchup worth testing. Gurbaz has been dismissed 12 times by left-arm seam at an average of 30.25 and strike rate of 138.54 in all T20s since the start of last year. These are certainly not bad numbers, but the quality of Gurbaz requires variety in your seam attack.
Also, Starc was in the same squad as Gurbaz in this season’s IPL, so the left-armer may have had some additional intel on how to get the better of Afghanistan’s excellent opening batsman.
Afghanistan are too good a side to view the match with a cookie-cutter approach. Just because things worked well against Bangladesh at a different venue does not mean they’ll work well against Rashid Khan’s team.
As a result of some muddled thinking that played into Afghanistan’s hands, Australia now face a huge game against India at the more batting-friendly St. Lucia.
The pressure is well and truly on, and it will be interesting to see how Mitch Marsh’s team responds.
Jasprit Bumrah has been outstanding in the 2024 T20 World Cup: Here are 5 incredible facts about his performance in the tournament.
Jasprit Bumrah’s performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup will go down as one of the best contributions in the history of this tournament. The great fast bowler was simply outstanding, winning player of the tournament as he led India to a drought-breaking title win.
Bumrah’s 2/18 in the final looks good on paper. However, it was so much more than that. South Africa needed 30 off 30 balls to win with six wickets in hand, but when you have two overs from this star bowler up your sleeve, anything is possible. It proved to be the case as Bumrah conceded just six off his final 12 balls to help set up India’s win.
His numbers are truly elite. Here is a look at five extraordinary facts about Bumrah as he led India’s charge in the World Cup.
5 facts about Jasprit Bumrah in the 2024 T20 World Cup
More wickets taken than boundaries conceded
Bumrah took 15 wickets in the tournament. Incredibly, he conceded just 12 boundaries (10 fours, two sixes) in total.
At one stage, Bumrah had 10 wickets and conceded just five boundaries. These are numbers you sit and stare at in awe.
110 dot balls out of 178 deliveries
Bumrah sent down 178 deliveries in this T20 World Cup. 110 weren’t scored off, equating to an incredible dot-ball percentage of 61.80%. Building such pressure allows the other bowlers to flourish, with the likes of Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya among the beneficiaries.
In fact, the amount of wickets taken off the first ball off the next over after Bumrah bowls is quite remarkable.
Just Jasprit Bumrah making his teammates' stats better. (From Jarrod's video) pic.twitter.com/H5QCPjApdP
An ecomomy rate of 4.17 is elite in ODI cricket. It is even acceptable in Test cricket at times these days. But such an economy in T20s is mindblowing.
Bumrah’s economy of 4.17 was nearly a run-and-a-half better than the next best – 5.46 by Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman (min. 150 balls bowled). In fact, among the top 23 best economy rates in the tournament, Bumrah is the only bowler to send down more than 20 overs (29.4).
Also, Bumrah’s 4.17 is the best economy rate in a single edition of any men’s T20 World Cup (min. 100 balls bowled). He beat Sunil Narine’s record of 4.60 in 2014.
26% of the runs scored off Bumrah were “not in control” by the batter
According to ESPNcricinfo’s measures, 32 of the 124 runs scored off Bumrah were “not in control”. Typically this will mean an edge, mistimed shot or the like. That equates to over a quarter of the runs he conceded (26%).
Average of 8.26 runs per wicket in the 2024 T20 World Cup
Overall, Bumrah’s figures read 29.4-2-124-15. Those numbers are the kind you’ll see from a player who is way too good in junior cricket. Yet, India’s talisman churned out those numbers in a World Cup of all events.
India fans are currently in awe of the pace bowler they have in their ranks. Rightly so. No matter the format or situation, Bumrah has the answers.
And, you can be sure he will be a handful for the Australians in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy down under later this year. He is that guy.
2024 T20 World Cup 45th Match: ENG vs SA Dream11 Prediction Today – Fantasy Cricket TIps, Possible XIs, St Lucia Pitch Report
The 2024 T20 World Cup is heating up. There is no time to dwell on performances. England and South Africa go head-to-head less than 48 hours after their respective previous matches, with the winner set to take a huge step towards the semi-finals.
This is especially the case for England. They have a net run rate of +1.34 after smashing West Indies in an impressive display on Wednesday night. Despite the promising showings of the USA, one can expect England to win that game, so a victory here just about seals a spot in the final four.
South Africa are unbeaten in this World Cup. Their ability to find ways to win is commendable. However, there is room for improvement and they will be hoping to peak at the right time. Their top order remains vital, while their pace attack has a big task in keeping England’s batting lineup – which is warming up nicely – as quiet as possible.
Match Details
45th match of the 2024 T20 World Cup: England vs South Africa (Super 8s).
Time: 10:30am (local), 8pm (IST).
Location: Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia.
2024 T20 World Cup 45th Match: ENG vs SA Possible Playing XIs
England: 1. Phil Salt, 2. Jos Buttler (c & wk), 3. Moeen Ali, 4. Jonny Bairstow, 5. Harry Brook, 6. Liam Livingstone, 7. Sam Curran, 8. Jofra Archer, 9. Adil Rashid, 10. Mark Wood/Chris Jordan, 11. Reece Topley
South Africa: 1. Quinton de Kock (wk), 2. Reeza Hendricks, 3. Aiden Markam (c), 4. Tristan Stubbs, 5. Heinrich Klaasen, 6. David Miller, 7. Marco Jansen, 8. Keshav Maharaj, 9. Kagiso Rabada, 10. Tabraiz Shamsi/Ottneil Baartman, 11. Anrich Nortje
Fantasy Cricket Tips for ENG vs SA: Top Dream11 Picks for Super 8s Match
Top batter picks:
Phil Salt: The opener has been in fine touch in recent months. After a strong IPL, Salt roared back into form with a dominant 87* against West Indies, where he played the dominant role in the powerplay.
Jonny Bairstow: Bairstow nailed the number four role against West Indies. Also, he has the most runs in ENG-SA T20Is: 13 inns, 485 runs, avg. 44.09, SR 150.15.
Bairstow has smashed 117 off 65 against Shamsi in T20Is (two dismissals).
Quinton de Kock: The keeper-batsman found form with 74 against the USA. Overall against England, de Kock has 340 runs at an average of 28.33 and strike rate of 157.40.
de Kock has good numbers against Jofra Archer in all T20s: 45 balls, 82 runs, two dismissals.
Heinrich Klaasen: The magnificent spin-hitter has struck 74 runs in 46 balls against Adil Rashid in T20s (three dismissals).
Top all-rounder picks:
Moeen Ali: England could look at batting Moeen at number three again to counter Keshav Maharaj. Also, England could look to his offspin against Quinton de Kock, especially given he has dismissed de Kock six times in 59 balls in all T20s (74 runs).
Top bowler picks:
Kagiso Rabada: The pacer was in good touch against the USA. He could be a key matchup against Bairstow with a head-to-head record reading: 40 balls, 54 runs, two wickets.
Anrich Nortje: The fast bowler is the second-highest wicket-taker in this T20 World Cup: 5 inns, 10 wickets, avg. 10.70, SR 12.00.
Jofra Archer: Expect Archer to bowl in the crunch overs. He is England’s leading wicket-taker in this tournament (6), striking every 15.33 balls.
Other Players to consider for your Fantasy Cricket Teams
Reece Topley: The left-armer has dismissed Quinton de Kock four times in 34 balls in T20s (50 runs).
Jos Buttler: The England captain has scored 107 runs off just 68 balls against Rabada in all T20s (two dismissals).
Aiden Markram: The South African captain spent some time at the crease against the USA. He should enjoy the better batting conditions at St Lucia. Markram has two half-centuries in as many T20Is against England at a strike rate of 168.85.
Tabraiz Shamsi: The spinner strikes every 16.12 deliveries in 12 T20Is against England.
St Lucia Pitch and Weather Report
Conditions have been good for batting at St Lucia. The average first innings score is 187. But, England’s spinners found some grip against West Indies. It will be interesting to see how conditions play during this day game.
A mostly clear and humid day is forecast.
2024 T20 World Cup 45th Match: ENG vs SA Dream11 Prediction Today
Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article, as well as your own instincts, to create your teams
Top captaincy/vice-captaincy picks: Phil Salt, Quinton de Kock, Jos Buttler, Heinrich Klaasen.
Option 1:
2024 T20 World Cup 45th Match: ENG vs SA Dream11 Prediction Today
Option 2:
2024 T20 World Cup 45th Match: ENG vs SA Dream11 Prediction Today
Thanks for reading! We hope you enjoyed this article.
The stats in this article are from the following sources:
Disclaimer: The fantasy cricket stats, tips and predictions provided on CricBlog are intended for informational purposes, with the stats and writer’s views in place to guide fans in creating their teams. While we strive to offer accurate and insightful advice, CricBlog does not guarantee success or winnings in any fantasy contests. Users are encouraged to make their own informed decisions and play responsibly.
Graeme Smith has pinpointed Adam Zampa as the key man in Australia’s 2024 T20 World Cup push. In an interview with Betway, the former South African captain believes Australia look like the favourites as the Super Eights stage has got underway.
“The other team that’s really looking like they’re on top of their game is Australia,” Smith said.
“We know they come together and play so well in these world events, and they’ve got a lot of players in form with both bat and ball.”
Graeme Smith believes Adam Zampa can lead Australia to the title
Legspinner Adam Zampa has been a key cog in Australia’s white-ball successes over the past few years. He continues to deliver consistent performances, underpinned by his ability to hit the right length time and again.
“Adam Zampa is such a key figure for them,” Smith said. “He looks like he’s bowling really well, the conditions will suit him and he’s been a stand-out player of the tournament so far.”
Zampa has been in the wickets in every game of the T20 World Cup to date. He took 2/24 against Oman followed by an impressive 2/28 that won him man of the match against England. He then won man of the match against Namibia (4/12) and finished the group stage with 1/30 against Scotland.
Zampa’s form is a reason why Smith believes Australia are the favourites. However, he provided a caveat that some teams had to play on the difficult surfaces at the Nassau County International Stadium in New York.
“I’d say Australia are looking like the favourites,” Smith said. “But it’s very difficult to judge teams that have been in New York. It’s so hard to know what kind of form they are in when playing in those conditions.
“At this stage, it’s just about small margins and getting the job done. If you get away with three wins and qualification like South Africa have, you’re over the moon.”
Australia are aiming to become the first team to hold all three major ICC titles simultaneously. They won both the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup in what was a magnificent 2023 for the men’s team.
