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DC IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Will this be Delhi’s year?

Yash Mittal
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DC IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Will this be Delhi’s year?

Cricket News: DC IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Will this be Delhi’s year? | DC IPL 2022 Mega Auction Analysis: Key Strengths and Weaknesses

Delhi Capitals tried to regain most of their core as they bid for the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Ravichandran Ashwin and Kagiso Rabada but they were unsuccessful due to purse constraints.

However, they did manage to pull off a steal buy in the form of Australian swashbuckling opener David Warner for just Rs 6.25 Crore, ensuring that they won’t feel the absence of Dhawan.

Delhi lost Dhawan and Shreyas Iyer from their top four but they managed to rope in the Aussie duo of Warner and Mitchell Marsh, ensuring that in Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant and the aforementioned names, they still have a formidable top order.

Cricket News: "Bison" Mitch Marsh does a bull run after so much investment | Mitch Marsh produces a magnificent innings in the T20 World Cup
DC IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Mitch Marsh could prove to be a wonderful purchase.

They have also picked the likes of Yash Dhull, Mandeep Singh and Ashwin Hebbar as middle-order backups besides picking KS Bharat and Tim Seifert as covers for Pant.

One of the major reasons behind Delhi’s success in the last three years was the presence of finishers like Marcus Stoinis and Shimron Hetmyer. They tried to make up for it by roping Rovman Powell and uncapped Sarfaraz Khan.

Shardul Thakur proved to be their most expensive acquisition as they shelled out a whopping Rs 10.75 Crore. Thakur will not only serve as a middle-order striker; a role he played to perfection for the Chennai Super Kings, but he will also add batting depth alongside left-arm orthodox, Axar Patel.

DC have stacked their pace bowling with left-arm options by purchasing the likes of Mustaifzur Rahman, Chetan Sakariya and Khaleel Ahmed besides adding rookie right-arm seamer Kamlesh Nagarkoti and South African pacer Lungi Ngidi.

With Amit Mishra no longer a part of the set-up, they went for the services of Kuldeep Yadav and uncapped Pravin Dubey while U19 World Cup winner Vicky Ostwal has been picked as backup to Axar Patel.

Overall, the Pant-led unit shelled out Rs 47.4 Crores to avail the services of 17 Indians and seven overseas cricketers.

DC Squad for IPL 2022

Rishabh Pant (Rs 16 crore), Axar Patel (Rs 9 crore), Prithvi Shaw (Rs 7.5 crore), Anrich Nortje (Rs 6.5 crore), Kamlesh Nagarkoti (Rs 1.10 crore), David Warner (Rs 6.25 crore), Mitchell Marsh (Rs 6.50 crore), Mustafizur Rahman (Rs 2 crore), Shardul Thakur (Rs 10.75 crore), KS Bharat (Rs 2 crore), Kuldeep Yadav (Rs 2 crore), Sarfaraz Khan (Rs 20 lakh), Ashwin Hebbar (Rs 20 lakh), Mandeep Singh (Rs 1.1 crore), Khaleel Ahmed (Rs 5.25 crore), Chetan Sakariya (Rs 4.2 crore), Lalit Yadav (Rs 65 lakh), Ripal Patel (Rs 20 lakh), Yash Dhull (Rs 50 lakh), Rovman Powell (Rs 2.8 crore), Praveen Dubey (Rs 50 lakh), Lungi Ngidi (Rs 50 lakh), Tim Seifert (Rs 50 lakh), Vicky Ostwal (Rs 20 lakh).

DC Possible Playing 11 for IPL 2022

Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant, Mandeep Singh/Sarfaraz Khan, Rovman Powell, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya

DC IPL 2022 Mega Auction: Key Strengths

1. Formidable top four

Delhi have regained a dynamic top four despite losing the Indian duo of Dhawan and Iyer. They have replaced the Indian duo with the Australian pair of Warner and Marsh. 

With Warner and Prithvi set to open followed by Marsh at 3 and Pant at 4, their top-4 has all the makings of being the most destructive in the competition.

2. Batting depth + Middle overs strike bowler

The presence of Shardul Thakur and Axar Patel means that the Capitals have a deep batting line-up. Also, the acquisition of Thakur means that they will have someone who can give them wickets in the middle overs. Thakur played that role to perfection for CSK last season, especially in the final against KKR.

DC IPL 2022 Mega Auction: Weaknesses

1. Lack of power play strike bowlers + concerns over injury-prone Nortje and Marsh 

DC have compiled an array of fast bowling arsenal but none of them are powerplay specialists. Nortje will lead the attack but he is injury prone. Lungi Ngidi and Mustafizur Rahman are his backups but neither of them have enjoyed success up front. Also, their predictability and lack of express pace will make them vulnerable at the death.

Also, if Marsh is unavailable to bowl then it will leave them with just one bowling option in the form of Rovman Powell, in case one of their first-choice five bowlers suffer an off day.

2. Finishers?

DC had the likes of Shimron Hetmyer and Marcus Stoinis to perform the finishing duties till last season. They have picked Rovman Powell and Sarfaraz Khan to do the same job. However, it remains to be seen if they can do the same work like their predecessors did.

3. Lack of depth in the Wrist-spin department

Delhi had legendary Amit Mishra as their lead leg-spinner till last season. They have now replaced him with Kuldeep Yadav besides picking uncapped Pravin Dubey.

Kuldeep has been mediocre in both IPL as well as for India in the last 3 year, and if he fails to regain his mojo, then it can expose the lack of depth in the wrist-spin department.

Overall, DC have talent within their ranks. If they fire, they can gave the tournament a shake. However, one feels that they will need a good run with injuries and form to key players.

Written by Yash Mittal. Follow Yash on Twitter today.

ISL vs PES Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report: PSL 2022 Match 24

Charbel Coorey
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ISL vs PES Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report: PSL 2022 Match 24

ISL vs PES Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11: PSL 2022 Match 24 | ISL vs PES Dream11 Prediction Today | Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi Key Players | Lahore Pitch Report

Peshawar Zalmi can take a big step towards to playoffs. Islamabad United need to win to keep pace with Lahore in the race for second spot.

However, the key strengths that held Islamabad in good stead in the first-half of PSL 2022 will not be present here. Skipper Shadab Khan, who is having a season to remember, is out with a groin injury. Alex Hales has pulled out of the tournament citing personal reasons, while Rahmanullah Gurbaz is with Afghanistan in Bangladesh. Also, Zeeshan Zameer is out with injury, so Islamabad need to dig deep to produce a good result today.

Zalmi have won their past two matches, with their batting firing nicely to notch up 193 and 185. They will be aiming for more of the same against a United side missing Shadab in what is an excellent opportunity to cement a top four spot.

Possible Playing 11

No Alex Hales (pulled out of PSL 7), Shadab Khan or Zeeshan Zameer (injuries) for Islamabad in this match. Rahmanullah Gurbaz is on national duty for Afghanistan in Bangladesh. However, Colin Munro is expected to play.

Asif Ali will captain the team, and is expected to play a key role with the bat. He could also bowl himself if the situation demands it.

Islamabad United: 1. Colin Munro, 2. Muhammad Akhlaq, 3. Asif Ali (c), 4. Azam Khan (wk), 5. Liam Dawson, 6. Faheem Ashraf, 7. Danish Aziz, 8. Hasan Ali, 9. Waqas Maqsood, 10. Mohammad Wasim, 11. Marchant de Lange

Hazratullah Zazai is in Afghanistan’s T20I squad for the Bangladesh tour.

Peshawar Zalmi: 1. Tom Kohler-Cadmore, 2. Mohammad Haris (wk), 3. Liam Livingstone, 4. Shoaib Malik, 5. Hussain Talat, 6. Sherfane Rutherford, 7. Ben Cutting, 8. Wahab Riaz (c), 9. Salman Irshad, 10. Usman Qadir, 11. Mohammad Umar

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Islamabad United:

  • If available, Colin Munro has a huge role to play in the absence of Hales, Shadab, Gurbaz and Stirling. He has scored 144 runs in three innings vs Peshawar at an average of 48.00 and strike rate of 156.52 since the beginning of 2020.
  • Asif Ali is likely to bat higher up the order today. The stand-in captain scored 28 off 11 last match, and took 2/27 with the ball to win player of the match against Karachi.
  • Asif has a superb strike rate against Peshawar (192.78), but will be looking to bump up his average of 20.78 (187 runs in 11 innings).
  • Faheem Ashraf is wicketless in his past six matches. His only two wickets came against Zalmi in their first match of the season (2/23). His batting form has been much better, with scores of 55 (28) and 29* (10) in his past two innings.
  • Hasan Ali is having a season to forget. His six wickets in PSL 2022 cost 50 runs apiece and he is conceding over 11 runs per over. He has taken six wickets in four matches at an average of 20.17 vs Zalmi since the start of 2021. This includes 2/34 this season.
  • Waqas Maqsood is Islamabad’s second-highest wicket-taker this season behind Shadab. Maqsood has taken an impressive nine wickets in four matches, and he will be key at the death once again.

Peshawar Zalmi:

  • Mohammad Haris has made a strong start to his PSL 2022 campaign with scores of 49 (27) and 29 (17).
  • Is this the day million dollar IPL man Liam Livingstone delivers with the bat? He has made a slow start to PSL 2022 with scores of 24, 6 and 0, but he can fire at any moment. He’s been strong with the ball, though, with figures of 1/22 and 1/24 in his last two matches.
  • Shoaib Malik has some terrific numbers against United since the beginning of 2020. He has struck 154 runs in four innings at an average of 77.00 and strike rate of 157.14 in this period. Also, Malik is enjoying a good PSL 2022 campaign, with 276 runs in eight innings at an average of 46.00 and strike rate of 139.39.
  • Hussain Talat had a terrific match last game vs Quetta. He smashed a 33-ball 51 and took 1/8 off two overs.
  • Ben Cutting is in some terrific batting form down the order. He has smashed 24, 52*, 23, 26 and 36 in his past five knocks. He is striking at 166.94 overall in PSL 2022.
  • Wahab Riaz has the most wickets in ISL-PES matches. He has 23 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 17.43 and economy rate of 6.82. Also, after five wicketless matches in PSL 2022, Wahab has taken five scalps in his last three outings.
  • Salman Irshad is Zalmi’s highest wicket-taker this season (9). Usman Qadir took 3/25 in the last match vs Quetta.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 17, Zalmi 8, United 8, N/R 1.
  • Islamabad (172/1) smashed Zalmi (168/6) by nine wickets earlier in PSL 2022. However, the chief destroyers Paul Stirling and Alex Hales are no longer available.
  • Sherfane Rutherford struck 70* off 46 balls in the match vs Islamabad earlier this season.

Gaddafi Stadium Lahore Pitch Report and Weather

The team batting first has won five of eight matches so far in PSL 2022. The average first innings score is 180.88. On the three occasions that the team batting first lost, twice did they score below the average score.

Another clear and mild evening is forecast for Lahore.

Dream11 Prediction

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time.

Option 1:

ISL vs PES Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11: PSL 2022 Match 24 | ISL vs PES Dream11 Prediction Today | Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi Key Players | Lahore Pitch Report
PSL 2022 Match 24: ISL vs PES Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

ISL vs PES Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11: PSL 2022 Match 24 | ISL vs PES Dream11 Prediction Today | Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi Key Players | Lahore Pitch Report
PSL 2022 Match 24: ISL vs PES Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Mohammad Haris
  • Batsmen: Colin Munro, Shoaib Malik
  • All-rounders: Hussain Talat, Liam Livingstone
  • Bowlers: Wahab Riaz, Waqas Maqsood

Match Prediction

Peshawar Zalmi start as favourites with Islamabad missing key players. Zalmi to win.

Twitter reactions as South Africa rolled for 95: Matt Henry 7/23

Charbel Coorey
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Twitter reactions as South Africa rolled for 95: Matt Henry 7/23

Cricket News: Twitter reactions as South Africa rolled for 95: Matt Henry 7/23 | Matt Henry takes 7 as South Africa rolled for 95 in 1st Test vs NZ

South Africa have endured the worst possible start to their New Zealand tour, as they were rolled for 95 on the first day of the first Test in Christchurch. Seamer Matt Henry was the star, taking a brilliant 7/23 as the Proteas crumbled to their lowest ever score against New Zealand.

Henry, who is not a regular in New Zealand’s Test side, had the ball on a string. He moved the ball either way, and the tourists had little answer in a series of edges behind the wicket. Incredibly, Henry’s Test average has only now dropped to below 40 after a very slow start to his career, owing to both difficult bowling conditions at times and no prolonged run in the New Zealand side.

For South Africa, this feels like a big step backwards after the brilliant triumph at home to India in January. Fighting hard with the bat was a key part of their victory, but very little of the technique and temperament required was on show on the first day in New Zealand. Zubayr Hamza top scored with 25, with no other batsman crossing 20 on a wretched day.

Now, they face a huge task to fight back in the Christchurch Test on a pitch that is expected to flatten out. Henry hit the perfect length on a consistent basis, and the template is set for the Proteas’ attack to try and replicate.

Twitter reactions after Matt Henry took 7/23 to rout South Africa for just 95

PBKS IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Best of any team?

Tarkesh Jha
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PBKS IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Best of any team?

Cricket News: PBKS IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Best of any team? | IPL 2022 Mega Auction Analysis: Punjab Kings

With the IPL 2022 Mega Auction done and dusted, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) seem to have assembled a robust squad this time around.

Chasing their first ever title in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, PBKS came into the auction with the biggest purse amongst all franchises. Moreover, they seemed to have a clear strategy in place this year as well. The acquisitions of Liam Livingstone, Kagiso Rabada and Shikhar Dhawan dominated the headlines.

However, overall as well, the team seems to have done fairly well by forming a well-rounded roster of players. In this article, we look into detail into the moves made by the PBKS think-tank during the course of the last weekend. 

PBKS Squad for IPL 2022

Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Brar, Shahrukh Khan, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Ishan Porel, Liam Livingstone, Odeon Smith, Sandeep Sharma, Raj Angad Bawa, Rishi Dhawan, Prerak Mankad, Vaibhav Arora, Writtick Chatterjee, Baltej Dhanda, Ansh Patel, Nathan Ellis, Atharva Taide, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Benny Howell

PBKS Possible Playing XIs for IPL 2022

  1. Shikhar Dhawan, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Mayank Agarwal, Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan, Odean Smith, Harpreet Brar, Rishi Dhawan, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar.
  2. Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan, Raj Angad Bawa, Odean Smith, Sandeep Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar.

PBKS IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Key Strengths

1. Robust top-order

Cricket News: PBKS IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Best of any team? | IPL 2022 Mega Auction Analysis: Better season for Punjab Kings?
PBKS IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Jonny Bairstow is an excellent pickup for the Kings.

Punjab Kings have put together a formidable batting order in this auction. Replacing KL Rahul would have been a big ask at any point in time. However, Punjab roped in the duo of Jonny Bairstow and Shikhar Dhawan to fill that gaping hole at the top of the batting lineup.

Both Bairstow and Dhawan bring in bundles of experience with them. They are capable of playing long innings’, optimize the powerplay overs, attack right from the word go and are at ease against both pacers and spinners as well. Further, Punjab had already retained Mayank Agarwal.

The trio of Agarwal-Dhawan-Bairstow can very well wreak havoc against any bowling attack, in any given condition. The team management can be rest assured that they have done a good job replacing the charismatic presence of KL Rahul in the batting order.       

2. Explosiveness in the middle

However, just starting off well isn’t enough in the IPL. Teams are often prone to losing momentum during the middle-overs and Punjab has tried to address that by acquiring both Liam Livingstone and Shahrukh Khan.

The duo is in a good run of form currently. They can clear the ropes quite conveniently and are gradually developing a knack of finishing games off well.

None of them will be deterred by express hard length deliveries towards the back end of the innings either. This makes them tick all the boxes of the ideal middle-order batsmen in T20 cricket and hence it is of no surprise that PBKS shelled out around 21 crores to purchase their services. More importantly, they can roll their arms over and provide timely breakthroughs, too. 

3. Kagiso Rabada

Though their batting takes the cake, Punjab have bolstered their bowling by getting Kagiso Rabada in their ranks. Rabada had a rather middling season last year but his potent skillsets have never been in doubt.

He is an invaluable asset to possess at any stage of an innings. Rabada has the ability to produce the exact accurate delivery in key moments and gives an almost four over insurance against any batting lineup in the T20 format. Punjab couldn’t really have gotten anyone better to lead their bowling lineup this year. 

Also read:

PBKS IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Weaknesses

1. Lack of depth in lower-middle order

Successful IPL franchises usually have a long batting order. Their innings does not derail after successive fall of wickets in the middle-order. Punjab Kings do not look like they really have solidified their lower middle-order.

The likes of Odean Smith and Harpreet Brar are way too inexperienced to take the mantle for the side and deliver consistently right from the onset. Their top-order will more often than not bail the side out but that couldn’t be a guarantee in critical games as such.

Moreover, even the duo of Livingstone and Shahrukh are attracting all the praise more due to their reputation than anything else currently. They haven’t had breakthrough seasons in the IPL yet. Given these factors, Punjab is potentially staring at a long stretch of uncertainty following their opening trio.  

2. Underwhelming bowling support cast

Rabada steals the limelight in that bowling attack. However, Punjab might fall short of credible options after him. Arshdeep Singh has had a good couple of years but whether he has hit his ceiling already is always a point to ponder upon.

The likes of Rishi Dhawan and Sandeep Sharma aren’t really the most attractive bowling alternatives in the T20 format in the current day and age. Rahul Chahar’s form has been rather concerning recently and Harpreet Brar isn’t really a wicket-taking option.

Though Punjab has done a better job than other years this time around, there are still looming doubts over whether they have strengthened their batting at the expense of their bowling attack. Teams that strike a balance between these two are usually the ones that walk their way to the championship.

Written by Tarkesh Jha. Follow Tarkesh on Twitter

MUL vs KAR Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report: PSL 2022 Match 23

Charbel Coorey
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MUL vs KAR Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report: PSL 2022 Match 23

MUL vs KAR Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report: PSL 2022 Match 23 | MUL vs KAR Dream11 Prediction Today | Multan Sultans vs Karachi Kings Key Players | Lahore Pitch Report

It’s top vs bottom in match 23 of PSL 2022. If form and standings are anything to go by, then this won’t be a contest. However, that’s not always the way T20 works.

Multan Sultans have won all but one match so far this season, including an easy win over Karachi Kings back in the first match of the tournament. Mohammad Rizwan’s team will be aiming to bounce back today after a convincing defeat to Lahore Qalandars in their last match as they gear up for the playoffs.

For the Kings, well, it has truly been a season to forget. They became the first team to lose their first seven matches in PSL history, as they fell agonisingly short against a depleted Islamabad United attack missing the injured Shadab Khan and Zeeshan Zameer. Only pride is on offer today as their playoffs hopes are dashed, and they will be quite keen to avoid the possibility of losing all 10 matches this season.

Possible Playing 11

Multan Sultans: 1. Shan Masood, 2. Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), 3. Sohaib Maqsood, 4. Rilee Rossouw, 5. Tim David, 6. Khushdil Shah, 7. Anwar Ali, 8. Abbas Afridi, 9. Imran Tahir, 10. Blessing Muzarabani, 11. Shahnawaz Dahani

Karachi Kings: 1. Babar Azam (c), 2. Sharjeel Khan, 3. Joe Clarke (wk), 4. Mohammad Nabi, 5. Sahibzada Farhan, 6. Qasim Akram, 7. Imad Wasim, 8. Jordan Thompson, 9. Chris Jordan, 10. Umaid Asif, 11. Mir Hamza

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Multan Sultans:

  • It was a rare failure last match for Shan Masood last match (8 vs Qalandars). He still has the second-most runs of any player in PSL 2022 (351 runs, avg. 50.14, SR 147.47), including 26 off 18 balls vs Karachi.
  • Mohammad Rizwan has struck two half-centuries in three matches vs Karachi since the beginning of 2021. This includes a steady 52* off 46 balls earlier this season.
  • What a time for Tim David. He became Australia’s highest earner in the IPL 2022 Auction over the weekend, courtesy of his brilliant PSL form this season. He has scored 221 runs at a strike rate of 206.54.
  • Khushdil Shah’s economy rate of 6.57 is the second-best in the league among bowlers with at least three wickets. He took 1/8 against Karachi earlier this season, and he should have a key role to play today.
  • Imran Tahir dominated Karachi earlier in PSL 2022. He took 3/16 in a player of the match performance. Tahir now has the most wickets in MUL-KAR matches with nine scalps in five matches at an average of 13.33 and economy rate of 6.67.
  • Shahnawaz Dahani is Sultans’ leading wicket-taker among seamers this season (8). He will be aiming to bring down his expensive economy rate of 10.42, however.

Karachi Kings:

  • Babar Azam has the most runs in MUL-KAR matches. The skipper has 423 runs to his name against Multan at an average of 70.50 and strike rate of 127.03.
  • Babar is averaging 44.33 in PSL 2022 with a strike rate of 121.46. He could look to play with more freedom today as Karachi are no longer in the playoffs race.
  • Sharjeel Khan was Karachi’s top run-scorer against Multan earlier this season (43 off 31 balls). He currently averages 18.80 vs Sultans in five matches since the beginning of 2020.
  • Qasim Akram made a brilliant first impression with the bat in PSL 2022. He scored 51* off 26 balls against Islamabad a couple of nights ago.
  • Imad Wasim is also coming off a half-century vs Islamabad (55 off 28 balls). The all-rounder has six wickets in eight matches vs Sultans at an average of 26.67 and economy rate of 6.15.
  • Chris Jordan has taken six wickets in three matches so far this season. His economy rate of 9.66 is room for improvement, but wicket-taking remains important for Jordan and Karachi.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 10, Multan 3, Karachi 5, N/R 2.
  • Multan have won the past two matches against the teams.
  • Sultans have won six out of seven matches this season, while the Kings are still winless.

Gaddafi Stadium Lahore Pitch Report and Weather

Teams batting first and second are in the match in what is an interesting second-leg of PSL 2022. The average first innings score is 181.86 in seven matches at Lahore this season. The team batting first has won five.

Another clear and mild evening is forecast in Lahore.

Dream11 Prediction

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time.

Option 1:

MUL vs KAR Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report: PSL 2022 Match 23 | MUL vs KAR Dream11 Prediction Today | Multan Sultans vs Karachi Kings Key Players | Lahore Pitch Report
PSL 2022 Match 23: MUL vs KAR Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

MUL vs KAR Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report: PSL 2022 Match 23 | MUL vs KAR Dream11 Prediction Today | Multan Sultans vs Karachi Kings Key Players | Lahore Pitch Report
PSL 2022 Match 23: MUL vs KAR Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Mohammad Rizwan
  • Batsmen: Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Tim David
  • All-rounders: Khushdil Shah
  • Bowlers: Imran Tahir, Chris Jordan

Match Prediction

Multan Sultans should win.

CSK IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Champions to go back-to-back?

Robin Rounder
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CSK IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Champions to go back-to-back?

Cricket News: CSK IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Champions to go back-to-back? | CSK IPL 2022 Mega Auction Analysis: Did CSK have a good auction?

The IPL 2022 Mega Auction is behind us, and all 10 teams have picked a squad ahead of the new season. This auction was special as this time there were 10 teams instead of eight, with Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants being the two new sides.

Fans and pundits were quite keen to see how the four-time winners and defending champions Chennai Super Kings approached the auction. Dhoni and CSK are known for thinking out of the box or doing something that defies cricketing logic. Indeed, it has proved to be very fruitful for the franchise.

They did the same to an extent in this auction as well. CSK picked the likes of Ambati Rayudu, Robin Uthappa and Dwayne Bravo who will form the core of the team at least for this year’s IPL alongside MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Moeen Ali. This was a little surprising as all the other sides tried to go for young players, but CSK decided to stick with their tried and tested “Dad’s Army”.

Also, there were some “un-CSK” like picks as well in the likes of U19 India star Rajvardhan Hangregkar, Tushar Deshpande, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Milne, Chris Jordan and Dwaine Pretorius. CSK are known for not going for fast bowlers who can bowl above 140 consistently but this time they went for Milne who does exactly that. Deshpande and Simarjeet can clock 140 as well. They also bought in Shivam Dube as a LHB spin power hitter in the middle-order.

Also, they picked a lot of unknown young faces in their squad. Leg spinner Prashant Solanki, all-rounder Bhagath Verma, and batters Subhranshu Senapati and Mukesh Choudhary are the new faces at CSK. Therefore, they have a good mixture of experience and youth whom they can groom under the leadership of MS Dhoni.

IPL Mega Auction: Chennai Super Kings Squad for IPL 2022

Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c), Moeen Ali, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dwayne Bravo, Ambati Rayudu, Robin Uthappa, Deepak Chahar, KM Asif, Tushar Deshpande, KM Asif, Shivam Dube, Maheesh Theekshana, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Samarjeet Singh, Devon Conway, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Subhranshu Senapati, Adam Milne, Mukesh Choudhary, Prashant Solanki, C Hari Nishaanth, N Jagadeesan, Chris Jordan, K Bhagath Varma.

CSK’s Possible XI for IPL 2022

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Dwayne Bravo, Deepak Chahar, Adam Milne, Tushar Deshpande/Rajvardhan Hangargekar

This XI has great batting depth and seven bowling options. Conway can play like Faf and be the aggressor in the powerplay. Plus, he plays spin well.

There is a lot of destruction in the middle with Moeen, Rayudu, and Dube. Jadeja will be the finisher assisted by Dhoni and Bravo. Chahar, Milne and Deshpande are more than handy with the bat, and can deliver with the ball.

CSK in the IPL Mega Auction: Key Strengths

1. Insane Batting Depth

The major change that CSK brought to their squad after the 2020 season was batting depth. Last season they built a squad that batted until number 11, resulting in a triumphant campaign. Batting depth allowed their batters to play freely and aggressively, especially in the middle-overs.

Despite losing Faf du Plessis, Shardul Thakur and Sam Curran this season, Dhoni has managed to keep that batting depth. The likes of Adam Milne and Tushar Deshpande are no mugs with the bat and one of them will bat at number 11 for CSK. Chris Jordan too is a proven hitter of the cricket ball.

CSK, in the worst case, will have batting until number 10 and it will be another season of super aggressiveness with willow in hand.

Cricket News: CSK IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Champions to go back-to-back? | CSK IPL 2022 Mega Auction Analysis: Did CSK have a good auction?
CSK IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Moeen was superb in 2021.

2. Lots of Bowling Options

Dhoni loves having a luxury of 6-7 bowlers in his side and this CSK squad has that. Apart from frontline bowlers such as Deepak Chahar and Adam Milne, the likes of Moeen Ali and Dwaine Pretorius can bowl four overs as well if required and Shivam Dube can provide a couple of overs with his medium bowling.

There is a good variety of bowlers as well. Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali, Maheesh Theekshana, Mitchell Santner and Prashant Solanki form the spin department. Jadeja, Santner, and Moeen provide excellent control in the middle-overs while Theekshana with his mystery and Solanki with his leg-spin are attacking options.

Also, CSK always had a problem with their death bowling as they haven’t had a lot of high pace bowling options. Picking Adam Milne, Chris Jordan, Tushar Deshpande, and Simarjeet Singh looks to have solved that issue as well.

And, of course, Deepak Chahar is excellent with the new ball. So, overall it’s a complete bowling unit.

3. Experience

CSK have plenty of experience once again, which will hold them in good stead. Combine this with some young talent and MS Dhoni’s team will be one to watch once again.

Concerns

1. Vulnerability Against High Pace

While CSK has great batting depth, a number of them are vulnerable against high pace. Ruturaj, Rayudu, Dhoni, Bravo and even Moeen Ali have struggled against high pace and hard lengths. It will be a challenge for them as Devon Conway, Ravindra Jadeja alongside Uthappa can handle high pace of around 145-150.

It’s not as if they are completely clueless against it but it will be a challenge against teams with genuine pace. For example, CSK batters struggled a touch against Anrich Nortje and Avesh Khan last season. Teams can exploit this vulnerability by deploying high pace instead of spin in the middle-overs.

2. Over Reliance on Jadeja the “Finisher”

Jadeja has been exceptional as the finisher for CSK in the last couple of seasons. Since 2020, Jadeja averages 51.7 and strikes at a brilliant 195.7 in overs 16-20.

Jadeja is doing what Dhoni used to do in his prime form for CSK. However, it seems as if CSK are over-dependent on Jadeja for finishing duties. Dhoni is not who he used to be with the bat and it may be trouble for CSK if he’s out and the required run-rate is quite high. Dhoni showed in the first Qualifier of the last season that he still can finish games, but he lacks match practice. This could be decisive in close games.

There is an excellent mix of youth and experience under the leadership of their “Thalaivan”, who has defied all the cricketing logic and opinions from the experts in the last four years. This side has what it takes to lift the title for the fifth time under the leadership of MS Dhoni.

Written by Robin Rounder. Follow Robin on Twitter today.

IND vs WI 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
IND vs WI 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report

IND vs WI 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report | IND vs WI 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | India vs West Indies 1st T20I Key Players | Kolkata Pitch Report

With an eventful IPL Mega Auction sandwiched in between the two formats, attention turns to further World Cup preparation as India and West Indies look to continue their recent form.

While the Windies’ ODI form is horrendous, they enter this series off the back of a fine 3-2 series win over England. There was an element of youthful freedom in the lineup, which was a far cry from their wretched 2021 in T20s. A strong performance in India will certainly boost confidence further.

India won the ODI series courtesy of their bowlers, and will be looking to build some continuity ahead of this year’s World Cup. Both they and West Indies were mighty disappointing in the last World Cup in the UAE. So, spots are up for grabs and players from both sides will be aiming to make a strong impression at Eden Gardens in the first of three T20Is to round off the tour.

Possible Playing 11

India could open with Ishan Kishan, who was bought back by Mumbai Indians for over 15 crores. His record as opener in the IPL is brilliant (more below), so it makes sense.

India: 1. Rohit Sharma (c), 2. Ishan Kishan, 3. Virat Kohli, 4. Rishabh Pant (wk), 5. Suryakumar Yadav, 6. Shreyas Iyer, 7. Harshal Patel, 8. Kuldeep Yadav, 9. Mohammed Siraj, 10. Yuzvendra Chahal, 11. Avesh Khan/Shardul Thakur

Kieron Pollard is back fit for the Windies after missing the final two ODIs with a niggle.

West Indies: 1. Kyle Mayers, 2. Brandon King, 3. Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4. Kieron Pollard (c), 5. Rovman Powell, 6. Jason Holder, 7. Romario Shepherd, 8. Fabian Allen, 9. Odean Smith, 10. Akeal Hosein, 11. Sheldon Cottrell

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

India:

  • Between 2016 and 2019, Virat Kohli smashed three half-centuries in four T20Is vs West Indies in India. He has scored a total of 272 runs with just the one dismissal at an incredible strike rate of 190.20. So, will we see the Virat of old today after a lean ODI series?
  • Also, Virat has solid T20 numbers at Eden Gardens. The former captain has struck 377 runs in 11 innings at an average of 47.13 and strike rate of 130.45, including a century.
  • Rohit Sharma has the most runs in India-West Indies T20Is with 519 runs in 15 innings at an average of 43.25 and strike rate of 141.41. Also, like Virat, Rohit has some fine numbers at Eden Gardens in T20s: 16 inns, 538 runs, avg. 41.38, SR 144.24, with four half-centuries and a century.
  • Ishan Kishan could open in this match. Watch out if he does. He is dynamite when he opens in the IPL, with 555 runs in 13 innings at an average of 55.50 and strike rate of 155.90.
  • Shreyas Iyer won player of the match in the third ODI (80 off 111 balls). Suryakumar Yadav scored the most runs in the ODIs (104).
  • Kuldeep Yadav could get a run here. The left-arm spinner has eight wickets to his name in four matches vs West Indies at an average of 15.50 and economy rate of 7.75. Also, he has experience at Eden Gardens playing for KKR, with 24 scalps in 22 innings at an average of 26.29 and economy rate of 8.06.
  • Harshal Patel, who was popular among bidders at the IPL auction, took the joint-most wickets in India’s last T20I series vs New Zealand (2 matches, 4 wickets, avg. 12.78, econ. 7.75). He will be key at the death, as he was in IPL 2021 where he took 32 wickets.

West Indies:

  • Nicholas Pooran went for over 10 crores in the IPL auction, and he will want to prove his worth here. He recently had a strong T20I series against England, where he scored the most runs of any player (164, avg. 41.00, SR 122.38).
  • Pooran in T20Is vs India: 7 innings, 151 runs, avg. 30.20, SR 125.83.
  • Rovman Powell scored a magnificent century in that same series. However, that one knock (107) makes up nearly one-third of his total T20I runs (524) in 36 matches, so it will be interesting to see if he can develop some consistency.
  • Kieron Pollard has the second-most runs of any Windies player against India. The skipper has scored 292 runs in 10 innings at an average of 32.44 and strike rate of 126.40. Also, Pollard has struck 206 runs in nine innings at Kolkata at an average of 29.43 and strike rate of 127.95.
  • Jason Holder’s stocks rose as a T20 bowler in the England series, where he took a brilliant 15 wickets in five matches. He had a bad series with the ball against India in 2019, with just one wicket in the three matches at an average of 142.00 and economy rate of 11.83.
  • Akeal Hosein also had an impressive series against England (5 inns, 8 wickets, econ. 7.05). He has taken at least one wicket in each of his last eight T20Is, including four in his last outing vs England.
  • Odean Smith looked good in the ODIs vs India, as he took three wickets and scored 60 runs at a strike rate of 157.89.

Stats and Facts

  • India have won four of the past five T20Is against West Indies, with the last being back in 2019.
  • West Indies come into this series on the back of an impressive 3-2 win over a capable England side.
  • India have won their last six T20Is going back to the T20 World Cup, beating Afghanistan, Scotland, Namibia and New Zealand thrice.

Eden Gardens Kolkata Pitch Report and Weather

Eden Gardens is typically one of the pacier, bouncier surfaces in India. India smashed New Zealand by 73 runs after making 184/7 with the bat.

However, the toss could be crucial here with plenty of dew around in recent days according to reports. Also, it will be a clear evening.

Dream11 Prediction

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time.

Option 1:

IND vs WI 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report | IND vs WI 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | India vs West Indies 1st T20I Key Players | Kolkata Pitch Report
IND vs WI 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

IND vs WI 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report | IND vs WI 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | India vs West Indies 1st T20I Key Players | Kolkata Pitch Report
IND vs WI 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Ishan Kishan, Nicholas Pooran
  • Batsmen: Rohit Sharma, Rovman Powell
  • All-rounders: Jason Holder
  • Bowlers: Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Odean Smith

Match Prediction

The chasing team should have the advantage in this clash with dew expected. India start as favourites.

MI IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Will they make it 6 Titles?

Debashish Sarangi
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MI IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Will they make it 6 Titles?

Cricket News: MI IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Will they make it 6 Titles? | Mumbai Indians IPL 2022 Mega Auction Analysis: How did they perform?

The most exciting part of the Indian Premier League, i.e., the IPL mega auction is over now. We witnessed some tremendous purchases, as well as some poor ones in the grand-trade festival that lasted for two days.

The blueprint of each of the ten teams is set and fans across the globe have begun to speculate the strengths and weaknesses of their favourite teams.

Let’s review the performance of the most successful side in the IPL, the Mumbai Indians, in the recently concluded Mega Auction.

Mumbai Indians Possible XI for IPL 2022

Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tim David, Kieron Pollard, Fabian Allen/Daniel Sams, Mayank Markande/Murugan Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Jaydev Unadkat, Tymal Mills

MI IPL 2022 Auction Analysis: What did Mumbai have before the auction?

First, let’s analyze what they had and what they needed prior to the auction. Mumbai had a brilliant pace hitter up the order in the form of Rohit Sharma, a dynamic player of spin in SuryaKumar Yadav, an experienced pace-hitting finisher in Kieron Pollard and the finest limited-overs bowler Jasprit Bumrah.

They needed to pick a flamboyant opening partner for Rohit who could capitalize on the field restrictions, fill the middle order with some good names, pick their spinners, and assist Bumrah with quality pace bowlers.

Key strength: Batting

They have ticked the first box quite brilliantly by getting Ishan Kishan back, spending more than 15 crores on the keeper-batsman. Firstly, he will be Rohit’s opening partner, and he strikes at over 155 when opening the batting in the IPL. Secondly, he certainly is an option to lead the side in future after Rohit’s departure. So, this was definitely MI’s finest buy in the auction.

Apart from Kishan, MI bought Tilak Varma, a promising talent from Hyderabad, who is expected to be a part of their playing XI. Tilak bats at the top of the order and scored 215 runs at an average of 35.83 and an outstanding strike rate of 147.26 in the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

The remaining two batters in their lineup will be Tim David and either of Daniel Sams and Fabian Allen. Tim David, the most expensive Australian in IPL 2022, has been in red-hot form in the ongoing PSL and is expected to handle the finishing job alongside Kieron Pollard. Sams and Allen are capable finishers who can contribute well with the bat coming at number 7, and thus MI have successfully formed a good batting lineup.

Cricket News: MI IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Will they make it 6 Titles? | Mumbai Indians IPL 2022 Mega Auction Analysis: How did they perform?
Mumbai Indians purchased Tim David for over 8 crores.

Strength: Building young core for the future

One of the biggest positives for MI in the auction was the young core they have assembled. Their vision for the future is commendable considering the fact that they have invested in the likes of Dewald Brevis, Tilak Varma, Sanjay Yadav, Rahul Buddhi and Arshad Khan.

Archer will be a big miss in IPL 2022, but once fit, MI will have an insane pace duo of Bumrah and Archer.  

Weaknesses: Lack of quality Indian bowling options

Now if we talk about their bowling, MI seem to have compromised slightly in this category, with the prime reason being their desire to have Jofra Archer from 2023. They let many good options go and spent 8 crores on Archer who will miss this season owing to his recovery from an injury.

To compensate, MI have picked two decent overseas fast bowlers in Tymal Mills and Riley Meredith. Mills has done well with the ball in recent times and is expected to be their death bowler alongside Bumrah.

However, their Indian picks Jaydev Unadkat and Basil Thampi don’t inspire too much confidence. Also, their spinners Murugan Ashwin and Mayank Markande are relatively inexperienced at IPL level. So, their perennial weakness of not having a great spin attack is likely to persist in the coming few years.

Cricket News: MI IPL Mega Auction Analysis: Will they make it 6 Titles? | Mumbai Indians IPL 2022 Mega Auction Analysis: How did they perform?
Can Jaydev Unadkat have a good season?

MI IPL 2022 Auction Analysis: Key strengths and weaknesses – summary

Strengths: Brilliant top order, dynamic finishers

Weakness: Spin department, death bowling apart from Bumrah

Mumbai Indians IPL 2022 final squad

Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Kieron Pollard, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Tim David, Daniel Sams, Fabian Allen, Riley Meredith, Tymal Mills, Jaydev Unadkat, Mayank Markande, Murugan Ashwin, Jofra Archer, Mohammed Arshad Khan, Basil Thampi, Aryan Juyal, Dewald Brevis, Rahul Buddhi, Ramandeep Singh, Sanjay Yadav, Arjun Tendulkar, Hrithik Shokeen, Anmolpreet Singh.

Written by Debashish Sarangi. Follow Debashish on Twitter today

PES vs QUE Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report: PSL 2022 Match 22

Charbel Coorey
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0
PES vs QUE Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report: PSL 2022 Match 22

PES vs QUE Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report: PSL 2022 Match 22 | PES vs QUE Dream11 Prediction Today | Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators Key Players | Lahore Pitch Report

It’s a high-stakes game in match 22 of PSL 2022. Quetta Gladiators (fourth) and Peshawar Zalmi (fifth) are only separated by net run rate at the moment, with the winner today to occupy that all-important playoffs spot with two games remaining after this one.

After their magnificent chase of 200 against Islamabad, Quetta crumbled against Lahore. After losing their first four wickets for 20-odd, the Gladiators did well to reach 141/7, but it was never enough against an in-form Qalandars side.

Today, eyes will be on the Gladiators top order in response to that collapse last time out. Jason Roy has been brilliant, while Sarfaraz Ahmed is showing glimpses of his best. Umar Akmal has made a very promising start to his campaign, while more is needed from James Vince. Also, it will be interesting to see whether the Quetta attack can reign in a Zalmi lineup that bats right down to number seven.

Zalmi smashed Karachi Kings two days ago, with Mohammad Haris playing a blinder in his first match of the tournament. Skipper Wahab Riaz is back in the wickets, and his experience will be key in lifting his team in a crunch match. This should be good.

Possible Playing 11

Peshawar Zalmi: 1. Hazratullah Zazai, 2. Mohammad Haris (wk), 3. Haider Ali, 4. Liam Livingstone, 5. Shoaib Malik, 6. Sherfane Rutherford/Saqib Mahmood, 7. Ben Cutting, 8. Amad Butt, 9. Wahab Riaz (c), 10. Mohammad Umar, 11. Saman Irshad

Quetta Gladiators: 1. Jason Roy, 2. Ahsan Ali, 3. James Vince, 4. Sarfaraz Ahmed (c & wk), 5. Iftikhar Ahmed, 6. Umar Akmal, 7. Noor Ahmad, 8. Sohail Tanvir/James Faulkner, 9. Naseem Shah, 10. Ghulam Mudassar, 11. Hassan Khan

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Peshawar Zalmi:

  • Keeper-batsman Mohammad Haris was outstanding against Karachi, smashing a 27-ball 49 to win player of the match.
  • Hazratullah Zazai struck a 42-ball 52 in the same match. That was Zazai’s first half-century in four matches in PSL 2022 (overall average of 34 and strike rate of 130.76).
  • Liam Livingstone will be key with both bat and ball. He dismissed Joe Clarke with a beautiful leg-spinner two days ago, and will be looking for his first big knock with the bat after scores of 24 and 6 so far.
  • Shoaib Malik has struck 145 runs in five innings vs Quetta since the start of 2020 at an average of 36.25 and strike rate of 149.48. This includes a terrific 48* off 32 balls earlier this season.
  • Wahab Riaz has bounced back with four wickets in his last two matches after going wicketless in his first four games in PSL 2022. He has an outstanding record against Gladiators, with 33 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 12.70 and economy rate of 6.55.
  • Salman Irshad is Zalmi’s leading wicket-taker in PSL 2022 with seven scalps in five matches (econ. 8.35). He took 2/24 in the last match vs Karachi.

Quetta Gladiators:

  • Ahsan Ali struck an excellent 73 off 46 balls against Zalmi earlier in PSL 2022. He is Quetta’s top run-scorer in this tournament with 249 runs in seven matches at an average of 41.50 and strike rate of 139.88.
  • Jason Roy has scored a century, half-century and duck in PSL 2022, all in that order. He is one to watch today, as always, as he boasts a strike rate of 197.67 in three innings this season.
  • Skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed has the second-most runs in PES-QUE matches, with 383 runs at an average of 29.46 and strike rate of 140.81. This includes scores of 81 (40) and 36* (28) last season.
  • Iftikhar Ahmed is coming off an impressive half-century vs Lahore, but averages just 10.80 in eight innings vs Zalmi. Can he turn this around today?
  • Umar Akmal has looked really promising so far this season. His scores of 25 and 23 have come at a strike rate of 177.77, providing Quetta with some great momentum in important moments.
  • Naseem Shah has taken just two wickets in six matches outside of his five-wicket haul this season, so this is a big game for him.
  • James Faulkner has taken six wickets in as many matches in PSL 2022. He was expensive vs Zalmi earlier this season (1/40).

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 19, Zalmi 10, Gladiators 8, 1 N/R.
  • Zalmi have won the past five matches between the teams.
  • Zalmi (191/5) chased Quetta’s (190/4) in the second match of PSL 2022 back on January 28.

Gaddafi Stadium Lahore Pitch Report and Weather

The average first innings score in six matches at Lahore this season is 181.33. The team batting first has won four of the six matches, with Islamabad holding on for a one-run win yesterday. Expect another good batting track here.

The forecast is for another cool and clear evening in Lahore.

Dream11 Prediction

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time.

Option 1:

PES vs QUE Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report: PSL 2022 Match 22 | PES vs QUE Dream11 Prediction Today | Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators Key Players | Lahore Pitch Report
PSL 2022 Match 22: PES vs QUE Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

PES vs QUE Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible 11 Pitch Report: PSL 2022 Match 22 | PES vs QUE Dream11 Prediction Today | Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators Key Players | Lahore Pitch Report
PSL 2022 Match 22: PES vs QUE Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Mohammad Haris
  • Batsmen: Jason Roy, Hazratullah Zazai, Ahsan Ali, Shoaib Malik
  • All-rounders: Liam Livingstone
  • Bowlers: Wahab Riaz

Match Prediction

Peshawar Zalmi have a great recent record against Quetta and start as favourites in this match.

Concerns grow over T20s in Australia after another low SCG crowd

Charbel Coorey
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0
Concerns grow over T20s in Australia after another low SCG crowd

Cricket News: Concerns grow over T20s in Australia after another low SCG crowd | Low crowd for Sri Lanka T20Is at SCG after long BBL season

Concerns are growing over the state of the cricketing calendar in Australia after another low crowd at the SCG. Just 6,305 fans turned out for the second T20I between Australia and Sri Lanka, prompting further discussions over just how much T20 is too much in the country.

The five-match T20I series, which will move to Canberra (third T20I) and Melbourne (fourth and fifth T20I) comes after a long Big Bash League (BBL) season which comprised of 61 matches across 54 days. While COVID-19 certainly plays a factor in lower crowds, the steady decline in BBL crowd numbers over the past five years is clear, with those in suits currently discussing the BBL’s future according to cricket.com.au.

AUS vs SL T20I series also behind a paywall

The series, which began with a crowd of just 12,908 for the first T20I, is also only behind a paywall. Viewership peaked at around the 201,000 mark for the second T20I, which is a fraction of what the viewership would have been had the match been available on Free-to-Air television.

This, in combination with Justin Langer’s resignation dominating the headlines ahead of the series, resulted in a lack of awareness among some fans. Worryingly, some took to social media to state that they didn’t even know the series was on.

With the second T20I on at the same time as the IPL Mega Auction, more attention turned to the match only as things got tight late on. Sri Lanka struck 45 off the last three overs to force a Super Over, with Josh Hazlewood, the million dollar IPL man, continuing his remarkable rise in T20 cricket.

Low crowds, low engagement: Cricket Australia must act

Fans turned out to the Test matches this summer even with COVID-19 at its peak particularly in Sydney and Melbourne. It has not been the case with the T20 format, with the level of engagement seen 5-10 years ago nowhere to be seen at the moment.

In fact, the BBL has the most games and spans the highest number of days compared to some of the other major white-ball leagues around the world, including the IPL.

  • 2021 IPL: 60 games in 51 days
  • 2021-22 BBL: 61 games in 54 days
  • 2022 PSL: 34 games in 32 days
  • 2021 Hundred: 34 games in 31 days
  • 2021 CPL: 33 games in 21 days

Less T20 is more in Australia. The original success of the BBL came about as an entertainment product, where families could go enjoy a night out at the cricket. Now, with reduced quality and more matches, Australian cricket fans have made the message loud and clear.

As mentioned, COVID-19 has a role to play, but average crowd numbers have been declining since BBL 06.

  • BBL 05: 1,029,285 | Avg per game: 29,408 (35 games)
  • BBL 06: 1,053,997 | Avg: 30,114 (35)
  • BBL 07: 1,143,763 | Avg: 26,599 (43)
  • BBL 08: 1,214,965 | Avg: 20,592 (59)
  • BBL 09: 1,133,114 | Avg: 18,575 (61)
  • *BBL 10: 473,770 | Avg: 7,766 (61)
  • *BBL 11: 412,547 | Avg: 6,763 (61)

*COVID-19 affected seasons with neutral venues and crowd restrictions in some parts.

Move more T20 Internationals to lesser-known grounds

One possible option for Cricket Australia is to move more T20 Internationals to grounds such as Coffs Harbour, Geelong and Northern Australia. Fans in those regions rarely see any international cricket if at all, so the locals will pack the grounds out and it will be a better look for the game.

Importantly, it will help drive engagement across the country.

The remaining T20Is against Sri Lanka will be played on February 15 in Canberra and February 18 and 20 in Melbourne.

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