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Most disappointing team in the T20 World Cup? Fans have their say

Charbel Coorey
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Most disappointing team in the T20 World Cup? Fans have their say

Cricket News: Most disappointing team in the T20 World Cup? Fans have their say | Fans have their say on underperforming teams in T20 WC

After a number of debates and predictions heading into the T20 World Cup, the final four has been set. Pakistan, England, Australia and New Zealand have qualified for the Semi Finals, who, alongside South Africa, were the most consistent teams in the tournament.

Pakistan finished as the only team with a perfect five wins from five matches. Babar Azam’s side were superb right from the beginning, displaying the kind of motivation and drive that they promised everyone before the tournament. England produced great cricket to confirm their passage to the Semi Finals with a game to spare, while Australia and New Zealand were efficient in times of need.

However, with the strong performers were disappointing ones. CricBlog put out a question on Twitter asking fans to name their most disappointing team of the tournament to date, with three teams dominating the responses.

Fans have their say on the most disappointing team in the T20 World Cup

India was a common answer even before their fate was officially sealed. Heading into the tournament as the favourites, India’s heavy defeats to Pakistan and New Zealand respectively were too much to come back from as they had to rely on other results to go their way.

In the end, India missed out on the Semi Finals despite winning their last three matches comfortably. They seemed to play within themselves in the early part of the tournament, seeking to choose the safe route rather than take the game on. Going forward, India will need to assess and fix that aspect of their T20 cricket, along with sorting out their plans when batting first.

West Indies were also a big disappointment. The defending champions, who boast so much power and depth, finished the tournament with just one victory. And, they could have easily ended up with no wins as they only beat Bangladesh by the skin of their teeth.

Their powerplay batting was disastrous, and they never got going with the bat after the 55-all out debacle against England. They were thrashed by South Africa and Australia, and fell well short against Sri Lanka as well. It was certainly not the ideal way to send out Dwayne Bravo and Chris Gayle after great careers respectively.

Bangladesh also disappointed greatly. Arguably even more so than West Indies and India.

The Tigers came into the tournament ranked sixth in the world after series wins against Zimbabwe away, followed by Australia and New Zealand at home. However, Bangladesh were horribly out of their depth in this tournament, losing all five matches in the Super 12s after losing to Scotland in the first round. They were unable to adjust to the UAE conditions after a diet of slow, turning tracks in Mirpur, and their fielding was abysmal too.

They surrendered meekly against South Africa and Australia, getting rolled for 84 and 73 respectively. There is a lot of thinking for Bangladesh to do if they are to make a mark in ICC tournaments going forward.

T20 WC 2021 Match 42: IND vs NAM Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
T20 WC 2021 Match 42: IND vs NAM Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 42: IND vs NAM Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IND vs NAM Dream11 Prediction Today | India vs Namibia Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report

Today will officially mark the end of Virat Kohli’s reign as India’s T20I captain and Ravi Shastri as coach. It is a bittersweet feeling for India as both gave their all, but once again the men in blue will fall short at an ICC tournament.

Coming into this T20 World Cup as favourites, not many would have envisaged that India would be out before the Semi Finals. New Zealand, who continue to cause India hurt, confirmed this yesterday with an emphatic eight-wicket win vs Afghanistan, making this match a dead rubber.

India will need to revitalise their T20 approach, particularly given their struggles when batting first. Today is another chance to play with total freedom as they have against Afghanistan and Scotland, and give their fans something to smile about before they embark on a T20I series against New Zealand so soon after this tournament concludes.

For Namibia, this is another chance to stand up and be noticed. They have made a mark in this tournament not only in the first round, but also the Super 12s where they beat Scotland and had their moments against Pakistan and New Zealand. If they can pull off something special tonight, who knows just what that might do for cricket in the country. As a result, there is no way that Namibia will view this as a dead rubber, but an opportunity to achieve something magnificent.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

India:

  • KL Rahul has smashed 69 and 50 in his last two matches. He loves batting at Dubai, with 677 runs in 15 matches at an average of 56.42 and strike rate of 147.82.
  • Rohit Sharma has also had a good last couple of matches (74 and 30). However, if India rest Rohit, they can play Ishan Kishan who has a terrific record at Dubai: 8 inns, 290 runs, avg. 58.00, SR 151.83.
  • Virat Kohli struck scores of 57, 9 and 2* at Dubai in this tournament. He averages 30.46 in 15 T20s on this ground. Expect him to get a decent hit if one of the openers are dismissed relatively early.
  • Rishabh Pant finished really strongly two games ago against Afghanistan (27* off 13 balls). He has a good record at Dubai, with 397 runs in 15 innings at an average of 36.09 and strike rate of 120.30.
  • Jasprit Bumrah has taken 19 wickets in 11 matches at Dubai at an economy rate of just 6.37. He has taken figures of 1/25 and 2/10 in his last two matches in this World Cup.
  • Mohammed Shami has taken six wickets in his last two matches (3/32 and 3/15). He has 19 wickets in 15 matches at Dubai at an economy rate of 7.34.
  • Ravindra Jadeja was player of the match on this ground vs Scotland (3/15).

Namibia:

  • David Wiese will be key to Namibia’s hopes. The all-rounder has scored the most runs for Namibia in this tournament (201, avg. 50.25, SR 131.37) and has six wickets as well.
  • Skipper Gerhard Erasmus has been battling a broken finger and hasn’t been able to score big in the Super 12s. However, he has a strong record at Dubai (196 runs, avg. 39.20, SR 148.48), so Namibia will be hoping today is his day.
  • Craig Williams is also key to Namibia putting up a good score. However, he will be aiming to improve a poor record at Dubai: 8 inns, 99 runs, avg. 14.14, SR 94.29.
  • Jan Frylinck is likely to return for Namibia today. He is their leading wicket-taker in this tournament with eight scalps. Also, he has seven wickets in four matches at Dubai.
  • Ruben Trumpelmann to have a good day? India average less than 15 and have scored at only 5.7 per over against left-arm pace in the powerplay since 2020.

Stats and Facts

  • This will be the first ever T20 International between India and Namibia. They have met in one ODI, way back in the 2003 World Cup.
  • Today will be India’s 150th T20I. They have won 94 out of 149 matches so far.
  • If Namibia win today, both they and India will remarkably finish with two wins each in the Super 12s.

Possible Playing 11

India could look at resting a number of first-team players as they can no longer make the Semi Finals.

India: 1. KL Rahul, 2. Rohit Sharma/Ishan Kishan, 3. Virat Kohli (c), 4. Suryakumar Yadav, 5. Rishabh Pant (wk), 6. Hardik Pandya, 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. R Ashwin, 9. Mohammed Shami/Shardul Thakur, 10. Jasprit Bumrah/Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11. Rahul Chahar/Varun Chakravathy

Jan Frylinck should return today for Namibia after missing the last match due to dehydration.

Namibia: 1. Stephen Baard, 2. Michael van Lingen, 3. Craig Williams, 4. Gerhard Erasmus (c), 5. David Wiese, 6. JJ Smit, 7. Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, 8. Zane Green (wk), 9. Jan Frylinck/Karl Birkenstock, 10. Ruben Trumpelmann, 11. Bernard Scholtz

Dubai Pitch Report and Weather

Bangladesh and Scotland were rolled for 73 and 85 respectively on this ground. But, that’s not to say this pitch is a bad one for batting. The ball should come onto the bat nicely especially for the chasing team.

The team batting second has won nine out of 10 matches in Dubai in this World Cup. With dew around, expect the captain who wins the toss to choose to chase.

Dream11 Prediction

Note: Teams below are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these teams in time after the final playing XIs have been announced.

Option 1:

T20 WC 2021 Match 42: IND vs NAM Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IND vs NAM Dream11 Prediction Today | India vs Namibia Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 42: IND vs NAM Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 42: IND vs NAM Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IND vs NAM Dream11 Prediction Today | India vs Namibia Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 42: IND vs NAM Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Zane Green
  • Batsmen: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Gerhard Erasmus
  • All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja, David Wiese
  • Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami

Match Prediction

India will throw caution to the wind and win this match.

3 ways can India revive their T20 cricket

Debashish Sarangi
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3 ways can India revive their T20 cricket

Cricket News: How can India revive their T20 cricket? | How India can revive their T20 cricket after T20 World Cup elimination

Two of the most shocking results in the T20 World Cup were India’s consecutive, heavy losses against Pakistan and New Zealand.

You might argue that in the context of a sport, a defeat can be taken casually as ‘just another off day’. But, the manner in which they lost both these games was baffling to witness as an Indian fan. If you see the list of the current Indian players including the reserves they have, it looks just too good on paper. They even defeated an invincible side like England just a few months ago prior to the World Cup.

That’s why this sort of a performance wasn’t expected at all from this Indian team. 

It’s just disheartening to see this side not having an ICC trophy. And this drought will continue at least for another year as India crashed out of the T20 World Cup at the group stage. Why do they lose in big games in white ball cricket? Do these losses raise some big questions? Should we expect some changes going forward? Let’s analyze some key points to get our answers.

1. India needs to work on their approach while batting first

Considering the T20Is India played after the 2019 ODI World Cup prior to this World Cup, they elected to bowl first on 10 out of the 14 occasions they won the toss. It shows that they are more comfortable chasing a target. When they see a target in front of them, they bat with more clarity and confidence. It is evident from the fact that they have chased the target successfully on nine out of those 10 occasions.

On the other hand, they lost seven out of the 18 games they batted second in this period.

In my opinion, they need to be clearer in their approach while batting first. They should divide the game into multiple phases, set small targets and try achieve them. More importantly, there should be a plan as per the opposition. They should pick the weak links in the bowling attack and go bonkers against them. You just can’t let the fifth or sixth bowler of the opposition finish his four overs with an economy rate of below seven or so.

Secondly, they should get out of their comfort zone and treat the bilateral series as an opportunity to develop their T20 cricket. For the same, they need to bat first more often when winning the toss. In this way, they can face several scenarios while batting first and get an opportunity to act accordingly in those situations. This, in turn, will make those scenarios familiar for them in the big events and they won’t seem to be clueless.  

2. BCCI needs to manage the workload of the India players

Cricket News: How can India revive their T20 cricket? | How India can revive their T20 cricket after T20 World Cup elimination
3 ways can India revive their T20 cricket: India couldn’t get decent totals on the board.

The Indian team has had a ridiculous schedule over the past year or so. They spent months in Australia at the backend of 2020 and start of 2021, followed by Tests, ODIs and T20Is against England at home. This was soon followed by the first phase of IPL 2021, before they were on a plane to England and thereafter played the second half of the IPL which finished just before the World Cup.

They have been shifting from one bio-bubble to another throughout the year. Yes, they might seem supremely fit from their physique, but after such a busy year as professional cricketers, anybody would be mentally drained and exhausted. The BCCI should consider their workload and manage it in an appropriate manner. They are humans after all and not machines.

3. India needs to follow the English model to rebuild their T20 cricket

Cricket has three separate formats each having its own significance. Each format needs players as per its demands. If we talk about India, it has the biggest talent pool in the world. It is so broad that India can practically field three different elevens in each format simultaneously.

However, we see many players playing multiple formats as a result of our conservative thought in white-ball cricket. This often keeps the players in a confused state regarding their approach while switching formats, which in turn affects the overall performance of the team.

Therefore, India needs to adopt the English model and groom different players for different formats. Each player should have an assigned role in the team and asked to do so in a particular situation in the game. Further, there should be some decent backups in the team for each role. They shouldn’t just warm the bench and should get decent enough opportunities at times to remain prepared for the big events.

India’s elimination further highlights the fact that this side has underachieved in the shortest format of the game. Their focus must immediately shift to the T20 World Cup in Australia next year. They should:

  • Create their gameplan as per the demands of the Australian tracks;
  • Utilize the international series as preparations for the World Cup;
  • Groom the backups for their first-choice players; and
  • Keep themselves mentally fit for the mega event.

If they do these things perfectly, they can surely revive their T20 cricket and lift the T20 World Cup in Australia next year.

Written by Debashish Sarangi. Follow Debashish on Twitter today

Twitter reacts as India eliminated from World Cup, NZ qualify

Charbel Coorey
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Twitter reacts as India eliminated from World Cup, NZ qualify

Cricket News: Twitter reacts as India eliminated from World Cup, NZ qualify | India eliminated from group stage of T20 World Cup

Yet again, New Zealand have qualified to the Semi Finals of a major ICC tournament. And yet again, it’s at the expense of India. After reaching the 2019 World Cup Final, where they were left heartbroken, Kane Williamson’s team then bounced back to win the World Test Championship and then produce the goods in the group stage of the 2021 T20 World Cup.

The best all-format side in the world.

New Zealand’s high stakes match against Afghanistan was tailor made for them. Instead of crumbling under pressure, the Black Caps were in control from the first ball, making inroads into Afghanistan’s top order. Despite a recovery led by Najibullah Zadran, New Zealand’s bowling and superb fielding never let up, snapping up just about everything that went their way.

The Black Caps join Pakistan, England and Australia in the final four. While New Zealand weren’t at their best in the group stage, they were efficient in the key moments, and ultimately qualified courtesy of that thumping victory over India.

Speaking of India, it is a big blow for the pre-tournament favourites. It was a tall order to qualify for the Semi Finals after such a bad start. They let go of the handbrake against Afghanistan and Scotland respectively, but the damage was already done as they were left relying on other results to go their way.

With the elimination comes the end of Virat Kohli’s reign as T20I skipper. Kohli has helped drive great processes in Indian cricket such as the emphasis on their pace bowling, but at the end of the day, it is another ICC event gone by without lifting the trophy at the end of it. Soon after the tournament, India will embark on a new journey with Rahul Dravid and a new T20I skipper at the helm.

Twitter reactions as India eliminated and New Zealand qualify

3 reasons why Australia qualified for the T20 World Cup Semi Finals

Charbel Coorey
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0
3 reasons why Australia qualified for the T20 World Cup Semi Finals

3 reasons why Australia qualified for the T20 World Cup Semi Finals | 3 key reasons why Australia qualified for the 2021 T20 WC Semi Finals

It’s safe to say that Australia had question marks about them heading into the World Cup. Sure, eight defeats across West Indies and Bangladesh in the leadup to the tournament had certain mitigating factors such as the absence of key stars, but it must be reminded that the Australians did lose their previous three T20I series with stronger teams.

How will Australia cope with David Warner’s loss of form? Is there enough runs in the top order to cover for a middle order that still has its question marks? Is a strategy of four specialist bowlers – including just the one specialist spinner – too risky for UAE conditions? What about the fact that Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins ply their best trade in the red ball format?

In the end, Australia answered these questions quite well, qualifying for the Semi Finals in what looked to be a very competitive group on paper. Spare a thought for South Africa, who missed out on the Semi Finals despite four of their own victories, including being the only team to beat England. For Australia, four victories out of five represents a team that has what it takes to win consistently, and here are three key reasons why Australia overcame the doubters to qualify for the final four.

Why Australia qualified for the Semi Finals of the 2021 T20 World Cup

1. Making a huge headstart in the powerplay

Heading into the tournament, many believed that Aaron Finch and David Warner would hold the key to Australia’s hopes. Specifically, how they would navigate the powerplay could set the perfect platform for the middle order to then tee off.

Instead, it was the other way around, with the bowling attack often dominating in this phase. Led by Josh Hazlewood in particular, who continues to be revelation in T20 cricket, Australia took a total of 11 powerplay wickets in the tournament – 10 of which came in the crunch matches against South Africa, Bangladesh and West Indies. By the end of those six overs, Australia were so far ahead that they could play from in front and make up some crucial ground in the net run rate equation.

Hazlewood finished as Australia’s leading seamer with eight wickets in five matches at an average of 13.75 and economy rate of 6.87. The way he responded to being taken apart by Chris Gayle early in the West Indies match is testament to Hazlewood’s form and ability as he continues to produce the goods after playing a key role in CSK’s IPL 2021 triumph.

2. The form of Adam Zampa

3 reasons why Australia qualified for the T20 World Cup Semi Finals | 3 key reasons why Australia qualified for the 2021 T20 WC Semi Finals
Why Australia qualified for the Semi Finals: Adam Zampa continues to come of age.

Heading into a global tournament in the UAE with just the one specialist spinner is quite the risk. It puts onus on the spinner to not only keep the runs down, but also take wickets in those crucial middle overs.

To Adam Zampa’s credit, he did just that. The leg-spinner was terrific right throughout the group stage, taking a total of 11 wickets at an average of 9.90 and economy rate of 5.73. Five of those came against a hapless Bangladesh side with one foot already in Dhaka airport, but Zampa was also superb in the matches against South Africa (2/21), Sri Lanka (2/12) and West Indies (1/20).

If Australia are to go all the way in this World Cup, Zampa will need to continue his brilliant form. If he can continue taking wickets at a cheap rate, it significantly reduces the opposition’s chances of setting up the perfect launching pad for those death overs.

3. South Africa’s lack of batting intent

As mentioned, winning four matches out of five and still missing out on the Semi Finals is tough luck. However, it was only until their last game against England that South Africa showed enough intent with the bat. The talented Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram were outstanding, but unfortunately for South Africa, they were left heartbroken in an ICC tournament once again.

This ultimately came down to the contrasting way in which South Africa and Australia approached their run chases against Bangladesh. The Proteas bowled Bangladesh out cheaply (84) which gave them a big net run rate boost over an Australian side that was pummelled by England. However, it took South Africa 14.2 overs to chase the target, leaving net run rate points out there with them.

When Australia bowled Bangladesh out cheaply (73), Aaron Finch and co. then went about chasing these runs as quickly as possible. In chasing the target in a little over six overs, Australia then jumped ahead of South Africa on net run rate heading into the final game. With the Windies out of the tournament, Australia cruised to another victory, while a brilliant victory for the Proteas over England was not enough to seal qualification.

Now, the challenge for Australia will be to produce good cricket against Pakistan, who are very much likely to be their Semi Final opponent. David Warner, with two fifties in the group stage, has looked to find some form, but the Pakistani attack is a different kettle of fish. So, Australia will need to do their bit with the ball if they wish to lift this trophy for the very first time.

T20 WC 2021 Match 40: NZ vs AFG Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
T20 WC 2021 Match 40: NZ vs AFG Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 40: NZ vs AFG Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AFG vs NZ Dream11 Prediction | New Zealand vs Afghanistan Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report

It comes down to this. Afghanistan will be just about everyone’s favourite team for the day in India, as an Afghan victory opens up a range of possibilities in Group 2. Social media names are changing, Afghanistan flags are appearing in usernames and even Shoaib Akhtar has warned of an uproar if New Zealand loses this.

Amid the chaos of social media needs to be element of calm in both teams. The Black Caps, despite winning three of their four matches, haven’t quite been at their best. It took some superb finishing by James Neesham and Glenn Phillips to steer clear of Namibia, after Scotland also made inroads into the New Zealand top order in the previous match. So, a victory and runs for the likes of Kane Williamson will be on the agenda today.

While India will be behind Afghanistan, Mohammad Nabi’s still has a chance of qualifying. Their heavy defeat to India and then India’s huge win against Scotland has now put them behind on net run rate, so the least they can do here is produce a big performance to then put some pressure on India in their final game against Namibia. To give themselves a better chance of achieving this, they will want Mujeeb ur Rahman to be fit.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

New Zealand:

  • Kane Williamson has had a quiet tournament by his standards (25, 33*, 0, 28). He has struck scores of 79* and 43 in ODIs against Afghanistan, so the skipper will be looking to replicate that kind of form here.
  • Williamson has a solid record at this ground. In six innings at Abu Dhabi, Williamson has struck 229 runs at an average of 45.80 and strike rate of 127.93.
  • Martin Guptill has the potential to take the game away from Afghanistan and in the process cause more heartache for India fans. He scored a brilliant 93 a few days ago against Scotland. However, he has a poor record at Abu Dhabi, with just 69 runs in six innings at an average of 11.50.
  • Glenn Phillips (scores of 33 and 39* in his last two matches) put on 67 runs in the last four overs with James Neesham against Namibia. That sort of death batting can give New Zealand a big edge in this crunch game today.
  • Ish Sodhi has taken seven wickets in four matches in the Super 12s. He has taken 64 wickets in 49 T20Is since the last T20 World Cup – only Rashid Khan has more.
  • Trent Boult is New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker in the Super 12s (eight wickets). But, Boult does not enjoy Abu Dhabi as much as he enjoys Dubai or Sharjah. He has 10 wickets in 11 matches on this ground at an economy rate of 8.73.
  • Tim Southee has been brilliant for New Zealand. His five wickets in four games cost just 18.00 runs apiece with a superb economy rate of 5.62. He is wicketless in his two T20s so far at Abu Dhabi (econ. 6.57).

Afghanistan:

  • Can Hazratullah Zazai get Afghanistan off to a blistering start? He has scored 258 runs in seven T20s at Abu Dhabi at an average of 36.86 and strike rate of 165.38.
  • Rahmanullah Gurbaz has made plenty of starts in this tournament. The exciting right-hander has scored 46, 10, 4 and 19 in his four matches. He does have a similar record at Abu Dhabi with 140 runs in six matches at an average of 23.33.
  • Mohammad Nabi is having a solid tournament with the bat: 11* (4), 35* (32), 32* (17) and 35 (32). His 173 runs on this ground come at an average of 21.63 and strike rate of 139.52. He will be key against New Zealand’s left-handers.
  • Karim Janar scored 42* off 22 balls vs India.
  • Can Rashid Khan influence this game like fans know he can? The classy leg-spinner did not have a fruitful outing vs India (0/36), but he does have a superb haul of 30 wickets in 20 matches on this ground (econ. 6.22).
  • Mujeeb ur Rahman took 5/20 and 1/14 before his injury. He was in fantastic form. If he’s back today, watch out.

Stats and Facts

  • This will be the first T20 International between New Zealand and Afghanistan.
  • Martin Guptill has struck at 134.09 vs spin in this tournament. No other New Zealand batsman has struck at over 111.
  • Devon Conway has also had a quiet tournament (27, 2*, 1, 17). He will be key against the Afghanistan spinners. He averages 47.40 in seven T20Is batting at four.
  • Hazratullah Zazai is striking at just 116.88 in this tournament compared to his career strike rate of 148.64.

Possible Playing 11

Ish Sodhi is set to play in this game after passing a concussion test.

New Zealand: 1. Martin Guptill, 2. Daryl Mitchell, 3. Kane Williamson (c), 4. Devon Conway (wk), 5. Glenn Phillips, 6. James Neesham, 7. Mitchell Santner, 8. Adam Milne, 9. Tim Southee, 10. Ish Sodhi, 11. Trent Boult

Afghanistan are hoping that Mujeeb is fit for this one.

Afghanistan: 1. Hazratullah Zazai, 2. Mohammad Shahzad (wk), 3. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 4. Gulbadin Naib, 5. Najibullah Zadran, 6. Mohammad Nabi (c), 7. Karim Janat, 8. Rashid Khan, 9. Sharafuddin Ashraf/Mujeeb ur Rahman, 10. Naveen-ul-Haq, 11. Hamid Hassan.

Abu Dhabi Pitch Report and Weather

Three of the four highest totals in this World Cup have been scored on this ground. But, it is a surface where bowlers often find help in the powerplay, so the top order from each team needs to overcome this.

A warm and clear day is forecast. As this is a day game, there will be no dew.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

T20 WC 2021 Match 40: NZ vs AFG Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AFG vs NZ Dream11 Prediction | New Zealand vs Afghanistan Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 40: NZ vs AFG Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 40: NZ vs AFG Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AFG vs NZ Dream11 Prediction | New Zealand vs Afghanistan Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 40: NZ vs AFG Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Rahmanullah Gurbaz
  • Batsmen: Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson
  • All-rounders: Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib
  • Bowlers: Trent Boult, Ish Sodhi, Rashid Khan

Also read: Fan2Play vs Dream11 – What’s the difference?

Match Prediction

The pressure is on. New Zealand is a calm team that performs well under pressure. So, they should get the job done today.

Questions will be raised if New Zealand loses to Afghanistan – Shoaib Akhtar

Charbel Coorey
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0
Questions will be raised if New Zealand loses to Afghanistan – Shoaib Akhtar

Cricket News: Questions will be raised if New Zealand loses to Afghanistan says Shoaib Akhtar | Shoaib Akhtar says Afghanistan beating NZ will raise questions

Shoaib Akhtar is never far away from controversy, and the former Pakistan fast bowler put himself in the limelight once again.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Akhtar claimed that a lot of questions will be asked if New Zealand loses to Afghanistan, which is a result that India needs if they wish to qualify. Virat Kohli’s team needs Afghanistan to win that match as a Black Caps’ victory will put them on eight points, out of reach of India’s maximum of six.

Also, Shoaib pointed to how Pakistan fans are feeling about New Zealand, after they cancelled their tour of Pakistan just hours before the first ODI in September. It left fans and players heartbroken, and Shoaib warned that the social media storm would be a big one if New Zealand loses.

“Sentiments of Pakistan people are too high in New Zealand” – Shoaib Akhtar

“If New Zealand lose to Afghanistan, then many questions will be raised. Let me warn you beforehand, many questions will be raised. I fear it would start another trending news on social media. I don’t want to get into more controversies, I don’t want to talk on these topics but the sentiments of Pakistan people are too high in New Zealand,” Akhtar said on his YouTube channel.

“I think New Zealand is a better team than Afghanistan, god forbid, if they don’t win, there will be a problem, no one will be able to stop what’s being said on social media.”

Pakistan playing India would be good for cricket

However, Shoaib then went on to say that Pakistan playing India again would be great for the tournament and cricket. He praised India for their fightback, courtesy of thumping victories against Afghanistan and Scotland.

“I really think this tournament has headed to an interesting phase. India coming back has made the tournament come back alive. There is a chance now that India will play Pakistan again. We have to wait and see. It will be good for cricket and good for the youngsters if that happens,” Akhtar said.

“If India gets knocked out, it will be quite demoralising. They have played good cricket but they have played it late.”

New Zealand will play Afghanistan in Sunday’s first match. If New Zealand win, they will confirm their passage through to the Semi Finals. India and Afghanistan would officially be out at that point.

T20 WC 2021 Match 39: ENG vs SA Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
T20 WC 2021 Match 39: ENG vs SA Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 39: ENG vs SA Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs SA Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs South Africa Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report

Incredibly, it is very much possible that a team could miss out on the Semi Finals despite winning four of five matches. Australia play West Indies in a crucial game before this one, which will give South Africa more of an idea of what they need to do. However, the Proteas need to stay focused at the job at hand.

Whether Australia win or lose, South Africa still need to produce a strong performance against an England side that has proved unstoppable so far in this World Cup. This was even the case after being reduced to 47/3 in 10 overs against Sri Lanka, before Jos Buttler played an absolute blinder to further highlight England’s terrific batting depth.

Eoin Morgan’s team are through to the Semi Finals, but could be motivated to avoid Pakistan in the Semi Final. The Proteas will back themselves to put in a big performance today courtesy of their bowling attack. Their seamers have what it takes to challenge England’s hard-hitting batsmen, while Tabraiz Shamsi continues to produce the goods despite being overtaken by Wanindu Hasaranga as the number one T20I ranked bowler. All to play for.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

England:

  • Jos Buttler is in imperious form. The brilliant keeper-batsman is coming off scores of 72* off 39 balls vs Australia and 101* off 67 vs Sri Lanka. He also has the most runs for any England player against South Africa: 14 innings, 390 runs, avg. 35.45, SR 152.94.
  • Dawid Malan is yet to get going in this tournament. However, today could be the day as he loves playing against South Africa: 5 inns, 262 runs, avg. 65.50, SR 160.74. He scored two half-centuries in three matches in South Africa in late 2020, including 99*.
  • Jonny Bairstow also has an outstanding record against South Africa. In nine innings, Bairstow has smashed 337 runs at an average of 48.14 and strike rate 156.02.
  • Moeen Ali has taken two wickets in each innings he has bowled in the Super 12s. Expect him to play a role in the powerplay against the left-handed Quinton de Kock.
  • Liam Livingstone has taken four wickets in his last three matches. He will be key with the ball, and will also be looking to make an impact with the bat if he gets a chance at a ground he has historically struggled at: 5 inns, 46 runs, avg. 11.50, SR 83.64.
  • Chris Jordan is conceding just 5.25 runs per over in this tournament, along with his six wickets. He has historically been expensive against South Africa (econ. 9.84), but is a wicket-taker in these matches (15 wickets in 13 matches).
  • Adil Rashid has been excellent in this tournament (4 inns, 7 wickets, avg. 10.71, econ. 5.23). Can he improve on his average of 38 in 11 innings vs South Africa? He usually plays them on good batting pitches, so he should be a factor at Sharjah – a ground where he has taken three wickets in two matches at an economy rate of 6.00.

South Africa:

  • Quinton de Kock has a strong record against England. In eight innings, de Kock has struck 289 runs at an average of 36.13 and strike rate of 169.01. He also has a similar record at Sharjah: 185 runs in six innings at an average of 37.00 and strike rate of 131.21.
  • Aiden Markram is South Africa’s highest run-scorer in this T20 World Cup (110 runs, avg. 36.66, SR 127.90). This will be his first game against England, and he comes into this match on the back of an excellent year to date: 15 inns, 518 runs, avg. 39.84, SR 144.69.
  • Rassie van der Dussen was South Africa’s top run-scorer in England’s tour of South Africa in late 2020. He scored 136 runs in three matches at a strike rate of 152.80 (one dismissal).
  • Dwaine Pretorius has taken seven wickets in his last three matches (3,17, 3/17, 1/11).
  • Anrich Nortje is in outstanding form. The fast bowler has taken eight wickets in four matches in this World Cup at an average of 8.75 and economy rate of 4.57. He enjoys bowling at this ground, with 12 scalps in seven matches.
  • Tabraiz Shamsi has taken just six wickets in eight matches vs England at an average of 40.80. However, he is likely to enjoy the Sharjah conditions a lot more. He took 3/17 against Sri Lanka on this ground.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 22, England 11, South Africa 9, N/R 2.
  • England beat South Africa 3-0 in their tour in late 2020. In fact, they have won their last five matches against them.
  • South Africa’s top five have the fourth lowest strike rate in the Super 12s (107.52). Only Scotland, Bangladesh and Namibia have lower. England have the highest – 137.10.
  • Eoin Morgan spent important time at the crease vs Sri Lanka (40). He has a solid record against South Africa: 16 inns, 385 runs, avg. 32.08, SR 147.51.
  • Jason Roy vs South Africa: 12 inns, 317 runs, avg. 26.42, SR 148.13. Can he handle the low bounce of Sharjah?
  • Kagiso Rabada vs England: 5 inns, 6 wickets, avg. 27.33, econ. 8.41.

Possible Playing 11

Mark Wood is likely to come in for Tymal Mills, who is now out of the tournament with injury.

England: 1. Jason Roy, 2. Jos Buttler (wk), 3. Dawid Malan, 4. Jonny Bairstow, 5. Liam Livingstone, 6. Eoin Morgan (c), 7. Moeen Ali, 8. Chris Woakes, 9. Chris Jordan, 10. Adil Rashid, 11. Mark Wood

South Africa are likely to remain unchanged.

South Africa: 1. Quinton de Kock (wk), 2. Reeza Hendricks, 3. Temba Bavuma (c), 4. Aiden Markram, 5. Rassie van der Dussen, 6. David Miller, 7. Dwaine Pretorius, 8. Kagiso Rabada, 9. Keshav Maharaj, 10. Anrich Nortje, 11. Tabraiz Shamsi

Sharjah Pitch Report and Weather

Expect another slow, low Sharjah track. The team batting first has won three of the last four matches, with any score above 140 proving to be a very tough chase. The same is likely to apply here on a surface that is typically tough to score quickly on.

A clear evening is forecast, with dew likely in the second innings.

Dream11 Prediction

Note: Teams below are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these teams in time after the final playing XIs have been announced.

Option 1:

T20 WC 2021 Match 39: ENG vs SA Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs SA Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs South Africa Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 39: ENG vs SA Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 39: ENG vs SA Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs SA Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs South Africa Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 39: ENG vs SA Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Jos Buttler
  • Batsmen: Dawid Malan, Temba Bavuma
  • All-rounders: Aiden Markram, Moeen Ali
  • Bowlers: Anrich Nortje, Chris Jordan

Also read: Fan2Play vs Dream11 – What’s the difference?

Match Prediction

If the team batting first can score above 160, they should win this crunch match.

T20 WC 2021 Match 38: AUS vs WI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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T20 WC 2021 Match 38: AUS vs WI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 38: AUS vs WI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AUS vs WI Dream11 Prediction Today | Australia vs West Indies Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report

Before the tournament, many predicted that West Indies would be on their way to the Semi Finals by this stage, while Australia would be fighting hard just to stay alive. However, the Windies have arguably been the tournament’s most disappointing team, crashing out of the group stage, while Australia have put themselves in pole position to qualify.

Aaron Finch’s team had the perfect day out two days ago against a hapless Bangladesh side. The bowlers, led by Adam Zampa, blew the Bangladeshis away for 73, which Australia chased in just 6.2 overs. Incredibly, they went ahead of South Africa on net run rate, which puts the Aussies in the driver’s seat to qualify for the Semi Finals as the Proteas have a tough test against England later today.

But, Australia must beware of a Windies team with nothing to lose. Who knows what kind of Windies team will show up on a day like this, so the Australians need to be on their game from the get go after such an easy outing 48 hours ago. A strong performance here will go a very long way to achieving qualification to the Semi Finals – a great result for a team that still doesn’t quite fully understand its T20 strategy.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Australia:

  • Aaron Finch is finding some of his best touch again, but the challenge will be to continue that today. He smashed Bangladesh’s bowlers to all parts in his 20-ball 40, after scores of 37 and 44 against Sri Lanka and England respectively.
  • Finch scored 127 runs in five matches against West Indies earlier this year (avg. 25.40, SR 122.11). But, Finch will be looking to improve on a poor record at Abu Dhabi: 6 inns, 58 runs, avg. 9.67, SR 81.69.
  • David Warner last played a T20I vs West Indies back in 2014. He has scored 311 runs against them at an average of 34.56 and strike rate of 151.71. Warner has a decent record at Abu Dhabi: 7 inns, 193 runs, avg. 32.17, SR 116.27.
  • Mitchell Marsh was Australia’s shining light in the T20I series vs West Indies earlier in 2021. He was the top scorer with 219 runs in five matches at an average of 43.20 and strike rate of 152.08.
  • Glenn Maxwell has had a quiet Super 12s so far. He has scored 207 runs in nine career matches on this ground at an average of 29.57 and strike rate of 134.42.
  • Adam Zampa is coming off a five-wicket haul against Bangladesh. He will be looking to improve on his four wickets in five matches vs West Indies (average of 35.75).
  • Josh Hazlewood continues to take wickets, especially in the powerplay. West Indies have been poor in this period during the World Cup, so watch out for Hazlewood early.

West Indies:

  • Evin Lewis has the potential to take the game away from Australia. He has had a disappointing tournament for someone of his ability (scores of 6, 56, 6 and 8).
  • Lewis smashed 110 runs in three matches vs Australia earlier this year at an average of 36.67 and strike rate of 220.00.
  • Nicholas Pooran has rediscovered his best touch. He has smashed 40 (22) and 46 (34) in his last two matches. Also, Pooran had a decent series against Australia a few months ago, striking 96 runs at an average of 32.00 and strike rate of 126.32.
  • Shimron Hetmyer was the shining light for the Windies in a disappointing display vs Sri Lanka. He smashed 81* off 54 balls. Also, Hetmyer struck 81 runs in two innings vs Australia earlier this year, including a score of 61.
  • Andre Russell is woefully out of form, but he does have success against Australia. He scored 107 runs in three innings against them a few months ago at an average of 53.50 and strike rate of 198.14. He also took six wickets.
  • Can Dwayne Bravo finish his T20I career on a high? He has 236 runs vs Australia at an average of 33.71 as well as eight wickets at an average of 28.50.
  • Windies to play Hayden Walsh Jr? The leg-spinner dominated Australia a couple of months ago, taking 12 wickets in five matches at an average of 11.66 and economy rate of 7.00.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 16, Australia 6, West Indies 10.
  • West Indies beat Australia 4-1 in the Caribbean, but it was a different Australian batting lineup to this one.
  • Hayden Walsh Jr has dismissed Aaron Finch in all three innings he’s bowled to him in T20Is.

Possible Playing 11

Australia should stick with the same XI that thrashed Bangladesh.

Australia: 1. David Warner, 2. Aaron Finch (c), 3. Mitchell Marsh, 4. Steve Smith, 5. Glenn Maxwell, 6. Marcus Stoinis, 7. Matthew Wade (wk), 8. Mitchell Starc, 9. Pat Cummins, 10. Adam Zampa, 11. Josh Hazlewood

This will be Dwayne Bravo’s final T20 International, so the Windies will look to send him out on a high. West Indies could look to bring in Hayden Walsh Jr, who had a great series against Australia earlier this year.

Also, it remains to be seen if the Windies give another chance to the out-of-form Chris Gayle.

West Indies: 1. Chris Gayle, 2. Evin Lewis, 3. Nicholas Pooran (wk), 4. Roston Chase, 5. Shimron Hetmyer, 6. Andre Russell, 7. Kieron Pollard (c), 8. Jason Holder, 9. Dwayne Bravo, 10. Akeal Hosein, 11. Ravi Rampaul/Hayden Walsh Jr

Abu Dhabi Pitch Report and Weather

The team batting first has won the last three matches at this ground, including Sri Lanka over West Indies on Thursday. Australia have been very strong when bowling first in 2021 (22 powerplay wickets) compared to just eight powerplay wickets bowling second. So, expect Australia to bowl first if they win the toss.

A hot and sunny day is forecast.

Dream11 Prediction

Note: Teams below are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these teams in time after the final playing XIs have been announced.

Option 1:

T20 WC 2021 Match 38: AUS vs WI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AUS vs WI Dream11 Prediction Today | Australia vs West Indies Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 38: AUS vs WI Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 38: AUS vs WI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AUS vs WI Dream11 Prediction Today | Australia vs West Indies Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 38: AUS vs WI Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Nicholas Pooran
  • Batsmen: Aaron Finch, Evin Lewis
  • All-rounders: Glenn Maxwell, Andre Russell
  • Bowlers: Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

Also read: Fan2Play vs Dream11 – What’s the difference?

Match Prediction

A Windies team with nothing to lose is a very dangerous proposition for Australia. With the bowlers in form, however, Australia should do enough to win.

ECB suspends Yorkshire from hosting major matches

Nash Sant
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ECB suspends Yorkshire from hosting major matches

Cricket News: ECB suspends Yorkshire from hosting major matches | ECB suspends Yorkshire from hosting matches in ongoing Azeem Rafiq

English households are now becoming more familiar with the name Azeem Rafiq as he fights the institutional racism he was subjected to during his playing time at Yorkshire CCC.

He first raised this issue in 2018 and since then he has been fighting to get justice and hold people accountable for their actions. But the way this investigation has been handled by Yorkshire CCC management and the executive board has been nothing short of appalling and disgusting.

In the full investigative report published by Yorkshire CCC, they claimed that at least one YCCC player admitted to using the term “P**i” aimed at Rafiq. However, that player was cleared of any wrongdoing as, according to the report, it was perceived as “friendly banter”. They go on to say that, in the context of “banter between friends” Rafiq might be “expected to take such comments in the spirit in which they were intended (i.e. good natured banter between friends)… [so] it was not reasonable for Azeem to have been offended by [the other player] directing equally offensive or derogatory comments back at him in the same spirit of friendly banter.”

But since then ECB has put out an official press release. They will be undertaking a full investigation on Rafiq’s allegations and the way YCCC handled the investigation in the first place. “The ECB has this afternoon received a copy of the report carried out on behalf of Yorkshire CCC into the allegations made by Azeem Rafiq, together with assurances from the club to cooperate fully with the ongoing regulatory process,” read the press release.

“It is clear to the Board that YCCC’s handling of the issues raised by Azeem Rafiq is wholly unacceptable and is causing serious damage to the reputation of the game. The ECB find this matter abhorrent and against the spirit of cricket and its values.”

Further to this, YCCC have to further deal with their major sponsors pulling out of renewing their contracts or terminating their current contracts. It was Anchor, their shirt sponsor, to first terminate the contract. The domino effect took place right after when other sponsors, namely Tetley’s, Yorkshire Tea, Harrogate Spa Water, Emerald and Nike all chose to terminate their agreement or not renew their contracts after the end of the current one. 

ECB have also chosen to name that player in its statement as Gary Ballance who last represented England in 2017. He has been suspended from selection as an immediate action.

“Before any regulatory investigation is complete, the Board wishes to take immediate action in relation to Gary Ballance. While Mr Ballance has not been selected to play for England since 2017, he will be suspended indefinitely from selection. This position will be reviewed following the ECB regulatory investigation into his conduct.”

ECB backing Azeem Rafiq comes as a major win to his fight against institutional racism. Further in the statement, ECB said, “As a governing body with duties to act for all in cricket, the ECB Board reaffirmed its commitment to taking decisions in the best interests of the whole game. It also agreed that sanctions including, but not limited to, financial and future major match allocations may be considered at the conclusion of our investigations.”

But the major hit to YCCC comes from their ban on hosting any international or major matches. “In the meantime, YCCC are suspended from hosting international or major matches until it has clearly demonstrated that it can meet the standards expected of an international venue, ECB member and First Class County.”

This means we will not see an international game being played at Headingley in 2022 or a match of The Hundred for that matter. In closing the report by ECB, they said “That the regulatory processes already underway into the allegations brought by Azeem Rafiq will ultimately be determined by an independent tribunal (The Cricket Disciplinary Commission).”

“The Board reiterated its unwavering commitment to ensuring that cricket is a game for everyone. Discrimination of any kind on the field of play, in the dressing room, in the stands, or in the boardroom is intolerable in sport or indeed, society. Cricket must work together to eradicate it.”

Written by Nash Sant. Follow Nash on Twitter today

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