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T20 WC 2021 Match 31: PAK vs NAM Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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T20 WC 2021 Match 31: PAK vs NAM Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 31: PAK vs NAM Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | PAK vs NAM Dream11 Prediction | Pakistan vs Namibia Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report

In a rare occurrence, Pakistan are predictable. For once, Pakistan are playing the kind of cricket they are capable of on a consistent basis, producing three strong performance to sit very pretty atop Group 2.

And don’t say they didn’t tell you. Ramiz Raja promised that Pakistan will come out firing in this World Cup after the heartbreak of cancelled tours. Even better, thanks to Asif Ali, Pakistan look to have solved a very important problem that they had before the tournament – relying too much on their openers. Asif’s finishing has been nothing short of outstanding, with four sixes in an over to seal victory in a tight match against Afghanistan.

So, coming up against such a well-rounded outfit is a tough assignment for Namibia. But, this promises to be a great step in the journey. They have been steady with the ball, but it is their batting that will come under the microscope again against an excellent attack. The chance to play against higher-ranked opponents and progress their game is unfortunately limited, so the Namibians will be out to grab this opportunity with both hands especially with a Semi Finals spot still possible.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Pakistan:

  • Skipper Babar Azam has struck two half-centuries in three matches in this T20 World Cup. Also, Babar loves batting at Abu Dhabi. He has scored 412 runs in 12 matches on this ground at an average of 45.78 and strike rate of 118.39.
  • It was a rare low score for Mohammad Rizwan, who scored just 8 vs Afghanistan (scored 79* and 33 in his previous two matches). Rizwan has had a dream year, amassing 1,582 runs in 39 matches at an average of 56.50 and strike rate of 132.28.
  • Rizwan has a steady record in matches at Abu Dhabi. He has scored 213 runs in eight games on this ground at an average of 30.13 and strike rate of 110.36.
  • Shoaib Malik has a solid record at Abu Dhabi: 15 T20s, 383 runs, avg. 38.30, SR 139.27. He played a key role in helping Pakistan beat New Zealand two games ago (26* off 20 balls).
  • Asif Ali has come of age. He smashed 24* off 12 balls to seal victory vs New Zealand, followed by 25* off seven balls vs Afghanistan, including four sixes. Key finisher.
  • Haris Rauf has taken six wickets in three matches in the tournament, including a player of the match 4/22 vs New Zealand. He has taken eight wickets in nine matches on this ground at an economy rate of 8.74.
  • Shaheen Shah Afridi will be key at both crunch stages of the innings. The speedster has taken 17 wickets in 12 matches on this ground at an economy rate of 7.46. Also, he is proving very tough to get away in this tournament so far, with five wickets in three matches at an economy rate of just 6.16.

Namibia:

  • David Wiese is well known in Pakistani circles thanks to strong performances in the PSL. He was Namibia’s top run-scorer (26) in a tough innings against Afghanistan – part of 142 runs in the campaign for Wiese at an average of 47.33 and strike rate of 135.23.
  • Wiese has a solid record overall on this ground: 5 inns, 140 runs, avg. 46.67, SR 130.84, as well as three wickets at an economy rate of 7.22.
  • Can Craig Williams impact this game? He averages just 17.90 in 10 T20s on this ground, but has had a solid year in T20Is: 338 runs, avg. 30.72, SR 120.71.
  • Gerhard Erasmus has scored just 93 runs in eight matches on this ground at an average of 11.63. It is a big game for the Namibia captain.
  • Ruben Trumpelmann has taken five wickets in his last two matches on this ground.
  • Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton was impressive against Afghanistan (2/21), and will be looking to back this up with another strong effort on a pitch that can provide turn.
  • Jan Frylinck has six wickets in as many matches on this ground. He is Namibia’s top wicket-taker so far in the tournament with seven in five matches.

Stats and Facts

  • This will be the first ever T20I between Pakistan and Namibia.
  • Pakistan have won their last five T20Is at Abu Dhabi.
  • Can Fakhar Zaman turn around a poor record at Abu Dhabi? He has scored just 140 runs in 10 T20s on this ground at an average of 14.00. Mohammad Hafeez, who averages 19.46 in 14 matches, is in a similar boat.

Possible Playing 11

Pakistan could look at making a change or two with their passage to the Semi Finals almost certain.

Pakistan: 1. Babar Azam (c), 2. Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 3. Fakhar Zaman, 4. Mohammad Hafeez/Haider Ali, 5. Shoaib Malik, 6. Asif Ali, 7. Shadab Khan, 8. Imad Wasim, 9. Hasan Ali/Mohammad Nawaz, 10. Haris Rauf, 11. Shaheen Shah Afridi

Namibia are likely to stick with the same XI despite defeat against Afghanistan.

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

Abu Dhabi Pitch Report and Weather

The average first innings score on this ground in the 2021 T20 World Cup is just 131. The chasing team has won five of those matches, but Afghanistan showed that runs on the board can be difficult to chase.

A warm and clear night is forecast with a chance of dew.

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 31: PAK vs NAM Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | PAK vs NAM Dream11 Prediction | Pakistan vs Namibia Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 31: PAK vs NAM Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 31: PAK vs NAM Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | PAK vs NAM Dream11 Prediction | Pakistan vs Namibia Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 31: PAK vs NAM Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Mohammad Rizwan
  • Batsmen: Babar Azam, Craig Williams
  • All-rounders: David Wiese, Imad Wasim
  • Bowlers: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali

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

Match Prediction

Pakistan on current form should win this match and continue their momentum.

T20 WC 2021 Match 30: SA vs BAN Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
T20 WC 2021 Match 30: SA vs BAN Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 30: SA vs BAN Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SA vs BAN Dream11 Prediction Today | South Africa vs Bangladesh Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report

South Africa, courtesy of brilliant finishing by David Miller and Kagiso Rabada against Sri Lanka over the weekend, have put themselves in a solid position to qualify for the Semi Finals.

Now is the crunch time. A time where South Africa have not prospered in ICC tournaments of years gone by. This match against Bangladesh represents a must-win clash for the Proteas, who have the undefeated England to play in Group 1. A win here – especially by a strong margin – puts them in a terrific position to qualify for the final four, which will be a fine achievement in what has been a good year for South Africa in T20Is.

However, they have some injury concerns to overcome, namely David Miller (hamstring) and Tabraiz Shamsi (groin). There is no official word on either, so the Proteas can hope to get the best out of these two key players today. The same can’t be said of Bangladesh, who will now be without Shakib Al Hasan due to a hamstring injury of his own.

The Tigers, who came into the tournament with renewed optimism as the sixth-ranked T20I team, have not made the necessary adjustments to the conditions and high-pressure situations. As a result, their next two matches are set to be their last in a rocky campaign, which represents a big missed opportunity for a team that is made for slow pitches.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

South Africa:

  • Quinton de Kock has a half-century to his name in three T20Is against Bangladesh (total of 115 runs, avg. 38.33, SR 138.55). de Kock has also performed well at Abu Dhabi in the past, with 301 runs in 11 matches at an average of 30.10 and strike rate of 131.44.
  • Aiden Markram has been a shining light in T20Is this year. The classy right-hander has struck 518 runs at an average of 43.16 and strike rate of 146.32 in 2021. He has scored 82 runs in his two matches at Abu Dhabi so far (42 vs Mumbai, 40 vs Australia). Also, expect Markram to play a key role with the ball against Bangladesh’s left-handers.
  • David Miller was in superb form against Sri Lanka. He has a T20I century against Bangladesh, and will be looking to take advantage of their questionable death bowling. Also, Miller has a solid T20 record at Abu Dhabi, with 226 runs in 10 matches at an average of 37.67 and strike rate of 132.16.
  • Dwaine Pretorius has taken six wickets in his last two matches (3/17 and 3/17). He took 1/27 off three overs in his only T20I vs Bangladesh, back at home in 2017.
  • Anrich Nortje continues to impress. The pacer has taken five wickets in three matches in this tournament at an economy rate of just 5.16. This is soon after a solid IPL campaign in the UAE, where he took 12 wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of 6.16.
  • What a year Tabraiz Shamsi is having. The world’s number one T20I bowler has 32 wickets to his name in 20 matches at an average of 13.62 and economy rate of 5.73. He will be key against a Bangladesh lineup susceptible to quality spin.

Bangladesh:

  • Soumya Sarkar has scored the most runs for any Bangladesh player against South Africa in T20Is (4 inns, 135 runs, avg. 33.75, SR 156.98).
  • Mohammad Naim has scored the most runs for Bangladesh in 2021 (499), but eyes will be on his strike rate which continues to hover around the 100 mark (SR 102.88 for the year).
  • Mushfiqur Rahim played beautifully against Sri Lanka two games ago (half-century), but has only threatened to produce the goods since. He has a poor T20I record vs South Africa (6 inns, 67 runs), so Bangladesh will be hoping Mushfiqur delivers today.
  • Mahmudullah has scored the second-most runs for Bangladesh this year (445, avg. 27.87). He also has the fifth-most runs of any player in this T20 World Cup (150, avg. 37.50, SR 132.74).
  • Shoriful Islam has taken at least one wicket in each of his last 12 T20Is, including an excellent 2/20 vs West Indies. The left-armer has taken a total of 20 scalps in this period.
  • Can Mustafizur Rahman keep the Proteas bowlers quiet at the death? He has taken eight wickets in six matches in the tournament, but will be looking to improve on his economy rate of 8.63.

Stats and Facts

  • South Africa have won all six T20Is against Bangladesh to date.
  • South Africa won their only meeting against Bangladesh in a T20 World Cup – by seven wickets in 2007.
  • West Indies and Australia will be hoping that Bangladesh wins today to boost their own Semi Finals hopes, as England are locked in thanks to Jos Buttler’s brilliant century yesterday.

Possible Playing 11

Provided Miller and Shamsi are fit, South Africa should stick with the same XI.

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

Shamim Hossain will replace the injured Shakib Al Hasan.

Bangladesh: 1. Mohammad Naim, 2. Soumya Sarkar, 3. Liton Das (wk), 4. Mushfiqur Rahim, 5. Mahmudullah (c), 6. Afif Hossain, 7. Shamim Hossain, 8. Mahedi Hasan, 9. Shoriful Islam, 10. Taskin Ahmed, 11. Mustafizur Rahman

Abu Dhabi Pitch Report and Weather

Afghanistan scored 160 in the day game at Abu Dhabi two days ago. It was a slow track that favoured bowling into the surface. Batting first and posting a score of 150+ can prove to be a difficult chase in these conditions.

Another hot day is forecast. There is no risk of dew due to this being a day game.

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 30: SA vs BAN Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SA vs BAN Dream11 Prediction Today | South Africa vs Bangladesh Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 30: SA vs BAN Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 30: SA vs BAN Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SA vs BAN Dream11 Prediction Today | South Africa vs Bangladesh Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 30: SA vs BAN Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Quinton de Kock
  • Batsmen: Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim
  • All-rounders: Aiden Markram, Dwaine Pretorius
  • Bowlers: Tabraiz Shamsi, Anrich Nortje, Shoriful Islam

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

Match Prediction

South Africa should win against a Bangladesh side without Shakib Al Hasan.

Twitter reactions as masterful Jos Buttler scores brilliant 101*

Charbel Coorey
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0
Twitter reactions as masterful Jos Buttler scores brilliant 101*

Cricket News: Twitter reactions as masterful Jos Buttler scores brilliant 101* | Jos Buttler scores magnificent century against Sri Lanka: reactions

With England sitting on 47/3 at the halfway mark on another low, slow Sharjah track, England fans could have only dreamed of how the next 10 overs would transpire. Jos Buttler, who was sitting on 24* off 30 balls at that stage, embarked on a calculated assault of Sri Lanka’s bowlers, scoring 77 on his own to achieve a magnificent century – his first in T20 Internationals.

Buttler picked which bowlers to go after, and he executed it beautifully on a tough surface. He reached 50* off 45 balls, and then went on a rampage as he and skipper Eoin Morgan started to gain the ascendency. The brilliant opener scored his next 51 runs in just 22 balls, catapulting England to a very solid 167/4 – an above average total on what has been a difficult pitch to bat on in recent weeks. In the process, he became the first England man to score a century in all three international formats.

Buttler’s innings is the best of the tournament so far. He has overcome the trend of teams struggling badly when batting first, giving England another reason to feel very confident of adding this T20 World Cup to their trophy cabinet. Despite the best efforts of Dasun Shanaka and Wanindu Hasaranga, England produced some brilliant fielding – including a run out by Buttler himself – to win by 27 runs.

Was thinking 120 might be a good score – Buttler

Jos Buttler, after receiving his player of the match award for his 101* off 67 balls, said that he found rhythm with skipper Eoin Morgan.

“I think staying patient and keeping my head. I found it really tough early on. I managed to get a really good partnership going with Morgs and we tried to attack the back end. We were just trying to get something going, were finding the spin bowlers a bit tricky and thought 120 might be a good score,” said Buttler.

Twitter reactions to magnificent Jos Buttler 101* vs Sri Lanka

T20 WC 2021 Match 29: ENG vs SL Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
T20 WC 2021 Match 29: ENG vs SL Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 29: ENG vs SL Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs SL Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Sri Lanka Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report

England made a mockery of Sri Lanka in one of the most one-sided T20I series of all time earlier this year. Now, England have made a mockery of all three opponents so far in this T20 World Cup, with the latest being Australia in an eight-wicket, 50 balls to spare romp.

Sri Lanka are next in line to try stop this England juggernaut that continues to roll on. England’s bowling attack – which had some question marks around it given the absence of Jofra Archer – has swept all in front of them, conceding 55, 124/9 and 125 to date. Their passage to the Semi Finals is all but set given their unbelievable net run rate of 3.948, and Eoin Morgan’s team will be looking to continue the momentum in their first match at Sharjah.

Dasun Shanaka’s team come into this clash on the back of heartbreak. They had the game against South Africa in the palm of their hands, until Lahiru Kumara’s fateful final over just about ended Sri Lanka’s Semi Final hopes. If they are to keep those faint hopes alive, they will have to do what no other team has been able to do yet – compete with and beat England.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

England:

  • Jos Buttler is coming off a dominant 32-ball 71* against Australia. Buttler has the most runs in ENG-SL T20Is with 256 in seven matches at an average of 64.00 and strike rate of 147.12.
  • Jason Roy was part of England’s dominant powerplay vs Australia (66/0), and he will be looking to build on his recent form that includes a 38-ball 61 vs Bangladesh. Roy has scored 164 runs in five T20Is against Sri Lanka at an average of 32.80 and strike rate of 140.17.
  • Jonny Bairstow has had limited opportunities so far given England’s dominance. If he does get an extended chance, watch out for his battle against the spinners. He has a half-century in four innings vs Sri Lanka, but will be looking to improve on his average of 22.00 against them.
  • Liam Livingstone has been providing great value with the ball. And, given the slow Sharjah track, expect to see him roll his arm over once again. He has taken 2/15 (3) and 1/15 (4) in his last two matches, taking the ball away from both right and left handers with legspin and offspin respectively.
  • Livingstone does have a poor batting record at Sharjah, with 46 runs in four matches at an average of 11.50 and strike rate of 83.64. Can he improve on this?
  • Chris Woakes has been outstanding in this tournament, especially in the powerplay. He has taken four wickets in three matches at an average of 11.75 and economy rate of 4.70.
  • Chris Jordan was player of the match vs Australia (3/17). The seamer also has the most wickets in ENG-SL T20Is with 15 scalps in eight matches at an average of 15.33 and economy rate of 7.18.

Sri Lanka:

  • Thanks to his solid 72 against South Africa, Pathum Nissanka is now the tournament’s top run-scorer with 169 at an average of 28.16. He will be key in setting a platform for Sri Lanka.
  • Charith Asalanka has looked in fine touch in his last three matches. He struck 80* (49) vs Bangladesh and 21 (14) vs South Africa on this ground, sandwiched between a 37 against Australia at Dubai. Can he make an impact in this match?
  • Can Kusal Perera finally deliver what’s needed of him? He is struggling for form this year (11 inns, 210 runs, avg. 21.00, SR 112.90) and has a poor record vs England (6 inns, 80 runs, avg. 13.33, SR 90.90).
  • Wanindu Hasaranga is coming off a hat-trick against South Africa on this ground. He is the bowler who can keep the England batsmen quiet. He took two wickets in three matches vs England earlier this year at an economy rate of just 6.72 on good batting pitches.
  • Dushmantha Chameera bowled well against South Africa on this ground (2/27). He has taken six wickets in four matches against England at an average of 17.66, including a brilliant haul of 4/17 earlier this year.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 12, England 8, Sri Lanka 4.
  • England have won their last six T20Is vs Sri Lanka.
  • Dawid Malan scored 76 in his last innings vs Sri Lanka during the English season.
  • Moeen Ali was not required with bat or ball against Australia. However, expect Moeen to play a key role against Sri Lanka’s left-handers. There are three left-handers in their top five.
  • Tymal Mills has taken seven wickets in three matches in the tournament. If picked, his slower balls will be key. Adil Rashid took 3/19 in his last overseas T20I vs Sri Lanka.

Possible Playing 11

England could look at playing the same XI, unless they feel Mark Wood is fit and ready.

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

Avishka Fernando has struggled badly after coming into the tournament with promising form. Dhananjaya de Silva might replace him, giving Sri Lanka another spin option. Also, Lahiru Kumara may miss out after a poor performance against South Africa.

Sri Lanka: 1. Pathum Nissanka, 2. Kusal Perera (wk), 3. Charith Asalanka, 4. Dhananjaya de Silva/Avishka Fernando, 5. Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 6. Dasun Shanaka (c), 7. Chamika Karunaratne, 8. Wanindu Hasaranga, 9. Dushmantha Chameera, 10. Maheesh Theekshana, 11. Lahiru Kumara/Akila Dananjaya

Sharjah Pitch Report and Weather

Teams batting first have had more of a say at Sharjah compared to a ground like Dubai. Teams batting first have won two of the four matches, with the last two games seeing a score of 142 batting first. Chasing over 140 has looked difficult.

However, with dew about, the captain who wins the toss could look to chase even if it’s a slow pitch.

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 29: ENG vs SL Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs SL Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Sri Lanka Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 29: ENG vs SL Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 29: ENG vs SL Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs SL Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Sri Lanka Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 29: ENG vs SL Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Jos Buttler
  • Batsmen: Jason Roy, Charith Asalanka
  • All-rounders: Wanindu Hasaranga, Liam Livingstone
  • Bowlers: Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Chris Woakes

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

Match Prediction

England should be too strong in this match.

IND vs NZ Twitter reactions: India on brink of elimination

Charbel Coorey
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0
IND vs NZ Twitter reactions: India on brink of elimination

Cricket News: IND vs NZ Twitter reactions: India on brink of elimination | Twitter reactions as New Zealand thump India in T20 World Cup

“That’s a body blow for India. Huge moment for New Zealand. Huge moment in tournament,” said Mark Nicholas in commentary when Virat Kohli was dismissed.

And he couldn’t be more right.

India, favourites heading into the T20 World Cup, are now on the brink of elimination courtesy of a second-straight thumping. Virat Kohli’s team had a week to recover from a disappointing performance against Pakistan, and they followed it up with another poor display. Led by Trent Boult and Ish Sodhi, New Zealand ripped through the India side, never allowing the talented lineup to find their groove at all.

110/7 was never going to be enough on a ground where chasing teams are dominating. India tried hard for early wickets, but they were always up against it. New Zealand, who continue to cause India heartbreak, reached the target with a huge eight wickets and 33 balls to spare, with Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson spending very valuable time at the crease.

“We weren’t brave enough with the bat” – Kohli

Skipper Virat Kohli lamented a lack of bravery with the bat.

“Quite bizarre. I don’t think we were brave enough with bat or ball. Didn’t have much to defend but we weren’t brave when we walked out to field. When you play for the Indian cricket team you have a lot of expectations – not just from fans, but players as well. So there’s always going to be more pressure with our games and we’ve embraced it over the years,” said Virat.

Williamson was predictably full of praise for his bowling attack.

“A fantastic all-round performance from us against a formidable India side. We were able to build pressure throughout and the way the openers came out really set the platform. The balance of our attack has two spinners in it, I think the collective unit was impressive, the way they kept passing the baton,” said the New Zealand captain.

IND vs NZ Twitter reactions: New Zealand thrash India

Should the IPL make room for Associate nation players?

Tarkesh Jha
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Should the IPL make room for Associate nation players?

Cricket News: Should the IPL make more room for Association nation players? | How the IPL can help fuel the growth of Associate Nations

The T20 World Cup has thrown upon us the picture of several Associate countries fighting tooth and nail to create a mark in the biggest stages of them all of T20 cricket.

Back in 2019, these nations were prohibited from participating in the main edition of the Cricket World Cup. The move had evoked negative responses from the cricketing purists, primarily because it entirely took the possibility of an underdog side upsetting the heavyweights in such a big stage out of the equation.

However, the build up to the T20 World Cup has been much better in that respect, with several teams working their way up through the qualifying tournaments and carving an impact even in the Super 12 stage.

Namibia recorded their first ever victory in this stage of the T20 World Cup as they won their opening Super 12 game against Scotland last week. Both countries might not make it to the top-four but to get to compete against some of the best teams like India, New Zealand and Pakistan is an opportunity that they would be edging to take with both hands.

Associate nation players like Gerhard Erasmus of Namibia would benefit from an IPL experience.

Now, great results aren’t expected from Scotland or Namibia against the three aforementioned, clearly superior sides that they are pitted against in the group. Of course, they might still pull a rabbit out of the hat somehow but that could not become the norm, primarily because they have such little exposure against higher ranked teams.

Moreover, the superior sides can’t be expected to tour Associate cricketing nations regularly either, given the difficult schedules that they already deal with.

So, what’s the next best option to further the growth of these Associate nations?

How the IPL can help fuel the growth of Associate nations

The obvious answer would arguably be to initiate and gradually increase their presence and participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The IPL is the richest, biggest, most intensely competed and passionately followed T20 league in the world. Its popularity could perhaps even eclipse that of the ongoing T20 World Cup.

What better exposure could perhaps the top players of these Associate countries gain than rubbing shoulders with some of the best in the business in the finest T20 league in the world?

The IPL completed 14 seasons just a couple of weeks ago. Then, it went on to add two new franchises to the competition, which were bought for a collective sum of over Rs 12000 crore. The economics and the popularity of the league suggest that it is only going to grow and further develop from here onwards.

The BCCI maintains as powerful a grip over world cricket as ever. It is both influential and impactful, and carries the aura to bring about a real change in the cricketing world.

With the number of IPL teams expanding, the time is not far away when almost every major state of the country would have a franchise of its own.

The league and its pool of players will naturally rise with that and a strong case could be made for the Associate country players to be a part of these proceedings.

For that, the franchises could perhaps be mandated to keep a fixed quota of players in their squad who belong to these Associate countries.

These players might not start the tournament in the playing XI but could find a place with the increased set of matches, thus allowing these individuals to prove their mettle in the big stage against the best of opposition.

Playing the best players from elite cricketing nations in both the nets and then IPL matches will exponentially enhance their skillsets, thus translating into better results for their respective countries in the international circuit as well.

How the IPL benefits from this

Two new teams set to be added for IPL 2022, BCCI to earn close to Rs 5800 Crores from deal | 2 new teams set to enter IPL 2022 next year
The IPL can benefit financially by adding players from Associate nations

From this, the IPL tends to gain on two fronts. Firstly, the league’s cash-rich nature tends to attract some criticism along with immense praise as well. It seems like certain detractors just cannot adjust and accept the monetary valuations of the league and its franchises.

Giving a platform to Associate countries will help the league gain some goodwill brownie points in front of the global audience, perhaps helping in increasing its acceptability across the globe as well.

Secondly, with players from fringe nations participating in the league, the IPL will be taken to shores and markets that it hasn’t breached in 14 years of its existence.

This will broaden the scope of advertisements that the league will attract and a large chunk of the global audience will thereby show an interest towards the sport that hasn’t perhaps been taken to them in the best possible manner yet.

The BCCI and the IPL have a major opportunity to put its significant clout into good use through these measures. Cricket is a beautiful sport, perhaps the best amongst the existing ones too.

But its global audience is too limited to its own liking. Increasing and thriving competition keeps fans attracted towards the game. Dominance of the big giants makes the sport predictable and mundane to the uninterested.

The only way to address this issue is by expanding the base of players, countries and people interested in the game, which will perhaps even open the gateway for cricket to be included in the much revered Olympic Games as well.

At the present moment, no one else could perhaps cultivate this idea and bring it to fruition better than the BCCI and the IPL!

Written by Tarkesh Jha. Follow Tarkesh on Twitter

T20 WC 2021 Match 28: IND vs NZ Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
T20 WC 2021 Match 28: IND vs NZ Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 28: IND vs NZ Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IND vs NZ Dream11 Prediction Today | India vs New Zealand Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report

How’s this for pressure? India and New Zealand, in just their second match each, face almost a must-win game to keep their Semi Final hopes intact.

New Zealand, who always seem to punch above their weight in World Cups, will be aiming to keep that trend going. India were the favourites heading into the tournament, and the expectations from their fans can be too much to handle if the players aren’t switched on.

It seems an age since the Indians last played, and have had a full week to prepare for this encounter after a thumping defeat at the hands of Pakistan. An excellent little rivalry is bubbling away against the Black Caps, with close T20Is, a World Test Championship Final and 2019 World Cup Semi Final among the high-profile matches between the teams in recent years.

So, who will handle the pressure better in this crucial, high-profile clash?

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

India:

  • KL Rahul will be key to India’s hopes. The right-hander had a brilliant IPL (626 runs, avg. 62.60, SR 138.80), finishing with a thumping 98* off 42 balls vs CSK on this ground. He has scored a total of 609 runs at Dubai at an average of 60.90 and strike rate of 143.97.
  • Rahul also has a fine T20I record vs New Zealand. KL struck 224 runs against them in five matches in their 2020 tour at an average of 56.00 and strike rate of 144.52.
  • Rohit Sharma has scored the most runs of any India player against New Zealand in T20Is (303). These runs come at an average of 30.73 and strike rate of 137.96 in 13 matches.
  • Rohit’s battle with left-armer Trent Boult will be key. Boult has dismissed Rohit three times in 24 deliveries in T20 cricket, for just 29 runs.
  • Virat Kohli has scored 302 runs against New Zealand at an average of 37.75 and strike rate of 145.89. The skipper was India’s top-scorer against Pakistan, striking 57 after a terrible start for his team.
  • Virat has a similar record at Dubai. He has scored 385 runs in 13 matches at an average of 32.08 and strike rate of 121.07.
  • Jasprit Bumrah will be key in making inroads into the New Zealand team. No Indian pacer has more T20I wickets against NZ than Bumrah (10), achieved at an average of 21.30 and economy rate of 6.26.
  • India to play Shardul Thakur? He is coming off a brilliant UAE leg of IPL 2021, where he played a key role in CSK’s triumph. He took the equal third-most wickets in the tournament (21), including 15 scalps in his last eight games. He also has taken 15 wickets in nine T20s at Dubai.

New Zealand:

  • Can Kane Williamson cause more hurt for India in an ICC tournament? The NZ skipper has scored 325 runs in 11 matches vs India at an average of 29.55 and strike rate of 135.98.
  • Williamson has a solid record at Dubai, with 343 runs in 12 matches at an average of 42.88 and strike rate of 124.28. This is a huge game for the NZ captain.
  • New Zealand batted Devon Conway down at five against Pakistan. They will be better served batting him up the order. He averages 72.66 in five innings batting at three (218 runs) and 72.33 batting at four (217 runs).
  • Tim Seifert can be New Zealand’s X-Factor today. He has a brilliant record against India, smashing 280 runs in eight matches against them at an average of 46.67 and strike rate of 156.42.
  • Ish Sodhi has taken the most wickets of any bowler in IND-NZ matches (12 matches, 17 wickets, avg. 19.06, econ. 7.53). He produced a solid display against Pakistan, taking 2/28 (dismissed Rizwan and Zaman).
  • Mitchell Santner has enjoyed past success against India. The left-arm spinner has taken 12 wickets in as many matches at an average of 27.33 and economy rate of 7.63.
  • Can Trent Boult do something similar to what Shaheen Shah Afridi did to India’s top order on this ground? Boult has taken six wickets in three matches vs India at an average of 16.00 and economy rate of 9.60.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 17, India 8, New Zealand 8, N/R 1.
  • India have lost all nine T20Is since 2018 where they had to defend below 160.
  • Can Martin Guptill improve on a poor record vs India? The opener has scored 208 runs in 12 matches at an average of just 17.33.
  • Tim Southee is one of four bowlers to have at least 100 T20I wickets. However, he has historically struggled against India in this format with 10 scalps in 12 matches at an average of 42.00 and economy rate of 9.23.
  • Rishabh Pant at Dubai: 13 inns, 385 runs, avg. 38.50, SR 123.79.
  • Ravindra Jadeja has struck 459 runs in IPL since the beginning of 2020 at an incredible average of 57.38 and strike rate of 157.37.

Possible Playing 11

Hardik Pandya was bowling in the nets on match eve. He is a chance of bowling in this match, which gives India that all important sixth bowling option. Also, India could look at playing Shardul Thakur.

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

Martin Guptill is expected to be fit for this match. Also, Adam Milne could come in for Tim Southee.

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

Dubai Pitch Report and Weather

The chasing team has won 14 of the last 18 matches on this ground. England smashed Australia yesterday, chasing the target of 125 with absolute ease.

Expect the captain who wins the toss to choose to chase. Some dew is expected.

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 28: IND vs NZ Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IND vs NZ Dream11 Prediction Today | India vs New Zealand Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 28: IND vs NZ Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IND vs NZ Dream11 Prediction Today | India vs New Zealand Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Rishabh Pant, Devon Conway
  • Batsmen: Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Kane Williamson
  • All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja
  • Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Trent Boult

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

Match Prediction

High pressure in a high stakes game. Expecting the chasing team to win this as the team batting first will need at least 170-180 to feel a good chance of winning.

T20 WC 2021 Match 27: AFG vs NAM Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
T20 WC 2021 Match 27: AFG vs NAM Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 27: AFG vs NAM Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AFG vs NAM Dream11 Prediction Today | Afghanistan vs Namibia Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report

Two sides who no doubt would be very proud with where they are at in their cricketing journey. Time and again, we marvel at Afghanistan’s rise over the past 13 years. Namibia are enjoying their best days as a cricketing nation, and come into this match on the back of three straight wins over Netherlands, Ireland and Scotland respectively.

Eyes will be locked on this crucial game in Group 2 ahead of India’s matchup with New Zealand later in the day. Afghanistan were terrific against Pakistan, fighting hard the whole way despite losing four wickets in the powerplay and six by the halfway point of their innings. In the end, it took some brilliant hitting by Asif Ali to end their challenge, and Mohammad Nabi’s team will be aiming to build on that effort to keep their Semi Finals hopes well and truly alive.

What type of challenge can the Namibians mount? How they play Afghanistan’s superb spin trio will be key to their hopes, as is whether they can make inroads into a dangerous top order. This is set to be Namibia’s biggest challenge since their first up loss to Sri Lanka, so how well they can stay in the game and put Afghanistan under pressure will be key.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Afghanistan:

  • Hazratullah Zazai has a fantastic T20 record at Abu Dhabi with 212 runs in five matches at an average of 42.40 and strike rate of 185.96. He missed out against Pakistan at Dubai, but he was excellent in his previous two outings (35-ball 56 in the warm up vs West Indies and 44 off 30 balls vs Scotland).
  • Mohammad Shahzad has the potential to take the game away from Namibia. His battle with left-arm seamer Ruben Trumpelmann should make for interesting viewing. Shahzad will be aiming to improve on his record at Abu Dhabi: 8 inns, 185 runs, avg. 23.13, SR 120.92.
  • Najibullah Zadran has been in good form in the Super 12s so far: 59 vs Scotland and 22 vs Pakistan. He has a fine record on this ground, with 221 runs in 12 matches at an average of 36.83 and strike rate of 136.42.
  • Mohammad Nabi was part of a 71-run stand with Gulbadin Naib against Pakistan. The Afghanistan skipper will be looking to improve on a sub-par record at Abu Dhabi (10 matches, 106 runs, avg. 15.14, SR 141.33). He has seven wickets on this ground at an economy rate of 7.35.
  • Rashid Khan will be key, as always. He was superb vs Pakistan (2/26) after a big haul vs Scotland (4/9). The legspinner has taken 29 wickets in 18 matches at Abu Dhabi (econ. 6.29).
  • Mujeeb ur Rahman continues to impress. The mystery spinner was player of the match vs Scotland (5/20) and followed it up with an excellent performance vs Pakistan (1/14).

Namibia:

  • Craig Williams has a key role to play at the top, especially against Mujeeb. He made a start vs Scotland (23) but struggled for rhythm in his 29 balls at the crease. He will be looking to improve on a sub-par record at Abu Dhabi that reads: 9 inns, 178 runs, avg. 19.78, SR 102.30.
  • Gerhard Erasmus will also be key to Namibia’s hopes. He has to overturn a really poor record at Abu Dhabi, made worse by his score of just 4 vs Scotland: 7 inns, 81 runs, avg. 11.57, SR 98.78.
  • David Wiese is having a dream tournament. The all-rounder has scored 116 runs so far at an average of 58.00 and strike rate of 154.66. He also has four wickets to his name.
  • Wiese’s 114 runs on this ground come at an average of 57.00 and strike rate of 148.05. He also has three wickets, including 1/22 last match vs Scotland.
  • JJ Smit has been dismissed just twice in seven matches at Abu Dhabi. His 98 runs come at an average of 49.00 and strike rate of 134.25, which includes an impressive 32* off 23 balls vs Scotland.
  • Jan Frylinck has taken seven wickets in his last three matches (2/36, 3/21, 2/10).
  • Ruben Trumpelmann will be key against Afghanistan’s top order. The left-arm seamer was brilliant against Scotland on this ground, taking three wickets in the very first over. He finished with 3/17.

Stats and Facts

  • This will be the first official T20I between Afghanistan and Scotland.
  • Afghanistan have scored at 9.1 runs per over in T20Is in 2021 – the fastest run rate of any team.
  • Bernard Scholtz took 3/17 against Afghanistan in a T20 Desert Challenge match in 2017. Rashid Khan took 3/4 and was player of the match.

Possible Playing 11

Afghanistan could look at playing the same XI that lost narrowly to Pakistan.

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

Namibia could also look to play the same team that beat Scotland a few nights ago.

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

Abu Dhabi Pitch Report and Weather

The average first innings score at Abu Dhabi in this World Cup is just 127. The chasing team have won six of the seven matches, with spinners playing a key role.

Another hot day is forecast with a top of about 32 degrees.

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 27: AFG vs NAM Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AFG vs NAM Dream11 Prediction Today | Afghanistan vs Namibia Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 27: AFG vs NAM Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 27: AFG vs NAM Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AFG vs NAM Dream11 Prediction Today | Afghanistan vs Namibia Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 27: AFG vs NAM Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Rahmanullah Gurbaz
  • Batsmen: Hazratullah Zazai, Craig Williams
  • All-rounders: David Wiese, Jan Frylinck, Mohammad Nabi
  • Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Ruben Trumpelmann

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

Match Prediction

Namibia are enjoying a fine tournament, but Afghanistan should be too strong in these conditions.

T20 WC 2021 Match 26: ENG vs AUS Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
T20 WC 2021 Match 26: ENG vs AUS Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 26: ENG vs AUS Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AUS vs ENG Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Australia Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report

In a little over a month, these two nations will battle it out for the coveted urn. The Ashes always make headlines given the incredible history and high stakes involved in Test cricket’s greatest rivalry.

Now, just for a few hours at least, attention turns to the white-ball battle. Both England and Australia are undefeated in the tournament so far, and the winner will just about seal their spot in the final four. This encounter is arguably the biggest test for either team on form and paper so far, so neither side will be willing to even give an inch in this high stakes clash.

The foundation to Australia’s victories have been laid by terrific bowling performances. However, with all due respect to South Africa and Sri Lanka, they are not at England’s level when it comes to white-ball batting. Eoin Morgan’s side is continuing its now six-year journey as a powerhouse in short-form cricket, and look motivated to add a T20 World Cup to their ODI triumph in 2019.

In addition to their batting, England’s bowling has been irresistible. They were far too good for both West Indies and Bangladesh, and meet an Australian side that is looking to build on a solid performance against Sri Lanka. The biggest positive out of that run chase was the runs for David Warner, who capitalised on being given a life by wicket-keeper Kusal Perera.

24 hours after a cracking clash between Pakistan and Afghanistan on this ground, can these two rivals produce another riveting contest?

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

England:

  • Jason Roy is coming off a player of the match performance against Bangladesh. The right-hander smashed 61 off 38 balls.
  • Roy has scored just the 72 runs in four T20Is vs Australia so far, including one score of 44. He does have seven 50+ scores against Australia in ODIs (including three centuries), so he will be looking to bring those sorts of numbers over to the T20 format.
  • Jos Buttler has the most runs of any England player against Australia in T20Is. The keeper-batsman has struck 321 runs in 11 matches at an average of 32.10 and strike rate of 133.19. He will be looking to build on this, as well as a modest record in T20s at Dubai (10 inns, 194 runs, avg. 21.56, SR 126.80).
  • Dawid Malan was the top run-scorer in the T20I series at home to Australia last year. He struck 129 runs at an average of 43.00 and strike rate of 138.70. Overall, Malan has scored two half-centuries in five T20Is vs Australia.
  • Liam Livingstone played a key role with the ball against Bangladesh (2/15). He could also play a key role today as a finisher in what has been a very good year overall in short-form cricket: 40 matches, 1,256 runs, avg. 38.06, SR 154.68.
  • Adil Rashid went wicketless against Bangladesh after taking 4/2 vs West Indies. Rashid has the most wickets of any England bowler against Australia in T20Is (10 wickets in seven matches, avg. 19.80), including six in three matches last year.
  • Tymal Mills has taken five wickets in two matches so far in the tournament. His changes of pace have been impressive, and he will be key at the death once again. He has taken 30 wickets in 21 short-form matches this year at an impressive economy rate of 6.53.

Australia:

  • Aaron Finch found some form against Sri Lanka with a 23-ball 37. The skipper has an outstanding T20I record against England. He has smashed 550 runs against them at an average of 61.11 and strike rate of 174.60. If he can produce anything like these numbers today, Australia will be well placed.
  • Can David Warner build on his 61 vs Sri Lanka? The opener has a poor record against England in T20Is (11 inns, 217 runs, avg. 19.72, SR 112.43), so it will be interesting to see if he can turn this around.
  • However, Warner enjoys batting at Dubai. He has now crossed 600 runs on this ground (601) at an average of 42.93 and strike rate of 135.97.
  • Glenn Maxwell was in superb form in the recent IPL, and struck three half-centuries in as many matches on this ground. He does have a T20I century vs England, part of an overall record that reads: 293 runs, avg. 26.63, SR 147.71. He also has eight wickets against them at an average of just 18.12 and economy rate of 7.63.
  • Steve Smith’s 150 T20I runs against England come at an average of 30.00 and impressive strike rate of 141.50. The star batsman has a key role to play in the Australian lineup, and has been steady so far in the tournament (35 off 34 balls and 28* off 26 balls).
  • Adam Zampa struggled against England last year (3 wickets, avg. 41.33, econ. 10.39). However, he is in terrific form, coming off a player of the match performance vs Sri Lanka (2/12) after also taking two against South Africa.
  • Josh Hazlewood’s battle with England’s top order can be crucial to the result. He dismissed Jason Roy in the recent IPL. Hazlewood has taken figures of 1/27, 0/22, 2/29, 2/29 and 0/26 in his last five matches at Dubai.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 20, Australia 10, England 8, N/R 2.
  • Dawid Malan at Dubai: 13 inns, 272 runs, avg. 24.73, SR 110.12.
  • Adil Rashid concedes just 5.89 runs per over in T20s at Dubai. He has taken six wickets in his four matches on this ground.
  • Marcus Stoinis has been impressive as Australia’s finisher so far in the tournament. He has struck 24* off 16 balls and 16* off 7 balls so far. Also, if Stoinis gets to face Chris Jordan, watch out. Stoinis has smashed 87 runs in 36 balls against Jordan in T20s without being dismissed.
  • Mitchell Starc has never taken more than one wicket in a T20I vs England (five wickets in six matches). Overall, he averages 26.80 with the ball against them at a good economy rate of 6.28.
  • Pat Cummins has bowled two deliveries to Jason Roy in T20 Internationals, dismissing him once.

Possible Playing 11

Despite two wins, Australia will be taking a risk going into this match with an unchanged team. They are playing four specialist bowlers, and you can be sure that England will go hard after the all-rounders. Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis were expensive against Sri Lanka.

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. Pat Cummins, 9. Mitchell Starc, 10. Adam Zampa, 11. Josh Hazlewood

England should look to stick with the same team.

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

Dubai Pitch Report and Weather

Win the toss. Chase. Win. That has been the trend at Dubai in recent times, with the team batting second winning 14 of the last 18 matches on this ground. This includes Pakistan’s hard-fought win over Afghanistan yesterday.

Expect the captain who wins the toss to chase with some dew around. The team batting first will need to get around 170 to feel they have a good chance of winning, as scores of 150-odd have not been enough in recent games.

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 26: ENG vs AUS Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AUS vs ENG Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Australia Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 26: ENG vs AUS Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 26: ENG vs AUS Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AUS vs ENG Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs Australia Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 26: ENG vs AUS Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Jos Buttler
  • Batsmen: Aaron Finch, Steve Smith
  • All-rounders: Moeen Ali, Glenn Maxwell
  • Bowlers: Tymal Mills, Josh Hazlewood

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

Match Prediction

Has the makings for a classic. England start as favourites, but the team batting second could go on to win this once again. The team batting first needs to aim for at least 170-180.

T20 WC 2021 Match 25: SA vs SL Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
T20 WC 2021 Match 25: SA vs SL Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 25: SA vs SL Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SA vs SL Dream11 Prediction Today | South Africa vs Sri Lanka Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report

After a fascinating day yesterday – arguably the most enthralling in the Super 12s thus far – attention turns to a crucial match in Group 1. The winner here can go level on points with either England or Australia given those two sides face each other after this one, so both teams here will be looking to keep their nerve in the hot Sharjah sun.

South Africa did just that a few days back at Dubai in challenging circumstances. Quinton de Kock, South Africa’s premier batsman, sat out the match due to Cricket South Africa’s call to mandate taking a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The Proteas, who could have easily let such a distraction affect their game, performed brilliantly to brush aside West Indies to stay right in the hunt for a top two finish.

Since then, de Kock released a statement apologising for his actions after emotional conversations with those around him. As a result, he is set to slot back into the South Africa team for a match against opponents he dominated just weeks ago on their own home turf.

However, it won’t be a straightforward assignment today for South Africa as they come up against a capable Sri Lanka spin attack. The Lions were brushed aside by Australia in Dubai, but if the conditions in the West Indies-Bangladesh match yesterday are anything to by, Sri Lanka can make life difficult for the South African lineup via accurate bowling. All to play for.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

South Africa:

  • Quinton de Kock is all set to return, and he will be looking to make his mark right away. He was outstanding against Sri Lanka in September, striking two half-centuries in three matches. He scored 153 runs in total with just one dismissal at a strike rate of 121.42.
  • de Kock has a solid record at Sharjah. He has struck 173 runs in five matches on this ground at an average of 43.25 and strike rate of 132.06.
  • Aiden Markram is having a brilliant year in T20Is. The talented batsman has struck 499 runs at an average of 49.36 and strike rate of 149.40, including scores of 40 and 51* in the Super 12s.
  • Also, expect Markram to have a say with the ball against Sri Lanka’s lineup of left-handers. He took four wickets in three matches against Sri Lanka earlier this year at an average of 6.25 and economy rate of 4.16.
  • Reeza Hendricks was in good touch against Sri Lanka earlier this year (3 inns, 112 runs, avg. 56.00, SR 123.07). In fact, no player has more runs in SA-SL T20Is than Hendricks (311 runs, avg. 44.43, SR 125.91).
  • Tabraiz Shamsi has taken eight wickets in six matches against Sri Lanka at an average of 16.71. He will have a key role to play on the slow Sharjah track against a team that struggled against the wristspin of Adam Zampa.
  • The world’s number one ranked T20I bowler has 29 wickets to his name in 19 matches this year at an average of 14.44 and economy rate of 5.81.
  • Keshav Maharaj took one wicket in each of his three matches in Sri Lanka last month. The left-arm spinner has taken at least one wicket in each of his last 10 white-ball matches (total of 14 scalps).
  • Anrich Nortje took figures of 1/15, 1/19 and 2/31 at Sharjah in the recent IPL. Nortje has been outstanding in recent weeks, taking at least one wicket in each of his last nine white-ball matches.

Sri Lanka:

  • Charith Asalanka is in terrific touch. The left-hander smashed 80* off 49 balls vs Bangladesh on this ground and followed it up with 35 off 27 balls against Australia where he looked good for more.
  • Kusal Perera scored 39 and 30 against South Africa last month. He was looking good against Australia (35 off 25 balls) before he was undone by a terrific Mitchell Starc yorker. Can he make an impact today?
  • Bhanuka Rajapaksa is also in good touch. The left-hander struck 53 off 31 balls against Bangladesh on this ground, albeit on a better-than-usual Sharjah pitch. He followed it up with 33* off 26 balls vs Australia.
  • Can Wanindu Hasaranga continue his brilliant year? He has taken 28 wickets in 17 matches this year at an economy rate of just 5.52. He is coming off an excellent spell vs Australia (2/22), and took three wickets in as many matches vs South Africa last month.
  • Maheesh Theekshana’s fitness is in question ahead of this match. He was superb in the first round of the tournament, taking eight wickets in the three matches. However, had a tough time of things against South Africa last month (12-0-93-1 in the three-match series).
  • Lahiru Kumara at Sharjah in the T20 World Cup: 3/7 vs Netherlands and 1/29 vs Bangladesh.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 16, South Africa 11, Sri Lanka 5.
  • South Africa thrashed Sri Lanka 3-0 in Sri Lanka in early September. The Proteas restricted the home side to just 135/6, 103 and 120/8 in the three matches.
  • South Africa lead Sri Lanka 2-1 in T20 World Cups.

Possible Playing 11

Quinton de Kock is set to slot back in for South Africa. Reeza Hendricks is likely to drop down to three with Heinrich Klaasen to miss out.

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

Maheesh Theekshana still looked a little uncomfortable in the match against Australia. So, Sri Lanka may look to rest him today.

Sri Lanka: 1. Pathum Nissanka, 2. Kusal Perera (wk), 3. Charith Asalanka, 4. Avishka Fernando, 5. Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 6. Dasun Shanaka (c), 7. Chamika Karunaratne, 8. Wanindu Hasaranga, 9. Dushmantha Chameera, 10. Maheesh Theekshana/Akila Dananjaya, 11. Lahiru Kumara

Sharjah Pitch Report and Weather

The Sharjah track looked a good one for batting early in the Super 12s stage, where Sri Lanka chased Bangladesh’s 171. However, the surface for the West Indies-Bangladesh game yesterday was very slow, with the Windies defending 142. Expect a similar track 24 hours later, with any score around 150 sure to be a tough chase.

Another hot 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 25: SA vs SL Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SA vs SL Dream11 Prediction Today | South Africa vs Sri Lanka Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 25: SA vs SL Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 25: SA vs SL Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SA vs SL Dream11 Prediction Today | South Africa vs Sri Lanka Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 25: SA vs SL Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Quinton de Kock
  • Batsmen: Aiden Markram, Charith Asalanka
  • All-rounders: Wanindu Hasaranga
  • Bowlers: Tabraiz Shamsi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada

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

Match Prediction

South Africa have a fine spin attack and batsmen in form. They are the favourites to win this given their excellent recent record vs Sri lanka.

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