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T20 WC 2021 Match 19: PAK vs NZ Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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T20 WC 2021 Match 19: PAK vs NZ Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 19: PAK vs NZ Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | PAK vs NZ Dream11 Prediction Today | Pakistan vs New Zealand Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report

If you think Pakistan’s fire is extinguished after a superb victory over India, think again. Recently, New Zealand left players and fans around the country heartbroken after they cancelled their tour at the last moment.

And Ramiz Raja vowed to ensure that the Pakistan side doesn’t forget about it. The men in green made an incredible start, thumping India by 10 wickets courtesy of Shaheen Shah Afridi’s brilliant opening burst and further excellence by Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. However, if they don’t follow up a strong performance with another, then that victory against India will quickly fall into a bit of a distant memory.

New Zealand begin their campaign today and it looks to be a tough start. But, if there is one thing fans know about the Black Caps is that they can never be counted out in ICC tournaments, showing time and time again that they belong at the business end. In a group where India are somewhat vulnerable, New Zealand can make the match against India on the weekend even more crucial if they can topple Pakistan today. All to play for.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Pakistan:

  • Fans will be looking forward to watch the classy Babar Azam once again after his clinical 68* vs India. The Pakistan captain has a good record against New Zealand with two half-centuries in six matches, with a total of 235 runs at an average of 47.00 and strike rate of 120.51.
  • Babar also has a solid record in T20s at Sharjah: 11 inns, 305 runs, avg. 38.13, SR 120.08.
  • What a year Mohammad Rizwan is having. The keeper-batsman, following his 79* vs India, has now amassed 1,541 runs this year at an average of 59.27 and strike rate of 133.88.
  • Rizwan also has a terrific record at Sharjah: 12 inns, 233 runs, avg. 46.60, SR 133.14. Plus, he has a score of 89 in four T20Is vs New Zealand.
  • No player has more runs in PAK-NZ T20Is than Mohammad Hafeez. The veteran has scored 552 runs in 17 matches against New Zealand at a fine average of 39.42 and strike rate of 137.65.
  • Hafeez also has plenty of experience at Sharjah, with 331 runs in 13 matches at an average of 30.09 and strike rate 127.80.
  • Can Shaheen Shah Afridi produce the goods after a player of the match display vs India? The brilliant left-arm seamer has taken 21 wickets in his first over in T20I cricket, so watch out Martin Guptill and Devon Conway. No other bowler has taken more than 13 in the same period (since February 2018). Afridi has taken seven wickets in five matches vs New Zealand.
  • Hasan Ali is enjoying a terrific year, with 43 wickets in 30 matches. He was expensive vs India (2/44) and has an economy rate of 9.61 in four T20Is vs New Zealand, but his wicket-taking ability remains.
  • Ali has taken 18 wickets in 10 matches at Sharjah (econ. 6.32).

New Zealand:

  • Devon Conway has taken to international cricket like a duck to water. The left-hander averages 59.12 in 11 T20I innings with four half-centuries, with one of those coming against Pakistan last year.
  • Martin Guptill has scored the most runs for New Zealand against Pakistan. He has scored 509 runs in 18 innings against Pakistan at an average of 29.94 and strike rate of 136.46.
  • Kane Williamson has the next-most runs for New Zealand against Pakistan. The New Zealand skipper has scored 414 runs at an average of 34.50 and strike rate of 115.96.
  • However, Williamson has a terrible record at Sharjah. He has scored just 23 runs in five matches on this ground at an average of 5.75 and strike rate of 63.89. Can he turn this around today?
  • Tim Seifert was outstanding against Pakistan last year. He scored the most runs of any player in the three-match series in New Zealand with 176 runs at an average of 88.00 and strike rate of 139.68, including two half-centuries.
  • Tim Southee has the most wickets in NZ-PAK T20Is with 23 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 16.13 and strike rate of 13.5. This includes a five-wicket haul.
  • Mitchell Santner will be key. He has nine wickets in eight matches vs Pakistan at an average of 18.44 and strike rate of 17.3. He recently took 3/22 in the warm up vs Australia.
  • Lockie Ferguson is coming off a strong IPL campaign, despite a disappointing final. He was terrific at Sharjah, taking figures of 2/10, 3/18 and 2/30.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 24, Pakistan 14, New Zealand 10.
  • Interestingly, Trent Boult has a poor record vs Pakistan. The left-armer has just the three wickets in six T20Is at an average of 73.33 and economy rate of 9.56.
  • Ish Sodhi will also be seeking an improvement vs Pakistan: 10 matches, six wickets, avg. 46.33, econ. 8.17.
  • Pakistan have won three of five matches against New Zealand in T20 World Cups.
  • Tim Southee needs one wicket to reach 100 in T20Is. Only Lasith Malinga and Shakib Al Hasan have gone past 100 to date.

Possible Playing 11

Pakistan should look to stick with the same team that beat India.

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

New Zealand are set to play two spinners, with a flexible batting lineup according to the situation.

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

Sharjah Pitch Report and Weather

The Sharjah track was slow and sluggish in the IPL, with the average first innings score just 137. However, the pitch has improved significantly for batting in the last two matches, with Sri Lanka chasing 172 vs Bangladesh and Afghanistan smashing 190 vs Scotland.

The chasing team has won 10 of the last 14 matches on this ground. There is a chance of dew on another clear and warm evening.

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 19: PAK vs NZ Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | PAK vs NZ Dream11 Prediction Today | Pakistan vs New Zealand Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 19: PAK vs NZ Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 19: PAK vs NZ Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | PAK vs NZ Dream11 Prediction Today | Pakistan vs New Zealand Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 19: PAK vs NZ Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Mohammad Rizwan, Devon Conway
  • Batsmen: Kane Williamson, Babar Azam
  • All-rounders: Mohammad Hafeez, Shadab Khan
  • Bowlers: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Tim Southee

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

Match Prediction

New Zealand are a very fine side, but Pakistan in this form are tough to beat. Pakistan to win.

T20 WC 2021 Match 18: SA vs WI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
T20 WC 2021 Match 18: SA vs WI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 18: SA vs WI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SA vs WI Dream11 Prediction Today | South Africa vs West Indies Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report

Knowing West Indies, they could come out today and smash 200+ after getting rolled for 55 in embarrassing fashion against England. Or, they could get rolled again against a South Africa side who bowled superbly in the quest to defend just 118 against Australia.

Who knows. And that is what makes this contest today a fascinating one.

Two first up losing teams go head-to-head in a crunch match in the Dubai heat. And, the question will be which of these two sides, who both have strong aspirations of making the Semi Finals, will better handle both the figurative and literal heat? West Indies will be after significant batting improvement, but one can be sure that they will go hard once again. South Africa will also be looking for improvement after a struggle against Australia, but it remains to be seen if they will play with such freedom.

The Proteas beat West Indies in the Caribbean earlier this year. Tabraiz Shamsi and Quinton de Kock led the way in a 3-2 series victory. One feels that those two will be key again, with others required to provide meaningful contributions along the way.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

South Africa:

  • Quinton de Kock was the highest run-scorer in the five-match series between the teams earlier in 2021. The left-hander struck three half-centuries in the five matches, totaling 255 runs at an average of 51.00 and strike rate of 141.66.
  • de Kock also has a solid record at Dubai. In 10 matches on this ground, the keeper-batsman has struck 320 runs at an average of 35.56 and strike rate of 130.61.
  • Aiden Markram is having a great year in T20Is. The classy right-hander, who was easily South Africa’s top scorer vs Australia (40), has smashed 448 runs in 2021 at an average of 40.72 and strike rate of 145.45. This includes 113 runs in three matches against West Indies (HS 70).
  • Rassie van der Dussen will be key to South Africa’s hopes. He scored a brilliant century vs Pakistan in the warm ups, so the Proteas will be hoping he displays some of that form here. He had a modest tour of West Indies earlier in the year: 5 inns, 97 runs, avg. 24.25, SR 129.33, HS 56*.
  • Tabraiz Shamsi was player of the series against West Indies in the Caribbean. The world’s number one T20I spinner took seven wickets in the five matches at an extraordinary economy rate of four runs per over. He is coming off an impressive spell vs Australia where he took 1/22.
  • Anrich Nortje is in fine form. The fast bowler is cranking up the pace, taking at least one wicket in each of his last nine T20 matches, including 2/21 last match vs Australia.
  • Nortje has four wickets in four matches vs West Indies (avg. 24, econ. 7) and 17 scalps in 12 matches at Dubai.
  • Kagiso Rabada showed signs of his best form against Australia (1/28). He was expensive against West Indies earlier this year (econ. 9.44), but he took seven wickets in five matches, indicating his wicket-taking ability. Also, he has 16 wickets in 13 T20s at Dubai.

West Indies:

  • No player has more runs in WI-SA matches than Chris Gayle. The Universe Boss has smashed 363 runs in 11 matches vs the Proteas at an average of 36.30 and strike rate of 177.94.
  • However, he clearly struggles at number three, so the Windies will be better served opening with him. Gayle scored just the 56 runs in four matches against South Africa earlier this year at an average of 18.66 and strike rate of 119.14.
  • Evin Lewis was brilliant against the Proteas a few months ago. The opener was the Windies’ highest scorer in that series with 178 runs in five matches at an average of 35.60 and superb strike rate of 160.36.
  • Lewis made scores of 36, 6 and 58 at Dubai in the recent IPL, part of 151 runs in the UAE leg at an average of 30.50 and strike rate of 162.36.
  • Roston Chase could come in to provide the Windies with some stability. He scored a half-century against Afghanistan in the warm up, but it was a big struggle (54* off 58 balls). Chase was outstanding in CPL, with the most runs of any player (446, avg. 49.55, SR 144.33).
  • Shimron Hetmyer will be key to the Windies’ hopes. He is coming off a very solid IPL campaign with Delhi Capitals, where he scored 242 runs at an average of 34.57 and strike rate of 168.05.
  • However, Hetmyer has a modest record at Dubai (12 inns, 163 runs, avg. 20.38, SR 125.38) and had a relatively quiet series against the Proteas earlier this year (57 runs, avg. 19.00, SR 107.54).
  • Watch out for Akeal Hosein. He gives the ball a big rip, and was impressive against England in the last match (2/24). South Africa struggled against spin vs Australia, so Hosein will be key.
  • Dwayne Bravo took the most wickets in the WI-SA series earlier this year (10 wickets, avg. 13.10, SR 11.4). Obed McCoy was close behind with nine wickets at an average/strike rate of 15.66/13.3.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 15, South Africa 9, West Indies 6.
  • Can Andre Russell influence this match? He has a poor record vs South Africa (9 inns, 98 runs, avg. 12.25), and the Windies need him to turn those numbers around.
  • Kieron Pollard enjoys batting at Dubai in T20s: 30 matches, 589 runs, avg. 31.00, SR 155.82.
  • Ravi Rampaul took 19 wickets in 10 matches in the recent CPL. He was in the wickets vs England too, dismissing Jason Roy.
  • David Miller averages just 19.63 in nine T20Is vs West Indies. It’s a key match for the experienced South African batsman.
  • South Africa have won two out of three matches vs West Indies in T20 World Cups.

Possible Playing 11

South Africa could look at bringing in Lungi Ngidi instead of the all-rounder option.

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

Windies coach Ottis Gibson did hint that Roston Chase would bring balance to this side. If Windies do pick Chase and Chris Gayle, this will then allow them to play Gayle at opener. However, Lendl Simmons does have a decent record vs South Africa: 5 inns, 198 runs, avg. 39.60, SR 138.46.

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

Dubai Pitch Report and Weather

West Indies were rolled for 55 on this ground, but it was by no means a bad batting pitch. Pakistan proved this with a superb run chase against India where they chased down 152 with 13 deliveries and 10 wickets to spare.

The average first innings score in the recent IPL was 156.23, with CSK chasing 173 and then posting 192 themselves in the crunch matches.

Teams batting second have won 11 of the last 15 matches on this ground. But, there will be no dew issue today as this is a day game. A warm and clear 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 18: SA vs WI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SA vs WI Dream11 Prediction Today | South Africa vs West Indies Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 18: SA vs WI Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 18: SA vs WI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SA vs WI Dream11 Prediction Today | South Africa vs West Indies Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 18: SA vs WI Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Quinton de Kock
  • Batsmen: Evin Lewis, Aiden Markram
  • All-rounders: Dwayne Bravo
  • Bowlers: Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Akeal Hosein

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

Match Prediction

Toss of the coin match. Teams have a great record chasing, so the team batting first will need around 160-170 at least to be competitive in such an unpredictable match. West Indies, with their great firepower, have greater potential to make big scores.

T20 WC 2021 Match 17: AFG vs SCO Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
T20 WC 2021 Match 17: AFG vs SCO Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 17: AFG vs SCO Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AFG vs SCO Dream11 Prediction Today | Afghanistan vs Scotland Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report

Battle-hardened Scotland, on the back off a successful round one, do battle with Afghanistan in what is shaping up to be an interesting Group 2 after Pakistan’s superb victory over India.

And the stakes are high. Both these nations know what it feels like to play under pressure, both embarking on journeys as Associate nations. Recently, USA skipper Saurabh Netravalkar spoke to The CricBlog Podcast about how Associate cricket leaves no room for error, so both these nations will look to use that experience to their advantage in the quest to start the Super 12s in the best possible way.

Afghanistan start as favourites courtesy of their bowling attack in these conditions. They will be aiming to make inroads into a Scotland side that has had the benefit of competitive matches so far in this tournament, and have shown they can perform under pressure as they came from behind against Bangladesh and then beat Oman in a must-win match.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Afghanistan:

  • Mohammad Shahzad, who is coming off a 35-ball 54 in the warm up vs West Indies, has the most runs in Afghanistan-Scotland matches. The keeper-batsman has smashed 309 runs in six matches at an average of 51.50 and strike rate of 148.56.
  • Shahzad also has a great record at Sharjah. In 26 matches on this ground, Shahzad has struck 919 runs at an average of 41.77 and strike rate of 155.50.
  • Hazratullah Zazai is also damaging at Sharjah. The left-hander has smashed 322 runs in 10 matches at an average of 32.20 and incredible strike rate of 193.38.
  • Rahmanullah Gurbaz has struck three half-centuries in 13 T20Is. He averages 34.30 with a fine strike rate of 143.87.
  • Mohammad Nabi is coming off an unbelievable spell in the warm up match vs West Indies. The skipper took figures of 3/2 in four overs. Nabi has taken nine wickets in six meetings vs Scotland (avg. 16.78, econ. 6.86), along with 87 runs at an average of 21.75 and strike rate of 155.36.
  • Nabi has plenty of experience at Sharjah. He has struck 503 runs in 30 matches on this ground at an average of 26.47 and strike rate of 161.22. This is along with 24 wickets.
  • Rashid Khan took 2/28 in his only T20I vs Scotland to date (back in 2016). The star leg-spinner will certainly be key, and comes into the match off the back of an excellent year so far: 57 wickets in 41 matches at an economy rate of 6.51. He also has 21 wickets to his name in 18 matches at Sharjah (econ. 6.21).
  • Mujeeb ur Rahman took 3/24 in the recent warm up match vs South Africa. He has 14 wickets in 11 matches at Sharjah, and will be key against George Munsey in particular.

Scotland:

  • Can George Munsey overcome the early threat of Mujeeb? He has a score of 41 vs Afghanistan in two T20Is against them.
  • Also, can Munsey build on his starts in this tournament? He has got himself set thrice, only to fall after making a start on each occasion (29, 15, 20).
  • Matthew Cross comes into this match in some good touch. The keeper-batsman has struck scores of 57, 11, 45 and 26* in his last four matches.
  • Can skipper Kyle Coetzer overcome a poor record vs Afghanistan? He has 87 runs in six matches at an average of 14.50 and strike rate of 87.00. Richie Berrington has very similar numbers: 85 runs in six matches at an average of 17.00 and strike rate of 111.84.
  • Josh Davey was brilliant in phase one of the T20 World Cup, taking eight wickets in three matches at an average of 8.37 and strike rate of 5.82.
  • Mark Watt conceded just 5.41 runs per over in the first round, taking three wickets in the process. He will be key in keeping the attacking batsmen of Afghanistan quiet.
  • Safyaan Sharif was back in the wickets vs Oman (2/25). Incredibly, he didn’t take a single wicket in four T20Is vs Afghanistan between 2013 and 2016, with an economy rate of 10.08. Can he change that today?

Stats and Facts

  • Afghanistan have beaten Scotland in all six meetings.
  • This will be the first meeting between the teams in T20Is since 2016.
  • Scotland won all three matches in the first stage of the T20 World Cup.

Possible Playing 11

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

Scotland: 1. George Munsey, 2. Kyle Coetzer (c), 3. Matthew Cross (wk), 4. Richie Berrington, 5. Calum MacLeod, 6. Michael Leask, 7. Chris Greaves, 8. Mark Watt, 9. Josh Davey, 10. Safyaan Sharif, 11. Brad Wheal

Sharjah Pitch Report and Weather

The conditions were sluggish at Sharjah in the IPL and first round of the T20 World Cup. However, the batting conditions were a lot better in the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka game yesterday, as the Lions chased down 172 with ease in the end.

The chasing team has reigned supreme on this ground in recent times, with 10 wins out of the last 13 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 17: AFG vs SCO Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AFG vs SCO Dream11 Prediction Today | Afghanistan vs Scotland Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 17: AFG vs SCO Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 17: AFG vs SCO Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AFG vs SCO Dream11 Prediction Today | Afghanistan vs Scotland Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 17: AFG vs SCO Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Mohammad Shahzad
  • Batsmen: Hazratullah Zazai, Calum MacLeod
  • All-rounders: Mohammad Nabi, Richie Berrington
  • Bowlers: Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Josh Davey

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

Match Prediction

Scotland are in some good form, but Afghanistan look very good in these conditions. Afghanistan to win.

Twitter reactions as Pakistan thump India by 10 wickets

Charbel Coorey
-
0
Twitter reactions as Pakistan thump India by 10 wickets

Cricket News: Twitter reactions as Pakistan thump India by 10 wickets | Twitter reactions to Pakistan beating India for first time in WC

What a way to break the hoodoo. Never before had Pakistan beaten India in a World Cup match, but this victory almost made it worth the wait for Pakistan.

Started by the brilliant Shaheen Shah Afridi and finished off by the superb opening combination of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam, Pakistan inflicted a heavy, question-raising 10-wicket victory over archrivals India. Afridi’s opening burst, where he broke through the defences of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, was a thing of beauty. India then fought back to reach 151, but it proved nowhere near enough as Pakistan romped home with more than an over to spare.

India now have lost their ninth straight T20I when defending 160 or less since 2018. Questions will now intensify further regarding their five-bowler strategy. How the favourites respond will be interesting to see.

The margin of victory was a surprise, but Pakistan’s spirit certainly wasn’t. Ramiz Raja recently made a vow that Pakistan will be raring to go in this World Cup following the heartbreak of cancelled tours and broken promises. They have made the perfect start, and all other 11 teams will surely take notice of the men in green.

“The pressure on us wasn’t that much – we weren’t thinking of the record against India at all,” said Babar Azam. The skipper went on to praise Shaheen for his opening burst, before providing the secret to the big opening partnership.

“We executed our plans well and the early wickets were very helpful. Shaheen’s wickets gave us a lot of confidence and the spinners dominated as well,” said Babar. “The plan with Rizwan is always to keep it simple. We tried to get deep in the crease and from about the 8th over the dew came in and the ball came on nicely.”

Twitter reactions: Pakistan produce huge 10-wicket win vs India

T20 WC 2021 Match 15: SL vs BAN Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
-
0

T20 WC 2021 Match 15: SL vs BAN Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BAN vs SL Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report

A week ago, there was some uncertainty as to whether Sri Lanka and Bangladesh would even feature in the Super 12s. Bangladesh had lost to Scotland, and Sri Lanka were about to begin their campaign in what looked to be a very competitive Group A.

Not only did Sri Lanka qualify, but they thumped Namibia, Ireland and Netherlands with ease. That is cause for great confidence, as their bowling attack is firing. Bangladesh responded to the questions posed at them in strong fashion, beating Oman and then thumping PNG to seal their spot in the Super 12s.

Now, given the batting worries of South Africa, Australia and West Indies, both these teams have to believe they can make a mark in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Sharjah suits both these teams given their strong spin attacks, with Bangladesh particularly impressive in similar conditions back home against Australia and New Zealand earlier this year. So, it makes for a fascinating contest with a crucial two points up for grabs in a very tough Group 1.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Sri Lanka:

  • Kusal Perera has a magnificent record against Bangladesh with five half-centuries in seven matches. He has slammed a total of 365 runs at an average of 52.14 and strike rate of 146.58.
  • Avishka Fernando scored 62* against Bangladesh in a warm up match before the T20 World Cup. Fernando came into the tournament on the back of scores of 83*, 33, 62* and 61*, followed by a composed 30* off 28 balls vs Namibia.
  • It has been a pattern of high score, low score for Pathum Nissanka in recent matches. The opener struck just 15 against Bangladesh in the warm up, followed by 76 vs PNG, 5 vs Namibia, 61 vs Ireland and 0 vs Netherlands. Given that the best time to bat at Sharjah is in the powerplay, Nissanka will be key today.
  • What a player Wanindu Hasaranga is. He was irresistible in the first phase of the tournament, taking six wickets in three matches at an average of 7.50 and economy rate of 4.09. This includes 3/9 on this ground. He also scored a 47-ball 71 vs Ireland, so he is more than capable of contributing with the bat too.
  • Maheesh Theekshana was also magnificent in phase one, taking eight wickets at an average of 5.62 and economy rate of 5.00. Sri Lanka will be hoping he is fit to play after picking up an injury vs Netherlands.
  • Can Lahiru Kumara expose Bangladesh’s inconsistent finishing? The seamer has been cranking up the pace, and has been too good so far in the tournament. He has seven wickets to his name at an average of 5.42 and and economy rate of 3.61. Incredible numbers.

Bangladesh:

  • Shakib Al Hasan, of course. The star all-rounder has won player of the match in each of Bangladesh’s last six victories at ICC events.
  • Interestingly, Shakib doesn’t have the best of batting records vs Sri Lanka (7 inns, 144 runs, avg. 20.57, SR 109.92). However, he has the second-most wickets for Bangladesh against the Lions with 10 wickets at an average of just 14.00 and economy rate of 6.36.
  • Mahmudullah continues to produce for Bangladesh when it matters. The underrated skipper is coming off an important 28-ball 50 vs PNG and has a fine record against Sri Lanka: 10 inns, 261 runs, avg. 37.28, SR 146.62.
  • Mushfiqur Rahim is having a terrible year in T20Is, with just 88 runs in eight matches at an average of 14.66 and strike rate of 71.54. However, today could be the day he delivers as he has the second-most runs for any Bangladeshi against Sri Lanka in T20Is: 239 runs, avg. 34.14, SR 148.44.
  • Also, Rahim was outstanding against Sri Lanka in an ODI series earlier this year, striking scores of 84, 125 and 28.
  • Mahedi Hasan was excellent for Bangladesh in phase one of the tournament. He took five wickets at an economy rate of just 4.41. Given that batting in the middle overs is very tough in Sharjah, Mahedi will have a key role to play today in a stage he is very impressive in.
  • Mustafizur Rahman has the most wickets of any current bowler in BAN-SL T20Is (7 matches, 11 wickets, avg. 20.18, econ. 8.88). The Fizz will no doubt be key on the slow Sharjah track with his cutters.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 11, Sri Lanka 7, Bangladesh 4.
  • Sri Lanka conceded scores of just 96, 101 and 44 in the first phase of the 2021 T20 World Cup.
  • Dushmantha Chameera took one wicket in each of his three matches in round one at an economy rate of just 5.33. Chameera is having a strong year with 18 wickets in 15 T20Is at an average of 17.55 and economy rate of just 6.29.
  • Wanindu Hasaranga (26), Mustafizur (24), Shakib (23), Mahedi (19), and Chameera (18) are among the top eight wicket-takers in T20Is this year.
  • Shakib Al Hasan needs one wicket to become the all-time highest wicket-taker in T20 World Cups. He is currently level with Shahid Afridi on 39.

T20 WC 2021 Match 15: SL vs BAN Possible Playing 11

Sri Lanka will be hoping that Maheesh Theekshana is fit to play after picking up a side strain against Netherlands.

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. Binura Fernando, 10. Maheesh Theekshana/Akila Dananjaya, 11. Lahiru Kumara

Bangladesh could look to stick with the same XI that smashed PNG by 84 runs, but Nasum Ahmed over Taskin Ahmed would make sense on the slow Sharjah pitch.

Bangladesh: 1. Mohammad Naim, 2. Liton Das, 3. Shakib Al Hasan, 4. Mushfiqur Rahim, 5. Mahmudullah (c), 6. Afif Hossain, 7. Nurul Hasan (wk), 8. Mahedi Hasan, 9. Mohammad Saifuddin, 10. Taskin Ahmed/Nasum Ahmed, 11. Mustafizur Rahman

Sharjah Pitch Report and Weather

Batting outside of the powerplay is very difficult at Sharjah. Ireland started brilliantly vs Namibia (55/0 in the powerplay), only to finish with 125. Namibia then had to work extremely hard in the chase, with skipper Erasmus and gun all-rounder David Wiese guiding them home late. And, of course, Netherlands were rolled for just 44.

The Sharjah surface was the most difficult to bat on out of the three UAE grounds in the recent IPL. The average first innings score was 137 in the tournament. The chasing team has won nine out of the last 12 matches on this ground.

Expect another slow surface in what will be very hot conditions. A challenge for the players.

T20 WC 2021 Match 15: SL vs BAN 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 15: SL vs BAN Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BAN vs SL Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 15: SL vs BAN Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 15: SL vs BAN Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BAN vs SL Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 15: SL vs BAN Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Kusal Perera
  • Batsmen: Mahmudullah, Avishka Fernando
  • All-rounders: Shakib Al Hasan, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mahedi Hasan
  • Bowlers: Mustafizur Rahman, Maheesh Theekshana

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

Match Prediction

This promises to be a very intriguing match between two evenly-matched teams. This one could come down to whether the team batting first can muster a score in the region of 135-140. Can’t wait for this one.

T20 WC 2021 Match 16: IND vs PAK Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
T20 WC 2021 Match 16: IND vs PAK Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 16: IND vs PAK Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IND vs PAK Dream11 Prediction Today | India vs Pakistan Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report

It’s India-Pakistan day, and don’t let anyone tell you it doesn’t matter anymore. Sure, India have an incredible record against Pakistan in World Cups, but that might just spur the Pakistanis more in what has the potential to be a classic. So much so that Matthew Hayden, who has played in numerous Ashes series, said that this rivalry is “unmatched” in world cricket.

All signs do point to an India win. They have won every World Cup match against Pakistan across ODI and T20 World Cups. They have won seven of eight T20Is against Pakistan overall. Plus, they have had the better preparation with the IPL finishing just last week, and have a team so scary on paper that talent outside the XI would easily walk into most sides around the globe.

But, that’s not how it works with Pakistan. Especially a motivated Pakistan. Heartbroken after visits by New Zealand and England were cancelled, Pakistan have vowed to put in a big performance in this World Cup. And they won’t get a better opportunity to make the perfect start than by beating their archrivals to kickstart their campaign.

A lot will rest on Babar Azam to lead the way for a Pakistan side that still relies a lot on its top order. For India, the concern will be around having just the five bowling options if Hardik Pandya doesn’t bowl, which represents an opportunity that Pakistan must look to capitalise on.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

India:

  • KL Rahul is in such irresistible touch that there is little doubt that he is one of the top T20 batsmen in the world. He had a strong IPL campaign (626 runs, avg. 62.60, SR 138.80), finishing with a thumping 98* off 42 balls vs CSK. He then followed it up with 51 off 24 balls and 39 off 31 balls in the warm ups against England and Australia respectively.
  • Also, KL loves batting at Dubai. In 12 matches on this ground, Rahul has smashed 606 runs at an average of 67.33 and strike rate of 146.02.
  • Virat Kohli has a magnificent record against Pakistan. The India skipper has the most runs in IND-PAK matches, with 254 runs in six outings at an average of 84.66 and strike rate of 118.69.
  • Ishan Kishan has burst into form after a tough run. The talented left-hander scores 70 off 46 balls against England in the warm up, after smashing 50* (25) and 84 (32) in his last two IPL games. However, these knocks were at opener, so it will be interesting to see how he fits into the XI here.
  • Rishabh Pant averages 38.44 in 12 T20s at Dubai (346 runs, SR 123.13).
  • Shardul Thakur 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.
  • Jasprit Bumrah will be key, especially against Pakistan’s questionable finishing. The pacer was excellent in a tough campaign for Mumbai Indians, taking the equal third-most wickets (21) at a fine economy rate of 7.45. He has two scalps in two T20Is vs Pakistan at an average of 20 and economy rate of 5.71.
  • Also, Bumrah enjoys bowling at Dubai, with 15 scalps in eight matches on this ground at an economy rate of 6.93.

Pakistan:

  • Babar Azam recently became the fastest player to 7,000 T20 runs. He had a terrific National T20 Cup campaign with 286 runs in six matches at an average of 71.50 and strike rate of 143.00.
  • Babar also has a lot of experience at Dubai. He has played 28 T20s on this ground, striking 885 runs at an average of 32.78 and strike rate of 113.03.
  • Mohammad Rizwan is key to Pakistan’s hopes. He has had a terrific year in T20s, with 1,462 runs in 36 matches at an average of 56.23 and strike rate of 133.39.
  • However, Rizwan has a poor record at Dubai. He has scored just 187 runs in 21 T20s on this ground at an average of 14.38. Can he turn these numbers around?
  • Fakhar Zaman is coming off a sub-par T20 National Cup campaign (88 runs in four matches). Also, Fakhar has historically struggled in T20s at Dubai with 379 runs in 20 matches at an average of 18.95 and strike rate of 118.81. But, he was in fine touch in the warm ups, smashing 46* (24) and 52 (28) against West Indies and South Africa respectively.
  • Shoaib Malik has the most runs for Pakistan against India (164 runs, avg. 27.33, SR 103.79).
  • Can Shaheen Shah Afridi influence this match like fans know he can? He recently took 12 wickets in six matches in the National T20 Cup, part of 38 wickets in 28 matches in 2021 at an average of 22.42 and economy rate of 8.18.
  • Also, Shaheen has taken 15 wickets in 11 T20s at Dubai at an average of 19.53 and economy rate of 7.74.
  • Hasan Ali is having a fine year in T20s. He has 41 scalps in 29 matches at an average of 18.66 and economy rate of 7.64. Also, he has 25 wickets in 21 career T20s at Dubai. Key bowler.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 8, India 7, Pakistan 1.
  • India have beaten Pakistan in all five T20 World Cup meetings to date.
  • Rohit Sharma averages just 17.50 in six T20Is vs Pakistan. However, he will be looking to replicate his century against them in the 2019 ODI World Cup, and is coming off a strong 60 off 41 balls vs Australia in the warm up match.
  • Babar Azam has scored the most T20I runs of any player in the world in the last three years (1,173).
  • Incredibly, India lost all eight T20Is since 2018 when they posted a score below 160. In contrast, they won nine of 11 matches when they set a score between 161 and 180.
  • 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

India have a few decisions to make. First, how do they fit Ishan Kishan in the XI? Second, do both R Ashwin and Varun Chakravarthy play? If not, who misses out from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami?

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

Pakistan have named their 12-man squad. The last spot in the XI is likely to be between Mohammad Hafeez and Haider Ali.

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, 10. Haris Rauf, 11. Shaheen Shah Afridi

Dubai Pitch Report and Weather

West Indies collapsed in incredible fashion yesterday and were bundled out for 55 on this ground. However, there are no demons in this surface. The average first innings score in the recent IPL was 156.23, with CSK chasing 173 and then posting 192 themselves in the crunch matches.

Teams batting second won 10 of the last 14 matches on this ground, so expect the captain who wins the toss to choose to chase especially given there may be dew around. A warm and clear evening 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 16: IND vs PAK Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IND vs PAK Dream11 Prediction Today | India vs Pakistan Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 16: IND vs PAK Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 16: IND vs PAK Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IND vs PAK Dream11 Prediction Today | India vs Pakistan Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 16: IND vs PAK Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Mohammad Rizwan
  • Batsmen: Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Babar Azam
  • All-rounders: Mohammad Hafeez
  • Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Shaheen Shah Afridi

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

Match Prediction

Pakistan have the ability to cause India problems, but India should win.

T20 WC 2021 Match 14: ENG vs WI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0

T20 WC 2021 Match 14: ENG vs WI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs WI Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs West Indies Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report

Two teams whom many believe will qualify for the Semi Finals and contest for the title will do battle on a blockbuster opening day of the Super 12s. And, it is the finalists of the last World Cup in 2016, where ‘Remember the Name’ echoed loudly across the cricketing world.

Since then, England have embarked on a white-ball journey that has seen them lift the 50-over World Cup. Now, they will want to add another T20 World Cup to the cabinet after victory in the Caribbean in 2010. Indeed, both they and West Indies will be motivated to start their campaign well on a track that looks to be the best batting surface out of all three UAE grounds: Dubai.

Both teams will want to get on the board as Group 1 is one hell of a group. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have joined it, making every match a challenging one for all teams involved. Also, both sides have their challenges to deal with, but both also have undeniable strengths that makes it a huge risk to write either off in the tournament.

England are missing Ben Stokes and in particular Jofra Archer which leaves a gaping hole in their bowling attack. But, there is enough experience and firepower in the batting lineup to get enough runs on the board. West Indies’ lineup is full of players in their mid-to-late 30s – plus a man in his 40s – which will be a test in itself. However, many of these superstars are in good form and will be very keen for one last hurrah if that is indeed the case.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

England:

  • Jos Buttler is capable of taking the game away from any opponent. The keeper-batsman struck a 51-ball 73 in his last outing in the warm up against New Zealand.
  • Can Buttler turn around a moderate record both at Dubai and against West Indies? Buttler has struck 170 runs in nine T20s on this ground at an average of 18.89, as well as 180 runs in nine innings vs West Indies at an average of 25.71.
  • Jonny Bairstow loves batting at Dubai. In 10 T20s on this ground, Bairstow has struck 323 runs at an average of 40.38 and strike rate of 127.17. So, England will be hoping Bairstow can build on his record vs West Indies that reads: 6 inns, 166 runs, avg. 27.66, SR 123.88.
  • Bairstow also looked good in the warm ups, striking 30 (21) and 49 (36) against New Zealand and India respectively.
  • Moeen Ali is certainly one to watch. The all-rounder was a key reason why CSK won the IPL Title, scoring 357 runs at an average of 25.50 and strike rate of 137.30. This included a 20-ball 37* in the Final on this ground. Also, Moeen showed great finishing form in the warm up against India, smashing a 20-ball 43*.
  • Liam Livingstone had a disappointing IPL campaign, but his threat remains. He has struck 1,255 runs in 38 short-form matches this year (T20 and Hundred) at an average of 39.22 and strike rate of 154.94.
  • Adil Rashid has a fine record against the Windies. In seven T20Is against them, Rashid has taken 11 wickets at an average of 11.27 and economy rate of 6.20. He will be key given the Windies’ propensity to lose wickets to leg-spin, and is coming off a haul of 3/18 vs New Zealand in the warm up match.
  • David Willey also has a fine record against West Indies. He has taken 10 wickets in six matches against them at an average of 11.80 and strike rate of 10.2.
  • Mark Wood took 3/9 in his only T20I vs West Indies to date, back in 2019. He is also coming off a brilliant spell of 4/23 in the warm up against New Zealand.

West Indies:

  • Will the Windies pick Chris Gayle as opener? The Universe Boss has the most runs for any West Indies player against England in T20Is (408, avg. 34.08, SR 157.30).
  • Gayle is having a tough year in T20s (37 inns, 692 runs, avg. 20.97, SR 128.39). Also, Gayle averages 23.67 in 12 T20s at Dubai. So, Windies might be best served batting him at opener if they choose him in the XI.
  • Evin Lewis smashed 51 off 28 balls in his only T20I vs England so far, back in 2017. Lewis comes into the tournament in good form, with the second-most runs in CPL 2021 (426, avg. 47.33, SR 163.21) and a solid IPL campaign with the Royals (151 runs, avg. 30.50, SR 162.36).
  • Roston Chase is labelled as the man who can play the Marlon Samuels role. He scored a half-century against Afghanistan in the warm up, but it was a big struggle (54* off 58 balls). Chase was outstanding in CPL, with the most runs of any player (446, avg. 49.55, SR 144.33).
  • Skipper Kieron Pollard has historically struggled against England in T20Is (6 inns, 43 runs, avg. 10.75, SR 134.37). He does, however, have a fine T20 record at Dubai: 29 inns, 583 runs, avg. 32.39, SR 160.16.
  • Andre Russell averages just 17.75 in eight T20Is vs England and 15.67 in 12 T20s at Dubai. He does have 16 wickets on this ground, though, and we all know Russell can influence the match with bat and ball.
  • Dwayne Bravo, who was key to St Kitts’ and CSK’s success, has taken 39 wickets in 36 T20s this year, and will be key at the death. He has the most wickets in ENG-WI T20Is with 12 in 12 matches at an average of 25.33 and strike rate of 17.
  • Obed McCoy has taken 24 wickets in 13 T20s this year. Ravi Rampaul was outstanding in the recent CPL, taking 19 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 16.21 and strike rate of 12.2.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 18, England 7, West Indies 11.
  • West Indies lead England 5-0 in meetings at T20 World Cups.
  • West Indies have lost both their two T20Is at Dubai, against Pakistan in 2016. England have won four and lost two at this ground.
  • Jason Roy showed some good form in the recent IPL, striking 150 runs in his five innings in the UAE leg. This included a score of 60 at Dubai against the Rajasthan Royals.
  • Eoin Morgan has the most runs of any player in the current England squad against West Indies: 12 inns, 221 runs, avg. 27.62, SR 127.01.
  • Nicholas Pooran is coming off a poor IPL 2021 campaign. He does have a half-century in three T20Is against England and strikes at 158.79 in 11 T20s at Dubai (289 runs), so is this the day he fires?

Possible Playing 11

England’s highest-ranked T20I batsman Dawid Malan is at most risk of missing the XI. Moeen Ali’s exploits in the top four in T20 cricket makes him too good an option to waste down the order. Also, Liam Livingstone’s form in the middle order for England has been fantastic this year.

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

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

Dubai Pitch Report and Weather

The Dubai surface is arguably the best for batting out of the three UAE grounds, which raises the stakes even more for these two attacking batting lineups. The average first innings score in the recent IPL was 156.23, with CSK chasing 173 and then posting 192 themselves in the crunch matches.

Teams batting second won nine of the 13 matches, so expect the captain who wins the toss to choose to chase especially given there may be dew around. A warm and clear evening 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 14: ENG vs WI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs WI Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs West Indies Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 14: ENG vs WI Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 14: ENG vs WI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs WI Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs West Indies Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 14: ENG vs WI Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow
  • Batsmen: Evin Lewis, Shimron Hetmyer
  • All-rounders: Andre Russell, Moeen Ali
  • Bowlers: Mark Wood, Chris Woakes

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

Match Prediction

A potential for a classic. West Indies have a great record vs England in World Cups, but England may just prevail in this one.

T20 WC 2021 Match 13: AUS vs SA Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
T20 WC 2021 Match 13: AUS vs SA Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 13: AUS vs SA Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AUS vs SA Dream11 Prediction Today | Australia vs South Africa Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report

After a fascinating group stage ending with Namibia qualifying for the Super 12s in brilliant fashion, more fascinating cricket is certainly upon us. Only two teams can qualify out of two competitive groups, with Group 1 certainly looking like the Group of Death with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh the two teams to join it.

As a result, predicting the final four is not easy, but that’s what makes the next couple of weeks intriguing. Australia and South Africa will be desperate to make the perfect start here, as falling behind early in such a group can be very challenging to recover from.

The lead up to the tournament could not be more different for both sides. Australia, albeit with second-string teams, lost 8-2 across tours of West Indies and Bangladesh in mid-2021. In fact, Australia have lost their last five T20I series, and come into this match on the back of a disappointing defeat in their final warm up match against India. However, the form of Glenn Maxwell and a capable bowling attack is what the Aussies will be banking on, as they hope the likes of David Warner and Aaron Finch can hit form.

South Africa, on the other hand, begin their campaign on the back of strong form. They beat West Indies 3-2, swept both Ireland and Sri Lanka 3-0 away from home, and were strong in their warm up matches where Rassie van der Dussen scored a terrific century. Tabraiz Shamsi, the world’s number one T20I bowler, will lead the attack, with a capable pace attack alongside him. So, there is plenty to be optimistic about in the Proteas’ quest for a global trophy, but they need to start well here.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Australia:

  • Eyes will be on David Warner. The usually prolific opener is going through a tough phase following losing his place in the Sunrisers Hyderabad side and then scoring just 0 and 1 in the warm up matches.
  • Warner has the most runs of any player in Australia-South Africa T20Is with 457 runs in 14 innings at an average of 35.15 and strike rate of 148.85. This includes four half-centures. He also averages 35 in T20s at Abu Dhabi.
  • Glenn Maxwell will be crucial to Australia’s hopes. The hard-hitting batsman had a dream IPL, scoring the most runs of any non-opener in the tournament (14 inns, 513 runs, avg. 42.75, SR 144.10). This included a great haul of six half-centuries.
  • Maxwell also strikes at 142.11 in eight T20s at Abu Dhabi. He has scored 189 runs at an average of 31.50 on this ground, including a brilliant 25-ball 40 for RCB against SRH recently.
  • Mitchell Marsh was Australia’s shining light in the West Indies and Bangladesh. He has scored the most runs for any Australia player this year with 442 runs at an average of 31.57 and strike rate of 123.80. How he adjusts to the UAE pitches, though, will be key.
  • Ashton Agar has taken nine wickets in four matches against South Africa, including an incredible hat-trick in 2020.
  • Josh Hazlewood was outstanding in the recent IPL. The seamer was key in Chennai’s triumph, taking 2/29 in both the Qualifer and Final. He was, however, expensive at Abu Dhabi in the UAE leg (2/40 and 0/54).
  • Pat Cummins has the most wickets in Australia-South Africa T20Is (12 wickets, avg. 17.58, SR 6.39). If picked, Cummins will be seeking to improve on his five wickets in eight T20s at Abu Dhabi.

South Africa:

  • Quinton de Kock vs Mitchell Starc will be a key battle. Starc has had his measure in T20 cricket, dismissing the Protea keeper-batsman three times in 34 deliveries for just 36 runs.
  • Overall, though, de Kock has the most runs among current South Africa players against Australia (351 runs, avg. 31.90, SR 142.68). de Kock also has a similar record at Abu Dhabi, with 294 runs in 10 matches at an average of 32.67 and strike rate of 135.48.
  • Aiden Markram is second only to de Kock for most runs for South Africa in T20Is this year. The classy right-hander has smashed 408 runs at an average of 40.80 and strike rate of 150. He scored 42 at a strike rate of 144.83 in his only T20 at Abu Dhabi to date in the recent IPL.
  • Rassie van der Dussen is coming off a magnificent 51-ball 101* in the warm up match against Pakistan. The right-hander was simply outstanding in his team’s chase of 186.
  • van der Dussen scored 67 runs in three T20Is against Australia in 2020 (avg. 22.33, SR 121.81).
  • Kagiso Rabada has historically struggled against Australia, with eight scalps in nine matches at an average of 34.50 and strike rate of 23. He also went wicketless in four consecutive IPL matches, before taking 2/23 in Qualifier 2 and then 3/28 vs Pakistan in the warm up.
  • Rabada does have an excellent record at Abu Dhabi, with 13 wickets in six matches at an economy rate of 6.96.
  • Anrich Nortje was superb in the recent IPL, taking 12 wickets in eight matches at an average of 15.58 and economy rate of just 6.16.
  • Tabraiz Shamsi is one to watch, without a doubt. The world’s number one T20I bowler is having a dream year with 28 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 12.85 and economy rate of just 5.53.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 22, Australia 13, South Africa 8, N/R 1.
  • South Africa’s next highest wicket-taker behind Shamsi in 2021 is George Linde with 13. He is not in South Africa’s squad.
  • Steve Smith is coming off a half-century against India in the warm up match. Smith averages 31.66 in eight matches vs South Africa (190 runs, no fifties).
  • Lungi Ngidi has taken seven wickets in four matches vs Australia at an average of 18.11. However, he concedes 9.76 per over, which is a figure he will look to bring down if picked.
  • As mentioned, Starc has a fine record vs de Kock. The left-armer has six wickets in as many matches vs the Proteas (avg. 25.66).
  • South Africa have won nine of their last 10 T20Is. Australia, on the other hand, have lost their last five T20I series.

Possible Playing 11

Australia have a conundrum regarding their bowling attack. If they decide to play two seam all-rounders and two spinners, there will be room for only two frontline seamers. Josh Hazlewood was brilliant in the recent IPL and Mitchell Starc is Australia’s key death option. So, Pat Cummins could be the man to miss out.

Eyes will be on skipper Aaron Finch who is returning from knee surgery. He didn’t find form in the warm ups. He has scored 295 runs overall vs South Africa at an average of 29.50 and strike rate of 146.03, with one fifty.

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

Temba Bavuma is back playing after an injury and should slot in as opener. South Africa will likely play two spinners and at least three seamers. They could play one of Dwaine Pretorius or Wiaan Mulder as an additional bowling option at number six.

South Africa: 1. Quinton de Kock (wk), 2. Temba Bavuma (c), 3. Aiden Markram, 4. Rassie van der Dussen, 5. David Miller, 6. Heinrich Klaasen/Wiaan Mulder, 7. Bjorn Fortuin/Keshav Maharaj, 8. Kagiso Rabada, 9. Lungi Ngidi, 10. Anrich Nortje, 11. Tabraiz Shamsi

Abu Dhabi Pitch Report and Weather

Teams batting second have won three of the four matches so far in this T20 World Cup. The chasing team also had more success in the recent IPL, winning five of the eight matches. The average first innings score was 159 in IPL 2021, so the team batting first will be looking to cross that mark.

This is a day game in Abu Dhabi, which will test the players. A top of about 33 degrees 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 13: AUS vs SA Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AUS vs SA Dream11 Prediction Today | Australia vs South Africa Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 13: AUS vs SA Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 13: AUS vs SA Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | AUS vs SA Dream11 Prediction Today | Australia vs South Africa Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 13: AUS vs SA Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Quinton de Kock
  • Batsmen: Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen
  • All-rounders: Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh
  • Bowlers: Mitchell Starc, Tabraiz Shamsi

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

Match Prediction

South Africa come into the tournament in much better form than Australia. While this doesn’t count for everything in a World Cup, it will if the Proteas can make early inroads into Australia’s top order.

This has the potential to be a very closely fought match. South Africa might just prevail.

Analysis: Don’t write off Bhuvneshwar Kumar just yet

Tarkesh Jha
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0
Analysis: Don’t write off Bhuvneshwar Kumar just yet

Cricket News: Analysis: Don’t write off Bhuvneshwar Kumar just yet | Looking at Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s role for India in the T20 World Cup

India will be heading into the 2021 T20 World Cup with an optimistic mindset after attaining two favourable results in the warm up games.

All departments look to be in top shape currently with very little drawbacks as of now. However, a particular point of concern could be premier pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s form with the ball.

Bhuvneshwar has been the national team’s lead fast bowler in the limited-overs format for quite a few years now. He is someone who can often slip under the radar but consistently does the job required of him and in a very fine manner too.

He offers some movement with the new ball early on, and his experience comes in handy during critical moments in the later part of the innings.

Moreover, Bhuvneshwar is quite dependable with the bat as well and over the years has added several new variations to his bowling arsenal.

Yet, there have been apprehensions over him losing a bit of effectiveness during the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) and also the two warm up games.

Is he bowling a yard slower than required? Is Bhuvneshwar unable to take wickets as regularly as before? These are the doubts hovering round an average observer of the game, especially with Mohammed Shami delivering the goods, though at a higher economy rate, at the other end.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s journey as a pacer

It is necessary to understand Bhuvi’s evolution as a pacer firstly. He started off as someone who could swing the ball to a great extent and take wickets early on. However, there was a limitation to that as most of his overs had to be finished off early on in the innings itself.

Gradually, with some experience in the IPL, Bhuvneshwar began honing his death-bowling skills. He added the knuckle deliveries, wide yorkers, block-hole yorkers, slower bouncers and other such variations to his skillset.

He has always been a canny customer and knows very well the method to use the dimensions of the field to scalp regular wickets.

It is necessary to note that injuries have rather compelled Bhuvneshwar to become a different bowler than how he started. The last few years have been arguably tumultuous for him on that front, as he has had to make comebacks after lengthy layoffs, which culminated in him losing his spot in the Test squad as well.

Why fans should not write off Bhuvneshwar Kumar just yet

However, regardless of the other struggles, Bhuvneshwar has done a mighty fine job in continuing to be one of India’s top pacers alongside Jasprit Bumrah in white-ball cricket.

His enhanced death bowling skills mean that he carries out a dual role in the game now. He tries to extract some swing or movement in the air or off the surface initially. But, he is quick to adjust to the back-of-the-length areas if there isn’t much movement on offer.

At the death, he employs various sorts of deliveries according to the batsman in question and the other prevalent conditions.

Overall, Bhuvneshwar is a very smart individual and not a one-trick pony. He bowls well according to the situation of the game and other surrounding circumstances at that point in time.

It should be reiterated though that his form in the IPL should not be taken as a benchmark to judge his prospective performances for team India.

If one can recall the 2019 IPL season, many were casting doubts over Bhuvneshwar’s form leading up to the World Cup just afterward. However, even back then it can be argued that Bhuvi wasn’t exerting himself completely in the IPL to be ready and raring to go in the World Cup.

He was barely hitting his pace in the IPL but delivered a striking 144 kmph back of the length ball in his very first spell in the World Cup’s opening game vs South Africa.

He took 10 wickets in merely five complete games (actually six, but he got injured after bowling just two overs against Pakistan) in that World Cup and even delivered figures of 10-1-43-3 in the crucial Semi Final vs New Zealand.

That’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar for you. He always ends up delivering more than what is expected of him. His economy rate in T20Is is a mighty impressive 6.9 RPO despite playing over 50 games for India. In 2021 itself, Bhuvi has scalped nine wickets in eight T20Is at an economy rate of 6.11, which includes five games against England!

The pacer from Meerut knows how to manage his body well. He goes about his business with a sense of responsibility towards the larger objectives and tends to peak at the right stage of any match or tournament as well.

Even in the warm ups, he started terribly against England but came back strongly with figures of 4-0-27-1 against Australia in the second game. There is a reason that captains right from MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and even Rohit Sharma keep faith in Bhuvi and entrust his to deliver the difficult overs at regular intervals.

There are doubts over him losing some bit of incisive edge in his bowling but come the big game and Bhuvneshwar will arguably rise up to the occasion again.

He will be hitting the right lengths at a good pace in the beginning and bring in his variations to the table towards the fag end of the campaign. With the right captaincy, field settings and utilization, Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s impact can be optimised by the Indian setup in the T20 World Cup. Against all odds.

Written by Tarkesh Jha. Follow Tarkesh on Twitter

T20 World Cup 2021: 5 veterans to watch out for

Tarkesh Jha
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T20 World Cup 2021: 5 veterans to watch out for

Cricket News: T20 World Cup 2021: 5 veterans to watch out for | 5 veterans to watch out for in the 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE

T20 cricket is known to be the format for the young stars of world cricket. But several examples over the years have shown that the veterans of the sport can have as much of a say in this game as their junior counterparts.

The 2021 T20 World Cup will be the last song for several veterans of the game, across different nations. This tournament will pave the way for some fresh faces who will lead the sport to greater heights in the future, but it is also going to provide an opportunity to certain seasoned players to prove their mettle at the biggest stage, one last time.

5 veterans to watch out for in the T20 World Cup:

Chris Gayle

Also known as The ‘Universe Boss’, Chris Gayle is arguably the greatest batsman that T20 cricket has ever produced. He has won the T20 World Cup twice already for West Indies, and is understandably eager to repeat the feat once again in the coming few weeks.

The 42-year-old hasn’t been in the best of form in recent times, but he still strikes the ball long and clean. Moreover, his recent form is also majorly defined by a substandard season for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

PBKS didn’t utilize him properly, nor did they have the best of campaigns collectively either. However, if Gayle rediscovers his mojo, then this West Indies side can extract a lot of value out of him in this major tournament.

Shakib Al Hasan

T20 World Cup 2021: 5 veterans to watch out for – Shakib Al Hasan

Shakib Al Hasan has been one of the stalwarts of world cricket in the last 15 years. He has been the pillar around which Bangladesh cricket has revolved over the years. His abilities with bat and ball especially in conditions prevalent in the UAE and overall experience to provide the team much-needed stability to sail through tricky situations.

Shakib, coming off two player of the match performances against Oman and PNG, has scored over 1800 runs and picked 111 wickets in 88 T20Is over the years. Plus, he has been awarded player of the match in each of Bangladesh’s last six wins at ICC events.

Overall, 14 years down the line from the inaugural World T20, Shakib Al Hasan still holds the key for Bangladesh’s success in the tournament.

Tim Southee

T20 World Cup 2021: 5 veterans to watch out for – Tim Southee

Tim Southee might have lost some of his efficiency in limited-overs format given the changing nature of the sport, but the Kiwi pacer still remains an integral part of the team’s bowling unit. His ability to maintain a consistent line and length and perhaps nick a wicket or two in slightly favourable conditions can be of great use of New Zealand in this World Cup.

Southee has also been someone who consistently looks to add some more variations to his armoury. His slower deliveries, knuckle balls and other rather unique deliveries could yield good results provided that Southee uses the dimensions of the ground in the UAE well. At 32 years of age and with 99 T20I scalps to his name, the pacer surely knows these factors well enough to use them to their advantage.

Kyle Coetzer

Cricket News: T20 World Cup 2021: 5 veterans to watch out for | 5 veterans to watch out for in the 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE
T20 World Cup 2021: 5 veterans to watch out for – Kyle Coetzer

Scotland have started their World T20 campaign quite handsomely by winning their first two games so far. They have been brilliantly led by skipper Kyle Coetzer, who, at 37 years of age, is seeking perhaps his one final blitz of success with the Associate nation. Coetzer has notched over 1400 runs in 63 T20I innings so far, having debuted way back in 2008.

He will be laying the foundation of the innings for the Scots, which will be important as the side will be looking to put up formidable totals for their skillful bowlers to defend. This is Scotland’s fourth ever appearance in the T20 World Cup. Tournaments like these are major opportunities for associate countries to spark a surprise and Coetzer’s men will be eager to do the same as well. Naturally, the skipper, though ageing, will hold the key for that to happen.

Dwayne Bravo

Cricket News: T20 World Cup 2021: 5 veterans to watch out for | 5 veterans to watch out for in the 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE
T20 World Cup 2021: 5 veterans to watch out for – Dwayne Bravo

DJ Bravo. Sir Champion. Ageing like a fine wine, Dwayne Bravo has returned to international cricket for one last swansong with his Caribbean teammates. One can argue that there is no better time to do so, too.

This is a format that West Indies master, and Bravo looks to have regained his influential edge with both bat and ball. He was one of the most important pillars around whom the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) staged their remarkable comeback in the recently concluded IPL campaign.

Bravo’s bowling was wily, efficient and reliable as ever and he tends to chip in with some quick and handy runs with the willow every now and then. This West Indies team is neither short on talent, experience or big-match winning records.

And now they also have the Champion back to lead them to their third T20 World Cup title in November.

Written by Tarkesh Jha. Follow Tarkesh on Twitter

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