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T20 World Cup Semi Finals Predictions: Who will qualify?

Robin Rounder
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T20 World Cup Semi Finals Predictions: Who will qualify?

T20 World Cup Semi Finals Predictions: Who will qualify? | Predicting the 4 teams who will make the T20 World Cup Semi Finals

The ICC T20 World Cup is here and we’ve witnessed some great cricketing action in the first round itself. Things will get more intense now as the first round is over and the 12 teams are set for the Super 12s stage.

There will be two groups of six teams, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the Semi Finals. So, as you can imagine, there is little room for error for the teams, which makes every match fascinating and important in equal measure. Both groups have quality teams and you can’t rule anyone out especially in T20 cricket.

The competition will be very tough especially in Group 1, and teams will have to put in everything to qualify for the Semi Finals. Having said this, all teams have some areas where they are lacking and it can go against them in crunch situations. This, along with their talent, makes this stage a potentially very exciting one.

Semi-Finalists Prediction for T20 World Cup 2021

1. India

Virat Kohli and his men are one of the top contenders for winning the tournament this year. If you look at India’s squad, you know that making the Semi Finals is the absolute minimum expectation. India is also fortunate as they have Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia in their group. They have a phenomenal record against Pakistan in World Cups, and not ruling out Afghanistan and Scotland, but India is a quality side and should win against them.

New Zealand is one big threat, but if India win all their other matches, a top four spot looks destined for the men in blue. Having said that, the big concern is their bowling as most probably they will go in with only five bowling options. It can certainly hurt their chances if anyone is having a bad day.

The death bowling is also a bit of a worry except for Bumrah. Batting is the strength and they need their bowlers to step up – both spinners and seamers – step up. Given the quality in the squad, they should.

2. England

The current world champions in 50-over format, England are another top contender for title this year. They have a very strong batting lineup that focuses on playing aggressively from the outset. They will be missing the services of Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, and Sam Curran but their current lineup still looks strong.

Apart from Dawid Malan, all of their batters can play very aggressively from the word go. Speculations are there that England may drop Malan and play Moeen at 3, who was terrific for CSK in that position.

England overall has a pretty balanced squad and should be consistent enough with their performances to qualify. The sheer number of matchwinners make them hard to beat, even though the conditions may challenge them. Bowling is an area where they will focus on as well, with onus on the likes of Mark Wood and Chris Jordan to deliver throughout the tournament.

3. West Indies

The two-time champion Windies are a T20 powerhouse. Their players are playing T20 leagues around the globe throughout the year and they have a very experienced group of players in Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, and Andre Russell. They have one of the best batting lineups for T20 with Dwayne Bravo coming to bat at number 8.

Their bowling is their downside but their crazy batting depth makes up for it. The likes of Dwayne Bravo and Obed McCoy are excellent bowlers but apart from that no one gives a lot of promise in their bowling attack. Windies are very experienced in the shortest format, they know how fast the game moves and how to adjust accordingly.

4. New Zealand

New Zealand is always an underrated team in ICC events. They were the runners-up of the last two 50-over World Cups and won the first World Test Championship. Their squad too looks very balanced and can win against any opposition. Their pace attack is very strong with the likes of Tren Boult, Lockie Ferguson, and Tim Southee while the batting unit has some very exciting players like Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell

Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi did well in the practice games which is a good sign as the pitches in UAE assist the spinners as well. The Black Caps are in group 2 and their main challenge will be against India and Pakistan, and they’ll have a very strong chance of qualifying if they can defeat either of them.

These are the four teams that I think will reach the Semi Finals of the 2021 T20 World Cup. Australia and South Africa are very strong sides as well but their batting units are over-dependent on a couple of players to score runs and this can backfire for them.

Thanks for reading!

Written by Robin Rounder. Follow Robin on Twitter today.

T20 WC 2021 Match 12: SL vs NED Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
T20 WC 2021 Match 12: SL vs NED Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 12: SL vs NED Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SL vs NED Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs Netherlands Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report

The tournament’s first dead-rubber game isn’t without importance. Sri Lanka, despite two excellent victories against Namibia and Ireland respectively, still need to solve their top order woes. Ahead of the Super 12s, this is the chance to gain some confidence in that area.

Sri Lanka fell to 26/3 vs Namibia, followed by 8/3 vs Ireland. It was a remarkable recovery led by Wanindu Hasaranga and Pathum Nissanka last time out, but if Sri Lanka are to be any sort of threat in this tournament, top order collapses are something they need to overcome.

The positive has certainly been their bowling. The pacers have bowled with plenty of fire and purpose, while spinners Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana have also been too hot to handle. So, this should hold them in good stead against a Netherlands side that has arguably been the tournament’s most disappointing so far. The Dutch, considered a good chance of qualifying to the Super 12s by many fans and pundits, are no chance now and will be looking to finish a disappointing campaign on a high.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Sri Lanka:

  • Wanindu Hasaranga said he considers himself as a batting all-rounder. His 47-ball 71 was outstanding against Ireland, and he will be one to watch with the bat again if he gets the chance.
  • Hasaranga has taken three wickets in the two matches so far in this tournament (1/12 and 2/24), part of 23 wickets in just 14 T20Is this year at an economy rate of 5.43.
  • Pathum Nissanka has scored two fifties in his last three white-ball matches, including an important 61 last game vs Ireland.
  • Avishka Fernando was out for a first ball duck against Ireland, so can he rediscover his previous form? He scored 83*, 33, 62* and 61 before the World Cup, before a measured 30* vs Namibia.
  • Kusal Perera, who has had a slow start to the World Cup (11 and 0), is now averaging less than 20 in T20Is this year (134 runs, avg. 19.14). Today is a good chance to find some form ahead of the Super 12s.
  • Maheesh Theekshana has been in superb form. The left-arm spinner has taken 3/17 and 3/25 so far in the group stage, and he is definitely one to watch on the slow Sharjah surface. Only Shakib and Josh Davey have more wickets in the tournament so far, and both have played an extra match.
  • Watch out for Lahiru Kumara in the death overs in particular. He has been cranking up the pace, and it remains to be seen how the Dutch cope. Kumara has four wickets in the two matches so far (2/9 and 2/22).

Netherlands:

  • Max O’Dowd has been the bright spot for the Netherlands. He has scored two half-centuries in two matches in the tournament, part of 293 runs in just six innings this year at a strike rate of 137.
  • O’Dowd still leads the run-scoring chart despite playing just two matches. He has 121 runs to his name so far at an average of 60.50 and strike rate of 117.47.
  • A big game from Roelof van der Merwe gives Netherlands a better chance of causing an upset. He has been expensive with the ball so far this tournament and hasn’t been in the runs. Can he deliver today?
  • Colin Ackermann will also be key with his all-round spin ability. He didn’t quite get going vs Namibia (35 off 32 balls), but helped Netherlands set a platform. He could be a key player on the slow Sharjah pitch.
  • As can skipper Pietar Seelaar. He underbowled himself against Namibia (2-1-8-1), and should look to bowl his full quota on the Sharjah track.
  • Fred Klaasen has taken a wicket in each of his two matches so far in this tournament.

Stats and Facts

  • The only T20I between these teams was one of the most one-sided of all time. Sri Lanka bowled Netherlands out for 39 in the 2014 World Cup, and won with 90 balls to spare. Sri Lanka ended up winning that World Cup.
  • Netherlands to play Paul van Meekeren? The pacer had a good CPL season with St Kitts who won the title.
  • Chamika Karunaratne (three wickets) and Dushmantha Chameera (two wickets) are conceding just 5.86 and 5.00 runs per over respectively in the tournament.

Possible Playing 11

Charith Asalanka could come in for the out-of-form Dinesh Chandimal. Also, Sri Lanka may rest Dushmantha Chameera.

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

Netherlands could look at playing Paul van Meekeren and/or Brandon Glover in this match.

Netherlands: 1. Max O’Dowd, 2. Stephan Myburgh/Ben Cooper, 3. Roelof van der Merwe, 4. Colin Ackermann, 5. Ryan ten Doeschate, 6. Scott Edwards (wk), 7. Bas de Leede, 8. Pieter Seelaar (c), 9. Logan van Beek/Paul van Meekeren, 10. Fred Klaassen, 11. Timm van der Gugten/Brandon Glover

Sharjah Pitch Report and Weather

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, with the chasing team winning seven out of the 10 matches.

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

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 12: SL vs NED Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SL vs NED Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs Netherlands Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 12: SL vs NED Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 12: SL vs NED Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SL vs NED Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs Netherlands Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 12: SL vs NED Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Kusal Perera
  • Batsmen: Max O’Dowd, Avishka Fernando, Pathum Nissanka
  • All-rounders: Wanindu Hasaranga, Colin Ackermann
  • Bowlers: Maheesh Theekshana, Lahiru Kumara

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

Match Prediction

Sri Lanka to win.

India-Pakistan rivalry “unmatched” – Matthew Hayden

Nash Sant
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India-Pakistan rivalry “unmatched” – Matthew Hayden

Cricket News: India-Pakistan rivalry “unmatched” – Matthew Hayden | Matthew Hayden says there is nothing like the India-Pakistan rivalry

For Australian opener Matthew Hayden, now the Pakistan batting coach for the T20 World Cup, has dealt with his fair share of fierce rivalries over the years. When he was appointed as the batting coach, he knew what he was walking into especially given that his first assignment will be against Pakistan’s arch rivals and current tournament favourites, India.

Hayden sees Pakistan’s mainstay Babar Azam as the premier batsman that every team will target. Also, Hayden believes his captaincy also has the command and the presence required to be a good leader.

“Babar obviously has his own role to play not only in terms of leadership but as a premier batter,” Hayden said. “Because as you’ve seen through the IPL, the two dominant captains here in the UAE, MS Dhoni, a World Cup winner and [Eoin] Morgan, a World Cup winner…even though their individual performances weren’t as good as what they have previously done within their own statistical record. But the way that they led their troops and conduct themselves is an important part of the UAE because as I mentioned, it’s not one side, it’s not necessarily going to run away with it here. It’s a real dogfight.

“The conditions and the margins for errors are very little and so good leadership is going to be key. I think Babar has that and commands that presence and that role and he needs to fulfil that role and in a batting sense as well. He, I think, is the premium player and he will be targeted. He will also be the person that everyone is wanting to put in his pocket. There’s going to be additional pressure on him, both as a captain and also as a batsman. I sense that the way that he goes about it is going to be spot on.”

India-Pakistan rivalry “nothing else I’ve ever seen” – Hayden

Pakistan’s first game is against India, which will be a challenge. India has always had the upper hand holding a 100% record of wins against Pakistan in World Cups.

Given Matthew Hayden has his experiences playing against England in the Ashes as arch rivals, Hayden said, “For Australia, it’s England as the old guard, as they would say,” he said. “I mean, you could argue that England versus anyone considering that at various stages we’ve been ruled by the kingdom of the UK and cricket wouldn’t be on our shores if it hadn’t been for that. But nothing else that I’ve ever seen throughout various elements of the game that I’ve been a part of ever matches the rivalry between India and Pakistan.”

“There is an obvious pressure, as there is an obvious pressure against England if you’re an Australian. The pressure, though, is only as much as what you allow it to be. All that can be done is done. Your preparation is there. Your experience is there. Your opportunity now becomes a very history-making opportunity. I sense that our players are ready for that opportunity, and I sense that there is a calmness around our group that wants us to be a successful competitor on the day. So all that is done is done and now it’s the opportunity of playing the game.”

KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant the key threats – Hayden

Hayden, who is also a commentator in the IPL and has been involved with broadcasting for a while now, has limited experience as a coach. But he said that having watched the IPL so closely, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant will be the two most dangerous batters that Pakistan will need to watch out for.

“I’ve been watching Indian cricket closely for some time,” Hayden said. “As I’ve just mentioned, I more or less watch KL Rahul, for example, who’s a major threat to Pakistan. Seeing his struggles with Test matches versus his dominance in the shorter formats of the game. Seeing someone like Rishabh Pant with his cheeky smile and his brash nature and his beautiful vision for the game. Watching how he destroyed bowling attacks because he’s got that opportunity and sees it that way. Individually, I think it’s always fantastic to see how players perform in a pressure match.

The two warm up games that Pakistan played against SA and WI provided some context to Hayden as to where the players stand. Pakistan lost the SA game by 6 wickets after scoring 186 and defeated West Indies by 7 wickets in a game where the skipper Babar Azam scored a 50 and Zaman chipped in with 46 at that crucial Number 3 spot. 

“This (Pakistan) camp has got some wonderful assets that will perform on the day that are ready to perform. If you look at the way that even Fakhar [Zaman] is going about his preparations for this, not to single him out, but look at the way that he has extended himself in the two warm-up matches, it’s exciting to think what can happen, in a few days’ time versus India. Babar at No. 2 and Rizwan in the top three…you know, such a critical part of performances here in the UAE.”

Written by Nash Sant. Follow Nash on Twitter today

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

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

T20 WC 2021 Match 11: NAM vs IRE Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | NAM vs IRE Dream11 Prediction Today | Namibia vs Ireland Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report

Who said we have to wait for the Semi Finals for knockout action? We have a virtual knockout here, with the incentive a prized spot in the Super 12s stage.

If that wasn’t challening enough for Ireland and Namibia, there’s more. This is the first match of this World Cup at Sharjah – a ground that was incredibly difficult for batsmen during the recent IPL. Assuming the surface will be slow and sluggish once again, this battle will be one of grit and determination, as well as keeping your cool in the hot Sharjah sun.

This could be a challenge in particular for Namibia, who love to deal in boundaries. David Wiese produced a magnificent innings to dismantle the Dutch on Wednesday, and he, along with his teammates, will do incredibly well to find the boundary with such regularity once again. Ireland, despite their big win over the Netherlands, still had question marks over their batting and it showed against Sri Lanka.

So, which team will stand tall with so much at stake? It promises to be a fascinating battle.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Namibia:

  • One felt that the addition of David Wiese would propel Namibia to even greater heights. And it proved to be the case with an incredible 66* off 40 balls to seal victory against Netherlands.
  • Also, Wiese has the potential to take big wickets. No bowler has more five-wicket hauls (6) than Wiese in T20 cricket.
  • Skipper Gerhard Erasmus played a key role in the partnership with Wiese vs Netherlands (32 off 22 balls). Erasmus was excellent in his last match vs Ireland, smashing a 34-ball 51 in Dubai in the 2019 T20 World Cup Qualifiers.
  • Can Craig Williams turn around a shocking T20 record vs Ireland? The right-hander has scored just 56 runs in six matches at an average of 9.33 and strike rate of 78.87.
  • Williams struck four half-centuries in five matches leading up to the T20 World Cup. He has made two double-figure scores so far in the tournament (29 and 11), but the Namibians need him to carry on today.
  • JJ Smit has four wickets in four matches against Ireland at an average of 26.00 and economy rate of 8.05. Three of those four scalps came in his last meeting against them in 2019 where he took 3/19.
  • The all-rounder also has six-hitting ability, with 22 maximums in 20 T20Is. He will be key as a finisher.
  • Jan Frylinck was a factor against the Netherlands, foxing the batsmen with changes of pace to finish with 2/36. Such variations will be key on the Sharjah surface for Namibia’s highest ever wicket-taker in T20Is (37 wickets in 21 matches).
  • Bernard Scholtz will be looking to build on his three wickets in four matches vs Ireland (avg. 33, econ. 6.60).

Ireland:

  • Paul Stirling was out cheaply against Sri Lanka (7), and Ireland never looked in the contest from there. Stirling has had a good year in T20Is, with 408 runs in 13 matches at an average of 37.09 and strike rate of 120.00.
  • Stirling has a solid record against Namibia that he will look to build on today. In six matches, Stirling has struck 149 runs at an average of 29.60 and strike rate of 140.96.
  • Andy Balbirnie returned to some form against Sri Lanka with 41, although he couldn’t find any great fluency after the loss of early wickets. He will be looking to continue improving on sub-par numbers this year in T20Is (13 inns, 217 runs, avg. 17.75, SR 109.23).
  • Balbirnie struck a 35-ball 46 in his last match against Namibia back in 2019.
  • Gareth Delany was out cheaply vs Sri Lanka (2), but remains in good recent form. He struck 88* vs Bangladesh in the warm up, followed by a 29-ball 44 vs Netherlands. He has played just the one match vs Namibia, scoring just four in their 2019 match.
  • Can Curtis Campher influence this game like he did vs Netherlands? He took four wickets in four balls earlier this week, and will look to target Namibia’s propensity to lose wickets in the middle overs. Also, Campher was involved in a 53-run partnership with Balbirnie vs Sri Lanka.
  • Simi Singh had a shocker vs Sri Lanka (3-0-41-0) and is wicketless so far in the tournament. However, he was player of the match against Namibia in 2019 with 3/25, and he could be a factor today on the slow Sharjah track.
  • Josh Little continues to take wickets. He was terrific against Sri Lanka taking 4/23, part of 12 wickets in nine T20Is this year at an economy rate below six runs per over.
  • Little took two wickets in his only match vs Namibia, back in 2017.
  • Mark Adair was at his economical best vs Namibia in 2019 (2/9 off 3.2 overs). He was also in the wickets at the backend vs Sri Lanka (2/35), so watch out for his battle against Namibia’s top and middle order.

Stats and Facts

  • Ireland and Namibia have played six T20s against each other, with Ireland winning five. Only one of those was an official T20 International, with Ireland (135) beating Namibia (108) by 24 runs in the 2019 Qualifier third-place playoff match.
  • Ireland have had first-wicket stands of 8 and 27, while Namibia have posted 10 and 34. Given that powerplay runs are so important at Sharjah, both sides will be aiming for strong starts.
  • The winner of this match will go through to the Super 12s. Lose and it’s tournament over.

Possible Playing 11

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

Ireland: 1. Paul Stirling, 2. Kevin O’Brien, 3. Andy Balbirnie (c), 4. Gareth Delany, 5. Curtis Campher, 6. George Dockrell/Harry Tector, 7. Neil Rock (wk), 8. Simi Singh, 9. Mark Adair, 10. Josh Little, 11. Craig Young/Ben White

Sharjah Pitch Report and Weather

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, with the chasing team winning seven out of the 10 matches.

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

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 11: NAM vs IRE Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | NAM vs IRE Dream11 Prediction Today | Namibia vs Ireland Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 11: NAM vs IRE Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 11: NAM vs IRE Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | NAM vs IRE Dream11 Prediction Today | Namibia vs Ireland Key Players | Sharjah Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 11: NAM vs IRE Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Zane Green
  • Batsmen: Gerhard Erasmus, Paul Stirling, Andy Balbirnie
  • All-rounders: David Wiese, Curtis Campher
  • Bowlers: Mark Adair, Josh Little

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

Match Prediction

A tough match to pick. Ireland have the experience, but Namibia have such great drive and belief.

In the end, though, Ireland’s experience and capable bowling attack should be enough to get the win.

T20 WC 2021 Match 10: OMN vs SCO Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
T20 WC 2021 Match 10: OMN vs SCO Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 10: OMN vs SCO Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | OMA vs SCO Dream11 Prediction Today | Oman vs Scotland Key Players | Al Amerat Pitch Report

The stakes are high. A Super 12s spot is up for grabs for the winner today as Oman and Scotland meet in a battle of nerves and skill in equal measure.

Two wins in two matches is often enough to confirm qualification from a four-team group. However, that is not the case for Scotland, who won both their matches by relatively small margins (six and 17 runs) which still puts them in danger of missing out of the Super 12s on net run rate. They have been strong for the most part so far, and the equation is simple: win and qualify.

The same applies for Oman. They have a better net run rate than Scotland courtesy of their thumping victory over PNG last weekend. The home side were right in the contest in their next match against Bangladesh, before falling away badly in the second-half of their innings to fall short by 26 runs. So, the focus will be on a complete performance in a crunch game, as even one or two bad overs can swing the game wildly in the T20 format.

All to play for.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

  • Jatinder Singh has been superb in this campaign. His 73* and 40 have provided great starts for Oman, and his team will be hoping for more of the same today.
  • Jatinder, between 2015 and 2019, scored just 27 runs in three matches vs Scotland. It is a big innings for the Oman opener today.
  • Aqib Ilyas came into the T20 World Cup on the back off 59 vs Sri Lanka, 30 vs Oman and 78 vs Netherlands. He also started beautifully with 50* vs PNG.
  • Zeeshan Maqsood has taken five wickets in two matches so far in the tournament. The Oman skipper has four wickets in two innings vs Scotland (avg. 12.75, econ. 6.38), but will be aiming to improve on his haul of 47 runs in three matches against them.
  • Bilal Khan has looked in fine touch, once again. He has taken 2/16 and 3/18 in his two matches so far at a brilliant economy rate of 4.25.
  • However, Bilal will be aiming to improve on his economy rate of 9.46 against Scotland. He has four wickets in three matches against them at an average of 26.00.
  • Kaleemullah has taken four wickets so far in the World Cup (2/19 and 2/30). Fayyaz Butt will also be key after his three-wicket haul vs Bangladesh.

Scotland:

  • Calum MacLeod has enjoyed great success against Oman. No player has more runs in Oman-Scotland matches (203), which includes a century (104*).
  • George Munsey comfortably has the highest strike (152.49) among Scottish players with at least 150 T20I runs. The next highest is 127.98. He has threatened to go big in this tournament, but fell for starts (29 and 13).
  • Munsey, however, has a poor record vs Oman. In four matches, Munsey has struck just the 51 runs at an average of 12.75 and strike rate of 104.08. Can he turn this around?
  • Richie Berrington is coming off a player of the match performance against PNG with a crucial 70 off 49 balls. He has 117 runs in four innings vs Oman at an average of 39.00 and strike rate of 132.95.
  • Matthew Cross has been in decent form of late. He struck 57 in a warm up match vs Namibia, before a 36-ball 45 vs PNG two days ago. He too has enjoyed some success vs Oman, with 138 runs in four matches at an average of 46.00 and strike rate of 126.61.
  • Mark Watt continues to impress in the middle overs. Given that Oman have the propensity to lose wickets at this stage, Watt will no doubt be key again. The spinner took 1/19 and 1/23 in the two group games to date, after figures of 2/11, 4/10 and 2/34 in warm up matches leading into the tournament.
  • Watt has a terrific record vs Oman, with six wickets in three matches at an average of 10.83 and economy rate of 5.42.
  • Alasdair Evans has taken seven wickets in three T20Is vs Oman at an average of 9.29 and economy rate of 5.65. Evans was solid enough against PNG (1/22), but will be seeking better returns at the death.
  • Josh Davey was magnificent against PNG (4/18). Interestingly, he has struggled vs Oman in the past, taking a total of 1/75 in two matches at an economy rate of 9.38.

Stats and Facts

  • Scotland have won all five T20Is against Oman.
  • Can Kyle Coetzer find some form? The Scotland captain has not gone past 17 in any of his last five innings.
  • Will Scotland’s performance against PNG come back to haunt them? They had PNG 35/5 chasing 166 before only winning by 17 runs. As a result, they need to win today to avoid going out on net run rate (if Bangladesh beats PNG).

Possible Playing 11

Oman: 1. Aqib Ilyas, 2. Jatinder Singh, 3. Khawar Ali, 4. Zeeshan Maqsood (c), 5. Kashyap Prajapati, 6. Naseem Khushi (wk), 7. Mohammad Nadeem, 8. Ayaan Khan, 9. Fayyaz Butt, 10. Kaleemullah, 11. Bilal Khan

Scotland are likely to stick with the same XI given Safyaan Sharif has a groin strain.

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

Al Amerat Pitch Report and Weather

Before the Bangladesh-PNG match, the average first innings score on this ground in this tournament is 146.75, with the team batting first winning three of the four matches. Another warm and clear evening is forecast.

It is an easy paced surface at Al Amerat, but there has been some movement available for the bowlers. The powerplay will be a key period for both teams which can set things up for the spinners to do their thing in the middle overs.

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 10: OMN vs SCO Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | OMA vs SCO Dream11 Prediction Today | Oman vs Scotland Key Players | Al Amerat Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 10: OMN vs SCO Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 10: OMN vs SCO Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | OMA vs SCO Dream11 Prediction Today | Oman vs Scotland Key Players | Al Amerat Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 10: OMN vs SCO Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Matthew Cross
  • Batsmen: George Munsey, Jatinder Singh, Calum MacLeod
  • All-rounders: Richie Berrington, Zeeshan Maqsood
  • Bowlers: Bilal Khan, Josh Davey

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

Match Prediction

The pressure is on. Scotland have a great record vs Oman, and their better depth should be enough to win this match.

Has the rope extinguished for Yuzvendra Chahal in international cricket?

Vishesh Monga
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Has the rope extinguished for Yuzvendra Chahal in international cricket?

Has the rope extinguished for Yuzvendra Chahal in international cricket? | Looking at how Yuzi Chahal can play for India again in the future

India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is, who has been left out of the Indian squad which has four other spinners, proves a point in UAE leg of IPL 2021

Yuzvendra Chahal was India’s top spinner in white ball cricket from late 2017 till 2020. His numbers had started to drop since 2019 and his long rope finally ended as India announced their squad for the T20 World Cup.

Was he hard done by? Even keeping his numbers aside, the facts suggest not.

Chahal made a career from bowling his leg-break, top-spinner and googly at the same spot around off stump, bringing all modes of dismissal into play. No mystery. Just conventional variations on good line and length with changes of pace.

He got dip and drift at times, and on turning tracks a ball from Chahal pitching on leg and hitting top of off-stump was no longer a rare sight in Indian cricket. However, despite such a successful formula, performances started to dip.

Chahal on most occasions was more or less targeting the stumps and could bowl as quick at 95 kmph. This made him quite a hard bowler to sweep, particularly if you don’t read him from the hand. With the sweep not a preferred option, batters tried driving or hacking him across the line, and ended up giving catches to slip and the outfield. Unable to score, batters then tried to use their feet to hit him straight, and he would bowl wider and get them stumped.

What was the reason for Yuzvendra Chahal’s decline?

However, it was his last trick that didn’t last long and started to anticipate the wider ball. Additionally he was also attacked inside out and taken for runs. As a result, he started bowling wider to stay outside the arc of the batters and to which he was met with sweeps and reverse sweeps.

One possible reason for his decline is to do with the fact that he last played a FC game in December 2018. Lack of FC cricket is the possible reason for his lack of consistent lines even in shorter forms of the game. The drift and dip in his bowling are not of the same levels as before either. A packed international schedule during the 2019/20 domestic season and cancellation of red ball domestic tournament in 2020/21 due to COVID-19 hasn’t helped his cause either.

The team management and selectors had started to show signs of moving ahead of him when he was not picked for the first T20I in the series in Australia after have gone for plenty in the ODIs. However, he came in as a concussion substitute for Jadeja and gave a match-winning performance. However, in the subsequent matches he failed miserably and was finally dropped to accommodate Rahul Chahar in the home series versus England.

He got another lucky break as India send a second string to Sri Lanka for a white ball tour. He put in some decent performances in ODIs but got isolated for the last two T20Is after being in close contact with Krunal Pandya who tested positive for COVID-19. Thus, he could not make a strong case for his selection for the biggest T20 tournament in the world.

Yuzvendra Chahal has a brilliant 2nd leg of IPL 2021

However, all is not lost for Yuzvendra Chahal. Despite not having a great first leg in IPL 2021, his first wicket he picked versus KKR in Abu Dhabi gave him a reflection of his old success mantra. A top-spinner on off-stump which Shubhman Gill miscued in the air was similar to hundreds of dismissals Chahal has got in T20s.

Then Chahal never looked back. Attacking the stumps and varying his pace, he managed 15 wickets in just eight matches with an average of just over 12. Even the pitch-leg-hit-off dismissal was back on show, as Chahal was one of the lynchpins of RCB’s consistency in this season.

Yet the recall was not to be. His counterpart in Rahul Chahar did struggle in the IPL but the ship had already sailed. However, after a successful IPL and another opportunity in the domestic T20 cup, another cap for India would already be in Chahal’s sight.

T20 WC 2021 Match 9: BAN vs PNG Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
T20 WC 2021 Match 9: BAN vs PNG Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 9: BAN vs PNG Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BAN vs PNG Dream11 Prediction Today | Bangladesh vs Papua New Guinea Key Players | Al Amerat Pitch Report

Bangladesh were certainly relieved to come away with victory over Oman, which now puts them in a strong position to qualify after the poor first up defeat to Scotland. Mahmudullah’s team had to fight hard on Tuesday evening, but the hard work means that a strong victory today will seal passage to the Super 12s regardless of the result in the Scotland-Oman game to come.

However, Bangladesh will be seeking further batting improvement after another unconvincing display. They huffed and puffed their way to 153 all-out against an Oman side that was sloppy in the field, but they will need to click more as a unit if they are to make an impact in this tournament.

For Papua New Guinea, this is set to be their final game of their T20 World Cup unless something truly miraculous happens. However, the experience has certainly been invaluable. Their effort against Scotland was terrific, fighting hard all the way till the end despite a disappointing start with the bat. Here, PNG will be aiming for another strong effort as part of their continual development in international cricket.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Bangladesh:

  • Shakib Al Hasan was back to his all-round best against Oman. The star player looked in fine touch with the bat (42 off 29 balls) after a lean period, and was looking good for more before getting run out.
  • Shakib also has taken five wickets in two matches in the T20 World Cup, including 3/28 in his last outing.
  • Mohammad Naim enjoyed some luck against Oman (dropped twice), but looked good for the most part for his 50-ball 64. Naim is Bangladesh’s top run-scorer in T20Is this year: 17 inns, 415 runs, avg. 25.93, SR 102.46.
  • Mahmudullah will be key in improving Bangladesh’s finishing. The skipper has the second-most runs for Bangladesh in 2021, with 336 runs at an average of 24.00 and strike rate of 104.02. He will be aiming to improve this strike rate on better batting surfaces.
  • Mushfiqur Rahim is averaging just 16.60 in T20Is in 2021, with a strike rate of 72.17. As one of Bangladesh’s premier batsmen, Mushfiqur has the ability to turn these numbers around against an inexperienced PNG lineup.
  • Mustafizur Rahman continues to be in the wickets. He was loose up top against Oman, but bounced back to take 4/36. The left-arm seamer now has 24 scalps in just 13 matches this year at an average of 12.29 and strike rate of 11.8.
  • Mahedi Hasan has arguably been Bangladesh’s best player so far in this tournament. He followed up his 3/19 vs Scotland with a crucial, game-changing spell of 1/14 against Oman. He will be key against a PNG side that has a propensity to lose wickets against spin.

Papua New Guinea:

  • Is this the day Tony Ura fires? PNG’s leading T20I run-scorer has struggled so far in the World Cup with scores of 0 and 2.
  • Assad Vala was looking good again before giving his wicket away against Scotland for 18 off 11 balls. The skipper scored the first half-century of the tournament last weekend, and PNG will be hoping for something similar today.
  • It was an unhappy outing for Charles Amini, who run out again after conceding 41 with the ball. The all-rounder will be looking to repeat his promising showing against Oman where he scored a 26-ball 37.
  • Norman Vanua has not been called on to bowl, but his batting was terrific against Scotland. His 37-ball 47 gave PNG hope off pulling off a stunning victory before he fell with two overs remaining.
  • Kabua Morea will be one to watch today against a Bangladesh lineup that has struggled in the powerplay. He shaped the ball beautifully vs Scotland, with the highlight being his dismissal of skipper Kyle Coetzer in his four-wicket haul.
  • Chad Soper, who has experience of playing in Australia, produced a fine performance last match with 3/24.

Stats and Facts

  • This will be the first international between the two teams.
  • PNG’s effort against Scotland means they still have a chance of remarkably qualifying for the Super 12s if they win well enough.
  • Victory for Bangladesh will make the Oman-Scotland game a virtual playoff following this match.
  • Bangladesh have been poor in the powerplay in the World Cup, scoring just 26/2 and 29/2 in their opening two matches.
  • Mohammad Saifuddin so far in the tournament: 1/30 and 1/16.

Possible Playing 11

Bangladesh should stick with the same XI that beat Oman, although there is the option of playing left-arm seamer Shoriful Islam.

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/Shoriful Islam, 11. Mustafizur Rahman

PNG could look to play the same XI that challenged Scotland.

Papua New Guinea: 1. Tony Ura, 2. Lega Siaka, 3. Assad Vala (c), 4. Charles Amini, 5. Sese Bau, 6. Simon Atai, 7. Norman Vanua, 8. Kiplin Doriga (wk), 9. Chad Soper, 10. Nosaina Pokana, 11. Kabua Morea

Al Amerat Pitch Report and Weather

It is an easy paced surface at Al Amerat, but there has been some movement available for the bowlers. The powerplay will be a key period for both teams which can set things up for the spinners to do their thing in the middle overs.

The average first innings score on this ground in this tournament is 146.75, with the team batting first winning three of the four matches. Another 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 9: BAN vs PNG Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BAN vs PNG Dream11 Prediction Today | Bangladesh vs Papua New Guinea Key Players | Al Amerat Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 9: BAN vs PNG Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 9: BAN vs PNG Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BAN vs PNG Dream11 Prediction Today | Bangladesh vs Papua New Guinea Key Players | Al Amerat Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 9: BAN vs PNG Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Mushfiqur Rahim
  • Batsmen: Mohammad Naim, Sese Bau
  • All-rounders: Shakib Al Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Assad Vala
  • Bowlers: Mushfiqur Rahim, Chad Soper

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

Match Prediction

PNG will come out fighting in this match, but Bangladesh should have too much experience and win this one.

T20 WC 2021 Match 8: SL vs IRE Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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T20 WC 2021 Match 8: SL vs IRE Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 8: SL vs IRE Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SL vs IRE Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs Ireland Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report

Group A was touted as the group of death. However, Sri Lanka and Ireland were having none of it, smashing Namibia and Netherlands respectively in their tournament openers.

Now, they play each other with the incentive of taking a huge step towards the Super 12s stage. Both bowling units were in fine touch, with Curtis Campher stealing the show thanks to a hat-trick – four wickets in four wickets – to decimate the Dutch. From a Sri Lankan perspective, it would have been pleasing to have their bowling attack work together as a unit and they will be aiming for more of the same.

However, question marks still remain about both these teams’ batting. Ireland still seem to rely a lot on Paul Stirling, while the Sri Lankans were reduced to 26/3 vs Namibia after a similar top order collapse against Oman a couple of weeks ago. In such a high stakes game, both teams will be looking for the complete performance.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Sri Lanka:

  • Avishka Fernando has been the man in form for the Lions. He is looking good in the number four role, as he struck scores of 83*, 33, 62* and 61 before the World Cup, followed by a measured 30* off 28 balls against Namibia.
  • Kusal Perera has the potential to take the game away from Ireland. Can he improve on his 2021 numbers that read 134 runs in six matches at an average/strike rate of 22.33/108.94?
  • Bhanuka Rajapaksa came in at a tricky time against Namibia, but looked assured for the most part in his 27-ball 42*. He will be aiming to follow up that knock with another good contribution today.
  • Chamika Karunaratne shaped the ball beautifully against the Namibians, and he will be key with the ball again under lights. His 1/17 came at an economy rate of just 4.25.
  • Maheesh Theekshana has won player of the match in two of his five white-ball internationals so far. His accuracy and consistency was a future in his 3/25 against the Namibians.
  • Wanindu Hasaranga has taken 22 wickets in 13 T20Is this year, striking every 13.9 deliveries. He will be key against an Irish lineup that will be aiming to hold their own against quality spin in UAE conditions.

Ireland:

  • What a day it was for Curtis Campher against Netherlands. His four wickets in four balls swung the game completely in his team’s favour.
  • Campher will be key in the middle overs once again, especially if he gets to bowl to new batsmen. Sri Lanka have shown a tendency to lose wickets in the powerplay, so Campher is one to keep an eye on.
  • Paul Stirling wasn’t at his best vs Netherlands, but spent important time at the crease nonetheless (30* off 39 balls). He is having a fine year in 2021, with 401 runs in 12 innings at an average of 40.10 and strike rate of 120.42. Key player.
  • Gareth Delany is in fine touch. He scored 88* in the warm up match vs Bangladesh, followed by an impactful 44 off 29 balls against the Dutch.
  • Andy Balbirnie is having a poor year in T20Is (12 inns, 172 runs, avg. 15.63, SR 110.25). Also, he has a modest record on this ground (91 runs, avg. 22.75, SR 115.69), but he has the ability and class to turn these numbers around.
  • Mark Adair was simply outstanding against the Dutch, taking 3/9 with 14 dot balls. He bowled two overs in the powerplay and two at the death, which shows the Irish trust Adair to do the business in the crunch stages.
  • Josh Little has taken eight wickets in eight T20Is this year at an economy rate of just 5.90. He also will be key in the powerplay and death overs.

Stats and Facts

  • Ireland and Sri Lanka have played just the one T20I, which was in the 2009 World Cup. Sri Lanka won by nine runs in a close match.
  • Kevin O’Brien is the only current player who played in the 2009 match between the two countries.
  • Harry Tector has struck 50, 55, 13*, 38 and 23 in his last five white-ball matches.

Possible Playing 11

Sri Lanka should stick with the same XI that beat Namibia.

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

Ireland should also persist with the same team that beat Netherlands.

Ireland: 1. Paul Stirling, 2. Kevin O’Brien, 3. Andy Balbirnie (c), 4. Gareth Delany, 5. Curtis Campher, 6. Harry Tector, 7. Neil Rock (wk), 8. Simi Singh, 9. Mark Adair, 10. Josh Little, 11. Ben White

Abu Dhabi Pitch Report and Weather

Dew may play a key role, which can prompt the captain who wins the toss to field first. Expect an easy-paced batting track, despite the low scores by Netherlands and Namibia two days ago.

Another 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 8: SL vs IRE Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SL vs IRE Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs Ireland Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 8: SL vs IRE Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 8: SL vs IRE Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SL vs IRE Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs Ireland Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 8: SL vs IRE Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Kusal Perera
  • Batsmen: Avishka Fernando, Paul Stirling
  • All-rounders: Wanindu Hasaranga, Curtis Campher
  • Bowlers: Mark Adair, Maheesh Theekshana

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

Match Prediction

Ireland have what it takes to challenge Sri Lanka, no doubt. However, Sri Lanka are favourites to win this match on the back of their bowling attack.

T20 WC 2021 Match 7: NAM vs NED Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
T20 WC 2021 Match 7: NAM vs NED Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

T20 WC 2021 Match 7: NAM vs NED Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | NED vs NAM Dream11 Prediction Today | Namibia vs Netherlands Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report

Two sides who had high hopes coming into the T20 World Cup came crashing down to earth two days ago. Netherlands and Namibia will be looking for significant batting improvements after scoring just 202 runs between them against Ireland and Sri Lanka respectively.

As a result, both sides face a must-win game today. The Netherlands were particularly disappointing against Ireland in what looked a very even matchup on paper. They were never in the contest after a poor start followed by four wickets in four balls for Curtis Campher. A strong performance today, led by a better batting performance and capable seam attack, can do wonders for their chances of qualifying for the Super 12s.

Indeed, the Namibians will be after the same. They started brilliantly with the ball against Sri Lanka, reducing them to 26/3. However, their score of 96 was never going to be enough, and like their opponents today, will be seeking a batting improvement. The talent and six-hitting ability is there, but the key will be stringing enough partnerships together to set things up for a final onslaught in the death overs.

Both sides have met just once in T20I cricket to date, with the Dutch winning comfortably by 44 runs in the T20 World Cup Qualifier tournament in 2019.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Namibia:

  • Craig Williams is a key player in Namibia’s recovery effort. He top scored against Sri Lanka (hard-fought 29), after a brilliant run of form in his previous for T20Is: 57, 50, 57, and 81.
  • Williams was also top scorer (27) for Namibia in their only T20I against Netherlands back in 2019.
  • Skipper Gerhard Erasmus was Namibia’s top run-scorer in the 2019 T20 World Cup Qualifier (9 inns, 268 runs, avg. 38.28, SR 137.43). He was the second-highest scorer against Sri Lanka (20 off 19 balls) in a partnership of 39 with Williams. Can he build on this today?
  • David Wiese had an off night against Sri Lanka, which hurt Namibia. The seasoned T20 cricketer has the most five-wicket hauls of any bowler in T20s, with the habit of taking big wickets when he takes at least one. Wiese scored 31 and took 2/23 in a recent warm up match against Scotland.
  • Wiese has smashed 49 runs in two T20s vs Netherlands at a strike rate of 222.73. He also has three wickets to his name against them.
  • If JJ Smit fires, watch out. He has struck 22 sixes in 19 T20Is. Smit hit the most sixes in the 2019 World Cup Qualifier in the UAE, with 14 maximums in nine matches. He also took 16 wickets in the same campaign, including 2/31 against Netherlands.
  • Jan Frylinck was unlucky to not have taken a wicket against Sri Lanka courtesy of a dropped catch at fine leg. Namibia’s highest ever wicket-taker in T20Is (35 wickets in 21 matches) took 3/25 against Netherlands in 2019.
  • Left-arm spinner Bernard Scholtz bowled well against Sri Lanka (1/16). He was also terrific against Netherlands in 2019 with 1/15 in four overs. He will be key in the middle overs – a period where Netherlands struggled badly against Ireland.

Netherlands:

  • Max O’Dowd was the only Netherlands batsman to show any meaningful resistance against Ireland, with a 47-ball 51.
  • O’Dowd is in decent form. His last 10 white-ball matches have yielded scores of: 133*, 9, 20, 82, 8, 23, 36, 36, 21, 51.
  • It was a disappointing return for Ryan ten Doeschate in his last international tournament. He was player of the match against Namibia in 2019, with a 40-ball 59 that drove the Dutch to 140/6.
  • Ben Cooper was run out for a duck vs Ireland, which was disappointing given he has a great record against them. He was dismissed cheaply against Namibia in 2019 (3 off 4 balls), and is enduring a lean run of form in recent times. Can he turn this around today?
  • Roelof van der Merwe will be key to his team’s hopes, and he will be aiming to improve on a tough outing vs Ireland (0 and 0/31). He has 16 wickets in as many matches this year, as well as 123 runs at an average of 20.50 and strike rate of 128.13.
  • Time for Netherlands to play Paul van Meekeren? The seamer had a successful CPL campaign with St Kitts, and was too good for Namibia in 2019 with 3/16 in four overs.
  • Brandon Glover took 3/15 in the same game. He showed promising form in the last match vs Ireland, with 1/21.

Stats and Facts

  • Netherlands (140/6) beat Namibia (96) by 44 runs in the 2019 World Cup Qualifier. Interestingly, Netherlands were struggling at 66/4 in 12.3 overs before ten Doeschate led the recovery.
  • Namibia’s 96 against Sri Lanka was their equal lowest T20I score alongside their 96 against Netherlands.
  • Craig Williams has scored four half-centuries in his last five matches, and is averaging 41.14 in T20Is this year.

Possible Playing 11

Namibia could look to stick with the same XI despite the disappointing loss to Sri Lanka.

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

Netherlands could look at bringing in Stephan Myburgh, but that would be harsh on the likes of Ben Cooper or Bas de Leede after one match.

Netherlands: 1. Max O’Dowd, 2. Ben Cooper, 3. Bas de Leede, 4. Colin Ackermann, 5. Ryan ten Doeschate, 6. Scott Edwards (wk), 7. Roelof van der Merwe, 8. Pieter Seelar (c), 9. Logan van Beek/Paul van Meekeren, 10. Fred Klaasen, 11. Brandon Glover/Tim van der Gugten

Abu Dhabi Pitch Report and Weather

The teams batting first two days ago had shockers. However, it was more down to the batting rather than any demons in the surface. The track should be a good one for batting today on another very hot day.

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 7: NAM vs NED Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | NED vs NAM Dream11 Prediction Today | Namibia vs Netherlands Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 7: NAM vs NED Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

T20 WC 2021 Match 7: NAM vs NED Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | NED vs NAM Dream11 Prediction Today | Namibia vs Netherlands Key Players | Abu Dhabi Pitch Report
T20 WC 2021 Match 7: NAM vs NED Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

Base team:

  • Wicket-keepers: Zak Green
  • Batsmen: Max O’Dowd, Craig Williams
  • All-rounders: David Wiese, JJ Smit, Pietar Seelaar
  • Bowlers: Bernard Scholtz, Fred Klaasen

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

Match Prediction

Which team will handle the pressure better? Netherlands, with their experience, start as favourites and look a good chance to win this match.

The benched XI of IPL 2021

Robin Rounder
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The benched XI of IPL 2021

Cricket News: The benched XI of IPL 2021 | Looking at players who played 2 games or less in the Indian Premier League 2021

The Indian Premier League is the best T20 cricket league in the world. Players from all around the globe participate in the league making the competition very tough. There are many quality players who don’t even get picked in the auctions while many don’t even get to play any games throughout the season due to team combinations.

IPL 2021 was no different as there were many good players who didn’t even get to play a single game or more than one or two games throughout the season. Today we’ll select a playing 11 of such players who didn’t get enough opportunities to showcase their skills in IPL 2021.

We’ve selected players who have played a maximum of two games in IPL 2021 for their respective franchises.

CricBlog’s Benched XI of IPL 2021:

1. Ajinkya Rahane (Captain) 

Ajinkya Rahane played only two games in IPL 2021 for the Delhi Capitals. He couldn’t find a place in the eleven as Delhi had Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan at the top followed by Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant. Fitting Rahane in there wasn’t the logical move.

Rahane has scored 3941 runs in 151 IPL games at an average of 31.52 and striking at 121.33. He also has two hundreds to his name. Rahane has been one of the most consistent players in the IPL and is the 12th highest-run scorer in IPL history. He can utilize the powerplay and can hold one end with others playing around him.

Rahane will be the opener for our Benched XI and will lead this side as well.

2. Narayan Jagadeesan

Narayan Jagadeesan has been a part of CSK’s squad for quite some time now. The wicket-keeper batsman from Tamil Nadu is a consistent performer in the domestic circuit. Jagadeesan has scored 702 runs in 30 innings at an average of 35.10 and strike rate of 125.35. He was the highest run-scorer in the SMAT 2020/21 with 364 runs in eight matches averaging 72.80 and striking at 141.

Jagadeesan has been at CSK since 2018 and he made his IPL debut in IPL 2020. He didn’t have a great start to his IPL career but he surely has the potential to be one of the top batters of the tournament in the future. Jagadeesan was the third-highest run scorer in TNPL 2021. He will be the second opener in our eleven.

3. Mohammad Azharuddeen

Many of you may have heard this name for the first time. However, all who know of him will know how good a player he is. Mohammad Azharuddeen was a part of RCB’s squad in IPL 2021. The 27-year old is a attacking top order batter from Kerala. He recently scored the second-fastest century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2020-2021 in just 37 balls against Mumbai. He scored an unbeaten 137 off 54 deliveries with nine fours and 11 sixes.

Azharuddeen has scored 452 runs in 22 innings at an average of 22.55 and a strike-rate of 142. He is a very exciting young player who didn’t get any opportunity in IPL 2021. Azharuddeen will bat at 3 in our Benched XI.

4. Sam Billings (WK)

Sam Billings didn’t get to play even one match in IPL 2021. He was a part of the Delhi Capitals squad. Billings as a batter hasn’t performed up to his full potential yet but he has been terrific with the bat in the last one year or so. Billings is a good player of spin as well as pace bowling. He performed really well in the last BBL scoring 260 runs in 10 innings striking at 142.85, which is excellent for a number 4.

5. Tim David

Tim David has been one of the most talked about cricketers in recent times. The right-hander is very destructive and can tear apart any bowling line-up on his day. David has scored 1469 runs in 58 T20 innings at an average of 34.97 and strike rate of 153.50. His numbers in T20Is are 558 runs at an average of 46.50 and strike rate of 158.52 in 14 matches.

Tim was picked up by the Royal Challengers Bangalore but he got to play only one game. Before coming into the IPL David had played in the CPL, BBL and PSL, and has shown what he can do with the bat. 

6. Ben Cutting

Aussie all-rounder Ben Cutting was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders squad and didn’t even get to play despite Andre Russell’s injury. Cutting is an explosive lower-order batter and is very handy with the bat. He is an experienced campaigner and has scored 2368 runs at an average of 22.76, striking at 149 in 143 T20 innings.

Cutting was in good form in the last BBL playing for the Thunder. He can open the innings as well if needed.

7. Krishnappa Gowtham

Krishnappa Gowtham was picked up by CSK for 9.25 Crores in the auction before IPL 2021, but he didn’t play a single game in the whole tournament. Gowtham is an bowling all-rounder who bowls off-spin and is known for his destructive batting towards the end of the innings. Gowtham has played 24 games in IPL and has picked 13 wickets at an economy of 8.26 while he has scored 186 runs at a whopping strike-rate of 169.

He has picked 41 wickets in 62 T20 games and has scored 594 runs at a rate of 159.24. Gowtham is a utility player and can contribute with both bat and ball.

8. Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav was in the Delhi Capitals squad for IPL 2021 but he too didn’t get to play even one match this season. Umesh is a seasoned campaigner and has picked 119 wickets in 121 matches. He can be very lethal in the powerplay, and has been in great form in red ball cricket. He will hope to continue that in the IPL whenever he gets the chance.

9. Navdeep Saini

Navdeep Saini played only two games in IPL 2021 and he failed to perform. Saini bowls quick, consistently clocking 140+. He hasn’t fulfilled his potential till now but he can bowl hard lengths and can be a very good asset for any team.

10. R Sai Kishore

Ravisrivasan Sai Kishore is a left-arm orthodox bowler from Tamil Nadu. He was in the CSK squad for IPL 2021 and didn’t get to play any game this season. He is very economical and a genuine wicket-taker in domestic circuit. He has picked 33 wickets in 30 matches at an economy of just 5.28.

Sai Kishore was the second wicket-taker in TNPL 2021 with 13 wickets in seven games with an economy of 5.85. He has already shown a lot of promise and is one for the future.

11. Imran Tahir

Imran Tahir was in CSK for IPL 2021 and played only one game in this edition of the IPL. Tahir at the age of 42 is still one of the best leg-spinners in T20 cricket. Tahir picked 13 wickets in 11 games of CPL 2021 at an economy of 6.40. He is a genuine wicket-taker and adds a lot of value to any team he plays for.

CricBlog’s Benched XI for IPL 2021:

Ajinkya Rahane (c)

N Jagadeesan (wk)

Mohammad Azharuddeen

Sam Billings

Tim David

Ben Cutting

K Gowtham

Umesh Yadav

Navdeep Saini

R Sai Kishore

Imran Tahir

So, this was our Benched XI for IPL 2021. We hope you liked it. Thanks for reading.

Written by Robin Rounder. Follow Robin on Twitter today.

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