Home Blog Page 287

IRE vs ZIM 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
-
0
IRE vs ZIM 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

IRE vs ZIM 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IRE vs ZIM 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction | Ireland vs Zimbabwe 3rd ODI Key Players | Belfast Pitch Report

In addition to gaining Super League points and a rare ODI series win, Zimbabwe have even more to play for in this one. Today’s match will be Brendan Taylor’s last ever international for Zimbabwe – a player who has given his all for his country since 2004.

Taylor has ridden the highs and lows of Zimbabwean cricket over the past two decades, and will now be looking to end on a high. The incentive is tantalising, as victory here will put Zimbabwe ahead of South Africa up in ninth position in the ODI Super League points table.

Ireland were hampered by the rain, which denied them the opportunity to defend a solid score of 282 in the second ODI. Their defeat in the opening ODI was costly, and desperately need Super League points today as they have won just three of 14 Super League matches so far.

The stakes are high, and both sides will be looking to put their best foot forward in a crucial game.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Ireland:

  • William Porterfield had a sub-par record on this ground and vs Zimbabwe this series. However, he is now in the runs, with 142 to his name this series (the most of any player), with two half-centuries. His strike rate of 67 is in question, though.
  • Paul Stirling will be looking to build on his two starts this series (32 and 33). He is yet to find his fluent best in this ODI series (SR 55.08), so eyes will be on how he performs here.
  • Stirling has the most runs for Ireland against Zimbabwe in ODIs (485, avg. 37.30) and has the most runs of any player on this ground in ODIs (716, avg. 34.09).
  • Andy Balbirnie was looking threatening in the second ODI, before popping a catch to short fine leg to end his innings of 40 (43 balls). Balbirnie will be seeking to further improve on his average vs Zimbabwe (30.70 in 10 ODIs) as well as on this ground (23.40 in 10 ODIs).
  • Harry Tector has been a breath of fresh air in recent times. The middle-order batsman has now struck three half-centuries in his last four ODIs, including two in a row this series at a strike rate of 108.24. He will be key again in providing impetus to the innings.
  • Simi Singh (1/22 off 10 overs in the first ODI) will be key. He is yet to make an impact with the bat this series, but has been in good touch in recent times.
  • Mark Adair has taken 10 wickets in six ODIs on this ground (avg. 25.80), as well as seven wickets in five ODIs vs Zimbabwe (avg. 34.42). He took 1/63 in the first ODI. Josh Little was expensive in the first ODI (1/78 off nine overs), but his wicket-taking threat remains (five wickets in last three ODIs).

Zimbabwe:

  • One final hurrah for Brendan Taylor? He looked good for his 49 (45 balls) in the first ODI, part of 335 runs in 11 ODIs vs Ireland at an average of 33.50. This includes a century and half-century.
  • Sean Williams (33 runs) and Craig Ervine (64 runs) spent time in the middle in the first ODI. Both have fine records against Ireland (Williams 12 inns, 518 runs, avg. 43.16 and Ervine 11 inns, 468 runs, avg. 46.80). Key players.
  • Williams also has the most wickets in IRE-ZIM ODIs out of current players (13 wickets in 13 ODIs, including three in this series).
  • Sikandar Raza also loves batting against Ireland. He won player of the match in the first ODI (59* off 44 balls), part of 328 runs vs Ireland overall at an average of 54.66 and strike rate of 92.91.
  • Blessing Muzarabani will be a wicket-taking threat once again in cool, damp conditions. He took 4/29 in the first ODI, and has five scalps in total in the series.

Stats and Facts

  • Zimbabwe have not won an ODI series against a Test playing nation since beating Sri Lanka 3-2 in 2017.
  • Zimbabwe’s last ODI series win came in 2019, with a 4-0 win over UAE at home.
  • Ireland will move into fourth spot in the ODI Super League points table if they win today. However, they would have played 15 matches, which is the equal-most alongside England (1st place) and Sri Lanka (5th place).

Possible Playing 11

Ireland: 1. William Porterfield, 2. Paul Stirling, 3. Andy Balbirnie (c), 4. Harry Tector, 5. George Dockrell, 6. Lorcan Tucker (wk), 7. Mark Adair, 8. Simi Singh, 9. Andy McBrine, 10. Craig Young, 11. Josh Little

Zimbabwe: 1. Brendan Taylor, 2. Regis Chakabva (wk), 3. Craig Ervine (c), 4. Dion Myers, 5. Sean Williams, 6. Sikandar Raza, 7. Wessley Madhevere, 8. Luke Jongwe, 9. Wellington Masakadza, 10. Blessing Muzarabani, 11. Richard Ngavara

Civil Service Ground Belfast Pitch Report and Weather

Two scores above 260 (267 and 282) in this series shows that free-flowing run-scoring is very much possible in these conditions. Run-scoring has proven a little more challenging in the early stages, so bowlers will be looking to make inroads when the ball is hardest.

The forecast is for more showers today after rain ruined the second ODI. However, according to AccuWeather, there are showers in the afternoon but there is hope of enough breaks in the rain to allow for a result.

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:

IRE vs ZIM 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IRE vs ZIM 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction | Ireland vs Zimbabwe 3rd ODI Key Players | Belfast Pitch Report
IRE vs ZIM 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

IRE vs ZIM 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IRE vs ZIM 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction | Ireland vs Zimbabwe 3rd ODI Key Players | Belfast Pitch Report
IRE vs ZIM 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

IRE vs ZIM 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IRE vs ZIM 3rd ODI Dream11 Prediction | Ireland vs Zimbabwe 3rd ODI Key Players | Belfast Pitch Report
IRE vs ZIM 3rd ODI Fan2Play

Match Prediction

Zimbabwe will be motivated to send Brendan Taylor out as a winner. Teams batting first have done well this series, so a score in the region of 270 can be a winning one, weather permitting.

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

Will RCB win IPL 2021? Squad analysis

Debashish Sarangi
-
0
Will RCB win IPL 2021? Squad analysis

Will RCB win IPL 2021? Squad analysis | A look at whether RCB will finally win the IPL and achieve success in 2021 | Royal Challengers Bangalore squad analysis

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are rightly tagged as the perennial underachievers. They promise a lot with their exciting squads each year but often end up as one of the bottom four sides in the points table.

However, in the first leg of IPL 2021, they were brilliant, winning five of their first seven games. They are currently placed in third position and will resume their campaign by facing the two-time champion Kolkata Knight Riders on 20th Septemer at Abu Dhabi.

There are some new faces included in the side which has increased the balance of the team to a certain extent. Can they break the jinx and lift the trophy this time? Let’s analyse their overall squad to draw the conclusion.

Will RCB win IPL 2021? Squad Analysis

Batting:

From their squad, RCB’s batting seems their biggest strength. They have a solid core consisting of Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, AB De Villiers and Glenn Maxwell.

Maxwell and AB de Villiers were absolutely fabulous in the first leg in India. They both played crucial roles in the success story of RCB in Chennai, especially by dominating those crucial middle overs where RCB have struggled in the past.

Further, the presence of uncapped Indian players like Sachin Baby, Mohammed Azharuddin, Suyash Prabhudessai, Rajat Patidar, KS Bharat and Pavan Deshpande definitely boosts their batting unit as these guys are very much capable of playing the supportive role in the XI.

Also, they have replaced Finn Allen with Tim David, thereby adding a hard-hitting lower middle order batsman to ease the pressure of the finishing job off ABD. Wanindu Hasaranga is also a very useful addition considering his current form and the role he plays for Sri Lanka. He can chip in with some handy contributions with the bat, so can the all-rounders like Harshal Patel, Shahbaz Ahmed, Kyle Jamieson and Dan Christian. Thus, their batting looks solid and deep this time.

Bowling:

Now let’s talk about their bowling options. RCB have a good spin trio of Wanindu Hasaranga, Yuzi Chahal and Shahbaz Ahmed. With the absence of Washington Sundar, they are devoid of a right arm off-spinner but I think Glenn Maxwell can certainly bowl some overs as the sixth bowler if required.

Considering their seam bowling options, they have Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Kyle Jamieson, Harshal Patel, Akash Deep, Dushmantha Chameera and the talented George Garton. Among these bowlers, Siraj gives me a lot of confidence with his recent IPL records. He was good in both powerplay and death overs and had an outstanding overall economy of 7.35. He was comfortably the best seamer for RCB at the death, as suggested by the following graph mentioning the economy, dot percentage and balls per boundary of the 3 RCB seamers in death overs.

Will RCB win IPL 2021? Squad analysis | A look at whether RCB will finally win the IPL and achieve success in 2021 | Royal Challengers Bangalore squad analysis
Will RCB win IPL 2021? Squad analysis – death bowling

Interestingly, Harshal Patel bowled the greatest number of overs at the death for RCB in the first leg, with the reason being his initial success in the first three games in Chennai. But he was too predictable with his slower balls on true decks and therefore was completely ineffective in the last three games.

Navdeep Saini is not the same death bowler he once used to be and Chameera, Akash Deep and Garton are untested in the IPL. So, in my opinion, Siraj should be their main bowler in the death overs to start with and others should play the supportive role as per the situation. This might cause some over-reliance on Siraj and if he has an off day, RCB will most probably struggle at the death.

This is the only area that might hamper their chances of lifting the trophy.

RCB’s best possible 11

Skipper Virat Kohli was opening alongside Devdutt Padikkal in the first leg of IPL 2021 and I expect him to continue doing so. They will have one uncapped Indian batsman at 3 (most probably Rajat Patidar to start with) and continue with Maxwell and ABD at 4 and 5 respectively.

In my opinion, they should go with Tim David at 6 and Hasaranga at 7. Harshal, Saini, Siraj and Chahal should be their remaining four players. Alternatively, they might go with someone like Suyash Prabhudessai at 6 and Kyle Jamieson down the order, but I personally prefer the former one. So, the ideal XI for RCB in my opinion is:

Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers, Tim David, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj

I feel this XI is really a balanced one. One thing is for sure; they will need Navdeep Saini to get into his rhythm. If Saini gives his best, then RCB are definitely the title contenders. But if he doesn’t, they will be bound to change the combination by bringing another domestic batsman in place of Tim David, with Kyle Jamieson or Dushmantha Chameera in place of Saini. But, if all the players of this XI perform up to their full potential, then RCB might end up winning the trophy this time.

Written by Debashish Sarangi. Follow Debashish on Twitter today.

India’s best possible playing 11 for the T20 World Cup

Robin Rounder
-
0
India’s best possible playing 11 for the T20 World Cup

Cricket News: India’s best possible playing 11 for the T20 World Cup | Looking at India’s best 11 for the T20 World Cup in the UAE

India have announced their 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup. There have been all kinds of reactions from the fans about the squad but overall the Indian squad is looking in good shape.

Their batting unit is one of the best in the tournament while bowling could’ve been a little better, particularly in the pace department, but is a decent attack as well.

So what is India’s strongest playing 11 out of this squad of 15? Let’s take a look.

India’s best possible 11 for the T20 World Cup:

1. Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma is at the moment the best opener in all the three formats and one of the best batsmen of the current times. He is in excellent form as well, scoring good runs in challenging conditions in the Test series against England.

Rohit will open the innings for India. He has scored 2864 runs in 111 T20Is at an average of 32.54 and striking at 139. Also, the opener has scored a century in all three formats and we all know how destructive he can be on his day.

2. KL Rahul

Cricket News: India's best possible playing 11 for the T20 World Cup | Looking at India's best 11 for the T20 World Cup in the UAE
India’s best possible 11 for the T20 World Cup: KL Rahul should be opener.

KL Rahul should be the second opener for India. Rahul is an excellent batter in the shortest format. He has 1557 runs in 49 T20I games averaging almost 40 and striking at 142.19.

Rahul can play shots all-around the park. He is in terrific form as well. Rahul alongside Rohit, makes an excellent opening pair that has the ability to win games on their own once they get going.

3. Virat Kohli (Captain)

Skipper Virat Kohli should bat at number three. He is arguably the best batsman of this generation. He averages over 50 in all three formats. Virat has scored 3159 runs in 50 T20Is at an average of 52.65 at a strike-rate of 139.

He is the highest run-scorer in the Indian Premier League as well. Virat is a dynamic batter and can play both attacking as well as the role of anchoring the innings. Virat will look to lead India to their second World T20 title this time.

4. Suryakumar Yadav

Cricket News: India's best possible playing 11 for the T20 World Cup | Looking at India's best 11 for the T20 World Cup in the UAE
India’s best possible 11: Suryakumar Yadav is outstanding.

Suryakumar Yadav made his T20I debut against England in March earlier this year. He made it into the national side after performing consistently in the IPL and in the domestic circuit as well. Surya is a very attacking batter and an excellent player of spin bowling, not to mention that he plays pace bowling very well too.

Surya can keep the momentum going in the middle-overs and can score at a high strike-rate. He has scored 2 half-centuries in the 3 T20I innings he has played. Surya is a great addition to his T20I side and adds immense value to the team.

5. Rishabh Pant (wk)

Rishabh Pant will be the wicket-keeper and will bat at number 5 for India in the T20 World Cup. Pant brings much needed left-hand variation in the batting line-up and plays in his own unique style. He starts attacking from ball one and can tear apart any bowling line-up once he gets going.

The southpaw is very destructive but yet to replicate his T20 returns in the T20 internationals. Pant has 3333 runs in 124 T20 games at an average of 32.67 striking at 147.93. On the other hand, after 33 T20Is he has scored 512 and strike-rate of 123.07. Pant is a match winner in the shortest format and will look to perform and win games for his side in the T20 world cup.

6. Hardik Pandya

Cricket News: India's best possible playing 11 for the T20 World Cup | Looking at India's best 11 for the T20 World Cup in the UAE
India’s best possible 11: Hardik Pandya is a danger at his best.

Hardik Pandya will be India’s fast bowling all-rounder. Pandya is a hard-hitting batsman and will bat at number 6. His job will be hitting those huge sixes and scoring quick runs in the death overs. Pandya can take the game away from the opposition in just 10-12 balls.

He is very handy with the ball as well. Pandya has 484 runs in 49 T20Is at a strike-rate of 145.34 and has 42 wickets at an economy of 8.17. Pandya will be very crucial in this World T20 for India as he may have to play the third pacer’s role in some games.

7. Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja will bat at number 7 and will bowl four overs of his left-arm orthodox bowling. Jadeja has been in terrific form in the last couple of years. Since IPL 2019, Jadeja has scored 469 runs in 26 games at an average of 52.1 and a strike-rate of 154. He has a strike-rate of 146 averaging 50 in T20Is during the same time period and has picked 8 wickets in 6 games at an economy of 6.26. Jadeja too will be a key player for India given his all-round attributes, and can be a floater for India.

8. Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin has returned in the limited overs squad after a very long time. India needed an off-spinner in their setup and he is currently the best off-spinner in India. Ashwin has played 46 T20I games and has picked 52 wickets at an economy of 6.97. He has 249 wickets in 252 T20 games at an economy of 6.94.

Ashwin is a very experienced campaigner and is in good form as well. He can control the flow of runs and is a wicket-taker as well. He can bowl with the new ball as well as providing flexibility to the bowling attack.

9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar Kumar can swing the ball both ways and is a wicket-taker with the new ball in the powerplay. Early wickets are very important and Bhuvi has the ability to provide early break-throughs. He has 50 wickets in 51 T20Is at an economy of 6.9. Despite his ordinary performances in the death overs at times, Bhuvi will be a key bowler for India in the crunch stages.

10. Mohammad Shami

Nobody expected Mohammad Shami to be picked in the World T20 squad but here he is. He is the third pacer in the 15-man squad and should start in the first 11 for India. Shami is a pacy hit the deck bowler but can swing the new ball as well. He is yet to prove himself in the shortest format as he has economy of 9.8 in the 12 T20Is that he has played. His death overs economy is over 10 and that is an area of concern. Although India can use Shami as a power play bowler or a middle-over enforcer. Expectations are high from Shami and he’ll look to perform as well.

11. Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah will lead the bowling attack of India. Bumrah is arguably the best all-format fast bowler in the world currently. He has picked 59 wickets in 50 T20Is at an economy of 6.66. Bumrah has 215 wickets in 175 games at an economy of just 7. Bumrah will be the one of the main players for India in this T20 World Cup and everyone will expect him to do what he does the best i.e. pick wickets and win games for his side.

So this is India’s strongest playing 11 from the 15-man squad that has been announced. The batting unit looks perfect alongside the spin department but the only area of concern is the pace bowling especially death bowling. Bhuvneshwar and Shami both have struggled in the death overs. It will be interesting to see how India deals with this.

Other than that their India can also play someone like Rahul Chahar or Varun Chakravarthy if conditions or match-ups are in favor. They have quite a few options for the playing 11.

Their squad is looking very settled and are definitely one of the title contenders in ICC World T20 2021.

Written by Robin Rounder. Follow Robin on Twitter today.

SL vs SA 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
-
0
SL vs SA 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

SL vs SA 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SL vs SA 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs South Africa 2nd T20I Key Players | Colombo Pitch Report

Yet again, South Africa defend a total in the 160s. This is the fifth time in nine T20Is since the beginning of the West Indies series that the Proteas have defended a target of 160+, outlining their template for the T20 World Cup which will also be played in slow conditions in the UAE.

After Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks set the platform, the classy Aiden Markram took the game away from Sri Lanka with a 33-ball 48. David Miller also spent some important time at the crease on return from injury, before the Proteas bowlers put a chokehold on Sri Lanka’s batting lineup.

Sri Lanka face a potentially tricky round 1 stage of the T20 World Cup, and will want their batting to be in better shape by then. So, the remaining two games of this series are crucial to that, with onus on Avishka Fernando, Charith Asalanka and Dinesh Chandimal to lead the way so their bigger hitters like Wanindu Hasaranga have a platform to launch from.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Sri Lanka:

  • Avishka Fernando was run out in the first T20I, but not before struggling to find full fluency. Fernando has not nailed the T20I format at all, with an average of just 13.05 in 21 matches and no fifties. Sri Lanka needs him to fire.
  • Dinesh Chandimal (66* in the first T20I) continued on from his run-scoring form in domestic cricket (51*, 59, 40 and 14 in his last four domestic T20s). However, his strike rate is in focus, so it will be interesting how he responds.
  • Eyes will be on Charith Asalanka after an almighty struggle in the first T20I (6 off 19 balls). He was in superb touch in the ODIs (most runs: 196 at an average of 65.33). Also, he scored two half-centuries in four domestic T20s recently, along with a score of 44 vs India.
  • Wanindu Hasaranga bowled nicely once again (2/23), continuing his fine T20 fine form in 2021. He now has 19 wickets in 10 T20Is this year at an economy rate of below six runs an over. Dushmantha Chameera has the next-most wickets for Sri Lanka in 2021 with 15 in 10 matches.
  • Maheesh Theekshana enjoyed a dream ODI debut, taking 4/37. He has taken 11 wickets in 10 T20s this year at an economy rate of under five runs an over, including 1/35 in the first T20I that he will aim to build on.

South Africa:

  • Aiden Markram is enjoying some year in T20Is. After his player of the match display in the first T20I (48 off 33 balls), Markram has scored 387 runs this year at an average of 38.70 and strike rate of 152.96.
  • Reeza Hendricks enjoys playing Sri Lanka. In six innings against them, he has scored 237 runs at an average of 39.50 and strike rate of 127.41, including a 38-ball 30 in the first T20I.
  • Quinton de Kock’s 36 in the first T20I is his highest T20I score vs Sri Lanka. He will be aiming to improve on a poor record vs Sri Lanka: 8 inns, 143 runs, avg. 17.87, SR 107.51.
  • Keshav Maharaj took six wickets in the ODI series at an average/economy rate of just 16.66/3.57. He followed this up with a fine spell of 1/19 in the first T20I.
  • World number one Tabraiz Shamsi is enjoying a magnificent year in T20Is. He has taken 25 wickets in 15 T20Is this year at a fine average of 12.52 and economy rate of 5.49.

Stats and Facts

  • South Africa have won their last five T20 Internationals.
  • Sri Lanka have won six and lost 18 T20Is on this ground.
  • Neither team has won when chasing in the four matches so far this tour (three ODIs, one T20I).

Possible Playing 11

There is a chance that Kusal Perera will feature in this match after recovering from COVID-19 and training with the team for the past week. If he plays, expect Dinesh Chandimal to drop down to number three.

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

South Africa could look at sticking with the same XI.

South Africa: 1. Quinton de Kock (wk), 2. Reeza Hendricks, 3. Aiden Markram, 4. Heinrich Klaasen, 5. David Miller, 6. Dwaine Pretorius, 7. Keshav Maharaj (c), 8. Kagiso Rabada, 9. Bjorn Fortuin, 10. Anrich Nortje, 11. Tabraiz Shamsi

R Premadasa Colombo Pitch Report and Weather

More spin to win on a ground where the team batting first has dominated. There is a chance of rain during the game, so interruptions are a possibility.

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:

SL vs SA 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

SL vs SA 2nd T20 Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

SL vs SA 2nd T20 Fan2Play

Match Prediction

Both sides have their worries when chasing, so any score in the region of 150 can be a winning one.

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

CPL 2021 Match 27: TKR vs SKN Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Yash Mittal
-
0
CPL 2021 Match 27: TKR vs SKN Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

CPL 2021 Match 27: TKR vs SKN Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | TKR vs SKN Dream11 Prediction Today | Trinbago Knight Riders  vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report

We are down to the business end of the competition and while Trinbago Knight Riders will be looking to consolidate its numero uno spot, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots will look to leapfrog its opponent and claim the No.1 spot.

Trinbago Knight Riders will come into this game on the back of a three-match winning streak. Their latest win came against Barbados Royals after they successfully chased down a poultry target of 94.

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, on the other hand, have lost three games on the bounce and with just two league matches left, they will be hoping to get their campaign back on track. They will come into this game after having suffered a 22-run defeat at the hands of Jamaica Tallawahs where they failed to chase down 170.

Key Players to watch/Key Stats

Trinbago Knight Riders:

  • Kieron Pollard: The champion all-rounder is the second highest run-scorer for TKR this season. In 7 innings, he has racked up 169 runs at an average of 42.25 and a strike rate of 144.4. His record for TKR against SKN: 92 runs in 3 innings at 46.00.
  • Tim Siefert: The Kiwi stumper is the 4th highest run-getter for TKR- 155 runs at an average of 31 but he would like to improve on his strike rate of 116.54 in the coming games.
  • Sunil Narine: The off-spinner has thus far claimed 11 wickets in 8 innings and his economy rate of 4.78 has been truly unreal. His record against SKN: 14 wickets in 11 innings at 16.71.
  • Ravi Rampaul: The veteran pacer has had a sensational season this far. With 17 wickets in 8 innings, he is the leading wicket-taker for TKR thus far.
  • Akeal Hosein: Just like Narine, Hosein has been brilliant for TKR this season. In 8 innings, he has claimed 11 wickets at 12.36 and a barely believable economy rate of 4.25.
  • Khary Pierre: He claimed three wickets in the last game against Barbados and with 5 wickets in 4 innings this season at an average of 19.80, he is the one to watch out for in the upcoming games.

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots:

  • Sherfane Rutheford: The middle-order batsman has been the bedrock of the SKN line-up this season. He is their second highest run-getter- 201 runs in 7 innings at an average of 40.20 and a strike rate of 136.73 with 3 50+ scores.
  • Evin Lewis: The swashbuckling batsman is the leading run-scorer for St Kitts this season. In 8 innings he has scored 241 runs at an average of 30.12 and a strike rate of 146.95 with 2 50+ scores. His record against TKR: 354 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 135.11.
  • Fabian Allen: The all-rounder has chipped in with crucial runs down the order – 117 runs in 8 innings at a strike rate of 139.28 – besides claiming 7 wickets at an average of 29. His record against TKR: 80 runs in 4 innings at a strike rate of 177.78.
  • DJ Bravo: The veteran cricketer has scored 78 runs in 3 innings at a strike rate of 125.80 besides claiming 8 wickets at 24.12. He will be key if available.

Stats and Facts

  • Both sides have met 16 times in the CPL with TKR leading the ledger 12-4.
  • TKR have won three of their four games against SKN at Warner Park.

Possible Playing 11

Trinbago Knight Riders: 1. Lendl Simmons, 2. Tion Webster, 3. Colin Munro, 4. Darren Bravo, 5. Tim Siefert (WK), 6. Akeal Hosein, 7. Kieron Pollard (c), 8. Sunil Narine, 9. Khary Pierre, 10. Jayden Seales, 11. Ravi Rampaul

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots:  1. Evin Lewis, 2. Devon Thomas, 3. Chris Gayle, 4. Joshua de Silva (WK), 5. Ravi Bopara, 6. Sherfane Rutheford, 7. Fabian Allen, 8. Dominic Drakes, 9. Andre McCarthy, 10. Fawad Ahmed, 11. Paul van Meekeren

Warner Park, St Kitts pitch report and weather conditions

The pitch has proved helpful for the spin bowlers but there have been plenty of runs on offer as well.

With regards to the weather forecast,  it is expected to be clear with temperatures fluctuating between 25-29 degrees Celsius. Humidity is set to hover around 78%. 

Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction

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

CPL 2021 Match 27: TKR vs SKN Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | TKR vs SKN Dream11 Prediction Today | Trinbago Knight Riders  vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report
CPL 2021 Match 27: TKR vs SKN Fan2Play Prediction

Match Prediction

Given the current form, Trinbago Knight Riders will start as massive favorites.

CPL 2021 Match 26: JAM vs GUY Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
-
0
CPL 2021 Match 26: JAM vs GUY Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

CPL 2021 Match 26: JAM vs GUY Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | JAM vs GUY Dream11 Prediction Today | Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Jamaica Tallawahs Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report

Win and sit in the top four ahead of the final day of the group stage. Lose and move into fifth spot and risk missing out on the semi finals.

A lot rests on this crucial match, the first in two days between Guyana Amazon Warriors and Jamaica Tallawahs. Like other teams in CPL 2021, both have been inconsistent, hence why they sit in such a position instead of further up the table.

In fact, Guyana have not won two consecutive matches this season. They are coming off a strong win against St Lucia earlier in the week, and will be aiming to put together a good display here to replace their opponents in the top four. The Tallawahs, after three straight losses, have won their last two, with their latest outing being a very fruitful one also against St Lucia.

Who will hold their nerve in such a crucial match?

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Guyana Amazon Warriors:

  • Shimron Hetmyer has a century against Jamaica, which shows he is capable of producing a big innings (197 runs overall, avg. 32.83, SR 158.87).
  • Hetmyer has had an under-par season (7 inns, 150 runs, avg. 22.14, SR 107.14). The time is now for the talented left-hander to deliver the goods.
  • Shoaib Malik loves playing against Jamaica. The experienced batsman has struggled badly in CPL 2021 (7 inns, 38 runs, avg. 6.14), but fans can hope this is his day as he scored 190 runs in three innings for Guyana against Jamaica at an average of 190 and strike rate of 165.22.
  • Brandon King found some form in his last game with a 57-ball 77 vs St Lucia. He does have a half-century vs Jamaica (four innings), so Guyana will be hoping he can produce another here today.
  • Gudakesh Motie has been impressive with his terrific energy at the bowling crease. He is coming off a player of the match performance, where he took 2/12 in four overs against St Lucia.
  • Imran Tahir has taken 11 wickets in six matches against Jamaica. Also, Tahir has taken the second-most wickets for Guyana this season, with 11 in eight matches (avg. 18.63, econ. 6.40).
  • Romario Shepherd has taken the most wickets for Guyana in CPL 2021 (14 wickets in just six matches). His last game was his only wicketless outing so far (0/38), so will be looking to bounce back here. He is yet to bowl against Jamaica in CPL.

Jamaica Tallawahs:

  • Andre Russell is in some good touch, coming off a 31 (15) against St Lucia that included four sixes. Dre Russ has a fine record against Guyana, with 322 runs in 13 innings at an average/strike rate of 35.78/163.45. Will he go big today?
  • Kennar Lewis produced a player of the match display last match against St Lucia. The opener smashed 56 off 24 balls and initiated dismissals with the gloves. Key player.
  • Carlos Brathwaite is back at the bowling crease, and with impact, too. The all-rounder took 2/13 in his last game, and he will be key with his variations. He has 12 wickets in 14 games vs the Warriors, and will be looking to improve on his batting average of just 12.33 (111 runs).
  • Migael Pretorius has the second-most wickets of any bowler in CPL 2021 (15 in eight games).

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 20, Guyana 12, Jamaica 8.
  • This will be the first meeting between the sides in CPL 2021.
  • Both teams won a game against each other last season.

Possible Playing 11

Mohammad Hafeez is set to join the Pakistan squad ahead of their series against New Zealand.

Guyana Amazon Warriors: 1. Brandon King, 2. Chandrapaul Hemraj, 3. Shimron Hetmyer, 4. Shoaib Malik, 5. Nicholas Pooran (c & wk), 6. Odean Smith, 7. Romario Shepherd, 8. Kevin Sinclair/Ashmead Nedd, 9. Gudakesh Motie, 10. Naveen-ul-Haq, 11. Imran Tahir 

Imad Wasim, who has been brilliant for Jamaica, has left for Pakistan ahead of their series with New Zealand. Qais Ahmed may replace him.

Jamaica Tallawahs: 1. Kennar Lewis, 2. Kirk McKenzie, 3. Haider Ali, 4. Shamarh Brooks, 5. Rovman Powell (c), 6. Carlos Brathwaite, 7. Andre Russell, 8. Migael Pretorius, 9. Chris Green, 10. Qais Ahmed, 11. Veerasammy Permaul

Warner Park Basseterre St Kitts Pitch Report and Weather

This will be the second match on this ground today, so there may be some turn on offer for the spinners. Variations will be key as has been the case all tournament, and teams batting first have won five of the past six games in CPL 2021.

The forecast is for warm and clear conditions.

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:

CPL 2021 Match 26: JAM vs GUY Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | JAM vs GUY Dream11 Prediction Today | Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Jamaica Tallawahs Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report
CPL 2021 Match 26: JAM vs GUY Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

CPL 2021 Match 26: JAM vs GUY Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | JAM vs GUY Dream11 Prediction Today | Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Jamaica Tallawahs Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report
CPL 2021 Match 26: JAM vs GUY Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

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

CPL 2021 Match 26: JAM vs GUY Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | JAM vs GUY Dream11 Prediction Today | Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Jamaica Tallawahs Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report
CPL 2021 Match 26: JAM vs GUY Fan2Play

Match Prediction

Guyana at full strength start as favourites. They will be motivated to put in a big performance in an important game.

CPL 2021 Match 25: SLK vs BAR Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
-
0
CPL 2021 Match 25: SLK vs BAR Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

CPL 2021 Match 25: SLK vs BAR Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SLK vs BAR Dream11 Prediction Today | St Lucia Kings vs Barbados Royals Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report

It’s crunch time. Two triple-headers in consecutive days will decide the final four in what has been one hell of a fight in the league stage of CPL 2021, with one team hanging by a thread.

That team is Barbados Royals, who, like last season, are enduring a disappointing campaign. With just two wins to their name, the Royals sit bottom and must win their last two games by strong enough margins to have a chance of progressing.

Their opponent will be St Lucia Kings both today and tomorrow. St Lucia, like other teams, have shown flashes of brilliance but have largely been inconsistent. A win today will go a long way to confirming qualification as Guyana and Jamaica also do battle following this encounter, so the incentive is quite inviting.

In a pressure match, who will be the first to blink?

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

St Lucia Kings:

  • No player has more runs in St Lucia-Barbados matches than Andre Fletcher. His 450 runs come at an average of 30.00 and strike rate of 134.33.
  • Fletcher has scored 4, 23, 0, 8 and 30 in his last five innings, so SLK will be hoping for a turnaround in form here.
  • Roston Chase is having a terrific CPL 2021 campaign. He is the leading run-scorer (311 runs, avg. 62.20, SR 153.20). He has scored 85, 64*, 51*, 40 and 30 in his last five innings. Also, Chase has batted just the one innings vs Barbados so far, where he scored 14 in CPL 2020. He has three wickets in two innings against them.
  • 120 of Faf du Plessis’ 193 runs in CPL 2021 came in one innings. Can the skipper produce the goods at the business end? He has scored 50 runs in two innings vs Barbados.
  • Jeavor Royal has been one of the real positives for St Lucia this season. He is their top wicket-taker, with 11 in wickets in his last four matches: 3/19, 3/20, 2/17, 3/37.
  • Kesrick Williams has taken eight wickets in five matches against the Royals, including 1/24 and 2/12 last season.

Barbados Royals:

  • Kyle Mayers has played with aggression at the top of the order, and has looked quite good in the last couple of matches (24 off 12 balls and 36 off 20 balls). In conditions likely to assist spin, quick runs at the top can prove crucial.
  • Johnson Charles has a solid record against his former team. In four matches against St Lucia, Charles has struck 147 runs at an average of 37.25 and strike rate of 128.45. He has made a start in all four matches: 35, 39, 47, 26.
  • Azam Khan is Barbados’ leading run-scorer in CPL 2021 (178, avg. 22.25, SR 124.47).
  • Glenn Phillips is close behind with 175 runs at an average of 24.85 and strike rate of 110.12. Phillips has a solid record vs St Lucia: eight matches, 302 runs, avg. 37.75, SR 152.23.
  • Jason Holder will be crucial to Barbados’ hopes. He is having a shocker of a season with the bat (75 runs, avg. 9.37) and has just four wickets in eight games with the ball. But, Royals fans can hold hope in his better record vs St Lucia: 138 runs, avg. 27.60, SR 153.33, and 10 wickets in 12 games.
  • Raymon Reifer has eight wickets in six matches vs St Lucia, and seven wickets in five innings in CPL 2021. Nyeem Young also has seven wickets, and has only gone wicketless in one innings (last game).
  • Mohammad Amir is the leading wicket-taking taker for Barbados this season, with nine wickets in six games. He is yet to play a game against St Lucia.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 16, St Lucia 6, Barbados 10.
  • St Lucia beat Barbados twice last season, including an incredible defence of just 92 runs.
  • Defeat today will officially rule Barbados Royals out of semi finals contention.
  • Joshua Bishop has taken five wickets in his two games so far in CPL 2021 (3/20 and 2/29).

Possible Playing 11

St Lucia Kings: 1. Andre Fletcher (wk), 2. Faf du Plessis (c), 3. Mark Deyal, 4. Roston Chase, 5. Tim David, 6. Samit Patel, 7. Kadeem Alleyne, 8. David Wiese/Obed McCoy, 9. Jeavor Royal, 10. Alzarri Joseph, 11. Kesrick Williams

Barbados Royals: 1. Kyle Mayers, 2. Johnson Charles, 3. Azam Khan, 4. Smit Patel (wk), 5. Glenn Phillips, 6. Jason Holder (c), 7. Raymon Reifer, 8. Joshua Bishop, 9. Nyeem Young, 10. Mohammad Amir, 11. Jake Lintott

Warner Park Basseterre St Kitts Pitch Report and Weather

Warner Park has provided turn for the spinners, but batsmen have had the opportunity to go big, too. The teams batting first have won five of the last six matches in CPL 2021, with Jamaica scoring 211 last game.

The forecast is warm and clear.

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:

CPL 2021 Match 25: SLK vs BAR Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SLK vs BAR Dream11 Prediction Today | St Lucia Kings vs Barbados Royals Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report
CPL 2021 Match 25: SLK vs BAR Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

CPL 2021 Match 25: SLK vs BAR Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SLK vs BAR Dream11 Prediction Today | St Lucia Kings vs Barbados Royals Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report
CPL 2021 Match 25: SLK vs BAR Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

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

CPL 2021 Match 25: SLK vs BAR Fan2Play

Match Prediction

St Lucia were poor in their last game against Jamaica, but they still look in better shape than Barbados. A score of 160 batting first can be a challenging chase.

India T20 World Cup Squad Analysis: Strengths & Weaknesses

Robin Rounder
-
0
India T20 World Cup Squad Analysis: Strengths & Weaknesses

India T20 World Cup Squad Analysis: Strengths & Weaknesses | Analysis of India T20 World Cup squad: Looking at key strengths and weaknesses

The ICC T20 World Cup will start from 17 October 2021 in the UAE and Oman. The Final will be played on 14 November. India has announced their 15-man squad for the World T20 with three reserve players, and they are expected to feature at the business end of the tournament.

There are many surprise inclusions as well as exclusions in the squad. Players like Yuzvendra Chahal, Shikhar Dhawan, Kuldeep Yadav and Shreyas Iyer, who were surely expected to be included in the squad, have been dropped. At the same time, the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel and Varun Charkravarthy have been included.

Iyer has been included in the reserve players but has been dropped from the main squad.

Ashwin’s inclusion is not as surprising as the omission of Yuzvendra Chahal who has been India’s leading spinner prior to the World T20. Ishan Kishan has been preferred over Sanju Samson for the back-up wicket keeping option. Mohammad Siraj failed to find a place in the World Cup squad as well while Mohammed Shami has been included as the third pacer.

Let’s talk about India’s squad in more detail and see how strong this squad looks on paper and what can be the points of concern, too.

India T20 World Cup squad

Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Rahul Chahar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami.

Reserve Players: Shreyas Iyer, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar.

The Batting Department

Let’s talk about India’s batting unit. The Indian batting unit for the World T20 is very strong. India’s probable top 7 will consist of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul as the openers with Virat Kohli batting at number 3. Suryakumar Yadav will bat at 4 with Rishabh Pant at 5 followed by Hardik Pandya at 6 and Ravindra Jadeja at 7.

All are proven match-winners and can win games from any situation on their day. The batting unit is very flexible as players like Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja can be used as floaters too according to the match situation. Ishan Kishan, who is the second wicket-keeper, can be used as both an opener or as a middle-order batsman.

All the batsmen are good players of spin as well as pace bowling. Each can attack from the first ball. The middle-order of Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, and Hardik Pandya will ensure that the run-rate doesn’t drop in the middle-overs, an area of concern for India in T20Is for a while.

Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya will be the finishers in the squad and both have already shown how destructive they can be with the bat.

Overall, the Indian batting unit for the World T20 is a perfect batting line-up for T20 cricket and can chase down any total or can set big targets while batting first.

The Bowling

The Indian bowling unit for the World T20 will consist of Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Rahul Chahar, Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel. Hardik Pandya will bowl as well.

Death Bowling: Concern for India

Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Mohammed Shami will be the pace bowlers with Hardik Pandya assisting them. This is a bit concerning as Bhuvneshwar Kumar hasn’t been the same what he used to be a few years back and Mohammad Shami is yet to prove himself as a T20I bowler.

Shami’s Performance in T20 Cricket:

Image: cricmetric.com

You can see that Shami has an economy of 8.90 in T20Is since 2019, although the sample size is very small as he has played only 5 T20Is. However, his economy in the IPL since 2019 after 36 innings is 8.53, which is a little high.

Shami’s Performance in Death Overs (15-20):

Image: cricmetric.com

The main concern is his death bowling. His economy in the 5 T20Is he has played since 2019 is 10.33 during overs 15-20. Shami’s death bowling in the IPL since 2019 is 10.11 in 32 innings – 499 runs in 49.2 overs to be exact.

Bhuvneshwar’s Performance in T20 Cricket:

Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s economy in T20Is since 2019 is 7.24. He has played 17 matches during that time. His IPL economy during that phase is 7.95 after 24 games. Bhuvneshwar’s strength is wickets with the new ball as he has the ability to swing it both ways.

Image: cricmetric.com

Bhuvneshwar in Death Overs (15-20):

His death bowling numbers are not that encouraging as well. He has an economy of 9.9 during overs 15-20 after 14 T20Is. Bhuvneshwar’s IPL economy during the death overs is 10.36.

Image: cricmetric.com

So, apart from Jasprit Bumrah, India’s death bowling may cause them a few problems. India could have picked someone like Mohammad Siraj who was excellent in IPL 2021, conceding runs at an economy of 8.78 during overs 15-20 in 7 matches, instead of Mohammad Shami.

Siraj is a wicket-taker with the new ball as well and is in excellent form currently.

India are at least one pacer short in their squad. Although they have the likes of Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur in the reserves, the death bowling apart from Bumrah remains a concern and Bhuvneshwar and Shami will have to do well in the death overs.

Spinners

Ravichandran Ashwin was recalled in the T20I setup for a very long break. He will be India’s lead spinner with Ravindra Jadeja and Rahul Chahar. His selection was a much-needed one as India lacked a good off-spinner in the shortest format for quite some time now.

Ravindra Jadeja will be the left-arm spinner. He keeps the runs in check and can chip in with a few wickets. He has an economy of 7.27 in the IPL since 2019 and has picked 27 wickets in 36 games. Plus, he can hit a long ball.

Rahul Chahar will be the leg-spinner. He is one of those fast leg-spinners. Chahar has played 5 T20Is and has picked 7 wickets at an economy of 7.61. He has 47 wickets to his name in 40 IPL matches at an economy of 7.33. Chahar has performed well in the last couple of seasons in the IPL.

Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy are the other options in the spin department. Varun Chakravarthy can be a good option as he can bowl in the power play as well. He has done well in the IPL as well.

Axar Patel will get the chance only when Jadeja is dropped or injured which looks very unlikely. India could have picked one more pacer, someone like Mohammad Siraj or T Natarajan.

Chahal’s omission came as a surprise for everyone as he was India’s lead spinner for some time now. However, his performance in the last 2-3 years has been poor and that went against him.

Indian Bowlers in T20Is since 2019:

Image: ESPNcricinfo

Since 2019, Chahal has played 22 T20Is and has picked 19 wickets at an economy of 8.94 and is averaging 40.47. He picked only 6 wickets in 10 T20 games (IPL+Domestic) in 2021.

Chahal is an experienced campaigner and a proven-match winner. India could have picked him instead of someone like Axar Patel as Jadeja is already there. Also, Rahul Chahar is still inexperienced in international cricket.

Apart from that, India’s spin department looks strong with all kinds of varieties; they have an off-spinner, a left-arm orthodox, a leg-spinner and a mystery spinner as well in Varun Chakravarthy. Spinners will be very important as the pitches in the UAE may assist the spinners, as the pitches will get tired as the tournament progresses.

Overall, the Indian squad for the ICC World T20 2021 is looking balanced. Their batting unit is one of the best in the whole tournament while bowling can cause a few problems and could’ve been better. India are one of the top contenders for the title and it will be very exciting to see these 15 men in action on the cricket field.

Written by Robin Rounder. Follow Robin on Twitter today.

SL vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
-
0
SL vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

SL vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SL vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs South Africa 1st T20I Key Players | Colombo Pitch Report

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Sri Lanka:

  • Charith Asalanka was Sri Lanka’s star batsman in the ODI series (most runs: 196 at an average of 65.33). Also, he scored two half-centuries in four domestic T20s recently, along with a score of 44 vs India. Key player.
  • Kamindu Mendis is in outstanding touch. He has scored five consecutive 50+ scores in domestic matches (67 and 110 in List A, and 74, 53* and 66 in the SLC T20 Invitational League).
  • Avishka Fernando is yet to grasp the T20 format (average of 13.15 in 20 T20Is). However, he has the potential to do so here. He has scored just 17 runs in three T20Is vs South Africa to date.
  • Dhananjaya de Silva has a poor record vs SA (111 runs, avg. 15.85), but enjoys batting on this ground (227 runs, avg. 37.83).
  • Watch out for Wanindu Hasaranga. The star all-rounder was player of the series against India, and is enjoying a fine year in T20s with 17 wickets in nine matches at an economy rate of 5.23.
  • Dushmantha Chameera has the next-highest number of T20I wickets for Sri Lanka in 2021 (14 wickets in nine matches at an economy rate of 6.17). He was also player of the match in the third ODI with 29 runs and 2/16 off his four overs.
  • Maheesh Theekshana enjoyed a dream ODI debut, taking 4/37. He has taken 10 wickets in nine T20s this year at a magnificent economy rate of just 4.23.

South Africa:

  • Reeza Hendricks has the most runs of any current South Africa player vs Sri Lanka (5 inns, 199 runs, avg. 39.80, SR 127.56). This includes two 50+ scores.
  • Janneman Malan missed out on the T20 World Cup squad, so eyes will be on how motivated he is here to prove the selectors wrong. His top order partner, Aiden Markram, will also be looking to make an impact in what is a fruitful year in T20Is for him (9 inns, 339 runs, avg. 37.66, SR 154.09).
  • David Miller strikes at 135.47 vs Sri Lanka (196 runs, avg. 24.50). He will be key in the middle order for South Africa.
  • World number one Tabraiz Shamsi will be looking to lead from the front in spinning conditions. He is having an outstanding year in T20Is, where he also won player of the series vs West Indies. His overall 2021 stats read: 14 matches, 24 wickets, avg. 12.20, econ. 5.32.
  • Keshav Maharaj took six wickets in the ODI series at an average/economy rate of just 16.66/3.57.
  • Kagiso Rabada has three wickets to his name in two T20Is vs Sri Lanka. Key man at the death.

Stats and Facts

  • South Africa lead the head-to-head vs Sri Lanka 7-5 in T20Is.
  • Sri Lanka have won their last two T20Is.
  • Both teams are coming off series wins (Sri Lanka against India, and South Africa against West Indies and Ireland).

Possible Playing 11

Dinesh Chandimal is set to open and take the gloves. Kamindu Mendis is set to bat three. Maheesh Theekshana is likely to play after a dream ODI debut.

Sri Lanka: 1. Avishka Fernando, 2. Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 3. Kamindu Mendis, 4. Dhananjaya de Silva, 5. Charith Asalanka, 6. Dasun Shanaka (c), 7. Wanindu Hasaranga, 8. Ramesh Mendis, 9. Chamika Karunaratne, 10. Dushmantha Chameera, 11. Maheesh Theekshana

David Miller has recovered from his hamstring injury and is set to play. Lungi Ngidi has taken off for the IPL. Keshav Maharaj will skipper the side in Temba Bavuma’s injury-forced absence.

South Africa: 1. Janneman Malan, 2. Reeza Hendricks, 3. Aiden Markram, 4. David Miller, 5. Rassie van der Dussen, 6. Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 7. Wiaan Mulder, 8. George Linde, 9. Keshav Maharaj (c), 10. Kagiso Rabada, 11. Tabraiz Shamsi

R Premadasa Stadium Colombo Pitch Report and Weather

More turn is on the cards for this one, especially given it played a key role in Sri Lanka’s ODI series victory. The team batting second has won seven of the last 10 T20Is on this ground, but a decent score in the region of 140-150 here could be a tough chase.

There is a chance of rain interruptions during the match.

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:

SL vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SL vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs South Africa 1st T20I Key Players | Colombo Pitch Report
SL vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

SL vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | SL vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Sri Lanka vs South Africa 1st T20I Key Players | Colombo Pitch Report
SL vs SA 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction

Match Prediction

Sri Lanka at home look tough to beat. However, South Africa also have the spinners to cause headaches. So, a score of 140-150 can be a winning one.

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

ENG vs IND 5th Test Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Yash Mittal
-
0
ENG vs IND 5th Test Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

ENG vs IND 5th Test Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs IND 5th Test Match Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs India 5th Test Match Key Players | Old Trafford Pitch Report

Two years ago, a billion dreams were shattered at Old Trafford in Manchester when Virat Kohli’s Team India lost to New Zealand in the semi-final of the 50-over World Cup. Two years and a few months later, another opportunity beckons for the Kohli-led side to carve out yet another legacy enhancing feat as the tourists aim for their first Test series win in England since 2007.

India have time and again displayed just why they are a top-tier Test team in the past four years. Their ability to bounce back from the dead has been truly inspirational and we saw that yet again in the last Test at the Oval where the tourists reversed a 99-run first innings deficit into a 157-run mauling of England.

India were up against it on the first evening thanks to yet another batting collapse but Shardul Thakur’s belligerent half-century kept them afloat as they eventually posted 191. England were then reduced to 5-62 on the second morning but Ollie Pope’s 81 and decent contributions from the middle and lower order ensured that the hosts ended up getting a 99-run-lead.

That England managed to get just a 99-run lead was down to the inability of their batsmen to convert their starts into a big knock, something that came back to bite them later in the game as India piled up 466 runs in their 2nd innings to set them a target of 368.

It was a flat track, alright, and when England breezed to 0-100 on the fifth morning, it looked like the Test would meander to a draw. However, disciplined bowling in the 1st session, imaginative captaincy by Kohli and a masterclass in how to bowl on a flat deck by Jasprit Bumrah ensured that the heart of England’s middle and lower order was ripped out by the time players departed for the tea break.

Umesh Yadav completed the formalities after the Tea break to ensure that India won their first Test at the Oval after 50 years and took an unassailable 2-1 lead in the 5-match series.

India can no longer lose the Test series but England can still ensure that it ends in a 2-2 stalemate, something that the tourists will be desperate to ensure that that’s not the case as they aim to rewrite history books in Manchester.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

England:

  • Joe Root: The England captain endured a rare average game by his standards in the Oval Test as he failed to convert his starts into a three-figure score. Root would be desperate to do so at one of his favorite venues-Old Trafford- as England aim to draw the series. Root is the 2nd highest run-getter among all English batsmen in Manchester. In 15 innings, he has scored 781 runs at an average of 65.08 with six 50+ scores including one ton.
  • Rory Burns: The Surrey opener looked good during his half-century knock in the second innings of the last Test before he was undone by a Jaffa from Shardul Thakur. Burns has got off to starts in the series but he has failed to convert them into big knocks, something Joe Root stressed for the English batsmen to do more often after the last game.
  • Ollie Pope: The young batsman looked like a million dollars during his knock of 81 in the first innings of the Oval Test. However just like other England batsmen he failed to convert it into a daddy hundred. Can he do that in the must-win game in Manchester?
  • Chris Woakes: The seam-bowling all-rounder had a near perfect game as he claimed seven wickets across two innings besides scoring a crucial 50 in the first innings. He will once again be a huge threat for the tourists in Manchester.
  • Woakes’ record in Manchester: 23 wickets in 10 innings at 18.47 with one five-wicket-haul
  • James Anderson: It is still not known whether Anderson will play at his home venue given the amount of workload he has endured in the series so far. If he does play then Anderson will hope to notch up his maiden five-wicket-haul at his home turf. In 18 innings, he has managed 31 wickets at Old Trafford at 24.29.

India:

  • Rohit Sharma: The stylish Indian opener finally got the monkey off his back in the last game as he smashed an imperious 127 in the 2nd innings to set-up a 157-run victory. Rohit has thus far scored 368 runs in 8 innings at an average of 52.57 and he will be hoping to end the series on a high.
  • KL Rahul: The Karnataka opener shrugged off his string of low scores with a patient 46 in the 2nd innings at the Oval. Rahul started this series with an 84 at Trent Bridge and an imperious 126 at Lord’s. Can he finish the series on a high?
  • Virat Kohli: The Indian skipper looked really good in both the innings during the Oval Test. He scored a crucial 50 in the first innings and then backed it up with a 44 in the second before he was once again undone by Moeen Ali.
  • Can the Indian skipper continue his good work and hopefully convert his start into his 71st international ton?
  • Cheteshwar Pujara: He may have struggled for runs in the first inning but it is fair to say that the Indian No.3 has compensated with three back-to-back crucial knocks in the second innings in the ongoing Test series.
  • Pujara was once again brilliant (61) in the second innings of the Oval Test as he played with the same intent as he had done during his 91 at Leeds and it was his 153-run-stand with Rohit that really set the platform for Team India. Can Pujara emulate those exploits in the first innings of a Test match at Old Trafford?
  • Shardul Thakur: The all-rounder had a perfect outing at the Oval as he scored two crucial 50s besides claiming three prized scalps including Ollie Pope in the first innings and Joe Root in the second. Can he back it up with another good show in the next Test?
  • Jasprit Bumrah: The champion pacer once again displayed during the last Test just why he is a once-in-a-generation kind of bowler. In an inspired spell on a fifth day track, Bumrah ripped the heart out of the English middle-order and his figures 6-3-6-2 does not remotely suggest just how good he was.

Stats and Facts

  • India have an abysmal record at Old Trafford: 0 wins, 4 defeats and 5 draws in 9 previous Tests.
  • The last time India played a Test in Manchester was in 2014 where they were pumped by an innings & 54 runs.
  • England’s record at Old Tafford: 31 wins, 15 defeats and 35 drawn games.
  • If England fail to win the final Test then it will be the first time since 1986 where they end their home summer with two Test series defeats.
  • If India manages to win or draw the final Test then Virat Kohli will become the first Indian skipper to lead his side to a Test series win in Australia and England.

Possible Playing 11

India

It will be interesting to see the make-up of India’s playing XI for the Old Trafford Test. Will an out of form Ajinkya Rahane be finally consigned to the bench? Will the management rotate it’s seamers? Also, if the pitch shows signs of turn, will India bring back Ashwin? And, if yes, in place of whom?

Playing XI– Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli ©, Ajinkya Rahane/Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav/R Ashwin, Mohammed Shami/Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah/Ishant Sharma

England:

With Jos Buttler available and Root having confirmed in the presser that the Lancashire stumper will keep wickets, it will be a toss up between Ollie Pope and Jonny Bairstow.

Mark Wood is likely to slot back while it remains to be seen whether England decide to rest one of their seamers in James Anderson or Ollie Robinson. Also, with Jack Leach in the squad and Old Trafford expected to aid spin bowlers, will the home side resort to playing two spinners?

Playing XI– Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root ©, Ollie Pope/Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (WK), Moeen Ali/Jack Leach, Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, James Anderson

Old Trafford, Manchester pitch report and weather conditions

The wicket at Old Trafford has shown signs of aiding spinners in the recent past. However, with it expected to be overcast and gloomy for the first few days, one can expect the seam and swing bowlers to rule the roost.

As far as the weather is concerned, it is expected to rain on the first three days. The temperatures will fluctuate between 17-21 degree Celsius. Humidity is set to hover around 87%. 

Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction

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

ENG vs IND 5th Test Dream11 Prediction & Fan2Play Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | ENG vs IND 5th Test Match Dream11 Prediction Today | England vs India 5th Test Match Key Players | Old Trafford Pitch Report
ENG vs IND 5th Test Fan2Play

Match Prediction

This series has been back and forth with one side storming back emphatically after a set-back. England certainly have it in them to put up a performance like they did in Leeds. However, India should start as slight favourites.

1...286287288...499Page 287 of 499