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CPL 2021 Match 4: TKR vs BR Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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CPL 2021 Match 4: TKR vs BR Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

CPL 2021 Match 4: TKR vs BR Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | TKR vs BR Dream11 Prediction Today | Trinbago Knight Riders vs Barbados Royals Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report

All good things come to an end, right? That was certainly the case for champions Trinbago Knight Riders, who lost their first game since 2019 with a nine-run defeat in the tournament opener.

TKR’s 12-game unbeaten run, which included an unbeaten 2020 campaign, was broken. Kieron Pollard’s men will be aiming for a much-improved showing on day two of CPL 2021, particularly with the bat after failing to chase down Guyana’s 142. The penultimate-over maiden was particularly remarkable, so TKR’s finishing will be in focus as they look to get going in 2021.

The new name for Barbados Royals didn’t quite bring the new luck. They were blown away by Sherfane Rutherford, Dwayne Bravo and Fabian Allen on the opening night, conceding 136 runs in the last 12.5 overs after reducing St Kitts to 38/4. Three bowlers, including skipper Jason Holder, went at over 10 an over, and just two batsmen crossed 25 in a harrowing 21-run defeat. Indeed, such circumstances call for a much better team performance.

So, who will shake off the rust and get on the board first in CPL 2021?

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Trinbago Knight Riders:

  • Sunil Narine was back at his economical best in the CPL opener (2/17). However, Narine has struggled for TKR against Barbados, with just four wickets in nine matches against them. He does have a decent batting record, though, with 147 runs runs at a strike rate of 150 (avg. 24).
  • Darren Bravo has the most runs in TKR-BR matches (307, avg. 25.58). However, he averages below 23 batting at five in T20s, which is where he batted yesterday.
  • Kieron Pollard has an outstanding record for TKR against his former franchise. In five matches, Pollard has slammed 159 runs at a strike rate of 191.57 (avg. 39.75). This includes an unbelievable 72 (28) last season. Also, Pollard averages above 40 and strikes above 150 in 13 T20s at Warner Park.
  • Colin Munro struck 50 off 30 balls in TKR’s first match against Barbados last season. Overall, though, Munro has a sub-par record vs BR, with 235 runs in 11 matches at an average/strike rate of 21.36/126.34.
  • Akeal Hossain is in some fine touch, after an impressive showing vs Australia recently and 2/17 on this ground yesterday.
  • Jayden Seales took three wickets in two matches vs Barbados last season. He remains a key wicket-taking option, especially after a fruitful Test series against Pakistan.

Barbados Royals:

  • Johnson Charles enjoys playing against TKR. He scored 52 (33) and 47 (37) last season, part of 247 runs in five matches at an average of 49.40 and strike rate of 125.28.
  • Shai Hope (44 off 38 balls yesterday) is the accumulator in this BR side, but needs others to perform around him.
  • One such player is Glenn Phillips. He had an off day yesterday (5 runs and run-out of opening partner), and will be hoping to bounce back against a team he has a good record against: 8 inns, 255 runs, avg. 31.88, SR 146.55.
  • Jason Holder is crucial to his team’s chances. He has taken 14 wickets in 13 matches vs TKR, along with 131 runs at 21.83. Key player with bat and ball.
  • Kyle Mayers top-scored for Barbados in CPL 2020 (222 runs, avg. 24.66, SR 111.55). He scored 42 (37) in his last meeting vs TKR.
  • Hayden Walsh (0/25 off two overs) had a poor outing yesterday. Barbados will be hoping he bounces back against a team whom he has a good record against: 5 inns, 10 wickets.
  • Oshane Thomas was easily the pick of the Barbados bowlers yesterday, with 3/22. He has just the two wickets in four matches vs TKR at an expensive economy rate of 10.29.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 17, TKR 10, BR 7.
  • Lendl Simmons scored the most runs of any player in CPL 2020 (356, avg. 39.55). He scored 21 and 32 against Barbados last season, so TKR will be hoping he can build on those numbers this season.
  • TKR’s defeat yesterday was their first in 13 CPL matches. BR have lost seven of their past 10 games.

Possible Playing XI

Trinbago Knight Riders: 1. Lendl Simmons, 2. Sunil Narine, 3. Colin Munro, 4. Tim Seifert, 5. Darren Bravo, 6. Denesh Ramdin (wk), 7. Kieron Pollard (c), 8. Isuru Udana, 9. Akeal Hossain, 10. Ravi Rampaul, 11. Jayden Seales

Barbados Royals: 1. Glenn Phillips, 2. Johnson Charles, 3. Shai Hope (wk), 4. Jason Holder (c), 5. Kyle Mayers, 6. Azam Khan, 7. Thisara Perera, 8. Ashley Nurse, 9. Hayden Walsh, 10. Mohammad Amir, 11. Oshane Thomas

Warner Park Basseterre St. Kitts Pitch Report and Weather

CPL 2021 has seen two scores in excess of 170 in the first three games. Should the batsmen get in, there are runs to be had with an easy-paced surface and shorter boundaries. The weather is set to be warm and clear.

Fantasy Cricket

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.

TKR vs BR Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

CPL 2021 Match 4: TKR vs BR Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | TKR vs BR Dream11 Prediction Today | Trinbago Knight Riders vs Barbados Royals Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report
CPL 2021 Match 4: TKR vs BR Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

CPL 2021 Match 4: TKR vs BR Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | TKR vs BR Dream11 Prediction Today | Trinbago Knight Riders vs Barbados Royals Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report
CPL 2021 Match 4: TKR vs BR Dream11 Prediction

Fan2Play Prediction

CPL 2021 Match 4: TKR vs BR Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | TKR vs BR Dream11 Prediction Today | Trinbago Knight Riders vs Barbados Royals Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report
CPL 2021 Match 4: TKR vs BR Fan2Play

Trinbago Knight Riders vs Barbados Royals Prediction

TKR have the better record against BR, and Kieron Pollard’s men look more balanced and confident than their opponents, despite the first-up defeat. BR have the talent to perform, but TKR have the proven pedigree.

CPL 2021 Match 3: JAM vs SLK Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Yash Mittal
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CPL 2021 Match 3: JAM vs SLK Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

CPL 2021 Match 3: JAM vs SLK Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report |JAM vs SLK 3rd CPL 2021 Match Dream11 Prediction Today| Jamaica Tallawahs vs St Lucia Kings 3rd Match Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report

The third game of the 9th edition of the Caribbean Premier League will see Jamaica Tallawahs square off against St Lucia Kings at Warner Park in St. Kitts.

Jamaica Tallawahs will be hoping for an improved show this season given their inconsistent performances last year. The Rovman Powell-led unit was fortunate enough to qualify for the semi-finals, having managed just 3 wins in 10 games. They will be looking to bank on the likes of Chadwick Walton, Andre Russell, Chris Green and Qais Ahmed for an improved show this season.

St. Lucia Kings, on the other hand, will usher into a new era under a new name following the stakes bought by the IPL franchise Punjab Kings. The Faf du Plessis-led unit finished as runner-up last season where they eventually lost to Trinbago Knight Riders. In Andre Fletcher, Tim David, Roston Chase, Wahab Riaz, Obed McCoy, Alzarri Joseph and Faf du Plessis, they boast of enough firepower in their rank to go one step ahead this season.

Can they start well vs the Tallawahs?

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Jamaica Tallawahs:

  • Chadwick Walton: Walton endured a season to forget last year as he managed just 24 runs in his 8 outings.  But the right-hander is too good a player to keep missing out and he will be gunning to stage his redemption this season.
  • Walton has featured in 10 games against St Lucia Kings, scoring 265 runs at an average/SR of 29.44/118.83.
  • Andre Russell: Without a shadow of doubt, superstar Andre Russell will once again be the MVP of Jamaica Tallawahs. Russell was the most impactful batsman for his franchise last year as he racked up 222 runs in 8 innings at a strike rate of 141.40 with 3 50+ scores. He also chipped in with 3 wickets in 13 overs. 
  • Russell doesn’t have an impressive record against the St Lucia Kings though. In 10 outings, he has managed just 122 runs at an average of 17.43 albeit at a strike rate of 164.86.
  • Chris Green: Green, who represented Guyana Amazon Warriors last season, is a great addition to the Jamaica Tallawahs. In CPL 2020, Green chipped in with 9 wickets in 11 games at an average of 23.66 and an economy rate of 5.68.
  • Green has squared off against St Lucia Kings on 6 instances during which he has claimed 4 wickets at an average of 33 and an economy rate of 6.77.
  • Rovman Powell: The skipper had a poor outing last season as he managed just 106 runs in 10 innings at an average of 11.77. He will be hoping to make amends this year.
  • Powell has featured in 9 games against the Kings in which he has managed 224 runs at an average of 28 and a strike rate of 156.64.

St Lucia Kings

  • Faf du Plessis: Du Plessis started the year on an imperious note, smashing runs for fun for CSK in the IPL. In 7 games, the former Proteas skipper smashed 320 runs at an average of 64 and he was the third highest run-getter when the tournament was called off due to Covid.
  • Du Plessis then featured in the PSL where he unfortunately ended up suffering concussion when he collided with one of his teammates while fielding. After a long layoff, Du Plessis believes that he is getting better and he will look to make a mark this year as St Lucia Kings skipper.
  • Andre Fletcher: Fletcher had an ordinary season last year as he managed 211 runs in 11 innings at an average of 21.10 and a strike rate of 127.87. He, however, has a brilliant record against Jamaica Tallawahs. The right-hander has smashed 499 runs in 15 outings against Jamaica at an average of 41.58 and a strike rate of 126.33 with 3 50+ scores.
  • Tim David: David has seen his stocks rise steadily in the past few months. The swashbuckling batsmen smashed 340 runs in 8 Royal London 50-over Cup innings at an average of 68. He has been picked by RCB for the 2nd leg of the IPL and the right hander will be eager to showcase his exploits in the CPL this season.
  • Obed McCoy: McCoy did not have a particularly good season last year as he managed just 1 wicket in 4 games. However, the left-arm seamer has shown brilliant form for the West Indies this year. In 2 games that he played against Australia, McCoy claimed 5 wickets at an average of 7.
  • McCoy has featured in six games against Jamaica in which he has claimed 5 wickets at an average of 31.40 and an economy rate of 7.54.

Stats and Facts

  • Both sides have squared off on 15 occasions in the CPL with Jamaica Tallawahs leading the ledger 9-6.
  • They have clashed just once at Warner Park where St Lucia Kings got the better of Jamaica Tallawahs.
  • Last year, both sides won one game apiece against each other.

Possible Playing XI

Jamaica Tallawahs

Wicketkeeper Chadwick Walton and Shamarh Brooks will most likely open the innings followed by Haider Ali, Jason Mohammed.

All-rounder Andre Russell and skipper Rovman Powell should slot in at 5 and 6 followed by spinners in Chris Green, Veerasammy Permaul, Qais Ahmed. Migeal Pretorius and the veteran Fiesel Edwards will lead the seam attack.

JAM Possible Playing 11: 1. Chadwick Walton (wk), 2. Shamarh Brooks, 3. Jason Mohammed, 4. Haider Ali, 5. Andre Russell, 6. Rovman Powell (c), 7. Chris Green, 8. Qais Ahmed, 9. Veerasammy Permaul, 10. Fidel Edwards, 11. Migael Pretorious

St Lucia Kings

Skipper Faf du Plessis will open the innings alongside keeper Andre Fletcher followed by the likes of Roston Chase, Tim David, Rahkeem Cornwall.

Keemo Paul will slot in as a seam-bowling all-rounder while Obed McCoy, Wahab Riaz and Alzarri Joseph will lead the pace attack. Usman Qadir will serve as the second spinner alongside Cornwall.

SLK Possible Playing 11: 1. Faf du Plessis (c), 2. Andre Fletcher (wk), 3. Roston Chase, 4. Rahkeem Cornwall, 5. Tim David, 6. Keemo Paul, 7. Obed McCoy, 8. Alzarri Joseph, 9. Kesrick Williams, 10. Usman Qadir, 11. Wahab Riaz

Warner’s Park, St Kitts Pitch Report and Weather Conditions

In the two games played at the venue thus far this season, the surface had aided the batsmen with them getting full value for their shots.

That said, both pacers as well as spinners have also enjoyed considerable success. The average 1st innings score after two games is 158.5 and team batting first have won on both instances.

As far as weather is concerned, it is expected to be bright and sunny with temperatures fluctuating between 27-30 degree Celsius. Humidity is set to hover around 81%. 

Fantasy Cricket

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.

JAM vs SLK Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction

CPL 2021 Match 3: JAM vs SLK Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report |JAM vs SLK 3rd CPL 2021 Match Dream11 Prediction Today| Jamaica Tallawahs vs St Lucia Kings 3rd Match Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report

Match Prediction

In the end, it will eventually boil down to who wins the battle between a belligerent Jamaica Tallawahs batting-unit and a pretty decent bowling attack of St. Lucia Kings. Backing St. Lucia to edge the battle and notch up a win given their good depth.

IRE vs ZIM 1st T20 Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Charbel Coorey
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0
IRE vs ZIM 1st T20 Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

IRE vs ZIM 1st T20 Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IRE vs ZIM 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Ireland vs Zimbabwe 1st T20I Key Players | Dublin Pitch Report

Pushed back three weeks due to changes in COVID-19 travel regulations, a rare T20I assignment for both Ireland and Zimbabwe is all set to take place.

For the Irish, this series serves particular importance. Given the scarcity of T20 cricket over the past few years, it is a premium opportunity to find form and confidence ahead of the T20 World Cup. They have played just nine T20Is since the beginning of 2020, losing six of them to West Indies, Afghanistan and most recently South Africa.

Ahead of a competitive group featuring Sri Lanka, Netherlands and Namibia, Ireland need their experienced players in form. Paul Stirling had a fine Hundred campaign, and the out-of-form Kevin O’Brien is in desperate need of runs. The likes of Andy Balbirnie, Harry Tector and George Dockrell showed promising batting form in the ODIs against South Africa, but will need to transfer this to the T20 format where they weren’t able to cross 140 in the their three games against the Proteas.

For Zimbabwe, this series is a matter of pride and building winning confidence. They will not be participating in the T20 World Cup, but like Ireland, will be seeking a turnaround to some poor T20 form in recent years. Their last T20I series win was in 2019 in a tri-series involving Singapore and Nepal, with defeats to Afghanistan and Bangladesh (twice) since.

The only T20I at Castle Avenue to date was between Afghanistan and Oman in 2015.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Ireland:

  • Paul Stirling struck his runs at 167.08 per 100 balls in the recent Hundred. Also, Stirling has smashed two 50+ scores in three T20Is vs Zimbabwe, with his 143 runs coming at a strike rate of 201.40.
  • Andy Balbirnie struck 28* off 17 balls in his only T20I to date vs Zimbabwe. He was in some fine form in the recent white-ball matches vs South Africa.
  • Can Harry Tector transfer his ODI form to T20Is? After a fine ODI series vs South Africa, he then struggled in the T20Is (36, 3, 5). He will be key in the middle order for Ireland.
  • Simi Singh is enjoying a fine year in white-ball cricket. He took 2/19, 1/27 and 1/29 in the recent series against the Proteas. Also, on this ground in 2018, Singh struck 41 and conceded just 12 runs for Ireland A against Bangladesh A.
  • Mark Adair has taken four wickets in two matches vs Zimbabwe. He also took five wickets in three T20Is against South Africa.
  • Josh Little has taken 17 wickets in his last nine white-ball matches, across Ireland’s domestic competition and matches vs the Proteas.

Zimbabwe:

  • No Zimbabwean player has more T20I runs vs Ireland than skipper Craig Ervine. He has two 50+ scores to his name in as many matches, with a total of 123 runs at an average of 123 (scores of 68* and 55).
  • Brendan Taylor is close behind on 112 in three matches vs Ireland. He also has a 50+ score (59) at an overall average of 37.33 and strike rate of 145.45.
  • Wessley Madhevere has been a huge positive for Zimbabwe in recent times. He is coming off scores of 53 and 74 in the recent T20I series against Bangladesh.
  • Dion Myers has had no issue with getting starts in international cricket. His scores across formats read: 27, 26, 18, 34, 34, 35, 26 and 23. He and Ryan Burl will be key in the finishing department.
  • Blessing Muzarabani will be key in conditions that can offer seam movement. He has taken 25 wickets in 20 T20 matches in 2021.

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-head: Matches 3, Ireland 2, Zimbabwe 1.
  • Zimbabwe won the most recent match between the two sides, by eight wickets at Bready in 2019. Brendan Taylor scored 39 (20) and Craig Ervine scored 68* (47).
  • These five T20Is will be Ireland’s last T20s before the World Cup.

Possible Playing 11

Kevin O’Brien is in horrendous form this year, but Ireland could look to persist with him.

Ireland: 1. Paul Stirling, 2. Kevin O’Brien, 3. Andy Balbirnie, 4. Lorcan Tucker (wk), 5. Harry Tector, 6. George Dockrell/Curtis Campher, 7. Simi Singh, 8. Mark Adair, 9. Barry McCarthy, 10. Craig Young, 11. Josh Little

Sean Williams has informed the Zimbabwe board that he will step down from international cricket. So, Dion Myers is likely to slot in at five.

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

Castle Avenue Dublin Pitch Report and Weather

A mostly clear day is forecast for Dublin. The only T20I played on this ground was in 2015, where Afghanistan chased down Oman’s 127 with ease. In 2018, Ireland A played Bangladesh A in a T20, where the tourists chased down Ireland’s 152 with two overs to spare. One feels that a score in the region of 160 can be competitive.

Fantasy Cricket

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.

Fan2Play Prediction

IRE vs ZIM 1st T20 Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IRE vs ZIM 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Ireland vs Zimbabwe 1st T20I Key Players | Dublin Pitch Report
IRE vs ZIM 1st T20 Fan2Play Prediction

IRE vs ZIM 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

IRE vs ZIM 1st T20 Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IRE vs ZIM 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Ireland vs Zimbabwe 1st T20I Key Players | Dublin Pitch Report
IRE vs ZIM 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction

Option 2:

IRE vs ZIM 1st T20 Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | IRE vs ZIM 1st T20 Dream11 Prediction Today | Ireland vs Zimbabwe 1st T20I Key Players | Dublin Pitch Report
IRE vs ZIM 1st T20 Dream11

Match Prediction

A competitive match awaits, but Ireland, at home, start as favourites.

CPL 2021 Match 2: BR vs SKN Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Yash Mittal
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0
CPL 2021 Match 2: BR vs SKN Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

CPL 2021 Match 2: BR vs SKN Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BR vs SKN 2nd CPL 2021 Match Dream11 Prediction Today| Barbados Royals vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots 2nd Match Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report

The caravan of the 9th edition of the Caribbean Premier League rolls on as the second game of the season will see Barbados Royals lock horns with St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots at Warner Park.

Both sides, with some fresh recruits in their ranks, will be looking to shrug off the horrors of the last season and start afresh.

Barbados Royals finished fifth in the last season, managing just six points. The franchise-led by Jason Holder has roped in the likes of Glenn Phillips, Azam Khan and pacer Oshane Thomas.

St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots, on the other hand, were abysmal last season as they finished with the wooden spoon. However, things could very well improve this season as they will have the services of the likes of Chris Gayle (who missed the last season due to personal reasons), Dwayne Bravo (who has moved from Trinbago Knight Riders) and Fabian Allen (missed the flight from Jamaica to Barbados) in CPL 2021.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Barbados Royals:

  • Glenn Phillips: Philips has been signed as replacement for Chris Morris for CPL 2021. The hard-hitting batsman has been the leading run-scorer for his previous franchise – Jamaica Tallawahs – in the past 3 years. Last year, he scored 316 runs in 10 innings at an average of 35.11 and a strike rate of 141.40 with three 50+ scores.
  • Also, Phillips has a fine record against St. Kitts. In eight innings, he has struck 420 runs at an average of 60.00 and strike rate of 134.62.
  • Johnson Charles: Charles had an average season last year as he managed just 214 runs in 10 innings at an average of 21.40 and a strike rate of 115.05 with just one 50+ score. His record against St Kitts isn’t great either: 93 runs in four innings at 23.25 and a strike rate of 109.41.
  • Kyle Mayers: Mayers is coming off a poor Test stint with the national side and he will be gunning to redeem himself in the shortest format of the game.
  • He was the leading scorer for Barbados last season – 222 runs in nine innings at 24.66 and strike rate of 111.95. In two matches against the Patriots, Mayers has managed 59 runs at a strike rate of 159.46.
  • Jason Holder: Holder had a decent season last year as he managed 192 runs in 10 innings besides claiming 10 wickets. In eight games against St. Kitts, the all-rounder has scored 146 runs at a strike rate of 147.47 besides claiming 5 wickets.
  • Hayden Walsh Jr: The leg-spinner had a brilliant international summer against Australia and he will be looking to do an encore of his exploits in CPL 2021. Last season, Walsh Jr claimed seven wickets at an average of 25.14 and at an economy rate of 7.65.
  • As far as his record against SKN is concerned, the leg-spinner has managed four wickets in as many innings.
  • Jake Lintott: Wrist spinner Lintott is another player to watch out for. The leggie is coming off a hugely successful stint in the Hundred where he finished as the leading wicket-taker – 11 wickets in nine games at 19.00.

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots

  • Chris Gayle: The ‘Universe Boss’ may not be as consistent as he used to be but one just can’t rule the prospect of him going bonkers like he did in the one of the T20Is against the Aussies earlier this year.
  • Gayle has turned up in four games for St Kitts against the Royals back in 2017-18 in which he managed 82 runs at an average of 41 and a strike rate of 141.38. Also, Gayle has an outstanding record at Warner Park, with 712 runs at an average of 44.50 and strike rate of 141.27.
  • Evin Lewis: Lewis was sensational for the West Indies during their international T20I summer against South Africa and Australia. In five games against the Proteas, the left-hander racked up 178 runs at an average of 35.60 and a blistering strike rate of 160.36 besides racking up 110 runs in three games against the Aussies.
  • Lewis has a fine record against Barbados Royals – 335 runs in 11 innings at an average of 33.50 and a strike rate of 148.89. He will once again be the MVP for the Patriots this season.
  • Fabian Allen: Allen will be crucial for the Patriots in the middle and death overs. A hard hitter of a cricket ball coupled with the ability to chip in with wickets in the middle overs, Allen could well turn out to be the game changer for his team this season.
  • Allen has featured in three games against Barbados Royals in which he has racked up 84 runs at a strike rate of 171.43.
  • Dwayne Bravo: The legendary all-rounder has jumped ship from TKR to St.Kitts and Nevis Patriots and his presence will bolster the death bowling stocks. He has 14 wickets in 13 games vs Barbados, as well as 15 wickets in 12 matches on this ground.
  • Rayad Emrit: Emrit was the leading wicket-taker for Kitts last year. In nine innings, he managed 11 wickets at an average of 17.36 and an economy rate of 5.96. In two games against Barbados, Emrit has claimed two wickets at 24.50.

Stats and Facts

  • Both sides have locked horns on 12 instances in the CPL. Barbados Royals have managed a win in just four instances while St Kitts & Nevis Patriots have won eight.
  • Last year, both sides won one game apiece.
  • The Royals finished at the 5th spot last year after they managed just three wins in 10 outings.
  • St Kitts & Nevis Patriots were abysmal last year as they managed a solitary win in 10 games. They finished at the bottom of the pile.

Possible Playing XI

Barbados Royals

Johnson Charles and Glenn Phillips will open the batting followed by Kyle Mayers, Shai Hope, skipper Jason Holder and uncapped Azam Khan.

All-rounder Thisara Perera should slot in at 7 followed by Hayden Walsh Jr. It will be interesting to see whether the Royals will go with the inform Jake Lintott or will they bank on the experience of Mohammad Amir.

Oshane Thomas will likely slot in as one of the specialist seamers while there could be a shootout for a place between Raymon Reiffer and Ashley Nurse.

Barbados Royals Possible Playing 11: 1. Glenn Phillips, 2. Johnson Charles (wk), 3. Kyle Mayers, 4. Shai Hope, 5. Jason Holder (c), 6. Azam Khan, 7. Thisara Perera, 8. Hayden Walsh Jr, 9. Mohammad Amir/Jake Lintott, 10. Oshane Thomas, 11. Raymon Reiffer/Ashley Nurse

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots

Even Lewis and Chris Gayle will form a blistering opening pair followed by Joshua de Silva, Sherfane Rutherford and one of Asif Ali or Ravi Bopara.

Fabian Allen and Dwayne Bravo will be the two all-rounders followed by skipper Rayad Emrit, Fawad Ahmed, Paul van Meekeren and Sheldon Cottrell.

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots Possible Playing XI: 1. Chris Gayle, 2. Evin Lewis, 3. Joshua de Silva (wk), 4. Sherfane Rutherford, 5. Asif Ali/Ravi Bopara, 6. Fabian Allen, 7. Dwayne Bravo, 8. Rayad Emrit (c), 9. Fawad Ahmed, 10. Paul van Meekeren, 11. Sheldon Cottrell

Warner’s Park, St Kitts Pitch Report and Weather Conditions

With fresh wicket set to greet the sides boasting of belligerent batting line-ups, one can expect plenty of runs in the contest. 

As far as the venue stats are concerned, The average 1st innings score in 10 T20Is at St. Kitts is 119 which drops to 93 in the 2nd.

Teams bowling first have won on six instances as compared to a couple of occasions when the side batting first has won.

With regards to the weather, it is expected to be clear in St. Kitts with temperatures hovering between 26-30 degree Celsius during the day. Humidity is set to hover around 65%. 

Fantasy Cricket

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.

BR vs SKN Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction

CPL 2021 Match 2: BR vs SKN Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | BR vs SKN 2nd CPL 2021 Match Dream11 Prediction Today| Barbados Royals vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots 2nd Match Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report
BR vs SKN Fan2Play Prediction

BR vs SKN Match Prediction

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots have had an upper hand over Barbados Royals in the past and with them boasting of a sensational batting-unit this time around, they should start as favorites.

Twitter reactions to India 78 & total England domination

Charbel Coorey
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0
Twitter reactions to India 78 & total England domination

Cricket News: Twitter reactions to India 78 & total England domination | Twitter reacts to India getting bowled out for 78

Cricket is a funny game. After the highs of Lord’s, India have sunk to the depths of a truly horrible day nine days later at Headingley.

After Virat Kohli’s milestone breakthrough at the toss, it all went downhill from there. Choosing to bat first, India displayed none of the discipline, patience and technique that had served them so well up until this point of the series, falling to numerous deliveries outside the off-stump.

It was a procession after Rohit and Rahane tried to get India to lunch. The last six wickets fell for just 22 runs, as England ran rampant in their attempt to level the series.

Indeed, full credit should go to England’s bowlers. There was barely a bad ball in a terrific opening session, fully taking advantage of the swing on offer on an easy-paced track. The magnificent James Anderson led the way, which included dismissing Virat Kohli for a low score once again. India then looked rattled in the field, serving up a buffet of short, wide deliveries that Haseeb Hameed feasted on as he and Rory Burns steered England to a formidable 120/0 at stumps.

Twitter reactions as India get bowled out for 78

It was a shocker of a day for India. However, Rishabh Pant was in no mood to question their decision at the toss. “Whatever decision we take, we take as a team,” Pant said. “So once we have decided we are going to bat first, we are going to back our decision. Yes we could have applied much better but we can’t keep on thinking too much about the toss.“

Of course, the Twitter reactions were aplenty. Here are some of the best reactions:

CPL 2021 Match 1: GUY vs TKR Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

Yash Mittal
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CPL 2021 Match 1: GUY vs TKR Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report

CPL 2021 Match 1: GUY vs TKR Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | GUY vs TKR 1st Match Dream11 Prediction Today| Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Trinbago Knight Riders 1st Match Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report

Another day and another T20 franchise league will take center stage with the 9th edition of the much revered Caribbean Premier League (CPL 2021) set to kick off at St. Warner’s Park at Basseterre in St. Kitts.

The tournament will kickoff with defending champions and the most successful side in the history of the CPL – Trinbago Knight Riders – locking horns with Guyana Amazon Warriors on Thursday, August 26.

The Kieron Pollard-led Trinbago Knight Riders have been the most dominant side in CPL history, having won four of the last five titles. They will be looking to pick up from where that had left last season – a season that saw them romp home without a single defeat.

This year, Pollard’s men will be without the experienced Dwayne Bravo, who has jumped ship to St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots but the rest of their core remains intact. Denesh Ramdin and Tim Seifert are back in the mix as is their leading run-scorer in the competition in Colin Munro, who missed the back end of last season due to a finger injury.

Jayden Sealeas is coming off a hugely successful Test stint with the West Indies and, he, along with ‘death over specialist’ Isuru Udana would lead the seam-bowling attack along with Ali Khan while the veteran Sunil Narine, Akeal Hossein, Khary Pierre and Yasir Shah are the spin-bowling options.

Guyana Amazon Warriors, on the other hand, have been one of the most consistent sides in the CPL but they are still searching for their elusive title, having finished as runner-up in five different instances.

The Warriors have undergone changes in their personnel after their embarrassing defeat in the semi-final of the 2020 season where they were shot out for 55 on a turner. They will be led by Nicholas Pooran this season and once again the onus of leading their batting-unit will fall on the belligerent southpaw, Shimron Hetmyer and the experienced duo of Mohammed Hafeez and Shoaib Malik.

Opener Brandon King struggled on turning tracks last year but he should feel comfortable on the placid St. Kitts tracks at least during the initial stage of the competition. The spin department-led by the magnificent Imran Tahir while Afghanistan’s Naveen-ul-Haq will spearhead the pace department.

Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

Trinbago Knight Riders

  • Colin Munro: Munro missed out at the back end of last season due to a finger injury and he will be eager to showcase his mettle this time around after having been dumped from the national side for the upcoming T20 WC. Munro is leading run-scorer among overseas batsmen, having racked up 1787 runs in 68 innings at an average of 39.84 and a strike rate of 137.38 with 15 50+ scores which also includes a three figure score.
  • Munro has an outstanding record against Guyana. He has slammed 482 runs in 13 matches against them at an average of 53.56 and strike rate of 137.71.
  • Lendl Simmons: Once again the onus of providing TKR with a blistering start will be on the shoulders of Simmons. The right-hander is the leading run-scorer in CPL history, having racked up 2436 runs in 80 innings at an average of 33.83 and a strike rate of 120.41 with 19 50+ scores. He is yet to fire against Guyana over the past two years (4 inns, 82 runs, avg. 20.50, SR 106), so TKR will be hoping for a turnaround today.
  • Kieron Pollard: The leader of the pack will once again be the MVP for the defending champions. Pollard was the most impactful player for TKR last year as he smashed 207 runs in 7 innings at an average of 51.75 and a blistering strike rate of 204.95. Against Guyana, Pollard’s 117 runs come at an average of 58.50 and strike rate of 153.95.
  • Darren Bravo: Bravo was the leading run-scorer for TKR last year. In nine innings, the experienced southpaw smashed 297 runs at an average of 59.40 but he would like to make improvements to his strike rate which was 115.11 last year albeit on sluggish tracks. Also, Bravo has the second-most runs in TKR-GUY matches, with 448 runs at 32.00.
  • Sunil Narine: Sunil Narine may not be the same bowler that he was a few years ago but he still remains a force to be reckoned with courtesy his 3D skills. Narine tonked 144 runs in 5 innings last season at a strike rate of 148.45 besides claiming 6 wickets at 15.16. He has taken 13 wickets in nine matches vs Guyana.
  • Akeal Hosein: The left-arm orthodox had a brilliant season last year as he claimed 10 wickets in 7 games at an average of 15 and an economy rate of 5.55. With international experience under his belt, he will be hoping to emulate his exploits from the last season.
  • Jayden Seales: Seales is coming off a hugely successful stint with the West Indies Test team and he will be spearheading the fast bowling unit of TKR. Last year, he claimed 8 wickets in 6 games at an average of 17.87.

Guyana Amazon Warriors

  • Nicholas Pooran: Pooran will be leading the Amazon Warriors this season and the onus will be on him to lead the batting-unit in the middle and death overs. Pooran showed good leadership skills in the absence of Kieron Pollard during the T20I series against Australia earlier this summer as he led the way with the bat with crucial knocks.
  • Pooran has scored a half-century vs TKR, but his other three innings against them have yielded just 22 runs. Key player.
  • Shimron Hetmyer: Along with Pooran, Hetmyer will lead the batting-unit in the middle overs. The blistering southpaw was Guyana Amazon Warriors’s leading scorer last year. In 11 innings, the southpaw accumulated 267 runs at an average of 33.37 and a strike rate of 125.94. Also, he has a solid record vs TKR: 8 inns, 270 runs, avg. 38.57, SR 129.19.
  • Brandon King: King had a poor season last year as he struggled to get going on turning tracks. With the pitches set to be placid during the initial stages of the competition at least, one can expect the swashbuckling opener to come into his own, but will need to improve on previous outings vs TKR (4 inns, 51 runs, avg. 12.75).
  • Shoaib Malik: Malik has been one of the veterans of the CPL, having scored 1707 runs at an average of 39.69 and a strike rate of 121.92. With the pitches likely to aid slow bowlers as the tournament wears on, his experience could come in handy in the middle overs.
  • Imran Tahir: Tahir was sensational last season as he spun a web around the opposition batsmen, claiming 15 wickets in 11 games at an average of 15.93 and an economy rate of 5.82. He will once again lead the bowling unit.
  • Naveen-ul-Haq: With 26 wickets in 14 games at an average of 17.58, Naveen-ul-Haq is leading the charts in the ongoing Vitality Blast in England. The Afghan seamer claimed 11 wicketslast season – second most after Imran Tahir – for Guyana Amazon Warriors and he will be looking to emulate his form in the upcoming season as well.

Stats and Facts

  • Both TKR and GUY have locked horns with each other on 21 instances in the CPL, out of which the Knight Riders have won 12 while Guyana have managed a victory on nine instances.
  • Both sides have played against each other only once at Warner Park and that encounter was won by Guyana Amazon Warriors.
  • Trinbago Knight Riders are on a 12-match winning streak, having swept the entire 2020 season. They have won four titles in the past five editions.
  • Guyana Amazon Warriors have ended up as runners-up in five different seasons. They finished as semi-finalists last year.

Possible Playing XI

Trinbago Knight Riders

Lendl Simmons and Tim Siefert should open the innings followed by their leading run-scorer from the last season- Darren Bravo.

Colin Munro is likely to slot-in the middle-order alongside skipper Kieron Pollard and stumper Denesh Ramdin. Isuru Udana will most likely be given the role of Dwayne Bravo while it be interesting to see if TKR go with an extra spin option in Yasir Shah or do they include seamer Ali Khan

TKR Possible Playing XI – Lendl Simmons, Tim Siefert, Darren Bravo, Colin Munro, Kieron Pollard [C], Denesh Ramdin [WK], Isuru Udana, Sunil Narine, Akeal Hosein, Jayden Seales, Ali Khan/Yasir Shah

Guyana Amazon Warriors

Brandon King and Chanderpual Hemraj will open the batting followed by the quartet of Mohammad Hafeez, skipper Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer and Shoaib Malik.

Imran Tahir will lead the spin department along with Kevin Sinclair while Naveen-ul-Haq will spearhead the pacers arena.

GUY Possible Playing XI – Brandon King, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Mohammad Hafeez, Nicholas Pooran [C & WK], Shoaib Malik, Shimron Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd, Kevin Sinclair, Odean Smith/Nial Smith, Naveen-ul-Haq, Imran Tahir

Warner’s Park, St Kitts Pitch Report and Weather Conditions

The average first Innings score in 10 T20Is at Warner Park has been 119 while the corresponding second innings score is 93.

Only twice have teams batting first have won at the venue in 10 T20Is as compared to 6 instances where the side bowling first has won.

As far as the weather is concerned, it is expected to be bright and sunny with temperatures hovering between 27-30 degree Celsius. Humidity is set to be around 68%. 

GUY vs TKR Dream11 & Fan2Play 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.

CPL 2021 Match 1: GUY vs TKR Dream11 & Fan2Play Prediction Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | GUY vs TKR 1st Match Dream11 Prediction Today| Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Trinbago Knight Riders 1st Match Key Players | St Kitts Pitch Report
CPL 2021 Match 1: GUY vs TKR Fan2Play Prediction

GUY vs TKR Match Prediction

While T20 is a fickle game and anything can happen on a given day, Trinbago Knight Riders courtesy the number of match-winners in their line-up, a great balance and past form, will start as definite favorites.

Twitter reactions as Anderson dismisses Kohli cheaply again

Charbel Coorey
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Twitter reactions as Anderson dismisses Kohli cheaply again

Cricket News: Twitter reactions as Anderson dismisses Kohli cheaply again | Twitter erupts as Anderson dismisses Kohli again

2-0.

James Anderson, the most prolific pace bowler in Test history, has taken us back to 2014 once again. After dismissing Indian skipper Virat Kohli for a golden duck in the first Test of their 2021 duel, Anderson was at it again on the morning of the Headingley Test, dismissing Kohli courtesy of more beautiful bowling.

Like his dismissal in the second innings at Lord’s, Kohli’s desire to feel bat on ball and tendency to play away from the body is like heaven for a bowler like Anderson.

Anderson, one of the most skilful bowlers of all time, had the ball coming in for most his magnificent first spell. However, each of his first three wickets were courtesy of the ball going away, including the prized scalp of Kohli.

Virat’s century drought continues. It’s now at 50 innings across formats. Worse, his battle with Anderson is going the way of the England bowler, after the Indian skipper had a memorable series in 2018. India will be hoping Kohli can rediscover that form, but for now, Anderson has his measure.

Twitter reactions as Anderson dismisses Kohli cheaply once again

The banter was rife, as expected. One tweet read “Virat Kohli needs to go play in the Ranji Trophy for a season before coming back to test cricket.”

Another is “Half-century for Virat Kohli… That’s 50 consecutive international innings without a century for the Indian skipper.“

A great batsman like Virat Kohli can never be written off. However, it’s Anderson who’s on top at the moment.

“This team is not going to back down when provoked” – Kohli

Charbel Coorey
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“This team is not going to back down when provoked” – Kohli

Cricket News: “This team is not going to back down” – Virat Kohli | India skipper Virat Kohli speaks about the fiery 2nd Test at Lord’s

India captain Virat Kohli has reiterated that this India team will not back down and take a backward step when things heat up on the cricket field.

Speaking to the media ahead of the all-important third Test, Kohli suggested that England “provoked” India throughout the Test, leading to a very fired up team particularly on the fifth day at Lord’s.

India, courtesy of a memorable Shami-Bumrah stand and superb bowling performance, took a 1-0 series lead with victory at the Home of Cricket. The India captain, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj were particularly fired up on the fifth day, with a number of exchanges between India, Ollie Robinson and James Anderson in particular throughout the match.

Also read: Joe Root let emotion get the better of him – James Anderson

Virat Kohli says that this India team will not take a backwards step to anyone

It is widely believed that a team is a reflection of their captain, and it shows with Virat Kohli’s leadership. The Indian skipper is looking forward to the third Test simply because of how his team reacts to pressure situations.

“It just showed this team is not going to back down and take a backward step when provoked,” said Kohli ahead of the third Test at Headingley.

“What is said on the field and what’s done in the moment, gives you extra motivation. As I said after the game, to get together as a team even more strongly.

“We play together, we play to win, and we don’t let anyone or any opposition just take us lightly.”

When asked about what England had done to provoke India, Kohli said that he cannot provide the details of the words that were spoken. He said it is the job of the stump mics and cameras to pick that up.

India’s fightback at Lord’s was reminiscent of their Australia tour where Tim Paine had a run in with Ravichandran Ashwin at Sydney. India then went on to achieve a memorable victory at the Gabba to take the series 2-1.

Although Kohli wasn’t available due to the birth of his first child, certain elements of his leadership rubbed off on the players as they were determined to achieve a great victory.

Also read: When Lord’s was home to ‘Kohlism”

Twitter reactions as Shaheen leads Pakistan to win vs WI

Charbel Coorey
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Twitter reactions as Shaheen leads Pakistan to win vs WI

Cricket News: Twitter reactions as Shaheen leads Pakistan to win vs WI | Shaheen Shah Afridi and Nauman Ali lead Pakistan to win in 2nd Test

With eight wickets in the first Test and 10 wickets in the second, 21-year old sensation Shaheen Shah Afridi has written another chapter in his wonderful cricketing story so far. His 18 wickets are the most by any Pakistani pace bowler in a two-match series, which is a superb achievement given the greats that graced the pitch over the years.

It was Shaheen and 34-year old Nauman Ali who led the way with the ball on day five after Pakistan got in front thanks to a wonderful Fawad Alam century, fine first innings bowling display and aggressive second innings batting performance.

With Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers batting nicely in the afternoon session, it was “magician” Shaheen who struck with the crucial breakthrough to dismiss Kyle Mayers and break that 46-run stand. Nauman Ali then struck with the crucial scalp of Jason Holder, who batted beautifully for his 47. From there, Shaheen finished things off with the final two wickets to lead Pakistan to victory.

It was a wonderful display of swing and seam bowling from the 21-year old right from the outset. He had the ball on a string for most of the match, utilising his height and terrific wrist position to full effect. After the match, he praised his team’s effort in what were very hot, humid conditions in Jamaica.

“Such a great effort, it’s a team effort,” said Shaheen in the post-match presentation. “The team needed from me and I delivered this time. It was tough because last day and the weather is really hot. As a team we knew that getting one wicket would get us another, so we looked to give 100%.”

The 21-year old also praised his family, particularly his brother Riaz.

“All credit goes to my brother Riaz Afridi – he’s a brother, he’s a father, he’s everything to me. Credit to my family as well who are always praying for me,” Shaheen said.

Twitter reactions to the superb Shaheen leading Pakistan to victory in the 2nd Test vs West Indies

Joe Root could have kept me bowling – Anderson

Charbel Coorey
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Joe Root could have kept me bowling – Anderson

Cricket News | Joe Root could have kept me bowling – Anderson | James Anderson says that Joe Root should have kept him on to Shami and Bumrah

James Anderson, in the aftermath of England’s defeat to India at Lord’s, has pinpointed how skipper Joe Root could have done things differently.

In the end, it was the partnership between Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami that swung the Test wildly in India’s favour on the fifth day. By the time England came out to bat, they were shellshocked and had no answers. The tactics were labelled as “bizarre”, “poor” and “horrible” by fans and pundits across the globe.

James Anderson pinpoints Joe Root captaincy as key factor in the Bumrah-Shami stand

Speaking on The Wizard and The Frog podcast, Anderson touched on the need to try get Bumrah out rather than get into a personal battle. England’s highest wicket-taker believes Root could have kept him on, rather than have brought Mark Wood back to target Bumrah and Shami with the short ball.

After the Test, Joe Root took responsibility for England’s approach on the fifth day. It was a period that cost them dearly, and Anderson further emphasised the need to not let the emotion get the better of you.

“When Joe touched on getting a few things wrong, I think, potentially, when Bumrah came in, he brought Mark Wood on and took me off,“ Anderson said.

“That’s the sort of thing he is talking about getting the emotion get the better of him. That was a sort of – trying for him to have a taste of his own medicine type of thing, rather than to get him out.

“You could just keep me on and normally see if he plays any big shot or anything like that, whereas he went with Mark Wood straightaway,” said England’s senior bowler.

England aim to keep series alive against India at Headingley

England, 1-0 down in the series, now face a fight to keep the series alive. The bowler in focus, Mark Wood, is out with a shoulder injury. Also, Dom Sibley has been dropped owing to key technical shortcomings.

The home side, who have lost five of their last seven Tests, will be hoping that change – owing to poor form and injury – does bring about a change in fortune.

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